Editing Commerce, Georgia (section)

===Early settlement===
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The first permanent white settlement in Jackson County began near present-day Commerce on January 20, 1784, when [[German Americans|German]] immigrant William Dunson was awarded a land grant on Little Sandy Creek. The settlement was named "Groaning Rock",<ref name="Wilson"/> supposedly because of a nearby hollow rock formation that produced a moaning sound when the wind passed over it. (Descendants of William Dunson are still living on the original tract of land.)

A trading post was established by Eli Shankle near Groaning Rock in 1808, named "Harmony Grove". The common explanation is that the name is a play on his wife, Rebecca's, maiden name: Hargrove. There is also an old Appalachian [[hymn tune]] called "Harmony Grove", found in an 1830 book called ''[[The Virginia Harmony]]''. This tune is popular today as the melody to "[[Amazing Grace]]".

The Harmony Grove Female Academy, the first all-female school chartered in the state of Georgia, was chartered by the state legislature on December 20, 1824.

The Harmony Grove post office was established on October 14, 1825; Russell Jones was its first postmaster.

On September 1, 1876, the [[North Eastern Railroad (Georgia)|North Eastern Railroad]] opened its line from Athens to [[Lula, Georgia|Lula]], which passed through the heart of Harmony Grove. The railroad line had the most significant impact on the shape of the city, which began expanding both directions along the line. These tracks are now owned by the [[Norfolk Southern Railway]].