Memoirs of Georgia; containing historical accounts of the state's civil, military, industrial and professional interests, and personal sketches of many of its people. Vol. I, Part 127

Author:
Publication date: 1859
Publisher: Atlanta, Ga., The Southern historicl association
Number of Pages: 1294

USA > Georgia > Memoirs of Georgia; containing historical accounts of the state's civil, military, industrial and professional interests, and personal sketches of many of its people. Vol. I > Part 127

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

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Capital City club, of the I. O. O. F., and of the Methodist church, south. Mr. McCord has the entire confidence of the commercial element of Atlanta, ranks well in financial circles, and, being a young man, may be regarded as having a bright future before him.

FLOYD WILLCOX M'RAE, physician, Atlanta, was born on a farm in Telfair county, Ga., Dec. 6, 1861. He is of Scotch descent on his father's side, while his maternal grandfather was of English extraction. His grandfather was Alexander McRae, who was a native of Scotland and was there married to Abigail Bain. They came to America and settled in Telfair county, Ga. Dr. McRae's father was Murdoch H. McRae, a well known farmer of Telfair county, where he was born in 1826. He was married to Elizabeth Willcox in 1852. She was the daughter of Thomas S. Willcox, who was a native of Georgia, and well known in its political circles, having been a member of both upper and lower branches of the state legislature from Irwin county. Dr. McRae lived at home until eighteen years old, passing the usual life of a farmer boy, and receiving his early intel- lectual training at the hands of private tutors. He then attended Robert E. Lee institute at Thomaston, Ga. He was obliged to leave here on account of his health, just before he was to be graduated, and after he had gone through the course and occupying an advanced position in his classes. In 1881 he located in Jesup, Ga., and engaged in the drug business until the summer of 1884. He had in the mean- time taken one course of lectures at the Atlanta Medical college, and after selling his business he returned to Atlanta, and pursuing his studies was graduated from this college with second honors in March, 1885. He began to practice his profes- sion in Talbotton, Ga., at once, but three months later was elected to the chair of demonstrator of anatomy in the Atlanta Medical college, which position he held until the spring of 1892, when he resigned, and was elected in the fall professor of physiology and clinical medicine in the Southern Medical college of Atlanta, which chair he now holds. Dr. McRae belongs to the American Medical association, the Southern Surgical and Gynecological association, and the Atlanta Society of Medicine. He has been honored with the offices of president and secretary of the latter society, and is at present secretary of the surgical section of the American Medical association. Since he was called back to the city to take a place in the faculty of the Atlanta Medical college Dr. McRae has made this city his home and has practiced his profession in connection with his college work. He is a frequent contributor to medical journals and some of his papers have evoked wide discussion. Dr. McRae is a thirty-second degree Scottish rite Mason. He belongs to the Methodist church, south, and is a member of the board of stewards of Trinity Methodist church of Atlanta.

DR. MANNING WILLIS MANAHAN, who has his elegant offices in the "Grand," is one of the most popular and successful of Atlanta's splendid corps of physicians. He was born in Hartland, Ohio, from which place he removed to Norwalk, where he resided many years. He received a thorough education, graduating with honor; after which he was for several years, deputy clerk in the office of the probate judge of that district. Being strongly inclined to the study of medicine, he then entered the Homeopathic Hospital college, at Cleveland, Ohio, from which he graduated in due course with high honors; among them being the first clinical and obstetrical prizes. He married the daughter of George R. Walker, a prominent lawyer of Norwalk, and in 1882, located in Atlanta, forming a partnership with Dr. F. H. Orme, an experienced and prominent physician. This partnership continued until the close of 1887, when it expired by

