What's In A Name: From Monarchy to Independence in The Golden Isles
This story originally appeared in Discover Downtown Brunswick, a publication of The Brunswick News, in the August 2023 edition stretching into a multi-part series. it has been expanded and consolidated here.
Josh Dukes is a local historian and digital photo restoration artist. He is co-author of the book Brunswick: Past & Present, available at local retailers and online. You can reach him at www.joshdukesofficial.com
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the names of places in the Golden Isles. Part is just pure curiosity on my part, but as I learn more about some of the names we pass between each other for directions or location each day, the more I see the interconnections between them. I give to you here part of what I think will be a multi-part series. Let’s start at the beginning, shall we?
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| Portrait of John Glynn, 1769 by Richard Houston |
Long before Glynn County became the name on our courthouse and driver’s licenses, it honored a man who never set foot in Georgia but nonetheless lent his voice to the cause of the American colonies. John Glynn (1722–1779) was a British lawyer and Member of Parliament who represented Middlesex.
At a time when tensions between Britain and her colonies were rising sharply, Glynn emerged as a defender of colonial rights within the House of Commons. He aligned himself with reform-minded figures who challenged the government’s approach to taxation and representation, arguing that the American colonies should not be taxed without their consent—a principle that would soon become a rallying cry across the Atlantic.
At a time when tensions between Britain and her colonies were rising sharply, Glynn emerged as a defender of colonial rights within the House of Commons. He aligned himself with reform-minded figures who challenged the government’s approach to taxation and representation, arguing that the American colonies should not be taxed without their consent—a principle that would soon become a rallying cry across the Atlantic.
In July of 1771, supporters of parliamentary reform organized under the name “The Society of Gentlemen Supporters of the Bill of Rights,” often associated with Glynn’s leadership and advocacy. The group issued a manifesto calling for “full and equal representation of the people,” the abolition of excise taxes, and relief from taxation imposed without representation. When Georgia reorganized its parish system into counties in 1777—uniting Saint David’s, Saint James, and Saint Patrick’s into a single civil entity—it chose to honor Glynn for his public stance in favor of colonial grievances. It is a telling detail in our local story: while many Brunswick streets still reflect royal names from the colonial era, the county itself bears the name of a British parliamentarian who spoke up for American rights. Every time we say “Glynn County,” we repeat the name of a man who argued, from within the British system, that the colonies deserved a fair hearing.
From Monarchy to Independence
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| King George II, circa 1750 by John Shackleton |
General James Oglethorpe selected the name as both tribute and political statement, reinforcing Georgia’s identity as a loyal outpost of the Crown during a tense period of Spanish and British rivalry in the Southeast. Frederick’s wife, Princess Augusta of Saxe-Gotha, was likewise honored when Oglethorpe named Augusta, Georgia, for her. In those early years, royal names were not ornamental—they were declarations of who this fledgling colony belonged to and who it depended upon for protection.
Frederick himself never ruled. Though he was heir apparent for decades, he died in 1751 at the age of 44, nine years before his father. The crown instead passed in 1760 to his son, who became King George III—the last British monarch to govern the American colonies. That detail gives Fort Frederica’s name a certain weight for those of us who live nearby. The ruins we can still visit on St. Simons today bear the name of a prince who never wore the crown, yet whose lineage shaped the destiny of Georgia and the rest of colonial America. When you stand among those tabby walls and look out over the marsh, you’re looking at a place that once served as both a military stronghold and a reminder that this stretch of coast was once firmly planted in Britain’s royal orbit.
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| Prince Frederick, Prince of Wales and the namesake of Fort Frederica. by Philippe Mercier |
The newly established town's two largest squares also bear the names of nobility. Hanover Square was named for the King's lineage, the House of Hanover. The Hanovers were of German origin and ruled parts of Germany, Great Britain, and Ireland at various times from the 17th through the 20th centuries. King George II himself remained the Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg until his death in 1760. The current head of the House of Hanover is Prince Ernst August of Hanover.
Hanover's twin square to the west is Wright Square, which took its name from Sir James Wright (1716–1785), Georgia’s third and final Royal Governor, appointed in 1760 during the reign of King George III. Savannah also has a square named for Sir James. A trained lawyer and jurist born in South Carolina to English parents, Wright brought administrative experience and steady leadership to a young colony still finding its footing. Under his tenure, Georgia expanded economically—rice cultivation grew, trade increased, and the colony matured from its trustee origins into a more conventional royal province. When Brunswick was formally laid out in 1771, it was Wright who signed off on the town’s charter. In many ways, the orderly grid we still walk today came into being during his administration.
