Chattahoochee County GaArchives History .....Chapter II - History of Chattahoochee Co., GA 1933
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CHAPTER II
Early Settlers and Homes
Prevous to 1854, the three post offices in territory comprising this county
were Bald Hill, Halloca and Shell Creek, with a village called Sandtown. But it
was universally conceded that a more dignified appellation than Sand Town, the
first name of this vilage selected as place for the county site, shoud be
considered. McIntosh was suggested, and since the great Indian chieftan, Willam
McIntosh, had lost his life because of his good will towards the white people
coming to supplant the Creeks along the Chattahoochee, it would have been an
agree-'able election had not Cusseta been chosen instead. For the Cussetahs had
been such a powerful tribe among the Creeks living here that their name should
be memorialized in some manner and what more fitting than its constant
repetition by their white friends? Various traditions have been handed down as
to who first suggested the name of Cusseta for this village, but the following
is copied from first page of records by the Chattahoochee County Inferior Court.
"Ordered by the Court from the suggestion of Wm. G. Wooldridge that the
county site of Chattahoochee County be called and known by the name of Cusseta."
The first five Justices of this Inferior Court -were Charles King, Isaac H.
Webb, James S. Allums, Theophilus Sapp, and Hiram Fuller.
April 10, 1854, this court ordered that the Town of Cusseta be laid off in
lots and sold to the highest bidder on Thursday, May 11, 1854.
Later James Allums was paid $40.00 for surveying and platting the town of
Cusseta. Also $19.00 for hands to clean out the streetts.
April 21, 1854, the lot upon whch the court 'house is built was deeded to
the Justices of the Inferior Court by Jesse Os-teen (deed recorded on page 135,
deed book A). Among orders by the Court concerning roads in the county (1854) is
this:
That a public Road be opened commencing at Fuller's Bridge running the line
between Bush's and McBride's near the line between McBride's and Thos. J. Miles
running the line until it intersects the Road that was obstructed, thence with
the said Road to the Federal Road.
Sale of Town Lots, May 11, 1854
No. 85 Shipp and Allums $200.00
No. 83 T. W. Howard 210.00
No. 82 W. W. Shipp 185.00
No. 81 N. J. Bussey 210.00
No. 80 E. Walters 255.00
No. 79 T. F. Wooldridge 410.00
No. 76 T. A. Brannon 300.00
No. 75 W. M. Jenkins 200.00
No. 77 S. W. Ellis and H. W. Howard 296.00
No. 78 Thos. P. Wooldridge 256.00
No. 74 William Bagley 350.00
No. 73 T. A. Brannon 363.00
No. 72 Britton Willis 196.00
No. 71 Dr. Hitchcock 171.00
No. 70 Dr. Austin 151.00
No. 69 J. M. Brooks 155.00
No. 66 J. T. McNaughton 101.00
No. 65 John Brewer 75.00
No. 64 John Brewier 50.00
No. 60 W. W. Shipp 95.00
No. 57 John D. Williams 156.00
No. 56 T. A. Brannon 195.00
No. 58 James Peddy 150.00
No. 59 A. J. Austin 125.00
No. 42 James A. Whitindus (?) 67.00
No. 40 N. N. Howard 50.00
No. 37 Dr. Hitchcock 260.00
No. 38 Wiliam Hardison 255.00
No. 36 T. A. Brannon 172.00
No. 9 W. W. Bussey 104.00
No. 10 Charles A. Brooks 152.00
No. 11 T. J. Miles 175.00
No. 12 Eli Lightner 190.00
No. 11 T. A. Brannon 111.00
No. 18 John Fussell 101.00
No. 19 W. W. Shipp 100.00
No. 21 William Bagley 175.00
No. 22 J. T. McNaughton and Sandy Cauley 161.00
No. 34 J. T. McNaughton 52.00
No. 33 Leroy Pollard 82.00
No. 23 John W. Boland 80.00
No. 24 Leroy Pollard 72.00
No. 30 Wright McCook 140.00
No. 1 James H. Jones Jr. 65.25
No. 29 William H. Flannagan 110.00
No. 28 S. D. Harp 76.00
No. 47 N. N. Howard 80.00
No. 49 S. D. Harp 152.00
No. 44 J. S. Allums 49.00
In due time all purchases were completed by payments of $10.00 on each lot
with time notes for the remainder in two equal installments.
Grand Jurors: Wm. G. Wooldridge, Edward M. Weems, H. J. Williams, John
Yarbrough, James H. King, Thomas Howell, Jesse M. Read, Archibald McGruder,
M,attox Wall, Thomas Bush, Geo. W. Helms, Hubbard Van Horn, William Dismuke,
Thomas Christian, James Tigner, M. C. Wardlaw, Wm. W. Shipp, Jordan Beck,
Eucratus Roland, John T. George, Dempsey R. Glanton, David Wynn, John Brewer,
Gehugh Allen, John Horn, N. J. Bussey, S. J. Austin, Robert C. Patterson. Wilson
Gordy, Thomas F. Wooldridge, J. M. Cook, Nathaniel N. Nicholson, John M. Sapp,
Henry J. Woodall, William Crew.
Petit Jurors: Pleasant Tomerlin, James D. Askew, James Lahier, Joseph
Gardner, Harrison Thomas, H. Goolsby, Young E. Waters, LaFayetjte Parkman,
Thomas Foster, James E. Royals, Edward McGlaun, James Guy, Jacob Clark, N. J.
Morley, William Stephens, James M. Roberson, .William J. Morgan, Joseph King, A.
C. Hudson, Geo. W. Cobb, Abner Christian, William Moody, Jesse T. Cobb, Benjamin
Wallace, George W. Tomerlin, William Welch, James Lawson, Edward Simmons, Henry
Sim;mons, Andrew J. Bagget, John Pry, Rivers Reese, Gabriel M.. Osteen, Jesse L.
Rogers, William F. Lane, M. C. Langfrod, James M. Cobb, Sen., Henry J. Walters,
Daniel E. Cobb, Augustus Moss, Dread Bagley, F. M. Christopher, Chapel Roberts,
Henry H. Dunn. E. C. Pollard, Reuben N. Powell, James N. Fussel. Joel Phillips.
(1854).
The following is copied from oldest book of records in office of Muscogee Co.
Only references to people and places later part of Chattahoochee Co. were
selected to write into this history.
Abbreviations to be used here. J. I. C. for Justice of Inferior Court; r.,
road; ord., ordered; coms., commissioners; comn., commencing; p., public; and
int. intersecting.
Following names are not included in Index.
Dec. 10, 1938, Jas. C. Holland, Hardy C. Sapp, and Manoah D. Robison,
Justices of the Inferior Court.
A reward of $1,000 was offered for the apprehension and conviction of
incindiaries who set fire to the court house on morning of October 15, 1838.
(Destruction of all records prior to 1838 has made it impossible to obtain exact
dates of arrival of certain families connected with this history of Chattahoochee.)
First months of 1839 Robt. W. Carries and James M. Chambers were also
Justices of this Court.
Repairs were authorized (in 1839) on bridge across Upatoi Creek near Hiram
Fuller's residence; Little Berry Randall, Jas. Vinson and Pry or Dozier to act
as coms.
