By: Helen Collins Selman (Note 1)
In the early 1900's a drummer (Note 2) walked into Smith's Store (Note 3) in southwest Campbell County and asked the directions to Rico. Mr. Calvin Smith was among the group sitting around the potbellied stove in the store. "You are standing in the middle of it right now. If you take a step in any direction you will be out of it," answered Calvin.
Today the name Rico is used to refer to all of the southwest tip of Fulton County (Note 4).
Actually, Rico was a latecomer in the Campbell County settlements along the Chattahoochee River. John Henley Varner became the first postmaster of County Line (Note 5) on July 27, 1830, according to post office records, thus establishing the community of County Line, Georgia. According to Varner family letters in the possession of Mrs. Mabel Mansfield, John Henley came into possession of his land lots in 1826. The letters indicate that he found many fine trees, Indians, and suitable land to be cleared for cattle, corn and cotton. In his later accounting books many names of neighbors appear such as Bryant, B. D. Smith, R. D. Zellars, Westers, Andy Bryans, Wesley Dunkin, Andy Thompson, James Abercrombie, Berry Lassetter, Jack Tubbyfield, the potter who lived on the land, R. M. Christopher, Jack Lambert, William Brooks and many others.
As County Line was developing into a flourishing community, settlers were clearing land to the north. Piney Woods Primitive Baptist Church was built on Kite Road (Note 6) in the early 1800's. It was a one-room log cabin. Early settlers buried in the Piney Woods Cemetery near the church included the Ballards, Smiths, Yates, Lovelaces, Barfields, Burans, Garretts and others. On one side of the burial ground are the graves of the Negro slaves of these families. In 1852 the new church, now called Providence, was built on land deeded by Mrs. Buran. In later years Mr. Jewett Shannon deeded a total of one acre of land to be used as a community cemetery. The first Sunday School was organized in 1856. One of the most famous ministers of the church was M. D. Collins who later became Dr. M. D. Collins, superintendent of schools for the State of Georgia.
Rico Methodist Church had its origin in cottage meetings with the pastor from Palmetto, New Hope and Liberty Hill Methodist Church located on Rivertown Road. Reverend Frank Quillian found that most of the members at Liberty Hill actually lived in Rico. The district Methodist Conference in June 1902 granted Reverend Quillian permission to organize a church at Rico. Mr. J. W. Shannon, a member at Liberty Hill, donated one acre of land adjoining the Baptist Church property for the church building. He thought the two churches should harmonize and cooperate and be as one on earth as well as in heaven.
In his history of Rico Methodist Church, Mr. R. A. Mixon lists many individuals and businesses who donated labor and materials to build the church. The one big brass lamp hung in the middle of the church came from the old Liberty Hill Church. The bell in the belfry also came from Liberty Hill to Rico about 25 years later.
Rico Methodist Church was debt-free when it was dedicated on May 3, 1903 and has been ever since. Mr. Mixon's account says, "Now 50 years later, it has been said, that there is no other place on earth where the Methodist and Baptist cooperate as well as they do at Rico Methodist and Providence Baptist."
According to Mr. Henry Barnes, Jim McMillan probably built the house where he and Mrs. Barnes now live (Note 7). It is thought that he built the store which later became the Masonic Lodge and is now the Rico Civic Center (Note 8). The store became the community gathering place and was referred to as "Green Eyes" because of the color of the windows in the setting sun (Note 9). In 1889 the owners of the store applied for a post office in the name of "Green Eyes." However, the Postal authorities wrote back that there was already one Green Eyes post office in Georgia. The postal authorities substituted the name Rico for Green Eyes and the community has been known as Rico ever since. Legend has it that none of the adult men wanted their names to go to Washington as postmaster. Someone suggested sending in Geatie's name. Little Geatie Tanner was five years old at the time. He remained postmaster, at least in name, from 1889 until 1894.
Dr. Carmical, the first doctor in Rico, built the house where Jack Lester (Note 10) now lives.
Dr. Sewell lived in the Henry Barnes home for a time. His doctor's office was a one-room building up near the road. That building has since been moved back away from the road and has had a shed added to it. It is still standing. In later years Dr. Snead lived in the Barnes home and practiced medicine.
Dr. John Morrow was Rico's first dentist (Note 11). He would go to the home to work on teeth. He had a portable drill which he carried with him. He operated this drill by pedaling with his feet.
