MONROE COUNTY, GA - BIOGRAPHIES   G.W. Head

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'MEMOIRS OF GEORGIA", Historical and Biographical Sketches, by S. Emmett Lucas, Jr., PUBLISHED IN 1896.

Typed by Donna Wall


G. W. HEAD , planter and merchant, High Falls, Monroe Co.,
Ga., son of Dr. J. D. and Nancy H. (Underwood) Head, was
born in Monroe County, Dec. 18, 1847. Mr. Head’s great-
grandfather emigrated from England to Georgia before the
revolutionary war, during which he served in the patriot
army. On one occasion a band of tories visited his home and
drove off all the stock. The old patriot visited his home
soon after, and being told of the raid went to the tories
and at the point of a pistol made them return the spoils.
William Head, his grandfather, raised his family in Clarke
county, Ga. Mr. Head’s father was a physician of no
inconsiderable prominence, and married his wife in Putnam
county. They raised a family of five children; Thomas j.,
planter, near Griffin, Ga., and a Primitive Baptist
preacher; Savannah E., widow of Dr. L. J. Dupree, Milner,
Ga., G. W., the subject of this sketch; Hattie H., single;
Emily E., wife of R. F. Strickland, Griffin, Ga., His father
died in 1882, and his mother in 1888. When he was six years
old Mr. Head’s family moved to Butts county, where he was
raised and educated. Not being old enough to enter the
regular service during the war, he joined a cavalry troop of
Georgia reserves and was principally with the scouting
forces, where his experience oftentimes was very exciting,
to say the least of it. On one occasion, when out on a
scout, he fell in with the Texas brigade that surrounded the
Union Gen. Kilpatrick, and was present when he broke
through. He was about Atlanta on the same duty when Gen.
Sherman held the city, and would often run into his scouts.
He took the measles a little later, and was at home at the
time of the surrender. After the war Mr. Head spent four
years in the west, from Texas to California and Mexico, in
stock business and mining, and one year in Pike county. He
then returned to Butts county and engaged in farming with
the most satisfactory results. He started with very small
means, but prospered beyond his most sanguine expectation.
He has added merchandising to his planting interest, and is
one of the largest land-owners in Monroe county, owning
2,200 acres, and occupying a spacious brick dwelling near
High Falls.  The immediate surroundings are wildly beautiful
and romantic in the extreme---few localities in Georgia
surpass the locality in this respect. The name "High Falls"
is derived from falls on the Towaliga river near by, the
scenery presented to view being thus described in W. C.
Richard's Georgia Illustrated, published half a century ago:
"So fine is the view afforded from many different points
that it is difficult to decide which is the most attractive;
and passing from rock to rock the beholder is ever delighted
with new features.  This variety is the greatest charm of
the scene.  The river above the falls is about 300 feet
wide, flowing swiftly over a rocky shoal.  At its first
descent it is divided by a ledge of rock, and forms two
precipitous falls for a distance of fifty feet."  The
Towaliga is a stream of large volume and constant flow, and
at this point has a fall of 100 feet within one-fourth of a
mile.  Great as the water-power is there is but one small
grist-mill on it.  Mr. Head was married in Monroe County,
March 14, 1875, to Miss Carrie, daughter of J. G. and Eliza
(Stewart) Phinazee, who has born him nine children:  Lucy,
Hattie, James P., Robert T., Nancy E., George D. , Carrie,
Philip and Benjamin.  For many years Mr. Head has been
aflicted with rheumatism, and has to use an invalid wheel
chair.  Notwithstanding his affliction he is genial, jovial
and hospitable, and hence, very companionable.  He is an
ardent populist, and a master Mason, member of Patillo Lodge
No. 360.