Pulaski County GA

Pulaski County, Georgia Land Lottery Register

In 1802 Georgia ceded to the US all the land between the Chattahoochee and the Mississippi River, in return for a promise from the US to remove all Indians from Georgia’s reserve territory. “By purchase if possible; by pressure if necessary.” By an act of the Legislature in the year 1803, the new Purchase of lands from the Indians west of the Oconee River was distributed under the first Land Lottery system. Under it the public lands as they were from time to time freed from Indian occupancy, were at public cost surveyed into small lots of uniform size and … Read more

Biography of M. H. Boyer

Born in Sandersville, Georgia, September 4, 1878, the son of Miribeau and Vivian Skrine Boyer, of Sandersville, Georgia. Education obtained in the Hawkinsville High School. He read law in the office of Col. Thos. C. Taylor, and was admitted to the bar under Judge C. C. Smith on June 23, 1898. Appointed solicitor of the County Court of Pulaski County by Governor Candler, and was twice appointed to this office by Governor Terrell, retiring voluntarily on December 31, 1907. He continued-to practice law in Hawkinsville until he was elected to the office of Solicitor General of the Oconee Circuit on … Read more

Hawkinsville Georgia High School History

The Hawkinsville High School through the years has been outstanding. During the last half century seventy-five per cent of its graduates have enrolled in the different colleges and have generally taken good stands, the school for years ranking ninth in the State. None of this excellent record could have been possible without a uniformly splendid teaching force. Prof. T. A. Clower, a man of eighteen years successful experience, succeeded Professor Harris. From 1926 to 1935 the Hawkinsville public schools have made some progress despite the depression. Many books and magazines of value have been added to the library, and a … Read more

Election for officers to command Cavalry Company

Election for officers to command Cavalry Company At an election held in Hawkinsville, Pulaski County, on Monday, the 30th May 1836, for a Captain and other Commissioned and non Commissioned to command a Volunteer Cavalry Company of said County, the following persons (members of said Company) came forward and voted: Soloman Micheal C. Y. Gavaze Ezekiel Taylor B. W. Bracewell J. N. Phillips J. J. Taylor Robert R. Germany G. W. Collins Joseph J. Bracewell James M. Bracewell W. J. Whitfield James 0. Jelks James Boldwic Eldredge Count P. Fleming A. J. Collier John J. Wood James P. Cherry E. … Read more

Biography of W. E. Finleyson

W. E. Finleyson, son of John J. Finleyson, who was born January 29, 1829, in Bibb County Georgia, served in the War Between the States one year. He moved to Wilcox County in 1869, and died August 15, 1878. He married a Miss Nobles, and they had three children: Ellen, who married W. L. Holt; Laura, who married John Pearce; and Amanda, who never married. His wife having died, he married Amanda Goodwin in 1858, and the following children were born to them: L. F. Finleyson, Sarah, Eugene, Belle, W. E., Emma, John Thomas, James B., and Alice. W. E. … Read more

Biography of Mary Culler White

Mary Culler White, born May 12, 1875, in Perry, Georgia, moved to Hawkinsville when four years old. She is the daughter of George H. and Emma Culler White. Her early school years were spent in Hawkinsville. Later she attended Wesleyan College, was a member of the Adelphian Sorority, and graduated in 1891. She taught drawing and painting in the Hawkinsville public schools for seven years. During a meeting held in the Hawkinsville Methodist Church by Miss Emma Tucker she was deeply impressed and felt the direct call to the foreign field of mission work in 1899. After the necessary course … Read more

Trustees Of Pulaski Academy

In the early days, each county had an academy to which the State would furnish small annual appropriations. The first commissioners of Pulaski Academy were: Furney F. Gatlin Nelson Clayton Hardy Vickers William Hathorn Robert Thompson. These were named as such in Act of the Legislature, approved December 25, 1822. In 1830, by another Act of the Legislature, the following were “added to the commissioners of the Pulaski County Academy.” Robert N. Taylor Jacob Watson John Rawls William L. Tooke

