USA > Georgia > Wilkinson County > History of Wilkinson County > Part 48
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After the death of Greenberry, a daughter Anna was born. She married Sam Carswell of Wilkinson County. She was eminent for virtue, piety, motherly devotion to her children, and religious con- sistency and activity. Her hospitable home was opened to the serv- ants of God, and her best efforts were given to the church of her choice, New Providence Baptist.
Darling Peeples was a third son of Lewis Lee. He was named after a Baptist minister who resided near the Lee homestead in South Carolina. (Peeples) Elizabeth (Betsey) Lee was married first to Mr. Russell, by whom she was mother of Rev. Gustavus Russell, a Methodist minister in Louisiana, and Emiline Russell, who married W. S. C. Jessup, a deacon in Clear Creek church, Wilkinson County.
The children of W. S. C. Jessup and his wife, Emiline Russell, were J. A. Jessup, J. W. Jessup, Frank Jessup, and Dr. P. A. Jessup. The last named has been eminent for usefulness in the Master's kingdom throughout South Georgia.
After the death of Mr. Russell, Emiline was married to Mr. Tilly, and to this union were born Seaborn, Lewis, a physician ; Jane, and Jim Watt Tilly.
Rachel, the fifth child of Lewis Lee, was married to William
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Collins, and to them were born LeRoy, Cornelia, or "Melia," Sarah, who was married to Frank Rutherford, William Lee, who died in the Civil War, James, Mary Jane, who was married to Elbert Rutherford, Erastus E. Collins, and Columbus Collins.
The descendents of the children of William and Rachel Lee Collins are as follows :
LeRoy married Margaret Williams, and to them were born Cornelia. Rachel, William, Bobby Lee, and Lula. Of these, Cor- nelia, has never married, Rachel married Mr. Gibson of Dodge County, Ga., William, Bobby Lee and Lula resides in Dodge also.
William who was killed in the War, married Elizabeth Davidson, and to them were born Allen, John, James, Frank, Sarah Jane, and Lee Ann. Of these, Allen married Miss Hall. They have a son named Ralph. John married a Miss Stuckey. James Frank married Lissie Hardy, and their children are named, Norwood, Lee, Joel, Frank, Thelma, and Irma. Sarah Jane is dead. Lee Ann married Randall Jackson.
Erastus E. Collins married Sallie Jackson, a woman pre-emi- nently endowed with a brilliant intellect, who quoted the classic English Poets with great ease, and evinced otherwise through her many trials and hardships a most desirable firmness and worthiness of character. They reared a promising family of children among whom were some girls and superior natural endowments.
The children of Erastus E. Collins and Sallie Jackson are :
Eula, who married Thomas J. Lewis. Edna, who married Mr. Pounds, Everett, who married Alice Waters. Annie, who married Mr. Patton. Estelle, who married Mr. Stephens. Thomas, who married Mattie Rozar; Carl who married Bertha Hall; Marie who married Mr. Powell; and Laura, who married Mr. Goodson.
The sixth child of Rachel and William Collins was Sara, who married Frank Rutherford. To them were born Rebecca, Carrie, Georgia, Lula, William, John Lee, and Emmet. Rebecca married D. M. Davidson. Lucy married Mr. Bridges, and Bell married Mr. Yarborough ; and Luna, Bell and Lucy were the children of Rebecca Rutherford and Mr. Davidson. Luna married William Outlaw.
Carrie Rutherford, daughter of Sara and Frank Rutherford, married Andrew Cowart, and to them were born Annie, who mar- ried L. Hall. Eula Bell, who married Lee NeSmith.
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Georgia Rutherford married Allen Tindall. Their children are Cordia who married Miss Burke, William, Rufus, Ola, who mar- ried Mr. Little; Anna, who married Joe Jordan; and Vera who married Mr. Harris.
Lula married Green Rutherford, and their children are Levada, who married Otho Butler.
