INTERESTING BITS OF HABERSHAM COUNTY HISTORY PART 1 SOME NOTED SONS OF HABERSHAM COUNTY Miss Addie Bass Habersham County was created in 1817. Originally it included a part of White, Stephens and Rabun counties. The earliest settlers of the county were the Jarretts, Kennedys, Scotts and Prathers on the Tugalo River, now in Stephens County. Also the Davis family, near Currahee Mountain. On the other side the county was settled by the Williams, Richardsons, Byrds, Churchs, Vandergriff, Bass, Watson, House, Porter, Hames and Gastley families. On the north side the ancestors of the Fry, Ivester and James families settled large farms. Many of the earliest comers to Habersham were hunting for gold. This was found in the Soque River and nearby streams and in the sands of the immediate neighborhood, but never in paying quantities. The earliest citizens of the section around Clarkesville were the Hasketts, Stanfords, Erwins, Ketchums, Wyleys, Dobbins, Suttons, Beans, Campbells, Van Burens, Nichols, Berrys, Lamberts, Fullers, Nashs and Phillips. These were the main builders of the county site. The Suttons came to this section in 1815 on a hunting trip and staying, they rented a mill-site from the Indians. The creek on which the original mill was located is stilled called Sutton Mill Creek. One of these descendants, Judge C. J. Sutton, a prominent lawyer and useful citizen of the county, was born in 1823. The home built by him a short time before the Civil War is the only residence still occupied by the descendents of the original owner, Misses Anna and Tattie Sutton, his daughters. Tradition gives a large rock near the Kollock estate as the place of the first gathering of law makers. Long before the Civil War the wonderful climate and beautiful scenery of the county around Clarkesville drew many residents from the low country who came, bringing their families and servants, building substantial and charming homes and adding greatly to the prosperity of the county. The Kollock home was for some years a boarding school for girls. The site of the present town of Demorest belonged to the family of Dr. Rossignol, who had a summer home there for many years. Dr. Rossignol was a physical of unusual culture and was greatly beloved by a large circle of the county people. Mr. Robert Campbell was a help to the town because of the work he furnished worthy people. With the Rev. Mr. Ketchum and a few others, he helped to building the Presbyterian church. Habersham county can justly claim a long list of really noted residents since colonial days -- men who, by their service to county, state or nation have won distinction and some have nation-wide reputations. Among these are: Joseph Habersham, of Savannah, for whom the county ws named, was an ardent patriot during the struggle of American colonies against English tyranny. Under his command a party of bold conspirators executed a raid upon the powder magazine in Savannah, owed by the Crown, and later the same party captured the royal Goveror Wright at the door of the executive mansion. Haberrsham served in the Colonial army throughout the Revolution, and was appointed Post-master-General in Washington's cabinet. He did not reside in this county, but visited his son, Richard Habersham, who built a home near Clarkesville, and who was elected to the state senate and afterward represented this district in Congress. John McPherson Berrien, U.S. Senator from Georgia, who was so conspicuous for polished oratory that he was called by his colleagues until his death, the "American Cicero." In 1829 he entered the cabinet of President Andrew Jackson as Attorney-General and afterwards returned to his home in Savannah, where he built up a large law practice. He and Robert Toombs were staunch friends and both had homes in this county where they spent the summer months. Berrien's home here was afterwards owned by Amos T. Ackerman, Attorney-General during Grant's administration. General Duncan L. Clinch, a noted officer of the U. S. Army had a fine home in Habersham county, where his grandson, afterwards Governor Duncan Clinch Heyward, used to spend part of his time. Robert Toombs, at various times serving as U.S. Senator, as soldier of the Confederacy, as stateman and orator, and ardent advocate of secession, was one of the most interesting political figures the south ever produced. At the convention which met to select a president of the Confederate States Jefferson Davis received the nomination by a majority of only one vote over Robert Toombs, and Toombs accepted the post of Secretary of State, which position he filled until he resigned to serve as a general in the army. After the war, when a warrant for his arrest was issued, General Toombs escaped from his home in Wahington, Ga., and with the aid of friends succeeded in getting to the Savannah river, finally reaching the home of Col. Joseph Parther, (then in Habersham county, now in Stephens), and he afterwards visited among firends in this county before he escaped to France. He spent several years abroad, returning home in 1867, but he steadfastly refused to take the oath of allegiance to the United States government and was considered a political outlaw until his death. He bought a summer home in Clarkesville, but occupied it the greater part of the year until after his wife's death which occurred here, when he sold the place to Judge Logan E. Bleckley, the property later passing into the hands of Mr. Joseph E. Stewart, the present owner. An outstanding figure in a community of illustrious men was Col. Robert McMillan, who commanded the 24th Georgia regiment, and was noted for his bravery thoughout the War Between the States. His son, Captain Garnett McMillan, was also a gallant officer in his father's regiment. After the war Captain Garnett McMillan was elected to Congress by a large majority over his opponent, the noted Benjamin H. Hill, but he died before entering upon his duties as Congressman. Other brave soldiers of the south went out from their mountain homes in this county to fight for the Confederate cause, among whom were Capt. W. S. Erwin, J. B. Erwin and Capt. Alex S. Erwin, Col. Phillips, Gen. Jeremy Francis Gilmer, Capt. Rufus Asbury, Dr. E. S. Starr, and amny others, as there were over one thousand enlisted men from this county. Judge Logan E. Bleckley, eminent lawyer, jurist, and Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Georgia, though born in Rabun county, only a few miles north of this city, spent the latter years of his life at his come in Clarksville, where he died in March, 1907. Walter B. Hill, one of the most brilliant members of the Georgia bar, and an ardent advocate of prohibition, served as Chanceller of the University of Georgia for a number of years until his death. While Chancellor of the University he purchased a summer home in Claresville about thirty-five years ago, which he named, "The Forest of Arden," and which has been the permanent home of his family since his untimely death, which occurred December 23, 1905. In his "Reminiscences of Famous Georgian," Lucien Lamar Knight says of Chancellor Hill: "Perhaps not since the passing of Henry W. Grady in manhood's prime from the public stage has the death of any man been more deeply deplored thoughout the south." Habersham county is justly proud of her history, of her climate, her natural resources which she has in abundance, but most of all is she proud of her people. All may not have won fame or achieved wealth or greatness, but each good citizen has had a part in making this one of the finest sections of the south.