E. W. MARTIN.

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limitation, since which time he has conducted personally his large and increasing practice. Dr. Manahan comes of a distinguished lineage which has contributed in 110 small degree to the making of the history of this country. His father, George W. Manahan, was a successful business man of broad views and systematic habits, who amassed quite a competency with which he gave his children the best educa- tional advantages, and on which he and his family lived comfortably during his declining years. His mother, Mrs. Lucy Sophia Manahan, was a daughter of Isaac Morse, of New Haven county, Conn., and a near relative of Jedediah Morse, the geographer; Prof. Samuel F. B. Morse, the inventor of the American telegraph; Sidney E. Morse, the author of Modern geography, and of Lieut .- Gen. Scott, while Mr. Isaac Morse was himself a man of fine talent and education, and much respected. She was a consistent member of the Presbyterian church, and a Christian woman in the best sense of that term, as evidenced by an even temper and an example of the virtues of charity, forbearance and love, and died in 1894. Dr. Manahan stands high in the medical world, is zealous in all things pertaining to the ethics and practice of his profession, and has held many offices of prominence and consideration. He was president of the board of United States pension examiners of Atlanta from '1891 to 1893, is a member of the American Institute of Home- opathy, a charter member of the Southern Homeopathic Medical association, a member of the Atlanta Medical club, and has served both as secretary and president of this organization. Dr. Manahan is a successful physician, a skillful surgeon, and a genial gentleman, possessing a large share of personal magnetism and commanding confidence in his professional ability, as is evidenced by a host of devoted friends, and a large practice in the very best families of the city.

FDMUND WELLBORN MARTIN, lawyer, Atlanta, Ga., son of Col. John M. Martin, was born on the plantation of his maternal grandfather, Alfred Well- born, near Warm Springs, Meriwether Co., Ga., July 23, 1854. His paternal great- grandfather, Gen. John Martin, was born Oct. 6, 1749, and was a general in the revolutionary army. His grandfather, Edmund Martin, was a native of Edgefield district, S. C., which he represented many years in the legislature of that state. Mr .. Martin's father was born in St. Peter's parish, Beaufort district, S. C. He entered the Confederate service from Marion county, Fla., as captain of the Marion Light artillery. At the battle of Richmond, Ky., during the effort of Gens. Bragg and E. Kirby Smith to unite their forces, he was seriously wounded and taken to a hospital. When recovered he rejoined his command; but, in the meantime, the people of his congressional district, in consideration of his gal- lantry in the battle of Richmond, elected him to congress. Being in robust health, he felt it to be his duty to return to active service in the field, and declined a re-election. He was elected colonel of the Ninth Florida regiment, Finegan's brigade, and continued in active service until the surrender. After that event he returned to Florida, and is now a citizen of Ocala, in that state. Mr. Martin was born while his mother, whose home was in Marion county, Fla., was on a visit to her father; as soon as she was able, she returned to her home in Florida. In 1858 his mother died of yellow fever, and Mr. Martin was taken to the home of his uncle, Dr. E. H. Martin, Savannah, Ga., where he remained until 1865; and he then, when eleven years old, returned to Florida, where he lived until 1871. In February, of that year, he entered the preparatory department of Wofford college, Spartanburg, S. C., and in the summer of 1875 graduated from that institution with first honors and valedictorian of his class. Late in that year he was elected principal of Greenville Masonic institute, and held it during 1876-77. During this time he commenced reading law; and in the fall of 1877 he came to Atlanta, and