Jan. 8, 1840: Ord. that Elijah Dean, Joshua R. McCook, William Wilkerson and
Henry King review and report upon the propriety of a pub. r. comn. at Horton and
Gray's mills running S. W. across St. Mary's r. at Jas. Jernigan's residence;
int. r. leading from Columbus to Lumpkin at Henry Sander's residence.
Feb. 1, 1841; Ord. that Jas. H. Scarbrough, Henry Tarver and Martin Mims be
appointed coms, to review and lay off r. from Stewart Co. line to Lumpkin r.
below John Woofolk's to be known as the River R. to Florence.
March 27, 1841; J. I. C.'s were Jas. M. Chambers, Wiley Williams, H.
Mitchell and H. C. Sapp. April 1841; Alexander Moss, Samuel C. Parks and Elijah
Dean were appointed to select place for bridge across Upatoi; Joseph Shippey
then lived in 9th D. of Muscogee.
June 7, 1851; Ord. that John Woolfolk, Jeremiah Walker and H. C. Sapp be
appointed coms, to let out the building and keeping in repairs five years a
bridge across Upatoi near Col. Woolfolk's.
Amos Schumpert, James Cook and Edmund Oneal were in D. 787. Bridge across
Upatoi at Peggy Read's to be constructed. E. B. W. Spivey, Henry King and A.
Parks coms. One across Nochille at Watkin's Mill to be repaired, James Hickey,
Faris Ray, Isaac Webb and J. R. McCook coms.
Hiram Fuller rec'd $200.00 for erecting Randall's Bridge across Upatoi.
Hardy Council Sapp was J. I. C. in Jan. 1842, continuing into 1844; Hubbard
Van Horn was paid $600.00 for building the Peggy Reed bridge on St. Mary's, and
also for one across Upatoi and Horton and Ezekiel's Mills.
A private r. running by Henry King's to Marion Co. line near Benj. Mathis to
enable them to have access .to the Market R. was sought and J. R. McCook, Jas.
Hickey and Isaac Webb coms, to report upon its utility.
March 1844: Ord. that the following gentlemen be appointed overseers for the
poor in their respective Dists.
Dist. 921: Peter S. Bugg, I. G. Cook and Samuel Watkins.
Doles D.: A. Odom, Daniel Huff and S. Prince.
Upatoi D.: James Pattillo, Peter V. Guerry, and Gray Harris.
Glenn. D.: Lemuel Cherry, T. F. Wooldridge and West Parker.
Halloka D.: Jas. Hickey, J. R. McCook and Jas. Cook.
River D.: H. C. Sapp, J. T. Harp and P. M. Thomas.
8th D.: William Kirk, L. M. Biggers and William Clark.
Town D.: Thomas Morris, G. W. Turrentine and W. A. Read.
Town D.: B. F. Coleman, Wm. F. Luckie and Asa Pond.
Jan. 1845: Ord. that Jas. Hickey and J. M. Renfroe, Peter Albritton and Wm.
McBryde be appointed to have bridge built, across Nochillee. March 1845: R. C.
Patterson was paid for building bridge across Randall's C. on Express R. from
Columbus to Tazewell.
Road Overseers for 1845
D. 787: Alexander Ligon, J. R. McCook and Perry Browning J. P.
D. 678: Wm. Wooldridge, Elijah Dean and F. Hanson J. P.
D. 724: H. C. Sapp, Rivers Reese and Thos. Roland J. P.
May 1845: Hiram Fuller, Wilson Gordy and Irvin Watkins were appointed
reviewers of pub. r. to com. at Bald Hill, thence to Fuller's Bridge. James
Roland, Daniel Parkman and Jno. Averett reviewers of another r. to com. at Moss
and int. Lumpkin r. near Roland's Mill.
March 9, 1846: Jas. McGuire, Rivers Reese, Wm. Wooldridge, John Victory and
Geo. W. Character (Caraker) app. reviewers of new r. in their community to int.
Col. Lumpkin r. near McGuire's. May 4, 1846: John McGlaun, Ratliff Boon and
Samuel Jones app. reviewers of r. com. near southern end of Wm. Bagley's lane
running to Co. line near John Brewer's.
Sept. 1846: Wm. Cobb, Wm. Crew, Peter M. Thomas, Henry King, Amos Schumpert
and Perry Browning, app. coms, to lay out r. com. at Schumpert's mill; thence to
Wilkinson's bridge; thence to River r. at Massey's.
March 1848 Road Commissioners
D. 773: Willis S. Halstead J. P., Wiley E. Jones and Jas. E. Cook.
D. 772: Laban C. Pool J. P., John T. Lokey and John Wood.
D. 678: Ezekiel Walters J. P., William Bagley and John Smith.
D. 787: Perry Browning J. P., James Hickey and Samuel Johnson.
D. 774: Sterling Jenkins J. P., Pinckney Hazelton and John B. Dozier.
D. 675: Robt. W. Carnes J. P., Charles M. Smith and Robt. Boyd.
D. 724: Archibald Bonnell J. P., Jeremiah G. Walker and Wm. G. Wooldridge.
D. 921: Jas. W. Massey J. P., Wm. P. Malone and William C. Wardlaw.
J. I. C.'s 1859: Samuel R. Andrews, Adam G. Foster, Jas. M. Renfroe and James
Wimberly.
Among overseers for the poor were Thos. F. Wooldridge, Samuel C. Parks,
Henry J. Eelbeck, M. D. Wall, Theophilus Sapp, Wm. W. Smith, James Cook, Daniel
Wood and Wm. W. Shipp.
Feb. 5, 1851: R. applied for by Benj. Alford, James Wilson, Wm. Delsold (?),
Vincent Harrison, John Roland, John M. Jones, Wm. Terry, John A. Macon, Joseph
C. Terry, Frances Surles, Drewry Banks, Henry Yarbrough, Wm. R. Surles, Wm. W.
Garrard, Alexander Moss, P. L. Peacock, Daniel McLeod (?), Henry C. Vigal,
Samuel Bartlet, William House, Joshua Williams, Samuel J. Leggett, Thomas Surls,
Charles Beck, Jas. McGuire J. I. C. 1852.
1852 Ord. that accts. for educating poor school children be paid at the rate
of four cts. per day and that Wm. H. Grace be allowed $200.00; E. H. Calkoran
$100.00; balance in hand $53.32 be pd. to Mrs. Carnes and Mrs. Edgars on acct.
Teachers
Wm. H. Webb, Mrs. H. Johnson, Mrs. Graybill, John Sturgess, Littleton
Morgan, Mary E. McCook, I. Desmond, John W. Morrison, J. L. Lamar, Jane
Thompson, Wm. H. Huff, Miss C. Phelps, James Castleberry, Mrs. F. A. Perkins,
John F. Hodge, Mrs. A. J. Abbott, A. L. Boyden, Littleton Winn (Wynn), R. W. B.
Monroe, Wm. H. Green, Clifford Woodruff, E. Brennen, Mrs. E. J. LaHatt, Chas.
LaHatt, R. Tillery, D. B. Thompson, Mrs. L. Green, S. F. Benson, Mrs. Horton.
