Hello, Everyone!

Hey!
Sorry that I haven't been posting lately! My life is wrapping up a chapter and trying to go to the next! It makes life chaotic!
Today I'm writing about a home in Mid Georgia where one of our President's spent his summers. This is Warm Spring's Little White House.
The Little White House was built in 1932 for President Franklin D. Roosevelt. He choose the town to built his summer home for it's "warm spring" that naturally flowed that were warm to help ease the President's polio. The President at this time had been suffering from polio for over ten years at this point. Polio was very common in this era and was contracted by being in the same proximity as someone else with polio, such as water.
Roosevelt went to the pools were the springs ran to help ease the pain and go through therapy with many other polio suffers. During his time in Georgia he would stay in his summer home where he had privacy and peace. He died in Warm Springs in April of '45. After which the family packed up their belongs and left everything as it was. It hasn't changed since.
 To this day, the house is the exact same, with a museum and carriage house that is full of history! Including an unfinished portrait of him that was being painted before he died. Every year on the day he died, April 12, the museum holds a ceremony in his honor, giving a 48 star flag to the person they feel is most like FDR as well as flying a new 48 star flag at half mast until the next year.
The honor and respect that is shown in that place makes the world of history so much more of a living thing than a thing of the past. They keep Franklin Delano Roosevelt alive in this place in a small town where he enjoyed his summers for over ten years. As he once said, "I do not need to tell you that I am happy to be in Georgia. Nor do I need to tell you that I am proud of Georgia."


MJ

Guess What???

To all my followers, readers and whoever else is out there!

I have just got home from my Gold Award Final presentation meeting and.............. I HAVE MY GOLD AWARD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am so excited! Thank you, guys for being there and for helping me get this award! Without you, I wouldn't have a beautiful Gold Award pin on my vest!

Thank you!

MJ

Ft. King George and Adventures On The Altamaha

Any history buff cruising the Georgia Coastal area will want to see Ft. King George. This historic site is the oldest English fort remaining on Georgia's coast. According to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, “From 1721 until 1736, Fort King George was the southern outpost of the British Empire in North America. A cypress blockhouse, barracks and palisaded earthen fort were constructed in 1721 by scoutmen led by Colonel John “Tuscarora Jack” Barnwell. For the next seven years, His Majesty’s Independent Company garrisoned the fort. They endured incredible hardships from disease, threats of Spanish and Indian attacks, and the harsh, unfamiliar coastal environment. After the fort was abandoned, General James Oglethorpe brought Scottish Highlanders to the site in 1736. The settlement, called Darien, eventually became a foremost export center of lumber until 1925.”

Visitors can enjoy touring a replica of the original fort, watching a video of its history and learning about the city of Darien where it is located. If you are lucky you might even see an alligator lurking in ponds on the grounds!

Check the Ft. King George information site at http://gastateparks.org/FortKingGeorge/ for the dates of their annual Revolutionary War reenactment days held in November.

While in the Darien area, don’t forget to check out Sapelo Island just up the road from Ft. King George. A ferry ride will take you from the visitors’ center to the barrier island which features guided tours highlighting the African-American community of Hog Hammock, Reynolds Mansion, Nanny Goat Beach, University of Georgia Marine Institute and a restored 1820 lighthouse.

If you’re traveling the Altamaha River area on Wednesday through Sunday, it’s also worth a stop at the Hofwyl-Broadfield Plantation. This historic site offers a look at the culture of Georgia’s rice coast. Built in the early 1800s by William Brailsford of Charleston, this plantation grew rice along the Altamaha River until 1913. Visitors of the plantation can enjoy dreaming of a bygone day when, “The plantation and its inhabitants were part of the genteel low country society that developed during the antebellum period.”

 

~Kelly C.

English Teacher

MJ

Ancient Mounds

In the beautiful North Georgia Mountains, history hunters can find the remnants of some of our most ancient residents at the Etowah Indian Mounds. This 54-acre archaeological site is in Bartow County in northwest Georgia. Archaeologists believe the mounds were built and occupied in three phases, from 1000–1550 AD, and it’s considered to be the most intact Mississippian culture site in the Southeastern United States.

The mound builders were ancestors of the historic Muscogee, or Creek, people who inhabited Georgia in pre Colonial times. According to Wikipedia, “Etowah is a Muskogee word derived from italwa meaning ‘town’. The federally recognized Creek Nation considers Etalwa to be their most important ancestral town.”

