USA > Georgia > Tift County > History of Tift County > Part 15
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In 1880, he married Margaret Fletcher, better known as "Gallie." After his marriage, he bought two lots of land in the Brighton Community, and here they reared their family: Alice, James (present sheriff of Tift Coun- ty), Edna, and Kate.
Mr. Walker was a good neighbor, a real friend to the poor and unfor- tunate. often going out of his way to befriend them, a devoted husband, a good provider for his family, and a civic minded man-always working for the best interests of his community.
He died October 1, 1917. Mrs. Walker survived him several years. She was a faithful, active member of the Mount Olive Primitive Baptist Church, a fine cook, kind to the sick, and even though her health was poor for many years, she went about as long as she lived, giving "A cup of cold water in the Master's name." They rest in the Tifton cemetery.
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BROOKFIELD (Tifton Gazette) Jan. 5, 1923 (By Nathan L. Turner)
Brookfield started September or October 1870. George W. Bowen, father of Enoch P. and I. W. Bowen, built a little cypress log store, near where the Brookfield Methodist Church now stands, about 14 by 16 feet, about the time stated above, and put canned goods, crackers, and groceries in it.
This was just as the grading crew of the what then was to be the Brunswick and Albany Railroad, moved their camps to what is east Brook- field now; the track-laying crew was somewhere east of Alapaha river then, I think about Willacoochee.
Bowen had to haul his goods by team fifty miles, probably from Val- dosta and Albany.
The railroad now belongs to the A. C. L. Railway Co. They were build- ing, but he sold goods and kept on doing business until the road began running trains as far as Brookfield, and it was a station from the first train that reached there until now.
Elisha S. Mallory built the first sawmill there, also in the bounds of Tift County about a year or two after the railroad was finished that far. Brookfield was a town before Tifton or Ty Ty was started. The next sta- tion above Brookfield was Riverside, just north of Little River. It had a sidetrack and store before Tifton was started, but Tifton got the store and killed it.
It was in this store of Mr. Bowen's that I spent my first dime. I bought five cents worth of streaked-stick candy, and five cents worth of lemon crackers, and got five of each and that was the best candy and crackers I ever ate, or ever will.
I was six years old and had on my first suit of clothes, made from home sheared, home-spun, home woven and home-made "jeans." It was half of woven wool, and the other half of warps of cotton, home-grown. home hand-seed picked, for I helped to pick it and home-spun. I also had on about my first pair of shoes, and they were made out of home-tanned cowhide, tanned and made by my brother-in-law Dempsey Willis with pegs from maple wood and sewed with home-made thread. (Willis lives at Brookfield now.) They were not very good, but they kept a fellow's feet warm. So as smart as the boys think they are of today, we can boast of things they never saw, even had.
There was one train a day up, and down next day, with fifteen to twenty- five box and flat cars, with a coach with a division through the center, the
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front end used for baggage, express, and mail car, and the other on hind end, used for colored people and then the last car used for white folks. They looked like street cars used now.
There were no air-brakes then, only hand-brakes, and when they wanted to stop, they blew brakes about a half to three-quarters of a mile before they got to the place where they wanted to stop, and often then, would run past it before they could stop. One short blow of the whistle was to apply brakes and two short blows to release them, and when they blew for brakes you would see the fellows on top of the freight cars in a trot, running from one car to the other twisting on brakes. Wet or cold weather, or even sleet or snow, they had to stay up there.
The engines were wood-burners, and had to stop every few miles to take on wood to fire with and sometimes they could not make it to the next wood rack, and would have to stop and get some wood out of the woods, along side the track to fire up, so they could make the next woodrack. When they got there, the conductor had to get off and go to the engine and punch a ticket made for that purpose, the numbers of quarter cords they took and drop it in a little covered box attached to the woodrack for that purpose. That was what the man who run the rack got his pay from the paymaster with.
There were no depots for several years after the road was built along the line, and the conductors collected freights and fares in cash, except what went to Albany or Brunswick.
Conductors carried a duplex ticket to punch the place the passenger got on and off, the date, and amount collected. He gave you one-half of it, but you had to pay ten cents extra, for this receipt ticket he gave you, but the paymaster would redeem those tickets on the pay car once a month at ten cents. This is the only way he could check up with the conductor on cash fares.
