Brooks-Colquitt-Thomas County GaArchives Biographies.....Tillman, Jerry D. 1828 - living in 1913
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 October 27, 2004, 9:53 pm

Author: William Harden
p. 978-980

   JERRY D. TILLMAN. Belonging to a Southern family of prominence and worth, and
a representative of the agricultural community of Brooks county, Jerry D.
Tillman is eminently deserving of mention in a work of this character. A
Georgian by birth, he was born, December 28, 1828, at Berlin, Colquitt county, a
place then known as the Robinson district, Irwin county, in the log cabin
erected by his father, John Tillman.

   His grandfather, Jeremiah Tillman, a native of South Carolina, was there a
resident when the War of 1812 was declared. Enlisting as a soldier, he came with
his regiment to Georgia, where he was stationed until receiving his honorable
discharge at the close of the conflict in Savannah. Being then joined by his
family, he lived for awhile in Ware county, Georgia, subsequently becoming one
of the original householders of that part of Irwin county now included within
the limits of Colquitt county. Buying a tract of wooded land, he cleared a
portion of it, and was there industriously employed in tilling the soil until
his death, at the age of seventy-five years. To him and his wife, whose maiden
name was Dicey Brown, six children were born and reared.

   Born in South Carolina, John Tillman was brought up and educated in Georgia,
where his parents settled when he was a small child. Becoming a farmer from
choice, he bought land in Colquitt county, and with slave help cleared and
improved the homestead upon which he spent his remaining years, passing away at
the venerable age of four score and six years. He married Sally Mercer, who was
born in Robinson county, North Carolina. Her parents, John and Fereby
(Musclewhite) Mercer, came from their native state, North Carolina, to Georgia
in 1836, settling as pioneers in Ware county, where they both spent their last
days. Mrs. Sally (Mercer) Tillman died at the age of seventy-five years. She
reared a large family of children, eleven in number, as follows: Jerry D., the
special subject of this brief sketch; Henry; Sarah; Sally; Elijah; John;
Harrison; Elizabeth; Fereby; Roxie; and Rachel. The sons all served throughout
the war between the states, Elijah, who was commissioned captain of his company,
being the only one of them that was wounded.

   Born in a rude log cabin, Jerry D. Tillman grew to manhood among pioneer
scenes. The dusky savages still frequented the forests, oftentimes going on the
war path, in 1836, when he was a lad of eight years, making their last fight on
Georgia soil. The people in his boyhood days lived chiefly on the wild game so
abundant in this section, and the productions of the land, and his mother, who
was accomplished in the domestic art and sciences, did her cooking by the open
fire, and from the cotton grown on the plantation, and the sheep raised, carded,
spun and wove the homespun in which she dressed her family. Jerry D., the oldest
son, was fourteen years old before he wore shoes, not because he was not allowed
to, but because he preferred to go barefooted. There being no railways in those
times, he, in common with his neighbors, used to team produce to Saint Marys,
Georgia, or to Newport, Florida, being a week or more on the round trip, and
invariably taking along a stock of provisions, and cooking and camping on the way.

   As a youth Jerry D. Tillman acquired a very good education, and at the age of
twenty-one started for himself as an overseer on a large plantation, a position
which he filled acceptably for five years. He then bought land on Mule creek, in
Lowndes county, and was there employed in tilling the soil five years. Selling
out at the end of that time, he bought land in Madison county, Florida, and
continued his former occupation. In 1861 he enlisted in the Second Florida
Cavalry, under Captain Paramour. With his company, which was attached to General
Finnegan's Brigade, he took an active part in numerous important campaigns and
battles, remaining with his command until the close of the war. In November,
1869, Mr. Tillman disposed of his Florida land, returned to Georgia, and settled
on lot number 196, Briggs district, Brooks county, where he has since resided.
This plantation contains five hundred acres of land, pleasantly located on the
Morven and Valdosta road, and is under a good state of cultivation, with
attractive improvements, the residence sitting back from the road, and having a
beautiful grove in front of it.

   On September 1, 1852, Mr. Tillman married Elizabeth Allen, who was born in
Thomas county, Georgia, a daughter of Isaac and Easter (Harrell) Allen, natives
of North Carolina, and pioneers of Thomas county. Nine children have been born
to Mr. and Mrs. Tillman, namely: Robert, Amelia, Sally, Jimmie, Ella, Ida and
Idella, twins, Charlotte, and Gordon. Amelia, widow of A. D. Bass, resides in
Quitman. Sally, wife of Charles Freer, of Florida, has five children, Mabel;
Leon and Leonora, twins; Tillman; and Helen. Jimmie, wife of W. C. Dampier, of
Brooks county, has seven children, Gertrude, Missiebob, Blanche, Glenn, Valora,
Jim, and Duncan. Gordon married Elizabeth McPherson, and they have one child,
Gordon Isaac. Ella lives in Morven. Robert superintends the management of the
homestead farm, his sisters, Charlotte and Idella living with him on the old
home farm, keeping house for their father and brother, their mother having
passed to the life beyond at the age of seventy-two years. She was a woman of
much force of character, and a valued member of the Methodist Episcopal church.
Mr. Tillman was formerly a Whig in politics, but since the Civil war has been
identified with the Democratic party.


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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