15.14: Exploring family history; a grad’s full ride

 ANOTHER RECORD CLASS: Another record number of students completed Georgia Gwinnett College last week, as 425 persons received degrees during GGC’s 10th graduation. More than 20 percent of the graduates plan to continue their education. As biology major Gabrielle Costello, Lawrenceville, was presented with the Legislative Resolutions acknowledging her selection as the 2015 Outstanding Scholar for GGC. His Excellency Jeremiah Sulunteh, the Ambassador of the Republic of Liberia, was the commencement speaker, shown presenting a degree to Candice Nicole Coulter of Lithonia, who majored in biology. Cadet Chris Lacroix of Lawrenceville graduated and was commissioned into the U.S. Army as a Second Lieutenant.  He is only the third cadet to commission in the history of GGC’s ROTC program. During his remarks, President Stan Preczewski acknowledged that more than 100 graduates were graduating with honors. He also recognized several graduates for their accomplishments including Erika Dillingham, Lawrenceville, who will continue her internship with The Carter Center and Jose Gutierrez, Lilburn, who just returned from interning at the White House. This commencement also marks another important milestone for the college.  Luis Victor Camargo-Fouche, Dacula, became first GGC graduate to complete the Global Studies Certification program. 

IN THIS EDITION  

TODAY’S FOCUS: Work by GGC Professor Makes Exploring Family History Easier
EEB PERSPECTIVE: Collins Hill and Clemson Graduate Wins “Full Ride” at UVA Program
FEEDBACK: From Dog Tethering, to High Handed Policies, to Religion, and Batteries
UPCOMING: Red, White, Bluegrass and Bach Weekend Coming Soon to Suwanee
NOTABLE: Chamber Recognizes Winners of IMPACT Regional Awards
RECOMMENDED READ: Heretics and Heroes by Thomas Cahill
GEORGIA TIDBIT: W.F. Denny Has Short But Important Architecture Career
TODAY’S QUOTE Frederick the Wise on the Death Penalty
MYSTERY PHOTO: That Stack of Books Was in Washington, D.C
LAGNIAPPE: Realtors and NAMAR Award Scholarship to Norcross Graduate

GGC professor makes exploring family history a little easier

(Editor’s Note: The subject of this article, Michael Gagnon, graduated from Hall County schools, then went to Gainesville Junior College before graduating from Georgetown University, then took a M.A. and Ph. D. degree from Emory University. His academic interests include the industrialization history, the early American republic and Southern history.—eeb)

By Edward Foster

SUGAR HILL, Ga., May 19, 2015 — Michael Gagnon, an associate professor of history at Georgia Gwinnett College who lives in Sugar Hill, has produced a series of web pages that should interest anyone who wants to explore their own family history, the local history of Gwinnett County, the history of Georgia, or the history of the US in the 1800s.

Gagnon

Dr. Gagnon created his website after attending an Emory University workshop on using the web for teaching and research. Originally he collected links and created web pages to help his students in classes, but decided to launch the site privately in order to open it up to public access as well.

One page on Gagnon’s website contains links to all the online files of the manuscript census for Georgia, from 1820 to 1930. While the files are located on the Internet Archive (archive.org) website, Gagnon organized the links so the files are easy to locate and download. These manuscript census files contain the information collected by census marshals directly from the people.

While early census records collected minimal information, starting in 1850, the records give detailed information about every member of a household, and separated the enslaved people of the household into a detailed list that revealed information about their lives as well. Starting in 1870, these records tell increasing amounts of information about all inhabitants. The microfilm, from which the files were digitized, is organized by counties within each state.

A second page on Gagnon’s site extracted Gwinnett County’s manuscripts from the state files for each census from 1830 to 1860. That makes them smaller and easier to use, if you are interested in Gwinnett. He plans to expand this coverage in the future, and to assign student projects using these files.

A third page collects county level information about Georgia from U.S. Census reports on population, housing, business, industry, and agriculture, from 1900 to 2010. Professor Gagnon used the information from this collection to analyze and present basic demographic information about Gwinnett County during Button Gwinnett Day at Georgia Gwinnett College in 2012, and he plans to expand this collection as time allows.

• All these pages can be accessed through: http://earlyushistory.net/census-documents/

A fourth page contains links to free access to many 19th century newspapers, particularly national newspapers in the early republic. Connecting to this page are links to Internet Archive files, again organized for convenience of use. These links are to files for complete runs of Niles Register, American Farmer, American Annual Register, Hunts Merchants Magazine, and DeBow’s Review. Other links connect users to digital databases, like the Georgia Historical Newspaper collection at the Digital Library of Georgia. Finally, some “for pay” databases are included in the links. From these newspapers, one can read history as it happened, from one of the participants, to get their interpretation of what was occurring around them.