Land Transfers from Records in both Muscogee and Chattahoochee Counties
T. T. Adams to John C. Corley 1849; 33 D. 1. 10.
Wm. R. Abritton to eter Abritton
Hyman Abhritton to James Lawson D. 1. 72.
A. J. Austin to George W. Helms Aug. 28, 1837; 33 D. E. 1-2 1. 149.
A. J. Ausain to Seaborn J. Austin 1838; D. 1-4 1.115, witnesses John L. Harp and
Oredra Watson J. P.
Charles Beck to James McLester 1846; 6 D. E. 1/2l. 143, except 4 A. containing
dwelling of Beck.
Samuel Beck to Wm. Crew 1839; 6. D. 148.
C. R. Wilkinson to B. P. Rogers, Aug 3, 1847; 6 D. L. 87.
John Brewer to Shadrick Pearson, Nov. 5, 1836; 32 D. 1. 151.
McCuin Cobb to Josiah Pollard, Dec 17,1949; 6th 1. 118. Witnesses Wm. H.
Fannigan and N. N. Howard, J. P.
Seth Cobb to John Polard 1844; 6th D. N 1-2 1 107. Witnesses Leroy Polard and
Lemuel Cherry, J. P.
Amos Schumpert to James Cook Feb. 28, 1850, several ots upon waters of Upatoi
and Pine Knot Creeks. Consideration, $.11,000.00.
Peter Albritton to Wm. Albriton, Apr. 1, 1849; 6 D. 1. 53, 70A.
Benj. Busey to Sarah Parker, Dec. 4, 1837; a gift of some furniture tnd a oom;
Witnesses, Pleasant Warner, Benj. Warner and James Harris.
Wilson Culpepper to James Hickey 5 D. 1. 40.
James Cook to John Wall and Jessie Wilson comns, for church at Mt. Paran, 2
acres; Jan. 7, 1839.
David Huff to H. Van Horn and Thos. W. Christian, Oct. 5, 1847; 6 D. L's.
185-186-187 and 1-2 of 89. Witnesses: Mary E. Huff, Sarah H. Huff, John A. Huff,
Sterling S. Jenkins, J. P.
John S. Duncan to John Parkman, Jan. 30, 1852; 6th D. 1. 47; witnesses John B.
Key and Ezekiel Walters, J. P.
eo. Gray to Amos Schumpert, June 9, 1848.
Edney Harp to G. W. Martin, Nov. 5, 1843; 7 D. parts 196-177-174.
John L. Harp to Jotn Weaver, Sept. 11, 1841; 7 D. 1. 152.
William House to Calvin Stephens, Nov. 8, 1961; 6 D. 75 A from 1. 172.
Nathan King, of Paluski Co. to Joseph King, Nov. 27, 1833; 6 D. 1. 54, John W.
Wade, Wiey Colt, J. L. Burn, J. P.
Joseph King to Peter Albritton, Sept. 10, 1834; 6 D 1. 54 (consideration,
51,500.00 in eacr of these sales).
(Mrs.) Caroline King to James Cook, Sept 1, 1847; 5 D. 1.58 and 50 A. off
southern portion of 1. 59, with exception of one A. immediately around graveyard.
Caroline King, Exrx. Est. Alexander Ligon; wit. J. M. Read and Henry J. Eelbeck,
J. P.
Jessie Lee (of Pulaski Co.) to Wm. Cobb, July 14,1838 6 D. S 1-2 1. 109-$600.00;
Wit. McCuin Cobb and Jas. Monroe, J. P.
Jessie Lee (of Pulaski Co.) to Willitm Rogers, eb. 12,1839,6 D. 1. 108; $900.00;
Wit. James Howell, G. D. Hightower and Jas. Monroe, J. P.
Noth Pittman to Willitm Rogers, Feb. 9, 1839; cons. Corn and Fodder.
Alexander Ligon to James Hickey, Jan. 9, 1837; 5 D. 1-2 1 (with improvements
thereon) 13 and all 1. 12, except 5 A. in S. W. Corner. Wit. Nancy Quinn,
Aquilla Cobb and Kinchen Green, J. P.
Perry Browning to Richard Clark Oct. 6, 1849; 6 D. I. 37
E. Barnard & Co. to R. Leal Nov. 17, 1859; JD. 1. 37.
O. S Bentley to Marcus A. Bell Feb. 24, 1857: IOD. 1. 175;
O. S. Bentley to Marcus A. Bell Oct. 30, 1855; IOD. 1. 177
N. C. Barnet Secty of State to Joseph Carswell Sept. 12, 1845; 10D.1.166
David Bussey to John M. Sapp Aug. 23, 1852; 33D. 1s. 206— 205.
E. Barnard & Co. to J. Hayes Dec. 9, 1857; 6D 1. 59.
Henrietta Brewer to J. S. Brewer Dec. 28, 1868; 32D. 1s. 139 & 140.
S R. Bonner to M. Wise Nov. 21, 1856; 5D. 1. 60.
Wm. Bagley to H. A. Helms Aug. 5, 1856: 33D. 1. III.
S. R. Bonner to W. R. Moore July 31, 1856; 5D 1. 64.
J. W. Bowland to W. S. Johnson Nov. 3, 1856: Town lot 23.
Asbury Bryan to Hyram Fuller Nov. 25. 1852; 7D 1. 138 & part of 139.
S. R. Brown Shff. to Jas. S. Allums Nov. 6. 1855; 33D. 1. 13.
W. M. Bussey to Jesse Osteen Nov. 12, 1854; 6D. 1. 49.
Z. Booth to Joel King May 2, 1851; 1OD. 1. 113.
Joseph Brittian to Wilson Gordy Oct. 14, 1850; 6D. 1s. 170 & 183.
Wm. Bagley Sdmr. to Ransom Covington March 2, 1857; 33D. 1. 88.
S. R. Bonner to James Pollard Nov. 18. 1856: 6D. 1. 104.
Thos. H. Brown to Wm. S. Thomas Sept. 1, 1857: 5D. 1. 1. 3.
W. W. Bussey to S. R. Shirah Nov. 13, 1850; 33D. 1. 42.
David Bowland to Calvin Ivey et al. Feb. 6, 1853; 10D. 1. 222.
L. H. Briscoe to Edmond Oneal Nov. 9, 1856; 32D. 1. 246.
Wm. Bagley Shff. to W. W. Shipp et al. March 2, 1858; 7D. 1. 121.
Wm. Bagley Shff. to Perry Spencer July 6, 1858; 6D. 1. 29.
J. M. Brooks to J. W. Barfield Jan. 13, 1858; 7D. 1. 93.
W. W. Barbaree to A. B. Evans Aug. 10, 1858; 33D. 1. 172.
D. H. Burts to J. M. Brooks Sept. 22, 1858; 33D. 1. 12.
Thos A. Banks to Reuben Phillips Dec. 29, 1834; 5D. 1, 90.
J. G. Cobb Shff. to Thos. G. Whig-ham May 5, 1857; 33D. 1. 15.
J. G. Cobb Shff. to W. W. Shipp et al. May 5, 1857; Town lots 36 & 56.
W. M. Camion to L. P. Nelson Apr. 7, 1857; Personality.
James Coleman to Bolina Greer July 17, 1857; 33D. 1. 201.
