GA-124-6 Screven County

Marker text: SCREVEN COUNTY

Screven County was created by an Act of the General Assembly of Georgia, December 14th, 1793. It was named for General James Screven. The first county seat and court house was the home of Benjamin Lanier at what is now Rocky Ford.

In a companion Act the first county court officials were named as follows: Justices of Peace; Nathaniel Hudson, John Greene, Jr., Benjamin Richardson, Samuel Dunn, Robert Stafford, Luke Mizell, McKeen Greene, James Bevil, Joseph Plumer, Robert Williamson, Samuel Bird, John Loney, James Bird, James William, James H. Rutherford, Daniel Blackburn and William Pearce, Esquires.

The Justices of the Inferior Court named in the Act creating Screven County were: Benjamin Lanier, Caleb Howell, Lemuel Lanier, Paul Bevil and Drury Jones. In the first election held in Screven County, January 20th, 1794, the following officers were elected:
Sheriff, William Coursey; Clerk of the Superior Court, Thomas Hylton; Clerk of the Inferior Court, Robert Williams; Surveyor, Robert Stafford; Register of Probate, Lemuel Lanier; and Coroner, William Briger.

Georgia Historical Commission, 1952