Ricks Family Home Page

It is through your request my Dear Son, that I undertake to write a little history of our Ancestors, and also of ourselves.

To Begin: I have thought proper to give a little of the Geography of the country in which our fathers settled after Emigrating to Georgia, in 1777. Wilks County was laid off by the Legislature, it's Northern line on the Savanah River at the mouth of Lightwood Log Creek and run up said creek about one mile North of the present site of Danielsville, and thence to the corner known as Cherokee Corner, nine miles below Athens on the Lexington Road, at Cherokee corner. Wilks cornered with the Creeks and Cherokee Indians, the Creeks south, and as far as they wanted west, the Cherokees north, and west as far as they wished. In 1784 Franklin was made by the Legislature from lands taken from the Cherokee's as indemnity for depredation commited by them on the whites during the war of the Revolution. Franklin north to north-west of Wilks. In 1790 Elbert was laid off from the north?east corner of Wilks, and in 1793 Oglethorp was laid off from the north-west corner of Wilks, in 1796 Jackson County then all of Clark and Coone lying within it's boundary and small portions of what is now Guinnett, Hall, and Walton Counties. In 1811 Madison County was laid off from Elbert and franklin Counties, mainly, but small portions taken from Jackson, Clark and Oglethorp counties.

Nearly all the first settlers in what is now Madison County, were pennsylvanians from the neighborhood of Carlyle in Cumberland County, and were of Scotch Irish descent, that is they were from Scotland and had settled in Ireland, but finally Emigrated to America, and made settlements in Pennsylvania, Virginia, North and South Carolina's. They were Presbyterians, and as they were considered Illegal bodies of worshipers, but was one of the dissenting bodies, after the Episcopal Church became established by law in England,.The Presbyterians and other dissenting bodies lost their love for England, and many of them came over and settled in the different colonies, but when England's oppressive measures were imposed on her colonies, these dissenting bodies of religeous worshipers almost universally became rebellious. It was a body of Presbyterians in Medenburg County North Carolina made the first Declaration of Independence in 1775, they brought no love for England with them and were ready to lay down their lives in defense of Colonial rights. After the Revolution numbers of them found their way to the unbroken forrest of Georgia. Among them was our Ancestors, our Great Grand Father, Gardner. I can recollect of seeing him when I was small, he was with General Washington three years and was in the battle of Germantown Long Island and Brandy?Wine and probably others. After the war he married a Miss Margarett Elliott, the Elliott's were Black-Smiths, They were detailed by General Washington to assist in making the huge chains that was stretched across the Delaware river, to prevent the British Fleet from reaching Philadelphia. The Elliotts with a few others made the first settlement in what is now Madison County. My Grandmother was born in Pennsylvania, her mother died while she was an infant. Christopher Gardner came with his father in-law, George Elliott, his five sons, George, John, Alexander, William and Thomas to Georgia in 1786, and made the first settlement ever made in what is now Madison County on the south fork of Bread River. The Elliotts made nails to nail on the first roof on the first Church ever organized in North Georgia or so high up in the state, I mean the first presbyterian ever organized.

There were some Presbyterian Churches near the Coast before this, but Newhope Church in Madison is the oldest one Organized in 1788 by the Rev. John Newton, the first Presbyterian Minister that ever sett- led in North Georgia, he died in 1796 or 7. The Creek Indians became troublesome in 1787, my Great Grand Father with the E lliotts built a Fort near where Paoli now stands to protect themselves from the In- roads of the Indians. There is some difference in the history of Great Grand Father Saye, in one statement gives it that his father William or James Saye came over from England, settled in Pennsylvania, raised three sons, James, William, and Richard, and that R ichard Saye came over from England with other Emegrants from England about the year 1755 and that Mary Hoge with her Father and family in the same Vessel with him. They married soon after they landed and settled first in Pennsy? lvania, but did not remain long there but emigrated to what is now Union County South Carolina. Both statements give Mary Hoge as Richard's wife. Richard was my Great Grandfather, he was a thrifty farmer, and when the Revolutionary War broke out he volunteered his services to his adopted country and fell in the siege at Savanah in October 1779. My great Grandmother remained in South Carolina until 1789 or 90, then removed to Wilks County, Georgia. That part in which she settled is now Madison County. She and her family became members of New Hope Presbyterian Church, she lies in the burrying ground there with many of her decendants. She raised 7 children 4 girls and 3 boys, I am not sure what the girls names were, the boys were James, William and Richard. Richard being the youngest was named for his father, he was my Grand? father. The oldest son James married a Miss Carrithers, they raised a large family they were blessed with seven sons and seven daughters. I believe they raised all but one of them. He settled on the North of Walnut fork of the Ocanec River in Jackson County, he afterwards removed further up the River into Hall County, he died in 1859. All of his children have passed away but two, Richard of Atlanta, Georgia and Adaline of Athens, Georgia. He did well in the accumulation of property but got into trouble in his later years and lost all he had made. He had 2 sons young enough to go into the Confederate War, they both ret? urned, he had 16 grandsons that went into the war, six returned, Martin Saye one of his sons lost five sons, two killed in battle, two died in Camp, one died in one or two years after the War from his broken down condition caused by the war, Martin Saye has 4 sons still living doing very well. Martin was not the oldest son of my Great Uncle James, but I was best acquainted with him, he lived some time a neighbor to my Father in Cherokee County and some of his sons were about my age and grew up together in the same community. John Saye I believe was the oldest one born about 1803 or 4 he married a Miss Averhart, raised six children, four living in Athens, one of his Daughters born blind was educated in the blind Asylum at Millegeville, I made her acquaintance in Athens last fall as I was passing through. She is living with one of her sisters, I found her well informed and intelligent. I believe the sister she was living with never married. John lost 2 sons in the great Civil war, one son I believe living yet. James also married a Miss Averhart, he also lost two sons in the struggle for Southern Independ? ance, two still live in Hall County where they were raised, one a daughter married Elijah Tool. William and Sally never married, both died in their sister Adaline Saye's house. They had made their home with her for a long time before their deaths. Elithebeth never married removed to Arkansas with sons of the connection and died there. Mahale married a Mr. Averhart, raised a large family I have not met any of them and hence know nothing of them only that they were raised in Hall County near where my great Uncle lived.

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Ephram married a Miss Blackstock, raised a large family. I became acquainted with two of his boys in Atlanta, John and Daniel. Nancy Married Alexander Deal, raised seven children, I am not acquainted with any of them. Robert married a Miss Dickerson, I became acquainted with him in Alabama, he was a well to do influential man, he lost one son in the war between the States, his wife dying, he then married a Miss King, he raised several children by the first wife, none by the last wife. Adaline my great Uncle's youngest daughter born November the 17th 1823 married the second day of January 1845 married to a distant relative of her own name, raised several chil? dren, lost her oldest son in our cruel war, two of her boys living in Athens both doing well. I became acquainted with her youngest daughter living in Hart County Georgia, she married John Cartlidge a Nephiew of the Rev. Graves H. Cartlidge of B anks County Georgia. All of her daughters have married and doing very well. Richard the youngest son of my great uncle born in January 1825, he married a Miss Eliza Saye, a distant relative of his and a sister to Adaline's husband, raised 4 children by her, she dying, he married a Miss Sarah Edwards, raised two children by the last wife. As I have stated all have passed away but Richard and Adaline. My great Uncle William Saye emigrated to Missouri in early life, I know very little of him. I know he raised one son, my father and him once kept up correspondence, his name was Benjamin. Two of my great Aunts married men by the name of Thomson, James Thomson Sr., he was in the battles of Kings Mountain, Cowpens, Guilford Court House, after the war he with his father, Alexander Thomson, and William or Robbin his brother, both marrying the Widow Say's daughters, settled on the south fork of Broad River about the year of 1789 or 90, they and their children have all passed away so far as I know, except one grand?son who is still on his grandfathers place on the river. James Thomson raised several children, but his son James Jr., was one of the best of sons. His father became helpless for ten years or more, he would look over his father's farm and keep his Negroes at work, then run over home about one mile from his fathers , look after his own interest, then return to his fathers, stay with him through the night or until near day then go home for a few hours, he never staid all night at home from the time his father was paralyzed until his death. James was fond of practical jokes, he used to Waggon to Augusta hauling cotton down to market and hauling goods back for the merchants and himself and neighbors. In the winter season the roads would become verry bad, once passing through Lexington there was a deep mud hole, the team of waggoners he and his friends had got all of their waggons through but one, it got so deep in the mud they saw no way to get it out, James Thomson said to the waggoners, "hold up I will get the waggon out", he ran back a short distance to a young doctor who had first set up practice, he called , "Dr, Dr I have a bad case out here in the road". The Doctor gathered up his bags of medicine and started, Thomson said to him " get lots of eppicae for the earth has swallowed up a wagon an team and it will take lots of eppicae to make the earth throw it up". The Doctor picked up a rock and threw at him, the crowd on the street began to laugh at the Doctor, called him Dr. Eppicae until he became weary of it of it, gathered up his drugs and left the place. Soon after the war when corn was very scarce, some waggoners drove up one day asked him if he could spare them any corn, he told them he could,he started to his house for his measure he overheard one of the men say we must treat him for he is the first man that has agreed to let us have any corn, he called to a Negro man to come quick and stand at the crib door till he got his measure, for he could not risk a man who has red rum to sell or treat one with at his crib door.

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One of my great aunts married a man by the name of Hoge, he also settled on the South fork of Broad River, I knew one of his sons, he lived many years in Cobb County Georgia and died there, some of his children are still living not far from Marietta. My father had a cousin Maj. William Saye, resided in Madison County all his life he married a Miss McCurdy, her father was one of the Scotch Irish from Pennsylvania in the early settlement of Madison County, I knew one of her brothers who settled in Cherokee in the last purchase of lands from that Tribe before their removal to their present home in the west, but before his deathe he removed back to Madison and died there. Major Saye raised eight children by her, she dying he married a second time to a widow Thomson who had lost her husband in the great struggle for Southern Independence, by her he raised 3 children William Saye, died in 1883, he was born January the 3rd 1803, his oldest son John W. Saye of Hall Co. Born in 1824 married in 1845 to Miss Adeline Saye of Hall County, of them I have already given an account. Richard the second son born in 1826, he married Miss Ione Gathright, she dying, he married a second time his last wife was a Miss Howell, he raised children by both wives, James born in 1828 married but his wife had no children. Eliza Caroline born in 1830 married in 1846, I know nothing of them now. Newton born in 1832 married a Miss Eliza Woods, raised but one child, she died of consumption. Elithebeth, born in 1844 married James Leland, she died some few years ago. Mr. Leland is married again, I became acquainted with Richard in Atlanta, he worked for many years in the machine shop, but is now too old to work much, his children so far as I know are doing well, I know his son William gets good wages in his line of work, I became acquaintedwi with Mrs Leland, she was an excellent woman, she suffered severe affliction for several years before she died. I saw Newton but once, so our acquaintance was slight. I was not acquainted with the Major's younger set of children, I spent one night with his youngest daughter, Mrs Harolson, living near Paoli in the neighborhood of where she was raised. I am the best acquainted with with John W. Saye, his oldest son from whom I have got most of this history, to him and wife and children I feel grateful for the favors bestowed towards me. Richard Saye, my grand-father was born in Union County South Carolina June 1777, was a little over two years old when his father was killed in the seige at Savanah in October 1779, his mother seems to have been a woman of industry and economy with a fine amount of common sense, she managed to raise her children in a good christian manner, while the opportunity for doing so was much poorer then than at present. My Grand-father continued on his mothers farm until 1800, then as his brothers had learned the Blacksmith trade he wished to add to that the Gun-smith trade, I suppose he had learned the Blacksmith trade under his brothers, so he went down in to Oglethorpe and presented himself to one Colonel Luckey, there he became a fine gun-smith. I will digress a little from the history just here to relate an incident,in time of the war one of his great grand-sons was trying to show him the improvements made on our muskets, Grandfather said to him, ""go away that I have made more guns than you ever saw" He come back to Madison County he and but soon after married Miss Margarete Gardner and removed to Franklin County he and grandmother had united with the New Hope Church before re-moving to Franklin, they there united with the Hebron Church and he finally was ordained an elder of that congre- gation, there he raised his oldest children, Mrs Fleming and my father being the oldest of the family, they united with the church there, grandfather lived on the waters of the Hudson River which runs in to the Broad River, a tributary of the Savanah, that part of the County

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my grandfather ran a farm, blacksmith and gunsmith business though he was too liberal and too loose in his business to accumulate prop- erty, he was a man that had nearly every thing he wanted, his riches consisted in the fewness of his wants. In 1825 he sold out and removed to Quinette County there he opened up a farm, and set up a Blacksmith shop but never made any more guns after his re-moval to Quinette. His lands produced well a few years, but being of a light sandy soil they soon failed though he continued to make a living there until old age caused them to break up house keeping, they lived at my fathers in Cherokee a few years, grandmother saw her end approaching she was suffering of cancer, she wanted to go back to Quinnette an and be buried in the Fairview Church yard at the old Church where they had worshipped god so long. I assisted father carry them back. Grandmother died in March 1858. Grandpa remained there with Major Noel where grandma died until his death which occured in October 1867 in the ninety first year of his age. Grandmother died in the seventy sixth year of her age.

