USA > Georgia > Chatham County > Savannah > A history of Savannah and South Georgia, Volume II > Part 40
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John II. King was born on the parental homestead, Deeember 5, 1854, and like his brother was educated in the district schools, and taught to work on the home farm. At the time of his marriage he set- tled on his present farm of five hundred and forty acres, his land being located in lots number sixty-six. sixty-seven, seventy-two, and seventy- three. Here he is carrying on general farming with satisfactory pecu- niary results. making a specialty of raising cattle and hogs.
Mr. J. HI. King married, in 1876, Bethiah Elizabeth Williams, who was born in Fayette county, Georgia. a daughter of Joseph and Sarah (Rodgers) Williams. Her grandparents. John and Melinda ( Welburn) Williams, were born in Virginia, of Welsh parents. Coming to Georgia, they located first in Henry county, but subsequently removed to Spauld- ing county, where the grandmother died, the death of the grandfather occurring later in Brooks county. Joseph Williams, Mrs. King's father, enlisted, in 1863. in the Confederate army, and served as a soldier until the close of the war. A few years later he removed to Texas, set-
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tling in Ellis county, where the death of his wife occurred. He after- wards eame back to Georgia to visit, and while here was taken ill and died. His wife, whose maiden name was Sarah Rodgers, was born in Fayette county, Georgia, where her parents, Abner and Bethiah (Smith) Rodgers, settled on removing from Warren county, their birthplace. Bethiah Smith belonged to a family prominent in the his- tory of Georgia. her mother before marriage having been a Miss Alex- ander, of Virginia.
Mr. and Mrs. King are the parents of ten children. namely: James, Willie, Jolin, Joseph, May, Raymond, Turner, Ralph. Katherine, and Jessie. Mr. and Mrs. King are trustworthy members of the Missionary Baptist church, and have reared their children in the same religious faith.
PHILIP T. MCKINNON. Reared to the free and independent occupa- tion of an agriculturist, Philip T. MeKinnon has found his early training and experience of much value to him in his chosen work. which he is carrying on with unquestioned success, his farm, pleasantly located in the Grooverville district, being largely under cultivation, with improve- ments of a good, practical, and substantial character. He was born, Octo- ber 19, 1851. in Thomas county. Georgia. a son of Angus B. MeKinnon.
His grandfather, Peter MeKinnon, a Scotchman by birth, was but an infant when left motherless, and very soon after he was brought to America by his father, who settled in North Carolina, where he again married, and reared a family. Brought up in his new home, Peter Me- Kinnon began his active career as a North Carolina farmer, operating his land with slave labor. Late in life he migrated to South Georgia, bringing with him his family, live stoek, and slaves, and locating in Thomas county, where he spent the remainder of his days.
One of a family of seven children, three sons and four daughters, Angus B. MeKimon was born in Rockingham county, North Carolina, where he acquired a good education for his times. Adopting a profes- sion, he taught school as a young man in southwest Georgia for a few terms, and was so impressed with the future possibilities of this section of the country that he went back to his old home and indueed his father and the family to return with him to this state. He bought land in Thomas county, which was then on the frontier. wild beasts and game of kinds abounding in the dense forests, which the Indians still elaimed as their hunting grounds. Energetie and enterprising, he bought several different traets of land in Thomas eounty, eaeli of which, after he had partly improved it, and had erected a fair set of buildings, he sold at an advance. At the outbreak of the war between the states. he was too old for military duty, but during the last year of the conflict he joined the Georgia Reserves. a corps made up of boys and old men. and went to the relief of Atlanta. For a number of years after coming to Georgia to live, he taught school a part of each year. devoting the remainder of time to the care of his land. Disposing of his Thomas county land in 1866. he moved to Brooks county, where his death occurred when bnt sixty-five years of age.
Angus B. MeKinnon was twiee married. He married first Nancy Me Mullen, who died in early life, leaving him with two children, William and Patrick, both of whom served in the Confederate army. Patrick los- ing his life while in service. He married for his second wife Lucina Deakle, who was born in Emanuel connty. Georgia. a danghter of Thomas and Wealthy ( Cannon) Deakle, pioneers of Thomas county. where they settled when she was a child of four years. At her death she left several children, namely: Thomas P .. Wealthy Ann. Dnean B .. Philip T., Leon, Daniel J., and Henry Clay.
