Turning back the clock in Polk: Some observations of an old resident

Editor’s note: the following contributed item came from Greg Gray, member of the Polk County Historical Society, who passed it along last week for consideration of entry into the paper as a reminder of what life was like in the old days. Enjoy this piece from Cedartown written on an unknown date, but is old enough to refer to the game of “base ball” as two words. – KM

Some observations of an old residenter, Editor Advertiser: Please allow me space in your columns to give a little history of the past forty-six years and a short record of my observations for that time.

In 1837 my father moved from Greene County, Ga., landing near Cedartown in February of that year, and overseed for Major G. W. West on the same farm on which his son L. Q. West now resides. At that time there were but a few whites in this country, Asa Prior, Wilson Whatley, Dr. E. H. Richardson, Ballenger Gravelly, Larken Powell, D. K. Witcher, his father and several other Witchers of the same family, Richard Niblet, Douglass Packett, Thomas Carter, at that time among the number. Old Dad Wright and Gus Young, Len and Jack Walthall, Henry Richards and Debro Thomas, Mastin, Jerry Thompson about that time landed here from Greene county, Ga. Old Dr. Thos. Janes at that time owned the place adjoining M. V. B. Ake’s afterwards owned by G. V. Janes, now owned by Capt. J. A. Peek. On the Esom Hill road lived, at or near Shiloh church, Edmund Berry, at or near where Dr. Branch now resides lived John Lambert, and these were all the whites on that road at that time. The above list comprises all the white residents of the county as I can remember. This country at that time was thickly settled with Cherokee Indians. Though I was a small boy I remember many of them. About where Mrs. Hand’s residence is lived an Indian named Housebug. Near Mr. Ake’s place lived an Indian named Ecoey. Just on the bank of the creek below there was a ford by which the public road ran at that time and the ford was called “Ecoey ford” for years after the Indians left. The Indians had a town between Mr. Ake’s present home and the West mill (now Judkins’ mill.) It was called “Charlie Town.” I was there soon after the Indians were gone. They had many houses build of small logs or poles chinked and daubed with mud from bottom to top. They had one house which was a ballroom. It was ceiled up and very tight. It had an upstairs to it, the stairway being a small pole with notches in it, which they used to go up and down on. They had near the town a large cemetery with graves all paled in. They buried with their dead whatever implements and trinkets belonging to them. Large strans of beads, bows and arrows, blow guns and other such articles on their graves. In 1837 some Indian Squaws brought some huckleberries to the school house to sell. An old Baptist preacher was teaching in the house where Mrs. A. R. Brooks now resides. Mrs. Floyd Cobb and Minerva Morgan were going to the school.

I have lived within ten miles of Cedartown since that time – and there has been many changes wrought. The Indians were taken up in the summer of 1837. The last of them were carried off in the spring of 1838. I was out in the flat one mile from town on the Rome road and saw them pass. This country has since that time been settled up by whites and the most of the original settlers have passed away. Since 1837 this country has claimed the citizenship of many a good man and woman. When I look back to my boy days and think of those whom I used to associate with I can find but few now alive: J.H. Casey, J. A. Hackney and D. S. Berry will almost complete the list.

Since I was 21 and up to the war I overseed and was employed around and about by first one and another at farming. In 18?6 I was elected sheriff of Polk county. I have had a good time and could have possessed property if I had only let whisky alone. Just here, for the benefit of the less experienced, I desire to say this, let others say what they may: Dram – drinking ruins all who follow it to excess : few tamper with the habit without reaching that point. The best plan is not to use it all. I used it to an excess almost to my ruin, and so I am opposed to whisky and hope to see the day soon come when the cities like Rome and Atlanta will follow in the path of the rural sections and drive the death-dealing, tearproducing and blood- shed instigating traffic from their midst and let peace, love and unity universally prevail. Can anyone cognizant of the facts fail to note the difference there is in those counties where probation prevails and where it does not? Let us thank Heaven that it is away from our door. OLD RESIDENTER