Lowndes County, Georgia
Early History





A Sketch of the Early History of Lowndes County, Georgia

(We are indebted chiefly to Mrs. Hortense W. Baker, of Valdosta, for the data given below. Her interesting sketches on the early history of Lowndes County published in a recent issue of the "Valdosta Times" are valuable.)

The lands which now comprise Lowndes County were originally a part of Irwin County and were ceded by the Indians through a treaty made at Fort Jackson, August 9th, 1814. This was the same treaty whereby the lands now comprising Ware County (mentioned in the last issue of this magazine) were ceded.

Irwin County was created by the same legislature which created Appling County, the particular act being approved Dec. 15, 1818. Appling and Irwin counties are the parent counties of practically all Southeast Georgia.

In 1821, four settlers moved to what is now Lowndes County. It was then a wilderness and they were the first settlers of the present county of Lowndes. These settlers were James Rountree, Lawrence Folsom, Drew Vickers and Alfred Belote and their families.

Numbers of other settlers soon followed these, and by 1825 it had become sufficiently populated to petition the legislature for the creation of a new county. By an act approved Dec. 23rd, 1825, Lowndes County was created and carved out of Irwin County.

As is well known, the county was named for Hon. William Lowndes, a distinguished statesman of South Carolina.

At the time of its creation, the county was sixty-two miles long, north and south, and forty miles wide, east and west. It contained 2080 miles, and was bounded on the north by Irwin County, on the east by Ware, on the South by the State of Florida and on the west by Thomas County.

After the creation of the new county, the matter of holding court and having elections was to be decided. For the first few times, court and elections were held at the home of Sion Hall, one of the well-known residents of the county. The first court held in the county was on a log in a section which is now in Brooks County.

This was early in the year 1826. The next year court was held at the home of Franklin Rountree, and in 1828 the village of Franklinville was founded and made county site.

The first officers of the county were not elected until May, 1826, at which time the following were elected and commissioned on May, 29th, 1826:
William Hancock, sheriff;
Samuel M. Clyatt, surveyor;
Henry Blair, clerk of the Superior and Inferior courts;
Malachi Monk, coroner.
The first state senator from Lowndes was William A. Knight and the first representative was Jonathan Knight.

In 1828 Malachi Monk was elected sheriff,
William Smith clerk of the Superior and Inferior courts,
Samuel M. Clyatt re-elected surveyor,
William Blair state senator,
Jesse Carter representative.

Randal Folsom succeeded William Blair as senator the following year while Benjamin Sirmans was elected representative.

As stated above, the first town was named Franklinville and was made the county site in 1828. It was located a few miles east of the present town of Hahira, and was made up of only a few small houses and a store or two where the settlers came together to do a bit of exchanging goods and where they met and talked of matters in general. However, they were forced to do most of their trading at Tallahassee, Fla., St. Marks and Newport. The county-site remained at Franklinville until 1833, when it was changed to Lowndesville, a small settlement about a mile above the junction of the Little and Withlacoochee rivers. The town's name was a few years later changed to Troupeville and as such continued until 1859, when the court house and most of the other buildings there were removed to the new county-seat, Valdosta, on the railroad.

Troupville grew rapidly and soon became a prosperous little village.

Stores, residences, mechanics' shops, churches and a court house were soon built, and the town soon came to be the principal trading center of this section. In 1842 there were about 500 people inhabitants of the town, and there were two churches, the Methodist and the Baptist. The Baptist church was constituted June 21st, 1840, with James O. Goldwire, Rev. Alexander Mosely, Marion C. Goldwire and "Old Monday," a slave of James O. Goldwire, as its charter members. In 1861 this church was moved to Valdosta.

The only newspaper published at that time in this section of the state was "The South Georgia Watchman." It became the official organ of not only Lowndes but of Ware, Clinch and other counties. Col. Leonoreon de Lyon was the able editor of the paper. It was decidedly Whig in its politics and played no small part in the campaigns of its day.