Visitors to the site may see artifacts from the different phases of civilization that lived along the river banks in this location. Guests are able to walk and sit beside the river and climb the mounds for a beautiful view of the surrounding area. Historical documentation of the preservation of the site is also displayed for history enthusiasts to read and enjoy.

 

~Kelly C.

English Teacher

MJ

The Gibraltar Of Georgia

Even 150 years later, true Southerners will refer to the American Civil War as the War of Northern Aggression!  And Georgia is a great place to learn about this turbulent time in our nation’s history.  While there are many places to learn about the Civil War, Kennesaw Mountain is one of the most significant memorials and historic venues.  Not only was this the site of a decisive battle, it is also the final resting place for many soldiers whose last days were spent fighting in the blazing Georgia sun.
Kennesaw Mountain Battle Field Park offers a unique array of history and recreation, with picnic areas and a museum.  A film showing the strategic battles along the mountain ridge, illustrates how Kennesaw was the last hope for Southern victory.  Visitors can see authentic military uniforms and artifacts of the Civil War.  Likewise, hikers, bikers and drivers can climb the mountain to see spectacular views all the way to the Atlanta skyline.
While a day at Kennesaw is fun filled and full of activity, it is also a sobering experience to stand along the quiet fields left untouched as a dedication to slain soldiers.  To enjoy a piece of Georgia’s rich history pack a lunch and spend the day at Kennesaw Mountain!

~Kelly C.

English Teacher

MJ

The Governor's Mansion

This, to me is one of the most exciting posts yet! I have just received this one from... drum roll... the First Lady Sandra Deal!!!!!!!!!! Mini scream! I am so excited for this and hope you will enjoy!

Throughout Georgia, there are many landmarks and historical sites that bring character to our state. One of my personal favorites is my current home, the Georgia Governor’s Mansion.

The capitol of Georgia was established in Atlanta after the Civil War ended in 1868. Though there have been multiple houses and estates that served as residences for the Governors of the past, there are only two mansions specifically built for Georgia’s Governor in existence today: the Old Governor’s Mansion in Milledgeville and the current Governor’s Mansion in Buckhead.

The current Governor’s Mansion is located on West Paces Ferry Road, and was designed by Georgia architect Thomas Bradbury. Built in 1967, the mansion is a Greek revival style home constructed on approximately 18 acres and has 30 rooms. The foundation of the home consists of four levels of concrete and covers roughly 24,000 square feet. It has 30 Doric columns surrounding the porch made from California redwoods.

All of the furnishings in the mansion are part of a permanent collection and belong to the state. They are considered to make up one of the finest Federal Period collections in the United States. Most of the Governors, including my husband Governor Nathan Deal, bring some personal belongings, like pictures of our children and grandchildren or Governor Deal’s favorite leather recliner, to instill special memories of our family. This helps us feel more at home.

I truly live in a beautiful museum, but its main use is entertainment. On the first floor of the Governor’s Mansion we host official events. We entertain fellow Georgians, citizens from across the country, and citizens of other countries. As a result, the mansion has been named the Executive Center for its role in establishing friendships and business relationships between the State of Georgia, the nation, and the world. In the spirit of the tradition established in 1968 by Lester Maddox, the first Governor to live in the current mansion, the mansion opens for the Christmas season to all of Georgia citizens. Every year, the residing First Lady selects a theme and the mansion is decorated accordingly. Beginning with a special Christmas tree lighting ceremony, the mansion is open to the public to enjoy for 12 days. Other events we host at the mansion include honoring the valedictorians from across Georgia and the Governor’s annual Easter Egg Hunt. We recently just celebrated the 14^th anniversary of this exciting event!

Throughout my time as the First Lady of Georgia living in this beautiful home, I have become exceedingly interested in the history of it. Therefore, I have spearheaded the creation of a coffee table style book about the Governor’s Mansion titled Memories of the Mansion. It contains stories from the previous families who lived in the historic home, and it will be available in late October of this year.

 

~ Sandra Deal, First Lady

 

Thank you, First Lady Deal, for this wonderful post!

 

MJ

Martin Luther King Jr.

