The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1907-11-14
GEORGIA GETS HONOR
FIRST TO NAME CITY AFTER
FATHER OF COUNTRY.
Town Of Washington chrlstened In
1779-HIstory Proving Contention
Of Resident Brought to Light
and Fixed by Records.

Washington, Ga.-After much and
long protracted discussion it has been
settled when, where .and how this
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 1873, 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
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 Greek.
Stephen Heard, president of the as
sembly, was acting governor, because
George Walton, the governor, was In
Philadelphia attending the council
there. And Wilkes county being the
only spot free from British rule,
Stephen Heard moved the state papers
and records to the courthouse at
Heard's Fort. Heards Fort, there
fore, became the capital of Georgia
for the time being. And it was here
that the only session of the state leg
lslature 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
Heard's Fort
In Watkins Digest, the Oldest COM
pilation of the Legislative acts Of
Georgia, will be found the proofs Of
this statement, as follows:
Section 10. And whereas it is es-
sentially necessary for the eonven-
lence of suitors and ministers of pub
lie justice that the building of small
town In the county ofLWilkes should
be encouraged, be 1t therefore enact
ed by the authority aforesaid, that FIVE
commissioners be appointed by this
house, and said commissioners so to
be appointed, or any three of them, be
empowered to lay out 100 acres of
land circumjacent to the said place
Into a town and common, and the
4 same be sold and granted in the man
ner pointed out in this act-and be it
further enacted by the authority
aforesaid that William Downs, Barn
ard Heard, John Gorham, Daniel Cole
man and John Dooley, Esquires, 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"
u There you have the proof that the
general assembly confirmed the name
In the year 1880, for Watkins Di-
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 1779. John
Dooley, one of the commissioners
mentioned in the act was killed soon
after the battle of Kettle Creek, in
1879: therefore the act appointing
him commissioner and naming the
town must of necessity been determin
: ed upon before his death, February
1779.
. 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.