USA > Georgia > Clinch County > History of Clinch County, Georgia, revised to date > Part 10
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Secretaries-1883, J. L. Sweat, Homerville; 1893, L. D. Ellington, DuPont; 1896, Levi Hill, Ratio; 1897, Benj. Smith Stockton; 1898, Benj. Smith, Stockton; 1901, W. H. Patterson, DuPont; 1902, G. H. Cornelius, Homerville; 1903, B. O'Quin, DuPont; 1904, J. C. Smith, Mud Creek; 1908, L. H. Dame, Homerville; 1909, W. B. DuVall, Homerville; 1910, W. B. Gibbs, Homerville; 1912, Folks Huxford, Homerville; 1913, Lizzie Day, DuPont; 1914, Folks Huxford, Homerville; 1915, Folks Huxford, Homer- ville.
The following have served as vice-presidents, a complete list of which is not obtainable : Peter Williams, 1883 ; L. C. Mattox, 1898; J. S. Kirkland, 1902; Benj. Smith, 1904; H. H. Timmerman, 1909; R. G. Ratliff, 1910; George M. ,Dame, 1911-13 and 1916, and S. C. Patterson, 1915.
PROSPECT CHURCH.
This church is of the Primitive Baptist denomination, and was constituted January 22d, 1859. The first constituted members of the church were: Jacob Lightsey and Christina
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Lightsey, Edmund Mathis and Labra Mathis, William Hughes, William Tomlinson and John Mathis, and Sarah Hutto. Rev. Isaac D. Hutto was for many years pastor. The present clerk of the church is James R. Morgan. This church is situated about four miles north of DuPont. The land for the church was deeded by Rowan B. Johnson in 1859.
WAYFARE OR COW CREEK CHURCH.
This church was situated just across the line in Echols County, but has always been identified with the county. When it was first organized it was in Ware County, later in Clinch, then in Echols. It was constituted in 1847, and the first annual meeting was had on Friday and Saturday before the fourth Sunday in September, 1847. The first constituted members were: John Roberts, Sr., Edmund Mathis, Unity Mathis, Harvey Mizell and Rebecca Mizell, John T. Roberts, John Mathis, James Johnson, Simon A, Blackman, Azilpha Tomlinson, Harvey Matthews, Elizabeth Register, and Rachael Howell.
FIRST SUNDAY SCHOOL.
There has always been much discussion as to who founded the first Sunday School in Clinch County. After much re- search and investigation, it seems that Eaton H. Howell was the founder of the first school of this kind in the county. This was about 1856, or 1858. It was located between Homer- ville and Magnolia, and Mr. Howell was assisted by Geo. W. Newbern. Mr. Howell was teaching a day school there and was a young man about 25 years old. This school existed a few months, when it closed with the leaving of Mr. Howell.
About the next Sunday School to be established in the county was at Homerville in the northeast section of town. It was established by Rev. Robert F. Lanier, Dr. L. C. Mat- tox and H. A. Mattox, in the school house. Regular Sunday School literature was used, and the school progressed nicely
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for perhaps a year or so. It was first established about 1861. Rev. Lanier removed to Lowndes County in 1863.
Mr. and Mrs. Robert B. Crum were the organizers of probably the next Sunday School in the county, at least in Homerville. This was in 1863. This school was continued until the organization of a Methodist Church at Homerville, about 1875, when it became a Methodist school. This school had its trials and difficulties and several times was closed for short periods, but always opened up again.
CHAPTER X.
A Distinguished Family Connection.
O NE of the most distinguished family connections in the State of Georgia, and especially of Clinch County, sprang through the illustrious Simon W. Nichols, one of Clinch County's pioneer citizens. Mr. Nichols was orig- inally a merchant of Savannah, but a few years after his marriage he became entangled in financial difficulties there through signing a friend bond in court, Mr. Nichols having to finally pay it. He first removed to Jones County, and settled at the old town of Clinton, where prosperity seems to have been his lot; he lived here for about fifteen or twenty years, finally coming to what is now Clinch County, where he died.
Mr. Nichols married Miss Margaret Waver, a daugh- ter of Jacob Waver, of Savannah, who was a German emi- grant. The marriage took place on March 30th, 1821. By her he had seven cihldren, three sons and four daughters, and this coterie of children became, in after years, among the State's most gifted sons and daughters.
