Susannah and the Indians

by John Harvey

A recent letter has brought a story of early events to our county.  Here is the story:

Sometime after 1807, a group of families traveling through our area on the way to new lands opened to settlement in Alabama and Mississippi, camped on the edge of Jasper County.  Some of the men, while trading with the Indians, got into an argument with them.  All the adults were killed and the only survivor was a nine year old girl named Susannah.

The Indians dressed her to look like an Indian child.  Later, while trading with a local family, it was noticed that she was a white child because of her blue eyes.  The family traded with the Indians for her. 

In 1823, she was known as Susannah Harvey.  It is not known if this was her true name or if she had adopted it from the family who had rescued her.  She married a Mr. Washington Bunkley of Upson County.  The Bunkley's were the builders oft he railroad between Barnesville and Thomaston.  She had one son, Washington Bunkley, Jr.

Mr. Bunkley died in 1827 and Susannah and her son moved back to Jasper County.  On Sept 9, 1829, Susannah married George Washington Farrar in Walton County.  They had one child, George Washington Farrar, Jr.  Mr. Farrar died in Henry County in 1835 and Susannah with her two children moved back again to Jasper County.

Susannah Farrar married a third time to Thomas Owenby of Jasper County.  The Owenby's were a large family found in two area of Jasper County, in the Cedar Creek area near the Putnam County line, and in the Farrar-Broughton area in the northern area of the county.

Mrs. Hazel Farrar McConnell, a descendant of George Washington Farrar, Jr. has found Susannah in the 1850 census and her marriages in the county records of the counties where they were performed, Upson, Walton and Jasper, but she would like to know more.  She would like to correspond with any other descendants. 

Additional Comments:
Transcribed by Suzanne Forte (suzanneforte@bellsouth.net) April 2005,  from copies of articles contained in the Monticello News. There articles were prepared by Mr. 
John Harvey and published in this newspaper during the 1970's and 1980's time frame. Some were under the title "Jasper Reflections", others "Bicentennial Bits".
Permission has been granted by Mr. Harvey for use of these very valuable and informative articles.

Copies of articles provided by Benny Hawthorne.