Volume 19, no. 1 • March 2001A FOCUS ON EUROPEThanks to a number of coincidences, the winter of 2001 has seen the Troup County Historical Society and Archives spotlight European influences on numerous occasions.
The biggest celebration of European influences came on February 22-23 when the community rededicated the Statue of LaFayette which stands on the Square in downtown LaGrange.Dr. Martha Keber, Professor of History at Georgia College and State University, spoke to 235 people at a Joint Civic Club luncheon about Lafayette’s journey through Georgia in 1825. Earlier in the day, she spoke to fourth and eighth graders at West Side Magnet School. Everyone came away knowing more about Lafayette, his role in the Revolutionary War, and his influence on Americans. The next day at the rededication of the statue, the speakers recalled the history of the Frenchman and the history of the statue. Members of the Color Guard of the Georgia Society of the Sons of the American Revolution came dressed in 18th century uniforms and provided a perfect reminder of life during Lafayette’s time. Pam Kennedy, Miss Georgia and a Troup County native, and Anne Duraski, Artistic Director of the LaGrange Opera Company, sang the national anthems of the United States and France as, to quote the LaGrange Daily News, “LaGrange rededicated itself to LaFayette.”
ANTONIO PALMISANOAntonio Palmisano, my Great-grandfather was born November 10, 1871 in Termini Immerse, Sicily, (Italy). On March 3, 1898, he married Agata Polito in Termini. Agata was born September 25, 1875. They had two children, Leon and Liboria in Termini before they fulfilled their dream to come to the land of opportunities. Antonio first saw the United States when he was serving in the Italian Navy. The Palmisano family resided in West Point, Georgia in the early 1900’s. Antonio became an entrepreneur. He owned many businesses throughout West Point and Lanett. His first business was a fruit stand. He moved on to owning a drug store, taxi cab service and pool halls. Antonio loved to experiment with new products and invented a soda pop called 3 Center. He turned down an opportunity to own Coke Cola in the Atlanta area. He also invented a frozen desert, which was a banana dipped in chocolate and then frozen. Antonio never left the Valley area. He died on November 11,1945 in Lanett. He is buried in West Point Cemetery next to his wife Agata and son Leon. In 1902, Antonio and Agata welcomed their first child to be born in the United States, Joseph Palmisano, my grandfather. He was born in West Point, Georgia on November 19, 1902. Joseph grew up in West Point along with his two older siblings and younger sister, Josephine. They spent their childhood helping Antonio with his business and playing baseball. Joseph became a great athlete. He decided to pursue his athletic career in baseball. He received a baseball scholarship in 1921 thru 1925 to Georgia Tech. While playing starting catcher for Tech, he earned his degree in Civil Engineering. After his college days, Joseph was drafted and signed a professional contract with the Cleveland Indians. He had a long career, expanding over 20 years as a player and a manager. He traveled all over the United States, played for numerous teams and won many championships. He was a member of the Philadelphia Athletics 1931 World Series Team. He played for Portland of the Pacific Coast League, which was the Pacific Coast Champions in 1932. He was considered the best receiver in the Coast League. His baseball career also took him to the Southern League, where he played for Atlanta and Birmingham teams. As a