Another note about Hardeman Giddens, Civil War veteran and extraordinary citizen of Berrien County. Giddens, a son of Jacob Giddens and Sarah Ann “Annie” Sirmans, had a farm near Rays Mill. He was born in March of 1844 in Lowndes (nka Berrien) County, Georgia, and lived to see the town incorporated as the city of Ray City, GA.
In the winter of 1891 the talk of the town was all about Giddens’ great fishing expedition:
Atlanta Constitution
December 17, 1891A Big Fishing Frolic
TIFTON, Ga., December 16. -(Special.)- There was a big fishing frolic in Berrien county a few days ago, and thousands of the finest bream and trout were caught and carried away by all who attended. Mr. Hard Giddens and others were compelled to send home after an extra team to carry away the fish, the amount caught by them being estimated at not less than 800 pounds. Many others loaded their carts and filled their buggies in like manner. Those who were in a position to know say that there was not less than 3,000 pounds of fish caught there on that day, and as many more perhaps left in the water.
A Big Fishing Frolic. Dec 17, 1891.
Related articles
- Georgia Gossip about Hardeman Giddens (raycityhistory.wordpress.com)
- Portrait of Hardeman Giddens and Martha Gaskins
- Civil War Bullet Dodger Hardeman Giddens Finally Catches One in 1887
