This is the oldest surviving house in Clinton. It is believed to have been built by one of Jones County’s earliest settlers, Roger McCarthy. Following the Civil War, twin sisters “Miss Zet” and “Mrs. Pope” owned the house, which also served as the Clinton Post Office until 1915. After being used as a tenant house in subsequent years, it fell into a state of near ruin and was described as “tumbled down” by the mid-1950s. It was restored by the Old Clinton Historical Society in the late 1970s-eary 1980s.
Old Clinton Historic District, National Register of Historic Places
A 1994 article by Gordon Sargent in North Georgia Journal notes that “as long as most people can remember, this northwest Georgia community has enjoyed a rich reputation for high crimes and high times. Such has been the reputation for the little state line community in northwest Georgia’s Polk County for decades, an image fostered by a long record of illicit activities such as moonshining, gambling, and even darker crimes like murder. And surprisingly, it seemed the stronger the criminal element became in the township, the less visible was law enforcement. Despite its infamy, Esom Hill, according to many residents, is a friendly community with caring neighbors and a bad name circulated by “outsiders”. Just like many situations, the truth lies somewhere in between.“
A post office was established in the community, which was associated with the Shiloh Baptist Church, in 1850. It’s only about a mile from the Alabama state line. The origins of the name are unclear. In its heyday, Easom Hill had five general stores, three churches, a school, and a saloon. Two gins and a sawmill were also present.
Joseph Proctor Screven Brewster, who built this store after his first mercantile burned in 1901, was one of the pioneers of Esom Hill. It was one of the first businesses in the county to have electric power, provided by an early Delco System generator. It also served as the post office, with Brewster serving as postmaster.
I first thought this are to be a community known as Jalappa, since the road is named Jalappa and a list of U. S. post offices makes reference to a post office at Jalappa from 1851-1855. Further research is required on Jalappa. However, as to the places seen here, Sammy Lester writes: This is my family home. It was a plantation at one time. The mail came from Montezuma by horseback. The name is Capron. My Grandfather named the post office after the first officer that fell going up San Juan Hill with Teddy Roosevelt. Once there was a cotton gin, grist mill, a shingle mill and blacksmith shop along with the general store. The wooden building (above) is the original store and you can still see the mail slot. Capron circa 1898!
The brick storefront (below) dates to 1910, and most of the structure is gone.
An historical survey in 1992 dated this structure to 1919 but I believe that to be incorrect. The canopy on the front porch and the exposed roof beams, Craftsman features, were likely added to the building in 1919, when this style was very popular. But the overall massing, and the high windows along the side and front [barely visible under the edge of the canopy] would indicate a date earlier than 1919. Since it has been used as a post office, and the post office in Gratis was only open from 1893-1902, that’s also a hint that it was likely built in the 1890s.
Before the establishment of Mitchell, the nearest community was Scruggsville. In 1887, its post office was moved to be near the newly laid tracks of the Augusta, Gibson & Sandersville Railroad and its name changed to honor its president, Robert Mitchell. The town was incorporated in 1896.
