Wilkinson County, Ga. Facts 1854, 1855

Wilkinson County Facts, 1843, 1854 and 1855

Wilkinson County 1843

Situated a little s. of the centre of the state, and contains 430 sq. ms. Drained by Commissioner's and Big Sandy creeks, branches of Oconee r. Capital, Irwinton. There were in 1840, neat cattle 5,881, sheep 1,859, swine 16,047; wheat 12, 767 bush. produced, Ind. corn 140,642, oats 5,117, potatoes 10,828, rice 1,720 pounds, cotton 1,8909,612; 12 stores, cap. $33,775; 4 distilleries, 15 grist m., 10 saw m. Cap. in manufac. $27,800. 4 acad. 159 studetns, 10 sch. 153 scholars. Pop. whites 4,957, slaves 1,866, free col'd 19; total 6,842.

Source: A Complete Descriptive and Statistical Gazetteer of the United States of America By Daniel Haskel, John
Calvin Smith, Published 1843 Sherman & Smith

From U.S. Gazetteer, 1854

WILKINSON
a county in the central part of Georgia, has an area of 435 square miles. It is bounded on the N. E. by the Oconee river, intersected by Commissioner's and Big Sandy creeks, and also drained by Cedar and Turkey creeks. The surface is somewhat undulating, and extensively covered with forests of pine. On the Oconee and several creeks the land is productive, but the pine lands are not of the first quality. The soil is described as a mixture of gray sandy and "mulatto land". Cotton, Indian corn, wheat, oats, and sweet potatoes are the staples. In 1850 this county producted 4,920 bales of cotton; 323,976 bushels of corn; 17,615 of oats, and 99,490 of sweet potatoes. It contained 23 churches, 1 newspaper office, and 460 pupils attending public schools. The county is intersected by the Cental railroad. It contains sulphur and chalybeate springs. Named in honor of General James Wilkinson, of Maryland. Capital, Irwinton. Population, 8,212, of whom 5,467 were free, and 2,745 slaves."

IRWINTON
a pleasant post-vilage, capital of Wilkinson County, Georgia, 20 miles S. from Milledgeville, and 3 miles from the Central railroad. It has a court house, 2 churches, and several stores.

GORDON
a thriving post-village of Wilkinson county, Georgia, on the Central railroad, at the junction of the Milledgeville railroad, 80 miles E. from Macon. Large quantities of cotton are exported from this place. It has 6 dry-goods stores, and does an extensive grocery

COOL SPRING
a post-office Of Wilkinson county, Georgia, about 35 miles south from Milledgeville.

EMMETT
a post-village of Wilkinson county, Georgia, on the Central railroad, 40 miles E. from Macon.

McDONALD
a post-village of Wilkinson co., Georgia, on the Central railroad, 18 miles S. from Milledgeviile.

MILTON
a post-office of Wilkinson co., Ga.

STEPHENSVILLE
a post-office of Wilkinson co., Georgia.

TOOMSBOROUGH
a post-office of Wilkinson co., Georgia.

From Historical Collections of Georgia by George White, published 1855

"Wilkinson County
   Laid out by the Lottery Act of 1803; a part added to Baldwin in 1807; a part set off to Twiggs in 1809. Named after James Wilkinson.
   The Oconee is the principal stream.
   The creeks are, Commissioners, Black Uchee, Buck, &c.
    The face of the country is somewhat undulating. There is much variety in the soil. The productions are cotton, corn, wheat, &c.

Irwinton is the county site, twenty-one miles from Milledgeville. It was made the seat of justice in 1811, and incorporated in 1816. Gordon and McDonald are on the Central Railroad.

There is nothing which distinquishes the climate.

The instances of longevity are, R. Rosier, Sen. John Meadows and Wm. Jenkin, who lived to an advanced age. Mr. Myers died at 80; Mr. Bloodworth, 80; Thomas Gray, a soldier of the Revolution, 81; Wm. Bivins, a soldier of the Revolution, 83. Mrs. Jackson, 82, Josiah Ramage, 90, Wm. Fraser, 80, were living twelve months since. Mrs Marshall was over 90 when she died; Mr. Hatfield, 80; Mrs Clay, 90; Rev. R. Taliaferro, 88; Wm. Chambers, 90.

Extract from the Census of 1850 - Dwellings 983; families, 983; white males, 2,811; white females, 2656. Total free populatoin 5,467; slaves 2,745. Deaths, 87. Farms, 645; manufacturing establishments, 5. Value of real estate, $713.307; value of personal property, $1,708,105.

Among the first settlers of this county were, Samuel Beall, Charles C. Beall, Solomon B. Murphy, John Hoover, John Meredith, Abner Hicks, Alexander Passmore, John Freeman, Joel Rivers, Samuel Bragg, John Lavender, Isaac Hall, Green B. Burney, Wiley Shepherd, Joseph Hill, Wm. Lord, Jesse Pittmann, M. Carswell, Anson Ball, Wm. Lindsey, Ellis Harvill, and others.

The first Superior Court for Wilkinson County was held in 1808, Hon. Peter Early, Judge."