USA > Georgia > Chatham County > Savannah > A history of Savannah and South Georgia, Volume II > Part 37
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In 1895, when about twenty years of age, Mr. Sumner was united in marriage to Miss Cora Balkcon, daughter of Alex and Josephine (Warren) Balkcon, the father an agriculturist of this section and a veteran of the Civil war, throughout the entire course of which he served. Their union has been blessed by the birth of the following interesting children : Leonna, aged fifteen: Janie, aged thirteen; Cora May, aged seven; and Irene, aged six. They are students in the Cordele graded school.
Upon first beginning his career, Mr. Sumner entered a mercantile and grocery establishment at Sumner and under Mckinley's first ad- ministration, he was appointed postmaster and proved an efficient and faithful servant of Unele Sam. Following his tenure of this office, he removed with his family to Cordele, where he accepted a position as clerk in the J. S. Pates dry-goods store, which he retained for six months. He then engaged with Carter & Darrough, dealers in musical instruments. and remained with this concern for one year and then became traveling salesman for the Cable Piano Company, an association which he did not terminate for a twelvemonth. It was ensning npon this that Mr. Sumner became a member of the Cordele police force and he acted in the capacity of patrolman for four years, from 1905 to 1909, and'in the latter year was made chief of police, which important office he has held to the satisfaction of the citizens for the space of four years.
Mr. Sumner is a popular and prominent Mason, belonging to the blue lodge, in which he is active, and also to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Woodmen of the World, in the latter not taking an active part. He and his admirable wife are members of the Meth- odist Episcopal church.
The subject of this brief sketch is a son of Joseph M. and Jane (Young) Summer, estimable citizens, both of whom survive at the present time. His grandfather and grandmother, also native Georgians. were Jo- seph and Mahala (Smith) Summer, and the family is an old and promi- nent one in this county. Mr. Sumuer is a member of a large family of brothers and sisters, as follows: Thomas JJ .; John M .; Robert O .: Henry L .; and Mrs. J. M. Williams; Mrs. M. C. Lemons: Mrs. A. E.
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Bass; Mrs. Hattie Sykes; and Mrs. C. J. Williams, all this number being natives and residents of southern Georgia.
JAMES GORDON JONES. Exceptionally well fitted for the legal pro- fession, not only by his natural gifts and ability, but through his high mental attainments, untiring industry, keen perceptive faculties, Col. James Gordon Jones has won an assured position among the foremost law- yers of Crisp county as a member of the firm of Crum & Jones, of Cordele, having a large and lucrative practice. A son of James F'. Jones, he was born near Mountisville, Troup county. Georgia, September 20, 1870.
James F. Jones served in the Civil war as major of a company of Georgia infantry. A lifelong planter, he is now living in Hogansville, Troup county, an honored and respected citizen of seventy-three years. He married Araminta Seay, a native of Meriwether county, Georgia, and they have five children living as follows: William M., born in 1866, has for the past twenty years been engaged in farming in Texas and California ; James Gordon, the special subject of this brief biographieal record; and E. A .. who has been engaged in the practice of law at LaGrange, Troup county. for four years; Mrs. J. W. Darden and Mrs. C. J. Daniel. who reside at Hogansville, Troup county ; Mrs. F. P. Ayers, Hugh M. and Julia, who are deceased.
James Gordon completed his education in the high schools of Hogans- ville and after spending four years in California returned to Georgia and completed his study of law and was admitted to the bar at La- Grange on May 8, 1895. and has been admitted to practice in all the courts, having been admitted to practice in the supreme court of the United States. April 6, 1908. Mr. Jones located at Cordele, Georgia, July, 1896, where he has since been associated with D. A. R. Crum under the firm name of Crum & Jones, making a specialty of corpora- tion law. This enterprising firm is division counsel for the Atlanta, Birmingham & Atlantic Railroad Company, and district counsel for the Georgia Southwestern & Gulf Railroad Company, and for the Southern Bell Telephone & Telegraph Company.
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On April 7, 1897. Mr. Jones was united in marriage with Annie Lou Paul of Eastman. Dodge county, Georgia, a daughter of W. E. and Fannie (Childs) Paul. Four children have been born of the union of Mr. and Mrs. Jones. namely: Vannie, born June 12. 1899; Gordon, born April 7. 1903: Susie Pearl, born August 7, 1905: Edwin L., born January 7, 1907. Vannie died October 28, 1902, aged 3 years, 3 months.
