Liabilities

The estimate of revenue for the year was $30,740.

The vexed question of the sale of the city's stock in the Muscogee Railroad to Messrs Patten and Mustian continued to perplex Council and distract its deliberations during this year. There were two obstinate parties in the city and in Council, and apparently they were nearly equally divided, a condition that made final agreement and consummation of the sale very difficult. In April Council unanimously passed a resolution to submit to two legal gentlemen, to be chosen by the two parties, the question whether the city was legally bound to consummate the sale, also the sufficiency of the security offered by Patten and Mustian. But at the same meeting of Council the Mayor reported a block in the arrangement arising from a contention about a dividend due and unpaid on the stock. The matter was finally settled by the consummation of the original arrangement and the transfer of the stock to Messrs. Patten and Mustian.

The project of building the "up-town bridge," which had been talked of for some months, was submitted to a vote of the citizens on the 14th of July, and resulted as follows: Bridge 425, No Bridge 282, majority 143. A number of citizens had proposed to build the bridge and give the city control of it, to be tolled or freed just as the lower bridge should be. The location selected was the foot of Bryan Street, just above the Howard Factory.

The receipts of cotton this year were very large, being 100,104 bales up to the close of the year, 1st September. Prices, in January, 8@8�c.; in March, 8�@9�c.; in September, 10�@11c.; in December, 10�@11�c.

Incidents

On the 28th of January, a young man named Chisolm, who had occasionally been engaged in the Post office as an assistant, was arrested on a charge of abstracting letters from the office. He was examined before Justices and bound over for trial in the sum of $8,000. On the 24th of February, Chisolm, while at large under bond, had a difficulty in the Oglethorpe House with John Wood, the bar-keeper. Wood threw Chisolm to the floor, and Chisolm then drew a pistol and shot Wood, who died the next day. Chisolm fled, but was arrested and committed.

During the last week in January, the steamers Union and Cusseta collided, in a dense fog, on the Apalachicola River, and the Union sunk immediately in fifteen feet water. About fifty bales of cotton was lost. The passengers and crew escaped.

A number of fine horses of the vicinity and from a distance contested for handsome purses over the Columbus Course in March. Among the racing celebrities engaged were Frank Allen, Carolina, Moidore, Gov. Johnson, Jack Gamble, and Floride.

A charter for the Bank of Columbus was passed by the Legislature early this year, and the Bank was organized in April by the election of William H. Young as President, and John McGough, J. T. Hudson, Wm. Rankin, Wm. H. Young, J. Ennis, R. M. Gunby, S. J. Hatcher, J. P. Illges and J. N. Barnett as Directors.

A fire on the night of the first of April burnt a black smith shop and the Negro quarters of Wood & Co., on St. Clair street, between Broad and Oglethorpe.

Major Buford, of Eufaula, passed through Columbus on the 4th of April, with a large company of emigrants for Kansas, to assist the South in the sectional struggle then progressing for supremacy in that territory. Some forty or fifty persons joined the company at Columbus, and liberal material aid was afforded here to the expedition.

A Criminal Court for the city of Columbus having been created by act of the Legislature, the election for Judge and Solicitor was held on the 21st of April. P. H. Colquitt was elected Judge and R. E. Dixon, Solicitor.

The Poor House of Muscogee County, about two miles east of the city, was burned on the 18th of April.

A destructive fire on the night of the 24th of April burned the large brick building on Oglethorpe street, owned by Dr. R. A. Ware, and occupied by Thos. DeWolf; also the three wooden buildings between that house and Temperance Hall, two occupied by Mr. Knight and one by Mrs. Aenchbacher. The fire originated in one of the houses occupied by Mr. Knight, cause unknown.

A small boy named William McKay was drowned in the river just below the bridge, on the evening of the 10th of May.

A woman, known as Emma Berry, was shot and killed by a young man named Thaddeus Rees, on the 3d of July. Rees made his escape.

A dispute occurred at the polls in Girard on Tuesday, Nov. 4th, the day of the Presidential election, between two young men named Eli Spivey and Wash. Blackburn, which resulted in Blackburn shooting Spivey twice with a pistol. Spivey died in a day or two afterwards.

The residence of Mr. J. Cole, on Bridge row, was burned on the morning of the 18th of November.

