Irwin County History:
Irwin
County was one of seven counties created on Dec. 15, 1818, by an act of the
General Assembly (Ga. Laws 1818, p. 27). [Click
here for a legal description of Irwin County's original boundaries.]
Irwin, Appling, and Early counties extended across south Georgia and were
created from Creek lands acquired in 1814 by the
Treaty of Fort Jackson.
Irwin, Appling, and Early counties were organized by an act of Dec. 21,
1819, which provided for election of county officials in each county.
From 1825 to 1906, portions of Irwin Counties original boundaries were
used to create the following counties: Lowndes and Thomas (1825), Worth
(1853), Coffee (1854), Berrien (1856), Wilcox (1857), Tift and Turner
(1905), and Ben Hill (1906).
Georgia's 41st county was named for former Georgia governor Jared Irwin
(1750-1818). [For more information on Jared Irwin, click
here
and
here.]
Irwin County Seat:
The Dec.
21, 1819 act organizing Irwin County authorized the five justices of the
county's first inferior court to select the location of the county's seat of
government, which was to be "as near the centre thereof as convenience will
admit" (Ga. Laws 1819, p. 65). Until a county seat was selected and a
courthouse built, county courts were to meet in the home of David Williams.
Irwin County's inferior court was unable to decide on where the county seat
should be located, so on Dec. 21, 1820, the legislature authorized the
inferior court to select a temporary county seat until a permanent one could
be designated (Ga. Laws 1820, p. 28). What happened next is unclear. Maps of
Georgia published in 1822 and 1823 show a site in north Irwin County marked
"C.H." -- which indicates the location of the courthouse. However, Irwin
County did not yet have an official county seat. On Dec. 13, 1823, the
legislature vested William Foulsom, James Crum, Sellaway McCall, Joshua
Griffin, and Alexander McDaniel as courthouse and jail commissioners with
the authority formerly delegated to the inferior court (Ga. Laws 1823, p.
62).
On Dec. 24, 1825, the legislature authorized the five courthouse
commissioners named above to also select a county seat for Irwin County and
to purchase land, have lots laid off, and sell the lots (Ga. Laws 1825, p.
55). The act further provided that once a county site had been chosen, the
inferior court was then responsible for contracting to have a courthouse and
jail built. However, the commissioners could not agree on where to locate
Irwin's county seat -- so on Dec. 19, 1827, the legislature appointed
Cornelius Tison, Lott Whitten, Jonathan Smith, Miles Adams, James L. Wilcox,
Ludd Mobly, and Jacob Paulk as new commissioners to select a county seat
(Ga. Laws 1827, p. 187).
On Dec. 23, 1830, the legislature finally stepped in and designated the
location of Irwin County's seat of government as land lot 225 in the fourth
district of the county (Ga. Laws 1830, p. 216). If that lot could not be
purchased, the act authorized the purchase of any lot within two miles of
lot 225 for use as the county seat. The legislature also directed that the
county seat be named Irwinsville.
For whatever reason, the legislature on Dec. 22, 1831 changed the
location of Irwin's county seat to land lot 39 in the third district, though
again directing that it be named Irwinsville (Ga. Laws 1831, p. 81). The act
named Robert H. Dixon, Jacob Young, William Bradford, Daniel Look, and
Reuben Marsh as commissioners with authority to lay out and sell town lots
and to contract for building a courthouse and jail. On Dec. 22, 1857, the
legislature incorporated Irwin County's seat of government as "Irwinville"
-- and not "Irwinsville" as directed in the 1830 and 1831 acts (Ga. Laws
1857, p. 179).
Around 1880, a community named Ocilla developed around 10 miles southeast
of Irwinville. (The name Ocilla was of Creek origin, believed to be the name
of an Indian town or chief.) Built around timber and turpentine, Ocilla grew
rapidly after a railroad from Fitzgerald was completed in 1897. That same
year, the legislature incorporated Ocilla on Nov. 24 (Ga. Laws 1897, p.