       Martin Luther King Jr. was born in Atlanta, GA on January 15, 1929. His parents were Alberta Williams King and Martin Luther King Sr. Throughout his entire life he was around discrimination and hatred just because of skin color. The interesting thing is that he used love instead of anger and violence to achieve equality. This Baptist Minister was an amazing leader in the African American Civil Rights Movement. Whites did not believe that African Americans were equal to them at this time. Even when the whites acted in violence, Martin preached against it saying “we must love our white brothers and sisters!” His determination all the way to the end of his life is what makes him one of the most memorable and historical heroes from the state of Georgia.

Children- Yolanda King, Dexter Scott King, Martin Luther King 3rd, and Bernice King
Spouse- Coretta Scott King

~ Shyann D., College Student

Thank you, Shyann for your awesome post!

MJ

Teacher Resource - Steffen Thomas Art Project

Stained Glass Mosaics inspired by Steffen Thomas

Materials needed:  8x10 sheets of multicolored acetate
 8x10 sheet of clear acetate (one for each student)
Clear glue such as Modge Podge  (or a white glue that dries clear)
Paint brushes
Scissors
Permanent markers
Samples of Steffen Thomas’ glass mosaics and paintings
8x10 frames.

Steffen Thomas produced a number of works in glass mosaics. After viewing several pieces of art works by Thomas including Women in a Red Hat Dressed to the Nines ca. 1985, Woman Wearing a Red Hat, 1984, Flowers in Vase 1982, and Steffen’s Desk-Mosaic in Glass, 1973 students will create a glass mosaic of their own of a figure wearing a hat.

1.   View images of Steffen Thomas’ paintings and glass mosaics.
2.   Students will create their own figure in a hat drawn with permanent marker on clear acetate 8x10 in size. The figure can be standing or seated and drawn from the waist up in the style of Thomas.

3.   Encourage students to use thick, flowing lines to emulate grout lines or leaded stained glass outlines.
4.  In the drawing,  break up background into simple shapes or designs.
5.  Cut multicolored sheets of colored acetate into small shapes (about ¼ inch wide squares or triangles.)

6.   With a clear glue product like Modge Podge glue various colored shapes into the drawn figure’s body, hat, face and background until all areas are filled in being careful not to cover up the thick black outline around the figure and shapes.

7.   Overlap different colored pieces of translucent colored acetate to achieve different tones and values of color in your mosaic.

8.   Allow the artwork to dry and place in an 8x10 frame and display.

~Nan D., Art/Art History Teacher

NEW!!!! Teacher Resources!

Teacher Resources are activities, worksheets and other student related projects for teachers to use to teach kids more about their state!
If there are any teachers out there who wish to contribute to this, please leave a comment below and I will get in contact with you as soon as possible! All activities most be related to Georgia and fun for the kids!
We accept all types of projects, all grade levels and types of aspects of history! Business in history, technology in history, sports in history, ANYTHING!!!
To find a Teacher Resource, find the title above in future posts.
Please join me in making this just plain, old awesome for these kids!

Thank you!

MJ

A Georgian Artist

Today's post is provided by Nan D., a art/ art history teacher on a German artist with big Georgia connections!

 Enjoy!

Lady in Red Hat dressed to the Nines ca. 1985 Stained glass mosaic

 Women Women Wearing Red Hat 1984

Flowers in Vase ca 1982 stained glass mosaic



"I am Welsh by ancestry, German by birth, an American by adoption, and Southern by choice."
-Steffen Thomas

Biography

1906

• Born Fürth, Bavaria, Germany

1920-1923

• Apprenticed as stone carver - sculptor

1924

• Completed courses in Drawing and Sculpture, School of Applied Arts, Nürnberg (Nuremberg), under the tutelage of Professors Widmer and Rumelin.

1925-1928

•    Studied Classical Sculpture, Academy of Fine Arts, Munich, with Professors Herman Hahn, Joseph Wakerle, and Bernhard Bleeker.
•    Studied architecture at Munich Technical School and anatomy at University of Munich’s Medical School.
•    Awarded Master Student status and a Certificate of Recognition in 1927.
•    Exhibited regularly at the Glaspalast (Glass Palace) in Munich, where he won awards for sculpture and had his art displayed with works by Modern Art Masters, such as Van Gogh, Matisse, Picasso, and Munch.