The Revolutionary War placed Wright in an impossible position. As tensions escalated, he attempted to steer a moderate course, but revolutionary sentiment in Savannah eventually forced him to flee to a British warship in 1776. Unlike other royal governors who lost their posts permanently, Wright returned in 1778 when British forces recaptured Savannah. For several years he resumed control of Georgia—the only royal governor among the thirteen colonies to temporarily regain his province during the conflict. That restoration proved short-lived. When British forces evacuated in 1782, Wright departed for good and later died in London in 1785. He is buried at Westminster Abbey. His legacy in Georgia is complicated, tied as it is to both colonial growth and imperial loyalty, but his imprint is unmistakable.
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| Sir James Wright, by Andrea Soldi |
The Revolutionary War placed Wright in an impossible position. As tensions escalated, he attempted to steer a moderate course, but revolutionary sentiment in Savannah eventually forced him to flee to a British warship in 1776. Unlike other royal governors who lost their posts permanently, Wright returned in 1778 when British forces recaptured Savannah. For several years he resumed control of Georgia—the only royal governor among the thirteen colonies to temporarily regain his province during the conflict. That restoration proved short-lived. When British forces evacuated in 1782, Wright departed for good and later died in London in 1785. He is buried at Westminster Abbey. His legacy in Georgia is complicated, tied as it is to both colonial growth and imperial loyalty, but his imprint is unmistakable.
Streets of Old Town: North to South
The city plan was originally laid out by General James Edward Oglethorpe in 1771. By 1789, Brunswick was recognized by President George Washington as one of the 5 original ports of entry for the American colonies. Let’s first journey from North to South through Old Town and touch on each of the named streets along the way.
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| William Henry, Duke of Gloucester by Sir William Beechey |
Gloucester Street was named for Prince William Henry, Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh (1743-1805). The Duke was a brother of King George III and member of the King’s Cabinet. It is at this point, dear reader, where I pull rank as the author and confirm to you how this word is pronounced. British places and names that contain “chester” in the names almost always omit the “chess” and include only the “ster”. For example, the London area known as Leicester Square is pronounced like the name “Lester.” Worchester, Mass. is pronounced “Wooster.”
Now I come to the war of names for Gloucester. It is not “Glow-Chester” or “Glow-Sesster” as I often hear people say it. The word is a proper British place, and it is pronounced GLAH-ster. This is a hard fact and a hill I will die on. Please make the appropriate adjustments if necessary.
Now I come to the war of names for Gloucester. It is not “Glow-Chester” or “Glow-Sesster” as I often hear people say it. The word is a proper British place, and it is pronounced GLAH-ster. This is a hard fact and a hill I will die on. Please make the appropriate adjustments if necessary.
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| George Monck, 1st Duke of Albemarle |
In addition to his military and political prominence in England, Monck also had a direct connection to early English colonization in North America. As one of the eight Lords Proprietors granted the vast Province of Carolina by Charles II in 1663, he held authority over a huge territory that would later be divided into North and South Carolina and eventually influence the settlement of Georgia. His title became permanently embedded in the geography of the region, most notably in Albemarle Sound and the early Albemarle County settlement in present-day North Carolina—one of the first centers of English population in the colony. Through these proprietary grants, Monck’s influence extended beyond the Restoration itself, linking the political reshaping of England to the expansion and governance of its American colonies.
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| William Murray, 1st Earl of Mansfield |
Traveling south from Monck we find Mansfield Street, which takes its name from William Murray, 1st Earl of Mansfield (1705-1793). Lord Mansfield became the Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales in 1754 and held the title at the time of Oglethorpe’s Brunswick plan. Mansfield is considered the founder of commercial law. He’s regarded as the most powerful British jurist of the 18th century, with decisions reflecting the Age of Enlightenment and votes which set Britain on a path toward abolishing slavery in the country.
The next street on our journey is Howe, named for Sir William Howe, 5th Viscount Howe (1729-1814). Howe served alongside George Washington in the French and Indian War. Howe later disapproved of the American push for independence and fought against the patriots at Bunker Hill. Washington forced Howe and the British troops out of Boston, after which he transferred his army to New York and Philadelphia. In 1778, Howe resigned his command and returned to England.
Our next 3 streets – George, London, and Prince – are closely intertwined. King George III (1738-1820) was king at the time of Oglethorpe’s map and London was the seat of the British Empire. George III’s eldest son was Prince George Augustus Frederick, Prince of Wales (1762-1830). Later crowned George IV, this Prince of Wales gave his name to Prince Street. George IV was the first king to come to power after the American Revolution, which occurred under the reign of his father.
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| William Legge, 2nd Earl of Dartmouth |
Unlike some of his contemporaries, he was regarded as personally sympathetic to colonial concerns and initially favored conciliation over coercion. Even so, the machinery of empire moved toward conflict during his tenure, and the Revolutionary War began shortly after he left office.
