Troup County, Georgia

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History

LaGrange, Troup County, GA

12,000 years ago Late Ice age era Clovis and Folsom points were found here, indicate the big game hunters. ^[1][2]

Archaic and Woodland periods were farmers, building burial mounds, with some small platform mounds for the district administrators.. The 200-300 years of cotton cultivation has mostly erased the mounds. If invisible at ground level, they may be seen with infrared photos as dark circles. The early Troup county settlers had reported seeing the mounds. ^[3]

4-300 BC Archaeology shows Muscogeans lived in Georgia. Creek Indians were here when the first Colony of Georgia began. Some of the "Friendly Creeks" established state citizenship still live here. The Creeks were more skilled in the farming food crops than the white settlers. Shrewd Creeks shifted to producing surplus food crops and sold the surpluses for cash outside the Creek Nation . ^[3]

900 AD Macon Plateau -- One of the earliest “advanced” indigenous towns was founded by new Mayas. They brought Mesoamerican culture traits to Georgia, spoke "Itsati" (hitchiti in English), and called themselves Itsati. ^[4]

1715 Creek and Cherokee War: Cherokee leaders invited all Creek Confederacy’s leaders to a friendly diplomatic conference in the town of Tugaloo, on the Savannah River and the boundary between the two peoples. The attending leaders of the Creek Confederacy murdered in their sleep here, which began a 40 year war between the Cherokees and Creeks. Cherokees were armed by South Carolina, thus gaining a toehold in northeastern Georgia. After the Colony of Georgia was founded in 1732 and allied itself with the Creeks, the war changed. ^[4]The Koweta’s quickly destroyed all the Cherokee towns in North Georgia and the lower half of western North Carolina. A Cherokee town in North Carolina, Quanasee, was captured by an army of teenage girls.^[1]

Post 1793 Trading and marauders crossed near La Grange. Here, Creeks made plans for their night attacks on the settlers, or would leave the bloody trophies and talk of the settlers' screams. The Creek Indians celebrated the Green Corn Dance, and drank the black drink, to reconcile the Great Spirit for the mission they were going on. ^[5]

Post1793 White Men, commanded by Col. M and Major Adams arrived near the river. Here they waited for sunset to surprise the enemy. In the moonlight when they heard a moaning sound and screams of “Beware.” Col. M and others declined going across to the Indian village with Major Adams. Finally a small and frail man, named Hill volunteered to accompany him. As they tried to cross the river, the current carried Mr Hill away. Major Adams jumped in the river and rescued Mr. Hill, then left him on the bank to recover and set out alone. He doubled back to find the village. When he arrived all Indians were asleep. The Indians awakened rushed out, so Adams jumped into some bushes. After the Indians went back to sleep, Adams related the events to the White group who then accompanied him back to attack as instructed. They were able to destroy the Village, and kill the Indian warriors. They captured the women and children, setting fire to the village. It is called Burnt Village^[5][6]

1812-1815 War of 1812 and Red Stick War The United States declared war on the Redsticks when people were killed at theFort Mims massacre. A Creek regiment of northeast and southeast Georgia Creeks were raised to fight the Florida British Rangers. West Georgia Creeks also volunteered to fight the Redsticks. The "mikko", William McIntosh became Brigadier General in the US Army. The Creek, Cherokee and Choctaw were promised they could stay in their homeland forever if they fought the Redsticks, which was a lie. Andrew Jackson’s Tennessee Volunteers might have been all defeated except there were friendly Creeks and Cherokees fighting with the Tennessee Volunteers. Creek officers saved Jackson's life. Jackson demanded Creeks to give up (20 million acres) for allowing the Red Sticks to rebel. ^{[4] [1]}

Grand Hotel, Hogansville

1813-14 Improved roads and plantation explosion near the Creek farms at first brought prosperity. The Redstick war outlaws destroyed friendly Creek properties, assaulted women, murdered families. ^[1]

