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MR. AND MRS. G. W. ROPER
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HISTORY O F WORTH COUNTY, GEORGIA
friends than Mr. and Mrs. G . W. Roper had in town and county
during their life time. They kept an open house to all classes,
rich and poor.
They moved t o Worth County in 1888 from Randolph
County, Ga., and lived South of Sylvester for a few years.
When they moved to Sylvester there were very few families
living here. Pastors of the Baptist Church did not live in
Sylvester then, and their home was the home of the pastor.
Mrs. Roper kept the church. saw that the bells were rung,
taught in the Sunday School, saw that the lamps were lighted,
that the communion table was prepared, and fed the visitors.
I t is said that in the early life of Sylvester, for years she dressed
every new-born babe, and helped prepare every body for
burial. If those are greater who serve most, she will be with
the greatest of the great; for it was the chief desire and work
of her life to help her fellowman. The sick and distressed she
was most ready t o serve. She was lovingly called by the people
of her county "Ma Roper."
On her 63rd birthday the town of Sylvester presented her
with a beautiful silver loving cup. The cup was about eight
inches tall with a circular bowl and a handle on three sides.
Engraved on one of its faces was this inscription: "Presented
to Ellen Jane Roper by her neighbors and friends of Sylvester, Ga., on her 63rd birthclay. Kind hearts are more than
coronets, and simple faith than 'Norman l>lood.' "
Mr. J. D. Martin presented the cup and Judge Frank Park,
in his characteristic happy vein, responded in a speech of acceptance. A large number of friends met at her home and
treated her to this splendid surprise.
Mrs. Roper left this Beautift~l loving cup to her granddaughter, Mrs. Kathreen Coram Outler.
She died April 20, 1931.
This splendid couple were married in Calhoun County, Ga.,
Dec. 27, 1866. They lived happily together for 59 years until
his death, January 23, 1925. H e was born October 12th, 1845,
and reared in Kanclolplz County, Georgia, near Cuthbert. Mrs.
Roper was Miss Ellen Page before marriage. She was born
September 12, 1847, in Calhoun County, Georgia.
Their union was blessed with four children, Mrs. Ella Sikes
Coram of Sylvester, Lewis Roper who lived in Florida at the
time of his death, Amos A. Roper of Florida, and John Mack
Roper of MTashington, D. C.
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HISTORY O F WORTH COUNTY, GEORGIA
a
403
Mr. and Mrs. Roper were charter members of the First
Baptist Churcl~of Sylvester.
Mr. Roper served in the Confederate Army throughout the
Civil W a r . H e joined the Six Month's Troops from Randolph
County, under Capt. Allen and was sent to Savannah out a t
Thunderbolt in 1561. H e substituted for Horace Powers of
Springvale in 1842, then came home and joined the 47th Reg.,
for six months under Captain Gormley until the spring of
1863; then served as guard a t Andersonville for four months.
H e then joined Company E, 3rd Ga. Regiment, in March of
1864. They were in South Carolina until the 3rd Ga. Reg. was
ordered to Columbus, Georgia, where he remained until the
surrender. H e was the color-bearer of his regiment. H e and
his twin brother, A. J. Roper, enlisted before they were 15
years old. H e was mustered out in Macon in May, 1865. H e
belonged t o Veterans' Camp, Bill Harris, of W o r t h County.
Mr. and Mrs. Roper were buried in Sylvester Cemetery.
THOMAS M.CORAM
Thomas M. Coram was born in Calhoun County, Georgia,
September 25th, 1837. He belonged to the family of Corams
of Benevolence, Randolph County. These Corams are descended from Thomas Coram, one of the Trustees in the founcling
of Georgia.
At the outbreak of the Civil War, he heard the call of duty
and served the cause of the South valiantly anrl according t o
the true standard of the Confederate soldier.
H e was married t o Miss Mary (called Mollie) Elizabeth
Edwards, a daughter of Jeff Edvrards of Springvale, Randolph County, Georgia, on Mar. 6th, 1866, l,y Rev. J o l ~ nMartin. They lived happily together for lifty-one years. T o this
happy union three children were bor~l,P. -4lgie Corani of
Sylvester, Minnie Ola (the first wife of J. Howell Westberry
and the inother ol his children), and Ida Coram. Both daughters departed this life in the prilne of young womanhood.
Only P. Algie Coram of this happy family is living.
Thomas M. Coram and family moved to Worth Countv in
the year 1885 and settled on a farm in the community now
known as New Bethel. Shortly after his coming he organized
there one of the early Sunday Scl~oolsestablished in VITorth
County. He, with his son, Algie, and brother-in-law, T o m
Edwards, and R4onroe Grubbs built a little log church where
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H I S T O R Y OF WORTH C O U S T Y , G E O R G I A
HOME OF P. A. CORAM. SYLVESTER
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HISTORY O F WORTH COUNTY, GEORGIA
405
11e organized a Sunday School and church and nailled it New
Bethel for the Eethel Church a t Springvale, where they all
were first members.
As the fruit of his labors in those early days, there now
flourishes in this community the splendid Missionary Baptist
Church of his faith, New Bethel, a few miles from where he
first began this Sunday School.
While he was living on this farm, he and his wife were invited to visit Mr. J. S. Westberry who lived in Sylvester. They
came, bringing their pastor, Rev. Jim Bass, and had services
in the home of Mr. westberry. This was really the beginning
of the Eaptist Church in Sylvester. They organized a Sunday
School in the school house here and Mr. J. S. West!>erry
taught the first Sunday School until Mr. Coram later moved
his family to Sylvester, when he was made the Stlnclay Sc5ool
Superintendent. Here the lives of he and his good wife reflected the same siilccre devotion to this church.
In the First Baptist Church there is a memorial window t o
this man of God. "Uncle Tom", as he was called. ETe loved
every one, and every one loved him. Mrs. Coram was of the
gentle, refined, Christian type of the women of the Old South.
P. ALGIE CORAM
P.Algie Coram, only soil of Thomas M. Corain, moved
with his parents to Worth at the age of eighteen. He received
his education in Randolph County.
Coming to this county when there was little clearec! land,
he intended to carve out a home in the forest. Great credit is
due a man like P. A. Cvratn, who, by his own labors, advanced
steadily step 11y step, untjl today he is ranked wit11 the most
successful business rnen of Worth County. H e onrns extensive
agricultural and turpentine interests, valuable city property
and is one of the directors of the Sylvester Banking Company.
P.. A. Coraix married Mrs. Ella (Roper) Sikes, Jan. 17,
1897, in Sylvester, Georgia.
Mrs. Ella (Roper Sikes) Coram was first married to Andrew
Jacksoil Sikes, June 14, 1885, in Calhoun County, Georgia. T o
this union four children were born: F. Vincent Sikes. born
April 19, 1886, in Early County, Ga. H e married Miss Iizzie
Cater in 1908, in IVashington, D. C. They have two daughters,
Genevieve and Evelyn. Minta Naomi Sikes, born -4ug. 31,
1887. She married Warren A. Cameron, Nov. 6, 1910, now
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406
HISTORY OF WORTH COUNTY, GEORGIA
deceased. They had one son, Warren A. Cameron of VJest
Palm Beach, Florida. Henry Grady Sikes, born Nov. 6, 1888,
in Early County, Ga., married twice, two sisters, first Cora
Waltz in 1915, after her death, he married Annie Roony Waltz
in 1931 a t Sherwood Forest, i\!taryland.
MR. AND MRS. P. ALGIE CORAM
A. J., Jr., born July 6, 1892, in Albany, died in early manhood.
Mr. and Mrs. P. A. Coram have three children, Kathreen
Coram, born Dec. 21, 1897, married Luther Thomas Otltler, of
Moultrie, Ga., on Nov. 21, 1923. Albert Coram, born Dec. 28,
1898 married Elizal~etl~
Hunter. They have two children, Albert, Jr., and John Hunter. P. A. Coram, Jr., born May 16,
1903, married Ida May Isom.
Mrs. P. A, Coram is inember of the D. A. R. through descent
from Jacob RilcLendon, a Georgia Revolutionary soldier,
Sterling Jenkins and Tholmas Douglas. She is the only daughter
of the late Mr. and Mrs. G. \V. Roper of Sylvester, Georgia. She
was born in Randolph County, Georgia.
Mr. and Mrs. P. A. Coram are Missionary Baptists.
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HISTORY OF WORTH COUNTY, GEORGIA
407
KIMBLE, LYLE, JENKINS, AND STANFORD F A M ILIES INHERIT A WONDERFUL
OLD BIBLE
The families of Kimble, Lyle, Jenkins, and Stanford that
moved to Worth in the early nineties were originally Randolph citizens, though some of them moved directly from Clay
and Quitman to Worth.
These families are all descended from James P. Lyle and
wife, Margaret Ann (Weaver) Lyle, of Springvale, Randolph
County, Ga.
Their line of descent shows them t o be of the best Welch,
English and Scotch blood.
They have a nlost interesting heritage in the way of a Bible.
I t has been handed down for more than 150 years. I t goes t o
the youngest daughter in the family. Miss Lydie Stanford, of
T y Ty, is the happy possessor a t present (1933). I t is large
and handsomely bound in leather. It is in a splendid state of
preservation showing that great care has been taken of it.
Each family's history is put in from generation to generation.
This Bible came to them through Mrs. James P. Lyle, the
mother of Mrs. Laura H. Kimble, of Poulan, and Mr. John R.
Lyle, of near Surnner. She (Mrs. Margaret Ann Lyle) -belonged to that fine old family of Weavers in Cuthbert, Ga.
She was the daughter of Isham Weaver, born Apr. 25, 1791,
and his wife, Mary *4rdis Bradley, born June 21, 1799. Both
were born in Oglethorpe County. They lived after marriage
in Newton County, Ga. This Bible gives her line of descent to
be Mary Ardis Eraclley, daughter of Dr. John A. Bradley,
born Sept. 4, 1773 and his wife, Margaret Jameson Rqeriwether, born Sept. 1, 1776. Dr. John A. Bradley was the son
of John Bradley, Revolutionary soldier of Georgia, and wife,
Mary Neil Bradley. They are buried in Jackson County, Ga.
He was born Jan. 19, 1755, died March 8, 1837. Mary Neil
Bradley died Nov. 15, 1827. Margaret Ardis (Meriwether)
Bradley, daughter of Dr. Francis (called Frank) Meriwether,
born in Virginia Oct. 31, 1739, and wife, Martha Jameson,
born about 1740, married 1760.
Francis Meriwether was a brother of David Meriwether for
whom Meriwether County, Georgia, is named.
Francis Meriwether is descended from Nicholas Meriwether,
the first to come to America, emigrating from Wales.
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408
HISTORY O F WORTH COUNTY, GEORGIA
Francis Meriwether and family moved t o Georgia from
Virginia in 1754 ancl settled in Oglethorpe County. 'Their home
is still pointecl out to tonrists. This couple sleep the last long
sleep near it. H e died in 1803. She in 1818.
This old Bible has written on the front page in feminine
hand-"Mrs.
Martha (Jameson) Meriwether gave me this
book in 1816."
Of Dr. Francis Meriwether, Gov. Gilmei- of Georgia, said,
"He is the best man that ever lived."
Thoinas Jefferson said oi Col. Nicholas Meri~vether,"He is
the most sensible mall I ever knew."
Jaines P.Lyle (lied in Randolph County March 29, 1876,
leaving his wife, Mi-s. Margaret A. Weaver Lyle with a large
family of eleven children in those trying days of reconstruction.
She instillecl into them all the principles of Christian living
and they went out over Soutl~westGeorgia t o be a hlessing
t o every commt~nityin which they are found. She came, in old
age, with her children to Worth in 1892. She died a t
Poulan June 4th, 1909, a t the age of 83 years. She experiencetl niore of the jov of Salvation than conles to the average
person. For most of-her life she belonged t o the Methodist
cl~drch,joining n.1.1en she was quite young.
Those who live in IVorth and are descencled from this long
line of distiriguished sires thro11g11 14rs. Margaret A. (Weaver) Lyle are her two children, her son, John K. Lyle, and
daughter, Mrs. Laura H. Kimble. She had another daughter,
Mrs. Ida Stanford, wife of Coley Stanford, to iinrnigrate to this
county and who died in Sumner.
Mrs. Lvle has living in Worth, a granclson, Hon. Frank
Kimble, granddaughters, Mrs. Nannie Jenkins (T. B.), Misses
Emma Mae, Catherine, and Margaret Lyle; great-grai~clsons,
John William Jenkins of Sylvester, Robert and Harry Jenkins
of Sumner; great-granddaughters, Mrs. Boyd L. Jones, Miss
Adel Jenkins, and Miss Lucile Kiinble.
It is no easy task to fill worthily the inherited position of
the desceildant of such ancestors as were those of this family.
But each individual of this family in W o r t h is a citizen of
high ideals and fine principles, and carries forward and exercises the qualities which distinguished their forebears.
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HISTORY O F W O R T H COUNTY, GEORGIA
409
THOMAS E. JENKINS
Thomas B. Jenkins, son of John H. and Sarah Jenkins: was
born ill Clay County, Georgia, July 24, 1861. His father was
born Sept. 9th' 1834. H e was descended from Sterling Jenkins,
found on Georgia's Certified List of Revolutionary Soldiers
of Wilkes County. Sara Jenkins, the inother of Tom B. Jenkins,
was born Nov. 15, 1834.
Torn B. Jenkin's early life was encompassed by the conditions of a thrifty farm life
and he profited by the advantages this afforded. H e
was a progressive planter
and ownecl a beautiful
country home and well
cultivated farm near Sumner, Georgia. H e moved to
\Vortll County Dec. 3rd)
1901, from Clay County.
H e uns~vervinglygave
his support and financial
aid to measures which
promisecl to contribute to
the welfare and advancement of his country and
churcl~.In the History of
W o r t h Caunty the name
of Thomas l3. Jenkins has
an hono.red place. The people of Worth, among
w l i o n ~ 11e had lived so
long, gave distinctive evidence of the popular apHON. THOS. B. JENKINS
preciatioil of his character
and ability in the year of 1930 by electing him representative
of Worth Coullty in the Lower House of the Georgia Legislature. I t was considered a calamity not only for his loved ones
and friends, l)ut for the ~vholecounty when death claimed him
011 Jan. 4, 1931, before the time for the Legislature to meet.
Ton1 B. Jenkiils was married Aug. 13, 1891, t o Nannie L.
Jenkins, daughter of W m . L. Jenkins, born Sept. 29, 1838, and
wife, Anna Lyle, born in Randolph County, June 15, 1848.
Married Nov. 15, 1866.
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HISTORY O F WORTH COUNTY, GEORGIA
The children of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas B. Jenkins are
Blanche, Adel, John William, and Robert.
They are zealous and influential members of the Missionary
Baptist Church. Mrs. Jenkins, Miss Adel and Robert still live
on the farm north of Sumner. Mrs. Nannie Jenkins is descended on her mother's side from John Bradley, Captain of the
American Galley, in the Revolutionary War, and is found o n
Georgia's Honor Roll in that War. She is also descended froin
the Weaver, NIeriwether and Truitt families, all taking a
patriotic part as soldiers in the Revolutionary War. She is a
woman of Christian calture and refinement and has always
been a force for good in the community and chul-ch.
THE GRUBBS FAMILY
The Grubbs families of Worth County are all descended
from the same ancestor though they are distantly related. To
quote a family genealogist who secured these facts from the
Genealogical Department, Congressional Library, Washington, D. C.
"Among the earliest settlers along the Delaware river, before the coming of William Penn to America, was John Grubbs
and his wife, Frances (Vane) Grubbs. H e is the founder of
the Grubhs family of America. He was one of the cavaliers
who had t o come t o America because he sided with Charles I
of England against Oliver Cromwell. When Charles I was
beheaded in 1619John Grubbs, with many others, fled t o America').
H e settled in New Jersey and established a tannery and a
landing on the Delaware River called T h e Grubbs Landing.
H e was a friend of William Penn though not a Quaker. He
was one of the signers, with William Penn, Richard Buffington and others of the "Plan for the Government of the Province
of West Jersey."
This John Grubbs belonged to the Grubbs family of Potterne, County of Wilts, England. Their estate was Eastwell.
They were Dukes of Wiltshire, England. The coat of arms now
used by the allied Grubbs families of America shows the crest
is a lion's head, azure, ducally crowned.
John Grubbs and wife, Frances (Vane) Grubbs, had nine
children. Emanuel born 1682-Charity, Phebe, Joseph, HenH e had his sons each
ry, Samuel, Nathaniel, and Peter.
<aught a trade to meet the needs of pioneer life.
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H I S T O R Y O F W O R T H COUNTY. GEORGIA
411
His posterity will be found in every part of America.
The first Grubbs families of Georgia came from Virginia
and the Carolinas.
T h e ancestor of Clifford Grubbs was
Silas Grubbs, of Talbot and Webster Counties. The ancestor
of Monroe Grttbbs, a Confederate Soldier, one of the first to
settle in MJorth County, was Silas Grubbs, of Randolph County. T h e father of William Henry Grubbs was John Grubbs,
of Randolph County. They are all descendants of the original John Grubbs, of New Jersey.
P R O F . CHAS. E. GRUBBS
PROF. CHARLES ELISHA GRUBBS
Prof. Charles Elisha Grubbs was one of the leading educators of South Georgia. H e was an educator by right of inheritance from a long line of educators and by preparation and
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412
HISTORY OF WORTH COUNTY, GEORGIA
natural ability. H e taught tllany men who, by examination,
were enabled t o enter tlle Junior class of Georgia's University.
H e was born in Talbotton, Talbot, County, Ga., Aug. 7,
iS47. His j)arenis were Silas Grubl~s ancl 3Iartha Susan
(Birch) Grubbs.
H i s father nras one time l~resiclentof the College a t Talbatton and his mother was the music teacher in this college.
Silas Grul111's plantation was about a tnile from Preston,
Ga. The home was on a high elevation, still called Grubbs Hill,
and some of the houses in the old slave quarters are sti!l standing in 1932.
Silas Grubljs is bui-iecl near this old home ill the family l ~ u r y ing ground. H e was born Jan. 20, 1820, died Oct. 4th, 1860.
Silas Grubbs married Martha Susan Birch in 1514. She was
probably born in Oglethorpe County, Ga., on June 30. 1526,
and died in Gonzalas, Texas, Apr. lst, 1893.
She was the daughter of Cl~arles Clay Birch and wife,
Martha (Diltvorth) Birch. Both parents were born in Virginia
and moved to Oglethorl~eCounty, Ga.
Charles Clay Birch was the grandson of Commodore Alexander Murray, who was in the navy during the Revolutionary
War, and his wife, "Betty" (Clay) Murray. Their residence
was in Norfolk, Va. She was the sister of Henry Clay, the
"Great Pacificator."
Mrs. Martha Susan (Birch) Grubbs, with her entire family
except Charlie E. Grubbs, nlovecl in 1880, to Gonzalas. Texas,
where she taught music until her death. She is buriecl in Gonzalas.
Prof. Charlie E. Grubbs was too young to enter tlle Confederate Army at the beginning of the fratricidal conflict.
Towards the close, when scarcely sixteen, he ran away from
home and gained admittance ino a Georgia Infantry Regiment
and served on coast guard duty the last years of the war.
After the war was over he returned to his home and, under
his father, completed his education. H e chose edt~cationalfield
as his vocation in which he continued to labor until too feeble
in health. He was Superintendent of schools in Bttena lTista,
Weston, Parrot, Shelltnan, Eronwood, Sylvester, Sumner,
Doerun, Alapaha, and Nashville.
F o r nine years at Shellman he was Superintendent of the
largest ancl best school in the county. His former patrons in
other sections sent their children to him so that they might
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I-IISTORY O F WORTH COUNTY, GEORGIA
413
be properly prepared for college. This gave him a large boarding school at that place.
t Sylvester where he assisted his
His last years were s l ~ e n in
son, Clifford Grtlbl~s,in editing the Worth Cout~tvLocal. H e
died July 31, 1909, ancl is buried in Sylvester Cemetery.
Prof. Charlie E. Grul~bsmarried twice, first to Unie King,
in 1866, the mother of his children.
Unie Icing was of a long line of distinguished ancestors of
North Carolina and Georgia. She is descended through her
father, Rufus Icing, from the Kings of Sampson County, N, C.
H e r father was a close relative of W m . Rufus King, VicePresident of the United States. H e was reared in the same
home with him. On Unie (King) Grttbbs' maternal side, she
is descencled from Puritan stock-from Rev. John Way of
Jefferson County n ~ h obelonged to the \Yay family of old Midway Church.
This couple were devout Christians and loyal Methodists.
H e was a n active steward most of his life, ancl was among the
promoters of any movement for the upbuilding of the community in which he lived.
The children of Charlie and Unie Grubbs are:
Clifford Grubbs, married Lillie Martin.
Mary, married Dr. Richmond Statham.
Susie, married Dr. Rube K. Pickett.
Charlie E., Jr., married Lydia Sparks.
'Col. Will E. Grubbs, married Pearl Kiclley.
Dr. Louie Frank Grubbs, married Anna Mae Reynolds.
Mrs. Unie (King) Grubbs died in Sumner, Ga. Sept. 4,
1903, ancl was busied in Sylvester.
Prof. Charlie E. Grubl~s'second marriage was to Mis Fannie Leonard of Alapaha, Ga. She died and was buried in Sylvester in 1918.
CLIFFORD GRUBBS
Clifford Grubbs was born April 20, 1870, in Beuna Vista, Ga.
H i s parents were Charles E. and Unie (King) Grubbs. On
July 6, 1897, he married Lillie Martin, of Randolph County, Ga.
Their first child, Louie Martin Grubbs, was born Oct. 17, 1898,
and died Dec. 11, 1907. Catherine Hettie Grubbs, their second
child, was born Sept. 2, 1900. She married Lawrence W.
Cheney. They have two children, Lawrence W. Cheney, Jr.,
a n d Louie Tom Cheney.
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414
H I S T O R Y O F W O R T H COUNTY, GEORGIA
Mr. Grubbs was a school teacher for eight years. H e then
went into the field of journalism, being editor of the "Irwin
County News" for two years and editor "Worth County Local"
thirteen years. H e represented the International Harvester
Company in Worth County for twelve years and sen-ed on
the Roarcl of School Trustees of Sylvester for eight years. He
looked after the Home Service of Red Cross for Worth County
ten years and has been probation officer of Worth County
since the law went into effect. H e has been Recorder of Sylvester for three years.
Mr. Grubbs has always been a keen student and lover of
literature. He is the present (1934) President of the Kiwanis
club, is a Methodist and a Democrat. H e is descended from
the Puritan stock of old Midway church from the W a y family
and holds strictly to their principles in all matters of morals.
Mrs. C. Grubbs is the daughter of Rev. John Martin and
wife, Martha (Truitt) Martin, of Randolph County, Ga. Her
father was a Missionary Baptist preacher, of Randolph County,
who lived t o the ripe old age of 96 years. He preached for
75 years of that time. She is the youngest of their 13 children. She was educated in the best schools of Randolph Count y and received her normal school diploma from summer
school of Georgia University. She holds a Professional Life
License. She has been teaching in Worth County 28 years,
four years in Sun~ner,the rest of the time in Sylvester. At
present she is teaching history in Junior High a t McPhaul
Institute.
She is a member of Rarnard Trail Chapter, D. A. R., through
descent from Sergt. Robert Martin, of Charleston, S. C., and
Purnall Truitt, of Delaware. She has been Historian of that
Chapter since 1923 and was appointed Chairinan of Worth
County History by Judge Eve, Superior Court Judge, in 1929.
She has clone the major part of the work of compiling the
History of t h e County. By vote of the chapter Mrs. Grubbs
was given the privilege of having the history published and
copyrighted.
She was a member of the first club organized in Sylvester
-the Bay View Study Club-and is a charter member of the
Woman's Club, first called the Civic Improvement Club. She
was the first President of the P.-T. A. She taught in the primary department of the Baptist Sunday School in Sylvester
f o r 21 years. She is a Missionary Baptist. Mrs. Grubbs was
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HISTORY O F WORTH COUKTY, GEORGIA
415
County Chairman of Junior Red Cross from 1920 t o 1931 and
Co-chairman of Child Welfare of Woman's club for about 17'
years. Her name is given in a list of Who's W h o in American
Genealogy in the Handbook of American Genealogy.
