454 OGLETHORPE COUNTY. 



Bowling Green is eight miles southwest of Lexington, con- 

 taining a population of about 50. 



Bairdstown is 16 miles south of Lexington, on the Athens 

 branch of the Georgia Railroad, and seven miles from Union 

 Point. It contains an extensive carriage factory and a good 

 school, &c. This is a flourishing village, surrounded by a fine 

 country. 



Woodstock, 14 miles southeast of Lexington, near the 

 Taliaferro, Wilkes, and Greene line, beautifully situated on a 

 ridge dividing the waters of Long creek and Little river. It 

 has an excellent school, one store, one tan-yard, one blacksmith, 

 one tailor, one wheelwright, and one church. Population, nine 

 families. A steam, saw, grist, and flour-mill is in the progress 

 of construction. 



Woodlawn, celebrated as being the residence of Hon. Wm. 

 H. Crawford, 2^ miles from Lexington. 



Education, Religious Sects. — Education is appreciated 

 by the people of this county. The seminaries of learning in 

 Lexington formerly were very celebrated, and good schools 

 still exist in this and other places. The male academy in 

 Lexington was built in 1806 or '7, with funds left by Mr. 

 Francis Meson. This gentleman was from Ireland, and after 

 accumulating some money by teaching, he commenced a store 

 in Lexington, and, by industry and economy, he succeeded in 

 making $40,000. At his death, besides several legacies to his 

 friends, he bequeathed $11,000 for founding an academy. The 

 Legislature directed that the name of Oglethorpe County 

 Academy should be changed to that of Meson Academy, which 

 name it still retains. The venerable Dr. Cummins was once 

 the Rector of this institution. 



Number of poor children in the county, 156; educational 

 fund, $135 28 cents. 



The religious denominations are. Baptists, Methodists, Pres- 

 byterians, and a few Episcopalians and Swedenborgians. In 

 the county are nine Methodist churches, ten Baptist, and two 

 Presbyterian. 



Roads and Bridges. — Some of the roads are kept in fine 

 order, and others are very much neglected. The bridges 

 are few. 