1928

•    Came to the USA to work as a sculptor on Mar-a-Lago, the Palm Beach estate of E. F. Hutton and Marjorie Merriweather Post. (Estate now owned by Donald Trump, who operates it as the Mar-a-Lago Club)

1929

•    Returned to Germany briefly, and then came back to USA to establish himself as a sculptor.
•    Completed several portrait commissions in Alabama

1930

•    Opened his first professional studio in Atlanta, GA, established himself as a sculptor, and began receiving commissions for public sculpture.

1933

•    Married Sara Douglass, a City of Atlanta school teacher.

1935

•    Became an American Citizen

1939-1941

•    National Youth Administration (NYA), art supervisor for Georgia, under the WPA.

1941-1972

•    Moved from Atlanta to Stone Mountain, GA, raised four children, built large studio, house and sculpture garden
•    Completed many public sculptures, several on monumental scale
•    By mid 1950’s began devoting himself to creative art, working in many media

1973-1989

•    Moved with his wife Sara back to Atlanta •    Continued to work on a smaller scale in sculpture, painting, drawing and printmaking

1990

•    Died on January 27, 1990

1997

•    Sara Douglass Thomas, Steffen Thomas' widow, established the Steffen Thomas Museum of Art, a nonprofit museum dedicated to Steffen Thomas' life and art.
Public Collections, Exhibitions, and Awards

1920s

Glaspalast (Glass Palace), Munich, invited to exhibit his sculpture many times
Academy of Fine Arts, Munich, Award of Excellence for Laboré, a sculpture of a mother and children

1930s

Berry College Museum Collection, Rome, GA, marble bust of Martha Berry
Georgia State Capitol Rotunda, Atlanta, marble bust of Moina Michael, the Poppy Lady
Tuskegee Institute, bronze bust of George Washington Carver (now at the Carver Museum, Tuskegee University)
Piedmont Park Collection, Atlanta, Pioneer Women, bronze plaque
High Museum, Atlanta, exhibition

1940s

National Youth Administration, Georgia, Plow Boy and Youth, monumental plaster sculptures
Georgia State College for Women, bust of Chief Justice Richard B. Russell
State Capitol Building, Atlanta, US Senator Hoke Smith, bronze plaque
University of Georgia, Chancellor Charles M. Snelling, bronze bust
University of Georgia, Sanford Stadium, Chancellor S. V. Sanford, bronze bust
Scottish Rite Hospital, Decatur, GA, Dr. Michael Hoke, bronze plaque
State Capitol Building, Atlanta, Charles H. Herty, bronze bust
Atlanta University, Atlanta, Dr. John Hope, bronze bust
State Capitol Grounds, Atlanta, GA, Eugene Tallmadge Memorial, colossal bronze on granite base
Young Harris College, North Georgia, Dr. Joseph A. Sharp, bronze bust

1950s

Vicksburg National Military Park, Vicksburg, MS, Alabama Memorial
Courthouse, Vienna, GA, bust Senator Walter F. George
Smithsonian Institute, Washington DC, exhibited
High Museum, Atlanta, Southeastern Art Show, exhibited
Sculptor’s Society, NYC, exhibited
Fulton National Bank Lobby, Atlanta, Robert Fulton, Fulton Steamboat, and Atlanta City Hall, cast aluminum murals
West Point Military Academy Collection, West Point, NY, Class of 1915 Monument
State Capitol Building, Atlanta, bust Governor John M. Slaton

1960s

Emory University, Atlanta, exhibition
Jens Rison, Decorative Arts Center, Atlanta, exhibition
High Museum of Art Permanent Collection, Atlanta, St. Francis and the Wolf of Gubbio, bronze

1970s

Lord and Taylor Art Gallery, Atlanta, exhibition
Agnes Scott College Permanent Collection, Decatur, GA, Mother and Child, over life size marble, selection of small sculptures and paintings
Fulton County Collection (Roswell Library Grounds), Atlanta, Reclining Madonna and Child, marble
Callanwolde Arts Center Permanent Collection, Atlanta, Bird of Prey, limestone carving; Girl on a Motorcycle, limestone carving; and selected paintings
Dodd Art Center Permanent Collection, LaGrange College, LaGrange, GA, selected paintings, drawings, and prints
Ty Cobb Museum Permanent Collection, Royston, GA, Ty Cobb, drawing
Museum of Arts and Science Collection, Macon, GA, selected sculptures, paintings and drawings
City of Atlanta Collection and Urban Design Award, Trilon, welded copper fountain sculpture
Warm Springs Hospital Campus, Warm Springs, GA, FDR, monumental concrete head
Museum of the City of Mobile Permanent Collection, Mobile, AL, Alabama Memorial, plaster model
St. Johns Museum of Art, Wilmington, NC, exhibition

