July 3, 1875
Transcribed by Debra Tumlin. We owe her a big thanks for her efforts.
THE RECORD
CEDARTOWN, GA, July 3, 1875
Early History of Polk County
BY ONE OF THE FIRST SETTLERS
Continued
Several nice families moved up in the fall of 1833. Seaborn Whatley, Peter Grinnell, Hampton Whatley and several others of less note. Hampton Whatley was a young, sprightly Baptist preacher. who settled at the Bunn place. He organized, or constituted the Cedartown Baptist church, in an old school house near where Mr. Monroe now lives, with very few members, but it grew up rapidly and prospered under his care and management.
In 1834, the Legislature of Georgia appropriated eight hundred dollars to each of the ten counties of the Cherokee country, to build an Academy. That money was drawn by Paulding county and an academy was built at Brook’s spring, near Mr. Cobb’s. The church was moved to the academy, and in 1836, Hampton Whatley remaining its pastor until 1836, where he moved to Cave Spring, and Rev. Wm. Wood, of Jacksonville, Ala. was called as pastor of the church and teacher at the academy. (I had forgotten that Rev. Mr. Coadry was called to this place in 1836, a very good man and fine preacher). Mr. Wood remained as teacher and preacher at the academy until the fall or winter of 1838. Mr. Wood was truly a very good, pious man, highly respected by all who knew him, and much beloved by his brethren and his name will ever occupy an honored place in the hearts of those who knew him. Mr. Whatley and Mr. Coadry were both equally highly respected, and beloved by all who knew them. They were both fine preachers and ornaments to the Baptist church.
I must not forget to mention that the Methodists had circuit preaching occasionally in the same school house in 1833 and 1834, and perhaps they had a church organized.
The Indians also had a church at the Buck-eye spring, on Mr. Bunn’s place. They had meeting, or preaching nearly every Sunday. Some few white persons would frequently attend their meetings. When the regular accredited missionaries would come down with their linguist, the whites would generally attend.
About this time the missionaries were ordered out of the nation by the government and the Indian meetings and churches generally went down and the last two or three years of their stay among us they quit holding meetings and nearly all of them give over to ___ and ___. The time was drawing near they would have to leave the country. They became more careless and indolent, losing their energy and self respect. their rulers insisting that they remain in the country until the government forced them away at the point of the bayonet, thinking it would strengthen their claim against the government for extra pay for their lands.
Some amusing things took place occasionally in those times. Every few weeks some fellow would come by from Coosa River with his wife and children, telling our people that the Indians had rose and killed all the whites in Turkeytown, and were coming on through the country indiscriminately slaying women and children, and that every body had better leave. Wagons and carts would be in good demand for several days moving to Carroll county. Some would take their families to the mountains of nights and the men would congregate at some point and lie on their guns all night. Others would pay no attention to these reports. They would consult Housebug, __, who would tell them that he would drink all the white man’s blood that was shed by the Indians -- that it was all lies, and to pay no attention to it.
A big story of this kind came in Cedartown by some fellow from Alabama. He reported the Indians as coming to and from Alabama, killing every body. A man by the name of Oliver listened to this bloody story, which very much alarmed him. He remarked, “Well, I intend to have this evening.” He started for home and three or four fellows tied red handkerchiefs around their heads and went round and got before him, when he broke to run, and they all fired off their guns. The last thing they saw of him was he was going through the piney woods at a powerful speed. A little after dark, he brought up at John Brooks, on the head of Enharley creeks. He told them that the Indians had killed all the whites in Alabama and that he saw a thousand in Cedar Valley, and that they had shot a hundred guns on him, and had chased him several miles, and he knew that Salina and all the children were killed--Lord have mercy upon us! Fix up all of you -- they will be here directly -- let’s get in the mountains. Mr. Brooks, being a little “ticklish” anyway, gathered up his family and they all lay in the mountains this night. Oliver cautioned to pray all night for the Lord to have mercy on Salina and the children.
TO BE CONTINUED
Faithfully transcribed as printed on July 4, 1999. Debra Tumlin