USA > Georgia > Irwin County > History of Irwin county > Part 9
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forty by fifty-five feet, offices and vault downstairs, courtroom and jury room upstairs at cost of $4,085.00.
At April term, 1888, the Grand Jury recommended that a bridge be built across the Alapaha River two miles west of Irwinville at Albany ford and appointed R. W. Clements, J. W. Whiddon and John Walker, Commissioners, to have same con- structed. Plans and specifications were prepared, contract ad- vertised for and W. R. Glover was awarded the contract. The bridge was built during the year 1889, was of wood and was seven eights of a mile long, it cost $3,236.00. This bridge was a great convenience to the traveling public. Before it was built the only way to cross the river was to ford it and often times it was swimming to a horse.
At. the March term, 1884, the Grand Jury recommended that a sufficient number of horse racks be erected to accommodate those who were compelled to attend court.
In 1886, a local registration law for Irwin County was passed.
At January term, 1885, David Ewing, E. R. Smith and D. J. Henderson were appointed county registrars.
January 11, 1889, E. R. Smith, David Ewing and D. J. Henderson, appointed.
January 26, 1891, Jacob Paulk, D. J. Henderson and David Ewing, appointed.
September term, 1893, A. E. Clements, appointed.
March term, 1904, B. A. Brown and J. B. Senior, appointed.
At April term, 1907, Robert L. Henderson, John D. Paulk and E. G. M. Fletcher, appointed.
At March term, 1910, John D. Paulk, George F. T. Dixon, John R. Clements, appointed.
May 26, 1910, E. G. Fletcher, appointed.
March 30, 1912, John D. Paulk, O. N. Harper and E. G. M. Fletcher, appointed.
April 20, 1914, E. G. M. Fletcher, John D. Paulk, H. B. Harper, appointed.
March 21, 1916, E. G. M. Fletcher, Henry King and Joel J. Harper, appointed.
June 11, 1918, E. G. Fletcher, Henry King and J. J. Harper, appointed.
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February 12, 1920, E. G. M. Fletcher, Henry King and J. J. Harper, appointed.
August 2, 1922, Joe H. Little, J. J. Harper and E. G. M. Fletcher, appointed.
February term, 1924, J. W. Pierce, appointed.
April 19, 1927, J. J. Harper, J. H. Little and J. W. Pierce, appointed.
At February term, 1930, J. W. Pierce, C. R. Roberson and Lott Paulk, appointed.
At the October adjourned term, 1891, a bill of indictment was returned against King Clark, for murder. He was convicted at the October adjourned term, 1892, and sent to the peniten- tiary for life.
At the October adjourned term, 1893, the Grand Jury re- turned a bill against Reese Coleman, for murder. He was tried and was acquitted.
At November term, 1897, Bill Haskins, was tried for murder and found guilty and recommended to mercy. His sentence was to the penitentiary for life.
At the November term, 1898, the Grand Jury presentments state that on account of increase in business of this court we find it impossible to transact all the business of the court in one week. We therefore request our member of the Legis- lature to introduce a bill, changing our fall term of court so that it will convene on fourth Monday in October and follow- ing Monday of each year, so that at fall term we will have two weeks court instead of one. In our judgment, with this change, the business of the court can be kept up.
At April term, 1899, the following appears in general pre- sentments. Upon examining reports of our County Commis- sioners, M. Henderson and Supt. R. V. Handley, we recommend the continuance of county chain gang, subject to approval of Grand Jury at Fall term, 1899, in the matter of employing our convicts on public roads of this county. The progress made so far we feel will be of great value to our traveling public when the roads are completed and we recommend that bridges be constructed at once over large streams where they are most needed. It having come to our knowledge that our County Solicitor, W. F. Way, pleads guilty to the charge of
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gambling, we regret exceedingly this act and severally con- demn the same.
This was the first chain gang created in Irwin County and is still in existence, making many improvements in our roads.
At April term, 1900, Ike Farmer, was tried for murder and found guilty and recommended to mercy. He was sentenced to the penitentiary for life.
