In 1940s Perry Lee Pittman was a patrolman for the State Highway Department. He was renting a house on Jones Street, Ray City, GA where he lived with his wife, Inez, and their minor children: Howard Pittman, Tommy Pittman, Johnny Pittman, Meredith Williams,  and Cyril Williams.  He was a son of Louranie W. “Rainey” Register and John Edward Pittman.  He was born in Clinch County, GA and lived for many years in Berrien County, GA.

Perry L. Pittman served as the State Representative from Berrien County, GA, and was noted for his opposition to the  Georgia Constitutional Amendment that violated the voting rights of African-Americans in Georgia.

Perry L. Pittman, July 14, 1949, Chaplain of the American Legion, Otranto Post No. 115, Berrien County, GA. Image courtesy of berriencountyga.com

Perry L. Pittman was dedicated in service to his country and community.  He was a veteran of World War I, a teacher, law enforcement officer, and state legislator.  He was active in the American Legion and other civic organizations, and a member of the Primitive Baptist faith.

Perry L. Pittman, the State Representative from Ray City, GA.

Atlanta Constitution
February 20, 1941

Representative P. L. Pittman of Berrien.

A representative for a decade, Perry L. Pittman now knows just what makes the wheels behind the law-making body of Georgia turn. He’s a teacher and a farmer and for 18 years has taught in the rural section.  A World War veteran who is most interested in education and agriculture, he is staunchly opposed to the grandfather clause.  He believes in economy and hopes to curtail expenditures whereby all past obligations may be paid in full and old people may receive their benefits through pensions.  He thinks pensions should be equally divided among the blind, cripple, and the dependent.  The solon is 42, married, the father of four daughters and one son.

THE GRANDFATHER CLAUSE

The Grandfather Clause was part of Georgia’s 1908 Disfranchisement Constitutional Amendment , an amendment to the Georgia Constitution that was written specifically to prevent African-Americans from voting in Georgia.  It worked by requiring voters to pass certain tests before they would be allowed to vote, but if your grandfather fought in the Civil War you were exempt from the tests.   According to the Georgia Info website:

In 1906, Hoke Smith campaigned for governor on a progressive platform — but one that championed disfranchisement of Georgia’s black voters. To accomplish this, Smith supported a constitutional amendment that provided that any male at least 21 years of age wanting to register to vote must also: (a) be of good character and able to pass a test on citizenship, (b) be able to read and write provisions of the U.S. or Georgia constitutions, or (c) own at least 40 acres of land or $500 in property. However, any Georgian who had fought in any war from the American Revolution through the Spanish-American War was exempted from these additional qualifications. More importantly, any Georgian descended from a veteran of any of these war also was exempted. Because by 1908, most white Georgia males were grandsons of Confederate veterans, this exemption became known as the “grandfather clause.” Essentially, the qualifications of good character, citizenship knowledge, literacy, and property ownership applied only to blacks wanting to register to vote.

Georgia’s Grandfather clause remained in effect until it was struck down by the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Perry Lee Pittman was sworn in as Chaplain of the American Legion Otranto Post 115 (Berrien County, GA) in July 1947, along with other officers. Image and original caption (below) courtesy of http://www.berriencountyga.comAmerican Legion Officers, July 1947
The Georgia Legionnaire, August 1947
photo caption:
NEW OFFICERS FOR OTRANTO – Georgia Department Commander of the American Legion, W.E. Burdine (left), installed new officers of Otranto Post 115 (Berrien County) July 7 and is shown congratulating Fred T. Allen, post commander. Looking on are: E.A. Alexander, historian; P.L. Pittman, chaplain. Back row, left to right: Bennie L. Tygart, vice-commander; A.D. Harnage, sergeant-at-arms; Bayne Griffin, finance officer; R.E. Williams, adjutant. (Photo by Jamie Connell) 

From Ray City, the Pittmans moved to Nashville, GA.  Later they would live in Homerville, GA and Valdosta, GA.

Perry L. Pittman & family move to Clinch County

Clinch County News
February 13, 1953.

Perry L. Pittman and Family Move Here from Nashville

    Mr. and Mrs. Perry L. Pittman and family have moved here [Homerville, GA] from Nashville.     A few days ago Mr. Pittman bought the new home recently build in Hodges Gary subdivision from Mr. A. C. Colley.     He is a field agent with the State Revenue Department, Sales tax Division working in Clinch, Lanier, Echols and Charlton Counties.     Mr. Pittman was born in Clinch County, but has spent most of his life in Berrien County.  He taught school for over 20 years and has served in both houses of the state legislature, from Berrien County.  He has been active in the American Legion and other civic organizations in Nashville and is a member of Long Bridge Primitive Baptist Church.

Children of Perry Lee Pittman and Annie Jewell Fountain (1900 – 1934)

1. William Arthur Pittman (1921 – 1945)
2. Thomas Pittman (1924 – )
3. Perry Howard Pittman (1927 – 1995)
4. John Wesley Pittman (1933 – )

Children of Perry Lee Pittman and Vida Inez Webb (1905 – )

1. Meredith Williams (1925 – )
2. Fred J. Williams (1927 -)
3. Cyril Williams (1932 – )
4. Glenda Faye Pittman (1939 – )

Related Posts:

• 1922 Spring Fever Hits Ray City
• James Henry Swindle ~ Businessman and Public Servant
• Knight of Berrien ~ Jonathan Perry Knight
• The Samuel Irvin Watson Highway
• June 2, 1967  Jack Knight heads up Alapaha Bar

Ray City, GA

Perry L. Pittman and family rented this Ray City, GA home in the 1930s and 1940s.

Perry L. Pitman was a son of Louranie W. “Rainey” Register and John Edward Pittman.  He was born December 3, 1898 in Clinch County, GA and lived for many years in Berrien County, GA.  As a young man, Pittman was of medium height and medium build, with blue eyes and black hair.  He first married Annie Jewel Fountain, on July 27, 1921 in Berrien County, GA.  She was daughter of William E. Fountain and Nancy Elizabeth Bradford.  After Annie’s death on July 17, 1934, Perry L. Pittman raised their children on his own of several years.

On November 27, 1935 Pittman married Vida Inez Williams,  the widow of Fred Williams.  She  was born August 9, 1903, a daughter of James Alford Webb and Pearlie Ann Register.  For a time, in the late 1930s and 1940s Perry and Inez Pittman made their home in Ray City, GA. Perry was a patrolman for the highway department, working 60 hours a week for an annual salary of $1200 dollars.

1940 census enumeration of Perry Lee Pitman and family in Ray City, GA.

During this time Perry Lee Pittman also served as the State Representative from Berrien County, GA. In the state legislature he became noted for his opposition to the Grandfather Clause, the  Georgia Constitutional Amendment that violated the voting rights of African-Americans in Georgia. He was also noted for his opposition to religious ceremonies involving the practice of handling live rattlesnakes.

Related Posts:

• 1922 Spring Fever Hits Ray City
• Perry L. Pittman Opposed Disenfranchisement of Georgia’s Black Voters

Other public servants:

• James Henry Swindle and the Georgia Official and Statistical Register
• Knight of Berrien ~ Jonathan Perry Knight
• Jonathan David Knight, Signer of the Georgia Constitution of 1877
• Dr. Charles Xavier Jones ~ Ray City’s First Elected Mayor

Morris Levin

Morris Levin, 1931.  Morris Levin grew up in Ray City, GA and was later instrumental in bringing industry to the Nashville, GA area. Image detail courtesy of http://berriencountyga.com/

Morris Levin was born August 21, 1915,  in New Hanover County, North Carolina.  He was a  son of Nettie Simon and Abe Levin. As a child he came with his parents  to Ray City, GA where his father went into the grocery business for several years.  The 1920 census shows the family lived in a house on Jones Street, and that Abe Levin was a business owner and employer.  Abe Levin showed his support for the community with an advertisement in the 1929 debut of the Ray City News newspaper.

As a teenager, Morris Levin worked on the Ray City farm 0f Effie Guthrie Knight.  He assisted June Guthrie, Effie’s brother, with the farm labor.    June was responsible for the day to day operation of the farm from a young age, and was a farmer all of his life.  Later, the Levins moved to Nashville, GA and operated stores there for many years.    Whenever the Guthries shopped at the Levin store in Nashville, Morris always treated them with such cordiality and respect.  Many Ray City people, folks like Arrin and Verde Futch, continued to shop with the Levins at their Nashville stores.

Morris and Beverly Levin. Image courtesy of http://berriencountyga.com/

Among the Levin’s good friends in Nashville, was Maude Sizemore.  Maude worked as a practical nurse, and was raising two boys on her own.  The Levins, through their community connections, were able to help Maude with good job opportunities.  One job was providing care for the children of Abraham Simon (A.S.) Harris,  a prominent merchant and owner of the largest department store in Ocilla.

Morris Levin, 1965, photographed by Jamie Connell. Image courtesy of http://berriencountyga.com/

Related Articles

• Abe Levin Starts Family Business At Ray City, GA
• Obituary of Beverly Sinskey Levin
• Jamie Alden Connell, A Life of Service
• 1929 Merchants Support Ray City News
• Abraham Leffler ~ the Merchant from Bavaria
• A Christmas Pickle for Berrien County

John Gaskins (1802 – 1865)

Grave marker of John Gaskins (1802-1865), Riverside Cemetery, Berrien County, GA

 John Gaskins was one of the early pioneers of Berrien County, settling along with his father, Fisher Gaskins,  and brothers near present day Bannockburn, GA.  They made their homes on the west side of the Alapaha River about 16 miles distant from today’s Ray City, GA location, settling there about the same time the Knights and Clements were homesteading in the area around Beaverdam Creek.

John Gaskins was born June 29, 1802 in Warren County, GA. He was the eldest child of Fisher Gaskins and Rhoda Rowe, and a grandson of Thomas Gaskins, Revolutionary Soldier.  When John was around four or five years old, his parents  and grandparents  moved  the family back to Beaufort District, South Carolina, from whence they had originated.  The family appears there in Beaufort District in the Census of 1810. By the time of the 1810 enumeration, John Gaskins’ parents had given him four siblings – two brothers and two sisters.

But immediately following the birth of her fifth child, John’s mother died.  He was eight years old at the time.  His widowed father packed up the five young children and moved the family back to Warren County, GA.  There, on January 17, 1811 his father married Mary Lacy. Her father, Archibald Lacy, was also a veteran of the Revolutionary War, and her brother was the Reverend John B. Lacy, who would later become a prominent  Primitive Baptist Minister.  Around this time John’s father was expanding his livestock business and began looking for good grazing land for his growing herds of cattle.

By 1812, John Gaskins’ father moved the family to Telfair County, GA where he acquired good grazing land for his cattle. His father and his uncle, David Gaskins, were very successful in the cattle business and soon had large herds, not only in Telfair County where they were enumerated in 1820, but also in Walton and other surrounding counties where good natural pasturage could be had.

Around 1821, the Gaskins again moved their families and cattle herds to the south, crossing the Ocmulgee River at Mobley’s Bluff and pushing into the new frontier of Appling County,GA.  John, now a young man of 17 or 18 years old, made the move with his family.  His uncle, David Gaskins, halted in an area of Appling County known as “The Roundabout”, situated in present day Atkinson County, where he found good range land for his cattle. John’s father took his herd across the Alapaha River into then Irwin County at a location that for many years was known as the John Ford.

The Fisher Gaskins clan, John’s father and his brothers, settled west of the Alapaha River a little south of present day Bannockburn, GA near the site of Riverside Church. On April 14, 1825  John Gaskins married Mary Pollie Barrow in Irwin County, GA.      This was about 15 miles north of the area where the Knights and Clements were settling their families above Grand Bay, near present day Ray City, GA.  John and Mary Gaskins established their homestead just to the north of his father’s place. By the end of 1825, the Georgia Legislature divided Irwin County and from the southern portion formed the new county of Lowndes.

