USA > Georgia > Wilkinson County > History of Wilkinson County > Part 1
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HISTORY OF WILKINSON COUNTY
VICTOR DAVIDSON
HISTORY OF WILKINSON
COUNTY
BY VICTOR DAVIDSON
IGHTERS OF
THE . NOWINY
FRICAN
REY
PUBLISHED BY THE JOHN BALL CHAPTER, DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION
PRESS OF THE J. W. BURKE COMPANY MACON, GA.
INDEXED
F292 W75125
Copyright, 1930 By VICTOR DAVIDSON
AUG 25 1930 CCIA 26858
COFAQUE
OCUTE
co
DE SOTO'S ROUTE
TAMA
ALTAMANA RIVER
The Wilkinson County territory of the De Soto days.
OCONEETOWN
OEMULGE TOWN
X
OLDMOUNDS
FOLD MOUNDS
TRAIL
VILLALI
VILLAGE
TRAIL
DIG SANAY CREEK
VILLAOS VILLACE
OCHESE CROCMULGEE RIVER
TRAIL
CHIAHA
OCONEE RIVER
HICUITEE
Wilkinson County Territory as a part of the Great Creek Confed- cracy.
FT. DEFIANCE
FT. FIDIUS and ROCK LANDING
OCMULGEE OLD TOWN
TRADING PATH
KT. ADVANCE
B TOWN LAID OFF BY CLARKE
PATH
WHITE BLUFF
LONG BLUFF
UPPER UCHEE PATH
PATH
UCHER PATH
AORT
UCHEERILLYPATH CARR'S
BLUFF
JENCKS
CHICASAWor CHICKEN PATH
TO CREEK
OCONEE
RIVER
OCMULGEE RIVER
ALTAMAHA
The Wilkinson County Territory while a part of the Trans-Oconee Republic of Elijah Clarke, in 1794.
COMMISSIONER CREEK
CUSSETAH RATH
BIG SANDY CREEK
LOWER FEDERAL TRAIL
LOWER UCHEE OR
PALMETTO
FT. WILKINSON
JONES CON BALDWIN CO.
--
--
LINE RUN IN 1807 BLECKLEY
TERRITORY CUT OFF FROM WILKINSON COUNTY IN 1807
OCMULGEE RIVER
TELFAIR
WHEELER
1. The narrow strip east of the Indian Boundary line comprised the Wilkinson county of 1803, but all the remainder of the lands south of the line running from Ft. Wilkinson to the Ocmulgee River was added in 1806.
2. In 1807 the vast area was cut up into a number of counties and for the two years following Wilkinson county consisted of the territory extending from river to river and bounded by the lines
In 1809 this was cut in two by the line -.-. -.-. and Twiggs county formed.
At various' times portions of Wilkinson county have been added to Baldwin.
TWIGGS COUNTY
LINE SURVEYED 1809
INDIAN BOUNDARY LINE OF
WILKINSON COUNTY
: 18036
LAURENS COUNTY
OCONEE RIVER
PULASKI
DODGE
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter
Page
I-THE INDIAN ERA OF WILKINSON COUNTY 13
II-DeSOTO'S VISIT TO WILKINSON COUNTY 16
Wilkinson County's First War Expedition, 18.
III-INDIAN TRIBES 20
Oconee, 20; The Muskogean Invasion, 22; The Uchees, 23.
IV-OLD TRAILS 26 River Crossings and Ferries, 28; The Old Federal Trail, 28. V-REVOLUTIONARY AND POST REVOLUTIONARY PERIOD 29
John Galphin's Famous Ride, 33.
VI-McGILLIVRAY'S VICTORY AT ROCK LANDING 35
VII-SPANISH AND BRITISH INTRIGUES-THE FALL OF McGILLIVRAY 45
VIII-INDIAN WAR CLOUDS GATHERING 52
A Flood as An Ally, 55; Chickasaw War, 55; King Payne Makes Peace, 56.
IX-EXPEDITIONS AGAINST THE INDIANS 58
Benjamin Harrison, 59; Tlie Chehaw Indians Defeat Major Brenton's Expedition, 60.
