xt7j0z70zq3k https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt7j0z70zq3k/data/mets.xml Clinch County, Georgia Georgia Historical Records Survey 1940 Prepared by The Georgia Historical Records Survey, Division of Professional and Service Projects, Work Projects Administration; Other contributors include: Georgia Historical Records Survey, United States Works Progress Administration Division of Women's and Professional Projects; vii, 62 leaves: maps and plans, 28 cm; Mimeographed; UK holds archival copy for ASERL Collaborative Federal Depository Program libraries; Call number FW 4.14:G 296/no.32 books English Atlanta: the Survey This digital resource may be freely searched and displayed in accordance with U. S. copyright laws. Georiga Works Progress Administration Publications Inventory of the County Archives of Georgia, Number 32 Clinch County (Homerville) text Inventory of the County Archives of Georgia, Number 32 Clinch County (Homerville) 1940 1940 2015 true xt7j0z70zq3k section xt7j0z70zq3k   C   ?w¤\‘—I.sLI; `S A I
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      I NO. 32 CLINCH COUNTY
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  . A WORK PROJECTS ADMINISTRATION '

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% INVENTORY OF THE COUNTY ARCHIVES
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§ OF GEORGIA
,® NO. 32. CLINCH COUNTY (HOMERVILLE)
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  Atlanta, Georgie.
  The Georgia Historical Records Survey
   —i September 1940

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{ N. Cecil Hill, Assistant State Supervisor in Charge gg
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H. L. MacDougall, State Administrator Wg
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JW The Inventory of the County nrchives of Georgia is one of a number of
ft bibliographiesiifmhisodricalhmiterials“preparcd_throughout the United States
,* by workers on the Historical Records Survey Program of the Berk Projects nd-
jt ministration. The publication herewith presented, an inventory of the ar-
Q chives of Clinch County, is No. 52 of the Georgia series.
lf The Historical kecords Survey Program was undertaken in the winter of
lil lQ35—56 for the purpose of providing useful employment to needy unemployed
YV historians, lawyers, teachers, and research and clerical workers. ln carry-
j— ing out this objective, the project was organized to compile inventories of
`Y· historical naterials, particularly the unpublished government documents and
yi records which are basic in the administration of local government, and which
l provide invaluable data for students of political, economic, and social his-
3 tory. The archival guide herewith presented is intended to meet the require-
Q ments of day—to—day administration by the officials of the county, and also
g the needs of lawyers, businessmen, and other citizens who require facts from
if the public records for the proper conduct of their affairs. The volume is so
t designed that it can be used by the historian in his research in unprinted
lu sources in the same way he uses the library card catalog for printed sources.
yl The inventories produced by the Historical Records Survey attempt to do
id} more than give merely a list of records — they attempt further to sketch in
,§Q the historical background of the county or other unit of government, and to
·Q? describe precisely and in detail the organization and functions of the gov-
2% ernment agencies whose records they list. The county, town, and other local
jh inventories for the entire county will, when completed, constitute an ency-
Qj clopedia of local government as well as a bibliography of local archives.
ni
‘H The successful conclusion of the work of the Historical Records Survey
jj Program, even in a single county, would not be possible without the support
,d of public officials, historical and legal specialists, and many other groups
lil in the comnunity. Their cooperation is gratefully acknowledged.
7  ,¥
g The Survey Program was organized by Luther H. Evans, who served as
Q Director until March l940, when he was succeeded by Sargent n. Child, who had
yl been Hationul Field Supervisor since the inauguration of the Survey. The Sur-
ll vey Program operates as a Naticn—xide =.# series of locally sponsored projects in
Xl the Division of Professional and Service Projects, of which Hrs. Florence
§§ Kerr, assistant Commissioner, is in charge.
