USA > Georgia > Greene County > History of Greene County, Georgia, 1786-1886 > Part 17
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During his administration as Grand Master, Masonry took on new life. Lodges multiplied rapidly, and thousands of new members were received each year.
Other great and good men have followed Dawson, but none have transcended his record as statesman, jurist, citizen and Mason.
Another member of San Marino Lodge has reached the highest office within the gift of Georgia Masons, and he grac- ed the office of Grand Master. I refer to Past-Grand Master, N. H. Ballard, than whom, no brighter Mason ever lived in Georgia. His picture rests on easel just to the right of that of William C. Dawson.
Again referring to Grand Master, William C. Dawson, who died May 6, 1856, the minutes of San Marino lodge of June 4, 1856, state that, "William C. Dawson was the first Grand Master of Georgia to die while in office." The sub-
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ject of erecting a monument to the memory of Grand Master Dawson, was discussed at several meetings of the Lodge; and, on May 4, 1795, the following committee was appointed to communicate with the craft throughout the state for the pur- pose of raising funds to erect the monument : Johnson, Morri- son, Godkin, and John F. Zimmerman. Thus we must conclude that the monument that stands in the Greensboro cemetery telling of the virtues of William Crosby Dawson, was erected by his Masonic brethren throughout the State of Georgia.
San Marino flourished from its reorganization in 1844, until the War between the States. And, even during the war, they met at intervals, although, all of the younger men, and many in middle-life were at the front.
Many of Greene's finest citizens deemed it an honor to have their names on the roll of San Marino Lodge. In 1867, we find 71 names on the roll, and a careful checking, reveals the fact, that, practically all of them had been soldiers in the late war.
The minutes of San Marino along in 1890, read as fol- lows: "A Lodge of Master Masons was opened in due and ancient form. Present, W. M. Weaver, W. M., J. P. Wilson, S. W., O. T. Irby, J. W., B. F. Bickers, Secretary, and other officers and brethren." The other officers and brethren were usually, James L. Crossley, M. Markwalter, and T. B. Rice. Brother T. S. Irby was Tyler, and was usually at his post ; but, many a time have I seen barely enough present to open the Lodge and five or six present would be considered a good crowd.
This state of affairs continued until 1805, when business began to pick up. In 1896, we find the following names seeking Masonic Light : E. L. Hall, E. D. Jones, Dr. J. H. Gheesling, L. P. Jernigan, Dr. J. C. Ashbury, H. T. Evans, Rev. J. H. Gambrell, Joel Cloud, H. B. Hart, C. M. King, James B. Park, L. L. Little, R. E. Davison, J. J. Sanders and others. Liberty and Union Point had given up their Charters, and we find W. J. Newsome, R. B. Smith, John C. Hart, W. C. D. Lundy, and many others bring their Dimits and asking to Af- filiate with us.
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At the close of 1896, we had the following Past-Masters Dr. W. E. Adams, James L. Brown, Dr. J. M. Griffin, W .M. Weaver, and M. Markwalter, J. B. Park and T. B. Rice.
The roste: of Past Masters who are still living and who are still members of San Marino Lodge is as follows: James B. Park, T. B. Rice, H. M. Spinks, Noel P. Park, S. A. Tor- bert, C. C. Wills, C. E. Robinson, R. F. Taylor, T. H. McGi- bony, J. L. Calloway, C. H. Crumbley, J. L. Crossley, and C. J. Williams.
T. B. Rice has been a member of the craft longer than any on the list. He was made a Mason by Gate City Lodge No. 2, of Atlanta, Ga., in 1886, and his companions in seeking Masonic Light were; Henry W. Grady, and Dr. J. B. Haw- thorn; and their conductor was none other than, our greatly beloved Past-Grand Master Thomas H. Jeffries.
Let us hope that the tenets of our most honorable profes- sion, will be the guide for the officers and members of San Marino throughout the coming years, and that they will hand down to their successors, a record undefiled.
