Additions, Corrections and Updates
(Listed by page number)
Page 22 - Robert Lemon's death notice was published in the SOUTHERN BANNER newspaper on January 18, 1844 indicating that he died at his DeKalb County residence on December 21, 1843 in his 75th year. The brief notice also indicated that he was from County Antrim, Ireland. As we all know, newspapers can post inaccurate information for a multitude of reasons but either his age is not listed correctly or his family didn't arrive in America until after 1768 - information which conflicts with my research on his father's immigration to America which occurred in the latter part of 1767 (see page 10). Also, the date of December 22, 1767 for the Earl of Donegal's (ship) arrival in Charleston and his birthdate of late 1767 to late 1768 are so close as to be easily confused or forgotten over the years. The newspaper may have also confused information provided about his family being from County Antrim rather than him actually being born there.
With this more accurate birth date, it is likely that he did not serve as a fighting soldier during the American Revolution but may have participated as a fifer, a drummer or some other minor capacity as it is known that boys were often found to be in units with their fathers and brothers. He would have been 12-14 years old during the southern campaign.
Southern Banner, January 18, 1844
(Georgia Historic Newspapers)
Note that his residence was in DeKalb County in 1844, now a part of Fulton County. Fulton County was not created until 1853.
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Page 28 - The Merrill Collier listed as a neighbor to Robert Lemon is a typographical error - this should read Meredith Collier. Merrill and Meredith Collier were brothers and they both were in Jackson County and then later Gwinnett County before arriving in DeKalb County. Merrill's plantation was located near present day Wesley Chapel Road, Snapfinger Road and Interstate 20. His grave is located nearby.
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Page 56 - Joseph D. Shumate was one of the first Justices of the Inferior Court for DeKalb. He was originally commissioned for Fayette County.[4]
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Page 60 & 84 - Tully Choice - Was the first postmaster at Choice's store in 1824. Choice's store was located at present day Highway 29 and Rockbridge Road in Gwinnett County. See Vanishing Gwinnett, page 86. W. Dorsey Stancil, 1984, Gwinnett Historical Society.
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Pages 71 thru 78 - I discuss the Anderson family, in particular James Anderson. Franklin Garrett's Atlanta and Environs [1] book discusses George David Anderson who was a blacksmith in Decatur who later became a lawyer who served in the Georgia Legislature (1831-1833). Garrett notes that George David Anderson was the son of James Anderson who was one of the first settlers of DeKalb County where he served as the county surveyor. Garrett notes that James moved to Cobb in 1833 where he surveyed the town of Marietta and erected one of the first homes there.
This is an interested biography since it involves several parallels to the Lemon family. First of all, Garrett states that James Anderson moved to DeKalb from Anderson District, SC - same as the Lemon family; Secondly, James Anderson moved to Cobb County just as James Lemon and several members of the Lemon family did a few years later; Thirdly, James Anderson was a surveyor, just as Col. Robert Anderson was in South Carolina.
It is quite possible that Robert Lemon's wife Jane was in fact an Anderson and she was related to Colonel Robert Anderson and thus also related to the James Anderson noted above.
George David Anderson appears to have married a Dickson, possibly related to the Dickson family of Pendleton District and Pickens Chapel Church. [2]
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Page 87 - John Lemon - There is some doubt as to which Lemon (James or John) Lemon Street in Marietta is named for - the following newspaper article appears to provide proof that it was named for John's brother James.
The following newspaper clippings provide more insight into the life of John Lemon.
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Page 87 - Robert Lemon, Jr. - the following newspaper clippings provide a look into the life of Robert.
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Page 87-90 & 116-117 - The descendants of George Scott Candler, Sr. are descended from Col. Joseph Pitts via George Scott Candler's wife, Georgia Byrd, thus making George Scott Candler, Jr. the 2nd great grandson of Col. Joseph Pitts. This relationship makes George Scott Candler, Jr. the author's 4th cousin.
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Page 104 - Smith Lemon - Here are a couple of newspaper obituaries.
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Page 115 - A David Telford is shown to have been one of the original commissioners that laid out what is probably Covington Highway today. [5] Most likely, David Telford is related to Robert Telford. The Telford family was in Jackson County, Georgia prior to locating to DeKalb County.
Page 115 & 131 - Robert Telford - In the same cemetery as Robert in Belton, SC is buried is the grave of an ancestor of Governor Joseph Brown (1821-1894) of Georgia.
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Page 129 - Woodfin and Henry W. Grady - This famous Atlantan had the middle name of Woodfin. He was probably named after the Woodfin family that lived near Asheville, NC. Henry's father was Major Sammons Grady (wounded during the Civil War at the Battle of Petersbury; Died at/near Greenville, SC courthouse on October 21, 1864). Major Grady was born in Mills River, NC in 1821 - this is near Brevard and where my Davidson ancestors lived. Woodfin is fairly close.
In the book Tradition and History of Anderson County, page 162, Louise Vandiver mentions a speech given by Henry Grady at Andersonville (SC).
She also mentions Rev. John Simpson, John Bratton and John Moffett. Moffett made his way to Decatur, Georgia and Rev. Simpson can be found in Gwinnett County before moving to the city of Decatur and then the city of Atlanta.
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Page 135 - Typographical error: Should read $2,000 not $2,0000
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Page 148 - Leander Davis - I found a marriage license for a Leander Davis and an Elizabeth H. Patillo dated February 18, 1861 in Columbia County, Georgia.[6] Elizabeth appears to be the daughter of Harrison Patillo who can be found on several of the Columbia County censuses. Harrison may have died before the 1860 census as this census shows an H.E. Patillo, female, age 21, now living in the household of Waters/Walters Dunn in Columbia County. On the 1850 census, Harrison Patillo showed only one son (Thomas) and several daughters - Elizabeth being one of them.
