Brantley County, Georgia

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History/Timeline

Brantley County

1742 Creek Indians originally lived in the area of this 444 sq. mi county. In Colonial times the Spanish and English disputed whose colony this was. The Battle of Bloody Marsh settled the area in favor of the English. During the colonial period, the area fell within the bounds of land disputed by the Spanish and the English, a debate settled in favor of the English following the Battle of Bloody Marsh in 1742. ^[1]

1776-77 Fort McIntosh was built during the early years of the American Revolutionary War for protection of the large cattle herds. Fort McIntosh was under siege by the Tories, 1777 and surrendered. protect the extensive herds of cattle. It was placed under siege from Tories in 1777 and eventually surrendered.^[2]

1776-1777 Fort Mudge also was built in the county. Walt Kelly in the Pogo comic strip has immortalized Fort Mudge. ^[2]

1800's-1850's. Nahunta Georgia was called Victoria Mill, named for a sawmill. Railroads crossed at the site of a sawmill in first Wayne County, Georgia (later Brantley).Victoria Mill was renamed Nahunta.^[3][4]

Railroads to the county were necessary for supplies to be delivered from the coast up through the southern part of the state, due to the location of the Okefenokee Swamp on the south and west of the county.^[2]

1850's-1860's the railroad was the best method to transport timber, naval stores, merchandise, people, and supplies.. The Brunswick and Western Railroad was built through Brantley County and ran west from Brunswick to Waycross in 1861.^[4]

1860 an east-west railroad was built from Waycross across southern Wayne County to Brunswick. ^[5]

1862-65 Civil War parts of the track were destroyed to prevent Union forces from using them. '^[4]

Post 1865 this was named Brunswick and Albany, then later renamed Brunswick and Western Railroad.^[5]

1870's The Tracks were reconstructed. Side tracks were built for loading and unloading timber. This railway stop developed into a community named Nahunta, which was not the same as today's Nahunta. Other similar side tracks grew also into "railroad downs^[5][4]

Sylvester Mumford House.

"Old Nahunta" was north of the present day nursing home and "old E.L. Sears home place" (house later moved to Atkinson). More recent years the area was called Dudeville for Delma Franklin Herrin . A good sized general mercantile store was also near that location during the 1900's which Lawson Morgan operated.. Lawson had a large mansion home here in 1900.^[4]

1900 The Brunswick and Western Railroad (running east and west) caused economic changes. Cutting timber gave jobs to workers. But the Jesup-Folkston Short Linenorth-south railway caused businesses and homes to be built, bringing stimulation.^[4]

1955 Map of Brantley County

1902 the Atlantic Coast Line Short Line from Jesup to Folkston gave an economical push for the small community, (previously ole Victoria Mill), renamed Nahunta. Now it was referred to as "NOW" Nahunta" area. This railway intersection running North- south enabled shipment of the naval stores, timber and the crops raised in the county. It should be remembered the transition did not occur instantly but began to motivate the economics of the area.^[4]

By 1903 Many pioneers relocated to the "New Nahunta". These men gained prominence in the timber business as well as becoming community leaders and built expensive homes. All early houses were built facing the railroad tracks, such as Lary, Brooker, and Knox homes. People did not associate railroad tracks with slums in the early days. William M Roberson home was built 100 years south of the B & W tracks behind the Fred Knox home, facing west.. Brantley County Courthouse was built across the road (Cannon Street). ^[4]

The early days considered Brantley County a "Railroad County" due to the line running through it. ^[4]

1906 This monument to the Confederate dead was erected in Waynesville by the Jesup chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy in 1906.^[1]

1918 -- the Brantley county area residents in Charlton, Pierce and Wayne counties were complaining about their county governments. They lived in rural areas a long ways from where the political decisions were made^[1]

1919- A group of dissatisfied Georgians formed a citizens' committee and began to convince neighbors and finally the state legislature to create a new county. j. K. Larkins was the leader. ^[1]

Oak Grove older Baptist Church

1919 New "Statement of facts" specified the size of the desired county, the Chairman, Senator J.K. Larkin from Hoboken. " Statement of Facts": proposed the county have 423 sq. mi. at least. They recommended 215 miles from Pierce, 185 from Wayne and 23 from Charlton county.. If these miles were approved, the population would move with he land. They mentioned the width covered by the railways (56 miles which paid $8,000. at that time. It had one incorporated town, 1906 Hickox, Georgia. Senator Larken actually was the quarterback. He took the ball and carried it through the Georgia General Assembly. Success! ^[6]

Hoboken.

