In this issue:

• President Dufresne's Message - A Season to Celebrate
• 'The Women' - A Book Review
• Archives Update - John Milton Collection online
• Northwestern Elementary School Cookbook revisited
• Spotlight on Milton's Historical Markers
• Logging With Love
• The Best Little Landmark in Texas
• Milton Trivia Quiz
• The Seventh Generation Principle
• And more!

Over a century ago when this land was part of Milton County, Spring was the season for tilling the soil and planting your seed - whether it be cotton, corn or other crop. Autumn was the season to harvest the bounty of your hard work. Farming was not a job, it was a way of life.

To honor our City’s agricultural heritage, the Milton Historical Society annually hosts two social events that celebrate these seasons: the SPRING FLING and AUTUMN SHINDIG. These signature events take place at various bucolic Milton locations. Proceeds from these functions go to raising awareness about the importance of teaching history as well as preserving and promoting our local, historic assets. 

On the evening of Saturday, May 18, the Milton Historical Society hosted Its third annual SPRING FLING at the Barn owned by Charlie and Sarah Roberts on Freemanville Road. This year’s event was one of the Society’s highest attended events to-date with about 130 members and friends in attendance. The Bourbon Brothers Band, an upscale jazz band with an impressive repertoire of classic songs, provided the music. Proof of the Pudding, Milton’s Cuisine and Cocktails and Six Bridges Brewing provided the food and libations. The Milton Package Store hosted a Bourbon Tasting. A special attraction of the evening was having author Bob Meyers sign and sell his newly re-published book entitled Barns of Old Milton County. The books were generously donated to the Society by Charlie and Sarah Roberts. Our Society also gives thanks to our SPRING FLING sponsors: Roberts Properties, Bentley Atlanta, The Jenny Doyle Group, Thrive Medical Spa, Aria Salon, Shane & Celeste Jackson, Six Bridges Brewing, and Pax Domus Farm. 

The Roberts' Barn

Credit: Oksana Solovei

Our gracious hosts, Sarah and Charlie Roberts

Credit: Oksana Solovei

Jeff welcomes sponsors and supporters

Credit: Oksana Solovei

Faces in the crowd

Credit: Oksana Solovei

This Fall, the Milton Historical Society will celebrate the Autumn harvest with our annual SHINDIG at Wildberry Creek Farm. This year’s family-friendly event will be open to all and held on the first day of Autumn, Sunday, September 22. Stay tuned for details!

The crew

Credit: Philip Beck

Welcoming guests

Credit: Oksana Solovei

Meet and greet

Credit: Philip Beck

Author Bob Meyers showing his re-published

'Barns of Old Milton County'

Credit: Oksana Solovei

State Representative Jan Jones, Carl and Sheryl Jackson

Credit: Philip Beck

Vietnam Women's Memorial

Washington, DC National Mall



Credit: Air Force Tech. Sgt. Jack Sanders, DOD

About the review's author: Milton resident and Society Founding Member, Amy Christiansen is a member of the Society's Newsletter Editorial Board.

Thank you, Amy!

In a time when generational knowledge of historical events like that of WWII is beginning to fade, and more recent events like 9/11 are a snippet in a textbook for those born after that day rather than a very personal memory, Kristin Hannah returns us to an era seemingly forgotten in her latest historical fiction novel, The Women. In spite of a granite memorial wall stretching over 493 feet that is the most visited memorial on the National Mall in Washington, the Vietnam War is a mystery to many. While it lives vividly in the hearts and minds of those who were there, in those who miss the 58,318 friends and family who lost their lives, and those impacted by the generational trauma it caused, the Vietnam War is spoken about in singular sentences today, or not at all. 

In The Women, Hannah brings us back to this history only whispered about now, a time of large scale protest and political upheaval, a time when ideology tore families apart. Hannah skillfully gives voice simultaneously to the service members in the trenches of a foreign jungle and the groups adamantly protesting in America's streets.

As readers become invested in this narrative that tackles family dynamics, definitions of patriotism, cultural norms, mental health and PTSD, Hannah also provides a distinct voice for those told ‘there were no women in Vietnam.’

