USA > Georgia > Statistics of the state of Georgia : including an account of its natural, civil, and ecclesiastical history ; together with a particular description of each county, notices of the manners and customs of its aboriginal tribes, and a correct map of the state > Part 36
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426
MONROE COUNTY.
the Methodist church in 1788, a period when religion was un- fashionable, and was to the close of his life an upright Christian. For several years he represented the interests of Wilkes county, in the State Legislature, and in 1800 was elected a represen- tative to the Congress of the United States, and was a wit- ness and participant in the memorable struggle between Jef- ferson and Burr, being a warm supporter of the former. He was frequently appointed by the General Government to hold treaties with the Indians, and thereby acquired an unusual influence with their chiefs, as well as great know- ledge of their character. He was associated with General Jackson, and Gov. McMinn, of Tennessee, in concluding a treaty with the Cherokees, by which a large portion of the territory west of the Appalachee, was ceded to the United States, for the use of Georgia. He made a treaty also with the Creeks, and having much to do with the tribes within the limits of Georgia, secured their confidence to an extent equal to any public man in his day. Mr. Meriwether lived to the age of threescore and ten, and died in Clarke county, near Athens, honoured by those who knew him; leaving one daughter and seven sons, some of whom have distinguished themselves in the departments of politics, law, and medicine.
MONROE.
BOUNDARIES, EXTENT .- This county is bounded N. by Butts, E. by the Ocmulgee, S. by Bibb and Crawford, and W. by Upson and Pike. It was laid out by the Lottery Act of 1821, and organized the same year. Length 21 miles; breadth 16 miles ; containing 336 square miles.
RIVERS, CREEKS .- The Ocmulgee forms the eastern boun- dary of the county. The Towaliga empties into the Ocmul- gee. The creeks are Tobesofkee, Crooked, Shoal, Phillips, Beaver Dam, Deer, Rum, Cook's, Walker's, Beaver Ruin, Eight Mile, and Beach.
427
MONROE COUNTY.
POST OFFICES .- Forsyth, Culloden, Gulletsville, Johnston- ville, Prattsville, Russellville, and Unionville.
POPULATION, TAXES, REPRESENTATION .- In 1845 the popu- lation was 7,483 whites, and 9,157 blacks; total, 16,640. State tax returned for 1848, $6,290 27 cents. Entitled to two representatives.
TOWNS .- Forsyth is the county town, situated on a ridge dividing the waters of Rum and Tobesofkee creeks, 50 miles W. N. W. of Milledgeville, 25 from Macon, 16 from the In- dian Springs, 20 from Jackson, and 26 from Zebulon. The court-house is constructed of brick, and is a very neat building. The jail is of wood. There are three churches, Methodist, Bap- tist, and Presbyterian ; two hotels, two schools, seven or eight lawyers, seven or eight stores, besides many mechanics' shops. There is a spacious brick edifice, formerly the seat of the Southern Medical College, now in a ruinous condition.
There are several societies in this town, such as the Ma- sonic Lodge, Division of the Sons of Temperance, Debating So- ciety, &c. In the summer months, hacks depart every day for the Indian Springs. The citizens are eminently distin- guished for moral and social virtues. The town was incorpo- rated and made the county site in 1823.
Culloden is a quiet and pleasant village, 32 miles west of Macon, 65 from Columbus, and 16 from Forsyth. This place was selected by gentlemen of wealth having large families to educate, on account of its healthiness. It is named after Mr. William Culloden, one of the first settlers, By a special act of the Legislature, no ardent spirits can be sold within one mile of the village. It has a church, two or three schools, hotel, several stores, and mechanics' shops. First-rate schools have been supported, and there is now an excellent seminary for young ladies, under the supervision of Professor Darby, a gentleman of much experience in teaching, and who has also acquired celebrity as the author of a work on the Botany of Georgia.
Gulletsville, 12 miles north of Forsyth, near the Towaliga river.
Russellville, 8 miles northeast of Culloden.
Prattsville, 9 miles from Forsyth.
