Untitled - the Digital Library of Georgia

318 GEORGIA AND GEORGIANS
hands of the British was his father, John Heard, an old man, who was on the point
of exhaustion, from hunger.
In the spring of 1780 Heard's Fort became temporarily the seat of the state
government in Georgia. Stephen Heard was at this time a member of the executive
council; and when Governor Howley left the state to attend the Continental Congress,
George Wells as president of the executive council succeeded him, while Stephen Heard
succeeded George Wells. The latter fell soon afterwards in a duel with James Jack
son, whereupon Stephen Heard, by virtue of his office, assumed the direction of
affairs. It was a period of great upheaval; and, to insure a place of safety for the
law-making power when Augusta was threatened, Stephen Heard transferred the
seat of government to Heard's Fort, in the County of Wilkes, where it remained
until Augusta was retaken by the Americans.
On the traditional site of Heard's Fort was built the famous old Heard House,
which was owned and occupied for years by Gen. B. W. Heard, a descendant of
Jesse Heard, one of the original pioneers. It stood on the north side of the court
house square, where it was afterwards used as a bank and where, on May 5, 1865,
was held the last meeting of the Confederate cabinet. Thus an additional wealth
of memories was bequeathed to Hoard's Fort, an asylum for two separate govern
ments pursued by enemies.
On April 25, 1779, the first court held in the up-country north of Augusta was
held at Hoard's Fort. There were three justices: Absalom Bedell, Benjamin Catch-
ings and William Downs. To this number Zachariah Lamar and James German were
subsequently added. Col. John Dooly was attorney for the state. Joseph Scott
Redden was sheriff, and Henry Mauadue, clerk of the court. For several years the
tribunal of justice was quartered in private dwellings. It was not until 1783 or later
that the county boasted a jail, and, during this period, prisoners were often tied with
hickory withes, OT fastened by the neck between fence rails. Juries often sat on logs
out of doors while deliberating upon verdicts. It is said that when Tories were
indicted, even on misdemeanors, they seldom escaped the hemp. Says Doctor Smith: *
'' Even after the war, when a man who was accused of stealing a horse from General
Clarke was acquitted by the jury, the old soldier arrested him and marched him to a
convenient tree and was about to hang him anyhow, wlien Nathaniel Peudleton, a
distinguished lawyer, succeeded in begging him off."
WASHINGTON.—On the site of Fort Heard arose in 1780 the present town of
Washington: the first town in the United States to be named for the commander-in-
chief of the American armies in the Eevolution. It was not until 1783 that Wash
ington was formally laid off; but the records show that during the year mentioned it
took the name of the illustrious soldier. Next in point of age to Washington,
Georgia, comes Washington, North Carolina, a town which was founded in 1782,
two full years later.
*"The Story of Georgia and the Georgia People," by Dr. George G. Smith,
pp. 137-138, Atlanta, 1900.