James Rae, brother of John Rae, Sr., was deceased in Ireland in 1779, but his son, James Rae of Augusta, lived in America:
James Rae of Augusta married Ann (who married John Cobbison ca 1791, after the death of her husband, James Rae). He died in 1789, intestate in Columbia County. By Lewis Gardner, Esquire, Register of Probate for County of Richmond to Ann Rae, Whereas, James Rae, late of this county, deceased, died intestate. July 2, 1789. John Cobbison and wife, Ann, Administrators of the Estate of James Rae, sold to George Graves, Lot No. 19 in Augusta. Test: Andrew Whitfield. Dated June 21, 1791. James Rae and his wife, Ann, sold to Peter Wagnon of Augusta, " acre on Broad Street, Lot 18, dated 1789.
4 January 1796, James Richard, Sheriff of Richmond County, on suit of Joseph Clay and Joseph Habersham, against the estate of James Ray, deceased, for property which was in the hands of John Cobbison and his wife, Anne, and in the hands of Samuel Hammond and Rebekah, Administrators of the goods and chattels of the firm of Rae, Elbert and Grayham, for 573 pounds, one shilling, 10 pence.
The heirs of James Rae, deceased, asked that the ferry be called "Rae's Ferry" on the Savannah River in Richmond County, opposite Campbellton, be confirmed. June Term 1801, Minutes, Richmond County. Issue of James Rae, the son of James Rae:
Isabella Rae, died 1808 Richmond Co., named her grandmother, Phoebe Johnson. Also nephews, James Rae Wilkinson and Seaborn Jones Wilkinson.
Elizabeth Rae, daughter of James Rae, son of James Rae, married November 1, 1798 in Richmond Co., John B. Wilkinson. Issue: James Rae Wilkinson and Seaborn Jones Wilkinson.
John Rae migrated from Maghrenock, near Ballynahich in County Down, Nova Scotia, to South Carolina in 1729 or 1730. He applied for extensive land grants in Georgia because of his connections with the North of Ireland, and was granted 50,000 acres on the Ogeechee River in Queensborough (now Burke Co.), 40 miles from Augusta, for his countrymen or friends. Two of his letters asking for settlers appeared in the "Belfast News Letter" in 1765. At this time, he was sending 100 pounds to educate the children of his dead brother and invited his countrymen to share in great fortune, guaranteeing the free use of cows and horses for five years.
John Rae's brother, Matthew Rea, financed the arrangements for the voyage, on the Prince of Wales to sail in 1765 from Belfast to Charles Towne with passengers, thence to Savannah. The ship sailed in February. Matthew Rea was a land promotor for America, and lived in the Village of Drumbo in County Down, and was either a small landowner or farmer. He had the means to undertake two tours of the surrounding countryside in furtherance of his emigration plans, acting as middleman in the emigration trade, and agent, working with his brother, John Rea, in Georgia to obtain emigrants to the Colony.
As far as this land business was concerned, John Rea was described as a scoundrel in a letter published in 1770 describing Georgia as "a woeful place...a poor hole...accursed place...inhabited by a few Irish and some run-aways from all parts of America...that John Rea was more concerned with erecting a hedge between himself and the Indians than with promoting the happiness of his settlers". As the ship "Waddell" sailed in November of 1773, the activies of Mathew Rae on behalf of Georgia and his brother came to an end.
John Rae was a resident of Georgia in August of 1741, where he was appointed Conservator of the Peace ten years later. In 1752, he petitioned the Georgia Trustees for 300 acres on Argyle Island on the Savannah River and 100 acres on Pipemaker's Creek. In 1755, he was elected Representative to sit in the Assembly for Georgia at Augusta, and a lot was granted to him at Hardwick, in Chatham County. The land fell into Bryan County in 1793. The lost town of Hardwick was located on the Ogeechee River was the first temporary County Site. Laid out in 1755, it was named for Lord Hardwick, Lord Chancellor of England, a relative of the then Gov. Reynolds. Two Royal Governors recommended that it be the Capital of Georgia. An Act of 1797 designated a new County Site at Cross Roads, 2 miles from Ogeechee Bridge. The Site was later moved to Clyde and then Pembroke.
In behalf of his settlement efforts, he petitioned for relief for building a Church at Augusta in 1756, and received it. In February of 1768, he petitioned for lands on the Ogeechee River to be reserved for three years, in hopes of getting Irish settlers there. He printed copies of law and sent this to friends in Ireland, but the encouragement was much less than what was being given to South Carolina settlers, for in that State, free passage was provided, as well as other advantages. His friends wrote they would come to Georgia only if their passage was paid and they had use of lands free of expense and were exempted from taxes for ten years. The Georgia Trustees granted this wish to the Irish potentials, calling it "An Act for Encouraging Settlers to Come into the Province." John Rea, however, was very active in His Majesty's affairs, trying to obtain settlers for the Augusta area. He was Commissioner at Augusta, Collector and Assessor, in charge of erecting forts, printed the laws, built churches, and was in charge of building barracks for the soldiers.
John Rea lived on 200 acres on Stony Creek, three miles above Augusta, adjoining the lands of George Galphin, where he had a grist mill. In April of 1765, he petitioned for land originally surveyed for Isaac Barksdale to his widow, but the lands were passed in the name of John Rae, Jr.
Other lands were 300 acres on Briar Creek, 200 acres in St. Paul's Parish (granted 1770 and 300 acres in St. George's Parish.
