Brooks-Bulloch-Thomas County GaArchives Biographies.....Stanaland, John Obed 1844 - living in 1913
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Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 October 20, 2004, 9:10 pm

Author: William Harden
p.877-879

   JOHN OBED STANALAND. A skilful and practical agriculturist, systematic and
thorough in his methods, John Obed Stanaland is meeting with notable success in
his pleasant and profitable calling, his farm, which is located in the Dixie
district, having excellent improvements, the buildings being conveniently
arranged, while his machinery is of the latest approved manufacture. He was born
April 1, 1868, in Thomas county, Georgia, a son of Daniel B. Stanaland, and
grandson of John Obed Stanaland, the first.

   The pioneer ancestor of the Stanaland family in Georgia was Buz Stanaland,
Mr. Stanaland's great-grandfather, who was born, it is thought, in South
Carolina. Migrating to Georgia in early life, Buz Stanaland lived for awhile in
Bulloch county. Later he came to southwest Georgia, making the removal with
teams of his own, bringing his cattle and household goods with him, and settling
on the old county road, ten miles north of Thomasville. Purchasing a tract of
timbered land, he erected a log cabin in the wilderness, and began in reality to
hew a homestead from the forest. He was the first to raise stock in this section
of the state, and found the industry quite profitable. Successful in his work,
he cleared a large part of his land, and in due course of time built a good
hewed log house, sealing it inside and out, and there resided until his death,
in the seventy-fifth year of his age. His wife, whose maiden name was Dolly
Hollingsworth, survived him, being upwards of eighty years old at the time of
her death. They, with one son and one daughter, lie buried in the family lot, on
the old homestead. They were typical southerners in their generous hospitality,
their latch string being always out. They reared five children: John Obed,
Prissy, Zebulon, Thomas, and Amy.

   John Obed Stanaland, the first, was born during the residence of his parents
in Bulloch county, and with them came to the southwestern part of the state. He
was early drilled in the branches Of agriculture, and began farming for himself
by renting a piece of land lying one mile from Thomasville, on the old Coffee
road. Thomasville had then but one dwelling, a log house owned by James Kirksey,
who was the only merchant in that vicinity, his store being also in a log
building. While living on that land, he dug for Mr. Kirksey, the first well dug
in Thomasville. After renting for a year, he bought land in Jefferson county,
Florida, where he tilled the soil several years. Returning, however, to Georgia,
he located in Thomas county, about a mile from the town of Boston, and in the
log cabin which he erected lived a few years. He not only tilled the land, but
he kept the family larder well supplied with the fruits of the chase, deer,
bear, and wild game of all kinds being plentiful, and made all the shoes worn by
his family, tanning all the leather used himself. His wife, who was a true
helpmeet, used to card, spin and weave, and make all the clothing worn by her
household. There being no railroads in those early days he used to market all of
his surplus produce either in Tallahassee or in Newport, Florida, with teams,
the round trip to the first mentioned place taking, if the roads were very good,
three days, while a trip to Newport and back, under the same conditions,
required a full week. He continued a resident of that farm until his death, at
the advanced age of seventy-eight years. John 0. Stanaland, the first, married
Susan Melton, who was born in Bulloch county, where her father spent his entire
life. The maiden name of the mother of Susan Melton was Davis. She survived Mr.
Melton, and after his death came from Bulloch county to Thomas county, locating
in the south part, where she bought a farm which she operated with slave labor,
living upon it until her death, when over one hundred years of age. Both Mr. and
Mrs. Melton were of New England ancestry. Of the union of John 0. and Susan
Stanaland, seven children were born and reared, as follows: James Alfred, John
H., Benjamin, Daniel B., Jephtha C., Simeon, and Julia. All of these sons took
an active part in the war between the states, Benjamin dying while in the service.