MONROE GRUBBS
Monroe Grubbs enlisted in the Confederate Army in Randolph County, Georgia, a t the beginning of the war ancl served
the four years. He was always at his post of duty.
After he returned from the war he was married t o Lamitha
Roper on December 27, 1866, in Randolph County, Georgia.
Mrs. Lamitha Grubbs was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Lewis
Griffin Roper. They moved t o Worth County about 1883.
They lived south of Gordy, near Evergreen School in Worth
County. They are buried in Mt. Pisgah church cemetery.
Their children are : John Dillard Grubbs, lst, married hf iss
Golden ; Mariah married Isaac F. Coleman, Sr. ; Silas Grubbs,
marriec! Fannie Willis ; Amanda married Irvin Hancock; Rhoda married Hugh Boone; Clyde, Clarence, twins, Jim, Nettie
married Cyrus Gwines.
H e was a substantial farmer. They were worthy citizens
and their children and grand-children are splendid people.
Most of them live in Worth. Their son, Jim, lives in Washington State.
SOME OLD WILLS
O n July 8, 1863, Joseph T. L. Gleaton niade his last will and
testament. It follows in part:
"In the name of God, Amen! I, J. T . L. Gleaton, being of
sound mind disposing memory, do make this my last will and
testament,"
"Knowing the uncertainties of life, especially in the professions of arms, and being about to enter the Confederate
States Militia under the call of President Davis, and wishing
t o settle all my earthly affairs before leaving for the army, do
make this my last will and testament."
1st. Should I clie in the service I desire a simple soldier's
burial, asking for and expecting nothing else. Should I die
while absent from home I wish no effort or money expended
in removing my remains to Georgia. Let my remains repose
where first interred.
2nd. As I owe very little, if anything, there need be no
provisions for paying my debts, but should I owe something
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416
HISTORY OF WORTH COUNTY, GEORGIA
when dead, I wish my executors to pay such indebtedness a s
quickly as possible without encroaching upon the corpus of
IIIY estate, but out of the profits.
3rd. In the third paragraph he appointed his wife, Malinda
Gleaton, and his good friend William Tison his executors, and
expressed the desire that they keep the estate intact until the
youngest child became of age and a t that time to divide the
estate equally between the children and his wife. I n the mean
time, the proceeds of the estate were to be used for their
support and education. The following were the witnesses:
James G. Brown, W. L. Lane and L. W . Wilson. (Recorded
in Will Book A, Page 1.)"
OTHER WILLS RECORDED IN WILL BOOK A
From 1867 to 1903, Inc
......Page 5
Daniel Reynolds -..-..Page 11
George W . Sumner..Page 21
Yancy O'Neal ..........Page 24
Sebron M. H u n t ........ Page 29
George Spring ............Page 42
John A. Ford -...........Page 50
J. M. Champion ........ Page 19
William Whiddon .... Page 23
W m . W. Monk . ...... Page 29
John M. Kennedy ....Page 33
Daty S. Holamon ....Page 35
W . D. Gillis ........ .....Page 40
W . H. Pope .............-Page 44
Henry W. Hancock..Page 48
Jesse J. Hall ............Page 49
G. G. Ford, Sr. ........ Page 53
Seaborn Harrell ......Page 54
John F. Giddens .-....Page 55
John G. McPhaul ....Page 61
Joseph M. Gleaton ....Page 63
G. J. Wallace ...........-Page 68
Mrs. Mary
. .
Williams ...---..........
Pace 79
Mr. and Mrs. T.
Tipton ...-..............-Page 84
TV illiam Sumner
-
Allen Ratliff ...-........Page 62
James Gibbs -..-.-......Page 92
Page 105
W . A. Davis .....-.-......
Joseph T. L. Gleaton,
Page 1
1867 ........-......-.------From 1905 to 1915, Tnc.
Book 2.
J. N. Ridley, Sr...-.....Page 5
John E. Houston.
Sr. ...............-...--------.
Page 87
From 1915 to 1924, Inc.
P. Pelham ...-.........-.-.. Page 94
E. M. Fletcher ..--......Page 95
B. B. Jones ...-...----.....
Page 96
Marcus L.
Champion ...-.........Page 113
Geo. S. Sumner..........Page 119
A. B. Gregory .-........Page 122
C. W. Hillhouse ......Page 124
Page 130
George Mr. Price .-..-Mrs. S. J. Sumner......Page 134
Mrs. Carrie Kinard-.Page 146
Mrs. J. H.
Page 148
Hillhouse -- .-------...
J. D. Martin --....-.......Page 150
Thos. J. Edwards......Page 152
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HISTORY OF WORTH COUNTY, GEORGIA
417
HENDERSON POWELL
Henderson Powell holds a place of prominence among the
financiers of Worth County.
This capitalist illustrates what can be made in the agricultural industry of Worth County.
While he is a stockholder and associated in a financial way
with a great many enterprises of the County, he is primarily
a farmer.
He began life with no capital other than thrift, economy and
good, sound judgment in bt~siness.H e is today (and not an old
man) one of the largest tax payers of Worth and is one of the
largest land owners.
He has held many places of trust in the county. He was
on the Board of Commissioners four years; was president of
Farmers and Merchant Bank of Sylvester eight years; was
President of First National Bank fifteen years.
His father was Dennis Powell of Lee County and his mother
was, before marriage, Elizabeth Bozeman of North Carolina.
H e married Anna Watson and they have seven children, four
sons and three daughters: George, A. C., S. I., and Harmon.
Kendal, Berny
Lena married Cap Ricks, Eleve married
married -Hudson.
THE ALFORD FAMILY
The Alfords of Worth County are descended from a very
ancient English family, who for many centuries lived at
Meaux Abby, Yorkshire, England. T h e family is of Saxon
origin, and the name is said to be derived from Alfred, the
great Saxon King of England, from whom they are descended.
A branch of the Alford family came to blassachusetts in
1635. There were three immigrants, William, born in London
in 1608, with two brothers, Benedictus and Alexander. They
all landed at Boston, and the Worth County branch descended
from William Alford. The line of descent is as follows :
Benjamin, son of William, born 1650; James, son of Renjamin, born 1691.
Jatnes William Zion, son James, was born in 1730: probably
in North Carolina, as his father moved to that state about that
time. James William Zion was a Revolutionary soldier and
fought in the battles of Cowpens and Guilford Courthouse as
Captain.
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HISTORY O F WORTH COUNTY, GEORGIA
Lodwick (or Loderwick), son of James William Zion and
wife, J u d y (Harper) Alford, was a major of militia in Indian
wars. H e held public positions in the civil life of North Carolina during the Revolution.
Green Alford, son of Lodwick and wife, Mary (Hall) Alford, was born about 1788 in Wake County, N. C. H e was a
large planter and founded and named his estate "\Vakefield."
Green Haywoocl Alford, son of Green Alford and wife. Nancy Rose (Liles) Alford, was born in Wake County. N. C.,
June 7, 1820. H e married Rebecca Jones January 8, 1834. She
was born in Wake County, N. C., March 18, 1822. He was
Captain of Horse Guards in the Confederate Army. H e was
a very prominent citizen in his state, and a member of the
Legislature of North Carolina prior to the W a r Between the
States. T h e dates below were taken from his Bible now in possission of Mrs. Blanche Godwin, of Sylvester, her only !iving
child, in 1934. T h e children of-Green Haywood Alford and
wife, Rebecca (Jones) Alford, were :
George Benton, born July 24, 1845; Andrew Jackson, born
Jan. 29, 1847; Elizabeth Leland, born Sept. 21, 1848; Colurnbus Augustin, born Feb. 6, 1850; Francis Xdner, born March
18, 1853 ; Salina Blanche, born April 28, 1857; William Leoris
Haywood, born Oct. 23, 1863.
Of his seven children, those who immigrated to Worth
County were : Andrew Jackson, Columl~usAugustin, I'liilliam
Leoris, and Blanche (Mrs. F. I<. Goclwin).
Andrew Jackson Alford came to this section first and made
his home a t Pelham, later moving to St~mner,Ga. H e was a
turpentine operator and lived a t Sumner many years before
moving t o Florida where he died.
COLUMBUS AUGUSTIN ALFORD
Columbus Augusiin Alforcl was born ancl grew up in Wake
County, N. C. H e obtained his education in the local schools
near his home. H e learned the lumber business and, in 1871,
a t the age of 21 years, came t o Worth County and settled at
Sumner, Ga. For twelve years he followed the naval stores
business a t that place, which was then the lnetropolis of
Worth County. I n 1883 he moved to Willingham and, with his
brother-in-law, Benj. J. Sloan, built an immense saw mill and
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HISTORY OF WORTH COUNTY, GEORGIA
419
turpentine business. H e built a palatial home a t Willingham
which was burned after his death a few years ago.
Mr. Alford accumulated a large fortune in the timber and
turpentine business, and was one of the wealthiest men of
this section. He became largely interested in lumber, naval
stores, and farming. H e was a stockholder and director of the
Southern States Life Insurance Company, and one of the
largest depositors and stockholders of Sylvester Banking
Company. H e had large interests in many other public enterprises. I n 1888 he was elected by the Democrats to the State
Senate from the 10th District, serving with distinction and
ability. I n 1905 he built the Flint River & Gulf Railroad from
Bridgehoro to Sylvester, joining at Sylvester with the line
built from Ashburn t o Sylvester by J. S. Betts Sr Co., operating the two lines together until 1907, when, after laying a
connecting line t o Hawkinsville, the name was changed t o
Gulf Line Railway Company. H e was president of this railroad until his death.
Mr. Alford was a leading spirit and public benefactor in
all civic affairs, and was an active member of the First Baptist
Church of Sylvester. I t is impossible to estimate the value
and worth he was to Worth County, and he is revered by its
people as one of its greatest citizens.
He married first, Miss Martha Sutnner, of Sumner, Ga.,
daughter of John C. (Jack) Sumner, she being the sister of
John N. Sumner, of Sylvester. She died in 1881. By this marriage they had two children, Beulah (Mrs. IV. R. Johnston)
and G. Floyd. After her death he married Miss Janie Johnston, daughter of Benj. Johnston, of Americus, Ga. They had
seven children: Mattie Blanche, (Mrs. Edwin K. Gully) ;
Bennie Love (Mrs. Malcolm Hugh Westberry) ; Frankie E.
(Mrs. Will H. Westberry) ; Columbus A. ; Earl J. ; Helen (Mrs.
I. H. Matln) and Ruth, (Mrs. Jack WTimpy).Mrs Janie Johnston Alford died July 5, 1901.
C. A. Alford died Sept. 21, 1908.
Their Marriage Record
Beulah, married June 18, 1902, to LV. R. Johnston; G. Floyd,
married January 7, 1903, to Miss Claude Gibson; Mattie
Blanche, married August 9, 1911, to E. K. Gully; Bennie I,ove,
married April 28, 1910, to M. H. Westberry; Frankie, married
April 18, 1912, to W. H. Westberry; Columl~usA., married
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HISTORY O F WORTH COUNTY, GEORGIA
December 10, 1913, to Ann Douglas; Earl J., married October
15, 1915, to Erin Shealy; Helen, married February 7, 1922, to
Ivan H. Mann; Ruth, married December 20, 1924, to W. H.
Wimpy.
C. A. Alford was no greater as a financier and statesman
than as a father. Both of his wives died and left him with small
children. H e nobly took the place of both parents and reared
his children with the aid of his oldest daughter, Mrs. Beulah
(Alford) Johnston, with such care and training t h a t wherever
they are found today, they are numbered with those of t h e
highest character and are identified with all movements that
are for the betterment of the community. They have well lived
up to the standards set 11y their illttstrious forebears.
GREENFLOYDALFORD
Green Floyd Alford, oldest son of Columbus A. Alford and
wife, Martha (Sumner) Alford was born and reared in Worth,
H e received his higher education a t Mercer University and
Georgia University. H e came to the town of Sylvester (his
father then living a t Willingham) t o accept the position of
assistant cashier of Sylvester Banking Company. holding this
place for seven years.
After his father's death he was made administrator of his
large estate. H e was president of the Gulf Line Railroad, a
road running a t that time from Hawkinsville t o Camilla, Ga,
I t now has the name of G. A. S. C. H e is the owner of a large
landed estate, is a general agriculturist and turpentine operator and for several years operated a sawmill. H e has heen an
active deacon in the Missionary Baptist Church for twenty or
more years. H e built one of the most elegant homes in the
county on Pope Street, Sylvester, in 1912 where he has lived
since.
I n 1903 G. Floyd Alford was married to Miss Emily Claude
Gibson, the daughter of James S. Gibson, of Scotch descent,
and wife, Mary (Harden) Gibson of Moiltezuma. She was the
music teacher of Sylvester school a t that time.
Mrs. Alford graduated in music at Brenap College at Gainesville. She possessed wonderful talent in music and was a skilled
performer on the piano and pipe organ. For many years she
was director of nltlsic for the services of the Missionary Baptist Church and was a leader in all musical affairs of the city..
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HISTORY O F WORTH COUNTY, GEORGIA
42 1
HON. C. A. ALFORD
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HISTORY O F W O R T H COUNTY, GEORGI.4
She was a D. A. R. through the service of her ancestor James
Hardin, and had several lines to the Revolution. She was organizing Regent of the Barnard Trail Chapter, and served one
other term as Regent.
Mr. and Mrs. G. Floyd Alford were unrivaled host and
hostess and dispensed generous hospitality. This comhined
with their pleasant personalities, made a visit t o their home
one of delight.
Their children are :
Green Floyd Alford, Jr., married Mary Mays, one child
Mary.
James Gibson Alford, married Mary Bance Joiner, one son
James Gibson, Jr.
Mrs. G. F. Alford, Sr., died 1930.
WILLIAM LEORUS H A Y W O O D ALFORD
William Leorus Haywood Alford, the youngest son of
Green Haywood Alford and wife, Rebecca (Jones) -4lford)
was born in Wake County, N. C. Oct. 23, 1863. H e married
Miss Ellie Norris of IVake County, N. C., in 1885 and came
with his bride to Worth County. H e settled a t Parkerville
where he lived for thirty-five years. During all that time he
was engaged with his brother, C. A. Alford in the naval stores
business.
H e received his education at Binghanl Military College,
Mebane, N. C.
Hon. 1%'. L. H . Alford represented the County of Worth in
1902-1904. H e was long prominent in the political and social
affairs of Worth and was a member of the.Missionary Baptist
Church.
Mr. W. L. H. Alford and first wife were the parents of nine
children, H. B., Ellie, (Mrs. E. L. Veazey) Sadie (Mrs. Carlton Godwin) Maggie (Mrs. T. C. Akin), Dewey, Myers, Jack,
Alton. His first wife, Mrs. Ellie Norris Alford, died July 28,
1906.
W. L. H. Alford was married the second time t o Miss Lucy
ell Overby. She is descended from very old and distinguished families of Virginia, South Carolina, and Georgia.
These records are copies of records taken from the Bible
of Basil Earl Overl~y.An affidavit is attached that they are
correct and the Bible is a very old volume.
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HISTORY OF WORTH COUNTY, GEORGIA
423
The first Overby to come to America was Nicholas Overby, came from Paris, France, t o Virginia, born in 1622, died
in 1732, age 110 years. Raised three sons. The line of descent:
Son, Peter, born 1649, died 1755, wife Ann. His son Nicholas
His son, Meshack, was born 1753, died 1841, married Mary
Mitchell of Virginia. His son, Nicholas, born Jan. 20, 1784,
died 1868, married Mary Hallam of South Carolina, Jan. 10,
1814. She was born Fell. 3, 1783, died Nov. 4, 1862. His son,
Benj. Mitchell Overby, born Sept. 18, 1818, died Nov. 17,
1891. Married Lucy Caroline Seay, Aug. 18, 1841. She was
born Feb. 2nd, 1823, died Feb. 17, 1908. His son, Walter Knox
Overby, born Sept. 29, 1850, died Feb. 27, 1930. Married Sallie
Beatrice Simms, Dec. 9, 1874.
Walter Knox Overby and wife, Sallie Beatrice (Simms)
Overby are the parents of Mrs. W . L. H. Alford. They are
also the parents of Presiding Elder Marvin Overby who a t
one time was pastor of the Methodist' Church of Sylvester.
Mrs. Alford is also descended from John Seay, and James
Wilson. Both served in the Revolutionary W a r from Georgia.
James Wilson, married Phebe White in 1789 in Green County, Ga.
John Seay, born 1758, married a Miss West. H e served under Micajah Williamson in the Revolutionary W a r .
Mr. and Mrs. \V. Leorus H. Alford are the parents of nine
children, Haskel and Hoyl (twins), Beatrice, Leorus. Lodwick, Melvina, Mary, Marvin, Louise.
Mr. Alford died June 16, 1931.
His wife is a teacher in McPhaul Institute of Sylvester She
has been a member of the faculty for a number of years.
MRS. BLANCHE (ALFORD) GODWIN
Mrs. Blanche (Alford) Godwin, the last living child of
Green Haymard Alford and wife, Rebecca (Jones) -4lford,
married F.Keit Godwin, Jan. 21st, 1880.
were
They moved with their five children, all of ~ v l ~ o m
born in North Carolna, to Worth County, in December, 1908.
Mr. Godwin was a farmer and moved into this County t o
engage in farming. Their children are : Carlton, married Savdie
Alford ; "Vada," married Dr. W. C. Tipton ; Rebecca, married
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HISTORY O F WORTH COUNTY, GEORGIA
Col. B. W. Tipton; Columbus B., married Lovelace Westberry; Clair, married Winnifred Brim.
F. Keit Godwin died in Sylvester, Sept. 25th) 1919.
Mrs. Blanche (Alford) Godwin fully illustrates the nobility
and courage of her patriotic sires. A t the age of sixty-six years
she took seven little grand children, left motherless, one only
a few days old to rear, which task she tenderly and cheerfully
carries on, in this her 78th year.
WILLIAM ROBERT JOHNSTON
VITilliam Robert Joh~istonis another of the splendid contributions of the "Tar Heel" state t o Worth County. He was
born in Franklin, Macon County, N. C. H e is the oldest son
of Jackson Johnston and second wife, Eugenia (Siler) Johnston.
O n his paternal side the family is Scotch-Irish. His grandfather, Robert Johnston, was born in Ireland. H e and his wife,
Elizabeth (MTilson) Johnston, lived in Scotland where all
their children were born except the youngest, Jackson, IN. R.
Johnston's father, who was born in South Carolina. Robert
Johnston came to America and lived in Pendleton District,
South Carolina.
Jaclcson Johnston settled in Franklin, N. C. He married
first a Miss Osborn of Haywood County, and after her death
he married Miss Eugenia Siler, a daughter of William Siler
of Macon County and his wife, Althea (Swain) Siler. who was
a sister of David L. Swain, Governor of North Carolina, and
at one time president of the State University of North Carolina.
T h e maternal grandfather of W. R. Johnston, Wm. Siler,
and his three brothers, Jacob, Jesse and John settled in what
is now Rlacon County, N.C. They were among the first white
settlers anlong the Cherokee Indians that then occupied that
section. Un~velcomeda t first they soon became their trusted
friends and advisors. After the government had removed the
nation beyond the Rilississippi, many of the Cherokees slipped
back to their native mountains and William Siler deeded them
hundreds of acres of land in order that they might have their
own homes where they could live unmolested. Finally the
government gave them a reservation. The descendants of the
Siler Indians became the nucleus for the reservation.
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HISTORY O F WORTH COUNTY, GEORGIA
425
W . R. Johnston received his college education at Emory
when it was a t Oxford, Georgia. H e is a member of the Chi
P h i fraternity, was a "Knight of the Grip" when married in
1902 to Miss Beulah Alford, the daughter of Hon. C. A. Alford of Willingham, W o r t h County. Her step-mother died a
short while before her marriage and left her father with seven
small children. She, with the greatest devotion for them, helped
him with them. They lived a t Willingham in her father's elegant home until his death in 1908, when they moved with the
children to Sylvester where they might have better school
advantages.
This couple have no children of their own, but no parents
have ever filled the duties and obligations better than they
have to her brothers and sisters t o whom they have given unselfish devotion.
They have a t all times manifested a profound interest in
those movements and activities which represent the best in the
life of the community, whether financially, socially or mrally.
For more than a quarter of a century he has served a s Sunday School Superintendent of the I~lethodistChurch and has
every interest of the church in his heart. H e served a s chairman of the Board of Trustees f o r McPhaul Institute for ten
years and there never was a better one. He was a charter member of the ICiwanis club. H e and his wife are owners of a large
landed estate and he has looked after their farming interest
personally ancl has furthered all forward movements in agriculture in this section.
Mrs. W. R. Johnston is a graduate of Shorter College. She
served with great ability for nine years as State Chairman of
Fine Arts in the Georgia Federation of Woman's clubs. During that time she brought many educational features t o Sylvester in exhibits of pottery from the foremost pottery works
in the United States ancl of prints of masterpieces in pictures
twice, once in her o\vn home and invited the school children.
She was instrumental in bringing other exhibits of a r t t o the
city school.
Shc m7as cl~airmanof the work room of the Red Cross for
one term during the World War.
They built a beautiful home of old English style in 1912
which has been an open court of hospitality t o Sylvester and
this section.
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HISTORY O F WORTH COUNTY, GEORGIA
RECORDS FROM THE BIBLE OF BENJAMIN
JOHNSTON
These records are taken from Bible of Benjamin Johnston
who was born in Scotland and brought by his parents to North
Carolina when quite young. He moved t o Georgia after marriage. This Hible is now in the possession of his grand dauqhter, Mrs. E. K. Gulley, of Sylvester, Ga.
Births
Robert Johnston, Sr., was born in Ireland Oct. 17th, 1765,
o r '66, father of Benj. Johnston.
Elizabeth Wilson, consort of Robert Johnston and mother
of Benjamin Johnston was born Sept. 12, 1777. They were
married about the year 1795 or '96.
Benjamin Johnston was born in Scotland on the 4th day of
May, 1817.
Martha Elizabeth Welch Johnston wife of Benjamin Johnston was born on the 29th day of May 1825, in Waynesville,
Haywood C o ~ ~ n t N.
y , C.
Children of Benjamin Johnston and wife Martha Elizabeth
Welch Johnston: Mary Elizabeth Johnston was born in Ellijay, Ga., on Nov. 2211d, 1844, a t 9 o'clock P. M.
Wm. Robert Johnston was born in Ellijay, Ga., on Feb.
23rd, 1847 3 o'clock P. M.
John Randolph Johnston was born in Ellijay, Ga., Monday
night Feb. 12, 1849.
Edward Young Johnston was born on the 25th of Sept.
1851, at 2 o'clock ,4. M.
James Harvey Johnston was born July 20th, 1853 at 7
o'clock A. M., at Pleasant Hill, Ga.
Martha Ann Johnston was born Oct. 26th) 1854 a t 5 o'clock
A. M., a t Pleasant Hill, Gilmer County, Ga.
Hugh Ashury Johilston was born in Pleasant Hill, Gilmer
County, Ga., Friday 5 o'clock P. M., July 3rd' 1856.
Ada Louisa Johnston was born on the 11th day of March
1860 a t 11% o'clock P. &I. Pleasant Hill, Ga.
Jane Eliza Johnston was born on 18th of July, 1862 about
11% o'clock P. M. Pleasant Hill, Gilmer County, Georgia.
Bennie Love Johnston was born in Sumter County, Ga., a t
Pine Forest, Aug. 30th, 1866.
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HISTORY OF WORTH COUNTY, GEORGIA
427
Marriages
Benjamine Johnston and Martha Elizabeth Welch were
married May 4th, 1843 in Waynesville, N. C.
Deaths
Robert Johnston, Sr., father of Benjamin Johnston died
March 27th, 1838 age 72 or '3 years.
Elizabeth Wilson Johnston consort of Robert Johnston
died June 15t11, 1848, age 70 years.
Benjamin Johnston died a t Willingham, Ga., Dec. 20th,
1886, a t 6 o'clock A. M., 69% years.
Bennie Love Sexton, daughter of Benjamin Johnston died
a t Willingham, Ga., Sept. 5, 1891.
Hugh Asbury Johnston, so11 of Benjamin Johnston died in
Willingham Jan. 12th, 1897, 39 years, 6 months, 9 days.
