Alpharetta Communities
by Tim Spruell

Where do you live? How many people who live in developer subdivisions would recognize the names of Ocee, Shakerag, Warsaw, Newtown, Birmingham, Hopewell, or even Crabapple? I was is a planning meeting when a snobby new resident (who had lived in the subdivision that replaced Mr. Corley's corn field for five whole years) was disappointed when the name of Ocee was going to be preserved in the name of a shopping center. She felt it was "too provincial." I had to remind her that she had chosen to live in Ocee, and if she were not happy here, all the older residents of Ocee would help her move. I am now glad that the community name continues. I can only hope that just a little knowledge of the history of the communities of old Milton County will help preserve them.

In Georgia, Counties were founded in the nineteenth century so that anyone living in the county could reach the county seat in just one day's easy journey. This distance requirement is why there are so many counties in Georgia and also why the counties are smaller in the mountains of north Georgia. Milton County was formed in 1857 from parts of Cherokee, Forsyth, and even DeKalb Counties when it was felt that the people in the extremes of these counties lived too far away. Alpharetta was incorporated as the county seat, and a courthouse was built. Because of the distance requirement of one day's journey, the town would be too far to travel for a family's immediate needs. Therefore, communities were formed so that families would have quicker access to stores and supplies they could not grow or create on their farms. These communities were often still close to half a day's journey away because it took much more time to travel by foot or even farm wagon.

Warsaw

The oldest community in Milton County was Warsaw. Located at the river along Medlock Bridge Road. Warsaw is listed on many maps years prior to the removal of the Cherokee Indians. Therefore, why the name of Warsaw was chosen is lost to the ages. The former Warsaw Methodist Church would be the oldest church in the county. As with all the other communities, the roads in this community reflect the important families that settled there. The Medlock family controlled the ferry over the Chattahoochee River and subsequently built the bridge. The Parsons family owned most of the property surrounding Ocee, and Mr. C.W. Parsons' house was the large Queen Anne style house that was recently moved from the corner of Parsons Road and Medlock Bridge Road.

Local legend says that Warsaw was named by the Moravian missionaries to the Cherokee in memory of their "homeland." The problem was that Moravia is in southern Germany, not in Poland. A more likely explanation is the common misunderstanding of Indian village names. There was a community of Creek Indians called "Wassaws" or "Waxaws" or other spellings. After leaving the coast, most of the Creeks established villages on the Chattahoochee before moving on to Alabama and ultimately removed to Oklahoma. This could be the final immigration spot for the "Waxaw" Indians, which the local whites misunderstood as "Warsaw."

The Waxaw belong to the Cusabo, a tribe located on the coast that spoke a similar language to the Muskogee/Creek Indians. The first name of Hilton Head Island was Waxaw Island. According to foundation myths of the Muskogee peoples, they came from the west, probably the southwest, and stopped when they got to the ocean. The Waxaw were located near one of the great cities of the Creek Indians that was mentioned by de Soto: Cofitasqui. This city was known later as Koashita.

Because of the pressures from the Spanish and later English settlers, most of the Cusabo were killed or merged into the neighboring tribes. Because of the proximity to the Koashita, the great peace town of the Creek, the Waxaw may have merged with this tribe. The Koashita are known to have traveled first up the Savannah River, then to the head waters of the Ocmulgee River and subsequently to the upper Chattahoochee River. The Koashita then migrated down the Chattahoochee to finally reside at the Falls, or near Columbus, Georgia. If the Waxaw had been with the Koashita during this immigration, they could have simply stopped at what is now called Warsaw.

Likewise, there is a Siouan language people in the southeast that lived during historic times in upper South Carolina. The tribal names remain largely in place names in the South Carolina piedmont: Cheraw, Catawba, etc. One of these peoples were called the "Waxaw." These may have also been the descendants of the Waxaw tribe on the coast of South Carolina that migrated north. These tribes were usually at war with the Cherokee, and the Cherokee aided the whites in attacking the Waxaw. Because of both of the tribes fought the Cherokee, the Waxaw may have joined the Muscogee/Creek nation as they immigrated west and ultimately south along the Chattahoochee. More information is still needed to link these names.