To give you a better knowledge of things as they existed in the days of our fathers, we must go back and see North Georgia almost an unbroken forrest, there was some few settlers afar north of Broad River below where the south and north forks united, but so far up as where our ancestors settled, was inhabited entirely by the Indians. The spot where New Hope Church stands was a camping ground for them, some relics of their camp may still be seen or could be a few years ago such as rude pottery and other things pertaining to Indian camp life. Our fathers built a Fort to protect themselves from the in- roads of the Cherokee Indians and some times the Creeks made incursions up into that country it was a Creek raid made up in to their settlement in 1787 that caused grandfather Gardner and Elliotts fam- ily with a few others to build a Fort for their protection. The place was pointed out to me where the Fort stood as I passed through the old settlement last autumn; When the Indians made their raid quite often a number of the settlers fled across the Savanah River, some 30 and more miles into South Carolina and remained there until peace was restored, but our ancestors stood their ground and built the Fort for themselves, and for all that sought protection with them. My grandmother used to tell us how she would run into the Fort, she and her playmates when they immagined that the Indians were coming. The first settlers would cut down trees haul them up put up their cabbins without hewing the logs and daub the cracks with mortar made from the clay by shoveling the soil off to get a good sticky clay for lime could not be secured, built the chimneys of sticks of wood hewed and split out for the purpose, then daubed with mortar, for they could not beeen give much time to building houses until they cleared up the lands of it's heavy timbers opening up their farms. At first they had to live on corn bread and it was hard to get a supply of that, they found game plenty, could have plenty of meat, fish, fowel and venison, but wheat flour could not be raised nor procured, the nearest market was on the Savanah at Augusta, it was over one hundred miles and what articles they could raise on the farm or could procure in the chase as hides, furs, and other peltries must be bartered for salt and Iron and other substantial necesities for the home, leaving out the luxuries that we now enjoy, our corn bread that we so well enjoy could hardly be eaten by our ancestors, they had came over from Scotland, Ireland and England, had first settled in Pennsylvania where wheat was grown to great perfection and was the cereal used for bread almost entirely there, as well as in Scotland, Ireland and England and the continent of Europe and all the east. Indian corn was not known until the discovery of America by Columbus, it was in use by

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the Indians, necesity caused the early settlers of the English colonies in North America to use it as bread it is now used by many in preference to bread from the other cereals but it went hard with our fathers at first, in a few years they had opened up farms found wheat did well, then they turned their attention to raising as much wheat as they would need for bread, something they were glad to do, some of the early settlers became mill-rights put up saw mills, then b began the building of better tenement houses, corn and planings flour- ing mills went up in a few years, so they became prosperous and many of them acquired considerable wealth, there was no sugar nor other sweetening among them but wild honey or at least sugar was bought at their market in Augusta in very small quantities. I can recollect that sugar was but little used among the poor people in my early days, it is used now more extensively among the poor than it was then among the wealthy, but wild bees was plentiful they would hunt out the bee trees, cut them down have a hive prepared to save the colony, get out the honey from the hollow of the tree, then take the hive home the bees would generally do well until it was not long until the settlers had plenty of bees from which they procured as much honey as they needed for sweetening purposes, it was given the name of long sweetening , I do not know how it got the name, our grandfathers and mothers had to adjust themselves to their surroundings, they had to cut their wheat with reap hooks they would catch the grain with one hand and cut it down with the other, I have seen the reap hook but don't recollect of seeing grain cut down with them, about my earliest recollections the cythe and cradle was introduced and became the common machine for saving grain, it was common in the days of reap hooks for the women as well as the men to reap wheat all day then have a dance at night, at bed time have reading of the scriptures then prayer before retiring to rest, that was when dancing was called an innocent amusement playing cards then was thought to be very sinful, now dancing is sinful playing cards all right, circumstances change so as to mould sentiment for or against anything . Whiskey and brandy was made then by members of and even the Elders of the Presbyterian church but they would not let a man that was traveling and needed to lodge with them till morning remain if he showed a deck of cards and proposed to play, such a man was discountainenced; My grandfather was ordained an Elder of Hebron church Franklin County, now Banks County organized in 1858, he was set a part to the Eldership in 1819. One of his Brother-in-laws came and served an apprenticeship under him at the Blacksmith trade. Grandfather like all other men in those days kept whiskey or Brandy on the mantle over the fire place he and his brother-in-law was sitting at the fire place one morning, grandfather looked up and saw his bottle of Brandy which had been sitting there a month unmolested, he said, "John there is a bottle of Brandy drink some of it when ever you feel like it, I had not thought of it all this time. " he had served one month at his trade then and said afterwards that he would never have touched it if grandfather had not offered it. I don't think that I could keep a bottle of Brandy now so easily as that with all the United States Revenew laws to help me, but I will not argue the question now with regard to the revenue laws on spirits of all kinds, if wea are bettered the betterment is reaching us very slow while, dear son you know I would not have the stuff about me if it was made along every branch, and spring branches are plentiful in North Georgia. Grandfather was very social pleasant man all ways had time to go to his church to meeting he enjoyed life well let him be placed in circumstances that would have troubled most any other man he would seem to be in a good humor laugh and talk and soon forget his misfortunes. Grandmother was more reticent in her manners, would read the Bible and other good books sit by the fire in the winter time and smoke her pipe of

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tobacco. In summer time cutting and drying fruit in the morning in the evening visiting around among her children, she had her peculiar way of doing things and grandfather never interfered with her having things just as she pleased and of course they moved along smoothly. One time after re-moving to Quinette County there was quite a revival of religeon prevailing, Dr. Wilson was there Pastor and grandfather being an active worker in the church, the Doctor would ride over six miles to where grandfather lived to get him to help him at his meetings and visit some family that wished to be instructed in regard to their eternal welfare, and noticing that grandma never objected to his coming after grandfather, he said I don't believe your wife cares how much I call you away from home, "no says my grandfathershe she don't care", well says the doctor " I wish my wife was that way for she complains about my being gone so much" "Well says my grandfather we had better swap as I am confined so much in my Blacksmith shop I would suit her better" but the trade was never made and both parties got along very well any how. As I have before stated my grandfather lived to great age he had two neighbors left back in Franklin who lived to be one hundred years old each one Mr. Mackey and a Mr. Parks; I will now pass to my oldest Aunt May Flemming familiarly known to us as Aunt Polly. I dont know whether she was born before grandfather removed to Franklin or not, but with the older children she was raised in Franklin County married Harvey Flemming, who was raised in the same neighborhood but his father William had re-moved from there to Hall County a few years before the marriage of his son Harvey to Aunt Polly they were married in 1823 settled in Hall County near his father he remained there until 1831 or 1832 he then re-moved to Decalb County about 60 miles south of the settlement in Hall County he re-moved from there into Quinnett County lived near my father there, my Uncles children and myself grew up together until father re-moved to Cherokee in the fall of 1841 Uncle Harvey Flemming moved to Quinn Quinnett County in the fall of 1836 before re-moving from Decalb he served in one of the Companies a campaign against the Creek Indians which had become very troublesom before their re-moval to their home in the west, while his Company did good service they were not brought into close conflict with the Indians at any time while they were several engagements with other commands that proved bloody, yet my Uncle's Company was more fortunate all of them re- turned home, not so with the Company that was made up in Quinnett County, Captain Garmany made a Company in and around Lawrenceville some of my father's neighbors volunteered they soon engaged the Indians at Dr. Sheppards Plantation and dis-mounting met the Indians on foot The Captain thinking he would fight them Indian fashion but they flanked him, out run him to his horses and was cutting them loose when the Captain got back with a few of his men and by desperate fighting saved most of them his men not having his command to get back to their horses soon found themselves almost surrounded by the enemy, about fifteen of their number ran and took shelter behind a corn field fence but the Indians soon routed them from there and running them until night, it was about four o'clock in the evening when the engagement took place, four of the fifteen that made into the cornfield for protection was killed in the running fight that took place, four more was killed before they could reach their horses, none were killed while fighting for their horses, the Captain was shot through the hip and called to the boys to let him go and take care of themselves, but two of his men got him upon his horse and one of them jumped up behind him and carried to the Fort, it was supposed that the Indians guns was of the poorest sort, the Indians would run up on the men in their

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scattered condition to within ten pases and seem to deliberatly fire miss their aim and continue the chase, load and fire again but with poor effect. Captain Jernigan hearing the guns rushed his men into the fight upon their horses and scattered the Indians in every directions or they would have whipped Garmany badly, also, Lieutenant Hamilton had been sent off in another direction that morning with 20 of Garmanys men he he hearing the firing of Garmany's guns ordered his men to make for the Fort with all speed they encountered the enemyi in a deep forrest but charged through, they wounded one of his men and tryed to pull him off of his horse, the Lieutenant got to the Fort without loosing a man. The Indians fought with savage desperation the different detachment they met that evening, Captain Garmany lost eight men, Captain Jarnegan lost four, Garmany was wounded and several of his men, they all recovered of their wounds, in picking up their dead the next day they counted eighteen dead Indians so the loss on both sides were nearly equal. This battle was fought the 9th day of June 1836 the day your Uncle George was born. Garmany was attacked at the Fort one day after this, but repulsed the Indians without loss to himself, his men that were killed on June the 9th, their remains was ultimatly brought back and buried in the North west corner of the Court House yard in Lawrenceville, a White marble monument placed over their remains with their names inscribed upon it, also Captain James Winn and Anthony Baits they fell in defense of Texan Independence when Fannin's men were shot by order of General Santa Ana in March 1836, but I find I have wandered from my subject. I am getting old I find my self living back in the far past, the seminole and Creek wars are almost sterotyped on my memory, I will just state here that there was several bloody battles with the Creek Indians before they gave up and re-moved west, but to resume to my uncles narative, he re-moved also to Cherokee County two years after my father had located out there in the fall of 1847 He re-moved to Cobb County, where he died in April 1848 of cancer of the stomach, that left my Aunt with the heavy responsibilities of a large family to take care of and train for the duties of life, which she did successfully some of her child- ren have been found among the Judicial and executive bodies of the State. I will just state here that all of my Uncle Flemming's child- ren that was in school with me are all living yet, were at school together but not regularly at school only such times as we could be spared from the farm work, it was in the year from 1837 to 41, one of my sisters died September 1895, but my brother and my five cousins are all living yet, so far as I know, we managed to dodge all the Yankee bullets, we have been budging on together a long time some where between 65 and 75 years, I suppose we will find the end soon. Uncle's father was among the first settlers of Franklin County, he was one day riding out looking after his horses when he was fired into by some Cherokee Indians, three balls passed through different parts of his body wounding him and severely but he did not fall from his horse, the Indians followed him for a while then gave up the chase He got well of his wounds, he re-moved to Hall County when it was Organized, he lived there until he and his wife grew too old to keep house, he then lived some time with his younger son but was living with Uncle Harvey Flemming when he died, after Uncle's death another son of the old man's then living near Selma Alabama come and took them home with him, he sold out his property and emigrated to Texas. They did not live long after getting out there, they both died in 1850, he had always lived on the frontier and I suppose was glad to be buried in frontier soil, he had been a strong defender of Colonel rights, was always bitter against the tories, was a man of every marked character, one of his sons was ordained an Elder of Hebron Church at the same time my Grandfather was, most of the old man's

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sons came to Texas lived and died in the County around Austin, my Uncle's boys made good soldiers in the great struggle for Southern Independence. Cousin Richard Flemming was in the first Manassas Battle, while the traitors that made the collision with the trains prevented me and my regiment from getting into it, Cousin Richard was afterwards captured at Cumberland Gap, kept in prison 25 months he is now near the Stone Mountain, his address is Braden, Ga. , he is doing well and has raised an nice family. Aunt Polly's oldest daughter married Thomas Moore who was for many years Clerk of the Superior Court of Cobb County, Ga. , he also represented Cobb County in the Legislature, but I don't know how often, Cousin Walker Flemming was a member of the Legislature from Cherokee County at the same time, with his brother?in?law, Thomas Moore from Cobb. It would make my Narative too long to speak of all Aunt's children separatly suffice it to say they have got along pretty well through the world and like myself are nearly through according to the course of nature. Uncle Harvey E. Flemming was born September the 25th, 1802, and died April the 7th, 1848. Aunt Polly Flemming was born September the 20th 1802 died January the 1st 1878, married January the 6th 1823. Thomas Moore's father was a primitive Baptist Preacher, I have heard him preach in my childhood days and was a brother of the Rev. William Moore of Alabama, he was one of the Pioneer Preachers of North Alabama, and one of the first to plant Cumberland Presbyterianism in what is now known as North Alabama, he was considered a powerful man in his day in the pulpit. Cousin Thomas Moore was born January 23rd 1810 died the 18th of November 1896. I was pleased to make the acquaintaince of his oldest daughter who is now 55 years old, as I came through Georgia, she is an excellent woman. My aunt's young- est son is dead. I made the acquaintaince of his widow also.

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CHAPTER NUMBER TWO

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My father being the second child of Grandfather's family, I will first write a short Narative of his brothers and sisters, I have already of Aunt Mary the oldest one. I will now proceed to the third one. Uncle James H. Saye, he was born January the 29th, 1808 in Franklin County, was not a stout robust boy like my father but was fond of books, when he could get hold of some history he would sometimes read all night if his parents would let him. I Once heard my father say that his brother James got hold of Lewis and Clark's travels over the Rocky Mountains, they were sent out by the Government to explore the west to the Pacific Ocean which they did successfuly which was a great feat in those days, he said Uncle James read all night and Grandma would awake and tell him to go to bed, but he saw no place to stop and was reading when the family got up in the morning, when my grandfather re-moved to Guin- nestt County Uncle James was nearly grown he worked on the farm with the family until he wishing to secure an Education preparitory for the Ministry, he went to Athens to College in 1830 graduated in 1834, then went to the Theological Seminary at Columbia South Caro- lina, finished his Theological course in 1837, was licensed to preach by Bethel Presbytery April 1837, was ordained by the Flint River Presbytery when convened in the City of Macon in March 1838 having been married to Miss Rebecka McJunkin in Union County S.C. January the 30th, 1838, he preached 2 years to the Mc- Donal church in Henry County, Ga., then went back into Union

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County, I suppose near where he was married and took charge of the Fair Forrest Congregation as Pastor, this was the church that his Grandmother once had been a member of. He Preached there I suppose about eleven years then re-moved to Union Court House where he took charge of the Acadamy which Flourished under his care, he only rema- ined two years then re-moved to the country not very far, lived there about nine years, from there he re-moved to Fishing Creek Chester County, S. C. where he lived for thirty two years preaching to Fish- ing Creek and Cedar Choals churches, he was much beloved by the peo- ple of his congregations and his own family seems to had great ven- eration and fillial affection for him, he here labored in the Minis- try until he became too feeble, this seems to have been the greatest trial of life, when he had to give up his work among his churches, if it had been Gods will he would rather have worked on until he should have been called home, he moderated the Presbytery that called another supply, and was so over come that he had to be hepe into his house, he calmly fell asleep in Jesus November the 20th, 1892 on a Calm Saturday evening in his own home, went to God whom he loved and had served so long, he had been preaching about fifty five years and had been a Public Speaker for Sixty years, he was the first man I ever recollect of hearing preach, it was at the house of old Uncle Jimmy Dodds of Guinnett County soon after Father had moved there from Hall County, I was about four years old; The strongest tie that bound him to earth was his beloved wife, they had lived together fifty four years and he was much devoted to her, seemed to have an increas- ingadmiration until the day of his death, his body now rest just in- side of Fishing Creek Church yard under the branches of a broad spre- ading Oak, but his memory will be held sacred by his aged companion and his children and his relatives in general, there also lies two of his sons William M. and John W. Saye, and three of grand-children, also, had a son died near Manassas Virginia in 1861, his remains lie in one of the grave yards in Sumpter County, S.C., by the graves of some of his neices and Nephews. Uncle James lived to be about eighty four years old, yet he never was a stout man he was a student all of his life, I know he once was commissioner to the general assembly of the Presbyterian Church before the split took place, it convened that year in Pittsburg Pennsylvania, I suppose he may have been a Commiss- ioner to the Assemblys in the Church South for he could have made a food representative, until worn down by old age. I made the acquain- taince of a young man whild in Georgia recently he learning my name asked me if I was a relative of the Rev. James H. Saye , I told him I was a Nephew, he told me that my Uncle had generally had to settle old differences of opinions with regard to Technicalities in Literary or Theological points when some discussion came upon these things, his opinion was taken for granted as correct, by the Presbytery. I called on Major Smith for his history of Georgia, I wanted to bring a copy to Texas with me, he and my folks had been acquainted in our younger days he told me he was getting off the train at some Depot and his friends was coming up shaking hands with him whem he saw and old man passing through the crowd towards him, the old man requested the crowd to give place for he wanted to speak to that man, he pushed through the crowd and faced the Major and asked, do you know me he said to the Major?"arp said he did not", I have whipped you often and if I had whipped you more I would have made a better man of you, he recolected my uncle then, as he had been a little fellow at my Uncle's school in Lawrenceville, my friend Major Smith better known as Bill Arp. My mother once was relating how unreasonable Uncle James would some times propound questions, old Uncle Jimmy Dodds as he was familiarly called had some trouble with some of his children and bec- ame very angry, Uncle James said to him, "Mr. Dodds if you was to die

