Fitzgerald leader enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ben Hill County, Ga.) 1921-1964, 1925-04-02
History OF Fitzgerald

BY MRS. LON DlCkEY
This little sketch of our city is not
arranged chronologicaly, neither does
it contain statistics as to growth of
population and business industry; rath
er, it is treated romanticaly as regards
its conception and creation, with spe-
clay emphasis on the dramatic events
that led to its location and establish
ment n the pine forests of southern
Georgia.
Fitzgerald, the American Tribune
Soldiers Colony, is perhaps the only
colony in the world that owes its ex-
istence purely to social and philan
thropic considerations, born of senti-
ment far removed from speculation.
The colony had its conception in the
mind of Honorable P H. Fitzgerald,
of Indianapolis, Ind, lawyer by pro-
fession, and editor of the American
Tribune, paper devoted largely to
the interests and welfare of the Union
Veterans.
Mr. Fitzgerald had been watching
with interest the heavy immigration
to America for several years previous
to that period, and how the em'grants
became scattered throughout the west,
becoming lonely and dissatisfied when
the idea came to him of forming a
colony, or building a city. for these
aged veterans to spend their declining
years with each other
Several years were wasted in inves-
tigating lands and locations in the
west, but in the meantime, the in
creasing severity OF the long winters
Al. Ea:1 e Of
three in the entire northwest, made
the plan seem more imperative.
! Then somehow all of sudden came
the inspiration to take them South.
| Inserting a notice in the American
| Tribune to that effect Mr.. Fitzgerald
was soon deluged with applications
from his friends, the aged veterans,
, which caused him to take initiatory
steps at once towards such an organ
| ization.
Now, here is where "veiled destiny"
steps in. The Southern States rose up
in rapid succession in the mind of Mr.
Fitzgerald, each state presenting its
advantages and disadvantages in his
mind. utter bewilderment taking pos
session of him, until the spring and
summer of 1894 when the state of Ne
braska was visited by a severe drouth,
the hot winds sweeping over the bar
rem plains, whitening the wheat and
corn and laying it flat in the fields,
with the result that the following win
ter thousands of people were suffer-
ing from cold and hunger.
Relief measures were proposed bv
Mr.. Edward H. Edmonds, editor OF
| Pacnrd nf RalfI-
more. Md This movement gained the
hearty approval of Governor w. j..
Northern of Georgia, where harrvestts
had been most abundant. Accordingly
the big hearted people of Georgia, for
getting the late war with these people
in which "all was lost save honor.
hastily dispatched several trainloads
of grain, provisions and clothing to
the Nebraska suffering.
Without knowing it, this act turn
ed the trick" in Mr.. Fitzgeralds mind;
Georgia then, must be the kind of
state, and Georgians the kind of peo-
pie, to make his cold soldiers colony"
a success and a permanent home tor
its people.
A correspondence was at once OPP
ened with Governor Northern who re-
piled that he could furnish the required
acreage of land in several sections OF
South Georgia Whereupon Mr.. Fitz-
gerald appointed committee of men
from the northwest to accompany him
to Georgia to inspect these lands.
On their way down, Mr.. Fitzgerald
and his party were joined in Atlanta
by Governor Northern who went with
them all over the lands in view, the
location being finally secured in what
was then Irwin and Wilcox counties
in after years being made Ben Hill
County, with Fitzgerald the county
site. There were $4,000 acres turn
ed over to the Colony Company at
$3.50 per acre. 100000 acres were de-
sired but everywhere when it was
found that a city was to be built the
adjacent land went out of all bounds;
The colony lands were purchased
in Tu1y, 1895, but the surveys were
not completed until October. In
December it was made city and was
named Fitzgera1d in honor of its toun-
der. ut,
The covered Wagon Caravans" be-
oan TO arrive in August, 1895, many
Of the settlers having started from
Their home in the far northwest as
soon as the news was received that
the lands had been purchased They
travelled in small groups so that pro-
visions and water for their livestock
could be procured from farm houses
near where they pitched their tents
for the night or for the sabbath Tor
they were religious and God-fearing
people.
A few cam by rail to the nearest
railroad points which were Cycloneta'
in western Irwin, on the y; ,. q +.
railway, and Abbeville, in Wilcox on
the Seaboard Air Line, both being
about % miles away.
Only one dim road led into the for
est from the direction in which they
came, and they were greeted by "a
wilderness of pines" Happily the lit
tie village of Swan, a turpentlne set
Element with store, postottlce and
several residences, negro shant1es and
so on, was in one corner OF the sur
vev, and this furnished rallying point
and temporary shelter forthe pioneers
A nearby saw mill was purchased
and put into operation. and as the trees
went down the shacks went up. Tent
CITY soon became "Shacktown" by
which it became known throughout the
country.
Colonists continued to arrive daily,
and by December there were $500
souls on the ground. An old proverb
says, "God tempers the wind to the
shorrr lamb" Certain it is that these
people, bereft of their homes and
firesides, experienced the mildest win
ter in the South's history, and the city's
broad midway was filled with happy,
leisurely throngs. all during Christ
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