ANNUAL
REPORT FOR 2018-2019
We have had an exciting 40th anniversary year at LAHS and have great plans for
the coming year! We added 25 new members this past year who will enjoy the
benefits of that planning. Our efforts have also been recognized by the Georgia
Historical Society as Affiliate of the Year for 2019! None of this could have
been accomplished without our wonderful and dedicated Board of Directors and
Officers. Harriet Roberson, Secretary, and Yvonne Carter, Treasurer, asked to
“throw in the towel” last year. Even though their tireless efforts will be
missed in those positions, a new Secretary, Paul Nix, and new Treasurer, Jeanne
Hawkins, have been elected. Four Board Members were added: Wheeler Bryan, Jr.,
is new. Linda Daniels, Aimee Gaddis, and Martha Martin are returning.
Last year we assisted with putting up, publicizing, and dedicating the Weeping
Time historical marker on Butler Island, paid for 3 underprivileged children to
attend the Fort King George Junior Ranger Camp, awarded our $1,000 scholarship
to Kameron Francis, helped Ashantilly with a book signing for Buddy Sullivan,
and enjoyed a field trip to Boys Estate Elizafield Plantation (Morning Star).
Dr. Richard Jefferies of the University of Kansas started the year with his
presentation of the findings of the Caldwell excavations of Fort King George
(Santo Domingo de Talaje mission) from 1940-50, including where artifacts are
actually found on the grounds and location of buildings. This work was
especially important to this community because the Caldwells never actually
completed a summary of their excavations. Dr. Jefferies’ relationship with LAHS
has also grown to include inviting volunteers to assist him in his search for
Mission San Joseph de Sapala this summer on Sapelo Island. We hope to make this
an annual event in the future!
A short list of presentations from last year are: July 2018 – Annual picnic;
August – Margie B. Washington, Gullah-Geechee Butler Island slave descendant;
September – Aimee Gaddis, The Kit Jones/Sapelo Island ferry; October – Donald
McDonald Johnson, Lachlan McIntosh in American Revolution; November – “Shifting
Baselines,” a film history of Georgia’s commercial fishing industry; December –
Annual Christmas party and eggnog; January 2019 – Paul Nix family trip to the
Scottish Highlands; February – Wilson D. Moran, tracing lineage to Sierra Leone
and trip there; March – The Georgia Historical Society’s historical marker
program by Elise Butler, Marker Manager for the state; April – World War II Home
Front Museum with site manager, Kim Campbell; May – “Digging for History,” with
Fort Frederica’s Archaeologist, Michael Seibert; and June – the architecture of
Hog Hammock on Sapelo with Megan McCarthy.
If you have any comments, suggestions, ideas for presentations, or any input at
all, I would love to hear them! You can reach me at any time on my cell at (912)
242-1668 or email me at wes@ezdot.org.
Wes Tippins