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Jones
County, Georgia History
Laid out in 1807; part added from Putnam, 1810; part to Bibb, 1822.
Length, 21 m.; breadth, 18 m.; area square miles, 378.
The chief river is the Ocmulgee.
The face of the country is hilly. The soil, though much worn, is
productive.
Clinton is the county town, distant from Milledgeville 22 miles.
Blountsville, a small place, is 10 miles from Clinton.
Griswold's Cotton Gin Factory is situated in Griswoldville. Machinery
moved by steam. Yearly average sales, 900 gins, worth not less than
$40,000 ; saws worth about $80,000 ; 70,000 pounds of castings, mostly
of iron, used per annum; 50,000 pounds of wrought iron, 40,000 pounds
gin-saw cast steel, and 200,000 feet of lumber. Annual profits of
business, $20,000. Connected with this establishment are two saws,
cutting 600,000 feet of lumber per annum, besides wagon, smiths' shops,
&c. Whole number of hands employed, 80.
The most common diseases are fever and pneumonia.
Extract from the Census of 1850.—White males, 1,972; white females,
1,927; free coloured males, 17; free coloured females, 29. Total free
population, 3,945 ; slaves, 6,279. Deaths, 85. Farms, 405;
manufacturing establishments, 15. Value of real estate, $1,373,625;
value of personal estate, $3,525,464.
Among the first settlers were, Captain Jonathan Parish, Peter Clower,
Henry Low, Wm. Williams, Wilkins Jackson, Jeremiah Dumas, Thomas White,
Jeremiah Pearson, Major Humphries, James and High Comer, Roger
Mccarthy, Allen Greene, BenJamin Tarver, Bailey Stewart, James Anthony,
George Harper, John Chapell, Jesse M. Pope, Henry Pope, John Bayne,
StePhen Kirk, Wm. Carbanus, P. A. Lewis, James Jones, Wm. Jones, Robert
Hutchins, James Grey.
Mr. Benjamin Reynolds died in this county, aged seventy-three years. He
was a native of Caroline County, Virginia. At the breaking out of the
Revolutionary War, he was too young to enter the service. As soon as
his age would admit, he, together with the patriotic citizens of that
part of Virginia, so distinguished in the history of the Revolution,
took up arms, and entered the service of his country. At the end of the
war he removed to South Carolina into a neighbourhood distinguished for
their loyalty to the British crown. Mr. Reynolds, from his zealous
devotion to the cause of liberty, encountered the most violent
persecution from his misguided associates. After the purchase of the
land on which Jones County is included, he removed thither, being one
of it earliest settlers.
John Lamar, Esq., died in this county. As a soldier of the Revolution,
he was not only brave to a fault, but his services were of long
continuance, and his sufferings excessive. Very shortly after entering
the army, he was deputed with others to the performance of a perilous
duty, in which he was deserted by his companions, and left to execute
the order alone, which he did to the admiration and astonishment of
all. For this act of intrepidity and fidelity, the Government tendered
him a Lieutenant's commission in the regular forces, which, however, he
modestly declined, on the ground that he was too young and
inexperienced to assume the responsibilities of the station, being at
this time only in his seventeenth year. He served under Generals Marion
and Pickens, attached generally to the battalion of the latter; was at
the battle of the Eutaw, Cowpens, siege of Augusta, and in several
other engagements ; once taken a prisoner, but made his escape from the
camp of Lord Cornwallis, rescuing at the same time one of his cousins;
was twice wounded during the war by the British, and once by the
Indians, after his removal to Georgia.
Many of the citizens of this section of the State have done honour to
it by their virtues and talents.
Dr. Hamilton, now of Cass, was a practitioner of medicine in this
county for many years, and had a high reputation.
Colonel Robert Hardeman is well known as a courteous gentleman and
eminent lawyer.
Interesting Trial.—In December, 1837, there was brought up and tried
before the Superior Court of this county a case which excited great
interest throughout the country. A full account of it was given in a
pamphlet, from which the following extracts are made:
The maiden name of the mother of Jesse L. Bunkley was Elisabeth
Slatter. Her first husband, the father of Jesse, was William D.
