CAMPBELL COUNTY, GA - BIOS Benjamin Durrett Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Dianne Crawford Table of Contents page: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/campbell.htm Georgia Table of Contents: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm Exerpts from stories written down by Louvie Durrett McBrayer. She loved to write and recorded all the stories her father, Andrew Jackson Durrett, told her. Andrew was the son of Ben. Benjamin Durrett and his wife Jane raised their 12 children in Carroll County on the banks of Wolf Creek. His was a Pioneer Spirit searching for a home back in the hills. He moved on horseback, putting his corded bedstead over his head and riding his horse he carried it to his home. Here he built two 20x20 foot rooms with a 10 foot open hall between. It was built of hewn logs, notched and fitted perfectly. It was sturdy and warm with a large fireplace to each room. Here in the hills on the Chattahoochee, three miles from County Line church and schoolhouse was born one of the happiest families there has ever been. Twelve children came to bless this home. (See stories at the end of narrative on Andrew Jackson Durrett). (From "My grandmother's Book"). There was talk about a war between the North and the South over the negro slaves and the family was very sad on this night in about 1860. Ben said, "If war comes, before it's over every Southern man and every boy old enough to tote a gun will have to go. Then they'll whip us! We haven't any guns, ships, factories and not many railroads and poor dirt roads. I don't blame the slave owners. The North sold us the slaves, got rich off the slave trade and now that the South is getting rich off them they want to free them." He entered the Civil War 25 September, 1861 in the 30th Inf. Co. K of Campbell County, Ga. Part of his term of service was spent at Camp Hardee near Savannah, Ga. He became very ill during this time and was not expected to recover but survived and became a guard at the Confederate prison in (Campt Sumpter) Andersonville, Ga. He was discharged by expiraton of term of service 30 October, 1862, Camp Hardee. (Civil War Confederate Sholdier's Rooster) Months rolled on, the Yanks were winning and times were hard. Benjamin returned from the war very ill and confined to bed. One day they heard horses outside and went to the door. There was a man ridiing a black horse and one riding a big, old, gray mare with big knots on each side, big as a man's fist where she'd been spurred. They got off their horses and came in as Benjamin said, "Yankees". They stamped around looking about, "you got a gun?" The old mean Yankee said to the other, "Get it and break it". "No, don't, please, if I live until the war's over I want to kill squirrels". The other Yankee wouldn't obey and to the family he became the "good Yankee". You got a horse, the Yankee said. "Somebody told us you had one." "Yes, I have one, the children have him over in the field ploughing." "Get up and go show us where they are". "I'm not able to go. Jack can go show you the way ." "He's too little. It you don't get up from there and go show us the way I'll burn up your house." At that he went to the fireplace after the fire. Benjamin said he'd try to go and got up, put on his clothes and they started out with Jack. The old, mean Yankee stopped and said to the good Yankee, "Go back and break that gun and burn down the house." But the good Yankee wouldn't. He got on his horse