TheThomasvilleHistoryCenterhasbeenawardeda$10,000 matching grant through the 1772 Foundation in partnership with the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation to support exterior rehabilitation of the historic Metcalfe Courthouse.
The award is part of $125,000 in preservation funding distributed this year to fourteen nonprofit organizations across Georgia maintaining historic sites and community landmarks.
Located on the History Center’s campus at 725 N. Dawson Street, the Metcalfe Courthouse represents the civic history of one of Thomas County’s early railroad communities. Metcalfe, located eight miles southeast of Thomasville, was founded in 1889 as a lumber- and agriculture-based boomtown that developed around its rail depot. By 1892, residents petitioned Thomas County to construct a courthouse for magisterial purposes. Although the building was never used for formal court proceedings, it became the civic heart of the community and served for generations as a public gathering place and voting precinct until 2002.
In 2003, after years of deterioration, the structure was placed up for auction by Thomas County. The Thomas County Historical Society (now the Thomasville History Center) successfully acquired the building and relocated it to the History Center campus in 2004, along with original contents including benches, ballot boxes, and voting materials, to ensure its long-term preservation.
Grant funding will support exterior stabilization and restoration work, including repair and replacement of deteriorated wood elements, surface preparation and repainting, reglazing of historic windows, and other measures intended to protect the building from moisture intrusion and long-term deterioration.
“This grant represents an important investment in one of the most unique and meaningful structures on our campus,” said Austin Bell, Executive Director of the Thomasville History Center. “The Metcalfe Courthouse tells the story of rural civic life in Thomas County, and we are deeply grateful to the Georgia Trust and the 1772 Foundation for helping us preserve it for future generations. Special thanks as well to the Metcalfe Heritage Society, the Thomas County Board of Commissioners, and the Thomasville-Thomas County Chamber of Commerce for their support during the grant process.”
The exterior work will also allow the History Center to begin planning concurrently with the Metcalfe Heritage Society and other stakeholders for future interpretation, programming, and visitor experience improvements, with the goal of advancing that next phase in 2027. The grant-funded exterior project is expected to be completed by May 2027.
Three Thomasville cultural organizations —Pebble Hill Plantation, Thomasville Center for the Arts, and the Thomasville History Center — are proud to announce their participation in the 2026 Blue Star Museums program, a national initiative offering free summer admission to currently serving military personnel and their families.
The participation of multiple Thomasville organizations in Blue Star Museums reflects the strength of the arts, history, and cultural life in the community. Together, these organizations offer military families the opportunity to explore a connected story of Thomasville and the Red Hills region through art, architecture, local history, creativity, landscape, and community memory.
Blue Star Museums is a partnership between the National Endowment for the Arts and Blue Star Families, in collaboration with the Department of Defense and participating museums across the country. The 2026 program begins on Armed Forces Day, Saturday, May 16, and continues through Labor Day, Monday, September 7.
“Blue Star Museums has opened doors for military families to explore, connect, and feel at home,” said Kathy Roth-Douquet, CEO of Blue Star Families. “As we approach America’s 250th anniversary, we’re proud to continue this partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts and museums nationwide—welcoming military families into the heart of our nation’s story and celebrating them every step of the way.”
Through the program, currently serving members of the United States military — including the Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, Navy, Space Force, Reserves, National Guard, U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, and NOAA Commissioned Officer Corps — may receive free admission for themselves and up to five family members by presenting a valid military ID.
“Having multiple Thomasville cultural institutions take part in Blue Star Museums is a testament to the strength of the arts in our community,” said the directors of Pebble Hill Plantation, Thomasville Center for the Arts, and the Thomasville History Center in a joint statement. “Together, our organizations have the opportunity to thank military families for their service and welcome them into the cultural treasures, local stories, and creative experiences that make Thomasville so special.”
Each participating organization offers a distinct experience while contributing to a broader understanding of Thomasville and the Red Hills region. Pebble Hill Plantation invites visitors to experience the history, architecture, collections, gardens, and 3,000-acre grounds of a 20th-century Southern sporting estate. Thomasville Center for the Arts connects the community through inspiring exhibitions, year-round arts education, annual festivals and hands-on art experiences for all ages. The Thomasville History Center invites guests to explore the people, places, buildings, and stories that have shaped Thomasville and the Red Hills region over time.
