Maddock explained, “Georgia’s headright system allows a maximum of one hundred acres of land to every head of family and fifty additional acres for all other members of the household, free or slave. In addition, the governor can sell up to one thousand extra acres of unclaimed land to a competent farmer, at a cost of one shilling for each ten acres.”

He smiled and continued, “As seems to be his custom, Governor Wright has taken thirty-five hundred acres on the edge of Wrightsborough to be added to ten others he already owns nearer to Savannah, worked by more than five hundred slaves. His ownership here may be helpful to us in the future.”

Mabry asked, “How far is it to Savannah?”

Maddock seemed pleased to give the answers. “The distance to the capital by land is about a hundred and thirty miles, but most of the travel is done on the river, which almost doubles the distance. A boat or barge downstream takes four days, but fifteen days to come back upstream. We ride horseback down easily in three days, and it takes about eight days to travel with oxen and driving a herd of farm animals. The first one hundred miles or so above Savannah are over flat, sandy land, mostly under big longleaf pines and with a goodly number of swampy areas to cross and streams to ford. Then, as thou hast seen, the land up toward Augusta changes to a richer soil, with a lot of small hills and valleys.”

Ethan was surprised to see that Maddock had assigned property to the three Quaker families before they arrived, contiguous to land already occupied. He could tell from the map that a fairly large area was left on the extreme western border of the 1763 land grant, with a plot designated for him and Epsey. It was near the headwaters of Briar Creek, and he guessed that much of it was likely to be swampy. Apparently, Maddock noticed that Ethan was displeased, and announced in an officious way that there would be no arguing, but that any two families could exchange sites if they mutually agreed. Ethan decided not to protest but to accept what was offered to him. By this time, fifty-seven families were in the area, and Ethan’s grant was for two hundred acres, with an additional forty acres nearer the creek that was designated for use as a cowpen. The land grant papers were completed, with Ethan making certain that the legal deed clearly designated him as the permanent owner after he had paid the small surveying fee and agreed to build a cabin and clear a portion of the land.

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