USA > Georgia > Chatham County > Savannah > A history of Savannah and South Georgia, Volume II > Part 45
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The maiden name of the wife of George McIntosh Troup Bower was Eliza Turner. She was born in Henry county, Georgia, and was brought up and educated in her native state. Her father, Rev. Allen W. Tur- ner, a native of South Carolina, was educated for the ministry, and became a pioneer preacher of the Methodist Episcopal church in Georgia. He held pastorates in different places in Georgia, and as there were then no railways. nor even good carriage roads, he used to make his long trips on horseback, and did most of his preaching in log houses. He was offered the position of bishop of his church, but declined the honor, saying that he could do more real good as a pastor. He spent his last days in Palmetto, Georgia, and his wife, whose maiden name was Mary Dousing, died in 1878. Mr. and Mrs. George McIntosh Troup Bower reared the following named children: Augustus Rudolphus, Engenia, Mary Fletcher, Chalmers Hendrick, Allen Ebenezer, Robert Edward, Stonewall Jackson, Annie, George, and Bennie Simms.
Obtaining his academical education at the seminary in Covington, Georgia, Edwin Robert Bower completed the course of study at Oxford, Georgia, at Emory College. Going then to Coweta county, he spent three years as clerk in a fancy grocery store, and the following two years was employed as a truck farmer in Lake county, Florida. Lured to Orange county, Florida, Mr. Bower embarked in mercantile pursuits in Orlando, where he condneted a grocery for a time, carrying a large stock of fancy goods. Returning to Georgia, he was for a year engaged in business as a merchant at Quitman, Brooks county, and was afterwards employed in farming in the Dixie district until 1901, when he resumed his former occupation in Dixie, where he is conducting an extensive and renmmerative business as a general merchant, carrying a large stock of goods. Mr. Bower has been very fortunate in his agricultural operations. He is the owner of various farms, aggregating in all five hundred acres, the farms which are located in the Dixie, Dry Lake, and Grooverville districts, being operated by tenants.
Mr. Bowers married, in 1889, Catherine Puckett, who was born in Cumming. Forsyth county, where her father, Rov. Miles Puckett, who preached during his life in various places in Georgia, was then located. Neither he nor his wife, whose maiden name was Carrie Scott, are now living. Mr. and Mrs. Bower have six children. namely: Kittie Lee, Marie. R. E., Sybelle. Emory Scott, and Jack. Mr. Bower is a Demo- Grat in politics, but has ever been too much engrossed with his private affairs to indulge in office holling, although he has for five years served as chairman of the Dixie school board. Both he and Mrs. Bower are consistent members of the Methodist Episcopal church.
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CAPT. CHARLES THOMPSON STUART. Few men even in an extended lifetime of more than eighty years have eareers of such varied activities and in so many parts of the world as Captain Stuart, of Thomasville, now retired after forty years in the hotel business in southern Georgia. For many years he followed the sea in the old wooden merehant marine, was a Southern soldier during the war between the states, and then during a period of forty years extended his genial hospitality as a land- lord in Valdosta and in Thomasville.
Charles Thompson Stuart was born in Annapolis, Maryland, May 11, 1828. His grandfather emigrated from Seotland and founded this braneh of the family in Maryland, where he spent the remainder of his life. The captain's father was Charles Stuart, a native of eastern Mary- land. During his youth he received exeellent educational advantages, and then entered a long eareer in public service. For a number of years he was eonneeted with the state treasurer's department of Mary- land, and under the administration of Gen. W. H. Harrison was given an appointment in the treasury department at Washington, where he eontinued until some time during the Civil war. After the war he moved his residence from Washington to New York City, where he died at the age of seventy-seven. The maiden name of his wife was Alieia A. Thompson, who was born in Annapolis, danghter of Henry Thompson, a capitalist of that eity. She lived to the age of eighty-seven years, and she reared seven. children, namely: John Nelson, Charles Thompson, Julia Ellen, William B., Mary A., Henry W. and Wilson W. Of the sons, John, Charles, William and Wilson wore the grey in the Confed- erate armies, and all but Charles met death in their devotion to the Southern cause.
