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 3: This story would have commenced with the original limits and boundaries of the county, but this is deferred till reliable data, not now at hand, can be obtained. Until this can be done, particular localities, with facts, incidents and individuals will be called up. Writing only from memory, and statements of others here and there, and having forgotten exact dates, this account must necessarily be desultory. Also, as the things narrated here are (many of them) the impressions of early childhood, the indulgence of the reader is asked, and the assistance of old citizens desired, in the correction of any errors that may appear in this manuscript. While I am not insensible to, but acknowledge my warm pride and attachment for old Houston, which holds position among the first in my native State. Yet Perry, having been my home from early childhood, and the particular scene of my whole life, the spot around which my strongest and most cherished attachments cluster, I hope to be excused for continuing for a time, my record of things in the old town and its immediate vicinity. So much, by way of apology and explanation. The old academy was built on the lot now occupied by the residence of Mrs. Colonel Ragin. It was a long, narrow two-story framed structure, and painted. Its exterior was admired, but from its slender proportions, it was considered unsafe. Whenever a storm of wind arose, school was dismissed, and all hands scampered home. It had brick chimneys at each end, and fireplaces above and below, but it was uncomfortable in winter, from the first, and up to the time my school boy days ended. The teachers were: E. Kellogg, Mr. Abernathy, David Mims, Howell Cobb, Robert Brown, Dudley, Michael E. Madden, James Holderness, Edwin Mounger, Mr. Dougherty, Igdaliah Wood, and Leonidas King. The school was mixed, as the idea of separate schools for males and females had not occurred to the people here, or if it had, it was not adopted until many years afterward. I will remark here, that the brick used for the foundation of the courthouse, as well as for that and the chimneys of the academy, were made in the street between the residences of T. M. Killen and W. Brunson. The old academy was sold, and about the year 1840, was succeeded by another in the grove at the termination of the street between W. Brunson's and the late residence of John Gordon. This was destroyed after it became old and somewhat dilapidated. Its locality, as well as the building with some necessary improvements, was more desirable than the one now occupied as a male academy. I promise a return to the old academy and my school boy days, in a future chapter. The building occupied by A. S. Giles, attorney at law, and the Post Office, was originally the office of the Branch Bank of Florida. The bed of limestone rock between it and F. A. Jobson's shop, lies just where the office was first located, and is the remains of its vault. After the Bank failed, the house was moved to its present location. What need there was, if any, for a bank in Perry then, I know not, and cannot imagine. I remember well, how during the thirties [1830s], I was delighted to run to the bank and receive change for a five or ten dollar bill, and wondered how it was that Mr. Gibbon Taylor, the cashier, could afford to give so many new shining silver half-dollars for that paper, even if it was pretty. When the bank broke, I could not understand how that was, but soon found that no more silver could be had there, for paper. Do any of the fair readers of this manuscript remember using bank bills which were presents from some of "us boys" as thumb papers and bookmarks? Only those who, like myself, cannot hide the evidence that they are growing old, need answer the question. The old mill on the branch north of the town, was built by Levin F. Chain. Some of its ruins still remain to mark its locality. Here "we boys" spent very many days of pleasure, watching the unprolific motions of a cork on a line, to which was attached a pin-hook, and the cool, clear water thrown into foaming, sparkling spray by the water wheel. Or, we gathered flowers of the dogwood and honeysuckle for the girls. My floral tributes were to blue-eyed "Lizzie". I thought I loved (and did), for I felt that "Forty thousand brothers could not, with all their quantity of love, make up my sum" for Lizzie. Now that the frosts of nearly a half century are whitening my locks, from the heart I exclaim, "Oh, dear to memory are those hours When every pathway led to flowers!" In the swamp between the old mill and the creek, either a panther or a wolf (more likely the latter) was disabled and captured, and then brought into town, alive and on its feet. This happened about the year 1832. I saw it on the public square, hampered, but in my abundance of caution, did not inspect it very closely. As well as I can remember, it was some taller and larger than the dog which was killed with a rifle at seventy-five yards off hand, in front of Oliver's Hotel, for biting old Uncle Simon Mann. ~~ TO BE CONTINUED ~~ _______________________________________ William A. Mills Perry, GA [email protected] Houston Co., GA Publications & Research Webpage: http://www.geocities.com/ResearchTriangle/Forum/8795 ________________________________________________________________ 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.