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continued his reading with McConnel & Heyward. In 1878 he was admitted to the bar in Fulton county superior court, Judge George Hillyer presiding. Since then he has done a successful and constantly growing general practice. On March 1, 1886, Mr. Martin was elected police commissioner, and served acceptably three years. In 1890, and, again in 1892, he was elected to represent Fulton county in the general assembly. During his two terms in that body he was one of the most active and laborious of its members; being chairman the first term of the committee on privileges and elections, and a member of the committees on edu- cation, finance, general judiciary and penitentiary. His first term was one of almost incessant, arduous labor-in the committee-room on details, and on the floor of the house in discussions, himself the leader in very many of the most important of them. His colleagues were Clarke Howell, Jr., editor of the "Con- stitution," and ex-Mayor John B. Goodwin. The first-named having been elected speaker, devolved unusual labor on Messrs. Goodwin and Martin. The latter, during his first term, introduced fifty-five bills of a general and local character, three-fourths of which passed. Among them was a bill to improve the capitol grounds; also, a bill making an original appropriation to the Technological school, and another making a supplementary appropriation, necessitated by a former deficiency. Both bills were vigorously, not to say viciously, attacked, and as vigorously and ably and successfully defended by Mr. Martin. The supplementary bill was introduced by him, and he had the leadership and bore the brunt of the assault; but after a hard-fought contest, he won, and both appropriations were made. They saved the school-but for them it would have been killed. He was also the author of the bills making uniform and clear the mode by which the superior courts of Georgia were authorized to grant charters to corporations according to the terms of the constitution of the state. These bills passed, and have proved of great benefit. He supported with all his earnestness, ability and energy the proposition to accept the Soldiers' home, but the proposition failed. Mr. Martin performed an immense amount of hard work on the various com- mittees, and made many speeches, this first term. During his second term- 1892-93-he served on the committees on corporations, finance, general judiciary and enrollment. The amount of work to be done this term by the Fulton county delegation was as large as that of the preceding term, and Mr. Martin was quite as conspicuous, doing his full share. He introduced a bill to establish a state reformatory for juveniles; and, also, a bill to allow counties and municipalities in Georgia to establish reformatories by a vote of the people of each locality interested. After a hot and exciting debate, lasting two days, the deep-seated prejudice and want of information, generally, on the part of members, caused the first bill to be defeated. It, however, received a majority of the votes cast, and lacked only nine votes of receiving the needed constitutional majority. This action was afterward reconsidered, but on account of the constitutional limit of the session, did not reach a vote. The other bill, to allow counties and municipalities to establish reformatories for juvenile criminals, passed both houses and is now a law- recognized everywhere as a wise and beneficent one. In the matter of the passage of this, as well as that of the other bill, Mr. Martin was the leader of the debate on the floor, and the head and front of the work in the committee. During the session the bill for the acceptance or non-acceptance of the Confederate Soldiers' home came up, and Mr. Martin again strongly favored the passage of the bill accepting the same. The bill passed the house, but was defeated in the senate. During the session of 1893, Mr. Martin introduced a measure amending the constitution, so as to allow counties to raise revenue for sanitary purposes, to protect the public health; but it was defeated. He ably championed a bill intro-

V. MANZ & CO CHIC

JOHN MILLEDGE.

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FULTON COUNTY SKETCHES.

duced at this session giving the election of the municipal officers of Atlanta (with certain exceptions), to the people, instead of their being elected by the council. This bill became a law. Of a large number of other important general and local bills, of some of which he was the author, he was the ardent, hard-working champion. Mr. Martin is a man of untiring industry, persistency of effort and unswerving integrity, and will unquestionably be again called into the public service. Mr. Martin was married in April, 1879, to Miss Sallie, daughter of Alexander F. Hill, of Meriwether county, and granddaughter of the late Chiet Justice Hiram Warner, who was elected associate justice when the court was first organized. Mr. and Mrs. Martin have three children: Willie Wellborn (daugh- ter), Hiram Warner, and Frank Hill. Mr. Martin is a member of the I. O. O. F., and a member of the Methodist church, and is on the board of stewards of Trinity church, South Atlanta.

