This county is a portion of the territory acquired by the United States for the use of the State of Georgia, from the Creek Indians, by a treaty made at the Indian Springs. Organized in 1821. Named after the Marquis De La Fayette. Length, 27 m.; breadth, 18 m.; area square miles, 486.

    The Flint River passes along the eastern part of the county.

    FAYETTEVILLE is the county town, 107 miles from Milledgeville.

    Jonesborough is a thriving place, situated on the Macon and Western Railroad.

    Rough and Ready, and Fairburne, are small places.

    The face of the country is level. The lands are of the gray quality, adapted to cotton, corn, &c.

    The climate is healthy. We insert a few cases of longevity. Mr. Waldroup died at 104; Mr. Graves, over 80; Wm. Gay, over 80; Mr. Hanes, 87; Mr. Grey, 80; John Fuller, 96; Mr. Moses, 80; Mrs. Atkinson, 80; E. Knowles, 80; Wm. Powell, 90; John Cooke, 95; Wm. Abercrombie, 85; Mr. S. Speights, 85.

    General David Dickson died in this county in 1830, aged 79 years. He joined the standard of American Independence in February, 1775, at the Snow Camps, on Reedy River, at the taking of Colonel Cunningham and his Tories. In 1776, he commanded a volunteer company, under Gen. Williamson, in the Cherokee Nation, against the Cherokees and Tories. In 1777, he brought a company of minute-men to Georgia, and was stationed on the frontiers. In 1778, he and his compay went with the American army to take St. Augustine, and served in the artillery. The taking of St. Augustine miscarried; the minute-men were discharged, and he returned to South Carolina, joined the standard of Independence, and continued in the service of his country to the end of the war.

    Samuel Parsons died in 1832, aged 70 years. He was a native of the State of Virginia. At the age of fifteen he entered the army of the Revolution, was engaged in the battle of Guilford CourtHouse, at the siege of Little York, and witnessed the surrender of Lord Cornwallis.

    Extract from the Census of 1850. -- Dwellings, 1,196; families, 1,206; white males, 3,450; white females, 3,290; free coloured males, 3; 1 free coloured female. Total free population, 6,744; slaves, 1,965. Deaths, 99. Farms, 818; manufacturing establishments, 6. Value of real estate, $2,185,835; value of personal estate, $1,162,169.

    The first Superior Court for this county was held on the 22d of April, 1824. His Honor Eli Shorter, Judge.

    Laid out from Cherokee in 1832; named after the Hon. John Forsyth.

    The lands on the rivers and creeks are fertile.

    The climate is healthy.

    CUMMING, named after Colonel William Cumming, is the county town, 145 miles from Milledgeville; it is surrounded by beautiful scenery.

    The public places are Big Creek, Hartford, High Tower, Vickery's Creek and Warsaw.

    This section lies in the gold region. The mineral resources are supposed to be great.

    The principal streams are the Chattahoochee and Etowah. There are several creeks, such as Vickery's, Dicks's, John's, &c.

    According to the census of 1850, thee were in this county---Dwellings, 1,334; families, 1,334; white males, 3,950; white females 3,862; free coloured males, 6; free coloured females, 5. Total free population, 7,823. Slaves 1,027. Deaths, 39. Farms, 765; manufacturing establishments, 8. Value of real estate, $672,978; value of personal estate, $700,426.

    The first persons who made settlements in this county were, A. SCUDDER, L. BLACKBURN, JOHN JOLLY, W. W. VAUGHAN, A. CAMERON, Wm. ROGERS, JOHN ROGERS, Noah STRONG, L. HUDSON, B. ALLEN, W. H. BACON, L. D. HARRIS, E. HARRIS, GEO. KELLOGG, MR. JULIAN, ALFRED HUDSON, W. G. FIELDS.

    On Mr. Roger's plantation, twelve miles south of Cumming, on the road to Lawrenceville, are several mounds. On the road from Canton to Dahlonega, ten miles northwest from Cumming, is a very remarkable rock, an unhewn mass of granite, eight and a half feet long, and two and a half feet wide, three sided, with irregular converging points, upon which are numerous characters, seventeen of them in varying shape. The largest circles are eight inches in diameter. From its appearance, it must have been wrought at a very remote period. The designs are very regular, and it is probable that they were executed by the same race of people who constructed the mounds in this and other sections of the State.

