USA > Georgia > Floyd County > Rome > A history of Rome and Floyd County, State of Georgia, United States of America; including numerous incidents of more than local interest, 1540-1922, Volume I > Part 14
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77
*Now the seventh.
** Mayor Sumter conducted one of these. *** Nobles'.
**** In 1847 it was 3,000.
***** From the Southerner and Advertiser of about Aug. 26, 1860.
him a large number of mechanics busily engaged in the manufacture of machinery of all kinds.
He is informed that they built the first, and one of the best locomotives in the State, besides numerous engines for mines, mills, steamboats, etc. He is then taken to the "Nonpareil Mills," and sees meal and flour in large quan- tities, ground by machinery, set in mo- tion by one of these same engines.
He is still unprepared for the most astounding discovery of all. When told that Rome, away up in the northwest corner of the State, surrounded by the mountains of Cherokee, is situated at the confluence of two streams, upon one of which, and upon the river which they form, four steamboats are con- stantly arriving and departing, he smiles and shakes his head incredu- lously. In order to convince him, it is only necessary to take him down to the wharves, and point with honest pride to the floating witnesses. Three of them, he is informed, make weekly trips down the Coosa river, to Greens- port, Ala., and the fourth, three times a week, up the Oostanaula to Calhoun, Gordon County. Each leaves her wharf with a heavy cargo of merchandise, and returns laden with cotton, grain, lumber, etc., etc.
The "chief among us taking notes," walks thoughtfully away with the con- viction that Rome is "no mean city," and if in the course of a year or two he returns and hears the "Iron Horse" snorting through Vann's Valley, bring- ing its living freight from Mobile and New Orleans, on their way to the Northern cities, he will find that it is making rapid strides to the position of influence and importance to which the hand of Nature points.
The Tri-Weekly Courier of Aug 8, 1860, stated that the population of Floyd County in 1840 was 4,441, and presented the following census table comparisons :****
Year. Whites. Slaves. Free. Total
1850 5,202 2,999 4 8,205
1860 9,200 5,927 16 15,233
James I. Teat, Floyd County tax receiver, presented the following county tax return figures for 1859 and 1860 :*****
Number of polls in 1859, 1,651; in 1860, 1,738-gain, 87.
Legal voters over 60 years of age, 118.
Total number of voters, 1,856.
112
A HISTORY OF ROME AND FLOYD COUNTY
Lawyers and physicians in 1859, 57; in 1860, 56.
Free persons of color in 1859, 13; in 1860, 16.
Value of land in 1859, $2,652,003; in 1860, $2,807,435.
Town property in 1859, $446,680; in 1860, $537,951.
Value of slaves in 1859, $4,454,207; in 1860, $3,755,184.
Amount of money, etc., in 1859, $1,937,849; in 1860, $2,104,490.
Merchandise in 1859, $309,559; in 1860, $340,565.
Capital in steamboats in 1859, $6,- 400; in 1860, $14,910.
All other capital invested in 1859, $23,776; in 1860, $11,784.
Household, etc., in 1859, $35,283; in 1860, $36,805.
All other property in 1859, $496,365; in 1860, $524,667.
Total aggregate, 1859, $9,363,132; in 1860, $10,133,791-total gain, $770,- 669.
Average value of land per acre, $9.30.
Average value of slaves, $651.70.
Number of men over 60 years of age in proportion to polls, 144.
CHAPTER VI. Views and Events Leading Up to War
A LTHOUGH Floyd had been overwhelmingly a "Union county," her citizens, al- most to a man, were willing to go with the majority in any sit- uation affecting the interests of the South. Thus we see the local sen- timent gradually changing, until in 1860 the anti-secession forces had lost considerable ground. This was brought about in general by the drift of the times, in particular by the abductions of slaves, the propaganda of traveling emissa- ries, and the literary efforts of Northern leaders opposed to slavery. The writings of Wm. Lloyd Garrison, who edited an abo- litionist paper, Harriet Beecher Stowe, author of "Uncle Tom's Cabin," and Hinton Rowan Helper, author of "The Impending Crisis," greatly inflamed sentiment and tended to knit public opinion more closely.
The Rome Tri-Weekly Courier gives a good view of some of these influences and the incidents which were the outgrowth of them. Says Capt. Dwinell in The Courier of Jan. 10, 1860 :
Look Out For Him .- The Knoxville Whig gives the following description of an abolition emissary who, it says, intends "spending the winter at the South." His ostensible business seems to be selling and putting up gas burn- ers, and as Rome will very soon have need of such articles, he may honor us with a visit.
