The Heritage a Quarterly Publication 2020 Newsletter Competition Spring 2021 Vol

The Heritage A Quarterly Publication 2020 Newsletter Competition Spring 2021 Vol. 50 No. 1 Award Winner

Circus Entertainment in Gwinnett page 9 Woodward’s Mill page 17 Contents

Features Entertainment When Traveling Circuses Visited Gwinnett...... 9

Reminiscences Matrimony in Gwinnett...... 13 Woodward’s Mill and Surrounding Area of Gwinnett...... 17 John B. Brogdon’s Store...... 22

Preservation Rock Springs United Methodist Church Cemetery...... 19 Rowen Research Park...... 20

Quarterly Reports A Word from the President...... 3 Committee Reports...... 4, 5 & 21 News...... 6 Tidbits...... 7 Photo Gallery...... 8 Index...... 23 Calendar...... 24

About the cover: Portrait of John Bill Ricketts, an entrepreneur in American circus entertainment. Although Ricketts’ circus never came to Georgia this portrait captures the spirit of Ricketts’ celebrity as an eighteenth century horse showman. Oil on canvas, c. 1795-1799, by Gilbert Stuart. Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.

Statement of Purpose Gwinnett Historical Society collects and preserves the history and genealogy of Gwinnett County, Georgia, and the records of the early settlers of the county, including the churches, schools, organizations, and other institutions.

Gwinnett Historical Society Invites You to Become a Member $25 for Individual $35 for Family $10 for Student $25 for Institution

Membership includes subscription for The Heritage and password for the members-only website.

2021 Spring Vol. 50 No. 1 2 The Heritage, A Quarterly Publication The Heritage A Word Miriam Machida, Editor From Contributors: Gene Ramsay, Catherine Long Eli Stancel, Jim Cofer The President Proofreaders: Bill Baughman, Betty Warbington Richard Lux Photo Editor: Tyler Holman Gwinnett Historical Society Dear GHS Members, 2021 Officers I am writing this message on December 14, 2020, the President...... Beverly Paff night of my installation as president of the Gwinnett Historical Vice President...... Jim Cofer Society for 2021 and 2022. Today is a truly significant day in Treasurer...... Richard Lux the history of our nation. The first COVID-19 vaccinations Assistant Treasurer...... Betty Warbington are being administered and COVID-19 deaths just surpassed Recording Secretary...... Kathryn Baskin 300,000. Also, the electoral college votes are being cast during Board of Trustees a political climate racked by controversy and turmoil. Gwinnett citizens, churches, businesses, and election officials are all Diane McCormic (2021−2022) struggling during this Pandemic. Shelley Berrong (2021−2022) The year 2020 has been difficult for Gwinnett Historical Frances Johnson (2020-2021) Society. The shutdown of our office due to COVID-19 Mark Tkacik (2021-2022) restrictions led to us going without access to our phone calls Bill Baughman (2021) and emails. Meetings had to be canceled. Even into December, Committees we are operating on a very limited basis under social-distancing African American History...... Bernice Bailey guidelines. Our former president, Susan Youngblood Gilbert, Archives...... Frances Johnson continues to be in our thoughts and prayers as she fights Cemetery...... Bobbie Tkacik to recover from surgery to remove a brain tumor. We find ourselves feeling slightly askew from this storm, but thankful First Families of Gwinnett...... Phyllis Davis that vice president, John Hopkins, took over the helm as Genealogy...... Elizabeth Olson president. Historian...... Mary Frazier Long I look forward to the New Year. COVID-19 is still with IT/Website...... vacant us, but our GHS officers, trustees, and committee chairs Library...... Harriett Nicholls are all dedicated to working together to find ways to hold Membership...... Gene Ramsay our meetings, offer speakers and activities to our general Newsletter...... Miriam Machida membership, and most importantly to continue our work in Preservation...... Diane McCormic the community preserving Gwinnett history. The year 2021 Publications...... Bill Baughman offers promise of a new normal. I am humbled by the work Winn Fair...... Beverly Paff/Betty Warbington done by those before me and will offer my best efforts to fill Winn Property...... Betty Warbington their shoes. Gwinnett Historical Society 185 West Crogan Street P. O. Box 261 Lawrenceville, GA 30046-0261 770-822-5174 The Heritage is published for members of Gwinnett Historical Society in [email protected] www.gwinnetths.org March, June, September, and December. Gwinnett Historical Society, Inc., is a 501(c)(3) organization. Contributions Like Gwinnett Historical Society are tax deductible to the full extent provided by the law. on Facebook © 2021 Gwinnett Historical Society The Heritage, A Quarterly Publication 3 2021 Spring Vol. 50 No. 1 Cemetery Bobbie Tkacik application is Wednesday, June 30, 2021. This deadline This is an update on the encroaching construction will ensure that there is time to review your application (RZR2017-00004) near Upchurch Cemetery, located on and approve or ask for additional information to C the northwest side of Bethesda Church Road, about compete your application before the September general 500 feet north of the Ronald Reagan Parkway ramp, and membership meeting. Hopefully, we will be able to hold across the street from the Unitarian Universalist Church our First Families Award Program this year during the o driveway. Construction has started for a traditional September meeting. neighborhood development of 153 units on 23.42 My cell number is 770-827-0810. Please call me if acres along Bethesda Church Road and Ronald Reagan you have questions about your application and I will try to m Parkway. Earth has been excavated behind the cemetery assist you. I look forward to hearing from you. and a steep embankment remains. The developer is not m required to fence in the cemetery as the cemetery was Membership Richard Lux adjacent to the project. New Members Phase 2 of the Eagle Scout Holmes Cemetery Georgia i project has been started in the Kensington subdivision Denise Dutton Benshoff, Snellville off Webb Gin House Road. Due to a tree falling over part Joan Compton, Johns Creek of the cemetery, the scouts will not be able to complete Frank Czarny, Lawrenceville t the project until the tree is removed. Jesse J. Garbowski, Lawrenceville Julie Needham, Grayson First Families of Gwinnett Penny Oslin, Lawrenceville t Phyllis Garner Davis Mark Patterson, Lawrenceville Happy New Year GHS members! I hope all of you Patricia Higgins Reichert, Marietta e are well and plan to begin the new year by applying for a Alabama First Families application or by completing Daniel R. Champion, Leeds your First Families application. It would Texas e be most helpful when you check out an Janice P. Mahoney, Jonestown application if you would complete your contact information in order for us to Winn Property Betty Warbington offer assistance when assistance is needed. Big changes have come to the Elisha Winn We have applications that have been checked out and not Property! You will only have to take one step onto the returned but no way to contact the applicant! property to see what is happening. All changes support R This past year was a difficult time for all of us as handicap accessibility! Accessibility has been a goal of the GHS office was closed and we did not have access the Gwinnett Historical Society for many years. Thanks to our office or records. Several First Family applicants to Gwinnett County, this goal has come to fruition. You e have applications almost completed. I will be contacting can’t miss the new wide, level sidewalks that meander them to see if we can work on approving them. It is throughout the historic landscape to provide access to all important to remember that anything you enter on your buildings starting with the beautiful 1812 home all the p application must have documentation. We try not to be way to the other side of the park, ending with the new rigid about this but documentation is a must. Thankfully, restroom facility and additional parking area. Stay tuned o documentation is usually available through some records for pictures and more information in the summer issue online, records in our office or through completed and of The Heritage highlighting the upgrades to the Elisha documented applications that may connect to your line. Winn property! r We will help you any way we can. Iris in Oakland Cemetery, Atlanta, 2020 The deadline for completing your First Families Photos by Gene Ramsay t s

