The Friends for Tritt Park

Why the East Cobb Park Bridge is So Special to the Tritt Family & East Cobb

11/6/2016

In 2005, Mrs. Wylene Tritt donated land easements to connect Fuller’s Park and East Cobb Park, and the main bridge at East Cobb Park is named in honor of Norris Tritt, Wylene's late husband:

From "East Cobber" April 2005: "The Friends for the East Cobb Park are pleased to announce a collaboration with Mrs. Wylene Tritt, the owner of the property located on the east side of Sewell Mill Creek across from East Cobb Park. The agreement reached with Mrs. Tritt is to establish a permanent easement across her property, allowing for the connection of East Cobb Park to Fullers Park."

At the dedication of the Norris Wilson Tritt Bridge in 2005, Norris Tritt's granddaughter Grace Mathison cuts the ribbon, while her family and Cobb County representatives watch: her parents Hal and Melissa Mathison, Larry Tritt, District 2 Commissioner Joe Thompson, Chairman Sam Olens, Wylene Tritt, District 3 Commissioner Tim Lee, County Manager David Hankerson, Susan and Jimmy Tritt.

Odessa Tritt Lassiter willed the Tritt property to Norris Tritt in 1948, and the property has been in the family since at least 1840. Odessa Tritt Lassiter’s will and testament was unique in that she wrote that the trees of the Tritt property should always be preserved. Odessa’s will stipulated “No timber is to be cut off of either place except for building and repairs on these farms.” This was part of Odessa Tritt Lassiter’s legacy to her family.

Norris Tritt was known as Mr Post Office, and he received this award when he retired in 1986, just a year before he died.

2006 and 2008 Park Bonds

In 2006, and again in 2008, Cobb County voters approved a $40 million park bond to allow the county to borrow money and buy park land. You can read about it here. In both rounds, a handful of properties in the county were considered "top tier" land that the county should try to acquire. The Tritt property was one of these top tier properties.

Unfortunately, the Tritt property was not purchased in 2006, and no park land was purchased with the 2008 Park Bond. However, starting in 2016, Cobb County re-started the 2008 Park Bond process after citizens voiced concerns, and the Tritt property can be considered a 'Top Tier' property again.

Part of the vision for the Tritt property, besides saving greenspace, is to have a place to preserve the history of East Cobb and all the families who first settled here and were so prominent in making East Cobb what it is today.

East Cobb has a rich legacy and history we feel is important to save and pass on to future generations before those stories fade away. Just as Roswell and Marietta have retained their historical identities, we also want East Cobb to do the same.

We can compile stories and pictures from families to create a place where our history isn't forgotten. Let us know if you would like your family story told from the early days of Cobb County. Email [email protected] to get in touch with us.

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Will Tritt's Legacy of Education in East Cobb

11/5/2016

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Will and his wife Nona in East Cobb circa 1940s

"Tritt Elementary School was named for Will Tritt (February 1, 1887 - February 12, 1955). Mr. Tritt was a lifelong resident of the Tritt school area. He was a strong advocate of public education. He served as a trustee for Mountain View School from 1938 to 1945.

He held a strong belief that the whole purpose of learning should be to apply knowledge in new and better ways toward the advancement of mankind.

Mr. Tritt also believed that the fabric of our lives depended upon a tight interweaving of both knowledge and wisdom. We believe that the educational foundation we provide for the children in our community is consistent with the educational beliefs of Mr. Will Tritt."

In 1980 the Cobb Board of Education voted to name the new school building on Post Oak Tritt for him. His granddaughter Melissa Tritt Mathison (pictured here) cut the ribbon to open Tritt Elementary in his honor.

According to the newspaper article from March 13, 1980, the Cobb Board of Education named 3 new schools: Tritt Elementary, Dickerson Middle, and Lassiter High School.

"Will Tritt was a lifelong resident of the area 'who distinguished himself through his service to the community from 1889 until his death in 1955.'"

"Speaking to the board at the beginning of Wednesday's meeting, Powder Springs resident M.L. King also asked for the school to be named after Tritt. He said the Tritt family has owned land longer than any other persons on Post Oak Tritt Road."

"King said Tritt served as secretary / treasurer of Mountain View School from 1938 to 1945, and at one point paid $2,000 out of his own pocket for the note on the school building, a considerable sum in those days."

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Who was Odessa Tritt Lassiter?

11/3/2016

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Odessa Tritt Lassiter (1880-1948) was a strong role model in the East Cobb community. Odessa Tritt was born in East Cobb, and she lived on the Tritt property for much of her life. She lived in Cobb County until her death in 1948.

