St. Simons Island in Glynn County, Georgia — The American South (South Atlantic)
Frederica — Carpenter and Oarmaker
Fort Frederica National Monument
”We have built us a little room with some boards that we sawed, and built us a chimney in it with clay.”
Joseph Cannon, Age 15
Letter to England
November 1736
The first settler on this lot was Daniel Cannon, a carpenter. Cannon, with his sons Joseph and Daniel, lived here four years, then "quitted ye colony." More than one-third of Frederica's freeholders left town during the first five years.
In addition to his own "good timber house” on this lot, Cannon built other houses in Frederica, including the elegant three story brick house of Samuel Davison at the end of the street near the fort. Cannon also made oars for boats used in Oglethorpe’s 1740 expedition against the Spanish at St. Augustine.
The ring of bricks just behind the house site marks the location of a brick-lined well. Drinking water at Frederica was plentiful and of "tolerable good" quality.
Erected by National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Anthropology & Archaeology • Forts and Castles • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical month for this entry is November 1736.
Location. 31° 13.427′ N, 81° 23.477′ W. Marker is on St. Simons Island, Georgia, in Glynn County. Marker can be reached from Mimosa Drive, 0.2 miles west of Frederica Road. Marker is located along the interpretive trail at Fort Frederica National Monument. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 6515 Frederica Road, Saint Simons Island GA 31522, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Frederica - Candlemaker (a few steps from this marker); Frederica — Destroyed by Fire (a few steps from this marker); Frederica - Indian Interpreter (within shouting distance of this marker); Patrick and Priscilla Houstoun (within shouting distance of this marker); A New House? (within shouting distance of this marker); Tavernkeepers (within shouting distance of this marker); Shoemaker and Soldier (within shouting distance of this marker); Frederica - Huts and Houses (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in St. Simons Island.
Also see . . . The Settlement of Frederica. Life at Frederica was hard. The land was not the best for agriculture, and much of the food had to be imported from the mainland. The constant fear of an attack by the Spanish had to be endured. A third of the colonists eventually returned to England or settled elsewhere in Georgia. Those who did stay made a living largely on services, with the bulk of business being done with the soldiers stationed at the fort. (Submitted on March 14, 2021, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
Credits. This page was last revised on April 3, 2021. It was originally submitted on March 12, 2021, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 105 times since then and 9 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on March 14, 2021, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.