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As a boy and youth Philip T. MeKinnon attended the district schools, and on the family homestead acquired an excellent knowledge of the art of farming. Taking unto himself a wife, he left home, and bought land in Dixie district, and for four years was busily employed in improving his property. Selling out then, he bought another tract in the same dis- trict, where he lived another four years. . Coming then to the Groover- ville distriet, Mr. MeKinnon purchased the farm which he now owns and occupies, and has since devoted his time and attention to general farming and stock-raising, pleasant and profitable branches of agriculture. His farm contains two hundred and eighty-six aeres of land, on which he has made improvements of note, including a comfortable and conven- iently arranged set of buildings, which are well located on high ground.
Mr. MeKinnon married, October 6, 1875, Julia D. Beasley, who was born in Thomas county, Georgia, a daughter of James and Sarah A. (Ramsey) Beasley, and sister of David A. Beasley, in whose sketch, which appears elsewhere in this volume, further parental and ancestral history may be found. Into the home of Mr. and Mrs. McKinnon five children have made their advent, namely : James A., Ellis L., Sally E., Annie L., and Ida May. James married Rosa Groover, and they have three chil- dren, Esther, Ruth, and Ander. Ellis L. married Lois Rountree. Sally, wife of Felix Jarrett, has two children, Farris L. and Edna. Annie is the wife of Frank Groover. Politically Mr. McKinnon is an adherent of the Democratic party, and religiously both he and his wife belong to the Missionary Baptist Church.
ZADOC WASHINGTON HOWELL. In recording the names and careers of those families which have been most prominently identified with the material prosperity and social and civic affairs of south Georgia, con- siderable space must be given to the Howells and their connections, for they were almost at the forefront of the era of development in this part of the state, and the individual representatives of the family have never failed to give good accounts of themselves in all the responsibilities of life. One of the best known of them is Zadoc W. Howell, who for many years has been one of the large land proprietors and influential citizens of the Boston district in Thomas county.
He was born in the Glasgow district of Thomas county, September 8, 1849, that date itself being an early one in this history of this vicinity. This branch of the Howell family originally resided in North Carolina, the grandparents, so far as can be ascertained, having been lifelong resi- dents at Snow Hills in that state. Barney Howell, the father of Mr. Z. W. Howell, with three brothers, Caswell, Payton and Turner, came to Georgia some time in the early forties and all settled in Thomas county. This migration was made in the fashion of the time, and several weeks were required for the wagons containing the goods of the party to be hauled along the long road into Southern Georgia. Thomasville was then a hamlet with only one store, and all the surrounding region little better than an unbroken wilderness, with wild game in abundance and Indians still numerous and protesting against their removal from these hunting grounds. For a time after his arrival here Barney Howell, who was then a young man, was mail carrier between this neighborhood and Monticello, Florida, making the horseback journey with great regularity and going via Troupville, which was then the county seat of Lowndes county. He later bought a tract of land. heavily timbered, in what is now the Glasgow district of Thomas county, and erected the log house in which he and his bride commenced housekeeping and in which their son Zadoc W. was born. During this period and for a long time afterward the absence of railroads compelled the planters to take their produce to dis-
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tant markets, and the father hauled his to Tallahassee. On the return . trip he brought back sueh supplies as could not be produced at home and such as were then considered among the prime necessities of im- port-salt, coffee and sugar. There was but little traffic at the time in dry goods, sinee the women of the household carded, spun and wove the eotton and wool into the cloth with which all were then dressed. After a residence for some years on the Glasgow traet the father sold and then bought in the Boston district, where he lived until his death at the age of about seventy.
Barney Howell married Smitty Ann Mooring, who was also born near Wihnington, North Carolina, her father, Henry Mooring, and wife, having spent all their lives in North Carolina. Mrs. Barney Howell survived her husband by a few years. She reared six ehildren, named as follows: Virginia Caroline, Zadoe W., Rebeeea Ann, Lizzie, Mary" and Robert.
Zadoc W. Howell spent his early years on his father's farm and there acquired the training and experience which served him well when he began his own independent eareer. After his marriage, which oeeurred when he was nineteen, he settled on a place of one hundred acres which his father-in-law had bestowed upon the young couple, and this was the nucleus of the large farm which he still owns and oecnpies. As a farmer he was successful from the start, and from time to time has added to his estate until it eomprised sixteen hundred aeres. one of the best farm properties in the county. In addition to his regular pur- suits he has for the past twenty-five years conducted a farm commissary. He has identified himself with the Farmers Alliance and the Grange, and he and his family are members of the Missionary Baptist ehureh.