This road ran, this one train one way and next day the other until 1879, when they put on one each way. The first daily train that ran from the east, brought old Uncle Jimmy Gaulding to Tifton in July, 1879.
I am the oldest man from point of occupancy in Tifton, I think. I came and lived here May 9, 1879, just ahead of Uncle Jimmy Gaulding, and Mrs. J. B. Huff, had lived here with her father, Uncle Billy Mathews, just before I came. I think she is the oldest resident in Tifton, from a point of occupancy. Now, don't think I am old.
I was clerking in the store of Turner and Fletcher, composed of my brother, Jack Turner, and James Fletcher, who was killed later by James Gibbs, near Alapaha river (between here and there) .. This was the only store here then and Tift did not even have a commissary then. It was that year that Mr. Tift bought his first engine to pull his log trucks and the road ran out southeast to the Old Myer Baker place. I rode with him on the engine the first trip he made out with it.
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(Editor's Note: There was great difficulty in getting facts about Brook- field because of conflicting opinions. We finally decided to use two articles, which may give some contradictory statements, but we did our best to get accuracy. )
THE HISTORY OF BROOKFIELD (Eulala Tyson )
Brookfield, a small village seven miles east of Tifton, was founded in the late 1870's. It was settled by a small, compact group of peace-loving citizens; farmers, merchants, and lumber men grouped together to form this small unit they called a community.
The citizens of Brookfield did not make its history. They merely lived . there and in living Time and Fate slowly chiseled their age-old story on the faces of these old settlers. Each face is a history in itself-history of peace, love, and harmony, fear, death, and disaster, joy and sorrow. They are all etched on the faces of the survivors. They will tell you that Brook- field has no history. It has no beginning and no ending. It has always been there-a meeting-place of the local boys, shopping center for the enter- prising young ladies of the surrounding parts, and gossip-post and hitch- rack for all the men and mules.
Brookfield began with Fender's Lumber mill which produced lumber for surrounding territories. This lumber mill was followed by two stores operated by Mr. John Churchwell and Mr. J. M. Brown of Nashville, Georgia.
In Mr. Churchwell's stores one could find an odd assortment of goods. Farmers could purchase their mule shears, plow lines, gear, seed, and chewing tobacco. The good ladies, their wives, could make their purchases of gingham, grits, and white sugar. For the children shopping was quite a problem. The candy counter was there with its attractions. The youngster of yesterday had to rack his brain. Shall we buy peppermint sticks, gum- drops, or licorice ?
Mr. Churchwell, a notable character in Brookfield's early history, led a hectic life. Aside from operating the largest merchandise store for miles, he was postmaster, express agent, and depot agent. Mr. Churchwell would gladly oblige one by selling a ticket, but the train-waving was left up to the individual.
When Brookfield's population increased so that Mr. Churchwell could not handle all of its thriving business, Mr. Charles Hardy and Mr. Enoch Bowen opened stores of their own. Brookfield was growing. The virgin timber was being cleared away, and more and larger farms were being cultivated. Mr. Sanders Gibbs operated a long staple cotton gin. Busi- ness was humming.
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When Mr. Churchwell gave up his store in Brookfield and went to Albany, Georgia, Mr. Henry Webb and Mr. Archer McMillan took over his store. They continued his practice of business.
The landowners of Brookfield were farmers, and merchants and lumber men. They owned all of the territory in and around Brookfield. They made the community what it was then, a proud heritage to leave to their children. They left a responsibility to be shared by all who lived there. Today their children and grandchildren accept that responsibility and listen with pride to the tales of their forefathers.
Out of the haze of the past then comes a reminiscent gleam that makes the shadowy figures of the past a vague reality. Farmers in the village with their high stepping buggy horses, merchants, business to the core, all gathered with one common interest, to live, to build a home, to build part of a county, a state, and a nation, and a world. The children of yester- years may see Mr. Richard Gibbs, pole and can in hand, headed for the Alapaha River. Jolliest of the old settlers was Mr. Will Coursey. His merry laugh and cheery words were the joy of all his friends. Mr. Demp- sey Willis was a squirrel hunter while Mr. Mac White liked to hunt birds. Mr. Jim Taylor, farmer, was a very religious man, and he took his re- ligion seriously. Every Sunday one could see him jogging along in his buggy. The Reverend R. A. Lawrence was pastor of a church called "Booges Bottom." Each Sunday this bearded gentleman could be seen com- ing from his home on the Alapaha, his old mule and road cart putting out small dusty puffs behind him.