EDWIN W. MARSH, of the firm of Moore & Marsh (now dissolved), is a native of Chatham county, N. C., having been born in the "tar-heel" state, Dec. 27, 1824. When eight years of age he came to Georgia with his father's family, and located in Covington, where he lived two or three years, and in 1836 moved to La Fayette, Walker Co., Ga., and there resided until 1853, studying the elementary branches and completing the course at the high school, in Chattooga county, taught by Rev. James Gamble. This was the extent of his education. When ten years old he entered his father's store, worked hard and conscientiously, and was admitted to the firm after the expiration of ten years. In 1853 Mr. Marsh went to Chattanooga, Tenn., formed a partnership with W. A. Moore (whose sketch appears on another page of these Memoirs), conducted a general business, and there remained until 1863, when Federal troops and the disasters of war forced them further south. Mr. Marsh came to Atlanta, where he purchased an interest in the "Southern Confederacy," a newspaper edited by the brilliant Henry Watter- son, now of Kentucky, and J. F. Hanson. He maintained an interest in this publication until the close of the war. During 1864 the paper was transferred to Macon, Ga. A few months later he again entered a partnership with Mr. Moore. They established the first and largest wholesale dry goods house in Atlanta, and conducted this with unparalleled success until the death of Mr. Moore, in 1891. Mr. Marsh continued the business three years longer and then sold out. He was married, in 1853, to Louisa Adelaide, daughter of McAllen Betts, a native of Georgia. This tie was blessed with four children, one of whom, Edwin W., died in 1889. Those surviving are : Spencer S., Adelaide, wife of G. B. Adair, and McAllen B., who lately married the beautiful and accomplished Miss Louise Bigby. Mrs. Marsh having died, he was again married, in 1868, to Achsach, daughter of James Turner, of La Grange, Ga. They had one daughter, Mary, who was married to Charles Crankshaw, of Atlanta, and died in May, 1895. Mr. Marsh is a demitted Mason. His ancestors were Baptists, and he is inclined to this faith. He is president of the Trion Manufacturing company, a large cotton mill of Chat- tooga county, and owns immense iron properties in north Georgia, which are rapidly developing and yielding valuable products, and has a controlling interest in the Sweetwater Park hotel at Salt Springs, Ga. Mr. Marsh is one of Atlanta's wealthiest citizens, who has been closely identified with her growth since he made the city his home.

MILLEDGE. There is not among the many patriotic and historic families of Georgia any one more truly deserving of being held in grateful remembrance than the Milledge faniily. The first John Milledge, of Georgia was born in Eng- land, and came to America with Oglethorpe. He became a man of affairs in the

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new colony, and held several important trusts, civic and military. His commission as commander of a troop of rangers, dated March 29, 1742, was signed by James Oglethorpe. In 1768, while a member of the colonial assembly, he was one of a committee to correspond with Benjamin Franklin, agent "to arrange the affairs of Georgia with Great Britain." The captain and his family had a pew in Christ church, Savannah, "in consideration of six pounds and ten shillings," receipted July 5, 1763. His son, Gov. John Milledge, was born in Savannah in 1757. He commenced the study of law with the king's attorney. He was so engaged at the breaking out of the revolutionary war. When but sixteen years of age he was one of the six who broke open the magazine at Savannah and took away a large quantity of powder. Some of it was stored in Savannah, some sent to Beaufort and a part of it to Boston, where hostilities had commenced, and with it the battle of Bunker Hill was fought. The royal governor, Wright, offered a reward of £100 for the capture of each of the raiders; but they, instead of inviting arrest, waited a month and then captured the governor in his own house, wherein they confined him. In this he was a leading spirit. He was in Savannah when it was taken by the British, but escaped. In January, 1780, when only twenty-three years of age, he was appointed attorney-general-this was the beginning of his civil career. Subsequently he served in the general assembly, and then was elected a repre- sentative in congress, serving as such in 1792-93, from 1795 to 1799, and again in 1801-02. He resigned in 1802 to accept the governorship; was inaugurated Nov. 24 of that year, and held the office until Sept. 23, 1806. He was immediately elected to the United States senatorship, where he served three years-the last year as president pro tem. That year, 1809, although only fifty-two years old, he resigned his seat and retired to private life. Milledgeville, the former capital of Georgia, was named in honor of Gov. John Milledge. In April, 1802, he was one of three commissioners on the part of Georgia who negotiated with three appointed by the president, a treaty by which Georgia ceded the most of her western territory to the United States for $1,250,000, and other considerations. Although confronted by three statesmen of the highest national reputation, the Georgians made so satisfactory a settlement of a bitterly contested question that they received, by a unanimous vote, the thanks of the legislature. Gov. Milledge retired to his plantation on the Sand hills, near Augusta, where he died in 1818. While Mr. Jefferson's epitaph on his tomb is inscribed the "Father of the University of Vir- ginia," Gov. Milledge was the "Benefactor of the University of Georgia." Gov. Milledge bought and conveyed to the university at Athens nearly 700 acres of land. Upon this land the college buildings and a great part of Athens now stand. Its first commencement was held in 1804. There hangs in the state library, Atlanta, a handsome painting of this eminent Georgian. It is the work of the late Miss Kate Elliott Milledge, the only granddaughter of Gov. Milledge. She was the daughter of the late Col. John Milledge, and a sister to the present state librarian, Capt. John Milledge, who was a Confederate soldier, serving as first lieutenant and captain in the First Georgia regiment, and afterward captain of artillery under Gen. Lee.