William Rutherford married Ella Cowart. Their children are Pearl, who married Bently Williams; Bertha; Sara, who married Ray Butler ; and Lester and Pauline.
John Lee Rutherford, who married Anna Schmidt, has children named, John F., Willie, Bessie, who married Mr. Grimsley ; Mamie, who married R. L. Davidson; Luna, Elvenia and Eleanor.
Emmet, the seventh child of Sara and Frank Rutherford, mar- ried Elice Lewis and has a child named Evelyn.
Jane Collins, and Elbert Rutherford were married and their children are J. Nat. Rutherford, who married Lena Schmidt, and whose children are Georgia, who married Georgia Roan, Kathleen, Annette, and Bunk.
Maggie Rutherford married H. D. Howard and their children are Morris, Ruth, and Marguerite.
Benhill, the fourth child of Jane Collins and Elbert Rutherford, married Miss Bennie Morgan, and Ben and Charles are their children.
Lula Belle, the next child, married Mr. Moncrief, Frances being their only child.
Louis married Albert Rozar and Mabel is only child.
Fannie May married John F. Burke, and Jane is only child.
Emma married J. A. McCant, and their children are Albert, Florine, Bernice, Nell, Ruth, and Emma.
Cornelia married J. A. McCant and their children are Elizabeth, Frances, and Baby McCant.
Sallie, the seventh child of Lewis Lee, married a Mr. Mercer and to them were born Joe Mercer, who went to Texas; Green Mercer; Lewis Mercer; Mary Jane, another child, married Noel Rogers.
Martha the eighth child of Lewis Lee, married Mr. Daniel Wright, and to them were born Rachel, who married Mr. Flem- ming ; Martha, called Mouse, who married Mr. Aileywine ; Mink; Willie Wright; William; James, and Frank Wright.
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Mary Jane, the ninth child of Lewis Lee, married twice, first to Mr. Mills, and secondly Mr. May, by whom she had two children -Enoch and Levina.
WALTER WASHINGTON LEE, SR.
The descendants of Walter Washington Lee, Sr., and his wife, Sarah Philips Lee, will now be considered.
Lott Warren Lee, the first child of W. W. Lee, Sr., married Carrie Elizabeth Farmer about 1870, and their children are Sid- ney Warren, Gordon, Ga., James Lewis, M. D., Pinehurst ; Sarah Elizabeth, who married Taylor Miller of Macon, Ga., Robert Farmer, Daniel, Isaac, and Rhesa Walter.
Sidney W. Lee married Miss Maggie Stripling, and to them were born Joe Warren, who married Mattie Nell Wright; they have three children, Martha, Wright and Cater; Mollie Carolyn, who married Erick Miller, has three children named Sidney Smith, Catherine Miller, and Marjorie Lee. The third child of S. W. Lee is Reese Monroe Lee.
James Lewis Lee, M. D., married Perdita Owens and to them were born Ruth and Anna Jimmie. Perdita Owens Lee is descended from Richard Darling Owens through his son George Alex Owens.
Sarah E. Lee married Taylor Miller, Jr., one child, Lee Miller, being the issue.
Robert Farmer Lee is married and lives in Savannah.
Daniel Isaac Lee married Miss Roughton and lives in Macon.
Rhesa Walter Lee married Miss Laura Eugene Miller, their children being Zachery and Catherine Eugenia.
Lott Warren Lee was twice married, the second wife being Mrs. Alice Dennard Bragg, who had two children by her former husband, Bessie, and Evelyn. Bessie married Ernest Carswell and lives in Americus. Evelyn lives in Detroit.
Lott Warren Lee was a man of integrity, honor, and influence. For many years he was treasurer of the Ebenezer Baptist church and clerk of the Gordon Baptist church. As farmer, merchant and broker, he succeeded in supporting and educating a large family of children, in the meanwhile dispensing his possessions liberally in the support of the kingdom of God.
