Memoirs of Georgia; containing historical accounts of the state's civil, military, industrial and professional interests, and personal sketches of many of its people. Vol. I, Part 57

Author:
Publication date: 1859
Publisher: Atlanta, Ga., The Southern historicl association
Number of Pages: 1294

USA > Georgia > Memoirs of Georgia; containing historical accounts of the state's civil, military, industrial and professional interests, and personal sketches of many of its people. Vol. I > Part 57

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CAMDEN COUNTY SKETCHES.

CAMDEN COUNTY.

JOHN RUDOLPH BACHLOTT, merchant, St. Mary's, Camden Co., Ga., son of Richard H. and Emily (Rudolph) Bachlott, was born in St. Mary's, Feb. 12, 1860. His paternal grandfather, John Bachlott, was a large slaveholder and planter, and also operated a large tannery. Mr. Bachlott's father was a car- penter and steamboat captain before the war, during which he served as a soldier in the Confederate army. His maternal grandfather was also a large slaveholder, a lessor and contractor, and a large real-estate agent and holder. Mr. Bachlott was educated in the city schools and then attended and was graduated from the Commercial college, Atlanta. In 1882 he went into business with A. C. Wright, under the firm name of Wright & Bachlott, which continued until 1885, when he went into business on his own account. He has an extensive and profitable trade and conducts the leading general merchandise store in the county. He has fine business capacity and financial ability and is one of the solidest and most substantial of Camden county's citizens. He was a member of the city council six years and is at this time treasurer of the county. Mr. Bachlott was married April 2, 1886, to Miss Mollie Frances, daughter of Thomas D. and Mary F. (Bach- lott) Hawkins, of St. Mary's, by whom he has had four children, of whom one only, a son, survives. He is a member of the Methodist church, of which he is a steward.

JOHN RICHARDSON, steamboat man, St. Mary's, Camden Co., Ga., son of John Sligh and Elizabeth Susanna (Houston) Richardson, was born in Duval county, Fla., Feb. 27, 1848. His grandfather, Capt. Edmund Richardson, was a native of Reading, Mass., who came south and located at St. Mary's, where he made his home-lived, died and is buried. The Slighs were a wealthy English family. Capt. Richardson's maternal grandfather, John Houston, was a large slave-owner and planter on Talbot island, Duval Co., Fla., which he held under a grant from the Spanish crown. Capt. Richardson's father was born and raised in St. Mary's, was trained by his father in his calling and commanded coasting craft until he became an invalid from exposure. He was well posted on all public affairs, very popular and very successful. Capt. Richardson was raised on the plantation and received a good education at the schools in Duval county. When not quite fifteen years old-during the war-he was captured and carried a prisoner from his father's plantation, where he was working with nothing but a shirt on, he being suspected of being a spy. He was first taken to Fernandina and put to work for the United States government on a pilot boat, but after a while was transferred to a pilot boat on St. John's bar, with a garrison of soldiers, where he remained until the surrender. Returning from the war, he farmed a year or two with his brother- in-law, after which he worked about two years at the carpenter's trade. He next engaged in steamboating, which he has followed ever since, and made a splendid success of. He first engaged with Fox & Burns, who ran boats on the St. Mary's river, and in process of time became a captain. He next went with the St. Mary's river company, and then on the St. John's passenger business with Capt. Jacob Brock, the pioneer steamboat-man of the St. John's. This was followed with a position with Capt. G. R. Kelsey for a year, and then returned to Fox & Burns, with whom he continued until within a year of their closing out. At that time

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he embarked in steamboating on his own account, with encouragement and patron- age from his old employers. His steamers ply between Fernandina and the head of navigation on the St. Mary's river, and by inland or land-locked waterways between Jacksonville, Fla., and Brunswick, Ga. For fourteen years he has carried the mails between Fernandina and the headwaters of the St. Mary's, and during all that time has not made a failure, a very creditable record, and one seldom paral- leled. Such energy and enterprise, and such fidelity and punctuality, merit the liberal patronage and abundant success Capt. Richardson enjoys. He began with two steamers, the "Lex," of which he was sole owner, and the "Martha," of which he owned two-thirds. But within twelve months he had himself built two ncw steamers to take the place of the old boats, one of which is named "Oriel" and the other has been christened "Harry Lee" by millionaire Andrew Carnegie's wife, Mrs. Lucy Carnegie, who owns "Dungeness," where rest the remains of "Light Horse Harry," of ever-glorious memory. He has dealt somewhat in real estate, has been a contractor for railroad ties and construction; has been a road commissioner, and a member of the county board, is one of the trustees of Camden county academy, and has been an alderman, and is now mayor of St. Mary's. So far as business is concerned he now devotes his entire time and attention to steamboating and his extensive planting interests at the old Talbot island homestead in Florida. Capt. Richardson was married to Miss Belle Manley, daughter of John and Maria Bessent, who dicd Oct. 27, 1885, lcaving an only daughter, Maria Elizabeth, who is at home. Jan. 25, 1888, he was married to Miss Amelia, a sister of his first wife. He is a member of the Presbyterian church, of which he is a deacon, and superintendent of the Sunday school.

