Houston County Researchers: For the past 3 years, I have been compiling a book entitled: EYEWITNESS ACCOUNTS OF HOUSTON COUNTY, GEORGIA 1821-1871: Copyright 2000 by William A. Mills. I thought I had this book finished last year, but I keep finding more interesting items to include in it. By the time that I actually print this book, it may be too large to contain in one volume. But, there is no need to keep all of this good info hidden away. I stumbled across an original story written by a man who was born in 1826, and resided in Perry, GA for several decades. This story was supposed to be published right after the Civil War, but I cannot find any evidence that it ever was. I've checked everywhere that I can, and no one has ever heard of it before. ================>>> Portions from Chapter 7: Of the first and early citizens of the town, whom I remember are: Howell Cobb, Dr. E. T. McGehee, James E. Duncan, Edward Welch, William Wellborn, Johnson Wellborn, Peter V. Guerry, John M. Moore, James M. Kelly, John M. Allen, Charles H. Rice, Asa Royal, Bentley Outlaw, John Chain, Isaiah Chain, Levin F. Chain, Arthur A. Morgan, Michael E. Madden, Dr. Reese, Dr. McKinney, William H. Rudd, Mr. Kent, Phineas Oliver, Nathaniel Quick, Joshua Pattishall, Littleton Spivey, and Edwin Monger. I remember also: Esquire Lewis, John J. Owens, David O. Smith, and Richard Smith, who lived on Mossy Creek; Hardy Hargrove, W. P. Bryant, S. S. Bryant, R. W. Baskin, and Isaac C. West, near West's Bridge on the Hayneville road; Joseph Tooke, George Williams, Dr. C. F. Pattillo, Henry Wimberly, William S. Coalson, E. K. Hodges, and Terrell Perry, at Hayneville; John Laidler, Patrick Smith, and David M. Brown, near Hickory Grove; William Brown, S. D. Henderson, and James Fitzgerald, near Henderson; H. B. Hathaway, at old Centreville; Silas Rawls, S. C. Bryant, Thomas Johnson, Rev. Samuel Jenkins, Rev. Benjamin Webb, in the Upper Fourteenth District; James A. Everett, Rev. Enos Young, R. H. Slappey, Allen Wiggins, and Mr. Edgeworth, at and near Fort Valley; Carlton Wellborn, Joel Walker, and Mr. Feagin, near Wellborn's Mills and Ferry; Mr. Dupree, Alexander Smith, Needham Smith, John Tomlinson, Rev. Thomas Speight, William Haddock, Rev. J. A. Roquemore, James A. Bryan, H. L. Dennard, Allen Sutton, Baldwin Higgs, and Benjamin Bryan, between Mossy Creek and the river; Simon Bateman, Cullen Talton, Shadrach Dennard, John Killen, Pifash Jenkins, Neil Smith, James Dean, James H. Killen, and Williamson Crawford, near Perry. Very nearly all of these have passed away. Some are resting in our quiet cemetery; others in different parts of the country; others emigrated west, and but few are now living. The personal appearance, habits, and distinctive peculiarities and traits of character of each, which daguerreotyped them on my memory, could not be written in the time and space allotted here. Those of them who were farmers, followed the plow, used the hoe, pulled fodder, picked cotton, cut and rolled logs, and split rails. And yet, as a rule, they were longer lived; and in physical development, vigor and elasticity, were better specimens of manhood after middle age, and when old, than we can find now. Query: Does not this fact explode the opinion so frequently advanced now-a-days, that "white men cannot cultivate the soil in this climate" ? Some few of them accumulated wealth, others moved in, and those who did not grow rich, were bought-out by the fortunate ones and new comers. Large plantations and bodies of land, owned by a few with numerous slaves, succeeded till scarcely a vestige of the first settlements was left. Whether better or worse, let those judge, who have lived in Houston long enough to realize the difference in the county now, and when it was dotted with small farms, teeming with the richest abundance of the necessaries of life, with its grand old forests, and alive with lowing herds, and its wild native inhabitants. In the lists above, I have intentionally omitted the names of several who were a terror to the community, especially when intoxicated. Several cosmopolitans floated into town, one of whom was periodically a raving maniac. Another was a consumptive, and died alone, on a sand bank just below the cemetery, where his corpse was accidently found several days afterward. Another was taken by a crowd, and "well-ducked", after which he disappeared. A man living in the county, was once "cow-hided" on the public square by another citizen; and a woman (white) was severely whipped with a wagon whip, on the street, by a man (?). A traveler came along, and a thing occurred during his short stay, which, if told, might tease you; and I have no disposition to do that just now. Therefore, with a story told long ago by a citizen of the town, will withhold it for the present. ~~ TO BE CONTINUED ~~ _______________________________________ William A. Mills Perry, GA [email protected] ________________________________________________________________ YOU'RE PAYING TOO MUCH FOR THE INTERNET! Juno now offers FREE Internet Access! Try it today - there's no risk! For your FREE software, visit: http://dl.www.juno.com/get/tagj.