Beadland to Barrow
“I asked the question for the best reason possible, for the only reason, indeed, that excuses anyone for asking any question — simple curiosity.”
― Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray
Curiosity propels questions, and questions drive research. However, this curiosity was not initially present in my journey to find my roots. When I first began scouring ancestry.com for information on my family, it was a dull process. I felt as though I was simply listing members of my known family. I would input birthdates of my siblings and parents, names of my grandparents, deaths of the generations far before mine, until, finally, I stumbled upon a leaf: a hint. This hint provided me with three possible fathers for great grandfather, Ezra Allen Brown. The only problem was that I could not narrow down the proper match on my own. I sought my grandmother’s help, for my curiosity was finally sparked. With her help, I was able to trace my roots to my fifth great grandfather, Matthew Matthew Brown, who was an Ulster Scot that traveled to Georgia in the late 1820s.
To better prepare myself for my official interview with my grandmother, I have compiled a plethora of sources. These twelve sources begin with my roots in Northern Ireland. Like my lineage, the sources then travel to Georgia to what is now Barrow County. Here, the purchase of land and the removal of Native Americans is recounted. Hog Mountain Road is created soon after. The purchased land eventually evolves into Barrow County, named for David “Uncle Dave” Barrow Jr.
War erupts, and James Almond Lee is drafted into the 104th Infantry Division. He serves the Timberwolves for just under a year and a half. His division is explored in depth from mortar fire to meals of brotherhood. After the war, Lee moves back to Barrow County to live out the rest of his life on the outskirts of an urbanizing Winder, GA. Rachael Hoover moves to Winder during it’s modernization, witnessing the many changes in infrastructure and economy. Finally, a modern Barrow County Community Resource Guide provides an excellent depiction of present day Barrow County.
Montgomery, Eric. The Scotch-Irish in America’s History. Belfast: Ulster-Scot Historical Foundation, 1965. Print.
According to Sir Winston Churchill, the loyalty of the Ulster people protected Europe from “slavery and death and the light which now shines so strongly throughout the world would have been quenched” if it were not for the aid of the Northern Irish.
This book was written by Eric Montgomery about the Scotch-Irish and the Ulster, including the history and immigration of these peoples. The Scotch Irish, or Ulster-Scots, have a vital role in the history of America. Those that journeyed to America held many important positions. Over a quarter of the country’s presidents were of Ulster-Scot descent, three of which were first generation Americans, meaning their fathers were born in Northern Ireland. A few of these notable Presidents include: Andrew Jackson, Grover Cleveland, William McKinley, and Woodrow Wilson.
The descends of the Ulsters that chose to remain in Northern Ireland did not fail to make an imprint on history. They transformed their wasteland of a homeland into well-cultivated villages. Just below Northern Ireland is a strip of land that allowed the Allied Forces to win World War II, for it was the location that American troops first began practicing for the invasion of the beaches of Normandy.
The Ulster people that left their homes for new opportunity became ideal frontiersmen of colonial America, for they cleared forests for farms and toiled over the harsh land until it was prosperous. Their passion of religion and learning came with them to the new land and churches and schools were established with each new settlement. It is argued that education is the most important contribution that the Scotch-Irish made to American life.
As descendants of war-like people, the Scotch-Irish proved to be quintessential in the American Revolution. The Ulster-Scots were firmly on the side of independence as they were mindful of their religious and civil disabilities in their motherland. They declared independence for America before any other. George Washington is quoted in regard to the Scotch-Irish saying that, “if defeated everywhere else, he would make his last stand for liberty.” General Lee declared the Scotch-Irish to be fine soldiers due to their fierce courage and determination of the Scots and the intrepidity of the Irish. General Stonewall Jackson was a Scotch-Irish himself, as was Davy Crockett, the “Hero of the Alamo.”
Many qualities of the Ulster people exist outside of war. John Dunlap printed the first daily paper ever issued in the United States. Others created the New York Tribune, the Chicago Tribune, and the New Yorker. Edgar Alan Poe was of Scotch-Irish descent, as was the founder of the American Presbyterian Church, Reverend Francis Makemie. Though the Ulster-Scots produced great fighters, national leaders, and churches, many agree that their greatest contribution is the influence they had on American character and way of life.