On August 11, 1826 Mary Gaskins delivered to John his first son, Gideon Gaskins. A second son arrived on February 16, 1828, whom they named Fisher Jackson Gaskins; Fisher – after his paternal grandfather, and Jackson perhaps after Andrew Jackson, the Hero of New Orleans who would be elected President that year.

John Gaskins appeared as a head of household in Lowndes County in the Census of 1830, as did his father, Fisher Gaskins.  About 1829 or 1830, John’s father moved his cattle across the county and settled on Lot 91 of the 9th Land District, which was subsequently known as the Chambliss place, and later became the home of George D. Griffin.

About 1831 a contagious disease struck Fisher Gaskins’ herd, killing off several hundred head of cattle and inciting the elder Gaskins to seek new pastures yet again. With the help of hired hands, he drove his remaining cattle into North Florida to settle in the area of Alachua County, FL.   John and Mary stayed behind in Lowndes County (now Berrien), as well as John’s brothers,  William and Harmon.

“When he moved to Florida, he [Fisher Gaskins] left much of his herds behind in Georgia to be looked after by his sons, John, William, and Harmon who by that time were grown.  These herds multiplied and in turn, other herds were formed and placed about at various points in what is now Clinch, Echols and Lowndes counties and over in Florida, under the management of herdsmen, who for their services were paid at the end of the year a percentage of the proceeds of the cattle sold that year.  The beef cattle were driven to Savannah and other distant places each year and sold. This arrangement with the herds and herdsmen continued with the elder Gaskins making periodic visits of inspection until his death, after which the three sons in Georgia received the Georgia herds in a division of the estate.”

Cattlemen like John Gaskins sold their Berrien County livestock at points like Savannah, GA or  Centerville on the St. Mary’s River, or Jacksonville, Florida.

John Gaskins fought in the Indian War 1836-1838, serving in Levi J. Knight’s Militia Company.   Georgia historian Folks Huxford wrote,  “His home was visited  by the savages on one occasion while the family was absent, and a good deal of vandalism and theft was committed.”   John Gaskins and his brother William were among those who took part in the Battle of Brushy Creek, one of the last real engagements with the Creek Indians in this region.

At age 38, John Gaskins and family were enumerated in the Census of 1840, still living in the northeast area of old Lowndes county now known as Berrien County. His brother, William, was living next door, and nearby were the homesteads of David Clements and William Clements, and other early settlers.

In 1850 the Gaskins remained in  Lowndes County.  Enumerated nearby the Gaskins home place were the residences of General Levi J. Knight, William Patten, Hardeman Sirmans, David Clements, Moses C. Lee, and other early settlers. John Gaskins was a farmer, with $600 in real estate.

Around 1855 the Gaskins were involved in some sort of public disturbance in Lowndes county.  Hardeman Sirmons, Benjamin S. Garrett, Drewry Garrett, Will Garrett, John Gaskins, William Gaskins, Gideon Gaskins, and Lemuel Gaskins were all brought before the Lowndes Superior Court for their involvement in a riot.  In 1856, however, the Gaskins and their neighbors were cut out of Lowndes county and placed in the new county of Berrien. The defendants were able to have their case  transferred to Berrien County in June of 1856, and apparently escaped serious consequences.

In the Census of 1860 John Gaskins appeared on the enumeration sheets listed next to Thomas M. Ray, who would begin construction of Ray’s Millpond just a few years later.

From 1858 to 1861, John Gaskins served as a Justice of the Peace in Berrien County.

During the Civil War five of his sons joined Georgia Volunteer Infantry regiments: Fisher J. Gaskins, William Gaskins, Lemuel Gaskins, Joseph Gaskins, and Harris Gaskins, .

Children of John Gaskins and Mary Pollie Barrow:

1. Gideon Gaskins, born 1826, Berrien County, GA; married Sarah Knight (July 17, 1831 – February 03, 1902); buried Riverside Baptist Church, Berrien County, GA.
2. Fisher J. Gaskins, Sr., born February 16, 1828, Berrien County, GA; married Elizabeth Sirmans, daughter of Abner Sirmans; served in Company I, 50th GA Regiment; died November 14, 1908, Berrien County, GA; Buried at Riverside Baptist Church.
3. John Gaskins, Jr., born January 16, 1830, Berrien County, GA; married Catherine Calder; died May 6, 1886.
4. Emily Gaskins, born 1832, Berrien County, GA; married Joseph Newbern.
5. William Gaskins, born March 5, 1833; married Elizabeth Clements, daughter of David G. Clements; served in Company I, 54th GA Regiment; died August 27, 1910; buried Empire Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery, Lanier County, GA.
6. Lemuel Elam Gaskins, born 1836, Berrien County, GA; married Sarah Ann Sirmans, daughter of Abner Sirmans; served in Company I, 50th GA Regiment;  died October 26, 1862, Richmond, VA; buried Richmond VA, memorial marker at Riverside Baptist Church.
7. Joseph Gaskins, born April 28, 1840, Berrien County, GA; married Harriet Sirmans, daughter of James Sirmans; served in Company I, 50th GA Regiment; died February 4, 1911; Buried at Riverside Baptist Church.
8. Harmon Gaskins, born 1842, Berrien County, GA; died young.
9. Harrison  “Harris” Gaskins, born April 5, 1842, Berrien County, GA.; married Roxanna “Roxie” Sirmans, daughter of James Sirmans, on April 17, 1862; served in Company K, 29th GA Regiment; died January 7, 1926; Buried at Riverside Baptist Church
10. Bryant Gaskins, born 1846, Berrien County, GA

Clinch County News
April 23, 1937

John Gaskins – 1802-1865

Oldest son of Fisher Gaskins by his first wife. Came to Berrien while a youth, grew to manhood here. His wife was a daughter of Joseph Barrow… Immediately after their marriage John Gaskins and his wife settled on the Alapaha River a short distance north of the old home of his father and near where Bannockburn now is, and there they spent their entire married life together.   The death of John Gaskins occurred at this home July 18, 1865; and 23 years later, January 6, 1888 his widow joined her husband in the spirit-land, at the age of 83.  Both are buried at Riverside Cemetery and their graves are substantially marked. They were the parents of a large family of sons and daughters and their living descendants in this county to-day are very numerous.

John Gaskins was a man who spent his life at home and gave his time and attention to his avocation.  The farm was made self-sustaining; work was the rule and grim want never came to stare the inmates of this farm-home in the face.  Food for family and stock was well and abundantly supplied and the excellence of the range went a long way in helping him to provide meat for family and lay up money from the sales of beef-cattle.  Deer and turkeys were plentiful and could be taken at any time. Fish abounded in the river and with all of these good things around life on the frontier was not so bad after all.  Hogs grew almost wild in the hammocks and only required a few weeks’ finishing off with corn or field crops to be ready for slaughter. Cattle were let to go at large all the time except they were penned regularly for about six weeks during the months of April and May so that they may be marked and branded and kept under control; and the annual sale of these beef-cattle brought the gold in their homes against the rainy-day and old age.

John Gaskins took part in driving the last of the wandering bands of Indians from Georgia soil, and one of the last engagements with the redskins fought on Berrien county soil took place near the home of this old pioneer.  His home suffered from Indian predations to the extent that the feather beds were taken out, the ticks ripped open, the feathers emptied and scattered and the ticks carried away with some other articles of the household.  Some of these articles were recovered, among which was a beautiful pitcher which had been treasured as an heirloom for many years.  The place where the pitcher was recovered after it had been cast aside by the Indians in their flight across the Alapaha River, is known to this day among the local inhabitants as “Pitcher Slough.”

Following the death of John Gaskins in 1865 his sons Fisher J. and John, Jr. served as the administrators of his estate.

Milledgeville Federal Union
August 21, 1866 — page 4

Georgia, Berrien County.
Two months after date application will be made to the Court of Ordinary of said county for leave to sell the lands belonging to the estate of John Gaskins, Sen., deceased, for the benefit of the heirs and creditors of said deceased.
F. J. Gaskins,
John Gaskins, Jr.   Adm’r's.
July 2d, 1866.        WEC       50 9c

Related Posts:

• John Gaskins ~ Berrien Cattleman
• Me and Mrs. Jones: Harmon Gaskins Had A Thing Going On – Twice
• Sarah Knight Gaskins ~ Confederate Widow
• Early Berrien Settlers Traded at Centerville, Georgia
• Short-Arm Bill Parker and the Last Indian Fight In Berrien County
• Portrait of Hardeman Giddens and Martha Gaskins
• Memorial to Levi J. Gaskins
• J. H. Gaskins and the Draft Board Scandal
• Almost Gone ~ Graves of D. Edwin Griner and Sarah Gaskins at New Ramah Cemetery

In 1954, the Confederate letters of John W. Hagan were published by  Bell Irvin Wiley.  Hagan lived in the Cat Creek community near Rays Mill (now Ray City), GA.  In the Civil War, Hagan enlisted in  the “Berrien Minute Men,” a Confederate army unit organized by  Levi J. Knight, original settler at the site of Ray City.  Hagan served in the 29th GA infantry in Company  D, (later reorganized as Company K, the Berrien Minutemen),  and was elected 3rd Sergeant.  By 1864, he was serving as 1st Sergeant, and at times was in command of the Company.

Confederate Letters of John W. Hagan

John W. Hagan wrote regularly from field camps and battle lines to his wife and family back in Berrien County. His letters were typically addressed to Amanda Hagan, his wife, or  Rueben Roberts, his father-in-law.  He frequently mentions relatives, colleagues in the Berrien Minute Men, and other Wiregrass Georgia residents including James Roberts, Ezekiel Roberts, Stephen Roberts, Sherard Roberts, Kiziah Roberts, Bryant J. Roberts, John J. Roberts, George Roberts, James Roberts, Levi J. Knight, Jonathan D. Knight, William Washington Knight, William Sirmans, John Herndon, Wiley E. Baxter, Barzilla Knight, John M. Griffin, Thomas Griffin, Asa Newsome, William Roberts, Benjamin S. Garrett, J. L. Robert, Elias Thomas, Harriet Newell Wilson, Ellen Groover Clifford,  John Moore, Nancy Moore, Isbin B. Giddens, William J. Beatty,  James L. O’Neil, William Giddens, Burrell H. Howell, Moses H. Giddens, James Turner, Edward Maloy, U.D. Knight, Henry Harrison Knight, Edwin Griffin, Wiley E. Baxter, William Cameron, Jonas Tomlinson, Thomas Clifford, Jasper Roberts, John C. Clements, Thomas W. Ballard, James W. Mathis, James D. Pounds, James Giddens, Elias Lastinger, James Fender, Aaron Mattox,  Moses F. Giddens, and  William Anderson.

John W. Hagan witnessed  and described the death of Major John C. Lamb, who commanded the 29th Georgia Regiment until he was killed during the retreat from Vicksburg, MS in 1863.  Hagan also wrote about the execution of “Old Yaller” Elbert J. Chapman, who was shot for desertion even though he had left the 29th Georgia Regiment to serve with another unit.

John W. Hagan was captured during the Battle of Atlanta on July 22, 1864 along with John Hearndon, Jonathan D. Knight, James D. Pounds, among others, and was sent to Camp Chase, OH for the remainder of the war .

The 43 letters he wrote home between 1861 and 1865 were published by Bell Irvin Wiley, and subsequently appeared in the Georgia Historical Quarterly.  The content of these letters may now be viewed online through JSTOR archives of the journal articles.

