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Georgia Genealogy Trails "Where your Journey Begins" |
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Georgia Genealogy Trails "Where your Journey Begins" |
BUTTS COUNTY.
This county was laid out from Monroe and Henry in 1825. Length, 17 m.;
13 m. in breadth ; area square miles, 221. Named after Captain Samuel
Butts, who lost his life in the battle of Chalibbee, on the 27th of
January, 1814.
The Ocmulgee flows along the eastern borders of this county. The small
streams are Tussahaw, Yellow Water, Sandy Creek, &c.
The face of the country is level. The gray lands prevail, and are
admirably suited for cotton.
Jackson is the county site, 55 m. N. W. of Milledgeville.
Dublin is eight miles from Jackson.
Lofton's Store, 7 m. from Jackson.
The Indian Springs are situated upon the waters of Sandy Creek. They
have a high reputation, and are much resorted to.
Extract from the Census, 1850: — Dwellings, 642; families, 642; white
males, 1,888; white females, 1,792; free coloured males, 2; free
coloured females, 1; total free population, 3,683; slaves, 2,805;
deaths, 55 ; farms, 391 ; manufacturing establishments, 14; value of
real estate, $717,112; value of personal estate, $1,588,752.
The climate is salubrious. Among the instances of longevity are, Mrs.
McMichael, who died at 100 ; Mr. Butril, over 80; E. Price, a
Revolutionary soldier, 79; Robert Grier, 80; Wm. Foster, 105.
Early settlers — A. Mcclendon, Jesse Dolly, Samuel Clarke, Thos.
Robinson, Col.Z.Phillips, John Terrell, Howell Andrews, Thos. Buford,
A. Woodward, Wm. Barclay, James Harkness, Abner Bankston, John
McMichael, McCord, and others, mostly from South Carolina, and the
upper counties of Georgia.
Planters' Factory is situated at the seven islands on the Ocmulgee
River. Capital, $50,000. Water power said to be unsurpassed by any in
Georgia.
In 1826, Ledwell Watts was convicted of murder in this county, and was
sentenced to death, but was twice respited by the Governor, to afford
the Legislature an opportunity of considering his case. A bill for his
pardon was passed in the House, but rejected by the Senate. The last
respite extended to Friday, 14th December, 1826, on which day the
Sheriff went to the jail to carry the prisoner to execution, but he
having procured arms, defied the officer, threatened to kill him if he
entered the jail, and it was not until three or four days afterwards
that Watts gave up and was hung.
On Major Ward's plantation there are three mounds, with embankments,
running to the River Ocmulgee. These mounds were excavated a few years
ago, and a variety of Indian implements found.
Source: "Historical Collections Of Georgia", by George White, 1855
Transcribed by Submitted by Brenda Wiesner
HISTORY OF TOWNS AND VILLAGES
Flat Rock
Bridge, in Butts county, was
the scene of a skirmish on July 28, 1864, as Stoneman was setting out
on his
celebrated raid to the rear of Hood’s army (see Stoneman’s Raid).
[Source: Georgia:
Sketches, Counties, Towns, Events, Institutions & People, Vol. 2,
Publ.
1906 Transcribed By: Maggie Coleman]
Flat Shoals
is a little hamlet on the
bank of South river in Butts county, where a
skirmish occurred on July 28, 1864, during Stoneman’s raid. On Oct. 11, 1864, Gen. John W. Geary, with
2,200 infantry, 700 cavalry, a battery of four inch rifled guns and 420
wagons,
left Atlanta
for a foraging expedition through Butts, Henry and Fayette counties. He reached Flat Shoals (mentioned in his
reports as Float Rock) at six o’clock the same evening and crossed the
river
there the following morning. Several
skirmishes occurred during the expedition, on of which was at this
point, but
it was a slight affair.
[Source: Georgia:
Sketches, Counties, Towns, Events, Institutions & People, Vol. 2,
Publ.
1906 Transcribed By: Maggie Coleman]
Flovilla, a town in the southern part
of Butts county, is on the Southern railway between Macon
and Atlanta,
and in the Indian Springs district. It
was incorporated by act of the legislature in 1885, has a money order
postoffice, with rural free delivery system, express and telegraph
offices, a
bank and several prosperous business houses.
The people of the town and vicinity have also excellent school
and
church privileges. A short railway
connects Flovilla with Indian Springs, the noted health resort. According to the census of 1900 the town of
Flovilla had 523
inhabitants. The Indian Springs
district, including Flovilla and McIntosh, had a population of 1,517.
[Source: Georgia:
Sketches, Counties, Towns, Events, Institutions & People, Vol. 2,
Publ.
1906 Transcribed By: Maggie Coleman]
