Jackson County: Leaves of its History, Written and Unwritten
Paper No. 5
The Jackson Herald, Oct. 16, 1885

For the purpose of showing the extent of the county during the first years of its existence, care has been taken to give all the particulars of the legislation which reduced it to any thing near its present size.  Though since 1821 several changes have been made in its lines, they are not deemed of sufficient importance to justify a description of them.

In 1837 an additional part of Franklin was added to Jackson, and in 1850 a few hundred acres of Jackson were cut off to Clarke.  In 1852 the line of Jackson was so changed as to add the residence of William Saunders to Madison.  In 1856 the residence of Jesse Lord was transferred from Jackson to Franklin, and the lands of David Smith in Gwinnett were added to Jackson.  In 1868 the plantation of George W. Hudson was taken from Jackson and added to Clarke, and the line between Madison and Jackson so changed as to add a part of the former to the latter, and a part of the latter to the former.

In 1870 the lines of Walton county was so altered as to include all the lands and residences of D.R.R. Perkins in Jackson , and the boundary between Banks and Jackson was so materially changed as to begin the line between two counties “at Mr. James Hollins on the Hurricane shoal road, at the line of Banks and Jackson counties, including his field; thence a straight line to General Thomas Anderson’s, including all his land, thence on a straight line to Atkins’ Brick store, on the Athens and Clarkesville road, including said store; thence up said road towards Clarkesville to the line of Banks county, including all the lands in the above metes and bounds” in Banks county.

This, so far as the writer can find, is the last cut made at Jackson county.  The act making it was never signed by the Governor; consequently it has no date of approval, and although it became law in consequence of the lapse of five days from receipt by the Governor, it would nevertheless be void did not the act carry itself into effect on the first day of January, 1871.

Judging by the course of events as directed by the proceedings of Jackson and Banks counties, this is about the construction of the foregoing act; but there is another view of it which deserves something more than a passing notion.

It will be observed that the act of 1870 begins the new line “at Mr. James Hollins on the Hurricon shoal road, at the line of Banks and Jackson counties, including his field.”  The question is, how came there a county line at or near this place, and to which field is allusion made?  Neither the act of 1821 nor of 1837 ever established such a line at which to commence the change of 1870.  Besides, no one...in the matter, whatever; but because the subject is of some public interest.  A large number of the people who live in this disputed territory are among his best personal friends; and if one reason be stronger than another why he claims them as fellow citizens, it is of their worth and high nobility of character.

Recently the doubtful boundary between Jackson and Madison has been settled to the satisfaction of both counties; but at still other points there is much uncertainty.  Perhaps if the true line between Jackson and Clarke was found, several square miles in the vicinity of Talessee Shoals now claimed by the latter, would fall under the jurisdiction of the former.  Here at what is now known as the Pattman mill, recently purchased by M. B. McGinty, and made horrid by the bursting of a huge engine, was the Richard Farly mill, mentioned in our early history.  This matter is worth official investigation, but enough has been said on these unsettled boundaries.  And as there are so many of them, no attempt will be made here to give them.  An exact statement of them would be impossible.  Every inch of them, however, should be as clearly defined and as well understood as the banks of a stream or the boundaries of a woodland.

Notwithstanding the many and deep cuts which have been made, Jackson is still an empire county, containing 392 square miles of territory, valued by the tax payers at $1,418,087, exclusive of town property.  This is only $5.64 per acre—an amount far below its true market value.

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