N 3
pj F. C. HARRINGTOH
QQ Comnissioner
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tl The Historical Records Survey in Georgia was organized in October l936,
fi os an independent State unit of the Nution~mide Federal Project jo. l of the
Q Works Progress Administration, under the supervision of Dr. Luther H. Evons,
Q National Director. The project at the beginning was set up as n part of the
yj Federal Writers' Project, and is indebted to Mrs. Carolyn P. Dillard, State
if Director of the Project, for its initiation. Miss Annie Laurie Hill was in
iii charge of the Historical Records Survey ss Assistant State Supervisor und r
tg Mrs. Dillard until kovember l936, when the survey was seperated from the
yi `Writers‘ Project. Rsiford J. Wood wus numed Stnto Director in November lQH6
lp; and served in such capacity until July l939, ut which time Philip Warren wus
yi placed in churge of the project. On September 1, l95Q, the trsnsfcr of the
iQ; Survey from u Federal project to the status of a Stnte—wide project was ef-
l, L‘ Q fected. Mr. Warren resigned as Stnte Supervisor of the project September
Qi ll, l9&O, ond the present writer was named Assistnnt Stnte Supervisor in
QQ Charge.
il The principal objective of the Survey in Georgie is to prepare complete
°j inventories of thc public archives ei the Stntc ond its political subdivisions,
iQ and to make rendily accessible to research students nnd historians this lurge
YQ store of source material. Such n survey should grently uid and encourage n
Q more systematic study cf locnl governmental structure and should point the way
K to on improvement in the methods of storngc and prcscrvntion of both current
Qt and non-current records.
Q, The srrungemont of ugencios ix Part B of the inventory classifies them
§ according to governmental function; Administration; registration of property
ttf titles; administration of justice; law enforcement; finance; elections; educa-
XQ tion; health; welfare; public works; and miscelluneous. Records src classi-
n§§ fied, in general, according to the agencies which make them, unless other
QQ disposition of the records is directed by low. Under agencies, records hxve ·
tig been classified insofar es possible, according to the subject with which they
;$E deal.
or
it Records are described in entries whose style is formalized to give the
`ri following information; Title of record, dates for which available, quantity,
tgt labeling of volumes or containers, information on missing records of discon-
Q tinusnce, variant titles, manner of arrangement, indexing, ond location.
ig These title—line entries differ from full entries used in other County Inven-
4, tories in that they do not give o description of record contents, nnturc of
Qi recording, or size of volumes or containers.
it  ‘`‘
ng The Survey is now engaged in preparing a comprehensive statement of the
Ӥ general law regulating county government, to be entitled County Government in
fg georgia. It is expected that this book will servo as n hgndgook on the EFQEH-
ig izntiEE, structure, end evolution of county government in Georgie, and will
id make it unnecessary to repent certain items of gcnerel informstion in tho
Pd various inventories. The office essays in this inventory orc, therefore, linv
ii; ited to the crention of the office enc its present status, the manner in vhich
;@ it is filled, the term, and special lcjislstion affecting Clinch County.
{Q Pending issuance of the volume on County Government in Georgia, it is suggest-
ii ed thut the render consult thc lnXenEory_§E_the Count? zeesivsi of Ceorgig,
2

   V
hg Preface
M
is IEE. Sl, Jefferson County, for more detailed essays than those found in the
yy ;·  Clinch County inventory.
2 —l
fg The Inventory of the County Archives of Georgia will, when completed,
iQ consist of a separate,“numbered volume for—each county in the State. Each
Q county unit of the series is numbered according to its respective position
Q in an alphabetical list of Georgia's 159 counties. Thus, the Inventory of
Q Clinch County becomes No. 32, in accordance with such list. The inventories
`> of the State archives, of municipal and other local records, will constitute
Q separate publications.
` I
ii The Survey was begun in Clinch County in June 1958, and the initial
y. field work was completed in August of that year. The initial inventory was
é rechecked in May and June of 1940. For the completeness and accuracy of the
ly inventory of the records, the field workers are responsible. The essays, en-
5 tries, and other sections of the Inventory were prepared by tho State Office
‘f starr.