   Daniel B. Stanaland was born in Thomas county, Georgia, near Boston, October
15,1839, and there grew to man's estate. In 1861 he enlisted in the company
known as the Dixie Boys, which was attached to the Fifty-seventh Georgia
Regiment of Volunteer Infantry, which became a part of the Western army. With
his command he participated in many important battles, and when Vicksburg
surrendered was captured by the enemy. Exchanged about three weeks later he
rejoined his regiment, and with it took part in various campaigns, continuing
with his command until the close of the war. He served under Generals Joseph E.
Johnston and J. B. Hood, toward the close of the conflict, being sent with his
regiment to Virginia, marching through Georgia and the Carolinas to Virginia,
and then fell back to Greensboro, North Carolina, where he surrendered. After
returning home, he farmed for a number of years in Thomas county, and then came
to Brooks county, to the home of his son, John Obed Stanaland. He married
Elizabeth Mountain, who was born near Tallahassee, Florida, in 1845, a daughter
of Jonathan and Martha (Lively) Mountain, natives, respectively, of Georgia and
South Carolina. Three children were born of their marriage, namely: John Obed;
William Henry, who died in the eighteenth year of his age; and Walter. The
mother was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and in her daily life
exemplified its teachings.

   Educated in the district schools, and early initiated into the mysteries of
farming, John Obed Stanaland remained a member of the parental household until
twenty-two years old. Entering then the employ of the S. F. & W. Railroad
Company, now the Atlantic Coast Line, he was for fourteen years identified with
its roadway department. Lured back to the soil, Mr. Stanaland next purchased a
tract of land in the Dixie district, near the Pidcock station, and has since
been here actively and prosperously engaged in general farming and
stock-raising, his success placing him among the wide-awake and progressive
farmers of his neighborhood.

   Mr. Stanaland married, November, 1891, Jimmie Alderman, who was born in
Brooks county, Georgia, a daughter of Elias Alderman. She is of pioneer stock,
being a granddaughter of James and Jane (Roberts) Stanaland, of whom a brief
account is given on another page of this volume, in connection with the sketch
of Ezekiel Alderman.

   Elias Alderman was born in Thomas county, Georgia, in 1846, and was there
reared to agricultural pursuits. Grown to manhood, he bought land near Pavo,
lived there a number of years. Disposing of that property, he purchased a tract
of land in lot No. 467, Tallokas district, Brooks county, and on the farm which
he improved spent the remainder of his life, passing away in 1899. He married,
in 1870, America Beaty, who was born in Brooks county, Georgia, a daughter of
William Beaty, Jr., and granddaughter of William and Mary (Drew) Beaty. Born and
brought up in Washington county, Georgia, William Beaty, Jr., came as a young
man to Brooks county, locating near Harmony church, where he bought a tract of
timber land. Clearing a space in the forest, he first erected a double log
house, and then began the pioneer labor of redeeming a farm from the wilderness.
There being no railways in the state at that time, he was forced to take all of
his farm produce to Tallahassee for marketing purposes, making the round trip
with a four-mule team, and being several days on the road. Clearing and
improving a large farm, he was there a resident until his death, at the age of
seventy-nine years. The maiden name of the wife of William Beaty, Jr., was
Elizabeth Self, who was born in Telfair county, Georgia, where her parents,
Thomas and Mary (Moore) Self, were early pioneers. Six children were born of
their union, as follows: William; James; Berrien; America, who became the wife
of Elias Alderman; Jackson; and Elizabeth. Mr. and Mrs. Elias Alderman reared
eight children, namely: William; Jimmie, wife of Mr. Stanaland; Anna; Wessie;
Shelby; Ona ; Birdie; and Rupert.

   Mr. and Mrs. Stanaland are the parents of four children, Ollie. Mat Hazel,
Tinnie Lee, and Elias Alderman. Both Mr. and Mrs. Stanaland are faithful members
of the Methodist Episcopal church.


Additional Comments:
From:

A HISTORY OF SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA
BY
WILLIAM HARDEN

VOLUME II
ILLUSTRATED
THE LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY
CHICAGO AND NEW YORK
1913

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