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'WE'RE SORT OF DEAD HERE’
Peace , Harmony Reign
In Towaliga Community
BY CHARLES SALTER
Journal Stale Editor
TOWALIGA, Ga.-As the
sun slowly sank behind trees
in Julian Thaxton’s yard, a
rooster crowed, perhaps tun
ing up for the next morning’s
barnyard musical.
The shrill screech of two
guineas pierced the air mo
ments later.
Birds were singing at the
end of another lovely, warm
day in the Towaliga com
munity in south Butts County,
and I watched with interest as
a bird made a nest in the top
of a large bush in front of
Thaxton’s two-story, wooden
house.
The 10-room house was
built in 1876, and Thaxton’s
mother was six weeks old
when the family moved in.
Thaxton, 78, and I were sit
ting on a bench at his little
store across Kinard Mill Road
from the house.
I observed that guineas are
pretty good substitutes for
watch dogs.
“They sure are,” said Thax
ton. “I had 32 guineas, and the
foxes, bobcats and cars got
’em down to two. Plenty of
bobcats and foxes around
here.”
Only a few families now
live in this old community,
named after the nearby To
waliga River, whose name is
believed to have been an In
dian description for “Sumac
place” or maybe “about
trees.”
A truck passed the store,
and that mixed-up rooster
crowed again.
“Looks like we are sort of
dead here,” said Thaxton.
“People quit farming around
here. It’s timber farming now.
Not many young folks left
Report From
Indian
Springs
BY MRS. CLYDE HOARD
(Last Week’s Letter)
Mr. and Mrs. John Webb
had as their guests Tuesday
Mrs. R. W. Grier, Jr. of
Griffin and on Saturday Mr.
and Mrs. Robert Thompson
of Douglasville.
Mr. and Mrs. Danny Hoard
and Barrett moved into their
new home in Jackson last
weekend.
Ted and Gay McMichael
spent the weekend with their
parents, Mr. and Mrs. Frank
McMichael. Gay partici
pated in the River North
Country Club Golf Tourna
ment in Macon, Saturday and
Sunday.
Rev. Ed Hoard of River
dale spent Friday with his
parents, Mr. and Mrs. Dan
Hoard.
Miss Lisa Taylor was guest
of Miss Denise Kelley in
Jackson Friday night.
Mrs. Louis Taylor visited
Saturday with Mr. and Mrs.
Andrew Jones in Greensboro.
Mr. and Mrs. Eschol White
and children of Eastman
spent Sunday with Mr. and
Mrs. Skeeter Grant and
Adam.
Mrs. Minerva Torbett of
South Carolina spent the
weekend at her home here.
Mr. Frank McMichael and
Mr. Stan Hogan were visitors
in Dublin Thursday.
Mrs. Margaret Greer of
Dublin spent the weekend at
her home here and had as her
luncheon guests Saturday.
Mrs. Martha Franklin of
Jackson and Mr. Jeff
McMichael of Macon. On
Saturday night and Sunday
she visited Mr. and Mrs.
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today.”
Enjoying the gorgeous sun
set, I couldn’t help but think
the city folks are really miss
ing something special out here
in the peaceful country. But,
if too many of them pulled up
stakes and moved to To
waliga, it might not be as ap
pealing.
“In the old days, Towaliga
had a sawmill, a grist mill, a
flour mill, a blacksmith’s
shop, an old courthouse at the
forks of the road, and my
granddaddy and uncle run a
government still that had a
bar,” said Thaxton.
Farmers would bring bas
kets of peaches to Walter
Thaxton and Witt Kinard, who
made brandy that was well
known for its fine quality.
For a time Thaxton’s uncle
was the postmaster and his
father the assistant in the lit
tle post office.
Next to the Thaxton store
stands a small, weathered
building that years ago was
located a short distance down
the road and served as
Towaliga’s courthouse.
“The justice of the peace
used to have court twice a
month—on the second and
fourth Saturdays,” said Thax
ton, “up until about 1916.
“Back in those days it was
cases lilse drunks and fights.
Bobby Kinard and family in
Covington.
Mr. J. T. Bearden was a
patient at Griffin-Spalding
County Hospital last week.
Mrs. Belle Waldrep had as
her weekend guests Mr. and
Mrs. Danny Maddox and son
of Mountain View and Mrs.
Maggie Scott of Griffin.
