USA > Georgia > Jefferson County > History of Jefferson county > Part 4
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passed the legislature, but the Governor vetoed it. This checked the operations for a time, but the agents of the companies persisted with Governor Matthews, until he finally signed the act. A few days later, another bill was introduced into the senate with a new title, but in import the same as that which had been vetoed.
The Senate passed the fraudulent bill, and it re- ceived the signature of the Governor. The four companies who received land under this grant were, "The Georgia Company", "The Georgia-Mississippi Company", "The Tennessee Company", and the "Upper Mississippi Company". Thirty-five million acres of land were sold for five hundred thousand dollars, or for one and a half cent an acre.
Intense excitement prevailed, and great indigna- tion expressed against the legislature, and the execu- tive legislators were accused of bribery. William H. Crawford took an active part in the opposition, as did other men of prominence. The Georgia Sen- ators in Congress were James Gunn and James Jack- son. Mr. Gunn had accepted a prominent place in one Yazoo Company and, when he came home, found himself in great disfavor. Mr. Jackson vio- lently opposed the scheme and when the bill passed and became a law, he resigned his seat in the senate, and returned to Georgia to fight the Yazoo fraud.
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He was elected to the legislature, which was to meet the second Tuesday in January, 1796, in Louisville, the new capital of Georgia. The Legislature as- sembled, Governor Matthews sent a message ex- plaining the state of affairs, and advised them to re- peal the Yazoo Act of the past legislature. He told them the various companies had paid into the treasury the amount required, had cancelled all mort- gages, and were in full possession of the land. The case had become complicated, and required careful legislation. On January 5, 1796, Jared Irwin was elected Governor. Both branches of the legislature had been elected, pledged to repeal the Yazoo Act. A committee of nine persons was appointed to in- vestigate the validity and constitutionality of the act, of which committee, James Jackson was chair- man. The committee reported that the fraud and corruption by which the said act was obtained, made it a nullity itself and not binding or obligatory on the people of the state.
A bill drafted by James Jackson, known as the Rescinding Act, was passed by both houses and signed by Governor Irwin Feb. 13, 1796. This Act states the fraudulent grounds upon which the Yazoo lands were obtained, and further declares it to be the sense of Georgia that the Yazoo Act is not bind- ing upon the people, and that the money paid into
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the treasury be refunded, and the grants considered annulled. A day or two after the passage of the Re- scinding Act, it was determined to burn the Yazoo Act, and purge the records of everything relating to it. On Feb. 15, 1796, it was ordered by the legisla- ture that a large fire be kindled in front of the State House, lit from the sun by a burning glass, in order to use fire from heaven to burn the obnoxious papers. The Senate and House met in the Representative Hall, and marched out in procession to a place be- fore the capitol.
When they reached the fire, they formed a circle and reverently removed their hats. The committee appointed to obtain the papers and records handed them to the President of the Senate, that officer de- livered them to the Speaker of the House; from his hands they passed to the Clerk and finally into the hands of the Messenger. The Messenger ap- proached the fire and uttered the words : "God save the State, and long preserve her rights; and may every attempt to injure them perish as these corrupt acts now do". After which, he threw the papers into the fire, where they were consumed to ashes.
After this exhibition of scorn at official dishonesty the members slowly marched back to the house and resumed work. The persons who were interested in the Yazoo sales took offense at this act of the
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legislature and united in a powerful effort to defeat the operation of the Rescinding Act. This was finally carried into United States Congress, and com- missioners were appointed by the government to meet commissioners from Georgia, and settle the difficulty. An agreement was made several years later. Jackson, Milledge, and Baldwin represented Georgia and, in 1802, Georgia ceded to the United States all the territory now embraced by Alabama and Mississippi, and the Yazoo titles were turned over to the Government. The money that had been paid into the treasury of Georgia was refunded to the companies who had an interest in the Yazoo lands, and the United States paid to Georgia one million five hundred thousand dollars.