Col. John Milledge, the genial gentleman and present popular and efficient state librarian of Georgia, was born in Richmond county, and, as will be observed, is of distinguished historic lineage. In 1857 he graduated from the Georgia Military institute, with the rank of captain. He was commissioned first lieutenant, Feb. 1, 1861, in the First Georgia regulars. From 1862 until the close of the war he was captain and commanded a battery of artillery in Nelson's battalion. The battery was known as the Milledge artillery, and formed a part of the army of northern Virginia. At the second battle of Cold Harbor he was severely wounded.

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Col. Milledge, by his courageous deeds and soldierly bearing, gained a strong hold in the hearts of his comrades and superior officers. In 1866 he came to Atlanta, just after the desolation of fire and plunder had laid waste all budding enterprises, and opened a law office. He took a high stand in his profession, and was city auditor and recorder from July, 1877, to July, 1881. He won the hearty favor of all in performing the duties of this office. For many years he served as president of the Benevolent home, and he was mainly instrumental in having the home property, over $20,000, transferred to the Grady hospital. He called together and presided over the first meeting of the Confederate Veterans' association. He was appointed commissioner from Georgia at the Yorktown centennial; com- manded the Governor's Guards infantry, of Atlanta; organized the Governor's Horse Guards in 1883, and was its captain seven years; was lieutenant-colonel of the First Georgia battalion of cavalry, and retired in 1891 with the rank of lieutenant-colonel. He was appointed state librarian in 1888, and has held that position with great credit to himself and to the universal satisfaction of the bench and bar of the state. The state library of Georgia is now one of the best in the country. Col. Milledge is chivalrous, kind and cultured, and brings into this younger generation the virtues of the ante-bellum southerner. Everybody loves John Milledge because of his bravery and magnetic charms. Soon after the war he married Miss Fanny C. Robinson, a charming, cultivated lady of Virginia. She was president of the Ladies' Memorial association of Fulton county, and it was during her administration, and due to her efforts, that the beautiful monu- ment to the unknown dead was erected. The funeral of Mrs. Milledge was perhaps the most noted occasion in the record of the state to her many honored women. The governor, the judges of the supreme court and state house officers were honorary pall-bearers. The military of the city attended as a special escort.

DR. H. V. M. MILLER. It rarely happens that a man eminently distinguishes himself in more than one profession. An exception to this rule is furnished by the versatile and commanding genius of Dr. H. V. M. Miller. Dr. Miller is one of the most remarkable men that Georgia has ever produced. His memory is simply prodigious, and no impression once made upon his mind has ever been forgotten. He recalls with the greatest ease events that happened more than three-quarters of a century ago, and names, faces, public issues and personal reminiscences are still retained by him as vividly as when they were first stored away in his brain. Profoundly read in all departments of thought, especially that pertaining to the science of medicine, Dr. Miller has possibly no equal in Georgia, and perhaps no superior anywhere. Early in life he acquired the sobriquet of "the Demosthenes of the mountains," and this distinction has followed him through life. He is looked upon with esteem and reverence by all Georgians as one of the lingering landmarks of a past generation, a generation made illustrious by the statesmanship of Toombs, Howell, Cobb, Stephens, Hill and Walter T. Colquitt. Homer Virgil Milton Miller was born in Pendleton district, S. C., on April 29, 1814. Of Welsh extraction on his father's side of the house, and of Huguenot ancestry on his mother's side, he combined the qualities of noble blood, and, in the light of such lineage, his success in life is not surprising. His father, Maj .- Gen.