I3
2 The Georgia staff has profited in all phases of its work by the construc-
v tive advice and criticism of the National Office.
g= The publication of this volume is made possible through the assistance
,7 rendered on behalf of Clinch County by the Commissioners of Roads and Revenues.
T The valuable assistance rendered by other officials of Clinch County is also
T gratefully acknowledged.
;l'
g Grateful acknowledgment is also made for the aid given by the various
gy workers and officials of the State and District offices of the Work Projects
§ Administration.
fi  ,‘ N. Cecil Hill
ij Assistant State Supervisor in Charge
QE The Georgia Historical Records Survey
Tl Atlanta, Georgia
gg September 1940
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?2 TABLE OF CONTENTS
Q Introduction
  P3 se
gQ l. Clinch County Historical Sketch . . . .............. 1
Q Maps of Clinch County ..................... 12
`E Population of Clinch County lS50—l94O . . ........... 13
Q 2. Governmental Organization .... . ............... 14
[i Chart of Clinch County Government . . ............. 17
’ 5. Housing, Care, and Accessibility of the Records ......... 18
*_ Floor Plans of Clinch County Courthouse . ........... 21
L 4. Abbreviations, Symbols, and Explanatory Notes .......... 23
l
Q Clinch County Offices and Their Records
u
g I. Board of Commissioners of Roads and Revenues ......... 26
j Minutes. Warrants. Taxes. Audits. Penal
f Institutions. Road Record. County Property.
i
§ II. Superior Court Clerk as Ex Officio County Recorder ...... 27
{ Real and Personal Property; Deeds and Mortgages;
l Indexes; Land Title Registers; Land Maps and Flats.
2 Charters of Incorporation. Trade Names. Profes-
_ sional Registration. Soldiers.
§
l III. Superior Court and Clerk . . . . ...... . . . . . . . . . 29
g Civil: Case Papers and Pleadings; Dockets; Minutes
5 and Proceedings. Criminal; Case Papers;`Dockets;
[ Minutes and Proceedings. Financial. Notaries
ll Public. Voters. Newspapers.
1.
fj IV. Solicitor General . . . . . .................. 52
§j V. Jury Conmdssioners . . . ................... S2
Q3 VI. Grand Jury ...... . ................ . . . 55
qj VII. Inferior Court . . . ..................... S5
i
if VIII. Court of Ordinary and Clerk . . ................ 34
ii  VV Minutes. Wills. Estate Papers. Administration
fi of Estates, record of; Letters, Representatives
hl of Estates; Dockets; Bonds, Representatives of
l ‘ E Estates; Inventories and Appraiscments;`Jidows
tl Years Support; Returns; Letters of Dismission.
QQ Lunacy. Marriages. Homesteads and Exemptions.
Qu Voters. Habeas Corpus. Official Bonds. Pensions
p§ and Confederate Records. Spirituous Liquors. Li-
vi censes. Marks and Brands. Newspapers.
‘    ix . c ounty c ourt ......................... ss
td Civil; Case Papers and Pleadings;
25 Dockets; Minutes. Criminal.

 D vii
  Table of Contents
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xl
Iii X. County Court Solicitor . ........... . . . . . . . . 40
    I     I I I O I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I  
pQ XII. Justice of the Peace Courts ................. 40
ti lO52nd Militia District. lO6lst
gt Militia District. 1224th Militia
§_ District. l280th Militia District.