1980s

St. Johns Museum of Art, Wilmington, NC, Freedom of the Figure, traveling exhibition
Bryant Galleries, New Orleans and Jackson, MS, exhibitions
St. Johns Museum of Art Permanent Collection (now Cameron Art Museum), Wilmington, NC, selected works
Albany Museum of Art Permanent Collection, Albany, GA, Sowing the Seeds, painting
Southern Company, selected as feature artist for a national ad campaign
Gwinnett Council for the Arts Permanent Collection (now Hudgens Center for the Arts), Duluth, GA, selected sculpture and paintings
Georgia Governor’s Award in the Arts, for lifetime achievement in the arts

1990s

Publication of Art of Steffen Thomas, by Alan Aiches and Anthony Janson, catalogue for traveling exhibition.
Broome Street Gallery, NYC, Art of Steffen Thomas, exhibition
Lauren Rodgers Museum, Laurel, MS, Art of Steffen Thomas, exhibition
Museum of Arts and Sciences, Macon, GA, exhibition
SCAD, Savannah, GA, exhibition
Hudgens Center for the Arts, Duluth, GA, exhibition

Steffen’s Desk Mosaic in glass ca. 1973

~Nan D. Art/Art History Teacher

Steffen Thomas in his Atlanta Studio


Thanks for reading! And thank you, Nan, for this awesome post!

Be sure to check out her teacher resource art project for kids of all ages and grades!

MJ

Steffen Thomas Museum -

4200 Bethany Rd
Buckhead, GA
30625

John Wesley In Georgia

Today we have a special post from Carolyn M., a United Methodist Revered, who has answered questions on Methodism and it's credited founder, John Wesley, and there connections with Georgia.

Enjoy!

John Wesley, Georgia, and Methodism Interview

Who is John Wesley?

John Wesley is known as the father of Methodism.  He was the son of a priest in the Church of England, one of 19 children born to Samuel and Susanna Wesley in the early 1700s.  Wesley grew up to become a pastor in the Church of England himself.  In his years as a student at Oxford, he became part of a group of men who devoted themselves to spiritual disciplines as a way of deepening their relationship with God.  Others who watched from a distance found this group to be rigidly religious, so dubbed them “Methodists” as a derogatory term.  The name stuck, and as Wesley became impassioned about the work of spiritually reviving the Church of England, traveling from church to church to wake the people in the pews, the term “Methodist” traveled with him. 

 

Why did John Wesley pick Georgia?

As young college graduates, John and his brother Charles enlisted as missionaries with an organization called The Society for the Propagation of the Gospel.  It was his response to a call to greater commitment and surrender to God.  The organization sent them to Georgia.  Their travel over was the best of times and the worst of times.  The voyage took two months and was fraught with dangers.  But it was on that voyage that he first encountered a group called the Moravians — German pietists — who were to impact him deeply.  In them, he saw a level of spiritual depth and intimacy he’d not encountered in his experience in England.  He longed for their experience of the Holy Spirit and especially for the joy with which they worshiped.  After landing in Georgia, he remained in touch with their leader and wrestled mightily with the character of his own faith in and expression of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

 

What impact did it have on Georgia?

Wesley’s intent for his missionary journey to Georgia was to minister to the colonists who lived there and convert Native Americans to Christianity.  He also hoped to gain a deeper assurance that he was indeed loved and accepted by God. 

 

His mission to Georgia lasted less than two years.  He spent time as the pastor of a church, but found the parishioners less than enthusiastic about his ministry.  He fell in love with a member of his congregation (a woman named Sophy Hopkey) and when it fell through he was profoundly wounded and became bitter toward her — a response that did not endear him to Sophie’s family and friends (he was actually charged with misconduct because of his behavior toward her!).  He had no significant contact with Native Americans. 