At January term, 1901. Clements Royal, was tried for murder of a man named Luke and was acquitted.
At September term, 1901, W. H. Brown, was tried for murder and was found guilty with recommendation for mercy and was sentenced to the penitentiary for life. Lucy McFail was tried for same offence and found not guilty, also Wilber Whitiaker was tried for murder and found not guilty. Tom Whitiaker was tried for murder and found guilty and recom- mended for mercy. He was sentenced to the penitentiary for life.
In 1901, a suit was filed in Superior Court against the Ameri- can Tribune Colony Company, for receiver. The receivership was granted and J. B. Clements, W. R. Bowen, T. S. Price
1600 Pound Per Acre Tobacco Farm.
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and Sidney Clear, were appointed permanent receivers. They proceeded to sell and dispose of all the assets of the company and wind up the affairs thereof directed by the court.
At the March term, 1902, John Furlong, was tried for murder and was acquitted. Tom McFail was also tried for murder and found guilty and recommended for mercy and was sen- tenced to penitentiary for life.
At the April term, 1903, Ben Palm was tried for murder; was found guilty and recommended for mercy and was sentenced to penitentiary for life.
At September adjourned term, 1904, Jehu Smith, was tried for murder of a man named Henderson; was found guilty and recommended for mercy and sentenced to penitentiary for life.
From presentments of Grand Jury for the year, 1903, there was raised in taxes $36,453.42 and there were paid out $33,- 045.88.
At the March term, 1905, the Grand Jury returned a true bill against John Land, charging him with murder. He was charged with killing his father, Robert Land, by shooting him with a double-barreled shotgun in the back. The trouble started over some trivial matter and the evidence showed his father was running from his direction when the shot was fired. The witnesses were largely the family of the deceased. At the trial the defendant was found guilty and recommended to mercy and was sentenced to the penitentiary for life. A motion for new trial was made and on October 21, 1905, an order was passed by Judge J. H. Martin, as follows: It is not possible at this time to dispose of a motion for new trial and it also appearing that defendant is confined in jail of Irwin County and that the law-continued confinement is likely to cause serious injury to the health of said defendant; it is ordered that defendant John Land, be taken from Irwin County jail and be confined in penitentiary of Georgia, until motion for new trial in said case can be disposed of and until further order of the court in the premises. The motion for new trial was withdrawn and sentence of the court was carried into effect. The defendant finally got out of the penitentiary and was later killed.
At September term, 1905, Romie Williams, was indicted and
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tried for the murder of Mr. Elisha Thompson. He was found guilty of voluntary manslaughter and sentenced to penitentiary for fifteen years. New trial was granted by the Supreme Court and the case was remanded to Tift County Superior Court for final adjudication.
At this term of court a bill of indictment was returned against Reason Handley for murder. He was charged with killing his wife by putting strychnine into her food. He was tried at the September adjourned term, 1906, convicted and recommended that he be imprisoned for life. He was sent to penitentiary and served until during the year, 1929, he was pardoned by the Governor and is again a free man.
At the September term, 1906, Seab Riles, was indicted for murder and found guilty of involuntary manslaughter and sentenced to the penitentiary for ten years.
At this term of court a meeting of the bar was held indors- ing Judge Martin's administration as judge of Superior Court, also stating he had practiced law in this county before his elevation to the bench for more than a quarter of a century and it was a pleasure to testify to his worth, as a man, a lawyer and a judge, and we part with him reluctantly and feel that Irwin Superior Court will not be the same without him.
Signed, Tom Eason, L. Kennedy, E. D. Graham, H. J.
Quincy, A. J. McDonald, E. W. Ryman, L. M. Burns, Z. Bass, Attorneys.
At September term, 1907, the following order was taken. It appearing to the court that the County Commissioners of Irwin County have provided a suitable building for the holding of the September term, 1907, of Irwin Superior Court in Ocilla in said county, to which place the county site of said county was recently removed, by an act of the General As- sembly of Georgia : wherefore it is ordered and adjudged that said Superior Court be held in said building so provided and designated in said city of Ocilla. Given under my hand and official signature in open court September 2, 1907. U. V. Whipple, J. S. C. C. C.
