These are great, maybe I could add them to the Houston County page. Thanks Gaila ----- Original Message ----- From: "Virginia Crilley" <varcsix@hot.rr.com> To: <GAHOUSTO-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Sunday, April 25, 2004 1:02 AM Subject: [GAHOUSTO] Col W. L. Grice > Carla Miles transcribed a couple of very interesting articles about Col W. > L. Grice, specifically about his visit to a Memorial Day Service in Butler. > > Since he is buried in Evergreen Cemetery in Houston Co, I thought this > might also be of interest to those County readers as well. (And perhaps we > could gain more insights) > > Harris Hill is helping with this material as he had previously transcribed > information about a poem written by Thaddeus Oliver, and which connected to > this as well. > > Here I'm just including the basic letters printed in The Butler Herald... > and thank you, Carla for sharing these... > > Carla Miles Historycam@wmconnect.com > > Letter, to the editor of the Butler Herald from Col. W.L. Grice, on the > subject of who authored the poem amongst other things. > > The Butler Herald > Tuesday, April 27, 1915 > Page One > > Distinguished Visitors > > Col. W.L. Grice and Mrs. Grice arrived in the city > Sunday and during their delightful stay in the city are > guests of Col. and Mrs. H.P. Wallace. Yesterday was a > memorable day with Col. Grice when it was that he > mingled with and received the warm handshake of so many > of his old war-time comrades here in attendance upon > memorial day exercises. Although in his 83rd year, > Col. Grice is a well-preserved man. Providence has > smiled abundantly upon him, has never been sick a day > in his life, and is today a remarkably active man for > one of his age. Mrs. Grice, who is herself in the 75, > is a charming lady of the antebellum type. This > venerable and esteemed couple have the congratulations > of their many Taylor County friends. > > The Butler Herald > Tuesday, May 11, 1915 > Page Seven > > Butler In The Olden Time > > By Col. W.L. Grice > > Mr. Editor: > > On a recent visit to your town, the first in many > years, I was the guest of Henry P. Wallace, who is the > son of my old friend and law partner, Wm. S. Wallace, > than whom Taylor County never produced a better > citizen. > > It has occurred to me that a rambling sketch of the > town and people as I saw them sixty years ago might be > interesting to some of your readers, and hence by your > leave, I will undertake to give from memory a short > account of some of the men and things of the antebellum > times. > > Butler was incorporated in the year 1854, and the > commissioners designated in the charter were: C.Y. > Perry, Ezekiel Royal, James T. May, Isaac Mulkey and > P.C. Carr. I settled there in the fall of the next > year, and the law card of Grice & Wallace which was > published in the Macon Telegraph for several years bore > the date of December 10, 1855, as I remember it. I > have been a subscriber to the paper from that day to > this except while in the army. > > Four preachers and five lawyers had preceded me to the > newly settled county site. The preachers were James T. > May, Dr. James Griffith, Wm. W. Corbitt and E.H. > Wilson. All of these were Methodists except the last, > but none of them had the care of churches. > > The lawyers were Hopkins Holsey, Daniel W. Miller, W.W. > Corbin, Benjamin F. Reese and X.B. LeSeuer. Col. > Wallace and Julius H. Holsey came to the bar soon after > my arrival. W.H. Caldwell and John Walker were the > practicing physicians. Dr. A.L. Edwards and Dr. Dugger > came later. > > John Sturtevant was ordinary of the county; James T. > Harmon, clerk; and W.W. Wiggins, sheriff. If I > remember correctly Sanders W. Durham was pastor of the > Baptist church and Wyatt Brooks of the Methodist. > > The Justices of the Inferior Court were T.J. Riley, > Hiram Drane, A.M.K. Swift, R.B. Rucker and ------. > (line drawn, no name given) > > The Judge of the Superior Court was E.H. Worrill and > Col. Jack Brown was Solicitor. Brown was succeeded by > Thaddeus Oliver. His son, the Rev. Hugh F. Oliver, now > deceased, always insisted that his father was the > author of "All is Quiet Along the Potomac Tonight," and > that he and his brother, now Capt. James Oliver, of the > U.S. Navy, were "the two in the low trunnell bed." > > Hugh Oliver investigated the matter as far as possible > and he published the result of his investigation in a > newspaper. There was much evidence including letters > from men who read the verses in manuscript, going to > show that Thad Oliver was the author of the verses, and > that Mrs. Ethel L. Beers obtained them from a fugitive > copy which was carried to the north presumably by some > returning prisoner. Mrs. Beers first published the > poem in a Philadelphia paper over her own name. > > Of