Misc. Articles from Franklin County Newspapers,Part2

    Skeletons of the six tories captured at her dinner table and afterwards hung to trees near her home by Nancy Hart more than a century and a quarter ago, were unearthed last Tuesday by a squad of hands at work grading the Elberton & Eastern railroad. They were buried about three feet under the ground in what is known as the Heard field, near the mouth of Wahatohie creek, some half a mile from where it empties into Broad River. The bones are all there, in a splendid state of preservation, but have become disjointed. The skull, in fact all the bones of the head and under jaws, are especially well preserved and the teeth are perfect. An examination of the hips show that all of them are male skeletons.
    The place where the skeletons were unearthed, together with the fact that they were so close together, near the surface with no sign or trace of anything like a coffin anywhere around, makes the evidence conclusively convincing that these are the bones of the Tories captured by the Revolutionary heroine who lives in history as crossest-eyed and ugliest, as well as the bravest and most loyal woman of the period when patriots were proud to offer themselves and their all on the alter of a country struggling for the right of self-government.
    The house that Nancy Hart lived in was located on Wahatchie creek near a spring some half to three fourths of a mile from where the skeletons were found. The place is now owned by the local chapter of the Daughters of American Revolution. Mr. Jim Bradford, of this county who recently died at the advanced age of about 90 years, remembered about his father and the older people of his boyhood days telling all about he house that Nancy lived in, and pointed out the place where the tories were hung, which is, as near as can be now located, just where the railroad laborers last Tuesday unearthed the skeletons.
    This place is about thirteen miles from Elberton. Numbers of people have gone down to examine the remains of the Tories. Those who saw them were not fired with the same zeal for home and native land that burned in Nancy’s breast. Nearly 140 years of time, with all of its changes made them look on the bones of these men who died as traitors with a degree of allowance that was not possible in the early days. It doubtless occurred to some, that maybe these Tories were as honest in their convictions as Nancy was in hers, but that they were in the wrong pew, when sitting at Nancy’s table partaking of her enforced hospitality, to entertain such opinions.—Elberton Star.

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Odd Fellows - T. B. Bonner
"Dr. Thos. B. Bonner Elected Grand Master of Odd Fellows for Georgia," Lavonia Times and Gauge 6 June 1919.

DR. THOS. B. BONNER, ELECTED GRAND MASTER OF ODD FELLOWS FOR GEORGIA.

Lavonia Man Honored in Being Head of Odd Fellowship in Georgia.

    Only once in the lifetime of our little city has she furnished a citizen who was at the head of a secret order for Georgia. That time is now and the person furnishing Lavonia this honor is Dr. Thos. B. Bonner, who was last week elected Grand Master of Odd Fellows for Georgia.
    Dr. Bonner is a loyal Odd Fellow having been a member of the local lodge since 1905. To be a Grand Officer in this lodge is no small honor. There are two million two hundred thousand Odd Fellows and thirty thousand of them are in Georgia. The order is a hundred years old and the Centenial will be held at Baltimore in September of this year. Dr. Bonner is making his plans already to make the trip to Baltimore to attend the centennial celebration.
    Besides being an Odd Fellow Dr. Bonner finds time to devote a great deal of time to the Masonic Order. He has been a Mason for twenty seven years and for about fifteen years he has been Worshipful Master of the Lavonia Masonic Lodge.
    Dr. Bonner also enjoys the distinction of having been a teacher of the same Sunday School Class for 27 successive years. He still teaches his class regularly when he is in town and has about twenty-five men in his class every Sunday.
    The office of Grand Master of Odd Fellows is taking on the time of its holder and Dr. Bonner will have to travel a great deal besides attending to the clerical work of the office. He is allowed a secretary, however, and he will continue to look after the practice of his profession at Lavonia.
    Dr. Bonner had the appointment of a Grand Chaplain this year and he appointed Rev. M. B. Sams, of Canton, Ga., a former Lavonian. The many friends of Mr. Sams in this section will be interested in the honor that has come to him.
    Mr. C. D. Griffin, of Royston, is Deputy Grand Master, of Odd Fellows, for the 21st District which comprises the counties of Rabun, Stephens, Habersham, Banks, Franklin and Hart.

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Oldest Woman—Sarah Sparks
“The Oldest Woman in N. E. Georgia,” Franklin County Register 3 Jan 1888.