manager, his team had a winning streak that won 48 out of 49 games. This is a record for professional baseball teams. Joseph married Margaret Melbourne on February 14, 1927. They had two sons, Joseph Jr. and Leon. After his baseball career was over he resided Albuquerque, New Mexico. He died on November 5, 1971. Joseph Palmisano Jr., my father was born in Montgomery, Alabama on August 9, 1928. He spent his childhood in West Point and Lanett. My father also was a professional baseball player and he played for the Chicago Cubs Organization. Joseph married Mary Jean Utz on August 9, 1958. They have eight children, Joe, Dina, Marguerite, John, Gerard, Teresa, Leon and Michelle. I was born in California on January 5, 1969. I also have pursued a career in athletics. My profession is playing basketball. I received a scholarship to the University of California, Berkeley. I was a four-year starter and a two time All American. I became a professional basketball player in 1992 when I signed with a team in France. I have played in the professional European League for 8 years. While in Europe, I received All Star recognition and played for 4 Championships, European Cup Championship 1997-1998, Swiss Championship 1998-1999, 2 time Portugal Cup Championships 1999 and 1999-2000. This past September, I had a team in Italy contact me about playing for them. I told them that my family was from Termini and they were excited because the team is located in Termini. They asked me if I would be interested in playing as an Italian because of my family link to Termini. I agreed and that is when the long process of obtaining documents for three generations of Palmisanos began. I had to contact Georgia and Alabama to receive copies of birth certificates, death certificates and marriage licenses. I received Antonio’s naturalization certificate from Troup County Archives. Because these historical documents are saved in Archives, I am able to show my Italian decent and qualify for dual-citizenship. My sister, Michelle, and I are Palmisano waiting for the papers to be processed so we can play professional basketball together and we can return to the country that our great-grandparents, Antonio and Agata, left behind over a 100 years ago. GOOD LUCK TERESA!The people of Troup County are proud of you and your heritage. The Troup COunty Archives has 60+ naturalization records which have provided key historical information in a couple of different instances. When the Archives opened in 1983, these cases were in cardboard boxes marked “old stuff.” A grant from the National Historical Records and Publications Commission enable us to discover we had them and to make them available to the public. We appreciate Teresa sharing her story of how records from the Troup County Archives are being used around the world!TROUP COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY MEMBERSHIP, 2001GovernorGeorge S. & Edna Cobb FoundationSenatorCallaway GardensCallaway Family Association Mr. & Mrs. Robert G. Harris, Jr. WestPoint Stevens PatriotDr. & Mrs. F. Stuart GulleyBank of America FounderMr. & Mrs Ray AndersonBoatwright & Company Mrs. George S. Cobb, Jr. Mrs. Collier Jordan Mr. & Mrs. Bart Macomber Dr. Leland M. Park Charter Bank Mr. Richard V. Torrance Kimberly-Clark Company SustainingMr. & Mrs. Amos BeasonMr. & Mrs. Charles Browne Mr. Peck Brumby Mr. & Mrs. Hugh Camp Mr. & Mrs. Jerry Cleaveland Mr. J. Philip Cleaveland Commercial Bank & Trust Mr. & Mrs. Earl P. Cook Mr. Earnest Cosby Ms. Jane Alice Craig Mrs. Marian S. Davis Drs. Julian & Sue Duttera Mrs. Julia Dyar Dr. & Mrs. William Fackler First Flag Bank