JOHN JOSEPH RUDULPH, postmaster, etc., St. Mary's, Camden county, Ga., son of Francis Rudulph and Mary Catharine (Bachlott), was born in St. Mary's, Jan. 28, 1831. His paternal grandfather, Thomas Rudulph, was a native of Ger- many, and emigrated to this country and settled in Maryland. Later he came to Georgia, lived awhile in Liberty county, and finally settled in Camden county. Mr. Rudulph's father was a slaveholder and planter in Camden county, and an uncle, Capt. Chavalier Rudulph, was a prominent naval officer. His maternal grand- father emigrated to this country and settled in Virginia in 1798, then came to Flor- ida, where his mother was born in 1806, and afterward came to Camden county, Ga. Mr. Rudulph was educated in the common schools of the city, and at the age of twenty-three commenced merchandising. Soon after hostilities began he enlisted in the Twenty-sixth Georgia regiment, from which he was transferred to the Fourth Georgia cavalry, of which he was made a lieutenant, and served through the war. He participated in the battle of Olustee, Fla., and in a number of engagements in upper Georgia, and was at the evacuation of Atlanta. After the surrender he resumed merchandising, which he continued until 1881. In 1877 he was elected ordinary of the county, and on the expiration of his term was elected treasurer, and has been re-elected for seven or eight terms consecutively. He served ten years as deputy clerk of the superior court, and was then elected clerk, which office he now holds, besides which he is postmaster of the city. Mr. Rudulph was married April 19, 1869, to Miss Eleanor C., daughter of John and Maria O. (Howell) Bes- sent, by whom he has had three sons. He is an ardent democrat, a master Mason, and a prominent member of the Presbyterian church.

FLIPHALET A. M'WHORTER, collector of customs, St. Mary's, Camden Co., Ga., son of Alexander Burnett and Ellen (Youngblood) McWhorter, was born in Edgefield, S. C., July 22, 1830. His paternal grandfather, George .Gray

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CAMDEN COUNTY SKETCHES.

McWhorter, was a Presbyterian clergyman of note, on pastoral duty forty years; was a soldier in the patriot army during the revolutionary war, and fought under Gen. Gates at Camden, S. C., August, 1780. His maternal grandfather was a Youngblood, descended from Hollanders, and married a Miss Simpkins. His grandfather Youngblood, also his great-grandfather and his grandfather Simp- kins were soldiers in the patriot army during the revolutionary war. His grand- uncle, Col. Eldred Simpkins, was a member of congress. Mr. McWhorter's father was a physician, and migrated from Edgefield, S. C., to Montgomery, Ala., early in 1831, where he rose to eminence in his profession, which he practiced for many years, and became a very prominent member of the community. In politics he was an ardent democrat, and was an exemplary and influential member of the Baptist church, of whichi he was a deacon. Mr. McWhorter received his primary and preparatory education at the best schools in Montgomery-he was about six months old when his father located in the city-and then entered the university of Alabama, from which he was graduated in the summer of 1851. After his gradua- tion he taught school in Montgomery, and as superintendent inaugurated the public school system of that city. When the call for volunteers was made by the Confed- erate government he enlisted as a private in the Montgomery mounted rifles. When the First Alabama cavalry regiment was organized he was made commissary, with the rank of captain; and was afterward commissioned as a major in the Sixth Alabama cavalry, and served through the war. In Rousseau's raid through Ala- bama he was taken prisoner, but was released on parole. He was again captured early in the spring of 1865 by Gen. Steele, and was sent to Ship island prison, where he remained until after the surrender, when he was sent to Meridian, Miss., and paroled. He saw much and arduous service, was in some hard-fought battles, and is seriously afflicted physically, resulting from army exposure. He was in the battle of Shiloh, where he was slightly wounded after capturing a flag, in those around Corinth, and others. At Tuscumbia, Ala., he was detached from his regi- ment, assigned to duty on Gen. Pope Walker's staff as commissary, and fed Gen. Albert Sidney Johnston's army as it passed through that city. After the war he remained in Alabama and farmed until 1869, when he moved to his present homc in St. Mary's. Since his residence here he has led a busy public life-few citizens have been called upon to fill so many offices, city, county, state and Federal-requir- ing capacity and varied qualifications. He has served the people as justice of the peace, clerk of the superior court, alderman of the city, and notary public, ordinary of the county, deputy collector of customs for a dozen years, and for some years collector. Advanced in years as he is, he is so highly esteemed as a faithful public officer that the people do not wish to give him up. Mr. Mcwhorter was married July 27, 1853, to Miss Anna Gore, daughter of Job and Abigail (Ellsworth) Shepard, of Athens, Pa. Three sons and one daughter, living, are the fruit of this union: Lyman Ellsworth, Memphis, Tenn; Henry Shepard, Satilla Bluff, Ga .; Alexander Burnett, Waycross, Ga .; Elizabeth Ellen, at home. His wife's father was a prominent farmer and business man in his community, while her mother was a descendant of the distinguished Ellsworth family of Connecticut. Mr. McWhor- ter is a democrat of the most active sort, a member of the I. O. O. F., and has passed through the chairs; a royal arch Mason and past worshipful master of the blue lodge, and an exemplary and influential member of the Baptist church, of which he is a deacon, and moderator of the local association.

