Georgia's landmarks, memorials and legends, Volume II, Part 68

Author: Knight, Lucian Lamar, 1868-1933
Publication date: 1913
Publisher: Atlanta, Ga. : Byrd Printing Co.
Number of Pages: 1274

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Cyrus Sharp built the first brick store in Forsyth. This pioneer citizen lived to be well past ninety years of age, and embodied in a clear memory most of the chronicles of the town. The first court was held at the residence of Henry H. Lumpkin, a brother of the great chief justice of Georgia. In the year following, a court- house built of logs rose on the town square. But a stately temple of justice has long since replaced the original structure. On the court-house square stands a handsome bronze memorial to the Confederate dead.

. In matters of politics, the early residents of Forsyth were either Whigs or Democrats. Judge E. G. Cabaniss was the leading Whig; Dr. E. L. Roddy the most promi -. nent Democrat. Both belonged to the Masonic order. Judge Cabaniss was worshipful master of the local lodge and Dr. Roddy was the high priest. The representative lawyers were: R. P. Trippe, Zach. E. Harman and Cap-

*Acts, 1823, p. 197.

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tain James S. Pinckard. The first town paper was The Bee, founded by Joe Coran. It afterwards merged into The Educational Journal, and later into The Monroe Advertiser. At one time it was owned by James P. Har- rison, who employed as a printer's devil the afterwards renowned Joel Chandler Harris. Mr. Harris boarded at the home of Mr. Harrison. The paper is now owned by Captain O. H. B. Bloodworth, Jr. Besides Dr. Roddy, the leading ante-bellum physicians were Drs. Stephens, Bean and Purifoy. The pioneer inns at which travelers stopped were the Lumpkin Hotel and the Thomas Hotel. There were three religious denominations: Baptists, Methodists and Presbyterians. But the immersionists outnumbered the others, making Forsyth a distinctly Baptist stronghold.

Forsyth was early recognized as an educational cen- ter. First the Male Academy was organized. Its charter dates back to February 20, 1854, at which time the fol- lowing trustees were named: Zach. E. Harman, John H. Thomas, Addison Bean, Benjamin Watkins, Elbridge G. Cabaniss, Dickie W. Collier, William Sims, Sidney M. Smith and Joseph R. Banks.1 This school afterwards grew into the Hilliard Institute, named for the noted ora- tor and diplomat, Henry W. Hilliard, and finally into what is known today as the Banks-Stephens Institute, a flour- ishing co-educational high school. The Female Academy, taught by Frances Sturgis, developed into the Monroe Female College, said to be the second oldest in the world. It is now Bessie Tift College, named for Mrs. H. H. Tift, of Tifton, Ga., formerly Bessie Willingham, and is one of the best-known institutions of the South.2

On December 23, 1833, the old Monroe Railroad, which ran from Macon to Forsyth, was chartered by an Act of the Legislature, with a capital stock of $200,000, half

1 Acts. 1855-1856, p. 142.

2 See Vol. I, pp. 791-793, of this work for a sketch of Bessie Tift.

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GEORGIA'S LANDMARKS, MEMORIALS AND LEGENDS

of which was subscribed in the town of Forsyth. It was completed early in the fall, and by means of this steel highway the ambitious little county-seat of Monroe became the first interior town of Georgia to connect with a stream open to navigation. There was much de- struction of property in the town of Forsyth during the last days of the Civil War, but the old soldiers of the town, returning home, gave themselves with a will to the work of rehabilitation. Some of the new names which became prominent at this time were Lawton, Will- ingham, Rhodes and others. The first military company of Forsyth was organized under Major Black and went to the Creek Indian War of 1836 as the Monroe Mus- keteers. This company afterwards disbanded, but in 1859 was reorganized as the Quitman Guards, under Captain James Pinckard. It was named for Governor Quitman, of Mississippi, a distinguished soldier of the Mercan War and a strong advocate of State rights. The company is now commanded by Captain O. H. B. Blood- worth, Jr. Forsyth has grown slowly, but steadily. It has always stood for conservatism, and for the safe busi- ness methods of the old school. It has shaped much' of Georgia's history, and has been the home of some of her most noted men.

