USA > Georgia > Greene County > History of Greene County, Georgia, 1786-1886 > Part 6
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Weaver, William W. D.
137
Weaver, Travis A. D.
200
1845
Walker, John E.
23/4
Richland Creek
1851
Wilson, John
221/2
Town Creek
1851
Yeats, Abraham
6 7-10
Town Creek
1821
Zachary, Bartholomeu
690
Oconee River
1790
Peek, Hart C.
3 3-10
By Crutchfield
1859
Watts, Harrison H.
10 9-10 By Scott & Watts
1858
Wilson, John
91/2 By Moncrief and others
1859
Mapp, Mary Mrs.
31
By Kilpatrick and others
1860
Bowden, Ellis W. C.
72
By Jackson & Champion
1861
Office Secretary of State,
Milledgeville, June 1867.
I certify that this Book, for Greene County, contains a true extract from the Register of Grants in said County as orginally Granted.
Given under my hand & Official Seal. Signed - A. C. Barnett, Secretary of State.
SEAL OF THE
STATE OF GEORGIA
AFFIXED HERE.
Greene County was laid out of Washington, in 1786. Named after Major General Nathaniel Greene.
Length 22 miles, breadth, 17 miles, area square miles, 374.
There have been under Head Rights in this County, 255, 335 Acres.
This certificate seems to be a supplement to the last page listing Grantees in alphabetical order, and is pasted to the cover.
The few names that are recorded on this sheet, seem to cover the last few factions that had not been taken up by pre- vious grants. This is probably true of other small tracts that appear throughout the list. It seems to have been customary to
1828
Wilson, John
441/2
1825
47
HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY
survey tracts of land to suit the Grantee, and the result was, that nearly all plats recorded are of irregular shape. This cre- ated small fractions of land that no one owned or claimed, and when the adjoining land owners found these unclaimed tracts, they made applications for additional Grants and added them to their original survey.
The handwriting giving the names and location of these Head Right Grants is very clear and beautifully written. And I have used great care in copying them just as they were writ- ten. If any of the names are spelled wrong, it is due to the fact that they appeared in the record just as they are shown above.
There can be no doubt about a great many of the Grants recorded in the original Greene county, along the Oconee and Ogeechee Rivers, are located in what is now Hancock, Baldwin, Taliaferro, Oconee, and Oglethorpe counties. Many of the Creeks describing the location of the Grants, are unknown to Mr. Samuel P. Turner, the oldest County Surveyor in Greene county. While some of them are known to be wholely within the counties that have been formed out of Greene.
Many of the names mentioned by Sherwood, White and other historians as being among the earliest settlers of Greene, do not appear among the above Grantees. This is due to the fact, that they located their Grants while this territory belonged to Washington county. Such names as, John Armor, Davis Gres- ham, Peter Curtwright, Isaac Stocks Jonas Fauche, E. E. Park, G. W. Forester, William Greer, and many others, can be identified as having lived in what is now Greene, and the re- cord of their Grants can be found in the office of the Secretary of State. But, the other original settlers whose names can not be identified, will be most difficult to trace.
Many of the original Grantees sold their lands as soon as their titles were clear, therefore it is difficult to identify many of them as actual citizens of the county. The price paid for the choice lands seemed to average around $5.00 per acre.
Land thieves seemed to be quite active in those days, and forged deeds were not infrequent. In fact, forgery was practic- ed so often, that the Legislature passed a law making for-
48
HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY
gery a capital offense and punishable by hanging without the benefit of clergy. The minutes of the Greene Superior Court of the Spring term of 1800, show where two men were tried and convicted of forging land deeds, and were sentenced to be hanged. Both of them belonged to prominent families, and es- caped the death penalty through the Governor's intervention at the last moment. The Capitol was at Louisville then, and tradition says, that the Governor signed the intervention late in the afternoon of the day previous to the date fixed for the execution. The friends of the doomed men covered the distance to Greensboro by a relay of horses, and reached the Sheriff just in time to prevent the hanging. The Sheriff anticipated that the Governor might intervene, and delayed the execution as long as he could. The hour fixed for the execution, was between the hours of ten and two o'clock, and it is said that the order reach- ed the Sheriff just a few minutes before two o'clock.
