USA > Georgia > Jones County > History of Jones County, Georgia, for one hundred years, specifically 1807-1907 > Part 37
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91
He lived in Clinton a year or two after being released, but no one was able to buy tailor-made clothes so he became very poor. The Catholic's helped him to get to Savannah, and I lost sight of him.
Clinton used to have a fine circus performer every spring and one of the last that I remember was a big tent pitched in a vacant lot back of Mr. Clowers store. They had a street parade, with a large elephant bringing up the rear. Old Aunt Tabby Towles had a table set up by the side walk, and she sat behind it with a red bandanna around her kind black face. On the table was a huge pile of gingersnaps to sell. As the elephant came by he reached over with his trunk and grabbed a stack of cookies, well, Aunt Tabby fell over backwards, her feet carried the table and gingersnaps over her head, much to the amusement of the crowd.
Reverend Sam Jones in his early days as a minister was sta-
452
HISTORY OF JONES COUNTY
tioned at Monticello in charge of the circuit in Jasper county. His fame extended beyond his circuit and Clinton got him to come there for a revival. In his first sermon, he scared the church members and got the sinners interested. Then he really went for them. There were several Colonels and Judges, sat around town and enjoyed themselves in no Christian way. Sam Jones drew a picture of words of these, then he came down on them with his great power of sarcasm, saying, "God deliver me from, and have mercy on these old Judges and Colonels, who sit about on the street corners and say there is no harm in a dram." This crowd admitted that the cap fitted them, but swore they would not go to hear him again. They did though, their curiosity got the best of them. In one of his sermons he talked on the liberal giver, saying, "A man that gave liberally to God's work made a sure foundation to stand on." Yes he said, "Bro. White gave me a mush melon yesterday and I told Bro. White that was a mighty soft foundation to stand on. Bro. White was from the old Fort, and was present, so the laugh was on him.
Old Joshua Sims was a big, black Negro preacher in the coun- ty-and could holler loud and long and was a power among his race. (Harry S. Edwards made him famous in one of his stories.) When he preached to his race in Clinton some of the white people would go to hear him. Old Joshua was a leader, and of strong influence with the Negroes. He came here to Jones after the war. He had belonged to Captain Sims at Covington. When Sims was elected as Captain in the Young Guard and left for Virginia, Joshua was his body servant. While they were at the depot waiting for the train to leave, old Joshua made a good Confederate speech to the assembled crowd. I heard him because I was attending college at Oxford not far away. Old Joshua preached at a church afterward in Bibb county near Swift Creek near Col. Lanes place.
It was here that Harry Stillwell Edwards heard him and put him as a leading character in one of his stories.
Another Negro preacher in the county who belonged to the Methodist church was George Simmons, he loved the church and although the whites ran it, he died preaching in the church, at Pitts Chapel. He stood with the whites, voted with them, and
HISTORY OF JONES COUNTY . 453
they respected him always. When the Freedmans Bureau opened at Clinton he scorned to go to it and didn't. He plead with his race not to make trouble during reconstruction days, he asked them to stay away from the Carpetbagger and the Scalawag. He helped both races to keep their feet on the ground and should be remembered as an honor to the county.
JUDGES AND SOLICITORS OF THE OCMULGEE CIRCUIT
Jones County has been ever since I can recollect a part of the Ocmulgee Circuit. This circuit has been ably presided over by the best legal minds of the state. Judge Cone is the first one that I can remember. He was a brainy man, determined and stern, holding the bar and the court officers to a very strict rule. Judge R. V. Hardeman of Jones County was next. He was an able judge, honest, upright and just. He presided for several terms and was greatly beloved. He was stricken with paralysis while holding court in Eatonton and had to resign. He lived several years after this at his home in Clinton called, "Sleepy Hollow" but was not able to take an active part in county affairs. I re- member that his charges to the jury were masterpieces, he was sought out for advice as long as he lived.