Hoboken area had good farming and forestland, and was more compatible for industry than the low swampland around Nahunta. Brunswick-Western Railroad provided the necessary transportation for exporting farm goods and naval stores. Rail connections could be made in Waycross or Brunswick to any desired location. In addition, Hoboken had a population of 1,000, a public grade school, 2 naval stores establishments, 2 sawmill plants, and a number of live business enterprises, 2 churches..^[6]

'1920 a bill framed by Senator J. K. Larkins of Hoboken to create a new county, named Brantley, had passed the State Senate by a vote of 46 to 1, and Lower House, on July 28, 1920 by a vote of 148 to 9.The only difference of opinion evidenced in the creation of Brantley County was that of making Hoboken the county site. A compromise added 66 sq. mi more to include small towns of Needmore and Hortense..^[6]

Aug 14, 1920 The County was approved.. Next it had to elect officers and Hoboken designated as the county site. The County was named for the late B. D. Brantley. Justices of the Peace would continue their duties until replacements were elected. The Hoboken schoolhouse was designated the official home of residence for county officials, and identified as the courthouse.^[5]

^[6]

Citizens in Brantley area were upset over the non-participatory county government, and also hindered by slow transportation to county sites. They wanted a county for their own. They heard of 150 counties being authorized. News from Atlanta had already reached the "backwoods" that the Georgia Legislature was handing out new "county designations" freely. Over 150 counties had been authorized already; why not "one more?" The first try was to receive part of Camden, Charlton, Pierce and Wayne Counties and naming it Wilson honoring Mrs. Woodrow Wilson. Neighboring counties objected. ^[6]

Hoboken

Hoboken was in the western portion of Brantley.. But some residents disagreed and petitioned for the county seat to be moved to "Nahunta" ^[5]

Why should Nahunta be the County Site? ^[5]

1) it was centrally located in the county.

2) It had a train-crossing running north,-south and another running east-west.

3) It had a potential for an expected economic boom.

4) The railway line in 1902 brought population growth

5) migration from other Satilla River basin communities such as J.W. Brooker, Dr. D.L. Moore, S. B. Lary, William M. Roberson, and others.

Nahunta logo

1920 with "Nahunta" as county seat, county officials could hold courthouse business in the mornings, then set out on a flat-bottom boat at the railway depot to catch fresh fish for supper. There was fishing water surrounding the nahunta Train Depot on 4 sides. "war-mouth and bream" were the best biting fish near the Depot. had the biggest advantage in being the new county site! Where else could "county officials" conduct courthouse business before noon, launch a flat-bottom fishing boat at the railroad depot, catch a "mess of fish," and still be home in time to clean them for supper? Stories have been told that "fishing water" surrounded the Nahunta Train Depot on all four quadrants, and that "war-mouth and bream" were biting better around the Depot than at other lakes.^{[6] [1]}

1920 The Brunswick and Western Railroad ran through the area (land in the west was better for future industries, the voting booths for he voters were in the Hoboken school house.

Other county residents from the east argued that their rights were violated, and took the county seat issue to court. ^[1]

Nov 2, 1920 Georgia voters ratified a Georgia state constitutional amendment, for the formation of Brantley County from portions of Charlton, Pierce, and Wayne counties. The origin of Brantly co. name is inexact, however it could honer the landowner, Benjamin Daniel Brantley or his sone, US Congress William Gordon Brantley.^[2]

June 21, 1923 A referendum was held and votes were cast.. Totally there were 1,446 favoring Nahunta as county seat, against 458 favoring Hoboken. Thus Georgia General Assembly renamed the county Seat to be Nahunta, by ays later, legislation was approved incorporating Hoboken. Soon, many Brantley County residents petitioned for removal of the county seat to Nahunta. A referendum was held on June 21, 1923, and of the total votes cast, 1,446 favored Nahunta and 458 supported Hoboken. Thus Nahunta was made the new county Seat. By 1925 the legislature had incorporated the town.^[5]

Nahunta, Georgia owes its existence to the 2 railways that entered the old town, bringing new life .^[5]

Here's an image.

