Wofford
Settlement
(Received
from Helen Fazio)
The
Georgia Genealogist p. 1 County Records, Franklin County, Wofford Settlement
Militiamen and Settlers
The trials and tribulations of frontier citizens was never more apparent than the saga of Georgia's Wofford Settlement, located on the boundary of Franklin County in the Cherokee territory. William Wofford, from whom the settlement took its name, was born in Maryland in 1728, and in early life moved with his family to Spartanburg County area of South Carolina. During the Revolution many patriots from this region were forced to flee the Tories and took refuge in the upper Catawba River region of North Carolina. They erected a fort called Fort Charles. With the close of the Revolution many moved across the Savannah River and into the newly opened lands of Georgia. Here every man could receive a headright of 100 acres for himself and 50 acres for each member of his family or slave. Wofford joined this migration and came to Georgia. His first known land purchase was in Franklin County on 12-21-1792 when he bought a tract granted to JOSEPH MARTIN RUSSELL 3-17-1786 in the fork of Nancy Town Creek and Middle Fork of Broad River. To occupy and hold the land required fighting the Cherokee Indians, so probably their first act was the construction of a fort. This "station" as it was then called is described by the state's Adjutant General in a tour of the frontier in 1793, at which time there were 4 or 5 families in residence.
During
the period following the Revolution Georgia made numerous grants of land to
both citizens on headright, and soldiers, in the region called Franklin
County. Unfortunately for all
concerned, some of these grants were "given" by the state for lands
clearly located in Cherokee Indian territory! Thus settlers with bona fide
state grants occupied and improved lands only to find when the federal
government ran the boundary that these tracts belonged to the Cherokees. We see many of these men named in the
militia lists and petition which follows, whose grants have been printed
earlier among the names of Franklin County grantees!
An
undated map drawn by William Wofford for the benefit of the Governor, George
Mathews, shows the various major settlements along the frontier about
1795. We can pinpoint some of the
locations on modern maps through creek names.
Also Currahee Mountain, standing at Toccoa, Ga., is shown, and Col.
Jones' Fort is on the site of Fort Lamar, Madison Co., Ga., and Black's Fort
just west of my home on the Jackson-Madison County line. Wofford included the presumed boundary of
Franklin with the Cherokee Indians, and also the Franklin-Wilkes dividing line. Keeping in mind that Elbert County, shown on
the map, was cut from Wilkes County in December 1790, we find that some of the
militia reports for Franklin County forts were under the command of an Elbert
County leader.
Unless
otherwise noted, all of these documents transcribed are on file at the Georgia
Department of Archives, Atlanta, Ga.
30334.
(Received
from Larry Thomas)
1783-1798
Franklin Co., GA
History
of Franklin Co. GA page 107
13th
September 1798
His
Excellence James Jackson, Gov. of Georgia.
We
are induced from the peculiarity of our situations as Frontier citizens of
Jackson & Franklin Counties to address your Excellency and implore your
interposition in our favor. - We beg leave to represent that we hold titles
derived from Grants issued by the State of Georgia for Lands which have proven
to lie beyond the temporary boundary line, lately extended under the
Superintendence of Colo. Hawkins, Agent of Indian affairs for the United
States; that these lands, which we have honestly paid for, which we have been
at great Labour and expence to improve and on which (exposed to savage
depredations for Several years) we have hazarded the lives of ourselves and our
families, we are now forbidden to occupy. - Thus after exhausting all our
resources in the purchase & improvement of Lands, we are now told that we must
abandon these homes, destitute (as we are) of the means of providing others for
our families.
The lands we hold were granted between the
years 1783 & 1788 which we need not remark to your excellency was anterior
to the Treaty concluded to New York.- We think it proper also to observe that
evident inaccuracies have been commited in running of the line from the
Currawhee Mountain to the source of the Appalachee, by which that line has been
thrown much further in upon the inhabitants than it would have gone if it had
been carried direct from one of these points to the other.-
We pray that your excellency will have the
goodness to signify to us by letter addressed to Capt. John Little to the care
of Daniel Beall Esq. At Franklin Court
House, or in any other way that your Excellency may deem proper and expedient,
your opinion.
If your excellency has the power of
affording us relief we count with great confidence on receiving it. If your Excellency has not that power, we
beg that you will represent our situation to the next Ligislature and implore
for us that redress which your excellency may think our cases entitled to.
