USA > Georgia > Chatham County > Savannah > A history of Savannah and South Georgia, Volume II > Part 24
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Born in Savannah, Georgia, on August 31. 1878, Judge Schwarz is the son of Emil A. and Lonise (Sehoneck) Schwarz. The father was born in Bavaria, Germany, and with his parents immigrated to America in 1850, when the family located in New York City. In 1854 Emil Schwarz left his friends and family and came to the southland, settling in Savannah, where he lived until his death, which took place in 1894.
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Mr. Schwarz became interested in the furniture and carpet business and conducted a representative business in this line at the corner of Bull and Brougliton streets for a quarter of a century. At the inception of the Civil war he joined the Confederate army as a member of Company B, Savannah Volunteer Gnards, and served throughout the war. His brother. the late Major Schwarz, who came to Savannah in 1858, also served the full duration of the war period, first as a member of the Ger- man Volunteers, and later as a member of Captain Phillips' company in the Thirty-second Georgia Infantry. Major Schwarz was for several years prominent in military circles of the state. becoming a major in the First Regiment of Infantry. retiring with the rank of lieutenant colonel, and afterwards serving four years on the staff of Governor Atkinson and the same period on the staff of Governor Chandler. The mother of Judge Schwarz, who was born in Alsace-Loraine, still lives in Savannah.
Judge Schwarz was reared and educated in Savannah. as a youth attending the private school of Capt. John Taliaferro, after which he entered the law department of the University of Georgia, finishing the prescribed course and receiving the degree of Bachelor of Laws from that institution in 1895, when he was but seventeen years of age. a most unusual accomplishment. He was considered too young to enter into actual practice of his profession at that time, and so turned his atten- tion to his father's business, the death of the elder Schwarz having occurred some few months previous. In 1898 young Schwarz closed out the business which his father had so successfully conducted for the many past years, and in the following year he began the practice of law in the city of his birth. From its inception, his career has been one of worthy successes and accomplishments. He has founded an ever growing and lucrative practice, which he conduets aside from his duties as city recorder, to which office he was elected in 1907 by the city conn- cil of Savannah, his duties being those of judge of the police court. He was re-elected to the office in 1909 and again in 1911, succeeding him- self in the office, which he has ever filled admirably. He is the only member of the old administration that holds over. The office having been changed from one elected by city council to one elected by popular vote, at the last election (1913) all the old administration was defeated with the exception of Judge Schwarz, who was unanimously elected.
Judge Schwarz was for seven years an active member of Company B, Savannah Volunteer Guards, enlisting as a private and receiving pro- motion to the rank of lieutenant of his company and sergeant major of his battalion. Resigning from the guards, he was elected captain of Company M of the First Regiment of Infantry, but after six months' service in that capacity he retired, his duties demanding too much time from his professional work. Judge Schwarz is a man of some prominence in fraternal circles. and is a member of the Elks of Savannah. with the pleasing distinction of having been elected for two successive terms to the office of exalted ruler of the lodge. He is president of the local lodge of Owls, and is a member of the Yacht Club, the Hussars' Club and the German Club.
Judge Schwarz was married to Miss Florence MeDermott, of this . city, and to them have been born a son and a daughter, John E .. Jr .. and Rosemary Schwarz.
HORACE A. CRANE. It is natural to look for the foremost citizens of a coummity among the recognized financiers, for a city's commercial importance and prosperity is largely indicated by the stability of its banks, and those who control these and direct their activities are, as a
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class, the safe, substantial, solid and dependable men. Among the prominent citizens of Savannah, Georgia, is Horace A. Crane, who is vice-president of the Citizens and Southern Bank. He was born at St. Mary's, Georgia, in 1841, and is a son of Heman A. and Julia R. (Un- derwood) Crane.
