USA > Georgia > Greene County > History of Greene County, Georgia, 1786-1886 > Part 22
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49
As Mercer University and other Georgia Baptist Col- leges begin making plans for a five million dollars endowment fund it may be well to refer to Mercer Institute and Mercer University when Penfield was the seat of learning for Georgia Baptists, and the causes leading up to its removal to Macon.
All of the older citizens know that the War Between the States so impovished the people that it was impossible to main- tain a University, and the best that the Trustees of Mercer could possibly do was to operate an Academy until such time as sufficient funds could be raised to re-establish the Univer- sity. This was the sincere hope of all concerned, especially the people of Greene County and the Georgia Association.
The cities of Atlanta and Macon knew, in all probability, that it would be impossible to re-establish Mercer at Penfield, or in any remote part of the state, therefore, the progressive citizens of these two cities began making overtures to Georgia Baptists to move Mercer. They both made attractive offers to
256
HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY
the Georgia Baptist Convention and carried on an extensive campaign among Georgia Baptists with the view of crystaliz- ing sentiment in favor of accepting their offer. This brought about heated discussions for several years, in both the Geor- gia Baptist Convention and the Georgia Baptist Association in which Mercer University was then located.
THE NEW MERCER UNIVERSITY
It took a long time for the people of Greene, and the Georgia Association, to become reconciled to the removal of Mercer from Penfield to Macon; but that feeling has long since passed away. Macon "The Heart of Georgia" was the logical location for Mercer University. And what a noble part Macon has done for Mercer !! While the people of Macon know that Mercer is a Baptist University, they look upon it as their very own, and are ever ready to respond to Mercer's needs. This statement is amply substantiated by the handsome Girls Dormitory constructed at a cost of more than $150,000, a gift from that princely Methodist Steward, James Hyde Porter. Nor is this James Porter's first gift to Mercer. The commodious Gymnasium and other improvements of the campus, have been made possible through Mr. Porter's generosity. And, if Georgia Baptists are sufficiently interested in Mercer to visit the grounds, they will see marvelous improvements that have taken place within the past few years under the masterful leader- ship of Dr. Spright Dowell, who has been its able President. Columbus Roberts' Hall, a handsome Boys Dormitory, is a gift of that noble Baptist layman and his family. The Willing- hams of Macon, the Hardeman family of Commerce, the Wil- lets of Atlanta and Augusta, and many others have made notable gifts to Mercer within the past few years.
KEY TO MAP OF PENFIELD
1. Site of L. L. Andrews' House.
All of L. L. Andrews' sons attended Mercer: Jack Lumpkin, '56 J. Davis, '56; Jos. R. '58; Cicero C. and George W. Andrews. George W. Andrews taught at the Male Academy.
2. House-Rev. Lewis Brooks
I. L. Brooks was one of the contributors to the Josiah Penfield Fund
N
10/22
GRAVE Of JESER MEDRAR
J
lan
To Camatery -.-
-
41-
40
play how.
28
25
2
+ JO
16
42
EAST MAIN SILEET.
-JO - WOODVILLE -
311
15
40 41
32
33 34
35
36
37
30
1
1 1
1
1
8
LOAD
To
GLISS MILL
5
0
MAP of the.
N
ยท TOWN . OF . PENFIELD) .
Site. of.
Marcar University. . 1833 ~ 1871.
Map of the town of Penfield, site of Mercer University, 1833-1871 (See !agend)
257
HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY
-
WEST MAIN STREET.
COULe
258
HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY
in 1829, Prin. of the Female Academy, a Mercer Trustee, 1840-45. Born in Rockingham, Co. N. C. in 1793, son of Jonathan and Ann Lewis Brooks of Spotsylvania Co., Va. and grandson of the Rev. Iverson Lewis, prominent Baptist minister of King and Queens County, Va. He was of the class on 1817, University of N. C. This house later belonged to Mrs. Amasa Kellam and then James W. Colclough.
