The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1907-11-08
GEORGIA ( GETS HONOR
FIRST TO NAME CITY AFTER
FATHER OF COUNTRY.
Town Of Washington Chrls,eneG In
177o-Histcry Proving Contention
Of Resident Brought to Lioht
and Fixed by Records.


Washington. Ga.--After much and
long protracted discussion It has heen
settled when, where and how this
town was named In honor Of George
Washington. These are the facts as
they have been asaertaincG "
The name Washington was chosen
by the people of Wilkes county for
their new town in the year l173. and
confirmed by the general assembly hi
January, 1880.
Historians have been prono to doubt
and question these dates. claiming
that in 1880 was tho dark year" in
Georgia and that no session OF the
general assembly was held in that
year. Augusta had fallen, Savannah
had fallen and the whole state was in
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. for
John Wilkes. our friend In the Brit
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 u.s.
semhly, was acting governor, because
George Walton, the governor, was in
Philadelphia attending the council
there. And Wilkes county being fhe
only spot free from British rule,
Stephen Heard moved the state papers
and records to the courthouse at
Ileards Fort. Heard's Fort. there
fore, became the capital of Georgia
for the time being. And 1t was here
that the only session of the state leg.
islature or assembly was held in the
year 1880. 1t was at this session that
the act was passed confirming the
name Washington chosen for the little
town to be laid out around the site of
Herds Fort.
In Watkins Digest. the Oldest COM
pilation of the legislative acts Of
Georgia, VIII be found the proofs OF
this statement, as follows:
"Section 10. And whereas It Is es-
sentially necessary for the conven.
ience OF suitors and ministers OF pub.
lie justice that the building OF small
town IN the county Of Wilkes should
ke encouraged. be At therefore, enact;
ed by the authority aforesaid that five
commissioners te appointed by this
house. aud said commissioners so 10
be appointed, or any three of them, be
empowered to lay out 100 acres of
land circumjacent 10 the said place
into town aud common and the
same be sold and granted in the man
ner pointed out In this act--and be 1t
further enacted by the authority
aforesaid that William Downs. Barn
ard Heard, John Gorham, Daniel Cole
man and John Dooiey, Esqllres. be a
board OF commissioners for acting un-
der this act. representing the town
at the courthouse, In Wilkes county.
which shall be called Washington"
There you have the proof that the
general assembly confirmed the name
in the year 1880, for Watkins Dl
gest," printed in 1880, is indisputable
authority. "
Now for the proof that the people of
Wilkes had selected the name for
their town In the year 1873, John
Dooley, one of the commissioners
mentioned In the net, was killed soon
after the battle of Kettle Creek, in
1873; therefore the act appointing
him commissioner and naming the
town must of necessity been determin-
ed upon before his death, February,
1873. ssHe eN}
The original plot of the 100 acres as
laid out by the commissioners is still
in existence, and is among the treas
ures of the Mary Willis library, In
Washington,