Biography of L. F. Finleyson

L. F. Finleyson was born in Bibb County in 1861. He moved to Wilcox County, near Finleyson, in 1899. He married Miss Mollie Hendley of Pulaski County in 1885. She was a woman of great strength of character, one who in deed and in truth labored side by side with her husband in every worthy undertaking. They had nine children, all of whom were boys: J. L. Finleyson, born 1887, farmer, married Sadie Horne in 1906; two children, Mildred and Loyd. B. L. Finleyson, born 1888, married Jewel Nelson in 1915, died 1918;. one son, Clayton Nelson, born in 1916. … Read more

Biography of Ruth Scarborough, Ph.D.

Of all its youthful graduates, Pulaski County can boast of no other who has attained greater success in the realm of literature than Dr. Ruth Scarborough. Dr. Scarborough is the daughter of Robert Lee and Georgia (Turner) Scarborough, and is a graduate of the Hawkinsville High School. She received her A.B. degree from Bessie Tift College, Forsyth, Georgia, and her M.A. degree from Mercer University, Macon, Georgia. During her years at Bessie Tift College she was an ardent student, exceedingly wise in those things which seemed hard to master. She was interested in psychology and sociology. She participated in the … Read more

Biography of Robert Jenks Taylor

Robert Jenks Taylor was born in Hawkinsville, Pulaski County, Georgia, June 15, 1854. He is eighty-one years old and never looked better yr felt younger in his life, though in recent years he distributed and put in trust more than a million dollars for his loved ones and drew in his sails so his last years would not be harassed by business matters. But he was like the old-time gin horse, turned out to graze: He couldn’t stop. He organized the Taylor Investment Company and kept right on making money. He goes to his office regularly at the Macon Savings … Read more

Biography of Thomas E. Lovejoy

Among the historic landmarks that took rank and prominence in the days of “Georgia’s Aristocratic Knighthood” was “Old Spalding,” in Macon County, Georgia, and it was here that Thomas E. Lovejoy, the eldest son of the late P. H. and Henrietta Lovejoy, was born, sixty years ago. Graduating in the schools of Hawkinsville, he later finished his business course in Poughkeepsie, New York. He began his career in the grocery business with T. R. Wilcox, under the firm name of Wilcox & Lovejoy, in Hawkinsville. Very soon he became assistant cashier of the Planters Bank of this city, continuing in … Read more

Biography of John Laurens Anderson

John Laurens Anderson, son of Robert Saunders Anderson and Sarah Wooten Anderson, was born in Pulaski County, February 25, 1848. It was a happy day in his boyhood when his father gave him a sizeable bill to purchase his choice of books at an auction sale of a private library of classics. Naturally studious, from these books he gained more than ordinary knowledge of standard literature and command of the English language. He joined the Confederate Army in his fourteenth year, Company H, Seventh Georgia Reserve Regiment, was severely wounded at Griswoldville, carrying the bullet in his leg thereafter. Standing … Read more

Biography of Pleasant H. Lovejoy

Pleasant H. Lovejoy, public-spirited, civic leader, prominent public official, and Christian gentleman. There is a sentiment and an inspiration among “the old red hills of Georgia” that “breeds and makes real men,” and in this atmosphere, in the county of Jasper, “Plez” Lovejoy first saw the light of day. Filled with energy and courage, he enlisted in the Confederate Army as a 16-year-old boy. Beginning life during the days of Southern reconstruction, facing the struggle and deprivations that fell on every one, he took his stand in the forefront of the battle for existence and, aided by sacrifice, effort and … Read more

Biography of Needham Williamson Jelks

Needham Williamson Jelks, fifth son of James Oliver and Mary Polhill Jelks, was born October 14, 1847, in Hawkinsville, Ga. When he was quite young, his family moved to Belleville, Fla., locating at Lake Oclahatchee, where he received his early education. During the War Between the States he enlisted as a private at the age of sixteen in the Florida Artillery, taking part in the Battle of Natural Bridge, and several other engagements. After the war he returned to Hawkinsville and was employed by his older brothers, J. 0. and J. J. Jelks, in the mercantile business. Associated with this … Read more