X-THE ADAMS INSURRECTION 62
XI-CLARKE'S EXPEDITION AGAINST FLORIDA 72
XII-ELIJAH CLARKE'S REPUBLIC 82
XIII-TRANS-OCONEE LANDS LAID OFF IN DISTRICTS 92
XIV-THE HARRISON MASSACRE OF THE UCHEES 97
XV-EFAU HAUJO FINDS THE REMEDY FOR HORSE STEALING 103 XVI-TRESPASSING ON THE INDIAN LANDS 107 The Lamar Insurrection, 111.
XVII-THE TREATY OF FORT WILKINSON 112
Ceremonies of the Indians and Talks Delivered by Efau Haujo, The Mad Dog of the Tuckabaches Chief Speaker of the Creeks at the Treaty of Fort Wilkinson, 120.
XVIII-DISSATISFACTION IN GEORGIA 129
Unrest Among the Creeks, 129; The Ooseoochee Convention, 130. XIX-THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE NEW LANDS 133
The Rush of Settlers, 134; Attempts to Purchase More Lands, 136; Hawkins Treaty in 1804, 138; Treaty of Washington, 139; Wilkinson County Should Have Contained the Capital, 140; Fraudulent Speculators, 141; The First Wilkinson County Scan- dal, 142; Defense Against the Indians, 142.
XX-THE CREATION OF A COUNTY GOVERNMENT 144 The First Court, 145; The Carving of Wilkinson Into More Counties, 147 ; Wilkinson Changed to the Ocmulgee Circuit, 149. XXI-SELECTING THE COUNTY SITE 150
XXII-THE MILITIA ORGANIZED 157
Militia Districts, 159; The Militia Captains, 160; The Virginia and Carolina Settlers, 162.
XXIII-EARLY CHURCHES 163
The Early Baptist Churches, 163; Early Methodism in Wilkin- son, 165.
XXIV-THE SCHOOLS OF WILKINSON COUNTY 168
Early Development, 168; Mt. Etna, 168; The County Academy, 169 ; The First Brick School House, 171; The Poor Schools, 173 ; The "Deestrick" School, 175; Academies, 176; Black Creek- Liberty Hill-Mount Pleasant-Union Hill-Griffin District- High Hill-Turkey Creek-Lafayette-Washington-Harrison -Cool Spring-Talmage Normal Institute, 177; The Origin of the Compulsory Education Law, 178; Early Teachers, 179.
XXV-WAR PREPARATIONS IN WILKINSON 181
The Building of the Hartford Road, 181; Wilkinson County's Part in the War of 1812, 182; Wilkinson County Threatened by the Indians, 184.
XXVI-THE POST WAR BOOM 194
XXVII-THE BUILDING OF IRWINTON 197
XXVIII-POLITICS, 1812 TO 1860 200
The King-Troupe Senatorial Race of 1844, 201; Cumming-Cars- well Senatorial Race, 202; The Wilkinson Resolution, 204; Slav- ery and Plantations in Wilkinson, 205; The Public Roads, 210.
(5)
6
HISTORY OF WILKINSON COUNTY
Chapter
Page
XXIX-IMPORTANT EVENTS 213
Decrease in Population, 213; Early Post Offices, 213 ; The Great Fire of 1831-Early Members of the Bar-LaFayette's Visit, 214; The Death of LaFayette, 215; Jesse Vaughn's Buried Jug of Gold, 216; James M. Smith, 216; Early Fruit Orchards, 216 ; The First Physician, 217.
XXX-THE CENTRAL OF GEORGIA RAILROAD 218
The Building of the Central of Georgia Railroad, 219; The Growth of Towns Along the Right-of-Way, 221; Wriley, Gordon. XXXI-WAR CLOUDS OF 1860 223
XXXII-THE WILKINSON MILITIA AT THE OUTBREAK OF THE WAR 227
Co. F, 3rd Georgia-Organization of Company I, 231; Ramah Guards, 232; Company A, of the 49th Georgia, 234. XXXIII-COMPANIES D, I AND K OF THE 57th GEORGIA REGIMENT 235
Vicksburg, 236.
XXXIV-CONDITIONS IN WILKINSON DURING THE WAR 240
Scarcity of Salt, 241; The Smallpox Epidemic, 241; Value of Slaves, 245.