Together, these organizations provide military families with a meaningful way to experience Thomasville’s story from multiple perspectives through art, history, and community. Admission procedures, hours, and available experiences may vary by location. Visitors are encouraged to check with each participating organization before planning their visit.
To learn more about Blue Star Museums or to find participating museums across the country, visit arts.gov/BlueStarMuseums.
Thomasville History Center Collections: Russell Road in Boston, Georgia, 1976. 1977.34.033.
By Ephraim Rotter
The origin story of the Thomas County city of Boston, the second oldest city in the county, has been well honed since America’s Bicentennial in 1976. The telling goes something like this: A man named Thomas Boston was a frequent visitor to early Thomas County, by way of stagecoach. He (in some tellings) purchased significant land holding in the vicinity of what has been known as “Old Boston” since the late 1800s or became friends with a man who did own significant land in the vicinity of “Old Boston,” John Parramore. As settlers arrived through the 1820s and 1830s, possibly as early as 1831 or maybe as late as 1839,the settlement located off of Sally Road today at the Russell Farm was named Boston, either in honor of Thomas Boston as a local landowner, or in celebration of his frequent visits to his good friend John Parramore, who the story tells us had a stagecoach stop in the vicinity of Old Boston. But is this version of events accurate?
Several months ago, the History Center received a request from researchers in that other Boston – the Massachusetts one. A recently retired couple, determined to find the origin story of each place named “Boston” in America, called to ask about Thomas County’s iteration. The History Center benefits from and appreciates the research that came before it, but from time-to-time we will revisit the stories and then the source documents to try to find out more, especially as new research tools have made materials both more available and more searchable.
The first step was to gather all the origin stories for Boston we could: the earliest is from 1890 and the most recent from 1989. The most influential was Irwin MacIntyre’s History of Thomas County written in 1923. It is cited by Dr. William Warren Rogers in his books about Thomas County history and numerous other places. This is where we first find the claim that Boston was founded by a man named “Major Thomas M. Boston” around 1831, and that he purchased significant land holdings there, presumably including the site of Old Boston. All other origin stories, including the stagecoach stop theory, are variations of this, excepting the first history of Boston, written in the April 14, 1890 edition of the Times-Enterprise.
That history was part of a series titled “Highways and By-Ways of Thomas County” written by an anonymous County elder identifying himself as “W.” According to him, Boston was founded in the mid-1830s by two men with the last names of Graves and Watson who came to Thomas County from Boston, Massachusetts. With these stories to work with, identifying exactly who is this “Major Thomas M. Boston” was my first priority. At times referenced as “Captain” Thomas M. Boston, he was quickly profiled to be Thomas Mickleberry Boston, born 1815 in Screven County, Georgia. On the 1830 census, he is listed as living with his parents in Screven County. Even with shorter lifespans, the thought of a sixteen-year-old dependent getting a town named in honor of him in 1831 seems unlikely.
Thomas County Grantee Index 1825-1910, Boston-Boswell.
A visit to the Thomas County Deed Room confirmed this. He did not show up on any Georgia property tax rolls until the late 1830s. He did eventually buy property in Thomas County and was a hotelier in Thomasville. The very first land Tom Boston purchased in Thomas County was in Thomasville in 1851. While his Uncle John purchased lots in the 8th district (Colquitt County today) and a lot in today’s Brooks County between 1839-1841, none of the family’s properties were in the vicinity of “Old” or “New” Boston. Tom Boston himself never owned any property near Boston.
The variation of this theory, that he was friends with John Parramore and visited by way of stagecoach at a stagecoach stop Parramore hosted on his property, is also without evidence. The stagecoach routes of Georgia – particularly the one Thomas Boston would have had to take to get to south Thomas County – were extremely well documented. These were commercial operations that required reliable stops every 40-50 miles where horses could be changed and people get something to eat or even a place to stay overnight.