Walter Washington Lee, Jr., M. D., the fourth child of W. W.
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Lee, Sr., married Mollie Elizabeth Oliphant about 1871, and their children are William Green, Emma Pauline, James Warren, and Fannie Belle.
William Green Lee, M. D., Macon, Ga., married Christine Cole and to them were born Christine, W. G., Jr., and Madison Cole.
Emma Pauline Lee married Leon Dennard and lives in Macon, Ga., to them were born Lois Elizabeth, married Walton E. Mize, and Elsie who married Lewis Simonton.
James Warren Lee, Memphis, Tenn., married Mattie Gay Tomlinson and to them was born Maline.
Fannie Belle Lee married J. William Willums, Macon, Ga., and to them were born Wynelle, who married Edward Benton, Doris and Lee.
Lewis Lee the second son of W. W. Lee, Sr., married Eugenia Smith and to them was born a son Raymond.
Daniel Green Lee the fifth child of W. W. Lee, Sr., married Julia Pauline Whitehurst about 1879 and their children are Walter Mayberry (now deceased), Sarah Catherine, Ida Caroline, Lott Warren, Daniel Paul, and Burke Whitehurst.
Walter Mayberry Lee, Th. D., married Lala Sublette, and to them were born Jewell Alice, Daniel Sublette, Walter, Jr., Ever- ette, Hubert and Burke Alva. Family lives in Franklin, N. C.
Sarah Catherine Lee, married Granville Conner Henry and lives in Cordele, Ga. to them were born Jewell, Conner and Dan.
Ida Caroline Lee, married William S. Fishburne and lives in Montgomery, Ala., to them were born Margaret, William, Jr., and Paul Lee.
Lott Warren Lee, D. D. S., of Milledgeville, married Elizabeth Slaughter and to them were born Slaughter and Mary Caroline.
Daniel Paul Lee, Gordon, Ga., married Alma Jackson and to them were born Mary Pauline and Daniel Franklin.
Burke Whitehurst Lee, Jacksonville, Fla., married Ethel Bragg and to them were born Mayberry and Burke.
Ida Lee the only daughter of W. W. Lee, Sr., married Jonah G. Pearson and died without issue.
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HISTORY OF WILKINSON COUNTY
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF WILLIAM GREENE LEE
(By Myrick Hilsman)
One of Wilkinson County's sons is Dr. William Greene Lee, who was born six miles from Jeffersonville, November 26, 1875 ..
Walter Washington Lee, who was the grandfather of Dr. Lee, married a widow, Sarah Burke Rozar. Five children were born to this union, including Walter Washington Lee II who was Dr. Lee's father. Walter Washington Lee II married Mollie Elizabeth Oliphant and to this union four children were born, namely, Dr. William Greene Lee, James W. Lee, Mrs. Fannie Belle Willums, and Mrs. Leon Dennard.
When Dr. Lee was eight years old the family moved from Jef- fersonville to Gordon. He received his primary education in Irwin- ton. Later he attended school in Vienna and medical school at Augusta.
In 1895 he entered Mercer University at Macon, but only re- mained at Mercer one year, and entered the University of Georgia, at Augusta, Georgia, in the fall of 1895. He delivered the vale- dictory address to his class of sixty students, graduating in April, 1899. Dr. Lee then began the practice of medicine in Macon, May I, 1899, and practiced through 1907.
It was at this time that he began his business career and from 1908 up to the present time (1929) he has been unusual power among the business circles of Georgia.
Dr. Lee, believing in the future of Middle Georgia, and with his customary business foresight, purchased considerable undevel- oped property in Macon and surrounding country, and began to develop and improve it, and came to practice the ideals of Rotary long before Rotary was ever established in Macon. It might be said here that he was one of the charter members of the Macon Rotary Club.