J. G. Cobb Shff. to N. N. Howard Sept. 1, 1857; 7D. 1. 93.
Wm. Bagley Shff. to Edward Covington Dec. 31, 1859; 33D. 1. 73.
N. J. Bussey to W. S. Johnson Tan. 9, 1858; Town lot 81.
Wm. Bagley to Isaac Uuderwood Feb. 20, 1860; 33D. 1. 22.
Sam'l Bartlett to G. E. Thomas Dec. 27, 1859; 7D. 1. 123.
D. E. Bothwell to Ebenezer Both well Apr. 11, 1860; 10D. 1s. 200—208—209—234 and
235.
B. R. Burts to R. Reese Oct. 1860; 6D. 1s. 137—121 & 120.
John G. Berry Shff. to Jones Broach Sept. 2, 1860; Town lot 7.
Jno. G. Barbee to Wm. P. Barbee Trustee Jan. 9, 1861; share of wife's estate.
Wm. P. Barbee to J. J. Beasly May 28, 1861; Town lot 16.
B. R. Burts et al. to Henry Wynn Jan. 30, 1860; 33D. 1. 183.
Wm. Bagley Admr. to N. N. Nicholson Nov. 5, 1861; 32D. 1s. 214—213.
Wm. W. Barbee to C W. Brown Dec. 18, 1861; 1s. 178 & 179.
John Bonnell Admr. to W. W. Shipp Oct. 1,1861; 6D. 1s. 85—84—76.
Moore Bagley to Wm. Bagley June 20, 1861; 32D. 1s. 237—238.
Chas. W. Brown to W. W. Barbaree March 10, 1862; 32D. 1s- 178—179.
Wm. Bagley to Z. H. Gordon Apr. 13, 1863; 33D. 1s. 29 & 21.
Mary Ann Blair to Wm. C. A. Blair Apr. 9, 1863; 6D. 1s. 33—63—64—65.
Franklin Bentley to John Harry Dec. 28, 1853; 32S. 1. 240.
Apsey Barefield to John Morrel Apr. 18, 1865; 6D. 1. 201.
W. W. Bussey to David Wynn Feb. 7, 1856; Town lot 73.
Z. Booth to Joel King June 9, 1848; 10D. 1s. 125—126—146—149— 124.
Wm. Bagley to Elias Folsom Nov. 5, 1858; 32D. 1s. 244— 243.
Zack Booth to Joel King June 9, 1848; 10D. 1s. 174—127— 156—159 and 124.
Benj. F. Cobb to James G. Cobb Aug. 3, 1854; 333D. S. E. cor. 1. 12.
Seth Cobb to Joseph Scott March 5, 1844; 6D. 1. 171.
Thos. Crutchfield to John Pate Nov. 1, 1854; 5D. 1. 31.
FIRST TAX DIGEST FOUND AT CUSSETA IS FOR 1857
Names of Tax Payers as Found on that List
James Armstrong,
John M. Armstrong.
J. H. Brown,
Wm. R. Bartlett,
Thos. Bush,
Matthew Bailey, (Agt. for John A. Hunter),
Drury Bank,
Samuel S. Bartlett, Jr.;,
Walter Banks,
John Z. Brooks.
Thos. Christian,
J. T. Christian
Jas. C. Coleman,
James Cook,
Wm. Covington,
Jas. M. Cook,
Abner M. Christian,
Chapel Christian,
Wm. Clark,
Edwin C. Corlet (Agt. for Wm. McElvey),
William Davis,
Pryor Dozier,
Joseph Downer,
Samuel Ellis,
John Field.
Miles Goolsby (Agt. for Martha Garrard),
Elisha P. Green.
John Horn.
Wesley T. Horn,
Burrell Hill,
Jesse Hill,
LaFayette Harp,
Charles LaHatte.
Edmund Jones,
Wingfield Livingston,
Eli Lightner,
William Morgan,
Jethro Gates,
Harris Parish,
Jas. G. Perry,
Richard G. Parkman,
Wm. H. Parkman.
Eucratus Roland,
Wm. M. Roberson,
T. W. Reese,
James Rankin (Agt. for Sarah Moore).
Christian Smith,
Richard Scruggs,
Thomas Schley,
Calvin Stephens,
Joel Stephens,
Thos. Surls,
Francis Surls,
N. H. Shaw (Agt. For D. McDougald),
Theophilus Sapp (also as .guardian for Wm. A. and Harriet Sapp).
Pleasant Tomberlin,
Grigsby E. Thomas,
Gabriel Tombs,
Henry Turnage,
Geo. W. Tomberlin.
Hubbard Van Horn.
Benjamin Wallace,
Michael Williams,
John R. Wynn,
Ishaam Wyndham,
John M. Williams,
Joshua Williams,
Jos. L. Williams,
Micajoh Wardlaw,
Edward M. Weems,
John Wynn.
Samuel Adams,
Wm. Bullock,
W. H. Coleman,
Jas. M. Daniel,
Hiram Fuller,
Addison Everidge,
Robert Foster,
John Gardner,
Joseph Gardner,
William Green,
J. Gafford,
Jesse Green.
W. H. Nobles,
Robt. Niles.
Henry Stringfellow,
C. M. Walker, (widow),
C. G. Williams,
J. Stanfield,
Wm. Consort,
John Morrell,
John T. O'Pry,
Rebecca Williams,
John M. Parker.
D. 787.
Wm. R. Albritton (Agt. for Joe King),
William Amos,
Charles Blair,
Mary A. Blair,
Wm. Browning,
James Browning,
Henry Culpepper,
Alfred Dorrington,
Joel D. Estes (Agt. for E. Barnard),
John Hurst,
B. W. Howard, (Agt. for Clark Culpepper),
John A. Hays,
R. E. Jones.
James H. Jones (trustee for wife),
John B. Jones,
Henry King,
Henry J. King,
John R. King,
Geo. A. Lankford (Agt. for Wm. H. Lankford and Elijah Dean),
Robert Little,
Sarah McBryde,
Wm. N. McNaughton, Adm. Est.,
James McNaughton.
Daniel A. Pickren,
Robert E. Pickren (Adm. Est. of A. Pickren),
Benjamin Pate,
Leroy Pollard (Agt. for Sarah and John Pollard).
Pinckney Rogers,
Robert W. Read.
David F. Scarborough.
William Williams,
James Whittle,
Leroy Williams,
Maddox Wall,
Paschal Wall,
James Wall,
Daniel Wilkerson,
Wm. Wooten,
Maddox Wall (Agt. for Leonard P. Nelson).
W. Cannon,
R. W. Windham,
Wm. Welch,
Cortis Ellort.
Anderson Averett,
William P. Jones,
S. H. Goodwin,
Jesse Williams,
Henry Simmons,
Robert Bush,
Burrell Lee.
Dist. 1106.