While John Parramore was a large landowner in the vicinity of “Old” Boston, and certainly popular and well known in the area, his property is simply not listed as a stagecoach stop nor changing station in any newspaper or gazetteer, particularly the Gazetteer of the State of Georgia for 1837. Thomasville is listed, as is Troupeville, Albany, and other places on either the route through Albany or the route from the east. The primary logic problem being that for a state-wide stage operator, the Parramore property was too close to Thomasville for there to be an additional stop.
Thomas County Post Office Book, 1844-1857.
The next key data point for us to discover was to find the very earliest use of the name “Boston” for a place in Thomas County. The United States Postmaster Book lists Aaron Daniel as the postmaster of a Boston in Thomas County in 1847. This is the first verifiable use of the name we can find thus far. By 1850, it appears with some frequency. Which brings us back to the original history written by “W” in 1890 who claimed, “Watson and Graves” moved from the “Old Bay State.”
So who is W? And who are Watson and Graves? Those are questions we’ll have to save for next time!
Thomasville Insights podcast, City of Thomasville, April 17, 2026
Welcome to Thomasville Insights with the City of Thomasville! Located in Thomasville, Georgia, the podcast will cover everything from Thomasville history and events to daily operations and City business, all while having some fun in the process.
On this episode, we interview History Center Curator Ephraim Rotter, who fills us in on some important local history and more.
Some of the topics include:
• History Center Lunch and Learn updates plus what’s next • How Thomas County and Thomasville get their names • Why Lot 39 matters to the city’s beginning • Henry O. Flipper’s legacy through the wider Flipper family’s achievements • Why politicians and public figures choose to visit Thomasville • John F. Archbold’s local influence beyond building a hospital • Why does Thomasville have an odd street layout?
To learn more about the city of Thomasville, visit Thomasville.org.
The Payroll Development Authority welcomed the Georgia Red Carpet Tour to Thomasville over the weekend.
Hosted annually during the Masters Tournament, this prestigious, invitation-only event brings global business leaders to Georgia to experience firsthand what makes the Peach State a strong place to live, work, and invest. With stops in both Thomasville and August, the City of Roses had a unique opportunity to shine on a statewide stage.
The Georgia Red Carpet Tour, led by partners including the Georgia Allies, Georgia Chamber of Commerce, Georgia Department of Economic Development, and the local Payroll Development Authority, is designed to “soft sell” Georgia by connecting decision makers with communities and showcasing real opportunities for growth and opportunities.
Attendees begin with a dinner at the Governor’s Mansion on Wednesday night, before attending the Master’s Tournament on Thursday morning. Thursday afternoon, they then boarded a flight, arriving in Thomasville late that evening, where they checked into the Marriott for the duration of their stay.
While in Thomasville, guests got a true taste of the community and all it has to offer.
Attendees had the chance to enjoy a round of golf at the prestigious Glen Arven Country Club, explore the city’s rich history on a guided trolley tour, or experience sporting clays at The Ranges at Oakfield. Visitors spent the afternoon at Box Hall Plantation and Pebble Hill Plantation for beautiful scenic views, a dog trial presentation, and discussions on historic preservation. Each experience highlighted the quality of life and unique assets that make Thomasville such a special place.
“The feedback we got was great,” said Shelley Zorn, President and CEO of the Payroll Development Authority. “They were so impressed with the downtown and very complimentary during the history tour.”
Friday evening, guests returned to Pebble Hill Plantation for a catered dinner, featuring all of Thomasville’s local fare.
The spread featured an array of cheeses from Sweet Grass Dairy, a whole hog from Liam’s, barbecue from Climmie’s, and hors d’oeuvres from JB Crumbs.
“We gave them a taste of Thomasville,” she said. “Our hospitality people worked really hard.”
Zorn praised everyone the attendees came across, and noted that it had a direct impact, as every person stated they plan to return.
“It had a great economic impact, beyond just showing off our community,” she said.
Since the tour, Zorn has already been contacted by a business owner whose friend attended the Georgia Red Carpet Tour with inquiries about home prices and industrial building prices.
“He thought it was so great looking that he wanted to refer a friend,” she explained.
Zorn said the hosts are likely to refer more projects to Thomasville down the road, though.
