In this issue:

• Program and event schedule
• Did You Know? Short Local Subjects
• Spring Fling - Preservationist and Person of the Year Awards
• Heritage Travel Destinations
• Abernathy Family History
• Meet Milton Historical Society's Editorial Board - Part 2
• Fun Trip to Cherokee Garden
• Fungus Among Us - All about mushrooms
• Paul Revere Rides Again
• New Book Corner - Review
• And more!

Join Milton history buffs for the following events:

Tuesday, September 9, 2025, 6:30 p.m. Milton Branch Library - "Getting Started with Genealogy" with Carl Jackson, Society Program Chair

Sunday, September 28, 2025, 2:00-5:00 p.m., Autumn Shindig - Wildberry Creek Farm, Milton, GA 30004

Historic Preservation Graduate Student -

Meet Swathi Jayakumar

This semester Society Board members and Chadwick House Preservation Committee members have been working with a Georgia State graduate student in Historic Preservation. Swathi Jayakumar is an energetic and talented lady from Kerala, India. She was introduced to our Society by the Georgia Trust following our Places in Peril designation for the McConnell-Chadwick House. Swathi chose as her masters' degree Capstone project the restoration ‘opportunities’ present at the house.

Bill Lusk, Swathi, Bob Gamble, Architectural Historian

Swathi working with

Professor Chad Keller

Her course work entailed multiple visits to the house, where she undertook a detailed measurement of the interior and Laser scanning of the exterior to create a point cloud model of the house. This can be used to create a walk-through model. She worked on-site with two of her Georgia State professors, Chad Keller, director of the Heritage Preservation Program, and Charles Lawrence, who also works with the architectural and design company Lord Aeck Sargent, Inc.

Bill Lusk and Joan Borzilleri attended the May exhibit at Georgia State where a number of master's candidates displayed and explained their Capstone projects. Swathi is currently exploring opportunities in all fields of preservation with an architectural emphasis. She offers specialization in: Architectural Documentation, Laser scanning, measured drawings, AutoCAD, 3D modeling, and structural analysis.

Swathi's poster display explaining McConnell-Chadwick house

condition and stabilization plan

Young Men's Service League Announces Philanthropic Partnership with Milton Historical Society (MHS)

Early in 2025 the Young Men's Service League (YMSL) Milton Chapter Board approved the Society as a new philanthropy. 

Christie Estes, former President of YMSL Milton Chapter,

with son Miller

Tiffany Bourne, with son Ryan, volunteering at the

Milton Senior Center

Thanks to Christie Estes, 2024-25 President of the group, for making this cooperative effort possible. This amazing group of area high school students, working with their moms, have routinely helped with Wreaths Across America, the Milton Senior Center, the Veterans' Marker project, and many other programs helping those in need.

The YMSL National Board recently gave approval for adding the Society initiative of local cemetery maintenance and headstone cleaning, chaired by Jim Farris, to the continued work on the Veteran's Markers, chaired by Bill Lusk.

YMSL volunteers ready to spruce up veterans' markers near

City Hall

Bill Lusk talks about the importance of remembering

our fallen heroes

Twenty-seven YMSL volunteers gathered early on Saturday, May 24th to clean the veteran's markers. The students represented these high schools: Milton, Cambridge, and Blessed Trinity, among others.

Young men at work

Moms cheering them on!

We look forward to working with the Young Men's Service League for the benefit of the entire Milton community. Assistant Vice President of Philanthropy, Mariana Beck, is our new YMSL liaison

New History Podcasts - Milton and Mane

On the Milton City website you will find three new podcasts explaining the history of the City. Society historians Jeff Dufresne and Lynn Tinley presented the material in three installments:

Building Milton Part 1: Vision, Conflict, and Change - March 5, 2025

Building Milton Part 2: Hard Times and Tough Choices - March 26, 2025

Past Meets Present: The Path to Progress - April 9, 2025

To access the podcasts and learn more of Milton’s story:

1. Open the City’s website www.miltonga.gov,
2. Click the Government tab
3. Scroll down and click Communications
4. Click Podcast
5. Scroll to view the available podcasts (most recent are at the top),
6. Choose a version from the list above, and enjoy!

Cherokee - Moravian Exhibit now at Funk Heritage Center

In the early 1800s Moravian missionaries were active in Georgia, often working with the Cherokee and operating schools for Cherokee children. The closest one to Milton would likely be Spring Place, in Chatsworth near the Vann House.

