Telfair County, Georgia
History, Records, Facts and Genealogy

See Also Georgia Land Records, Marriage Records, Court, Tax & Probate Records

Telfair County Clerk of Superior Court has Court Records from 1810 and Land Records from 1809 and is located at 128 E. Oak St., Ste. 2, McRae, GA 31055; Phone: (229) 868-6525, Fax: (229) 868-7956 . The Superior Court, Georgia's general jurisdiction trial court, has exclusive constitutional authority over felony cases, cases regarding title to land and equity, declaratory judgments, habeas corpus, mandamus, adoptions, name changes, divorces, child custody, and child support enforcement. The clerk is responsible for recording deeds and maintaining the chain of title to all property in the county.

Telfair County Clerk of Probate Court has Marriage Records from 1810 , Probate Records from 1831 and is located at 128 E. Oak Street, Suite 1, McRae, GA 31055-1604; 229-868-6038/F 868-7620. The jurisdiction of Probate Court are all legal proceedings that deal with Wills, Estates, Guardianships of minor children, Involuntary Committals Hearings, Filing of Wills for saf, Issuance of Marriage License, ect... The office of the probate judge is the county office where the most significant genealogical records are created and maintained in Georgia.

Below is a list of online resources for Telfair County Court Records. Email us with websites containing Telfair County Court Records by clicking the link below:

• Order County Court, Civil or Criminal Records Online
• Telfair County, Georgia Court Books at Amazon.com
• Land Lotteries - Lands were given to Georgia citizens by lotteries from in 1805, 1807, 1820, 1821, 1827, 1832, 1832 (Gold), 1833. Where Georgians sold lots won in these lotteries, researchers will find that deeds may be valuable sources of genealogical information. Those deeds should have been recorded in the counties where the land was located, but in some cases references may be found in the counties where the owner resided. Land transaction between private individuals are recorded with the clerk of superior court in the appropriate county.
• Georgia Marriages, 1699-1944
• Georgia Marriages to 1850
• Georgia Marriages, 1851-1900
• Index to Georgia Wills
• Land Grants to Georgia Revolutionary War Veterans
• Bureau of Land Management (BLM) which does not cover Georgia but does cover surrounding states. Many pioneers and settelers bought land from the government instead of individuals.
• Court, Land, Wills & Financial - Court records are an often overlooked, yet very valuable tool for finding information to assist you in your research. Land records, such as deeds, allow you to tie an ancestor to a specific place at a point in time. Other court records like those dealing with finances and estates often list related family members or give interesting details like the total value of property owned by your ancestors to add interest to your family history.
• Immigration & Emigration - As our ancestors moved from one country to another, details about their lives were recorded on passenger lists and government documents. Immigration and emigration records can help you learn where your ancestors originally came from, where they went, when they left, who they traveled with, and more.
• Search Land Patents at Gov-Records.com
• Search Property Records at Gov-Records.com

See Also Vital Records in Georgia

Telfair County Health Department has Birth and Death Records since January 1919 and is located at P.O. Box 328, 713-A Telfair Ave., McRae, Georgia 31055; (229) 868-7404, fax: 229-868-7245. You may go to any county health department in the State of Georgia to obtain a certificates can be issued while you wait. Contact Clerk of Superior Court For County Divorce Records (See Telfair County Court Records for Address and Phone number) in the county where divorce was granted, and Contact Probate Judge For County Marriage Records (See Telfair County Court Records for Address and Phone number) in county where license was issued

Georgia State Vital Records, Center for Health Statistics Office is located at State Dept of Human Resources, 2600 Skyland Drive NE, Atlanta, GA 30319-3640 (404) 679-4730 info, (877) 572-6343; Fax: (404) 524-4278. They have the following records:

