JENKINS BURKE BULLOCH SCREVEN COUNTY, GA - HISTORY Birdsville - Jones Family and many others ***************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm *********************** This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Carole Farr Drexel drexel410@charter.net BIRDSVILLE By C. D. Hollingsworth This paper is found among the many papers of the late Clyde Dixon Hollingsworth, a former resident of Sylvania, Screven County, Georgia. He was a local historian and interested in all things in and around Screven County. He was a graduate of Mercer University, and the author of various articles and works, and a longtime editor of the Sylvania newspaper, The Sylvania Telegraph. This paper was read at a Brier Creek Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, meeting, that was held at Birdsville Plantation, Jenkins County, Georgia, on April 5, 1955. The history of Birdsville, Jenkins County, Georgia, and the history of the Jones family are so interwoven that an account of either would be incomplete without the other. The Jones family story is the story of many pioneer Georgia families, adventurous and bold, settling in the Georgia pinelands to endure the dangers and hardships of an Indian infested country to carve out of its solid forests and wrest from its soil a living for themselves in complete religious and political freedom. The story of Birdsville has its parallel in many other Georgia communities, but only in a few do you find such a fabulous fruition of family industry and farm management. Like others, it too, was slow in developing and not until the third generation did the dreams of the first come true. It was the dream of the "Big house," the broad acres of cultivated land, of slaves and servants, of horses and carriages, of fine ladies in silk and satin, of romance and courtliness, of the culture of old England and Wales without the tyranny of oppressors. Francis Jones, Sr., dreamed this dream as he sank an axe into his first Georgia pine. His grandson, Henry Phillips Jones, and his great grandson, William Beeman Jones, were the country squires who lived to see the dream of the sire come true. Theirs was the crowning glory of the dreams. The stately, white columned, ante-bellum manor house in which we meet today tells us the thrilling story of the fabulous days of the Feudal South. As Francis Jones dreamed in futurity of the era, which he did not live to see, his descendants dream in retrospect of the era they were born too late to see. Were it not for the evidence of Birdsville, the splendor of the Old South would be equally as imaginary to us in our dreams as it was to Francis Jones in his. Just when was the first seed of Birdsville planted and who planted it? In all probability, John Lott, Sr., was the first settler. On March 6, 1764, Lott petitioned the Governor and Council, meeting in the Council Chamber in Savannah, for a tract of land, setting forth that he had been in the Province two years, and had had no land granted him, having a wife and three children, therefore praying for 300 acres situate on the north side of Great Ogeechee, above Buckhead, at a place called Walker's Spring. On the same date as above, Drury Dunn, set forth in his petition that he was settled in South Carolina but proposed to remove into the Province of Georgia, and bring with him several families of "worth and substance," if favored with a reserve of land of 12,000 acres on Great Ogeechee beginning at a place called Bark's Camp about four miles above Buckhead and to run up the river. The Council reserved for Dunn and his party 8,500 acres, but Dunn who was present at the meeting withdrew the petition when the reservation was reduced in acreage. Among the families listed as coming with the party was Francis Jones, his wife, three children, and six Negroes. Francis Jones, Sr., was married twice. (1) He married Mary Robbins, who died before his settlement in Georgia. They had three sons, namely; Richard, Thomas and John. After the death of Mary Robbins, Francis married (2) Miss Elizabeth Huckabee of North Carolina. The Council reserved for Francis 500 acres, which he may have accepted. So far as the record goes, this is the only land ever granted to Francis Jones, Sr. (See page 131, Vol. 9, Colonial Records of Georgia). Those familiar with the natural boundaries of Great Ogeechee and Buckhead can readily see that the grants of Lott and Jones were in close proximity. Lott, a few years later, deeded to Francis Jones his tract. The family still has the old conveyance. The record is not clear that Francis Jones, Sr., ever lived at the place now known as Birdsville, although he did own property in the vicinity, including Lott's Mill. In the Memoirs of Georgia, published in 1895, by the