The hull of the steamer Wave, a boat built at Columbus for the navigation of the Chattahoochee, was launched on the 25th of November. It was built under the superintendence of Capt. Charles Blain.

Personal

Methodist Episcopal appointments for this year: L. Pierce, P. E. Columbus District; Messrs. E. W. Speer and J. H. Harris stationed at Columbus.

County officers this year:
Wm. Lamar, Sheriff
A. S. Rutherford, Clerk of the Superior Court;
A. P. Jones, Clerk of the Inferior Court;
John Johnson, Ordinary;
Thomas Chaffin, Tax Collector;
I. T. Brooks, Tax Receiver;
John B. Wright, Coroner;
Phillip Lamar, County Surveyor.

Rev. J. H. DeVotie accepted the pastorship of the Baptist Church in May.

Marriages

January 8, Stephen Dimon and Lucretia A. Dukes
Jan. 8, John W. Hendrix and Elizabeth Hackney
Jan. 10, Abram H. DeWitt and Sarah A. Phelps
Jan. 10, John F. Pittman and Martha A. George
Jan. 19, John Davidson and Martha E. Abner
Jan. 19, Samuel S. Cook and Sarah S. C. Bears
Jan. 21, John Callihan and Augusta McElrath
Jan. 22, Lafayette Martin and Frances Hearn
Jan. 24, James S. Tatum and Mary C. Bailey
Jan. 31, Wyche J. Palmer and Amanda Weddington
Jan. 31, Wm. Fisher and Martha Smith

February 6. John I. Cumber and Mary Morris
Feb. 10, Robt. S. Sherdon and Isabella Buckler
Feb. 12, James E. Clark and Mary A. E. Kennady
Feb. 18, James T. Taylor and Dorcas M. Hughes
Feb. 17, George M. Renfroe and Virginia C. Burton
Feb. 20, Daniel D. Cox and Emily O. Luckie
Feb. 28, Pleasant S. Shellman and Caroline A. Hoxey

March 10, Benjamin F. Dalton and Margaret Norris
March 13, John H. Weaver and Sarah F. Norris
March 13, Jesse Carter and Mary W. Meacham
March 16, Enoch Dowdy and Mary E. Mayes
March 16, Sterling T. Smith and Rachel R. Canim
March 16, John Hatley and Nancy D. Parish
March 19, Charles Crichton and Frances Groenbeck
March 27, Seymore R. Bonner and Bethia A. Fort
March 27, Amos C. Ward and Martha V. Redding

April 1, John B. Fannen and Sarah A. E. Stanley
April 1, Francis A. Byars and Elizabeth W. McMillen
April 27, Francis M. Forsyth and Frances M. McCardle

May 1, Hugh B. Dawson and Eliza Flewellen
May 6, William B. Burdim and Mary Ann Wood
May 8, Moses Fincher and Martha Easterwood
May 13, Lewis W. Isbell and Frances A. Redd
May 15, George W. Smith and Ann Dillon
May 15, Nathan N. Benton and Frances S. Henry
May 18, Joshua S. Roper and Frances A. Burrand

June 6, John Hazleton and Martha V. Lynch
June 8, Silas McGuirk and Mary Frazier
June 15, Henry A. Johnson and Sarah Hearn
June 25, Isaac I. Moses and Hannah M. Moses
June 26, Josiah Mehaffey and Julia Cannon

July 6, William A. Newsom and Susan E. Stathen
July 9, Benjamin Goolsby and Temperance Hudson
July 12, Riley Newsom and Martha Williams
July 14, James Willox and Delilah McCauley
July 24, Washington W. Johnson and Frances E. Gammage

August 11, William Knight and Mary Frost
August 25, Isaac Falkner and Lucy Ann Groff
August 25, Vincent D. Tharp and Emily T. Roberts
August 29, John Nobles and Georgia A. Cegarr

September 13, Hampton C. Seale and Victoria Gafford
Sept. 14, Samuel F. Moon and Eliza Hyatt
Sept. 21, Sidney O. Lloyd and Amanda Upton
Sept. 21, John Mowell and Frances Upton
Sept. 23, Andrew J. McDonald and Dicy Ann Hall
Sept. 25, George W. McGinty and Jane Hinton
Sept. 29, James Harris and Frances A. Boyd