He is about 23 or 25 years of age, weighs about 135, has light hair, sort of gray or blue eyes; his height is about 5 feet, 6 inches; he is fond of musie, is a scientific fiddler ; goes about as an agent for gas burners; is an in- cessant talker; is well informed for a man of his age, talks up freely on all subjects. Has letters addressed to him at different points, sometimes John
Jenkins, at other times to J. P. Jen- kins, and again to J. W. P. Jenkins.
The Whig says he spent some time in Jacksboro, Tenn., and on his return to his home, Brooklyn, N. Y., he wrote a long letter on the subject of slavery to a citizen of the former place. We subjoin an extract, and hope a strict watch may be kept for him:
"Depend upon it, when Brown* dies, the ghost will haunt many that may gloat upon the sight, or imaginary one of Brown and his party, as they see them dangling on the scaffold paying their desire of revenge! And ere long there will be a howling in their ears. with thunder tones the snapping's and crackings of those long-forged chains, until they awake as from a dream at last, in which they shall see their folly in having executed men for their feel- ings of benevolence.
"I see that the institution is getting very sick. It has the ague in its worst form in Virginia. It has the consump- tion, and almost a galloping one, in Missouri. So it has in portions of Ken- tucky and many parts of the South. The seeds of discontent are being sowed broadcast, even to the most re- mote regions. Not through the in- fluence of emissaries from the North particularly, but by the force of the power of emigration and civilization."
There are too many of these scoun- drels prowling about through the Southern states. Their object is the same as is proclaimed in the "Impend- ing Crisis," and attempted to be car- ried out by John Brown and his con- federates-emancipation of our slaves -attended by murder, arson and all that is terrible and revolting in a ser- vile war. We are no advocates of mob law, but we believe in the first law of nature, and in such instances as these, frequently our only safety is in sum- mary proceedings.
We learn from the Atlanta papers that last week in that city one of these vile incendiaries, named Newcomb, a clerk in a dry goods house, drank a toast to the health of John Brown, and eulogized his character. He was al- lowed to escape without just punish- ment for his temerity. We are op- posed to rashness and precipitancy in such cases, but when guilt is fully es- tablished, these fellows should be dealt
*John Brown ; hanged Dec. 2, 1859, at Charles- town, Va., for raid on Harper's Ferry.
114
A HISTORY OF ROME AND FLOYD COUNTY
with in such manner as will cause them to remember the lesson the balance of their days, and enable them to recite it with earnestness and eloquence to such of their friends as may seem in- clined to embark on similar enter- prises.
The Impending Crisis .- We find the subjoined extract from this notorious book in one of our exchanges. South- erners can infer from it the purpose and character of the work:
"So it seems that the total number of actual slave owners, including their entire crew of cringing lick-spittles, against whom we have to contend, is but 347,525. Against the army for the defense and propagation of slavery, we think it will be an easy matter-in- dependent of the negroes, who in nine cases out of ten would be delighted with an opportunity to cut their mas- ters' throats, and without accepting a single recruit from the free states, Eng- land, France or Germany-to mus- ter one at least three times as large and far more respectable, for its utter extinction. We are determined to abol- ish slavery at all hazards-in defiance of all opposition of whatever nature, which it is possible for the slaveocrats to muster against us. Of this they
CAPT. MELVILLE DWINELL, native of Ver- mont, bachelor and noted Rome newspaper editor, who gave Henry Grady his first "job."
may take due notice, and then govern themselves accordingly."
It is nothing more nor less than a declaration of war against the South and her institutions, in which we are warned to "take due notice" that our slaves will be given the opportunity of cutting our throats. And this trea- sonable document is recommended by 68 Northern men, including Congress- men, Governors and clergymen. It is endorsed by leaders of the Black Re- publican party, among them John Sherman, of Ohio, their speaker of the House of Representatives; Wm. H. Seward,* Senator from New York, says of it:
"I have read 'The Impending Crisis' with deep attention. It seems to me a work of information and logical anal- ysis."
And Mr. Seward will in all proba- bility be the candidate of his party for the presidency. These facts will do for Southerners to ponder well.
