And Georgia's First Democratic Governor After The Civil War?

In the political turmoil that followed the Civil War, Georgia's first Republican Governor, Rufus Bullock, was charged with all kinds of scandals. He resigned as governor and left the state. At that point Benjamin F. Conley, of Augusta, an old ally of Bullock and President of the Senate, assumed the governorship. Whereupon, the Democrats passed a law calling for a special election in December 1871. The Democrats nominated James Milton Smith, the newly elected Speaker of the House, and when the Republican nominee declined to run, Smith became the first Democrat governor after the Civil War.

This is where Gainesville gets involved. James M. Smith was a lawyer from Columbus, and he rose to the rank of Colonel in the Confederate Army early. He resigned from the army in December, 1863, and became a Georgia delegate to the Confederate Congress. After the war he was elected to the Georgia legislature, and became Speaker of the House. From that position he became Georgia's first Democratic governor after the Civil War in 1872 to fill the unexpired term of Republican Governor Bullock. Smith was reelected governor and served till 1877. Meanwhile Governor Bullock, still facing charges for involvement in scandals, returned to face trial and was found not guilty.

After serving in Atlanta as governor, James M. Smith became judge of the Superior Court, Chattahoochee District. If you will go visit Alta Vista Cemetery in Gainesville, you can find a historic marker that says two Georgia governors are buried in that famous old burial ground. One is James Milton Smith ... the first Democratic governor who succeeded Georgia's first two Republican governors - 130 years ago.

This is Gordon Sawyer, from a window on historic Green Street.