We copy from the Albany Patriot of May 14, 1854, the following accounty of a tragical incident connected with the Creek war:--
"Near the road leading from Albany to Blakely, in a solitary place about two miles from the Chickasawhachee Swamp, stands a dilapidated house, which is now uninhabited, and has a very desolate appearance. To a believer in ghosts, it would present a favourable spot for their nocturnal visits. A traveller approaching it in the twilight, would almost expect to see something frightful start up before him.
This was the scene of a bloody tragedy in the last Creek war. It was then inhabited by a man and his wife, with several children and servants. A former resident of the place had offended the Creeks, and they, with that unrelenting spirit peculiar to their race, had determined to have revenge. A party of them in their flight from Alabama to Florida, passed near this place. They believed the object of their hatred was within their reach-- the demon of revenge stirred within them, and they determined to sacrifice their victim and his whole family. Concealed by the forest, they approached the house
while the unsuspecting family and several neighbours were assembled at breakfast.
"Alarmed by the shouts of the savages, they attempted to escape. A horrid massacre ensued. The blood of father, mother, children,
neighbours, and servants was mingled together.
"A party of whites next day visited the spot. They found some dead, some dying, and some, though shockingly mangled, still survived.
"In their blind rage, the savages had missed the object of their vengeance, and brought destruction upon and innocent family.
The appearance of the place is in keeping with it's history; the woods look dark and gloomy; long moss hangs in curtains from the trees, as if nature, in sympathy for the murdered family, had clothed herself in the habiliments of woe."
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BULLOCH COUNTY.
This division of the State was laid out in 1796, and named after Archibald Bulloch, Governor of Georgia; length 40 miles, breadth 30 miles; area, square miles, 1,200.
The face of the country is level. The soil, except on the watercourses, is poor.
The climate is healthy and pleasant. The general appearance of the inhabitants speaks favourably in this respect. There are few diseases; and we know of no section of Georgia in which there are more chances for health than among the pine forests of Bulloch County.
The cases of longevity which have come to our knowledge are, Mrs. Driggers and Mrs. Cannon, both of whom were said to have been 104 years at their death; Mrs. Everitt, 106. Mr. Rimes died at 92; William Kirby, 90; Joseph Hodges, 80. Three years ago there were living Mrs. Shepherd, 106; Mr. Donaldson, 82; Nathan Brewton, 90; Mr. Kicklighter, 80; Mrs. Polly Williams, 90; Mrs. Hagan, 80.
The rivers are the Ogeechee and Cannouchee. Near the Ogeechee is a lake ten miles long.
STATESBOROUGH is the county site; distant from Milledgeville, 120 miles.
Among the early settlers of this county were, William and Benjamin Cook, Bernard Michael, John and Jehu Everitt, Andrew E. Wells, George Threadcraft, Charles McCall, Alexander Stewart, M. Burkhalter, A. McKenzie, Daniel and Arthur Lot, Wm. Mezell, Lewis Lanier, Clement Lanier, Daniel Hendrix, N. Sweat, Mr. Oliff, Mr. Shorter, John Groover, Wm. Rowe, the families of the Hodges, Cones, Hagans, &c.
Extract from the Census of 1850:--Dwellings, 477; families, 487; white males, 1,435; white females, 1,405. Total free persons, 2,840; slaves 1,460, deaths, 28; farms, 412; manufacturing establishments, 3; value of personal estate, $379,205; value of real estate, $885,200.
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MISCELLANEOUS.
The Clerk of the Superior Court of Bulloch County has politely favoured us with the following extracts from the minutes of the first Court held in this county:---
"At a Superior Court, began and held at the house of Stephen Mills, in and for the County of Bulloch, on Tuesday, the 16th day of May, 1797, the Hon, William Stephens, Esq., one of the Judges of the Superior Court of the State of Georgia, presiding. The Court opened in due form, and proceeded to the organization of the same by calling the Grand and Petit Jurors, when the following appeared as Grand Jurors :---
"John M. Buckhalter, William Cone, James Jackson, John Fletcher, Samuel Peacock, James Webb, Jacob Hoofman, George McCall, A. Hagan, Isaac Carter, John Rawles, M. Pridgeon, M. Carter, James Bird, M. Driggers, Francis Wells, R. Abritton, Jehu Everitt, N. Sweat. The Grand Jury presented William Cone as their Foreman, who, with the rest of the Jurors, were duly sworn, and a charge delivered them by the Judge. The following gentlemen of the Bar attended and took their seats at the table:---D. B. Mitchell, Esq., Attorney-General of the State; Jeremiah Cuyler, and William B. Bulloch, Esqrs., Attorneys at Law.