LOUISVILLE
The legislatures had been meeting alternately, when possible, in Savannah and Augusta since Geor- gia was colonized, with a few exceptions, when it met in one or two other places. The inconvenience of getting to Savannah, from the up-country sec- tions, caused a discussion about moving the assembly to a more convenient place of meeting. On January 26, 1786, when the Legislature met in Augusta, the following commissioners were appointed to select a location, viz : Nathan Brownson, William Few and
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Hugh Lawson. They were instructed to find a site "most proper and convenient" for the end in view, whereon to erect public buildings; and, by way of further stipulations, was added the clause, "pro- vided, the same shall be within twenty miles of Gal- phin's Old Town". On fulfillment of these con- ditions, they were authorized to buy one thousand acres of land and to lay out a part thereof into a town, "which should be known by the name of Louisville". Many difficulties hindered the com- pletion of these plans, but finally, in the Constitu- tion of 1795, the new town was designated as the capital.
One of the first things to occupy the attention of the people after establishing Louisville as capital was the cause of education. When, in 1796, the new county was laid out from Warren and Burke, a provision was made for establishing a school in Louisville to be a branch of the State University at Athens, founded in 1785. The school at Louisville was one of a group established about this time by the Legislature as feeders to the University, and is probably one of the oldest in Georgia. The com- missioners to organize the academy were: David Bothwell, John Shellman, James Meriwether, John Cobb and Josiah Sterrett.
The town was laid off after the pattern of Phila-
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delphia, the streets running north and south, east and west. Town lots were sold and most of pro- ceeds used for the Academy. A grant of one thou- sand pounds sterling from confiscated property was also donated by the government. Many distin- guished men moved to the capital, and here were enacted scenes that have made Georgia history un- paralleled. Among one of the most important acts was burning the papers of the Yazoo Fraud in front of the State House which stood where the present court house stands. Presbyterians were the first to establish congregations in Louisville. These were followed by the Methodists and Baptists.
The first church in Louisville was built by Joseph Gamble, the father of Roger Lawson Gamble, Sr., and was on the lot where the public school stood be- fore it was moved to its present site. It was after- wards surrendered to the Methodists, but on their securing a lot of their own, the old church, much dilapidated, was torn away. There are splendid churches now, Presbyterian, Methodist and Baptist, and an elegant and commodious brick school build- ing recently completed. The wide, shady streets, beautiful homes with well kept lawns, and a hos- pitable people, make Louisville an attractive place for a home-seeker.
Several industries flourish here, among which are
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an oil mill, guano mixing plant, planing mill, ice fac- tory, good mercantile houses, and two banks. The population of the town is about fifteen hundred. The Dixie and Jefferson Davis Highways pass through this town.
The Louisville Gazette, founded in 1796, was one of the pioneer newspapers. The handsome oak press, purchased in England, used in publishing the paper, was afterwards sold to the Georgia Mes- senger at Macon. The Gazette has long since yield- ed place to the News and Farmer, the official organ of Jefferson County.
The Louisville and Wadley Railroad has its ter- minus here, and belongs to a class all alone, as it is not operated on Sunday. The road is on a paying basis. So much for Sabbath observance. Artesian water has improved the health of the town until it compares well with any section. A modern tourist hotel has just been completed on Broad Street.
On the principal business thoroughfare of Louis- ville, there stands one of the most historic structures in America : the old Slave Market. It is one of the very few buildings of this character which time has spared. Around it cluster the fading memories of an old regime; and with the ancient harper in "The Lay of the Last Minstrel", it seems to sing :
"Old times are past, old manners gone, A stranger fills the Stuart's throne."
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There is no one in Louisville who can recall the time when the old Slave Market was built. The presumption is, therefore, quite strong that it must have been erected during the period when Louis- ville was the State capital and when the town prom- ised to become an important commercial center. If such be the fact, it is not less than 120 years old, for Louisville was made the capital in 1795. Indeed, the commissioners to locate the town were appointed at the close of the Revolution, and the first steps looking toward the erection of government buildings at Louisville were taken in 1786. The center of population at this time was Galphinton, only nine miles distant; the planters in the neighborhood were large slave owners, some of them old soldiers, who were given extensive tracts of land for services in the war with England, and the erection of the Slave Market can be readily assigned to this remote period without the least violence to historic truth.