THE OLDEST WOMAN IN N. E. GEORGIA.

Mrs. Sarah Sparks, living near Avalon, of whom we have made mention before, celebrated her 101^st birthday on the 7^th of December last. She was born in South Carolina on the 7^th of December 1786. Her father was named Edward Camp, and she was married to Alexander Calaham about 84 years ago. They moved to this county soon after marriage and settled on the waters of Toms creek. Mr. Calaham was a teacher of some note and was long remembered, and often spoken of thirty or 40 years ago. He died more than seventy years ago, leaving his widow, the subject of this sketch, and six children. Some years after his death Mrs. Calaham married Thomas Sparks and was again left a widow with six other children, nearly sixty years ago. She has resided on the place where she now lives seventy years. Most of her children are dead, but she has three daughters living in this county to-wit: Mrs. Robert A. J. Wright, Mrs. William Hays and Mrs. Harriet Wilbanks with whom she now lives. Her daughters were very handsome women in their younger days and two of them, Mrs. Cooper H. Fuller long since dead, and Mrs. Wright were noted beauties when young. The good old lady retains her mental and physical powers in a remarkable degree for one of her years. She visits and attends church occasionally, and is pretty constantly engaged in the performance of light household duties.

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Origin of the Word Dixie
“Origin of the Word Dixie," Lavonia Times and Gauge 13 Feb 1914.

ORIGIN OF THE WORD “DIXIE”

    In reviewing the history of the Citizens Bank of Louisville, at New Orleans, which in 1911 was converted into the Citizens Bank and Trust Company, The Financial Times, of London, tells of the interesting origin of the word “Dixie” as applied to the South. The Times comments on the prosperity of the old citizens Bank a few of the unusual provisions in its charter and the manner in which the institution weathered the storms throughout the Civil War, and says:
    “The Citizens Bank was so closely identified with the South that it gave it the name “Dixie Land,” since preserved in the famous southern war song, ‘Dixie.’ It came about in this way: Prior to the Civil War in the States the Citizens Bank had the power to issue paper money notes just as the Bank of England does today. These bills were in denominations of $10 and $20 preferably $10, to the extent of a few millions. They were well known and good all over the country.
    “These $10 bills were engraved in French, and on the backs did the word ‘Dix,’ very prominent, and ignorant Americans living along the upper Mississippi river, not knowing how to pronounce the French word, called the bill ‘Dixes.’ Finally the bank’s money became so popular that Louisiana was referred to as ‘The Land of the Dixies,’ or ‘Dixie Land.’ Afterwards the term was made to apply to all the southern states.”—Elberton Star.

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Our Schools
“Our Schools,” Franklin County Register [Carnesville] 18 Jan 1887.

OUR SCHOOLS

The educational interests of our county are in a more prosperous condition than usual. The number of experienced teachers engaged at this season of the year is without recent precedent. Among them are Rev. P. F. Crawford at Garnerville, J. F. Tabor at Farmers Academy, Daniel McKensie at New Hope, Prof. Dennis at Allen’s, Mr. Stribbling at Martin and N. A. Fricks at Lavonia. These are experienced and successful teachers, and there are probably others engaged of whom we are not informed.

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Pauper's Home
"Pauper's Home," Franklin County Register [Carnesville] 12 Oct. 1878.

PAUPER'S HOME

The Pauper's Home last Sale day was let to the lowest bidder by recieving sealed bids. Mr. A. W. Stephenson having made the lowest bid, will take care of the inmates for the next year. He feeds, clothes, and takes care of them for $3.99¾ each, per month. This is exceedingly low and it certainly seems lower than any man can afford, but then we guess Mr. Stephenson has made his calculations correct.

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Paupers
“Our Paupers: Must They Have another Year of Hardship and Starvation,” Franklin County Register [Carnesville] 13 Dec 1888.

OUR PAUPERS
MUST THEY HAVE ANOTHER YEAR OF HARDSHIP AND STARVATION.

Let the County Commissioners Follow The Reccommedations of the Grand Jury.

