USA > Georgia > Floyd County > Rome > A history of Rome and Floyd County, State of Georgia, United States of America; including numerous incidents of more than local interest, 1540-1922, Volume I > Part 51
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77
"Be assured we disdain as much as yourselves the idea of becoming slaves
to the oppressors of our land, and should it become necessary there is not a free woman in the Southern Confed- eracy who would not dispute the ground inch by inch, and who would not die in the cause of liberty and justice.
"To you as the first agents in the hands of an all-wise Father we consign these colors. Never, never, my friends, permit it to trail in the dust; never lower the flag in servile submission to the ruthless invaders of our homes, our liberties and our most sacred rights; never furl these ample folds, not until liberty shall be perched upon this banner.
"There is a just God who presides over the destinies of nations. He it is who will give might to your arms in the deadly strife. The battle is not to the strong in numbers alone. It is to the just, to the right, to the brave. Oh, do not permit our enemies to forge chains to bind in degradation our pos- terity. With hearts within and God overhead, press onward higher and higher. Wave these colors, and that God in whom we trust may permit every soldier of the Fireside Defend- ers to return under the protection of this banner is our prayer to God. We shall rise incessantly in your behalf and we entreat you to yield your hearts and lives into His charge, and if it be your doom, as it has been for many near and dear to us, to meet death on the battlefield, in a nation's heart shall be written your epitaph, 'History shall prolong, posterity shall bless the valiant arms and noble spirits who fought, bled and died to purchase for us liberty and freedom.'
Oh, flag of the South, still thy way, Undimmed the ages untold,
Over earth's proud nations the stars display
Like morning's radiant changes un- fold;
Oh, flag of Dixie's noble band,
Oh, flag of the South, still peerless, shine,
O'er earth, remotest lands expand, Till every heart and hand entwine!
The Fireside Defenders went to camp twelve days after they were or- ganized. Their first stop was Big Shanty, Cobb County, now known as Kennesaw. Thence they went into training at Columbus, and thence to the front in Virginia. They became Company G, 22d Georgia Regiment of Infantry, and Capt. Jones, their com- manding officer, was advanced to col- onel of the regiment.
378
A HISTORY OF ROME AND FLOYD COUNTY.
At the surrender April 9, 1865, at Appomattox, Va., the following mem- bers laid down their arms:
Capt. G. W. Thomas, Sergt. W. B. Judkins, and Privates J. W. Judkins, Jno. S. Black, Wm. Morris, Ephraim Morris, Jason Morris, Wm. J. and T. N. Vincent, H. N. and Alfonzo Queen, Jos. A. Sharp, Wm. M. Gossett, Wm. A. Witeher, E. E. Burkhalter, Wm. R. Mounteastle, J. M. Fuller, J. W. Miller, I. N. Teat, T. J. Gossett, W. J. Pope.
Starting in 1895, the survivors held annual reunions at the Primitive Bap- tist Church (now the First Presbyte- rian) at Lindale. On this occasion they were addressed by Paul Reese, son of Dr. and Mrs. Reese. Capt. Harry P. Meikleham, superintendent of the Massachusetts Mills at Lindale, gave them a bit of ground 10 feet square, on which they erected a monu- ment which bears the names of the company's officers. Capt. Meikleham also stands for a yearly barbecue, but there are only three or four left to eat it now, and they include Jos. A. Sharp and Wm. J. Vincent, of Rome.
FLOYD .- (From the Rome News, Wednesday, April 6, 1921.)-Floyd County was named for Gen. Jno. Floyd because his Indian victories made it possible for white men to settle in com- parative safety in the region around Rome, according to Judge Junius F. Hillyer, who has furnished the follow- ing sketch on this intrepid leader, after an exhaustive search of books.