Congratulations to Indian
Springs State Park personnel
on receiving the plaque for
the most improved park
maintenance program state
wide. Mr. Louis Taylor
returned home Friday from
the Superintendent’s meet
ing, held at Unicoi State
Park, with this plaque.
Mr. Hugh Jacobs of
Valdosta is our new Security
Officer in the Park.
Michelle and Sidney John
son and Jack Ricketson of
Hazlehurst spent the week
end with Mr. and Mrs.
Spencer Johnson.
Miss Winnie Taylor and
Mrs. Richard Brown spent
the weekend in Columbus
visiting Mr. James Brown.
Mr. and Mrs. Asa Maddox
were luncheon guests of Mr.
and Mrs. Don Earnhart
Sunday.
2/ou/i
&et 6
CUcfiMA
IN
WANT ADS
ANCIENT YORK
LODGE NO. 127
Regular Meeting Nights
2nd and 4th Mondays
Qualified Brethren
Invited
Jack Long, W. M.
Aubrey Harvey, Sec.
WORTHVILLE, GA.
THE JACKSON PROGRESS-ARGUS, JACKSON, GEORGIA
Maybe a woman and her hus
band fightin’ and the man was
hit over the head with a skil
let. The justice of the peace
would bind them over.”
Next to the old building is a
newer, concrete block struc
ture where Towaliga voters
cast their ballots.
During Thaxton’s lifetime,
Towaliga has been a mighty
quiet, peaceful community.
“We haven’t had no trouble
out here,” he said. “It’s
always been law-abiding and
good people. In lots of settle
ments, neighbors get cross.
We never had nothin’ like that
’round here.”
What’s the secret of such
harmony in a community?
“Everybody tends to their
own business,” said Thaxton.
“I think that’s it. No sirrreeee,
no squabbles over land lines.
Don’t ever remember none.
“No murders. Nothin’ like
that. Burglaries? I’m the only
one. They broke in my store
four times. Just some little
boys.”
Thaxton worked a number
of years for a Birmingham
cast iron pipe company, and
he was happy to return to To
waliga.
He has never been married.
“I went over to Birming
ham, and I reckon I had too
good a time over there,” he
said, smiling.
fUffitiSer l
by
Johnny Smolka
Progress-Argus
Weather Reporter
This past month I con
firmed a conviction I had for
a long time, that is, whether
or not the wind blew seven
days a week at the Deer Trail
Golf Club. I kept an accurate
record of the same and found
it did. No, it didn’t rain every
day of the month of March, it
just seemed like it. However
we did have our share during
the month, and, believe it or
not we almost reached the
total for the month of March
last year as you recall we
recorded 10.25 inches. Our
total for the month was 9.50
inches which gave us 15.80
for the year as compared to
16.76 at the end of March ’76.
Lloyd Shoals measured 8.09
for the month and 13.48 for
the year.
If it wasn’t for the weather
sometimes it would be rather
difficult to make conversa
tion. For example around the
first of February each year
we wonder if the old Ground
Hog is going to see his
shadow, etc. Then at the
beginning of March we start
wondering if it will come in
like a Lion or like a Lamb.
This year it came in like a
Polar Bear as it registered 24
degrees the first day with a
Health Food Center
209 South Bth St. Griffin, Ga.
We Have
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Diet Foods Pure Foods
No Preservatives or Additives
Slender Now-
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Hours: Monday thru Saturday
10:00-5:30
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He found Alabama girls
pretty but no equal to the
lovely Georgia peaches.
What’s his secret of lon
gevity?
“I don’t have one,” he said.
“I guess, just don’t die. I’ve
never been sick.”
Watching a car pass his
store, he added, “I got where
I don’t care about doin’ no
thin’.”
Thaxton recalled the barbe
cues, fish fries and all-day
church singings of his youth
when Towaliga was “a right
lively little place.”
In the old days, farmers
used to gather for a “house
covering,” helping a neighbor
by building a roof or covering
it, and stopping only long
enough to eat a big dinner but
never expecting a dollar in
pay.
Those were the days when a
farmer did well to grow half
a bale of cotton and 10 or 12
bushels of corn to the acre.
A school teacher stopped to
ask whether any land Was for
sale in the Towaliga area.
When the man left, Thaxton
turned to me and said, “Some
has sold for SI,OOO an acre. I
remember when it was $lO an.
acre.”
In some respects, those
were indeed the good, old
days.
