CAPT. GEORGE E. DEADWYLER, SR.
(1835-1909)

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G.E. Deadwyler married Mary Priscilla STRICKLAND, daughter of Madison STRICKLAND (1812-1891) and Harriett ALLEN (1811-1895), on February 22, 1860, in Jackson County, Georgia.  Mary P. Strickland was born August 21, 1841 in Jackson County, Georgia.  The Strickland family was one of the pioneer families of northern Jackson County, near what would later become the village of Maysville.

The 1860 federal census lists George E. Deadwyler, age 24, and wife, Mary, age 19, living with Mary's parents in Jackson County.  George is listed as a farm laborer with a sizable personal estate of five thousand dollars.  It is likely that Strickland relatives in Madison County introduced George to their Jackson County relatives, perhaps mentioning the offer of work on the Strickland farm there.

By 1870 George E. Deadwyler had established his own farm in northern Jackson County as well as a family of four children.  During the Civil War, George E. Deadwyler had been elected captain of the 4th Regiment, Georgia Cavalry, State Troops, referred to as "Deadwyler's Company" or the "Joe Brown Rifles" of Jackson County.

Captain Deadwyler remained quite popular among local citizens.  From 1875-1877 he served as state senator for Banks County.  In 1878 he purchased a lot in the village of Maysville and built a house there.  The Forest News, predecessor of The Jackson Herald, noted, "The Hon. G.E. Deadwyler is building a residence for himself at Maysville.  We learn that this will make him a citizen of Banks County.  This we regret, as he is one of our best citizens."

By 1880, G. E. Deadwyler had expanded his family to nine children and his business interests from cattle and crop farming to a tannery (leather saddles, harnesses) and merchantile.  The Jackson Herald noted in January of 1880, "Captain Deadwyler has taken two or three partners, and greatly increased the capital invested in his tannery near here."  A few months later, Deadwyler and Hugh Atkins, who would also become a prominent Maysville merchant, started construction on a two-story storehouse located near the railroad depot.  By the end of 1880, the firm of Atkins & Deadwyler was in operation in their new storeroom.

In 1882, Ira A. Madden joined the firm of Atkins & Deadwyler, bringing more capital and increasing the volume of business, which resulted in the need for an addition to their storeroom.  In May of 1882 the Northeastern Railroad sold 18 of their lots in Maysville.  Atkins & Deadwyler bought a lot 295' by 150' on the west side of the depot for $293.  They must also have purchased other lots as The Jackson Herald noted, "Messrs. Atkins & Deadyler are preparing to build several dwellings on the property they purchased from the railroad company and also a large and commodious hotel (webmaster's note: was this what would later become the Stephens Hotel and still stands close to City Hall on South Main Street?).  This is something that Maysville has felt the need of, and will be quite an improvement to our town."

Deadwyler's commercial interests must have expanded rapidly.  "We see a new turbine water wheel on the platform of the depot for G. E. Deadwyler's mill.  Two miles west, Mr. Deadwyler has a large merchant mill, saw mill, cotton gin, and other machinery, and water to spare.  There was a wagonload of clover brought into town Saturday from one of Mr. Deadwyler's farms.  That is business.  Can't some more of our farmers do likewise? Mr. D. says he has 3,500 shocks of wheat not yet threshed."  (The Jackson Herald, 30 Jun 1882)

G. E. Deadwyler must have decided his house and property in the village of Maysville was not large enough.  Within five years of building his house in town, The Jackson Herald noted, "Mr. Deadwyler is preparing to build near town and open up a stock farm."  By October 1882, Dr. Newton of Athens had purchased Mr. Deadwyler's house and premises and awaited Mr. Deadwyler's move to his new house before Dr. Newton could move up.

After moving to his new farm, G.E. Deadwyler saw the birth of his tenth and last child, Paul Deadwyler.

In his latter years, G. E. Deadwyler was instrumental in the introduction of "experiment farms" in several Georgia counties.  These farms were places where prisoners, or "convicts", would farm for the county's benefit and go out to work on the public highways.  The Jackson County Detention Center is to this day located on "County Farm Road" between Maysville and Jefferson.  Deadwyler was a warden for the state penitentiary department and inspected the convict camps at Jefferson for the state.

