The legacy of
LAUGHTON ISLAND

(to be published in late 2007)

The story begins … The king’s grant of a large parcel of land on the eastern coast of Georgia to the Laughton family soon became a profitable producing plantation of lumber, pulp-wood and turpentine. But when war came to the South, James took up arms and left Olivia, their young son Albert and many slaves to continue the plantation’s operations. Then in 1864 when Sherman made his march to the sea, Olivia became fearful and she and Albert sought refuge and safety on the plantation’s small island off the Georgia coast.

By the late 1930’s … Much of the plantation’s acreage had been sold and now great grandson James Albert and wife Jessie lived on a small parcel near the coast but never considered the value of their small off-shore island. Then one day a couple from Savannah discover this “bit of paradise” so they called it, and soon together with their friends from Brunswick, they rented small plots of land and constructed beach cottages.  Other families joined them and soon there were many cottages on the ocean side of Laughton Island, and as time passed, these families were bonded in friendships.

Then December 7^th, 1941 … After Pearl Harbor things changed! Men joined the armed services while women took over the home front. In the Pacific and in the European theatres of war, lives were lost, injuries were sustained and sorrow was experienced. World War II would leave its mark on the people of the United States of America.

Finally there was peace … How could and how would these lives be rebuilt? How would Laughton Island and the spirits of the Laughton family be a part of this healing process?

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