George Michael Troup was Governor of Georgia (1823 to 1827). The treaty of Troupe, Feb 12, 1825 during Gov. Troup's administration was negotiated by the USA with the Creek Nation. This was for the Creeks to cede the territory where they had been living. Governor Troup and his first cousin, Creek Mekko William McIntosh, head Chief of the Creek Indians played a critical role in the removal of Creeks Indians from western Georgia, with William McIntosh as Head Chief of the Creek Nation. The ceded lands included lands which are now Troup County. ^{[4] [7][2]}

The title for the chiefs of the Creeks " Mekko", which is a Maya word. Creek families of the territory controlled by the Creek Confederacy lived in log cabins on farms similar to those of the White settlers. Creek veterans returned from the war of 1812, to find their buildings burned and needed to bury their families. Future boundaries in 1825 of Troup County were ceded to the United States. ^[1]

1825 The Creek people ceded Lee, Muscogee, Troup, Coweta, and Carroll counties in the Treaty of Indian Springs to Georgia. By Dec 11, 1826 Troup county was 447 sq. mi in size. It was named for Georgia governor, George Michael Troup, (1823-1827), who also served in the U.S. Senate and nominated for president of the United States.. Later, he was nominated to be president of the United States. ^{[8][1][9][10][2][11]}

The USA bought the lands belonging to the Creek Indians for Georgia between the Flint and Chattahoochee Rivers for $400,000. ^[12]

1824-Dec 1825 LaFayette was staying in America and stayed two weeks in Georgia as a guest of Gov. Troup.^[6]

1825 Western Georgia planters and squatters were greedy for more land. Politicians began the talks at McIntosh's Indian Springs Hotel and paid money to McIntosh and families to sign the treaty with Georgia. They did not invite the Creek Nation leadership. Ocmulgee bottoms land was reserved for the Creeks. When the Creek National Council heard of the scam they ordered the execution of the Indian Springs Treaty signers, including McIntosh. ^[1]

^[13]

1825 Treaty of Indian Springs ceded Lee, Muscogee, Troup, Coweta, and Carroll counties was ceded by the Creek to the United States, with the sponsorship of Gov. Troup, 34th governor of Georgia, U.S. representative, and senator.. Acts of the Georgia General Assembly created boundaries for the counties. ^{[14] [2][15]}

1825-26Troup County, Georgia was formed by the Georgia legislature act and the #63 county near the Alabama border with (4 other counties) from the Creek Indian lands. It is named for the Georgia governor, George Troup. ^[16][15]

Troup Co Militia Districts - Lots

1826 The land was (12) land districts of (3,146 land lots) between the Chattahoochee and Flint Rivers. Troup County developed military districts with 200+ men able to carry arms and take annual military training. Districts seemed to be numbered as they were created in mostly the order of creation. This land was purchased from the State of Georgia (Third section) for $400,000. However Georgia had received the land in the treaty signed at Indian Springs by William McIntosh. ^[7]By 1827 Lots of (202 1/2 acres) .were distributed in land lotteries. Later smaller fractional lots were sold in 1850^{[8] [6]}Settlers built log cabins by cutting the logs from the forest with a broad axe. They had lofts so the women and children could climb up there to escape from wolves if the men were away in the fields. Pioneers from Virginia and the Carolinas settled here.Some of these early houses were built with lofts reached by ladders in order that the women and children could escape from wolves while the men were working in the fields and forests. These early pioneers were from Virginia and the Carolinas.^[17][6][18]

1. 1086 Pool’s Mill, created May, 1853.
2. 1689 Salem, created April, 1910.

Districts were named due to the muster location. Pleasant Hill/ Rough Edge did not apply as it was voted on whether to call the courthouse building being built from “Square Edge” or “Rough Edge” lumber. "Rough Edge" carried the vote, so Pleasant Hill became changed to "Rough Edge". ^[17]

Marquis de La Fayette

1828 The county selected its county seat as LaGrange which was incorporated 1828. It is named for the county home of the Marquis de Lafayette of the American Revolution (1775-1883).Other towns in the county are Westpoint in the southwest became Franklin, Georgia in 1831 and Hogansville, which was incorporated 1870.^[16][15][6]

1830's-1840's Collin Rogers (also known as Cullin Rogers) was an antebellum architect in Coweta Troup County. He designed and built the Henderson-Orr House in 1832 in rural Coweta County, as a Neoclassical style house.