• The newspaper page is: http://earlyushistory.net/newspapers/

Finally, Dr. Gagnon is also posting all the information he has located on his current research project, a biography of Augustin Clayton, for whom Clayton County, and Clayton Street in Lawrenceville, are named. One can learn firsthand about Georgia’s attitudes toward the Cherokee in Georgia, about Andrew Jackson’s war on the Bank of the United States, on the presidential election of 1832, on Georgia’s support of South Carolina against the United States in the Nullification Crisis, and on the rise of a new political party in Georgia in response to opposition to Andrew Jackson.

• The Clayton page is: http://earlyushistory.net/clayton-documents/ 

Collins Hill grad wins “full ride” for Ph.D. at University of Virginia

By Elliott Brack, editor and publisher

MAY 19, 2015 — A Collins Hill High graduate has completed her degree at Clemson University and because of her accomplishments, has won a “full ride” five year program to complete her Ph. D. degree at the University of Virginia (UVA) in economics. One person put the value of the award at $250,000.

She is Melissa Moore, 21, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Don Moore of Suwanee. She begins her studies at UVA on August 19. She finished at Clemson, summa cum laude, with dual majors and bachelor degrees in economics and women’s leadership. She was a Harry S. Truman scholarship finalist in 2014.

Part of Miss Moore’s life at college has focused on an undergraduate program she started at Clemson, “Poverty Ends with a Girl.”  She came up with this idea when a freshman, and by the fall of her sophomore year, it was a full credit course. The program has become part of the curriculum for four semesters now. This program recognizing the need to educate girls in developing countries, as well as in the United States. She says of the program: “There is a positive effect when girls are educated, in developing countries, and here. When girls get at least seven years of education, they have fewer children, remain healthy, and put income back into their families.”

Moore

Miss Moore has had a distinguished career at Clemson.  She was attracted to Clemson by out-of-state tuition waivers. She also won an Army Aviation scholarship, as her grandfather, Earl Hyers of Ozark, Ala., was a retired helicopter pilot.

She has been the recipient of the College of Business and Behavioral Science Trevillian Award for the Outstanding Senior in the Social Sciences, the Harvey J. Wheeler Award for the Outstanding Senior in Economics, the Doris R. Helms Award for Women’s Leadership and the Thea McCrary Award for Outstanding Service.

In 2014 she was a Clemson representative to the G-20 Youth Forum in Garmisch Partenkirchen, Germany, where she served as U.S. Minister for the Economy on the Committee for Family and Career Opportunities for Young People.

Melissa is a Dixon Global Policy Scholar and a Dixon Fellow. This program seeks to enhance student knowledge of the issues that shape the world. She is a member of the Phi Beta Kappa, Phi Kappa Phi, and Alpha Lambda Delta (Freshman) Honor Societies. She was a member of the Clemson University Singers and Women’s Glee Club, and participated in a concert tour of Italy in 2013.

Melissa interned with Wider Opportunities for Women in Washington, D.C. (2014) and at Rainbow Village in Duluth, (2013). Her volunteer activities have included Family Promise Transitional Housing and Habitat for Humanity. She has been actively involved with Canterbury at Clemson, the Episcopal campus ministry, for the last four years and has helped with leadership for this organization.

Whew!  What a college career! And now even a wider opportunity opens at UVA. No wonder UVA opened the door toward more scholarship for Melissa!

She advises those still in high school who seek a college career: “I’ve seen a lot of students do a lot of activities toward resume building. This is useful, but if they really want to stand out, they have to find something, perhaps just one element, that they to put work into, take on leadership, and do this thing really well. They need to talk about it, care about it, and do something!”

We’ll hear more great news from Melissa Kathleen Moore. She’s going places!

Bidding opens to Buy fourth-from-last Gwinnett history book

Bidding opens today if you are interested in buying the 850 page Gwinnett history book, Gwinnett: A Little Above Atlanta.  Only four books remain from the second printing; there will be no additional printing of this award-winning book.

Anyone wanting a copy should send in email bids. The minimum bid is now $50, and increases must go up by $5 a bid. The bidding for this copy of the book ends at 10 a.m. on Thursday, May 21. Part of the proceeds benefit the Salvation Army. Those bidding will be kept alert to the developing bids by email. 

