George Poythress (1763-7/19/1832) was the son of Thomas Poythress (1729-1800). He married (1) Mary Turner Lawson (1768-1794) and Harriet “Hetty” A. Carter (c. 1771-12/24/1818, b. Burke Co., GA. d. Chatham Co., GA.). George Poythress’ children were: John Carter (1796-9/12/1862), William (1800-1828) and Mary Elizabeth who married George Addison Mandell. Mary Elizabeth was the daughter of Mary Turner Lawson and John Carter and William were sons of Harriet Carter.

When Thomas (1729-1800) and Martha left Virginia, about 1782, for Georgia, they took several of their children with them. These children were: George, Edward, possibly William, and another daughter that married William Morris.

Thomas Poythress’ (1729-1800) son, George Poythress, appeared in the records in Georgia in 1791. Edward Poythress appeared in the Georgia records in 1799 with his brothers, George Poythress and Thomas Poythress, and their father, Thomas Poythress (1729-1800).

October 28, 1799, Thomas Poythress, along with Thomas Poythress, Jr., George Poythress and Edward Poythress signed a petition on behalf of Leonard Nobles, asking Georgia Governor, James Jackson, to pardon the death sentence. “Burke County, Georgia, Petition asking for Pardon for Leonard Nobles, Jr., 1799. To his Excellency James Jackson esquire Governor and commander in Chief in and over the State of Georgia and of Militia & Army & Navy there of. The petition of the Subscribers Inhabitants of the County of Burke in the said State, Most Respectfully Sheweth. That having understood Leonard Nobles is at present confined in the Jail of Screven County and under Sentence of Death they are induced from Motives of Humanity, and in consideration of his extreme age and helpless Family to Solicit your Interposition in his favor and that your Excellency granting him a pardon for the above mentioned Offence; and they as duty Bound will ever pray, etc.” Burke County, 28th October 1799. Signers: 50 individuals, including.. Thomas Poythress, Geo. Poythress, Edward Poythress, Thomas Poythress, Jr. [Burke County, Georgia Court Minute records.]

In 1803, Martha, George and Edward Poythress registered for the 1805 (1st) Georgia land lottery. The 1805 lottery listed the names of every person who entered. Registration in 1803 for this drawing was a fairly good, although incomplete “proxy” for an 1803 census of Georgia. In the later lotteries, with a few exceptions, only the winners were listed. Land awarded in the 1805 lottery was then Baldwin and Wilkinson County.

Name Reg.# Prize or Blank Registrant’s County Poythress, Edward 47 B B Burke

Poythress, George 65 B Burke Poythress, Martha 50 B B Burke Poythress, Francis 613 B B Hancock Poythress, Meredith 968 B B Screven Poythress, William 967 B B Screven

From The Augusta Chronicle

The Criminal Caught. At length, however, Benjamin Woodward was caught in Augusta, Georgia, which may be taken to prove that crime doesn’t pay. On October 12, 1791 Governor Beverley Randolph sent to William Rose, the jailor, the following letter, which must have excited all the law-abiding citizens of Dinwiddie:

Sir, Mr. Longstreet with a guard, who have in custody Benjamin Woodward, who is taken up under a proclamation of the State, intend to lodge at your house this night. Their necessary expenses will be paid by the Executive. You will be good enough to provide for them the most secure room in your house, as the Culprit cannot be regularly committed to GOAL in this county. I am, Sir, Your Ob’t Serv’t.

Woodward’s identity had been established at no little trouble and expense. Robert Dixon, William Nicholson, and George Poythress, who knew him well, had traveled all the way to Augusta to look him over. Though 15 years had passed since Woodward escaped from jail in Dinwiddie, the three men recognized him and testified under oath that he – was “the identical person who was formerly a resident of Dinwiddie County, in the State of Virginia, and has long been noted for his vilany for counterfeiting the public papers of that State.” [Augusta Chronicle and Gazette]

May 26, 1800. Personally appeared before me John Steptoe who being duely sworn saith that he has lost or mislaid a note of hand given by George Poythress to Thomas Bynes for $ 442.56 which was payable the 15th day of March last the note being all paid off but $190 which said sum I have since received from the said Poythress. Signed: John Steptoe. Sworn to this 26th day of May 1800. Signed: J. I. Robbinson, J. I. C.[Justice Inferior Court]. (Augusta Chronicle, 6/14/1800, p. 3, column 4)

March 2, 1801. Will be sold at auction, 15th of April next….Waynesborough….2 horses belonging to the estate of Thomas Poythress dced. George Poythress, Admr. (Augusta Chronicle, 3/7/1801, 3, 3)

November 21, 1803. Sheriff’s sale…first Tuesday in September next, courthouse in Waynesborough…one Negro boy named Stephney; taken by virtue of an execution, William Duefto vs. George Poythress, administrator of Thomas Poythress. (Augusta Chronicle, 12/31/1803, p. 4, column 4)

February 12, 1805. Georgia, Burke County, by William Baduly, clerk of the court for the ordinary in said county, WHEREAS, George Poythress has applied to me for letters of administration on the estate of George Wallace, late of this county dced….therefore..admonish all…the kindred of said dced to shew cause, if they have any, why said letters should not be granted. (Augusta Chronicle, 2/23/1805, p. 3, column 4)

October 12, 1805. The following returns of the general election held on Monday last for senators and representatives in the State Legislature, are come to hand. For Burke County, representatives    Abraham,   Jackson, George Poythress, and William Bines. (Augusta Chronicle, 10/12/1805, p. 3, column 3)

January 31, 1807. Notice: that in the beginning of November last    Jones of the province of east Florida brought in there one bright bay gelding four years fourteen hands high, also one bright bay mare and a black mare with some grey hair, which property is             to have been    South Carolina–further information may be had by applying to the subscriber near Waynesborough. Signed: George Poythress, Jan 31st. (Augusta Chronicle, 1/31/1807, p. 3, column 2)

March 25, 1809. Notice: All persons having demand against the estate of Henry G. Caldwell dc’d are required to render in their accounts properly attested and those indebted to make payment to the subscriber. Signed: Geo.

