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The Dilbecks of Dawson Countyby Mattie Lee Godfrey Dilbeck [ This was written before Emily Dilbeck died in 1983.] Gold was found in North Georgia in 1828 in the Cherokee Indian Territory. Right after that, the Federal Government opened the land to the white settlers. The Cherokee signed a treaty in 1838 which led to their removal from this land to reservations in what is now Oklahoma. This move has been named the "Trail of Tears" after the suffering and many deaths that occurred on the move. The prospect of cheap land and GOLD! lured settlers and prospectors from Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and other states. These earliest settlers were more numerous along the mountain range from Dahlonega to Dawson County's Yellow Creek District. This area was thought to contain one or more gold veins. By 1840, three Dilbeck brothers had come to this area. Their names were John, David and Jacob. By 1850, two more of their brothers, Josiah and William W., had joined them. The Dilbecks were first found in the 1790 census in Spartanburg County in South Carolina. All but William Willis [William Willis Dilbeck] were born by 1800 and were on the census in Rutherford County, North Carolina, and all were found in Rutherford County from 1800 to 1830. At this point it is not clear to us where they were prior to 1790, and as far as we know, none remained in that area after 1850. At the time of their move around 1840, the ages of these men ranged from about 45 to 65. Their trip crossed several counties of rugged mountain land. It was a long and hard trip using sometimes dusty and sometimes muddy, but never easy, roads. They probably used ox-drawn covered wagons like those that were still in use in the area over 50 years later by other members of the Dilbeck family. (William Willis's second wife and only son, Batis [William Batis Dilbeck], used covered wagons while traveling from Dawson County to Atlanta around the end of the century. These trips were to take produce and livestock to Atlanta by wagon train and then to peddle the products door to door in the Atlanta area, while maintaining a wagon yard in the Buckhead area. These trips would take about 10 days or 2 weeks to complete. [See Covered Wagon Trains]) After arriving near Burnt Mountain around 1840, John, the eldest of the five, lived there for about 17 years until his death in 1857. He was 70 years old at the time. His life (1787-1857) spanned what was a very important historical period for this part of the country. He is survived by many descendants, some of whom now live in the north Atlanta and Jasper, Georgia areas. David (1788-1850) lived in Lumpkin, Fannin, and Gilmer counties for about 10 years until his death at the age of 62. Except for his son John, who moved to Arkansas, the rest of the family remained in the Dawson County area. Some deeds and other records show them living in other counties than Dawson. This is because Dawson county was formed from Gilmer and Lumpkin counties in 1857, after both John and David had died. Josiah (1793-1863) died in Dawson County at the age of 70 -- he had no children. Jacob (1794-??) lived in Lumpkin County in 1840. He bought land in Floyd County in 1848 and was in Dekalb County in Alabama in 1860. There are still many Dilbecks (his descendants) who live in that area of Alabama. William W. (Willis) [William Willis Dilbeck] (1805-1887) died in the Yellow Creek District of Dawson County at the age of 82. he lived in that area for about 37 years. His first wife, Sarah, died before the 1860 census. They had seven children:
Three sons of Elias F. moved to Oklahoma. Their names were William W. (Bill), David Garland, and Joseph Sephes. William W. was 59 years old and Debra Ann Ferriba was 39 when they were married in July, 1864. They had one son, William Batis [William Batis Dilbeck], who was born July 19, 1865. Batis moved to Polk County, Tennessee about 1903. William W. bought the old Ausbon Seay Estate in the Yellow Creek District on July 4, 1873. It was to this farm that Batis (age 20) brought his 15 year-old bride, Mary Manervy Carney, in 1885. William W. died about two years later, on October 22, 1887, willing the farm to his wife. While Debbie Ann and Batis were making their trips to Atlanta to sell produce, a fretful Mary was left to look after the farm and the children. She related these experiences later to her children, but said little else about her mother-in-law. (Later a daughter was named Debbie and the youngest son was named Willie after these grandparents.) Debbie Ann sold the farm in October, 1899, but Batis was renting the same farm when the 1900 census was taken. The census shows Batis, Mary, and six children living there in 1900. Apparently, Debbie Ann had died, since she was not listed on the 1900 census. At age 20 [1933], Willie F. [Willie Franklin Dilbeck] (Batis' youngest son) drove his father from Tennessee to the old homeplace in Dawson County, for a visit to Batis' parents' graves. In 1976 and 1977, we searched in vain for this homeplace and the graves. In August, 1978, by chance, we saw Clifford Chastain who now owns this farm. He has built a new house, but many of the old Black Walnut trees still stand as Willie F. saw them in 1933. Mr. Chastain led us to the family plot about 1/2 mile behind his house. After Batis moved to Tennessee (a long trip back then) nobody remained to care for the unmarked graves. We saw several mounds in this wooded plot and are satisfied that William W. and Debbie Ann Farriba Dilbeck are buried there. Batis would not move to Tennessee as long as his mother lived--according to his daughter Emily. About 1903, Batis followed his friend, "Billy" Pell to Tennessee. During the period of farming in Polk County, four more children were born to Batis and Mary. Batis was a tall, big man, a hard worker, and friendly. He was able to work on the farm until about two years before his death on August 17, 1936. Batis and Mary had been staying with their son, Henry, at Kingston Mountain, in Floyd County, in Georgia. They had returned to Polk County for a visit and had started walking to Antioch Baptist Church for a revival service. On the way, Batis had a heart attack and died instantly on the roadside. He had reached 71 years of age the month before.  Batis and Mary Dilbeck Mary, a tiny, active person, was able to care for herself until about two years before she died. She died at the age of 92 on March 27, 1962, at Benton, Tennessee.  Mary Dilbeck (Granny) and John Dilbeck, late 1950s Batis, Mary, both of their parents, and other relatives were members of Pleasant Union Baptist Church in Dawson County. Debbie Ann was one of the charter members when Pleasant Union was formed between 1864 and 1869, right after the Civil War. Mary had been a member of Pleasant Grove Baptist Church (Polk County, Tennessee) the last 32 years of her life. At Mary's death in 1962, she and Batis had 30 grandchildren, 39 great-grandchildren, and 4 great-great-grandchildren. Most of these descendants live in Polk and Bradley Counties in Tennessee and Cherokee County, Georgia. In April, 1979, there are 74 great-grandchildren and 65 great-great-grandchildren. The following is a short summary of the information about the children of Mary and Batis Dilbeck:  Batis and Mary Dilbeck and Family
In the above list, nicknames have been indicated after their lifespans. If anyone has any further information which is of general interest, please send it to me. If any of the spelling is incorrect or other information is in error, please let me know so I can correct it as much as possible. It is difficult to compile old records and find consistent spelling and information. We have tried to be as accurate as possible, and if any mistakes are present, we regret it very much. This information was compiled and written by Mrs. Mattie Lee (Godfrey) Dilbeck. I am responsible for any errors which might be present.  Mattie Lee Godfrey Dilbeck, late 1970s We wish to thank the following persons for their invaluable help in putting this information together. 1. Mrs. Barbara Dilbeck The above persons are working on a book, for more information, see below. 4. Mrs. Rebekah Wilson  Willie Franklin Dilbeck, early 1950s [ This was originally written sometime before 1983.  Willie F. (Bill) Dilbeck at William Willis Dilbeck's grave, 1991 [ William Willis Dilbeck was a Civil War Veteran, and Bill and Mattie Lee arranged for a Civil War Veteran grave marker to be placed on Willis' grave about a month before Bill died in 1991. ]
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