USA > Georgia > Georgia's public men 1902-1904 > Part 15
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Upon leaving college he entered on the practice of law at Athens, and for years pursued his profession with honorable success. In recognition of his conspicuous worth and fine ability he was made a member of the Board of Education of Athens. He served with rare wisdom from 1886 to 1890. He was President of the Board one year. He filled the position of City Attorney of Athens from 1887 to 1891 with exceptional ability. He was Professor of Law at the University of Georgia from 1884 until 1893, and discharged his duties in an eminently satisfactory manner. In 1893 he became Dean of the Atlanta Law School, which position he filled with distinguished credit. He served as Trustee of the University of Georgia during the years 1891-1893 in- clusive.
Under the Constitutional amendment which was adopted by the people in 1896, increasing the number of Judges of the Supreme Court of the State to six. the Hon. Mr. Cobb was elected Associate Justice of the Supreme Court. He was re-clected in 1902. His long and thorough legal training peculiarly fits him for the discharge of the duties of the high office which he adorns.
He is a man of great application, lofty character. and eminent judicial force.
He enjoys the unique distinction of being the author of the famous Athens dispensary law. which was adopted in 1891. That law has proven a success and a blessing to the community for which it was framed.
The Athens dispensary is not only the first lawfully established dispensary in Georgia, but the first in this country.
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ASSOCIATE JUSTICE JOHN S. CANDLER.
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ASSOCIATE JUSTICE W. H. FISH.
ILLIAM HANSELL FISH, Associate-Justice of the Su- preme Court of Georgia, was born in Macon County, Geor- gia, May 12, 1849. Ilis parents were Judge George W. Fish and Martha E. Hansell, a union of two well-known and influential families.
Judge Fish graduated at the State University in 1869. He studied law at the University of Virginia, and was admitted to the bar in 1871 at Ogle- thorpe, Georgia, where he enjoyed a large and lucrative practice. Ile was appointed Judge of the County Court of Macon in January, 1877, and con- tinued in that office until September, 1891, when he was elected Judge of the Southwestern Circuit.
HIe was elected three times to the position withot opposition.
IIe was elected Associate-Justice of the Supreme Court in 1896 and drew the short term. He was re-elected to the full term in 1898, which position he now occupies. He is a man of fine culture and is gifted with the faculty of nice distinction and subtle discrimination of a true lawyer.
Justice Fish married Mary P. Ilines, of Sandersville. Georgia. The un- ion was blessed with an only daughter. Nina, now Mrs. Henry S. McClesky. In addition to the important positions he has creditably filled, he was, in 1893. elected trustee of the State University. He has also been a trustee of Wesleyan Female College at Macon for many years.
ASSOCIATE JUSTICE J. S. CANDLER.
I USTICE JOHN SLAUGHTER CANDLER. of the Supreme Court of Georgia, was born in Villa Rica, Carroll County, Georgia. Octo- ber 22. 1861. He is the youngest member of a family which has contributed several distinguished citizens who have taken promi- nent parts in the political and religious history of the State during recent years. The parents of Justice Candler were Samnel Charles and Martha Bealle Candler: on both sides his ancestors have been distinguished in the civil and military history of the South since Revolutionary times.
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Among his paternal ancestors who won distinction were William Candler, who was Colonel of Georgia troops in the Revolution, and Samuel Slaughter. a Captain of Virginia troops at the same time. His maternal great grand- father was General William Bealle, of Maryland. a distinguished military figure of the Revolution; his great uncle. John Bealle, was a distinguished figure in the struggle for Texan liberty, and perished with Fannin at the Alamo; another great uncle was John W. Hooper, who was a Judge of Superior Courts in this State. The immediate family has been no less noteworthy in contemporary times. His eldest brother, Milton A. Candler. served as a representative in Congress and is a leading attorney in Atlanta ; Asa G. Candler is a wealthy manufacturer of the same city, and another brother, Bishop Warren A. Candler, of the Methodist Episcopal Church. South. has been for several years one of the leading minister, of that denonii- nation, having filled some of its most important pulpits, serving with won- derful suceess as President of Emory College, and finally being elected to the College of Bishops. where. although he is the youngest among several distin- guished ecelesiastics, still he is considered one of the most forceful and notable members.
Justiee Candler was married at Jacksonville, Fla., January 16, 1884, to Miss Lula Garnier, and they have two children-Asa Warren. aged 17, and Allie Garnier, aged nine.