Heman A. Crane, who, for many years was an esteemed and valued citizen of Savannah, was born in Litchfield county, Connecticut, from which seetion he came to Georgia in young manhood. He was a com- mission merchant and prior to 1843 engaged in this business at Darien, Georgia, which place, at that time. was an important shipping port. In the above year he removed to Savannah, in which city he made his home until his death. in 1879. In all that concerned the growth and develop- ment of this city he was deeply concerned and the general esteem in which he was held was expressed by resolutions adopted at the time of his decease, by one of the organizations to which he had belonged in life. This tribute we are permitted to copy :
"We are once more called upon to mourn the loss of one whose loss we share in common with a whole community .. The sudden and nnex- pected demise of our late esteemed and beloved fellow member, Heman A. Crane, calls for no ordinary expression of feeling and opinion from the members of the Savannah Benevolent Association. Our deceased brother was one who gave character to our association, and during the dark days of 1876, while a fearful epidemie was raging in our midst, his self-sacrificing devotion in ministering to the wants of the sick, dying and distressed. was conspicuous and worthy of emulation. He was a sincere Christian, a noble friend, a charitable gentleman. While by his teachings he showed to others what they should do for the good of their fellow men, by his example he demonstrated to them how it might be done. He seemed to have adopted as the motto of his life, Non sibi, sed aliis, thereby illustrating his profession. He was truly a Christian man in every sense of the word. Be it therefore
"Resolved, that in the death of Heman A. Crane, our city has sus- tained the loss of one of its most useful and upright citizens, and the Savannah Benevolent Association one of its brightest ornaments: one whose daily life was an example worthy to be followed under any and all conditions."
Horace A. Crane was educated in his native city. Before he had yet established himself in business he became a soldier, in May, 1861, enlisting for service in the Civil war. in the Oglethorpe Light Infantry, Confederate army, which organization became Company B. Eighth Georgia Infantry, assigned to service in Virginia, his brother, William H., a member of the same company, being killed at the first battle of Manassas. On account of illness, Mr. Crane was given a furlough home after one year in the Virginia mountains, and later was commissioned a lieutenant in the First Georgia Battalion of Sharpshooters, whose commander afterward became Gen. Robert HI. Anderson. This organ- ization was ordered to Vicksburg. but, following the fall of that city, it was sent to North Georgia and from there to Tennessee and partici- pated in the battle of Chiekamanga. On the second day of this pro- longed battle. Mr. Crane was severely wounded, this injury cansing his being sent home to reenperate, and a year later, when but partially re- covered, he was appointed adjutant of the garrison at Fort Me Allister. having about 150 men. The fort was taken by storm by General Hazen. commanding a large force of Federal soldiers. December 13. 1864. and Mr. Crane was sent first to a military prison at Hilton Head, South Carolina, and six weeks later to Fort Delaware, where he remained a Vol. II-11
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prisoner until the close of the war, when he was paroled and returned to Savannalı.
Upon returning to Savannah after the war he became associated with his father in business and so continued until 1873, in that year becoming bookkeeper in the Southern Bank of the State of Georgia, of which, in 1877, he was made cashier. In 1881 he became vice-pres- ident of the institution and served continuously until 1906, when the Southern Bank was consolidated with the Citizens Bank, forming the present Citizens and Southern Bank, Mr. Crane retaining his official status in the new organization. The Citizens and Southern Bank has a capital of $1,000,000, a surplus of the same amount and undivided profits exceeding a quarter of a million dollars. For almost forty years Mr. Crane has been identified with this financial institution and his name has always added to its strength and his efforts to the extension of its prosperity.
Mr. Crane was married (first) to Miss Georgia Anderson, who died in 1880, survived by four children : William H., Horace A., Jr., Edward A., and Nina, who is the wife of John L. Hammond. Mr. Crane was married (second) to Miss Mary Cox, who was born in Georgia, and they have one son, H. Averill Crane. In all matters of great and general im- portance Mr. Crane's interest and assistance may be depended upon and more than once his keenness of business perception has proved of value in public matters.
ROBERT JESSE TRAVIS. Among the lawyers whose integrity and ability have given to the bar of Savannah its high reputation through- out the state is Robert Jesse Travis, of the firm of Travis & Travis, whose offices are located in suite 16-18 Provident building, Savannah, Georgia. Robert Jesse Travis was born January 13, 1877, in the town of Conyers, Georgia, the son of Dr. A. C. W. and Allie (Livingston) Travis. Dr. Travis was one of the best known physicians and surgeons in central Georgia, and was prominent as a surgeon in the Confederate service during the Civil war. He passed away in 1890, while his widow still makes her home in Covington, Georgia. Mrs. Travis is a woman of rare gifts and gracious refinement. Contributions from her pen have often found their way into print. She was born in Covington, New- ton county, Georgia, June 17, 1845, the daughter of Robert Bass and Elizabeth (MeLaughlin) Livingston. Robert B. Livingston is of dis- tinguished ancestry, having been a grandson of William Livingston of colonial fame, and a direct descendant of Robert Livingston, who, in 1686, obtained a patent for the manor of Livingston, Columbia county, New York, and an account of whose life is to be found in Lossing's "Lives of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence."
