The Death of a Loyalist Father - James Habersham's Revolutionary Sons
James Habersham was a Loyalist in Georgia.
Like most fathers, his sons rebelled against him.
They also happened to rebel against the King.
James Habersham
James Habersham was an early and important Founder of the colony of Georgia.
Habersham set up the first direct trade between Great Britain and Georgia. Additionally, he was one of the creators of the Bethesda Orphanage, at which many future Founders would grow up.
Not to be overlooked, Habersham also played an important role in bringing slavery to Georgia, a colony which originally outlawed the practice.
Furthermore, as a lifelong servant of the King, James became a Loyalist when the American Revolution began.
Much to his dismay, his sons did not.
James Habersham, Jr.
James Habersham passed away in 1775.
As this was so early in the hostilities with the Mother Country, the family avoided an inevitable fallout between father and sons.
Habersham’s oldest son, James Jr., moderately supported the Revolution and with his father’s death was freed up to become involved.
James Jr. spent most of the Founding playing a small but important role in the political and financial affairs of the young State of Georgia.
Joseph Habersham
The middle Habersham son, Joseph, played the largest role in the American Founding.
Joseph fought with the Continental Army, but was removed for his role as Second to Lachlan McIntosh in the duel that killed Button Gwinnett.
Joseph attended the Constitution’s Ratification Convention in Georgia before being appointed by George Washington to replace Timothy Pickering as the third Postmaster General of the United States.
Habersham remained as Postmaster General through the Adams Administration and into the first year of Thomas Jefferson’s Presidency.
John Habersham
The youngest Habersham boy, John, also played an important role as a Major in the Continental Army..
John was twice captured during the hostilities, once at Savannah and once at Charleston. The second of these were because his unit swam across a river during a retreat. Unable to swim, John decided to give himself up instead of drown.
Luckily, Habersham was exchanged after both captures.
John spent a year representing Georgia in the Congress of the Confederation and, later, was appointed by Washington as Collector at the Port of Savannah, a powerful and lucrative position.
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