His rulings as a judge were models of wisdom and justice and no one was more honored by the people who knew him.
Iverson L. Harrison of Baldwin was next. He was a stern man, a good disciplinarian and judge and an able lawyer. Judge Reese of Morgan County was next, a fine jurist, upright and honest. Then came reconstruction and then Phillip Robinson of Green County on the bench who did much for the struggling whites, although he was appointed by the Republican governor R. B. Bullock. He was presiding when the ballot box was stolen in Jones County, and it was he, who ruled the managers and made them count the votes. Judge Foster of Morgan County was also a Republican appointee and served at one time as judge. Then Robinson was judge. As soon as the Democrats gained control Judge Geo. Bartlett of Monticello was the next and very able judge.
454
HISTORY OF JONES COUNTY
Judge Lawson from Putnam county followed by Judge Jen- kins of the same county, were able judges then Judge Hart, next Judge Lewis. These are some of the Solicitors but I cannot recall them all. Col. Lofton of Monticello, who also practiced law in Clinton afterwards.
A noted case was Col. John Rutherford of Macon had a case of Lully Horn versus Woolfolk, Mason and Dibble which ran through several courts in Clinton. Col. Rutherford came to Clin- ton regularly as long as he lived. Col. Joseph Preston from Monticello was an able Solicitor, and some able lawyers who attended this court at Cinton were, Hon. Joseph Hill of Mor- gan, Col. Washington Poe of Macon, Judge Nesbit, L. J. Whit- tle, A. O. Bacon, Geo. Gustin, and A. O. Lockrane all of Macon. Lockrane was a favorite and has made many speeches here. Gress Kennon of Baldwin, noted a sa great criminal lawyer, often had cases in court, he was a member of the Confederate Congress. Lofton Preston and Flem Jordan from Monticello were both practioners here. Col. McKinley of Milledgeville a lawyer and gentlemen as was Col. Junious Wingfield of Eatonton.
There were Isaac Hardeman, J. H. Blount, later R. V. Har- deman, Jr., Judge Richard Johnson, Judge Barron, Capt. R. W. Bonner, and James M. Gray were local attorneys, although Gray never took a case after I knew him.
Court weeks in Jones have always been the third Monday in April and October as long as I can recollect, and were always times of great interest to the people and were well attended. They met, attended to business affairs, discussed politics, bought supplies, and visited friends and relatives. Every home in Clinton was thrown open to guests and the owners friends. Such dinners as were spread, none outside of middle Georgia could equal these. The Judges and lawyers came in their buggies and put up at the hotels. I remember Col. Wing- field of Eatonton telling of sleeping in the room with Hardeman at the old Merriwether House in Monticello. He said that a Frenchman occupied a bed in the same room, making a fourth. As the judges were snoring and making awful noises, one stopped and the little Frenchman jumped out of bed exclaiming, "Tank God, one dead."
455
HISTORY OF JONES COUNTY
Col. Flemmy Jordan from Monticello was great on telling anecdotes. Before the laws forbade it, the Farrow dealer usually came to town during court week and opened up his games at night, and was patronized. A part of the hospitality of that day was to set out guests the brandy, loaf sugar and the toddy stick. Also to treat friends at the many bars in Clinton, as they were noted for the fine liquors, sugars and wines.
The dinners that Madame Parish used to serve the Judges and lawyers in her time were noted and the memory of them handed down for generations. Mrs. Bob Barron, in the same house kept this up as long as she lived.
SOME HAPPENINGS IN AND ABOUT CLINTON LONG AGO S. H. Griswold - January 30, 1908
A temperance lecturer drove from Madison to Clinton, with horse and buggy and he put up at Mrs. Gibson's taven. While de- livering his lecture at the church, some mischievous young men painted his horse to look like a zebra. He was very wroth the next morning when his zebra striped horse was brought around to leave. Of course no one knew anything about it and he left, driving the outfit. He met a man on the road who wanted to know what on earth had happened. "I've been to Clinton," was the reply with a flick of the whip, on the horse, he went on. *
* *
Old Jimmy Canady was an Irishman who lived where Gray now is, near where Capt. Johnson built his home. He drank a lot of whiskey, had no money, no credit, no character, but was always full of wit and humor. As he passed through Clinton on an old horse, Dr. Barron says, "Jimmy, how much did you give for your horse?" Canady says, "Faith and I give me note for 50 dollars and that was too much," Jimmy was never known to pay a debt.
