USA > Georgia > Coffee County > Ward's History of Coffee County > Part 9
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The Douglas and McDonald Railroad
The first railroad locomotive to reach Douglas rolled into Douglas sometime in 1896, pulling a load of brick to build a schoolhouse, which was the first brick build- ing built in Douglas. A tram-road had been in opera- tion for some time between McDonalds Mill and Down- ing, a turpentine still five miles south of Douglas. And so when the city of Douglas began the construc- tion of a brick schoolhouse the need of a railroad was felt, and so for that reason and for other reasons the tram-road from McDonalds mill, now Axson, was ex- tended to Douglas. This little road gave Douglas its first outlet to the big wide world. We went to Way- cross, Jacksonville, Brunswick, Savannah, etc., by way of this little road. And so I thought it worth while to add this little scrap of history to the story of the progress of Coffee County.
Origin of the Georgia & Florida Railroad and Development
Wadley and Mt. Vernon Extension Railroad Com- pany built Douglas to Broxton 1901. Extended to the River in 1903, changed to the Douglas, Augusta & Gulf in 1905. Took over Ocilla, Pine Bloom and Valdosta Railroad from Pine Bloom to Nashville, Ga., and built from Douglas to Willacoochee and Pine Bloom in 1905 giving railroad from Barrow's Bluff on Ocmulgee River to Nashville, Ga., 591/2 miles of road.
Sold to John Skelton Williams and Middendort, Will- iams and Company in May, 1906.
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Red Bear Creek to river built by Douglas capital and Captain James, of Wadley, Ga.
First plan was to build to Ocmulgee River at Bar- row's Bluff to secure cheaper freight rates by securing water connection with boats on river.
Originators planned to ultimately cross Ocmulgee River and connect with Wadley and Mt. Vernon Rail- road, owned by Capt. James, extending from Wadley toward Oconee river and thence to Augusta. Chief Promoters Wadley, Mt. Vernon Extension Railroad Company; Capt. James, Wadley, Ga .; Capt. J. W. Miller, Macon, Ga .; B. Peterson, Douglas; John Mc- Lean, Douglas, Ga .; F. L. Sweat, Douglas, Ga .; W. W. McDonald, Douglas; J. W. Quincey, Douglas, Ga .; J. S. Lott, Douglas, Ga., and other citizens of Douglas.
The Georgia and Florida Railroad was organized by Mr. John Skelton Williams and associated during the early part of 1906. The shops at Douglas, Coffee County, Georgia, were built during the year 1909. The machinery equipment, etc., were set in the shop dur- ing the year, 1910, and when we moved into the shops it was a great day for the shop employees at Douglas, as we had been working outdoors entirely for about three years.
Below you will find a partial list of the officials and employees that were in service shortly after the Geor- gia and Florida Railroad was organized.
The first general manager was Mr. Cecil Gabbitt, who was later succeeded by Mr. J. M. Turner, who was placed in charge of construction and operation.
Mr. W. H. Alexander, Auditor, formerly employed by the D. A. & G. R. R.
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Mr. B. F. Holdzendorff, Superintendent, formerly em- ployed by D. A. & G.
Mr. Tinsley, Trainmaster, was formerly employed by M. & S. W. R. R.
Mr. R. L. Loftin, Trainmaster, employed by the G. & F.
Mr. J. E. Mathis, Master Mechanic, employed by G. & F.
During the years 1918, 1919, 1920 and 1921 the rail- roads were operated under the direction of the United States Railway Administration, and during this time all of the employees were enjoying the best rates of pay that had ever been known in the history of this rail- road, or any other railroad, hard times were forgotten.
The road suffered a very serious loss during January of 1929 by the death of Mr. W. H. Dyer, who was superintendent of motive power, and Mr. M. T. Lani- gan, Auditor, both of them having been very efficient executives for a number of years, and figured to a large measure in the development of the Georgia & Florida Railroad. Those who are assigned to the duties formerly supervised by these two gentlemen and others who came in contact with them cannot but miss their presence on the road at this time.
The road was very fortunate to have for its chief executive, Mr. H. W. Purvis, who is conversant with problems of transportation in every detail. He pos- sesses the faculties and the talent to promote and develop plans.
Mr. George W. Crowder, of Douglas, Ga., succeeded Mr. Dyer, superintendent of motive power. No better selection could have been made.