“We deal with them all the time, so it’s great to let them see the community so they can bring someone else back,” she said.
Now that Thomasville has become a stop on the Red Carpet Tour — the first non-metro stop, Zorn said the city will likely be added to a 10-year rotation and have the opportunity to show off again in the future.
For now, though, she is proud to have played a role in such an impactful event and looks forward to the opportunities it will bring to the region.
The Thomasville History Center will join in this year’s Rose Show & Festival with a series of special offerings that highlight the community’s traditions during Thomasville’s historic bicentennial year.
At the Lapham-Patterson House, the History Center will present Thomasville & Tiaras, a pop-up exhibit featuring a curated display of past Thomasville Rose Queen gowns and crowns. The exhibit offers visitors a rare opportunity to explore the pageantry and legacy of one of Thomasville’s most cherished annual traditions within an iconic historic home.
The exhibit will be on view from April 23 through May 16, 2026, and is included with regular guided tour admission at the Lapham-Patterson House, offered Thursday through Saturday. Tickets are available online or at the Thomasville History Center front desk.
As part of Rose Show weekend, the Lapham-Patterson House will also host a free open house on Saturday, April 25, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Visitors are invited to explore the exhibit at their own pace and experience the elegance and craftsmanship of Rose Show traditions in Thomasville’s only National Historic Landmark.
Guests can also attend a meet-and-greet from 11:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. with Miss Thomasville Ana Chambers, Miss Thomasville’s Teen Kinley Harrison, Court Member Madeline Patz, and Court Member Savannah Harpe.
In addition to activities at the Lapham-Patterson House, the History Center campus will feature demonstrations by the Thomasville Amateur Radio Club, which will be set up outside the front of the museum from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The History Center and its gift shop will also be open to visitors during those hours.
The History Center will also participate in the Rose Parade on Friday, April 24, when Curator of Collections Ephraim Rotter will drive Bill Cox’s 1923 Ford Model T down Broad Street with special dignitaries in tow. The Model T is one of four historic vehicles in the History Center’s collection, all on permanent exhibit in the Roberts Garage.
“These offerings reflect our commitment to being an active participant in the life of the community,” said Executive Director Austin Bell. “During this bicentennial year, we are especially excited to contribute to the Rose Show by sharing the stories, traditions, and experiences that make Thomasville so special.”
On March 20, the Thomasville History Center will debut Perfect Alignment: An Equinox Evening with Lapham, a new immersive fundraising dinner at the historic Lapham-Patterson House.
Timed with the spring equinox, the evening centers on a rare architectural phenomenon: on just two days each year, sunlight aligns with key features of the house, revealing effects that reflect the intentional design of its original owner, Charles Lapham. A dabbling Spiritualist, Lapham incorporated symbolism, orientation, and belief into the layout of the home — themes that will guide the evening’s program.
“This house was designed with intention — not just structurally, but symbolically,” said Austin Bell, Executive Director of the Thomasville History Center. “The equinox gives us a rare opportunity to see the Lapham-Patterson House exactly as Charles Lapham meant it to be experienced. Perfect Alignment allows us to connect architecture, belief, and the natural world in a way that feels both historic and immediate, while directly supporting the preservation of this extraordinary home.”
The evening begins at 5:30 p.m. with a cocktail hour featuring live piano music performed from period sheet music preserved in the History Center’s collection. Guests will enjoy hors d’oeuvres, a signature equinox-inspired sangria, and a selection of regional wines while exploring the house. Tarot card readings and docent-guided equinox light viewings will add to the immersive experience.
Dinner will be served in the courtyard, weather permitting, allowing guests to enjoy the evening and a presentation on Lapham’s Spiritualist beliefs and their influence on the home’s architecture. The evening concludes with period phonograph recordings playing as guests take a final stroll through the house.
Seating is intentionally limited to preserve the intimate nature of the experience, and table sponsorship opportunities are available.
Perfect Alignment is the first annual fundraiser created exclusively to support the preservation and programming of the Lapham-Patterson House, which operates with its own dedicated budget under the stewardship of the Thomasville History Center in partnership with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Historic Preservation Division.