For the year, 1907, there was collected in taxes the sum of $25,949.55.
At March term, 1913. the Grand Jury made this recommenda-
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tion : "We recommend that our Representative, J. B. Clem- ents, introduce and endeavor to have passed a bill to abolish the city court of Ocilla and in lieu thereof to have such Legislation enacted as will in his judgment best meet the needs of the county." They also recommended that he pass a bill abolishing three County Commissioners and pass bill creat- ing one Commissioner.
At April term, 1915, the Grand Jury put in operation the law creating a Board of Health for Irwin County and ap- pointed Dr. Aubrey Harper, Health Physician.
On March 12, 1917, under an act of the Legislature provid- ing for the creation of Juvenile court in certain counties of the State, Judge Crumb, designated the Court of Ordinary of said county as the Juvenile Court of the County of Irwin.
In August, 1917, the Legislature passed an act transferring Irwin County from Cordele Circuit to Tifton Circuit.
December 28, 1920, James Whitley, appointed Judge of Juvenile Court for three years.
April term, 1927, James Whitley, appointed Judge of Juvenile Court.
SLIGH CASE.
At the November term, 1928, the Grand Jury found a bill against Harry K. Sligh, for arson. On the night of the residence of Harry K. Sligh, about three and one-half miles north of Ocilla on the highway leading from Ocilla to Fitzgerald, was burned. Mr. Sligh and family had been away from home on a visit but Sligh himself returned home the afternoon prior to the burning of his dwelling. It was supposed at the time that Mr. Sligh perished in the burned building as what was thought to be the burned torso of a human being was found in the ruins of the dwelling. An in- quest was held over the remains gathered out of the burned building, which was supposed to be Sligh, and it was pre- pared for burial and sent to Seneca, South Carolina, his former home, where it was interred as the remains of Harry K. Sligh.
Sligh was heavily insured with double indemnity clause in the policy and after his supposed death in the burned build- ing an effort was made by the representative of his estate to
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collect this insurance. This effort was resisted by the insurance company upon the grounds that proofs of death in the burned building had not been established to their satisfaction. De- teetives were employed to make an investigation. Quite a while after the building was burned, Col. Sam Castlewitch of Miami, Florida, who was a former acquaintance of Sligh re- ceived a letter from him in reference to the collection of the insurance policy. This letter, very properly, was turned over to the insurance companies and the efforts of the detectives to locate Sligh were increased. Finally their efforts were rewarded by locating him in Los Angeles, California, where he was residing under an assumed name. The sheriff of Irwin County was furnished the necessary warrant and requisition paper and he had Sligh arrested and brought him back to Irwin County for trial for the offense of arson. But the evi- dence not being sufficient, he was acquitted. Sligh claimed that on his return home, prior to the burning, that he overtook near Macon, Georgia, three young men walking and upon being asked to let them ride he told them he could accommodate only one as his car was a roadster. One of the trio, a young man by the name of Harry Loving, from Huntington, West Vir- ginia, was allowed to ride with him, where he was invited to spend the night. Sligh claimed, that sometime during the night he was awakened by Loving having him in a tussle, that Loving had a pistol trying to subdue and rob him, that in the scuffle the lamp was turned over and the house caught fire. He claimed he succeeded in escaping from Loving and fled from the burning building. He also claimed that he lost his mind and did not regain it until he reached California when, as he was riding in a car with an old couple, his mind returned. He stayed there for quite a while, going under an assumed name, until his arrest and identification by people from Georgia who knew him.
From developments, at his trial for arson and additional facts secured, he was indicted for the murder of Harry Lov- ing and was tried for this offense at November term, 1929, of Irwin Superior Court and the evidence seemed of such a nature he was promptly convicted and sentenced to the penitentiary for life. The case was appealed to the Supreme Court but the
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judgment of the lower court was sustained. He is now in the penitentiary serving a sentence for life.