Dr. and Mrs. Garnett J. Giesler Mr. & Mrs. Rocky Grace Dr. & Mrs. Stanley Hall Mr. & Mrs. John Hines Mr. & Mrs. Pat Holder Mr. & Mrs. Charles D. Hudson, Jr. Mr. & Mrs. Charles D. Hudson Dr. & Mrs. Richard Ingram Mrs. Elizabeth Banks Jarrell Mr. & Mrs. Guy Johnston Mr. & Mrs. Fred Jones Mr. & Mrs. J. Smith Lanier, II Mr. & Mrs. Louis Lester, Jr. Mr. Roy W. Mann Mr. & Mrs. John C. McKibben Mr. & Mrs. Greg Minchew Mr. & Mrs. Mack Reynolds Selma and Thomas Gore Mr. & Mrs. Ellis Smith Mr. & Mrs. Gordon M. Smith, Jr. Mr. & Mrs. James Stogner Mr. & Mrs. John Taylor Mr. & Mrs. Mack Tharpe Mr. & Mrs. Robert Walters Dr. & Mrs. Tom West Mr. & Mrs. Robert Yates, Jr. SponsorDr. Jung H. AhnMr. & Mrs. L. D. Allen, Jr. Mrs. Martha Anderson Mr. & Mrs. James Baker Mrs. Joanna Baxter Dr. & Mrs. Avery P. Beall Mrs. A. W. Birdsong Mrs. J. K. Boatwright, Jr. Mr. & Mrs. Dan Bridges, Jr. Rep. & Mrs. Jeff Brown Mr. & Mrs. Jack P. Brown Mr. & Mrs. H. Speer Burdette, III Mr. & Mrs. Thomas A. Bushar Mr. & Mrs. Bobby Carmichael Mr. and Mrs. Zim Cauble Mr. William Reed Cheney, Sr. Dr. & Mrs. Robert B. Copeland Mr. & Mrs. Jim Crane Mr. & Mrs. Joe E. Daniel, Sr. Mrs. Jackie Dollar Mr. & Mrs. Marvin Edelson Mr. & Mrs. Mack Paul Efland, Jr. Mr. & Mrs. Robert Ellis Mr. & Mrs. John Estes Mrs. Stefani Evans Mr. & Mrs. Alec Evans Capt. & Mrs. Joseph Fagundes Mr. Emmett Fling Mr. & Mrs. Charles Foster Mr. Jim Franks Mr. & Mrs. Sidney Gay Mr. David S. Goodson Mr. & Mrs. Oliver Greene Dr. & Mrs. Willis M. Hendricks Mr. & Mrs. Grover A. Hobbs Mr. & Mrs. John Holle Mr. Alex S. Hopkins Mr. & Mrs. Ralph Howard Dr. & Mrs. William L. Hutchinson Betty & Kenneth Ingram Mr. & Mrs. Jerry Johnson Judge and Mrs. Allen Keeble Mr. & Mrs. Kennan Knight Mrs. Joseph H. Kyle Mr. & Mrs. Don Lee Mr. & Mrs. Frank R. Lewis Dr. & Mrs. Werner Linz Mr. & Mrs. Alfred Mansour, Sr. Ms. Betty M. Mattox Mr. & Mrs. Kendrick W. Mattox, Jr. Mr. & Mrs. Kenneth McGreevy Mr. & Mrs. Dewey R. McKenzie Mr. & Mrs. Ray McKenzie Mr. & Mrs. Alfred McNair Dr. & Mrs. James C. Morgan Ms. Josievet Moss Mr. & Mrs. Curtis Myhand Mr. Ben H. Parham Mrs. Glenna J. Parkins Dr. & Mrs. Thomas N. Pirkle Mr. & Mrs. Thomas J. Pirkle Mr. & Mrs. C. Leon Pitts Dr. & Mrs. Cliff Rainey Mr. H. Pope Richter Mr. & Mrs. W. B. Shedd Mr. Ellis C. Smith, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Roy Spinks, III Mrs. Jane Strain Mr. & Mrs. Ben Thompson, Jr. Mr. John Thompson Mr. & Mrs. H. Grady Traylor Mr. & Mrs. Henderson Traylor Mr. E. DeForest Winslow, III BuilderAllen County Public LibraryMr. & Mrs. Y.T. Abernathy Mrs. Jewell Albright Dr. Sybil L. Allen Ms. Nina Armistead Ms. Jean D. Arnold Mr. & Mrs. Jim Askew Mrs. Ethyl Ault Ms. Joyce Day Austin Mr. & Mrs. John N. Ayers Mr. Lewis L. Banks Mrs. G. Price Barnwell Mr. & Mrs. Wayne Bartley Dr. & Mrs. Fernando Bayo, III Mr. & Mrs. Jim Biagi Mr. & Mrs. Ed Biggs Mr. Jack Binford Ms. Ann Blackwell Dr. & Mrs. Patrick C. Bowie Mr. & Mrs. James T. Boyd Mr. & Mrs. Joe L. Bradfield Mrs. Mary Ann Braik Dr. & Mrs. Lloyd C. Brewton Mr. John Brock Mrs. H. S. Burdette, Jr. Ms. Carolyn Burgess Mr. & Mrs. J. W. Carr Ms. Angela Chambers Mr. & Mrs. William Christian Miss Lillian Clark Dr. & Mrs. P. B. Cleaveland Mrs. Anne A. Cleaveland Mr. & Mrs. Thomas A. Colgrove Miss Katherine Cook Ms. Suzanne Cook Mr. & Mrs. Bruce Crawford Mr. Charles T. Creekman Mrs. Sally L. Culpepper Mrs. C. William Curry Mrs. Clara B. Daniel Mr. & Mrs. James W. Davidson Mr. William Davidson Mrs. Kay Davis Ms. Sara E. Davis Mrs. William Deal Mr. & Mrs. Jone Debnam Jean & Joan DeMarrias Mrs. James Doerr Durand-Wayland Mr. & Mrs. Stephen Edelson Mr. and