USA > Georgia > Jackson County > The early history of Jackson county, Georgia. "The writings of the late G.J.N. Wilson, embracing some of the early history of Jackson county". The first settlers, 1784; formation and boundaries to the present time; records of the Talasee colony > Part 25
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A large number of these "grantees" never saw the land to which they had the deeds. They seemed to think this part of
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Georgia was unfit for farming purposes and therefore paid no at- tention to their claims, in fact, one historian wrote fifty years later that all of the land was poor except the "bottoms."
By referring to records in the Clerk's office, it will be found that in book "A and B" on pages 154 to 180, a Mr. John Cobb of Jefferson County and a Mr. Benning bought at Tax Collector's sale 14,123 acres of Jackson County lands for the aggregate amount of 71 pounds and 1 shilling, English money, or in our money, about $344.591/4 (reckoning the English pound at $4.85). These lands lay around, or in the vicinity of Talasee Shoals, some near the little town of Attica and other tracts between Commerce and Hurricane Shoals. These sales took place in 1792-4-5.
Our friend, Mr. Cobb, must have become "land poor" as he sold in 1799, 7,025 acres of this land for $10.00. A copy of the deed can be found in this work. None of the territory that sold so cheap then could be bought for less than $50.00 an acre, at the present time.
A "Grant" from His Excellency, the Governor of Georgia, 1785.
State of Georgia.
By the Honorable Samuel Elbert Esquire Captain, General, Governor and Commander in Chief in and over the said state. To all to whom these presents shall come, Greeting :
Know ye, that inpursuance of the Act for oppening the land office and by virtue of the powers in me vested, I have by and with the advice and consent of the Honorable and Executive Council, given & granted land by these presents in the name & behalf of the said state Do give and grant unto William Few, Esquire his heirs & assigns forever All that tract or parcel of land, containing Seven hundred & twenty five acres Situate, lying and being in the County of Franklin state aforesaid, butting and bounding On all sides by vacant land having such shape form and marks as appear by a plat of the same hereunto annexed together with all and singular the Rights members and appurtenances thereof whatso- ever to the said tract or parcel of land belonging or in any wise appertaining; And also all the Estate, Rights, Title, Interest Claim & demand of the state aforesaid of in to or out of the same
.
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To Have and to Hold the said tract or parcel of land and all and singular the premises aforesaid with their and every of their Rights members and appurtenances unto the said William Few his heirs & assigns to his and their own proper use and behoof forever in fee simple.
Given under my hand in Council, and the Great seal of the said State, this Thirteenth day of October in the year of our Lord
One thousand seven hundred & eighty five and in the Tenth year of American Independence.
Signed by his honor the Govenor
in Council the 13th day of
S. Elbert.
October 1785.
G.Handley C. C.
Registered the 19th day of October 1785.
The above grant is here given that the reader may see exactly what is meant by the Governor's "warrants" to land. This tract of land is in Cunningham district, this county, and is known as the Perry and Franklin Harrison home place, four miles north of Jefferson and three miles east of Pendergrass, Ga., on the old state road. Mr. James F. Harrison has the "grant" among his old deeds, forming a complete chain of title.
On page 182 of Book "A and B," of the Clerk Superior Court's records can be found this very remarkable deed-that is if the price of land of to-day is taken into consideration :
"Georgia. This Indenture made this fifteenth day of March in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety nine and in the twenty third year of the Independence of the United States of America between John Cobb of the county of Jefferson and State aforesaid of the one part And Rhoderick Easley of the County of Jackson & State aforesaid of the other part Witnesseth that the said John Cobb for and in Considera- tion of the sum of ten dollars to him in hand paid, well and truly paid by the said Rhoderick Easley at or before the Sealing and delivery of these presents, the receipt whereof is hereby acknowl- edged hath granted bargained sold released & confirmed. And
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by these presents doth grant bargain sell release and confirm unto the said Rhoderick Easley, his heirs and assigns, all those following tracts of land (to wit) one of four thousand and twenty five acres, more or less, situated lying and being in the County of Jackson, formaly Franklin County on Marbury's Creek, grant- ed to Horatio Marbury. Also One other tract of three thousand acres lying and being in the county aforesaid on McNutt's creek and the waters of Barber's Creek, granted to John P. Wagnon, bounded by Horatio Marbury & Stinson, together with all and singular the rights, members and appurtenances thereunto be- longing, to have and to hold the said tract & premises to the only proper use, benefit and behoof of the said Rhoderick Easley his heirs forever And the said John Cobb for himself his heirs and assigns will warrant and forever defend the aforesaid tracts of land and premises unto the said Rhoderick Easley his heirs for- ever against him the said John Cobb & his heirs, and all and every other person or persons whatsoever. In witness whereof he the said John Cobb has hereunto set his hand and Seal the day and year first above written. Signed, Sealed and delivered in the presence of "B. Easley"
"Robt. Jackson"
"John Cobb (L. S.)"