Gwinnett County Public Library

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New Gwinnett tethering law is disaster waiting to happen

Editor, the Forum:

Gwinnett commissioners have created a dangerous new animal law, which takes effect July 1, allowing unsupervised dog tethering from 8 a.m. until 10 p.m.

This is totally contrary to an excellent ordinance presented by Chip Moore, animal control director, supported by the commission-appointed Animal Advisory Council, the police chief and over 90 percent of residents at a public forum. Mr. Moore researched various laws and then proposed tethering “under direct supervision of a responsible adult, ” which is safe for dogs and the community.

Ignoring the experts, commissioners devised their 14-hour tethering travesty.

The American Veterinary Association states that 87.1 percent of fatal dog attacks occur because no able-bodied person is present to intervene. Behaviorists know that dogs tethered for long periods become frustrated and often aggressive. Commissioners claim they haven’t heard of the relationship between tethered dogs and aggression. What research did they do before passing their poorly conceived idea?

They claim Gwinnett’s 900,000 diverse population won’t understand tethering with supervision. Diverse Miami-Dade County, FL, population 2.617 million, has a supervision-only tethering law. So does diverse Fulton County, population 984,293. There are many other areas who have similar laws. Our commissioners are lagging behind the times and appear not to understand citizen safety or dogs’ needs.

Nobody wants to live near a frustrated dog tethered 14 hours a day, and becoming more aggressive daily. What happens when your young child wanders too close and is attacked by an unsocialized dog? The commissioners say this is a “safe way for a dog to have outside time.”

This isn’t safe. A dog can be attacked or impregnated by wandering dogs, taunted by kids, subjected to the elements, even harmed by annoyed neighbors. It isn’t safe for people living near the tethering. Even those who don’t care about dogs care about children and diminished property values. This law is a disaster waiting to happen and should be replaced by the one proposed by animal control that has research and good sense behind it.

— Louise Stewart, Norcross

Another View sets Write-off about ignorance and religion

Editor, the Forum:

At first blush the Another View on 5/15 entitled, “Why do Southern white men vote against their own self-interest?” got me all agitated.

I decided to respond. I then decided that the research required to refute each of the writer’s grasping “proofs” would be very time consuming and his mind will never be changed. He knows what is deep down wrong with me, because he sees me as ignorant.

The ignorance clincher for me is that I have religion. He knows there is no hope for me because I have religion. All that love, charity, do unto others, trying not to sin, being sorry for giving offense and vowing not to offend again, proves that I am ignorant.

Oh yeah, there is that other bottom line for me. I am one of the ignorant many who wake up each day seething with anger about the Civil War that started 154 years ago. Why can’t some of us not make our arguments about what we believe without looking down with disdain on those of us that do not hold their lofty opinions?

One final point, if everyone in the world religiously (there’s that word again) lived by the Ten Commandments, none of us would have to lock our doors at night.

— Alex J. Ortolano, Duluth

Sorry, Alex. We didn’t get the thought from this letter that you were either ignorant nor with or without religion. We agree with you, of course, that the Civil War should never have happened. –eeb

Feels Apple acting with stupidity with high-handed policies

Editor, the Forum:

I agree with your beef with Apple: they are acting stupidly and should be made aware that they can run people off with their high-handed policies.  Maybe auto companies should also refuse to sell parts. You need a transmission. but you must buy the entire new car…

As for the letter about those “insufficiently progressive” independent Southerners voting against their own self-interest, perhaps they aren’t. Remember the bumper stickers reading : “We Don’t Care How They Did It Up North.” Ronald Reagan got his political traction mainly in the South in 1976, running in the primary against weak Incumbent Gerald Ford, whose supporters claimed Reagan couldn’t win in November.

Ronnie was even against giving away the Panama Canal while Michigan moderate Gerald Ford was all for it. Reagan repeatedly and effectively brought up the canal issue, one of his main themes, at campaign stops in 1980.

— Marshall Miller, Lilburn

Thinks other rechargeable batteries should work in mouse 

Editor, the Forum:

Let me suggest that you might try to buy other another brand rechargeable battery.  As long as the charging specifications line up with the charging unit, I don’t see why you couldn’t use them?

— Kaipo Awana, Sugar Hill

Suwanee plans musical Memorial weekend concert

Suwanee’s annual Memorial Weekend concert will feature bluegrass and classical performances this year as well as a musical salute to the troops.