Advance tickets are required and must be purchased by Friday, March 13. For tickets and information, visit www.thomasvillehistory.org.
Spring is in the air and so is the pollen! As we shake off the last frosty days of winter, many plants are blooming and turning Thomasville into a beautiful sight to behold. And many people are getting out and returning to their gardens. With several historic garden clubs in our area and a rose show that has been around for over a century, it’s no wonder that the flora of Thomasville is uniquely lush and beautiful.
Plan of the Seward House Garden as it appeared in the 19th century, c.1925
If you’re looking for ideas for transforming your garden, why not take a historic approach? The History Center’s collections offer us many pictures of past gardens, but a deeper look through the files shows us a map of a very special garden – the original 19th century garden that once decorated the front yard of the Seward House. This layout can be easily recreated or worked on to create a classic Southern garden for any level of gardener (including those of us with sickly green and brown thumbs).
A hunting party in front of the Seward House, c. 1885. The buggy occupants are H. W. Hopkins on the left and Dr. Thomas Metcalfe.
Before diving into the gardens, let’s get a little background on this house and why we have the garden plans in our collections. The Sewards in question for this property were Senator James Lindsey Seward (1813-1886) and his wife Frances Amanda Tooke Seward (1822-1897). Formerly located along the middle of Crawford Street facing Jackson Street, the site is now the location of several businesses including Hong Yip, the headquarters of the Republican Party in Thomasville, and AJ Moonspin. The house was likely built prior to 1865 and added onto with the gardens developing over that time.
Most of the plantings in this garden are familiar names to us: cedar, oak, hydrangeas, etc. But a few of them require a little deep dive to find the intended plant. For example, take the Weeping Mary (be sure to add “plant” after the name in your google search or else you’ll be flooded with religious iconography). The scientific name for this plant is Buddleja lindleyana. It is native to China but was introduced to the United States in the 1800s. The plant is reminiscent of wisteria in its growth habit (though a little less likely to take over your yard).
If you’re looking to add Phlox to your garden, there are several native varieties to pick from that are likely what the Sewards planted. Phlox subulata or Moss Pink and Phlox nivalis or Trailing Phlox are good for sunny areas. Have a shady spot? Try Phlox divaricate or Woodland Phlox or Phlox Pilosa (Downy Phlox) for those areas.
In the great Thomasville debate between camellias and roses, the Sewards seem to have been rose fans. One of the notes mentions “roses scattered” through the garden. These would have been what we now call antique varieties that existed before the first hybrids came about in the mid-late 1800s. Some cultivars include “Blush Noisette” which arrived in America in 1817, “Madame Plantier” in 1835, “Souvenir de la Malmaison” in 1843, and a Thomasville favorite, “Louis Phillippe” in 1834. The “Velvet Rose” mentioned likely refers to Rosa gallica or “Tuscany.” Thomas Jefferson received one of these in 1808.
But some of their roses aren’t roses. Rock rose or Pavonia lasiopetala is a Mediterranean plant that appears rose-like. Though not native to this country, this plant does well in rougher terrains. They’re even known to be fire-resistant!
Mixed between the jonquils and gardenias (or Cape jessamine as it is referred to here) is another flowering plant called “Butter and Eggs” or Linaria vulgaris. Like it’s name suggests, it is a light yellow and white colored flower that would have mixed in well with the yellow jonquils and cream gardenias.
Our Painted Ladies are Gladiolus carneus. This plant does not flower in the summer but in the winter, adding some beauty while the other plants lie dormant. It is native to South Africa and holds up well when cut for arrangements.
Along the fence line, the Sewards planted Turks Turbans. This could refer to several types of plants including a type of squash that produces brilliant red flowers and the cutest hat-shaped gourds. But in this case, the name likely refers to Mavaviscus arboreus from the hibiscus family.
Finally, if you want to recreate the garden faithfully, the map makes note of a “brick flower pit” close to the front of the house. This is your chance to be creative with your flower choice! This space would be great for wildflowers, experimental plants, or even an ornamental vegetable.