Odessa Tritt Lassiter about 1910

Odessa Tritt married Henry Lassiter, and they had one son together in 1901. Tragically their son John died while just an infant. A few years later in 1905, Henry Lassiter passed away from illness. Odessa never remarried, and in her will, she gave her properties to her nephews, Norris Tritt and his brother James Tritt.

Norris Tritt received from his Aunt Odessa the 80 acres on Roswell Road, which is the now called the Tritt property located next to East Cobb Park. Interesting to note, the original 80 acres willed to Norris included all of East Cobb Park too! The Tritts sold that land to the Bowles who sold the land to Cobb County as the most popular park around.

One unique feature of Odessa's will was the trees should not be cut down. She wrote the trees of the Tritt property should always be preserved: Odessa’s will stipulated “No timber is to be cut off of either place except for building and repairs on these farms.” This was part of Odessa Tritt Lassiter’s legacy to her family.

Item 3 from the will of Odessa Tritt Lassiter, "No timber is to be cut off of either place except for building and repairs on these farms."

Odessa Tritt Lassiter, being a progressive woman at the time, was a fur buyer for Rich's (now known as Macy's) in Atlanta. She worked there for many years. She loved to travel, and she visited many places in her lifetime. She very much loved her family, her community, and her church. We can see that in her progressive ideas to save the trees for future generations.

Odessa Tritt Lassiter working at Rich's in Downtown Atlanta

When Norris Tritt inherited the land in 1948 from his Aunt Odessa Tritt Lassiter, it was still 80 acres. Norris Tritt sold some of his land to the Bowles family, who in turn sold their land to the Friends for East Cobb Park in 2001; this was the first 13 acres of East Cobb Park. East Cobb Park, according to Cobb County, "has become one of the most heavily used parks in our system."

In 1950, Norris and Wylene Tritt moved onto the Tritt property, and the Tritt's honored Odessa's wish in how they built their current home. Wylene Tritt said 'the wood that framed the current house was sawed right from the trees on the property'.

The original barn from the time when Odessa Tritt Lassiter lived on the property still stands as a testament to a simpler time, when people rode in horse-drawn carriages and farmed the land.

The historical barn was built over 100 years ago (click for Around Town article page 58-61)

Community Barn Raising: The barn was built in the late 1800s by Delk, Tritt, Lassiter, Sewells, and Bishop families and other members of the East Cobb community. The barn still stands to this day!

The Tritt Property deed history after the Sewells bought the property in 1840 from owners of the original 1832 Gold Land Lottery

Jackson Delk was the brother of Emily Delk (1823-1891), who was the wife of William Tritt (1820-1906), and these were the great-grandparents of Norris Tritt; in fact, William Tritt and Emily Delk are the ancestors of all the Tritt family in Cobb County. Jackson Delk owned the land until his death in 1897, and then it was inherited by his son John Delk, who moved to Texas and sold the land to his brother Robert Delk in 1907. Robert Delk in turn sold the land to his first cousin David Tritt in 1916. David Tritt sold the land in 1917 to his niece, Odessa Tritt Lassiter, who owned the land until her death in 1948.

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How Gold Helped Make East Cobb History

11/2/2016

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The Georgia Gold Rush started in Dahlonega, Georgia in 1829. So many people wanted land in this area, Georgia held the Georgia Gold Land Lottery of 1832 and that is how Cobb County started. Before that, this land was known as Cherokee County, and this fact is mentioned in the original Tritt property deeds from 1840 and 1856.

Lottery Spinner from 1832

Georgia held the Gold Lottery from 1832 to 1833, to give away several thousand parcels of 40 acres each. The Cherokees were being forced from the area (the Trail of Tears), and there was the belief that much of their former land had gold, including the present-day area of East Cobb.

There was so much demand for gold, that the state divided the area into 40 acre parcels (called Land Lots), rather than the usual 160 acre parcels. The Land Lot system is still used today to describe land in Cobb County.

Brothers Samuel and Isaac Sewell bought the 80-acre Tritt property from 2 winners of the Gold Lottery. The brothers also owned the Sewell Mill, the ruins of which you can still see today on Sewell Mill Road. The Tritts are related to the Sewells by marriage.

Sewell Mill ruin (photo by B&E Roberts Photography - click for website)

Sewell Mill Millrace by Sewell Mill Creek (photo by B&E Roberts Photography - click for website)

According to the B&E website, "when Sherman's troops arrived in 1864" at the Sewell Mill, "the women working at the mill (while the men were off fighting) had taken all of the working parts of the mill and hidden them in the creek. Upon departure of the Federal troops, the parts were re-installed and the mill resumed operations."

On the Antebellum era map below (see B&E website for more details), the Sewell Mill is located in the center of the map at "Flour Mill". The names on the map are the East Cobb landowners at the time, and "Sewell" is located where East Cobb Park and the Tritt property are now. "Delk" is located next to "Sewell", and by the Civil War, Jackson Delk had bought the Tritt property. Many streets and schools in East Cobb are named for these East Cobb landowners.