course nearly all northern publishers ascribe the > authorship to her; but Hugh Oliver's investigation > satisfied many that his father wrote the poem while in > the camp in the early part of the war; and not > appreciating its merits, he died before it was given to > the public and before any question was raised as to its > author. But some copies had been taken by Mr. Oliver's > friends in (paper torn) it was said a few (paper torn) > leaflets and distri (paper torn). > > Among the (paper torn) Butler were J. (paper torn) > Smith, J.B. Wright and John H. Bruce. > > Robert Scandrett was railroad agent, James R. Hudson > kept the principal hotel, and Wm. A. Graham taught the > town school. There was no public school in those days. > Still other prominent citizens whom I knew and remember > were Jesse Stallings, the Montforts, Willis McLendon, > Thos. H. Brown and Wm. H. Heard. > > The Neislers, Batemans and McCrarys were also prominent > families in the town and county. I think the late John > A. Childs was about the last business man who was > identified with the early history of the place. > > Political feelings ran high in the county before the > war and the two parties were about equally divided. > The American or Know Nothing Party in 1855 sent A.H. > Riley to the senate and A.J. McCants to the house of > representatives. Every county then had a senator. At > the next election in 1857, the democrats elected T.J. > Riley (brother of A.H. Riley) to the senate and J.J. > McCants (brother of A.J. McCants) to the house, thus > reversing the politics of the county in two years as > expressed in the legislative election. > > A few of the original houses in the town remain. The > courthouse still stands, but the interior has been > somewhat changed. The old wooden jail is gone. I > ought to remember that building for I spent a night in > it. A client of our firm (W.R. Lowe by name) was > ordered by the Judge on an exparte showing to turn over > to a Receiver certain valuable papers or else go to > jail. > > My partner and I thought it important for our client to > retain possession of the property; and we advised him > to go to jail assuring him the judge would turn him out > as soon as he heard our side of the case, but the judge > could not hear it under ten days. > > Our client finally agreed to go to prison, provided one > of his lawyers would stay with him at night. It struck > my youthful mind that it was not right for me to > prescribe medicine for another which I was unwilling to > take myself, so I agreed to the terms of my friend, and > late in the evening I was locked up with him. > > Before retiring for the night some of our friends on > the outside informed us that the sheriff had gone to a > party some distance in the country, carrying the jail > keys with him. This news disconcerted my room mate and > we discussed our situation in case of fire or sickness > or other emergency. My friend became nervous. What my > feelings were is none of the business of the reader. > Suffice it to say that the next morning our client > surrendered the property and was liberated from prison. > > > Let me add in justification of the opinion and advice > of Mr. Lowe's counsel that at the end of ten days the > judge heard our side of the case and promptly > discharged the Receiver and restored the property to my > client. > > My visit to Butler was exceedingly pleasant. There > have been many changes for the better - better streets, > better houses, better stock. The people are friendly > and hospitable. But I found more familiar names in the > cemetery than familiar faces on the street. Still > there were a few left of the friends of my early > manhood. These met me with a cordial grasp of the > hand, and (paper torn) from me with a fervent (paper > torn) bless you." > > W.L. Grice > (paper torn) lle, Ga. > > > NOTES: > Burial: Houston County > Evergreen Cemetery > > Washington L. Grice > (b 22 Feb 1832, d 9 Mar 1925). > CSA. In thee, O Lord, do I > put my trust. > > Martha V. Warren Grice > (b 18 Jul 1840, d 1 Jan 1926). > The Lord is my shepherd; I > shall not want. > http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/ga/houston/cemeteries/evergr.txt > > > > ==== GAHOUSTO Mailing List ==== > Remember to Change your subject line and reply to the list, the information you offer may break down someone's brickwall >