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now where would you go to". He answered him gruffly, "Just where you would go". That was when Uncle was quite young, he wanted mother one day to become Barber enough to cut and trim his hair she had never done such work and wanting to excuse herself said, "I am too buisy to do t that now;" well "Yes" says my Uncle "I ought not try to hinder you from your work as you do not get at it often". There seemed to be rich vein of humor and wit about my Uncle. After the sad bereavement of his son William who died in Texas in 1884 he and Aunt Rebeca visited for the last time all of us in North Georgia, they having one daughter then liv- ing at Coosaville, Floyd County, Ga., but since re-moved to Rome and died there in 1895. While visiting us it was convenient to attend the sessions of the meeting of Presbyterian Synrod of Georgia then conven- ing in Marietta, quite a number of friends and relations was taking supper with a kind lady of the place she being untireing in her efforts to make all comfortable and to feel at home, uncle said to her "Why do you want to be the greatest", The lady was a little nonplused did not think she was trying to assume to be great at all, Uncle quoted this passage of scripture "He that would be greatest of all let him be serv- ant of all". I have not quoted the the scripture exactly right but the good lady saw where the savior placed her, the question of greatness on her part answered by Uncle by quoting the scripture as he did caused it to pass pleasantly, with the best social feeling, while uncle and Aunt was visiting us we all met at brother William's one night my Aunt, my mother, my brothers wife and mine was all sitting around talking Uncle sitting still saying nothing at last spoke up and said "There sits four courageous women" We humored the joke by saying it was certainly a great risk they made in choosing companions: I think Uncle and Aunt enjoyed their visit among us and I know we all enjoyed them very much. I notice in the history of the Presbyterian Church of North and South Carolina that Synod convened at Fishing Creek Church the first day of October 1801, being the fourteenth session after the Synod was organi- zed, the Synod of the Carolinas was organized in November 1788, the opening sermon was preached by the Reverend John Brown, from Romans the eleventh chapter and thirteenth verse; "For I speak to you gentiles, inasmuch as I am the opostle of the jentiles, I magnify mine office". I notice in the seventh Synod of the Carolinas, two new members repor- ted,,to "Wit" Moses Waddle and John Brown, that session was held in 1794. In the twelfth session of the South and North Carolina Synod, the Presbytery of South Carolina reported 18 ministers, John Brown was then preaching at Waxhaws, Robert Wilson at Long Cane, William William- son at Fair Forrest, John B Davis at Fishing Creek. That meeting was held in 1799, and at the meeting of Synod in 1810, that the Rev. John Brown was chosen mederator, and according to the usage of the church he preached the opening sermon, at the fourtheenth session of Synod, we notice that from the year 1807 to 1809 the Reverend John Brown preached at Salisbury steadly and was principal of the Acadamy at that place. He first re-moved to South Carolina then into Georgia and there closed a long and useful life. A memorial of him properly belongs to the Sou- th Carolina and Georgia Synod. I have no account of such memorial if one was ever published.

Dear son, I am giving this notice of the Reverend John Brown, more to interest your Cousins in South Carolina than yourself, though you will be glad to learn that he was the man that your Great Uncle, John Brown Saye was named in memory of. He was their Pastor at Hebron Church or at least supplyed the church for a long time, I have heard my father talk of him. He always spoke of him with the greatest reverence, he and the Reverend Thomas Newton were the only two men that supplyed the Pulpit at Hebron Church, Franklin County through the raising of my father and uncle James. Uncle John got the names of Brown in full Aunt Perdilla Braselton had the name of Newton attached to her's.

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Father used to tell us that at their communionseasons that the Rev. Brown would ware the old fashion of clothes, Pantaloons to the knee, with knee buckles just below the knee, and being a large man and heavy he would sit at the end of the table, for our churches in those days all had tables for the purpose of celebrating the Lords supper. There he would talk, admonish, instruct and exort the people with great fev- or, the table at our communion seasons was not done away until I was grown up, but as the table has been removed so has those talks and soul stiring exhortations ceased, though it ought bot to have been so. Thomas Newton was a brother to John Newton who organized Newhope Church in Madison County in 1788, he was the first resident minister of North Georgia. Some few had settled on the coast before this time, Presby- terian has not flourished in Georgia as it ought to have done. I will give you as near as I can the births and marriages of Uncle James H. Saye's children. Margaret Gardner Saye was born Dec. the 26th 1838, married to Dr. F. M. Shaw Feb. the 7th 1860, she became the mother of seven children, five of whome servive her, she died at her home in Rome Georgia August 1895. Abram Richard Saye born oct the 31st 1841 died in Va. 1861. Mary Ione Black Sayer born Dec the 9th 1844 married Mr. Fredrick Buck Nov the 20th 1874 unto them were born two children John Saye, and Rosa Nelson, both living and are now members of the Pre- sbyterian church, Rosa married Mr. Archie Gaines in Dec. 1894 and now lives in West Va. Mr. Buck died I believe in 1886. Cousin May lives at her home in Harry County S.C. At Bucks Ville, Sophia Breckenridge died in infancy, Sarah Elithebeth Saye was born Jan the 13th 1847 marr- ied to M. Harry Gordon Shaw Feb the 7th 1867, they lived in Sumptor Cou- nty S.C. Harriet Tallulah Saye born August the 22nd 1849 married to Mr. D. Ashley Stuckey Nov the 2nd 1871, raising a large family of high toned children. Rosanah Gage Saye born in 1851 married to Charles Dusenburg Oct the 20th 1880, they have four children living, the family is said to be doing well both in general and spiritual things. James McJuncan Saye born Jan the 24th 1855 married Miss Augusta McFadden August 1892, he lives at the old homestead Oakley Hall, taking care of his mother in her declining years. Joseph Hugh Saye born Dec the 15th 1863, married to Miss Ella Rains in Feb 1893, he is practicing medicine. All of Uncles children are members of the Presybterian church and their grandchildren as fast as they have grown up. Elithebeth the fourth ch- ild of my Grandfather and mother was born November the 10th 1811 in Franklin County Georgia, re-moved to Ginnett County before she was gro- wn, married Mr. Joe Aseriah Noel in 1828, became the mother of twelve children, 3 boys and nine girls, all lived to be grown but one lost one son in the fonfederate War, one daughter died after arriving to woman- hood, one daughter died in January 1895, she died in Johnson County Texas. Two of the girls live in Texas, four of them still in Georgia one lives near the old homestead, one in Atlanta, one in Forcythe Cou- nty, one in Coffee County. The one that lives in Coffee was made a widow by the war her husband's name was Mewbern, two more of the girls married Mewberns three brothers marrying three sisters, the two broth- ers yet living are doing well and raising high toned families. One lives near the old homestead, the other in Atlanta, the oldest and you- ngest of the girls are living I think in Johnson and Bosque Counties Texas xxxxxxxxx I suppose are doing very well, the one living in Forsythe is on a little farm that her husband is improving so he will make a good living, while the country around him is poor yet it can be made to bring fine crops. One of the boys living near DeLeon in Com- manchee County Texas, the other somewhere in the Indian Territory. Uncle Noel's father came down from about Knoxville Tennessee and was a- mong the first settlers of Guinnett County, he first located in Jackson County but did not live there long until he re-moved to xxxxxxx Guinnett he and one of his son-in-laws by the name of Wiley there location

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was about six miles west of Lawrenceville and about six miles east of Warsaw on the Chattahoochee River, the river was the line between the whites and cherokees, this tribe owned the country west into Alabama and North and North west to North Carolina and Tennessee. The land had a thin soil I suppose it was the fine grass and wild peavines and fine range for cattle that induced my Grandfather and the old man Noel with many others to settle where they did, and on other inducement was the drawing of the lands by lottery each one of the heads of families could draw a lot of land it might be a good lot or it might be poor. I can recollect when my Grandfather depended too much on the grass for his cattle we had miry places along the little creeks and in February and March while the cattle was weak from poor food the cattle would get mired up in the mud and could not get out without help and sometimes it would be too late to save them even after we got them on their feet I will mention the names of some of my Grandfathers neighbors who set- tled early in Guinnett County. Alexander, Knox, Montgomory, Nelm, Atkison, Winn, Dodds, Gholstone, Lothridge, and Bagby and others, Guinnett was a fine fruit country, Peaches, Pears, Apples, Plums and cherries besides wild fruits and berries of many discriptions. But I have wondered from my narative. Uncle Noel settled on a part of his fathers land but finally bought and owned all of the place after his fathers death which occured in 1840 or 1841 Uncle thought his father was about one hundred years old when he died, the old man had been an active soldier against the British and Tories in the days of the rev- olutionary war. Uncle had several brothers but none of them lived in Georgia, two of his sisters died of consumption and I believe his mot- her died of that disease before her daughters. Uncle was a good man a consistent Elder of the Fairview congregation for many years, he was born the 5th day of January 1804 and died after a protracted illness April the 3rd 1877. Aunt was an excellent woman in all the domestic duties of life she died the 17th of March 1884, Uncle Noel done well through life at his death he was owning his fathers old place my fathers place adjoining his, he did not buy it when father first sold out but the man failing to pay father, gave up the place after two ye- ars then uncle bought it and he procured Grandfathers place so he owned a large place though the land is poor, it is now being improved until it makes better crops than when it was first cleared up and put in cultivation by our fathers. Uncle was Captain of his Militia District for a long time then was promoted to Major of the District a round him, three or four of the Militia Districts were thrown together each commanded by their Captains and Lieutenants, would meet at what they called their Batallion ground form a Battalion of troops which was commanded by a Major. The Militia Districts met to Drill every three months under their Captains instructions. The Major Drilled his Battallion once a year, the different battilions would meet once a year at their different county court houses and have Regimental Drill and be inspected as Militia troops, this was the law of Georgia in those days I suppose it was on account of the Indians often being troublesome, though it was kept up until our Great struggle for Southern Independ- ence.

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John Brown Saye the fifth child of my Grand Parent was born in 1815 in Franklin County but partly raised in Guinnett County he had poor oppo- rtunities to get an education; but wanting to preach he enabled himself to go to College at Athens for a short time but finally got a better opportunity for an education at Maryville Tennessee where he finished his course of study and was licesened then ordained to preach the Gos- pel of Christ under the supervision of the New School Presbyterian bod- y for while at school the church split and formed the two bodies being nearly equal in number, though at the south the new school was in the minority, Uncle settled in Polk County Tennessee married a Miss Mary N. Hart not remaining long there he and his father-in-law re-moved to Indiana and from there to Illinois and finally settled in the city of Springfield where he died in 1874 or 1875. If we heard correctly he w was so southern in sentiment he got into trouble with his eccleciast- ical body, withdrew from them and united with the Episcopal church and served them several years before his death. This was when the slavery question was so agitating our Grand Republic. He was raised up among slave owners, though Grandfather never owned one, living in North Georgia where the salve was generally treated humanly he knew nothing of the inhumanity that was inflicted on some slaves in and about our southern cities and on rice and cotton farms near the coast, he emi- grated too far north to find congenial feelings for his outspoken sen- timents, he wrote to my father that he did not know when he fell in line with the new school Presbyterians that they was so near as a body entire in favor of Emancipating the Negro. Of his family I know very little he raised three children, one son Thomas Saye, two daughters one named Phebe Jane, she married a man by the name of Jones, was living in Indiana when last heard from I dont know the others name nor whether she is married of not neither do I know wheather Aunt is living or not I have very little material from which to give a sketch of his life, he was a teacher in one of the Colleges in Springfield and we heard was President of one for some time, my father carried him to Maryville in the fall of 1835. I think he was ordained to the full work of the Minister in 1841 he and his wife visited us one time it was in the fall of 1842 while he was settled in Polk County Tennessee, we have not seen any of them since and we never kept up regular correspondence. One of the connection visited them about the time the war closed he said that Uncle and family was glad to see one of his fathers decendance and to know that we were strong Rebbels. I give this or relate it to show you that the training or moulding of the mind and character cannot or will not be easily changed by being thrown into influences of training in opposition to the moulding of early life.

The sixth child of my Grand Parents was Perdilla Newton named for their pastor that served them a long time at Hebron in Franklin now Banks County, she was born in 1817 partly raised in Guinnett County married to Colonel William Braselton in 1844 they raised their family in Cherokee County he has but one son living he has been some years in Louisiana, but I now hear that he is somewhere in Texas, three of his daughters are living in Cobb County their husbands are by the name of Petre and White those three sons in laws of Uncles are doing very well they are farmers, one living in Atlanta by the name of Hunter the youngest daughter married a man by the name of Withers I do not know where they are living at this time he is a mood Machenist and goes where he can get the better jobs. Aunt Perdilla died of typhoid favor in 1889 in the seventy second year of her age. Uncle William married again a nice widow lady of Canton, Georgia, he died in the fall of 1894 his widow is still living and continues to reside in Canton she is an excellent woman. Uncle Braselton was blessed with two good wives Uncle was a Militia Colonel before the war he and his oldest son ser- ved in the confederate war but if Uncle was an officer of any grade

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I have forgotten it he may have been a lieutenant of his Company, I am alomst sure, him or cousin Walker Fleming was, or probably both of them were, they served in the same Company; Uncle served for many years as an Elder of the Presbyterian church in his community, sust- aining himself well as a ruling Elder. The seventh child of my Grand Parents was born in 1825 in Guinn- ett County she had very limited chances to acquire an education, she was named Juliett Wilson name for Dr. John S. Wilson their pastor at Lawrenceville and Fairview and other congregations, he was the first man I ever heard preach at Fairview church, I heard him occas- ionaly until after I was grown to manhood, he was a xx strong man in the pulpit built up the first Presbyterian church in Atlanta my Aunt and myself were students together at our log cabbin school house, our teachers were employed by our parents and their neighbors our teach- ers were very ignorant men, my first teacher taught twelve months for eight dollars per scholar for the year, and he was not worth that. If he ever showed where I should have commenced spelling or whether I knew the alphabet or any other question I dont now recollect it. The usual word was come and say your lesson and without looking at me or my book after I would recite my lesson, he would say get the next. I would spell away on what I thought was the next lesson until he would call me again,to my suprise of later years since I have lear- ned the duty of teachers as well as to have to prepare themselves for its responsible duties, that the community in which my father and Grandfather lived for I suppose the general intellegence of our neighbor was as good as the country in general, and yet they employed that man two years, I think he assisted the scholars some in their arithmatics, I don't know whether he had ever seen an english grammar or not at least I never heard of it; He was a Baptist Preacher and was considered a pious man and I suppose he was a christian if a real lazy man can be one. While no one became his friend especialy, yet he made very few enemies, my aunt my brother and some of my cousins, the Flemmings and Noels all learned to read after a fashion. I sup- pose we were pretty sharp chaps for I recollect some other scholars learned nothing but the games of bull pen roly hold and baas, some became proficient in those games, the week before our christmas we would turn the teacher out by getting to the school very early in the morning and have the door bared up the teacher would appear to be very much offended and would try to prize the door open we would tell him we would duck him if he did not treat us all and give us until new years day for hollidays, before breaking the ice and being ducked he would agree to treat us, and O'horrow upon horrows it would be agreed upon for him to send one of the xxxx large boys to the still house for a half gallon of whiskey for there was nothing else to treat upon in those days, so you suppose we drank it? I don't reco- llect of ever tasting it some of the boys and girls would drink a little of it, I suppose I may have tasted it, I know we went home as sober as we went and I know we went quite sober going before day break in the frost or snow to make sure we would get there before the teacher for we was afraid he would come on purpose to defeat us in our plans, these old customs seem now very queer, we have progressed rapidly in litinary persuits and the arts and sciences to a wonderful degree but the morals of the people have not improved as they ought to have done with the opportunities afforded them, and the feelings that we were on sacred ground as we approached the church seems now to be lost to a great extent, and it and it appears to me moulded as I was or trained as I was, that the sacredness of the pulpit has disappeared, there is so many monkey shines out, and so many things said to laugh at that all feelings of worship seems to be obliterated, these things are very unpleasant to contemp- late.