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Sand Hill Church
One of the first large religious meetings I ever at- tended in Coffee County was the Smyrna Association, held under a brush arbor where Sand Hill Church is now located, about seven miles east of Douglas. This Association was held about the year 1875. I know it was a long time ago, for curly-headed Hymrick Meeks, now one of the best homespun Baptist preachers in Georgia, was hardly big enough to wear socks. Elders George Newbern, Johnie G. Taylor, Rev. Blitch, Bill Carver, Thomas P. O'Neal and other ministers attended the meeting. The weather was fine and the attendance was large. The people came from all over the country. Several counties were represented. Great preparations had been made by the citizens of the neighborhood to entertain all who came. Hogs were butchered, beeves were killed and chickens slayed by the hundreds. Those who lived in the locality and who helped to entertain were: William Dent, Dunk Douglas, Dan Gaskins, Sarah Ward and others. The people came in droves, in all sorts of conveyances, and fell in at the nearest homes until they were all full and running over. Then others went to the next home and so on until all had a place to eat and sleep. At many homes, for lack of seats, the people sat around on the edge of the porches and let their legs hang off to the ground. Mr. Douglas entertained about seventy-five people at his home with horses to feed in proportion. You have never seen more open-hearted hospitality. The by- word was "Get down and come in and make yourself at home. Put up your horses and feed them." It was a great time. We met so many new people. All of
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them good and kind. They came fresh from good country homes, in love with their neighbors and all the world. I was a small boy, but I took in everything that came along. I often laugh today over things that happened then. Our lot was full of horses, some in the potato patch, some in the cotton patch and others scattered over the fields. While all these good old brothers were talking about the meeting with all their minds and heart on the association, one of the broth- ers called out, "Brother Jim, where is your horse?" Brother Jim, with a wave of his hand towards the field said, "I just turned my horse into the associa- tion." Well, we all laughed and kept on laughing for up to that good hour we had never seen a horse turned into the association. That association was a great meeting. It was the planting of Sand Hill Church and from that church several other churches have come. Many of the old preachers are dead and gone but the good work that was begun then still lives and goes on to bless the world.
W. P. WARD.
From Ward's Scrap Book, 1905.
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Newspapers
The first paper printed in Coffee County was the "Pioneer," by Will- iam Parker and Fred Ricketson, about - 1870. The paper was published at Pear- son, Ga., and it was printed on a home made press. The roller was made of wood. The type was inked, the paper spread out upon the WILLIAM PARKER type and the wooden roller was rolled over the paper by hand. This paper was sold to a man named L. A. Lutes.
About 1876 William Parker started the "Coffee County Gazette." In 1883 the paper was sold to W. P. Ward. In 1884 the paper was enlarged to a seven column paper and moved to Waycross, Georgia, and was called "The Waycross Headlight."
William Parker began the publishing of the "South Georgia Land Agent" at Pearson, Ga., in 1883. C. A. Ward and Pat Smith started the "Douglas Breeze" in 1888.
The Douglas Leader was started by A. B. Finley as a Populist paper.
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Quincey and MeDonald started the Douglas Leader, which was bought by J. M. Freeman and changed to the Douglas Breeze. In 1904, W. P. Ward organized a stock company and began the publication of The Coffee County Gazette. In 1906, The Douglas Enter- prise and the Coffee County Gazette merged and be- came The Douglas Enterprise. Coffee County Progress was started in 1915 by T. A. Wallace and now the present editor is Fred Ricketson.
Coffee County News started in 1906 by S. H. Christo- pher and was sold to the Douglas Enterprise.
William Parker, a prominent merchant and business man of Pearson, Ga., and later of Waycross, Ga., was born and reared in Coffee County, Ga., and was edu- cated in Palmyra, N. Y.
He edited and published the first paper in Coffee County-"The Pioneer." He later established the "Coffee County Gazette" and later in life he pub- lished the "South Georgia Land Agent."
Mr. Parker was a very devout. Christian man and organized "The Christian Layman Association."
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Where Uncle Jim Lives
In a two-story house, half hidden by the pines at the foot of the hill, is where Uncle Jim lives. Everybody knows Uncle Jim. He writes the "Note Book" in the Douglas Enter- prise and marries couples. I have passed his door nearly every day for JAMES M. FREEMAN twenty years and more. "Aunt Sally," Uncle Jim's good wife, often stood in the door and talked to me as I went by. But she is not there any more. She was old and sick and tired and God took her, and now, Miss Dollie, the good Angel of Douglas, presides over the home, and little Simmie, the granddaughter, came like a sun- beam from Heaven to help and bless.
