234 ELBERT COUNTY. 



war ; Col. Halman Freeman commanded a regiment in the 

 battle of Jack's creek, between the Georgians and Creek 

 Indians, in the year 1779. His only daughter married Dr. 

 William W. Bibb. 



The place in which John Freeman lived was first settled 

 by a Scotch colony, under the direction of Lord George Gor- 

 don. Exertions have been made to ascertain whether this 

 Lord Gordon was the fanatic who led the anti-Catholic mob 

 of London, in the year 177 — , but in vain. Lord Gordon left 

 Broad river, upon the commencement of the revolutionary 

 war. The Scotch people whom he brought to Broad river 

 had given their indentures of service to him for five years, 

 to pay his expenses in bringing them to this country. Upon 

 going over he sold them for servants.* 



The following, with some slight alteration, is from Mrs. 

 Ellet's " Heroic Women of the American Revolution :" 



Nancy Hart. — In this county is a stream, formerly known 

 as " War- woman's Creek." Its name was derived from the 

 character of an individual who lived near the entrance of the 

 stream into the river. This person was Nancy Hart, a woman 

 ignorant of letters and the civilities of life, but a zealous lover of 

 liberty and the " liberty boys," as she called the Whigs. She had 

 a husband, whom she denominated " a poor stick," because he 

 did not take a decided and active part with the defenders of 

 his country, although she could not conscientiously charge 

 him with the least partiality towards the Tories. This vulgar 

 and illiterate, but hospitable and valorous female patriot, could 

 boast no share of beauty — a fact she herself would have rea- 

 dily acknowledged had she ever enjoyed an opportunity of 

 looking in a mirror. She was cross-eyed, with a broad angular 

 mouth, ungainly in figure, rude in speech, and awkward 

 in manners, but havino; a woman's heart for her friends, though 

 that of a Catrine Montour for the enemies of her country. 

 She was well known to the Tories, who stood in fear of her 

 revenge for any grievance or aggressive act, though they let 

 pass no opportunity of worrying and annoying her when they 

 could do so with impunity. 



* From MS. kindly furnished by the Hon. George R. Gihner. 