"Ben Easley being duly sworn saith he saw John Cobb sign and acknowledge the above Deed, and that he saw Robert Jackson subscribe as a witness with him."
"Sworn to before me this fifteenth day of March 1799. Ben Easley." James Pittman J. P.
"Recorded 15th of March 1799.
"Geo. Taylor Clk."
The above is an exact copy, capitalization, punctuation and all.
HEALTH AND LONGEVITY OF THE PEOPLE.
Jackson County has always stood at the head of the list, as a healthy place in which to live, noted for its good water and healthful climate.
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Since many of the streams have become choked with trash and sand, causing them to overflow the adjoining lands, in some sections, malarial fevers are felt. But the people are beginning to realize that by proper drainage, this evil can be overcome. There are now drainage companies being organized that promise to not only improve the health of the county but to reclaim thousands of acres of as good land as there is in the state.
The surveyors have demonstrated that there is ample "fall" to carry the waters, if given a clear channel in which to flow. This has been proven beyond a shadow of doubt.
At a cost of some twenty dollars per acre this land can be brought into cultivation. When that is accomplished, what is now waste land will produce enough food for every man and beast within the bounds of the county.
This county is noted for the long life of many of its people. A Mrs. Loggins is said, on good authority, to have lived 115 years. Mrs. Elizabeth Merk, grandmother of Mr. Henry Merk, died at 116. We give below short sketches of three dear old mothers that are nearing the century mark :
Mrs. Virginia Elizabeth Veal
was born September 29, 1822. She lived in Hall until her mar- riage to Mr. Elijah A. Veal, of this county, in the year 1838.
Mrs. Veal's maiden name was Miss Kidd. She is the mother of 14 children, 7 sons and 7 daughters. She has 62 grandchildren, 142 great-grandchildren and 17 great-great-grandchildren.
With her weight of 92 years, she is "hale and hearty" and does light housekeeping, making her home, not on her own farm but with one of her children, Mrs. T. T. Cooper, near Braselton, Ga.
Mrs. Rebecca Hancock
was born January 28, 1818. Her maiden name was Miss Lyle. She was married to Mr. John R. Hancock, December 30, 1834. To them were born 10 children, eight of whom lived to be grown, and four, Mrs. E. J. Whitehead, Mrs. Fannie Stanton, Mrs. Emma Rush and J. B. Hancock, are still living.
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Mrs. Hancock has 17 grandchildren and 26 great-grandchildren. While more than 96 years old, she is able to sit and converse with her friends and neighbors for quite a long while each day.
Mrs. Martha Gober
was born on the 27th day of April, 1815. Her maiden name was Miss Hudson. She was married to Mr. Henry B. Gober on Jan- uary 26, 1837. To them were born four children, two boys and two girls.
She has 18 grandchildren. Notwithstanding her pilgrimage of nearly 100 years, she holds up wonderfully well. Her mind is reasonably active and she can converse with her friends very intelligently.
SOME FACTS ABOUT JACKSON COUNTY .*
Jackson County lands sell for $50 and up. Compare this with the price asked, but not always obtained, for New York, Pennsyl- vania and New Jersey lands at $25 and less per acre.
One historian, sixty years ago, as has been mentioned in this work, said the lands of our county were "mostly very poor, except the river bottoms." How does that strike the young mind of to-day? Even thirty years ago, land in some sections of the county was considered too worthless to clear away the timber for cultivation.
Such lands got the high sounding name of Pea Ridge and Chinquapin Ridge. Said to have been called by those names be- cause the land would not sprout peas but would grow the little sweet nut that the children called "chinkey pins." (The writer is very sorry to part company with these little friends of by- gone days.)
These same ridge lands are selling to-day at from $50 to $100 and difficult to obtain at that price. They are producing one bale of cotton or 50 bushels of corn per acre.
What has wrought this seeming miracle, you say. The answer
*We are indebted to THE FARM AND HOMESTEAD for much of the information contained herein.
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is not far to seek: improved methods in farming. Our farmers are not only carrying out the old adage of "growing two blades where only one grew" but are doubling and thribbling the yields on the "old hills of Jackson County."
Indeed, Jackson ranks second in agricultural importance in the state. While many of the other counties were settled sixty or seventy years before Jackson, she is forging her way to the very front.
Population.
In 1890, this county had 19,176 inhabitants; in 1900, 24,039 and in 1910, 30,169. At the same rate of gain, the population stands at about 32,000,-not quite 70 to the square mile.
There are 2,839 white boys and 2,663 white girls of school age in the county and 1,278 colored boys and 1,236 colored girls, of school age, making a grand total of 8,016.
