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 87

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 87

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).

595

DE KALB COUNTY SKETCHES.

generous legislation and expenditure for their betterment and extension. He is also an ardent and unflaggingly active worker in the Sunday-school cause. It was he, in connection with Hon. Milton A. Candler and William G. Whidby, who issued the call for a state Sunday-school association, the present grandly beneficent and useful organization being the outcome of that call. He has devoted a quarter of a century of service to the County Sunday-school associa- tion as chairman of its executive committee, and has been mainly instrumental in gaining for it the honor of being the banner association in the state. So long- continued and unaffectedly self-sacrificing has been his devotion to this work that he is known to every man, woman and child who annually attend these great gatherings. "I would not exchange the smiles and greetings of these good people," he exclaims, "for all the honors the political field can bestow." In 1868 he bought the old homestead of Dr. Chapman Powell (his wife's father), where, since his retirement from railway business, he has devoted himself to farming and stock-raising. While his neighbors with more experience have criticised his methods, they have been compelled to give him credit for having very greatly improved the live stock in his locality. He prides himself on having a herd of the finest Ayrshire cattle in the United States. Mr. Houston was happily mar- ried in 1854 to the second daughter of Dr. Chapman Powell, an old settler and widely-known physician of De Kalb county, who half a century ago represented the county in the general assembly and was a pioneer settler of Atlanta, then Marthasville. He is a member of the Scotch-Irish society of the United States, a member of the Pioneer Citizens society of Atlanta, a member of Atlanta lodge No. 59, F. & A. M., and was the first person exalted to the royal arch degree in Atlanta after the chapter was removed from Decatur to Atlanta, and is a promi- nent and influential member of the Presbyterian church, of which he was recently elected an elder, after having served forty years as a deacon.

A SBURY SMITH MAYSON, physician and surgeon, Decatur, De Kalb Co., Ga., son of James L. and Lucinda (Douglas) Mayson, was born in De Kalb (now Fulton) county, May 21, 1836. His parents were natives of South Carolina and his father was a farmer and railway contractor. He died in 1881. Dr. Mayson received his primary education in the common schools of the county and was graduated from Emory college, Oxford, Ga. He began the study of medi- cine under the preceptorship of Dr. James F. Alexander, one of the most eminent physicians of Atlanta, then entered the Atlanta Medical college, from which he was graduated in 1857. Subsequently he took a course at Bellevue hospital at New York. He located at Powder Springs, Cobb Co., Ga .; afterward moved to Acworth, same county, whence, a year later, he moved to Decatur, where he located permanently, establishing an excellent reputation as a practitioner and a large and remunerative practice. He entered the Confederate service in May, 1861; was at the burning of Harper's Ferry, participated in the first battle of Manassas and was afterward made hospital steward. He was soon promoted and made assistant surgeon, and in May, 1862, was commissioned as hospital surgeon. He was present at the battle of Chickamauga, and those between there and Kennesaw Mountain. He was afterward at Andersonville, and was at Atlanta at the time of the surrender. He is a member of the Georgia Medical association, of which he was one of the organizers. Dr. Mayson was married March 9, 1858, to Miss Rebecca, daughter of Dr. L. K. Catlen of Powder Springs, who has borne him four children, one of whom only is now living: Lena R., wife of Dr. W. P. Smith, druggist, Atlanta, Ga. Dr. Mayson and his wife are exem- plary members of the Methodist church of long standing.

596

MEMOIRS OF GEORGIA.

