Stories from Nell Campbell

From an email to the Cone List, dated Sunday, September 13, 1998 6:32 PM

I have these marvelous resources that I found in county libraries far away from here several years ago. Never anticipating that I would be expected to reveal my sources, newbie that I was, I blithely copied and moved on. Now I cannot attest as to which are public domain and which were printed in the past ten years. In the same vein, I cannot decide which are reliable sources, and which were compilations of family tradition or someone's best recollection. For my purposes, it does not matter. I consider them all a part of a family's oral history. For these reasons, I will present no information as being 'true,' but will offer some anecdotes for your entertainment.

Captain William Cone, b. 12-24, 1777 the son of William Cone, Rev. War Commander under Gen. Marion, and Keziah Barber came to Bullock County after the War and moved to Camden Co. about 1806. Capt. Cone was invited along with some other American officers to dine aboard a British Gunboat after peace was made between England and America. An officer of the British remarked that it was amazing that untrained men like these Americans could compete against British officers trained in military tactics. He made a bet that Capt. Cone, who had caused the British some consternation, could speak no other language but English. Capt. Cone accepted the bet and added that he could speak as many languages as his opponent. The Englishman spoke three languages. Capt. Cone, though not well educated, spoke Spanish, Indian, and English, winning the wager. Another story about Capt. Cone relates him having dinner with Gen. John Floyd. Someone asked him how he answered the General when he asked Cone, in French, if he would have some turkey. Cone is reported to have replied, "I answer him in Injun." This is the same William Cone who eventually m. Sarah Haddock and moved to Florida where he was active in the Florida legislature.

The information in the above anecdote is from a book called History of Camden County. I have no further bibliography on this book. To indicate how these 'histories' may be incorrect, this book gives William Cone m. Sarah Haddock as the father of Peter Cone, GA legislator. In fact, Peter Cone of the GA legislature was the son of Aaron Cone, according to a book called Men of Mark in Georgia. Capt. Wm. Cone had a son named Simon Peter Cone, but he never was a politician in GA, to my knowledge.

And that's your story for today.

Aunt Nellie

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