The Courier of Jan. 19, 1860, re- produced the following from the Montgomery Mail as embodying its own sentiments :
Something, Something, Anything !- Now that the state convention of the dominant party has adjourned, the gen- eral hope is that the Legislature will do something-anything-by way of preparing to meet the requirements of the war that is almost upon us. Let no man accuse us of disunion purposes. The question is not, will not be, left to the South for decision. The forces of Abolition intend to leave us no op- tion but to fight for our firesides, or do as cowards do. As they moved at Harper's Ferry, so they are prepar- ing to move all over the South. Plots have already been detected and stifled in Missouri. "Irrepressible Conflict" means the knife at your throat and the torch at your house, reader, and both at the dead of night. Whenever you take up and drive off an Abolition- ist from your neighborhood, he goes to the next county, and another takes his place. The dead ones cease to aet.
The following of Jan. 24, 1860, illustrates a habit of traveling salesmen from the North :
The Latest Dodge .- The Yankees are never at a loss for expedients. During this "impending crisis" they have se-
*Mr. Seward became Lincoln's Secretary of War. As a young man ne taught school a while at Milledgeville.
115
VIEWS AND EVENTS LEADING UP TO WAR
1
--
A PAGE DEDICATED TO THE HORSE.
Fearing the horse, like his ill-fated predecessor, the ox, might become practically extinct as a result of the onward rush of the automobile and the flying machine, we present these pictures herewith as our contribution to the perpetuation of his fame. No doubt men now living will in the dim future point out to their children some horse, with the remark, "I once rode one of those!"
116
A HISTORY OF ROME AND FLOYD COUNTY
cured a large amount of Southern cus- tom by sending out their drummers dressed in homespun! The ruse pays, and as drummers are generally expect- ed to be an accommodating set, per- fectly free and perfectly persuasive, they never lose an opportunity to talk humorously conservative, as if the po- litical hubbub now rampant was all a meaningless fudge, and the North and the South are as firmly linked as ever. But yet, when a serious discussion arises they are intensely Southern, and their homespun is proof positive !- Petersburg Express.
The Courier of Jan. 26, 1860, ap- prizes us of an attack on "The Im- pending Crisis" from the floor of the House by a Roman :*
The following is an extract from the speech of the Hon. John W. H. Under- wood, of Rome, in the House of Rep- resentatives, Washington, on the 16th inst. It places John Sherman's rela- tion to the Helper book in a new and strong light: "Mr. Clerk, when we as- sembled in this hall on the first Mon- day in December last, we found upon the floor of this House 40 members who had 'cordially endorsed' Helper's 'Im- pending Crisis of the South,' a book which proposes arson, murder, rapine, insurrection and servile war. Among the signers of that 'cordial endorse- ment' is the honorable gentleman from Ohio, Mr. Sherman, the candidate of the Black Republican party for speak- er. That man Helper, some months prior to this 'cordial en- dorsement,' was exposed by the honor- able Senator from North Carolina in the Senate, and denounced as a thief, and this was put into the records of Congress; and not only that, this same Helper assaulted a member of this House (Mr. Craige, of North Caro- lina) in his seat, about this same work; and I respectfully submit, the hon- orable gentleman from Ohio was too careless, too unmindful of public events when he endorsed this author's work without knowing the contents of the book. Sir, if ever there was a clear case of criminal negligence, this is the one, if it were a crime to endorse cor- dially that Helper work!"
Judge Underwood shortly passed through Atlanta :
We find the following in the Atlanta Intelligencer and cheer- fully transfer it to our columns as a merited compliment to our immediate representative and fellow townsman.
We commend the concluding paragraph to the consideration of the Floyd Cav- alry, "quorum ille magna pars," and also to those interested in the organi- zation of the new foot company :
"Hon. John W. H. Underwood, the representative of the Fifth Congres- sional District, passed through our city yesterday morning. He was looking in fine plight, and so far as looks are concerned, is an ornament to the Geor- gia delegation in Congress. But he has mental ability as well as looks. More- over, we find from his conversation that he is fired up with a just sense of the perils impending over the South. He is in favor of arming the South, and advocates on the part of Georgia a preparation to meet the 'irrepressi- ble conflict' which he says must sooner or later come upon us. We cordially respond to his recommendation. Let the State of Georgia arm her military forces, encourage volunteer companies, provide arms and ammunition, and in times of peace prepare for war. This is what prudence demands. We are for peace as long as we can preserve our rights by adherence to it, but when forbearance ceases to be a virtue, we say let the fight come on. We have no fears of the final result of such a con- flict."-COURIER, FEB. 9, 1860.
While the polemics of stump and printing press were raging, the boys were busy currying their mounts and polishing their old squirrel guns :
Floyd Cavalry-An Infantry Corps. -The Floyd Cavalry, under command of Capt. W. S. Cothran, paraded in our streets on Saturday. We are glad to see that notwithstanding the dis- couragements this company have met with, they have persevered in their de- termination to succeed. Their ranks were not very full, but we hope the election of Col. Cothran to the cap- taincy will excite additional zeal. We are rejoiced to learn that an infantry company is about being organized in this place.
