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= = re of DeSoto. “with his. ‘army: ’ “of. .Soldiers and : ‘adventurers: spent the winter. of 1539-40 at. Anhavea: which, according to Chas. C: ‘Jones, Irie: in: ‘his history” of Georgia, owns in. the. vicinity. of. the present city of: ‘Tallahassee. ’ ‘of. Spanish’ ‘armor. of. the date: “have ‘been. exhumed. via: ‘field adjacent to ‘said- city ‘and: ‘other European ‘recs have*‘been found ‘in: that ‘vicinity | con firming : this. ‘opinion. On. ‘Wednesday, March. 3, 1540, ° ° De Soto’ s army. moved northward. On the Ath:rday- “Of the march a swift ‘river was encountered. which ‘seems to have been ® ‘called by the ‘Indians “Ochlock ny.” ‘The little army was now on the ‘west: bank of the Ochlocknée river and in what. Was. afterwards ‘Thomas ecoun ty. ‘and is now Grady~ ‘“County.. On March’. 21: DeSoto had — “reached the point. which ‘Jones located as being in Irwin, or Coffee” County. It would, “therefore,appear that. De Soto marched northward from. Talla hassee Between ‘Lake: Jackson : “and Lake: lammonia;, crossed the. ‘Ochlock nee River not far ‘from’ Hadley’s Fer ry, and, as no account is given of ,re crossing the stream; the must have re mained ‘west of the river until the stream ‘became so small near the headwaters that it was crossed with ease.. He probably continued. on the west side of the Ochlocknee River, crossing the little © Ochlocknee and can the big’ Ochlocknee at a ‘poit t o the present city of Mciultrie is wad’ the first record of a ‘visitor: Eu ropeans to the territory, afterwards included in Thomas county. When Gen. Andrew Jackson fought his unofficial war against Spain and the Creek and ‘Seminole, Indians, he ‘forced a treaty with the Indians, ced ing to the State of Georgia a strip of land about seventy-five, ‘miles “wide, extending “from the white ‘settlements on the east to the Chattahoochee river and bounded on the south by ne State of Florida. ‘His object was to separate the Seminoles from the Creek Indians. He did not, soor did, the State of Georgia consider, the territory of ‘dny value except, for strategic reas ons. After Appling, Irwin and a Early Counties had been, created embracing this territory ‘there was still consider ‘able doubt, as to its ‘value; .because, when a committee was appointed to inspect the territory and advise as to the propriety, of building ‘public’ roads to ‘it from the settled portions of the state,tradition has’ it that there was a minority report ' ‘to the effect that it would be unwise to spend the peo ple’s Money trying to develop’ a coun try which God Almighty Himself has left’ in an unfinished” condition. _ The writer has ‘seen several old maps of Georgia, particularly one in the State Library made in 1818, in which most of the sections herein ‘mentioned, and particularly, every thing east of the Withlacoochee Riv er, is designated as “Pine *‘Barrens.” On the map of 1818 no town, in this vicinity, ‘is shown,except. Miccosukie, Fla. In 1823 Decatur County was created ‘from Early and Duncan Bay, William Hawthorne, Phillip Pittman, John Sanders and Martin Hardin were ap pointed, commissioners to select the county site. . Hon. Thomas J. Johnson, who set tled where, is now Pebble Hill Plan tation, about six miles from’ Thomas ville on the. Thomasville-Tallahassee road,* became “the: first representative in the Georgian House. of Representa tives from Decatur County. On Saturday, Nov. 12, 1825, agree able to notice, Mr. Johnson moved that, a committeetbe appointed to pre pare and report a bill to form a new county from Decatur and Irwin. Mes srs. Joseph Manning of Wayne and John G. Gelder of Irwin with Mr. John ‘son, were appointed a committee to report on the resolution. As a result of the committee’s report the following bills became law: AN ACT to form two new Counties from the Counties of Irwin and Deca tur: BE IT ‘ENACTED BY. THE SEN ATE AND’ HOUSE OF REPRESEN TATIVES OF THE STATE OF GEOR GIA, IN GENERAL, ASSEMBLY MET AND. IT IS HEREBY ENACTED BY THE AUTHORITY OF SAME. That from and after the passing of this act, the sevententh and eighteenth dis tricts, and such parts of the ‘twenty third and nineteenth districts of De catur county as.lie on the east side of the Oakforina river, together with the niteth and fourteenth, districts of Irwin. County, do form and consti tute a new, county, called Thomas. 2.. AND BE IT. FURTHER EN ACTED, That the eighth, ninth, tenth, eleventh, twelfth, fifteenth ,and six teenth, districts of Irwin county, form and constitute .ai new county, called Lowndes. 