TELFAIR COUNTY. 541 



part of his life he lived temperate, and his exit was unaccom- 

 panied by pain. He retained his mental faculties to the last. 

 His eyesight was so little impaired that he could read print 

 without the assistance of glasses to the last year of his exist- 

 ence. 



Religious Sects, Education. — The Baptists and Metho- 

 dists are the most numerous, sects. Education is neglected, 

 although not to the extent that it was formerly. The children 

 of the poor are only provided for by the general poor school 

 fund. 



Roads and Bridges. — The roads and bridges are not in a 

 very good condition. 



Name. — Edward Telfair, from whom this county derives 

 its name, was born in Scotland, in 1735, on the farm of Toron 

 Head, the ancestral estate of the family, and which has since 

 been sold to the Earl of Selkirk. He received an English 

 education at the grammar school of Kirkcudbright. 



At the age of 23, he came to America as an agent of a 

 mercantile house, and resided some time in Virginia. He 

 afterwards removed to Halifax, N. C, and subsequently to 

 Georgia, and in 1766 settled in Savannah, and engaged in 

 commercial pursuits. When the storm of the American Revo- 

 lution began to lower, Mr. Telfair was found among the sons 

 of liberty who determined to resist to the last extremity the 

 tyrannical measures of the mother country. At the memor- 

 able meeting of the patriots, held in the city of Savannah, on 

 the 27th of July, 1774, he was placed upon a committee ap- 

 pointed to draw up resolutions expressive of the determination 

 of Georgia to co-operate with the other Colonies in defence of 

 their violated rights. About this time the citizens of Boston 

 were suffering much inconvenience from the effects of the 

 Boston Port Bill ; and their distressed condition had excited 

 a feeling of commiseration throughout the Colonies. The 

 friends of liberty exerted themselves to render every assistance 

 in their power to the inhabitants of Boston. Contributions in 

 money and provisions were sent to them from various sections ; 

 and although Georgia was weak, and incapable of sending 

 much aid, she resolved to do all which her means would 

 allow. Accordingly, a committee was appointed to receive 

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