USA > Georgia > Chatham County > Savannah > A history of Savannah and South Georgia, Volume I > Part 49
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"That Friday next. the fourth of July, be solemnized as a day of public mourning on which the banks, stores, shops, offices, etc., shall be closed, and the citizens shall abstain from their usual employments. That vessels in port and public houses display their flags at halfmast throughout the day, bells of the different churches, the Exchange and Academy, be slowly tolled from five to seven o'clock in the morning, during the forming and moving of the procession and from six to seven o'clock in the afternoon. That seventy-eight minute guns, correspond- ing with the age of the deceased patriot, be fired in the morning, begin- ing at sunrise, and the same number in the afternoon, beginning seventy- eight minutes before sunset. That minute guns be fired from the Revenue Cutter 'Crawford,' Captain Fatio, from the time the procession shall move until the services in the churches shall have begun. That a national salute be fired at Oglethorpe Barracks by the United States Artillery under the command of Major Wade, immediately after the procession shall have been dismissed. That the Reverend Clergy; the Magistracy and other officers of the United States, the State and the City, and Consuls. and other foreign officers, the Free and Accepted Masons, and Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Union Society, and all other organized societies; teachers and their respective pupils, the United States troops, the Second Volunteer Corps of this City, the of- ficers of the army and navy, and Revenue Marine and militia, soldiers of the Revolution, pilots, masters of vessels, their officers and crews, and the citizens generally, join, and they are earnestly invited to join, in the procession. A procession will be formed at ten o'clock on that day at the Exchange. under the direction of Francis M. Stone, Esq., chief Marshal, with the aid of six Assistant Marshals. The United States troops and volunteer companies of the City of Savannah will constitute the escort, commanded by Colonel White. The order will be as follows: The escort, Chief Marshal, Standard of the United States, the orator and Committee of Arrangements, the Reverend Clergy, Judges and officers of the Superior Court, Justices and officers of the Inferior Court and Court of Ordinary, Judge and officers of the Court of Common Pleas and Oyer and Terminer, the Mayor and Aldermen. and all officers deriv-' ing their appointments from the city, Justices of the Peace, foreign con- suls and officers, the Collector and other officers of the Customs, Officers and Soldiers of the Revolution, Officers of the Revenue Marine, Officers of the militia, the Union Society, the Medical Society, the Library So- ciety, the Hibernian Society, the St. Andrew's Society, the German Friendly Society, the Georgia Historical Society, the Catholic Temper- ance Society, the Mechanics Temperance Society. the Agricultural Society, Georgia Chapter No. 3 and Masonic Lodges of Savannah, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the United Ancient Order of Druids, teachers of public schools and their pupils, the pilots of the port of Savan- nah, Captains and officers of vessels and marines ( the last in blue jack- ets and white trousers) in a dress corresponding as readily therewith
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as circumstances will admit. headed by the Harbor Master. Citizens, teachers and their pupils will assemble in Johnson Square and join the procession when moving at the intersection of St. Julian and Drayton streets. The procession will march down the Bay to Drayton street, up Drayton street to South Broad [now Oglethorpe avenue], and up South Broad. It is respectfully recommended that the Mayor, Aldermen, civil offieers and citizens appear in black or dark-colored suits; that the staves of the Marshals. Sheriff and attending officers be surmounted with blaek ribbons. the banners of the military and societies be mourned, that all who unite in the procession be distinguished by some appropriate badge of mourning, and that the ladies and female children who may attend the delivery of the eulogium wear white dresses with blaek rib- bons, or black dresses.
"RICHARD WAYNE, Treasurer,
"R. G. GUERARD, Secretary.'
SHEFTALL SHEFTALL, OLD REVOLUTIONARY SOLDIER
Another instance of the proper treatment of a hero who had re- garded the time spent in the service of his country as the best period of his life oeeurred in the case of a survivor of the Continental Army in the War of the Revolution. Sheftall Sheftall the son of Mordecai Shef- tall, of the family coming to Georgia with the first Jewish settlers, was a soldier of the Revolution, and died at an advanced age in the year 1855. He was so proud of his having lived during the struggle of the colonies for independenee and of his having taken a part in the suc- cessful confliet that until his death he wore no other outer clothing than the Continental uniform. In the year 1841 the city council, in regard for his services to the cause and respecting him as a most worthy eitizen took the following laudable action : "It appearing to Couneil that Sheftall Sheftall, Esq., one of the oldest citizens of Savannah and a relic of the Revolution, a pensioner of the United States government for services rendered in the War of the Revolution, is in arrears for taxes due the city.