2021 Spring Vol. 50 No. 1 4 The Heritage, A Quarterly Publication Archives Frances Johnson Gwinnett Historical Society welcomes participation in our goal of keeping archive records up to date and available for research purposes. Please call if you wish to join the Archives committee. The records containing deeds and land grants will be permanently stored in fireproof safe. Photos and negatives will be indexed for clarity and stored in a common file for access purposes. Accession Record documents will be documented with exact drawer placements. Accession records are works in progress and finding aides are needed for many of these files. Contents of GHS Fireproof Safe Drawers 2 and 3 1990-001 Landers original CSA Letters Record Book 1840 Austin, James (also 2020-029 Walton County: 4 documents 1993-003 Grant/Plat 1819 Mathews name Overton) 2020-030 Mason Family Documents Family 6th Dist LL162 2014-027 RR Depot 1907 Lawrenceville donated by Bill Cudlipp 1993-006 Deed 7/27/1835 original Photo Friendship 1833-1977, Manuscript Mckeen A. Cady & W. Garmany 7th 2015-013 DEED 1832 E. Loose Papers thru 1993 LL175 & 176 500 acres Winn/McDonald 5th LL210 Friendship Minutes of Friendship Prim 1993-006 Deeds, Woodward Mill 1831- 2015-009-106 Land Grant Woodyard Baptist Church Snellville, Georgia, 1946 donated by George & Mary Pharr 1819 printed edition 1997-012 Simonton Land Grant/Plat 31 2017-002 Grants, DEEDS (Garner- Friendship Minutes, Manuscript Third July 1819 5th LL319, Slave Bill of Sale Bradley 6th LL73, 14 June 1819), 13 Book 1904 continued from Old book 30 May 1821, total 5 docs December 1823, from Winn-Holt of 1869 1998-017 Deed 1830 (01 March 1830) Estate Friendship Prim. Baptist Minutes typed 7th LL184 14 July 1817 Land Grant 2019-061 Friendship Prim Baptist copy 2019-061, Book 2 McNovills Burke Co. Church Published Minutes 2019 by Friendship Prim. Baptist Church Loose 1998-023 Whitworth, Richard Miriam Shindelbower Machida Papers in binder book, original correspondence to R. A. Whitworth 2019-061 typed copy minutes of Friendship Prim. Baptist Minutes June from relatives Friendship 26, 1869-1900 original book, Book 2 1999-011 Haynes Creek Church 2020-017 Terrell, William house GHS 501-C-3 letter IRS 358-1309910 documents includes list of members documents: 1858 letter, DEED 1858, Gwinnett Historical Society 1999-012 Confederate Vet Magazine ledger sheet 1818 letter, etc. GHS Articles of Incorporation Life in Dixie During War 1-1917, 2020-018 McMillan CSA Letters, 7 GHS Jackson Log Structure on Winn 1-1896, W. J. Dodd Estate Documents, Tintype, Mrs. Joseph Davis property Historical Study by TRC 2002-002-003 Diary, Civil War by 2020-019 Woodward/Pharr Mill Photos GHS Lease Agreement 12/28/1992 Fleming, Richard, photo copies Richard 2020-020 Ambrose, Jacob photos small (4/2/98) Historic Courthouse & Susan Fleming black and white copies Hard Drive for computer/no date 2003-013 Haynes Creek Prim. Baptist 2020-021 Hutchins, N. L. original legal Haynes Creek Prim. Baptist Church Church Minutes, 2 books document related to law case copy Minutes 1826-1947 2003-015 New Hope Christian Church 2020-022 Patterson house on Jackson Hutchins, Amos taped interview Minute Book 1872-1920 Street, five documents 7/28/1978 disk 2004-001 Shiloh Methodist Church 2020-023 DEED 1820 McKnight Ivy, Louise photo (missing) Register 1879,1890-1956 donated Gary to Kirkland, Book A page 115 15 Lawrenceville City Plat Original 1877 & Kathy Manor December 1820 and negative of plat 2006-001 Thompson, F. original letter 2020-024 Gwinnett Superior Court Maguire, Thomas Journal 1859-1972 to son Minutes with Index 1868-1873 Medlock, Harold (missing) 2008-002 Friendship Prim. Baptist 2020-025 Gwinnett Courthouse Slide Gwinnett, Button photograph (2) Minutes, Org. Bks 1,2,3,4 now stored negatives, (1) Winn House photo & (1) Slide Show Vanishing Gwinnett Fireproof Safe (Shelf 15 Box 4) Hutchins, Amos with barn door (narrative typed) 2010-004 DEED Brogdon 167 acres 2020-026 Gwinnett Court 1883-1889 Slides for Kodak Carousel Tray 7th LL257, 4 Dec 1866 Book P pg 384 State Ct (needs indexing) Winn House negatives May 1999 Hope & Harriett Brogdon deed 2020-027 Alexander Family genealogy photos 2014-009 Key, Thomas 22 March 1861 papers, hand written Winn, Elisha Descendants genealogy receipt and Justice Inf. Ct. Gwinnett Co. 2020-028 Bona Allen photos: Stanley file letter 7 April 1865 Allen & “The Largest Shoe in the Winn, Richard D. Winn House old door 2014-010 Young family Orphans, World on Wheels” hardware/Hughes/unmarked grey box The Heritage, A Quarterly Publication 5 2021 Spring Vol. 50 No. 1 Cofer Family History N a preview of Jim Cofer’s upcoming family history We’ve all heard the famous question “Daddy, what Herndon, Jinks, and Snell. The research for this book did you do during the War?” The modern version of that allowed me to get in touch with several other Cofer e will be “Daddy, what did you do during COVID-19?” families from our same family tree, such as the Cofers of When my sons and extended family ask me that question Tucker, Grayson, Athens, etc. w in the future, I will gladly answer “I researched and My grandfather James Robert Cofer married Virginia documented your family history.” Actually, I have been Stella Hannah in 1910, and the couple had five children gathering records for decades, finally started assembling before he contracted tuberculosis and died an untimely s it three years ago, and used the virus quarantine to get it death in 1925. He is shown standing by his peddling all into one volume. This is a progress cart in the family photo. Fortunately, report on the work which hopefully Stella was the daughter of a well-to-do will be published in summer of 2021. landowner, Joseph Hannah, of Scottish First, let me give credit to my descent. Joseph moved her and her five & distant cousin, Vicki Graves Watkins, children into a tenant house on Killian who did the heavy lifting in tracing Hill Road where they stayed until the the Cofer family back to John Cofer children were grown. From that humble born in London, England, in 1638, beginning, the family pulled itself up to and getting it posted on Ancestry.com. include four PhDs, ministers, engineers, Vicki is past president of the Gwinnett successful businessmen, etc., and the Q Historical Society and in my opinion a first Georgia Tech coed. professional genealogist. The book has been slowed by the My primary goal was to document fact that contributing cousins hail from Jim Cofer was active in u the lives of my grandparents, Jim Thailand to San Diego, from London to several professions, including and Stella Cofer of Gwinnett, their Oregon, from New York to Miami and mercantile owner, farmer, descendants down through the great- Houston. e peddler, and slaughterer of great-grandchild level, and then trace Hopefully, the book will be in beef. Courtesy of the author backwards through both their family print by summer of 2021. Copies will r lines as far back as possible. I also researched “sideways” not be for sale but copies for research will be donated to include other pioneer Gwinnett families with which to Gwinnett Historical Society and Snellville Historical we had intermarried including: Hannah, Ford, Knight, Society by the Cofer family. n i Query Book Talk Jeannie Weaver wrote: I’m looking for a photographer Fourteenth Colony: The Forgotten Story of the Gulf who may have been in Gwinnett County area in 1922. South During America’s Revolutionary Era by Mike Bunn, e I have a family photo that was taken around that time. NewSouth Books, Montgomery, 2020 Although the lower portion of the photo border was Author Mike Bunn, joined by frequent contributor s cut off I can make out what appears to be the embossed to The Heritage, Gene Ramsay, spoke at a Gwinnett name “Richardson.” Any help you could provide would County Public Library ZOOM program in January. Mike be greatly appreciated. discussed the history of the forgotten fourteenth colony Bill Baughman answered: His name was Jess that stretched from what are now the states of Florida, Richardson with offices across from the back of the Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana. His book explains Gwinnett Historic Courthouse on Pike Street. We were the Gulf Coast’s remarkable British period and puts West hoping to find his negatives but they were destroyed. Florida back in its place on the map of Colonial America. Lawrenceville Bicentennial 1821-2021 Melissa Hardegree, Director of Community Relations for the City of Lawrenceville, shared this new logo, commemorating the City of Lawrenceville’s Bicentennial Year.