The Red, White, Bluegrass and Bach concert will kick off the Memorial Day weekend on Friday, May 22, at Town Center Park. The event will open at 7 p.m. with the Silver Wings, the official demonstration parachute team out of Fort Benning, “dropping in” – weather permitting.

At 7:15 p.m., Main Street Symphony, an adult amateur orchestra associated with Huthmakers Violins, will stage a classical performance.

Darin and Brooke Aldridge, a husband-wife duo and their band, will take the stage around 8:30. One of the hottest young acts in acoustic music, the Aldridges have received multiple nominations from the International Bluegrass Music Association, the Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music of America, and Inspirational Country Music Association. The band’s website says: “There is a sweetness and a lightheartedness in their music with positive lyrics and the occasional sense of just plain fun.”

Snellville to launch 1,200 LED-lit balloons on May 23

More than 1,200 LED-lit balloons will be launched May 23 to honor veterans at a Memorial Day celebration in Snellville. The event, which will also feature a veterans program, live music and a beer tent, will take place from 4 to 9 p.m. on the Towne Green on Oak Road.

Mayor Pro Tem Tom Witts, who organized the event, said he wanted to ensure veterans were honored Memorial Day weekend and is proud Snellville is putting on the large celebration. “It’s good to see the city of Snellville celebrating Memorial Day in big way,” he said.

The veterans program will begin at 4 p.m., followed by the opening of the Veterans Memorial Craft Beer Garden presented by Lincoln Fill Station at 5 p.m. Live music will take place from 5 to 9 p.m. with the Rockingbirds and Atlanta legend Ron Kimble, followed by the balloon launch at dusk.

Balloons can be purchased for $5 at sponsor businesses Lincoln Fill Station, Wild Wing Café, United Community Bank, Mellow Mushroom, Main Street Restaurant, Fratelli’s Pizzeria and RiceBox. Proceeds will benefit the Snellville Veterans Memorial. There will also be military displays and food trucks.

Chamber recognizes businesses with IMPACT regional awards 

Designed to be reflective and unique to Gwinnett and across the metro Atlanta area, the Gwinnett Chamber honored more than 100 finalist organizations across ten industry categories on Thursday, May 13 at the inaugural IMPACT Regional Business Awards. The awards luncheon celebrated premier organizations in critical industries that are driving economic development and job creation, while also enhancing Gwinnett’s quality of life. The luncheon also crowned the winners of the 5th Annual Amazing Entrepreneur Business Plan Contest.

Healthcare Award winner was PruittHealth, who received the 2015 Overall IMPACT Regional Business Award. For more than 45 years, PruittHealth has ensured the peace of mind of their clients, patients, residents and their families through its commitment to quality healthcare.

Other winners included:

• Builder Award: American Painting & Renovations.
• Education Award: Gwinnett Technical College.
• Hospitality Award: Aurora Theatre.
• Information Technology Award: Horizon Software International.
• International Award: Jones Lang LaSalle.
• Nonprofit Award: Junior Achievement of Georgia.
• Service Industry Award: Cirrus Business Group.
• Small Business Award: LeCraw Engineering, Inc.

The winners of the 2015 Amazing Entrepreneur Contest are:

• Pre-Venture: SciSmart Tutoring will help English as a Second Language students from Kindergarten through College improve test scores in Math and Science.
• Established Business: Sky High Tutoring conducts tutoring for college entrance exams to help young people get into the school of their choice.

Gwinnett Chamber wins recognition in Hermes Creative Awards

The Gwinnett Chamber has been named a recipient of Platinum and Gold Hermes Creative Awards by the international awards competition for creative professionals involved in the concept, writing and design of traditional and emerging media.

The Gwinnett Chamber’s membership magazine, Gwinnett Edge, won two prestigious Platinum Awards in the Publications/Magazine and Design/Publication Overall categories. A Gold Award was earned for the Chamber’s From the President Editorial Series (Writing/Publication Column).

In addition, the Chamber received an Honorable Mention for its 2015 Gwinnett Chamber Promo Video (Video/Nonprofit category).

