Kennesaw, Georgia Probate Attorney Resources

Kennesaw was established in 1887 and is located in Cobb County, but the city has a rich history that began earlier. In the 1830’s, the state legislature approved construction of a railroad that would run through Cobb County. By 1846, the Western and Atlantic Railroad connected Atlanta and Cartersville to the northwest, and later ran to Chattanooga, Tennessee. Kennesaw was known as Big Shanty before 1887 and at that time the railway stopped in Big Shanty. Smyrna, Vinings and Acworth were other stops on the railway. The name Big Shanty comes from the fact that railroad workers lived in shanties alongside the tracks near Kennesaw Mountain. The abundance of fresh water attracted workers to set up camp by the tracks and in 1861, the Georgia Militia followed suit and established a training camp on the location. The railway was the perfect way to transport recruits and supplies to the camp. In spring of 1862, several Union soldiers dressed in plain clothes boarded a train that was headed from Marietta to Big Shanty. Once at Big Shanty, the Union soldiers hijacked the train. Since the crew and passengers had left the train to eat at a restaurant, it was easy to take control of the train. James J. Andrews, a civilian spy and scout who worked for the Union army, led the effort. Andrews had recruited 22 Union soldiers and one other civilian, William Hunter Campbell for the job. As they traveled north on the train, they attempted to destroy as much railroad track as possible, along with any bridges. Ultimately their mission was to cut off the Confederate supply route from Chattanooga to Atlanta. The train’s conductor, William A Fuller, attempted to chase down the train on foot and finally boarded another train that was traveling south. Although he was unsuccessful at stopping the train, Andrews and Campbell and the 22 Union soldiers were finally captured. Some of the Union troops were executed as a result, but eventually each of the Union soldiers received the Medal of Honor. Andrews and Campbell as civilians were not eligible. Big Shanty was occupied by General Sherman’s troops in 1864 where the troops set up headquarters, housed a hospital and established a supply depot. Big Shanty was in ruins after the Civil War, but the town began to recover in the 1870’s when the railroad was rebuilt. Kennesaw was officially incorporated in 1887 and was governed by an appointed city council and mayor, who drew no salary from their positions. The railroad continued to transport goods to and from Kennesaw, especially cotton, which continued to be a main staple of the economy. In the early 1900’s the cotton industry was decimated by the boll weevil infestation. By the 1950’s the one remaining cotton gin was shut down. Kennesaw has seen resurgence as a suburb of Atlanta since the 1980s and currently the population is estimated at 32,000 residents.

Kennesaw is a short drive from the Marietta location of The Libby Law Firm. Our attorneys work with clientele throughout metropolitan Atlanta and northern Georgia and are experienced in Estate and Probate Law. Practice areas include Estate Disputes, Trust Litigation, Will Contests, Heir and Beneficiary Rights, Executor Responsibility and Accountability, Guardianships and Conservatorships, Trust Preparation, Powers of Attorney, Healthcare Directives and Breach of Fiduciary Duty. We are also qualified Business attorneys and practice Business Law, Construction Law and Residential and Commercial Real Estate Law. At The Libby Law Firm we work tirelessly to resolve your legal concerns in the most efficient and cost conscious manner possible.

Please contact us to speak directly to a qualified estate attorney at 1-404-445-7771.

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