If this is in fact Leander Davis the son of James Davis, Leander might have been working on a plantation in Columbia County where he met his future wife Elizabeth. As noted in my book, there is an Elizabeth Davis age 30 living in the household of James Davis on the 1870 census. This Elizabeth cannot be the widow of his son Milton Davis (Elizabeth Dorris) because she died in 1863. It is presumed that the Elizabeth on the 1870 census is the widow of Leander. Her age as listed on the 1850, 1860 and 1870 censuses match - born about 1840.
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Page 149 - Milton L. Davis - The Civil War service records for Milton L. Davis have been located. He died in a hospital in McMinnville, TN on April 28, 1863. He is listed as a Corporal, Company L, 4th/12th Regiment Georgia Cavalry. His wife, Sarah Elizabeth Dorris, died shortly thereafter and it appears that one of their two children also died at the same time - the name of their child/infant was William M. Davis and he is buried next to his mother in the Sweetwater Baptist Church Cemetery (near Douglasville, GA). The child likely died in 1862 or 1864. Most likely they all died of disease or other Civil War related issues. This left Elizabeth Josephine Davis (my great grandmother) an orphan and the only surviving child of Milton and Sarah E. As noted in the newspaper clipping below, her father-in-law (James Davis) filed for guardianship for Josephine when she was 7 years old. She appears in his household on the 1870 census.
1857 Tax Poll, City of Atlanta, District 1026
1859 Tax Poll, Campbell County, Dark Corner District
1860 Census, Campbell County, Georgia
Dark Corner District - Samuel McClung (son of Reuben) and several Weddingtons are living nearby
Milton L. Davis Service Record
Courtesy FOLD3
The 12th Georgia Cavalry (Dragoons) was led by Colonel Isaac W. Avery. After the war Col. Avery became a man of prominence as the founder and editor of The Atlanta Constitution newspaper, a paper that is still in existence today as the Constitution portion of the Atlanta Journal Constitution (the two newspapers merged in 2001).
Death of Milton L. Davis, April 18, 1863
Courtesy FOLD3
The McMinnville Hospital was also known as the Cumberland Female Academy when it was used as a Union hospital in April 1863. Later the building was known as the world renowned Southern School of Photography run by W.S. Lively. The town of McMinnville was occupied by both sides during the Civil War. Col. Nathan Bedford Forrest bivouacked near here during his attack on Gen. William Nelson. There may not be any way of knowing where Milton is buried in McMinnville (if he was buried there). Based on what I have read of the war in and around McMinnville, the town itself was nearly decimated with fighting that continued for months. The most likely candidate would be the small city cemetery on South High Street (The bigger Riverside Cemetery was not used until the very end of the war). The High Street cemetery is only a short distance from the hospital where he died. As with other battles and other hospitals that were in the hands of the Union Army, there was little documentation of what was done with the Confederate dead (Chambersburg, Gettysburg, etc.).
It is interesting that Milton L. Davis and Sarah Elizabeth Dorris were married by Rev. Henry Allen Williams who appears to have been a Baptist minister. We know that the Dorrises were devout Methodists and the Davises were long-time Presbyterians (James Davis is buried in a Baptist Church cemetery however). The book "History of First Baptist Church of Powder Springs, Georgia" has information on Rev. Williams.
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Page 167 - Throughout my book I mention Reuben Cone. Reuben Cone was one of the original Commissioners for the City of Decatur as stated in the official legislation that laid out Decatur as the county seat of DeKalb County. [3]
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Page 176, 180 & 181 - More on DAVIDSON'S FORT where Benjamin Davidson is listed on a Revolutionary War document ("at home").
In his book "Touring North Carolina's Revolutionary War Sites", Daniel W. Barefoot provides a glimpse into life at "Old Fort". Barefoot states that the fort was called many names including Upper Fort, Catawba Fort and Davidson's Fort - now the present day town of Old Fort. It was the extreme edge of the frontier and it was one of the most dangerous spots in North Carolina due to the frequent attacks by the Cherokee Indians. General Rutherford assembled a massive army here (~2500 men) to put a stop to the uprisings. There is a state historical monument in the town. For more, see pages 220-223 of Barefoot's excellent book.
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It is worth noting that since my book deals with the early days of DeKalb and Fulton Counties, I should point out that another of my Georgia cousins was deeply involved with the formation of Henry County which was the county that was later broken-up to form DeKalb. That cousin is Mathew Talbot who was the President of the Senate and whose name can be found on the original documents for the formation of Henry County in 1821. Mathew Talbot also became the Governor of Georgia for a very brief period in 1819. He was the President of the Georgia Senate from 1811-1822. Mathew Talbot is my paternal cousin (we share the same Wilkes County, Georgia Talbot family ancestry).
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[1] Atlanta Historical Society excerpt of Garrett's book, Vol. II, 1966, June 1966, No. 2, page 61-62.
[2] See my book for more on the Dickson family.
[3] Atlanta Historical Bulletin, Vol. 10, 1957-65, Vol. X, Dec. 1965, No. 40, page 65.
[4] Atlanta Historical Bulletin, Vol. 10, 1957-65, Vol. X, Dec. 1965, No. 40, page 67.
[5] Atlanta Historical Bulletin, Vol. 10, 1957-65, Vol. X, Dec. 1965, No. 40, page 71 & 72.
[6] Familysearch.org
(This page was updated on 7/5/2023)