The first school was located where the Baptist Church now stands. When the school caught fire the teacher sent George Greene to Geat Herndon's store to borrow a bucket. Mr. Herndon had a customer so George waited until Mr. Herndon asked what he wanted. The school house burned down.
The next school house was built across the street from the present Methodist Church and was used until 1932. There was no water available in this school. At recess one student would go to the church and bring back a bucket of water for the children.
Everyone drank from the same dipper.
Some of the early teachers were Mrs. Charlie Sewell, Mrs. Newt Skeen, Mr. Chester Adams (who was also a Baptist preacher), Miss Emma Luck, Miss Tessie Smith and Mr. Claude Landrum.
Mr. Wilson A. Adams built the present John Smith's store and ran it until he went bankrupt. Burnett Smith bought him out and the store has been run by a Smith ever since (Note 12).
Claude Langley built a store next door to the Buran-Shannon house (Note 13) and ran it for a short while. Roy Barnes bought and ran the store until his death in 197814.
Three miles north of Rico was located a flourishing little settlement called Rivertown. On the corner of Campbellton-Redwine Road and Rivertown Road, Mr. John Yates built a two story brick home which still stands today. The first post office was opened in Rivertown in 1832 with Mr. Joseph N. Spencer as postmaster on land owned by the Tillman Yates family.
In 1894, John Jethro Peter Jones bought the Yates house and property at a sheriff's sale. He continued to run the general store and later built a cotton gin and grist mill that furnished electricity for the house.
Rivertown, was a flourishing community in the early 1900's. Jones' son Joseph A. Jones (Joe) bought the house and raised his family there.
Mrs. Carl Crouch (Willie Jones) says that every noon her mother would ring the dinner bell and everyone in the store at the time, would come to dinner. Willie remembers Mr. Smith, a drummer, who always managed to arrive at Rivertown late in the afternoon so he could spend the night.
Joe Jones advertised his store with dishes with the following printed on it:
"You may go east
You may go west
When you pass my store
You pass the best."
J.A. Jones & Sons General Merchandise
Rivertown, Georgia
Among the other residents of the Rivertown area were the Collins, Camps, Mose Smith, Garretts, Loveless, Grizzards, Yates, Cochrans, and many others.
Today, all that remains at Rivertown is the beautiful old Jones home.
Mr. John Smith, descendant of several generations of Rico residents, says "that the main difference he sees in Rico of yesteryear and today is that there are not as many people here today.
Foot Notes
1. This type written article was reformatted in digital form, January 2009, by Kenyon Langley, to submit to the Chattahoochee Hills Historical Society. Footnotes have been added to clarify place locations and descriptions.
2. A drummer is a salesman.
3. Smith's Store is at the intersection of Rico, Kite and Campbellton Redwine Roads.
4. In the 50's and 60's, signs were in place welcoming people to Rico Community. There were signs at the following intersections: 1) Rico Rd. and Barns Rd., 2) Campbellton Redwine and Rivertown Rd., 3) and Campbellton Redwine Rd. and Capps Ferry Rd.
5. County Line was the settlement around the Fulton-Coweta County line at the current intersection of Campbellton-Redwine and Hutcheson Fy. Roads. It is now usually referred to as Redwine's.
6. Kite Rd. was then Garrett's Ferry Rd.
7. Henry Barnes' home was the house located on Rico Rd. at the intersection of Rico and Upper Wooten Roads.
8. The old store is now used for the Rico Boy Scout's at the intersection of Rico Rd. and Upper Wooten.
9. There are other versions of the story explaining the name "Green Eyes."
10. Jack Lester's home was the house on Campbellton-Redwine Rd. directly across from Smith's Store at the intersection of Rico, Kite, and Campbellton Redwine Rds.
11. His home was on what is now Kite Rd. It is the third house.
12. The store is now operated by Kenny Smith, Mr. Burnett Smith's grandson.
13. The Buran-Shannon house is the house on Rico Rd. directly across from the current Chattahoochee Hills city hall. Jeff Langley bought this house in the early 1900's. Jeff's son, Claude, began his store using one room of the house. Later he moved the store to its own dedicated building.
14. The date of this article is unknown but believed to be after 1978.
Editor's Note:
There is no copyright information on the article written by Ms. Collins Selman.