The Funk Heritage Center of Reinhardt University in Waleska has a current exhibit in honor of more than two centuries of Cherokee-Moravian cultural exchange. Entitled “Oothcaloga Moravian Mission, Integration, and Cherokee Identity,” it delves into the positive interaction between the missionaries and the Cherokee. The exhibit continues through June 28.

James Vann, wealthy Cherokee plantation owner and merchant, built his 800-acre plantation more than 200 years ago and that his family welcomed the construction of the first school to Cherokee children, the 1801 Spring Place Mission and School. Georgia Department of Natural Resources

To see a very local example of Moravian influence, visit the Milton Senior Center in the Thomas Byrd house. A large Moravian star graces the ceiling in the front room.

Thomas Byrd House

Moravian Star

The Barn on Birmingham provided the perfect setting for the Milton Historical Society’s fourth annual Spring Fling held on the evening of April 26th. 

Enjoying the wonderful food, beverages, and company, local history lovers were treated to delicious food from Savory Gourmet and craft beer from Six Bridges Brewing. Graham Thomas, a popular local musician, provided the relaxing entertainment.

Party-goers relishing the beautiful

bug-free evening.

Several local supporters of Milton history were recognized for their contributions during the event: 

Jeff Dufresne (left) presenting the Milton Historical Society Person of the Year Award to Bob Meyers (right).

Bill Lusk (left) and Bob Meyers (far right) presenting Robert Beal and Carol Cookerly (center) with the Preservationist Award for their commitment to the rescue of the Double Branch Courthouse on Birmingham Road.

Joan Borzilleri (background), Bill Lusk (left) presenting the Preservationist Award to Sarah and Charlie Roberts in recognition of their financial donation toward the preservation of the Double Branch Courthouse.

Archivist Kathy Beck organized a display of Society preservation projects: McConnell-Chadwick House and Double Branch Voting District Courthouse.

Special thanks to our generous corporate sponsors for supporting local Milton history and the Society’s spring signature event:

Celeste Jackson Interiors and Design, Jenny Doyle Group,

Pax Domus Farm, Roberts Properties, Flowerfolk,

Jamison Private Wealth Management,

Six Bridges Brewing and Craft Spirits, BellaGrace Home Staging,

Poe and Company Bookstore, Savas Digital Creations,

and Thrive Medical Spa. 

“Not all who wander are lost.” A familiar saying but true for those of us who enjoy wandering through history. Heritage villages and farms are found from rural New York to Texas, and likely in every other state in the country.

Locally, we find heritage villages in Gwinnett County (Gwinnett Environmental and Heritage Center; the Chesser-Williams House), as well as the Shields-Ethridge Heritage Farm in Jefferson. Our neighbors in Johns Creek boast the Autrey Mill Nature Preserve and Heritage Center, a local treasure. All good destinations for a Summer ramble!

Chesser-Williams House

Gwinnett County

Shields-Ethridge Heritage Farm

Jefferson County

Frisco (Texas) Heritage Center

Frisco Heritage Center venues

Board member Mark Amick and family loved to visit the Frisco (TX) Heritage Center, finding it a perfect setting for family photos, entertaining visitors, and celebrating special events.

Fun exhibits...

...take us back in time

You may have a favorite heritage village and we’d like to know about it.

Genesee Country Village - Mumford, NY

Bill Lusk has long touted the Genesee Country Village in Mumford, NY. This well planned and executed venture is the perfect ‘how-to’ model for anyone contemplating a similar site. It is a 19th century living history museum on more than 100 acres with 68 relocated buildings. It is divided into different eras: Pioneer Settlement 1780-1830; Antebellum Village 1830-1860; and Turn of the Century 1870-1920. This allows log cabins to co-exist on the same site as high-style Greek Revival, and Victorian mansions.

Greek Revival

Apothecary

Founder Jack Wehle, working with an endowment from Genesee beverages, recognized that the work of regional carpenters, master builders, and housewrights, was fast disappearing. The relocated and restored buildings showcase the disciplines of cabinetry, joinery, weaving, pottery, and the work of other artisans in appropriate cultural context. Architectural historian Stuart Bolger guided the carpenters and masons to restore the buildings with historical respect. Furnished houses, shops, and farms contain curated artifacts, with costumed docents interpreting the displays.

