Mrs. W. E. Porter, General Merchandise, George Balian, 1973, Courtesy Meg Balian
I’m grateful to Meg Balian for sharing her father’s circa 1973 painting of Mrs. W. E. Porter’s general store in the forgotten village of Findlay. I’ve been meaning to share it here for some time not only for its subtle beauty but also as a link to the history of this elusive place in Dooly County. The building was still standing a few years ago but I never knew a name for the store until Meg reached out.
Meg’s father was Kevork Misak (George) Balian (1932-2013). As a young man, George began the study of art at a French and American school in Aleppo, Syria. At 18, he immigrated to America with $250, a suitcase filled with his belongings, and a watch. He worked his way through school and received a degree in Architecture from Auburn University, where a lifelong passion for War Eagles football was born.
Mr. Balian was a member of the American Institute of Architects and completed residential, public, and commercial designs in cities as diverse as Macon, Atlanta, St. Louis and New York. He was also involved in the design of the Abuja National Mosque in Nigeria.
The historic Vienna School, later known as the Jenkins School (elementary, I believe), was lost to fire this afternoon. It was most recently home to Faith Christian School.
Photograph Courtesy Vienna Fire Department, via Addison Langley
Addison Langley just wrote: “I lived just down from this school for many years, was babysat in the kids class by my aunt and played so much on that play ground. It currently is on fire. I’m so sad to see this beautiful place burn and truly disappear.“
Photograph Courtesy Vienna Fire Department, via Addison Langley
Bethlehem Baptist Church is a historic African-American congregation in rural Dooly County, located near Dooling. Mixed among newer commercial memorials are quite a few vernacular examples. Many have no names and even fewer display dates, but I believe they should be documented before they are completely lost to time. They are presented out of respect.
Vernacular Memorials of Bethlehem Baptist Church Cemetery
Kate Smith, birth and death dates unknownFrancy Odal, birth and death dates unknownElla Holton (1880-1925)Les (surname indiscernible, perhaps Hilton or Milton?) (1880-1915)Odis Atkins, birth and death dates unknownTom R., birth and death dates unknownFieldstone grave marker, decedent unknownDecedent unknown, personal object on grave markerCulvert, or pipe, grave marker, decedent unknownDecorative tile grave marker, decedent unknown
Situated at the end of a dirt road and surrounded by fields and forest, the Joiner Cemetery [also, more properly, known as Wallace Cemetery] is typical of many rural burying grounds at first glance.
Further inspection reveals that it’s anything but typical. It contains a mixture of Victorian and vernacular memorials. I’m only focusing on the vernacular examples here.
Vernacular Memorials of Joiner Cemetery
All of the vernacular memorials in Joiner Cemetery feature similar design elements, notably saw-tooth frames around text and the use of stenciled letters; unfortunately, most have some sort of damage and should be considered highly endangered. I believe they are made of poured concrete and are not all contemporary to the burials, as is most evident with the Mashburn burials. The font of the stenciled letters is not contemporary to their death dates.
Eliza Joiner Bullington (18 August 1839-4 July 1884)
The Eliza Joiner Bullington memorial is the most extraordinary in Joiner Cemetery. The top of the stone contains a pictograph featuring a hand print, an unknown symbol, and a star in a circle, representative of heavenly eternity as best I can guess.
Eliza Joiner Bullington, Detail
The crowded text, surrounded by a saw-tooth frame found on other vernacular memorials in the cemetery, reads: Mrs. Eliza Wife Of Rev R [Rubin] Bullington Born Aug The 18th 1839 & Died July The 4 1884 Thy Hand O God Doth Save Me And The Star Of Thy Heavens Doth Give Me Light
Mary L. Bullington (16 November 1880-24 August 1881)
The tomb of Rubin and Eliza Joiner Bullington’s daughter, Mary, is perhaps the nicest of the vernacular memorials, though it has been badly damaged over the years.
Infant of William L. & Betty Joiner (12 October 1878-12 October 1878)
The gravesite of the unnamed infant of William and Betty Joiner is similar to the previous memorial for Mary Joiner, though not as elaborate in design. The inscription reads: Its Spirit Returns to God Who Gave It
Susan Carr (4 September 1861-21 September 1880*)
The fading inscription on this memorial reads: Susan Carr Wife of Alaxander [sic] S. Carr Born Sept. the 4th 1861 & Died Sept. the 21th [sic] 1881.Blessed Is The Pure In Heart For They Shall See God. She Shoutingly Exclaimed That She Could See Her Loved Ones Who Had Gone Before. Susan We Know How Precious You Were On This Green Earth But How Can We Envy Heaven Of So Bright a Juel [sic].
