Talbot County GAGenWeb

Charles

Knowlton

A proud part of

Source: Annual Reports of the Commissioner office of the Confederate patent office for 1861-1864.

Charles Knowlton, farmer and miller, Doyle, Marion County, GA, son of Hiram and Anna J (Swindell) Knowlton,

was born in Talbot county GA in 1841. His paternal great-grandfather was born in Scotland, and came to

America long before the revolutionary war. He was a soldier in the old Indian wars, and during the war for

independence was a soldier in the patriot army. He used to relate as an incident of his life that on one

occasion when the enemy's marksman was aiming at Gen Washington he struck his horse a blow to make him

jump and thus saved the general's life. His grandfather was born in New York and was a farmer. Mr Knowlton's

father was born in New York state in 1807, and came to Georgia and settled in Augusta in 1828. He was a

skilled and experienced mechanic, and constructed the first waterworks which conveyed the water from

Turknett spring to Augusta. Later in life he removed to Talbot county, where he followed his trade, and left a

quite large landed estate at his death in 1875. His maternal grandfather, Swindell, was of Irish lineage, the family

having been early settlers in North Carolina. When Mr Swindell migrated from that state to Georgia he settled in

Greene County and remained there all his life. Mr Knowlton grew to manhood on the farm and was trained as a

mechanic by his father. Being a mechanic he was exempted from military service, and was largely employed

in the early part of the war in the making of shoe pegs for the army. In fact, he had a Confederate patent on 7-22-1863

for a machine that cut shoe pegs. In 1863, however, he enlisted in Company D, Seventh Georgia, afterward in the Tenth

Confederate cavalry. At one time during his service, when making a charge, he rode through a troop of Union cavalry, not

hearing the command to halt; they let him pass unharmed, supposing him to be a prisoner going to the rear. Discovering his

mistake and dilemma, he escaped to a near-by friendly swamp. He closed his war service at the battle of Bentonville NC.

After the war his trade was all he had to rely on, so he went to work at it, and made and saved some money.

In 1881 he purchased a mill on McCalee creek, which is now in perfect running order, and very desirable,

valuable property. In connection with it he owns some excellent farming land and conducts a farm. In 1865

Mr Knowlton was married to Miss Julia A Drane, born in Talbot county in 1845, daughter of Hiram and

Eleanor (McGruder) Drane. Mr Drane was born in Columbia county GA and on entering life for

himself removed to Taylor county, where he settled for life. At one time he represented the

county in the general assembly. Eight children, living, have blessed this union: Eleanor, Homer,

Lizzie, Hiram, Edgar, Minnie, Jackson and Beulah. Mr Knowlton is a royal arch Mason, and his wife

is an exemplary member of the Methodist church. He is enjoying the prosperity and comfort