3. Site of the Joseph E. Willett House
J. E. Willett, '46 founder of the Berzelius Society at Yale and Pro- fessor of Chemistry and Natural Science at Mercer, 1847-93. In 1851 he married Emily, daughter of Rev. Billington Sanders. Their sons are: Nathaniel L., '70; and Hugh M. Willett, Pres. of the Mercer Board of Trustees.
4. Site of the Phillip B. Robinson House
P. B. Robinson, '54 was both judge and minister, he served Mercer as a Trustee, 1866-78 and as commencement orator in 1868. His sons; Lewis B., Thos. W., Wm. A., and Phillip B., Jr. attended Mercer.
5. The James M. Lankford House, (corner of Watson Spring Road)
6. The William B. Johnson Home, (On Watson Spring Road)
Wm. Johnson's five sons attended Mercer, Albert T. '61; Wm. H., L. D., James M., and Oscar B.
7. The Cheney-Boswell House, (Watson Spring Road)
8. The B. E. Spencer House
B. E. Spencer's son, Alvah B. Spencer, class of '59 was killed in the War between the States.
9. The James Rabun Sanders House
J. R. Sanders married Cornelia, daughter of Absolem Janes, a Mer- cer Trustee. Their sons were: Rabun Clifford Sanders, '68, and Jere- miah Sanders, '70. The house is now owned by Jeremiah Sanders daugh- ter, Mrs. Annie Sanders Hendricks of Charleston, S. C.
10. The Shelton P. Sanford House
S. P. Sanford was Prof. of Mathematics and Astronomy, 1839. Dur- ing the war Mercer's faculty was reduced to three members: Pres. N. M. Crawford, Professors Sanford and Willett. Sanford's birthplace two miles east of Greensboro is still standing. In 1840 he married Maria Dickerman, who taught music in the Female Academy. Their son Charles V. Sanford was graduated in '67, and their daughter Anna married the Rev. A. J. Cheeves, '62. A grandson Steadman V. Sanford, '90 is now Pres. of the University of Ga. 1933. House is now the home of Robert Callaway.
11. Site of the John G. Holtzlaw House
J. G. Holtzlaw's two sons were students at Mercer.
12. Mrs. C. A. Lawrence Boarding House
Mrs. Lawrence's son Wm. E., attended Mercer. Many students board- ed here from 1850 to 1861 when most left for the War.
13. Beasley's Hotel
J. G. Beasley was proprietor of the hotel. Many students boarded here and many families stayed here during commencement and on special occasions. On this site was a house occupied by Dr. J. L. Dagg, until the President's House was completed in 1845. Here also lived Peter
259
HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY
Northern from Jones County until his house was completed on E. Main St. Dr. Neeson resided here for a time.
14. Site of the Shaler Granby Hillyer House
Rev. S. G. Hillyer was Principal of the Female Academy, 1844-45, Prof. of Belles-Letters, 1847-56, and Prof. of Theology, 1859-62; a Mer- cer Trustee, 1838-51. He married (2nd) Elizabeth dau. of Rev. J. L. Dagg. Pres. of Mercer. His bro. Junius was a member of Congress and a Trustee of Mercer 1842-54. His sons were George, '54, Shaler, '61, and F. Lorraine Hillyer, '61.
15. Site of the Asbury-Harris House
Richard T. Asbury, '47 was Prin. of the Female Academy, 1853-55 and Pres. of Monroe Female College. Four of his sons were ministers; Wm. M., R. E. L., J. A., and J. O. Harris and a daughter Mrs. Maru Harris Armour a W. C. T. U. leader.
16. The Female Academy
The Academy was established in 1838. Some Principals were: Rev. Smith 1838, Wm. C. Richards 1839, Benj. O. Pierce, 1840, Thomas Bog Slade, 1841-42, Rev. Iverson L. Brooks, 1843-44, Rev. Shaler Hillyer, 1845, Geo. Y. Browne, 1848, P. S. Whitman, 1850-52, Richard T. As- bury, 1853-55. The Academy became a town school after 1855. The building is now the home of Miss Jimmie Colcough.