The public career of Justice Candler has been especially noteworthy. He was appointed by Governor Gordon Solicitor-General of the Stone Mountain circuit in November. 1881: was elected to the Legislature in 1888 for a term of four years, and again for a similar term in 1892. Upon the death of Judge Richard H. Clark. of that circuit, he was appointed by Governor Atkinson to fill the unexpired term in February, 1896; he was elected for the full term in 1898 by the Legislature and re-elected by the people in 1900.
Justice Candler has also had a notable military career, having served as Lieutenant-Colonel on the staff of Governor Stephens; as Judge Advocate General on the staffs of Governors McDaniel, Gordon and Atkinson. He has served as Colonel of the Fifth Infantry, G. S. T .. and was Colonel of the Third Georgia Regiment during the Spanish-American war in 1898.
Upon resignation of Justice H. T. Lewis, Justice Candler was elected to his present position at the last general election. October 1. 1902. The new Justice has had a splendid career as an attorney and jurist. and his native ability and splendid knolwedge of the law will make him an exceedingly val- nable member of the Supreme Court.
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SUPERIOR COURTS.
JUDGE J. H. LUMPKIN.
J OSEPH HENRY LUMPKIN of the Superior Court of the Atlanta circuit comes from
a family distinguished for legal ability. judicial eminence. scholarly attainment and statesmanship. He i- the grandson and namesake of the late Hon. Joseph Henry Lumpkin, the first Chief Justice of the State of Georgia. His record at the State University. at the bar and on the bench has demonstrated his entire worthiness of the honor which he has won, and of the illustrious name which he bears.
Judge Lumpkin is unmarried. but he is still a young man, and. ai- though wedded to the law, his scores of admirers throughout the State have not despaired of his one day becoming a Benedict. He is a inan of indefatigable application, and it is probable that absolute devotion to the onerous duties of a most exacting profession has robbed him of the time necessary to becoming the party to a contract the most solemn and momentous known to this spherc.
After graduating at the University of Georgia, where he was noted, alike, for his genial wit. his fine social qualities and his close application to the classics. he was called to the bar and threw out his shingle in Atlanta. It was not long before he won recognition by his alertness. depth and thoroughness as a lawyer. He showed that he was not only master of the principles of the law but clearly understood how to apply them. His firm grasp of these principles and precision and impressiveness in presenting them marked him in early young manhood as a winner of lofty honors in the profession.
In 1826 he was appointed assistant reporter of the Supreme Court of the State. and upon resignation of the late Hon. Henry Jackson he was ap- pointed, January 14. 1892. reporter of the Supreme Court. Six years later,
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on April 30, 1888, Mr. Lumpkin resigned the reportership and returned to the active practice of his profession.
On the resignation of the late Hon. Marshall J. Clarke from the position of Judge of the Superior Court of the Atlanta circuit, Judge Lumpkin, in Sep- tember, 1893, was appointed to fill the vacancy. When the Legislature assem- bled he was elected to fill the unexpired term ; and in 1896 he was chosen by the Legislature for the full term of four years.
In 1900 the mode of selecting Judges of the Superior Courts in Georgia having been changed, he was elected by the people for a term of four years from January 1, 1901.
Judge Lumpkin has made a remarkable judicial record, and it is only nee- essary to point to his able, impartial and distinguished career on the bench as a guarantee of the success which is in store for him when he shall be called, as it seems certain he will be called, to yet loftier honors on the bench.
The success of Judge Lumpkin in his well chosen life-work is to be aseribed, first, to the fact that he is a born lawyer, and, second. to the further fact that he has left nothing undone in the way of thorough legal training and general education which would tend to equip him for the highest honors in a most honorable profession.
JUDGE POPE BARROW.
T HE HON. POPE BARROW, Judge of the Superior Court of the Eastern Judicial Cir- cuit, has had a very distinguished career. He was born on the home place plantation, Oglethorpe County. August 1, 1839. Ile is the son of David Crenshaw Barrow and Sarah Pope Barrow. He was twice mar- ried. His first wife was Sarah Church Craig, a daughter of Lieu- tnant-Colonel Craig, of the old United States Army who was killed just at the close of the Mexican War. His second wife was Cornelia Augusta Jackson, a daughter of General Henry R. Jackson, of Sa- vannah. The children are Middle- ton Pope, Elizabeth Church. James, David Crenshaw, Craig. Lucy Hopson Lumpkin, Patience Crenshaw and Sarah Pope.
