Historic Hart House with West Georgia Area Historical Society, Inc.

06/14/2026

How the Wick Family served along side George Washington.

John Butler Wick's testimony preserved the story of his father, John Wick Sr., a Revolutionary War soldier who served in the Morris County Light Horse and as a minuteman.

One of the most fascinating documents connected to the Wick family comes from the testimony of John Butler Wick, who appeared before Judge Samuel C. Candler. (Interestingly, the Candler and Powell families traveled together by wagon to Georgia, as many pioneer families did, making their connection even more meaningful.)

In his testimony, John Butler Wick recounted the story of his father, John Wick Sr., a Revolutionary War patriot.
After Wicks grandfather died in Somerset County, New Jersey, in 1805, arrangements were made for young John Wick Sr. to be placed under the guardianship of Captain William Tuttle of Morristown.

Captain Tuttle testified that John Wick Sr. served throughout the war as a member of the Morris County Light Horse and later as a minuteman. He provided his own horse and equipment without pay and served as a guard to the Governor and Council of Safety. Tuttle recalled being wounded by a musket ball at the Battle of Monmouth (George Washington was also at that same Battle) while John Wick Sr. was serving as a minute Man. (John Sr.'s brothers, Moses and William Wick, also served in the same company.)

Years later, John Butler Wick discovered his father's military papers at his childhood home in New Jersey, including documents related to his service and pension dating from 1778–1779. He also remembered seeing pieces of blue cloth from his father's military coat. In the end John was granted the pension.

More information: John Butler Wick married Delia Tuttle, Williams daughter.

Monmouth Courthouse at the time of the Battle of Monmouth.

A portrait of George Washington Commanding his Army in the Battle of Monmouth.

Stay tuned as I present six degrees of separation. It really is a small world.

06/13/2026

We are very thankful for the help of Troop 3070, based out of the American Legion Post on Legion Lake Road in Villa Rica. A scout recently came out to assist with placing flags on graves to honor our veterans and the soldiers who served in the various wars that helped preserve our freedoms.

He is also working on his Eagle Scout project at Old Bethel Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery, where he will be building a staircase to provide safer and easier access for visitors. In addition, he plans to assist with the construction of the replica historic church that will help tell the story of this important historic site.

Also contributing to the preservation efforts is a Scout from Troop 239G, which meets at Bethany Christian Church on Highway 61. Although she is not pictured, her Eagle Scout project includes installing an informational sign to help visitors locate the cemetery and learn about its history, as well as assisting with efforts to preserve the historic gravestones and improve the appearance of the grounds.

We are grateful for these young people who are dedicating their time and talents to preserving our local history while honoring those who came before us.

The Names of the Scouts will be presented soon with completion of Projects.

06/13/2026

Yes this does pertain the to Harts.

John B. Wick, the lawyer and tavern owner whose name is associated with Wicks Tavern, had connections to places and people far beyond Carroll County. Before settling in this area, Wick lived in South Georgia and was associated with frontier forts where General William McIntosh was known to visit. Given Wick’s travels between South Georgia and what would become Carroll County, of course McIntosh and Mr. Wick would cross paths. (Later I will show documentation of a McIntosh trip to the fort that Mr. Wick had as stationed and ran a store of goods, many containing fabric of McIntosh’s liking.)

General William McIntosh himself had ties to multiple regions, including Carroll County, South Georgia, and Alabama. His story is deeply woven into the early history of Georgia and the Creek Nation.

Another fascinating connection is McIntosh’s mother, Sehoy (often spelled Senoya or Sonoya in historical records), a Creek woman whose name is remembered today in the town of Senoia, Georgia.

History is full of these unexpected connections. The more you research, the smaller the world becomes, and the more you realize that the people who shaped our communities often crossed paths in remarkable ways.

Just a small historical tidbit for today. More details—and photos—to come in future posts!

06/05/2026

Black Berries at the Hart House! Yummy 😋 black berry pie is what’s for dinner!

06/05/2026

A grave at Old Bethel or a dump of bricks?

06/05/2026

06/03/2026

📢 Don’t forget about our ongoing raffle!

We still have some great prizes available, including a pew pew, Stanley items, a grill, and several other goodies. The raffle has been running for about a year now, and unfortunately we haven’t yet sold enough tickets to cover the purchase price of any of the items. Every ticket purchased helps support our preservation efforts and community projects.

Also, be sure to join us at our upcoming meeting, where we’ll have several silent raffle baskets filled with fun knickknacks and surprises.

We’ll also be offering a silent raffle for a replica poster calendar originally issued by the Bank of Villa Rica during the time W.R. Candler served as president, sometime in the early 1900s. We’re still researching the exact date. If there is enough interest, we hope to produce additional historic reproductions for purchase in the future.

Thank you to everyone who continues to support the West Georgia Area Historical Society. Stay tuned for upcoming events, projects, and opportunities to get involved!