John
Goldwire Polhill
Editor of the Federal Union, State Representative,
Judge of Superior Court, Ocmulgee Circuit
Judge John
Goldwire Polhill was born Oct 16, in Newington, Screven, Georgia.
He was the son of Thomas Polhill, a Baptist Minister and trustee of Second
Baptist Church in Savannah. Thomas Polhill also owned land in Baldwin County,
land lot number 295, that had been granted by the state. Judge James
Polhill of the Southern Circuit was Thomas Polhill's son also.
A graduate
of Rhode Island College, he studied law in Augusta. Judge Polhill practiced
law in Macon with Charleton B. Cole in 1827. He was practicing in Milledgeville
by 1830. He was one of the founders of the Baptist Church in Milledgeville
and acting deacon of the church at the time of his death. First appointed
Judge of Superior Court of Georgia to fill the vacancy of Judge L.Q.C.
Lamar July 7, 1834, he served until the time of his death in 26,
1838. He was a stockholder on the Great Western Railroad Company
which formed in 1835 and a trustee of the Southern Baptist College
in Washington, Ga. incorporated in 1836. Judge Polhill became
sick in 1837, went to Cass County (now Bartow) for his health, and
died there August 26, 1838. He is buried Oothcalooga Baptist Church
Cemetery in Adairsville, Ga.
Judge and Mrs.
Harriet Allen Polhill nee Taylor lived in Scottsboro on the Gordon Rd.
The house still stands and is kept up beautifully by the Baugh Family.
Although Union troops set fire to the house during Sherman's March through
Georgia, the family came out of hiding and put the fire out. Little damage
was done but marks were still visible in 1968. Four of their
children were Caroline Clitheall Polhill who died in Macon August
27, 1827 at the age of 20 months and 16 days; Benjamin M. Polhill;
John M. Polhill of Macon who died from an accident while surveying the
Macon and Brunswick Railroad in 1859; and Louisa Mary Polhill
Butts, wife of James R. Butts of Milledgeville. Mrs. Harriet Allen Taylor
Polhill died in Macon October 23, 1873 and is buried at Rose Hill.
Sources:1830 Federal Census; 1840 Federal
Census; Milledgeville, Georgia's Antebellum Capital, James C. Bonner; ACTS
OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF GEORGIA. PASSED IN NOVEMBER AND
DECEMBER, 1835; ACTS of the General Assembly of the STATE OF GEORGIA, PASSED
IN NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER, 1836; ACTS OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE
OF GEORGIA, PASSED IN NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER, 1837; ACTS OF THE GENERAL
ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF GEORGIA, PASSED IN NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER, 1838;
ACTS AND RESOLUTIONS OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF GEORGIA 1965;
Macon Telegraph August 7, 1827, Macon
Telegraph July 19, 1859; Georgia Baptists : historical and biographical
, by J. H. Campbell; Architecture of Middle Georgia, The Oconee Area, by
John Linley.
Eileen Babb McAdams copyright 2004