The Founder of the Town - The First Hanging - The Oldest Living Inhabitant - Increasing in Values - Atlanta's Interests - The Building of the First House

Jackson, Butts County, Ga. - April 8, 1882

Yes, Sir, I am the oldest living inhabitant of this place.  It was in 1826 that I came here, and here have my fortunes been cast ever since.  I remember well when the Indians had been here; sad when I came they had only been gone a few years

The speaker was Mr. John W. McCord, an old man who silvered locks told the tail of probably eighty winters that had passed over his head.  He is now the only one living of the first settlers of Jackson, and though his steps does not possess elasticity of his earlier manhood, the old man is quite spry for one of his years, and bids fair to outlive even another generation.  I had called on him at his house while on route to Indian Springs, and found him in the front yard by the old gate that probably had held on it worm hinges, the young lovers of several generations who had grown up around his decaying years.  Continuing he said:  "It was on the 12th of April, 1826, that a few men gathered her one day to sell lots for the town of Jackson.  My father was among the number, and I was then a young man.  Fifty six years is a long time, but here I have lingered since then, constantly hoping that something would bring us better means for growing and developing into a city, but it would not come until now I am ready to droop into the grave".

Do you remember any of the noted men who used to visit this section? I asked.

"Yes I used to know them all, but my memory is failing now, and their identity is gradually slipping away.  But I can recall the time when William C. Dawson and Charles Doughterty, Judge Longstreet, Mr. Stephens, the Crawfords and others used to come this way to attend court.  The first courthouse was built in 1827, and was burned some years later.  Then another was built, which Sherman destroyed on his march to the sea.  The present court house is the third one since the town was founded and was built since the war."

"Did Sherman do much damage through here?"

"Well, he simply ruined the country for a time, that's all.  Everything I had was taken by his soldiers, and all the stores of the town were burned by the torch of his men.  His mein(?) army passed Jackson, and it took them three days to go through."

"When did he enter?"

"On Thursday, the 17th of November, 1864.  All that day, Friday and Saturday following the army went through and seem never to have an end.  He burnt the jail, also with the court house and stores, besides taking all the supplies within reach."

Who was the founder of the town?"

"A Mr. Bobinet.  He sold the lots from his estate, expecting a lively town to spring up in after years, but we lacked facilities and the town has never amounted to a great deal.  This was all Henry county in those days."

A DESPERATE PRISIONER

"I remember when the first hanging occurred here in 1828.  It was intended to be a double hanging, but one of the doomed men resisted in his cell and only one of them swung then.  Lud Watts and Tom Leverett were the men, and they were hung right out there in that field before you, pointing to a field in front of his home".  "Both of them were murderers of the deepest type, but when the sheriff went for Watts, he made tight with weapons he had concealed in his cell, and it became so desperate and lasted so long that the legal hour passed, and he had to be resentenced by the Judge, who, by the way, was C. J. McDonald.  Watts was hung the following Monday, and I believe that is the first man ever hung on any day but Friday in the United States."

JACKSON ON A BOOM

Ever since the war, Jackson has been progressing with little or no rapidity.  Cut of from the outside world, with Griffin as the nearest railroad station, some twenty miles distance, she has dragged her slow length along quietly and silently, almost asleep.  When the Griffin Monticello and Madison railroad was graded to Jackson, property looked up a little, but soon fell back to former values when the scheme fell through. New however, the times have changed, and as the Brunswick extension passes right through the town the prospects are that the boom already started will continue.  It is estimated that the population, which is now about 300, will triple itself within twelve months and as a consequence, property is going up at a board.

"Yes you will be astonished," said Captain I. D. Watson, the clerk of the superior court, "to know how things have changed here within a few months past"

"What had been the increases in real estate values you suppose?"

"I can hardly say, but fully $15,000 or $20,000 worth of property has changed hands since the new railroad was an assured thing.  New houses are going up every day, and we think we see the light of day dawning at last."

"What can you buy good town lots at now?"

"Well there isn't a single lot left on the square, but lots that could be bought a few months ago for twenty five dollars are now selling for two hundred and fifty dollars.  This will give you an idea of how the things is moving and I am sure the values are not increasing on an inflation basis."
Captain Watson seemed thoroughly alive to the interest of Jackson, and feels sure that the town will be a little city in a short while:  "Why," said he, "we have one of the finest sections in the cotton belt to back us, besides as fine a grain growing county as is to be found in middle Georgia.  The farmers around here are not deeply in debt, and the present boom is on a solid foundation to start with.  Business men of sagacity(?) are waking up to this fact, and are coming in very fast.  Since the boom started, everything has an upward tendency.  Colonel George W. Adair, of Atlanta, has bought a number of lots around the depot here, and will offer any one a bargain who desires to come here and invest.

The prospect are that the business will gradually work towards the depot, of course but that will not injure the general value of other town property in the least.  The fact that the railroad is here is quite enough to put spirit of enterprise into the people which will keep the thing going.  I am very glad to see these evidences of Jackson's prosperity, and as the cleave citizens are putting together, no fear is entertained that the growth of the place will be retarded.  Already men of means here are talking of manufacturing enterprises and ere long it may be confidently expected that the music of the spindles will charm the ear of the Jacksonians.

POINTS

Colonel Van McKibben is one of ruling as well as the shining light of Jackson.  He is a property owner to a considerable extent, and is also building a number of houses.  Colonel McKibben is a member of the legislature, and is one of the ablest men in this section of the state.  His fame is a lawyer here about is second to none.  He speaks hopefully of his town.

Jackson's live young mayor, Mr. Y. A. Wright, is satisfied that the town will have 1,500 inhabitants in less than two years.

Editor Harp, of the Jackson News is publishing a lively paper.  He came here less than a year ago, and is working like a Trojan in the interest of Jackson.  His newspaper office is an unique affair, and is also somewhat of a curiosity.  I went in to see him and found him in a small cottage near the square.  His pretty young wife was assisting to set type while he was doing a similay work with up rolled sleeves.   The News has a good circulation I am glad to state.
Land that was worth $20 per acre five years ago is worth $800 now.  There is an ordinance recently enacted by the town council that no more frame stores are to be erected.  Hereafter nothing but brick houses will be allowed.    C. T. L.

Jackson News - April 19, 1882