Patrick Graham (died May 30, 1755) was the last proprietary governor of the

Province of Georgia A province is almost always an administrative division within a country or state. The term derives from the ancient Roman ''provincia'', which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire's territorial possessions outs ...

, serving from 1752 until 1754.

Biography

Patrick Graham was originally a surgeon by trade but did not practice much after arriving in Georgia. Graham was in a medical capacity, however, when he recommended to the sister of the deceased Captain Cuthbert that the only way to cure her fever was to become engaged with him. Mrs. Cuthbert and Graham were married in 1740 on Mrs. Cuthbert's late brother's plantation. Graham also personally owned a plantation and attempted to cultivate it with silkworms, giving it the name Mulberry Grove. In 1745, Graham was appointed to a council with two other future colonial governors of Georgia: William Stephens and Henry Parker. Following the death of Henry Parker as governor in 1752, Graham became the third and final proprietary governor of Georgia. The British parliament had already decided to make Georgia a royal colony governed by a royal governor, so Graham acted as a temporary leader until the royal governor could be selected. While serving as governor, Graham planned a settlement in Hardwick, Bryan County, Georgia named Georgetown in honor of reining

George II George II or 2 may refer to: People * George II of Antioch (seventh century AD) * George II of Armenia (late ninth century) * George II of Abkhazia (916–960) * Patriarch George II of Alexandria (1021–1051) * George II of Georgia (1072–1089) * ...

. In 1754, Royal Navy officer John Reynolds became royal governor of Georgia, and Graham was appointed to a council along with nine others. Graham continued to serve on that council until his death on May 30, 1755.

References

{{GeorgiaUS-bio-stub Colonial governors of Georgia (U.S. state) 1755 deaths Governors of Georgia (U.S. state)