"Gen. Floyd was born in South Caro- lina, eame to Georgia early in life, and settled in Camden County, where he died June 27, 1829. His father was Capt. Chas. Floyd, a conspicuous sol- dier in the Revolutionary War, who wore on the front of his helmet a sil- ver crescent with the inscription, 'Lib- erty or Death." **
"Gen. Floyd was a member of the Georgia Legislature in 1803. Among his associates in that body were James Jackson, John Milledge and Josiah Tat- nall. Tatnall County, Jackson Coun- ty and Milledgeville in the state of Georgia bear respectively the names of these, his associates, and Floyd Coun- ty bears his name.
"He was elected to Congress from Georgia in 1826, and served two years. He was appointed brigadier general of the Georgia Militia in 1803. His serv- ice with this command established his reputation for military skill and in- flexible patriotism. On one occasion the savages surprised a fort where 300
men, women and children, except 17, were eruelly put to death. Gen. Floyd was recognized as the proper man to suppress and avenge such wrongs. Ae- ecrdingly, Gov. Peter Early selected him to command the Georgia troops in an expedition against the Creeks and Choctaw Indians, who for some time had been troubling helpless fron- tier settlements of Georgia and Ala- bama. Co-operating with Gen. An- drew Jackson, he waged a destructive war against the savages, who were de- feated and permanently dispersed with great loss. The three famous battles of this campaign were fought at Au- tossee, Tallassee and Camp Defiance in Alabama. In one of these battles Gen. Floyd was severely wounded, but refused to retire from the field. His eivic honors furnished proof of the high esteem in which he was held by his contemporaries. His success in the military service to which he was ap- pointed fully vindicated the judgment of Gov. Early in making the appoint- ment. The ability he displayed more than sustained his reputation and at the same time illustrated the energy and force of his character.
"As a private citizen, Gen. Floyd is accredited to us by the historians as a man of lofty ideals and unspotted integrity, unserupulous in moral dis- tinctions, honest with a warm and gen- erous nature. His military success no doubt contributed to the peaceful term- ination of Georgia's Indian problems. Soon after, in 1829, as stated. Gen. Floyd died; and then in 1833, the Geor- gia Legislature, as was fit, gave to Floyd County his name. It was emi- nently appropriate that the newly- made county, carved out of Georgia territory, should bear the name of Floyd, after her battle-scarred hero, whose recent victories had redeemed that territory from the Indian peril, thereby as if by magic transforming a semi-barbarous frontier into a veri- table Areadia of civilization, and cap- italizing its dormant treasures into un- told millions of wealth for its deni- zens and the commonwealth at large.
"The citizens of Floyd County are justly proud of their county because of its intrinsic merits; its incomparable situation and climate; its natural and acquired resources; and of its honor- able history. The county hopefully faces the dawn of a new era, in which it is to solve greater problems and win
*Now in the possession of a grandson sev- eral times removed, Wm. G. McAdoo, of New York, formerly Secretary of the Treasury, and son-in-law of Woodrow Wilson.
379
ENCYCLOPEDIC SECTION
--
A PEEK AT THE BERRY SCHOOL FOR GIRLS.
At top, mountain lassies at old-fashioned spinning wheels, and below, making rugs at the looms; boys building a house for the girls; the greenhouse; in oval, Miss Ida M. Tarbell and Miss Martha Berry, with students; at bottom, the rustic chapel, designed by a neighborhood character who thus expressed his interest in this seat of learning; the dining halls, which seat about 200.
380
A HISTORY OF ROME AND FLOYD COUNTY.
greater victories, in which its honored name is to put on new luster and to become more and more glorious."
The Weekly Georgian, Savannah, printed the following squib under date of Saturday, July 6, 1839: "The late Gen. John Floyd .- The intelligence of the death of Gen. John Floyd has been received in this city. At one period of his life Gen. Floyd had the honor of representing his state in the Con- gress of the Union, and was always respected and esteemed in every sta- tion which his confiding fellow citizens invited him to occupy.'
Officers of the First Regiment of Sa- vannah, John Millen, chairman, and Jno. W. Anderson, secretary, passed resolutions of respect under date of July 3, 1839.