We have the honor to be with profound
respect,
Your Excellencies Most Obedt Servts,
(Signed)
There
followed the signatures of Philip Thomas, John Thomas, Wm. Thomas, Philip
Thomas Jr., Abednego Downing, Geo. Waters, Levi Taylor, James Huit, Solomon
Huitt, Wm. Alexander Tansey, Jesse Austin, Tho. Barnard, Lucas LeCroy, Thomas
Lean, Equila McKrakin, James McKrakin, Holcom, Geo. Hopper, Wm. Weatherspoons,
Hugh Hartgrove, Nathaniel Wofford, Richard Burkes, Benjamin Wofford, Richard
Lay, Nicholas Smith, Nathan Smith, O(w)en Carpenter, James Minnerd, Nicholas
Nuton, Stephen Smith, (an illegible signature of the original document), Lewes
Dickeson, Joseph Halcom, Jno. Parker, John Ratley, Thomas Warren, Robert
Shipley, John Shipley, Nathaniel Shipley, William Little, Joseph Dunnegame,
Ande Dunnegane, E. Dunnegame, Moses Terell, Jno. Little.
(Received
from Helen Fazio/Warren Brooks)
1790-1798;
1804 Franklin Co., GA
Summary
of a Report of Colo. William Wofford, made to Colo. Return Jonathan Meigs, agent to the Cherokee
Indians, Southwest Point, regarding the number and condition of the Settlers
living in and near the "Wofford Settlement", on the Frontier of
Georgia and the Cherokee Nation of Indians – lying between the Currahee
Mountain and the headwaters of the Oconee River.
Territory
by Colonel Benjamin Hawkins Line, 1st February 1798
1.
Colo. William Wofford
12. Amos Bowling (R)
2.
Luca McCray (R)
13. Samuel Reid (R)
3.
Benjamin Wofford
14. Charles Wells (R)
4.
Thomas Barnard (R)
15. Richard Burkes
5.
Moses Halcom 16. Equiea McCracken (R)
6.
William Bright (R) 17. James McCracken
7.
Nathaniel Wofford
18. John Collins (R)
8.
George Hopper
19. Jesse Austin
9.
Thomas Hopper (R)
20. Augustine Brown (R)
10.
Richard Lay (R)
21. John Straun (R)
11.
William Weatherspoon
22. Garrat Smethers (R)
Due
to intermarriages, etc; Among original settlers of Wofford's
23.
Robert Brown
32. Robert Mahan
24.
William Brown 33. Jesse Dean
25.
William Alred 34. William Taylor (R)
26.
William Hartgrave (R) 35. Garland Lean
27.
Robert Little (R) 36. Charles Crawford
28.
Samuel Bright 37. David Clark
29.
Hugh Hartgrave
38. Matthew Alexander
30.
William L. Croy 39. Jacob Loughridge
31.
Lucas L. Croy 40. John Bland
Nathan
Smith's Settlers - Original Settlers left outside of Colo. Hawkins
line
1st. February 1798
41.
Nathan Smith
48. Thomas Warren
42.
James Minyard
49. Joseph Halcom (R)
43.
Michael Oliver (R)
50. Charles Warren (R)
44.
Stephen Smith (R)
51. William Thornton (R)
45.
Nicholas Smith (R)
52. Johnson McKinney (R)
46.
Owen Carpenter
53. Lewis Dickenson
47.
Jack Parker (R)
New
Settlers to Nathan Smith's Settlement
54.
Isham Smith 65. James Brown
55.
John Smith 66. Temple Carpenter
56.
Adam Sheffield
67. John Warren
57.
James Keys
68. James Hamilton
58.
Joseph Shelton
69. Nimrod House
59.
Samuel Spencer
70. James Alred
60.
William Spencer
71. Thomas Bullen
61.
Richard Jacks
72. William Newton
62.
John Huitt 73. ______ Snow
63.
Jacob Hollingsworth
74. Asa Walker
64.
Moses Alred
75. Morgan Guest
Nathan
Smith's Settlement Cont'd:
76.
William Smith 78. George Morgan
77.
Averitt Smith 79. Reuben Warren
Capt.
John Little's Settlement. Original Smith's group.
80.
John Little (R)
83. James Huitt (R)
81.
William Little (R)
84. Solomon Huitt (R)
82.
Samuel Little (R)
New
Settlers in Smith's settlement.
85.
Garrot Watts
90. Peter Bougress
86.
Jesse Scarborough 91.
Lewis Williams
87.
Lewis Phoebus
92. Mastin Williams
88.
Jesse Dodd
93. Gideon Cantlebury
89.
William Dodd
94. Stephen Williams
Joshua
Darnigan's Settlers. Original settlers Darnigan's group.