Jim Rowland was a noted well digger and wit, loved liquor and drank it. He got drunk in Clinton one night, the boys black- ed his face and hands, put him in a box, carried him to the court house yard and with ropes drew him up in a chinaberry tree and
456
HISTORY OF JONES COUNTY
fastened him there. About daybreak, Jim woke, looked around, took in the situation, flapped his arms and crowed like a rooster, until the boys took him down.
It was a sales day in Clinton, and among the crowd were Wiley Franks, Wick and Henry Christian, and John Bradley, whom had ridden to town on horseback. They went to the bar several times and were feeling pretty good. When they left town Wiley Franks invited them all to spend the night with him, so they rode off toward Bradley, riding through Briar Lane which divided the Lowther and Bowen plantations. On the Lowther side were hedges of Cherokee roses and a red, red mud hole. As the four friends rode through it, Wick who was about drunk fell off his horse. The others did not hear him fall because of the slush of the horses feet, finding himself alone he said, "Ah, well fellows if you are going to leave me here, please put a rock under my head."
Court in April-case of Steven Collins vs. Griswold, Collins claiming a lot of land on the Central R.R. near Bibb Co. which Griswold had bought from Cribbs, and was in possession cutting the timber, Griswold wanted the case put off but did not have as good an excuse as his lawyer liked. His son-in-law who liked his fun, got several others to help him run out of town the principal witness, Cribb. The night before the case Cribb retired early on a bench in the courthouse, John Bradley, Perry Finney and two others came in and fired a pistol over Cribbs' head, Perry Fin- ney falls to the floor as if dead, Bradley rushes up grabs Cribb and accuses him of shooting Finney. Cribb is frightened almost to death, Bradley sympathizes with him and tells him how sorry he is, but he will have to arrest him and as they go out of the door he whispers to Cribb that out of the house he will loosen his grip and for him to jerk away and run for his life, that he would shoot at him but not to hit, that he would try to get him but to do his best to get away and not to come back.
As they went out Bradley loosed his hold and in the half dark Cribb tore out running with the pistol firing over his head. Cribb
457
HISTORY OF JONES COUNTY
tumbled over a six foot bank, arose running and was out of sight in the woods. The case could not be tried the next day and all went well.
By S. H. Griswold-Jones Co. News-Feb. 6, 1908
Henry Gantt kept a bar room in Clinton near the old black- smith shop, on the corner where you turn from the old courthouse in Clinton to go to Gray. Mr. Wm. Morgan, Sr., lived where Miss Harriet Morgan now lives and had a wood shop on the corner of the street, and a Tan Yard on the branch below his house. Mr. Morgan was a good citizen and energetic. He had a son named Wm. Morgan, Jr. who could do most anything and was as smart as could be. Roland Ross was a small boy, had just been brought to Clinton by Charles McCarthy, Clerk of the Court. McCarthy put Ross to work in his office. Henry Gantt had a nickname for everyone and called Wm. Morgan, Jr., "The Warrior." Roland Ross grew into a capable man and later when McCarthy stepped out he was elected Ordinary.
Dr. Bowen lived at the home later owned by Judge Barron and was the leading doctor in the county.
