USA > Georgia > Greene County > History of Greene County, Georgia, 1786-1886 > Part 8
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Dr. Billington Sanders was a young, well educated mini- ster and was engaged to act as Principal. Under his super- vision the wilderness was cleared, temporary quarters pro- vided and on the second Monday in January 1833, a man- ual school at Penfield was formally opened. Other instruc- tors were Ira O. McDaniel, J. F. Hillyer, J. W. Attaway, W. D. Cowdry, A. Williams, and S. P. Sanford. John Lumpkin, the father of Gov. Wilson Lumpkin was a mem- ber of the executive committee under whom the school was established.
Penfield, was the name given to the locality in honor of Josiah Penfield of Savannah who gave the original bequest, the school itself was named for Jesse Mercer, who was the guiding light in its development and at his death re- ceived through his will a sizable amount of money. Dr. Sanders remained as head of the school for six years. He organized the work on a solid foundation. In 1837 the school was changed to Mercer University from Mercer Institute, a charter was obtained from the legislature, and a fund of $100,000 was raised among the Georgia Baptists with which to give it a permanent endowment.
Three young men graduated from Mercer in 1841, Mal- colm Johnson, Benjamin F. Thorpe and Dr. A. R. Well- born. Dr. Adiel Sherwood in 1840 became the head of the new Theological Department.
At the outbreak of the Civil War the Senior class en- tered the Confederate army to a man, most of the trustees were at the front, and the school struggled along until
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Sherman invaded the State, then was forced to close its doors.
The State was so utterly prostrated from the War and more so from the hated Reconstruction, that it was seven or eight years before the school was reopened at Macon, Ga.
Some of the first Presidents were : Rev. Billington Sand- ers, Rev. Otis Smith, Rev. John L. Dagg, D.D., Rev. Nathaniel Crawford, D.D., Rev. H. H. Tucker, D.D., Rev. Archibald Battle, D.D., Rev. G. A. Nunnally, D.D., Pinckney D. Pollock, LL.D., Rev. S. Y. Jameson, D.D.
The little village of Penfield goes on, and lives in the memory of the past and its influence in having mothered a great university. (See map of Penfield)
GREENSBORO GEORGIA HAD BEEN IN EXISTENCE THREE YEARS BEFORE GEORGE WASHINGTON WAS ELECTED PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.
Governors' Letter Book, 1786-1789 (Nov. 15, 1787)
To His Excellency the President of Congress.
15 Novem. 1787.
Sir
I do myself the honor to enclose to your Excellency a Report of a Committee of the General Assembly of this State respecting the Creek Indians, it so fully informs your Excellency of the unavoidable necessity there is of a War with that Nation that little is left for me to say on the subject. In my letter to our Delegates of the 9th of August I informed them of the murders committed by the Indians (and by their it appears the letter was laid before Congress) since which time our frontiers have been the scene of blood and ravages, they have killed 31 of our Citizens, wounded twenty and taken four prisoners, they have burnt the Court house and Town of Greenesville (Greensboro) in the County of Greene and a number of other houses in different parts of the Country. The Assembly fully convinced that the State never can have a secure and lasting peace with that perifidious Nation until they have severely felt the effects of war, have ordered 3000 men to be raised, and given the executive power to call forth 1500 more should the first number not
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be adequate, the arming and equiping these Troops will be attended with such expense that the aid of the Union will be required in ad- dition to our own exertions, and I flatter myself the United States will grant such assistance as will enable us to prosecute the War with vigor and establish us in the blessings of peace.
I would also take the liberty of remarking that I have reason to think the Creek Indians are supplied with arms and ammunition from the Spanish Government of West Florida, and wheter(sic) it may not be proper for Congress to remonstrate against such sup- plies being granted them whilst engaged in a War with us-
Signed- Geo. Mathews.
George Washington had not been elected President of the United States when the above letter was written by Governor Mathews. John Jay was President of the Continental Congress at that time, and what ever action was taken in the matter by Congress, was probably under his direction. Washington was first elected President in 1789, and again 1793.
Practically all of the outrages referred to in Governor Mathews' letter occured in Greene county, which laid broad- side to the Creek Indians' territory for almost one hundred miles, and were separated only by the Oconee and Appalachee rivers.
Governor Mathews reference to the burning of the Court house in "Greenesville" was simply a "slip of the pen," he meant to write Greensboro.