Rufus Allen,
Nathan J. Bussey,
Barden Burts,
David C. Cody,
Mary Ann Crew,
James Channel,
Charles Fisher (also as Adm. Est. of George Adams),
James T. Gordy (Agt. for Elizabeth Helms),
Mary Gunn,
J. E. Green,
Myles Greene (also Agt. for Lucy Dozier,
S. C. Stephen Greene (trustee for Redding children),
Geo. W. Helms (Agt. for Amelia Austin),
John W. Hewell (guar. of minor children of John L. Harp),
Thos. W. Howell (Agt. Jenkins & Prather, Adms. Est. L. W. Cade dec'd),
Israel Johnson (Agt. for James Flewellen who is trustee for Mary Johnson),
Leonidas McLester,
Jeremiah Peddy,
Gillum W. Pollard,
Matthew J. Parker,
Rivers Reese (also guar. for Henry and William Ligon),
William C. Rice,
Anderson W. Redding,
John Rouse,
Robt. C. Redding.
Geo. H. Sapp,
Elizabeth Sapp,
John M. Sapp (he was guardian for several free negroes),
Forsyth Sapp.
Henry R. Toller,
William S. Turner.
Wm. G. Wooldridge (and as Adm. Est. H. F. Snead),
Chas. Wales,
Samuel W. Wales,
Absalom Wooldridge (Agt. for A. M. Gradre),
W. G. Wooldridge (Agt. for Gideon Adams),
Wooldridge & Rice,
Anam J. Bagget,
Thos. L. Crew,
Thos. Homer,
Page Hill,
Lemuel Lindsye,
Geo. W. Sims,
Geo. Willis.
Dist. 1104.
Jas. S. Allums,
Augustus B. Austin,
Vincent L. Averett,
Allums and Barbee,
Seaborn J. Austin,
Austin & Austin,
James A. Adams,
Allen J. Austin,
William H. Askew,
Wm. D. Askew,
Labon T. Austin,
Richard Adams,
Edwin Adams,
Wm. H. Askew (Agt. for Mary McKenzie, guar. for Henry McKenzie),
W. W. Bussey,
James M. Brooks,
John A. Bumgarner,
Robt. W. Boyd,
Joseph P. Bell,
Duncan H. Burts,
Samuel Bierz,
Thomas A. Brannon (Agt. for Dozier Thornton),
John G. Berry,
William Bagley (also as Adm. Ests. of Samuel Jones, and Geo. Howard),
John Bonnell,
Peter T. Buggs.
Barnard L. Cobb,
Charles Cousins,
Isaac H. Cobb,
James Castleberry (also Agt. for A. Smith and for Thos. Trammell),
Jas. M. Cobb,
James Collins (Agt. for Caleb Peed),
Edward J. Covington,
Jesse Crosby,
Ransom Covington, (Agt. for Thornton Wall and Agt. for Frank Cobb),
A. F. Clements,
Nathaniel Cobb,
Bradford H. Clark,
Wm. F. Cobb,
Wm. L. Clark, (Adm. Est. of Wm. Wm. R. Smith),
William Cobb,
Jesse T. Cobb (Ex. Est. of Seth Cobb),
Mary Ann Cherry,
Wm. Cannington,
Geo. W. Cobb, Jr.,
William Crew,
James G. Cobb.
Samuel J. Davis,
Daniel E. Davis,
Barbery Davis.
Seaborn W. Ellis,
John Eady.
James F. Flannigan,
Jas. M. Fussell,
John Fussell,
Kenyon Flannigan,
Benj. A. Fussell,
Enoch Fussell,
Abner H. Flewellen),
Thomas Harry,
N. N. Howard, (Adm. Est. Win. H. Fiannigan, guar. for S. W. Parker,
Howard and McCook (Agt. for Wm. House, guar. for minor heirs of James House),
Tilman W. Howard,
Peter C. Harry,
Wm. A. Helms,
Joseph A. Hewell,
N. N. Howard (Agt for N. L. Long for Estate of John W. Cousins),
Wm. B. Harvey,
Jane Howell,
Wm. S. Howard,
Elizabeth Harrell,
Bryant Howell,
Whittington Horn,
A. C. Hudson,
Mathew J. Hudson,
Wm. C. Hudson (Agt. for Mary Lane and agt. for Levi Guy),
N. N. Howard (Adm. on Est. of Littleton Morgan),
James B. Huff,
Morgan Howard,
Green J. Howell,
Cicero P. Howell.
Wm. H. Glaze,
Water T. Guy (Agt. for Martha Jones),
Mark A. George,
Wilson Gordy,
John T. George,
Emily Gunn,
Green B. Gordy,
Wm. Godfrey.
Johnson & Norwood,
Wm. S. Johnson,
Henry Jones.
George W. Kelly,
Charles Kelly,
Charles King, James Kelly,
Wm. B. Kelly,
Peter W. G. Kent,
Chas. P. King,
Chas. W. King (Agt. for Alfred Ellis),
Charles Kennedy.
Wm. J. Lankford,
Jas. W. Lypsy,
Wm. M. Lysle,
Wm. C. Morris,
Geo. N. McKenzie,
Wright McCook, (and also guardian for J. I. McCook),
John H. McDaniel (Adm. Est, Richard McDaniel),
John W. Matthews,
James T. McNaughton. (Adm. Est. Neal McNaughton),
James McLester,
Jesse Norwood,
Andrew J. Newby.
Wm. L. Osteen,
Pleasant Odum,
Jesse Osteen,
Gabriel M. Osteen.
Susan V. Parkman,
Robt. C. Patterson (and as guar. for A. C. Hickey),
E. P. Whigham,
John Parkman (Adm. for Surena Parkman),
James L. Potts,
Shade Potts,
Reuben N. Powell,
Mary Pollard.
Charles Shirah,
Ken Stevenson,
James M. Spivey,
Wm. W. Shipp,
Shipp & Co.,
Shipp, Wooldridge & Co.,
Shipp & Allums (Adms. on Parkman Est.),
Peterson Sanders.
Wm. N. Sanders,
John D. Sanders,
Joshua C. Sanders,
Alfred Sneed (Agt. for E. W. Sneed),
John Shuffield.
Redd Trammell,
Turnipseed & Burts, (Attys.),
Harrison Thomas.
Thomas Trotman.
James T. Reed,
Sion Riley,
Reed & Wooldridge,
Wiliam Rodgers,
Elijah G. Raiford,
Raiford and Monroe,
Risdon Ryan.
James Ray,
Jesse M. Reed,
J. M. and R. W. Reed,
Chapel Roberts,
William Roland,
Gary E. Webb.
Richard L. Williams,
Winifred Williams,
Henry T. Woodall,
Wm. B. Willis,
David Wynn.
Britten Willis.
William B. Wallace,
Ben P. Wooldridge,
White and Helms,
Isaac H. Webb,
Hilliard J. White,
Young E. Waters,
Jacob Williams.
Wm. G. Wilkinson.
Ezekiel Waters,
Jane Willingham.
John A. Webb,
Wilson J. Wright,
John Yarbrough.
Berry Allums Asa T. Berry,
Chas. A. Brooks.
John W. Flanagan.
Perry O. Gordy,
Samuel K. Home,
Wiiliam Leonard.
Lewis Lorence (Lawrence,)
George W. Thompson.
Dist. 1107.
William Askew,
James Abrams.
Micajah Bagget,
Calvin Bland,
Elisabeth G. Burt,
John W. Brundrick,
James Brunette,
George W. Blow.
