John Goldwire Polhill
John Goldwire Polhill
Editor of
the Federal Union, State Representative, Judge of Superior Court, Ocmulgee
Circuit
Judge John Goldwire Polhill was born Oct 16, in Newington,
Screven, Georgia. He was the son of Thomas Polhill, a Baptist Minister
and trustee of Second Baptist Church in Savannah. Thomas Polhill also
owned land in Baldwin County, land lot number 295, that had been
granted by the state. Judge James Polhill of the Southern Circuit was
Thomas Polhill's son also.
A graduate of Rhode Island College, he studied law in Augusta.
Judge Polhill practiced law in Macon with Charleton B. Cole in 1827. He
was practicing in Milledgeville by 1830. He was one of the founders of
the Baptist Church in Milledgeville and acting deacon of the church at
the time of his death. First appointed Judge of Superior Court of
Georgia to fill the vacancy of Judge L.Q.C. Lamar July 7, 1834, he
served until the time of his death in 26, 1838. He was a stockholder on
the Great Western Railroad Company which formed in 1835 and a trustee of
the Southern Baptist College in Washington, Ga. incorporated in 1836.
Judge Polhill became sick in 1837, went to Cass County (now Bartow)
for his health, and died there August 26, 1838. He is buried
Oothcalooga Baptist Church Cemetery in Adairsville, Ga.
Judge and Mrs. Harriet Allen Polhill nee Taylor lived in Scottsboro
on the Gordon Rd. The house still stands and is kept up beautifully by
the Baugh Family. Although Union troops set fire to the house during
Sherman's March through Georgia, the family came out of hiding and put
the fire out. Little damage was done but marks were still visible in
1968. Four of their children were Caroline Clitheall Polhill who died
in Macon August 27, 1827 at the age of 20 months and 16 days; Benjamin
M. Polhill; John M. Polhill of Macon who died from an accident while
surveying the Macon and Brunswick Railroad in 1859; and Louisa Mary
Polhill Butts, wife of James R. Butts of Milledgeville. Mrs. Harriet
Allen Taylor Polhill died in Macon October 23, 1873 and is buried at
Rose Hill.
Sources:1830 Federal Census; 1840 Federal
Census; Milledgeville, Georgia's Antebellum Capital, James C. Bonner; ACTS
OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF GEORGIA. PASSED IN NOVEMBER AND
DECEMBER, 1835; ACTS of the General Assembly of the STATE OF GEORGIA,
PASSED IN NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER, 1836; ACTS OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF
THE STATE OF GEORGIA, PASSED IN NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER, 1837; ACTS OF THE
GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF GEORGIA, PASSED IN NOVEMBER AND
DECEMBER, 1838; ACTS AND RESOLUTIONS OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE
STATE OF GEORGIA 1965;
Macon Telegraph August 7, 1827, Macon Telegraph July
19, 1859; Georgia Baptists : historical and biographical , by J.
H. Campbell; Architecture of Middle Georgia, The Oconee Area, by John
Linley.
Eileen Babb McAdams