"Resolved, That all back taxes be remitted and the Treasurer di- reeted not to require any returns of taxes during his life; and
"Resolved further, That Sheftall Sheftall be and hereby is entitled to all the privileges of a citizen in every respect the same as if his taxes had been returned and paid into the City Treasury.
That old soldier died on the 15th of August, 1847. and was buried the next day. In announcing his death the Georgian gave a sketch of his life which is well worth preserving. It is from the paper of the 16th :
"A REVOLUTIONARY SOLDIER GONE
"The lapse of years has left among the living but few of the vener- able men whose fortune it was to witness the stirring times of our Revo- lutionary War, and to take part in giving birth to our young Republic. Wherever they have survived. however, they have always been objects of public notice. esteem. and affection. For many years past in our own community, lingering among us like a saered leaf from a departed sum-
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mer, distinguished by his 'Knee-Breeches' and his 'Coeked-Hat,' in the person of Sheftall Sheftall. Esq., was recognized one of the soldiers of the Revolution. Born in Savannah eighty-five years ago, his fate has ever been identified with her's. Here he partook of all the intense ex- eitement which attended its approach ; and here he joined the Continental Army and linked his individual destiny with that of his suffering, strug- gling country. He shared the dangers and withstood the horrors attend- ant upon the bloody siege of Savannah, and fought side by side with men whose names are now historic. It was in the surrender of this eity that he was taken prisoner by the British, and was eonfined for six months upon the prisonship at this port and at Charleston, during which time he suffered much from hardship and mal-treatment. From Charleston he was taken to the West Indies where he was permitted to return to Philadelphia on his parole of honor. He was subsequently sent to Charleston, with a flag of truce, to take money for the relief of the American prisoners there. He held the appointment of Assistant Commissary in the Army.
"After the close of the Revolutionary War he continued to live in this eity which, in fact. he never left exeept during the period of his imprisonment and white it remained in the hands of the English. He was admitted to the Bar in Camden County shortly after the war, and was the oldest lawyer in the State. For a number of years he held the responsible office of Justice of the Peace. under appointment from the Governor; an office in which so much can be done for the good or injury of society. Out of near twenty thousand eases which he tried there was not one in which his decision was reversed. His uneeasing effort was to prevent unnecessary litigation, and to do justice between parties fully and fearlessly.
"For seven years past his health has been growing exceedingly feeble. For the last one or two his venerable form has been missed from its aeeustomed place in his piazza, and the time has at last come for him to depart. So long identified with Savannah, having been acquainted with all whose names are connected with her history, possessed, even in advaneed age and siekness. of a most extraordinary memory, he will be greatly missed by our citizens. He will go to his tomb respeeted by all. May he rest in peace."
The respeet mentioned in the above was feelingly shown as will be seen from the annexed aceonnt of the funeral in the same paper of Tuesday, August 17th. 1847: "The funeral of our late venerable fellow citizen, Sheftall Sheftall. Esq., was yesterday attended by numbers of our citizens ; escorted to the grave by the Georgia Hussars and the Volun- teer Corps composing the First Regiment. under the command of Major Lewis. The last volley was fired over the grave of the soldier of a pre- vious century by the Chatham Light Artillery, of which corps he was an honorary member."
ARMORY OF CHATHAM ARTILLERY
. It was only a few days after, that the historie military organization named in the last sentence of the record just given laid the corner-stone
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of a new armory on the spot where the old quarters of the same com- pany stood. It was then that the building known as Armory Hall was started, and the corner-stone was laid by William Thorne Williams on the 7th of September. 1847. The company formed on the bay at five o'clock in the afternoon, and marched to Wright square and were ad- dressed by James Preston, Esq., before the stone was deposited in its place. Beneath the stone was placed a miniature portrait in oil of Gen. George Washington, said to be a copy of the Stuart picture. Mr. J. M. Jones contributed a breast plate or clasp of 1786, on which were in- scribed the words
"Chatham Artillery 1786. J. M. Jones, Savannah."
