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 3
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25
As already stated the forests were almost unbroken, and when broken at all it had been done by the action of fire chiefly. Trees having a diameter of from six to nine feet, and a spread of branches of one hundred feet from side to side were not un- common. Most of these were chestnut trees, and the amount of nuts which they produced was enormous, sometimes covering the ground in places to the depth of several inches. Their ex- cellent flavor and mealy substance have made them a favorite article of food wherever known. The natives cooked them in various ways, and though they make delicious bread, it is not known that they ever so used them. Though now closely verging upon total extinction, the chestnut, large and small, was the pre- vailing growth of this country. The timber, to say nothing of its fruit was very valuable, and its disappearance is hard to ex- plain. It is generally thought that when the woods ceased to be burned, decaying leaves produced a germ of disease that killed the trees by slow stages.
Next in size came the poplars and white oaks, the latter often producing enough of big, plump acorns to make it a difficult matter to walk over the ground where they had fallen. The length and size of their branches were amazing. They generally grew horizontal to the main body of the tree. This afforded bears and panthers a favorite lurking place. The poplars were not so numerous as the oaks but some of them grew to an im- mense size. Near the junction of big and little Sandy creeks stood a poplar that at the height of a man's head measured nine feet and seven inches in diameter. It was hollow, and about 1837 was cut down by raccoon hunters at the cost of the lives of
36
three valuable dogs and several raccoons, besides William Rhodes, one of the hunters, was crippled for the remainder of his life. Being a shoemaker by trade, he made a full set of lasts and the arm pieces of a pair of crutches out of a part of that big tree.
Another distinguishing feature of the old-time forest was the deep yet low undertone which the listening ear could always hear when the wind was not blowing. Though not yet entirely un- heard in the woods, it was prominent then and many a hunter has been soothed to sleep by its pleasant, dreamy moaning through the tree-tops. Others again have cried under its in- fluence because many believed it to be the whisperings of the dead in a language which no one could understand until they joined the invisible throng themselves. It was not like the sad soughing of the wind through the pine trees, for it could not be heard at all when the wind was blowing. It seemed like the solemn, sad, yet pleasing moan of beings among the trees, inviting us to come and join in the chant of universal nature with them. The old poets called it the "solemn hush of nature," and represented it as "constantly singing a soft lullaby that enabled nymphs and fairies to sleep soundly." As it was, and still is heard in dense forests only, it may be that if the rush of a million worlds through infinite space above and around us makes a noise so loud we can not hear it, the growth-cells constantly being added to mil- lions of trees, leaves and plants all around us, make just enough noise to enable us to indistinctly hear them grow, and that this constitutes "The Moan of the Woods."
Taking these prominent features, together with the great num- ber of large and beautiful pine trees whose towering trunks overtopped all others, whose invaluable timbers have entered in- to the construction of many ships beyond the seas, and the large area that has been entirely cleared of all spontaneous growth, from the forests once roamed by our ancestors, and we have left a very skeleton indeed.
The water courses of the country have also considerably changed. It is a disputed question as to whether they afford as much water now as they did before the forests were cleared
37
away; but the laws governing evaporation justify us in saying that less water flows now than when its surface was hardly ex- posed to the sun at all, nor did the dry winds reach it then as now. The water of all streams whether large or small, was as clear as crystal. Little mud reached them from the hills. Un- der these favorable conditions fishes were much more numerous, larger, and better flavored than now when the waters are so very impure that it is a matter of surprise that anything con- sidered clean can exist in them at all.
The old-time names of all the streams have been changed. North Oconee on which Hurricane and Tumbling Shoals are located was called Etoho; Middle or Walnut Fork, Ithlobee; Mulberry, on which are the Talasee Shoals, Tishmaugu. Proper- ly these streams should still be called North, and Middle and South Oconee because they were so named by the first settlers of the country. The name of Sandy Creek was Pocataligo; Tur- key Creek, Pinholowah; Curry's Creek, Tobesofoskee; Hurricane Creek, Numsacota. The double branches in Newtown district were called Cahootaconnough; Beaver Creek, Jarathoggin; Cedar Creek, Ipsequilta; Morgan's Creek, Yotocompsa; and Beech Creek, Taurulahoole. This word means screaming panther, and the creek was so named because its swamps were inhabited by a great number of these animals.
