Lower Altamaha Historical Society, Inc.
P.O. Box 1405
Darien, Georgia 31305

January 1997 Vol.6,No.4

Meetings are held at the Ida Hilton Library, Haynes Auditorium, on the third Thursday of each month at 7:30 P.M. The Society extends a hearty welcome to all.

The members of LAHS are welcome to attend the Board Meetings.

The program will be presented by Author, Historian, and Teacher Charles Kelly Barrow of Thomaston, Georgia. Mr. Barrow will speak on one of his books "Forgotten Confederates--an Anthology on Black Southerners". This volume is not a definitive history of Confederate Blacks. It is rather, a compilation of historical documents, accounts, and anecdotes of the valuable service rendered by these Southerners. Whether they were cooks, scouts, barbers, teamsters, or soldiers, they contributed significantly to the Southern War effort. Conservative estimates put their figure at approximately 60,000.

Kelly Barrow was born in Tucker, Georgia, graduated from Shorter College and is a Certified History Teacher and Soccer Coach. He is employed by Thomaston Mills as a Cotton Classer. Barrow is a former Legislative Aide to the Georgia General Assembly where he was author of the brochure "Georgia Flag Facts". He is the Georgia Division Historian for the Sons of Confederate Veterans. Charles Kelly Barrow is Georgia Confederate of the Year-1996.

The February program will be presented by LAHS president Buddy Sullivan. His topic will be "The Darien World of John Girardeau Legare, 1877-1932." This program will focus on the speaker's new book to be published later this year in which he has edited the journal of Darien rice planter John G. Legare. Legare moved to Darien from South Carolina in 1877, lived at Ashantilly and planted rice on Generals and Champneys islands in McIntosh County. He kept a journal for more than 50 years in which he recorded his impressions of the people and events of McIntosh County. Sullivan has selectively edited Legare's journal, and will put the journal into context with a slide program and lecture about Legare and the Darien community of 100 years ago. Publication of the Legare journal will be Sullivan's sixth book about the history of Darien, Sapelo and McIntosh County.

LIVING ON THE GEORGIA TIDEWATER

John Michael Fisher [1833-1913] and his wife Christina Leontina Schreiber [1841-1889] were the grandparents of Annie Cannon Fisher Gill, Mary Leontina Fisher Barber, F. J.( Joe ) Fisher and Charles McCosker Fisher of Richmond, Va. The following is just a portion of their living experiences on the Georgia tidewater.

In 1865, John Michael moved to the Ridge in McIntosh County and opened a Bakery on the Ridge. He returned to Savannah to marry Christina Leontina Schreiber at the Lutheran Church of Ascension on July 5, 1866.

In 1866 , John Michael and Christina Leontina bought a house and lot at the Ridge. On the lot they built a Bake Shop and Shoe shop. Christina's brother, Fredrick Schreiber, shoemaker, and his wife Catherine Ubele lived with John Michael and Christina Leontina in the house and they worked in the respective shops. Fredrick and Catherine were both German emigrants and had been living in Savannah, they returned to Savannah. In the 1870's John Michael and Christina Leontina built a house at Ashantilly Settlement and a new Bakery Complex in Darien and bought a home in Darien. They sold the house and Bake and Shoe Shop at the Ridge.

In their early days the Ashantilly house was for summer living only. In the winter the family lived in Darien over the General Store in 6 rooms which had been built by John Michael for living quarters. John Michael and Christina Leontina bought a house in Darien, east of the Court House, from Francis R. Goulding, minister of the Darien Presbyterian Church and author of " The Young Marooners ". Goulding had left Darien before the War and never returned. The Fishers sold this house to a friend August Schimdt. It is known today as the Schimdt House. The living pattern of Summer at Ashantilly and winter in Darien was still practiced. The rooms above the General Store were rented.

The complex which John Michael built in Darien in the 1870's was extensive. Located at the S.E. corner of Screven and Broad Street there were several buildings. The General Store and Bar with living quarters { 6 rooms} on the second level was located on one corner. The Bakery with a brick oven and chimney was located on another corner. The Watchmaker & Jewelry Store operated by Reverend William McWhir Young, was on Broad street. John Michael's office was joined by the kitchen and feed store. There were three Horse Stables. This complex was secured by a six foot fence with a double gate. John Michael hired a Baker and a manager for the General Store and Bar.

Fire wood from one of John Michael's wood lots was delivered daily for the Bakery Oven. The sponge was prepared in a trough daily at 4 A.M. One half barrel flour was kneaded and formed into individual loaves and rolls. The bread was baked and tended in the brick oven with wooden paddles and made ready for delivery. Warm bread and rolls were delivered to the Ridge homes by 7 A.M. daily.

John Michael served as a member of the City Commissioners,County Commissioners and Board of Education. He was a Mason, and a member of Confederate Veterans Association in Savannah and later in Darien. The Confederate Veterans were his closest friends all of his life. It is presumed he met them during the war and they encouraged him to move from Savannah to Darien.

John Michael and Christina Leontina's bond with the Lutheran Church is evident, when one examines the baptizing records of their children. With no Lutheran Church in McIntosh County, the family made the trip to Savannah to the Lutheran Church of Ascension for the baptizing of each child. The trip to Savannah during this time [ 1869--1881 ] was accomplished by either Boat or Stage. The Steamer Boat was an overnight trip from Darien to Savannah. The round trip would last at least three or four days.

In about 1880, John Michael and Christina Leontina Fisher traveled by Steamer to Germany for vacation and to visit family . One of the servants that accompanied them as nursemaid to the children was a colored woman, Mary Mann from Darien.

The four sons of the Fishers grew up at Ashantilly. William Frederick [ Freddie ] and William Alfred [ Willie ] clerked at different stores in Darien. John Henry [ Johnny ] apprenticed in the bakery. By 1898 Johnny was old enough to assume the job of baking, with the help of his brothers, and with his father still supervising. Freddie attended Ga. Tech Industrial School and studied carpentry. Carpentry was his primary vocation. Joseph Charles [Charles] and Johnny attended Georgia Military College [ G.M.C.] in Milledgeville, after their mother died.

John Michael Fisher [1833-1913] and his wife Christina Leontina Schreiber [1841-1889] are buried in St.Andrews Cemetery, Darien, Georgia.