Photo credit: Amy Christiansen

Reviewer’s notes:

This book was an important read for me. Both my dad and my father-in-law were in Vietnam. So many people comment about how those that served in Vietnam came home changed, but that change seems rarely explored. This book addressed circumstances returning Vets faced, mental health aspects and other issues, in such an accessible way.

And Amy’s touching personal memory:

The picture of my son….we were in DC during spring break 2013. We were at the wall for what felt like only five minutes. Not long enough for a toddler to want to sit down. My dad and I were remembering the time when I was a teen and we made a rubbing of the name of his friend on the wall. I noticed then that my four year old had sat down where a rose had been left. It was such a simple moment but had a tremendous impact. I took the picture to share with my mother and father-in-law. I knew it would be meaningful to them, as it was to anyone that happened to notice a four year old quietly sitting in that spot, leaning into the wall and smelling that rose. My in-laws had this photo made into a canvas print that hangs in their house to this day.

Amy's Summer reading suggestions for historical fiction set in the South:

Surviving Savannah by Patti Callahan, a story of the steamship Pulaski.

The Book of Lost Friends by Lisa Wingate, a story based on ads placed in newspapers of newly freed slaves seeking to find loved ones previously sold. 

During his extensive research into the life of John Milton, Board Member Mark Amick acquired and donated two rare documents with John Milton’s signatures along with twenty-five books and three periodicals of note now uploaded to the archive’s web page. Those of you who are Revolutionary War buffs should take a particular interest in this array of books. Board Member Jim Farris also donated a Milton signature next to a mysterious wax seal. The wax seal is currently being researched. The 28 published works Mark donated represent a varied range from an original delicate condition 1857 Acts of the Georgia General Assembly to a 2015 collection of well researched essays by Georgia historian George Lamplaugh. The Lamplaugh essays cover events beginning with the American Revolution through the 1850s and are bound in a book entitled In Pursuit of Dead Georgians. 

This article seeks to explain the way this collection is displayed on our website. This may be helpful if you have a potential research project, wish to use it to teach others about John Milton, or simply have intellectual curiosity to view the web offerings. The nature of archival data work is all about detail and cross indexing for future research. This collection of books and documents was no different. They are all accessioned or tagged to a single donation, but for web display purposes to the community there is a matrix approach. The 28 published works Mark donated have all been photographed and some details about them are now displayed on the archive website in various folders for browsing. They are viewable among these folders: John Milton folder (20 books /1 periodical), Vital Records folder (5 books) and Civil War folder (6 books). In addition, a Revolutionary War folder (9 books) has been created with nine of the books cross-referenced there. For example, below are three of the nine books and one article that appear in BOTH the John Milton folder and the Revolutionary War folder on our website:

Georgia Roster of the Revolution - published in 1920

A list of the State's Defenders: Officers and Men, Soldiers and Sailors; Partisans and Regulars: Whether enlisted from Georgia or settled in Georgia after the close of hostilities. Even though Georgia did not furnish a large body of troops to the Revolutionary struggle, it did acquire a vast number of veterans filing for bounty land grants from other states. The reason for this is that it was the youngest of the English colonies with vast amounts of land but a scant population, located on the remote southern frontier.

These bounty grants were issued after the war as payment for service rendered and to promote settlement in this the youngest of the colonies. Contains approximately 9000 names.

General Washington's Correspondence concerning the Society of the Cincinnati - published in 1941

Contains letters written by George Washington, the first president of the United States, regarding the Society of the Cincinnati. The Society of the Cincinnati was a fraternal organization formed by officers of the Continental Army after the American Revolution. The book includes Washington's letters to various members of the society, discussing topics such as its formation, membership, and objectives. The letters provide insight into the society's purpose and the role it played in the early years of the United States.

Military Certificates of Georgia 1776 1800 – published in 1983

"The certificates from which this list of some 2,000 Revolutionary and Oconee War participants was compiled were part of the process whereby individuals applied for and (in most cases) received bounty land in Georgia."--Preface, p. 1. This copy is signed by the author.

Georgia Historical Quarterly #3 - 2023

Scholarly articles on Georgia history, book reviews and essays. Continuously published since 1917 - ISSN 0016-8297. This edition contains an article discussing then Governor James Wright and the Colonial Stamp Act crisis in Georgia.

