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 4

Author: Battey, George Magruder, 1887-1965
Publication date: 1922
Publisher: Atlanta, Webb and Vary Co.
Number of Pages: 656

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 4

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).

The removal of the county seat from Livingston to Rome took place under authority of an act passed Dec. 20, 1834, ** and was

PHILIP WALKER HEMPHILL, planter and one of Rome's projectors, who in 1846 moved to Mississippi.

A HISTORY OF ROME AND FLOYD COUNTY

consummated in 1835. However, a considerable settlement had sprung up prior to this in Vann's Valley. On the "pale-face side" of the Chattahoochee a la large and restless element had been held back by the existing conditions, but when encouragement was given by the Georgia authorities to en- croachments on the Indian lands, this tide overflowed into the Cher- okee country.

The county site was removed to Land Lot 245, 23rd District, 3rd Section, Head of Coosa, Floyd County, the new place to be known as Rome .* The first Saturday in February, 1835, was set as the date for selecting five commissioners for one-year terms .** Parts of land lot 244, east of the Oostanaula and 276, north of the Hightower (Etowah), were also reserved for the growth of the town. The act further stated that nothing therein was to be considered in conflict with a contract made previously by Wm. Smith, et al., with the In- ferior Court.

An amendment *** to the act of 1834, passed Dec. 29, 1838, provided for creation of the office of "in- tendant," which means "superin- tendent" by the dictionary, but probably meant "mayor" in those days; also included were commis- sioners, clerk, marshal, etc., and some salaries were fixed.

David Vann, a Cherokee sub- chief, had settled near Cave Spring in the valley which was given his name, and in this valley between the present Rome and Cave Spring people began to "squat" several years before there was a Rome. In 1828, Major Armistead Rich- ardson, father-in-law of the late Judge Augustus R. Wright, of Rome, removed to Vann's Valley from Augusta and with the as- sistance of a number of enthusi- astic associates began preparations

for the establishment of Cave Spring in 1831.

Ridge Valley, seven miles north of Rome, had been settled simul- taneously with the Vann's Valley settlement. This valley was named after another Indian leader, Major Ridge, who is supposed to have lived in it, at the present Rush place, at Hermitage, a number of years before moving to the Oosta- naula near Rome.

'The period of John Ross' resi- dence in DeSoto (Rome's present Fourth ward) has not been deter- mined accurately. However, a sat- isfactory conclusion may be drawn from the fact that the Cherokee chiefs had been meeting at the New Echota Council ground since 1819, that New Echota had been the capital since 1825, and Mr. Ross found DeSoto ("Head of Coosa") a central point to reside .**** U11- doubtedly Mr. Ross was influenced

*Acts, 1834, ps. 250-1.

** Jas. M. Cunningham's place, at or near the present DeSoto Park, had been designated in the act of Dec. 21, 1833, as the place to hold county elections.

*** Acts of 1838.

**** Persistent search has been made to reveal who it was that turned John Ross out of his home. but his identity has not been estab- lished to a certainty. However, it is on record in the Secretary of State's office, State Capitol, Atlanta, and an old book known as the Cher- okee Land Lottery says the Ross home site land (Land Lot 237, 23rd district, 3rd section) was drawn by Hugh Brown, of Beavour's district, Habersham County. Floyd County Deed Record D, page 40, recites that Brown sold the 160 acres Nov. 23, 1835, to Samuel Headen, of Franklin County, for $500; and on page 45 it is set down that Samuel Headen sold it Feb. 21, 1844, for $3,000 to John B. Winfrey, of Hall. John B. Winfrey was the father of Jas. O. Winfrey, of Floyd. He sold 80 acres of it to Col. Alfred Shorter and 80 to Daniel R. Mitchell. The part on which the Ross house stood is now between Mrs. James M. Bradshaw's home and Hamilton park, and in- cludes the home of County School Superin- tendent W. C. Rash. It is an eminence where a large sugar herry tree and a walnut are growing. Here, according to a memorial Ross and others sent to the United States Senate in 1836, was where one of his babies and his beloved father, Daniel Ross, were buried. Since Hugh Brown sold the land in November and Ross was dispossessed in April, 1835, it is likely that Brown was living there at the time the Indian leader and his family were turned adrift. Mr. Ross lived at Ross' Landing, Look- out Mountain, now Chattanooga, Tenn., and at Rossville, Walker County, Ga. He was born Oct. 3, 1790; some authorities say at Rossville, some Turkeytown, Etowah Co., Ala., and some Tah-nee-hoo-yah ("Logs in the Wa- ter"), Ala., which last place and Turkeytown were on the Coosa.