WILLIAM MASON RAGSDALE, county ordinary, Decatur, De Kalb Co., son of Elijah N. and Caroline (Born) Ragsdale, was born in De Kalb county, Nov. 30, 1855. His parents were born in what is now De Kalb county, and are aged, respectively, seventy-nine and seventy-seven years. He received a good pre- paratory education, and, after leaving college, attended lectures in the law depart- ment of the university of Georgia, at Athens, from which he graduated in 1879. Among the members of his class were John J. Strickland, S. Morris, and Hooper Alexander. After he graduated, he settled in Atlanta, but remained there only two years. He then located at Stone Mountain, where he practiced with encour- aging success until January, 1889, when he was elected ordinary of the county, and has been continuously re-elected since. He was the editor and publisher of the first newspaper published in Decatur, "The De Kalb News," which he sold after running it a year. He is well posted, genial, affable, and popular with his fellow-citizens. Mr. Ragsdale was married Jan. 27, 1882, to Miss Bartie C., daughter of Benjamin F. Veal, a popular and prosperous merchant of Stone Mountain, by whom he has had three children: Louise, Benjamin E., and William M., Jr. He is a member of the Royal Arcanum, and himself and wife are members of the Methodist church.

GEORGE A. RAMSPECK, fertilizer manufacturer, Decatur, De Kalb Co., Ga., son of George P. and Charlotte R. (Lewis) Ramspeck, was born near Peters- burg, Va., March 1, 1841. His father was a native of Frankfort-on-the-Main, and emigrated to the United States and settled in Virginia when a young man. He owned and conducted a farm near Petersburg, in which city he was engaged in merchandising. He was highly educated, and could write and speak three other languages besides his own. In 1853 he left Virginia and came to South Carolina with the intention of settling in Charleston, but took the yellow fever, and died in Savannah that year. Mr. Ramspeck's mother was born in Prince George county, Va., and was a daughter of Joseph Lewis of revolutionary fame. Mr. Ramspeck's education was limited-he received none after he was eleven years old. When twelve years of age he was apprenticed to A. J. Burke, a book and job printer in Charleston, until he reached maturity. But in December, 1860, he entered the state service as a member of the Chichester Zouaves, which became a part of First regiment, South Carolina Rifles. He later was a member of the battery of Capt. Stevens, who fired the first gun of the war, Jan. 9, 1861, on the occasion of firing on the "Star of the West," in its attempt to land supplies at Fort Sumter. He was engaged in the coast-defense service on Sullivan's and Morris' islands, etc., for some time. Falling from the ramparts of Castle Pinckney, Charleston harbor, while mounting a gun, he was permanently disabled and discharged from the service. In response to a telegram from J. J. Toon, of the Franklin Publishing company, he came to Atlanta July 1, 1862, and accepted a place at $15 a week. At the close of the war he found himself the possessor of $50,000 in Confederate money. Immediately after hearing of Gen. Lee's surrender he went to Griffin, where he exchanged it for goods which he brought in a one-horse wagon to Atlanta, realizing about $200 on them. In company with J. C. Rogers and M. T. Castleberry he constructed the first building erected-near the corner of Whitehall and Mitchell streets, and nearly opposite what is known as "Dodd's Corner," where they sold the first goods brought over the Georgia railway, and sold in Atlanta after the war. This enterprise proved very successful and profitable. Later he withdrew from the firm and settled permanently in Decatur, where he believed he could handle his capital to better advantage, but principally on account of his wife's health. He engaged at once in general merchandising, which he con-

597

DODGE COUNTY SKETCHES.

tinued until 1890 with exceptional success and prosperity. Since retiring from mercantile life he has devoted himself to farming and the manufacture of fertilizers. He has established for himself an enviable reputation for business sagacity and enterprise, and financial ability, and accumulated a large property. He has been elected and served two terms as mayor of Decatur; is a stockholder in the Donald Frazier school for boys; one of the trustees of the Decatur Male and Female academy, and a member of the board of county commissioners. Mr. Ramspeck was married Aug. 25, 1863, to Miss Eliza Florida, daughter of Capt. Robert Ander- son, of Charleston, S. C., who died Dec. 28, 1865, leaving one child-Eliza Florida. He contracted a second marriage Dec. 31, 1868, with Miss Margaret, daughter of Joseph and Jane Morgan, Decatur, a descendant of the Kirkpatricks- De Kalb county pioneers. Five children have blessed this union: George, Mary, Joseph Lewis, Helen, and Jean. He is a member of the Royal Arcanum. Himself and family are devoted members of the Presbyterian church."