After general topics, the next layer of archival data is the description fields and discrete data such as date published, author, etc. These are critical to help match resources to researchers. This requires, at times, use of the software search engine. Ad hoc searches especially into the text and discrete data fields, such as author or publisher, query the entire database i.e., all collections. These searches can be used for note taking or exporting files to Excel for further review, or creating a pull list of items for the archivist when a study begins.

How do I find the collection to view? 

There are two ways to navigate to it:

1. From the Society page
2. Using QR (Quick Response) codes - Illustrated below

1.) Society page: You can always link to it via the Society page, Archives tab on top far right. Select About Our Collection. Once there, select See Our Collection, and click CLICK TO EXPLORE THIS GROWING COLLECTION. That will launch you to the archive site. From there you can scroll the folders in alpha order. 

Below are screen shots of the path using the main Society page. Once on the archive HUB you can scroll the folders, click on what interests you, and navigate back. There is also a convenient link to jump back to the Society website if needed. 

Society Home Page

Archives Tab

Archives HUB Website Homepage

Scroll down until you see the folder square that you want to browse. Folder names appear underneath the thumbnail.

Click on a folder to see items.

Below is an item from the John Milton Collection folder. 

2.) QR codes: The second method for folder access is a direct jump via scanning the QR codes to a specific folder. Those are also provided below. 

John Milton

Vital Records

Civil War

Revolutionary War

What's next?

Mark has additional research notes from his files that will be added to the site in the weeks ahead. If you have a research project that may make use of any of these resources, let me know. The use of the archives is by appointment at this time, but I will attempt to accommodate you as quickly as possible. If you wish to visit, learn more about the archives or help catalog please contact me- the volunteer archivist and Board Member Kathy Beck at archives@miltonhistoricalsociety-georgia.org.

Work is ongoing to catalog and preserve the large Bates and Morris collections.

Have a great summer! 

Kathy Beck 

Coming in Our Autumn Newsletter!

Archives Update: Part 2

How We Preserve Rare Books

See our next newsletter for information on our rare book archiving protocols and how we can help you set up an online inventory of your object collections!

A recent addition to the Society archives library was a donation from local resident Kay Keisler of this legendary cookbook. We had heard for years not only about the vast collection of recipes in the book, entitled Under the Crabapple Tree, but also about the many references to local history and the wonderful graphics it contained. It serves as a snapshot of life in Milton from decades ago.

In the book, published in 1991, editor Linda Magness, Cookbook Chair, set the tone for the entire book. In her Dedication and Expression of Appreciation she writes: 

“We would like to dedicate this cookbook to the closing of Northwestern Elementary School, and to the beautiful and distinctive Crabapple Community. Our recipes graciously came from all over our community, and are a dedication to all the teacher’s luncheons, pot luck dinners, turkey shoots, and treasured family keepsakes served to our children and families.

“The proceeds from this cookbook will go toward the closing of our school and the opening of the new school. We have a special need to make this transition as easy as possible for all students.

“The cookbook committee would like to thank all those who helped with the completion of the cookbook by sharing their wonderful ideas, recipes, and financial support. This is your cookbook and a very special contribution to the Crabapple Community.”

Even the clever book cover tells the story of Crabapple history.

“The cookbook cover is a reproduction by Kim Schafer of a mural that was created by the fifth grade students at Northwestern Elementary in the spring of 1991.

"The students worked from photographs, old newspaper clippings, and historical research to illustrate scenes from the Crabapple community.

"The scenes depicted (interspersed with bucolic art) are:

Center: Northwestern Elementary

(from left to right)

Line 1: Crabapple Baptist Church, Rucker barn, Johnny and Nap Rucker - major league baseball players in 1940, Cherokee Indian

Line 2: Horse barn on Birmingham Highway, Northwestern Mustang, house on Mid-Broadwell, Crabapple intersection

Line 3: Crabapple tree and blossom

Line 4: Old advertisement in Alpharetta newspaper

Line 5: Crabapple silos, Homestead well on Mayfield, Milton High log cabin, Broadwell’s famous cotton harvest, Crabapple baseball team, The Mossback 9

Line 6: Trademark for Rucker’s cotton, Crabapple Corners Antique Shop, Largest boll of cotton ever grown in Georgia”

(Bottom row includes a horse-crossing road sign and the Broadwell Building.)