In following Dr. Lee's public activities one is amazed at the various enterprises in which he has been prominently connected. As a dealer in live stock he has been extraordinarily instrumental in the furthering of agriculture in middle Georgia. He operates three farms himself, and has always stood ready and willing to make the burdens of the farmer light.
He soon became vitally interested in higher education and has
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for a long time been one of the Trustees of Mercer University, and his contributions to this Baptist Institution have made it possible for many deserving boys to secure a higher education. He served as chairman of the Building Committee of Mercer during the ex- pansion campaign, and is also a member of the Executive Com- mittee. He also served as Vice-President and Treasurer of The Mercer Alumni Association. In addition to these duties he has served a number of years as a member of the Athletic Board of Control. From evidencing his interest in education he became an honorary member of the Board of Trustees of the Central City College, a negro Baptist Institution located at Macon, and at present is a member of the Alexander School Board.
One of his first acts upon moving to Macon was to join the Chamber of Commerce, and he has always been very active in Chamber of Commerce work. He has, since its organization in Macon, been a prominent member of the Rotary Club, and was its president one year, 1927 to 1928.
He served as City Alderman for two years during which time he was Chairman of the Street Committee, Chairman of Sidewalk Committee, and Chairman of the Tax Committee, and was also a member of the finance committee. Due to his able leadership and foresight, the activities of his committees had a great effect upon Macon for growth and development, for under his supervision a number of parks including Tattnall Square Park received their first sizeable appropriation.
Dr. Lee has served as Treasurer and Manager of the Baconsfield Park Commission for a long term of years. This is a special com- mission composed of four ladies and three men who have exclusive charge of the one hundred and seventeen acre tract of land that was donated to the City by the late Senator A. O. Bacon, to be specifically used as a park.
He is also one of the four Trustees of Senator A. O. Bacon estate which comprises some five hundred acres which the Trustees have developed to a very high degree, making a portion of this estate into one of Macon's most exclusive residential sections.
Dr. Lee was Vice-Chairman of the Macon Auditorium Commis- sion, which was in charge of the building of the beautiful audi- torium. This auditorium was built at a total cost of $795,000.00 and the handling of expenditures of this large sum, was made in
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such an efficient manner that competent men expressed the opinion that Macon has an auditorium that would in the North or East cost about $1,250,000.00. This building was turned over to the city with every item paid, and a few dollars of appropriation unexpended.
In January, 1929, he became the active full-time chairman of the Board of Directors of the Macon National Bank, and the Macon Savings Bank. He is recognized throughout the state as having unusual foresight and executive judgment in financial mat- ters.
He is a very prominent member of the First Baptist Church of Macon, and has served for a number of years on the Finance Committee.
It might be truthfully said that Dr. Lee has two hobbies, one of them being his three children, and the other flowers. His estate in Shirley Hills is one of the show places of Macon, and he can be seen riding or swimming with his two boys and girl, or else proudly showing some visitors or passersby his beautiful estate and its wealth of flowers. He has one of the most enormous Azalea and Camelia Japonica gardens in the South, having 3000 Azaleas and 600 Camelia Japonica, and hundreds of other beautiful shrubs and flowers. He also has on his estate a swimming pool which is very popular with the entire neighborhood in the summer months, and a fishing pond which is almost running over with bream and speckle cat.
He was married in December, 1914, to Christine Cole, of New- nan, Georgia. His children are Christine Cole Lee, 12 years old ; W. G. Lee, Jr., II years old, and Madison Cole Lee, 8 years old.
SIDNEY WARREN LEE
Sidney Warren Lee, oldest son of Lott Warren Lee and Carrie (Farmer) Lee, was born October 22nd, 1871, at the home of his grandfather Farmer on Mount Moriah Camp Ground in Jefferson county. He became a member of this same Methodist church-his mother's church-at the age of sixteen. He had four brothers, James Lewis, Robert Farmer, Daniel Ike and Walter Rhesa; one sister, Sara Elizabeth.