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Judge Barrow was educated at the University of Georgia, and, after grad- uating, devoted himself to the study of the law. Within a few years he won high position at the bar.
He came prominently before the public as a member of the Georgia Consti- tutional Convention of 1877, in which body he was a representative man. He served in 1880-1 in the Legislature, making an honorable and useful member of the House. On the death of the great Benjamin H. Hill he was chosen to fill his unexpired term in the United States Senate, 1882-3. He sustained himself admirably in that high body. After his service in the United States Senate he returned to the practice of his profession, which he pursued for many years with marked success. On the death of Judge Robert Falligant, Governor Candler, January 6, 1902. appointed Mr. Barrow Judge of the Superior Court of the Eastern circuit to fill his unexpired term. On October 1, 1902, he was elected by the people for the full term of four years. Judge Barrow has always been a rock-ribbed Democrat, and has ever been a zealous worker in the interest of the party. He was the chairman of the Georgia delegation to the National Democratic Convention which nominated Grover Cleveland at St. Louis in 1888. He was made President of the Georgia State Democratic Convention in 1892.
Judge Barrow served with faithfulness and distinction in the Confederate army. His first service began in April, 1861, as Lieutenant of artillery in the famous Troup Artillery. He was afterwards appointed Captain and Aide on the staff of Major-General Howell Cobb, in which capacity he served until taken prisoner near the close of the war.
Judge Barrow came of distinguished lineage. His great-great-grandfather, Thomas Barrow, was born in England and emigrated to Virginia some time between 1680 and 1200, before he was 21 years of age. Ilis great-grandfather was also Thomas Barrow. His grandfather, James Barrow, was a soldier in the Continental Army during the war of the Revolution. He was at Valley Forge throughout the famous winter and took part in many notable battles. After the war he removed to Georgia and settled first in Burke county and then in Baldwin county, near the ground upon which Milledgeville now stands. There he passed his remaining days. The place where he lived and died belongs to his grandson, the subject of this sketch.
Judge Barrow's mother. Sarah Eliza Pope, was the only child of Middleton Pope and his wife, Lucy Hopson Lumpkin. She was the daughter of Gov- ernor Wilson Lumpkin, of this State, who was Mr. Barrow's great grand- father on his mother's side.
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JUDGE A. H. HANSELL.
W V HEN JUDGE AUGUSTIN H. HANSELL retires from the Superior Court bench of the southern circuit of Georgia in January next. a most re- markable career-one unparalleled, perhaps. in this or any other State- will have closed. Born in Milledge- ville August 26, 1812. at the early age of eighteen he served in the Creek war of 1836 as a member of a cavalry company from Baldwin county.
At its session in 1836 the Legis- lature authorized Governor Gilmer to employ a Military Secretary for one year, and he was appointed by the Governor to that position, and while in office compiled the large registry book of muster and pay rolls of the Georgia troops in the Creek and Seminole Indian Wars. one copy of which was sent to the War Department at Washington, and was the evidence upon which the State based and received money paid out in those wars, while the other copy was retained in the Executive Department at home.
At the expiration of his term of office, he was appointed by Governor Gilmer as Auditor for the State, and associated with Col. W. S. Rockwell as his colleague, they heard and reported upon all claims for lost and damaged property by means of these wars.
He then studied law at Milledgeville, partly under the supervision of his father, Major William Y. Hansell, and partly under his uncle. Judge Iverson L. Harris, and was admitted to the bar at Macon in May, 1839. under Hon. Angus M. D. King. Judge of the Flint circuit, after examination condueted by a committee consisting of Messrs. E. D. Tracy. Washington Poe, Henry G Lamar. Absalom H. Chappell and James H. Stark. then Solicitor-General.
In 1845 he represented Pulaski county in the General Assembly and in 1847 was elected Solicitor-General of the Southern circuit, in which capacity he ably served until 1849, when he resigned in order to accept the Judgeship of his circuit The men selected to fill the Circuit Court bench of Georgia along with Judge Hansell were such men as Alfred Iverson. J. II. Lumpkin, Henry R. Jackson. James Jackson. Ebenezer Starnes. Eli H. Baxter. James H.
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Starke and H. V. Johnson, of whom the historian wrote: "There has per- haps never been a more brilliant array of Judges in the history of the State." Judge Hansell resigned in 1852 only to be re-elected again in 1858, and served continuously until Governor Bullock declared his office vacant in 1868 and placed in his stead Judge J. R. Alexander. Judge Hansell was again elected in 1873, and has never had opposition since that time.
