Research Tips
Jeannette Holland Austin

What to Do When County Records Burn….

The big dilemma for most of us is what to do when we discover that county records have burned. Okay, so we might locate some tax records which prove that our ancestor resided in a particular county for prescribed years.

(Don’t forget to look in the back of the record for the “defaulters”). If only the tax digests were more descriptive on land location. It is time to get the county map! The tax assessor’s office can provide a pretty accurate map of roads, churches and cemeteries. (See the Legend). Also, topographical maps assist.

Visit all local cemeteries, including those legended to be located in the woods. Okay, you say that your ancestor served in the not your direct ancestor, this is the place to start digging. Go to local churches. See if they have a record of old members.

Another thing to remember is that he may have served in the local militia. Search the Georgia State Archives card catalog. Also, keep in mind historical facts, such as Indian wars, removals, etc., when the militia was called out. This will guide you to search for Georgia history books which relate such wars and battles. I have an ancestor who died after 1830 in Gwinnett County. When I learned that the Gwinnett militia had been called out for the Indian troubles in Muscogee County (about 1833…a last skirmish), I found White’s History of Georgia. This book mentioned the names of those militiamen who died in this…including my ancestor’s sons (names). This helped me to identify them (from age ranges) on the 1830 census.

“James Habersham”

James Habersham arrived in Savannah with George Whitefield on May 7, 1738. American Revolution.

The gentlemen were surprised at the rapid death rate and the number of children who were left destitute, so they rented an empty house, hired a housekeeper, and collected orphans. Rev. Whitefield later opened Bethesda Orphans Home and James Habersham married one of the older orphan girls, Mary Bolton. From 1750 to 1775, Habersham was one of the largest rice planters in Georgia; also establishing a commercial house. His plantation Silk Hope contained 3,423 acres on the Little Ogeechee River. In the early 1740s Habersham formed a business association with Francis Harris of Savannah and began making regular trans-atlantic commercial voyages to England. Their firm was recognized as the first such successful business enterprises in colonial Georgia. Habersham began acquiring tracts of land for rice plantations along the Savannah River. Once the ban on slavery ended, he developed extensive rice plantations which eventually totaled nearly 15,000 acres, worked by about 200 slaves. By the 1750s he was politically prominent as well, being a senior councilor in the royal government of the colony. He also served as council president and held the position of acting governor of Georgia in the early 1770s. All three of Habersham’s sons were actively involved in the Revolutionary movement. Joseph, in particular, was a zealous revolutionary. The senior Habersham’s death in 1775 prevented the painful family division from extending into the war years. Joseph and his younger brother, John, pursued careers in the Continental Army which eclipsed the career of their elder brothers, James, Jr. Joseph rose to the rank of Colonel but resigned during the war.

New Additions: Family Cemeteries --------------

Atkinson- Emanuel Co.

Atmore-James-White - Emanuel Co.

Baker - Paulding Co.

Ballew - Gordon Co.

Barnwell - Gordon Co.

Barrett - Emanuel Co.

Baugh - Gordon Co.

Baxter - Gordon Co.

Beasley- Effingham Co.

Beasley - Emanuel Co.

Bennette-Drew - Emanuel Co.

Bird - - Candler Co.

Bishop - Emanuel Co.

Blackman- Paulding Co.

Booth-Rhoden-Smith - Emanuel Co.

Bowman - Paulding Co.

Braswell - Emanuel Co.

Brewton -Evans Co.

Brinson - Emanuel Co.

Brintle - Paulding Co.

Brown - Emanuel Co.

Buie -Buie Road - Candler Co.

Bullock - Paulding Co.

Burgess - Forsyth Co.

Burgsteiner -Effingham Co.

Byrom - Gordon Co.

Canady-Lewis- Emanuel Co.

Catchings - Haddock Houston Co.

Colbrook- Effingham Co.

Cole - Paulding Co.

Coleman - Wadley- Midville - Emanuel Co.

Coleman - Emanuel Co.

Coleman (Elisha) - Emanuel Co.