Distinguished From the earliest days, Forsyth was noted

Residents. as a seat of culture, in consequence of which scores of the best families in the State were attracted to the town. Included among the Georgians of note who have resided here may be men- tioned: Judge Robert P. Trippe, a former member of Congress, afterwards a Judge of the Supreme Court of Georgia; Judge Elbridge G. Cabaniss, a noted jurist; his son, Judge Thomas B. Cabaniss, a former member of Congress, and now a judge of the Superior Court; Judge Cincinnatus Peeples, who afterwards went to Atlanta, one of the strongest judges and one of the best lawyers

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MONROE

in the State; Judge Alexander M. Speer, an occupant of the, Supreme Court Bench; General L. L. Griffin, the first president of the Monroe Railroad, for whom the town of Griffin was named; Colonel A. D. Hammond, Colonel R. L. Berner, Hon. W. H. Head, a distinguished financier and legislator, also a veteran of two wars; Dr. H. H. Tucker and Dr. Shaler G. Hillyer, two renowned Baptist theologians and educators; General Gilbert J. Wright, a noted Confederate brigadier; General Philip Cook, soldier, Congressman and Secretary of State, who once practiced law in Forsyth; Hon. Zach. E. Harman; Hon. O. H. B. Bloodworth, Sr., Hon. B. S. Willingham, widely known as the author of the famous Willingham Prohibition bill, besides a host of others whose names are familiar at almost every Georgia fireside.

Many important political meetings have been held in the grove surrounding the historic home of Judge T. B. Cabaniss, and among the eloquent Georgians who here once thrilled the multitudes in joint debate were Robert Toombs and Alexander H. Stephens. But there are other historic homes in Forsyth. The fine old residence of Dr. J. O. Elrod is associated with memories of four distin- guished former occupants : Dr. H. H. Tucker, Judge R. P. Trippe, Judge Alexander M. Speer and Colonel A. D. Hammond. Another historic home was the one built by Captain James S. Pinckard, now the residence of Mrs. Richard P. Brooks, former regent of the Pied- mont Continental Chapter, D. A. R., of Atlanta, and founder of the James Monroe Chapter, D. A. R., of For- syth. This home was headquarters for doctors and of- ficers during the Civil War.

Soldiers.

Revolutionary Over the grave of William Ogletree, a Revolutionary soldier buried near Cog- gans, the Piedmont Continental Chapter, D. A. R., of Atlanta, has unveiled during the present year a handsome marker. Impressive exercises were held in

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GEORGIA'S LANDMARKS, MEMORIALS AND LEGENDS

connection with the unveiling, at which time a large number of the old hero's lineal descendants gathered with the Daughters of the Revolution to honor the memory of a revered ancestor. The James Monroe Chapter, of Forsyth, was also present by special invitation. Mr. John Mott made a brief speech, introducing Mrs. Richard P. Brooks, regent of the Piedmont Continental Chapter, who made a fine address. She was followed by the orator of the occasion, Professor J. P. Mott, of Brunswick. Mrs. J. O. Ponder, of Forsyth, regent of the James Mon- roe Chapter, made a short address on behalf of her chapter, after which the exercises were concluded with a few eloquent remarks by Mr. C. O. Goodwyne, of For- syth. Four great-great-granddaughters of the old sol- dier unveiled the marker: Misses Ora Evans, Christine Goodwyne, Nellie Goodwyne and Louise Sutton, all of Monroe.

Brittain Rogers, a soldier of the Revolution, is buried in the lower part of Monroe, near Rogers Methodist Church. He was under the command of Colonel Elijah Clarke. He drew a bounty of 28712 acres of land, located in what was then Washington County, now Hancock, on Shoulderbone Creek, as appears of record in the Secre- tary of State's office, at the Capitol. Mr. Rogers after- wards removed from Hancock and became one of the first settlers of Monroe, where he died. On the monument erected over his grave is the following inscription :

Sacred to the memory of BRITAIN ROGERS. Born Oct. 11, 1761. Soldier of the Revolution. Member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, 32 years. Died April 22, 1835, in expectation of rest in heaven.

