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THE STORY OF THEIR DISCOVERY NEAR GAINESVILLE. The Original Stone Now Worn by an Atlanta Lady—The Abundance of Stacolamite in Georgia. Atlanta Constitution. There is an interesting story con nected with the $200 brilliant that flashes on the finger of an Atlanta lady. That stone in the first dia mond discovered In Georgia, and its history is worth relating. In 1838 Dr. Joseph Habersham [and Dr. William ©. Dundel in a summer In North Georgia, and, as educated gentlemen were fond of doing in those days, they spent a good part of their outing in looking into the resources of the State. The important events of that summer are told by Judge William W. Habersham, a son of the doc tor, Who was a member of that party “Tn the mouth of July,” said he, “they arrived at Gainesville, which was then a little country town with no accommodations, Dr. Banks, who lived twelve miles from there, met the Savannah gentlemen and took them to his place at the ‘Glade mine,’ which was then belog sluiced for gold. “On their arrival, Dr. Habersham and Dr. Daniel accompanied Dr. Banks to the mine. As they stood there an Irishman who was work ing on the sluice stepped up to Dr. Banks with a pretty stone in his hand and asked what it was. Dr. Banks handed it to my father and asked him In turn. “It is a diamond in the rough,’ said Dr. Habereham, “Dr. Daniel had said he was going to Europe that fall and Dr. Banks requested him to take the stone with him and ascertain whether It was a genuine diamond, and if no, to leave It out and set in a lady’s ring, which he would present to his Infant daughter when she came to be married. “The next day the same Irish man handed Dr. Banke a similar stone, saying he had found it In the sluice also, Dr. Banks handed it to Dr. Danlel, saying, ‘I will pre sent you with this for the trouble you will have in attending to the cutting and wetting of the other, stone.’ “Dr. Daniel went to England and submitted the stone to one of the best lapidaries . ee the pre sees te 0 first water, worth about $300. It was cut and set in a ring as Dr. Banks had requested, and Dr. Daniel had the other stone set in a pin, which I have often seen sparkling in the Dienst of his ruffled shirt. ‘The sight of it led me to make a remark which drew out the whole story from my father. _ “Now comes the singularity of the Incident connected with this ring. In 1879 I was associated with Colonel Carey W. Stiles, in the con duct of the Gainesville Eagle, of which I was the mining editor. One day Colonel Redwine, the pro prietor of the paper, came into the office and said: ‘Judge, a lady sent you, this ring to examine and deter mine Its value. What do you think it to worth?! “'1¢ bea diamond of the first wa ter,’ said I. ‘worth about $300. “You must be a judge of dia monds,' said he. “Where did you get this ring,’ I asked. “He told me that Dr. Banks had went to his daughter on her wed ding day. “This then, was the stone I my father has been taken out of the sluice at the Glade mine nearly, Af years before. “after I came to Atlanta s gentle man came to aly of the one day to consult me about minerals, “Do you know of any diamonds grabens See im: Georgia?’ he “are, Stevenson has frequently told me that quite a number have
Newspaper Details
Americus Daily Recorder
Americus, Georgia, US
Sat, Jun 21, 1890
Page 3
Full Page
Clipped by
Charlie H.
USA 17 Jul 2026
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