WILLIAM BURNET VAN VALKENBURG, lumber manufacturer, St. Mary's, Camden Co., Ga., son of James and Mary (Church) Van Valkenburg, was born in New York city, June 6, 1835. His original American ancestor

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emigrated from Netherlands (Holland) in 1614 to what is now New York city, and assisted in clearing the forest and colonizing "New Netherlands" (see Doc. Hist. of N. Y., compiled from original archives). His paternal grandfather was born in Lexington, N. Y., was a major in the patriot army during the revolutionary war, and mentioned in J. Fenimore Cooper's works, was a participant in the battle of Saratoga, N. Y., and present at the surrender of Burgoyne to Gates, Oct. 17, 1777. His father was a man of wealth and great enterprise, a member of the Baptist church, in whose work he was prominent and influential; was in 1832 publisher in New York of the Youth's Companion and the Baptist Register, and, later, in 1836 to 1842 was a proprietor of valuable and profitable cement quarries and a large estate near Kingston, Ulster Co., N. Y. Mr. W. B. Van Valkenburg received his primary and advanced education at the Hempstead seminary, Long Island, N. Y., and in the Macon, Ga., academy under Rev. J. S. Ingram, recently deceased in Atlanta. He embarked in the lumber business near Macon when about nineteen years of age, and, later, in Pike county, Ga. He subsequently returned to near Macon and built a mill which he was operating when the "war between the states" was precipitated. He entered and served in the Confederate States artillery, but was afterward detailed as a machinist to duty in the Confederate States arsenal in Macon-where church bells were broken up to make cannon. He actively participated in many of the engagements around Atlanta and Macon, doing efficient service. Three brothers who were in the army were wounded, and one captured, Lieut .- Col. James D. Van Valkenburg, and who was paroled through the influence of Gen. Van Valkenburg, a relative of political prominence in Washington, who was afterward United States minister to Japan, and who was a recent justice of the supreme court of Florida. He, Lieut .- Col. Jas. D. Van Valkenburg, Sixty-first regiment, Gordon's brigade, was later killed at Monocacy during Gen. Early's last march in Maryland. After the war, W. B. returned to the lumber business, first building a mill on the St. Mary's river for a company, which he successfully and profitably operated a number of years. He now operates a mill of his own on North river at St. Mary's, doing a large and profitable business. He is a man of enterprise and public spirit, and takes a great interest in every measure promotive of the development and advancement of his county and section. He has been a justice of the peace for a dozen years or more, has served the county four years as ordinary, and also as an alderman of the city. Mr. Van Valkenburg was married Aug. 7, 1861, to Miss Julia McRee, daughter of Judge McRee, a wealthy and influential planter of Sumter county, Ga., by whom he has had four children, one son and three daughters: Hattie Lou (now Mrs. Thos. McLeod, and mother of Edward Laurence McLeod); Mary Lucia, Julia Isabel, and Frank. Mr. Van Valkenburg is an active and prominent member of the Methodist church.

CAMPBELL COUNTY.

