Jefferson-Chatham-Bibb County GaArchives Biographies.....HOLT, ASA October 30, 1789 - May 26, 1872 ************************************************ 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 September 2, 2018, 1:31 pm Source: Self-published Author: LARRY C. KNOWLES ASA HOLT Sr. Based on strong circumstantial evidence-despite questionable ages on 1840 & 1860 censuses, it seem likely that Asa Holt & his agent J. T. Holt, listed on the 1860 Tax Digest of Sumter Co. GA were the sons of 'Judge' Asa Holt of Jefferson, Chatham, and finally Bibb counties of Georgia. Asa Holt Sr. married Mary Palmer in Jefferson Co. GA on 14 Nov. 1816. He is found there on the 1820 census with Mary, an older female, and three slaves. By 1824 Holt was a Judge of the Inferior Court of Jefferson Co-(later the Court of Ordinary-then Probate Court)-where he would serve at least until January 16, 1837. The family has not been found on the 1830 census, but in 1840 he and Mary were listed with two sons in Louisville, the county seat of Jefferson Co-and early State Capital-(1796-1806). It was also a large slave market, where Asa evidently had added quickly to his land holdings and number of slaves. The 1850 Agricultural Census shows two parcels totaling 2800 acres, with his slave census totaling 111 in two segments-(separated only by a slave owner of one). Somewhat earlier Holt had entered business with a Mr. Murphy. Sitting as judge on Dec. 7, 1829, he authorized payment to 'Holt & Murphy' for $17.75, and also approved the sale of the old courthouse to D. Hook and others for $100 for a church-(not to include the jail). In February 1836 Holt served as a local superintendent for the subscription of shares in the Central Railroad and Banking Co. In April 1838 Holt, R. L. Atkinson, D. E. Bothwell, and three other men attended a "Merchants Convention' in Augusta. Later in Savannah he would form businesses with Atkinson and Bothwell. On March 2, 1840, Jefferson Court minutes note that he and Central R.R.'s chief engineer were authorized to secure rail rights-or-way in Washington and Jefferson counties. Also in March he was named as a superintendent in Louisville, for stock subscriptions for the Augusta & Waynesborough R.R., which would hopefully then connect with the Central's mainline-(Savannah to Macon). Later in Savannah he served several years on Central's board of directors. He also help found a new bank-The Bank of Savannah(1850-51)and was also on the board. By the early 1840s he apparently had relocated to Savannah. It is likely that he traveled and shipped cotton to Savannah via steam packet from Louisville along the Ogeechee River. He obviously had learned about cotton brokerage there. His partnerships with Atkinson(by 1841), then W. B. Roberson, and finally Bothwell-were as cotton brokers-or "Factors" arranging sales, storage, and all supplies-(including his ad for Mastodon cotton seed from New Orleans). By October 1848 he had moved his office to #88 Bay Street. In 1842-1843 he ran for city alderman, and Whig representative to the State Legislature-and was elected to both! The early Chatham Co. Tax Digests-as found on Ancestry.com-clearly still show his Louisville connection, and indicate that he had won-or purchased-three lottery parcels as well. Two were standard Lottery plots of 202-1/2 acres-Monroe Co.(1821)- and Lee Co.(1827)-Sumter was formed from Lee in 1831-and 40 acres in Cherokee Co. in the so-called "Gold Lottery" of 1833. The Monroe and Cherokee parcels were consistently listed each year, but the Sumter Co. parcel was gone in 1848; likely returned then by one of his sons-(see Asa Holt's Sumter Tax Digests for 1852 & 1864). The Chatham Co. digest of 1851 is particularly enlightening: Monroe & Cherokee are still there but lots & improvements in Louisville & Griffin(each valued at $1000)-and a third(- valued at $4500)had been added in Savannah-(at #3 Pulaski Ward)! Not surprisingly in 1852 Asa Holt was advertising the smaller house for sale on Liberty Street. The lot in Griffin is noteworthy as it was then in-(and returned)on the 1850 Pike Co. digest by Asa Holt-obviously the son, who would later marry in Pike Co. in January 1858. [Griffin did not become the county seat of Spalding Co. until December 1851]. By 1852 Asa Holt was considering a move to Macon as he'd become an advocate of the new political American Party-and it was likely that wife Mary wanted to be nearer her sons. In 1853 he built a large home in Macon on Mulberry St., which in 1864 became the famous 'Cannonball house' in the Union General George Stoneman's aborted effort to take the city. The cannonball did not explode and though entering the house, it caused minimum damage. Mary Holt had died on January 1, 1862, and Asa quickly remarried Nora M. Burk in Oglethorpe Co. on March 25, 1862. Ironically the couple had fled to their Jefferson Co. plantation directly into the path of a much larger Army, where Asa was nearly hung in efforts to force him to reveal valuables. Several newspapers erroneously reported his death. Asa Holt Jr. had been wounded at Petersburg VA on June 22, 1864, and after about six weeks in hospital, had been furloughed to return home. He made it to Macon, was there hospitalized, and died August 17, 1864. His wife was present at his death, as revealed in Emily Elizabeth Holt's widows pension applications. She carried his remains to his home in Monroe Co. for burial. Later his brother, John T. Holt, filed guardianship letters in Monroe Co. for the couple's three children; Elizabeth, Joseph T. and James J. Holts. Additional Comments: Summary was compiled after genealogical research of a 4th cousin's family. The sources included the usual marriage, probate, and census records. But access to the Georgia Historical Newspapers-Digital Library of Georgia, its Galileo portal provided super details, and county tax digests were most helpful. Most research was done at the LDS Family History Center in Lexington, VA. The Georgia Archive's online 'Virtual Vault' was great for CSA Civil War service of Asa Holt, Jr. Summary first posted to the LDS Familysearch program-their free 'Family Tree'. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ga/jefferson/bios/holt1057gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/gafiles/ File size: 6.6 Kb