USA > Georgia > Chatham County > Savannah > A history of Savannah and South Georgia, Volume II > Part 47
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Mr. Roberts was first married at the age of twenty-seven to Deney Morgan, who was born in Echols county, Georgia, a daughter of Elihu Morgan. She died in 1876. For his second wife Mr. Roberts married Moselle Peaeoek, a danghter of Delamar and Mary A. (MeKinnon) Peacock, of Thomas county. The history of this well known family in Southwest Georgia is told in the sketch of Dunean D. Peacock, elsewhere in this work. By his first union Mr. Roberts has three children: John L., J. Sidney and Emma, and the four children of the second mar- riage are Mamie, Frank. Wessie and Jack H. John L .. who is a phy- sieian at Pavo. married Eveline Gray and has one son, JJohn L., JJr. J. Sidney married Annie Stevens and has four children: Thelma, Joseph Sidney, Ellis and Clara. Emma is the wife of Dr. J. W. L. Brannen, and their two children are Leone and Mamie Evelyn. Frank married Pearl Hutchins and has one daughter. Catherine. Wessie is the wife of II. C. Ford and they have one child, IIngh C., Jr. Mr. Roberts and wife . are members of the Pavo Methodist church and he is a Demoerat in polities.
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ASBURY B. FINCH. Now a retired resident of Thomas eounty, Mr. A. B. Finch has had a long and active eareer and has well earned his material prosperity and the esteem of his family and fellow eitizens.
He was born in Nash county, North Carolina, on the 2d of July, 1836. His family had been identified with North Carolina from colonial times. Ilis grandfather, Allen Fineh, was born in Nash eounty and so far as known both he and his wife spent all their lives in that viein- ity. He owned and operated a farm located about forty miles from Raleigh, which was his nearest market and depot for supplies. In those days farmers bought but little at the stores, since all the household dressed in homespi, and most of the provisions were confined to what could be produced in the home locality. Berry Finch, the father of A. B. Finch, was also a native of Nash county and throughout most of his aetive career was employed as an overseer on large plantations. He died in Nash county at the age of seventy-five years. IIe married Nancy Carpenter, who died at the age of about seventy and they reared three sons and five daughters.
When A. B. Finch was eighteen years old he began learning the trade of cooper and this skill in handicraft gave him a steady vocation for many years of his active life. The war interrupted his work at this trade and he enlisted in Company D of the Fifth North Carolina Infantry. With this regiment he saw much arduous service in Virginia, serving under Generals Lee and Stonewall Jackson. At the battle of Williams- burg he was wounded in the left arm by a minie ball, and was in the hospital sixty days. He then continued with his regiment through its campaigns and marches until September. 1864, when he was captured and was kept a prisoner at Point Lookout. Maryland, until the close of the war. Returning home he resumed his trade, and with the excep- tion of two years in South Carolina lived in Nash county until 1882. That was the date of his settlement in Thomas county, Georgia, which has been his home for the past thirty years. Here he bought a traet of timbered land in the Boston district and pursued his regular trade while superintending the clearing away of the forest. He is now owner of one of the most eligible farmsteads in this district, consisting of 264 acres, with 140 in cultivation, and with several sets of farm buildings. His homestead is located three and a half miles from the town of Boston, and there he and his wife live like the patriarchs of old, sur- rounded by their children and enjoying the fruits of a well spent life.
Mr. Finch was married at the age of twenty-five to Miss Rhoda Wil- liams. They have nine children, whose names are Polly Ann, William II., Archie, John A., James. Rosetta. Nancy JJane. JJoseph II. and Stella. All but the last named were born in North Carolina. Mr. and Mrs. Fineh are earnest members of the Methodist church.
MARCUS H. ATKINSON. A native son of Georgia and representing one of the old families, Marens HI. Atkinson began business at Meigs when that town was a hamlet and for twenty years has been one of the principal business men and most influential citizens of that locality. He was one of the men who wore the grey during the war, and though the wound and hard service of that period impaired his physical powers, he has led a wonderfully active and enterprising career.
Mr. Atkinson was born on a plantation in Richmond county. Geor- gia, abont twenty miles west of Augusta, on the 25th of January. 1841. Ilis grandfather. Dickson Atkinson, a native of North Carolina, be- longed to a family of seven brothers, one of whom settled in South Carolina and five of them in North Georgia. The grandfather was a young man when he settled in Richmond county. the lands there not
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yet having been surveyed. He bought eight hundred aeres of state land. most of it heavily timbered, built a hewed log house and labored until he had made a prodnetive plantation out of the former wilderness, where he spent the rest of his life. He married a Miss Shepard, whose parents were among the pioneers of Richmond county, and she survived her hus- band by a number of years. She reared six children.
