Forest Grove: A Historical Plantation

In 1840, Colonel Thomas Jefferson (TJ) Warthen bought Forest Grove as a second plantation and built an overseer’s house. Originally Forest Grove was nearly 2000 acres, although today it is about one third that size. In 1851, a fire destroyed the family home at their River Place plantation. TJ, his wife Sarah, and three daughters moved to Forest Grove, and the overseer’s house became their home. 

The original purpose for the Forest Grove main house may explain its architecture. There are four front doors, in fact, originally each of its seven rooms had a door to the outside. Perhaps this allowed workers or families who weren’t related, to go out to work without passing through someone else’s quarters.

A younger brother in the Warthen family, TJ went into the military as a young man and had become a high officer in the Georgia Militia by the time the Civil War was looming. He also spent some years as a Georgia legislator and a judge. In 1861 he was appointed Colonel and led the 28th Georgia Regiment for the Confederacy. He and his manservant Sharper fought at Bull Run and Seven Pines. Then in 1862, Col. Warthen was mortally wounded at the Battle of Malvern Hill. Sharper brought home to Sarah Warthen the Colonel’s body, and his hat, sword, and horse. 

Sherman’s Army Comes to Washington County

In 1864, General William T. Sherman strategized a plan to end the war quickly. Georgia’s fertile farmlands composed the “breadbasket” of the Confederacy. General Sherman’s troops marched through Georgia from Atlanta to Savannah, confiscating food supplies to feed the Union soldiers and burning the properties of those who remained loyal to the Confederacy. The objective was to cut off the Confederate army’s food supply and to encourage the South’s civilian population to abandon the Confederate cause. In fact, the first surrender of the Civil War occurred just a few months later, on April 9, 1865.

On November 26, 1864, Sherman’s troops arrived in Washington County. The residents of Sandersville along with Methodist Reverend Anthony begged General Sherman not to burn the town, siting there were only women, children and old men living there. Sherman’s troops spared the town but burned the courthouse and jail when they met with opposition from Confederate stragglers.

On that same day thousands of Sherman’s troops camped at Forest Grove, taking down its outbuildings, and confiscating food stores and objects of value, but sparing the main house and the smokehouse. After the troops went down the road to Savannah, Sharper went out to find food for the family.  In town he found the Union soldiers had killed a milk cow at the Warthen’s oldest daughter’s home but had left the four legs.  He brought those legs home, he and his wife Lolly cooked them up, and they fed several families for several days. 

[Every story here is documented by deeds, letters, and newspaper articles, not told in pride or apology, simply the truth, from which to learn].

Through all this history, Forest Grove has been owned and occupied by five generations of direct descendants of Col. and Mrs. Warthen. The present owner/ occupants, Lyle Wilkerson Lansdell, and her son Emil Amos are descended from the Warthen’s youngest daughter, Tommie Warthen Wilkerson. Tommie and her husband John B Wilkerson are shown in the 1894 picture at the gate with their son Julian Lyle (Jack) Wilkerson and a Savannah cousin. On the porch are servants, Telia and Matt, Reverend Herring and another Savannah cousin. Holding the horse is Ephram Stubbs.

Reenactment of the Occupation of Sandersville

Every five years, the town of Sandersville brings Civil War history to life as re-enactors from all over the Southeast recreate Sherman’s occupation of Sandersville. Many of the activities take place on Forest Grove land.