Shakerag

The oldest house in old Milton County, and now the oldest house in Fulton County, is the home of John Rogers. John Rogers controlled a ferry over the river as well, and before the removal lived along the Federal Road in Gwinnett County until he married Charlotte who was a Cherokee Indian. The Cherokee are a matrilineal people. This means that children are born into the clan of their mothers. When young men marry, they leave their family and move in with their wife's family and all his children will belong to his wife's clan. Because John Rogers had married an Indian, he was now considered a Cherokee and could live on the Cherokee side of the river. He found it less expensive to take his two story house off its foundation, float it across the river, and transport it up out of the flood plain. Therefore, his house is now the oldest house on this side of the river. He moved his house in approximately 1820.

Warsaw already existed; however, he found it difficult to travel that distance in any reasonable time. He founded a new Methodist Church, called Antioch, nearer to his house. There was also a much more important trail and later road that crossed the river just north of his ferry: McGinnis Ferry. The trail that included Collins/McGinnis Ferry reached all the way to Augusta, and became one of the most important trade routes of the early nineteenth century. After crossing the Chattahoochee, traders looked for an easy rest. Chief Vann operated the nearest tavern well in Forsyth County, so enterprising souls created a couple of taverns near McGinnis Ferry. Slowly a community formed with the requisite stores, blacksmith shops around the taverns.

However, one of the important questions regarding this and many other communities is how the name was chosen. Some speculate that the name refers to the rag one shakes to tell passing trains, and maybe stage coaches, to stop the train, and maybe stage coach, to get the mail. The legend I heard, however, concerned a bobcat that terrorized the community's laundry. The wives of the community would do their laundry and hang the clothes to dry out back overnight. During the night, some animal would rip the laundry off the line and, shaking the clothes to rags, scatter the laundry over the back yard. One night, one of the residents saw a bobcat shaking the rags, and then everyone knew who was shaking their rags. They let the bobcat go, and the community got its name.

Ocee

Another odd community name is the neighboring Ocee. Originally the community was called New York, but the Post Office refused to deliver mail to New York, Georgia. Something about there already being a New York, but whether that is New York, New York, or another New York, Georgia remains to be answered. Therefore, the community decided to call itself Mazeppa. Later, the community changed the name to Ocee after they had forgotten why they had chosen Mazeppa.

Because of the oddity of the name Mazeppa, many have speculated that it appears in the Bible; however, you will never find the name Mazeppa anywhere in the Bible, even reading the apocryphal works. By chance, I discovered the name in a book of poetry. Ivan Stepanovich Mazeppa (1632?-1709) was a Russian/Polish peasant who became a page for King John Casimir of Poland. According to legend, he somehow offended a nobleman and was punished by being tied, naked, to a wild horse and sent into the wilderness. A Cossack tribe in the Ukraine adopted him, and later he became their chief. Years later, he returned to terrorize Warsaw. He fought for the independence of the Ukraine against Charles XII of Sweden and against Peter the Great of Russia. He was not successful against these powerful nations, but was a constant terror for Warsaw. He became a hero admired by the romantic poets and composers. Lord Byron wrote a poem called Mazeppa in 1819 (which is where I discovered the name) and Tchaikovsky wrote an opera Mazeppa in 1883. Several lesser operas and plays were very popular to traveling shows in the United States.

I recall a story about some citizen attending a play in Atlanta about Mazeppa. Because Ivan Stepanovich Mazeppa had sacked Warsaw, Poland, the citizens of the community next to Warsaw, Georgia, chose his name for their new community. After that, the constant "Indian" and "Biblical" explanations were created, until the name itself was forgotten. Then, the community became Ocee. Again, Indian origin is often speculated when compared to true Indian names like "Ocoee" and "Oconee". Some even notice the high elevation and the fact that in the nineteenth century the entire landscape was filled with cotton fields say the name came from the vantage point.

For many years, Ocee contained three stores, a justice of the peace office, a blacksmith, and several churches. Two of the stores contained gas pumps. Mr. O.C. Shirley founded one of the bigger stores, hence, I believe, the name for the community. Being bounded by Big Creek, Johns Creek, and the Chattahoochee River, most of the community roads were named for the people that built the ferries and bridges over these waterways. John Kimball was an early settler of the area, for example, even before the Cherokee were removed.

At the turn of the century, Ocee was a very large community. Henry Brooks operated a blacksmith shop. O.C. Shirley, the Turner family, and the Barnett family all operated stores around the Congregational Church located where the Circle K is located at the intersection of Kimball Bridge and Jones Bridge Roads. They even had a small Justice of the Peace office where county work was done. Saturdays were often spent around Mr. Brooks front porch after the Saturday shopping in the various stores was completed.

