Friday, June 11, 2004

Finding Your Folks

By JUDY FOWLER KILGORE
jkilgore@thecitizennews.

I received two responses to last week’s story on the Wynns and Wynn’s Store and I’ll get to that in a minute.

But, first I want to let you know about a situation which could affect most every genealogist in this area.

Those who have been accustomed to researching at the Coweta County Genealogy Library in Grantville on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays need to know that those days have changed.

Because of illness of some of the volunteers, the society has discontinued the Thursday “open” day. Members are trying to secure more volunteers so that they can reopen the facility on Thursdays, but for the present, it’s only open on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m.

There is no phone number to call and the Web site still has the three-day schedule. I checked. I found out by accident when I went down there on a Wednesday (I usually go on Thursdays) and saw a note on the door. I inquired inside and was told what I just relayed to you.

If you want to check out the CCGS Web site, it’s at http://members.tripod.com/~CowetaGS/.

Just thought I’d give everybody a heads-up. The CCGS library in Grantville is, by far, the best, and most complete research facility in our immediate area (and an easy drive down I-85). My trip last Wednesday turned up stuff I never would have dreamed of finding — stuff from Twiggs and Upson counties. Who would have ever thought I’d find it there?

The facility is seldom crowded and there is plenty of room to spread out and work. They also have a microfilm reader and a copier and the bound, original copies of old Coweta newspapers dating back into the 1800s. The volunteers are most helpful and I guarantee you will enjoy your visit.

Now, back to Wynn’s Store. A very informative e-mail from Don Thompson last week gave me a lot of information. Don writes:

“Judy,

“My wife and I have been reading your genealogy column in the Fayette Citizen for years and we have thoroughly enjoyed it. However, this week is the first time you've mentioned something that I have personal knowledge of.

“Although I was born in Atlanta, my father bought five acres and built a house in Coweta County in the early ‘50s. The site is where the Collectors Corner and Hot Spot convenience store are located today on highways 54 and 34. I think we moved to Coweta in 1952-53.

“At the time we moved there, all the property around us was either the Candler's cattle farm (Rolling Meadows) or the Wynn property. What we now know as Highway 34 had just been built but prior to that all traffic between Newnan and Fayetteville travelled down what we now call Lower Fayetteville Road.

“If you're traveling from Newnan and get to Fisher Road, at that time the road kept going over the hill and behind where the Collectors Corner is now. It went further towards Line Creek and on the right was the Wynn plantation house.

“The only person who lived there at the time was Miss Ruby Wynn who had never married or had any children. I believe her father was Obadiah Wynn. The house was huge and I remember many days playing in, around and under that house. Typically, it sat on large rock pillars and had never been underpinned so if you were a child it made a great place to play!

“I can barely remember the Wynn store but it was across the road from the plantation house and there were also several old "shacks" nearby which I now believe were the old slave houses. Further down the road towards Line Creek was another farmhouse and even across the creek where the pumping station is now was an old gristmill which my father actually ran for Miss Ruby for awhile. By the way, Miss Ruby is buried at Cokes Chapel Methodist Church.

“I have to tell you, your article brought back many childhood memories and I really miss what has been lost due to 'progress.' Miss Ruby died in either the late ‘60s or early ‘70s and it looks like all the land will soon get developed but I remember it the way it was and miss it a lot.

“If you need more information on the area, let me know.

“Don Thompson (thom1258@bellsouth.net)”

Don’s mention of the “Candler” property makes me wonder if the newspaper might have gotten the name wrong on the stabbing incident report. Maybe it was “Candler” instead of “Chandler.” I’m still hoping someone will turn up something on the stabbing death of John Bishop at Wynn’s Store on Christmas Day, 1897. The newspaper report said he was stabbed by John Chandler. Bishop died a few days later but there was nothing more in the Coweta newspapers — and I checked through June of that year.

I also received an e-mail from Nancy Caldwell Dunbar who formerly lived in the Wynn’s Pond area and who gave me a tip on someone to call about events in the early years. I really appreciate both of the e-mails, as well as any responses to the column.

I still would like to hear from those who have knowledge of Wynn’s Store in the late 1800s and early 1900s, especially the stabbing incident in 1897.

Also, who were the Candlers/Chandlers and who were the Bishops who lived near there?

I welcome your letters about genealogy and info on south metro Atlanta families. Send them to The Citizen, Drawer 1719, Fayetteville, GA 30214; e-mail jkilgore@thecitizennews.com or jodiek444@aol.com. Any letters and/or e-mails I receive are subject to being used in the column.

Until next week, happy hunting!

(Judy regrets that time does not permit her to do personal research for others.)