      I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I  
gp XIV. County Attorney . ........... . . . . ....... 42
§‘ XV. Coroner . . . . ................ . ..... 42
Y
I XVI. Sheriff ..... . .......... . ......... 45
3
X XVII. County Police ........................ 43
 
I XVIII- Tax Receiver ................. . ....... 44
 
I XIX. Board of Tax Assessors .................... 44
I
i XX. Tax Collector . . . .................. . . . 45
tr XXI. Fiscal Depository . . . . ....... I. . . . ....... 46
    I   I I I I I I I I I U I I 0 I I 0 I I I I I I I I I I  
IQ XXIII. Board of Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
pt} XXIV. Superintendent of Schools .... . ........ . .... 47
   I       I I I I I I I I 0 I I I I I ¤ I I I I I I I I  
QQ XXVI. District Commissioner of Health . . . ........... . 48
Q XXVII. County Physician . . . . ....... . ........... 49
in XXVIII. Department of Public Welfare . . . . . . . ...... . . . . 49
QQ Cases. Applications. Special
at Assistance. Financial Records,
3} XXIX. Road Conmdssioners . ............ . ........ 51
£_ XXX. County Surveyor ..... . ................. 51
{ti XXXI. County Agricultural Agent . . . ............... 5}
is Bibliography . u . . . . . . . . ·...... . . . . . . . . 55
  Chronological lndcx . . . . . . . . . . . · · - . . • . . . . 56
  Subject Index • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • n • • • • • • • •  

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Qi 1. CLINCH COUNTY HISTORICAL SKETCH
ky Creation and Boundaries
Q3 Clinch County was created by an act of the General Assembly of Georgia
lfi on February 14, 1850, the ninety-fourth county to be created in the State
Q of Georgia.(l) The county was named in honor of General Duncan Lamont Clinch
-§  ‘'_ (1787-1849), a prominent Georgian who saw service in the War of 1812 and in
pg the Seminole har of 1855-56, and who later was a Representative in Congress.
L3 (2) At the time of its creation Clinch County was considerably larger than
jg it is today. Parts of its territory have been added to other counties and
Q; its boundaries have been changed many times. In 1854 Coffee County was par-
Qi tially formed from Clinch.(5) From that year to 1877 the line between Clinch
(tj and Coffee Counties was altered no less than eight times.(4) In the latter
Qé year that line was defined and established by the General Assemb1y.(5) Echols
§V County was formed in part from Clinch in 1858.(6) The line between Clinch and
Q; Ware Counties was changed slightly in 1876,(7) and a number of years later
,j the General Assembly ordered the ordinaries of the two counties to appoint a
§* person from each county to run the line, "plainly marking the same and set-
`e ting a solid lightwood post at the end of every mile, having the letters
f° 'C. L.' plainly out on one face of each post."(8) In 1917 Atkinson County
bi was formed from Clinch and Coffee Counties,(9) and two years later Lanier
yf County was partly formed from territory embraced in Clinch County.(10)
ka Physical Characteristics
QQ Clinch County is centrally situated in the extreme southern part of
jg the State of Georgia. It is bounded generally on the north by Atkinson
E, County, on the east by Ware County, on the south.by the State of Florida and
V, Eohols County, and on the west by Lanier County. The soil is sandy, making
QE the county better adapted to the production of naval stores and lumber than
my to extensive agricultural operations.(l1) The streams of Clinch County are
QQ not large. All of them, with the exception of Red Bluff Creek, flow in a
epi southerly direction and empty either into the Okefenokee Swamp or into the
ij} Suwannee River, which has its origin in the swamp. The largest of these
te streams are Suwanoochee, East Fork, and Jones Creeks, all of which flow
(fi into the Suwannoe River in the southeastern portion of the eounty.(l2) Most
111 of the drainage of Clinch County therefore falls into the Gulf of Mexico.
rg 1) Ga. Code of 1953, #25-101; Ga. Acts 1849-50, pp. 126, 127.
ng 2) Biographical Directogy pf the nmerican Congress, 1774-1927 (Washington,
QQ 1928}, 825, 824.
