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First Edition of De Brahm's Seminal Map of South Carolina and Part of Georgia
William Gerard de Brahm's A Map of South Carolina and Part of Georgia holds a significant place in the history of colonial American cartography, especially with respect to the Southeast. De Brahm, a German-born military officer who moved to Georgia in 1751, managed to portray large areas of the southern colonies with a degree of topographical accuracy previously unseen, due to his scientific approach to surveying.
After emigrating to the colonies, De Brahm quickly put his surveying skills to work. He served as a surveyor in both Georgia and South Carolina and eventually rose to the position of Surveyor General of South Carolina in 1754. During the first part of the decade, de Brahm conducted extensive coastal surveys, the results of which significantly informed the details in this map. Recognizing the value of local knowledge, de Brahm invited plantation owners to submit plats of their land, which he then incorporated into his map.
This large-scale map, boasting a scale of one inch to five miles, covers the coastal areas from the North Carolina boundary to the St. Marys River in Georgia, and then inland to the Indian Country. De Brahm's attention to detail is evident throughout, with the carefully rendered tidal channels, swamps, and marshes. He also marked out the boundaries of all the organized parishes in South Carolina and created an index of land holdings in the lower center of the map.
One unique feature of de Brahm's map is the analysis of the topography he observed along the border between North and South Carolina, a section of the map that appears almost like aerial photography. This element, however, was not included in the second state of the map in 1780.
Compared to its predecessors, de Brahm's map offered an unprecedented level of accuracy in the depiction of rivers, tributaries, islands, and parishes. Its cartouche, illustrating the colonies' indigo trade, served as an economic snapshot of the time.
First Edition of De Brahm's Map
De Brahm's map is the most important and influential map of South Carolina and Georgia during the British Colonial era. As noted by Cumming, "For the first time, for any large area of the southern colonies, a map possesses topographical accuracy based on scientific surveys."
As noted by Henry Taliaferro:
In 1752, De Braham announced plans to publish a new map of both colonies in an advertisement in the South Carolina Gazette, in which he invited plantation owners "who desire to have their particular Plantations inserted therein … to send copies of their respective Plats." The completed manuscript was sent to London where the Board of Trade approved it and commissioned Thomas Jefferys to publish the work. At the lower center is a dedication to Lord Halifax, the President of the Board of Trade.
The map is drawn on the grand scale of one inch equals five miles. It shows the coastal areas from the North Carolina boundary southward to St. Marys River in Georgia, then inland to the Indian Country. For the coastal region and up the major rivers as far as the settlements extend, great care and detail in surveying is evident. The amount of topographical information given in the low country is impressive; swamps, marshes, and the winding of tidal channels and rivers are delineated. The boundaries of all the organized parishes in South Carolina are laid down. At lower center is a lengthy index to land holdings in South Carolina, the obvious result of his address to planters in 1752.
De Brahm included an unusual feature along the border between North and South Carolina. Entitled "The Nature of the Land in this Course," it is an analysis of the topography De Braham observed when he ran the forty mile boundary line inland from the mouth of inland creek. It almost has the character of aerial photography. This feature was omitted from the second state of 1780.
Conclusion
De Brahm's map appeared in no standard atlases of the time, only being produced as a separate wall map or making its way into made-to-order composite atlases. It is consequently extremely rare today and generally accepted as one the of cornerstone maps of American colonial mapmaking and the mapping of the Southeast.
De Brahm's map is a remarkable representation of South Carolina and Georgia, offering an in-depth exploration of the land through the lens of a scientific surveyor. It set a new standard in the field of cartography and stands as a tangible link to the historical and socio-economic realities of the southern colonies during the British Colonial era.
Provenance
Archives of the Moravian Church, Southern Province (with de-accession authorization).
Thomas Jefferys (c. 1719–1771) was a prolific map publisher, engraver, and cartographer based in London, known for his significant contributions to the cartography of North America and the West Indies during the 18th century. Jefferys was born to a cutler but was apprenticed to Emanuel Bowen, a prominent mapmaker and engraver. He gained his freedom from the Merchant Taylors’ Company in 1744, although he had already produced maps under his name as early as 1732. Throughout his career, Jefferys collaborated with several partners, including Thomas Kitchin, with whom he published The Small English Atlas in 1748-9, and Robert Sayer, with whom he co-created A General Topography of North America in 1768. Sayer also published posthumous collections featuring Jefferys' work, such as The American Atlas, The North-American Pilot, and The West-India Atlas.
