| Laid out from Floyd and Cass, in
1850. Bounded N. by Murray and Whitefield, S. by Cass, W. by
Floyd and Chattoga, and E. by Cherokee and Gilmer.
The rivers are the Oostenaula, Coosawattee, and
Connasauga. There are several creeks.
CALHOUN is the county town, distant 22 miles from Spring
Place, 20 from Dalton, 21 from Cassville, 26 from Rome, and 32
from Summerville. This town has increased with rapidity.
Population, 600.
Resaca is five miles north of Calhoun.
Fairmount is twelve miles east of Calhoun.
New Echota is twelve miles east of Calhoun.
Among the early settlers were, JOHN B. ADAMS, D. G. KING,
A. STROUP, T. G. PHILLIPS, U. PHILLIPS, W. H. BAILEY, C. KINMAN,
Wm. CURTIS, N. GRANT, JAMES SHELNOT, JOSEPH WILSON, H. S.
GARDNER, T. B. SHOCKLEY, M. VANDEVIER, D. MORROW, JESSE SWAIN,
O. C. WYLEY, MARTIN DUKE, COLONEL LAWSON, D. S. LAW, JAMES W.
STRANGE, GEORGE STEWART, Dr. GIDEON, D. B. BARRETTE, Dr. WALL,
JAMES LONGSTREET, COLONEL ADAMS, J. R. KNOTT, and others.
Extract from the Census of 1850.---Dwellings, 861;
families, 868. White males 2,646; white females, 2,510. Total
free population, 5,156; slaves, 828. Deaths, 42. Farms, 419.
Value of real estate, $813,935, value of personal estate,
$165,205.
Gordon County received its name from
WILLIAM WASHINGTON GORDON, who
was born in Richmond County, in 1796. His father,
Ambrose Gordon, was a native of
Maryland, and served as Lieutenant of Cavalry under the command
of Colonel William Washington, in the Revolutionary War, at the
close of which he came to Georgia, and settled in Augusta. At a
very early age, he was left by his father under the care of his
uncle Ezekiel Gordon, then residing in New-Jersey. After
remaining at school in Rhode Island for several years, he
entered the Academy at West Point, where he was graduated in
1815; and shortly afterwards was appointed aid to General
Gaines.
Believing that the legal profession afforded a better
field for the exercise of his talents, he resigned his
commission, removed to Savannah, and studied law with the
Honorable James M. Wayne, now one of the Judges of the Supreme
Court of the United States. He practiced his profession with
great success until the early part of 1836, when he was elected
President of the Central Railroad and Banking Company of
Georgia, the arduous duties of which he continued to discharge
until March, 1842, when he died in the city of Savannah, from a
disease produced by the exposure incidental to his office. The
most prominent traits in Mr. Gordon's character were honesty and
firmness of purpose. He richly merited the inscription which the
hand of friendship has placed upon his
monument, now to be seen in the old cemetery of Savannah.
--------
Miscellaneous.
The first Superior Court for this county was held on the
12th of November, 1850. The Grand Jurors were:
| Alexander Stroup, Foreman. |
S. T. King, |
| Uriah Philips, |
D. G. King, |
| Joseph L. Neel, |
Wm. J. Fuller, |
| B. Lowry, |
Dennis Miller, |
| M. Boaz, |
Alexander Stewart, |
| D. D. Roaney, |
B. Kiker, Sen., |
| A. G. B. Vandiveu, |
H. McConnell, |
| D. Morrow, |
Wm. B. Chandler, |
| James H. Burch, |
James Moore, |
| Henry H. Pitman, |
M. M. Douglas, |
| Thomas Bird, |
Oliver C. Wyley. |
| Israel P. Bowen, |
|
At New Echota, Schermerhorn's treaty was made. In
1832 it had 300 inhabitants. Several distinguished Cherokees
resided here, viz., Elijah Hix, Boudenot and Alexander McCoy.
Oothcologa was the residence of the Adairs. It was
sparsely inhabited; but the Indians lived here better than in
other part of the nation.
Siloquoy, on the Tennessee road, was formerly occupied by
the Thompsons, who married natives. The British had an agency
here during the Revolutionary War, conducted by John Waters.
Oostenaula was a large town in 1791. The Indians of this
town were exceedingly hostile to the Americans.
Source:
Historical Collections by White1
|
