Thomas Belton FULLILOVE

                   NOTES:
    1. Info. from leaves of old family Bible in possession of Mrs. Mamie Electra Fullilove Futral of Griffin, Georgia.  Burial info. from work of mouth of Mrs. A. C. Downs, Sr. and Mr. A. C. Downs, Jr.  He and wife Elizabeth Viola Armstrong are buried in the Watkinsville where their graves are readily seen and clearly marked.

    2. Thomas Belton was born iin Cassville, about 40 miles north of Atlanta.  He came to High Shoals (near Watkinsville) when about 7 or 8 years old.  He became an orphan at age 7. He lived with his uncle Seaborn Fullilove of High Shoals. He became an apprentice blacksmith in Bishop where he became known for shoeing racehorses. By age 17 he was no longer an apprentice, he was the blacksmith.

    3. He began courting Lizzie Armstrong, a achoolteacher.Schoolteachers were not allowed to be married. They exchanged letters through a mutual friend named Clarence. They were married in 1894 when he was 25 years old. She was 23. He moved from Bishop to Watkinsville during the Great Depression.

    4. He became Ordinary of Oconee County (Probate Judge) and member of the Watkinsville City Commission in 1915. The Probate Judge reviews and approves wills. In actuality, he ran the county.  He retained those positions until 1935. His photographs hang on the wall upstairs in the Oconee County Courthouse and in the City Council chambers.

    5. He is reported to have been a kind and good man. It is said that it wasn't unusual for him to be interrupted on a Sunday afternoon by a couple wanting to be married. He was happy to help.