LEON POWELL WIMBERLY, for sixteen years past the postmaster of Abbeville, is a native of the state of Georgia, born in Bibb county, city of Macon, on March 6. 1858. He is the son of Louis D. and Juliet Amanda ( Powell) Wimberly. both natives of Bibb county. Louis Win- berly served in the Civil war in Cavalry regiment. Ile died at the age of thirty-five. when his son Leon Powell, was but twelve years old. The mother still lives, nearly eighty years of age, and makes her home in Hawkinsville, Pulaski county, Georgia.
Snch schooling as Leon Wimberly secured was in the public schools of Macon, previous to his sixteenth birthday. When he reached that age he went to work on a farm. remaining there for two years and receiving as wages five dollars a month. He was employed on the farm of Dr. Virgil Walker in Wilcox county. When he concluded his two years of farm life. Mr. Wimberly engaged in the saw mill business, being occupied for five years driving a minle team. In 1890 he had saved some money from his previous years' labors, and he became a partner in the firm for whom he had been driving mules for five years, and the
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firm became known as the McLeod, Denard & Wimberly Company, dealers in general merchandise. Soon after that Mr. Wimberly bought the entire business, selling a half interest to C. A. Horne, and con- tinuing with the trade until 1894, when they were burned out. Noth- ing daunted by his misfortunes, Mr. Wimberly again entered business alone, and after two years he sold out to one Mr. Fitzgerald and ae- cepted a traveling position with L. Cohen & Company of Macon, dealers in whiskey, cigars and tobacco. He later became connected with Alt- meyer & Flatau, dealers in the same commodities, with whom he con- tinued for some time. Later he was appointed postmaster at Abbeville. which position he has retained since that time. He has also been en- gaged in merchandising from time to time, and has some farming inter- ests as well, which he cares for in addition to his official business.
Mr. Wimberly was a member of the city council of Hawkinsville while he was identified with that place, and has discharged the duties of a loyal citizen in the most praiseworthy manner while he has been in Abbeville. He is prominent in fraternal eircles of the city, holding membership in the Knights of Pythias, in which order he was past chaneellor and representative to the grand lodge of Georgia for two terms. He is a Royal Arch Mason.
In 1891 Mr. Wimberly married Miss Ida R. Wileox, daughter of T. D. and Roxie A. (Read) Wileox of Irwin county. Six children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Wimberly, all of whom are deceased but one son, Leon, aged eighteen. Thomas died when about twelve years old; Jus- tine P. died at the age of fifteen, while a student at Gordon Institute at Barnesville. Gerald was burned to death when three years of age. Two died in infaney. The wife and mother passed away on August 26, 1904. On February 14, 1906. Mr: Wimberly married Miss Carol M. Moorer of Savannah. Three children have been born to them, Juliet aged six years, Sarah, four years of age and Carol three years old.
COL. WADE HAMPTON LASSETER. When a man is a deseendant of a family that has lived in the same section of the country for more than a generation, he naturally feels an affection for the very soil of that country that others could not feel. He consequently has a deeper rooted loyalty to the affairs of his community, and a firm determina- tion to do his best towards furthering its interests. Such a man is Col. Wade Hampton Lasseter. He is as yet comparatively young in the praetiee of his profession, and one can not say what the future holds for him, but from what he has already accomplished. it is safe to say that greater successes await him, and that in whatever field his work may call him, he will ever be loyal to what he considers the best inter- ests of his section and his people. As a lawyer, who has been in active practice for a little over seven years, he has proved to be worthy of the admiration that is aecorded to him generally. He is a keen thinker, a clever speaker, and is honest and straight-forward in his methods. Is it any wonder that he is fast winning the trust of a largo circle of men, and that he has recently been elected to the office of judge of the city court !
Col. Wade Ilampton Lasseter was born on a farm near Hawkins- ville, in Pulaski county, Georgia, the date of his birth being July 16. 1875. He was the son of Isaac S. and Martha ( Ham) Lasseter. His father was a native of Twiggs county, and his mother was born in Dooly county, both counties of Georgia. His grandfather on his father's side was a native of North Carolina, who had emigrated to Georgia while still a young man. His maternal grandfather was a native Georgian. The father of Wade Ilampton Lasseter was a private
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in the Eighteenth Georgia Infantry during the Civil war, and served through the long struggle between the states. Both he and his wife are living, and though they are past their prime they are still vigor- ous, and deeply interested in the affairs of the day. It is a matter of no small pride to them to see the way in which their son has won suc- eess for himself. Colonel Lasseter has several brothers, including Ed S., who is a resident of Cordele; S. L .; and HI. S., who is a planter in Dooly county.
