Robert Alston was passionate about the treatment of prisoners under the convict leasing system- which made him an enemy in Captain Edward Cox.  The two would settle it with guns inside the Capitol Building.

The Moving Through Georgia book is available on Amazon.

But they are dead - A look at mourning and notable burials in Northeast Georgia

Before the chain gang there was convict leasing- anyone sent to the state peniteniary could find themselves digging canals, mining for coal, or working in a factory.  The coal mines were among the worst places to be sent, and there was the occasional escape attempt.

The Moving Through Georgia book is available on Amazon.

But they are dead - A look at mourning and notable burials in Northeast Georgia

Anderson Pittman from Habersham County was taken prisoner near the end of the Civil War and didn't come home until 1903.  

The Moving Through Georgia book is available on Amazon.

As a Grateful Dead fan I was aware of the song 'Dupree's Diamond Blues' but never knew that it was about an eighteen year old who committed a robbery and muder in Atlanta.  This is the story of 'The Peachtree Bandit', the last person sentenced to hang in Georgia,  and some of the music he inspired.

The Moving Through Georgia book is available on Amazon.

But they are dead - A look at mourning and notable burials in Northeast Georgia

Robert Forsyth would be the first United States Marshall to die in the line of duty- killed in 1794 by a disgraced former minister.

The Moving Through Georgia book is available on Amazon.

But they are dead - A look at mourning and notable burials in Northeast Georgia

'Let the Midnight Special... Shine a light on me...'  From the turn of the century until the fifties people convicted of misdemeanor crimes would work on public roads in black and white stripes.  At one time Georgia would have more paved roads than any other southern state, all from convict labor.

The Moving Through Georgia book is available on Amazon.

For the Fouth of July, stories from both sides of the Revolution.  Elizabeth Johnson was a loyal British Subject living in Savannah, James Jackson was a die-hard rebel and leader of the Patriot forces.

The Moving Through Georgia book is available on Amazon.

But they are dead - A look at mourning and notable burials in Northeast Georgia

After the American victory at Kettle Creek things were looking up for the patriots- Briar Creek would end that.  Besides the battle, conflict would happen all around Georgia in homes and communities.

The Moving Through Georgia book is available on Amazon.

But they are dead - A look at mourning and notable burials in Northeast Georgia

A night to drinking, and maybe some careless words, lead to a murder in Habersham County.  The murder would face justice one dark night in his cell.  Also, another tale of whiskey leading to violence in Habersham.

The Moving Through Georgia book is available on Amazon.

But they are dead - A look at mourning and notable burials in Northeast Georgia

A circus train collides with another train in Columbus, Georgia, and 24 people lose their lives.

Researching and discussing circus disasters is a dark but busy part of the historical community.  If you're interested, start with Charles Nelson Reilley's account of the 1944 Hartford circus fire in which 168 people died.  

The Moving Through Georgia book is available on Amazon.

But they are dead - A look at mourning and notable burials in Northeast Georgia