• Birth & Death Certificates: Birth records are available from 1919 to the present. For earlier records in Atlanta or Savannah or other cities or counties, write to the Vital Records Office (see above) in county where event occurred. Fees are listed below. You can download an application online for Birth Certificates. You can also order Order Electronically and get the certificates much quicker by ordering HERE.
• Death Certificates: Certified copies of death records are available from 1919 to the present. Death certificates are available to the general public. For earlier records in Atlanta or Savannah or other cities or counties, write to the Vital Records Office (see above) in county where event occurred. Fees are listed below. You can download an application online for Death Certificates. Click Here to Search the Social Security Death Index for FREE
• Marriage Certificates: Centralized State records since June 9, 1952. Certified copies of marriage documents up to 1966 are issued at State office. Contact the Telfair County Probate office for marriages in Telfair County occurring before June 9, 1952, and all other counties will be forwarded to appropriate Probate Judge in county where license was issued.The state office does no record marriage license or applications after July 1, 1997.
• Ordering Vital Records Online- You can also order Order Electronically Online to obtain a certified copy of a birth, marriage, death or divorce record with a credit or debit card and get the certificates within 2-5 days by ordering fromVitalChek Express Certificate Service..

The fee to search for a birth, Marriage or Death certificate is $10.00, which includes one certified copy of the certificate or a "Certificate of Failure to Find." For each additional copy of the certificate ordered at the same time, the fee is $5.00. Make certified checks and money orders should be made payable to "Vital Records, GA. DHR". Credit Cards may be uses by using VitalChek services. Please do not send cash or checks. Fees are non refundable. Additional fees are required for expedited service. Mail all Applications to:Vital Records, 2600 Skyland Drive NE, Atlanta, GA 30319-3640. You can download an application online for Birth Certificates or Death Certificates.

Below is a list of online resources for Telfair County Vital Records. Email us with websites containing Telfair County Vital Records by clicking the link below:

• Vital Records from Archives.com: Birth Records, Marriage Records, Divorce Records and Death Records
• VitalChek Express Certificate Service. - Some documents are just too important to wait six weeks for. With VitalChek Express Certificate Service you won’t have to. VitalChek is the fast and convenient way to order certified government-issued vital records online. They make it easy for you to purchase the documents to which you are legally entitled. Beware of other online services that do not have relationships directly with the agencies that store your vital records. VitalChek's order process usually takes less than 10 minutes --And you can select express courier service for even faster delivery when time is running out.
• Click Here to Search the Social Security Death Index for FREE - Search over 82 million death records and get genealogical information crucial to your family research. New content added weekly! Most comprehensive SSDI site online!
• Research Death records In The World's Largest Newspaper Archive at NewpaperArchive.com! - Find thousands of historical Georgia newspaper articles about deaths. Search for local articles about an old family friend that died many years ago or a celebrity that committed suicide. Historical newspapers contain a wealth of information about the deceased.
• Birth, Marriage & Death - Vital records (births, deaths, marriages, and divorces) mark the milestones of our lives and are the foundation of family history research. Vital records, usually kept by a civic authority, can give you a more complete picture of your ancestor, help you distinguish between two people with the same name, and help you find links to a new generation.
• Search Historical Newspapers (1690 - 1980) - Quickly find names and keywords in over 125 million articles, obituaries, marriage notices, birth announcements and other items published in more than 500,000 issues of over 2,500 historical U.S. newspapers. New content added monthly
• Georgia Death Certificates, 1919-1927 - Georga Death Certificates and Images from 1919 through 1927. The collection also includes a number of certificates predating 1919, mostly from 1917 and 1918. Free from the Georgia State Archives
• Georgia Marriages, 1699-1944: This database contains marriage information from selected areas of Georgia from 1699-1944.
• Georgia Marriages to 1850: This database of Georgia marriages to 1850 contains over 165,000 names. Each entry includes groom, bride, marriage date, county, and state. Every name is indexed so you can search for one name, or two names that are linked.
• Georgia Marriages, 1851-1900: This collection of records contains marriage data from several Georgia counties between 1851 and 1900.
• Georgia Deaths, 1919-98: This database is an index of more than 2.7 million deaths recorded by the state of Georgia from 1919 to 1998
• Telfair County, Georgia Birth, Marriage & Death Books at Amazon.com
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See Also Research In Census Records & Statewide Records that exist for Georgia