Walkable and human-scale; shade trees a bonus

Law office ready for occupants

A perfect educational setting for field trips and camps, village demonstrations include: farming, gardening, blacksmithing, coopering, woodworking, gunsmithing, tinsmithing, pottery throwing, printing, broom making, quilting, weaving, fabric dying, and 19th century games.

With a bit of imagination and, of course, funding, we might rescue some of the remaining historic buildings in the area and pass along this patrimony to visitors, our children, and their children.

Contributors: Mark Amick, Lynn Tinley, Bill Lusk, and Wikipedia

Local renowned journalist, Aubrey Morris, researched many family genealogies in his spare time over several decades. The Milton Historical Society’s archives are pleased to preserve and house over 24 linear feet of binders containing his detailed research. One of Aubrey’s family connections, on his father’s side, is the Abernathy family of Sandy Springs and Dunwoody. There are ten binders covering the Abernathy family alone. Cataloging these resources to our database manager, CatalogIT, involves a thorough review of the research in each of these large binders followed by a short summation of its contents.

Several months ago, Susan Morris Moe, Aubrey’s daughter, and Kathy Beck, archivist and Board Member, began a closer look to inventory and catalog these files.

Abernathy Family history binders in the Society archives created by Aubrey Morris. He began his work in the early 1970s.

Digital searching was a thing of the future.

Drawing on his journalistic training for tracking details, Aubrey was a phenomenal researcher who obviously loved the treasure hunt for family history. Also noteworthy, much of his research was gathered via letter writing, vital record copying, and interviews done long before today’s availability of robust tools on the internet.

Rev. Paul J. Abernathy, Jr. and his children visit the ancestral home of John and Rhoda (Jones) Abernathy ca 1961.

Aubrey Morris collection - Photographer unknown

Here are some highlights of our travels through these binders. It has been a learning experience for us both. Although Susan was a witness to her father’s obsession with genealogy, she is just now able to appreciate his detailed documentation of many Abernathy family members, not just those in his direct lineage. “I grew up in Sandy Springs and always knew that Abernathy Road was named after an ancestor, but I had no idea they were original settlers of the place I called home! Their long history is fascinating,” said Susan.

Abernathy’s from Across the Pond

The name Abernathy is of Scottish origin derived from the word “aber,” meaning ford, combined with the River Nethy or Neithe. The first bearers of the name are noted in an article from the Morris collection to be from the Scottish shires of Porth and Fife and are part of the Leslie Clan in Scotland. Several branches of the Abernathy family have an exciting history.

Sir Hugh de Abernathy was involved in some political controversies. In 1257, he participated in the abduction of young King Alexander of Scotland, taking him to Stirling. Circa 1288, he also took part in the murder of Duncan, Earl of Fife. After that, he appears to have spent the rest of his life in prison. Hugh’s son, Alexander, supported the English King against Robert the Bruce. After Robert the Bruce won this struggle, Alexander’s lands were forfeited. However, Alexander became a diplomat serving the King of England and served as the English Ambassador to France starting in 1313.

Another branch of the family tree is associated with the line of the Lords of Saltoun in East Lothian. Lord Saltoun is a title in the Peerage of Scotland created in 1445. The spelling uses the alternative English spelling Abernethy with an ‘e.’ There are other early British and American formats found, such as Abernathe, Abernethy and so forth. The Peerage of Scotland refers to one of the five divisions or noble titles created by the King of Scots before 1707. These include Lord of Parliament, Viscount, Earl, Marquess and Duke. Lawrence Abernethy was the first Lord of Saltoun in 1445. The next 10 Lords of Saltoun were named Abernethy until a cousin (Alexander Fraser) inherited the title as the 11th Lord.

Yet another branch is represented by a John Abernethy in Coloraine, Ireland who became a noted scholar and minister circa 1600. He pastored a Protestant church there. His ancestors include another noted pastor, also named John, who lived in Dublin and another John, in the 19th century, who was a famed surgeon and medical writer.

Abernathy in America

One of the first Abernathy’s to come to America is a William Abernathy from Scotland who settled in Connecticut circa 1670. In 1673 he married Sarah Doolittle. They had a family of three sons and four daughters. His brother Robert Abernathy settled in Virginia circa 1717. During the great Scotch-Irish immigration of the early 18th century, there were many Abernathy’s who settled in Pennsylvania and some then relocated to Newberry County, South Carolina.

This was true for John Abernathy associated with Sandy Springs, who moved to South Carolina circa 1790 with his brother James. Both provided military services to the colonies during the Revolutionary War and are referenced in the SC state archives as serving in Marion’s Brigade. John was reimbursed in 1782 by the state of South Carolina in the amount of 14 shillings and six pence for the use of his wagon and team and rations used during the war.