3. AND BE. IT FURTHER . _EN ACTED, 'That all ‘officers, civil and military, within the limits of the two new counties of Thomas and Lown des as aforesaid, do hold . ‘their com missions in the same manner as it elected for said counties. ” 4.: AND BETT FURTHER EN ACTED, That the new ‘counties of ‘Thomas and Lowndes, be, and, are hereby attached to the southern cir cus of this State, and to the second brigade and sixth division of Georgia militia. . THOMAS W. MURRAY, Speaker of the House’ of Representa tives. ~ ALL. AN’ B. ~POWELL, “President of the’ Senate. “Assented to Dec. 23,1825. GOM.TROUP, Governor. AN ACT TO ORGANIZE THE COUN TIES OF ‘THOMAS AND LOWN DES; AND TO APPOINT COMMIS SIONERS TO SELECT , PUBLIC SITES FOR SAID COUNTIES AND FOR IRWIN. COUNTY; AND FOR OTHER ‘PURPOSES. ‘BE IT ENACTED BY THE SEN “HOUSE © OF’ REPRESEN DS Is: HEREBY. ENACTED ‘BY ‘THE AUTHORITY OF THE SAME, That it shall be the duty of. any. two or more justices: of: the peace ome Thom as; county,. not their selves, to tikes: ‘of the ‘peace shall certify under their hands to: the Governor, the per sons SO: elected, . “who shall, thereupon: be. commissioned ‘by him, ‘and ‘Shall hold their office: until the next election for justices: cf. ‘the... Inferior _ Court throughout . the State s; AND. BES “FURTHER.EN ACTED,. ‘That. the: justices of the Infer ior Courts _ of the said: counties. of Thomas, and Lowndes, are hereby au thorized nd. ; required. to advertise,. at the most’ ‘public places. in’ their: respec tive counties, for the election of clerks of. the “Superior and Inferior Courts, a sheriff, .coroner, tax collec tor, receiver, of tax returns of taxable property, and county surveyor in each ‘of the aforesaid counties, and it shall be the duty of the Governor to com mission all officers, both civil and mili tary, who are ‘elected agreeable. ‘to the provisions of this act. 3.° AND. ‘BE IT FURTHER EN ACTED, That the justices of the In ferior Courts, elected agreeable to the provisions of this; act, for the counties aforesaid, as soon as they are commis sioned and qualified, ‘shall proceed to select grand and, petit. juries , agree able to. the laws of this State regulat ing the drawing grand and petit juries. 4. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACT ED, That the sheriff of Decatur coun ty is hereby; authorized, to. ‘perform all the duties of ‘sheriff in the county of Thomas,’ as ‘fully as’if he were elected for the same, until a sheriff is elected, commissioned, and qualified. for the said county of Thomas. . fad thee the sheriff of Irwin’ county. is Hereby au thorized to perform all the duties of sheriff in the county of Lowndes, in like manner, until a sheriff is elected for the said county, commissioned and qualified agreeable to the provisions of this act. 5.. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACT ED, That: Duncan Ray, William _J. Forson, Simon Hadley, sen. Michael Horn, and John Hill Bryan, be, and they are hereby appointed commis sioners to select a public site for the county of Thomas, and to purchase a lot of lots of land for the same, and Proceed to lay off lots in the=public site in Said county, and expose the same to’ public sale, after giving suffi cient notice, as usual in such cases, the proceeds of such sales of lots to be’ returned to the Inferior Court of said county, as well as the land so purchased for the public site,,as a county fund, reserving sufficient to pay for purchasing the land for coun ty site,and expenses incurred with regard to the same. 6. AND BEST FURTHER ENACT ED, That Lawrence Folsom, Sion Hall, William Blair, John J. Underwood, and Daniel McCauley, are hereby ap pointed commissioners for selecting a public site in the county of Lowndes, and that John B. F. Dixon, James Wil cox, Emanuel Knoles, William Fol som, Elijah Beasly, be, and they are hereby, appointed commissioners for selecting a public site for the county of Irwin, under the same rules and regulations’ in their respective coun ties of Lowndes and Irwin, as pre scribed in the foregoing section of this act, for ‘the government and conduct of the commissioners ‘of the county of Thomas, and with as full and adopse ‘powers as ‘if they were prescribed_in the’ same words. 7. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACT ED, The place of holding the Superior and Interior Courts, and elections~for county officers for the contigatore said, shall i be,for the count Lown des, at the house of Sion’ Hgll; and for the county of Thomas, at the house of Charles Kingsley; and for the county of Irwin, at the present or usual place of holding courts and elec tions in the county of Irwin, until the commissioners appointed by#@this act shall.” have, selected public sites for their respective counties as aforesaid, and shall have proceeded by, a written notification to inform the Inferior Courts ‘of their respective counties of such place and circumstance, and it shall be the duty of said justices of the Inferior Courts of said counties to advertise the same, stating the lot of land selected for the public site of their county; at least in three of the most publicc places in the same;and the same shall thereafter ‘immediately become the permanent public site of said county or counties, any law, to the contrary “notwithstanding. 