Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-04-11


tribute to his services in the revolution
and his unfinching courage in the per-
formance of his public duties.
From 1SuS to 1911 John Forsyth. the
son. was attorney general of the state:
from 1872 to 1878 ne was a membe: OF
the House of Representatives. He was
then elected to the United States Senate
and resigned his seat to become minister
to Spain. where his services were needed
20 adjust the many delicate questions
involved In the cession of Florida While
he was In Spain he was reelected to
Congress. and was returned for several
terms until he resigned to become govern
or OF the state. While he was governor
he was again sent to the Senate. where
he was President Jackson's personal rep
resentative. defining and defending the
policies Of the President in notification.
in suppressing the United States Bank
and in other controversies. He became
Secretary of State in 1894. and for seven
years was the head of the cabinet during
part Of the second term of Jackson and
that of Van Buren,. He served until Will
liam Henry Harrison was elected Presi-
dent. when he transferred his portfolio to
Daniel Webster.
Hershall " johnson.
Hershall V. Johnson. another distin-
guished resident of Augusta. was the
leader of the bar in this section of the
south for many years and was sent to
the United States Senate in 1s4S
He was the regular democratic candi-
date for Vice President on the ticket with
stephen 4. Douglas in 1850: occupied a
prominent position throughout the Confed-
eracy. and in 1866 was again elected to
the United States Senate. which refused
to admit him because of the disqualifi-
cation law. He was then elected judge,
and sat upon the bench until his death.
In 1890
Mr.. Johnson is remembered as pro-
found scholar and eloquent orator as we'll
as an able jurist. He was a man Of rare
literary tastes. and his library contained
the largest collection of classical ltera-
ture in the state. His spotless integrity.
the purity of his life and his amabilty
OF disposition are among the most bsauti-
full traditions of Augusta He was
man Of deep religious sentiment and one
Of the first-perhaps the very first person
of prominence in America-to accept the
doctrines of Emanuel Swedenborg
Gen. David f. Twiggs. hero of the
Mexican war and a famous fire eater,
was born and buried on the family plan
tation. a few miles from Augusta. Old
residents relate many interesting anec-
dotes of him. He died in 1862. so that
he did not achieve the same prominence
In the civil war as in the war with Mex
leo.
Invention of Sewing Machine.
/ have mentioned in recent letters the
claims of William Longstreet of Augusta
to the honor of having invented the
steamboat in advance of Robert Fulton
and have told the story of the invention
of the cotton-gin in this city by Eli Whit
ney- 1t is also claimed that the sewing
machine was invented and first operated
by the Rev. James r. Gouding who, for
many years, was pastor of Presbyterian
church at the village of Bath. one of the
suburbs of Augusta. Mr. William A.
Clark. county treasurer. who is authority
on matters of local history. has made
thorough investigation of the facts and
has convinced himself that Parson Could
ing late in the thirtieS devised machine
for sewing cloth with power produced by
a treadle several years in advance of the
first patent that was issued to Elias
Howe of Connecticut in 1871. But Could
ing never applied for a patent He in
tended to do SO. and along about 1887 or
1898 started with his model in Il wagon
from his home in Bath for Augusta
where 'he intended to ship it to the COM
missioner of patents at Washington.
There had been very heavy rains for sew
eral days and the water in the sire ans
was very high. While crossing Buffers
creek at the regular ford his horses were
carried off their feet. the wagon was up
set and the model was lost in the turbu-
lent stream. Goulding recovered his
horses and rode one of them back home
but lost his wagon and his model and
never attempted to make another. He
lacked both determination and funds for
a renewal of his endeavor
But Parson Goulding's reputation has
been permanently established in literature
by two books for boys. The Young Ma
rooners' and sequel. "Marooners' Is
land which were written by him i'm the
early forties and rank with Robinson
Crusoe" and The Swiss Family Robin
SON. among stories of adventure A new
edition was recently published with an in
PRODUCTION by Joel Chandler Harris Uncle
Remus). and thousands of copies have
been sold annually ever since they were
published. Mr.. Goulding died and was
buried in Augusta.