Civil War Articles by Julian WilliamsGeneral Mark Willcox Had A Long Journey, A Hard Trotting Horse And A Porcupine Saddle
This article was compiled by Julian Williams.
General Mark Willcox tried to keep his good humor at the July 4, 1834, celebration at Jacksonville, Georgia. But, as John Williams said in his toast, "His journey was long, on a hard-trotting horse with a porcupine saddle." Colorful toasts seemed to be the order of the day. A fellow over a few counties had this one: "Long corns and short shoes, and a long sandy road to travel to all enemies of a free government." Although not directed at Mark Willcox, he probably thought they fit him to a tee. His first love, Jane Parramore, had died in 1824, and he had busied himself with the duties of a state legislator. But it was time for him to start a family. In 1828, he married Sarah Ann Elizabeth Coffee, General John Coffee's daughter. And they did have a big family. The Willcoxes just kept coming.
Mark Willcox was loved by many people. Travelers weary on the roads from the coast to the frontier towns always knew that the famous Indian fighter had a room reserved for them. They didn't go by maps as much back then as they did "itineraries." If you were going on a journey through the swamps and pine barrens of middle or south Georgia you would seek out someone who had been before and get them to do an itinerary for you. It might read something like this: "Try to get to Tattnall County before dark and the widow Brown will put you up if some of her relatives are there; if they're not, you will have to go about 5 miles farther to the home of Parson Smith --- you will have to wait if the Little Ocmulgee is swollen -- or go aways up to cross -- when you get to Jacksonville, Georgia, you may go to General Mark Willcox's house -- he is most hospitable and seems to enjoy the company of travelers." Mind you, that is not exactly the dialogue or the correct names of all parties but it is something very similar to one of the old narratives giving the general's home as a great place to stop off on a long journey. Mark Willcox did relish seeing a friendly face because he saw a lot of unfriendly ones - on citizens, soldiers, and Indians.
A character we will look at later, kin to the Willcoxes through marriage, and truly an adventure himself, The Reverend Wilson Conner, remarked that he attended the trial of Mark Willcox at Jacksonville for perjury in April of 1834 (just before the July 4th celebration the same year).
Sid Johnson, in his great little book, "Longpondium," followed with this footnote:
"In the large Wilcox family connection, there were at least two individuals bearing the name Mark. This Mark Wilcox is probably Gen. Mark Wilcox (1799-1852), son of John and Mary Lea Willcox. He was a person of great consequence in the Telfair County community, serving as sheriff, justice of the inferior court, and in both houses of the state legislature. In the state militia, Wilcox progressed through the ranks, ultimately becoming a major general. No information has been uncovered regarding any perjury trial or conviction, leading to the conclusion that the charge was likely no-billed by the grand jury. Mark Wilcox was a brother-in-law to Wilson Conner's daughter Louisa." It is interesting to note Willcox spelled as Wilcox above. The older ones seemed to use the two "l's" and some of the younger ones use only one.
We have not even touched on the military troubles of Mark Willcox but with his many areas of responsibility he was sure to rile a few feathers. Take education, for example. In the early 1820's the Jacksonville Academy was founded. There is also a note in the local acts of Telfair County that the inferior court had the job of evaluating the teachers of poor children. Later they seemed to pass the buck and appointed five persons to do this. It is clear that teacher evaluation seemed to be as much a booger then as it is today. What is not clear is why "poor" children are specified. I assume this was some sort of take-off on a minimum foundation program of education or some district power equalizing scheme to ensure that every child was educated - at least to some extent. That might be a good guess and it might not be. At any rate, Mark Willcox was a busy man.
While we are mentioning the local acts of the various counties, it is interesting to note that while Tattnall County would not pay the ferriage (ferry fee) of its persons on public business, the Telfair Inferior Court elected to pay this fee for their officials doing public chores. Evidently, ferry business in those days was pretty brisk, and there are some reports to back up the fact that crossing over on the ferry was not always one hundred percent safe for man or beast (and later, for automobiles)! Some went into the river.
Another notation is found in the local acts of Telfair that might need some clarification. There is a mention of "Hubbard's floating machine on the Ocmulgee, 1832." Was that a steamboat, a steam winch-pulled ferry boat, or some other invention? If you have an idea please let Chris Trowell and me know. We are not quite sure what that "floating machine" might have been.
But, notwithstanding his many duties at various posts of responsibility, General Willcox was having to contend with his enemies. One of his supporters at the July 4th celebration presented this toast and it shows clearly that certain individuals were at work trying to undermine the good name of the general (then major): "Major Mark Willcox: the foul stain which has been attempting to be be put on his character, by his designing enemies, heightens him in the esteem of his friends at home - may he represent us in the next Legislature."
Whether this alluded to his perjury charge or to his state politics or his military politics, we are not sure. From the wording, it seems that the trouble was coming from out of the county. His father-in-law, General John Coffee, had received , a few years before, the commission of their neighbor, Governor John Clark, to build the Coffee Road from Jacksonville, Georgia, to Tallahassee, Florida. Whether it came from a Clarkite-Troupite feud not quite dead we cannot be sure from the information at hand. It also could have been opposition from certain jurists who did not agree with Willcox's push for a Georgia State Supreme Court. Needless to say, the outspoken and forceful pioneer was open on a lot of fronts for confrontation and criticism.
But the major had a lot of friends to offset the effects of his enemies. On that day of celebration in 1834, William T. Townsend had this toast: "Hatton and Willcox: may they represent us, and may their enemies become their footstool."
Joseph Barrow toasted in this way: "Hatton and Willcox, our Union candidates: up with them, and down with the nullifiers."
Wiley Fletcher said this: "Our Union candidate, Mark Willcox: may he be elected, and the nullfier left behind -- success to the Union, liberty and their authors."
And jester Reddin Metts, Esq., added this one: "May the nullifiers have a hilly and stony road to travel, a galled horse, no saddle and no hat to wear."
And, speaking of horses, General Mark Willcox used a lot of horse sense when it came to dealing with horses (and men). And we will talk about that next week.
Credits:
Ann Carswell for letters of and notes on Gen. Mark Willcox;
Willcox Family History by Martha Albertson;
"Longpondium" by Sid Johnson;
Pioneer Days Along the Ocmulgee by Fussell Chalker;
History of Telfair County (1807-1987);
Telfair Newspaper Clippings (1810-1892) by Tad Evans;
Hawkinsville Dispatch articles, local acts of Telfair County and other info furnished by Chris Trowell;
info furnished by Gertrude Wilcox Williams and Diane Williams Rogers and others.