In 1868 Mr. Howell laid the foundation of his own home and his prosperous career by his marriage to Miss Minerva Cone, who was born on the 3d of April. 1848, in Thomas eounty, with which vieinity her family have been identified from the time of earliest settlement. Her grandparents, Joseph and Mary Cone, settled in Camden county, Geor- gia, towards the close of the eighteenth century, and from there came to Thomas eounty, where they spent the rest of their lives. James Cone, father of Mrs. Howell, was born in Camden eounty in 1800 and was a young man when he located in Thomas eounty. He bought land near Barwieli, where he lived some years, and then bought an estate in lot 273 of the Boston district. He was a resident of Thomas county until his death at the good old age of eighty-seven. He married Rachel Lovett, who was born in Twiggs county in 1815. Her parents. James and Katie Lovett, came to that part of Irwin county, now Thomas eounty, in 1825, locating near the present site of Barwieh, where they improved a farm and spent the rest of their days. Rachel (Lovett) Cone died in her ninetieth year. She reared nine children, whose names were Rachel, James, Francis Marion, Melissa. Minerva (Mrs. Howell), Mary V., Margian A., Walton and Warren.
Of the two children of Mr. and Mrs. Howell. James. the only son. died at the age of twenty-three. Their daughter, Emma Magnolia. is the wife of Augustus C. Milligan, who was a son of Edward A. and Lorena (Jones) Milligan (see sketch of Edward C. Milligan). The grandchildren of Mr. and Mrs. Howell by the marriage of their daugh- ter are named James A., Troy Alabama, Myrtle Magnolia. Charlie Mae and Ocie Calloway Milligan.
DAVID A. BEASLEY. A native-born citizen of Brooks eonnty, and one of the foremost agriculturists of Grooverville district. David A. Beasley, whose birth occurred June 8, 1858, has spent the larger part
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of his life in this county, and since attaining manhood has been conspicu- ously identified with its farming interests. being an extensive land- holder and a skillful and successful tiller of the soil.
His grandfather, Thomas Beasley, was twice married, the maiden name of his second wife, Mr. Beasley's grandmother, having been Polly Brinson. Nothing whatever is known as to the birthplace of him, or of his wives, but they all spent their last years in Bulloch county. Five of his children by his second marriage. James, the father of David A., Moses, Annie, Rebecca, and Hannah, migrated from Bulloch county to South Georgia, coming in their own conveyance, which was a horse and cart, bringing their household goods and provisions with them and camping by the way. They located in that part of Thomas county now included within the boundaries of Brooks county, being among the earliest settlers of that place. South Georgia was then one vast wild- erness, with here and there an opening in which the log cabin of the brave pioneer might be seen, and the land roundabout was for sale at a very low price. Wild game of all kinds was plentiful, and fish abounded in the streams, the skilful hunter and angler being thus enabled to furnish his table with plenty of fish. flesh and fowl.
James Beasley, the father of David A .. was born in Bulloch county. Georgia, January 14. 1804. Coming with his brother and sisters to Brooks county, he bought a timbered traet on Piscola creek, and erected the customary log house of the pioneer. There were no railroads here for many years after he became a resident of the county, and when he began raising produce to sell he had to team it to either Tallahassee or Newport, Florida, being usually accompanied on such trips by some of his neighbors, many of whom, perhaps, lived a dozen miles away, these farmers taking along provisions and camping on the way, traveling
together both as a matter of safety and of pleasure. In the meantime the women were equally as busy with pioneer tasks as the men, spending their leisure minutes in carding. spinning, weaving, and making the garments worn by the entire family. and doing all of their cooking by . the open fireplace. In those days there was but little money in cir- culation, and they needed but little. their wants being but few. After clearing a part of his land, James Beasley sold out. and for five years resided in Thomas county. Returning then to Brooks connty. he was here a resident until his death in the eighty-first year of his age.