428
MONROE COUNTY.
NATURE OF THE SOIL .- The soil is various, combining the best and the worst. The lands on the water-courses are rich, dark chocolate soil, well timbered, and admirably adapted to the cultivation of cotton. The mulatto and gray lands are tolerably productive.
VALUE OF LANDS, PRODUCTIONS .- The best lands bring $10 per acre ; gray lands from 3 to $5 per acre.
Cotton is the chief product, 12,000 bales of which are annually produced.
Corn, wheat, rye, barley, tobacco, potatoes, all do well. Farmers are not sufficiently attentive to ditching and manur- ing ; and unless a change takes place, it may be confidently ex- pected that the same disastrous effects will be produced upon the soil which have been witnessed in many sectionsof middle Georgia.
ROADS AND BRIDGES .- No praise can be given to the citi- zens for good roads. More attention to the state of the roads is absolutely necessary to secure the comfort of the traveller. The bridges are kept in tolerable repair.
MANUFACTURES, MILLS, DISTILLERIES .- One large shoe fac- tory in Forsyth ; the flour-mills have a high reputation, of which there are 11; saw-mills, 13; grist-mills, 20; wool-carding machines, 2. We are pleased to say that there is not one large distillery. Efforts are making to establish a cotton fac- tory.
RELIGIOUS SECTS, EDUCATION .- Methodists, Baptists, Pres- byterians, and a few Episcopalians. No people have mani- fested a greater interest in the subject of education than those of Monroe. Liberal subscriptions have been made for the purpose of establishing good schools. In Forsyth, Culloden, and at the Montpelier Springs, are institutions of learning which probably will compare with any in Georgia.
CHARACTER OF THE PEOPLE .- The people are highly intel- ligent, industrious, and temperate.
MINERALS .- Gold exists in several localities. Iron, plum- bago, quartz of various kinds, granite, felspar, &c.
METEORIC STONE .- "On the 8th of May, 1828, a meteoric stone fell near Forsyth. About four o'clock a black cloud ap- peared south from Forsyth, from which two distinct explo-
429
MONROE COUNTY.'
sions were heard in immediate succession, followed by a tre- mendous rumbling or whizzing noise, passing through the air, which lasted about four minutes. This uncommon noise was on the same evening accounted for by Mr. Sparks and Cap- tain Postian, who were informed by some negroes working in a field one mile south of Forsyth, that they had seen a large stone descending through the air, weighing, as it was afterwards ascertained, 36 pounds. This stone was in the course of the evening, or very early the next morning, reco- vered from the spot where it fell. It had penetrated the earth two feet and a half. The outside wore the appearance as if it had been in a furnace. It was covered about the thickness of a common knife-blade with a black substance, somewhat like lava that had been melted. On breaking the stone, it had a strong sulphureous smell, and exhibited a metallic sub- stance resembling silver." A fine specimen of this Aerolite may be seen in the cabinet of Franklin University. A small frag- ment of it is also in the cabinet of the author of this work, for which he is indebted to the kindness of an accomplished young lady of Forsyth. Professor Shepard, of Charleston, has ana- lyzed this Aerolite. Its specific gravity is 3.52, and contains the following ingredients : viz :
Nickel-Iron,
10 per cent.
Howardite,
70
Olivinoid,
Anorthite,
10 to 15 per cent.
Magnetic Pyrites,
2 to 5 66
Apatite, in traces.
The Nickel-Iron consists of
Iron,
89.00
Nickel, 9.60 Chromium and loss, 1.40=100.00
The mixture of the earthly minerals in the stone gave as follows.
Silicic Acid,
50.00
Protoxyd Iron,
33.33
Magnesia,
9.30
Lime,
5.30
Alumina,
1.80
99.73
28
430
MONROE COUNTY.
MOUND .- There is a small mound on the plantation of Mr. Casling, one mile from Culloden.
CLIMATE, DISEASES .- The climate is mild, and the county generally healthy. Like every other country where there are rich lands, bilious diseases sometimes prevail.