and riding along ahead of Benjamin and Jack they all went on. After while Benjamin could go no farther. Little Jack had to show them the rest of the way. When they got in sight of the children they spurred their horses and went galloping to where the children were. The old, mean man got off the old gray mare, pulled off the saddle, told John to unhitch the horse from the plow, and pull off the gear. He put the saddle on their big, fine horse, climbed into the saddle, and dug the spurs in. The horse threw him and ran off a piece. He made the children catch him and they left a different way than they'd come. They were all so glad they didn't go back by the house and see that the "good Yankee" didn't burn it. They gathered around looking at the old gray mare. She had been ridden to death and died in a few days. They had nothing to finish their crops and couldn't buy anything. The Yankees at Hutchenson's Ferry were killing all the cows, yearlings, and hogs to eat and cutting all the corn to feed their horses. They were stealing all the mules and horses and everybody was in the same fix. Soon everything was gone. People had to get meal from sections where the Yankees hadn't been. How everybody hated these Yankees. The home guards were mean. Nearly all of them would take people's things and plunder. A Mr. Wilkie came home from the War and was lying in the floor playing with his baby. A Yankee slipped up, poked a gun through a crack and shot and killed him while his wife was out picking turnips in the turnip patch. Days passed. The Yankees were winning all the battles, pushing our men back. Then Sherman made his march to the sea destroying everything in his path. He tore up the railroads. In the sectons he missed there was plenty to eat but no way to get it. Then the war was over and the men were coming home to starving families. There was nothing to plough and make a crop and no work to be had. Everybody was a pauper. Corn was brought from Atlanta, mules and horses were sent in and in a few years people had plenty to eat. Cotton brought 50 cents a pound. The slaves were pitiful! They cried and said, "I used to have a good home, somebody to take care of me, feed and clothe me. Now, I ain't got nowheres to go and nobody cares." Lots of them stayed on just as they were while many went North and found the Yankees didn't want them. Benjamin died in 1889 and is buried in County Line Cemetery. Descendants of Francis Durrett Generation No. 1 1. FRANCIS1 DURRETT1 died 1757 in St. Margaret's Parish, Caroline Co. Va.2. He married REBECCA WINN3 1724 in Caroline County, Va.4. Child of FRANCIS DURRETT and REBECCA WINN is: 2. i. THOMAS2 DURRETT, b. Bef. 1750; d. Abt. 1789. Generation No. 2 2. THOMAS2 DURRETT (FRANCIS1)5 was born Bef. 17506, and died Abt. 17896. He married AGNES GOREE7 17688, daughter of DANIEL GOREE and ELIZABETH BRITTON. She was born March 10, 1749/50 in Virginia8, and died Bef. 1820 in South Carolina8. Children of THOMAS DURRETT and AGNES GOREE are: i. BENEDICT BENJAMIN3 DURRETT, b. December 04, 1769. ii. LUCY DURRETT, b. 1771. iii. WILLIAM DURRETT, b. 1773. 3. iv. JOSEPH FRANCIS DURRETT, b. Abt. 1775, Virginia or South Carolina; d. Aft. 1840, Randolph County, Alabama. Generation No. 3 3. JOSEPH FRANCIS3 DURRETT (THOMAS2, FRANCIS1)9 was born Abt. 1775 in Virginia or South Carolina10, and died Aft. 1! 