THE CONFEDERATE LETTERS OF JOHN W. HAGAN. Part I

THE CONFEDERATE LETTERS OF JOHN W. HAGAN: Part II

• Civil War Letters of William Washington Knight 1861-1863 in VSU Archives
• William W. Knight Writes Home About Old Yellow  and Men of the 29th Georgia Infantry
• Levi J. Knight and the Confederate Payroll Fraud
• The Cost of Living in the Confederate States
• Matthew O. Giddens ~ Confederate POW
• William J. Lamb ~ Confederate Veteran
• Sarah Knight Gaskins ~ Confederate Widow
• Green Bullard Fought Sickness in the Civil War
• Matthew Hodge Albritton
• Old Yaller’s Widow Was Denied Pension
• The Poetry of Mary Elizabeth Carroll
• Bryan J. Robert’s Account of the Last Indian Fight in Berrien County

John W. Hagan

John W. Hagan of Berrien County, GA

John William Hagan, born October 10, 1836 in Jefferson County, FL, was a son of John Fletcher Hagan and Elizabeth Dayton. He came to Berrien County, GA around 1858 when he married Amanda Armstrong Roberts. She was the 15 year-old daughter of Reubin Roberts (1807-1874)  and Elizabeth A. Clements (1815-1862), and a niece of Bryant J. Roberts (see Bryan J. Roberts ~ Lowndes Pioneer  and Bryan J. Robert’s Account of the Last Indian Fight in Berrien County).

With the outbreak of the Civil War John W. Hagan enlisted for service in the Confederate States Army, mustering into the 29th Georgia Volunteer Infantry Regiment, Company D, the Berrien Minute Men, in the fall of 1861.  Hagan had prior military experience, having served in 1856-1858 as a private in the Florida Mounted Volunteers, in Captain Edward T. Kendrick’s Company, in actions against the Seminole Indians.  Perhaps because of his education and prior experience , albeit limited,  he was elected on October 1, 1861 to serve as 3rd Sergeant of Company D (Company K after reorganization) of the 29th GA Regiment.

Initially, the 29th Regiment was engaged at advanced batteries providing coastal  defense for Savannah, GA.  In the spring of 1863, the regiment was sent to Charleston, NC, but was quickly dispatched from there to Mississippi in a futile attempt to shore up the defenses of Vicksburg against the advances of federal forces under Ulysses S. Grant.

John W. Hagan wrote regularly from field camps and battle lines to his wife and family back in Berrien County. His letters frequently contain mention his relatives and colleagues in the Berrien Minute Men, including Bryant J. Roberts, Levi J. Knight, Jonathan D. Knight, William Washington Knight, Henry Harrison Knight,  James Fender  and many others.   In all there are 43 confederate letters of John W. Hagan.

In his letter of July 23, 1863 Hagan,  after two years  of war, was obviously disgusted with the looting and destruction the Confederate Army visited upon its own citizens. Writing to his wife, he stated ” I beleave our troops are doing as much harm in this country as the yankees would do with the exception of burning houses.”

While Hagan was with the 29th Regiment in Mississippi deserter Elbert J. Chapman, a private known to the company as “Old Yaller“, was captured and returned to his unit. Chapman, while absent without leave from the Berrien Minute Men, was still acting the part of a soldier fighting with a Texas Cavalry unit.

John W. Hagan in a letter to his wife dated  May 29, 1863 posted from “Camp near Deaconsville, Miss”    included the following:

“Amanda, I have some news to write you. One of our deserters was arrested yesterdy & brought to camp. E. J. Chapman was taken at Canton City. He was a member of a cavelry company in Canton & arrested & brought to camp by one of the Sharp Shooters. He says he has bin in service in this State 5 months, but we do not know what to beleave about him. He also says B. S. Garrett was taken up in this state & shot as a Yankee spye.  If  such is the case I am satisfide with his death but I am sorry he did not get his deserts from the proper hands.  I do not know what will be done with Chapman.  We are going to carry him to Canton City to day or tomorrow, turn him over to the military authority to be  dealt with according to the nature of his offence.”  -May 29, 1863

A month later Hagan, obviously weary of the death and destruction of war, wrote of the court martial and execution of Chapman.

Camp near Forrest City , Miss     July 23rd, 1863

My Dear Wife, I this evening seat myself in this benighted reagen [region] to write you a short letter which leaves Thomas & myself in fine health &ct. I have no news to write cience [since] our retreat from Jackson.  We fought the Yankees 8 days but was forced to retreat for want of  more force.  When we first arrived in Jackson after retreating from Big Black [river] I was confident we could stand our ground & give the Federals a decent whiping. But the longer we stayed and fought them the more reinforcements they got & if we had have stayed & fought a few days longer I fear we would have suffered, for our lines was so long we did not have men to fill the entrenchments & support our batteries.  So we retreated in good order & we had a trying time when we made the retreat. Our Regt was left on the field to hold the enemy in check while the other portion of our Brigade made there escape. The projic [project] was not made known to but few of the men and offercers of the Regt & when we went to leave the field it was suppose by the most of the men that we was only changing our position & they did not know we was retreating until we was all out of danger.  The retreat was well conducted & we lost no men or property on the retreat. We are now stationed near the rail road & expect in a few days to be shiped to some place.  Some think we will go to Tennessee & some think we will go to Charleston or Savannah, but I have but little hope of going to either Savannah or Charleston.  But I beleave we will go to Tennessee or to Mobile.  The fact is, this army is too small to do anything in this country & I think will it will be divided & some sent to Savannah & Charleston & some to Mobile & the rest will be sent to Gen Bragg in Tennessee.  Gen Johnston has given up command to Gen Hardee & has gone on to assist Gen Bragg. We are now waiting for transportation & as soon as transportation can be furnished we will leave for some place we cannot say whear to.  We have had some hard fighting cience [since] we have bin out hear, but our Regt has suffered the least of any Regt in our Brigade or divission. We only lost 9 in killed & wounded while other Regts lost 3 times that number.  I would give you a ful account of the fight & the causilties but I wrote a letter to James & Ezekiel & give them a list of the killed & wounded & requested them to send the letter to you. I did not know then but we would march on to some other place whear I would not have an opportunity of writing to you.

I also give them a tolerable fair account of the fight.

Amanda, I never new [knew] how mean and army could do in a country.  I beleave our troops are doing as much harm in this country as the yankees would do with the exception of burning houses.  But our men steal all the fruit, kill all the hogs & burn all the fence and eat all the mutton corn they can camp in reach of.  Our army have destroyed as much as 200 acres of corn in one night. We carry a head of us all the cattle we find & at night they are turned into some of the finest fields of corn I ever saw & in fact wheare this army goes the people is ruined.  I am disgusted with such conduct & feel that we will never be successful while our troups are so ungrateful.  I dread to see our State invaded but I hope this war will cease soon, but I havent grounds to build my hopes upon. But I & every Southern Soldier should be like the rebbel blume which plumed more & shinned briter the more it was trampled on, & I beleave this siantific war fear [scientific warfare] will have to ceace,  & we will have to fight like Washington did, but I hope our people will never be reduced to distress  & poverty as the people of that day was, but if nothing else will give us our liberties I am willing for the time to come. I am truely tyerd of this unholy war.  Amanda, you must use your own pleasure about fattening the hogs, but I think you had better fatten all the hogs that you think you can make weight 100 lbs by keeping them up until January or Febuary for pork will bring a good price, & in case our portion of the State is invaded that much will be saved, & if our troops should pass through there & are as distructive of as army is, we would have nothing, & if such a thing should happen I want you to turn every thing in to money & leave for some other place. But I hope such a thing will never happen, but if Charlston should fall Savannah is shure to fall, & then our country will be over run by troops. This country is now in a glumy state, but the dark part of the night is allways jest before day, so we may be nearer peace than we think.

We had a hard cien [scene] to witness on the 22nd.  E. J. Chapman was shot to death by sentance of a cort martial.  It was a hard thing to witness, but I beleav he was a fit subject for an example, for he confessed being guilty of everything that was mean. & if you write you must direct to Forrest City & I will write again soon. I do not have any eyedia [idea] of having an opportunity of goine [going] home until the war is ended but if times gets no better than at at present I shal not want to leave the field. But if times gets esy you know I would be proud to see you & my little boy.  I have so far ben verry lucky & I hope I shal continue so. Tom [Roberts] sends his love to you all & says you must not look for him nor be uneasey about him for he isn’t far the way. I must close I must close as I have to write on my knee.

I remain as ever yours affectsionately

John W. Hagan

Historian Bell I. Wiley reported,

After release from military service Hagan returned to Berrien County where he lived until 1881.  He then moved to Lowndes County where he acquired a large tract of land and was a successful farmer.  He changed his residence to Valdosta in 1896 and entered the livestock business in partnership with Jessie Carter.

Hagan became engaged in politics and was a local leader of the Populist Party

He represented Lowndes County in the Georgia House of Representatives for two terms (1886-87, 1890-91) and beginning in 1904 was for four terms a member of the Lowndes County Board of Commissioners, during two of which he served as chairman. He died in Valdosta on May 17, 1918 at eighty-one and was buried at Union Church Cemetery (then called Burnt Church) near Lakeland, Georgia.

Children of John William Hagan and Amanda Armstrong Roberts:

1. Susan E. Hagan, born March 30, 1860, Lowndes County, GA; died August 25, 1860, Lowndes County, GA
2. Reubin Columbus Hagan, born May 21, 1861, Lowndes County, GA; married Laura Roberts
3. Georgia Hagan, born March 17, 1866, Berrien County, GA; married  James John Bradford, November 14, 1888
4. Emma Tallulah Hagan, born June 08, 1867, Berrien County, GA; married J. A. Smith
5. Fannie Ellen Hagan, born October 27, 1868, Berrien County, GA; married James Baskin
6. Ida Ann Hagan, born August 16, 1870, Berrien County, GA; married John T. Smith
7. Amanda Josephine Hagan, born March 05, 1872, Berrien County, GA; married Frank Arnold

Child of John William Hagan and Mary “Pollie” Smith Giddens (widow of Aaron Giddens):

1. Texas Hagan, born June 19, 1875

Related Posts:

• Confederate Letters of John William Hagan
• Elbert J. Chapman Was A Victim of Military Discipline
• William W. Knight Writes Home About Old Yellow  and Men of the 29th Georgia Infantry
• Old Yaller’s Widow Was Denied Pension
• How Old Yellow Was Killed
• More on the story of Old Yaller
• A Friend of Old Yaller
• L.E. Lastinger and Captain Knight’s Berrien Minute Men
• Berrien Minute Men and Civil War Stories

Skinner Family Christmas, 1953. Photographed in the living room of the family home at Allenville, about 4 miles north of Ray City, GA. (L to R) Front row:  David Jackson “Jack” Skinner, Jr., Pauline Skinner Riel, Teresa Hendley, William Franklin Skinner, Bettie  Godwin Skinner, Cathy Lynn Skinner, George Thomas Skinner, Albert Jackson Skinner. Back Row seated: David Jackson Skinner, Nettie Akridge Skinner, Kathleen Skinner Hendley, Hilton Hendley, Archie Hendley. Rear, standing: Charlie Howard Skinner, Eloise Skinner Nash.

According to Albert Jackson Skinner’s family history, Geneaology of the David Jackson Skinner Family of Berrien County, Georgia,  David and Nettie Skinner returned to Berrien County about 1928 from Jacksonville, FL where David had been working and saving for three years to buy a farm.  David J. Skinner purchased a 40 acre farm  known as the old Brown place, about two and a half miles southeast of Ray City, GA and moved his family there.  This farm was near the home place of Skinner’s parents, Payton Shelton Skinner and Nancy Hughes, which was located on the Ray City & Lakeland road and right on the Lanier-Berrien county line.

By 1938, David Jackson Skinner needed a larger place to support his growing family. He bought the old Ray place, a four-horse farm of about 256 acres  situated on the tracks of the Georgia & Florida railroad about four miles north of Ray City, GA in the Allenville community.  This property had been owned by John M. Futch until 1898 and consisted of 101 acres of Land Lot 315 and 155 acres of Land Lot 316, 10th Land District.  The farm came with a house, three tenant dwellings, and a large tobacco allotment.  David and Nettie Skinner resided on this farm the rest of their lives, raising eight children and celebrating many Christmases.

