William B Bagley

WILLIAM BAGLEY

William Bagley was one of the five commissioners appointed by Gov. H. V.

Johnson, in 1854, to direct the initial efforts of the new county of

Chattahoochee to function as a political unit of the State.

William Bagley's father, Moor Bagley, is said to have been the first white

man to come through King's Gap on the Indian trail above Hamilton, Ga, He stayed

a few years in Harris County, then came into Muscogee where the first record of

land bought by him is dated Dec. 24, 1836, (lot No. 253, in 9th district). He

was a cooper by trade, made buckets, piggins, tubs, etc. As he followed the

Indians, he had many dramatic experiences. Col. J. E. D. Shipp as a boy heard

Mr. Moor Bagley, who lived to be quite aged, say that there were few stores in

Columbus during his early residence in Muscogee County and when great numbers of

Indians would come there to buy goods no one else could get any because the

merchants would sell to the Indians at such tremendous profits that they would

not pay any attention to people who knew how to trade, until after the Indians

left. Moor Bagley used also to tell this tale: There was a girl in Columbus who

drew pictures and she made one of the Chief's daughter, a good looking Indian

maiden, which was a pencil sketch colored up a little. This Indian chief came in

one day, said his daughter was dead and he would like to have that picture. The

artist would have sold it for $10.00, but the chief said he would give her ten

fine horses and a wigwam for it.

Mr. Bagley said he could hire an Indian to work on his farm all day for ten

ears of corn. When the Creek Indians began war after the last cession of their

lands in Georgia, his son, William Bagley, subject of this sketch, served as a

corporal in Captain Games' Mounted Company, 66th Regiment Georgia Militia,

having enlisted May 22, 1836, at Columbus, Ga.

Moor Bagley married Jane Graves in old Randolph, later Jasper County, where

William Bagley was born. From Jasper County Moor Bagley was drawn for service in

War of 1812. The records in Washington show that Moor Bagley served as a

corporal in Capt. Samuel Lane's Company of Riflemen, 4th Regiment (Jones')

Georgia Militia from November 21, 1814 to May 6, 1815.

Dr. Geo. Wallis says Moor Bagley was drawn twice, first from Jasper

County—during his absence his wife and children (including Wm. Bagley) came to

her father's (John Graves') in Fayette County. When he returned, he was drawn

again for six months from Fayette County. Moor Bagley paid tax in Fayette County

in 1822, and for several succeeding years. His children were all married in

Muscogee County. He married a second time, after Chattahoochee County was

formed, when he was living near Gobler's Hill. Mr. J. K. Chapman, Sr., recalls

going to the home of his great-grandfather, a few miles from that of his

grandfather, Wm. Bagley. He says the second Mrs. Moor Bagley was a scrupulously

nice housekeeper, who practiced a custom peculiar to the Japanese—there was an

entry for changing shoes and boots worn outside for those kept for indoor wear.

Several of Mr. Moor Bagley's children moved to Alabama and Texas, but

William Bagley remained in Chattahoochee County, where he and his wife, Joannah

Jones Bagley, reared a large family of sons and daughters. William had been a

pioneer in Columbus, for he helped clear the land where Broad Street is now

located, and dug the first well in Columbus at the northwest corner of Twelfth

Street and Fourth Avenue. Two or three years later he moved into this part of

then Muscogee County, where he spent the remainder of his life.

After helping to build up this part of the state he saw it again devastated

by war. And all his sons enlisted in this war, one of them, James Madison

Bagley, being killed at the battle of Gettysburg. He himself gave service when

the older men were enrolled into the militia during last months of the Civil

War. One of his sons, B. F. (Doc) Bagley, made repeated efforts before he was

accepted, being young and small of stature. It is said he and his equipment

weighed less than one hundred pounds when he departed for army life.

During reconstruction days, the people recognizing Mr. Wm. Bagley's ability

elected him with D. H. Burts to represent Chattahoochee in the Constitutional

Convention at Milledgeville called by Provisional Governor James Johnson in

October 1865.

He was Judge of the Inferior Court in 1867-68, when this court was

abolished. His services were in constant demand as administrator of various

estates of his relatives and friends.

Finally through removals and death, there was only one of the sons living in

this county, B. F. (Doc) Bagley, who served the County as representative,

sheriff and tax receiver, for several terms of his service as tax receiver, he

was assisted by his daughter, Miss Mattie Kate Bagley, then a schoolgirl who has

since become a successful young business woman in Columbus, Ga., and is now Vice

President Georgia Division American Legion Auxilary. Wm. Bagley's vigorous

mentality and superior ability are characteristic of many of his descendants.

Col. J. E. D. Shipp, who was his legal adviser during the latter years of

his life, says a more honorable, upright man than Mr. Wm. Bagley never lived.

Additional Comments:

From:

HISTORY OF CHATTAHOOCHEE COUNTY, GEORGIA

By N. K. Rogers

Dedicated to

KASIHITA CHAPTER U. D. C.

and all worthy descendants of the County's first settlers.

Copyright 1933

by N. K. ROGERS

PRINTED BY

COLUMBUS OFFICE SUPPLY CO. COLUMBUS, GA.

File at: http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/ga/chattahoochee/bios/gbs533ba...

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 Moor Bagley (1783 - 1872)

 Jane Graves Bagley (1787 - 1865)

Spouse:

 Joannah Jones Bagley (1815 - 1879)

Children:

 John Douglas Bagley (1836 - 1912)*

 Samuel Moore Bagley (1838 - ____)*

 William Washington Bagley (1839 - 1905)*

 Priscilla Catherine Bagley Parham (1841 - 1906)*

 James Madison Bagley (1842 - 1863)*

 Lucy Ann Elizabeth Bagley Chapman (1844 - 1870)*

 Benjamin Franklin Bagley (1845 - 1925)*

 Francis Marion Bagley (1845 - 1903)*

 Thomas Jefferson Bagley (1847 - 1923)*

 Melford Lafayette Bagley (1850 - 1874)*

 Mary Ann Bagley McCook (1852 - 1927)*

 Julius Walker Bagley (1853 - 1878)*

 Elvira Cinderella Bagley (1855 - 1855)*

 Eula S. Bagley (1855 - 1855)*

 David Allen Bagley (1859 - 1904)*

Siblings:

 William B. Bagley (1811 - 1883)

 Sarah Bagley Cobb (1825 - 1905)*

 Martha Bagley Mack (1832 - 1919)*