Buena Vista, Marion County,  GA

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Buena Vista

But Pea Ridge was not a name to woo the fickle goddess; and in 1847 it was changed to Buena Vista, following the famous victory achieved by General Zachary Taylor over the Mexicans.  Two years later the county seat was wrested from Tazewell, and on January 26, 1850, an Act was approved making permanent the site of public buildings at Buena Vista.  Mr David Burkhalter, to whose  vigorous initiative the removal of the county seat was due, donated the land on which the County Court House, the Methodist Church and other buildings were located.  New vistas of opportunity were now opened.  Soon a railway line was built, while stores, schools, churches, and homes began to multiply.  Today in the most progressive sense of the word, Buena Vista is a modern town, equipped with an electric light plant, a water works system and other public utilities.  It is on the automobile highway between Columbus and Americus and commands a wide territory rich in agricultural products.  The Hoke Smith Institute, named for Georgia’s senior senator, is the pride of the entire section, having twice in succession won the silver trophy for this district.  Two gifted women enjoy wide note as educators: Miss Ida Munro and Miss Nellie Powell.

1915:

It is hoped the Hon. Mayor Col. Rainey, County Commissioners and our new editor of the "Patriot", T. A- D. Weaver, will follow in the wake of the retiring editor in the advocacy of the aforesaid improvement. We are pleased to know that the retiring editor will continue his citizenship, and that the spicy correspondents—especially Plow Boy and the Preacher (0. E.Evans) will be on their jobs.

 Plow Boys seems to be an admixture of orthodoxy, philosophy and spice. Rumor has it that On hearing of the sale of the paper he asked the retiring editor to what place he would go next, and the editor promptly replied, "My next move will be to heaven," and to this Plow Boy as promptly replied, ''You will be with us some time." The preacher contributor should look well to his laurels.  On the whole, Buena Vista, the capital city, is well located, well built, high, healthy, beautiful, well populated. I could live here all my life and be happy. I never found but one place, Oglethorpe, where I was so content. We have a fine school. Hoke Smith Institute, superintended, by Prof. Rob. Drane. Our churches, Methodist, Missionary

Baptist, Primitive, are fairly attended. This fair attendance is largely credited to ladies and children, with a few splendid exceptions, the men of our town are largely addicted to reading newspapers, sitting about the corners, or making trips to the country in their splendid automobiles- We have about forty-seven. This is a great invention and admits of varied service in building business, helping humanity and glorifying God. Innocent pleasure, though right if taken in the regard to ability, time taken for use, and moderation, is allowable and well, but anything that that amounts to a craze, even riding, ought to be thoughtfully considered by a civilized, Christian citizenship.   

Brantley, Tazewell. Doyle, Union, make up the Marion, circuit—Rev. 0. E. Evans, the pastor. He has done then profitable service for three years. His parsonage is in our town—all of us enjoy him. Should the conference return him, Marion county would give him a cordial welcome.  Rev. Jo. Short, John Short, Bedford Short, Burts, Goodrows, Parkers, Crawford, Wells, Upton, Jo. Rogers, Stevens, Wiggins, Ed. McMichael, Persons, are among his prominent supporters.—and they make it a desirable charge.

 The Financial Board of our Methodist church is constructed of such men as J. L. Williams, Turner Williams, Rob Drane, Tom Rogers, R. Hair, Robert Clements, W. B, Wells, E. Hornady, J. E. Moore, Dr. McMichael, W. B. Butt, H. D. Mauk, Sunday School Superintendent and cashier-bank, assisted by Robert Stokes, and Wm. Wooten, cashier of the other bank, assisted by Brown Reese. For general cleverness I have never seen it surpassed. On their systematic activities in church work I presume not to speak. Their well founded boast is that they always pay the preachers.  

It is fortunate for Buena Vista that the town is full of Angels.  These, are as real as those that looked after Elijah at the brook Cherith. They look after Sunday Schools, missions, prayer meetings and parsonage pantries. Though with these, their domestic cares and a few select social functions, they seem to have no anxiety to be presidents, senators, commissioners and coroners- This is one town where men seem to have married above themselves. Two of the remarkable men the ladies allow to assist them are Uncle Guthrie of the Missionary Baptist church and Uncle Short of the Brantley Methodist church. These are remarkable old men, ages 83 and 78. They have never been known to lose an eye or limb in feeling their way to a mid-week prayer service—nor do the labors of the day suspend the regularity of attendance. Captain and George Lowe are clever men, faithful in office, true to the Primitive church, and often attend the others. The other Lowes, there are stacks of them, have stores and hotels. The Clements, a few of them are among us and look well to business. Love Guy makes and buys cotton. Dr. Foster looks you in the eye. Dr. Pay practices the dental art. Wilson is ready to sell or repair trinkets, jewelry, etc. The younger Wilson, the widower, Judge Sheppard, Belk, W. T. Weaver. Minter and McMichaels, take daily rides into the country supplying our friends with letters, parcel posts, newspapers amid other literature not contraband. How we miss Judges Butt and Lowe and Malcom Hair. Among our merchants are A C Duncan, the Hairs, Cook and McCrarys. Mrs. Chapman runs the post office. Browning and Daniels run automobiles. A few have clerkships. Loafers are scarce. Ex-Editor Hirshburg retires on profits of the "Patriot" with "otium earn dignitate", for a second course. Young Hirshburg remains with the "Patriot". Our insurance and traveling men are kept busy—hunting security for their friends and bread for their homes. We miss Dr. Weaver. 

I must not forget to say we have a sufficiency of doctors and lawyers. Dr. Drane and Son, McMichael, O'Neal, Rainey, Jefferson, either cure you or make exit as easy and painless as possible. Colonels Munro, Crawford, Short, Rainey, Butt are in their offices. Miers, Willis, Belk, Smith are about the courthouse ready to serve-a paper, arrest, hang, or take your tax. Neal Stokes and Mulkey keep drugs for life and death purposes. J. E. Moore and Charlie Clements can dress, incase, hearse you- to the grave. The Steeds have a general business- Avant dwells on the city's extreme limits, lives well and comes to Sunday School. My immediate neighbors, Peacock, Jowers, Peddy, are ever employed in making an honest living. We are sorry Anderson Hogg has moved to Richland. We are glad that J. P. Hogg represents the county in the State Legislature. He is generally on the right side of moral questions. He is enrolled with the immortal "97". Our State laws on prohibition, the greatest issue of the hour, need strengthening. For five years the legislature has yielded to the literature and money of the whiskey ring, to the whims, demands, of a half dozen cities, to committees on temperance and rules selected for a purpose. As a result, our prohibition laws are paralyzed and most of our State is largely at the mercy of moonshiners.

Sources: Georgia’s Landmarks, Memorials and Legends by Lucien Lamar Knight, 1914

Autobiography of Rev J B McGehee DD of South Georgia Conference. June 16, 1915

Courthouse in Buena Vista was built on Lot 110, 4th District.

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