    This is among the oldest counties in the State. Length, 26 m.; breadth, 25 m.; square miles, 650.

    The Tugaloo River separates the county from South Carolina. The other streams are, Hudson's Fork, North Fork, and Middle Fork.

    Lands of the first quality are situated on Tugaloo River.

    CARNESVILLE is the county town, named after Judge Carnes, 108 miles from Milledgeville.

    The public places are, Acquilla, Hudson, Bowersville, Bushville, Fairview, Grove Level, Middle River, Parker's Store, Walnut Hill.

    The Franklin Springs are situated nine miles S. E. of Carnesville.

    Extract from the Census of 1850.--Dwellings, 1,546; families, 1,546; white males, 4,516; white females, 4,560; free coloured males, 33; free coloured females, 22. Total free population, 9,131; slaves, 2,382. Deaths, 96. Farms, 1,305; manufacturing establishments, 4. Value of real estate, $1,293,827; value of personal estate, $1,145,948.

    Franklin can show a long list of aged persons. Mr. HALE died at 117; JOHN WATSON and his wife, at 90; THOS. CLARKE, at 90; WM. SPEARS, 110; HENRY PARKS, 100; ELISHA DYER and wife, 93; SAMUEL MACKAY, 100; JESSE MARSHALL, 97; MR. JOHN STONECYPHER, 96; DAVID GUESS, 90; MR. SHANNON, 83; A. SAUNDERS, 85; COLONEL JAMES H. LITTLE, 83; JOSEPH PARKER, 85; JOHN PEARCE, 85; SAMUEL DAILY, 85.

    Captain JAMES TERRELL died in this county, in the 77th year of his age. He was among the foremost to join the standard of his country, though beset on all sides by the adherents of royalty. He was, for his distinguished services, very soon promoted to the captaincy of a company, in which station he served with fidelity and honour, until disabled by a musket-ball that shattered his hip into pieces---which deprived him from rendering farther military services in a cause the success of which, as he often declared, "was more dear to him than his own existence."

    The early settlers in this county were, L. CLEVELAND, PETER WILLIAMSON, JOSEPH HUMPHREYS, N. CLEVELAND, JOHN GORHAM, THOMAS and JOHN PAYNE, BENJAMIN ECHOLS, WM. HARDIN, JOHN SMITH, BENJAMIN WATSON, COLONEL JAMES H. LITTLE, JOHN STONECYPHER, CLEMENT WILKINS, SAMUEL SEWELL, THOMPSON EPPERSON, WM. SPEARS, WM. BLACKWELL, RUSSEL JONES, DANIEL BUSH, MR. GILBERT, GEO. RUCKER, JOHN NORRIS, JAMES TERRELL, JAMES HOOPER, HENRY SMITH, S. SHANNON, PETER WATERS, JOSIAH and GEORGE STOVALL, JOSEPH CHANDLER, JAMES BLAIR, &c.

    A COMPANY of volunteers from this county, commanded by Captain Morris, was engaged in a battle with the Creeks in Pea River Swamp, in Alabama, March 25, 1837. They won for themselves a reputation that may be envied by the victors of any field. Their deeds of noble daring were the theme of their associates in arms, and they were not behind the rest of the brave fellows, either in the march, the swimming, or the charge. An incident that occurred during the charge is worthy of note. One of the Franklin Volunteers was in hot pursuit of an Indian, who, finding that he must fall into the hands of his pursuer, attempted to save himself by running in the midst of the women, two of whom seized the volunteer; he used every exertion to disengage himself from them, but they made a furious and deadly assault upon him with their knives, and in self-defence he drew his bowie, and with two blows killed them both.

    This section of the State was for a long time exposed to the ravages of the Indians. In almost every part it was found necessary to erect forts and block-houses to protect the inhabitants against the savages. Cruelties were inflicted upon the helpless women and children, the record of which would chill the blood.

Fayette County transcribed by Linda Blum-Barton - November 7, 2003.
Forsyth County transcribed by: Brenda Pierce - (January 18, 2004 - ltlbit@mindspring.com)
Franklin County transcribed by Bob Meadows - November, 2003.

First put online 4 Jan 2004.

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