John married Rhoda Davis in South Carolina, and had several children, one being a son also named John who also married a woman named Rhoda (Jones). John the elder passed away in 1807 in South Carolina and eventually Rhoda Davis Abernathy and youngest son, Samuel, relocated to the Sandy Springs area of Georgia in circa 1829. Son John, the younger, with his wife Rhoda (Jones) and their five children at the time, joined his mother and youngest brother in Sandy Springs a year later in circa 1830. Once in Georgia, John and Rhoda (Jones) had five more children. Aubrey’s files contain information regarding each of these 10 children and their lineage tracking.

John and Rhoda joined Ebenezer Baptist Church located on Spalding Drive in Sandy Springs. Their original home-place was built at Johnson Ferry and Abernathy Roads. When the land was developed by a real estate firm, Spratlin, their remains were moved to Sandy Springs Methodist, per Aubrey’s research. As of 2024, Sandy Springs Methodist has been sold but the grave area is still intact and backs up to Arlington Cemetery. 

An interesting story that Aubrey uncovered and referenced through an Atlanta Journal article involved a rifle found near the original Abernathy house in Sandy Springs. In the mid-1960s, a house mover bulldozed down an old oak tree and the “ancient rifle tumbled into the sunlight of a different century.” Someone had placed the rifle in the hollow of the tree about 20 feet off the ground. Did the rifle belong to a hunter, a soldier, or an Abernathy? We will never know, but those are the stories that Aubrey chased to bring his family history to life. He researched not only genealogical facts, but also historical facts and how they relate to the paths his ancestors took. 

John and Rhoda’s 4th child, Elizabeth, married James Ferdinand Jett (nicknamed “Vard”). This is the family for which Jett Road in Sandy Springs is named. Elizabeth and James had 3 children. Their first daughter, Charity Rhoda, married William Burney Morris in 1873. He is Aubrey’s grandfather and was one of the founders of what is today Alpharetta Methodist Church on Main Street.

It is hard to imagine the man hours Aubrey spent researching and documenting the many branches of his family. (Morris' notes and maps pictured here.) Jett, Perkins, and St. John are just a few of the other names in the tree. St. John is connected to Lady Margaret Beauchamp, the maternal grandmother of Henry the VII. For those inclined to study their family history, one never knows where it will lead, perhaps royalty? Are you looking for a new hobby?

Seated: Lynn Tinley, Gena Brown

Standing: Rebecca Morris Fricton, Amy Christiansen, Mary Cronk

The following profiles introduce two more members of our Editorial Board!

It was April 1985, when Patti Dubas relocated to North Fulton, GA. Originally from northern Florida, she had previously lived in several major cities across the country. However, North Fulton became her final home. It always puzzled her why her attempts to settle in other areas had not felt as appealing as North Fulton. It wasn't until later that she discovered the reason for this connection.

In 1991, her grandfather's brother, James Milton, visited her with a message from her grandmother. He brought documentation tracing her ancestry, revealing that she was a descendant of John Milton, who was a patriotic soldier and one of Georgia's earliest leaders as the first Secretary of State of Georgia. Would you believe the same John Milton ran for president against George Washington? This information comprised about eight pages of research compiled by a well-known genealogical center in Utah. He shared insights about the original Milton County and its transformation into North Fulton with Alpharetta as the county seat, mentioning the potential revival of Milton as either a county or a city, as well as her ancestor's involvement in that history.

Patti felt a sense of shock and kept this information private for a long time. However, as discussions and plans emerged about Milton becoming a city, she grew more interested in learning about her family’s heritage. She attended several town hall meetings and, on December 1, 2006, joined the city’s incorporation celebration at one of the area’s finest country clubs.

Many years later, she discovered a lecture at the Milton Library focused on her ancestor, John Milton. This prompted her to reveal her connection to him. Shortly thereafter, she joined the Milton Historical Society and became a volunteer with the Editorial Board for the Society's newsletter. Reflecting on her family's compelling history, she understood why she had always felt such a strong connection to the area.