Bunkley. After the death of Mr. Bunkley, who left a large estate, his
widow married Mr. Billingslea. After the death of Billingslea, she
married Samuel Lowther, Esq. Captain Jonathan Parish married the annt
of Jesse L. Bunkley by the mother's side, and in 1815, was appointed
guardian of the person and property of Jesse. The estate left to Jesse
by his father was considerable. At the time when it was claimed by
Elijah Barber, who personated Jesse L. Bunkley, it is supposed that it
would have amounted to between thirty and forty thousand dollars. Young
Bunkley having ample means to educate him in the best style usual in
our country, was, from five years old, sent to the first schools and
academies in the vicinity, was prepared for college, and entered the
University of Georgia. As is too common with young men of fortune,
Jesse L. Bunkley did not feel the necessity of personal exertion to get
him through the world. He was consequently wild and rude, though
talented; his habits did not permit him to remain long a student of the
University. He made frequent excursions to our large cities and
elsewhere, to indulge in amusements more congenial to him than the
strict rules of a college life. After he left college, in order to
indulge his disposition for roaming and amusement, he determined to
make a trip to the westward and to New Orleans. At this time, 1825, his
mother lived about three miles from Clinton, Jones County, Georgia. She
testified that he left there on the 17th day of May, 1825, aged
nineteen years and six months. She heard from him occasionally, by
letter and otherwise, for little more than two years. After this it was
generally reported and believed in and about Clinton, that Jesse L.
Bunkley had died in New Orleans. And this report was so much confided
in, that his guardian paid out his estate to his brother, William D.
Bunkley, (generally called familiarly Bob Bunkley,) who was entitled to
his brother's estate upon his death. William D. Bunkley has since died,
and his estate descended to his widow and children, residing in Alabama.
The following is the description given of Jesse L. Bunkley when he left
Georgia : Light complexion, a little inclined to be swarthy, light
hair, yellow eyes, face full and round, a deep dimple in the chin, full
jaws, the upper one inclined to turn up when he laughed; nose large,
and a little turned up at the end; large hips, large thighs and legs, a
full body, but slim round the waist. The middle finger of the left hand
was bit off above the nail, the nail entirely gone; a scar on the right
side of the neck, under the jaw-bone, which grew up into a ridge ; a
scar immediately under the left knee-pan, directly across the leg. A
mark is also described on a private part of Bunkley, by Mr. Williams,
who was present when he got the wound.
We collect, from the history of the case, that from about the middle of
the year 1827, till about the year 1830, or 1831, nothing was heard of
Bunkley ; but the belief of his death generally prevailed among his
relatives and acquaintances in Georgia. About this time counter reports
began to reach them that he was dead, and that he was alive. Rumours
reached Clinton that he had been seen chained to a block, working on
the streets and the Levee at New-Orleans.
About 1832 or 1833, the report became current that he was confined in
the Calaboose, in New Orleans. About this time a correspondence was
commenced between a person in the Calaboose and a respectable gentleman
of the bar in Clinton, in which the former represented himself to be
Jesse L. Bunkley, and wrote to the latter under that name, with a view
to procure money to aid him in his difficulties, from the estate left
to his son by William D. Bunkley. The individual in the Calaboose was
visited by Major Wynn of Columbus, who knew Bunkley, but who identified
him to be the prisoner on his trial. He was convicted and confined in
the Calaboose, under the name of Elijah Barber, of having forged
bank-notes in his possession. He afterwards opened a correspondence
with the mother of Bunkley; but failed to satisfy her of his identity.
This individual had been well known to many persons in Georgia, for a
number of years. Many of the citizens of Gwinnett and other counties
knew him well as Elijah Barber. He was recognized by that name about
Macon, Milledgeville, Augusta, and elsewhere. The citizens generally
were acquainted with his father, mother, and family. He was seen as
late as the year 1828 in Milledgeville, and 1829 in Augusta, three or
four years after Bunkley left the State. He was a wild, dissipated,
intemperate man, extremely illiterate, so much so, that he could not
write his name; and was frequently arrested for breaches of the laws.
Barber first demanded his estate of the guardian of Bunkley, by power
of attorney, purporting to hare been written in the State of Arkansas.
The guardian suspected some unfairness, as he did not recognize the
handwriting, and believed Bunkley to be dead. He therefore refused to
settle with the agent who produced the power of attorney.
A short time after this, the person representing himself as Jesse L.