In the early 1900's a drummer (Note 2) walked into Smith's Store (Note 3) in southwest Campbell County and asked the directions to Rico. Mr. Calvin Smith was among the group sitting around the potbellied stove in the store. "You are standing in the middle of it right now. If you take a step in any direction you will be out of it," answered Calvin.
Today the name Rico is used to refer to all of the southwest tip of Fulton County (Note 4).
Actually, Rico was a latecomer in the Campbell County settlements along the Chattahoochee River. John Henley Varner became the first postmaster of County Line (Note 5) on July 27, 1830, according to post office records, thus establishing the community of County Line, Georgia. According to Varner family letters in the possession of Mrs. Mabel Mansfield, John Henley came into possession of his land lots in 1826. The letters indicate that he found many fine trees, Indians, and suitable land to be cleared for cattle, corn and cotton. In his later accounting books many names of neighbors appear such as Bryant, B. D. Smith, R. D. Zellars, Westers, Andy Bryans, Wesley Dunkin, Andy Thompson, James Abercrombie, Berry Lassetter, Jack Tubbyfield, the potter who lived on the land, R. M. Christopher, Jack Lambert, William Brooks and many others.
As County Line was developing into a flourishing community, settlers were clearing land to the north. Piney Woods Primitive Baptist Church was built on Kite Road (Note 6) in the early 1800's. It was a one-room log cabin. Early settlers buried in the Piney Woods Cemetery near the church included the Ballards, Smiths, Yates, Lovelaces, Barfields, Burans, Garretts and others. On one side of the burial ground are the graves of the Negro slaves of these families. In 1852 the new church, now called Providence, was built on land deeded by Mrs. Buran. In later years Mr. Jewett Shannon deeded a total of one acre of land to be used as a community cemetery. The first Sunday School was organized in 1856. One of the most famous ministers of the church was M. D. Collins who later became Dr. M. D. Collins, superintendent of schools for the State of Georgia.
Rico Methodist Church had its origin in cottage meetings with the pastor from Palmetto, New Hope and Liberty Hill Methodist Church located on Rivertown Road. Reverend Frank Quillian found that most of the members at Liberty Hill actually lived in Rico. The district Methodist Conference in June 1902 granted Reverend Quillian permission to organize a church at Rico. Mr. J. W. Shannon, a member at Liberty Hill, donated one acre of land adjoining the Baptist Church property for the church building. He thought the two churches should harmonize and cooperate and be as one on earth as well as in heaven.
In his history of Rico Methodist Church, Mr. R. A. Mixon lists many individuals and businesses who donated labor and materials to build the church. The one big brass lamp hung in the middle of the church came from the old Liberty Hill Church. The bell in the belfry also came from Liberty Hill to Rico about 25 years later.
Rico Methodist Church was debt-free when it was dedicated on May 3, 1903 and has been ever since. Mr. Mixon's account says, "Now 50 years later, it has been said, that there is no other place on earth where the Methodist and Baptist cooperate as well as they do at Rico Methodist and Providence Baptist."
According to Mr. Henry Barnes, Jim McMillan probably built the house where he and Mrs. Barnes now live (Note 7). It is thought that he built the store which later became the Masonic Lodge and is now the Rico Civic Center (Note 8). The store became the community gathering place and was referred to as "Green Eyes" because of the color of the windows in the setting sun (Note 9). In 1889 the owners of the store applied for a post office in the name of "Green Eyes." However, the Postal authorities wrote back that there was already one Green Eyes post office in Georgia. The postal authorities substituted the name Rico for Green Eyes and the community has been known as Rico ever since. Legend has it that none of the adult men wanted their names to go to Washington as postmaster. Someone suggested sending in Geatie's name. Little Geatie Tanner was five years old at the time. He remained postmaster, at least in name, from 1889 until 1894.
Dr. Carmical, the first doctor in Rico, built the house where Jack Lester (Note 10) now lives.
Dr. Sewell lived in the Henry Barnes home for a time. His doctor's office was a one-room building up near the road. That building has since been moved back away from the road and has had a shed added to it. It is still standing. In later years Dr. Snead lived in the Barnes home and practiced medicine.
Dr. John Morrow was Rico's first dentist (Note 11). He would go to the home to work on teeth. He had a portable drill which he carried with him. He operated this drill by pedaling with his feet.
