USA > Georgia > Chatham County > Savannah > A history of Savannah and South Georgia, Volume II > Part 19
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In April, 1888, Dr. Brunner was elected health officer of Savannah and after nine years in that position, resigned, and again entered the United States marine hospital. this time being assigned to duty at Havana, Cuba, where he had a staff of physicians and surgeons under
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his charge. Ile remained in that position until a short time before the occupation of Cuba by the United States, in 1898, being ordered out from Washington at that time. Hle then was assigned to duty in inspeet- ing army camps at Tampa and other places in the South, and also at Montauk, Long Island. In September, 1898, he again joined his station at Havana and remained there until July 1, 1899, when he received an invitation from the city of Savannah to again become its health officer, which he accepted, entering his old duties again in that month, and has remained in that position ever since. His efficiency and suecess as an expert in preventative medicine and as a public health official are widely known and recognized; and his services are greatly appreciated by the citizens of Savannah. IIe is one of the most distinguished physi- cians, not only of Savannah, but of the entire South and his repute extends far and wide in the profession. He has never been a general practitioner, it will be seen, but has ever been engaged on special duty. The County, State and American Medical associations claim his member- ship.
Dr. Brunner. on December 14, 1883, was united in marriage to Miss Florence Richardson, of Savannah. They share their home of renowned hospitality with four children, namely: Florence Charlton, Albert Wylly, Frances L. and Ruth.
CAPT. WILLIAM H. ROBERTSON. As superintendent of the park and tree commission of Savannah, Capt. William H. Robertson has for many years been identified with one of the most useful and important depart- ments of the municipality, and in that capacity has been largely instru- mental in establishing and maintaining its title to the name of the "Forest City." Coming from thrifty Scotch ancestry, he was born in Savannah in 1881. His father, the late John G. Robertson, was a life- long resident of Savannah, his death occurring here in 1907. He was connected during his active carcer with the Central of Georgia Railroad Company, of which he was paymaster. He married Annabelle Stephens Falligant, who survives him, and is still a resident of the city. She is a great-granddaughter of Louis Falligant, a native of France, who was the founder of the Falligant family of America, a record of which is given elsewhere in this work, in connection with the sketch of Raiford Falligant.
Reared and educated in Savannah, William II. Robertson attended the grammar schools, the Chatham Academy, and the private school of Lawrence & Morton. He subsequently made some preparation for the civil engineer's profession, and, although circumstanees prevented his carrying out his desired plans, he did considerable construction work on jobs requiring engineering ability in Savannah and vicinity. Since 1898 Mr. Robertson has been connected with the park and tree commission of Savannah, at the present time being its superintendent. This department of the municipal government has in its charge the care and maintenance of all the parks, squares, cemeteries, and parked roadways of the city, and is the dominant factor in rendering it in truth a "city beautiful." As the city's main attraction to both visitors and residents lies in its parks, squares and beautiful trees o'ershading its broad streets and avenues, it will be seen that the park and tree com- mission department is of the utmost concern, requiring an expert knowledge of landscape gardening and forestry, as well as eonstant attention, and a genuine interest in this feature of the city's resources. In the successful carrying on of his work, Mr. Robertson employs about fifty men, keeping them all busy, and obtaining satisfactory results.
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For a number of years Mr. Robertson has been prominently con- nected with the military life of Savannah. Enlisting December 4, 1899, in Company D. Savannah Volunteer Guards, which is officially known as the Coast Artillery Corps, he subsequently was promoted to the rank of corporal, then sergeant, later becoming first sergeant, and on Jan- uary 14, 1907, was commissioned captain of his company, a position which he has since held. Captain Robertson is a thoroughly efficient artilleryman, both from theoretical knowledge and actual practice, and as connnanding officer is diligent in his post, and unflagging in his zealous efforts to maintain the high standard of his organization. An extended account of the corps appears in the general historieal part of this work.