The lots that were to be sold off to citizens were laid out in fifteen (15) other city blocks, and were within the area bounded on the East by Walnut St. on the West by Laurel Avenue, on the South by Elm St. on the North by Greene St. This however, did not include all of the land set apart for the town of Greensboro. Streets were laid out and named by the Commissions appointed to survey the town and extended through the 1020 acres set apart. The original town line ex- tended across Richland creek on the West from about where the new bridge is being built to considerably above where the Athens Highway crosses the creek. At that point the line nar- rowed in and did not cross Richland creek, but continued up it some distance and included practically all of the Starr and Ew- ing lands. The East line did not go as far as Poll-Bridge branch,
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but seems to have taken in most of "Canan" and extended to about the corner of Dr. Gheesling's pecan grove.
There was little or no demand for the town lots outside of a comparatively small area, and much of the suburban land was sold off for farming purposes. None of the land had been laid out for streets were ever sold by the State. Many of these streets that extended in the undeveloped areas were per- mitted closed under contract with the Mayor and Councilmen, and have caused some litigation in order to open them up when needed. All of the land in the streets of Greensboro now and as it was originally laid out, belong to the State of Geor- gia and the statute of limitation does not run against the State. This means that any street within the limits of the city of Greensboro that has a dead-end, may be opened by the city when ever needed, and legal resistance can not prevent it.
GREENSBORO'S FIRST POSTOFFICE
Quoting from The Augusta Chronicle of April 28, 1792:
"Timothy Pickering, Postmaster General, stated that in Georgia, the mail would go from Augusta to Washington (in Wilkes County) thence to Greensboro and Georgetown, to Augusta, once in two weeks.
The mail to leave Augusta every other Thursday at four o'clock in the morning, and arrive at Washington the same day, and com- plete the circuit no the evening of Saturday."
"Savannah to Newport Bridge, and Sunbury, and back to Savan- nah, once every two weeks. . "
This constituted Georgia's Postal service in the spring of 1792; and Greensboro was one of the seven Postoffices served by Uncle Sam, in that year, in the youngest of the thirteen ori- ginal states.
In 1825, when Young F. Gresham was postmaster, the salary was $294.71. The present salary is $2400.00. (1937)
This office was established under the name of Greens- borough in October, 1792. The available records do not show the exact date of establishment.
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HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY
DATE APPOINTED
POSTMASTER
John B. Oliver
April 23, 1793
James B. Oliver
January 1, 1794
Ezekiel E. Park
October 1, 1796
John Houghton William W. Strain
February 20, 1804
Robert Dale
Wiley Gresham
April 1, 1804 June 6, 1813
Young F. Gresham
October 23, 1817
Thomas W. Grimes
July 6, 1825
William L. Strain
January 22, 1839
William H. Morrison
June 20, 1860
James W. Godkin
November 1, 1860
Henry C. Thornton
May 11, 1869
James W .. Godkin
March 17, 1870
Green H. Thompson
November 4, 1881
Joel F. Thornton
March 30, 1885
Martha H. Clayton
August 22, 1889
Julia F. Clayton
October 23, 1889
The name of this office was changed to Greensboro, February 2, 1894.
Miss Julia Foster
February 2, 1894
Robert W. Branch
January 25, 1898
Joel F. Thornton
February 7, 1902
William F. Bryant
April 21, 1910
James L. Brown
December 19, 1914
Foster D. Smith (Acting)
January 19, 1918
Foster D. Smith
June 6, 1918
Charles H. Crumbley (Acting)
September 28, 1922
Charles H. Crumbley
September 9, 1923
Orian Moorhead
February 3, 1937
The present Federal-owned Post Office was completed in time to handle the Christmas mail in 1938, and was dedicated by the Honorable Paul Brown, Congressman from the tenth Congressional District (Ga.), in October, 1939, and whose untiring efforts made our beautiful Federal building possible.
The mural that adorns the North side of the lobby is described in the attached clipping from the Augusta Chronicle, and the scene depicted is historically correct.
The photostat of a letter mailed in Augusta, Ga., on October 7, 1914, was promptly received by Postmaster James L. Brown. The sketch was drawn by Professor P. P. Carter, a noted artist who lived in Greensboro for many years. The sketch was drawn from memory and is a good likeness of Postmaster James L. Brown.
In 1825, when Young F. Gresham was postmaster, the salary was $294.71. The present salary is $2400.00. (1937)
In the old days the postmaster not only furnished the building that housed the office, but paid his help, bought his fuel, swept the office -- whenever it was swept, and "cussing" was his major pay.
