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 143

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 143

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JAMES ROBINSON WYLIE, vice-president of the Merchants' bank, Atlanta, Ga., son of David G. and Martha (Robinson) Wylie, was born in Chester district, S. C., in 1831. His grandparents were natives of County Antrim, in the north of Ireland, and came to this country, where their children were born and raised, early in this century. Mr. Wylie's father was a farmer, and when he was in his infancy moved to Fairfield district, S. C., where he lived until Mr. Wylie was thirteen years old, when he came to Georgia and settled on land then in Cass, but now included in Gordon county. Here Mr. Wylie was principally edu- cated and grew to manhood. In 1851 he went to Calhoun, the county seat, and engaged as a clerk until 1859, when he accepted a position as a traveling salesman for a wholesale grocery house in Nashville, Tenn. A part of the time when in Calhoun he was interested with his brother-in-law in a small general store. After traveling a year for the Nashville house he returned to Calhoun and re-engaged as a clerk in a store until 1862, when he was appointed agent at Calhoun for the Western & Atlantic (state) railway. He retained this position until the road was destroyed by the Federal army in 1864. After the war he assisted in rebuilding the road between Atlanta and the Chattahoochee river. In the spring of 1865,

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GILMER COUNTY SKETCHES.

in company with Dennis Johnson and W. T. Busbee, he established in Atlanta the wholesale grocery house of Wylie, Johnson & Co. A few months later he bought Mr. Busbee's interest and W. H. Dabney was admitted into the firm. A year later he bought the interest of Messrs. Johnson and Dabney and conducted the business on his own account until 1875, when W. T. Wall and T. J. Dabney became associated with him and continued two years. Two years following James Bridge, Jr., had a partnership interest in the business, after which Mr. Wylie con- ducted it alone and on his own account until 1889. That year he closed his mer- cantile life to accept the presidency of the newly-organized Traders' bank, which, after a few years' incumbency, he resigned, and became the vice-president of the Merchants' bank. Mr. Wylie was one of the original directors of this bank (first organized as the State National), and had previously, for years, been its vice-presi- dent. He was a director in the original Atlanta Street Railway company, since expanded into such magnificent proportions; was a member of the executive com- mittee of the International Cotton exposition in 1881, which did so much for At- lanta; was a promoter and director of the Atlanta & Florida railway, a member of the executive committee of the Piedmont exposition of 1887, manager of that of 1889, is a member of the executive committee of the Cotton States and Inter- national exposition for 1895, and chairman of the committee on grounds and build- ings, and of that on department of agriculture, and is chairman of the board of jury commisioners of Fulton county, a position he has had for years, and is the only public office he would have. It is simple justice to remark here that Mr. Wylie could probably have any elective office in the gift of Atlanta, or of Fulton county, if he would accept it. No citizen of the county more intimately possesses the entire confidence of his fellow citizens than Mr. Wylie. Every obligation, social, moral, political and financial, has been promptly and faithfully met. As a merchant, starting without means, he built a business as large as he desired it to be-he was not ambitious of doing, and never strove to do the largest- acquired a competency, and made an enviable reputation and record for upright- ness and integrity of character, and the highest sense of mercantile honor. As a citizen any young man will do weli to adopt him as a model and example. Mr. Wylie has taken great interest in the breeding of Jersey cattle, and in con- nection with J. H. Porter has a stock farm near Atlanta devoted to the business. For many years he has been vice-president of the Georgia Jersey Breeders' asso- ciation. It is his pride and ambition-not his boast- to be among the public- spirited and progressive element, and regardless of fame or emolument, to do all in his power to advance the interests of Atlanta and promote the public welfare. Mr. Wylie was married in 1853 to Miss Louisa O'Callaghan, of Calhoun county, Ga., who died in 1871, leaving six children. He was married a second time to Miss Sarah O'Callaghan, sister of his first wife, who has borne him one child.

GILMER COUNTY.

