One of the “perks” in genealogy is getting to know new people
who are researching the same areas you are. Another is learning the history
of the places you’re researching.
The following came through the Coweta MyFamily.com site online and was
contributed by Dickson Grimes, who had written to me several weeks ago
regarding the land I live on; it was once owned by his Dickson family.
The following is a speech given by Dickson’s grandmother, Rebecca
Dickson Grimes, to a social studies class at Western High School
in 1967. It is reprinted here with his permission.
Dickson said in his note on the site: “The Dicksons originally
settled in the first district of Coweta around 1828, but were in the
Hurricane District (Welcome) by 1860 or so. There's still a Dixon Road
right by Welcome School where all their land was (and there's also
a Dixon Street right beside Elm Street Elementary that was named for
my
Great Uncle Thomas Dickson. The old Newnan High gymnasium, at Pickett
Field, is also named for Thomas Dickson.)”
Dickson also added footnotes at the end of his grandmother’s
speech, which explains and clarifies parts of it. I will add these
in the last
installment of this series.
Welcome, for all you newcomers, is in the western part of Coweta County.
Mrs. Grimes said to the students:
“I think I shall begin and end my remarks with people, because
some of the things I will say are facts, some hearsay, and some imagination.
“I was told as a child that many years ago there was an Indian
settlement or encampment somewhere near where Pete King now lives, and
that an Indian trail went through this community. These Indians were
the Coweta tribe, one of many that composed ‘The Nation.’ They
were above the average, possibly thrifty and industrious, since their
leader was of Scotch descent and certainly peaceful. We find no record
of any trouble between whites and Indians here.
“Some time in the 1700s, a Scotsman named McIntosh came to Georgia,
opened a trading post, became rich, and married an Indian woman.
Whether or not he was the ancestor of McIntosh, one of the leaders
of this tribe,
I do not know.
“This trail I spoke of led from McIntosh’s home across in
Carroll County to Indian Springs, near Jackson, Georgia, where the Indians
met for councils. The place that is now Newnan, probably called Bullsboro,
was also on this trail, and it is possible that because of this trail
through dense woods, the first white settlers came to our community.
I would imagine that they had some kind of trading post, since I’m
told it was a permanent Indian village.
“The first two houses for white men that we have a record of
were built about where Georgia Bridges and the Hewlette Grimes live.
There
are signs of an old rock and a mud chimney, crepe myrtle bushes at
the rear of our house and good spring, which is what these early settlers
usually looked for.
“There were others, I’m sure in the late 1700s but I can find
no record of them — but I do know there were white settlers south
of here on the Franklin Road, because about this time an Englishman named
James David Meriwether came to the cross roads or trails that then were
Newnan. James David Meriwether made his own trail, as they said, ‘He
blazed the trail,’ to the old Meriwether home where Tommy Kite
lived. He was a large landowner and became prominent in politics.
“His grandson, Meriwether Lewis, was a secretary of Thomas Jefferson,
and together with Mr. Clark he explored the West to the Pacific Ocean.
The reason I mention these men is because of intermarriages and church
affiliations, the Dresden and Welcome communities have always been
closely knit.
“This James Meriwether with one Duncan Campbell was commissioned
by Governor Troup to buy land that is now Coweta County from McIntosh,
Hawkins and other chiefs of the tribe.
“After much correspondence and deliberation, these men, Meriwether,
Campbell, McIntosh, Hawkins and other chiefs, met at Indian Springs
and the trade was made. The land was bought for $2000.
“The Indian chiefs made their way back through this trail to McIntosh’s
home before the Indians of the tribe found out their land had been sold,
but when they heard about this, they formed a band and killed Hawkins
and McIntosh and burned the latter’s home.
“Some of the betrayers swam the river and escaped, but the money
was never found.
“We have never had any war with the Indians in this section, but
in histories of the county, I find familiar names from this district
who went to Florida to fight the Creeks, and some who went to Cherokee
to assist in getting them started on their ‘Trail of Tears.’
“One thing we must remember: the Cowetas were a leading tribe,
the best of the kind and they were our first settlers.
“Our first Providence Church was near this Indian camp. I don’t
know whether the Indians were still there or not, but one church building
was near the King home and the other near the old Newman house. I remember
seeing an old chimney there and was told it was the church site.
“Across the road from the church was the first cemetery (other
than family cemeteries) and when I was a child, I remember it as
being quite large, but it was gradually plowed into fields of cotton
and corn.
I remember two of the stones had names: Beavers and Carter ... ”
We’ll have to stop here for this week and will continue with
more about Providence Church and Welcome next week.
I can’t thank Dickson enough for sharing this bit of Coweta history
with us.
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 she is unable to do research for others.)
