Pike County GaArchives News.....Zebulon In The Long Ago (Part 2) March 13, 1914
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Lynn B. Cunningham http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00011.html#0002535 August 13, 2007, 9:50 am

The Pike County, Journal March 13, 1914

Zebulon in the Long Ago
By Mrs. M.J. Redding

Zebulon grew rapidly as the county seat of Pike. Her first courthouse was on 
the lot where the one now stands. There was, however, a difference in the two. 
The first one had only two rooms, one above the other, with no goddess of 
justice hanging over the jury room; but was then quite sufficient for what 
business was done in it. But as time went on it became necessary to have one 
larger and more comfortable, so it was torn down and the one was built which 
was taken away to give place for the present one.

Our churches were plain and unpretentious, built after the style of all the 
country churches in that day - one long room with door in front; opposite this 
was the big boxed pulpit. On each side of the building were windows and one 
door; the seats were plain pine benches. The churches were located on the edge 
of town, the Baptist church near the cemetery on the extreme north, and the 
Methodist church just below where the present one stands.

Our school buildings were better in appearance than the others; we had then 
two schools, the male academy, near the lot where Mrs. Moreland lives, a large 
room with an upper story. Among the first teachers was Mr. Gates, a northern 
man. His wife taught in the female academy, familiar, I know, to many readers 
of these lines, as it stood so long in the beautiful grove below the 
dormitory. Below the hill was the big spring, which really seemed a part of 
the school, as it supplied all the water to drink, and afforded a vast amount 
of pleasure, as most of our playtime was spent there on the beautiful grass 
among the rocks, the smaller children wading in the clear branch that ran from 
the spring. It was a place of resort for all classes of people.

The place selected for the county jail was in the edge of town, remote from 
any other building, on the lot now owned by Mr. Floyd Slade. It was made of 
hewn logs, with two rooms below, which were occupied by the jailer and his 
family, and two rooms above for the prisoners. One of them was a dungeon for 
extreme cases, the other not much better, as it had only two small windows 
high up in the wall.

Our business houses stood where they now stand, south of the courthouse. They 
were small wooden buildings, but there was good business done here. Some of 
the merchants I cannot recall. I remember well Mr. Samuel Mitchell, who came 
with others from old Newnan. He occupied the store that stood on the corner 
where the garage is now located. Back of this building was his home, on the 
lot where the hotel burned a few years ago. He was, by birth, a Welshman, a 
fine trader, and made money rapidly. In one deal he secured the land on which 
the city of Atlanta is built. Mitchell street is named in honor of him. After 
retiring to his farm he was succeeded in business by Mr. John Neal, whose name 
is a household word in so many homes. He was a merchant of fine business 
capacity, modest and charitable, and many were the recipients of his bounty, 
especially the poor. After moving to Atlanta his heart still turned to his old 
home here, and the old friends.

Another wealthy merchant was Mr. Wilson, who built the house that Dr. Head 
lived in before it was burned down. He sold to a Mr. Sills. While living there 
he was attacked one night on his way home from town by two negroes, who had 
planned to kill him, but his cries brought assistance and they were caught. 
One was a negro woman who belonged to him, and the other a runaway negro man, 
common in those days. They were hanged near the place where our depot now 
stands and buried at the foot of the gallows.

On the hill where our Baptist church is located was the home of Uncle Eli 
Banks; it is to this day called “Banks’ hill.” Just below his little cottage 
home was a neat little shop, where he patiently sat and made his fine boots 
and shoes, and he took great pride in his work, for they are said to have no 
equal. The place was settled by Mr. Japhsey George.

In the row of business houses was a saloon; my father was passing it one day 
and he was attracted by a new sign on the door screen. It was snakes coiled in 
every conceivable way, with their fangs exposed. He stepped inside and said to 
the proprietor “My friend, you could not have selected a sign more 
appropriate,” and repeated a verse of scripture, :At the last it biteth like a 
serpent and stingeth like and adder.” The next day the snakes had disappeared.

Now I will digress a little, and tell the young people who never knew anything 
of slavery, of one instance, among many, of the confidence that existed 
between the master and his slaves. Mr. Jimsey Neal owned a man whose name was 
Jake; he was his wagoner, and in thine days all the cotton was hauled to Macon 
to be sold on wagons. He gave Jake a wagon and six horses to do his own 
hauling, and also some for others. Jake was proud of his horses, and put 
little bells on each of his bridles, so one could always tell when Jake was 
coming. On some of his trips he would stay a month, trading horses. Often he 
would return without a single horse he had taken away with him, and turn over 
to his master the money he had made. The homecoming of Jake was quite an 
event, and the white people would meet him to hear the news. But this 
attention did not change him; he was always humble and polite. His master, at 
his death, left money to provide for Jake in his declining years.

[Transcribed 8/5/2007 Lynn Cunningham]


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