About Us:

Wayne County was formed in 1803 from lands ceded by the Creeks in 1802 under the Treaty of Fort Wilkinson. The county was named in honor of Revolutionary War hero General Anthony Wayne. Formal organization did not begin for several years and settlement was slow to follow. Only two settlements were identified on an 1822 map of the area including Ft. James and Doctortown both along the Altamaha River. During the Civil War, the community of Doctortown became a strategic attack point. The Union army under General William T. Sherman attempted to severe the railroad by destroying the railroad trestle. His attempts failed and use of the trestle continues today (Jordan n.d.).

Jesup was not formed until 1870 and became the county seat in 1873. The origin of the name of the town is disputed. Some contend the name originated from the name of General Thomas S. Jesup, a hero from the American Indian War who captured Osceola, the Seminole Indian Chief, in 1837. Others argue that the town was named for Morris K Jessup, a New York railroad financer who saved the railroad from possible bankruptcy. The town formed at the intersection of two railroads, the Macon & Brunswick Railroad and the Savannah, Florida & Western Railroad. Many of the early settlers were associated with the railroad. In 1868, two years before formal organization, the settlement was described as consisting of a railroad wood storage shed, a sawmill, a supply store, 5 bar rooms, a several houses for the white and block laborers. The first post office was established in 1871 with the first church organized in 1872. By 1895, several towns were scattered around the county although many are now abandoned (Martin 1990 and Southeastern Genealogy Online 1999).

The economic base for the area was agriculture including cotton, tobacco, corn, pecans, and livestock. In the areas along the Altamaha River, turpentine and lumber were important products. Low fertility in the area discouraged large population settlement. Later, the decreasing importance of the railroad as well as the decreasing number of pine trees in the area due to extensive tree harvesting took a toll on the economic base. The population continues to be sparse, with timber for paper production and cotton being the primary products. The Rayonier Corporation is the largest employer in Jesup with over 900 employees.