We call the attention of all the citi- zens interested in the safety of the country to the fact. In the name of patriotism and in view of the exigen- cies of the times we entreat them to render all the aid they can. The spies sent out by the Abolition leaders of the North to pry into the conditions of our military system speak in the most
*Since this was launched a week before the Georgia delegation left Congress, quite likely it
was Judge Underwood's parting shot.
117
VIEWS AND EVENTS LEADING UP TO WAR
contemptuous terms of them. They have doubtless thereby been embolden- ed in their attacks upon our rights. An ample preparation for the worst is the surest way to avert it. Let us not be behind the rest of the state in the work, but let us place these two com- panies in a position second to none .- COURIER, TUESDAY, FEB. 7, 1860.
Failure to recognize the South as the "white man's country" caused keen embarrassment to a sojourner in Rome, as told under date of Feb. 9, 1860:
An. Excitement .- An individual who claimed to be a drummer for a New York house arrived here from Mari- etta Tuesday afternoon. He was un- derstood by passengers on the car to utter heretical sentiments on the sub- ject of negro equality; and upon in- formation being given to this effect to some of our citizens, he was waited upon and none too politely requested to leave. He seemed to be very earn- estly desirous of complying immediate- ly, but was left by the evening train and compelled to wait over until yes- terday. At one time he was in im- mediate danger of being roughly treated, and was so badly scared that he was heard to express a preference for a climate usually considered much warmer than the tropics. He evidently thought Rome too hot for him!
It is a most astonishing thing to us that a Northern man at this juncture will permit an anti-slavery opinion to escape his lips in the South. They must be most stupid folks if they cannot learn under the experience of such teachings as they have had.
This incident suggested to the citizens of Rome a mass meeting two days later to pass resolutions outlawing Northern-made goods. The Courier account and its edito- rial comment of Saturday, Feb. 11, 1860, are herewith presented :
Non-Intercourse Meeting .- In an- other column we publish the proceed- ings of this meeting held in the City Hall on last Thursday. It is an impor- tant step in the onward march of the South to independence and greatness. Now the question arises, do we intend to abide by these resolu- tions? Or will the persons, compris- ing a large number of our wealthiest and most intelligent citizens, who adopted them with such unanimity, utterly disregard them, as was inti-
mated in the meeting, whenever they can save a few dimes by giving the preference in the purchase of their goods to those merchants who may bring them from the North? If so, the whole affair will be a most absurd fail- ure, a ridiculous farce. We have greater confidence in the sincerity and the self-sacrificing patriotism of the people of Floyd County than to enter- tain such a thought for a moment.
Citizens' Non-Intercourse Meeting .- Pursuant to a call from a committee made up of W. S. Cothran, J. H. Lump- kin, J. R. Freeman, J. M. Spullock, W. A. Fort, C. H. Smith, J. B. Underwood, F. C. Shropshire, Alfred Shorter, Dr. J. King, T. W. Alexander, Dr. T. J. Word, Thos. G. Watters and J. H. Mc- Clung, a portion of the citizens of Floyd County met at 11 o'clock at the City Hall, and on motion. of Dr. Alvin Dean, his honor the mayor, Henry A. Gartrell, was called to the chair. The chairman then stated the object of the meeting to be to assert our Commer- cial Independence of the North. On motion of Hon. J. W. H. Underwood, Dr. Alvin Dean and Col. Jos. Watters were named vice-presidents, and J. W. Wofford and Geo. T. Stovall were re-
MAJOR AND MRS. CHAS. H. SMITHI-"Bill Arp's" "open letter to Abe Linkhorn" in April, 1861, proved a sensation in the South.
118
A HISTORY OF ROME AND FLOYD COUNTY
quested to act as chairman appointed the following to act as a steering committee: Thos. E. Williamson, D. B. Hamilton, F. C. Shropshire, J. R. Freeman, Green T. Cunningham, J. F. Hoskinson, B. F. Hooper, J. P. Holt, Jos. Ford, C. P. Dean and B. F. Payne.
secretaries. The
While the committee were out, Col. Underwood set forth in an able and eloquent speech the relations existing between the two sections of the coun- try-the aggressive and unconstitu- tional policy of the North on the one hand and the degrading dependence of the South on the other, and earnestly urged upon those present the duty and importance of throwing off the finan- cial shackles by which the South is bound.
