Laid out in 1826. Part set off to Campbell, 1828, and a part to Heard, in 1836. Length, 27 m.; breadth, 18 m.; area square miles, 486.

    The streams are the Chattahoochee River, and several creeks.

    The lands are fertile, producing cotton, corn, wheat, &c.

    NEWNAN, the seat of justice, is situated about the centre of the county, 126 miles N. W. of Milledgeville.

    The Newnan Seminary is located here, and ranks among the first schools in Georgia.

    The climate does not vary much from that of other counties surrounding it.

    Among the first settlers of this county were, Joseph EDMONDSON, Andrew J. BERRY, Gilbert GREENE, John JOHNSTON, _________ TALIAFERRO, _________ ROBINSON, James STAMPS, Washington ARNOLD, James HUTCHESON, Levi PHILLIPS, Daniel WESTER, the REDWINEs and HEARNES.

    Extract from the Census of 1850. --- Dwellings, 1,382; families, 1,382; white males, 4,223; white females, 3,979; free coloured males, 7; free coloured females, 11. Total free population, 8,220. Slaves, 5,415. Deaths, 218, Farms, 911; manufacturing establishments, 52. Value of real estate, $2,146,322; value of personal estate, $4,070,586.

    On a tract of land belonging to Major Cheedle Cochran, of Fayette County, No. 112, Fifth District of Coweta County, are the remains of an old fortification, of a circular form, and containing an area of from six to ten acres. The site is advantageous for the defensive, being situated on a point of land making in between a small creek and a branch; a short and almost perpendicular hill, projecting towards the creek swamp, protected the fort from an attack from that quarter, or made death the inevitable lot of any who had the hardihood to ascend to its brow, in hostile array. On the other side, a gentle descent gave to those within the fort the command of it for a considerable distance.

    ALLEN GAY died in this county at the age of eighty-two. A relative of this gentleman has furnished the author with a sketch of his life, from which the following extracts are made: ---

    He began his Revolutionary career when only sixteen years of age, volunteering to act as a substitute for his father, who had been summoned to appear at the high hills of Santee for twelve months' service. He was attached to a battalion belonging to General Greene's army. At the battle of Eutaw Springs, the company for which he was attached a part of the advance, and displayed a courage which would have done honour to veterans. Upon this occasion he actually took five of the enemy prisoners. After the war he removed to Georgia. He was a worthy member of the Baptist Church.

    REV. DABNEY JONES. --- This great champion of temperance resides in this county, and was one of its early settlers. In 1828 he removed from Madison, and settled on Shoal Creek, while, to use his own language, "the bark camp of the Indians was standing, while the wolves still howled in the solitude of the forest." Mr. Jones assisted in erected the first church in Coweta, and preached the first sermon in Newnan, in a rude log house. He also delivered the first temperance lecture on the 4th of July, 1832, and from this period until 1847 he lectured at most of the Superior Courts, when the friends of temperance called upon him to be their representative. Mr. Jones's labours are well known in Georgia. He is an interesting man, full of anecdote, and one cannot be in his company without being convinced of his worth.

    In 1836, a military detachment, under the command of Captain H. Garmany, on their return from the Creek war, stopped at the town of Newnan. Their visit was thus noticed in the Newnan Palladium: ---

    Early on the morning of Tuesday, 26th ult., our citizens were apprised of the approach of a company of our chivalrous up-country volunteers; we at once thought it to be our own --- but when they approached, who should it be but the gallant Captain Garmany, with part of his command. They were received with enthusiasm by our citizens, and were compelled by urgent solicitation to partake of a breakfast with us --- after which the ladies and gentlemen of the town and its vicinity repaired to the court-house to welcome this heroic band. Colonel W. D. Spear was called to the chair, and after making a few pertinent remarks, suitable to the occasion, the following song was, after proper intervals, sung thrice, with weeping eyes and great applause: ---

See the Chattahoochee flow,
By Roanoke descending low;
There our soldiers met the foe,
	Fierce as panther prowling.

God! was not Thy presence nigh,
When to Thee, with trusting eye,
Looked our soldiers, while the cry
	Burst like wild wolves howling?

Hear our Captain's cheerful tone ---
"Courage, soldiers! soldiers, on!
Let no craven fear be shown,
	Here no aid can find us!

"Who a home or lov'd one hath,
Fight like whirlwinds in their wrath:
Fight, there lies no middle path ---
	Wreath or shade must bind us.

"Should the God of battles smile,
Blessings wait to crown our toil;
Many a list'ner we'll beguile
	With this day's bold story.

"Should we fall, we leave a name
Ages will be proud to claim;
Death, upon the soldier's fame,
	Stamps the seal of glory."

Garmany, such thy counsels bold,
Now in song thy name's enrolled,
And thy gallant deeds are told,
	While thousands throng applauding.

Bravery makes thy field her shrine,
Beauty's grateful tear is thine:
Who but would his life resign,
	Such the meed rewarding?

    After the singing had ceased, Captain Garmany rose and said, in substance, as follows:

    "Mr. Chairman, I beg leave to respond by offering my thanks, both for myself and in behalf of my company, for the honour conferred upon us. It is true, we have encountered hardships, difficulty, great danger, some suffering, and the loss of some of our best men; yet we have done no more than our duty, and duty which every man should at all times be ready to discharge. You, dear females, I with pleasure behold here in peace, and under the protection of the good and virtuous; while my bosom burns at the thought that I have seen the places where many of your sex have been butchered by those blood-thirsty savages, too cruel to relate; yes, so cruel and heart-rending, that my life has almost been my terror."

    Tears flowed from the eyes of all in the house, which created an inexpressible feeling, and we could not trace him further, only to say that he spoke the sentiments of a warm and patriotic heart.

    The citizens wished to retain them as guests until the morrow; but the anxiety of the heroes to see and embrace their wives, daughters, and sisters, was such, that we had to succumb.

    The first Superior Court for Coweta County was held at a place 2 1/2 miles east of Newnan, commencing on the 25th day of June, 1827, --- Honourable Walter T. Colquitt, Judge.

Transcribed by Tim Stowell - October, 2003.