JOHN KIRK TRAIN, M.D., one of the prominent and successful mem- bers of the medical profession of Savannah, Georgia, is a son of one of Savannah's best known and most highly esteemed citizens, Prof. Hugh Fred Train, who for over forty years served as principal of the high school in this city. From a review of his life published a few years ago, we make the following exeerpt:
Hugh Frederick Train is a native of the sturdy land of hills and heather, having been born in Mnrkirk, Ayrshire, Scotland, June 27, 1831. He was reared and educated in his native land, where he did efficient work as a university student and later completed a two years' course in a normal training school in the city of Glasgow. For five ycars thereafter he was a successful and popular teacher in the parish school of Perth. About this time alarming symptoms began to manifest themselves in the way of incipient disease of the lungs, and as his brother had died of tuberculosis Mr. Train was admonished by his medieal adviser to seek a less rigorous elimate, in order that his life might be prolonged and the disease possibly averted. Under the care of a friend and former schoolmate he was induced to come to America and settle in the South. In January, 1857, he took up his residence in Bluffton, Beaufort district, South Carolina, where he remained until the outbreak of the Civil war, being there engaged in teaching. In 1861, loyal to the cause of the Confederacy, he became a private in the Third Regiment of South Carolina state troops. His right arm being practically useless, as the result of an accident encountered when he was a boy, he was not able to take part in the tactieal drill and mancu- vers, and consequently, after two months of irregular service, he was appointed by Col. Charles J. Coleock, commanding officer, to the posi- tion of commissary and acting quartermaster for the squadron, con- sisting of three companies, being first in camp at Bluffton and later at Camp Hartstein, and he was honorably discharged when the state troops were formally mustered into the Confederate service. After the close of the war Mr. Train found his home burned to the ground, his schoolroom plundered of everything movable and the whole country steeped in poverty. He remained in Bluffton one year, not earning enough to provide for ordinary necessities within the period, and then removed to Savannah, where, through the influence of Mr. Mallon, then superintendent of schools, he was appointed principal of the boys' grammar school. In the following year the board of education con- ferred upon him the appointment of principal of the Savannah high school, to sneceed William H. Baker, who had been made superin- tendent, and this position he filled until his retirement in 1910. His long term of service is an nnequivocal voncher for the successful work he performed and the high place he held in the esteem of both pupils and patrons. Here he now lives in quiet retirement, and he is perhaps
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more uniformly loved and respected in Savannah than any one of its most illustrious upbuilders, and his good work will continue to blossom and bear fruitage in this community as long as education is prized and knowledge is rewarded. In politics he is a staunch Democrat, and his religious faith is that of the Presbyterian church, both he and his wife having for many years been identified with the First Presbyterian church of Savannah. Mrs. Train was formerly Miss Elizabeth Frew. being a daughter of James and Mary Frew, of Savannah. They were married December 29, 1869. and of the six children given to them, only two are now living: William Frew Train, who is engaged in the insurance business in Savannah, and Dr. John Kirk Train, whose name introduees this sketch.
John Kirk Train was born and reared in Savannah. After his graduation from the high school he began the study of medicine, which he pursued in the medical department of the University of Virginia and in Bellevue Hospital Medical College, New York, graduating from the latter institution with the class of 1900. Following his graduation he spent three years as interne in Bellevue Hospital. He began the practice of his profession in Savannah in 1904, and from the time he opened his office has met with success. In addition to conducting a general practice. he is medical examiner for the Pacific Mutual Life Insurance Company, the Massachusetts Life and the Penn Mutual Life Insurance companies.
Doctor Train is a member of various medical societies, including the American Medical Association. He is ex-president of the District Medical Association of Georgia (comprised of the counties included in the first congressional district ), and he is on the staff of the Savannah Hospital. St. Joseph's Hospital, the Telfair Hospital, and the Georgia Infirmary. For three years he was surgeon. with the rank of major, of the First Regiment of Georgia Infantry. Outside of Savannah he is a member of the Bellevue Hospital Alumni Society and of the Southern Society in New York City.
He is a member of Ancient. Landmark Lodge, F. & A. M., a member of the Savannah Lodge of Elks, and is president of the St. Andrew's Society of Savannah.
Doctor Train has a wife and two children, Lilla and John Kirk, Jr. Mrs. Train, before her marriage Miss Lilla Comer, is a daughter of the late II. M. Comer, of Savannah, who was president of the Central Georgia Railway, and who was held in high regard as a leading and influential citizen.