    It will be seen from a notice elsewhere in this paper that an effort will be made on the 17^th inst. to let out the pauper home for the ensuing year. we understand that it is not the purpose to let the inmates out to the lowest bidder, nor for so much for each inmate per month, but to hire a good man at a salary and have the supplies furnished to the inmates by the county. We are glad to hear that this change is to be made, because there are serious objections to either of the other plans; objections so serious that neither plan should be entertained for a moment.
    The inmates will never receive proper treatment when let out to the lowest bidder. If the keeper is ever so kind and humane, the price will always be so insignificant that it will be impossible to give them anything like proper care without great personal loss to himself. Letting them out at a certain price per meal per month is but little better.
    The inmates should be well fed, well clothed and well provided with bedding and waited upon and cared for in sickness or helplessness from old age, with the same solicitude that a good man cares for the members of his own family under similar circumstances. Will any one claim that they should be less humanely treated than above indicated? Can any man who in good faith, intends to do his duty, promise to carry the inmates to the home, feed them bountifully on such food as such people should have, wait upon them in sickness with care and tenderness and bury them decently when they die, at from three to six dollars per month? There is not a man living who ought to be trusted with the care of helpless people, who will enter into such an undertaking. Some of the inmates might be kept at an expense of six dollars per month or even less, but it might be worth twice or thrice that amount to care for another.
    The great objection to either of the plans is, that the keepers gain and revenue depends upon the quantity and quality of food and clothing furnished and the amount of attention bestowed. The better the quality and the greater the quantity of food furnished, the less gain for the keeper. The better and more abundant the clothing the less money for the keeper. The better the attention and care bestowed upon the sick or helpless, the less money goes into the pocket of the keeper. The poorer the quality and the less the quantity of food furnished, the poorer and scantier the clothing, the less they are waited upon, and the less decently they are buried, the more money the keeper makes. No man should be placed in a position where his revenue is swelled by withholding the necessaries of life from the poor. No man should allow himself to be placed in such a position, and our confidence in the man who is so placed, would be greatly shaken, unless the amount promised was unreasonably large, and such as to guarantee against loss.
    Let it be remembered that when the keeper undertakes to care for the paupers for a certain sum per head, say four dollars, the four dollars are not expended on the paupers. The difference between the amount really expended and the four dollars, is what makes the keepers salary. Say for instance say that there eight paupers in the home, which is probably an average and the keeper gets four dollars per month for each, it will take half the amount and more, to pay the keeper, and only two dollars per month is left for the maintenance of each inmate. Think of it—the idea of hitching up a team and going out after a poor old man all at the expense of the keeper, and then feeding, clothing, furnishing wood and waiting upon him when necessary, at a cost of twenty four dollars per annum. It requires no vivid imagination to picture the life the old man leads.
    The only plan that guarantees good treatment to the paupers, is to hire a good man

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Phillips and McMillan Play Trick on Carnesville
"An Old Time Story of Carnesville," Franklin County Register [Carnesville] 16 Aug. 1887.

AN OLD TIME STORY OF CARNESVILLE.

Told by Kinchew Phillips

    Kinchew Phillips, who is now about 83 years old was in Carnesville on Friday, and indulged in some reminiscences. He was born, raised and lived in this county until cut off into Hart at the organization of that county. He has been a frequent visitor at Carnesville for more than seventy years.
    About sixty years ago he and a neighbor named McMillan spent a night in Carnesville during court week. There was a barroom on the lot where J. A. Manly now lives and others were located near the branch. It had been raining, the square and streets were muddy, and on the brow of the hill just below where Mrs. Ayers now lives, was a mud hole known as the hog wallow.
    Phillips and McMillan stretched a stout rope tightly across the street, just above the ground. They and several others who were in the trick went down to the branch, and began to curse and rare, crying at the top of their voices, Hurrah! hurrah! Hands off.   A fair fight, etc. From the square, barroom, stores and hotels, the crowd came in a run to see the fight, and before they were aware of the trick, a score or two of men were floundering and cursing in the hogwallow.
    Phillips and his friends skulked around and joined the party at the mud hole, and joined heartily in the denunciation of the men who played the trick. It was at a time when men cursed and raved and talked extragantly, but such a torrent of profanity as floated on the night air has seldom been heard.
    Times have changed wonderfully within the sixty years that have intervened since that night. A drunken and disorderly crowd has not been seen in Carnesville in many a day, and it is a rare thing to hear angry or profane language on the streets.

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Prize Acre of Corn - Edwards
"Wrighty B. Edwards," Lavonia Times and Gauge 17 Nov. 1911.

Wrighty B. Edwards.

