For many years, Julian Williams has watched the events and people in his native Jacksonville, Georgia, sometimes called "Old Jacksonville" because it has been there a long time. In addition, history buff Julian also took notes of historical events of this little place, which seemed to be a conduit of both terrible and wonderful events. It is the place of the discovery of Bingo (once called Beano); it is home to the World's Record Largemouth Bass; it is where Sgt. John McCrimmon killed U.S. General Phil Kearny in the Civil War; it is where CSA Secretary of War John C. Breckinridge hid for a short while after the Civil War; its headquarters held General Mark Willcox, a co-founder of the Georgia Supreme Court.; near here in China Hill, George F. Boney wound up as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Alaska; the first railroad in Georgia was chartered here in 1827 (Ocmulgee-Flint), but did not get to see the consummation; for over 100 years the great and small steamboats plied the Ocmulgee River between Macon and Hawkinsville and Darien; it was the home, for a season, for General John Clark, later Governor of Georgia; it was the county seat of government in the early years. Many more events, like the awful blow to the area rendered by the Dodge Company, brought citizens to a great loss of timber and land for many years, plus many deaths. Moving to the 1950's, in his younger days, the author would visit friends near Jacksonville and accompany that family to football games. Two of the brothers in the family played football; one, William (Bill) Hinson, became pastor of one of the largest Methodist churches in the United States. Again, the little place was full of energy and expectations. Now a skinny young man with a glint in his eye and a smile on his face set out on a mission. Perhaps it was "the Jacksonvile spirit" that challenged Joe Ward, but who knows? This book will tell you what happened as you join Smoky Joe on The Trail!