Historic Colloden. One of the most noted little towns in the State is situated some sixteen miles from Forsyth, in the extreme southern part of the county-Colloden. It was named for a

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MORGAN

wealthy Scotch gentleman by the name of William Colloden, an early settler. On account of the healthfulness of the climate, it began at an early date to attract some of the best people of the State, who established and maintained excellent schools here, and who acquired a degree of culture which was not to be surpassed, even in old settled communities like Savannah. The Colloden Female Seminary was a pioneer school founded here by the Methodists; and, under Dr. John Darby, it became quite a celebrated institution. Here the distinguished United States Senator, jurist, and writer of books, Judge Thomas M. Norwood, spent his boyhood days. Here the gifted Alexander Speer, formerly Secretary of State of South Carolina, noted as an orator, both in the pulpit and on the hustings, brought his children to be educated. These became famous men in Georgia: Judge Alexander M. Speer, an occupant of the Supreme Bench, and Dr. Eustace W. Speer, an eloquent Methodist divine and a ripe scholar. The latter was the father of the brilliant Federal jurist, Judge Emory Speer, of Macon. Governor James M. Smith was educated in the Colloden High School. Colonel N. J. Hammond, a former member of Congress and a lawyer with few equals at the bar of Georgia, spent the youhtful period of his life in the town of Colloden; and here two consecrated brothers, Dr. W. F. Cook and Dr. J. O. A. Cook, both of them ministers of note in the Methodist Church, were equipped for useful careers. It will be diffi- cult to find a community of equal size in the United States which can par- allel this list. For a number of years after the war, the little town lan- guished; but with the building of a railway line through this part of the county, it has commenced to exhibit distinct signs of revival.

MORGAN

Madison. On December 7, 1807, the County of Morgan was created out of a part of Baldwin, and named for General Daniel Morgan, of the Revolution. Madison was made the county-seat of Morgan by an Act approved December 12, 1809, and was at the same time incorporated as a town, with the following-named com- missioners, to-wit .: James Matthews, William Mitchell, James Mitchell, Abner Tanner and John B. Whiteley.1 There were no better people in Georgia than the pioneer settlers who first came to Morgan, and to judge from the number of charters granted by the Legislature for acade- mies in various parts of the county, there was no failure

1 Clayton's Compendium, p. 555.

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GEORGIA'S LANDMARKS, MEMORIALS AND LEGENDS

to appreciate the value of learning. Due to unsettled conditions, the growth of Madison was at first slow; but when the Georgia Railway was completed to this place in the eighteen-forties a new era of development began. As editor of a local newspaper, Colonel William T. Thompson wrote his renowned letters under the pseu- donym of Major Jones. These gave him a national rep- utation as a humorist. At a later period, he established the Savanah Morning News, which he edited for nearly forty years.

In 1850, two schools of wide note were founded. The first of these was chartered as the Madison Collegiate Institute, with the following board of trustees: Elijah E. Jones, John B. Walker, Zachariah Fears, Thomas J. Burney, Edmund Walker, Charles M. Irvin, William S. Stokes, James F. Swanson, J. W. Fears, Benjamin Har- ris, Benjamin M. Peeples, Nathan Massey, R. P. Zim- merman, Nathaniel G. Foster and William W. B. Craw- ford.2 The other school was chartered as the Madison Female College, with trustees named as follows: Adam G. Saffold, Wilde Kolb, John Robson, William V. Barn- ley, Lucius L. Wittich, Gay Smith, Alfred Shaw, Thomas P. Baldwin, Hugh J. Ogilby, Thaddeus B. Reese, Dawson B. Lane, Samuel Pennington, William J. Parks, Caleb W. Key, M. H. Hebbard, Isaac Boring, John W. Glenn and J. G. Pearce.3 Madison has been the home of some of Georgia's most distinguished sons, including United States Senator Joshua Hill, Colonel David E. Butler, Judge Alexander M. Speer, Judge Augustus Reese, the Saffolds, Adam and Reuben; Nathaniel G. Foster, Dr. J. C. C. Blackburn and a host of others. Some of the stately homes of the old regime are still standing in Madison; but while the past is reverenced for its ideals, the progressive enterprise of the town is typical of the new South.

