Biography of Asa Cornelius Pipkin

Asa Cornelius Pipkin, son of Asa and wife, Margaret Schmidt Pipkin, was born in Houston County, in 1840. Early the next year his parents removed to the vicinity of Hawkinsville, which was his lifetime home. Asa, Sr., was carrier on the mail route from Hartford, Pulaski County, to Jacksonville, Telfair County. Asa Cornelius Pipkin, at age twenty, taught school and read law. He enlisted for Confederate service in 1862, in Company K, Forty-ninth Georgia Regiment, and received three wounds at the Battle of the Wilderness. He was captured in 1865, and imprisoned at Elmira, N. Y., and Point Lookout, Md. … Read more

Biography of Dr. Nathaniel Polhill Jelk

Dr. Nathaniel Polhill Jelks, fourth son of James Oliver Jelks and Mary Polhill, was born July 18, 1845, in Hawkinsville, Pulaski County, Georgia, where he died March 28, 1911. When six years old his family moved to Oglethorpe, Georgia, after two years moving to Hamilton County, Florida, where he received his early education, later studying in Augusta, Georgia. In 1863 he entered the Confederate Army, enlisting in Company I, Second Florida Cavalry, under General Jones, a gallant command guarding the interior of the State. He was wounded at the Battle of Natural Bridge, Florida, March 6, 1865, in which the … Read more

Native American History of Pulaski County, Georgia

Pulaski County is located in south-central Georgia. It is named after General Kazimierz Pulaski (1745 – 1780) – a lawyer and Chief Justice of the Georgia Supreme Court. Its county seat is Hawkinsville. Kazimierz Pulaski is considered one of the great heroes of the American Revolution. He was first an officer in a failed attempt to liberate Poland from Russia. He briefly fought on behalf of Turkey in the Russo-Turkish War. In 1777 he sailed to North America and joined the Continental Army. Soon thereafter he saved the life of General George Washington. With the blessings of Benjamin Franklin, the … Read more

Biography of Andrew Cabero

Perhaps nothing has meant more to the present business and civic life of Hawkinsville than the “Invasion of the Greeks,” more appropriately termed, the arrival of the Cabero brothers. Before that time Greeks had occasionally entered the field of business in Hawkinsville only to remain a short while and pass on, soon to be numbered among the forgotten. When the Cabero brothers, Nicholas, Leonidas, and Andrew, arrived, although small boys when they left their native country, they seemed destined to cast their lot in Hawkinsville, soon to become staunch, reliable and substantial citizens. They are now numbered among the leading … Read more

History of The Houston Circuit

Until 1821 the Ocmulgee River had been the western boundary of the State of Georgia as well as the boundary of Pulaski County. There were no white settlements west of the Ocmulgee prior to this date, because the territory between the Ocmulgee and Flint Rivers belonged to the Lower Creek Indians and was used by them as hunting grounds. On January 8, 1821, a treaty was made between the whites and Indians at Indian Springs which opened this section to white settlers. The new territory attracted home seekers and enterprising planters. At once the South Carolina Conference took cognizance of … Read more

Pulaski County, Georgia Marriages to the year 1930

Pulaski County Georgia Marriage Records through 1930. A Surnames Abney, Bailey A., to Caroline S. Bolinger, Aug. 28,1845. By David Roberts, M. G. Abney, B. F., to Pit Faucett, Jan. 20, 1907. By W. B. Richardson, J. P. Abney, Henry I., to Mamie Floyd, March 17, 1901. By R. C. Sanders, M. G. Abney, James S., to Mattie Jones, Dec. 27, 1896. By T. J. Meadows, J. P. Abney, J. F., to S. C. Crumpler, Aug. 20, 1899. By T. J. Meadows, J. P. Abney, John F., to Dollie Coley, Dec. 24, 1880. By E. H. Godwin, M. G. Abney, … Read more

Biography of John Henry Caldwell

The members of the Henry-Caldwell family are descended from ancient families of England, France, and Ireland. Judge John Henry, head of the Henry-Caldwell family in Hawkinsville, was born June 12, in Belfast, Ireland. At the age of five years he came with his parents to this country, locating at Westfield, New York, and coming to Georgia as a very young man. For several years he lived at Hayneville, in Houston County, where he married Miss Civility Coates Kendrick, a descendant of some of the first families of Virginia, who served with distinction during the Colonial and Revolutionary periods. Just after … Read more

Company G, 10th Confederate Cavalry

Roster of officers who served in Company G, 10th Confederate Cavalry. These men were primarily from Pulaski County, GA. James L. Leith, captain P. T. McGriff, first lieutenant, promoted to captain T. N. Sutton, second lieutenant John A. Hendley, second lieutenant, promoted to captain James O. Farnell, first lieutenant, promoted to captain John B. Wood, second lieutenant David C. Joiner, second lieutenant, promoted to captain David M. Roberts, second lieutenant

Muster Roll of a Detachment of Georgia Cavalry Mounted Riflemen

Muster Roll of a Detachment of Georgia Cavalry Mounted Riflemen under my command stationed at Fort Mitchell, Hartford and on an Indian Scout from the 9th of November to the 22d of December 1814. Both dates included. Allen Tooke, Co. Lt., commencement of service Nov. 9, 1814; expiration of service Nov. 22, 1817; stationed Ft. Mitchell. Captain, R. H. Thomas 1st Lt. Jas. L. Perry 2nd Lt. Furney F. Gatlin Private Thos. Sutton 1st Sergts. Thos. J. Johnson Jos. B. Colson Hardy Gatlin Jacob Watson Corporals James W. Shines John Jones B. J. Thomas Chas. Carden Privates Isham Adams Dennis … Read more