Daniel Cordrey,
John J. Cumbee,
Asa W. Chapman (Agt. for Daniel Fouche),
James M. Cook.
Wesley Davidson.
Henry J. Eelbeck (Trustee for Georgia V. Eelbeck),
Caleb Gallops.
Thomas W. Howell, Sr.,
Thomas W. Howell, Jr.,
Hannibal Howell,
T. W. Howell (Agt. H. Jordain, Agt. for D. P. Stringfellow, and Agt. for L.
Turner),
Joseph Jemison (Agt. for Lucy Bland, Enoch Bland, and Wm. Wyrick,
Walter Jones.
Joel King (Adm. Est. Chas. Mayo),
John Kng (Agt. D. P. Stringfellow (Agt. for Henry Jedudun),
James Lanier,
Lewis Lanier.
John W. McMurrain,
Barna Malona.
Green P. Morgan (Agt. for Calvin Bland),
James J. Morgan,
Thos. Morgan,
John Morris. ,
John G. Pate,
Hosea Putnam,
Joseph Putnam,
Shirley W. Palmre,
James Powers,
Jacob Parker (Adm. Est. Mary Davie).
Burrell H. Robinson,
John Robinson.
George Sizemore,
James M. Sizemore.
John H. Turner,
Michael Turner,
Henry Turner.
Wyatte Wilkerson,
James H. Weed,
Lorenza D. Williams,
David Williams,
Burrell Williams.
Hiliard J. Williams,
John Weed,
Samuel Weed,
Benjamin Waller,
William Wilkerson.
James Brook,
John G. Baggett,
Blinpin Tinsley,
Henry Wyrick.
Dist. 1153.
Jehu Allen,
Hyman Albritton (Trustee for L. Jenkins Adm. Est. of Green Bentley).
John Bentey,
Wm. A. Bartlett (Agt. for A. G. Redd),
Joseph Bush.
Edmund Culpepper,
John Culpepper,
Jacob Clark, Sr. (Agt. for Elizabeth Lunsford),
Jacob H. Clark Jr. (Agt. for Tod Williams and Agt. for Sarah Henry),
Wm. Clark, Eli Clark,
Drury Clark.
John M. Daniel,
William Dunn.
Simeon Dean,
John Donally,
Thomas Donally,
Christopher C. Daniel.
William Farmer,
Bryant Farmer.
Harrison H. Gresham,
Lovelace L. Ginn.
Garrison Helms,
James B. Hickey,
Samuel D. Harp (Adm. Est. John L. Harp, guardian for John McCook, guardian for
Martha A. McCook),
Harp and King (Adms. of J. R. McCook, Guar. for Woodruff James and Teresa McCook),
Henry Hurst,
James Hickey,
Adam P. Jones.
Calvin J. Ivey.
Clark Kelly,
Isaac King,
Ephraim Key.
James Lawson,
H. H. Lysle,
James H. Little.
James Measles,
Twiggs Moss,
James Moss.
Elizabeth Pennum,
John Pate
John J. Renfroe,
James M. Renfroe,
John J. Royal.
Geo. W. Sanders,
Aaron Searcy,
John Stockdaile,
Henry Y. Smith,
Andrew M. Shepherd (Agt. for Elizabeth Shepherd, Agt. for Susan Cannon),
Young Tigner,
Patrick Tilly.
Anderson Williams,
Thomas G. Whigham,
Meredith Wise,
Wigham (Adm. Est. of J. J. Hickey)
Wm. Wammock,
Asa Wammock,
Thomas Bassett,
Alex Cottonhead.
Caleb Hillman,
Edmund B. Jenkins,
Joel Phillips,
Elijah Philips.
Dist. 678.
Moore Bagley,
Edmund Bishop,
Thomts Barbaree (Agt. for A. J. McKenzie),
William Barbaree,
Abel Briley,
Robt. H. Boon (Adm. Est. John Brewer),
Dread Bagley.
George W. Cobb,
Columbus T. Cobb,
Aquilla Cobb (Agt. for John Mack),
Dolphin E. Davis,
John S. Duncan (Adm. Est. Franklin Duncan),
Robert Duncan,
William J. Duncan.
Samuel C. Dodson (Adm. Est. Nancy Ballard, guar. minor heirs of R. B. Norton,
Agt. for Henrietta Dodson),
John Dillard,
Sterling Dillard,
James G. Daniel,
Martha Dean.
Arden B. Evans.
Elias Folsom.
James Guy,
James M. Guy,
Edwin Greer,
Silas M. Grubbs,
Billington Hall,
James M. Holly,
Felix M. Harris,
David W. Hooks,
Jasper Hicks,
Turner T. Harbuck,
Franklin Harry,
John Harry,
James Johnson,
Benjamin James,
Allen Jones,
James A. Johns (Trustee for Leah Brown),
William P. Jones.
Matthew Knight,
Chas. W. King,
Joseph King (guar. for John Parkman heirs),
Sion Lunsford,
J. H. Lowe (Agt. for Henrietta Brewer),
Wyrick C. Lunsford,
Aries Lunsford,
Jas. P. Lunsford,
J. W. Lunsford,
Ephraim Lunsford,
Aaron Lunsford,
Wm. F. Lane (Ex. Est. Bryant Lane).
Daniel Majors,
Edmund McGlaun,
William Miles,
Daniel H. Miles,
Aaron Miles,
Wyatt Maddox,
Hezekiah Miller,
Daniel Mathis,
David McGlaun (also Agt. for Wm. Roberts),
James H. Moore,
Benj. Moore.
Nathaniel Nicholson,
Anderson Nelson (Agt. for Thomas Webb. Agt. for B. E. Webb).
Henry Owens,
Ephraim Owens (Adm. on Lunsford Est.),
Edmund O'Neal.(Agt. for James Riley),
Joel Phillips,
Seaborn Phillips,
Wm. R. Phillips,
Thos. J. Powers,
Paschal Perry (Agt. for William Coker).
James M. Roberts,
Hardy Royals,
Luke Roberts,
James E. Royals,
Joseph Roberts,
Travis Royals,
Willis Royals,
Matthew Revel,
Sanders Revel (Agt. for Chas. W. Waddle),
John T. Rogers.
Charles M. Spivey,
Jesse Story,
Green Scroggins.
Jeffrey E. Thompson,
Moses Tullis.
Chas. H. Taylor,
Green B. Taylor.
Henry J. Waters,
Paschal E. Webb,
John H. Webb,
Starling Wood,
Wiley Wood,
H. E. Williams.
William Briley,
F. H. Elkin,
Wm. W. Frazier,
Samuel Fleming,
Thomas Key,
Jesse Story,
Tolbert Welch.
Total value of taxable property in 1857 was $3,010,826.00.
Total number of slaves in county in 1857 was, 2,635.
The majority of these slaves were owned by the wealthy planters living in
the western half of Chattahoochee County. The fertility of the soil along the
Chattahoochee River had increased the wealth of its owners and their homes
became the abode of luxurious living.
