Old Pineville
from the Book History of Sumter County
by Jack F. Cox

In 1833 a man named Horton crossed Flint River at Shelby's Ferry, and after traveling about two miles, squatted. At that time the population this side of the river consisted of about a dozen families between the river and Line Creek.

At Hawkinsville, about forty miles away, was the nearest market, Horton erected a store house, which he filled with a mixed stock of dry goods and groceries. This store began about the center of the settlement, the neighbors got together and built a schoolhouse. Jacob W. Cobb was employed as teacher for the first term. As I was four years old at the time, I received my first instruction in rudiments of the three R's - reading, ritin' and rithmetic about seventy years ago. (from 1904 ed.)

After this Phil Forsyth, Thomas Harvey and John M. Smith taught several terms. The little village prospered until 1835 when Martin G. Miller and Royal Jenkins laid off a town on the banks of the river about two miles east on a limestone bluff-Danville -

The name of the settlement begun by Horton was first called Horton's Store but it was now changed to Pineville. The little village took on a new spurt. Another store was started by Isaac Wilkes, and a carriage and blacksmith shop was build and operated by John Griswold.

Pineville bacame quite a prosperous place. It boasted two good physicians, Dr. Gregory and Dr. Bagley. It had a tailor shop operated by a man named Foxhall. There was a large school, a high school with Fred Paulhill as principal assisted by a number of teachers. The place was surrounded by good farming country. The wealthy planters up and down the river sent their children to the Pineville School, boarding them in the town.

The death of Dr. Gregory was a blow to the place. There was some dissatisfaction in regard to the conduct of the school, causing its final dissolution. The stores and blacksmith shop closed up and Pineville began to go down. Then Danville began to grow again when the second boat was built there, which proved the death blow to Pineville.

In a few years there was nothing left but a few graves overgrown with bushes to mark where once the prosperous little village stood. Of those who first entered the Horton school, the writer is the sole survivor (1904). The last except myself was Mrs. Hitchcock who died about two weeks ago.

I visited the old spot last summer and it brought back to memory the many pleasant days we had at old Pineville, but, alas, the place is forgotton except by a few old timers still living. A few years ago Capt. Lit Spivey passed away. He was the last one buried in the hallowed spot and none of his old comrades are left. The Homes, the Spiveys, the Tuckers, Lewises, Mercers, and the Manns are all gone and soon the Writer will follow, only to be remembered by a few.

The above article concerning Pineville was taken from the Americus Times-Recorder of December 9, 1931, the Centennial Edition, courtesy of Mr. Jim Littlefield of Americus.