WAYNE COUNTY, GA - HISTORY Tuckersville ***************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm *********************** This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Alice imajones2@lbbhost.com Establishment of Post Roads and Post Offices ESTABLISHMENT OF POST ROADS AND POST OFFICES TUCKERSVILLE Tuckersville was the first post office of Wayne County and was established Jan 29, 1814. John Tucker was the first postmaster, followed by two others, William A Knight and Robert Stafford Jr., before it was discontinued in 1827. A letter from Elias Fort, Clerk of Court, mailed to His Excellency, Peter Early, Governor of the State of Georgia, Milledgeville on the 7th of Nov 1814, was among the letters post-marked Tuckersville. Sherwood's Gazetteer of 1824 listed Tuckersville as the chief town of Wayne County, but it cannot even be classed as a ghost town today because no one has been able to pinpoint its location. Following years of research and on the spot investigation, the author is convinced Tuckersville is located in the vicinity of Mount Pleasant, between Penholloway Bay and Buffalo Swamp, and that it was a community that took in a large area, extending to within a few miles of Waynesville. The U.S. Interior's Board of Geographic Names, from an 1858 map, gives the Tuckersville site the rough coordinates of 31 degrees 35 minutes north and 81 degrees 55 minutes west. Mitchell's Atlas of 1868 notes it was located about seven miles south of Pendarvis, 12 miles north of Waynesville, 22 miles west of Darien, probably between Broadhurst and Everett City. Court records show that court was held at Tuckersville in 1814. In this year, the Legislative Acts of Georgia show court was held at the home of William Clements, therefore, he must have lived in Tuckersville. Recorded this 6th of Sept. 1814, Jno. Tucker, Clerk Tuckersville 2nd June 1821 A true inventory of goods and property of John Johnston, deceased, produced to us by the Administrator, and the value of appraisement by us, (See document in Court Records) RETIRED POSTAL EMPLOYEES OF THE JESUP OFFICE T.S. Drennon - Retired Rural Carrier Gladys Harper - Retired Window Clerk C.C. Hartman, Sr. - Retired Parcel Post Carrier O.A. Lee - Retired Distribution Clerk Lloyd Meyers - Retired City Carrier Glenn Mills - Retired Distribuion Clerk Annie Murphy - Retired Finance Clerk H. Grady Smith - Retired Rural Carrier C.A. Thompson,deceased - Retired City Carrier "Cracker" Williams, deceased - Retired Assistant Postmaster POSTMASTERS OF THE JESUP OFFICE Henry Whaley - Date Appointed - June 20 1871 Thomas C. Slover - Date Appointed - December 14, 1889 Philoe D.B. Stansell - Date Appointed - January 16, 1890 Richard W. Tindall - Date Appointed - April 14, 1893 James C Knight - Date Appointed - March 22, 1917 Walter F. Payne - Date Appointed - March 10, 1922 L.O. Strickland - Date Appointed - November 1, 1926 A.G. "Cracker" Williams - Date Appointed - March 21, 1932 David S. Price - Dapte Appointed - December 31, 1951 Walter D. Burke - Date Apointed - October 31, 1954 Ruth C. Spencer - Date Appointed - October 3, 1958 Charles L. Strickland - Date Appointed - September 30, 1960 BARRINGTON FERRY In 1768 a ferry was established at the fort and a five year lease granted to Benjamin Lewis to carry "five horses at a time and to operate 24 hours a day." This ferry was used until the early part of this century [20th century]. The first colonial mail service used the Post Road known as Barrington Ferry Road, stretching from Savannah to Ogeechee Ferry to South Newport River to Fort Barrington and south to St. Mary's. In 1808 William McIntosh and William O'Neal were authorized to "keep a ferry a-cross the river Altamaha at the place commonly known by the name of Fort Barrington and to hold and occupy the profits and advantages for and during the term of ten years.." The same year the Legislature passed a law to regulate toll bridges, ferries and turnpike roads to take effect January of 1809. "It shall be the duty of every and all proprietors of toll bridges, ferries and turnpike roads to post a board in a conspicuous situation on each bridge, gate or landing place held by him or them - the board to be painted black with white legible characters written upon the same noting the different rates of toll or ferriage (as the case may be) allowed by law. Failure to so do, they shall not be entitled to the toll or ferriage occurring from such bridge, or ferry, turnpike or road." The mail coach of the period must have been a brilliant vehicle if painted acording to directions given by the Postmaster General in 1799 for painting of mail coaches. "The body painted green, colors formed of Prussian blue and yellow ochre; carriage and wheels red lead mixed to approach vermillion as near as may be; octoagon panel in the back, black; octagon blinds, green; elbow piece or rail, front rail and back rail, red as above; on the doors, Roman capitals in patent yellow, "United States Mail Stage," and over those words a spread eagle of a size and color to suit, according to a History of the United States Post Office. The Post Office Department furnished locked bags, and each contract carried the provision, "When the said mail goes by a stage wagon it shall invariably be carried within the body of it; and that when it stops at night it shall be put in a secure place and there locked up. A penalty of one dollar a mile shall be incurred for every mile this mail conveyed by stage shall be carried out of the body of it," the history continues. POST ROAD Records of the United States Postal Service show the following post roads were established in Georgia in 1814: "From Milledgeville, by Greensboro, Lexington, and Danielsville to Carnsville. From Milledgeville, by Irvington, Dublin, Montgomery Courthouse, Tattnall Courthouse, and Barrington to Darien. From Dublin to Telfair Courthouse. From Riceboro, by Barrington and Jefferson, to St. Mary's." The above was transcribed from the book "Miscellany of Wayne County" by Margaret C Jordan [pgs 14-17]. Permission was given to put online by Margaret's son Jack.