REUBEN CRAWFORD BEAVERS, ordinary, Fairburn, Campbell Co., Ga., one of the oldest and most respected citizens of the county, was born in Jasper county, Ga., in 1813, the son of Joseph and Sarah (Fluker) Beavers, the former born in Virginia in 1772, where he spent his boyhood days until 1797, when he was married to Miss Sarah Fluker of Greene county, Ga. There on a farm the young couple spent the first part of their married life, until 1809, when they removed to Jasper county, where they continued farming, up to the time

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CAMPBELL COUNTY SKETCHES.

of his death, in August, 1826. After her husband's death Mrs. Beavers, with the courage which is rarely seen in one left in such straits, determined to carry on the farm with the help of her sons. This she did with success until 1866, when she was called to that well deserved rest for which she had worked so hard. They were the parents of nine children, all of whom are deceased but Reuben C., the subject of this sketch: John F., Robert O., Rebecca, James L., Charles B., William A. J., Elizabeth F. and Sarah. They were members of the Baptist church, were very highly respected and much loved in their community, and held the con- fidence and esteem of all who knew them. Mr. Beavers at the age of twelve years came with his father and mother to what is now known as Campbell county, and spent the greater part of his boyhood and youth upon the farm, finding little time for study, but such as he did receive from the primary schools of his own and Jasper counties he put to good advantage, giving his teachers satisfaction on every side, showing the indomitable perseverance of his mother. When he reached manhood he left the farm and began merchandising. This he followed successfully during the years 1836-37-38. In that year, realizing that there were other things to engage his attention, he entered the Indian war, and for three months served in the cavalry regiment of Capt. James Word. Here he spent the greater part of his time in fighting the Cherokee Indians, and then returned to his home. July 31, 1838, he married Miss Jane McClure, daughter of William and Elizabeth (McMillan) McClure, who came to Georgia in 1832 from Spartanburg, S. C. Mr. McClure was of Irish descent, died in 1849, and his widow survived him until 1883, when she died at the advanced age of 90 years. After his marriage Mr. Beavers followed the occupation of farming for three years. By this time, however, he had gained the confidence and good will of all who knew him, and in 184I was elected clerk of the court of ordinary. He held this position until 1852, and filled the place so well that he would have, doubtless, continued to hold it had not the court been changed and Mr. Camp elected in his place. This latter gentleman held the position for four years, but at the end of that period Mr. Beavers was elected to the office of ordinary, which he still holds, and has so gained the confidence and good will of all who know him, by his strict integrity and uprightness, that it would be hard to find another who would hold such a place in the esteem of the people as Mr. Beavers. Mr. and Mrs. Beavers have no children of their own, but they adopted and reared a little girl, of whom they were very fond. She was very much attached to her foster parents, and was happily married to the Hon. M. P. Harvey, of Fairburn, Campbell Co., a sketch of whom appears elsewhere. Mr. Beavers belongs to the masonic fraternity, and he and his wife are members of the Baptist church, where they are loved and respected by all who know them.

REV. EDMUND PENDLETON BIRCH. The name of the deceased subject of this sketch will be recognized by a large number of his friends and acquaint- ances during life, he having been a prominent member of the Georgia conference of the Methodist church for twenty years prior to 1873, and the succeeding ten years a member of the Alabama conference. During his long and useful ministry he was regarded as one of the foremost men of his conference, and also won for himself a high place in the literary world, both in poetry and in prose. We take pleasure in giving the following sketch: Rev. E. P. Birch was the son of Charles C. and Martha (Dilworth) Birch, and was born in Oglethorpe county, Ga., Aug. 24, 1824. The family of which he was an honored member was of English descent, having settled in Virginia in early colonial days. On the Birch side they were closely connected with the family of the famous peace-maker, Henry Clay, and on

