History: Columbia County. George Magruder, William Smith, George Carey, Reminisces of Dr. H. R. Casey ======================================================================= USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store this file permanently for free access. This file was contributed by: Stephanie Harrison info@conquestmusic.com ======================================================================= Articles written for the Columbia Sentinel in 1883. Permission granted by the Columbia County News and transcribed by Stephanie Harrison. The articles were written in 1883 by Dr H. R. Casey for the Columbia Sentinel. He writes about many of the early pioneers of Columbia County who arrived in Georgia in the late 1700's and early 1800's. Names mentioned in this article: Hon Chas J Jenkins, James Lamkin, Swill Harrison, George and Susan Magruder, Emily Heggie, Mrs Dr Lamar, Jno. Langston, Lafayette and Bailey Magruder, Ramsey and Edwin {Magruder}, Miss Mat Magruder, now Mrs A.J. Avery Jr., Orwell {Magruder}, W. H. Stanton, Tyler Lamkin, Oliver Hardy, Jno. Langston, Mr Stanton, Leo Magruder, Thos Seay, Uncle Johny Collins, Smalleys, Dougherty-Mike, Patric and Neal, Geo Cary, William Smith, Sumpter Smith, Jno W. McCord, Mrs McCorkle. April 25, 1883 I moved to this country, from Albany, Dougherty county, as I have before stated, in Sep. 1848. At that Term of our Superior Court my kinsman, Hon Chas J Jenkins introduced me to several Columbians, among them James Lamkin, Swill Harrison and Geo Magruder. The trio are now dead, but of the last it is my purpose now to speak. GEO M. MAGRUDER was the son of George and Susan Magruder and was born in this county in 1803. He was twice married. His first wife was Emily Heggie who died in 1851. In 1852 he married Mrs Dr Lamar of Lincoln county. He had by his first wife ten children of whom they raised eight. Five daughters are now in life, all active, stirring women, good housewives and helpmates to their husbands. The three sons fell martyrs to their country's liberties. Ramsey and Edwin were members of the Ramsey volunteers. This fine company with the gallant Capt Boyd as the leader left old Columbia in July 1861 for the old Dominion. Ramsey was 2nd Lietenant and Edwin was 3rd Sergeant. The latter died in Suffolk, Va on the march from Yorktown to Goldsboro, March 28, 1862. Ramsey died in Richmond June 16, 1862. Read the long list of names of "Our Dead" on the monumental tablet and among the fallen heroes of the Ramsey Volunteers you will find the names of the Magruder brothers. And here I must be permittted to say that among the lady friends who assisted me in getting up this slight tribute in memory of our gallant dead, none was more regular, faithful and effective than Miss Mat Magruder, now Mrs A.J. Avery Jr. The youngest son, Orwell, like most young men, enthused with amor patrae and anxious to avenge the death of his brothers tore himself away from home and in July 1864 though in feeble health made for the Western Army. The oldest daughter married W. H. Stanton, the second A.J. Avery Jr, the third Tyler Lamkin, the fourth Oliver Hardy, Columbia's active and efficient Tax Collector. If there is a man in the county that Oliver does not know, I might almost say that man is not worth knowing for he is bound to exercise a sort of pastoral care over his flock, speaking after the manner of man. It is hard to resist that good open, jolly, funful face, round as the full moon and covered all over the smiles and a form as far from the idea of consumption as one ever saw, but evincing a very decided penchant for the consumption of the good things of the table. I think I have heard the boys say that Oliver was a good feeder. I do not know whether he "lives to eat or eats to live", but I do know that with all this avirdupois this Fallstafin figure, he is as polite and graceful as a French dancing master, a popular ladies man and is quite sure to kiss the babies about voting time; and, as he is standing candidate for life as he says till he gets beat; he intends to take in a quantum sffieit of rations to the end that he may never be off of foot or feed and the last end may still find him in harness and why not the present Collector. The fifth daughter of Magruder is still single Since this sketch was published, the fifth daughter is now the wife of our clever townsman, Jno. Langston, and the two youngest boys Lafayette and Bailey Magruder have grown up to manhood and are now industrious and properous tillers of the soil. And quite recently Mr Stanton has died. I knew Leo Magruder well. He was one of Columbia's most prosperous planters and best citizens. He did not run heavy on cotton, raised home supplies. He always had corn, wheat, and oats for sale and hence farming was a success with him and his large property increased under judicious management. But alas, there came a change over the spririt of his dreams. Thos Seay had purchased and was working a gold mine in Lincoln county and induced Magruder to take a third interest with him, then a half and finally sold out to him. This proved a bad investment and an illustration of an old maxim "Shoemaker, stick to your last". From that day the gold fever had slept in Lincoln. But it has recently broken out afresh and the Magruder mine I learn is booming up and attracting foreign captalists. Geo Magruder was an active minded man full of vim and hope, never despondent, but always looked on the bright side. He was a noted grain producer and the Magruder Wheat was eagerly sought after. He was a strong party man-an old line Whig. He had two sons by his last wife. Lafayette and Bailey. He died June 27, 1864 after a long and painful illness. He was spared the mortifying spectacle of seeing the bonny blue flag for which he had given his three sons, trail in the dust. Columbia lost a valuable citizen. "He sleeps well," in the old family cemetery near to his first wife and four of his children. Requiescat in peace. In one of my letters I spoke of some of the men of Columbia who lived to a good old age. I can add another to the list. Uncle Johny Collins was 82 years old at his death. Smalleys were a large family and some of them lived to a ripe old age-one of them to 100.. The three brothers Dougherty-Mike, Patric and Neal--all died between 75 and 80. Old Uncle Mike Doughtery was a case. Witty and full of fun, his jokes were sometimes too pointed and brought down on him angry words and sometimes blows. He had a great fondness for poking fun at any new comer in the neighborhood. Soon after Geo Cary came to Appling Uncle Mike told him in a lawsuit for damages, but he did not know how to open the case. Said he, "My neighbor, Stanford, has a infernal long and sharp pointed nose and in turning over my goose eggs he has broken the entire nest of them. Now, I want you to know, shall I proceed against him for the eggs or the goslings?" Carey could not hold his temper, but gave the old man a good touncing. There is an error which got in our biographical sketch last week in the Smith family. The codocil to the second edition concludes with this mistake: "William, the oldest died since the publiction of these Remminiscences." William Smith is about as live as a man generally gets to be at his age and a visit to Bonesville will find him not only alive but a worthy and useful citizen, and riding with all his might and main his old beloved hobby-milling. He has a fine grists and saw mill at the old site where in our late internicine war there was a card factory. His son and daughter by his last marriage have both married within last few years. Sumpter Smith who was born on the day of the storming of Fort Sumpter (and hence the name) is now the wife of our clever and properous merchant, Jno W. McCord. But there is nothing in that store of varieties so lovely and beautiful to the eyes of this happy couple, as their fine little bright eyed boy, Jack. Mrs McCorkle, a daughter by the first marriage has recently moved from Thomson to Harlem. GEORGE CAREY was a noted character. He came from Maryland in 1820, and settled in Appling and hung out his shingle as a lawyer. Being a man of decided talent, he won upon the people and was sent to Congress.