Home of Nettie Akridge and David Jackson Skinner  at Allenville near Ray City, GA

-30-

Related Posts:

• Constitution of New Ramah Primitive Baptist Church
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Mary Theresa Tyler and Charles Oscar Carter were married in Ray City, GA on December 26, 1922.  The Bainbridge Post – Search Light ran the story:

1922 marriage of Mary Theresa Tyler and Charles Oscar Carter.

The Bainbridge Post – Search Light
December 26, 1922

TYLER _ CARTER

    A quiet wedding of Tuesday afternoon at 4 o’clock was that of Miss Mary Theresa Tyler and Mr. Charles O. Carter, of Climax, in the home of the bride’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. J. M. Tyler of Ray City.     This marriage will be of very cordial interest to the many firends of both parties in and around Bainbridge. Mrs. Carter, as Miss Mary Tyler, was a lovely and popular girl here [Bainbridge], where she spent most of her time in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Tonge. Mrs. Carter was also a member of the faculty of the public schools.     The groom is a member of a mercantile firm in Climax, and belongs to one of the old prominent families of the county.

The Bride

The bride, Mary Theresa Tyler, was born in Quitman, GA, a daughter of Mary L Knight and John M. Tyler.  She was a granddaughter of Levi J. Knight, Jr.,  and a great granddaughter of John Knight.  Mary Theresa Tyler came with her parents to Rays Mill (now Ray City), GA from Quitman, GA sometime before 1917.  The family home was on Jones Street, next door to the residence of business owner J. Fred Hinely.   Her father, John M. Tyler, was employed as a salesman in one of the general merchantile stores of Ray’s Mill.  He was a founding member of the Ray City Methodist Church, and helped to draw the plans and construct the original wooden church building, along with Lucious Clements, W.M. Creech, Will Terry, and Mr. Patterson.

Mary T. Tyler attended  high school, at least in part, in Bainbridge while living with her sister and brother-in-law  Mr. & Mrs. Tonge.

Mary Theresa Tyler, of Ray City, GA attended high school in Bainbridge, 1918.

After graduating high school,  Mary  herself became a teacher at age 19 and taught in the Bainbridge, GA schools.

The Groom

The Groom, Charles Oscar Carter, was a son of Lucy Callie Carter and William Carter, a prominent merchant of Climax, GA.  Charles O. Carter was born July 27,1893 in Matthews, AL and had come to Climax with his parents as a young boy. As a young man, he was described as medium height, stout build, with blue eyes and light colored hair. He was employed with his father, as a clerk in the family mercantile business  in Climax, GA.

After marriage, the couple made their home in Climax, GA. By the time of the 1930 census, Charles and Mary had two children; Charles Oscar Carter, Jr., age 6, and Carolyn Carter, age 2. Their house was valued at $2500 dollars,  making it among the grander homes of Climax. The census noted that they owned a radio, one of only a dozen such sets in the entire town. Mary’s widowed mother Mary L. Tyler, was also living in the Carter household in Climax; her father had died of pneumonia and heart problems on February 26, 1930 and was buried at Beaver Dam Cemetery, Ray City, GA. Mary’s mother, Mary L. Tyler, died September 13, 1934 and was buried next to her husband in Ray City.

The 1940 census found the Carters, Charles, Mary and the children,  still residing in Climax, GA. They owned a home on Lee Street valued at $1800 dollars. Charles “Charlie” Carter was operating his grocery store, while Mary was a homemaker. Their son, Charles, Jr., was a freshman in high school, and daughter Carolyn was in 6th grade.

Related Posts:

• Two Fires Strike Ray City
• A Brief History of the Ray City Methodist Church
• L.E. Lastinger and the two Captains Knight

Ten Pin bowling was a pastime at antebellum Troupville, Georgia.

Until the creation of Berrien County in 1856, the seat of county government for the pioneer settlers of Ray City, GA was situated at Troupville, Lowndes County, GA.  Troupville  was not only the center of governance, but also the commercial and social center of the county.  As related in J. N. Talley’s account of An Antebellum Trial at Troupville:

Court Week always attracted a great concourse of people. Some attended from necessity or compulsion, some to enjoy the feast of erudition and eloquence; others to trade, traffic or electioneer, but to many it was an occasion for much drinking and horse swapping, and for indulgence in cock fighting, horse racing, and other “Worldly amusements” for which Troupville became somewhat notorious. Indeed, among the Godly, it was regarded as a wild town – almost as wicked as Hawkinsville.

A brief legal notice which appeared in the April 2, 1852 edition of the Albany Patriot indicates that one of the “worldly amusements” available at Troupville was a ten pin alley, or bowling alley, operated by Daniel W. Thomas before his death.

1852 administration of the estate of Daniel W. Thomas, Troupville, GA.

Albany Patriot
April 2, 1852

Administrator’s Sale

Will be sold on the first Tuesday in May next, by order of the Judge of Ordinary, within the usual hours of sale, before the Court House door in Troupville, Lowndes county, the following property to wit:
Lot of Land No. ninety-one (91) in the 12th dist. of originally Irwin now Lowndes county, containing 410 acres more or less.
Also Town lot No. 17 containing one-fourth of an acre, well improved, with a Ten Pin Alley on said lot. Said lot is laid out in the town of Troupville, in Clyatts first survey. Sold as the property of Daniel W. Thomas late of Lowndes county deceased, for the benefit the benefit of the heirs and creditors of said deceased. Terms on the day of sale.

THOMAS B. GRIFFIN, Adm’r.
March 19, 1852.

Daniel W. Thomas (1820-1851) originated from Connecticut, but came to Troupville, Georgia some time before 1847. He was a shopkeeper and a bachelor , residing in a Troupville hotel owned by George W. Stansell. A Democrat in politics, he was elected as one of three Lowndes county representatives to the 1847 gubernatorial convention.

The Ten Pin Alley at Troupville may have resembled an early wooden outdoor bowling alley pictured below at Eudora, KS.  (Image courtesy of Eudora Area Historical Society)

The Ten Pin Alley at Troupville, GA may have resembled this early example from Eudora, KS. Image courtesy of Eudora Area Historical Society.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=553124914709602&set=a.460372760651485.104139.195114533843977&type=1

Related Posts:

• An Antebellum Trial at Troupville
• Reverend William A. Knight at old Troupville, GA
• Big Thumb McCranie was First Postmaster of Lowndes
• More About Troupville, GA and the Withlacoochee River
• Levi J. Knight Reports Indian Fight of July 13, 1836
• Coffee Road Led to Creation of Lowndes County
• Sheriff Swain and Legal Affairs in Old Troupville
• Reverend William A. Knight at old Troupville, GA
• The State vs Burrell Hamilton Bailey
• Reverend John Slade of the Troupville Circuit
• Levi J. Knight and Lowndes First Superior Court
• Morgan Goodgame Swain and the Estate of Canneth Swain
• Coffee’s Road Passed Seven Miles West of Ray City
• Judge Hansell: Distinguished Man of Georgia
• Memorial of Judge Hansell
• The Grand Jury of 1868, Berrien County, Georgia
• Death Claims Judge Hansell, Feb 10, 1907
• Post Offices of the Old Berrien Pioneers
• Ray City Masons Celebrated Saint John the Baptist Day In 1936

January 10, 1922 was Election Day in Ray City, GA

Lyman Franklin Giddens and Essie Parrish Giddens. L. F. Giddens was elected Mayor of Ray City, GA in 1922. Image courtesy of berriencountyga.com

Atlanta Constitution
Jan 11, 1922, pg 6

Ray City Officials

Milltown, Ga.,  January 10. – (Special.) – At the election for the town officers at Ray City.  Tuesday, the following were elected: Mayor, L.F. Giddens: councilmen. J.T. Phillips, A.W. Turner, J.S. Clements, Jr., and J.A. Griffin.  They were installed immediately

Lyman Franklin Giddens, Mayor of Ray City

Mr. Lyman F. Giddens (1876 – 1963) – better known as “Judge” – served the town as mayor, city clerk and justice-of-the-peace. As mayor he was involve in the effort to bring a power plant and electric lights to Ray City, GA. He was also probably Ray City’s longest standing barber.

Lyman Franklin Giddens was born in July 7, 1876 in Berrien County. His father, Hardeman Giddens, was a soldier in the C.S.A. His mother was Martha J. Gaskins. In 1900, Lyman F. Giddens, age 23, was still living in his mother and father’s household on the family farm, along with his brother William Giddens. His father owned the farm, free and clear, and the two sons worked as farm labor. He married Essie Daisy Parrish on Jan 29, 1902 in Berrien County, Georgia. On September 12, 1918 Lyman Franklin Giddens registered for the draft.  He was 42 years old, a self-employed barber working in Ray City, GA. The Registrar’s  report described him as medium height, stout, gray eyes and black hair. In 1920  Lyman F. Giddens owned outright a house on Park Street, where the Giddens family lived.  Lyman was 43 years old, his wife Essie was 34.  Living with the couple were their three children, Inez, age 15, Homer, 10, and Ida Lou, age 7.   At this time Lyman was already working on his own account as a barber.

Also elected that day:

James Thomas Phillips, City Councilman
James Thomas “Jim” Phillips, (1880-1963) was 42 at the time of election.  He was born and grew to manhood in Dodge County, GA., coming to Ray City some time before 1920, where he worked as a salesman.  His wife died prior to the 1920 census, after which he boarded in the home of Ray City merchant J. Fred Hinely.  About 1921 he married Maggie Lou Dugger. Elected councilman, Ray City, GA, 1922.  By 1930, the Phillips had moved to Nashville, GA where Jim continued work in sales in the hardware line, and later worked as a commercial carpenter.

Andrew Washington Turner, City Councilman
Andrew Washington Turner came to the Rays Mill district as a young man with his widowed mother, some time before 1880. In 1892 Turner married Phoebe Isabelle Sirmans and the couple made a home and raised their children in Rays Mill, GA. They were civic minded, helping to found the Methodist church, and constructing some of the first brick buildings in town. The Turners made Ray City, GA their home through the 1920s.  The Census of 1920 gives Andrew’s occupation as “Cotton buyer” working on his own account.  His son, Jesse Turner, was working as a drayman, for public work. The family residence was located on North Street in Ray City, next to the homes of Levi J. Clements and Lucius J. Clements, operators of the Clements Sawmill.  Andrew Turner was also engaged in the in naval stores and the mercantile business. The Turners later moved to Valdosta, GA.  (see Andrew Washington Turner and Phoebe Isabelle Sirmans, More on Andrew Washington Turner and Phoebe Isabelle Sirmans.)

J. S. Clements, Jr., City Councilman
Joseph S. Clements was a native son of Ray City. Born August 14, 1886, his parents were Levi J. Clements and Rowena Patten. His family founded the Clements Lumber Company, the big sawmill which operated on the north side of town.  On June 29, 1916 Joseph S. Clements married Effie Mae O’Quinn.  She was born April 19, 1893 in Wayne County, Georgia. When Joe registered for the draft on June 5th, 1917, Joseph gave as a reason for exemption from the draft, “on account of wife.” His draft card information shows that in 1917 he and Effie were living in Ray City. Joseph described himself as married, and self-employed as a lumber manufacturer and farmer. He was medium build, medium height with blue eyes and light hair.  In the 1920s, J. S. Clements was Treasurer of the company. Elected to the City Council in 1922, he was a neighbor of fellow councilman Andrew W. Turner. Joseph S. Clements later served as Mayor. (see WWI Boom for Clements Lumber Company at Ray City, GA).

John Albert Griffin, City Councilman
John Albert Griffin  was a son of Micajah and Mary Griffin, born October 22, 1889 in Ocilla, GA. As a boy, he helped his father with the family farm in Rays Mill, GA. In 1909, his parents hosted traveling evangelist Rebecca J. Fox in their home when her gospel tent was burned at Rays Mill. About 1911 J. A. Griffin married Beulah Griner and the couple rented a home on Pauline Street where they raised their children. J. A. Griffin became a merchant of Ray City. When he registered for the draft for WWI in 1917, he was described as medium height and build, with blue eyes and light hair. In 1922 he was elected to the City Council.  Beulah Griner Griffin died May 15, 1928; John Albert Griffin followed her in death just six weeks later on July 1, 1928. They were buried at Beaver Dam Cemetery.

