Pete and Beverly Dail have a charming bed and breakfast, The Jewell of Vienna. As owners of a historical home they’ve collected some interesting memorabilia, including a tattered book titled Greater Vienna. 

Their fragile keepsake was loaned to me by Pete without hesitation, but Beverly warned if anything happened to it she would break my fingers. Hopefully she knows the cover and some pages were missing before I borrowed it. 

Governor J. M. Terrell is pictured on page three along with Dr. J. M. Whitehead, Mayor of Vienna. Joseph M. Terrell was the 57th governor of Georgia, serving from 1902 to 1907.

Articles in The Vienna News from 1903 credit a Baptist minister, Rev. J. D. Norris, as the author and mentioned the city’s support. Three thousand copies were published and offered for free, except for two-cents postage if mailed. Scattered advertisements apparently funded the flattering commentary. Here are some excerpts and observations about the town of 2000 people. 

“The New South. In 1866 the South entered a new era…No one will deny that the South is today established upon a surer foundation, and destined to attain greater success and glory than the old South ever dreamed of.”

Page eight gives a history of Dooly County, noting it was organized in 1821 and that slices of Dooly were later added to Macon, Houston, Wilcox and Berrien counties. Berrien is in another part of the state, so this may be incorrect. The reference could be connected to Vienna as it was once called Berrien, then Centerville briefly, and finally Vienna in 1841. 

Crisp County was not carved from Dooly until 1905, two years after the book’s publication. Greater Vienna listed 26 towns and post offices from an area that is now two counties. Some places are still well known, like Cordele and Unadilla, while others are mostly forgotten, like Emerich and Eureka.

“Vienna’s Brick Houses. The courthouse, jail and City Hall are brick structures. There are 38 brick structures. The Heard, Stovall, Hargrove and Walton buildings are the sky-scrapers of the city. There are numerous offices in the second-story buildings.”

Officials from the early 1800s through 1903 were listed beginning on page 12. Included are state senators and representatives, ordinaries, clerks, sheriffs, tax collectors, tax receivers, treasurers, surveyors, and coroners.

Lewis Joiner was the first sheriff. I don’t know if we’re related or not. He only served for four years and the next 18 sheriffs had even shorter two-year terms. There has to be a story behind such brief times in office.

A picture of the School House shows a single-story frame building with a steeple. It’s nice but not elaborate. The Dooly County Jail, however, was a multi-level brick structure with two complete stories and a partial third. Impressive architecture and a rail fence offer a stateliness which seems odd for its purpose. Aesthetics give the appearance that funding for incarceration was favored over education.

“In this day of progress, the telephone is a valuable aid to business and the Ledbetter Telephone Company is pushing to the front in this section, and bringing Vienna into touch with the outside world.” All 68 customers were named.

“The people of Vienna are refined, cultured and very sociable, law-abiding and patriotic. There is not a city in Georgia that has a finer class of citizens than Vienna has.”

“Dooly County Poor Farm. Is located in the Southern portion of the city. The farm consists of about 50 acres of good land located between the two railroads. The people of Vienna are noted for their great generosity to the poor.”

“Vienna a Dry Town. Vienna has been a dry town for over twenty years, and is going to remain so.”

“No Immoral Dives in Vienna. Such places are unknown in Vienna. Our city is composed of sober, moral and law-abiding citizens. “ Local preachers, I assume, had to go out of town to get material for fiery sermons. Most Sundays they would have thanked everyone for being so good.   

Greater Vienna is intriguing but I’m out of space. Thankfully I now have a theory on the brief tenures of early sheriffs. With such exemplary residents, lawmen probably got bored and quit.

To ensure the town’s peaceful tradition continues, that borrowed book will soon be returned to its owners. I think Beverly was kidding, but my fingers aren’t willing to take a chance.