St. Simons Island in Glynn County, Georgia — The American South (South Atlantic)

Frederica - Indian Interpreter

Photographed by Mike Stroud, May 10, 2009

1. Frederica - Indian Interpreter Marker

Mary Musgrove Matthews, the niece of a Creek Indian King, served as General Oglethorpe's interpreter for ten years.

Inscription.

Mary Musgrove Matthews " has always been in great esteen with the General,... for being half Indian by extract, she had a very great influence upon many of them, particulary the Creek Nation...."
William Stephens February 22, 1740

In 1743, Mary Musgrove Matthews, General Oglethorpe's Indian interpreter, lived on this lot. She had a good house made of tabby- a type of concrete made with water, sand, lime, and oyster shells.

The daughter of a white trader and a Creek Indian mother, Mary left the Indians at the age of 10 to receive a Christian education in South Carolina. A skillful interpreter, negotiator, and trader, she helped Oglethorpe win the friendship and support of the Indians.

Erected by National Park Service.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Colonial Era • Indigenous Peoples and Communities • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical date for this entry is February 22, 1839.

Location. 31° 13.408′ N, 81° 23.478′ W. Marker is on St. Simons Island, Georgia, in Glynn County. It can be reached from Frederica Drive. At Fort Frederica National Monument. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Saint Simons Island GA 31522, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Georgia’s Coastal Plain, on the Georgia Coast and the Golden Isles,

and on the Sea Islands.

It is also in the American South

and specifically in the Deep South.

Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region,

North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain,

the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the original Thirteen Colonies,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking

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distance of this marker: Frederica — Destroyed by Fire (a few steps from this marker); Frederica — Carpenter and Oarmaker (within shouting distance of this marker); Frederica - Candlemaker (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); Frederica - Huts and Houses (within shouting distance of this marker); Shoemaker and Soldier (within shouting distance of this marker); Tavernkeepers (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in St. Simons Island.

Regarding Frederica - Indian Interpreter. Mary Musgrove's work as Oglethorpe's interpreter, her trading posts, and her status among the Creeks, ensured that she was the largest landowner in colonial Georgia. (Fort Frederica National Monument, Georgia)

Also see . . . Mary Musgrove. New Georgia Encyclopedia website entry (Submitted on February 5, 2023, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York.)

Frederica - Indian Interpreter, Mary Musgrove house ruins image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Mike Stroud, May 10, 2009

2. Frederica - Indian Interpreter, Mary Musgrove house ruins

Credits. This page was last revised on February 5, 2023. It was originally submitted on May 12, 2009, by Mike Stroud of Bluffton, South Carolina. This page has been viewed 1,106 times since then and 16 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on May 12, 2009, by Mike Stroud of Bluffton, South Carolina. • Craig Swain was the editor who published this page.