Our Priceless Legacy

The 4th of July, a day we celebrate each year with fireworks, BBQ, and as a national holiday, but that day means so much more to us, the citizens of Monticello, Georgia.

Our town is named for the home of Thomas Jefferson, Monticello, who was one of five who composed the Declaration of Independence. He was known to be well read and was apparently also chosen for his knowledgeable choice of words and phrases.

Jefferson turned the phrase, “Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness,” most likely after reading the writings of John Locke, an English philosopher, who wrote that government by the consent of the governed as a means to protect, “Life, Liberty, and Estate.” Sound familiar?

His home, named Monticello, was designed by Jefferson. He was inspired to top his mansion with a dome after a trip to Rome, Italy and seeing the 2,000 year old dome of the Pantheon. Maybe he also loved the sound of the northern Italian town, Monticello, meaning “Little Mountain,” so much that he used it to name his home. If you have ever seen the Jefferson Memorial, the reverse of our five cent coin, the Jasper County courthouse and even the Bank of Monticello, you have seen the same style dome.

On July 4th, 1776, representatives from the 13 colonies met in Philadelphia and ratified the Declaration of Independence. It would be another month before 51 of those representatives signed the document disregarding the danger they faced of being charged with treason, punishable by death.

John Morton, one of the signers, is an ancestor of Jasper County resident. George “Bud” Cowan, Morton was so dedicated to the independence of the our country. That July day when the delegates from Pennsylvania were meeting to decide if they were willing to go all in, Morton broke the tie vote and the Pennsylvania delegates voted affirmative.

Today, we celebrate the courage and dedication of our forefathers to give us this most priceless legacy.