2021 Spring Vol. 50 No. 1 6 The Heritage, A Quarterly Publication Courthouse Tower Clock The Southern Watchman, Athens, Dec. 4, 1872 News-Herald, Lawrenceville, December 7, 1908 Epizooty. The Magnificent Tower Has Been Completed—Correct The horse epidemic is, and has been, for several days T Time Given. past in full blast here. Drays are now drawn by oxen, and Have you heard the court house clock strike? it is becoming difficult to get hauling done at all. It affects Well, she is up and running and there need be no not only horses, but mules also. All the livery stables i further inquiries as to the time, because all that will be are closed. So far as we have learned, no death has yet necessary to do will be to look at the tower and ascertain occurred. the correct hour. A gentleman from Jackson county informed us on d The workmen almost completed their job Saturday Saturday, that he had three cases on his plantation. It will night and the same is about ready to turn over to the probably spread every where. b county authorities. The disease here is in a mild form. One gentleman The clock and tower are beauties and are truly an informs us that his horse, which first exhibited symptoms ornament to the temple of justice. of it on Monday of last week was well on Saturday. i The clock is an eight day Seth Thomas and is the The best treatment is rest and occasional gentle latest and best make exercise. Fumigate stables, keep them clean, and put tar of this celebrated under the horses’ noses. t design. The cogs We should have mentioned this matter last week, but and bearings which did not wish to create needless panic. run the hands are s made of steel and The Southern Watchman, Athens, Dec. 11, 1872 will last for many The Horse Malady generations. has spread all over the country. If there is a place it has Behind the not visited, we have not heard of it. It goes everywhere— four faces are it cannot be [illegible] but is not contagious, but an placed electric epidemic. There is no use, therefore, in being afraid to go lights and the where it is--for it is every where! We are pleased that no time can be read horses in this place have died of it, and that those attacked as readily at night by it are improving. as in the day. The faces are made of Mill Fire heavy ground glass. News-Herald, Lawrenceville, November 23, 1908 The bell has a sweet tone and strikes every hour. It Fire Destroys Annestown Mill weighs 1,500 pounds and is a McShain make. It cost 35 cents per pound. Baxter’s Cotton Mill in Rockbridge District Goes Up in The tower is adorned with tasty cornices and are of Smoke. the heaviest galvanized iron. Last Tuesday night fire destroyed Annestown cotton It might be well to mention that the tower was mill, located on the Yellow river, near Centreville. designed by Mr. McKinney, an old Gwinnett boy, and The mill furnished employment to about twenty- J. D. Nash, who put up the clock, was also raised in this five hands and was owned by the Baxter Manufacturing county. company, who came in possession of the property about The whole superstructure is painted gray and six years ago. presents a striking appearance to the person from any W. H. Baxter, the president was in charge of the mill. position on the square. He is also connected with the big mills at High Shoals, The whole business cost in round numbers $4000 located in the corner of Walton, Oconee and Madison and will remain a permanent monument to the present counties. board of county. The property was valued at $42,000 and the entire plant was destroyed. The company carried about $10,000 1872 Epizootic insurance. Since 1748 “epizootic” has been used to describe an animal pandemic. In 1872 horses and mules suffered from Editor’s note: The fire occurred on November 17, 1908. a highly contagious equine influenza. The Heritage, A Quarterly Publication 7 2021 Spring Vol. 50 No. 1 P h o t o G a l Gwinnett Courthouse before the clock was added Lawrenceville High School basketball team, c. 1953, l with Coach Jack Britt e r y

Courtesy Buddy Humphries If you can identify basketball team members, please share with The Heritage at [email protected]

Source GHS Society picture files.

2021 Spring Vol. 50 No. 1 8 The Heritage, A Quarterly Publication Entertainment When Traveling Circuses Visited Gwinnett By Gene Ramsay

A look back at some examples of traveling entertainment that visited Gwinnett County during its first century.

century ago or more most of the population in the three menageries without the circus, and nineteen circuses without United States lived in smaller towns or on the farm, menageries. These establishments give direct employment to over A seven thousand men and horses, requiring nine hundred vehicles for and as a result many times they did not have easy their transportation, and representing capital of two million dollars. access to some of the theatrical and musical entertainments Some idea may be formed of the enormous expenses of these that were to be found in larger cities such as New York, concerns, when it is known that over five thousand dollars is spent Philadelphia or Boston. None the less, the desire to experience annually on pictorial, newspaper and other printing. The receipts of each company average about eight hundred and fifty dollars per such was there. One option was to travel to the large cities, and day while their expenditures amount to seven hundred. From this it especially to events such as the World Fairs held in Chicago is readily seen that for the amount invested the gains are not large, in 1893, Philadelphia in 1876, and Atlanta in 1895, where one proving the old adage “that all is not gold that glitters.” could see all manner of attractions. In the years after the end of the Civil War, with the rise of better transportation options, The article also listed many of the circus, menagerie, and entertainment started to travel to the people—smaller towns related shows active in the country at the time: Van Amburg’s might be visited by a traveling circus, a carnival, or a contingent Great Golden Menagerie, The European Circus and Trained of Chautauqua lecturers. Animals, French’s Oriental Circus and Performing Animals, Leut’s New York Circus, Forepaugh’s Circus and Zoological The Modern Circus Aggregation, Robinson’s Circus and Menagerie, Orton While the idea of a circus goes back to Roman times, Brothers Southern Circus, and many others. the first modern circus, which brought together acts such as Even with all these circuses roaming the land, it seems equestrians, clowns, tumblers, and others, was created by Philip to have been a rare event in the initial years after the Civil War Astley in England around 1770, and his idea was brought to for any to come to Lawrenceville or other parts of Gwinnett. America after the Revolutionary War by John Bill Rickets, who Traveling shows had numerous people, animals, wagons, tents, established a circus in Philadelphia at the corner of 12th and and the like to transport, and there was not much of a road Market Streets in the 1790s. system, or significant population, in Gwinnett in those days. Organized shows built on the ideas pioneered by Astley Perhaps these were contributing factors, but this did not stop and Ricketts started to emerge around the United States by the the editor of the Weekly Gwinnett Herald from wishing for more mid-1800s, traveling as best they could on the early road, river, entertainment, when he wrote in an 1872 issue of the paper, and rail systems then extant. In 1870 an article in Atlanta’s stating what he wanted--and didn’t want. The Weekly Constitutionalist reviewed the status of the circus Can’t somebody send us a show? We have had but one show since business in the United States at that time, stating in an article the war. Come on with your circus and menagerie, “slight of hand”, titled “Spangles and Sawdust” that magic lantern, fat girls, headless rooster and the like, but we don’t want any keno men, organ grinders, singing ??? teacher, patent cure- At present there are thirty-two circuses and menageries in the alls or peddlers who do not advertise. United States. Of those, ten are circus and menageries combined,

