OGLETHORPE COUNTY. 455 



Mills. — Flour-mills, 4 ; saw-mills, 14; grist-mills, 10; and 

 one steam, saw, grist, and flour-mill. 



Face of the Country, Nature of the Soil, Productions. 

 — The county is hilly : the western part is red land, the cen- 

 tral gray, and the eastern partakes of several varieties. The 

 lands upon Goose Ponds have long been noted for their fer- 

 tility. The productions are cotton, wheat, oats, rye, &c. The 

 average product per acre of cotton, is 500 lbs. ; of corn, 2^ 

 barrels. Wheat is only raised for home consumption, and 

 probably averages seven bushels per acre. Between 12 and 

 15,000 bags of cotton are annually produced. 



Value of Town Lots. — The Digest of 1848 values the 

 town lots at $24,200. Valueof stock in trade, 824,200. Money 

 at interest, 8207,998. 



Character of the People, Amusements. — The citizens 

 of this county are sociable, well informed, and patriotic. 

 Among the amusements are hunting, fishing, and parties. 

 There is a beautiful spot on Millstone creek, 12 miles north of 

 Lexington, embracing about one hundred acres, called Jesa- 

 mine Grove, at which splendid pic-nics are often held. 



Early Settlers. — Governor Matthews, T. M. Gilmer, 

 Frank Meriwether, John Gilmer, John Lumpkin, Mr. Collier, 

 Mr. Hugh McGehee, John Thomas, and others. 



Rocks, Minerals, &c, — There is an abundance of fine 

 granite in this county. On the farm of Gov. Gilmer, there is 

 an immense mass of granite, so nicely balanced on another 

 mass of the same material, that a child can move it. Near 

 Lexington is a small cove surrounded by hills, which shut 

 it out from observation. Here Gov. Gilmer found a pile 

 of rock, wrought into different forms, afibrding evidence 

 that it was intended as a place for religious worship. The 

 above-named gentleman has removed many of these rocks to 

 his garden. Gold has been found on Long creek, and in one 

 or two other places. A great variety of beautiful quartz, par- 

 ticularly of the amethystine species, felspar, jasper, agate, auri- 

 ferous copper, barytes, iron ore, and many other minerals exist 

 in various parts of the county. Cherokee Corner and the vici- 

 nity of Lexington, are interesting localities. Gov. Gilmer 