This books pertains to my project because it helps to illustrate the undeniable drive of my ancestors. This same ceaseless motivation can be found in my grandmother, as well as in my immediate family. Also, through ancestry.com, I learned that the first of my lineage to make the journey to America held professions as farmers. This source has introduced me to the lifestyle of my ancestors before America. Not only has this (slightly bias) source educated me on several specifics of my family history, it has also filled me with great pride to know the power of my bloodline.
Ingram, Culpepper Fred. Beadland to Barrow: A History of Barrow County, Georgia from the Earliest Days to the Present. Atlanta: Cherokee Pub., 1978. Print.
According to Amazon, one could buy the original tract of land upon which Barrow County rests for $56. That’s about how much 14 pounds of colorful beads cost.
Richard Easley, Abednego Moore, and Josiah Strong traveled from Effingham County, Georgia set up camp at Talasee Shoals in 1786. This was northeast of present day Winder. After several days, the first white settlers saw Umausauga, a Creek Indian, who was fishing in the Mulberry River with his bare hands. Strong greeted the Indian with a fishing hook, sparking an unbroken friendship. After this and a gift of red cloth, Umausauga invited the men to the other side of the river. Here, the white men offered to purchase the land.
The purchase was conducted under a large chestnut tree known as the “Place of Rest.” This location is near where the old Okoloco Trail, now known as Hog Mountain Road, intersected Jefferson Road. Here, the Creek Indians and the white men conducted their business. The Indians were perplexed by the men. Older Native Americans wanted to wash out the white men’s eyes to remove the blue paint. Their curly hair was examined closely. The Indians wanted to see if a thorn could make the white men bleed. After their curiosities were quenched, the Natives proceeded to matters of business.
Each man, white and Indian, sat in a circle and passed the Peace Pipe. Six pulls were taken by each man; this confirmed the trade of land. Umausauga received fourteen pounds of beads as payment, and the Indian men left in a single file. The diamond shaped tract of 8,000 acres was called Beadland.
This source, Beadland to Barrow, was written by the husband of my grandmother’s high school history teacher. It describes the evolution of land from Indian territory to present day Barrow County. I chose to research the beginning of the county’s journey because I have always been curious about how the Native Americans seemed to readily gave away their land to the white men. This has been an enlightening read. Several topics covered in this novel I have read previously in my research; however, never did I know that the entire tract of land was obtained using fourteen pounds of beads.
Gentry, Willard. “Allen Cain Gentry.” Journal of Gentry Genealogy. N.p., May 2012. Web. 1 Nov. 2015.
Long before the white men ever settled in what is modern day Barrow County, the Creek and the Cherokee Indians ruled over the area. Through significant wars and trading, the land fell into the hands of the white men.
This, is also the case for land owned by other Native American tribes throughout the early state of Georgia. On a website dedicated to the genealogy of Allen Cain Gentry, three maps of Georgia can be found, ranging from 1810 to 1850.
On the 1810 map, it is clear that the “Indian Lands” outweigh the white inhabited lands by over half. The white men generally dominate the northeast side of the state.
Come 1830, however, the only trace of Indian Land is in the uppermost northwest corner. By this point, nearly 80 counties were established in all of the other regions of Georgia.
In 1850, no trace of Native American land is apparent.
The land that is now Barrow County was taken early, purchased with fourteen pounds of beads and a knife. Many of the other parts of Georgia were eradicated beginning in the early 1830s, even against the ruling of the Supreme Court. In May of 1830, Andrew Jackson’s “Indian Removal Act” began, eventually leading to the Trail of Tears. This removal continued in Georgia until the mid 1840s, when no more Indian nations were present.
Cates, Onald W., and Alice Lillian Smythe McCabe. Index to J. V. Flanigan’s Volume II, History of Gwinnett County, 1818–1860. Vol. II. Lawrenceville, GA: Gwinnett Historical Society, n.d. N. pag. Print.
In 1810, a stage coach road was built between the village of Hog Mountain and Mule Camp Springs. This road intersected Georgia Road, separating the US/Cherokee boundary. The stage coach road later became Hog Mountain Road.
This source proved excellent in proving an intriguing and encapsulating history of Hog Mountain as it transformed over time. The article from the Gwinnett Gazeteer combines works from a researched journalist, Harriet Hiland, and the Index to J. V. Flanigan’s Volume II, History of Gwinnett County, 1818–1860 written by Onald W. Cates and Alice Lillian Smythe McCabe.
