Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-01-16
NAMES OF GEORGIA
COUNTIES
By jOHN r. BOIFEUILLET


wealth. as a monument to their virtues, tai
ents and public services. The statesmen thus
hOnored, their names being ALPHABETICALLY ar
ranged, and not in the chronolo g1cal order OF
the creation of the counties, were as foIlo"S:
A O. Bacon, Abraham Baldwin, Benjamin
Fl. Hill John Macpherson BCrrien, William
". Bib. Thomas w. Cobb, Walter 7. Col
ouitt William H. Crawford, William &, DaW-
SON. John Forsyth, James Jackson, HerscheI
V. Johnson, Wilson Lumpkin, josiah Iatt
nall Robert Toombs, George NJ Tfoup, Free
man Walker, George Walton and Nicholas
Ware.
jackson Was the First
OF the above mentioned, Jackson was the
first for whom county was called, TINS oC-
curing under act of the legislature, FEBRUARY
II. 1896 nearly 1877 years ago. Bacon was
the last Of these senatorial counties to pc
created. Senator Bacon died on February / 4,
1914. and within few months after MS
death the new county given his name
1t is generally thought that the county OF
Cobb was named n honor OF Howell CopD'
but Thomas W. Cobb was the Georgian thuS
honored.
OF the senators for whom Georgia counties
were named Forsyth, Jackson, Johnson
Lumpkin, Tattnall, Troup and Walton also
occupied the office of governor. bacon
Baldwin and Crawford, each, was presloeht
pro. tempore of the senate. s.
At this writing, [ recall that there are at
least, three counties in this state which 40
not now bear the names they formerly pos
sessed, towit: Barlow, Jasper and WeOS'er'
Cass Changed to Barlow
The county of Cass had been on the map
of Georgia for twenty nine years when us
name was changed act of the legislature
December 6, 1861, IN honor OF the herolc
Francis S. Barlow, of savannah, VINO WAS
mortally wounded in the first battle OF MA
nassas while calamity leading his famous
regiment in a terrific and successful charge
against the federalS.
When the county was originally lorIneu'
December 3, 1882, it was called Cass, IN non
or of the great Demo 3ratic statesman leauer
and orator General Lewis Cas5, OF Michigan.
AT the time of the christening, he was secre-
tary Of war in the cabinet OF President JACK
son, having previously served WIN m"lheu
ability and galantry in the war OF 10 = WIN
ming promotion from colonel to Drlgadler-
general. He had also been governor OIL the
territory of Michigan, and held other pronn-
nent public positions. Following a notaDle
service as cabinet officer, Cass was ap-
pointed by President Jackson as minister 10
France. ~
Michigan in January 1845, which office he
resigned when nominated as he Democratic
candidate for president, in lS4S, against lay
lor, the nominee of the Wings. owing 10, one
wing of the Democracy in the state OF New
York suppOrting Van Buren, in opposition TO
Cass on account Of the latters conservative
views on the slavery question, Taylor carried
New York, and Cass thus lost the presidency
Michigan promptly returned Cass TO Tue
United States senate, and in 1851 he was re-
elected for term of six years. Franklin
Pierce won the Democratic nomination LOT
president over Cass in 1852, after baliotlng
which extended through several days
Georgia Resented His Attitude
President Buchanan appointed Cass secre-
tary of state, in which office ne served W W.
conspicuous ability until in December, 1860,
when he resigned, because he Thought the ad-
ministration was not sufficiently patrlotlc To-
ward the Union in the face of the impending
war. He warmly sympathized with the
northern side Hence, the legislature OF
Georgia changed the name OIL LASS 0o"1A'S ~
Barlow.
Webster county was originally known, by
the Indian name of Knchafoonee, but be-
cause Of the merriment produced over the
state by this appellatlon, the resluehoS u oEc
county had the legislature, February H. 1895,
to change the name to Webster, IN honor OF
the famous Massachusetts orator and SENATOR
An Indignant Legislature
When what is now Jasper county came INTO
life by legislative act, December 10, 1917. II
was given the name Randolph, in admiration
of the brilliant, eccentric and fearless Wiz
ginia statesman John Randolph OF Roanoke.
But exactly five years later, the name was
changed to Jasper, in appreciation o. Inc
celebrated Revolutionary hero, Serseah'
JASPER, of South Carolina, who achieved I'M
diving fame by leaping, through terrlllc Ire
of Ieaden hail, from the ramparts OF fort
Moultrie, and rescuing the flag Whlch hao
been shot away by a cannon Dali from tue
British fleet, and replanting it on tine lorC'
Later in the war, Jasper performed oLlei
daring and brilliant deeds which have immor-
talized his name. He fell fatally wounded 'aV
the siege of Savannah in 1779.
The following "ather severe measure OIL
the legislature, December 10, 1872, t"lls the
story of the change of name from Ranoolph
county to Jasper: ..
"Whereas. it was obviously the intention
Of the legislature of Georgia, in designating
a county bv the name of Randolph, to per-
netuate the name of John Randolph, mem
| her of congress from Virginia, whose early
| exertions in the cause of Democracy claimed
| the appreciation and applause or every Soou
citizen Of these United States.
/ put whereas the conduct OF the said
! Holm Randolph, in his official capacity as a
! member of congress mas eYinced such a mann
| fest desertiOn Of correct principles and such
a decided attachment to the enemies OF the
United States as to render his. lame odlous
| to every republican citizen Of this state, etc.
! "Re il therefore enacted that from and
! after the passage of this act the county Oh
| Randolph shall be called and known by the
name of the county of Jasper, any law to the
i contrary Notwithstanding.
! Was Leader of the "Quids."
II am not mistaken, the reference IN the
! foregoing act to Randoph's decided attach
! ment to the enemies the United States re-
lated to his opposition to war with England
in 1912, which opposition cost him MS seat
in the national house Of representatives III
j1S13 PERHAPS the words in the leglStatlVe
Iaat-"the conduct Of tn said John Randolph,
in his official capacitv as a member Of con-
gress has evinced such manifest desertlon
Of correct principl es'-referred to his having
become the head of a faction known as the
guilds" title applied to small element