Masonic fraternity since the first establishment of regular Lodges in our State. He sustained through a long life the most unblemished character. From the earliest settlement of this portion of Georgia the citizens have been particularly distinguished for their great attention to the subject of education. Some of the most eminent men in the State received their academical education in Hancock. Extract from the Census of 1850.-Dwellings, 761; families, 785; white males, 2,134; white females, 2,078; free coloured males, 33; free coloured females, 27. Total free population, 4,272; slaves, 7,306. Deaths, 128. Farms, 444; manufacturing establishments, 20. Value of real estate, $1,630,646; value of personal estate, $4,049,156. HANCOCK MANUFACTURING COMPANY.-Situated at Sparta; dimensions of factory, 54 by 140; engine-room, 25 by 54; engine, 100 horse power; capital, $80,000; spindles, 4,500; looms, 100; operatives, 140; yards of cloth made per day, 3,500; pounds of thread per day, 500; osnaburgs, sheetings, &c., are manufactured. The lovers of natural science will find much to interest them in this section of the State. Minerals are abundant, viz., agate, jasper, chalcedony, iron, gold, asbestos, kaolin, galena, zircon, plumbago, epidote, &c. There are some remarkable mounds in this county. A gentleman has furnished us with an account of several on Shoulder Bone Creek. He says, "The principal one is 400 feet N. of the centre prong of Shoulder Bone Creek; its base is 20 feet above the level of the creek. A few years ago it was 37 feet high; around it are the remains of a ditch or intrenchment, containing about four acres. Near the mound is an inclosure. Human bones, to a large amount, have been exhumed.” This county has furnished her share of distinguished men. Hon. DIXON H. LEWIS was born in Hancock. Governor McDONALD, Hon. W. T. COLQUITT, and numerous others, resided in it. Hon. BOLLING HALL was a gentleman of an uncommonly fine mind. We have in our possession a number of his letters addressed to prominent men, and they afford evidence of a great knowledge of the science of government. Hancock may still point to many useful and patriotic men among her citizens. It is said that she is particularly noted for producing stout men. We have heard of a jury whose united weight exceeded 3,600 pounds. Among the first settlers of the county were, General H. MITCHELL, BOLLING HALL, CHARLES ABERCROMBIE, General ADAMS, HENRY GRAYBILL, JOSEPH BRYAN, WM. REES, JONATHAN ADAMS, JOHN MONTGOMERY, JACOB DENNIS, ARCHIBALD SMITH, T. HOLT, THOS. RAINES, JAMES BISHOP, ISHAM REES, M. MARTIN, R. CLARKE, R. SHIPP, F. TUCKER, L. BARNES, W. WYLEY, WM. SAUNDERS, JAMES THOMAS, JESSE POPE, JONAS SHIVERS, WM. HARDWICK, L. TATUM, R. MORELAND. Shoulder Bone Creek is memorable as being the place where a treaty was made with the Creeks in 1786. HARRIS COUNTY. LAID out from Troup and Muscogee, 1827. Part added to Muscogee, 1829. Length, 20 m.; breadth, 18 m.; square miles, 360. Named after Charles Harris, Esq., of Savannah, an eminent jurist. The Chattahoochee forms the western boundary of the county. West End, Standing Boy, Sowahachee, Mulberry, Flat Shoal, Old House, and Mountain creeks, empty into the Chattahoochee. HAMILTON is the county town, situated at the extremity of the Oak Mountain, one mile south of the Pine Mountains, and distant from Milledgeville 110 miles. Whitesville is on the road leading from Columbus to La Grange. Valley Place, Cochran's, and Ellerslie, are small places. There is much variety in the face of the country. The Pine Mountains