DESCRIPTION: A fascinating, post revolutionary-war era pen and ink manuscript survey/headright plat (1) for 600 acres at Cedar Island, Oconee River, Georgia. The grant was made to Charnel Wallace for his service to the USA during the Revolutionary War. Survey dated March 20, 1786.
North of Cedar Island ownership of the lands is noted by the surveyor as "Indian Land." In 1786 the Oconee River corridor lay at the heart of Washington County’s shrinking frontier: the county had been created in 1784 from recent Creek cessions and initially stretched between the Ogeechee and Oconee, attracting Revolutionary War grantees, but on February 3, 1786 the legislature carved Greene County from its northern portion even as Creek leaders contested Georgia’s claims east of the Oconee.
The text reads:
"Pursuant to a warrant under the hand of the Honorable Jared Irwin (2), esquire Senior Justice presiding at ? ? in Washington County dated March 6, 1786 was surveyed for Charnill [Charnel] Wallis [Wallace] (3), who resides in this state a tract of land containing six hundred acres on Oconee River called Cedar Island having such form and marks as are expected in the above plat. Surveyed March 20 1786 by ? Hill D.S. certified by Samuel Camp pro surveyor. [Signed] Thomas McCall Surveyor General (4)."
The precise location of Cedar Island is unclear. There is an area around Athens, Georgia near the Oconee River called Cedar Shoals but that area was never a part of Washington County, Georgia.
Notes
(1) Beginning in 1783, Georgia granted each free adult male 200 acres under the headright system, plus 50 acres for each family member—including enslaved persons—up to 1,000 acres total. Applicants appeared before the county land court for a warrant of survey. The county surveyor then mapped the tract, prepared a plat, and sent it to the Surveyor General for recording. After paying required fees, the applicant received a formal land grant from the Governor.
Headright and bounty plats illustrated the surveyed tract, showing boundaries, natural features, and adjoining landowners. Each plat listed the grantee’s name, acreage, survey and warrant dates, and the names of the surveyor and chain carriers; the reverse side often noted where the plat was officially recorded. During the immediate post-war period many war veterans were granted land in Washington County.
(2) Jared Irwin (c. 1750–1818) was a prominent political figure in Georgia. He served twice as Governor of Georgia (1796–1798) and (1806–1809). The title “Senior Justice” refers to his role presiding over a Land Court (or a county court)
(3) Charnel Wallace came from the State of Georgia. During the Revoluionary War Wallace was mustered into the army in Georgia. On the Third day of April, in 1786, he received a bounty of five hundred, seventy-five acres of land, from the State of Georgia. A Georgia newspaper notice (county business/administrative list) from 29 Nov 1821 mentions “Charnel Wallace” in Bryan County.
(4) Thomas McCall was the Surveyor General of Georgia from 1786 to 1795.
PUBLICATION DATE: 1786
GEOGRAPHIC AREA: United States
BODY OF WATER: Oconee River
CONDITION: Fair.
Laid down to heavy stock. Staining and other expected age-related features.
COLORING: None.
ENGRAVER:
SIZE: 12
" x
16 "
ITEM PHYSICAL LOCATION: 78
PRICE: $450
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