One fall in the late 1970's, as Fire Chief of our local Fire Department, I was called out of a nights sleep, I was told we had a house fire out by the church on the dirt road west of Whitesville. I leave my home to respond along with other neighbors, who are volunteer fire- fighters, to the location of the fire. The fire was so far along that the old home was damaged beyond repair. These were times when in Harris County did not yet have 911, Fire radio's, water hydrants or up to date equipment as it does today.
Just caring neighbors banning to together to help when fire broke out. Emergency addressing and street signs also weren't there. I as Chief; as the fire was over and everyone going back home to get back in their normal routine; was left at the location to fill out the paper work and fire report. Here is where my Story and Tale begins!
 I had to know the road name of this location. As I inquired of the residents of the road I received several road names of that location. One older black gentleman said it use to be the old West Point- Whitesville Road when he was a boy, a black women spoke up and said they called it the Big House Creek Road as it didn't really go to much of nothing but crosses the old Creek of that name. All agreed their mail came as RT#1 Box --# West Point, Ga. As I left that blank for now, A Sheriff Deputy drove up to check out the fire ; I ask if he knew the road name he shakes his head NO but says he will check the map of the County and call me back as soon as he got in from his rounds. A Rural Area, old Road to No where populated--- What was it's name???
It's Name Was Monument Road! The Deputy did call back, he had checked the new County Map and that what it says the name is. I thanked him and completed the fire report.I gave a copy of the report to the family for their insurance company and then the they ask the question that drove me to seek the answer" WHY IS IT CALLED MONUMENT ROAD?"
Less than a week later, we were holding our fire department monthly Board meeting; I ask the question of the road name to Board member Sherman Norwood said he knew why! Sherman, who is a prominent black community leader and Deacon of the AME Church, spent most of his working life as a timber and pulpwood worker as the farm lands of the County were changing into forrest lands; as they grew up due to lack of farming of the soil depleted lands. Sherman said the Road from Whitsville did use to be the West Point Rd., but now ended at Marshell-Williams Rd when the covered bridge was out in a flood of Flat Shoals Creek. It is now called Monument Rd, because where it ends there is a large 30' monument at a family cemetery. You used to see it from the road before the pines grew up on the farm lands. NOW I WANT TO KNOW MORE!
 I talked to J.T.Cox,who came to Harris County as Agriculture Agent in Late 1920's, another fire board member and he said the monument is to the Hutchinson Family at their cemetery off Marshall- Williams on the north side just past the intersection with Monument Road.Their big house used to be in a triangle that Monument Road made as it split around the house to connect with Marshall- Williams Rd.It's not that way today and the house is gone. Oh,By the way, there is an interesting story about how they moved the monument and cemetery stones to the location it is on. Do You want to hear it? He says!
The Story Goes as told to me by J.T.Cox: Back in the early 1900s (exact date not known) after the death of Nicholas and Mary Pratt Hutchinson the granit and marble parts of the cemetery and monument were built in Alabama to be shipped by rail to West Point.When they arrived at the depot the stuggle to whitesville began, as at this time there were no trucks invented, the rest of the trip had to be made on wagons with mules pulling the load. As those of us who have seen this large monument, it had to be brought in piece by piece as marble and granite are very heavy and also had to be assembled on the site. The pieces were shipped in order of assembly on heavy wagons and 20 mule teams to pull it. Also you should know one of the biggest problems they will face is the crossing of flat shoals creek a mile north of the site; and all the bridges are wooden covered bridges not able to hold the weight of the wagons; so fording the creek was to be done at a set of shoals near the Whitesville- West Point Rd bridge just North of the plantion,
As with all good plans problems do occur! Rain on muddy road, swollen creek and broken wagons under the massive weight of the stones. At one point a third set of 20 mule team had to be brought in just to assist at mud holes and the ford as ware and tear took place due to the two wagons a day making the trip on the narrow road from West Point.
As the trip was being made daily with the crew of men and wagons to bring in the stone to the site ,there was also a crew of men at the hard task of putting the heavy stone in place, stacking the monument and securing them in place. We don't know how long it took to complete the project or how they moved the heavy stones in place without use of modern equiptment to lift the weight; but the finished product is to something see and the work done to be awed. The love of family members who passed and the hardships that were incurred in making the monument a reality was a major undertaking in is time.The craftmanship with it's marble inlayed granite and wrought iron fences was a work of art. THE MONUMENT WAS FINISH.
J.T.Cox was a Whitesville resident who raised a large family, a millright who worked on the TVA Dam Project on the Tennessee River, a wielder, sawmiller, and ran the Grissmill still located in Whitesville today.He took a lot of pride in his handycraft and actknowledged the craft and labors of others. He is surely missed by those of us in the community that learned from him.
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THE REST OF THE STORY: After putting the story told to me about Hutchinson Monument on the Site, I had a couple of E-mails telling me that the story doesn't fit with what Mrs. Barfield put in her book History Of Harris County. I decided to go back and review her story and see.
What I found in the story did set a foundation for the story I had been told. Her story was about the trip taken by the stones that had been polished by steam machines done in Columbus and shipped by rail to Chipley and then wagons shipped to the location for assembly. In the same paragraph she mentions the granite blocks were hand cut by a company in West Point. These are the stones that must be talked about in the story told to me, as the Route taken in the story was from West Point across Flat Shoals Creek to the location of the Monument. Most of the stones were not polished and most granite used was on the base structure and the wall that surrounds the Monument and grave site area
Two different type stones, shipped from two different locations, in two different directions to the resting-place, by two different ship companies and means.
MUST BE THE REST OF THE STORY AS TOLD TO ME!
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