Captain Stuart at the age of thirteen entered St. John's College in Maryland, but after two years had to relinquish his studies on aeeount of ill health, and from that time forward until his retirement a few years sinee was engaged in an active and often ardnous practical eareer. For three years he was apprentiee in a mereantile house of Baltimore, and then took two sea voyages to Cuba and the West Indies. These were the start of his long seafaring adventures. In 1847 he sailed on a mer- ehant vessel around Cape Horn to China and returned via Cape Hope, after sixteen months spent on all the seas and in many of the ports of the world. For twelve years he was identified with the merchant marine serviee, and came to know the world of that time as few other men did.
His retirement from the sea in 1861 was followed almost immedi- ately by his enlistment in Company H of the Twenty-sixth Regiment in Gordon's famous brigade. and for several years he was with that command in its eampaigns and numerous battles in Virginia. He was several times wounded, and at the battle of Monocaey, Maryland, toward the end of the war, a bullet passed through his left lung and thus dan- gerously wounded was captured on the field and kept a prisoner until the spring of 1865. Being then paroled he returned home, but was unable to resume service before the final surrender.
At the elose of the war Captain Stuart came to southern Georgia, where nearly fifty years of his life has been spent. In December. 1865, he opened a hotel at Valdosta and conducted it as a popular hostelry for twenty years. He then moved to Thomasville and built the Stuart House, and continued as active proprietor of this well known hotel for twenty years and six weeks. Much to the regret of the large patronage he then sold and retired from aetive pursuits. His home is located on the same lot with the hotel, and here he is pleasantly spending a well- earned leisure.
Captain Stuart was married in the city of Baltimore, January, 1852,
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to Miss Ida Charlotte Marmelstein. She was born in Berlin, Germany, whence she eame to America with her parents when two years of age. Her death occurred in 1910. The captain and Mrs. Stuart were the parents of six children, namely : Ida, Lillie, Lula, Ardie, Jessie and Ella. Ida is the wife of N. Lilienberg, and has one daughter named Agnes. Lillie is at home with her father. Lula married John Me Williams. Ardie married Etta Shackelford, and they have two daughters, Marie and Ida Virginia. Jessie is the wife of John T. West, and their two sons are Stuart and Thomas. Ella married C. M. Smith, and. they are the parents of one son, Charles.
ROBERT J. HERRING, the prominent farmer and horticulturist of Thomas county, is one of the men who, by study and the use of scientific methods in agriculture, are showing the people of the locality the possi- bilities of south Georgia. Although he has spent the greater part of his life in the Thomasville district, Mr. Herring is a native of Sampson county, North Carolina, in which place he was born on the 16th of January, 1860. His father, John Herring. was born in the same county, and his father, Owen Herring, was a farmer and merchant of the local- ity for many years. Owen Herring's store was at a point on the Black river known as Herringville. When he had reached an advanced age, he sold out to his son John, and lived in retirement for the rest of his life.
Not only his father's business fell into Jolin S. Herring's hands, but his father's office as well. John Herring served as postmaster at Her- ringville under both Federal and Confederate jurisdiction, and was actively engaged in business there until the time of his death, which occurred in February. 1865, a few weeks before Lee's surrender.
At his death. Mr. Herring left a widow and four small children. His wife, whose maiden name was Sarah Ellen Spearman, was born in Sampson county. North Carolina, the daughter of John Spearman, and is now the wife of Oliver C. Cleveland, a prominent resident of Thomas county. Georgia. Mrs. Cleveland, then Mrs. Herring, remained in North Carolina for ten years, and then moved to Thomas county. Georgia, where she has ever since resided. Her children were named Robert J., Thomas E., William F .. and Jefferson S. Of these, William F. died at the age of three years, and Thomas E. passed away in 1881.
Robert J. Herring was reared in the vicinity of his birth, attending the common schools of Sampson county. Ile was fifteen years of age when he migrated to Georgia with his mother, and after arriving at his new home, he continued to make his home with her until his marriage. which took place when he was twenty-five years of age. At this time, he settled on a tract of timbered land south of Thomasville, which his mother had given him, and there he commenced his career as an inde- pendent farmer. IIe had been well trained to habits of industry and thrift, and he soon had his farm cleared and in successful operation. He remained on his original property until 1895, in which year he sokl out, and moved to the farm on which he now resides. This is in lot No. 103. Oak Hill district, Thomas county, and he had purchased it three years before he sold the land his mother had given him.