HON. JOSEPH FRANCIS GRAY. On the roll of Savannah's con- spicuous and progressive business men, none are eligible to a higher position than the Hon. Joseph Franeis Gray, state railroad eonnis- sioner and executive officer of the Savannah Chamber of Commerce. Still to be numbered among the younger generation, he has for more than a decade been a brilliant figure on the stage of Savannah's railroad and commercial life. Mr. Gray is a native Georgian, his life record having begun in the city of Atlanta, on November 23. 1870. He is the son of Luke and Margaret ( Carolan) Gray. His training for the responsibilities of life was acquired in St. Patrick's parochial school. of Angusta. and in St. Mary's College, at Belmont. North Carolina. His first adventures as an active factor in the world of affairs were in the capacity of stenographer for the late Patrick Walsh, editor of the Angusta Chronicle and at one time United States senator from Georgia. In January. 1887, he accepted a position as stenographer in the Augusta office of the Southern Express Company, with which he remained
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identified until May, 1888. From the year last mentioned until 1890 he held a similar position in the office of the general freight and pas- senger agent of the Central of Georgia Railway in Savannah. From January, 1890, until October, 1893, he held the position of traveling freight agent for the Central of Georgia Railway. In his previous clerical positions he has assimilated a remarkable amount of informa- tion of a business character and was admirably fitted for the assumption of the duties of important positions. His advancement was steady. In October. 1893, he became superintendent and treasurer of the Millen & Southwestern Railroad with headquarters at Millen, Georgia. In February, 1900, he became superintendent of the Offerman & Western Railroad at Offerman, Georgia. and on July 15, 1902, beeame freight claim agent of the Central of Georgia Railway. In 1905 and 1906 he was auditor of traffic of the Central of Georgia Railway and in 1906 and 1908 was terminal agent in Savannah for the Central of Georgia and Southern railways.
In 1909, Mr. Gray severed his eonneetion with railroad interests to become executive officer of the Savannah Chamber of Commerce, in which position he has entire managerial charge of this important organization. He is also its vice-president. The chamber of commerce under Mr. Gray's direction has become the most important factor in the modern growth and development of Savannah. It numbers among its membership a large number of Savannah's public-spirited citizens. Its quarters in October, 1911, were removed to the third floor of the new Savannah Bank & Trust building. In 1909. Mr. Gray also was made one of the state railroad commissioners of Georgia. Mr. Gray is a successful man. He has done things and has made an imprint upon many enterprises.
Mr. Gray was happily married on June 6, 1892, the young woman to become his wife being Miss Dora E. Gassman, daughter of Charles and Mary A (Mclaughlin) Gassman. They have three interesting children : Joseph Francis, Jr .. Mildred Lueile, and Charles Aloysius. Mr. and Mrs. Gray are communieants of the Catholic church and the former is affiliated with the Knights of Columbus.
MAJ. WILLIAM WAYNE WILLIAMSON is a seion of one of Georgia's oldest families. He was born in the city of Savannah, September 1, 1854, the son of John and Julia C. (Wayne) Williamson. His father, Judge Williamson, was born in Savannah, February 3. 1810. He was a mereliant, cotton factor and rice planter for a long number of years and a citizen of well-deserved prominence. Although engaged for the greater part of his life strietly in eommereial affairs, he was universally known as Judge Williamson for the reason that he was justice of the superior court of Chatham county before and during the war. He was also a member of and chairman of the Savannah eity eonneil at the time Sherman's army came into the city and during the entire period of the Civil war his most active efforts were given to the carry- ing out of measures of beneficence for his city and the cause of the Con- federacy in general. He resigned from the city council to accept the position of city treasurer in 1866. In 1872 he was elected eounty treas- urer, which position he held until his demise. He was a member of the first board of public education in Savannah, organized soon after the war, and at the time of his death was its treasurer and the only surviv- ing member of the original board. At the time of his death he was the oldest living member of the Georgia Hussars. For a unmber of years he was warden and vestryman of Christ church : he was a member of the Union Society and of the Georgia Historical Society. After the Vol. 11-1
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war, having become too aged to enter active business life again, the mayor and aldermen honored him by electing him to the office of city treasurer, as before noted. He was re-elected to the office by the people, and served efficiently in such capacity for several years, his ability and publie spirit being of the highest character. He died in 1885. while county treasurer, but although a quarter century has elapsed since he passed to the Great Beyond, his memory remains green with the older generation.
