Elbert County GaArchives: Broad River Manufacturing Company at Anthony Shoals ************************************************ 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: Troy Colquitt telles@elberton.net 2 February 2004 Deed Book AA page 21 Watkins To Watkins, Jordan, Baker, Fortson, Rembert, Edwards, Wooten, Jordan, Barksdale ET AL Georgia ] This indenture made this the twenty ninth day of June Elbert County ] Eighteen hundred & forty Seven between John D. Watkins Of the County of Elbert & state aforesaid of the first part, John D. Watkins, Wm M. Jordan, Madison Baker, B.W. Fortson, Wm P. Rembert, T.G. Edwards, Thomas Wooten, John Jordan, N.G. Barksdale, G. Cade, D.B. Cade & L.H. Smith. Of the Counties of Wilkes, Lincoln & Elbert & state aforesaid of the second part-Witnesseth that the said John D. Watkins for & in consideration of the parties of the Second part-diging, enlarging, constructing & furnishing the main Canal on the plan hereunto annexed below & Shall go on in good faith to erect a factory building & out buildings for the purpose of preparing & manufacturing cotton & wool or either with in twelve months from this date on the lands herein below granted by the party of the first part to the party of the Second part for the Sole purpose of manufacturing & preparing cotton & wool or either and in further consideration of the sum of one dollar to him in hand paid at & before the Sealing & delivery of these presents the receipt where of is hereby acknowledged, Hath granted bargained Sold & conveyed & doth by these presents grant bargain sell & convey unto the said parties of the Second part their heirs Successors & assignees all that tract or parcel of land situate lying & being in the County of Elbert on Broad River at Anthonies shoals Beginning at a pine corner near the bank of said river thence about one hundred & seven yards down said river to a gum corner thence at right angles in a northerly direction to a stake to be erected on the Bank of Main Canal thence along the bank of said canal to a stake corner (to stand at a point from whence to pine corner shall be a parallel line to that from gum to the stake on canal) thence to pine the beginning corner, containing two acres be the same more or less to be distinguished by the name of Factory Lot. Also another tract or parcel of land situate on the north side said main canal beginning at a white oak corner on the hill above the house lately occupied by Davis to run from white oak along the back of smoke house to a stone to be placed thirty feet from the main canal thence two hundred & ten yards to another stone to stand a like distance from the canal below thence a right line to said main canal out to a corner to stand on the edge of the road at bottom of the hill thence along the windings of said road to beginning corner white oak containing by guess four acres be the same more or less to be known as the dwelling lot with all the rights members & appurtenances thereunto belonging ( Except that the party of the first part retains to him self the privilege of carrying a race and [ page 22] tail way through the bottom land of the above mentioned Factory lot) with also the right of ingress & regress along the road that the said parties may construct to Broad River To lot Rock Boat - landing & Anthonies shoals ford Also the unobstructed first right at all times to use such quantity of Water to be taken at a convenient point from the main canal as shall be required to propel five thousand spindles with all requisite machinery to prepare manufacture & finish cotton or cotton & wool Also quarry leave to procure such stone as may be needed for the erection of building & all factory purposes with the privilege also of conveying a canal or tail way to waste their water in a natural channel through the bottom lands of the party of the first part. To have & to hold the above granted two lots of land to the parties of the Second part their heirs successors & assignees together with all the rights members & appurtenances there unto belonging with the exception above made to them & their own proper use benefit & behoove forever in fee Simple. And the said John D. Watkins for himself his heirs executors & assignees & administrators the said bargained premises together with the right title & possession there of unto the said parties of the second part their heirs successors & assignees will warrant & forever defend the right & title there of against himself & against the claim of all other persons In testimony whereof the said John D. Watkins hath hereunto set his hand & seal the day & year above written. In presence of } J.W.Dubose } Jno D. Watkins (LS) Abraham Burton } Leroy Burton J. P. } Plan of Canal The Company to construct & finish the Canal as follows. The rock above the gate to be removed to the width of thirty feet & to a depth of four feet below the end of the upper or top side of dam nearest the abutment a suitable stone wall to be erected in the river of such shape & dimensions as will protect the junction of the abutment & the main land adjoining to extend from the outer end of said abutment in a parallel direction to the canal until it strikes the bank - said Wall & said abutment to be raised two feet higher than the ground at the presents gate - The present gate to be removed & a lock gate substituted at the most convenient point - said gate to be Twenty Five Wide In the clear with Small sluice gates thence to finish the projected canal along its present location to the center of Factory Lot Canal to be Twenty feet wide at the bottom & below the stone to have the natural slope of the embankments across the bottom with a grade of four inches to the hundred yards a sufficient stone culvert to be made for branch to pass under the canal embankment on the river side to be Ten feet wide at top & that on the opposite side to be five feet wide with a natural slope & three feet high above the {page 23} water in canal All general repairs relative to the water to be made or paid for by the parties using the water in proportion to the amount used. Recorded the 6th day of June 1847 ( Compliers note-This factory was called The Broad River Manufacturing Company when built in 1847-48, bought by John Thompson in 1859 and was later called the Hopewell Factory. This property was split up and deeded to Anna Thompson, James Thompson and others in 1874. As boys we camped, fished and played around this factory site not knowing its history. We called it the Thompson Factory and lots of fond memories are held by many thousands of families that took their vacations there after laying-by time.)