Troupville was incorporated by an act of the legislature approved December 14th, 1837, and the following commissioners were named to govern the town until an election could be had:
Jonathan Knight, Sr.,
Jared Johnson,
K. Jameson,
Francis H. McCall,
William Smith.

In "White's Statistics," published by Dr. White in 1849, the statement is made that there were still standing near Troupville at that time, the ruins of an old town whose origin probably dated back to prehistoric times. Large live oaks were flourishing and the idea of spontaneous growth was precluded by the straight and uniform rows in which the trees were planted, but who could have set them out is a mystery. No one in Troupville at that time could explain.

Near Troupville, was a sparkling spring called "Morgan's Spring." It was only a short distance from the public road and near the bridge which the stage crossed in going over the Withlacoochee River. As the Morgans lived near the spring, it was called Morgan's Spring, and it was famed far and wide for its purity and refreshing qualities. The passengers on the old stage coaches always wanted to get out and see the noted spring and many refreshed themselves with its cooling waters.

In 1845 the first census of the county was taken and it was found to have 4,475 white people and 1662 slaves. There were also several saw mills run by water-power, rice mills, grist mills and a good many stores. The taxable property was well over two million.

As above stated, the county seat remained at Troupville until 1859, when it was removed to the present town or city of Valdosta. It was on July 4th of that year that the first train over the new railroad and the first train ever in that station, came over the new road to the then terminus of the road now known as Valdosta. The event had been announced weeks in advance and monstrous preparations had been made to make the date a gala occasion. A barbecue dinner was prepared and crowds gathered from the entire section to take part in the demonstration. As the crowds watched and waited, the train came putting down the track and many a spectator felt his or her knees give way and an almost irresistible desire to run seized many of them, for this was the first train most of them had ever seen.

When the people of Troupville saw that the railroad was going to miss their town by some three or four miles, they began discussion about the removal of the county seat to a point on the new road. There had been some discussion when the building of the road was first commenced out of Savannah, but when it was definitely seen that it would miss Troupville, residents of the town voted to move the town to the railroad, always keeping before them the progress of their town and the good of the county.

The railroad was in process of building when residents of Troupville began to move. William Smith, one of the pioneers, and known as "Uncle Billy" Smith, the day the deed was signed by Mr. Wisenbaker giving the railroad six acres of land on which to build the first station, tore off the wing of his hotel at Troupville and moved it to Valdosta, where he operated his hotel several years.

The first house moved to the new town was owned by Judge Peeples and it was rolled from Troupville to Valdosta, being placed on pillars on the lot on Troup Street where it now stands. Several other houses were also moved bodily and some few of them are yet standing. In a few weeks time Troupville as a town was no more.

As is generally known, Valdosta received its name from the plantation of Governor George M. Troup in Laurens County. In selecting the name, the residents of the new town still remembered the old General, and it was decided not to name the new town Troupville, as that would take away some of the sentiment attached to the old town. Several names were suggested, but it remained for Col. de Lyon, the editor of the "Watchman," to have the honor of suggesting the name which was definitely adopted. The name "Valdosta" was acceptable from a standpoint of euphony as well as sentiment.

Valdosta was selected as the county site by four commissioners who were appointed for that purpose by an act of the legislature assented to Nov. 21st, 1859. These commissioners were:
James Harrell,
Dennis Worthington,
John R. Stapler,
William H. Goldwire.
The town was subsequently incorporated by an act of the legislature approved Dec. 7th, 1860, and was located on 140 acres of lot of land 62 in the 11th district of Lowndes county. The Indians were a source of constant dread and trouble to the white settlers. The last war with the Indians in this section was in 1836-1838 when the Indians were removed west. Part of them chose to go to Florida, where they joined the Seminoles. The last battle of any consequence occurred at Brushy Creek in the southwest part of the county, July 10th, 1836. The following narrative of an engagement with the Indians is given by Bryan J. Roberts, a wealthy pioneer citizen of the county:

