Georgia Official and Statistical Register 1983-84 - the Digital Library ...

HISTORICAL FACTS• Charter of the Colony of Georgia granted June 9, 1732 byGeorge II, King of Great Britain, to James Edward Oglethorpeand Board of 21 Trustees, who established the colonyin 1733. Original territory extended from Atlantic Ocean toMississippi River, including the land now the states of Alabama and Mississippi.• Charter surrendered by Trustees to Crown(George III) 1752making Georgia a Royal Province. Remained a Royal Province until Independence in 1776. Remnants of British rule inGeorgia lasted until 1782.• The Georgia Signers of the Declaration of Independence:Button Gwinnett, Lyman Hall and George Walton.• Statehood status achieved when Georgia ratified FederalConstitution on January 2, 1788 (Georgia was the fourthstate to ratify and was one of three to do so unanimously).• The Georgia Signers of the U.S. Constitution: AbrahamBaldwin and William Few, Jr.• Motto as appears on the Great Seal: Agriculture and Commerce, 1776. State of Georgia, 1776. (O.C.G.A. 50-3-30).• Seceded from the Union January 19, 1861 (See Journal ofSecession Convention). Fifth state to secede. (Candler's Confederate Records).• Ratified Confederate Constitution March 6,1861 (See Journal of Secession Convention).• Formally readmitted to the Union by U.S. Congress Act ofJuly 15,1870.• Capitals of Georgia:Savannah (under British rule) 1733-1782.(During Revolutionary Period seat of government wasshifted between Savannah, Augusta, Hcard's Fort (WilkesCounty) and Ebenezer to circumvent British control).Augusta, 1786-1795.Louisville, 1796-1806 (first permanent capitol building).Milledgeville, 1807-1868 (one Extraordinary Session of theLegislature held in Macon, February-March 1865)Atlanta, 1868-date.• Georgia Day is celebrated on February 12 to observe thefounding of the State of Georgia (H.R. 370 adopted by theGeneral Assembly, 1977).• The first state-chartered and supported university, the University of Georgia in Athens, was chartered on January 27,1785, and opened to students in 1801.• America's first gold rush began at Auraria, LumpkinCounty, near Dahlonega in 1828.OUTSTANDING GEORGIANS• Georgia Hall of Fame in State Capitol: Busts of illustriousGeorgians (Ga. L. 1955, pp. 180,672).• In 1793, the first cotton gin was invented by Eli Whitney andput into operation near Washington, Georgia.• Coca Cola was first made and sold by John Pemberton inAtlanta, 1886.• Thomas E. Watson of Georgia introduced a bill in the UnitedStates Congress which created rural free mail delivery in1893.• The Girl Scouts of America was founded March 12,1912, byJuliette Gordon Low in Savannah.• Moina Bell Michael originated the Flanders Field MemorialPoppy, the memorial flower of World War I, November 9,1918.• In 1922, Rebecca Felton of Cartersville became the firstwoman to serve in the United States Senate.• Dr. Charles Hetty developed the process for making newsprint from pine in 1932.• In 1964, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was the first Georgianto receive the Nobel Peace Prize.• Former Governor Jimmy Carter was the first Georgian to beelected President of the United States in 1976.POETS LAUREATE OF GEORGIA1925-1984The Poet Laureate is appointed through an Executive Orderissued by the Governor of Georgia. No specified term of serviceis indicated for the Laureate.Frank L. Stanton......... Jan. 6,1925-Jan. 7, 1927, Deed.Ernest Neal............ Aug. 20, 1927-Jan. 23,1943, Deed.Wightman F. Melton.... Jan. 25, 1943-Oct. 12, 1944, Deed.Oliver F. Reeves........ Nov. 16,1944-Jan. 23,1963-Decd.Mrs. Agnes C. Bramblett ... Sept. 13, 1963-March 30,1973,Res.Conrad Aiken ....... March 30,1973-Aug. 17, 1973, Deed.John R. Lewis, Jr., M.D. ............. Dec. 24, 1974-date.LEGAL HOLIDAYSThe following days are declared to be public and legal holidays in Georgia:First day of January ................. New Year's Day19th day of January .................. Lee's BirthdayThird Monday in February ..... Washington's Birthday26th day of April.......... Confederate Memorial DayLast Monday in May ......... National Memorial Day3rd day of June ............. Jefferson Davis' Birthday4th day of July.................... Independence DayFirst Monday in September ............... Labor DaySecond Monday in October ............ Columbus Day11th day of November ................. Veterans' DayFourth Thursday in November ...... Thanksgiving Day25th day of December................. Christmas Dayand any day proclaimed or designated by the Governor of theState of Georgia or the President of the U nited States as a dayof fasting and prayer or other religious observance. Whenever apublic or legal holiday occurs on a Saturday, the precedingFriday shall be observed as a public and legal holiday andwhenever a public or legal holiday occurs on a Sunday thefollowing Monday shall be observed as a public and legalholiday. (Ga. L. 1975, pp. 368-69).253