While this garden is long gone, there are many throughout Thomasville that still harken back to these historic plans. You may have some of these growing in your own yard or have seen them in your neighborhood as they start to bloom. But what do you think? How would your garden grow?
Thomasville History Center Collection: Unidentified Soldier standing by sign on corner of Love and Jackson Streets, 1944.
Love is in the air and on the shelves this time of year, making it a good time to talk about love in Thomasville. Not the gushy community love or loving our neighbors, but love with a capital L. The Love that can be found on Love Street in the Tockwotten Neighborhood. How did this street get its name? Was it Victorian sentimentality? Or is there more to the story? Let’s find out!
Look at a map of Thomasville and you will see that Love Street runs for about four blocks in town, from Washington Street to Remington Avenue. It’s a residential street lined with dozens of vernacular Victorian houses of all different shapes, colors, and sizes. But what’s Love got to do with it? To answer that question, we have to get to know the neighborhood.
In the History Center’s map collection, we have a series of maps put together by the late Judge Roy M. Lilly Jr. who researched the various city limits of Thomasville over the last 200 years. In 1857, the city limits expanded to cover the area we now know as Love Street. This was huge growth for Thomasville as the former city limits had not included this area nor a nearby town known as Fletcherville. So why were they adding this land to the city limits? The area only covers a neighborhood today, so why was it not part of the original limits? We have a clue to this question hiding in our maps.
Thomasville History Center Collections: Map of Thomasville by Lebb Dekle, 1857.
Lebb Dekle, a well-to-do merchant, politician, and overall man-about-town, made his own map of Thomasville in this time period. It barely covers the area that would become Love Street. In fact, that space on his map is demarcated with a giant blue trapezoid. But if you look very closely you can see that the space reads “Tan Yard.” Tanning yards were work spaces for tanners or people who turn animal hides into leather. It’s a smelly business as you might imagine so tanning yards were often on the outskirts of town – just close enough for the workers to walk there from home and into town but not close enough to make people complain about the smell. From this we can gather that the tanning yard was on the move around 1857, opening up the land for citizens to build a residential community.
But where does the name “Love” come into this tanning yard-turned neighborhood? For that answer, we need to look into the homes dotting the street. Take a walk down Love Street and you’ll notice those Victorian houses mentioned previously. One of those houses bears a wooden plaque marking it as the P. E. Love House. But who was P. E. Love, and what did he do to have a street named after him?
Thomasville History Center Collection: Colorized copy of Portrait of Peter Early Love, 1850.
Peter Early Love was born in 1818 in the town of Dublin, Georgia, about three hours northeast of Thomasville. His parents died when he was still a young boy so his older sister and her husband raised him. When Peter was old enough, he attended Franklin College, now known as the University of Georgia. After graduating, he traveled north to study medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, which was the place for Southern students to learn medicine at the time. He quickly realized his heart was not in medicine and decided to take up law instead.
In 1839, Peter returned to middle Georgia and began his study of law alongside several future Thomasville lawyers. Peter and the young lawyers descended upon the still fairly new town of Thomasville and set up shop. As Peter rose through the ranks, he became a delegate in the electoral college during the presidential election of 1840. His vote helped elect William Henry Harrison as the nation’s 9th president (before he died of pneumonia one month into his term). A few years later, Peter was made Solicitor General of the Southern Circuit, meaning he rode all over Southwest Georgia trying cases for the State. This also meant he spent a lot of time away from home – but that didn’t stop him from putting down roots in Thomasville.
Thomasville History Center Collection: Love House on South 141 Love Street, 1875.
Back on the farm, Peter was setting up a home with his wife and four children. He bought a large tract of land in what is now known as the Love-Tockwotten neighborhood. Peter began dividing up the land soon after and selling it to his many friends including the Hansell family and the Remington family. He kept just enough land for himself and built a simple wood-frame dwelling around the year 1850. He called his house “Love Mansion.” Work on the house finished just in time for Peter to leave Thomasville to act as a Georgia Senator in Milledgeville.