MEMORIAL TO ANDERSON TERRELL, NEGRO JANITOR OF SAN MARINO LODGE NO. 34, F. & A. M.
NOTE: By special request, San Marino Lodge asked T. B. Rice to draft a memorial to Anderson Terrell who was the colored janitor for a number of years. Perhaps, this is the only instance in which a Lodge of Georgia Masons ever paid tribute to an humble negro janitor; but this negro's faithfulness deserves a page dedicated to his memory. .cOp
Anderson Terrell was born about the beginning of the War Between the States, therefore, born a slave. When a small boy his mother hired him to Brother Martin Markwalter, who for a great number of years was a member, Master, and Past- Master of San Marino Lodge. Brother Markwalter must have instilled into this boy the virtues of honesty, integrity and faith- fulness; and these virtues that he possessed in such a marked degree should be a rebuke to many free-born Anglo-Saxons who departed therefrom. Though unable to read or write, he pos-
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sessed a rare intelligence and splendid memory. After Brother Markwalter moved to Florida, in the early 1880's, Anderson was employed as janitor for the Greensboro Baptist Church, which position he held until he was retired on a pension in 1936. This position did not require all of his time, so he became the yard-man and gardner for Mr. Charles A. Davis. Mr. Davis found Anderson trustworthy and faithful. And, when he moved to Atlanta, Anderson transferred his activities to the yard and garden of T. B. Rice, which position he held until he became too feeble to work. In the fall of 1936, T. B. Rice retired him on a pension.
Some years ago he was given the job of janitor for San Marino Lodge, and he filled that position most faithfully until he became too feeble to climb the stairs, and was given a pen- sion for his faithfulness. When he died on April 4, 1937, San Marino Lodge sent a wreath of flowers for his bier. Anderson was also Janitor for the Bank of Greensboro and the Presby- terian Church. The Presbyterian Church pensioned him also. He did many odd jobs for countless Greensboro citizens, and never once was he even suspected of dishonesty or slackness in his work.
In all probability, we shall never see the life of Anderson Terrell again. Anderson was a Christian and tried to live up- rightly before God and man; and when the Supreme Architect of the Universe calls us from Labor to Refreshment, Ander- son's radiant smile will welcome us on the "other shore."
RECREATION AND AMUSEMENTS
"The Greensboro Jockey Club Races will commence for the first time at Greensboro on the 5th Wednesday of Novem- ber next, free for any horse, mare or gelding belonging to any citizen in the state of Georgia three months previous to the date of running."
"The proportionate sums to be run for shall be at least as follows; viz., the first day purse, three mile heats, - two hundred and fifty dollars; the second days purse, two mile heats,
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one hundered and fifty dollars; the third day's purse, one mile heat, for entrance money.
"Ordered that this advertisement be published in the Au- gusta Chronicle and Washington Monitor and continuing week- ly until the time of the races."
W. W. Strain, Secretary
A GARDEN CLUB FOR GREENE COUNTY
"Plans to organize a club devoted to floriculture" were announced. Meeting to organize was to be held Friday after- noon at 3 o'clock Sept. 28, 1894, at the home of Mrs. James B. Park. Among charter members listed were, Mrs. Judge Thornton, Mrs. M. Markwalter, Mrs. T. B. Rice, Miss Clay- ton, Mrs. George Hall, Mrs. Vince Hall, Mrs. E. D. Jones, Mrs. H. T. Lewis, Mrs. Phil Robinson, Mrs. H. T. Evans, and many others will join. "Our gentleman friends are expect- ed to patronize our shows, and buy our button-hole bouquets. It will help us out in the most refined way to enjoy ourselves."