    Not often an unostentatious, unretentious citizen suddenly awakes to the fact that he has become great. Napoleon sighed for more worlds to conquer. History records that no other man has taken everything in sight and wished for things not in sight till the report of Wrighty Edwards corn yield was announced in Lavonia a few days ago.
    Born on Gum Log, reared on Gum Log, and still living on Gum Log, he was not known even as far away as Commerce, Ga. till last week when he carried a bushel of corn over there and relieved them of the first prize in the Four County Fair Prize Acre of Corn. There were people scattered around in Lavonia who had not heard of a man named Wrighty Bond Edwards till the announcement came out a few days ago that he had grown 166 bushels and 43 pounds of corn on an acre. Now his name is a household word among the citizens of the town and county. He is becoming wider known each day as the progress of the times carries to the outer world the news of this record yield of corn.
    Mr. Edwards was born on Gum Log, 2 miles from where he now lives, on January 1st 1871. He was married 14 years ago to Miss Mary Watt. Four children have been born to them and he is today living in a simple home on the banks of Eastanolle Creek near its mouth and just above the plot of ground that made the states record in corn. He moved to his present home 5 years ago when he purchased it from the M. A. Adams estate. He owns a 4-horse farm, but cultivates only a 2-horse crop himself, renting the other.
    His record as a corn grower began last year when he made 75 bushels on an acre of land with little work and no fertilizer. As soon as the announcement was made that Lavonia would have a corn contest, Wrighty began to fix for that prize. He saw that hundred dollars looming up then in the distance and thought of the roll he would carry away from Lavonia when the time for awarding prizes came.
    He selected for his patch a section of bottom on Eastanolle Creek. In this bottom there are eight acres. Mr. Edwards picked out his acre in the middle and began to haul manure and fix it. The body of land is about 6 feet above low water mark. Just below it a hill come out to the creek. This hill makes an eddy on this land in times of high water. The many rains have left their settlings on this land till it is naturally as rich as can be. His corn came up and began to grow. Reports went the rounds that Mr. Edwards had corn stalks as big as trees and so thick that a man could not walk across the patch. People around sniggered and said that they knew that old gag. But when the tape was put to the land and the steelyards to the corn the yield was in keeping with previous reports.
    Messrs. W. F. Clarke, W. N. Scott and W. D. Hembree were the members of the committee appointed by the Lavonia Board of Trade to measure and weigh. This committee staked off a rectangular piece of land the sides of which were 215 feet and the ends were 205. They stood guard on this patch till every ear on this spot was pulled and hauled to the house. Then their work began in weighing. With baskets, and steelyards they at last accomplished the task and added up 13,323 pounds, or 166 bushels and 43 pounds.
    Mr. Edwards had planted this big corn for three years, improving it each year as best he could. Some of the ears in this corn measured 12 inches in length and nine inches around, and weighed some three pounds each. The yield was more than double that of any other contestant, the next nearest one to it being able to weigh up only 80 bushels and 70 pounds.
    Mr. Edwards entered the Four County Fair at Commerce and took the first prize (a $50 prize) for the largest yield. In this contest he was the only contestant who made more than 160 bushels. As at present advised Mr. Edwards has outdistanced anybody in Georgia this year in growing corn. He says he would have gathered 200 bushels from his acre if he could have got a good stand. The dry weather and worms injured his corn when it was small.

Note: If you are related to this Edwards family, I would love to hear from you at Franklinobits@aol.com

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Roach Snake Bite
"Clippings from an Old Paper: The Carnesville Enterprise," Lavonia Times and Gauge 1 Oct 1920, excerpt from The Enterprise [Carnesville] 5 June 1891.

JOE ROACH'S SNAKE BITE

Editor Enterprise: Joe is better known around Lavonia than anywhere else. Joe has often shown me the scar on his leg where he was bitten by a monster rattler. He told me that he heard something coming through the brush from the side of the road, making a hissing and a roaring sound, and before he could go away the snake had plunged his fangs into the calf of his leg. After emptying his pistol into the snake's body and using his knife, the [he] released himself from the snake. He didn't tell the size of the snake but it had 42 rattles and a button. He told me he drank two and a half quarts of corn whiskey and swallowed 12 plugs of tobacco without making him drunk. Joe carries a scar as an evidence of the fact.