Sundays were spent in religious pursuits. There were four churches in the community: Bethlehem Methodist Episcopal Church, South; Ocee Congregational Church; Clear Springs Baptist Church, and Big Creek Primitive Baptist Church. Bethlehem MEC, South was served by a preacher from the North Georgia Conference who preached in a circuit of churches, including Alpharetta First Methodist, Warsaw Methodist, Shiloh Methodist, and Ebenezer Methodist. Every week, the preacher would preach at Alpharetta and then one of the other, country churches. Bethlehem MEC, South was located in the midst of the Windward Development, and the other churches are located at their present location. Bethlehem Church had access to a minister only once a month, although Jesse Brooks often preached for the Wednesday night prayer services, and none of the other churches could afford a minister for more than one Sunday a month. Therefore, the entire community would travel between the four churches every month, attending the service at the church that had a preacher that week. Competition for souls was great for when the people of the community felt the spirit; they were declared members of the church in which they felt the spirit. After years passed, Ocee Congregational joined the Methodist Conference, Bethlehem MEC, South merged with the new Methodist Church, and people began to only go to one of the remaining churches.

Newtown

Newtown would seem to be one of the newer communities in the area, but it is probably one of the older communities in the area. Centered at the intersection of Haynes Bridge Road and Old Alabama Road, Newtown was also a thriving center. It contained several stores, seems to have had a school for many years, and had a very active "justice of the peace" office. The community was headed largely by the Nesbitt family, and the Nesbitts were often the Justices.

Court in the County seat of Alpharetta was held only one week in March and one week in August, leaving most of the cases to be decided locally by the Justices of the Peace. Justices were elected well before the judges of the Superior Court were elected. There was no requirement that the Justices know the law nor were they required to know how to read. Many Justices served merely because they were older and well respected by the community. In communities like Birmingham, simple log structures served the requirements of the justice, but some Justices had elaborate structures. The back of the Turner store in Ocee held an office where the Justice presided. Newtown had a fine frame structure early in its history for the Justice.

The only record for most of the Justices were the people for whose weddings they presided. Yet, most justices had to deal with issues like "Mr. Haynes' dog got into my hen house and killed several chickens," or " Ms. Gibson's cow got into my corn field and destroyed about an acre of my crop." Although not often requiring the wisdom of Solomon, the Justice had to know how to make a fair decision with which everyone could live. If the Justice could not handle the case, or someone was dissatisfied with the decision, they could appeal to the Court in Alpharetta. Mr. Nesbitt was known as a very good Justice, and served for many years, and his decisions were rarely appealed. Unlike other justices in Milton County, the justices of Newtown could actually try felonies.

Much of the rest of the infrastructure was based on the proximity to the Chattahoochee River. Nesbitt's Ferry, Jones' Ferry replaced by Jones' Bridge were the main ways to cross the river. Jones Bridge Road was along the top of a ridge between Big Creek and the headwaters of Johns Creek, and therefore, the bridge was very high over the Jones Bridge Shoals and rapids. Well before the depression, somewhere around 1910, a debate arose between Gwinnett and Milton County over who should repair the bridge. No solution was found, and the bridge went into disrepair.

The possible derivation of the name is an open issue. Several individuals and families of Cherokee descent were born and raised in the Newtown area well into the twentieth century. Traditionally, Cherokee and Muskogee villages would travel and relocate, leaving the name for the older village with the new village taking the name of "Newtown." Echota, for example, was a traditional peace town in what is now Tennessee. When the tribe was forced to cede this area to the United States, they created a "New" Echota in northwest Georgia. New Echota was often referred to as simply "New Town" with the older village being referred to as "Old Town Echota."

Along the Chattahoochee, there were several Indian villages. We have discussed several; Warsaw and Roger's settlement near Shakerag being the two biggest. One other, just north of the present boundary between North Fulton and Forsyth Counties, was Sawnee's Old Town. There is no reference for any "Newtown" except the community east of Alpharetta. Childhood memories of Indian mounds in the area, the long tradition of Cherokee ancestors for the local families, and the presence of Long Indian Creek all lend support to the theory that Newtown was an Indian village for half-blood Cherokees. The churches of Newtown were Mt. Pisgah Methodist Church and Pleasant Hill Baptist Church. Both have old and strong traditions in the area.

Midway

This community was another centered on a religious institution. When the Hansard, Ezzard, Wills, and other families near the border with Forsyth County decided they needed a church, they began to build a Methodist Church on the road that became Highway 9. Being "mid way" between Alpharetta and Cumming, they choose the name "Midway." The name of the church soon connected to the community.