The Messrs. Hoover, the companions of Loving when Sligh picked him up for the ride were also indicted for murder and brought back to Irwin County for trial but the evidence was so weak against them until they were turned loose.
The body taken from the burned building which had been buried in Seneca, South Carolina, as that of Sligh had been disinterred and brought back to Georgia and was present at the trial. After examination by medical experts it was pro- nounced to be the body of a young man. This torso after the trial was claimed by the mother of Loving and carried to West Virginia, for burial.
This case attracted attention all over the country and was widely discussed not only through local sources but by news- papers of the whole country.
At February term, 1930, James Whitley, appointed Judge of Juvenile Court.
At the April term, 1888, Charlie Tayler was tried for murder and found guilty, recommended to mercy, and sent to the penitentiary for life.
TRUE BILLS.
At March term, 1874, the Grand Jury returned six true bills ; At October term, 1874, two; March term, 1875, seven; October term, 1875, ten; March term, 1876, five; September term, 1876, ten; September term, 1877, four; March term, 1878, twelve; March term, 1879, five; March term, 1884, nine; September term, 1884, thirteen; March term, 1886, six; September term, 1901, fifty-six; March term, 1902, eighty; March term, 1903, fifty-two; July term, 1908, one hundred.
DIVORCES.
From March term, 1874, to October term, 1883, there were eleven divorce cases filed.
October term, 1883, to October term, 1888, there were six filed.
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PUBLICATION OF PRESENTMENTS.
April term, 1892, presentments to be published in Irwin County News.
October term, 1892, Hawkinsville News and Dispatch, Irwin County News and Telfair Enterprise.
March term, 1893, Irwin County Courier, Ocilla Dispatch, Fitzgerald Enterprise and Citizen.
September term, 1905, Irwin County Courier, Fitzgerald Enterprise and Ocilla Star.
March term, 1910, Ocilla Star.
March term, 1912, Ocilla Star.
CHAPLAIN OF CONVICT CAMP.
March term, 1905, George Dixon was appointed chaplain of convict camp.
BOARD OF TAX ASSESSORS.
June 1, 1914, Riley Harper, M. Luke Jr., Henry Land.
May 1, 1916, William Rogers.
May 7, 1917, R. L. Henderson.
April, 1918, R. L. Henderson.
May 3, 1920, Riley Harper.
May 23, 1925, M. G. Hogan.
PROBATION OFFICERS.
April term, 1927, Thomas Harper, appointed.
August 28, 1928, W. C. Kicklighter, appointed.
ATTORNEYS ADMITTED TO PRACTICE LAW IN SUPERIOR COURT OF THIS SECTION.
John J. Underwood was the first to be admitted to practice law. A. S. J. Henderson was admitted several years ago.
At April term, 1896, Curtis Wise, an attorney of Indiana and D. E. Piper of the State of Nebraska, and E. W. Ryman of the State of North Dakota, and Sam C. Smith of the State of North Carolina, and David C. Welsh of the State of Illinois was admitted to practice law in the State of Georgia.
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At November term, 1896, E. E. Gray, an attorney of the State of Wisconsin, Samuel Flemming, an attorney of the State of Illinois, were admitted to practice law in the State of Georgia. At the same term of court, W. T. Williams, was admitted to practice upon examination.
At the April term, 1899, Thomas J. Luke, an attorney of Florida, and James T. Saunders of the State of Tennessee were admitted.
At the September term, 1901, Jesse Grantham was admitted.
At the March term, 1902, L. G. Williams of the State of Ohio, was admitted.
At the January term, 1907, W. H. Horn was admitted.
At the July term, 1908, Melvin Meeks was admitted.
At the August term, 1908, Walter M. Rogers was admitted. At the July term, 1914, I. J. Bussell was admitted.
CHAPTER 4. MASONIC LODGES.
