One man's journey from Europe to coastal Georgia and his important contributions to Colonial era Savannah. I first became aware of Dr. Samuel Nunez’s contributions to Savannah from one of his ancestors, James Eunice, a few years ago. Mr. Eunice had named a historic district property he owns on St. Julian St. in his ancestor’s honor, “The Nunez Cottage” and I became curious as to just who Dr. Nunez actually was. Research at the Georgia Historical Society and Temple Mickve Israel located on Monterey Square yields a compelling story of the good doctor’s timely contribution to Savannah’s colonists in their time of need. According to documents found at the GHS, he very probably kept the fledgling colony from being wiped out by an epidemic of dysentery that took 20 colonists before being held in check by Dr. Nunez’s prompt medical measures to stop the spread of this contagious killer.
His story is a fascinating one set against the backdrop of a small but diverse group of visionary settlers that came to coastal Georgia looking for a better way of life while escaping the religious persecution rampant on the European Continent.
Samuel Nunez was born in Portugal to a distinguished Jewish family in 1668. Despite being under surveillance by the principals of the infamous Spanish Inquisition, he became a successful doctor with “an extensive family practice” according to historical documents. The entire Nunez family was arrested as “heretics” in 1703 and remained imprisoned for many years in the infamous dungeons of Lisbon. During this time he became the personal physician of the Grand Inquisitor who not only recognized his skill as a physician while disingenuously overlooking the fact that he was Jewish but eventually agreed to his release from prison providing he would allow two officials to reside with him constantly to assure neither he nor his family ever again practiced the heretical faith that the misguided Catholic leadership of that era characterized Judaism as being engaged in.
In spite of these conditions, Dr. Nunez became involved with smuggling Jews out of Portugal to England. After the outbreak of pestilence in 1724 (no doubt giving Dr. Nunez practical experience, he would utilize years later in his New World home), a Great Fire broke out in Lisbon during a time there were three British Warships anchored in the Lisbon Harbor. During the confusion of this fire, Dr. Nunez and his family managed to escape on one of these warships to England. An estimated 3000 Jews escaped the horror of the inquisition in this manner.
While in England, Dr. Nunez became intrigued with reports of the New English Colony in Georgia and was able to gain passage for himself and his family on Captain Hanson’s ship, arriving in Oglethorpe’s Savannah based Colony on July 10, 1733 at the advanced age of 65 years old. Among the 42 passengers on this voyage were such future old Savannah family names known to later generations as the Sheftall and Minus families. It was fortunate indeed for these initial passengers that Oglethorpe welcomed Jewish settlers in spite of the Trustees being adamantly opposed to them being allowed into the colony to begin with – much like today, ingrained prejudices of that era died hard. These same early settlers went on to form one of the oldest Jewish Synagogues in the country, Temple Israel Mickve.
Prior to the deadly outbreak of contagious pestilence 4 years later, Dr. Nunez and his fellow settlers enjoyed several years of peace in the colony until the Florida based Spanish fleet began threatening to invade coastal communities along Georgia’s coast. Eventually, Dr. Nunez, undoubtedly remembering his prior treatment at the hands of his Spanish Inquisitors, moved his family to the better protected city of Charleston where the trail goes cold on the impressive life of Dr. Nunez. No records exist as to when or where he died or even where he may have been buried. It has been suggested that he could have accompanied his daughter, Zipporah, and her husband David Machada in their move to New York after their arrival in Savannah's Lowcountry sister city, Charleston.
This much we do know. Dr. Nunez may very well have been Georgia’s first public hero with his timely medical expertise and service to the at risk colonists during their time of need while holding a tenuous toe hold at best in Georgia’s first Colonial City – the first of many more to come pay off’s for her initiation of a visionary policy of religious tolerance for all faiths and creeds in historic Savannah, even as other settlers opposed it. And one need look no further than the diverse group of active Churches serving the spiritual needs of the faithful today, still dominating many of the Squares of the landmark historic district that sprung up during the first hundred years after Savannah grew to become a major antebellum era City of her day to see how very well this all worked out.
And I was struck by the fact, why limit yourself to local Savannahians for proposed weekend coastal adventures, why not open it up to other Georgians looking on spending long weekend getaways along the Golden Isles? Then again, why limit it strictly to Georgian’s I postulated? Why not open up these weekend Savannah Adventure Club walkabouts to other like minded individuals from all over the country. So here you go kayakers, campers, volleyballers, hikers, and other outdoor whatnot’s, check out Reynolds’ web site at the Savannah Adventure Club to sign up for his newsletter of upcoming events. And away we go in search of the elusive weekend getaway adventure along coastal Georgia.
After the American Revolution Darien became a port of increasing importance because of its position near the mouth of the 