2 Acts, 1849-1850, p. 112.

3 Acts, 1849-1850, p. 108.

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MORGAN

Launcelot John- On a Morgan County plantation origi- tone's Great Invention. nated an economic process which today underlies one of the greatest industrial activities of the world-the manufacture of cotton-seed oil. As the result of this marvelous in- vention an industry of vast proportions has been created and what was formerly considered a waste product has been the means of putting millions of dollars into the pockets of the Southern farmer. The first successful effort ever made to extract oil from cotton seed was made by Launcelot Johnstone, Esq., within a quarter of a mile from the court-house in Madison. Mr. Johnstone was an extensive ante-bellum planter, whose scientific experi- ments in practical agriculture placed him at least half a century in advance of his times. The records of the Patent Office in Washington, D. C., will show that be- tween 1830 and 1832 Mr. Johnston was granted an ex- clusive patent for a cotton-seed huller, the first device of its kind ever constructed; and, in operating his patent he made large quantities of cotton-seed oil, some of which he used with white lead for house painting. Shingles which he saturated in cotton-seed oil remained on his house for more than sixty years. Mr. Johnstone is buried just in the rear of the old homestead, where, in a modest way, he began to lay the foundations of what has since developed into one of the most colossal indus- tries of our age. His crude experiments marked an epoch in the history of manufacture by wresting from nature a secret worth untold millions; and though he has long slept the deep sleep from which no pean of earthily praise can ever wake him, it is not too late to accord him the distinction to which he is rightfully entitled as the real father of the cotton-seed oil industry of the United States.

Madison's His- toric Homes. White's Statistics of Georgia, published in 1845, con- tains this statement: "Madison, Georgia, is the wealth- iest and most aristocratic village on the stage-coach route between Charleston and New Orleans." One still finds' here much

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GEORGIA'S LANDMARKS, MEMORIALS AND LEGENDS

of this ancient prestige. The old-fashioned homes contain their handsome mahogany, silver, cut-glass, libraries of rare old volumes, paintings, and many of their old jewels and laces. A few of these splendid places have passed into the hands of strangers, but most of them are still owned and loved and lived in by the descendants of their original builders, some occu- pied by the fourth and a few by even the fifth generation.

Well, indeed, might the Author White have been impressed as he jour- neyed in the old stage-coach, past the plantation home of Judge Joseph Lumpkin, now owned by Miss Emma High, with its mantels ten feet wide and eight-feet high framing, even on summer days great blazing logs of wood eight fect long (fires were counted healthful every day in the year), swiftly drawing near with crack of whip and blowing horn to the little tavern (now owned by Mr. J. A. Hilsman) on the edge of the town. They doubtless here tarried, where an abundant dinner with much hquid refresh- ment awaited the travelers. Then with four fresh prancing horses in the harness and more cracking of whip and blowing of horn majestically they swept down what as then the "Old Indian Trail" (now West Avenue) 'past the June Smith House (now occupied by Mr. J. A. Hilsman), the Killian Cottage (former home of Mrs. Grant, who with her husband gave Grant Park to Atlanta, now the home of Mr. W. H. Butts), the Ike Walton place (now closed), the beautiful John B. Walker estate (Mr. P. W. Bearden), the old Butler homestead (Misses Daisy and Bessie Butler), the Peter Walton, Sr., house (Mrs. Godfrey-Walton-Trammell), .the Hill house (Mrs. Bowles Hill Obear), the Stokes-MeHenry place (Mr. J. G. Mc- Henry), the Kolb house (Hon. John T. Newton), the Jones place (Mr. S. A. Turnell), "the old house built by the Northern man, who had on his walls tapestry covered with scenes from Lalla Rhook and South American forests" (Mr. M. L. Richter), the dozen one-story stores, the old court-house with it gray monument on the left, erected in honor of Benjamin Braswell, who left his fortune to educate and clothe indigent orphans of the county.