William Montgomery Nichols, the oldest son, was once State Senator from Clinch County, and was married first to a Miss McCombs, and his second wife was Miriam, daugh- ter of Governor Wilson Lumpkin, of Georgia, who was twice Governor of the State and a United States Senator.
Waver Jacob Nichols was a first-honor graduate of the Charleston, S. C., Medical College, and became one of the county's foremost physicians.
John Calhoun Nichols, the youngest son, graduated from Washington & Lee University and took up the practice of law, becoming one of the State's ablest lawyers, and served two terms in Congress.
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Eliza G. Nichols graduated from the LaGrange Female College and married J. P. A. DuPont, who was a son of Peter DuPont, an officer in Napoleon's army and who fought through the Napoleonic wars with Austria and Russia.
Annie A. Nichols married Sylvanus Hitch, a native of Massachusetts, and a large land owner. She became the mother of Simon W. Hitch, for many years Solicitor-General of the Brunswick judicial circuit, besides other children.
Delia H. Nichols married Green J. Foreacre, better known as Jonas Foreacre, a citizen of DeKalb County, who figured conspicuously in the battles around Atlanta and was wounded at the first battle of Manassas.
Laura B. Nichols, the youngest daughter, was married after the war to W. T. Akers, a citizen of Atlanta. To write the history of these children and their families would be to take in nearly every section of the State.
Simon W. Nichols lived at Clinton, in Jones County, for several years. Later he went to Roanoke, now Eufaula, Alabama, and lived about a year there. About this time, he, and Hon. John Forsyth, one of the State governors and also Secretary of State in Van Burens cabinet, began to grant lands in South Georgia, where the lands had recently been ceded by the Indians. Mr. Forsyth owned great areas of land in this county and Mr. Nichols looked after them as his agent, while Mr. Nichols himself acquired much land also.
About 1839, William Register settled at what is now the old Register home-place, about twelve miles below where DuPont now is. Mr. Nichols owned a good deal of land himself down here, and also a tract in Florida. While on a trip down there, he passed Mr. Register's place and spent a short while with him as they were intimately acquainted with each other. Mrs. Nichols expressed a desire to live here in the hope that her health, which was bad at the time, would change for the better. To this desire Mr. Nichols acquiesced and so in this way, this noted family became residents of what was then Ware but is now Clinch County. Mr. Nichols
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made his home on the adjoining lot of land to Mr. Register's, and here it was that the celebrated Nichols family was reared to manhood and womanhood.
His death occurred at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Eliza G. Herviant (formerly DuPont) at Suwannoochee (now Dupont town) shortly after the war, and his remains were buried at Prospect Church near DuPont, in the county which he loved so well, and which he had been so instrumen- tal in bringing into existence. He was very active in bring- ing about the creation of Clinch County, and in the Act cre- ating the same, he was named as one of the commissioners to organize it. The lands upon which Magnolia was located were given by him to the county in order that the county site might be located there.
Mr. Nichols, at the time of his death, was the highest Mason in the county, being a Knight Templar. He was a man of education and refinement, and in the educating of his children, he gave them the best schooling possible in those days. He was indeed a great man, liked and respected by his fellow citizens for the high degree of intelligence and citizen- ship which characterized him.
His noble wife, who preceded him to the grave, was an. other one of those women whose noble traits of character and the love of home and family, endeared her to those who knew her. Indeed, it might be said of her : "None knew her but to love her; none named her but to praise."
Peter DuPont was an officer in Napoleon's army, and dis- tinguished himself in the wars against Austria and Italy. He owned large estates in France, and after the war he was compelled to flee from the country following Napoleon's downfall, he went to Santo Domingo, where he acquired a large coffee plantation. He lived there a few years, but soon an insurrection of negroes drove not only him but his friend, Waver, and all the other whites away. Mr. DuPont, along
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with Mr. Waver, settled in Savannah. They had been fast friends for several years, both coming from France, and finally settling in Savannah, but they knew not that in after years their families would be connected by marriage. Mr. Waver's grand-daughter married Mr. DuPont's son some forty years later.
At the same time that Peter DuPont came over here, he was accompanied by two brothers, Eugene and Paul DuPont. Paul went North, and Eugene South, but the latter has never been heard of since he left. Paul's descendants are today represented in Delaware by Henry A. DuPont and others, who own the noted DuPont powder plant.
