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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. LOOKING FOR LOCKS? Sold, Serviced and Installed \ f) y Cookes Machine & Lock Service 12 1 \\\ 2nd St. 775r12:)0 ' Georgia ' PB Rambler ij^j 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 Full Line of 100% Natural Vitamins Diet Foods Pure Foods No Preservatives or Additives Slender Now- Weight Loss Program Hours: Monday thru Saturday 10:00-5:30 Closed All Day Wednesday 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 ■ ■R " !■■■* ' /jmjkMmm 31 1 •■ ■ -' V : |Hp r /■f r .. jHraTf J§| 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, YOUR HOME-OWNED INDEPENDENT BANK SERVES YOU BEST! We, the officers, directors and employees 01 are a P art of the community. Having an intimate knowledge of con ditions in this area enables us to serve you 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 I 234.j|p56789|p 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