In subsequent editions of the newsletter we will happily present various short historical articles from the cookbook. Also, don’t miss the Simon and Garfunkel Chicken recipe!

In 2018 the City of Milton recognized the community’s history by installing 28 historical markers. The city’s GIS (Geographic Information System) staff developed an interactive story map that marks the location of each site that has a marker. The name of the site and the marker text, along with a photograph of the structure or site, make it easy to learn a short history and the significance of the property.

The Hopewell Baptist Church’s historic cemetery includes the monuments of many early settlers in the area. Twenty seven cemeteries are also pictured and mapped on the city's website.

To access the marker information and map: On the city’s home page (miltonga.gov), click Residents/Maps/Milton Historic Sites. (The story map is illustrated below.) To access the story map for the cemeteries follow the same path and choose Milton Historic Cemeteries.

Hopewell Baptist Church Historical Marker

Spiritual home to many of the area’s first families, Hopewell Baptist was constituted on April 14, 1851, with 15 original members. The church joined the Hightower Baptist Association in June 1851. Members first met in the home of Rhoda Byrd Rogers (Thomas Byrd house). Rhoda was the youngest daughter of Judith May Byrd, an original church member. The meetinghouse was built on land given by Thomas Rogers. Other families who donated land were: Phillips, Day, Pearson, Hardeman, Dinsmore (for the cemetery), and Deverell. Reverend A. Tribble was elected first pastor, along with deacons Thomas Burgess and Sampson Clayton. 

Continuing the congregation’s spirit of service and education, Hopewell Baptist Church has exciting plans for Vacation Bible School welcoming all ages beginning June 9th, and Family Movie Night once each month. As the season welcomes cool mornings and warm summer days, it is a time to unwind, create cherished memories, and bond with loved ones.

Patti Dubas

MHS Newsletter Editorial Board

Author's prologue: When my husband died, I was left with three well-trained draft horses and the farm. Bo didn’t want me to sell the horses, but I couldn’t keep the farm and the horses. I wanted the horses to go to a good home, but I wanted them to be able to use their talents. Bo had worked so hard training them to be useful draft horses.

I knew that if they were sold in Georgia there was a possibility that they would become carriage horses in Dahlonega or Helen. Those horses always look so sad and I didn’t want that. 

I searched online for draft horses and found Jason Rutledge (a Virginia native with Cherokee heritage) and the Healing Harvest Forest Foundation. Jason lives in Virginia working as a horse logger and training other woodsmen.

Jason was very kind during our phone calls. He assisted me in finding a home for the horses and the horses moved to Virginia. 

Several months later I went to Virginia to see Jason work his horses in the woods. I wrote an article for Rural Heritage magazine after the visit and have included some excerpts from the article below.

Chad working Suffolks

Tray and Ridge

Ben working Dewey and Frank

The partnership between humans and work animals has existed for thousands of years. Work dogs are trained to help sight impaired people and security personnel in ways that technology cannot improve on. Even with the modern logging equipment available today, work horses are still the best way to pull logs from the woods, causing the least disturbance in the forest.

Jason Rutledge has been logging the woods of Virginia for more than 30 years. In 1999 he founded the 501(c)(3) non-profit Healing Harvest Forest Foundation (HHFF) to train woodsmen and promote an advanced method of restorative forestry using work horses. 

The biological woodsmen of the HHFF are much more than horse loggers. They practice a unique brand of restorative forest management and share their knowledge and cultural heritage with apprentices and the public. The mission of the HHFF is "To address human needs for forest products while creating a nurturing coexistence between the forest and the human community."

Jason continues his work of forest management and active mentoring through the Environmentally Sensitive Logging and Lumber Company. He is joined by woodsmen Chad, Justin, Jason's son Jagger Rutledge, and apprentice Greg. They are working on a farm in Fauquier County, Virginia. The owner wanted some of her timber harvested, but did not want the woods destroyed. Woodsman Justin is a recent graduate of a Cooperative Program between Warren Wilson College and Duke University.

The goal of restorative forestry is to encourage a shift in forest structure toward a healthier condition characterized by multiple age classes of trees. Five age classes spanning five decades of tree growth and spaced a decade apart are ideal to promote future timber harvests. 

