The land that would form Liberty County was ceded to the English by the Creeks in the Treaty of Savannah on May 21, 1733, confirmed and expanded by agreements of 1735 and 1736. By an act of March 15, 1758, the colonial legislature created seven parishes. With the outbreak of the American Revolution, Whig forces took control of government in Georgia. On Feb. 5, 1777, they adopted the state's first constitution -- the Constitution of 1777. Art. IV of that document transformed the existing colonial parishes into seven counties, with Indian ceded lands forming an eighth county. Liberty County consisted of all of Saint John, Saint Andrew, and Saint James parishes (see map).

In 1789, the legislature took land from Liberty County to enlarge Glynn County. Legislators created McIntosh County (1793) and Long County (1920) from Liberty County. Also, between 1794 and 1871, there were a number of acts shifting small amounts of land between Liberty and McIntosh counties.

Census

Pop. 

2000

 61,610

1990

52,745

1980

 37,583

1970

17,569

1960

14,487

1950

8,444

1940

 8,595

1930

 8,153

1920

12,707

1910

12,924

1900

13,093

1890

12,887

1880

10,649

1870

7,688

1860

8,367

1850

7,926

1840

7,241

1830

7,233

1820

6,695

1810

6,228

1800

5,313

1790

5,355