Georgia State Womans College, Valdosta, GA

Georgia State Womans College, 1925. (Now known as Valdosta State University)

From 1922 t0 1950 the state college in Valdosta, Georgia now known as Valdosta State University operated as a four year college under the name Georgia State Womans College.  A number of Ray City women attended the college during this period. Here are a few who appeared in available yearbooks:

Dorothy Boyette

Dorothy Boyette, of Ray City, GA. Attended Georgia State Womans College in 1944.

Margaret Carter, a the daughter of Cora and Yancy F. Carter, attended G.S.C.W in 1935:

1935 Margaret Carter of Ray City, GA, sophomore, Georgia State Womans College

Frances Clements, daughter of Hod P. Clements of Ray City, GA excelled at technical studies.  After completing high school at  the Ray City School she went on to enroll at Georgia State Womans College in 1943:

Frances Clements, of Ray City, GA. A 1944 sophomore at Georgia State Womans College, Valdosta, GA.

Annie Ruth Clements  was born at Ray City, GA about 1924, a daughter of Mary Elizabeth Lee and  William A. Clements. Her father was a farmer and butcher at Ray City. She enrolled at Georgia State Womans College in 1943:

Ann Ruth Clements of Ray City, GA, a 1943 freshman at Georgia State Womans College, Valdosta, GA (now Valdosta State University.)

Geraldine Fletcher Giddens, born Geraldine Hester Fletcher on February 2, 1924, was a daughter of Eliza Carter and Zachariah Fletcher. She  married Norvell “Joe” Giddens, and made her home at Ray City, GA while attending G.S.W.C.:

Geraldine Fletcher Giddens, 1943 freshman class photo, Georgia State Womens College. She was a resident of Ray City, GA while attending G.S.W.C. during the 1940s.

Mary Luelle Giddens was born at Ray City,  GA on November 22, 1915, one of thirteen children born to Eugene Madison Giddens and Georgia Ida Rigell. She attended G.S.W.C. in the 1930s:

Luelle Giddens, 1934 student of Georgia State Womans College.

Thera Ollis Hambrick attended  G.S.W.C. in the 1930s and later served as librarian at the school. She wrote  Valdosta State College: The First Half Century:

Thera Hambrick, of Ray City, GA, 1935 freshman at Georgia State Womans College.

Mary Lee, a daughter of  William D. “Bill” Lee and Mollie Bell Clements,  was born February 6, 1915 in Berrien County, GA:

Mary Lee of Ray City, GA at Georgia State Womans College (nka Valdosta State University), 1933

Mollie Idelle Lee was born Feb 28, 1919 near Ray City, GA  in  that part of Berrien County that was cut into Lanier County in 1920.   She was the youngest child of Mollie Clements and William David Lee.

Mollie Idelle Lee, 1937. Freshman at Georgia State Womans College, Valdosta, GA.

Judy Moore attended G.S.W.C. while a resident of Ray City, GA in the 1950s.

Judy Moore, of Ray City, GA, 1950 sophomore at Georgia State Womans College.

Elsie Quarterman  attended Georgia State Womans College in Valdosta, GA (now known as Valdosta State University.) The 1931 Pine Cone, the college annual, gives her home town as Ray City, GA.  Elsie graduated from G.S.W.C. in 1932 with a Bachelor of Arts degree and went on to become a noted ecologist:

Elsie Quarterman, 1931.

Doris E. Swindle was born and raised in Ray City, GA.  She was a daughter of  Sarah Ellen  “Stell” Daniel and James Henry Swindle. Her father was a farmer and merchant of Ray City, and served in the Georgia House of Representatives in the 1930s. She died in an automobile accident in 1941.

1934 Doris Swindle, Georgia State Womans College

Grace Swindle was the youngest daughter of  Sarah Ellen  “Stell” Daniel and James Henry Swindle, and sister of Doris Swindle and James Aaron Swindle.

Grace Swindle, Freshman, Georgia State Womans College.

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• Doris Swindle, G.S.W.C.
• Margaret Carter, G.S.W.C.
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• Geraldine Giddens
• Clements Cousins at G.S.W.C.
• Luelle Giddens and the Euclidian Club at G.S.W.C.
• Mary Lee, G.S.W.C. Graduate
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• Ray City Girls run R-C Motor Lines
• 1939 Ray City Glee Club Goes On Tour
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John W. Hagan (1836-1918) lived in the Cat Creek community near Rays Mill (now Ray City), GA.  He served in the Civil War with the Berrien Minute Men and wrote a number of  Confederate letters from Civil War battlefields to his first wife, Amanda Armstrong Roberts (1843-1872).  Following her death, Hagan was married in 1874 to Mary Smith Giddens,  widow of Aaron L. Giddens and daughter-in-law of Isbin Giddens and Kiziah Knight.  Third, Hagan married Mrs. Martha Lawson Hodge, widow of Thomas B. Hodge and Lewis M. Ayers.

John W. Hagan was a prominent citizen, who served as chairman of the Lowndes County board of commissioners, representative in the Georgia legislature, leader in the Populist party, board of directors of the Alliance Warehouse Company, and was one of the incorporators of the Valdosta and Fort Valley Railroad Company along with William Roberts, James W. Roberts, W.B. Folks, Henry B. Holliday (father of Doc Holliday), Joseph Ousley, and W. G. McAdoo, and others in 1873, although it is not clear that there was ever any material construction of this line.

John W. Hagan married for a third time in 1909.

Valdosta Times
January 23, 1909

Hodge-Hagan Marriage

Don Quixote, or some other observant person, remarked on one occasion that “Love like Death is no respector of person, age or clime. It enters the palace of the rich as well as the poor. It goes forth to conquer in the morning, at noonday and in the decline.  It strikes in spring, summer and autumn – the buoyant youth, those of maturer age, and even those who have passed the summer of life.”
    There is some truth in this statement is proven by a matrimonial event in Valdosta yesterday afternoon at the home of Mrs. Martha D. Hodge, the widow of the late Thomas B. Hodge.  The contracting parties were Hon. John W. Hagan and Mrs. Hodge.  The ceremony was performed by Rev. M. A. Morgan and was witnessed by quite a number of the relatives and a few intimate friends of the contracting parties.
     Much interest was attached to the marriage because of the prominence of the contracting parties as well as because of the fact that both of them had passed the meridian of life, though both are still young.  The groom is about seventy-three and the bride eleven years his junior.
     The marriage came as a surprise to many of the friends of the couple as nothing had been said about it to their friends.  It was rumored on the streets yesterday morning, but a rumor was all there was to it.  The relatives were notified a short while before it occurred and were invited to be present.
     The groom is chairman of the board of county commissioners, an ex-legislator and has been prominent in the county for many years.  The Bride was the widow of the late Tom Hodge and previous to her marriage to Mr. Hodge was the widow of the late L. M. Ayers, of Hahira.  Both parties are well fixed in this world’s goods, and the bride has property valued at from fifty to seventy-five thousand dollars.
     They have many friends who hope that their last days may be their best and that happiness will attend them on their journey down the evening of life.

The Tifton Gazette also announced the marriage, with some embellishments:

1909 John W. Hagan married Mrs. Martha A. Hodges

Tifton Gazette
January 29, 1909

John W. Hagan and Mrs. T. B. Hodge were united in marriage at Valdosta last week by Rev. M. A. Morgan. No announcement had been made of the approaching nuptials, and the news came as a surprise to their friends. The groom is 74 years of age and the bride about the same. It is the third venture of the groom and the fourth of the bride. Both are prominent. The groom is chairman of the county commissioners of Lowndes county, and an ex-legislator. He was the leader of the populist party there twelve years ago. Both are well-to-do, the bride have $75,000 worth of property in Valdosta.

1909 marriage license for John W. Hagan and Mrs. Martha D. Hodges, Lowndes County, GA

Related Posts:

John W. Hagan Witnessed “Unholy War” and the Execution of Elbert J. Chapman

Confederate Letters of John William Hagan

Civil War Letters of William Washington Knight 1861-1863 in VSU Archives

Feb 4, 1911 Ray’s Mill News Items

Reverend John Slade of the Troupville Circuit

Bryan J. Roberts ~ Lowndes Pioneer

As told in previous post Almost Gone ~ Graves of D. Edwin Griner and Sarah Gaskins at New Ramah Cemetery) Sarah “Sallie” Rouse married D. Edwin Griner On October 22, 1894 in Berrien County, GA.  She was the daughter of Kizzia and Robert O. Rouse, of Ray’s Mill, GA.

Sarah’s father was a veteran of the Civil War, having served in Company I, 50th Georgia Regiment.  He was fighting with his unit in November 1863 at Knoxville, TN when he was wounded in the face, breaking both cheek bones and impairing his vision. He was  captured by Union forces on January 5, 1864 and imprisoned at Rock Island Prison.  He remained a prisoner of war until March 27, 1865  when he was exchanged  at  Boulware and Cox’s Wharves, James River, VA and was subsequently furloughed. He was later denied a Confederate pension.

Edwin and Sarah Griner made their home in the 1144th Georgia Militia District, the Rays Mill District where the census of 1900 shows they owned a farm near Sallie’s parents and others of the family connection.  To that story we now add the obituary of Sarah Griner,  died Monday, January 29, 1951.

Valdosta Times
January 30, 1951

Obituary of Sarah Griner, (1871-1951) Ray City, GA

Valdosta Times
January 30, 1951

Mrs. Sara Griner of Ray City is Claimed by Death

Mrs. Sara Griner, 80, died Monday afternoon after several months of illness.  She had lived in Ray City all of her life, and was a member of the Primitive Baptist Church.
    She is survived by one son, William Griner; one daughter, Mrs. Berdie Cook, both of Ray City; two grandchildren.
    Funeral services will be held Wednesday afternoon at 3 o’clock at the New Ramah Primitive Baptist Church in Ray City.  The Rev. John W. Harrell and Elder M. C. Peavy will conduct the services.
    Lakeland Funeral Home is directing arrangements.

Sarah “Sallie” Rouse Griner, New Ramah Cemetery, Ray City, Berrien County, Georgia.

Children of  Sarah Rouse Griner and D. Edwin Griner:

1. Carl Griner 1894 –
2. Eugene Griner 1896 –
3. Lona Belle Griner 1900 –
4. William Edwin Griner 1902 – 1984
5. Sarah V Griner 1905 –

Related Posts:

• Almost Gone ~ Graves of D. Edwin Griner and Sarah Gaskins at New Ramah Cemetery
• Four Dead in a Week
• “Black John” Griner Buried at New Ramah Cemetery, Ray City, GA

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Lawrence Cauley Hall, born 20 Feb 1884, Ray City, Berrien County, Georgia.  Cauley was a son of Cassie Lee and John Lewis Hall, and a brother of  Pasco Olandro Hall.  He grew up in his parents’ household at Rays Mill (now Ray City), GA.

Lawrence Cauley Hall, of Ray City, GA. Image courtesy of http://www.berriencountyga.com

Cauley Hall completed the common schools of the area, and went on for more advanced studies. Family historian Mrs. Cyleta Austin said “he was a genius, attended Mercer but let the drinking get to him.”   He gave up his college studies after the first year.

On December 1, 1908 Cauley Hall married Eula Bell Swindle.   The ceremony was performed by Elder Aaron Anderson Knight.  Eula was a daughter of  Mary Etta and Redding D. Swindle, and sister of  Henry A. Swindle, of Ray City, GA. Her father was appointed to serve as the first mayor of Ray City upon its official incorporation in 1909. Her mother is credited with giving the new town, formerly known as Ray’s Mill, its name.