Ile was a member of the secession convention characterized by Mr. Avery in his history of Georgia as "the ablest body of men ever convened in Geor- gia, " and took a prominent part in that epoch-making convention. He was a member of the Constitutional .Convention of 1877 and had opportunity given him to employ his undoubted talents and marked legal ability in shap- ing our present constitution.
JUDGE B. D. EVANS.
B EVERLY DANIEL EVANS, the Judge of the Superior Courts of the Middle cir- cuit, was born at Sandersville, Wash- ington county. Georgia, May 31, 1865. He is the son of Beverly D. Evans and Sallie Smith Evans.
Judge Evans has been married twice. His first wife was Miss Bes- sie Warthen, his second wife being Miss E. Virginia Irwin. The chil- dien are four in number, namely : T. Warthen Evans, Julian R. Evans, Beverly D. Evans and George R. Judge Evans, after careful pro- paration. matriculated at Mercer University. where, after a most cred- itable course. he graduated in 1881. He studied law at Yale College during the years 1883-4, and, returning to Georgia. was admitted to the bar aud en-
From the first he showed exceptional ability as a young lawyer, and in a short time his energy and success in his profession gave him considerable prominence in his section. In recognition of his growing reputation, he was elected to the Legislature and served his people ably and faithfully during the term covering 1886-1.
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In 1888 he was a delegate to the National Democratic Convention which nominated Grover Cleveland for the Presidency at St. Louis. He was made Solicitor-General of the Middle circuit in 1891, having been appointed first to fill the unexpired term of Hon. O. H. Rogers. He was elected for the full term in 1892. In all, he served six years in this important position, discharg- ing his duties with conspicuous energy, ability and fidelity.
In 1898 he was called up higher. having been elected Judge of the Superior Courts of the Middle circuit. He made such an excellent judicial officer that in October, 1902. he was re-elected for the full term of four years. He was chosen Judge both times without opposition. Indeed he was elected to all of the above-mentioned offices without opposition.
JUDGE G. F. GOBER.
G EORGE F. GOBER, Judge of the Superior Court of the Blue Ridge Circuit, is one of the most successful men in the State. Beginning life a poor boy, he has carved a remarkable ca- reer which embodies a lesson for the ambitious young men of the day. without any capital except brains. industry and purpose.
After careful preparation, Judge Gober entered the University of Georgia. There he was a very hard student and took a very high stand. and was from early young man- hood a sound thinker and close reasoncr.
Graduating in 1875, he accepted the principalship of the Marietta Male Academy. which he filled with great success for eight months. He studied law under the direction of the late General A. R. Lawton in Savannah and was admitted to the bar in that city after a most creditable examination. Returning to Marietta in the latter part of 1822. he entered upon the practice of his profession. During the same year he was elected County School Com- missioner of Cobb county. He made steady progress at the bar and was soon
In November, 1880, he was elected Solicitor-General of the Blue Ridge circuit for four years from January 1, 1881. He resigned the County School
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Commissionership to accept the office. In 1884 he was a candidate before the Legislature and was re-elected Solicitor-General by an overwhelming ma- jority. Having held the office for eight years, at the expiration of his last term he was not a candidate for re-election.
In 1889 he was elected Judge of the Superior Courts of the Blue Ridge circuit without opposition. He was re-elected without opposition in 1892, and in 1896. When the election came before the people in 1900 he was elected overwhelmingly, receiving the largest majority in the primary.
Judge Gober made the fight for public schools in Marietta. He was suc- cessful. He was chosen President of the Board of Education of that city and filled the position ably for twelve years. He resigned in August. 1902. He is one of the four trustees for the State at large of the University.
Judge Gober married Miss Alice Blackwell of Marietta. They have three children-George F. Gober, who graduated at the State University in 1902 at the age of nineteen : the second. a daughter. who is in the senior class at Agnes Scott Institute: and the youngest child, a pupil in the public schools of Marietta.
JUDGE W. M. HENRY.