The article’s focus begins with the history of Hog Mountain through excerpts from the History of Gwinnett County, primarily on Hog Mountain. This raised area of land once belonged to the Cherokee Indians, who were allies of the British Empire. To protect the frontier’s white settlers, the State’s military authorities authorized a military fort’s erection near the mountain. This fort was known as Fort Daniel. The production of this military fort was the first of many instances that contribute to the historic importance of Hog Mountain.
Soon after, in 1813, Peachtree Road was constructed, connecting Fort Daniel to another fort built on Standing Peachtree. Later, the Hog Mountain House, known for its good food and superb hospitality, became the first operational hotel in the county, adding to Hog Mountain’s prominence.
The Hog Mountain House holds importance due to its position. Indian trails that eventually turn into roads for the white settlers converge on its position. Many people from all socioeconomic backgrounds and states traveled to Hog Mountain from the east. Though some simply camped in the area, others stayed and bought land. Eventually, Hog Mountain Road became such a popular destination that a mail route was authorized in 1821, connecting Lawrenceville to Gainseville, allowing stagecoaches to carry mail over the mountain.
The focus turns to the expansion of the area in the present. Many came to Hog Mountain to experience a calm and rural lifestyle; however, the land is developing quickly. In twenty years, taxes on land have become forty times as expensive. A few cars passing daily has turned into constant traffic due to the Mall of Georgia. There are many new developments that contain between 550 and 2300 homes, some offering tennis courts, parks, multiple pools, and even public golf courses.
This source is obviously important to my family’s history because it factually describes the numerous ways in which our homeland has changed over the last 200 years. Through these words, I have also discovered the origin of Hog Mountain Road. The name of the raised ground on which the area sits, Hog Mountain, comes from the fact that farmers used to drive their hogs to the market through the road created. For centuries, it was believed that hogs could not swim without their trotters cutting their own gullets. For this reason, farmers took the high ground of Hog Mountain, for the raised land had no flowing water.
After reading this source, I better understand my homeland, and I have also better prepared myself to interview my grandmother who still lives on Hog Mountain Road. I understand the driving force behind the development of Barrow County and Hog Mountain itself.
Tate, Benjamin B. “David C. Barrow Jr. (1852–1929).” New Georgia Encyclopedia. N.p., 1 Apr. 2003. Web. 19 Oct. 2015.
Students of the University of Georgia nicknamed David Crenshaw Barrow Jr. “Uncle Dave.” He was viewed as a man of compassion and benevolence, able to enforce rules with the “proper mixture of justice and concern.” David Barrow Jr. lived October 18, 1852 — January 11, 1929. He served as the University of Georgia’s chancellor from 1906 until he resigned in 1925. The position of President of the University was referred to as “chancellor” prior to 1932. His father, David C. Barrow Sr. was a planter and a trustee at the university.
Uncle Dave was educated at UGA, graduating in 1874 with both a degree in engineering and a Bachelor of Science. He became a Professor of Mathematics at the University in 1878 after briefly attempting careers in law and geological surveying. Barrow worked his way from Math Department Head, to Dean of Franklin College, to Chancellor of the University of Georgia.
Throughout his tenure as the University’s chancellor, Barrow transformed a collection of colleges (Liberal Arts, Forestry, Franklin, etc.) into a modern university. Under his guidance, many new schools were created. These include the Schools of Education, Commerce, and Journalism. Several new buildings were also constructed on campus including Peabody Hall and Memorial Hall. In 1903, female students were finally admitted to the University through summer classes, grad students in 1916, and finally undergraduates in 1918. Due to his efforts and the admission of female students, enrollment quadrupled.
David Barrow Jr. accomplished a great deal for the University of Georgia, but he also served outside of his university duties. At the request of Booker T. Washington, Uncle Dave served on the board of Jeanes Fund in 1907. This board strove to improve the rural education of African Americans. Not only did he defend their education, he also fought for equal pay of black workers. The Central of Georgia Railway strike in 1909 occurred because black workers were hired to work with whites, yet were paid less. Black employees constantly faced discrimination and lower wages. Barrow served as the neutral arbitrator of the episode. A federal board settled the issue in ruling that the black workers should be paid equally for equal work. Barrow’s vote aided the African Americans in working closer to equality.