DODGE COUNTY.

W. W. ASHBURN, a native of North Carolina, was born Nov. 26, 1838, and reared on the old family plantation in Surry county, that state. His educa- tion was limited, though he obtained a fair business training and was sufficiently equipped for life's battle to discharge creditably a clerical position he was holding in a mercantile firm, when the war broke out. He then enlisted in the Twenty- first North Carolina regiment, in which he served for about two years, when he was promoted to Gen. Early's staff as courier and scout, and in this capacity he served until the close of the war. He participated in the following battles: Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Winchester, Cedartown, Gettysburg, Plymouth, N. C., and was in a number of skirmishes during Jackson's and Early's raids in the valley of Virginia. He was wounded in the battle of Plymouth, N. C., and was near the immortal Lee on the day of his surrender at Appomattox. He returned to his old home about the middle of April, 1865, and on May 16, was married to Miss Anna P. Atkinson, the daughter of Johnson Atkinson, of Caswell county, N. C., Mr. Ashburn and Miss Atkinson having been engaged for the last two or three years of the war. Mr. Ashburn was then without resources, save a small tract of unimproved land in Surry county, N. C. He at once set to work im- proving this land, and there laid the foundation of a very successful business life. In 1868 he engaged in buying and selling tobacco and stock in South Carolina and Georgia, and in this way he found the "piney woods" or, as he maintains, the "garden spot" of Georgia. His family remained in North Carolina until the year 1871, and he then brought them to Eastman, Ga., where he located and commenced a mercantile business. In this and purchasing timber lands, he continued for ten or twelve years. About the year 1882, he commenced the manufacture of naval stores and lumber, and this business he conducted for five or six years with great success. During this time Mr. Ashburn had become the owner of large tracts of lands, which he determined to hold for farming pur- poses, selling the timber, as well as his manufacturing interests. He then turned his attention to a general real estate business, buying and selling timber and farm lands, and city and town lots, and this has been handled with marked success.

598

MEMOIRS OF GEORGIA.

He has been the trusted and efficient treasurer of his county, and has ably represented it in the legislature, serving with distinction on important committees, where his business abilities and sound judgment were appreciated. He is president of the Citizens' Banking company, of Eastman, Ga. Mr. Ashburn is a powerful factor in the development of southern Georgia. He is a consistent member of the Baptist church, and a Mason of the royal arch degree. Mr. Ashburn's children have been reared in Eastman. He has four daughters and one son: Ella May, Mrs. Lee B. Jones; Ida Belle, Mrs. Park Harper; Lizzie, Mrs. Z. H. Clark; Willie Warren, and Howard Ingram. His sons-in-law are respected and well-known citizens, and his son is a bright lad of twelve years.

JUDGE JAMES BISHOP, the present county school commissioner of Dodge county, is a native of Pulaski county, Ga. His father, Simeon Bishop, was a native of New Jersey, and was born in 1799, and died in 1836. He was engaged in the mercantile business, and, being a man of exceptional business qualifications, he rapidly accumulated a competency. His wife, who survived him some years, was a Miss Nancy J. Daniels. Her death occurred in 1873. There were born to them but two children, one of whom died in youth, the other, James Bishop, was born December, 1829. He received the benefit of a good education, and studied for the profession of the law. Being left with an abundance of this world's goods, he never felt the necessity for applying for admission to the bar. He married Miss Mary E. Guyton, a daughter of Maj. Guyton, one of Laurens county's old and most prominent citizens. To this union eight children have been born, as follows: Mrs. E. W. Bullock, of Wilcox county, Ga .; Mrs. G. F. Harrison, Atlanta; Mrs. R. L. Bush, Wilcox county ; Helen and Emma, at home, and James, Jr., attorney, at Eastman, Ga. The oldest son, Saxon, died in his nineteenth year, and the youngest, Guyton, at two years of age. The wife and mother died in 1890. For a number of years, Judge Bishop has been identified with the interests of Eastman. For a term he was engaged in the mercantile business. In 1875 he was appointed by Gov. Smith judge of the county court. In 1889 he was appointed to the office of county school commissioner, which he has held since, to the credit of himself, and the satisfaction of his numerous friends. He is a Methodist in faith, and a democrat in politics.