Rebecca Morris Fricton, a member of the Editorial Board of the Milton Historical Society, experiences excitement and curiosity about the new settler stories and historic sites within the community. An Atlanta native, her paternal ancestors were among the early settlers in the North Fulton area. She fondly remembers spending Sunday afternoons with her parents and sisters, searching for ancestor graves and homeplaces located in Old Milton County. In 1984, Rebecca and her husband built their home on Francis Road, where they still reside today. Being on the MHS Editorial Board has rekindled her love of family history, and she enjoys sharing her family stories with others as they write about the rich history of North Georgia. She invites everyone to join the Milton Historical Society and discover the proud history of the area.

On Saturday, May 17th, three MHS members - Joan Borzilleri, Patti Dubas, and Gena Brown - attended the Georgia Trail of Tears Association meeting at the Cherokee Gardens in Green Meadow Preserve, in Cobb County. The trip was organized by Society's Editorial Board members.

Besides the gardens themselves, also on the land is the Green-Bullard House, built in the 1840s and used as a hospital during the Civil War - a very well preserved historic building now acting as a small museum of both daily life and Civil War history.

It rained earlier in the morning, but cleared up and became a lovely warm day throughout. Tony and Carra Harris led the talk, discussing the Cherokee relationship with plants and the ingenious uses they had for everything they encountered and cultivated. Tony is a past president of the Georgia Trail of Tears Association and the Harris' are founders of the garden.

Tony Harris explaining Cherokee plants to Patti Dubas and Gena Brown

Corn was ground into flour, rivercane made into baskets and flutes, gourds used for everything from dippers and bowls to jewelry. One particularly curious fact was the use of black walnut hulls in fishing - the toxin in the hulls, juglone, inhibits respiration and stuns the fish, causing them to float to the top. 

Carra led us on a tour through the gardens, where they have a large collection of native plants used by the Cherokee, describing the various uses of each plant, from material to medicinal. Some are quite rare nowadays, endangered like the Arrowwood Viburnum, whereas others exist all around us, often overlooked, such as wild potato. We even saw a lovely patch of rivercane! 

Carra demonstrated the uses of several plants, such as bloodwort, which was used as a pigment, as the flesh of the tuber turns a bright bloody red when exposed to the air. The color that results is today known as Cherokee Red, a shade favored by Frank Lloyd Wright in his architecture. Another was a Yucca known as Adam’s Needle, the leaves of which could be used for fiber and the points dried for use as needles. 

Marking the good work of

Carra and Tony Harris

The Cherokee Nation -

part of local history

Within the garden, there’s a section specifically for food plants, wherein they grow sunchoke (also known as Jerusalem artichoke), Cherokee pumpkins, squash, corn, and beans, alongside muscadines and culinary herbs. Most of the seeds are saved and are distributed to a seed bank, so that modern Cherokee can still grow the plants their ancestors lived by. I’ve begun growing sunchokes myself, and can’t wait to harvest some! 

Tony and Carra do a great deal of education work, teaching school groups and societies like us to ensure that this knowledge isn’t lost to time. And indeed, it seems to be spreading, happily enough - several schools in the area host field trips at the Gardens to cover their Cherokee history modules, and Tony has done outreach with universities like UGA and Kennesaw, as well as the Cobb Master Gardeners and the Atlanta Botanical Gardens. 

And to top it off, a few others at the meeting run a new Cherokee garden at New Echota in Gordon County, and hope to serve much the same purpose in their community as this one. It’s good to see the history and use of these plants becoming more widely known, and the plants themselves more widely grown. 

Gena at the rivercane stand. For more on America's native bamboo, see Gena's article The Case for Canebrake in the Society's Autumn 2024 newsletter.

Past newsletter issues are available on our website: www.miltonhistoricalsociety-georgia.org

We are all familiar with the lowly button mushroom and perhaps the Shitake and other garden varieties. Mushrooms are commonly found in veggie burgers and breakfast ‘coffee.’ In an enlightening March program at the Milton Library, Jeff Dufresne opened our eyes to ‘the rest of the story’!

Jeff demonstrated bricks and wallets, and talked about mycelium ‘leather’ for clothing, as well as packaging material - all composed of mushrooms! He lauded the mental acuity gained from Lion's Mane mushrooms, plus various medicinal qualities of other types - literally popping up all around us.

Topics Jeff entertained us with included: History of Mushrooms, Ancient Religious Practices, Benefits of Mushrooms, Mushroom Industry today.

Mushroom 'brick'

Mushroom credit card holder

Jeff started out engaging the audience with a multiple choice quiz. (The quiz illustrated how much we had to learn about this ubiquitous plant.)

Answer: D

Answer: G

Answer: B

“Let thy food be thy medicine,” as Hippocrates suggested a few years ago.