The first school was located where the Baptist Church now stands. When the school caught fire the teacher sent George Greene to Geat Herndon's store to borrow a bucket. Mr. Herndon had a customer so George waited until Mr. Herndon asked what he wanted. The school house burned down.
The next school house was built across the street from the present Methodist Church and was used until 1932. There was no water available in this school. At recess one student would go to the church and bring back a bucket of water for the children.
Everyone drank from the same dipper.
Some of the early teachers were Mrs. Charlie Sewell, Mrs. Newt Skeen, Mr. Chester Adams (who was also a Baptist preacher), Miss Emma Luck, Miss Tessie Smith and Mr. Claude Landrum.
Mr. Wilson A. Adams built the present John Smith's store and ran it until he went bankrupt. Burnett Smith bought him out and the store has been run by a Smith ever since (Note 12).
Claude Langley built a store next door to the Buran-Shannon house (Note 13) and ran it for a short while. Roy Barnes bought and ran the store until his death in 197814.
Three miles north of Rico was located a flourishing little settlement called Rivertown. On the corner of Campbellton-Redwine Road and Rivertown Road, Mr. John Yates built a two story brick home which still stands today. The first post office was opened in Rivertown in 1832 with Mr. Joseph N. Spencer as postmaster on land owned by the Tillman Yates family.
In 1894, John Jethro Peter Jones bought the Yates house and property at a sheriff's sale. He continued to run the general store and later built a cotton gin and grist mill that furnished electricity for the house.
Rivertown, was a flourishing community in the early 1900's. Jones' son Joseph A. Jones (Joe) bought the house and raised his family there.
Mrs. Carl Crouch (Willie Jones) says that every noon her mother would ring the dinner bell and everyone in the store at the time, would come to dinner. Willie remembers Mr. Smith, a drummer, who always managed to arrive at Rivertown late in the afternoon so he could spend the night.
Joe Jones advertised his store with dishes with the following printed on it:
"You may go east
You may go west
When you pass my store
You pass the best."
J.A. Jones & Sons General Merchandise
Rivertown, Georgia
Among the other residents of the Rivertown area were the Collins, Camps, Mose Smith, Garretts, Loveless, Grizzards, Yates, Cochrans, and many others.
Today, all that remains at Rivertown is the beautiful old Jones home.
Mr. John Smith, descendant of several generations of Rico residents, says "that the main difference he sees in Rico of yesteryear and today is that there are not as many people here today.
Foot Notes
1. This type written article was reformatted in digital form, January 2009, by Kenyon Langley, to submit to the Chattahoochee Hills Historical Society. Footnotes have been added to clarify place locations and descriptions.
2. A drummer is a salesman.
3. Smith's Store is at the intersection of Rico, Kite and Campbellton Redwine Roads.
4. In the 50's and 60's, signs were in place welcoming people to Rico Community. There were signs at the following intersections: 1) Rico Rd. and Barns Rd., 2) Campbellton Redwine and Rivertown Rd., 3) and Campbellton Redwine Rd. and Capps Ferry Rd.
5. County Line was the settlement around the Fulton-Coweta County line at the current intersection of Campbellton-Redwine and Hutcheson Fy. Roads. It is now usually referred to as Redwine's.
6. Kite Rd. was then Garrett's Ferry Rd.
7. Henry Barnes' home was the house located on Rico Rd. at the intersection of Rico and Upper Wooten Roads.
8. The old store is now used for the Rico Boy Scout's at the intersection of Rico Rd. and Upper Wooten.
9. There are other versions of the story explaining the name "Green Eyes."
10. Jack Lester's home was the house on Campbellton-Redwine Rd. directly across from Smith's Store at the intersection of Rico, Kite, and Campbellton Redwine Rds.
11. His home was on what is now Kite Rd. It is the third house.
12. The store is now operated by Kenny Smith, Mr. Burnett Smith's grandson.
13. The Buran-Shannon house is the house on Rico Rd. directly across from the current Chattahoochee Hills city hall. Jeff Langley bought this house in the early 1900's. Jeff's son, Claude, began his store using one room of the house. Later he moved the store to its own dedicated building.
14. The date of this article is unknown but believed to be after 1978.
Editor's Note:
There is no copyright information on the article written by Ms. Collins Selman.