8. AND BE IT FURTHER. INACT ED, That it shall be the dut justices of the Inferior. Court of counties of Lowndes, Thomas and it. win, so soon as if commissioners have selected publc sites for their re spective Court. ‘houses and ‘Jails. .in conformity, with the provisions of this act, to proceed with the letting out Court houses and Jails in sa id_coun ties at such sites. §. _AND BE IT FURTHER ENACT ED, That the clerks of the Superior Courts in the counties of Lowndes, Thomas and Irwin, shall not be com pelled to keep their offices at their respective Court houses. 10. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACT ED, That Duncan Ray, Archibald Mc Millan, Paul Colson, Hardy Bryan and Malcom Ferguson, ‘be, and they are hereby appointed commissioners of the academy of the county of Thomas. vii. AND BE. IT, FURTHER ENACT ED, That the tax-collector of Thomas county,when elected, commissioned, and qualified, agreeable to the provis ions of this act, is hereby authorized and required to call on the receivers of the returns of taxable property in the ‘counties ‘of Irwin -and- Decatur, who shalll give him fair and correct lists of the returns of taxable proper ty on the respective tax-lists, so far as relates to Thomas county; and’ it shall be the duty of the tax collector Thomas ‘County to proceed to ‘colle’ and, disburse the same, as pointed out by the tax law of this State, as, in oth er cases, DUNCAN. G. CAMPBELL. Speaker prolem. of the House of Rep resentatives. ALLEN B. POWELL, President of the Senate. Assented to December 24th, 1525. G. M. TROUP, Governor, _ NOTE: iOn Nov. 30, 1826, the gen ty site of diawadee Gounty. ed from the house of Sion Hall issue: house of Francis Rountree. ‘En: 1828 Franklinsville. “was. ‘made ithe site. In 1833 lot | No._ ‘aba. in” Twelfth District was: shalle (ee the’ coun tessrs: ‘James. Harrell, ‘Dennis. ‘Weth erington, ‘ John“ R.. Stapler, and. Wi liam “He -Goldwire,” to choose a: country. site on the railroad.’ Valdosta was sected: ‘The house of ‘Charles ‘Kingsley. was in lot No. 54,and near where the St. ‘Thomas Episcopal Church now s nds: ‘The: “Tallahassee road forked ’ ‘at his ‘point, forming” ‘the Irwinville. and Troupville roads... The town of Troup ville antedated its name and its white settlers.. According to’ “White, “ old ruins were still to be “seen at Troup- Ville in' 1849, which probably dated to prehistoric times. The commissioners appointed, Paragraph 5 of the. Act last above: mentioned selected: 101 No. 39 ° in the Thirteenth ‘District of Thomas Coun ty for the permanent county site.. ‘This lot is immediately west of lot’ No. 54 in which Mr. Charles Kingsley resided. The lot was purchased by the com missioners, June 27, 1826, from Hon. Thomas J. Johnson for the sum: ‘of $210.00. Tradition has it that’ ‘Mr. Johnson did not collect the money but made ‘the s county a ‘present of the county site. As a result of the decision of the commissioners the following act was passed by the Georgia Legislature: AN ACT: TO MAKE ‘PERMANENT THE SITE OF THE PUBLIC BUILDINGS AT THOMASVILLE, IN THE COGUNTY OF THOMAS, AND TO NAME SAID VILLAGE; AND TO AUTHORIZE THE JUS TICES OF THE INFERIOR COURT TO LAY OFF MILITIA DISTRICTS; AND TO ESTABLISH THE TIME OF HOLDING THE INFERIOR COURTS OF SAID COUNTY. Whereas, the commissioners ‘op enand for the county of Thomas, put ‘inant to an act'of the General Assem bly , ‘passed the twenty third’ day of Dcember, eighteen hundred and twen ty-fives did fix on the site of the public buildings in said county, and did pur chase for county purposes lot of land number thirty-nine in the thirteenth district, originally Irwin, now Thomas county, BE IT ENACTED BY THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTA TIVES OF THE STATE OF GEOR GIA, IN GENERAL, ASSEMBLY MET, AND IT IS HEREBY ENACTED. BY THE AUTHORITY OF THE SAME, That the proceedings of the commis sioners, so far as respects,the purchase of said lot of land for the public site, ‘is hereby confirmed and made valid in law. 2. AND BE IT FURTHER EN ACTED BY THE AUTHORITY AFORESAID, That the courthouse and jail of said county of Thomas be, and is hereby, made permanent, at a place now known and called by the name of Thomasville, and shall be called, and mag Wa by that name. AND BE IT FURTHER EN kerap BY THE AUTHORITY AFORESAID, That the justices of the Inferior Court of the county of Thom as, or a majority of them, be, and they are hereby authorized and ‘empowered; out of any land heretofore purchased for county purposes and not otherwise disposed of, to convey to the commis sioners of Thomas county academy, in fee simple for said academy, such portion thereof as may be thought ecessary for the purpose of erecting academy edifice thergon, and such ‘other lot or lots, as ‘the said justices ‘of the Inferior Court’may think proper to convey by way of donation or other wise,, 4.) AND BE IT. FURTHER EN ACTED BY’ THE ‘AUTHORITY AFORESAID, That the justices of the Inferior Court of the county of Thom as, or a majority of them, be, and they are hereby authorized, and em powered to convey in fee simple to each and every religious society or as sociation of this State, out, of the land acquired for county purposes and not otherwise disposed of, a quantity of land not exceeding one acre to each society, in such part of said land as the said justices or a majority of them may think proper, for the purpose of erecting buildings thereon for public worship; Provided that the said land shall revert to the equal if the same be not improved withMin one year from the time of selection and conveyance. 