Some medicinal examples of mushrooms and their uses Jeff explored:

• Chicken of the Woods - used by the Cherokee to stop bleeding and as fire starters
• Reishi - immune balance, tumor reduction, used in cooking
• Oyster - weight management, antioxidant
• Shitake - bone strength and energy booster
• Chaga - reduce LDL cholesterol, sleep aid, fixes insulin resistance
• Psilocybin (Magic Mushrooms) - used as therapy for treating depression and suicide ideation; produced by 200 species of mushrooms

Sound bytes for history and nature buffs:

• Mushrooms survived three mass extinctions
• King Louis XIV was the first to cultivate mushrooms (using caves - the perfect environment)
• Emperor Nero poisoned Claudius with Death Cap mushrooms
• Fungi were the first plants to grow after the Hiroshima bombing
• Not to worry, 20% of mushrooms are poisonous but only 1% will kill you!
• Early religious rituals used mushrooms for psychoactive experiences
• Wood Wide Web - underground fungal threads known as mycelium connect the roots of plants allowing them to share nutrients and communicate chemically

Mushrooms can not only replicate plastics (for packaging, for example) but also break down plastic waste in the environment; nature’s decomposer can also be used to line caskets. (Just another option.)

Jeff, our Resident Mycologist, with a hardwood mushroom log at the Dufresne Pax Domus Farm in Milton; Jeff grows various kinds of gourmet organic mushrooms harvested for home cooking, sharing with friends, supplying local chefs, and farm-to-table restaurants.

Many thanks to Jeff for sharing his encyclopedic knowledge of mushrooms with us! Jeff has recently addressed local garden clubs and historical societies with his favorite hobby.

Learn more about mushrooms to expand your culinary skills or identify them on your nature walks. Jeff supplied us with books, apps, and online resources, including:

• Entangled Life by Meldrim Sheldrake
• Mushroom Hunter’s Kitchen by Chad Hyatt
• picturemushroom.com - AI online mushroom encyclopedia that allows you to identify 5,000+ mushroom species
• iNaturalist.org - allows you to record your observations of the natural world, share with fellow naturalists, and discuss your findings
• Mushroom Club of Georgia (gamushroomclub.org) - information, meetings, and hikes for mushroom lovers

”Listen my children and you shall hear of the midnight ride of Paul Revere.” Do you remember as a child reading the Henry Wadsworth Longfellow poem, Paul Revere’s Ride, about the midnight ride made on April 18, 1775 to alert the countrymen that the “British are coming”? Did you every stop to wonder how just one man could alert the north Boston countryside about the pending “British” invasion?

To answer that question and others, on April 14th at the Milton Library, 40 engaged history lovers were treated to an excellent lecture by Kennesaw State University Associate Professor Marianne Holdzkom, Ph.D. Dr. Holdzkom shared the exciting true story of that night and some of the events that led up to it. And - no surprise here - Paul Revere did not ride alone. 

Dr. Holdzkom, who specializes in colonial and revolutionary history with a focus on John Adams, gave one of the first of several planned lectures at the Milton Library celebrating the American Revolution as we approach our country’s 250th anniversary on July 4, 2026. Like any good historian, Dr. Holdzkom shared the sources she used to prepare her behind-the-scenes look at the events Paul Revere was central to. Those books are listed at the end of this article for your future reading pleasure. 

Since Dr. Holdzkom enthusiastically revealed much more information than we can include in an article, we will focus on Paul Revere’s contributions to the American Revolution as an express rider with the Sons of Liberty. 

Revere’s “Practice” Rides: Revere’s ride on the night of April 18, 1775 was not the first time he rode for the Sons of Liberty. During colonial times, what we call “snail mail” really took a long time to get from one place to another. If news had to be shared quickly, riding a swift horse and delivering the information directly was the preferred mode of communication. Revere became an express rider for the Sons of Liberty in 1773 after the Boston Tea Party when he rode from Boston to New York and then to Philadelphia to share the news of the Sons of Liberty dumping tea in the Boston harbor after England had imposed the Tea Act. 

Then in 1774 in response to the Intolerable Acts, Revere rode to Philadelphia to share the news that the Massachusetts Provincial Congress passed the Suffolk Reserves in which they recommended, among other actions, not paying the new taxes and developing a militia in each town (which proved providential on April 19, 1775 during the Battles of Lexington and Concord). As a result, the First Continental Congress adopted the Suffolk Reserves, and Revere rode back to Boston to share the news with the Sons of Liberty.