17. Site of the A. M. Lansdell House
Winfield, son of A. M. Lansdale attended Mercer.
18. The Greens-Martin House
Lemuel Greene was a Trustee of Mercer in 1838-42 and of the Female Academy in 1839. His son L. D. Greene was a Mercer student. Rev. Thomas Martin, '43 and wife Sarah Northern daughter of Peter North- ern from Jones Co. lived here. David W. Lester from Haddock board- ed here, class 1854.
19. Site of the James Davant House
James Davant was a Trustee of Mercer in 1838-42 and of the Female Academy. Four of his sons attended Mercer, Phillip E., Robert P. Chester, and George S. Davant.
20. House of the Rev. Billington M. Sanders
B. M. Sanders was one of the contributors to the Josiah Penfield Fund in 1829; Prin. of Mercer Institute 1833-38, first Pres. of Mercer University attended Mercer: Dickerson, Dennis N., Charles M., Joseph and Bill- ington M. Sanders Jr. One daughter Emily mar. Prof. Joseph E. Wil- lett, Molly, mar. John H. Seals editor of the "Sunny South", another daughter. Caroline died unmarried in 1917 and left $30,000 to Mercer. The second wife of Billington M. Sanders was Cynthia Holiday (Ole Miss) who kept the home open for students until the University was moved to Macon.
Charlie Sanders lived here for years, and now the house belongs to Albert Cantrell.
21. The Cheney-Mc Whorter House
Dr. Franklin Cheney was a Mercer Trustee, 1838-42 and a Trustee of the Female Academy. In 1831 he married Martha Ann Favor, in 1851 he married Louise West. Three sons: Wm. W .. D. W. and Winslow D. attended Mercer. This is now owned by Robert L. McWhorter, Jr. North of here was the Porter plantation now called the Cox place.
260
HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY
22. Grave of Jesse Mercer
In 1833 the college was named for Jesse Mercer. During his life he gave over $40,000 to Mercer. He was ordained on Nov. 7, 1789 and served the following churches: Hutton's Fork, (Saddis), 1789-1817, Phillips Mill Church, 1796-1835, Whatley's Mill, 1796-1827, Powell's Creek, 1797-1825, Eatonton Church, 1820-26. He preached once a month for forty years in the brick Academy in Washington, Wilkes Co. and at the Washing- ton Church 1828-41.
He married first Sabrina Shivers Jan. 31, 1788 and second Nancy Mills Simons widow of Capt. Abram Simons Dec. 11, 1827. He died Sept. 6, 1841 in James Carter's home eight miles north of Indian Springs, Butts Co. his body was brought to Penfield to Absalom Janes home.
23. Site of the old Chapel
Built in 1833 of wood with a brick basement, 48x36 ft. and two stories high, cost $1500.00. The chapel was used as a meeting house for Pen- field Baptists from 1839 and as a dormitory, then it was moved to Wood- ville where it now is a private residence.
24. The President's House
Original site of Stewart's Hall built 1834-5 occupied by Peter North- ern 1840-44. It was enlarged for the Pres. in 1845. Dr. J. L. Dagg who lived here until 1854. To the right the brick dining hall built in 1833 burned in 1843. The present building was built in 1857 for Pres. Dr. N. M. Crawford.
25. The Chapel
Built by David Demarest in 1845, now the Penfield Baptist Church. In 1848 a memorial tablet was placed here to Jesse Mercer.
26. Site of the President's Office.
27. Site of the brick Dormitory
Erected in 1848-50, a three-story building. It was used by faculty mem- bers and their families until Mercer was moved to Macon and then it was torn down.
28. The Science Hall
Completed in 1848, containing a museum for geological specimens, the library, a laboratory and class rooms.
29. Ciceronian Literary Society Hall
The Society was organized in 1834 and this building finished in 1848.
30. Site of the Phi Delta Literary Society Hall
Organized in 1834 and after a small wooden building a handsome building was erected in 1860.
31. Site of Colclough and Sharp's Store
These were leading merchants in Penfield and their sons attended Mercer.
