Jasper County GaArchives News.....Bicentennial Bits - Early Courts in Jasper County 1970's
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Suzanne Forte suzanneforte@bellsouth.net July 2, 2004, 10:07 pm

Monticello News
BICENTENNIAL BITS
BY

JOHN HARVEY

"Early Courts in Jasper County"


	For  a number of years after the creation of our county by the General 
Assembly on December 10, 1807, from lands that had previously been part of 
Baldwin County, Monticello was the site of court for not only the county but 
for a wide area of the state. 

	From Randolph (Jasper) County the "long arm of the law" reached as far 
west as what is now Spalding and Upson Counties and as far north as present-day 
Douglas, Fulton and DeKalb Counties.  All this area was then "Indian 
Territory". 

	Old records tell of a man being brought back to stand  trial for a 
murder from as far away as the Chattahoochee River.  As a child I can remember 
some of the older citizens telling of how their parents had been told about the 
man held in the jail on the Square for trial, one man saying that he remained 
unrepentant to the end, to quote, "one tough customer". 

	The legislature realized that there wouldn't be courthouses built until 
some years after the creation of new counties so laws were made to allow the 
courts to meet in certain homes.  Jasper's first formal courthouse, in the 
center of the Square, was not built until 1838.  Pictures of this courthouse 
may be seen in the office of the probate judge in the present courthouse.  For 
at least twenty of the thirty years preceding the building of this 1838 
courthouse the county probably had a log building on the Square; exactly where 
is not known. 

	ACCORDING TO RECORDS in the Clerk of Court office, the first session of 
Superior and Inferior Court held in the county was held on March 21, 1808, in 
front yard of the John Towns home, Judge Peter Early presiding.  Tradition says 
that court was held under a huge poplar tree and that the Town's house was on 
the same lot as Reese Hall but to the rear.  Judge Early came to hold court 
from his home in Greensboro and after court had been opened it was discovered 
that the clerk had drawn only 23 names for the jury, rather than the 36 then 
required by law.  Judge Early immediately adjourned court.  His order recorded 
in the court records reads, "Grand Jury, annulled for this term of court,", 
signed peter Early, Judge. 

	Though no Superior Court cases were heard the court did turn to five 
cases of the Interior Court, these being; two for non-payment of debt, one for 
hog stealing, one for cow stealing and one for fighting. 

	In the second term of court on March 20, 1809, the law had been changed 
to require 24 grand jurors and 24 had been chosen (See list of first grand jury 
and trial jury at end of article).  The first case tried on the 20th day of 
March, 1809 was one involving non-payment of debt.  The jury found in favor of 
the plaintiff in the amount of $40.78 in cash and interest. 

	In researching this article, we were told many interesting things about 
early justice in the county, some of which we will share in a later article.  
For now we will tell of one or two on which we need more information.  The 
first jail, on the Square, was torn down by Union soldiers when they passed 
through Monticello in 1864.  A jail was then built on the site across from the 
present Mini-Foods store.  We were told that the county's "Hanging tree" was on 
this same property and that after the tree was cut down a gallows was built.  
We were also told that a "hanging tree" was out Forsyth Street near the city 
limits. 

	THE FOLLOWING is a list of the first grand Jury, February 9, 18008:  
Richard Carter, Jordan Baker, Adam Glozier, foreman, Francis Laury, Jethrew 
Mobley, Stephen Lacy, Henry Haynes, Solomon Stricklin, and Mcaih Fretwell. 

	The first trial jury, February 9, 1808, was composed of the following:  
Jacob Brazel, Benjamin Carroll, Jerimah Harrison, Levi Martin, John Bishop, 
William Germany, Absolom Autry, William Leveritt, Royal Clay and Matthew 
Duncan. 

	Also, Allen Cotton, Issac Morris, Absalom Hamby, James Stanley, William 
Stanley, Elijah Cornwell, James Sansome, Edward Chapman, Presley Sanford and 
Benjamin Irwin. 

	Also, Edward Wister, Robert Lansum, John Powell, Elijah Martin, William 
Brazel, James Lancar, Robert Edwards, Joseph Dickenson, Jepa Harris, John 
Welcher, Radford Ellis, George Ramsey and John Brooks. 

	Adam Glozier who appears as foreman of this first Grand Jury was Clerk 
of Court after 1808, his term beginning in 1809.  It is interesting to note the 
family names on these two lists still found in the county. 

Sources:  County Court Records
	Personal notes and interviews



Additional Comments:
Transcribed by Suzanne Forte (suzanneforte@bellsouth.net) from copies of 
articles contained in the Monticello News. There articles were prepared by Mr. 
John Harvey and published in this newspaper during the 1970's time frame.  
Permission has been granted by Mr. Harvey for use of these very valuable and 
informative articles. 


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