*j 5) Ga. Acts 1855-54, pp. 294-296.
ig 4) Ga. Acts 1855-56, pp. 126, 127; 1862, p. 80; 1865, pp. 206, 207; 1870,
gi pp. 26, 27; 1872, p. 402; 1876, pp._504, 305.
ii 5) Ga. nots 1877, p. 280.
fE 6) Ga. nets 1858, pp. 37-40.
it 7) Ga. nots 1876, p. 504.
  s) ea. Acts isse, p. use.
li 9) Ga. Acts 1917, pp. 41-44.
ffl 10) ·Ga. Acts 1919, pp. 69-72. 4
QE 11) Information from the United States Geological Survey, Georgia School of
Q1 Technology, ntlanta, Georgia.
pi 12) United States Geological Survey, (Map of) State pf Georgia, A. F. Hassan,
~7l cartographer (compiled in 1952).
ig

  fl
’*  i ii 2
ji Historical Sketch (First entry, p. 26)
A
 
  9122.*222 an 9;s.a@i-sréiss 2.fi @.22 Seven
1,2 By a treaty with the Creek Indians concluded at Fort Jackson in 1814,
Qi the State of Georgia acquired a vast strip of territory south and southwest
(jj of the Ocmulgee and Altamaha Rivers. In 1818 the General Assembly laid out
fl the counties of Early, Irwin, and Appling from this Creek cession.(1) In
Q) 1824 Ware County was created from Appling County,(2) and a year later Lowndes
tif County was created from Irwin County.(5) On February 14, 1850, the General
AQ Assembly laid out Clinch County from the counties of Ware and Lowndes. It
ii  Ir is impossible new to trace accurately the original boundary of the county.
QQ It commenced "at the mouth of Cane Creek, where it empties into the Okefeno-
it kee Swamp, thence along said Creek to the ford at Daniel Lano's, thence a
fn direct line to the mouth of Hoody Creek where it empties into the Saltillo
,_ river near John B. Walls, then the river to be the line to the county line,
Q7 thence the county line to the Allapaha river, thence the river to be the
Y- line to the Florida line, to the Okefenokee Swamp...."' Five commissioners
W were appointed to employ a person to run and mark the lines at the expense
*1 of Clinch County and to fix upon a site for public buildings.(4)
tj The creating act empowered the commissioners to lay out the town of
V Folk and sell lots in the town for county purposes. All civil and military
jg officers within the limits of the new county were continued in office, and
V} an election for the various county officers was ordered held on the first
Y1 Monday in April "at the house of Jonathan Knight, and at the different elec-
fu tion precincts that are established by law...." The justices of the inferior
jj: court were empowered to carry out any business not done by the commissioners.
lj; A11 pending cases in the counties of Ware and Lowndes in which the defendant
rv was a resident of the new county were transferred to the courts of Clinch.
4: (5) The first officers elected for the county weret J. C. Kirkland, clerk
fi of the superior and inferior courts; Charles Cowart, sheriff; Benjamin Cor-
{1 nelius, tax receiver; Ezekiel J. Sirmans, tax collector; David J. Blackburn;
if surveyor; Joseph L. Rogers, coroner; and David Johnson, Isham F. Johnson,
ti Hiram Sears, and Manning Smith, justices of the inferior court.(6)
QQ County gites and CourthouEEE_
(ii The act of the General Assembly creating Clinch County provided that
it the superior and inferior courts and the courts of ordinary should be held
fi at the house of Jonathan Knight until there was a courthouse for the county.(7)
Ai 1) Ga. Acts 1818, pp. 27-40.
·;§ 2) Ga. Acts 1824, p. 44.
if 5) Ga. Acts 1825, p. 54. `
if 4) Ga. Acts 1849-50, p. 126. The commissioners were Elijah Mattox, Simon
3E W. Nichol, Timothy Kirkland, Benjamin Sumon, and John J. Johnson.
if 5) Ga. Acts 1849-50, p. 127.
vii 6) Folks Huxford, History of Clinch County, Georgia ... (Macon, Georgia,
rfw 1916), 35. For—EeEE—reason Blackburn did not qualify as surveyor and he
ti was followed by Francis H. McCall. Only four justices of the inferior
§§ courts were elected. Possibly a justice of the inferior courts of either
Ti Ware or Lowndes Counties was resident in the new county. If so, he prob-
Yf ably became the fifth justice in Clinch County according to law.
