This community was first known as Frankville but was renamed Berner in 1896, for Col. Robert Lee Berner (1854-1922) of Forsyth. Berner served in the Spanish-American War, practiced law, was president of the Georgia senate, ran unsuccessfully for governor, and was instrumental in the construction of Macon’s Terminal Station.
It’s hard to imagine considering the isolation of this place today, but the post office remained in operation until 1957. Now, it appears to be a true ghost town.
Hey Brian! Update — I realized I had been confusing Jack’s full name with his grandfather’s name — Jack was actually officially “Amos Jackson Sutton”. (Couldn’t figure out how to “edit” my earlier comment to correct that.) His and Annie’s father was Leonder Sutton, son of Andrew Jackson Sutton. Also, I went by Berner recently and Annie and Morgan’s house is indeed still standing, behind Jack’s store. My dad also confirmed Jack’s store included the post office — it was the counter in the front entrance immediately on the left. The security screens closing it off are still in tact.
Hi! This store was run by my great-grandmother’s brother, Andrew Jackson Sutton. It was known as “Jack’s Store”. My great-grandmother, Annie Sutton Bridges, ran the store across the street along the railroad tracks, that has collapsed. They sold different things; from my understanding hers was a more general store, and his sold more feed-and-seed/commercial type things. She and her husband, my great-grandfather Morgan Bennett Bridges, lived down the dirt road behind Jack’s store. Their house was built in 1914, I’m not sure if it is still standing, though it was about 10 years ago. Morgan was also the telegraph operator at the depot in Juliette from c. 1908-1910 until it closed. (Or “a” telegraph operator; I think there were two.) According to a 1974 newspaper article where Morgan was interviewed, when the Berner depot closed in 1931, he dismantled it and took it to his property out on Hwy 83 and turned it into a rental home. The 83 property is still in the family today, but the rental homes have long since disappeared. In this same 1974 article, Morgan said they closed the Berner store in 1955; I am unclear if that was theirs or Jack’s. Annie and Morgan were both active members of the Cabiness Baptist Church on Stokes Store Rd, and are buried in the family plot at Forsyth City Cemetery.
Thanks for this invaluable history. Could you share your name so I may credit you when I update? If not, I understand, but thanks for your consideration.
Absolutely! Nicole Newsom