The Heritage, A Quarterly Publication 9 2021 Spring Vol. 50 No. 1 The Orton Circus Upon a failure to In 1882 the journalist’s plea was answered: in the fall get their money Mr. T. R. Jones, a prominent of that year the Miles Orton Circus traveled to a number lawyer of Dalton, was of smaller towns in Georgia. Stops included Jasper, Ellijay, engaged as the attorney Canton, Indian Springs, Eatonton, and Lawrenceville. of the employees to Ads were placed in the Herald prior to the show’s arrival, represent their claims. Mr. Jones levied an helping draw a crowd, and a review that appeared in the attachment on the newspaper after the event was favorable: property of the circus and tied up forty-five Last Saturday was a field day for Lawrenceville. It had been horses, the band wagon, ten years since we had a circus in the town and the flaming bills several parade and posted at every cross-road and fully advertised in the Herald property wagons and a brought to town the largest crowd we have seen on our streets for couple of tents. years. The crowd was variously estimated at from 2,500 to 3,000. We understand that over 2,000 went into the show while there were There was some legal wrangling between various parties many who came to town and witnessed the street parade, who did not go under the canvass. involved, but evidently Mr. Jones prevailed in his lawsuit, as a The animal department was rather slim, but the general January, 1886, newspaper article reported that a large crowd verdict was that the circus performance was first rate and everybody was on hand when the seized assets were auctioned off, stating, went away satisfied. There was some drunkenness on the streets, “Sheriff Samuel B. Poarch was on hand with thirty-four but considering the large crowd, good order was maintained, and horses, two donkeys, twelve wagons, besides harness, canvas, everybody seemed to be in good humor and desired to enjoy themselves. two railcars and a lot of old trumpery.” Mr. Orton is a gentleman and manifested every disposition to The horses were of most interest—a sorrel Norman accommodate the people and make them comfortable as well as to horse drew the highest price, at $175.00; the average price for give them a good show. the horses sold was $54.13 each. They left on Sunday for Monroe, where they were billed to exhibit on The Orton circus suffered a Monday. terrible accident in the summer of 1884, two years after that first visit to The Orton circus was a long-lived Lawrenceville. In August of that year organization. It was first assembled they were touring in Colorado, traveling in Wisconsin in the 1850s by Hiram between towns by rail. They had given a Orton, and featured his equestrian son show in Fort Collins one evening, after Miles as a star of the show. The elder which they packed up and departed Orton retired from the business after for the next town on the schedule, a few years, but the son was involved Greeley. While traveling through the in the “sawdust circle” profession for The Big Top. An illustration for an Orton Circus night the bunk car with seventy men his entire career, and was managing advertisement. sleeping caught on fire. It was thought his own circus by the time they visited that a torch in the car to provide light Lawrenceville for that first time in 1882. Miles Orton died in somehow spread its flames to other materials and soon the 1903 and the circus was carried on by descendants for some car was ablaze. It is thought that the bunks made it difficult to years more under the Orton name. The Orton circus visited open any doors on the car, limiting the paths of escape, and it Gwinnett several more times into the early 1900s, appearing in is thought that as many as seventeen men perished due to the both Lawrenceville and Norcross in the 1904 season. flames and smoke. In spite of these setbacks the circus appears The Orton circus was evidently on thin ice financially to have continued to operate into the early decades of the 20th while on tour in Georgia in the fall of 1885. The circus century. appeared in Dalton on Friday November, 27, and The Atlanta Constitution reported the next week: The John Robinson Circus This circus was one of the best-known operating in the Miles Orton’s great Anglo-American circus is said to be in the United States in the early 1900s, and visited Lawrenceville middle of a ten acre field of trouble, and has been for some days. several times in the first two decades of the 20th century. Friday last this aggregation gave a performance at Dalton, The Gwinnett Journal noted the visit of the circus in which was well attended and pretty generally indorsed as worth going to see. That night the employees made a pull on Orton for September 1909 with this story: their wages, and were told the concern was not in funds to answer Big Show the call. Drew Immense Crowd Tuesday 2021 Spring Vol. 50 No. 1 10 The Heritage, A Quarterly Publication NEW HAVEN, July 5.—John Robinson’s circus met a serious accident this morning. While going over a bridge at West Haven, the bridge settled. The menagerie cages being on the platform cars Robinson’s Military Elephants with Dan “Curley” Noonan, c. struck it. Six cages were knocked off and broken up. A lion and 1913, at Robinson Circus winter home in Terrance Park, Ohio. leopard escaped but were soon secured. A cage containing fifty Courtesy Buckles Blog monkeys was among those wrecked. All the monkeys are now loose John Robinson’s big circus was in town Tuesday, giving a in the woods. The loss is estimated at $10,000. performance in the afternoon and at night. At 11:00 the street parade passed through the city, which was Other Circuses Visiting Gwinnett witnessed by a big crowd. The parade was long and in the main was good. Newspaper and related accounts indicate that several An immense crowd attended the afternoon performance. other touring shows paid calls to Gwinnett audiences in the There were brass bands, elephants, camels and wild beasts of early 1900s, among them: various kinds. The Sparks Circus made a stop in Lawrenceville in 1906. Then there were fat horses, gaily dressed women and the usual A Sparks family history website notes that glitter and pomp that go to make up a big show. The night performance was attended by a much smaller crowd. But the show took a big sum of money from the county. The circus was started in 1889 by John H. Wiseman and was called SPARKS BROS. CIRCUS, although there were no brothers— but he did have an adopted son who went by the name Charlie This circus was started in the 1840s by John H. Robinson, Sparks. (John Wisemen changed his own name to John Sparks later, and a series of John Robinsons (four in all) were involved in and the circus continued under variations of the Sparks name for running the circus for the next 80 or so years. The circus had 40 years.) its “winter quarters” in Terrace Park, Ohio, in the Cincinnati At the turn of the century the circus prospered and enlarged. It grew gradually to nearly a dozen railroad cars and then by 1923 it area, for many years, and the website of the Terrace Park used twenty cars, placing it in the category of a major railroad circus. Historical Society presents a great deal of information about (As a comparison, the Ringling-Barnum Circus used 90 cars while the circus, including this accounting of the several generations the John Robinson show used 25 cars.) of Robinsons involved in the circus operations: The Sparks Circus was known as an eastern show throughout its career, rarely venturing as far west as Illinois, and usually confining its route to New England and the South. Its reputation Like hair color or height, circus seems to run in families, and in those areas was excellent. It was famous and recognized always the Robinsons were no exception. John H., called Uncle John, [the as a “Sunday School” show, meaning that it was clean, with no grift, founder of the circus] was succeeded in ownership by his son John gamblers, or short-change artists. It was popular with circus fans and F., whose nickname was “The Governor.” Next was John G., called its name was at the top in excellent performance. The Sparks Circus Papa, who was Lenora’s husband. Their son John IV worked in had winter quarters in different locations over the years, but was in the circus business for a short while, though he eventually became Macon, Georgia, for the winter for many years. an attorney. They were a colorful family, full of showmanship and Following the 1928 season the Sparks run ended when the circus quirk. It is rumored that The Governor, always a showman, circus was sold to the American Circus Corporation of Peru, would hitch a team of twelve horses to a wagon on Sundays when Indiana. he went out to buy his morning paper! The Mighty Haag Circus visited Gwinnett in 1910. The Robinson circus traveled by wagon in its earliest days Wikipedia reports that but was one of the first to travel by rail, and to own its own railcars. This was not without its challenges though—a report Mighty Haag Circus was started by American entrepreneur of a rail accident in New Haven CT appeared in 1872: Ernest Haag (June 17, 1866–Feb. 1, 1935) in Shreveport, Louisiana.

The Heritage, A Quarterly Publication 11 2021 Spring Vol. 50 No. 1 In 1890, at the age of 24, Haag purchased well-matched dappled gray horses. The a flat-bottomed boat to anchor in the Red stock is all in the pink of condition. River near Shreveport, Louisiana. He The racers are of undisputed lineage, used the flatboat as a performing stage the steeds attached to the Roman for his show, hiring local performers and chariots are particularly beautiful, the calling it “The Big Show.” In 1895 he Kentucky high school horses are the renamed the show as the Mighty Haag greatest equines on earth, and half a Shows. hundred Shetland ponies will delight His circus toured continuously the children. for over 40 years, from 1891 to 1935, entertaining from the southeastern When the show stopped in United States to eastern Canada to Montana. During these years, the circus Pittsfield, Maine, that summer it used a variety of types of transport: got a good review in the Bangor boat, carts, trains, horse-pulled wagons, newspaper: and trucks. At the show’s peak in 1918, it had 45 vehicles and 100 workers who The large number of people who produced a three-ring circus in a 180- attended the exhibition of Howe’s foot by 80-foot tent. Its animal acts Great London circus given here included elephants, bears, ponies, camels, Wednesday afternoon and evening lions, tiger, and blue-faced monkeys, announced it one of the best given along with a hyena, ocelot, and badger. here. Many have remarked upon the quiet and orderly conduct of the Howe’s Great London Circus performers and certainly it was a clean Howe’s Great London Circus show and one well conducted. n came to Lawrenceville in 1912. Newspaper reports indicate that this organization had an extensive tour schedule that year, starting in the spring in the Kansas/Missouri area, making it as far north as Windsor, Ontario, and Maine in the warmer weather months, then closing out the season with stops in the South, including Georgia. A Clinton, Missouri, Watercolor of Rickets circus amphitheater in Philadelphia Source Circopedia newspaper reported on the plans for a parade by the circus personnel and attractions through the city streets when it arrived there:

A street parade, which will be a veritable horse fair, is promised by the Great London Shows, which exhibits at Clinton on Thursday, May 9th. The pageant will leave the ground promptly at 10 o’clock day of the show, and follow a line of march to be announced later. First will come the World Famous Dublin Grays, the $25,000 prize winners. The band wagons, floats and other paraphernalia will be drawn by 400 well-groomed,

Many sources were used to put together this article including these websites. circushistory.org en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mighty_Haag_Circus tphistoricalsociety.org/the-robinson-circus sparksfamilyassn.org circusesandsideshows.com

Stories found at Newspapers.com and at gahistoricnewspapers.galileo.usg.edu which has recently added a number of Gwinnett newspapers to its roster, were also quite informative. For more information on the Orton Circus see “The Circus in Iowa” by Jacob A. Wagner, The Annals of Iowa, vol. 31, no. 6, fall 1952, 451.

2021 Spring Vol. 50 No. 1 12 The Heritage, A Quarterly Publication Reminiscence Matrimony in Gwinnett By Gene Ramsay Gwinnett newspapers and other source documents have told of marriage preparations, ceremonies, and celebrations for many years.