32. Mrs. Stow's Boarding House Mrs. Stowe's son Elijah attended Mercer and there were about fif- teen boys boarding here. Dr. J. G. Randle once lived here.
33. Mrs. Sara Asbury's Boarding House Many students boarded here, now owned by Earle Mullins.
34. Site of Lewis Barret Callaway House Many students boarded here.
261
HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY
35. The James Armstrong House
The house was moved from the Mercer campus to this site now own- ed by R. S. Mullins.
36. Christian Index and Temperance Banner Building
The Index and Banner were printed in a building on this site. Rev. Jesse Mercer bought the Index and printed it in Washington, Ga. 1833- 40, then back to Penfield in 1840 and the catalogues of Mercer were printed on the old steam press. In 1857 it was moved to Macon.
37. The A. B. Sharp House
Built in 1845, A. B. Sharp married Matilda the daughter of Peter Northern who moved here from Jones Co., Ga. Their sons Jack and Gus were Mercer Students. Robert V. and Frank Hardeman from Clin- ton boarded here in 1860.
38. The Peter Northern House
In 1840 Peter Northern moved from Jones County to Penfield where he served Mercer as a Steward and supervisor of manual labor 1840-44, Treas. of Baptist Convention and was Captain of Co. D., 5th Ga. Regi- ment, C. S. A. Born in N. C. in 1794 the son of Wm. and Margaret Northern. In 1817 he married Louisa, daughter of Abner Davis of Jones County. Their son, William J. Northern, who was born in Jones County in 1835 (died in 1913 in Atlanta), went to Penfield with his father in 1840 graduated from Mercer in 1853 and was Gov. of Ga. 1890-94. On Dec. 19, 1860 he married Martha M. Neel of Mt. Zion, Hancock Co.
Prof. Nathaniel Macon Crawford lived here and became Mercer's fourth President. He was born in 1811 son of the Hon. Wm. H. Craw- ford and Susanna Girardin, he married Anne K. Lazer.
41. The site of Absolom Janes House
Janes was a Mercer Trustee from 1833 until his death in 1847. He married Codelia Callaway, their son Dr. Thomas P. Janes lived in this house. The daughter Mary married the Rev. James G. Ryals, another daughter married R. L. McWhorter, a third daughter married James R. Sanders. Prof. Wm. George Woodfin married another daughter, Susan Helen.
42. Mrs. L. A. Macon's Boarding House
Mrs. Macon's sons, George E., '57, Junius M., '58 and E. H. Macon went to school at Mercer. Many students boarded here, among them, Gov. Allen Candler a Junior in 1858, Oliver Porter and J. T. Glover.
43. Site of Male Academy Preparatory School
The Academy was separated from Mercer in 1847 and discontinued in 1858.
44. Site of Richards-Phelps House
The Rev. Wm. C. Richards was editor of Georgia Illustrated Magazine and The Orion published in Penfield in 1839-40.
45. Site of James T. Blain House
Blain was the printer of the Christian Index and Temperance Banner, his sons James S. and William attended Mercer.
46. The Nathan Hobbs House He was Postmaster during the Penfield and Mercer Era.
47. The J. H. English House (On hill beyond the town)
Many students boarded here and his three sons; H. J., H. D., and James N. English attended Mercer.
48. Site of the College Baseball Diamond.
Chapter VIII HISTORIC HOMES
DREAM HAUNTED
Ann Lovelace Gorsuch
Down by the ivy-covered wall, where the old gate creaks on its one bent hinge,
'Neath poplars and live oaks and spreading elms, stands the house that is haunted with dreams.
The stone-flagged walk is choked with grass and a spiders web spun over the hewn oak door
And dead leaves scuttle across the gloom-inside on the hall's bare, dusty floor ;
But you hear the patter of tiny feet and the echo of mammy's call,
And the sobbing croon of her lullaby as the dusk begins to fall;
Then you hear the revel of a ball and measures soft and slow,
As the ghostly strains of a minuet on the night air ebb and flow.
