Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1907-11-26
GEORGIA GETS HONOR.
FIRST TO NAME CITY AFTER
FATHER OF COUNTRY.
Town Of Washington christened In
177e-History Proving Contention
Of Resident Brought to Light
and Fixed by Records.

Washington. Ga.-After much and
long protracted discussion 1t mas peen
settled when, where and how thls
town was named in honor OF George
Washington. These are the facts as
they have been ascertained:
The name. Washington was chosen
by the people of Wilkes county for
their new town in the year 1779, and
confirmed by the general assembly in
January, 1880.
Historians have been prone to doubt.
and question these dates, claiming
that in 1880 was the dark year" IN
Georgia and that no session OF the
general assembly was held in that
wear. Augusta had fallen, Savannah
| had fallen and the whole state was ~
the hands of the enemy. This is very
nearly true, but not quite SO.
The ..ceded lands" which seven
years previous had been bought from
| the Indians and called Wilkes, tof
John Wilkes, our friend in Inc ffit
ish parliament, was one spot In the
| state not under British rule. This
was due to our victory at the battle
of Kettle Creek.
/ Stephen Heard, president of the as
ssmbly, was acting governor, because
George Walton, the governor, was IN
Philadelphia attending tbs ee4gncl'
there. And Wilkes county being the
only spot free from British rule
Stephen Heard moved the state papers
and records to tke courthouse a.
Heards Fort. Heard's Fort, there
! fore, became the capital OF deergis
for the time being. And it was here
that the only session of the state leg
isiature or assembly was held In tht
year 1880. II was at this session tina
. the act was passed confirming tht
!. name Washington chosen for the litti'
town to be laid out around the site o
: Heard's Fort.
In Watkins Digest, the Oldest com
pilation of the legislative acts o
Georgia, will be found the proofs O
/. this statement, as follows:
"Section 10. And whereas 1t is es
sentialiy necessary for the -conven
Hence of suitors and ministers OF pub
lie Justice that the building OF small
town In the county of Wilkes should
be encouraged, be 1t therefore enact
: ed by the authority aforesaid, that fiv'
commissioners be appointed by thi
house and said commissioners SO t
be appointed or any three of them, b.
empowered to lay out 100 acres Q
! Hand circumjacent to the said plac
.Iinto a town and common, and tn
, same be sold and granted in the man
!, ner pointed cut in this act-and be !
: further enacted by the authorlt
3 aforesaid that William Downs, Barr
ard Heard, John Gorham, Daniel Cole
I man and John Dooley, Esquires, be
. board of commissioners for acting ur
der this act, representing the tow
q at the courthouse. In Wilkes county
J, which shall be called Washington"
There you have the proof that tn
: general assembly confirmed the nam
: in the year 1880, for Watkins d
9 gest." printed in 1880, is indisputabl
authority
Now for the proof that the people o
: Wilkes had selected the name TO
: their town in the year 1878. Johl
> Dooley, one of the commissioner
y mentioned in the act, was killed 500
! after the battle Of Kettle Creek, i
|. 1879; therefore the act appeiptin
= him commissioner and naming tn
town must of necessity been determiI
ed upon before his death, February
1879.
!. The original plot of the 100 acres a
laid out by the commissioners is sh
in existence, and is among the treas
ures of the Mary Willis library, j
Washington.