Ed Jackson and Charles Pou

Carl Vinson Institute of Government

The University of Georgia

January 25

1799 Revolutionary war Whig politician John Wereat died in Bryan County, Ga. Born in England in the early 1730s, he came to Georgia in 1759 and became a landowner and successful planter before entering politics with the outbreak of the Revolution. He served as Georgia's Continental agent for the course of the war. Wereat reluctantly became involved in the factionalism that divided many Georgians during this period, becoming the spokesman for the conservatives, who were opposed by radicals led by Button Gwinnett. Wereat fled to South Carolina when Savannah fell to the British, but returned with the withdrawal of British troops from Augusta in 1779. The members of the House of Assembly still in the area convened and elected a Supreme Executive Council to govern Georgia for the duration of the war. On August 6, 1779 Wereat was chosen president of the Council, making him the chief executive of Georgia. He served in this post for only three months before a new assembly, dominated by radicals, elected George Walton governor.

Wereat resumed his duties as Continental agent, then assumed a similar role as auditor-general after the Revolution. In this post he helped bring some relief to Georgia's war torn, shattered financial condition. So highly esteemed by this he was chosen to preside over Georgia's convention to ratify the U.S. Constitution. After his retirement from politics Wereat engaged in land speculation, unfortunately becoming involved with the Yazoo land fraud, though Wereat denied any fraudulent behavior, insisting he was legitimately trying to invest in western lands. After this episode he returned to his Bryan County home, where he died in 1799.

1906 Former Confederate general Joseph "Fightin' Joe" Wheeler died in Brooklyn, New York. Joseph Wheeler, Jr. was born in Augusta, Georgia on Sept. 10, 1836. After his mother died in 1842, his father took the family to Connecticut, where he owned part interest in a textile mill. After graduating from West Point in 1859, he was assigned to the New Mexico Territory in 1860. Here, during an encounter with hostile Indians, he earned the nickname "Fightin' Joe"--perhaps a particular compliment as he was only 5'5" tall and weighed 120 pounds.

In April 1861, Wheeler resigned from the U.S. Army to accept a commission as a lieutenant in a Georgia artillery unit. In Sept. 1861, he was named a colonel in the 19th Alabama. In July 1862, he became commander of a cavalry division. After several key actions, he was promoted to brigadier general in October 1862 and to major general in 1863. During his service to the Confederacy -- which included Chickamauga, the Atlanta Campaign, and Sherman's March to Sea, Wheeler had 16 horses shot out from under him. After the Civil War, he moved to Alabama, where in 1880 he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. Wheeler re-entered military service in the U.S. Army during the Spanish-American War as chief of cavalry for the Fifth Army Corps. During that conflict, he participated in several battles in Cuba--including San Juan Hill. Wheeler died in January 1906 while visiting his sister in Brooklyn, New York. Because of his role as a major general in the Spanish-American War, Wheeler is one of the few Confederate officers buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

1915 The first public transcontinental telephone call was placed from Jekyll Island. There, AT&T president Theodore Vail called Pres. Woodrow Wilson in Washington, Alexander Graham Bell in New York, and Thomas Watson (Bell's assistant) in San Francisco.

1915 DeKalb County superior court judge C.S. Reid granted a charter for the incorporation and establishment of Emory University.

1939 In Hollywood, filming began on "Gone With the Wind." In mid-December of 1939, the movie would have its world premier in Atlanta.

1943 Gov. Ellis Arnall signed legislation removing the governor as an ex officio member of the State Board of Education, State Board of Regents, Department of Public Safety, and State Housing Authority. The act was part of series of proposals by Arnall to reduce the powers of the governor -- specifically over education -- following the administrations of Eugene Talmadge.

1985 The U.S. Postal Service issued a 7-cent Abraham Baldwin stamp in first day of issue ceremonies on the campus of the University of Georgia. The stamp's release was coordinated to mark the 200th anniversary of the chartering of the University of Georgia by the Georgia legislature. [Click here to view the stamp and read about its story.] On campus, a variety of souvenir first day covers were prepared with first day of issue cancellations [see examples].

1998 Former University of Georgia running back Terrell Davis ran for 157 yards and scored a record 3 rushing touchdowns on the way the Denver Bronco's 31-24 victory over the Green Bay Packers in the 32nd Super Bowl, Playing in his hometown of San Diego, Calif., Davis was awarded the Most Valuable Player award for the game.