Lord Dartmouth’s name carries beyond London and Georgia. In 1769, Eleazar Wheelock founded a school in New Hampshire and named it Dartmouth College in the Earl’s honor, hoping to secure his patronage. Though Dartmouth did not become a major financial backer, the name endured and remains one of the most recognizable institutions in American higher education. Closer to home in Britain, Legge was known for his philanthropy, including support of London’s Foundling Hospital, a charitable institution caring for abandoned children.
Streets of Old Town: West to East
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| Major General James Grant First British governor of East Florida (1764-71) |
Bay is a universal name in many cities for a street running along the waterfront. Charleston, for example, has an East Bay street on east side of the peninsula. Brunswick’s Bay Street is on the west. It is important to note that the north part of the current Bay Street footprint overtook part of Oglethorpe Street. A 1960s-era revitalization of rundown Bay Street storefronts, road widening, and Port enlargements were all at play here. The next street to the east is Oglethorpe Street, named for General James Edward Oglethorpe (1696-1785). Oglethorpe was the founder of the Province of Georgia and laid out Brunswick’s original plan. He was a social reformer and initially wanted to focus on debtors and others considered to be the “worthy poor.” It was for this reason that Georgia was often considered to be a debtors’ colony, where those previous imprisoned for debts could be given a second chance in the new world.
We next travel to Grant Street, named for Colonel James Grant (1720-1806), a British soldier who at times was under command of Generals Amherst and Howe - more on Amherst shortly. Grant was a veteran of the French and Indian War. He served as the British Governor of East Florida from 1763-1771 and was elected to Parliament in 1773. He served as a Major General in the Revolution and fought against George Washington at the Battle of Brooklyn. He later served in the Caribbean and returned to Scotland after the end of the conflict.
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| The Duke of Newcastle by William Hoare, circa 1750 |
Beyond Grant is Newcastle Street, named for Thomas Pelham-Holles, 1st Duke of Newcastle upon Tyne. He played an important behind-the-scenes role in shaping Britain’s colonial policy—especially for the young Province of Georgia. The Duke served as Prime Minister for six years following the ministry of his brother, Henry Pelham, but long before that he had already been deeply involved in colonial administration as Secretary of State for the Southern Department, the office responsible for British North America.
From London, he became one of Georgia’s strongest political allies, supporting General James Oglethorpe and the colony’s strategic importance as Britain’s southern defensive frontier. His influence proved especially meaningful during the 1742 Spanish invasion, when Georgia faced a major military threat from Florida. Newcastle helped ensure continued imperial attention, resources, and political backing for the colony’s defense, contributing to the British success against Spanish forces at the Battle of Bloody Marsh near Fort Frederica on St. Simons Island. For coastal communities such as Brunswick and the surrounding Golden Isles, his advocacy helped secure Georgia’s survival at a fragile moment in its early history, reinforcing the colony’s place within Britain’s growing Atlantic empire.
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| Charles Lennox, 3rd Duke of Richmond and Lennox Sir Joshua Reynolds |
That detail makes his name in Georgia particularly interesting. While many of Brunswick’s street names reflect loyalty to Crown and empire, Richmond’s record shows a willingness to challenge British policy as colonial unrest grew. He later served in high office in Britain, including Master-General of the Ordnance, and remained active in public life into the early 19th century. Richmond County, Georgia—home to Augusta—also bears his name.
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| Captain John Reynolds by Jeremiah Theus |
His administration quickly ran into trouble. Reynolds clashed repeatedly with the colonial assembly and local leaders, and complaints were sent back to London accusing him of “incompetent, partial, and tyrannical” conduct. Contemporary accounts suggest he struggled with diplomacy and publicly hinted that he would leave Georgia if offered a more lucrative post elsewhere. After only two years in office, the growing dissatisfaction prompted his recall in 1756. Though his tenure was brief and turbulent, Reynolds holds the distinction of being Georgia’s first royal governor—a transitional figure between the Trustee era and the more structured imperial administration that followed under Henry Ellis and James Wright.
Union Street is a more general term and was likely named to honor the union of Scotland and England in 1707. It’s also the central street in the Oglethorpe Plan. Metaphorically, it works as a union between the ill-received 1st Royal Governor Reynolds and Georgia’s 2nd Royal Governor Henry Ellis, for whom Ellis Street is named. Governor Ellis is one of the more intellectually curious figures to hold the office. Born in Ireland, Ellis first made his name not as a politician but as a scientist and naval officer. He conducted experiments on heat and climate while traveling in tropical regions and was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society for his scientific work. In 1754, Lord Halifax appointed him Lieutenant Governor of Georgia, and in 1756 he formally became Royal Governor. At the time, Georgia was still a young and strategically vulnerable colony, sandwiched between Spanish Florida and powerful Native nations. Ellis’s administration is generally regarded as stable and prosperous, with growing trade and improved relations on the frontier.