What to cut? Using single tree selective harvesting, the damaged and diseased trees are cut to open the woods and accelerate the growth of the remaining trees. Jagger is the principal tree feller for the group. Jason gave Jagger a small chain saw at age 12 and Jagger has been working in the woods ever since.

The trees with frost cracks, dead limbs, and scars from lightning strikes will be cut. It is likely that many of these ailing trees would die within a few years anyway after being attacked by insects. This "worst first" harvesting method provides timber for saw logs, railroad tie logs, poplar plywood peelers, and pallet lumber. The occasional high grade log is sold for veneer, furniture, and flooring.

A large part of the HHFF apprentice training is focused on choosing which trees to cut and which ones to leave for a future harvest. The invasive undergrowth is cut and left on the ground to create more growing space for desirable trees. Non-invasive understory trees such as dogwoods, beech, and elm are not cut. The shade-tolerant beech and elm will grow for a future harvest.

The horses pull the logs along paths just wide enough for the team to clear the trees. The biological woodsmen of the HHFF use a Charlie Fisher logging arch that provides front-end suspension of the log. The logging arch reduces the load on the horses and helps limit soil disturbance.

Jason Rutledge points out the outer growth rings, which are spaced close together

This indicates slower growth in recent years due to an overcrowded stand

Jason Rutledge is ready to chain another log to the logging arch, but he pauses to interpret the stump of the tree. On this stump the inner rings show good growth for about the first 20 years. The outer rings of the past 10 years or so are spaced very close together; the growth rate dramatically slowed down over the past 10 years. The heart of this tree also shows fire damage and windshake damage. The windshake damage and recent small growth rings are an indication that the trees in this location were too crowded.

Further south in Virginia another HHFF member is practicing restorative forestry. Ben is logging woods in Craig County. He has worked draft horses since he was a child. With his Sinking Creek Horse Logging operation, he uses his teamster skills and provides advanced forestry services for his landowner clients. The landowner appreciates that restorative forestry will make his remaining timber stand more valuable. 

Who benefits from restorative forestry? By the end of the day at the woods in Fauquier County, two truck loads of logs have been taken to the saw mill. The landowner is pleased that the woods are healthier now. She states that there was very little soil erosion in the woods after a recent storm. She is also happy to see the Johnny Jump-ups blooming in the woods this spring.

The horses have done their job of limiting disturbance to the forest floor. The woodsmen have provided the service of improving the forest by helping it become more productive in the future. Horses and woodsmen have the satisfaction of a job well done.

The HHFF is funded by tax-deductible donations of horses, equipment, dollars from individuals, and grant money. For more information about the HHFF and to donate visit the HHFF web site at the following address:

http://www.healingharvestforestfoundation.org

A version of this article originally appeared in Rural Heritage magazine.

Donna Born became acquainted with Jason Rutledge and the HHFF while searching for a working home for her late husband’s draft horses. HHFF member Ben worked Dewey for 10 years and then retired him to a mountain pasture. Donna's, husband C. L. Born farmed with Dewey and other draft horses for 19 years. 

Donna Stewart Born, Jasper, Georgia resident, is a Society supporter. She has donated numerous books from the Stewart family to the Society library, including the three-volume Cherokee Footprints series by Charles O. Walker, signed by the author.

Mowing hay the old way

'Bo' Born working three abreast

Our Spring newsletter included an article on the new Autrey Mill Wildlife Rehabilitation Center for small mammals. Jesse Legato, Center director, offered these clarifications about the Center’s programs:

• All student volunteers in the program are interns, who work under the supervision of Ms. Legato.
• The interns earn Fulton County school credit through the Talented and Gifted Program.
• Also, the Animal Ambassador initiative at the Center involves rigorous animal care duties.

We hope this clarifies the Center’s excellent programs and procedures.

The next time you visit the Texas Hill Country, mosey on down San Antonio way and visit the Villa Finale, the ‘last house’ of civic leader and investment broker Walter Mathis.

On an initial visit to the area you will no doubt take in the Alamo and River Walk; visit Austin sites: the Congress Avenue bat bridge, University of Texas, and the LBJ Library and Museum; along with Hill Country highlights: Lady Bird Johnson’s wildflower meadows, the Admiral Chester Nimitz National Museum of the Pacific War in Fredericksburg, lots of German bakeries, and a multitude of wineries open for tastings.

