TAYLOR COUNTY, FL GENWEB

The following article was found in The Quitman Free Press, March 14, 1896.

TAYLOR COUNTY IN 1896

Editor's Note: Following the announcement in February 1896 that the South Georgia Railroad was going to be built from from Quitman Ga, to Heartpine, Ga. (near Adel), and then extended south through Perry to the west coast of Florida, the Quitman Free Press issued a Taylor County edition on March 14, 1896. Details from that edition follow.

All aboard in Taylor County

Retrospective of Taylor County, Florida
A Few Facts and Figures Concerning Her Many Resources.
Agriculturally and Otherwise

Her Undeveloped Natural Resources.
In Her Borders are Thousand of Acres of Fertile Soil, When
Properly Developed Will Yield Comfort, Wealth and
Happiness to Thousands of Souls.

Education Facilities, Churches.
They Have Excellent Educational Facilities, Support Four
Church Denominations, Are Tolerant in Politics

Several Weeks ago the idea occured to us to issue a Taylor County edition of The Free Press. We carefully considered the situation and finally came to the conclusion that an issue of this kind properly prepared would be untold benefit, not only to the county, but the public generally. Hence, we started out in pursuit of information, and in the following article have made an earnest endeavor to set forth in detail the results of our investigation. We have endeavored faithfully to protray accurately and comprehensively the conditions as they have and do exist.

In the following columns we have endeavored to unearth, as far as possible, the remunerative resources, naturally, agriculturally and otherwise.

Through this information we hope to bring the capitalist, the home seeker and pleasure seekers from the frozen plains of the North-west, from the rock-ribbed, snow-covered hills of New England and drought stricken farms of the west into closer relation with the hidden treasures in the land of flowers, sunshine and balmy breeze.

This is Essentially a Taylor County, Forida Edition
It is devoted to that particular county in presenting its claims to the world. Its aim is to lay before the readers into whose hands a copy of this issue of the Quitman, Ga.Free Press may chance to come, without exaggeration, the almost limitless resources of Taylor County, Florida, and its future possibilities, being fully aware that its resources and the extent of its possibilities cannot be fully set fourth within the limits of a newspaper publication, but intend through this medium as an introductory through which others may learn of its vast facilities, for investment. One to travel this country on horseback or in a buggy is always astonished that it has been so long neglected.

Taylor County
This county was formed from the territory of Madison, under an act of the Legislature authorizing the organization, of the same, and approved by the Governor December 23, 1856. The same act required an election to be held in January 1857, for the purpose of electing county officers. This county was named in honor of General Zachary Taylor. The county town or site was named in honor of Governor Madison S. Perry.

The Area
The area of the county is 1,080 square miles or 691,000 acres. Its population as shown by the census of 1890 was 2,122 - not quite two persons per square mile.

The land under cultivation will not exceed one pre cent of the area, and yet the lands of this county are noted for their fertility in producing all the crops grown in Middle Florida to great perfection. The southern portion of this county borders on the Gulf of Mexico for about fifty miles.

There are several extensive fisheries established on this coast which could be made very profitable if transportation facilities were provided.

The Altitude
On the north border of the county the altitude is 80 feet, and slopes gradually to the coast. From the coast, interior, the rise is about fifteen feet, on an average, for the first five miles.

Phosphates
The features which characterize the vast deposits of phosphate that have been discovered in this county, being in all essential particulars, the same in grade - which is very high - one description will answer for them all. They are what is known as the "hard rock deposits," and are the most extensive that have yet been discovered in this or any other county. They are generally in groups, but a few miles east or south east of Perry, the county site, the entire skeleton of a pre-historic animal was found some years ago by the late Dr. Wilcox, of such immense proportions as to stagger the comprehension of all zoologists. Just think of a herbivorous animal whose height was twenty seven feet with a clear light of ten feet under its body, and you will have in your mind's eye, if the zoologists made no mistakes in their calculations, the bones of an animal which bones are yet in existence that far exceeds all accounts that we have any history of knowledge of.

It may be truly be said that Egypt has her pyramids, Ephesus her temples of Diana, Babylon her hanging gardens, Alexandria her tombs of the Pharos, Olympus her palaces of Zeno, Greece the ruins of the Colossus of Rhodes, but it was left to Taylor County, Florida, to disenhume the bones of the largest land animal that the world has any history of.