John Peter Augustus DuPont, a son of Peter DuPont, was born in the city of Savannah, August 3 Ist, 1819, and spent his childhood days there. He was a direct lineal de- scendant of Marshal Lefebvre, Duke of Dantzic, and of General Count DuPont, and in his veins coursed some of the best blood to be found. He was married about 1850 to Miss Eliza Green Nichols, daughter of Simon W. Nichols, and by her had three sons, viz .: J. P. A. DuPont, Jr., Thomas Charlton DuPont and Lee Lefebvre DuPont. The elder DuPont engaged in the cotton business in Savannah for a few years, exporting cotton to England and France. His son, L. L. DuPont, now has an old cotton report or table dated about 1840, showing the cost of cotton to produce it, cost to get it to England, and a table of prices for Sea Island and upland cotton at New Orleans, Savannah and Liverpool, and the equivalent value of cotton in English money from eight up to sixteen cents per pound. This table was prepared by Mr. DuPont and is in his own handwriting.
After living in Savannah for several years, he removed to Darien, in McIntosh County, where he engaged in the lum- ber business. He bought and exported timber for the cele- brated Epting firm in Germany, shipbuilders. His son, L. L. DuPont, also now has a measuring rod with a handle to it about a yard long, with which his father measured timber.
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After his marriage to Mr. Nichols' daughter, he acquired property in Clinch County, in the vicinity of where DuPont now is. A survey had just been made through this section (1857) for a proposed railroad, and Mr. DuPont decided to build his family a summer home at where DuPont now is, The summer months at Darien were very unhealthy, and in this way came about the building of a home for his family in another section to be used by them during the summer months. He had the lumber brought with oxen from Doctor- town, on the Altamaha River, and when the lumber was laid down at the point where a town was later built, there was nothing but pine forests there. The railroad was not built until two years later. This site was also very desirable to Mr. DuPont's family, as Mr. Nichols lived just below this point 'a few miles .. Mr. DuPont himself never lived in Clinch County, although generally regarded as one of the county's citizens. The house which he built was not finished until several years after the Civil War, owing to the out- break and continuance of the war. The original building, with some modifications or additions to it, is still standing in the town of DuPont, and is now owned and occupied by Mr. L. L. DuPont.
The war coming on, Mr. DuPont threw himself enthusi- astically into the work of raising companies to go to the front. He raised practically every company that was raised in McIntosh County during the first two years of the war. Although he was opposed at first to the war and had always been an opponent of slavery, he did not let this hinder him in rendering his services to his State and to the cause. The ladies of McIntosh County presented him with a flag to be used in the last company he raised there. This flag, which had the Confederate bars on it, had in the place of the stars, an arch with three pillars representing Wisdom, Justice and Moderation, like that found on the Great Seal of the State. Mr. DuPont turned this company over to the State author- ities, but declined to part with his flag; and the flag is now in
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possession of Mr. L. L. Dupont, the only living son. It has the letters "M. R." in the center of the flag denoting the "McIntosh Rifles," and around the arch referred to were thirteen small stars representing the thirteen Confederate States.
Mr. DuPont's valuable life was destined to soon be cut short. He came to his home at Station No. 12, as it was called, and lived only a short while, his death occurring April 18th, 1863. He was survived by his wife and two sons, the third son being born a few months after his death. His re- mains were carried to Savannah where they were buried in the family vault.
His widow was married again just after the war was over to Mr. Peter A. Herviant, who was the first paymaster of the old Atlantic & Gulf Railroad, and who held that position until after his marriage to Mrs. DuPont. Mrs. Herviant had no children by her second marriage. Mrs. Herviant was a graduate of the LaGrange Female College, and was one of the most intelligent and well-versed women of her day. She was acquainted and could talk with much intelligence on most any subject brought before her. She was often looked to for counsel and advice on many subjects not generally regarded as belonging to woman's realm. In case of sickness she could administer medicine and give prescriptions as well as the most experienced physician. Her education was a finished one, and in her bright intellect was combined the highest degree of mental attainments with the lofty aspirations of the heart. Her generosity was unbounded and her door was always open to both the stranger and the acquaintance. Her de- meanor was such as to make all who came in contact with her at once to begin to like her. Mrs. Herviant was born October 18th, 1825 at her parental home in Clinton, Jones County. and died at the home of her sister, Mrs. Akers, in Atlanta. August 17th, 1885. Her remains were buried in the family vault in Savannah. She was survived by her husband and two sons.
