Richard Howly sometimes spelled Howley, was an American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 planter and lawyer from Liberty County, Georgia

Liberty County, Georgia

Liberty County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of 2000, the population was 61,610. The 2007 Census Estimate shows a population of 60,503...

. He served briefly as the tenth Governor of Georgia

Georgia (U.S. state)

Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...

 in 1780, as their delegate to the Continental Congress

Continental Congress

The Continental Congress was a convention of delegates called together from the Thirteen Colonies that became the governing body of the United States during the American Revolution....

 in 1780 and 1781 and as Chief Justice of Georgia in 1782 and 1783.

Howly was a devout Roman Catholic at a time when Catholic sacraments were not available in Georgia, and so he sought to have priests from Spanish Florida

Spanish Florida

Spanish Florida refers to the Spanish territory of Florida, which formed part of the Captaincy General of Cuba, the Viceroyalty of New Spain, and the Spanish Empire. Originally extending over what is now the southeastern United States, but with no defined boundaries, la Florida was a component of...

 come administer to Georgia's Catholics.

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