USA > Georgia > Chatham County > Savannah > A history of Savannah and South Georgia, Volume II > Part 76
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On account of the parental financial reverses above referred to. Colonel Colling was early in life thrown upon his own resources. But although in those early days the doors of the schools were locked in his face, the doors of edneation were not and he found in the school of life a training quite invaluable. After some attendance in the public schools
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of the city, he entered the Savannah Military Academy, paying for his tuition out of his own earnings. Meantime a long gathering desire to become a lawyer reached the point of crystallization and he began his legal studies here, being duly admitted to the bar on June 18. 1898. Ile has since been admitted to practice in the state, supreme and federal courts and in the United States supreme court. He has a fine legal mind and is a hard-working and snecessful lawyer, always having a large amount of legal business, and his conduct of his law business being notable for thoroughness and efficiency.
He is the sound and substantial type of citizen who wins the well- deserved confidence of the people and he has been called to serve in several public capacities. He was county attorney of Cheatham county for five years, from 1903 to 1908. He is an ex-member of the city council. of which body he was vice chairman and chairman of the fire committee. He was colonel on the staff of Governor Terrell and is now on the list of retired officers with the rank of lieutenant commander.
Colonel Colding is one of the most prominent Masons of the state. He is past master of Solomon's Lodge, No. 1; deputy grand master of the Grand Lodge of Georgia : past high priest of Georgia Chapter No. 3; past grand high priest of the Grand Royal Arch Chapter of Georgia : past thrice illustrious master. Georgia Council No. 2, Royal and Select Masters; past grand master, Grand Council of Georgia; past com- mander, Palestine Commandery, No. 7, Knights Templar. He is now preceptor of Richard Joseph Nunn Consistory. 32nd degree, A. and A. S. R. Ile is also a high priest and prophet and representative of Alee Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S. He is also past exalted ruler of the local lodge of Elks. Colonel Colding has been connected with the forma- tion of many lodges and has been instrumental in spreading the fine principles of Masonry. especially in southeastern Georgia. During his progress through Masonry many honors have been conferred upon him, each succeeding honor bringing increased satisfaction to the brethren of Savannah. He enjoys a great degree of popularity and is well worthy of the success he has achieved and the honors that have been conferred upon him.
Colonel Colding married Miss Annie E. McIntyre, daughter of Edward McIntyre. of Savannah. who was for many years comptroller of the Central of Georgia Railroad. The demise of this lady occurred in 1898.
JOHN T. CHASTAIN. The Chastains, father and son, have taken part in the most important events of southern Georgia. The father was one of the early settlers of the district, and figured in the pioneer struggles with wild land and wilder men. The son, who is the subject of this brief history, not only fought with the hundreds of Georgia's brave sons for the cause of the Confederacy, but has given his later life in the interests of peace and good citizenship.
John T. Chastain was born on a plantation in Thomas county, Geor- gia, on the twenty-fourth of November, 1841. His father, John Chastain. came into the world in North Georgia. in 1798. the son of James Chas- tain, whose wife was a Miss Morgan before her marriage. James. Chastain was of French Hngnenot ancestry. His son, John. though he had but limited opportunities, managed to obtain a pretty fair eduea- tion for those days, and migrated to southern Georgia as a very young man. Like him, his four brothers all left the home neighborhood to set- tle other parts of the country, James and Morgan going to Dougherty county, Georgia, Thomas locating in Thomas county, and the fourth mak- ing his way southwest to Texas.
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When Jolm Chastain, Senior, reached the southern part of Georgia, the country thereabonts presented a very different appearance from - what it does now. The territory then comprised in Irwin and Early counties, but now subdivided into several additional counties, including Thomas county. was will and uncultivated. The woods were full of game, and although the Indians had ceded the land in the distriet to the state, some few still lingered in the vicinity, though ostensibly making their home in Florida, across the line. No one felt much anxiety con- cerning the redskins, however, since they were supposed to be friendly, and under the complete control of the state. John Chastain, then single. settled with two other young men in a cabin which they built a few miles south of Thomasville. On Saturday they journeyed a short distance northward to a settlement to spend the Sabbath, and on their return. they found that their cabin had been looted, and everything of valne stolen, mneluding their guns, which they had very 'nwisely left behind them. Naturally, they were very angry, and started in pursuit of the marauders. and by nightfall came upon a camp of Indians.