Mrs. Edward W. Edge Mr. Hilton Estes Ms. Mary Lynn Faress Mr. & Mrs Robert F. Fischer, Sr. Mrs. Grady Fowler Mrs. Mary Louise Freeman Dr. Richard A. Freeman Mr. & Mrs. Paul French Mr. Cliff C. Glover Mrs. John Goldwire, Jr. Mrs. Robert E. Gordon Mr. & Mrs. Ed Gore Mr. & Mrs. Donald R. Gregory Mr. & Mrs. James T. Gresham Mr. & Mrs. William C. Guthrie Mr. & Mrs. George Haley Mr. & Mrs. Thelon A. Hamby Mr. Ken Hammock Mr. & Mrs. Kirk Hancock Mr. & Mrs. Frank C. Harrell Mr. Lewis Harry Mr. & Mrs. Jim Harry Robbie Henderson Mrs. Charles H. Hess Mr. Seale Hipp Mr. & Mrs. William F. Holle, Jr. Mr. & Mrs. Owen C. Holleran Mrs. John S. Holt Mrs. Addis H. Hopkins Mr. & Mrs. W. B. Houze, Jr. Mrs. Elaine Howard Ms. Lisa Hubbard Mr. and Mrs. John W. Huckstep Mrs. Pat Hutchins Ms. Jill Hyers Mrs. Yolanda K. Jabaley Mr. Barry Jackson Mr. Joseph Jarrell Mr. A. Stephen Johnson Mrs. Ida F. T. Jones Mrs. Rachel M. Jones Mr. Charles M. Jones Mrs. S. Kelly Jordan Mr. & Mrs. Chris Joseph Mrs. Julia Keller Mrs. Catherine Kesler Dr. & Mrs. James Killebrew Mr. and Mrs. Charles L. Knight Mr. & Mrs. Walton Knight Dr. Fredric K. Kratina Mr. & Mrs. John K. Lancaster Mr. & Mrs. Eugene Langford Mr. and Mrs. Eiland G. Lipham Mr. & Mrs. Wayne Livingston Dr. & Mrs. Eugene Long Mr. & Mrs. Keener Lynn Mr. & Mrs. G. Melville Major Dr. & Mrs. Paul Major Dr. & Mrs. Cecil Major Dr. & Mrs. Grant R. Major Mr. & Mrs. Richard H. Mallory Mr. & Mrs. Nasor Mansour, Jr. Mr. Bob Mants Mr. Samuel Marcus Mr. William J. Martin Mr. Ted McClellan Mr. & Mrs. Mickey McCoy Mrs. Claude McKibben, Sr. Rev. & Mrs. William P. McLemore Mrs. Judith Merrill Mrs. Judy Miller Dr. & Mrs. Fred Mills Mrs. J. T. Mitchell Mr. & Mrs. Mike Moncus Mr. Terry Moon Ms. Dorothy D. Moore Mr. & Mrs. George Moore Mr. & Mrs. Raymond A. Newman Mrs. John R. Newman Mr. & Mrs Gardner Newman Mr. & Mrs. Brogdon Nichols Mrs. Winifred P. Nixon Mr. Awbrey Norris Mrs. Betty J. Oetjen Mr. & Mrs. Gene Page Mr. & Mrs. Howard Park, Jr. Ms. Mary Pauley Mrs. John H. Peacock Mr. & Mrs. William Petry Mrs. & Mrs. Shep Phillips Mr. Gus J. Pullen, Jr. Ms. Julia Ann Reeves Mrs. & Mrs. Jim Richards Ms. Linda Risinger Mrs. Sarah Rogers Mr. & Mrs. Bill Rye Col. & Mrs. John J. Schuyler Mrs. Malcolm Shackelford Dr. & Mrs. John L. Shibley Mrs. Avery P. Sledge Mr. V. Hawley Smith Mrs. R. Woodrow Smith Mr. & Mrs. Roger H. Soderberg Mr. & Mrs. Calvin Spinks Mr. & Mrs. Daniel C. Stark Mrs. Clara Stewart Ms. Anne H. Stich Mr. & Mrs. Sidney Stubbs Mr. & Mrs. James H. Swanson Mr. & Mrs. Paul Teaver Mr. & Mrs. Horace Thom Mr. & Mrs. H.J. Thomas, Jr. Mrs. O. E. Thornton Mr. & Mrs. Ferrell T. Towns Mrs. J. Edward Traylor, Jr. Ms. Patricia Vaughn Dr. & Mrs. John Vollenweider Col. M. Reid Wallis Mrs. Gail Walsh Mr. Frost Ward Mr. William H. Watts Mr. Robert Weeks Mrs. Eugene H. White Ms. Hazel M. Wingo Mr. & Mrs. James C. Woodyard Mr. Richard H. Worrell HISTORY DAYFor the twenty-first consecutive year, the Troup County Historical Society is sponsoring local History Day Contest for Middle School and High School students. This year’s contest for the West Georgia Region will take place on Friday, March 30th at the Callaway Campus of LaGrange College. LaGrange College cosponsors the contest with the Historical Society.History Day is a national competition. Students enter in one of four categories -- historical papers, performance, media, and projects. They can work alone or in groups of up to five students (except for papers which are for individuals only). The theme for 2001 is: FRONTIERS IN HISTORY: People, Places, and Ideas. Winners at the regional contest will advance on to the State Contest