1999 Robert Shaw, music director emeritus and conductor laureate of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, died of a stroke at age 82 in New Haven, Conn.. In the late 1940s, Shaw organized the Robert Shaw Chorale, subsequently establishing a national reputation for chorale conducting. After serving with the San Diego and Cleveland orchestras, Shaw became music director and conductor of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra in 1967. Under his leadership, Atlanta developed a major American orchestra, receiving national and international recognition. In 1988, Shaw retired, though continuing his association with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. During his career, Shaw won 14 Grammy awards, and at the time of his death was nominated for a 15th Grammy. In 1991, Shaw was recognized by the Kennedy Center, whose chairman termed Shaw "the dean of American choral conducting."

In Their Own Words on This Day. . .

1741 From St. Simons Island, James Oglethorpe wrote the Earl of Egmont a long letter about a variety of matters, including his lengthy illness, conditions at Frederica, the military state of Georgia, and the failed St. Augustine expedition (including the defeat of his forces at Fort Mose). In his letter, Oglethorpe also revealed that he had been using his personal money to fortify Frederica as well as some of the coastal islands:

". . . I cannot but say that other people's not acting with the same vigour as I expected for the public service might contribute much to my sickness, but my illness never hindered me from being present at every place necessary either by land or by water. If the enemy had been as well hindered from receiving succours by sea, as they were by land by a very handful of men, Augustine had certainly surrendered. I cannot but say that the behaviour of the regiment was so good that I believe there's hardly an instance of any man going through more fatigue with cheerfulness. They showed the greatest courage upon every occasion. The Indians, particularly the Creeks, showed the utmost intrepidity and were the greatest service, and parties of them relieving one another do this hour block up the Spaniards by land. The Georgia Rangers, the Highlanders and some of the Creek Indians had but too fatal an occasion of giving proofs of their resolution at [Fort] Moosa, where most of those who died fought with an obstinacy worthy of the Greeks or Romans. Griffin, a half-Indian brother to Musgrove the interpreter's wife, after his legs were shot through, kneeling and supported by a bank, refused quarter and still fought on, loading and firing several shot. Captain Thomas Jones, the son of an Englishman by a Creek Indian woman, killed the Spanish officer who led on the party that entered the gate and, after the fort was taken, fought his way through the Spaniards and came down to the river. I have sent him up to the Indian Nation, from whence he is with a party of Creeks to fall upon the Spaniards at Augustine.

"We are extremely exposed here and unless the government allows us armed boats and sloops sufficient to oppose the half-galleys, Rangers sufficient to scour the continent and presents to support the Indians in the war, we certainly shall be here but in a very bad situation.

"I am persuaded everybody will do their duty, but in war, if one has not what is necessary one can do no more but die. . . .

"With respect to the colony, increase or improvements can hardly be expected in a neglected frontier in time of war. . . . Fortifications we have none of any consideration we could not fortify during the peace, and I have had neither funds or time to make any considerable works since. What I did at first settling the colony were then very terrible for the small number of men I then had . . . The first forts were made either of wood or earth, and easily went to ruin, there being no fund either from the King or the Trustees for supporting them. However, at my own hazard I ventured to make an entrenchment 'round the town of Frederica, to make a battery or two upon Jekyll Sound, to repair the fort at Saint Andrew's and make another little one on the South end of that island. But you may easily guess what poor works these must be, which a gentleman is able to answer out of his own fortune, if the expenses are approved of by the public. . . . We will certainly do the best we can, but if we are destroyed I hope at least my character will not suffer, since I have neither cannon, engineers, fortifications, troops nor provisions sufficient to make a defense. . . .

". . . I have acquainted everybody what should have been done for the siege of Augustine. But as it was not I did not succeed for want of those very things I before demanded from Carolina and could not obtain. . . ."

Source: Mills Lane (ed.), General Oglethorpe's Georgia: Colonial Letters, 1733-1743 (Savannah: Beehive Press, 1990), Vol. II, pp. 535-539.

1751 In March 1750, Georgia's Trustees appointed Henry Parker as vice president of the colony. Georgia president William Stephens, who was 78, subsequently resigned because of illness and his advanced age. On Jan. 25, 1751, Georgia's first representative assembly convened in Savannah. Ten days later, Assembly speaker Francis Harris formally recognized Henry Parker, who was in attendance:

"Sir -- We, the deputies of the several districts in General Assembly met, desire to return you our sincere thanks for your speech to us; and we assure you, we shall endeavor, with all concord and unanimity, to go through the business appointed for us to do; and we also beg leave to embrace this opportunity of heartily congratulating you on your being appointed Vice-President of the Province, which we look upon as no more than a just reward for y our long and faithful services in it; and we have no doubt but the same steadiness, justice, and candour, which have formerly guided you in the execution of other offices, will direct and govern you in this."

Source: George White, Historical Collections of Georgia (New York: Pudney & Russell, 1855), p. 181.

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