Clayton County History

The County Seat

Jonesboro, was named for the popular engineer Colonel Samuel Goode Jones who was in charge of the early railroad construction and resided in what was then called Leaksville.

In 1845, the railroad construction ended in Leaksville, brought to an abrupt halt by a bankruptcy company. Building of the railroad continued in 1846 with another company and this time the rail lines were completed, extending the rail corridor into Atlanta to the spot where the old Union Station stood prior to its demolition in the early 1970's. This rail corridor spawned the establishment of train stops along its route: Morrow’s Station, Quick Station and Rough and Ready Station. Today in their place exist the Cities of Morrow and Forest Park and the area of Mountain View.

Now for the first time in history, Clayton had a link to the Pacific and the rail corridor permitted local farmers to ship their cotton in all directions. And it was this same rail corridor that brought the Battle of Atlanta to its climax during the Civil War. When Union soldiers severed the railroad line at Jonesboro, the Confederates lost their supply line and Atlanta fell into Yankee hands. It was the convenient railroad that made Clayton County an early commuter community in the 20th century with Atlanta businessmen leaving their country estates each morning and returning in the evening on the train affectionately referred to as "The Dummy" for some long-obscured reason.

Last updated Monday, October 10, 2005

Back to History

Back to Clayton County AHGP