Georgia

Agriculture of the Coastal Native Americans

Anthropological literature from Florida is awash with statements that presume the coastal peoples of Georgia and South Carolina were primarily fishermen, hunters and gatherers.  This may have been the case for many ethnic groups in the coastal regions of the Florida Peninsula, but was not true for many areas of the Georgia and South Carolina coast. The primary reason listed by René Goulaine de Laudonniére for not placing a French colony on the coast of the Florida Peninsula was that the soil was infertile and the climate, hot.  On the first voyage he had noticed that the coast was sparsely … Read more

Geography Around the Coastal Region of Fort Caroline

Southeast Topographic Map

To understand why Captain René de Laudonniére would be drawn to either the Satilla, St. Marys or Altamaha Rivers as the location of France’s first permanent colony in North America, one has to first look at the “ground level” geography, i.e. what the officers would have seen from a mile or so out to sea. Maps of the Florida and Georgia coast are included with this article. The mouth of the St. Johns River would appear to be that of small, shallow river flowing through marshes. The outlet of the river was often blocked with dangerous sand bars until it … Read more

Where was Fort Caroline?

A very important historical fact should be considered with evaluating alternative locations for Fort Caroline. The cities of Darien, Brunswick and St. Marys on the Georgia coast were booming ports for many decades before Jacksonville, FL even existed. Their harbors were naturally deep enough to handle sea going vessels.  At that time the St. Johns River was so shallow in places that cattle could be driven across; hence the city’s original name, Cowford. It was only after the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers dredged and widened the St. John River’s outlet that the port of Jacksonville was able to attract … Read more

Slave Narrative of Midge Burnett

Interviewer: Mary A. Hicks Person Interviewed: Midge Burnett Location: 1300 S. Bloodworth Street, Raleigh, North Carolina Age: 80 Plantation Life In Georgia An interview with Midge Burnett, 80 years old, of 1300 S. Bloodworth Street, Raleigh, North Carolina. I wus borned in Georgia eighty years ago, de son of Jim an’ Henretta Burnett an’ de slave of Marse William Joyner. I wurked on de farm durin’ slavery times, among de cotton, corn, an’ sugar cane. De wurk wusn’t so hard an’ we had plenty of time ter have fun an’ ter git inter meanness, dat’s why Marse William had ter … Read more

Slave Narrative of Zeb Crowder

Interviewer: T. Pat MatthewsPerson Interviewed: Zeb CrowderLocation: 323 E. Cabarrus Street, North Carolina I wont nuthin’ in slavery time and I aint nuthin’ now. All de work I am able ter do now is a little work in de garden. Dey say I is too ole ter work, so charity gives me a little ter go upon every week. For one weeks ‘lowance o’ sumptin’ ter eat dey gives me, hold on, I will show you, dat beats guessin’. Here it is: 1/2 peck meal (corn meal), 2 lbs oat meal, 2 lb dry skim milk, and 1 lb plate … Read more

Slave Narrative of Reverend Squire Dowd

Interviewer: T. Pat Matthews Person Interviewed: Rev. Squire Dowd Location: 202 Battle Street, Raleigh, North Carolina Date of Birth: April 3, 1855 [HW: language not negro, very senternous & interesting.] [TR: The above comment is crossed out.] Reverend Squire Dowd 202 Battle Street Raleigh, N. C. My name is Squire Dowd, and I was born April 3, 1855. My mother’s name was Jennie Dowd. My father’s name was Elias Kennedy. My mother died in Georgia at the age of 70, and my father died in Moore County at the age of 82. I attended his funeral. My sister and her … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Mrs. Andrew J. Gibbs

Gibbs, Mrs. Andrew J.—Caroline, daughter of Pleas and Martha (Carnes) Tidwell, was born in Georgia, Dec. 25, 1853, and educated in that state. Married February 1884, Andrew 3., son of William and Eliza­beth Gibbs. They are the parents of Lillie O., born December 23, 1887, married Ernest McLaughlin, and died in October 1907; William P., born August 22, 1889; Hattie E., born March 3, 1892; Allen D., born March 30, 1894; Louanna, born February 3, 1895, married Hosea Chidester, and has one daughter, Nona, born January 21, 1915; Mary G., born December 9, 1897, married Owen Washam; Leonard Andrew, born … Read more

Biographical Sketch of George W. Trout

(See Ward and Ghigau)  George Washington, son of Samuel and Louisa (Ward) Trout was born in Georgia, September 15, 1847. He served the Confederacy during the Civil War under Captain Joseph Franklin Thompscon. He is at present (1921) one, of not over twenty survivors, of the Confederate Cherokee Brigade of over three thousand veterans. He married in December 1868 Mary Eaton, born in 1847. They were the parents of: Sallie Emma, born May 4, 1870, married William Baker; Elizabeth, born December 1872; married Charles S. McComb; Logan John, born April 8, 1876; and James Morton, born April 21, 1883. Mrs. … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Mrs. J. F. Flippin