His earlier years were spent on his father's farm in Turkey Creek District of Wilkinson county and his first schooling was obtained at the Manson school. But later, at the age of nine years, his father having moved into Ramah District on the "Solomon
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Mountain Place" or better known as the "Will Fitzpatrick Place," he attended the Gordon schools for a number of terms. From here he went to the Louisville, Ga., and the Cartersville, Ga., boarding schools, at which places, his uncle, D. G. Lee was serving as Princi- pal.
After this he worked for a while on his father's farm and then accepted a position with the Central of Georgia Railroad. He re- signed in order that he might stay with his invalid mother, at the same time clerking in his uncle's store.
At the age of twenty-four he was married to Miss Maggie Strip- ling, the daughter of Francis Monroe and Marie Ann (Blow) Stripling of Jones County, the wedding taking place at Gordon, at the home of Captain and Mrs. F. S. Barclay the latter being the bride's sister, and the ceremony being performed by Rev. W. D. Dewell. Born to this union were three children: Joe Warren, Carrie Elizabeth and Reese Monroe.
Joe Warren married Miss Mattie Mell Wright of Covington, Newton County, and born to this union were four children : Mar- tha, Wright, Cater and Charlotte (deceased at the age of one year ) . Carrie Elizabeth married Eric Ernest Miller of Jones county and to them were born three children, Sidney, Catherine and Marjorie. Reese Monroe has never married.
The next few years after his marriage, were spent on his farm which he had purchased on "The Ridge." Then during the years 1898 and 1899 he taught the Clear Creek school, and the two years following at the Ridge Academy. In 1902 he moved to Gordon and was one of the first R. F. D. mail carriers out of Gordon, serving in this capacity until 1908.
In 1903 he became a member of the Masonic fraternity and from then took a great interest in this order, serving for a time as Wor- shipful Master of the lodge and later as Worshipful Master of the Tenth District Masonic Association. He sought at all times to practice the precepts and follow the admonitions incumbent on all true Masons.
After his removal to Gordon, he became a Steward in the Meth- odist church and for several years was Superintendent of the Sunday School, and in every way possible gave his fullest support to the advancement of the cause of Christianity. Earnest, conscientious and consecrated, his life has meant much to the Methodist church at
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Gordon. In 1905 when it became necessary to build a new church, he was selected as one of the building committee. Though with limited funds at their disposal a building was erected which will serve all the needs of the denomination for many years yet to come.
Possibly, to Mr. Lee, the crowning achievement of his life was when the last brick was laid and the Gordon High School was ready for the pupils. For years this had been the end towards which he had been toiling. His schooling elsewhere, his years of teaching in the schools of the county had awakened to him the great need of better school facilities. He had first led the fight for the voting of a local tax for the better support of the schools which had been successful. His active interest was so pronounced that he was elected a member of the school board and then as Secretary-Treasurer. He was continuously reminding the people of the need of a new building and at an opportune moment he with others succeeded in getting a vote on the question of school bonds which resulted in their favor. As a member of the schoolhouse building committee, he was most enthusiastically active. Though built during the World War and at a time when labor was hard to get, he threw himself wholeheartedly into the work, giving much of his time, and in every way offering special inducements to the laborers to stay on the job. Striving against the disadvantages and successfully overcoming all obstacles, the house was completed. It might well be termed a monu- ment to his unselfish efforts in behalf of the school children of Gordon.
For twenty years Mr. Lee was actively engaged in the mercantile business in Gordon, and during the same years served as Director in the Peoples Bank and Farmers and Merchants Bank of Gordon, He served as Alderman and during 1923 and 1924 as Mayor of Gordon. He was appointed and served as a member of the Wil- kinson County Board of Education for a while, but failing health ·caused him to resign.