On the same lot the Chatham Artillery had, up to that time, occu- pied the upper floor of a building built by the city of which the lower floor was used as a fire engine house. The lot was, in 1807, leased to the company for ten years, at a nominal rent of $1.00, for a gun house, laboratory and workshop. and the term of occupancy began in the course of that year, and in 1810 the city built the brick addition in which the engine was placed and the military company found quarters above the engine room. In 1816 the lease which was about to expire was renewed for a term of twenty-one years, and, at the expiration of that time it was again renewed, the last renewal expiring on the 20th of February, 1845, when the city granted the tract (three-quarters of lot letter E, Percival ward) to the company in fee simple. Finally, on the 20th of June, 1857, council ordained that "the eastern part of lot letter E, Percival Ward, and the improvements thereon, known as the Armory Building, and belonging to the Chatham Artillery, be and the same are hereby exempt from city taxation while the same is used by the afore- said company for military purposes." *
VISIT OF EX-PRESIDENT POLK
The people of Savannah were again, in 1849, eager to show respect to a notable character who honored the city with his presence, and, as usual, the military display was easily the dominating feature of the imposing ceremonies of the occasion which was the visit of ex-President J. K. Polk. His arrival in the evening of March 10th had been antici- pated, and everything was done to make him feel that he was among friends. Council appointed a committee composed of aldermen Robert H. Griffin. Solomon Cohen and Joseph Story Fay to meet the honored guest at Charleston and escort him to this city, giving him at meeting
* Since the foregoing was written the property has been sold by the company.
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the official invitation to partake of its hospitality. The party came in the steamer "General Clinch," and was met by Mayor Richard Wayne and his board of aldermen and a committee of twenty-one citizens. The Chatham Artillery, waiting on the bluff near the gas house welcomed him with a salute from their guns. With the ex-president were his wife. nieces, and Robt. J. Walker, ex-secretary of the treasury. On landing the party received a salute from the battalion comprising the Georgia Hussars, Lieutenant Blois; the Republican Blues, Capt. John W. Anderson; the Savannah Volunteer Guards. Capt. Cosmo P. Rich- ardsone; the Irish Jasper Greens, Captain Wylly; the German Volun- teers, Capt. J. H. Stegin; and the Phoenix Riflemen. Capt. W. H. C. Mills, after which they proceeded to the Pulaski House where Mr. Polk was to be quartered during his stay. It was nine o'clock when he arrived, but a reception was held at Armory Hall which did not last long, owing to the lateness of the hour. The next day being Sunday. Mr. Polk and party attended services at the Independent Presbyterian church in the morning. and at Christ church in the afternoon. The Republican Blues acted as escort on the departure of the guests, accom- panying them to the Central Railroad depot where they took the cars for Macon. Mr. Polk died just three months after his visit to Savannah, and the city council chamber was draped in mourning for sixty days, and the people were asked to wear crape for the same length of time.
DANIEL WEBSTER, CITY'S GUEST
Two years before the visit of Mr. Polk the great statesman, Daniel Webster, was a guest of the city, arriving on the twenty-fifth of May, 1847. accompanied by his wife and Miss Seaton. Mr. Webster was publicly received at the foot of the monument to Gen. Nathanael Greene in Johnson square, and during his short stay two public dinners were given him-one by the citizens and the other by the bar. He departed on Friday, the 28th, for Charleston.
HONORS TO JOHN C. CALHOUN AND ZACHARY TAYLOR
On the 11th of April. 1850, the death of John C. Calhoun was an- nounced, and the minutes of council record the fact that the members of that body had "received with the deepest regret the intelligence of the death of Hon. John C. Calhoun, and mourn over him as over one whose lofty genius and impassioned patriotism are unsurpassed in the history of our country. and whose long and illustrious career from its auspi- cious beginning to its glorions close is the property of the whole Amer ican people, but the peculiar treasure of the South in whose services he sacrificed his life" and it was resolved that the council chamber be draped in mourning for thirty days, and the citizens were invited to put on the badge of grief.
On the 8th of August in the same year. shortly after receipt of the news of the death of President Zachary Taylor, council as well as the citizens generally showed their feelings in a manner which forbids the suggestion of any laek of appreciation of his services to the country.
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The Georgian of the 7th gave this full account of the manner in which his memory was to be honored :
"The joint committee of citizens and the Mayor and Aldermen, ap- pointed to adopt suitable measures for the solemn commemoration of the death of General Zachary Taylor. late President of the United States, and for paying tributes of respect to his memory, announce the follow- ing as the ceremony and arrangements for the occasion. Francis S. Bartow, Esq., will deliver a eulogy on the public life and character of the deceased. on Thursday, the eighth of August. at the new Methodist church in St. James square [now Telfair Place]. A procession will be formed at ten o'clock on the morning of that day,. on Bay street, in front of the Exchange, under the direction of Win. W. Oates, Esq., as Marshal, with four assistants.