ROME'S ESTABLISHMENT AND EARLY DAYS

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THE HEART OF CHEROKEE GEORGIA. (Scale of miles, 18 miles to one inch.)

by the fact that Major Ridge was living about a mile away, and they could hold their conferences much more easily. John Ridge, son of the Major and also a leader, lived about three miles from Ross, at "Running Waters," later the John Hume place. New Echota was some 30 miles, and the Council Ground at Red Clay, Whitfield County, was 60 miles northward, as the crow flies. Sequoyah, the

man of letters and knowledge, was 25 miles away. Elias Boudinot, Stand Watie and David Vann were readily available. Assuming that Ross moved to DeSoto in 1825, he resided there ten years, until finally dispossessed of his home. He used to start his letters "Head of Coo- sa."

It will be seen, therefore, that the site of Rome was probably of more importance between 1825 and

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A HISTORY OF ROME AND FLOYD COUNTY

the final removal in 1838 than even the capital itself ; but at best the Indians were a nomadic race, liv- ing here today and there tomor- row, and their leaders hopped with alacrity between Rome, New Echota, Red Clay and Washing- ton.

But let us return to the pioneer pale-faces.

Col. Mitchell surveyed the sec- tion between the rivers and made a map, dated 1834, copies of which are in existence today. This work was done from Third Avenue northward, since the farm below was owned by Col. Smith and at that time was considered unsafe for building on account of the high waters; furthermore, it was re- served for race track and tourna- mient purposes. Col. Smith was å lover of horseflesh and he built a half-mile cinder track around the banks of the rivers, and placed his grandstand near the spring alluded to in the foregoing. There were special races between the best riders of the surrounding counties ; the Indians, who usually rode bare- back, carried off many a prize. Tournaments were held now and then, in which the riders, going at full speed on their mounts, ran their lances through rings held lightly by a projecting wooden arm-the man who got the most rings in the fewest runs won the contest.

Another diversion, of a highly humorous nature, was the "gander pulling." The neck of a live gander was greased thoroughly and the bird hung up by the feet to a limb. The game was to pull the gan- der's neck off or bring him down "whole." This was a difficult feat because the gander dexterously dodged his head when the horse- man was about to "pull." Still an- other was the "greased pole." Any- body who could climb 15 feet to the top could have the bag of

money suspended therefrom. The pole was of skinned hickory or oak and would have been sleek enough without any grease. If the boys could not make it to the top in a reasonable time they were al- lowed to put sand on their cloth- ing ; then they went home to their "maws." "Catching the greased pig" was another sport.

In 1833 occurred an event which made Indians and many supersti- tious folk believe the world was coming to an end. One night the stars "fell." Such another display of pranks in the skies had never been seen; for quite a while the stars shot this way and that, in graceful curves, then in uncanny zig-zags, until it appeared that the feeble little people of earth would surely be covered in a shower of stars. Indian mothers rushed about, gathering up their offspring, and rum old negro mammies and uncles hid under beds and houses, shout- ing, "Oh, Lordy! Oh, Lordy! Dis nigger's soul am pure !"

The task of forming the Rome bar fell to Col. Mitchell, who pro- ceeded with a nucleus composed of himself, Mr. Lumpkin and two or three others. Presently, in 1835, funds were raised and a brick courthouse erected at Court (East First) Street and Bridge Street (East Fifth Avenue). Removal of the courthouse did not exactly suit Jackson Trout, who had built the first wooden dwelling at Living- ston. He kept up with the proces- sion by skidding his house down to the Coosa River, putting it on a barge and polling it to Rome, where he set it up again as the first dwelling there. Others followed suit, and they had considerable trouble when they reached Horse- leg Shoals, which required "mule- hauling" of a high order, to use a nautical expression.

