Hello, Just returned home from a trip to the N. Georgia areas of Elbert, Madison, Franklin, and Hart Counties. It was a wonderful trip and everyone was very helpful and nice. I wanted to let you know of a wonderful lady I met at the Elbert County Courthouse in Elberton who besides doing her job in the Probate Court Offices is a dream come true for those of us making a trip there in reference to information concerning our families genealogy. Her name is Susan Sexton and she has a lot of information concerning genealogy for the area and was very nice to talk with and very helpful. I was able to purchase a book of "Early Cemeteries and Gravestones, Elbert County Georgia, 1708-1919" compiled by the Elbert County Historical Society. The old courthouse and town square in Elberton are truly a site to see when you make a trip to this area. I also visited the Madison County government complex and the Probate Office. Mrs. Brown and the others there were very helpful in pointing out how to look up information in the old court records stored there. I was also able to purchase the books "The History of Madison County, Georgia" and "Madison County Cemetery Book" at the Madison County Public Library. The old Madison County Courthouse in being renovated and apparently will become a museum. Just across the street from the old courthouse is an old hardware store that was a great place to stop and visit also. The hardware store has been in business since the 1800's and has many old items on display. It was like walking into a museum or going back in time seeing some of the items placed up high on the shelves surrounding the new items for sale. The store owner (Mr. Chinook - unsure of spelling) was very nice and helpful about answering my questions concerning the area. He said the hardware store was owned by the Green family. One of the highlights of my trip included visiting the Stinchcomb Methodist Church, formed in 1794, where I found members of my Andrew, Sanders, Dickerson, and Carrouth family lines buried. At this cemetery lies Robert Asbury Carrouth and Amanda C. Carrouth. They are my second great grandparents for my Carrouth (Carruth) family line. They are surrounded by graves showing Andrew, Sanders, and Dickerson. Robert's mother was Harriet Nance Andrew and Amanda's maiden name was Sanders. Robert's son Thomas Sandford Carrouth (buried at the Rose Hill Cemetery outside of Royston along side his wife Frances and his brother James Carrouth's family) married Frances Elizabeth Dickerson. Other highlights of my trip included finding the site of Carruth's Mill and what has been known as "Hutcherson-Carruth" cemetery, located today at Liberty Methodist Church. There are many Carruths and Hutchersons buried here. I was unable to find the graves of my 5th great grandfather Robert Carruth (died in 1815), his son Adam Carruth (my 4th great grandfather - died in 1840), or my third great grandfather James Elbert Carruth (died in 1850). However, I believe they may be buried at the above cemetery (Robert, Adam, and James Elbert) or the Stinchcomb Church cemetery (James Elbert) due to many gravesites being there that have only rocks or large stones showing someone lies there, but no names engraved. If anyone has information on there gravesites I would appreciate hearing from you. One of James Elbert Carruth's sons, also James Elbert Carruth (1846-1923), is buried at the Old Fork Cemetery along with his wife Martha and son Oscar. Also, anyone knowing of the Carruth family history, please write to me at: <Harvey33@aol.com>. Best Wishes, Harvey Carrouth Some other family surnames from this area are: Carrouth, Carruth, Dickerson, Sanders, Andrew, Andrews, Anderson, Dove, Starr, Allen, Manley, Attaway, Wilson. Also, Mrs. Sexton has a book called "Elbert County, Ga., Heritage 1790-1997" published in 1997 by the Elbert County Heritage Book Committee. The book is not currently being published, but will be again once at least 50 signatures are received that want a copy of the book. In this book is an article submitted from my Uncle William Thomas (Bill) Carrouth concerning the family (# 364). There are also pictures of my Uncle and my grandfather, great grandfather, and second great grandfather. Hope some of you will let Mrs. Sexton know you are interested so we can get a copy of the book soon. Copies to: Mrs. Sexton Madison Co. list Franklin Co. list Sanders and Dickerson list Carruth Family E-Mail List and other family and friends