Rainwater Ford-I DID go there.

Joshua Rainwater, Mary Peterson, Olivia Rainwater, Tallapoosa, Rainwater Ford

Rainwater Ford on the Tallapoosa

Back in 2012 I wrote about my desire to someday visit Rainwater Ford, a landmark located outside of Tallapoosa, Georgia.

I became aware of the property when I bought the book by Lois Owens Newman, “Haralson County, A History.” On page 222, I read the following:

“The Rainwater property, lot 157 lies along the Tallapoosa River and it is on this lot that the well known Rainwater Ford is located.” (1990)

A little research confirmed that my third great grandfather, Joshua Rainwater, had owned the property. In 1832, for the sum of $100.00 Joshua purchased Land Lot #57 in the 8th District of Haralson from Abner Carter. At the time, it consisted of 202 1/2 acres and was located in Carroll County, but due to boundary changes, the property now lies in Haralson County.

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Rainwater Ford
Published by the U. S. Geological Survey

Joshua was born on the 13th of November 1791 in South Carolina. He was the seventh of eleven children born to Solomon Rainwater and Ruth Felton. On January 20th, 1814, at the age of 23, Joshua volunteered to serve in Captain Alexander Morehead’s Company, Col. Nash’s Regiment in the battle that would be known as the “War of 1812.” He survived his time in the army and returned home to South Carolina. Joshua married, moved his family to Georgia and later, after the passing of his wife Mary, he moved with sons John and Abner to Texas. There he applied for a pension and thanks to that document, we are able to see his signature.

Joshua died on the 15th of August 1878 and is buried in Rock House Cemetery in Hamilton County, Texas.

Visiting the location of Rainwater Ford had long been on my bucket list. I was so excited when in the fall of 2019, my husband and I decided to take a trip to Georgia. I pulled out my list of “must-sees” and we planned our trip.

By plugging the longitude and latitude for Rainwater Ford provided on GA HomeTownLocator into Google maps, we were able to find the location of Rainwater Ford. The area was beautiful, the dense trees lining the rushing water of the Tallapoosa and we could clearly see where the water was more shallow.

Standing there on the bridge that spanned the river, I tried to imagine a time when Joshua and Mary and their children lived there. I imagined their sons and daughters fishing in the river and playing in the trees lining the river. I imagined the children cooling off in the water during the hot summer months. I also imagined their daughter Olivia’s delight when as a married woman, her husband John Monroe Ganus bought property adjacent to Joshua’s.

I wondered how many people took advantage of the shallow crossing there to cross the Tallapoosa and if the ford ever benefitted Joshua financially.

It was a beautiful spot and I was thrilled that not only were we able to find it, but that finally, I could really say, “Rainwater Ford–I DID go there!”