`QQ 7) Ga. Acts 1849-50, p. 126.
, if '

 tg 5
Q5 Historical Sketch (First entry, p. 26)
gd
 ;4 Knight had previously been the first Representative of Lowndes County in
jg the State legislature and his house was located about two miles north of the
ji present town of DuPont.(l) The town of Polk, mentioned in the act creating
yy the county, was named for James Knox Folk, former President of the United
E States. The first courthouse of Clinch County was not built there until the
~y% winter of l852.(2) ln January of that year the name of the county seat was
MQ changed from Polk to Magnolia,(B) which was incorporated in l854.{4) Magno-
QQ lia was always a small village, located approximately in the center of the
fg county. The principal street ran from east to west, and the county buildings
QQ were situated on the north side of this street. A few stores and houses made
ih up the rest of the village. The contract for the first courthouse was let
ij by the inferior court to John and Elias Moore. It was a small wooden building
K and in 1856 was destroyed by fire, which was generally thought to be the work
1% of an incendiary. Shortly afterwards another courthouse was constructed.
hi This building was later moved to Homerville.(5)
3  i‘—
ifg Early in 1853 Dr. John Homer Nattox moved from the Suwannee River, and
it built a home and cleared a farm along the stagecoach route leading to Magno-
gQ lia. The mail stages made his farm a point at which to change horses, and
5 Dr. hattox began calling the stop “hcmerville," to which place mail began to
by be addressed. 'Nhen the Atlantic and Gulf Railroad was constructed from
@· Savannah to this point, the place was designated by the railroad as "Station
it Ho. ll" and mail was generally addressed to "Homorville, Station No. ll, A.
tf & G. R. R." By l859 the railroad was built to the town of DuPont and extended
ij through the county during the following year. There began considerable
, agitation for the removal of the county site.(Ci About 275 citizens of the
fi county signed a petition asking the General Assembly to remove the county
{Q seat from Magnolia to Station hc. ll. Dr. mattox, who championed the change,
QQ gave bond to the inferior court that the removal would be made without ex-
_i pense to the county. Accordingly, in l86O the General Assembly empowered
fi the inferior court to move the county buildings on lot of land number 498
tI "at such time and upon such terms as they may deem advisable...."(7)
tg The exact date of the removal is not known. John Moore and Martin S.
gt Corbitt were given the contract to remove the courthouse and Dr. Mattox em-
ii ployed Corbitt and Jackson S. Williams to rebuild it. The two—room log jail
fi at Magnolia was not removed and a new one was constructed at Homerville. With
QQ the coming of the county buildings, several retail stores——first of log and
ll? then of plank——a number of houses, and even a hotel followed. A sawmill was
lid soon built at Homerville, but the Civil Nar retarded the growth of the new
if seat of Clinch Ccunty.(8) The town was not incorporated until February 15,
YQQ 1869, when five commissioners(9) were appointed by the General Assembly.
‘u¥
iii l) Huxford, op. cit., ll, 54.
G E 2) ibid., iss? "
tj I5) E$$mhcts l85l-52, p. 455.
f j; 4) ea. Acts inseam, py. .257, ass.
{Q 5) Huxford, op. cit., 56-Z8.
‘f } t) ibid., 4zTEs."`
 ig  7) E?Tr_[4.c;ts isso, p. ies.
fi 8) Huxford, ep. cit., 46, 47.
Qi 9) Allen Smith, Elfred Niwbern, Joel Strickland, John J. Johnson, and P. G,
=f; O'Eryan.
