Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1910-03-26
UNMARKED GRAVE
OF EARLY GOVERNOR.
Neglected Resting Place of
Peter Early.
90 - Chroniclal


Il IS known, through history, that.
man named Peter Early, was once.
. Governor Of Georgia. That he was a.
man Of any prominence in his stare
would not be Indicated BY the manner
IN which his memory has been com
pletely neglected by the people Of that
state. It is very probable a truthful
assertion that NOT one-tenth Of the
teachers Of state history Of to-day
know where Peter Eariy's ashes lie
SO far as known. no effort has ever
been made 10 mark the spot where he
IS buried, OF that memorial associa-
tons or historians have ever given IL
even the slightest passing attention.
In an isolated spot-not a burial
ground Of any kind-near a little SCI
Element called Wrayswood, on a bank
Of the oconee river. just over the Geo I
nee county line in Green county, sur
rounded by weeds and grass, shaded
BY swamp oaks, is a dilaDldated brick
mound. crumbling from decay and in
attention. on the top of which is a.
Blackened. composition slab, eaten by
time and worn by the elements 50
that the Inscription to the memory ofi
Peter Early. Governor Of Georgia
from 1913 to 1915" can scarcely bel
read.
The pile Of bricks and worn black
ened slabs is surrounded by the re-
mains Of a roHed picket fence. the
larger portion Of which has long since
fallen. No shrubbery or Towering
plant has been set on the site to beau
tify IL No enduring shaf- or uplifted
marble tablet designates II as the spot
where lies g man once prominent in
the making of a state. When the ten
der sentiment prompts the people Of
that state to lay floral tributes Of love
o nthe graves Of others Of his kind
this spot is not included in that mem
DRY in that tribute Like his body. the
memory Of tie man seems to have
passed completely from the things
that are. In the vague way-because
events Of times that cannot be forgot
ten include his name-tr is recalled
that there was once a Governor named
Peter Early. but that's ALL
As to the man, he was not a native
Of Georgia, though he gave consider
able Of his energies and a good many
years Of his life 10 this STATE. He was
born in Madison county. Virginia, in
1I-3 and graduated from Princeton
College At the age of 10 years. Subse-
quently he took a law course in Phil
adelphia. and after his graduation
there settled in Georgia, beginning
the practice of law in Wilkes county
Georgia was his adopted state, and his
record indicates that he sought toI
serve the state of his adoption TO the
limit OF lis ability He was sent TO
the lower branch OF the national Con
grezs from his state in 1900. and twice
returned to the same Office. In 1907
he went on the bench Of the Superior
Court and in 1913 was elected Cover
nor Of the state. serving one term. In
1915, Immediately upon the conclusion
Of his term as Governor, he was elect
ed 10 the State Senate, and occupied
that Office al tie time Of his death,
Aug. Is, 1917 When a new county
was created by The Legislature in 1925
along the line between Alabama and
Georgia. it was named Early county.
in honor of Peter Early, and this
seems to have been the full extent Of
the recognition accorded the memory
of the man after his death.
Unwritten History, however, indi-
Gates strongly that Peter Early loved
the state which he served, whether the
people were to forget him or not. 1t
is said that during the latter years Of
his career he acquired somewhat ex-
rensiTa farming lands in Greene
county. and though his family were
still residents Of the state of Virginia,
when he was on his deathbed he re-
auested his friends not 10 send his re-
mains TO Virginia for interment, but
that they should make his grave On
his own possessions in Georgia, and
selected the site where his grave now
is-practicaIly unmarked, unkempt
and seemingly entirely forgotten.