XXXV-WITH THE WILKINSON COUNTY COMPANIES IN VIRGINIA' Cedar Run-Second Manassas, 250; Chancellorsville, 252; Get- tysburg, 253; In Pickett's Charge at Gettysburg, Wilderness, 255 ; Spotsylvania.
249
XXXVI-THE WAR REACHES WILKINSON 258
Stoneman's Raiders, 258; Co. D 8th Ga. and Co. H, 2nd Ga., 258; Sherman's Burning of Irwinton, 262 ; Pillaging the Homes of Wilkinson, 265; When Big Sandy Swamp Was No Man's Land, 266; Battle at River Bridge, 267; Ball's Ferry Skirmish, 267 ; War Heroines of Wilkinson, 268.
XXXVII-THE ESCAPE OF BOB TOOMBS 271
XXXVIII-RECONSTRUCTION DAYS IN WILKINSON 273
Arrest of Citizens, 275; The Klan's Last Meeting, 277; Prohi- bition in Wilkinson, 278; Newspapers, 279.
APPENDIX
APPENDIX 281
TREATY AT FORT WILKINSON IN 1802 283
WILKINSON COUNTY-LIST OF OFFICERS 286
Justices of the Inferior Court, 286; Tax Receivers, 287 ; Tax Collectors, 287; Surveyors, 287; Clerks of the Superior Court, 288; Coroners, 288 ; Sheriffs, 288 ; Clerks of the Inferior Court, 288 : Treasurers, 289; Represen- tatives, 289; Commissioners of Roads and Revenues, 289; County School Commissioners, 290; Ordinary-Senators, 290.
RECORDS OF WILLS AND ESTATES 291
Wills-Records of Returns, 1820-1828, 1848-1853, 291; 1828-1838, 292; 1838- 1848, 293; 1853-1858, 294; Estates, 1853-'58, 295 ; 1849-1853, 296; 1838-1848, 297; 1820-1828, 298.
EXTRACTS FROM MARRIAGE RECORDS, 1819-1865 301
Marriage Records Reversed, 355.
CELEBRATION OF FOURTH OF JULY AT IRWINTON, 1831 370
Clippings from Ga. Journal, July 14, 1831, 370.
A SHORT HISTORY OF THE EBENEZER ASSOCIATION TAKEN FROM REGULAR FILE OF MINUTES BY WILEY SHEPHERD 373
CHURCH HISTORIES 380
Mt. Nebo, 380; Ramah, 380; Liberty, 383; Mt. Olive, 383; Oakdale, 383 ; Toomsboro Baptist, 384; Walnut Creek, 384; Bethel, 384; Mt. Carmel, 384; Alsbury, 384; New Providence, 385; Poplar Springs, 385; Old Chapel, 385 ; Old Hopewell, 385; The Irwinton Churches, 385; Red Level, 386; Union Methodist, 387 ; Toomsboro Christian, 387; Myrtle Springs, 387; Pleasant Plains, 388; Friendship, 389; The Toomsboro M. E., 389.
HISTORY OF TOWNS IN WILKINSON COUNTY :
Danville, 390; Allentown 391 ; Gordon, 392.
ROSTER OF THE WILKINSON COUNTY COMPANIES IN THE WAR BETWEEN THE STATES 395
Muster Roll of Co. I, 3rd Reg. Ga. Vol. Inf .. 395; Co. F, 3rd Reg. Ga. Vol. Inf., 399; Ramah Guards, 403; Co. A, 49th Reg. Ga. Vol. Inf. Army of Northern Va. Wilkinson County, Wilkinson Invincibles, 406; Co. I, 57th Reg. Ga. Vol. Inf. Army of Tennessee, Laurens and Wilkinson County,
7
HISTORY OF WILKINSON COUNTY
Page
Chapter
Buckaloo Rifles, 411; Co. D, 57th Reg. Ga. Vol. Inf. 414; Co. K, 57th Reg. Ga. Vol. Inf. Army of Tennessee, 417 ; Co. H, 2nd Reg. 1st Brigade Ga. State Troops, Commanded by Col. R. L. Storey, 421 ; Co. D, 8th Reg. Ga. Militia, 122.
