December 22, 1696

London, England

July 1, 1785

Essex, England

British general and philanthropist, founder of
Georgia colony

James Edward Oglethorpe (left) negotiating with Native Americans. Reproduced by permission of The Library of Congress.

"One, driven by strong benevolence of soul,/Shall fly like Oglethorpe from pole to pole."

From Imitation of Horace by English poet Alexander Pope.

James Oglethorpe was an English general and member of Parliament (the British legislative body) who obtained a grant to start a colony for debtors (those who cannot pay their bills). He named this North American colony Georgia. The British Crown (monarchy or royal family) had political reasons for approving the Georgia venture: the colony would serve as a buffer between English-held South Carolina and Florida, which was occupied by Spain, an enemy of Britain. In 1733 Oglethorpe founded the city of Savannah, then set about acquiring land from the friendly Yamacraw...