Rome at this time was a "forest primeval." Everywhere were

ROME'S ESTABLISHMENT AND EARLY DAYS

woods except at the forks, and that was swampy and full of wil- lows, with an occasional sturdy tree and hungry mosquito. The rivers were still alive with fish ; wild turkeys and deer were often seen ; snakes were numerous ; quail were abundant and squirrels skip- ped in their native element where Broad Street now extends; the bushes were alive with wild birds of beautiful color; on Mt. Alto and Lavender Mountain, five miles away, bears could be found ; and at night the fiery gleam from the eye of a wolf was a common sight. It was a wild country, with trails for roads, and few conveniences.

Squatters and Indians alike pitched their tents in suitable spots waiting for some new word to "move on" or "move off." Small squads of Georgia Guardsmen, es- tablished by act of 1834, or of Unit- ed States soldiers, watching Guards and Indians alike, camped a while and then went on to other duty. Trappers and traders did a thriv- ing business ; so did the ferry- men who set people across at the forks or elsewhere. Everybody seemed to be going or coming, de- spite the efforts of the Town Com- pany to halt them at Rome. The Indians were unusually restless.

Along would come a white fam- ily on horseback, carrying all their worldly goods. They had traveled from some neighboring county, or perchance as far as from North Carolina, hoping to better their material condition. The man would lead, the children would follow, and the mother bring up the rear, rid- ing sidewise. Any old port in a storm looked good.

Many had definite objectives, many did not and would "squat" anywhere that looked like it held promise for the future. Others were definitely attracted by the prospect of pioneering in a live town. It is fair to say that Rome

and Floyd County received, along with many "floaters," a highly sub- stantial and even aristocratic cit- izenship. The founders were men of character and iron will-accus- tomed to blazing their way through one kind of forest or another. They started with little and made out of it much. There were no luxuries to be had, hence they worked with the things of nature, and fashioned out of them whatever they could.

The old Alabama Road forked where the Central Railroad trestle now crosses it. One fork led to Major Ridge's Ferry opposite the Linton A. Dean place, and the other bent southeast to the Ross ferry at the confluence of the rivers. At the Ross ferry a man from Ala- bama could gain the Hillsboro side or the Rome side, as he pleased. A little later the traffic became so heavy that Matt and Overton Hitchcock built for Col. Smith a covered wooden bridge at Fifth Avenue (over the Oostanaula), and from that point connected with the Alabama Road. Agricultural busi- ness gradually grew prosperous. George Lavender's trading post did a land office business. It used to be said that Lavender kept his money in a barrel or keg which was al- ways fairly well filled with gold and silver coin ; and that when his partnership with Major Ridge and Daniel R. Mitchell was dissolved, they cut a melon estimated at $250,000 in 1922 coin.

Perhaps 5,000 Indians patronized this establishment, and they paid any price for what they wanted. They were especially fond of calico garments, and would buy extrava- gantly for their women, and often include enough for an odd waist which the women would make for them. ʼThey wore outlandish clothes, never matching in any par- ticular ; buckskin or woolen trous- ers, well worn or patched; hats that suggested the hat of today on

A HISTORY OF ROME AND FLOYD COUNTY

a Chinaman, often with a squirrel tail tacked on it and hanging down the side or back ; some hats made entirely of skin, and therefore very warm in cold weather; moccasins or discarded white man shoes cov- ering their feet, but many bare- foot ; cheap jewelry and trinkets whenever they could get it, which was often ; sometimes a queer tur- ban in place of a hat; usually no coat or jacket, except in winter.

The Indian was fond of tobacco and liquor, but as soon as the lead- ers saw what terrible inroads were being made on Indian territory by pale-face profiteers of various kinds, a strong Indian organization was formed to stamp out the evils. Liquor was obtained from stores that had a provision shop in front and a barroom or "doggery" in the rear, the entire establishment be- ing dignified by the name "gro- cery." Green wooden screens ob- scured the occupants of the bar- room until a state law caused them to be abolished, and then every- body could peek in and see who was getting "lit up." Around these places loafed a gang of shiftless Indians and whites, bent on satis- fying their abnormal appetites, and fit subjects for whatever mischief might be suggested by the Demon

MAJOR RIDGE, Cherokee chief, who, with his son John, was murdered June 22, 1839, in Indian Territory by vengeful redskins.

