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Altamaha Echoes Library - 1991 Issues
Provided by Myrtle Newberry - Editor

Lower Altamaha Historical Society Newsletters

Volume I Number 1                                                                                             March 1, 1991

MEETINGS: Regular meetings are held on the third Thursday of the month at 7:30 PM at the McIntosh County courthouse. Changes of date, tine, or location are noted.

March 21— Performance of the "Sea Island Montage!’, featuring Natalie and Ronald Daise of Beaufort, South Carolina. The program compares the Gullah culture of coastal Georgia and South Carolina to that of the west coast of Africa through lively Gullah songs dances and folkstories. The program begins at 7:30 PM at the Darien First African Baptist Church. (This project is supported by the Georgia Humanities Council and the National Endowment for the Humanities and through appropriations of the Georgia General Assembly).

The Nominating Committee for the 1991 Officers will be appointed.

April 18- Speaker Don Battle an avocational historical Archeologist. His topic will be McIntosh County in the Civil War.

The Nominating Committee will present the slate of Officers.

May 16- Speaker: William McElrath, Assistant Superintendent of Bethesda Orphanage Site. He will talk about the history of Bethesda Orphanage.

Annual Meeting and Election of Officers.

May 31- Speaker: Mattie Lee Baxley- a summer resident of St. Simons Island and a student of the life and times of Mary Musgrove. She will talk about this unusual and fascinating woman.

April 25-Ossabaw Island- Depart Darien at 9:00 AM. North on 1-95 to exit 15 and follow Ga Rt 144 to Kilkenny Fish Camp. Please be there by 10:15 AM. We will leave by open boat for the Island at 10:30 AM. It is about a one-half hour trip. Bring your lunch and including your drinks. We will leave the Island at 3:30 PM. Fee-$30. Any Questions? Call Carolyn Hodges (437-6985).

May 28-Bethesda Orphanage. Depart Darien 9:30 AM Tour the fortified house at Wormsloe

Historic Site in the morning. (Small fee). Dutch treat Lunch in the area. Bethesda Orphanage tour at 1:30 PM. Questions?- Call Mattie Gladstone (437-4687) or Carolyn Hodges (437-6985).

Spring Date -Second St. Catherines Island trip. Not yet confirmed. Contact William Haynes (437-4473).

Unscheduled field trip- Carolyn Hodges will offer boat rides though Hammersmith Creek, the eastern boundary of the Couper Plantations. Cypress structures from the rice era can be seen along the cuts. Groups of three call 437-6985. Times open-weather and tides permitting. Sharing Gas cost is only fee.

--Participation is limited to members of the LAHS, with the exception of houseguests, who may participate under the host’ s membership.

--There is a time limit of two weeks prior to the date of the trip for paying any fee involved. Reservations are confirmed only when the fee is paid.

--Space is allotted on a first come first served basis.

Twenty members of the Society made the trip to observe the activities on the Island. Superintendent Royce Hayes and members of his staff gave us a tour of this barrier island. The St. Catherines Foundation presently owns the island and permits two scientific organizations to conduct studies.

The American Museum of Natural History of New York City is carrying out archeological studies on the site of Santa Catalina de Guale . This is the first site in the Golden Isles settled by the Spanish. Dr. John Thomas is supervising the dig. One of the staff assistants gave us short introduction to the history of the site; showed us some pictures of artifacts found; and introduced us to the high tech methods used to locate and map archeological sites.

The New York Zoological Society is operating a rare and endangered animal propagation program. Many of the species are found only in Madagascar which is presently undergoing environmental devastation because of land use practices. We saw zebra, hartebeest, oryx and other types of gazelles, along with 2 species of tortoises and many exotic birds.

There is also a troop of free ranging ring-tailed lemurs, This animal which now only exists in Madagascar lives in a matriarchal society governed by the oldest female. They have adapted well to the climate and habitat, although several have apparently succumbed to the alligator population.

Mr. Hayes showed us around the Button Gwinnett house, the main part of which was built in the mid 1700’s. Mr. Edward Noble of "Life Saver" renown added the large library-library room and the spectacular 2 story, floor to ceiling picture window. One of the highlights of the trip was the lunch stop atop a 20 foot bluff overlooking the Atlantic Ocean and a fine sandy beach. This was a memorable trip.

COMMITTEE REPORTS

Publications Committee- The Committee met on January 22 and adopted the the following:

The Society will have two Publications. A Newsletter and the Altamaha Echoes. The Newsletter, published Quarterly will contain meeting agenda, field trip information and general topics of interest to the membership.

The Altamaha Echoes, published semi-annually, will maintain its present form and will contain original articles of historical importance and reviews of Books and Magazine articles of historical interest. Announcements of Society projects of significance will also be included.

The proposal was accepted by the Board on January 22, 1991.

The next meeting of the committee will be on March 15 at 5PM at the Ida Hilton Library.