Midnight Ride on April 18, 1775: Tensions continued to grow in Boston as colonists, railing against “taxation without representation,” began stockpiling munitions in their towns. Thomas Gage, an English General responsible for the Boston area, learned about the stockpiles. Somehow word leaked that Gage was going to send the English “Regulars,” as their militia was known at the time, to these towns to confiscate the munitions. Dr. Holdzkom shared that perhaps Gage’s American-born wife might have leaked the information. 

Notifying the towns about the English Regulars’ attempt to seize their weapons required urgent action. Dr. Joseph Warren, Revere’s good friend and fellow Sons of Liberty member, asked Revere “the handyman of the Sons of Liberty” to go by sea rowing to Charlestown, and William Dawes to go by land riding out of Boston via Little Neck to Lexington to alert the town of the approaching “Regulars”. Dr. Holdzkom’s research revealed that Dr. Warren actually sent out 20 express riders that night. 

And of course, as the famous line from the Longfellow poem states, “One if by land, two if by sea…,” two lanterns were lit in the tower of Old North Church to signify that the English were coming by sea, which really meant they were crossing the Charles River. 

When Revere reached the shore at Charlestown, he jumped onto Brown Betty, a swift horse that was loaned to him for the midnight ride. Revere quickly rode on to Lexington where John Hancock and Samuel Adams were staying at the Hancock-Clarke House. Revere, arriving before Dawes in Lexington, was concerned about Dawes’ fate. Revere urged Hancock and Adams to leave town to avoid capture by the Regulars. After Dawes arrived, they set out together just after midnight for Concord, about seven miles away. Along the way to Concord, Dawes and Revere met Dr. Samuel Prescott, a fellow patriot, who volunteered to help them. 

Unfortunately, they also met with the English Regulars. Dawes and Prescott managed to escape, but Dawes was bucked off his horse and had to walk back to Lexington. Prescott outrode the English militia and eventually rode on to Concord to alert the townspeople. Revere, however, was captured. Amazingly, after questioning him, the English took his horse (poor Brown Betty) but let him go free, and he walked back home. 

Back to the Poem: As Dr. Holdzkom explained, Longfellow’s poem, which memorialized Paul Revere, was written in 1860, 85 years after the fact, to whip up patriotic fervor in those living in the North just before the start of the Civil War. Paul Revere’s Ride was never intended to be a literal history of the midnight ride that occurred before the Battles of Lexington and Concord, and he certainly employed literary license. As we know now, Paul Revere was one of many patriotic express riders who risked their lives that night. In addition, Revere and his fellow express riders would never have said something as nonsensical as, “the British are coming” since the colonists were still British citizens themselves at that time.

Thought Provoking Parting Words: Dr. Holdzkom’s thought-provoking parting words to us were, “250 years later, are there modern-day Paul Reveres?” Certainly there must be, but we’ll let each of you answer that question for yourselves. 

For the Rest of the Story: These books can fill in the details of Paul Revere’s life and his vital contributions to the founding of our country. All of them can be ordered through Poe and Company Bookstore, one of our generous corporate sponsors. You can reach the bookstore by calling 770 797-5566 or visit their charming bookstore in person at 1890 Heritage Walk in Milton. 

• Paul Revere and the World He Lived In by Esther Forbes
• Paul Revere’s Ride by David Hackett Fischer
• The Ride – Paul Revere and the Night That Saved America by Kostya Kennedy
• Midnight Ride, Industrial Dawn: Paul Revere and the Growth of American Enterprise by Robert Martello

Kate Seng of Poe and Company Bookstore has graciously offered to update us on recent history-related publications in our quarterly newsletters.

Our first review heralds the important role John Hancock played as one of our founding fathers (and not just for his amazing signature)! For a good summer read, look for: John Hancock: First to Sign, First to Invest in America’s Independence by Willard Sterne Randall.

Fascination with America’s Independence is gaining momentum as we near our 250th anniversary. (Currently at 249 years on July 4, 2025.) We find ourselves circling back to our founding fathers and reliving the celebrities of the American independence.

One very prominent, yet often overlooked, figure is John Hancock. The book John Hancock: First to Sign, First to Invest in America’s Independence will be released on June 10, 2025.