Colonel Lasseter only spent six months of his life on the farm where he was born, for his parents soon moved to Dooly county. There his father bought a farm near Vienna, and here the boy grew to man- hood. He was naturally a leader among his young friends and was known for his ability along argumentative lines. He seemed to have that gift which seems peculiarly the property of the Southern man, that of oratory. There is no more popular course offered in Southern colleges today than that in public speaking, and witness how difficult it is to persuade students in Northern universities to take sueh a course. It was evident from an early day that he was destined for the court room. He remained on the farm until he was twenty-two years of age and then he was sent to Emory College, at Oxford. Georgia. His preliminary education had been received in the country sehools. and since his prep- aration was not very good he had to work unusually hard while in col- lege. This did not prevent him, however. from becoming very popular with his fellows, and he entered heartily into the activities of his student life. He was graduated from Emory in 1901, and thence went to Mer- cer University, at Mereer, Georgia. IIe spent three years here, com- pleting his work in 1904. With a regretful sigh that his student days were over, he now settled down to practice in Vienna. He soon beeame known as a lawyer who knew his business and in a comparatively short time he had a flourishing practice. He was elected in June of 1911 to the position which he now holds, that of judge of the city court. Having so fine an education himself. and believing that it is the duty of every well educated man to enlist in the cause of education, he has been a prominent member of the county board of education since 1907. He has done everything in his power to bring the schools of the county into as good condition as possible, but the task is a difficult one, for the people in the South are just waking up to the crying need for educational facilities all over the country.
Colonel Lasseter is active in fraternal circles, having had many opportunities to observe the practical working of the theoretical prin- ciples of the various orders. He is a Mason, being a Royal Arch Mason. He belongs to the Knights of Pythias and to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and is also a member of the Benevolent Pro- tective Order of Elks. Both he and his wife are regular attendants at the Methodist church in Vienna.
Colonel Lasseter was married on November 1. 1903, to Miss Eva Penney. They have two children. Their son Bill is seven years old. and the baby of two is named Mollie.
COL. JAMES OGLETHORPE VARNEDOE. Few Georgians have had careers of more varied activity than the present postmaster of Valdosta, Colonel Varnedoe. A veteran of two wars, a teacher. merchant and publie official, he has long been one of the prominent citizens of south- ern Georgia and represents one of the oldest families of the state.
He was born at the Varnedoe summer home in MeIntosh county of this state on June 24, 1842. His grandfather, Nathaniel Varnedoc. a native of South Carolina, on coming to Georgia settled in Liberty
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county, where he began his career as a planter and acquired large landed interests and many slaves. He was a cultured, prosperous Southern planter. Many of his summers were spent at Saratoga Springs, New York, at that time the most fashionable resort in America. Aside from this recreation afforded him by reason of his considerable wealth, he lived quietly most of his time in Liberty county and died there, aged about sixty-four. The maiden name of his first wife, the grandmother of the colonel, was Jones, and she was a sister of Moses and Samuel Jones. She passed away at middle age, leaving four sons and five daughters named as follows: Samnel Me Whir, Nathaniel I., Leander L., Rufus A., Sarah, Lonisa. Matilda. Claudia, and Anna. By his second marriage the grandfather had one daughter. Mary Ellen, and one son, who died aged eight or nine years, and whose name was Stockton.
Prof. Samuel Me Whir Varnedoe, the first of the sons named above and the father of Colonel Varnedoe, was born on the Liberty county plantation in 1818, and was graduated with second honors from the state university, then known as Franklin College. He became one of the successful and inspiring teachers of his native state and also took an active interest in the politics of the time. In 1855 he was candidate of the American party for congress from the district that then em- braced the greater part of south Georgia, being defeated by Mr. Seward of Thomasville. For some years prior to the war he was prosperously engaged in farming, having two plantations in Liberty county. With the overturn of the labor facilities by the war, he gave up the full operation of his lands and came to Valdosta, where he founded the Valdosta Institute, which, under his management until his death in 1870, was one of the fine and influential schools of Georgia, in which many men of the present generation received their training for honora- ble careers. Professor Varnedoe married Miss Caroline Fraser Law, who was born in Liberty county, a daughter of Samuel Law. She died at the age of seventy-six, the mother of five children, namely: Matilda Law, James Oglethorpe, Charles Carroll, Sarah Louise and Samuel LaMartine.