"DANIEL McGIRTH.---During the Revolutionary War, the section of the State now known as Bulloch County was a favourite resort of Colonel DANIEL McGIRTH. He was a native of Kershaw District, South Carolina. From his early attachments and associates, he joined cordially in opposition to the claims of the British Government. Being a practised hunter, and an excellent rider, he was well acquainted with the woods in that extensive range of country. He was highly valuable to the Americans for the facility with which he acquired information of the enemy, and for the accuracy and minuteness with which he communicated what he had obtained. He had brought with him into the service a favourite mare, his own property, an elegant animal, on which he felt safe from pursuit when engaged in the duties of a scout. He called the mare the Gray Goose. This animal was coveted by one of the American officers at St. Illa, in Georgia, who adopted means various means to obtain possession of her, all of which were opposed by McGirth, chiefly on the ground that she was essentially necessary to the American interest in the duties performed by him, and without her he could no longer engage in them. The officer continuing urgent, McGirth said or did something to get rid of him, which he might have only intended as a personal rebuff, but probably was much more. He was arrested, tried by a court-martial, found guilty of violating the articles of war, and sentenced to be whipped. He suffered this punishment, and was again placed in prison, waiting to receive another whipping according to his sentence. Whilst thus situated, he saw his favourite mare, observed where she was picketed, and immediately began to concert measures for his escape and re-possession of his mare. He succeeded in both, and when seated on her back, he turned deliberately round, notwithstanding the alarm at his escape, and denounced vengeance against all the Americans for his ill treatment. He executed his threats most fully, most fearfully, most vindictively. Indulging this savage, vindictive temper, was indeed productive of great injury to the American cause, and of much public and private suffering, but it was also the cause of his own ruin and misery. When the state was again recovered by the American army, he still kept in the woods, retreated into Georgia, and thence into Florida. When Florida was reconveyed to the Spaniards by the treaty of peace, he became subject to their laws, and on account of suspicious conduct was arrested and confined by them five years in one of their damp dungeons in the Castle of St. Augustine, where his health was totally destroyed. When discharged from St. Augustine, he, with much difficulty, returned to his wife in Sumter District, S. C., where he ended his life." 3
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BRYAN COUNTY.
This county was laid out in 1793; a part taken from Effingham, 1794; and a part set
off to Bulloch in 1796.
There are no large towns or villages.
The county site is BRYAN COURT-HOUSE.
Fort Argyle, so called by Oglethorpe, after John, Duke of Argyle, stood upon the west bank of the Ogeechee River; built in 1732, as a defence against the Spaniards.
Hardwick, so called from the Earl of Hardwick, Lord High Chancellor of England, is situated on the south side of the Ogeechee River, fifteen miles from the ocean.
Extract from census of 1850:--- Dwellings, 212; families, 212; white males, 604; white females, 560; free coloured males, 10, free coloured females, 5. Total free population, 1,179; slaves 2,245. Deaths, 63. 209 farms. Value of real estate, $250,000; value of personal estate, $1,235,400.
SAMUEL STILES, with his brother, B. Stiles, came to this country about 1769, and settled a plantation in what is now called Bryan County. When the Revolutionary War commenced, although his family was in Bermuda, Mr. S. Stiles took part with the Americans. His services to the United States were valuable. He was engaged, a large portion of his time, in procuring warlike stores and ammunition for the United States, as well as for the State of Georgia. Much of the powder used by the Americans in the Revolution came from Bermuda. It is said that the Bermudians, being in a starving condition, stole the Government powder from the magazines, and sold it for provisions, and that Mr. Stiles was the person who arranged the trade, and carried off the powder. The British Government offered a large reward for the apprehension of the persons engaged in the theft. Mr. Stiles had the honour of being at the siege of Savannah, at which he had a horse shot under him.
The Count D'Estaing made Mr. Stiles liberal propositions to assist him in taking some of the West India Islands, but unavoidable circumstances prevented his acceptance of the offer.