95.
Joshua darnigan (D)
98. William Lawrence (R)
96.
Joseph Dunnagon
99. Robert Montgomery (R)
97.
James Cunningham (R) 100.
William Tansey (R)
Darnigan's
new settlers.
101.
Ezekiel Dunagan 104. Isaiah Dunagan
102.
Thomas Wafer 105.
John Peak
103.
Joseph Wilson
106. Solomon Peak (T)
N.
B. Interim Changes
(R)
- Removed
(D)
- Deceased
(T)
- Tenant - lives in Georgia.
New
Settlers - Intruders after line was run - None are connected to Wofford.
107.
Otwell 120.
Megee 131. Shepherd
108.
Carroll 121.
Holland 132. Cavender
109.
William 122. Dunman 133. Myers
110.
McKinney 123.
Nations 134. Myers
111.
Grissett 124.
Nations 135. Manning
112.
Rooks 125.
Reed 136. Robinson
113.
Hill 126.
York 137. Lindsey
114.
Brogdon 127.
York 138. Cornwell
115.
Castleberry 128.
York 139. Mullens
116.
Warren 129. Gray 140. Mullens
117.
Strickland 130.
Heath 141. Mullins
118.
Armstrong 142. Young
119.
Bevin
Additional
know settlers.
143.
John Martin Russell (1)
144. _______ Vickery (2)
(1)
Party from whom Colo. Wofford purchased his land-adjoining Smith's
Settlement,
Broad River and Nancy Town Creek.
(2)
Verified by Colo. Return J.
Meigs in letter of 25th. August, 1812, that
Cherokees
have extended the cession 10 miles farther South and West to take
in
the last settler one Vickory.
N.
B. Settlr no. 14 - Charles Wells removed to the Western Country.
Settlers
nos. 26 and 27 - i. e. Robert Little and William Hartgrove removed
to
the Cumberland Country six weeks before the order came.
THE STORY OF A TREATY
The first confrontation of the Cherokees
with the new Government was at Hopewell on the Kiowee (S. C.) November 28,
1785. A Frontier was agreed upon at
this meeting called the Hopewell Treaty line.
In the meantime land grants continued and the State of Georgia, as well
as the others were growing and developing.
A Colonel William Wofford, late Revolutionary officer, with family and
friends came to Franklin County, Georgia, acquired land and began a settlement
in 1790. On February 1, 1798, Colonel
Benjamin Hawkins and survey party came by Colonel Wofford's settlement,
thirteen years after the Treaty was made, and found that many of his settlers
were on the wrong side of the Frontier and in the Cherokee Lands.
As soon as the Cherokees knew of the
"intrusion" immediate demand was made for their removal. Negotiations continued until a Treaty was
finally made as is developed by the documents following, in part.
The Agreed Price was $5,000.00 plus
$1,000.00 annuity in perpetuity. Twenty years later the Treaty had been lost
nor had any more than the first $5,000.00 been paid. It was ever questioned by the War Department that such treaty had
been made. Former President Thomas
Jefferson was one of those questioned and portions of his reply are
included. In 1824, the Treaty was
ratified by the U. S. Senate and the $20,000.00 accumulated was paid.
(Received
from Helen Fazio)
History
of Franklin Co., GA; Franklin Co. Hisotrical Society. Roswell: W.
H.
Wolfe Assoc., 1986
p.111
'.....
the Adjutant General makes several comments relative to the joint efforts of
the frontier (our forefathers) with that of the Government to secure the line
of defense and states that this joint effort is not the influence of the
Contingent Fund alone. He states
several times in the report that the Fund provided by the Government is
inadequate and says of the Governor - "he watches the danger of his exposed
fellow citizens on the Frontier every moment, that his plan for promoting
public safety is formed to soothe the inefficiencies of the Treasury."
Of
the 13 stations (forts) which were visited on this tour, the erection of
blockhouses was recommended for four.
The locations of the forts were obtained from the military map of
1793. The recommendations are
summarized with direct quotations used occasionally.
11.
Wofford's Station - On Middle Fork Broad River in northern Franklin County near
Currahee Hills. "This fort contains 5 families and commands four rifles, 3
muskets and two (Tusces?) <could be pieces>; it is built on a rising
ground, but commands no water; therefore a well is immediately to be
digged. This building was
appraised." '
I
tried to type as it was. Hopefully
everything will line up the way I typed it.
I hope someone finds this useful.
Laurie
in NY
BURKS
& MCCRACKEN