5. AND BE IT FURTHER EN ACTED BY THE _ AUTHORITY AFORESAID, That, the justices of the Inferior Court of the county of Thom as, or a majority of them,be, and they are hereby authorized and required to lay off the said county of Thomas into as many militia. captains’ dis tricts as in their discretion may be proper; and whenever said districts may be laid off and’ defined the jus tices of’ the peace or the justices of the Inferior Court, or any two of them, shall advertise and superintend the election in each captains’ district for two justices of the peace, giving fifteen days’ notice thereof at the most public place in said districts, who shall be commissioned by, the Gov ernor to continue in office until the election for justices of the peace throughout the State, unless their of fice may sooner become vacant by law. 6. AND BE IT FURTHER EN ACTED BY THE * AUTHORITY AFORESAID, That it shall be the duty of the justices of the peace, after they shall have been commissioned as aforesaid, to advertise in their respec tive districts for the election of cap tain and subaltern officers as required by the militia laws in force in this State; the said elections to be super intended, and certified agreeable to the provisions of said militia laws of this State. 7 AND BE IT FURTHER EN ACTED BY. THE AUTHORITY AFORESAID, That the time of hold the Inferior Courts. in the county of Thomas shall be on the first Mon day of January and July TREY. HUDSON, Sneaker of the House of ‘Representa ives. ‘THOMAS STOCKS, ‘President ‘of the Senate. ‘Assented to, December 22, 1826. G. M. “TROUP, Governor. On December 26, 1831 the town of Thomasville, including. all of. lot. Thir ty-nine in the Thirteenth District, Was incorporated with Isaac —P. Brooks, Edward Remington, Malcolm Fergn son, James Kirksey and Murdock Mc caulay” ‘Commissioners. . _.On March 6, 1856, the ‘form of gov ernment was changed,’ the town there after, saying, ‘ Mayor and ‘six _ Alder- Men. “further extended“ December 7, 185%... _ ‘The trustees of the Thomas County Academy. built: a ‘school building: on teacher ‘and he he had ‘about. forty, pupils. Mr. ‘Rolph, who: boarded. ‘with . Colonel Michael Young, ’ succeeded Mr. man and = ‘taught . until. 14837... meantime, . acnew ® building” ome. corner of Broad. and Monroe. Streets ‘was in-course: of. construction. ang. In 1838 Mr. Scott taught in the new. build ing. while the old building was “being renovated. The upstairs of the old building: Was converted into a music room. At this time’ the faculty consisted of. “Mr. Scott, Mrs. Metzler, and Miss Sophia Metzler. ‘As late ‘as 1850 the “Thomasville Methodist Church “was in the “middle of: Broad Street ‘in front of: the. .pres ent site, fronting down the: street to wards: the courthouse but the building being of such architecture that there was in’ reality a double front. At the point where Smith Avenue runs into Broad Street there was a boarding house, fronting towards the Methodist Church, and the village was along Broad Street between the church and the boarding house. There was a cemetery in front of the church and some of the bodies were never removed from. Same. The Springhill Methodist ‘Church, on the Springhill road about ten ‘miles from Thomasville,is the oldest church organization in the county and for’ years, was, the largest. ‘The pres ent building is the second one on the site and ‘is, about, seventy-five. ‘years old. The first building was erected in 1820. The first merchant in Thomasville was James Kirksey, Esq., whose store ‘was on the corner.of Broad. and Jef ferson: streets, diagonally across from the courthouse and where the Tesco Hotel now stands. Isaac P. Brooks was proprietor of the first hotel. The first brick courthouse was built in 1846-47 but was badly damaged by a storm in the early fifties.. The pres ent structure’ was completed in 1860 and remodeled in 1890, in 1833 Simon’ Hadley,” Shadrach Pugh, Joseph ‘Anderson, Ignacius Hall and Ralph Bozeman qualified so as to take advantage of the Act of Congress of 1832 for the’ benefit of soldiers of the Revolutionary’ War. Hon. Thomas D. Mitchell The subject of this sketch was the son of William M. Mitchell who moved to South Carolina from Virginia prior to the‘ Revolutionary War. He was the brother of Dr. Isaac W. Mitchell who was the father of Thomas