The census of 1913 shows the rate of illiteracy among white children to be 5.1, a gain over 1908 of 2.4.
Forty-five counties in Georgia are larger than Jackson, but only one, Bulloch County, produced more crop-wealth during the census year. And some years Jackson produces a greater number of bales of cotton than any in the state.
Jackson has some large land owners but the county is made up largely of small farmers. Nearly two-thirds of the farms are less than 50 acres in size. The total wealth, including city prop- erty, according to the census report 1912, was nearly 5,500,000 dollars. About $47,000 per year gain for the 117 years since the organization of the county.
The money value of the crops of 1910, was, in round numbers, $4,582,000. The question will arise, and naturally so, too, What becomes of all that great wealth? The answer is not hard to find. Jackson County has been under the reign of the great king, King Cotton.
The tide is turning. In the year 1913, our people produced more corn and oats, peas, hay and syrup than in any previous year of the history of the county.
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While the people of Jackson County have been inclined to agriculture, yet, from time to time, some have given attention to manufacturing.
As early as 1820, Mr. James Orr, father of Professor S. P. Orr, now of Athens, had a cotton gin establishment in what is now known as the Merk Settlement, between Dry Pond and Apple Valley. Mr. Orr and Mr. Cowan constructed a machine with which the "teeth" of the saws could be cut as speedily as a sew- ing machine can make stitches, whereas, before that invention, each tooth was made by hand. They never had their idea patented but allowed others to use it free.
The iron used in these gins was smelted at Hurricane Shoals.
Many of our older citizens can recall the old hat factories of our county. At the old mill site, now owned by Mr. R. C. Roberts, some three miles above Jefferson, was a factory that produced an excellent grade of hats from native wool. There was another factory in the eastern part of the county, also. These factories flourished for many years before the Civil war, and the first named, until after that great strife was settled.
Commerce had a foundry and machine shop some years past. Winder now has a foundry and shops that is a paying investment.
Jefferson, Winder and Commerce all have cotton mills that give employment to many people and these mills turn out a first class product. Each of these cities, as well as Pendergrass, Maysville and Hoschton, have oil mills with fertilizer plants attached. Winder has an overall factory, also. Braselton has a fertilizer plant known as "The Co-Operative Fertilizer Co."
Maysville has two banking establishments; Commerce has three ; Jefferson, three; Statham, one; Winder, three; Hoschton, one; Braselton, one; and Pendergrass, one, all of which are owned and conducted by Jackson County people.
This county has three railroads. Gainesville Midland, through the center and on the west; Seaboard on the south, and the South- ern (old North Eastern) on the eastern side of the county.
The National Highway, from Atlanta to New York, crosses the county, entering at Winder, passing through Jefferson and Com-
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merce and thence to the Banks County line. This county has many other graded roads, also.
The Financial Condition of Jackson.
From the general presentments of the Grand Jury, of February, 1914, it is observed that the county has a good court-house, sub- stantial jail, home for the poor, roads supplied with good bridges across all the streams, is out of debt, no bonded indebtedness, and has a cash balance of $26,314.05.
Talmo Cotton.
It is not generally known, but nevertheless true, that Talmo enjoys the distinction of being located in the midst of a section that is noted for its fine cotton.
In the cotton trade it is known as the "Talmo Cotton District."
This little city is surrounded by some twelve or fourteen square miles of gray-nearly white-lands that produce the finest "short staple" cotton in the world. In fact, most of Jackson County lands produce a fine grade of cotton.
When the Pacolet Cotton Mill Company was looking for a loca- tion suitable to place their dismantled mills, they chose Gaines- ville, Ga., in order that they might be in close touch with this section of Georgia-Jackson and surrounding section.
This cotton is sought after by all mill men and always com- mands a higher price than any other cotton.
Water Power.
Jackson County has no navigable streams but does possess some fine water-powers. There is enough power going to waste on the North Oconee river to put electric lights on the streets and in the buildings of every town in the whole county. And there is enough power wasting in the different streams over the county to light, with the proper storage facilities, every home in and turn every wheel of machinery in the county. This can be utilized without materially interfering with the proper drainage that is contem- plated.
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Jackson County First.
Martin Institute was the first "endowed" school in the world. Jackson county was first to manufacture gins in upper Georgia, -1820, by Mr. Orr.
First to have an Academy solely for girls-1824.
First to use an anaesthetic,-by Dr. Crawford W. Long, March 30, 1842. Mr. J. M. Venable was the patient.
First to produce 100 bushels of corn,-by Master Joe Stone, in 1910.
First in growing the finest "short staple" cotton,-Talmo District.
Thus our county has made wonderful progress in the 118 years of its existence, but greater things are in store for her and she will attain the goal.
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