Athens Georgia

Slave Narrative of Benny Dillard

Interviewer: Grace McCune Person Interviewed: Benny Dillard Location: Athens, Georgia Age: 80 Benny’s rocky little yard is gay with flowers and a flourishing rose vine shades the small porch at the front of his ramshackle two-room cabin. The old Negro was busily engaged at washing his clothes. He is of medium size, darker than gingerbread in color, and his clothing on this day consisted of a faded blue shirt, pants adorned with many patches, and brogans. A frayed sun hat covered the gray hair that is “gittin’ mighty thin on de top of my haid.” Benny was singing as he … Read more

Slave Narrative of Rachel Adams

Interviewer: Sadie S. Hornsby Person Interviewed: Rachel Adams Location: 300 Odd Street, Athens, Georgia Age: 78 Rachel Adams’ two-room, frame house is perched on the side of a steep hill where peach trees and bamboo form dense shade. Stalks of corn at the rear of the dwelling reach almost to the roof ridge and a portion of the front yard is enclosed for a chicken yard. Stepping gingerly around the amazing number of nondescript articles scattered about the small veranda, the visitor rapped several times on the front door, but received no response. A neighbor said the old woman might … Read more

Slave Narrative of Willis Cofer

Interviewer: Grace McCune Person Interviewed: Willis Cofer Location: Athens, Georgia Willis was enjoying the warm sunshine of an April morning as he sat on his small porch. Apparently, he was pleased because someone actually wanted to hear him talk about himself. His rheumatism had been painful ever since that last bad cold had weakened him, but he felt sure the sunshine would “draw out all the kinks.” Having observed the amenities in regard to health and weather, the old man proceeded with his story: “Eden and Calline Cofer was my pa and ma and us all lived on de big … Read more

Stepp, James “Add” – Obituary

James “Add” Stepp, 80, of 145 Vince Circle, Apt. C., died Wednesday in a local hospital following an extended illness. The funeral will be Friday at 2 p.m. at the Bethabara Baptist Church with the Rev. John Davidson officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Nephews will serve as pallbearers. Survivors include his widow, Mrs. Maggie H. Stepp, Athens; a daughter, Mrs. Maggie H. Stepp, Athens, a daughter, Mrs. Leyon Roberts, Bogart; a brother, Frank R. Stepp, Lawrenceville, and two grandchildren. Bernstein Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. Athens Banner-Herald, Thursday, Aug. 8, 1974

1955 Directory, First Methodist Church, Athens, Georgia

First Methodist Church title page

This manuscript is a directory of the First Methodist Church in Athens, Georgia for the year 1955. It includes a history of the Methodism in Athens, Georgia, which we published below. Included within the manuscript is a list and photographs of special groups of the Church, a list of Pastors from 1825-1955, and a complete membership roll in 1955. The membership roll includes each member’s name, address, and their telephone number. It also includes an out-of-town membership roll.

Slave Narrative of Easter Brown

Interviewer: Mrs. Sadie B. Hornsby Person Interviewed: Easter Brown Location: Athens, Georgia Age: 78 “Aunt” Easter Brown, 78 years old, was sweeping chips into a basket out in front of her cabin. “Go right in honey, I’se comin’ soon as I git some chips for my fire. Does I lak to talk ’bout when I wuz a chile? I sho does. I warn’t but 4 years old when de war wuz over, but I knows all ’bout it.” “I wuz born in Floyd County sometime in October. My pa wuz Erwin and my ma wuz Liza Lorie. I don’t know … Read more

Epps, Roy B. – Obituary

Funeral services for Roy B. Epps, well known Athens business man who died Saturday morning at a local hospital, were conducted from the First Baptist church this morning at 10 o’clock by Dr. J. C. Wilkinson, pastor, and Dr. S. J. Cartledge, pastor of the Central Presbyterian church. Interment was in Oconee Cemetery, Bernstein Brothers Funeral home in charge. Mr. Epps was a native of Clarke County and in his 34th year. He was a member of the West End Baptist church. He was proprietor of the Athens Battery company and Mutual Services Station. Surviving Mr. Epps are his wife, … Read more