Sinee coming to his present farm Mr. Herring has been engaged in diversified farming. stock raising. and horticulture. He keeps in touch with the latest methods and ideas in agriculture by wide reading, and has been very successful in raising a large variety of fruits and farm produets. It is such progressive men as he who are going to make the South a land of plenty.
In 1885, Mr. Herring was united in the bonds of matrimony with
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Fannie Arnold. She was a native daughter of Thomas county, her father, John P. Arnold, having come to Georgia from Germany in his youth. Mr. and Mrs. Herring have been blessed with four children, Frances Ann, a school teacher; Jolm Oliver, a clerk in Thomasville; Frank, with the Southern Express Company, at Thomasville office; Josephine. Mrs. Herring died January 16, 1909. The family are mem- bers of the Missionary Baptist church, and are valued workers in that congregation.
JAMES C. ADAMS. A man of good business judgment and tact. James . C. Adams, of Boston, Georgia, has been actively associated with the advancement of the agricultural and mercantile interests of Thomas county, and is widely known as head of the prosperous firm of James C. Adams & Sons, druggists. A native of Brooks county, he was born December 21, 1850, in the Tallokas distriet. a son of Lasa Adams, and a grandson of Dennis Adams, a pioneer settler of Brooks county.
Migrating in pioneer days from North Carolina to Florida, Dennis Adams located near the present site of Wakena, Gadsden county, be- coming one of the original settlers of that locality. His brother-in-law, a Mr. Carr, located on a tract of land two miles away. Indians were then very troublesome in that locality, and one night when Mr. Carr and his wife were away from home raided his place, and brutally massacred their two children. A slave made his escape to the Adams farm, and told Mr. Adams the tale, and Mr. Adams sent to Thomasville, Georgia, for aid. The following night the red skins paid a visit to the Adams cabin. The family were well prepared, and after several of the Indians had been killed the remainder retreated. Thinking it best to leave that region, Mr. Dennis Adams eame to Georgia, locating in the Tallokas district, Brooks county, where he bought two lots of land. on which he resided until his death, three years later. By his two wives he had ten children, as follows: Joshua, Lasa, Dennis, Caswell, Cason, Sally, Rachel, Irene. Louisa, and Jane. His second wife, whose maiden name was Sally Williams, survived him about twenty years. She was a woman of mueh foree of character, and in addition to keeping her fam- ily together. edueated them, and trained them to habits of industry and thrift, enabling each one to gain sucecss in after years.
Lasa Adams was young when the family came from Florida to Georgia to eseape the malignant attacks of the Indians, although many red skins were then living in this vieinity, the dense forests being their happy hunting ground. The few daring white people of the county built a strong log fort to which the women and children were sent when ever trouble with the savages was brewing, and he immediately joined the company formed for protection against their raids. and took part. in 1836, in the battle of Brushy creek, when the Indians made their last stand in Georgia. When ready to begin the struggle of life on his own account, Lasa Adams bought land in what is now the Tallokas district, Brooks county, and engaged in farming. There being no rail- ways in the state all transportation was by teams, and after his land became productive he used to take his eotton to Newport. Florida, going in company with several of his neighbors, some of whom perhaps lived miles away from him, each man taking provisions with him, and camp- ing and cooking by the wayside.
In 1852. Lasa Adams sold his Brooks eounty land. moved to Florida. locating in Madison county, where he purchased a squatter's claim to a tract of government land situated about sixteen miles northeast of Monticello, and about the same distance northwest of Madison. A few acres had been cleared, and a log cabin had been erected. He continued Vol. 11-20
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the improvements, and there carried on general farming for some time. In 1864 he enlisted in the Florida Reserves, and continued in the Con- federate service until the close of the war, when he again assumed charge of his farm. Selling ont in 1870. he was for four years a resident of Jefferson county, Florida. Coming from there to Thomas county, Georgia, he bought land three miles south of Boston, and was there employed in tilling the soil for many years. Shortly before his death, which occurred in 1894, he returned to Brooks county, Georgia, and there spent his last days, passing away at the venerable age of eighty- .three years.