Columbus Quincentenary Committee

Chairman Rundle stated the purpose of the committee is to initiate and coordinate projects to be proposed by the LAHS membership that would support the national celebrations of the Columbus Qincentennial.

Sub-committees were set up for each individual project. These committees will be autonomous. They will be responsible for all planning and for providing progress reports to the parent committee. Modest funding may be available from the Society on application but arranging for major funding is the responsibility of each sub-committee.

The next meeting will be March 5 at 5PM at the Ida Hilton Library.

Presidential Applause

The members of the LAHS thank William G. Haynes Jr for his efforts on behalf of the Society as the printer of "the Altamaha Echoes". With its first issue on May 15, 1986 through the next three years, he lent the prestige of his Ashantilly Press to its publication. His commitment to family responsibilities prompted his request that another format be found for the Echoes. We accede to his wish with regret.

Kudos to our current authors Jeannine Cook and Buddy Sullivan whose respective books Fort King George: Step One to Statehood and Early Days on the Georgia Tidewater: The Story of McIntosh County and Sapelo. are receiving fine reviews statewide.

Thanks are extended to all hard working committees and new Chairmen Don and Doris CohrsPreservation of the Altamaha River; Bill Haynes-Historical Societies/Their Historic Sites, and Rundle Cook-Columbus Quincentenery Committee.

Thanks were extended by Buddy Sullivan for the large turnout by Society meters for his talk to the Liberty County Historical Society last January by a letter addressed to the membership. Carolyn Hodges, President

Membership There are now 108 members in the Society. Strong programming and accompanying field trips are cited by many as an especially attractive aspect of the Society. The use of the Fort for celebratory events has also heightened interest in the Society. We also must recognize Everett Moriarty for his efforts in enlisting new members from the north part of the county.

A panel of 4 scholars- an archeologist and 3 historians will discuss the the topic "Frederica’s Legacy: Remarkable and Ordinary Colonial Women" at 5PM at the Ritz Theater on Friday the 22 of March and again at 10:30 on Saturday March 23 at The Fort Frederica National Monument. There will be an exhibit at the Fort relating to this topic. Free to Public- Refreshments will be served. (Sponsored by the Fort Frederica Association; the Fort Frederica National Monument; The Georgia Humanities Commission as an affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities).

The next issue of the Newsletter will be issued June 1. Please send your committee reports and any other items you want to publish by 15.

Finally, we need historical articles written by members of the Society for the May 1 issue of the Altamaha Echoes. These can be descriptions of events you witnessed or took part in. They can also be researched essays about people places or things which have played a part in our history. Bob Raymund, Editor.

Remember 1991 dues are payable May 1.

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OFFICERS AND BOARD MEMBERS
LOWER ALTAMAHA HISTORICAL SCCIETY

President—Carolyn Hodges (437-6985)
Vice President—Geneva Stebbins (437-4331)
Secretary—Sandra Christopherson - ( 437-2236)
Treasurer—Lillian Schaitherger (437-4885)

Board of Directors:

Rundle Cook- 832-4606
Dyson Flanders 437-4504
Annie Gill 437-4550

Elizabeth Aug - 437-6361
Lloyd Flanders - 437-4504
Mattie Gladstone – 437-4687
Everett Moriarty – 832-5250

Past President: Marion Ricker - 437-6833

Historian Emeritus: — William G. Haynes Jr. 437-4473

Ms. Mattie Lee Baxley will take us back to circa 1773, when Mary Musgrove, Indian wife of a white trader brought together General Oglethorpe and Chief Tomochiebi. The Indians ceded land between Savannah and the Altamaha River and agreed to spurn the French and Spanish. Mary

Musgrove did a great deal to protect the settlers at a critical time.

The Society welcomes all corners to their meetings. Meetings are held at the Historic Courthouse on the third Thursday of each month.

Dr. Robert Rathburn, Director of Museums and Preservation at the Jekyll Island Authority will speak on "Millionaires Village".

Mr. Stanley H. Whonich of Jesup: From Darien to the Indian Fort at Hawksville on the Altamaha River.

Ms. Mary Miller, author of "Cumberland Island, the unsung North End."

Speaker Mr. Elliot 0 Edwards, Chairman of the Bartram Trail Annual Conference for 1991. The Conference will take place on the 8th. and 9th. of November at the Desoto Hilton Hotel in Savannah.

Christmas Party at Fort King George, sponsored by LAHS members and the staff of Fort King George. Members of the public are cordially invited.

August 6^th
Behind the scenes at Jekyll, Escort, Warren Murphy, Director of Preservation.

Charge $8, limit of 20.

Tour of the Altamaha River, courtesy of LAHS President, Carolyn Hodges.

To Cumberland Island, 40 minute boat trip direct to Dungeness Dock and then by boat to Plum Orchard. Charge of $20, limited to 50 persons.