VALUE OF TOWN LOTS, &C .- The value of town lots is $40,425. Value of stock in trade, $41,910. Money at inte- rest, $281,278.
MINERAL SPRINGS .- Montpelier springs, 17 miles west of Macon, formerly much resorted to, but now the seat of the Georgia Episcopal Institute.
FALLS .- On the Towaliga river are the falls known as the Towaliga Falls. In the Illustrations of Georgia, a work pre- pared with much taste and ability by William C. Richards, Esq., this wonder of Georgia is thus described : " The pleasing impressions first received were continually enhanced by suc- 'cessive and varied views, which may be obtained at will. Indeed, so fine is the view afforded from many different points, that it is difficult to decide which is the most attrac- tive; and passing from rock to rock, the beholder is ever delighted with new features. This variety is the greatest charm of the scene. The river above the falls is about 300 feet wide, flowing swiftly over a rocky shoal. At its first descent it is divided by a ledge of rock, and forms two pre- cipitous falls for a distance of fifty feet. The falls are much broken by the uneven surface over which the water flows, and on reaching their rocky basin are shivered into foam and spray."
NAME .- The life of the illustrious man, whose name is given to this county, is interwoven in the history of our country. For a period of more than 50 years he was be- fore the public; and in that time he filled more important offices than any other man in the United States. James Monroe was born on Monroe creek, Westmoreland county, Virginia, on the 28th of April, 1758. Westmoreland has been called " the Athens of Virginia." Some of the most renowned men in this country have been born within its borders. Among these may be mentioned Washington ; Richard Henry Lee and his three brothers, Thomas, Francis,
ยท 431
MONROE COUNTY.
and Arthur ; Gen. Henry Lee, and the late Judge Bushrod Washington. Mr. Monroe's ancestors came to this country as early as 1652. He received his education at the college of William and Mary, and subsequently studied law in the office of Mr. Jefferson. At the first breaking out of the revolution- ary war, he entered the army, and encountered all the rigours of the camp. He was with Washington during his retreat through New Jersey, and volunteered to join in the attack on the Hessians at Trenton. At this period he was a Lieutenant in the company of Capt. Washington ; and on the fall of his superior officer, was called upon to assume the command. In the battle of Trenton he was wounded. Upon his recovery, he was invited to act as aid to Lord Stirling, and served with him two campaigns, being present at the battles of Brandy- wine, Germantown, and Monmouth. Washington, confiding in his ability to organize an additional corps, recommended his appointment to the command of a regiment of the Virginia line. He was accordingly promoted to a Colonelcy, but before the re- giment was completed, the war was over. In 1780 Mr. Jefferson intrusted to Mr. Monroe the important office of military com- missioner to the southern army under De Kalb. At the age of 24 he was elected to represent his district in Congress. Here he remained for three years, after which he was sent to the Legis- lature of his native State. From 1790 to 1794 he was a mem- ber of the Senate of the United States, from which he was sent as Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to France. Upon his return, he was elected Governor of Vir- ginia. Mr. Jefferson, in 1803, sent him again as Minister to France ; and in conjunction with Mr. Livingston, he negotiated the treaty which added Louisiana to the United States. He then went to London as successor to Mr. King ; after which he returned to the United States, and for a short period spent his time at his seat in Virginia. In 1810 he was again elected a member of the Virginia Legislature, and shortly afterwards Governor of the State. At this period he became Secretary of State under President Madison. When the war of 1812 was declared, the War Department was placed: under his charge. He was a zealous advocate of that war. In 1817 he was elected President of the United States, and re --
432
MONTGOMERY COUNTY.
elected in 1821. After his retirement, he filled the office of Justice of the Peace in Loudon county, and was associated with Jefferson and Madison in founding the University of Virginia. He died July 4, 1831, in the city of New-York, being in the 74th year of his age.
MONTGOMERY.
