HANCOCK COUNTY. 311 



Bone, Powell's, Beaver Dam, Fort, Town, Buffalo, Dry Fork, 

 Sandy Run, Fulsom's, and Island creeks. 



Population, Taxes, Representation. — In 1840, the popu- 

 lation was 9,659; in 1845, 10,049. Amount of State tax 

 returned for 1848, $4,468 45. Sends one representative to 

 the Legislature. 



Post Offices.— Sparta, Devereaux's Store, Long's Bridge, 

 Mount Zion. Powelton, Rock Mills, Shoals of Ogeechee. 



Towns. — Sparta is the seat of justice, distant 24 miles 

 N. E. of Milledgeville, 14-8. W. Powelton, 22 W. Warrenton, 

 28 E. Eatonton. It has the usual county buildings, a Presby- 

 terian, Methodist and Baptist church, male and female acade- 

 mies, stores, &c. Population 700. This place is proverbial 

 for the intelligence of its inhabitants. It was made the seat 

 of justice in 1797. 



Powelton, in the N. E. part of the county. Population 

 150. Two churches and an academy. 



Mount Zion, 7 miles from Sparta. Population 200. Three 

 churches. Settled in 1811. 



Early Settlers. — William Rabun, formerly Governor of 

 Georgia, Gen. Henry Mitchell, Boiling Hall, Charles Aber- 

 crombie. Gen. David Adams, and Henry Graybill. t, 



Face of the Country, Nature of the Soil. — The 

 county is on the dividing ridge between the primitive and 

 secondary, or rather tertiary formations. The northern por- 

 tion is very hilly, with a red aluminous soil. The southern 

 portion is flat pine woods, with silicious soil. The best lands 

 are on Shoulder Bone and its waters. 



Productions, Average Product per Acre. — The pro- 

 ductions are cotton, corn, wheat, oats, peas, rye, barley, and 

 ground nuts in small quantities. Cotton averages 550 pounds 

 per acre ; corn 12 bushels ; and wheat from 5 to 6 bushels. 



Value of Land, Cotton, Markets. — The value of land 

 ranges from $1 to $20 per acre. Sales are usually $2 50 

 to 83. From the best estimates that could be made, there 

 were made in the county in 1848, 12,000 bags of cotton. 

 Savannah and Augusta are the markets. 



Climate, Diseases, Longevity. — The climate is mild but 

 changeable. The thermometer in Sparta has been known to 