Slave Narrative of Morris Hillyer

Person Interviewed: Morris Hillyer Location: Alderson, Oklahoma Age: 84 My father was Gabe Hillyer and my mother was Clarisay Hillyer, and our home was in Rose, Georgia. Our owner was Judge Hillyer. He was de last United States senator to Washington, D. C., before de war. My mother died when I was only a few days old and the only mother I ever knew was Judge Hillyer’s wife, Miss Jane. Her nine children were all older than I was and when mother died Miss Jane said mother had raised her children and she would raise here. So she took us … Read more

Slave Narrative of Mary Colbert

Interviewer: Sadie B. Hornsby Person Interviewed: Mary Colbert Location: Athens, Georgia (NOTE: This is the first story we have had in which the client did not use any dialect. Mary Colbert’s grammar was excellent. Her skin was almost white, and her hair was quite straight. None of us know what a “deep” slave was. It may have the same meaning as outlandish Negro. The “outlandish Negroes” were those newly arrived Negroes who had just come in from any country outside of the United States of America, and were untrained. They were usually just from Africa. Sarah H. Hall) With the … Read more

Slave Narrative of Jasper Battle

Interviewer: Grace McCune Person Interviewed: Jasper Battle Location: 112 Berry St., Athens, Georgia Age: 80 The shade of the large water oaks in Jasper’s yard was a welcome sight when the interviewer completed the long walk to the old Negro’s place in the sweltering heat of a sunny July afternoon. The old house appeared to be in good condition and the yard was clean and tidy. Jasper’s wife, Lula, came around the side of the house in answer to the call for Jasper. A large checked apron almost covered her blue dress and a clean white headcloth concealed her hair. … Read more

Biography of Joseph M. Henley

JOSEPH M. HENLEY is one of the most prominent, enterprising and progressive tillers of the soil in Buckhorn Township, and his residence on Gobler Flat. He was born in Franklin County, Ga., in 1847, but his father, John S. Henley, was born in Washington County, Tennessee He was a minister of the Methodist Church and preached the gospel in his native State, Virginia, West Virginia, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina until his death in 1865, at about the age of seventy years. He supported the principles of the Democrat party throughout life, and at two different times represented Rabun … Read more

Slave Narrative of Kizzie Colquitt

Interviewer: Grace McCune Person Interviewed: Kizzie Colquitt Location: Athens, Georgia Age: about 75 Old Aunt Kizzie Colquitt, about 75 years old, was busily washing in her neat kitchen. She opened the door and window frequently to let out the smoke, saying: “Dis old wore out stove don’t draw so good.” Her hands and feet were badly swollen and she seemed to be suffering. “I’ll be glad to tell all I kin ‘member ’bout dem old times,” she said. “I wuz borned durin’ de war, but I don’t ‘member what year. My pa wuz Mitchell Long. He b’longed to Marster Sam Long … Read more

Slave Narrative of Susan Castle

Interviewer: Sadie B. Hornsby Person Interviewed: Susan Castle Location: Athens, Georgia On a beautiful morning in April, the interviewer found Susan sitting in the door of her cabin. When asked if she would like to talk about the old plantation days, she replied; “Yes Ma’am, I don’t mind tellin’ what I know, but for dat I done forgot I sho’ ain’t gwine make nothin’ up. For one thing, I ain’t never lived on no plantation. I was a house servant in town.” She added: “Do you mind me axin’ you one favor?” Consent was given and she continued: “Dat is, … Read more

Biography of Joseph L. Hull

Joseph L. Hull, member of the Muskogee bar since 1915 and now engaged in the practice of civil law as a partner in the firm of Gibson & Hull, was born in Athens, Georgia, May 6, 1885, and is a son of Augustus L. and Callie (Cobb) Hull. He is also a nephew of the Hon. Hoke Smith, at one time governor of Georgia and afterward United States senator. Augustus L. Hull was born and reared in Georgia and for a number of years was secretary and treasurer of the State University at Athens, while his name is found on … Read more

