Civil War Articles by Julian WilliamsConfederate Vice-President Alexander H. Stephens Was Attorney For Jacksonville's Thomas Swain
This article was compiled by Julian Williams.
It was recently my privilege to meet a man by the name of Robert (Bob) Swain. The Swains were having their annual Swain Reunion at Little Ocmulgee State Park near McRae. I had heard of Bob Swain; my mother was in his class at Workmore School. I had read some of his writings on the history of his family and had even exchanged a few letters with him. Meeting him was a pleasure also. At 82, his forearms looked strong and the glint in his eye told me he enjoyed life. He had a spring in his step. He also likes history. I didn't spend much time with him because his people were calling "Uncle Bob" back to the picnic shed - and they couldn't think of beginning without him. I got the feeling he was a real leader in that family - just like one of his ancestors was a real leader of the people of Jacksonville, Georgia, many many years ago.
This relative, one Thomas Swain, a great great great uncle of Bob's, came to Jacksonville, Georgia, around 1808. Thomas Swain helped General John Coffee build a road from Jacksonville, Georgia, to the vicinity of Tallahassee, Florida, in 1822. Some eight markers along the way mention his name along with General Coffee's. It is quite possible that they got the contract to build the road because another Jacksonville figure, Governor John Clark, was in the governor's chair from 1819-1823. He had a plantation near the town and was a part-time resident there. It is not a large place now and was not then. I think it would be safe to assume that the three men knew each other quite well.
Thomas Swain also knew another prominent Georgian - Alexander Hamilton Stephens, a smart little fellow who was destined to become the Vice-President of the Confederacy. In fact, Alexander Stephens, fresh out of the University of Georgia law school, was Thomas Swain's attorney. They were originally from the same neck of the woods - Stephens being from Crawfordville (Taliaferro County) and Swain moving to Jacksonville (Telfair) from Warren County.
It is said Alexander Stephens was about as smart a fellow that Georgia ever produced. But, looking at him, you couldn't tell it at all. He was a frail, sickly man, weighing about 96 pounds, soaking wet. Some kind souls said he weighed a 100 - at least that would get him to three digits!
Bob Swain told me a story about "Little Elleck" that I had not heard. This story also shows that Abraham Lincoln was probably not as solemn as all his pictures depict. Toward the end of the war when the Southern Commissioners were meeting with Lincoln and General Grant to discuss the surrender terms, etc., Alexander Stephens came to the meeting in formal English attire and it must have been about two sizes too large for him. The collar stuck way up in the back and being a small man, he probably was almost lost in that suit. As he made his exit, President Lincoln turned to General Grant and said, "Grant, look at Stephens. Did you ever see such a little nubbin with as much shuck?"
Bob also told me another story about Lincoln that I enjoyed: Once he (Lincoln) received news that a Brigadier General and twelve Army mules had been captured by the Confederates, Lincoln's comment was "How unfortunate! Those mules cost us two hundred dollars apiece!" From the luck Lincoln had with the performance of some of his generals that would appear to be a pretty kind statement regarding his "general" feelings!
But, Alexander Stephens must have been quite a leader himself. One Confederate soldier wrote: "Aleck Stephens took dinner with us the other day and is in camp today -- he looks about as usual. He came up to see Linton (half-brother to Alexander Stephens) who is still sick but getting well." Evidently members of the Stephens family had trouble staying well. It appears that the Vice-President of the Confederacy filled needs as he saw them.
Another story about Aleck Stephens will always stick in my mind. Although comfortable with his station in life, he always looked out for his fellow Georgians. People traveling through Crawfordville, even rank strangers, were always welcome at his home. He had a room especially reserved for these weary ones.
Thomas Swain of Jacksonville was also a man of the people. Besides helping construct one of the greatest roads in Georgia, he established a ferry on the banks of the Ocmulgee River near Jacksonville. It was known as Swain's Ferry Landing.
As a boy, I remember it only as Swain's Landing - the ferry had been long gone. I will never forget one night, a friend, Stanley Wells, and I were in a boat near the landing with our fathers - who happened to be fishing for catfish using a basket of debatable legality. Game wardens appeared from nowhere, threw a spotlight beam into our boat and told our daddies if we (the sons) had not been with them, they would have taken them in! After that, we thought it might be better to fish with trotlines or a hand pole.
Thomas Swain was a prominent citizen of the community. He served several years as a Justice of the Inferior Court of Telfair County and his name appears on the court minutes in January 1833 when Joseph Williams, Jr. applied for his pension for service in the Revolutionary War. Also appearing on the document verifying said service was the name of John Coffee, Member, House of Representatives.
Thomas Swain also had considerable holdings. He and his family had a plantation between the town of Jacksonville, Georgia, and what is now Blockhouse Baptist Church.
One of the most interesting land transactions by Thomas Swain involved efforts to form a seat of government and on December 8, 1810, the General Assembly of Georgia authorized the Telfair Inferior Court to select an appropriate site on the Ocmulgee River to erect a Courthouse. The site finally selected was a lot that belonged to John Parramore who deeded the land to the Telfair Inferior Court in 1814. The court was composed of Charles McKinnon, Ziba Fletcher, Thomas S. Swain and Abb L. Hatten.
Thomas S. Swain later bought this same lot from John Parramore in 1829 and gave it to the Methodist Church of Jacksonville. "On November 3, 1834, Mr. Thomas Swain deeded the land on which this church is built, to the trustees of the Methodist Episcopal Church for a place to worship God for the sum of $10.00." The ten dollars must have been to make it legal.
It is not exactly clear as to the church and state arrangement of buildings (church and courthouse), or deed swapping, on this lot of land in the past but it is clear that the courthouse was there and the church is there now. Whether the church and courthouse shared a building or whether there were two buildings is unknown, at least to this writer.
What is known - regarding the properties of Thomas Swain - it took over ten years to settle the matter of his estate. Even Alexander Stephens was scratching his intelligent head over that one.
"Telfair Newspaper Clippings" by Tad Evans;
Various Writings by Robert (Bob) Swain;
History of Telfair County (1807-1987);
Various Sources on Alexander H. Stephens.