1908 Marriage license of Lawrence Cauley Hall and Eula Bell Swindle

Eula gave birth to a baby girl on June 9, 1909, Eunice A. Hall, in Ray City, GA.   It appears that Eula and the baby returned to live with her parents. She was enumerated in their Ray City household in 1910 under her maiden name. Her marital status was “single,” and Eunice Hall was enumerated as a grandchild of Redding Swindle. Cauley’s whereabouts in the census of 1910 are not known.

However, by 1918 Cauley and Eula were making their home at a company lumber camp at 4 Northport, Tuscaloosa County, AL.  Lawrence was working for the Henderson Land & Lumber Company as a skidder foreman. There, he registered for the draft for World War I on September 12, 1918.  His physical description was given as medium height, medium build, with blue eyes and grey hair.

The 1920 census shows the couple now with two daughters, Eunice and Helen Jeanette, living on 13th Avenue, Tuscaloosa, AL.  Cauley was working as a laborer at a logging camp, while Eula was at home raising the girls.

It appears that by the time of the 1930 census Cauley Hall was estranged from his wife, Eula B. Swindle. The census record show that year he remained in Tuscaloosa, AL, living in Young’s boarding home on 6th Street, operated by Nannie and Robert J. Young.  He was working as a carpenter, and gave his marital status as “divorced.”  Eula Bell had returned to Ray City,GA with her younger daughter Hazel Jeanette Hall, now 12. Eula rented a house (probably on Jones Street) near the homes of James Blanton, Pleamon Sirmans and Hod Clements, and took work as a seamstress. The 1930 census indicated her marital status was “widowed.

By 1940 Cauley Hall  had also returned to Ray City, GA where he was living with his now married daughter, Hazel, and her husband, Reid Hearn Cox.  Cox, a salesman of music supplies,  originated from Eatonton, GA. The Cox home was on Jones Street in Ray City.  Cauley Hall was working as a “slab tripper” on the roller bed at a local sawmill. In this role his work would have consisted of “tripping” lumber from the live rollers of the sawmill to the edger. “As the slabs and board come out of the saw they are borne along a long table by the live rollers. The slabs [irregular scraps cut from the outer surface of the log] rolled along to the end of the table, while the merchantable lumber on the roller table, by use of a device known as the ‘tripper,’ was made to change direction (from straight to right angle) to the edger.  Through the edger it passes and is cut in desired dimensions.”

Eula Bell Hall was living with her widowed mother, Mary Etta Swindle, in her home on North Street in Ray City.

Lawrence Cauley Hall died  on Christmas Day,  December 25, 1954,  in Ray City, Georgia.  He was buried at Beaver Dam Cemetery.

Eula Bell Hall died January 28, 1965. Historian Cyleta Austin said she “was in a wreck with Eula and she died at home about two weeks later but not as a cause of the wreck.”   and was buried next to her husband at Beaver Dam Cemetery, Ray City, GA.

Graves of Eula Bell Swindle and Lawrence Cauley Hall

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Related Posts:

• Cassie Lee Hall ~ Woman of Faith
• Mary Swindle Won $10 in Contest to Choose Name of Ray City
• Dr. Charles Xavier Jones ~ Ray City’s First Elected Mayor
• Ray City Home of Aaron Anderson Knight

Sarah E. “Babe” Patten

Sarah E. Lee was born in 1838 in that part of Lowndes County, GA which was cut into Berrien County in 1856.  She was a daughter of Moses C. Lee (1808-1884) and Jincy Register, and grew to womanhood on her father’s farm east of Ray City, GA.  In 1883 she married William C. Patten in Berrien County, GA.

The couple made their home and farm in the 1300 Georgia Militia District, at Watson Grade.

William C. Patten (1849-1944) was a son of William Patten and Elizabeth “Betsey” Register. He was a Notary Public and Ex Officio Justice of the Peace.

Mrs. W. C. (Babe) Patten died at her home at Watson Grade Wednesday night about seven o’clock.  She had been confined to her bed with a severe stroke of paralysis for the past two months.  Mrs. Patten was fifty-five years of age and had been married to Mr. Patten for twenty years, no children ever came to bless the union.  – Milltown News.

Sarah Lee “Babe” Patten died on Wednesday, January 27, 1909.  She was buried at Union Church Cemetery, near Milltown, GA (now Lakeland).

W.C. Patten, after the death of his first wife, married Sam Watson’s sister, Laura Watson.

Related Posts:

• Watson Grade News, January 22, 1904
• Watson Grade News Feb 12, 1904
• Moses Lee ~ Exemplary Farmer

Troupville, Lowndes County, GA

From pioneer times to the present day, Ray City, GA , has been under the jurisdiction of three different counties and six different county seats of government.    From 1825 to 1856  the community fell within the borders of Lowndes County. During that period,   the county seat of government was first at Franklinville, GA, then briefly at Lowndesville, and in 1836 moved to the town of Troupville,GA.

Previous posts about Troupville GA:

• Reverend William A. Knight at old Troupville, GA
• More About Troupville, GA and the Withlacoochee River
• An Antebellum Trial at Troupville
• Bowling at  old Troupville, Georgia
• Reverend John Slade of the Troupville Circuit
• Morz Swain was Innkeeper, Blacksmith, Sheriff & Jailor of old Troupville, GA
• Sheriff Swain and Legal Affairs in Old Troupville
• Morgan Goodgame Swain and the Estate of Canneth Swain
• Post Offices of the Old Berrien Pioneers
• Levi J. Knight and Lowndes First Superior Court

In its heydey, Troupville was the center of commerce and social activity for the region.  Among the prominent pioneer settlers who frequented the town were the Knight family.  Reverend William A. Knight, was the religious leader of many of the Primitive Baptist churches in the area and the father of Levi J. Knight,  earliest settler at the site of present day Ray City, Berrien County, GA.

White’s Statistics of the State of Georgia, published 1849, describes Troupville thus:

Troupville is the [Lowndes County, GA] seat of justice, immediately in the fork made by the confluence of the Withlacoochee and Little rivers.  It has the usual county buildings, three hotels, two churches, four stores, several mechanics’ shops, two physicians, and four lawyers.  It is distant from Milledgeville 180 miles S.; 40 from Thomasville; 75 from Waresborough, and 75 from Irwinville.  It is a healthy and pleasant village.  Population about 20 families.

Here is a conceptual layout of 0ld Troupville adapted from a sketch of the town made by C. S. Morgan, and   superimposed on  a modern map of the confluence of the Withlacoochee River and the Little River .

Map of Troupville, GA adapted from C. S. Morgan

In addition to the structures depicted on this map, the following Troupville property owners are known:

• Lot No. 1       “on the east side of the Courthouse” property of William  McAuley prior to 1841
• Lot No. 2        1/2 acre “water lot”, Jesse Townsend, prior to 1846
• Lot No. 3        1/2 acre, John J. Underwood, prior to 1844
• Lot No. 4        1/2 acre, John J. Underwood, prior to 1844
• Lot No. 5        1/2 acre, John J. Underwood, prior to 1844;  1/4 acre “water lot” property of Jared Johnson, prior to 1846
• Lot No. 6        1/2 acre, John J. Underwood, prior to 1844
• Lot No. 7       1/4 acre,Uriah Kemp, prior to 1839; south half (1/8 acre), Daniel S. Graham prior to 1841.
• Lot No. 8       Uriah Kemp, prior to 1839
• Lot No.  9      Uriah Kemp prior to 1839, Hiram Hall prior to 1842
• Lot No. 10     1/2 acre, Hiram Hall prior to 1842, John J. Underwood, prior to 1844
• Lot No. 11     1/4 acre ”well improved” lot owned by John Studstill up to 1845; Richard Allen after 1845
• Lot No. 13      south half (1/8 acre), James A. Boyet prior to 1842.
• Lot No. 14      “on the east side of the Courthouse” property of William  McAuley prior to 1841
• Lot No. 15      1/4 acre  “water lot”, Jesse Townsend, prior to 1846
• Lot No. 16       1/4 acre, William P. Murdoch prior to 1852
• Lot No. 17     Daniel W. Thomas – Ten Pin Alley
• Lot No. 21     1/4 acre, John J. Underwood prior to 1846.
• Lot No. 25     1/4 acre, William Lastinger prior to 1840; Hiram Hall prior to 1842, Burnett & Hall  (Joseph S. Burnett and Hiram Hall) 1842 to 1843.
• Lot No. 28     1/4 acre mol, Thomas O. Townsend prior to 1847
• Lot No. 29     1/4 acre, John J. Underwood prior to 1844, Samuel Maulden, prior to 1847
• Lot No. 32     1/4 acre, Hiram Hall prior to 1842, Burnett & Hall  (Joseph S. Burnett and Hiram Hall) 1842 to 1843,  John J. Underwood, prior to 1844.
• Lot No.  34    property of William  McAuley prior to 1841
• Lot No. 35     Henry J. Stewart, Attorney at Law, prior to 1850
• Lot No. 37     Joseph S. Burnett and Hiram Hall prior to 1841
• Lot No. 39     1/4 acre, William D. Branch, prior to 1840
• Lot No. 42     1/4 acre, William D. Branch, prior to 1840
• Lot No. 45     5 acres mol (Wilson’s Survey), Mikel Myers, prior to 1848
• Lot No. 46     Peter K. Baillie, prior to 1842
• Lot No. 50     1/4 acre, “on which is situated the Methodist Episcopal Church,” property Duke K. Jimson prior to 1846.
• Lot No. 53     1/4 acre, Duke K. Jameson;  also Richard W. Kirkland prior to his death in 1848
• Lot No. 57     1/4 acre, John J. Underwood prior to 1846.
• Lot No. 58     1/4 acre, John J. Underwood prior to 1846.
• Lot  No. 59    1/4 acre, John J. Underwood prior to 1844; Thomas O. Townsend prior to 1845
• Lot  No. 60    Thomas O. Townsend prior to 1945
• Lot No. 61      1/4 acre, Duke Blackburn prior to 1838;  Uriah Kemp,  prior to 1839
• Lot No. 64      1/4 acre,   Uriah Kemp,  prior to 1839; John J. Underwood, prior to 1844
• Lot  No. 65    Thomas O. Townsend prior to 1845
• Lot No. 66     Thomas O. Townsend prior to 1845
• Lot No. 67     1/4 acre, John J. Underwood prior to 1846.
• Lot No. 68     1/4 acre, John J. Underwood prior to 1846.
• Lot No. 69     1/2 acre, John J. Underwood, prior to 1844
• Lot No. 70     1 1/2 acre, John J. Underwood, prior to 1844
• Lot No. 72     Duncan Smith prior to 1846.
• Lot No. 73     2 acres mol, Lodowick Miller, prior to 1842
• Lot No. 91     1/4 acre, John J. Underwood, prior to 1844