"Sometime in the fall of 1836 a squad of Indians raided the home of Mr. William Parker, not far from where Milltown now is. They carried his feather beds out in the yard, cut them open, emptied the feathers and appropriated the ticks. They also robbed him of provisions, clothing and money in the sum of $308. Capt. Levi J. Knight, in whose command Mr. Roberts was, was soon on trail of the squad and overtook them near the Allapaha River, not far from the Gaskins mill-pond. The sun was just rising when the gallant company opened fire on the savages. A lively fight ensued, soon terminating in the utter rout of the Indians, who threw their guns and plunder into the river and jumped in after them. A few were killed and a number wounded. One Indian was armed with a fine shotgun. This he threw into the river. He also tried to throw a shot-bag into the stream, but it caught in the limb of a tree and suspended over the water. Strange to say, it contained Mr. Parker's money, every cent of which was recovered. The fine shotgun was fished out of the river and later sold for $40, a tremendous price for a gun in those days.

"Having driven the Indians from the dense swamp beyond the river, Capt. Knight marched his company as rapidly as possible in the direction of Brushy Creek in the southwest part of the county. In the distance they heard a volley of small arms. On arrival they found that a battle had already been fought and the volley was only a last tribute of respect over the grave of a comrade-in-arms, Pennywell Folson. Mr. Robert Parrish, who later became quite prominent and lived near Adel, had his arm broken in this fight. Edwin Henderson was mortally wounded and died near the battlefield, and there were two others killed. The battle was fought in a swamp, where Indian cunning was pitted against Anglo-Saxon courage, and in five minutes after the engagement opened, there was not a live redskin to be seen."*

Capt. Levi J. Knight commanded the troops in this section as major and colonel.** The company mentioned above to which Mr. Roberts belonged was on duty 105 days, and was engaged in two bloody fights with the Indians.

Dr. White mentions in his White's Statistics, in 1850, the following original settlers of Lowndes:
Rev. Mr. Alberton
Captain Bell
Bani Boyd
Jacob Bryan
John Bryan
Captain Burnett
Jesse Carter
H. Colson
John Dias
William Dias
Fisher Gaskins
Jesse Goodman
G. Hall
J. Hall
John Hill
S. Hall
J. Jemison
Rev. William A. Knight
Jesse Lee
William McMullin
James Matthews
Henry Parrish
L. Roberts
Francis Rountree
James D. Shanks
Major Simmons
Benjamin Sirmans
William Smith
Samuel E. Swilly
John J. Underwood

In addition to these might be mentioned William Peters, who was a soldier of the Revolution, and who was granted a Federal pension in 1846 while a resident of Lowndes. His descendants are today to be found in this county.

Rev. William A. Knight, mentioned above, was the ancestor of the Knights of this section, most of his descendants of that name now living in Berrien and Lanier counties. He came to Lowndes from Wayne County. He was born Feb. 8th, 1778, and died Dec. 8, 1859, and together with his wife, is buried at Burnt Church on the Alapaha River, in Lanier County.

Jesse Lee, mentioned above, together with his brother Joshua Lee, settled in this section about 1820. Jesse Lee was born in 1780 In South Carolina, and had a large family, and today his descendants are very numerous in Lanier and Berrien counties.

Joshua Lee, his brother, settled where Milltown now is, and began the construction of the now famous Banks Pond, in 1821. He employed a big number of slaves besides free labor on the job. After he sold it in 1848 to William Lastinger, the new owner considerably enlarged the pond. Joshua Lee was born in 1782 and his wife's name was Martha Ford, a native of North Carolina. They had several children, whose descendants are today numerous in Clinch, Lanier and Berrien counties. Joshua Lee moved to Clinch from Milltown in 1848, and died at his home near Prospect church in that county in 1856.