Jane Eliza Alford, daughter of Benjamin Johnston, wife of
Columbus A. Alford, died in Willingham July Sth, 1901, age
38 years, 11 month, 3 weeks, 1 day.
John Randolph Johnston, died in Americus, Ga., Jan. 27,
1887, 7 o'clock P. M., age 38 yrs. 11 months, 15 days.
Mary Elizabeth Johnston Cantrell, daughter of Benjamin
Johnston, died in r\mericus, Apr. 12th, 1878, age 34 years.
Benjamin Johnston Cantrell, grandson of Benj. Johnston
died in Americus, June 28th, 1880, age seven years. 25 days.
Edward Young Johnston died in Ellijay, Ga., Oct. 6th, 1851,
a t 2 o'clock P. M., age 1155 days.
James Harvey Johnston died July 20th, 1853 a t 3 o'clock
P. M.
Addie Louisa Johnston died Feb. 6, 1886 a t 6 o'clock P. M.
a t IVillingham, Ga., near Sylvester, Ga., age 28 years, 11
months.
IVAN HOLDEN MANN
Ivan Holden Mann, son of Jesse Ellsworth Mann and
Mattie (Holden) Mann, was born Nov. 30; 1889, at Decatur,
Indiana. He lived in Omaha, Nebr., Butler, Penn. and Fort
Wayne, Ind., before moving to Louisville, Kentucky in 1898.
There he attended the graded school and Du Point Normal
Training High School. After his high school course he attended
Purdue University at LaFayette, Ind., where he received his
training in Civil Engineering. Returning to Louisville he en-
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428
HISTORY O F WORTH COUNTY, GEORGIA
gaged in landscape work. He moved to Indianapolis in 1915
where he was superintendent at Crown Hill Cemetery.
During the latter part of the World War, and for sometime
following, he was with the Construction Division of the War
Department in charge of camp site government work. During
the summer of 1920 he came to Sylvester to accept the position
a s engineer in charge of construction on the Sylvester-Albany
Highway, H e mas with the Highway Department of Georgia
until 1925, when he moved to Lake Worth, Florida to accept
e rthat place. H e returned to Syla position as City ~ n ~ i n e at
vester in the fall of 1927 and engaged in private engineernig
until 1930, when he went back t o the Highway Department.
He is Associate member of American Society of Engineers.
H e is an unusually forceful director of engineering affairs,
possessing the energy and capacity requisite for the management of road building. JVhile his vocation takes him out of
the city a good deal he is interested in, and identified with, the
activities of the city.
H e is a close student of history and expresses his love for
the same in a most unique way. His hobby is stamp collecting.
H e arranges them artistically in books, classifying them and
writing out their history. One is a book of religious history
in stamps, one a history of the United States in stamps, one
of them stamps of every nation. He has several thousand
stamps in his collection. He is a Scottish Rite Mason, a talented musician, and a Nlissionary Baptist in religion.
Ivan H. Mann married Katherine Hardy Brune of Louisville, Kentucky in 1915. She died in 1918 in Louisville. To
them two, children were born, Ivan H. Mann, Jr., born June
12, 1916, and Mary Forest Mann, born Jan. 25, 1918.
Ivan H. Mann, Sr., married Helen Alford Feb. 7, 1922. They
are blessed with one child, Eugene Alford Mann, born Feb.
18, 1926.
Mrs. Helen (Alford) Mann, daughter of Hon. C. A. Alford
and Jeannie (Johnston) Alford, was born a t Willingham, in
Worth County, June 3, 1897, and moved to Sylvester in October, 1908. She graduated from McPhaul Institute in May,
1915, and attended Brenau College Conservatory three years.
She graduated in June 1918, receiving a diploma in Piano and
Pipe Organ, (The first pipe organ diploma ever given a t Brenau). She was elected to Mu Phi Epsilon, an honorary musical
Sorority, in her junior year at College. She is a charter mem-
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H I S T O R Y O F W O R T H COUNTY. GEORGIA
429
ber of Barnard Trail Chapter,.D. A . R . She was elected regent
of that chapter in 1931-1935. and was elected President of the
Womnn's Missionary Society of the Baptist Church of Sylvester in 1924. She served one year and then moved to Lake
Worth. Florida . After her return to Sylvester she was again
elected in 1932. She is Superintendent of the Beginner's Departtnent of Baptist Sunday School, and is Vice-President of
the Woman's Club .
She has been organist of the Baptist Church for a number
of years . This position is one of the most exacting and most
responsible in the church . Other members of the choir may
drop out but not the organist-her place must be fillecl. Mrs .
Mann is as faithful a s the pastor . The traits of her noble father
are evidenced in her for leadership. for preparedness. and for
faithfulness in many callings .
These records are taken from the Family Bible of Mary L.
Holden. now in the possession of Ivan Holden Afantl of Sylvester, Ga., her grandson .
FAMILY RECORD
Births
Arnold Holden ........................................................................ May 24th, 1803
Patience Holden .................................................................... Oct . 15th, 1803
Julia J . Holden ........................................................................
Oct . 17th, 1823
Amos B . Holden .............................................................. Apr . Znd, 1825
William A . Holden ............................................................ March loth, 1827
Martha A . Holden ................................................................ Jan . 30th, 1829
Edwin C. Holden ...................................................................... June 9th, 1831
Jane M . Holden ........................................................................ June llth, 1833
Denison F. Holden ...................................................................... Apr . Sth, 1835
Nelson H . Holden ................................................................ Apr . 15th, 1838
Sarah A . Holden ...................................................................... May 24th, 1841
John R. Holden ............................................................... July Nth, 1843
Nettie Jane Holden* .................................... Concord, N . Y., May 17, 1863
Anna Eliza Holden* ................................ Owatonna, Minn., Feb . 6, 1867
"(Children of Edwin C. Holden and Mary L. Richardson) .
Jeremiah Richardson ............................ Newport, N . H., Dec. 30th, 1795
Anna Richardson ............................ Hubherton, Vt . (?) Feb . 12th, 1801
Jane A . Richardson ..................... .... Harrisburg, (?) N . Y., Oct 5th, 1813
Betsey Richardson .................................... Concord, N . Y., O c t. 26th, 1819
Thomas J . Richardson ................................ Concord, N . Y., Jan . 8th, 1821
Clarinda Richardson ................................ Concord, N . Y., July 10th 1822
Diana Richardson .................................... Concord, N . Y., July 4th, 1824
David Richardson .................................... Concord, N . Y., Jan . 30th 1826
Alanson Richardson ....................
.
.
.
..... Concord, N . Y., Jan . 17th, 1828
Jane Richardson ........................................ Concord, N . Y., Oct . 5th 1830
Levi Richardson ........................................ Concord, N . Y., July 23rd, 1832
Joseph Richardson .................................... Concord, N . Y., July 14th, 1835
Mary L. Richardson ............................. Concord, N . Y., March 12th 1837
Eliza Richardson ................................... Concord, N Y., June 11th 1838
.
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H I S T O R Y O F W O R T H COUNTY, GEORGIA
Harvey Richardson ................................ Concord, N. Y., May 3rd,
Francis Richardson ................................ Concord, N, Y., Aug. l l t h ,
Preston C. Richardson ........................ Concord, N. Y., May (14th?),
Charles Kichardson ............................ Concord, N. Y., March lst,
Albert Richardson .................................... Concord,N.Y., June loth,
George Richardson ................................ Concord, N. Y., June 4th,
Cornelia A. Richardson ........................ Concord, N. Y., Sept. 21st,
1839
1842
1843
1846
1848
1851
1856
Deaths
Arnold Holden ........................................ Bradford, Pa., March 26th,
Patience Holden .........................
Franklinville, N. Y., May 25th
Dennison F. Holden ................( Lake Canns, Mich.)?, Dec. 12th
.
..... Ashford, N. Y., Apr. 26th,
Martha A. Holden ..........................
Owatocna, Minn., Aug. 7th,
Anna Aliza Holden ......................
Nettie Jane Holden .................................... Louisville, Ky., Aug. Znd,
Edwin C. Holden .................................... Louisville, Ky., Aug. l l t h ,
Mary L. Holden ........................................ Louisville, Ky., May 29th,
Betsey Richardson ................................ Concord, N. Y., April 26th,
Albert Richardson .................................... Concord, N. Y., June 29th,
Anna Richardson
Concord, N. Y., Sept. Znd,
Joseph Richardson .................................... Concord, N. Y., F'eb. 9th,
Jane Ann Richardson ............................ Concosrd, N. Y., May 26th,
Charles Richardson ........................ East Aurora, N. Y., Apr. 27th,
1869
1890
1902
1903
1867
1898
1903
1924
1821
1850
1832
1837
1868
1876
Marriages
Arnold Holden
Patience Holclen
.
....................... November 29th, 1818
Jeremiah Richardson ................... .
Anna Richardson ........................................................ November 29th, 1818
Feb. 3rd, 1834, in Collins, N. Y.
Jane Ann Richardson ..........................
Edwin C. Holden ................................ June 9th, 1858, in Concord, N. Y.
Mary L. Holden ..................................... June 9th, 1858, in Concord, N. Y.
BIOGRAPHY OF THE JONES FAMILY
I.
T h e Jones' family of southern W o r t h County, the subject
of this sketch, are of Welch extraction. The family
tradition places the earliest known ancestors a s an emigrant
from Virginia t o North Carolina. T h e family remained for
more than a hundred years near the ancestral home in Wake
County, North Carolina, and then a branch of the family removed to Sumner, Worth County, Georgia. T h e removal to
W o r t h County was brought about by the heavy losses the
family sustained during the Civil W a r . Slaves freed, land lost
while the sons were performing military duty, the family
turned to lt~rnberingand naval stores for a livlihood. This
business was entered by many others who had experienced
similar losses and soon t h e timber of their section was rapidly
being exhausted. I t was then they sought the virgin pine
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HISTORY OF WORTH COUNTY, GEORGIA
43 1
forests of South Georgia, along with many of their neighbors
and kins-people, as a land of golden opportunity.
Mrs. Mary Ann Jones, widow of Alvin Jones, removed to
Sumner from Wake County, North Carolina, in 1880. She accompanied two of her sons, Y. A. J. Jones now of Mottltrie and
the late Walter Atlas Jones of Coolidge, and clatlghters Amy
,4nn, Emily Victoria Jones and the late Mrs. Jas. L. Sinclair,
Mrs. Elliot Holt of Sumner, the late Mrs. Eldridge Hunnicutt
of Funston. H e r eldest son, Sidney Lane Jones, had preceded
the others to W o r t h in 1877. In 1884 another son, Braxton B.
Jones, follo~vedthe lamily into its new home. Only one son,
Aldridge Myatt, remained hehind. H i s numerous descendants
live in Swift Creek Township, Wake County, North Carolina.
11.
This particular Jones family look back with pardonable
pride upon a brave and patriotic ancestry; many of whom distinguished themselves in the service of their state and upon
the field of battle. No less than three of their great-grandparents did valiant service as soldiers in the W a r of Revolution, also a large number of uncles and other relatives. T h e
maternal grandfather of their mother was Mark Myatt, a brave
officer, prominent citizen and a Justice in the Ii~feriorCourt
of Wake County. H e marched with the company of Captain
Ebenezar Folsom as a sergeant, engaging in the battle of
Moore's Creek Bridge. Later he was made Lieutenant in Captain Wood's company, troop of Horsemen, Colonel Malmedy's
Regiment and served wit11 distinction. Another great-grandfather was Shadrack Barker, a staunch patriot who took up
arms in defense of American independence. General Joseph
Lane I of Edgecon~beCounty, North Carolina, famous soldier
of Colonial times, was a third great-grandfather. Other kinsmen were noted in military and State history as generals,
governor of State, LTnited States Senators and Court Justices.
This patriotic hertiage was reflected by the family that removed to Worth. Three sons of Mrs. Mary Ann Jones were
veterans of the Civil War, serving through its entire length,
and each being wounded upon the field of conflict. Those
serving the cause of the South living in Worth were Sidney L.
Jones of Tempy and Walter Atlas Jones of Sumner-Coolidge.
The call to arms by the United States Government in the
recent World W a r was answered by two sons of Braxton B.
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HISTORY OF WORTH COUNTY, GEORGIA
Jones. Leo B. Jones responded upon the call of the local Cornmittee, entering the senrice from Worth County, being trained
a t Fort Sci-even near Savannah. The other son, Nordoff R.
Jones, volunteered in Atlanta a t the heginning of the war for
the United States Navy and is a veteran of the United States
Ship North Dakota, continuing in the service several months
subsequent to the close of hostilities.
111.
The earliest ancestor t o 11e documentary establishetl by the
fanlily surname is Philip Jones (1705-10 to 1760) and wife,
Rebecca Jones I. Philip settled in 1758 on the fork between
Dutchman's Branch and Swift Creek in Johnston C o t ~ t ~ t y
(now Wake) North Carolina, ten miles south of the present
city of Raleigh, and called his new home "Willett." He was
accompanied by at least one of his brothers, James Jones and
wife, Mary.
Philip died in 1760 leaving his widow with six children:
Etheldred, Jesse, Rtlsscl T, Leah, Rachel and Rebecca Jones
11. The widow was rcn~arrieclin 1764 t o John Rench who left
her a widow by cleath the second time in 1784. Three daughters Patience, Sally and Charity were born oi the secorld marriage. Rebecca Jones Reach, widow of Philip Jones, died
October 21,1804. Her nine children married into the first families of the co~lnty,among whom were Lane, Speight, Norris,
Peddy, Richardson and Elkin families.
Each of Philip Jones7 three sons was devoted t o the American cause, showing themselves to be brave patriots, senring
honorably in the North Carolina State Militia. The eldest,
Etheldred Jones I, was promoted to the rank of Captain and
valorously led his company in se~reral fierce engagements.
Some of the better known conflicts in which he personally was
engaged were Moore's Creek Bridge, the Battle of the Cowpens, and of Guilforcl's Courthouse. Jesse Jones, a second son,
saw military duty as a private during the memorable struggle,
was compensated by the United States Government for his
service. After the conclusion of hostilities with the English
he became a large planter in southeastern Wake County.
Russel Jones I, the youngest son, valiantly served in the War
of Revolution, was later granted land in Franklin Cotlnty,
Georgia, as a war veteran. Removing to Wilkes County about
1788 and later to Franklin County where he lived until 1828,
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HISTORY O F W O R T H COUNTY, GEORGIA
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433
loved and respected by all his fellow citizens. H e left a large
family of sons, daughters and grandchildren in northeast
Georgia. One son, Russel Jones I1 of Jackson County, Georgia, was designated by an act of the Georgia Legislature of
1824 in chartering "The First School F o r Girls in Georgia"
as the first named member of the Board of Trustees for that
pioneer institution.
Lucian Lamar Knight, gifted son and eloquent historian of
Georgia, favorably comments upon this important and progressive event as follows: "To the old town of Harmony
Grove belongs the honor of having launched successfully the
first school for girls ever established in the State of Georgia.
On account of the vast number of schools for women which
have since leaped into existence . . . this pioneer charter is a
document of prize importance in the history of modern education." (Georgia Landmarks Vol. 11, P. 806). The Jones family
experiences a sense of modest pride in having such a distinguished lzonor as the chairmanship of the first Board of Trustees of the earliest female institution of higher learning ever
chartered in Georgia, come t o a grandson of Philip Jones.
Captain Etl~eldredJones was the eldest son of Philip and
Rebecca Jones and was a life-long citizen of Wake County,
North Carolina. About 1775 he was married t o Jane (or Jean)
Lane, the granddaughter of General Joseph Lane I, by his eldest son Barnnabas Lane I.
Captain Jones began his military career in early life as a
member of the Colonial Militia. In 1772 and 1773 he was Ensign in company 3 and company 9 respectively, Colonel John
Hinton's Regiment, Xorth Carolina Colonial Mititia, Wake
County. Attaining the rank of Captain in the State Militia
during the W a r of Revolution h e was held in high regard both
by his company and his fellow citizens. He was granted over
twelve thousand acres of fertile lands along Swift and Niddle
Creeks in his home county. Building a large home near Fuquay Springs in Middle Creek Township which was called
"The Mansion," he engaged in stock raising and agriculture,
living t o the age of nearly eighty-six years.
Before the death of his beloved wife in April of 1786 a
daughter and four sons were born to Captain Jones. Elizabeth
was the only daughter. The sons were Allen Jones, Augustine
Jones, Martin Jones and Barnnahas Jones I.
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HISTORY OF WORTH COUNTY, GEORGIA
v.
The grandfather of the family that removed to Worth was
the second son of Captain Jones. Augustine Jones was of a
kindly. quiet nature and retiring in disposition. H e was married in 1813 to Edith Barker, a daughter of a W a r of Revolution veteran, Shadrack Barker of Wake County. Augustine
never held any public office htlt was interested in public affairs, followed the honored vocation of planter, respected by
his generation. His children were Alvin, Elizabeth, Etheldred
Benton, Jefferson John Quincy and Rebecca Jones 111. His
daughter Rebecca married Green Haywood Alford and became the mother of the late Alford brothers, Columbus A., Sr.,
W. L. H. and A. J. Alford, prominent lumbermen and naval
stores operators in Worth County during the last quarter of
the 19th century.
The husband of Mrs. Mary Ann Jones of Sumner, Worth
County was Alvin, eldest son of Augustine Jones and wife
Edith. They made their first home upon the ancestral lands
inherited from Captain Jones and cultivated the fertile soil
of Middle Creek botton~swith slave labor. H e was a successful planter and of enterprising character. In 1836 he married
the daughter of William Partin and Candis Myatt, and the
granddaughter of Lieutenant Mark Myatt already melltioned.
Alvin Jones died in early middle life of typhoid fever in the
year of 1860.
VI.
,
Sidney Lane Jones, late of Tempy, Worth County, was the
eldest of the brothers that came to Georgia. In 1880 he was
married to Martha Willis, daughter of Daniel Willis, one of
the ear!y settlers of IVorth County. "Sid" Jones as he was
best known to his neighbors, was a man who possessed the
courage of his convictions. In later life he affiliated with the
Protestant Methodist Church. In early manhood he was a
strong Democrat but became an ardent Populist in the early
part of the decade of the nineties, remaining in this political
faith until his cleath in 1915. Possessed also of keen insight,
a good judge of ecollomic values, and clever trading ability
enabled him to accumulate a small fortune. Kindly in his home
life, deeply interested in local education and in national politics, hospitable toward his friends, he exhibited the elements
of a substantial citizen.
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HISTORY OF WORTH COUNTY, GEORGIA
435
His three sons have distinguished themselves in various
vocations of life. Chas. S. Jones is a splendid citizen of Tempy,
seccessful in merchandising and agriculture. popular in his
community, trustworthy in every way, and is a steward in the
local Methodist Church. The youngest son, Boyd I,. Jones,
is an educator who is well known and was formerly the Superintendent of County Education in Worth. His eldest son is
D. L. B. Jones, 1 1 7 1 1 0 for years was an educator in Worth but
is now merchandising in another county. A daughter, Ida,
married Wiley White, a postoffice employee in Sylvester.
Their son, Milleclge White, is an educator and is an instructor
in McPhaul Institute. A second daughter, Ada, was married
to Rev. Jesse Hurst of the Protestant Methodist Church.
These daughters take an active interest in the communitv life
of Tempy.
VII.
Braxton B. Jones, like his brother Sidney, waited until he
came to Worth County to contract marriage. H e was married
to a young school teacher of Parkewille by the name of Osie
Ann Pope, daughter of Alexander Pope and Amanda Arline
formerly of Decatur County. "13rax" Jones, as he was familiarly called, operated lumber mills and ginneries for a number
of years, being associatecl part of the time with the different
Alford brothers, and later operated his plantation until overtaken by the infirmities of age. A strong Democrat, a Master
Mason, steward in the Bridgeboro hlethodist El>iscopal
Church, South, for a long period, he exhibited a keen interest
in all the affairs of county and comn~unity.His deepest concern in public matters was for better schools and good roads.
Industry, integrity and hospitality were marked traits of character. Mrs. Jones was a woman of strong Christian faith. Removing t o Sylvester before their death they were buried in
the town cemetery.
Two daughters and one son of his six cliildren now live in
Worth County. Mrs. Roy Banks (Etawa) and Mrs. Earl E.
Flowers (Alma) are residing in Sylvester. Another daughter
is living in Valdosta, Mrs. F. M. Salter (Marcia). Leo B.
Jones as an educator was superintendent of public schools in
several large towns of the State but is now engaged in agriculture a t the old homestead near Parkerville and superintendent of the Gorday school. Nordoff R. Jones has been in
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HISTORY OF WORTH COUNTY, GEORGIA
the hardware business for many years in the city of Atlanta.
The eldest son J. Lytle Jones, Sr., is a member of the South
Georgia Annual Conference of the h1Iethodist Episcopal
Church, South.
Recently Juanita Jones, daughter of Rev. J. Lytle Jones,
was accepted by the national office of the Daughters of American Revolution as a true descendant of Captain Etheldred
Jones and became a member of the Oconee Chapter, McRae,
Georgia.
Family Bible Records
Family Record copied from Bible of Captain Etheldred
Jones.
"December the 9t11, 1835 : This Holy Bible was bought this
day by Barnabas Jones a t the sale of Etheldred Jones deceased."
"Elizabeth Jones, daughter of Etheldred Jones and Jane his
wife, was born the 10th of February 1776."
"Allen Jones, son of the above written, was born the 6th
day of March 1778."
"Augustine Jones, son of the above written, was born the
1st day of Februai-y 1781."
"Martin Jones, son of the above written, was born February
6th, 1784."
"Barnabas Jones, son of the above written, was born l l a r c h
30th 1786."
"Mary Jones, wife of the above written Barnabas Jones,
was born March 30th 1808."
"Nancy Olive, daughter of Abel and Betsy Olive, was born
March 8th day 1786."
"Joel and Jose Olive, sons of the same, were born March
15th and 16th clays 1789."
Family Record Copied from Bible of Alvin Jones.
"Alvin Jones, his book."
"Alvin Jones, son of Angustine Jones, mas born April the
14th 1814."
"William Augustine Jones, son of Alvin Jones, was born
September the 5th 1837 and departed this life Septemher the
9th 1837."
"Sidney L. Jones, son of Alvin Jones, was born February
3rd 1839." (d. 30 Nov. 1915).
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HISTORY O F WORTH COUNTY, GEORGIA
437
"Walter Atlas Jones, son of Alvin Jones, was born February 10th 1841." (d. 27 July 1917).
"Aldridge Myatt Jones, son of Alvin Jones, was born April
13, 1843." (d. 10 March 1895).
"Eraxton Bragg Jones, son of Alvin Jones, was bcrn January 17th 1848."
"Young Andrew Jackson Jones, was born January 30th
1850, son of Alvin Jones."
''Mary Ann Jones, wife of Alvin Jones and daughter of
William Partin, was born December 2211d 1814."
"Amy Ann Jones, daughter of Alvin Jones, was born September 14, 1844."
"Emely Victoria Jones, daughter of Alvin Jones, was born
March the 19th 1846."
"Augusta Jane Jones, daughter of Alvin Jones, was born
March the 1st 1852."
"Mary Adner Jones, daughter of Alvin Jones, was born
April 14th 1854." (d. 20 June 1933).
"Molsey Ann Linier Jones, daughter of Alvin Jones, was
born May 2nd 1857." (d. 27 October 1919).
Additional information copied from Family Bible of Mrs.
Mary Ann Jones.
"Alvin Jones, son of Augustine Jones, married October the
15th 1836 to Mary Ann Partin, daughter of William Partin."
"Alvin Jones, the husband of Mary Ann Jones, deceased
August 29th 1860."
"Mary Ann Jones, wife of Alvin Jones, departed this life
September the 20th 1897."
Condensed Family Record Copied From Bible of B. B. Jones
"This certifies that B. B. Jones and Osie A. Pope were
united by me in the Holy Bonds of Matrimony at Parkerville,
Georgia on the fourth day of February in the year of our Lord
1886.
Signed J. W. Perry.
Witnesses: M. C. Lemons,
A. E. Bass, Edy Hornsby.
"Captain Etheldred Jones born October 8, 1749; died October 2, 1835."
"Augustine Jones born February 1, 1781; died March 20,
1861."
"Edith Barker Jones, wife of Augustine Jones, died Fehruary 20, 1860. She was eleven years younger than her husband,
therefore, born 1792."