enter the county near the northeastern corner. The Oak Mountain enters it at its eastern corner. Above the Pine Mountains, east of the road leading to Columbus, the country is level, having a thin, light soil, productive, but not lasting. West of the road, from Columbus to La Grange, it is a broken, rich country, heavily timbered. In the valley between the Oak and Pine Mountains the soil is gray; growth, Spanish oak and hickory. South of the Oak Mountain, upon the head waters of Mulberry Creek, and extending all the way down said creek, the soil is rich. There is nothing in the climate to distinguish it from that of the surrounding counties. The instances of longevity that have come to our knowledge are--JONATHAN BLACKMAN, who died over 80; EzeKIEL BROWN, 86; SMITH COTTON, 88; Mr. FARLEY, over 84; Mr. WELDEN, Over 80; Mrs. STREET, over 80; Mrs. WALKER, 80. Among the first settlers of this county were-ANDERSON REDDING, T. JONES, W. C. OSBORN, A. JOHNSON, JOSEPH DAVIS, E. D. HINES, THOS. HALL, B. JOHNSTON, A. GOODMAN, S. HUEY, JAMES RAMSEY, JOHN WHITE, JUDGE WELBORN, General Low, R. MOBBLEY, NATHANIEL H. BARTON, WILLIAM WHITEHEAD, THOMAS WHITEHEAD, LEWIS WINN, JOHN J. HARPER, THOS. L. JACKSON, JACKSON HARWELL, STRINGER GIBSON, JOHN and JULIUS MITCHELL THOS. MAHone. Extract from the Census of 1850.-Dwellings, 1,175; families, 1,242; white males, 3,391; white females, 3,318; free coloured males, 15; free coloured females, 15. Total free population, 6,739; slaves, 7,982. Deaths, 149. Farms, 873; manufacturing establishments, 73. Value of real estate, $1,773,509; value of personal estate, $3,677,877. Extract from the Minutes of the first Superior Court of Harris County. Agreeably to appointment, the Court met-present, His Honor WALTER T. COLQUITT, Judge thereof-this 20th day of March, 1828. The following persons were sworn as Grand Jurors to serve the present term, being the first Superior Court in this county : 1. GEORGE W. RODGERS, 2. WILLIAM HEARD, 3. J. BASS, 4. JAMES LOFLIN, 5. GEORGE CHATHAM, 9. EDWARD D. PERRYMAN, 11. STEPHEN CURVIN, 12. WILLIAM WATTS, 13. LEVI EZZELL, 14. BURWELL BLACKMON, 16. JOHN D. JOHNSON, 23. JNO. S. BECKHAM, N. H. BADEN, Esq., was elected Clerk of the Superior Court in 1836, and has held the office ever since. HEARD COUNTY. THIS County was laid out from Troup, Carroll, and Coweta, in 1830, and named after the Hon. Stephen Heard. It is well supplied with streams. The only river is the Chattahoochee, into which numerous creeks empty. The surface of the country is very hilly. About one-third of the county consists of rich oak and hickory land; two-thirds are pine, mixed with oak and hickory, and remarkably productive. FRANKLIN is the seat of justice; it is situated on the east bank of the Chattahoochee River, 145 miles from Milledgeville. Corinth, 11 miles east, and Houstoun, 9 miles southwest of Franklin, are thriving villages. St. Cloud's and McBride's Mills do considerable business. No section of Georgia is favoured with a more salubrious climate. On Colonel Dent's farm, some negroes ploughed up a gun, having on it the British coat of arms. Gold has been found in the bed of the Chattahoochee, and in all the creeks and branches on the west of it. Iron ore and lead have also been discovered. Among the instances of longevity are the following:-Mr. JOHN Cook, who died between 90 and 100; a Mr. Wood had a negro woman supposed, at her death, to have been 120 years old; Mr. JAMES WOOD died at the age of 85; his wife was supposed to have been about the same age at her death. Extract from the Census of 1850.