USA > Georgia > Greene County > History of Greene County, Georgia, 1786-1886 > Part 24
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Clarke tried to establish a separate and independent gov- ernment on lands allotted to the Indians for hunting grounds within the boundaries and jurisdictional rights of the State of Georgia, and he had induced numbers of good citizens as well as exploiters to join him.
Gov. Matthews of Ga. issued a proclamation against Gen. Clarke warning him and forbidding any citizen of Ga. to join him and engage in such unlawful proceedings and he strictly commanded all judges, justices and sheriffs and other officers to be diligent in assisting to apprehend the said Elijah Clarke and his adherents in order that they should be brought to justice.
Soon after this Gen. Clarke appeared in Wilkes County and surrendered himself to the authorities. He was tried and by unanimous consent by the jury he was acquitted. This made Clarke bolder, so he went right back to his Republic, feeling guilty of no offense and expanded his operations.
Then the President authorized the Governor to call out the State militia and Federal troops if necessary in order to disperse the Trans-Oconee Republic. Lt. Col. Gaither of the U. S. Army was to head the Federals. Gov. Matthews sent Gen. Twiggs and Irwin to warn Clarke and to read the Pre- sident's order but he refused to give up his dream of an inde- pendent Rėpublic.
Troops, both State and Federal concentrated their forces at Fort Fidius, on the Oconee and Clarke seeing that they meant business, knew that now his dream was shattered so he marched out with his followers and the State troops took poss-
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ession of the place and burned Fort Defiance and the settle- ment to the ground, completely demolishing it. On Oct. 12, 1794 Gov. Matthews informed the Sec. of War that the Trans- Oconee Republic was destroyed without loss of blood.
Gen. Clarke was not molested and was forgiven and even honored by his State because of his past record of serving his country well.
Aaron Burr at one time tried to do the same thing but was interrupted before he got established and was dishonored by the nation. Burr passed through Greene Co. and spent the night here while he was under arrest, being carried from New Orleans to New York for trial. Some of Burrs' relatives are buried in the Greensboro cemetery.
JOEL EARLY
Joel Early, S :. came from Virginia to Wilkes County and then to Greene County. He was in the list of Headright gran- tees and it shows that he received 1,000 acres of land on the Oconee river in 1803-6. Other records attest to the fact that he must have been here since 1784-5. In Lucian Lamar Knight's book he says, "Joel Early's Manor was the finest house north of Savannah and he lives in the style of an English Lord." Tradition says that he required his sons and daughters to don evening clothes each day for six o'clock dinner.
Under the terms of his will none of his sons were to come into full possession of his property until they reached the age of 45 years. If this will was carried out, his oldest son, Peter Early who was once Governor of Ga., died when he was 45 and so probably did not fully possess his legacy.
It is thought that Joel Early died in December 1806 as this was when the will was probated with Joel Early, Jr. as one of the executors. Both Clementine and Eleazer were dis- inherited for some reason. The minutes of the Greene Co. Inferior court 1799-1816 show where Joel Early, Jr. made application for letters of administration on the estate of Jere- miah Early, and on the same date George Watkins, husband of Polly Early Watkins (co-author of Watkin's Digest of Ga.
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Laws from 1733-1800) made application on the estate of Clementine Early. What malady could have caused the death of these two young men of Joel Early? Did they commit sui- cide ? Peter Early also was listed as dead Nov. 1, 1824.
Eleazer Early the son left and also disinherited, was the author and publisher of one of the best maps of early Georgia. Joel Early, Jr. was a wealthy Greene County farmer. His plantation of 5,000 acres started at the town limit of Greens- boro and extended to near the Oconee river, joining the lands of Thomas Stocks and Col. Richard Willis.
For many years before the Civil War Joel Early had pronounced views on slave ownership. He called in over a hundred slaves and asked them if they wanted to be free and if they would like to go back to Africa. He also would fur- nish transportation and give each one $100.00 Only forty of these slaves accepted the offer. Joel Early chartered a vessel from Norfolk, Va. and the forty slaves sailed with his $100.00 and belongings from Norfolk to Liberia, Africa.