Many of these accounts have included detailed descriptions London will require eight cars to bring their exhibition of fireworks. of the clothing worn by the bride and other participants, the floral and venue decorations, and perhaps even of a planned Activities at the exposition on October 24 were focused wedding trip to an exotic location. on attracting members of the Georgia Farmers Alliance from As one looks back through the archives there are around the state. “The New Georgia Encyclopedia,” available occasional wedding stories with unusual or unexpected details, online, tells us that the Farmers Alliance was and at least a few that dealt with weddings that did not occur as planned, or even at all. Here are some of those stories. a fraternal organization of white farmers and other rural southerners, including teachers, ministers, and physicians, [that] began in Texas in the mid-1870s and swept across the entire South during the late Wedding Clothing Made from Cotton Bags 1880s. Atlanta staged a number of expositions in the fall of A small group of farmers in Lampasas County, Texas, formed the year in Piedmont Park in the late 1800s. These were mini- the Farmers’ Alliance around 1875. The organization grew slowly and reached Georgia in the spring of 1887, when J. B. Wilkes, a World’s Fairs of sorts—each lasted several weeks or longer, former resident of Georgia, organized several subordinate alliances and had permanent exhibits by counties, states, and businesses, (as local chapters were called) in Troup County. The organization as well as multiple events each day, such as bicycle races, then grew rapidly across the entire state. By the summer of 1890 sharpshooting displays, pony ride contests pitting members of it claimed 100,000 members in Georgia, with more than 1,000 members in each of the following counties: Carroll, Cherokee, the state legislature against the local press corps, and fireworks Cobb, Emanuel, Forsyth, Franklin, Gwinnett, Hall, and Paulding. shows. Several of the expositions had a “cotton bag wedding” as an event that was staged as part of the festivities. A Gwinnett That day in October there were speeches by officials in couple was married at such an event the Georgia Alliance to the crowd in 1889. A crowd of fifty thousand estimated at 50,000, and also from came to the exposition to see it. leaders of the Alliance from North These Atlanta expositions Carolina and other states. But the were large affairs, and months double wedding of two young of planning went into the 1889 couples dressed in outfits made of exposition, which was open from cotton bagging materials was clearly October 7 to November 10. An a highlight. The Atlanta Constitution article in The Atlanta Constitution in devoted over a full column to their September of that year discussed coverage of the events surrounding the plans for the 1889 exposition: the marriage, which took place on Some idea of the scope of the exposition may be had from the fact a large stage at Piedmont Park. that one exhibitor of stock will require The story, under the headline “An six [rail] cars to bring the animals he Alliance Forever,” reported: intends to show. One of the problems of the exposition will be to furnish Wrapped in Cotton Tied for all enough freight cars to bring in the Time exhibits. One Trust Which All Farmers Director Thompson is assured Indorse—The Double Wedding at the that over 200 race horses will compete Exposition Yesterday for the prizes. Two full trains will be Ruth Rainey dressed for her marriage to Noye Nesbit, The double wedding was the required to bring on the Wild West event of the exposition yesterday. It show alone, and Messrs. Pain & Son, of Norcross, 1917 Courtesy Rebecca Earnhardt The Heritage, A Quarterly Publication 13 2021 Spring Vol. 50 No. 1 was a beautiful sight. Two couples married before an audience of After congratulations the couples returned to their respective fifty thousand people. carriages, each drawn by four greys, drove around the track once Both brides and grooms were attired in cotton bagging and left for the city. costumes – not such costumes as one would imagine when it is Arriving here they drove again to High’s store, returned to said that they were made of cotton bagging, but remarkable pretty their places around the table and ate dinner in presence of the great costumes. crowd which quickly congregated on the outside. They were married on a stand facing the grand stand. It A bottle of champagne was opened, but Mr. Downs was the was covered with cotton bagging and decorated with agricultural only member of the party who imbibed. He drank two glasses and implements. stopped, apparently to the outsiders at the request of his wife. One of the couples was Miss Mamie Winburn, of Conyers, It is said that the couples received an hundred and fifty dollars and Mr. Walter K Downs, of Cora, Newton County. The other was each for this display of themselves. Miss Alice Whaley, of Gwinnett county, and Mr. Henry B Wells, of Mr. and Mrs. Downs left the city for their home on the 6 the same county. o’clock Georgia train. They will, however, return tomorrow. Miss Whaley is the daughter of a well-known farmer of Mr. and Mrs. Wells again visited the exposition last night, Gwinnett—a very pretty girl of twenty. Mr. Wells is the son of a attired in their wedding costumes. They took a seat on the speaker’s farmer of the same county, and a young man of twenty. stand, surrounded by a few of their friends, and remained until the fireworks display was over. The audience cheered them upon their Their First Appearance arrival and gave them three hearty cheers when they left the grounds. The two young couples first made their appearance before the public in High’s big show window on Whitehall street yesterday at One of the sidebar stories in the newspaper that day noon. Attired in their wedding costumes, they entered the window at noon to partake of lunch, which had been prepared for them. was that 18 young ladies (these listed by name, plus others They remained in the window perhaps an hour. Then they whose names were not known), all chaperoned by Mrs. were driven to the exposition grounds and to the club house, where Elizabeth Benet, all from Jacksonville, were in attendance at they remained until time for the ceremony. the exposition for the ceremony. At 3:15 o’clock the party left the club house, Miss Winburn and Miss Whaley, with Dr. Gibson, of Cora, and Judge Bryce, of Newspaper accounts indicate that both couples returned Gwinnett, entered a carriage decorated in beautiful cotton bagging to the exposition the following day for a reception and the and pulled by four prancing greys. presentation of wedding gifts. The vast audience in the grand stand was notified of the The big wedding ceremony at the exposition seems to approach of the wedding parties by a bugle call. have gotten the Wells off to a good start—census records To the Stand indicate that they moved to the Anderson, South Carolina As the sound of the bugle died out the wedding party was area, had three children and were married for 40 years until his seen to approach. death in 1929. From the north end of The wedding garments of George Stovall and Annionette Perry the track came the carriage worn at the 1890 Atlanta Exposition, as displayed at the Gwinnett containing the brides, preceded A Destination History Museum located in the Lawrenceville Female Seminary in by the minstrel band. Wedding 2012. Source GHS file photos From the south end came There was a time in the grooms, preceded by the Zouave band. this country when bands of Both carriages were gypsies would occasionally followed by numbers of others, be seen in the countryside. containing friends of the parties These seemingly nomadic and citizens of Atlanta. groups were typically They met in front of the stand. The grooms alighted descendants of Irish quickly, aided their brides to immigrants who had arrived alight, and marched upon the in America in the mid-19th platform. The great audience century, escaping the famine cheered and the alliance band struck up a lively air. in their home country that was caused by a blight that The newspaper article had killed potato plants. then describes the two (These people were generally wedding ceremonies in detail, not related to the Romani quoting verbatim the remarks gypsies of eastern Europe.) and prayers from the two These groups, also called preachers involved. It then “Irish Travelers,” would continues: move from place to place in wagon trains, camping for 2021 Spring Vol. 50 No. 1 14 The Heritage, A Quarterly Publication days at a time, often supporting themselves by trading horses A Secret Wedding is Revealed or performing manual labor. (For more details see the extensive There are several stories in the archives of secret weddings article in Wikipedia under “Irish Travelers.”) that were later revealed. One of the more interesting ones Lawrenceville newspapers of that time had occasional was detailed in the January 25, 1928 issue of Macon Telegraph. stories noting when groups of gypsies were seen in the area. The groom was Garland Steele, whose ancestors had come to In the spring of 1910 there were several articles about a larger Gwinnett in the previous century. He grew up in Gwinnett and longer than usual gypsy gathering on the outskirts of and earned an engineering degree from Georgia Tech, and town. Why? Because gypsies were gathering from all over for then spent most of his long career helping to expand and a wedding. improve the road system in Georgia. His bride was a student A story in the April 4, 1910, edition of the News Herald at Wesleyan College, a college for women located in Macon, appeared under the headline “Gypsy Wedding Occurs Here which evidently required that students be single at that time. Next Wednesday.” The story of their wedding appeared on the front page of the paper under the headline “Wesleyan Senior, Married Dec. They are camped near Lawrenceville and will hold a three day 25, Lets Secret Out.” festival. A big gypsy wedding will occur at high noon on Wednesday on the western outskirts of Lawrenceville where they are at present After completing her final examinations at the close of the term camped. yesterday, Miss Elizabeth Richardson Jenkins startled her classmates They are about a quarter of a mile from the town, and a and the student body at the college with the announcement that she number of our citizens have been invited over to witness the had married Garland Frederick Steele on Christmas day last year. auspicious event and take part in the celebration. The marriage took place at the home of her mother, Mrs. The groom is named Tom Mack and his fair bride is Miss Nell Hogg Jenkins, of Columbus, while the bride was spending the Annie Carroll. A priest from Atlanta will perform the ceremony. holidays in that city. Although her roommate knew of her marriage The gypsies take great pride in such ceremonies and will hold a short time before the announcement yesterday, the entire college a festival lasting three days in honor of this event. group were in ignorance until her work in the class rooms was The clans have been gathering for some time and by completed. Wednesday a large number will be on hand. Mr. Steele was waiting for his bride at the close of class In conversation with the leader he said the people called them exercises yesterday and the pair sped away in an automobile about gypsies, but they were not, as his home was in Tennessee and a 4 o’clock amid a shower of rice which the members of the student number of Georgians were members of his party. body were quick enough to obtain before the couple made their departure. An article the following week reported on the big event. Eloping, Gwinnett Style Wednesday morning at 10 o’clock occurred the wedding of Macon Telegraph also had an article on January 9, 1891, Tom Mack and Miss Annie Carroll, members of the gypsy clan who about a couple eloping in the Pinckneyville area. The story are camped near Lawrenceville. The ceremony was performed by Father McFay, of Atlanta, on the marriage of Reps Jones and Ludie Burtchaell appeared who came over on the morning train for that purpose. The Catholic under the headline “Love Laughs at Locksmiths.” ceremony was used. The bride and groom stood beneath a tent gaily decorated for Atlanta, Jan 8.—Mr. Reps H Jones, son of the new principal keeper the occasion. The bride was clad in a white dotted swiss dress, wore of the penitentiary, was last night married to Miss Ludie Burchall of a long veil and carried a large bouquet of orange blossoms. The Norcross under romantic circumstances. groom was clad in a plain business suit. The bride being only 18 years of age, her parents considered The story included a glowing description of the feast that had her “too young to marry, oh” and frowned upon her engagement to been prepared for the guests: Mr. Jones on that account. The dinner was the most that the most fastidious epicure The couple were patient for a long time, but the 18th birthday could have asked, and the tent over the dinner table was likewise of the young lady arriving, they were thereby reminded that the decorated with colored tissue paper, and besides the good things to young lady could not remain a child always, whatever her parents eat which were there in abundance, presented a pretty appearance. might think on the subject, so they decided to wait no longer. The bride’s cake was made in layers, covered in white icing, Yesterday Mr. Jones furnished his sweetheart privately with a and was much larger than the ordinary dish pan. valise to pack a few things which might be needful to her comfort, Besides barbequed meats, fresh vegetables, ham, chicken, etc. and arranged to meet her after night at a point in the road, about a twelve gallons of ice cream and cake were served for dessert. quarter of a mile from her father’s house. Last night a severe attack of neuralgia took her to her room The town had a good relationship with the visitors, as the at an early hour, and shortly after she appeared at the rendezvous, valise in hand, on time, where a brother of Mr. Jones met her with newspaper story noted: “The gypsies have spent more than a carriage. The groom soon after joined the pair. The carriage drove $500 since being in Lawrenceville for the past few days, and to the Brunswick Hotel where a minister was waiting to pronounce the merchants are always glad to see them come.” the resolute couple man and wife. By the next train they were away on a bridal trip to Mississippi.