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You I suppose would call me an old foggie all very well if it means holding our places of worship sacred, but excuse me a man of seventy cannot fall in line with this progressive age I am laid on the shelf, we used to think preparing for vast eternity was something serious, we heard the thunders of Mount Sinar proclaimed with such seriousness and also with such power that men trembled under it, then we would hear the redemption of man proclaimed with such power and the love of god pictured so beautifully, that the spirt of god would be felt so powerfully that christians of both sexes would shout the praises of God's redeeming mercies, and it was not considered out of place to do so, now we have big Jollyfications big picnics, now we are going to heaven in a big social Jollyfication that looks easy. It looks easy to see you ride the bycicle, I cant ride it I am too old to risk learning that; I might hurt myself, you go on I will have to walk, now if the bycicle plan of today gets you to heaven you will beat me, I am coming through if I have to walk.

I wonder from my subject, my Aunt grew up and married a man that was raised up on an adjoining farm they had lived in sight of each other from their earliest recollections and of course knew each other well, I have played with him often in our childhood, he was mischev- ious and full of fune in his boyhood, his name was Allen Dodds his father lived near my grandfather and my fathers until father moved to Cherokee County in 1841, then we saw each other but seldom, Aunt and Allen Dodds were married in January 1850 after living with grandfather three years, he re-moved to Cherokee and lived on my fathers place, lived there until the fall of 1855 he then re-moved to the state of Arkansas settled in Craighead County, lived there until his death which occured about four years ago, Aunt is living yet so far as I know, if living she is seventy four years of age their oldest son died a few years ago of their family I know very little when I heard from Aunt last she was living with one of her daughters whose husband was keeping Hotel in the town of Jonesboro the County Seat of Craighead County, I learned that Uncle made a local Methodist Preacher after re-moving to Arkansas, he was a member of the Presbyterian church while in Georgia. I don't know whether he was Captain of one of the Co Companies from Arkansas or just a Lieutenant, I heard he commanded his Company at the bloody battle of Shiloh or Pittsburg Landing as it is some time called, I have no more of his war record but raised as we had been he no doubt felt it his duty to meet the Yankee sword in hand. I learn his son-in-law who is keeping Hotel in Jonesboro was in the Federal Army but come south, and I suppose changed his views enough to marry a Rebbel girl, love will do a great deal, I will Just state here that Uncle Allen Dodds father was a vary useful man in his neighborhood he was a wheel wright he made all the spinning wheels and chairs for the community in which he lived, he kept his boys on the farm and hoped and encouraged them at their work he made the coffins for the people when some one died he was called upon to do the nice work of making as good a coffin and as nice a one as possible, he was a painstaking man he would not do a poor job, he was often called upon to do jobs by his neighbors and would have nothing for it, I can look back now and see he was not appreciated by his friends as he ought to have been, he died about twenty two years ago his wife before him a few years he was about eighty five years old at his death he and his wife were for many years members of the Primitive Baptist church while in Georgia I visited his youngest daughter Mrs Leopard she is living on the old homestead the old hewed log house looke d natural, partition of hewed pine logs ran through the middle of the house to put it into two rooms.

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A brick chimney to each end of the house the roof made of heart shingles put on when the house was first built near seventy years ago. Mr Lepard had patched the roof a little it now leaks some that and Billy Montgomerys house are all the ones standing that I used to see when I was a boy. Asa Smith's Brick store house in Lawrenceville looked just as it did sixty years ago, he was Bill Arps father, by the help o of cousin John Newbern who got some large leaves fixed them into a dipper and handed me some water from my fathers spring and also from my grandfathers, I said then I should never drink or would never have the chance to drink of the cooling draughts till we drink of our fath- ers love in that sweet beyond, cousin John said he thought I would see some of them there, I feel like I will see many of them in the kingdom of his glory to enjoy them forever if I am so fortunate as to get there, I know if I do it will be a sinner saved by grace and the mercy of God alone, I have nothing to give yet I feel I will receive nothing but his love, while talking with Mrs Lepard I asked her where her father and mother was buried, she told me on the hill up in the farm, I requested to see their graves Mr. Lepard shown me the way by going with me, I found their graves uncared for there was a little family grave yard there the ground of the graves had leveled down nothing to mark the places of interment but the stones that had been placed at the head and feet of the graves I felt mortified to see such utter neglect, I said to Mr. Lepard I was willing to stay and help him dress out the little yard and mound up the graves again, he said that he would do that some of the neighbors and him and been talking of fixing them up, I hope he has done so it is to be regretted that we have any family grave yards it would be so much better to have all buried at the cemeteries at our Churches, my mother has a chain that was made by him in 1826, soon after she and father were married. Old uncle Jimmy Dodds would not do a sorry job, I have great reverence for the old people that was living in my young days they had a great deal harder time than we have now; there are Spinning wheels and chairs still in use made by old Uncle Jimmy Dodds one of the first settlers of Guinnett County.

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CHAPTER NUMBER THREE

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I have given you a sketch of Grand Father and all of his children but my father I will now proceed to that task, he was born October the 5th 1804 he was the second child I am not sure wheather he was born in what is now Madison, before Grand Father re-moved to Franklin County or not, but he was raised in Franklin, received his limited education at the neighborhood schools of his community he united with the Hebron church of which Grand Father was an Elder probably in the year of 1823,he left his Father's home in 1824 and went to Hall County, and lived with his brother-in-law Harvey Flemming there he became acq- uainted with my mother, the next year 1825 he assisted his father in re-moving to Guinnett County and was active in opening up the farm and improving the place, in the spring of 1826 he married and brought mother down to his fathers and continued to open up the farm until in the fall of that year he re-moved to Hall County took a lease on William Flemm- ings land run that three years then bought a little farm in the neighborhood near by lived there until February 1833 he re-moved back to Guinnett County to help his father pay for his farm which he did by buying part of the place he remained there until the fall of 1841 he re-moved to Cherokee County and in the fall of 1843 re-moved to the place where he died and where my dear old mother still resides, she being now in her ninety second year, about the year 1818 or 1820 there had been a treaty made with the Cherokee I

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Indians, making the Chattahoocha River up to the mouth of the Chestatee, the line between the whites and Indians, the Chestatee River was a small tributary of the Chattahoocha but it gave Rabun, Habershan and Hall Counties to the whites more than they would have got if the Chattahoochee had been followed to its source, my father was living near the Indian line when Gold was discovered in 1828 my father like other men who was poor wanted to make some money went over among the Indians and began to dig for gold and was making good wages when the Indians began to complain that there Treaty was disregarded and might have went to war but the Governor sent Major Wayne with some troops and ordered the Intruders to retire to their homes, which was done without molestations. Though some histories state that some were arrested and put in prison my father seemed to know nothing of such recurrence, there was a law polled soon afterward that all white men remaining on the Indian Territory should be arrested and imprisoned in the Peniten- tary for a term of four years some of the missionaries who had been laboring for a number of years for the betterment of the Indians, either disregarding or thought they were not included in the statute; as they had lived so long among them were arrested and tryed for its violation at the court house in Guinnett County and found guilty, they then beg- an to institute a suit against the state for damages, they were carried down to Milledgeville but was not put in the Penitentiary they called in their damage suit , acknowledged the authority of the State, asked for pardon and requested the at the Governor hands which he generally did, then they returned back to their work, educating and preaching to Indians and when they were moved west these devoted men went with them, and made it their life in time of the Intrusion, it was not long until another Treaty was made that made over the Gold region to the whites, so gold digging was resumed without molestation; My father gave him- self a start financially digging in the mines, the United States est- ablished a mint for coining the Gold that was being dug out and con- tinued it for a number of years, it was in time of great financial, depression that the gold was discovered, it gave North Georgia prosper- ity while other parts of the Union were much depressed, I can just recolect when my father re-moved from Hall to Guinnett County we made our living by laboring in the cornfield, or at least it was our main dependence, father cultivated some cotton, wheat, oats and sweet potatoes, did not try to raise many garden vegetables his cotton market was Macon at the head of Steamboat Navigation about one hundred miles south of us, some times he would carry some to the Blue Ridge Mountains and Barter it off for furs, hides and tallow, then sell out his peltries to the tanneries, some times would carry flour to the Delo- nega gold mines, onced hauled apples from the mountains to Macon one hundred and fifty miles, in his early life he was fond of trading, but often he re-moved to Cherokee. He settled down to hard labor on his farm built some mills on the river ran them for a long time but let them xxxxx go down before his death, was strongly in favor of Southern Independance sacraficed and lost much both children relatives friends a and property, but when the worst came the cause lost he never murmured adjusted himself to the situation and surroundings of the new State of things he even assisted the Negroes in establishing schools and favored their bettering their condition as much as possible, Fathers early life was spent on the frontiers and was often among the Indians, they loved to traffic and trade a great deal with their white neighbors. Father would go over among them and traffic occasionaly, once he went over to buy some hogs, while hunting them they had to have some foot races with him, they are of a nature to be very social, you can make them your staunch friends or you can make them your inveterate enemys when father carried his brother to Maryville to school in 1835 he had to pass through the Indian Country they would have to lodge with the

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Indians of a night they would be fed on homminy, the Indians called it connehaney, it was boiled Indian corn a dist almost gone out of use among the whites it was common in my young days; Some of them were not as cleanly as my father would have liked but traveling all day without food gave him a voracious appetite so could eat their connehaney even if they had been batting off their dogs with their homminy paddles then stirring their homminy again, at bed time they would throw down a deer skin then father would put down his saddle and blanket place his head on his saddle for his pillow, the Indians would then give the Indian grunt meaning you are well fixed they would then throw down their deer skins and repair to the land of dreams, these Indians in the Blue Ridge Mountains were very poor, many of them living down in the Rich valleys were doing well farming and raising stock; before their removal west there was much dissatisfaction among them, their Cheifs treating away their land and homes for land in the west, their Cheifs being men, some of whome was well educated and well informed with regards to their situation knew it would be to the inter- est of their people to go to where they would have more territory, for their different treaties with the whites here had placed them in strained circumstances their hunting grounds became too secunscribed for t them, though quite a majority was opposed to selling out and going west, and killed some of their leading Chiefs for treating their lands away. The Cherokees left peacibly but was so loth to go that it required armed forces to go to their homes and assist them in removing to Rosses landing on the Tennessee river to where they could be transplanted down the river a part of the way to their new home, many of them died of grief after leaving their old homes they refused food until they died, of the 15 thousand that started something over 11 thousand reached their destination; Many of the whites and them had become great friends to each other, and their separation was sad indeed to witness; There was no trouble between the soldiers and Indians, the Troops treated them in a becoming manner and helped them to get ready and assisted them in many ways; It was not so with the Creeks and Seminoles, often Negroes would leave their masters and hide out among them, they would be sought out by their masters and carried back into slavery this was often displeasing to both Indians and Negroes, it some times causing blood shed, and indeed the Seminole War that proved so bloody from 1835 to 42 was caused more by the Negroes that hade made good their escape and had hid in the swamps and marshes in Florida than from any other cause. I will give you one incident and let you judge for yourself, our government had became determined to remove them to the west, the slave interest had cost our government both men and money to protect the slave holders in that kind of property and to remove them to the west it was thought best for both white and Indians as that and many other xxxxxxx causes that produced friction between the two races would cease to exist, and because the whites had settled up around them until they began to feel the need of more room. General Wiley Thomson was acting as Agent for the United States to settle all difficulties that might arise between the Indians and whites he made his headquarters at Fort King I suppose not far from San Augustine a prominent Indian t trader, a white man by the name of Powel he had married the daughter of a Seminole Chief and was of course raised among the best class of I Indians, I mean his children were. Powels son became a leading Chief young Powell married the daughter of one of the Chiefs, said to have been beautiful, but her mother had some Negro blood in her veins, and as all Colored people by slave xxx holding laws are said to follow the condition of the mother, she was called an african slave. Young Powell better known as Osceola in history was said to be proud of his Ancestry, he hated slavery and those who practiced the holding of slaves,

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with a bitterness that is but little understood by those who have never been acquainted with the institution Osceola Joe we shall not know him by any other name come to Fort King on a trading expidition while trading, his wife was seized for he had brought her to the Fort with himself and others, with no other intention but to trade she was arrested and claimed as a runaway slave for it was easy for bad men to get up evidence in their favor so the man bro- ught her a way a slave. Osceola swore vengence against General Thomson, he and some of his friends lay around the Fort to kill him. There was but few men to hold the Fort and as the Indians seemed restless it was thought prudent to strengthen it, so some of the troops was ordered from a fort near Tampa Bay; I will just here state that General Thomson was trying to do right by all parties. The party claimed as a slave was not allowed to give evidence in Court of Justice; Probably Thomson should have made a more tedious and close investigation before turning her over to the claimant. Orders were sent to Major Dade stationed at Fort Brook near Tampa Bay to come and strengthen Fort King, there was a man living near Fort Brook a Spaniard by the name of Antonio Pacheo, who owned a slave who was intellegent had by some means acquired a good education which in the days of slavery was very uncommon, as this negro had been across the country to Fort King and knew the was was procured of his master as a guide by Major Dade, it was not known then that he was in sympathy with Osceola and in sympathy with the runaway slaves which had made their escape from their masters, and some of them had been a long time in and among the swamps and Islands of the great Wahoo Lake, Pacheo's salve made known to the Negroes and Indians that he was to be the guide of Major Dades Command from Fort Brook to Fort King, and he would lead them through near the great Wahoo swamp and pointed out the place that would be suitable to am- bush and massacree the whole command, and retaliate for the blowing up of Fort Blount in 1816 where they lost three hundred or more in that fatal catastrophe, when they were not aware that the whites was going to make war upon them, glad of such an opportunity, they sorted to the place designated by Louis Pacheo's slave, it seems that Louis while he had the confidence of his master and enjoyed many privileges that was not granted to other slaves ordinarly yet he sighed for freedom, and when the command should reach the fatal spot that he would drop out unnoticed by any, and would help them do their bloody work, the scheme worked well in their favor, on the fatal day as the troops were moving feeling secure they were attacked fiercly in a place where they saw that the Indians had greatly the advantage the major and about half of his command fell at the first fire, so deadly was the engagement, that the few remaining men retreated back to their encampment they had so recently left with the expectation of reaching Fort King in the evening, they threw up some logs for a defence against the enemy but they was soon overpowered by their implacable foe, some reports say that one, some say that two escaped and reached the Fort, only to give the dadest report of the destruction of Major Dade and his command, the same day of the massacre Osceola shot and killed General Thomson and one of his lieutenants also two men engaged in the Suttler store, thn made good their escape to their friends who had done their bloody work, the same morning. Then they held a rehanching jollyfication over their victory and great success of revenging themselves over their wrongs either real or imaginary, I am fearful many of their wrongs was real, this massacre and murder of Thomson all happened the 28th day of december 1835 then followed a war of seven years where many lives were lost, and treasure expended to the amount of 40 millions of dollars, we used more economy in those days, forty millions would not start a war now.