For caution's sake. the young men waited until morning, and then entered the camp of the Indians. While the red men were at break- fast, they entered the camp, and John Chastain, who could talk Indian, asked them if they had seen a stray horse. The Indians of course had not seen any such animal, but the young men, looking about, saw their guns in the possession of some of the braves, and knew that they were on the track of the thieves. When the Indians invited them to partake of their fare, they accepted the offer, but complained that they had no knives to eat with. The Indians gave them knives, and they conneneed to eat. They watched their chance, however, and finally made a rush, seeuring their guns, and putting the thieves at their mercy. The Indians confessed to the theft, but promised to return everything they took. if the yonng men would promise not to report the offense to the governor, who, they feared, would deprive them of their bounty. The youths assented to this, and the Indians packed the stolen goods on the back of a horse, and sent a warrior to accompany John Chastain and his com- panions on their homeward journey.
Unsuspecting, the little party set ont, jubilant at having recovered their property so easily. They did not allow for the treaeherons nature of the savages, however, and before they had gone far, they found them- selves in the midst of an ambush. The two comrades of John Chastain were murdered, but he escaped with only the loss of an index finger. He made his way back through the woods to Thomasville, where a party of irate settlers at once started in pursuit of the savages, armed for vengeance, but unfortunately, the Indians made good their escape. The crime was reported to the governor, however, and he demanded the appearance of the tribe at Tallahassee, where John Chastain identified five of the band which had beset him and his two comrades. These Indians were senteneed to suffer the extreme penalty, and though one died in captivity, and one escaped, the other three were hanged as an example to all red men who contemplated molesting the white settlers. The trial and hanging took place at Thomasville, and the sentence of the Indians was the first death penalty ever exeented in Thomas county.
After his adventure with the Indians, Mr. Chastain lived for some time at Thomasville. A natural mechanic, he was by trade a carpenter, and helped to build some of the first honses ever erceted in Thomasville. After his marriage, which occurred in Thomasville. he lived on at that town for a while, and then bought land about nine miles north, where he engaged in farming until his death, which occurred in 1851. Even after he was settled on his own farm, he was frequently called upon to 01. 11-33
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exereise his knowledge of carpentry in the repair and erection of houses, for in that newly settled country, artisans were much in demand.
Mary Carlton Chastain, the mother of the subject of this sketch, was a native of Sampson county, North Carolina. Her father. John Carlton, was also born in North Carolina, of early English ancestry. John Carl- ton moved from his native state to Georgia, first sojourning a short time in Bulloch county, and then going on to Thomas county, where a son and daughter had already taken up their abode. He bought land in lots Nos. 85 and 86, now adjoining the city of Thomasville He built
a house on this property, and cleared a farm, upon which he resided for several years. There were many settlers from North Carolina in the community, and to them as to all comers. Mr. Carlton dispensed open- handed hospitality. Ile was noted in his community not only for his kindliness and generosity, but also for his true Christian character. Himself a faithful Methodist, he educated two of his sons to spread the Gospel as preachers of that denomination.
After spending several years as a resident of the Thomasville dis- trict, Mr. Carlton sold out, and moved across the river, where he resided a few years before going to the home in Taylor county, Florida. where he lived until his death at the ripe old age of ninety-four years. His wife also reached an advanced age, departing from this life at the age of ninety-three. Her name was Nancy Alderman Carlton, also a native of North Carolina. Mr. and Mrs. Carlton had a large family. one of the members of which was Mary, the mother of John T. Chastain. Mrs. Chastain survived her husband by a number of years. dying at the age of eighty-seven. She reared six children to take their places as useful and efficient members of the community. These are Hardy M., Sarah A., Elizabeth, Sophronia, Joim T., and Julia E.
After attending the Thomasville schools, and taking a course in Fletcher Institute, John T. Chastain learned to set type in the office of the Southern Enterprise, a paper published by L. C. Bryan and R. R. Renlah. Previously, while still a student at the Institute. in 1853, he had inked the type to print the first paper ever issued in Thomas county, the Thomasville Watchman, of which Freeman W. Johnson was editor and proprietor. In 1862, Mr. Chastain enlisted in Company E, of the Fiftieth Regiment, of Georgia Volunteer Infantry. He remained with this regiment for a time, as part of the Coast defense, and then was sent North, where he joined the Army of North Virginia. Late in the year 1862, he was detailed for hospital service and entered on detached duty until after the close of the war.