Federal Population Schedules that exist for Georgia are 1820, 1830, 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1890 (fragment, see below), 1900, 1910, 1920 and 1930. The 1820 census is the earliest enumeration of Georgia's population to have survived, making it necessary to substitute other lists for the missing censuses. Land lottery, military and tax lists, and other records, are available as census substitutes and supplements for the 1820 and earlier censuses.

The first three census schedules for Georgia (1790, 1800 & 1810) are missing. A total of seventeen volumes of 1790-1820 censuses were lost by the federal government, evidently before 1895, and the cause is unknown. Tax lists for various years for a few of the counties have been published.. These can be used as a substitution for the first three census schedules. Additionally, Wills, deeds, tax digests, court minutes, voter lists, and newspapers can be searched to locate ancestors during this period The 1820 schedules for Franklin, Rabun, and Twiggs Counties are missing.

Georgia conducted state censuses for various years from 1787 to 1866. Only a relatively few of these returns survive, and they are only lists of heads of households with some minor statistical information. The returns prior to 1852 have been published in various sources. Later census returns, when they survive, are almost all on microfilm at the Georgia Department of Archives and History . The Georgia Census, 1790-1890 contains the following indexes: 1790 Tax Substitute Index; 1792-1819 Tax Lists Index; 1800 Oglethorpe County Territorial Census Index; 1820, 1830, 1840, 1850, 1860 & 1870 Federal Census Index; 1840 Pensioners List; 1838 & 1845 State Census Index; ,1860 Slave Schedule; 1890 Veterans Schedule.

There are many other Federal Schedules to look at when researching your family tree in the state of Georgia. There are Industry and Agriculture Schedules availible for the years 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. Slave Schedules exist for 1850 & 1860. The Mortality Schedules for the years 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880.

Below is a list of online resources for Telfair County Census Records. Email us with websites containing Telfair County Census Records by clicking the link below:

• Census Records at Archives.com
• Telfair County, Georgia Census Books at Amazon.com
• Census & Voter Lists - A census is an official list of the people in a particular area at a given time, while voter lists show those who were registered to vote in a certain area. The valuable information found on census records helps you to understand your family in their time and place. Voter Lists serve as a confirmation of residence in between the years that the census was taken.

See Also Research In State Map Collections

Maps are an invaluable part of family history research, especially if you live far from where your ancestor lived. Because political boundaries often changed, historic maps are critical in helping you discover the precise location of your ancestor's hometown, what land they owned, who their neighbors were, and more.

Georgia Antique Maps & Atlases has images of old American atlases during the years 1795, 1814, 1822, 1823, 1836, 1838, 1845, 1856, 1866, 1879 and 1897 for Georgia and other states.

You can view rotating animated maps for Georgia showing all the county boundaries for each census year overlayed with past and present maps so you can see the changes in county boundaries. You can view a list of maps for other states at Census Maps

You can view rotating animated maps for Georgia showing all the county boundary changes for each year overlayed with past and present maps so you can see the changes in county boundaries . You can view a list of maps for other states and State Department of Transportation Maps at County Maps. The Georgia Department of Transportation has county maps the show the locations of churches, cemeteries, roads, ect... free for viewing or download here

Below is a list of online resources for Telfair County Maps. Email us with websites containing Telfair County Maps by clicking the link below:

• Telfair County, Georgia Map Books at Amazon.com
• University of Georgia Rare Map Collection
• University of Alabama Historic Map Archive
• Maps, Atlases & Gazetteers - Maps are an invaluable part of family history research, especially if you live far from where your ancestor lived. Because political boundaries often changed, historic maps are critical in helping you discover the precise location of your ancestor's hometown, what land they owned, who their neighbors were, and more.