 

Returning to England with his tail between his legs — discouraged and doubtful — Wesley set about to understand his own faith.  He remained in contact with his Moravian friends who continued to be an influence. 

 

Wesley’s influence over Georgia, England and the world is not the result of one major event or one profound idea.  It happened over decades of faithful, passionate, obedient service to God, as Wesley wrote a systematic theology and a system of discipleship that filtered out across a spiritually hungry England and America.  His partners in ministry rode literally hundreds of thousands of miles on horseback (Francis Asbury is said to have ridden more than 300,000 miles on horseback, to every developed town in America). 

 

Did any Methodist come over with James Oglethorpe? If not, when did the first Methodist come to America?

John and Charles were the first “Methodists” to travel to Georgia, and we’ve already heard of their experience here.  Francis Asbury crossed over into Georgia at Augusta on March 1, 1790.  He preached for 16 days throughout eastern Georgia on this first trip here.  He was accompanied by several other preachers, including  a Mr. Whatcoat.

 

Where was the first Methodist church, in England and America?

John Wesley himself never professed to be anything other than a priest in the Church of England.  However, his movement, not to be contained or controlled, spread far beyond him even within his lifetime.  He traveled more than 250,000 miles over 50 years of ministry, preaching the gospel largely in England.  The Foundry, an old factory in London, was his home base.  He made it into a chapel from which most of his social reform programs and gospel initiatives proceeded.

 

Methodism spread in America after the Revolution, with Thomas Coke and Francis Asbury as key leaders.  The movement officially became an organization during a meeting at Lovely Lane Chapel in Baltimore in 1784.

 

What impact did Methodism have on the Christian way of thinking?

The greatest contribution of the “Methodist Way” is our practical and systematic approach to discipleship.  In two words, that theology can be described as grace and holiness.  Wesley wanted to see folks “grow in grace.”  He was hungry to see nominal Christians find a living and effective faith that worked itself out in acts of piety.  To that end, his theology was practical.  He is credited with saying, “There is no such thing as social holiness without personal holiness, or personal holiness without social holiness.”  That concept of connecting the inner journey with the outward journey of faith is what most attracts me to Methodism as a way of following Jesus.  I thank God for Wesley’s example and influence.  The spread of Methodism is surely the fruit of a life obediently lived in pursuit of the deeper things of God.

~ Carolyn M. United Methodist Revered

 

Thank you for this post!

 

Thank you for reading!

 

 

MJ

Wonders Of The Civil War

You heard a great deal of the Civil War; the fighting, the death, the loss of a great President, but sometimes among all the pain and sadness of war we can't hear some of the amazing things that became apart of our history that bring true sadness to the heart and courage to the spirit.
In NW Georgia, there is a place often called the Gibraltar Of Georgia named Kennesaw Mountain, where one of the later battle of the Civil War occurred, killing thousands of men on both sides. This battle took place for two weeks with the dead growing each day. One day, the two sides parlayed so as to take two hours to bury their comrades and in that time there was peace. No fighting. No yelling, just to different set of men coming together. Playing cards, talking, remembering things before the war. Two hours of peace before the war came back. Another occurrence was Sherman buried Georgia from Atlanta to the outskirts of Savannah but stop upon seeing the beauty of Georgia. The shining river and wondrous lands that we know all too well.
But the one that I will say truly makes me shiver is the funeral anthem. One of the last battles of the Civil War with the Confederates out numbered and the knowledge of death coming, with their leader, General Patrick Cleburne, an Irish man, who ordered his bagpipers to play one last sing in remembrance of the lost and of the battle ahead. The Union solders said, "We could see the flag; the blue and white flag of Cleburne's men, and we know we were in for a fight. But there something else we couldn't quite distinguish, something there." That something was the bagpipers, playing the last song, Amazing Grace, knowing there going to died and were ready.

Thanks for reading! Added below is a link to Amazing Grace and if sometime today, if you would just sit back and let it play and remember, not just these men, but all the men and women who ever fought for our country!

Your Girl Scout,

MJ

Amazing Grace - Celtic Woman - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFlOJ2BvVcc

For More Info:

The Battle Of Jonesbro - http://www.gpb.org/georgiastories/stories/battle_of_jonesboro

General Patrick Cleburne - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrick_Cleburne

Revolutionary War Soldier Settled in Georgia

Good day, Everyone!

