LET'S TAKE A TRIP TO:
LUMBER CITY GEORGIA
ESTABLISHED 1837 CHARTERED 1889
THE PIONEER DAYS
Very little is known about the first Indians that inhabited the pioneer area except that they were the builders of monumental mounds. Later a body of Indians know as the Hitchiti took over the Ocmulgee Region, which was located between the Ocmulgee and Oconee rivers. Still later the fierce Muscogee Tribe came from the West and dominated the Hitchiti. The Muscogee, Hitchiti, UcheeOswichee and other tribes joined together and formed the Creek Confederacy, one of the most powerful Indian Confederations in America.
When the first white settlers were moving into what is now Telfair county the Indian tribes that they encountered were most likely Creeks. The white settlers who came to Telfair County were kept constantly aware of the Indians by their frequent attacks on the settlers. The Indians were mainly located on the west side of the Ocmulgee River and crossed the river to raid the pioneers in the area. Three forts were built in Telfair County to protect the white settlers. One was located at the fork of the Ocmulgee and Oconee rivers, one site was two miles above Jacksonville where Block House Church and cemetery now stand, and the third on Horse Creek at the River Road. These forts were ninety feet square, surrounded by an eight foot high stockade and had two block houses in each. They were garrisoned by one subaltern, one corporal, and fifteen privates. There were frequent confrontations between the Indians and the white settlers.
The land between the Oconee and Ocmulgee River was secured from the Creek Indians in two separate treaties. In the first treaty, in 1802, the land next to the Oconee and as far west as Turkey Creek was given by the Indians in a treaty made at Fort Wilkinson on the Oconee River. The second treaty, in 1805, extended the grant of all the land as far west as the Ocmulgee River, except the Ocmulgee Old Fields. All this land was surveyed and a land lottery was proviced to be held in Milledgeville, the capitol. This was Georgia’s first land survey and land lottery. The lower half of this tract of land was made into Wilkinson County.Wilkinson County was obviously too large. On December 10, 1807, it was divided into three counties, the lower part being made Telfair County, the middle part being made Laurens County, and the upper part remaining Wilkinson County.As originally laid out, Telfair County extended from the Ocmulgee to the Oconee River. The boundary with Laurens County began on the Oconee River. The boundary with Laurens County began on the Ocmulgee at the northwest corner of the 14th land district and ran north 60 degrees east to the Oconee. This included all of what is now Telfair plus almost all of Wheeler and the part of Dodge which now includes Rhine and Chauncey.
The Indians were removed from the area in 1818.
TELFAIR COUNTY
Created on December 10, 1807
a: Cut out of Wilkinson County
b: Twin sister of Laurens County
Boundaries: All of present Telfair
All of present Wheeler
Part of present Dodge
Telfair county was named in honor of Edward Telfair, a distinguished statesman and twice governor, whose death occurred the same year the county was created, 1807.
The first county seat of Telfair County was Jacksonville. A log structure , built in 1812 was the first courthouse. In 1860 it was replaced by a two story frame building. Jacksonville remained the county seat until it was moved from Jacksonville October 25, 1870 to some point on the Macon and Brunswick Railroad . In 1871 it was moved to McRae.
The next page will take us to the formation of Lumber City itself.