pre 1925 the township of Nahunta was chartered in the current locale.... Prior to this, Victoria Mill community (also called "Old Nahunta") was located 1 1/2 miles west of the current north-south Jesup Short Line Railroad tracks. The town made no effort to register the name of either site with the Georgia state government. Then 1925 the State chartered Nahunta...^[4]

1925 3 years later after court battles and election, the Georgia General Assembly stepped in and designated Nahunta to be the county seat when they incorporated the town 1925 ^[1]

The county was named for either Benjamin Daniel Brantley (1832-91), a merchant who encouraged the development of cotton ginning and turpentine manufacturing in the area, or his son, William Gordon Brantley (1860-1934), who served in both houses of the Georgia legislature and in the U.S. House of Representatives.^[1]

1930 - The Brantley County Courthouse was built in 1930 in Nahunta. An addition to the original building was constructed in 1978.^[1]

1930 The Georgia State Prison Camp opened in Hortense, Georgia, and put its inmates to work building roads. The prison closed 1944. ^[1]

1950 -heavy forest still covered 80% of the county's land. Many citizens worked logging or in one of the industries. Some tried growing orchards of Leconte pears, but a blight hit them in early 1900'.^[1]

The memorial wall at Confederate Soldiers' Park in Brantley County allows descendants of Confederate soldiers to commemorate the service of their ancestors. Each memorial stone measures 8 x 12 inches and bears the name, rank, company, and regiment of the honored soldier.^[1]

Confederate wall in Waynesville.

Brantley County points of interest are several parks: Confederate Soldiers' Park in Waynesville

Confederate monument, Confederate Soldier's Park

Dixon Memorial State Forest, a 35,708-acre resource shared with Ware County; Harrington Tract Wildlife Management Area, shared with Glynn County; and Rayonier Wildlife Management Area, shared with Wayne County. The Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge and Wilderness Area spills over into Brantley County on its northeastern side. Also of interest are the Gibson Family Pioneer Home in Waynesville and the Trail Ridge, part of a 130-mile natural trail from the Altamaha River to the Santa Fe River in north Florida that was used by Native Americans and early settlers. Fort Mudge, a fort from the Revolutionary War (1775-83) made famous by cartoonist Walt Kelly in his Pogo comic strips, was on maps for Brantley County until as late as 1955.^[1]

Sacred Harp singers Julie and Kathy Lee participate in the 2001 Hoboken Singing Day.

incorporated in 1920 and became an early trade center because of its proximity to the railroad. The town may have been named for the New Jersey city, as William A. Martin, who built the town's first turpentine still, had a coworker from there. Hoboken is well known among Sacred Harp singers for the "Hoboken style," which is so distinctive that it has been given a place in the Library of Congress Local Legacies project. This unique style points to the extraordinary isolation of Hoboken until recent times.^[1]

Government Offices

1930 - The Brantley County Courthouse was built in 1930 in Nahunta. An addition to the original building was constructed in 1978.^[1]

1930 Brantley Co. Courthouse.

Geography

Size - total area of 447 square miles (1,160 km2), of which 442 square miles (1,140 km2) is land and 4.8 square miles (12 km2) (1.1%) is water.

Rivers - The Satilla River runs through Brantley County.

Swamps- Okeefeenokie Swamp

Basins - Most of Brantley County, (east of Hortense south to west of Waynesville and west to east of Waycross, is located in the Satilla River sub-basin of the St. Marys-Satilla basin.

Eastern border area - east of Waynesville, is located in the Cumberland-St. Simons sub-basin of the St. Marys-Satilla River basin.

Northwestern corner (small) west of Hortense, is in the Little Satilla sub-basin of the larger St. Marys-Satilla River basin

Very small southwestern corner of Brantley County is located in the Upper Suwannee River sub-basin of the larger Suwannee River basin.

Nearby lakes -White Ford, Strickland Landing, Long Lake, Jonas Lake, and the Old Barn near the Satilla.

Adjacent counties

• Wayne County - northeast

Brantly & adj counties

• Glynn County - east
• Camden County - southeast
• Charlton County - southwest
• Ware County - west
• Pierce County - northwest

Protected areas

• Confederate Memorial Wall

• Confederate Soldiers' Park in Waynesville
• Dixon Memorial State Forest, a 35,708-acre resource shared with Ware County
• Harrington Tract Wildlife Management Area, shared with Glynn County
• Rayonier Wildlife Management Area, shared with Wayne County.
• Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge and Wilderness Area spills over into Brantley County on its northeastern side.
• Gibson Family Pioneer Home in Waynesville
• Trail Ridge, part of a 130-mile natural trail from the Altamaha River to the Santa Fe River in north Florida that was used by Native Americans and early settlers.