Uncle Jim has lots to be thankful for. Nearly all the winds blow good to him. A peach tree came up in the chimney corner, like Jonah's gourd, to shut out the sun, and likewise a plum tree in the front yard. It bears fruit and makes shade, and is a restful place for the birds which so often come and sing for Uncle Jim. Uncle Jim holds court and writes the "Note Book" in his office at the court house, but he prefers to marry the folks under the plum tree ; sometimes out of the sunshine and many times in the moonshine.
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Uncle Jim is not strong enough to go to church at night, and so the good winds blew a Presbyterian church close by, and when the nights are cold he sits in his big chair and nods and smokes and hears the singing and the sermon.
Uncle Jim has the best friends in the world. They bring him so many good things, the biggest and the best of the fruits and flowers. To many of the children, he is a sort of uncrowned king. They think of him as they do Santa Claus, as some one who loves them and helps them. Uncle Jim has big gray eyes and they often fill up with tears of gratitude as some kind- ness is shown him. But Uncle Jim is getting old. The sun is getting low in the West and the shadows are getting longer. He cannot stay with us much longer. He has written his life and thoughts into thousands of the people of his generation, and ere long, perhaps, he may look out of his window, through the pines, up into the sky beyond the stars where Sally is waiting at the beautiful Gates. All the light will go out and Uncle Jim will be gone. The trees will cease to bloom and the birds will come and sing no more. So, if you wish to show him a favor or do him a kindness, do it now.
Ward's Scrapbook, 1910.
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A Log Rolling, Quilting and A Frolic
Much of the land cleared soon after the war was done in the most primitive way. When a farmer de- cided to clear up a piece of land he split every tree on the land that would split into fence rails. The logs that would not split were cut up into pieces twelve or fifteen feet long to be burned at some convenient time in the fall or winter. The farmer gave a "log rolling, quilting and a frolic." The neighbors were invited to a big dinner and a "log rolling." The wives and daughters came to sew and to quilt. The method of rolling logs was to take hand spikes, prize up the log, and put about three hand spikes under the log with two men to each stick, one on each side of the log. Many a contest in strength was made in lifting logs. If the log was very heavy the men had to be very strong in their arms, legs and backs to lift. If the man at the other end of the stick was not likewise a very strong man, he could not come up with his end of the log and so he became the laughing stock of the crowd. It often happened that a small man was much stronger than a big man. I knew one little man who could lift as heavy a log as any man; the harder he pulled at his hand spike, redder and redder his face got, the veins in his neck bulged larger and larger. When a man claimed he was very much of a man and then wanted the light end of the load he would bluff the crowd by saying, "I can carry this and then some. Jump on my end of the log and take a ride."
While the men were busy rolling logs in the fields, the women and girls at home were busy making quilts
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and cooking dinner. One of the main dishes for dinner was a sixty-gallon sugar boiler full of rice and chicken and backbones. The largest dinner pot was full of greens and dumplings. When the greens were served on the largest dish a boiled ham was placed on top, while sweet potatoes, cracklin bread, potatoes, mudgen and cakes, two-story biscuits which were served in large quantities. When dinner time comes some one blows a big cow horn loud and long. All hands took a drink and went to dinner. All sorts of dishes are used on the table, broken cups, cracked plates, knives without handles, forks with but one prong, but they all had a good dinner and a bushel of fun while they ate. When the log rolling and the quilting is over, and the sun sets into the West, old Bill Mundy, the colored man, came in with his fiddle. A lot of sand was put on the floor and everything is cleared for the dance. The dancers get on the floor with their partners, the fiddler starts up "The One-eyed Gopher," and the frolic is on. The tune "One-eyed Gopher" played by the fiddler was a repetition of the words, "Oh, the one-eyed gopher, he fell down and couldn't turn over," etc. He would play it high, play it fast, and play it slow. When the dance is over the old fiddler kept on fiddling. They couldn't stop him. He said he had a contract with the boss men to play all night for five dollars and he said he couldn't break his contract. If he broke his contract it would ruin his business. He said he could make a new contract and that would do away with the old contract, and so they made a new contract. He charged them ten dollars to quit, but he decided to give them a farewell tune.