October 2, Alfred S. Truett and Caroline L. Nicholls
Oct. 2, John Mehaffey and Margaret Hendrix
Oct. 12, James A. McClesky and Eliza Baker
Oct. 14, William I. Wood and Leah J. Marks
Oct. 19, Jean B. Thomas and Nancy McCallister
Oct. 21, Wm. H. Baily and Milly A. Christian
Oct. 21, Henry V. Horton and Courtney I. Jones
Oct. 26, George A. B. Smith and Laura V. Brannon
Oct. 28, William E. Hill and Georgia E. Nix

November 4, Luther Gaff and Sarah I. Allen
Nov. 5, Albert F. Langford and Christie A. Terry
Nov. 6, Peter Preer and Mattie A. Jones
Nov. 6, Benjamin F. Bedell and Vanney Burford
Nov. 6, John M. Faulkenberry and Adaline West
Nov. 6, Andrew J. Riddle and Ann P. Hunly
Nov. 16, James D. Neal and Louisa R. Lawrence
Nov. 16, Wm. S. O'Bannon and May Lloyd
Nov. 16, Benjamin I. King and Elizabeth Jackson
Nov. 17, Simeon T. Hall and Missouri E. Deavers
Nov. 20, Jacob W. Cole and Martha A. Lawrence
Nov. 20, David Cannon and Sarah E. Wamock

December 2, Thomas J. Belcher and Mary A. Allen
Dec. 2, John Keller and Rosa Heiman
Dec. 3, John P. Mealing and Angelina L. Mealing
Dec. 7, John E. W. Henderson and Louisa Murphy
Dec. 10, Alexander Peddy and Ann Flemming
Dec. 10, Thomas G. Whigham and Ann S. Hickey
Dec. 11, Jesse Haddock and Mary A. E. Doles
Dec. 11, Henry Voight and Nancy Duncan
Dec. 15, James Pridgen and Susan Wilson
Dec. 16, Thomas L. Macon and Mary R. Houston
Dec. 17, Beauford T. Yarborough and Louisa Norman
Dec. 17, John G. Bunnell and Martha Hodge
Dec. 17, Jos. L. B. Wells and Permelia C. Stanfield
Dec. 18, William A. Hunt and Mary E. Presley
Dec. 21, Joseph P. Morris and Malinda C. Eastwood
Dec. 23, James Shelton and Cinda Milum
Dec. 23, Archibald J. Williams and Elizabeth Stribling
Dec. 25, Marion M. Payne and Catharine Teal
Dec. 26, James Kimbrough and Mary Johnson

Deaths

From The Sexton's Reports

January 1, Henry Jernigan
Jan. 10, child of Mr. May
Jan. 13, Wm. Matheson
Jan. 18, Mr. Stearns
Jan. 20, Mr. Pratt
Jan. 21, Mrs. Brady
Jan. 23, child of J. C. Rickley
Jan. 28, child of J. C. Horlis

February 4, Child of James Mealer
Feb. 4, Mrs. Cavanaugh
Feb. 6, child of Andrew Clark
Feb. 13, John Clark
Feb. 13, child of Mr. Tillman
Feb. 22, child of Elizabeth Martin
Feb. 24, Joseph Carey
Feb. 24, Wm. H. Wood
Feb. 28. child of J. Day

March 14, Ezekiel Davis
March 15, Mr. McCorring
March 16, child of Mr. Belser
March 26, Mrs. A. Mauritzen
March 28, Mrs. McGinty
March 30, Jackson Tilley

April 1, Child of Green Beaman
April 3, Mrs. Edwards
April 8, Mrs. Kennington
April 8, child of William Smith
April 13, Mrs. Sophia Shorter
April 18, Miss Kennington
April 25, John I. Ridgway
April 25, Mrs. Duncan
April 26, child of Martin Harrison

May 3, Child of H. T. Hall
May 9, Mrs. Cofield
May 10, Mrs. Clarida
May 11, Mrs. Slade
May 12. Miss Williams
May 13, child of Mr. Duncan
May 13, Miss Duncan
May 13, William McKay
May 13, Nancy Caldwell
May 16, child of E. Dudley
May 16, son of Mrs. Bailey
May 17, Mrs. Tant
May 17, Mrs. Foran
May 18, Milus Chaffin
May 18, Miss Chigg
May 21, Miss Bowman
May 23, Fanny Forsyth
May 26, child of Horace Matthews
May 26, child of Martin J. West
May 30, child of Mrs. Ingram,
May 30, child of Mrs. Tickers
May 31, Mr. Howard
May 31, child of Martin J. West
May 31, Narcissa Burran