282).
Soon afterwards, the railroad was extended southward, connecting Ocilla
to major railroads. Within 10 years, the town's population tripled.
Meanwhile, Irwinville declined as residents and businesses moved to Ocilla
and Fitzgerald.
On April 29, 1907, a petition to change the county seat from Irwinville
to Ocilla signed by two-fifths of the voters of Irwin County was submitted
to the county ordinary (probate judge). That same day, the ordinary directed
that an election be held on June 12, 1907. In that election, over two-thirds
of the vote supported removal of the county seat, so on Aug. 19, 1907, the
legislature designated Ocilla as the new county seat of Irwin County (Ga.
Laws 1907, p. 307). A new courthouse in Ocilla was not completed until 1910,
so Irvinville may have continued as de facto county seat from 1907 to 1910
due to the fact that the county courthouse was located there.
Irwin County Today
located in the
U.S. state of
Georgia. It was created on
December 15,
1818. As of
2000, the
population is 9,931. The 2005 Census Estimate shows a population of
10,093 . The
county seat is
Ocilla, Georgia.
Geography
According to the
U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 363 square
miles (939 kmē),
of which, 357 square miles (924 kmē) of it is land and 6 square miles
(15 kmē) of it (1.63%) is water.
Adjacent counties
Demographics
As of the
census
of 2000, there were 9,931 people, 3,644 households, and 2,696 families
residing in the county. The
population density was 28 people per square mile (11/kmē). There
were 4,149 housing units at an average density of 12 per square mile
(4/kmē). The racial makeup of the county was 71.98%
White, 25.88%
Black or
African American, 0.06%
Native American, 0.32%
Asian, 0.01%
Pacific Islander, 1.25% from
other races, and 0.50% from two or more races. 2.03% of the
population were
Hispanic or
Latino of any race.
There were 3,644 households out of which 35.20% had children under
the age of 18 living with them, 55.50% were
married
couples living together, 14.40% had a female householder with no
husband present, and 26.00% were non-families. 23.10% of all households
were made up of individuals and 11.30% had someone living alone who was
65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.62 and the
average family size was 3.07.
In the county the population was spread out with 28.80% under the age
of 18, 9.20% from 18 to 24, 26.10% from 25 to 44, 21.90% from 45 to 64,
and 14.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35
years. For every 100 females there were 96.60 males. For every 100
females age 18 and over, there were 89.10 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $30,257, and the
median income for a family was $35,234. Males had a median income of
$28,827 versus $20,532 for females. The
per capita income for the county was $14,867. About 13.50% of
families and 17.80% of the population were below the
poverty line, including 23.30% of those under age 18 and 20.80% of
those age 65 or over.
Cities and towns
Fitzgerald is a
city in
Ben Hill and
Irwin Counties in the
U.S. state of
Georgia, and the
county seat of Ben Hill County. The population was 8,758 at the
2000 census.
It was created in 1895, as a community for
Civil War veterans by
Indianapolis newspaper editor Philander H. Fitzgerald, a former
drummer boy in the
Union army. Ironically, the town is located less than 15 miles
from the site of the capture of Confederate president
Jefferson Davis on May 10, 1865.
In recent years, the unofficial, and sometimes controversial
mascot
of the city has become the
Red Junglefowl, a wild chicken native to the
Indian subcontinent. In the late 1960s, a small number were
released into the woods surrounding the city and have thrived to
this day.
Fitzgerald is also home to the famous Dorminy-Massee Bed and
Breakfast. Built in 1915 by J. J. (Captain Jack) Dorminy for his
family, this two-story, colonial-style home is now listed on the
National Register of Historic Places. The bed and breakfast
features eight bedrooms, each with a private bath, an elegant living
room and parlor, and spacious grounds. The Inn is within walking
distance of Fitzgerald's historic downtown area, as well as, The
Blue and Gray Museum.
