After returning my daughter to UGA today, I had about an hour
to spare at the Historical Society in Jackson County, GA in
the town of Jefferson.
At the Historical Society is a file on the Camp History. Much
of it was duplicated from the Mann books and the _Gone to GA_
book. There was an interesting article from the local newspaper
about three Camp sisters who were daughters of Nathan Camp.
There wasn't a date anywhere to be found on the article; however,
part of the masthead was visible and the price of the paper was 5c.
I looked up the Camp name in deeds at the county courthouse. There
are quite a few on file with 1808 being the earliest (I think) transaction.
Hosea Camp was pretty active in Jackson. As an aside to Larry,
there was a notation referring to Hosea as a son of John (in one
notation, James in the other), being wealthy, a Methodist minister
and at least at one time, a resident of Polk County. As a United
Methodist myself, I am a bit doubtful Hosea could have been wealthy
and a Methodist minister at the same time. As far as I know Methodist
ministers of that time were all circuit riders and were discouraged
of being encumbered with a family, much less wealth.
Also in the courthouse were land transactions involving Abner Camp
(who eventually was in Clayton Co. with my line). There were also a
couple involving a Thomas Camp Jr. and Sr.; a couple with a John
Camp, but none involving James. James was listed in the Gwinnett 1820 census,
but I wonder where he was prior to that. It looks like Hosea moved
to Gwinnett by 1830.
I also found in the "Superior Court Petition" book a transaction
involving John Camp and around $150. Does anyone know what this
means? It appears to be a type of lawsuit.
I had a great deal of difficulty reading the courthouse records. The
books on file are copies of originals. The original handwritting is
small and cramped, making it almost impossible to read. The earlier
deeds are quaint, listing land boundaries as "twenty feet from the
red oak", etc. as if those land markers would last forever.
I plan to visit again when I am not so pressed for time. If anyone
has any requests, let me know.
Carole