Coleman - Emanuel Co.

Collins - Emanuel Co.

Craven-Gentry - Carroll Co.

Cross/Green- Emanuel Co.

Cross-Green- Wadley- Emanuel Co.

Crouch - Heard Co.

Curtis - Near Blue Ridge, Ga.

Dabbs - Paulding Co.

Daniel - Evans Co.

Florence Farm - Paulding Co.

Dasher-Freyermuth - Effingham Co.

Dekle - Evans Co.

Dodd - Gordon Co.

Douthit - Fannin Co.

Durden - Emanuel Co.

Earle - Floyd Co.

Edwards- Effingham Co.

Elkins - Effingham Co.

Ellis - Floyd Co.

Elrod - Gordon Co.

Faircloth- Emanuel Co.

Farmer - Fannin Co.

Farmer - Franklin Co.

Ferguson - Heard Co.

Fern - Effingham Co.

Fortner - Fannin Co.

Founders Cemetery - Fulton Co.

Frix - Gordon Co.

Galloway – Curtis-Fannin Co.

Gann - Paulding Co.

Garner - Paulding Co.

George - Paulding Co.

Goldwire- Effingham Co.

Goolsby - Jones Co.

Grant - Emanuel Co.

Gray-Varner- Houston Co.

Griffin - Paulding Co.

Griffin- Effingham Co.

Haddock - Houston Co.

Haley - Franklin Co.

Hall - Paulding Co.

Harber -Gordon Co.

Hayes - Paulding Co.

Hester - Effingham Co.

Hendricks- Candler Co.

Henry Holland - Candler Co.

Holland - Paulding Co.

Hunt - Paulding Co.

Hutcheson - Emanuel Co.

Johnson-Warren Co.

Jones - Forsyth Co.

Jones - Forsyth Co.

Jones - Paulding Co.

Jones-Carter - Paulding Co.

Jones - Candler Co.

Jones - Effingham Co.

Kennedy - Paulding Co.

Kennedy- Effingham Co.

Kimbrell - Heard Co.

Knight - Wadley- Emanuel Co.

Kollock- Habersham Co.

Lamb - Emanuel Co.

Lane - Paulding Co.

Lanier-Parish - Candler Co.

Lawrence- Paulding Co.

Lee - Paulding Co.

Lewia Morgan - Effingham Co.

Mallette - Turkey - Effingham Co.

Marable - Paulding Co.

McIntosh - Carroll Co.

McMullen- Carroll Co.

Metzger- Effingham Co.

Millsaps - Fannin Co.

Moody Place-Paulding Co.

Moon - Paulding Co.

Moore - Jones Co.

Morel - Effingham Co.

Moore - Effingham Co.

Morris - Habersham Co.

Morris-Turner - Paulding Co.

Morton - Effingham Co.

Moseley-Wilkes - Emanuel Co.

Newton - Effington Co.

Olliff - Candler Co.

Owensby - Heard Co.

Pace - Green - Effington Co.

Parrish - Candler Co.

Peg Cole- Paulding Co.

Persons - Heard Co.

Pinkard - Paulding Co.

Pitner - Habersham Co.

Porter - Effington Co.

Prickett - Carroll Co.

Quinn - Habersham Co.

Rogers - Evans Co.

Rountree - Rheney - Emanuel Co.

Salmon - Floyd Co.

Samples - Forsyth Co.

Seals-Norton - Paulding Co.

Shadinger - Carroll Co.

Smith - Emanuel Co.

Smith - Blichton - Bryan Co.

Stevens - Paulding Co.

Stewart- Habersham Co.

Strickland-Forsyth Co.

Stubbs - Bibb Co.

Tebeau - Effingham Co.

Thomas Paulding Co.

Tillman - Rabun Co.

Turner - Paulding Co.

Ulmer-Wisenbaker - Effingham Co.

Vann - Floyd Co.

Weaver - Fannin Co.

Welston - Houston Co.

West - Wilkes Co.

Whitehead-Paulding Co.

Williams - Heard Co.

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