Muster Roll of Georgia Militia – District 348

Muster Roll of Georgia Militia, Pulaski County, Georgia, March 4, 1862 – District 348 Media Rozier Seaborn Rozier Henry Manning J. E. P. Boothe Dugar Parting Robt. Crumply Isaac Medows Lewis Moton Thos. Johnson (absent) Eli Mullis John Hinson Aron Mullis Jos. Mullis Robt. Allen R. F. Grimsley Soloman Adams Wm. Adams John Adams J. R. Smith (absent) Leroy Smith (absent) George Scarborough (absent) William Brantley (present) J. W. Walters Jordan Simmons G. Harrell (absent) Gordon Smith (absent) Wm. R. Burnett J. L. Bryan (absent) Jack Wilkinson (present) J. C. Newman David Garnett Benj. Ward Gregory Lester David Roland William … Read more

History of Wesley Chapel, Pulaski County, Georgia

Wesley Chapel was organized more than one hundred years ago (no record of exact date available). It is situated near the line of Pulaski and Dooly Counties. The first building was of logs, cut and hewn out by those and others who organized and constituted the first church. A number of years ago the old log building had served its day and generation and had to be torn down to make room for a new building. It also was built of logs. Later it, too, gave place to a new frame building which the congregation now occupies. This historic church … Read more

Muster Roll of Georgia Militia – District 349

Muster Roll of Georgia Militia, Pulaski County, Georgia, March 4, 1862 – District 349 J. B. Hamilton, captain J. A. Harrell Sam’l Nicholdson, G. W. Bowen Willis Harrell Murdock Fulgham John Black Jesse Rodgers Aaron Smith Edmond Evans Elisha Evans G. W. Evans John L. Evans William Clemens Jas. Cadwill Thos. Cadwill Lint Brown Mathew Clarke R. B. Burche A. Y. Hargroves Eli F. Lee James Vaughn John Harrell Sam’l Evans A. J. McAffee C. W. Mullis W. Shuffield James Sirmons Chas. Burch Wm. Taylor, Jr., R. M. Steven Boutwill Alex Coleman F. K. Wright W. H. Wright Joel Mullis … Read more

Biography of Emile Sommer

Emile Sommer, son of Samuel and Fannie Brown Sommer, born in Shierhoffen, Alsace, France, October 10, 1853, came to America and to Fort Valley, Ga., at the age of fourteen, joining his elder brother, Aaron, with whom he became associated in the mercantile business. Four years later Aaron died, and shortly thereafter Emile was joined in Fort Valley by his mother, three brothers, Albert, Willie, and Emanuel, and two sisters, Palmyre and Rosa. The brothers became closely associated in business, operating under the name of Sommer Brothers. In the year 1889 the firm and the entire Sommer family moved to … Read more

Biography of John James Whitfield

The oldest son of a family of eight children who survived infancy, the exigencies of the situation prevented even a high school education, for at the age of 14 he entered the path as assistant bread winner, taking store jobs at meager pay with John Henry & Son, then M. D. Willcox, D. C. Joiner, and at the age of 17, with Merritt & Coney. On the dissolution of the latter firm, with R. A. Merritt taking the hardware division, young Whitfield entered that business. Mr. Merritt, going to Macon to live in 1889, sold his young protégé a half … Read more

Biography of W. H. Spurlin

The father of the Spurlins of Worth County was W. H. Spurlin, born in Shelby, N. C. He was a Confederate soldier, who moved to Pulaski County, Georgia, and married Nancy Bateman, daughter of G. W. Bateman. Children: J. G., W. C., and Sallie Spurlin. Sallie married D. Boland. They had one son, Denton. The second marriage was to Mary Frances Dewitte. Their children are: Thomas Augustus (called “Gus”) Spurlin, R. L., J. D., G. Clarence Spurlin, and daughters, Ella and Edna. Four of these, T. A. Spurlin, Col. G. Clarence Spurlin, Miss Ella Spurlin, and Mrs. Edna Webster, made … Read more