Heretics and Heroes 

A book by Thomas Cahill

The balance of the title gives you some idea about this book: How Renaissance artists and Reformation priests created our world.  This is a monumental work, giving simple insights into major figures we have read about in histories. This helps the reader better understand the background of historical events, through the leaders of various movements. It pulls no punches. It says that Henry VIII was a terrible king; describes some horrible tortures that leaders put people through; recognizes Martin Luther as a impulsive loner, and even neurotic; compares the Old World with present-day’s Mel Brooks or Martin Luther King; tells how Bruegel’s works were often stirring the pot of social upheaval; and presents why Savonarola made all of us more modest with his actions. This an amazing book, not always easy to read, but fascinating and entertaining.–eeb

* * * * *

An invitation: what books, restaurants, movies or web sites have you enjoyed recently? Send us your recent selection, along with a short paragraph (100 words) as to why you liked this, plus what you plan to visit or read next. –eeb

Denny has short but important career in architecture

W.F. Denny (1874-1905) was an important transitional figure in the development of Georgia architecture at the turn of the 20th century. His work reflects the major shifts in design that took place at that time when the picturesque, eclectic forms of the Victorian era gave way to neoclassicism and more historically accurate period revival styles.

Willis Franklin Denny II was born in Louisville, the seat of Jefferson County, in 1874. Trained professionally at Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y., Denny gained most of his expertise by working in established architectural firms, including Bruce and Morgan in Atlanta. At age 23, he launched his own business and was instantly successful. Considering the brevity of his career—he died from pneumonia at the age of 31—the range of his work is astonishing.

Although he designed many public and commercial buildings, like the Jefferson County Courthouse and the grand Piedmont Hotel in Atlanta, Denny is best known for his residential and church architecture.

Rhodes Hall

Atlanta’s First United Methodist and St. Mark’s United Methodist churches are prominent Peachtree Street buildings in the Gothic revival style. Smaller churches in this style were the Inman Park United Methodist Church in Atlanta (1897) and Central Baptist Church in Newnan (1898). While designing these traditionally styled churches, Denny also produced the Westminster Presbyterian Church and the Hebrew Synagogue (both in Atlanta) in a neoclassical style more in keeping with the newer trends of the time.

The transitional nature of his work can also be seen in his domestic designs. Rhodes Hall in Atlanta (1903) is a late example of picturesque Victorian, with its irregular floor plan and massive exterior features in the Romanesque revival style, accented with castlelike, crenellated towers and parapets.

Denny’s early death prevented him from fulfilling his very promising beginning. His legacy was greatly enhanced by the prominent careers of Eugene Wachendorff and Neel Reid, who both trained in Denny’s office and became notable designers in the new century. The range of Denny’s work shows how one talented designer handled the dramatic transition in architectural styles at the turn of the century.

What does this statue represent?

Where do you think this statue is located? And what does it represent?  If you think you know, send in your idea with your name and hometown to elliott@brack.net.

The sharp eyes were out in abundance spotting last edition’s Mystery Photo. First in was Ruthy Paul of Norcross, who wrote: “The newly erected tower of books about Abraham Lincoln, one of America’s most influential presidents, is in the lobby of Ford’s Theatre Center for Education and Leadership  in the nation’s capital. The cylindrical structure stands three stories high and about 6,800 books representing over 15,000 titles about the 16th president. The innumerable volumes of works present in this towering pillar symbolize the never-ending discussion about the famed American president.” The photo came from Chuck Warbington of Dacula.

Then came the others: Karen Garner of Dacula, Michael Green of Milton, who added: “The photo depicts an artwork composed of facsimile aluminum books about Abraham Lincoln that is three and one-half stories tall.” Brenda Kukla, Suwanee, who recognized: “The clue is the book right at the top of the stack. All the books in the tack are about Lincoln!” Susan McBrayer of Sugar Hill added: “This super duper book tower is in the house where they took Lincoln after he was shot and is where he died.”

Others getting the Mystery Photo correct included Bob Foreman, Grayson; Howard Williams, Snellville; and Dick Goodman, Suwanee. 

Realtor scholarship

Ryan Savage, a Norcross High graduate, received a $4,000 college scholarship from the Gwinnett County Board of Realtors Scholarship Foundation, through the Northeast Atlanta Metro Association of Realtors (NAMAR).  Ryan is the son of Don and Chantal Savage of Duluth. Chantal is a Realtor with Chapman Hall Professionals. Ryan plans to study Pre-Law/Economics/Public Policy at Georgia State University. Ryan is a member of the National Honor Society and the Gwinnett County, All County Orchestra. Plus, he has Lettered in Academics and Varsity Football. From left are Kathy Burman, Committee Chair; Ryan’s mother, Chantal Savage; Ryan Savage; and, Michael Blackburn 2015 NAMAR President). This is the 24th year the Realtors have awarded the scholarship.

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