First Babies for Waycross, Ware County, Georgia

A Waycross tradition for years, women expecting babies with a due date in December or January, have aimed at that special day of January 1. To give birth to the first baby of the new year in Waycross. The merchants bestow gifts in honor of being Waycross' first "Baby of the Year." The contest began in 1926. With the exception of 1927, which was skipped, it has been held every year since.

Some of the winners have been:  

1926- Joe CHRISTIAN, son of Mr. & Mrs. J. G. CHRISTIAN

1928- Fred M. THOMAS Jr. , son of Mr. & Mrs. Fred M. THOMAS

1929- Mamie  D. THRIFT, daughter of Mr. & Mrs. O. K. THRIFT

1930- Ruby DEAS, daughter of W. H. DEAS, attending physician Dr. J. H. LATIMER

1931- Robert Ware HENDRIX, son of Mr. & Mrs. G. W. HENDRIX, attending physician Dr. C. A. WHITMER.

1932- Baby Girl HAND, daughter of Mr. & Mrs. M. HAND, attending physician Dr. J. E. PENDLAND

1933- Baby Girl STEPHENS, daughter of Mr. & Mrs. D. E. STEPHENS, attending physician Dr. C. A. WHITMER.

1934- Baby Boy HARRISON, son of Mr. & Mrs. Z. R. HARRISON, attending physician Dr. H. G. HUEY

1935- Baby Boy BENNETT, son of Mr. & Mrs. Benjamin J. BENNETT, attending physician Dr. Raymond JOHNSON

1936- Baby Boy THRIFT  son of Mr. & Mrs. George Tatum THRIFT

1937- William Homer FOUCH son of Mr. & Mrs. Homer L. FOUCH, attending physician Dr. W. M.  FLANNIGAN

1938- Charlie Harvey GRIFFIN, Jr. son of Mr. & Mrs. Charlie H. GRIFFIN, Sr., attending physician Dr. C. A. WHITMER

1939- Baby Boy DENTON, son of Mr. & Mrs. G. L. DENTON, attending physician Dr. C. M. STEPHENS

1940- Thomas Marvin MERCER, son of Mr. & Mrs. Marvin MERCER, attending physician Dr. B. R. BUSSELL

1941- Baby Boy MCQUAIG son of Mr. & Mrs. Herman MCQUAIG, attending physician Dr. A. W. DELOACH

1942- Mary Helen NUGENT daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Walter NUGENT, attending physician Dr. W. M. FLANNIGAN

1943- Donald Bruce LOTT, son of Mr. & Mrs. T. P. LOTT, attending physician Dr. A. W. DELOACH

1943- Baby Boy JOHNSON son of Mr. & Mrs. P. L. JOHNSON, attending physician Dr. H. J. CARSWELL

1944- Delores STRICKLAND, daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Clifton V. STRICKLAND, attending physician Dr. J. E. PENLAND

1945- Wanda Joyce WESSON- daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Henry WESSON, attending physician Dr. J. E. PENLAND

1946- Benita Yolanda ROSE, daughter of Mr. & Mrs. F. J. ROSE, attending physician Dr. B. R. BUSSELL

1947- Paul David HARGROVES, son of Mr. & Mrs. Paul H. HARGROVES, attending physician Dr. W. C. CALHOUN

1948- Patsey G. FULLARD daughter of Mr. & Mrs. W. C. FULLARD, attending physician Dr. T. J. FERRELL

1949- Gary Willis MCCARTHY son of Mr. & Mrs. Willis K. MCCARTHY, attending physician Dr. W. E. LEE, Jr.

1950- Sheila Rebecca HILTON, daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Kenneth HILTON, attending physician Dr. W. C. CALHOUN

1951- Sharon Olive ROARK, daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Eugene ROARK, attending physician Dr. A. W. DELOACH

1952- Barbara Denise ARNOLD, daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Jack E. ARNOLD, attending physician Dr. Ivey JACOBS

1953- Helen WILDES, daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Francis Lamar WILDES, attending physician Dr. A. W. DELOACH

1955- Child of Mr. & Mrs. James William TAYLOR, Sr.

1956- Betty Jean LEE, daughter of Mr. & Mrs. George W. LEE, attending physician Dr. W. M. FLANIGAN

1957- Grace DISNEY, daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Clifford H. DISNEY, attending physician Dr. W. B. BATES

1960- Baby Girl TURPIN, daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Billy Edward TURPIN, attending physician Dr. Duncan FARRIS

1962- Addie Aliesin SHETTERS, daughter of Mr. & Mrs. James SHETTERS, attending physician Dr. W. E. BATES

1963- Baby Boy HARRIS, son of Mr. & Mrs. Kennis HARRIS, attending physician Dr. W. B. BATES

1964- Baby Boy SPENCE, son of Mr. & Mrs. J. A. SPENCE, attending physician Dr. Walter E. LEE

1965- Baby Girl WEST, daughter of Mr. & Mrs. James W. WEST, attending physician Doctors Duncan FARRIS & Edward BROWN

1966- Baby Boy PETTY son of Mr. & Mrs. Fred PETTY, attending physician Dr. Edward BROWN

1967- Baby Boy TODD, son of Mr. & Mrs. James TODD, attending physician Dr. Edward BROWN

1968- Edward Allen WAINRIGHT, Jr., son of Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Allen WAINRIGHT, attending physician Dr. H. K. HEATH

1968- Dennis Odel CARTER, son of Mr. & Mrs. Leon CARTER, attending physician Dr. Leon CASON

1969- Baby Boy MCGAULEY, son of Mr. & Mrs. Dewey MCGAULEY, attending physician Dr. Duncan FARRIS

1970- Baby Girl ROBERTSON, daughter of Annie Louise ROBERTSON, attending physician Dr. H. K. HEATH, Jr.

1971- Joseph Benjamin BRANTLEY, son of Mr. & Mrs. James BRANTLEY, attending physician Dr. Duncan FARRIS

1972- Ashley Paul HAMM, Jr., son of Mr. & Mrs. Ashley Paul HAMM, attending physician Dr. H. K. HEATH, Jr.

1973- Lisa Ann STALVEY, daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Darrell STALVEY, attending physician Dr. Edward BROWN