On July 7, 1914, Barrow County was created by merging Gwinnett, Jackson, and Walton counties. Named for David Barrow Jr., this county’s largest city is the county seat of Winder, Ga. This source from Georgia Encyclopedia written by Benjamin Tate has enlightened me on the namesake the county in which my grandmother — and the rest of my lineage — resides. His ideals are reflected in my family, particularly Monna. His ties to the University of Georgia are interesting, mainly because the last three generations of my family have attended the school. Many unforeseen connections exist between my family and David Barrow Jr..
Barrow died at his home in Athens, GA in 1929. His funeral was held in the Chapel on the University’s north campus. The same building that I first stepped into on my first visit to UGA. After his death, a county, an Athens street, a university hall, the university’s Chair of Mathematics, and an elementary school that my grandmother taught at were all named in his honor.
Harris, Evelyn R., Sara Lyle, Par R. Russell, Rarene H. Swafford, Daba B. Teich, and Yvonne L. Jett. Centennial Cooking: Winder’s Heritage — 1893–1993. By Polly J. Elliott. Winder, GA: Winder Centennial Celebration Committee, 1993. 27+. Print.
A defining factor of any age is its food. What were people able to cook? How was food prepared? Who ate what? These are questions that I did not previously consider when trying to bring my reader into the age in which my grandmother grew up. For that reason, I have sought out many recipes and cook books used by my grandmother from a young age to the present. Among a shelf full of over 100 recipe books, one special book’s title caught my eye: Centennial Cooking: Winder’s Heritage.
This cook book was created in celebration of Winder’s 100th birthday, offering 100 years worth of recipes for local meals. It was pieced together over the course of two years by residents of the city of Winder. Their submissions were compiled by a committee of seven members, while eight members of an art committee painted many of the finished meals to be shown in the books many pages. Centennial Cooking contains over 500 different recipes and 14 different categories of meals.
The urbanization of the city is apparent in the evolution of recipes. Cooks were using wood, coal, kerosene, or gas for cooking. There were no refrigerators or freezers for storing food. For that reason, popular methods of preserving foods included canning, drying, cellars, and ice boxing. Cooking times have become much faster with the development of microwaves and other electrical appliances.
Many of the recipes in this book were used by my grandmother’s family for many years. I asked her to mark any recipes that she specifically remembered being served often when she was young. These include very simple and cheap meals such as banana bread, oatmeal, baked onions, and corn dogs.
Stuck within the pages of the cook book are recipes handwritten on yellowing pages. One is for chocolate pie, a favorite of my grandmother’s. It is a very worn document, covered in pencil edits and chocolate stains. The other is the epitome of my family’s cooking; every generation that I know of has prepared the legendary broccoli casserole recipe. This large index card is complete with my grandmother’s handwriting, a crossed out jeer from my uncle, and a doodle of my grandmother expertly drawn by my mother as a child.
These yellowed index cards and the Centennial Cooking recipe book serve as physical mementos of my family’s history. Handwritten notes and evaluations of recipes illustrate the connection of my family to the meals within the cookbook. These meals were served at dinner tables at which my ancestors grew closer as families. These are meals that my mother still makes for mine today. The eclectic foods found within the recipe book are another form of my roots in Winder, GA.
Allen, Terry. “Timberwolves. The Story of the 104th Infantry Division.” G.I. Stories of the Ground, Air and Service Forces in the European Theater of Operations. Paris: Stars and Stripes, 1944. N. page. Print.
The motto of the 104th Infantry Division during the second world war was, “Nothing in Hell can stop the Timberwolves.”
In preparation for an interview with World War II veteran and Barrow County historian James Almond Lee, I deemed it necessary to learn more about his role in the military prior to engaging him with questions. This research on World War II served several purposes. I would be able to ask more educated questions about about his part in the war. Also, with prior knowledge about his service, my curiosity would be slightly quenched enough to focus on the Barrow County aspect of Lee’s life.
It is common knowledge within the family that James Lee served in the 104th Infantry Division during World War II. The division saw nearly 200 days of combat in the northwestern European front of the war, fighting through France, Belgium, and the western part of Germany. The 104th Division advanced through the theater to Germany until Victory in Europe Day (May 7, 1945) where the fighting ceased as the troops resided in central Germany.
Lee’s division was known as the Timberwolf Division, and it was trained specifically for nocturnal combat. They were recognized by the shoulder sleeve insignia depicting a timberwolf howling atop a balsam green background, a patch designed by Charles Livingston Bull. Along with their popular motto previously mentioned, the 104th Division was also known for their viciously intimidating rally chant:
RALLY THE PACK
From way up north in Oregon to Southlands far away,
We’ve moved across the desert sands a-fighting all the way.