BOUNDARIES, EXTENT .- This county has a part of Lau- rens and Emanuel on the N., Emanuel and Tattnall on the E., Appling and Telfair on the S., and Telfair on the W. Laid out from Washington, in 1793 ; part added to Tattnall, in 1801; part to Laurens, in 1811; and a part to Emanuel, in 1812. It is 26 miles long, and 24 miles wide, containing 624 square miles.
RIVERS, CREEKS .- The Little Ocmulgee, or Auchee Ha- . chee, flows in the southwest part of the county ; the Oconee flows through the county. The creeks are Lott's, Limestone, Flat, Cypress, Red Bluff, Alligator, Tiger, Little, Okewalkee, Pendleton, and Swift.
POST OFFICES .- Mount Vernon, Colquitt, Boxville.
POPULATION, TAXES, REPRESENTATION .- According to the census of 1845, the population was 1,399 whites, 459 blacks ; total, 1,858. Amount of tax returned for 1848, $625 99. Entitled to one representative to the Legislature.
TOWNS, PUBLIC PLACES .- Mount Vernon is the capital, situated one mile from the Oconee river. Distant from Mil- ledgeville, 87 miles S. S. E. ; 40 from Jacksonville ; 40 from Reidsville ; 38 from Swainsborough; 33 from Dublin; 100 from Savannah, and 110 from Augusta. It contains a court- house, one store, confectionery, &c. It is a healthy place.
Colquitt is in the southeast part of the county.
Boxville is in the southern part.
FACE OF THE COUNTRY, NATURE OF THE SOIL, VALUE OF LAND .- The country is level. The soil is generally sandy.
433
MONTGOMERY COUNTY.
Some parts are fertile. The productions are cotton, sugar- cane, corn, wheat, oats, &c. Between 500 and 600 bales of cotton are annually produced. Land sells from 25 cts. to $3 per acre.
EARLY 'SETTLERS .- Among the early settlers are the Con- nors, Alstons, McMillans, McCranies, McLeods, McIntyres, Adams's, Walls, &c.
RELIGIOUS SECTS, EDUCATION .- The religious sects are Methodists and Baptists. Education is neglected. Amount of poor school fund, $2,500.
MILLS .- Saw and grist-mills, 5; grist-mills, 4.
MARKETS .- Savannah and Darien.
VALUE OF TOWN LOTS, &c. - The value of town lots, according to the last Digest of the State, is $505. Value of stock in trade, $370. Money at interest, $3,422.
NAME. - Montgomery county was named after General Richard Montgomery, an early martyr in the cause of liberty. He was born in Ireland, in 1736. After receiving a liberal education, he embraced the profession of arms. In the war between England and France, he evinced military talents of the highest order, and upon its termination resigned his com- mand, came to America, purchased a seat on the Hudson river, and married a daughter of Robert R. Livingston, Esq. Here he devoted himself to books and the improvement of his farm, but when his country called him to defend her rights, he promptly responded to the call. By the Congress of 1775 he was appointed a Major General, and jointly with Gen. Schuy- ler went with the expedition against Canada; but the latter being prevented by sickness from taking the command, it devolved upon him. During the war in Canada, he acted a conspicuous part. His kindness, industry, vigilance, and bra- very, were such as to encourage and animate his soldiers, who were illy supplied with arms, and suffering the rigours of a northern winter. At the siege of Quebec, this gallant soldier lost his life. He advanced at the head of the New-York troops, and assisted with his own hands in pulling up the pickets which obstructed his approach, when he was killed, with two of his aids, by the only gun fired by the enemy. The whole country mourned his loss. To express their high sense of his
434
MORGAN COUNTY.
services, Congress directed a monument to be executed by Mr. Cassiers, of Paris, to be placed in front of St. Paul's Church, New-York, with an appropriate inscription. His remains rested forty-two years in Quebec, and by a resolution of New-York were brought to the city and deposited, on the 8th of July, 1818, in St. Paul's Church. Ramsey, in his Ame- rican Revolution, says : " Few men have fallen in battle so much regretted, on both sides, as General Montgomery. In America he was regarded as a martyr to the liberties of man- kind; in Great Britain, as a misguided good man, sacrificing to what he supposed to be the rights of his country. The minister himself acknowledged his worth, while he reprobated the cause for which he fell. He concluded an involuntary panegyric by saying, 'Curse on his virtues, they have undone his country.'"