One of the number who chose to go to Africa was a house-boy who had been taught to read and write. This boy acted as a leader of the migrants and he wrote to Mr. Early from time to time. African fever and diseases took a heavy toll as well as the tribal wars. Those who survived became very dissatisfied and begged to be returned to their former master and slavery. Under the existing laws this could not be done. Finally the slave boys letters ceased, still begging to return. Joel Early took this to mean that the boy had also died. Now this troubled him greatly, he said that in trying to do what he thought was right that perhaps he had done the wrong thing. Joel sought relief from his anxiety in drinking, which is borne out by the fact that the minutes of the Greens- boro Baptist church show where he was charged with over indulgence many times. He was excluded, forgiven and restor- ed to membership repeatedly, but at his death was non-affiliat- ed. Stones gave this data on this family: Jeremiah Early mar- ried Eliza Cunningham on Oct. 15, 1806. Clementine Early married Frances Terrell, Dec. 24, 1811. George Watkins mar-
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ried Polly Early December 26, 1801. Charles L. Matthews married Lucy Early January 3, 1807. In 1957 the once fine home is still standing. James Byrnes owns the place, Gatewood Baynes, Mrs. F. L. Toney and Mrs. E. G. Adams owns parts of the original farm.
PETER EARLY
On a modest headstone that marked the grave is this inscription : "Here lies the body of Peter Early who died on the 15th of August, 1817 in the 45th year of his life." He was buried on the banks of the Oconee but later his remains were moved to Greensboro cemetery by the side of his brother Joel Early, Jr. The remains of his widow were also placed by Peter Early. The inscription reads :" Sacred to the memory of Ann Adams Sherwood, consort of Rev. Adiel Sherwood. She was born in Bedford, Va. in 1783 and died Nov. 1822. De- lecta dum vixit Memorabilis in Mortu."
Three years after Peter Early died, his widow, married Rev. Adiel Sherwood, May 17, 1821 and one month later Sherwood and Rev. Jesse Mercer came to Greensboro and with a few members from Shiloh and White Plains Baptistt church- es, they organized the Greensboro Baptist church with Rev. Adiel Sherwood as its first pastor.
Sherwood was a protege of Jesse Mercer. The "old fath- er" of Mercer University took the young man under his wing, and had him ordained in old Bethseda church, later performed the ceremony when he married the rich, pretty widow of Peter Early. Ann Adams Early Sherwood lived only a year after her second marriage and the child she bore Sherwood died too, and is buried by her side.
Sherwood became guardian for the Peter Early children. There were: Augustus, Cynthia, Alexander, Thomas and Fran- ces. Alexander was educated in Washington City, Thomas went to college there also, Cynthia went to school in Madison, Ga., Frances went to New Hope Academy, (five miles beyond Greshamville ) .
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Clementine Early a brother of Peters' married Frances Terrell on Dec. 24, 1811. Her father's hotel stood on the spot where Mr. and Mrs. Kyle Smith now live (1957). Mrs. Earl- ly's home was destroyed by fire on Jan. 20, 1821.
Peter Early was Judge of the Ocmulgee Circuit before becoming Governor of Georgia. He attended Lexington gram- mar school and later Princeton University where he delivered the salutatory, "Sympathy". After studing law with Mr. Inger- soll in Philadelphia he came back to Georgia and practiced law in Wilkes County in 1786. His competitors at the bar were : Thos. P. Carnes, John M. Dooley, John Griffin, Wm. H. Crawford, Robert Watkins and George Walker. In 1802 he was elected a member of Congress to succeed John Milledge who had resigned to become Gov. of Georgia. Aaron Burr was Vice Pres. and John Randolph of Roanoke preferred charges against Samuel Chase of the Supreme Bench. Peter Early was one of five prosecutors of the case and presented the ablest argument. In 1807 he voluntarily retired from Congress, then became Judge of the Ocmulgee Circuit, in 1813 Governor of Ga. The war of 1812 had been going on a year and a half, he pushed the Ga. efforts to end the war through armed men and provisions. He borrowed $20,000 from the Bank at Augusta for the use of Federal troops under Gen. Floyd. He appoint- ed Gen. McIntosh to help with the fighting. Later Early serv- ed in the Senate. He died in 1817 and is buried in Greene County.