The first and oldest masonic lodge in original Irwin County, was Irwin Lodge, number 212, which was granted a dispensa- tion in 1856, by the grand master and later was granted a charter with the following officers to wit: B. B. Ransom, Worshipful Master; Joshua A. Luke, Senior Warden; George Young, Junior Warden; and the following brethren to wit: George Paulk, D. J. Fenn, L. McCall, M. G. Faulkner, L. M. Colbert.
In 1858, the following were the officers of the Lodge: B. B. Ransom, Worshipful Master ; David L. McCall, Senior Warden ; George Young, Junior Warden; George Paulk, Secretary ; D. J. Fenn, Treasurer; R. R. Ransom, Senior Deacon; L. M. Colbert, Junior Deacon; John E. McMullin and Thomas Tucker, Stew- ards; Asa Rooks, Tyler; and the following members to wit: William Hobby, L. G. Young, J. J. S. Young, P. M. Young, Thomas Paulk, M. G. Faulkner, J. A. Luke, Samuel D. Fuller, Willis Dorminy, F. E. Walters, Jesse J. Luke, James Fletcher, R. W. Clements, and R. M. Griffin.
In 1859, the following were the officers, to wit: B. B. Ran- som, Worshipful Master; D. J. Fenn, Senior Warden; George Young, Junior Warden; L. L Colbert, Junior Deacon ; Thomas Paulk, Secretary; R. W. Clements, Treasurer; J. A. Luke and S. D. Fuller, Stewards ; R. R. Ransom, Tyler ; and the following members: M. G. Faulkner, B. D. McCall, Micajah P. Young, Lawson G. Young, W. Hobby, A. P. Clements, Thomas Tucker, Willis Dorminy, George D. Wilcox, M. Henderson Sr., John Fletcher, James W. Whiddon, James Fletcher, Asa Rooks, J. J. Luke, L. Horton, F. Walters, W. D. Ross, T. B. Lanier, A. R. Chandler and B. W. Fussell.
In 1860, the following were the officers: D. J. Fenn, Worshipful Master ; F. E. Walters, Senior Warden; M. Hender- son, Junior Warden; A. P. Clements, Treasurer; R. W. Clem- ents, Secretary; L. M. Colbert, Senior Deacon; Asa Rooks, Junior Deacon; A. R. Chandler and L. Horton, Stewards; W. Hobby, Tyler. Members: S. D. Fuller, R. R. Ransom, Thomas Tucker, R. M. Griffin, J. J. Luke, G. M. Fletcher, George Paulk,
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J. A. Luke, B. L. McCall, James Fletcher, Willis Dorminy, L. G. Young, George Young, M. P. Young, George D. Willcox, John Fletcher, J. W. Whiddon, W. D. Ross, T. B. Lanier, Samuel Young, John Ross.
In 1861, the following were the officers: D. J. Fenn, Worshipful Master ; F. E. Walters, Senior Warden ; M. Hender- son, Junior Warden; A. P. Clements, Treasurer; R. W. Clem- ents, Secretary ; L. M. Colbert, Senior Deacon; Asa Rooks, Junior Deacon; A. R. Chandler and L. Horton, Stewards; Rev. W. D. Ross, Chaplain; William Hobby, Tyler. Members : Thomas Tucker, J. J. Luke, George Potter, Jr., J. A. Luke, D. L. McCall, James Fletcher, Jr., Willis Dorminy, L. G. Young, George Young, M. P. Young, George D. Willcox, John Fletcher, James W. Whiddon, Samuel Young, S. B. F. Townsend, and Rev. John Ross.
When the Civil War broke out all the members of the above lodge except those who were too old, enlisted in the Confederate army and rushed to the seat of war ready to lay down their lives in defense of a cause they believed just and sacred. Many were killed in battle, others died from disease and exposure and at the close of hostilities there was not a sufficient number of the members left to carry on, so the Lodge's Charter was surrendered. Later on, lodges were constituted at Isabella, in Worth County, Abbeville, in Wilcox County and Nash- ville, in Berrien County, all of which was originally Irwin County.