MORGAN.
BOUNDARIES, EXTENT .- This county is within the primary formation. It is bounded on the North by Clarke; on the East by Greene ; on the South by Putnam and Jasper ; and on the West by Walton and Newton. It was laid out from Baldwin in 1807. The length is 17 miles, breadth 16, area 272 square miles.
RIVERS, CREEKS .- The Appalachee and Little rivers are the chief streams. The creeks are Indian, Sugar, Sandy, Hard Labour, and others.
POST OFFICES .- Madison, Ebenezer, Buck Head, Fair Play, High Shoals, Park's Bridge, Rehobothville, and Double Shoals.
POPULATION, TAXES, REPRESENTATION .- According to the census of 1845, the population stands thus : 3,360 whites ; 6,210 blacks ; total, 9,570. Amount of State tax returned for 1848, $4,859 04 cents. Entitled to one representative to the Legislature.
TOWNS .- Madison is the county town, situated on the ridge which divides the waters of Sugar and Hard Labour creeks, surrounded by a beautiful and fertile country. The court-house is a spacious brick building, and the jail is con-
435
MORGAN COUNTY.
structed of granite. In the town are three churches, Methodist, Presbyterian, and Baptist, all neat edifices; two hotels, eight dry goods stores, one printing office, &c. Madison has long been celebrated for excellent schools, and at this time there are two or three establishments for the education of children, which have considerable reputation. There are several societies, such as the Masonic Lodge, Division of the Sons of Temperance, Bible Society, Sunday Schools, &c. Population about 1,200. It is a busy and thriving place, the amount of goods sold being over
$230,000 per annum. Twenty thousand bags of cotton have been brought to Madison in one season. It is 43 miles N. N.W. of Milledgeville, 18 from Greenesborough, 22 from Eatonton, 27 from Athens, and from Augusta, by the railroad, 102 miles. It was incorporated and made the county site in 1809. In point of intelligence, refinement, and hospitality, this town acknowledges no superior. Connected with one of the hotels is a negro man, named Jack, whose remarkable politeness and singular manner of expression, have made him one of the lions of middle Georgia.
Wellington is a small place on the road from Madison to Watkinsville ; it has one store, one hotel, &c.
Rehobothville, 14 miles north of Madison ; it has a church, hotel, and school. This place is incorporated.
Buck Head, on the Georgia Railroad, 7 miles east of Madi- son ; it has a store, church, &c.
EARLY SETTLERS .- Among the early settlers were Henry Carlton, Bedney Franklin, William Brown, Jesse and Charles Matthews, Dr. William Johnson, Lancelot Johnson, Adam G. Saffold, Reuben Mann, Dr. John Wingfield, D. W. Porter, Isham and Jeptha Fanning.
CLIMATE, DISEASES, LONGEVITY .- This was formerly re- garded an unhealthy county, but it has very much improved within a few years, and the bills of mortality will compare with those of any section in the same latitude. Bilious fever and pneumonia are the most common diseases. The cases of longevity are Matthew Cochran, who died at 90 years of age ; Robert Barclay, 90; George Campbell, 85 ; Mr. Burton, about 85; Mr. Gilbert, over 100; and Mr. Bullard, over 90. Two or three negroes died in the county over 100. There are now
1
436
MORGAN COUNTY.
living Judge Saffold, over 80; John G. Heard, over 80; and Mr. Giles, 85.
MANUFACTURES, MILLS .- High Shoals factory, on Appa- lachee river, makes domestics and yarns ; it belongs to a private company, and has done well. One cotton-gin manufactory on Gap creek, 12 miles southwest of Madison. Seven saw-mills, nine grist-mills, and three flour-mills.