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H I S T O R Y OF W O R T H COUNTY, GEORGIA
"Alvin Jones, father of B. 13. Jones, born April 14. 1814;
deceased Aug. 39, 1860."
"Mrs. M. A. Jones, mother of B. B. Jones, was born Pec.
22, 1814; deceased September 20, 1897."
"Braxton Rragg Jones was born January 17, 1848 in Wake
County, North Carolina died in Worth County, Georgia May
20, 1925."
"Osie Ann Pope, wife of E. 13. Jones, was horn Dec. 8, 1856
in Decatur County, Georgia dying in Worth County 7 August
1921."
"Alexander Pope, father of Osie A. Jones, departed this
life at sixty-eight years of age July 20, 1893."
"Amanda Arline Pope, mother of Osie A. Jones, deceased
July 17, 1874."
"Ann Bowers Arline Pope, step-mother of Osie A. Jones,
died 1916."
"Justin Lytle Jones, son of Braxton B. and Osie A. Jones,
was born December 15, 1886; married December 27, 1908 to
Bertye Ivey, daughter of IVm. G. Ivey."
"Mallie Marcia Jones, daughter of B. B. and Osie A. Jones,
was born April 2, 1888; married Fell. 8, 1914 to Flaud M.
Salter."
"Nordoff Renaldor Jones, son of B. B. Jones and wife. was
born March 27, 1890; married April 15, 1922 to Myrtle Kelly
of Atlanta."
"Leo Bertrum Jones, son of Braxton B. and Osie A. Jones,
was born August 25, 1891; married December 26, 1922 to
Lovelace Price.''
"Osie Alma Jones, daughter of Braxton B. and Osie A.
Jones, was born September 12th 1893; married April 5 , 1917
t o Earl E. Flowers."
"Alex. Braxton Jones born May 20, 1895; died May 20,
1895."
"Infant daughter, born dead, June 5, 1896."
''&Iary Ettawa Ainancla Jones, daughter of B. 13. and Osie
A. Jones, was born May 10, 1898; married 4 November, 1917
to Wm. Roy Banks.
JAMES THADDEUS BANKS
James Thaddeus Banks is the son of JVm. Alston Banks and
wife, Fannie (White) Banks, of Goggins, Monroe County. He,
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H I S T O R Y O F W O R T H COUNTY, GEORGIA
439
with his family, moved from Goggins to Worth County in
1908.
H e has been engaged or interested in the mercantile business
most of the years since coming here. H e lived a few years in
Barwick, 13ut came back to Sylvester and in the year 1933
moved to Tempy, a prosperous settlement of farmers of Worth.
It matters not where he lives he uses his influence for the
promotion of any enterprise calculated t o be of lasting benefit
t o this country. His personality and character are such that it
inspires confidence and trust in those who meet him. As a
business man his record is one of integrity and efficiency.
Added to his own merits and honors is that of a distinguished
ancestry of Georgia and North Carolina. T h e Banks family
has been one of prominence in Georgia since the Revoltttionary
War, particularly in Elbert, Hall and Banks Counties, the
latter being named in honor of a great-uncle of the subject
of this sketch.
Ralph Banks, the first of the family to move to Georgia from
North Carolina, was reputed to be a very wealthy slave-owner
and planter. His home is still standing and is said t o be a show
place of Elbert County. The wife of Ralph Banks was the
daughter of Capt. James Jones, Commander of Light Horse
Cavalry, 3rd. Company, 1st. Regiment, N. C., in 1776, and
served in the State Senate in 1777. He died in that year. He
married Charity Alston in 1762, daughter of Solomon Alston
and ~vife,
Ann (Hinton) Alston, of North Carolina. Ann Hinton
was the datlghtel- of Col. John Hinton I, one of the very earliest
settlers of Wake County, N. C.
James Thaddeus Banks was born in 1872 and was first married to Elsie Dumas Dec. 9, 1894. They had one child, Elsie,
born in January, 1896. Mrs. Elsie (Dumas) Banks died when
her haby was seven days old. Elsie Banks, the daughter, married Fred Monk of W o r t h County January 20, 1915.
On Oct. 18, 1896, James T. Hanks married Mal~elEllington,
of Monroe County. Their cl~ildrenare MTm.Roy who married
Ettowah Jones, Nov. 14, 1917. They have two children, Alston
and Mary Ethel.
James Benjamin Banks was married in 1923 t o Ouida Pinson, their children are James, deceased, and Bettye Jane.
Fannie Mae Banks was married in 1922 to Kenneth E. Holloway. Their children are Kenneth Eugene, and James Griffin. Mabel Banks was inarried in 1924 to Fred Chandler. She
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HISTORY O F WORTH COUNTY, GEORGIA
died in 1928. They have one child, Mabel. Emily Banks was
married in 1931 to Dr. Emory Barrow. They have one child,
E. Joe. Alfred Harper Banks not married, Jeptha Thaddeus
was married in 1933 to Jessie Pearl Murry.
THOMAS KIRBY HEINSOHN
Thomas Kirby Heinsohn was born in Munice, Indiana, on
March 17, 1871.
H e married Miss Mary Sprankle, daughter of Mr. J. R.
Sprankle and Victorine (Grasselle) of Cleveland, Ohio, in
1891.
They had one child, Robert, and on account of his delicate
health, they moved South and located in Sylvester in 1896.
Mr. Heinsohn was considered one of the most prosperous
men in the county during the ten years he did business here.
H e and his wife owned the Sylvester Supply Company, a
large credit establishment. His death on Sunday morning, Dec.
16th, 1906, was a great shock to the whole county, for he was
a noble man by nature, and many a good, hardworking farmer
of Wort11 County attested to his uniform fair dealing and
generosity.
A t the time of his death and for several years previous, he
was postmaster a t this place.
When his body was carried back to his home in the North
to rest beside his ancestors, his friends in this county, whom
he numbered by his acquaintances, felt as if one who had
always been among them had passed away, and that his place
would be hard to fill.
MRS. MARY (SPRANKLE) HEINSOHN, McWHORTER
Until Mr. Heinsohn's death, Mrs. Heinsohn was the leader
of social life here. After that she gave her time and energy
largely to the management of her estate, showing in this, as
in everything in her life, her ability to succeed in anything she
undertook.
She was a woman of fine intellect-magnetic, highly cultured, even a mere acquaintance felt her charming personality.
Her love for her friends was deep and lasting. No woman ever
'lived in our midst, whose influetlce was so greatly felt a s hers.
On Dec. 29th, 1908, she was married to Mr. J. 0. McWhorter,
of this place, living just three m o n t i ~ after
s
her marriage. Taken
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.HISTORY O F WORTH COUNTY, GEORGIA
441
violently ill a t the Sylvester Supply Store on Friday, she
breathed her last a t 10:30 Sunday. H e r son, who was in Lima,
Ind., a t school, and her brother who was in Cleveland had not
reached here a t the time of her death.
Mrs. McWhorter was reared a Catholic, but a few months
before her death, she joined the Methodist Church and was
a member here when she died.
She was survived by her husband, her fifteen-year-old son,
Robert, and a host of friends, to mourn her untimely death,
she having only reached the noonday of life.
H e r remains were carried t o Cleveland, Ohio, and placed in
the family vault by her father and mother.
MR. ROBERT HEINSOHN
Mr. Heinsohn made Sylvester his home f o r several years
after his mother's death, for this was really home t o himthe only one he had ever known. Coming here almost in infancy, the short time spent in his Northern home must have
seemed almost a s a dream t o him-possibly had faded from his
memory entirely.
Then, too, we all loved him, and looked upon him as ours;
for had he not played with our own boys, and had we not
watched with pride his transformation from a frail little invalid
t o a sturdy, rosy-cheeked lad under the balmy influence of
our Southern skies?
When business called and he finally cast his lot elsewhere,
the good wishes of this entire people went with him.
Before leaving here, he was married to Miss Lillian Britt
of Tifton, a beautiful and charming young woman, a fine musician and lovely Christian character. She was president of the
Womans Club of Sylvester for a number of years.
Mr. and Mrs. Heinsohn now (1934) reside in Philadelphia,
where he holds a position of trust with the New York Life
Insurance Company.
Robert A. Heinsohn enlisted in the Aviation Corps in the
World W a r and was sent to Austin, Texas, for training. H e
did service in the U. S. A.
As soon as the United States entered the World W a r Mrs.
Heinsohn was made chairman of the Red Cross sewing rooms
and no county excelled W o r t h in w a r activities. She led our
people in this work as long as she was in Sylvester.
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HISTORY OF WORTH COUNTY, GEORGIA
ARCHER MORRIS BURTS
Archer Morris Burts and family moved to Sylvester from
Lurnpkin, Ga., in 1911. H e bought the Union Warehouse
(now the Sylvester cotton warehouse) and operated it until
his death January 30, 1929. H e took a keen interest in the
welfare of the coillmunity and was a helpful factor in all progressive movements. H e was a man of financial sagacity,
true t o every obligation which rested upon him. While he was
somewhat reserved in manner, he hacl one of the kindliest of
hearts that made him lasting friends in business and social life.
Nowhere were his amiabilities of character displayed to better advantage than about his own fireside. His political allegiance was given to the Democratic party. H e was affiliated with the Masonic fraternity. His religious faith was Methodist, and he was a charter member of the Sylvester Kiwanis
Club.
A. M. Burts was born in Cottonton, Alabama, in 1880, and
moved when quite young with his parents to Lumpkin, Georgia.
His father was Barton Rayford Burts, born in Russell County,
Alabama. H e gave four years service to the Confederate
Army. A. M. Burts' mother was Catherine Louisa Long, the
daughter of Evans Davis Long and wife, Elizabeth (Nuckols)
Long.
A. M. Burts married Mary Eva Harrison in Lumpkin, Georgia, in 1903. She was the daughter of Judge John Talbot
Harrison and wife, Mary Catherine (Jones) Harrison, daughter of Henry Washington Jones ancl wife, Melvina Anne Kirkpatrick. Henry Washington Jones lived at Florence, Georgia. H e died the first year of the W a r Between the States.
Judge John Talbot Harrison, the father of Mrs. Mary Eva
Burts, was the son of Burwell Kendrick Harrison, a direct descendant of the 9th President of the United States, William
Henry Harrison, and his father Benjamin Harrison, Virginia
Statesman, that signed the Declaration of Independence for
Virginia, Gicleon Harrison died 1797. H e was a Revolutionary soldier of Virginia who died in Green County, Georgia.
The Harrisons came to Georgia in 1790.
Captain William Henry Harrison, who served Georgia in
the Civil War, and as Comptroller General of the state of
Georgia after the war, was named for the 9th President of the
United States, his ancestor, and was called "Tip" in honor of
the victory this ancestor won a t "Tippecanoe" Judge John Tal-
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HISTORY O F W O R T H COUNTY, GEORGIA
443
bot Harrison was too young t o enlist in the Confederate Army
in the first year. H i s service was from 1862 to 1865. After the
war was over he engaged in the practice of law in Lumpkin,
Georgia. H e was Judge of County Court of Stewart County
for several years.
I n 1908 he moved to Atlanta, Georgia
where he was appointed clerk t o the Commissioner of Agriculture at the State Capitol where he served until his death in
1913. After his death his wife, Catherine (Jones) Harrison
lived with their only daughter, Mrs. Mary Eva Burts.
Mrs. Catherine (Jones) Harrison was a woman of deep
Christian piety. She conformed to the Scriptural pattern of
a Mother in Israel. She had a personality of unusual sweetness
and refinement, and exemplified all the strength of devotion
t o her family. She diecl January 24, 1932, and was buried
in Atlanta by the side of her husband.
Mrs. Mary Eva (Harrison) Burts is a member of the U.
D. C., organization through the service of her father. She was
one of the leaders who raised the money for the purchase of
the Confederate monument in Lumpkin, Georgia. She made
the presentation address on the occasion of its unveiling
April 16, 1908. W e give a little excerpt from her speech on
that occasion, which shows that she is a true Daughter of the
Confederacy: "I a m proud that I am related to the Southern
Confederacy. I a m proud that I am the daughter of one of
our much loved Stewart County Veterans, Judge John Talbot
Harrison and a niece of another, Capt. "Tip" Harrison. I a m
proud of the honor conferred upon me t o present t o you this
monument, which we have erected in honor of our soldiers,
both those who fought and fell for the cause they loved and
those who fought and survive. I present it to you, asking that
you ever keep it uppermost in your minds, impress it upon the
minds and hearts of the children of the coming generation t o
hold in loving memory and.to do honor t o our brave and noble
Soldiers-our boys who wore the Gray."
Mrs. Burts is a n active member of the Sylvester Womans'
Club. She is actively connected with all the work of the
Methodist Church. Mr. and Mrs. Burts had only one child,
Miss Mary Catherine. She is a teacher in the primary departShe received her collegiate
ment of McPhaul Institute.
course a t Wesleyan College.
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441
HISTORY OF WORTH COUNTY, GEORGIA
W. E. JEANES
TV. E. Jeanes was born December 25, 1884, died September
29, 1932. H i s father was Vinson S. Jeanes, who served as
a n officer in the Southern Confederacy. His mother n7as Rebecca (Stapleton) Jeanes. His father was a very prosperous f arrner
of Wilkinson County, Georgia. W. E. Jeanes was educated a t
Milledgeville, and he came to Sylvester in 1910, as a dealer in
live stock, making a specialty of horses and mules. H e conducted this business in a manner highly commendable for
twenty-two years and was one of Worth's leading business
men, conducting his business with such uprightness of principles that i t reflected honor upon his name and built up a substantial and profitable business.
H e was associated for a number of years as a partner with
his father-in-law, W. T. Davis. This firm has been a benefactor to many farmers of the County who have been enabled
to carry on because of its generosity.
W. E. Jeanes was a man of prominence in all public affairs.
H e took especi?l interest in religious work. H e was a devout
Christian, a member of the Sylvester Baptist Church t o which
he gave most liberally of his means and services.
H e married Miss Alice Davis, of Sylvester, and they were
blessed with one son, W . E. Jeanes, Jr.
Mrs. Alice (Davis) Jeanes takes a leading part in the civic
orwanizations of the town and is an earnest worker in church
activities.
She was Recording Secretary of the Womans'
Missionary Society of the Baptist Church for about ten years.
HENRY C. WOOLARD
The old "Tar Heel" state, North Carolina, contributed many
of her citizens to W o r t h who came a s turpentine operators and
sawmill operators, bringing their families. None finer came
than Henry Woolard and his good wife, Henrietta (Applewhite) Woolard. They first came to Berrien County, Georgia in 1880 and then moved to W o r t h in 1892 and settled near
Tempy. I n 1908, after his death, Mrs. Woolard built a beautiful home near Sylvester, now owned by Dr. Claude King. Their
home was the center of hospitality and social refinement. He
was a fine provider and his wife was a thrifty housewife who
was kindly and generous to all.
H e contributed freely of his time and abilities to public-spir-
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W. E. JEANES
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HISTORY OF WORTH COUNTY, GEORGIA
ited movements and in every way endeavored t o advance the
best interest of his con~munity. H e served on the first Board
of Commissioners of W o r t h County and they were serving
when the Court House was built in Sylvester. This edifice
is a monument to them and to those on the building committee.
Henry Woolard was born in Columbtls County, North
Carolina, March 4, 1853, died February 23, 1907. Henrietta
(Applewhite) Woolard was born in Columbus County, North
Carolina, December 7, 1855, died March 14,1909. They were
married in North Carolina in 1876.
Their children are: Lee, married, first, Dr. Cleaborn Edwards, second, John H. Grace ; Port, married Elizabeth Monk;
Winnie, married J. Otis Hololnan; Catherine, married Nicholas Ridley ; Grover, married Nettie Hall; Gertie, married
James R. Richardson ; John S., married Ruby Frambo ; Banks,
married Leona Hainie; Ida Hope, married Lester Reynolds.
Only two of their children live in W o r t h County, Grover C.
and Mrs. Winnie (J. C.) Holoman.
A. P. MAJORS
Ami P. Majors was born in Webster County, Georgia, December 30th, 1864, near the close of the W a r Between the
States and grew tup in the Reconstruction days when the
South was going through the worst financial depression it has
ever known. H e grew up as other youths of that time with a
determination to rebuild and resuscitate the land of his nativity. H e spent most of his life on a farm and by force of his
own diligence, his native ability, he forged ahead and advanced
t o the front ranks of progressive farmers. H e is classed with
those, and deserves the honor, that by their noble efforts were
the makers of the New South. T h e finest trait of this good
man was his tenderness to his family.
H e married Miss Lilla Clements of Richland, Stewart County, Georgia, on January 27, 1892.
They moved from Richland to W-orth County, Jan. 3rd, 1905.
H e bought a 987-acre farm two and one-half miles southwest
of Sylvester on the old Thomasville road. H e built a large
and commodious home on the place and lived there 26 years.
H e was a general agriculturist b u t gave special attention
t o the raising of live stock. H e was the first man in the
county to ship a car load of hogs, the first man in the county
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HISTORY O F W O R T H COUNTY, GEORGIA
447
to ship cream.
H e shipped to Columbus, Georgia.
He
shipped truck loads of vegetables and for many years he received a large revenue from these sources.
H e operated a gin and grist mill in Sylvester for many years.
His efforts were sponsored by his wife who has unusual
executive ability, and who was thoroughly in accord with his
efforts. Socially they and their family were identified with
Sylvester and their home was for many years the meeting
place of social activities. They are Methodist and have always been zealous workers in all that church's organizations.
Their children are Maurice Majors, married to Thelma Williams ; Mary, married to Floyd Hillhouse ; Fannie Majors married IV. S. Shepherd of Apalachicola, Florida; Bertha Majors
married C. M. McLaughlin of Atlanta; Ida Pope, teacher of
Home Economics.
All of their children are graduates of McPhaul Institute.
And all were given higher education a t colleges of the state.
Three of them are teachers in the state.
Because of failing health A. P. 5fajors retired from farming and moved his family t o Sylvester. H e died Oct. 20th, 1927.
He is buried in Richland.
WILDER FAMILY
While the family of Ecl~varclErastus Wilder and wife, Adeline (Cherry) Wilder, lived just over the western boundary of
VJorth County in what is Acree in Dougherty County they
have played a very prominent part in the life of VCTorthCounty.
Three of their children have lived in Worth County and are
counted among her most prominent citizens. Della, who
married Rev. Herschel V. Golden, lived in Sylvester for a long
time and reared her family of three children here. Ruth (Mrs.
George Sullivan), Flint (Mrs. Hendley Jelks) and Ben Golden who married Mattie Joe McCord. The members of this
family were the leaders in church and religious affairs. N o
one ever lived in our midst that had a more burning desire
for the salvation of souls than Mrs. Della Wilder Golden. She
died many years ago.
Mrs. Minnie L. (Gaulding) Carter is the youngest child of
Edward Erastus Wilder and wife, Adeline (Cherry) Wilder.
She first married "Buster" Gaulding and after his death she
married Hiram Carter. She has been a resident of Sylvester a t
different times for many years.
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448
HISTORY O F W O R T H COUNTY, GEORGIA
CHARLES EDWARD W I L D E R
Charles Edward Wilder has been a resident of Sylvester for
more than twenty-two years. For about ten years of that time
he and his family have spent the winters in their home in
Boynton, Florida, coming back to Sylvester in the summer.
H e moved with his parents, Edward Erastus and Adeline
(Cherry) Wilder, from Warrenton, Warren County, Georgia,
when he was five years old and settled on land that he owns
today. When he was 17 years old his father began a mercantile business in Acree and put C. E d Wilder to manage the
store. After his father's death he became the proprietor of
the business and merchandised there continuously for fortytwo years.
For twenty-one years of that time he was the
postmaster, and eighteen years he was depot agent of Acree.
H e also owned large farming interests there. H e moved his
family to Sylvester in 1911 and retired from active life, turning
his business over to his son, Roy Wilder.
H e married Clemmie Cochran, of Dougherty County. They
a r e blessed with three children, Annie (Mrs. John Wickliff
Jackson, of West Palm Beach), Bennie and Roy Wilder, who
married Pearl Autrey, of North Carolina.
This splendid family, whether they lived in Acree, Sylvester
or Boynton, Fla., exerted a strong influence for the betterment
of their community and were the greatest supporters of the
Missionary Baptist Church. They were chiefly the movers
in the organization of the church in Boynton.
SPURLIN FAMILY
T h e father of the Spurlins of Worth County was W. H.
Spurlin, born in Shelby, N. C. H e was a Confederate soldier,
who moved t o Pulaski County, Ga., and married Mary Catherine Dewitt. Their children are: Thomas Augustus (called
"Gus") Spurlin, J. G., W. C., R. L., J. D., G. Clarence Spurlin
and daughters, Ella and Edna.
Four of these, T. A. Spurlin, Col. G. Clarence Spurlin, (Solicitor General of Valdosta Circuit), Miss Ella Sptlrlin, and Mrs.
Legelid for cut on page 449.
T o p row: Roy M. Hillhouse, Hardware and T. A. Spurlin, Undertaker. Center: P. M. Lancaster, Fire Insurance, and Senator elect for the
10th senatorial Dist.
Bottom row: N. G. Houston, Farmer and Clifford Grubbs, Fee Appraiser of the Hoine Owners Loall Corporation.
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See Legend on page 448
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450
HISTORY O F W O R T H COUNTY, GEORGIA
Edna Webster, made their homes in Sylvester for a number of
years.
Only T . A. Spurlin is a citizen of Worth now. Miss Ella
and Mrs. Edna Webster live in Florida. Col. G. Clarence
Spurlin is Solicitor of Valdosta.
T. A. Spurlin came t o Sumner in 1891, lived there nine
months, then went to Tifton, Ga., and worked for H. H . and
W. 0. Tift f o r six years as bookkeeper and salesman.
H e married Miss Josephine Fogler in Tifton, Ga., June 10,
1896.
She is the daughter of John Daniel Fogler and wife, Julia
Elizabeth (Havener) Fogler. Mrs. T. A. Spurlin was born
in Brazos County, Texas. Her parents moved from South
Carolina to Texas where she mas born. They returned t o South
Carolina where she spent her girlhood in Port Royal, and a t
Boiling Springs, Barnsvell County, S. C. She then moved t o
Brunswick, Ga. and to Tifton with her parents, where she
met and married T. A. Spurlin. On her paternal side, her father,
a Confederate soldier, John Daniel Fogler, was born in Barnwell County, S. C. H e was the son of J. D. Fogler, born in
North Carolina, and wife, Annie (Johnson) Fogler, born in
Beaufort County, S. C.
T h e mother of Mrs. T. L4. Spurlin was, before marriage t o
John Daniel Fogler, Julia Elizabeth Havener, born in Allendale, S. C. She is the daughter of Joseph Sayle Havener, born
in Limerick County, Ireland. T h e mother of Jtllia Elizabeth
Havener was, before marriage, Mary Elizabeth Evans, born
in Charleston, S. C.
After marriage, Mr. and Mrs. T. A. Spurlin moved to Sylvester, Sept. 13, 1897. H e worked for the firm, J. S. Westberry
and brother, as clerk until 1899 when he went into business for
himself, a t first a grocery business; later he opened a dry
goods, millinery and furniture store.
Mr. Wm. 11. McPhaul urged him to go into the undertaking
business which he did in 1900, taking the course of embalmer
in Atlanta, and Augusta. H e has followed this business for
33 years.
I n December, 1899, he leased, and later bought, the Worth
Telephone Conipany and organized the Sylvester Telephone
and Telegraph Company which he sold t o the Southern Bell
Telephone and Telegraph Co. Nov. 1, 1909.
T. A. Spurlin was made a deacon of the Sylvester Baptist
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HISTORY OF WORTH COUNTY, GEORGIA
45 1
Church thirty-five years ago and has been on the active board
of deacons to date (1934).
Mrs. Spurlin became a member of the Woman's Missionary
Society of Sylvester Baptist Church when it was organized
in 1900 and has served in every phase of its work since. For
a long time she was President and has held every office. She
has been, and is now, one of its principal leaders. This couple
have two children: daughter, Annie Hazel, (Mrs. Parker) of
Edison; son, Ernest L. Spurling married Florine Gidclens.
They have two grand-chilclren, Patricia Parker, and Thomas
Ernest Spurlin.
