The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-02-01
SOME ORIGINAL DEEDS.
Indenturcs over IA Century Old Re-
call Interesting Historic Facts.


Mr.. William NJ. Davant has in his safe
in the Merchants Nationa. Bank some
deeds nearly century and a half old,
yet in fairly good state OF preservation.
These papers made during Colonial days
are interesting TO look upon at this mod
ern day when blue prints are as common
as newspapers and when notaries public
witness such indentures. Occasionally
these curiosities. for such they are in
the enlightened twentieth century, are
brought from Sheir resting pace and
shown TO interested friends of Nj. Da-
want.
The old deeds for Bonaventure Gene
terry are in the possession of the cashier
of the Merchants National Bank
and are interesting papers.
bill of sale from John and
Ann Sarah Habersham, his wife, to Jo-
siah Tattnall, the younger shows that
the sum of 1880 pounds was paid for Bon
adventure and that the sale was witness
cd by Joseph Clay, A. /. County Of Chat
ham, on June Is, 1882. The paper de-
scribes Bonaventure as located near the
public road .eading to the Town of Sa-
vannah,' and that the property has been
formerly sold as "the conhscated prop
erty of John Mulryne."
1t might prove Interesting 90 recall that
Bonaventure was first settled in or about
1860, by Col. John Mulryne, who came 10
this country from England and removed
from Charleston to Georgia. The high
ground and an extended river view made
1t ono of the finest sizes near the Town
OF Savannah, The first house. q large
brick one, was erected at that time, fac
ing the center walk of the old garden.
This garden extended in terraces from
the plateau TO the river. che terraces be-
ing supported by blocks of "Tabby," a
concrete of shell and lime The house
was destroyed by fire during the latter
part of the eighteenth century, while a
dinner entertainment was in progress.
The roof took fire first and all hope OF
saving the building was given up. AT
the suggestion of the owner the dinner
was removed to the lawn and there fin
ished, while the house was being consun1-
ed by the flames.
In 1861 this property came. by the mar
riage of Josiah TattnaI, of Charleston,
with Mary, the daughter of Col. John
Mu.ry ne, into the Possession of the TAFT
nall family, Gov. TAttnall of Georgia be-
ing born the.e in 1865.
This marriage is of peculiar interest in
the history of Bonaventure, since from
which form tne pride and chief feature
OF the beautiful burial ground. They
were planted about that time, and a ira
d.tion has ii, in the forms of the letters
M. and T., the initials of the families of
Mulryne and Tattnall. The majority of
these trees We're live oaks others being
mingled with them. These latter the
hand of time and the wind have long
ago laid low, whist the sturdy live oaks,
with their hoary boards of moss, still
defy the wintry blasts, and their rustling
leaves whisper a ceaseless lullaby over
the quiet and peaceful sleepers at their
feet
A second, and frame house, built by
Gov. Tattnall, was also destroyed by fire
This second house stood in the open
space in the rear of where the brick res
idenee had been, and its location is mark
ed by a large cedar tree, nourished by
the ashes of the burnt hearth. The front
of the house was formerly marked by
two very old and large palmetto trees.
Commodore Josiah TattnalTs remains are
buried in the old Tattnal lot.
In the year 1917 the property passed
by purchase, into the hands of Capt p
Wiltberger, who had long associated The
quiet and peace of the pace, patriarch
trees, and their deep solemn shade its
cam and seclusion, as a fit receptacle fol
the departed of this earth, as a resting
pace for the weary pi. grims of life. Will
him originated the idea of devoting Bona
venture to its present and final use, ant
his remains s.eep under the foliage of it,
trees.
Circumstances prevented for a time the
execution of his wish, but it was taken w
by his son, Maj. w. II. Wiltberger, and
the formation of the present Evergreen
Cemetery Company, in 1869. was the result
of his efforts. In this connection it may
be interesting to notice that the first adult
buried at Boraventure was The wife OF
Gov. Tatnall, who died there in 1903, be-
ing soon 70 lowed to the grave by her hus-
band. Previous to that tine several oil
the children of the family had been buried
there.
Amongst the historical incidents of the
place is the rescue of Gov. Wright by
Co. Mulryne, during the Revolutionary
War, Col. Mulryne, a staunch Tory dis
approved of The Decla alton of Independ-
ence, and when the pa ri, is confined Gov
Wright in Savannah, Co. Mulryne hasten
ed to his rescue The Governor was con-
veyed to Bonaventure until he could be
placed on British man-of-war lying In
the river. Col. Mu.Tyne left the country
with the Governor, and died at Nassau,
New Providence.
1t is also historic that the French, af-
ter their unsucco ssful attack on Savan-
nah, fell back to Bonaventure, and tn nee
re-embarked many of their wounded,
burying a number of their dead on the
pace. Thus it will. be seen that Bonaven-
ture holds the bones of warriors and
patriots of several nations.