HIS EXCELLENCY JAMES EDWARD OGLETHORPE...

James Edward Oglethorpe (1696-1785) was the founder of the colony of Georgia. Oglethorpe’s initial vision for the colony was twofold. As a member of parliament Oglethorpe focused on issues relating to social reform, most specifically the plight of the poor. To provide relief to the rising numbers of debtors incarcerated in prison, he developed a scheme to transport numbers of them to America, along with persecuted foreign Protestants, to establish a utopian community. Concurrently, Oglethorpe was keenly aware of the threat that the Spanish in Florida posed to the southern boundary of Carolina. Establishing a settlement south of Carolina would provide a defensive buffer to the existing colonies while also strengthening England’s trade position.
 
Oglethorpe is depicted in a suit of armor, emphasizing his military background and the defensive role against the Spanish that his colony assumed. The ermine cloak over his shoulders is indicative of his aristocratic upbringing.