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Her husband, Peter Alexander Herviant, was born in Macon, Georgia, February 7th, 1834, and died at the old family home in DuPont, September 4th, 1909. He came to DuPont shortly after the war and married Mrs. DuPont. After coming to DuPont, he was appointed station agent there, which position he held until retired by the company on account of age, on a pension. He was possessed of an excellent education and that good grace and appearance which bespake of him a gentleman in every sense of the word. After his marriage into the DuPont family, he took charge of the rearing of the three sons besides the management of the large areas of land which belonged to his wife. His prudence and sagacity in business matters is well illustrated in the way in which he took care of the three sons. He never spent any of the funds which were dedicated to the education and raising of the boys, either on himself or foolishly on them. He did much for the uplift and upbuilding of the town and was looked upon as an honorable and progressive citizen.
These three boys, J. P. A., Charlton and Lee L. DuPont inherited much of that wonderful brilliance of mind and ability and power from their parents. The eldest, John Peter Augustus DuPont, in later life known as Augustus DuPont, was born in Savannah, September 17th, 1856, where his mother was living at the time. He attended the State Uni- versity of Iowa law department, and graduated with first honor. He was at once admitted to the bar there in 1880, but desiring to return home he came back to DuPont, where he settled for the practice of law. He also was a graduate of Roanoke College, Salem, Va., where he graduated with first honor. Very soon he was appointed on the Governor's staff of the State Militia, which he held seventeen years. Here he evinced some of the military genius displayed by his grand- father in the Napoleonic wars. At the time of his death he was one of the three men in the State eligible to the office of Adjutant-General. Mr. DuPont's ability as a booster
LEE L. DUPONT The only surviving child of J. P. A. and Eliza G. DuPont.
THOMAS CHARLTON DUPONT Died 1884 at age of 26. A most promising and brilliant young lawyer.
--
The old family residence of J. P. A. DuPont, Sr., at DuPont, Ga. Commenced 1858. Now owned and occupied by L. L. DuPont. At the extreme right is seen J. P. A. DuPont, Jr. The lady seated is his wife, and the elder- ly man is P. A. Herviant. This house is in as good condition as it was years ago.
PETER ALEXANDER HERVIANT A leading citizen of Clinch County. Died 1907.
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and live worker is shown by his three appointments to the Omaha and Paris expositions and the Nashville Centennial Celebration. To the first he was vice-president of the Georgia committee, and to the latter he received the following plaudit from Tennessee's governor, which speaks for itself :
State of Tennessee-Executive Chamber. Nashville, December 30th, 1898.
To All who shall see these presents, Greeting :
Captain Augustus DuPont represented the State of Geor- gia at the Tennessee Centennial Exposition as Commissioner- General, and was one of the most active and one of the most intelligent representatives of the whole Union. His work was of the most distinguished character. It was a labor of love in honor of his own great State. Georgia owes him a laurel wreath and Tennessee gives to him through me, her governor, a tribute of praise. His presence here and work he did will not be forgotten by our people. The memory of his noble deeds, like the fragrance of roses, will linger with us through the years.
I recommend him as a live, active man of the times, and worthy of that which is above price-the good name which he bears.
(Signed) ROBERT L. TAYLOR, Governor. By order of the Governor:
(SEAL) W. S. MORGAN, Secretary of State.
Mr. DuPont received the election at the hands of the Leg- islature as a commissioner from the State of Georgia to the Exposition Universelle at Paris in 1900, but unfortunately, he was taken sick about this time and prevented from going. It would have been a suitable trip for him to have visited the country of his forefathers in the capacity as a representative from his native State.
In 1904 Hon. R. B. Johnson, representative from Clinch County in the Legislature, died, leaving a vacancy to which Mr. DuPont was elected at a special election held July 16th, 1904. He was the unanimous choice of the county Demo-
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cratic Executive Committee, and in the election had no oppo- sition. Mr. DuPont took his seat and served through the session of 1904.
In the next election for representative he did not offer for re-election.
