In 1818, when Irwin County was formed, Tift County did not exist. What is now Tift County was then part of Irwin County. I like to say that in the beginning, there was Irwin County. There were also Appling and Early counties. Those three counties stretched across South Georgia. Creek land made up these three counties.

Settlers loved the forests of longleaf pine, the rivers, quail, white-tailed deer. They loved the abundance of fish and wildlife. By 1833, most of the settlers had found satisfaction in the way of life in the Wiregrass region. They knew how to read the land and the wildlife, and they could feel the storm before it arrived. But on November 13, 1833, something happened in the sky that terrified them. They had no foreshadowing that the heavens was about to erupt into a beautiful and terrifying meteor storm.

As thousands of meteors began to fall, in Irwin County frightened settlers and their children traveled to the home of Reverend William Pate, hoping he would give them comfort and an explanation for what they called falling stars. Many traveled fifteen miles or more to reach the pastor’s home on foot, horse, and wagon. Rev. Pate probably knew nothing about this natural event that had come out of nowhere. More than 70,000 meteors per hour fell from the sky, frightening adults and children. The reverend watched as more and more people arrived at his place. He did his best to calm the families. He read from the Bible and led the people in singing hymns. They prayed and admitted to sins. Many spent the night trying to get right with God. They believed it was the end of the world. Although the event frightened the settlers, the night sky was spectacular– a brilliant, dazzling, unbelievable storm of light in the sky. It was the Great Leonids Meteor Storm of 1833.