REV. JOHN C. ATKINSON, of Ellijay, Gilmer Co., was born on July 22, 1866, in Heard county, this state. He was educated in the common schools of that county, and in 1885 he entered Bowdon college, where during two years he pur- sued a classical course of study. He next taught school in Heard county for a

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period of five years. Later he engaged in church work and was licensed to preach Sept. 22, 1892, at the Roopville quarterly conference of the Methodist Episcopal church south, since which time he has actively engaged in the duties of a Methodist preacher. He was first assigned to the Morganton church in Fannin county, where he remained two years, and where his efforts were suc- cessful and were appreciated by the church committee. During the second year of his stay in Morganton he was chiefly interested in building the Blue Ridge high school, an institution having before it a promising future, and which is already largely attended. In December, 1893, Mr. Atkinson was assigned to the church at Ellijay, where his efforts in the cause of religion have met with apt encourage- ment and success in a marked degree, and where he is admired as a churchman and esteemed as a citizen. On Dec. 25, 1888, Mr. Atkinson was married to Miss Ida L. Williams, of Heard county, Ga. Two children, both girls, have been born of this marriage: Ida Lois, born June 26, 1890, and John, born March 29, 1892. The father of Mr. Atkinson is Joseph P. Atkinson, a native of Sussex county, Va., where he was born Nov. 29, 1832. He moved to Georgia in 1858. He served in the late war and was orderly sergeant of Company K, Thirty-fourth Georgia. For twelve years he was postmaster at Rockdale, Heard county, and is widely known and highly esteemed throughout that county. The mother of Mr. Atkin- son was born in Heard county in 1840. She was the daughter of Madison Benifield of that county, and is still living. Mr. Atkinson has five brothers and five sisters living: Robert E., Emily E., Joseph B., Mary A., Martha A., Neadam E., Viola C., William T., Tabitha P., and Henry P., all residing in this state, ex- cept Mary A., the wife of Joseph E. Gay, of Texas, where she resides. Mr. Atkinson is a gentleman of affable manners and engaging presence, for whom there is doubtless a brilliant future yet in store.

FLNATHAN WALKER COLEMAN was born Aug. 2, 1861, at Ellijay, in Gilmer county. At an early age he moved with his parents to Talking Rock, in Pickens county, where he lived on a farm until his twenty-second year. He received his early education in the common schools of Pickens county, and at the Ludville academy. In 1881 he entered the North Georgia Agricultural college at Dahlonega, where he graduated in 1884. During seven months previous to 1884 he was appointed to fill the chair of mathematics in that institu- tion, and discharged the duties of that position with credit and ability. He took a prominent part while at college în literary work and was an active member of

literary and other class societies. He was, and still remains, a member of the S. A. E. college fraternity, and throughout his college course was frequently the recipient of class honors, standing high in the confidence of the faculty. While attending college he supported himself by teaching in vacations. After com- pleting his college course, Mr. Coleman became principal of Pine Log high school in Bartow county. He next went to Atlanta to prepare himself for the legal pro- fession and entered the office of Henry B. Tompkins. In November, 1885, he was admitted to the bar of the superior court of Gilmer county by Hon. James R. Brown, the presiding judge. Immediately thereafter he commenced the prac- tice of his profession at Ellijay. Mr. Coleman, in a brief period after his admission to the bar, arose to distinction as an able advocate and a judicious counselor. His defense of David Dover at the first term after being admitted to the bar, tried for the crime of arson, was pronounced at the time to be the ablest effort of the kind ever made before a Gilmer county jury, and at once placed him in the front rank of forensic advocates in the Blue Ridge circuit. In 1887 he was elected mayor of Ellijay, and has had frequent occasion to decline re-election to that

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office. On Dec. 18, 1888, Mr. Coleman was united in marriage to Miss Fannie King of Marietta, Ga. Mrs. Coleman died in June, 1890. In 1893 Mr. Coleman turned his attention to the mining industry. He has invented a mill for the pur- pose of extracting the gold from the ores. A special feature of his invention is its power to save the precious metal after it has been extracted. He has organ- ized and is interested in several gold-mining companies and has done much to develop the mining industry in the state. Mr. Coleman has been a great advocate of higher education in his section of the state. He was one of the first board of trustees and the promoters of Young Harris institute in Towns county, Ga. He was also one of the originators in establishing Blue Ridge institute at Blue Ridge, Ga., and is vice-president of the board of trustees. He delivered the principal address at the laying of the corner-stone of that institution in 1893, and also delivered the first annual literary address in 1894. He was also vice-presi- dent of the board of trustees of the Ellijay seminary for several years. He has also been a member of the board of education, of the north- Georgia annual conference of the M. E. church south for several years. Mr. Coleman's father is Watson R. Coleman, born in Haywood county, N. C., on June 8, 1817, and who moved to Georgia in his early youth. His mother was Nancy A., daughter of Samuel T. and Sallie Wilson. She was born in Buncombe county, N. C., on May 28, 1826, and was married to the father of this sketch in La Fayette, Ala., Oct. 29, 1858. Mr. Coleman has three brothers living: Dr. W. L. Coleman, a practicing physician at Canton, Ga .; James I. Coleman, a mail agent, residing in Atlanta, and W. S. Coleman, editor and publisher of the Cedartown "Standard," at Cedartown, Ga.