THE DEATH OF A WILKINSON COUNTY SOLDIER IN VIRGINIA 424 426
KIRKPATRICK'S TRIAL
GENEALOGICAL APPENDIX
GENEALOGICAL APPENDIX
431
The John Ball Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, 433. John Ball. 434. Gordon Woman's Club, 435.
Robert Toombs Chapter United Daughters of the Confederacy, 436. Wilkinson County Chapter United Daughters of the Confederacy, 437.
Adams, W. C. Family, 438. Holloman (Holliman) Family, 546.
Allen, Willis, 440. Hooks, Charles, 547.
Bacon, Nathaniel Hunter, 441.
Hooks, John Wesley, 549.
Baum, Alexander and Amelia Fried, 443. Beall, James Morris, 444.
Bell, Ross Augustus, 445.
Billue, The Family, 447.
Bloodworth, John Pink, 449.
Bloodworth, John Fleming, 450.
Boone, Family, 455.
Bower, James C. and Related Families, 460; The Davis Family, 462; John Eady, 462.
Branan, Caswell, 464. Broadfield, Mrs. Fannie Burney, 466.
Brooks, J. W., Sr., 468.
Brooks, J. W., Jr., 469.
Bryan, William Henry, 471.
Bugg, Mrs. Maude Taylor, 472.
Burke, Daniel, 473.
Butler, Joseph Edward, 475.
Carswell, George Henry, 477.
Cason, Levi Richardson, 482. Chambers, William Irwin, 483.
Chambers, Franklin, 485.
Chambers, Andrew, 487.
Cliett, Homer Adolphus, 488.
Culpepper, Charles, 490. Daughtry, George Orinthus Allen, 493. Davidson, Mrs. Martha Jane (Hogan), 495. Davidson, John Thomas, 496.
Davidson, Victor, 497.
Davidson, Mrs. Victor, 498.
Davis, John Seaborn, 499.
Everett, George W., 487.
Fountain - Garrett - Knight, 501; Pro- logue, 501; Fountain Family Chart, 503; Garrett, 506; Garrett Family Chart, 509; Knight, 517; Knight Family Chart, 519. Freeman, Mrs. Annie Tarpley, 523.
Gibson, Dr. Thomas, 524. Gifford, Gay Family, 525.
Gilmore, Byington, 528.
Hall-Freeman-Hall, 532; Hansford A. Hall, 532; Thomas Madison Free- man, 533; Willie Alford Hall, 535. Hall, John Marvin, 538.
Hatcher, Major John and His Descend- ants, 540. Hicks, The Family, 545.
Pugh, Ruth Whipple, 603.
Rivers, Joel, 605.
Ryle, William B., 606.
Sanders, King, 607.
Sanders, Thurman, 608.
Stanley, Eddie, 609.
Stephens, Herbert Eugene, 611.
Stokes, Joseph Alexander, 613. Tigner, Lamar S., 614.
Todd, John Caldwell Calhoun, 617.
Whipple, The Family, 619.
Whitehurst, Rozar Families, 623 :
Whitehurst, 623; Wilkinson Mayberry, Whitehurst, 623; Rozar, 625. Williams, Mamie Emma Wood, 627. Williams, William Charles, 628.
King, The John Family, 564.
Kinney, William Oscar, 565.
Kitchens, Mrs. Julia Porter, 567.
Lamb, Mrs. Nancy Caroline Ward, 568.
Land, Mrs. Georgia Elvenia Burke, 569.
Lee, Family Chart, 570.
Lee, The Family, 571.
Lee, The Family and Its Descendants, 573.
Lee, Walter Washington, Sr., 579. Lee, William Greene, Biographical Sketch, 581.
Lee, Sidney Warren, 583.
Lewis, The Family, 586.
Lindsey, John William, 589.
Manson, Orian Wood, 590.
McArthur, John, 591.
McGinty, William Thomas, 593. Meredith, 595.
Nesbit, Alexander H. and Sarah Jane (Johnston), 596. Patterson, William Craven, 597.
Pittman, Rev. James Lee, 599.
Player, Leon P., 600.
Porter, John Floyd, 602.