C. Mitchell, builder of the Mitchell Hotel and highly esteemed citizen of Thomas County. Thomas D. Mitchell’ was the first Solicitor General of the Southern Cir cuit’ after, the creation of Thomas County, he being elected to that off ice by the Georgia Legislature in 1825. Mr. Mitchell was born in Laurens District, South Carolina, in 1793 and, when eighteen years of age, came to Georgia, teaching school in Montgom ery County. In 1820 he was admitted to the bar in Sandersville, having completed his study of the law in the office of Ely S. Shorter’ of ‘Eatonton. He located at Hartford, in Pulaski County, in 1821. In March, 1825, Mr. Mitchell fought a duel with Robert. Augustus. Beall, Esq., but neither participant was hurt. . Mr. Mitchell had served but a short while as Solicitor General when Dr. Ambrose Baker, who had been sur geon for Mr. Beall in the above men tioned duel, made some remarks con cerning the affair which led to a duel with Mr. Mitchell at Hamburg, S. C., in March, 1826. They fought with rifles at ten paces ,and Mr. Mitchell fell mortally wounded at the second shot and instantly expired. He was attended on the field of honor, by his brother, Dr. Isaac W. Mitchell, who exhausted all means known to the medical profession in his brother’s be half. He was eulogized by one of his suc cessors in office, Hon. Stephen F. Miller, in the latter’s “Bench and Bar of Georgia” and from which most of the facts herein mentioned have been obtained. . It is interesting to note that ‘Dr. Baker, on March 1, 1846,in order to convince a patient that a prescription was harmless, swallowed a ‘poisonous compound and immediately expired. Thomas County’s First Murder Trial In 1825, Phillip Paris and Nathan Paris, friends of Charles Kingsley, purchased a lot of land in the Glasgow district, built a shack thereon, and ‘began clearing. They were in the habit of spending the week-end with Mr. Kingsley in what is now Thomas Fille. When the Paris brothers returned home from one of their usual visits, on November 14,1826, they found that the premises had been robbed and they called upon their friend, Mr. John Chastain, who, being a surveyor, was well acquainted with the country, ‘and who could speak the Indian language, to assist them in recovering their property. As soon as Mr. Chastain viewed the premises, he recognized the trail of Indians, and the'three followed in’ pur suit of the thieves. In the late after noon of the fourteenth, they came upon an Indian camp and Mr. Chas tain cautioned the party to rest for the night and accost the Indians next morning. When the Indians were at break fast, the three white men saluted them and “were invited to breakfast. While they were eating they were in full view of the stolen property which they were seeking; and, during a Yall in the conversation, Mr. Chastain told his companion, in English, to rush for their guns which had been stolen and which were upon the pile of stolen property . This was done, and at the same time, the Indians, who were five in number, made a rush for the guns. _ The fighting was furious and Mr. Chastain cut his chief antagonist very seriously in the shoulder, “We would have killed him but for the dog of the Indians, ‘which was also attacking Mr. Chastain. _ The five Indians were badly whip pe were upon a pony ‘and the eldest five Indians fed, ‘the way Aon: the” ‘return trip with Mr. Phillip ‘Paris, ‘Mr. Chas tain and Mr. Nathan, Paris. taowin in the order named. About’ three ‘o'clock in the after ‘the two Paris brothers, having a gun each, ‘and ‘Mr. Chastain, having. an axe on his shoulder, “were. ‘fired: “2pOR ambush and would. have. ‘all: Stanly killed but for’ the’ fact that Mr. Phillip Paris was _shot an instant ahead of. the. others land, then he fell back, his gun hit Mrs “Chastain. iter soreee just in: time to permit 2. bu take off his ‘right index finge ins ‘of. striking his *head.. Mr. tain grabbed the gun of Mr. P is. who had fallen in front of him; fat. Hot: having : ‘noticed. that his no finger was gone, he made the effort to shoot in the usual way and fail The Indians, ‘seeing that they had failed to completely carry out their object, fled; and Mr. ‘Chastain, dis covering his wound, and noticing that the powder in the ignition pan was too bloody to ignite from’ the flint, be gan changing the ‘powder. At this instant, Nathan Paris chaw ed up to the side of his dead brother and told Mr. Chastain to escape. as he, Nathan Paris, was mortally wounded, Mr. Chastain took the two guns and ran for the nearest swamp, where he hid until dark. . The Indians soon overcame their panic and tracked Mr. Chastain to the swamp,” but knowing that — s¢veral would pay the’ penalty with their life if they entered, they called to him to come out and make peace, saying that he was a brave man and, on’ ac count of their admiration, they would not harm him. ‘Mr. Chastain remained congaled, until long after dark and escaped. A possee of white