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There was no Bond holders then; I had four uncles enlisted in the creek and Seminole war fortunatly they all returned home safely; my father volunteered but his company was not called into service then as now, there was more volunteers than was called into the service at any time; Osceola became one of the leading Chiefs and done much injury to the inhabitants of the frontiers of Georgia and Florida, he was treacherously betrayed and captured bound in chains sent to Charleston South Carolina put in prison and died there in the spring of 1838 I suppose more of a broken heart than of anything else, though I never have seen any account in history of the causes that produced his death, the loss of his wife then betrayed by some of the officers of our Army to come in and talk over a plan by which peace might be secured, coming in to the conference peacibly hoping to make a treaty of peace, then caught up bound in chains carried to prison languished there a few months and expired, should arrest our simpathys true he carried on a savage warfare after the plan of exaspirated Indians, but he had great cause to carry on the war if bad treatment could give liscense to war, other Cheifs were hard to control, but more Indians come in finally agreed to go west by kind treatment than was ever captured in battle and carried away, they were induced by every peacable measures that could be thought of and carried out and when they would come in by companies and go aboard our vessels at Tampa Bay they would bid our men good bye then as they smiled away would look back with tearful eye on the home and land of their fathers which was fast receeding out of sight forever; I have spoken of these things as conn- ected indirectly with my fathers history and contempory with him of course his interest was affected by the troublesome times that the war created; after he re-moved to Cherokee County he and mother united with the Hickory Flat church, now called Carthage and was ordained an elder of said church, I suppose was a ruling elder for 30 years before his death, he did not live near his church and could not be as efficient as if he had lived nearer so he attended the Baptist church regularly was Superintendent of their sabbath school for two years, they wanted him to continue in that office, he refused, said he thought it would be better for some of theirs should take supervision of the school, though he never lost his interest in the school nor working for the salvation of souls, worked much with them in their Protracted meetings, I once recollect of their Baptist minister coming home with father to spend the night when they were carrying on a protracted meeting, his name was Kimsey he was a large portly man large face with sleepy looking eyes, they had been acquainted in Hall and Habbersham Countys father was not a talking man; Mother could make up for that deficiency being a good talker and very social in her disposition made her many friends which brought us much company which father seemed to enjoy well, Kimsey at the breakfast table next morning said to father raising his sleepy eyes towards father, if you will let me Baptize you I will put you and brother Chaffen to Preaching. Father never raised his eyes from his plate but give a grunt umph, father said nothing; I suppose Mr. Kimsey wanted to get some talk out of father and thought he could get some controversy on Baptism, I never heard anything more of fath- ers license to preach, when Dr. Dean preached or rather gave a history of its fifty years existence as a half sentenial discourse before he closed, he siad bretheren I should not omit to mention a brethern who never was connected with our body that worked for us a great deal that was Robert Hawkins and Uncle Billy Saye, Robert Hawkins did not work so regular as brother Saye but at times worked with great power, but Uncle Billy Saye worked for you when you would not work for yourselves I thought that was eulogy enough, he had been untiring in his work to see them prosper, he lies in their church yard among their honored dead, on his marble slab is inscribed.

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"Heaven hath gained another Spirit, the Church yard another grave"; once a good lady was taking Dr. Dean to task for calling on the old man Saye to close his meetings, said to him we have plenty of good bretheren that will close for you. The Dr. said I can't sleight a man that has done so much for us in the past Dr. Dean was pastor of the Baptist church for a long time, that was near my fathers; He once had a lawsuit, one of his neighbors thought that his mill pond injured his land, father proved to the contrary, had no damages to pay though it cost him trouble and some money, this mans stock troubled as in breaki- ng into fathers farm a great deal he would not try to keep them out, though he would help us get them out when we sould call on him with all this bad treatment, father never seemed to get angry, he murmered very little at anything, he was stern towards his children, never ordered them but once to do anything, we knew we must obey him, though he was not hard upon us, was as tender as a parent should be towards his chil- dren I will here give a sketch of history that will be found in conn- ection with the history of our Ancestors given by the Reverend Graves J. Cartlege, and furnished by the Rev. T.T.Cleveland stated clerk of Athens presbytery; The Presbyterian Church in Lexington Georgia, with which the presbytery of Athens is meeting is among the oldest churches in the state, it was organized in 1788 by the Rev. John Newton its first pastor immediately after his ordination to the ministry, he was the first resident of Georgia ever ordained to the Presbyterian Ministry, as there was no organized Presbytery; and no Presbyterian ministers in the state except one or two on the sea coast about Savanah he went back to South Carolina, and was ordained by the Presbytery of South Carolina on the 18th day of october 1788 immediately after his return home he organized the church of New Hope in Wilks County, afterwards in Elbert County. now in Madison County, the old church having been in three counties although its house of worship stands on its original site, the old Indian camping ground now known as Paola, eight miles east of Danielsville, and also the Lexington church then also in Wilks county, now in Oglethrope county the Lexington church first took the name of Bethsalem, and the first and second houses of worship the first one having been burned in a few years after its erection, stood about a half mile south west of the present site of the Depot at Crawford on the Georgia Rail Road; The Rev. John Newton's residence stood a few hundred yard above the Depot and his little farm was afterwards added to the homestead of Judge William H. Crawford, the Rev. John Newton continued his very laborious and efficient labors, among the New Hope and Bethsalem congregations up to the time of his lamented death, in the 38th year of his age on the 17th of June 1797; only three months after the organization of and first meeting of the first Presbyterey in Georgia, then known as Hopewell Presbytery but now as the Athens Presbytery, he lies near where the old church stood formaly about half mile from the Depot at Crawford, and although the real father of Presbyterianism in upper Georgia; and although he has many dec- endants now living no monument marks the place of where he rests, after his death Bethsalem had occasional supplys of ministerial serv- ices until 1820 in the meantime Oglethrope was made from Wilks in 1792, and Lexington had become a considerable and popoulous place, and many of the original members had either died or removed westward, it was thought best to remove and rebuild up in Lexington and was re-organi- zed there, and a house of worship erected, and in 1821 or 22 the new Dr. Goulding of Liberty County Georgia, removed to Lexington and became pastor of the Church, while he was pastor of the church he also was a teacher and under the direction of Hopewell Presbytery taught a class in theology; About the year 1834 or 35 the Synod of South Carolina and Georgia then one body only, removed Dr. Golding to Columbuia and founded and organized one seminary at that place. The Rev John Newton was the grandfather of the Rev. Henry Newton of Union Point and the

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Father of the Hon: Elizus Newton who died in Athens a few years ago although not the first Presbyterian minister in Georgia, he was as before stated the first resident Georgian, the first that was orda- ined to the full work of the ministry; I will here add from my own knowledge that his brother Thomas Newton was pastor of Hebron Church in Franklin now Banks County for a number of years, this dates back before my great grandmother settled in what is now Madison County, and to some extent to the present, I will now close my fathers nara- tive; for in giving my brothers and sisters and my own naratives it will be in connection to a great extent with them, it would be doing injustice to my dear old mother to say nothing of her and her fathers house, as I have before stated she is now in her ninety second year, has out lived all she once knew when she was young this if the fifty fifth year she has resided at her present home. Mother was born in 1808 in Wilks County North Carolina February the 15th my grandfather Barnes removed to East Tennessee when my mother was about twelve years old remained there but one year then removed to Habbersham County Ga. lived on the Soques River one year then removed to Hall County on Wahoo creek but finally settled in Habbersham County within two miles of the Chestatee River which was the line between the whites and Che- rokee tribe of Indians he had left North Carolina about 1819 settled near the Chestatee River about 1823 or 1824, there grandfather remained until all of his children married all had married but two, while at home two of his boys roved about some before they married, when Lumpkin County was made grandfather was cut off in to Lumpkin; Since his day White County has been made his old homestead now lies in White County my grandfather Barnes was a farmer and also drove a waggon to market a great deal waggoning from Wilks North Carolina to Charleston South Carolina was a great big job but he followed it a great deal, but few of the luxeries of the present day were used then if the people could get Iron, salt, and some coffee, a very little sugar or syrup could be made out with absolute necessaries of life was all that was expected of the wagoner to haul so far, and of course caused the necessary art- icles to be high to pay the waggoner for his expense and service, Grand father Barnes was born in 1779 in time of the revolutionary war both my grandfathers were born in the dark days of the revolution my grand- mothers about the time peace was made, my grandfather Barnes said his father was crippled with Rheumatism so bad that he could take no part for nor against the Independance of the Colonies never could get about well for many years before his death, my grandmother Barnes was a Swain I never heard my grandmother say anything about what part her father took in the days of the revolution, but as one of her brothers Mike Swain was elected Captain of one of the Companies that was made up in Wilks N.C. to serve and did serve in the war of 1812 to 15 Capt- ain Swain commanded his company in some of the bloody battles of that war and if his father had not fought for Colonial Independance his son would not have been elected Captain to have moved a company against the British for there was strong and often bitter feelings cultivated between the Whigs and Tories, I used to think the word Tory meant any thing that was mean but I am sure now that many good men of the Colo- nies, fought with the British, believing they were doing right and nothing but what was their duty to do, and if the French had kept out of the way the Colonies would have had to in all probability surrend- ered to the British Crown, then the history of the great rebellion of 1776 would have come down to us blacker than the great rebellion of 1861 to 65 has come upon us, yet many of us old men feel thankful that we had the nerve to be rebellious and fight for what we thought and what we still believe was right for nothing has occured or been brou- ght about that still changes our opinions but we have adjusted ours- elves to the new state of things and drifting along satisfied, beleiv- ing that a kind providence over rules all our blunders for our good.

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If Shermans burning all the towns and City's between Dalton and the Coast and there inhuman not to say savage conduct was written just as it took place, without it being portrayed in any other way but to give the truth, it would cause even our people that thought it was a good thing to blush with shame. Let us have peace, I have not wanted any Spanish war in mine while it has been looked upon as a glorious thing, but I have gone from my mothers history before my grandfather left North Carolina he once made a trip with his wagon from his home in Wilks County to Columbia South Carolina or to Augusta Georgia I am not sure which, he there engaged to take a load of goods to the Duck River settlements in middle Tennessee, and did so, he soon passed through the frontier settlements of Georgia then entered the Cherokee Nation as that Tribe generally received that appellation, he passed through about two hundred miles of their territory, then crossed the Tennessee River some where below where Chattanooga now stands then into middle Tennessee to a settlement known then as the Duck River settlement it required 8 or 9 weeks to make the trip, how a man with his wagon and team could hold up let alone making anything clear would be a puzzle to the present generation and I dont think much was made, I never heard of my grandfather ever carrying a weapon of any kind only an axe to cut his fire wood with, but it certainly would be dangerous now to travel and camp out every night while on a journey, why cowardly young men carry their weapons to church our civilization, not our christian- ity, has progressed so rapidly that young America that know so much bet- ter than the old people I suppose think it necessary to carry weapons when they go to town or church, I am happy to say that there is many fine exceptions to this rule, but our country is lowering their stand- ard of morality by not discountinenceing the visions practice of boys grown and even little fellows are seen with them sometimes; Oh how big they feel carrying a pistol in time of peace, I expect bigger or at least as large as when we was carrying our muskets and retreating bef- ore the Yankees, though it is said that General Lee did not want them called Yankees but Federals, it is not likely he heard them called Fed- erals often, I must be getting old I find my mind wondering. Grand- father sold his place near the Chestatee River and moved up near the foot of the Blue Ridge lived there until it was thought best by his children living in Cherokee County to remove their parents near to them as they were getting quite old, so they moved them down in 1851, they lived near by 3 of their children until uncle Charles emigrated to Texas they remained between fathers and uncle George Barnes until grand- father died which occured in September 1854, Grandmother lived then among the children until her death which took place in April 1863; Mothers oldest brother was older than herself he was born in 1805, he married a Miss Barker settled near his father he was married in 1828, raised a large family, all of his boys served in the Confederate war lost one son in the service, the others were fortunate enough to get home, but they are not all living yet; but most of his family are liv- ing yet; Uncle John for that was his name died in 1887 his first wife died in 1856, he had married a second wife soon after our war closed, by whome he raised two children one son and daughter they are said to be doing well, the son is doing well on the old homestead taking care of his mother in her declining years. His oldest children are like fathers getting quite old now Uncle dug gold in time of the intrusion on the Indians, made good wages he settled on land adjoining his fath- er then added to it another lot adjoining it he lived there all of his life while he farmed for his living, he raised fruit and vegetables for the market for the gold miners and the town of Delonega, which was the County seat of Lumpkin after it was organized in 1822, when it was organized father was cut off from Hall County to the new made one.

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While grandfather Barnes and Uncle John was cut off from Habbersham; My mothers side of the house were all Baptist Uncle John was lived a consistant member of the primitive Baptist church and died in that faith, he was an honest and faithful man in all he undertook he was not only honest and faithful but he was devoted by pious. I could speak of the pleasant associations I enjoyed with his children in childhood but I will not give it space here, Uncles last wife was a Miss Keneday; I gladly received a letter from cousin Dora Barnes, my uncles son by his last wife, he states that his grandfather and fam- ily emigrated from Wilks County North Carolina to what is now Waite County Ga. I know they made good citizens and I think they were mem- bers of the Baptist church. The old man was Born December the 8th 1799 his grandmother born August the 3rd 1800, The old man died augu- st the 22nd 1883 the old lady died march the 25th 1888; My brother S. J. Saye's last wife was a grand daughter of grandfather Kenaday as I shall call him; my brothers wife who is a daughter of William Kan- aday is one of the best of women, she has been a devoted child and nurse of my mother in her declining age; but we will pass on to grand- fathers next child which was Aunt Nancy Flemming, I suppose she was born in 1810 while younger than my mother she was married first, mar- ried march 1826 her husband was a brother to Uncle Harvey Flemming; They in early life emigrated to Alabama, settled about Tuskaloosa not becoming satisfied they stayed there but three years, removed back in- to what is now Waite County, from there removed into Lumpkin and set- tled ten miles North of Delonega he farmed enough to make a good liv- ing though he was fond of digging for gold and followed it some times but never made a great deal at it, he removed into what is now Whit- field County, it was then Murry he settled near where Dalton now sta- nds, did not stay but a few years until he emigrated to Arkansas; and in 1852 he left there and emigrated to California, by what then was called the overland route long before the days of Rail Roads through the continent, in those days waggons and teams would be secured and they would be collected at a place appointed for a caravan to rende- zvous to justify calling on the Federal Government to send a company of soldiers to protect them from the Indians, it was dangerous to try to go through the plains and then the Rocky Mountains without a pilot who had become acquainted with the different routes, they thought they had procured the right man but in those vast plains, it was hard for one that was as they thought familiar with the route to make sure that he was always right, their man missed his trail, they continued to travel on until the 10th day that day they found water Uncle had kill- ed one yoke of oxen before that hoping by drinking the blood that it would save them until they should reach water the Troops Surrounded the place of water and issued to the caravan by small quanities until they were becoming satisfied, then permitted them to use as much as they wanted, I suppose they would have drank at the start to have kil- led themselves as they were raving mad for water, Uncle wrote to my father that the cries for water through the whole caravan was indes- scribable Aunts tongue bursted in several places and I suppose not worse than others of the crowd. He left Arkansas in the spring of 1852 and arrived in California some time in the fall of the same year I suppose it was the excitement about the rich mines of gold caused my Uncle to remove there when he did he had hardly become settled per- manently when death overtook him he died in the summer of 1854, Aunt Nancy Flemming his widow continued to reside there raised all her children there except a daughter who had grown up and married before they left Arkansas the married daughter remained in Arkansas, Aunt raised two boys one of them is living or was when last heard from in San Francisco in a fine mansion overlooking the bay, the other was up in the British possessions seeking for gold when last heard from,

