`Founding and Establishment of City of Forsyth
On the highest ridge between Atlanta and Macon, in almost the exact center of the state, stands the old historic town of Forsyth, named for the illustrious diplomat and statesman, John Forsyth. The town of Forsyth came into existence in 1822 after the new county of Monroe was created. The town was incorporated and made the county seat by an act of the General Assembly, December 10, 1823, and the following pioneer residents were named as commissioners: James S. Phillips, Henry H. Lumpkin, John E. Bailey, Anderson Baldwin, and Samuel Drewry. Land for the City of Forsyth was purchased from John T. Booth, on February 18, 1823, for the sum of $700.00 for his 202'1/2 acre land lot, number 171. The town was laid off into lots of two and one-half acres each, which afforded ample room for garden plots and spacious green lawns. By 1827, Forsyth contained seventy houses and stores, an academy, a house of worship for Baptists, an elegant courthouse and jail. The first brick store in Forsyth was built by Cyrus Sharp. The first courthouse was built of logs.
The Tax Digest of 1828 gives the record of Forsyth with a small surrounding area. The town had a population of six hundred. There seemed to be considerable activity in the town's economic life with eleven persons listing stock in trade from $300.00 to $800.00, the total being $31,000.00. From the records there is no way of knowing the nature of the business enterprises. One or more may have been stock yards or livery stables. Mr. Pye was listed as having "six wheels"; Jesse Pope, "eight wheels"; Daniel Griffin "eight wheels"; Jose Dunn and John Bishop "sixteen wheels:" These "wheels" signified two or four wheel carriages. There were thirteen money lenders, with $44,791.00 at interest, the loans ranging in value foam $114.00 to $11,561.00. Francis Grier, John H. Thomas and C. Sharp were the principal money lenders, with $11,000.00, $11,561.00 and $10,000.00 respectively, at interest. Forty-two persons were listed as owning lots in Forsyth with a taxable evaluation of $112,250.00. H. H. Lumpkin had lots valued at $15,000.00, Jose Dunn $1,200.00. The leading merchants were Daniel Sanford, Dunn and Martin, Tinsley and Davis, with stocks in trade of $8,000.00, $4,000.00 and $7,000.00 respectively. Banking was carried on through a branch bank of Darien, Georgia.
(The history on the founding of Monroe County and Forsyth was quoted by permission from a research project entitled "Monroe County - Early History" written by Lovena W. Trammell in 1968.)