Southern Historical Association, the following account is given of Francis Jones, the ancestral head of the family. "Frank Jones immigrated from Wales in the early part of the Nineteenth Century to the Carolinas where he resided a good many years the head of a large family. In the latter part of his life, impelled by the same spirit of adventure which brought him from his native country, he moved with his four sons, some years before the Revolution, to Screven County, locating in the southern portion of it, not far from the point called Cameron, which near three quarters of a century afterwards, became the home of one of his great granddaughters." Without doubt, this great granddaughter was Mary (Ann) Young Henderson, the wife of (William) Michael Henderson. Mary Young was the daughter of James and Lavinia (Jones) Young. Mary Young married (after the death of Wm. M. Henderson) (2) John Cameron, and the old home site is very near old Cameron station. Francis Jones lived only about ten years after he moved to Georgia, and it is known that he did not live at Lott's Mill at the time of his death. If he first settled at Cameron it is possible he later moved to a location near Ogeechee for it was there that Francis Jones, Jr., was later settled. Francis Jones, Jr., died about 1812, leaving a plantation of 1,500 acres, which was divided among his eight children. Francis Jones, Sr., executed his Will on March 10, 1774. It was witnessed by three neighbors who lived in the vicinity of Ogeechee and Rocky Ford, namely Thomas Mills, Daniel Bonnell, and Valentine Hollingsworth. He bequeathed to his sons, Francis (Jones) and James (Jones), "My manor plantation where I now live, and mill, to be equally divided between them." It is significant that James Jones later owned land at Cameron. He left to his sons, John and Phillip, by deed of gift, a certain tract of land in St. George's Parish, which included a mill formerly the property of John Lott. Some significance can be attached to the bequest, to John and Phillip, of one copper still, eighteen head of cattle and thirty-five head of hogs ranging about Lott's mill in George's Parish. Obviously Francis had either lived at Lott's Mill at some time or conducted an absentee operation. This was often done. Phillip Jones was only fifteen years old at the time of his father's death so it is not likely that he had already moved from Screven to Burke to oversee the farm for his father. All of the early records of Burke County were lost in the courthouse fire of 1853. Without these records the whole story with all the thrilling details of Birdsville can never be told. It is known that Phillip Jones took up abode there during the Revolution. The record of how Phillip acquired John's interest in the place is not in existence, but Phillip very likely acquired it by purchase, as well as the slave Ceasar left to Phillip by his father. In the Memoirs of Georgia is a very interesting story depicting the loyalty and devotion of this slave to his master. One day during the Revolutionary War, Phillip Jones was scouting near his mill when he was surprised and taken prisoner by some British troops. They took his rifle and bound him, and gave to Ceasar his master's rifle to carry, along with their own. Two soldiers led the party with Ceasar next, followed by Phillip, and one soldier bringing up the rear. At a timely moment Ceasar fired upon and killed one of the soldiers in front of him, wheeled and with his opened knife quickly cut the cords binding his master and at the same time putting into his hands his own rifle. Phillip covered the British soldiers who were without arms and marched them captives to the American headquarters in Augusta. Phillip Jones received a bounty of 250 acres of land in Washington County upon certification of Col. Elijah Clarke, in recognition of his services during the War. He may have moved to Washington County for a short time. Washington County joined Wilkes, and about 1787, Phillip Jones married Elizabeth Jones, a cousin, of Wilkes County. From this union came one son, Phillip Jones, who was born December 27, 1788. Phillip died a year later at the age of 30. Henry Phillip Jones was only one year old when his father died, and early in life he became the dependence of his widowed mother. He became the master of the household at a very young age. He married Miss Sarah Vickers, daughter of James Vickers, of Burke County, April 20, 1809. To this union were born eight children, namely: Harriet, James, Melvina, Joseph, Sara Ann, Henry Wilkes, William Beeman, and Elizabeth. Phillip was a man of energy and ability. He lived during that golden era of slavery and cotton plantations. It was his administration genius that made Birdsville one of the great plantations of