men, on the next morning which was the sixteenth, visited the scene of the tragedy and found the bodies of the two |aris brothers badly mutilated. The Governor of Georgia made re quisition ‘upon the Seminole chief, in Florida, for the outlaws and all of the Indians in the vincinity were scruti nized by the Indian authority. . Mr. Chastain, made several visits to Tallahassee ,before he could identify any of the suspects. He finally identi fied the man he had cut, an eyed Indian,and three others as the origi nal band of assassins. ‘One of the five Indians starved him self to death in jail and the other four, to wit.:Timpuche, alias Billy,' alias ‘Honis “Hadja, alias One-Eye, Jim Bob and Billy, were indicted by the Grand Jury att the June term, 1827, of the Thomas Superior Court, in the follow ing words: GEORGIA, Thomas County: The Grand Jurors, sworn, chosen and selected for the County of Thomas, to wn:: Aaron Jen ,John Criton, Thomas Mitch Joshua Proctor, Thomas Adams, trader Wooten, Tay lor Mitchell, Thomas Hurst, Burrell Baily, Luday C. Ferrell, Thomas Dekle, ‘Zachariah Hopson, Charles H. Kings ley, Henry Cooke, Boaz Stanaland, William Carson, Edmund P. Wester, George Hicks, Moses Daniel, ‘Hardy Bryan, Michael Horn, and Shadrach Atkinson. In, the name and behalf of the citi zens of Georgia, charge and accuse. Timpuche, alias Billy alias Honis Had jo alias: One-Eye, Jim, Bob and Billy, Indians of the Huihatah Town in‘ the ‘Creek nation, with the offence of mur der. For that, the said Timpuche, alias Billy alias Honis Hadjo alias One-Eye, Jim, Bob and Billy, ‘not hav ing the fear of God before their eyes; but being moved and seduced’ by the instigation of the Devil, on the fifteenth day of November, in the year of our Lord. Eighteen Hundred and Twenty-six, with force and arms, ‘in the county aforesaid, in and upon the body of one. Phillip © Paris and one Nathan Paris, in the peace of God’ and State, then“and there being felonious ly, wilfully, and of their mace, thought, did make an assault: that the said Timpuche alias Billy alias Honis Hadjo alias“ One-Eye, Hi Bob and Billy, four certain guns, called rifles, of the value of, Thirty lars each, then and there charged ,with gunpowder and leaden bullets; (which rifles, guns, the said Timpuche alias Billy alias Honis Hadjo aling One Eye, Jim, Bob and Billy), in both their hands, had and held at, to, against, and upon the said_ Phillip Paris, and Nathan Paris, then , and there, feloniously, wilfully,, and of their malice aforethought, did’ shoot and discharge; and That the said Timpuche alias Billy alias Honis Hadjo alias One-Eye, Jim, Bob and Billy, with the leaden. bullets aforesaid shot out of the rifles, afore ‘said, by ‘means of shooting off and dis charging the said rifle guns, so loaded to, at, and against the said Phillip ‘Paris and Nathan Paris; aforesaid; and then and there feloniously, wil fully, and of their malice aforethought, strike, ‘penetrate and wound, the said Phillip Paris in and upon the left ‘arm and left side and in the forehead ‘of him; the ‘said Phillip Paris, giving to him: the said Phillip Paris, then and there with the leaden bullets, afore said, by shooting off and discharging the said guns so loaded, to, at, and against the said Phillip Paris, the wounds aforesaid which were mortal; and in and upon the left breast of him, the said Nathan ‘Paris, near the pap and also below the pap, giving to him, the said Nathan Paris, then: and there, with the deaden bullets afore picking, penetrating ing the said Nathan’ Paris two wounds in his left breast; of which said mortal wounds, the said, ee murder, to the great displeasure: of. “Al mighty God, contrary ‘to the laws of said state, ‘the good order, peace and dignity thereof, In June‘term, 1827. LOTT. WARREN... Sol. Gent. At the same term of court, ‘Him, Bob and Billy were ‘convicted of murder, One-Eye. having escaped ‘While on his way to court. The three: convicted murderers were sentenced to be hung June 2%, 1827, by. Judge Moses: Fort, A scaffald was “built: on, where: was afterwards erected the Piney Woods Hotel;and, on the day appointed, the three Indians, who had been confined in the Tallahassee jail,since their first arrest, were carried to the place of execution. At the first effort, the two older Indians were hung.The youngest of the three, who was a the. son of one and nephew of the other, being a very stout boy, broke the rope all the first effort and was resuscitated and hung again. The rope broke the second time and when the bay recovered he plead, so pitifully not to be hung again that the crowd in attendance was very much ,moved. He said that he had no malice to wards the white men killed; nor did he have the heart ‘of a murderer; that he had been taught from his infancy that it was not immoral to kill white men who had stolen their lands and driven them from their homes; and that his’ spirit had never been ‘sub dued. He spoke very eloquently