After his term as a senator, Peter was made Judge of the Southern Circuit, replacing his friend Augustin H. Hansell. On top of that, Peter started his own local newspaper: The Wiregrass Reporter ran for several years before the start of the Civil War. He was also made captain of the Thomasville Guards, a local militia group, and helped lead the formation of Young’s Female College in town. When he grew restless for the next big adventure, Peter became a member of the United States House of Representatives.
This was a short-lived trip. Peter was elected just as the Civil War was breaking out. He was pro-secession, so when Georgia and many other states left the Union, Peter and his fellow Southern congressmen packed up their bags as well. He returned home to Thomasville, but not quietly.
Peter returned to his post as captain of the Thomasville Guards. In the years before the War, the Guards mainly spent time doing drills and participating in parades and social events. Despite being a militia, the Guards were more of a social club for the young men of Thomasville. Even Peter admitted the “Light Infantry is a company of boys, as brave, as enthusiastic as any, but still most of them are boys… They would ostracize me if they only knew that I had doubted for a moment their perfect equality with all other companies…” Despite his feelings, the Guards were sent to fight in the Civil War – this time, without Peter as their captain.
Peter stayed behind to serve in the Georgia State Legislature, now one of eleven states making up the Confederate States of America. Not long after, he was made mayor of Thomasville.
The end of the Civil War brought Union troops to Thomasville as part of President Andrew Johnson’s plans for Reconstruction. Ever true to his personal beliefs and staunch support of secession, Peter resigned from his post as mayor. Having burned the candle at both ends all his life, Peter died on November 8, 1866 at the age of 48. He was buried in his family’s plot at the City Cemetery, only a few blocks away from the courthouse he spent so much time in.
Public Domain: Peter Early Love, 1860.
As for the street, it earned its official name around the 1870s. The earliest mention of the street by that name shows up in a newspaper article from 1875. That was one of the first years the town of Thomasville held Independence Day celebrations following the Civil War. The Thomasville Guards marched from Broad Street down to the Love Mansion on Love Street where attendees gave speeches and read the Declaration of Independence, a fitting tribute to the man who gave his name for this street.
What must it have been like to live in Thomasville at the brink of the Civil War? Here at the History Center we have the transcript of a diary written by a young, seventeen-year-old woman over the year of 1861. This diary not only gives us insight into this question but also paints a vivid picture of life in South Georgia and how it was about to drastically change. Follow along as we explore the world from Henrietta Armstrong’s point of view in this blog series!
Our last visit with Henrietta concluded with the last entry in her diary. After some excitement in the autumn, her schedule quickly became too encumbered for her to keep up with her daily writing. We do not have any other journals or writings from her in our collection. So, what happened next? We do know a few things about her life after 1861 and the fate of her loved ones as they made their way through the American Civil War thanks to some hints from Henrietta.
While her entries stopped in December of 1861, Henrietta did come back after the end of the War to write an epilogue, located in the back of her diary, indicating that she likely did not keep another journal throughout the War but felt the need to record this important message for future readers. Her words are straightforward but give us a glimpse into her personal feelings:
“Lieut. Aeneas Armstrong was drowned in the James River, below Richmond, January 26, 1865. He was kind, gentle, amiable, and brave; Noble in his deeds; just to all.”
A shocking end to our heroine’s husband! And how did this happen? The Richmond Examiner, a newspaper in Virginia, wrote a version of the story shortly after the incident that gives us the details.
Design plans of the torpedo boat CSS Squib. This boat was similar to the CSS Hornet, the torpedo boat Aeneas was on when he drowned.
“The flag of truce steamer William Allison, on her return trip up the river on Thursday evening encountered the “Torpedo,” a small steamer commanded by Lieutenant Armstrong, of the navy, carrying a crew of seven men, and employed in the torpedo work of the river. The “Torpedo” attempted, in the darkness, to cross the bow of the Allison, and was cut in twain, the Torpedo sinking immediately, and leaving the commander and crew struggling in the chilly waves. The Allison was at once put about, and succeeded in picking up all of the crew, but Lieutenant Armstrong was drowned. His body was not recovered,” (The Richmond Examiner, January 28, 1865).
