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Western Georgia, Before Mississippi Territory.
First edition of Jedidiah Morse's map of the western portion of Georgia Territory, issued at the end of the 18th century.
The map extends from the Mississippi River to the Chattahoochee River, essentially covering all of Alabama and Mississippi.
The Mississippi Company, Georgia Company, and Upper Mississippi Company lands are shown, as well as West Florida, the Tennessee Company lands. These lands were a part of the infamous Yazoo Land Fraud. In 1795 the governor of Georgia, George Mathews, signed a bill that agreed to sell almost 40 million acres to speculators in the Yazoo Land Act. This corrupt land deal led to the downfall of many popular politicians. President George Washington, speaking about Yazoo said, "These acts embrace an object of such magnitude and in their consequences may so deeply affect the peace and welfare of the United States..."
There is good information on watersheds, and some topography is shown. Many rivers are named, but only four towns: New Orleans, Natchez ("Natches"), Mobile, and Pensacola.
Jedidiah Morse (1761–1826) was a pioneering American geographer, often called the "father of American geography." A Congregational minister by profession, he is best known for his influential geographical publications, including Geography Made Easy (1784) and The American Universal Geography (1793), which were among the first comprehensive geographical works published in the United States. His books shaped early American understanding of geography and cartography, providing a crucial reference for educators and mapmakers. Morse's work laid the groundwork for geographic education in America, and his emphasis on detailed maps helped standardize cartographic practices during a formative period for the young nation.
![(Georgia Plat Map & Seal) [Warrant for 200 acres of land granted to William Evans in Liberty County, Georgia, with manuscript plat map and original wax and embossed paper seal of the State of Georgia]](https://storage.googleapis.com/raremaps/img/small/80565.jpg)