This retelling goes beyond his affluent upbringing under the watch of his successful uncle and will present a much-deserved dive into his participation in the Boston Tea Party, the battles of Lexington and Concord, and the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

It touches on the relationship he shared with his wife, Dorothy Quincy, as well as his contentious relationship with Samuel Adams. A poignant and compelling biography of his rise to riches and political power leads the reader to a deeper understanding of his relevance.

Praise from reviewers:

“A concise, insightful look at one of America’s more neglected founding fathers. Willard Sterne Randall’s latest is another important contribution to our understanding of the financial origins of the American Revolution and the republic it produced.”

Randall Woods, author of John Quincy Adams

“This zippy biography…resituates John Hancock as the forgotten impresario of the American Revolution. A winning reassessment that will charm readers.”

Publishers Weekly

John Hancock: First to Sign, First to Invest in America’s Independence will be available at Poe and Company Bookstore upon release.

Poe and Company Bookstore is a generous corporate sponsor of the Milton Historical Society.

1890 Heritage Walk, Suite P101

Milton, GA 30004

770.797.5566

Sarah Frances (Devore) Rucker was born on August 4th, 1941 to Fred and Lala Devore. Sarah was one of four children. Her father, Fred Devore, worked at Crabapple Corners Antiques and also served as de facto Mayor to the town of Crabapple. Lala went to work for the Oxford Pants Company in 1950. Sarah, at the age of nine, took on the role of preparing dinner for Fred, Lala, her older sisters Jaunita, Ann, and baby brother Johnny. Sarah was a self-taught cook, and this was the beginning of a lifelong dedication to creating wonderful main dishes and desserts. She will always be remembered by family and friends for her specialty Coconut, Strawberry, and German Chocolate Cakes. Sarah created a cookbook one year for her children and grandchildren titled, "Mama Sarah's Recipes." It will be long cherished and passed through future generations. 

As well as teaching herself the art of cooking, Sarah also developed a love of music and began to play the piano in her early years. She would later become a very accomplished, self-taught pianist and organist who could play by ear. 

Having grown up together in Crabapple, Sarah and childhood friend Ralph Rucker, would marry in 1960 and have four children: Scot Rucker, Elise Rucker, Tracy Spivey and Dee Provencial. Sarah and Ralph were long time members of Crabapple Baptist Church. She spent many Sundays playing the piano or singing for the Sunday Church service. For the last several years she has enjoyed serving Christ with her friends at First Baptist Alpharetta. 

Sarah is survived by her husband, four children, nine grandchildren and twelve great-grandchildren. Her family and many of her friends called her Mama Sarah. Her memory will be cherished by all who were blessed by her kindness, graciousness and servant heart. 

“The earth belongs always to the living generation…this generation should love history but not be hampered by the dead hand of the past.”

Thomas Jefferson, 1789 letter to James Madison

“Fight for the things you care about, but do it in a way that will lead others to join you.”

Ruth Bader Ginsburg

“When you know who you are; when your mission is clear, and you burn with the inner fire of unbreakable will; no cold can touch your heart; no deluge can dampen your purpose. You know that you are alive.”

Chief Seattle, Duwamish Tribe

Barn Raiser Corporate Sponsors - $1,000

Milton Historical Society Patrons

Many thanks for your support!

Lifetime Patrons

Amy and Mark Amick

Larry Chadwick

Patti Dubas

Josephine and Jeff Dufresne

Laura and Byron Foster

Brenda and Brett Giles

Fran Gordenker

Felton Anderson Herbert

Johnny Herbert

Bill Lusk

Cristen Catignani and Tom Matthews

Linda and Robert Meyers

Lynn and John Morley

Adam Orkin

Charlie Roberts

Sarah Roberts

Donna Savas

Marsha and Kevin Spear

Karen Thurman

Kate and Ron Wallace

Kim and Dana Watkins

Additional Corporate Sponsors

Lithic Genealogy Group

The William B. Orkin Foundation

Savas Digital Creations



Mark Amick

Joan Borzilleri

Norm Broadwell

Jeff Dufresne

James Farris

Byron Foster

Kim Gauger

Bill Lusk

Connie Mashburn

Robert Meyers

Charlie Roberts

Sarah Roberts

Kevin Spear

Karen Thurman

The newsletter of the Milton Historical Society is produced quarterly by volunteers of the Society. Have an idea, a link, or a story to share? If you loved our newsletter and would like to become a patron, click HERE.

We'd love to hear from you at president@miltonhistoricalsociety-georgia.org.



Thanks for reading and supporting Milton's history!