Upon his return home from his military duties in 1865. John Chas- tain secured a position in the office of the Southern Enterprise, remain- ing upon the staff of that paper until shortly before it was merged with the Times. Previous to leaving the employ of the newspaper. Mr. Chas- tain had purchased the okl homestead which had belonged to his grand- farther Carlton ; he has resided upon this property ever since. His dwell- ing is a commodious frame one, set well back from the street in a grove of fine live oaks, magnolias, holly and pecan trees, with pahns and flow- ering shrubs lending to the attractiveness of the place.
In 1865, Mr. Chastain was married at Farmville, Virginia. to Tishia Davis, who was born at Farmville, the danghter of Sheldon and Mary (Meadows) Davis, both life-long residents of the Old Dominion state. The union of Mr. and Mrs. Chastain was blessed with six children, Olin S., Corinne, Eho, Minnie, Mattie, and Arthur T. Of these, Olin mar- ried Mande Falien ; Corinne, now dead, became the wife of E. R. West of Albany, Georgia : Elmo married Annie Smith, and has five children. Catherine, Shelton, Margaret. Elmo, and F'red; Minnie, who was the
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wife of Judge T. H. Parker, of Moultrie, Georgia, died leaving three children. Aileen, Thaddeus Hall. and John Chastain; Mattie passed away at the untimely age of seventeen: Arthur T. is married to Aileen Wade, and has four children, Vivian, Josephine. Minie and Madie.
Mr. and Mrs. John T. Chastain are passing their declining years hap- pily at their beautiful home. Although a Democrat. and an ardent one. Mr. Chastain does not. nor has he ever, taken any active part in the political game. preferring to serve his country as a good citizen and a faithful voter. Both he and his wife are recognized as factors for good in the life of the community, and are valued workers in the Missionary Bap- tist church, of which they are members. Mr. Chastain has farming inter- est and the aeres he has under cultivation yield him a substantial income.
VIVIAN L. STANLEY. Now that men are too busy to gather around the stove in the country store, or in the post office at meal time, for the discussion of politics, and weighty decisions as to how the government should be run. the newspaper has become of supreme importance. not only as a disseminator of news, but as a powerful influence on the minds of the people. The power of the written word! How little people real- ize its subtile influence, and how often one hears the words, "I believe nothing the newspapers say." But this very person though perhaps not believing the papers is yet unconsciously influenced by them, and herein lies the power of the editor. Therefore when people are as for- tunate as the people of Dublin. Georgia. they should give thanks. Vivian Stanley, general manager and editor of the Courier-Dispatch, of this city, is a man who is fully conscious of the responsibility that rests npon his shoulders and in every crisis will be found standing on the side of the progressives, working for the canse that will benefit the greatest number of people. an eager champion of the right and quick to condemn the tricks and elever schemes of those who are working for self aggran- dizement. Mr. Stanley has had a life-long experience as a newspaper man, and has won during this career the friendship of all classes of people.
The birth of Vivian L. Stanley occurred in Dublin, Georgia, his par- ents being Capt. Rollin A. Stanley and Martha ( Lowthen) Stanley. His grandfather and father were both men of prominence in the state of Georgia, the former having been the first surveyor general in the state of Georgia, and the latter having been the first solicitor general in the Oconee cirenit. Capt. Rollin Stanley won his military title through his service in the army, as a captain in one of the Georgia regiments. He was a lawyer by profession and both he and his wife were natives of Georgia. fle was a successful lawyer, and his children were brought up amid the influences of a cultured home life. The family consisted of eight children, five of whom are alive. Of these tra L. is interested in the newspaper work in Dallas, Texas: Frank L. lives in Midville, Geor- gia ; Florrie is the wife of W. R. Haynes of Macon, Georgia, who is there engaged in business. Angusta married Judge J. S. Adams, and Rollin and Mattie died in infancy.