Rogers did not have formal architecture training, but learned to design by working using guides of authors such as Minard Lafever, Langley and E. Shaw.. He worked with his brother, Henry also a builder. in the 1830's alone, The brothers owned (50 slaves to do the working and crafting of the houses. This included Large Plantation houses such as Magnolias (McFarland-Render House, 1830–33) in LaGrange, Henderson-Orr House (1832), Nathan Van Boddie House (1836), Edwards-Phillips House (1835–40), and the The Fannin-Truitt-Handley Place (1835-40) ^[19]

Broad St Dist. homes designed by Colllin Rogers

The Magnolias (McFarland-Render House) was the town home for one of the county's wealthiest planter. This had a floor plan, Rogers used in all which was Georgian with (4 rooms dived by a center hall). This home had a 4-column portico, carved entrance.^[19]

Henderson-Orr House was an I-house (one room deep, two story) ^[19]

Nutwood (1833), Nathan Van Boddie House (1836), Edwards-Phillips House (1835–40), and the

Fannin-Truitt-Handley Place (1835-40) in Troup county^[19]

1834-36 (20,000 Creeks) migrated from Alabama to the Indian Territory of Oklahoma. This left (20,000) in Georgia, Florida, and Alabama. Harassment there caused more Creeks to migrate to Oklahoma before 1880.^[1]

1853 Bellevue was the home of Benjamin Hill, a senator from Georgia in U.S. and Confederate congresses. Designed in the Greek revival style, the house was completed in 1855.^[16][15]

Bellvue, home of Benjamin Hill

1857 Men of the community were chartered by the General Assembly o f Georgia as "The Diligent Firemen" Some were: B. Jones, Robert F. Maddox, Friend O. Rogers, Burrell B. Cook. ^[6]

1860 Troup County was the 4th most wealthy county and the 5th largest slave holding county in Georgia. This is due to the Piedmont area having planted antebellum short staple cotton, which increased with the cotton gin invention.^[2]

Troup County is located in west central Georgia. It was named after George M. Troup, the 35th governor of Georgia, a member of the House of Representatives and a United States Senator. Troup and his first cousin, Creek Mekko (town leader) William McIntosh, played a critical role in the removal of Creeks Indians from western Georgia.^[7]

1860-65 Civil War Troup County residents were ready to serve the Southern cause. LaGrange was on the Atlanta and West Point railway, which remained open almost until the end of the war. LaGrange became a hospital center for the Confederates. The Confederate senator, Benjamin Hill lived in Belleview (built 1853 to 1855). ^[16][15]

Marker for Fort Tyler

Apr 16, 1865 Battle of West Point was near Fort Tyler,Georgia Alabama line. ^[16] This was the last Confederate fort to fall in the Civil War. Fort Tyler had been built to protect railroad and wagon bridges across the Chattahoochee River, was (35 yd square). It was earthworks and surrounded by a ditch (12 ft wide, 10 ft deep) and enclosed by wooden abates .

1865 The last of the Point Coupe, Louisiana and Waittes' South Carolina Batteries along with young boys and convalescing Confederates, held off the attack by 3,500 Union forces. Commanders were Gen. R.C. Tyler, Col. J.H. Fannin, Capts. Gonzales, Trepanier and Webb, Lieuts. Montgomery and McFarland. ^[20]

1861- 65 Civil War The Creek Mounted Rifles were precursor for the Mosby's Rangers and Nathan Bedford Forests cavalry of the Civil War. Chilly McIntosh (brother to William McIntosh) and a Georgia-born Cherokee Stand Watie, were the last Confederate field officers commanding units in the field at the end of the War.^[1]