I appreciated this tremendously. mnperry@sowega.net ----- Original Message ----- From: "Gaila & James Merrington" <gaila@merrington.net> To: <GAHOUSTO-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Saturday, April 24, 2004 8:11 PM Subject: Re: [GAHOUSTO] Col W. L. Grice > These are great, maybe I could add them to the Houston County page. > Thanks > Gaila > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Virginia Crilley" <varcsix@hot.rr.com> > To: <GAHOUSTO-L@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Sunday, April 25, 2004 1:02 AM > Subject: [GAHOUSTO] Col W. L. Grice > > > > Carla Miles transcribed a couple of very interesting articles about Col W. > > L. Grice, specifically about his visit to a Memorial Day Service in > Butler. > > > > Since he is buried in Evergreen Cemetery in Houston Co, I thought this > > might also be of interest to those County readers as well. (And perhaps we > > could gain more insights) > > > > Harris Hill is helping with this material as he had previously transcribed > > information about a poem written by Thaddeus Oliver, and which connected > to > > this as well. > > > > Here I'm just including the basic letters printed in The Butler Herald... > > and thank you, Carla for sharing these... > > > > Carla Miles Historycam@wmconnect.com > > > > Letter, to the editor of the Butler Herald from Col. W.L. Grice, on the > > subject of who authored the poem amongst other things. > > > > The Butler Herald > > Tuesday, April 27, 1915 > > Page One > > > > Distinguished Visitors > > > > Col. W.L. Grice and Mrs. Grice arrived in the city > > Sunday and during their delightful stay in the city are > > guests of Col. and Mrs. H.P. Wallace. Yesterday was a > > memorable day with Col. Grice when it was that he > > mingled with and received the warm handshake of so many > > of his old war-time comrades here in attendance upon > > memorial day exercises. Although in his 83rd year, > > Col. Grice is a well-preserved man. Providence has > > smiled abundantly upon him, has never been sick a day > > in his life, and is today a remarkably active man for > > one of his age. Mrs. Grice, who is herself in the 75, > > is a charming lady of the antebellum type. This > > venerable and esteemed couple have the congratulations > > of their many Taylor County friends. > > > > The Butler Herald > > Tuesday, May 11, 1915 > > Page Seven > > > > Butler In The Olden Time > > > > By Col. W.L. Grice > > > > Mr. Editor: > > > > On a recent visit to your town, the first in many > > years, I was the guest of Henry P. Wallace, who is the > > son of my old friend and law partner, Wm. S. Wallace, > > than whom Taylor County never produced a better > > citizen. > > > > It has occurred to me that a rambling sketch of the > > town and people as I saw them sixty years ago might be > > interesting to some of your readers, and hence by your > > leave, I will undertake to give from memory a short > > account of some of the men and things of the antebellum > > times. > > > > Butler was incorporated in the year 1854, and the > > commissioners designated in the charter were: C.Y. > > Perry, Ezekiel Royal, James T. May, Isaac Mulkey and > > P.C. Carr. I settled there in the fall of the next > > year, and the law card of Grice & Wallace which was > > published in the Macon Telegraph for several years bore > > the date of December 10, 1855, as I remember it. I > > have been a subscriber to the paper from that day to > > this except while in the army. > > > > Four preachers and five lawyers had preceded me to the > > newly settled county site. The preachers were James T. > > May, Dr. James Griffith, Wm. W. Corbitt and E.H. > > Wilson. All of these were Methodists except the last, > > but none of them had the care of churches. > > > > The lawyers were Hopkins Holsey, Daniel W. Miller, W.W. > > Corbin, Benjamin F. Reese and X.B. LeSeuer. Col. > > Wallace and Julius H. Holsey came to the bar soon after > > my arrival. W.H. Caldwell and John Walker were the > > practicing physicians. Dr. A.L. Edwards and Dr. Dugger > > came later. > > > > John Sturtevant was ordinary of the county; James T. > > Harmon, clerk; and W.W. Wiggins, sheriff. If I > > remember correctly Sanders W. Durham was pastor of the > > Baptist church and Wyatt Brooks of the Methodist. > > > > The Justices of the Inferior Court were T.J. Riley, > > Hiram Drane, A.M.K. Swift, R.B. Rucker and ------. > > (line drawn, no name given) > > > > The Judge of the Superior Court was E.H. Worrill and > > Col. Jack Brown was Solicitor. Brown was succeeded by > > Thaddeus Oliver. His son, the Rev. Hugh F. Oliver, now > > deceased, always insisted that his father was the > > author of "All is Quiet Along the Potomac Tonight," and > > that he and his brother, now Capt. James Oliver, of the > > U.S. Navy, were "the two in the low trunnell bed." > > > > Hugh Oliver investigated the matter as far as possible > > and he published the result of his investigation in a > > newspaper. There was much evidence including letters > > from men who read the verses in manuscript, going to > > show that Thad Oliver was the author of the verses, and > > that Mrs. Ethel L. Beers obtained them from a fugitive > > copy which was carried to the north presumably by some > > returning prisoner. Mrs. Beers