The maiden name of the wife of Lasa Adams was Orpha Lee Hollo- way. She was born in Brooks county, Georgia, a danghter of William Holloway, one of the very first settlers of what is now Brooks county, he having been born and bred in Bulloch county. She died leaving four children, namely: Rhoda. who married William Hulet, of Brooks county ; Jane, wife of J. M. Yates, of Brooks county; James C .; and Cason F., of whom a brief account may be found on another page of this volume.
Reared and educated in Florida. James C. Adams began life for him- self on a farm in the Boston district. Thomas county, Georgia. his father giving him one hundred acres of land, forty of which had been improved, and on which a fair set of frame buildings had been erected. Industrious and enterprising. he succeeded in his undertakings, and as his means increased he invested in other tracts, and is now owner of five hundred and forty acres of good land in the Boston district. From his farm, which is devoted to general farming and stock growing, Mr. Adams receives a good annual income. In 1898. Mr. Adams removed to Boston in order that his sons might have better educational advantages. and here from 1900 until 1904 he carried on a thriving trade as a general merchant. Embarking in the latter year in the drug business in Boston, he has continued as druggist ever since, his sons being now associated with him, the firm name being James C. Adams & Sons.
In 1875, Mr. Adams was united in marriage with Mary Holman. who was born in Jefferson county, Florida, a daughter of Adam and Elizabeth (Smith) Holman.
Two children of the union of Mr. and Mrs. Adams are living. namely : Reddin W., who married Lillie Livingston ; and De Roy. They lost by death four, who passed away in childhood. Mr. and Mrs. Adams are members of the Primitive Baptist church, to which Mr. Adams' parents also belonged.
JOHN CLEMENTS. One of the citizens of southwest Georgia who began their careers in log-cabin homes, labored with courage and industry to develop a wilderness of forest into a broad landscape of farms. and have subsequently reaped the rewards of such diligence in ample material prosperity, is Mr. John Clements. formerly of Irwin county, now a resi- dent in Thomas county.
Mr. Clements was born in Irwin county. April 7. 1853, and repre- sents a family which has been known with respect on this side of the Atlantic since colonial times. Joseph Clements, his great-grandfather. according to the best information. was a native of Virginia, whence he moved into South Carolina during colonial times, and spent the rest of his days there. He gave distinction to the family name by having served as a soldier in the continental armies during the Revolution.
Cornelins Clements, the grandfather, was born in the Darlington district of South Carolina, was reared to farm life, bought land in his native vicinity, but late in life moved to Georgia, being a resident of
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Irwin county at the time of his death. He married Polly Register. who was a lifelong resident of South Carolina. She reared five sons and five daughters, the sons being named Elias, Jesse, Thomas, Richard and John.
Elias Clements. the father, was born and reared in Darlington dis- trict, South Carolina. His subsequent settlement in Georgia was due to a somewhat romantic circumstance rather than to any fixed purpose. When about twenty years old, in company with his father, he made a horseback journey to Alabama to visit an unele. On their return they visited relatives in Laurens county, Georgia, where Elias concluded to tarry awhile before going back to South Carolina. Ile rented some land, made a crop, and in the meantime met his fate in one of the fair young women of that locality. ITis marriage took place shortly afterward. and the result was he never returned to his native state. Ile continued to make his home in Laurens county until 1852, in which year he moved to Irwin county, buying a farm two miles south of Irwinsville. This part of Georgia was still without railroads, and for some years after his
settlement, Hawkinsville, fifty miles away, was the most convenient market and depot of supplies. After several years he sold his first place and bought an improved farm five miles north of Irwinsville, where he resided until his death, at the advanced age of eighty-seven. The young lady in Laurens eounty whose heart he had won was Elinza- beth (so she spelled her name) Turner, a native of that county. Her father was Ephraim Turner, a native of South Carolina and an early settler in Laurens county, where he spent the last years of his life; and her mother's maiden name was Sally Clements, who survived her husband and died in Irwin county. Mrs. Elias Clements died in 1882 at the age of sixty-two. Her six children were Mary, Cornelius, Ruth, John, Loupiney and Rachel.
