Georgia: Oglethorpe County: Prominent Ante-Bellum Families From the Oglethorpe Echo, 15 October 1909 ==================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store this file permanently for free access. This file was contributed by: Troy Colquitt telles@elberton.net ==================================================================== Oglethorpe Echo Oct. 15th 1909 PROMINENT ANTE-BELLUM CITIZENS OF OUR COUNTY Men who gave Oglethorpe fame for its Execeptional High Class of the Most Noble of Citizenry AS REMEMBERED BY MR. J. S. BAUGHN Editor Oglethorpe Echo; The map of Thos. B. Moss shows the homes at a more recent date, but during the existence of slavery, plantations were much larger, but I will say that many who were first to enlist and who made the best of soldiers, were not slave owners. To the southeast of the fairground was the home of Charles Robertson, who like his father, was a brick mason, and in 1849, while building the chimmeys to Wash. Birdsong’s house, where R. L. Callaway now lives, he was badly bruised by a chimmey falling on him. Soon after he moved to Paulding county. The next house on the road has had so many occupants that I hardly know who to name. It was known as the Tucker place. J. D. Tucker lived there quite awhile. Mrs. Elizabeth Howard, after the death of her husband, Robert Howard, in 1855; moved there and remained till her death, only two years later. The Colquitt place, afterwards known as the Downer place, was the home of Thomas Downer, after Mrs. Colquitt moved to Louisiana in 1859. Half a mile southeast was the home and final resting place of Pleasant Robertson, who raised three sons and several daughters. The next place, some distance east of the Glade road, was the home of Elias Patman, afterwards of James Holmes, who moved from Elbert county a few years before the war. The next places were Beu Pittman, Jas. R. Appling, Seymour Noell, near the cross, Calvin Steele, Thomas Johnson, David and William Graham, Manly Davis, Sam Hardman, William Wright, and Joseph Stevens, now the home of Willie Haynie. He had seven sons, Obediah, Jasper, Newton, and William Remained in Georgia and Allen, Thomas, and Hailey went to Dallas county Ala., Mrs. Martha Eberhart, now of Carlton, is the sole survivor of the family. Between there and the Glade I have already given the names of the families. Below the Glade lived Henry Paul, now nearing ninety years of age, and he is the rare execption of having two sons with him who took an active part in the war. Below the Glade, on the Millstone road, James and Jacob Huff, Elijah and Elisha Tiller, Green, Bell, Williams Glenn and sons, Thomas and Joseph, Joseph Bell, Daniel Slaton, James Jarvis, John S. Hubbard, John D. Pass, Daniel Harris, Lindsay & McCallister, mechants at Millstone, Thomas Stevens. Near the ferry was Issac Dillard I will give those between the Martin and Jones Ferry Road. Above Daniel Harris was Mr. Mattox, Mr. Ben Eads, Burrell Tiller, Nathan Harris, Joseph Smith, Floyd E. Goolsby. Where Robert Harris now lives, George Miller, and after his death, Major W. B. P. Haynie, lived for several years. Coleman Mathews lived not far from Hubbards or Echols Mill, but Col. B. W. Hubbard owned a large area of land and worked it with slaves, many of whom I have heard say their happiest days were when they were slaves of “Mars” Woodson”. Next to his farm was Brewer Smith, who sold to Messrs. Jas. Bridges and A. D. Mathews, and that which was thought to be very poor land, under their industry and economy, yeilded fortunes for both. Where C. W. Howard now lives was the home of James Smith, who was called Cross Roads, by way of designations. Dr. Jonathan Watkins lived there before the war. Following was Robert Johnson who married his first wife’s mother Mrs. James Kidd. Thomas Noell, Larkin Kent, William Collins, John Patman and David W. Patman, a primitive baptist preacher and good citizen in every respect. Near Browns Church a Mr. Harmon lived til about 1858 and Wiley Yarbrough moved to that place and Francis Pittman, a son-in-law, died near there in 1851. The only settlement between Brown’s and Lexington was the Robert Harrison place, formerly known as the home of Ben Edwards. Between there and town Dr. Swepson Cox owned on both sides of the road and only a few patches were tilled in a slip shod way. I will next take the section between the Jones Ferry and the Mallorysville road. More anon J. S. B.