A visit to the mill operated by Mr. Charles Hardy was always a delight to the children. Just the words "Hardy's mill" would send the youngsters scrambling for their swimming suits, fish hooks, poles, and the inevitable can of worms.
The merchants, Mr. J. L. Gay and Mr. I. W. Bowen took their busi- ness seriously. Through their good works, Brookfield thrived and grew.
Mr. C. H. Patton, son of Mr. Will Patton, one of Brookfield's settlers, was a mere child when the community was formed. Even though he was young, he remembers the tales told by his father of their early life at Brookfield. Their forefathers' pride still lingers. Pride in living well-in living good-in dying revered by all.
Life in early Brookfield was not too dull, so Mr. Patton said. After the farmers' "laying by" time in July, the farmers all took off from one to two weeks to hold their annual "big-meeting." Church services were conducted by half a dozen preachers. Often the Baptists and Methodists would hold their meetings together. The preacher of one denomination would hold his services while the others listened. The next would then take his turn. After services were over, the converted ones would join the church of their choice. Out of these "big meeting" there arose one of
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the greatest evangelists in our church history, Bishop Arthur J. Moore, Brookfield's presentation to a dark world in bad need of His light.
After two weeks of "big meeting," fodder was ripe and ready to pull. The long staple cotton was ready for picking. Cane was ripe for grinding after cotton was picked.
Cane grinding was always fun for the young and old. A good drink of ice cold.cane juice drunk under the light of a mellow harvest moon was headier than champagne drunk in society's glamor and glitter.
While the children played such games as Goosey-goosey-gander, William Trimble Toe, and Club Fist around a lightwood-knot fire, the elders would indulge in the latest gossip, horse-trading news, or a general discussion of the wayward trail taken by the younger generation.
A serenade after a wedding was more fun than a movie, then unknown to Brookfield's younger generation. When any young couple were married, young and old, big and little, joined in the serenading. This procession of merry-makers, making music or noise with big plow sweeps, dish pans, cow bells, and big circle saws would dance around the house two or three times, making as much noise as deemed possible. When everyone was tired of the clamor of dishpans, the jangle of cow bells, and the shrill "twing" produced by the circle saw, they congregated as close to the bride and groom as possible for the final serenading. The banjo, harmonica, and the old grinder's organ made sweet music. Every one sang to the disgruntled newlyweds. When the moon was high and it was time to leave, the song- sters sang "Home, Sweet Home." Everyone was gay and happy but the bride. Her tears flowed like wine.
In 1906, a druggist from Tifton drove the first automobile ever in Brookfield. The ladies marvelled over the great speed while the men tried to hold their panicky horses and mules. This event came close to causing a revolution in Brookfield's mode of transportation. It had been the custom of the young blades to go to Tifton to rent a horse and buggy to take their best girls for a Sunday ride. Two and one-half dollars would rent one of Tifton's highest-stepping buggy horses and classiest buggies worthy of any young lady. Did the first Brookfield-owned car arouse envy in the hearts of our Brookfield's Romeos ?
The reminiscent gleam slowly fades and one can hear the soft murmur, "Ah, those were the good old days."
George Levere, one of Brookfield's oldest negro citizens, gave his ver- sion of the way Brookfield got its name. He said, "Missey, them white folkses tell you dat Brookfield got hits name from dat stream down yonder 'hind Mr. Harrell's, but old George can tell you better. When us darkies furst come to Brooksfield, us had to go through Mr. Brook's field to git to de sto. Us jist say 'We gwine fru Brooks' field'." Even now one never hears a darky say Brookfield. It's always Brooksfield.
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Brookfield grew gradually. Its people lived and died. Only the memory of the days gone by remains. Today Brookfield is still a drowsy country village loved by all its inhabitants.
BISHOP ARTHUR MOORE
by E. Pickard
Arthur James Moore, born at Argile, near Waycross, Georgia, Decem- ber 26, 1888, was son of John Spencer Moore and Emma Victoria Cason Moore, both of Ware County. When little more than an infant Arthur moved to Brookfield where he made his home with his parents for many years, John Spencer being section foreman with the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad.