The Rev. Jesse Travis, the grandfather of Robert Jesse, was a prominent Baptist minister and an associate of the Rev. Jesse Mereer, the founder of Mercer University of Macon. Georgia. Among the fore- bears of Mr. Travis, who were famous in Colonial and Revolutionary history, appear the names of Livingston, Bass, MeLanghlin, Nicholson and Lewis, and including such well-known characters as the following: Amos Travis, an early settler in the state of Virginia: Richmond Ter- rell, the great-grandfather of Robert Jesse Travis, a native of Virginia, who served under Colonel Lynch's command in the southern campaign of the Revolution, and distinguished himself by valorons service in the battles of King's Mountain and Guilford Court House. John Nichol- son, who served in the Revolution from Mecklenburg, North Carolina ; Ebenezer Smith, a representative of Georgia in the war for independ- ence; John Lewis, who settled in Hanover county, Virginia, and whose
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nephew, Capt. Merriwether Lewis, became governor of the territory of Louisiana ; and a member of the famous Lewis and Clark Expedition ; and David Lewis, born in 1685, a son of John Lewis, a prominent figure in Albemarle county, Virginia, and related to Col. Barrett Travis, who lost his life in the Texas defense of the Alamo in April, 1836.
Robert Jesse Travis was graduated from Emory College, Oxford, Georgia, receiving the degree of Bachelor of Arts with the class of 1897, together with first honor and every scholarship medal in any depart- ment. In 1899 he was graduated from the University of Georgia, in the department of law, with the degree of Bachelor of Laws. He had at the same time been taking a post-graduate course in the literary de- partment of the state institution. In the year 1897-98, he was principal of the high school at Madison, Georgia. In 1899, Mr. Travis entered upon the practice of his profession in Savannah, forming a partnership with Charles G. Edwards, under the firm name of Travis & Edwards, later entering into a partnership with his brother, John Livingston Travis, under the present firm style of Travis & Travis. The firmn has an exeellent professional business, and its members are popular and able, both as counselors and attorneys, at the Savannah bar. Both are members of the Savannah bar association.
In his political allegiance, Mr. Travis is a staneh Demoerat, but although he is an enthusiastie worker in behalf of the candidates and . measures of his party, he has himself never aeeepted publie offiee. Fraternally, Mr. Travis is a member of the Ancient Free and Aceepted Masons; is a past master of Landrum Lodge, Wise Master of Temple Chapter No. 1, Seottish Rite Masons, a Shriner, being Potentate of Alee Temple, Savannah, and a prominent figure at all state gatherings of the order. He is a member of the University Club, the Savannah Yacht Club, the Savannah Golf Club, and the Sons of the Revolution, and holds membership also in the Methodist Episcopal church South, belonging to the Wesleyan Monumental church of his home eity.
Mr. Travis is known as one of the best rifle and revolver shots in the state, and until recently, when business eaused him to give up rifle practice, he was a member of every Georgia team sinee 1902, holding the state and inter-state (southern) individual championship medals. He has been identified with the Georgia state troops sinee August 25, 1899, when he enlisted as a private in Company E, First Regiment of Infantry, and later in Company C, Savannah Volunteer Guards, known as the Coast Artillery Corps of Georgia. He has risen through the various ranks of promotion, and has served as corporal, first lieutenant and eaptain, and is still the eaptain of Company C. In 1903, lie was appointed lieutenant-colonel and assistant judge-advocate in the Geor- gia state troops. He is also a member of the Savannah Volunteer Guards Club and the United Sons of Confederate Veterans. Captain Travis conducted the investigation which led to the finding of the exaet location, on the west side of Savannah, of Spring Hill redonbt, where occurred one of the most sanguinary battles of the Revolution, in which the American and French forees, making an effort to retake the city of Savannah, which was occupied by the British, were repulsed after waging a battle in which they displayed great valor and bravery. On February 11, 1911, this spot was marked by a tablet commemorating the event, erected by the Georgia Society of the Sons of the Revolution, of which Captain Travis is vice-president. A notable gathering, con- sisting of prominent Georgians, United States government officials and a representative of the French government, were present at the dedi- cation of the tablet, and Captain Travis had charge of the entire arrangement of the affair.
