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Ponded water was hard to find in the Moultrie area
before the advent of the Soil and Water Conservation program during the
latter 1930s, but a group of ingenious youngsters did their fishing in
downtown Moultrie in 1906.
In 1904, the A. M. Tyler building was gutted by
fire. Some two years later, observant businessmen saw a half-dozen young
boys, carrying fishing poles, disappear into what remained of the Tyler
structure. Later, they reappeared with small fish on a string.
A closer inspection revealed that a pond, 15 to 20
inches in depth had been created by rain and time. Nobody tried to
explain how the pond became “alive” with small fish!
Moultrie and Colquitt County have been recognized
for their outstanding legal fraternity since the earliest days of
incorporated activity. As early as 1903-1904, more than a dozen attorneys
of prominence were practicing in Moultrie. Among them were T. H. Parker,
Robert L. Shipp, James A Humphreys, W.A. Covington, W.F. Way, Y.L. Watson,
Alfred Kline, E.L. Bryan, Judge W.S. Humphreys, J. D. McKenize (sic), and
L. L. Moore.
A second artesian well was drilled in Moultrie in
the early summer of 1901.
The new well was ten-inches in diameter, as compared
to the six inches of the first well. The new well was located just across
South Broad Street (now First Avenue South), across from the old one. The
water system was extended after the well was drilled.
Doerun was having a problem with saloons early in
1902.
Someone discovered that the town charter contained
no mention of saloons or licensing them – or even of prohibiting them.
It was assumed, therefore, that the county
commissioners would have to license or refuse saloons in Doerun. However,
two members of that body declined to vote and another was absent, so no
action could be taken.
Several persons opened saloons because of the
indecision of the authority and said they would keep them open until a
chartering clause was adopted “one way or another.”
Historical records are scarce for one of the oldest
churches in the area. It is known that the Pleasant Grove Primitive
Baptist Church was constituted around a log fire about two miles east of
Moultrie in January of 1864, but notations about pastors who have served
the congregation and other facts of the church life are unavailable.
Elder M. T. Sheppard served as pastor from 1934 –
1961. Elder Troy C. Hayes took over at that time and was still the leader
of the small congregation in 1976.
The first deacons of Pleasant Grove Church were R.
J. Norman, Joel S. Norman, Moses C. Norman and George Newton. Other than
these charter members, it is unknown who made up the remainder of the
original congregation.
A 76-year-old Worth countian who moved into what was
originally Irwin County in 1838 recalled the Indian Wars of the territory
in an interview with The Observer staff in 1901.
During a visit to Moultrie, he said he barely
recalled coming with his family into then Irwin County at the age of
three, but could “well recollect the fights with Indians.”
The citizen was Seaborn Harrell, who was also
described as “one of the first subscribers of The Observer.”
Changes in agricultural production between the turn
of the 20th century and now is shown in the kind of hogs being
raised.
In early 1901, D. N. Horne, a widely known naval
stores operator who also owned one of the earlier farms developed from
de-stumped pinelands, reported killing a sow on his place which weighed
405 pounds after it had been dressed. The animal was 16 months old. |
