Lowndes County GaArchives Biographies.....Hodges, John A. 1849 - living in 1913
************************************************
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:
Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 October 18, 2004, 9:54 am

Author: William Harden
p. 766-768

   JOHN A. HODGES. A native and lifelong resident of Lowndes county, the owner
of many broad and fertile acres near Hahira, John A. Hodges has succeeded in
life through ability and well timed industry, and has long been a prosperous and
influential citizen of his community. He was born in Lowndes county on the llth
of February, 1849, and represents one of the old and prominent families of south
Georgia.

   His grandfather Nathan Hodges was, so far as known, a native Georgian, and
about 1828 moved from Tattnall county to Lowndes county, settling some five
miles south of the present site of Hahira. Lowndes county then comprised a much
greater territory than at present, with Franklinville the county seat, which was
subsequently transferred to Troupville. Nearly all the land was under state
ownership, and directly from the commonwealth Grandfather Hodges bought a lot of
four hundred and ninety acres, nearly all timber. His family were sheltered
under tents while he was erecting the first log-cabin home. For many miles
around no mills had yet been built. He had brought with him a steel mill,
operated by hand, for grinding grain, and this became such an institution that
the neighbors brought their packs of corn long distances to be ground into meal.
The date of the Hodges settlement was also several years previous to the final
expulsion of the Florida Indians, and it was a not infrequent occurrence that
marauding bands crossed the border and disturbed the south Georgians. A log fort
stood on the grandfather's place during these years, and it several times
sheltered the inhabitants of this- vicinity while hostile redskins were near. On
this old homestead the grandfather and his wife spent their last years. They
reared eight children, three sons and five daughters, namely: John, Daniel,
Aleck, Elsie, Eliza, Caroline, Maria and Polly.

   Of this family John was the father of John A. Hodges. He was born in Tattnall
county, being nineteen years old when his parents came to Lowndes county. He was
one of the militia or minutemen of the settlement during the period of Indian
strife, and also participated in the final struggles that broke the power of the
red men. These occurred in 1836, in which year there were three Indian battles,
including the well-known conflict at Brush Creek, when the Indians made their
last stand. On attaining his majority John Hodges bought a lot of land
consisting of four hundred and ninety acres, and gave what was then considered a
very good price for it, $50, a sum which would hardly buy one acre now. Not a
railroad had yet come into this region. Marketing was difficult, and for several
years the cotton from his and other plantations was hauled by team and wagon to
Newport, Florida. He established on his farm one of the old cotton gins operated
by mule power, its capacity during a long day's run being half a bale. He
improved and developed a considerable quantity of land in this vicinity, and
continued his residence there until his death in 1875 at the age of sixty-six
years. The maiden name of his wife was Julia Ann Boyd, and she was a daughter of
Banar and Sarah Boyd, also early settlers of Lowndes county. Her death occurred
in 1872. Her twelve children were named as follows: Hardy, Polly Ann, Sarah J.,
Thomas B., Susan, George, John A., Julia, Laura, Charlotte, Henry B. and Samuel H.

   The pioneer scenes which have been above referred to had not yet vanished
from this section of Georgia during the childhood and youth of John A. Hodges,
and his memory goes back to the time when deer, wild turkey and other wild game
were plentiful among the sparse settlements. His mother did all her cooking at a
fireplace, no stoves having yet been introduced, and she carded, wove and spun
the wool or cotton or flax with which she dressed all the family in homespun. In
such a household John A. acquired early habits of industry. His assistance when
a boy was given to the farm labor, and when the weather did not permit outdoor
labor he helped his mother at the wheel or loom. He is one of few men living who
were once skilled in the old-fashioned art of spinning and weaving. Mechanical
skill was one of nature's gifts to him, and though he never learned a trade for
a regular vocation he had a practical craft for various lines of handiwork, and
during his youth earned all his spending money through this skill, never calling
on his father to supply him a cent. At the age of fourteen he made a substantial
but plain saddle, which he sold for $10. Buying some brass tacks, he ornamented
his next saddle, and secured $15 for it. He also made shoes.

   When he was twenty-one he began his career as an independent farmer by
working a tract of his father's land for half the crop. Four years later he
bought two hundred and fifty acres at $2 an acre, paying two hundred in cash and
obligating himself for the balance with twenty per cent interest. It took him
six years to clear himself of the interest and principal. At his father's death
he inherited land worth $300 and also bought the share of a sister. He later
bought a tract of six hundred acres a mile north of Hahira, going in debt $2,400
with interest at fifteen per cent. It is on this latter land that he has spent
most of his career as a general farmer. He has long been known as a practical
farmer, one who could produce profits from his land, and besides his own
prosperity his example has been valuable to the general welfare of this
agricultural region. In 1912 Mr. Hodges moved to an attractive modern home which
he had built on land adjoining the town of Hahira. His land holdings embrace
upwards of fourteen hundred acres in the vicinity of Hahira, and for this
material evidence of prosperity he owes all to his own efforts and good management.

   At the age of thirty-two Mr. Hodges married Miss Susan L. Lawson. She is a
native of Lowndes county, and a daughter of John and Mary A. (Sineth) Lawson. On
the paternal side she is descended from Ashley Lawson (see sketch of Irvine and
L. F. Lawson). Her mother was a daughter of William and Mary Sineth. The
following children compose the family of Mr. and Mrs. Hodges: Lewis, Corine,
Perry (deceased), Slater, Edward, Irene, Louell, Robert T. and Bevins. Lewis
married Sally Marshall and has two children,. Anna Lee and John Lewis. Corine is
the widow of James Hall.


Additional Comments:
From:

A HISTORY OF SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA
BY
WILLIAM HARDEN

VOLUME II
ILLUSTRATED
THE LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY
CHICAGO AND NEW YORK
1913

File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ga/lowndes/bios/gbs294hodges.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/gafiles/

File size: 7.1 Kb