Carrie Williams Jones County Historian

In the early 19th century, only a few homesteads were in the vicinity of what is now Wayside. The old Ben Woodall place, the old Finney homestead, and the old Barfield home were all destroyed by fire.

Wayside has had three names. It first went by the undignified name of Lousy Level; the second was little better, being Black Ankle; and the present name came into being near the time the railroad came through in the early 1880s.

The next home to be built in Wayside was the Tom Green home. Mr. Green also built a blacksmith shop adjacent to his home.

In the latter part of the 19th century, an Academy stood at Wayside, called the Planter’s Academy. The large spring that supplied the water for this school is at the bottom of the hill and is known as Academy Spring. It supplied water for the G. M. Canning Co. The trustees for the school were Buck Finney, Mr. Tienor and Curtis Green (at one time).
After the academy was destroyed, a one-room school was built next the (present) home of Mrs. Annie Childs. The room is still standing with two wings added (at the time of the writing of the book).

One of the first businesses in Wayside other than aforementioned blacksmith shop was a general store owned by Mr. Walker. One of the next homes built was on the site of Mrs. Annie Childs home and built by Mr. Slocum and in front of his house was the next business establishment, a cotton gin.

In the year 1883, a big tornado struck Wayside. Some of the older people in Wayside who were living then remember the storm. It struck first at what is now the Harry Gordon home and ripped a wide path through Wayside and vicinity injuring many people, killing a few and causing great property damage.

Soon afterwards the railroad came through and the first depot was set up in a box car. The fist express office was a flat car. For a while Wayside was the end of the track and one of the older people living now remembers as a child riding from Round Oak to Wayside on the train which consisted of an engine and a coach. She says when they got to Wayside, the porter turned the seats around and the train backed them up the track to Round Oak.
Any man coming to Wayside on business and having no place to stay was taken in at the old Bachelor’s Hall which was located adjacent to the (present) O. R. Cook home.

In the early part of the 20th century, the peach industry put in its appearance. There were several packing sheds set up in Wayside.

In 1921 Miss Maude Childs organized a community Sunday School which grew into the Presbyterian church, which was organized with four members: Mr. and Mrs. Wm. H. Marguess and Mr. and Mrs. H. B. Davis. The building was dedicated in 1923 and the manse was built by E. M. Davis, Sr., Wm. H. Marquess was elected and ordained elder with E. M. and H. B. Davis as trustees.