"According to White," the original settlers of Greene. were: Thomas Horton, Davis Gresham, William Fitzpatrick, Henry Graybill, Oliver Porter, John Bailey, Charles Cessna, Thomas Baldwin, M. Rabun, John George, Alexander Reid, Michael Rogers, David Dickson, Walton Hraris, Peyton Smith, Ezekiel E. Park, Peter Curtright, G. W. Foster, John Armour. Major Poullain, Jesse Perkins, Joel Newsome, James Armstrong, Thomas Harris, and Major Beasley." To the above list, Dr. Smith adds the Abercrumbies, the Dales, the Fauches, and the Brewers.
Note :- To the above should be added, Isaac Stocks, Wil- liam, Thomas, and Edmond Daniel all of whom settled on the Oconee River, about 1786, James Houghton, William Heard, and many others should be listed among the earliest settlers. Isaac Stocks settled near the Oconee River while this territory was a part of Washington County ; and had built a private fort for the protection of his family before Greene was laid out.
The Dawsons should be listed also, as General Thomas Dawson is said to have been the first child born in Greene County. This distinction seems to be pretty equally divided between him and Judge Thomas Stocks. Stocks was born three
49
HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY
day before Greene was created, and while the territory was still Washington, while Dawson was born a few days after.
Some of the names mentioned above settled in the terri- tory that later became Greene while it was still Washington County ; and for that reason, their names do not appear among the head right grants that were issued to settlers in Greene. Their names as grantees can be found in the office of the Secretary of State in Atlanta. A complete list of head right grants is recorded elsewhere, however, that list includes many names that soon disappeared, as they were not settlers in the strict sense of the word. Many of them were "Squatters" who probably lived on the land long enough to enable them to take the oath that they were settlers, and entitled to a land grant. But, as soon as they received titles to the land, they sold it for what it would bring. There are hundreds of such sales of land recorded in the Clerk's office in Greensboro. Most of this land brought 1 Pound Sterling, or about $5.00 per acre. Most of the early settlers tried to secure lands along the Ogeechee and Oconee Rivers, and Shoulderbone and Richland Creeks. Many of the less prominent streams on which grants were lo- cated, are hard to indentify now as the names of some of the streams have been changed. ,
"Thomas Hart, the grandfather of Judge John C. Hart, was among the pioneers. Likewise William James, Obediah Copelan, Mckinney Howell, Archibald Perkins, John C. Wood, Jr., James Nisbit, John Dolvin, the Davises, the McWhorters, the Lewises, etc."
"The first resident of Greene to leave a will on record was Joseph Smith, a surveyor. His estate comprised: 17 cows, 4 horses, 3 Bibles, 3 Testaments, 3 sermon books, a number of surveying instruments, and 41/2 yards of gray cloth. The first Grand Jury was constituted as follows: Thomas Harris, fore- man; David Love, Walton Harris, David Gresham, John A. Miller, William Fitzpatrick, William Heard. Moses Shelby, James Jenkins, Joseph White, Robert Baldwin, William Shelby, Jessee Connell, Joseph Spradling, and William Daniel."
50
HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY CENSUS 1790-1930
The population of Greene county, Ga., and of each incor- porated place therein, so far as shown at each of the Federal Censuses, from 1790 to 1930 inclusive.
Census Year
Greene County
Greensboro Penfield Siloam
Union Point
White Plains
Woodville
1790
5,405
1800
10,761
1810
11,679
1820
13,589
1830
12,549
1840
11,690
1850
13,068
1860
12,652
1870
12,454
913
447
374
1880
17,547
1,621
458
576
459
1890
17,051
1,313
510
1900
16,542
1,511
375
290
1910
18,512
2,120
475
1,363*
407
1920
18.972
2,128
315
243
1,126
479
458
1930
12,616
2,125
184
369
1,627
405
332
*Incorporated in 1901.
51
HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY
CENSUS OF GREENE COUNTY FOR 1859.
Copied from the Greensboro Weekly Gazette Sept. 28, 1859.
"We have kindly been furnished, by our friend, Major Isaac R. Hall, Clerk of the Superior and Inferior Courts, with, a list of the census of this county for the present year, which we give below:"
Number of Families, 804
Males under six years of age,
398
Males between six and sixteen, 557
Females over sixteen years of age,
1,106
Females under six years of age,
377
Females over fifteen,
1,144
Total of Free Whites,
4,075
Total of Slaves,
7,672
Free Negroes,
37
Total Whites and Blacks,
11,781
The Federal Census for the year 1860, shows the total popu- lation of Greene county to be, 12,652. Or a difference of 871 in one year.
