8/6/1870 Trenton, Dade Co, GA. He was recorded as Saviare Powel, 30,w ith wife Florida, 18, and daughter Nancy, 3. He was a farmer withprop erty worth $200/400. Two doors down brother Newton was livingwith wid ow Sarepty Mahan and two doors in the other direction wereNewton's chi ldren.
From Walker County, Georgia Military:
"When the Civil War came to Georgia in 1861, Walker Countians, locatedi n the extreme northwest corner of the state, like many of the moremoun tainous sections of the South, found themselves with a dividedloyalty. ...
One of the best sources to dispute the myth of a Solid South is therep orts of the Southern Claims Commission. On March 3, 1871, the U.S. Con gress passed a law which allowed for reimbursement of pro-UnionSouther ners whose property had been damaged or confiscated by Uniontroops dur ing the war. Three agents toured the South in the 1870'staking applica tions for claims made against the United States. Muchevidence was requ ired to prove both the loyalty of the claimants andto the actual damag ed reputedly done by Union soldiers." Among themany claimants were Gr ee O Powell and Sevier Powell but they weredenied. Only 37 ended up r ecouping any damages.
And this interesting article:
The Atlanta Weekly
Sunday, December 17, 1871
Local Notes
Outrages on Personal Liberty
A History of the Malicious and Villainous Prosecution of the DadeCount y Prisoners
"All of northeast Georgia has for some days been anxiously awaitingthe r esult of the investigation of the charges preferred againstabout thirt y-five of the most respectable citizens of Dade county.Two of these pr isoners have been bound over in the sum of $2, 500each for trial by on e of the United States Commissioners of thisplace.....
It seems that one Asa Boydston, living on the line of Alabama andGeorg ia, but within Alabama during the war, too cowardly to volunteeras a s oldier, frequented the mountains, and at every opportunitycommitted th efts, robbed defenseless women and helpless children, andravaged the h omes of families of soldiers in the army, and was guiltyof innumerable d epredations not tolerated by any civilizedgovernment. After the war, b eing several times detected in thievingand other misdemeanors, he soon f orfeited the respect of every honestman in the vicinity. During this w inter he very suddenly left thecounty, but returned about two weeks ag o in company with one JamesSkyles, who seemed to be employed by the Go vernment for arrestingparties under the Ku-Klux acts of Congress, and u nder theproclamations of Bullock, to get the rewards offered.
Arriving at Trenton, Dade county, Boydston pointed out Mr. R Haney,who w as immediately arrested and placed under guard of a squad ofUnited Sta tes soldiers. They then proceeded to Rising Fawn andarrested the postm aster, J. G. Hale, in the act of distributing themail; J. W. Blevins, R oad Commissioner, in the act of writing out hisreport; and fifteen or t wenty more, who were closely and busilyengaged in their respective dut ies, who were not allowed time forpreparation in the bitterly cold wea ther that was then prevailing.Many of the prisoners were compelled to p ass the frigid night withoutshelter and without blankets around a smou ldering camp fire, whichwas but a poor protection in the tempestuous w inds that howled amongthose mountainous regions.
The party next proceeded to Chattanooga, where all were committed topr ison, except T. W. Sharrock and W. P Sharrock, who were last seenwith t he United States Commissioner. It is supposed that, bycajoling, threat s and promises, these two persons were persuaded toturn Government evi dence. They were treated with clemency, and evenwith special kindness, w hile all the other prisoners were allowed abare pittance of filthy foo d and were confined in cells which barelyadmitted the bodies of six me n lying on their sides. One of theprisoners testified that, while lyin g down, it was impossible for oneman to move without the simultaneous m ovement of every inmate of theroom. While there the officer, and commi ssioners used every deviceand all their eloquence to persuade one of t he younger sons ofColonel R H Tatum – a man of extended influence – to t urnGovernment evidence, doubtless hoping that a confession or treacherous and malicious testimony from such an esteemed and reliable sourcew ould convict a host of innocent citizens. They urged that he oughtnot “ in the bloom of his youth,” to accept certain imprisonment,when the op portunity was presented to escape. Young Tatum, withindignation, repli ed that he would suffer the horrors of a life-timeimprisonment before h e would testify against his own neighbors andinvolve them in a crime, w hich, if ever perpetrated at all, was notonly without their countenanc e, but without their knowledge. Hismalicious tempters said they would m ake no more efforts. “if theyounger Tatum would not yield, it was usel ess to appeal to theolder.” So their efforts in that direction were ba ffled; but, theywere more successful with the two Sharrocks, who both t urnedGovernment evidence.
The prisoners were then brought to this place, and all, with theexcept ion of a few, were committed to prison. They all assert thatthey were a rrested without being notified on the reason or the causeof the arrest . The officers intimated that they were subpoenaed aswitnesses. (Their t reatment afterwards was such as to make them feelthey were regarded as g alley slaves.)
Our readers have, doubtless, read the proceedings of the investigationo f Friday. Yesterday the Commissioner (the venerable ?) [again thenewsp aper’s question mark] John L Conley, required W. P. H. Tatumto give a b ond of $2,500 for his appearance at Court, because, hesaid, the libert y of Sevier Powell had been violated, but he did notstate that his rig hts, under the Enforcement Act, had been infringedupon, under which ac t alone the warrant was issued. Judges of thelaw, when committing pris oners generally assign some reason for theiraction.
G. W. M. Tatum was next arraigned. The testimony of Friday wasreiterat ed, and he also was required to give a bond of $2,500 for hisappearanc e at Court.
The counsel for prosecution then gave notice he would abandon theprose cution of all the other prisoners, having no evidence againstthem. The f ollowing named prisoners were then discharged: W PSharrock, thos Sharr ock, R Haney, W L Stewart, W P Amos, A McBryan, JMoreland, J W Blevins , and J G Hale.....
A warrant was then issued for the arrest of Mr James A O’Neal, forviol ating the Enforcement Act, but owing to a defect, it was soondismissed . Mr. H T Wilson and M Nichols appeared and said they hadbeen arrested a nd were unable to say for what purpose. There was nocharge against the m. Conley professed ignorance of the transaction,and these persons who h ad been arraigned for nothing were permittedto depart without any apol ogy or any explanation for this abuse oftheir time, honor, and liberty . No reparation for lost time and daysof hunger, privation and anxiety . This is heaping insult on injury,and only becomes accountable when w e consider that it was all done atthe instigation of a fanatical press w hose policy and purpose is tooppose and insult our people.
Turned witness for the Government: T W Sharrock, W P Sharrock, JohnMcK aig, P Sevier Powell, Asa Boydston.
Turned witness for the Government: T W Sharrock, W P Sharrock, JohnMcK aig, P Sevier Powell, Asa Boydston."