first published the > > poem in a Philadelphia paper over her own name. > > > > Of course nearly all northern publishers ascribe the > > authorship to her; but Hugh Oliver's investigation > > satisfied many that his father wrote the poem while in > > the camp in the early part of the war; and not > > appreciating its merits, he died before it was given to > > the public and before any question was raised as to its > > author. But some copies had been taken by Mr. Oliver's > > friends in (paper torn) it was said a few (paper torn) > > leaflets and distri (paper torn). > > > > Among the (paper torn) Butler were J. (paper torn) > > Smith, J.B. Wright and John H. Bruce. > > > > Robert Scandrett was railroad agent, James R. Hudson > > kept the principal hotel, and Wm. A. Graham taught the > > town school. There was no public school in those days. > > Still other prominent citizens whom I knew and remember > > were Jesse Stallings, the Montforts, Willis McLendon, > > Thos. H. Brown and Wm. H. Heard. > > > > The Neislers, Batemans and McCrarys were also prominent > > families in the town and county. I think the late John > > A. Childs was about the last business man who was > > identified with the early history of the place. > > > > Political feelings ran high in the county before the > > war and the two parties were about equally divided. > > The American or Know Nothing Party in 1855 sent A.H. > > Riley to the senate and A.J. McCants to the house of > > representatives. Every county then had a senator. At > > the next election in 1857, the democrats elected T.J. > > Riley (brother of A.H. Riley) to the senate and J.J. > > McCants (brother of A.J. McCants) to the house, thus > > reversing the politics of the county in two years as > > expressed in the legislative election. > > > > A few of the original houses in the town remain. The > > courthouse still stands, but the interior has been > > somewhat changed. The old wooden jail is gone. I > > ought to remember that building for I spent a night in > > it. A client of our firm (W.R. Lowe by name) was > > ordered by the Judge on an exparte showing to turn over > > to a Receiver certain valuable papers or else go to > > jail. > > > > My partner and I thought it important for our client to > > retain possession of the property; and we advised him > > to go to jail assuring him the judge would turn him out > > as soon as he heard our side of the case, but the judge > > could not hear it under ten days. > > > > Our client finally agreed to go to prison, provided one > > of his lawyers would stay with him at night. It struck > > my youthful mind that it was not right for me to > > prescribe medicine for another which I was unwilling to > > take myself, so I agreed to the terms of my friend, and > > late in the evening I was locked up with him. > > > > Before retiring for the night some of our friends on > > the outside informed us that the sheriff had gone to a > > party some distance in the country, carrying the jail > > keys with him. This news disconcerted my room mate and > > we discussed our situation in case of fire or sickness > > or other emergency. My friend became nervous. What my > > feelings were is none of the business of the reader. > > Suffice it to say that the next morning our client > > surrendered the property and was liberated from prison. > > > > > > Let me add in justification of the opinion and advice > > of Mr. Lowe's counsel that at the end of ten days the > > judge heard our side of the case and promptly > > discharged the Receiver and restored the property to my > > client. > > > > My visit to Butler was exceedingly pleasant. There > > have been many changes for the better - better streets, > > better houses, better stock. The people are friendly > > and hospitable. But I found more familiar names in the > > cemetery than familiar faces on the street. Still > > there were a few left of the friends of my early > > manhood. These met me with a cordial grasp of the > > hand, and (paper torn) from me with a fervent (paper > > torn) bless you." > > > > W.L. Grice > > (paper torn) lle, Ga. > > > > > > NOTES: > > Burial: Houston County > > Evergreen Cemetery > > > > Washington L. Grice > > (b 22 Feb 1832, d 9 Mar 1925). > > CSA. In thee, O Lord, do I > > put my trust. > > > > Martha V. Warren Grice > > (b 18 Jul 1840, d 1 Jan 1926). > > The Lord is my shepherd; I > > shall not want. > > http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/ga/houston/cemeteries/evergr.txt > > > > > > > > ==== GAHOUSTO Mailing List ==== > > Remember to Change your subject line and reply to the list, the > information you offer may break down someone's brickwall > > > > > > ==== GAHOUSTO Mailing List ==== > Remember to Change your subject line and reply to the list, the information you offer may break down someone's brickwall >