MARION COUNTY, GA - BIOS Charles Knowlton

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Memoirs of Georgia, Vol. II, Atlanta, Ga., page 488
Published by The Southern Historical Association in 1895


MARION COUNTY


Charles Knowlton, farmer and miller, Doyle, Marion Co., Ga., son of Hiram and Anna J. (Swindell) Knowlton, was born in Talbot county, Ga., in 1841.  His paternal great-grandfather was born in Scotland, and came to America long before the revolutionary war.  He was a soldier in the old Indian wars, and during the war for independence was a soldier in the patriot army.  He used to relate as an incident of his life that on one occasion when the enemy’s marksman was aiming at Gen. Washington he struck his horse a blow to make him jump and thus saved the General’s life.  His grandfather was born in New York and was a farmer.  Mr. Knowlton’s father was born in New York state in 1807, and came to Georgia and settled in Augusta in 1828.  He was a skilled and experienced mechanic, and constructed the first waterworks which conveyed the water from Turknett spring to Augusta.  Later in life he removed to Talbot county, where he followed his trade, and left a quite large landed estate at his death in 1875.  His maternal grandfather, Swindell, was of Irish lineage, the family having been early settlers in North Carolina.  When Mr. Swindell migrated from that state to Georgia he settled in Greene county and remained there all his life.  Mr. Knowlton grew to manhood on the farm and was trained as a mechanic by his father.  Being a mechanic he was exempt from military service, and was largely employed in the early part of the war in the making of shoe pegs for the army.  In 1863, however, he enlisted in Company D, Seventh Georgia, afterward in the Tenth Confederate cavalry.  At one time during his service, when making a charge, he rode through a troop of Union cavalry, not hearing the command to halt; they let him pass unharmed, supposing him to be a prisoner going to the rear.  Discovering his mistake and dilemma, he escaped to a near-by friendly swamp.  He closed his war service at the battle of Bentonville, N.C.  After the war his trade was all he had to rely on, so he went to work at it, and made and saved some money.  In 1881 he purchased a mill on McCalee creek, which is now in perfect running order, and very desirable, valuable property.  In connection with it he owns some excellent farming land and conducts a farm.  In 1865 Mr. Knowlton was married to Miss Julia A. Drane, born in Talbot county in 1845, daughter of Hiram and Eleanor (McGruder) Drane.  Mr. Drane was born in Columbia county, Ga., and on entering life for himself removed to Talbot county, where he settled for life.  At one time he represented the county in the general assembly.  Eight children, living, have blessed this union: Eleanor, Homer, Lizzie, Hiram, Edgar, Minnie, Jackson and Beulah.  Mr. Knowlton is a royal arch Mason, and his wife is an exemplary member of the Methodist church.  He is enjoying the prosperity and comfort consequent upon an industrious and honorable life.