On this plantation in Richmond county were born two generations. the father, whose name was Zachariah Atkinson, and later, as already stated. Marens II. Atkinson. the son of Zachariah. The latter was reared in his native county and having received four hundred of acres of land from his father, spent all his life in general farming and died on the plantation where he was born, at the age of sixty-five years. The maiden name of his wife was Ann Dye, a native of Burke county, Geor- gia. IIer father, Avery Dye, a native of North Carolina, and a pioneer of Burke county, improved a plantation on Brier ereek. where he spent the last of his days. He married a Miss Owens, who survived him some years, and they reared eight children. Mrs. Ann (Dye) Atkinson died in 1863. aged about fifty-five. She was the mother of six children, named as follows: Avery Dickson, William Shepard. Mareus H .. Eliza- beth Laura Ann. Robert Toombs, and George Crawford. The last-named was too young, but all the other four sons served with the Confederate army.
Marcus HI. Atkinson, whose forefathers were thus closely identified with the early development of Georgia. was reared and educated in his native county, and at the age of twenty-one, instead of taking up the practical duties of civil life, engaged in the great war then in progress between the states. Enlisting in 1862, he became a member of Company D of the Twelfth Georgia Battalion of Light ' Artillery. Sent to Tell- nessee he was with the western army for a time, was then in Savan- nah and at Charleston during the siege, and early in 1864 joined Gordon's brigade in Virginia. At the battle of Monocaey Junetion he was wounded in the left leg, was captured on the field and for three months remained a prisoner of war at Baltimore. Being exchanged at Savannah and disabled for further service, he returned home and was honorably discharged.
The war having soon closed, he engaged in farming for three years in Jefferson county, and in 1870 moved to Southwest Georgia, with which region his career has been identified ever since. Buying land in Brooks county, he was engaged in farming there nntil 1891, in which year he sold ont and permanently located at Meigs in Thomas county. At that time Meigs was only a hamlet with two stores and a box-car served for the railway station. A cotton gin was his first enterprise in the vil- lage and he also bonght land in the vicinity and engaged in farm- ing. Later he also went into merchandising and established a saw-mill. The Atkinson Mercantile Company has for a number of years been one of the largest trading centers in this vicinity. He has also done considerable business in the buying and selling of timber lands and improved farms. His own farm, which he still operates. is located in the corporate limits of Meigs.
In 1866 Mlr. Atkinson was married to Miss Eliza Arrington, who was born in Jefferson county. this state, a daughter of Leven Arrington. To their marriage one danghter was born. Ida. now the wife of Mr. Mack Simpson, and they now reside in Meigs. Mr. and Mrs. Simpson are the parents of seven children, namely: Zoah, Medford, Asa, Ela, Myers, Mercy and Margaret. Mr. Atkinson and wife are both members of the Methodist church.
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HON. JAMES HORSLEY WHITCHARD. An honored and highly es- teemed resident of Dawson, Terrell county, Hon. James H. Whitehard holds a position of note among the more useful members of the eom- munity, as a teacher having been an important factor in advaneing the educational interests of Southwestern Georgia, while as the owner of a farm he has contributed towards the development of the agricultural prosperity of Terrell connty. A son of John Whitehard, he was born August 29, 1853, at Garden Valley, Macon county, Georgia, of early colonial ancestry. The Whitehard family. according to tradition, is deseended from one of three brothers that came to Ameriea at an early period of its 'settlement, and here spent their remaining years. But one of the brothers married; and from him are deseended all of the Ameri- eans bearing the name of Witchard, Whitehard, Whichers, Whiteers, or Whittier.
John Whitchard was born in Crawford county, Georgia. Left an orphan in boyhood. he was brought up by his maternal grandfather, John Williams, being reared to agricultural pursuits. As a young man he purehased land in Crawford county, Georgia, and for a time oper- ated it with slave labor. He subsequently removed to Maeon county, where he continued as a farmer until after the breaking out of the war between the states, when he offered his services to the Confederaey. Enlisting, in 1862, as a private in the Tenth Georgia Battalion, he went with his company to Virginia, where he joined the Army of North Vir- ginia. He was subsequently promoted to the rank of quartermaster of his battalion and continued with his eommand until the elose of the eonfliet, taking an active part in the many battles in which the Army of North Virginia participated, being at Appomattox at the surrender. Returning to Macon county. he resumed business at Garden Valley, re- maining there until 1877. Selling out in that year, he came with his family to Terrell county, and having purchased land lying three miles southwest of Dawson earried on farming until late in life, when he re- moved to Dawson, where he lived retired from aetive pursuits until his death, in the eighty-third year of his age.
