John Joachim Zubly
John Joachim Zubly was an 18th-century preacher and plantation owner, notable for his role as a British Loyalist during the American Revolutionary period. Born and educated in St. Gall, Switzerland, he was ordained in London in 1744 before immigrating to the American colonies and settling in Savannah, Georgia. Zubly initially served as an assistant minister and later established his own ministry in Perrysburg, South Carolina. He gained prominence as a minister of the Independent Church in Savannah, where his multilingual abilities allowed him to reach a diverse congregation.
Zubly's early ministry aligned with the sentiments of colonial independence, and he became known for advocating colonial rights through his printed sermons. However, by the early 1770s, he shifted towards a Loyalist perspective, articulating his views in his 1775 publication, *The Law of Liberty*, which called for reconciliation between the colonies and Great Britain. Elected to the Second Continental Congress in 1775, he ultimately opposed the movement for independence. Following his refusal to support the revolutionary cause, Zubly faced persecution from Patriots, leading to his temporary escape to South Carolina. He returned to Savannah after British recapture in 1778, continuing to express his Loyalist views until his death in 1781 at the age of fifty-six.
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John Joachim Zubly
Politician
- Born: August 27, 1724
- Birthplace: St. Gall, Switzerland
- Died: July 23, 1781
- Place of death: Savannah, Georgia
Biography
John Joachim Zubly, an eighteenth century preacher, plantation owner, and British Loyalist, was born and educated in St. Gall, Switzerland. In 1744, he was ordained at the German Church in London. After his ordination, he immigrated to the American colonies and settled in Savannah, Georgia, where he remained for two years serving as an assistant to Reverend Bartholomew Zouberbuhler. Zubly then moved to Perrysburg, South Carolina, where he established his own ministry. In 1746, he married Anna Tobler, a German-Swiss immigrant. Together they had three children before her death. After the death of his first wife, Zubly married Anne Pyne.
In 1760, Zubly returned to Savannah as the minister of the Independent Church. At this time, he began to prosper financially—he became a large landowner and slave owner—and he also prospered as a minister. Due to his ability to speak German, French, and English, he was able to convey his sermons to a large cross section of immigrants.
At the beginning of his career as a minister, Zubly’s sermons reflected the ideologies of colonial independence. Through these sermons, most of which were printed into pamphlets, Zubly became known as a defender of colonial rights. However, by the early 1770’s, Zubly’s political views shifted. At this time, he began to denounce his earlier views of independence and moved toward a more Loyalist position. In 1775, he publicized this political shift in his publication titled The Law of Liberty, in which he promoted a restoration of peace and cooperation between the colonies and Great Britain.
In 1775, Zubly was elected to the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia. There he rejected a move toward independence and spoke out against the revolution. In 1777, after refusing to swear an allegiance to the patriotic cause, the revolutionary government in Georgia ordered Zubly’s arrest. A band of Patriots vandalized his home and threw his possessions, including his library collection, into the Savannah River. Zubly escaped to South Carolina, where he found refuge with other Loyalists; he remained in South Carolina until 1778, when the British recaptured Savannah. At this time, Zubly returned to his home and resumed his ministry.
In 1780, Zubly published a series of essays in the Savannah newspaper The Royal Georgia Gazette. In these essays, he presented his opposition to the American Revolution, stating that the revolutionaries were violating God’s law. John Joachim Zubly continued to defend the Loyalist cause until his death in 1781 at the age of fifty-six.