*- The transcribed date of death on Findagrave is 1881, but viewing it through an infrared filter, I believe it to be 1881.
Carear Bell Bullington (8 or 9 October 1886-5 May 1887)
This is a representative example of the saw-tooth frame found on headstones throughout Joiner Cemetery. The decedent was the infant daughter of Reverend Rubin and Seebelle Bullington. I presume this is the same Reverend R. Bullington who was married to Eliza Joiner until her death.
Lewellen Mashburn (30 March 1819-3 January 1872)
The marker reads: In Remembrance of Luallen* [sic] Mashburn…Blessed Are The Dead That Die In The Lord. They Rest From Their Labor And Their Works Do Follow Them.
*-Misspellings are quite common on vernacular headstones, as is the case here. With names, it can sometimes be a guessing game, but there’s a more formal stone associated with this burial, so I know that Lewellen is the correct spelling.
Mary Amanda Mashburn (17 February 1853-19 December 1855)
This tomb is of the same style as Mary Bullington’s and the Joiner infant’s. I believe it was a later marking of an earlier burial, likely done around the same time as the aforementioned, in the 1870s-1880s.
James Daniel Mashburn (10 October 1854-27 January 1860)
James Daniel Mashburn’s memorial is also likely a later replacement of an earlier version. It’s decorated with a lamb, commonly associated with children. He and sister Mary Amanda were the children of Lewellen and Elizabeth F. Lock(e)* Mashburn.
Elizabeth F. Lock(e) was the daughter of James Lock and Athali E. Adams Lock. The spelling error is likely accidental.
James Lock (9 May 1808-18 April 1858)
The inscription reads: For I Know That My Redeemer Liveth And That He Shall Steady At The Latter Day If On The Earth: And Though After [remainder illegible]
Athalia Adams Locke (17 March 1813-11 December 1890)
The stone on this memorial reads: How Bright Is The Day When The Christian Receives The Sweet Message To Come To Rise To The Mansions Of Glory And Be There Forever At Home
Martha Delia Scarborough (1 October 1875-30 September 1896)
This is one of the last of the vernacular memorials, chronologically. Martha Delia was the daughter of John F. and Susan Singletary Scarborough.
Dessie Joiner (23 September 1888-30 April 1889)
This tapered obelisk is unique among the vernacular memorials at Joiner Cemetery. The iron frame was added to preserve it after a break. Dessie was the infant daughter of W. G. and Mary E. Joiner.
The Vienna School, as it was known upon construction, was the comprehensive education facility for the city’s white population. An early project of the Works Progress Administration (WPA), it was built in the English Vernacular Revival style, to replace an earlier two-story wooden school on the site. Bert Gregory notes that his grandmother, Marywood Gregory, was up early nursing her son Alton on Christmas morning when she saw the old school on fire. She woke up the others in the house and they called the fire department to the scene.
As is evident on the cartouche, the school was first called the Vienna School, but was later renamed the Jenkins School in honor of the superintendent who was instrumental in getting it constructed.
Vienna Historic District, National Register of Historic Places
This school, which served Vienna’s African-American community before desegregation, was built in part with funds provided by the Rosenwald Fund and utilized it “Six Teacher Community School Plan”. It was built by Governor George Busbee’s father, who also built the nearby Lilly School. N. B. Lavender was the first principal.
The National Register of Historic Places listing for the school is a bit confusing, as it identifies this as the County Training School, noting the vocational focus of many schools for African-Americans at the time. However, the original cornerstone for the school identifies it as the Vienna Industrial & High School. An equalization school was built adjacent to the property in 1959, and the campus included all of the earlier Rosenwald structures.
A shop building for vocational activities was built near the schoolhouse, also in 1926. A second shop building (not pictured) was built in 1959 to the right of the schoolhouse.
A food processing/canning plant was attached to the old shop building at a later date..
Members of the Class of 1945 are remembered on the steps of the old shop building, including: R. Lilly; L. Chaney; R. Chaney; A. Graham; F. Smith; L. Smith; E. Bell; B. Godwin; H. Reece; G. Fudge; O. Barnes; G. Eunice; C. Wallace; and M. Edwards.
Originally located on West Cotton Street, this structure dates to the late 19th century. It was first used as a laundry, then from 1906-1922, it was Walter F. George‘s law office. From 1922-1976, it was home to several different businesses.
It has been moved a couple of times but retains its defining characteristics.
Vienna Historic District, National Register of Historic Places
The popularity of the Queen Anne style is evident throughout rural Georgia, where it was applied to thousands of otherwise common farmhouses from the late 1800s well into the 20th century. It’s an enduring form whose popularity continues to the present day.
