Jasper County GaArchives News.....More About Smith's Mill and Seven Islands 1970's
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Suzanne Forte suzanneforte@bellsouth.net July 2, 2004, 10:18 pm

Monticello News
MORE ABOUT SMITH'S MILL AND SEVEN ISLANDS


During the past year as we have gathered information on Smith's Mill and the 
Seven Islands area, we have received much help and information from a gracious 
lady, Mrs. J. B. (Clara) Ellis.  We are pleased to have Mrs. Ellis as guest 
columnist this week with more data on the mills and their history. (John P. 
Harvey)

By CLARA T. ELLIS

	I have been interested in the articles that have appeared in The 
Monticello News about the Smith's Mill section of the county.  Here is my 
version of events in general as compared with data so far published. 

	I taught summer school just north of the creek then called Wise Creek, 
now Kinards Creek, some 65 years ago.  I went home with some pupils to spend 
the night, and as we walked down a hill a hundred yards or so from the house 
there lay a mass of land completely choked with small bushes, some twelve feet 
from the river bank.  Clear water ran over rock, and as he water was no more 
than six inches deep, the children waded out.  I removed my shoes and followed 
suit.  A twig was in my way and when I broke it off it disturbed a wasps nest.  
I received a bad sting or two.  I did not get to explore the island, but I am 
sure that it was the large island as it seemed to be sitting on top of the 
rocks.  I was not sure but that they have eroded away in the last 70 years.  I 
guess the creek first known as Wise's later Kinard's was near by, but I don't 
recall seeing it then, though I had waded in it as a child.

	An old pupil of mine and two cousins were in a group who picniced on 
the large island some years ago.  They said that there were many bones there 
then.  (Many wounded horses were reportedly destroyed there during the Civil 
War.)  I was told that there was only the old Crittendon home still standing 
near the site of the old Lamar mills then, though it was deserted.  I 
understand that the buildings at Lamar's were all burned except the Crittendon 
home.  The Lamar family moved to Macon and one of them I.C.Q. Lamar, went on to 
Texas to prominence as the Chief Justice of the Texas Supreme Court. 

	My father, reared in this area, said that there were several ferries 
along this part of the river: Giles, Halls or Hollands.  Wise's, Smith's and 
Goodman's.  Several counties coming together near here was a factor in the 
growth of the area.  Mention has been made in earlier articles of crowds 
waiting to cross at Wise's ferry.  This was at the time of the 1826 land 
grants.  In an article written by my father for the Butts County Sentinel he 
stated that people camped on our land. 

	My grandfather, William Balaam Thompson, born in 1792, came to the 
Smith's mill area in 1847.  I feel sure that he had some part in building the 
rock race and the rock house.  He was mainly a contractor and he built the 
roadbed and laid the tracks for the railroad between Union Point and Greensboro 
in 1842.  He was a poor man as worldly things go, but must have had a good 
education for the times, as it is said that, after moving into the undeveloped 
area when his children were young, he undertook to teach them all to read and 
write.

	When Mr. Smith bought the mill he had equipment put in that ginned wool 
to remove trash and then moved it on down to spin it into finger-sized 2 1/2 
foot rolls ready for women to spin.  Mr. Smith had bought the mill as an 
investment.  He lived in Butts County in the vicinity of Lamar's Mill, not far 
down the river.  This was also near the Seven Island area where the Indians had 
crossed for lo, these many years.  As Mr. Smith's health waned he turned the 
farm over to his son and moved to Flovilla some four miles over in Butts 
County. 

	It happened that several well-to-do families lived on the Butts County 
side of the river and, as the area was too far from a town for convenient 
shopping, a village came into being and a clothing factory was established to 
give employment to workers from Butts, Jasper, Jones and Monroe counties.  
There was a grist mill known as Lamar's Mill, and most such villages also had a 
blacksmith shop, a woodshop, perhaps a gin and a store.

	The clothing factory gave farmers a chance to make cash money.  As a 
rule, cotton was sold in the fall and otherwise all the cash a housewife ever 
had was from the sale of a few eggs, or perhaps she would barter them for 
coffee, sugar, etc.


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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