1862-65 Creek Mounted Rifles were the prototype for Mosby’s Rangers and Nathan Bedford Forest’s cavalry in the Civil War; plus the Australian Mounted Rifles in the Boer War. Chilly McIntosh and a Georgia-born Cherokee Stand Watie, became the last Confederate field officers commanding units in the field at the end of the Civil War. During the Civil War, about (9,000 Creeks) died in Union concentration camps in Kansas due to starvation.^[1]

Apr 17, 1865 The Nancy Harts (a corps of ladies) defended LaGrange from Union troops led by Col. Oscar LaGrange. The Nancy Harts corps surrendered their arms after the Colonel promised not to burn the town of LaGrange. ^[16]

LaGrange mural

Late 1870-80's Entrepreneurs in LaGrange built the county's first cotton mill. Soon other mills and others were rapidly established in this area. Initially they employed only white workers.

Early 1900's post-Reconstruction period White citizens became violent, with (3) lynchings of African Americans in Troup County. This continued through World War II. the 4th man from Troup County was lynched in Harris County. ^[2][15]

1890 A Volunteer fire department was organized under Chief Robert Guinn.^[6]

1900-1930 African Americans emigrated Georgia and other southern states in the Great Migration to find jobs in factories, farms jobs, opportunities different from the Jim Crow South. This was due to their disenfranchisement and oppression. ^[2]

1908 The county was able to establish a paid fire department, with fire chief C.W. Corless. ^[6]

Beall-Dallis House, Nat. Register

1918 La Grange National Bank building was finished. Since the United States was involved in World War I, many women from the homes assumed the place for the men in the work force. Women were also approved to be able to vote. Moon pies were sold in Chattanooga, Tennessee, the Day Light Savings time was authorized by Congress. Production of the Model T Ford began, Willa Cather wrote "My Antonia", and Georgia O'Leefe painted "Three Women ", "the Shimmy" began and Pablo Picasso married.^[21]

Nov 11, 1918, the Influenza Epidemic killed more Americans than the Great War did. See:1918 Flu Pandemic and 1918 Flu Pandemic News Clippings

Sept 8, 1940 Austin Callaway was arrested in LaGrange, as possible attack on a white woman. Armed white men took him from jail, and lynched and shot him. In 2017 a man who had been a child released information that his white family had taken Callaway to the hospital where he died. All feared the KKK. Typically no one was prosecuted. Only the New York Times described this as a lynching. Currently the First NAACP chapter of Troup County began which works for equal justice, and civil rights issues. ^[2]

Grand Hotel, Hogansville, Ga

1947 Harris County, Georgia charged prosperous farmer Henry "Peg" Gilbert, owner and farmer of 100 acres in the county, was charged with harboring a fugitive (Gus Davidson) . Within (4 days) Gilbert had been shot while in jail. Again 2016 The Civil Rights and Restorative Justice looked into the case, finding Gilbert had been beaten severely and shot (5 times) ^[2]

Stark Mill, Hogansville

1960 forward Troup county's economy centered on textile mills. A plant for KIA was built in 1960 in West Point. When the plant opened in 2010, it hired 1,200 employees Interface is also here in Troup County, which manufactures commercial carpet. Cite error 3; Invalid <ref> tag; invalid names, e.g. too many

There are arrowheads to be found in the soil after tilling of plowing reflecting the Native Americans presence here in Troup County. Many pre-European artifacts such as spear and atlas points, with pottery shards. The true "arrowheads" are smaller. Particularly these can be found near the bottomlands of the Chattahoochee River. ^[4]

West Point Historic District

Jan 25, 2017 LaGrange Mayor Jim Thornton and Police Chief Louis M. Dekmar publicly apologized to (200 people) at Warren Temple United Methodist Church for the police's failure earlier to protect Callaway: ^[2]

April 7, 2017 A ransomeware malware attacked the Troup County's computer systems resulting in inaccessible county computers. This was took over 5 days to get all 400 computers as well as the sheriff's office and district attorney's office back online. ^[2]