GREENE COUNTY CENSUS TAKERS IN 1810 BROWNING
In the year 1810 the following appropriations were ap- proved for taking the Census or Third Enumeration of the State of Georgia, in Greene County :
"To William Browning, thirty dollars twelve and an half cents.
To Thomas Dawson, twenty-six dollars sixty-two and half cents.
To Reuben Dawson, twenty-one dollars fifty-six and a quarter cents.
To Evans Merrick, twenty dollars twelve and an half cents."
This indicates that the State of Georgia took its own census up to, and including the year 1810.
If this be true, where are the early census records to be found? When did the federal government begin compiling the census ?
52
HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY
The Missionary
Jan. 3, 1825
CENSUS BY COUNTY Population 1825
Whites
Slaves and free persons of colour
Clarke
5,181
4,205
Greene
5,,962
7,537
Hancock
5,629
7,546
Jasper
10,297
5,714
(Note - Jasper was the only county in the list published with more than five figures. Am not sure that Chatham and Richmond were in the list.)
The Missionary
Monday Nov. 12, 1821
MARRIED: at Greensboro, on the first inst., Edw. H. Macon to Miss Amanda Grimes, daughter of Thomas W. Grimes, Esq.
The Missionary
Aug. 30, 1824
There was quite an account of a monument erected in Ceylon to the memory of Rev. James Richards A. M.
American Missionary
Who died Aug. 3, 1822
Aged 38 years
One of the first projectors of American Missions
He gave himself to Christ
And then to the Heathen
A physician both to mind and body.
(Wonder if he was kin to the Rev. Richards, father of Wm. C. Rich- ards and the other artist son, who named the waterfalls around Toccoa and Tallullah. He gave them the names they now bear, when he was in those mountains painting in the 1840's.
1812 - TOWN MEETING
At a meeting of the Citizens of Greene County of the State of Georgia, held at Greensboro, on the 13th day of August 1812 for the purpose of addressing the President of the United States on the expediency of takng immediate pos- session of the Floridas.
53
HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY
Oliver Porter, Esquire was nominated Chairman & Ebe- nezer Torrence, Secretary.
When the following address and resolutions were un- animously adopted ;
To his Excellency James Madison,
President of the United States.
The petition of the Citizens of Greene County in the State of Georgia, Respectfully Sheweth.
That it is an acknowledged Constitutional right, sacred to the people of the United States, peaceably to assemble and to address the Constituted Authorities of their Country, upon all subjects of a public nature, in which they may feel them- selves interested. Your petitioners are well aware, that, upon ordinary occasions, it may not be good policy, too frequently to exercise this privilege; but in times of war, of difficulty, and of danger, a neglect of this privilege, would in many cases amount to a dereliction of duty, as good citizens.
If your petitioners were not sensible, at this time, that duty to themselves and their Country, points to the necessity of addressing your Excellency, they would not have ventured to impose on you their opinions; but as the subject for their con- sideration, is one, which materially and vitally affects their dearest interests they feel constrained to approach you as petitioners.
Your petitioners however would promise to your Excel- lency, that they do not come forward with this petition, with any views or wishes, of weakening the arm of Government, of disaffection, or disobedience to the law; on the Contrary, they highly approve of the general measures of the Administra- tion, and they feel themselves impelled by every Consideration of duty interest and patriotism, to support the measures of Government, whether they relate to the war in which we have lately embarked, or to any other legal and Constitutional ob- ject. They are the more willing and anxious to support the Government, in the war in which we are engaged, because they have long felt and seen the injuries and insults, which with an
54
HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY
unrelenting hand and heart, have been heaped upon by great Britain. They have seen our excellent Government, with the most unexampled degree of patience, exhaust every means of negotiation, with that power, whose almost every act, since the establishment of our Independence, has evinced the malig- nity of her heart towards us; and whose injustice and cupidity, again call us from the bosom of our families and our homes, to stand forth in the defence of the rights and the Honor of our beloved Country. Under the most solemn appeal to the Author of the Universe, for the sincerity of their intentions, to support their government in all the measures which they in their wisdom may think proper to adopt, to punish the injust- ice of our enemy; and bring the present contest to a speedy, honorable and favorable issue. They will proceed to lay before your Excellency, the subject of their immediate consideration. Your petitioners are well aware that it is not unknown to your Excellency, that it is of the utmost importance to the United States, and the more especially to this section of the Union, than the Floridas should be attached to, and exclusively belong to the United States. It would be useless for your petitioners to attempt an enumeration of all the advantages that would result to the people of this Country, in the event of the Floridas being incorporated with the Union, and it would be equally un- necessary. to point out the many evils that must inevitably ac- crue to us, should they remain in the possession of Spain, or what is still more to be depredated, should they become the dependencies of Great Britain. They will only submit to the Consideration of your Excellency, a few of the most promi- nent reasons, which have influenced them to this Convention; and point out some of the advantages, arising to this Country, from the possession of those provinces, and some of the dis- advantages, necessarily attendant on falling into the hands of the enemies. The province of East Florida, is immediately contiguous to, and bordering on, the State of Georgia.
