The Origin of Collard Valley
Editor’s note: Local history buff and contributor Greg Gray sent in this old story from one of the paper’s early editions in May 16, 1888, the year the newspaper began as the Cedartown Standard.
The following interesting essay was read by Miss Tidy Whitehead, at the Wimberly Hill and Union Hill Sunday school picnic Saturday, and was loudly applauded:
Collard Valley was settled by my grandparents, Mr. O.B. Whatley and his wife, Elizabeth Lumpkin, together with his brother Seaborn Whatley, his brothers-in-law, John Strong and Woodson Hubbard, the year 1836, two years before the removal of the Cherokee Indians to the Indian Territory, west of the Mississippi.
I will be excused for honoring and mentioning in this connection that which has already passed into history – the fact that to the wise and able statesmanship of my maternal great-grandfather, Wilson Lumpkin, Georgia was greatly indebted for the removal of the Indian tribes from her territory and their being provided and cared for with a liberality and justice of treatment that has been accorded by no other State to her Indians; and pardon me for adding but he lived to a green old age – honored with every honor within the gift of the State – and indelibly stamping his name and fame upon archives and soil of the State and nation. But let us return to the history of our own fair valley.
Its homely name was taken from an old Indian called Collard, who upon the land of my grandfather, near where a row of venerable walnut trees stood, now the premises of our worthy neighbor, William Hurst. Soon the exceeding rich lands, coupled with its many surroundings and advantages, attracted other more worthy families to make their homes here, such as the Tomlinson’s, Lyons, Hogg’s, and Wimberley’s, and they, one and all, in a spirit of friendly emulation, joined in erecting a school house on the lands of Mr. O.B. Whatley, in which up to, and several years after, the war they and the surrounding neighbors maintained a school of a very high grade, as is sustained by the character of the teachers that were from time to time in charge thereof, prominent among whom we might mention Col. E.N. Broyles, long since accredited with being one of the leading lawyers of the Atlanta bar (the largest and most talented in the State); Maj. S.M.H. Byrd, who has been honored as a State Senator and by being placed upon the board of trustees of the State University, and has given zealous support to the advancement of the agricultural improve- ment of the State. Miss Sarah Anderson, of Marietta, a lady of extraordinary strength of talent, high merit and unsurpassed as a teacher if less distinguished, Miss Ann Johnson and others from time to time taught in this school; and during all these years this old school house was used as a place of worship by all denominations. Indeed, were not these the hale you days of our dear old land?
But time has wrought great changes in our surrounding. Our population has greatly increased, and is chiefly composed of whites. The lands have been divided up and very many more families possess their own homes, resulting in the promotion of good citizenship and better and more convenient church and school privileges, as a few years back we supported only one school, one place of worship, and one Sunday school, and now we have three dispensing their good and beneficial influence over the community. True, it may be said our worn and tired lands no longer produce the bounteous harvests they once did, yet we are slowly learning how to feed and improve them.
We have touched briefly upon the history of the past, as handed down traditionally by our seniors. With feelings of mingled pleasure and sadness we have alluded to our present.