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Sarah, daughter of Mickleberry Ferrell and Nancy Coleman, moved to LaGrange with her family in 1832 when her father bought land in Troup County. In 1835, at age 18, she married her double first cousin, Blount Coleman Ferrell, a practice common in those times. Sarah and Blount lived briefly in Marianna, Florida returning to LaGrange in 1841 where they made their home on her father's property. Sarah is most well known for her horticultural pursuits which spanned over 62 years. Between 1841 and 1903 she created "The Terraces", locally known as "Ferrell Gardens". Sarah expanded a small formal garden begun in 1832 by her mother and by the 1860's her garden was among the finest in the southern region of the United States. The garden design reflected her staunch religious beliefs and her classical education which she received from Prof. Robert C. Brown. Her boxwood parterres were famous for their mottos "Fiat Justitia" and "God Is Love". Other religious symbolism sculpted in boxwood included the harp in the Church Garden, the Grapes of Canaan and the double outlined word "GOD" adjacent to the entry gate. Throughout the nineteenth century, her gardens were open to local people, much the same as a public park. They were also a major attraction for statewide and regional conferences which met in LaGrange, and during commencement exercises associated with the two female colleges in LaGrange. Sarah and her friends vied with each other to grow exotic plants and trees which they ordered from nurseries that specialized in rare plants. Sarah's floral arrangements, made with flowers from her gardens, were known far and wide. She sent giant floral pyramids as far away as Savannah for state fairs and prepared ceremonial wreaths and arrangements for numerous special occasions. The Ferrells celebrated their 68th wedding anniversary at "The Terraces", in 1903. Their home was always filled with extended family, including grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. Sarah and Blount had three children: Palmon E. Ferrell, who died of malaria during the War Between the States; Clarence A. Ferrell, who also built a home on this land; and Napoleana Ferrell, wife of C. S. A. Capt. Sidney A. Moses.
Fuller Earle Callaway was the youngest of nine children born to Rev. Abner Reeves Callaway and Sarah Jane Howard. Born in LaGrange on June 15, 1870 he grew up in Troup County, dividing his time between living with relatives in town and at one of his father's farms near Long Cane. After his mother passed away, when he was eight years old, Fuller frequently stayed with his elder brother and sister-in-law, Dr. Enoch Callaway and Fannie Banks. Fuller, industrious from an early age, earned his first nickel working as a water boy at a barn-raising when he was eight. With this money he bought three spools of thread in town and then sold them in the country for a nickel each, making a dime on his first deal. He worked for Edwin R. Bradfield at Bradfield's Department Store from 1884 to 1888 and then partnered with J.B. Phillips to create his first retail business, Fuller E. Callaway & Company. In 1895, Fuller invested his life savings in a LaGrange cotton factory promoted by out-of-towners, who built the mill but equipped it poorly. Working with Otis A. Dunson and John M. Barnard, Fuller re-tooled the mill and made it profitable before selling his interest. As a result of this success, he was approached to spearhead another factory in 1899. The result was Unity Cotton Mills, which became was headed by Fuller, James G. Truitt and C. V. Truitt. Unity became the first of numerous mills started by Mr. Callaway. The Callaway group of textile companies eventually became Callaway Mills and employed thousands of people across the region. In addition to his textile and department store enterprise Fuller started a bank, a wholesale company, and numerous other business ventures. He was well know for his business acumen and was a pioneer in the mail order business. Fuller also created the town of Manchester, Georgia as an industrial project. Fuller turned down several national political appointments but served for many years on LaGrange City Council, the State Railroad Commission, and was President of the American Cotton Manufacturers Association. Fuller convinced representatives of the European textile industry to attend the 1919 World Cotton Congress in New Orleans and entertained the entire group at his LaGrange home, Hills and Dales. An extensive traveler, Fuller met the famous Lord Kitchener while traveling in Egypt in 1913. During his visit he introduced a strain of early maturing cotton to Egypt which helped the Egyptian cotton industry prosper. He founded the Highland Country Club in 1922 and arranged for Neel Reid to design the clubhouse and Donald Ross to prepare the golf course layout. In 1923, he initiated the formation of the LaGrange Rotary Club and was a charter member. A generous and philanthropic employer, Fuller built communities complete with schools, parks, churches, club houses, recreation facilities, and neat homes and gardens. He established foundations to provide educational opportunities and health care for his employees and their families. When he died, employees from the Callaway group of companies donated the funds to build a memorial tower in his honor: Callaway Monument, an Italian style campanile, was dedicated in 1929. As a youth, Fuller befriended Sarah Ferrell and frequently visited Ferrell Gardens. In 1911 Fuller and his wife, Ida, bought the old Ferrell place and began reclaiming the gardens and preparing to build a new home on the property. In 1916 their new Georgian Italian style home was completed and Fuller and Ida celebrated their twenty-fifth wedding anniversary with a large reception at their new home. Designed by the noted architect, Neel Reid, the home and garden were greatly cherished by Fuller and Ida. Shortly after Fuller's death his wife Ida wrote a book of memories and stated "Dedicated to the memory of one of the most laughter-loving, energetic, loyal and thoughtful of husbands, fathers, and grandfathers and one of the most esteemed and useful men of his generation. His real greatness lay in those elements of character which made those who worked with him delight to call him friend" It is a most appropriate remembrance of a great Georgian.