Computers and Coweta ... from Macintosh to McIntosh

Well, I'm sorry to say, I still don't have my computer back yet. It's been two weeks and I'm more than just a little upset with Apple.

My complaint is not with AIS Computers they have been wonderful about keeping in touch and letting me know the status of repairs. The problem lies with Apple itself, and the non-availability of the part I need. AIS can't replace the part until they get it and Apple can't even give them an availability date. Sorry, that is not acceptable to me. Not for a computer that was barely two months old and purchased for business use. I want my computer fixed, or I want a new computer (with my old hard drive installed), or I want my money back.

Perhaps I'd better stop right here and say a little about those of us who depend upon our computers to do our genealogy work. Those of you who are thinking about getting a computer for Christmas possibly can learn from my experience.

Don't get me wrong. I would not have any computer but a Mac. As a Mac user for nearly 15 years, I can say that my experience has, for the most part been pleasant and a whole lot of fun. That's the main difference (to me) between a Mac and a PC (Windows). Macs are fun and they think like I do. What other computer smiles at you when you turn it on?

What other computer lets you delete files by dragging them to a trash can on your desktop? Sure makes sense to me.

The funniest thing I ever had on my Mac was an extension called "MacPuke." When it ejected a floppy disk, it threw up, complete with disgusting (but funny) sounds.

Your Mac will even read things back to you out loud so you can proofread stuff.

And for graphics work, there is no better computer, or one easier to work with, than a Mac.

So, last September, when I needed a new computer, I looked at what Apple had to offer and chose their brand new model, the eMac G-4 700. I have renamed it the "Edsel" Mac, because mine sure turned out to be a lemon.

Oh, gosh, I loved it when it worked. It was lightning fast, crystal clear and so easy to set up and use. But I had problems from the beginning.

It froze on a whim and wouldn't restart unless you pulled the plug. A week before it quit on me, the cursor turned into a demon and started erasing everything on the screen. Nothing I did would stop it, so I closed the window, hoping that would cancel it. All of a sudden the screen had a fit, shaking and trembling, so I quickly shut the thing down. When I restarted, it was fine. Go figure.

Then one morning I tried to start it and had no power. That's when I took it to AIS, even though I had the extended care plan which means they would come to my house and fix it. I figured it would be faster to take it up there. Sure ... a couple of days, they told me. HA! That's now a joke, but I ain't laughing.

Hopefully, I will know something in a few days. But I'm really stuck. Not only is all my work stuff on it, but all my genealogy and genealogy related materials are being held hostage inside the hard drive. I have nearly 11,000 people in my family tree and add more almost daily. I could not do genealogy without a computer to keep my records on. Plus, I have to drive back and forth from Newnan to Fayetteville every day just to clean out my e-mail box.

If you're considering getting a computer for Christmas to do your genealogy work, I still recommend a Mac as the most "user-friendly" computer on the market. But I would wait on an eMac until they get the kinks worked out. Just a word from the wiser; take it however you like.

The other "Mac" topic I planned to cover this week was the early development and settlement of Coweta County and owing it all to "Chief" McIntosh. (You notice how smoothly that transition went?) Since I had no computer, I visited the Coweta Genealogy Library in Grantville and picked up more Coweta resources for my own personal use. I also did a little research on the Echols family of Heard County which I plan to use in a future column. How surprised I was when I learned that this Echols family started out in Coweta ... living in the area that later became Heard.

Chief McIntosh, the half-Scot, half-Creek Indian who signed the treaty ceding lands for Fayette in 1821, also signed the treaty ceding lands that made Coweta a county in 1825, although the land wasn't surveyed and drawn off until 1826. For his good deed to the White man, as most of you know, McIntosh was later murdered by his Indian cohorts at his home in Carroll County.

I'm going to dwell primarily on one Coweta resource here, although I have several. If you had ancestors in Coweta, you can use them all. The most fascinating is W.U. Anderson's "A History of Coweta County From 1825 to 1880." This is a little pocket-size, paperback book with a wealth of information written by someone who was "there." Mr. Anderson was a blacksmith and gives his account of the county during his lifetime (and probably before) with anecdotes, names, places, and tax lists from the very early years. He gives all the "firsts" ... first grand jury (Isaac Gay was the first foreman), first sheriff (Benjamin Easley), first council, first resident (Aquilla Hardy), first death in the county (a Mr. Griffin), etc. ... and lists the early residents by districts. There, in the (then) third district, I found all those families I've been reading about in Heard County ... Echols, Heflin, Daniel, Nixon, Houston and more ... before that part of Coweta was cut off to form Heard.

The first town was actually called "Bullsborough." All that's left now is a marker and a street named "Bullsboro Drive," which is actually Ga. Hwy. 34 as it goes into Newnan. Newnan as a town didn't come along until 1828.

Mr. Anderson's account of Coweta County is absolutely charming ... he tells of those who left town in the middle of the night owing debts, the devious dealings when "gold fever" hit nearby Carroll County, he tells of school masters and senators, lovely ladies and mischievous lads, of marriages and misadventures ... all in the vernacular of the day. The only drawback to the book is the lack of an index.

The book is available at Scott's Bookstore in Newnan and anyone who had Coweta ancestors would love a copy for Christmas, I'm sure.

Do you have a favorite resource for an Atlanta metro county? Let us know about it. I also want stories about your Atlanta metro families in the early years.

Send letters to The Citizen, P.O. Drawer 1719, Fayetteville, GA 30214. Or, e-mail it to me at jkilgore@thecaitizennews.com or jodiek444@aol.com.

Until next time ... happy hunting! (And pray that I get my computer back soon.)

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