James Lyle of Harris County was the son of Charles Lyle and Nancy Kirby of Coweta County, Ga and the grandson of Mahershalalhasbaz Lyle of Jackson County, Ga, a revolutionary soldier.

This following item is from the Columbus, Ga. Enquirer 29 Dec. 1867. On the Copy I have, the headline and the first part are very hard to read.

. . . for some time there has been a society . . . League, or something of the kind, composed of negro men here. Till recently they have bothered no one and no one has bothered them. Frequently they have appeared . . . marching up and down the streets, with drum and fife. . . "This past ? a ? ? man. . .a great dislike to each of. . .and had on a former occasion let them know it.

On Christmas day (they) were marching by the street and , with gun in hand, he called on them to halt. The gun was charged and the hammer raised. They took it from him and shot it off, throwing him down at the same time, and made some boastful remarks about it. While no one justified the old man, every one felt indignant at the treatment he had received. The next day the society again formed at the usual place of meeting, and marched toward the business part of town. Frank Davenport, a white man, quite intoxicated, rode up the street, meeting the negroes, and encouraged them to come on, that he would lead them. He then turned and rode at full speed, forcing his horse into a store. This intensified the excitement, and was regarded by many of the citizens as the outburst of hostilities, and of a fixed purpose by the Leaguers to overrun the place.

Fervent efforts were made on the part of the citizens to stop the disturbance. Davenport dismounted in front of the house, but could not be pacified. James Lyle and others tried to reason with him, but he was furious. At this time he received a gun from the hands of a mulatto, one of the principal men of the society; with this he shot Lyle, wounding him in the arm. Lyle shot also, killing Davenport instantly. The negroes fled in every direction, and order was restored.

The writer would not convey that the Society referred to has for its aim any evil doing, but evil spirits in it have their bad influence over it.

I apprehend not the slightest danger of any futher disturbance. Many of the negroes, yes, I think mostly every one, regrets the occurrence, and I am sure every citizen does.

Whitesville, Harris Co., Ga. Dec 27th."

(Lyle was charged with murder in the April Term of 1868, but no bill was returned.)

In November of 1868, Sarah Jane Lyle petetioned Harris County to allow her to sell hers and her children's interest in land her father, James Davis, had left her. James Lyle planned to move to Carroll Co., Ga and needed the money to reinvest there. Their children mentioned in this action were:

1. Charles G. Lyle (my grandmother went to visit him at the Confederate Soldier's Home here in Atlanta when she was a girl. He died in 1929, at the age of 91.) Married Frances ?

"Died at a private sanitarium Tuesday afternoon, March 12, 1929, in his ninety-first year. He is survived by his daughters: Mrs Delia Brown, Mrs Sallie Darnell, Kenwood, Ga.; and son, Mr. J. G. Lyle; son-in-law, Mr. Eugenis Wooten, Jonesboro, Ga., and brother, Mr. Jim Lyle, Carrolton, Ga."

2. Mary J. Lyle (Abt 1843)
3. Elizabeth E. Lyle (My gr-gr-grandmother) (Born 1838) 4. J. D. Lyle (Abt 1845) Confedrate Soldiers of Georgia:
James D. Lyle - Private Aug 15, 1861. Surrendered, Appomattox, Va. Apr 9, 1865

The other children were minors in Nov. 1868.

5. Missouri M. Lyle (Abt 1851)
6. Berryman E. Lyle (Abt 1852)
7. William F. Lyle (Abt 1854)
8. Richard C. Lyle (Abt 1856)
9. Milton Lyle (Aft 1860)

 Many thanks to Barbara Smallwood Stock for the hard work put in to this site over the years! 

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This page was last updated on -04/26/2012