Gen. Floyd served in the Twentieth Congress, 1827-9, with Tomlinson Fort, Chas. E. Haynes, Wiley Thompson, Richard Henry Wilds, Wilson Lump- kin and Geo. R. Gilmer, the last two of whom as Governors of Georgia fought hard for the removal of the Indians to the West.
Lucian L. Knight, in Vol. II, Geor- gia's Landmarks, Memorials and Leg- ends (ps. 27-28) tells of a famous duel fought by Gen. Floyd with a Mr. Hop- kins in Camden County. Mr. Hopkins had been challenged, so it was his right under the existent code to name the weapons, and he stipulated that they should first shoot from a distance with shotguns, and if that did not bring a conclusion they would advance with pistols, and if that failed, they would fight with their Bowie knives. At the first or second stage Mr. Hopkins was so badly wounded that the duel was halted. Gen. Floyd's sons, Gen. Chas. L. Floyd and Captain Richard S. Floyd. also fought duels.
FLOYD COUNTY LEGISLATORS. (From the State Department of His- tory, Atlanta.)
Members of the State Senate: 1833- 35, James Hemphill; 1836, William Smith; 1837, James Wells; 1838, Wil- liam Smith; 1839-40, Joseph Watters; 1841-43, William Smith.
From 1845 to 1853, there was a grouping of counties into districts (old system), and Floyd was put in the Forty-Seventh District. There were four Senators during this period, two of whom were from Floyd: 1845-6, Thomas C. Hackett; 1851-2, Joseph Watters.
From 1853 to 1861 there was a re-
turn to the former basis of representa- tion, each county electing a Senator : 1853-4, Jesse Lamberth; 1855-8, Ter- rence McGuire; 1859-60, Daniel S. Printup.
Since 1861 Floyd has been in the Forty-Second District, and during this time she has furnished the following Senators: 1861-2, D. R. Mitchell; 1865-6, C. H. Smith ("Bill Arp") ; 1868-72, John T. Burns; 1877, James R. Gamble; 1880-1, R. T. Fouche; 1886-7, L. A. Dean; 1888-9, James W. Harris; 1890-1, W. T. Irwin; 1898-9, R. T. Fouche; 1905-6, W. S. McHenry; 1911-12, W. H. Ennis; 1917-18, R. A. Denny; 1922-23, Jno. Camp Davis.
Members of the House: 1833, John Ellis ; 1835, John H. Lumpkin; 1836, John Ellis; 1837-8, Jesse Lamberth; 1839-40, A. J. Liddell, Wesley Shropshire; 1841, Philip W. Hemphill, Alfred Brown; 1842, A. Ta. bor Hardin, John Townsend; 1843, Jer- emiah L. McArver, A. Tabor Hardin; 1845, Nathan Yarbrough; 1847, Wm. T. Price; 1849-50, Isaac N. Culbertson ; 1851-2, Wm. T. Price; 1853-4, M. H. Haynie; 1855-6, W. B. Terhune, M. H. Haynie; 1857-8, J. W. H. Underwood (Speaker), W. R. Webster; 1859, Thos. W. Alexander, Z. B. Hargrove; 1861-2, Z. B. Hargrove, Geo. S. Black; 1863-4, Melville Dwinell, Kinchin Rambo; 1865, G. W. Thomas, W. A. Woods; 1868-72, Dr. M. R. Ballenger, Dunlap Scott; 1873-4, Jno. R. Towers, Fielding Hight; 1875-6, John W. Turner, D. B. Hamil- ton; 1877, Jno. R. Freeman, John H. Reece; 1878-9, A. J. King, John H. Reece; 1880-1, John W. Turner, Sea- born Wright; 1882-3, Seaborn