W ILLIAM MADISON HENRY, the Judge of the Superior Courts of the Rome circuit, although. compara- tively speaking, still a young man, has won high distinction in the State. He is a native of Georgia, having first seen the light near the town of LaFayette. m Walker county, on February 10. 1853. He is the son of the late William War- ren Henry and Mary H. Henry, nee Cleghorn, both of whom were of Scotch-Irish lineage. Like many of Georgia's eminent men. Judge Henry's boyhood was passed on his father's farm. His earliest training was received at country schools, and in early manhood his time was divided between attending school and "teaching the young idea how to shoot." This profitable mental training was kept up
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until October, 1814. At that time he entered the junior class at the Univer- sity of Georgia. He was a close student and took an excellent stand in his class. He graduated in 1876.
Judge Henry studied law in the office of Judson C. Clements, who was then a barrister unknown to fame in the town of Lafayette, but who, afterward, won his spurs in the political arena by defeating William H. Felton for Con- gress in the old Seventh district, and while serving in Congress was made Inter-state Commerce Commissioner by President Cleveland. Judge Henry came to the bar in 1822, standing a very fine examination before the distin- guished Judge J. W. H. Underwood, at that time presiding in Walker Superior Court. A year later he made his home in Summerville, Chattooga county, where, within a few years, he built up a lucrative practice. In 1894 he re- moved to Rome, where he has since resided.
But before leaving Chattooga county Judge Henry was the recipient of several honors at the hands of the people, who had recognized his unusual ability and watched his growth as a public man. He served successively as Mayor of Summerville, County School Commissioner of Chattooga, and Rep- resentative from that county in the Legislature.
Governor Northen, in 1892, appointed him Judge of the Superior Courts of the Rome circuit to fill the unexpired term of the Hon. John W. Maddox, who had resigned to accept the Democratic nomination for Congressman from the Seventh district. Later, during the same year, the General Assembly elected him to the same position.
At the end of his term in 1894 he left the bench, and, having formned a partnership with the Hon. Seaborn Wright, practiced law during 1895.
When, in January, 1896, Judge W. T. Turnbull, who had succeeded him on the bench. resigned. Governor Atkinson appointed Judge Henry to the va- cancy. He was elected by the Legislature, which met later in the year, for the balance of the term, which ended with the year 1898. In that year he was elected by the General Assembly for the full term of four years. And, in 1902, this year, he was nominated by the people of his circuit without opposi- tion and elected at the general State election for the full term, beginning Jan- uary. 1903.
On November 3, 1881, he was married in Chattooga county to Miss Dora Rudicil. the daughter of Dr. R. Y. Rudicil, a leading physician of that county and a popular citizen, who has several times represented the county in the Legislature. Mrs. Eliza A. Rudicil, her mother. was the daughter of Capt. Samuel Knox. The union was blessed with six children, five of whom are living. They are: Wm. Rudicil, Charles Robert. Clara, Roy Oscar, and Evelyn.
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JUDGE C. G. JANES.
A CCORDING to holy writ, "a good name is better than great riches." Of this Judge Charles G. JJanes has every reason to be proud, for, to judge him by that rule, no man in the community in which he lives stands higher in the estimation of the publie.
Charles G. Janes was born near Cedartown, Ga., in 1852, and is the son of Hon. and Mrs. W. F. Janes. - He comes from one of the most prominent ante-bellum families of the old Southern regime. He was afforded the finest educational ad- vantages. which he profited by lib- erally, having gone first to the Uni- versity of Georgia, where he grad- uated and later was trained in the principles and practice of the legal profes- sion at the University of Virginia.
With this admirable equipment he confronted the serious problems involy- ing success or failure in the various aspirations that go to make up a life, and up to this time success ha- crowned every effort. In 18:6 he was appointed Judge of the County Court of Polk county by Governor James M. Smith, after which he served two terms in the State Legislature, 1881 and 1884.
He was elected Solicitor-General of the Rome circuit in 1888, in which capacity he served with signal ability and fidelity. and on the creation of the Tallapoosa circuit in 1890 his faithfulness and efficiency were rewarded by his elevation to the bench of the new circuit. He is now completing his third term as Judge of the Superior Courts of the Tallapoosa circuit.
Judge Janes was united in marriage in 1886 with Miss Anna, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. C. H. Harris. Two children have been born of this union, both dying in early childhood. A warm friend and ardent admirer of his. Editor E. B. Russell. of the Cedartown Standard, writing of him. says : "Judge Janes is broad-minded and level-headed, and a highly useful citizen in both public and private life." This is a warm endorsement of his course, coming. as it does, from the editor of his home paper. It shows the effect of a well spent life in one of the most flourishing and progressive communities in the State.
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