John Garlington Rivers was born in Spalding Co., Ga. His parents were James Hunt Rivers and Harriet Caroline Leak. The wonderful name of Garlington came from the Leak side of the family. Harriet's father was Garlington Leak. When John was 15, he and his family learned that his older brother Robert Leak Rivers who had joined as a Confederate Soldier to defend his family and homeland, had died as a POW in the Elmira, N.Y. Prison known for being unsanitary and uncaring in the treatment of the soldiers held there. Those who left alive were few. Young John now felt it was up to him to avenge his brother's death. The story I've heard is that John's family sent a slave with John to take care of him. He joined as a Private in Co. A 2 Georgia Reserves Confederate States Army. He served 1-2 years before returning home. When he did get home, he felt he was now a man and married the girl, Marzillie Annette "Nettie" Thomas, he left to fight in the Civil War. They were 16 years old when they married. They soon moved to Glenwood, Ga. and started their family of eight.
John Garlington Rivers was born in Spalding Co., Ga. His parents were James Hunt Rivers and Harriet Caroline Leak. The wonderful name of Garlington came from the Leak side of the family. Harriet's father was Garlington Leak. When John was 15, he and his family learned that his older brother Robert Leak Rivers who had joined as a Confederate Soldier to defend his family and homeland, had died as a POW in the Elmira, N.Y. Prison known for being unsanitary and uncaring in the treatment of the soldiers held there. Those who left alive were few. Young John now felt it was up to him to avenge his brother's death. The story I've heard is that John's family sent a slave with John to take care of him. He joined as a Private in Co. A 2 Georgia Reserves Confederate States Army. He served 1-2 years before returning home. When he did get home, he felt he was now a man and married the girl, Marzillie Annette "Nettie" Thomas, he left to fight in the Civil War. They were 16 years old when they married. They soon moved to Glenwood, Ga. and started their family of eight.
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