John Joachim Zubly manuscripts and letters

Descriptive Summary

Repository: Historical Society Creator: Zubly, John Joachim, 1724-1781. Title: John Joachim Zubly manuscripts and letters Dates: 1770-1781, 1853 Extent: 0.14 cubic feet (2 folders, 1 volume) Identification: MS 0892

Biographical/Historical Note

John Joachim Zubly (1724-1781) was born in St. Gall, Switzerland. He was ordained in the German Church in London in 1744. He left England for South Carolina late in 1744. In 1745, he was appointed by the Georgia Trustees as assistant to the Rev. Zouberbuhler to preach to the German and Swiss settlers at Vernonburg and Acton near Savannah; he also preached at Hampstead. He left Georgia for South Carolina at the end of 1746. In 1758, Zubly received a request for his service at the Independent Church in Savannah, but he did not become its full-time pastor until 1760, at which point he became the first person to hold this church's position of pastor. He remained in this charge until his death, although he spent some time in South Carolina during the Revolutionary War. He was a member of the Georgia in 1775 and was elected a delegate to the that same year. He returned home because of illness in November, 1775. Because of his outspoken support of the British Constitution, he was banished and half of his estate was confiscated. Congressman Samuel Chase of Maryland accused Zubly of treason because of his loyalties to the British crown. He left for South Carolina, where he preached until his return to Savannah after the capture of the city by British forces in December, 1778.

Scope and Content Note

This collection consists of a diary, letters, and manuscripts, including two biographical sketches of John Joachim Zubly. The only original manuscript in the collection is the diary; the letters are copies made by I.K. Tefft and Archibald Smith from their respective personal collections. The diary, 1770-1781, is too fragile for use; a photocopy of the typescript is available for use. It covers Zubly's last years, with most of the entries devoted to his ministry. The correspondence includes a letter from Zubly to Noble Wimberly Jones his preparations of an address to the inhabitants on the "alarming state of things;" a letter to and Archibald Bulloch; a letter to Governor Sir requesting repairs of the church and his home; a letter recounting what happened to Zubly during the Revolutionary War, lamenting the loss of his books, and stating that a nephew of the Bishop of St. David's is a wounded prisoner in his house; a letter to Captain Moon declaring that if Zubly is not indemnified for his losses, he will go to the law for redress; a letter from I.K. Tefft to William R. Sprague, in which Tefft writes he has not been able to write a sketch of Zubly for Sprague's Annals of the American Pulpit, but is sending papers that may help; Archibald Smith to I.K. Tefft telling what happened to most of Zubly's papers, and stating that he is sending copies of the few he has, as well as commenting on Zubly's diary. Also included are abstracts from letters to various recipients. A biographical sketch of Zubly by Edward J. Harden and "Extract from the Biography of Button Gwinnett by Maj. Hugh McCall. Published in Sanderson's lives of the Signers, vol. iii p. 124-125-126," with information on Zubly, are also included in this collection.

Index Terms

Bulloch, Archibald, -1777. Diaries. Gwinnett, Button, approximately 1735-1777. Harden, Edward, 1784-1849. Houstoun, John, 1744-1796. Independent Church of Savannah (Ga.) Jones, Noble Wimberly, 1723-1805. Letters (correspondence) Manuscripts (document genre) Tefft, I. K., (Israel Keech), 1794-1862. United States--History--Revolution, 1775-1783--Personal narratives. Wright, James, Sir, 1716-1785. Zubly, John Joachim, 1724-1781.

Location of Originals

Original materials were in I.K. Tefft and Archibald Smith's personal collections in 1853.

Physical and Technical Access Restrictions

The diary is too fragile for use; a photocopy of the typescript is available for use.

Administrative Information

Custodial History

Items 2-11 copied from the personal collections of I.K. Tefft and Archibald Smith; Archibald Smith was a family descendant.

Preferred Citation

[item identification], John Joachim Zubly manuscripts and letters, MS 892, Georgia Historical Society, Savannah, Georgia.

Acquisition Information

Gift of George Wallace Hunter, 1839 (Item 1); I.K. Tefft and Archibald Smith, 1853.

Restrictions

Access Restrictions

Collection is open for research.

Publication Rights

Copyright has not been assigned to the Georgia Historical Society. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Division of Library and Archives. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the Georgia Historical Society as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the researcher.

Sponsorship

Encoding funded by a 2012 Documenting Democracy grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission.

Container List

Volume 1: Diary, 1770 March 5-1781 April 9 Fragile: do not use.

Fldr

1 Item 1: Photocopy of the typescript of Zubly's diary Incomplete and imperfect because of the difficulty of reading Zubly's handwriting.

Fldr

2 Item 2: J.J. Zubly to Noble Wimberly Jones, 1775? July ( 1.0 p. ) (Copy made by I.K. Tefft.) Has prepared an address to the inhabitants on the alarming state of things.

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2 Item 3: J.J. Zubly to John Houstoun and Archibald Bulloch. Philadelphia, 1775 November ( 1.0 p. ) (Copy made by I.K. Tefft.) 2 copies, one with note by Tefft.

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2 Item 4: J.J. Zubly to Gov. Sir James Wright. Savannah, 1779 November 30 ( 2.0 p. ) (Copy made by I.K. Tefft.) Requesting repairs of the church and his home; lists other losses.

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2 Item 5: J.J. Zubly to unknown recipient St. Gall near Savannah, 1780 April 9 ( 3.0 p. ) (Copy made by I.K. Tefft.) Recounts what happened to him in the Revolutionary War; laments loss of books; a nephew of the Bishop of St. David's is a wounded prisoner in his house.

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2 Item 6: J.J. Zubly to Capt. Moon, 1780 August 10 ( 1.0 p. ) (Copy made by I.K. Tefft.) Says if he is not indemnified for his losses he will go to the law for redress.

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2 Item 7: Copies of or extracts from letters, 1780 October 22-1781 March 10 ( 5.0 p. ) (Copy made by Archibald Smith.) Letters to someone in Glasgow, to Mrs. Thomas, to the Secretary of the Society for Promoting Religious Knowledge, to the Rev. M.J. Edmonds. Re war experiences and losses. Contains copy of a memorandum of Mrs. A. Seagrove (Zubly's daughter), giving pertinent dates of Zubly's life.

Fldr 2 Item 8: I.K. Tefft to William R. Sprague. Savannah, 1853 March 13 ( 2.0 p. ) Says he has not been able to write sketch of Zubly for Sprague's Annals of the American Pulpit; is sending papers that may help.

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2 Item 9: Archibald Smith to I.K. Tefft. Roswell, Cobb County, Ga., 1853 March 27 ( 3.0 p. ) Tells what happened to most of Zubly's papers; is sending copies of the few he has (item 7); comments on Zubly's diary. A typed copy is filed with this letter.

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2 Item 10: Sketch of Zubly by Edward J. Harden ( 7.0 p. ) A penciled note identifies Harden as the author.

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2 Item 11: "Extract from the Biography of Button Gwinnett by Maj. Hugh McCall" ( 2.0 p. ) Published in Sanderson's lives of the Signers, vol. iii p. 124-125-126." Pertains to J.J. Zubly.