Henry County, Georgia Genealogy and History Obits - Presented by Genealogy Trails History Group

Henry County Will Celebrate on Hundredth Anniversary. Program Calls for General Home Coming

McDonough Ga. April 11—Plans are being perfected by the McDonough chapter of the Daughters of the Confederacy for a gala day on May 14, the occasion being the celebration of the one hundredth anniversary or the creation of Henry county. The occasion will be a home-coming of the sons of Henry, however far they may have wandered over the land and sea to participate with those who have never left they ancient roof tree. In celebrating the centennial birthday of the dear old mother. Back to the old home will come the absent children of Henry. A Joyous welcome awaits them. They will be greeted with waving flags and beautiful flowers and warm hands and loving hearts.
Mrs. E. J Reagan, president of the McDonough United Daughters of the Confederacy, has Issued the following Interesting notice:
"The United Daughter of the Confederacy of McDonough invites the people of Henry county at well as all former residents of the county, wherever they may be, to meet at McDonough on May 14, to celebrate the one-hundredth anniversary of the creation of the county. A program will be arranged and good speakers engaged. It is desired that as many of those who have gone away as possible come back to old Henry on that day to meet those who have remained, and rejoice together in the centennial year."

Eloquent Speakers Will Feature.

Addresses will be delivered by eloquent speakers and ether features will be presented, but the principal object of the U. D. C. Is to afford an opportunity for all the sons and daughters of Henry from afar to mingle with the home folks again. McDonough will welcome them with wide open doors and bid them make themselves at home. While the complete program has not been announced, the enthusiasm and interest of the women of the city and county is a sufficient guarantee of success. Henry county was crested by an act of the legislature of Way 15, 1921, out of lands acquired from the Creek Indians under the first treaty of Indian Springs, in tho same year, and was named for the Immortal Patrick Henry. McDonough, the county seat, was named for the gallant hero of Lake Champlain, Captain James McDonough, whose valorous deeds illuminate history. The territory acquired by the Creek treaty was a large tract which Included Rockdale county and in part. Butts, Clayton, DeKalb. Fulton, Newton and Spalding counties. Among the noted citizens of Henry county may be named Governor James S. Boynton, one time colonel in the Confederate army and Judge of the Flint Judicial circuit; Captain W. A.
Fuller, Confederate veteran, who acquired fame during the Civil War by recapturing the famous "General, which had been stolen by Federal raiders at Rig Shanty on the Western
and Atlanta Railway; General Daniel Newman, member of Congress and officer of the State militia.

First Court Held In 1822.

Henry's first. Superior Court convened on June 10, 1822, at the home of William Ruff. The presiding Judge was the distinguished Augustine S. Clayton, In whose honor Clayton county was named. He presided In Gwinnett Superior Court at the celebrated trial of the missionaries to the Cherokee Indian Nation, one of whom was the grandfather of Miss Alice Robertson, a representative In Congress from an Oklahoma District. Judge Clayton was a pupil only eight years old, at the Richmond Academy, Augusta, when President George Washington visited Augusta in May 1791. Young Clayton was one of the declaimers on the occasion and the President was so highly pleased with his speaking that he presented him with a copy of Caesar's Commentaries. There Is a picture of the Father of His Country pasted in the hook, which Is a precious heirloom of Judge Clayton's descendants. While on the bench Judge Clayton was elected to Congress several terms.
The following citizens served on the first grand Jury of the county; William Jackson, William Malone, James Sellers, James Tate, Thomas Abercrombie, C, Cochran, Q. Gray, William Wood, Willie Terrell, Jethro Barnes, Robert Shaw, James & Colwell, John Brooks, P, Pearson, William McKnight, S. Lasseter, Jacob Hinton, Jackson Smith and S. Strickland.
The fires of true patriotism have always burned brightly upon the altars of the hearts of the people of Henry county.. They named their county after the great Virginia orator and statesman and patriot, the champion of Constitutional liberty, and the dazzling advocate of Revolution in be-half of human freedom, who wielded the scepter of power on the stage of thrilling events during the struggle of the colonies for Independence. Henry county has achieved distinction tn bearing the name of this most extraordinary man of a most extraordinary epoch.

Home of John Watts

As another evidence of the spirit of genuine Democracy and true Americanism breathed by the people of Henry county, it is said that the "Jacksonian," published at McDonough by Samuel W. Minor, was the first newspaper In the United States to nominate General Andrew Jackson for the residency of the United States, John Wyatt. one of the early residents of Henry, was a gallant soldier In the War of the Revolution and he was present at the surrender of Cornwallis and had a conspicuous part
as an officer on that memorable occasion John Brooke, who was a member of the first grand Jury drawn in Henry, built the first mill in the county.
Rich In agricultural resources and populated by Intelligent people of great Industry, Henry has made remarkable progress along all lines of endeavor, attaining a rank among the wealthiest and most Important counties in the State. Noted for their hospitality, her people will on May 14, exert every effort to eclipse all former celebrations, marking an special day in the history of Georgia.

Date: 1921-04-17; Paper: Macon Telegraph