"The volunteer Companies of the City will constitute the escort. under the direction of Lieutenant Colonel William F. Law, and will be formed in line, the right resting on Barnard street, displaying west. The Chatham Artillery, Lieutenant [John R.] Wilder. will fire minute guns during the march of the procession to the number of sixty-six. the age of the deceased. At sunset they will fire a national salute. The colors of the shipping in port, and at all publie places will be hoisted at half-mast during the day. The bells of all the churches will be tolled during the march of the procession, and again for half an hour at sunset. All standards and banners carried in the procession to be in mourning. The committee requests that all the banks and pub- lic offices be shut during the day, and that the citizens elose their places of business from ten o'clock until the termination of the ceremonies. The order of the procession will be as follows:
"The Escort of Volunteer Companies Chief Marshal The Standard of the United States The Orator and Committee of Arrangements The Reverend Clergy-Teachers of Publie Schools The Mayor and Aldermen and their Officers Judges and Officers of the Superior Court Justice of the Inferior Court and their Officers
Judges of Court of Common Pleas and Over and Terminer and Officers Magistrates and Officers of the City and County-Foreign Consuls Officers of the United States Collector and Officers of the Customs Military and Naval Officers of the United States Brigadier-General of the First Brigade and Staff Major of Cavalry and Staff. Field, Staff. and Company Officers First Regiment The Union Society. The Medical Society. The Library Society. The Hibernian Society. The St. Andrew's Society. The German Friendly Society. The Georgia Historical Society. The Irish Union Society. Temperance Societies.
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"All the Societies not specified-The Worshipful Deputy, Grand Master and Masonic Lodges of Savannah. The several Lodges of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. Captains and Officers of Vessels in Port. Marines in uniform dress. Citizens. The Oglethorpe and Wash- ington Fire Companies will form the rear of the Procession. The vari- ous .Societies, Associations. Public Bodies, Officers and all others named. and the Citizens generally are requested to consider this as the invitation of the Committee to unite in the procession without further notice. Route of the Procession-Down Bay Street to Whitaker, up Whitaker to South Broad street [now Oglethorpe Avenue], up South Broad street to Bar- nard Street to St. James Square, fronting the church. Returning, down Barnard street to Broughton street, down Broughton street to Bull street, down Bull street to Bay street.
"Committee of Arrangement: R. R. Cuyler, W. Thorne Williams, F. S. Bartow, William Law, W. P. White, W. B. Fleming, J. L. Locke, Alderman J. Lippman, Robt. Habersham, E. J. Harden, A. R. Lawton, Chas. S. Henry, Geo. Schley, R. D. Arnold, Alderman R. H. Griffin, Alderman M. Cumming."
The programme was carried out as arranged.
CHAPTER XXXIII
PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS AND NOTED EVENTS
MAKESHIFT CUSTOM HOUSES-PRESENT BUILDING COMPLETED IN 1850- FORSYTH PARK-ATLANTIC COAST LINE RAILROAD SYSTEM-WEL- COME TO MILLARD FILLMORE-ANOTIIER YELLOW FEVER EPIDEMIC (1854)-STORM ADDS TERRORS TO EPIDEMIC-RESULTANT SANITARY MEASURES-SWANNAHI BENEVOLENT ASSOCIATION-SAVANNAH'S PUB- LIC SCHOOL SYSTEM-THE MASSIE POOR SCHOOL FUND-THE MASSIE COMMON SCHOOL-BOARD OF PUBLIC EDUCATION ORGANIZED (1866).
Notwithstanding the great amount of business transacted in Savan- nah, the city had no custom house worthy of being so-called until 1850. We have seen it recorded that the first building of the sort was little more than a hut, but the records fail to give its loeation.
MAKE-SHIFT CUSTOM HOUSES
What has been known to an older generation as "Commercial Row," owned by Mr. Robert Bolton, and situated just a little to the west of the City Hall, served the purposes of the government in that line from the time it was built in 1789 until the goverment erected a small brick building on Bryan street about the centre of the bloek on the north side between Bull and Drayton, and that was the Custom House until its destruction by fire in 1820 when the government transacted the business of entering and elearing vessels in a rented portion of the old City Exchange, now the location of our new and up-to-date City Hall.
