A restless population in depression-racked England, the impetus to expand trade in the colonies and the threat of the Spanish in Florida led to the creation of colonial Georgia. James Edward Oglethorpe, headed the expedition to establish the new colony in February 1733. This wealthy young bachelor, former soldier and member of Parliament laid out its first town on Yamacraw Bluff. He named it - and the river it overlooked - Savannah.

Mary's fluency in English, as well as the Creek dialects, caught Oglethorpe's attention and she became his primary interpreter as the new colony began to take root. A devout friend of the newcomers and a calming force among the Indians, she was instrumental in the negotiation of land treaties with the local tribes. Mary also played an influential role in fostering the life-long friendship between Oglethorpe and Tomochichi, Chief of the Yamacraw Indians.

John Musgrove died in 1735, leaving his widow the wealthiest woman in Georgia. Her influence with both whites and Indians continued to grow. The Indians granted her large tracts on the Savannah River, along with the sea islands of Ossabaw, St. Catherines and Sapelo. She was asked by Oglethorpe to establish a trading post closer to the Florida border to keep a sharp eye on the Spanish. Mary located her new settlement on the Altamaha River, and named it Mount Venture.

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