History of Western Civilization & Selected Local Histories

A Brief History of Adel, Cook County, Georgia

TERRITORIAL BOUNDARIES

In presenting the history of Cook County, it is essential that we know something of the territory from which it was created. Irwin County was created in 1818, surveyed in 1818 and 1819 and the people began to draw the land about 1820. Irwin County originally contained sixteen land districts; four small ones on the north side, nine large ones in the middle and three small ones on the south side covering to the Spanish border (or Florida line). The Four small districts on the north lay broad side to the Ocmulgee River. The nine central districts of original Irwin contained four thousand seven hundred and sixty one 490 acre lots of land.

"Old Irwin" was surveyed first from east to west by Broodnax and from north to south by Johnson. Original Irwin cornered northwest of Sylvester, Ga., on the Flint River. The northeast corner was a little above where the present town of Ocilla, Ga., now stands, the southeast corner at Irwin Lakes below Valdosta and the southwest corner is southwest of Thomasville, Ga., on the Florida line.

In 1825, nine districts were cut off of "Old Irwin" to form Lowndes County. The line between the two counties was the line between, the 9th and 6th land districts.

Berrien County was made from Lowndes and Irwin in 1856. It consists of Four whole land districts and a Fraction of another. These are the 5th and 6th, 9th and 10th and part of the 11th of original Irwin and Lowndes.

Cook County was created from Berrien County in 1918. It is wholly in the 9th and 10th land districts of "Old Irwin." Cook County is bounded on the north by Tilt County and New River, on the east by New and Withlacoochee Rivers, on the south' by Lowndes, County and on the west by Little River.
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LAND GRANTS

About 1820, great areas of land were granted by the state to individuals. It was cut into squares of 490 acres each, which were later granted by the state under the lottery system. These lots were sold on an average of five dollars per lot. The taxes were 14 cents per lot per year.

Among those who received these land grants in What is now Cook County were: A. Harper, H. E. Moore, Zachariah Nester, B. Hancock, Berry Wells, T. W. Baker, Robert N. Parrish, Sr., J. T. Hancock, R. P. Hutchinson, William Gaskins, A. Edwards, William McCranie, Daniel McCranie, Jr., Malcom McCranie, John Futch, Thomas Futch, Martin Shaw, Jr., Mitchell Griffin and William G. Smith.
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With the coming of the first settlers, roads were soon opened. Until this time only Indian trails were found. The first public road to be built through this country was a stage road which traversed the county from north to south. The road was known as the Union Road. It passes by Hutchinson mill pond on through the eastern part of Adel and up through Sparks and on through the county, the present National Highway embracing it part of the way.

Since the departure of the Indians, who did most of their traveling on foot, many changes have been made in our modes of travel. In the pioneer days many oxen were used on the farms. The towns were quite far apart and if it became necessary to go to town or to a neighbor's house the family would ride in a cart. This was nothing more or less than a large wooden box fitted on an axle. Only two wheels were used to pull this contraption. An ox or a mule was used to pull the vehicle. Road carts were often used. This vehicle had only two wheels, but instead of a big box fastened on to hold the occupants or load, a small seat for two was arranged upon the axle.

Later, one and two horse wagons came into use. They were built with two axles and four wheels and a body or bed as we see them today. The ox carts and wagons had either a tongue or pair of shafts, according to the desired loads to be transported, heavy loads requiring more horse or ox power than light ones. Then a tongue was attached to the vehicle and two oxen or two mules were used. Those citizens in better circumstances owned buggies and carriages. These often had tops to protect the occupants from the sun and rain.

Through the country the stage coaches often came. These were large vehicles, usually closed and driven by a special driver seated on a specially built seat at the front of the coach. These coaches were drawn by two or four horses according to the number of passengers. These were used for long journeys and for the transportation of mail. As the country developed and inventions became more numerous, trains, automobiles, auto trucks, and buses came into use.

The coming of the train through our country was a source of untold benefit in transporting passengers and freight. In later years, the automobiles, trucks and buses have furnished a wonderful means of transportation and with these conveniences have come improved roads and in many instances paved roads.

Our county has a paved road, the National Highway, traversing it from north to south. A paved road has been completed between Adel and Nashville. The right-of-way has been cleared by Scott Concrete and Pipe Co. and the county convicts for a paved road from Adel to Moultrie.

The community roads are such an improvement over the past muddy, bumpy ones, that one would scarcely recognize them as the same roads they traveled a few years ago.

Elsewhere we will mention our railroad facilities. We have the three railroads traversing our county. This, too, makes transportation easy for those without cars. At present the roads and highways are so good that great quantities of freight are transported in trucks.
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