The following resolutions were passed :
"Resolved, first, That the merchants and mechanics of this city and county be requested to patronize Southern manufacturers, Southern markets and direct importations to Southern ports, to the exclusion of all others.
"Resolved, second, That in the pur- chase of our dry goods, groceries, hard- ware and other merchandise we will support and sustain those who comply with the foregoing resolutions.
"Resolved, third, That while we have an abiding confidence in the patriotism and fidelity of some of our Northern friends, yet duty to the South requires that we should stand to and abide by the foregoing resolutions until the Northern states demonstrate at the bal- lot box their fidelity to the Constitu- tion and the laws, by driving from our national councils the leaders of that demoniac crew known as the Black Re- publican party, and by repealing all their local laws which militate against the common Constitution of our coun- try.
"Resolved, fourth, That the people of the whole country, irrespective of party affiliation, are requested to meet at the City Hall on the first Tuesday in March, next, for the purpose of ratify- ing the foregoing resolutions."
The resolutions were adopted with only one dissenting vote. Mr. C. H. Smith then offered the following res- olution :
"Resolved, That all persons who voted for the foregoing resolutions sign the same."
Unanimously carried. Messrs. W. B. Terhune, R. D. Harvey, G. S. Black, H. Allen Smith, F. C. Shropshire, T.
E. Williamson and J. W. H. Under- wood had discussed certain features of the matter. Meeting then adjourned after thanking the officers.
On Thursday, May 10, 1860, Capt. Dwinell sounded this warning. which, by the way, was highly prophetic of 1922 :
There has, perhaps, been no time since the organization of our govern- ment when the public mind has been so completely in confusion as it now is throughout this section of the country. The great party that has for years claimed to be the only national one in existence is disrupted and thousands of its members now stand aghast, in confused amazement and know not what to do. A fearful struggle be- tween love of party and patriotism is going on in their breasts, and cow- ardly demagogues with timid haste and pale-faced alarm are clambering up on the neutral fences and getting ready at the first safe moment to jump to the stronger side. The people should mark these miscreant poltroons who now with cringing cowardice sneak be- hind; they will soon appear upon the side of the majority and ask to be made leaders of the victorious hosts.
A fearful responsibility now rests upon the shoulders of every citizen of the South. Political parties are to a great extent broken up and disorgan- ized and every individual now has to advise himself without the aid of po- litical leaders. Under these circum- stances every man should be cautious and prudent, but unwaveringly deter- mined to do right and perform his duty whatever that may be. Old party names and distinctions should be thrown to the dogs, and, actuated by pure patriotism, all men should buckle on their armour and volunteer to fight for our unmistakable constitutional rights and the permanent prosperity of our most sacred institutions.
In these times of political excite- ment there is danger that the people, being exasperated, may be carried to extremes; therefore be on your guard, and "let all the ends thou aimest at be thy country's, God's, and truth's." Bear in mind that you are now at least com- pletely untrammelled, and it is your most imperative duty, with patriotic zeal, boldly to contend for justice and the rights of your section. Think not too much of "choosing between evils," but rather make a determined choice between right and wrong. "If the Lord be God, serve Him, if Baal, serve him."
-
-
IUMSON
A PICTURE TAKEN WHEN ROME'S WEALTH LAY IN HER COTTON.
Williamson & Co. had their "stand" where the Howel Cotton Co. is now located. The uncompleted state of the Shorter College buildings (at upper right) fixes the date of this picture as 1877. Joe P. Glover bought the photograph from a darkey on the street. The water tower, erected six years before, is conspicuous in the upper left, while near it and a little below is the S. G. Hardy (Thompson Hiles) home, still standing; and at the upper right hand corner is "Belvidere", the home of Hollis Cooley,
VIEWS AND EVENTS LEADING UP TO WAR
119
. 120
A HISTORY OF ROME AND FLOYD COUNTY
The election of President of the United States was to be held Tues- day, Nov. 6, 1860. The tickets in the field were Abraham Lincoln, of Illinois, and Hannibal Hamlin, of Maine, nominated by the Repub- licans, or "Black Republicans," as they were called at the South; Stephen A. Douglas, of Illinois, and Herschel V. Johnson, of Georgia, put forward by the "Squatter Sov- ereignty"* hosts; Jno. C. Breckin- ridge, of Kentucky, and Jos. Lane, of Indiana (a native of Buncombe County, N. C.), running on the American or "Know Nothing" plat- form ; and John Bell, ** of Tennes- see, and Edward Everett, of Mass- achusetts, representing the Consti- tutional Union party .***
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.