After this he lived in retirement at his home in DuPont, occupying, with his brother, the old family home. Mr. DuPont died February 27th, 1913, at Savannah, where he had been taken a short while before for treatment. He was survived by a daughter, Eliza G. DuPont, who now resides in Charleston, S. C., since her marriage.
The second son, Thomas Charlton DuPont, was born at Darien, November 27th, 1858. He was raised at DuPont, then called Lawton, and attended the law school of the Uni- versity of Georgia, from which he graduated with first honor in 1878, carrying off the gold medal for supremacy in ora- tory. The medal is now in the possession of Mr. L. L. Du- Pont. The next year he was admitted to the bar and located at Savannah for the practice of law. He practiced there two years, making many friends while there. After this he re- moved to Jacksonville, Florida, where he at once took a high place among the lawyers at the bar. His brilliant powers of oratory, together with his broad legal mind and his won- derful personality, all combined to make him one of the most popular and well known men in Jacksonville. He threw him- self into politics and was very instrumental in carrying Duval County for Governor Drew in the election. In 1884, Gov- ernor Drew placed his young supporter into the race for United States Senator. This young genius was making a winning race when he was taken sick with scarlet fever. He was brought to his mother's home at DuPont, where he lingered on the bed of affliction several weeks. The fever finally turned into a serious case of dropsy and death soon intervened, taking one of the State's most promising young men. His death occurred at DuPont, September 6th, 1884, and his remains were buried in the family vault in Savannah.
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The Jacksonville Times-Union and many other newspapers printed eulogies of praise and the local bar at Jacksonville and Homerville adopted resolutions on his death.
The Jacksonville Times-Union said in part: "In this brief career he has exhibited an instance of a powerful and evenly balanced intellect, with a greatness of heart, firmness of pur- pose, energy of action, moral loftiness, a splendid endurance under terrible suffering, and heroic death, as magnificent as it is unusual. Mr. DuPont removed to Jacksonville in the winter of 1880-81, where his talents gave him almost instant success. At that time he was beyond doubt, the handsomest young man in this city; of splendid physique, with a head of great beauty, dark eyes, of full habit, a rich, confident voice, and a musical laugh that made him altogether an attractive man. In his profession he was pre-eminently an advocate; he knew by instinct the secrets of human character, the weak- nesses and prejudices of men; his language was simplicity itself; his manner wholly unstudied and unaffected, but his magnetism was powerful and persuasive, and his words flowed forth from his lips a melodious torrent, sparkling with sunshine freighted with argument and subtlest persuasion. He was a born orator, a master of the minds of men."
The youngest son, Lee Lefebvre DuPont, was born in Savannah, Oct. 23d, 1863. He has lived his life from baby- hood up in the town of DuPont. Here living in comfort- able quietude in the paternal home which he now occupies. He received a good education, entering in 1879 the famous Brad- well Institute, at Hinesville, Ga., and in 1881 entering Emory College at Oxford, Ga. He lacked five months of graduating from college, being called home on account of the illness and death of his brother, Thomas Charlton Du- Pont. Mr. DuPont married about 1903, Miss Addie Reg- ister daughter of Mr. O. P. Register, by whom he has two sons. To-day he is the owner of the old family holdings, consisting of several thousand acres of land and town prop- erty. He has in his possession many old curious and valuable
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articles handed down in the family, some of which have been mentioned. The only office which he ever held was that of justice of the peace at DuPont, to which he was commissioned December 8th, 1900, for four years. Mr. DuPont inherits much of the family's grace and courtliness of manners as well as courage and devotion to duty. In politics he is indepen- dent; he stands for that which he thinks is right and is not carried on the tide of public opinion. He looks with pride on the distinguished services of his ancestors, both paternal and maternal, and much of the nobility and high degree of grace is embodied in him, and will be exhibited in his two promising sons in later life.
John Calhoun Nichols, a son of Hon. Simon W. Nichols, graduated from Washington and Lee University in early life. He was admitted to the bar and practiced law at the Homer- ville bar for about thirty-five years. He resided in Clinch County just prior to and during the war. When the war came on, he, like his illustrious brother-in-law, Capt. J. P. A. DuPont, threw himself very enthusiastically into the cause. Raising a company of Clinch County men. He was elected its captain in 1862. This was Co. "I" 4th Georgia Cavalry. He served as captain throughout the war. Captain Nichols was one of the most beloved men in the army, and always exercised great care and interest in his men.
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