We’ll climb the highest mountains in any state or land.
We will swing along by combat-team a-fighting hand to hand.
CHORUS:
Oh, this is our night to howl boys, just follow us with will,
The Timberwolves are on the prowl; we’re closing in to kill.
We’re a helluva gang to fight with, just follow us and see,
The 104th will lead the way from hell to victory.
This excerpt from the historical booklet the series G.I. Stories provides excellent details about the many victorious battles of the courageous Timberwolves, including their incredible number of towns and prisoners of war taken captive. This Division conquered Cologne, Duren, and Weisweiler with ease, often striking at night. Their days, though triumphant, are recalled with regard to the miserable conditions at hand: terrible rainfall, ankle-deep mud, disease, and the daily fear of an enemy threat. To think that my great uncle belonged to this group of men is humbling. He was among a brotherhood of men that would become essential to the Allied victory in World War II.
U.S. Soldiers of the 415th Regiment, 104th Infantry Division Firing 60 Mm Mortar in Cologne, Germany during World War II. Perf. 104th Infantry Division. Critical Past. N.p., 10 Apr. 2014. Web. 28 Oct. 2015.
104th Infantry Division Europe WWII Combat Film. Combat Reels. N.p., 4 Oct. 2010. Web. 28 Oct. 2015.
World War II was the deadliest war in all of history with over 80 million lives claimed in the process. There were countless battles in ten theaters throughout over half a decade. For this reason, I imagine every image and clip of the war to be directly related to fighting and death. Though this is the case for one clip cited, the other, however, is very calm daily life for the soldiers.
The two video sources depict my great uncle’s division during World War II. The video from Critical Past portrays the violent duties of my James Lee. Mortars are fired and men run for shelter. Though no audio is synched with the film, I imagine the rounds would ring in the men’s ears long after fired. These images are precisely how I imagined each day of the war.
The video from Combat Reels ironically contrasts starkly with the mortar fire and combat. Though an undertone of urgency is apparent, fear is not. The men are simply enjoying a meal and savoring every bite. Ham is cut and soup is prepared. The soldiers of the 104th Infantry Division lean up against buildings while dining together. This image of war is arguably one of equally as much brotherhood as presented in the clip from Critical Past. The same men that risk their lives together can still be civil and share a meal. I found this image of a calm moment during chaos particularly interesting because it is not how I typically imagine a war. My uncle experienced intense fighting, though he also enjoyed periods of relative tranquility.
These sources helped me to better understand the conditions experienced by my great uncle during his time serving in the military. After viewing these clips, I feel better prepared to ask him personal interview questions about the war.
Lee, James Almond. “Uncle James: Barrow County and WWII.” Personal interview. 23 Oct. 2015.
Growing up in Barrow County entailed living in the middle of nowhere. My uncle, James Almond Lee, was raised on a farm in the lower edge of the county. He helped his family grow cotton (their cash crop), corn (for feeding livestock), peanuts, and cabbage. His father was a sharecropper, renting land and mules, and paying a fee to the owner of the land. They owned two cows and produced calves each year. The cows were milked twice a day, and sometimes the sweet milk, Lee’s favorite, was churned into buttermilk.
A typical day on the farm consisted of waking up at dawn, just before the light crept over the horizon. Each child in the family would fetch their mule and feed it. “After the mule ate, you ate. You would work in the fields all day, and then finally come in for dinner.” After dinner, everyone would clean up their daily work and feed the mules dinner, only to wake up and do it all again.
This work day only applied to kids who were not old enough to start school. Once in school, Uncle James became involved with several sports. When not on the farm, he preferred to be pitching in a softball game or playing basketball. “I was good, I’ll admit it. Sometimes you just have to wind up and turn it loose.”
Growing up in poverty, Lee’s favorite meal was “anything [he] could find, just about.” The family would eat peas, beans, corn, turnips, and “mashed potaters.” These foods were canned for the winter in hopes of saving money. Delicacies were potato pie, custards, strawberry pie, and homemade ice cream, though each snack was seasonal.