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Runaway Bride
“Notice,” Franklin County Register [Carnesville] 19 July 1887.

NOTICE.

    The public is hereby notified that my wife, Margaret Smith, col, has left my bed and board at Lavonia, Ga., without cause. Any persons harboring or employing her, will be dealt with in terms of the law.
                                                                                                Frank Smith, col.
            July 4^th, 1887.

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Smith Hit and Run
Carnesville Advance 27 March 1903.

Mr. Henry Smith, who lives one mile south of Carnesville, accidently ran over a small negro child near Lavonia last Thursday afternoon. The child was lying on the edge of the road and was not seen by Mr. Smith until the front wheel of his wagon had passed over its body. Fortunately and very miraculously, the child was not killed but only slightly hurt, although the wagon was loaded with something like fifteen hundred pounds of guano. The reception given Mr. Smith by the child’s mother was so warm that he did not ascertain the extent of the injuries until he reached home. He was greatly relieved to learn that it was not fatally injured. Parents should be cautious about allowing their children to play on the public highways.

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The Spectre
"The Spectre That Frightened One of Our Citizens at Indian Creek," Franklin County Register [Carnesville] 1 Feb 1887.

THE SPECTRE
That Frightened one of our Citizens at Indian Creek.

    The Baptist church at Indian creek is situated on the public road six or seven miles west of Carnesville. The church was established many years ago, the building is old, the graves hard by, appear to have been tenanted for centuries, and the place taken altogether, has an old and a long-time-ago-look about it. It is suggestive of ghosts and gobblins, and a timid man would hesitate to pass there after night fall. A number of stories have been told of strange sights seen and strange sounds heard there. It has the reputation of being haunted. Most of the stories about haunts and ghosts, date far back in the past and are handed down traditionally, but the story I am going to relate is of recent occurence, is told by a man who is well known to many of our readers, and whose character for veracity and strong common sense is unquestioned.
    The church stands some 60 yards south of the public road with the side of the building facing the road. There is a door on the side of the house next the road and a door at the east end of the building.
    One evening in June 1866 a little past the middle of the afternoon, N. C. Gordon, his wife and two children passed the church on their way home, which was about a mile west of there. Mr. Gordon was on foot, Mrs. Gordon was riding with one child behind her, and carrying an infant in her lap. A fearful looking cloud was rising in the west, great balls of lightning shot across the clouds and sky, and peal after peal of deafening thunder shook the earth. They were hurrying rapidly home to escape the threatened storm. About the time Mr. Gordon was opposite the middle of the church building, Mrs. Gordon rode up to his side and asked if he saw that man in the east door. Upon being answered in the negative she said it was the most awful sight she had ever seen, and that she tried to attract his attention before he had passed out of sight. Noticing a tremor in her voice, he looked up in her face and seeing that she was pale and trembling with terror, and not wishing that [she] should be frightened without cause, and to correct the false impression under which he thought she was laboring, he said:
    "It is only some one stopping out of the storm, and to convince you, we will go back, and perhaps we had best stop ourselves, until the cloud passes." They turned back in a direction that brought the east door of the church in view when they were twenty-five or thirty steps away. There was a man sitting in the door with his feet resting on the steps. He was dressed in snow white garments, his feet encased in white stockings, and purple gloves were on his hands which were folded in his lap. His head was bare and his short hair was black as night, his eyes were closed, his face clean shaved, there was no tinge of blood in his cheek or lips, and his skin had the ghastly yellowish look usually seen in the faces of the dead. Mr. Gordon approached slowly until near enough to have touched it with his walking tick [stick]. He looked at the man intently and was unable to detect any motion of the muscles or any movement of the chest that would have given indication of breathing. While looking on undecided as to what he should do, the horse on which Mrs. Gordon and the children rode began to show evidence of fright, and Mr. Gordon led him away, and before passing out of sight he looked back and saw the man in the same position as when first seen. Just before reaching home they passed the residence of Mr. T. C. LeCroy and he and Mr. Gordon hurried back to the church to make further investigation but the strange man was gone and had left no trace of his visit.
    This is the exact story as told by Mr. Gordon and his wife it was broad day light and, there was nothing to deceive or mislead them, and there is no question as to the truth of the story. Mr. Gordon was raised in this county and was well acquainted with the people in the county and especially in that neighborhood, but the man in white was a stranger to him. Who he was, where he came from, why he was there and in such a garb, why so ghostly and immovable, and what became of him, are questions we cannot answer; we only give the story as related by Mr. and Mrs. Gordon, who live near Carnesville and will vouch for its truth.