This family has heen identified with every worthwhile movement to build up a better conlmunity in which to live. Especially is this true in the building up of the cause of education and
religion. They call always be depended upon for substantial
help in these.
STEPHEN ROBERT MURRAY
Stephen Robert RlIurray is the son of James Lafayette Murray and wife, Mary E . (Patton) h/Iurray, of Bronwood, Ga.
They were natives of Schley County, Ga. James L. Murray was
considered one of Terrell County's most progressive and prosperous farmers at the time of his death, July 6, 1924, a t the
age of 68 years. His mother still lives on her farm near Bronmood.
S. Robert Murray was brought up in an environment of thrift
and Christian culture which go a long way in making life a
real success. This early training, connected with his prudence,
practical business judgment and persistent industry, have
made him one of our most successful l~usinessmen. While
still a young man he is proprietor and operator of one of the
oldest mercantile e s t a l ~ l i s h r n e ~ in
~ t sthe city which has been
continuously operated ttnder the same management. H e came
t o Sylvester in 1911 to accept a position with T h e Empire
Mercantile Co. In 1912 he went into the shoe and gents furnishing bi~sinessfor himself, where he has since been doing
l~usinesscoiitinuously a t the same location. In 1920 he built
a beautiful home on the soutli corner of Isabella and Pope
Streets. H e served oil the City Coullcil for several years and
has been ste~vardof the Methodist Church for a long period of
time. For some time he was a member of the Kiwanis Club.
H e is a staunch Democrat.
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HISTORY O F WORTH COUNTY, GEORGIA
H e was married in 1914 to Lillie Roberts, the daughter of
James Roberts and Hettie (Curry) Roberts, of Colquitt, Ga.
On her paternal side she is descended from the Roberts and
Bush families of Miller County and on her maternal side
she is descendecl from the Martin and Curry families of Randolph County. She is descended from many sires who helped
t o establish the Independence of America, and on both sides
from Confederate soldiers.
She is a member of the Missionary Baptist Church and a
member of the Woman's Club.
ZOLLI COFFER ALLISON
2. C. Allison has served with efficiency as State Fertilizer
Inspector for several years. H e is the type of man who gives
his close and loyal attention t o anything he undertakes. He
moved t o Worth Cotznty in 1896 from Marion County, Ga.,
where he was reared. H e bought and operated a splendid farm
near Sumner for twelve years, and then moved into Sumner,
Ga., where he was owner and operator of a mercantile business
until 1916.
H e is a citizen of great public spirit and has served his count y and community with honor in many ways. H e was a member of the Board of Education of 'Worth County for fifteen
years, twelve of which he was President of the Board. H e was
one of the first men to propose the consolidation of schools.
H e was a valued member of the Board of Trustees for t h e
Sumner School for a long number of years, has served as Mayor
of Sumner, is a citizen of liberality and public spirit, and is
influential in public and religious affairs. T o the latter he hasgiven earnest and devout service, serving as Deacon in t h e
Missionary Baptist church for a long number of years. He.
is a staunch Democrat.
H e was married t o Miss Josephine Chapman in 1888 i n
Marion County, Ga. They are blzssed with the followiilg children : Bessie, inarried Sylvan Sessions ; Berta C., married
Hughlan McCorcl ; Leon Herschel, married Maude Davis ;.
Ruth, married Robert Garrett.
Mr. Allison is the son of Henry L. Allison and wife, Ruth.
(Lanier) Allison. Henry L. Allison was born and reared in
South Carolina ; moved in young manhood to Terrell County,.
Ga., and then to Marion County, where he lived until his death.
H e and his wife are buried in Marion County. Mrs. Z. C. Alli-.
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H I S T O R Y O F W O R T H COUNTY, GEORGIA
453
son is of the Old South type of Christian culture and is a most
helpful citizen in all community affairs.
H. GORDON DAVIS
Gordon Davis is a substantial business man who, by untiring persistence, industry and native ability, has steadily
climbed upward in the business world, until today he has many
paying investments in real estate in Sylvester, in farming
interests and mercantile businesses. H e is descended from
Darling Davis of Charleston, S. C., a Confederate Soldier who
was his grandfather. Moore Davis, the father of Gordon Davis,
moved t o Schley County, Georgia, where he married Victoria
Payne. Gordon Davis was born in Schley County, moving
from there to W o r t h when he was eight years old. H e is a
Democrat and loyal to his party. H e married Lillie M'ingate,
the daughter of William Henry Wingate and Mrs. Georgian
(Ivey) Coleman of Worth County, June 12, 1909.
Mrs. Lillie (Wingate) Davis is one of those home makers
who is efficient in the performance of every duty t o her husband and children in whom her ambition is centered. Slie is
a member of the Woman's Club and P.-T. A. and is ever ready
t o perform any work for civic clubs or church. She and her
family are members of the Missionary Baptist Church. On her
paternal and maternal sides she is descended from the early
settlers of the county. H e r father, William Henry Wingate,
a substantial farmer of South Vforth, was the son of John
Wesley Wingate, a Confederate Soldier, and deeply pious
man. T h e Old Union Church of Minton was organized on the
porch of John Wesley Wingate's home. H e and his family,
together with his devout old mother, formed the organization.
Mrs. Davis' mother is descended from a fine old family of
Randolph County. She is the daughter of Benjamin Ivey. of
whom no cou11tl-y ever boasted of a better citizen.
The children of Mr. and Mrs. Gordon Davis are:
Vernita, who holds a business position a t Hotnerville ; MJilliam Henry, Albert, Agnes, Helen, Gordon, Jr., and Lillian.
JOHN WESLEY WINGATE
John Wesley Wingate moved to W o r t h from South Carolina. H e was a Confederate Soldier. H e married Rebecca Ann
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H. GORDON DAVIS A N D H I S B E A U T I F U L H O M E
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HISTORY O F WORTH COUNTY, GEORGIA
455
Shiver. They were among the earliest settlers, a fine family of
sturdy farmers and cattle raisers.
Their children were: Enoch, married Avie Walker; John
Wesley, married Carrie; James, married first, Missouri Hatcher, second, Alina Hatcher; William Henry, married Mrs.
Georgian (Ivey) Coleman ; Loretta, married Smith ; Ella, married John Parham; RiIollie, married Lewis Roper.
WILLIAM HENRY WINGATE
William Henry Wingate and wife, Mrs. Georgian (Ivey)
Colernan were prominent citizens of Minton settlement. He
died
. She still libes on her farm and operates it. She
inherits all the thrift and piety of her splendid forebears.
Their children are :
Williain Otis, married Effie D a y ; Walter Lee, married
Lizzie Harper ; Mamie, married Dennis Powell ; Leila, married
Oscar Chilclree ; Lillie, married Gordon Davis ; Estelle, married
Fitzhugh Perryman.
JOHN MILTON BULLARD
John Milton Bullard, the oldest son of William Washington
and Martha (Adams) Bullard, was born in Richmond County,
North Carolina, November 28, 1867.
William Washington Bullard was born and reared in Richmond County. He was a farmer. H e served four years in the
Southern Army in the W a r Between the States. H e was
~vouncled-shot through the body with a minnie ball-at Spottsylvania Court House in May, 1864. H e lived until December,
1904, aged 65 years. H e married Martha Adarns in Deceinher,
1866.
William Washington's gi-andfathel- moved frorn Virginia to
Chesterfield County, South Carolina and reared a family. I n
this family there was only one son, -who was the father
of William Washington Bullard.
Martha Adams, inother of J . M. Bullard, was 1101-11 and
reared in Marlboro County, South Carolina. H e r father, R. C.
Adams, was a farmer and local hfethodist preacher. H e r
mother was a Fletcher. Martha Adams Bullard was descended
from a hero of the Revolution, John S. Adams. The Tories
tried to make him divtilge some information about the Patriot
army. H e refused. They tortured him and finally left him
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HISTORY O F WORTH COUNTY, GEORGIA
hanging by his thumlis to die. His mother found and rescued him.
John Milton Eullard came to Poulan, Georgia, in the latter
part of 1891 and engaged in the turpentine business. H e sold
out in the latter part of 1595 and returned to North Carolina.
In 1897 he came to Atlanta, returning to W o r t h County in
1898, where he has lived since. In 1900 he begttn the trade of
contractor and has followed it ever since. H e is more than a
contractor. H e is an architect as the edifices of his own planning testify. H e is an artist down in his heart-nothing shoddy
o r poorly finished is ever turned o u t of his hands. For his
name to be attached to a building a s the contractor is a guarantee that it is the best of the best in construction. He always
does more than his contract calls for. I t would be a long list
that would cover all the contracts he has completed and the
handsome buildings he has erected. The Methodist and Baptist Churches are among these. They will be monuments t o
him for many long years. J. M. Bullard is the proprietor of
Bttllard Builders Supply business. H e owns considerable real
estate in Sylvester, and has some farming interests.
H e married January 26, 1921, to Miss Wrennie Huckabee,
the daughter of Rev. Wm. Allen Huckabee and wife, Hassee
Charlotte (Townsend) Huckabee. Rev. Wm. A. Huckabee is
of Dutch descent on his fathers side and the Legg family of
Massachusetts and Kentucky on his n ~ o t l ~ e r 'side.
s
H e r ancestor, Joel Legg, was a Revolutionary soldier. Rev. IVm A.
Huckal~eeis one of the most beloved pastors in the South
Georgia Conference of the Methodist Church. For several
years he was agent of the Methodist Orphanage and for several years President of the South Georgia College at McRae,
h was founder. H e was Superannuated in
Georgia, of ~ v l ~ i che
1932 and is living at his home in McRae. Just as he was going
out of the active ministry, his youngest son, Mreyinond Carlyle Huckabee, was sent to Japan a s a Missionary and he is
ljrincipal of the Fraser School of the Methodist Church in Hiroshima, Japan.
Mrs. Charlotte Hassie (Tow~isencl)Huckal~eeis clesce~ded
from many illustrious ancestors ~ v h ogave service, both in
Colonial and Revolutionary periods, in Virginia. North and
South Carolina, on both her paternal and maternal sides. Many
of these lines have been verified. Paternal side are ?Villiam
Townsend, born abottt 1750, in Anson County, N. C. IIe was
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HISTORY O F WORTH COUNTY, GEORGIA
457
a citizen of Salisbury L)istrict, N. C,, and died in 1801. H e
married a Miss Hall who clied in 1798. There were three immigrants of the To~vnsendfamily to America. The name is
spelled differently by members of the family. The old style of
England was Townshend. The Americans spell it Townsen
and Townsend. T h e old Townshend estate and castle in England took in one-iourth of Oxford County, England. Thomas
Neeby served in North Carolina's Militia. H e was born in
in 1761. She died
1740-died in 1733. Married Ann
in 1801. On maternal side was Capt. William Bennett, born
in 1717-died in 1813, and first wife Nancy (Huckston) Bennett who died in 1773. They were married in Marlsboro S. C.
in 1769. She is also descended from Bartholomew and Isaac
Dunn of Virginia. This is the famous .Dunn fanlily with
with which Sir David Dunn is identified.
Mr. and Mrs. John Milton Bullard are deeply religious and
s
in the hllethodist Church of which they
are z e a l o ~ ~workers
are members. Tliey have high ethical standards atld in all
patriotic duties they live up to the examples of their illustrious forebears.
They have two children, Martha Charlotte, born Jan. 13,
1929, and John Milton, Jr., born April 2, 1931.
Mrs. Bullard is a member of the D. A. R. through descent
from Capt. Bennett of S. C. She is also an active member of
the Woman's Club.
THE JEFFORD FAMILY
The membei-s of the Jefford family who have made Worth
County their home immigrated from Ware County where they
were all reared. They are descended froin the earliest settlers
of that section of the state. Their gi-eat-great-grandfather on
their maternal side was a Revolutionary soldier, William
Miller. He, with four geilerations of his clescendants are buried
a t the Kettle Creek Cetnetery in Ware County, near Waycross.
'IVillianl Miller is given in four different places in Knight's
Roster of Revolutionary Soldiers. H e was certified as a refugee Revolutio~~asy
soldier by Col. Jas. McCay, April 7th' 1784.
Received land tvari-ant No. 1335 for services in that war. H e
was also certified by Col. Elijah Clark as a Revolutionary
soldier, ancl received land warrant No. 629, January 2nd, 1784,
for services. H e is on a list of certified Georgia troops. He re-
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45 8
HISTORY OF WORTH COUKTY, GEORGIA
ceived a pension in Jaclcson County and in W a r e County for
services in that war. I t is probable that he lived in Jackson
and later moved to W a r e County. Their line of descent from
this Revolutionary sire is as follows:
William Miller, born -4pril 8, 1759, died November 27, 1837,
married Amy
-, u7ho died October 23, 1831. David
Miller, their son, mnrrietl 1.oanza ; Caroline Miller, the daught e r of David and Loanza Miller, xvas born June 27, 1837, died
November 8, 1920, tnarriecl J. Neil McQuaig, born November
27, 1827, died February 18, 1882. Mary McQuaig, daughter of
J. Neil and Caroline (Miller) McQuaig, was born December
16, 1852, died July 28, 1932, married September 3, 1865, to
Harmon Finch Jefford, born July 4, 1849, died March 24,
1915. The last nained couple had nine children, four of whom
settled in 'CITorthCounty: Dr. Martin A. Jefford, Dr. Thomas
Cornelius Jefiord, Dr. Harmon Mack Jefford and David
George Jefford. The members of this faillily who adopted
Worth as their home county have all been prominent figures
in the civic, social a i ~ d1)usiness life of Worth County ancl the
city of Sylvester.
Dr. Martin A. Jefford, a dentist, was the first member of
this family to locate in Sylvester, Worth County. FIe lived
here only a few years.
DR. THOMAS CORNELIUS JEFFORD
.
Dr. T. C. Jefford was bor11 Septenlber 22, 1869, in Ware
County, Georgia. He is the oldest of the nine children of Mr.
ancl Mrs. Harmon F. Jefford. H e attended the common schools
of Waresboro. He graduated from the Atlanta College of
Physicians and Surgeons in medicine, and from the Atlanta
Dental College in the class of 1894. H e came to Sylvester and
bought out his brother, Dr. Martin 4. Jefford, and began the
practice of his profession. For a number of years he was outstandiilg as both a practicing physician and dentist. He finally
quit his practice for a business career, in which he has been
most successful. Ile is a man of substantial wealth and of
great administrative ability. H e has shown his appreciation of the respoi~sibilities which success imposes, ancl has
given his influence and cooperatiotl in the furtherance of enterprises that have been of inestimable value t o the County of
W o r t h and City of Sylvester. His liberality and progressiveness have made him one of the prominent and influential citi-
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HISTORY O F WORTH COUNTY, GEORGIA
459
DR. T. C. JEFFORD
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HISTORY O F WORTH COUNTY, GEORGIA
zens, not only of Worth County, but of the State of Georgia.
H e has been the President of Sj-lvester Banking Company for
a long number of years. H e served on the building committee
of the Worth Cocnty courthouse in Sylvester. H e served on
the building committee of i\fcPhaul Institute and was one of
the largest contributors. H e has served on boards of edttcation
and has been one of the directors of almost every enterprise
in the city of Sylvester since he has been one of her citizens.
H e has spent much time and money in educating the people of
lhrorth in conservation and reforestation which is so important, especially on the cut-over lands of Worth. H e married Mrs. Mary R. Adams McPhaul, the widow of William H.
McPhaul, in 1901. She was among the very first settlers of
Sylvester. She had a large part in transforming it from a
small turpentine settlenlent to a modern little city. She gave
liberally of her means to every cause that had for its object
the betterment of the town and c o r n ~ u n i t y .She gave four
acres of land to the city, on which was erected McPhaul Institute. Recently she gave ten acres for a playground and the
erection in the future of a county-wide high school. She was
one of the founders of the \Voman's Club to which she contributed most liberally. H e r benefactions were not confined t o
her home town. T o the mountain school of Tallulah Falls, of
which she was a trustee, she was one of its largest contributors.
Mrs. Jetiord died Novetnber 3, 1932. During her life she and
her husband, Dr. Jefford, traveled over all of North .4merica
to places-of interest; also in Europe and other foreign countries. While they spent mwch time abroad, they made their
friends partakers in large measures of the joy of their wide
travels on their return.
Dr. Jefford is a good Democrat, a loyal Mason, an entkusiastic meml~erand past President of the Sylvester Kiwannis
Club, and a devoted mernber of the fi!Iethoclist church.
DAVID GEORGE JEFFORD
David George Jefford, the youngest son of Mr. and Mrs.
Harmon Finch Jefford, as born in Ware County. H e received his education in the schools of IVaresboro and Gordon
Institute a t Barnesville. He came to Sylvester in August, 1908.
H e was married to Miss Julia NeSmith, daughter of Mr. and
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HISTORY O F WORTH COUNTY, GEORGIA
46 1
Mrs. Matthew NeSmith, of Norman Park, Ga., Julv 2, 1911
H e is a progressive agriculttlrist and owns and operates a
large and valuable farm south of Sylvester on the SylvesterMoultrie highway. While the greater part of his attention is
giver, t o the operation of his farms, he is vitally interested in,
and actively supports, every movement beneficial to his church
and community.
This couple has been blessed tvith three children, David
George Jefford, Jr., Mary Jefford, who is a student a t Shorter
College, Rome, Ga., and Harmon F. Jefford.
All the family are members of the First Baptist Church of
Sylvester, and he has served as deacon in this church for a
number of years.
Mrs. Julia (NeSmith) Jefford was born and reared near
Norman Park, in Colquitt County, but is descended on the
maternal side from honored pioneer families of Worth County,
the Monk and Hancock families. She finished her high school
work at Korman Institute, now Norman Junior College, 2nd
was graduated from Bessie Tift College in 1908. She came
to Sylvester in August, 1908, after being elected on the faculty
of McPhaul Institute. She taught in this school for three
years. She is a cultured, Christian woman, thoroughly equal
to the resl)onsjbilities in her home, church, and community, in
the advancement and welfare of which she is intensely interested. She is a member of the D. A. R. organization through
descent from Joshua Hodges, who served in the Revolutionary
W a r from Ifartin County, North Carolina. The following is
her line of descent: Joshua Hodges, born October 13, 1736,
died March 13, 1809, married Ann Raiford in 1756. Their
daughter, Alcy Hodges, born 1776, died after 1837, was married October 5, 1801, to John Dampier, born 1770, died 1837.
Their daughter, Alcy Dampier, born May 14, 1807, died January 24, 1886, married 1828 to Williatn Monk, born March 18,
1809, died September 26, 1855. Their son, Miles Motik, born
April 7, 1842, died March 30, 1919, married 1861 t o Martha
Hancock. Their daughter, Ar~nesiaR'lonk, born July 30, 1865,
married September 24, 1881, to Matthew NeSinith, born June
4, 1860, died July 12, 1922.
Mr. and Mrs. D. G. Jefford came, on both maternal and
paternal sides, from strong, sturdy stock, characterized by
mental and moral qualities of a high order. T o be well born
is a great blessing. Ancestry counts for benefits only as it
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HISTORY O F WORTH COUNTY, GEORGIA
confers attributes of character and family traits that enable
later generations to live more fully and with greater usefulness to themselves and their commui~ity.This couple have
well lived up to the standards set by their predecessors.
OLIN M. THOMOSON
Mr. Tllomoson came to Sylvester several years ago from
Lavcrrence~illein Gwinnett County, and engaged ill the real
estate and live stock business. H e was born Oct. 22, 1871,
near Monticello, Jasper County. H e attended the local schools
of his home county. H e is Primitive Baptist in faith, and a
Democrat. H e has served Worth County as a member of the
House of Representatives for two terms.
H e was married September 23, 1897, to Miss Lavota Dove
Riley, daughter of \Villiam Thomas Riley. Tlzeir children
are Annie Kizth, born Feljruary 9, 1899; Runell, born August
7, 1900; Clinton Lee, born July 6, 1904, and Hulic Olin, born
September 8, 1907.
Mr. Thomoson is the son of Samuel Ephraim Tl~omoson,a
Confederate solclier, who died in April, 1919, and Annie Burns
Thornoson, of Jasper County, and the grandson of Martin
0. ancl Sarah Thomoson, who lived near Key's Ferry, Jasper
County, and of Wilkes and Marie Burns, of Jasper County.
ARTHUR HENRY OVERTON
Postmaster, 1918-1924 .
Arthur Henry Overton was born in Taliaferro County and
reared in McDuffie County, Ga., near Thornson. He came to
Worth County in 1908 as station agent for the Atlantic Coast
Line Railroad, serving in that capacity for three years, at
which time he accepted a position as bookkeeper for the Empire Mercantile Co., ~vhichplace he held until Sept., 1918.
W h e n P. B. Ford resigned to go to the World War in 1917,
Carl Sinith was appointed to fill the place until a postmaster
could be appointed. A. H. Overton received the appointment
and filled the place most satisfactorily until Nov. 20th, 1924,
when a new administration under Harding went in. H e has
held the place of internal Revenue Officer for the Federal Government continuously since that time. This takes him much
of his time from the town but he still keeps his home and family in Sylvester. He was married in 1910 to Mrs. Belle (Ses-
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HISTORY OF WORTH COLJKTY, GEORGIA
463
sions) Ford of Sylvester, the widow of Galveston Ford. She
had three children by her marriage t o Galveston Ford, Julian,
deceased, Helen, married L. D. Bozeman and Madge, married
Lynn Davis who died in 1924, leaving one child, Ashby Davis.
T h e uniotl of -4.H. Overton and Mrs. Belle (Sessions) Ford
is blessed with three children, Arthur S., Harry B. and Verna
Brooke Overton.
Mrs. Overton is the datlghter of Mr. and Mrs. W. E. Sessions, for many years influential citizens of Sumner, Ga.
Mrs. Overton has heen a resident of Sylvester all the years
of her married life. She nras president of the P.-T. -4. for
several years and has served for many years as chairman of
a committee in the Won~an'sClub. She has always heen an
earnest worker in the Methodist Church. No one has worked
for the upbuilclitlg of Sylvester more earnestly or with more
zeal in civic ancl Church affairs than she. ~ - e rhome is the
center of gracious hospitality and social activities. Through
her mother, Julia L. McCall Sessions, who was a native of
Florence, S. C. and 1vho was engaged in teaching in Terrell
County, Ga. whet1 she met and married her father, \V. E.
Sessions of Da\vson, Ga., Mrs. Belle (Sessions) Overtori is
descencled froin the most prominent and distinguished families of upper South Carolina, the I\lcCall, McDowell and
Gregg families. General Williatn RiCcDowell, a Revo1t:tionary
soldier, was a hero of Hanging Rock and King's Rfountain in
that W a r . He lived near King's Mountain and met Sevier and
the other niountaineers from Tennessee and offered to join
forces with them in taking the British and Tories on King's
Mountain. He held a strong position in this struggle. His wife,
Ellen McDowell, heard the firing a t Icing's Mountain and
immediately went to the scene of strife, taking her grown
daughter, ~vherethey remained several days nursing and attending the wounded soldiers. Her husband, Gen. McDowell,
manufactured gun powder in a cave near his home, hut as
he could not \)urn charcoal ~vithoutcletectioi~hy the Tories,
she burned it in small quantities in her fireplace and carried
it to him. In this way part of the po~\rclerused a t King's Mountain ivas secured. Ellen McDowell is foutlcl in Vol. 111: Page
556, by Eliz. G. Ellet, in "Women of the Atnerican Revolution." General Wm. McDowell came from Ireland, bringing
his family to North Carolina, and then moved to South Carolina ancl settled on Jeffreys Creek.
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HISTORY O F W O R T H COUNTY, GEORGIA
She is descended also from Thomas McCall and wife. Isabella (Gregg) McCall, of South Carolina. H e was a Revolutionary soldier also. T h e McCalls have given distinguished
service to the Carolinas and Georgia, one of the family, Hugh
McCall, was the first t o write Georgia's History.
The children of W. E. and Julia McCall Sessions are :
Belle, married lst, Galveston Ford; 2nd, Arthur Henry
Overton ; Inez, married lst, Anglin ; Lila (dead), married S. E.
Duke ; Sylvan, married Bessie Allison.
KENNETH STEWART
Kenneth Stewart, another head of the splendid family of
Stewarts, lived near Ephesus Church in Worth.
He was born on his father's farm in Schley County, Dec.
