Georgia:  Oglethorpe County:  Prominent Ante-Bellum Families
From the Oglethorpe Echo, 29 October 1909

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This file was contributed by:
Troy Colquitt
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Oglethorpe Echo 
Oct. 29th 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

Editors Oglethorpe Echo:  On account of the crowded condition of your 
columns I will abridge this week and take only to the Washington road.  
Two miles a little south of  east from Lexington lived George Latimer, 
who had five sons that were chips of the old block and made the best 
citizens of the counties to which they removed.  William went to Cass, 
now Bartow, Henry to Gainesville, Thomas to Merriwether and Wyatt to 
Heard.  John P. remained in this county.  Below Lexington, on the 
Washington road, was the home of F. M. Smith, for a long while sheriff 
of the county.  Southeast of him was Marshall Allen, whose father was 
killed by Walton in the early forties.

	    
The G. K. Smith place was, at an early date, the poor house of the 
county, and after it was broken up, Montgomery Smith occupied it for 
awhile and Absalom Jackson followed him.  Below the two mile post, 
Thomas Latimer  built in the early fifties and lived till his removal 
from the county.  A mile north of this road was the lifetime home of 
Judge S. R. Maxwell.  On top of the hill from Long creek, R. S. Lovern 
lived.  Across the creek to the left of  the road was Wash Birdsong’s 
place of abode till he built the house in which R. L. Callaway now 
lives.  About half mile north, near the creek, Robert Birdsong was 
domiciled.  On the left hand road , leading to the Cox place, Augustus 
Dozier spent most of his long life. To the right of the road, a quarter 
of a mile, Hoy T. Landrum lived and after his death Mid W. Johnson  
came into possession of the place. On the opposite side of the road a 
Mr. Powers lived but his death was beyond the time limit.  What is now 
known as the Butler place Rev. P. B. Butler made his home after his 
son, Jos. B. Butler, also a preacher, moved to west Tennessee.  I will 
state that T. J. Howard, whose name I failed to mention, lived to the 
rear of his father, Robert Howard, after his marriage.  Below the Cox 
place, near the Mallorysville road, lived Richard and John Dowdy.  Near 
the Centerville road, Smith and Messrs. Dorough, Henry Peterman, Joe 
Gresham, and a Mr. Rivers, together with others from the Wilkes side of 
Dry Fork, moved Texas in 1856.

    	    
Up Dry Fork John P. Latimer, Mr. Hewell, Jefferson, Bradford, Crawford, 
Arnold, Jabes P. Smith, William Wynn, David Dunn, Jas. A. O. Patton, T. 
J. Hardin, Tolbert, Woodall, William Booth and John Winn.

Immediately on the Washington road I failed to name Dr. William T. 
Landrum, who practiced medicine near the Gresham or Amis place, prior 
to his removal to west Tennessee.

	    
On the road, as it formerly ran, from Buffalo creek direct to the 
Birdsong home, Mrs. Thornton lived, with her sons, but afterwards, 
Captain Whit Johnson dispensed lavishly his hospitality, untill his 
wife’s death, and soon after the tocsin of war was sounded and he was 
one who responded readily.

	     
Where J. B. Bacon now lives was the home of  Samuel Lumpkin, and 
afterwards of Daniel D. Johnson. The Cook place was north of the road 
but overseers were changed often.

	    
This brings me back to the Wash Birdsong home, now R. L. Callaway’s.  I 
will state that the south side of our county was to me a sealed book 
before the war.  Only a few homes can I designate but I shall do my 
best.
	     
More anon                                                                                                                 
J. S. B.