Taurulahoole !- Screaming Panther Creek !- The name sounds ominously; but from the accounts which have come down to us descriptive of its gloomy haunts, the place itself must have scem- ed horrid indeed to those who first came to the country. Mrs. Clara Linton, one of the early emigrants, thus described the place in a letter written to her sister who lived in Liberty County : "The bed of the creek is much below the tops of the adjacent hills, and for several miles above its junction with the Tishmaugu river is bordered by almost impassable swamps and by dense canebreakers on both sides which are in some places several hun- dred yards wide. These are inhabited by a great number of panthers that make night hideous by their screams which you well know resemble those made by a woman in distress. When we consider the character of the animal, I conceive that nothing
38
more horrid ever reached the human ear than the doleful ming- ling of their unearthly screams as with the coming twilight one stands on a distant hill top and listens to their frightful orgies. Then, if possible, to make the night still more hideous, a flock of great-horned owls sit on the surrounding tall tree-tops, and hoot and hoot ta-ha-too-who-who until broad daylight. If one near by is answered by another in the distance, as frequently happens, then, all unconsciously the listener expects to see a troop of ghosts come marching from the dark and gloomy jungles of Screaming Panther Creek."
"It is strange," continued Mrs. Linton, "that no other place in the country is subject to such a frightful nocturnal visita- ยท tion. No wonder only two natives have been known to live in this immediate vicinity for more than one day, and they, because of some secret said to be in their possession only, were immune from the attack of vicious animals. Even torture failed to elicit the secret from them."
Birds were among the most interesting features of the prime- val forest. Some are extinct and a few others nearly so. Then as now the haughty blue jay, policeman of the woods, growled and fretted like many people who seem to be mad because others are living besides themselves. Then as now the reticent mocking bird, the both day and night musician of the times, poured forth his varied notes from some towering tree-top for want of a hedge from which to give his hearers a closer audience.
Then as now, the fidgeted little wren, hermit of the wood-pile, with inquisitive round and keen eye, frisked from place to place in search of the early worm or belated fly; but the great wood- chick with his scarlet plume, and his black and white wings of ample spread, carrying him through the air like he was riding upon the waves of a boisterous sea; the golden yellow and the blood-red tanagers, whose plumage is as brilliant as any bird of the tropics; the delightful woodthrush, with his canary-yellow, black-speckled breast, and his musical song at break of day; the harmless bluebird twittering near his well-hidden nest in some hollow tree; the crimson-colored redbird with his bold whistle and heavy beak; the delicate partridge with his bob-white call
39
and sly habits; and the great turkey gobbler with his lordy strut, bronzed breast, red-wattled head and hanging beard, have all or nearly all, disappeared.
With the pretty birds the great eagle that on tireless wings sometimes soared above the clouds, has also gone. Often he wheeled in lowering circles and turned his head in every direc- tion in search of his prey. Discovering a pig, lamb or rabbit, he half-folded his wings, and descending through the air like an ar- row, easily carried his victim away to some hidden place of re- treat. Indeed one of these fierce birds seized a little child near where Winder is now located, and carried it to Price's mountain* near Belmont in Hall County. The skeleton of a child's foot with toe nails still on was afterwards discovered there, but no other bones were found.
With the passing of the eagle have also gone the great flocks of wild geese that often visited the country in old times. Ar- ranging themselves in a V-shaped body far above the tree-tops, a bold, strong leader placed himself at the apex, and thus they ranged the broad extent of country from Mexico to Canada. Occasionally a few stragglers would stop to search for food, and often some of them were killed and found to be excellent eating.
. Until the woodman's axe became so terribly destructive there stood, near the residence of Rev. Henry Hardman, a tree which came from a seed found in the craw of a wild goose. It was planted in 1823, and no one who saw the tree was able to classify it. It produced a rich profusion of finely flavored blooms, and almost an equal number of rare berries similar in taste to the muscadine, but a little smaller. Greatly to the regret of many, the seed of the berries would not germinate-it may have been because of climatic conditions.