Jefferys served as the Geographer to Frederick, Prince of Wales, and from 1760, to King George III. His role primarily involved supplying maps to the royal family, particularly during the height of the Seven Years' War, which spurred demand for detailed and accurate maps of North America. Jefferys not only sold maps commercially but also maintained connections with government bodies for whom he produced specialized materials, further solidifying his status in the map trade.
Despite his success and royal appointments, Jefferys faced financial difficulties, leading to bankruptcy in 1766. His business and map plates were eventually acquired by Robert Sayer and other associates. Upon Jefferys' death in 1771, his workshop passed to his son, Thomas Jr., and his partner, William Faden. Although Jefferys was known primarily as an engraver, producing illustrations and drawings in addition to maps, his contributions to the field of cartography remain his most enduring legacy.
Jefferys had no formal geographical training, and his early work was largely confined to engraving maps compiled by others or revising existing plates. However, his collaboration with John Green, a skilled cartographer also known as Bradock Mead, significantly enhanced his reputation. Mead, an Irishman with a complex personal history, was known for his expertise in map-making and was instrumental in creating some of the detailed maps that Jefferys published, including the influential New Map of Nova Scotia and Cape Britain in 1755. Mead's work underpinned much of Jefferys' acclaim as a leading map publisher of his time.
From 1750 onwards, Jefferys began to focus on maps of America, a region of increasing interest to British audiences. His notable works included a series of maps detailing North America, which bolstered his reputation as the preeminent map and chart supplier of his era. He continued to produce maps even after his financial collapse, but his later years were marked by financial instability. Despite this, his maps were in high demand and were republished by Sayer and Bennett, his former associates, who continued to use Jefferys' name to ensure commercial success.
Jefferys' legacy is characterized by his comprehensive atlases and detailed maps that captured the geographic and political landscapes of the 18th century. His work remains significant not only for its historical and cartographic value but also for its role in the broader narrative of colonial expansion and exploration. His contributions, preserved through subsequent editions and reprints, solidified his place as one of the leading figures in the history of cartography.
Thomas Jefferys (c. 1719–1771) was a prolific map publisher, engraver, and cartographer based in London, known for his significant contributions to the cartography of North America and the West Indies during the 18th century. Jefferys was born to a cutler but was apprenticed to Emanuel Bowen, a prominent mapmaker and engraver. He gained his freedom from the Merchant Taylors’ Company in 1744, although he had already produced maps under his name as early as 1732. Throughout his career, Jefferys collaborated with several partners, including Thomas Kitchin, with whom he published The Small English Atlas in 1748-9, and Robert Sayer, with whom he co-created A General Topography of North America in 1768. Sayer also published posthumous collections featuring Jefferys' work, such as The American Atlas, The North-American Pilot, and The West-India Atlas.
Jefferys served as the Geographer to Frederick, Prince of Wales, and from 1760, to King George III. His role primarily involved supplying maps to the royal family, particularly during the height of the Seven Years' War, which spurred demand for detailed and accurate maps of North America. Jefferys not only sold maps commercially but also maintained connections with government bodies for whom he produced specialized materials, further solidifying his status in the map trade.
Despite his success and royal appointments, Jefferys faced financial difficulties, leading to bankruptcy in 1766. His business and map plates were eventually acquired by Robert Sayer and other associates. Upon Jefferys' death in 1771, his workshop passed to his son, Thomas Jr., and his partner, William Faden. Although Jefferys was known primarily as an engraver, producing illustrations and drawings in addition to maps, his contributions to the field of cartography remain his most enduring legacy.
Jefferys had no formal geographical training, and his early work was largely confined to engraving maps compiled by others or revising existing plates. However, his collaboration with John Green, a skilled cartographer also known as Bradock Mead, significantly enhanced his reputation. Mead, an Irishman with a complex personal history, was known for his expertise in map-making and was instrumental in creating some of the detailed maps that Jefferys published, including the influential New Map of Nova Scotia and Cape Britain in 1755. Mead's work underpinned much of Jefferys' acclaim as a leading map publisher of his time.
From 1750 onwards, Jefferys began to focus on maps of America, a region of increasing interest to British audiences. His notable works included a series of maps detailing North America, which bolstered his reputation as the preeminent map and chart supplier of his era. He continued to produce maps even after his financial collapse, but his later years were marked by financial instability. Despite this, his maps were in high demand and were republished by Sayer and Bennett, his former associates, who continued to use Jefferys' name to ensure commercial success.
Jefferys' legacy is characterized by his comprehensive atlases and detailed maps that captured the geographic and political landscapes of the 18th century. His work remains significant not only for its historical and cartographic value but also for its role in the broader narrative of colonial expansion and exploration. His contributions, preserved through subsequent editions and reprints, solidified his place as one of the leading figures in the history of cartography.
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