The Heritage, A Quarterly Publication 15 2021 Spring Vol. 50 No. 1 Reps and Ludie had a large comedic fund raisers by groups family, and remained married until such as the Women’s Missionary he was killed in an accident while Society, local chapters of the hunting in 1909. Order of the Eastern Star, or school PTAs, and were quite Love—and Marriage—at popular. The archives contain First Sight stories of Womanless Weddings An article on the front page held in Buford, Norcross, and of the June 23, 1904, edition of the Lawrenceville as well as in many News Herald reported this story. other communities in Georgia. Here is a newspaper account of They Wed at First Sight a “WW” staged in Lawrenceville A Romantic Marriage at Norcross Last Reps Jones and Ludie Burtchaell in September, 1919. Friday Evening at Methodist Church Courtesy Michelle Morgan Several months ago Mr. H. T. Granger, of Florida, put a small notice “The Womanless Wedding” Was a Complete Success in one of the Georgia papers for a lady correspondent with a view The Womanless Wedding given at the Colonial last night by towards matrimony. members of the young ladies’ missionary society was a howling Mrs. Gussie Lindsay, of Norcross, answered the notice and success from beginning to end, full of fun and at all times keeping regular correspondence was kept up till last Friday, when they were the audience that comfortably filled the theater roaring with laughter. married. Space won’t permit a detailed write up each individual member In order that she might know him and him her at the time for of the company, for it would take several columns to give a decent meeting last Friday, he wore a small piece of red tape on the lapel of account of the play, and the magnificent manner in which each actor his coat and she had sent him a scrap of the dress that she wore. He did his part. came on the morning train and she was there to meet him and they experienced no difficulty in finding out each other. In the afternoon they were married, Rev. C. L. Patillo The article went on to state that the performance was so performing the ceremony. well received in Lawrenceville that it would likely be performed Mrs. Lindsay is a most accomplished lady and Mr. Granger is again in Grayson in the coming days. a good citizen and conducts a large turpentine business. The newly married couple left Saturday for Florida, where they will make their future home. Two Weddings That Didn’t Take Place The first of these stories, just two sentences in length, A Marriage That Just Couldn’t Wait appeared in May, 1911, in the News Herald, telling the tale of a Henry Bolton and Bessie Humphries of Pinckneyville young couple who were disappointed in seeking marriage. decided in 1910 that they would marry, and made the needed preparations, but things didn’t go exactly as planned. A A young couple decided to get married and set out to find someone to say the ceremony, near here last Monday, but failed. newspaper story from January of that year in the News Herald The esquire and preacher refused to marry them as they were too tells the story. akin – double cousins.

Henry Bolton and Miss Bessie Humphries were married last Sunday. It was their intention to be married the following The second tale, even shorter at one sentence in length, Wednesday, the license having been secured Saturday. Sunday they and also, as in the above story, devoid of names, appeared in went out driving and meeting Rev. W. B. Bessent in the road they April, 1904, in the News Herald, telling of a different wedding decided to wait no longer and alighting from the buggy were forth ceremony problem. with made one. We might, could, would or should have had a wedding here Womanless Weddings last Sunday but [when] the hour arrived the bride-to-be received a These days same sex marriage has achieved legal status telegram announcing that the prospective groom was in St. Louis Mo. in the United States, but in the early years of the 20th century there was a different kind of ceremony along those lines. Well, What happened next for these couples? Not possible to sort of. say at this point. n Numerous charity groups in towns small and large in the USA staged “Womanless Weddings”—theatrical events in which all the roles in a traditional wedding of the day were included, Read more about cotton bagging weddings in The but all the players were men. These were typically staged as Heritage, vol. 12, no. 2, summer 2012, pages 34 and 35

2021 Spring Vol. 50 No. 1 16 The Heritage, A Quarterly Publication History Woodward Mill And Surrounding Area of Gwinnett

By Catherine Long

Gwinnett Historical Society file

In the 1800s, the relationship between the native people and the early pioneers continued to be a challenge.

United States Indian Agent, Benjamin Hawkins was responsible hotel and a tavern. With the constant movement of pioneers for managing the relationships between native people and and Creek and Cherokee groups along the Federal Road pioneers, although land ownership issues continually arose. and Hightower Trail, there were many social and economic Settlers moving inland often settled on land that was owned interactions. by indigenous tribes, not by Georgia, which created boundary After serving Andrew Jackson during the Seminole Wars, issues. The Hawkins Line, in an effort to mitigate boundary John Bowman settled in this area (near present day Friendship issues, was re-established in 1804 after additional land was Road) and received 2,700 acres of land from Cherokee Chief purchased from the Cherokee Nation.1 The War of 1812, Major Ridge. As the former Cherokee lands were divided into which united the British and Creek Indians against the pioneers, lots and drawn during the Georgia Land Lottery of 1820, he led to the construction of frontier forts along the fall line to received an additional 5,700 acres adjacent to this property. He protect from the Creek nation. One of these forts, Fort Daniel, built a log cabin for his family. The Bowman house is privately located in the Hog Mountain community, was constructed in owned and is located at Sardis Church Road. 1813. (Gwinnett County would not be founded until 1818.)2 Another was Fort Peachtree which was constructed to protect Origin of Woodward’s Mill families from the Creek village of Standing Peachtree. The Bogan and a few others in the community were road connecting these two forts was known as Peachtree Road. responsible for building a road that led from the courthouse This was the original Peachtree Road. in Lawrenceville to Hall County. The route of the road was changed to lead from Bogan’s mill to the Hall County line.4 Hog Mountain The road was known as Bogan’s Road. The Bogans, who had The regions of the area were arranged into militia districts twelve children, later sold the mill to Hammond Garmany. and the Hog Mountain District represented the northern Following brief ownership by the Garmany family, portion of what would become Gwinnett County in 1818. William Ivory Woodward purchased the mill in 1855 and One of the earliest settlers in this region was Shadrack Bogan, added a blacksmith shop and small store. Mr. Woodward who constructed a home and grist mill along Ivy Creek. He owned 400 acres in the Hog Mountain District, and it was married Ann Fee and they moved to this location in 1815.3 As valued at $10,000.5 William married Linna Allie Loveless and a merchant, he opened a business with William Maltbie called they moved into a home on the mill site. the Hog Mountain House. This served the community as a The Woodward family was instrumental in the life of the

