Georgia: Oglethorpe County: Prominent Ante-Bellum Families From the Oglethorpe Echo, 12 November 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. 22nd 1909 PROMINENT ANTE-BELLUM CITIZENS OF OUR COUNTY Men who gave Oglethorpe fame for its Exceptional High Class of the Most Noble of Citizenry AS REMEMBERED BY MR. J. S. BAUGHN Editor Oglethorpe Echo: Before beginning my reminiscences of the county before the war, I would state that the early settlers chose a location near a spring as well digging was not thought of. What is known as the Mallorysville road is on a ridge between Indian and Long creeks, so I will name all the settlements between those creeks. Where W.B. Hopper now lives William or Wid Collins lived, and J.W. Cunningham’s was the home of Mrs. Langston, subsequently of Pickney Smith. Edward V. Collier lived where Z.T. Thomas now is. Mr. McLain was overseer for Mrs. Cox and was located near B.V. Raines’ shop. To the south near Troublesome creek lived Daniel Jenkins. Afterward, W.W. Berry made it his home. John Baughn built and moved out on the road in 1845 and his son, Peter B. Baughn, made his home at his father’s old place till he moved to Athens. South of there was the G.W. Paschal place. Below where Mrs. Slaton now lives, Thomas Stevens moved from in 1849 and Manley Davis made his home there till 1860. Near by; Chas. Ogden, an old settler, died in 1846. The first settlement below Wesley Chapel was W.G. Draper. James Collins was next. Then Seaborn Davis, Robert Howard, Phillip Watkins, Jr. North of where the road runs into the Danielsville road Royal Fleming and his noble wife dispensed their hospitality, till they moved to the Simston place. S.H. Cox had a large farm and the overseer’s house was between the two creeks. Across Buffalo was the home of Thos. Farmer. Near there was Phillip Watkins, Sr. William Gresham, afterward Thomas Amis, was below. At Anon, Burwell Brooks lived several years. The Bluff was owned by Burwell Hill. Across Long creek was B.B. Faust, Ben Waller and Radford Glenn. Below the Faust place was Clark Taylor, Dr. Wooten, Burwell and Pope Hill, Dr. Wilt Bolton, now the home of Joe Cofer. On the road to Vesta the widow of Manuel Bolton spent her declining years, and my friend and school-mate, Jas. B. Wade, stayed much of his time with her. Near by Dr. Kennebrew, Henry and James Huff, Wm. Bridges, Solomon and Thomas Jennings, Andrew and Jeff Goolsby; in later years, Jabez Powell farmed very successfully on the Goolsby place. Northeast was a large plantation owned by a bachelor, William Strong, who dubbed it Egypt, from the immense grain crops raised. Mrs. Settle owned a fine body of timber land which was not utilized till after her death, when her grandsons, William and Wade Settles made a successful venture at farming. On the Bullard’s ferry road were the Grimes, Jonathan Bell and Richard Huff, the large slave holder , who freed one hundred slaves and at great expense sent them to Liberia. His remains now rest unmarked and surrounded by negro graves. His daughter, Mrs. Glenn, afterwards, Mrs. Bunch, and her two sons, Thomas and Robert Glenn, made their homes their. I will say that below there, between Long creek and Broad river, known as lower Goosepond, had at one time, rather a bad/reputation but great improvements has taken place. Near the ferry, John and James Gunter lived. Dr. Willis Willingham owned near two thousand acres of land which was managed before the war by Travis Colquitt, but since it has been neglected. On the road to Millstone, G.W., N.M., and James G. Mattox lived and Davis Mattox, the father of a large family, was one of the early settlers. To the left of the Jones ferry road were several families of Tillers, Hammonds, Cunninghams, E.P. and Jos. Burt, B.W. Hubbard, Mercer Jackson, Russ Watkins, John Faust, Albert Broach and Thomas Edwards Lacy and Thompson Banks. In the rear of Appling’s store was the Bush home, where W.W. Bush lived with his mother, till after his marriage to Miss Bettie Wise. T. Reese Watkins, who had just married, moved to that place, lived there till after his father’s death and moved to his place above Simston. B.W. Hubbard gave the Simston place to his sister, Mrs. Royal Fleming, and both of them are buried there. Across Mack’s creek lived James Bell and in my early youth I went to school with his sons, Lycurgus, Sam, James and Adderberry. John S. and Miller Hubbard and Alfred Bell were on the same side of the creek. Robert Monteith and Mrs. Cynthia were on the south side. Henry Raines died in 1846 and his sons, M.L. and B.V. lived with their mother till her death, and afterwards till Marcus L. Raines death. I know some are left out but I had quite an extensive territory this time. J.S.B.