Villa Finale - Italian Renaissance

Texas historical marker

But back to the Villa Finale Museum and Gardens, which architect O’Neil Ford calls, “The finest house in Texas…” Acquired in 2002, it is the only historic site in Texas owned by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The Italianate mansion has a healthy endowment, ensuring its sustainability and meticulous upkeep. Built in 1876, the house has changed hands numerous times, serving as a boarding house, speakeasy, distillery, brothel, as well as a private home. It was one of the first houses to be restored in the beautiful King William Historic District close to downtown San Antonio. Its back garden borders the non-commercial part of the San Antonio River Walk and greenway trail. Mathis went on to restore 14 other houses, sparking a preservation resurgence in the area.

Napoleon at every turn

And more...

The collection: “This is not just a pretty house,” reported one visitor. Mathis’ passion was collecting any artifact relevant to Napoleon Bonaparte - 843 in all - filling the parlors to bursting. Most of the items in the first floor were made as mementos when Napoleon’s body was returned to France in 1840. The highlight of the collection is the bronze death mask of Napoleon, made by his personal doctor, Francesco Automarchi.

The library is filled with over 2,000 books and in the kitchen you will find a chandelier engraved with the initials of Louis Comfort Tiffany. The house has 12,500 distinctive examples of decorative arts and furniture. Docents revealed that the curators do a deep cleaning of the entire house and contents once a year. You will have a personal guide with you at all times, supplying much information and ensuring nothing is jostled or moved! The formal gardens also deserve a walk-through - the entire experience is a veritable feast for the eyes.

Just one of the first floor parlors replete with Empire furnishings, Napoleon memorabilia

Villa Finale's kitchen

See how many of these multiple choice ‘fun facts’ about Milton you can guess! Scroll down to see the answers.

Cotton boll

Country store in Milton

1. The tradition of singing the shape of notes rather than their placement on the scale is referred to as:

A. Fa-sol-la

B. Gospel

C. Rote

2. A prolific strain of cotton that produced 750 bolls on one stalk was developed by:

A. Cantrell Reese

B. Simeon Rucker

C. John B. Broadwell

3. The oldest store on record in Milton was:

A. Webb General

B. Buice’s Store at Birmingham Crossroads

C. James Dorris’ Store at Crabapple

Scroll down for the answers!

Haudenosaunee Council

Credit: haudenosauneeconfederacy.com

Iroquois longhouse



Credit: en.wikipedia.org

The Seventh Generation Principle is based on an ancient Haudenosaunee philosophy that the decisions we make today should result in a sustainable world seven generations into the future. Reflecting on this ‘primitive’ principle might lead us to consider how our legacy will serve our seventh generation descendants.

The name Haudenosaunee (People of the Long House) is the Indigenous name of the Iroquois Confederacy of New York State and southeastern Ontario. The name Iroquois means ‘Red Adder’ and was given to the tribe by opponents who marveled at their ability to strike quickly and effectively in battle. The Confederacy was originally made up of five tribes: Seneca, Oneida, Mohawk, Onondaga, and Cayuga - united in confederation about 1200 A.D. The Confederacy is renowned for its organization and democratic system. (In their own language, the name ‘Haudenosaunee’ translates to ‘They made the house,’ symbolizing all nations coming together as one.)

A Southern connection: The sixth tribe to join the Iroquois Confederacy was a Cherokee-related tribe from eastern North Carolina. The Tuscarora, eased out of their territory by Colonial settlers and weary of fighting the Muskogee Creek, migrated to Western New York and Canada and were formally adopted as the sixth nation of the Haudenosaunee in 1722. Their tribal lands abut the Niagara Falls Power Project at Niagara Falls. Tuscaroras who migrated to Canada are known as the Six Nations.

Tuscarora Heroes Monument

Photo credit: Tom Rivers

Sculptor: Susan Geissler

Tuscarora assistance in the War of 1812: According to orleanshub.com, The Tuscarora Heroes Monument was dedicated on December 19, 2013, on the 200th anniversary of when the Tuscaroras, despite being badly outnumbered by British and Canadian soldiers, came to the aid of American civilians in Lewiston, N.Y.