Uncle James worked on the farm until he was drafted into the military. Upon being asked about WWII, Uncle James responded “We were proud of what we did, but we sure as hell didn’t want to do it again.” He was drafted at 18 years of age. After completing basic training at Fort McClellen, Alabama, he was taken to Stranton Island, New Jersey. Shortly thereafter, Lee was shipped Scotland, where he and the rest of the 104th Infantry Division took the English Channel to France.
“We were all scared. It got to the point where you would be walking through frozen beet fields at night without worrying about tomorrow. You had to stay alive and take care of yourself… there was no tomorrow.” Lee served in the military for 1 year, 5 months, and 29 days — 5 months of which was spent in front line combat. This engagement ended when Lee was in Germany and the Germans surrendered. After Germany’s surrender, Lee was shipped home for 30 days. He was to go to Japan with a brief layover in California. The night his division entered California, the Japanese surrendered. Uncle James was lucky to be between 5'9" and 6" because he was eligible to be selected to participate in the Armed Forces Day Parade. He marched one hour and five minutes down Market Street — a fine way to conclude his service in the military.
Uncle James was excited to tell me about how he met his late wife, Dorothy. James and a buddy of his decided to go on a drive through Monroe one day. “The thing to do was to drive all the way down the main street, turn the car around, and then drive the whole way back. Folks would do this dozens of times.” On this particular day, Lee and his friend passed a car with two “beautiful ladies” in the front seats. They passed each other three times before both cars finally decided to park. The girls hopped out of the car. One lady sat in the front seat with Lee’s friend, and Dorothy sat in the back seat with James. “We planned a date within five minutes,” Uncle James added with a chuckle. They met at twenty and stayed together until 86 upon Dorothy’s death. “I miss Dorothy and it gets lonely without her sometimes. She was fading away and I knew it was time.”
After the wedding, the young couple settled down back in a very rural Barrow County. When he moved into his house in Winder, GA, the “highway” out front was a dirt road. When the road was paved, his property line grew, for the road was expanded on the side opposite of his house. The downside, however, was the increase in traffic. The county was growing and nothing could be done about it. Lee “used to love to watch the silver comet train ride past on the other side of the pasture. It would go by at 8:30 every night loaded with people, and you could see the whole train from beginning to end. Now there are so many buildings that you can only see two carts at a time.” Uncle James complains, and rightfully so, about the incredible amount of traffic he experiences outside of his home. Not only that, but the speed at which the cars pass is dangerous.
With Barrow County changing, Lee’s property does, too. Over the course of thirty years, he built three chicken coops on his property, raising over 52,000 chickens. Now, only one remains, and it is used as a storage unit. To keep up with the times, Uncle James drives to the gym three times per week to stay fit. The morning of our interview, he had an appointment for his regular check-up and physical. “The doctor said to just keep on doing what I’m doing and I’ll be fine.”
James Almond Lee is a type of tradition holder. Not necessarily for my family, but for the entire county in which my family resides. Talking with him certainly helped me to understand the land of my roots, and how it is constantly changing. His smaller anecdotes and side stories not included in this annotation, such as a strike for higher wages, antics with his late wife, and the pains of maintaining chicken houses, gave me a sense of common life in Barrow County long before my time.
Hoover, Rachael. “Interview with Rachael Hoover.” Personal interview. 28 Oct. 2015.
Rachael Hoover is 94 and still sharp as a tack. I chose to interview Mrs. Hoover because she moved to Winder at a time in which it was still a growing city. She was born in the western mountains of North Carolina in 1924. She moved from her town in Chimney Rock, NC to Manchester, GA in 1930. Her father was in the lumber business, and Georgia’s yellow pine was extremely profitable if cut into 2x4s. She lived through the Great Depression, graduating from high school in 1938, and eventually attending Georgia State Woman’s College (later Valdosta State University) one year later.
During her senior year of college, Japan bombed Pearl Harbor. This propelled her and many her age to join in America’s quest to rid the earth of terror. She served in the public relation department of the military as a recruiter. After recruiting for two years, Hoover was transferred to Camp Wheeler in Macon, GA. Here, she prepared army reinforcements to be deployed to their respective lands. Also, she wrote reports on the the war and sent them to Washington D.C.. Finally, after D-Day, she worked her way out of the military and into Columbia University in New York City.