Wright, W. G. Foster, Walker W. Brookes; 1884-5, J. Lindsay Johnson, J. W. Tur- ner, J. M. Walker; 1886-7, J. M. Walk- er, C. N. Featherston, Richard A. Denny; 1888-9, J. W. Turner, J. W. Ewing, J. Lindsay Johnson; 1890-1, J. W. Turner, W. C. Bryan, John J. Seay; 1892-3, E. P. Price, W. C. Bryan, W. J. Neel; 1894-5, John H. Reece, Robt. T. Fouche, Moses Wright; 1896-7, Jas. B. Nevin, J. H. Reece, Wm. H. Ennis; 1898-9, Richard A. Denny, J. Lindsay Johnson, W. C. Bryan; 1900-1, Jno. C. Foster, W. A. Knowles, Seaborn Wright; 1902-3, W. S. McHenry, W. A. Knowles, Wm. H. Ennis; 1905-6, G. B. Holder, Claude H. Porter, Seaborn Wright; 1907-8, Seaborn Wright, Lin- ton A. Dean, R. L. Chamblee; 1909-10, Claude H. Porter, G. B. Holder, Barry Wright; 1911-12, John C. Foster, G. D. Anderson, Walter Harris; 1913-14, John C. Foster, Barry Wright, W. J. Nunnally; 1915-16, G. D. Anderson,
381
ENCYCLOPEDIC SECTION
John W. Bale, A. W. Findley; 1917-18, John W. Bale, Seaborn Wright, James W. Russell; 1919-20, John W. Bale, Harper Hamilton, R. H. Copeland; 1921-2, Harper Hamilton, Jno. Camp Davis, Jas. W. Salmon; 1923-4, Lee J. Langley, Jas. P. Jones, J. Scott Davis.
FLOYD INFANTRY. - Organized at Rome in March, 1861, by Jno. Fred- erick Cooper, son of Hon. Mark An- thony Cooper, of Cass County, and father of J. Paul Cooper, of Rome, and Walter G. Cooper, of Atlanta. It started with 46 men; good-byes were said May 10, 1861, for the boys were going straight to Virginia.
An item in The Courier said: "The Infantry were escorted to the station by the other companies then forming. The train moved off amid the cheers of the crowd and the thunders of ar- tillery."
The original officers follow : Cap- tain, Jno. F. Cooper; first lieutenant, D. C. Hargrove; second, John H. Reece; third, R. W. Echols; first ser- geant, Harvey M. Langston; second, G. G. Martin; third, Henry Burns; fourth, L. P. Bryant; fifth, John Osley; first corporal, T. B. Moore; second, J. P. Duke; third, Harvey Shackelford: fourth, Henry Cohen. Before the company left, D. C. Hargrove joined the Light Guards, and was killed July 21, 1861, at the First Battle of Ma. nassas.
Equipment was poor, and only 46 of the following 74 privates went out with the first contingent: Wmn. T. Allen, J. D. Alton, Joel Bagwell, B. P. Barker, T. J. Barber, Frank Bean, R. O. Beavers, Jr., Wm. Bishop, Julius Borck, W. C. Brantley, J. J. Buchan- an, J. M. Burns, F. M. Burrow, J. L. Callahan, W. J. Chastain, M. E. Coop- er, Howell Davis, W. J. Drennon, J. H. Drummond, J. H. Dunn, J. H. Echols, T. C. Estes, L. H. Farmer, L. J. Far- mer, B. L. Ford, M. B. Formby, W. E. Fowler, A. J. Cordon, J. M. Cordon, J. M. Green, Geo. W. Griffith, W. A. Hammett, A. W. Harshaw, Wm. Hen- derson, W. Henderson, W. J. Hidle, W. R. Hidle, J. L. Holbrook, F. N. Hop- kins, J. D. Hubbard, Adolphus Jonas, C. D. Lumpkin, Edward Maness, J. F. Mandry, A. F. Manning, T. R. Martin, Wm. McGuire, T. M. Mckinney, L.