School facilities
Notwithstanding the small population, and the thousands of uninhabited acres in this county, it has within its borders, thirty eight flourishing schools, with an attendance of twelve hundred children. The county school superintendent, Mr. J. P. Whidden, informs us that he pays out four thousand dollars annually for school purposes. The education interest is closely and judiciously looked after by a school superintendent and board of education elected by the people for this purpose. The school facilities are better than many counties twice its population.

The County Site
As stated above, the county site was named in honor of Gov. Madison S. Perry, who was once Governor of the State of Florida. Perry is situated on a high level plain, and in one of the most picturesque spots of the county. It has a population of 225, a Missionary Baptist Church, an acamedy, five prosperous merchants and a bright little newspaper, The Herald, of which Judge T. J. Faulkner is editor. May the Herald live long and prosper and be instrumental in developing the great resources of the county, and making her people prosperous and happy.

Mineral Springs
There are several mineral springs in this county, whose waters possess great curative properties; and are the resort of persons afflicted with all manner of ailments. The most prominent of them all is the Hampton Springs. Great benefit has been derived from the use of this water in all liver, kidney, dispepsia and other like diseases, as well as rheumatism. People of all classes and conditions bear equal testimony as to results, and go by droves and camp near by, in order to be healed of their various diseases. This spring may truly be designated as the Siloam of Florida.

Sheep And Cattle Raising
Sheep raising, as far as experimented with, has proven a great success with little or no care or expense to the owner or wool grower. The perennial herbage (green food) affording good pasturage the year round. As for cattle, they roam at large, and are very profitable to their owners, the herds frequently being numbered by the thousands.

Fisheries
The fish supply of this county is a matter of more interest and of greater inducement to the settler than at first would appear. The streams are so conveniently near to every portion of the county that its people seldom want for fresh fish food in great variety the year round. In addition, there are established at the mouth of each river, creek or natural inlet extensive mullet fisheries, for winter fishing with nets, the catching being equal and more to all demands that are made upon them for all the interior country, which is quite immense in the aggregate, and yet, as nothing to what could be if the demand required an increase.

Immigration
Should the tide of immigration, even to a limited extent, be turned to Taylor county, there can be no reason why this greatly favored locality should not put on a newness of life and receive its full share of the general benefits in the development of its various and important and peculiar resources. What the county has lacked, is a knowledge of its advantages. This edition of the Quitman (Ga.) Free Press is intended to serve as an introduction to the capitalist as well as home seekers of moderate means a section, heretofore neglected because of a want of the knowledge of it. If only awaits the touch of the magic wand of the enterprising capitalist to bring it to the front rank as a money producing certainty.

Transportation
The great and sad lack of transportation has kept Taylor county in the background. If we read the signs of the time correctly this want is nearing its end. There is a strong probability that there will be in the near future a main trunk line of railway passing from Georgia centrally through this hitherto neglected section. Then it will be demonstrated that all we have said of the county will be verified to the letter. Wait, be patient, the waters are moving, the tide of expectation is rising, all will be well ere long. There will be a transformation from what is now a wilderness wild to that of a vastly money making country.

Statistics of Taylor County

	Acres	Value
Lands under cultivation	6,696	$354,723
No. of horses 312 mules 117 - 429		6,980
No. of stock cattle 9,335		37,824
No. of sheep 200		400
No. of goats 181		108
No. of hogs 744		7,209
No. of chickens 16,162		3,580
No. of eggs sold 13,258 doz.		3,375
No. of milk cows 2,356		11,725
Annual products cattle, hogs and poultry sold		203,579
No. of acres of land taxed 384,055
Valuation of entered lands $354,723
Total amount of state tax paid $2,346.75
Total amount of county tax paid $6,719.72
Registered voters 658

The first Clerk of the Superior Court was D. C. Baker
The county was surveyed by Dr. John Westcott
The present board of county officers are:
J. C. Calhoun, Clerk
A. McAuly, Tax Collector
Thomas Carlton, Tax Assessor
T. J. Faulkner, Judge of County Court
J. M. Jenkins, Treasurer
B. F. Whidden, County School Commissioner
A. J. Head, Sheriff

County Commissioners
Bryant Stripling, Pen Johnson, Henderson Hogans, E. J. Blanton, Mr. Beal

Does anyone have information that the court house had a coupla?.

The following sketch accompanied this news article.