Today's blog post is by one of the best ladies I know, who just so happens to be my Girl Scout Mentor for this project!

This is a story of a young Revolution soldier who settled in Georgia and became a successful plantation owner.
In Winterville, Clarke County, Georgia an undated marker, placed by the DAR, identifies the grave of a Revolutionary War soldier, Hiram Howard.  According to his tombstone he served in the Georgia Militia.  Mr. Howard’s service is also noted in Abstract of Graves of Revolution Patriots Volume 2 by Patricia Law Hatcher.  He served in NC Troops and GA Continental Line.
The grave is on the right side of Suddeth Street which is a short dead end street off of Main Street in Winterville, Georgia.
Hiram was the first born to Henry Howard (1729 – 1781) and Priscilla {Farrrar} Howard in 1763 in Luneberg Co., Virginia.   His father, Henry, received a grant of 285 ½ acres in Franklin Co., GA (the part which later became Oglethorpe County, GA.) 
Hiram married Lucretia Giles and they had four daughters that are mentioned in his Will dated August 13, 1821. Divina married J. Wiley Embry; Priscilla married John P. Weaver; Polly married Robert Orr, and Judith married Issac Jackson.   Descendents of this family still live around Winterville, Georgia.
Howard Hiram was a successful plantation owner and according to his Will he owned three hundred twenty five acres on the waters of Shole Creek in Clarke Co., GA.  When he died in 1822 he left this plantation* and thirteen slaves to his wife and children.  In addition to this plantation where he raised his children he owned another one hundred twelve and one half acres in Clarke County, Ga. plus a lot of land in Early County, Ga.  He left instructions that after his death “this land should be sold with the money arising from the sale to be applied in the discharge of my just debt.”
 Another historical note: Hiram Howard’s maternal grandmother, Judith Jefferson, was the aunt to President Thomas Jefferson.
* In the Abstract of Graves of Revolution Patriots Volume 2 Hiram Howard’s place of burial simply states: His home.  Therefore it is assumed that this short dead end street was once part of a great plantation. Present day it is known as Suddeth Street.

~Mrs. Gwen, Girl Scout Leader and Mentor

Thank you, Mrs. Gwen! Not only for your wonderful blog post but also for all you've done to help me with this project!

Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed!

MJ

America's Plane

Here is a wonderous video on a piece of history that needs to be preserved. It maybe not be Georgia's history but it's our's and America's history and that's just as important!

Enjoy!

MJ


Ike's Plane - https://www.youtube.com/watch?x-yt-cl=85114404&v=ehwvZXVKmPU&x-yt-ts=1422579428

Happy Birthday, Dr. Denmark!

Hello, Everyone and Happy February!
I'm still looking for January! Anybody know where it went?
But to start off this month of love, we shall hear about someone who helped give so many of the children we love a second chance: Dr. Leila Denmark.
“Every child should have a chance. Do what you can to help.” Probably some of the greatest words ever spoken and that great woman is speaking about your baby.
Leila Alice Daughtery was born in the small town of Portal, Georgia to Mr. and Mrs. Elerbee Daughtery on February 1, 1898, two years before the great turn. As the third of twelve children life could never had been easy but still she behaved as children should and kept up in her school studies. In 1918 she attend Bessie Tift College in South Georgia, which at the time was a small Baptist college for woman and she graduated in 1922.
After two years of teaching science in schools in Acworth and Claxton, Georgia she decided that teaching just wasn't her thing and enrolled at Emory University to study medicine. After being rejected (Most likely because of her gender as was common in that era) she was accepted into the Medical College of the University of Georgia in Augusta. She was the only woman in a class of some 50 men.
After her graduation in 1928 from Medical School she married John Eustace Denmark who was also from Portal. After their marriage they moved to Atlanta where she began volunteering at Grady Hospital. Later in the summer of that year Henrietta Egleston Hospital for Children (now Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta) opened it's door to it's first intern, Leila Denmark who admitted their first patient. During the 1930s she started her own clinic in her home as a pediatric doctor and continued this practice until May of 2001. During this time she researched the disease whooping cough or pertussis and created a vaccine that for over 75 years has saved thousands of children.
Leila and John we're married for 62 years with their only child, Mary. John Denmark died in the year 1990. Leila Denmark continued her practice until 2001 and in 2004 started to resided with her daughter. Over the many years she had developed many hobbies including traveling, sewing, gardening and even golf. On April 1st, 2012 Dr. Leila Denmark died at the age of 114 at the time being the 4th oldest person in the world.
Leila Denmark was an inspiring person and lived to save the lives of hundreds and even thousands of children. They were her little angels and always will be. She once said, “You keep on doing what you do best as long as you can. I enjoyed every minute of it. If I could live over again, I’d do exactly the same thing and marry the same man.” And that is something to quote.