 U;

 T 
U  4
ig Historical Sketch (First entry, p. 26)
jlé The limits of the town extended one—half mile in every direction from the
Lil courthouse. The commissioners were to choose a president from their own
1;; number and to appoint a marshal, treasurer, and clerk. They were empowered
agi to levy a tax on real and personal property, to tax "ten—pin alleys, billiard
iff tables, and other establishments calculated to encourage idleness...," to
 j§ regulate or prohibit the sale of intoxicating liquors, and to call out resi-
lf; dents five days in each year for road duty.(l)
fyi The courthouse which had been moved from Magnolia to Homorville was
.5Q .,’r destroyed by fire in the summer of 1867. The fire took place at night and
_@ was thought to have been incendiary. The buildirg and all county records
pjj were destroyed. The loss of the building was not a great loss, but the
Qt destruction of the records, especially deeds, proved to be a great incon-
yj venience. The inferior court shortly afterwards awarded a contract for a
gi new courthouse to James husscll, a native of Scotland and a carpenter by
`Ql trade, who was then living at Homerville. In the interim a store building
Q ·was rented from Sylvsnus hitch for use of the courts. Within a year o
by new courthouse, the third in the county, was built. lt was a two—story
}§= wooden building, scmewhat smaller than the previous courthouse, with outside
Ty stairs leading to the second floor.{?) lr September 1868 the grand jury
Qi of the Clinch superior court reccnimndod that "the room upstairs in the
if court-house be reserved for religious purposes for various denominations
it for all time to come."(3) This third courthouse served the county until the
T construction of tho present building in 1895-96.
‘Ty The contract for the courthouse now in use in Clinch County was let by
iq; a committee appointed by the ordinary in 1895 to`T. J. Darling, of Waycross,
‘%i Georgia. It was built on the site of the old courthouse, which building was
jyd sold at auction to a group of Primitive Baptists, who removed it and used it
why as a church for a few ycars.{4) This courthouse was remodeled in 1936. A
lg jail built in 1873 of hewn logs was replaced in 1893 with a two—story brick
gg building with steel cells.(5)
tt Considerable agitation for the removal of the county site from Homerville
ffl took place during the eighties and nineties. On being presented with a
FQ petition signed by a number of the residents of the county, the ordinary
_{l called an election on July 3, 1885, to let the people choose between DuPont
pg and Homerville for the county site- Barbecues, public balls, and other at-
lil tractions took place in the competing towns. The vote showed that a majority
okg of five of those voting favored DuPont, but a majority of two-thirds was re-
Ti quired by law to remove the county scat. A similar election took place in
gg 1893, but the county seat remained, and remains, at howervi11e.(6)
  · _ — _ - M ,_, _ ,_, _ _ ,, ,, ,. ,, - - ,. ,. .. —- .. _ - - .. - - - - .. .. .. ,. ... - .. _ -
ll} 1) Ga. Acts 1869, pp. 80, 81. The following year the limit of road duty
’dq was extended to 15 days in each year.-—Ga. Acts 1870, p. 206.
{Yi 2) buxford, op. cit., 75.
  22) Quoted n{`T1»a.E`T§ vs.
gd 4} Huxfopd, fiiriiti., GO, 91. For a description of the present courthouse
lf§ of Clinch Coxnty, see housing, Care, and Accessibility of tho Records,
  nqrm, p. io.
  BJ TE¥€€%ro, op. cit., vv, so.
  6) QQZQZM, 79-,-86-:-.87.
me
vi
>  if ·

 W§
 
  5
Qg Historical Sketch (First entry, p, 26)
    Iain we its  
1; *3
3; The first white persons known to have settled on the land which became
QQ Clinch County made their homes in the Mud Creek district, then in Irwin Coun-
[§ ty, in Decerber 1822. About the same time Joseph Sirmans, Sr., his four sons
ry and three nephews, Moses, John, and William Tomlinson, and Daxid Johnson set-
Qj ·tled along the Alapaha River near the present site of Stocktcn.(1) William
gt Smith, a Primitive ?aptist preacher, settled on Red Bluff Creek about 1825.