and winners there will compete nationally at the University of Maryland in June. HERITAGE EDUCATIONJune 11-15, 2001, are the dates for the Heritage Education workshop for Troup County teachers sponsored by the Troup County Historical Society. This year’s theme is HOUSES. The workshop takes place at the Troup County Archives and is open to all Troup County teachers whether they teach at private or public schools.The Heritage Education workshop originated with a grant and assistance from the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation. The goal of the workshop is to have teachers bring local history into the classroom -- whether in history classes, math classes (a cemetery provides great numbers), English (wonderful poems can be written about the old house down the street), citizenship, or a variety of other topics. Clark Johnson and Kaye Minchew are the instructors and SDUs are given to teachers who complete the course. The week is lots of work and lots of FUN! Call 884-1828 for more information LAFAYETTE AND JEFFERSON IN LAGRANGEOn May 3-4, 2001, citizens of LaGrange and Troup County will have a rare opportunity to meet and talk to the Marquis de Lafayette and Thomas Jefferson. The two actors from Williamsburg will be in the community portraying these leaders. They will be presenting programs to school children with a special evening performance on Friday, May 4th for the general public. Tickets will be available at the Troup County Archives and the LaGrange Troup County Chamber of Commerce and other spots around town.On New Year’s Eve, 1999, Lafayette came to life in the person of Annette Boyd, but otherwise we have had to be content with reading about our French hero. This appearance by the Williamsburg players will give us an opportunity to talk with them, ask them questions, and learn more about their lives. Lafayette and Jefferson were contemporaries and were leaders of the American Revolutionary War. They both loved liberty and freedom and corresponded with each other through the years when Lafayette was living in France and Jefferson was here in the United States. This event is sponsored by the LaGrange Hydrangea Festival. The Troup County Historical Society is happy to be assisting with plans for the public event. More information about the performance will be sent to members in April but please reserve Friday, May 4th on your calendar! CHATEAU DE LAGRANGE PRINTS ON DISPLAYMrs. George S. Cobb, Jr., has loaned four color prints to the Troup County Archives featuring the Chateau de LaGrange. They will be on display through mid-April. Please stop by and see these prints and our new exhibit on Police and Fire Departments in LaGrange and Troup County.DOCUMENT SPOTLIGHT As this newsletter clearly demonstrates, Troup Countians have experienced a variety of European programs and influences during the past winter. Nonetheless, it seems like we have been talking nonstop about Lafayette -- renovations to the statue, his life, his great love (his wife Adrienne), his beliefs (liberty and freedom for everyone, including being very much opposed to slavery), and his influence on Americans. We loved him after the Revolution when the French helped America gain its independence. Many cities, towns, and counties in the new country were named in his honor. This nineteenth century lithograph of Lafayette was one of the gifts which the visiting French Rotarians gave to the LaGrange Rotary Club. The print is now at the Troup County Archives as part of the Rotary Collection.
Officers: President - Karen Scarborough
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