Edward Poythress moved with his father, Thomas Poythress (1729-1800), from Virginia to Georgia, about 1784, when he was a teenager. In 1799, he signed a request for a pardon for Leonard Nobles. In 1803, he entered the Georgia land lottery for Burke County, Georgia, as did his brother, George, and his mother, Martha Poythress (-aft. 1803), widow of Thomas Poythress (1729-1800).

October 28, 1799, Thomas Poythress, along with Thomas Poythress, Jr., George Poythress and Edward Poythress signed a petition on behalf of Leonard Nobles, asking Georgia Governor, James Jackson, to pardon the death sentence. “Burke County, Georgia, Petition asking for Pardon for Leonard Nobles, Jr., 1799. To his Excellency James Jackson esquire Governor and commander in Chief in and over the State of Georgia and of Militia & Army & Navy there of. The petition of the Subscribers Inhabitants of the County of Burke in the said State, Most Respectfully Sheweth. That having understood Leonard Nobles is at present confined in the Jail of Screven County and under Sentence of Death they are induced from Motives of Humanity, and in consideration of his extreme age and helpless Family to Solicit your Interposition in his favor and that your Excellency granting him a pardon for the above mentioned Offence; and they as duty Bound will ever pray, etc.” Burke County, 28th October 1799. Signers: 50 individuals, including.. Thomas Poythress, Geo. Poythress, Edward Poythress, Thomas Poythress, Jr. [This was the last known record for Thomas Poythress, Sr. It is possible that Thomas died in 1799 or 1800.]

In 1803, Martha, George and Edward Poythress registered for the 1805 (1st) Georgia land lottery. The 1805 lottery listed the names of every person who entered. Registration in 1803 for this drawing was a fairly good, although incomplete “proxy” for an 1803 census of Georgia. In the later lotteries, with a few exceptions, only the winners were listed. Land awarded in the 1805 lottery was then Baldwin and Wilkinson County.

Name Reg.# Prize or Blank Registrant’s County Poythress, Edward 47 B B Burke

Poythress, George 65 B Burke Poythress, Martha 50 B B Burke Poythress, Francis 613 B B Hancock Poythress, Meredith 968 B B Screven Poythress, William 967 B B Screven

July 13, 1812. Sheriff’s sale…courthouse in Waynesboro….94 acres of land, adjoining lands of Edward Poythress, Margaret Dickson, and others, levied on as the property of John and Robert Dickson at the instance of M. Wiggins & returned to me by a constable. (Augusta Chronicle, 7/13/1812, p. 5, column 5)

December 31, 1817. Sheriff’s sale….Waynesborough, one Negro Woman named Betty, levied on as the property of Edward Poythress, to satisfy sundry small executions in favor of John Lawson, Ex’r of Isaiah Carter and others. (Augusta Chronicle, 1/7/1818, p. 4, column 5)

March 7, 1818. Sheriff’s sale…..courthouse Waynesborough….Four Negroes, Betty, Catharine, Prince, and Ellen, levied on as the property of Edward Poythress to satisfy an execution in favor of George Poythress, in the foreclosure of a mortgage. (4/8/1818, p. 4, column 3)

Neighbors: Margaret Dickson

Slaves: Betty, Catharine, Prince, Ellen