July Meeting to Convene at Eton
THE July meeting of the Historical Society will be held on Sun., July 18, 2:30 p.m. at the Eton City Hall. “Little” Charlie Pannell will be sharing stories about his father “Big” Charlie Pannell. Charles Pannell, Sr. served as mayor of Eton, county attorney, member of the Ga. Pardon and Parole Board, State Senator, & Judge of the Georgia State of Appeals.
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Next Meeting Is Sun., March. 14
OUR next meeting will be Sunday, March 14 at the newly renovated Dalton freight depot on South Depot Street. Our featured guest speaker will be Charles Bowen. Mr. Bowen served as the principal of Dalton High from 1946-1968 & as the Dalton Public Schools superintendent from 1968-1975. Make plans to attend this event as Mr. Bowen shares his memories & an interesting history of Dalton schools. The meeting starts at 2:30 p.m.
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Blunt House Christmas Tour
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The historic Blunt House, the second oldest house in Dalton built in 1848, is currently being readied for the annual Christmas tour Friday , December 4th from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m. and Saturday, December 5th from 2 p.m. to5 p.m. Tickets will be$10 each and may be obtained at Crown Gardens, from Whitfield-Murray Historical Society members, or at the door. The Blunt house, home of Dalton’s first mayor, Ainsworth Emery Blunt, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It was occupied solely by the Blunt family for 130 years.
The decorations will be done from mainly live greenery and will include Christmas books, decorations, boxes, and toys found in the house. The decorations will not be set in one era, for the Blunt family lived in the house from 1848 until 1978. Most of the Christmas items are from the 1930s to the1960s. Victorian era “fringe”cards belonging to the family will be on display as will clothing outfits not usually on display.
Recently, the Reece McWilliams family toured the house. Reece and his wife Ann both from South Carolina; grandson Nixon McWilliams and his wife Mary from Atlanta, and nephew Oliver and his wife Jeanette from Daytona, Florida. They are descendents of Ainsworth Emery Blunt and his first wife Harriett through their daughter Martha and her husband Benjamin Morse. Reece grew up in a house on Thornton Avenue across from where the First Baptist Church is now standing. The exciting news is they brought the historical society a silhouette of Harriet Ellsworth , Mr. Blunt's first wife who was born in Vermont and came to Brainerd Mission with her brother and his wife. She was there when Mr. Blunt arrived at the mission in 1822. They married and had five children together at Brainard: The Blunt House was actually being built for she and Mr. Blunt to live in, but she died before it was completed.The historical society has never seen or heard of a likeness of any type of Harriett. The living descendents of she and Mr. Blunt’s son, John, do not have any type of picture or likeness of her. The silhouette has the name Harriett Blunt written at the bottom ,in old ink, in an old style of cursive. She looks young and pretty. Oliver says he believes there is an actual picture of Harriett in the possession of another family member, and he will send a copy when it is located.
The historical society plans to have the house open every Friday and Saturday starting the middle of January. It will be open on request until then.
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Jack Bandy Delights Guests/ Georgia Women of Achievement Exhibit Now on Display
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Jack Bandy, humanitarian and business leader, was guest speaker at the November 17 meeting of the Whitfield-Murray Historical Society held in the Brown Center of Dalton State College. Mr. Bandy delighted a large crowd at the event. Mr. Bandy grew up hearing about the bedspread industry from his parents, Dicksie Bradley Bandy and Burl J. Bandy. Mr. Bandy recently founded the Heritage Center at Dalton State College to preserve the Northwest Georgia’s industrial, Civil War, and native American histories.
An exhibit from the Georgia Women of Achievement was on display during the meeting. Georgia Women of Achievement is a non-profit organization founded in 1990 by First Lady, Rosalyn Carter, and the first induction ceremony was in 1992. Nominations come from individuals and from organizations. The nominee must have been deceased for at least 10 years; be a native or clearly identified with Georgia; have made exceptional contributions in her field of endeavor; and inspire others to make use of their talents. Dalton is fortunate to have two area ladies so honored.
Jack Bandy's mother Dicksie Bradley Bandy has been recognized as a Woman of Achievement. Dicksie Bandy (born in Bartow County in 1890) and her husband, Burl J. Bandy, began buying chenille bedspreads during the Great Depression from local hand tufters and marketed them in northern cities. Primarily a female industry at first, women were given much needed jobs during the depression. The tufted fabric industry became the economic salvation of Dalton and Northwest Georgia.The business later became a vital part of the international textile and carpet industry. As their business prospered, the Bandys bought and developed industrial sites in Dalton, Rome, Cartersville, and Ellijay. As she achieved success in the business world, Dicksie turned her efforts to the public good. She was the first moving spirit in the Dalton Regional Library and chief fund-raiser for the Dalton Salvation Army. She and her children donated the intensive-care unit of the Dalton Hospital. Mindful of the Cherokee Nation’s suppression by the state and federal governments, Dicksie led the successful effort to restore the Chief Vann House in Spring Place. Dicksie was inducted into the Georgia Women of Achievement in 1993, not only for these achievements but also for her energy and skill in initiating the industrial recovery of Northwest Georgia and encouraging women to enter the business world.
In March of 2001, Catherine Evans Whitener, born in a Whitfield County farmhouse in 1880, was also inducted into the Georgia Women of Achievement. She began a cottage industry hand tufting chenille bedspreads. Even during the Great Depression, women making bedspreads offered not only a source of income, but also a source of hope for the people of Northwest Georgia. Whitener brought the state and this area untold wealth and opened doors for countless women who entered the business world to find their own success in manufacturing, sales, and support industries.
The Trustees of Georgia Women of Achievement believe that the history of Georgia and the part played by women is of prime concern today and for the future. The community is invited to learn more about these two remarkable women at the Whitfield-Murray Historical Society's headquarters, Crown Gardens & Archives where the Georgia Women of Achievement exhibit will be on display until Christmas.
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Volunteers are vital to our success. Recently, workers installed donated ceiling fans and lights in one of the Archives' rooms. Others have been painting, cleaning out the attic, grooming flower beds, and installing new drain pipes.
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Dot Seaton recently dropped by the Archives to see her peacock collection on display. Thanks, Dot, for sharing your peacocks! If you haven't seen the collection please stop by and see it. Members, if you have a collection that you would like to share please let us know!
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Begun in the 1840's, Hall's Chapel served northern Murray County as both a church and school for well over a century. The July 19th meeting of the Historical Society looked at the rich history of Hall's Chapel and the surrounding community. Erik Gallman spoke on everything from church services and Sunday School to the adventures of mischievious students, fire, witches, and murder! Artifacts and photos were on display and former students of the school were also on hand for the discussion.
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