The education of James Oglethorpe Varnedoe was completed by graduation from the Oglethorpe University, and almost immediately he was ushered into the strenuous activities of war. Enlisting in 1861 in the Liberty county troop, attached to the Fifth Georgia Cavalry under Col. George R. Anderson, he was for a time in the coast defense, and later was sent to the western army under the command of Gen. Joe Wheeler. one of the conspienous southern cavalrymen. In the campaign against Sherman's invasion he participated in some of its most notable battles. A short time before the close of hostilities he came home to get a fresh horse, and had gone as far as South Carolina on his way to rejoin his command when the news of Lee's surrender was received. At Macon he was paroled by the federal Gen. James Wilson.
After four years of military life he resmed eivil pursuits in the capacity of a teacher, in charge of a school in Decatur county six months, after which he returned to Liberty county and farmed two years, tanght a year in Brooks county. and assisted his father at the institute a year. He then became agent for the Sonthern Express Company and was located at Valdosta, resigning that work to become clerk and book-keeper for W. II. Briggs, a prominent Valdosta mer- chant, with whom he remained ten years. At the end of that time he himself became proprietor of a general store in Valdosta, In 1890 he organized the Valdosta Mercantile Company as a wholesale dry goods house, one of the successful mercantile firms of south Georgia.
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In 1890 he became actively identified with the Georgia militia as captain of the Valdosta Videttes, and was promoted through the grades of captain, major, lieutenant colonel. to colonel. With the rank of major at the time of the breaking out of the Spanish-American war in 1898, he was appointed chief of the commissary department in the volunteer army. It is an interesting coincidence that on his entering the service he reported to Gen. J. H. Wilson, the federal leader to whom more than thirty years before he had surrendered at the close of the Civil war. He was assigned to General Wilson's staff. with which he served in Porto Rico until the troops were withdrawn from that island, and was then transferred to the staff of General Bates in Cuba. In 1899, at the close of his service. Colonel Varnedoe returned to Val- dosta and resumed his regular business until President Roosevelt ap- pointed him to the postmastership. He was reappointed by President Taft, and has given a very efficient administration of this local federal office.
Colonel Varnedoe was married in 1864 to Miss Harriet Louise Busby. a native of Liberty county. Her death occurred in 1897. The present Mrs. Varnedoe was Miss Anna Elizabeth Rogers, a native of Macon and daughter of William and Della Rogers .. Mrs. Varnedoe is one of the talented Georgia women, known for her artistic accomplish- ments throughout the state. After her gradnation from the Wesleyan Female College at Macon she studied art in Boston and later in France, some of her work having received the recognition most desired by artists, reception in the Paris Salon. She is the author of the paint- ing of Gen. John B. Gordon, executed for the state of Georgia. Colonel Varnedoe by his first marriage has three children-Sarah Louise, David Comfort and Hallie Lois. Sarah is the wife of Judge John Cranford, and has four children-James Varnedoe. Hallie. Ora Lee and Sarah. David C. married Wenona Jones, and they are the parents of two children-Wvenelle and Virginia. Colonel Varnedoe is a member and ruling elder in the Presbyterian church.
WILLIAM BRECKENRIDGE CONOLEY. Twenty years ago Mr. Conoley was getting $25 a month as a "'woods superintendent" in the turpentine industry of Georgia. His name is now associated as an official or stockholder in half a dozen or more of the important business and industrial enterprises of south Georgia. He had the ability and indus- try required by the modern world of affairs, and has been rewarded with prosperity and influence. Mr. Conoley is one of the prominent eitizens of Valdosta, where he has resided since 1903.
William Breckinridge Conoley was born in Robeson county, North Carolina, on February 17. 1866. His family and its connections were prominent in that state from an early period. The great-grandfather Conoley, a native of Ireland. erossed the Atlantic and settled in Robe- son eounty, North Carolina. buying land in the south part of the county. where he farmed until his death, and was buried on the homestead. A slab of light wood. inscribed with his name and date of death, marks his last resting place. Two brothers came with him to America, and they settled in New York.
William Conoley, son of this pioneer and grandfather of the Val- dosta business man, was born in Robeson county early in the last cen- tury, and remained a lifelong resident and farmer of that vicinity, his death occurring at the age of about fifty years. He married Anie Patterson, a native of the same county and of pure Scotch ancestry, being a descendant of the Campbells of Scotland. She survived her husband, attaining the good old age of about eighty. Her six children
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were named John Alexander Patterson, James, Scott, Sidney, Ann and Sarah.
