Wilkinson County, Georgia
History Created by Legislative Act, May 11, 1803. Named for Major-General James
Wilkinson, a distinguished soldier of the Revolution and a native of Maryland.
Implicated in certain affairs of intrigue which injured his reputation, he
resigned his commission and removed to Kentucky, where he engaged for some time
in mercantile pursuites. Re-entering the army, he was given an important
command on the border and for a number of years rendered efficient service to
the government, especially during the war of 1812, when he was stationed at New
Orleans. He acquired an extensive influence over the frontier. But the charge
of connivance with the Spaniards in Louisiana to bring about the absorption of
the western part of the United States by Spain was brought against him; while
at the same time it was alleged that he was engaged in a scheme with Aaron Burr
for the conquest of Mexico. He was exonerated by a court-marital, and
subsequently given a Major-General's commission. He died in Mexico in 1828. The
last years of his life were spent in a fruitless effort to collect from the
Mexican government a sum due him for munitions of the war. To vindicate his
good name he published a small pamphlet entitled: "The Aaron Burr Conspiracy
Exposed," which was followed by his "Memoirs of My Own Times", an elaborate
work in three volumes. He was doubtless a much misunderstood man.
By the treaty of Fort
Wilkinson, in 1802, at which time General Wilkinson was one of the
commissioners for the Federal government, Georgia acquired large bodies of land
from the Creek Indians. There was apportioned into three counties; Baldwin,
Wayne, and Wilkinson, the last of which was named for General Wilkinson.
Irwinton, the county seat, was named for Governor David Irwin, an early
Chief-Executive of Georgia. When organized in 1803, Wilkinson embraced Dodge
and Telfair, and parts of Four other counties: Laurens, Montgomery, Pulaski,
and Twiggs. The first session of the Superior Court was held in 1808, near
Irwinton, Judge Peter Early Presiding. Original Settlers Among the first comers
into Wilkinson were: Samuel Beall, Charles C. Beall, Solomon B. Murphy, John
Hoover, John Meredith, Abner Hicks, Alexander Passmore, John Freeman, Joel
Rivers, Samuel Bragg, John lavender, Isacc Hall, Green B. Burney, Wiley
Shepherd, Joseph Hill, William Lord, Jesse Pittman, M. Carswell, Anson Ball,
William Lindsey, Ellis Harvill, and others.