It is at this time, claimed by the Regency of Spain, in the name of Ferdinand the seventh; That regency and great Britain are in the most strict alliance : as we are engaged in a war with Great Britain, and her dependencies, it becomes our indispen-
55
HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY
sible duty, to use every possible means in our power to im- pair her strength, and diminish her resources, for carrying on the war against us. In what way can the United States most effectually obtain this end? By depredations on her commerce, and by cutting off her communication with this continent; In short, by the Conquest of her possessions in the North, and by the Occupation of the Floridas in the South.
Admitting for a moment, that we should abandon all inten- tion of taking possession of the Floridas, and they should not be ceded by the regency of Spain, to Great Britain; yet, as the regency and Great Britain are allies, Great Britain would surely claim of her ally, the privilege of entering her ports to refit her fleets, to bring in for condemnation, the prizes she might Capture from U. States, and to obtain the necessary munitions of War. But your petitioners are con- fident, from the relative situation of the United States and the Floridas, that consequences more pernicious than those al- ready enumerated, would result to us, in the event of our forces abandoning those provinces. The patriots of East Florida, have openly rebelled against their mother Country, they have formally declared themselves free and Independent, and have proceeded to the adoption of a Constitution of Government- Your petitioners are impressed with a belief, that the patriots of Florida, have been more prompt in asserting their claims to the right of self Government, from an expectation, that the the United States, would extend to them the arm of protection, in the support of so noble a cause : and your petitioners are greatly apprehensive, that the patriots. should they be now abandoned by the U. States, would immediately place them- selves under the protection of the Government of Great Brit- ain, knowing that they would be treated as rebels by the Government from which they revolted
In addition to the reasons already advanced, against the policy of abandoning the Floridas at this juncture and thereby endangering their becoming dependencies of Great Britain, may be added the facilities, which will consequently be afford- ed our enemy, to annoy our Southern Coasting trade, and to pursue with success the odious and abominable practice of
56
HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY
smuggling; and in possession of the Floridas, will not our Enemy have it greatly in her power, to stir up against us, the merciless and unrelenting Savages, immediately bordering upon us : and from a history of the Revolutionary war, have we not much to fear from her seductive overtures to our black popu- lation, exciting them to abandon their owners and perhaps to rise up in rebellion against them? Your petitioners have seen, with infinite regret and Concern, that a bill which had passed the House of Representatives of the United States, by a large majority, and which had for its object, the immediate occupa- tion of the Floridas, was rejected by the Senate. But your peti- tioners are of opinion, that under the law of Congress passed in 1811, authorizing the President of the United States, to take possession of the Floridas on the happening of either of two events, that your Excellency would be justified and fully authorized in taking such measures, as you might deem expedi- ent to occupy those provinces, or at least, to prevent our enemy from doing so. That there is every probability that Great Brit- ain, if not anticipated, will possess herself of the Floridas, is too obvious to be questioned. And shall we tamely and quietly set by, and suffer our open and avowed enemy, to possess herself of those provinces, and thus increase her means of annoying us? No, let us not wait till the blow which seals our destiny is given. What will now be the work of a few days, and loss of little blood, may if delayed cost us the lives of thousands. and the labor of years. In making the foregoing representations to your Excellency, your petitioners have been governed, entirely by a sense of the importance of the subject of this petition, to the people of this State, and by a wish to express to your Excellency, the confidence they entertain, in the firm, wise and decided measures of your administration. Your petitioners do not presume that they have thrown new light on the subject of this petition, nor do they believe that a single reason has been advanced, of which your Excellency was not perfectly ap- prised.