Shadows in the moonlight, and a whisper, and two figures blend as one-
The lovely belle of old Virginny and Carolina's favorite son.
They will tell you the old house is haunted, when the wind in the live oak screams,
But you only smile, for you understand that the house is haunted with dreams.
262
263
HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY
There are many gracious and dignified old homes of the Greek Revival era of the 1830's and '40 in Georgia, and Greene County has her share.
The Greek Revival reached its finest development in Geor- gia about 1820 to 1850, just when the large plantations of cotton were at the peak. The columns of this time were mostly of the Doric type and were the outstanding attraction of these ante-bellum homes.
Mantels, fan lights and hand carved woodwork were either done locally or imported from England or sometimes made by New England Cabinet makers. Often times a slave would de- velop great talent for this kind of work as well as carpentry, cabinet making and brick laying.
Some of these old homes had elaborate marble mantels imported from Italy and most of the ornamental plaster ceiling medallions and moldings were done by Italian artisans.
Talbot Hamlin in his book, "Greek Revival Architecture in America", says, "Nowhere did the Greek revival produce a more perfect blending of the dignified and the gracious, the impressive and the domestic, than in the lovely houses of the 1830's and 40's in up state Georgia. Into this Southern archi- tecture was infused a certain charm, an elusive element combined with stately character, a certain feeling of candlelight, romance, a breath of scandal, personal struggle and history in the making".
We may joke about the days of long ago, but there is still a feeling in this land of legends, of magnolias, camellias, fleecy white cotton, mint juleps and chivalry. Georgia will not and can not forget its past and as long as the mocking birds sing in the trees a nostalgia will linger with the legacies of a gentle folk.
The architecture of Georgia in this location is distinguish- ed for the astonishing richness and variety of its achievements
264
HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY
Top left-Redmon Thornton Home (now in Atlanta) . Top right-Judge James B. Park Jr. Home in Greensboro. Lower left-Old Cromer Home Union Point. Lower right-Building of Mercer at Penfield.
265
HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY
in the brief span of years between the Revolution and the dis- astrous Civil War.
Greene County, was once a rich plantation section of Geor- gia and many lovely old homes have either burned or fallen into decay or are occupied by tenants.
The people of that golden era enjoyed a great measure of culture and good living. The elaborate weddings, barbecues, dances and dinners as well as the political gatherings give us a picture of this part of the state.
THORNTON HOUSE
The old Redman Thornton House at Union Point is a clapboard and brick home that has weathered about 180 years. It was purchased and moved to Atlanta in 1959 by the Atlanta Art Association and reassembled on the museum grounds at 1280 Peachtree St.
The Thornton House was described by an Atlanta archi- tect as "the finest existing late Georgian house in this part of the state". Built around 1780, the Thornton House has been in the hands of only two families, the Thorntons and the Carltons and has been occupied until the last few years. This type house goes back beyond the White Column period. The double chim- neys on the right hand side rival any 18th century construction in the country. They are connected by a closet with an outside door. Servants could bring food from the yard and put it in the closet on a shelf where heat from the chimneys would keep it warm. In the dining room was another door where another ser- rant could :each in and get the food and place it on the table. Used dishes were placed in the same place and removed from the outside, washed up and brought back shining clean. (The early dishwasher, forerunner of todays electric. )
This is the only house in Ga. built in a medieval style called "nogging". It looks like a frame house, but after the upright timbers were in place they were filled with bricks which were plastered inside and covered outside with clapboard. It's a rare construction in America. The house has elegant details, fine
266
HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY
doors, moldings, mantels and chimneys. The original paint is still on the upstairs bedrooms. The dadoes in the hall, drawing room and downstairs bedrooms are grained to simulate marble.
At Colonial Williamsburg the room of graining is con- sidered the prize room in the whole Rockefeller Museum. Here, there's a whole house done in graining.
The 12 "sitting chairs" mentioned in Thornton's will are still in the possession of his descendants. A half round walnut table of his has been located and is now in the restored house. His old secretary bookcase, has been replaced in the home.