AAfter the completion of the edneation of Vivian Stanley he went at once into the newspaper business, serving in various capacities and learn. ing the profession of journalism from the bottom upward. He has been in this profession ever since save for the few years in which he gave up his work to serve the interests of the people. This was during the administration of President Cleveland, when he held the office of post- master of Dublin. also serving two years at this post during the admin- istration of President MeKinley. After his resignation from this public office, he once more took up his newspaper work. At this time there
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were two others beside himself who were interested in the work, namely, his brother, II. M. Stanley, and Mr. Hilton, of the Commercial Bank. At the time of the organization of the committee of commerce and labor, H. M. Stanley retired from the newspaper business to take charge of this new office. The Courier-Dispatch is now owned by a stock company, and the increase in circulation during the years that Mr. Stanley has been in charge is sufficient proof of his able management. The circula- tion now amounts to five thousand. and Mr. Stanley has added greatly to the revenue of the paper by establishing an up-to-date job printing department, which has a reputation of doing unusually good work. The Courier-Dispatch is the result of the combination of three papers, the Courier, the Dispatch and the Times. The Courier and the Dispatch were consolidated about fifteen years ago, and about two years ago, in June, 1909, the Times was taken over, thus making a strong combina- tion, but one that required a keen mind and a willing hand to manage successfully.
In addition to his newspaper work Mr. Stanley has been active in other fields. From constant study of the political outlook, both local and national, he became fitted to play an important part in such affairs, and though he never cared for political preferment. yet he was elected alder- man and was also made clerk of the city council, serving one term in the first mentioned office and three years in the latter position. His honesty, and conscientious endeavor to obey the will of those who put him in office, as well as his knowledge of the economic and social evils of the times made him an invaluable servant to the people.
Mr. Stanley was married to Ella Martin, a daughter of William and Julia A. Martin, of Sandersville, Georgia. Four children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Stanley, namely: Martha, Vivian, Elenore and Rollin. Both Mr. and Mrs. Stanley are members of the Baptist church, and Mr. Stanley is affiliated in a fraternal way with the Knights of Pythias.
DOCTOR ALGERINE T. SUMMERLIN holds an important position in Dub- lin, Georgia, not only in a professional way, but as an able business man. well known for his good management and his common sense. He is a dentist of high order of ability and is an honor to the profession that is now beginning to assume so much importance in the eyes of the pub- lic, and for which science has done so much in the last decade or so. As an extensive landed proprietor, Doctor Summerlin has the responsibility of the many people, men, women and children who live on his planta- tions, for the relationship between master and servant in this section of the country is still more or less a paternal one. It is in this relation that Doctor Smnmerlin has proved himself a man of more than average ability, and in thinking for others he has developed those traits of ehar- acter that have so endeared him to the community.
Doctor Simmerlin was born in Bulloch county, Georgia, near the town of Statesboro, in 1860. His father was James Summerlin and his mother was Eliza (Lanier) Summerlin, both of whom were natives of Bulloch county. The great-great-grandfather of Doctor Summerlin on the pater- nal side was a native of North Carolina, and came to Georgia when Bnl- loch county was more or less of a wilderness. The family has therefore been in this county since pioneer days and has become thoroughly ideu- tified with the interests of this section. James Bulloch was a farmer, but his peaceful life on the old plantation was interrupted by the call to arms and the outbreak of the Civil war. Ile enlisted in a Georgia regi- ment and served with a division of the army that canght deserters and punished renegades and carried on a kind of guerrilla warfare. ITis
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career was brought to a sudden termination by his death at the hands of bushwhackers in Coffer county and here he was buried.
The youth of Doctor Summerlin was spent on his father's planta- tion where he grew up, the eldest of a large family. Both his father and his mother were twice married. His father had four children by a previous marriage and three by his marriage with the doctor's mother. Eliza Lanier. After the death of James Summerlin, his widow married G. Green and became the mother of six children. Doctor Summerlin was the eldest of his mother's children. His sister Alice is now the wife of II. B. Kennedy, a successful farmer of Bulloch county, and his brother Willie A., is his partner in the dental practice in Dublin. Doctor Sum- merlin received his education in the schools near his home, and for his professional training entered the Baltimore Dental College, from which he was graduated in 1886. He at once began the practice of dentistry in Bulloch county, and the following year came to Dublin, where he has sinee resided, and where he has been so successful.
