Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-09-15
Some Early Georgia Governors.
BY REV. GEO. c. SMITH, wNEvlLLE, MACON, GA.

Hill. He was in the convention of
1895 and by the resembling legislature
of 1895 he was elected governor. He
was bitterly opposed to the Yazoo act,
and his hand applied the blaze which
consumed the act. He was elected
governor a second time in 1906 and was
governor in Milledgeville when his
mansion was a cabin on the hill over
looking Fishburg creek and part of the
term a two-story wooden building
near the home of Peter Fair, on
Main street. He was a warm friend
of education and his son, Jared, was
one of the first class graduated in the
State university, then Franklin col
lege. He had a handsome property in
Washington county, where his resi-
dence was known as Union Hill. In the
formation of the Federal union he
was a man of pure character and de-
servedly trusted by his fellow citizens
DAVID EMANUEL.
David Emanuel. who was ad interim
governor after the election of Cover
nor Jackson to the senate, must have
been, as his name indicates, Of Ger
man descent. 1t is said by some Of his
descendants that he was born in Penn
sylvania and came to Georgia about
176S / am unable to state positively
where he was born. find in the rec
ords in Virginia that a David Emanuel
was a somewhat prominent man in
Lunenburg, and afterward Halifax,
Va, in 1746, and that he died in Burke
county in 176S. He seems to have left
no children, but John Emanuel, who
received a patent in ST. Paul in 1857,
had quite a family, and David was his
son. Whether the Virginia David was
the brother or father of John am I'M
able to say. David, the governor, was
certainly the son Of John, for he is so
mentioned in his will. He was born in
1TA, and came to Georgia when he
was 10 years old. He received evident
ly, more education than most Of the
people Of his time on the frontier. He
and his brother, Asa, were ardent pa
triOts, and David made his escape
from death in a most remarkable way.
He was captured by a Tory captain,
who captured at the same time Davies
and Lewis. There was little GER
emory in those bloody days in dis
posing of prisoners, and the three
were stripped of their clothing and
placed in front of a log fire. where
they could be plainly seen, and three
Tories were ordered to fire upon them.
Two who fired at Davies and Lewis
were deadly in their aim, but, happily,
the muSket OF the soldier VINO was TO
shoot Emanuel missed fire, and he
leapad over the fire and escaped in the
darkness. Another account says he fell,
as If he, too, had been killed, and then
leaped to his feet and escaped. He was
in high favor in the county of his res
idence, and was elected to conven-
lions and legislatures as long as he
lived. He was president of the senate
when General Jackson was elected
United States senator, and became
governor during the interim. He died
in 1908. His daughter married Judge
Thomas Blount, the father of Colonel
David Z. Blount, formerly of Macon,
and by another wife of Colonel James
H. Blount, our famous Georgia con-
gresham.
HIS sister married General John
Twiggs. 1 do not know that he left
any direct descendants, though 1 find
a David Emanuel, who died in Cobb
county after war, and L knew one
in Atlanta so years ago.
JOHN MILLEDGE.
There were few men who had a more
remarkable history in many respects
than Governor John Milledge. He was
the second Of the name. His grand
father, Richard Mnledge, came with
Oglethorpe to the colony and died soon
after his arrival. and upon his father,
John Milledge. a sturdy lad, the old
est son, fell the care of the helpless
household. He bore himself so brave
ly that Oglethorpe became greatly IN