The Heritage, A Quarterly Publication 17 2021 Spring Vol. 50 No. 1 early community. During the Civil War, William was too old owners. The local community would come to this mill to have to serve so he remained behind to keep the mill in operation. their corn ground, visit with their neighbors, or perhaps have an According to family history, he provided ground corn to item repaired at the blacksmith shop. Grist mills were popular families during the hardships of the war. Following the end places for community and were often places for recreation. of the war, Woodward continued to acquire property and Mill ponds were used as swimming pools and the landscape according to the 1888 Tax Digest, he owned 1,304 acres valued provided the perfect location for picnics. The Woodward at $9, 532.6 family held reunions at the mill and continued the tradition Another early settler in the area was John Meed who for many years after its destruction. These reunions continued purchased 250 acres in the area. In 1836, he traded 202 acres until 2017 and were last held at the property of Billie Webster, for Josiah Elijah Teague’s horse.7 This area became known at great granddaughter of William I. Woodward. Rock Springs and a church was constructed for the community. Further up Ivy Creek (along the former dirt portion of William Woodward donated the lumber for the construction of Woodward Mill Road) there was an early water-powered cotton the church, which was founded in 1866. Rock Springs United mill run by David Holman, who purchased approximately Methodist Church remains today.8 The Woodward family is 234 acres from Woodward (though there is little information buried in the church cemetery. available). Today, the landscape shows evidence of this former

A mill pond baptism looked like this at an unidentified location in Gwinnett County c. 1914 Gwinnett Historical Society file

William and Linna had eight children: Era, Delpha, mill along the Ivy Creek Greenway. Dache, Nitocris, Wickliffe, Joseph, Bliss, and Grace. Dache George W. Pharr was a farmer who served in the Civil served as the postmaster for the community and the post War and married Nitocris Woodward in 1889. They had eight office was called Dache. He served from 1891–1894. Wickliffe children and he represented Gwinnett County in the House built a log cabin on the family’s property. He worked in the of Representatives.10 Their son, George W. Pharr, became the mill, eventually taking over its operation, and was a merchant. owner of the mill. He made repairs to the mill which included Joseph became a physician and served in World War I. Nitocris rebuilding the concrete dam and sluice. George Pharr and Mary married George Pharr. Ogletree married in 1947 and lived in the mill, transforming What became known as Woodward’s Mill operated for the second floor into a small apartment. One of their former almost 140 years, from the 1820s through the 1960s. The site homes was located south of the mill, near the current QT gas featured a grist mill, a sawmill, a general store, and a blacksmith station. Laurel Springs Road was a forested area where the shop. According to Mary Ogletree Pharr (great granddaughter family would picnic and enjoy spending time together. The old of William I. Woodward), the general store sold everything mill stones were part of the park-like atmosphere as they were from swimsuits to plow points to groceries.9 Over the years, a proud part of the family’s history. Interestingly, Mr. Pharr the mill was renovated, and equipment replaced as it changed also owned Alcovy River Mill (also known as Freeman’s Mill 2021 Spring Vol. 50 No. 1 18 The Heritage, A Quarterly Publication and Swann’s Mill) in Lawrenceville. This mill was built by the mill was destroyed by fire in February 1976. Loveless family. Today, the only remaining artifact from the grist mill is An 1960 aerial photograph shows the location of Buford the overshot wheel and the concrete structure associated with Drive prior to the construction of Interstate 85. Woodward’s the former mill. The Ivy Creek Greenway runs adjacent to this Mill is featured on the map with Ivy Creek running just to area. When the new elementary school was built along Buford the east of the mill. Towards the northwest, the dirt road Drive it was named Woodward Mill Elementary School to known as Woodward Mill is visible. The 1960s brought the honor the local history of the area. n construction of I-85 and an end to the mill’s operation. The

Notes 1. History, www.thefortdanielfoundation.org 2. The Fort Daniel Foundation, www.thefortdanielfoundation.org 3. J. C. Flanigan History of Gwinnett County Georgia 1818-1960 4. J. C. Flanigan History of Gwinnett County, Georgia 1818-1960 5. 1864 Tax Digest, Gwinnett Historical Society 6. 1888 Tax Digest, Gwinnett Historical Society 7. “Rock Springs Elementary School History,” Gwinnett County Public Schools, www.gwinnett.k12.ga.us 8. Woodward Mill, Mary Ogletree Pharr 1993 9. Woodward’s Mill: It’s History in Deeds, Stories, Pictures and Memories, 1995. 10. J. C. Flanigan, Gwinnett County Volume I 1818-1943, 1943. Preservation Rock Springs United Methodist Church Cemetery Preservation

The rapid development in the Mall of Georgia area is set for demolition, as the declining church membership cannot quickly encroaching upon the historic Rock Springs United afford the expense of restoring it. The congregation now Methodist Church Cemetery. The Woodward and Teague meets in a newer church building across the street. They have families are among many early settlers buried there. Rezoning plans to build a small memorial garden once the old church is was approved in 2020 which allows Northside Hospital, Inc., torn down. Many of the older gravestones have been damaged by Dentons US LLP to develop two multi-story, 100,000 and need restoration. Whether this is a result of vandalism or square foot medical office/clinic buildings and surface parking. age is unknown. The 20-acre parcel of The cemetery is land in Land Lots 146 already bounded by a and 147, known as 1124 three-story townhome and 1150 Rock Springs development on the Laurel Road and 2702 Buford Drive side. The desire is to Drive are the location erect an appropriate fence of the development. that reflects the historic Four entrances are character of the cemetery. proposed: two on Rock Anyone desiring to Springs Road, one on aid in the restoration and Buford Drive between preservation of Rock the buildings, and an Springs UMC Cemetery, additional connection to please contact Beverly Buford Drive at Laurel Paff. Springs Crossing. There [email protected] will be a 75-foot buffer View of the Rock Springs UMC Cemetery (right of the old church (678) 938-4661. between the parking lot building) showing the proximity to Rock Springs Road and trees at the and the cemetery. back in the area of the proposed 75-foot buffer between planned hospital The 1882 church is development Photo by Beverly Paff The Heritage, A Quarterly Publication 19 2021 Spring Vol. 50 No. 1 Eli Stancel’s Call for Action

Rowen Research Park

Gwinnett has seen a great deal of changes since its the property to make it a part of their planning phase. They creation in 1818. In 200 years it has seen growth, expansion, have not guaranteed protection of all sites, but they will record and development. Many of you have seen the recent push to all sites. If you have stories, pictures, videos, or notes about the develop several thousand acres East of Dacula into the Rowen area please share them with me. Since I had the good fortune Research Park. The Rowen Group is a non-profit foundation of “rediscovering” the mill site, Rowen has pointed UGA to that has been tasked with developing a site plan for the area myself and Beverly Paff, president of Gwinnett Historical similar to that of the Research Triangle in Raleigh, North Society, as point people for the community. We cannot protect Carolina. Unlike the Research Triangle, the Rowen Group has and preserve items if we do not know they are there and if we promised to develop the site around the historical and cultural do not have documentation. Please reach out to me and I will significance of the area. be pleased to assist you in collecting the information. As many of you know, portions of this land along the Do not let technology scare you. I am more than happy to Apalachee River were a part of the United States when George come to you to scan photographs, copy documents, or record Washington signed the Treaty of New York in 1790. This site older family members who know stories about the area. Please contains Hill’s Mill which is the oldest mill site in Gwinnett send me an email, call me, or visit my website. No detail is County. The river also saw the construction of several forts too small. I am happy to assist in any way I can to preserve during the War of 1812, a Native American skirmish in 1815, as much as I can of Gwinnett’s history. Please do not delay. and Union cavalry during the Civil War. The valley’s unique We lose more and more knowledge everyday and the design character once hosted the town of Gooberville that sank process will be over if we tarry too long. These stories will fade into the soft soil in 1903 and consumed a Gwinnett County without your efforts and the sites will be covered and never bulldozer in the 1960s when they left it parked on the saturated remembered. Since the Hill Mill site is slated to be the route ground overnight. for the sewage line to the project, who knows what else could As I was researching the mill site and attempting to gain be destroyed. access for a site survey, I saw the land change ownership several Thank you for taking the time to read this call to action. times in the past three years, I knew something was in the My contact details are listed below and look forward to hearing planning stages. I was pleased to learn it is a large project and from you. n not just another subdivision. The Rowen Group’s COO has pledged to take all research into consideration as they develop a site plan. This is where our community comes in. Contact I need your help. Rowen and their partners are working Eli Stancel, [email protected], 724-562-0239 with a group from the University of Georgia College of www.gwinnettrambler.com design. From January of 2021 to June of 2021 they are collecting information about historical and cultural sites within Beverly Paff, [email protected], 770-822-5174

Map: The Rowan project will encompass a swath of land on the banks of the Apalachee River (displayed in blue) in eastern Gwinnett County. The yellow shaded areas give a visual as to the lands acquired for the project. Within this area some of the earliest non-native sites in Gwinnett County existed and artifacts still remain at those sites. There are likewise a number of native artifacts that make the land significant.

