What People Did In 1898
It is always interesting to see how many people were employed in various fields in past generations. For instance, in 1898, there were 27 blacksmiths in Liberty County and only 4 dentists, 6 grocers, 2 hardware salesmen, 10 lawyers (with 10 justices of the peace), 10 music teachers, 22 saw mills, 15 Christian ministers, 1 saloon-keeper, 13 medical doctors, 2 jewelers and 2 undertakers. Here is a list of how the residents of Liberty County were employed in 1898.
Justices of the Peace and Militia Districts (10)
| Name | Military District | City or Community |
| D.D. James | 15th | Riceboro |
| J.O. Garrison | 16th | Johnstons Station (Liberty City) |
| J.R. Hardy | 17th | Taylor's Creek |
| R.L. Horne | 24th | Honston's Station (Liberty City) |
| G.T. Knight | 1132nd | Smiley |
| T.M. Way | 1359th | Dorchester |
| J. Anderson | 1458th | Walthourville |
| B.W. Dyer | 1467th | Fleming |
| J.E. Warnell | 1543rd | No place listed |
| W.E. Edwards | 1544th | No place listed (possibly Tula? See postmasters, below) |
Notaries Public, Ex-Officio Justices of the Peace and Militia Districts (10)
| Name | Military District | Community |
| W.A. Fleming | 15th | Riceboro |
| J.F. Wheeler | 16th | Johnstons Station (Liberty City) |
| J.I. Daniel | 17th | Taylor's Creek |
| T.J. Chapman | 24th | Johnstons Station (Liberty City) |
| Unknown | 1132nd | Smiley |
| Unknown | 1359th | Dorchester |
| A.S. Quarterman | 1458th | Walthoursville |
| T.J. Shave | 1476th | Fleming |
| H.E. Strickland | 1543rd | No place listed |
| J.W.H. Hunter | 1544th | No place listed |
Post Offices and Postmasters (26)*
| Location | Postmaster |
| Arcadia | S.B. Trask |
| Bay View | C.J. Bryant |
| Breads Creek | Weitman & Brothers |
| Dorchester | Mrs. K.B. Jones |
| Easterling | Vacant |
| Fleming | N.H. Clark |
| Flemington | Mrs. M.E. Trask |
| Gertrude | D.P. Roche |
| Gum Branch | W.S. Wells |
| Hinesville | J.M. Caswell |
| Johnstons Station (Liberty City) | J.R. McDuffie |
| Joselyn | Mrs. K.A. Williams |
| Lambert | Edward Payson Miller |
| Limerick | Vacant |
| McIntosh | R.Q. Cassels |
| Oneida | W.A. Kennedy |
| Paxton | Mille & Company |
| Riceboro | T.J. Edwards |
| Smiley | D.A. Smiley |
| Strumbay | S.E. Jones |
| Sunbury | Elizabeth H. Eve |
| Swindle | Vacant |
| Taylors Creek | Cassels & Hendry |
| Thebes | Vacant |
| Tula | W.E. Edwards |
| Walthourville | Edward Payson Miller |
Artesian Well Drillers (1)
E.D. Cory of Sunbury
Blacksmiths (27)
| Name | Location |
| J.G. Hyers | Bay View |
| H.J Easterling | Easterling |
| J.J. Easterling | Easterling |
| J.L. Andrews | Fleming |
| Joe Mallard | Fleming |
| C.B. Scaffe | Fleming |
| E. Yarbrough | Gum Branch |
| G.O. Bowie & Brother | Hinesville |
| J.E. Theiss | Hinesville |
| Tidwell & Burns | Johnstons Station (Liberty City) |
| J.A. Howard | Joselyn |
| John A. Howard (Second location?) | Lambert |
| Joseph Mallard (Second location?) | Limerick |
| John E. Way | Lambert |
| Edmund B. Wheeler | Lambert |
| David S. Wells | McIntosh |
| W.A. Kennedy (Second occupation) | Oneida |
| J. Brown | Riceboro |
| G. Williamson | Riceboro |
| J.A. Smiley | Smiley |
| W.A. Yarbrough | Smiley |
| E.V. Martin | Taylor's Creek |
| Augustus Law | Thebes |
| C.W. Parker & Company | Tula |
| W.D. Bacon | Walthoursville |
| G.A. Gordon | Walthoursville |
| W.W. Mauldin | Walthoursville |
Carpenters and Builders (12)
| Name | Location |
| T.S. Wheeler | Gum Branch |
