Chattahoochee-Muscogee-Webster County GaArchives Biographies.....Schley, Thomas B. 1800 - 1855 ************************************************ 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: Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 November 4, 2004, 11:39 pm Author: N. K. Rogers SCHLEY From a letter written to Hon. Wm. K. Schley of Chattahoochee Co., by his cousin, Mrs. Virginia Ridenhour Barney, the following is copied: "The Schleys originally came from Frederick, Md. and settled in Louisville, Ga. The first Schleys in this country having come in 1735; the leading man among them being Thomas Schley. The Schley who first came to Ga., was John Jacob Schley, whose wife was Mary Shellman, daughter of John Shellman of Fredericktown, Md. They came to Georgia after the War of 1812, leaving one son, Frederick A. Schley in Frederick, Md., but bringing with them (1) George, (2) William (3) John, (4) Philip T., (5) Anna Maria, (6) Catherine. George Schley was postmaster at Savannah for over 40 years and must have quite a large family, some of whom still live there. Philip must have been your grandfather. William (Gov.) was my great grandfather. He must have married a Kirkley. Gov. Schley had two children that I know of; Anna Maria, who married Arthur Burnside Davis and Dr. Wm. K. Schley, (note: Mrs. Annie Jones, wife of W. K. says that this Dr. Wm. K. Schley was cousin of Thomas B. Schley her husband's father, and physician in their family and asked them to name this son for him. They had already lost three infant sons, Philip, Robert and Thomas, so they (Thos. Bull and Eliza Elliott Greene Schley) named this son born in 1854 for the Dr. Win. K. Schley who was the governor's son. Anna Maria Schley Davis, the daughter of the governor, was grandmother of Mrs. Virginia Ridenhour Barney. Anna Maria (5) married a rich planter on the coast below Savannah—Major Maxwell. Catherine (6) married Dr. Daniel Hook who was a preacher and a physician and was twice elected mayor of Augusta, Georgia. In Martin's History of Columbus, Dr. W. K. Schley's name first appears as member of the Board of Health in January 1838 and is continued through 1842. On p. 41 Part II of this history —June 17, 1849 P. T. Schley, son of Dr. Wm. K. Schley of Columbus, was killed by the explosion of a can of camphene in Oxford, Ga. From Evans' History of Ga.—(Gov.) William Schley was born in Maryland in 1786. He was educated in the schools of Louisville and Augusta, Ga. After his term (as Gov.) expired he retired to his home in Richmond Co. where he died at a ripe old age. Mrs. Lillian Schley McBride sent the following data. Thomas Bull Schley, b. Dec. 17, 1826 at Sparta, Ga. d. at Petersburg Va., Aug. 11, 1864; (Mrs. Johnnie Schley Gatewood says that Thos. B. Schley was wounded in the Seven Days Battles around Richmond and died at the home of his wife's family there) is buried in Linwood cemetery, Columbus, Ga., married Eliza Elliott Greene, daughter of Robert H. Green, born Nov. 10, 1805 in Brunswick Co. Va. and died May 28, 1870 in Columbus, Ga. Capt. Thos. B. Schley was the son of Philip T. Schley born in 1800 and died in 1855, who in 1824 married Frances Brooking b. 1802; d. Jan. 19, 1852. In Martin's History of Columbus p. 59, Part I. The Muscogee Blues under Capt. P. T. Schley are mentioned as a company formed during the Indian hostilities of 1837. This Capt. P. T. Schley (brother of Gov. Wm. Schley who lived in Columbus during its early stages of development had several sons and daughters. His son Thos. B. Schley bought a tract of land in Chattahoochee Co. and located his home at the top of the hill nearest Upatoi Creek on old road to Columbus, which hill is still known as Schley's Hill. At that time there was no bridge across Upatoi Creek at the foot of Schley's Hill, and Captain Schley conducted a ferry at that point until a bridge was constructed. Thos. B. Schley was the largest land owner in that section, but he did not have the pleasure of remaining there and watching over his young family many years, for civil war days demanded his service, so gallantly given. Mrs. Gatewood says the brothers of Thos. B. Schley who lived in Columbus were Dr. Edward Brooking Schley and Dr. Philip Schley who moved to New York. There was also a brother named George Schley. Three of his sisters married into the Whittlesey family On another page (166) of Martin's History John Schley is mentioned as one of the lawyers there when Superior Court met in 1845. The three sons, Wm. K., Thos. Frederick, and Francis Vivian (Dr. Frank), of Thos. B. and E. E. Green Schley who lived in Chattahoochee Co. were men of unusual mental ability. Mrs. Jennie Gatewood writes of her father, Dr. Frank V. Schley. "He was a temperate man in all lines but thinking. His brain was very active and he was mentally stronger than he was physically." She says the name of Vivian came down from the 17th century when Lord Vivian of England married into the family. All members of the family are proud of their aristocratic lineage and possess such traits of character that the world recognizes their right to possess such pride. Thos. Frederick Schley died before he reached his 33rd birthday, which is additional proof of the frailty of their bodies which could not endure the hardshps of life as t had to be lived in the South for many years after the War Between the States. W. K. Schley's family remained citizens of Chattahoochee longer than any other member of this family, and Frederick Krikley Schley still resides in this county, having bought other lands when the Federal government condemned and paid for the old Schley plantation as part of Fort Benning reservation. For W. K. Schley was one of those citizens who loved his patrimonial possessions too dearly to desire to sell at any price. One of his ambitions had been to leave each of his children 1,000 acres of land in the neighborhood of his home. But they have been successful in other places. His oldest daughter, Mortimer achieved outstanding success in her work as Home Demonstration agent in Webster and Mitchell Counties where she married Prof. Eugene Atwtay now (1933) Superintendent of Sylvester High school. The second daughter Julia (Mrs. Sam Snellings) known in her girlhood for her adaptability and pleasant personality, has further developed her fine traits of character as wife and mother of an interesting family. The next daughter Lilian (Mrs. E. E. McBride), noted for her brilliant intellect, distinguished herself in special educational work, during her short life. Louise, the youngest daughter, also has been engaged in the teaching profession in Columbus, Ga. Although living in Columbus, the family of T. F. Schley had been identified with the affairs of this county until their former home became part of the reservation. Mrs. T. F. Schley believed in Wesleyan College, for she educated her three daughters there. - It has been said of her oldest daughter, Woodie (Mrs. Cooper Campbell, who also contributed some data to genealogy of Schley family) that she is probably known to as great a number of people in all walks of life as any lady in Columbus. For she is active in all constructive civc work as well as that of a benevolent nature in the city. She is past President of Fourth District Parent-Teachers Association and Third Vice President of Georgia Congress of Parents and Teachers. She spent her youth at the home prepared by her father for his family in this county and which her mother, Mrs. Lilian Harp Schley, after her husband's untimely death, so ably managed with the assistance of her daughter, Erin (Mrs. Brantley Brinson) who possesses unusual business ability. The keenness of their mentality is splendidly illustrative by her daughter, Leila (Mrs. Johnston Deason of Lumpkin) whose research work is of great value to such organizations as U. D. C. and D. A. R. chapters to which she belongs. The families of Dr. T. V. Schley Sr. and Mrs. Leila Schley Gordy, while not so closely identified with Chattahoochee Co., are well known for their prominence in the social and profession world wherever they live. All descendants of the Schley family have these characteristics which exemplify the same patriotism and high order of thinking possessed by their forbear. 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. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ga/chattahoochee/bios/gbs567schley.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/gafiles/ File size: 9.0 Kb