The maiden name of the wife of John Whitchard was Naney Jane Horsley. She was born in Upson county, Georgia, and died in Dawson, Georgia, in the eighty-second year of her age. Her father, James Hors- ley, who married Betsey Bullard, was born in South Carolina, of English lineage. Coming to Georgia in early manhood, he located first in Upson connty, where he married, and for a time was engaged in farming. He was subsequently similarly employed for a number of years in Maeon county, from there eoming to Terrell eounty, where he and his wife spent the remainder of their lives, making their home with their children, Mr. Horsley living to celebrate the ninety-second anniversary of his birth. while Mrs. Horsley passed away at the age of four score and four years. Nine children were born to Mr. and Mrs. John Whitehard, namely : Antoinette. Lonla, Mattie, William S., James Horsley, John Williams, Samuel M .. Thomas O., and Lizzie.
Growing to manhood in Macon county. James Horsley Whitehard received a practical education in the public schools, and under his father's instructions was well trained in the different branches of agricul- ture. In 1878 Mr. Whitehard purchased. in Terrell county, land situ- ated three and one-half miles from Dawson, and for a time was there prosperously engaged in farming. Retiring then from agricultural labors, he rented his land, and for eighteen years was actively engaged in educational work, teaching school in Terrell. Randolph and Webster counties, as an educator being successful and popular. In 1894 Mr. Whitehard was elected county school commissioner for Terrell county,
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and filled the responsible position ably and efficiently for six years, when he was elected as a representative to the state legislature. Al- though a resident of Dawson, Mr. Whitchard superintends the opera- tion of his farm, in its management meeting with satisfactory results.
On Deeember 10, 1884, Mr. Whitehard was united in marriage with Miss Leila Ada Jolly, who was born in Maeon county, Georgia, a daugh- ter of John Robert and Cynthia (McMickell) Jolly, natives of Macon and Marion counties, respectively.
In his political affiliations Mr. Whitehard is a Democrat and active in party ranks. Fraternally he is a member of P. T. Sehley Lodge, No. 229, and of Lawrence Chapter, Royal Arch Masons. Both Mr. and Mrs. Whitehard are consistent members of the Missionary Baptist church.
WILLIAM CALLAWAY KENDRICK, M. D., who is also entitled to the term "Honorable," having served a number of terms in the state legislature, is a prominent physician and surgeon of Dawson, where his profes- sional knowledge and skill have met with ample recognition. A son of James Cornelius Kendrick, he was born Ilay 17, 1831, on a farm ly- ing seven miles south of Morgan, in Morgan county, Georgia.
His grandfather, James Burwell Kendriek, was born and reared in Virginia and there married Mary Dowd, who was born in Ireland and at the age of ten years erossed the ocean with her parents, who settled in Virginia. About 1805, accompanied by his wife and ehildren, he migrated to Georgia, loeating in Morgan eounty. Buying a traet of land that was still in its primeval wildness, he began, with the help of slaves, to clear and improve a farm and was there a resident until his death.
One of a large family of eliildren, James Cornelius Kendriek was born in Virginia, but while very young was brought by his parents to Mor- gan eounty, Georgia. Left fatherless when a lad of ten years. he subse- quently made his home with an unele until sixteen years old, when he joined the militia, and for two years served under General Jaekson in the Indian wars. In his youthful days he was converted. and for many years he was a preacher in the Missionary Baptist ehureh. He was also an agrieulturist, being engaged in farming in Morgan county until 1836, when he purchased land in Meriwether eounty. and oper- ated it suecessfully with slave labor for some time. Selling his holdings in that locality in 1850, he purchased a plantation in Sumter county, eleven miles west of Sumter, and continued in his free and independent oceupation. At that time, and for a number of years afterwards, there were no railways in Southern Georgia, and the planters had to team their eotton to Macon, which was the nearest market and depot for sup- plies, bringing back with them all needed artieles for the household, the round trip consuming a long week. After the elose of the war he re- moved to Webster eounty, from there coming, in 1881, to Dawson to live with his son, Dr. William C. Kendrick, and died at the doctor's home at the venerable age of eighty-four years. His wife, whose maiden name was Mary Butler. was born in Green county, Georgia, a daughter of John Butler. and died in 1877, at the age of seventy-three years.
