HISTORY OF UPSON COUNTY, GEORGIA
by
CAROLYN W A L K E R NOTTINGHAM
and EVELYN HANNALL
Sponsored by the John Houston Chapter
Daughters of the American Revolution
Accepted as the official county history
by the County Commissioners
April, 1930
PRESS OF J. W. BURKE CO.
1930
p 965
THE NOTTINGHAM FAMILY
By Mrs. J. W. Reeves
Richard Nottingham, Gent, was born in England in 1618, and died in Virginia in 1692. He married
Lady Elizabeth Hatton of England. They came to Virginia in 1645, and settled in Northampton County
in what is now known as Wilson’s Neck. He purchased 2,400 acres of land from Captain William
Stone, who afterwards be- came the first Protestant Governor of Maryland. This land is described as
lying on the north side of Deep Creek; it became the inheritance of his two sons, Richard and Robert,
and did so continue for many generations. Richard Nottingham and many inhabitants of Northampton
County signed the famous Cromwellian Document on M a r c h 11, 1651.
The children of Richard and Elizabeth Nottingham were: Richard, II, Robert, Captain Benjamin, John,
and William. Generations following were: Richard, III, who married Lydia and died 1797. Jacob, son
of Richard, married Sallie Jarvis Bel. Their children were: Dr. Custis Bell, Leonard Bell, John Robert,
Jacob, William Thomas, Mary Bell, Lucy Ann, Bell Sarah. Mrs. Nottingham evidently thought well of
her paternal forebears, as four of their children bore the name Bell.
Dr. Custis Bel Nottingham was born in Virginia in 1818. Received his education at Carlisle College,
Penn. Later he graduated from Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, Pa. He came to Georgia and
located in Perry, Houston County, where he began the practice of medicine. He married Miss
Rebecca Virginia Thompson of Perry.
In 1849, the young physician's increasing practice encouraged him to move to Macon, Ga., where he
success- fully practiced his profession until his health became impaired. In 1860 he went to
Louisiana, hoping a more southern climate would restore his health. Soon war clouds began to
gather, and in the beginning of the struggle he volunteered his services, and was assigned to duty
as a surgeon, stationed at Alexandria, La., Military Post. Later he was transferred to Monroe, La. His
property being confiscated as a result of the war, and being left dependent upon his profession, he
returned to Macon, where his practice became greater than in former years.
He exerted himself effectively for the establishment of a State Board of Health, was an organizing
member of the State Medical Society, and was elected its president in 1869. His public addresses
and contributions to medical journals were well received. He was known for his generosity to the
poor, contributing not only his services, but financially to their relief. He died March 14, 1876, and is
buried in Macon. Ga. His children were: Sarah, m. F. A. Guttenberger; Ida, m. William Willis; Marion,
m. Swanson; Colonel Warren, m. Mattie Swift; Robert, m. Ida Crossland; Custis; Leonard; William;
Theodore Eliot and Marshall, twins.
Theodore Eliot married in 1870, Arabella Thurmond, daughter of John and Elizabeth Thurmond of
Monroe County, Ga. He died Oct. 27, 172. Their only child was christened Eliot Theodore. He was
born in Macon, Ga., Sept. 12, 1871. His widowed mother and John Calvin Zorn were married in 1876,
and the little son went to his new home in Hootenville District, Upson County, Ga. He received his
education in the public schools of the county, and R. E. Lee Institute, with a business course in
Lexington, Ky. In 1903 he moved to Thomaston, where he be- came actively identified with the
business life of the city. He is a member of the Methodist church.
Nov. 16, 1904, Eliot Theodore Nottingham was married to Carolyn Walker of Roberta,Crawford
County, Ga., the daughter of William .J and Annie Walker. Mr. Walker was a planter, he served his
county as representative in the General Assembly of Georgia, and in the state senate from the
twenty-third senatorial district. He died at Roberta, Ga., June 24, 1911, age sixty years. Mrs.
Nottingham is a member of the Methodist church, served as president of the Sharman of Upson
Chapter, U. D. C. from 1917 to 1919. Was chairman Woman's Committee, National Defense of
Upson throughout the World War.
She was an organizing member of the John Houston Chapter, D. A. R. It has been her honor to have
served as chapter historian for the past seventeen years, during which time the collecting of data for
compiling the His- tory of Upson County has been done. In Nov., 1929, she was appointed by the
County Commissioners as the official county historian.
Eliot T. and Carolyn W. Nottingham have one son, William Marshall, born April 29, 1906. He
graduated at R. E. Lee Institute in 1922, after which he studied civil engineering at Georgia School of
Technology. He is a member of the Methodist church, and a Mason. May 29, 1926, he married
Madge Hayes of Palatka, Fla., daughter of Henry Harrison and Rosa Ratley Hayes.