See Also Military Records in Georgia

The uses and value of military records in genealogical research for ancestors who were veterans are obvious, but military records can also be important to re-searchers whose direct ancestors were not soldiers in any war. The fathers, grandfathers, brothers, and other close relatives of an ancestor may have served in a war, and their service or pension records could contain information that will assist in further identifying the family of primary interest. Due to the amount of genealogical information contained in some military pension files, they should never be overlooked during the research process. Those records not containing specific genealogical information are of historic value and should be included in any overall research design.

Below is a list of online resources for Telfair County Military Records. Email us with websites containing Telfair County Military Records by clicking the link below:

• Telfair County, Georgia Military Books at Amazon.com
• Revolutionary War Muster and Pay Rolls from the State of Georgia (The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Original Documents in NARA publication M246 include muster rolls, payrolls, strength returns, and other miscellaneous personnel, pay, and supply records of American Army units, 1775-83.
• Patriot Army Records of the Revolutionary War (The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Original Documents in NARA publication M246 include muster rolls, payrolls, strength returns, and other miscellaneous personnel, pay, and supply records of American Army units, 1775-83.
• Revolutionary War Pensions from the State of Georgia (The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Original Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files, from NARA publication M804.
• Southern Claims Commission Records from the State of Georgia (The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Original Documents In the 1870s, southerners claimed compensation from the U.S. government for items used by the Union Army, ranging from corn and horses, to trees and church buildings.
• Civil War Veterans Organization Index of Pension Files from the State of Georgia (The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Original Pension applications for service in the U.S. Army between 1861 and 1917, grouped according to the units in which the veterans served.
• Civil War Confederate Soldier Service Records from the State of Georgia (The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Compiled service records of Confederate soldiers from Georgia units, labeled with each soldier's name, rank, and unit, with links to revealing documents about each soldier
• Presidential Pardons Applications from former Confederates from the State of Georgia (The National Archives): NARA M1003. View, Print Copy & Save Original Applications for pardon submitted to President Andrew Johnson, 1865-67, by former Confederates excluded from earlier amnesty proclamations.
• Military - The men and women called to serve their country in military duty are a source of pride to their families and to their nation. Now, with databases containing more than 16 million names and thousands of government records available to search, researching your veteran ancestors has become easier than ever before.

None of Georgia's colonial tax records have survived. Surviving Georgia tax records begin on a county basis in the late 1780s. By 1783 Georgia tax laws provided for taxing land according to its quality and quantity, and male polls were white males over twenty-one. Other taxes were imposed on town lots, slaves, and free persons of color, buildings and improvements, merchandise, lawyers, and doctors. The poll tax on all adult males made Georgia tax digests good census substitutes and supplements.

The Georgia Department of Archives and History has other tax digests for 1789–1817 which are not included in the above publication. A complete set of originals for the years 1872 to the present is at the Georgia Department of Archives and History . Some earlier digests are on microfilm at the Georgia Archives and the FHL.

List of Tax Acts of Georgia from 1780-1817

Legislative Activity for Taxes: 1817-1850

• 1818-1839: The acts during these years are all based on the tax act of 1817. These tax acts continually revive preceding acts, often with amendments. Many simple tax questions can be answered by a glance at the 1817 law. Complex or refined questions may require consulting the specific act for the year in question and then backward through a chain of revived acts.
• 1840: This act revives the Tax Act of 1804, with amendments. This was probably an attempt at simplification. The stated intention was to make this act permanent.
• 1842: This act increased the taxes of 1840 by 25%.
• 1843-50: The final years of the first half of the nineteenth century the Georgia Legislature re-enacted the 1840 act, which itself was a revival of the 1804 act. The 1847 act did require that taxes be paid in the county in which the land was held in jurisdiction. Previously, the tax had been paid in the county of residence.