Mrs. J. B. Park
GREENSBORO FAIR ASSOCIATION
"The grounds are located on the edge of the north- western part of the city. From appearances a great deal of labor has been expended upon them. The buildings are well arranged. The main exhibition hall is large and commodious. The differ- ent flags and mottos were all in good taste. Wednesday was mostly occupied by making entries. Notwithstanding the day was rather showery and unfavorable, a very large number of entries were made and a respectable number present. As the day closed the rain set in and the prospect was gloomy. We noticed persons moving about with long faces; but Thursday morning dawned upon us with a clear sky, and the prospect was fair for a bright day.
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About nine o'clock the cannon boomed the signal to move toward the Fair Ground. There seemed to be a perfect "ground swell," preceded by the Greensboro Band, which made the welkin ring with the concord of sweet sounds. A large number assembled at the grandstand. As the ground was rather muddy from the last night's rain, there was no trotting, but the exhi- bition of the finest stallions, etc., took place.
About twelve o'clock the contest came off between the Greensboro Brass Band and the Social Circle Cornet Band. The latter were present by special invitation and were the guests of the former. It was announced from the stand that a thirty-dollar silver cornet would be awarded to the band which played the best, also that the Circle Band had ten month's prac- tice and the Greensboro Band twelve months. There being but eight of the Circle Band present, a like number was chosen from the Greensboro Band. There were three pieces performed alternately by each Band. The execution was very fine. The marks of the Judges stood: Greensboro 120-1/2, Social Circle 120; so the former Band will carry off the premium. The Greensboro Band has the reputation of being the best amateur band in the State, and is the pet of Professor Holt, their teach- er, of Augusta. It is composed of first class gentlemen, and the members of the Circle Band so esteem them.
"In the afternoon there was some trotting and pacing and some very fine two horse turn-outs. Conspicuous among them was John Henry Carleton, who always receives a full share of the premiums.
"JACKSON COUNTY
Jackson County carried off some of the largest premiums. White Plains was not behind in having premiums awarded.
The Floral Hall attracted much attention. In it was dis- played a fine exhibition of the handiwork of the fair ladies of Greensboro and Greene County. Quilts, counterpanes, embroid- ery, etc., some fine paintings, drawings, wax works, etc., show-
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ing that the ladies have not neglected the fine arts; also, that they think of something good to eat and drink, as we noticed some fine breads.
Cake, Preserves, Jellies
Butter, domestic wines, cordials, garden vegetables, fine specimens of field crops etc. We were sorry we did not learn the names of those who had various articles on exhibition, as the names were not attached, but the articles simply numbered.
On the grounds we noticed some fine stock : horses, cattle, and swine, also some fine sheep, entered by Col. J. B. Hart of Union Point-one weighing 275 pounds. Your city was also represented, Mr. Smith, for Capt. Mark W. Johnson, had on exhibition, a fine variety of seeds. Mr. Anderson of the firm of Anderson and Wells had some fine Indianapolis wagons on exhibition, who also keep on hand and sell the Watts plow, which takes the premium at every fair, where it is exhibited. Everything passed off quite pleasantly on Thursday night.
A Grand Concert was given at the Female College by the Greensboro Brass Band and the Augusta Amateur Club. The chapel was crowded, the music superior, and everyone seemed to be delighted. After the concert there was a Torchlight Pro- cession preceded by the Greensboro and Circle Bands playing alternately. After marching through various streets, the pro- cession halted at the Court-House, where several balloons were sent up, also, some very fine fireworks, everything pass- ing off to the delight of everybody. About twelve o'clock a general dispersion took place, all seeking a place to rest.
Friday morning there could be seen a constant stream of persons, white and black, making their way to the Fair Grounds, till a very large crowd had assembled.
The exhibition of stock, trotting, and pacing was resumed, also three young ladies during the morning made a contest for the champion equestrianship. We understand the Tournament was to come off in the afternoon, and the crowning of the Queen of Beauty, and a grand ball that night. We must say that the Greensboro Fair was a grand success.