840 in Randolph County, Alabama10. He married PENELOPE COCKE11 Abt. 1804 in Grayson, Virginia12, daughter of ANDREW COCKE and PENELOPE WARD. She was born 1788 in Montgomery County, Virginia12, and died Bef. 1880 in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama12. Children of JOSEPH DURRETT and PENELOPE COCKE are: i. PETER FRANK4 DURRETT. ii. DANIEL STONE DURRETT. iii. MARY (POLLY) DURRETT. iv. JAMES DURRETT. v. ANDREW JACKSON DURRETT. vi. WILLIAM THOMAS DURRETT. vii. SARAH ELIZABETH (SALLY) DURRETT. viii. NANCY JANE DURRETT, m. JAMES WHITE. ix. MARY ELLEN DURRETT. x. AGNES DURRETT. xi. WILLIAM DURRETT. xii. JOHN DURRETT. 4. xiii. BENJAMIN DURRETT, b. December 26, 1817, Franklin County, Ga.; d. September 13, 1889, Carroll County, Ga.. Generation No. 4 4. BENJAMIN4 DURRETT (JOSEPH FRANCIS3, THOMAS2, FRANCIS1)13 was born December 26, 1817 in Franklin County, Ga.14, and died September 13, 1889 in Carroll County, Ga.14. He married (1) JANE EMMELINE BARRON15 1841 in Carroll County, Ga.16, daughter of JOHN BARRON and POLLY HEAD. She was born November 13, 182616, and died August 19, 1878 in Carroll County, Ga.16. He married (2) MARTHA STOVALL 1884. She was born Abt. 1854. More About BENJAMIN DURRETT: Entered Civil War: September 25, 1861, Entered as a private and was in 30th Inf. Co K.16 Children of BENJAMIN DURRETT and JANE BARRON are: i. JAMES HENRY5 DURRETT, b. January 08, 1842, Carroll County, Ga.; d. November 22, 1871, Carroll County, Ga.. More About JAMES HENRY DURRETT: Burial: County Line Church Cemetery near Whitesburg ii. MARY ELEANOR (SIS) DURRETT, b. November 24, 1844, Carroll County, Ga.; d. November 22, 1871; m. PHILLIP COOK. More About MARY ELEANOR (SIS) DURRETT: Burial: County Line Church Cemetery near Whitesburg, Ga. iii. SARAH ELIZABETH DURRETT, b. March 24, 1848, Carroll County, Ga.; d. December 01, 1929; m. JACK BURNETT. iv. MARTHA ANNE DURRETT, b. February 25, 1850, Carroll County, Ga.; d. October 22, 1925; m. PETER BURNETT. v. JAMES JOHN DURRETT, b. January 10, 1853, Carroll County, Ga.; d. July 01, 1899; m. MARTHA RICHARDS. vi. WILLIAM THOMAS DURRETT, b. November 10, 1855, Carroll County, Ga.; d. February 05, 1932; m. MARY ELIZABETH HAYES. 5. vii. ANDREW JACKSON DURRETT, b. October 15, 1858, Carroll County, Ga.; d. August 30, 1927, Draketown, Ga.. viii. NANCY JANE (JANIE) DURRETT, b. December 15, 1860. ix. RUBIN BENJAMIN DURRETT, b. March 19, 1863, Carroll County, Ga.; d. May 25, 1930; m. JODIE MCCOY. x. JOSEPH FRANCIS DURRETT, b. February 01, 1866, Carroll County, Ga.; d. March 15, 1933; m. (1) EMMIE BROWN; b. January 18, 1878; d. April 23, 1902; m. (2) LIZZIE HITCHCOCK; b. July 23, 1875; d. September 03, 1939. xi. PENELOPE ALICE DURRETT, b. October 20, 1869, Carroll County, Ga.; d. November 20, 1893; m. WILLIAM LEE HAYES. xii. WALTER Z. DURRETT, b. June 30, 1885, Carroll County, Ga.; m. ANNIE MAE BENEFIELD. Generation No. 5 5. ANDREW JACKSON5 DURRETT (BENJAMIN4, JOSEPH FRANCIS3, THOMAS2, FRANCIS1)17 was born October 15, 1858 in Carroll County, Ga.18, and died August 30, 1927 in Draketown, Ga.18. He married MARTHA (MATTIE) HANNAH RACHEL HAYES19 September 16, 188620, daughter of JASPER HAYES and CAROLINE SMITH. She was born April 04, 1868 in Carroll County, Ga.20, and died October 31, 1957 in Draketown, Ga.20. More About ANDREW JACKSON DURRETT: Burial: Asbury Church Cemetery, Temple, Ga.20 Cause of Death: High blood pressure and "creeping paralysis"20 Occupation: Cotton Farmer20 More About MARTHA (MATTIE) HANNAH RACHEL HAYES: Burial: Asbury Church Cemetery, Temple, Ga.20 Children of ANDREW DURRETT and MARTHA HAYES are: 6. i. LOUVIE6 