Rum. These gangs were extremely profane, and poisoned the atmos- phere for such a distance that ladies and young ladies would nev- er venture closer than across the street. Knife and pistol scrapes were frequent, especially late at night after the more peaceful in- habitants had retired to their beds. A calaboose soon became a crying necessity, and with it a town mar- shal who managed to keep it full, except when the inmates escaped and turned the thing over on its side. It was a log affair, near West Second Street and Sixth Avenue.

There is no certainty as to just what the early city government was like. Doubtless in the begin- ning every man was a law unto himself. Gradually, however, local laws were passed and irresponsi- ble persons made amenable to them. In the thirteen years that Rome remained unincorporated it is likely that the intendant or the marshal acted as the executive ma- jor domo, and certain that local or inferior court judges meted out justice.

Col. Mitchell, surveyor, evidently had in mind a future instrument like the automobile when he laid out the streets of the town. He made Broad Street and Oostanaula Street (Fourth Avenue) 132 feet wide, all other streets 66 feet wide and lanes 33 feet. Some modifica- tions of that scale, notably with regard to Fourth Avenue, have since been made, and a lawsuit of some importance and interest has resulted.

A few more stores and shops sprang up which carried every ar- ticle that could be obtained in such a limited market. The groceries would also offer a line of retail dry goods, small farming implements. plug and smoking tobacco, pipes, lanterns and lamps, wax tapers, matches, candles, novelties for the Indians, snuff for the women, suits,

ROME'S ESTABLISHMENT AND EARLY DAYS

hats and shoes, horse collars and harness, nails, hand tools, occa- sionally musicalinstruments. There were no soda water, ice, silver ciga- rette cases, bon-bons or chocolates, nail files, lip sticks, rouge, hair nets or beaver hats. Drug stores, banks newspapers, steamboats, crocker- ies and bakeries, schools and churches were to come along later.

Gentlemen blacked their own boots and cut out of the forest with great cross-cut saws the wood that went into their homes. They wore the uniforms of the frontier and assumed the manners of frontiers- men. Rome was to be built, and it could not be built with kid gloves.

The social life was very restrict- ed at first. It consisted of calls from neighbor on neighbor, afoot, on horseback or by ox-cart; or maybe a country break-down on a rudely improvised platform. Since the Indians had no city to build- since they needed only to get a little something to eat every day and keep out of the way of land- grabbers and the "state police"- they had more time for frolics than the early whites. Around bonfires in their villages the red-skins made merry, rending the nights hideous with their war-whoops; and on these special occasions they . put aside their semi-civilized garb and donned the buckskin, the flaming headdress of feathers and all the paint they could daub on.

Each year in summer came the Green Corn Dances at the various villages. The late Mrs. Robert Battey recalled one at Major Ridge's, held when she was about seven years of age. A large com- pany of Indians gathered, and one thing that impressed her particu- larly was that some of the men had mussel shells tied around their ankles and filled with gravel that

rattled when they danced. She re- membered that several remained over night until Sunday, and kick- ed up their heels in George Laven- der's store. Her impression of the Indian was the same as that ob- tained by anybody who knew his nature; he was a silent, taciturn individual, deeply religious in his own way, ever faithful to the pale- face who befriended him and ever the foe of one who played him false. He seldom, if ever, broke a promise.

From Montgomery M. Folsom, writing in The Rome Tribune Nov. 20, 1892, we have the following contribution on the pioneer days :

I drove with Mr. Wesley O. Connor out to see Mr. Wright Ellis, one of the last of the old settlers of the Cave Spring region, and Mr. Ellis told many interesting stories of the early days. Mr. Ellis came to Cave Spring with his father as a little boy. Near his house at the end of Vann's Valley stood an old fort which protected the settlement. He told me of a wolf found dead in the cave; it had lain there several years, and the mineral qualities of the cave had preserved it perfectly, until one day a band of Indian boys dragged forth the carcass and tore it to pieces.