Especially at night when ghosts and goblins were said to be trooping to and from churchyards, the lonesome, far-away cry, "honk !" "honk!" "honk!" of the wild goose caused the listener to draw his bedclothes close around him. Sometimes the geese
*Price's Mountain is on the line of Jackson and Hall Counties. Part of it is in Jackson, but the greater portion is across the line in the other county .- Ed.
40
flew so high as to be invisible even in the daytime. That was a good sign of dry weather. At other times they flew low and repeated their cries rapidly. That was a sign of bad weather. Hence the old adage of weather prophets, "The goose hangs high," or "the goose hangs low," "hang" being a corruption of "honk."
The vast multitude of wild pigeons that in bygone days visited the country have passed away with the geese. The flocks were frequently so large as to obscure the sun like a monster black cloud, and the great number of rapidly moving wings caused the leaves of the trees beneath them to flutter back and forth as when a moderate wind is passing. Unlike the geese they often stopped to feast on acorns and chestnuts. Going to roost at night all went together, and lighting upon the trees they broke down the timber to such an extent that many thousands were killed in the general wreck. Hence another old adage was, "Go around the pigeon roost if you expect to eat dinner."
Then, too, there was the horned owl, the night sentinel of the times, that took his post on some lofty tree-top as described by Mrs. Linton. Because of his cigar-shaped body, short wings and ghostly hooting, "ta-hoo-to-hoo-hoo," he was regarded as the ogre of the night, and when another, and another answered him from all directions, children and sometimes even grown folks, went to bed and pulled the cover over their heads. Though simple and easily understood, such a medley of harsh, discordant notes seem- ed to have a ghostly sound. Even more so when the quick, sharp, unearthly screams of the nighthawk, seldom seen but often heard at night only in the most gloomy parts of the forest where a ray of sunshine was almost unknown. Of ugly form, and, except when on the wing, of ungainly movements, the nighthawk is, perhaps, the least companionable bird of all the feathered tribe.
The sharp note of the lonesome joeree; the "cra-cre-cro" of the sly raincrow; the "boo-o-uh" of the swooping bullbat; and the delightful strains of the swamp blackbird, are not often, if at all, heard by children of the present generation. To the pros- perity of all of them, the unbroken forest with its deep shadows
41
and silent glens that teem with insect, vegetable and animal life, seems to be necessary.
It has been said that the number of turkey buzzards in any given area neither increases nor diminishes with the passing years. This is singular because they are known to extend their flight to a great distance. In 1836 William Jones caught a buz- zard on his father's plantation now known as the Jackson-near Dr. L. G. Hardman's place, and fastening a small brass bell, on which his name and date were plainly written to the captive's neck, he turned it loose unhurt. Some months passed and the same bird, having excited the curiosity of many people, was shot in the vicinity of Savannah, Ga., and the curious noise it made when flying was explained. The probability is that there are no more turkey buzzards now than when the country was first settled by the white man, nor are there any less.
42
CHAPTER III. ANIMALS TOGETHER WITH SOME INCIDENTS RELATING TO THEM- THE MYSTERIOUS WOG.
Though the species of animals found in the primeval forests of this country by our ancestors, were not so many as those living in the jungles of Africa or in the plains of Asia, yet they were quite numerous. Some were dangerous and others harmless. At least one distinguishing characteristic applied to every one of whatever kind-all were sleek and fat-none were poor or lean. All were wild, but some more gentle than others. As everywhere else the vicious animals were not the wildest. Nothing approach- ing a domesticated animal had ever been seen by a native of the country except two horses of which they were much afraid at first, thinking that the horse and his rider were one and the same creature.
With the passing of some of the birds, many animals have dis- appeared also. The beautiful and innocent red deer, always sleek, clean and toothsome, and as swift as the wind; the sly fox, the delight of all hunters, and as cunning as a native; and the barking gray squirrel, the ornament of the woods and a target for the sportsman, are nearly all gone, now.
