The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1905-03-15
HISTORIC CHURCH
WILL BE PRESERVED
BACON AND ROOSEVELT TO GIVE AID
Remains of Many Distinguished Dead Lie Unmarked
in Liberty County Sherman Slaughtered Cattle
Over Grave of the Presidents Grandparent.

The tombS of the parents of Senator
A. o. Bacon, in Midway cemetery,
was one of the illustrations in a high
ly interesting article on old Midway
church and cemetery in Liberty coun-
ty, Georgia, written by Neyle Colquitt
and published in the Savannah Press
last Saturday.
In this historic cemetery also rest
the remains of General Daniel Stew
art the great-grandfather of Presi-
dent Roosevelt, and the president may
assist to rear monument over the
unmarked grave. He may also sub
scribe to fund to preserve old Mid
way church and burying ground. Sen
atOr Bacon will be asked to secure an
appropriation by congress to erect
monuments to General Stewart and
General James Screven.
The article in the Press was as fol-
lows:
In an isolated burying ground in
the heart of Liberty county, Georgia,
beneath a majestic century oak, re-
pose the remains of the great-grand-
father of the president of the United
States. No stately monument rears
it's head above the sepulcher. The
resting place of the distinguished dead
is unmarked but, as if by the direc-
ton of a Divine Providence, the dra-
peries of moss from the outspreading
arm of the great oak fall in funeral
folds over the consecrated spot.
President Roosevelt has addressed
communications to old residents of
the county in an effort to locate the
exact spot where rest the remains of
General Daniel Stewart, his distin-
guished forbear, who was buried in
the old Midway burying ground in
1929. The spot has been located, and
it is regarded as probable that the
president will have monument reared
there.
President Asked to Subscribe.
A movement to secure fund suffi-
cient to preserve the old church, which
stands beside the grave yard, and the
burial ground itself has assumed def
mite form. President Roosevelt has
been asked to subscribe to this fund.
With it it is designed, to support the
sides of the old building with steel
stays, a precaution which it is said
will insure its preservation for many
more years to come, and to restore
portions of the cemetery.
At meeting of the board of select
men of the Midway Society, to be held
in the near future, motion will be
made to have Senator Bacon introduce
bill in congress providing for the
erection of monuments in the old Gem
etery to General Stewart and to Cen
eral James Screven, revolutionary
generals of distinguished records. AS
long ago as 1903 bill providing for
the erection of monument to General
Screven passed the senate of the Unit
ed States and was referred to the
house of representatives on the same
dav. Action was deferred until No
vember of that year, after which no
record appears as to the disposition
of the matter. Senator Bacon inves-
gated the matter, and made the report
as stated.
The matter was to be taken up by
the selectmen at their annual meeting
next Wednesday, but owing to the
prevalence of smallpox in the vicinity
of their meeting place it has been
deemed prudent to defer the meeting
for several weeks.
Try tho Hand of Fate.
By some fatality it happens that on
the very spot where repose the remains
of the present presidents great-grand-
father General Sherman slaughtered
cattle during the civil war. 1t is a
matter of history that the cemetery,
which is enclosed by brick wall six
feet in thickness, was used by Sher-
mans men as slaughter pen, ana
that the old house of worship was
formed into a pen where were quarter
ed the beeves.
The dilapidated remains of the old
organ, which stood in the gallery of
the church, but which was thrown
over the balustrade and broken to
pieces by the union soldiers, are still
To be seen in the church. The select
men some time ago appointed Mr..
Newton J. Norman as committee of
one to make a claim of indemnity
against the government. Mr.. Norman
conferred with Senator Bacon. Mr..
Bacon said that while he had no doubt
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