Watch Gwinnett Rambler video about the The Rowen Project “Rowen Project on the Apalachee River in Gwinnett County” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=grP4r37Heos&t=2

2021 Spring Vol. 50 No. 1 20 The Heritage, A Quarterly Publication PRESERVATION Chairman, Charlotte Nash, hosted a ZOOM meeting December 8, to allay any fears we may have had concerning Diane Kuczynski McCormic the possible destruction of historic cultural features such as Hill’s Mill. Ringing in the New Year, I am Then fittingly, on December now the new Preservation Committee 31, we closed out the year with a chair. With my predecessor, Beverly great cultural find: small surviving Paff, understandably vacating the segments of the standard gauge and chair to become GHS president, I narrow-gauge Lawrenceville Branch am now fully realizing that I have Railroad. Special thanks go out to some pretty big shoes to fill. Ben Hines, from nearby Georgia Year 2020 saw some Gwinnett College, who brought the noteworthy accomplishments in the site location to our attention, and area of historic preservation such as Eli and Wayne Stancel who brought the Winn Roof Replacement and the along their railroad expertise and Gwinnett Newspapers Digitization metal detection experience to the Project. Additionally, with the site. proposed Rowen Project that is Eli will be providing us later being ambitiously planned for the with an in-depth article about our SR 316 Corridor, it seems hopeful discovery in a forthcoming issue of that the Gwinnett County Board The Heritage. Year 2021 promises of Commissioners will have our An ecstatic Eli Stancel discovers a railroad spike, to be an exciting year. best historic and cultural interests at the first of several artifacts buried along the narrow heart. gauge rail bed. Photo Diane McCormic

The Heritage, A Quarterly Publication 21 2021 Spring Vol. 50 No. 1 Advertisement as it appeared in Gwinnett Herald, October 16, 1888 The above cut represents the store room of JOHN B. BROGDON, of Suwanee, Ga., This is the largest business in Gwinnett county, and is the best arranged store in the State. the first and second floors are 11x90 feet and the third floor 30x44, making nine thousand two hundred and forty square feet of the floor space, crowded with the best selected stocks of Dry Goods, Clothing, Boots, Shoes, Hats, Caps, Groceries, Hardware, Glassware, Crockery, Drugs, Furniture, Stoves, Ranges, Sewing Ma- chines, Trunks, Valices, Coffins &c. &c. In fact everything kept in a first class store, and in addition to this mammouth store room, Mr. Brogdon has a Warehouse on the R. & D. R. R. track 30x60 feet where he stores Salt by the car load, and has stored two hundred thousand pounds of Guano at a time; and in addition to this Mr. B. has one of the nicest store on the Georgia Railroad in Lithonia. This room is 22x75 feet, and is filled chock full of clothing and gents furnishing goods, and is doing a very large business for the time it has been running. Mr. Brogdon has used good judgement in selecting the right men to run this business—Mr. Dean T Swift, assisted by Mr. Newt Anderson and Mr. Cliff Doby. These young men are known throughout the country and have the confidence of the people, and having Mr. Brogdon to buy for them, they have no trouble to meet any competition. Mr. Brogdon has, you see, sixteen thousand six hundred and ninety square feet devoted to the sale of goods which gives him ample room for a very large business, which he is doing and no mistake. he sold one bill last Saturday amounting to four hundred dollars. His total sales and collection for both stores for Saturday were thirteen hundred and sixty dollars. In doing a business like this he is enabled to buy goods in large quantities and from first hands and any one wishing to buy a bill of goods will make a great mistake if they do not go to John B Brogdon’s; he is selling some of the greatest bargains on earth, his great specialties are Clothing and Fine Dress Goods.

2021 Spring Vol. 50 No. 1 22 The Heritage, A Quarterly Publication Index A D J O T Alexander 5 Davis Jackson 5 Ogletree Teague 19 Allen Joseph, Mrs. 5 Andrew 17 Mary 18 Josiah Elijah 18 Bona 5 Doby Jenkins Orton 9 Terrell Ambrose Cliff 22 Elizabeth Richardson Hiram 10 William 5 Jacob 5 Dodd 15 Miles 10 Thompson 13 Anderson W. J. 5 Nell Hogg 15 Overton 5 Thompson, Newt 22 Downs Jinks 6 F. 5 Astley Walter K. 14 Jones P Philip 9 Reps H. 15, 16 V F Pain 13 Austin T. R. 10 Patillo Van Amburg 9 James 5 Fee C. L., Rev. 16 K W B Ann 17 Patterson 5 Fleming Key Perry Wells Baxter Richard 5 Thomas 5 Annionette 14 Henry B. 14 W. H. 7 Richard & Susan 5 Kirkland 5 Pharr Whaley Benet Ford 6 Knight 6 George & Mary 5 Alice 14 Elizabeth 14 Forepaugh 9 George Pharr 18 Whitworth Bessent L George W. 18 G Richard 5 W. B., Rev. 16 Landers 5 Mary Ogletree 18 Wilkes Bogan 17 Garmany Leut 9 Poarch J. B. 13 Shadrack 17 Hammond 17 Lindsay Samuel B., Sheriff 10 Winburn Bolton W. 5 Gussie 16 R Mamie 14 Henry 16 Garner 5 Loveless 19 Winn 5 Bowman Gibson Linna Allie 17 Rainey Elisha 5 John 17 Dr. 14 Ruth 13 Richard D. 5 Bradley 5 Granger M Rickets Wiseman Brogdon H. T. 16 Mack John Bill 9 John H. 11 Hope & Harriett 5 Gwinnett Tom 15 Ricketts Woodward 5, 19 John B. 22 Button 5 Maguire John Bill 2 Bliss 18 Bryce Thomas 5 Ridge Dache 18 Judge 14 H Maltbie Major 17 Delpha 18 Burtchaell Haag 11 William 17 Robinson 9 Grace 18 Ludie 15, 16 Ernest 11 Manor John 11 Joseph 18 C Hannah 6 Gary & Kathy 5 John F. 11 Nitocris 18 Joseph 6 Mason 5 John G. 11 Wickliffe 18 Cady Virginia Stella 6 Mathews 5 John H. 11 William Ivory 17 Mckeen A. 5 Hawkins McDonald 5 John, IV 11 Carroll Benjamin 17 McFay S Annie 15 Herndon 6 Father 15 Cofer Holman McKinney 7 Snell 6 James Robert 6 David 18 McKnight 5 Sparks 11 Jim and Stella 6 Howe 12 McMillan 5 Charlie 11 John 6 Humphries Medlock John 11 Cudlipp Bessie 16 Harold 5 Steele Bill 5 Hutchins Meed Garland Frederick 15 Amos 5 John 18 Stovall N. L. 5 George 14 N Stuart I Nash Gilbert 2 Ivy J. D. 7 Swift Louise 5 Nesbit Dean T. 22 Noye 13

The Heritage, A Quarterly Publication 23 2021 Spring Vol. 50 No. 1 Gwinnett Historical Society, Inc. NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION P. O. Box 261 US POSTAGE PAID PERMIT #437 Lawrenceville, GA 30046-0261 CONYERS, GA

RETURN SERVICES REQUESTED

Gwinnett Historical Society 185 West Crogan Street, Lawrenceville, Georgia General Meetings are held in Gwinnett Historic Courthouse Courtroom Due to COVID guidelines attendance to in-person and virtual meetings will be decided before each meeting. In-person attendance will be limited to the first fifty people to arrive.

2021 January September 25 General Membership Meeting canceled 20 General Membership Meeting March October 15 General Membership Meeting 2-3 42nd Winn Fair, 908 Dacula Rd, Dacula Speaker: David Snell, “Founding and Growth 16 13th Annual Frontier Faire, Fort Daniel, 2505 of E. R. Snell Company” Braselton Highway (124), Buford May November 17 General Membership Meeting 15 General Membership Meeting July December 19 General Membership Meeting 6 Christmas Social, 6:30-8:30 pm Annual Meeting

Sponsors of Gwinnett Historical Society

Stanton J. R. Bolton Services, Joey Watkins Electric, Inc. Inc. Tire and Automotive Buford Sugar Hill Dacula

Jackson Electric Heritage Werks, Inc. Renasant Bank Membership Corp. Suwanee dacula Lawrenceville