Palacia Harrison Wilson Stewart, known as Dr. Polly Stewart was one of the first woman doctors in Georgia. She was a descendant of the Harrisons of  Jamestown, Va., and her mother was Mary Cabaniss the daughter of George and Palacia Har­rison Cabiness. Her father was Wilson Larkin from Va., born in 1770.

Palacia H. W. Stewart was born April 2, 1805 in Jones County, Ga., on a large plantation two miles east of Bradley. Her home still stands, and has recently been restored by a de­scendant, Mrs. Doris Hungerford Fraley. In front of this home at the time when Polly was growing up were the drill grounds for the Militia. Later she lived not far away at the home built by Thos. Ware Stewart, now known as the Joseph Glawson Place, built in 1842).

Polly Harrison Wilson grew up on the plantation and was an attractive brunette. Her eyes were large and gray with heavy lashes, she had black hair, an exquisite complexion, regular fea­tures with a full lower lip (which the artists called an Egyptian nether lip). She was strong, healthy and very active. At sixteen, she married a man twice her age. On June 22, Thomas Ware Stewart took his girl-bride to his small plantation near Fortville. There Thomas and Polly brought their strength and knowledge to bear and soon they had two thousand acres and many slaves and were successful planters. Polly had thirteen children. When the thirteenth child was six weeks old her husband, Thomas Ware Stewart suddenly died. Polly faced life with thirteen chil­dren, a large plantation and almost one hundred slaves.

Polly had studied and managed to get a fair medical educa­tion, and one May 13, 1848 she had passed examinations and was given a diploma in Medicine by "The Botanica Medical Society^", of Hartford, Conn. This diploma is now in the possession of Miss May Stewart,(granddaughter)  (Miss May Stewart is deceased, copy of diploma in possession of Millie Stewart, great-granddaughter at Macon, Ga., and is signed by H. A. Archer, M. D., Pres., J. J. Jacques, M. D., Vice-Pres., T. S. Sperry, M. D., Sec.

Her services to the counties of Baldwin, Jasper and Jones during the Civil War was a heroic effort. She was constantly called to the bedside of the sick, and gave of her time, means and efforts. She was practical and when the occasion demanded, could use her temper. She was reared an Episcopalian, later joined the Presbyterians and after marriage was a Baptist. She attended church as much as her time would allow, but when she was absent she was distributing alms or caring for the sick. No man in Jones County did more for the Confederacy than Dr. Polly Stewart. Her six sons were in the Confederate Army, and all returned after the war except Polk who was killed and buried in Savannah. It was during the terrible war days that her execu­tive abilities counted most for her county and community. Other women whose impulses were equally generous and patriotic did little or nothing because they were without means, but Polly Harrison W. Stewart provided the means for her purposes. She had her farms producing at a maximum during the war, with all of the drawbacks and difficulties of that period. There were no grown sons at home to help, but she had great managerial ability and her slaves were faithful and worked hard. The many hales of cotton were ginned, the droves of sheep were shorn, the corn and wheat gathered and her spinning wheels, looms and dyeing went on six days a week. She used the bark of the sumac as a dye and could turn out the beautiful shade of Confederate gray used for the soldiers' uniforms.

Dr. Polly Stewart sent wagon loads of provisions to Clinton Milledgeville and Macon. Not a dollar was paid or wanted, for these provisions. She gave gladly and eagerly and kept no rec­ords of her gifts.

In August of 1864 when Stoneman's Raiders met Iverson^'s forces near what is now Round Oak, and Gen. Stoneman surrendered at Sunshine Church 1 1/2 miles south of Round Oak, there were many wounded and killed. The old log church and field school called "Sunshine^", was filled with wounded Federals, with little or no attention. This was seven miles from Dr. Polly Stewart's home,
but she took her daughter, medical supplies, torn up sheets (for bandages), and food and went to that church day after day to care for the sick and wounded. Many people criticized her for doing this, even though she had six sons fight­ing under Gen. Lee and that she was an ardent Confederate. The Federal officer in charge of the base hospital of Sunshine Church was so impressed with her efficiency that he gave her printed notices to post on her land asking that no Federal harm her pos­sessions. When Sherman's forces came through in November plundering and burning, his regular forces did respect the order, but the stragglers and bummers did not, so she lost her property.

Dr. Polly Stewart organized the Jones Co. Soldiers' Relief Society which had as President, Mrs. R. W. Bonner and as Vice-pres., Dr. Stewart, and when Mrs. Bonner died, Dr. Stewart be-came President. Captain Richard W. Bonner, later declared that the Confederate Government should erect a monument in her memory for her devoted services during the war.

She believed in education and saw that all of her children had the opportunity to get an education. She moved to Macon from 1853 to 1860 so that her girls could go to Wesleyan.

Her children were: Thomas Jefferson, Polk, Larkin, Jasper, Joe Day, Mack, Mary Park and Martha, Marion Franklin, Henry J. two children died young. Mary Park mar. Jas T. Fin­ney and her granddaughter is Mrs. Gussie Finney Becking of Signal Mt. Tenn. Jasper Stewart mar. Anne Finney and their children were Henry, Sadie (Mrs. Hunt), Mae, Belle (Mrs. Wooten) and Irene (Mrs. Henry Bonner). Sallie Louisa Stewart married Calhoun and had Sarah Ida Calhoun who married Jackson Clay Barron. Martha married Henry S. Greaves of Clinton. Three sons never married and Polk was killed in the Civil War.

E. G. Newton of Forsyth was the bro. of Palacia Stewart. Thomas Ware Stewart^'s will is recorded at the courthouse in Gray.

Thomas Ware Stewart, b. 3-1-1790, d. 11-18-46. (from Mecklinburgh, N. C. and originally from Ireland)

Samuel Stewart, father of Thos. Ware came from Scotland. He built  (the old Glawson Place) near the old Stewart cemetery and died in Jones Co. 11-18-46.

Dr. Stewart named faithful slaves in her will:
Atlas, Alex, Green, Isaac, Tobey, George, Silas, Jordan and Jim.

There are many descendants of this family still living, some in this county. Dr. "Pally" Stewart went to Pulaski County to nurse her son, Jasper and Anne Stewart^'s children all ill of fever. There, she became ill and came back to Jones Co., to her daughter, Mrs. Henry Greaves (Martha) and died July 11, 1866. So lived and labored Palacia Harrison Wilson Stewart, ^"a perfect woman, nobly planned to warn, to comfort and command^".

For more information on the Life and Times of Palacia contact Millie Stewart

Source: Millie Stewart descendant of Pallie Stewart