Jolin Alexander Patterson Conoley, the father, had an interesting career. Born in Robeson county, North Carolina, January 26, 1834, he was reared on a farm and at the time of his marriage bought a tract of unimproved land and built a log house with a clay floor and a dirt and stick chimney with large fireplace-this being the home in which he began wedded life and in which some of his children were born. His career as farmer was interrupted by the war, in which he made a fine record as soldier and officer. July 22, 1861, he enlisted in Company D of the Second North Carolina Cavalry, which was attached to Gen. J. E. B. Stuart's famous cavalry corps in the Army of Northern Vir- ginia. His own serviee included many of the most important battles and campaigns of the war-Gettysburg. Fredericksburg. the Wilderness and many of the encounters and struggles about Richmond and Peters- burg, being at the latter place when the mine was exploded. At one time he was knocked senseless by the concussion of a shell. and his comrades, thinking him dead, threw him into a pit. where he lay face upward in a pool of water until regaining consciousness, and then returned to his company. He was also once captured, but was soon exehanged. Enlisting as a private he was promoted by merit and faith- ful serviee through the different grades to major. At the end of the war he resumed farming for three years, was then in the turpentine industry four years, after which he returned to the quiet pursuits of the farm, and continued so until his death on October 25. 1904.
Major Conoley married Sarah Curry, who still resides on the old homestead in North Carolina. She was born in Robeson county, July 22, 1836. Her grandfather was Edward Curry, a native of Scotland. who afterwards immigrated to America and bought land near Lumber Bridge in Robeson county, where he spent the rest of his days. his body now resting in the Lumber Bridge churchyard. In Scotland he had been a distiller of brandy, and Robert Burns. as a revenue offi- cer, had onee raided his premises and cut his still in two pieces. He had it repaired and brought it to America with him. After his death his son, the father of Mrs. Conoley, had the still stored in a corn erib. He was often importuned to sell it, but always refused. About 1840 someone entered the crib, took the still and left ten dollars in payment. For many years nothing was known of its whereabouts, until 1905. when it was captured in a raid by U. S. revenue officers in Cumber- land county and taken to Raleigh. Its peculiar construction attracted attention, descriptions were published in the press, and it was con- elusively identified as the same .which had been brought over by Edward Curry about a century before. Maleomb Curry, father of Mrs. Conoley, was a native and lifelong resident of Robeson county, where he died at the age of seventy-eight. He was a blacksmith and farmer, and had a shop on his farm. He married Catherine MeNinch, of Scotch ances- try and a native of Robeson county. Sarah (Curry) Conoley is one of the venerable women who during early life were trained in the home industries which have long since passed out of fashion. She eooked by a fireplace, carded. spun and wove cotton and wool, and dressed her family in homespim clothes. She reared six children, whose names were: Catherine Ann Virginia. Charles Hamilton, Lou- vinia Robeson. JJohn Lee, William Breckinridge and Alice Vitz Ellen. Industrious habits were part of the home training for all. and while the boys did the work of the farm the daughters were learning the same household arts of spinning and other things which their mother had employed. Mr. Conoley has two sisters, Jeanette and Catherine.
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In this way the early years of William B. Conoley were spent upon the old homestead in North Carolina. At the age of sixteen he first left home, spending four months in Georgia, and two years later again eame to this state to remain some eight months. Finally in 1890 he began his permanent residence in Georgia, beginning work for his brother, John L., as a "woods superintendent" in the turpentine industry. In this way he acquired a thorough knowledge of turpentine produc- tion, and in 1894 engaged in the business for himself in Colquitt county. Mr. Conoley was actively identified with this important line of Georgia manufacture until 1905, and from his success in this has transferred his interests and activities to various other important enterprises. In 1903 he moved to Valdosta, where he built his present attractive home. At the present time Mr. Conoley is owner of extensive farm lands in Lowndes and Colquitt counties, Georgia, and in Fernando and Pasco counties, Florida; is vice-president of the Valdosta & Moultrie Railroad Company; viec-president of the Valdosta Power & Light Company; a director in the Valdosta Bank & Trust Company: is stockholder in the Jacksonville Development Company and the Southern Drug & Manufacturing Company of Jacksonville, Florida, and a stockholder in the Valdosta Times Publishing Company; in the Citizens Bank of Moultrie and of the Valdosta Realty Company.
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