Every day I seem to find a new treasure here at the farm...a candy striped Camellia blooming in the side yard, tiny Spring Snowflakes (leucojum) popping up by the house, and even this tiny glass bottle found in the woods...the neck is broken yet still so perfect to hold these blooms. Yesterday I received one of the greatest gifts of all...a phone call from a descendant of this farm. He was delightful, and shared so much information of his family history. He sent me emails of articles written about this property...wedding announcements, and accounts of the people and crops...true treasures. My favorite gift might be that he gave me a NAME...the name of this "country home" as it was called in articles dated from the 1890's...it was called "OAK GROVE". I love it! I had been thinking of a name for this home, and never quite decided on the perfect one. Now it is settled, and it seems so right. I will continue on with the name that was given over a century ago. Thank you Dan! Please come visit Oak Grove anytime...
Here is a family wedding announcement that appeared in the local newspaper dated June 18, 1896. The brides name was Pearl!
It describes Oak Grove as "one of the loveliest country homes in the county". I hope to some day make it that way again:)
Jackson Argus
Week of June 18, 1896
LEACH – CARMICHAEL The Beautiful Wedding Was Solemnized at High Noon Yesterday
The wedding of Miss Pearl Carmichael and Mr. Joe M. Leach was solemnized
yesterday noon at the home of the bride near Jackson, the Rev. Jno. Speer
of Stone Mountain officiating.
The home of Mr. and Mrs. D. N. Carmichael never looked more beautiful,
nestled as it is, in a beautiful grove of oaks, from which it takes its name,
“Oak Grove”, the same being famous as one of the loveliest country homes in
Butts County and owned by one of the most prominent and wealthiest planters
of this section of the State.
The decorations were very beautiful and tasteful and everything seemed
to conspire together in making the hour one great joy and gayety. The bride
was lovely attired in a pretty tailor made traveling suit of gray and
blue cloth, and she never looked prettier, and with the handsome and
distinguished looking bridegroom by her side covenanting an everlasting love
and protection to his bride, made the union a living picture of poesy, and
dreams of perpetual happiness and joy.
Precisely at high noon the groom with his bride on his arm appeared in
the beautiful drawing room where awaited the minister and a large concourse
of relative and friends of the contracting parties.
Very soon after the wedding ceremony the spacious dining hall of the
Carmichael home was thrown open to the invited guests, and tables laden with
all sorts of lovely things eatable, weir made the victim of a wedding party.
Mrs. D. N. Carmichael assisted by Mrs. H. E. and J. B. Settle, Mrs. Rose
Carmichael and Mrs. P. H. Watkins proved to be hostesses of the most elegant
kind.
The bride is a very lovely lady of less than twenty years, and numbers
her friends by the score. The groom Mr. Joe M. Leach, is a worthy and
honorable citizen of Griffin and a member of the leading grocery firm of that
city.
The bride and groom left in the afternoon for Griffin where they will
make their future home.
The guest present were:
Mr. and Mrs. Leroy Daughtry, Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Carmichael, Mr. and
Mrs. Frank Curry, Mr. and Mrs. Jno. B. Settles, Mr. and Mrs. P. R. Watkins
and family, Mr. and Mrs. Joe S. Ham, Mr. and Mrs. F. S. Etheridge, Mr. and
Mrs. Jno. Huff of Griffin, Mr. and Mrs. Tom Carmichael; Mesdames N. E.
Settles, Rose Carmichael, S. G. Etheridge, W. F. Lee, Mary Heflin, Mr. Walker
Moore, with Miss Annie Carmichael, Misses Agness Carmichael, Myrtis Peavy,
Eva Sassnett, Mary Goodall, Rosa Thornton, Annie Wright, Emma Ezell, Edna
Madden, of Concord, Mary Harkness, Mary Brooks of Griffin, Judie Brooks,
Sallie Saunders, Susie Manley, Geneva Carmichael, Messrs. C. C. Smith, Joe
Wright, E. P. Bridges of Griffin, Claud Hutchinson of Atlanta, Mr. R. T.
Watkins, B. F. Watkins, Joe Carmichael of Molena, Cliff Ford of Griffin,
Walter Carmichael, Van Fletcher, W. G. Goodrich, Lem and Harrris Carmichael,
