Quitman County GaArchives History .....Quitman County History - Introduction from "The Quitman Echo" ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Donna Eldridge DonnaEldrid@aol.com July 2, 2004, 2:22 pm INTRODUCTION The red clay ground that Quitman County is largeley made up of, is very important to me; most of my life has been spent here and I will be buried here as many of my ancestors were. My father's people came into the area in the 1830's. Many of the people that are mentioned in the book, they either knew or were kin by birth or marriage. Information on Quitman County is scanty from the time the county was formed (1858) until 1922, due to the Court House fire in 1922. Randolph County has many records that pertain to Quitman when it was a part of Randolph. The reader is asked to remember all of the records shown were in the fire and substained damage. The Georgia Department of Archives and History came into the county in 1964 and indexed and laminated the marriage records that were saved. Some have both license and certificate shown. If you see a name that could be possibly be one you were hunting, it might be worth your while to check into it. The possibility of error due to the condition of these records should be considered. If Quitman County ever had a Historian, it would have been Mrs. Emmie Bledsoe Lester. She taught for many years at Georgetown, was the school librarian and the leader for the school paper. The articles she wrote for the 1958 Quitman County Centenial Edition of the The Cuthbert Times were most interesting, a big help and a good inspiration. Without the many people that let me take up their time, told me their family stories, gave me Bible Records and family histories and needed encouragement, this book could not have been put together. I thank them and apologize for any mistakes that have been made or any information left out that should have been included. I hope to know the names of the people buried in the McGehee Family Cemetery and a cemetery located on what is now known as the Tommy Gary place at a later date. If anyone is interested, the information will be given to the Southwest Georgia Genealogical Society. A letter from Georgetown that was written in 1848 does not give many names but tells so much of the times, I felt it should be included. It will be shown here. Georgetown, Georgia June 16th, 1848 Oh Caroline, Caroline Our troubles and misfortunes never appear to come single, but double. We have lost our poor dear Thomas. He died yesterday evening at Cousin Lucy's after four days illness. I stated to Ambrose he arrived here on the 23rd of May, after four days voyage from Chatahoochee on board of a small steam boat where there was little comfort and less attention shown. I called in a Doctor the day after his arrival, who pronounced his case at that time Billious Intermittan fever, bled him immediately which relieved him from the violent pain in his head, then gave him a dose of medicine, Blue Jell, in the absence of fever, Quinine. Lucy drove to town and spent the day with her Brother Sol and family. In the early part of the evening took him home with her. In a few days he was able to be up and about and to Gun with Thomas Shiel. He improved so much and looked so well that I was confident he would be able to stand the summer. But lo and behold he was not long for this life. On Sunday last both he and Thomas Shiel came to town, both shaved and dressed and I never saw him looking so well. Immediately after dressing he went to the desk and wrote four letters, one, I think, to his Grandfather, one to you or his Brother, one to T. R. Betton, the other and last to Miss Sally Betton, daughter of T. R. Betton, with whom he was pledged, so said Lucy. Both of boys took dinner with Sol and family, in the evening walked out to the plantation, on their way out gathered a paper full of mushrooms, which they had prepared and ate for supper. Next morning Thomas Emory was taken with vomitting and purging. Thomas Sheil walked over to Georgetown and was nottaken until he reached the store, where he was taken in the same way, which continued for several hours. He got in dose of sleep where he remained until about 5 o'clock. He then walked over to the farm and by the time he reached there was prostrated, also two of the servants who had ate of the same dish. The family were satisfied they were all poisoned. The next morning, Tuesday, the Doctor and myself were sent for. On the arrival of the Doctor, both were bled and soothing medicine given, Gruel, Tea, Gumarabic water given, Thomas Shiel apparently suffering the most. Wednesday he was much better and Thomas Emory worse. Another Doctor called in who coincided with the treatment given. He was then cupped on each side of the chest, extending down near the pit of the stomach, the seat of all the pain and misery, hot poultice constantly kept on the