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If they are living, they are about my age, and of course not young. I can recollect of seeing them when we was small; of the girls I know nothing, many years ago we kept up a little correspondence but since the death of Aunt which has been several years we hear nothing, one of her daughters once made a voyage to the Sandwich Islands for her health, my recollection is that Aunt went with her. The next child of my grandfathers was Uncle Charles he was born in 1813, he grew upon the farm as his brothers and sisters they all know nothing but pioneer and backwoods life, and there is many pleasures even in that kind of life, he seems to have been the unfortunate one of the boys, he was asking his relatives to his brother John's, in fact the day was very windy a tree fell across the road it was forked one fork fell in his front the other at his back killing the horse and bruising and crippling uncle up very bad, it happened near my great uncle John Barnes house and spring, some of the children was sent to the spring for water they hearing his groaning and seeing what had happened ran to the house and informed their mother they were having a house rais- ing that day it was a sawmill building, some of the children was sent hurredly to where the men were at work they hastened to him made a litter and brought him to the house, they finally in a few days got him home which was three miles having to carry him home in easy a litter as they could make. He finally recovered; one night he came very near getting drowned he had been over to Delonega trading while there the Chestatee River rose it being dark he drove his oxens in he was washed off the cart the oxens swam to the bank at the ford and got out uncle could not swim he floundered about caught hold of some limbs of a tree that was growing near the bank pulled up by them to the trunk of it and came down all right and with his on home, the side of the River Chestatee was a small stream could be forded gener- ally very easy, one day a man and uncle was trying to swap horses the fellows horse while he had a bridle was not broke to the saddle and was not even bridal wise, he told uncle nothing but proposed to u uncle to jump on his horse and try his gates uncle did so the horse started at full speed and could not be guided any; soon ran against a tree and killed himself while uncle was dashed to the ground but was not seriously hurt though its wonderful he was not killed, uncle Charles was married in december 1835 he also settled near his father, in the fall of 1837 he enlisted as a soldier for a term of six months his command was sent down about Tampa Bay he returned safely after his term expired in the spring of 1838, in the fall of 1839 he moved into Cherokee County the Indians had only been removed the year befo- re, the Country was fresh, could make large quantities of produce while uncle had good land he was not a good farmer he gave too much attention to trading and waggoning, for he some how did not manage business well, got involved in debt, and we had about that time a money crash, the financial disasters at that time with many was run- ious, so my uncle failed to pay for his farm he sold it, struggled on a few years, found he could not make a start any more he in the spring of 1852 emigrated to Texas settled near Austin went to farming and was said to be worth five thousand dollars in five years, I should have said he also went into raising cattle, he also out and hauled large quantities of hay to Austin and found a good market for it, he raised a large family only three boys one in early life died, one died a few years ago, the only one living is on the old homestead taking care of his mother in her old age, he also had a large family, Uncle's daughters are all married and living around in that country, he was murdered one night as he was returning home from home from Austin he was to have drawn his money that day for his hay which was about three hundred dollars, his team went on home, the family was alarmed soon gathered some of the neighbors and a search instituted his body was

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found about thirty yards from the road five bullets had penetrated his head besides other bruises, no clue could be reached with regard to the perpetrators of the crime, a Negro some years after was hanged for some crime he said he was one of three men that murdered Charles Barnes, one of the others has since hanged, but not for the crime of assisting in killing my uncle. He was from early life a member of the Baptist church, he was a man of remarkable even temper would not become angry at what other men would have flew into a passion over or at least most men would, my youngest brother was living with uncle Charles when he was murdered they had went to town together brother riding one of the horses while uncle drove the team with his load of hay something so happened with the company that they did not pay bro- ther and uncle that day as they expected, these negroes is supposed to have known of it as being pay day but I don't think uncle or brot- her knew of these negroes at all, they probably was lurking around seeking a chance to rob and plunder; Uncles sad fate took place in the spring of 1871.

Uncle George Barnes was born in 1816 in North Carolina all of the children of my grandfather Barns was born in Wilks County North Carolina except the youngest one, uncle George grew up and plodded along as the other boys did in helping to open up the farm with his father, for that was all boys could do in those days on the frontier; When gold was discovered in 1828 uncle was twelve years old he was permitted to go and dig with the other boys and was diligent and industrious and made good wages, grandfather like other farmers soon found it paid better to work on the farm and raise provisions for the gold miners than seek for the coveted treasure, I recollect of uncle George telling of one of their sweet potato crops; that year they enriched one acre of land put it out in sweet potatoes raised four hundred bushels and carried them to Delonega only six miles and received four hundred dollars for the crop, that was before vegetable farming had become a business of importance in North Georgia, fruit growing and vegetable raising soon became a profitable industry around the gold mines the year that uncle George became of age to do for himself, he assisted Captain Barker to raise a company of volunteers to serve six months in Florida against the Indians, Uncle was made first Lieutenant I think uncle Charles was made third Lieutenant they were mustered into service at Milageville proceeded to Florida and served their term and returned safely with the loss of only one man of their company, uncle came with his brother Charles in 1839 to Cherokee County they bought land lying on Little River 8 miles south of Canton, there he remained all through life which was the right way to do a rule that but few of us have followed, he married in march 1842 to a Miss Mays of Hall county, he was a prosper- ous farmer made clear money every year after he improved his place, his wife was a Presbyterian that may have kept uncle from uniting with the church of his choice, for a while, he could not concientiously unite with the church of her choice, so he joined the Baptist church in 1858, she joined with him the next year they lived happy and smoothly through life he did not serve long in the great civil war he was out for awhile as first Lieutenant of a company, his command was called out for only six months to serve in Georgia alone his oldest son was in the war in the latter part of it, uncle lost property by the war but I never heard a murmur escape his lips, uncle continued to prosper after the war, set up his children in life very well he served his church as Deacon most of the time after he joined which was near forty years, he died in march 1898 aged about 82 years he had lingered some time, but fell cal- mly asleep in Jesus. I believe it was the 20th of March of last year may be it was the 13th he died in the full assurance of a blessed im- mortality beyond the grave. Aunt is still living she is an excellent woman and devotedly pious she is on the old homestead with her young- est son who will finally buy out the other heirs and own the place.

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I visited the place where many of my relatives and friends were resting in the cemetery at the Baptist church where my father labored so long and his body is now resting with many others in that sacred spot, I looked at his slab and read the Eppitaph on it, and thought how appropiate it was to this effect, the church yard has gained another grave, Heaven hath gained another of the redeemed. How solomon the sacred place appeared to me, there I lived back in the sweet past for a little while, there was resting grandfather and mother Barnes, my dear mother-in-law Massey Ricks, some of my cousins and many friends, and dear uncles new made grave, some one hundred yards down from the others.

This memory brightens O'er the past,
As when the sun conceild.,
Behind some cloud that near us hangs,
Shines on some distant field.

You may not catch the sentiment in my verse as I feel it. I also visited the cemitary at Fairview church where many good people of the past generation are lying I soon found Uncle Noel and Aunt Noel's graves I dont know wheather my grandfather Saye and mother's graves was marked by a marble slab or not I did not find them. Many of the destinguished citizens that were prominent in that country when I was young are resting there, waiting for that reserection morning when the perfected spirit will be united to a glorious body, just such any one as will be suitable for a justified and sanctified spirit to enjoy God forever in the regeons of eternal Glory. But you see I wonder off from my naratives; You dear son can excuse me you know my serroundings, but if this comes before a reading public they can not do so, so easely. Dr. Dalton says in his character sketches for every one to stick to his bush if he wants to succeed, the boy that stuck to his bush gath- ered his vessel full of berrys while others running about to find a better bush gathered none or comparatively few. You have passed thro- ugh some of the forrests of North Georgia and have seen some of the Monarchs still standing which have stood the storm and tempest of many years if not centuries, you find one prostrate that may have fallen some calm day that had stood all the storms without yeilding its firm foot hold it had taken in the ground, yet yielded to the sweet zephers that was only causing the tiny leaf to tremble slightly; you examine its roots and there you find some large white worms that have insidi- ously been eating away at those roots for so long a time they have brought about the destruction of the tree, so the root of time will soon lay me prostrate; you now go to the top of that mighty Monarch of the forrest you generally find that at the top it is doty, not sound, they are all doty, with some few exceptions, so with me the worm of time has so weakened my foundation it will not require a storm to find me prostrate and when you find me down it will not trouble you to find that I was doty at the top indeed you may find it out before I fell. I will now proceed to give a sketch of my mothers youngest sister Ruth there was one younger than Ruth but she unfortunatly was an Idiot I su suppose Aunt Ruth was born in 1818 I have not got the record she grew up as the others of the family with but very limited education, but the times then did not require a collegiate education to place girls that had good common sense and some intellegence to place them in the front ranks in the communities in which they lived, Aunt married Captain Obadiah Barker the Barker family lived in the neighborhood of my grand- father Barnes, they were married in 1838 uncle Barker served two terms in the Florida war first campaign a term of twelve months, but he was discharged from the service from disability to bear arms before the twelve months had expired, after his recovery he with the help of un- cle George Barnes made up a company to serve six months in Florida

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against the Seminole Indians the word Seminole in the Indian dialect means runaways it was true with regard to the Seminoles for they were runaways from different Tribes who had become dissatisfied with their Cheifs rule, or from other causes had runaway and formed alliances with others from other Tribes, and slaves from their owners, and be- fore Spain ceded Florida to the United States both Indian and Negro claimed and received protection from Spain and after it came under the festering care of the United States they gave us no little trou- ble, both Indian and Negro had rather have remained under the Spanish rule, but I have already given you some account of the troubles that assisted in producing the Seminole war, I will just here state that Louis Antonia Pacheo's slave remained an active participant in that war that he done so much to bring about, he was captured in 1857 and reported to our authorities as Wild cats slave and was shipped to the west, his owner and our commanders still thinking he was killed at Major Dades Massacre' Captain Barker met enough of companies assem- bled at Miledgeville to constitute a regiment and they were called up- on to elect officers for that purpose there was a young lawyer by the name of Chastain from the north part of the State who wished to aspire to the command of the regiment and there was another young man from t the middle part of the state who wished the same honor and Chastain seeing the popularity of his opponent came to Captain Barker for they was good friends proposed to uncle if he would turn out and electioneer for him and secure his election he would give him the chance of the first office in his regiment, uncle had a brother in his company who was a private he wanting to do something for his brother commenced lectioneering for Chastain, Uncle had seen and been in service before, was a tall commanding looking person he told me afterwards that he walked the lines and begged the men to vote for Chastain though he honestly confessed to me that he believed the gentleman from the middle part of the state would have made the best officer, but he secured Chastains election, the Colonel then asked uncle who he would have for quartermaster, he said you appoint Rufus Barker, Rufus made a good officer, took sick on their return home lay prostrated of fever for a long time but on his recovery he returned home but had almost lost his speech he finally recovered his speech until he could talk nearly plain he received a pension of one hundred fifty dollars per year for the loss of his speech until the great civil war, and he may have received it to the end of life I am not sure, he died in I suppose 1875 or 6 he acquired a fortune but in his old age squandered it or rather let his children do so; Uncles reg- iment was placed in or constituted a part of General Charles H Nelson's Brigade they were sent down about Tampa Bay and scouted in the swamps and everglades without much success attending their efforts the India- ns could hide so completely they could hardly be found only as they could be persuaded to come in and give up and be sent west, these neg- otiations could be brought about by some friendly Indians even at the risk of their lives for the unfriendly ones some times did kill some that tryed to bring about peace only on the grounds of remaining in the land of their fathers they all were in favor of peace if the whites would let them remain in Florida, the day they started homeward a part of Captain Barkers company was shot into while refreshing themselves at a spring one of the men by the name of Talor had lodged in his body six balls they then fell back to the Fort from where they had started from in the morning, it was thirty miles through the Indian country to the next Fort where they could get a surgeon to extract the balls from Talors bleeding body Captain Barker picked out the best horse in the company for some one to go for the surgeon it was Uncle Charles Barns horse that was picked out, uncle Charles preferred going himself to try to save his horse some, he being a small man, said to the captain I will go if some one else will volunteer to go with me, a man by the

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name of Hunt reported he was ready, they started their perilous jou- rney about sundown and was back by sun up next morning, that would not be thought such hard riding in Texas but in the swamps and mar- shes of Florida it was wonderful, Talor was left and nursed properly got well and returned home after his wounds healed, captain Barker's company all arrived home but one who sickened and died in Florida,in they were mustered out of service at Ganesville the county seat of Hall the captain and Aunt Ruth was married in August after they had returned in May as I have stated in 1838 Uncle Barker settled in Forsythe county, in a few years sold out and removed to Walton coun- ty to take care of his parents in their declining years remained there until after the death of his parents, he then removed to Vans Valley in Floyd County, near his brother Rufus, lived there until a few years before his death he moved down on the Coosa River about ten miles below Rome; Uncle lost his health, in early life he was afflicted much though down to old age, he raised his boys to work on the farm they worked well they made find crops and done well he raised a large fam- ily five boys and six girls, all of his children are living in Alabama that is now alive and most of them are so far as I know; In my younger days uncle was fond of swaping horses I did not trade on horses much but when I would call on uncle for a day or two he would get up a swap he did not want to make anything off of me he liked the fun of trading I once passed by on a journey and I had traded for a mule a few days before that, he was a well looking mule, the next day after I had traded for him I met a man we stopped in the road and went to talking, he said he knew my mule, I asked him how old he was he said he had known the mule for thirty five years and he thought he was three years old when he got acquainted with him, that was not very en- couraging to me, I traveled on for I was at that time on my way to Georgia from Mississippi. I reached my uncles in Vans Valley in a few days, I also had a young mule along with me a nice one, my uncle paid no attention to my young mule, asked me the age of my large mule, I said I did not know but that I met a man the next day after I traded for him that said he knew the mule and had known him for thirty five years and thought he was three years old when he got acquainted with him, that was enough for uncle he proposed a swap, we traded, he gave me a good trade soon afterwards he swapped the mule for a fine young horse, I have related this incident because of the enjoyment it gives us at the time. Uncle lost one son in the war killed in june 1862, in an attack to retake Nashville; Uncle was a strong union man, did not want his son to go but it was hard for young men to keep out honorably his next son grew old enough before the war ended but he managed to keep him out; Aunt Ruth died in January 1873 of cancer, Uncle Barker died in 1884 or 5 he died very sudden, he and Aunt were members of the Primitive Baptist church and so far as I know in good standing, Aunt was an excellent woman, I dont mean to reflect that Uncle was not a good man, I loved them both, have hope of meeting them in the sweet by and by. I will now come to the youngest child of grandfather Barnes I think he was born in 1825 in Habbersham county Georgia, all that I ha have given any account of down to him was born in Wilks County North Carolina, he was named Solomon for his father, he left home in 1843 when he was about 18 years old he went down into South Carolina, wrote home soon after he went off that he was assisting in making threshing machines and that they could be carried and set down in the field and thresh out the crop without hauling the crop to our threshing machines in our barns, a thing unheard of in those days, but became common in a few years later, uncle never wrote any more, and he was given up by us as dead, he called at my house for some refreshments, that was in 1878 he had been gone thirty five years, while your mother was preparing dinner we were talking without recognizing each other until dinner was ready, we had him to go to the dining room and sit down to the table.