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FIRST FAIR AT UNION POINT
We are indebted to Mr. C. J. Thornton of Atlanta, Ga., for a pamphlet or, description of the first Agricultural Fair, which was held at Union Point. The cover reads as follows :
FIRST GRAND ANNUAL FAIR OF THE GREENE COUNTY AGRICULTURAL AND MECHANICAL SOCIETY, UNION POINT, GREENE COUNTY, GEORGIA, WILL COMMENCE WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 1872, AND CONTINUE THREE DAYS. The organization consisted of the following officers of the
"UNION POINT FAIR GROUND CLUB."
P. W. PRINTUP, President T. M. BRYAN, Secretary-Treasurer J. F. HART, Assistant
Managers R. G. CARLTON J. B. HART L. D. CARLTON E. S. BOWDEN
R. B. SMITH
ORGANIZATION OF THE GREENE COUNTY AGRICULTURAL AND MECHANICAL SOCIETY
Officers:
Dr. THOS. P. JANES, President
Rev. WM. BRYAN, First Vice-President
Rev. JOSHUA KNOWLES, Second Vice-President Capt. J. R. SANDERS, Third Vice-President J. C. BROWN, Secretary WM. H. BRANCH, Treasurer
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE: 137th District-Dr. J. M. GRIFFIN 138th District-JAMES DAVISON
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139th District-JAS. B. HART
141st District-L. D. CARLTON
142nd District-E. A. VEAZEY
143rd District-J. B. Y. WARNER
144th District-Dr. J. D. MOORE
145th District-GEO. C. DAVIS
146th District-Capt. L. B. WILLIS
147th District-THOS. S. MILLER
148th
District-CHAS. M. SANDERS
149th District-WALTER WRAY
160th District-J. B. COPELAND
161st District-J. B. PARK
In addition to 208 cash prizes ranging from $2.00 to $25.00, there were numerous other awards. Premiums were of- fered for every imaginable farm and home product; all of which would indicate that Greene county had real farmers in those days.
The list included such items as, the best half-acre of ruta- baga turnips; best half-acre of white turnips; best half-acre of carrots ; best half-acre of mangol wortzel beets etc., etc.
Prizes were also offered for the best set of home-made plow-gear; plow-stocks; home-made plow-points; home-made wagons and buggies; best homespun and made suit of clothes; the best pair home-made ladies kid gloves; the best pair of kid gauntlets for gentlemen.
There are thirteen pages of articles for which premiums were offered. Some will say: Oh yes, those were the good old days when Greene county was prosperous; but-I will emphati- cally deny any such statement. It was just seven years after the close of the war between the states. And almost without excep- tion, these farmers had to begin life anew, and without money or credit. Their "come-back" was truly remarkable.
Let us compare the period with what followed the World War that closed in 1918. While our young men were in train- ing and fighting in France, we who stayed at home, were roll- ing in wealth and indulging in all sorts of extravagances. Money came so easily that we did not have to work much in order to get what we wanted. Forty cent cotton meant fifty dollars per
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acre for five dollar land, and everybody wanted more land in order to make more forty cent cotton. Lots of them mortgaged what land they already had in order to secure the payment of other land that they thought they wanted. They just knew cot- ton would always be worth forty cents per pound and made it on that basis.
Cotton is now five cents per pound, and there are thou- sands of acres of Greene county land that changed hands when cotton was bringing forty cents, that will not bring one dollar per acre now. Our people have forgotten how to make horse collars and plow stocks, and otherwise live at home. We are ashamed to wear cotton stockings and eat home-raised food. We jump in our cars and drive down to the grocery store and buy Florida vegetables and Canadian ruta-bagas. (1938)
We are paying premiums for farm products all right, but the premiums are going to farmers and manufacturers in other states.
If our fathers staged a "come-back" in a remarkably short time, why can't we do the same thing?
Greene County will again "blossom like a rose." Are we going to bring it about, or, are we going to wait for outsiders to come here and do it for us?