On April 26. 1906, Arthur J. Moore married Mattie T. McDonald, of which union were William Harry, Wilbur Wardlaw, Alice Evelyn, Doro- thy Emma, Arthur James, Jr.
When the Reverend C. M. Dunnaway, of Atlanta, was preaching at a revival at the First Methodist Church, Waycross, in 1909, Moore was converted. That year he joined the South Georgia Methodist Conference and that fall he became pastor of a group of seven McIntosh County coun- try churches, of which Townsend was his first pastorate. None had a mem- bership exceeding thirty.
Moore attended Emory, 1909-1911. He was ordained in 1914. He be- came a general evangelist and conducted evangelistic meetings throughout the nation until 1920, when he became pastor of the Travis Park Meth- odist Church, San Antonio, Texas. He received the Doctor of Divinity degree from Asbury College, Wilmore, Kentucky, 1922, and from Central College, Fayette, Missouri, 1924. Asbury, in 1930, conferred upon him the LL.D. degree.
After the death of Dr. George Barr Stewart, pastor of the First Meth- odist Church, Birmingham, Dr. Moore succeeded Dr. Stewart as pastor and remained at that charge four years.
During Dr. Moore's ten years as pastor of Travis Park and at Bir- mingham, more than six thousand members were added to these churches.
In 1930, at the general conference of the Methodist Church, held in Dallas, Texas, Dr. Moore was elected Bishop. His first assignment was to the West Coast of the United States, and it embraced California, Ore- gon, Arizona, and Washington State.
In 1934 Bishop Moore was assigned the general supervision of mission work of the Southern Methodist Church. Under his direction was work in China, Japan, Korea, Asia, Poland, Belguim, Czechoslovakia, and the Belgian Congo of Africa. All of these places he visited annually. He main-
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tained offices in Shanghai and Brussels, and was wont to travel to Africa by plane.
In 1940 Bishop Moore was again appointed to supervision of Methodist work in the United States. He was assigned Georgia and Florida. Head- quarters were in Atlanta. Also, he is head of missions of the entire Meth- odist Church, carrying on work in fifty nations.
For a year Bishop Moore served as president of Wesleyan College. Ma- con, the world's oldest chartered female college. He preceded Dr. N. C. McPherson, of Atlanta, who became president in 1942.
In June, 1942 Bishop Moore was preacher at an evangelistic meeting held at his boyhood home, Brookfield. Other preachers having a part in the Brookfield meetings were Dr. Orion Mixon, of Tifton, and Dr. John Sharp, presiding elder of Cordele District of the Methodist Church. Fol- lowing the Brookfield meeting, Bishop Moore came to Tifton where he spoke at union services held in huge Twin Brick Warehouse and attended by approximately a thousand people at many of the services. Dr. Inman Johnson, professor of music at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, Kentucky, led the singing.
On May 25, 1947, Bishop Moore dedicated the Brookfield Memorial Methodist Church. Among others taking part in the dedicatory services was his son, the Reverend William Harry Moore, pastor of the Broadway Methodist Church, Orlando, Florida.
(See article on Churches, this book, re Brookfield Memorial Church. )
CHULA by Billy Jean Pearman
The first Chula community, as was typical of South Georgia, was merely mile after mile of pine trees and wiregrass.
Gradually a few pioneer families moved from other sections. Jehu Branch, Sr., was one of the first men to bring his family to this district for settlement.
From its first settlement the chief occupation of this small community has been farming. Few crops were grown in the first year or two. Sheep roamed the open country, and once a year they were driven to market to be sold. With the money received from the sale of livestock were bought various goods not grown on the farms. The women and children received their yearly clothing requirements on this eventful occasion. New farm equipment then in use was purchased for the farms. Until the next annual trip to town, the wives discussed their new gowns and slippers.
Then in the early '80's Jehu Branch, Sr., began the local grading for a railway. Construction of the railway began and 1888, the first train ran
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over the road. A highway was built through the community, but U. S. No. 41 was not paved until the spring of 1928.
After Branch helped with the grading of the road, he erected a turpen- tine still and general store. Then a few years later he sold his stock to George W. Fletcher, another early settler in the community.
About the same time Polk Milner erected a sawmill one mile south of Chula near the present site of Rigdon's Camp. For a few years he sawed lumber and when he moved, sold the mill to A. B. Hollingsworth, who continued its operation.