October 1, 1801
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HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY
After the "e" was left out of Greenesboro, "Uncle Sam" began furnishing some extra help and increased the postmaster's pay. Now, the postmaster is not only paid a decent salary but is furnished three clerks, one fireman, one charman, one mail messenger, one village carrier, and one substitute carrier, and all paid by "Uncle Sam."
T. B. Rice, Historian for Greene County.
James W. Godkin served as Postmaster under the Post- master General of the Confederate States, and resumed his duties under "Uncle Sam" at the close of hostilities, and up to May 11, 1869 a wonderful tribute to the old man.
Theoretically, the appointment of Postmaster, for the smaller offices, was political patronage of Congressmen; but as a matter of fact, under most Republican administrations, the office of Postmaster was bought and sold, and "the long- est pole got the persimmon."
In Georgia, the proceeding was for some "Lily White" Republican to head the State Republican organization; and he in turn, appointed one of the "colored brethren" in each coun- ty in the state; and it was necessary to get the endorsement of the County committeeman for the office sought. And, in order to get this, the applicant had to "sugar" the committeeman. This "sugaring" process continued so long as the office was held. Congressmen knew this was going on but they were pow- erless to put a stop to it.
During the occupancy of any appointive Federal office, the incumbent was called on, and all too often, by the "Lily White" State Republican Committeeman, and asked to "salt the kitty" for educational purposes; and this is where his "graft" came from.
I am not blaming the Postmasters who secured their ap- pointment under this plan, as many clean officials had to pay tribute to this form of "carpetbagism."
Technically, Civil Service does away with this form of political rotteness; but legal technicalities can remove the best of public servants from office, and the "In's" in Washington, know how to neutralize the Civil Service.
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HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY
Top-Mural in the Post Office in Greensboro depicting the burning of Greensboro by the Indians in 1787. In the center is the P. O. building. Lower right Dr. T. B. Rice and the lower left is Judge Robert M. Williamson.
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HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY
Congressman Paul Brown, than who Georgia has no bet- ter, came to Greensboro on November 11, 1938, and dedicated the new Postoffice, Federal Building in a manner befitting the occasion; was the recipient of many compliments. After the dedication a delightful barbecue dinner was served under the auspices of the Greensboro Chapter of the American Le- gion of World War Veterans.
Mural decoration for the New Postoffice.
The Treasury Department has authorized a mural decora- tion for the new Postoffice-Federal Building; and the burning of Greensboro by the Indians, has been chosen as the subject for the painting. The Treasury Department has also authorized the artist to use the original spelling, GREENESBOROUGH, since it is to be an historical picture.
The Greensboro Postoffice now Second Class.
The Greensboro Postoffice was raised from third to sec- ond class on July, 1, 1938. This means that the salary of the Postmaster and all of his clerks was increased. Greensboro has a Postoffice-Federal Building that will meet its every need for many years to come. The Postoffice has an able, courteous force of employees, three Rural routes, three Star routes-cne to Atlanta-,one City carrier, and a force of two men to take care of the building. Union Point Postoffice was also raised to second class. Thanks to Congressman Paul Brown, Secretary of the Treasury, Hon. Henry Morganthou, Jr., Postmaster General James J. Farley, and the administration that made the new building possible.
GREENSBORO'S OLD POST OFFICE CABINET
This old Post Office cabinet was used to hold letters and papers for the patrons of the office. There were no lock-boxes and the mail was distributed alphabetically. All patrons call- ed for, or sent for their mail.
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HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY
The cabinet has 140 pigeon holes. The mail for the people who lived in town was put in the pigeon holes on the left, and those who lived out in the county, but got their mail here, were placed in the right hand section.
In all probability, this cabinet was made when the Post Office was moved into the left-hand room of the Courthouse. This was in the year 1849 and William L. Strain was Post Mas- ter. He was succeeded by William H. Morrison on June 20, months; he was succeeded by James Godkin on November 1, 1860. Mr. Godkin, served under the Postmaster General of the United States until the office was taken over by the Confederate Government and served until May 11, 1869. Therefore, it is safe to say that, every letter that came to this office during the existence of the Southern Confederacy, found its way into the pigeon holes of this old cabinet.
Henry C. Thornton succeeded James W. Godkin as Post Master on May 11, 1869; and he was succeeded by James W. Godkin ; Judge Godkin served until March 17, 1870. 17, 1870.
GREENSBORO'S Post Office was established in Octo- ber, 1792. John B. Oliver was its first Post Master, and all mail came through the Augusta Post Office via : Washington, Ga., and reached Greensboro on Friday of every-other-week.
