Irwin County GaArchives History .....History of Irwin County, Chapter 6 1932
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 June 10, 2004, 6:25 pm

CHAPTER 6.

INDIAN TRAILS.

Early Roads Through Irwin County.

   One of the oldest trails or roads through originally Irwin County was the
Thigpen Trail. This trail is located in what is now Worth, Colquitt and Thomas
counties, which was originally Irwin County. It crosses the public road leading
from Sylvester to Albany, Georgia. At this point, Bernard Trail Chapter, D. A.
R., Sylvester, Georgia, have erected a beautiful marble marker. This road was
built by James Thigpen, of North Carolina, who was overseer of highways in 1704
and it traversed North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida and made a
direct route to Pensacola, Florida. Its principal object when first opend up was
for military purposes. Troups used this road from North Carolina to Georgia
during the Revolutionary War. It was later used as a stage road from. Albany,
Georgia, to Tallahassee, Florida, and also for the few settlers to transport
salt to different points in South Georgia. An old friend and neighbor of mine,
Mr. Joel Culpepper, has a stick of pine timber upon which is one of the original
axe blazes, made in the growing pine tree, when this road was first marked out
over 200 years ago.

   In these early days the historical spots were located around Indian mounds,
trading posts, ancient relics and wars.

   According to Jones' history of Georgia, DeSoto spent the winter of 1539 and
1540 near where present city of Tallahassee is now located. In the early Spring
of 1840, he crossed the Ochlochnee River near Hadleys Ferry in Grady County,
originally Irwin, and marching on in a northerly direction on left side of
Ochlochnee River, in the latter part of March, 1540, reached Irwin County,
passing through to the northern part of the state stopping at an Indian camp on
the Ocmulgee River and passing on and crossing the Ocmulgee River near Abbeville
at another Indian camp which was in Irwin County.

   When the bill to create Early, Irwin and Appling counties was pending in the
legislature, certain gentlemen in the legislature opposed the creation of these
counties for the reason that they were opposed to building roads therein for the
cause that they objected to spending the state's money trying to develop a
country which God Almighty had left in an unfinished condition.

   It is regretted that these gentlemen could not be here at this time to see
the country they alleged was left in an unfinished condition by the Almighty, if
they were they would be compelled to admit that it was finished and that it is
the garden spot of Georgia.

   In the early days there were various Indian trails through Irwin County.
There was one trail leading from the Kennard settlement on Flint River near
Albany and near the western line of Irwin County leading to the 0cmulgee River
which passed through Irwin County crossing the Alapaha River near what is known
as the Ten Mile Trail.


Additional Comments:
From:

History of Irwin County by J. B. Clements (1932)

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