During the years 1917-1920 Mr. Lee served as a member of the County Commissioners of Roads and Revenues. It was in this ca- pacity that he demonstrated to the people of Wilkinson county those traits of character which stamped him a man worthy of trust. Elected Chairman of that board, he presided in a business-like man- ner and convinced everyone that he regarded the public funds as a public trust. Courteous and kind-hearted, yet he was ever firm
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in his ideas of right and justice and could not be swayed from the path of duty by friendship, by selfish desires, by promises of politi- cal preferment. He was not a politician in the usual sense of the word, but the type of man who should always be honored with office.
Mr. Lee's death occurred on the 14th of January, 1929, after a period of ill health of several months. His body is buried in the family cemetery on the Ridge.
THE LEWIS FAMILY
"Among the settlers who came to Georgia in the early part of the eighteenth century were four Lewis brothers, from Rockingham County, N. C. They were the sons of Thomas Lewis, who at one time is said to have been a member of the General Assembly of North Carolina and who had been connected in a prominent way with the development of that state from early colonial days. The family was originally from Wales but perhaps came from England to America with the early settlers of North Carolina.
When the four brothers came to Georgia, they settled in Wil- kinson County near where the town of Gordon is now located on what is yet known as Lewis Hill, about twenty miles southeast of Macon. The oldest of the boys. James Richard Lewis, was the only married one and he settled at the place named above where he spent the remainder of his life. The other boys went in different directions, one going to or near Savannah, one, Jasper Lewis, locating near where the town of Greensboro is now situated and the other going south.
The territory where James Richard Lewis settled had recently been obtained from the Indians by a treaty which gave all the land lying between the Ocmulgee and the Oconee Rivers to the white people for settlement. However, at the time James Richard Lewis settled there, having come from North Carolina with his wife, who was formerly Elizabeth Rogers, and his young son, Thomas, on horseback, found that his new home, notwithstanding the treaty of peace, this country was infested with roving tribes of Indians. The Indians were not actually on the warpath but were a constant an- noyance. They would come into the yard and make unfriendly ges- tures, and hideous faces and would commit thefts about the place.
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Fortunately, however, the few families that made up the first settlers were spared a massacre at the hands of the savage. This was caused no doubt from the fact that James Richard Lewis was a man of kindly nature, a God fearing man, and his treatment of the sav- age was kind but firm.
Besides the son, Thomas, who was brought from North Caro- lina when a very small child, the following other children were born to this pioneer family: James Rogers, John, Etham, Ben, Richard and one girl, Elizabeth, who married Archie Smith. James Rogers married Sarah Ann Rivers, daughter of Joel Rivers and settled about five miles from the old home at what is now known as Lewis' Crossing on the Central of Georgia Railway about four miles southeast of Gordon. John Lewis settled in what is now Mitchell County, near where Pelham is now located. The younger of the chil- dren drifted off except the girl, who married as above stated and set- tled near the old home.
The first settlement was like unto a potato hill covered with straw bark and dirt. James R. Lewis was born under this roof in 1808. His father was the first man who owned a two-horse wagon in Wilkinson county.
James Rogers reared the following children : Richard Joel, W. G., Thos. J., Benjamin C., and Satsah, who married Frank Agee, Lucretia, who married a Pearson, and Ellen Francis, who married Tom Pruitt of Texas, and Sarah Jane, who married W. C. Wood."
(The foregoing sketch written by Elder Benjamin C. Lewis, a son of James Rogers Lewis, convinces us there is a close relationship between this family and that of Governor Gilmer's mother, who was a Lewis as shown in his historical sketch of the Lewis family of Virginia in "Georgians." Also see History of Georgia Baptist, sketches p. 62. )
The history of the Lewis family is intensely interesting. Origin- ally French Huguenots, the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes in 1685 forced them to flee across the English Channel and take refuge in Brennocshire, Wales. Later, Virginia and North Carolina offer- ing them havens of refuge, they emigrated to these colonies and re- mained for several generations, many of whom becoming prominent in the public life of those states.
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