COKE ASBURY ELLINGTON, the oldest pioneer citizen of Gilmer county, was born in Jackson county, Ga., Sept. 21, 1812. He was the son of Rev. William Ellington, one of the early pioneer Methodist preachers of Georgia. He came to Gilmer county Feb. 12, 1834, and on Dec. 17, 1835, he was united in mar- riage to Mary, daughter of Benjamin Griffith, a wealthy planter. He identified himself with the commercial interests of the then young town of Ellijay, and for some time was engaged in the mercantile business, his principal customers being Cherokee Indians. During this period he availed himself of his oppor- tunity to study the manners and customs of the Indians and to learn their language, which he did. He was. personally familiar with White Path, the famous Chero- kee chief, who was one of Jackson's allies at the battle of the Horse-shoe. In the year 1838, having been appointed a captain in the local militia, and having assisted in the removal of the Indians from this region, he ran for the state senate on the whig ticket, defeating Hon. Neal Cooper, who was then senator, by only one vote. In 1839 he was re-elected to the senate, but was unseated on a contest. Retiring for a time from active politics he was for many years a justice of the peace, devoting his time to the improvement of his farm. In 1850 he was census enumerator for Gilmer, Pickens and Fannin counties. In 1852 Mr. Ellington was again called into prominence, and was elected a delegate to the constitutional convention. Upon the dissolution of the old whig party he allied himself with the republican party. He was a Union man and bitterly opposed secession. He was a refugee during the war, but at its close returned home and was a member of the famous "Johnson convention" in 1865. In the same year (1865) he was elected a mem- ber of the general assembly without opposition, and served two years, during the most stormy period of reconstruction. While a member of this legislature he gained much notoriety by his courage in daring to vote for the "fifteenth amend- ment." Only two members dared to vote for it, so great was the popular prejudice

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against the measure. The other one so voting was William Humphrey of Fannin county. For his vote on this question he received the editorial endorsement of Horace Greeley. He was a member of the constitutional convention of 1868, and was a member of the judiciary committee of that body. Since that time he has been out of active politics, though taking great interest in passing events. In 1873 he was appointed by President Grant commissioner of United States internal revenue, which office he held for three years, doing very little or no business on account of his dislike of the revenue laws. In 1872 he was a lay delegate to the general conference of the Methodist Episcopal church, which met in Brooklyn, N. Y. In later years Mr. Ellington has lived a life of peace and quietude, residing on his estate near Ellijay, at which place he has lived continuously for more than half a century. His domestic relations have always been of the pleasantest. Thirteen children were born to him and his wife, nine of whom are now living, useful citizens of the commonwealth. Two of his sons are prominent Methodist ministers: Rev. A. F. Ellington, of Atlanta, Ga., and Rev. L. D. Ellington, of Dupont, La. Mr. Ellington is now in his eighty-fifth year and his mind is sin- gularly clear on past events. His wife died March 27, 1894, having lived with him for fifty-nine years. He was always prominent in church affairs and is an upright Christian gentleman of the old school. His aim has always been in life to protect his escutcheon from dishonor rather than to accumulate riches.

THOMAS FRANKLIN GREER, of Ellijay, Gilmer county, was born in Watauga county, N. C., on April 27, 1841, where he lived until his eighteenth year, when he moved to Fannin county, Ga. He received a common school education, and taught school in Fannin county for two years. Later he settled in Ellijay, and at the commencement of the war he was engaged in the study of law. In May, 1861, he enlisted in the Eleventh Georgia regiment as a private, and was afterward commissioned captain of Company E, Second Maryland cavalry. He fought at the battle of Malvern Hill, where he was severely wounded, and at Winchester, where he was again wounded and made a prisoner. He remained in confinement at Camp Chase, Ohio, from June, 1864, to March 1, 1865. In the fall of 1865 he returned to Ellijay, completed his legal studies, and was admitted to the bar. He has long enjoyed an active practice in the Blue Ridge circuit and in the district and circuit courts of the United States. In 1866 he was elected to the office of county solicitor of Gilmer county for the term of four years. In 1877 he was appointed by Gov. Colquitt to the office of solicitor-general of the Blue Ridge circuit for the term of four years. He served the full term, and in 1882 he was elected to the senate of Georgia, representing the counties of Pickens, Gilmer and Fannin. In August, 1885, he was appointed judge of the county court of the county of Gilmer for the term of four years, and served through his term to the satisfaction of the public. During his professional and political career, which has been long and useful, Mr. Greer has preserved, and justly so, the unlimited con- fidence of his constituents and the public, and has at all times discharged his duties with signal ability and characteristic energy. In 1867 Mr. Greer was married to Miss Mary C. Whittington, of North Carolina. Four children survive as the fruit of this union: Alice L., wife of Senator T. W. Craigo; Albert L .; Jack, and Thomas B., all residing at Ellijay. The father of Mr. Greer was Benjamin Greer, a native of North Carolina, where he still lives. The mother of Mr. Greer was Eliza Ingram, a native of North Carolina, now deceased.