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his coffee was poured out and sit by his plate, he had not tasted it before he asked me if I knew Captain George Barnes, I saw the featur- es of my old grandfather Barnes so vividly in his face I sprang at him gathered his hand exclaiming uncle Solomon is it possible this is you he agreed it was even do, he would not give us any satisfaction why he had remained away so long without writing to us, it caused grandma Barnes a great deal of solicitude and trouble, never hearing what had become of him, he had married and raised a family, they were kept in the cotton mills first in South Carolina, then at Augusta Georgia from there to Columbus, worked a long time in the Eagle and Phenix Mills in that place, I do not know where any of them are now Aunt died at Co- lumbus several years ago I don't know whether her uncle is living or not his children made good weavers in the factory, he raised but one s son, he made a good superintendent in the weave shop but would drink too much, which I am afraid will ruin him if it has not already done so. I will close this short sad sketch or it has been sad to us who felt so much solicitude for him, he followed the millright business some, was a good house carpenter, made money but it done him very little good some how I will now turn back and review my great grand gather Gardner and his family I can recollect the old man when I was small he emigra- ted to America from Ireland in 1775 landed at Baltimore and enlisted into the rebellion that was then taking place against the British Government, that part of the command in which he enlisted in was placed under the immediate supervision of General Washington and was in the battles of Germantown, Brandywine and Long Island and probably other lesser engagements he served three years at his first term, I dont know that he served an enlisted term any more he may have done as many others did, go out and fight a battle and get shot of the enemy and return to their homes again, he settled near Philadelphia, but soon aft- er the war came to Georgia, after he came to this State he married his second wife she beared him eleven children three boys and 8 girls the names of his boys was Asa, John, and Thomas, Asa when he grew up set- tled in Jasper county married a Miss Worthington after a few years emigrated to Arkansas was raising his family out there when he was killed by one of his mules kicking him, that happened in 1848, Of his family I know very little, the second son John, I became well acquua- inted with him, it was to his house I repaired when I left my fathers house and went to Mississippi in to what is now Lee County it was then Ittawomba I found my great uncle doing well was a good farmer his boys good blacksmiths and were doing well. Caleb Garrett who married one of his daughters is living or was in Fort Worth Texas, the others if liv- ing I suppose is in Mississippi. Uncle John Gardner died in 1863 in the dark days of the war, Uncle Johns wife was a Miss Baker of Franklin County Ga., he served in the Florida war of 1818 then again in the last Seminole war, he was a member of the Methodist Protestant church. Thomas Gardner the youngest one of the boys married a Miss Stephenson he settled in Henry County Ga., and remained there all of his life I can not tell what year he died though some time ago, I hear of some Gardners in that County I suppose his sons or grandsons but I have no history of them, the oldest one of the girls was named Rebecca she married Samuel Dodson he lived a while in Henry County if my memory serves me right, but when the last purchase from the Cherokee Indians was made he removed into Chattnooga County he was a good farmer and raised cattle on the Lookout Mountain they succeeded well accumulated good property, he and his wife lived to a good old age and of course have passed away one of their grand children John Dodson Taylor is a Poet, you have his book of poems John Dodson one of uncle Samuel

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Dodson's boys has been president of the college at Oxford Alabama and may be yet, but of the children generally I know but little I believe you uncle Willie Saye lodged at Mrs. Taylor's at Somerville or Tryon at the convening at that place of our Presbytery she was a daughter of Samuel Dodson and the mother of the Poet, The next daughter was named Elisthebeth she married and continued to reside in Franklin Co- unty, her husbands name was Gillespi they raised some children I have seen three of them I knew Thomas the best, he was killed at the hard fought battle of Sharpsburg some time called the battle of Antietam the same day that your uncle Edward Ricks was killed which was the 17th day of September 1862 Pickens Gillespie married Amanda Mays a sister to Aunt Caroline Barnes he lives in White County I heard of one of the brothers still residing in Banks County it was formeraly Frank- lin County Uncle Gillespie and wife have passed away; The next one was Mary, she married a man by the name of Rowden he was tolerably well educated for the time but took to drink of course had to quit teaching school run a little farm but got to drinking hard that he possibly shortened his days, his boys drank too much, himself and all the family have passed away except one daughter I learn she married and has done well through life, the next one of my grandmothers half sisters was name Catherine she married a man by the name of Underwood they first settled in Guinnett County removed from there to Walker county in the fall of 1836 settled in Peavine Valley raised his family there, I can remember playing with his boys before he left Guinnett County his oldest were about my age, I thought I would not like to move with them for fear the Indians would kill me, that was the year the Creek Indians were doing so much mischief killing many on the frontiers, I have seen none of the family since their removal except one of the boys which came to Mississippi in 1857, they were then on Peavine Creek, or in the Valley, they may all have passed away since then, the next sister was Clarissa she married a man by the name of Corruthers he also lived for a while in Guinnett County his oldest son was also one of my play mates he removed to Walker County at the same time and with Underwood, Corr- uthers'es oldest son made a lawyer but did not practice long before he died, I heard died of fever I never became acquainted with any of the rest of the family, the next one the list was Sally she married a man by the name of Inser, I knew nothing of them some years ago they were in or about Atlanta, but I never met any of them, Uncle John Inser had a brother that commanded a company in the same regiment of Uncle Barker in the Florida war the Captain was a neighbor to my father in Guinnett before father left that country Captain Inzer removed to Galedega County Alabama there became a prominent Baptist preacher he raised but one son he is a lawyer by profession has been Judge of probate court, the same judicinary is called superior court in Georgia, Judge Inzer was commanding his regiment in the hard fought battle of Chickemauga he was along that unfortunate part of the line that became sarrounded by the enemy and seeing surrender was inevetable he raised his sword as high in the air as possible then dashed it to the ground determined not to hand it to the Federals, he is one of the leading men of North Alabama at this time. Nancy Brauner another one of my grandmothers half sisters removed to Mississippi in 1851 I became better acquainted with her and xxxxxxx family than any of the others, Uncle Williams Brawner was a hard working man but was a poor manager, made a living owned a good little farm but was generally found in debt which is not pleasant but many men do that and continue involved and die in debt, I dont know how it was with my old uncle in his last days as I have not lived in that country since the war, one of his sons died near York Town in Virginia in 1862, about the time our Army began to retreat up the river towards Richmond, uncle raised five children two girls and three boys his oldest son died from over bleeding after having a limb taken off, the other son may be living yet, one daughter married a William McGee

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He volunteered into the confederate service early in the spring of 1861 and his command was sent to Virginia to Harpers Ferry then back to Winchester then to Manassas and was engaged in that bloody conflict, the opening up of the Stream of blood that flowed for four consecutive years, without a paralell in the history of the world, when we count the small number of men engaged, while our number were considerable yet comparatively small with some Armys of the century of the past; McGee served through the war. I have seen him but once since the blo- ody struggle for southern independance., Aunt Nancy died in 1858. Unc- le Brawner married a second time but he and his second wife did not get along together as they should, and I heard they seperated, uncle died probably in 1871; The last one of the eight half sisters of grand- mother Saye married a Mr. Stevenson they resided as far as I know all their lives in Carrol County Ga. I know nothing of their decendance; I think I can remember seeing all of my great Aunts but never lived near any of them after I was grown up, but Aunt Nancy Brawner I was only acquainted with Uncle John Gardner, did not know the other boys I recollect of seeing uncle Thomas Gardner once only; Uncle John was a good man and neighbor, he had a peculiar way of expressing himself, when a discussion upon any topic was going on and men were telling what they thought, uncle would say I will tell you what I dont think and bef- ore he was through we could see it was better to tell what you dont think than to often tell what you think.

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CHAPTER NUMBER FOUR

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I will here try to relate one of the many sad circumstances that took place among the early settlers of not only with the colonies while under the British Crown, but among the first settlers also of the Territorys that have become the great States of the west; One of grandmother Barnes near relations by the name of smith removed from North Carolina and set- tled over in either Tennessee or Kentucky, from the imperfect narative of the sketch I am not sure which, he had settled down improving his farm and I suppose felt no fear of the Indians molesting him, or men will become careless becoming accustomed to dangers real or imaginary, after a few years of compareative quiet of course they began securly to feel themselves, and had ceased thinking to a great extent about the Indians, that was their time to do their maurading the easier, a band of them came into the settlement plundered Smiths house his wife lying abed with an infant 4 days old, and remarkably to tell they made her get up and follow them, also another lady with another little one, it was several months old, she could not get along fast enough to suit them they took her child and dashed out his brains against a tree, but Mrs. Smith was permitted to keep her 4 days old child but was not allowed to nurse it until it perished to death, Mr. Smith followed them to the river they had made themselves Bark Canoes and got over the river before Smith and his neighbors hove in sight, for they had been particular to leave no sign of their trail, Mr.s Smith said she would break off little twigs and drop them hoping it would help Mr. Smith in discovering their trail, when Smith and his party reached the river they saw to their dis- may that the Indians had crossed over, and they had no way to cross, and they gave up the persuit, Smith continued on his farm but could not get any tidings of his wife, he finally concluded she could not be living, and it was a rational conclusion when we consider that she was made get out of her bed with a child but 4 days old, he proposed to another woman this kind of contract to marry, but if my wife ever returns, you are to return to your father. She accepted the contract, they were married they had not lived long as man and wife when Mrs Smith returned home, as the news of her return spread abroad many came in to rejoice with them for they had gave her up as dead and reasonably enough, the young wife

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set about and made a fine dinner as possible then was ready to go back to her fathers Smith caught out a good horse put a good saddle on him set his young wife there on, and she rode away from her sup- posed husband forever, but the fine dinner was not tasted by the cro- wd they broke down under the strange circumstances that had brought them together to rejoice with Mrs Smiths long exile being terminated, her captivity ended, and a safe return to her home in peace, and while with her, it was mared by the thought of the one who had took her pla- ce, that nobly surrendered her home and her affections, cooked a fine dinner for the repast of her friends while they were rejoicing with the one that had suffered captivity for five long years then today to the one in whome she had placed her affections, I am ready to go back to my fathers; dipicts a nobleness of character which we should ad- mire, the reason we have so many grand women today they have inherit- ed it from the noble women of colonial times, and the women of indom- inable perseverance, that went through such hardships in pioneer life in settling the great west, Mrs Smiths narative of her sufferings is a sad one she was not allowed to see her little child but once after they got to their wigwams it then looked as if it was nearly gone, she knew nothing of what they done with its little body after it died the Indians often went from place to place she said she was always placed between two warriors at night, they would place a chain around thams- elves, she having to lay down then these men lay down one on each side of her then draw the chain down so tight over her that she could not get up without awakening them, she watched for a chance to escape but the oppertunitie seemed would never come, she at last thought she would try an expedient though its success seemed very doubtful, she complain- ed of her chains hurting her they slacked them some, she waited until the whole party was sound asleep as she thought, and it proved to be so, she softly glided out saw nothing to pick up to out on her journey but two ears of corn picked them up and started on her perilous journey to try to find the pioneer settlement of the whites, she had to evade the persuit of the Indians, they was so near her place of concealment at one time that she could hear them talking after they would dissapear, she then would travel on not knowing near all the time wheather she was in the right direction or not, she lived on those two ears of corn for ten days soon after she had gone the ten days or maybe at the end of the ten days she gained sight of some pioneer cabbins, soon after she made her way home, I wish I had a more concize history of her cap- tivity and sufferings but have not.

This is the place my friends, let us review the scene. And collect from the long since past, the noble ones thats long since gone. The past and present let us unite, while time is flowing on. Their foot prints are not hidden yet, we see them still on the earthly side. Their spirits have long since been past, to a heavenly state of rest. While we are still, journeying on below, to reach their home at last, And it's joyful belief, that ever around our heads. Are hovering on angels wings, The spirits of the dead.

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My eldest brother Patterson J. Saye was born June the first 1827 in Hall county we grew up together, he was a stout robust boy and grew fast, was grown at the age of sixteen, had no better chance of acq- uring an education than myself. Married Amos Braseltons daughter in march 1847 raised four daughters and one son his son died in early life one daughter died in Colorado about 1871 or two his daughters one married and doing well their husbands names are Robert McCollum, Pressly Branon, Leo McCleskey, his son-inlaws have raised high toned families, they are living not far from him, Brother is living on the old homestead, taking care of mother in her old age, he is living with his second wife who is as kind to mother as her own children could possibly be he will be seventy two years old the first day of june. My oldest sister born march the 25th 1832 grew up with me acquired the education usually acquired in those days spelling, reading, writ- ing, arithmetic, partially acquired; with a scattering of english grammar, we were taught o vocal music at the same school in 1849, who was married to Samuel T. McCanbest in 1857, settled in Cartersville then Cass but now Bartow County, they were doing well until Sherman's Army marched through the town and to a great extent destroyed it. They left home to save themselves and lost all but after the war they built up again for many years sister was a great sufferer she died the first sabbath of September 1895 died of catarrh in its worst forms she died in sure prospect of a glorious immortality beyond, two of her daughters preceded her to the grave, only one daughter left to cheer and solace the husband and father of the departed wife and children. Samuel McCanless was a good mill right and machinist he and his wife were members of the methodist episcopal church south the children were members of the same church the two that have passed away were good christians, the one living is devotedly pious, brother McCanless is in his seventy first year they still remain on the old homestead in Carts- ville. Brother George was born june the 9th 1836, the evening of Gar- manys battle with the creek indians at Dr. Sheppards plantation in Stewart county some of fathers neighbors were in the fight while 8 of Garmanys men were killed, none that lived near my father. Captain Garmany had another skirmish with the Indians xx afterwards but lost no men, Garmany was not in the hardest fought battle of that war, the hardest battle was fought on Chickasaw Hachee creek and its swamps, which are several miles extent in Baker county, on the 25th of july, the last battle with the Creek Indians took place at and in the Echowan- otohaway swamps in Randolph county, all took place in Georgia, the Indians had crossed the Chattahoochee and was plundering on the Georgia side; My brother grew up and at one time thought of preaching, started to school and was too eager to learn his health failed, and after he recovered his health he gave up the idea of preaching turned to other pursuits married in 1859 and went to farming before he gathered his first crop his wife quit him, he then sold out and left Georgia; He was in Arkansas when the war broke out was made Lieutenant of one of the companies out from that state and was in the siege of Fort Hudson, and when Vicksburg fell, Fort Hudson surrendered four days afterwards brother was wounded in the seige his command was carried down the river to New Orleans he was getting well of his wounds, when he took flux and seemed he might recover from that when he took erpsipelas and sank under it, he died september the 3rd 1863; he was born in the stormy days of the Creek and Seminole war and his life went out in the dark and stormy days of the great civil war between the states, his wife was a Miss Spears, she died three months after him of conjestion of the brain sick but a few hours leaving one child a son he is now a practicing physici- an at Hall Ground Cherokee Ga., he is doing very well raising a nice family. My next and youngest sister was born april the 30th 1839 she grew up with the same disatvantages for an education as the others of us.