SAMUEL DALE
Orphaned at 17, the eldest of nine children, Samuel Dale knelt at night alone beside the grave of his departed dead in Rockbridge County, Virginia. "Never", he said, "Has the iron entered so deeply into my heart." He came to Greene Co. at eleven years of age.
In 1793, at 18 he was a Federal scout in Georgia, and at 23 he began trading among the Creeks and Choctaws, running a wagon line for the transportation of homeseekers to the Mississippi territory. In 1803 he became a guide to mark out a highway through the Cherokee nation to the Mississippi.
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Old Salem Presbyterian church. Indian Fort on the Oconee (there were twenty on the frontiers) . Samuel Dale (See personages) .
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He set up a trading post, exchanging merchandise for pelts, hides and tallow. In 1811 he attended the council of Tookabatcha in Georgia and heard Tecumseh the great Shaw- nee stir up 5,000 braves with his tongue of liquid fire.
When the war of 1812 with Great Britian was declared, he volunteered. The trail "Wolfpath, that led from Pensacola to the Creeks sacred city, "Holy Ground" crossed Burnt Corn Creek and here Samuel Dale was wounded by the Indians. Later he occupied Fort Madison where he evolved a crude system of illumination with pine-knot faggots suspended on trace chains between tall poles. He covered the blockhouses with plastered clay to prevent the Indians torches from burn- ing them. He had the women dress in pants to fool the spies. Big Sam Dale was a hero in a desperate conflict in canoes, in which he destroyed nine braves single-handed.
He was with the Mississippi Dragoons and the Tennessee Volunteers in the destruction of the Holy City in which And- rew Jackson, Sam Houston, Gen. Claiborne and David Cro- kett took active part. In the course of that war they often lived on acorns, hickory nuts ,rats and horse meat.
When Andrew Jackson was in the middle of the battle for New Orleans, Samuel Dale made his record ride from Georgia to the Plain of Chalmette in eight days, 700 miles, on his pony, "Paddy," delivering important messages from the War Department.
In 1816 he was selected as a delegate to the convention called to divide the Mississippi territory up to make Alabama of the eastern half, he also served two terms in the state legis- lature. In 1831 he settled on a farm in Lauderdale County, Miss. He was entertained by President Andrew Jackson in Washington in 1832 and imparted vivid impressions of Web- ster, Clay and Calhoun but thought that Tecumseh, the Shaw- nee, Pushmataha Chief of the Choctaws and S. S.Prentiss of Miss. exceeded them all in eloquence.
Samuel Dale was a scout, guide, trader, patriot, Indian fighter and farmer and few blazed such a trail through the American wilderness. He was without book learning, but he
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had the knowledge that passeth understanding. He was loyal, kind ,and fearless and now sleeps near his home in the forest where he died in 1841. Daleville, Miss. near Meridan where he last lived.
When Lafayette, on his American tour visited Alabama in 1825 he was entertained at a luncheon in Monroe Co. at which General Samuel Dale as a member of the state's first Gen. Assembly was the host. The menu which was produced in the country-side is typical of the hearty and lusty times in which Sam Dale lived and of his own abounding vitality. The menu follows: Gumbo soup, catfish chowder, baked lake trout stuffed with pork, vension stew, roast wild turkey, barbecued bear meat, squirrel pie, Brunswick stew, Indian hominy boiled with hog jowl, rhubarb pie, dried apple tarts, peach cobbler, pear preserves, huckleberry jelly, honey in comb, biscuit, cakes, apple brandy and scuppernong wine.
