Ed Jackson and Charles Pou

Carl Vinson Institute of Government

The University of Georgia

July 19

1814 Educator and future University of Georgia chancellor Patrick H. Mell was born in Liberty County, Georgia. In 1833, he attended Amherst College in Massachusetts for two years, and then became a teacher for two years. In 1837, Mell returned to Georgia, where he took a series of faculty positions at Emory College at Oxford, Mercer University, and the University of Georgia (where he became vice chancellor in 1860). In 1862, Mell organized a regiment of students and faculty and served as commanding colonel (though the unit was stationed at Rome and never involved in combat). In 1878, Mell was appointed chancellor of the University of Georgia. He also served as president of the Southern Baptist Convention from 1863 until his death in 1888.

1827 George Wimberley Jones DeRenne was born in Philadelphia, Penn. He would obtain an undergraduate degree in 1845, a medical diploma in 1847, and a masters degree in 1848. Though raised and educated in Pennsylvania, DeRenne descended from Noble Jones, and in 1857 he inherited Wormsloe, the Jones family plantation near Savannah. His love of history led him to collect numerous rare books, maps, engravings, and manuscripts. His entire collection was lost to Sherman's troops during the Civil War, but afterwards he began building a new collection that ultimately totaled over 10,000 different items and formed the most complete collection related to early Georgia history. In 1938, the University of Georgia Library acquired the DeRenne collection from his descendants. Today, these important records and documents comprise the Wymberly Jones DeRenne Georgia Library within the University of Georgia's Hargrett Library.

1864 Confederate forces engaged several divisions of Gen. George Thomas' Army of the Cumberland trying to cross Peachtree Creek north of Atlanta. In heavy fighting, some Union forces succeeded while others were turned back. Meanwhile, Sherman was with Gen. Schofield's 23rd Corps at the present site of Emory University. Here, he issued Special Field Order No. 39, which stated in part:

"If fired on from the forts or buildings of Atlanta no consideration must be paid to the fact that they are occupied by families, but the place must be cannonaded without the formality of a demand. . . ."

As night fell, Thomas' forces stretched along Peachtree Creek to the north, Schofield's forces formed an arc to the northeast, and McPherson's forces were to the east. Sherman was now ready to advance on Atlanta, while Hood was determined to turn him back. Little did either general know how many soldiers would fall in battle on the next day.

1893 Lawyer and former Confederate general James T. Holtzclaw died in Montgomery, Ala. [See Dec. 17 entry for biographical informationon Holtzclaw.]

1904 Gov. Joseph Terrell signed an act of the General Assembly proposing a constitutional amendment to limit the number of counties in Georgia to 145. Previously, the Constitution of 1877 had provided that no new counties could be created in excess of the 137 then in existence. Georgia voters ratified the constitutional amendment on Oct. 5, 1904. This then meant that the General Assembly could create up to eight more counties -- which it did at the 1905 session.

1905 The Georgia General Assembly adopted a joint resolution urging Congress and the President to repeal or modify the Chinese Exclusion Act because that act "is now bearing its evil fruits in the boycott of American goods, and is likely to affect seriously our Southern products, as well as the Christian mission work in China."

1964 University of Georgia basketball great Teresa Edwards was born. She would go on to become an Olympic basketball player, winning gold medals in 1984, 1988, 1992, and 1996.

1986 Hall of Fame knuckle-ball pitcher Phil Niekro won his 307th game tying him with Mickey Welch for 14th place on all-time win list. Unfortunately, the Atlanta Braves great accomplished this feat as a Cleveland Indian. [Click here and here for biographical and baseball career information on Niekro.]

1996 To mark the centennial of the modern Olympic games, the U.S. Postal Service issued a commemorative stamp featuring the classic Discobolus statue with first day of issue ceremonies at OLYMPHILEX '96 in Atlanta, Ga. On the same day, the United Nations issued a set of two U.S.-denominated stamps to mark the Olympics, with first day of issue ceremonies also at OLYMPHILEX.

1996 On this night, the eyes of the world were on Atlanta, Georgia, as opening ceremonies were held in Olympic Stadium for the 1996 Summer Olympics. For photos of the opening ceremonies, click here and here.
 
 
 
 

In Their Own Words on This Day. . .

1734 In London, the Earl of Egmont recorded in his diary about the status of the visit of Tomochichi and the other Yamacraw Indians:

"The seven Indians with their interpreter [John Musgrove], Mr. Oglethorp [sic], Mr. Vernon, and Mr. Verelts, came and dined with me. I diverted them in the best manner, walked them into the wood, had music and dancing. I made also some presents. They behaved with great decency, and were well pleased. At parting the King Toma-chiki [sic] made me a speech to tell me he came down to see me in good will and returned in friendship. That God above would continue it, and he hoped we would take care to breed their children Christians.