Bellevue, LaGrange, Georgia

Bellvue (La Grange, Georgia was the home of former senator Benjamin Harvey Hill, who opposed secession, was a Confederacy senator (1853-55), yet opposed to the Reconstruction Era legislative acts. The home is , designated as National Historic Landmark, Greek revival design and a house museum. Harvey-Hill had a 1,200 acre plantation estate, and this house on Broad Street. ^[15][22]

Broad St Dist. homes designed by Colllin Rogers

Pleasant Hill to Rough Edge

Pleasant Hill began with a difficult question whether to build a courtroom. It began with a size 16 ft x 20 ft building. Then commissioners brought to a vote whether to build the building with "Square Edge" or "Rough Edge" lumber.. "Rough Edge" won the vote, which eventually carried that name to the old Pleasant Hill district. ^[17]

• http://www.ereferencedesk.com/resources/counties/georgia/troup.html

Adjacent Counties

• Coweta County (northeast) bounds Troup
• Meriwether County (east) adjoining
• Harris County (south) a border
• Chambers County, Alabama (southwest/CST Border). Lanett and Valley are part of Columbus Metro.
• Randolph County, Alabama (northwest/CST Border)
• Heard County (north) north/northwestern

Troup County is bounded on the northeast by Coweta County, GA. On the east, it adjoins Meriwether County, GA. On the south, it is bordered by Harris County, GA. The county’s western boundaries are formed by Chambers County, AL and Randolph County, AL. Heard County, GA forms its north-northwestern boundary.^[1]

Government

• Troup County government is based on an elected county commission, or council. The chairman is elected county-wide, or at-large, and four commissioners are each elected from single-member districts. District 5 includes much of the territory of LaGrange, the county seat and most densely settled community in the county

• Pleasant Hill began with a difficult question whether to build a courtroom. It began with a size 16 ft x 20 ft building. Then commissioners brought to a vote whether to build the building with "Square Edge" or "Rough Edge" lumber.. "Rough Edge" won the vote, which eventually carried that name to the old Pleasant Hill district. ^[17]

1904 Courthouse, which burned 1936.

• 2nd court house burned in November 4, 1936 along with some records.

1939 Courthouse, LaGrange

• 1939 3rd Courthouse was built in LaGrange. It had the stripped classical style, was completed in 1939.

2012 Troup Co. Government Center

• 2012 Government Center

Geography

Size - county has a total area of 446 square miles (1,160 km2), of which 414 square miles (1,070 km2) is land and 32 square miles (83 km2) (7.2%) is water.

Basin/Subbasin - Troup County is in the Middle Chattahoochee River-Lake Harding sub-basin of the ACF River Basin (Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint River Basin)

locale Troup County- west central Georgia.

Creeks, wetland, gave plenty of plants and game animals for food. Native Americans set brush fires in the fall, to drive out the deer, bison, elk and cleared the landscape.

Streams: Bear Creek, Beech Creek, Blue Creek, Blue John Creek, Caney Creek, Carter Creek, Maple Creek, Panther Creek and Sulfur Creek.

Named for George M. Troup, 35th governor of Georgia, a member of the House of Representatives and a United States Senator. Troup and his first cousin, Creek Mekko (town leader) William McIntosh, played a critical role in the removal of Creeks Indians from western Georgia.^[7]

Soil excellent for farming, from the river nearby and the creeks- red clay sub-soil. Sandy loam

Troup County is located in west central Georgia

Location- West Central Georgia, Lower Piedmont with igneous and metamorphisized igneous rock

Terrain plateaus near Newnan is rolling hills, stream valleys

Streams- produce wetlands are soggy terrain, with much animal and plants

Soil- Top soil- Sand loam -thin on hills, slopes, but deeper near streams

Farming lack of crop rotation thus the top soil is eroded and depleted leaving red clay sub-soil

Drainage- the county drains into Chattahoochee River which had entered in West Point lake. The original channel flowed south-southwest to the Alabama state line, then southward.