26, 1849, where his youth was spent in the stormy years attendant upon the Civil War. H e grew up accustomed to bear the
buffetings of circumstances over which he had no control with
steadfast courage, and to overcoming difficulties, which developed in himself reliance and earnestness of purpose. It made
him conservative in business, which nearly always, as in him,
makes a successful man. H e is a devout Christian, a deacon in
the Progressive Primitive Baptist Church of Ephesus. He is
among the best farmers of the county.
H e married Julia Lou Woodall. She was born May 10, 1861,
and died Nov. 16,1929 in Worth County. This splendid couple
moved from Ellaville t o Worth County in 1905.
The children who blessed this home are J. R. Stewart, married Corinne Lewis; Jacob H. Stewart, A. C. Stewart, married
Maggie Balcomb; J. A. Stewart, married Ruby Hill; Mary
Elizabeth Stewart, married Charlie C. Chapman ; Julia Ola
Stewart, married J. M. Robinson ;Kenneth R. Stewart, married
?
Pearl Sumner ; Rev. Charles D. Stewart, married Ruth
W. P. Stewart, Sophie Stewart, married 0. J. York.
JUDGE S. G. LONG
Sam G. Long was born At~g.28, 1847 in Crawford County,
Georgia. His parents moved to Dooly (now Worth) County,
when he was two years old. H e has lived here since that time.
H e is active and makes a crop on his farm, doing a good bit of
the work. H i s memory is unusually good.
H e joined the Confederate Army at the age of 16 years.
Company F., 10th Regiment 4th Brigade.
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HISTORY O F WORTH COUNTY, GEORGIA
465
H e was elected Justice of the Peace in 1885, and has served
almost continuously ever since.
H e helped t o create the 17th District and helped to make
changes in the 15th and 16th Districts.
H e held offices until 1905.
H e is the present Commander of Camp Bill Harris of Confederate Veterans.
JAMES HARRIS
James Harris served in the Confederate Army under Stonewall Jackson until Jackson's death. H e was with Lee when he
surrendered. After the surrender he walked home from Richmond, Virginia, to Worth County.
H e is a native of this county, born Dec. 1844, in the part of
the County that was Dooly then. H e died in 1899 on his plantation near Warwick. H e married first Mary Theus and to
them were born two children, Simon and Ben. After her death
he married Isabel Jackson, the daughter of W. J. Jackson. W.
J. Jackson paid $500 to a substitute to go to the Confederate
Army and serve for him. 'The substitute was killed in the first
battle he entered.
James Harris and Isabel (Jackson) Harris had three children,
Wm. Clifford and Mary. After the death of the second wife
he married her sister, Georgia Virginia (Jackson) Hawkins,
who had been previously married to Sam Hawkins, by whom
she had two children, Maude and Lewis, Maude dying young.
This third marriage of James Harris to Mrs. Georgia Virginia Hawkins was blessed with four children, Grady, Bert,
Florrie and Missouri, all living but Florrie. Grady resigned the
place as mail carrier and went to France and illustrated the
heroic blood of his Confederate sire, James Harris. -After
the death of her husband, NIrs Georgia Virginia Harris built
a large home in Warwick, where she still lives. Grady Harris
lives in Mobile, Ala., Bert lives in Naples, Fla., and Missouri
(Mrs. Bithel Wall) lives in Sylvester.
Mrs. Harris has always lived in o r near Warwick and has
given splendid service t o Warwick, and of her means to everything involving the welfare of the town or section.
MARRIAGE LICENSES IN WORTH COUNTY
From 1854 to 1865
Robert Benton and Mary Kimbrel ............................
July 2, 1854
August 9, 1854
Jesse Land and Many Monk ............-......-------.-----
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HlSTORY O F W O R T H COUNTY. G E O R G I A
Mathew N . Alford and Ariam Mrilliams ........September 15, 1854
Henry R . Joiner and Margareta Ross ........ September 30, 1854
John Kenedy and Margaret Chestnutt ...... December 23, 1854
Jarnes R . Day and Elizabeth Night ................ February 8, 1855
Calvin Cook and Zilpha Howell ........................ March 31, 1855
Joseph Hurst and Mary Jane Williams, ........ February 27, 1855
.David Brown and Mary Jump ............................ July 28, 1855
Charles Wheeler and Mary Hobby ............ September 18, 1855
Stephen H . Melton and Elizabeth Moore ........ December 7, 1855
F. W . Wilson and Liddy NIoore ........................ January 7, 1856
A . H . More and Elizabeth Brown ...................... January 2, 1856
Barnet Icerce and Queen Anne Gaughf ........ January 10, 1856
Miles H . Reynolds and Charlotta Rouse ........ October 13, 1856
William \V . Poulan and Mary Ann Chestnutt ...... April 7, 1856
John D . Hayes and Martha Brown .................... April 21, 1856
Henry Houston and Nancy Gillis ........................ March 29, 1856
Alfred Story and Pinky Goff ........................ December 11, 1863
Hiratn Aultman and Clarise Gillis .................... April 21, 1856
William Griffin anci Sarah Thompson .................... May 23, 1856
Mathew J . Joiner and Sarah Hutto ............................ May 8, 1856
David C. Willis and Rachel Taylor............................ June 12, 1856
Ohediah Brett and Sarah Tombley .................. October 25, 1856
NI . W . Deariso and Martha Ross ................ November 27, 1556
George D . Whitfield and Martha Knowls....December 17, 1856
George W . Powell and Susan Culpepper ........ January 1, 1857
E. J . Beall and Lydia ,4 . S. Mathews ................January 10, 1857
Micajah R . Horn, Elija Lock ............................December 20, 1856
Seborn Land and Elizabeth Ostean .................... March 7, 1857
Henry Hollings\vorth and Sarah Land ................ May 6, 1857
James D . Cox and Mary J . Rouse ................ February 25, 1857
R . G. Ford and Susan Hobby ................................ March 2, 1857
Terrell T. Monger and Mary Shine ................ February 8, 1857
John G. Riley and Mary Tison ............................ March 24, 1857
Jackson More and Mary Rouse ................ December 25, 1856
William G. Lavender and Mary Lailg ............ November 5, 1856
Alexander Bass and Rocla Deariso .................... August 17, 1857
Daniel S . Thompson and Mary Posey .................... June 29, 1857
Denis Powell and Elizabeth Eozeman ........ September 17, 1857
John C. Sumner and Mary Hobby .................... Octol~er13, 1857 .
Robert Watson and Cinderilla Smith ............ October 6, 1857
James D . Posey and Mary J . Goodman ........December 1, 1857
Henry Shiver and Dorcas Shiver .................... October 19, 1857
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HISTORY O F WORTH COUNTY GEORGIA
467
James M . C. Holoman and Data L . Ford .--November 17. 1857
R . G. Ford and Elizabeth Ross .................... November 17, 1857
Alfred Smith and Polly Brown ........................ January 20, 1858
Washington Cobb and Susan Anne Posey ....December 28, 1857
James R . Land and Iiebecca Gwines ............ February 3, 1858
Thomas Downs and Nancy Nobles ............ January 7, 1858
William Sumner and Elizabeth Nonerr ........ January 20, 1858
Rephmiah Smith and Elija J . Smith ............ February 6, 1858
Robert F. Shine and Mary E. Harris ........ February 12, 1858
James Harden and Nancy Walker ................ March 17, 1857
Raimon F. Nixon and Jane T . Butler ................ April 15, 1858
Anlbros M . Smith and Nancy Taylor ................ May 12, 1858
James W . Williams and Sarah Everett ........ February 20, 1858
William J . Gregory and Martha Moree ................ May 29, 1858
James F. Adams and Sarah Jane Rhodes ........ August 1, 1858
Jeremiah Leaa and Queen Culpepper .............. A U ~ U S1,~ 1858
Thomas \\rheelius and Silvia Brown ............ February 23, 1858
John Posey and Mary T. Harden .................... January 7, 1858
James I . Goodman and Nancy Posey ............ January 6, 1858
Jeremiah Spring and Ledanni E. Shiver ........ October 3 1, 1858
Micajah P. Young and Hester Warren ......-...October 24, 1858
Edward Dixon and Harriet Bannister ........ October 27, 1858
Pearson D . Brown and Elizabeth Wheelius .... October 26, 1858
Joseph M . Sumner and Elizabeth J .Young ....December 13, 1858
Abel M . Cox and C . A . Pearce .................... December 21, 1858
Fountain P. Lane and Victoria Smith .......-November 19, 1858
Jacob J . S . Young and Elizabeth Sumner ........ January 8, 1859
Willis Story and Mary Johnston ................ December 11, 1858
Thomas H . Kendall and W . A . E. Fulgham .... January 25, 1859
James Theo Hancock and Alaphair Youngblood. ...J a n. 29, 1859
John J . Sumner and Ruth Cornelia Sutton....December 25, 1858
Maning Shiver and Elizabeth Downs ........ November 10, 1859
Abel Knight and Lourney Wilson .................... January 9, 1859
White Land and France Monk .................... December 5, 1859
Joseph W . Calhoun and Mary Marchant .... December 7, 1859
Richard P . Porter and Eliza Willis ................ January 9, 1860
J . J . Jeter and Mary Brett ............................ November 11, 1859
Solomon W . Rouse and Amanda Cox ........ December 5, 1859
Daniel I . Gray and Healon Knight ................ December 7, 1859
Joseph 'Y . Sutton and Missouri Sumner ---.--..
February 6, 1860
Daniel Hornsby and Elizabeth A . Brown .... March 14, 1860
A . J . Gray and Bethany E. Knight ................ January 18, 1860
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William I<emp and Sarah E. Vines ................ January 4, 1860
James Houston and Martha Rouse .................... March 23, 1860
John Buckelew and Angilina Reynolds ............ April 11, 1860
William Hall and Harriet Swilley ........................ April 4, 1860
Alford Newel1 and Loucinda Pate ....................... June 26, 1860
John S. Marchant and Eliza Sumner .................... June 12, 1860
Andrew J . Sutton and Mariah Roberts ................ April 19, 1860
W . P. H . Smith and Healon Watkins ........ September 3, 1860
Alexander S. Simpson and Sarah S. Porter ........ Sept. 9, 1860
Thomas Waters and Elizabeth Wilson ............ April 6, 1859
Henry S . Tucker and Abrigale McLendon ........ August 24, 1860
Edward Wiley and Easter Johnson .................... March 14, 1860
George McCraney and Elizabeth Hobby ............ Feb . 17, 1860
James N . Hobby and Nancy S. Hill ........................ Jan . 24, 1860
Isharn M . King and Easter Johnson ............ December 15, 1858
Miles Moree and Sarah Anne Waters ................ March 10, 1860
Jessie Hobby and Eliza Simpson .................... August 22, 1860
R . B . Icersh and Mary J . Kersh ............................ June 19, 1860
Salathiel Adams and Neety Traywick ................ Sept. 18, 1860
Elijah Pate and Mary E. Nipper ............................ Sept. 18, 1860
Micajor R . Horn and Elizabeth Mathews ............ Sept. 21, 1860
G. W . Hall and Eliza Watson ............................ Oct . 20, 1860
Henry T. Brown and Sara E. Keen .................... Oct . 17, 1860
Lott Ross and Ellen Gibbs .................................... Nov . 13, 1860
Martin R . Young and Rachael Roberts ............ Nov . 18, 1860
Warren Shiver and Emily Shiver ........................ Oct . 8, 1860
John R . Lock and Elizabeth J . Holiday ............ Dec . 12, 1860
Miles Monk and Martha Hancock ........................ Dec . 29, 1860
R . C. McElhannon and Frances W . Jones ........ January 8, 1861
Alexander Keen and Sarah Story ............................ Jan . 1, 1861
Richard M . Keen and Elizabeth Story ................ Jan . 1, 1861
Calvin D . Rouse and Elizabeth Britt .................... Feb . 2, 1861
Henry W . Hancock and Creecy Marchant ............ Feb . 16, 1861
Lewis G. Simmons and Mary Anne Everett ........ Jan . 3, 1861
David Bro~viiand Jane Morgan ............................ Dec . 22, 1860.
Samuel Hill and Julia Anne Tipton ........................ Dec . 4, 1860.
Anterry Shiver and hlarinda Toler .................... June 1, 1861
Benjamine Goff and Harriet Fields ........................ July 2, 1861
A . J . Cobb and Martha Pearson ............................ July 9, 1861
Anderson Kendrick and Wilaford ........................ Aug . 13, 1861
George Houston and Sarah Anne Gibson ........ Aug. 17, 1861
James W . Gibson and Cynthia G. Sikes ............ Aug . 24, 1861
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Willis Price and Sarah Hardwick ........................ July 16, 1861
Isiah Murray and Elizabeth Kimbrel .................... July 16, 1861
George A . Luke and Nancy Marshall ................ July 24, 1861
James Brown and Elizabeth Folsorne .................... Sept. 7, 1861
James T. Calhoun and Mary Kendry .................... Aug . 12, 1861
Hive Lawson and Elizabeth Taylor ........................ Sept. 2, 1861
James N . Hobby and Catherine I-Ienderson ............ Feb . 6, 1862
William \V . Brown and Alzoutti Harris ............ April 4, 1862
German M . Wade and Marion E . Brown ................ Oct . 30, 1861
Green Stringer and Sarah Bray ................................ July 9, 1862
John S . Shiver and Elizabeth S . Shiver ............ May 14, 1861
Redin Horn and Elizabeth Porch ................ January 20, 1863
William A . Davis and Sarah Sullivan ................ May 17, 1863
John M . Reynolds and Anney E . Silven ............ March 10, 1863
Moses W . Tison and Nancy Ford ........................ Dec . 18, 1861
Green M . Brown and Tobitha Gaughf ........ March 11, 1863
Flournoy Clark and Cynthia Willis ................ July 18, 1863
John Murphey and Mary M . Slappey .................... July 7, 1863
John S. Womack and Martha Gibbs ........................ Oct . 6. 1863
Samuel Griner and Marion L. Truluck ................ Oct . 22, 1863
William Welloi~sand Susan E . Joiner ................ Nov . 13, 1863
Jackson M . Hancock and Susan C. Walters, ........ Jan . 6, 1864
T. W . Tison and Georgian Ford .................... March 27, 1856
\;lr . A . Jackson and Missouri Jordan ........................ Jan 2, 1855
Green B . Lacetor and Jane Smith ........................ Feb . 3, 1855
Isaac Williams and Nancy Gray ........................ Dec. 26, 1865
Isaac Hobby and Harriet Simpson .................... March 26, 1857
E. Potts and Mary Wheeler ................................ Jan . 28, 1864
Daniel Burch and S. Walters ........................ March 23, 1864
Samuel Slappey and Mary E . Shiver ............ March 7, .1864
Basil S . E r o ~ v nand Susan Batey .................... March 24, 1864
M . J . Howe and E. M . Norurood ........................ April 4, 1864
William Bozeman and Rosa Barfield ................ April 21, 1864
William J . Ford and Margaret Adams ................ April 20, 1864
Caleh Icnott and Annie Wade ................................ May 31, 1864
Alex B . Williams and Sarah Randal ................ June 25, 1864
W . W . Horn and Mary T . Ricks ............................ Aug . 9, 1864
George IV . Spring and Ellen NT. Rouse ............ Sept. 12, 1864
Henry Reynolds and Eliza Buckelew .................... Sept. 15, 1864Jeptha Lee and Martha L. A . Mathews ............ Sept. 19, 1864
John Smoke and Aljernath Brown .................... Sept. 28, 1864
Barton Baker and Pening Williams .................... Dec . 7, 1863
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Martin P. Jones and Mary P. Monger ............ Sept. 19, 1864
James E. Harris and A. E. Rains ........-...-......-.--Dec. 16, 1864
Bartley C. Green and Mary Cliestnutt ...-....-...........Feb, 8, 1865
Jan. 9, 1860
Parmer Porter and Eliza Willis ......-._.--.......--..---.S. W. Rouse and Amanda Cox .......-...........--------.
Dec, 5, 1859
Elijah McKanie and Elizabeth Tucker ................ Jan. 31, 1865
June 4, 1865
James S. Yates and Arkansas Brantly ..---....-......
W. C. Williams and Isabella Vines ,..........-.-------July 20, 1865
James J. Shiver and Nancy Ann Bozeman ......-.Sept. ??, 1865
Andrew J. Taylor and Nety Adarns .....-.........-....
Sept. 27, 1865
Nathan B. Lunsford and Mary J. Dunford ....-...Aug. 30, 1865
W. C. Spillers and Martha Ridley .....-..-..........----Sept. 6, 1865
Benjamine Eatow and Aveto Cox -...:............-.. Oct. 27, 1865
Calvin R. Topson and A. R. Kimba .......-...-........Sept. 9, 1865
Joseph L. Sumner and Josephine Thornhill ........ Nov. 1, 1865
Nov. 1, 1865
Isaac P. Porter and Mary L. Powell ..-.-.......-...
Dec. 7, 1865
Peter TV. Sineath and Jane Tucker ..-.....-..........----James W. Thornhill and Matilda Willis -...-...-...Oct. 17, 1865
Oct. 6, 1865
Joseph Willis and Mary J. Mitchell .-.........-.-..-..----.... Nov. 4, 1865
George Luke and Margaret Brooks .....-....-.-.-.....
N. B. Tabor and Clavenda Vines ......--..
:...-.....---.
Dec. 23, 1865
Laney Chesnutt and Evaleen Bunch .-..................Dec. 5, 1866
Elijah McRary and Elizabeth Tucker ..-.................Dec, 31, 1865
JEWS OF WORTH
Worth has been very fortunate in the class of Jews who
have made a part of her citizenry. They have all been public
spirited, ready to do their part in the upbuilding of the town
and county.
Their commercial instinct has brought much to the county
in the way of trade. They are thrifty, economical, and are
never a charge upon the community, they are generous to the
unfortunate, charitable and law abiding.
They are a people wedded to the pursuits of peace, but if the
safety of the country is threatened they are ready with their
means ancl lives to defend it.
The history of the Jew in Georgia dates from Mordecai Sheftall, born in Savannah in 1735, who became one of the most
zealous patriots of the Revolution, who filled the office of Commissary General of Issues for the State of Georgia and from his
own private resources gave large sums of money, almost impoverishing himself, to support the Georgia troups, down to
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HISTORY O F WORTH COUNTY, GEORGIA
471
the World War. Georgia's citizens of the Jewish race have
been true to the heroic precedents furnished by the grand old
Hebrew race; prompt to respond to every call to arms and
with their means ready to support every worthwhile issue.
JAKE LEVY
When the United States asked for volunteers for the National Guards on the border line of the United States and Mexico, Jake Levy, a young Jew of Sylvester, volunteered and
was in service there when the theater of war shifted to the
battle front of France in the World War. H e went over in the
American Expeditionary Forces ancl was badly wounded a t
Chateau-Thierry. He was decorated by France and America
for bravery in action.
When the message was received by his parents, Mr. and
Mrs. Lewis Levy, of Sylvester, from the W a r Department,
telling of his serious wound, the people of Sylvester rushed
around to their home to offer sympathy and help. This couple
showed remarkable fortitude and trust .in a just and powerful
Jehovah.
JACOB WIGODNER
Jacob Wigodner, a fine old Hebrew, was perhaps the first
to come to Sylvester. W e tell this story of his life t o illustrate
the patience and perseverence of his race.
He came over from Russia leaving his wife and children
across the seas until he could find a place t o make his home.
He came in the days when the peddler carried his goods for
sale in a pack on his back.
Mr. Wigodner, after traveling over a wide territory, selected
Sylvester as the place to make his home. H e was not financially able t o bring all his family a t once. He went back to Russia, bought passports for his two oldest daughters, Fannie and
Bessie, and brought them to Sylvester. He went into the inercantile business here and after a few years he was able to go
back t o Russia and bring over his wife and two small children,
Mollie and Sam. . He and family made splendid citizens of
Worth for many years. \Vhen he sold out his business here
to move to Baltimore he was considered a man of considerable
means.
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HISTORY O F WORTH COUNTY, GEORGIA
HARRIS NATHAN
Mr. and Mrs. Harris Nathan came to Sylvester in 1911
and set up the mercantile business they are operating in this
year 1934. They are prominent and important factors in
every onward and upward movement of the town and county.
They ark owners of large property interest in Worth, in
farms, city real estate, and have a nice home on Pope Street.
Mr. Nathan is descended from the Levi tribe of Israel. There
is never any doubt about their inheritance of the Levi tribe
for they have the care of the Synagogue and of the service.
from their youth up the boys of this tribe are instructed and
intrusted with this sacred office. H e was born in Minsk, Poland, Europe, in 1883. H e is descended from a ong lived family. His parents are Hertz1 and Eva Nathan, of Savannah. H i s
father is 88 years old.
His grandparents lived in Poland, in Europe, t o ripe old
age. Max Nathan, grandfather, lived to be 92 years old. Golden
Nathan, grandmother, lived to be 95 years old.
Mrs. Harris Nathan was born in Cleveland, Ohio. H e r father,
Isaac Regofsky, was born in Prussia, Germany. Her mother,
Baily Gottlief Regofsky, was born in Posen in Poland, Europe.
She lives with Mrs. Nathan in Sylvester.
While Harris Nathan was born in Central Europe near the
center of the warring enemy of the United States in the World
W a r , America had no, truer citizen than he in the struggle.
H i s place of business was one of the first t o display the Stars
and Stripes and he bought Liberty Bonds and assisted in every
way as a real son of the United States.
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CHAPTER XXI
CONFEDERATE SOLDIERS WHO IMMIGRATED TO
W O R T H COUNTY AFTER T H E WAR
J. J. HALL
Jesse Jennings Hall was born in Barnlvell, S. C., September
15, 1838. William Hall, his father, married Miss -4shlev of
South Carolina. They had three children: Sa Brine, Catherine
and Jesse J. Mrs. William Hall died in South Carolina in
1839. Mr. Hall then married Miss Jennie Odum of South
Carolina. In 1845 he moved to Georgia, settling just north of
Albany. A t the outbreak of the Civil war, Jesse J. Hall was
living a t Starksville, in Lee County, where he enlisted in
April, 1861, in Co. B, 11th Ga. Regt. H e served in "Tige" Anderson's Brigade, Longstreet's Corps, except f0r.a short time
while he was recuperating from a wound received in the
secoi~dbattle of PIIIanassas, and the last fourteen months which
he spent in E l n ~ i r aPrison, having been captured during the
Seven Day Battle. H e received his discharge in June, 1865.
Returning to Georgia, he lived a year o r two in Dougherty
County, later settling in Worth.
In 1867 Jesse J. Hall married Miss Eliza Jane Boswick of
Louisville, Ga., who was descended from the Bostwiclcs and
Dennys of Louisville, Georgia. Born to them were eight children, three of whom died in infancy. The other five are: Mrs.
E. M. Johnson, of Sylvester, whose cl~ilclrenare Miss Josebel
Johnson, of Sylvester, J . W. Johnson, of Jacksonville, Fla.,
and Mrs. Howard Ambrose, of Conway, S. C.; Mrs. G. M.
Pinson, whose children are: Mrs. W. E. Handley and Carol
M. Pinson, of Cincinnati, Ohio, and T. J . Pinson, of Sylvester;
J. D. Hall, of Sylvester, ~vhosechildren are: Jane, Denny,
Jimmie and Nell; C. L. Hall, of Helena, and F. E. Hall, of
Albany, Ga.
Jesse J. Hall was engaged in farming and in the mercantile
and naval stores business in Worth County until 1900, when
he retired from active business and moved to Sylvester where
he died in 1915, his wife follo~vinghim it1 1918.
Jesse J. Iiall svas accuston~edfrom youth to overcome difficulties and to meet responsibilities with undaunted courage.
The hardships, which the aftermath of the War Between the
States hrought on the South, developed in him foresight and
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HISTORY OF WORTH COUNTY, GEORGIA
acumen which gave him high standing in the business world.
This, combined with honest industry and integrity, brought
him rapid and substantial progress in augmenting his financial resources and he soon became a man of substantial wealth
and great influence in his community.
H e was qtliet and unassuming. Many of his beneficences
to the young and unfortunate were not known to the public.
Matters of education appealed to him, many poor hoys and
girls were enabled to g e t a college education because of his
financial support. Many orphan children were clothed and
fed by his generosity. He gave all his children either a college
education 0.r a business edwcation.