Slave Narrative of James Bolton

Interviewer: Sarah H. Hall Person Interviewed: James Bolton Location: Athens, Georgia Age: 85 “It never was the same on our plantation atter we done laid Mistess away,” said James Bolton, 85 year old mulatto ex-slave. “I ain’t never forget when Mistess died—she had been so good to every nigger on our plantation. When we got sick, Mistess allus had us tended to. The niggers on our plantation all walked to church to hear her funeral sermon and then walked to the graveyard to the buryin’.” James, shrivelled and wrinkled, with his bright eyes taking in everything on one of his … Read more

Slave Narrative of Georgia Baker

Interviewer: Mrs. Sadie Hornsby Person Interviewed: Georgia Baker Location: Athens, Georgia Georgia’s address proved to be the home of her daughter, Ida Baker. The clean-swept walks of the small yard were brightened by borders of gay colored zinnias and marigolds in front of the drab looking two-story, frame house. “Come in,” answered Ida, in response to a knock at the front door. “Yessum, Mammy’s here. Go right in dat dere room and you’ll find her.” Standing by the fireplace of the next room was a thin, very black woman engaged in lighting her pipe. A green checked gingham apron partially … Read more

Slave Narrative of Martha Colquitt

Interviewer: Sarah H. Hall Person Interviewed: Martha Colquitt Location: Athens, Georgia The aged Negress leaned heavily on her cane as she shuffled about her tiny porch in the waning sunlight of a cold January day. An airplane writing an advertising slogan in letters of smoke high in the sky was receiving but indifferent attention from Aunt Martha. Sha shivered and occasionally leaned against a post until a paroxysm of coughing subsided. “What would you have thought of that if it had suddenly appeared in the sky when you were a child?” she was asked. “It would have scared me plum … Read more

Slave Narrative of Alice Bradley

Interviewer: Grace McCune Person Interviewed: Alice Bradley Location: Athens, Georgia Alice Bradley, or “Aunt Alice” as she is known to everybody, “runs cards” and claims to be a seeress. Apologetic and embarrassed because she had overslept and was straightening her room, she explained that she hadn’t slept well because a dog had howled all night and she was uneasy because of this certain forerunner of disaster. “Here t’is Sunday mornin’ and what wid my back, de dog, and de rheumatics in my feets, its [TR: ‘done’ crossed out] too late to go to church, so come in honey I’se glad … Read more

Slave Narrative of Anderson Furr

Interviewer: Sadie B. Hornsby Person Interviewed: Anderson Furr Location: Broad Street, Athens, Georgia Anderson Furr’s address led the interviewer to a physician’s residence on Broad Street, where she was directed to a small frame house on the rear of the lot. The little three-room cottage has a separate entrance from Pulaski Street. Three stone steps lead from the street to the narrow yard which is enclosed by a low rock coping. Anderson rents only one room and the remainder of the house is occupied by Annie Sims and her husband, George, who works at the Holman Hotel. Reclining comfortably in … Read more

Hiram Charles Todd of Saratoga Springs NY

Hiram Charles Todd9, (Vernon L.8, Hiram L.7, Samuel6, Eliel5, Samuel4, Samuel3, Samuel2, Christopher1) born July 17, 1876, in Saratoga Springs, N. Y., married in Athens, Ga., Nov. 27, 1901, Susan Thomas, daughter of Edwin King and Mary Bryan (Thomas) Lumpkin, who was born May 20, 1881, at Athens, Ga. Hiram Charles Todd obtained his education in the Public Schools of Saratoga Springs, N. Y., and at Union College, Schenectady, N. Y., where he was graduated in the year 1897 with the degree of Ph. B. At the outbreak of the Spanish American War, he enlisted in Co. L., 2nd N. … Read more