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Stovall and Mail Baptized
Lavonia Times and Gauge 5 Jan 1912, Davis Academy section.

Mr. Joe Stovall of Martin, our mail carrier, had a very narrow escape while crossing Gumlog creek at Crawford’s mill on Dec. 22. He entered the water not knowing how dangerously swift it was and his buggy, horse and all were entirely upset and were carried several yards down stream. His only way of escape was through the little front window of his mail wagon. After he and his outfit had been rescued by his friends he secured dry apparel from a nearby home, then regaining courage from the excitement he made his way homeward with the mail which had been thoroughly baptised in the water.

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Thomas Prize Corn Patch
“Prize Corn Patch Yields 79 Bushels,” Lavonia Times and Gauge 18 Oct 1912.

Prize Corn Patch Yields 79 Bushels.

The prize corn patch of Mr. Wallace Thomas, son of Mr. T. Foster Thomas, was harvested on Saturday of last week and weighed according to the requirements of the Boys Corn Clubs of the South. This acre yielded Mr. Thomas 79 bushels and 7 pound of corn.
In obtaining the yield of corn two hundred pounds of the corn was shelled and measured. The remainder of the corn was then weighed and yield in bushels prorated. Mr. Thomas put 9 loads of barnyard fertilizers on this acre and 1500 pounds of commercial fertilizers. Rating his baryarn fertilizer at $2.00 a load and other fertilizers at market value his corn cost him 32 cents a bushels. Mr. Thomas was one of the prize winners in the Lavonia Board of Trade Corn Contest last year. His yield of this year exceeded that of last year by several bushels.

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Toccoa Orphanage
Dr. W. J. Turner, "About Toccoa Orphanage," Lavonia Times and Gauge 19 Nov. 1920.

ABOUT TOCCOA ORPHANAGE.

    To the good people who read this paper, this may interest you:
    I went to Toccoa in September, and spent one day at the Orphanage for the purpose of doing dental work for these little fellows, and I must say that it was one of the happiest days I had spent in all my life.
    I went up Friday night and was met at the train by one of the boys, who took me to a nice room for the night, and everything was so pleasant. On Saturday morning we started to work bright and early with an examination of all of the children, and just before noon we had examined 52 children by the help of two of the girls; and thanks to them, for they were very smart girls. There were some bad mouths, but for that many children it averaged a little over three cavities per child. Now this is not so bad, still this work should be attended to, and I want to say this: That no dentist need hate to go there and help these little folks out, for they are the smartest patients you could ever work for. Out of the fifty-two there were only two who cried the least little bit, and they couldn't help it. Not one of them acted ugly about the work, and the Matron did not have to stay in here all the time to keep them straight. They are very willing and let you do just what you want to do and by their good behavior I did what I considered a good day's work: extracted 23 teeth and put in 33 fillings and examined 52 mouths.
    Now, this is what I call a great big family, for it is "Hey, Papa" or "Hey, Mama!" every time one of them see Mr. or Mrs. Craft, who are never so busy that they do not reply to them.
    I thought I would see some of their home life soon Sunday morning, so I got up early and went out to the lot where they have cows, hogs and so on. What I found was Daddy out there with some of the boys feeding the cows, hogs and horses; girls and boys milking; little boys feeding the pigs, keeping off the calves for the girls, and the best of all: everybody happy. Nobody wanted to get out of anything; every boy or girl seemed to want to do something at the same time. There was Mrs. Craft or "Mama" as they call her, busy seeing about the girls in the kitchen, and working herself.
    Now, just one more good word for these sweet children: Dr. Turner thanks you all for the two songs you sung for him, and the most excellent behavior while I was talking to you; and the best of all, the way you acted while I worked on you. Now I have lived there two nights and a day, I know a few things about what Mr. and Mrs. Craft are doing. They are working themselves to death without a murmur, and enjoying every minute of the time.
    Is there not a club, or couldn't a club be organized that will send someone to help her? Say a club of forty ladies who will give $1.00 a month and send her this help, for she needs it badly. She can't hold out always the way she is working. Forty dollars a month and board ought to get her good help. Let Mrs. Craft say what king of help she wants, and if it takes more than $40.00 let the lady who starts this club get more members. I know if more people knew what great work was being done by these good people, they never would be wanting for funds, and if you will go there and see for yourself, nobody will have to ask you to help them, for you can see their needs.
    Thanking you all for the pleasure accorded me the day I was there, I remain, as ever,
--Dr. W. J. Turner in Toccoa Record.

