Henry County GaArchives Photo Document.....Knowles Diary-Journal Of James B., 1852-1858 c. 1983 ************************************************ 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: Larry C. Knowles http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00012.html#0002854 May 6, 2007, 3:58 pm Source: Unavailable Photo can be seen at: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/henry/photos/documents/knowlesd12729gph.jpg Image file size: 212.0 Kb THE JOURNAL OF JAMES B. KNOWLES, 1852-1858 (page 1 of 137) The Journal of James B. Knowles is the personal diary of James Bellar Knowles, who was born in Henry Co. GA-April 24, 1833. He was the youngest child of James Knowles(Sr.)and Lucy Thomas who had married in Greene Co. GA-February 9, 1823. The couple had settled in Henry Co. by 1830. There were three other known children; Martha C.(born April 7, 1829), Elizabeth(born 1831)and Christy Rebecca (died 1847). Lucy Knowles died September 10, 1837 and is buried, with daughter C. Rebecca and her infant son, in the Messer/Knowles cemetery in adjacent Butts Co. About 1840 James Knowles Sr. moved his small family to Butts Co. for three years, then back to the "same place" in Henry Co. On December 22, 1850 the family began an eight day journey to a new home in Dooly Co. GA. Young James B. Knowles, seventeen, was upset by the move to South Georgia and seemed determined to get back to Henry Co. where he had spent most of his life. Daily diary entries begin in November 1852 in Henry Co., and end in January 1858 in Nashville, TN, where James began his formal medical education. The diary came to light in 1981, in the custody of a grandson Walter Olen "Scott" Knowles of Butts Co. After considering restoration at the Atlanta History Center it was decided to place the diary in the Georgia State Archives. A microfilm copy was made there, and is readily accessible. The actual diary is also available from the Archives vault. Prior to carrying it to the Archives, a private microfilm copy was made by Xerox; the copies here were made from that film. This document-"the diary"-is really a transcription of several smaller pocket diaries. One of these diaries was found a year or two after the "original" and is also in the Archive vault. It duplicates a portion of the larger volume, and goes beyond until August 1858. It also contains numerous medical "recipes" -or prescriptions, which James B. Knowles used in his association with Dr. James Henderson Bryans of northern Butts Co. The bulk of the diary covers James Knowles' life as a student and teacher in the Bersheba community of eastern Henry Co. He started school there at the O'Dell Academy in January 1853. The school was organized and directed by Methodist minister, Soloman O”Dell-assigned teacher, James Hilsman. His father arranged board with the Berry G. Hooks family, who lived within 100 yards of the school. After nearly a year with the Hooks, James moved into the household of Andrew Jackson Ammons, where he would board for three years. In late 1854 on a visit to his family in Dooly, he learned that his teacher had been killed, and was asked to take the teaching position. He began teaching at O'Dell in January 1855. In late 1856 after his "contract" was not renewed, he purchased nearby land from James E. Buntyn; and then a slave from Mr. Ammons. But, in early 1857 he arranged to study "med-i-son" with Dr. James H. Bryans at Worthville. He complete one session at the University of Nashville(last three diary pages)then returned to “preceptor“-Dr. Bryans in Butts Co. He later graduated from the University of Louisiana(1859). In Butts Co. in November 1859, he married Lavonia C. Williamson. The couple lived, and he began his practice, in Henry Co. at current-day Ellistown, near the junction of Stroud and Keys Ferry roads. The diary was in remarkable condition and is fully 90 to 95% legible. Most pages contain a header with a time & place and “Journal of J. B. Knowles”. Though not particularly detailed there are numerous people named. Often on first entries a full name is given, but thereafter many are shown only by the initials(identity usually easily discerned). The Bryan and Turner families appear most prominently. Many preachers & their texts are noted from several churches; primarily Sardis & Sharon Baptist, and Turner & Mount Bethel Methodist churches. In the attached descriptions, I will give the highlights for each page. Quotes may be shortened-or combined. Punctuation may be added or altered, and a question mark will indicate uncertainty. My comments will be footnoted(*) or enclosed by brackets(excepting the first page summary below). Larry C. Knowles, Conyers GA-May 2007 _______________________ Summary-Page 1: Dated Nov. 8, 1854*, the first page is an introduction and summary, containing the following facts: James Bellar Knowles was born on April 24, 1833 in Henry Co. GA. He was the youngest child of Lucy and James Knowles(Sr.). His mother died Sept. 10, 1837 (verified in later references). In 1840 the family moved to Butts Co. for about three years, returning to the "same place" in Henry Co. They began an eight day journey to Dooly Co. GA on December 22, 1850. Upset, young James stayed until Sept. 1851, when he returned to Henry Co. for his health-and perhaps "lesons?" He stayed until Christmas Eve, then returned to Dooly briefly, before starting back January 1, 1852-"on business for my father". At the beginning of February 1852, he started school at Fort Early in Dooly Co.("N. F. Byman?"). At the end of September, he returned to Henry Co. with John Posey, to Posey's uncle's- Samuel Moore's. James went on to Newton Co. to a school for six weeks("Mr. Lee Bates"). Returning to S. Moore's, James attended a writing school at Worthville ("Mr. Wrine-an Irishman")-later noted as at Sardis Church. After ten days or so, about November 1, 1852, he, Posey, and Mr. Moore went to Dooly Co. A week later, he, Mr. Moore, and Berry L. Posey returned to Henry Co. ____________________________ * Several minor errors are noted in the transcription. The date here conflicts with the Nov. 9, 1854 entry, where he says that he bought "this blank book". The first seven pages contain several out of sequence entries-usually explained, but a bit confusing. The page numbers that I used coincide with the diary originals; with the exception of two pages numbered 83(which I numbered 83A & 83B). At this point a page or two are also out of place. It is clear that my page 83A should be followed by my page 84. And, that page 83B should perhaps- follow page 82(not as clear, as the election noted there would be in "October")! Note: James Knowles evidently spelled his middle name “Bellar” as noted here. I found that spelling in the University of Nashville college catalog; but it seems that he was likely named after a Methodist minister, James Bellah of early Hancock Co.(who later died in Newton Co.). File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ga/henry/photos/documents/knowlesd12729gph.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/gafiles/ File size: 7.3 Kb