The confidence which his friends and neighbors and fellow towns- men repose in him has been shown by the fact that they have twice elected him mayor of Dublin. He proved an able executive, but with this exception, could never be induced to enter the political arena. Fraternally, he is a member of the Royal Arcanum. His wife is a member of the Christian church. but he believes in the creed of no especial denomination. His landed estates comprise about one thon- sand acres and of this large area five hundred aeres are under enltiva- tion.
Doctor Summerlin was married on the 10th of April. 1900, to Callie Prince, the daughter of Mrs. A. M. Prince, of Washington county. They have become the parents of three children. as follows: Carolyn was born in July, 1903, A. T., Junior, whose birth occurred in July, 1906, and George, who was born on the Sth of May, 1909.
REV. GEORGE T. HURST. Among the ministers of the gospel in south Georgia few have equaled the record of service and experience of lev. George Thomas Hurst, now living retired at Cairo in Grady county.
George Thomas Hurst was born seven miles northeast of Thomasville, Georgia, December 1. 1833. so that he is now in his eightieth year. His father was Jolin W. Hurst, born in Sereven county and the grand- father was Thomas Hurst. The latter moved from Sereven to Thomas county and became one of the early settlers in that vicinity. He bought land seven miles northeast of Thomasville, built a log cabin in the woods and ent and cleared a farm out of the wilderness. When he began raising cotton he had to find a market for it at Tallahassee. He spent. all the rest of his life on that homestead, and his remains now rest in the family lot on the farm. His wife survived him several years. In their family were children named William, Thomas, Betsy. Susie, Serena, John W. and Harriet.
John W. Inrst. the father, was a boy when his parents moved to Thomas county. and after his marriage he settled on a tract of land one mile away from his father's home. A few years later. in 1842. he bought other land one mile east of Thomasville, and condneted his plantation with the aid of slave labor up to the time of the war. Ile continued to make his home there until his death at the age of thirty- nine. Soon after his marriage, he had engaged in one of the Indian campaigns, which marked the final struggle between the whites and the red man in Florida and Georgia. He participated in two battles with the Indians, and in the latter was severely wounded. John W. Hurst married Maria Hicks, a daughter of George Hicks, one of the first
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settlers of Thomas county. George Hicks cleared his farm near Grooverville, in what is now Brooks county. and lived on that estate until his death. Mrs. John W. Hurst lived to be more than eighty years of age and her family of seven children were Mahala A .. George T .. Wilet A .. Harriet A .. Mary A. S., William E., and Susie E. J. Bothi parents were members of the Missionary Baptist church, and the father was affiliated with the Masonie fraternity.
George Thomas Hurst, when thirteen years of age, joined the Methodist church. but at seventeen left that denomination and entered the Missionary Baptist. He was made elerk of the church. which was the first organization of the Missionary Baptist church in Thomas county. When twenty-six years of age he was licensed to preach and was ordained by the Big Creek church in Thomas county. ITis career in the ministry was extended to the notable length of half a century and he held many appointments in Georgia, Florida and Alabama. In his active record he has constituted nineteen different churches. has baptized more than sixteen hundred. souls, and has married more than three hundred couples.
Though his record as a minister has been so noteworthy. the serv- ices of Rev. Hurst are kindly remembered by hundreds of people who in the early days attended his singing schools. He was one of the first teachers of voeal in south Georgia, and is said to have been the second to have tanght in this particular distriet of the state. He began teach- ing when about twenty-five years of age and taught two years before the breaking out of the Rebellion. At that time he was eondneting from eight to ten schools in four adjoining counties and carried on this work in connection with his preaching and farming for a number of years, the winter season being the particular time when his singing schools flourished. Reverend Hurst has kept record and finds that he has tanght vocal music to five thousand persons in Georgia and elsewhere. When the war came on. he was, at the request of the women of Thomas county. detached from the regular service in order to come home and take charge of the issuing of supplies to the soldiers' families. As soon as the war was ended he began teaching singing schools and preaching and farming again. For thirty-five years or more he has been engaged as a Sabbath school lecturer and in the organization of such schools in Georgia, Alabama and Florida.
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