Archibald Tulian Reese
1868-1945
Life post 1865 was proving extremely difficult for the South. Georgia, like all the other Southern states, found themselves struggling with post war unemployment, inflation and decimated cities and country sides. Large land owners found themselves without a cheap labor force and small farmers, in order to feed their families, were at the mercy of lending institutions. Georgia, in particular, had been dealt a punishing blow by Sherman's army. Archibald Tulian Reese, the son of Thomas Clopton and Martha Olivia Kimbrough Reese, was born on June 9, 1868 just three years after the Civil War ended. He was the first born of Thomas Clopton Rees's second wife. Thomas Rees had been able to hold onto his land but was forced to borrow money every year to buy seeds, fertilizer and other farm needs. He lost acreage every year due to exorbitant interest and dropping cotton prices. In 1870 he owned about 360 acres, 300 acres that were in farm production. By 1872, land prices had fallen from $4.85 an acre (1860) to $2.87 an acre. The cost of producing cotton was high and the planter was dependent on his cotton broker to secure money for his crop. Interest rates at this time were about 2.5% a month (30% interest a year!). In 1874 Thomas Rees borrowed $550.00 from from Watt and Walker, Columbus cotton merchants, to be paid back by October 1, 1874 or he would deed them 150 acres. In January 1875, Thomas Rees borrowed $996.44 from Charles B. Taliaferro, cotton merchant, to be paid back by October 1, 1875 or he would deed him ? acres (amount of acreage could not be read). In April 1876, Thomas Rees borrowed $275.00 from Blanchard and Williams, cotton merchants, payment to be received by November 1, 1876 or he would have to surrender to them 3 mules, 1 horse, 16 hogs, 7 head of cattle, a two-horse wagon, an express wagon, and all the cotton, peas, corn and oats produced on his farm that year. I can only imagine that these items were the entirety of his farm. At this point he had lost more than 150 acres of crop land and could not mortgage any more and still be able to produce a crop. In 1877 he borrowed $419.51 from Flournoy and Eppling, Cotton Brokers, or give them the entire cotton crop. The years following the war had indeed been tremendously hard on farmer. Cash was scarce, cotton prices had fallen and planting costs had risen. High interest rates had driven many farmers, including Thomas Rees, deep into debt. At age thirteen, Archie and his older brothers were working on the farm. It was into this economy that Archie Reese reached manhood, found a wife and continued to farm. Archie married Eddie Bowden, the daughter of Morris Malachi and Frances Simmons Bowden, on December 22, 1891. They settled on Hamilton Road in Columbus, Ga. The country went into a deep economic depression in the 1890's. Around 1892 the boll weevil arrived in the United States and infested cotton country from Texas eastward destroying much of the south's staple crop and economy. Archie struggled to feed and clothe a growing family. By 1901 the couple had five children, followed by five more by 1916. They lost a son, Raiford Kimbrough Reese who died in infancy in 1915. Between 1910 and 1920, they were able to purchase a small farm. In 1933, the Reese family gathered to celebrate Archie's 65th birthday. It was a huge celebration as you can see by the pictures of the family. Eddie Bowden Reese died on April 23, 1942. Archie died three years later on October 29, 1945.
1) Tulian Clements Reese 1892-1966
m.1) Nancy Bedell Smith 2) Dorothy Ethel McDaniel
2) Annie Mabel Reese 1894-1983
m. Jesse Eugene Smith
3) Clyde Bowden Reese 1896-1966
m. Ora Mae Webb
4) Nell Olivia Reese 1899-1986
m. Julius M. Kite
5) Edith Sommers Reese 1901-1983
m. Getzen Luther Smith
6) Ilga Earline Reese 1903-1984
m. Henry Nevin Lumpkin
7) Thomas Gray Reese 1908-1979
m. Lois Beavers
8) Archie Kye Reese 1910-1960
m. Ruby Gunnells
9) Stanford Eugene Reese 1913-1978
m. Gladys Newsome
10) Raiford Kimbrough Reese 1915-1915
11) Clopton Dickerson Reese 1916-1991
m. Doris Hix
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