The Turnbo Manuscripts
by Silas Claiborne Turnbo
1844-1925
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HOW THE GREAT METEORIC SHOWER WAS SEEN AND FELT IN
HALL COUNTY GEORGIA
By S. C. Turnbo
On the 26 of July 1906 I had an interview with "Grand Pall George W. Barnes who at that time lived near Evens Post Office in the Indian Territory. Mr. Barnes is a son of John and Sarah (Carner) Barnes and was born in Lincoln County North Carolina January 20, 1822, and was brought by his parents to Hall County, Georgia when he was less than a year old. His parents settled on Wahoo Creek a stream that flows into the Chattahooche River. They lived 18 miles north of Gainsville the county seat of Hall County. Mr. Barnes said that his father was a soldier in the war of 1812 and served under Gen. Andrew Jackson his grand father whose given name was also John served under George Washington in the war of the Revolution. Also, his grand father on his mothers side whose name was George Swim was a soldier under Gen. Washington and served through a part of the Revolutionary War. Mr. Barnes said that his father lived to be 93 years old and died in Pope County, Ark. in 1870, and is buried in the Union Church House Grave Yard 18 miles north east of Dover. His mother was 75 years old at her death and is buried in a grave yard in Forsythe County, Georgia. In refering to the great meteoric shower on the night of the 13 of November 1833, Mr. Barnes said "I was 11 years old then and we were living on Wahoo Creek where my father settled on Christmas day in 1822. I was in bed asleep while that remarkable shower occurred that night but my parents both said they witnessed it but did not wake me up and I suppose I slept just as well while it was going on as I would have done if it had never occurred. I knew nothing of it until my parents told me of it on the following morning. They said the scene of the "falling stars" was a fearful one, and supposed it was the finishing up of time and expected the earth would be consumed with fire in a few hours and that the "falling of the stars" was the fore runner of the terrible event. They told me that they did not want to wake me up to suffer the torments in the agony of suspense while waiting for the last moments of time. In speaking of the display my parents said that the fire balls were so numerous that the entire elements seemed to be filled with blazing streams of fire. I remember that on the following day" said Mr. Barnes, "a few of the settlers who lived on Wahoo Creek came to our house and I heard one of them say that he verily believed that the heavens and the lower regions were combining together and that there was no escape for the wicked. Most of people that I heard speak of it said that it was grand and fearful but more fearful than grand and could not view with pleasure and had more desire to pray while it was going on than to be pleased with the sight of it. I heard only one or two say that they understood what it was and were not afraid, with the exception of these every one expressed a different opinion", said Mr. Barnes.
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