by: Byron Bean - Piedmont College Student
At the close of the Civil War in 1865, the section where now is
located the beautiful and thriving little city of Cornelia, was a
typical mountain forest. There was no residences close about the
present business center of the town; for it is stated on good
authority that the spot was so well secluded that a "moonshiner"
located the Southern Railway Company's pumping station. But about
the year 1872, the Atlanta and Charlotte Air Line Railroad was
graded through this section and the owner of that "moonshine" still
remarked that he believed that the contractors would cover up his
still if he did not move it away. Progress won out and the still was
moved.
In 1873 the Atlanta and Charlotte Air Line Railroad began operating
trains over its line and for nine more years the sound of the
locomotive's whistle echoed over the forest-clad hills which today
constitute the site of Cornelia. In 1881 the Richmond and Danville
Railroad Company leased and took over the Atlanta and Charlotte Air
Line Railroad, and the entire line was operated between Atlanta and
Washington under the name of the Richmond and Danville Railroad
until the banking house of J. P. Morgan and Company came upon the
scene and reorganized and welded together a large number of short
lines in the south, and thus created the present Southern Railway
System.
In 1882 the Blue Ridge and Atlantic Railway Company opened up its
line extending from a point on the Richmond and Danville
northeastward toward that break in the mountains famous in history
as Rabun Gap. The point of contract of the Blue Ridge and Atlantic
Railway with the Richmond and Danville Railroad was called Rabun Gap
Junction, which is the present site of Cornelia, and the railroads
are now the Southern and Tallulah Falls. From the day the Blue Ridge
and Atlantic Railroad began operations, there were signs of building
activities in and around Rabun Gap Junction. Thomas Capps and Thomas
Payne established the first business house of any importance in the
struggling village. It grew and prospered until the year 1884, when
Peter King and I. T. Sellers bought the business and operated it for
more than twenty years as King & Sellars, this strong firm later
selling out to L. Y. Irvin, who is today operating the business as
the largest department store in this section of the state.
For several years after Rabun Gap Junction came into existence the
Richmond and Danville Railroad had no depot facilities at this
point. The citizens of the town finally enlisted the aid of Judge
Pope Barrow, who was an attorney for the railroad, and he secured
for the town a depot. In appreciation of his efforts it was decided
to change the name of the town from Rabun Gap Junction to Cornelia
in honor of Mrs. Cornelia Barrow, the wife of Judge Barrow.
Among the men prominent in the early history of the town were Thos.
Kimsey, Perry Blackburn, J. A. Walker, J. L. Maxwell, I. T. Sellars,
J. M. Biggers, Peter King, Henry L. Smith, B. W. Grant, Sr., and C.
H. Sellars. A number of small businesses began to spring up about
the junction and there was steady growth but no boom. In the early
nineties, Henry L. Smith conceived the idea of encouraging the
growth of the town, and, having come into possession of a large
tract of land on the south side of the railroad, he sub-divided a
large portion of it and deeded "every other lot" to the railroad
company in order to secure the help and influence of the railroad
officials in stimulating the growth of the town. Mr. Smith also
donated to the town the tract, or site, on which is now located the
present school building and auditorium.
About the year 1903 a disastrous fire occurred in the block now
known as the Stovall Block and practically cleaned out all frame
structures. Martin and Oakes came upon the scene and purchased the
lots made vacant by the fire, and in 1904 erected the (?) gentlemen
finally disposed of their interests to Mr. W. I. Stovall, who
continued to develop this block until it is by many odds the largest
individual holding in the town. In fact, it is stated on every side
that Mr. Stovall has contributed more to the development and growth
of the town than any other individual.
In 1939 the First National Bank was organized and opened for
business with a paid in capital of $30,000 by C. J. Hood, C. W.
Grant, G. B. Irvin, P. Y. Duckett and others. About the years
1910-12, bonds were issued and a system of waterworks and sewerage
was installed. Business has increased in the town until there are at
present two banks, two wholesale house, two modern hotels, and about
fifty other business houses and places. The population of the town
has grown from nothing in 1873 to about 2,000 souls in 1927.