Judge Hardeman lived at Sleepy Hollow later owned by Abe James. He had been paralized and sitting in his usual place when Shermans army came along-1864. They soon had his horses and mules, but there was one mule that no one could ride. A Yankee put the bridle and saddle on and a negro told him that no one could ride that mule, but the Yankee replied, "Oh well he has never had a Yankee on his back, I can ride him." The Yankee mounted, the mule crop-hopped, bucked, doubled up and threw the Yankee saddle and all over his head. The Yankee got up hopping along. Judge Hardeman said, "Well its clear that you never rode a young Georgia Mule before."
S. H. Griswold-Feb. 20, 1908
On the courthouse square in Clinton, directly opposite the courthouse, and in front of it stood a large two-story building used as a tavern. Across the front and extending to the sidewalk was a two-story porch, on one end of which was built a small
458
HISTORY OF JONES COUNTY
room, with a door opening on the porch. This door was cut in two, so that the upper half could be opened while the lower half remained closed. This was the village Post Office.
The right hand room on the ground floor of this house was used for a bar or tap room. The left hand room was a parlor or reception room and an ell extended back of the bar for a dining room, a two-story back porch extended back from this ell across the main body of the house. Captain Mike Sullivan a clever and eccentric Irishman, kept this tavern at the time I write of, and was also the village postmaster. He had a wife and two or more daughters. In front of the tavern stood a post some 12 or 15 feet high with a bell on it and a big rope hanging down. When travelers or the stagecoach halted at the tavern the bell was rung and out ran the Hostler to take the horses to the stables in the rear. Capt. Mike kept good whiskies, brandies, wines and cigars. His daughters had several cages of canary birds hanging on the back porch, and in the yard were two fierce dogs. The boys of the village played some rough jokes on the Captain but he al- ways managed to come out on top. Some of these pranksters were, Thomas Morris, Dennis Townsend, Lawyer Bonner, Col. Steve Clowers. Col. Steve Clower got his toddy at the bar each day.
On a sunshiny day early in Dec. 1864, a huge wagon with a very long and deep body drawn by three yokes of large oxens came lumbering down the main street of Clinton, halted before the tavern and post office. The body of this wagon was full of mattresses and feather beds, and on top sat one of Jones county's wealthiest planters, Sherman's army had passed his way a few weeks before, carrying off his horses, carriages and this was his only means of coming to town to attend to business.
Another sunshiny day, several gentlemen were seated under the shade of the chinaberry trees in front of Judge Gray's office, discussing politics, and bidding on land to be sold that day, legal sales day and a political mass meeting. William McKissic dressed in a dirty suit of fiery red, with an old white hat gone up to a point and unshaven rode by on an old flop-eared mule, having a
1
459
HISTORY OF JONES COUNTY
saddle with a rope girth, and a rope bridle. As he passed by, he turned his head and with a comical grin say, "Good evening gen- tlemen, if I hain't miscalled the crowd." * *
Col. Clowers had a large store and did a good business in front of the courthouse. He was one of the largest land owners, and planters in the county. Henry Greaves ran the store for him, Mike Bird was one of his customers.
OLD TIME CITIZENS S. H. Griswold-1908
The lower part of Burden's District and a part of Roberts all around where Griswold is, was originally in the finest large long leaf yellow pines and was known as the "piney woods." The lands were considered poor and laid off into lots 2021/2 acres, and sold very cheap. This section was below the Garrison road and joined Twiggs county. As soon as the county was opened for settlement, part of it was taken up and thickly settled by people from the lower part of Warren and Glascock counties, this being the same kind of lands and timber. As a rule these settlers were poor men and settled on small farms of fifty acres or more.
