TALBOT COUNTY, GA - SCHOOLS - Collinsworth Institute

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COLLINGSWORTH INSTITUTE
This was perhaps the first
Manual Labor school in Georgia.
It was the dream of Josiah
Flournoy of Columbus, to
establish a manual labor school
for boys in 1837.  Talbotton
was selected because of its
central location for the
region.  At that time Talbotton
was thriving and a recognized
business and cultural center
supporting education.

Mr. Flournoy made a proposal to
Talbot County that he would put
up $40,000 if they would raise
$20,000 locally. They accepted
but the "Panic of 1837" struck,
and Mr. Flournoy was unable to
sell the lands in Alabama that
he had planned--and Talbot Co
subscribers refused to go
through with the plan.

But Mr. Flournoy didn't give
up. He created a Stock Company
to raise funds, and with some
"public spirited men" of Talbot
was able to proceed with the
project.

A tract of land (600 acres) one
mile south of Talbotton was
purchased. It was named for
John Collinsworth, a Methodist
Minister, and a close friend of
Josiah Flournoy.

GA Laws 1838 p. 152 "The first
trustees named in the Act of
General Assembly: Ignatius A.
Few, Samuel K. Hodges, Lovick
Pierce, Josiah Flournoy,
Seaborn Jones, John Flournoy,
Miranda Fort, Barnard Hill,
Charles A. Brown, James D.
Dismukes, James J. Tooke, and
Jacob A. Clements."

Josiah Flournoy is listed as
Putnam County and that a sale
of 12 half section of Alabama
Land would establish a
permanent fund for the school.

The Georgia Annual Conference
of The Methodist Church was
given control to appoint
trustees should any vacancy
occur.

The first president was James
R. Thomas, a graduate of
Randolph-Macon College.  He
became the fifth president of
Emory College in 1855.

Oscar Straus' book Under Four
Administrations, gives
description of the school.

The Manual School was not a
success and it became a
preparatory school for
Methodist boys entering
college. Some teachers and
professors from 1841-1856
include:
Dr. Frank Thomas
Thomas B. Gordon
J.P. Anthony
Wesley Thomas
James B. Jackson
W.D. Williams
W.M. Drake
Edwin G. Highee
S.D. Clements
H.H. McQueen

H.H. McQueen bought the school
from the stockholders and
operated it for several years,
selling it in 1856 to Rev. John
T. McLaughlin and David S. Seay
who operated it from 1856-1860.

With the outbreak of the War in
1861, most teachers and
students went to war.  David S.
Seay lost his life at Kennesaw
Mountain, Ga June 20, 1864
serving in Co I 46th Regiment.

In 1860 Census Collingsworth or
LeVert  College on the 1860
Talbot County Census:


NEWELL  Warren S - Steward
Collingsworth Institute 

SEALY 
William B - Prin. F College

SEALY   Louisa H - teacher
College 

SEALY   Martha J -
music teacher 

SEAY    David W -
T. mathematics 

CLEMENT Stephen
D - T languages 

MCLAUGHLIN
Johnathan T - Prin.
Collinsworth Institute 


After the War Rev. McLaughlin,
joined by Dr. John Webb Lee,
continued the School with an
enrollment of nearly 80.  The
Local Board was: A.J. Dean,
Chairman;  J.M. Austin, Judge
J.M. Mathews, F.A. Branch, J.F.
Walker, J.E. Fuller, Capt R.
Henry Leonard and Col W. A.
Daniel.

In 1878, LeVert College and
Collinsworth Institute merged
with Rev. Mclaughlin as
President.  They moved to the
LeVert Campus and used that
name.

The Collinsworth land was owned
in the 1920 by Col John H.
McGehee and he had a peach
orchard.  Nothing remains of
the buildings today.
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Resource: 
pg 115 There was a Land by Judge Robert H. Jordan 1971
Available for purchase Chamber of Commerce Talbotton