Ed Jackson and Charles Pou

The University of Georgia

June 21

1740 From the Castillo de San Marcos, Spanish Gov. Manuel de Montiano totally rejected James Oglethorpe's ultimatum of the previous day demanding the surrender of St. Augustine and the fortress.

Montiano promised to fight to the end if necessary. Upon receipt of Montiano's reply, Oglethorpe directed his artillery on Anastasia Island in the harbor to resume firing at the town and fort. The siege of Florida's capital continued. Click here to view a map of the siege of St. Augustine.

1754 In London, the King and Council approved a new seal for Georgia to reflect its status as a royal colony. According to the language of the order, the seal's design would consist of "a figure, representing the Genius of the Colony, . . . offering a skein of silk to his Majesty, with the motto, 'Hinc landem spetate Coloni,' and around the circumference 'Sigillum Provinciae nostrae Georgiae in America.'"

On the reverse was King George II's arms, crown, garter, supporters, and motto, with the inscription, "Georgius II. Dei Gratia Magnae Britanniae Fr. et Hib Rex Fidei Defensor, Brunswici et Lunenbergi Dux, Sacri Romani Imperii Archi Thesaurarius et Elector."

1788 Ratification of the new U.S. Constitution was achieved when New Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify the document. [Click here to see record of state ratifications.] Georgia had ratified the Constitution on January 2, 1788.

1859 African-American artist Henry Ossawa Tanner was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Tanner, best known for his sensitive painting "The Banjo Lesson", later taught art at Clark College in Atlanta before immigrating to France to pursue his career in art.

1913 Prominent Atlanta attorney Reuben Arnold announced that he had joined Leo Frank's defense team. In his statement Arnold said he had reviewed all the evidence and was convinced of Frank's innocence, adding that he would not agree to represent him otherwise. While Arnold did not directly accuse Jim Conley of the murder of Mary Phagan, he did say Conley's story had no credence in regards to Frank then added: "I do not believe that any white man committed this crime." Click here for a detailed accounting of the case.

1915 One day before his term ended, Georgia Governor John M. Slaton commuted the death sentence of Leo Frank, who had been convicted of the death of Mary Phagan in a trial that violated most standards of due process and fairness.

Despite Slaton's commutation, on the night of August 16, a lynch mob broke into the Georgia State Prison at Milledgeville and seized Frank, taking him to Cobb County, where he was hanged.

1933 Governor Eugene Talmadge surrounded himself with a military guard ordered to prohibit any authorities from serving him with legal orders from any judge. Talmadge took this action after a federal judge had allowed deposed state highway board chairman J.W. Barnett to file an injunction challenging Talmadge's declaring martial law over the state highway department.

1959 Milwaukee Brave Hank Aaron hit three home runs in a single game – the seventh Braves player in franchise history to accomplish this feat.

1971 Atlanta-born Jerry Reid Hubbard had a recording that tops U.S. country music charts today. The song – "When You're Hot, You're Hot" – eventually earned this artist accolades as the top country song of 1971.

We know Jerry Reed not only for his music but for his co-starring with Burt Reynolds in the movie "Smokey and the Bandits".

1973 In the case of Paris Adult Theater v. Slaton, the U.S. Supreme Court overruled the Georgia Supreme Court's decision declaring that the theater had shown pornographic films.

1981 Wayne Williams was arrested and charged with murder of the last two victims in the Atlanta Child Murders case.

2005 After decades of legislative efforts to allow the North Fulton County community of Sandy Springs to incorporate as a city, the 2005 session of the Georgia General Assembly finally approved a bill to incorporate Sandy Springs subject to approval by voters in a referendum. On June 21, 2005, Sandy Springs voters overwhelmingly approved the referendum.

In Their Own Words on This Day. . .

1734 In his journal of Trustee proceedings, the Earl of Egmont wrote about the recent arrival of Tomochichi and other Yamacraw Indians, who were staying at James Oglethorpe's estate in Godalming, a Surrey County community about 35 miles southwest of London:

"Order given to bring Tomachaki [sic] and the Indians on Shipboard with him, to our office & to lodge them there, and that our Housekeeper let not the Mob in to See them, nor take money of Gentlemen who Should come out of curiousity."

