Note: This is the first in a series of columns about the origin of the counties that surround Bulloch County. Emanuel County was created as Georgia’s 39th county on Dec. 10, 1812 from land that was originally part of Bulloch and Montgomery counties. Emanuel County actually used to be much larger, but portions of Emanuel's original borders were later cut off to form the following counties: Johnson (1858), Jenkins (1905), Toombs (1905), Candler (1914) and Treutlen (1918).