Burke County

Burke County is a Georgia historical marker in Burke County, dedicated 1956.

At the county courthouse in Waynesboro.

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Burke County, an original county, was created by the Const. of Feb. 5, 1777, from Creek Cession of May 30, 1733. In 1758, it had been organized as the Parish of St. George. Originally, it contained parts of Jefferson, Jenkins and Screven Counties. Burke County was named for Edmund Burke (1729-1797), writer, member of Parliament and eloquent defender of the cause of the colonies in America. Lemuel Lanier was commissioned Sheriff, Jan. 27, 1778. Thos. Burton, David Lewis, Nathan Hooker, and Dan. McMurphy became Tax Collectors in 1778. Thos. Lewis, Jr., was made Surveyor Feb. 17, 1782. In 1787 John Davies was commissioned Clerk of Courts and John Duhart, Coroner.

Maps this old were drawn largely by eye, so places on them can sit miles from where they really are. The pin is ours and marks the marker's location today.

TodayHistorical map

Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.

David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries

Historical maps covering this location

1764 · Carte de la Nouvelle Georgie (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
1778 · Parte Orientale della Florida, della Giorgia, e Carolina Meridionale. Fogl. XI (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
1795 · State of South Carolina. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
1903 · South Carolina. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
1950 · Waynesboro, Georgia (USGS Historical Topographic Map Collection)

Carte de la Nouvelle Georgie, 1764, covering the location of Burke County, with a pin at the marker's coordinates — Carte de la Nouvelle Georgie, 1764, covering this location. David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries. The pin is ours, placed from the marker's coordinates.

Example

For example, one family's tree showed the Articles of Confederation marker in Pennsylvania standing under a mile from where William Gabby lived in the 1760s.

What that marker records spans 1777 to 1789, overlapping William Gabby's years there.

From one family's 77-marker roster

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The marker isn't at this spotOur pin may be off. If you know where it stands, tell us.I couldn't find the markerWe record what the source recorded. We have not been to look.The sign reads differentlyThat would be an error, and we can pass it to the program.The historical map looks wrongThe period map behind the pin, not the marker itself.Something else

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This historical marker is part of the Georgia Historical Marker Program and was erected by the Georgia Historical Commission. Marker texts and locations come from the Society's own marker database.

More markers nearby

Burke County's 8 Governorssame spot
Washington's Southern Toursame spot
Waynesboroughsame spot
First Presbyterian Church (Burke County)under 1 mi

On the National Register nearby

Burke County Courthouse130 ft

Places within about 300 feet of this marker that are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. A nearby listing is not always the marker's own subject.