Fitzgerald leader enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ben Hill County, Ga.) 1921-1964, 1922-03-16
G. E. WHITMAN'S SKETCH
OF THE COLONY
Mrs. l. Gelders:
Dear Madam.

At your request that | put On my
thinking cap and try to give some
of the incidents of the early days of
Fitzgerald, concluded to do SO but
| find there is so much and am not so
sure of dates either.
However, will give few of my
recollections.
Mr.. Hitch and /, having decided to
come to Georgia. We left Kansas City,
Mo-, on Nov 7, 1895 via the so-called
ingham, Ala, on the 9Th, thence to
Montgomery, Ala, late that evening,
Remained all night, boarded the train
for Savannah via the old S. A. NJ,
arriving at Abbeville. the evening of
the 9th, and stopped with Major Dick
ey. After pleasant day with the
Major on the lth about p. m, we
left via the Bowen Lumber route and
arrived at Lulaville where the train
stopped at that time so we changed to
uncle John Hogan's hack which land
ed us at Drew's Store and post office.
After several trials to find a place to
sleep, Mrs. f. c. Fox said she would
fix us a cot in the office of her hotel
which we gladly accepted with many
thanks for the favor.
Now | want to say that one OF the
most unexpected things occurring in
my life happened that night. Sitting
back from the crowd in the office,
knowing as supposed only Mr. Hitch
heard some one say there somes the
old doctor, Howdy Doc2" then
heard voice that made ME stand upI
and look over the crowd and imnedi-
att4yf said TO Mr. Hitch, Il bet / know
that DR., and his name is c. A. Butcher,
assistant Surgeon of the Regiment that
served in, saw him last at Mont
gomery, Ala. in July 1865. | walked
across the room and said to him.
"Aren't you the old sawbones DIR. c.
A. Bdcher who used TO give blue mass
castor oil and quinine to US boys of
the 72nd Illinois back in 1906?
He looked wise for a moment, and
said Hello George, want some quiz
nine and spirits OF frumenta?' Hall
Hal old boy how did you get here ;"
and then we had love feast for a
few minutes to make up for the SOL
years we had not seen each other.
remember we used to gather about
big log fire in Shack town, say att
about the corner of Hooker and AL
tatnaha streets now.
During one OF those nights some old
comrade suggested that we organize
a G. A. R Post and in few days we
received from the Department Head
quarters the necessary blanks which
we soon signed and sent to the A. A,
c., and finally mastering officer,
Comrade Alex Madison of Atlanta,
came down bringing Post Dept Com
rnander OF Savannah with him, A. f.
Sholes, and on Dec. II, 1895 in an old
shack whichh Lewis Ciute used for
a buggy shed in connection with his
livery stable, Colony 4 POST No. IA was
organized, mustered and elected
their first officers. Y P. Dillingham;
was elected the first Commander there
being 248 charter members. Now there
are only % members thus is life.
In May 1896, Colony Post was de-
tailed by the Department Commander
to go to Andersonville and assist E.
S. Jones of Post No. of Macon. Ga,
in the decoration of the graves of the
old veterans in the National Cemetery
at Andersonville. We therefore made
preparations for the trip. Col. H. H.
Tiff, president of the T. & N. E. which
had finally built that road almost in
to our city establishing station
consisting of a box car, located just
east of where the canning factory was
located later-with Tommy Griffin in
charge, we received special train run
via Triton, Albany and Americas and
on the morning of May. 80. we boarded
the train about 800 or more leaving
here at o'clock a. M, were met by
med and marched to the pavilion in
til the cemetery where beautiful
program was carried out, then scattered
flowers on 1880 graves Then or myi
What picnic dinner the w. r. c.
Ladies had provided and spread be-
fore us.
On the return trip we left about 4
p. M. and arrived home about IL pm,
very tired but happy. Well l expect
this is about enough Of the G. A. R.
for this time.
am not sure of the date but think
sometime in December 1895 perhaps
January 1896. / had the pleasure of
helping in the organization of the
First M. E. Sunday School of which
! am still a member. We met in a real
estate office on what later became AL
tafnaha street. ! cannot remember the
name of the owner of the office or
those present. The M. f. Church
soon put up cheap building on Jack
son street just west of where the A.
B. & A. Depot is now located and if
remember rightly Rev J. H. Nc
Gregor was the first pastor.
/ had the pleasure Of helping to org
anize It's choir and the honor of be-
ing elected its chorister, serving a
number of years as such.
If one cared to they could write col
umns of incident and experiences of
the early days of the building of our
city which we think is one of the best
Ia south Georgia and If the rising gen.
Grafton will be as energetic and enter
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