Below is a list of online resources for Telfair County Tax Records. Email us with websites containing Telfair County Tax Records by clicking the link below:

• Telfair County, Georgia Tax Books at Amazon.com
• Georgia Tax Index, 1789-99 - Online tax database for an index of tax records held by the state government from 1789-99.

See Also Other Georgia Genealogical Addresses

The Repositories in this section are Archives, Libraries, Museums, Genealogical and Historical Societies. Many County Historical and Genealogical Societies publish magazines and/or news letters on a monthly, quarterly, bi-annual or annual basis. Contacting the local societies should not be over looked. State Archives and Societies are usually much larger and better organized with much larger archived materials than their smaller county cousins but they can be more generalized and over look the smaller details that local societies tend to have. Libraries can also be a good place to look for local information. Some libraries have a genealogy section and may have some resources that are not located at archives or societies. Also, take a special look at any museums in the area. They sometimes have photos and items from years gone by as well as information of a genealogical interest. All these places are vitally important to the family genealogist and must not be passed over.

Below is a list of online resources for Telfair County Genealogical Addresses. Email us with websites containing Telfair County Genealogical Addresses by clicking the link below:

• Search for Local Georgia Researchers or Earn Money by becoming a Local Georgia Researcher!
• Central Georgia Genealogial Society, Post Office Box 2024, Warner Robins, GA 31099
• Wiregrass Genealogical Society,45 25th Ave., Eastman, GA 31023
• Ocmulgee Regional Library System, PO Box 4369, 505 2nd Ave, Eastman, Georgia, 31023; 478-374-4711
• Georgia Department of Archives and History, 5800 Jonesboro Road, Morrow, GA 30260;
  For history, genealogy, or other research: Reference Services Tel: (678) 364-3710 , [EMAIL]
• Georgia Historical Society, 501 Whitaker Str, Savannah, GA 31401; 912-651-2125
• Georgia Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 54574, Atlanta, Georgia 30308-0575, [EMAIL]
• Newspapers & Periodicals - The Newspapers & Periodicals Collection lets you discover a wealth of information about your ancestors from many historical newspapers, magazines, and other periodicals. These types of sources can often supplement public records and provide information that is not recorded anywhere else. Here, you can learn more about your ancestor's possible daily activities by placing them in the context of their time.
• Directories & Member Lists - Directories and member lists are typically compilations of information about people who belonged to various associations and groups or lived within city boundaries. They can be thought of as the predecessors to the modern-day phone book and usually list names, addresses, and sometimes the occupations of your ancestors.

See Also Church & Cemetery Records in Georgia

Obituaries can vary in the amount of information they contain, but many of them are genealogical goldmines, including information such as names, dates, places of birth and death, marriage information, and family relationships.

There are many churches and cemeteries in Telfair County. Some transcriptions are online. A great site is the Telfair County Tombstone Transcription Project.

The Georgia Department of Transportation has county maps the show the locations of churches and cemeteries free for viewing or download here.

Early denominations present in Georgia in fewer numbers include Baptist, Methodist, Lutherans, Catholics, Presbyterians, Episcopalians, and Congregationalists. While their respective repositories house historical records, the Georgia Department of Archives and History has a good collection of church records on microfilm. Consult the holdings of other major genealogical libraries with southern collections for additional sources, including the FHL.

There is a online Cemetery database for the book 30,638 Burials in Georgia an list of 30,638 burials in the state of Georgia was copied over a 35-year period from headstones and markers in 600 cemeteries located in nearly 100 Georgia counties

Below is a list of online resources for Telfair County Cemetery & Church Records. Email us with websites containing Telfair County Cemetery & Church Records by clicking the link below:

• Cemetery Records at Archives.com
• Find Obituaries in The World's Largest Newspaper Archive at NewpaperArchive.com! - Find thousands of Georgia obituaries to help you research your family history. Search for a Georgia newspaper obituary about your ancestor or a celebrity. Begin your search today and find death notices and funeral announcements printed in newspapers from Georgia.
• Obituary Records at Archives.com
• America's Obituaries (1977 to current) at Genealogybank.com - Obituaries contain helpful information such as names, dates, places of birth, death, marriage and family information. Over 28 million obituaries make this the most complete collection from the 20th and 21st centuries - includes over 1,100 U.S. newspapers. New content added daily!
• Telfair County, Georgia Cemetery Books at Amazon.com
• Telfair County, Georgia Church Books at Amazon.com
• Georgia Baptist Historical Collection, Eugene W. Stetson Memorial Library, Mercer University, Macon, Georgia 31207;
• United Methodist Museum, P.O. Box 408, St. Simons Island, Georgia 31522
• Savannah and Diocesan Archives, 302 East Liberty St, P.O. Box 8789, Savannah, GA 31402.
• Find Obituaries in The World's Largest Newspaper Archive at NewpaperArchive.com! - Find thousands of obituaries to help you research your family history. Search for a newspaper obituary about your ancestor or a celebrity. Begin your search today and find death notices and funeral announcements printed in newspapers throughout the world.
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The use of published genealogies, electronic files containing genealogical lineage, and other compiled sources can be of tremendous value to a researcher.

When view family trees online or not, be sure to only take the info at face value and always follow up with your own sources or verify the ones they provide. Below is a list of online resources for Telfair County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information . Email us with websites containing Telfair County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information by clicking the link below:

• Search for Local Georgia Researchers or Earn Money by becoming a Local Georgia Researcher!
• Telfair County, Georgia Family Books at Amazon.com
• Search 60 Years Of Everton Data : For the first time ever you can get access to more than 150,000 pedigree files and family group sheets from Evertons. Learn More
• Search the Family Tree DNA Project- Use DNA testing to break through your genealogical barriers!
• Sites on USGenweb: [ Telfair County ] [ Georgia ] [ Main Page ]
• [GenForum Message Boards] [Rootsweb Message Boards]
• Genealogy Encyclopedia: General Abbreviations, Early Illnesses, Nickname Meanings, Worldwide Epidemics, Early Occupations, Common Terms, Censuses Explained, Free Genealogical Forms
• Nichols and Related Families of Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virgina.
• The Georgia Family Group Sheet Project
• Family Trees - Ancestry has thousands of family trees shared by other members. They can help you identify how ancestors are related and give you clues about birth, marriage, and death information. Family trees are an excellent resource for filling in gaps in your research or even to simply know where to begin.
• Pictures - One of the more exciting discoveries in doing family history research is finding a photograph of your ancestors or their residence. Finding historic postcard photos and drawings of towns and important events throughout history can also give you a visual look into your ancestors lives.
• Reference Materials & Finding Aids - Reference materials, including dictionaries, encyclopedias, and other how-to books, can be tremendously helpful in finding and interpreting historical documents. Many of these books can help you learn where to look for more information and how to use what you've already found to uncover more clues.
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County Seat: The 1807 act creating Telfair County provided that courts and county business initially be conducted at the house of Jesse Bird. On Dec. 22, 1808, the legislature provided that effective immediately, county elections and other business would be held at the home of John Patterson (actually Peterson). An act of Dec. 8, 1810 repealed the 1808 act and authorized the justices of the inferior court to pick any site for a county seat, so long as it was in the 8th land district and on the Ocmulgee River. The act further directed that elections and other county business be conducted at the residence of Mark Pregon (actually Pridgen) in the 8th district until a courthouse could be built.

An act of Dec. 13, 1811 directed that the Telfair County courthouse and other public buildings be built on land lot 79 in the 8th district on the Ocmulgee River on land purchased from Jesse Wiggins, Jr. The justices of the inferior court were authorized to contract for the building of a courthouse and jail. Until a courthouse was completed, the legislation provided that court sessions, elections, and other county business take place in the house of Jesse Wiggins or such other place in land lot 79 as the inferior court should determine.