David Vann lived on the hill above the spring and the Indians used to congregate near his place for their an- nual ball play, as they called it *. They came from miles away to enjoy the sport. They would also form in two

JOHN RIDGE, who was also active in oppo- sition to John Ross's attempt to block re- moval of the Cherokees from Georgia soil.

*From this description it is evident that the games were played on the low, level spot which now comprises the campuses of Hearn Academy and the Georgia School for the Deaf.

A HISTORY OF ROME AND FLOYD COUNTY

lines (sides) and shoot arrows at rolling stones. The side which scored the most hits would win.

A short distance west of Cave Spring was where the Indians of that neigh- borhood held their Green Corn dances. Mr. Ellis said he had seen crowds es- timated at 1,000 to 5,000. Out in the nearby mountains Capt. John Ellis, his father, went with a small party and captured two Cherokee chiefs who were giving trouble during the re- moval, and threatening a massacre. The chiefs were sent west. As the raiders approached, a sentinel cried, "Eastochatchee soolacogee!" meaning "much white man!"

These were the days of the "pony clubs," whose members blacked their faces and stole horses from whites and Indians alike. A party of the law and order element, known as the "slick- ers," once caught two thieves and gave them lashes their backs with a whip.

Mr. Ellis also told how Col. Wm. Smith, known to the Indians as "Black Bill," because of his dark complexion, routed a crowd of drunken red-skins

at Major Wm. Montgomery's spring in July, 1832. "Black Bill" lit into them with a hame, knocked them right and left and put them to flight.

Capt. John Townsend, Maj. Armi- stead Richardson, William Simmons, Jackson Trout, W. D. Cowdrey, W. K. Posey, Carter W. Sparks, Major Wm. Montgomery and Gen. Jas. Hemphill were among the pioneers who possessed the Cave Spring land ere the print of the moccasin had faded from the soil.

Life with the rugged settlers of Rome was just one murder, horse theft or incendiary fire after an- other. The country was overrun with vigilance' committees, out- laws, land speculators, soldiers, un- ruly Indians and plain people of respectability who wanted to farm and conduct their shops in peace. Peace and the social order that thrives in it was not to be attained, however, until the Indians were sent west lock, stock and barrel.

CHAPTER II. The Great Indian Meeting at Rome

T HE following item from the Georgia Constitutionalist, of Augusta, July 24, 1835, (Guieu & Thompson, pro- prietors), announced the date and place of the important meeting of Ridge and Ross forces and Geor- gia Guardsmen and United States troopers near Rome. This meet- ing was vital because it paved the way for the Council pow-wow at Red Clay in October, which in turn brought about the New Echota meeting and treaty signed Dec. 29, 1835, the instrument by which the Cherokees were removed :*

The Cassville Pioneer says John Ridge and his friends will hold a Coun- cil in Floyd County six miles north of Rome 20th of July inst. It is expected this Council will be numerously at- tended. The cause of Ridge and his party is going ahead.

The meeting actually opened on the 19th, a day ahead of schedule.

The gathering was supposed, prior to discovery of the above item in an old newspaper file in the Library of the University of Georgia, to have been held at the home of Major Ridge on the Oosta- naula, but since the item says it was to be held six miles north of Rome, and several authorities as- sert the place was "Running Wa- ters," the conclusion is inevitable that it was held at the home of John Ridge, son of the Major, three miles north of Rome, at the planta- tion later owned by John Hume, and now the property of F. L. Fors- ter. A bold spring at this domicile caused the name "Tantatanara,"

the Indian for "Running Waters," to be applied.

All authorities agree that the Running Waters pow-wow was the largest the Cherokees had held up to that time, and its importance could not be overestimated. Major Currey's special correspondence is here given.

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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 4

Author: Battey, George Magruder, 1887-1965 Publication date: 1922 Publisher: Atlanta, Webb and Vary Co. Number of Pages: 656

Author: Battey, George Magruder, 1887-1965
Publication date: 1922
Publisher: Atlanta, Webb and Vary Co.
Number of Pages: 656