Newspaper Page Text
p 3W rtfd Pm* rf
(Continued from
tht paper was being conducted by
Camak & Hines. Later Ragland and
others joined Camak.
This library has on file copies of
th , Georgia Journal to 1847. Mr.
Avcry states in his history of Geor-
' that the Georgia Journal of Mil-
j^igcvUle was absorbed by the (Ma-
ooii) Messenger.
Recorder, destined to become
ersleeve is rector with Mr. Goff as
sistant. ’
In addition to the school notices
‘here are many advertisements for
runaway slaves, sheriffs and guard
ians' sales, merchants’ wares, cloth
and clothing, whiskeys, drugs, and
one for “military goods assorted,
and feathers." Word is sent out for
the apprehension of draft evaders.
Many hotels offer choice entertain-
ior legislators, travellers and
horses.
Brinrlng up a vivid picture
. rc „f the most famous and power- gorgeous equipages and munificent
h i organs in the state, was founded home?, one painters' bid for patron-
• Seaton Grantland and R. M.{age offers coach, house, sign and
Prme. who had been employed by j ornamental painting by Malcolm and
Mr. Grantland on the Journal. These Fenigan, recently of New York. The
gentlemen had purchased a small shop is located on Hancock street, a
paper, the Georgia Republican, which few rods east of the courthouse and
they converted, according to a notice planters’ Hotel. It particular
dated January 5. 1820: j ‘ Carriages of all descriptions
• printing office of the Georgia Re- , painted with elegant bronze and gilt
publican having been purchased by | borders and ornaments: Windsor and
the Undersigned, who find tbc num-, fancy chairs repainted and
i>er of subscribers insufficient to sup- [ mented in gold, silver, bronze,
nort the Press, it *s thought most
to issue proposals for
u- styled.
-The Recorder.
The usefulness of the newspaper
jf _ t hVrrinafter extolcd by the pro-
vpecuve editors. It is held to be “the
j-'i.-i’-dian of the rights" of the people.
]. ^ to be an independent paper,
• hieh is unusual at that time. The
f in the G. S. C. W. library
t iin copies of the Recorder ranging
in dates from 1832 to 1866 Mr.
t ;, lit land's nephew-in-law'*. Miller
Grieve, who married Sarah Grant-
lr.nd. continued in the partnership
v i Mr. Orme. Both Mr. Grieve and
Mr Orme were able and influential
«rj mi-s. Statesmen have paid tribute
t. them, stating that they depended
largely upon their judgment in form
in' their opinions.
The Federal Union started life as
the Statesman and Patriot in 1825.
The name was changed to the Union
in 1830 by Henry Solomon, who had
purchased it from the original own
ers. John G. Polhill edited it. John
A. Cuthbert became hi® associate
in 1831. Wilkins Hunt. Park &
Rogers. Armstrong & Campbell own-
.ri it in succession Boughton Nisbet
It Barnes bought it in 1851. Gover
nor Hcrsehel V. Johnson once edited
the paper. Mr. J. M. Moore became
part proprietor in 1862. After Mr.
Nisbet’s retirement in 1867 and Mr.
Boughton's death, Barnes and Moore
were the joint proprietors. They
purchased the Southern Recorder
and combined the two papers in
1872. The Federal Union changed
its name during the War between
the States to the Confederate. Union,
but. of course, changed back to its
old name after the war. Mrs. David
Ferguson has an old copy of the
Confederate Union.
Writing about the newspapers of
1858, Mr. Avery says of Milledge-
villc journalism:
“Th Milledgeville papers, though
weeklies, were powers then, having
large and general stale circulation,
and wielding great influence. Both
Mr. Boughton of the Union ac.d Mr.
Orme of the Recorder were editors
of unusual ability and their bouts
were marked by incisive forcC and a
fine grasp of political argument."
This tribute he pays to th_e Union
and Recorder:
“The consolidated journal, the
Union and Recorder, is one of the
honourable land-marks of Georgia
history, and has furnished to the
writer more valuable political his
toric material than all other Sources
combined. It is, today, a progressiva
paper, representative of the state':
best civilization and most virtuous
and independent public thought.”
When Mrs. David Ferguson as Mis:
Fannie Williams graduated in 1884
from Middle Georgia Military and
.* - cultural College, Robert Toon-' 1
seated cn the rostrum. When
inquiring the name of the young
woman who was receiving
i t.ors he was told that she
: and-daunhter of Miller Grieve, he
aid. “Well, no wonder! I alway
road what that man had to say be-
r ire forming my opinions."
