Ed Jackson and Charles Pou

Carl Vinson Institute of Government

The University of Georgia

June 14

1736 James Oglethorpe directed Trustees' surveyor Noble Jones to draw a plan for a new town at the head of navigation of the Savannah River to be named Augusta -- in honor of the new wife of Frederick, son of King George II. According to the journal of Trustee proceedings maintained by the Earl of Egmont the new town was created "for the convenience principally of the Indian Traders." Also:

"He [Oglethorpe] order'd it should consist of 40 House Lotts each of an Acre, the largest Streets not narrower than 25 years; a Square in the Center, & Lotts for Publick Buildings on each Side the Square. All the Publick Lotts together not to consist of less than 4 acres. the Common to consist of 600 acres, and the Lotts next the Town to be 50 acres, but only to each of those who have 500 acres. That a house in town and a 500 acre Lot Should be mark'd out to the following Indian Traders -- Saml. Brown, George Currie, Cornelius Doehorty, Gregory Haines, Lochlane Macbane, Kenedy Obryen, Joseph Pavey

"50 acre Lotts were at the Same time order'd to such persons as Mr. Roger lacy should think proper: the whole under the Same conditions as the rest of the Colony of Georgia were."

1777 Georgia patriots got a new national flag on this day as the Continental Congress adopted the first U.S. National Flag (soon known as the "Stars and Stripes") to replace the Grand Union Flag.

1864 While observing Union positions from atop Pine Mountain during Sherman's Atlanta Campaign, Confederate General Leonidas Polk was killed instantly when a Union cannon projectile struck him directly. [To view a map of the location of Pine Mountain, click here.] Also an Episcopal bishop, Polk was born in Raleigh, North Carolina on April 10, 1806. 

1883 Former Georgia governor Charles Jones Jenkins died at his home in Augusta, Ga. See January 6 (1805) entry for biographical information on Jenkins.

1923 Ralph Peer of Okeh Records recorded Georgia's Fiddlin' John Carson playing "The Little Old Log Cabin in the Lane"--which was released as the first country music record.

1934 Ocmulgee National Monument was created at the site of the complex of Mississippian Indian mounds near the eastern banks of the Ocmulgee River in Macon, Ga.

1943 Martin Luther King, Sr. chaired a meeting of the Atlanta Citizens' Committee on the Equalization of Teachers' Salaries.

1952 Boston Braves scout Dewey Griggs signed 18-year-old Hank Aaron to a contract for $350 a month. At the time, Aaron was playing for the Negro League's Indianapolis Clowns for $200 a month. Watching Aaron play as a Clowns shortstop, Griggs signed him the middle of the game. Aaron would play two years in the minor leagues before getting to play major league baseball. By this time, the Braves had moved to Milwaukee. In spring training for the 1954 season, Braves outfielder Bobby Thomson broke his ankle and on March 14, Hank Aaron replaced Thomson as a starting outfielder and went on to history.

1998 The Atlanta Braves beat the Montreal Expos 5-2 to give manager Bobby Cox his 1,004th win. The victory moved Cox into a tie with Frank Selee for most wins by a Braves manager in franchise history. Selee coached the Boston Beaneaters -- one of the early names used by the Braves -- for twelve seasons (1890-1901).
 
 

In Their Own Words on This Day. . .

1744 Being a buffer colony, Georgia was constantly on the lookout for danger, as William Stephens recorded in his journal:

"June 14, Thursday. Recd. a letter from Mr. Bolzius desiring my Advise what he and his people were to do, in case any Danger should arise from the Enemys [sic] attempting an invasion, and acquainting me that some of his people were without Musquetts [sic] &c, to which I wrote him that . . . the Trustees Store of Arms was quite exhausted. But I understood that divers of his people had 2 or 3 Fire Arms apiece by them. . . . I must recommend it as Reasonable, that such as had Arms . . . might spare some to their neighbors who wanted . . . the rangers which the General had been pleased to allow for their farther [sic] protection, if they did their Duty would soon know if any Enemy were approaching thro the Country, and prevent them being Surprized. . . ."

Source: E. Merton Coulter (ed.), The Journal of William Stephens, 1743-1745 (Athens: University of Georgia Press, 1959), pp. 113-114.

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© Carl Vinson Institute of Government, University of Georgia

If you have a date related to Georgia history or people that ought to be included, or if know of entries that should be corrected, send a note to Ed Jackson or Charles Pou.

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