John Rae had a negro slave, Nero, who was convicted in 1772 of felony, for breaking open a store of rice and taking several barrels. Ten other slaves are found in the records, however there were probably a good deal more slaves who cultivated his lands.
In 1771, John Rae was convicted of the manslaughter of Mrs. Ann Simpson, at Savannah, but was later pardoned. All his friends petitioned in his behalf, stating that he had been in the province for nearly forty years and had an unblemished character and had filled many offices of public trust. He has also been a Member of the Georgia Assembly, which was a very highlyr espected position in the province.
John Rae was married to Miss Phoebe Johnson. He died in Richmond Co. in the year of 1784, leaving extensive real estate holdings in Augusta (Joseph Rae was appointed Administrator of the Estate). He was the first of his brothers to come to America, with Robert Rae coming about 1770. His brother, James Rae, never came, but his son, James, Jr. did. He had a sister, Deborah Armstrong, who lived in Ireland in 1779. Issue of John Rae as follows:
Jane Rae married Mr. Somerville sometime after 1762 and had a daughter, Ann Somerville. She inherited the Augusta holdings of her father, and died there in 1779. She is named in the Will of her uncle, Robert Rae, who died in Chatham Co. In 1779. She was also named in the Will of her brother, John Rae, Jr. of Savannah, who left her all of the Augusta land, and she is Executrix of his estate, along with Robert Rae and Samuel Elbert. Edward Somerville, Savannah Merchant, in his Will dated September 10, 1762, probated September 20, 1762, bequeathed Miss Jane Rae 100 pds sterling, and Judith Cameron the remainder of the estate. He also bequeathed to John Rae, Jr. one half of 500 acres of land on Uchee Island, sixteen miles above Augusta; also a negro boy, Ned. Executor, John Rae, Esquire and Thomas Eaton.
John Rae, Jr. of Savannah, died Savannah in 1777, his LWT dated 4/12/1777, naming as executors his sister, Jane Somerville, Robert Rae and Samuel Elbert. He bequeathed to the daughter of Jane, Ann Somerville, leaving Januarye all of his Augusta land. Also, bequeathed to Elizabeth Elbert, daughter of Colonel Elbert; also to Caty Elbert.
William Rae of Savannah. Wife, Sarah Jane. He was deceased in 1787. His daughter, Elizabeth Rae married Thomas Jones who came from Wales, arriving at St. Simons Island in 1738, later receiving a land grant in St. Mathews Parish, Effingham Co. He formerly lived in London, a Clothworker, and voyaged with Oglethorpe to America In 1771 of 100 acres, and who died at Savannah on June 5, 1810. Eliza died at Savannah, her Will dated January. 17, 1817, Chatham Co. Will Book F. In her Will, she named her mother, Mrs. Jane Rae, and the children of her husband: Januarye Mary Jones and Martha Cowles Jones. Deed of William Rae and his wife, Sarah, dated 7 May 1787, of Savannah to Robert Jones of Richmond Co. For 150 acres of land. Isaac Barksdale, Augusta Trader, in his Will dated 12 June 1757, bequeathed to William Rae a negro boy, Sambo, guns and pistols.
Mary Rae. In 1747, John Blenfield, Indian Trader, bequeathed all his estate of Jane and Mary Rae, daughters of John Rae.
Deborah Rae Armstrong, sister of John Rae, Sr., lived in Ireland at the date of the Will of another brother, Robert Rae, in 1779.
Robert Rae, brother of John Rae, Sr., died October 1779 in Savannah. In January of 1772 he petitioned the Georgia Trustees for 200 acres of land on the Kiokas, formerly surveyed for Samuel Wells, with four negroes to work the land. He was in business with Georgie Whitefield (Robert Rae, George Whitefield & Co.) and these gentlemen petitioned for 500 acres in St. Paul's Parish in 1771. His wife was Rebecca, and daughter-in-law, Elizabeth Church. His Will dated October 13, 1779, probated October 30, 1779, named his brothers, leaving to the children of his brother James Rae, deceased, of Ireland, as well as his sister, Deborah Armstrong of Ireland, land in Killein, Ireland, and the plantation on the Savannah River opposite Little Island, and land north of Hutchinson Island (this land now being in South Carolina). To his nephew, James Rae of Augusta, he bequeathed all the property and his interest in Rae, Whitefield & Co., Rae's Elbert & Co., and Raes Elbert & Graham. Will probated at Savannah. Robert Rae married first a wife who died at Augusta in 1768; later married Rebecca.
Matthew Rae, brother of John Rae, Sr., land promoter, lived in Ireland.
Hutchinson Island, Savannah, Georgia. Surveyed in 1825 for Thomas Young, Esquire. Deptford Hill, Brewtons Hill, Thomas Spalding, James Habersham, Thomas Young of Springfield Plantation, J. P. Ward, Ebenezer Jackson, James Wallace of Mulberry Grove, Drakies Plantation, Judge Berrien of Marlan Hall, John P. Williams of Clifton Plantation, John Potter of Colerain Plantation, Thomas Gibbons of Whitehall Plantation. Argyle Island: Thomas Gibbons of Shaftsbury Plantation, Judge Wayne, John Potter, R. M. Stiles. Onslow Island: John Potter, General Read, Hugh Ross. Alpine Island: The Hermitage, Joseph Stiles of Val Royal.
Royal Avenue, Belfast. County Antrim, Ireland, ca 1890 and 1900.