Alexander Stephens and Howell
1 "n also acknowledged their debt
cording to the latest and most
proved northern fashion. . . rooms
dom- in the very best manner with
imitations of rose and satin
mahogany, curled maple, oak, holly,
marble.
The widow of Jett Thomas, state
house conti actor, serves notice on
deiitors cf the estate to pay up
claims. Mrs. F.liza Grarll«,rd. widow
of Fleming Gicr.tlz.nd. newspaper
man demises the stir ef a quality
of hrusthold goods.
The Planters’ Hotel opening is ad
vertised. This hostelry is located 300
yards from the state house, its stable
is large and well constructed and
plentifully supplied. The proprietor is
Thomas Huson.
Another prominent advertisement
lists various kinds of rum. wines,
brandy and whiskies, also molasses
and porter.
A news article recounts that Judge
McPherson Berrien has been “wholly
discharged and acquitted" of
proper conduct in connection with
the trial and sentencing of John L.
Hopkins.
There is an account. Dec. 21, 1819.
of a speech by Dr. Tomlinson Fort
opposing the establishment of a
preme Court in Georgia on
grounds of economy, and on the
tention that this body would
any nearrt* arriving at justice
than the ones already constituted.
In view of the leadership of Mil
ledgeville journalists, there seems
to be a sort of poetic justice in the
fact that a Milledgeville man, Dr.
Charles Herty is now doing great
things for Georgia industries,
facture of newsprint and other finer
papers from the Georgia slash pine,
the publication of newspapers, the
protection and cultivation of the
Georgia pine, and the manufacture
rayon from it.
Dr. Herty stated in a lecture here
ice that he had offered to his native
vvn the first opportunity for mak
ing clay drip cups for pine rosin,
but that promoters here were loath
to accept the new and untried. This
mperviousness to th? new carries
ts own implications, as the reader
;ees fit to apply them. It is a fact,
however, that MiHedgevtlle once was
great center for assembling and
disseminating knowledge. The far-
;ceing eye of its founders and the
progressiveness of its citizenry
der able leadership were responsible
for it.
OLDER HOMES REFLECT ERA
(Continued from page I)
r. Thomas Marshall Hall, grand-
; of Judge Iverson L. Harris, of
has .i rare cqpy of The
1 ’-.J of Union, which seems to
* boon a flourishing party or-
• in 1340. It is Volume VII. Num-
i 41. dated Tuesday morning.
: nary 3. The editor and propictor
respectively Thomas Haynes f
'■ P. L. Robinson, who are. accord-
• an advertisement in the same
superintendent and owner of
the Lafayette Hotel. The motto of
the paper is: “Our conscience—Our
country—Our party." So interesting
are v... contents of this paper that
•t will require a separate story to
enumerate them.
The make-up of these early news
papers is exceedingly interesting.
Advertisements foreign ne vs and
anecdotes make up the front page,
with scarcely any headline empha-
s *s and no display devices as we
know them in the advertising. Photo
graphy had, of course, not been
introduced.
Even before the thirties when so
many county academies were estab-
lished, there were many advertise
ments in the Milledgeville papers of
j^hools in the surrounding territory.
The Baldwin Academy is noted in an
Advertisement appearing in the
?«orgia Journal of Jan. II, 1820.
Rutherford and 8. Boykin are the
^mminionara, and Bee. l£r. Gild*
During Mr. Orrae’s lifetime, the
editor's hou.ie was the gathering place
of such famous men as Alexander
Stephens. Robert Tormb**, and Benja
min Harvey Hill. Many important
opinions were formed, no doubt, and
weighty matters discussed across the
gleaming white table with its silver
candelabra holding many lighted
candles that are still in the old din
ing room. Often told has been the
story of the hiding of the Confed
erate lover. Dr. Alexander, of Mrs.
Crawford's sister in an attic room
hilt* a Yankee officer, a nephew of
oiiry Ward Beecher, guarded the
home during Sherman’s occupation
of Milledgeville.
The Ferguson home is one of the
oldest here, and is the only
the city which has been occupied
continuously by descendants of tli
builder. It was built in 1818 by
Peter Williams and Lucinda Parker.