Mrs. Eliza Jane (Bostwick) Hall carried the mark of noble
birth, gentility and culture in her personality and dignified,
refined bearing. She was descended from a long line of illustrious ancestbrs, true Southern alistocrats and patriots. Nobly and beautifully did she illustrate her high heritage in all
walks of life.
Because of ill health, her activities were somewhat circumscribed, but her light shone no less brilliantly in her' home
and among her neighbors and friends.
Mrs. Hall was generous and devoted to her church and the
work of her Master. H e r consistent life exemplified her abiding faith. She adorned with honor and wisdom, trust and confidence, love and kindness, every sphere of womanhood and
phase of life in which she was permitted to serve.
WILLIAM ANDERSON HALL
William Anderson Hall was the oldest child of William Hall
by his second wife, who mas, before her marriage, Miss Jennie
Odum, of Barnwell, S. C. William A. Hall was born in Barnwell, S. C., Jan. 23, 1845. H e moved t o Starkville, Lee County,
with his parents when he was quite young.
At the age of sixteen he enlisted in the Confederate Army and
served the four years of the war. H e married in 1868 t o Lucretia Hobby. She was born in Dooly County on Feb. 2, 1849.
She was the child of Alexander Hobby and wife, Nancy Brown
Hobby. H e r parents were among the earliest inhabitants of
this section and their descendants are among the most substantial citizens of Worth today.
Mr. and Mrs. Wm. A. Hall reared two sons and five daughters. Their children were reared in Worth County and most
of them were married in Sylvester.
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MR. W I L L I A M A. HALL
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HISTORY OF WORTH COUNTY, GEORGIA
Jessie married G. Lunsford; Crawford married Mrs. Lizzie
Bateman Braswell ; Annie married James A. Parrish (second
wife). Twins: Nannie married A. S. Dinkle; Sophia married
first wife of James A. Parrish ; Nettie married Grover C. Woolard; Wilmer married Erma Stocks.
Mr. and Mrs. William A. Hall were devout Christians.
They were members of the Missionary Baptist Church. He
was a charter member of Camp Bill Harris, an organization
of Confederate veterans of Worth County.
Nothing can be said of this truly good man more than was
said of him by the writer of "In Menloriamy' of him. W e quote
from i t : "Just a s our community joins the world in the joyous
acclaim. 'He is risen', a plain, beloved and devout man falls
asleep in our midst, and follows the Master through the mysterious darkness of the sepulchre into new light and life. He
had spent his life among these people, he was known and welcomed in every home and his speech was a never failing fountain of good cheer and encouragement in every presence. He
was unselfish and sympathetic and was universally loved, but
the crowning triumph of existence is attained when it merits
and receives the guileless love of all the children which i t
knows. Love melting the difference between youth and age.
The children loved him because he first loved them. There are
many men whom all the children know, but there are few men
who know all the children; this he did. H e was their approachable companion, their consistent advisor and their
trusted arbiter. The sight of a child made the golden recesses
of his heart ring with words of his Master, 'For of such is the
Kingdom of Heaven.'
"He was buried under a floral embankment the tribute of
love by the children of the town. High school boys were his
pall bearers. His arms were folded over his Confederate cross
of Honor, the mark of his valor.
"I would rather come forth upon the resurrection morn with
that imperishable badge of knighthood on my breast, than
emerge from the imperial sarcophagus of Napoleon. amid the
mingled plaudits and curses of a conquested continent. I would
rather sleep 'till that great day, embowered by those flowers,
and guarded forever by the sleepless sentinel of childhood's
love, than be folded in the empurpled curtains of England's
Westminster Abbey, and fall to dust beneath the unsympathetic watch of a guardsman's duty."
I t is greater to have lived a life that won the love and confi-
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HISTORY O F W O R T H COUNTY, GEORGIA
477
dence of the young and to have shown them the way of life,
than to have accumulated great wealth and endowed universities."
The children of this splendid couple that live in Worth Count y in this year of 1934 are Mrs. Lunsford, Mr. Crawford Hall
and Mrs. Nettie Hall Woolard.
MRS. NETTIE (HALL)WOOLARD
Mrs. Nettie (Hall) Woolard has been Proprietor of the
Woolard Hotel at Sylvester for a large number of years, is a
member of the State Democratic Committee, and has recently been appointed a s Post Master a t Sylvester for a term
of four years.
She is one of those versatile characters that fills well any
vocation in life. She married Mr. Grover C. Woolard, the son
of Mr. and Mrs. Henry C. Woolard, who immigrated from
North Carolina to Worth County in 1892.
Mr. and Mrs. Woolard have one son, Henry Hall, who
married Veautrice Hancock, a member, on both sides, of pioneer families Worth, the Hancock and Kennedy families. They
have one son Henry Hall, Jr.
MAJOR PETER PELHAM
Major Peter Pelham was a member of the distinguished
Pelham family of Talladega, Alabama.
H e was born on a plantation near Talladega, April 25,
1840, the son of Dr. Atkinson and Martha Montford McGehee
Pelham.
There were six sons, Charles, William, John, Peter, Samuel
and Thomas and a daughter, Betty. All the sons served in the
Confederate Army and their father was the youngest general
in the Confederate Service. They wrote the name of Pelham
imperishably upon the records of the war of the sections.
They were all gallant men in every way. John, who was a
West Pointer, was killed at the head of Pelham's Battery of
Stuart's Horse Artillery, at Kelly's Ford, Va., leading what is
said to have been the first charge ever made by the artillery.
When the war burst over the land, Peter, a very frail young
man in his senior year, was at Oglethorpe College. His father
begged him not to enlist, as he had already sent his five sons,
and they were enough, he thought. Not so with Peter. H e ran
away and joined the Alabama Partisan Rangers, a self-equipped
troop of young bloods who follo~vedthe hounds of war so
eagerly that they were soon either killed or absorbed in other
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HISTORY O F WORTH COUNTY, GEORGIA
commands. Peter fotlnd himself in the 1st Alabama Cavalry,
and was a scout in Wheeler's Corps d'Elite, 51st, Alabama.
Later he rose to the command of an Alabama regiment.
One of the memorable incidents of his service was his capture, October 7th, 1862 a t La Vergne, Tenn., and his narrow
escape from l ~ e i n gexecuted as a guerrilla. He was a scout,
wearing no uniform, and was trying to return to his command
when he was covered by Federals and ordered t o surrender.
H e refused and fought. Down \vent his horse under him. H e
barricaded behind it ancl kept firing. JVhen finally taken, he
was charged with being a guerrilla and a court-martial was
organized. I n the swift trial, just as it seemed certain he
was lost, a young Fecleral officer asked the name again. H e
asked, "Are you related t o John Pelham?" Peter replied,
"brother." T h e officer announced that he had been a classmate
at West Point with John, saying, "He's a Pelham. T h e Pelhams are as honorable as they make them. Turn this man over
t o me. I'll vouch for him."
This saved Peter's life. T h e officer took him to Nashville,
found a captured uniforin for him, and paroled him October
9, 1862. But he soon went back into service.
H e rose to the rank of Major in command of a n Alabama
regiment though he \\?as just 21 years when the war of secession started. H e fought with gallantry, made every sacrifice
which duty demanded, and when the war was over he returned
home to fight as bravely in life's other battles as ever he had
in the legioils of gray.
Mzjor Pelham married Emma Frances Mchuley a t Oxford,
Ala., July 26th, 1869. There were six children. Three of these
died. Their mother diecl in Poulan and is buried there. She was
one of the loveliest Christian characters, a woman of great culture. No one ever lived in Worth County that was more generally loved. The surviving children are Joseph Pelham of
Louisville, Kentucky. Mrs. Herbert Graves, Washington, D.
C., and Mrs. J. D. Hank, Jr., whose husband was at one time
Assistant Attorney General of Virginia. In June, 1917, Major
Pelham married a second wife, Mrs. Sally Jackson.
Peter Pelham came to Worth County as manager of a sheep
raising industry for General John B. Gordon about 1880, on a
large tract of land in the extreme southern part of Worth
County, ~ v l ~ i cGen.
h Gordon had bought sometime before and
named "Deerland," a most appropriate name, as game was
plentiful at that time.
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H I S T O R Y O F W O R T H COUNTY, G E O R G I A
479
The sheep ranch, however, was not found profitable, but
Major Pelham had become so ardently attached to Worth
County, that he bought "Deerland" of General Gordon, and
owned it until his death, April 3rd, 1924.
For fifty years-the best years of his life-Major Pelham
lent his influence to the highest interest of society in this, his
adopted home. H e was a soldier-still a soldier in the great
citizen army of his re-united country, a soldier of the cross in
the army of the Prince of Peace.
How far the influence of his godly life reached no man can
ever know. He loved mankind and the open road where walked
his fellowman. He organized the Worth County Sunday School
Association fifty years ago, and was president for forty-two
years. No one can really estimate the power for good this Association did for this section of Georgia. On another page will be
given a pen picture of one of these meetings by the inimitable John L. Herring.
Peter Pelham was elected Commander of Camp Harris, the
organization of Confederate Veterans from 1910 for life, in
which office he served with ability and devotion. H e was a
charter member of the Poulan Presbyterian Church. H e lived
to the ripe old age of eighty-four and was laid to rest in the
Poulan cemetery by a host of sorrowing friends.
(Taken in part from a writeup of his life in the Veteran).
ELDRED JASPER RHODES
Eldred Jasper Khodes enlisted in the Confederate Army
from Mitchell County, Georgia. H e was mustered into service
in Albany, May Sth, 1861, in the 6th Georgia Regiment under
Colonel Alfred H. Colquitt (later he became a Brigadier-General), in Company H. This regiment was Georgia's first in
the battle lines.
H e fought in most of the hard fought battles in Virginia,
Pennsylvania and North Carolina. He was wounded twice a t
the battle of the Wilderness. After serving with the 6th Georgia Regiment, he was transferred to a South Carolina Regiment. H e was discharged in 1865, having served during the
entire time.
Elder Jasper Rhodes was born Oct. 6th, 1839 in Edgefield
County a t Old Ninety-six, South Carolina. H e moved a t an
early age t o Sumter County where he spent 18 years. H e
moved to Mitchell and from there vent to the war. After the
war he lived in Sumter County, near The Plains, Ga., where
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HISTORY O F W O R T H COUNTY, GEORGIA
he married Miss Anna Gordon Mayes, May 16th, 1872. She
was born in Gordon County, Ga., near Calhoun on Aug. 15th,
1844.
They were blessed with two children, Norban Mayes Rhodes
and Mary Augusta Rhodes who married W. C. Manning.
Mr. and Mrs. E. J, Rhodes moved to Sylvester, Worth County, in 1901. They had lived in Worth on their farm three miles
from Sylvester some years before. H e and his son had farms
and merchandising interests. He was made Commander of
Camp Bill Harris from 1907 to 1909, an organization of Confederate Veterans of Worth.
This splendid couple with their family were among the most
faithful members of Sylvester Baptist Church.
Their son, "Nobby" Mayes Rhodes, is an enterprising farmer and merchant of Sylvester. He was born a t Plains, Sumter
County, Ga., April 16, 1874. At the age of 18 years he moved
with his parents to Worth.
In 1910 he married Miss Bessie Rena Moses of Atlanta, the
daughter of Manville Scott Moses, of Indiana, and wife,
Louise 0. Moses of Florida.
Their union is blessed with three children, Rena Mayes
Rhodes, Cecil Jasper Rhodes and Maud Mildred Rhodes.
Mary A. Rhodes, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. E. J. Rhodes,
was the first wife of Walter Clayton Manning. Their children
are: Mary Love, married William Gissendanner, Dorothy
Rhodes, Walter Clayton, Jr., Anna Virginia and Charles
Douglas.
Mary Augusta (Rhodes) Manning died on Jan. 8, 1918.
Walter Clayton Manning, Sr., is the son of Wiloughby Manning, and 'wife Nancy (Varnadoe) Manning. Walter C. Manning married second t o Leila Bell Gwines. They have two sons,
Hollis and Rutherford.
She is the daughter of Wm. T. and Mary Jane Thornhill
Gwines.
JAMES DALLIS MARTIN
James Dallis Martin was born near Winchester, Tenn.,
Franklin County, Sept. 22, 1844. H e enlisted in the Confederate
Army at the outbreak of the war with his brother Tom. He was
16 years of age and his brother 14.
He enlisted in the 17th East Tenn., Regiment. They served
as drummer boys the first three years of the conflict, and in
the battle lines the last year under Lee. For bravery on the
battle field of Murfreesboro, Tenn., he was awarded a medal.
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HISTORY O F WORTH COUNTY, GEORGIA
48 1
H e was asked to give the reason for this award. I n his own
words, published in a copy of the Worth County Local, we
give the following :
"In 1862 the Confederate States Congress passed a law to
confer a silver medal upon two members of each company for
conspic~lousconduct on the battle field.
J. D. MARTIN
"The battle of Murfreesboro was fought soon after this act
of the Confederate Congress. I was a member of the regiment band of the 17th Tennessee Regiment and was exempt
from service during an engagement. But my custom was, when
an engagement was coining on, to put aside the drum, fall into
ranks with my company and fight shoulder to shoulder with
the boys behind the guns. I n counting off before the battle
there were exactly 600 guns and when another member of the
band and myself stepped into ranks Gen. Jackson was informed
that the 17th Tennessee Regiment carried 602 guns.
"After the battle there were 80 men left of the men who bore
arms, and out of these a young man by the name of Donaldson
and myself were designated by vote of the company to receive
the medals.
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HISTORY O F WORTH COUNTY, GEORGIA
4 82
"When we were called to the front to receive the honors
these were the reasons for bestowing it on me:
" '1st. His age, being in his 18th year.
" '2nd. While exempt from duty in battle he volunteered and
entered the ranks to fight.
" '3rd. For conspicuous conduct on the field of battle; leading in the charge, encouraging his comrades; occupying the
m,ost advanced position in the last charge; was proposing to
turn the last battery captured on the enemy when the line was
ordered to fall back.'
c
I was very much surprised not being aware of doing anything but my duty."
Surely the bravest are the gentlest. Any one who remembers
J. D. Martin will remember how gentle and kind he always was.
After the war he located at Perry, Ga., where he was twice
married. His first wife was Miss Tony Killen. They had one
daughter who died in young womanhood. His first wife died
a few years after their marriage. H e then married Miss Maneltie Kemp, of Perry, in Houston County. T o this marriage were
born Nell, (Mrs. C. E. Brunson), James Dallas Martin, Jr.,
Miami, Fla., Thomas Martin, Mary Katherine (Mrs. J. R.
Miller), Janie Valentine Martin, Henry Earl Martin.
He, with his wife, youngest son, and Mr. and Mrs. J. R.
Miller, moved to Sylvester in the early part of the year, 1905.
J. D. Martin was a jeweler by trade, but a t one time he was
owner of a large mercantile business in Perry and laterdin Sylvester. H e owned farms and other interests. For a long number of years he was Superintendent of the Baptist Sunday
School and an active deacon, a t both Perry and Sylvester.
H e was always a most active member of his church. W i t h
all the earnestness of his soul he loved the work of his Master
and Lord.
He and Mrs. Martin were consecrated Christians. They
were lovely types of the old South with all its refinement and
culture.
He loved the Confederacy and his Comrades in that war. H e
belonged to Camp Bill Harris of Worth and was Adjutant of
that Camp from 1906 to 1930, when he became too feeble to fill
the office.
T h e second Mrs. Martin died July 2, 1931. H e did not survive her long. H e died Jan. 6th, 1932.
(
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HISTORY O F W O R T H COUNTY, GEORGIA
483
ARCHIE McDERMID CAMERON
Archie McDernlid Cameron was born in Hornet County,
North Carolina, Dec. 4, 1846. H e is of Scotch descent. His
parents were Allen J. Cameron, born in America, Dec. 18,
MRS. L U L A (STORY) CAMERON
A. McD. CAMERON
(MRS. A. Mc.D)
1812, died Dec. 8, 1892. His mother was, before marriage,
Catherine McLean, born June 23, 1813, died May, 1883. They
lived in North Carolina. They were married Sept. 30, 1834.
A. McDermid Cameron was too young t o enlist in the Confederate Arniy until the last year' of the war. He enlisted a t
Fayetteville, Cumberland County, North Carolina. H e was first
put on guard duty a t the arsenal a t Fayettville, N. C. He was
then moved with 80 other men to Franklin on Black Water,
and did picket duty. From there he was put in the dispatch
corps from Garysburg, a few miles from Weldon on the Roanoke River to Fort Williams, a stretch of 70 miles. H e had to
furnish his own horse. While here he was taken sick and was
sent to the hospital a t Weldon. H e received his honorable discharge a t the close of the war twenty-five miles from Raleigh,
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HISTORY O F WORTH COUNTY, GEORGIA
North Carolina. In this year, 1933, he is the only Confederate
soldier living in Sylvester.
H e came to South Georgia in 1881 to engage in the turpentine business. In 1884 he married Miss Lula Story, daughter of
Hon. Warren L. Story, who lived in the northern part of the
county. She is the granddaughter of Sam Story, one of the first
settlers of this county.
A. McD. Cameron and family moved to Sylvester in 1902.
Their children are: Warren L4.,John Archie (both of whom
died in young manhood), Samuel Hugh, Eva Belle, Willie
(died a t the age of 10 years), Louie, Kate (both of whom died
young), Pope, Maggie, and McD., Jr. (the latter having died
just as he reached young manhood).
On January 23, 1934, Mr. and Mrs. McDermid Cameron entertained a t their home on Isabella Street, Sylvester, the occasion marking the fiftieth anniversary of their marriage. Receiving with Mr. and Mrs. Cameron were their children, Mrs,
Warren A. Cameron 01 West Palm Beach, Florida, Mr. and
Mrs. S. Hugh Cameron, of Bunnell, Florida, Miss Eva Belle
Cameron, of Sylvester, Mr. and Mrs. Pope B. Cameron of Titusville, Florida, and Miss Maggie Cameron, of Haines City,
Florida, xnd grandchildren, Warren A. Cameron of West Palm
Beach, Florida, and little Myla Lu and Anne Cameron of Titusville, Florida.
Rev. E. L. Baskin, the pastor of the Baptist Church, rededicated their marriage vows in a most impressive ceremony,
About 180 guests called during the hours from 4 to 6 o'clock
to offer their congratulations and best wishes. The beautiful
and appropriate gifts on display were tokens of the love and
esteem of Mr. and Mrs. Cameron's hosts of friends.
HENRY STEWART
T h e Stewart family were all natives of Schley County, Georgia. Henry, with his family, moved to Worth County in 1903
from Ellaville and settled near his brother, Peter Stewart,
just north of Sumner, Ga.
H e was a Confederate soldier, enlisting at Butler, Ga., in the
10th Ga. Regiment, Company 8, in 1864. He was too young to.
enlist sooner. He surrendered at Doctortown. H e received a
pension in Worth County.
H e came back to his-home in Schley County after the war,
Like all the South, he was left dependent on his own exer-
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HISTORY O F WORTH COUNTY, GEORGIA
485
tions and initiative for his existence and success. Through
his perseverence, good management, and industry he accumulated enough of this world's goods for his family and himself
to live on comfortably down to old age. His splendid country
home on his farm where he lived for 30 years, and where he
died April 13, 1930, is a monument to his effort. His son, H.
Bartlet Stewart, now lives a t the old homestead.
His religious faith and convictions he lived every day. H e
was a member of Ephesus Church located in his community.
H e discharged the full measure of his duty as an honest and
patriotic citizen with an eye always to the welfare of his home,
church, community, and country. H e was a democrat.
H e was born Oct. 24, 1847, married in May, 1881, to Lillian
Jane McCrary. She was born Feb. lst, 1866. Their children are :
Lillian Stewart, married Clyde B. Chapman, H. Bartly Stewart, photographer of Sylvester, married Mildred Little, ~ o h n
Stewart married Orrel Williams. Paul J. Stewart, unmarried,
Sophia Stewart married M. T. Chapman.
PETER STEWART
Peter Stewart was a Confederate Soldier. H e enlisted Sept.
1st 1861, and served through the war. H e participated in many
hard fought battles, but was never wounded. H e was mt~stered
out a t the end of the war in 1865. He enlisted in Schley County,
H e moved with his family to Worth in 1889 from Ellaville,
Schley County, Ga. He received a pension for service in
Schley and Worth Counties.
H e settled north of Sumner near the Ephesus Church. H e
was a farmer and devoted his long and useful life to his farming interest in which he was successful beyond the average.
H e was a member of Ephesus Church of the Progressive Primitive Baptist belief.
His love for his Lord and Master, Jesus Christ, was shown
by his faithfulness, and activities in all his church affairs.
His sterling character and gracious refinement drew around
him a host of friends who held him in high regard, and secured
for him the confidence and trust of the business world. He was
a staunch democrat, but not a politician.
H e was born July 9, 1843, married Martha Christian Morrison, May 14, 1874. Martha C. (h4orrison) Stewart was born
Nov. 15, 1858. She died Not.. 26, 1897. Their children are: Dr.
(Dentist) W. W. Stewart, married Dora Hillhouse, Pearl
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HISTORY O F WORTH COUNTY, GEORGIA
Stewart married Tom G. Snipes, Ed. D. Stewart, married
Pauline Hendry, Dr. W. Kenneth Stewart, M. D., married
Rebecca Harris. Mattie Stewart died in young womanhood.
Peter Stewart died young. Louis Stewart.
Peter Stewart was left by the death of his wife with some
very small children, hut he filled the place of both parents.
He reared his children to lives of usefulness and honor. They
are reckoned with the most prominent people in the communities in which they live.
Peter Stewart was 18 years old at the beginning of the
W a r Between the States. His father, Henry Stewart, and
two brothers, Randall and Alexander, had enlisted a t the
earliest opportunity. His father's plans were for Peter to
remain a t home in charge of the plantation, slaves, and the
family.
On account of his father's age the relatives, friends and
neighbors tried to dissuade him from going into service.
When they failed with other meastlres they suggested that
if Peter would enlist it would be imperative.for him t o stay
a t home as next son (Henry) was only 16.
Without consulting his father, Peter gave his name and
was present a t roll call the next drill day a t old Red Bone
precinct. in Marion County. Upon hearing Peter's name,
his father sought hirn out and restated his plans. Peter explained his reasons for enlisting and when his father still
refused to have his name stricken, offered t o have his own
taken off, to which his father replied, "No, we four will
go together. Our folks will get along somehow."
His father died in the winter of 1862 of measles and
pneumonia while encamped in Virginia. Peter was given a
furlough to bring the body home. When he arrived in Macon
he foresaw he could go no further on account of a railroad
washout. His father was born in Bibb County. H e married
Sophie McKinley there before settling in Schley County.
Peter knew he had brothers still living in the vicinity of
Macon, and the distress of his dilemma, began inquiry about
them. T h e first person he approached pointed to a man unhitching his horse t o go home. This was one of the McKinleys. Peter went home with his uncle who the next day
directed him to the cemetery where his mother had been buried
and they placed him by her side.
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HISTORY O F WORTH COUNTY, GEORGIA
487
ABNER FAIRCLOTH
Abner Faircloth enlisted in the Confederate Army with the
first Company in Baker County, Ga. H e was placed in the 6th
Georgia Regiment under the Command of Brigadier-General,
Alfred H. Colquitt. It was the first regiment to enlist for the
war from Georgia. H e served in Virginia, North Carolina, in
Florida and again in Virginia and North Carolina. H e was
sent home on sick furlough for three months and after this
transferred t o 10th Georgia Regiment near the close of the
war. H e was in the war from the first year to the last, except
the three months he was on sick furlough. After the war he
returned to his home in Baker County. H e received a pension
in the last years of his life.
H e married Lanie Armendy Calhoun, Jan. 31, 1866. They
moved to Sylvester, Worth County, and he lived here most of
his life afterward except a few years he lived in Florida, after
the death of his wife, who died in Sylvester, Feb. 22, 1901.
H e was born in Baker County, Ga., June 25,1842, and died in
Sylvester, March 10, 1929. They were members of the Baptist Church. They were God-fearing and gentle, kind people.
They were the parents of six children. Their son, Robert
Lee, died young; Lizzie, married Bob Richardson. Annie married Mose Dees, Joseph married Irene Goggins. Mamie and
Irene.
All their daughters live in Sylvester. Their son, Joseph, lives
in Daytona, Florida.
