The tough old general who tried to start his own country (The Trans-Oconee Republic) gave Telfair and Jacksonville two colorful sons, Attorney Gibson Clark and his brother, Governor John Clark. Elijah Jr. might have been on the scene at one time too. Gibson was the first valedictorian of the University of Georgia (1804) and John had a plantation near the site of present-day Blockhouse Church. The backwoods boys dropped the "e" from their last name.