The wooden character of the building does not weaken the strength of this hypothesis. It was con- structed of the best quality of post oak; and even to this day it is difficult to drive a nail into the tough fibers of which the wood is composed. The little structure stands in the middle of the street, where about it on every side pulses the life current of the old town.
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On market days, when crowds gather from the surrounding plantations of Jefferson to shop in the village stores, when the circus comes to town, or when the campaign orator improves the opportunity of court week to stir the echoes of the stump, it seems to wear something of the old-time look and to be dreamily reminiscent of an interest which it once attracted.
For years after the late war, and indeed until times quite recent, it was customary for officers of the court to conduct legal sales at the old Slave Mar- ket. It was probably an inheritance from the days when slave property was here put upon the block and sold under the hammer, but when an issue was raised in regard to it, the custom was discontinued. While the old Slave Market of Louisville serves no practical purpose, it is an interesting memorial which the citizens of Louisville take pride in preserving, since there are few relics of the sort left, and it may be the only remnant of this kind which still remains -an authenticated fragment of the Old South.
On the outskirts of the town is the old cemetery, where several Revolutionary patriots sleep. The new cemetery, adjoining the recent school campus, contains the mortal remains of some of Georgia's most distinguished sons. In 1923, the old town commons for a hundred years owned by Louisville
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Academy, and taken over a few years ago by the city of Louisville, was sold at public auction. It con- tained one hundred and ninety acres, and sold for two thousand and fifty dollars. The school is housed in a modern brick building situated further out, and has a splendid campus, a full corps of teachers, and every facility for teaching. The old school building has been torn down and moved. After the capitol was moved to Milledgeville, the state house was turned over to the county of Jeffer- son. It was used for some years as county court house, but became so dilapidated it was necessary to replace it which, in 1894, was in turn replaced by one of the handsomest court house buildings in the state, at a cost of $50,000.
In excavating for the present court house the foundation of the old state capitol was disclosed, and by singular coincidence, corresponded with the plans for the new building. A slight skirmish occurred here on the last day of November, 1864; some Federal foraging parties were driven into camp by a small force of Wheeler's cavalry. Col- onel Langley was sent out with four regiments and, after the exchange of a few shots, the Confederates slowly retired. The casualties were trifling on both sides.
In the office of the ordinary, Judge Jas. F. Brown,
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and Clerk of the Court, Mr. Waller Murphy, there are many old and valuable papers, some of which are as old as the county. Land grants from King George, ancient wills, lists of beneficiaries of land lotteries just after the War of the Revolution, and many interesting documents whose value increase as years go by. These records, so well kept, and the halo of chivalry and patriotism that linger around those early days of our county's beginning, are leg- acies of immortal worth to the present generation.
WADLEY
In the year 1873, Mr. William Donovan operated a saw mill near the Central Railroad and put down a wood or tram road running from his mill to the point on the railroad now known as Wadley, then called "Shake Rag". Mr. Donovan saw that this would be a good shipping point in the future and conceived the idea of building a town. As he and Judge A. E. Tarver owned the lands on both sides of the road for a mile, he got the judge interested and made liberal offers to the Central Road if suf- ficient side tracks were put in to accommodate the business. A deed to 100 feet of land from the cen- ter of the track on both sides, of sufficient length to hold all side-tracks, was given by these two men. The Road built a freight house, put in side-tracks,
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and made this a full station for all purposes. Later they built a passenger waiting room and put in tele- graph equipment.
Then the little city must have a name. Mr. Don- ovan was a good friend of Mr. William Wadley, the president of the Central Railroad, therefore he gave it the name of Wadley. Lots were staked and sold at public auction. Mr. Tarver built a store house, and the first merchant in the town was S. L. Peterson. Mr. J. A. Spann built a dwelling and small store and occupied them. In 1874, Murphy and Bedingfield built a store and did a general merchandise business for several years. Lots were sold on Main Street, and the town slowly grew.
A short line of Railroad reaching from Wadley to Louisville was surveyed and completed. Mr. Wil- liam Donovan gave lumber and a lot for a school building, and Mr. George Johnson, citizen of Wad- ley, taught the first school. Mr. T. S. Calhoun gave a lot for the Methodist church, and Mr. William Donovan gave the lot on which the Baptist church stands.