June 1, Child of Mr. Cook
June 2, child of Susan Foster
June 3, child of Mr. Barton
June 8, child of Mrs. Kennedy
June 10, child of Mrs. McGehee
June 12, Mr. Kennington
June 13, child of Dr. Edwards
June 13, child of O. Danforth
June 15, child of Patrick Foran
June 17, child of Mr. Galespie
June 18, Miss Brannon
June 20, Miss Boman
June 20, David Crumley
June 20, child of Mr. Little
June 22, child of Wm. F. Luckie
June 23, child of John Allen
June 23, child of Mr. Dink
June 24, child of William Stevens
June 24, child of Mr. Kennedy
June 20, child of Mr. Howard
June 28, child of Mr. Belser
June 28, child of John Byard
June 29. child of Mrs. Wilson
June 30, child of _____ McElrath

July 1, Child of J. J. Slade
July 1, child of Mr. Culver
July 1, Emma Ortagus
July 2, child of Wm. Champion
July 3, child of Mrs. Barton
July 3, Edward J. Hardin
July 4, Martha Arnold
July 5, child of John Meredith
July 6, child of Mr. McGowen
July 6, Mr. Cromley
July 7, child of Mrs. Wilson
July 8, Louisa Stewart
July 10, child of Mrs. Wilson
July 12, D. Suddeth
July 13, Mr. Kettlebrand
July 14, child of G. W. Martin
July 14, Mrs. A. Dill
July 15, child of L. Wright
July 16, Mrs. Sauls
July 17, child of J. L. Howell
July 18, child of Thaddeus Holt
July 18, child of Mr. Borders
July 22, child of Mr. McMan
July 24, child of Mr. St. Ledger,
July 24, son of Mr. Collins
July 26, Mrs. Wm. M. Lee
July 26, Cyrus Renfroe
July 28, child of A. M. Walker
July 29, Charles Gunter
July 29, child of Mr. Moat
July 31, child of Mr. Lee,
July 31, child of Sena Day

[NOTE: Most of the children named, from April to July, inclusive, died of measles, as did several adults.]

August 1, Mrs. Wayne
August 1, Emily Perry
August 4, child of Mr. Marchant
August 4, child of Mr. Wayne
August 5, John Kyle,
August 5, Thomas Hoxey
August 6, Mr. Brazell
August 6, Ephraim C. Bandy
August 7, Daniel McD. Peabody
August 12, Mrs. Warner
August 12, Mr. Wilson
August 16, Mr. Beaman
August 16, child of Mr. King
August 18, child of Jas. Kimbrough
August 19, Mary R. Moore
August 20, child of John Allen
August 23, Thomas Shephard
August 24, A. Calhoun

September 1, child of John McCarty
Sept. 1, William Owen
Sept. 13, child of H. Whitlock
Sept. 17, Jane McDaniel
Sept. 20, child of Cynthia Phillips
Sept. 20, child of James Corcoran
Sept. 20, Mrs. Sweet
Sept. 28, child of Mr. Marchant

(From The Newspapers)

October 7, (at Columbus Factory) Mrs. Nancy Brown, aged 98
October 12, Henry Slade, infant son of Alfred Prescott
October 15, (in Girard) Lucius V. Malone

November 21, (in Bealwood) Mrs. Caroline Matilda Griswold
November 21, (in Girard) Stephen D. Phillips, Postmaster
November 25, infant daughter of G. W. Ashburn
November 28, (in Wynnton) John L., son of James M. Chambers
November 28, M. A. Thorn, of Columbia, S. C.

December __, Sterling F. Grimes.

Source: Columbus, Georgia from its Selection as a Trading town in 1827 to its Partial Destruction by Wilson's Raid in 1865, compiled by John H. Martin, Published by Thos. Gilbert, Book Printer and Binder, Columbus, GA, 1874

Transcribed by Judy White 2014©