"General Andrew Jackson was in command in the battle of "Horseshoe Bend", Coffee led Jackson's advance across the Coosa and there were with him 900 swaggering, swearing horsemen from Mt. Pleasant. Sam Houston, the "tallow-fac- ed" youth from the Cumberlands was there. Sam Dale with his double-barreled, two-triggered shot gun, Bowie with his savage blood-thirsty knife, Davy Crockett from the west Ten- nessee canebrakes with his "Old Betsey". It was here amidst the roaring cannon and musketry, there was a twang of a bow- string and the buzz of a poisoned arrow, as deadly as the sting of an asp or the bite of a cobra. The arrow buried itself in Sam Houston's thigh, but whirling Sam Dale with his hawk- eyes killed the Indian with a charge of buckshot. Sam Dale dragged Sam Houston behind a boulder and with his knife cut out the arrow and sucked out the poison at the risk of his own life, thus saving Sam Houston for San Jacinto and Texas Independence to become a star of first magnitude in the azure firmanent of imperial Texas." (From Col. Jim Walton) Sec. of General Samuel Dale Pilgrimage Society, Eupora, Miss.
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Thomas Greer and wife Letitia Greer.
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THOMAS GRIER (GREER)
Thomas Grier, son of Robert Grier, served as a soldier in the Revolution (Knight's Georgia Roster of the Revolution, page 88), having first come down from York County, Pennsyl- vania with his father and other members of his family. He is listed in the Census of Greene County, 1820 and left a will recorded in the County on October 27, 1825. All of his home estate was left to his widow, Lelitia Grier. The remainder of his property was left to his two sons, Thomas Grier, Jr. and John W. G. Grier, and their children. Both married early set- tlers of Georgia, the former having married Sophia Martin and the latter Jane Pinckard. Neither of his sons produced male heirs, which caused this branch of the Grier family to have re- mained undiscovered for many years.
Apparently by the time he wrote his will Thomas Grier was beginning to spell his name "Greer", the name appearing both ways in his will. His children at all times used the spelling "Greer".
The complete lineage of Thomas Greer, Sr. and his chil- dren is found in the family Bible begun by his son Thomas, Jr. and continued by his eldest granddaughter, Elizabeth (who married Amassa R. Moore, brother of the famous Methodist minister, Mark W. Moore, and moved to Harris County, Georgia and thence to Calhoun County, Mississippi) .
Family records also identify the pictures as being those of Thomas and Letitia Greer.
JAMES BILLINGSLEA PARK
James Billingslea Park, Judge of the Ocmulgee Circuit, was born in Morgan county, Georgia, Feb. 28, 1854, the son of James B. Park, 1825-1901, and Missiouri E. Billingslea Park, 1849-1885. His grandfather, James Park was an officer of the Revolution and present at Yorktown when Cornwallis surrendered to General Washington. He settled in Greene County on the Oconee river, while across the river the hostile Indians lived.
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Judge Park graduated from Emory college in 1874 with an A. B. degree and was admitted to the bar in 1875. He settled in Greensboro and there married Anna M. Poullain, daughter of Junius Poullain.
Their children were: Henry Lewis (died in infancy ), Ka- therine, died the year she graduated from Lucy Cobb, Noel P. who married Elizabeth Horkan of Augusta, Mrs. Hallie B. Smith, Mrs. Anna M. Harris, Celeste M. (Mrs. R. K. Smith) , Marion, who married Chas. B. Merritt of Atlanta. In all seven children.
Called to the bench on Jan. 1, 1911 and for many years was Judge of the Ocmulgee Circuit. He was ever fair, pati- ent, courteous and beloved by the people of the eight counties in which he served. Someone said that, "It is a delight to watch the operation of the machinery of law under his just and calm direction."