It’s hard to imagine today, but the United States faced a grave threat from the Canadian border more than 200 years ago. British and Canadian soldiers were there and the War of 1812 was being fought. (It lasted until 1815, with no changes in the border.)

The Americans had burned the Canadian town of Niagara on the Lake (then called Newark) before the December 19 attack in 1813. The angry British and Canadians crossed the border early on December 19 and quickly took over Fort Niagara. They then charged down River Road to the frontier town of Lewiston, seeking retribution for the burning of Newark. The group was reportedly armed with torches, guns and tomahawks. They came upon a poorly defended Lewiston, and killed some of the civilians including small children.

The massacre would have been worse but the Tuscarora Indians came to the rescue, running down a hill from their village atop the Niagara Escarpment. Despite being outnumbered 30 to 1, the Tuscaroras offered the first defense against the enemy, and the Tuscarora's ‘diversionary tactics’ made it appear they were in great numbers. The British and Canadians left Lewiston.

Recognition and thanks: Two hundred years later, the Lewiston community said thank you with a $350,000 monument that includes three bronze statues, interpretive panels, bronze plaques, flagpoles, lighting and security cameras.

A. Shape note singing has its roots in Elizabethan England and colonial America. Popular throughout the southern Appalachian region, a singing has been held in Alpharetta on the second Sunday in June since 1868. It is also known as Sacred Harp singing.

C. Broadwell’s Double-Jointed Cotton produced more than two bales of cotton per acre. One cotton stalk produced 750 bolls on the stalk and was displayed in the museum at the state capital.



C. James Dorris operated a general store in the Crabapple area from 1833-1844. The store ledger names his customers, who were local white settlers and native Cherokee.

Look for this historical marker near the roundabout south of Crabapple Market.

Responses when the National Trust sent members a questionnaire in 2023 to learn about their interests and priorities:

• “These places tell the story of who we are, where we have been, and the choices we have made to bring us where we are today. They are the road map to the future.”

• “These preserved sites, neighborhoods, and landscapes bring the past into the present. These places also provide a setting for the future since, in many cases, old buildings can be repurposed for new businesses and often bring communities back to life.”

Our pursuit, to find “truth wherever it may lead.”

Thomas Jefferson

The Society of Professional Journalists declares these four principles as the foundation of ethical journalism and encourages their practice:

• Seek truth and report it
• Minimize harm
• Act independently
• Be accountable and transparent

“It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.”

Confucius

Milton Historical Society events currently scheduled for 2024:

August 13, 2024, 6:30 p.m. Milton Library - "History of the Georgia Military Institute" with historian Michael Hitt

September 10, 2024, 6:30 p.m. Milton Library - "History of Milton's Rucker Family" with Nancy Boldin and Sheila Rucker Pennebaker

September 22, 2024, 3:30 to 7:00 p.m. Wildberry Creek Farm - Autumn Shindig

Watch this space for more information on program topics!

Gold Sponsors

BENTLEY

_________________

BENTLEY ATLANTA

Shane and Celeste Jackson

Milton Historical Society Patrons

Many thanks for your support!

Lifetime Patrons

Amy and Mark Amick

Larry Chadwick

Patti Dubas

Josephine and Jeff Dufresne

Laura and Byron Foster

Brenda and Brett Giles

Fran Gordenker

Felton Anderson Herbert

Johnny Herbert

Bill Lusk

Cristen and Tom Matthews

Linda and Robert Meyers

Adam Orkin

Charlie Roberts

Sarah Roberts

Donna Savas

Marsha and Kevin Spear

Karen Thurman

Kate and Ron Wallace

Kim and Dana Watkins

Corporate Sponsors

Lithic Genealogy Group

The William B. Orkin Foundation

Savas Digital Creations



Mark Amick

Joan Borzilleri

Norm Broadwell

Jeff Dufresne

James Farris

Byron Foster

Kim Gauger

Bill Lusk

Connie Mashburn

Robert Meyers

Charlie Roberts

Sarah Roberts

Kevin Spear

Karen Thurman

The newsletter of the Milton Historical Society is produced quarterly by volunteers of the Society. Have an idea, a link, or a story to share? If you loved our newsletter and would like to become a patron, click HERE.

We'd love to hear from you at president@miltonhistoricalsociety-georgia.org.

Thanks for reading and supporting Milton's history!