Major Williamson's grandfather, John Postell Williamson, was one of the wealthiest real estate owners and planters of Savannah in the first half of the last century. He was born in South Carolina. but made Savannah his home early in life. The Williamson family is of English origin, having been established in South Carolina, as early as 1690. John Postell Williamson's home in Savannah was the rendezvous for army officers following the Mexican war and the Indian wars in Florida- Sherman, Pope, Bragg, Ridgeley, Wade. Beckwith and Rankin being among the representatives of the government who received hospitality there. The old home of the Williamson family was at the northwest corner of Montgomery and State streets, which at that time was the fashionable residential section of the city. John Postell Williamson also owned Brampton and much other real property in and about the city He operated a brick yard among other industries and is said to have built the old county court house.
_The mother of the immediate subject of this review Julia C. Wayne, was born in Savannah in 1822 and died in 1892. She was the daughter of Gen. William C. Wayne and Ann (Gordon) Wayne and the grand- daughter of Richard Wayne of England, who came to America in 1760. He married September 14, 1769, in South Carolina. Elizabeth Clifford, whose family were among the first settlers of that province and who were allied to the families of DeSaussure and Bacots. When the Revolu- tionary war broke out, Richard Wayne, who was designated by an act of the South Carolina legislature as a "leading merchant" of Charles- town, headed a petition to be armed on the side of the Crown, and in consequence his property was confiscated and he was banished from the colony. All of this, with the subsequent restoration of his property, is fully recorded in the reports of the Acts of the South Carolina Assembly. Richard Wayne, however, never returned to South Carolina to live. On being banished he came with his wife and children to Savan- nah about 1782 and became a successful planter. Gen. Anthony Wayne was one of the executors of his will.
Among the men of eminent ability of this family may be mentioned his son, Hon. James Moore Wayne, who was mayor of Savannah, judge of the superior court in this city, congressman from his distriet and finally associate justice of the United States supreme court. Another son was Gen. William Clifford Wayne, and one of his grandsons was Dr. Richard W. Wayne, who was at one time mayor of Savannah.
Major Williamson was reared in Savannah and received his educa- tion in the public schools, in Professor MeLollan's private school and in Eastman's Business College of Poughkeepsie. New York. He began active business life in 1879 in the office of Wilder & Company, with which firm he remained as confidential clerk until the death of Mr. Wilder in 1900. Major Williamson then succeeded to the firm and taking Mr. J. J. Rauers as partier, established the present house of Williamson & Raners, steamship and forwarding agents. This concern has a world-wide reputation as steamship agents. Major Williamson has unusual business and exeentive gifts of which the success of the firm is the logical outcome.
