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Here©s Georgia! LIBRARIES - the Digital Library of Georgia

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Historic Savannah — Syl<br />

van City 'by <strong>the</strong> Sea —<br />

Her Port is <strong>Georgia</strong>'s<br />

Priae<br />

i6 FACTS ABOUT GEORGIA<br />

and founded <strong>the</strong>re ano<strong>the</strong>r Dorchester, but when <strong>the</strong>y removed<br />

bodily in 1752 to <strong>Georgia</strong> and settled in <strong>the</strong> Parish <strong>of</strong> St. John,<br />

now Liberty County, <strong>the</strong>y called <strong>the</strong>ir new home "Midway."<br />

All pervasive has been <strong>the</strong> uplifting influence <strong>of</strong> this pious,<br />

God-fearing sect upon <strong>the</strong> lives and characters <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> people <strong>of</strong><br />

<strong>Georgia</strong>. In numbers, importance and material possessions <strong>the</strong>y<br />

waxed mightily. It was estimated that in 1776 one-third <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

wealth <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Colony was in <strong>the</strong> Parish <strong>of</strong> St. John. Sunbury,<br />

<strong>the</strong> port, was a rival <strong>of</strong> Savannah in shipping. Rice was <strong>the</strong>ir<br />

main crop for export. The second church building <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Midway<br />

congregation, erected in 1792, still stands, and is <strong>the</strong> Mecca<br />

<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> faithful. Annually <strong>the</strong>y ga<strong>the</strong>r <strong>the</strong>re from all over <strong>the</strong><br />

state and country <strong>the</strong> sons and daughters <strong>of</strong> those devoted ances<br />

tors who builded a race <strong>of</strong> God-fearing strain that permeates<br />

<strong>the</strong> entire social structure <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> United States.<br />

In <strong>the</strong> Revolutionary war, <strong>Georgia</strong> was <strong>the</strong> scene <strong>of</strong> many<br />

bloody battles, and many heroic deeds. Industries suffered se<br />

verely, and numbers <strong>of</strong> prosperous communities, wiped out or<br />

scattered by <strong>the</strong> Tory troops, were never rebuilt, and only slight<br />

evidence remains <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> pulsating life that <strong>the</strong>re once obtained..<br />

So <strong>the</strong>re are really some dead towns in <strong>Georgia</strong>. Of <strong>the</strong> heroes<br />

<strong>of</strong> that war, <strong>Georgia</strong> had its full quota and more, and in <strong>the</strong><br />

moulding <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> new nation, its patriots and statesmen stand<br />

in history among <strong>the</strong> foremost, in self-sacrifice, wise counsel,<br />

and executive leadership. Family pride in descent from Revolu<br />

tionary and Colonial ancestors is justly strong among Geor<br />

gians. Hereditary traits <strong>of</strong> character persist through <strong>the</strong> gen<br />

erations, and strength and honesty <strong>of</strong> purpose, loyalty to friends,

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