They built rude log houses, planted a few acres. for bread and trees of cherry, apple, peach and plum. The greater part of the land was left in timber. They let their large flocks of sheep and cattle graze through these woods. They obtained considerable food from the wildlife so abundant, fish, quail, rabbit, deer and squirrel. Among these settlers were, William Kitchens, Paige, Cribb, Cobb, Tender, Oswalt, Hoppa, Hansel, Sam Kelly, Bill Smith, Henry Wells, Terry Jordan, Simpson Moore, Ussery Moore, McElroy, Seaborn, Sketo, Tom Stew- art, Mulkey, McDaniel, Henry Johnson, Billy Johnson, Davis Duncan, Moses Davis, Jordans, Woodalls, Goulding who was half brother of Davis Duncan and had his name changed to Woodall. William Kitchens moved from Warren County in 1832 and bought a lot of land and a mill from Abnett giving him a horse valued at six hundred dollars. This mill was on Big Sandy Creek, not far from Griswoldville, and right near the Central railroad and the road which leads from Griswoldville to Macon
460
HISTORY OF JONES COUNTY
crosses the creek just below the old mill dam. Kitchens after- wards lost this land because, Abnett had an execution against this land when he traded it to Kitchens.
As a boy I swam and fished in Day's Mill pond and it was a fine place. Kitchens moved over on the old Clinton and Marion road, on the west side of the Central railroad now near the Twiggs and Bibb County line. William Kitchens family were, William, Orren, Jim, Bose, Urias. William, Jr. lived on upper Big Sandy where now Dr. Poland lives. He sold this place to Sam Griswold and bought a place on the west side of the Marion road near the Twiggs line. Henry Kitchens and Miles Kitchens and Orren of Twiggs are his sons. Orren, Jim and Bose moved to Dooly county. Urias lived near the Cross Roads and his son John Kitchens married Lizzie Roberts, and moved to Twiggs county. John and Henry Kitchens were good soldiers in the 45th Ga. Regiment Co. F. Confederate army. Abner lived on the hill toward Macon. Sam Griswold bought this place and nearby in the family graveyard in which Paige, Oswelt and others are buried (Jim Stubbs) which was the flower garden part, of the Samuel Griswold home; I remember the graves. Duncan was about the wealthiest man in this neighborhood and lived on the hill beyond old 18 station and it was here the Yan- kee lines were formed when the Battle of Griswoldville took place. I don't remember where Hoppa, Pender, Hansel or Cobb lived but near here. Duncan was agent for the Central when it first came through, also postmaster. Griswold bought him out in the 1840's or 50's. Goulding lived beyond the creek near Gor- don, Griswold also bought his place. Peyton Smith and Sketo lived near Duncan where the railroad is. The Jordans, Oswelt Kitchens and then Tom Stewart who lived on the road from Ir- winton to Clinton. He sold to Griswold and moved away. Simp- son Moore and Ussery Moore lived in their neighborhood also John James.
Simpson Moores family were, John, Bill, Jim, Tom, Alex, Steve and Bishop, Jane and Molly.
Ussery Moore's sons were, Bill, John, Jim, Bob, and Steve.
Billy Smith was on the hill where the road from Griswoldville to the Styles' place cross Sandy Creek, he had a mill and a pond.
461
HISTORY OF JONES COUNTY
In the 40's he had a big day of fishing, seining, Peyton Pitts and Bill Wood were in the crowd and Peyton shot and wounded a big alligator, which ran up under the bank in the mud and water. Bill Woods jumped on the alligator straddle and got a hold of him where he couldn't bite and by main strength drag- ged him out on dry land. This gater measured seven feet, and when a fellow walked near be grabbed him by his heel, tearing off the shoe and part of his heel.
There was some drinking, and I daresay that before the day was over, there were forty fights.
This Billy Smith was the grandfather of John and Clark Smith. Griswold bought this place. Sam Kelly lived farther up the creek and was the father of Miles and Wash Kelly. Nearby lived Seaborn, Mulkay and McDaniel.
Ed Morton bought Mulkey's place and Griswold bought Mc- Daniels, later Morton bought McDaniels' too.
Henry Wells and Dan McGure lived near the Cross Roads. McGure had a boy named Tom who taught school. Billy and Henry Johnson lived at the Cross Roads too, also Mose Jordan, a son of John Jordan who taught at the old field school before Alexander Martin taught there, 1845. McElroy lived near here, Cribb lived on the Macon side of Sandy Creek not far from the Garrison road. He had a large family most of whom moved to south Georgia, some went to Macon.
