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Note: Born on the family farm west of Haralson, John Wilbon was the oldest of 9 children and the only child born before his father Benjamin went off in 1862 to fight in the Civil War, John then being about one year old. He grew up a farmer on the family farm, eventually acquiring his own farm from his father-in-law Hosea Gray when he and Mollie Tranquilla were married in 1886.
In his boyhood days, John Wilbon walked to school in Haralson every day, returning to his farm chores each evening. The story is told that one spring - on the premise that his father was not keeping up with when school closed - John W. continued to "go to school" for three weeks after it closed, meeting a couple of his buddiesin Haralson and fishing all day as a better idea than working the farm. "Adjustments" in John W.'s work schedule were made after they got caught.
About 1910, he bought a home in Haralson and "moved to town" after having it enlarged to care for most of his family (my father had left and was working in Senoia at theis time). This home now belongs to John Wilbon, Jr. ("Dub") and his wife, the former Frances Cooper of Perry, GA.
John Wilbon continued to farm, but also built a flour mill and cotton gin in Haralson. In 1912, he organized the Hutchinson Telephone Company, providing local service to some 50-100 Haralson residents. The switchboard for this facility was located in a corner of the family dining room and "all hands" were trained in it's operation.
John Wilbon served about 20 years as a Coweta County Commissioner. In "Coweta County Chronicles" (pg. 678) he is described as being "one of those stalwarts who built the courthouse regardless of fear of the people or favor from them".
Written by Homer Gray Hutchinson, Jr.
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