It is foreign from their purpose, in the smallest degree to wish to dictate to their Government; on the Contrary, they wish to inspire confidence, and to evince their disposition to cooper-
57
HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY
ate, in such measures as may be adopted. They have only a wish, that your Excellency will carry into effect the act of Con- gress of 1811, so far as that law, in relation to the Floridas, will authorize you to go. Whatever expedients may be resorted to by your Excellency to this end, we, the people of Greene County of the State of Georgia, do hereby pledge our lives, our fortunes, and our Sacred Honors, in support of the Gov- ernment, in the pursuit of so laudable and all important an object. And as in duty bound your petitioners will ever pray etc.
1st. Resolved by this meeting, that a Copy of this petition be Transmitted to The President of the United States.
2nd. Resolved that a Copy of this petition, be likewise forwarded to the Governor of this State, and to three different printers in this State for publication.
3rd. Resolved that this meeting, viewing the importance of the subject of its immediate Consideration, do recommend to other Counties of this State, to take the same into Considera- tion.
Oliver Porter, Chairman
Ebenezer Torrence, Secretary
FREE PERSONS OF COLOUR
Georgia, Wilkes County,
I, John Holiday, Clerk of the Inferior Court of said County, do hereby certify that Patience generally known by the name of Pateenee Todd now about forth-eight years of age and by profession a Baker, was regularly enrolled in the office of the Inferior Court of said County as a free person of colour, also her son Gabriel; and that no person gainsaying the same. Agreeable to law she is considered a freeman of color and entitled to her freedom agreeable to the laws of Georgia.
Given under my hand the 13 day of October, 1827. Signed: John Holiday late clerk of I. W. C.
Recorded on the 16th day of May 1834, and signed by Vincent Sanford, Clerk of Inferior Court of Greene County.
58
HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY
Thus it will be readily seen that these "free persons of colour" were at liberty to move at will; the only requirement being, that they register with the Clerk of the Inferior Court each year; and that their occupation and place of residence be shown on the register.
The Act setting them free, and the regulation of such persons, is entitled an Act to manumit and make free certain persons of colour, and became a law on Dec. 1, 1801, and was signed: Josiah Tatnall, Jr., Governor. However, provisions were made as early as 1770 for freeing negroes, Indians, mul- attoes, or mestizoes; but guardians had to be appointed to look after them.
One free negro is said to have been a Revolutionary sol- dier and fought at the Battle of Kettle Creek, and received a pension for his services.
It would be interesting to know what became of these "persons of colour" who gained their freedom in Greene coun- ty, and the story back of their liberation. The ever changing record in the Ordinary's office clearly indicates that most of them left the county. But, where they went and what they did seems lost to history. The vast majority of those who gained their freedom were in the prime of life; and only a very few were over 50 years of age, while many were between 10 and 30. The Andersons and Grants were evidently opposed to slavery; and it is possible that the religious wave that swept Georgia from 1826 to 1830 caused an awakening on the sub- ject of forced servitude.
There is a very interesting old book in the office of the Ordinary of Greene county inscribed as follows: "Registry of Free Persons of Colour." The first list of names of "Free Per- sons of Colour" bears date of 1819; and, the names of twenty such persons are recorded. Their age, place of nativity, pre- sent residence, how long in Georgia, and occupation are shown. Their ages varied from 1 to 65 years. Nine of them were born in Greene county, one in Franklin; the others were born in
59
HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY
North and South Carolina and Virginia. The greatest number of these free persons of colour bore the names of Anderson, Lucas, Grant, and King, although, the name of Anderson led the list. The birth place of some of the Grants was given as Halifax County, Va., while the others were from Wilkes coun- ty, Georgia. This was due to the fact that, the Grants lived in that part of Wilkes that was added to Greene 1802. The law required that all such persons register annually with the clerk of the Inferior Court of the county in which they lived; and it is interesting to note how the list changed from year to year. In 1824, practically all who registered bore the name of Ander- son; and in 1825-6-7-8-9 and 30, all of them bore the name of Anderson. In 1834, the Andersons disappeared entirely and Grants took their places. In 1837, there was only one who regis- tered and her name was Reney Woodly from Sussex county, Va. The Grants increased in number in 1846 and 47 and seemed to remain on the roll until 1862; and in that year, the only one to register was Ben Sanford whose name first appeared in 1857. The name of Patience Todd appears in 1834; and the following entry taken from the Wilkes county record gives a clear idea of the procedure in vogue at that time :
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