The appearance of the mail-rider was an event, in those days. Postage was high, usually 121/2 cents for a single sheet, and each additional sheet was taxed 121/2 cents. There were no postage stamps until 1849. In small offices, like Greensboro, the Post Master computed the cost, wrote the amount collect- ed, on the corner of the letter, which was folded and sealed with wax, and then pocketed the amount collected. All cancel- lations went to the Post Master, he received no salary from "Uncle Sam."
For many, many years all letters written to our town carried the orginal spelling-GREENESBOROUGH, and the cancellations were spelled the same way. Later, many people shortened the name to-GREENESBORO and the Post Office
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HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY
Department seem to have relished the abbreviation, and on February 2, 1894, "Uncle Sam's" hirelings seem to have for- gotten that our town was named for General Nathaniel Greene, and insulted his memory by dubbing his namesake, GREENS- BORO. Those who do not know the origin of the name are liable to conclude that our progressive, historic little city was named for turnipgreens or some other potlicker stuff. Shame on him who issued the order to defile the name of such a man as GENERAL NATHANIEL GREENE.
NEWS ITEMS OF MORE THAN ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO
More than one hundred years ago, GREENSBORO and GREENE COUNTY news was chronicled by the Athens Banner-Herald, "The Missionary," a Mount Zion, Hancock County, newspaper, The Augusta Chronicle, the Milledgeville Recorder, and the Southern Banner, of Athens, Ga., and the following items were culled from old files of these papers :
"To the Editor of the Augusta Chronicle".
Greensboro, Ga., April 2, 1803.
Dear Sir :
Nearly four months have passed since the arrival of a mail in Greensboro could have been certainly counted on. Sometimes we get none at all, sometimes we get it out of time going forward, some- times we get it out of time coming backward, but seldom have we got it both coming and going. To my knowledge it has stopped in Greensboro, and I hesitate not it stops and tacks about occasionally at every postoffice between Augusta and Louisville."
"In a word there has never been such a steady succession of tardiness since the establishment of a post-office in Greensboro."
"Can the defect be with the Postmaster General? No, it is with those poor tackeys and their owner, and I hesitate not in saying the post-master the Undertaker an accountable being".
Under date of Friday, Feb. 20, 1821, The Mount Zion Mission- ary says: naming a long list of agents throughout Georgia, was A. H. Scott, Greensboro, and Samuel Finley, Grantville, Greene County.
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HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY
Note: Grantville was where we now know as Daniel's Spring and was on the mail route from Augusta to Greensboro via Washington.
An "Ad" in The Missionary reads: "Mch 11, 1822. Every issue of The Missionary after Jan. 19, 1822, for three months, carried notice that permission had been requested to sell two or more sections of land belonging to the estate of Peter Early, for the benefit of heirs".
(Signed) GUARDIAN, but no name. (Probably, Mrs. Adiel Sherwood).
Under the subject of TRANSPORTATION we find this in The Southern Banner of March 12, 1839:
"Six horses attached to an Athens to Augusta stagecoach ran away in Greensboro and turned over the coach, injuring three pas- sengers; one of them is feared lamed for life. Mr. Gallaway, the driver, was severely bruised."
Note: The Athens branch of the Georgia Railroad had not been completed at that time.
The same paper carried an advertisement by the U. S. Postoffice Department asking for bids to carry mail, and says: "Mail from Augusta comes in railroad cars 82 miles."
Southern Banner of Aug. 9, 1839, says: "Stagecoach line Athens to Greensboro to connect with the Georgia Railroad."
Under the heading "OUT OF TOWN", The Banner of Sept. 5, 1844, reads :
"The Courthouse at Madison, Georgia, burned Sept. 1st, believed to have caught fire from a lighted cigar thrown carelessly by some person who attended the meeting of the Clay Club (Henry Clay) the night of August 31st."
Note: Politics aroused the gentry then just as it does now, but we had no automobiles, radios and other means of reaching the voters quickly; and only statesmen with established records sought public office.