Demographics

In 2000, there were 14,629 people with a population density of 33 people/sq.mi. The racial makeup of the county was 94.36% White, 3.98% Black or African American, 0.14% Native American, 0.09% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.35% from other races, and 1.08% from two or more races. 1.04% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. In 2010 there were 18,411 people in the county with a population density of 41.6 people/sq. mi. The median income for a household in the county was $37,343 and the median income for a family was $43,028. Males had a median income of $39,260 versus $28,154 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,905. About 18.2% of families and 21.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 28.6% of those under age 18 and 10.7% of those age 65 or over.^[7]

Highways:

• U.S. Route 82
• U.S. Route 301
• Georgia State Route 15
• Georgia State Route 23
• Georgia State Route 32
• Georgia State Route 110
• Georgia State Route 121
• Georgia State Route 520

Schools

• Atkinson Elementary School
• Hoboken Elementary School
• Nahunta Elementary School
• Nahunta Primary School
• Waynesville Primary School
• Brantley County Middle School
• Brantley County High School

Towns/Communities

• Bachlott

• Hickox

• Hoboken

• Hortense

• Lulaton

*Nahunta County Seat

• Raybon

• Waynesville

• Atkinson
• Schlatterville
• Trudie

County Resources

• Confederate Memorial Wall

Confed soldier's Park and memorial

• Confederate Soldiers' Park in Waynesville
• Dixon Memorial State Forest, a 35,708-acre resource shared with Ware County
• Harrington Tract Wildlife Management Area, shared with Glynn County
• Rayonier Wildlife Management Area, shared with Wayne County.
• Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge and Wilderness Area spills over into Brantley County on its northeastern side.
• Gibson Family Pioneer Home in Waynesville
• Trail Ridge, part of a 130-mile natural trail from the Altamaha River to the Santa Fe River in north Florida that was used by Native Americans and early settlers.
• Fort Mudge, a fort from the Revolutionary War (1775-83) made famous by cartoonist Walt Kelly in his Pogo comic strips, was on maps for Brantley County until as late as 1955.

• Singing with the Sacred Harp began in 1770-1820 in New England, and was carried to the South. This occurs in protestant revival services, is a cappella voice. The Library of Congress Local Legacies project has identified the Hoboken style" of Sacred Harp singing as a distinctive form, which likely resulted from the town's relative isolation for much of its history.

Hoboken-Style Singing

Census

1930 --- 6,895 —

1940 --- 6,871 −0.3%

1950 --- 6,387 −7.0%

1960 --- 5,891 −7.8%

1970 --- 5,940 0.8%

1980 --- 8,701 46.5%

1990 --- 11,077 27.3%

2000 --- 14,629 32.1%

2010 --- 18,411 25.9%

Est. 2016 --- 18,355

Cemeteries

• Bachlott Cemetery
• Dowling Cemetery
• New Hope Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery
• High Bluff Cemetery
• Smyrna Cemetery
• Hortense Cemetery
• Bethlehem Cemetery
• Knox Cemetery
• Rob Lewis Cemetery

• Confederate Soldiers Cemetery

Confed Soldiers Cemetery

• Satilla Cemetery, Brantley County, Georgia

GPS Coordinates: Latitude: 31.34030, Longitude: -81.98720

DIRECTIONS: From the intersection of US Hwy 301 and Hwy 32 at Hortense

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14} https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/counties-cities-neighborhoods/brantley-county
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3} https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brantley_County,_Georgia
3. ↑ http://www.ourgeorgiahistory.com/ogh/brantley_county,_georgia
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 4.8 4.9} http://rootsweb.ancestry.com/~gabrantl/creationcounty.html
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.7} http://georgiainfo.galileo.usg.edu/topics/counties/brantley
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5}
7. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brantley_County,_Georgia

• http://georgiainfo.galileo.usg.edu/topics/counties/brantley

• A History of Georgia: From Its First Discovery by Europeans to the Adoption of the Present Constitution in MDCCXCVIII, Vol 1, by William Bacon Stevens January 1, 1847 New York : D. Appleton

• http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~gabrantl/dissension.html