Biography of James Oliver Jelks

James Oliver Jelks, son of William Jelks and Mary Wallace, was born October 29, 1802, in Halifax County, North Carolina, where his mother’s people were reared. His father’s parents came directly from Wales, settling in Edgecombe County, N. C. They were the parents of Ruskin, Dixon, Etheldred, Robert, Jane, and William. Ruskin Jelks settled in Baton Rouge, La., and became the founder of that branch of the family. William moved to Greene County, Georgia, traveling in a snowstorm, when James Oliver was one month old. Three years later he moved to Pulaski County, Georgia. Mary Wallace’s brother, Elijah, moved from … Read more

Biography of James Patrick McGriff

The name of McGriff is inseparably linked with the early history of Pulaski County. James Patrick McGriff, the subject of this sketch, is the son of Patrick Thomas McGriff and Frances Sutton McGriff. He was born in Pulaski County, May 31, 1869. He received his early education in the schools of Hawkinsville and later had extensive training at Eastman’s Business School in Poughkeepsie, N. Y., graduating from there in 1886. Returning home, he engaged in the mercantile business until 1893. During that year he, was elected to the position of clerk and treasurer of the City of Hawkinsville, and served … Read more

Biography of Howard Elliott Coates

Howard Elliott Coates, for thirty years a member of the Hawkinsville bar, has also served in both the upper and lower houses of the Georgia Legislature in framing the laws of his State, and has gained an enviable reputation in a profession which calls for keen intellect and requires intense application, good judgment, and a constantly widening comprehension of the relations and responsibilities which go to make up civilized society. He was born August 16, 1877, on a farm in Wilkinson County, Georgia, five miles from Irwinton, the county seat, and comes of Scotch and Irish ancestry. His parents were … Read more

History of Adriel Primitive Baptist Church, Pulaski County, Georgia

Before writing anything concerning Adriel Church we will first tell the reason it came into existence. Mount Horeb Church was established October 15, 1809, by some of the earliest Baptist settlers of Pulaski County. It was on February 14, 1844, that Brother Joe Burkhalter nailed and locked up the doors of historic old Mount Horeb Church to prevent the entrance of the members of that church who adopted missionary sentiments. Mount Horeb was then located near the present site of Centenary Methodist Church. Mr. Burkhalter was perhaps a deacon of Mount Horeb. He feared the religious innovations of the times … 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

Officers from the Fourteenth Military District, Georgia

Roster of soldiers who served from the Fourteenth Military District. These men were primarily from Pulaski County, GA. John J. Lee, major, commissioned March 21, 1864 Innis Cowart, adjutant, commissioned May 10, 1864 First Company Benj. Harrell, captain T. J. Baker, first lieutenant S. C. Nicholson, second lieutenant Willis Harrell, third lieutenant J. B. Hamilton, fourth lieutenant All were commissioned May 10, 1864

Biography of John Buchan

The great-grandfather of the Buchans of Pulaski County was John Buchan, a Scotchman. He married Rachel McBride (Irish), and they were immigrants from Carolina in the early part of the eighteenth century. He was an extensive landholder in Pulaski and what is now Dodge, Bleckley, and Laurens Counties, and was Justice of the Peace in 1844 and tax collector in 1852-53. To this union seven children were born. Of these, David Augustus Buchan, a prominent farmer, cattle and slave owner, remained in Pulaski. He married Martha Simmons, and during the Confederate War served in Company J, Fifth Regiment, Georgia Reserves. … Read more

Roll of Company F, 22nd Battalion, Georgia Cavalry

Roll of Company F, 22nd Battalion, Georgia Cavalry (State Guards). Mustered into the Confederate service, August 6, 1863, at Hawkinsville, Georgia B. N. Mitchell, captain H. H. Whitfield, first lieutenant W. M. Oliver, second lieutenant L. H. Harrell, third lieutenant E. W. Coney, first sergeant A. C. McPhail, second sergeant R. F. DeLamar, third sergeant H. D. Hendley, fourth sergeant William Miller, fifth sergeant E. D. Fountain, first corporal; Robin Mercer, second corporal John McKinney, third corporal Moses T. Fort, fourth corporal J. B. Mitchell, bugler Privates J. H. Anderson Milton Bozeman G. W. Bowen J. Bowen G. W. Budd … Read more

Biography of Cornelius Murphy Bozeman

Cornelius Murphy Bozeman, son of Judge Cornelius Murphy Bozeman, horn April 3, 1819, died May 23, 1881, and Elizabeth Farmer, horn February 3, 1882, died January 11, 1864. He was the grandson of Col. John Bozeman, born April 27, 1793, who married Elizabeth Murphy on April 23, 1818, who was born December 25, 1795, and died February 20, 1836. He was the great-grandson of Meady Bozeman, who died in 1809, and Chloe Nelson, who died October 11, 1821. Cornelius Murphy, our subject, was born January 7, 1843, and lived on the old Bozeman plantation until his death, April 22, 1905. … Read more

The Natural History of Ocmulgee Bottoms

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Ocmulgee Bottoms is a corridor of the Ocmulgee River Flood Plain in the central region of the State of Georgia that begins at the Fall Line in Macon, GA and continues 38 miles southward to near Hawkinsville, GA. This region is located in Bibb, Twiggs, Houston, Bleckley and Pulaski Counties. The Ocmulgee River’s velocity slows dramatically upon entering the Bottoms and has a serpentine channel. Over the eons, the river here has meandered frequently across the breath of the flood plain, leaving hundreds of ponds and swamps, plus a deep layer of rich, alluvial soil. On top of the alluvial soil is from one to ten feet or red clay that was deposited during the period when cotton was cultivated in the Piedmont, upstream.