George Eberhart Deadwyler, Sr., died on October 25, 1909, in Jackson County. He was buried in Sunrise Cemetery in Maysville.  In 1911, his farm, consisting of 1100 acres in Jackson County, was sold for $35,000 to R. Banks of Gainesville and J. M. Garrison of Gillsville.  The farm was sold by George's son, Paul.  It was described as one of the finest farms in northeast Georgia.

Where did Mary P. Deadwyler, wife of G.E., move after the farm was sold?  Did she live with son, Paul?  Mary Priscilla Deadwyler died September 13, 1915, in Jackson County, Georgia, and is buried next to her husband at Sunrise Cemetery in Maysville.

Children of George Eberhart Deadwyler, Sr., and Mary Priscilla Strickland were:

1. A. Eula Deadwyler b: August 16, 1863 in Jackson Co GA d: December 13, 1941 in St. Augustine, FL Burial: December 1941 Unknown ............ +William Cornelius Ash b: 1851 in Franklin Co GA m: May 18, 1893 in Jackson Co GA d: 1929 in Athens, GA Burial: 1929 Unknown ........

2. Harriet Gertrude Deadwyler aka: Hattie Deadwyler b: June 01, 1865 in Jackson Co GA d: January 14, 1929 in Unknown Burial: January 1929 Sunrise Cemetery, Maysville GA ............ +Charles Edward Moore b: January 08, 1853 in Athens, Clarke, GA m: April 01, 1884 in Jackson Co GA d: July 15, 1923 in Maysville, GA Burial: July 1923 Sunrise Cemetery, Maysville GA ........

3. Margaret Pauline Deadwyler b: September 04, 1867 in Jackson Co GA d: July 15, 1915 in Jackson Co GA Burial: July 1915 Sunrise Cemetery, Maysville GA ............ +Jefferson Davis Cox b: July 1861 in Jackson Co GA m: December 18, 1891 in Jackson Co GA d: June 24, 1948 in Jefferson, Jackson, GA Burial: June 1948 Sunrise Cemetery, Maysville GA ........

4. Asa Van Deadwyler aka: Van Deadwyler b: May 19, 1869 in Jackson Co GA d: April 18, 1917 in Athens, Clarke, GA ............ +Lena Tidwell b: April 05, 1869 in Hayesville, NC m: December 24, 1889 in Clay Co NC d: Aft. 1900 ........

5. George Eberhart Jr. Deadwyler b: Abt. 1872 in Jackson Co GA d: February 20, 1937 in Athens, Clarke, GA ............ +Lucile Catherine LaVoie b: 1886 in Chicago, IL? m: 1915 in Chicago, IL d: June 04, 1975 in Atlanta, GA ........

6. Madison Pope Deadwyler b: September 01, 1873 in Jackson Co GA d: December 07, 1942 in Unknown Burial: December 1942 Sunrise Cemetery, Maysville, Banks, GA ............ +Rosa Gorham aka: Rose Gorham b: 1882 in Crawfordville, GA m: October 06, 1904 in Baptist Church, Crawfordville, GA d: November 10, 1963 in Unknown Burial: November 1963 Sunrise Cemetery, Maysville, Banks, GA ........

7. John Gideon Deadwyler b: September 01, 1873 in Jackson Co GA d: August 25, 1929 in Jackson Co GA Burial: 1929 Sunrise Cemetery, Maysville GA ............ +Dorothy Smith b: Unknown in North Carolina ........

8. Thomas Webster Deadwyler b: November 23, 1875 in Jackson Co GA d: November 10, 1910 in Jackson Co GA Burial: 1910 Sunrise Cemetery, Maysville GA ........

9. Mary Priscilla Deadwyler b: November 18, 1877 in Jackson Co GA d: February 07, 1969 in Gainesville, Hall, GA Burial: 1969 Sunrise Cemetery, Maysville GA ........

10. Alfred Paul Deadwyler b: January 16, 1884 in Jackson Co GA d: November 01, 1950 in Jackson Co GA Burial: 1950 Sunrise Cemetery, Maysville GA ............ +Maude Josephine Hilton b: July 04, 1887 m: January 31, 1906 in Cedartown, GA d: April 21, 1913 in Jackson Co GA Burial: 1913 Sunrise Cemetery, Maysville GA ........ *2nd Wife of Alfred Paul Deadwyler: ............ +Ethel Foster b: September 27, 1880 m: February 14, 1914 d: December 19, 1973 Burial: 1973 Sunrise Cemetery, Maysville GA

Page last updated 10/30/2009

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