John Mathis was another old settler of the county, and was born in North Carolina in 1774. Together with his brothers, Edmund Mathis (b. 1776) and James Mathis (b. 1778) they settled first in this state in Bulloch County, and after living there a few years they came to Lowndes about the same time the Lee brothers did. They settled in that part of the county now in Berrien and Lanier counties. Edmund Mathis later moved to Clinch County, where he died.

Griffin Mizell, another old citizen of the county, died at his home in Lowndes, Nov. 23rd, 1846. He was born in 1767.

Barzilla Staten, an old settler of the county, is the progenitor of the Statens in this county. He fought in the Indian wars and was wounded. He owned a good deal of land in the section around Stockton, then in Lowndes but now in Lanier County. He also owned lands in Florida, where he had big droves of cattle. He was born in 1776, and his wife, who was Catherine Watson, was born in 1801. They had eleven children. The elder Staten died about 1846, and three of his sons-in-law, Jesse W. Carter, William S. Roberts and Jonathan Knight, were the administrators of his vast estate. An old legal advertisement of some of the property of the estate, published in December, 1846, advertises three lots of land near the present town of Stockton for sale, and describes them as "well improved," and "fourteen likely negroes" are also advertised for sale.

Ashley Lawson moved into the county about 1827 and settled near the present town of Hahira. Around him settled several other families, and in the course of time the town of Hahira sprang up. When the G. S. & F. Railroad came through, years later, the little town was moved about a half mile, so as to be on the railroad.

Benjamin Sirmans, one of the earlier representatives from the county in the legislative halls, was the son of Josiah Sirmans and his wife, Artie Hardeman, and was born in Emanuel County, Feb. 6th, 1702. The elder Sirmans was born in 1767 and died Jan. 6th, 1830, at his home in what was then Lowndes, but now Lanier County. Josiah Sirmans had four sons and three daughters and their descendants are today very numerous in Clinch, Lanier and Berrien counties.

The Sirmans' settled the place now the home place of Mr. J. B. Strickland in the Mud Creek district of Lanier county, on Dec. 22, 1822, and the place has ever since remained in the family. Benj. Sirmans died May 1st, 1863, leaving a valuable estate, which was divided among his heirs without any administration.

Malachi Monk, elected coroner of the county in 1826, and sheriff in 1828, was born April 22, 1805, and died in Clinch County, near DuPont, in 1886. His wife, Mehala, was born in 1814 and preceded her husband to the grave only a few months.

The following early settlers of the county were elected justices of the peace in their respective districts in 1829, which was the regular election year for justices of the peace:
James Robinson and David Mathis in the 658th district;
Levi J. Knight and Abner Sirmans in the 664th district;
John S. Whitfield and Cornelius English in the 659th district;
Jarvis J. Frier and Wm. Dowling in the 663rd district;
William Hall and John Blackshear in the 660th district,
James Walker and David Gillett in the 661st district.
Jared Johnson was later in the year elected a justice in the 659th district, succeeding Cornelius English.

Other early justices of the peace were:
James M. Bates
Isaac B. Calton
Samuel M. Clyatt
Benjamin Cornelius
John Dean
John Edmondson
Randol Folsom
Nathan Gornto
Benj. Grantham
Edwin M. Henderson
William G. Henderson
Durham Hancock
Daniel Humphreys
John Knight
John Lindsey
John Mathis, Jr.
Benj. Miller
Roderick Morrison
Samuel G. Norman
Samuel Paulk
Seaborn Rainey
Nicebud Raulerson
Bryan J. Roberts
William Stone
Simeon Strickland
John J. Underwood
H. W. Sharpe
Joshua Sikes
Samuel E. Swilly
Joseph Yates


*Georgia Landmarks, by Knight, Vol. 1. p. 596.
** History of Clinch County, by Huxford, p. 13.
Source: South Georgia Historical and Genealogical Quarterly, 1922




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