Rockdale County, Georgia


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Welcome to the Rockdale County, Georgia GAGenWeb site. My name is Carolyn Golowka and I am the County Coordinator for Rockdale County. I have ancestors who lived in the part of Newton County that became Rockdale County. They were there in the 'early years.' Since I DO NOT live in Georgia and have no access to any records there, please do not ask me for help with your personal research. I really wish I could help, but since I have no records or access to them, I would have to disappoint you. So, do try the look-ups that are listed elsewhere. These folks have resources at their disposal that can help you. What they can help you with is listed. Be specific with what you need, and I know they will try their best. If you have any questions or comments, have any information you would like to submit to the site, or find a broken link, please don't hesitate to contact me.

 


Rockdale County, Georgia History

The following information was compiled from the website for Rockdale County Courthouse at:
http://www.cviog.uga.edu/Projects/gainfo/courthouses/rockdaleCH.htm

and the 1996-1997 edition of the Conyers Southern Directory Phonebook

The land of Rockdale County was first populated by Native Americans. In fact, Hightower Trail is rumored to have been the boundary line between the Creek and Cherokee nations. It certainly was a main passageway to the trading post in Augusta. The early to mid 1800's brought many changes to the territory.  The Native Americans left, leaving a burial ground off Hi Roc Road behind them. In 1816, the area was opened to white settlers. The first was said to be a blacksmith, John Holcombe, who built a log cabin where the Main Street Courthouse now stands.

Rockdale County, Georgia's 135th county,  was created by the Georgia General Assembly on October 18, 1870.  It was carved out of Henry and Newton Counties.  The new county was named for Rockdale Church which had been named for rock, mostly granite, that ran throughout the county.  Conyers, the county seat so designated in 1870 when the county was formed,  was originally known as Rockdale and is shown on maps of the area as early as the 1830's.

In the 1840's, the Georgia Railroad planned for their trains to run through Rockdale, but the land owner would not sell the land.  Dr. Conyers, a Covington banker, bought the needed land and gave the right-of -way to the railroad.  By 1845 there were trains between Marthasville, now Atlanta, and Augusta., and the railroad named the rail stop Conyers' Station.  During this time there was much development of the community.  A settlement including the Salem Baptist Church grew up around Costley's Mill on Big Haynes Creek.  Today, Rock Store is what is left.  By Feb. 16, 1854, the area had developed enough for the General Assembly to incorporate the community, naming it Conyers.  The population at the time was about 400.  By 1890, Rockdale had its own public school system. 

Rockdale today is the second smallest county in Georgia.  It is surrounded by the counties of DeKalb, Gwinnett, Henry, Newton and Walton.  Its size is only 132 square miles and has over 65,000 residents.  Even though Rockdale is small, it is becoming a leader among Georgia counties.  There are 90 manufacturers and three dozen Fortune 500 firms that call Rockdale County home.  In 1996, Rockdale County was the host of the Equestrian events of the 1996 Summer Olympics.


Get to know other Rockdale County researchers.  
See the
Rockdale County Message Board. We look forward to meeting you!

 

Other USGenWeb Special Projects for Newton County

 

The Tombstone Project, Rockdale County

The Tombstone Project is dedicated to preserving information found in cemeteries. Volunteers walk each cemetery and transcribe the information that is available here. You might like to volunteer to transcribe a cemetery where your ancestors are located.

 

The USGenWeb Archives Project, Rockdale County, GA

The Archives works much like the Archives in Atlanta. Here you will find transcriptions of Bibles, biographies, cemeteries, census records, court, estate, & probate records, church records, history, land & deed records, military records, miscellaneous records, newspaper records, obituaries, pictures, slave records, tax records, and vital records which include birth, marriage and death records, and wills. All information here is transcribed by volunteers. You might volunteer to transcribe your copies of original documents and submit them to help others.

The USGenWeb Family Group Sheet Project - Georgia

The USGenWeb FGS Project is designed to help researchers locate family lines through online Family Group Sheets, benefiting from research already done by others who wish to share.

 

 

Rockdale County Links


GAGenWeb Project Surrounding Counties:

DeKalb Gwinnett Henry Newton Walton

About The GA GenWeb Project

Other Counties in the GAGenWeb Project


Links to external web sites are being provided as a convenience and for informational purposes only; they do not constitute an endorsement or approval of any of the products, services or opinions contained in any external web site.

Send Comments about this Rockdale County site to Carolyn Golowka, the Rockdale County Coordinator

I do not live in Georgia so I am unable to help with your personal research questions. All the information I know about Rockdale County is posted promptly on this site. Please visit the "Research Resources" section of this site. I would suggest that if you don't find the information your looking for here, that you join the email list and post your question on the query board. The more places you ask the question, the better your chances of getting an answer.

You can email me above if you have any contributions you'd like to add to this site.

The USGenWeb Project
The GAGenWeb is a Proud Part 
of the USGenWeb Project
Send comments or questions about the GAGenWeb Project to:

Linda Blum Barton, State Coordinator
Trish Elliott-Kashima, Assisstant State Coordinator

© 2002 - 2021 Carolyn Golowka, and this sites contributors. All rights reserved. This information may be used by libraries, genealogical societies and genealogists, however, commercial use of this information is strictly prohibited without prior permission of the owners. If copied, this copyright notice must appear with the information.

This page was last updated on--Friday, 30-Jul-2021 15:45:00 CDT