With many a flourish up to the little wooden post-office building, they were soon off again on the same "Old Indian Trail" (now North Main Street), past other splendid residences, the Douglass home (Mr. J. W. and Miss Gertrude Douglas), the Cohen house (Mrs. Rebecca Cohen Pou), the Campbell place (Mr. Mason Williams), the Martin Home (Judge H. W. Baldwin), the Billiups residence (Mrs. Cone-Daniels-Billups), the Saf- fold mansion (Mr. D. P. Few) with its many splendid columns and large grounds; having caught glimpses on cross streets and parallel ones of other stately well kept places, the old Georgia Female College, whose charter dated only a few weeks later than Wesleyan 's; its president 's home, Rev. George Y. Browne (Mr. Q. L. Williford), the Wade-Langston home (Mr. H. H. Fitzpatrick), the old Porter place (Mrs. Louise Turnbull), the Judge Stewart Floyd house (Judge Frederick Floyd Foster), the A. G. Foster house (recently burned), the Judge Augustus Reese house (Mrs. Elizabeth Speers), the A. G. Johnson (Mrs. Sallie Johnson Penn), the

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MONTGOMERY

famous "Mrs. Cook's house" (Mrs. J. B. Childs), a Northern woman, whose only son was the first Confederate soldier from Morgan County killed in batttle and whose mother taught in the little school-house in her back-yard every child in the town from 1845 until 1888, leaving a part of her little fortune for a town clock, and whose memorial is a beautiful fountain on the city square; then the solid old Academy, where Hon. Alex. Stephens began his career as a school teacher, as well as many other buildings noted for their beauty and fame. Leaving the town behind, and approaching the cottage of one who afterwards became the famous guide of General Lee, "Red-Headed Hume" of Virginia (his childhood home), and rolling away amid fertile plantations, the picture left in the mind might well be described in the words of the author of "White 's Statistics": "The wealthiest and most artistocratie village on the stage- coach route." **

MONTGOMERY

This charmingly written sketch is from the pen of Hon. H. B. Foisom, owner and editor of the "Montgomery Monitor," published at Mount Vernon, Ga., one of the best-known weekly newspapers in the State. Over 200 miles were traversed by Mr. Folsom in gathering his materials for the above sketch. With an up-to-date photographic outfit, he also took the splendid views which accompany this article, and to say that he has made a most important contribution to the State's historical literature is to assert what every one who reads this luminous account of Gov. Troup's last days must admit. Mr. Folsom prepared this sketch while engaged in an arduous but successful fight before the Legislature to prevent a further partition of Montgomery County's territory by a land-grabbing mania to form new coun- ties in Georgia .- L. L. K.

Gov. Troup's Studied words of praise or deep-chiseled Last Days. marble cannot recall the acts of yesterday. Neither can the future replace the losses of the past; and to touch chords that have ceased to vibrate is but to wait before a fountain whose waters have wasted away. It is not the purpose of this brief sketch to deal with the public life and achievements of one so illustrious in Georgia history, but in limited meas- ure recall the latter-day surroundings of Governor George Michael Troup. His useful life has been and will continue to be a theme for the mature historian : his brilliant career is fixed in history-"A Roman in feature, · and a Roman in soul."

*Authority: Miss Bessie Butler, Madison, Ga.