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HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY
Fourth courthouse in Greensboro built in 1848-49 (in use)
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HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY
COURTHOUSE
Referring to my previous comment that I could find no record of a celebration and dedication of the old Courthouse when it was completed in 1849, now comes Judge L. H. Branch who says he has positive proof that the occasion was celebrated with a great barbecue dinner, much speaking by distinguished lawyers, and a great ball that extended far into the night, and that Miss Nancy Bickers led the dance. Now I am not claiming that the Judge was there in person although, he is no spring chicken. However, he was fortunate enough to have as his guest some years ago, none other than Mrs. Godkin who took part in the festivities. Mrs. Godkin was the widow of Dr. God- kin, and the daughter-in-law of the old Postmaster who was also one of the Justices of the Greene County Inferior Court. Mrs. Godkin pictured the scene clearly to Judge Branch, there- fore, she must be admitted as a competent witness. Miss Nancy Bickers was an aunt of Mr. Carl Bickers and Mrs. W. H. Prior.
Judge James W. Godkin
And now comes Judge L. H. Branch with a copy of The National Geographic Magazine published in December, 1918. P. 526 has a picture entitled. "An Irishman of the Old School. It portrays a typical Irishman, long black coat, top hat, stick and all, and the Judge says, it is a perfect picture of Judge Godkin whom he remembers distinctly. Judge Branch adds, "The old Postmaster always rode his old white horse from his home to his office; and, on Sunday mornings, after he had distributed the mail he would arrange the letters, stick them in his saddle- bags, get on his horse and ride over town and deliver them. There was no city dlivery then, but Judge Godkin went "Uncle Sam" one better, and delivered the mail without fee or the hope of reward.
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HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY
GREENE'S FIRST RAILROAD AND ROADS
A mud hole in Greene County is said to be responsible for the building of the Georgia railroad here. Cotton mill machinery shipped from England to Augusta was being haul- ed from there to Athens by six mule wagon teams and as they got on the eastern side of Greene County the wagons became hopelessly mired down in the mud and it was not until the spring sunshine dried the mud that they could get out.
As a result of this experience the promoters of the factory applied for a charter in 1833 to build a railroad from Augusta to Athens. The charter was granted by the Georgia Legisla- ture.
As much as a railroad was needed it wasn't easy to place it, as many people objected to the noise or the smoke or the danger of fire. Lexington wouldn't let the road come within four miles of their town and many landowners didn't want their huge cotton fields trespassed on. Gwn Allison a promi- nent citizen and cousin of Andrew Jackson's was the bitterest opponent of all. He lived halfway between Greensboro and Union Point and when the surveyors came in, he took his shot gun and threatened to shoot the first one to drive a stake on his property. He would not accept any price for the right of way and finally he was locked in jail for contempt of court.
The old man never got over this humiliation, he was deeply hurt and to his dying day would never touch the money offered for the right of way. He left a considerable sum to the schools of the county, although not as much as was set up because of the war and the effect on the currency.
After due time the railroad was finished as far as Jeffer- son Hall, nine miles east of Greensboro. This gave a boost to the village for wagons of cotton and produce were brought from Eatonton, Sparta, Madison, Athens and Covington to be loaded on the trains. These same wagons bought supplies for their farms to make the return trip.
Thomas Hart, who was a neighbor of Allison's helped the railroad to get started and the train made courtesy stops
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HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY
at his home. The first passenger train through stopped there and the passengers and the crew helped to celebrate a wedding in this home by eating the wedding breakfast and seeing the wedding rites performed. (Oak Grove)
The next part built on to this railroad was the line to Marthasville, (Atlanta) and later the line to Athens was com- pleted. The junction of these roads was called Union Point. At Scruggville, later known as Thornton's Crossroads there was wood, water and repairs ready for the trains and a place for passengers to eat and change trains.
There were only two other railroads operating in the U. S. A. when this railroad started operations.
It was against the law to run the train at night as the noise would keep people, cattle and horses awake. The train crew spent one night in Augusta and the next in Greene County.
The cross ties were six feet apart and the rails were made of tough well seasoned wood with a three inch iron rail nailed on top. The first cars betweet Union Point and Athens were drawn by horses. The first engine put on to pull these cars was called the "Firefly", because the fire and sparks did fly when the cords of wood were burned in the engine. At Woodville great cords of wood were stacked by the station for the train to load on, and that is how the town was named Woodville.
And so the great mud hole was responsible for Greene County getting the first railroad in Georgia and perhaps this road going into Marthasville started that town on its way up and was later named Atlanta.
Railroad fares were five cents a mile and a speed of fifteen miles an hour was good. It took eight hours to go from Greensboro to Augusta, about 85 miles. There was a thrill when the train pulled into the stations in Greene County. One could see the shining twin strands of steel which linked the village to the outside world. There was always a cluster of people waiting for the train, whittling and talking over the weather, politics and crops. Some man would pull a big gold watch out of a vest pocket and state authoritatively, "Time for
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