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Ty Cobb—Franklin Co. Connection
“Ty Cobb Edition of the American Baseball Magazine,” Lavonia Times and Gauge 23 Feb 1912.

Ty Cobb Edition of the American Baseball Magazine.

The March number of the American Baseball Magazine is called the Ty Cobb Edition. Half of the reading matter of the magazine is articles about the worlds greatest baseball player. A representative was sent to Franklin county to gather material for this edition and much of the subject matter and many of the scenes are familiar to all citizens of Franklin county. One illustration is the Cobb home at Carnesville, which of course is the old brick house on the west side of the square the second story of which was the home of Prof. Cobb while he had his residence in Carnesville. Another illustration is the school building at Royston in which Ty Cobb got his last school training and which contains a desk on which Ty Cobb cut his name when he was only a school lad.
The magazine is interesting to all admirers of Ty and is having ready sale in this section of Georgia.

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Whitworth Struck by Lightning
“Lightning Shocks Mrs. DeWitt Whitworth,” Lavonia Times and Gauge 23 Aug 1912.

Lightning Shocks Mrs. DeWitt Whitworth

On Saturday afternoon, Mrs. DeWitt Whitworth sustained a severe shock from a stroke of lightning while attending to the chickens at her home. Mrs. Whitworth had just started into the chicken yard and received the stroke while between the posts of the gate. She was unconscious for perhaps five minutes from the effect of the stroke and serious results were feared for awhile. A physician was summoned and she recuperated within a short while. Her condition was normal again within a few hours. Mrs. Whitworth suffered no burns nor abrasion from the shock, and she was thought to be entirely over the shock within a few hours after the occurrence.

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Woodrow Wilson – Hoyt Connection
“Woodrow Wilson Is Nephew of Dr. Hoyt,” Lavonia Times and Gauge 26 Jan 1912.

Woodrow Wilson Is Nephew of Dr. Hoyt

    Few people of Commerce, perhaps, know that Hon. Woodrow Wilson, governor of New Jersey and prominently mentioned as the probable nominee of the democratic party for president of the United States, is a nephew of Dr. H. F. Hoyt, the former beloved pastor of the Presbyterian church here. Governor Wilson’s mother was a sister of the venerable pastor who is one of the most distinguished men of his faith in the state and who is particularly well known and beloved in North Georgia where he has labored for many years.
    During his pastorate here, Dr. Hoyt frequently spoke of his nephew who was then president of Princeton University. The latter had never entered into active politics up until the time of his race for the governorship but he was a man of national reputation and had contributed much to the development of governmental affairs. He had ever been a staunch advocate of the principle embodied in the platform of the democratic party and his rapid rise in political circles is due in a large measure to the high ideals which he represents.
    The present trend of political events indicates his nomination at the Baltimore convention and there are scores of well posted authorities who predict that Governor Wilson will be the next president of the United States. His election would be specially satisfying to the people of the South and especially to a majority of Georgians, since Mr. Wilson once lived in Georgia and has a stronger hold on the people by virtue of this fact.—Commerce Observer.

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Women's Suffrage in Franklin County
"Woman Suffrage in Franklin County," Lavonia Times and Gauge 18 Aug. 1916.

WOMAN SUFFRAGE IN FRANKLIN COUNTY

Woman Suffrage has come in Franklin County. Not in the election of county officers however but in the election of Commissioners for Broad River Drainage District of Franklin County. These commissioners were elected and every landowner affected by the district was entitled to a vote in the selection of the Drainage Commissioners.
The Commissioners for this drainage district, which is by far the biggest under taking of its kind ever attempted in the state, were elected on Tuesday morning at Carnesville. The election was duly called and the managers were duly appointed according to the requirements of the bill. The women voting in this election were Mrs. Joe Byrd, Mrs. Jno. Edmonds and Mrs. Andrew Smith. The first and only votes cast by women in Franklin County were for the reclamation of the waste lands along Broad River.

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