From 1894 to 1909 he was a director of the experiment station of the eighth district. He was a Methodist and his wife an Episcopalian. He was a Mason, an Odd Fellow and a Knight of Pythias. He was always a student, and met every obligation of citizenship, loved his state, its traditions and memories and was loyal and prompt to obey the calls of his state. He is remembered as a fine example of a Chesterfield and a Georgian.
Ezekiel Evans Park was born in Va. and died in Ga. and his will names his wife Susannah Park and sons : Joseph, Peyton, James S., John G. and a son-in-law Peter Jones Williams. Daughters were: Lucinda and Sarah Catherine.
In the Roll of Honor Lineage Book Vol. 1 to 40 and 41 to 80 we find that Lucinda Park married Peter Jones Williams of Milledgeville. The other daughter Sarah Catherine married Von Volkenburg of New York, Lucienda and Peter Williams had the following children: Susan Williams Jones, Bessie Wil- liam, Florence Williams Olmstead, Callie Lumpkin Williams, Susan Olmstead, Mrs. Joseph Blount Miller was the grand- daughter of Catherine (Vol. 11 p. 157.)
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Francis Lloyd Park was the daughter of James S. and Harriett Cunningham Park. (grandaughter of Ezekiel and Su- sannah Smith )
BISHOP GEORGE FOSTER PIERCE
In February, 1811, George Foster Pierce was born in Greene County, Georgia three miles from Greensboro. He was the son of Reverend Lovick Pierce, born March 24, 1785, in Halifax County, N. C. In 1804 Lovick and his brother Red dick were admitted on trial as itinerant Methodist preachers in Charleston, S. C. Rev. Lovick Pierce was first on the Great Pedee Circuit in Eastern S. C., next the Apalachee Circuit in Ga. On this circuit he met and married Ann Foster, Sept. 1809.
George Pierce was nicknamed "Bulger" and was a fro- licsome, likable lad. He liked to ride, was a good shot, fisher- man and sport. He entered the freshman class at Franklin Col- lege, now the U. of Ga., when he was fifteen years old and was a member of the Phi Kappa society and a champion de- bater. After three and one half years in August 1829 he gra- duated with an A.B. degree before he was nineteen. He was licensed to preach in 1830 and preached his first sermon at Monticello, Ga. The text was, "They seemed to him as one that mocked". The Quarterly Conference that licensed him was held in Eatonton, Ga. and presided over by Rev. William Arnold. In 1832 he preached in Augusta, then his first station was in Savannah where he met and married Ann Marie Wald- ron, and had children; Ella, Lovick, Jr., Claudia, Mary, Ann, and Sarah, died.
He was made Pres. of Georgia Female College in Macon now Wesleyan in 1839 and was personally very popular, with his winning smile, joyous manner, hearty laugh and friendli- ness. He would never compromise with evil and believed the Gospel which he preached.
At the age of 43 he was made a Bishop and his Confer- ence carried him from coast to coast. He never seemed to tire and never spared himself. The Gen. Conference held in Loui- siana in 1874 had among its members three distinguished mem-
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Top left-William Heard Kilpatrick. Top Right-William Seward, (Ssec. War 1861-65 who taught at Union Academy in Greensboro, about 1852) . Lower left-James Hines Kilpatrick (Rev.) . Lower right-Bishop George Foster Pierce.
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bers of the same family, Dr. Lovick Pierce, Bishop George F. Pierce and Lovick Pierce, Jr. a son of the Bishop. He served the Conference for over fifty years and died at the home of his son in Sparta, Ga., Feb. 1884 and was buried there.
He was always interested in education of young women, which in that day was considered very radical. He was editor of "The Southern Ladies Book". While in Macon he lived in Vineville near his sister Julia who had married Rev. Alfred T. Mann. He loved his family and although his duties took him away, he always hurried home. In 1840 Transylvania College conferred the Doctor of Divinity on Pierce. His fame became national in 1844 when he headed a delegation to the Gen. Conference composed of William J. Parks, Lovick Pierce, James E. Evans and Augustus B. Longstreet. In the great de- bate that led to the separation of the Methodist Episcopal Church into separate parts he made a speech on the Southern side that was electric in its immediate effects and whose echos are still in the air. He was the most popular man at the Peters- burg, Va. Conference in May 1846. While he was at Columbus in 1847 he was elected Pres. of Emory College at Oxford. Even at that time he was advocating the admission of women into the college.
