372 LIBERTY COUNTY. 



Dorchester is a village lately settled, about five miles from 

 Sunbury, and contains 12 families and an academy. It is a 

 pleasant and healthy place. 



Riceborough is situated on North Newport river, 31f miles 

 S. S. W. of Savannah, and 28^^ N. of Darien. The stationary 

 population does not exceed 25 whites and as many blacks. It 

 contains three or four stores, and is the principal shipping port 

 of the county. 



Sunbury is on the S. side of Medway river, on a bold bluff, 

 eight miles E. S. E. of Riceborough. It was built in 1758. 

 Immediately after the Revolution it was quite a flourishing 

 seaport, having about 40 families residing in it, and 12 or 

 15 square-rigged vessels have been seen in its harbour at one 

 time. Tradition says that the first masonic lodge ever organ- 

 ized in Georgia, held its first meeting under an old oak tree 

 in Sunbury ; and also, that the St. George's Society, now the 

 Union Society of Savannah, held a meeting under the same 

 tree. A piece of this tree is still preserved in the family of the 

 Sheftalls, in Savannah. Sunbury was taken by the British in 

 the war of the Revolution. The remains of the old fort, from 

 which Colonel Mcintosh sent to the British commander the 

 gallant reply, " Come and take it," are still to be seen. The 

 venerable Dr. Mc Whir* resided in Sunbury whilst it was in the 

 height of its prosperity, and kept a school to which pupils 

 resorted from almost every part of Georgia. Sunbury is now 

 a deserted village, inhabited by not more than six or eight 

 families 



Roads and Bridges. — In no part of Georgia do the citizens 

 pay so much attention to their roads, as in Liberty county. 

 On account of the numerous swamps, there has been an 

 immense amount of labour expended in the construction of 

 bridges and causeways ; the bridges are generally small. The 

 longest bridge is at Riceborough, at the head of the tide navi- 

 gation of North Newport river. Riceborough was formerly 

 known by the name of '■' The Bridge." 



Population, Taxes, &c. — The census of 1845 gives to 

 this county 1,854 whites, 5,517 blacks; total, 7,871. State 

 tax for 1848, $3,629 41 cts. One representative. 



* See under head of Eminent Men. 