*Rome's Sunday
School superintendents have met with sad fates in war. Geo. T. Sto- vall, of the First Methodist, was killed at First Manassas, and A. Walton Shanklin, head of the same institution in 1917, was killed in France in 1918 as a soldier of the World War. apt. Melville winell, who preceded Mr. Sto- vall as superintendent, came out unscathed.
Morrow, S. J. Nowlin, J. H. Overby, F. A. Owings, John Padget, J. L. Phil- lips, D. A. Pool, G. B. Quarles, A. J. Reed, John Reeves, C. B. Rogers, J. W. Selman, J. P. Smith, W. A. Smith, Geo. Somers, J. B. Stallings, J. H. Steadman, R. M. Stephens, H. A. Stone, Jack Tate, G. M. Tolbert, J. T. Wamack, R. I. H. Warren. A. White, F. R. Woodel, Thos. Wright.
Among the Manassas casualties were W. T. Chastain, George Martin, A. W. Harshaw, F. M. Mandry, J. T. War- mack and J. H. Dunn, killed; Capt. Cooper, Oswell B. Eve and Thos. J. Hills, mortally wounded. Capt. Coop- er was shot in the knee or the leg, and refused to submit to amputation. Com- plications set in and he died several weeks later at Culpepper, Va. Mr. Hills died about two weeks after the battle. He had been superintendent of the Sunday School at Running Waters,* the John Ridge place north of Rome.
FORREST MONUMENT .- Broad Street at Second Avenue; about 20 feet high, with reduced figure of Gen. Forrest at top. Presented to Rome by the United Daughters of the Confed- eracy, assisted by other organizations, and unveiled Friday, Apr. 23, 1909, by Sarah Elizabeth Bass; presentation speech by Judge Jno. W. Maddox; ac- ceptance by Mayor Thos. W. Lips- comb; prayer by Rev. C. B. Hudgins, rector of St. Luke's Episcopal church, and Rev. Chas. C. Jarrell, pastor of the First Methodist church; present: Governor-elect Jos. M. Brown, Con- gressman Jas. A. Tawney (Minn.), Jno. A. Moon (Tenn.), Jno. L. Bur- nett (Ala.) and Gordon Lee (Ga.). The monument inscriptions feature the capture of Gen. Abel D. Streight's force Sunday, May 3, 1863, at Law- rence, Ala., by a handful of men under Gen. Forrest, and the march of the prisoners to Rome.
*
FORT JACKSON RESERVOIR .- When the old waterworks system built by the Nobles, consisting of the pump- ing station near Fourth Avenue and the N., C. & St. L. railroad and the tower on Neely School Hill, was aban- doned, the modern reservoir on Ft. Jackson and the pumping station a mile below on the Oostanaula River were constructed. This work was done in 1892 and 1893 while Sam S. King, Sr., was mayor, and Louis J. Wagner was City Engineer in charge. Wmn. J. Griffin was chairman of the water- works committee, made up of Chas. W.
382
A HISTORY OF ROME AND FLOYD COUNTY.
Underwood and W. H. Steele in 1892 and of J. F. McClure and Win. A. ("Blue Billy") Wright in 1893. The filter plant was opened for use Jan. 27, 1900. The original cost was $20,- 000.
City Manager Sam S. King furnishes the following information :
The Fort Jackson plant has been in- creased steadily until it is made up of seven filters; one 2,000,000-gallon settlement basin; one 1,000,000-gallon settlement basin; one 500,000-gallon clear water basin; one emergency stand pipe of 18,000 gallons (the city clock tower) ; two 2,000,000-gallon compressed steam pumps; one 4,500,- 000-gallon electric drum centrifugal pump; 36 miles of cast-iron water mains; 269 hydrants for the fire de- partment's use; 3,200 water services (individual and company taps, etc.) ; also chlorine apparatus, alum tanks, pumps and other necessary apparatus.
