June 19, 1875
Transcribed by Debra Tumlin. We owe her a big thanks for her efforts.
THE RECORD
CEDARTOWN, GA, JUNE 19, 1875
Early History of Polk County
BY ONE OF THE FIRST SETTLERS
Continued
(missing paragraph -- too blurry to read) ........ an Indian Chief who resided in an old dilapidated two story log building on the hill above the big spring, was a man of a good, strong, natural mind, and a good, honest heart; was highly respected by Indians and whites. He was always counseling the Indians to honor and respect the good, honest, white man, and be honest themselves. He had two lovely wives, one of which had several likely children. The other was barren, but was truly a devoted wife, and where he went she would go, always by his side, ready to administer to his wants -- bring water to him, hold and take care of his whisky, while drinking sit by him and over him while drunk, cold or hot, sleet or snow. She would build up fires around him in cold weather, while drunk, to keep him warm. She was a wife in the true sense of the term. He was honestly opposed to leaving the land of his birth, and remained here till forced off by the bayonet in 1838. He served in the war of 1812 under General Jackson and was at the battle of the “Horse Shoe.” A great many more ? Indians lived in the valley at that time. It would take too much time and space to give a history of them all.
A murder was committed in the valley, near the big spring, in the spring of 1833. John Killian killed a man by the name of Prior, a citizen of Carroll county, who was there hunting stolen property. Killian had been whipped by the Slicks, and two or three of his brothers in law, the Rathorfords had all been desperately whipped. The difficulty between them was in relation to them all being whipped. They were both drinking. The particulars of the evidence I don’t now remember. Killian stood his trial and was sentenced to five years imprisonment in the penitentiary by his Honor, Judge Hooper, at the first court held in the new county of Paulding in the fall. After the march election, the Pony Club became more desperate, and at the same time were jubilant. They were certain the held the balance of power, and could turn the election upon whom they pleased. They would go to the Democrats and say, “you stand up to us, we can elect you -- we have a special use for you -- we intend to rule the country; no man shall have an office unless we say so.” They would go to the Whigs and tell them the same thing. They said “this country must be purged -- Cedar Valley shall never have an office; the Slicks and all their friends shall leave the country; we will place the county cite (Van Wert) at Cleantown and we will mob every Slick that comes to the polls; it is our town.” And they did mob several persons.
Cedar valley at length got bad off for a town -- it was to be mobbed if they went to Van Wert, and in the spring of 1834 they sent a petition to the Governor, setting forth the facts, and he promptly responded and sent up a company of United States troops and they made a dash on Cleantown, and oh Jerusalem ! what squandering and hiding with the men, and yelling and squalling among the women. “The wicked fleeth when no man pursueth.” and every man that felt that he had been connected with the Pony club fled to the mountain, sold their lands and other valuables, signed up deeds while in the mountains and left, went where the “woodbine twineth.” The result of their leaving was a Democratic victory in 1834 and Wilson Lumpkin, who was then Governor and a Democrat, was charged by the Whigs of using his office for political ends.
Faithfully transcribed as printed on July 4, 1999. Debra Tumlin