_Q {2) Gradually other settlers came into the region to rake their homes. Gen-
1% orally dressed in homespun, these early settlers were “rlain mon, honest and
gv thrifty."(5) Constantly harassed by the hostile Seminole Indians, they fin-
rj ally put an end to these depredations by the red man in 1856. A number of
f the settlers were killed in the Indian war of that year before the Seminoles
in were pushed out of the Okefenokee Swamp back into Florida.(4)
QQ Little progress was made in Clinch County until the construction of the
fr Atlantic and Gulf Railroad just prior to the Civil war. What produce the
5. farmers had for market was sent to Brunswick or some other point over the
Q_ peer roads in caravans of wagons drawn by oxen. The owner of the wagons gen-
t orally took a percentage of the proceeds of the sales in payment for the
é transportation. 0n the return trip the wagons brought those articles which
E the inhabitants needed. Frequently such a trip required two or three months.
Q' Stagecoaches were practically the only means of comrmnication with other parts
t of the country. A line of stages ran from Waresboro through Magnolia and
QQ into Lowndes County. Another ran from Troupville in Lowndes through the hud
y` Creek district, making a connection with the other stage.(5)
it The census of Clinch County in 1850 showed a total of only 657 persons in
gy the county, of which 506 were whites. In 1860 there were more than three
tt thousand persons in the county in spite of the fact that a part had just gone
Q  r‘A into the formation of Eeho1s.(6) Generally the farms in Clinch County during
EQ the antebellum period were small. 0f the 225 farms listed in the county in
it .,tG 1859, 185 were between 10 and 100 acres. Ninety-three of these were between
jj twenty and fifty acres in size. Ten of the farms in Clinch were between
`fl three and ten acres. The largest farms in the county numbered 52 and con-
tgi tained between 100 and 500 acres of land. In 1860 there were 11,602 acres
fyi of improved land and 154,595 acres of unimproved lands in the county. The
XQI cash value of the farms was placed at $568,176 and the livestock at $155,751.
QQ Only 216 bales of cotton were produced in 1859, which indicates that other
ft? crops were raised on the farms. Much corn and sweet potatoes and some sugar
tf and molasses were produced.(7)
tt That Clinch County was a region of small farms is further demonstrated
fj? by the number of Negro slaves and slaveholders in 1860. There were only 74
fit 1) Huxford, op. cit., ll, 20. In 1919 Stockton was included in the new
pir county of_Eanier.
jltl 2) Huxford, op. cit., 21.
  s) Ibid., 17-:- ""`
  4) nid., iz-is.
Ly] 5) Ibid., 12, 16.
K) 6) See Population of Clinch County, 1850-1940, infra, p. 15.
rj 7) Eighth Census of the United States, 1860, Agriculture pf thi United
rg States, 22, 25, 25, 196.
 ;__~

  
  , . . . 6
E distcrical Sketch {First entry, p. 26)
I  —‘  3
pw
lg; Slaveholders in th? county in that year. Of this number 61 owned less than
gg IO slaves each. Six owned from ten to fifteen each, and five from fifteen to
QE twenty. Of the two largest slavchcldcrs in the county, one owned from twenty
Ei to thirty slaves, and the othcr from thirty to f0rty.{l)
  HE 921;% IVE; 221;-1 &<#2;>.12§¤.¤"2.s>.“¤.餤
gf Clinch County did not suffer from the Civil War and the Reconstruction
fg pcriod as scvcrcly as did some other sections 0f Gccrgid. Nc fighting tcbk
‘ r»  ,¥ place within the bounds 0f the county; and, after the war, the small number
j, of Negroes was mover 2 menace to white control of the county.
Q. T0 the cbmvcnticu of the people of Georgia which mst in Millcdgbvillc in
§‘ January 1861, Clinch.G0unty sent Pnnjwmiw Sixmuns and T. G. Ramsey, who were
Q instructed t0 vote in favor cf the sscessicn c