Their grajid-daughter, Mrs. David
Ferguson, present owner, lives there
with her daughter. Miss Betty
Ferguson. Five generations have en
joyed this charming old place. Al
most hidden by the trees, vines and
shrubber>*, it stands diagonally
across Liberty street from the Craw
ford home, and is almost in a direct
line on Washington street with the
West entrance to the old capitol, the
view of which is one of the most
rplendid and most inspiring,
architecture is similar to that of the
Crawford home, though it was built
long before, and has almost four
complete stories with its large base
ment and attic, and a large open
back porch overlooking the gardens.
It also has two large chimneys on
each side.
Mrs. Ferguson's grandmother, Lu
cinda, planted the formal arrange
ment of boxwood in front of the
house which fives rorth its spiry
fragrance as you enter the grounds.
She must also, have planted the
emamom wistaria vine whfcfe damb-
over the trees and shrubbery
the West side of the yard. She did
begin the large gardens at the rear
of the home with their gay old fash
ioned borders which Mrs. Ferguson
still enjoys tending, rain or shine.
The grand-father planted fruit trees
and shared golden and purple plums
and grapes with his little neighbors.
Inside, the house lives up marvi I-
ously to its splendid old traditions.
Though most of the original furnish
ings have been scattered through i
large family connection. Mrs. Fergu
son has made an amazing collection
of her own. at home and abroad.
One can well imagine and picture
Sidney Lanier playing his flute there
in the formal parlor, as he actually
did while the mother of Mrs. Fergu
son sang such airs as “Meet me b;
Moonlight Alone" and “In the Gloam
ing.” Many have been the musicales.
dinners, entertainments of various
kinds, and weddings in the senti
ment filled old place. With i
crful gardens and the cemetery just
back of them, it is not surprising
that from a daughter-in-law in the
family originated the first idea of a
Memorial Day. Three splendid sons
never came back from the war. Mrs.
Ferguson’s father was the only one
who survived, and he was severely
wounded.
General Kilpatrick's staff wa:
quartered there, during Sherman’:
occupation.
It is hard to pass ary of the grand
old homes without a detailed de
scription. but time and space will
not permit telling
so often and so charmingly told
stories. The main facts for these
brief sketches were obtained from
the Milledgeville United Daughters
of the Confederacy records, through
the courtesy of Mrs. R. B. Moore.
The old governor’s mansion, occi
pied by the presidents of Georgia
State College for Women since 1890.
now the home of Dr. Guy Wells,
though not as old as some of the
historic residences, was built in
1828. and is a very impressive and
beautiful building. It has four great
columns with Ionic capitals
portico. It has a heavy and impres
sive cornice and pediment, and
smaller central tower that adds
height and a sort ef glamour. Its set
ting of lofty trees makes it a worthy
subject for the finest landscape
tist. especially in the spring. The
vaulted dome of the central rotunda,
decorated with gold embossed on
hite. is a replica of that in the
Pantheon. After all. Miiy?dgeville
does owe a great debt to Napoleon
for stimulating the classic revival
architecture.
Eight governors, a provisional and
military governor lived there.
Governor Joseph Brown was ar
rested there after he had been given
parole by the Federal government.
Governor Jenkins there defied the
carpet-bag rule in Georgia by re
fusing to pay with state’s money the
expenses of a constitutional conven
tion called by the military occupa
tional forces, and to prevent misuse
af the state’s funds and the execu
tive seal, had to flee w*ith them.
The magnificent old Rockw’cll
iicuse. where Governor Herschel
Johnson once lived, and where
D. M. Ennis now* lives, greatly
ntrigues ones interest and imagi
nation in the description pre-
erved by the U. D. C.’s. It has a
,>air of columns on each side of its
high portico, topped by Ionic capi
tals. The whole is capped by an un-
jsually fine pediment bearing a fan
• mtif in the center. It. too. is said
to have been built in 1838. The pro
portions of the entire house are large
icaled. and seem to have been de-
:igned for living in the grand man
ner. The hand wrought iron fence
airrounding the grounds, and the
land wrought iron balcony over
hanging the entrance door add pleas-
iccents against the white struc-
In the basement were a spacious
banquet hall, kitchens, larders,
and laundry. The doors
cornices and Italian marble
mantels of the interior are all c;
md ornamented in the lotus d>
vhich is also u^ed on the imn balcony
This gives a pleasing unity of
ign throughout. There is an eicqu:
piral staircase. One can without
f or t picture as mistress the charming
:1 gracious Mrs. Johnson,
ketch appears elsewhei
edit
old
A revival of interest in lh<
Jordan home has tak«n place in latt
years since Dr. Lindsley, of the O
S. C. W. faculty, has undertaken the
renovation of it. Built in 1822 by
Ben Jordan, it must have had a real
lover of beauty for its architect and
builder, ard its landscape artist. A
lovely description of this mansion
it must have looked to a visitor
the old days, signed by K. K. Scott,
another G. S. C. W. instructor, in the
U. D. C. files, contains these para
graphs:
■A guest entered a curving drive
outlined on either side by fragrant
box wood hedges. A handmade
wooden fence enclosed the gardens
and through a gate In this the guest
entered driven by a negro slave in
Victoria or a barouche drawn usual
ly by fat leisurely horses. Perhaps
the guest stopped to examine the
fence and it was well worth his
notice for It was made without
nail, the thousands of spindles be
ing slipped through holes bored far
them in the cross pieces.