"There is more in the man than there is in the land," and we have as good land, as good climate, as good water, as fine pastures, as good people as any place on earth, and the oppor- tunity is ours.
CHAPTER VII Education
Some of the larger planters began to pay more attention to education. In 1826 Brockman United Academy was incor- porated, in 1786 the Greensboro Academy, in 1827 Lafayette Hall Academy, in 1831 Thornton Academy, in 1834 White Plains Academy ,and in 1840 the Penfield Female Academy was chartered.
The most outstanding educational development in 1829 was the establishing of Mercer University. (Institute at first) Josiah Penfield, a Baptist Deacon in Savannah gave $2,500 to the Baptist Convention for education on condition that an equal amount be raised. The amount was raised by, Jesse Mer- cer, Adiel Sherwood, William Flournoy, Thomas Stocks, all of Greene county and others at the Convention.
It was decided to locate the school in Greene county. Oliver Porter, Billington Sanders, James Armstrong, Absalom and Thomas James all assisted in locating the school here. Four hundred and fifty acres of land seven miles north of Greensboro was purchased and the town of Penfield came into being. The school was named Mercer Institute for Jesse Mer- cer, who later gave $40,000 to the school. Jesse Mercer got much of this money from his second wife, a woman of consid- erable wealth. She was a Gentile who inherited money from her Jewish husband, Capt. Abram Simons, a Revolutionery soldier. (See story of Mercer)
The Greensboro Female Academy was established in 1852 by the Ga. Synod of the Presbyterian Church. (Jan. 2, 1852) They had some teachers from the east and north. They were Louisa Mae Alcott, author of "Little Women", Anne Maria Lyman who married Julius Poullian, son of Thomas Poullain, one of the wealthiest men in the county. William H. Seward, the hated Sec. of War during the Civil War was a teacher at Union Academy as well as at White Plains Academy.
Dr. I. S. K. Axon was President of the Greensboro Academy, the Trustees were : Sen. W. C. Dawson, Cong. Fran-
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cis Cone, Dr. Joseph R. Wilson preached here and years lat- er his son Thomas Woodrow (President of the U. S. A.) married the daughter of Dr. Axon.
Then and Now in Schools
The boys and girls of today can hardly visualize the dif- ference in their advantages over the old days in the one room teacher school of their grandfathers and grandmothers.
Now they ride on commodious school buses, and have hot lunches and free textbooks, and are nicely dressed as they enter the beautiful brick school buildings, centrally heated in winter, well lighted and cool in summer.
Any oldster can reminisce and tell you that when he trudg- ed along by-paths, across fields and through woods, over the creeks that he would finally reach the one room school after a three mile walk.
He had a tin dinner bucket and a striped bed-ticking booksatchel that got heavy before he arrived. The boys had to take turns bringing in the wood and going to the spring for water.
The one teacher reached the school house early enough to sweep the floor, build the fire and gather up scattered books and the slates and pencils. When it rained, few had raincoats or umbrellas. The creeks rose and the paths got muddy and slick. There were no bridges and the streams had to be cross- ed on foot-logs that were sometimes covered with water. A child had only one pair of boots, if that, and they had to be cleaned and dried before the fire when he got to school or home in the evening. There the shoes were greased with tallow or neats foot oil to help soften them.
The big boys had a turtle-shaped bottle of David's ink a steel pen and pen staff and a copy book, the figuring was done on a slate with a scratchy slate pencil. Some had sponges tied on their slate but most of the pupils spit on the slates and wiped them with their coat sleeves. The blackboard wiper was a piece of woolly sheep-skin nailed on a block of wood, and there was little chalk.
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There was not a pane of glass in the windows and only wooden shutters shut out the cold, while on the sunny side of the building one was opened for light.