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She married in january 1859 to Byers Stearns a young farmer and was doing well when the cruel war broke out, he volunteered his services to his country in defense of her rights against the cruel oppressions that seemed to threaten us, he was killed in the hard fought battle of Malvern Hill in the evening of the last seven great battles fought near Richmond in 1862 cut almost in two by a cannon ball from the enem- ies onfielding fire, my sister raised one of her little children she having but two one died about one year after her husband was killed her daughter married J.W. Flemming of Cherokee county, they are now living in Cartersville Ga., my sister lived a widow for about 27 years she mar- ried I think in january 1889 to Samuel McCleskey of Cobb county a well to do farmer he served as justice of the peace for many years, once served as representative of the county from Cobb, he had raised before marrying my sister a large and respectable family, brother McCleskey and sister are in their old age but are enjoying life as well as any two old people that I know. William M. Saye was born november the 13th 1845, probably would have had a better chance of an education if the war had not come upon him at the time it did but the conscript act of the confederacy enforcing all men into service between the ages of 18 and 35 that act was passed early in 1862, that he volunteered at once, his command was known as the Phillips Legeon, they were sent to the coast of South Carolina remained there until early xx in the fall they were sent to Virginia, there they was seperated, the infantry to the infantry lines, the calvary to the command of General Stewart who was commanding all of the calvary forces of Virginia. The legeon at first was composed of one battallion of infantry and one of calvary command- ed by General William Phillips , If I mistake not the battallion of calvary of which my brother was a member was then commanded by Lieut- enant Colonal Young. He was soon promoted to the Brigadier General- ship, then Captain Puckett was promoted to Major and took command of the battallion he had been in the command of brother Williams company up to the time of his promotion. Lieutenant Harden was then made Cap- tain of brothers company, they served under general Stewart probably the best calvary General of the war. While the Federal Army had some dis- tinguished calvary commanders yet I doubt any of them being the equal of Stewart. My brother has told me that he had been in the saddle for nine days and nights, without taking their saddles off their horses the men would drop down before or rather under the head of their horses the house would not move out of his tracks until the men were ordered to mo- unt and march forward the rest taken not over at no time more than two hours. General Young who became distinguished as a good General and hard fighter, was ordered to the South or southern part of the country to gather up the scattered commands and try to strengthen General John- son and surrendered with him a few days after the surrender of General Lee at Appomatox Court House; all well known to you in history of the bitter past. Brother after returning home attended school a few years months, then set in with father to try to build their shattered affairs I havent the pen to describe the desolation that was surrounding us at the end of that most cruel of wars, you could travel through a country thirty miles wide after Sherman left Atlanta and not see a horse cow or pig nor chicken. I gathered some nubbins of corn one evening for a poor widown- that was trying to get through the destroyed track of country that had been devastated by a ruthless and bitter enemy, these little ears of corn had grown up under the shades of large oaks where the calvary of both Armies had fed their horses and I learned that some poor woman that could not get out lived on this corn while in reacting- ear state for some time, it is so wrong to have people now complaining of hard times when every thing is in a state of prosperity, but you see I will wonder from my subject. He remained working on the farm until 1870 early that year he taught school for a short time down in Alabama.

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He then returned to Georgia and in the spring emigrated to Colorado with my oldest brothers sons-in-laws Robert McCollum and Mr. Branen. I forget his given name, he did not like the country and came south with a company who was emigrating to Texas, the Caravan followed Rio Pocos River for several hundred miles until they came opposite the watters of the Concho then followed that stream to or near to the mouth there the company disbanded, brother made his way to Waco from there took the stage and come down to Austin, hunted up uncle Barnes and went to work with him, was there when uncle was murdered for his money he remained there near two years two years afterwards then returned to Georgia married a Miss Jane Dean in the spring of 1873 he lives on a part of fathers old homestead which was deeded to him to assist in taking care of our parents in their old age, his oldest son has been in Texas ever since we came here except his term of service in the Spanish war, his regiment was mustered out of service in november he then visited his father and family in Georgia, has now returned to Texas and is living in Fort Worth, he has two daughters both grown and has 2 little sons about twelve and seven years old, he is farming and doing very well ruling elder of the church to which him and his family are connected. As I have given a short narative of my brothers and sisters I will not take the privelege of relating something of myself not that it is or can be made of much importance, yet my sketches would not be complete without it. I was born the 19th of may 1829, it will not take quite another month until I will reach my three score and ten years, the alloted days of man but God in his great mercy may give me a few more years or days at least, if in his kind providence, he can use me for good he will give me the time to accomplish that good, I want to leave that with him all I wish now is to make my will submissi- ve to his Government and be ready to depart when he calls me to my home in heaven,; My father was living in Hall County at my birth he remained there until February 1833 when he removed to Guinnett county, and lived there nine years then removed to Cherokee county. I can recollect of moving to Guinnett though not four years old, we lived in the kitchen of my grandfather Saye until in the fall of that year father had bought one hundred acres of grandfathers land he then made a settlement on his part of the place. I suppose every bodies childhood is the most pleas- ing part of our lives at least it is to me, that is the xxxxx greenest and most lovely part of my life it looks to me yet like the days were brighter everything looked more lovely the birds sang and warbled their notes more sweetly everything appeared more innocent, I was a weakly child I could not enjoy the other sports of boys as I enjoyed sports peculiar to my self, I don't think it was selfishness in me I think it was because I was not able to run and play so rough as other boys, in my better times I would play at their games and would become instructed, I have already spoken about some of our poor teachers of which I will now pass by, before I ever went to school I would go up and down the branches and small creeks of which Guinnett county abounds, hunting flowers and hearing the birds sing sometimes my sister went with me but I dont think she ever became so fond of flowers and birds as I did, I think if I had been encouraged I might have made a Botanist but hav- ing no opportunities; only the lessons I took while I was enjoying the pleasure of seeing and hearing those beautiful things of nature; so full was I of the love of nature, that those lines of the past chimes in with my feelings: There Rocks and Hills and Brooks and Vails with milk and honey flew, it appears to me now that I had come of the heav- enly mixed with this poor sin smitten earth; but those things was to a great extent eradicated by being thrown among immoral boys, while my father and mother were pious, yet some of their neighbors were not. So at school and other places of resort I was placed among some very bad boys, while I did not partake of their ways so much yet their influence

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seemed to be moulding and training me in the wrong direction, when I was about twelve years old, they had led me on until I thought I could use God's name in vain I tryed it, but I soon became to a firm resol- ve that I would not do so any more, my cousin James Flemming who was of the same age of myself and we were great chums, I said to him one day I am never going to use bad words any more, he said he had come to the same conclusion. From that day we kept out resolution inviolate. We did not try to cause or persuade our comrads to quit it, for I dont thi- nk it ever entered our minds that it was our duty to do so, we was not taught that it was our duty to try to give lessons on morality, it was the grown up people that was thought only compentant to innoculate into the minds of the young lessons of morality and religeon, our daily walk before our associates in a good and moral way was enough, and the old way was not so bad after all, I will just disgress a little here and state that cousin James Flemming my chum is living in Florida and has been an active member of the methodist episcopal church south almost ever since the split took place he attached himself to that church in 1848;or 9, the rupture between the North and south took place in 1844; I have heard my father say that he never struck me with a switch in his life, but my mother did punish me a little that way though not as much as she ought to have done, but she whipped me a little one time when I was the innocent person, a neighbor woman came over to see mother one day it was before I was five years old, the lady brought her young- est child with her, she was about my age and size we were playing about and when the neighbor started home I ran along with them to where grand- father was grubbing a piece of land for father, I thought I would stay with him a while not finding my grandfather the lady said to me go on home with us I always thought I had to mind grown folks so child like I went on not thinking of consequences, after awhile mother came to where grandfather was grubbing asked him about me he said that he had not seen me, mother then hurried on over to see if I was gone with them, the little girl and myself were playing about. Mother came up started m me home and struck me 3 or 4 licks with a small switch she had I suppose prepared for the occasion her strokes was not severe enough to really hurt me, while the lady ought to have told mother that she was the cause of my coming on from where I had not seen grandfather, while I carried the odium of being the runaway on that occasion, it may have helped me some to be more thoughtful afterwards, though I never was as quick to think as some children, and all through life I have been slow to comp- rehend things in general, or at least more so than many others, I dont k know that impressions made on myself were more lasting than on many others, but I know that they were very strong and my memory retains them vividly, I will give a few instances, once my mother and Aunt Perdilla went out through grand fathers corn filed down to the branch running through the field there was some swamp land along the branch the corn was just beginning to tassel out and the corn blades would rustle again- st each other making to me a lovely musical sound, so much so that it always gives the same lovely sound to this day, it was one of those days to me that heaven stoops to give joy to earth, nothing appears yet to me to give more beauty to earth than a fine corn field just silking out, to see the tassels filled with the buisy humming of the honey bee the fine red and white silks the long blades rustling that lovely rustling for I cant describe the music of it, but I always or very nearly always get back to that little boy when it seemed that earth was such a happy and beautiful place, others may have had such like impressions I do not know they may have had stronger ones, I know that great minds have great- er impressions and grander thoughts because of the great tallents given them by a kind providence, but to get at language toprotray my feelings we must go among the poets.

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In Summer skies of long ago,
The pictures caught a heavenly glow,
Ant those I brought away are bright,
With undiminished precious light.
It pleases me to hang them here,
With other treasurers old and dear,
In my small bit of paradise,
My window full of Summer skies;

Now if the Author of these lines should see my little book I want to thank him for these lines, for it seems he wrote them for me for they chime in with my feelings so well; so don't accuse me of plagarianism for I want the Author to have the full credit of them, to me they are what I want to hang up in my humble cottage I have given you instance of the impressions made by sight and hearing that has lasted me thro- ugh life; Now I will give you one made by the sense of smell though you know dear son that I lost that sense nearly forty years ago by chronic inflamation of the mucus lining of my Nostrals; My mother was visiting the old man Noel one day, the old gentleman for he was very old, his hair and beard very white he could get about very well but with slow steps he ascended a ladder to the loft of his house and brought down some very yellow apples it was summertime and early app- les have generally a more delicate and sweet flavor than later ones; cousin Emely Noel a dear cousin to me, at the time of which I speak we were very small, we stood at the foot of the ladder not knowing what the old gentleman was going to do he brought the apples gave us some of them he probably were keeping them in a box or some close place to retain their flavor for to keep apples or other fruits you wa want to ripen and mellow, place them in a box air tight and it will retain their flavor very much, the old mans apples was the sweetest and best flavored, it appeared to me that they could not be any better, the recollections I have of the giver of the best apples to me I ever smelled of, stamped on my mind that he was the giver of the best thi- ngs, while he has been gone to his reward near sixty years these imp- ressions are vivid yet, I only see him as one of the best of men to little children that is the character of himself, stamped on my mind; We can impress children for good or evil, Now I will give you instance of repugnance impressed upon me, my great grandfather he used to visit my grandfather and mother I would be running about and if I came near him he would tease me, like old people often do children to either make them laugh or cry and the impression he made upon me was not a favorable one towards himself he would tell me that he would get a bag and put me in it and carry me to his house which was several miles I would burst out to crying the old man would say nothing to pacify me, I would run off to get out of the way, my older brother, and youngest Aunt was my play mates and then they would make it a horrible visit I would have to make for they seemed to take delight in torturing me the Idea of being carried off in a meal bag for I did not know there was any other sort was simply horrowfying; While long since then I have learned of his patarotism his love of liberty, his stubborn dif- ense of colonial rights against British oppression, and the hard fou- ght battles he participated in under General Washington, of which I am proud, yet he mared his character with me so early in life it has been hard to obligate or eradicate. The old should always try to make pleasant and favorable impressions on the young for they will be everlasting.xxx The next instance I shall give is the repugnance I early formed of whiskey and men that made it, and a man that would get drunk; There was a still house not more than half a mile or not so far as that from where my father settled when he removed from Hall county to Guinnett county I dont recollect that any whiskey was made after father settled xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx on his part of the farm

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which was in the fall of 1833 but there may be some was made after that. But when grandfather Saye would see the still house in pas- sing by he would say it was the Devils shop that alarmed me I would not have went into that alone for anything and I never was in it and a family living near it once fattened three hogs in it . My brother and myself were over there playing with the boys one oe them wanted us to look at their hogs they were fattening he went with some corn for them to eat while we looked; I recon that was the nearest approach I ever made until the building nearly rotted down and was removed in those days we had sleigh makers it could be made profitable enough to make a living by sticking to the industry close enough, but no one that I knew was any ascount that followed the Art. They were generally the poorest and lazziest people we had to contend with I suppose there was some exceptions to this rule there was good room for it, William Lathridge a close neighbor had a cane brake that was swamp with a fine growth of cane, he was a kind good neighbor gave as much of his cane to the Sleigh makers as he wanted some may ask what was a sleigh it was the frame work that the warp of a web of cloth was drawn through after it was put thro- ugh the hames, the sleigh was inserted into the batten to beat up the cloth or to beat the threads that was thrown through the warp by the operations of the treadles, which was worked by the operators feet the batten could be used lightly and make thin cloth or give it a heavier stroke to make thick cloth. Every one that kept house in those days must have a loom which the dictionary tells you is a frame for weaving, and all our wearing clothes in those days was carded, spun, realed, dyed and warped, was rolled on the beam of the loom then put through the harness then the sleigh prepartory to being made in to cloth, all by our mothers, wives, and sisters oh if this generation of the fair sex had one days work of that sort to do how apalling it would be, but the women of by gone times done all this and sang, laughed, talked and siad many funny things and did some provoking by mischievous things and always managed to make the men and boys love them just as completely as they do now. Excuse my doty age, I have wondered from my subject, our sleigh makers name was McLain he carried quantities of cane along by my fathers the w whole family I think worked at the trade or at least I never knew of any of them hiring out to where they might have secured better wages for other work, the children in the winter season went very bare of the necessities of clothing to keep them comfortable, McLain would pass with his jug of whiskey too often, realy he ought not to have passed with it at all, I recollect of his once calling at fathers and wanting something to eat, mother gave him some bread and milk he sat by the fire and ate his breakfast, mother asked him if he thought many or few would be saved in eternity in the last days I recollect his answer as long as it has been, which is now sixty five years or about that length of time, he answered mother that there would be but few saved, and from the impressions he made on my mind while he did not say that he would not be saved yet he impressed me that he had no hope of salvation, the thought of being last in that Hall of dark despair and it last forever was a thought not to be endured. I would wander off to my play to get rid of it, The devils shop, the whiskey was what he manufactured, McLain the drunkard, was his victim, has been therotyped on my mind that has been as lasting as life, oh my friends make good impressions on the young it may last through eternity, and to do that you must act right, I will just state here that Hall County was not named for Lyman Hall as history some times give it, but in memory of the Rev. James Hall a presbyterian minister a patroit of the revolutionary war and made a good soldier, made a good commander and chaplain and led his command at one time against the Cherokee Indians, held devotional services morning and evening but had not the

[continued at Part two, page 41]

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ASBURY WASHINGTON SAYE MANUSCRIPT , PART 2, pages 1 through 40

ANCESTORIAL HISTORY

WRITTEN BY
ASBURY W. SAYE
A.D. 1898

FOREWORD

The Author,

Asbury W. Saye

* PREFACE *

CHAPTER NO. I

CHAPTER NUMBER TWO

CHAPTER NUMBER THREE

CHAPTER NUMBER FOUR

ASBURY WASHINGTON SAYE MANUSCRIPT , PART 2, pages 1 through 40

ANCESTORIAL HISTORY WRITTEN BY ASBURY W. SAYE A.D. 1898

FOREWORD

The Author, Asbury W. Saye

* PREFACE *

CHAPTER NO. I

CHAPTER NUMBER TWO

CHAPTER NUMBER THREE

CHAPTER NUMBER FOUR

ANCESTORIAL HISTORY

WRITTEN BY
ASBURY W. SAYE
A.D. 1898

The Author,

Asbury W. Saye