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Georgia Spirit Quest #13: Road for McCollum Mystery Cache

Hidden : 12/15/2008
Difficulty:
4.5 out of 5
Terrain:
3 out of 5

Size: Size:   regular (regular)

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Geocache Description:


The Georgia Spirit Quest series of geocaches will take you to a number of historic cemeteries built by Southern Pioneers or other historic sites.

 

Georgia Spirit Quest #13

 

"Road for McCollum"
 
This quest is going to take you to MT. Gilead United Methodist Church EST 1828, in Coweta county Sharpsburg Georgia.  The coordinates are for a family plot where an admirable patriot that seemingly wanted the best for his community is located.  Please visit and pay respects to  J.R. McCollum.

MUSTER ROLL OF COMPANY A, 7th REGIMENT GEORGIA VOLUNTEER INFANTRY ARMY OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA COWETA COUNTY, GEORGIA COWETA GUARDS OR COWETA 2d DISTRICT GUARDS.

McCollum, John R: - private July 30, 1861. Appointed 3d Sergeant June 7, 1862. Wounded in right leg, necessitating amputation, at Wilderness, Va. May 6, 1864. Home on wounded furlough close of war.

At the battle of the Wilderness, May 4, 1864, John Lundie Bailey saved the life of J.R. McCollum, who was severely wounded. 

THE NEWNAN HERALD
Newnan, Coweta County, Georgia September 9, 1865
J.R. McCollum has announced for Deputy Sheriff. Mr. McCollum lost a leg in the late war in the service of his country and was also wounded in the right hand, thereby losing three of his fingers. He is nevertheless competent and well qualified.

1898 Confederate Pension List
Coweta County, Georgia
MCCOLLUM J R loss of leg & loss two fingers $110.00



 
J.R. McCollum was appointed by Governor Brown to go as a delegate to the National Congress of Farmers at Raleigh, N.C.  Of the town named from him a correspondent said: “McCollum, the town of Senator McCollum, of which he is postmaster, depot-agent, mayor, and ruler over many things.”

Isaac Sprinkle sold his farm to J. R. McCollum at $15 an Acre. 

1885 H. H. Parks and J. R. McCollum ever alert in the interest of the county, led in the organization of a Young Farmers’ County Club, branch of the Young Farmers’ Club of the South.  About thirty joined. 

“Bob McCollum is doing find farming, made Ninety five bales with six plows.”

Other honors to Cowetans were: J. R. McCollum was appointed one of the judges at the State Fair at Macon.

Newnan Water and Light Commission
An act of The General Assembly of Georgia, Dated August 6th, 1904, provided that the Mayor and Counsel appoint a Commission of three men to take charge of the water, sewerage and light department of the city; said Commission to function from the regular meeting in October 1904.  The Counsel appointed J. R. McCollum, Mr. Lee and Mr. North.  Mr. McCollum was forced to resign in 1918 on account of ill health.

The last section of the paving of the McCollum highway from Moreland to Atlanta was completed Christmas eve.  The completion of this work makes an important addition to the State’s system of paved highways, extending as it does 45miles southward from Atlanta, and forming what will ultimately become part of a great thoroughfare from points north to the Florida line.  It was named in honor of Captain J.R. (Bob) McCollum one of Coweta county’s most useful and interesting citizens.  He came out of the War between the States a cripple without resources, but full of resourcefulness secured a job as schoolteacher, which he held for three years, saving every penny he could and working, at any thing by which he could earn something, during vacations enabled him to accumulated enough to purchase a farm.  “A foolish idea for a crippled man,” was the general comment, but this man had commanding ability and intelligence and made a success of farming, adding to his holdings, improving his lands until he ranked as one of the biggest and best farmers in the county- an achievement, but far short of his accomplishing.  As a chairman of the County Commission, a resolute and progressive body, he led in improving the roads and in building the present courthouse (that courageous proceeding is recounted elsewhere in this book); served in the State senate and wherever his fellow citizens sent him as representative and delegate, and did well whatever they asked him to do, his name occurs many times in these chronicles.
 

 
Because of the amount of time we (BlueGillFisherman, EJLDixie and I) used for the research for this patriot I feel that the "seeking" needs to be somewhat time consuming for the finder as well. Don't get discouraged when you learn it's not a park-n-grab, just have some spare time as I did to put this cache together for you. Some seekers may need to make multiple trips to seek and sign the log book. It's a regular sized Lock-n-Lock.

 


To start your quest, find State Senator J. R. McCollum.

After paying your respests, look for a pile of wood not far from his stone. From that pile travel 1114.8 yards at 33.664 degrees or 598 Mil's.  (Angular Mil) (Mil's are used by NATO, more accurate and an option other than degrees in newer handheld GPS)

Now at this location, seek out a number. (you will recognize this number upon its discovery)  Now take the number you found and multiply it by 108.51.  (that result represents Mils) Walk in that direction for 1,218 feet to seek for the geocache. Be careful as / when you find it, so you don't compromise this location to non geocachers.


The best time to seek is in mid day, the marker (first stage) of the geocache is not available on Sundays in the AM. Completely re-cover the geocache - so it wont be found by non geocachers who are in the intimidate area.
 
 The geocache is not located near a grave. Do not disturb monuments.  If you find a fallen U.S. flag, please stick it back in the ground, preferable next to a Vet’s Marker.  As always, please be respectful.  Do not drive into the cemetery.  This cache is only available during the day light hours and prohibited on Sunday's in the AM.   
 
As with all of my caches, re-hide (completely covered) like/better than you found the cache from the N-C's "Nancys" (Non-cachers) and please don’t give any advantages in your log so everyone as the same experience as the FTF. (Why comprimise the rating of the cache just to make it easier for others?)  Please trade with "cool" SWAG, like signature items when trading even or up, nobody likes to find pine cones, happy meal toys or an empty cache.
 
**THIS IS A GENUINE GEORGIA SPIRIT QUEST CACHE**
 

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Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Gur cvyr bs jbbq jvyy arire ebg. Gur Ybpx A Ybpx vf arkg gb na byq ebggvat fghzc. Cyrnfr erpbire gur pbagnvare pbzcyrgryl jvgu angheny qroevf. N yvtug cbxvat fgvpx jvyy nffvfg. Erzrzore gb cenpgvpr yrnir ab genpr.

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)