The Page and King Families
Behind a black iron fence lie members of the Page and King families of Retreat Plantation.
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Behind a black iron fence lie members of the Page and King families of Retreat Plantation.
In 1804, after service in the Revolutionary Army, William Page (1764–1827), born in South Carolina, purchased land along St. Simons Sound and named it Retreat. With later acquisitions, Retreat grew to become one of the most prominent plantations on St. Simons Island, producing long-staple cotton. He and his wife, Hannah Matilda Timmons (1759–1826), also of South Carolina, had ten children, though sadly only one survived them. William and Hannah are both buried in the King plot.
Upon William’s death in 1827, the Pages’ only surviving child, Anna Matilda Page King (1798–1855), inherited Retreat. She had married Thomas Butler King of Massachusetts in 1825. Anna Matilda had already been deeply involved in managing the plantation and its enslaved labor force during her parents’ lifetime and continued to oversee its operations while her husband pursued business and political ventures, including service as a Georgia state senator and travels as far as California. Her letters, later published as Anna: The Letters of a St. Simons Island Plantation Mistress, 1817–1859, offer insight into the life and perspective of a woman of her time. She can be seen in the photo on the left.
The Retreat property once stretched from the Frederica River to the Lighthouse. Today, portions of the land—including the famous Avenue of Oaks—are part of Sea Island Golf Club, while other sections are now residential areas, commercial districts, and public parks.
Anna and Thomas are buried in the large gray tomb within this plot. Several members of their family are also buried nearby, including their son Thomas Butler King Jr. (1829–1859), known as “Butler,” who attended the University of Georgia but died at the age of twenty-nine—an event that deeply affected his mother, who died only months later.
Another son, Henry Lord Page King (1831–1862), known as “Lord” or “Lordy,” served as a Captain in the Confederate Army and was killed at the Battle of Fredericksburg. His story is closely tied to Neptune Small (1831–1907), a man enslaved by the King family who accompanied him to war. After the battle, Neptune located Lordy’s body on the battlefield and, with great difficulty, returned his remains to Georgia. After emancipation, Neptune Small became a landowner and father of six; Neptune Park is named in his honor. His photo can be seen on the left.
Also buried in this family plot are several other members of the King family, including Mallery Page King (1836–1899), who served in the Confederate Army and later returned to St. Simons Island as head of the family. After the war he became active in local affairs and served as a Warden of Christ Church Frederica. He is buried here with his wife, Maria Eugenia Grant King (1834–1909), along with other members of the extended Page and King families.