In 1885, a new lodge was constituted at Irwinville, Georgia, number 315, which is still in existence and has been the mother of more lodges than almost any other lodge in this section. The following lodges in their constitution drew upon this lodge for some of its members to wit: Tifton, number 47, Sycamore, number 210, Bethel, number 515, Pinelevel, number 353, at Fitzgerald, Ocilla number 374, Rebecca, number 464.
The following were charter members of Irwinville Lodge, number 315: William M. Gibbs, Worshipful Master ; Jonathan Smith, Senior Warden; John J. Luke, Junior Warden; John Walker, Senior Deacon; Cornelius Clements, Junior Deacon; David M. Hogan, Treasurer; R. W. Clements, Secretary ; E. A.
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Johnson, Tyler. Brethren: W. J. Clements, Lemuel Tayler, Z. T. Player and Rev. O. D. Mulkey.
This Lodge was constituted by Brother John A. Tomberlin, Past Master of Western Light Lodge, number 272, on Novem- ber 28, 1885.
The first election for officers was held December 10, 1885, and the following brethren were elected. William M. Gibbs, Worshipful Master; Jonathan Smith, Senior Warden; John J. Luke, Junior Warden; David M. Hogan, Treasurer; R. W. Clements, Secretary ; E. A. Johnson, Tyler; John Walker, Senior Deacon; W. J. Clements, Junior Deacon; Rev. O. D. Mulkey, Chaplain; Z. T. Player and Lemuel Tayler, Stewards.
Each member of the Lodge paid into the Treasury $8.50 on a fund to be used as a building fund for building a lodge hall.
On December 10, 1885, the lodge received the first petitions for membership, that of L. D. Tayler and .David Clements. David Clements was the first one to be initiated, which oc- curred on January 9, 1886. L. D. Tayler was the second to be initiated, which occurred February 13, 1886. This lodge con- tinued to prosper and has resulted in much good in the sur- rounding country. At the present time there are five lodges in the county, to wit: Waterloo, Abba, Ocilla, Lax and Irwin- ville, all in a good and flourishing condition.
CHAPTER 5.
CIVIL WAR HEROES.
At the beginning of the Civil War the whole South was one vast military camp and her gallant sons were gathering to rush to the scene of war ready to lay down their lives in a cause they felt to be just and sacred. Irwin County was no excep- tion to the rule, as no community could boast of more loyalty to the Southern cause. While other sections might have been more densely populated, none were braver and more loyal than the sons of old Irwin. The following is a list of the soldiers who went from this county. The first company was Company A, known as the Irwin County Cowboys. J. Y. McDuffie, Captain; George Willcox, First Lieutenant; J. J. Henderson, Second Lieutenant; William Mathis, Orderly Sergeant; Jacob Clements, Corporal.
PRIVATES.
J. W. Akins, Elias Branch, John Branch, David Branch, Jim Branch, John Barton, John C. Bass (Corporal), V. I. Chandler, Frank Chandler, William Conger, Jesse Connel, Jacob Dorminy, Willis Dorminy, Henry Denvey, Horton Fletcher, Elbert Fletcher, James Finn, James Griffin, Raiford Griffin, Jefferson Grantham, Wiley Gray, George Hamon, (Second Sergeant), Reubin Hobby, D. M. Hunter, Daniel Henderson, Richard Howard, Aaron Jernigan, John Jernigan, Jim Kinard, John Kinard, Henry Lee, J. L. Luke, Hamilton Luke, William Luke, Henry Lord, John Mobley, John McDuffie, Mark Merritt, Thomas Munnigan, Daniel McCory, William O. McRae, Tom Nickolson, Mark Pridgen, Hiram Paulk, William Purvis, Reubin Roundtree, John Ross, Alex Sloan, Peter Solomons, Elias Solomons, John Sinclair, Daniel Tucker, Jasper Tucker, Lemuel Tayler, Kinchin Webb, Robert Watson, Jacob Whitley, Alfred Walters, William Watson, Isaac Young (First Ser- geant), James Young, Lawson Young, Thomas Young, George I. Young (Corporal).
The second company organized in Irwin County was Company F of the 49th Georgia Regiment.
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