SOME RESIDENTS AND BUSINESS OWNERS OF TROUPVILLE, GA

• Sumner W. Baker, attorney
• M.J. Bennett
• W. B. Bennett, attorney, Associate Editor of the Thomasville Southern Enterprise, 1858
• M. B. Bennett, attorney
• James B. Bliss, jeweler, 1843
• Elisha Ward Bozeman  – not a Troupville resident, but  in the 1850s he was “hack driver”  who regularly drove carriages through the town on the route from Thomasville, GA to Monticello, FL. He was later a resident of Quitman, GA
• Henry Briggs, Doctor and apothecary shop owner.
• Anthony C. Bruner, Methodist Preacher in 1842
• Joseph S. Burnett, sheriff, 1839
• T.A. Caruth, 1857 pastor
• John B. Cashan, merchant
  • Deborah Cashan, wife of John B. Cashan
  • Children of John B. Cashan
    Ann E. C. Cashan
    Sarah J. Cashan
    John B. Cashan, Jr.
    James S. Cashan
    Jones E. Cashan
• Albert Converse
• Mary Converse
• William H. Dasher, Attorney at Law, 1852-3
• T. S. Davies, Attorney at Law, doing business as the firm Davies & Rockwell, 1846.
• William H. Goldwire, Attorney at Law, 1852
• A. Davis, Pastor 1858
• William Wesley Dowling, Farmer 1849-1854
  • Ardelia Frier Dowling, Wife of William W. Dowling
  • Children of Ardelia and William W. Dowling
    John Moses Dowling
    Sarah Elizabeth Ann Dowling
    Ryan Eli Dowling
    Henry Taylor Dowling
    Mary Emily Dowling
• Thomas William Ellis,  Doctor and druggist
  • Piercy Dixon Ellis, wife of Dr. Ellis
  • Elisabeth Ellis, daughter of Dr. Ellis
  • Caroline Ellis, daughter of Dr. Ellis, married John B. Cashan in Dooly Co., 22 Jul, 1849
• William Godfrey, Grocery merchant circa 1850
• James O. Goldwire, constituting member of the Baptist Church
• William H. Goldwire, Attorney at Law, 1852
  • Ann C. Goldwire, Wife of William H. Goldwire
  • Children of Ann C. and William H. Goldwire
    Matilda M. Goldwire
    Sophia B. Goldwire
• Thomas Butler Griffin
  • Jane Moore Griffin
  • Children of Thomas Butler Griffin and Jane Moore Griffin
    Marcus J. Griffin
    Samuel Moore Griffin
    Iverson Lamar Griffin
• W.W. Griffin, Methodist Episcopal preacher, 1843
• Joshua Griffith, Sales Agent for the Wiregrass Reporter (Thomas County newspaper)
• Barney Howell –  in the 1840s “was mail carrier between this neighborhood [Thomasville] and Monticello, Florida, making the horseback journey with great regularity and going via Troupville, which was then county seat of Lowndes County.”   He was a resident of Thomas County, and a brother of Caswell Howell.
• Thomas Hughes Hines, Attorney at Law, residing at Stansell’s hotel, 1850; doing business as the firm Nelson & Hines, 1852
• Jonathan Knight, hotel operator circa 1840-1849
• D. B. Johnson, student at Troupeville Academy, circa 1849
• Isaac de Lyon
• Leonoren de Lyon
• R. J. McCook, Methodist Episcopal Preacher, 1856
• Charles C. Morgan
• David B. Morgan, Attorney
• William L. Morgan, Attorney at Law and Secretary of the Lowndes County Inferior Court, beekeeper
• Thomas L. Nelson, Attorney at Law, doing business as the firm of Nelson & Hines.
• Dr. W. H. Perry, of Troupville, received his medical degree in Augusta in 1843.
• Henry Peeples, Merchant
• John Peeples
• Richard Augustin Peeples, Merchant, later mayor of Valdosta
• Tillman D. Penrifoy, Preacher, 1840
• Col. Ephriam H. Platt, Attorney and real estate agent, 1853 -1858.
• George Robie, Teacher, 1842
  • Frances Barrett Robie, wife of George Robie
  • Georgia A. Robie, daughter of George Robie, b. 1842 at Troupville, GA
• C. S. Rockwell, Attorney at Law, doing business as the firm of Davies & Rockwell, 1846.
• John Slade,  Methodist preacher riding on the Troupville circuit.
• William Smith, Innkeeper of  Tranquil Hall and Postmaster of Troupville
• Aaron Smith – Storekeeper
• Duncan Smith, Clerk of court, 1851
• Henry H. Smith, head of Troupville Bible Society, 1856
• Mose Smith – Storekeeper, owned the first store in Troupville
• Moses Smith, Jr.
• S. Spencer, Attorney at Law, doing business as the firm of Spencer & Stewart, 1843
• H. S. Stewart, Attorney at Law, doing business as the firm of Spencer & Stewart, 1843
• George W. Stansell, Hotel keeper
  • Eliza E. Stansell, wife of G. W. Stansell
• John Strickland
• Elizabeth Wooten Swain, 1st wife of Morgan Swain
  • Children of Elizabeth Wooten and Morgan Swain
    Joel Wooten Swain
    Rachel Inman Swain
• Rebecca Griffin Swain, 2nd wife of Morgan Swain
  • Children of Rebecca Griffin & Morgan Swain
    Silvania Swain
    Emily Swain
    Thomas Swain
    William Swain
    Morgan Swain, jr
• Morgan Swain, Innkeeper, jailor, blacksmith, and sheriff
• Tarlton Swain, brother of Morgan Swain
• Daniel W. Thomas, Shopkeeper, residing at Stansell’s hotel, 1850.
• John Towells, Sheriff, 1844
• Solomon W. Walker, Farmer
  •  Mary King Walker
  • Children of Solomon W. Walker & Mary King Walker
    Solomon Wesley Walker
    Matilda Walker
    Nancy Jane Walker
    Sophia Walker
    Henry Clay Walker
    William Webster Walker
    Isham F. Walker
    Mary Walker
• Lewis P. D. Warren, Attorney, admitted to the bar at Troupville, 1848
• Powhatan Whittle, Attorney
• William Wilder
  • Sarah Wilder
    Hopkins Wilder;
    John W.Wilder;
    Jane M.Wilder;
    Bathsheba Wilder;
    Andrew J.Wilder;
    Edward Gross Wilder
    Sarah E Wilder

OTHER BUSINESSES AND COMMERCE OF TROUPVILLE, GA

• South Georgia Watchman newspaper
• St. John the Baptist Masonic Lodge, 1854
• Troupville Academy   -  was authorized by Georgia statutes  in 1852.
• Troupville Baptist Church  -  constituted June 21st, 1840,  construction completed in 1842, although services were held earlier in the home of James O. Goldwire, in other homes and in the Court House. Troupville Baptist Church eventually became First Baptist Church of Valdosta.
• Troupville Methodist Church  -    In 1842, Anthony C. Bruner was the Methodist Preacher at Troupville,  Later, John Slade was a Methodist preacher riding on the Troupville circuit.

Sketch of Old Troupville, GA by C. S. Morgan

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Music School at Irene Church

Music School conducted by John Guthrie (right) and John Varner (left) at Irene Church, Lanier County, GA

John Elwood Guthrie was the youngest child of Arrin Horn Guthrie and Lucy Newbern Guthrie, of Ray City, GA.

John Guthrie was  country storekeeper, operating a feed store on Main Street in Ray City, that was situated where the City Hall is now located.  His home was directly behind the store.  John and his brothers, Sam and Herman were  and musician extraordinaire of Ray City, GA at times conducted music schools that drew students from surrounding counties. Guthrie was well known around the region as a teacher and performer, appearing at local night clubs, events and churches.  He was master of a variety of instruments and was known for playing country, gospel and jazz styles throughout the Southeast.

These photos depict a music school held by John Guthrie (right) and John Varner (left) at Irene Primitive Baptist Church,  which was located in Lanier County, GA (formerly Berrien County) about 5.5 miles northeast of Ray City.

Music School conducted by John Guthrie (right) and John Varner (left) at Irene Church, Lanier County, GA. Image courtesy of http://www.berriencountyga.com

Related Posts:

• John Guthrie Brought Six Decades of Music to Ray City
• John Guthrie ~ Ray City’s Musician Extraordinaire
• Irene Primitive Baptist Church
• William Greene Avera Is Laid To Rest
• Samuel G. Guthrie of Ray City, GA
• Effie Guthrie and the Knight Brothers of Ray City, GA
• The Marriage of John David Miley and Lessie Lee Guthrie

Elder Orville Augustus Knight (1874-1950)

Orvil A. Knight with his first wife, Ellen Cook, and daughters Callie (middle) and Cordia (right.) Image courtesy of http://www.berriencountyga.com

Orville Augustus Knight was a son Rhoda Futch and George Washington Knight.  He was born and raised in Berrien County in the 1144 Georgia Militia District, the Rays Mill District.  For twenty years or more O. A. Knight made his home near Ray City, GA, and most of his life he  was engaged in farming on his own account.  He became a member of Empire Church, a few miles northeast of Ray City,  and in 1915 at the age of 41 was ordained as an Elder of the Primitive Baptist faith.   In 1925, Orville A. Knight became pastor of Union Church near Lakeland, GA. His great grandfather, William Anderson Knight, had served 100 years earlier as the original pastor of Union Church. That year he also served as pastor at his home church, Empire.

Orville A. Knight was first married in 1892 to Mary Ellen Cook (1876-1939). She was a daughter of John Jasper Cook and Lucretia Sirmans. Following her death, Knight was married a second time in 1939 to Mrs. Margaret Texas “Maggie” Overstreet. She was the widow of James Willis Overstreet, and a daughter of Elbert Mathis and Martha Susan “Mattie” Pounds.

Children of Orville Augustus Knight and Mary Ellen Cook:

1. Callie R Knight (1893 – 1914)
2. Cordie B Knight (1895 – 1965)
3. Dollie Knight (1898 – 1899)
4. Lonnie Alvin Knight (1900 – 1978)
5. Lola E Knight (1905 – )
6. Willie Ernest Knight (1906 – 1969)
7. George Selman Knight (1909 – 1917)
8. Myrtle Knight (1913 – 1980)

From “Gospel Appeal:”  Elder Orville A. Knight was born February 28, 1874, in Berrien County, Georgia, and passed away at his home in Valdosta, Ga., Dec 27, 1950.

Orville A. Knight united with Empire Church, Berrien County, Ga., on July 22, 1909.  He was baptized by Elder W. H. Parrish.  On Nov. 27, 1915, he was ordained to the full work of the gospel ministry.  Elders forming the presbytery for his ordination were I. A. Wetherington, H. W. Parrish, B. L. Starling, and A. A. Knight.

Elder Knight was called to serve his home church, Empire, in 1925 and over the years of his ministry also served as pastor of Ramah, Prospect, Olive Leaf, Bethany (Arabia), Unity, Cat Creek, Wayfare (Cow Creek),  Ben James, Union (Burnt Church), Providence and other churches.

In 1903, Elder T. R. Crawford wrote in the Goodwill of his impressions of Elder Knight and described him as “one of the most loved, esteemed, honored and respected servants of the most High God that has ever graced the pulpit of the churches of the deep south.”

Related Posts:

• George Washington Knight and the Populist Party
• Rhoda Futch Knight
• Knights Come to Lowndes County, GA
• Perry Thomas Knight Attended Oaklawn Baptist Academy
• Sullivan Jordan “Sovin” Knight (1858 – 1911)
• Aaron Anderson Knight (1857 – 1925)

   Located in present day Lanier County, GA, the old Union Church lies about 10 miles east of where Levi J. Knight settled on Beaver Dam Creek (now Ray City, GA).  It was the first church to serve the pioneer settlers of this region.  L. J. Knight’s parents, Sarah and William Anderson Knight , were among the organizing members of the church.  Built on land provided by Jesse Carter, the church was originally referred to as Carter’s Meeting House, and later designated Union Church.

The church and cemetery  were on a trail used by the Creek Indians traveling between the Chattahoochee River and the Okefenokee Swamp.  During the Indian Wars, 1836-1838,  the church building was partially burned.  The fire-damaged timbers were used in the reconstruction, and since that time Union Church has also been known as Burnt Church.

  “Union Baptist Church, on the Alapaha River ….was constituted October 21, 1825, the first church in the old area of Irwin County.  The original members William A. Knight; his wife, Sarah; Jonathan Knight; his wife, Elizabeth; Joshua Lee; his wife, Martha; James Patten; his wife, Elizabeth; Mary Knight; Josiah Sirmans, deacon.  The Rev. Matthew Albritton served the church as its first minister.”