andem phatically, according to the interpre ter, saying that the sight of the dead bodies of his father and uncle, and being hung twice, had completely subdued him. He begged to be taken as a slave and worked all hard labor during the remainder of his life. ‘The sheriff explained to him that he was powerless to grant his request; and the boy asked for a drink of brandy, which ‘was supplied, saying that if he had to, he “ould go the way of ‘his father and uncle. ‘Thus ended the last chapter in the first sensational tragedy of Thomas County. _ Paul Coulson. The following biography of Paul Coalson. is taken from Miller's Bench and Bar’ of Georgia... Mr. Miller made ‘an error in his mention of the Indians tried for murder. Five of them were indicted for killing the Paris brothers (and not White); one died in jail in Tallahassee; one escaped while, being brought from Tallahassee’ to “Thomas ville; and three were hunig on a gal lows erected where afterwards was built the Piney Wood “Hdtel Mr. Coalson ‘lived her? air H. AM. Hanna now. resides. ‘ Hist widow mar ried Mr. Henry Wyche and numerous relatives now live in this vicinity. “Paul Coulson. Stys is the prevailing custom to speak of the early dead with more than ordi nary regret, because, had they Hyoyed, there was evidence to justify the hopes that they would have reached high places, and acted a useful part in the community. If this indulgent view be a weakness, it is at least an amiable one. It can ‘be accounted for by the fact, within every man’s ex perience, that the presence of ‘an ob ject does not afford: that interest to the beholder for the time being which ‘the’ imagination supplies after the object is withdrawn, and espectial ly when distance or death renders it impossible, to behold it again. On this principle we invest the memory of a rising young man with a sharm which cannot be epxerted over, or by any amount of living excellence. The author confesses this relation to the gentleman whose character is under review. Their acquaintance did not exceed a year on the circuit; yet in this brief period, a warm personal friendship was matured,and greatly increased by the cordial hospitality which the author experienced from Mr.Coarlson and his family connec tions. He was obtaining a good prac tice in Thomas and the adjoining coun ties which he attended...In all his cases, whatever the amount of princi ple involved, great or small, he was equally industrious a SER OE and pas severing. His, a temperament, that could submit to labor and at the same time indulge its lively propensi ties. Truly can it be said of him, that if he had lived, twenty or thirty years longer his reputation at the bar, would hove been enviable. His short history to soap be unfolded. Paul Coslson: was born in Burke, county, Georgia.. on, the ASth day of August, 1799. After passing through the Primary schoola of his neighbor hood, he was sent to Eatenton, ‘where he was placed under ‘the tuition of Rev. Alonzo Church until he was pre pared to enter college. From the school at Eatenton he treat to Athens, became a student of Franklin College, and graduated in August, 1824. For the last year or two at his collegiate course he devoted his feisure moments to the study of the law _under the di restion of Judge Clayton, and, short ly after ‘graduating, was admitted to the ber. at. Athens, in the spring of 1825, Mr. Coulsas married Sigi Elizabeth, G . Blackshear daughter of Edward Wackshear, ‘Eaq. of Thomas county,. He continued to reside at Athens the bbalance of that ear and then removed to Thomas unity, where he opened a law offices. That portion of Georgia was then on the Indian frontier, and the abode of a Miserable population,such as the adjoining wilds of Florida and invited. Robberies and murder) were frequent, sometimes perpetrated by the men and most generally shifted off on the Indians. The Hon. Mose Pert, Judge of the Sombero ‘Circuit, [bela see or the offense of eee hey cone it 24 4 man by the name of White as the lztter, and hie friends aged thon 16 forests ae combat” When ‘the prisoners were Srabiat before the court to receive sentence of death, they were told through an in terpreter what was to be done with them—hung by the neck until they were dead. ‘The judge omitted. to. in voke the usual blessing.—“Mat God have mercy on their souls! —for the reason that the © BERORE DH ahd not san derstand English The successor of Judge Fort on the bench was the: ‘Honorable ‘Thaddeus G. Holt, who was elected In 1838. In the spring of 1829, the author attend ed him on the circut, which, then’ con sisted of thirteen countles .