James Proctor Screven

James Proctor Screven (October 15, 1799 – July 10, 1859) was a surgeon, planter and mayor of Savannah, Georgia, United States. The city of Screven, Georgia, is named for him.

Early life Screven was born in 1799 to John Screven (1777–1830), a major, and Hannah Proctor. When Hannah died, his father married her sister, Sarah, who―with another sister, Martha―ran the Screven household in Savannah, Georgia.

Screven attended Jefferson Medical College, graduating in 1820. After studying in Europe for a few months, he returned to Savannah by 1823. He was also the president of the Savannah, Albany, and Gulf Railroad, superintendent of Savannah Water Works and commander of the Savannah Volunteer Guards. daughter of Joseph Bryan and Delia Forman. This reunited the Screven and Bryan families after the death of Joseph's father, Josiah, following which Elizabeth Bryan remarried, to John Screven (1750–1801), James's grandfather. Screven and Bryan had four known children: John, Sarah, Thomas and George.