(See Grant)-Mary Lane Little, born June 24, 1875 in Walker Co., Ga., educated at Vinita. Married September 30, 1894 James Fugett Flippin, born January 8, 1870 in Demon County, Texas. They are the parents of Mary Theresa, born June 29, 1896; Ruth Aline, born January 1, 1902 and Rebecca Lane Flippin, born May 16, 1905. Mr. Flippin has been prominently identified with the Farmers Bank and Trust Co. from its inception. Joseph Martin, born in Charlottsville, Virginia in 1840, as a fur trader and planter he became quite wealthy. He held the following military offices in the revolutionary army: Captain … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Mrs. Georgia DeLozier

(See Adair) Georgia Virginia Adair was born in Whitfield County, Georgia, January 29, 1869, educated in Flint and. and. Cooweescoowee District, Indian Territory. Married near Adair January 8, 1888 to Reuben E. DeLozier, born June 20th, 1855 at Osceola, Mo. He died at Adair, Okla., April 23, 1921. They were the parents of Fountain G. born Sept. 19, 1888; Manford E. born Sept. 25, 1891; John Edward, born July 16th, 1894; Ralph Adair, born April 4th, 1896; Hazel T.1. born August 18, 1898 and Vivian V. DeLozier born September 3, 1901. John Edward DeLozier was a Master Mason. John Edward … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Davis Hill

(See Grant and Ghigau)-Davis Hill, born Sept. 21, 1863 at Lafayette, Georgia was educated at Ringold and Cedar Grove, Ga. He married at Vinita on November 29, 1888 Fannie Elizabeth Parks, born January 9, 1871 at Elk Mills, Missouri. She was educated at the Orphan Asylum and Howard Payne College, Fayette, Missouri. Mr. and Mrs. Davis Hill are the parents of: George Robert born Oct. 26, 1890; James Julian, born Sept. 20, 1892; Wm. Thompson, born February 22, 1895; Rachel born August 23, 1897; John Ruskin born May 18, 1899; Maria Anna born April 6, 1901; Francis Elizabeth born July … Read more

Georgia Census Records

Our Georgia census pages were initially broken down by years instead of by counties… we shall be updating them in the near future, and break them down by county which we’ve found to be the preferable manner most people search. In the mean time, please access each counties information by going first to the year of the census… thanks! 1820 Georgia Census Records 1830 Georgia Census Records 1840 Georgia Census Records 1850 Georgia Census Records 1860 Georgia Census Records 1870 Georgia Census Records 1880 Georgia Census Records 1890 Georgia Census Records 1900 Georgia Census Records 1910 Georgia Census Records 1920-1930 … Read more

Fort Pulaski

The trip from beautiful Savannah to the battered ruins of the once famous brick fortress, Pulaski, takes one through that gold and green country which one comes to associate with the name of this charming southern city. Fort Pulaski is that great hexagon of brick which one sees from incoming steamers on Cockspur Island at the mouth of the muddy Savannah River, and all the country round about is marshy, reedy land, cut up by big and little streams with no hills to be seen and only scraggy pine trees breaking the flat monotony of the horizon. If one would … 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

Biography of Alfred Nelson

Alfred Nelson came to Georgia from Virginia in 1825 and settled near Perry. He married Pauline Jenkins of Houston County. She was a refined, educated woman, and very wealthy. Alfred Nelson raised cattle and was a large land and slave owner. He was uneducated, but was intensely interested in education and all worthy causes. The people of Houston County admired and respected him. Twelve children were born to them, eight of whom were boys, who served in the War Between the States. One was killed. They received the best education Houston County offered, and the four girls attended Wesleyan College. … Read more

Biography of Noah Scarborough

The name Scarborough is an old and honorable one. Family records show that several brothers came to this country during the Revolutionary War and settled here. The Scarborough coat of arms shows that this family descended from the nobility of Great Britain. Noah Scarborough emigrated from South Carolina to Houston County, Georgia, later moving to Pulaski County, near the present Friendship Baptist Church, about 1836. (Records show he paid tax in said county in 1837.) He was a large landowner, being given a land grant for his services in the Mexican War. He donated the land on which the first … Read more

Biography of Ellouisa Winifred Martin

Among the names of women who have worked untiringly for the good of Hawkinsville and Pulaski County, the name of Ellouisa Winifred Martin, known to her thousands of-friends as “Miss Lillie,” stands foremost. With a sincere desire to express admiration and do honor in a small way to this brilliant, self-sacrificing, beloved woman, this sketch is written. She was born August 3, 1871, the daughter of John Henry Martin and Eleanora Wynne Martin, of Liberty County, Georgia, near the historic Midway Church, which settlement her ancestors were instrumental in building. She had twin brothers, Kibbee and Wynne, born August 7, … 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

Biography of Augustus A. Smith, Dr.

Dr. Augustus A. Smith, son of Columbus and Annie McEachin Smith, was born in Telfair County, Georgia, July 15, 1846. At the age of fifteen, a few months before the close of the War Between the States, he enlisted in the Confderate Army, serving until the close of the war. In 1875 Dr. Smith was graduated with first honor from the Savannah Medical College, Savannah, Georgia, and served an interneship at the Savannah Hospital. In 1876 he moved to Hawkinsville, where he practiced medicine until the time of his death, November 26, 1925. He married Elizabeth Hodge of Henderson, Houston … 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