William H. Crawford's old sideboard of mahogany and a fine portrait by Chas. Wilson Peale adorn the dining room.
The chimneys have plaster neckbands at the top and rows of pointed brickwork.
Nearby this home in early times was the well-house, the springhouse, the smokehouse, the woodshed, the weaving and spinning room, the dairy house and the old outhouse. At some distance away were the rows of tidy slave cabins with prim yards swept by dogwood brush brooms and edged with "winter pinks", and snow on the mountain plants.
OAK HILL
Situated five miles northwest of Greensboro is "Oak Hill" the home of Judge Thomas Stocks. This house is Colonial in style built between 1800 and 1820. There is a porch across the front and two sides of the house and at one time it was the pride of the owner, as well as Greene County.
The house stood on a hill and the spacious lawn had large trees, oaks, hickory, mimosa, cedar, and I have counted twenty magnolia trees. There was a brick wall with a gate in the center and to one side the flower garden of lemon verbena, gardenias, banksia and malmason roses. The front graveled walk was bor- dered with boxwood and also the formal flower garden on the order of Mt. Vernon, on the east side of the house. To the west side was the bulb garden with its tulips, buttercups, daffodils,
267
HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY
grape hyacinths and Roman hyacinths. The flower gardens and lawn covered about eight acres and on the south side were the pink crepe myrtles.
The place was so terraced as to prevent erosion of the soil.
The interior of the house has the wide hand-hewn boards, and chip carved mantels, with ceiling medallions and recessed windows and high ceilings.
There is little left now of its beauty and lovely gardens, and tenants have occupied it for years.
NEESON HOUSE
This letter is written by Miss Rosa Neeson of Washington, Ga. who lived near Penfield in the days when Mercer University flourished there. I quote :
"We lived near Penfield in an old square white house with a porch in front which was hung with honeysuckle vines. On either side of the porch were large trellis' with "George the Fourth", roses. When in bloom they were a purplish red and the fragrance most delightful. Out to the side of the house were weeping willow roses, mourning brides roses anl bridal wreath spireas."
"Before the house stretched a long walk which went to the white paling fence. In the late afternoons my mother and father sat on the porch and watched the children play. There were five of us and two cousins living with us and sometimes little Negroes and visitors playing games. Our favorite game was, "Molly, Molly Bright, Can I get there by candle light? Yes, if your legs are long enough, And the old witch doesn't catch you. Then came the wild rush to the old gate. There was the game of "Boogerman", and "Base", and hiding.
I love to think of my home at the sunset. Out to one side were the buggies and carriages and back of them the pines tall and majestic outlined against the red sky. There was the carriage house and in it the carriage that had the steps that let down and the red curtains hanging on the inside, the best hiding place of all. In this we all rode to church on Sundays. I can smell the flowers now as the evening sun went down, the moss roses and the yellow rose of Texas as well as the cascades of wisteria over the well house.
My old home burned many years ago but it will always live in my memory.
268
HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY
THE LINDSEY - DURHAM PLACE
This was the home of one of the noted physicians of Geor- gia at that time. This house stands back from the road where the road to the huge porch is bordered by large crepe-myrtle trees. On either hand were huge oaks forming a dense shade. Step on to the porch and see the beautiful doorway with many panes of beveled edge glass in a semicircle above. The papering in the parlor was imported from England and is as tough as parchment and depicts hunting and pastoral scenes around the room and on up the wall by the staircase. The figures are so lifelike they seem to be brushed on by a great artist. The pale sky of the paper reaches to the ceiling and although it has seen many people come and go it is still beautiful with few torn places or soiled ones.
Old Dr. Lindsey had patients from other states as well as for many miles around and he built an infirmary for them. He became quite wealthy and planted a botannical garden of several acres, with trees and shrubs from other lands. This was a lush and extravagant hobby, for the servants had to water by hand the many tropical plants, and he would propogate the ones he liked best by his own methods.
After Dr. Durham's death, the garden soon deteriorated and the house as well, but it is still outstanding as you may see by the picture.
Greensboro (Ga.) Herald
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.