Union Church, Lanier County, GA

In Pines and pioneers: A history of Lowndes County, Georgia, 1825-1900,  author J. T. Shelton gave the following description described a Big Meeting at Union church:

“The old church had a door on every side for easy access, a rostrum along one wall with seats facing it from three directions. The arrangement allowed the seating of slaves on one side. With feet planted firmly on the wide floor boards, the congregation sat on the pews, each a single plank. The women of the church had scrubbed down with potash and homemade soap both pews and flooring, and the wood had a soft, silvery sheen. The pulpit was seven feet long, twelve inches wide and two inches thick; three to five preachers sat on a long bench behind the  pulpit until each had his turn to address the assembly. The exhorter then paced up and down the generous space provided, and he held forth for two hours before the next preacher had his chance. Listeners came and went; mothers carried out crying babies; little boys believed that they would starve to death before they could get outside to the loaded dinner tables that were as much a part of Big Meeting as the preaching.”

In 1928-30, The Clinch County News published a series of articles on the history of Union Church, portions of which are excerpted below:

HISTORY OF OLD UNION CHURCH
Established 1825

Chapter I

Union Primitive Baptist Church, the mother of all the churches of this faith in this immediate section of Georgia, was organized or constituted October 1st, 1825.  The presbytery consisted of Elders Fleming Bates and Mathew Albritton.

As is well known, the church is located on the banks of the Alapaha River about 1 1/2 miles south of Lakeland formerly old Milltown.  It stands to-day where it has always stood for the past 108 years (1933). The cemetery close by contains the graves of many pioneers and old citizens of east Lowndes, southeast Berrien and western Clinch counties.  Baptisms have always taken place in the nearby river, it not being over one hundred yards from the church to the river.  A high bluff with a sharp bend in the river’s course is the visitor’s introduction after he has passed the church.  Several steady-flowing springs of fine drinking water are to be found on the banks, and eminating from the walls of the bluff.  Part of the bluff slopes off to the river’s edge at the river bend thus making an ideal place for baptism purposes.

The little log-house which was the first building on the site of the present church, had come to be known as Carter’s Meeting House prior to the organization of the church.  For some months prior it had been the scene of monthly meetings or services, and it was the expression of the desire of the settlers to have some kind of divine services in their midst, for there was not a church to be found of any denomination from the Altamaha River to the Florida and Alabama lines.  The settlers in this immediate vicinity were more numerous than in most of the settlements, and many of them Carters.  The meeting-house took its name from old man Jesse Carter and he probably gave the land and his boys had a hand in building the original log house to hold services in.   The earliest settlers had only been living here four years at the time, while the most of them had not living here hardly a year.  Knights, Carters, Giddens and Lees made up most of the settlers west of the river while on the east side of the river were to be found Tomlinsons, Sirmans and Fenders, Corbitts and Mathises.  Further down the river could be found the Wetheringtons, Swilleys, Peters, Walkers, and Roberts.

Elder William A. Knight, at that time a layman, was one of the leading spirits in the formation of the church.  As already stated it was Elders Bates and Albritton who presided at the organization of the church, but to “Old Father Knight” as many people called him in his lifetime, may be attribute more than anyone else the religious activities of the community in those days when the first settlers were moving in.  He led in prayer and in song, and when the preacher failed to keep an appointment because of lurking Indians, high waters or other providential hindrances it was Bro. Knight who took charge and carried on the service. Five years after the church was organized he was licensed to preach the Gospel and two years later (1832) he was ordained to the full Gospel ministry.

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 Union Church had been constituted under the auspices of the Piedmont Primitive Baptist Association, but by 1827 the establishment of a number of new churches prompted a desire to divide the association.  Fleming Bates and Matthew Albritton, of  Union Church, were appointe to lead the local organization of  “seven Baptist churches situated between the Alapaha and Flint River” into the new Ochlocknee Primitive Baptist Association.  The Ochlocknee Association grew rapidly and by 1833 included 35 churches and 1,010 members.   William A. Knight was appointed to travel these new churches to instruct them on their duties and responsibilities to the Association. By 1835,  when Union Church and other churches of south Georgia and north Florida again sought to divide from the Ochlocknee Primitive Baptist Association, Knight served on the presbytery in the organization of the new Suwannee  Primitive Baptist Association.

Clinch County News
September 20, 1929

HISTORY OF OLD UNION CHURCH
Established 1825

Chapter XIII.

As has been stated before, the minutes of the church from the beginning in 1825 to 1832 have been lost.  We understand, however, that Rev. William A. Knight was the first pastor as well as the guiding hand of the church during these early years.  It is certain that he was one of the charter members and the only ordained minister holding his membership with the church during that time. Assuming that he was pastor during those seven years, the list of pastors up to recently [1929], is as follows:

• William A. Knight                          1825-1832
• Matthew Albritton (died)              1832-1850
• William A. Knight (died)               1850-1860
• Ansel Parrish                                1860-1865
•                               (No record, 1865 to 1873)
• Timothy William Stallings            1873-1888
• Wm. H. Tomlinson                       1888-1900
• Timothy William Stallings           1900-1902
• A. A. Knight                                     1902-1907
• J. A. Chitty                                       1907-1911
• Aaron A. Knight                                1911-1913
• Isham Albert Wetherington                        1913-1915
• Orville A. Knight                          1915-1916
• E. R. Rhoden                                1916-1918
• I. A. Wetherington (died)         1918-1923
• Wm. H. Tomlinson                    1923-1925
• Orville A. Knight                        1925-1927

If the writer could properly write the life of these earnest consecrated servants of the Lord, it would be equal to writing an account of the religious life of this section in the Primitive Baptist denomination.  Fearless in fighting sin and bold in preaching Christ and faithful in contending for the Faith, they have served nobly and well and unborn generations will bear witness to the fruits of their work.  With few exceptions the writer has not sufficient biographical data at hand now to write of their individual lives, but we know of their godly records.  We hope to write later of the lives of these great preachers.

Church Clerks

The clerks of the church likewise contain a list of fine men, known throughout their communities and  counties for their good, upright lives, and their staunch Christian characters. We do not know who the first clerk was.

Elected

• Owen Smith              September 7, 1832
• Joshua Sykes              January 12, 1839
• Isaac D. Hutto                  April 13, 1845
• William Patten                  May 10, 1851
• William Lastinger              July 8, 1854
• John Studstill                       Jan 9, 1858
• William Giddens                May 7, 1863
• E. R. Rhoden                 October 8, 1891
• W. R. Rhoden         November 10, 1894
• J. L. Robertson        February 12, 1898
• Wm. J. Knight                  May 12, 1900
• J. A. Weaver                 August 10, 1901
• G. L. Robinson      September 12, 1924
• J. A. Weaver          September 12, 1925
• J. S. Shaw                     October 8, 1926

A good portion of the minutes is in the handwriting of assistant clerks.  These assistant clerks were generally elected by the church, but of late years there have been no assistants.  The list of assistant clerks is as follows:

• William A. Knight          1834-1837
• Levi Drawdy                  1837-1848
• James Walker                1853-1854
• Richard H. Burkhalter 1861-1862
• John P. Tomlinson       1887-1900
• John T. Watson            1900-1902

Deacons

The church has had but few deacons during its 105 years [as of 1929] of existence.  There were apparently never over two at the time, and when elected they served for life unless sooner dismissed by letter or otherwise.  The list given below is full of as fine men as ever lived in this section.  We do not in the list make any attempt to show how long they served except in those cases where they died members of the church.  We do not know who the first deacons of the church were.  List follows:

Bro. Edmund Mathis, one of the deacons, having removed his membership, Bro. Joshua Lee was elected in his place March 10, 1833, and ordained April 13, 1833 by Elders Peacock, Friar and Knight.

September 6, 1839, Bro. Edmund Mathis was received back into the membership by letter from Concord church, Hamilton County, Fla., and acted as a deacon until dismissed again by letter April 10, 1841.

On June 13, 1841, brethren Jacob Hughes and John Lee were ordained deacons.  Members of the presbytery not shown by minutes.

March 13, 1852, brethren Richard H. Burkhalter and J. D. Peters were elected deacons.  They were ordained June 12, 1852 but the minutes do not show who constituted the presbytery.  Bro. Burkhalter died in 1862 and Bro. Peters also died a member but we do not know when.

The minutes do not show any further ordination of deacons until 1891 when Bro. John P. Tomlinson was elected on May 9th.  On June 13, 1891 he was ordained by Elders J. A. O’steen and T. W. Stallings.

On December 9, 1899, Bro. James L. Robinson was elected a deacon but was never ordained.

On November 10, 1906 Bro. Israel G. Carter was elected a deacon and ordained January 12, 1907 by Elders B.P. Lovett from Salem Church, I. A. Wetherington from Unity church,  A. A. Knight , the pastor.

On October 9, 1909, Bro. J. A. Weaver was elected deacon, and ordained February 12, 1910 by Elders Wetherington, Chitty and A. A. Knight .

Treasurers

The minutes do not disclose that the church ever had any treasurer until 1909 whem on October 9th, Bro. J. A. Weaver was elected as such.

Historic Marker – Union Church, organized 1825. Sarah and William A. Knight were founding members.

Related Articles:

• The “Gold Standard” of the Wiregrass Primitive Baptists of Georgia: A History of the Crawford Faction of the Alabaha River Primitive Baptist Association, 1842-2007
• Primitive Baptists at Ray City
• Historic Marker Placed at Site of New Ramah Church
• Knights Come to Lowndes County, GA
• Irene Primitive Baptist Church
• Constitution of New Ramah Primitive Baptist Church
• A Brief History of New Ramah Baptist Church at Ray City, GA
• Eulogy of Elder Ansel Parrish
• Aaron Anderson Knight (1857 – 1925)
• New Ramah Primitive Baptist Church ~ Additional Views
• aaa

This 1896 tale of an alligator in the Alapaha river is a bit farfetched, but there is no doubt about alligators in Berrien county or about early residents’ interest in the beasts.  In 1899, Jay Sirmans  tried to capture a live one at Ray’s Mill.  Today, gator watching is still a part of any visit to  the Ray’s Millpond Café.

Roping a gator – vintage studio photo postcard. Image source: http://postcardiva.blogspot.com/2012_04_01_archive.html

Tifton Gazette
March 13, 1896

Correspondence

In a Bad Fix.

“The other day,” said my informant, changing his tobacco to the other side of his mouth, “I was lying on the green sward on the bank of the beautiful Alapaha river, just thinking of nothing at all, when my attention was attracted by a noise not far from me.  Turning my eyes in that direction, I saw a large aligator run a short distance, probably thirty yards, then run back the same distance, tail in front.  This was kept up for about fifteen or twenty minutes, when the ‘gator lay down apparently exhausted, and rolled over on its back.  Then I noticed for the first time that four hog’s feet protruded through the covering of the saurian’s bread basket.  Saurians don’t eat bread, but that’s a good name for it anyway.  It dawned upon me in an instant that the ‘gator had swallowed the hog without taking the precaution to kill it, and that the porker in its frantic efforts to regain its liberty, had worked its feet through the tender underpart of its captor.  Having swallowed the hog head-formost, of course the ‘gator’s way was not the hog’s way, and when the ‘gator traveled a short distance and paused to rest, the hog, with that instinct which warns us to flee from danger, would take up the line of march in the opposite direction, and go until the ‘gator got a foot-hold and called a halt.  Did I cut the ‘gator open and give the hog its liberty? No.  The ‘gator turned its head around, sized a leg at a time and bit them off even with its surface.  When a leg came off, I could hear a far-away squeal, and I know that the hog appreciated the situation.  When the last leg disappeared down the ‘gator’s throat, that beast turned over on its stomach, winked one eye at me, as much as to say, “I know how to save my bacon,” then toddled off to the river, plunged in and disappeared.”

Bon Wick.

Related Posts:

• Jay Sirmans ~ Gator Man of Rays Mill, GA
• Annie B. Sirmans Once Owned Ray’s Mill
• Hardeman Giddens and the Big Fishing Frolic
• 1849 Adventures With A Panther in Berrien County, GA
• Year of the Tiger
• Wolves in the Wiregrass
• The Elixir of Life
• Possums Wanted
• Bessie Johnson: Lady in Red
• Lamar Fountain Preferred Swamp to Prison
• Charles Russell Herring ~ Killed by a Rattlesnake