The Wadley Southern, and Stillmore Air Line connect with the Central at Wadley, making it a fine railroad center.
Wadley has a splendid brick school building, with a new brick addition to accommodate the increasing number of children.
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Several flowing artesian wells furnish an abundant water supply, and a new light plant is being installed. Wadley is an important lumber shipping point, and has several good mercantile stores, also a bottling plant, and a good hotel and bank. It is situated in a fine farming section. The people are quiet, indus- trious and hospitable.
BARTOW
Ten miles south of Louisville lies the village of Bartow. It is situated on the Central of Georgia Railroad, in a fine farming section. The land is rolling, furnishing fine drainage. In 1859 there were only two dwellings, one just back of the George Palmer house, owned now by Lamar Smith, which was occupied by the overseer of the railroad con- struction force. The other house was near where the school house stands, and was occupied by Mr. William Spier, who kept a commissary for the rail- road hands. During this year Reverend Russel Johnson and Mr. Marcus Evans came over from Burke county and Mr. Johnson bought the home of Mr. Spier while Mr. Evans occupied the little house used by the railroad man. They opened a mercan- tile business and the next year began building col- onial homes side by side. Both of these homes were used for many years to entertain traveling guests.
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The first year Rev. Mr. Johnson and Mr. Evans came over to this place which was then called Spier's Turnout, they began plans to have a school. Mr. George Palmer, a young graduate of Emory Col- lege, was secured, and boys and girls came from the surrounding country to board and go to school. An epidemic of typhoid fever in 1860 claimed Mr. Johnson's oldest son, Alex, as victim, and his was the first grave made in the cemetery. The war in- terfered with the school but as soon as possible it was resumed.
A better name for the place was being sought, and this was furnished by the death of General Bartow at the first battle of Manassas, July 21, 1861, who, when he left home said, "I go to illustrate Georgia". So Spier's Turnout became Bartow.
Two sons of Mr. William Spier were brought home to sleep on their native soil and are buried in one grave. They were not killed in the same battle but at the same time, and their bodies reached home together.
In November, 1864, Sherman's army came, and tore up the railroad, and for a few years the country around was desolated, as Bartow was in the main path of the army, being near the old Savannah road. Soon, however, the town began to resume a more normal condition. Business improved, the school,
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taught for so many years afterwards by Judge J. K. Kinman, flourished. In the 80's Mr. W. C. Smith built a hotel and large store, also a Methodist church, across Williamson Creek à mile south of Bartow, and for a few years business centered in the new site, but soon returned to North Bartow.
The Methodist Church was torn down and moved to its present situation, and the Baptist congrega- tion who also had a church across the creek near the bridge, sold it and built a new church on its present site. A few years later, Mr. H. E. Smith planned a new school house, for which bonds were sold and the house built. This in turn has been moved from the campus and given to the negro school, and a modern one story building erected, for which $45,000 bonds were sold the past year.
The town owns and operates an electric light plant, has a dozen or more private artesian wells, a daily bus line to Augusta, a strong bank, several good mercantile houses, guano mixing plant, two gins and being the center of the finest farming sec- tion of the world, enjoys an immense trade.
The religious and social life of the town has been its trade-mark. Bartow sent out one foreign mis- sionary to Brazil, Miss Elizabeth Murphy, a granddaughter of Judge A. E. Tarver, who himself was a faithful member of the Primitive Baptist church.