Sfre Atlanta Journal Tuesday, Mar. 29, 1977
heavy frost and heavy winds.
Then the month went out as if
we were situated in the
center of one of those tropical
islands. You see, a tornado
touched down on the Buck
Snort Road, luckily no one
was injured but some
property damage was incur
red.
As I said earlier March
came in on a cold wave, but
half way through it was an
entirely different picture. On
the 15th the temperature
soared to a high of 83 degrees
here at the Deer Trail Golf
Club while Macon actually
recorded 86 (that informa 1
tion I received from my
friend Jackie Dunn).
Our last frost for the month
was on the Bth day, however
the temperature did dip to 31
degrees on the 23rd. The
heavy winds kept the frost
from accumulating.
Just for the record looking
“Block found
ways that new
tax law could
save me money!’
The new 1976 tax law is
full of changes. New
credits... new deductions
.. .new rules that affect
me and every other
taxpayer. But Block
people are ready to help
you save on taxes by
taking every allowable
deduction and credit.
H&R BLOCK
THE INCOME TAX PEOPLE
■
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Photo—Charles Salter
JULIAN THAXTON OF TOWALIGA COMMUNITY
‘Not Many Young Folks Left Today’
back at another March of just
a few years ago. In the three
day period of March 13th,
14th and 15th of 1973 the
temperature hovered around
the 8(i degree mark, one week
later it was 29 degrees with a
heavy frost. And, once again
speaking of tornadoes it was
about March 19th, 1974 that a
tornado with winds of over
1(H) miles an hour, toppled the
300-foot radio tower of
WKEU in Griffin. And, it was
in April of 1949 that another
tornado, that swept from
Manchester, through Zebu
lon and on into East Griffin,
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We, the officers, directors and employees
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community.
Having an intimate knowledge of con
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better. We work for the betterment of our
community and decisions affecting local
business are made here!
a IjciNTPSH
STATE BANK *
THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 1977
also took a pot shot at
WKEU. This time fortunate
ly, only the call letters were
blown off the building. The
folks at the East Griffin
Baptist Church weren’t quite
so lucky, their church was
completely demolished.
in^menca.
200 years at the same location.
CROSSWORD
PUZZLE
ACROSS
I Soho
scrubber
S Minimal
II TTamp
ll Dead wrong
(2 wds.)
13 Athirst
14 Complain
15 Lindsay or
Atkinson
11 Throw
17 Pigeon
18 Cure
31 Sticky
substance
21 Nigerian
tribesman
22 Woodland
deity
23 Budgetary
consider
ation
25 Box-score
entries
21 Mimic
27 Prisoner
(sL)
28 “Stowe”
character
29 Silt
32 Large cask
33 Paving
substance
34 Killer
whale
36 Click
beetle
38 Kind of gas
or tar
31 Go on
pension
40 Thessalian
mountain
41 Principle
42 f!nnsiripr
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10 jlj i7 12 '
_ |4
& ’’ ~
_j m m
|p 18 19 111 20
28 jj|j
32 |jp33
37 *3B
W IP 40
ipp Sr - i11 33
im
Avoid buying cabbages that have had the butt end exces
sively trimmed because this causes dehydration.
WALTON INSULATION CO.
“Let Us Save You Money On Heating”
Alcovy Road, Jersey, Ga.
Phone 464-3617
FRED TINGLE
Hearing Aid Specialist of
CORLEY'S OPTICIANS
And Hearing Aid Service
Will Be At Indian Springs Beauty Shop
the Ist Wednesday of each month from
9 A.M. to 12:00 Noon.
Call for an appointment to have your hearing
tested. There is no obligation.
Phone 775-3474
\ MEMBER FDICj
Answer
To Today’s
Puzzle on
Back Page
DOWN
1 Tete-a-tete
2 Be irresolute
3 Dwell
4 Angler’s
purchase
5 Texas city
6 Tearful
verse
7 Lofty
mountain
8 Try to hit
(2 wds.)
9 Delicate;
flimsy
12 Mortise
companion
16 Kelton of
comedy
19 Trigger’s
tresses
22 Discovery
$3 Brook
24 Spring
25 Zero or
witching
26 Metric
measure
27 Wine
29 Metric
measure
30 Nickname
for
baseball’s
Goslin
31 Expunge
35 Quiet
one
(colloq.)
37 Stannum
38 Cape