The hotel interests of the town have contributed a large share to
the growth and development of Cornelia. The first hotel in the town
was operated by Oliver Wyley and stood on the present site of the
Jackson Hotel. Soon after the opening of this hotel, B. W. Grant,
Sr., came to Cornelia and opened the Grant Hotel on the site of the
present Stovall Hotel. He operated this hotel most successfully
until the Wyley Hotel burned, when he purchased the lot made vacant
by the fire and build a large, modern hotel and ran it for a number
of years as the Grant Hotel and made it famous by advertising it as
serving chicken pie 365 days of the year. Mr. Grant made this hotel
one of the most popular between Atlanta and Charlotte. He enjoyed an
overflow patronage, and he and his most estimable wife broke
themselves down in their efforts to take care of the traveling
public that called on them continuously; and about the year 1912 he
sold out to Mr. Jos. W. Jackson, who operated the place as the
Commercial Hotel until the disastrous fire of 1925, when he rebuilt
on a larger scale than ever, and it has since been operated under
the name of the Jackson Hotel. About the year 1912, the Stovall
Hotel was erected on the site of the first Grant Hotel and has been
operated very successfully.
The town of Cornelia was incorporated by an act of the legislature
October 22, 1887, and the commission-form of government was provided
for. Jas. H. Biggers, C. H. Sellars, J. C. Edwards, L. W. Grant,
Sr., and I. T. Sellars were named in the act as the first
commissioners. This form of government remained for about four
years, when it was changed to a form which provided for a mayor and
councilmen. Under the last act, Major Scott was the first mayor of
the town. All the administrations of the city's affairs have been
progressive and its strides have been notable.
In fact, the town has been built by progressives in its government
and it will continue to make progress so long as it selects its best
man to handle its public affairs. Among those who have served the
town in the capacity of mayor are: Major Scott, C. W. Grant, J. L.
Perkins, J. W. Peyton, Wm. Eberhart, Dr. Shirley, W. B. Ellard, L.
Y. Irvin, C. R. Brown, and W. E. Fort. There are a score or more of
able men who have served on the city council and who have
contributed their share to the growth and development of the town.
And the Board of Education has had the best brains of the city to
direct its affairs and it has earned its honors.
A great stimulus to the growth and development of Cornelia has been
its good schools. The first school of any importance was taught in a
frame building in the block and on the site of the present homes of
Ope Ellard and S. M. Benton. Prof. C. W. Grant taught in this
building in the early nineties and also served one term as mayor of
the town while teaching. It was through the untiring efforts of Mr.
Grant that the foundation was laid for the magnificent school system
Cornelia now has. About the year 1897 the attendance had outgrown
the facilities of this frame building and the present commodious
school building was erected. Prof. Grant was offered the
principalship of the school again, but he declined the offer and
Prof. A. E. Booth was elected and served as present or principal of
the school for about five years. In addition to the regular literary
course, Prof. Booth added a training course for teachers, and
students were attracted to this school from all sections of
northeast Georgia.
Among the outstanding teachers who have served the Cornelia Schools
are: C. W. Grant, J. H. Ayers, A. E. Booth, W. C. Marion, Prof.
Powell, and N. V. Dyer, the present superintendant. The buildings
have been enlarged until approximately 500 pupils can be
accommodated, and the school has the largest and best equipped
auditorium in northeast Georgia.
And while the town has been busy building a magnificent school
system, the moral and religious welfare of the people has not been
neglected. Before there were any church buildings the various
denominations held their services in the old frame school building.
About the year 1896 the Methodists built a church and rendered its
use to the Baptist church organization. The Baptist worshipped in
the Methodist building until about 1898 when, under the leadership
of Prof. A. E. Booth, their pastor, they erected their own church
building which served them until about 1914, when the sold the
building to the city and moved into their present commodious home of
worship. The first Methodist church as later moved to its present
site. Among the early Baptist ministers serving the Baptist church
were Rev. Norton, Rev. Goode, Prof. J. T. Wise, and Rev. J. H.
Ayers. The Presbyterian church was erected about the year 1908.
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Bits of Habersham County GA History
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