Habersham Brothers

JOSEPH HABERSHAM (1751-1815) JOHN HABERSHAM (1754-1799) JAMES HABERSHAM, JR. (1745-1799). The three Habersham brothers - who here rest beside their distinguished father, James Habersham - were prominent patriots in the American Revolution and outstanding public men during the early years of the republic.

JOSEPH HABERSHAM, ardent Son of Liberty and a member of the Council of Safety, took part in the raid on the King's powder magazine in 1775, and in 1776 personally accomplished the dramatic arrest of the Royal Governor, Sir James Wright. He served in the Revolution as a Lieut.-Col. in the Ga. Continental line; was twice Speaker of the General Assembly; Mayor of Savannah, 1792-'93; and Postmaster General of the U.S., 1795-1801.

JOHN HABERSHAM, Major in the first Ga. Continental regt., distinguished himself in the Revolutionary War during which he was twice taken prisoner. He was a member of the Continental Congress in 1785; Commissioner in the Convention which established the Ga.-S.C. boundary; and first Collector of Customs at Savannah.

JAMES HABERSHAM, JR., merchant, actively opposed the revenue acts of Parliament in 1775. He served (as did John Habersham) on the board of Trustees created in 1785 to establish the University of Georgia, and was Speaker of the General Assembly in 1782 and in 1784. 025-14 GEORGIA HISTORICAL COMMISSION 1953