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GEORGIA'S LANDMARKS, MEMORIALS AND LEGENDS

New Facts Definite record of his closing days has Brought to Light. seldom, if ever, been given to public print; errors concerning his resting place are plentiful, though apparently innocent. First- hand information for this sketch comes largely from aged citizens of Montgomery County, who, in their youth, knew the statesman and saw his lifeless body laid away. Permanent evidence of his burial place is had in the native sand-stone wall surrounding his grave in the northwestern part of Montgomery County, where he has rested for more than half a century. Old age and in- firmity having overtaken this distinguished figure, he sought the quietude and comfort of numerous homes, visiting them in methodical rotation. -

Valdosta : His The Valdosta plantation, in Laurens Favorite Mansion. County, was distinctly the bower of his retirement-his retreat after the cares of State, and the home of his friends. From this abode came some of his strongest documents, dating to within a few days of his death. The Valdosta mansion, for such it was in ante-bellum days, was a large six-room log structure, triple-pen style, divided with halls and nearly surrounded with broad verandas and fitted with chimneys of clay. To this was annexed in 1852 a large room, used as a reception chamber. This was substan- tially built of 6 x 10-inch dressed timbers, laid edgewise and intricately dovetailed and spiked with hand-forged nails, something of the workmanship being shown by one of the accompanying cuts. The interior was plastered, making it a most durable structure. It was by far the most palatial of the Troup homes, but is now in ruins. The sand-stone chimney, with its liberal fireplace, has to some extent stood the ravages of time. Carved in the upper portion of this chimney, outside, may be seen the Governor's name and the date of construction. This home graced a beautiful eminence, from which, even now,

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MONTGOMERY

may be seen the splendid little city of Dublin, seven miles to the north.

The Vallombrosa and Turkey Creek plantations, in Laurens County, formed a part of the Troup holdings, but our research being limited and the intent of this sketch not demanding it, reference to them cannot be ac- curately made. The other plantations, extending south- ward on the Oconee River, were the Horseshoe place, in Montgomery (now Wheeler) County; Rosemont, east of the river, in Montgomery County; the Mitchell place, west of the river (originally settled by Hartwell Mitch- ell, 1814), in Montgomery (now Wheeler) County, oppo- site Mount Vernon and south of Greenwood. Each home- stead has its special interest, for, under his regular plan of visiting, an open and well-ordered home awaited its landlord's coming. Each estate was supervised by an overseer, and each slave had a task assigned for the day. Perfect system regulated all labors.

Dies on the Mit- Shortly before the Governor's death a

chell Plantation. message from the overseer on the Mitchell place, William Bridges, an- nounced an unruly disposition on the part of a certain negro slave. With his faithful coachman, the aged Gov- ernor was soon at the lower plantation, thirty-five miles from Valdosta. It is needless to say that proper chas- · tisement broke the unruly spirit; however, cruel treat- ment of slaves was unknown on the Troup plantations. On reaching the Mitchell place, fatigued by the hurried trip, the Governor became ill, and five days brought the end. He was removed from his residence, nearby, long since decayed, and tenderly cared for at the home of Overseer Bridges, where he died April 26, 1856. Smart Roberson, a colored slave, was mounted on a spirited young horse and dispatched to Glynn County to bear the sad tidings to Colonel Thomas M. Forman, his son-in- law (husband of the eldest daughter, Florida, who died

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GEORGIA'S LANDMARKS, MEMORIALS AND LEGENDS

two years before). Before reaching his destination, the steed was overtaxed by his rider's haste and fell by the wayside. Faithful Smart, undaunted, pressed on on foot and delivered his message. Madison Moore, the coach- man, with a vacant seat, returned post-haste to Val- dosta for the younger daughter, Oralie, and other mem- bers of the family.

How the Old Gov- With few members of the family ernor was Buried. present, preparations were made for the burial. A coffin was made from wide boards taken from the porch of a new home of Peter Morrison. The plank having been laid but un-

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Georgia's landmarks, memorials and legends, Volume II, Part 68

Author: Knight, Lucian Lamar, 1868-1933 Publication date: 1913 Publisher: Atlanta, Ga. : Byrd Printing Co. Number of Pages: 1274

Author: Knight, Lucian Lamar, 1868-1933
Publication date: 1913
Publisher: Atlanta, Ga. : Byrd Printing Co.
Number of Pages: 1274