Sam M. Frye is the superintendent at Fort Jackson reservoir, and Jno. T. Sessler is the engineer in charge of the pumping station at the Oostanaula River. Both are constantly on their jobs to give Rome one of the best flows of pure water to be found anywhere. The Municipal swimming pool near the jail puts an extra tax upon the apparatus, but the officials say they can stand the racket. If it were not for the pool, perhaps, more water would be needed to bathe the children at home.
FOSTER'S INFANTRY .- This Civil War organization was formed in Floyd County down the Coosa River by Col. W. Green Foster in 1861. The fol- lowing account is taken from a Rome Tribune account of about 1910:
"A feature of the recent Memorial Day in Rome was the tattered old battle-flag carried by the thin gray line of veterans. The flag's dingy folds show a crimson stain, the blood of one of the color bearers, who fell, shot dead, across the flag.
"The colors were carried through the war by Co. D of the 65th Geor- gia. This was the company and reg- iment of Col. W. G. Foster. That officer enlisted in 1861, and was made second lieutenant. Later he be- came captain. In 1862 there was a reorganization into six companies of infantry and six of cavalry, which were called Smith's Legion of the First Georgia, Partisan Rangers.
"In 1863, after the campaign through Kentucky, there was again a reorgani- zation, and they were assigned to
Walker's division of the 65th Georgia, and later still to Cheatham's division, Gist's brigade. The general was killed at Franklin, Tenn., and then Col. Fos- ter was put in command of the brigade and remained in this position until the surrender. He was in line for the rank of brigadier general, but never received his commission.
"The hardest fighting of the regi- ment was at Franklin, Tenn., where the color bearers were killed. After the first fall, Col. Foster picked up the colors and was almost instant- ly shot through the arm, and the staff of the flag was shot off. Private Da- vis then picked up the colors, and car- ried them along until the flag was stuck on the breastworks captured by the regiment.
"At the surrender the color-bearer tore the colors from the staff, and stuffed them in his boot, thus keep- ing possession of them. They are still in the possession of the surviving mem- bers of the company, and are an object of reverence to all, and especially to those who know of their history.
"The company and regiment saw much hard fighting in this vicinity. Its roster included many familiar names, some of whom are still living, and others whose memory is perpetu- ated by their descendants. The gen- eral engamenets of the regiment and the roll of Company D follows:
Perryville, Ky., Big Creek Gap, Tenn., and Snake Creek Gap, Tenn., 1862; Chickamauga, Ga., Missionary Ridge, Tenn., Ringgold, Ga., (Nov. 27), 1863; Mill Creek Gap (May 9), Dug Creek Gap (May 8), Resaca, Ga. (May 15), Lay's Ferry (May 15), New Hope Church, Pickett's Mill (May 27), Allatoona, Ga. (Oct. 5), Kennesaw Mt. (June 27), capture of Degress' Battery (July 7), Franklin, Tenn. (Dec. 1), Nashville, Tenn. (Dec. 15), 1864; surrendered at Greensboro, N. C., 1865.
Officers: Captain, W. Green Foster; first lieutenant, J. F. Morton; second lieutenant, F. T. Griffin; third lieu- tenant, A. C. Hawkins; orderly ser- geant, H. Hammond; second sergeant, C. V. pass; third sergeant, H. P. Cross- man; fourth sergeant, J. P. McDonald; corporals, H. V. Bruce, J. W. McDon- ald, Jos. Davis, J. L. Worthington.
Privates: A. D. Anderson, D. D. Anderson, S. J. Anderson, L. H. Aus- tin, M. Alfred, J. W. H. Burnes, F. Brewer, D. M. Coleman, J. E. Cook, I. Chapman, F. A. Chapman, C. Cordle, D. P. Copeland, W. H. Collier, R. C.
