Butts-Henry County GaArchives News.....Memoirs of T. C. Nolen of McDonough July 7 1881 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Don Bankston http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00024.html#0005864 March 19, 2004, 1:51 am Middle Ga. Argus – Week of July 7,1881 Col T. C. Nolen of McDonough in his Memoirs of Henry County produces some very interesting facts connected with the early history of that county, from paper No. 18 we clip the following” “One of the most important events connected with the history of Henry County was the dissolution of the old iron side Baptist into two divisions – recognized now as the Missionaries and Hardshells, or Anti-Missionaries. The first origin or foundation of these differences occurred at a little church called Teman, which was situated a few miles from McDonough in the Turner neighborhood, and from that place sprung a division among the Baptist denomination that soon spread all over the United States, and which today comprises two grand elements of religious people, with their different views and opinions. This sentiment of division began in Henry county some time during 1825, but it did not come to a certain final termination until 1835, at Holly Grove Church, in Monroe County, when the Towaliga and flint River Associations were formed and organized – the Hardshells, if I mistake not, adding the 13th amendment to the twelve articles of Baptist faith. One of the prominent points insisted on by the Hardshells was the forbidding any member to join a secret institution, such as Free-masonry, or any organization of Temperance, or like order. When the change of sentiment and opinion first sprung into existence at Teman Church, the Baptist made appointments in McDonough, where they often met day after day and debated the various questions and issues in Nolan’s present office, which was then the Baptist Church, the controversies often lasting until after sundown. Among those who met here and so able defended their doctrines with the logic of their arguments was the Rev. John Milner of Monroe and his bother, Pitt Milner, the fathers of Mrs. Parker Eason, who resided near Sunny Side, and who was a grandmother of our recent Sheriff Parker e. Brown. Also, old man Sherwood, the uncle of Mrs. Wm. Florence, who died not long since the city of Chicago; Rev. Billy Henderson, who shot a horse thief and was silenced for a time from preaching on that account, but was soon restored to his ministerial station; Jesse Mercer, whose name is familiar word in the household of all Baptist families; Billy Mosely, whose history, private and political, is inseparable connected with that of Henry County; and the Rev. Mr. Lumpkin, a kinsman of the distinguished Lumpkin family which is so well known and eulogized all over Georgia. The dissensions soon spread to old Bethel Church, now in Butts County, and which was the oldest, or one of the oldest, Baptist Churches in the county. Among those who prominently figured in that forum were Silas White, Barney Strickland and the Rev. Mr. Wilson. The discussions at this place were more directly upon the free-will doctrine, or Armenian theory, as well as the foreign and domestic missions, which was also a cause of contention among them. The split at Bethel Church occurred in 1827 or 1828. One of the most fiendish crimes ever committed in the county was the cold blooded murder of his wife by a man named Jarrell. This occurrence took place in the early settlement of this section. It appears as if Jarrell had left home with his little son, some ten years of age, to go after corn, probably across the Ocmulgee river into Jasper County. On his return and when he had arrived in less than a mile of his house he stopped and set about preparation to encamp for the night, which the boy strenuously objected to and insisted on proceeding to the house. The next morning the wife of Jarrel was found dead at home with a gaping wound splitting her skull open, and her body lying in the embers of the fireplace, partially destroyed by fire. The evidence of the ten- year-old son, and Jarrell’s axe, which had some blood and hair upon the blade, convicted him. The boy testified that his father got up during the night or left the camp, and that when he came back just before daylight, he said to his son “what would you think if someone had killed your mother?” The tale was too true indeed, and when the boy went home in the morning and entered the house to greet her, the ghostly spectacle of her half consumed corpse met his gaze. In removing her from the bed of coals her head fell out of her burnt body into the ashes. Jarrell at once accused a Negro woman he owned of the murder, and said if proof could be established on her, he would give her twenty five lashes. Jarrell was a low, thickset man, about years of age. He was put upon trial, convicted, and the sentence of hanging was passed upon him. He was the first and only white man ever hung in Henry County. The gallows was erected on Birch Creek, near the present residence of Mr. Sam Carmichael, where he suffered the penalty of his crime. His body lies near the spot where he was swung into eternity. He petitioned to the Governor for a reprive, and on the day of his execution the lenient sheriff waited for the doomed man until the last minute. Jarrell stood upon his scaffold for two hours before his death, hallooing at the pitch of his voice with the hope that he might hear a response from the returning messenger whom he had sent to plead for his pardon to the Governor This file has been created by a form at http://www.poppet.org/gafiles/ File size: 5.9 Kb