Put your hand in a bucket of water. Pull it out. Whatever kind of hole it leaves is the kind of hole you’ll leave when you leave here.
The above wisdom, which I wish I had first spoken, is what I thought about when I was asked to write a column dealing with influential Georgians-whether presently or “all-time,” I do not know.
I do not mean to denigrate or “cut short” any presently prominent Georgian. I’ve been there, myself—actually called publicly, on several occasions, “one of Georgia’s most influential people.” But, there also have been several years since I “pulled my hand out of the bucket of water”, and I have seen the kind of hole I left since I departed presumed prominence. Today, I wouldn’t make any list—for “all time” or even for the present.
Let me back up. Mother gave me a little money for Christmas in 2004, and I used part of it to make a purchase from a local antique store. What I bought was a large framed print entitled “Portraits of Illustrious Georgians” with the subtitle, “A series of paintings by Lewis Crumley Gregg on permanent exhibition in the banking quarters of the Trust Company of Georgia, Atlanta.” Unfortunately, no date.
Frankly, what to do with my “gift,” I did not know. Still, I was rather proud of it, and ended up hanging it in our barn at our place out on Marshallville Road in Perry. It and Dr. Martin Luther King are both Nobel Peace Prize winners. Ted Turner pioneered with cable television. Senator Richard Russell was a giant in the United States Senate. Don’t be surprised if Sam Nunn is a future Nobel Prize winner. Carl Sanders put Georgia on the correct course when he was Governor. Former Governor Zell Miller gave Georgia Hope and lots of people hope.
Then there are our many outstanding entertainers and sports heroes? Ray Charles, Bobby Jones and Ty Cobb come to mind. We have titans of business including, Coca-Cola’s Mr. Robert Woodruff, and founders of Home Depot, Arthur Blank and Bernard Marcus.
Also, outstanding writers including Margaret Mitchell, author of Gone With The Wind. And, of course, there are modern politicians like Georgia’s first Republican Governor was not of the quality to hang in my office or our home, but I’m glad I bought it, and I like to look at it even though it is waterstained on the bottom.
How many of you know who know who William Harris Crawford was? What about Josiah Meigs? And then there is Lucius Quintus Cincinattus Lamar (now there is a name for you!). And what about Rebecca Latimer Felton? Tomochichi and Tooanahowi? It’s not getting much easier, is it?
There are nineteen Georgians depicted on the print and include some better knowns such as General James Edward Oglethorpe, Rev. John Wesley, Sidney Lanier, Joel Chandler Harris, Alexander Stephens and Eli Whitney.
Obviously, my print is very old. Whether sixty years or eighty years or how many years, I do not know. But, I know it is old lest it include more recent and perhaps even more “Illustrious” Georgians.
Who would be included on a current print of illustrious Georgians and how many of Mr. Gregg’s selectees would still make the list? Intriguing question for Georgia history buffs, isn’t it? Incidentally, Webster defines “illustrious” as “notably or brilliantly outstanding because of dignity or achievements or actions.” Does that make it any easier?
Let’s briefly mention some modern-day influential Georgians. Some of these probably are featured in other articles in this issue of James.
Former President, Jimmy Carter and Dr. Martin Luther King are both Nobel Peace Prize winners. Ted Turner pioneered with cable television. Senator Richard Russell was a giant in the United States Senate. Don’t be surprised if Sam Nunn is a future Nobel Prize winner. Carl Sanders put Georgia on the correct course when he was Governor. Former Governor Zell Miller gave Georgia Hope and lots of people hope.
Then there are our many outstanding entertainers and sports heroes? Ray Charles, Bobby Jones and Ty Cobb come to mind. We have titans of business including, Coca-Cola’s Mr. Robert Woodruff, and founders of Home Depot, Arthur Blank and Bernard Marcus. Also, outstanding writers including Margaret Mitchell, author of Gone With The Wind.
And, of course, there are modern politicians like Georgia’s first Republican Governor since Reconstruction, Sonny Perdue, and Georgia’s present outstanding Governor, Nathan Deal. Roy Barnes, when he was Governor, led the effort to change Georgia’s flag. That was big. And, what about former State House Speaker, Tom Murphy, who for about twenty years had more political influence in Georgia than any other person.
Still, I’m thinking about the hand in the hole of water or perhaps I should say the hand pulled out of the hole of water. To better understand, let’s go back to my old print which, as I said, is appropriately hanging in my barn. Let’s take another look at Lewis Crumley Gregg’s print.
As to Mr. Gregg’s picks, perhaps General Oglethorpe and John Wesley would still make the cut. And there is Eli Whitney, but the cotton gin doesn’t seem to be as important in Georgia as it used to be. I’ll wager that only two or three of his 19 would still be included. Of course, all of this is dependent on who makes the selections.
I notice that the print says that the exhibition is on “permanent” display at Trust Company of Georgia in Atlanta. We know that’s not so. Actually, nothing is permanent, is it? Not even the place of “Great Georgians” on a list. Time and new people will replace even the greatest. This was brought home to me when viewing the many portraits hanging in the State Capitol. I’d wager that very few Georgians can identify many of those selected at one time by someone as being “illustrious.
William Harris Crawford was United States Treasurer and Ambassador to the Court of Napoleon. Josiah Meigs was the first President of the University of Georgia. Rebecca Latimer Felton was, at the time of the print, the only woman to become a United States Senator. Tomochichi was Chief of the Yamacraw Indians and friend of Oglethorpe’s colonists, and Tooanahowi was his nephew.
Do you want to know who all the nineteen are and what they were “illustrious” for? Well, if so, you’ll just have to come out to my farm and look for yourself. I hope you are interested. I’ll look forward to seeing you.
And, by the way, Lucius Quintus Cicinnattus Lamar was a member of Congress, a United States Senator, United States Secretary of the Interior and an Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court.
I’ll bet that most Georgians have never head of him. Have you?
This column also appears in the March/April print issue of James magazine.