Andrew Miller, moved to Rabun county, Ga., in 1825, at which time his son was only eleven years old. The maiden name of Dr. Miller's mother was Rebecca F. Cheri. She was a lady of rare culture and profound piety, and the influence of her parental discipline was a very potential factor in giving shape to her son's character. His early training was derived from private tutors, supplemented by his mother's instruction and his father's chivalrous example. Though living in the heart of the North Georgia mountains, remote from the refining influences of I-55

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social life, the young student acquired a knowledge of the classics and a general culture that was strikingly at variance with the rugged character of his surround- ings. One of his preceptors was a graduate of the university of Dublin. Begin- ning the study of medicine, for which department of science his predilections were quite decided, he graduated in 1835 from the Medical college of South Carolina, located in Charleston. Though the youngest member of his class, he received the silver goblet awarded for the best English dissertation. Two years were subsequently spent in the city of Paris, after which he located at Cassville, Ga., for the practice of his profession. In 1846 he was made professor of obstetrics in the Medical college of Memphis, Tenn. He returned to Georgia, however, in 1849, accepting the chair of physiology in the Medical college of Georgia, Augusta. His lectures at this institution became famous throughout the state, and steadily advanced its popularity. In 1861 Dr. Miller was assigned to duty at Harper's Ferry as surgeon of the Eighth Georgia infantry. He was afterward promoted to brigade surgeon and then to division surgeon. For quite a while he served under Gen. Beauregard's command at Charleston, S. C. He was appointed medical director for the state of Georgia, and was further desig- nated as surgeon of posts and inspector of hospitals. After the war Dr. Miller located in Rome, Ga., but did not remain long in the hill city. In 1867 he was elected to a professorship in the Atlanta Medical college, one of the foremost institutions of the south, and during the year following he was elected to the senate of the United States. This high office had been vacant ever since the war. Dr. Miller at once entered upon the discharge of his senatorial duties, and acquired a national reputation for eloquence, patriotism and ability. During the war Dr. Miller was made a trustee of the state university, and since that time he has rarely failed to attend the annual meetings of the board. He has always been a loyal friend of that institution, believing that every Georgian ought to support and uphold the university of the state. In 1890 Dr. Miller was appointed by Gov. Gordon as principal physician, to succeed Dr. Willis F. Westmoreland. He has rendered valuable service to the state in this capacity. The degree of LL. D. was conferred upon Dr. Miller by Emory college several years ago. Dr. Miller's first appearance in public life was during the heated contest of 1844. He met in joint debate with such men as Walter T. Colquitt, John H. Lumpkin and others, and proved himself a foeman worthy of their steel. His. fame as an orator was not confined to Georgia, but spread to the frontiers of the nation. He took an active part in all the political campaigns preceding the war, and was recognized as one of the ablest of Georgia's public men. He refused the nomination of the American party for congressman in 1857. Dr. Miller was a member of the famous reconstruction convention of 1867, and was an influential delegate on the floor of the convention. In 1881 he traveled over Europe as the agent of the International Cotton exposition, and contributed greatly to the success of that enterprise. Dr. Miller was united in marriage to Miss Harriet Perry Clark in 1835, and, after a wedded life of nearly fifty years, that noble lady has recently been called to her reward. Since leaving the senate of the United States, Dr. Miller, until overtaken by the growing infirmities of old age, has been actively engaged in the practice of his profession. His interest in public matters has never left him, and his familiarity with the principles of the government and the rise and fall of political partics is still fresh and vivid. Dr. Miller is richly endowed with conversational resources, and is able to discuss any subject with ease and accuracy. No man, in his old age, has preserved his intellectual faculties so unimpaired, or better illus- trated during his long life the state of his adoption, than the brilliant subject of this sketch. .

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Memoirs of Georgia; containing historical accounts of the state's civil, military, industrial and professional interests, and personal sketches of many of its people. Vol. I, Part 127

Author: Publication date: 1859 Publisher: Atlanta, Ga., The Southern historicl association Number of Pages: 1294

Author:
Publication date: 1859
Publisher: Atlanta, Ga., The Southern historicl association
Number of Pages: 1294