This gentleman was connected with the army during the greater part of the Revolutionary War. His contemporaries speak of him as a man of high virtue and patriotism. Though brought up in affluence, he cheerfully endured all the privations to which the Southern army was exposed. In a paper describing some of the incidents of the war in Georgia, which has been placed in our hands, we find the following particulars in relation to Colonel Clay. He went as a volunteer under Jackson to the relief of Wilkes County. His patriotism was severely tried. At this time the sufferings of the army were great; at night officers and men lay exposed to the open air. Mr. Clay submitted to all these privations, eat and slept like the common soldier. He was highly esteemed by his fellow-citizens. He was place upon the Committee appointed by the Sons of Liberty, in 1774, to draw up resolutions relating to the grievances of which the colonies then complained; and also upon the Committee to receive subscriptions for the suffering citizens of Boston; and in 1775 was appointed a member of the Council of Safety. He was also a member of the Continental Congress from 1778 to 1780, besides filling many important offices.
REV. JOSEPH CLAY:--- This gentleman, the son of Colonel Joseph Clay, was born in the city of Savannah, August 16, 1764. The Hon. Mr. Berrien says: "I knew him well; he was the friend of my father, and my legal preceptor. At his own request, I lived in his family in the country, while engaged in the prosecution of my law studies, and had therefore an opportunity of knowing and appreciating his many virtues. He was descended from one of the oldest and most respectable families in our State, and was himself possessed of talents of the highest order. He was liberally educated, and received the first honour in the class of which he was a member, at the College of Princeton, where he graduated.
"Returning to Georgia, he entered upon the study of law, and having been admitted to the bar, soon rose to the highest eminence in his profession. He was particularly distinguished as an advocate, and especially in criminal cases.
"Mr. Clay was a leading member of the Convention which formed the present Constitution of Georgia. The original draft was carefully prepared by him in his retirement, but the Convention met in times of high party excitement, arising from the then recent controversy about the sale of our western lands, commonly denominated the Yazoo lands, and the plan of government submitted by Mr. Clay received various modifications which diminished its value.
"Mr. Clay was called from his retirement (in what precise year I do not recollect) to fill the office of District Judge of the United States for the district of Georgia, and presided in that court for several years, with distinguished ability and with universal approbation. But he was destined, in the providence of God, to a higher sphere of action. Mr. Clay had always been a moral man. His disposition was peculiarly amiable, and he was distinguished by a warm and active benevolence. Those, combined with his social qualities, made him and object of universal affection and respect in the community in which he lived. If any one of that community had requested to point to a man of blameless conduct, he would have been designated. He alone did not concur in this judgment. While he was yet actively engaged in his judicial duties, the subject of religion presented itself to his mind and engrossed his thoughts."
He became a member of the Baptist Church in 1802, and immediately entered upon the ministry. He died in 1811.
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MISCELLANEOUS.
On 20th August, 1852, died in this county, Bess, an aged Negro woman, where history in some respects is remarkable. On the death of her then late mistress-the widow of a Revolutionary officer in South Carolina-her younger son was left under the care of a rapacious executor, who took little or no care of him, and squandered the greater part of his property. While this lad was living on this plantation, not very far from Charleston, Bess, who had been freed by her mistress for her faithful conduct, grieved at the treatment which her young master was receiving, went to the plantation, took the orphan, then a very little fellow, carried him into Charleston, and there supported him by her own labour and that of her husband, who was a fisherman for Charleston Market. She afterwards came with him to Georgia, to see him educated, took care of him while at school, and on his marriage continued to live as a domestic in the family, making herself useful in several departments of voluntary service. For some time previous to her death, She was very infirm, and at her decease must have been considerably over one hundred years old. She was often heard to speak of the risk she ran in entering Charleston at night.
RELICS OF THE ABORIGINES.--- From the number of mounds or burial-places on the banks of the Ogeechee, that river would appear to have been a favourite one with the natives. About fifteen miles from its embouchure, a part of the land projects several miles out, called the "Seven Mile Point," from the number of miles in its circumference-across this point the extent is not more than the sixth of a mile; and each side of it is swept by the bold and rapid river. The tumuli abound more especially here; and there are found in them, besides a great number of human bones, the urns in which the ashes and bones of the dead are contained. Some of these urns are carved with a degree of skill and beauty, and contain, also, the ornaments in use with the natives, among which I have found pearls, perforated to be strung, and on one occasion an ornament which, from its size and texture, must have been made from the tooth of an elephant or hippopotamus; a proof (as neither these animals nor their relics are found with us) that the earliest inhabitants of this continent had commercial relations; and a concurring proof, with the remains of regular fortifications, and other works of art which are found everywhere in our country, that there was a people who had attained a higher degree of excellence in the arts of civilized life, than those who were its inhabitants when Columbus discovered it.
