Elbert County

Elbert County is a Georgia historical marker in Elbert County, dedicated 1959.

At Elbert County Courthouse in Elberton.

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Created from Wilkes County by Act of Dec, 10, 1790. Elbert County was settled in 1784 by Gen. George Mathews and a group from Virginia and Carolina. The site of Petersburg, the original settlement and third largest town in Georgia in its day, is covered by the Clark Hill Reservoir. Nancy Hart, celebrated Revolutionary patriot, lived in this county. Elbert County was named for Gen. Samuel Elbert, Revolutionary soldier and Governor of Georgia (1785-1786). A native of South Carolina and resident of Savannah, he was a member of the Council of Safety and fought at Savannah (1778) and Brier Creek (1779). On Jan, 20, 1791, the first session of Elbert County Superior Court was held at the home of Thos. A. Carter on Beaverdam Creek, some 5 miles NW of here. George Walton, Georgia signer of the Declaration of Independence, was presiding judge. The Carter plantation house stands today. Nearby is the family cemetery. First officers of Elbert County were: Matthew Talbot, Clerk: Robert Middleton, Sheriff; Robert Cosby, Collector of Taxes; W. Higginbottom, Register of Probate; Thos. Burton, Receiver of W. Higginbottom. Register of Probate; Thos. Burton, Receiver of Tax Returns; Richardson Hunt, Surveyor; James Tate, Coroner.

Maps this old were drawn largely by eye, so places on them can sit miles from where they really are. The pin is ours and marks the marker's location today.

TodayHistorical map

Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.

David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries

Historical maps covering this location

1778 · The Western Parts of Virginia, Pennsylvania, Maryland and North Carolina. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
1795 · State of South Carolina. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
1816 · Georgia. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
1816 · Georgia (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
1824 · Georgia. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)

State of South Carolina, 1795, covering the location of Elbert County, with a pin at the marker's coordinates — State of South Carolina, 1795, covering this location. David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries. The pin is ours, placed from the marker's coordinates.

Example

For example, one family's tree showed the Articles of Confederation marker in Pennsylvania standing under a mile from where William Gabby lived in the 1760s.

What that marker records spans 1777 to 1789, overlapping William Gabby's years there.

From one family's 77-marker roster

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This historical marker is part of the Georgia Historical Marker Program and was erected by the Georgia Historical Commission. Marker texts and locations come from the Society's own marker database.

More markers nearby

Grave of General Wiley Thompsonsame spot
Old Post Roadsame spot
Falling Creek Baptist Church3 mi
Stinchcomb Methodist Church5 mi

On the National Register nearby

Elbert County Courthouse130 ft
Elberton Commercial Historic District200 ft

Places within about 300 feet of this marker that are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. A nearby listing is not always the marker's own subject.