The opossum, prowler of the night and hypocrite of the woods, the raccoon, the little bear of the swamps and inhabitant of hol- low trees; and the rabbit, the Molly Cotton Tail of the thicket, and the reputed companion of witches, are still here, but com- paratively few in number. The latter little animal, the rabbit, is, or rather was, the most singular creature known to the country. Though still queer and hard to understand, the hunter, with his dogs and shot gun, have greatly changed his habits, his manners and his customs. Naturally timid, as his speed, large eyes and ears certainly indicate, the close seclusion and constant watching required by modern conditions, give him something to do besides gamboling and playing over the hills and up and down the valleys as he did in old times. Having but few enemies rabbits were more
43
numerous then than now for an Indian never killed one. Among them as among other nations there were curious people and when one of these died they believed his or her spirit went into a rabbit and made a witch. Hence the immunity of these animals from death at the hand of a native.
All animals have a sense of humor, more or less, especially when young. Perhaps rabbits and squirrels are more notable for their playful moods after they are grown than any other natives of this country. In old times when the latter would run up a tree only far enough to get beyond the reach of the hunter's dog, and turn around and actually bark at him with what seemed to be saucy, defiant mockery, they were very different from what they are now. Their playful running up and down trees, over the waving and slender branches, and jumping as if they had wings, from one tree to another, was very pleasing, and always engaged the closest attention of the hunter who never ventured to fire his gun at one when thus employed. Their exercises, though not so varied as those of the rabbits, were so elegantly performed, and their bark- ing and chattering manifested so much real delight, that the re- spect of the beholder for the pretty little animals was always too great to admit of any interference with their fun, whatever.
Notwithstanding their wonderful acrobatical exploits among the trees, a squirrel was seldom known to fall to the ground. On one occasion when several were chasing each other up and down a great poplar tree in which was a large hole some thirty feet from the ground, the foremost one finally ran in it, and the others quick- ly followed. As quickly all came running out at the same time, and in such a hurry that some of them lost their footing and fell to the ground. After looking around for a moment, they scamper- ed off through the forest and did not return. Their companions that were playing on other trees at once seemed to know that something was wrong and soon disappeared, also. It was after- wards found that the hollow into which the playing squirrels ran, contained one old raccoon and two young ones. Their haste to get out and the stampede that followed were explained.
Perhaps no animal values its tail so highly as the squirrel. It is indeed very pretty, and is of great use whether climbing or
44
jumping. In 1841, James Hampton who lived in the vicinity of Commerce, shot off the tail of a gray squirrel. It fell to the ground, but the squirrel itself escaped to a hollow tree. Near his house there grew a large, spreading chestnut tree which at the time was full of chestnuts, ripe in the opening burrs. The next day his daughter, Lenora Hampton, noticed that squirrels were frequently passing back and forth from the forest in which the squirrel had been wounded to the big chestnut tree, and that their actions were very peculiar. She notified her father of the discovery and at once they began to watch the proceedings. At noon the fol- lowing day they were entirely satisfied that the friends of the wounded squirrel had coaxed him out of his den, induced him to sit in the crotch of the tree, amply supplied him with chestnuts from the field, and moreover, that he utterly refused to eat them ! This continued for several days through which he sat, looking sad and dejected, without, so far as those who watched him could discover, eating anything. On the morning of the seventh day he was found dead at the root of the tree from which he had fallen. A careful examination showed that no part of his body had been injured by a bullet or otherwise. Doubtless the poor little fellow had grieved himself to death because of the loss of his tail. Lenora Hampton is still living and sometimes tells the pathetic story of the bob-tailed squirrel in the long time ago.
To further show that a squirrel highly values his tail, the fol- lowing incident is given. Two young ones were kept in a cage until they were nearly grown and had become quite tame. As time passed on, one gnawed the hair off of his companion's tail so closely that he looked more like a rat than a squirrel. At last they escaped from prison and went to the woods. The uninjured one remained in the vicinity, but the rat-tailed fellow kept on and was afterwards seen several miles away. He never returned to the home of his shame, but his companion, being known by a small brass chain around his neck as well as by his manners, often went back on a short but always cautious visit.