There were three distinguished members of the family : Lovick Pierce, Bishop George F. Pierce and Lovick Pierce, Jr. a son of the Bishop.
KILPATRICK
James Hines Kilpatrick was born October 18, 1833 in Burke County, Ga., the son of J. H. T. and Harriet E. Jones Kilpatrick. He was graduated from Mercer University at Pen- field in 1853, and taught school in White Plains, 1853-1854. He was called to preach at White Plains Baptist Church on Dec. 7, 1854. He was ordained at Hopewell Church Burke County, on Dec. 30, 1854. He served the White Plains Baptist Church from his ordination until his death, a period of more than 53 years. He was moderator of the Georgia Baptist As- sociation for 23 years, president of the State Convention six years and Vice President of the Southern Baptist Convention
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in 1895. He was a member of the Southern Baptist Sunday School Board from its organization until his death. He was a trustee of Mercer University and a trustee of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary at the time of his death. Mercer University conferred the Doctor of Divinity Degree on him in 1882. He wrote a number of tracts, the most widely read was "Why I am a Baptist". He was the author of a book, "The Baptists, Their Doctrines and Life", which he was asked to compile from his sermons. He had completed this book but died before it was published by the Georgia Association. He married first Cornelia Hall of Greene County, May 9, 1856. She died March 21, 1870, and he married Edna Perrin Heard of Augusta, Dec. 20, 1870, and who died March 26, 1925. He died at his home in White Plains, Ga., March 27, 1908.
Wlliiam Heard Kilpatrick was born in White Plains, Ga., Nov. 20, 1871, the son of James Hines Kilpatrick and Edna Perrin Heard Kilpatrick. He was educated at Dawson Insti- tute in White Plains, Ga., and in 1891 was graduated from Mercer University with an AB Degree. He spent a year at John Hopkins and obtained his Master of Arts Degree from Mercer University. He taught at Mercer University from 1897 to 1904, when he was made acting president. He left Mercer in 1906, and in 1907 began his work at Columbia University. He was made a full Professor of Philosophy of Education there in 1918. He began at Columbia as part-time teacher and student, received his PhD there in 1915. He retired there in 1938. After his retirement he spent his time teaching at various Universities and lecturing. He is most widely known for his work in "Progressive Education". He wrote a number of books among which are "Foundation of Methods," "Edu- cation for a Changing Civilization", and "Our Educational Task". He was married Dec. 27, 1898 to Mary Beman Guy- ton, of Marianna, Fla. She died May 29, 1907, at Columbus, Ga. He was married Nov. 26, 1908 to Margaret Manigault Pickney of Charleston, S. C. She died Nov. 24, 1938. He mar- ried Marion Ostrander of Schuylersville, N. Y., May 8, 1940.
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JONAS FAUCHE, THE MAN WHO PROTECTED THE GREENE COUNTY CITIZENS AGAINST INDIAN RAIDS
In making a close study of the history of Greene County, I am convinced that Jonas Fauche did more to protect the lives and property of the early citizens of Greene County, than any man of his day; and had it not been for his bravery and alertness, the savage Creek Indians would have, in all proba- bility, exterminated practically all of those who pitched their tents along the Oconee and Appalachee Rivers.
His ability as an able officer won him favor in the State of Georgia and he became Georgia's second Adjutant General. In addition to being a Colonial trooper during the American Revolution, he distinguished himself during the war of 1812 as well as the Indian wars that followed the Revolution; and I am glad that The Greensboro Herald of May 22, 1885, paid this old soldier a well deserved tribute. Note what it had to say :
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