The bones found in the tumuli mentioned are in a petrified state, to which may be attributed their preservation; and it may also be remarked, that their processes and spines for the insertion of muscles are bolder and more prominent than those we find at present;
their muscular force must have been proportionately greater. A very old burial-place of the earliest white settlers adjoins the Indian one, and also a more recent one of the negroes, a striking amalgamation in the death of those races, who each are so widely separated by customs, and physical and more peculiarities. ---Savannah Republican.
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BURKE COUNTY.
This county was laid out as St. George's Parish in 1758, and the name changed to Burke, in honour of Edmund Burke, the great champion of American liberty, in 1777. In 1793, a part was added to Screven; and in 1798, a part to Jefferson. Length, 32½ miles; breadth, 32 miles. Area, square miles, 1,040.
The Savannah separates this county from South Carolina, and the Ogeechee from Emanuel. Briar Creek floes through the whole length, and is celebrated for the rich lands upon its borders.
The soil is generally very productive, peculiarly adapted to cotton, corn, &c.
Extract from the Census of 1850:-- 1,017 dwellings, 1,017 families, 2,757 white males, 2,359 white females; 80 free coloured males, 72 free coloured females. Total free population, 5,268. Slaves, 10,832. Deaths, 326. Farms, 712. Manufacturing establishments, 41.
WAYNESBOROUGH is the seat of justice. It is 80 miles east of Milledgeville. Incorporated in 1812.
Alexander is a village of recent date, on the road from Waynesborough to Savannah.
Burke Jail is noted for a battle which took place in 1779, between the British, commanded by Colonels Brown and McGirth, and the Americans, under the command of Colonels Twiggs and Few, in which the latter were victorious. In this engagement, Captain Joshua Inman, of the Americans, killed three of the enemy with his own hand.
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MISCELLANEOUS.
A house of worship now owned by the Methodists, called the Old Church, is six miles southeast of Waynesborough, on the old Quaker road leading to Savannah. It was formerly an Episcopal Church, and had a glebe of forty-seven acres.
In 1770 and 1772, Rev. Alexander Findlay was rector of this Church.
In 1773, Mr. Findlay, finding the church and parsonage not finished, left St. George's, and went to North Carolina.
In 1774, Rev. Mr. Seymour and Rev. John Holmes had charge of St. George's Church.
In 1776, 1777, 1778, Rev. Mr. Holmes, rector.
In 1780, Rev. Mr. James Brown, rector.4
It is said that, after the location of Waynesborough for the county site, the Justices of the Inferior Court passed an order that the Old Church building should be torn down, removed to Waynesborough, and converted into a court-house; and that this would have been done, but for a lawyer by the name of Allen, who said that the passage of Scripture would be fulfilled, which says---"My house shall be called an House of Prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves."
REVOLUTIONARY PAPER CONNECTED WITH THE HISTORY OF BURKE COUNTY.
Wednesday, Sept. 28, 1774
We, the subscribers, inhabitants of the Parish of St. George, in the Province of Georgia, do hereby publicly declare that we entirely disagree to the paper containing certain resolutions which were drawn up in the city of Savannah, by some persons met there on the 10th of August, 1774; because, although many of us gave our votes that Mr. Jones and Mr. Lord should go to the said meeting, yet it was because we were told that unless we did some persons there, we would have the Stamp Act put in force. By these and such like arguments, we were prevailed upon to do what we did; but as we find we were deceived, and that the said meeting was intended to draw up a paper that we think reflects very improperly upon our King and the Parliament, and may be of bad consequence to this Province, and can serve no good purpose, we therefore declare that we do not approve of the said paper; and we give our dissent in this public manner.