Excursion to Fort Barrington, near where William Bartram found the "lost Gordonia tree," (Gordonia Alatamaha) in 1765.

Guale Historical Society of St. Mary’s report that the Moultrie-Coiquit County Library has a new wing donated by the Late Ellen Payne Odom. It houses the Reverend Silas Lucas’s collection of more than 6,000 volumes devoted to the genealogy of families of the Eastern States, Britain, Western Europe and the Caribbean.

Committee Chairpersons are:

Marion Ricker: Columbus Square.
Carolyn Crowder: Library and Sapelo Island Quarantine Station.

Members drove to Bryan County and embarked in two small boats to make the trip to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Dock on the Island. At the dock we climbed aboard a large trailer with wooden seats for the journey to South Beach. A flat tire, fixed by the DNR staff, gave some of us an excuse for walking the remaining half mile to the beach. Our hostess Mrs. Sandy West later came to our rescue, and graciously escorted us around the Island. Lunch was taken at a picnic site on the gloriously unspoiled South Beach. Afterwards we journeyed North to Mrs. West’s home. En route a herd of Sicilian donkeys and a large alligator provided an interesting diversion. The big house is impressive, It was built in the 1920’s. We were able to browse through and admire the large dining room and living room with their collection of memorabilia. Mrs. West is making prodigious efforts to preserve the island in its pristine state. She is promoting its use as a retreat for educational and cultural groups, to provide an opportunity for discussions and personal renewal. Our group was pleased to be able to make a donation to the Foundation and we wish Mrs. West all success in her selfless and daunting efforts to keep the Island pure. We hated to leave such a gracious hostess.

-Visit to Wormsloe and Bethesda

Braving ticks and redbugs, seven members walked out to see the ruins of the old house and thoroughly enjoyed the undisturbed land. We left the Visitors center via a road flanked by majestic live oaks, several hundred years old. We then went to Bethesda, An orphanage started by the Rev. Whitfield in 1740. Later it was continued by Lady Huntington during the period 1770 to 1791. Services for youths are held in the Chapel every Tuesday at 4-pm; Home to about 45 boys, thcy are housed in cottages according to age. There is a couple to serve as house parents in each cottage. There are excellent swimming and basketball facilities. Always in need of funds, the Home has been greatly helped by Barney Diamond a successful businessman, himself a former Bethesda boy. We found this a very rewarding excursion.

The Committee goal is to preserve and record all burial grounds in McIntosh County. Graves of member’s families and friends are included, as well as the many historic and prehistoric sites. Members will be extending the Evy White survey of 1958 to 1959. Committee members, notably chairperson Mattie Gladstone and Marion Ricker have developed forms suited to local needs. Over forty cemeteries are presently listed. Compilation of field data’s scheduled for this coming fall. We plan to use the Darien News to publicize our need for information from the public. Information should be given to the Library or to committee members. They are: Mattie Gladstone, Lillian Schaitberger, Marion Ricker, Carolyn Crowder, Will Dean, Doris Rabb, Lloyd Flanders, Myrtle Ncwbcrry, and Annie Gill. Everett Moriarty and Dyson Flanders have located (and in some cases cleaned) 8 graves, and found the final resting place at the old City Cemetery of the Indian woman and child (circa 200 to 600 AD.) found at Swift Creek. The committee plans to publish its final report in the Altamaha Echoes, the Societies Journal.

Edited by Robert L. Humphries and introduced by Russell Duncan.

The account provides intimate glimpses into the daily struggles and pleasures of Archibald C. Mckinley, a young Confederate Officer who married Sally Spalding. Sally was granddaughter of Thomas Spalding. Archibald, with Sally’s brothers Bourke and Tom, set about to revitalize the farming on Sapelo Island. After seven years they decided that they could profit most from supplying beef to the timber ships in Doboy Sound. They butchered the cattle and took the meat to the ships in a sailboat, and later in a very untrustworthy steamboat The stories of being bedeviled by tide and weather and Sally Spalding McKinley’s account of the hurricane of 1898 make for lively reading.

Edited by Virginia Steele Wood.

Published by Belden Books, P.O. Box 552, Marion MA 02738 or write to Virginia S. Wood, 2030 F Street NW.# 601 Washington DC 20006

Robert Durfee’s travels from New England to the coast of Georgia were a sore trial. He was plagued by illness and epidemics, chronic poverty and loneliness. He encountered raging fires and tempestuous seas. There are accounts of visits with family, parties with friends and rejection by attractive ladies. Immensely interesting, this is a record of events in a life uncomplicated by fame.

Individual  $10.          Family $15            Student $2.50
Corporate $25 or donation. Library and
Societies   $10.

Additional acknowledgements:
Book reviews based on Carolyn Hodges contribution,
Reports on trips based on Dyson Flanders notes. -