Thanks for reading! Don't forget to comment and wish Dr. Denmark a Happy Birthday!

MJ

Dr. Leila Denmark: Family Website - http://drleiladenmark.com/

Dr. Leila Denmark: Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leila_Denmark

The Woman Who May Have Helped Start The Civil War

G'Day, Mates and Fellow Georgians!

Today we speak of a lady who had views and thoughts that were not right for the era she lived in, not for a woman at least. She could act, dance, sing and speak for what she believed to be right. You could say, Fanny Kemble was born ahead of her time.
Frances Anne Kemble was born in England in 1809 to a family of actors and performers. In 1832 she moved to America and was admired and adored throughout New England, impartially by a Mr. Pierce Butler. He became infatuated and after a long court ship she agreed to marry him.
Pierce Butler owned a plantation in south Georgia on the Sea Islands with not just ten, not just twenty, but a hundred slaves, making his rice and cotton plantation very wealthy and prosperous. Fanny enjoyed, as any other wife would, the healthy life style they had, until her husband agreed to take her to his fruitful plantation.
By this time in England, slavery has been abolished for about 30 years with Fanny growing up to believe slavery was wrong and that the slaves were people, not property... Unlike her husband.
For the four months that she stayed at the plantation Fanny was sad and in want of helping these people but every request she'd make on the slaves behalf Butler would just shun until he finally asked her to just stop asking.
Fanny wrote to her friend, Elizabeth:
           "My dear Elizabeth,
                   These discussions are terrible. They throw me into perfect agony of distress for the slaves, whose position is utterly hopeless."
Fanny kept a diary throughout her time on the island, writing down the cruelties that were done to the workers, the conditions in which they lived in and the minimal amount of things they were given.
Later, she and Butler divorced, with him gambling away his plantation and her moving back to New England where she published her diary causing a stir about life down in Georgia.
The Civil War had thousands of reasons for beginning, but maybe she had a hand in it too.

Thanks for Reading!

MJ

For More Info:

Fanny Kemble - Wikipedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fanny_Kemble

Fanny Kemble's Diary - Georgia Stories

http://www.gpb.org/georgiastories/videos/fanny_kembles_diary

Christmas At Chief Vann

Afternoon, Everyone!

As you know, last weeks post was on Chief Vann and a few weeks ago we went to the Chief Vann House at night when they had the whole house lite with candle light and it was so beauitful! To prove it to you here are some lovely pictures just for you!

Enjoy!

Your Girl Scout,

MJ

 

 

Chief Vann House Historical Site
82 Georgia 225
Chatsworth, GA
30705

Open Thrusday - Saturday 9am-5pm

$6.00 - Adults
$5.50 - Seniors (62+)
$4.00 -Youth (6-17)

 

 

A New Year and The Cheif Vann House

HAPPY NEW YEAR, Everyone!

I hope you had a pleasant 2014 and will have an excellent 2015!To start off the new year's blog posts I'm going to start with The Chief Vann house. Last month I visited the Vann house along with some other amazing historical sites but this time I'm not going to describe it to you as I have done before. This time I'm posting a video and I beg you to take the 15 minutes it runs for and watch it. It is a fantastic video and it explains everything wonderfully. I might be getting a little carried away with this but, hey, I like to write, I get pretty flowery with it sometimes. Please sit back and enjoy the tale of the Chief Vann House!

MJ

Chief Vann House Link:

http://gadnr.edvid.org/index.php/component/edv/?task=video.display%20&view=video%20&id=21&vname=0032165A

The answer to The national sports tournament started by Bobby Jones is:

Augusta

The Augusta Nationals were started in 1933.

Next's Weeks Question:

Gateway to Cumberland Island, where JFK Jr. got married!

PS: Stay tuned for some breath taking photos of the candle lite house!