“If be came by night, lamps
“The massive door swung open to
greet him and he entered a hall
painted in the florid Italian style.
The door facings were carved ex
quisitely and a curving staircase dis
appeared in a perfect circle or
ceiling of the floor above. A draw
ing room lay at the right of the hall,
and a sitting room at the left and
a long ball room at the rear. The
woodwork was painted to simulate
marble, and greet marble mantel
pieces crowned the open fire places
and gleaming and irons. Behind the
sitting room was another large
square room probably the dining
room, and to the east was an open
porch supported by small pillars and
erlooking a profusion of brilliant
flowers.
"Upstairs there were three bed
rooms big enough for each to hous<
if necessary two of the gigantic hour
post beds of the period.
“Fifty yards or so behind the
wse stood the kitchen, the spin
ning room, the wash houses and the
other rooms necessary (o the com
fort of a wealthy antebellum family."
This old place is about fou.* miles
out. just off the road to Meriwether.
The .present Mrs. Lindsley. was
iss Lillias Myrick. a descendant
' an old Milledgeville family.
The homes of the Harpers and of
Mrs. S. A. Cook and the old Mc-
Adoo home in Midway form an
interesting croup.
The home of Mrs. S. A. Cook.
Baldwin County’s foremost historian,
standing far back in a grove of trees.
A*as remodelled into its present
style from a New England typo bou:
built near 1815 by Dr. Thomas Good
i. Mrs. Harper Tucker,
bought the place - 'rom him. remodel
led it. It now has twenty rooms.
e Harnor home was built in
1844 by Ram C. Beckham, on what
s now known as Smith’s Mount. It
vas rolled on logs to its present io-
•ation. because, tradition has it. Mrs.
Smith was afraid of the snakes on
the first site. Professor Smith taueht
t Oglethorpe Universitv. He sold
the place to Dan Tucker, who re
leased it to the Tuft**. The place was
ncd. also, bv John L. Johnson,
ss Martha Carver, and Jere N.
Moore Mr. Charlev Harper bought
it. and his son and three daughters
now occunv it. It is a very neat and
substantially made house, well pro
portioned and with some very fine
mantels, hnndcnrved. some in Adam
design, and one with an interesting
nipeanple motif. Even the outside
facings of the windows are orna
mented with hand carving.
The McAdoo house was built bv
David C. Campbell, and owned sre-
:ively by the Moores. Nash’s.
Murphys and McAdoos. It is now
wned by the Bloodworths.
Tn Midway, also, on the grounds of
lien’s Invalid Home is old Thalian
Hall, one of the old buildings of
Oglethorpe University. rrtnblifchcVi
in 1835. One of its rooms was occu
pied bv Sidney Lanier when he was
in school there. This room has been
marked and dedicated to the great
poet by the Milledgeville U. D. C..
through the kindness of Mrs. H. D.
Allen.
The Furman home, according to
the U. D. C.. account, was ilt|
General Scott in 1806. It is in the
community now known as Scotts-
out from Milledgeville. Aaron
Burr, legend has it. spent the night
there when he was being earned
•rth from Mississippi for trial. It
is the Farish Carter home In 1813
d fnr some years. It is now owned
John R. L. Smith of Macon. If
ihe U. D. C. renort is rnrrect. it is
the oldest of Milledpeville’s home:
now standing.
A few
this plaeo is
the old DuBii’’
have been built by Governor Clarke
and purchased from him by Seaton
Grantland. Anne, W* daughter, mar
ried Charlie DuBignon. legislatoi
and Captain in the Confederate
Army. A son. Fleming DuBignon.
was a renowned citizen. Anne Du-
Ttignon was quite an eccentric per
son. much admired bv her friends
nnri slaves, and affectionately call-
“Ole Miss". Her son later made Sa
vannah his home.