MINERALS .- Some gold has been found in the western part of this county. Excellent granite is abundant. A small quantity of iron is found. Soapstone, 10 miles south of Madi- son, on Mr. Smith's plantation, and is used for making hearths.
MINERAL SPRINGS .- About one mile north of Madison, on Judge Saffolds's plantation, is a spring supposed to possess mineral properties ; also, on Dr. Ballard's plantation, there is a spring having chalybeate qualities.
ROADS AND BRIDGES .- Sufficient attention is not paid to the roads. Many of them are in a bad condition. There are ten bridges in the county, many of which are neglected.
FACE OF THE COUNTRY, NATURE OF THE SOIL, VALUE OF LAND .- The face of the country is undulating. The lands of the best kind are embraced in a section of country commenc- ing a few miles below Madison, and extending across the county, from east to west, on the waters of Little Oconee and Appalachee rivers, and Indian and Sugar creeks; they are of the mulatto soil, well adapted to cotton, and worth on an aver- age $6 per acre. Another description of inferior gray lands is worth about $3 per acre. The value of land, however, de- pends upon its situation. There is much waste land in the county, but it is beginning to feel the benefit of agricultural im- provements, which will doubtless restore it, in a great de- gree, to its original fertility.
PRODUCTIONS, AVERAGE PRODUCT PER ACRE .- Cotton, corn, wheat, rye, oats, barley, are the principal productions. Or- chards do not appear to thrive. From 12,000 to 14,000 bags of cotton are produced in one year. Cotton averages 500 pounds per acre. Wheat is not sowed in any quantity ; when sowed in proper land, yields 10 bushels per acre. Corn, 3} barrels per acre.
VALUE OF TOWN LOTS .- The value of town lots is
437
MORGAN COUNTY.
$113,000 ; value of stock in trade, $73,450; money at in- terest, $192,492.
RELIGIOUS SECTS, EDUCATION .- Methodists, Baptists, Pres- byterians, and a few Episcopalians and Roman Catholics. There is a fund for the education of poor orphan children left by Mr. Bracewell, amounting to $20,000; the interest of which is annually applied to the objects specified. There are as many well educated gentlemen and ladies in Madison as in any portion of the State. Number of poor children, 210; . educational fund, $182 13.
CHARACTER OF THE PEOPLE, AMUSEMENTS .- Morgan is set- tled by an intelligent population. Many of the citizens are wealthy, and live in much style. The ladies, especially those of Madison, are remarkably pretty, and many of them highly accomplished. The amusements are dancing, hunting, fish- ing, &c.
NAME .- This county derives its name from General Daniel Morgan, who occupies a high place upon the list of our revolutionary worthies. He was born in New Jersey, in 1736; and, like many of the illustrious men in every country, was the maker of his own fortune. At the age of seventeen years he left his parents, came to Virginia, and engaged him- self as a wagoner. When the time for which he was employed had expired, he joined Braddock's expedition. Dur- ing this campaign he endured many hardships. In one in- stance he was unjustly and severely punished by being brought to the halberd on a charge of disrespect to a British officer, and received 500 lashes. The military knowledge which he had acquired during Braddock's expedition probably pointed him out to the influential men of his neighbourhood as qualified to take command of a rifle corps ; and so great was his popularity, that in a short period 96 men enrolled them- selves under his command. With this company he hastened to Boston, and shortly afterwards was detached by the Com- mander-in-Chief with Arnold in his expedition against Quebec. No officer displayed more gallantry than Capt. Morgan. Here he was taken prisoner ; and upon being ex- changed, he repaired to the army, and was appointed by Washington to the command of a regiment. He was with
438
MORGAN COUNTY.
Gates at the surrender of Burgoyne, and contributed to the glory of the memorable events at Saratoga. His bravery and skill at the Cowpens, where he defeated Tarlton, crowned him with unfading laurels. At the end of the war he retired to his estate, and devoted himself to agricultural pursuits. He was elected to Congress, but after serving two sessions ill health compelled him to resign. He died on the 6th of July, 1802.
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