"I made him a suitable return.

"There were yesterday to see the Archbishop of Canterbury, and were extremely pleased with their visit. They had apprehensions that he was a conjuror, but the kind reception he gave them altered that imagination. The Archbishop would have put some questions to them concerning their notions of religion, but they have a superstition that it is unfortunate to disclose their thoughts on those matters, and refused to answer. They attributed the death of their companion [Tomochichi's cousin had died of small pox during the visit] to having too freely spoke thereof since they came over. Nevertheless the King was so taken with the Archbishop that he said he must come again alone to talk with him. At coming away he said he now really believed they should have some good man sent them to instruct them and their children.

". . . Of all these Indians there is but one who can be tempted to drink too freely, and they complained to us that their interpreter [John Musgrove] is too much given to it. . . .

". . .The King [Tomochichi] made a sensible reflection since he came over. He said he saw we knew a great many more things than they, but he thought we were not the better men for it, and that they were more happy and innocent in their ignorance."

Source: Historical Manuscripts Commission [U.K.], Manuscripts of the Earl of Egmont. Diary of the First Earl of Egmont (Viscount Percival), (London: H.M. Stationery Office, 1923), Vol. II, pp. 113 et seq.

1740 From Ebenezer, John Martin Boltzius recorded in his journal an effort to get the Salzburgers to support allowing slavery in the colony of Georgia:

"Today I received a letter from England, which had been enclosed in a letter to a Jew in Savannah. It comes from one N. [Thomas Stephens], who supposedly is the son of one Colonel N. [William Stephens] in S. the thrust of the entire letter was to persuade me and the Salzburgers to petition the Trustees for permission to keep black slaves, because the Trustees are supposed to be almost inclined to it by now. It would not turn well, he wrote, and it would even be harmful to us if there were Negroes in Savannah and Purysburg but not in Ebenezer. The writer claimed that it was not possible to live in Georgia without Negroes, and, even though we said it, that was not enough; we had to make it as plain and clear as two times two. I believe the man learned the the congregation had petitioned General Oglethorpe as well as the Trustees some time ago not to allowed Negroes to come into our region because the harm from it was obvious. In what distress would this colony now be, if such unreliable folk were in the country? People in Carolina were now already in great anxiety on account of the Negroes, especially if the war does not have a favorable outcome.

"Kieffer from Purysburg and a Frenchman, almost directly across from us in Carolina, each have such a black man. They are said to have been secretly at our place a few times and to have stolen all kinds of things, although the broad Savannah River is between us and them. I also believe that no Christian can buy such a black in good conscience, since it is known how such things usually come to pass; for they are snatched away from their own country and brought here, although people seek to paint the matter in favorable colors."

Source: George Fenwick Jones and Don Savelle (ed. and trans.), Detailed Reports on the Salzburger Emigrants Who Settled in America . . . Edited by Samuel Urlsperger (Athens: University of Georgia Press, 1983), Vol. VII, pp. 194-195.

1745 William Stephens and a colleague went to visit one of the people who first met James Oglethorpe when he landed at Yamacraw Bluff. This entry foreshadowed problems Georgia would have with this couple:

"Captain Noble Jones telling me that Captain Horton recommended it to him, when he came this way, to make Mrs. Bosomworth [Mary Musgrove] a Visit in her husbands Absence, and advise her to keep up her Spirits and be chearfull [sic], for that she might be fully assured as ever, of the Trustees favor in general, as well as the Generals in particular, I thought it would not be improper for me to pay her the like Compliment. Wherefore we took boat together, and waited on her at the Grange, where she received us kindly, and it may be presumed we were not the less welcome, for presenting her with a letter from his Excellence . . . assuring her of his readyness [sic] to assist her with what money she might have occasion of, as the Circumstance of her affairs at present stood. After a few hours Conversation we took our leaves and returned, perceiving, as we thought, that our Errand had an immediate good effect. . . ."

Source: E. Merton Coulter (ed.), The Journal of William Stephens, 1743-1745 (Athens: University of Georgia Press, 1959), p. 228.

1864 In Atlanta, a Union sympathizer known only as "Miss Abby" wrote in her diary:

"All of my neighbors have gone. Am alone on the hill. A friend has urged me to move to town and reside with her. But this is my house, and I wish to protect it, if possible. There may be not battle here. If not, I am safe. If there is one, where is any safety?"

Source: Mills Lane (ed.), Georgia: History written by Those who lived It (Savannah: Beehive Press, 1995), p. 170.

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