Jim and Bill Wood lived farther over in the Burden neigh- borhood. Moses Davis lived next. The Ethridges lived in the Mountain Springs neighborhood as did Ichabod Balkcom. Balk- com was a northern man and a hatter by trade. He married in the neighborhood and was the father of Bryant, James and Henry, all of whom were prosperous and good citizens. Each one had good property before the war and are well known in Bibb, Twiggs and Jones Counties.
The Dennings and the Drews were good citizens of this place.
Luke Brundage lived on Big Sandy Creek which runs across or under the Central railroad nearly a mile from Griswoldville towards Macon. There were three mills. Abnetts, Smiths and Pauls. All were primitive affairs that ground corn. Another prong of this creek rises near Ben and Abe James' place and
462
HISTORY OF JONES COUNTY
Gerry Sketo's place and the creek flows on by Dr. Gibson's place. Hubert Reynolds built a mill where the three branches run to- gether, and on down General Myrick had a large corn and wheat mill.
Sometime before the war, Griswold tried to drain the large swamp on the upper fork, which ran back of his house, he em- ployed several Irishmen and had a ditch cut eight feet wide and four feet deep, from his house to Paul's pond about one and a fourth miles long, but the fall was not great enough to drain the pond sufficiently.
JONES COUNTY HISTORY S. H. Griswold-1909-Jones Co. News
John Casey in 1840 lived on the road from Clinton to Devil's Half Acre, and his house was the first after you cross Cedar Creek. He had a son named Job. He came from North Carolina to Jones. He had a bad slave who knew Casey'h habit of going to the barn at night to see if all was well before retiring. So one night this slave killed Casey with an ax and took his body to Cedar Creek and sank it in the creek. He killed the horse on which he carried the body put it in a gully and covered it with pine tops. The family looked everywhere for Casey but as his horse was missing it was thought that he had gone some place. The buzzards led the searchers to the body of the horse, they then searched for the body and found it and arrested Claiborne, the slave, who confessed that he had killed him. He was carried to Clinton jail and when the trial came up he was sentenced to hang. He also confessed before dying that he had committed another crime for which another had been hanged. Edmund Dumas lived in this neighborhood and helped on this case. Du- mas ran against Peyton Pitts for delegate to the secession con- vention to be held in Milledgeville, and was beaten by Pitts by a few votes. Dumas was a union man and against secession.
Hurt owned and operated a blacksmith shop and wagon shop near the village of Ethridge. He had three northern mechanics at work in the shop as well as three other white men, these me- chanics were Wilcox, Gabs and Hayes. As the war broke out they returned to the north.
463
HISTORY OF JONES COUNTY
The father and grandfather of Edmund Dumas as well as the father and grandfather of Tom and John Williams lived in the Ethridge neighborhood. Nearby was the old upper leather race track, at this place was a grocery at the cross roads where whis- key was sold, and where men not only drank together but fought too. The Williams' and the Dumas' were involved in some of these fist fights.
Stephen Bivins was a planter of large means, lived on the south side of Commissioners Creek joined by lands of Peyton Pitts, Squire Choates and, whom were good friends but there was a lot of rivalry between them. Bivins was a strong Union man and never favored secession, he used to argue with his neighbors at old Salem church and predict the downfall of the south if we seceded. One time a man sighted Bivins for drinking too much, in church, Bivins a powerful and strong man threat- ened to throw him out and everyone was afraid to press the charges. He was A Whig in politics, a Union man, and a good citizen. He made a fortune but lived to see it all destroyed by the Federal armies and it was said that he died from grief, which also happened to Squire Choates, and Peyton Pitts. In their old age they saw all of their work go for naught, the bottom rail on top, the whole superstructure of their lives pulled down on their heads so to speak. Ther spirits were broken and they were rushed to an untimely grave.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.