Mr. and Mrs. James Cornelius Kendrick reared eleven children, as follows: Butler ; Burwell and John, twins; James B. : Catherine; Will- iam Callaway; Meredith ; Benjamin J. : Melissa; Marian : and Isaae W. Five of the sons served in the Confederate army. William Callaway serving as surgeon, with the rank of captain; Burwell. Benjamin and Meredith each raised a company, of which he was commissioned cap- tain. Benjamin was killed, in 1862, at the battle of Big Creek Gap. Ten- nessee, and Meredith was killed at the engagement near Marietta, Geor- gia, June 4, 1864. Isaae, who at the breaking out of the war was a youth
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in his teens, served as a private in the army. Burwell, the second son of the parental household, settled in Texas and at his death, which occurred at a ripe old age, left ninety-five descendants.
William Callaway Kendrick spent his youthful days on the home farm and was reared amid pioneer scenes. When he was a boy the women slaves used to card, spin and weave, and all the family, as well as the slaves, dressed in homespun. He obtained his rudimentary edu- cation in the rural schools of his neighborhood. Having decided to enter upon a professional career, he began the study of medicine with Dr. W. J. Reese, of Sumter county, and was graduated from the Metropolitan Medical College, in New York City, in the class of 1855. The following year Doctor Kendrick was engaged in the practice of medicine in Lee county, Georgia, and the next two years was similarly employed in Talbotton. Going from there to Arkansas, the doctor was located at . Fort Smith until 1861, when he returned to Georgia, and enlisted as a private in the Twelfth Georgia Volunteer Infantry, in the company com- manded by Captain Miles A. Hawkins. Going with his regiment to Vir- ginia, he was soon promoted to surgeon, and with his command joined the Army of the Tennessee, with which he was connected until the close of the conflict.
Returning then to Georgia, Doctor Kendrick settled in Webster county, where he was actively engaged in the practice of his profession until 1881. Locating in Dawson in that year, the doctor has here con- tinued his labors as a physician and surgeon with characteristic suc- cess for more than thirty years, with the exception of the time he has been obliged to devote to his official duties.
Doctor Kendrick cast his first presidential vote, in 1852. for the Whig candidate, Winfield Scott. In 1876 he was elected as a representa- tive to the state legislature from Webster county. and after his re-elec- tion to the same position, in 1878, voted for Ben Hill for United States senator. In 1888 the doctor was elected to represent Terrell county in the state legislature and was honored with a re-election in 1892, and again in 1896, and in the latter year he cast his vote in favor of Sam Jones as United States senator. Since early manhood Doctor Kendrick has been an active member of the Ancient Free and Accepted Order of Masons. He is a past master of Furlow lodge, Sumter county, and is a member and past master of P. T. Schley Lodge, No. 229; a member of Lawrence chapter, Royal Arch Masons; and has served as a member of the finance committee of the grand lodge of Masons.
Doctor Kendrick has been twice married. He married first, in 1855. Nancy Kendrick, who was born in Talbot county, Georgia, a daughter of Burke Kendrick. She passed to the higher life in 1876. Their only child, ITerschell V. Kendrick, died at the age of twenty-one years. The doctor married second. in 1877. Emma Corinne Foster. who was born in Lee county. Georgia. The doctor and Mrs. Kendrick have five children. namely: James B .: Juniata, wife of Dr. T. M. Meriwether: Mary B. : May Belle, wife of R. D. Smith ; and Lessie Estelle, wife of Will C. Page.
ANDREW J. HILL. A man of excellent business qualifications. intel- ligence, and much enterprise, Andrew J. Hill is widely and favorably known in Terrell county as a successful agrienlturist, and as a prominent warehouse man of Dawson, his home city. A son of Isaac Hill, he. was born November 7, 1870. on a Stewart county farm, coming from pioneer ancestry. His grandfather, Green Hill, migrated from his native state. North Carolina, to Georgia in the very early part of the nineteenth century, becoming one of the first settlers of Houston county. Purchas-
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ing a tract of timbered land, he hewed, with the assistance of slaves, a farm from the dense wilderness, and there spent the remainder of his life.