PRESENT BUILDING COMPLETED IN 1850
In 1848 the old lot was sold with the ruins of the enstom honse heaped upon it to the, Georgia Historical Society, and the United States shortly thereafter began the erection of the present custom house on the sonth- east corner of Bay and Bull streets. It was planned by Mr. JJohn S. Norris, and was finished in 1850. The Custom House finished that year was two years in building. The cornerstone was laid July 18, 1848, with appropriate ceremonies, and an interesting address was made to an attentive audience by the Hon. Henry R. Jackson. In this building the United States distriet and eirenit courts were held until the new post -.
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office was erected in the year 1898, in which building ample room was provided for court purposes.
FORSYTH PARK
Savannah's first park was laid out in 1851 through the suggestion of Mr. William Brown Hodgson, who even went so far as to have, at his own expense a temporary fence placed around the land as a begin- ning of the efforts he made to induce the city authorities to set apart a place of recreation for the people. Slowly did council act upon the sug- gestion which was made some time before the year 1851. When the necessary action was taken to enclose it properly the name of John Forsyth of Georgia. then minister to Spain, was given to. the park. It was for a long time enclosed with an ornamental iron fence which was afterwards removed and it is now entirely open on all sides.
ATLANTIC COAST LINE RAILROAD SYSTEM
In 1853 the railroad which now forms a part of the Atlantic Coast Line system had its origin in the formation of a company called the Savannah & Albany Railroad Company. Dr. James P. Sereven was largely interested in it, and it is conceded that he was the first to sug- gest its founding. He was its first president, and, at his death, his worthy son and a most admirable citizen Jolm Sereven became his sueeessor. Its name was changed in 1854 to the Savannah, Albany & Gulf Railroad, and later still to the Savannah, Florida & Western Railroad. A still later change took it into the Plant System by which it lost entirely its separate name, and now it is only known as a portion of the Atlantie Coast Line Railway.
WELCOME TO MILLARD FILLMORE
In 1854 another ex-president of the United States visited the eity. and the people turned out in large numbers to welcome the Hon. Millard Fillmore.
The Georgian of Friday, April 21, thus. announced the event : "It is announced in another column that Ex-President Fillmore will arrive here this evening at half past five o'clock and remain over Sunday. The Ex-President is accompanied by the Honorable John P. Kennedy. A deputation from the Committee of Arrangements will depart on this morning's train to meet the Ex-President and suite at Griffin's Dinner House, on the Central Railroad. On his arrival at the Railroad Depot here he will be formally welcomed by the Mayor and Aldermen, and the Committee of Reception, followed by a salute of thirty-one guns from the Chatham Artillery. The reception ceremonies will take place in the extensive warehouse of the Central Railroad, after which the distin- guished guest and suite will be honored by a civie and military escort to quarters provided at the Pulaski House. During the sojourn of the guests, a complimentary ball, at St. Andrew's Hall, and an excursion to Fort Pulaski are contemplated."
"Tuesday, April 25th .- Ex-President Fillmore in Savannah :- At the time we write the Ex-President and Suite, accompanied by a select
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party of our fellow citizens, are going down the river, to view Fort Pulaski, and other places of interest, on board the beautiful Steamer 'Seminole.' On Saturday, in company with Savannah gentlemen, he visited Bonaventure.# On Sunday morning he attended Christ church Reverend Bishop Elliott officiating. In the afternoon he attended the Independent Presbyterian Church, and listened to a sermon from Rev- erend Chas. Rogers, in the absence of the Pastor. Reverend Doctor Pres- ton. In the evening he attended the Unitarian Church, Reverend Jolm Pierpont, Jr., to which denomination we believe he is attached as a member. Yesterday from ten to eleven o'clock a public levee was held at the Pulaski House. The citizens without distinction paid their re- spects to the Ex-President. At eleven o'clock. by invitation of Captain Hardie, Mr. Fillmore and suite visited the steamship 'Keystone State.' He was welcomed by a salute of twenty-one guns. Afterwards the Steamer 'Seminole' was placed at his disposal-the Ex-President and his friends viewing the scenery down the river. Dinner followed, and many toasts were enjoyed on board the .Seminole.' The boat returned to the ยท city at an early hour of the evening, in time to attend the ball, where there was a large gathering. On Tuesday morning the party departed for Charleston accompanied by several citizens."
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