Also prominently featured on the map is the Marietta Camp Ground, which has a very important history in East Cobb. It was first established in 1837, and Samuel Sewell and his brother Isaac Sewell, who owned the Tritt property from 1840, were the first "tenters" to stay at the campground. Revivals were held each year after harvest time. Families met at the campground and came together for a week-long event, after the fruit was jammed and the pies were baked,

According to the Marietta Campground website: "This land was bought for $40. Four men, Isaac Sewell, Samuel Sewell, Wisdom Gober and William Mayes, each gave $5 and the remainder was secured in small donations. Chappell Groover rode horse-back to Meriweather county to secure deeds." Read more of the history of the Marietta Campground here.

One of the Revivals held in July (image courtesy of Marietta Campground - click for website)

This Georgia map shows the counties created in each of the 7 Land Lotteries. Cobb is in the Gold Section from the Gold Lottery of 1832.

7 Land Lotteries in Georgia

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How Tritt Property Land Deeds from 1840 Survived the Civil War

11/1/2016

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Remnant of Sewell Mill on Sewell Mill Road (photo by B&E Roberts Photography)

These Land Deeds for the Tritt property from as early as 1840 are incredibly rare, because most every land deed in Cobb County was destroyed when the Marietta Courthouse burned in 1864 during the Civil War.

This deed says that in 1840, Samuel Sewell bought 40 acres of the Tritt property from an original winner of the 1832 Georgia Gold Land Lottery, Angus MacMillian.

In another Land Deed from 1856, it says Samuel's brother Isaac Sewell bought the other 40 acres of the Tritt property, also from an original winner of the 1832 Georgia Gold Land Lottery, Samuel M. Devereux.

Samuel and his brother Isaac Sewell owned the Sewell Mill, the ruins of which you can see today, on Sewell Mill Road.

According to genealogy records, by 1840 both Samuel and Issac "had moved their young families to Cobb County, Georgia. Isaac was a prosperous merchant in antebellum Marietta; Samuel a farmer and well-known Methodist minister."

The Sewells who bought the Tritt property also owned the Sewell Mill, which ground corn and wheat into flour for bread and other baked goods. This is a current view of some of the Sewell Mill ruins visible from Sewell Mill Road. You can view more images and read the history on what's left of the Sewell Mill here.

Sewell Mill Ruin on Sewell Mill Road (photo by B&E Roberts Photography - click for website)

Interestingly, East Cobb Park was part of the original Tritt property the Sewell brothers owned and later sold to the Delks by the Civil War. The property was later sold to the Delks, and then the Lassiters, before Odessa Tritt Lassiter willed the property to her nephew Norris Tritt in 1948. More on that story here.

The 4 original land deeds are held by the Tritt family and will be part of the East Cobb History Center planned to be located in the Tritt family house at the new Tritt Park next to East Cobb Park. This is what is written in the 4 framed deeds, although there's more written on the other side of the deeds, but an archivist will have to read them.

(Frame 1)

This indenture maid and entered into this the 29 twenty ninth day of April in the year of our Lord one thousand eight Hundred and forty (1840) between Arthur T. Whitehead of Cobb County and state aforesaid of the one part and Isaac Sewell other part witnesseth that the aforesaid A. T. Whitehead hath this day bargained sold and conveyed unto the aforesaid Isaac Sewell his heirs and assigns all that lot or parcel of land lying and being in the sixteenth district and second section of formerly Cherokee now Cobb County containing forty acres more or less known by the No. {965} nine hundred & sixty five drawn by Angus MacMillian lying in such shape and form as doth appear in said grant convey for the sum of one hundred and fifty dollars in hand paid the receipt where of is here by acknowledged by said Whitehead and the said Whitehead doth here by warrant and for ever defend the titles of said lot of land to the said Isaac Sewell his heirs and assigns free from the claims of any and all other persons to their own proper use benefit and behoof in fee simple in testimony where of the said Arthur T. Whitehead doth assign my name and affix my seal in the presents of us testify

Arthur T Whitehead AT (seal)

(Witnesses)
Joseph Chastain
J.C. Carpenter J.P. (Justice of the Peace)

(Smaller folded document in the frame)

Power of Attorney
Angus M Millon
No 965-16-2

Georgia Cobb County
Clerks Office Superior
Court. Registered this
3rd day of April 1840
in Book F. Page 147

(Frame 2)

