Estate papers, 1770-1789.

  1. Resources
  2. View Resource

ArchivalResource

Estate papers, 1770-1789.

http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/207161937

This collection consists of papers pertaining to the estate of James Edward Oglethorpe. The estate papers include copies of Oglethorpe's will, in which he bequeathed all his property to his wife, Elizabeth Wright Oglethorpe ( - ). With the exception of one other paper--a letter--all of the papers in this collection are written in French. They concern the complex issue of the legality of Oglethorpe's possession of American property and the lawful distribution of that property. Because Oglethorpe had no children (to whom the property would normally pass), the estate was to go from his wife to the two sons of Oglethorpe's sister, the Marquis de Bellegrade and the Marquis de MeĢzieres. Both were French. The numerous memoirs letters, legal documents, and miscellaneous other legal papers investigate the question of whether or not these Frenchmen had the right to own American land, and, for that matter, if Oglethorpe, as an Englishman, had the right to pass the property on. Included are several notes and references to the opinions of John Adams (1735-1826) who was, at the time, serving as envoy for the United States to the Court of St. James and a French-translated opinion of the case by Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826) who was then minister to France. Apparently Francis Peter Plowden (1749-1829), a controversial English lawyer and political writer of the time, handled this case on behalf of the French men. His letter written in English (31 October 1785) clearly describes the situation. Numerous other papers refer to or were generated by Plowden.

1 folder (60 items)

Gadsden Public Library

Information

SNAC Resource ID: 7000573

Gadsden Public Library

Related Entities

There are 5 Entities related to this resource.

Adams, John, 1735-1826

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w61h1b9v (person)

John Adams (1735-1826) was the second president of the United States, born in Braintree (now Quincy), Massachusetts. He served as defense counsel for British soldiers accused of Boston Massacre in 1770; as delegate to Continental Congress from 1774 to 1778; as member of committee charged with drafting Declaration of Independence in 1776; as congressional commissioner to France from 1778 to 1779; as minister to United Provinces in 1780; and negotiated a loan from Dutch bankers in 1782. Adams join...

Oglethorpe, Elizabeth Wright.

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6t454r2 (person)

Plowden, Francis, 1749-1829

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w61k0nnc (person)

Oglethorpe, James Edward, 1696-1785

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6t72h0n (person)

James Edward Oglethorpe (1696-1785) was an English statesman and soldier who served as a member of Parliament for thirty-two years. His interest in penal reform coupled with his humanitarian bent and support for imperial expansion led him to conceive of and establish the American colony of Georgia, where newly freed and unemployed debtors from England were to be sent. In addition to his political and philanthropic interests, Oglethorpe was active in the military, attaining the rank of General an...

Jefferson, Thomas, 1743-1826

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w60d5jrb (person)

Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826) was an American statesman and third president of the United States. From the description of Thomas Jefferson letter, 1809. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 367818629 Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826) was the third president of the United States, born in Goochland (now Albemarle County), Virginia. He was a member of the Virginia House of Burgesses from 1769 to 1775, and with R. H. Lee and Patrick Henry initiated the inter-colonial committee of correspond...