Bunkley, made his appearance in Jones County, and after remaining there
two or three weeks, demanded of Captain Parish the estate of Jesse L.
Bunkley. He passed by the name of Bunkley, and this personation and
demand gave origin to the case here reported.
Elijah Barber (the man convicted) is about the ordinary stature,
perhaps a little over it, said to be taller than Bunkley when he left
Georgia—spare madevery little bow-legged—somewhat thin-visaged, face
rather long—complexion ruddy—hair quite black, and black whiskers—deep
blue eyes—sharp chin, without any appearance of a dimple—nose long and
sharp, a little aquiline, or turned down. On his left leg, about an
inch and a half below the knee, is a scar made obliquely up the leg. He
shows a very small spot for a scar on the side of the neck under the
right jaw-bone. A very peculiar mark on a private member is proved. He
has not lost any of his fingers—the nails are all on them, and perfect.
He has never been seen to write anything but Jesse L. Bunkley, and that
badly.
One of the witnesses described a scar or scars on Barber's leg from the
bite of a snake. Barber exhibited himself before the jury, and scars
were found oo his right leg, very much resembling the description of
the wounds from the bite of a snake.
Two objections were raised by the prisoner's counsel when the
indictment was about to be read.
1st Objection: "That prisoner had not been served with a copy of this
indictment."
2nd: " That the indictment has been amended by adding to it the name of
a new prosecutor, the former being dead, and that the statute of
jeofails extends to civil and not criminal cases."
Which objections, however, were overruled by the court, who ordered the
indictment to be read. Ninety-eight witnesses were sworn in behalf of
the State, and thirty-nine in behalf of the prisoner. The jury were out
but a few minutes, and returned a verdict of guilty. The prisoner was
sentenced to five years' imprisonment at hard labour in the
Penitentiary.
The Solicitor-General, William G. Smith, Hardeman, Colquitt, and Reid,
for the State, and James Smith and E. Y. Hill for the prisoner.
[Source: Historical
Collections fo Georgia by George White, 1855. - Submitted by Brenda
Wiesner]
Towns, Hamlets and Villages
Gray,
the county seat of Jones county, is located on the Central of Georgia
railroad, and in 1900 reported a population of 71. It is about
three miles northeast of Clinton, the former county seat, the change
being made by the legislature of 1905, owing to the fact that Clinton
was without railroad facilities. Gray has a money order post
office, with rural free delivery, express and telegraph offices, some
mercantile interests and does considerable shipping.
(Georgia: Comprising Sketches of Counties, Towns, Events, Institutions,
and Persons, Arranged in Cyclopedic Form. VOL III Publ. 1906.
Transcribed by Marilyn Clore)
Glovers,
a post-village of Jones county, is located on the Ocmulgee river, about
fourteen miles northwest of Clinton. The population in 1900 was
161. It has some stores with good local trade, and does
considerable shipping. Juliette is the nearest railroad station.
(Georgia: Comprising Sketches of Counties, Towns, Events, Institutions,
and Persons, Arranged in Cyclopedic Form. VOL III Publ. 1906.
Transcribed by Marilyn Clore)
History
of Clinton
Clinton, until recently the county
seat of Jones county, is located about two miles south of Gray, the
present county seat, and in 1900 reported a population of 324. It was
incorporated in 1816, has a money order postoffice, several good
mercantile establishments, schools, churches, etc. Gray is the nearest
railroad station. On July 30, 1864, a skirmish occurred here, which was
one of the incidents of Stoneman's raid. (q. v.) When Sherman began his
march to the sea in the following November one division of the Federal
troops was met near Clinton on the 20th and the advance driven back on
the main body by the Confederates under Col. W. C. P. Breckenridge. The
Federals occupied the town on the 21st. A small body of Wheeler's
cavalry made a dash on Osterhaus' division and captured one man within
a few feet of the general's headquarters. They were driven back by
superior numbers, when Wheeler coming up with two regiments turned the
tide of battle and forced the enemy to abandon the pursuit.
[Source: "GEORGIA :
Comprising Sketches of Counties, Towns, Events, Institutions, and
Persons, Arranged in Cyclopedic Form" EDITED BY Ex-governor ALLEN D.
CANDLER AND General CLEMENT A. EVANS, VOLUME I , 1906 - Submitted by
Brenda Wiesner]
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