In an undated note later added to the June 21, 1734 entry, Egmont wrote:

"The Indians brought by Mr. Oglethorp [sic] were Tomachaki [sic] chief of the Yamacraws, and his wife, Toonaway [Toonahowi] his Gr. Nephew, and 5 others, besides an Interpreter. They came to confirm the [May 21, 1733] Treaty made with them & 8 Nations their Allyes [sic] last year. And Mr. Oglethorp was willing they Should See the Magnificence wealth and Strength of England. There were very decent in their behaviour and no less observing of what they Saw. Their Chief was 90 years but as hearty as any Man of 50, and had a good understanding.

"This nation consists not of above 50 fighting men, but are a branch of the Creek nation who makes above 600. They have lately been much reduced by the Small pox. They are of a revengefull [sic] nature, but not apt to be the aggressor, and the reason they given why they revenge themselves is, that they have no law to punch by the magistrats [sic] hand. Adultery they punish by cutting off the womans [sic] ears and hair, and cutting the mans [sic] throat. A theif [sic] or coward in battle they banish. They live by hunting when the Season is in, and in the other Season Sow corn. They are So charitable that they cant [sic] bear to See another want, & not give him what he desires, and their houses are always open to Strangers."

Source: Robert G. McPherson (ed.), The Journal of The Earl of Egmont: Abstract of the Trustees Proceedings for Establishing the Colony of Georgia, 1732-1738 (Athens: University of Georgia Press, 1962), p. 57.

1861 As white Georgians marched off to war, there was concern what black slaves would do in their masters' absence. Apparently, many slaves used the opportunity to escape to freedom, as the following letter from William Phillips in Savannah to Georgia governor Joseph E. Brown suggests:

"Our country is infested with runaway Negroes. They are armed. On Tuesday last a camp was discovered in a dense swamp, but the dogs were all killed and the hunters could not venture in as Negroes were all armed. There are three camp[s] within six miles of my plantation. Mr. Hines was shot at by one last week, and Mr. Williams was killed by a runaway. Not a night passes that does not witness robbery from barns, smoke houses &c. The ladies are very much frightened, as runaway Negroes have committed two rapes and two murders in the last week. It is supposed that there cannot be less than forty armed runaways in camp at different places in the county. A general scene of insecurity pervades the county. The ordinary patrol can accomplish very little."

Source: Mills Lane (ed.) Georgia: History written by Those who lived It (Savannah: Beehive Press, 1995), p. 144.

For more, see This Week in Georgia Civil War History.

1864 In his letter to his wife, Maj. Fredrick Winkler testifies to what must have been one of the rainiest Junes in Georgia history:

"We were started under arms about five P.M. yesterday, to go out in support of our 1st Division on a reconnaissance to our right. It rained hard. We formed right outside of our breastworks and there halted and waited until after dark and then went back to camp. It is still raining to-day. Since the first of June, we have had just three days that it did not rain; every brook is a river and the roads are terrible if we did not have the railroad, we would have to go back or starve."

Source: Civil War Letters of Major Fredrick C. Winkler, in 26th Wisconsin Infantry Volunteers Home Page

For more, see This Week in Georgia Civil War History.

1865 Eliza Frances Andrews had been visiting friends the previous week. When she returned to her journal she had more horror stories to report about Yankee behavior, then added:

". . . Mr. Alexander tells me about a friend of his in Savannah who has taught her children never to use the word 'Yankee' without putting some opprobrious epithet before it, as 'a hateful Yankee,' 'an upstart of a Yankee,' 'a thieving Yankee,' and the like; but even this is too mild for me. I feel sometimes as if I would like to come out with a good round 'Damn!' Father, I am glad to say, has not been appointed provisional governor, so I can say what I please about our new rulers without any disrespect to him. I know he would have done everything in his power to protect our people if he had been appointed, but at the same time it would have been his duty to do many hard things, from the obloquy of which he is now spared, and his name will not be stained by being signed to any of their wicked orders. My dear old father, in spite of his love for the Union, is too honorable a man, and too true a gentleman to be mixed up in the dirty work that is to be done."

Source: Eliza Frances Andrews, The War-Time Journal of a Georgia Girl, 1864-1865 (New York: D. Appleton and Co., 1908), p. 305.

For more, see This Week in Georgia Civil War History.