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 5: In giving the names of the founders of the Presbyterian Church here, I omitted that of Col. J. D. Havis, who is the only one left, and is the oldest man in Perry, though he is still hale and hearty, and attends to his daily business more closely than a great many younger men. The original boundaries of Houston County were as follows: From the starting point of the line on the Ocmulgee, above the city of Macon, between the 4th and 13th Districts of Bibb, extending westward to the 16th District of Upson; thence along Flint River to old Traveler's Rest; thence on the district lines to Hawkinsville; and to the Ocmulgee to the starting point, embracing fifteen milita districts. The First, Second, Third, Fourth, Seventh, Eighth and Fifteenth, and also portions of the Fifth, Sixth and Twelfth Districts now lie in the adjoining counties of Bibb, Crawford, Upson, Macon and Pulaski. The Superior Court for the county was organized at the residence of James A. Everett, where Fort Valley now is, at a coal house, by Judge Thomas W. Harris, on May 27th, 1822. Eli Nunn as clerk; the record does not give the name of the acting sheriff or bailiff, for the occasion. The following is a list of the Grand and Petit Jurors drawn to serve at the succeeding term: GRAND JURORS: Martin Pritchard, Jeremiah Bennett, James Sackwell, John Mather, John Blackston, M. A. Pollard, John Keener, James Fitzgerald, William Berryhill, Nudigate Ousley, Nathan Busby, Joel Smith, Daniel Monroe, Turner Everett, Richard Rucker, Tuttle H. Moreland, Lewis Fay, Imby Vanskiver, John Courson, Thomas Harvey, Henry Angler, James Flewellen, John Jones, Reddick Bell, John Cowen, Thomas A. Jackson, Austin Martin, Thomas Flewellen, John Andrews, Daniel Wadsworth, Kinchen Curl, and E. Amos. PETIT JURORS: James R. H. Rogers, E. Russell, Joab Grubbs, William Edwards, Solomon Griffin, Noel Coalson, Burrell Harris, William McVay, Daniel Powell, James Marshall, John Z. Grubbs, Dartin Cobb, Hiram Wadsworth, John Webster, Nathan F. Hooker, Thomas Cobb, Joseph McKinney, Elijah Wills, Harvey Summerford, Robert McBride, John Hutchison, Robert Stanford, William Green, Usry Ray, Buckster Ray, Thornton Fowler, J. Bennett, Thomas Grubbs, John C. Turner, John Beard, George H. Grubbs, John Tempter, Jethro Campbell, John Allen, Sanders Burnett, D. Lawson, Reuben B. Davis, Allen Hare, John Thomas Peapter, Dempsey Robbs, Job Galloway, Lucian Price, John Joiner, Eli Abbott, Biggers Singleton, Moses Tuplin, and Eli Young. The second term was held at or near Fort Valley, commencing November 1822; Hon. Eli S. Shorter presiding. The Court met by appointment in chambers on March 8th 1823, and ordered that all business pending and accord, which was thrown out of its jurisdiction by the formation of the new county of Bibb, embracing the Third and Fourth Districts of Houston, be transferred, and they adjourned. The first Superior Court was held in November 1823, and as we are informed, at the house of Jacob Little, near the present residence of James B. McMurray; the next, and until now at Perry. H. W. Raley, David W. Mann, William Haddock, Solomon Simpson and Howell Cobb were the first judges of the Inferior Court, and Henry Cunyus was Clerk. Its first session was held June 3d 1823. On July 7th, following, it ordered the court house built, and the capital of the county surveyed into town lots, on Lot No. 49, 10th District, by Joel Walker. The town was first named Wattsville, and afterwards it was changed to Perry. Henry W. Raley was Sheriff in 1826; who his predecessors were, we cannot now ascertain. The successors of Judge Shorter were: Charles J. McDonald (afterwards, Governor of Georgia), Christopher B. Strong, Angus M. D. King, Edward D. Tracy, John J. Floyd, James H. Starke, Abner P. Powers, Henry G. Lamar, O. A. Lochrane, and Carleton B. Cole. Edward Y. Hill of Coweta, and Edward H. Worrill of the Chattahoochee Circuit, presided one term each. Judge King, after an evening of the highest enjoyment at a May party, on May 1st 1851, was found dead in his bed the next morning. The effect of this startling event on the community, may be better imagined than described. The Court adjourned and all the bells were tolled, as the funeral cortege moved slowly out of town toward Macon, where his remains were conveyed for interment. Judge King was a man of the greatest reverence for the Deity, and for sacred things. It was said of him, that he never passed a church without taking and keeping off his hat, in rain or sunshine, till he passed it. ~~ 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! 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