George Handley
George Handley was born in England on 9
February 1752. After arriving in America he was named 1st Lieutenant of
the 1st Georgia Regiment on 7 January 1776, later named Captain in October
of the same year. Upon his retirement in July of 1782 he was a
Lieutenant-Colonel. He settled in Glynn County where he became prominent
in local happenings as a representative of this county at the Convention
of 1787 that met to ratify the Constitution; and as a member of the
Georgia Constitutional Convention of 1789 as president of that body. In
1787 he was appointed Colonel of the Glynn County Regiment of Militia and
in 1789 he was a Collector of the Port of Brunswick.
Handley also represented Glynn County in both Houses of the General
Assembly of Georgia; he was a member of the House of Representatives from
1788 to 1789 and elected president of the Executive Council.
On 26 January 1788 George Handley became Governor of Georgia and served
until 7 January 1789. He then returned to Augusta, Richmond Co., Georgia
where he was Sheriff of the county in 1790 and Tax Collector in 1792.
George Handley married Sarah Howe, niece of Gen.
Samuel Elbert, together
they had but one child, George Thomas Handley. On 17 September 1793,
George passed away in Augusta. Upon his death, his wife and son received
title to one half of Blythe Island that was confiscated from John &
Hugh Poulson under the Act of Attainder and Confiscation [lands seized by the
American Government from those who sided with England]. This land was
purchased by Christopher Hillary and George Handley from the Commissioners
of Confiscated Estates. |
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