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On November 27, 1902, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Travis to Miss Rena Falligant, daughter of Louis A. and Rosa O. (Brown) Falli- gant, of Savannah. Captain and Mrs. Travis have three children: Rob- ert Falligant; William Livingston and Margaret Elizabeth Travis.
THE LA ROCHE FAMILY IHISTORY. In the year 1733 two brothers landed in America from the shores of England. Their names were John La Roche and Isaac La Roche. John La Roche was appointed .by King James to assist in planning and laying off the present city of Savannah, and one of the sixteen tithings of the city according to the original plan was named in compliment to him by Gen. Oglethorpe La Roche Tithing. Some few years later on John La Roche returned to England and took up his abode in the royal family as privy counsellor to the king. Isaac La Roche decided to adopt America as his home and married Eliza- beth Drummond, a lady of beauty and rare mental culture who had immigrated to America from Scotland a few years previous to her mar- riage. Elizabeth and her brother, Dr. Archibald Drummond, were the only surviving members of the Drummond family who had left their highland home for the New World.
Shortly after the marriage of Elizabeth her brother, Dr. Archibald Drummond, went to the West Indies and finally settled at or near Kingston, Jamaica, where he accumulated a large fortune. He never married and at his death bequeathed his large property by will to his sister, Elizabeth La Roche. The latter entrusted the recovery of this legacy to General Flournoy, of Augusta, Georgia, who from some cause failed to press the suit to a successful termination.
To Isaac La Roche and his wife. Elizabeth, were born one son, who was also named Isaac, and two daughters, Sarah and Elizabeth; after the birth of the third child their father died and their mother married again. Isaac on reaching the years of manhood married Eliza Oliver, who was the daughter of John Oliver of Augusta, Georgia. Her father was a graduate of Oxford College, England. and after coming over and settling in America he uniformed and equipped a military company at his own expense. to serve in defense of their country against the British. He was quite wealthy and while a resident of Augusta, Georgia, was a co-partner with General Fash in a large mercantile business in Charles- ton, South Carolina. From this late marriage were born the following children : Sarah E. La Roche, James A. La Roche, Oliver A. La Roche, Isaac D. La Roche, Adrian V. La Roche, Lawrence and Jolin La Roche. Soon after the birth of John. the father died and their mother married Doctor Beaudry, to whom one child, a girl, was born. Isaae La Roche, the father of the children named above, three of whom are vet living, died about the year 1822. One of his sisters married a Mr. Votee, this one was Sarah : Elizabeth married a Mr. Craft.
James Oliver, grandfather of the children of Isaac La Roche and Elizabeth La Roche, nce Oliver, married Sarah Mckay, who being left an orphan in early childhood, was reared by her unele, Randolph Spald- ing, near St. Mary's, Georgia.
The brothers and sisters of Isaac La Roche were: Alice, deceased. was the wife of Edgar Williams; Ruth, deceased. was the wife of R. R. Richards; Amy, wife of Win. E. Dnuwody; Nellie, wife of Prof. Felix Lising; Ida, wife of L. D. Hunt; Isaac, mentioned below; Robert D .; Walter P .; Eva, wife of Gilbert W. Allen.
ISAAC DRAYTON LA ROCHE. The city of Savannah is fortunate in the possession of a representation of fine citizenship of French descent, this element being interesting, progressive and valuable. Of this is Isaac
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Drayton La Roche, engaged in the real estate business in this city, who is deseended from one of the founders of the colony of Georgia. Ile was born and reared in the Forest eity in which for numerous genera- tions his forbears have had their being, and is an able exponent of the strong initiative ability and progressive spirit that have caused the eity to forge so rapidly forward.
Isaae Drayton La Roche was born within the pleasant boundaries of the city on the 3d day of March, 1859. The father of Mr. La Roche was born in Augusta, but was practically a life-long resident, coming here at an early age. In his own vocation Mr. La Roche is following in the paternal footsteps. the elder gentleman having been a successful real estate man, with substantial property interests in Savannah and the Isle of Hope, where his home was located. He was also engaged in mereantile pursuits. He was the son of Isaac La Roche, who was for a long number of years one of the most prominent cotton factors of Georgia. The demise of Drummond La Roche occurred in 1895. but his memory remains green in the hearts of the citizens of Savannah. The La Roche family is prominently coneerned in the events of the early history of Georgia and the subject's grandfather was one of the trustees of the colony.
