A new historical marker on St. Simons Island commemorates the achievements of one of America's first experimental farms, Cannon's Point Plantation, and its master, John Couper.Couper left his native Scotland at 16, to seek his fortune in America. He served an apprenticeship in Savannah and moved to Florida during the American Revolution. After the war he became a successful merchant in the town of Sunbury, where he married Rebecca Maxwell in 1792. Cannon's Point was among several tracts of land purchased in 1793 by John Couper and his business partner, James Hamilton.
The Couper family moved to St. Simons Island in 1796. Their first home was a simple cottage built by Daniel Cannon, a carpenter of old Frederica. In 1804 the Coupers moved into a handsome new mansion with a tabby foundation and wooden upper story and a half. A broad stairway led to a wide piazza that provided views of the Hampton River and surrounding marshes.
Couper had a deep interest in horticulture, which led to trials and improvements in the plantation's staple crop, sea island cotton and established the plantation's reputation as "Georgia's Experimental Station." Couper's interests and expertise were not limited to cotton, however.
The plantation was lush with shrubs, trees and flowers as well as groves of lemons, oranges and Persian date palms. At the urging of President Jefferson, Couper imported 200 olive trees from France, which yielded oil "of a superior quality."
The Couper family were known to be congenial and welcoming hosts, and their plantation hosted visitors and guests for weeks or months at a time. One young couple is said to have spent their honeymoon there and remained until the birth of their second child.
In addition to his horticultural expertise, John Couper distinguished himself through public service. He was a member of the Georgia legislature and a delegate to Georgia's constitutional convention. When the U.S. government expressed its interest in building a lighthouse on the southern end of St. Simons Island, Couper sold the land where it stands for one dollar.
John Couper's generosity and sense of humor were known far and wide. He was beloved by those who knew him, for his exceptional courtesy, intelligence, and easy wit. He was said to have loved life and shared that love with all who knew him.
The Cannon's Point Plantation marker is one of 82 historical markers located in Glynn County, according to the Historical Marker Database. For a map of Glynn County's markers, click here.
The history of John Couper and his family is very well documented. To learn more, you might want to read "The John Couper Family of Cannon's Point" by T. Reed Ferguson*.
* © 1996, Mercer University Press