stomach, extending down to the navel. Finding no relief, a Blister plaster was applied in the evening and glycerin given after evacuation of starch and water, cold. The evacuations were nothing but blood and the poisonous substance swimming on the top. Thursday morning free from pain constantly slumbering except when roused, pulse reduced and extremities cold with clammy cold perspiration. Bottles of hot water were put to each side and around him and hot bricks and stone to his feet in order to create reaction, but all to no effect. I was confident death was near. Mortification must have taken place and he could not live but a very short time. However, he kept in this state and gradually sinking until a few minutes after 3 o'clock p.m., when he departed this life. Some two or three hours previous to his death, I spoke to him, requesting him to state to me if he had anything for me to attend to. If so, name it, and what message should I convey to his Mother, Grandmother, and Grandfather, Boys, ect. "Father," said he, "I am much better, I am not dying. I have been as low as this and recovered." The second tiime I spoke to him he requested me to give his love to Mother and all and bid them farewell and requested me to take care of myself and to cut some acquaintances who were no benefit to me whatever --- During his illness he had constantly one or two servants at his bedside fanning and keeping off the flies and at night person from town to set up as well as Sol Betton. Colonel Tennille and myself, Cousin Lucy and little Lucy were all attention and seldom left him or retired before 12 to 3 o'clock in the morning and had he been taken sick in the city of Baltimore, he would not have had more attention paid him --- I had coffin made of pine, lined with white and covered with cheap black velvet or cloth, usual manner of making them in this country. The same enclosed in a tin coffin made perfectly tight and the whole enclosed in thick pine box previous to it being covered with our Mother Earth, ready at any time for transportation, should it ever be necessary. No priest could be had under fifty miles from this place, consequently had to get a minister. Mr. Foster, whom he was acquainted with to officiate, sang a hymn, and a very handsome and appropriate address with prayers. The funeral would have been very large if the weather had been favorable. I shall pack up his trunk and by first private conveyance shall send the same to your Father. The clothing I presume will suit Ambrose, most of them and valuable. --- The gun I shall dispose of and pay the money over to Mr. Wilks, whom I think have not been settled with, judging from what Ambrose states to him in his letter of 30th of May. I trust you will all bear the untimely death and bereavement of our poor dear boy with Christian fortitude. He was not forgetful in his last moments in offering up to Almighty God, prayers to receive his immortal soul. He remarked to some question put to him, I think by Cousin Lucy, that he should go straight, --- These words I heard myself and one or two others. If poor Thomas had been Cousin Lucy's child I do not think she would have suffered more than she has done, also Sol and his family, particulary poor little Lucy. The last word he spoke was to her, she asked him if he would have some drink with the glass in her hand. He opened his eyes and remarked "No, Lucy," or "No, Cousin Lucy." He was struck immediately with death and died in twenty five to thirty minutes thereafter. His remains are deposited in the family burying grounds, two miles from their present residence. Fenton got home in time to witness the distressing scene, and was very much affected. Cousin Lucy will write you soon and desires to be kindly remembered to you all - -- May God in his kind mercy protect you all, is my fervent prayer. I Rem Affectty Yours G. Emory P.S. Thos. Shiel is up and walking about. The two servants were out three days thereafter. (June 18th.) Letter written by Gideon Emory to his wife Caroline Walsh Emory, on the death of their son, Thomas. Mrs. Frederic G. Wiedersun, Bay Shore, New York, descendant, has the letter and made a trip to Georgetown hunting this grave. In the 1930's Mr. Frank Bledsoe bought some used wire from Mr. R. A. Whitmire, located on what was known as the old Tennille place. Mr. Newt Corlee was living in the old Tennille house, off to the side was a clump of trees that Mr. Frank was told contained an old family cemetery. This is located on Land Lot 316. Source: "The Quitman Echo - Quitman County, Georgia" - Jacquelyn Shepard (pages I-III) Additional Comments: Published by Jacquelyn Shephard, Transcribed and submitted by Donna Eldridge with permission from Jacquelyn Shephard File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ga/quitman/history/other/nms22quitmanc.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/gafiles/ File size: 10.5 Kb