Lumpkin County Wills and Estates

Lumpkin County was created in 1832 and named in honor of Wilson Lumpkin who served in both state houses, as Governor, in the U. S. House of Representatives and Senate. Before that time, the Cherokees and Creeks inhabited this land, having many gold and silver mines in the territory. The Creeks and Cherokees fought a battle in Slaughter's Gap on Blood Mountain near Union County which lasted for days. The result was that the Creeks had to retreat south of the Etowah River. Long before the Georgia Gold Rush which was most in Lumpkin County, precious metals were found in the mountains near present-day Dahlonega. During the 1730's Spanish miners visited the area on a number of occasions before being expelled white English settlers who cut off their supply route from Florida. Actually gold was discovered in Lumpkin County before 1830 although mining of gold in White County was already under way.