Category Archives: Roberta GA

Roberta, Georgia

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Roberta GA Crawford County Wright Avenue Early 20th Century Storefronts Photograph Copyright Brian Brown Vanishing South Georgia USA 2014Wright Avenue

Downtown Roberta GA Crawford County Agency Street Storefronts Hardware Store Photograph Copyright Brian Brown Vanishing South Georgia USA 2014Agency Street

Roberta Historic District, National Register of Historic Places

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Southern Railway Caboose, Roberta

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Southern Railway Caboose Roberta GA Crawford County Photograph Copyright Brian Brown Vanishing South Georgia USA 2014

A marker at the caboose is dedicated to the memory of Clarence Moseley “Ribs” Peel (8 November 1897-8 October 1955) and his wife Jessie Blackwell Peel (5 May 1907-18 October 2001).  Mr. Peel, who was a trainman with the Southern Railway for 38  years, died in a railroad accident near Hazlehurst. After receiving information (which later proved to be incorrect) that another train was fast approaching his, he made the supreme sacrifice of staying with his train so that his co-workers could disembark and be safe. Mrs. Peel considered this spot hallowed ground as her husband spent so much of his career here. The moving memorial was placed by their children, Bettie Jane Rigdon, Claudine Peel, Juanita Goodson, Carlise Moncrief, and Claire Mattox, in 2010.

Roberta Historic District, National Register of Historic Places

Old Musella Methodist Church, Roberta

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Old Church Lindsey Building Civic Center Roberta GA Crawford County Photograph Copyright Brian Brown Vanishing South Georgia USA 2014

Presently known as the Lindsey Building and is used as the Roberta-Crawford Civic Center, this building was originally located in Musella and served as the Methodist church there. Thanks to Beth Paul and Frank Spearman for the identification. Mr. Spearman writes that Reverend Jim Hamlin notes it was de-commissioned years ago. Maurice Lindsey’s family were the last surviving members. Maurice, a rural mail carrier, died years ago and his wife, Betty, died about three weeks ago.

Roberta Historic District, National Register of Historic Places

Benjamin Hawkins Monument, 1931, Roberta

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Colonel Benjamin Hawkins Memorial Roberta GA Crawfordville Photograph Copyright Brian Brown Vanishing South Georgia USA 2014

The text on the monument gives a good overview of Colonel Hawkins’ life. Some of the language wouldn’t be used today, such as referring to Native Americans as ‘savages’. Erected in 1931 by the United States government to commemorate the life and public service of Colonel Benjamin Hawkins, who was born in Warren County, N. C.  August 15, 1754 and died at the Creek Indian Agency on the Flint River, June 6, 1816. He was a student at Princeton and shortly after the beginning of the Revolution became a member of General Washington’s staff with the rank of Colonel, serving with distinction throughout the war. He was one of the first senators from North Carolina and was conspicuous for his interest in Indian affairs. Colonel Hawkins was asked by General Washington to assume jurisdiction over all the Indian tribes south of the Ohio River. At the height of his career he came to Georgia and established his home among the Creek Indians on the banks of the Flint River in Crawford County. He built the fort which was named in his honor on the Ocmulgee River at Macon and lived there while the fort was being erected, but his permanent home was at the Creek Agency. His body lies on a bluff overlooking the Flint River where he lived among the savage tribes for 16 years, a man of letters, a mediator of peace and faithful unto death.

Colonel Benjamin Hawkins as Senator in North Carolina Public Domain Image Used on Vanishing South Georgia 2014Colonel Benjamin Hawkins – Public Domain Image via Wikipedia

Roberta Historic District, National Register of Historic Places