Isaae Hill was born on the parental homestead, in Houston county, in 1814, and was early initiated into the mysteries of successful farm- ing, as carried on in early days. A few years after his marriage, he moved to Monroe county, but not at all satisfied with his prospects in that sec- tion, returned with his family to Houston county, and there resided until 1851. Locating then in Stewart county, he bought a tract of stand- ing timber, fourteen miles west of Lumpkin, and erected thereon the_ eustomary log house of the pioneer. The country roundabout was but sparsely settled, and deer, turkeys, and wild game of all kinds were plen- tiful, and formed to some extent the subsistence of the few inhabitants of that locality. For a number of years after his arrival in that county there were no railways, Georgetown, Georgia, and Eufaula, Alabama, being the nearest trading points. Persevering and industrious, he cleared quite a large tract of land, erected a good set of farm buildings, and was there engaged in tilling the soil until his death, March 17, 1897, at the age of eighty-three years. When a young man he took an active part in the Indian wars of that period and later served as one of the three judges of the inferior court of Stewart county.
Isaae Hill was three times married. He married first, Emily Stew- art, who was born in Houston county, Georgia, a daughter of Thomas Stewart, a pioneer farmer of that county. She died in 1860. Eight children were born of their union, as follows: Isaae Thomas; Robert Green; William Russell; James Johnson: Nannie Mittie: John Cal- houn, of whom a brief sketch may be found elsewhere in this volume ; Benjamin L .; and Henry Clay. Mr. Isaac Hill married for his second wife Mrs. Ellen ( Moffitt) Williams, She lived but a comparatively few years after their marriage, passing away in 1875. Of that union four children were born, namely : Mollie; Emma Eulala; Andrew JJ., the special subject of this brief personal review; and Walter L. Mr. Hill married for his third wife Mrs. Fanny (Ligeon) Boland, whose death oceurred in 1900.
Acquiring a practical education in the district schools, Andrew J. Hill remained on the home farm until twenty-one years old, and while assist- ing in its management gained a practical knowledge of farming. Begin- ning the struggle for life for himself soon after becoming of age. he rented land in Terrell county, and met with such satisfactory results in his labors that he was ere very long enabled to buy a tract of land situ- ated one and one-half miles from Dawson. Fortune smiled upon his every effort, and since making his first purchase Mr. Hill has invested in other tracts, and is now the owner of 650 acres of choice Terrell county land. In 1898 Mr. Hill embarked in the warehouse business in Dawson, and has since managed that successfully in addition to supervising his farms.
In 1897 MIr. Hill was united in marriage with Clennie Bryant Harris, who was born in Terrell county, a daughter of Edward J. and Martha (Bryant) Harris. Her maternal grandfather. Lovett Bryant, was an extensive farmer of Stewart county, and served as one of the judges of the inferior court of that county and as county school commissioner. He lived to be upwards of ninety years of age and retained his mental faculties to a remarkable degree. being bright and active till the close of his life. Mr. and Mrs. Hill are both consistent members of the Metho- dist Episcopal church, South.
Ever interested in public affairs, Mr. Hill has served as a member of the city council, and as mayor of Dawson, filling the chair ably and acceptably. Fraternally he belongs to Dawson camp. Woodmen of the World, which was organized in 1897, being oue of its charter mem- Vol. II-21
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bers. He is fond of the chase and keeps a fine paek of hounds. He is a noted sportsman and as a crack shot has taken part in several target shooting tournaments.
JOHN CALHOUN HILL. Having accomplished a satisfactory work as a general farmer, acquiring a competency to live upon, John Calhoun Hill is now living retired from active business eares, near Dawson, en- joying to the utmost the well-merited reward of his many years of unre- mitting toil. He was born, in 1851, in Stewart county, Georgia, a son of Isaac and Emily (Stewart) Hill, of whom further notice may be found on another page of this volume, in connection with the sketch of Mr. Hill's brother, Andrew J. Hill.
John C. Hill was reared to a strong, self-reliant manhood on the parental farm, obtaining his education in the rural schools of his neigh- borhood. He became familiar with the various branches of agriculture while assisting his father on the homestead, and naturally adopted farm- ing as his occupation. Mr. Hill did not become a landholder until after his marriage, his first piece of property having been a tract of land in Stewart county, on which he lived and labored industriously until 1879. Selling out in that year, he bought a farm in Quitman county, and was there a resident for nine years. Disposing of that property, Mr. Hill came to Terrell county, and having bought land four miles west of Dawson, was there actively and successfully engaged in general farm- ing until 1912, in the meantime increasing the acreage of his farm by purchase. He now occupies a farm lying near his original estate and is living retired fromn active work.
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