Unlike many of the other communities in old Milton County, this community has actually thrived in recent times. The school, Midway Hardware, and the recent addition of a diner have guaranteed that the community will survive in some form. However, one of the best qualities of a community is the distinctive quality of the area. After all, Milton County is in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, and therefore should have hills and valleys. In addition, the old trees and distinctive architecture should be notices. Unfortunately, several of the communities are facing the destruction of all distinctiveness of Milton County. Hills are leveled or moved, trees are destroyed, and bland, suburban, cookie cutter architecture is being placed everywhere.

Hopewell

The Hopewell Community may be one of the few communities that were founded in Milton County for religious reasons. At the corner of Hopewell Road and Birmingham Road is an old house that had been built by Moravian missionaries. The house served as the community center for a while, and served as a rest stop along the trails that connected Cumming and Canton. Now, Hopewell Baptist Church serves as this religious center for the community.

The center of the community for many years was the school and the few very small stores around Hopewell Road and Thompson Road. The school was closed in about 1980, and this community, like so many others, lost all contact with its past.

Webb, Georgia

Webb, Georgia, is one of the two communities in old Milton County named for a particular family. The other was Fields' Crossroads. The Webb family was very important to the county. One Webb was one of the most well educated men in Milton County, being able to read ancient Greek. The Webb for whom the community is named is one of the descendants of this man. Several members of the family actually operated a store and a blacksmith shop at the corner created by the current Highway 9 and Webb Road. You can see the parts of Webb that still remain and the community that refuses to die.

Birmingham

The Birmingham Community is the best preserved local community in the area and one of the most threatened. Located at the intersection of Birmingham Highway (372) and Birmingham Road, the community still contains several old store buildings, a Methodist Church, and several older homes around the community center.

Birmingham was one of the farthest community in Milton County, and so the most distant from Alpharetta. Because of the distance, Birmingham had one of the largest school buildings earlier than many of the other communities. A two story building with a central cupola was built in about 1870 for an academy. Operated by the Methodist Church, the building probably was located on the current Methodist Church property. At one point, it was referred to as the "Wesleyan" Academy. The Academy actually offered some high school education even before the Academy in Alpharetta. From some records, the Academy continued to grow and changed, and could be considered the start of Rinehart College.

Crabapple

Named after the crabapple orchard owned by Mr. John B. Broadwell and located at the original site of Northwestern School (presently owned by the Crabapple Baptist Church). The crabapple orchard was open to any person in the community, and picnics were often held there while the local farmers were shopping. Because the community had gathered there for years, Mr. Broadwell gave the property to the county to build the Northwestern School.

Of all the communities, Crabapple might have had the most cotton. Each of the other communities had a cotton gin, but Crabapple had two at one point in its history. The last cotton gin is the Raven's Nest Store. Mr. Broadwell was famous for creating a strain of cotton that made more bolls of cotton per stalk than most cotton plants. The money from cotton, before the start of the twentieth century, allowed the local store owners to build their stores in brick. The two brick stores in Crabapple now were created from this money.

Most of the other communities had a larger mix of staple crops supported by the local stores. Because of the importance of corn and other crops, Oscar Hembree created a strain of corn seed that produced healthier corn crops for the other farmers in Milton County.

In addition to the Broadwell family, the Rucker family was prominent in Crabapple. One of this family, Nap Rucker, played professional baseball for the Brooklyn Dodgers. He actually played for Mr. Ebbett's team through all the names that the ball club held. After making his money as a pitcher, Nap returned to the area, buying Primrose Cottage in Roswell and serving for years as the mayor of that Cobb County town. By moving to Roswell, Nap Rucker proved to be the example of "when you're poor, live in Alpharetta, when you're rich, live in Roswell." This mentality has changed somewhat recently, but the humility of Alpharetta can be seen even today.

Some of the road names in Crabapple can be confusing. Upper Hembree, Lower Rucker, Mid Broadwell have a historical explanation. Before the Civil War, the three main roads to Crabapple were callled the "Upper Route," "Middle Route," and "Lower Route." As with other areas, the roads also were known for the families that lived on the road. Therefore, people began to refer to the Upper, Lower, and Middle Routes by saying, "Yeah, the Hembrees are on the Upper," etc. This led to the names of the streets to contain the original reference as well as the family reference.