Elbert County GA Genealogy – Access Genealogy

Slave Narrative of Annie Groves Scott

Person Interviewed: Annie Groves Scott Place of Birth: Lyonsville, South Carolina Date of Birth: March 18, 1845 Just before the war broke out I was fifteen year old and my mistress told me I was born March 18, 1845, at a little place she called Lyonsville, South Carolina. Maw (that’s all the name she ever called her mother) was born at Charlotte, N.C., and father was born at Lyonsville, same as me, and his name was Levi Grant, which changed to Groves when he was sold by Master Grant. That was when I was a baby and I wants to … Read more

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

Ancient Tumuli on the Savannah River

Near the close of a spring day in 1776, Mr. William Bartram, who, at the request of Dr. Fothergill, of London, had been for some time studying the flora of Carolina, Georgia, and Florida, forded Broad River just above its confluence with the Savannah, and became the guest of the commanding officer at Fort James. This fort was situated on an eminence in the forks of the Savannah and Broad, equidistant from those rivers, and from the extreme point of land formed by their union. Fort Charlotte was located about a mile below, on the left bank of the Savannah. … Read more

Threads of ancestors, Telford – Ritchie – Mize

“Threads of Ancestors: Telford – Ritchie – Mize: A Link Among the Days Which Binds the Generations Each with Each,” authored by Leila Ritchie Mize and Jessie Julia Mize, explores the intricate tapestry of family lineage and migration across continents and centuries. Tracing roots back to Alexander Telford Sr., who settled near Rockbridge, Virginia around 1760, this book delves into the journeys and settlements of his descendants across the United States. Highlighting the Scotch-Irish origins of these families, the authors meticulously draw upon an extensive array of sources, including family Bibles, historical records, and personal diaries, to provide a detailed account of the Telford, Ritchie, and Mize families. Their narrative not only charts the genealogical paths of these families but also illuminates their substantial roles in the historical and cultural development of the regions they inhabited. This work stands as a testament to the enduring bonds and shared heritage that link successive generations, forming a foundational piece for both family members and historians interested in the Scotch-Irish contribution to American history.

Kasihta Tribe

The honorary name of this tribe in the Creek Confederacy was Kasihta lako, “Big Kasihta.” According to the earliest form of the Creek migration legend that is available – that related to Governor Oglethorpe by Chikilli in 1735 – the Kasihta and Coweta came from the west “as one people,” but in time those dwelling toward the east came to be called Kasihta and those to the west Coweta. This ancient unity of origin appears to have been generally admitted down to the present time. According to John Goat, an aged Tulsa Indian, they were at first one town, and … 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