‘ Twigs, Lawrens, Pulaski, Selfair, Irwin, Ap pling, Ware, Lowndes,’ Thomas, Be cour Barly, Baker and Danly, occupy g about nine weeks, and the jouge an a bar travelling upward of six hun dred miles to complete the riding. At Lowndes the bar was joined by Me Coalson,a whost society was _eore agreeable, and this peculiar earnes ness in his causes quite refreshing. By his marriage, Mr. Coatson Bo. cured a large family influences which was of great advantage to him in the profession. Thomas county is well known for the wealth and upright character of many of its citigens, among whom “may be’ mentioned. Gen eral Thomas E. Bhokshear,, RamMas Tones, Mitchell’ Fonds . E.R. Youngs, Williem Ho “Reynolds, Thomas Wyekhe, Duncan Ray, Lucien H. Rainga, them AS “Mitchell, the late James. L Black shear, Captain Thomas Johnson, Dan iel Macintyre, Col.Richard. Mitchell, Nathaniel Mitchell, Michael Young, ‘and others, all or not were men, ‘af sterling worth and’ at high’! “position, more of less connected with Mr. Coatl aan, and all his especial friends and patrons.The brothers, Mitchell, were te ounterers of Mrs.. Coalaan, whose tether was Emily 3. Mitchell, pre vious to her mat age with Edward Blackshear, in Montgomery COUNT, who died on his large estate io Thearw as county in 1825, and on the 33d day of March, 1830, his son-in- law, the warm-hearted Pint Coalsen, breathed his last, in the thirty-first years of his age. His eldest son, Edward B...Coal son, is now 8 wealthy ~ planters. in Thomas county,” having married ,a niece of the late Major Jehu. Young, of. Macon, COMNES. In those days (sep to 1834) ‘several members of the Florida ‘par. practiced in, the Superior, Courts of Georgia, particularly in Thomas and~ Decatur counties, and by their legal “ability and social qualities contributed nigh, to the enjoyment of the profession. Among them were: Gen. BR. Ko @all, since delegate in Congress and Gover nor of the Territory; Hon. James PD. Westcott, United States Sanator:. don Leslie A. Thompson and Hon.Charles H. Papont,, Associate Justices of the Supreme Court; Le Florida, Hon. “Than as Balteen, Circuit dude; ~Jothn K. Campbell, Esq., United States Attor ney for the Middle District; James “A. Berthe ot, James. A. Dunlap Francis A. Cash, Philp Savai. ‘brother of the Hon. Joseph White,Oxcar White, his cousin, at Cal. Richard F. Long, formerly of WHkes county, and of the Broad River Colony, mentioned in Gov. Gilmer’s work, Georgians.” Of the gentlemen named abovelax mingling with their Georgian brethren in the contests of the forum, several are known to be dead. Mr. Campbell was killed in a duel in Thomas coun ty, August 1823, by Mr.George Har Hn,a merchant of, Florida,” who died in a few months afterward “from dis tress of mind. Merars, Puntap, Cash, Berthelot and Geear White are areo in the grave. Before, taking leave of the Florida bar, the author, will be a pardoned: far dwelling on the peculiarities of two ar ts members--both fine story-tellers and teeming with’ fun. Br. Weatcott had been a clerk in the State Depart ment while Mr. Van Buren was Beers tory, and could imitate the manher and ‘oficial bearing . ®-the different heads of drepartment, with Gen. Jack son as the master-spirit. He could re peat with diplomatic gravity per - whths the easy, conversational flow of words, as the ease might require. The Borner were often amusing in the extreme. He had imbined the spirit of each character, and drew only l Hfe- pleturen, “nothing Hke caricature. It was in ‘Aeed a treat of the bieshest. arder 1a yw him in and of his. eet was, Ten - Pfteen vedra aterwerd bey the Bene at, @. Wis noted for Ale ‘indepen dence and wht abd racy: hammer. in de bate. “He had fought? a duet with Judg: 2 Baltzell Phil White, a Man. of, Great Guavity. Phil. White, as he was dumili and called 4 whsualso w dyciiot, but A ghat of great siavity of deportsent ens of mirth-provoking quatificstions,. His sterity were inimitable, and there was BO gtanliners 62 sapply. Those who once heard linn csn never forget the voice, the locks, the whole reality which wade his entertainment ee amusing. Sis wlaxee pep reremlption eR ev true to nature. Ja high ifs, in 3th a gaeR~ ASE the learned asd tear Jjiterate, the eping of fashion of ‘the 2eunity- clown, the man «of common sence or the stupid dolt, mon, wise ae humble. ty tele? own eeimetion: — nothing came amitae with him. O set; before you the originein ts enmgy, ae Bette: id i ti trageds: (Mr White ae set then a ‘tligia tit pore See wean.” te eaid that he has. wines ‘moguired “eis siderabte. aletirity and De sale sively’yseish ae traveling nevErer, john Taylor. — ‘And there the asther « meshes up spel ogy for introducing in this att Join. Taylor. Ey, “whose “eegtad lanes he formed sin jee Superion Cagrt, thre of Mr. Comises, Mr. Taylor was. .. Vir ginian—a highly eiuesses a, genign sparkling before a jury, bs ties. geracetal, and. his style onng between, tee. euetting compactness. se e the. Soatioos. ‘counties: vot Geote who will sustain any arsomnt of etl to his gifts. his ; dogeene sent alpen BIA sem ‘ef manks s : He was
Newspaper Details
Thomasville Times
Thomasville, Georgia, US
Sat, Jun 22, 1889
Page 1
Full Page
Clipped by
Teresa G.
USA 09 Aug 2026
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