I am researching the city of Guyton, Ga. for our historical society. We know that the town was originally called Whitesville and later the president of CofGa named it Guyton because a post office by the name already existed in Harris Co, Ga. Ques: What year was an official Post Office established in "Guyton"? Was it in the name of Whitesville and later changed to Guyton? Or was it named Guyton for the first postmaster in the year it was established? Was there "unofficial" mail service to Whitesville before the town was called Guyton? Do you have any records of the depot and rail destruction when Sherman came through? What other general history can you provide us about Guyton generally and the growth of the town around the railroad?

-- Tom Grier (tomgrier@msn.com), September 16, 2002

Answers

I'm sure y'all know that Pine Mountian, Ga. was "Chipley" not too long ago. Lots of stores, etc. there still are named "Chipley" grocery, etc.

-- Elton (repoman801@hotmail.com), September 17, 2002.

Tom,

There is an interesting history of Guyton on the Effingham County website at http://www.effga.com/history/history-city-of-guyton.htm . The site mentions that the U. S. Post Office established a post office at Guyton, Georgia, December 3l, 1851. Also, since there was another town in the state named Whitesville, Mr. W. W. Gordon, President of the Central Railroad, named this location Guyton, after Archibald Guyton, a prominent, local citizen. Now that's what I call power of the railroad.

Scott Povlot

-- Scott Povlot (povlot@bellsouth.net), September 17, 2002.