The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-07-08
AFTER GEORGE WHITFIELD.
ONE OF GEoRGIA's MOST PROSPER
OUS COUNTIES WAS NAMED.

the state and It's People Energetic
and HoSpitabIe-The County Made
Historic in the Civil War-DaItOn
the County seat. One of the Most
Delightful cities of North Georgia
The Place Where Gen. Johnston
Took Command OF the Confederate
Forces After the Battles of Mis-
sionary Ridge and RiRggOld.
Whitfield county is the only county
in Georgia named after a preacher.
There is a Jones county, but it's not
named after Sam. George Whitfield's
name is familiar to the readers of the
history of our state. and his life work,
the Bethesda Orphan House, near Sa-
vannah. is his monument. 1t is a
strange coincidence that to citizen Of
Whitfield county, Mir NJ. H. Williams,
l am indebted for the original cata-
Iogue of the books in the Library at
Bethesda in I'LL. 1t was in that year
that Whitfield passed away. He was
one of the founders of that great de-
nomination of Christians, the Metho-
dists. and he, and John and Charles
Wesley built better than they knew.
The great work which they inaugu-
rated and which was to affect the en-
tire Christian world, still goes on.
Professionalism was sorely in need OF
Jealous workers and the Wesleys ard
Whitfield were the men for the work.
Whitfield is sburied in Newburyport,
Mass, where he died while on mis-
sion to get help for his orphans in
Georgia. and il. is asserted on good au-
thority that his remains are still in a
rcmarkab BILE state of preservation.
Whitfield county joins the state of
Tennessee on the North. Its soil and
climate is not excelled in the state.
Cotton, wheat, oats, rye. corn, pota-
toes, sorghum. hay and various grasses
and fruits and vegetables are among
its products. There are many dairy
farms in the county, and great inter
est is taken in improved breeds
of cattle Like other parts of
North Georgia Kentucky horses
and mules are raised in Whitfield.
Not only were, Whitfield and Murray
counties, the former of which was a
part of the latter until 1851, the un-
disputed home of the red man three
quarters of a century ago, but all of
the Northwestern counties, Dade
Walker, Catoosa, Chattooga, Gordon
and others, We're Indian possessions.
This area in early days was called the
Cherokee country, and when the state
extinguished the Indian titles, it be-
came the big county of Cherokee. To
write the history of Whitfield county
is to write in part that of several
counties.
Dalton, the county seat of Whitfield,
is a delightful city. Whether the Visi-
tor is on business or pleasure bent, or
on a political pilgrimage, it is a nice
place to visit. Its citizens are ener-
getic and hospitable 1t does one good
to see them hustle. and at the same
time extend a hearty welcome to WISH
tors.
To be a city it is necessary that it
should have good hostelry and
Dalton has that in the Hotel
Dalton. a modern, and admirably
arranged and well-kept house. One
who had been .roughing it. as l had
been could appreciate its good bed
and board I can't say too much for
the Hotel Dalton as a summer or win
ter resort, and the traveller who tar
ries on the way will find that l am a
truthful scribe when l assert that Dali
ton rs a good stopping off point.
The city is the metropolis of North
west Georgia, and is regularly laid
out. with handsome business streets,
and stately stores and public build
ings and pleasant homes, and a num-
Der of Well-known manufacturing
concerns. Unlike many places. the
city of Dalton is not the result of
chance. There was an old settlement
on its site known as Cross Plains, but
upon the building of the Western and
Atlantic Railroad, a city was mapped
out and it was called Dalton in. honor
of Tristan Dalton, thrifty New Eng
land merchant, who in 1916 bought the
land adjacent to the old town aud
founded the future city. The lots We're
sold al handsome profit, and Dalton
has been growing ever since, or,
rather, has had two growths, for it
was almost entirely destroyed by the
Federals during the war between the
states.
1t was at Dalton, on Dec 81 1868,
that Gen. Joseph E. Johnston took
y.
which had retreated, after the battles
of Missionary Ridge and Ringgold, tc
that point. There in May of the next
year that great commander had, after
most stupendous efforts, assembled an
army aggre eating 61,947 men, with
which to confront and combat Sher-
mans army, which on the 31st of the
same month numbered 112S19. A flank
movement of the enemy resulted in
the battle of Resaca, eighteen miles
east OF Dalton, in which the enemy
suffered a severe defeat. Here it was
that Gen. MERGERS brigade, in which
two Savannah regiments, the First
and Sixty third Georgia, distinguished
themselves. Overwhelming numbers
fall back-but l am not writing his
tory of the war-and Dalton fell into
the hands of the enemy
The city is situated in the midst OF
a fertile valley, and in every direc-
Its reputation is about 5000, nearly all
white. It has two financial institu-
tions, the First National Bank of Dali
ton, Of which P. B. Trammell is presi-
dent w. c. Martin, vice president;
J.. p David, cashier, and J. G. Nc
Clellan, assistant cashier, and c. L.
Haldwick & Co, bankers, one of the
Oldest banking houses of Geor-
gia, having been established
in 1873 Mr.. Hardwick is large
~ identified with the development of
the resources of Northwest Georgia
He was laIely in Savannah attending
the bankers meeting. Mr.. Albert S.
Kaspmpir is hook for Mr