Stories from Early County and Jakin, Georgia

Brief History of Jakin School
In 1880 Mr. T. S. Minter gave land on which was built Mid-Way Church and our first School.

The School was improved in 1921, when Mid-Way and Jakin School was consolidated.  A two-story brick building was erected in Jakin.  A larger district called for arrangements to be made to transport the students and our first School bus was started in 1928.  In 1932 Jakin suffered a great loss and the School building and equipment was destroyed by fire.  A new building was started the same year.  

Progress continued and the year 1934 another grade was added and this made a total of eleven grades.  In 1937, Home Economics and Agriculture was added.  In 1942 Springfield was also added to the Jakin district and more classrooms were added.  Jakin School existed over eighty years and trained and graduated many well qualified students.

Forty-seven years have passed since the doors were closed.  Books, records, sports trophies, old desk and fixtures were packed up and hauled away.  A few years passed and the old Alma Mater was torn down and the land was sold.  Years have passed and the old School site is filled with trees and grass.  Leaving nothing left behind to remind the thousands of students who passed through those doors of learning.  Only memories are left.  Over the years many classes have tried to keep the memories alive by having their class reunions.  I truly feel the education students received from Jakin High back in the 50’s and 60’s qualified our students to go on to College or make their way successfully in the work place.

Jakin High School, over the years had many great principals and teachers who devoted themselves to training boys and girls from the Jakin district.  One of those principals was Mr. C. L. Brooks, who now lives in Bushnell, FL and celebrated his 100th birthday this past April 23, 2011.

Someone wrote in the “appreciation” pages of our annual: “As a token of appreciation, we thank our parents for their helpful counseling, understanding patience, their sincere interest in our trials and accomplishments, kindness, much needed sympathy, and most of all, for the opportunity to graduate from this school, Jakin High School, just located in the lower corner of South Georgia.    Graduate from Jakin High School 1957.

By Jake Cannon, Dothan, AL
jakecannon@centurylink.net

The Lost Gold Locket
tells a story of Jakin’s Earliest settlers ...

Attached are pictures from an old gold locket which Early County Pioneer, Elly Warren gave to his twin sister Eleanor, upon leaving for the War for Southern Independence in 1861.  His home place was the Jackie Frith pecan orchard, about 1 mile north of the current Jakin city hall.

Elly Warren left for duty with his three brothers to join the Confederate States Army’s 13th GA Infantry Regiment in Griffin, GA in April 1861.   He was the only brother to return.

“Downey” Eleanor O’Neal Nemec, of Idaho, received this locket from her namesake, Frances Eleanor Warren (aka Sister Fanny Ingram of Jakin in 1950), whose initials F.E.W. are still engraved on the locket dated 1861.  Enclosed in this locket are found some of the best folk pictures from this early family and times in the Early County, Jakin area.

I hope you love history like I do.  If you Warren’s think you are pretty, Mary Louisa Warren, pictured below is one reason why.  This gold locket provided comfort and was treasured during the War for Southern Independence.  It remains a Warren family heirloom today. 

Who knew, that our great grandmother, Mary Louisa was such a hottie!  Her beauty smokes right out of this picture today…enough to remind us all that the South was indeed worth fighting for.  It’s Southern women are legendary, even today.

She speaks to us still from this picture, even now with soft steel like honor and resolve over 150 years later.  She gave Elly Warren something beautiful to come home to and 12 children as well.  This was a good thing for our entire Warren posterity, as three of Elly’s brothers never returned from the war.  

These American soldiers defended their homes and family, with honor and bravery... they were heroes who still deserve our remembering.  The U. S.  Veterans Administration has installed an honor granite market for Elly Warren in Open Pond Cemetery in Jakin.

Elly Warren was married to the prosperose and beautiful plantation princess, Mary Louisa Stamper Warren, on Aug 5, 1863 in Early County, GA by Robert AJ Powell, Preacher MG.

After only 10 days of marriage, he signed up to return to the war (CSA 29th GA CAV) on Aug 15, 1863 in Blakely, GA. 

Mary Lou Stamper Warren was the daugher of prosperous, Colonel Martin Wood Stamper, who owned the Stamper Plantation and Horse Tracks on Old River Road near Jakin.

In 1864, Elly Warren was guarding commissary stores in Monticello, GA during the Battle of Atlanta as William Sherman burned his broad path to the sea and captured the City of Savannah. 

Later in the war he was captured and was held a prisoner of war until his parole from the federal prison in Tallahassee, FL on 18 May 1865. 

After his release from the war in 1865, Elly returned home to Jakin. 

He raised his family well and became a prosperous farmer and saw mill operator in Jakin, GA.  The family farm and pecan orchard remain much as they were back then over 150 years ago.  His son, Manning Gilbert Warren, opened the first dry-goods general store in Jakin in about 1895.  See picture below.

Submitted story by Eugene Lee Warren, lwarren@ircusa.com

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