But in the eastern part of the county, the sandy, piney woods ridges did not
yield such abundant harvests for those who toiled there. As this has always been
an agricultural county, these citizens, who were not slave owners, but who
tilled the soil unaided except by members of their own families, were rearing a
future citizenry who could take care of the physical needs of themselves and
others too, when the need arose afer the social order had been plunged into
chaos following the War Between the States. For all groups of honest, self
respecting people are constantly preparing human material to supply any hiatus
arising from the mutations of life. While their primary objective is to prepare
for themselves, they are unconsciously contributing their part towards providing
for the general needs of mankind.
So, many of the best, most useful men of our country have come from the
homes of plain people who were accustomed to doing all work connected with
earning a livelihood and carrying oil the affairs of their households.
But the necessity for negro labor in cultivating lands adiacent to creeks
and rivers was understood by practical thinkers even before slavery was
permitted in Georgia. For white laborers can not endure conditions which prevail
in such places with the same degree of impunity as the negro, since these
conditions are approximately the same as those which exist in the native homes
of this race.
The evolution of a savage race into a state of ordinary civilization must
necessarily be under the close personal guidance of a superior people. In no way
could this be accomplished more rapidly than through the system of slavery under
humane masters. In all the countries of the world, no matter what the form of
slavery used, a few masters have transgressed their authoritative rights. For
abuse of privileges by some individuals, has marred the well meant efforts of
humanity in every undertaking recorded by history.
But the system of slavery in the southern states and in the small area of
Chattahoochee County made it possible for these scions of noble families, who
had emigrated from European countries to Virginia and the Carolinas during that
period of religious intolerance and civic tyranny which had sent such an influx
of settlers into these newer lands, to regain that mode of living suitable to
their natural aspirations.
A cross section of the life of any group of people is like a fabric into
which has been woven all the traits of character which adorn and beautify
living. Some, according to the measure of their talents and the worthy use and
development of them, contribute more than others to the warp and woof of the
finished product. The fabric of life is so fine and of such an intricate pattern
that one must observe closely and think deeply to sense the value of all its
contributors. For the infinitesimal threads must have that cohesion which is the
result of the work of the humble as well as the mighty in power.
People of the South have been dependent upon Negro servants to relieve them
of the hardships of real work and drudgery which breaks the body and leave the
mind and spirit without adequate support for carrying on the finer things of
life. Muscle and brawn must uphold the onerous burdens of living throughout the
ages and the joys and sorrows of these humble lives are reflected in the pattern
which draws praise for the dominant race.
Many of the citizens here had come from the older eastern counties in which
slavery had proved profitable. So, naturally, each family brought as many slaves
as young households could afford. These settlers came principally from Wilkes,
Wilkinson. Twiggs, Pulski, Hancock, Burke, Jefferson, Baldwin, counties where
pioneer days had passed and the refinements of civilization had replaced the
rude features of earlier days. Naturally educational opportunities for their
children engaged the attention of people of the type to which they belonged.
Schools were established in the different communities before Chattahoochee
was formed from Muscogee and Marion Counties. But since no provision was made
for paying tuition from local public funds, except for those children whose
parents were unable to pay, each patron's proportional part of the teachers'
salaries in the common schools, would seem an unbelievable sum to the average
person today.
Dr. James McLester, N. N. Howard and W. W. Shipp, three of the men at
Cusseta prominent in educational affairs, signed a receipt as trustees
collecting tuition which illustrates the amount involved.
"Received from W. G. Wilkinson three hundred and thirty-nine dollars in full
for his proportionable part for the salary of Jas. Castleberry and Miss Anna
Birdsong's services as teachers for the year 1860.—Jan. 28, 1861.
(Signed) N. N. Howard
W. W. Shipp
W. W. Shipp Adms. Of
James McLester, dec'd.
The first seven years of Chattahoochee's history ends with war clouds
gatherng fast. And before the expiraton of another seven years, the flower of
the young manhood, as well as the school boys and older men of the South had
joined the Confederate Army and. marched away; some never to return and the
remainder to find the conditions under which they must resume the routine of
living so changed that they could not adjust themselves and regain any advantage
over such adversity for many years.
HOMES
By Mrs. Mary Williamson Miller
Before the War Between the States there were few cities, not many towns, and
only a few villages, in the South.
But the home of every wealthy planter had the appearance of a thriving
village, which it really was, often containing more inhabitants and houses than
the nearest village, which was only a place to receive the scanty mail, to hold
court, containing, perhaps, a store or two, a few dwellings, and, maybe, a
church. But most of the churches and cemeteries were in the country, also, a
mile, at least, and often many miles from any dwelling.
Let us visit, in imaginaiton, a home typical of that vanished period; not
the richest, a doman, let us say, of a thousand acres, and the owner not yet in
possession of the proverbial hundred slaves. To be considered rich in Georgia at
that period a person must possess at least one hundred slaves; to be accounted
really wealthy, from several hundred to a thousand.
The home, or Big House, was sometimes built on the highway, but usually it
stood several hundred yards from the road on a knoll, or on some high hill, near
a grove of giant oaks,— Druidic instincts, perhaps, brought from ancient
England. Including these woods, the mansion and its attendant buildings and
iuclosures often occupied fifty or one hundred acres.
The approach to such a domain seemed the approach to a prosperous and
pretentious village, which it really was.
Let us revisit the scene of one of these ancestral homes that still stand in
memory. It was five miles from the nearest village, Cusseta, and twenty-three
miles from the nearest town, Columbus, Ga. First, we came to the woods of the
park; but we did not enter the woods. The road ran by the woods to the Big Gates
nearer the house-Here let us pause awhile, at the center of the Cross Roads that
meet at these gates. Coming as we have from the south, the road continues in
front of us due north to the church, Mt. Paran. On our left, to the west, is
another road, and on the left side of the road can be seen a large store, and,
on the crest of the hill behind the store appears the most prominent building,
after the Big House, of all the farm building,—the immense gin house, which sat
on lofty pillars, the lower story being open except for the machinery in the
center—great, wooden wheels, beam, and bands where stood the mules. The upper
story contained the gin and lint rooms.
Near the gin house stood the screw, which was used for the purpose of
packing the lint into bales of cotton. This building was a two-story, box-like
affair. From the upper portion, which was> covered with a cap-like tower,
extended two long arms, or beams, on either side of which the mules were hitched
for the task of turning the wooden screw to drive down the heavy flat timbers as
a compress. These beams were forty, or fifty feet long. Like nothing else in the
world was the old-fashioned screw; but it reminded me of an immense buzzard in
flight, or a gigantc hen hovering over her brood.
On the right side of this road, was a regular row of buildings; the
blacksmith shop, the tool house, the shoe shop (all the shoes for the family and
for all the slaves were made there, and often some were made for the neighbors),
and the wood shop with its curious machinery, turning wheel, etc., where the
wagons and all their component parts of wheels, rims, spokes, tongues, were
made; also ploughstocks for the farm; and for the house, chairs, bedsteads,
tables, and other articles of furniture were made. These were as smooth and as
well finished as any of the furniture now made in modern shops by up-to-date
machinery. The patterns made were, of course, the old fashioned kind, styles
that are now being revived,—and all so substantial and strong and well made as
to be almost unbreakable, warranted almost everlasting and not to be worn out
from generation to generation.