James Beasley married Sarah A. Ramsey, who was born in North Carolina, a daughter of William Ramsey. and granddaughter of Mat- thew Ramsey, who emigrated from England to America in colonial times and fought in the Revolutionary war. William Ramsey was three times married. Ile married for his second wife Nancy Strahan. a sis- ter of his first wife, and she was the mother of his daughter, Sarah A. Ramsey. Mrs. Sarah A. Ramsey survived her husband, passing away at the age of eighty-two years. Fifteen children blessed their union, namely: William T. : Marzell. deceased ; Eli, deceased ; James, deceased ; Elizabeth. deceased: Eliza: Rebecca. deceased: Adam: Frank: Laura: Lovina : Thomas; Leonora: Julia: and David A. Four of the sons, William T., Eli, James and Adam served in the Confederate army, James being killed in battle, and Eli dying while in service.
David A. Beasley was reared and educated in Brooks county. and the days of his childhood and youth were not days of idleness. He began when vong to assist on the farm, and has since continued in his early ocenpation, his long and varied experience in this industry making him an anthority on agricultural matters. Mr. Beasley is now the owner of one thousand aeres of land in the Grooverville distriet, where he is
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carrying on a remunerative business in general farming, including the raising of cattle and logs.
Mr. Beasley has never married, but he is fortunate in having three of his sisters, Laura, Lovina, and Leonora, to preside over his house- hold. He and his sisters are all members of the Missionary Baptist church, while their parents were both members of the Primitive Bap- tist church.
THOMAS BEASLEY. A well-known and highly respected citizen of Grooverville distriet, and one of its industrious and prosperous farmers, Thomas Beasley is a worthy representative of an honored pioneer. who dauntlessly pushed his way into an uncultivated country, coming to Brooks county as a young man, and leaving behind him a record for steadiness of purpose and persistent industry of which his deseend- ants may well be proud. He was born September 6, 1852, in Brooks county, being the twelfth child in succession of birth of the fifteen children born of the union of James and Sarah A. (Ramsey) Beasley. An extended aeeount of his parents may be found elsewhere in this volume in connection with the sketch of David A. Beasley, Mr. Beasley's brother.
Growing to manhood on the homestead, Thomas Beasley attended the district schools whenever opportunity offered, and until twenty-six years of age remained with his parents, the latter part of the time managing the home farm. Starting life for himself. he bought 135 acres of land, which are now included in his present farm. Sixty-five acres had been previously cleared, but no other improvements had been made. He has since erected a good set of buildings, and has invested his surplus cash in other lands, having now 380 aeres of iand. all in the Grooverville distriet. Here Mr. Beasley is successfully engaged in agricultural pursuits, in addition to carrying on general farming. mak- ing a specialty of raising cattle and hogs, a profitable industry.
Mr. Beasley married. in 1878 Alice Wilson. She was born in Brooks county, Georgia, a danghter of Jeremiah and Delilah (Robinson) Wil- son, of whom a brief history may be found on another page of this work, in connection with the sketch of Joseph D. Wilson. Three ehil- dren have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Beasley, namely: Alba, Thomas Hugh, and Carrie P. Alba married Joe F. Williams, and they have three children living. Paul. Will, and Ray. They lost Joseph W. and Olin W. Mr. and Mrs. Beasley are members of the Msisionary Bap- tist church.
REDDING GROOVER RAMSEY. A prosperous and progressive farmer of Grooverville district, Brooks county, Redding Groover Ramsey comes on both sides of the house of substantial pioneer stock, and is a native, and to the "manner born," his birth having occurred on the farm where he now resides, March 6, 1865, he being the youngest child of the late Owen Ramsey.
His grandfather, William Ramsey, was born, reared, and married in North Carolina. Migrating with his family to south Georgia in 1829, he brought his family and all of his worldly possessions with him. making the trip with ox teams, and being six weeks on the way, a part of his course being marked by blazed trees. Locating in the south- ern section of Thomas county, he bought a tract of heavily timbered land, erected a log cabin, and began to clear a farm from the forest, which was then inhabited by wild beasts and dusky savages. Indns- trions and ambitions, he subsequently bonght other land in that vicinity, and was there a resident until his death, at the age of four score years. Vol. II-18
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He was twice married, by his first wife having one daughter, Sally Ramsey. He married for his second wife Dorcas Bevin. a native of North Carolina, and to them ten children were born, as follows: Will- iam H., Dorcas B., Richard, Ezekiel, Eliza, Elizabeth, Thomas, Owen, Julia and Henry.