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A page from the memoirs of Capt. Ike Herman, a native of France, who espoused the cause of the South during the War Between the States, gives some incidents about Bartow in the spring of 1864. The hospital in Atlanta, at whose head stood Dr. Crawford, had run out of provisions and Mr. Her- man, who was a patient there, but able to do some duty, was appointed by Dr. Crawford to go on a foraging expedition. He gave Mr. Herman ten thousand dollars of new Confederate bills, in de- nominations of five to one thousand dollars. The currency had deflated and they did not expect the money to buy much, but the the Central Railroad kindly gave two box cars, and stationed one each at Bartow and Davisboro. By advertising in the coun- ty papers, and by word of mouth, the news was car- ried far and near. Mr. M. A. Evans was active in gathering up supplies for this car as well as all dur- ing the war. Mr. Herman gave a partial list of the largest contributors. Mr. Warren of Louisville sent a four-horse wagon load of flour, free of charge; Judge Tarver sent a heavy load of meats, chickens, eggs, butter, etc. Mr. B. G. Smith sent a hogshead of hams, shoulders and sides of meat nicely cured, 100 pounds of lard, chickens, eggs and sweet potatoes; in fact the farmers of that section, all well to do, vied with each other as to who could
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do the most. The car was filled with the choicest provisions, all given freely; Mr. Herman was not allowed to pay for anything. Many poor women would bring their last chicken, and refused to take a penny, saying they were sorry they could not do more. Old linen tablecloths were ravelled, and bags of lint and bandages were brought. That night the car was forwarded to the hospital in Atlanta with special instructions as to the perishable goods, and the money that was sent for food was returned to Dr. Crawford to buy sheets and other things for the wounded men.
In years to come, stories of the World War will be told around fire-sides-but the horror is too re- cent to dwell on the subject much now. Bartow women, as well as thousands over the land, met day after day, to knit, and cut garments and sew and pray. To the mothers who had boys in camp or over seas, each stitch was a prayer-but so many were mercifully spared the agony of waiting for one who never returned.
MOXLEY
Moxley is a little station on the Louisville and Wadley Railroad about half way between the two towns. It is an attractive rural community, with a good school, and Methodist and Baptist churches.
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A small modern dairy is located here, managed by Mr. Craig Carswell, and owned by him and his sister, Miss Helen Carswell, whose face and gentle ministrations have brought cheer to many sick rooms.
Farming is the chief occupation, with some lum- ber industry. The people live well, are happy and contented.
STAPLETON
Stapleton was first a country post office known as Spread Oak, and this was shortened to Spread. It is located in the 1460 Militia District, at the junction of the Georgia and Florida, and Savannah and Atlanta railroads.
In 1885, when the Augusta, Gibson, and Sanders- ville railroad was built, now known as the Georgia and Florida, the name was changed to Stapleton in honor of Col. James Stapleton.
At that time there was only one store and a few homes. The town was incorporated in 1906, and has steadily increased in population, which at pres- ent is about five hundred. Financially and morally the town ranks far above the average. In the his- tory of the town and community there has never been a murder committed among the whites.
This is an agricultural section, and is considered
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among the best farming lands in the country, lying on a ridge which is the highest point in the county. The chief crops are cotton and grain; the lumber industry has rapidly increased in recent years.
In 1888 a school building was erected. Later this was found to be inadequate for the needs of the community, and in 1916 a modern brick building was erected on a hill overlooking the town. Eight acres of land was donated for a campus by Mr. James Stapleton. Stapleton has the distinction of having the only brick building in the county and possibly in the state, built by voluntary subscription. There is no bond indebtedness against her school building. In the recent mental tests of schools made by the state, Stapleton ranked first in the county.
There are two churches, Methodist and Baptist. Among the first settlers of this community was George Stapleton, Sr3, who served throughout the Revolutionary War, and is buried at his home place near here on land granted him by the government for war service. The place has never been sold, and is still in possession of his descendants, J. T., J. D. and S. J. Dickson.
George Stapleton, Jr., served as major in the war of 1812 under Gen. Andrew Jackson. After the war he retired to his home in Stapleton and was a successful planter. At the close of the Civil War,
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when Pres. Jefferson Davis was fleeing from the Federal troops, he passed through this section, and his horse being jaded, he exchanged it with Major Stapleton for a fresh one. At the time of Mr. Davis' capture the horse was in his possession. For thirty-three consecutive years, either in the Senate or House of Representatives, Major Stapleton rep- resented Jefferson and Warren Counties in the legis- lative halls of our state. He was ordained to the ministry in 1865. Col. James Stapleton, son of Major George Stapleton, Jr., and grandson of George Stapleton, Sr., served his country as lieu- tenant and captain in Confederate Army, and was promoted to rank of colonel. He served in the leg- islature sixteen years. In 1877 he was ordained to the ministry and served several churches until the time of his death.
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