| J.J. Nesmith | Hinesville |
| J.C. Hines | Lambert |
| J.C. Norman | Lambert |
| Edward Williams | Limerick |
| J.M. Baggs | Johnstons Station (Liberty City) |
| C.C. Gordon | Johnstons Station (Liberty City) |
| Thomas Dutton | Joselyn |
| Joe Myers | Riceboro |
| S.H. Perry | Riceboro |
| John Long | Smiley |
| J.C. Norman | Walthoursville |
Coach and Wagon Manufacturers (2)
Tidwell & Burns, Lambert
John E. Way, Lambert
Cotton Gins (12)
| Name | Location |
| Jones & Sons | Arcadia |
| W. Bacon | Easterling |
| Frank Easterling | Easterling |
| Tom Grimes | Easterling |
| J.L. Andrews | Fleming |
| W.S. Wells | Gum Branch |
| E. Yarbrough | Gum Branch and Lambert |
| William Bacon | Oneida |
| S.B. Girardeau | Oneida |
| C.A. Jones & Company | Riceboro |
| S.L. Bacon | Taylors Creek |
| I.L. Bird | Taylors Creek |
Dentists (4)
| Name | Location |
| Dr. Capers C. Daniel | Easterling, Taylors Creek and Lambert |
| Dr. I. Ham | Easterling |
| Dr. Charles West Hendry | Hinesville and Lambert |
| Dr. B.W. Morris | Johnstons Station (Liberty City) and Tula |
Distillers of Turpentine (1)
R.W. Hammond, Swindle
Druggists (3)
| Name | Location |
| H.S. Kelly | Easterling |
| J.D. Rogers | Fleming |
| A.L. Winn | Johnstons Station (Liberty City) |
General Merchandise (52)
| Name | Location |
| K.B. Jones & Son | Arcadia |
| L.R. Trask | Arcadia |
| T.M. May | Arcadia |
| C.J. Bryant | Bay View |
| Mrs. K.B. Jones & Son | Dorchester |
| George F. Reikes & Brother | Dorchester |
| W.M. Stevens | Dorchester |
| L.B. Trask | Dorchester |
| W.H. Dasher | Easterling |
| Henry Elarbee | Easterling |
| J. Stubbs | Easterling |
| Clark & Shave | Fleming |
| W.W. Gill | Fleming |
| R.T. Gupton | Fleming |
| W.T. Lightfoot & Son | Fleming |
| Mrs. M.E. Trask | Flemington |
| J.C. Hines | Hinesville |
| E.C. Miller | Hinesville and Lambert |
| J.R. Ryon | Hinesville |
| A.S. Branch | Johnstons Station (Liberty City) |
| E.J. McDonald | Johnstons Station (Liberty City) |
| McKeither & Currier | Johnstons Station (Liberty City) |
| M.T. Rimes & Brothers | Johnstons Station (Liberty City) |
| R.W. Hammond | Josselyn and Swindle |
| A. Lafayette Jones | Lambert |
| K.A. Williamson | Lambert |
| W.H. Lee | Limerick |
| R.Q. Cassels & Sons (also the Postmaster?) | McIntosh |
| H.G. Elarbee & Brother (Second location?) | Oneida |
| S.B. Girardeau (also ran the cotton gin?) | Oneida |
| W.A. Kennedy (Postmaster AND blacksmith?) | Oneida |
| Jerry Smith | Oneida |
| E.T. Dean | Riceboro |
| F.S. Lyons | Riceboro |
| C.A. Stebbins | Riceboro |
| D.W. Tyson | Riceboro |
| Williams & Linder | Riceboro |
| T.E. Grimes & Brother | Smiley |
| William Kirkland | Smiley |
| D.A. Smiley & Brothers | Smiley |
| R.S. Hendry | Taylors Creek |
| B.D. Martin | Taylors Creek |
| J. Baker | Thebes |
| A.B. Golden | Thebes |
| V.H. Morrison | Thebes |
| R.L. Paige | Thebes |
| N.D. Rozier | Tula |
| E.E. Ryals | Tula |
| W.S. Harden | Walthoursville |
| E.P. Miller | Walthoursville |
| K.A. Williamson | Walthoursville |
Grocers (6)
| Name | Location |
| Dyer & Wilson | Limerick |
| H. Mallard | Limerick |
| P. Fraser | Limerick |
| J.W. Williams | McIntosh |
| W.E. Edwards | Tula |
| C.W. Parker & Company | Tula |
Hardware (2)
W.T. Kicklighter, Limerick
C.W. Parker & Company, Tula
Horticulturist (1)
Audley King, Sunbury
Hotels (7)
| Name and Owner | Location |
| Ms. E.M. Trask | Flemington |
| Caswell House, J.M. Caswell | Hinesville |
