Dr. John S. Josey:
His Life was Ophthalmology. His Love was Cartography.
An interest in family history led the late Dr. John Speir Josey into the world of historical maps. Dr. Josey was a St. Simons resident and ophthalmologist who practiced medicine locally from 1962 to 1998. His great-great uncle, James Speir, had given land to the Central of Georgia Railroad in the early 1840s. A train station built on this land, located between Macon and Savannah, was labeled “Speirs Turnout” on 19th century Georgia maps.
Intrigued by the family connection, Dr. Josey decided to buy a map from that period. This acquisition gave him the idea of collecting a series of Georgia maps tracing changes to the state’s boundaries from its founding. Over two decades Dr. Josey amassed a collection of about 40 historical maps, all with some connection to the state of his birth.
Between 1998 and 2008, Dr. Josey generously donated twelve rare maps from his collection to the Coastal Georgia Historical Society. In May 2011, these maps were placed on public exhibition by the Society for several months and were enjoyed by the many people who viewed them. Dr. Josey died on May 21, 2014 at the age of 86.
This month’s image is the oldest map donated by Dr. Josey. Dated around 1620, it shows America’s southeastern coast. The hand-colored map was included in an atlas published by Jodocus Hondius, who worked as an engraver in London and Amsterdam. Images of Native Americans and their villages embellish the map, along with wild turkey, deer, sea monsters, a canoe and sailing ships. Also depicted is the Appalachian Mountain Range (Apalatcy Montes) with a large non-existent lake to the west. Hondius’ inaccurate depiction of the area between Virginia and Florida created misconceptions that lasted more than one hundred years.
From the archives of the Coastal Georgia Historical Society.
Jodocus Hondius, Virginiae Item et Floridae, circa 1620
Since its founding in 1965, Coastal Georgia Historical Society’s archival collection has grown to over 15,000 historically important artifacts, documents and photographs. The Society invites you to turn to this page each month in 2015 as our Anniversary year unfolds.
Caption for image of map: Jodocus Hondius, Virginiae Item et Floridae, circa 1620