GEORGE DEES
George Dees was among the first to answer the call to arms
in the struggle between the North and the South.
H e enlisted in Miller County and was placed in the 6th Georgia Regiment and was with the first Boys in Gray to march
away to war from Georgia. I l e served in Virginia, North Carolina and Florida in many hard fought battles. H e was wounded, from which he never entirely recovered, was sent home. on
furlough and was never able to return.
H e married Sallie Carmichael in 1866. They had eight chil-
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H I S T O R Y O F W O R T H C O U N T Y , GEORGIA
dren, all died but one, Mose Dees of Sylvester. Sallie (Carmichael) Dees died in 1882.
In the year 1883, he married Miss Josephine Davis. Five
children were born t o them. Only one lives. Ida, married William Khory. She lives in Galveston, Texas. His last wife survives him; she lives in Sylvester. Mrs. Khory was reared in
Sylvester. His children are among the best citizens where they
live.
George Dees was born in Miller County, Ga., Aug. 27, 1844,
and died September 9th, 1923, in Sylvester.
G.J. WALLACE
Mr. Wallace came to Worth County when Sylvester was in
its infancy. He built and occupied a home on the site of the
Pinson Memorial Church.
The residence was moved to the north side of the lot and is
now used a s the RIethodist Parsonage.
Mr. Wallace was born in South Carolina, Jan. 10, 1839.
When a young man he settled in Sumter County, near Americus, where he lived until the beginning of the Civil W a r .
He was married t o Miss Lizzie Carter, Oct. 19, 1865, and
after her death he married Mrs. Nannie Carter DeVane, Nov.
24, 1875, and after her death he married Miss Fannie Perry,
Nov. 4, 1903.
He died of heart failure Nov. 16, 1918. Had he lived two
more months he would have rounded out his four score years.
He was a devout member of the Methodist Church from
young manhood.
Mr. Wallace was public-spirited and active in the uplift and
betterment of every interest of the town and county.
The Confederacy never had a braver and more patriotic
soldier. T h e joy and glory of his declining years was recounting his war experiences.
His shroud and "winding sheet" was his old grey uniform
as he had requested.
April loth, 1861, he enlisted a t Americus-Company K,
First Ga., Regt~lars.Capt. F. T. Cullens of Fort Gaines, Ga.,
was his first Captain and first Colonel, Charles J. Williams,
Columbus, Ga. The organization of this Company was a t Tybee
Island, Ca. His Brigadier-General was Tige Anderson and
was in Longstreet's Division.
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HISTORY O F WORTH COUNTY, GEORGIA
489
He was in the following battles: Drainsville, near Washington, D. C., a t Richmond, f days fight, at Seven Pines, a t Sharpsburg, Ald., where he was wounded and finally lost his leg. T h i s
battle, Sept. 17th 1862. Although a cripple for 56 years h e
was industriotls, frugal and thrifty and thereby reared a large
family and provided well, also for the "rainy day."
His children were Mrs. Pearl Hill, Messrs G. A., G. W., a n d
J. L. Wallace. H e and Mrs. Nannie Wallace, his second wife,
reared four orphan children of Mrs. Wallace's brother. They
were Mrs. Josie Carter Lee (C. H.), Mrs. Nannie Carter
Strangward, (C. H.), Mr. Berry Carter.
T.J. BRITT
T. J. Britt, a Confederate Soldier who immigrated t o W o r t h
County a long while ago, was one of the county's most substantial citizens. H e was straight-forward in his dealingsgentle and kind in his disposition. H e died in Worth at thehome of his son-in-law, J. M. Watson, a t the ripe old age of'
85 years, June 15,1931.
He was born and reared in Monroe County. H e enlisted in
the Confederate Army in that county a t the beginning of t h e
war and served through the war.
He married Abby Lebonia Holt of Monroe County, Mar. 5,.
1872. She was born in Monroe County, Jan. lst, 1847. She w a s
the daughter of Kitchen Holt and wife, Abbygail (Britten)
Holt. They were natives of Washington County, Georgia.
T. J. Britt and wife had three children, Sara Frances, Cassie
and Wm. Cary Britt. Sarah Frances Britt was born Feb. 7th,.
1873. She married J. M. Watson of Dooly County, Oct. 13,
1889. This couple moved to Worth and settled on a farm in t h e
southern part of the county, where he still lives. She died 1930,
J. M. Watson was a member of the Board of Commissioners
for several .terms. H e is one of the leading farmers of t h e
county and held in high esteem by all who know him.
Mr. and Mrs. Watson had four children, Thomas Luther,.
Bettie, Lewis, and Herbert,
Bettie, their only daughter, married R. J. Free, County Warden for more than ten years. H e was chief of police of Sylvester
for several years. H e is a native of Habersham County, born
Sept. 11, 1383.
The children of R. J. Free and wife, Bettie (Watson) Free,
are Ethel, Edgar, J. Howell, R. J., Free, Jr., Bernard Grover,
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HISTORY O F W O R T H COUNTY, GEORGIA
ALEX BALKCOM
Alex Balkcom, an honored citizen of Worth County for
Inany years, moved from Quitman County in 1892. He was
born in Jones County, Georgia, January 26,1847, and was married to Josephine Warren October 8, 1871. She was the daughter of Luther Warren, and lived in Quitman County, Georgia.
H e enlisted in the Confederate Army in 1861, and was discharged in 1865. H e received a pension in Worth County during
the years 1920-1921, skipped 1922, and then again in 1923,1924,
and 1925. He died ~ e c e r n b e r25, 1925. His wife died June 13th,
1930. Their children were: Luther, married to Emma Collier;
Hattie, married to Charles Wesley Powell; Cora, married t o
Leonard M. Sumner; Koxie, married to Owen B. Williams;
Carrie, married to Ernest F. Snipes, and Maggie, married t o
Alexander C. Stewart, all of them being citizens of LVorth
County.
JAMES H. PARRISH
Confederate Soldier
James H. Parish was born, reared, and was married in
Lowndes County, Ga.
H e enlisted for the South during her darkest days and
bravely fought on her front lines from Lowndes County in the
W a r Between the States.
After the war he moved to VCTorth,where he lived for thirty
years, until his death a t the age of seventy-four years.
"Uncle Jim" as he was familiarly called was a devout Primitive Baptist Christian. and a great advocate of Senator
Thomas Watson. He was buried at Mt. Pisgah Church by the
side of his beloved wife.
His children: W. C. Parrish, C. S. Parrish, 0. C. Parrish,
Mrs. Lillie Tatum, Mrs. Rosella Higgs.
W. D. GILLIS
W. D. Gillis was a pioneer of this section of the State. He
first began his start in Albany, Ga., having moved there from
Virginia. H e served in the Confederate Army, having fought
under Stonewall Jackson all through the war, except the last
eighteen months. He was captured b y the Yankees and carried
to Elmira, N. Y., and held a prisoner. While in prison there
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HISTORY OF WORTH COUNTY, GEORGIA
49 1
he served as a waiter. Uncle Bill and Jesse J. Hall were also
prisoners there a t the same time.
Mr. Gillis (Uncle Dan, as he was familiarly called) came
to Worth County during the reconstruction period, and by
his shrewd foresight and careful economy, accumulated considerable wealth in lands and timber. He was also a shrewd
and successful trader, and as long as he lived conducted a
small mercantile business.
GREEN WOOD BATEMAN
Green JVood Bateman came to this county after the W a r
Between the States in which he served in the Confederate
Army. He was born in Twiggs County about 1841. He moved
to Macon County and then t o -Worth, where he was married
on July 31,1873, to Mary Moree, a native of this county. They
had one child, Mollie Jane, born on July 24, 1874.
Mrs. Mary (Moree) Bateman died July 24, 1874. Mollie Jane
Bateman died Oct. 21, 1875.
Mr. Green Wood Bateman married the second time, Mrs.
Minda (Moree) Rouse, a sister to his first wife, the widow of
Whid Rouse. She had two little girls, Lena and Della Rouse.
T h e children of Green IVood and Minda Bateman are, ( I )
Henry Wood Bateman who married Abi Southwell. Their
children are Rushia Bell, Adine.
(2) Minnie Lee, who married John Hall.
(3) Rufus Morgan Bateman who married Mollie Aultman,
Their children are Myres, Will Green.
(4) Carrie Ella, who married first, Frank Williams, had one
child, Adeline, (Mrs. J. L. Tison), Carrie Ella married second,
G. A. Hill, and has one child, Walter.
(5) Annie Lizzie, who married first, Charley Braswell, had
two sons T. W. and Charley Braswell. T. W. Braswell was
killed in an auto accident in 1928. H e was a most promising
young business man. Annie Lizzie married the second time,
William Crawford Hall.
(6) Luther Green Batelnan married Nella Gaulden, a descendant of the noted McLendon family of Georgia. She is a
direct descendant of Jacob McLendon, Sr., who served in the
Revolutionary W a r with the Wilkes County Riflemen under
Elijah Clark in Georgia. Their children are Graham, Minda,
Monteen, William, Ronald, Edwin, Luther G. Bateman died
April 8, 1927.
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H I S T O R Y O F W O R T H COUNTY, GEORGIA
The children and most of the grand children of Green Wood
and Minda Bateman live in and near Sylvester. They are enterprising, substantial citizens.
Lena Rouse, second daughter of Mrs. G. W . Bateman by a
former marriage, married Crawford Spring of Waycross.
Della Rouse, her first daughter by Whid Rouse, married the
late George Price of Sylvester. She was his second wife. She
died without issue.
Mrs. Green Wood Bateman was a woman of a most lovable
character, a devout Christian, a member of the Baptist Church,
a model housewife and mother. She died Jan. 19, 1906. Mr.
Bateman was a progressive farmer, and a consistent member of the Methodist Church, in every relation of life he was
faithful and reliable. He died Nov. 17, 1906.
JOHN HARSHBURGER
John Harshburger, Confederate Veteran, was born in Agust a County, Va., near Staunton, Jan. 2, 1842.
He enlisted in the Confederate Army in July 1861 at Staunton, Va., in Co. F., 52nd Regiment, Va. Infantry, Army of
Northern Va., C. S. A.
He married Miss Agnes' Wilson of Rockbridge County, Va.,
near Lexington. Some years later they moved t o Orange
County, Fla., where they lived until about 1897 o r '98 when
they came to Pot~lan,Ga. He died Fell. 13, 1922.
COCHRAN, SR.
Mr. J. T. Cochran, Sr., was born in Hanson County, North
*Carolina,August 2nd, 1842. He married Mary Frances Lundy
in Terrell County, Georgia, March 15, 1868.
He served in the W a r Between the States from the beginning t o the end, and was a brave soldier, a member of Co. C,
42nd Ga. Regt. The last nine months of the war were spent
in prison at Elmira, N. Y., where he was at the time of the
surrender.
H e moved to Worth County in the early eighties and located a t Isabella, where he established a mercantile business a t
the old county site, and remained there for a number of years,
later moving to Sylvester and continued his mercantile business very st~ccessfullyuntil forced to retire on account of
failing health, turning his business over t o his son. J. T. Coch-
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HISTORY OF WORTH COUNTY, GEORGIA
493
ran, J r . His health continued to decline and his death occurred
in 1914.
Mrs. Cochran died sept. 29,1934, eighty-seven years old. They
were consistent memhers of the First Baptist Church of Syl-
J. T. COCHRAN, SR.
vester, and raised a large and interesting family, as follows:
Lola, married G. H. Reynolds. They now reside a t Fernandina, Fla. Neely, who married J. 0. Gregory, a native of
W o r t h County ; Eula, married to John L. Tipton of Sylvester;
Alma, married t o W. M. Brooks, of Mitchell County, now
living a t Fernandina, Fla.; Annie, married t o D. J. Woolbright, of Terrell County; I. T., Jr., now of Sylvester, married
t o Rosa Fleming, of Gogginsville, Ga.
J. HUGH SHIVER
J. H u g h Shiver was born in Brooks County. He enlisted in
the Confederate Army in Brooks County in 1861 and served
during the four years of the war. H e came to W o r t h County
soon after the w a r was over and married Lizzie Shiver, a distant cousin. H e was a farmer-it was the life he loved. He
quietly returned to the pursuits of peace and with energy,
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HISTORY OF WORTH COUNTY, GEORGIA
industry and perseverence did his part toward restoring his
beloved Southland which had been devastated by the war.
T o the union of J. Hugh Shiver and wife Lizzie Shiver, eight
children were born.
Lard M. married Martha Ellen Calhoun. Hard S. married
first, Betsy Calhoun-second,
Mindie Moree. Bob married
Jean Shiver; Mittie married Hyson Shiver; Lou married Sam
Calhoun.
On September 17, 1889, J. Hugh with "Buddy" Shiver and
Henry Rouse were going to Albany when a thunder storm
overtook them. They got out of their vehicle and sought the
shelter of a tree. Lightning struck the tree and killed all three
a t the same time.
J. Hugh and his brother "Buddy" Shiver are buried in the
same grave a t Bethel Church Cemetery. He has many descendants in this County who have always been numbered with her
best citizens. The early members of the Shiver family lived in
the western part of the county. T h e land that Sylvester stands
on was first owned by a Shiver.
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CHAP'TEK XXII
WORTH IN THE WAR BETWEEN
THE STATES
CAPTAIN JAMES M. ROUSE
Capt. Rouse was Enlistment Officer for Worth during the
year 1861. During this year the drafts were enlisted by District
instead of Companies, and later put into Companies.
T h e Rouse Family is of English lineage. They settled in the
early colonial period in Charleston, S. C., a t a n early date.
Some of the Rouse family immigrated to Burke County, Ga.
Capt. James M. Rouse came to Worth from Wilmington, N. C.
Many of the Rouse family settled in Worth County and
served in the Confederate Army.
Captain James M. Rouse was Captain of Coinpany F. 57th
Georgia Regiment, Anderson's Brigade, Hood's Division,
Longstreet's Corps., Army Northern Virginia.
The following letter found in "Original Do.cuments" in the
Department of Archives and History, W a r Between the States,
written by Capt. James M. Rouse t o Gen. Henry C. Wayne,
in which he signs himself Colonel, we give below:
"Warwick, Geo.,
Sept. 12th, 1861.
"Gen. Henry C. Wayne:
Sir :"Enclosed I send you true copy of the enrollments of the
Militia of each Militia District in this County as returned by
each Captain t o Maj. Edward Barber and by said Barber t o
myself in compliance with General Orders.
"The aggregate make 327 including some few that belong to
Volunteer Companies. I think 320 will cover the entire Militia in this county.
"Respectfully Yours,
James M. Rouse, Col.
Worth County, Ga."
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HISTORY O F WORTH COUNTY, GEORGIA
Col. James M. Rouse was always called Captain Rouse in
Worth County. H e served through the war and was wounded,
but recovered.
H e was one of the most influential characters in the County
before and after the W a r . H e was a large land owner, stock
raiser, and merchant. H e lived in Warwick, a t the old site of
Warwick.
R story is told of a very rough character in the neighborhood who would dash on his horse into town and through the
store houses to terrify the citizens. Old Capt. Rouse would
sit in his store door with nothing t o defend himself and the
rough neck would never attempt t o ride in. T h e ruffian, knowing the Captain to be absolutely fearless, did not dare to come
near him.
His rectitude, dignity, and energy entitled him t o the position he held as one of the foremost men of the County. He
held many public offices in the county, showing the confidence the people placed in him.
James b4. Rouse was T a x Receiver for the years 1856-'58'60-'61. H e then went into the Confederate Army o r Service.
When he returned from the W a r he was sent to the Legislature for the year 1868. During t h a t stormy time it required
a man of his calibre. H e was again sent in 1877-'78.
H e was born May 3rd, 1830, died June 15, 1892. Married
Sallie J. Posey, born Nov. 14, 1836, died May 13, 1894.
They are buried in the Smoak Cemetery.
The children born t o this tlnion were Ann, first wife of Dr.
J. N. Ridley, Sallie J., second wife of Dr. J. N. Ridley, Robert
M. Rouse, Charles Rouse, Henry Rouse, Pleas Rouse, Minor
Rouse, James (Called "Cap.") Rouse.
This couple contributed much t o social, civic, and educational standard of Worth.
They have many descendants in the County.
THE WOMEN OF WORTH I N THE SIXTIES
When the tocsin of W a r was sounded in the war between
the North and the South, the women of Worth, like the women
of the whole South, responded a s gloriously as the Spartan
Mother who sent her son to war t o return carrying his shield or
upon it.
These women of Worth cheered him on the enlistment and
camping grounds singing patriotic songs. They knit his socks,
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HISTORY O F W O R T H COUNTY, GEORGIA
497
wove and made his uniforms, and with their own hands wove
his blankets.
They went t o the fields, often worked the crops, and thus
became the financiers of the family.
They threw everything into the task of lightening the burdens of war. Lee, in writing of his appreciation of the bags of
socks, shirts, uniforms and blankets that came to his camp,
says: "I can almost hear, in the stillness of the night, the
needles click, click, and with every click I know there was a
tear and a prayer."
Jefferson Davis said of the women of the South: "The dear
women of my people deserve to take rank with the highest
heroines of the grandest days of the greatest centuries."
General Sherman said of the Georgia women: "You women
are the toughest set I ever knew. T h e men would have given
up long ago but for yot~.I believe you women would keep this
war up thirty years."
Lucian Lamar Knight says: "The woman of the sixties was
the masterpiece of her divine Creator. No daughter of Dixie
ever disowned her lover because of his afflictions, and though
he hobbled home upon his crutches-the arm with which he
had embraced her was buried beneath the Virginian hillsshe met him a t the gate with a smile upon her lips, and assured him he was still her Cavalier, still enshrined in the temple of her heart."
She never lost faith in God. This sustained her in those trying years of war, and in reconstruction days. Her slaves were
freed and often times she was the sole support of her children
orphaned by the war. Many stories could be told of these women of Old Worth, how bravely they worked to rebuild the
homes and fortunes they had lost.
WOMAN'S PART IN THE CIVIL WAR
While our mothers and grandmothers played an important
part in the W a r Between the States, very few of them were
active participants.
One of our History Committee, Mrs. Rowena Hanes Ford,
with her mother and four other children, were ordered from
their home just before niglitfall, i t being situated in "no-man's
land," between the Federal and Confederate armies, and the
historical battle of Jonesboro practically in progress. A cannon stationed at her gate had been fired down the principal
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498
HISTORY O F WORTH COUNTY, GEORGIA
street, and killed a prominent citizen in the opposite end of the
town. Two neiglzl~ors,who were too old t o go to war, gathered
their families and her mother's, hurriedly collected a few
blankets, clothes, and some food, and they camped in a great
hillside ditch two miles out of town. Pinetops with blankets
spread over them were their beds. Confederate soldiers came
around the campfire and kept watch over them.
For many of the soldiers, that was the last night on earth;
as a thousand sleep in Pat Cleburne Cemetery, only two or
three hundred yards from her home.
Some of the neighboring homes were burned. Hers was
not, but there were shell holes you could put a barrel through,
and the house was a wreck inside-ransacked by Kilpatrick's
Raiders and Sherman's army.
She still has a beautiful card case containing her mother's
visiting cards, which was found six miles south of town in the
pocket of a dead Yankee, and returned t o her. The family
Bible was found a t Marietta, Ga., five or six years after the
war and brought back by a friend.
The flag of the Benjamin Infantry, which was her father's
company, and the first to go from Clayton County, was taken
from her mother's bureau drawer, it having been sent home bjher father, when replaced by a regimental flag. This flag was
returned to Georgia among a number of others several years
ago. She has the history of it, which was published at the
time in the Atlanta Constitution.
Hopeless and demoralized, her family refugeed to Irwin
County, and remained until the war was over, being within a
few miles of Irwinville when Jeff Davis was captured there,
which she can remember.
When the family returned to the wreck of their home a t
Jonesboro, she can also remember that their yard was full of
soldiers graves; and gazed with horror when the bodies were
removed-the
Confederates to the rapidly filling cemetery
nearby, and the Federals to Marietta, Ga.
She little thought then that she would return in twenty
years and spend the remainder of her life in the same section
of the State to which her family refugeed.
COMPANY B, lOTH GEORGIA-"WORTH
By M. Henderson
REBELS"
Brief records of their campaignings, Heroic deeds, etc.,
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HISTORY O F WORTH COUNTY, GEORGIA
499
a s secured from Capt. Manasseh Henderson, Hon. William
Henderson, and the Georgia Archives. There were four companies that went from Worth.
Independents."
Co. G, 14th Ga., Regiment-"yancey's
Co. B, loth, Ga., Battalion-Worth Rebels.
Co. F, 57th) Ga. Regiment.
Co. F, 10th Ga. State Troops.
Capt. Manasseh Henderson and his brother, Hon. William
Henderson, enlisted in Worth Couilty for service in the W a r
Between the States. They were neighbors, schoolmates, and
personally acquainted with most of the members of the Worth
County Companies.
Their father, Daniel Henderson, was the first captain of the
"Worth Rebels," which company was organized in March,
1862.
Captain Henderson was a member of the Legislature from
Worth County during the entire time he was in service, and
he obtained ftlrloughs to attend its sessions. Being over age,
and legislative duties pressing upon him, in the fall of 1863
he resigned and returned home.
Lieut. William A. Greer was then promoted to the captaincy.
I n the fall of 1864, Capt. Greer's health incapacitated him
for service, and the command of the company fell upon Manasseh Henderson.
H e was in command of the company on that memorable
morning when the great and noble southern chieftain, General
Robt. E. Lee, surrendered to General U. S. Grant a t Appomattox'Courthouse, Va., April 9th) 1865. Captain Henderson made
a gallant officer, and never asked his men to go where he did
not lead.
The following is Captain Henderson's account of the service
of the "Worth Rebels" during the war, and a roster of that
company which he prepared for the Georgia Roster Commission in 1904:
Soon after the organization of the 10th Battalion a t Camp
Stephens, it was ordered to Macon, Ga., where it was engaged in guarding a large number of Federal prisoners, then
.confined in the old fair grounds a t that city, during the summer and fall of 1862.
In December, 1862, the battalion went under orders to
Fredericksburg, Va., where General Lee's army was then located, and was attached to Gen. G. T. Anderson's Brigade,
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HISTORY O F WORTH COUNTY, GEORGIA
along with the 7th) 8th, 9th, and 11th Ga., Regts., and formed
a part of Longstreet's Corps.
Early in the spring of 1863, Longstreet's Corps was ordered
to Southeast Virginia, and on arrival besieged the town of
Suffolk, Va., where there was, at that time, a considerable
Federal army. The object of this movement was for the purpose of foraging out and collecting all the provisions and army
supplies possible in that part of Virginia and adjoining portions of North Carolina, east of the Black Water river.
After the purposes of this campaign had all been accomplished, General Longstreet withdrew his corps from Suffolk,
Va., and began retracing his steps to rejoin General Lee a t
Fredericksburg, Va., who was then preparing, and on the eve
of beginning, his memorable Pennsylvania campaign.
The 10th Battalion having so recently gone to Virginia from
Georgia, and in the dead of winter a t that, as a natural consequence, by the close of Longstreet's campaign around Suffolk,
over half the battalion's men were absent, sick in hospitals,
and those present were in poor plight for service.
About the time that Longstreet was withdrawing from
Suffolk, Va., Colonel Jack Brown's Regiment of Georgians
arrived in Virginia from Georgia or some point South, and a s
the 10th Battalion's ranks were so decimated from sickness,
as above stated, Colonel Brown's Regiment relieved the battalion temporarily as it was understood, and the battalion
was ordered to Old Fort Powhatan on the James River, a short
distance below City Point, to recuperate and get in better
shape for active service. Fortunately for the 10th Battalion, the
arrangement by which Colonel Brown's Regiment relieved it
from duty with Anderson's Brigade, was made permanent and
the battalion for nearly a year following did no hard service.
The battaliion was relieved from Anderson's Brigade at
Franklin, Va., on the march returning from Suffolk to Fredericksburg, about the middle of April, 1863, and marched t o
Fort Powhatan as ordered, and remained in camp there over a
month, when orders were received to strike camp and move
to a point near Petersburg, Va. This camp of the battalion
was near the spot where the famous "Blow-up" occurred about
a year later.
After remaining at this camp for nearly or quite a month,
doing little or no duty, orders were received for the command
to return to Franklin, Va., where it arrived about the middle
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