DURRETT, b. July 19, 1887, Carroll Co., GA; d. August 13, 1976, Bremen, GA. ii. OSCAR LEE DURRETT, b. May 16, 1891; d. December 29, 1970; m. SINGLE. More About OSCAR LEE DURRETT: Burial: Asbury Cemetery, Temple, Ga. 7. iii. EMILY ALICE DURRETT, b. November 11, 1895; d. 1983. iv. VERA DURRETT, b. September 03, 1898, Ga.; d. October 02, 1899, Ga.. More About VERA DURRETT: Burial: Mt. Carmel Cemetery v. DOVIE CLEMENTINE DURRETT, b. February 19, 1901; d. March 09, 1959. More About DOVIE CLEMENTINE DURRETT: Burial: Asbury Cemetery, Temple, Ga. Generation No. 6 6. LOUVIE6 DURRETT (ANDREW JACKSON5, BENJAMIN4, JOSEPH FRANCIS3, THOMAS2, FRANCIS1)21 was born July 19, 1887 in Carroll Co., GA22, and died August 13, 1976 in Bremen, GA22. She married JOSEPH LEE MCBRAYER23 December 25, 190524, son of JOSEPH MCBRAYER and GEORGIA GARNER. He was born February 20, 1880 in Paulding Co., GA24, and died February 08, 1971 in Atlanta, Ga., Crawford W. Long Hospital24. More About LOUVIE DURRETT: Burial: Bethel Church Cem in Haralson Co., GA24 Cause of Death: Bed bound from stroke. In Nursing Home.24 More About JOSEPH LEE MCBRAYER: Burial: Bethel Church Cem, Haralson Co., GA24 Cause of Death: Renal Failure24 Medical Information: Arthritis24 Occupation: Farmer24 Children of LOUVIE DURRETT and JOSEPH MCBRAYER are: i. MURIEL LEE7 MCBRAYER25, b. February 08, 1906, Paulding Co., GA26; d. October 28, 1958, Rome, Ga.; m. MURDOCK SMITH27, December 10, 193728. More About MURIEL LEE MCBRAYER: Burial: Bethel Church Cemetery, Bremen, Ga. Cause of Death: Bleeding gastric ulcer.28 Medical Information: Hx of arthritis. Was on cortisone therapy and had bleeding complications.28 ii. GLADYS JO MCBRAYER, b. February 11, 1908, Paulding County, Ga.; d. November 21, 1993, Florida; m. ALTON ZACHERY BAGGETT, November 14, 1926; b. December 16, 1905; d. July 17, 1969, Jacksonville, Florida. More About GLADYS JO MCBRAYER: Burial: Sunset Memorial Gardens, Douglasville, Ga. More About ALTON ZACHERY BAGGETT: Burial: Sunset Memorial Gardens, Douglasville, Ga. iii. CANDLER DURRETT MCBRAYER29, b. July 29, 1912, Paulding County, Ga.30; m. MAMIE JEWELL CASH31, February 15, 1941, Cedartown, GA32; b. December 19, 1913, Haralson Co., GA32. More About CANDLER DURRETT MCBRAYER: Occupation: Carpenter and builder32 iv. RACHEL ANN MCBRAYER, b. June 14, 1914, Haralson County, Ga.; d. August 16, 1914, Haralson County, Ga.. More About RACHEL ANN MCBRAYER: Burial: Draketown Cemetery, Draketown, Ga. v. MATTIE MARIAN MCBRAYER33, b. December 15, 1921, Carroll Co., GA34; d. April 21, 2001, Atlanta, Ga.34; m. HENRY CLARK FERGUSON35, May 24, 1939, Temple, Ga.36; b. June 11, 1915, Temple, Ga.36. More About MATTIE MARIAN MCBRAYER: Burial: April 23, 2001, Sunset Memorial Gardens, Douglasville, Ga.36 Cause of Death: Infarcted bowel from multiple emboli.36 Medical Information: Hx. of chronic A. Fib.36 Occupation: Housewife and Mother36 More About HENRY CLARK FERGUSON: Military service: 1944, Served in World War II36 Occupation: realestate and building36 7. EMILY ALICE6 DURRETT (ANDREW JACKSON5, BENJAMIN4, JO! SEPH FRANCIS3, THOMAS2, FRANCIS1) was born November 11, 1895, and died 1983. She married W. LINDSAY ADCOCK. More About EMILY ALICE DURRETT: Burial: Asbury Cemetery, Temple, Ga. More About W. LINDSAY ADCOCK: Burial: Asbury Cemetery, Temple, Ga. Children of EMILY DURRETT and W. ADCOCK are: i. MYRA NELL7 ADCOCK. ii. DORIS ELEANOR ADCOCK, m. JACK JONES. iii. AGNES ADCOCK, m. ROBERT POWELL. iv. MELVIN JACKSON ADCOCK.