Still, nothing happened -- so in an act of Dec. 7, 1812, the legislature provided that the inferior court purchase between 50 and 202 acres of land for erecting a courthouse and other public buildings. The act directed that the site be within two miles of the center of the county and on or near the Ocmulgee River. [At that time, the Ocmulgee River flowed through the middle of Telfair County.] Until the courthouse was built, courts and elections were to be held at the house of Mark Pridgen.

Despite the acts of 1810, 1811, and 1812, Telfair County still did not have a courthouse or county seat. In Nov. 1813, the legislature passed a new act authorizing the inferior court to build a courthouse and jail on land lot 340 in the 8th district. The legislation further provided that as soon as a courthouse was built on lot 340, that site would become the permanent county seat of Telfair County.

For whatever reason, the inferior court failed to implement the 1810, 1811, 1812, or 1813 acts, so in 1814 state lawmakers passed another act confirming land lot 340 as the site for building a courthouse. However, rather than wait for completion of a courthouse, this act declared that land lot 340 henceforth was Telfair County's permanent county seat. Subsequently, the land lot was surveyed and subdivided. One lot was reserved for a courthouse and jail, with the other lots to be sold for settlement of a new town. On Nov. 25,1815, the General Assembly provided that Telfair County's new seat of government be named Jacksonville. In an act of Dec. 14, 1815, the legislature incorporated Jacksonville and directed the new town commissioners to assemble "at the court-house in said town". As for the town's name, the legislation specifically noted that "the name of Jacksonville is here intended to perpetuate the name and memory of the late hero of New Orleans." That hero, of course, was Gen. Andrew Jackson, who on Dec. 8, 1815 had defeated British forces at the Battle of New Orleans.

After the southern half of Telfair County was transferred to newly created Coffee County in 1854, the county seat of Jacksonville no longer was in the center of the county. In fact, it was now just a few miles north of Telfair County's new southern boundary -- the Ocmulgee River. As a result, many Telfair County residents began calling for removal of the county seat to a more central location. In an act of March 3, 1856, the legislature authorized the inferior court to call an election on removing the county seat. The act further provided that if a majority of voters approved removal, the inferior court was to purchase at least twenty acres as near the center of the county as possible and lay out a new county seat, which was to be named Ridgley . It is not clear whether the inferior court ever called a referendum-- but if an election actually was held, supporters of removal lost. The outbreak of the Civil War brought a temporary end to efforts to move Telfair's county seat.

After the Civil War, the Macon & Brunswick Railroad was built through eastern Telfair County, bypassing Jacksonville by twenty miles. This fact, plus Jacksonville's location near the southern boundary of the county, led to renewed agitation for removal of the county seat to a more central location In Oct.1870, the General Assembly passed legislation calling for an election on designating a new county seat and allowing Telfair County officials to levy a special tax for erecting of a suitable courthouse and jail.

The Oct. 1870 legislation did not authorize a referendum on whether or not to move the county seat. Rather it provided for election of five commissioners "whose duty it shall be to select a suitable site on the Macon & Brunswick Railroad, as near the center of said county as practicable, for the capital or county-site of said county of Telfair." The election took place on Dec. 20, 21, and 22 of 1870. It is not known how long the commissioners deliberated on selecting a new county seat -- but presumably they made their decision during the final week of 1870 or in early 1871.

The site selected as Telfair County's new county seat was the railroad station of McRae on the Macon & Brunswick Railroad. Before the Civil War, the McRaes and several other groups of Scottish Presbyterians from the Carolinas had emigrated to this area. Around 1870, track for the Macon & Brunswick was laid through the plantation of Daniel McRae. A railroad station was built here and named for the McRae clan. A town quickly sprung up, and the legislature incorporated McRae as a town on March 3, 1874. According to that act, McRae's city limits included everything within one-half mile of the courthouse.