WILLIAM FRANKLIN HILL, of Ellijay, in Gilmer county, and a prominent citizen of that county, was born near Asheville, Buncombe Co., N. C., on July 5, 1834. At the age of ten years he moved to Gilmer county with his parents, and

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GILMER COUNTY SKETCHES.

settled on a farm near where he now lives. There he grew up to manhood, taking advantage of such opportunities for obtaining an education as the pioneer condi- tion of the country then afforded. At the age of seventeen he taught school, and at intervals engaged in agricultural pursuits until the commencement of the war. In May, 1862, he entered the Confederate service, enlisting as a private in the Sixty-fifth Georgia regiment infantry, commanded by Col. G. W. Foster. His regiment was attached to Jackson's brigade, in Hardee's corps. He participated in the battles of Tanner's Ferry, Kennesaw Mountain, Dallas, Jonesborough, and in the siege of Atlanta. He fought at Franklin, Tenn., and took part in the stampede at Nashville. He was surrendered by Gen. Joe Johnston near Greens- borough, N. C., on April 26, 1865. On his return home, he again engaged in school teaching and farming, and in 1877, he was elected to the office of school commissioner of Gilmer county, since which time he has continued to serve the people in that office with ability and has given universal satisfaction. Mr. Hill certainly ranks high as a commissioner of schools among the best educators of the state, and his services have been invaluable to the people of his county. Mr. Hill was married on Jan. II, 1857, to Ann Osborn, daughter of Rev. N. R. Osborn, a well-known Baptist minister of Gilmer county, and still living in his eighty-ninth year. Five children were born of this marriage: Callie, the wife of Calvin Searcy, of Ellijay-she has six living children; John R., who married Miss Maggie Searcy, of Ellijay-they have three children; Joseph Lee, a resident of Arkansas and unmarried; Edward, a Baptist minister, who married Miss Sally Harper, of Gilmer county, and Mollie, who resides with her parents and is unmarried. The father of Mr. Hill was William Hill, of Rutherford county, N. C., where he was born in 1799. He died in Gilmer county in 1883. The mother of Mr. Hill was Martha De Bord, born in Rutherford county, N. C., about 1800, and died in Gilmer county in 1885. Mr. Hill is of a family of thirteen children. For thirty years he has been an active member of the Baptist church. He is a man of broad views, active, aggressive and progressive, and he has done much to advance the pros- perity of Gilmer county.

PINKNEY HARRISON MILTON, of Ellijay, Gilmer Co., was born in Bun- combe county, N. C., April 11, 1840. Soon after his birth he moved with his parents to Union county, this state, where his family resided until 1845, when they settled in Gilmer county. He received a common school education at Ellijay. March 4, 1861, at the age of twenty, he enlisted as private in Company H, First regiment Georgia regulars, and accompanied his regiment to Virginia. Hc first served under Gen. Toombs, and later under Gen. Tige Anderson, and participatcd in the second battle of Manassas and in all the battles from Seven Pines to Fredericksburg, including the seven days' fight before Richmond. After the battle of Fredericksburg his regiment was ordered to Georgia to recruit, and later to Olusta, Fla., where they were engaged in that battle. His term of service having expired, he enlisted in the navy at Charleston, continuing in that service eight months, until after the evacuation of that city, when he was taken prisoner and was confined in Charleston until Lee's surrender. He returned to his home in July, 1865. The war record of Mr. Milton made him a popular man in Gilmer county, and in 1868 he was clected to the office of sheriff, being the only democrat on the county ticket who succeeded in being elected. His popularity increased during his term of office, and in 1870 he was re-elected to that office, also in 1877 and 1879. He next taught school several years, and that occupation has occupied his time at different periods since the war. In 1885 he was appointed United States deputy-marshal for the northern district of Georgia, and his popularity