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that of the Dilworth's with the immortal "Don't give up the ship" Lawrence. His father, Charles C., was born in Petersburg, Va., and was given a thorough educa- tion, being an architect by profession. His mother, who was also a resident of Virginia, was a woman of superior intellectual endowments and fine education. After their marriage they came to Georgia, where they continued to reside during the remainder of their lives. There were six children in the family, only one of whom is now living-Mrs. Grubbs, an educator in Texas. Rev. Edmund Birch was given a collegiate education at Oxford college and Collingsworth institute, and for the first six years of his manhood gave his attention to teaching. His mind, however, was of a religious turn, and as early as 1843 he began to preach the gospel. He connected himself with the itinerant ministry of his native state and first became a member of the Georgia conference in 1853. During his con- nection with this body he served many important stations, among others La Grange, West Point, Newnan and Macon, and at one time was president of the La Grange Female college. The high character of these appointments will indicate the estimation in which he was held by his brethren. In 1873 he was transferred to the Alabama conference and for ten successive years continued in the service of his Master. Loved, honored and respected, he closed up his earthly career amongst those to whom he had so often declared the counsels of God. The fol- lowing is from the report of a committee read before the Alabama conference in its next session after the decease of our subject: "Brother Birch was a man of superior intellectual culture, extensive in knowledge of books, thorough in his investigation, profound in research, ornate in style and intensely poetical in taste ; indeed, he was quite a poetical genius and wrote a number of pieces which won for him considerable reputation. As a preacher he was attractive in manner, clear in exposition, strong in argument, eloquent in expression, and at times presented the truth of the gospel of the living Christ with a power and beauty rarely excelled." Another writer says: "In all his public functions he was instructive and entertain- ing, evincing the high endowments of intellect and superior literary culture which made him so powerfully effective. And these, united with warm social attach- ments, earnest piety, great faith and a holy, spiritual life, gave great vigor and effectiveness to his discourses. A great man was he, not in one sphere only, but in almost every one." Rev. E. P. Birch was a most versatile writer during his life- time. His was one of those poetic natures which overflow in eloquent and chaste diction with little or no effort. It was as natural for him to write as to talk, and pulpit service was fully supplemented by his contributions to the current literature of the day. His efforts covered a large variety of subjects, and were always given precedence in both the religious and secular press. His most noted poems were prompted by events occurring during the late war, and were published in "The Southern Confederacy" and extensively copied all over the south, and even into the New York papers. They were alternately comic and serious in style, as will be seen by the titles given, and were received by the public with the greatest demon- strations of favor. Some of the most noted were: "The Wreck of the Old Union," "Tribute to the Memory of the Gallant Gen. Johnston," "The Devil's Visit to Old Abe," "Yankee Doodle's Ride to Richmond," "The Poetry of Woman's Life," and "What Will She Do with It; or, Woman's Treasures and How She Is to Use Them." In the last named the following most beautiful tribute to woman occurs:

"And thus, when Nature kindly sought to throw In one sweet form her crowning gifts below, She gathered all her treasures rich and rare, In one bright being so divinely fair, That she should rule all hearts, and proudly claim Love as her precious dower and woman as her name."

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CAMPBELL COUNTY SKETCHES.

At the time of his death Rev. Birch had finished all but the last chapter of a work of fiction, which is said to have been his crowning effort, and which may at some future day be given to the public. In his home life Rev. Birch was most felicitous. Kind and gentle in manner, but full of life and buoyant in spirit, he was more the companion than the father, and his greatest pleasure was found around his own fireside, in communion with his own family. He was married in Pleasant Hill, Ga., on Jan. 10, 1844, to Miss Margaret, daughter of William and Catharine Douglass, who still survives him, residing at the beautiful home of her daughter, Mrs. Edwin Crissey, of Fairburn, Ga. To the marriage were born eight children: Mary F., wife of Wilbur J. Harwell, Stockton, Ga .; Mattie D. and Kittie D., twins, the first a single lady, the latter the wife of E. Crissey, retired officer of the United States navy, residing at Fairburn, Ga .; George A., a broker and commission merchant of Montgomery, Ala .; Alexander P., owner and operator of a large quarry at Blount Springs, Ala .; Edwin N., deceased at twenty-seven years of age; Lizzie T., deceased at eighteen years, and Julia M., deceased at two months. The death of Rev. Birch occurred at Warrington, Fla., on Sunday, Sept. 2, 1883. He had ended his ministry at that place the preceding year, and still continued his residence there with his son-in-law, Capt. Crissey, who was then stationed at the Pensacola navy yard. In August an epidemic of yellow fever broke out, and before the family could get away the place was quarantined. Day after day they watched the dread monster draw nearer to their home, and at last fall upon its victims, one by one, till Mr. and Mrs. Birch, Mrs. Crissey and her two-year-old baby daughter were in its clutches. The latter was an especial pet of her grandfather, the love existing between the two being almost divine; and it may have been this fact that led the reaper to select the ripe fruit and the yet tender, unopened bud to present to the Father above. They passed away ; the others live on, to recall with increasing tenderness the virtues of the deceased.

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Memoirs of Georgia; containing historical accounts of the state's civil, military, industrial and professional interests, and personal sketches of many of its people. Vol. I, Part 57

Author: Publication date: 1859 Publisher: Atlanta, Ga., The Southern historicl association Number of Pages: 1294

Author:
Publication date: 1859
Publisher: Atlanta, Ga., The Southern historicl association
Number of Pages: 1294