The boyhood of Jolm Clements was passed on a farm in Irwin county during the war-time era of the sixties. IIe made the best of limited opportunities to obtain an education. and became sufficiently advanced to teach one term of school in his home county. While living with his parents he bought a traet of timbered land near the old home, and his father later gave him another small aereage adjoining. On that he built a double "pen" house of round logs, and in that humble home he and his bride began their wedded career. After some years his family removed from this home to Ocilla in order that the children might have school advantages. while he remained to direct the opera- tions of his farm. Mr. Clements prospered from year to year, and bought land until he was the owner of about two thousand acres. IIe built a commodious frame house to succeed the primitive dwelling of logs, and after a few years the family returned to occupy this home. The improvements on his farm compared favorably with any in Irwin county, and he was raised among the most progressive farmers of that county. In 1910. having sold his Irwin county property, Mr. Clements moved to Thomas county. where he bought his present fine farm of five hundred and sixty-five aeres on the Summer Hill road four miles north- west of Boston. This homestead is well improved and has excellent buildings. In addition. he is interested in farming lands south of Bos- ton and in Grady county, and owns some town real estate in Boston.
On the 25th of November, 1877, Mr. Clements married Miss Narcissa M. Pate. Mrs. Clements.is a native of Wilcox county. this state, and a daughter of James and JJane ( Moore) Pate. It is thought her father was born in Pulaski and her mother in Gwinett county, and they spent their last years in Wilcox county. The nine children in the Pate family were Bennett, John, Mary, Nancy, Sarah, Elizabeth, Narcissa. James II.
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and Samuel. Mr. and Mrs. Clements have reared eight children, as follows: Jane, Loupiney, Annie, Emily, James E., Bessie, Mattie and Willie. Jane married Henry Lee Yarbrough, and her three children are Louise. Alma and Ehner. Loupiney died at the age of nineteen. Annie married James D. Gibbs and they are the parents of two sons, Clifford and James. Emily married George F'. Moore and has two chil- dren, Lucile and Ceeil. Bessie married Mr. G. B. Sweatt, of Irwin county. Willie married Anna L. Meadows of Thomas county. The other children are unmarried.
Mr. Clements and wife are active members of the Methodist church, and he was trustee and steward of his church in Irwin county. Fra- ternally he affiliates with Horch Lodge No. 281, A. F. & A. M. He was seeretary for both the local and county Farmers Union in Irwin county, and is still a member of the organization. In politics he has always adhered to Democratie principles. During his residence in Irwin county he served as a member of the local school board and also as county sehool commissioner. He held the office of postmaster at his home vil- lage of Tapley from the time it was established until discontinued through the operations of the rural free delivery.
JAMES I. GROOVER, MI. D. Spending the best part of his life in the practice of medicine. James I. Groover, M. D., was for forty-five years one of the leading physicians of the Grooversville district, where he won an extended reputation for skill and ability, and built up a large and lucrative patronage. A son of James Groover, he was born November 18, 1835, in that part of Thomas county now included within the limits of Brooks eounty. His grandfather, John Groover, was of Dutch an- cestry. and as far as known. was born in Bulloch eounty. Georgia, which was his home for many years, although his last days were spent in Brooks county.
Born September 6. 1798. in Bulloch county, Georgia, James Groover was there reared and married. Subsequently, accompanied by his wife and three children, he eame to what is now Brooks county, making the entire journey in a cart drawn by one horse, and bringing with him in the one cart all of his earthly possessions. At the time of his arrival there were but two families in the vicinity, those of Willis King and Henry Melton. The county was in its original wildness, bear, deer, wolves, and game of all kinds sharing the forests with the Indians, who frequently so terrorized the few white settlers that they banded together for protection against their raids. There were no railroads for years after he eame to this region. and he, in common with his neighbors. used to hanl all of his produce to either Tallahassee or Newport, Florida. The land was for sale in lots of four hundred and eighty acres each. the prices ranging from $5.00 to $50.00 each. He purchased several lots, including lot number 509, on which he built a log house for his first residence. He subsequently whip-sawed lumber to erect a frame house in lot number 505. in what is now the Grooverville district, and eontinmed his agricultural labors, with the assistance of his slaves elear- ing large tracts of land. In common with his neighbors he lived in a primitive manner. having very little farm machinery, while his wife, whose household conveniences were very limited. used to do all of her cooking by the open fireplace. and in addition to her other duties carded. spun, and wove all of the material from which she fashioned the gar- ments worn by her family. He was a man of influence. his death, which occurred Angust 11, 1874, removing from his community one of its most valued citizens. He was active in religions work, and both he and his wives were members of the Missionary Baptist church.
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