British Army general, founder of the Georgia colony (1696–1785)
James Edward Oglethorpe
Governor of Georgia
In office 1732–1743
Prime Minister
Sir Robert Walpole
Preceded by
Office created
Succeeded by
William Stephens
Member of Parliament for Haslemere
In office 1722–1754
Preceded by
Nicholas Carew
Succeeded by
James More Molyneux
Personal details
Born
(1696-12-22)22 December 1696 Godalming, Surrey, England
Died
30 June 1785(1785-06-30) (aged 88) Cranham, Essex, England
Political party
Tory
Spouse
Elizabeth (née Wright)
Alma mater
Eton College, Corpus Christi College, Oxford, a military academy, Paris, France
Profession
Statesman, soldier, agriculturalist
Signature
James Edward Oglethorpe (22 December 1696[1] – 30 June 1785) was a British soldier, Member of Parliament, and philanthropist, and the founder of the Province of Georgia in what was then colonial-era British America. As a social reformer, he hoped to resettle Britain's "worthy poor" in the New World, initially focusing on those in debtors' prisons.
Born to a prominent British family, Oglethorpe left college in England and a British Army commission to travel to France, where he attended a military academy before fighting under Prince Eugene of Savoy in the Austro-Turkish War. He returned to England in 1718 and was elected to the House of Commons in 1722. His early years were relatively undistinguished until 1729, when Oglethorpe was made chair of the Gaols Committee that investigated British debtors' prisons. After the report was published, to widespread attention, Oglethorpe and others began publicizing the idea of a new colony, to serve as a buffer between the Carolinas and Spanish Florida. After being granted a charter, Oglethorpe sailed to Georgia in November 1732.
He was a major figure in the early history of the colony, holding much civil and military power and instituting a ban on slavery and alcohol. During the War of Jenkins' Ear, Oglethorpe led British troops in Georgia against Spanish forces based in Florida. In 1740, he led a lengthy siege of St. Augustine, which was unsuccessful. He then defeated a Spanish invasion of Georgia in 1742. Oglethorpe left the colony after another unsuccessful invasion of St. Augustine and never returned. He led some government troops in the Jacobite rising of 1745 and was blamed for British defeat in the Clifton Moor Skirmish. Despite being cleared in a court martial, Oglethorpe never held British command again. He lost reelection to the House of Commons in 1754. He left England and may have served undercover in the Prussian Army during the Seven Years' War. In his later years, Oglethorpe was prominent in literary circles, becoming close to James Boswell and Samuel Johnson.
^Dates follow the Julian calendar up to 2 September 1752 and the Gregorian calendar thereafter. Britain and her American colonies changed on that date and the following day was 14 September. The intervening eleven days were omitted.
James Edward Oglethorpe (22 December 1696 – 30 June 1785) was a British soldier, Member of Parliament, and philanthropist, and the founder of the Province...
Oglethorpe University is a private college in Brookhaven, Georgia, United States. It was chartered in 1835 and named in honor of General James Edward Oglethorpe...
The JamesOglethorpe Monument is a public monument in Chippewa Square, Savannah, Georgia, United States. The monument honors JamesOglethorpe, the founder...
to give up." It is also the motto of Oglethorpe University, in reference to the school's namesake, JamesOglethorpe, who allegedly persevered through seemingly...
Pacific Ocean. The colony's Corporate charter was granted to General JamesOglethorpe on April 21, 1732, by George II, for whom the colony was named. The...
small green parks to create integrated, walkable neighborhoods. James Edward Oglethorpe founded the Georgia Colony, and the town of Savannah, in 1733....
Oglethorpe may refer to: People Oglethorpe (surname) Places Bramham cum Oglethorpe, West Yorkshire, England Brookhaven/Oglethorpe (MARTA station), a passenger...
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Mount Oglethorpe is a mountain located in Pickens County, Georgia, United States. The southernmost peak in the Blue Ridge Mountains, the mountain has an...
where it was first discovered. The county, in turn, is named for JamesOglethorpe, the founder of Georgia Colony in the 18th century. Quercus oglethorpensis...
house was part of a network of defensive structures established by JamesOglethorpe, founder of Georgia, and early Georgia colonists to protect Savannah...
the Georgia Colony. At the urging of Georgia's proprietor, General JamesOglethorpe, and his fellow colonial trustees, the British Parliament formally...
Other hypotheses for the origin of the word include the last name of JamesOglethorpe or using the Old English word for village, thorp, because the symbol...
of characters that appeared on the television series. Toby Stephens as James McGraw/Flint: Captain of the Walrus and the Revenge. Hannah New as Eleanor...
Savannah, Georgia, in the 18th century. He gave land on Yamacraw Bluff to JamesOglethorpe to build the city of Savannah. He remains a prominent historical figure...
The Oglethorpe Hotel, located in downtown Brunswick, Georgia, was designed in 1888 by architect J. A. Wood and named after JamesOglethorpe. It was built...
Oglethorpe Mall is a super-regional shopping mall on the south side of Savannah, Georgia. Named after General JamesOglethorpe, the founder of Savannah...
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