The Cline home on Green street 1:
said to have been originally a r~
of an old Governor’s mansion built
in 1816. and occupied first by gover-
Troup. Governor George Gilmer
the last one to live in It and the
first to live in the present "execu-
mansion." Two houses were
taken from this original structure.
One became the- home of R. B.
Moore, and the other the property
of the late T. L. McComb, and the
home of the Fanns. It was in this
house that the Marquis de LaFayette
entertained, and many other
picturesque gatherings took place.
One of the more recent and most
charming restorations of old homes
in Milledgeville is that of the R. W.
Hatcher residence, ‘“Locker!ey”, on
the road to Midway, which, according
to Mr. Hatcher, was built hi 1819. It
is a structure of great proportions
storied portico. The brick walls have
been stuccoed and painted a deep
ton to resemble old stone. Situated
on a gracefully rolling eminence, the
grounds are surrounded with a
handsome hand wrought iron fence,
imported from England. The base
ment. large enough to contain in
former years the family dining room
wine room, pantry, laundry and
kitchen, lias been remodelled for
modern needs in such a unique man
ner that it has won wide notice. It
now contains an office for the owner,
an emergency bedroom, a bath room,
panto*, clothes room, laundry, and
combination lounge and furnace
room. The woodwork, wails and
floors of the interior have been re
stored as near as possible to their
original condition, everything being
beautifully preserved, and the whole
been furnished tastefully with anti
ques of the old south. In it, Mr. und
Mrs. Hatcher and their family of
young daughters and a son are dis
pensing the hospitality for which the
section is noted. Theirs is a family of
just the right age and attainments to
enjoy it
A house “to the manor born”, in
deed, is the old McKinley home just
across the river. AH the materials
used In its construction, granite foun
dations. brick, lumber and shingles
came off the surrounding plantation,
and the owners. Mr. and Mrs. Wil
liam McKinley, father of G. C. Mc
Kinley, present owner, were joint
architects They carried out their
Ideas of utility and comfort irto
a charming structure resembling an
old English country house of bride.
It is distinguished both for its «wn
quiet elegance and for the charm and
graciousness of its present occupants.
Though built in 1856, it has shelter
ed already three generations of Mc
Kinleys. As it was practically new
at the beginning of the Civil War,
many of the notables of the south,
stopped there. The present Mr. Mc
Kinley was too young to remember
their names, but he says that he
knows they were constantly coming
and going. The family of Governor
Joseph E. Brown was sheltered
there at the approach of Shermaii.
Accord J.s to Mr. Kinley’s recollec
tion. Generals Jackson and Gary of
the Federal Army, with their staffs,
were quartered there during Sher
man's occupation. One of the gen
erals saved the house from the fate
of burning on its evacuation.
An approach bordered with pink
crepe myrtles enhances the loveli
ness of the "old manor". Its interior
proportions are generous and phas
ing, and it is furnished with mo6t
interesting old pieces and relics.
Although on: might go on and on
on about Milledgeville. seeing inter
esting and historic old spots, a tour
must have an end, and it might well
end with this gracious old home,
with a handshake from its Cherter-
ficldian, snowy haired owner, and a
friendly smile from his gentle, hos
pitable wife.
J. C STYLES, Pro. Mk&evik. U
tall wrought Iron posts illuminated with six huge doric pillar* uphold- min Jk
h* ,w, if it br d«. b. — a. Immmm. «*» « th, hr, IXmilXXXXXXXXIIXIXXSXXXSJ
S“ UNION
DEPARTMENT STORE
For a century the Union Comer has been known as the
merchandising center of Milidegeville—Our ancestors came
to this comer to buy the needed clothing for their families.
Just as in the past this complete department store offers the
best in merchandise, the lowest in price and the most de
pendable in service. Our store has grown with the times
and today we have Central Georgia's most complete store.
We are proud of our past—We move forward to the
future and ask you to make Milledgeville and the Union
your shopping center.
Dry Goods, Ready-to-Wear,
Notions, Shoes, Clothing,
Milinery, etc.
SERVICE--
RENDERED IN THE STYLE OF
Southern Hospitality
Here’s where the traveling public finds and enjoys the tra
ditional Southern welcome. Clean rooms and home cook
ing give our excellent service the right to be known as
Southern hospitality.
EUROPEAN
45 Rooms
PLAN
24 Baths
Baldwin Hotel