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was such that he continued to discharge the duties of that office, which were burdensomc and exacting, during the administration of President Harrison. In 1893 he was again appointed deputy-marshal, and continues to discharge the duties of that position. Mr. Milston was wounded seven times during the war; first at Malvern Hill, twice at South Mountain, at Yorktown, at the second battle of Manassas, and twice at Fredericksburg. On Dec. 31, 1865, Mr. Milton was married to Miss Nancy Caroline Williams, formerly of Buncombe county, N. C. Ten children have been born to them, eight of whom survive: William Franklin, born Sept. 30, 1866; John Edgar, born Aug. 27, 1868; Robert Lafayette, born April 27, 1871; Ida Lerisa, born July 30, 1873; Irene Elizabeth, born Aug. 7, 1877; Emma Louisa, born July 12, 1883; Lilly Rosalee, born Feb. 15, 1886, and died Aug. 27, 1886; Effie, born Nov. 22, 1889; Ellen Agnes, born June 30, 1893, and Daisy, who was born Sept. 8, 1876, and died in infancy. The father of Mr. Milton was William Hamilton Milton, a native of Versailles, France. The mother of Mr. Milton was Elizabeth Love Peoples, a native of South Carolina. She died in 1882 at Ellijay.

GLASCOCK COUNTY.

ALEXANDER AVERA, farmer, Gibson, Glascock Co., Ga., son of William C. and Sarah E. (Kitchens) Avera, was born in Glascock county Oct. 8, 1860. He grew to manhood on the farm, and was educated at the common country schools. On attaining his majority he started in life for himself, and, though hc has not inade a fortunc, he has been satisfactorily successful. He owns a good farm, to the cultivation of which he gives his undivided attention, and is a good and prosperous farmer. Reliable and praiseworthy in every respect, he is held in high estimation by his neighbors and fellow citizens. Mr. Avera was married Dec. 25, 1881, to Miss Annie, daughter of William Hadden, of Jefferson county, Ga., by whom he has had six children, two daughters and four sons, all living and promising well.

THOMAS A. BROWN, merchant-farmer, Agricola, Glascock Co., Ga., son of John D. and Mary E. (Jackson) Brown, both of Brunswick county, Va., was born in Brunswick county, Jan. 6, 1855. His father died in 1859, and his early life was spent on his mother's farm and in attendance on the county schools. In 1871 he went to Shoals, Warren Co., Ga., with a view to business, but he left after staying there about six months and went to Warthen, Washington Co., Ga., where hc clerked for three years. He then went back to Shoals and engaged in merchandising for three ycars. After this his brother and himself bought a farm in Washington county in partnership and in connection with it conducted a small general merchandise store. They continued the joint business with very gratifying success until 1889, when he removed to Agricola and established a store and conducted a farm. He has carried these on since, and is now doing a large and thriving business. He takes grcat interest in everything promotive of the development and advancement of his county. Mr. Brown married Miss Mary, daughter of R. H. Clarkc, of Shoals, Ga., who bore him two children, a son and a daughter: Samuel R. and Mamie C. The mother and daughter are deceased. Mr. Brown married for his second wife Miss Janie S., daughter of A. C. Harrison, of Washington county, Ga., a union which has been blessed with two children: Mary and Annie. Mr. Brown is a prominent member of the Methodist church.

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GLASCOCK COUNTY SKETCHES

DAVID DENTON, farmer, Gibson, Glascock Co., Ga., son of Aaron and Drucilla (Martin) Denton-natives respectively of Connecticut and North Carolina-was born in Warren county, Ga., March 31, 1833. He was the ninth of eleven children born to his parents; of them ten were boys, three only of whom survive. He was schooled at the country schools, and worked on the "home place" until he arrived at manhood, when he went to farming in Warren county for himself, and has continued it as his life-occupation. In August, 1861, he enlisted in Company I, Capt. J. G. Cain, Twenty-eighth Georgia regiment, Col. T. J. Warthen, and participated in the battles of Yorktown, Williamsburg, Seven Pines, seven days' fight around Richmond, Mechanicsville, where he was wounded in the wrist, Antietam, and at Fredericksburg. At the time of the surrender he was at home. In 1874 he added general merchandising to his farm business and conducted both with gratifying success. He is well-informed, progressive and public spirited, and stands well with his fellow citizens. Mr. Denton was married Dec. 8, 1857, to Miss Rachel, daughter of James Stapleton, of Jefferson county, Ga., by whom he has had one child, a daughter, who died in infancy. Mr. Denton is a master Mason, and a prominent member of the Baptist church.

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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 143

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