Mr. La Roche. immediate subject of this review, received his educa- tion in the public schools of the city of Savannah and early eame to the eonelusion to enter the field of business. Some time before the attainment of his majority he beeame associated with his father in busi- ness, and succeeded that gentleman when he retired from active life. He is a sueeessful dealer in real estate, being everywhere recognized as one of the city's experts in the placing of valuation, and he is also pro- fieient as an auctioneer of real estate.
. On the 5th day of November. 1884. Mr. La Roche laid the founda- tion of a happy household and congenial life companionship by his mar- riage to Miss Emma Ernst of this city, daughter of a descendant of one of the early German families. Their daughter, Georgia La Roche, thus shares the Teutonie and French elements, both of which have contrib- uted in definite fashion to the early strength of Georgia. Miss Georgia graduated from the high school of Savannah at the age of fifteen years with first honors from a class of fifty-seven. Then to complete her educa- tion she attended the Mary Baldwin Institute at Staunton, Virginia. In 1912, she was married to Wm. A. Smith, of New Bedford, Massachu- setts, but they now reside at San Francisco, California. He is associated with the San Francisco Examiner. The La Roche home is an attractive one and is known for its gracious hospitality.
CAPT. HENRY BLUN. Ameriea has been likened to a great melting- pot into which all the nations of the earth are east in a constant tide of immigration. the result being the American citizen. virile, honest, progressive. with fine ideas of freedom and independence. It is gon- erally acknowledged that one of the most desirable elements which enter into the great erneible is the German, the nation having everything to gain and nothing to lose from the assimilation of this brainy, honest and generally admirable stock, which has given to the world some of its greatest geniuses. To the Fatherland was Savannah indebted for one of her representative citizens. Capt. Henry Blum, president of Ger- mania Bank and a Confederate veteran of the war between the states.
Captain Bhi was born in the historie city of Worms. Germany, May 20, 1833. At the age of twenty, in 1853, he came to America, locating first in New York City. where he became a bookkeeper in a mereantile office. In December. 1854, he came to Savannah, which has
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ever since been his home, its charms and advantages appealing to him from the first. For some time before the war he was associated with Thomas Walsh in the anetion and commission business and in 1857 he formed a partnership with M. H. Meyer in the same line of business, in which he continued until about the time of the inception of the supreme struggle between the North and South.
Captain Blun volunteered for service in the Confederate army, early in 1861, and became a member of the German Volunteers, which organi- zation was in serviee at Fort Pulaski at the mouth of the Savannah river and he was also with the forces on Tybee and Wilmington islands. Subsequently he became a member of the Savannah Artillery under Capt. George L. Cope, stationed at what was then known as Fort Jack- son. In 1864, on account of ill-health, contraeted from serviee on the coast, he was granted six months' furlough and on April 1, 1864, he left Savannah on the sloop "Maggie Blun," which he had bought and fitted up for blockade running, with a cargo of cotton, bound for Nassau, under agreement with the state of Georgia to dispose of the eargo to the best advantage. He successfully ran the blockade, disposed of the eargo at Nassau and turned over the proceeds to the agents of the state of Georgia at that place. He also delivered at Nassau. for mail- ing in the English mails, important dispatches and documents which had been entrusted to him by the Confederate government and addressed to Messrs. Mason and Slidell, the Confederate representatives in Lon- don, and which subsequently reached their destination safely. From Nassau, Captain Blun went on to Europe, visiting his home people in Germany, who were then living in the city of Mainz. He then pro- ceeded to London and Liverpool, meeting in the latter eity parties engaged in blockade running for the Confederacy and from Liverpool he embarked on the blockade running steamship "Banshee" for Wil- mington. North Carolina. This steamship made a successful landing on the Carolina coast. Captain Blun had many interesting and dangerous adventures as a blockade runner, and the recountal of the same is a thrilling and picturesque tale. He was never laeking in bravery and was chosen for several perilous enterprises. His experiences as a blockade runner lasted six months, when, his furlough expiring. he returned to Savannah and took charge of a company of home guard, Company C of Colonel Pritchard's battalion. In command of his company he was on guard duty in Savannah until the occupation of the city by Sherman's army. He was then granted a parole which continued until the termi- nation of the war.
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