Mary continued to serve the colony with motivations shaped by a new influence emerging in her life. Widowed again in 1742, she married three years later, for the third and final time, to yet another Englishman - Thomas Bosomworth. This blatant opportunist - briefly a soldier, erstwhile author and preacher - eagerly cast his fate with that of Mary Musgrove. While Mary remained a valuable liaison with the Indians, self-interest came to the fore. Thomas and Mary devised a scheme to acquire the islands of Ossabaw, St. Catherines and Sapelo granted to her by Chief Tomochichi, but disallowed by the colonial government. They also demanded the payment Mary felt was her due for service to the colony, and promised by Oglethorpe and the colony's Trustees.

As the Bosomworths pressed their claim, years of contention with the colonial authorities ensued and Mary's reputation lost much of its luster. The couple persisted, even sailing to England to plead their case. In 1759, Mary eventually agreed to settle her claim for 2100 pounds and clear title to St. Catherines Island.

Thomas and Mary made the island their home, laying out a broad plantation and building a fine house. The colonists, by this time, had dispelled their sharpest rancor toward the Indian Princess and she continued to strengthen the ties of friendship between the Creeks and English until the end of her days in 1763.

The perspective of some two and a half centuries later makes the accomplishments of this diminutive half-breed woman all the more amazing. Through the sheer force of her personality, intelligence and extraordinary ease in spanning two diverse cultures, Mary Musgrove left a vivid imprint upon colonial Georgia history matched by few of her contemporaries.

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