News from the past

In 1939 The Citizens Journal printed a special 50th Anniversary issue full of interesting articles. Following are two of them, reprinted here as originally written. One describes the beginning of Union Chapel Methodist Church; the other gives detailed information about several residences and businesses in early Atlanta.

M. E. Church, Union Chapel, Organized before the Civil War

By J. M. Frost

Seventy-one years has elapsed since the organization of the Union Chapel church in a little log house near the present site. As I was only eight years old at this time it can’t be expected that I remember the date in all particulars and have possibly forgotten some of the charter members.

This old church was first organized about half a mile southwest of its present site, just a few yards west of the residence of the late J. C. Robison, in a log schoolhouse with puncheon seats with holes bored in them for legs, no backs; the chimney was of sticks and dirt. For writing desk a slab or plank across one side of the house with a space between the logs for light, no glass windows, no heater or stove, nothing to give warmth but the wide fireplace of the stick and dirt chimney. If services were held at night, the lights were tallow candles made at home.

The organization of this church was in the early spring or fall of 1858. I was there with father and mother Y. H. and N. C. Frost and got chilly as I was barefooted. The organization consisted of 7 or 9 members, some of whom I remember definitely. These were Y. H. and N. C. Frost (father and mother), “Aunt” Polly Bryan (A. J. Bryan’s mother), Aaron Meyers and I think his daughter Salina, afterwards the mother of Rev. Claude Harkey, Mrs. James Elliott, K. P. and Mrs. Bryan and Mrs. Nancy McCoy.

The first preacher was a converted Jew by the name of Goldberg, think he preached two hours. About this time the organization moved into another log house like unto the first, built a few yards west of the present building. This was burned down and rough box house about 20x30 feet built in its place. That remained as the others for church and school purposes till 1871 when the present house was built by Messrs. Farr and Cauthan of Douglassville.

There has gone out from its membership ten preachers, to-wit: Rev. W. F. Bryan, W. F. Hardy, J. C. Hardy, Edwin Channel, Charley Washmon, T. W. Brabham, Joe Russel, Claude Harkey, 0. F. Zimmerman and Walter Zimmerman. These are all faithful messengers in different parts of the country proclaiming the unsearchable riches of the gospel of Christ.

Our fathers and mothers have wrought well—what are we doing. We had in this neighborhood at this time the Powells, Blacks, McCoys, Willis, Peels, Bryans, Robinsons, Locketts, Hancocks, Hartys, Hansons, Elliotts, Pruits, Jones, Davis, and some others.

Neighborhoods were bigger then than now, including more territory, more hospitality, more neighborliness. There was only about one twentieth of the land in cultivation. To some of up, the hill upon which this church stands, is sacred.

WITH THE EARLY SETTLERS OF ATLANTA; FIRST HOTEL IN 1876

By Mrs. A.

Dr. Josh Morriss, the pioneer physician, in 1875 established his home on the southeast corner north of the Greene home (corner of Miller and Louise streets). His sister, Mrs. Tom Singletery and Mr. Singletery, a little farther west from him and an elder couple, Mr. William A. Howe, still farther west. Dr. R. L. McClung came soon afterward, Dr. Hugh Currie in 1878, and Dr. Virgil Jeter a few years later.

The lawyers coming earliest to Atlanta were Mr. Rosser, an elderly man, Judge Eb Allday and Cuff Adams. John Hardy built the first hotel in 1870, the Mathews house now; Joseph McReynolds then had a hotel built on the corner where May’s Grocery Store now stands. Mr. Hardy later had another hotel built south of Spell Hardware. Joseph Porter built and ran the first livery stable on the comer north of the well-known old Hughes Hotel. A few years later W. S. Johnson had a brick stable built and operated.

The Atlanta Wholesale Grocery Co. bought the stable of Mr. Johnson and established a business in it by remodeling and adding to the building. Jim Maxey and son John owned the first blacksmith shop, near where the jail is, and always has been.

The first shoe mending was done by an old man, Mr. Temple, who had his home and cobbler shop in one house close to the Bramm photograph gallery. Mr. Petty did the same work, adding harness making to his work. A Mr. Butler was initiative in the tinkering business. He built the residence owned by Mr. Pepper, but has been much remodeled since.

Dr. Rush a smart man, but an eccentric genius, made a home for Mrs. Rush and self in the southeast edge of town. He gave up his profession to follow tinkering. He died from a wound inflicted from the discharge of a gun he was heating to mend, and did not know was loaded.

Ben Ellington, a loyal man to his friends, introduced banking in the town and operated his business under the old Atlanta Citizens Journal office, where the first newspaper was run by John Fletcher, a man much lamented after his death.

The beginning of the millinery business was presided over by Mrs. Bricker in a little shop in front of the Fletcher old home, one of the first houses built in Atlanta by Minter McReynolds. Misses Lucy and Alma Morriss assisted her at times.

The first music instruction was given by Mrs. Dodd Coke. The first depot was so small there seemed hardly room for the agent Mr. Brewer and telegraph operator Mr. Lee to have a social smoke together.

J. D. Johnson brought to Atlanta the first hardware store. I think his first location was in the block now occupied by Greene & Willis buildings.

Mrs. Baker, a widow, with her one son and daughters also came at the dawning of the great day that visions had pictured for Atlanta. And Mrs. Chappel with her two daughters and sons came then. The sons engaged in the sawmill business and built the pretty home on the hill northwest from town.

C H. and Mrs. Moores became citizens of the growing town in 1880, bought the old Hardy Hotel from a Mr. Foster. It may be a surprise that Atlanta had progressed fast enough to have a W. Gorman kindergarten in 1879, taught by a Miss Heme in a small house Miles Hines built for her, his sister-in-law, on a plot of ground John A. Odell donated for the school building. He sold it afterwards to the well-known old couple Mr. and Mrs. Billie Meaks.

Judge Hugh Carney’s house was settled by Mr. Hines. Mr. and Mrs. Jim Griffin from Laws Chapel neighborhood and Mr. Singletery, father of Tom and Ben Singletery, were two of the first to come to the young town and build homes, one on the street west of the high school building and the other on the street east, leading to H. A. O’Neals residence, the house John Graham built in the seventies.

Abe Miles was the first druggist in Atlanta. Mr. Foreman, a brother-in-law of Dr. Morriss was next druggist. Jones, Bailey and son-in-law of Mr. Willis were among the first merchants doing business on the corner where Miles drug store now is.

When the crucial period came to Lanark in 1877, a promising small town five miles north of Atlanta, Atlanta lost her opportunity of growing to be a small city. The citizens of Lanark found the title to the town site was void, and could not be adjusted; it behooved them to look for a place to locate. Dr. George Salmons and John Hutchison came to Atlanta, supposedly prospecting for the whole population of Lanark, and made a report on their investigation of the situation.

P.R. Scott owned the lots and land surrounding the town site except what he had given the railroad officials west of railroad for establishing the town site here, and lots sold to residenters and for business houses. Their investigations did not seem to bear fruit and soon a project was on foot to establish a town at Queen City, two and one-half miles north of Atlanta, and the two towns became rivals for a time which was very unfortunate for both.