Graduating with several degrees in English and Education, Mrs. Hoover moved back to Manchester. Here, she taught high school for several years. During her career, she met her husband, with whom she had two children. The couple later moved to Commerce in 1963 to purchase and operate a drug store. Upon her husband’s death in the late 1980s, Hoover desired a calm, rural place to live, so moved to Winder, GA to be with her daughter, the Assistant Director of the city’s three libraries.
Though she aided in the urbanization of the city, she arrived early enough to see the city’s evolution. At the time of her move, Interstate 85 had just been established. The area towards Commerce was booming due to the creation of an outlet mall. The county’s library count grew from 5 to 11. Drug stores grew from one per town to one per street corner. The entire area was growing and changing. Hoover once knew each Winder citizen at one point, but there soon became too many.
Interviewing Rachel Hoover provided me with a perspective I previously lacked. She was able to give me an idea of what the urbanization of Winder, GA was like from the vantage point of an “outsider” to the city. Hoover arrived to the area at the beginning of it’s development and saw it through to the present. As an individual who moved to the location partially due to it’s tranquil and rural nature, she spoke of the surprise that is expected to come with the boom of a city. Mrs. Hoover has helped me better understand my family’s county, and, as a lovely bonus, the unusual thrill of growing up during the Great Depression and WWII.
Taylor, Zac. “Barrow OKs Center for Vets.” Barrow County News. N.p., 25 Oct. 2015. Web. 29 Oct. 2015.
“Any veteran who needs assistance in any way can come.”
In Barrow County on October 13, a lease for Veteran’s Resource Center in Winder was unanimously approved by voting commissioners. Though the center will only initially be open for two days a week, it is expected to operate more often as its popularity increases. The building will open as soon as the floors are painted and the bathrooms are deemed handicap accessible, and it will be based on an already successful center in Gwinnett. This Veteran’s Resource Center will benefit veterans such as my great uncle James Almond Lee. By commissioning a center in Winder, local veterans will no longer have to travel to the operation in Gwinnett.
Barrow County is doing this and more to honor its service men and women. On the same day, voting session commissioners also approved a Veteran’s Day ceremony on the Downtown Historic Courthouse’s front steps. This ceremony was previously held at the Winder cemetery, but is now at a new, more visible location. The the Military Veterans of Georgia will partner with Barrow County School District bands and JROTCs, the City of Auburn, the City of Winder, the Marine Corps League, VFW, AMVETS, and American Legion to honor the veterans.
This source is unique to the rest of my sources because it is happening in the present rather than the past. Barrow County News illustrates daily what is currently happening in the area in which my family has lived for over 200 years. These current events contrast starkly with the past, as many of the articles involve crime and murders. However, this article about honoring veterans pertains directly to my family, as my oldest living relative will personally benefit from the Veteran’s Resource Center.
Barrow County. Barrow County, Georgia: Community Resource Guide. Winder: Barrow County, 2014. Print.
Nothing screams modern Barrow County like a Community Resource Guide. In this 2014 edition, the county is described as one full of energy, passion, growth, and opportunity. Many facts and statistics are included among ads for businesses and services. Barrow County covers 162 square miles with 413 people per mile — a total population of 70,001 citizens. Though the $598 average weekly wage is less than the national average of nearly $850, the county is considered one of America’s 15 fastest growing counties. It is the geographic center of the “Innovation Crescent,” a coalition of over a dozen bioscience and economic development entities committed to helping Georgia’s life science flourish.
Many tourist attractions exist, including the famous Fort Yargo State Park. This park is known for a 1792 log fort, constructed for protection from the Creek and Cherokee Indians. It has 18 miles of trails, part of which run across the perimeter of a 260-acre lake and swimming beach. If interested in baseball or football, Signature Park is a public recreational complex complete with ball fields, playgrounds, a walking trail, and even batting cages. In the aspect of fine dining, Château Élan Winery and Resort is an “escape to the French countryside in the hills of North Georgia.” This four-star establishment is just 40 minutes from Atlanta, and it is complete with a full-production winery and vineyard.
This source also includes aspects of Barrow County’s historic culture. In the Barrow County Museum, visitors can view an insight into the history of the county, including many notable, prominent families. Among these families is that of Richard B. Russell, whom the University of Georgia’s Russell Hall is named for.
An extremely modern view of Barrow County is presented in this community resource guide. The contemporary activities do not necessarily contrast that of attractions provided many years ago as Fort Yargo has long since been an ideal location for visitors to tour. However, progression is obvious in the county’s growing infrastructure and economy.
