Oconee County Historical Society speaker for next meeting


Subject: speaker for next meeting



The Oconee County Historical Society and OCAF invites all those interested in learning more about our local Civil War history to come to a talk given by Sam Thomas, curator of the T.R.R. Cobb House on Monday February 21 at 7:00pm in the auditorium of the OCAF building in downtown Watkinsville. Mr. Thomas' talk brings to life the Athens Home Guard, known as Mitchell's Thunderbolts, a Civil War militia formed to protect the town and did so in their own unique style.

In 1863, with Georgia being threatened with a Union invasion from Tennessee many communities began to form their own local guard units to protect the towns in the case of attack. These militia groups were known as Home Guards and were generally made up of men either too old to serve in the regular army or those who could no longer serve and been discharged due to wounds, or young boys under the age of regular service (15 and under). Athens was no different. Confederate authorities and city officials knew that with the Cook & Brother Armory located in the city, Athens would eventually become a target of Union interest. Several Home Guard units were formed in Athens, but none became nearly as famous locally as did "Mitchell's Thunderbolts." The Thunderbolts were a 19th century version of the Keystone Kops.

Mr. Thomas holds both a BA and MA in History.  His past life includes 13 years as a tennis professional, author of numerous articles in journals and newspapers, and he is credited with seven books including, 1861-1864, and A Rising Star of Promise. .He describes himself as primarily a Civil War historian with Scotch-Irish culture and Southern culture as very close seconds. He is past-President of Georgia's Civil War Heartland Leaders Trail, an association of heritage tourism-based museums in northeastern and eastern Georgia. 
New officers for the historical society were elected in January.  The results were: President; Ben Jackson; Vice-President, Richard Pendergrass; Secretary/Treasurer, Peggy Sommer; Special Projects Chair, Lisa Douglas;  DAR liaison, Sheila Jackson;  Web Master, Ruth Pendergrass

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