Dam was built on the lake which increased the river channel.

Protected Areas

• West Point Dam and Lake
• West Point Lake attract tourists - top recreation destinations
• Callaway Gardens attract tourists - top recreation destinations

Demographics

In 2000, there were 58,779 people in the county with a population density of 142 people/sq. mi. The racial makeup of the county was 65.80% White, 31.87% Black or African American, 0.16% Native American, 0.58% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.75% from other races, and 0.78% from two or more races. 1.71% of the population were Hispanic/ Latino of any race. By 2010 there were 67,044 people with a population density of 161.9 people/ sq. mi. In 2010 median income for a household in the county was $41,770 and the median income for a family was $50,625. The per capita income for the county was $19,699. About 15.5% of families and 19.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 30.1% of those under age 18 and 14.2% of those age 65 or over.^[23]

Highways

NOTABLES

RESOURCES

• • West Point Dam and Lake
• LaGrange College, founded i 1831- coeducational Methodist-affiliated institution: 1,000 students. *LaGrange Beautiful homes and gardens, ( part of historic districts or are listed individually on the National Register of Historic Places, were built in the city.
• West Georgia Medical Center is the leading hospital in the county
• West Georgia Technical College serves students in the area
• museums, theaters, ballets, and orchestras.^[16]
• Troup County Books and Resources

Cities

• Harrisonville
• Hogansville

Grand Hotel, Hogansville

• LaGrange
• Long Cane
• Mountville
• West Point

Westpoint, GA.

• Woodfield
• Gray Hill

Census

• The 1860 Troup County census recorded the population to be 6,223 whites, 37 "free colored" and 10,002 slaves.
• In 1870 the white population increased about 3% to 6,408, while the African American population had increased about 12% to 11,224.

• 1960, the county was recorded in the US Census with 31,418 whites and 15,760 African Americans. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 has given African Americans the ability to vote and participate the political process.

Cemeteries

• FindAGrave Cemeteries in Troup County, Georgia
• Troup County hometown locator Cemeteries
• Cemeteries in Troup County

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10} https://www.accessgenealogy.com/native/native-american-history-of-troup-county-georgia.htm
2. ↑ ^{2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10} https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Troup_County,_Georgia
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1}
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4}
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1} https://georgiagenealogy.org/troup/burnt_village.htm
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 6.7} https://georgiagenealogy.org/troup/lagrange_history.htm
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3}
8. ↑ ^{8.0 8.1} https://georgiagenealogy.org/troup/troup-county-georgia-genealogy.htm
9. ↑ https://sites.rootsweb.com/~gatroup/
10. ↑ http://genealogytrails.com/geo/troup/
11. ↑ https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/Troup_County,_Georgia_Genealogy
12. ↑ https://sites.rootsweb.com/~gatroup/
13. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_of_Indian_Springs_(1825)
14. ↑ https://sites.rootsweb.com/~gatroup/
15. ↑ ^{15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 15.4 15.5 15.6} http://www.lagrangechamber.com/live/history/
16. ↑ ^{16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 16.4 16.5 16.6} https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/counties-cities-neighborhoods/troup-county
17. ↑ ^{17.0 17.1 17.2 17.3} https://georgiagenealogy.org/troup/militia_districts.htm
18. ↑ https://sites.rootsweb.com/~gatroup/
19. ↑ ^{19.0 19.1 19.2 19.3} https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/arts-culture/collin-rogers-1791-1845
20. ↑ https://georgiainfo.galileo.usg.edu/topics/historical_markers/county/troup/fort-tyler
21. ↑ http://museum.trouparchives.org
22. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bellevue_(LaGrange,_Georgia)
23. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Troup_County,_Georgia

• Records
• Troup County History
• Troup county archives
• https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/counties-cities-neighborhoods/troup-county
• Troup County Books and Resources

See Also:

• https://georgiagenealogy.org/troup/1836_creek_indian_war.htm