The morning news., 1892-02-10
old sICCUM."
a Short History OF sylvania's Early
DAVIS,


Days.
From the Syipdnfa (Ga.) Telephone.
Occasionally we hear a man, in speaking
Of Sylvania, refer to it as "Old Siccum.
This is a nickname that our county site re.
ceived at Its birth over forty yearj ago, and
which has chung TO 1t ever since, with the
tenderest affection. We do not hear it In
these days 50 much as formerly, nor is
it spoken in the same spirit of with
ering ridicule; nevertheless, despite her
vigorous growth, SYlvania will never be
able 20 completely efface this defisive brand
from her fair proportions. Like all nick
names, it will cling to her through life, aud
when at last she falls into the decay tha,
sooner or later must come to the ciLies OF
| the earth, We have no doubt aged inhabi-
| tauts who will be heard TO lament over the
sad foil Of ''Old Slicumn
1t will be interesting to many. perhaps,
TO hear the origin Of this funny soubriquet
and the cause that led to its bestowal. For
| thereby hangs tale of two cities.
lu lS47 Jacksonboro was the county, sea
| OF Scriyen. IL was there the superior court
| convened; it was there the inferior court
with its five judges held undisputed sway
over county affairs; it was there the wings
and democrats met to vote on election
days-and it was there, according TO
the stories that have come to us, that
eyeballs were gathered up by the saucerful
the next morning after elections. Old
JaclrsOnboro was a beautiful little village,
We are told, and was quite a lively place in
many respects. However, it was NOT cen.
trally located. and the people In the lower
part of the county, near Eilingham, felt
the Inconvenience of driving so far to court
and wanted ths court house equi>distant
from both ends Of the county. SO they be
gan to agitate a removal.
This OF course met with tho bitterest kind
Of opposition from those who loved the old
towA on the banks of the Beaver Dam aud
there were many who did, IL was entirely
natural that they should. Some had lost
an eye, some a tooth. some an ear, perhaps,
and 1t was not strange they should resist
any attenpt to have elections held at any
other place than in this old town where
they had left so many mementoes.
At this time the circling stars knew no
such place as Syivania. Where now stand
her busy streets the wild fox dug his hole
unscared, and the whangdoodle mourned in
her loneliness. Nevertheless, the people OF
Jacksonboro began to grow alarmed.
For they had heard an ancient rumor fly,
Long cited by the people of the sky,
That times TO come should see another race
Her court house ruin and its towers deface.
like Fate, yet they determined -presumptu.
Gus mortals--to battle against the 0ecrees OF
the gods. So it was made an issue in the
race for the legislature that year, and the
voice of the people doomed Jacksonboro, the
fair city Of the waters, to forgetfulness and
decay.
A survey was made and the center Of the
county located near where the court house
now stands, and our representative in the
legislature had an act passed to Establish
and make permanent the new county site
to 'provide for building new court house
and jail" and ITO appoint commissioners tc
carry the same into effect, aid t.
provide for the payment OF the necessary
expenses"
BY TIE act Moses N. Mccall and
others were then made commissioners to lay
out the new town and sell its lots and "a
sell the old court house and lots at Jackson
boro. And for whatever other money
might be needed the Justices OF the Inferior
court. who managed county affairs, were
required to levy an extraordinary tax, rot
exceeding so per cent. on the state tax.
After selling some Of Sylvania's choice
corner lots, and the temple of justice and
deprecated lots at Jacksooboro, the com.
missioners found that they had in hand
S972 IS and that they needed 81, 1862 62 more,
Therefore they REQUESTED the Inferior court
to levy the additional tax at once. '',A
But those justices were all loyal friends &c
the old town and as Justify hated the ne ".
And they fatty refused to obay. Judge
John, =. Maner, the chief justice, so to
speak, seems to have teen as bitter against
the little town that was alb )ut to spring up
among the pines as Hannibal was against
Rome. and the others were not lacking In
loyalty.
This refusal Of course called for man
damus from the superior court requ ring
them to show cause why they should NOT
levy the tax. The case was tried before
Judge Holt and decided in favor of the
commissioners, the judge ordering q per-
emptory mandamuS TO issue. The iaferiCr
court justices then appealed to the supreme
court Of the state at Milledgeville where the
judgment OF the court below was affirmed.
Then they were compelled to levy the tax
and the new court house was buflt.
Amid such warning Of factions Syivania
was born into the Torli. Judge Maner, il
is said, never got over his dislike for the
new county seat. Coming here once on
business, just after it began to assume the
appearance Of q village. some one asked him
what he thought Of it.
Said he: ut looks Just like nv old hound
dog Siccum."
And that's the way the nickname came
about and has clung so tenacioGsly through
these years.
1t is pleasant to be able to add in conclu-
sion that Jacksonboro will soon be rebuilt
not with court house, with barrooms or
for election brawls but with camp-rneet-
ing shed and tents and for the purpose of
religious worship. Thus does time work its
revenges.