It gets worse:
“The Torpedo is a total loss. We learn through an officer who was on board the Allison, that the collision occurred at a point between Drewry’s Bluff and Chaffin’s Farm, in the dusk of the evening. When the engineer of the “Torpedo” observed the approach of the other steamer, he reversed his engine, which made three reverse revolutions, when the Allison struck her, and being a light, frail vessel, with one gun, she broke in two, and as the parts went down all on board sprang into the water.
Letter of Support from John McIntosh, April 20, 1907. The letter recalls Aeneas’s drowning and mentions the “heavy overcoat” he was wearing that led to his death.
Lieutenant Armstrong grasped one of the crew and was supporting himself, when the seaman exclaimed, “Lieutenant let go; you’ll drown us both.” The self-sacrificing lieutenant replied, “Man, I’ll not drown you,” and let go his hold. The seaman was rescued and Lieutenant Armstrong floated off a short distance. They shouted to him from the Allison to hold on, and the reply faintly came, “Make haste; I’m benumbed.” The boat was within fifteen feet of him when he went down the first time, but coming up again, he said, “It is no use; I’m gone,” and disappeared.”
Remember from our earlier entries, Aeneas was not a well man. He began the War still suffering from the effects of what was likely Malaria. And being January in Virginia, it was likely a rather cold day leading to an even colder night and frigid waters. According to a witness, Aeneas was in “a heavy overcoat,” part of his full wool uniform which would have absorbed water like a sponge and weighed him down. With these factors in mind, it’s little wonder he didn’t survive the incident. As the newspaper reveals, his remains were never recovered from the site of the accident.
Henrietta never remarried after the loss of her husband. Looking at her note at the end of her diary, she may not have found anyone she thought was good enough. Like many Southerners following the War, the details surrounding Henrietta’s life get a little murky at this point. What became of the plantation and the people who lived there requires further research. However, by 1870, she had moved to Thomasville to live with her mother and half-brother, Albert. Their home was a one-story, wooden house located at 344 East Jackson Street – today the location of Bennett Real Estate.
Before we get too far into Henrietta’s life after the War, let’s see what happened to her brother, Buddie. When we left off in 1861, Buddie volunteered to join the Confederate Army. This was a short stint for Buddie. By 1864 he was back home working on his plantation and had paid a substitute to take his place in the fighting.
P. N. Vickers to Governor Brown, Sept. 1, 1864. U.S. Civil War Correspondence.
But his break did not last long! By August of that year, Buddie found himself in Atlanta, having been called up to join the State Militia by Governor Joseph Brown to defend the state against the Union Army. As part of Company C of the 12th Georgia Militia, Buddie served as a Corporal under the leadership of Thomasville resident, J.J. Ivey. Around this time, Buddie wrote to the Governor to ask for a short furlough that would allow him to return home to help out his wife who was in a “critical condition” (Annie may have been pregnant at this time, but if she was, the child did not survive – this may be the person named Matthew Vickers who is buried in the Ponder family plot at Laurel Hill Cemetery). Whether or not Buddie’s request was granted requires further research.
Despite his brief stints in the fighting and defense of the state during the War, Buddie came out mostly unscathed. He and his wife, Annie, went on to have another child, Charles Walter Vickers, and the family lived at their plantation until Buddie’s death in 1873 at the young age of 34. The cause of his death is currently unknown, but there was an outbreak of Yellow Fever in the area during this time. Annie brought her children to live with family in Thomasville after Buddie’s passing where she became a teacher.
This brings us back to Henrietta, who was also settling into life in Thomasville. Like Annie, and many other Southern women who found themselves displaced after the War, Henrietta needed a job to support herself and her family. Henrietta became a music teacher and took in young girls and women who were attending school in town. Young’s Female College was just a few blocks from the Vickers-Foster home on Jackson Street, placing them in prime territory for taking in student boarders. In 1907, Henrietta applied for a Widows Pension from the State of Georgia in payment for Aeneas’s services during the War. She received $1 a year.
Henrietta’s obituary as it appeared in the Atlanta Constitution on May 4, 1912.
Henrietta spent the rest of her life in this way until her death on May 1, 1912 at the age of 68. She was buried in Laurel Hill Cemetery. She left any money and property she had left to her brother, Albert.