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They got Sandy Moore to beat the strings while he played "Squirrel Gravy, " and thus the frolic ended.
About the time the crowd was leaving, up came a bunch of rough necks to pick a fuss and a fight with some of the crowd. This was a bunch who never worked and had not helped with the log rolling that day, they only hoped to get a drink and a fight. The young men put their heads together and decided to play these fellows a trick. At the end of the house near the kitchen chimney a clay hole had been dug to get clay with which to build the kitchen chimney. The hole was deep as a man's head and about half full of water. The young men figured, if they should go around behind the kitchen and get up a fuss among themselves that the rough necks would run around to get in the fight. And so the fuss was started and the rough necks ran around the kitchen just as they supposed and fell heels over head into the clay hole. Every head of them got ducked and wet from top to bottom. They got thoroughly cooled off and there was no fight pulled off that night. And thus ends a "log rolling, a quilting, and a frolic" in Coffee County.
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The Hour of Prayer in a Saw Mill
It is carly twilight in the pine woods of South Georgia. The morning air is crisp and cool. The smoke goes up from a hundred shacks in the "Quar- ters" of a big saw mill.
"Big Jim," the whistle of the big mill, had sounded the signal for rising just one hour before. The fire in the slab pit that "burns forever and ever" casts a halo over the mill grounds around and about. It is now the hour of prayer. The big boilers are all hot and running over with steam. The log train fired up, pants and waits the word to go. Everything is ready. Everybody on time. A short blast of the whistle and the men hurry from all parts of the mill grounds. They gather in a circle-like group on the lumber docks. In the center of the group stands a man with a Bible in hand. All sorts of men and boys gather around. The engineer with cap in hand, the sawyer with his bill of lumber, laborers, white and colored, with dinner pails on their arms, and chop axes on their shoulders.
The man with the book, in slow and measured tones, read a part of Psalm 133, which begins like this : "Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity," etc. He lifts his hands towards heaven and prayed : "Our Father in heaven, we thank thee for the light of this morning and for the promise of a new day. We thank thee for all the blessings of life. Bless us this day with our homes and houses. Help us to do a good day's work, but most of all help us to be true to thee, and may the one purpose of our lives be to do thy will. Amen." You hear the shuffle of feet, the rattle of dinner pails, and
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the whiz of the escaping steam. The bells on the log train rings. The cry of "All Aboard" is given and the trains pull out for the many miles away. The steam in the big mill is turned out and the great fly wheel spins round like a top. The log carriage sweeps in position, the man with the canthook puts a log in place. The saw sings and clatters and moans and the real day's work began.
Out in the woods many miles away the men with chop axes are singing. Trees are falling and the pine woods present a busy and happy scene. Back in the mill quarters all day long you hear the women singing "Swing Low Sweet Chariot" and other familiar songs. Everybody busy and everybody happy. Plenty to do and plenty to eat. God's country in action-in South Georgia.
That happy time was many years ago. Change and decay come to all things. There is now nothing left of that old mill, but the sweet memory rests of those days, which, like sweet incense, floats back to you and me to bless and sanctify our lives. It was Walter Lott, of precious memory, who ran the saw mill, called the men together, read God's Word to his helpers, and offered prayer in their behalf. Now he is gone, and the big mill is gone and soon we shall all be gone. Let us hope that some sweet day our God shall gather us all with our songs and prayers to live with Him and our loved ones forever and ever.
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The Georgia Colonel
So far as I know, Georgia is the only state in the Union where lawyers are called colonels. Some people think this is a mere captious name, but it is not. When a person has been sworn in as an attorney-at-law that person at once becomes a part of the court and a part of the machinery for enforcing the law of the land, and good reasons for which I shall now tell you.
As you know, Georgia was settled by General Ogle- thorpe. He was the first Governor of Georgia. He was a military man. In the organization of the State of Georgia, General Oglethorpe, the military man, im- pressed himself upon the state of which he was governor.
To be brief we will start with General Oglethorpe, the governor. Next to the governor we have the attorney-general, and next to the attorney-general we have the solicitor-general, and coming on down the line we have the courts, with their attorneys being a part and parcel of the court. The next office below a general being that of "colonel," and so by operation of law every person sworn in as an attorney-at-law is either a general or a colonel.