The community's first post office, with George Branch as postmaster, was called Ruby. Upon discovering that another post office in the United States carried the same name, postal authorities changed the name to Chula, probably an Indian name meaning "flowers."
After the name was changed to Chula, the town was incorporated. Three bar rooms were erected and continued to operate until several years later when the charter expired.
Upon completion of the Georgia Southern and Florida Railroad through this section, people began to move into the Chula community. Much of the land bought by the new settlers had been cleared. Today practically all the land is farm land.
Since the coming of the first settlers, no provision had been made to fill the religious wants and needs of the people. In 1905 the people of the community, under the supervision of A. B. Hollingsworth, erected. the Chula Methodist Church. A number of years later the Baptist Church, Reverend D. C. Rainey, pastor, was constructed.
An interesting note is the fact that all deaths in the Chula community have been from natural causes with the exception of two.
The first community doctor was Dr. Ellis. Dr. W. H. Hendricks as- sisted Dr. Ellis for a short time. Today Dr. Hendricks is a well-known Tift County physician. After Dr. Ellis's stay, Dr. W. E. Tyson practiced medicine in Chula. At the time of his death about thirteen years ago, Dr. Tyson was a much-loved citizen of the community. Since that time the community has been without a resident physician except for a year at a time.
In 1925 Berry Rigdon erected a turpentine still at Chula. Rigdon oper- ated the still until it was destroyed by fire about fourteen years later. Since that time naval stores products have been taken directly to Tifton, with the exception of those under the direction of Willis' Still.
The Chula community has always had an excellent school. The first school was near the W. E. Tyson home. The second building was located directly to the rear of the present Fred Pearman home. From there the site of the building was moved to the V. D. Tyson home. Several terms were taught there. In 1925 the Chula Consolidated School, said to be the
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first in the state, was erected. For a few terms the school was a senior high school; however, it was deemed wise for the upper two grades to be sent to the high school in Tifton.
Since the time the Southern Railroad was first built, the Chula com- munity has grown. Today it is typical of the many small villages that con- stitute a part of our county, state, and nation.
A LONE SOLDIER IN GRAY (Ida Belle Williams)
May 3, 1934-Copied from Tifton Gazette.
The following tribute, by Miss Ida Belle Williams, to Tift County's only surviving veteran, was read at the Memorial Day Exercises here last Thursday.
While ploughing a field in old Dixie and listening to soldiers' tramps, a lad of sixteen years dreamed of joining the "Grays." Finally the struggles of the sixties grew so desperate that the call came for Southern youth to join the colors. The morning thrills of young manhood swept over Beverly Patton Leach, as shouldering his gun to the rhythm of a Southern martial air, he stepped up to bid goodbye to loved ones and to the old farm near Griffin, Georgia. Alas, his heart grieved as his old mother clasped her son and wept farewell.
This soldier boy marched directly toward Andersonville, Georgia, where later he met 62,000 prisoners in blue. For several weeks young Leach helped guard the stockade there. During this time the overflow of a stream washing away many of the logs, enabled a few prisoners to escape; but the alert Southern boys caught these prisoners.
Oh, the hardships of this brave Southern lad, who ate fat meat and corn bread and slept under the sky! Such things as coffee and biscuit were foreign to his diet. Many times this soldier boy, while sleeping on a log pillow, dreamed of the yesterdays on the old farm near Griffin. Leach would force back a tear as he awoke to the thundering realization of war.
From Andersonville to Savannah, Leach went with 1,000 prisoners. In this city by the sea he continued guarding and enduring the hardships. Fat meat and corn bread were still the only food contribution to his strength.
Upon leaving Savannah, the young soldier marched to Blackshear where he guarded for weeks Yankee prisoners. His experience there did not differ very much from those at other stockades.
His next change was his departure for Thomasville. From this little town to Albany, young Leach, with his sack and gun, tramped about fifty miles.
Later, while in Thomasville the soldier served as a messenger boy. Soon after his period of message work, Leach returned to his first post at Ander-
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sonville to get 1,000 prisoners, whom he and other guards had orders to carry to Ocean Pond, Florida. Upon arriving at Lake City, however, these guards placed the prisoners into Florida official's custody. On April 9, 1865, the end of the war, Leach after receiving an honorable discharge, disconsolately plodded his way toward Griffin.
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