One of Ellis’s most significant achievements was negotiating a treaty with the Creek Nation, helping to reduce the threat of conflict along Georgia’s inland borders. At the same time, he documented his observations of Georgia’s subtropical climate, publishing writings that examined its effects on health and daily life. Ironically, the very climate he studied took a toll on him personally. By 1760, suffering from ill health, Ellis resigned and returned to England. He later spent time in Italy, continuing his scientific pursuits.
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| John Percival, 2nd Earl of Egmont |
Norwich Street derives its name from the city of Norwich, the second oldest town in England. It was also one of the largest and most economically important English cities during the 17th and 18th centuries, noted for its major textile and manufacturing trade.
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| The Right Honourable George Lord Carpenter |
Conceived partly as a humanitarian experiment and partly as a military buffer protecting South Carolina from Spanish Florida, Georgia depended heavily on the guidance and financial oversight of men like Carpenter working from London. Although he was not among the most active trustees, his participation placed him within the core leadership shaping the colony’s earliest structure and direction during its most fragile years.
Carpenter’s connection to Georgia became especially tangible along the colony’s coast. When the town of Brunswick was laid out in 1738, one of its early streets—Carpenter Street—was named in his honor, a reminder that decisions made in Britain directly shaped the physical landscape of the developing colony. His role as trustee also linked him to the broader imperial effort to promote settlement, organize governance, and sustain Georgia until it transitioned from trustee control to royal colony status in 1752.
Carpenter’s connection to Georgia became especially tangible along the colony’s coast. When the town of Brunswick was laid out in 1738, one of its early streets—Carpenter Street—was named in his honor, a reminder that decisions made in Britain directly shaped the physical landscape of the developing colony. His role as trustee also linked him to the broader imperial effort to promote settlement, organize governance, and sustain Georgia until it transitioned from trustee control to royal colony status in 1752.
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| James Wolfe by Joseph Highmore-Bonhams |
Wolfe was mortally wounded during the battle and died on the field at the moment of triumph, a detail that fixed his story firmly in the public imagination. Paintings such as Benjamin West’s famous depiction of his death elevated him to near-mythic status in Britain. For towns like Brunswick, laid out under British authority in the years surrounding that conflict, naming a street for Wolfe was both patriotic and political. His victory strengthened Britain’s hold on North America, including Georgia’s vulnerable southern frontier, which had only recently withstood Spanish threats.
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| Portrait of the Duke of York by Pompeo Batoni, c. 1764 |
Albany Street is named for King George III’s younger brother. Prince Edward, Duke of York and Albany was born in 1739 and was the second surviving son of Frederick, Prince of Wales. Though he never ruled, his name carried weight across the British Empire. Like so many of Brunswick’s original street names, Albany was a nod to royal titles current at the time General Oglethorpe’s town plan was formalized in 1771. The young prince was granted the titles Duke of York and Albany in 1760, the same year his brother ascended the throne as George III.
Prince Edward chose a military life and was educated for naval service from an early age. He rose through the ranks of the Royal Navy and was promoted to Rear-Admiral in 1762 and Vice-Admiral in 1766. His service came during the era of the Seven Years’ War, when British naval power reshaped the balance of influence in North America and the Caribbean—waters not so distant, in imperial terms, from our own coast. Yet Edward’s life was short. He died in 1767 at just 28 years old, reportedly of illness while traveling in the Mediterranean. He left no legitimate heirs and never had the chance to carve out a longer public legacy. Albany Street recently received the honorary name Ahmaud Arbery Street, named for slain Brunswick native Ahmaud Arbery (1994-2020). |
| Portrait of Jeffery Amherst by Thomas Gainsborough, 1780 |
Amherst’s influence reached further south as well. During the Cherokee uprising of 1760–1761, it was Amherst who authorized and directed Colonel James Grant to march into the southern backcountry to subdue the conflict—an episode that directly affected the security of Georgia and the Carolinas. Though he never set foot in Brunswick, his decisions reverberated along the colonial frontier. Amherst later served as Commander-in-Chief of the British Army and was elevated to the peerage as Baron Amherst. He remained a prominent military figure through the era of the American Revolution, though by then the empire he had helped expand was fracturing.
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| Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. |
The eastern boundary of the Oglethorpe Plan was originally called Cochran Avenue, named for Lieutenant Colonel James Cochran. Cochran was an officer with Oglethorpe’s troops at Fort Frederica. In 1985, the City of Brunswick together with the Glynn County Commission renamed Cochran to posthumously honor Martin Luther King Jr. (1929-1968), a major civil rights leader and noble peace prize winner.
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