Hughes, Haywood Donaldson, 557.
Hughs, Nathaniel, 558.
Isenberg, Sol, 559. Ivey, Rev. B. H., 560.
Johnson, Emile, 561.
Jones, William Allen, 563.
Hooks, Mrs. John Wesley, 550.
Hubbard, Eli Bartow, 552.
Hughes, Rev. Green Berry, 553.
Foreword
ITHOUT intending any invidious comparison, the local his- tory of Wilkinson County written by Victor Davidson, Esq., is the best of many I have read. The author has a proper sense of proportion in knowing what to put in, what to leave out, what to treat in detail, and what to handle in a brief way. His treatment of the background is, it seems to me, par excellent. His knowledge of Indian affairs, a large part of which is related to the early set- tlements in Wilkinson, and therefore properly a part of this volume, is nevertheless of state-wide interest; and students who wish to know more of Georgia's dealings with the Indians will find here the fullest treatment of the subject that has fallen under my eye- indeed I know of no other source where the connected story may be found, and it has been written in a most attractive style.
Mr. Davidson has also shown, in the following pages, much of the inner life of the people of his county. He has not contented himself with mere dates, and names, and of sounding the praises of the more prominent ones, but he has portrayed the home life of the people and has recorded many of the side lights without which no true picture could be presented.
No history of the entire State can do what these county chronicles are doing. The former is limited to a statement of the outstanding facts which affect the current of the whole commonwealth; but the latter can and should make mention of many things for which there would be no place in the other; and yet, it is the lights and shadows of the little things that make up the complete portrait.
His treatment of the part played by the country in the War Between the States is especially well done.
The work has been so thoroughly wrought, and with so much pains and accuracy, that the talented writer who is responsible for it is entitled not only to the thanks of the people of Wilkinson, but of those everywhere who are interested in the history of the State.
WARREN GRICE.
TO MY MOTHER who first impressed me with a desire to write this book and
TO MY WIFE who assisted me in the work
HISTORY OF WILKINSON COUNTY
CHAPTER I
THE INDIAN ERA OF WILKINSON COUNTY
ITHERE is unmistakable evidence to be found through- out this section pointing towards the fact that hundreds of years ago the country was thickly populated with human beings. There are large mounds to be found near Black Lake, below the old Oconee Town, south of Milledgeville, near Lord's Lake, several miles farther down the river, one near Wriley, one on Cedar Creek near Burke's Old Mill Site, one farther down the creek not far from the Dublin and Irwinton Road. There are many places in the county where numbers of arrow heads indicate that they might be on old battlegrounds of contending tribes. Like- wise, in the memory of people yet living, there were many more indications of Indians to be found years ago which are now obliterated. Mrs. J. W. Fordham, who lives near Balls Ferry, gave the author the information that during her childhood, there was located on the lands now belong- ing to Mr. Ennis Miller a round tract of ground, packed very hard, which was said to have been the place where the Indians were accustomed to dance their war dance. Mr. J. J. McArthur, of Gordon, tells of there having been a similar spot of ground near the Irwinton and Macon Road about seven miles from Irwinton on his old home- place. Mrs. C. G. Kitchens, tells of an old site resembling that of the cliff dwellers near Turkey Creek about two miles from Danville from which she digged some bones and pottery. Among the things found there was the petri- fied skeleton of a human being. It had been buried in a sit-
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HISTORY OF WILKINSON COUNTY
ting position apparently after a number of things had been burned near him. Among the ashes were some partly burned bones the nature of which she was unable to deter- mine, also a piece of a metal chain and many arrow- heads. Some excellent pottery was found in one of the mounds near Black Lake several years ago. This pottery was sold to the Superintendent of the State Sanitarium at Milledgeville at that time. The mounds near Lord's Lake are large and have large flat rocks piled on them.