Down the road in front of us, to the north and on our left, was the mill for
grinding sugarcane, with its low chimney, the great iron kettle holding about
eighty gallons, for boiling the juice into syrup,—all being under an open
shelter. Farther down the road could be seen a few detached cabins, while on the
right were partly visible the negro quarters, the large smokehouse rising above
the shrubbery, and, nearer by, an orchard of small fruit.
And now, let us enter the Big Gates.
A short drive, a turn to the left, and then we stop at the little gate under
the cedars. Was there ever an old country home without its cedar hedge, finally
to become gnarled old trees?
Wide verandas with their banisters extended half way around the house; wide
front steps, inviting entrance, side banisters to the steps with square posts at
each corner, safe alike for old folks and children.
Every piece of timber in all those buildings had been cut, sawed, riven, and
planed by hand, and all the sills hewed out of the original pines. When we think
of the labor involved, it seems the work of a race of giants.
There was a big, shady yard extending all around the house. There were
vegetable gardens, a flower garden and a fruit orchard.
Let us enter the house. Pause and look around, first, at the carved
wainscoating that ran about three feet high around the room; at the tall
mahogany bureau on which memory would say, if reason did not forbid, always
stood a bouquet of lilacs; at the large mirror with beautiful, flower-carved
frame, which reflected so beautifully such lovely little girls in white dresses;
at the table with its gay cover sweeping the floor, under which one could hide
and listen to the chimes; or, beside which one might stand and gaze with
fascinated eyes at the contents of a work basket, the most prominent object to
childish eyes being a large, white darning egg; or to stare at the clock that
always ticked so solemnly; no gay little clickety-click, but solemn and slow.
Even Time himself was not the same there, but passed grave and stately as if it
marched to the music of some minuet.
Then go on tip-toe through Grandma's room, kept so dark and quiet because
she had gone away; then to the girls' room, with its huge wardrobe and
band-boxes; then to the boys' room, so sunny and so severely plain; then off
with a bound to the kitchen, where presided Hannah, her fat face and bare arms
as yellow as the brass rings she wore on her fat fingers.
An old-fashioned Southern kitchen! Happy the memory that holds one. It was
built at least fifty feet from the Big House with which it was connected by a
covered passage way with banisters on either side, open its entire length to the
breezes, or else latticed in to form a support for honeysuckles and roses
preferably the "Maiden's Blush,"—placed so far away that the chatter of the
servants might not invade the rooms of the Big House, and that the odor of the
food might not penetrate the sacred precincts of the parlor.
But now, since everywhere the children and grandchildren of those ancient
owners have had to prepare the meals, those porticos have been removed and the
kitchen rolled nearer the dwellings, or else one room of that sacred edifice has
been dedicated to the culinary art, and the old-fashioned kitchen has
disappeared forever from the face of the earth.
But that covered passageway, which was, perhaps, the precursor of the modern
pergola, deserves a more detailed description. On one side, near the center,
high steps with banister on either side rippled to the ground. The width of a
hundred square feet .of white sand, always neatly swept free of grass and
litter, surrounded the house on all sides. Here, at the side-back, it extended
one hundred feet to the smoke-house, a large building containing not only the
smoke-house proper, but the meal room, syrup and sugar rooms, where the children
trooped to watch Hannah shake clouds of snowy dust from the sifter, or stand in
awe on the sill of the dark, cool meat room, or trip gaily to watch the amber
syrup drawn from some favored barrel, the peer of any New Orleans Drip ever
made; or linger in the sunny sugar room and watch the swaying bags of sweet ness
drip black molasses, and glance around on mounds of sweet lumps drying on the
drying shelves, finally departing with a lump in the hands as large as the head
which, after being bitten and licked in a vain attempt to diminish or demolish
it, was finally relinquished into the dirty hands of some little negro.
In front of this building, was an orchard; on the other side of it, was a
vegetable garden, and across the road behind the garden were the negro quarters,
which the white children were forbidden to enter.
On the other side of the long porch, similar steps invited the wanderer to
enter the chicken yard with its large hen house, henneries for the nests, and
inclosures for the young chickens. Woe to the young fowl that dared to roost in
the trees! Farewell to the eggs laid at the lot!
To the left of these grounds was another orchard; beyond this was the lot
containing about fifty mules and horses, with several corn cribs, feed stalls,
and fodder lofts. The lot gate, with its high gate posts, fronted the carriage
house, from which swept a driveway to the front gate,—and the circle was
complete. All the last mentioned buildings were so remote, no wonder that the
slaves stole away and rode to death the horses from the lot when the master was
old and young sons were away in the war at the battle front.
Below the lot were the cowpens that nightly enclosed fine herds of cattle,
all so far away from the Big House all that ever penetrated there was the
musical tinkle of bells and the foaming pails of milk, that, morning and
evening, were brought in to be strained and set away in the dariy. Fifteen cows
were milked every night and morning.
Happy must have been every soul sheltered in that home of peace and plenty.
Happy the slaves, well-fed, well treated, well worked. Happy the master and the
mistress who ruled and planned together. Happy children who married and left its
doors. Happy grandchildren who trooped back there to play in life's golden
morning and who now, though storm-tossed in various ports, still hold-enshrined
in memory pictures of that glorious past.
At one end of the long porch, and next to the kitchen, and handy to the
dining room, always stood a capacious safe, the opening of whose locked doors
sent thrills of delightful expectations, that never disappointed, as the
delicious odors attested to many childish noses and eventually to their
stomachs. It never failed to disclose a frosted cake, pies, or custards. But of
all the delights its shelves afforded and fairly rained down, were the handfuls
of tea-cakes, the best, the softest, the sweetest things that ever melted in the
mouth of a child, and the memory of which would make the mouth of a heathen idol
to water in anticipatory delight.
Ah me! that recipe lies buried with the hands that used to make them. None
like them ever come now from any kitchen or delicatessen shop.
And in summer, from about July the Fourth until Christmas time, that long
shelf was adorned with the gayest feast that ever delighted the eyes of young
and old,—watermelons, some weighing sixty or seventy-five pounds; musk melons,
as large as a water bucket, all brought early in the morning from the cool,
dewey fields and stored away in some inner room to be cut at the proper time and
the red-hearted halves laid in long rows beside the musk melon's sun-golden glory.
Are there any greater delights in Heaven for the saints than are prepared
here for the children?
But come, we are too gay. What is that glistens so whit** among the
shrubbery of yonder high hill, past the woods, through the hollow, upon that
lofty hill?
There they sleep, the young and the old, in neat rows, a stone at the foot
and one at the head, waiting till Judgment Day.
Why is it so quiet there? Why do the winds sigh so mournfully? Why is it
chilly there even in the sunlight?
There they sleep, like two giants at rest, with little ones around
them.—Henry King and his wife, Elizabeth Lee.
Additional Comments:
From:
HISTORY OF CHATTAHOOCHEE COUNTY, GEORGIA
By N. K. Rogers
Dedicated to
KASIHITA CHAPTER U. D. C.
and all worthy descendants of the County's first settlers.
Copyright 1933
by N. K. ROGERS
PRINTED BY
COLUMBUS OFFICE SUPPLY CO. COLUMBUS, GA.
Transcriber's note: The original book contains many typographical errors. All
spellings are as in the original book.
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