John Fontaine Explained

John Fontaine (1792–1866) was an American plantation owner and politician. He served as the first Mayor of Columbus, Georgia, from 1836 to 1837. He defended Columbus during the Creek War of 1836.

Biography

Early life

John Fontaine was born in 1792.^[1]

Career

He was a steamboat owner and cotton merchant.^{[1] [2] [3]} He was also a large plantation owner.^[4]

He served as the first Mayor of Columbus, Georgia, from 1836 to 1837.^{[3] [5] [6] [7]} He defended the town during the Creek War of 1836, with the help of Governor William Schley.^{[2] [7]} He used Creek informants to spy and report on their planned attacks.^[7]

Personal life

He married Mary Ann (Stewart) Fontaine (1808–1852).^[6] They had six children:

• Henrietta Fontaine (1827–1857).
• Mary Elizabeth Fontaine (1835-unknown).
• Benjamin Bruton Fontaine (1838–1870).
• Theophilus Fontaine (1842–1896).
• Francis Fontaine (1844–1901).
• George H. Fontaine (1850–1904).

Death

He died in 1866.^[1]

Legacy

• His son, Francis Fontaine, who inherited and managed his plantations, became a newspaper editor, poet and novelist.^[4]
• His portrait, painted by Edward Ludlow Mooney (1813–1887), can be found at the Columbus Museum in Columbus, Georgia.^[6]

Notes and References

1. http://hmfa.libs.uga.edu/hmfa/view?docId=ead/ms3011-ead.xml Fontaine family papers
2. http://dlg.galileo.usg.edu/meta/html/dlg/zlna/meta_dlg_zlna_jft005.html Letter, 1836 May 22, Milledgeville, Geo[rgia to] John Fontaine, Columbus, Georgia / William Schley, Governor of Georgia
3. http://www.tfaoi.com/aa/7aa/7aa725.htm Artists for Hire in Antebellum Columbus: March 18 - June 24, 2007
4. Hubert H. McAlexander, 'Francis Fontaine (1945-1901)', in The New Georgia Encyclopedia Companion to Georgia Literature , Hugh Ruppersburg (ed.), John C. Inscoe (ed.), Athens, Georgia: University of Georgia Press, 2011, pp. 145-146 https://books.google.com/books?id=JegLXYrq1bMC&pg=PA145
5. http://www.columbusga.org/mayor/mayors.pdf Mayors of Columbus, Georgia
6. http://collections.si.edu/search/results.htm?q=record_ID:siris_ari_254295 John Fontaine, (painting)
7. John T. Ellisor, The Second Creek War: Interethnic Conflict and Collusion on a Collapsing Frontier, Omaha, Nebraska: University of Nebraska Press, 2010, p. 200 https://books.google.com/books?id=ZqsAQF2EBSIC&pg=PA200