Wilcox County, Georgia
| Wilcox County, Georgia | |
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Wilcox County Courthouse in Abbeville
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 Location in the U.S. state of Georgia |
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 Georgia's location in the U.S. |
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| Founded | December 22, 1857 |
| Seat | Abbeville |
| Largest city | Abbeville |
| Area | |
| • Total | 382 sq mi (989 km2) |
| • Land | 378 sq mi (979 km2) |
| • Water | 4.4 sq mi (11 km2), 1.2% |
| Population | |
| • (2010) | 9,255 |
| • Density | 25/sq mi (10/km²) |
| Congressional district | 8th |
| Time zone | Eastern: UTC-5/-4 |
| Website | www |
Wilcox County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2010 census, the population was 9,255. The county seat is Abbeville.
It is unclear whether Wilcox County is named for General Mark Wilcox, a Georgia state legislator and one of the founders of the Georgia Supreme Court, or if it is named for his son John Wilcox. The formation of the county was led by Norman McDuffie of Pulaski County, Georgia.
It was formed on December 22, 1857 from parts of Irwin, Pulaski, and Dooly counties. Settlers named the county seat as Abbeville, because many of them were from Abbeville, South Carolina.
The first county courthouse was built in 1858; the present courthouse dates from 1903.
Jefferson Davis, President of the Confederate States of America spent his last night of freedom at the end of the Civil War in Wilcox County, before being captured by Union troops. His capture marked the end of the Confederacy.
The county holds an annual marathon, called "Chasing Jefferson Davis," is held on the Saturday in May closest to May 9, the date Davis left Abbeville with his personal guard en route to Irwin County. The marathon route starts in Abbeville and goes to the historic capture site near Irwinville in Irwin County, Georgia, closely following the route of Union troops.
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