In order to show the military coloring in Georgia, the state is laid out in militia districts.
And each judicial system is fashioned after a mili- tary system with its governor-general, attorney- general, solicitor-general, and colonels; then it follows that a very large percentage of the power and re- sponsibility of the courts is vested in the lawyers that practice in the courts.
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In closing let me suggest this, if all the members of the court from the judge to the solicitor-general, and all the lawyers who are sworn officers of the courts, would line up with the judge and the solicitor- general and do a lot of team work together, I believe a long step would be taken forward in the administra- tion of justice and in the enforcement of our laws and that soon our great country would be in deed and in truth "the home of the brave and the land of the free."
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The Ordinary
So far as I know, Georgia is the only state in the Union that has an ordinary. The corresponding office in most other states is the county judge.
The ordinary has a jurisdiction all his own, and in addition he is the Judge of the Court of Ordinary. Many years ago his jurisdiction was so extensive and his duties so numerous that he was called the "Guar- dian of the County." But in late years Boards of County Commissioners have taken charge of all county matters. The work of the ordinary is now confined mostly to the administration of estates, guardianships for minors, pensioners, lunatics, marriage licenses, etc. The office is usually filled by mature men who have some knowledge of business and law. The ordinary is supposed to be able to advise widows and orphans, handle pension matters, and in all things make him- self useful to those who happen to need his help. He needs to be a man with busy hands, a good head and a warm heart. We now have 161 ordinaries in Georgia -a noble band they are, working for little pay and trying to help and bless the needy and the helpless.
The ordinary has many hard problems to solve. The people who make much of the friction in life are the ones he has to deal with. Much of his time is de- voted to an effort to disentangle the threads of human life-to satisfy and soothe the sorrows of human hearts. All sorts of people with all sorts of troubles come for his advice and help. The settlement of estates, the cry of orphan children, the lunatic, the crippled man, the pauper-old and sick, and all forsaken find the way to his office; in short, the needy of all classes who
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need a friend find their way to his office. The office of ordinary is not a moneyed office, but an office of real service. The ordinary is a man who can keep busy at something useful every day. He can give advice. He can write letters for those who can't write. He can examine records for those who can't pay him for his services ; yes, and sometimes he can weep with those who weep. But I must stop my thinking along this line. The day is cold, but my heart is made warm by these thoughts, and so with a faith unfailing in the great "I Am" I take up my pen and begin a new year's work, leaning on the "Everlasting Arms."
Ward's Scrapbook, January, 1906.
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Two Boys From Clinch
M. D. DICKERSON Judge of Superior Courts of Waycross District
W. C. LANKFORD Now in Congress, 11th Dis- trict of Georgia
About the year 1901 two boys came "from Clinch," but they are not boys any more. They soon fell in line with the progressive spirit of Coffee County and became among the best citizens of the county. One of these young men signed his name "Marcus D. Dickerson" and the other young man signed his name "W. C. Lankford." They came together from Clinch County to Coffee County and formed a partnership for the practice of law. When they wrote their names jointly they wrote it "Lankford and Dickerson, At- torneys-at-Law, Douglas, Georgia." These two young men came from two pioneer families from Clinch
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County. They were strong in body and in mind. They had the training that a good farmer usually gives a good son. These boys were taught how to work. They knew how to build a rail fence and how to lay off a "straight row." They attended the "old field" schools of Clinch County, and that means they know how to "figure and spell." Such a foundation as that is a good foundation on which to build a successful life.
Marcus D. Dickerson was born in Clinch County, Georgia, February 12th, 1880. He attended school in Jasper, Florida, and Abbeville, Georgia. He graduated in June, 1901, from the State University. He came to Douglas in 1901 and formed a law partnership with W. C. Lankford. This partnership lasted for several years. He was appointed Solicitor of the City of Douglas in 1902, and was elected by the people in 1904 and served until 1908. In 1910 Mr. Dickerson was elected Solicitor-General of the Waycross Circuit, and in 1914 was re-elected without opposition. Mr. Dickerson married Miss Ethel Frink of Douglas, Geor- gia, January 18th, 1905. They have three children : David Dickerson, Will Dickerson, now a young mem- ber of the Douglas bar, and Miss Ethel Dickerson.
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