According to the hearsays handed down by the past generations and told to the author by C. B. Lamb, about three hundred years before Wilkinson County was first settled by the whites, which would have been about the year 1500, the most terrible hurricane that had ever been before experienced by the Indians devastated the section of the country from the vicinity of Turkey Creek as its eastern boundary and extending approximately twenty miles in width from this section to the Ocmulgee river, up- rooting all the monster yellow pines that covered this whole section, and almost exterminating the tribes of In- dians who then dwelt at Allentown and on Turkey Creek, so frightening the remainder that they left in a body, never again returning to live here. As the tradition goes, the yellow pine was not reseeded in this particular section but that in its stead the "short-strawed" pine took its place, and although this whole section is surrounded by lands upon which the yellow pine flourished, never since then has it been found here. The tradition says further that when the white man first settled here the roots and stumps of these old yellow pines could frequently be found.
An old tradition told the author by B. C. Arnold sev- eral years ago is to the effect that Devil's Branch near Danville was so named by the Indians who were accus- tomed to go there to hunt, but every time they would go there, a hairy monster in the shape of a man and with
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HISTORY OF WILKINSON COUNTY
flaming eyes would chase them away, and for this reason they gave it the name of the Devil's Branch and avoided the spot. It will also be noted that this stream flowed near the old Indian village at Allentown.
By the same person, the author was informed that Tur- key Creek was so designated by the Indians on account of the numerous wild turkeys to be found there, and the Buck Creek was given that appellation by reason of the deer that were always there.
CHAPTER II DE SOTO'S VISIT TO WILKINSON COUNTY
THERE is a vast diversity of opinion as to the route taken by De Soto in his journey through this section of the State. The map accompanying Irving's "Conquest of Florida" indicates that the route led by way of the present city of Macon and thence to Milledgeville, before pro- ceeding to Silver Bluff near Augusta. Numerous writers accept and follow this theory.
Still others among whom may be mentioned Stevens, in his History of Georgia, frankly admit that it is impossible to trace the exact route. The translations of Garcilaso, of Biedma, of Elvas and of Ranjel, in the Car- negie library of Atlanta do not give sufficient data to de- termine the route absolutely, but these apparently just as strongly sustain the opinions of Charles C. Jones, Jr., who, in his History of Georgia, indicates the route as having led through Coffee or Irwin county, thence cross- ing the Ocmulgee, on through Laurens and up the Oconee for a distance before crossing. There is much data to sus- tain Jones in this opinion. Pickett in his History of Ala- bama states that De Soto spent the winter of 1539-40 near Tallahassee, Florida, and it is agreed by practically all modern writers on the subject that the Silver Bluff near Augusta is identical with Cofachiqui, and that the general direction of De Soto's line of march was northeast. It will be observed that a straight line on the map connecting Tallahassee with Augusta, will follow the route suggested by Jones. Mention is also frequently made of the Indian trail which was followed by this expedition, and over which the Indian guides assured De Soto they had pre- viously traveled the entire distance. This leads us to be- lieve that it is extremely probable that the old trail, shown
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HISTORY OF WILKINSON COUNTY
on the Map of 1715 "Plate C" accompanying Swanton's History of the Creek Indians, must have been the same trail followed by De Soto.
Mention is made by Irving and others of the Spaniards passing through the province of "Atapaha" or "Alta- maca," and some conclude this was Altamaha. However, it is just as probable that this was Alapaha, as the river of this name crosses the route suggested by Jones, while the Altamaha river is much farther to the east of the route. After leaving Atapaha the next province the Spaniards reached was Ocute. Swanton in his History of the Creek Indians gives his opinion that Ocute and Hitchitee are synonymous and in his map "Plate I" accompanying his History of the Creeks indicates that the territory in the forks of the Oconee and Ocmulgee which was later to be- come the lower portion of Wilkinson County was the pro- vince of the Ocute of De Soto. Some idea of the populous condition of the country is given when the chieftain of Ocutes sent a deputation of two thousand Indians to meet De Soto carrying with them as présents, rabbits, part- ridges and dogs. When De Soto arrived at his town he gave up his mansion to the Governor.
All the writers mention the fertility of the soil, the plentiful supply of food and game, as well as the hospi- tality of the people of Ocute or Cofa. The location of the town of Ocute or Cofa is fixed by Jones as being in the present Laurens County, formerly Wilkinson County. It was here that De Soto astounded the Indians by pointing a cannon at a tree and with two shots cut it down. Before leaving, the cannon being too heavy to carry, he presented it to the chief.
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