The names of many towns in the United States derive from Native Americans or immigrants who either settled the area or worked to build something and then moved on.

The Town of Tyrone was named by Irish workers who came through laying down its railroad tracks in 1907.

The community was known as Hopewell in the 1800s, and one part of it was known as “Stop.” The community of Flat Creek also was a part of the area.

One of the first settlers was Jared Handley, who was born in Ireland. Fayette County was created in 1821 by land lottery with the county being divided into 202.5-acre lots. He drew one of these, and only had to pay a $19 filing fee. He began buying the lots around him and donated land for the Hopewell Methodist Church, which is still a viable congregation, and for an academy in the area. He also donated land for the cemetery.

Another charter resident is David Greer, born in Ireland in 1751.

Names of other 19th-century settlers include Adams, Bearden, Collier, Davis, Fabro, Farr, Harris, Landrum, Mann, Rush, Slaton, Stinchcomb, and Swanson. Many of their descendants still live in the county.

Other names of longtime land owners are Rush, Barge, Russell, Askew, Tinsley, Greer, Knowles, Shropshire, Denham, Glover, Hobgood, Palmer, and McElwaney.

In the 1800s, agriculture was the main source of livelihood. The types of crops included cotton, corn, wheat, oats, ribbon cane, sorghum, and sweet potatoes. Cotton and corn, of course, were grown to sell for cash income, the other crops sustained the farm.

The community of Stop was located on the Palmetto-Fayetteville Road and it seems to have gotten its name because of the Post Office. In the 1800s the mail was brought from the Fairburn post office first by a man walking with a knapsack on his back. At the end of six miles, this man would be spelled by another, who continued for another six miles. When the postman reached Stop, he stopped, turned around and headed back.

This community at one time boasted stores, a gin and a blacksmith shop. They thrived until 1907 when a railroad came through and the depot was placed in what is now Tyrone. It is felt that the Irish railroad workers not only gave the new town its name, but also gave two other communities in northern Fayette County their names, Bethany and Fife.

The first train through Tyrone was called “Old Maude” and drew an audience of 200 onlookers on its maiden trip through the town.

Tyrone was officially incorporated in 1911, thereby becoming a railway station and a United States Post Office. The first mayor was E.E. Jackson, and the councilmen were B.E. McElwaney, J.H. Knight, and W.D. Flowers. T.R. Pepper served as the town marshal.

The first post office was in the first store building in the newly incorporated town, and was owned by Ware Mann. B. E. McElwaney served s the first postmaster.

The first bank was organized in 1907 and was located near the train depot. It was first owned by banks in Fairburn and Palmetto until the Redwine brothers purchased the bank and changed its name to Redwine Brothers Bank. In 1964 the bank was moved to the five year-old town of Peachtree City. W. Floy Farr served as the last employee of the Redwine Brothers Bank and the first employee of the new Fayette State Bank.

A hotel was built in Tyrone in 1910 which was later purchased a few years later by Walter D. Farr as a home.

His son, W. Floy Farr, was born there in 1912 and recounts growing up in the town. His father, along with a Mr. Jackson, operated a two-story grocery business. The lower floor was devoted to selling groceries, caskets, feed, fertilizer and anything else needed in a farming community.

His mother and Mrs. Jackson made dresses and hats on the second floor. Many groceries were delivered by a traveling salesman. He would take a sample hat, and some patterns with him and take orders on the road. The finished items would be delivered during the salesmen’s next trip in the countryside.

At the beginning of the 20th century, were there fewer than 10 businesses. In 1977 there were 13 businesses and today there are 301 business establishments.

At the time the “History of Fayette County” was written in 1977, the population of the town was 117 citizens. Today the population totals just over 5,900 citizens.

Most of this information came from “The History of Fayette County,” published in 1977 by the Fayette County Historical Society.

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