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Major Williamson went through the publie schools of Savannah; later took a course at Eastman's Commercial College at Poughkeepsie, New York. and then a mere youth, entered business with the firm of J. H. Gardner & Company. ship agents. He then went with the eotton firm of Andrew Low & Company (now out of existence), and after two years was sent by the firm, first to New Orleans and then to Galveston, Texas. He returned to Savannah in 1879. a young man of twenty-five, and was made confidential clerk of the firm of Wilder & Company. In the second year of service with that firm he was given power of attorney and put in charge of their freight business, in which position lie remained until 1901. His entire service with that firm covered a period of twenty- two years. When Mr. Wilder died in 1901, Mr. Williamson associated himself with Mr. J. J. Raners, under the style of Williamson & Rauers, and took over its business of Wilder & Company, which the firm of Williamson & Rauers have continued to successfully prosecute up to the present. This firm represents the North German Lloyd, the Hansa line (a German company) and other steamship companies. During all these years of steady-going business Mr. Williamson has been active in many direetions and has been making character among his fellow- citizens. He has given an enormous amount of time to the public serviee and to the welfare of his native city, without any other com- pensation than that of the satisfaction which comes to the man who tries to serve his fellow-men. In 1895-96 he was president of the Cotton Exchange; and served again in that capacity in 1902-03. He is vice- president of the National Bank of Savannah; president of the Com- mercial Life Insurance Company, and for five years, from 1906 to 1910, inclusive, was president of the Chamber of Commerce. In the spring of 1907, while president of the Chamber of Commerce. Major Williamson, in company with Gov. Hoke Smith and G. Gunby Jordan, president of the Georgia Irrigation Association, visited Europe, and their efforts were successful in proeuring the establishment of direct steamship communication with the Port of Savannah, so that the state received in 1907 the first cargo of seleeted immigrants arriving in Georgia since colonial days. Major Williamson's service to the state
military covers a period of thirty-two years. In 1872 he joined the Savannah Volunteer Guards, organized in 1802. He joined as a private and held every office from private to captain. Finally in 1901. he advanced to the rank of major, which position he held until 1904, when lie retired from active service. Certainly he had given a full measure of service. During his military service he was largely responsible for the establishment of Georgia's reputation in the riffe contests. Begin- ning in 1895. he was appointed by the Governor, captain of the state rifle team to represent the state at the annual riffe matches at Sea Girt, New Jersey. Major Williamson captained the team for five years. They came into competition with state teams from Massachusetts. New York. Pennsylvania. Connectient. Maine, the District of Columbia. and other localities. From its first visit to Sea Girt the Georgia team steadily worked its way forward until 1897. when out of five team matches and twelve individual matches, the Georgia men won every one, except one individual match.
The things before mentioned have been merely a part of his immense activities in a publie way. He has been, or is, a director in the Cotton Press Association, the Cotton Exchange, Tow Boat Company, Henderson- Hull Buggy Company. Young Men's Christian Association, a enrator in the Georgia Historical Society, vestryman in St. John's Episcopal church, a commissioner of pilotage, a viee-president ( for Georgia ) of the National Rivers and Harbors Congress. As chairman of a committee composed of
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delegates from the Chamber of Commerce, Board of Trade, Cotton Ex- change and Board of Aldermen, on several occasions, Major Williamson appeared before the Rivers and Harbors Committee of Congress, and secured for the city of Savannah large appropriations for the improve- ment of its harbor. The committee was in each case successful, and Savannah has in the last twenty-five years grown from a shallow-water port, with a depth of twelve feet. to a deep-sea port, which can aecom- modate vessels of twenty-seven foot draught. Major Williamson was also one of the active promoters of the automobile races of Savannah. which draw multiplied thousands of people to that city at their annual meets. In social life he is identified with the Oglethorpe Club. the Savannah Yacht Club, the Golf Chib, the Savannah Volunteer Guards' Club, and the Cotillion Club, of which last named he has been chairman of the board since its organization. Politically, he is identified with the Democratic party, and in 1913 was elected alderman.
Major Williamson was married in 1904 to Miss Corinne Heyward, daughter of Robert and Mary Elizabeth (Stoney ) Heyward. After the birth of two children. Mrs. Williamson passed away, leaving a sur- viving infant, William Wayne Williamson, Junior, and Major William- son has since remained a widower. His preferred reading has been along historical lines, and it is a notable fact that every student of public men comes to be impressed with the fact that those men who are students of history show a larger measure of public spirit than those who are not interested in that direction. A knowledge of history seems to be one of the contributing factors in good citizenship; and when with this knowledge of history is combined a good ancestry, one can, in nearly every case, forecast what attitude the men possessing these quali- fications will occupy upon publie questions.
STEPHEN NATHAN HARRIS. The world instinctively and justly renders deference to the man whose success in life has been worthily achieved, who has obtained a competence by honorable methods, and whose high reputation is solely the result of pre-eminent merit in his chosen work. Among Savannah's young citizens and business men is Stephen Nathan Harris, president of the Harris Tire Company, manu- facturers of automobile supplies, a concern which is a live factor in the city's prosperity. In this day when the automobile has taken so important a part in the world's affairs, Mr. Harris' business is one of remarkable possibilities and his thorough mastery of the business in all its details has constituted the basis of his steady advancement.
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