the South. He acquired many slaves and several thousand acres of land during his tenure at Birdsville. His ability and genius in handling affairs brought to him many honors from the people and the state. He was appointed Major, of the 17th Battalion of Militia, by Governor Mitchell, February 5, 1816, and he was appointed Lieut. Colonel of the 9th Regiment, by Governor Rabun, November 16, 1818. He built the old part of the manor house, which William Beeman Jones completed in 1847. It was estimated that at the time of his death he was worth $350,000.00, which at that time was an enormous fortune. Before 1800, the Post Office Department of the United States established a post route between Louisville and Savannah over the old Ogeechee Road, later known as the Louisville Road. In those days small villages were served by these post carriers even if there was no established post office. Letters were addressed by plantation names or taverns and the carrier would leave mail at the plantation addressed if it was on his route, and if not on his route, it would be accepted for delivery by the plantation owner nearest the one addressed. Research has failed to disclose the plantation name of Birdsville before 1813. It may have been known as Lott's Mill or it is possible that it had not developed to the proportions required for a post stop. In 1813, Phillip Henry Jones, had become 25 years old, and was beginning a brilliant career as a plantation operator. It was on May 26, 1813, that a post office was established at the Jones plantation and it was given the name of Birdsville, obviously being named after the first postmaster, Samuel Bird. Samuel Bird had moved to Burke County from Liberty County in 1792. He was evidently a man of good appearance and approach for he became the Justice of Peace of the Birdsville area soon after his removal there, and he was elected a Justice of the Inferior Court for the years 1799-1807. He was also a Captain of the Volunteer Light Infantry Company of the Burke County Militia. Bird served as Postmaster until February 2, 1822, at which time Drury Corker became postmaster. Not much is known of Drury Corker, except that he married Letitia Lanier, the daughter of John and Hannah Mills Lanier. Hannah Mills was the sister- in-law of Francis and James Jones. On April 29, 1826, Henry Phillip Jones became postmaster and served until the office was discontinued March 11, 1852. The office was re-established January 30, 1854, with Joseph E. Jones becoming postmaster. At this time the name of the office was changed to Herndon. Henry Phillip Jones died October 1, 1853. His son, William Beeman Jones, born February 27, 1827, was next in line of descent to the present owners of Birdsville Plantation. William Beeman married Sidney Ann Elizabeth Sapp, and of this marriage was born George Washington Jones. George Washington Jones married Mattie Jones Anderson, June 1, 1887. To the latter was born, besides others, Susan Elizabeth Jones. Susan Elizabeth married Benjamin Franklin of Barnesville, November 14, 1912. Susan Elizabeth Franklin is the present owner of Birdsville Plantation. In many ways, Birdsville is the same as it was in 1850, the heyday of the Plantation. The imposing ante-bellum manor house, the magnificent live oaks with moss pendants hanging and swaying in the breeze, the drives and walks lined with box wood, the old out buildings long outliving their purpose, all reminders of the Old South. To this has been added much of the new. Slaves, servants, mules, horses and carriage, the power mill, and even the post office have been replaced by the automobile, the tractor, the REA and the RFD, but as long as the "Big House' is graced with the charm and culture, of its present Mistress, Mrs. Benjamin Franklin, the great, great, great-granddaughter of Francis Jones, Sr., a part of the Old South will be with us. In all of its glorious history Birdsville has never had a lovelier or more perfect hostess. Transcribed by Carole Farr Drexel, descendant of Francis Jones, Sr. and his second wife, Elizabeth Huckabee, their son, James Jones and his wife, Elizabeth Mills, their daughter, Lavinia Jones and her husband, James Young, and their daughter, Mary Ann Young and her first husband, William Michael Henderson, of Cameron, Georgia. James Jones' final resting place is across the Great Ogeechee River from Screven County, Georgia, in Bulloch County, Georgia, on the plantation that he owned, part of the old James Young plantation, now the area where the Young/Blitch cemetery lies. It must have originally been the Jones, Young cemetery, as his is the oldest grave found. He was a Revolutionary Soldier, like his brother, Phillip, and died in 1824. Carole Farr Drexel, 13 February, 2004, drexel410@charter.net