Bite the bullet ... buy the books!

The word came out a few days ago that the most recent Carroll County history book, "The Heritage of Carroll County, Georgia," is now ready to be picked up at the Perry House in Carrollton. Those of us who contributed to this book have been eagerly awaiting its completion since the deadline last June. It also contains a portion on Haralson County which is adjacent to Carroll.

The book is part of the Heritage Book series and should be excellent, as all these books are. One is in the works for Douglas County and, I believe Fayette County is expecting one also. I wish to gosh someone would do one for Campbell County. To my knowledge, people in that history-laden county have never published a history book. Shame on you!

These books contain family histories and other information submitted by present residents and those who have roots in the covered area. They also contain history of the towns and villages, churches, businesses, clubs and organizations, and life in the county from the early days to the present. For a genealogist, it is a dream-come-true-book, because with all those family histories, you are bound to find people in your family that you couldn't find before. You also find out what happened to those elusive "vanished communities." Somebody out there has the link you have been searching for.

Some may consider them "pricey," but I think they are well worth the price (about $60 and up). And they sell like hotcakes.

To find out more about the Carroll book, go to Genforum (http://genforum.genealogy.com/)and leave a message on the Carroll County board. Someone will get back to you and give you more specific information.

To find out what other counties have been covered by the Heritage Book series, go to the County Heritage Books site (http://www.countyheritagebooks.com/) and browse to your heart's content. I believe you can even order some of them online.

Speaking of history books, I purchased one on Fayette County several years ago from my dear friend, Carolyn Cary, who was responsible for most of the compiling and publishing of this jewel back in the 1970s. Even though I have few direct ancestors from Fayette (maybe just Norrises and Johnsons ... but I'm still looking), many of my relatives either passed through Fayette on their way to greener pastures or came, stayed, and are buried here. I have mentioned Zephania(h) Fowler and his wife, Lucy Ann Norris, who came here before 1860 and left descendants buried at Bethany United Methodist Church in northern Fayette County. Zeph was my GGgrandfather's brother. Zeph's son, John Fowler married Nancy Leah Harper, and they are both buried there, along with Nancy parents. I also have Whaley relatives who are buried in this county, some even in Tyrone where I once lived.

Descendants of many of Fayette's early settlers are still here. Just check any phone book and you'll find them. Many roads and landmarks are also named for these early settlers ... Ellison Road, McBride Road, Padgett Road, Graves Road, Burch Road, Harp's Road and Harp's Crossing Baptist Church, even a Whaley's Lake subdivision just across the Clayton County line which may have been named for my relatives ... the list goes on and on. I have referenced this Fayette book many times when helping people "find their folks."

Like the Heritage Books, Carolyn's book contains family, business and church histories, but it also contains something the Heritage Books do not ... census indexes and several pages of early marriage records, as well as Civil War muster rolls of Fayette County units and the necrology of several cemeteries.

Many Fayette families did not actually move here but were taken in by Fayette when part of it was formed from Henry County. Several families in the book have Henry County roots. Many came here after obtaining land in the Land Lottery.

Since the book was first published in 1977, some of the older people who contributed family information could have been born pre-1900 and had firsthand memories of their ancestors who lived in the 1800s. Many of the family stories have charming accounts of personalities and character traits.

The book is no longer in print, I understand, but can be found in most libraries around the area.

Coweta County also has excellent history books which are still in print. Scott's Bookstore in Newnan has many of them and you can purchase them from the Coweta County Historical Society or the Coweta County Genealogical Society. Yep, they have both in Coweta. One very valuable book that, surprisingly, is still in print is the "Coweta County Chronicles," first published in 1928 from D.A.R. records. Much of the chronology of Coweta in that book was written in the 1880s.

My point here is, if you are serious about genealogy, you must have serious materials, and that includes history books of the areas you are researching (and maybe some you're not). My personal, growing library includes books on Coweta, Fayette, Troup, Meriwether, Heard, Carroll, and Cleburne County, Alabama, as well as personal history books on the families of Johnson, Blake,, Wilson and Richards. I also have several "general" history books on the early settlers of Georgia and the early development of the Flint River area (before the white man came) and many, many census books for counties around Atlanta.

Time for you to join me. Go ahead. Bite the bullet. Buy the books!

If you're looking for your Georgia ancestors or have a local family history to share, write to The Citizen, Drawer 1719, Fayetteville, GA 30214; E-mail jkilgore@thecitizennews.com or jodiek444@aol.com. I'll be happy to share it with others and maybe help you "find your folks."

Until next week, happy hunting!

Back to the Citizen Home Page