Chattahoochee-Jasper-Fayette County GaArchives Biographies.....Bagley, William before 1810 - before 1933
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 November 4, 2004, 10:26 am

Author: N. K. Rogers
WILLIAM BAGLEY

    William Bagley was one of the five commissioners appointed by Gov. H. V.
Johnson, in 1854, to direct the initial efforts of the new county of
Chattahoochee to function as a political unit of the State.

    William Bagley's father, Moor Bagley, is said to have been the first white
man to come through King's Gap on the Indian trail above Hamilton, Ga, He stayed
a few years in Harris County, then came into Muscogee where the first record of
land bought by him is dated Dec. 24, 1836, (lot No. 253, in 9th district). He
was a cooper by trade, made buckets, piggins, tubs, etc. As he followed the
Indians, he had many dramatic experiences. Col. J. E. D. Shipp as a boy heard
Mr. Moor Bagley, who lived to be quite aged, say that there were few stores in
Columbus during his early residence in Muscogee County and when great numbers of
Indians would come there to buy goods no one else could get any because the
merchants would sell to the Indians at such tremendous profits that they would
not pay any attention to people who knew how to trade, until after the Indians
left. Moor Bagley used also to tell this tale: There was a girl in Columbus who
drew pictures and she made one of the Chief's daughter, a good looking Indian
maiden, which was a pencil sketch colored up a little. This Indian chief came in
one day, said his daughter was dead and he would like to have that picture. The
artist would have sold it for $10.00, but the chief said he would give her ten
fine horses and a wigwam for it.

    Mr. Bagley said he could hire an Indian to work on his farm all day for ten
ears of corn. When the Creek Indians began war after the last cession of their
lands in Georgia, his son, William Bagley, subject of this sketch, served as a
corporal in Captain Games' Mounted Company, 66th Regiment Georgia Militia,
having enlisted May 22, 1836, at Columbus, Ga.

    Moor Bagley married Jane Graves in old Randolph, later Jasper County, where
William Bagley was born. From Jasper County Moor Bagley was drawn for service in
War of 1812. The records in Washington show that Moor Bagley served as a
corporal in Capt. Samuel Lane's Company of Riflemen, 4th Regiment (Jones')
Georgia Militia from November 21, 1814 to May 6, 1815.

    Dr. Geo. Wallis says Moor Bagley was drawn twice, first from Jasper
County—during his absence his wife and children (including Wm. Bagley) came to
her father's (John Graves') in Fayette County. When he returned, he was drawn
again for six months from Fayette County. Moor Bagley paid tax in Fayette County
in 1822, and for several succeeding years. His children were all married in
Muscogee County. He married a second time, after Chattahoochee County was
formed, when he was living near Gobler's Hill. Mr. J. K. Chapman, Sr., recalls
going to the home of his great-grandfather, a few miles from that of his
grandfather, Wm. Bagley. He says the second Mrs. Moor Bagley was a scrupulously
nice housekeeper, who practiced a custom peculiar to the Japanese—there was an
entry for changing shoes and boots worn outside for those kept for indoor wear.

    Several of Mr. Moor Bagley's children moved to Alabama and Texas, but
William Bagley remained in Chattahoochee County, where he and his wife, Joannah
Jones Bagley, reared a large family of sons and daughters. William had been a
pioneer in Columbus, for he helped clear the land where Broad Street is now
located, and dug the first well in Columbus at the northwest corner of Twelfth
Street and Fourth Avenue. Two or three years later he moved into this part of
then Muscogee County, where he spent the remainder of his life.

    After helping to build up this part of the state he saw it again devastated
by war. And all his sons enlisted in this war, one of them, James Madison
Bagley, being killed at the battle of Gettysburg. He himself gave service when
the older men were enrolled into the militia during last months of the Civil
War. One of his sons, B. F. (Doc) Bagley, made repeated efforts before he was
accepted, being young and small of stature. It is said he and his equipment
weighed less than one hundred pounds when he departed for army life.

    During reconstruction days, the people recognizing Mr. Wm. Bagley's ability
elected him with D. H. Burts to represent Chattahoochee in the Constitutional
Convention at Milledgeville called by Provisional Governor James Johnson in
October 1865.

    He was Judge of the Inferior Court in 1867-68, when this court was
abolished. His services were in constant demand as administrator of various
estates of his relatives and friends.

    Finally through removals and death, there was only one of the sons living in
this county, B. F. (Doc) Bagley, who served the County as representative,
sheriff and tax receiver, for several terms of his service as tax receiver, he
was assisted by his daughter, Miss Mattie Kate Bagley, then a schoolgirl who has
since become a successful young business woman in Columbus, Ga., and is now Vice
President Georgia Division American Legion Auxilary. Wm. Bagley's vigorous
mentality and superior ability are characteristic of many of his descendants.

    Col. J. E. D. Shipp, who was his legal adviser during the latter years of
his life, says a more honorable, upright man than Mr. Wm. Bagley never lived.


Additional Comments:
From:

HISTORY OF CHATTAHOOCHEE COUNTY, GEORGIA
By N. K. Rogers

Dedicated to

KASIHITA CHAPTER U. D. C.

and all worthy descendants of the County's first settlers.

Copyright 1933

by N. K. ROGERS

PRINTED   BY
COLUMBUS  OFFICE  SUPPLY CO. COLUMBUS, GA.




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