Richmond County, now consolidated with the City of Augusta, was an original headright county acquired from the Creek Indians by treaty in 1733 and organized as the Colonial parish of St. Paul in 1758. The site of Augusta at the head of navigation on the Savannah River had a fort to protect a trading post and a handful of settlers. At the time of the Revolution, the parish became Richmond County to honor the Duke of Richmond who had defended the colonists' cause in Parliament and had advocated their independence. The county seat was named for Princess Augusta, wife of the Prince of Wales.