When fingers and toes got stiff with the cold the pupils were permitted to thaw them out before the fire and take turns letting others come as they returned to their seats. The parents paid the tuition and bought the few books and when a book was torn there was a paddling from the teacher and when he got home he got another, from his father. This was in the 1870's.
Instead of the teacher whipping the boys now, the order is reversed. How times have changed !
CHESTNUTS AND RABBIT-TOBACCO
As Indian Summer approaches and the shadows begin to fall northward instead of east and west as they do in sum- mer; our mind drifts back to the days in the long ago when school "took-in" for the long, fall term. Father had carried us to town, fitted us out with new clothes-including some fancy "galluses", a pair of "gaters", or brogans, and how they did hurt our "stumped" big toe, stone-bruises and other results of a barefoot summer. Shoes did not come packed in pairs, but were strung together, and the soles were put on with wooden pegs. The pegs extended to the inside of the shoes, and had to be cut with a peg-cutter. Sometimes, the merchant or clerk, did not do a good job of peg cutting; and this gave us an excuse for going back to town. Then, too, the old blue-back speller had become so thumbed that many hard words had been worn from the bottom of each page from a-b, ab to the boy stealing apples, in the back of the book. This called for a new spelling book. The old slate had been broken, the slate-pencils lost; and we had been advanced a step in arithmetic and McGuffey's readers, so, several new books had to be broken-in. After their clean, new pages had been brought to our attention, and we had been forced to compare them with those we had just dis- carded; we were given an ear-boxing and an assortment of thumb-papers with the admonition to use them. This was fol-
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lowed up from day-to-day as we brought our books home for night study; and a dirty thumb spot resulted in another ear- boxing or worse.
Of course, if the weather was hot, the teacher allowed us to remove our coats and show our new "galluses," but how those shoes did hurt. However, off they came just as soon as we got out of sight of the school house, on our homeward journey of one to three miles.
Every Friday afternoon was "speakin" days for the boys, and composition days for the girls. "The boy stood on the burning deck;" "Old Grimes is dead," that good old man, and Marco Bozares", resounded in every country school house in the land. Lincoln's Gettysburg address was taboo, then. Every school boy hailed the approach of Saturday with whistling glee. School togs were cast aside, and every day wear felt mighty good. Of course, there were chores to do. "Pa" said : after you have hoed the garden, picked some cotton, salted the cows, fed and counted the pigs, found the hole in the fence where the hogs have been getting in the corn field, turned the mules in the pasture after they have been fed. then, you may go fishing. However, fishing was not the only amusement in those days. In fact, we had about caught all the perch, mud- cats and hornyheads before the summer was over; and it takes a mighty frosty morning to lure the suckers from their hiding place under the banks; and sucker fishing is mighty poor sport anyway.
Chestnut and chinquipin hunting was far more attractive when the leaves began to turn yellow, and "bulaces" (musca- dines) are mighty sweet at that time. Rabbit-tobacco (life-ever- lasting) has dried on the stalk; and what red-blooded boy never smoked "rabbit-tobacco" in a corn-cob pipe ?
Almost every hill was covered with chestnut trees; and there was never a country boy who was not fond of chestnuts. However, chestnut gathering is not an individual sport like fishing. It requires teamwork to gather chestnuts. Some must climb the trees and frail the nuts down, while others "chunk" sticks at the outer limbs that cannot be reached by the climbers ;
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HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY
while others pick up the nuts. When the frailing and chunking were over, all hands fall-to and gather up the nuts which are piled in one great pile. The boys would then arrange themselves around the pile, and when the signal was given, each boy would go to raking in and counting. One hundred nuts was the unit, and when the fast counters reached one hundred, they would yell out, "one-hundred," and wait for the others to catch up. When the pile got small, the unit would drop to 50, 25, 10 and five, and thus proceed until the chestnuts were all counted into separate piles. There was no cheating and each boy got his full share. Each boy carried his own knap-sack, which, as a rule, was his book-satchel made of bed-ticking.
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