As the foregoing incidents relating to animals are given to show old-time life in its innocent forms, the following are men-
45
tioned as most dangerous, leaving, however, incidents illustrating their character, to be described as they occurred in actual life :
The howl of the savage and always hungry wolf; the spring of the stealthy panther with his inordinate thirst for human blood; and the great black bear sniffing around at midnight in search of something to devour, and occasionally giving his ugly growls, were constantly a terror to those who heard them.
As all these animals had a mortal dread of fire, the only way to keep them at a distance while the pioneers were asleep was to keep a fire burning in the yard all night. True, many were killed ; but it required a long time to perceptibly diminish the great num- ber that roamed through the forests.
While the wolves, panthers and bears gave the first white set- tlers of this part of the country much trouble, still another animal whose existence has often been disputed, inspired those who pro- fessed to have seen him, with more fear than all the others com- bined. It was the Wog, not Woog as it has sometimes been called. Many of the people who first lived at and for several miles around old Jug Tavern from its first settlement to about 1809, claimed to have seen him at their houses. As the character of the people who first lived there will be shown as this narrative progresses, the reader will be at as much loss to know how he can afford to dispute their word as he is to believe what they have said. At any rate the writer tells the story as it was told to him; but, perhaps, with a little more evidence than any reader has.
The wog was said to be a jet-black, long-haired animal about the size of a small horse, but his legs were much shorter, the front ones being some twelve inches longer than the hind ones. This gave him something of the appearance of a huge dog "sitting on its tail," and when walking seemed to require him to carry for- ward one side at a time. His tail was very large, all the way of the same size, and at the end of it there was a bunch of entirely white hair at least eight inches long and larger in diameter than the tail itself. Whether sitting, standing or walking this curious appendage was in constant motion from side to side, not as a dog wags his tail, but with a quick upward curve which brought it down with a whizzing sound that could be distinctly heard at
46
least when twenty-five or thirty steps distant. But the most dis- tinguishing feature of this horrid tail was that it revealed the presence of the monster in the dark-the only time he ventured to go abroad. His great red eyes were very repulsive, but not so much so as his forked tongue, the prongs of which were thought to be eight inches long and sometimes played in and out his mouth like those of a mad snake. Really the meanest feature about the beast was that his bear-like head contained a set of great white teeth over which his ugly lips never closed.
The Indians told the first white emigrants that so long as the wog was left undisturbed he would not molest any one-that he would sometimes visit their houses-go around them-if a light were inside, poke his tongue through any opening he could find between the logs, and then go away. Pioneers were not only quick to learn this lesson, but also carefully followed the instruction.
During the years formerly mentioned, the wog made several visits to houses in the territory to which reference has been made. Those inside the house, though they had not seen the flirting of his white plume, knew of his presence by its whizzing sound, by the poke of his horrid tongue through the cracks of the wall, and notably by the mortal fear with which he inspired other creatures outside. Dogs and cats ran away and in some instances were scared to death. Horses snorted, cattle moaned and chickens flew from their roosts in all directions.
Thus having seemingly accomplished his only mission-to frighten everything out of its wits-he gave a loud snort and still twirling his white signal from side to side, went ambling away, and welcome was the going.
The foregoing is, in substance, the description given by Alonzo Draper who lived and died in the territory of the wog, and also by Thomas C. Barron who died near Apply Valley in the '40's of the last century.
Let me repeat : I give the account of the wog as it was given to me. It is hard to confess that one believes that there was such a thing and one hates to say that he does not believe the word of these old citizens. The writer must leave the matter to you, dear reader.
47
THE TALASEE COLONY
BANNA MAR DE VEDO AND HER ENVIRONS Being a part of the Early History of Jackson County
Dedicated to the Memory of the Talasee Colony
49
CHAPTER I.
FIRST SETTLERS FROM EFFINGHAM COUNTY.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.