Poythress March 25, the administrat’r. (Augusta Chronicle, 3/25/1809, p. 3, column 3)

July 5, 1817. (Judgement won) Two hundred acres of land in Burke County on Buck’s creek adjoining lands of Matthew Spain and Lasseter’s land — levied on as the property of Peter I. Goulding, to satisfy sundry executions in favor of George Poythress and others against said Goulding. (Augusta Chronicle, 7/5/1817, p. 3, column 5)

March 3, 1818. (Advertisement) GA. Burr Stone. Several pair first quality Burr Stone, cut out of the solid 1 pr. 4 feet, 8 inches, 1 pr. 4 feet, ? inches, 2 pr. 3 feet 10 inches. Any person wanting such stone, or any quantity of blocks for the purpose of manufacturing Burr Mill Stone will please apply to me at my plantation near Waynesborough.

George Poythress (Augusta Chronicle, 4/18/1818, p. 3, column 4)

March 7, 1818. Sheriff’s sale…..courthouse Waynesborough….Four Negroes, Betty, Catharine, Prince, and Ellen, levied on as the property of Edward Poythress to satisfy an execution in favor of George Poythress, in the foreclosure of a mortgage. (Augusta Chronicle, 4/8/1818, p. 4, column 3)

March 25, 1818. Presentments of the Grand Jury of March term 1818. We the Grand Jurors on their oaths present as follows (enumerated presentments follow). One of signers: George Poythress (Augusta Chronicle, 3/25/1818, p. 3, column 1)

July 7, 1819. George Poythress on list for letters remaining at post office in Waynesborough on July 1, 1819.

(Augusta Chronicle, 7/7/1819, p. 3, column 3)

January 22, 1827….Marriage at Waynesborough on Wednesday evening last Addison Mandell, Esq. of Macon to Miss Mary E. Poythress daughter of Major George Poythress. (Augusta Chronicle)

(From BPN)

Will of Major George Poythress

George Poythress, Jackson County, Florida 1832. (Book E, p. 286 & 287, July 19, 1832. H. N. Nowland, Clerk. Territory of Florida, County of Jackson. In the name of God Amen. I George Poythress of the Territory and County aforesaid calling to mind that all men must die and wishing to dispose of my worldly Estate do make and ordain this as my last will and Testament in Manner and form following to wit Item 1st I give and bequeath unto my Son John Carter Poythress my tract of Land lying and being in the County of Burk in the State of Georgia Known as the Rocky Creek Plantation to him and his heirs and assigns forever Item 2nd I give and bequeath unto John C. Poythress of Burk County in the state of Georgia and my friend James W. Exum of Jackson County West Florida whom I hereby nominate create and appoint Executors of this my last Will and Testament in trust as such executors all the remaining part of my Estate real & Personal both in Law and Equity with all monies and evidences of Debts due me to them & their heirs Executors and Administrators, But upon this special trust and confidence and for the purposes hereinafter mentioned, That is to say to suffer and permit my daughter Mary Elizabeth Mandell receive and use to her sole and separate use free from the controle or contracts of her husband or husbands the income and profits of my saidEstate for and during her natural life. And I do hereby declare that my said daughter’s separate receipt notwithstanding her said coverture shall be a sufficient & legal discharge to the said Trustees for the Income of said property so paid over to her from time to time. And it is further my will and desire that should my said daughter have a child or children living at her death then & in that case I give and bequeath said Estate Real & Personal herein conveyed to said Child or children and to them their heirs and assigns forever – But if my said daughter depart this life without having a child or children living at her death then and in that case it is my will and desire that my said Estate real and personal after my daughter’s death without children living go to and I do bequeath the same to such children of my Brother Lewis of the State of Virginia as may be living at the death of my Daughter.

I do hereby nominate and appoint my Son John Carter Poythress and my friend James W. Exum my Executors to carry this my last will into effect hereby revoking all former wills made by me – In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal this Sixth day of April In the year of our Lord 1829 — Geo Poythress

Signed Sealed and Executed

In the presence of us who sign the same in the presence of the Testator and in the presence of each other — Wm. J. Mauldin, Robert Ross, H. D. Stone.

George Poythress died in Jackson County, Florida (at that time Jackson County, Territory of Florida) well after making his will (signed on 6 April 1829), around July 1832. William Mauldin, Esqr, witnessed it and swore on July 19, 1832 in Jackson County Territory, of Florida, that George signed it in the presence of him and the other two witnesses, Robert Ross, and H. D. Stone.

It was stated in the court proceedings by John C. Poythress that Mary Mandell, “now Mary Cheesborough” was his half sister. It further stated that Mary’s “maternal uncle” was Alexander L. Lawson who they finally settled on to be Trustee for Mary after John C. was getting too feeble to do it any more. Mary died in Jackson County, Florida. She signed some of the receipts for proceeds of the crops of various years, in Marianna, which is in Jackson County, Florida. In 1845, the “Return of John C. Poythress Executor of the last will of George Poythress Decd and trustee under the will of the property of Mary E. Cheeseborough & her children” lists the various years, 1841-1844, for which John paid her receipts from the crops.