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 Nov. 12th 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 To use a Texas parlance I come to a round up, but before doing so I will state an omission. George Latimer had a son, Joel, who went to Alabama. The two Milner brothers, John and Johnson, lived between Salem and Woodstock. Three sisters were married to men whose names I mentioned in my last. Above Bairdstown lived that courtly gentleman, P. M. Stevens. Near him was Joel Hunt, Messrs. Smith, Marable and Colclough, I have not used titles, but will by way of designation in the case of Messrs. W. B. Brightwell, O. P. Finley, J. W. Patrick, Mr. Porter, Dr. George Lumpkin, Burnett Moore, J. A. and B. A. Christopher, Seaborn Aycock, A. J. Gillen, Sr. William Davis, William Brook, Booker Adkins, for a long while sheriff of the county, after the war. I will say that Mr. Adkins lived near Prospect Academy located them near where R. L. Callaway now lives. I went to school with his oldest boys in 1848. The Ellises were denizens of upper Falling Creek district, James and William Jewell, Marshall Edwards, Hamp Bugg, Matt Jackson, Mr. Cummings. I again state that I speak only of those I knew, but did not know of their precise location. I have alluded to Marshall Edwards as he lived at Herman, he had five other brothers who lived above or to the northwest of him. William Lemuel, John, Seaborn and Mordecai. The Martins, Crowley's Trible, Obadiah Thompson and Feilding Dillard. I will again allude to some families that went to Louisiana a few years before the war, and I knew them there. Barnett Moore, John Holmes, Thomas Baldwin, Mrs. Pricilla Moore and Mrs. Elizabeth Crowder. They and their children were the best of citizens and were never wanting in any essential to constitute models of their county's pride. There were three Fullilove brothers, James, William and Tatum, that went to Louisiana and one I am sure was from the Oglethorpe side - the other two from Clarke. Marshall Brawner was living at the Brawner house just before the war. The Bowling family lived above Stephens and up the railroad were John Pulnot, Jacob Phinizy, Woodie Daniel, Mr. Campbell, James Norton and I would not leave out that unique character, Bennett Martin. Never did a man hold more tenaciously to his convictions. T'was he who said he once met with eleven contrary men when he would not assent to a verdict that he did not believe was right. There was a Mr. Phelps, who moved to the George Latimer place before the war, and his sons made good soilders. Mr. Hansford was an overseer, who changed his abode very often but his sons were all true blue in the trying times from 1861 to 1865. Newton Petermen, William Wray, and Henry Brittian, who was for many years the honored ordinary of the county. I know I have ommited many names, but if I am able to obtain a roster of the different companies in the county, that defect in my memory will be made manifest. Now, as to the ladies of the county. The mothers, wives and sisters, too much can not be said in praise. The untiring energy and self sacrifice well deserves a monument. A roman matron was once asked my some visitors to see her jewels, meaning her personal adornments. In response she bought out her two sons. They, in after years, gave inestimable proofs as defenders of the ancient city. The mothers of Oglethorpe, like the ancient spartan mothers, bade adieus to their sons with the same injunction, "Return on you shield or with your shield", conquer or die, and right nobley did they heed the advice. I will say that the request to write up the military characters of the county, to obey I shall need aid. I was in the western army with a Texas regiment and knew little of my native county's part in the struggle. J. S. B.