-Dwellings, 724; families, 724 ; white males, 2,295; white females, 2,225; free coloured males, 3. Total free population, 4,523; slaves, 2,400. Deaths, 41. Farms, 512; manufacturing establishments, 5. Value of real estate, $799,770; value of personal estate, $1,425,064. Among those who made the first settlements in this county were— Colonel DENT, WINSTON WOOD, JOHN WARE, DANIEL WHITAKER, D. SULLIVAN, C. B. BROWN, JAMES ADAMS, Dr. GHENT, J. T. SMITH, THOMAS PINKARD, P. H. WHITAKER, ELISHA TALLEY, Dr. JOSEPH REESE, BAILEY BLEDSOE, W. KIRK, Rev. SAMUEL LANE, Rev. JESSE GEORGE, JAMES WOOD, J. STEVENS, Rev. W. W. STEAGALL, JOHN SCOGGINS. HENRY COUNTY. BOUNDARIES defined by the Act of 1821; a part added to, and a part taken from, Walton, 1821, and parts to Newton, to Fayette, 1821; and a part to Butts, 1825. Length, 27 m.; breadth, 15 m.; square miles, 405. Named after Hon. Patrick Henry, of Virginia. The rivers are, South and Cotton. Several creeks water the county. MCDONOUGH is the capital, situated on the waters of Walnut Creek, seventy miles from Milledgeville. The public places are, Hollinsworth's Store, Double Cabins, Hale's Store, White House, Cotton River, and Pittsfield. The face of the country is uneven. The bottom lands are productive. The climate is healthy. We insert a few cases of longevity. JOHN SMITH, near 100; JAS. DANIEL, 80; JOHN TREADWELL, 80; JACOB COKER, 80; RICHARD CARD, 80; JOHN OSLIN, 80; E. CLOUD, 92; Mr. CUNCLE, 82. Mr. JOHN WYATT lived to the age of 93. During that war which "tried the souls of men," this gentleman, then in the vigour of youth, rendered to his country the most signal services. He was present, and acted an honourable part in the character of an officer, when Cornwallis surrendered. In this and other severe engagements, the deceased bore ample testimony of that undying devotion to his country's welfare, which distinguished him through the course of a long life. Statistics from the Census of 1850.-Dwellings, 1,680; families, 1680; white males, 4,978; white females, 4,765; free coloured males, 9; free coloured females, 5. Total free population, 9,757; slaves, 4,969. Deaths, 157. Farms, 1,003; manufacturing establishments, 3.. Value of real estate, $1,762,595; value of personal estate, $2,869,342. Among the early settlers of this county were, WILLIAM HARDIN, JESSE JOHNSON, JAMES SELLERS, H. J. WILLIAMS, WM. PATE, D. JOHNSON, W. H. TURNER, M. BROOKS, S. WEEMS, WOODSON HERBERT, JAMES ARMSTRONG, ROBERT BEARD, JAMES PATILLO, JOSIAH MCCULLY, ROLAND BROWN, R. M. SIMS, WM. CRAWFORD, E. MOSELEY, JOHN BROOKS, who built the first mill, REUBEN DEARING, JACOB HINTON, E. BROOKS, JOHN CALLOWAY, B. JENKS, WM. JENKS, Col. S. STRICKLAND, PARKER EASON, JOSEPH KIRK, Wм. and JOHN GRIFFIN, DANIEL SMITH, H. LONGINO, WM. TUGGLE, JOHN LOVEJOY. IN 1828, a paper called the Jacksonian was published at McDonough, by Mr. Samuel W. Minor. This paper was the first to nominate General Andrew Jackson for the Presidency. The first Superior Court was held 10th June, 1822, at the house of William Ruff, Judge CLAYTON presiding. The names of the Grand Jurors were,— WILLIAM JACKSON, WM. MALONE, JAMES SELLERS, JAMES PATE, THOMAS ABERCROMBIE, C. COCHRAN, G. GAY, WM. WOOD, WILIE TERRILL, JETHRO BARNES. ROBERT SHAW, JOHN BROOKS, F. PEARSON, S. STRICKLAND. HOUSTOUN COUNTY. THIS County was organized in 1821. A part set off to Bibb and Crawford in 1822; a part to Pulaski in 1828; and a part to Crawford in 1830. Named after John Houstoun, formerly Governor of Georgia. It is 35 miles long and 25 wide; square miles, 875. |