| Magnolia House, A.C. Smith | Hinesville |
| Mrs. W. Clark | Johnston's Station (Liberty City) |
| C.J. Fletcher | Johnston's Station (Liberty City) |
| N.T. Hewitt | Riceboro |
| Barclay House, J.L. Harden | Walthoursville |
Insurance Agents (1)
R.M. Martin, Hinesville and Riceboro
Lampblack Manufacturers (1)
D.C. Miller, Lambert
Lawyers (10)
| Name | Location |
| H.V. Calder | Fleming |
| N.J. Norman | Flemington and Riceboro |
| J.L. Shaw | Gum Branch |
| S.B. Brewton | Hinesville |
| Donald Fraser | Hinesville |
| B.A. Way | Hinesville and Riceboro |
| T.N. Winn | Hinesville |
| W.N. Clark | Johnston's Station (Liberty City) |
| Walter A. Way | Lambert and Riceboro |
| William B. Warnell | Oneida |
Livery Stables (6)
| Name | City |
| M. Dauney | Hinesville |
| C.J. McDonald | Johnston's Station (Liberty City) |
| M.T. Rimes | Johnston's Station (Liberty City) |
| J.W. Williams | McIntosh |
| N.T. Hewitt | Riceboro |
| J.H. King & Company | Thebes |
Corn and Flour Mills (14)
| Name | Location |
| P. Fraser & Company | Fleming and Limerick |
| E. Yarbrough | Gum Branch |
| J.B. McCall | Hinesville |
| George R. Herbert | Lambert |
| Johnson & O'Bryan | McIntosh |
| W.J. Bacon | Oneida |
| S.B. Girardeau | Oneida |
| McGowen & Company | Riceboro |
| W.A. Smiley & Brothers | Smiley |
| S.L. Bacon | Taylor's Creek |
| I.L. Bird | Taylor's Creek |
| Jonathan A. Martin | Taylor's Creek |
| J. Laing | Walthoursville |
| G.R. Herbert | Walthoursville |
Saw Mills (22)
| Name | Location |
| Weitman & Brothers | Beard's Creek |
| J.J. Easterling | Easterling |
| J.E. Grimes | Easterling |
| Wells & Brothers | Fleming |
| D.P. Roche | Gertrude |
| W.S. Wells | Gum Branch |
| James B. McCall | Hinesville |
| J.R. McDuffie & Son | Johnston's Station (Liberty City) |
| C.E. Wells | Joselyn |
| W.J. Ellis | Lambert |
| W.J. Bacon | Oneida |
| S.B. Girardeau | Oneida |
| W.A. Kennedy | Oneida |
| McGowen & Company | Riceboro |
| T.E. Grimes | Smiley |
| D.A. Smiley & Brothers | Smiley |
| J.C. Swindle | Swindle |
| S.L. Bacon | Taylor's Creek |
| I.L. Bird | Taylor's Creek |
| G.S. Holmes | Walthoursville |
| W.J. Ellis | Walthoursville |
| J.J. Wall | Walthoursville |
Millwrights (1)
Jonathan M. Easterling, Smiley
Music Teachers (10)
| Name | Location |
| Jim Bazemore | Easterling |
| Sallie Shuman | Easterling |
| Mrs. Etta Calder | Fleming |
| Laura Martin Fraser | Flemington |
| Mrs. S.A. Calder(1) | Hinesville |
| Cora Clark | Johnston's Station (Liberty City) |
| Mrs. S.E. O'Neal | Johnston's Station (Liberty City) |
| Mrs. M.J. Fleming | Lambert |
| Eva Cassels | Walthoursville |
| J.L. Harden | Walthoursville |
Naval Stores Manufacturers (17)
| Name | Location |
Newspapers (2)
Liberty County Herald, R.M. Martin, Editor and Publisher, Hinesville
Southern Home, F.C. Miller, Editor and Publisher, Walthoursville
* It appears that many of the postmasters were what I think of as "second jobs" or "extra jobs", as many of the postmasters appear to be operating other businesses as well. Edward Payson Miller also appears to be a postmaster over two different areas as well as running a general store in Walthoursville and a naval store in Johnston's Station.
Likewise, it seems that the Smiley family of Smiley was quite the busy business family, as they ran several businesses in Smiley, if not all of them.
(1) Noticing the Calder name, I wish to point out that there was a Calder at St. Simons Island. Could these Calder's be related?