Both these postcards are of the same cabin. For what it is worth, I like the top picture the best.
Both cards claim that it is oldest dwelling in Union County, Georgia.
Once my two sons and I parked on the side of the road and walked down to the cabin and let ourselves in. I was surprised just how small inside it was. I don’t see how more than two people could live there but apparently they did.
The fireplace inside is made up of irregular size and shapes rocks or stones. There was a long snake skin that was weaved in between the out-jutting rocks. A snake had did his molting there.
Both cards also state that Daniel England built the cabin around 1840 and that construction of greatly hampered by Indian activity (hostile activity).
I think the cards are wrong as for who built the cabin. From what I have heard the cabin was built by John Hunter, my great g-g-grandfather. Daniel England married John’s youngest daughter Harriet Hunter.
John Hunter died in the mid 1840s, leaving his single daughter Martha Hunter as the only person living in the cabin. Harriet and her husband Daniel England moved in with Harriet. Martha died about 1860, which left the Daniel England family occupying the house.
The Notalee River flows behind the house. I read that the Coot Ray Gang of robbers were on their way to the cabin to take their gold that they have mined. And Daniel England threw the money across the river to a brother-in-law, who buried it in a secret place. My sons and I went down to the river and looked around…. Well, you never know what you might stumble over… unfortunately, we did not stumble across a sack of gold, or anything else. Darn it!
I like the top one too, Eddie.
ReplyDeleteJudy,
ReplyDeleteThat goes to show you that all great minds think alike.
ET,
ReplyDeleteThe top pic is my favorite too. Since the "real" builder of the cabin is my namesake, it holds special meaning to me (as does Stanley Rd. off Old 41, which was where Dr. Stanley's farm was & he gave us JSH's our S). FYI, I don't know if I ever told you, but a few years ago I was at Firefox in Rabun Co., and one of the buildings at their complex was a barn built in the 1830s on Hunter property in NC, near Hendersonville if I remember right. They turned it into a chapel at Firefox. Probably one of John's relatives barns. Check it out if you are ever in that area.
Sorry for the "Punchy Pollyanna", I am on Neely's computer & I always forget her screen names make no sense
ReplyDeletej3
Punchy pollyanna - reminds me of one of Billy Joe Royal's song.
ReplyDeleteBy George, all great minds do think a like!
We were up near Hendersonville a few weeks ago. Well, we drove through Henderson County on the way to the Biltmore House. And before that, we were up there about 3 months before. I wished I had known more exactly what terrain to look at.
I know now, thanks!
J3,
ReplyDeleteAnd Chicken Fat does make sense?
Is that the Nottely River close to Blairsville? If so, I hear the fishing is really good there.
ReplyDeleteDid you know Anderson England's family that lived on Delk St. off East Dixie back in the late 50's early 60's? Y'all may be related.
Skip,
ReplyDeleteYes, that is the Notteley River near Blairsville. I heard it flows north instead of south, with is a rarity.
The Cabin is about 10 miles south of Blairsville on Hwy 19, near the intersection Richard Russell Scenic Highway that goes to Helen.
I knew Delk Street well. Our street, Manget Street was parallel to Delk Street, and my uncle Herbert Hunter and his wife Willie live on Delk Street.
I knew some of the people and some I didn't. I knew the Morgans, the Lowmans, the Delks, and years later, after I got into genealogy I talked to the Bookouts who lived on Delk Street. I remember there was one house with a chain link fence that had a very mean looking chow dog that lived there that would growl and bark at me like he would love to get ahold of me. I taunted him of course.
I didn't know any Englands that lived on Delk St., but the chances are they were probably kin and probably from Blairsville. A lot of Englands moved to Marietta to work at Lockheed and stayed after they pretty much made a home here... didn't want to uproot their families again.
Looks like my type of dwelling! A few years back, in Gilmer County, I believe, there was a cabin about this same size setting on 4 acres of land for $50,000. A good price, for Mountain land is sky high. And I love tin roofs.
ReplyDeleteDeborah,
ReplyDeleteI noticed even the modern houses up in the mountains are getting tin roofs.
Not long ago, there was a tragedy that was blamed on a tin roof: A house caught afire and the fire spread so quickly the heavy tin-roof caused the house to instantly collapse, which killed everyone still in it - the tin roof made the burning house inescapable.