Geography
Fitzgerald is located at
31°42′56″N,
83°15′23″W
(31.715432, -83.256464).
According to the
United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 7.3 square
miles (18.9 kmē),
of which, 7.2 square miles (18.8 kmē) of it is land and 0.04 square
miles (0.1 kmē) of it (0.55%) is water.
Demographics
As of the
census
of 2000, there were 8,758 people, 3,448 households, and 2,210
families residing in the city. The
population density was 1,208.8 people per square mile
(466.4/kmē). There were 3,968 housing units at an average density of
547.7/sq mi (211.3/kmē). The racial makeup of the city was 47.27%
White, 49.27%
African American, 0.18%
Native American, 0.31%
Asian, 2.28% from
other races, and 0.69% from two or more races.
Hispanic or
Latino of any race were 4.43% of the population.
There were 3,448 households out of which 31.2% had children under
the age of 18 living with them, 36.3% were
married couples living together, 23.1% had a female householder
with no husband present, and 35.9% were non-families. 31.8% of all
households were made up of individuals and 14.9% had someone living
alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size
was 2.47 and the average family size was 3.12.
In the city the population was spread out with 28.3% under the
age of 18, 9.6% from 18 to 24, 25.7% from 25 to 44, 20.6% from 45 to
64, and 15.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was
35 years. For every 100 females there were 83.5 males. For every 100
females age 18 and over, there were 78.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $20,805, and
the median income for a family was $26,577. Males had a median
income of $26,674 versus $17,211 for females. The
per capita income for the city was $12,775. About 26.7% of
families and 31.6% of the population were below the
poverty line, including 45.8% of those under age 18 and 22.1% of
those age 65 or over.
Natives
Well-known natives include
World War II hero
Ray Davis,
1936 Summer Olympics
track star
Forrest Towns, authors
Brainard Cheney and
Frances Mayes, recently inducted member of the Tap Dance Hall of
Fame Charles Greene, and
Miss Georgia 2007
Leah Massee. Gerald Thompson, the city's
mayor,
currently holds the distinction as the longest serving mayor in the
state of
Georgia, in office since 1968.
Ocilla is a city in
Irwin County,
Georgia,
United States. The population was 3,270 at the 2000 census. The
city is the
county seat of
Irwin County.
Geography
Ocilla is located at
31°35′55″N,
83°14′60″W
(31.598611, -83.249932).
According to the
United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 2.6 square
miles (6.7 kmē),
of which, 2.6 square miles (6.7 kmē) of it is land and 0.39% is
water.
Demographics
As of the
census[1]
of 2000, there were 3,270 people, 1,099 households, and 762 families
residing in the city. The
population density was 1,264.3 people per square mile
(487.5/kmē). There were 1,283 housing units at an average density of
496.0/sq mi (191.3/kmē). The racial makeup of the city was 38.87%
White, 59.39%
African American, 0.09%
Native American, 0.34%
Asian, 0.86% from
other races, and 0.46% from two or more races.
Hispanic or
Latino of any race were 1.77% of the population.
There were 1,099 households out of which 36.9% had children under
the age of 18 living with them, 38.3% were
married couples living together, 27.2% had a female householder
with no husband present, and 30.6% were non-families. 28.1% of all
households were made up of individuals and 14.6% had someone living
alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size
was 2.64 and the average family size was 3.22.
In the city the population was spread out with 35.0% under the
age of 18, 9.4% from 18 to 24, 22.3% from 25 to 44, 17.5% from 45 to
64, and 15.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was
31 years. For every 100 females there were 92.5 males. For every 100
females age 18 and over, there were 73.1 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $22,332, and
the median income for a family was $27,411. Males had a median
income of $26,711 versus $18,594 for females. The
per capita income for the city was $10,573. About 27.4% of
families and 33.1% of the population were below the
poverty line, including 47.2% of those under age 18 and 26.3% of
those age 65 or over.
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