Georgia Hancock County - This indenture made this the twenty-third day of June eighteen hundred and fifty eight (1858) -- Between John Graybill and John B Rodney executors of the last will and testament of Samuel M. Devereux deceased of the one part and Samuel Sewell of the other part witnesseth that the said Graybill and Rodney as executors as aforesaid for and in consideration of the sum of one hundred & seventy dollars to them in hand paid at and before the sealing and delivering of these presents the receipt whereof is herby acknowledged - do hereby grant bargain and sell unto the said Samuel Sewell his heirs and assigns all that contain tract or parcel of land situate lying and being in the County of Cobb - known and distinguished as lot No. nine hundred and sixty six (966) in the sixteenth district second section of originally Cherokee now Cobb County - containing forty acres more or less to have and to hold said bargained land together with all the rights members and appurtenances thereunto belonging unto him the said Samuel Sewell his heirs and assigns to his and their own proper use benefit and behoof for ever in fee simple.-- And the said Graybill and Rodney do herby covenant and agree with the said Samuel Sewell his heirs and assigns that they are the legal representatives of the Estate of Samuel M. Devereux deceased and they further covenant and agree that they are by law entitled to convey all title of the estate of said ... (probably more on the other side)

(Smaller folded document in the frame)

1840 Deed from Norman McRae
by power of attorney from McMillion

Georgia Cobb County
Clerk's Office Superior
Court Registered this
3rd Day of April 1840
in Book F. Page 147.
E. R. Mills
Clerk

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Breaking News

9/21/2016

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BREAKING NEWS on the Tritt Property and Isakson Living lawsuit: "Today, Isakson Living has ended its litigation against the Cobb County Board of Commissioners to appeal the Board’s 2015 denial of CCRC zoning..." Also, Isakson Living has ended their contract for the 54-acre Tritt Property located next to East Cobb Park.

The Friends of Tritt Park started in October 2013, during the short time Z-43, a large-scale CCRC development plan for the Tritt property, ended and before Z-2, another large-scale CCRC development plan for the property, applied. The Friends for Tritt Park had one meeting at the East Cobb Library in October 2013, but we have not met since Z-2 was filed. Z-2 was denied on March 17, 2015, and on September 22, 2016, we learned the contract for the Tritt property concluded. We will now become an official 501c3. We will start taking pledges and working with everyone to raise money to make the dream of Tritt Park a reality.

CBS46 News

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The Friends for Tritt Park March 2015

3/18/2015

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The Friends for Tritt Park briefly started in October 2013, during the short time Z-43, a large-scale CCRC development plan for the Tritt property, had ended and before Z-2, another large-scale CCRC development plan for the property, applied. The Friends for Tritt Park had one meeting at the East Cobb Library in October 2013, but we have not met since Z-2 was filed.

We heard Z-2 was denied on March 17, 2015 and we are in a wait and see mode until after the 30-day challenge time has passed to see if we can reorganize.

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Let's Share the 'Friends for Tritt Park' Message

10/26/2013

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The Tritt Property

It's time to share the message that Tritt Park can become a reality!! Many people in our community don’t yet know about this wonderful opportunity and we need to tell them about it! You can send emails… Especially ask if businesses, groups, schools, and places of worship will broadcast to their email lists about this great opportunity!!

You can use this letter to get you started:

The Friends for Tritt Park are thrilled to announce that the 54-acre Tritt property located next to East Cobb Park may soon be available to purchase for a Park! We are forming a non-profit group to organize community support for this exciting endeavor!! Please join us online today at http://TrittPark.org to sign up for updates &/or to volunteer in some way! Also join us on Facebook: http://Facebook.com/CCEastCobb Thank you!

We are working to become an official non-profit group, a 501(c)3, but until this process is complete we cannot write grants or accept donations. We plan to be ready to apply for grants and take donations by early next year. You can sign up for more Friends for Tritt Park updates here.

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The Trailblazing East Cobb Community Holds First 'Friends of Tritt Park' Meeting

10/24/2013

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A new day dawning on the Tritt property

Thank you to all the trailblazing community members who attended the first Friends for Tritt Park meeting!! It was a success, and we are moving forward with the Tritt Park acquisition goal, confident that the overwhelming majority of the East Cobb community stands united in this effort! Over 100 volunteers have already signed up to make it happen, and we will keep you posted on new developments and organizational plans.

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Why the East Cobb Park Bridge is So Special to the Tritt Family & East Cobb

Will Tritt's Legacy of Education in East Cobb

Who was Odessa Tritt Lassiter?

How Gold Helped Make East Cobb History

How Tritt Property Land Deeds from 1840 Survived the Civil War

Breaking News

The Friends for Tritt Park March 2015

Let's Share the 'Friends for Tritt Park' Message

The Trailblazing East Cobb Community Holds First 'Friends of Tritt Park' Meeting

The Friends for Tritt Park Blog

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