383
ENCYCLOPEDIC SECTION
Cox, E. Carter, H. Carter, W. M. Crocker, E. M. Dyer, Jno. Davis, B. M. Davenport, Jos. Espy, J. H. English, Thomas Edge, W. M. Fincher, A. V. Ford, C. Green, R. S. Glasgow, V. A. C. Harbin, J. N. Hendricks, Eli Hub- bard, J. T. Holtzclaw, W. D. Hawkins, T. J. Harris, J. V. Huff, R. Jackson, D. J. Kenney, W. M. King, J. A. Lyons, J. D. Lynch, W. A. Martin, D. A. Mil- ler, Eli Miller, A. P. Milam, T. Ma- roney, W. Nelson, P. M. Nelson, R. F. Patman, F. M. Penson, W. D. Penson, W. Phelps, W. C. D. Phelps, J. L. Reese, J. J. Reese, Isaac Ramsey, H. A. Roe, W. T. Selman, J. J. Smith, W. T. Strickland, Charles Snow, W. R. Ship- ley, R. Sherwood, Jno. Talley, T. J. Wortham, F. M. Watters, J. W. Wat- ters, S. B. Worthington, J. H. Worth- ington, C. Worthington, Robt. Worth- ington, John Worthington, Jack Worth- ington, Samuel Worthington, G. B. Whitehead, F. W. Young, T. V. Young, S. H. Zuber, J. B. Zuber, J. L. Gravit, Jim Webb.
HARBIN HOSPITAL .- This insti- tution, of which Rome is justly proud, was established in 1908 with twelve beds by Drs. Robt. Maxwell Harbin and William Pickens Harbin, brothers. In 1917 a new fireproof 40-bed, four- story structure was opened, and the original building was converted into a nurses' dormitory. This dormitory, by the way, was once occupied as a resi- dence by Henry W. Grady, who brought his bride there from Athens. It is lo- cated at the southeast corner of Third Avenue and East First Street, directly opposite the First Presbyterian church ; and beside it on Third Avenue is the hospital proper.
In 1920 three additional stories and other enlargements were added to the main building, raising the bed capacity to 75, and making in all a seven-story building. The architects were R. S. Pringle and the late W. T. Downing, of Atlanta, with M. J. Sturm, hospital architect of Chicago, as consultant, and the concrete engineers were Spiker & Lose, of Atlanta.
The building is a marvel of sturdi- ness, architectural beauty and com- pleteness, and is highly symbolic of the character of work performed by the staff. It contains every modern im- provement and convenience, such as vapor heating and electric light signal systems, silent calls, running hot and cold water in every room, linoleum on cement floors in corridors, naiseless closing doors, three complete operating rooms, large sun parlors on three
floors, private telephone exchange with telephones in private rooms, etc. The safety gate elevator runs from base- ment to roof garden. The kitchens are models of cleanliness and the cuisine is in charge of an expert.
The structure represents practically all the savings from hospital income and professional fees during the life of the owners, with obligations to last five or ten years, and the idea of serv- ice to patients has been put ahead of the idea of material gain. Romans who understand the spirit of the insti- tation are as proud of it as of any- thing that Rome boasts.
Disinterested opinions, however, are even more convincing. The 1922 re- port of the American College of Sur- geons on hospital standardization places the Harbin Hospital among three others in Georgia which stood the test conducted in 1921. The others were the Georgia Baptist and Grady hospitals in Atlanta and the hospital of the Medical Department of the Uni- versity of Georgia at Augusta.
Harbin Hospital was given a rating of 100% at the first inspection, and Dr. Franklin D. Martin, director general of the American College of Surgeons, wrote as follows from Chicago under date of Dec. 27, 1921:
"You are aware of the fact, no doubt, that your hospital appears on the 1921 list of hospitals meeting the minimum standard of the College. This recog- nition by the College is, we feel, a well deserved one. Hospital stand. ardization, in essence, is the desire for welfare of the patient felt by the com- bined medical and hospital professions -a desire put into action and made practicable. Your splendid work and the fruits of it, which are apparent in your community, must afford you more gratification than the stamp of our approval ever ean. However, it gives us real pleasure to recognize and to commemorate the stand for better hos- pital service which you have made.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.