But seven years old when brought by his parents to Georgia. Owen Ramsey grew to manhood on the parental homestead, and in tender years began to assist his father in his pioneer work of eliminating a farm from the wilderness. Marrying at the age of twenty-three years, he built a small log cabin on land which his father had given him. and in that humble abode he and his bride began housekeeping, she per- forming her full share of labor, including the carding. spinning and weaving of fine linens and homespun goods. There being no railroads in those days, he used to team all of his extra produce to the gulf ports of Florida. After elearing a part of the land. he sold, and bought again in the same neighborhood. Coming to Brooks county in 1861, he came on to the farm on which his son Redding Groover is now living. It was then in its virgin wildness, but. nothing daunted, he built a small frame house in the woods, and began the improvement of a farm. A part of this farm was given to them by Mrs. Ramsey's father. ITis work, however, was laid aside when war between the states was declared, he enlisting in the Confederate army for service, and continuing with his regiment until his death, which occurred in Milledgeville, Georgia, in the fall of 1864.
The maiden name of the wife of Owen Ramsey was. Martha Groover. She was a daughter of James and Elizabeth (Denmark) Groover, and a sister of Dr. James I. Groover, in whose sketch, which may be found on another page of this volume further history of her family may be found. She is still living, and can look back with pride and pleasure upon the work which she has accomplished. Left a widow with ten ehildren, the oldest a boy of sixteen summers. she assumed the manage- ment of the home farm, continuing the improvements already begun, and wisely reared and educated her children, keeping them together until able to care for themselves, each one being now well established in life. There were seven boys and three girls in her family, as fol- lows: James W., Thomas C., Columbus, Eliza J., Lizzie, Clayton H., Washington W., Owen L., Mattie J., and Redding G.
As soon as old enough Redding Groover Ramsey, who has always lived with his mother, began to superintend the work of the farm, and has greatly improved both the land and the buildings, which now bear comparison with any in the neighborhood.
Mr. Ramsey married, June 30, 1909, Maggie Harrell, who was born in Brooks county, Georgia, a daughter of Samuel and Laura (Albrit- ton) Harrell, of whom a brief account is given elsewhere in this work, in connection with the sketeh of M. J. Harrell. Mr. Ramsey is a mem- ber of the Methodist Episcopal church South, while his wife is a Baptist. Mr. Ramsey's mother is a member of the Missionary Baptist church, but his father was prominently identified with the Methodist Episcopal church, South, and for many years served as superintendent of its Sunday school.
ANSEL B. CONE, who for many years has been identified with the useful and honorable activities of Thomas county, and who is now liv- ing retired in Boston after a successful career as farmer and business man, was born in the Boston distriet of Thomas county on the 25th of May, 1846. The Cone family and its connections have been promi- nently identified with this portion of Georgia since pioneer times.
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His grandfather, Joseph Cone, after many years' residence in Bul- loch county, became one of the early settlers of Thomas county, locating on Ancilla creek in what is now the Boston district, where he bought timbered land and improved a farm. There he resided until his death, and his great-granddaughter and her children now occupy the home- stead. Joseph Cone married a Miss Stewart, whose parents came to America from their native Scotland, but after a residence of a few years on this side the Atlantic returned to Scotland, leaving some of their children here. The five children of Joseph Cone and wife were: James, John, Joseph. Matilda and Susan.
John Cone, father of Ansel B., was born in Bulloch county the 19th of April, 1806, and soon after his marriage there came to Thomas county. Here his father gave him land on Aneilla creek, on which he first erected a log cabin and later a substantial hewed-log house, in which his son Ansel and other children were born. For many years after the settle- ment of the Cone family. this part of Georgia had few improvements. Thomasville was a hamlet. with a log courthouse. Before the railroad era John Cone hauled his produce to St. Marks in Florida, this market journey requiring several days. and afterwards Tallahassee became the nearer market. He owned a number of slaves and was one of the pros- perous men of this county. His death occurred on July 23. 1869. He inarried Civility Walker, who was born April 7, 1809, a daughter of Isham and Civility Walker, who were born respectively on April 7, 1769, and September 24. 1777, and who spent their last years in Bulloch county. Civility (Walker) Cone died on November 12. 1889, and her twelve children were named as follows: Isham W., William A., Eliza- beth S., Joseph J., James F., Aaron P., Annie C., John D., Ansel B., Margaret S., Henry F. and King S. Six of these sons served in the Confederate army, James giving his life to the southern cause, and few southern families were better represented in the war by practical ser- vice than the Cones.
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