>Thank you, Marilyn Windham for this history of Powersville. > >Powersville > >by Cecil D. Cliett > >The town of Powersville is located 21 miles from Macon and was first named >Station #1 when the >Southwestern Railroad was being built from Macon to Albany in the year >1853-53. Then a more >suitable name was suggested by Mr. Alfred M. Cliett, for it to be named for >Col. Virgil Powers, who >was at that time a civil engineer for the Southwestern Railroad Company. >Powersville was an important >wood and water stateion; water from Mule Creek and wood was cut and sold to >the railroad compnay >by Mr. Buck Warren. > >Sometime later the railroad became the Central of Georgia Railraod and that >company spent a >considerable amount of money to provide a more convenient way of getting >water to the engine than by >"bucket brigade". The Central provided a steam pump and two huge water >towers. Tom Cliett was >pumper for the Center for years, until the tanks were not longer in use. >This improvement rated >Powersville the best wood and water station in the State at that time. > >The coming of the railroad brought about possibilities by the best judges >that Powersville was one of the >best locations for a cotton factory in Southwest Georgia. The earliest >legal council in the area was Judge >John Lisenby. > >Because of the railroad, Powersville was the transportation center for >about a five mile radius >surrounding it. People in the area came to Powersville to board the train >to go to Macon or Fort Valley. >Most people made at least three trips to Macon a year on the train, one for >spring supplies, one for >pre-school clothing and books, and to do special Christmas shopping. >Farmers made trips on the train to >buy their fertilizer and farm supplies, then came in their buggies and >wagons to meet the train to pick up >their supplies when they were delivered there. Most of the melons grown in >this area were loaded at >Powersville. > >Powersville had two stores and five white residences in 1881. Some of the >early merchants were: Frank >Dukes, John M. Lamar, George N. Allen, and David R. Kersh, Mr. W.E. Warren >was one of the first >residents who lived in a two story dwelling near the railroad. He was the >first station agent and first >postmaster when the post office was moved from Bateman's Store in the Sixth >District to Powersville. >He also had large farming interests. > >Industries here included: a grist mill, saw mills, cotton gin, >blacksmithing, syrup making, and a licensed >Government Distillery at Brown's Mill nearby. The first sawmill was owned >by A.K. Fisher, a >Canadian. > >Powersville was one of the most prosperous farm comunities in the area at >that time. The lands were of >a very high productive type and the farm families lived a very good life. > >At one point of its bustling activity, Powersville boasted of being the >Watermelon Center of the world. >Other farm products grown there were corn, cotton, sugar cane, peanuts, and >livestock. Many fruits >were here such as apples, pears, peaches, plums, strawberries, graps. Some >of the fresh fruits were >enjoyed by passengers on the trains when they stopped for wood and water. >An ex-slave woman, Lena >Barnes, who worked for my grandfather, J.H. M. Cliett, would meet the >trains, go inside and sell fruit >to the passengers. > >Among some of the first settlers were the Burdens, Barnes, Warrens, >Scattergoods, Edwards, Clietts, >Lamars, Allens, Chunns, Hays, Fluellens, Englishes, Eptings, Bassetts, >Oats, Culpeppers, Nathan Head, >Browns, Murray, Rigbys, Elkins, Greenes, Murrays, Howards and Averas. Some >of the first teachers >were John M. Lamar, Schoolmaster, Mrs. Lucy Lionard, Miss Essie C. >McMillan, John Sullivan, and >George W. Allen. > >The first Congregational Church in Houston County was built in Powersville >which is now the >Methodist Church here. Mrs. Neta Bassett contributed much toward promoting >this church and helping >many other people. She built on of the finest homes one could have in that >period about 1910. A real >landmark today, the home has four huge fluted Corinthian Columns, 14 rooms, >spacious grounds with >paved drives and walks and a tennis court. This house is presently owned >and occupied by Mr. O.C. >Lansford. {1939?] Mr. W.H. Carter, St. was one of the first ministers. > >Mr. Early English established the first rural telephone system here. > >The last early settler and last surviving Civil War Veteran in Peach County >was J.H.M. Cliett, who >passed away in 1940 at the age of 94. The oldest slave woman to live her >life out in Powersville was >Savannah Fluellen, who died about 20 years ago at 105 years old [1939?] > >Some of these facts were published in the Houston Home Journal, in Perry, >GA on Oct 6, 1881 and >reprinted by The Leader Tribune on Feb 9, 1939. Other facts came from a >publication prepared by >Mrs. Mary L. (Green) Smith (Mrs. W.B.) in 1921. >Editorial Note: Cecil D. Cliett resides in the old Cliett home place. It >was originally a long house, >built in 1866. Three generations of Clietts have lived there, and extensive >renovation has taken place. > >Virginia