: Signed,
| George Wells, | James Rae, |
| Peter Shand, | Joseph Gresham, |
| James Dayle, | William Dayle, |
| Shadrach Barrow, | Joseph Tilley, |
| Daniel Thomas, | Job Thomas, |
| Gideon Thomas, | Drury Roberts, |
| John Thomas, | Joel Walker, |
| Robert Henderson, | James Red, |
| Frances Lewis Feyer, | William M. Norell, |
| John Red, | John Kennedy, |
| James Warren, | Francis Stringer, |
| James Williams, | Paul McCormick, |
| Samuel Red, | Humphrey Williams, |
| Alexander Berryhill, | John Greenway, |
| Edmund Hill, | Robert Blaishard, |
| Charles Williams, | Hugh Irwin, |
| Thomas Pennington, | Thomas Carter, |
| John Rogers, | James Brantley, |
| John Anderson, | William Whethers, |
| John Catlett, | William Moore, |
| David Greene, | William Godbe, |
| John Pettycrew, | Richard Curton, |
| William Callett, | William Curton, |
| John Ratten, | Philip Helveston, |
| John Frier, | Elias Daniel, |
| James Davis, | Ephraim Odom, |
| William Milner, | Benjamin Brantley, |
| Elijah Dix, | Thomas Grey, |
| Samuel Berryhill, | Jeremiah Brantley, |
| Thomas Red, | John Greene, |
| John Bledsoe, | John Burnsides, |
| Starling Jordan, | John Forth, |
| Patrick Dickey, | Nathan Williams, |
| Zechariah Wimberly, | Edward Watters, |
| Stephen Lamb, | John Stephens, |
| Benjamin Warren, | Frederick Francis, |
| Solomon Davis, | Moses Davis, |
| John Gray, | Arthur Walker, |
| Francis Hancock, | Amos Davis, |
| Pleasant Goodall, | Jacob Lamb, |
| Wade Kitts, | Allen Brown, |
| Daniel Logan, | Joseph Allday, |
| Myrick Davis, | James Douglis, |
| John Roberts, | Landman Ashbury, |
| Robert Douglass Sen., | Charles Golightly, |
| Jesse Scruggs, | John Howell, |
| Henry Mills, | Bud Cade, |
| Joseph Moore, | James Moore, |
| Amos Whitehead, | John Whitehead, |
| John Robinson, | John Sharpe, |
| Ezekiel Brumfield, | Thomas Odom, |
| Jacob Sharpe, | William Hobbs, |
| Clement Yarborough, | John Thomas, Sen., |
| James Hunt, | William Young, |
| Barnaby Lamb, | John Tillman, |
| Seth Slockumb, | Caleb Whitehead, |
| Lewis Hobbs, | Robert Cade. |
Among some papers loaned us by the late Major Twiggs, we found the following, the insertion of which we believe will be interesting to our friends in Burke:--
A Return of the First Battalion of Burke County Militia, agreeable to order, with its present situation and rank, with the number of effective men in each Company, and the number of arms, shot-bags, and powder-horns, for the year 1792.
| Captains. | 1st Lieut. | 2d Lieut. | No. of
Men. | No. of
Arms. | Shot-Bags,
&c. |
| Samuel White | Hopkin Dye | John McGomery | 44 | 23 | 23 |
| Willis Watson | Lark Robinson | Martin Martin | 68 | 50 | 30 |
| Dill Sapp | Wills Davies | Henry Bryant | 48 | 30 | 30 |
| Daniel Evans | Wm. Martin | Basil Gray | 38 | 20 | 20 |
| Chas. Kilbee | Lemuel Lasiter | John Tredwell | 48 | 27 | 27 |
| John Buford | Nich. Stregles | John McCarroll | 92 | 68 | 68 |
| Wm. Edwards | John Roberts | John Wright | 55 | 15 | 15 |
| Wm. Coursey | Wm. Parrimore | John Salter | 34 | 20 | 20 |
| Laban Thompson | Elihu Thompson | Wm. Dunn | 37 | 15 | 15 |
| Benj. Matthews | John Fryar | Mich'l McCormick | 82 | 41 | 41 |
| Noah Williams | James Rawles | Aaron Justice | 43 | 21 | 21 |
| Tho. Lewis |
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1 - The Indian name for Flint River is Thronateeska.
2 - To Nelson Tift, Esq., of Albany, Baker County, we acknowledge ourselves much indebted for valuable information relating to the section of country in which he resides. We feel it to be a duty we owe to this intelligent and enterprising gentleman to state that he furnished us with the above sketch of Baker County.
3 - Johnson's Traditions and Reminiscences of the American Revolution in South Carolina.
4 - From the Minutes of the Society for the Propagation of Religion in Foreign Parts.
Baker County transcribed by Debra Crosby - December, 2003.
Bulloch County transcribed by John Robert Peavy - June, 2005
Bryan County transcribed by Carolyn Jarrard - December, 2003.
Burke County transcribed by John Robert Peavy - July, 2005
First put online 23 Feb 2004.
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