MATTHEW CLARK .- The prominence of this family in the early history of Georgia and the sterling character of its representatives in Dodge county at the present time, makes a full sketch of it unnecessary in these Memoirs. The gentleman who introduced this branch of the family into Georgia was John Clark, a native of Virginia who emigrated to Burke county in early manhood. He there married Emily Sacks, and reared Amerinthia, who married a Wm. Clark, and is now a widow residing in Montgomery county; Mary, Mrs. Samuel Miller, Laurens county; Elizabeth, widow of John Gay, Montgomery county; and the following deceased sons, John G., Matthew, Harlow, Flournoy, Francis, and Colfrey. Of these Colfrey is the father of the gentlemen now residing in Dodge county. He was born in 1806, was given a good education, and studying medi- cine, became a physician of note and an extensive planter in Montgomery county, where he died in 1869. He was largely self-educated and a man of wonderful energy. He served for twenty-seven years as justice of the peace when that office was of much more importance than at present. He married Cynthia Burch, who was a daughter of Benj. Burch, of Laurens county. He was a patriot and veteran of the Florida Indian wars. He left a large property to his children, which was the result of his own labors. This marriage produced eight children,

599

DODGE COUNTY SKETCHES.

four of whom are now living: John J., Appling county; and Matthew, Hamilton, and Harlow. Benjamin died of small-pox while a prisoner of war at Point Lookout. The mother of these children lived to be quite aged, dying in Janu- ary of 1894. She was a devout member of the Baptist church and a woman of beautiful traits of character. Matthew Clark was born May 8, 1835, in that part of Montgomery county which is now Dodge. He was reared on his father's plantation and received an academic education, as did all the family. In 1860 he was united in marriage to Mary Henley, whose children are: Columbia J., widow of John Knowles, Dodge county; Mattie Maud, single; Mary T., Mrs. Calhoun, Eastman; Marsa, Mrs. Wilcox, Dodge county; Virginia, Emma, En- dora, Colfrey, Callie, and Platten. The last named is deceased; the others live with their parents. In 1862 Mr. Clark enlisted in the Confederate service, Company G, Tenth Georgia. He participated in many battles of the war, and was one of the daring company which captured the Yankee pickets the next night after the bloody battle of Chickamauga, notice of which was made officially at the time. Mr. Clark served during the entire four years, surrendering at Raleigh, N. C. Returning to the old home in Montgomery county he took up the broken threads, and began life anew. By close economy and hard work, he accumulated property slowly but surely, and has long been considered among the most substantial men of his county. In 1885 the wife of his youth who had stood by him bravely and had reared his children departed this life. His present wife is Dollie C. Pickens. She is the mother of Allie B., Eva, and Leslie M. In 1882, perceiving the need of better educational advantages for his children, Mr. Clark moved into Eastman, the county seat, where he has since resided, though he continues the cultivation of his extensive plantation. He is a Baptist and votes with the party of strong government -- the democratic.

HAMILTON CLARK, fourth son of Colfrey Clark, was born May 14, 1839. In 1862 he responded to the call for troops and went out to do battle for right and against oppression. He was a member of Company H, Forty-seventh Georgia, Capt. J. M. Aiken commanding, and followed it through the four years' course of battle and camp life. He was in fourteen engagements, the most promi- nent of which were the battle of Jackson, Miss., and that of James island. He remained at home the first year after the war. In 1866 he married Margaret Miller of Montgomery county, a daughter of Joseph Miller, and settling in the county remained there engaged in planting some eight years when he removed to Dodge. In 1882 he removed to his present home at Chauncey, from which point he superintends his four plantations. He is also largely interested in the raising of stock. Like his brother he is a Baptist in faith and a democrat, though he takes possibly more interest in the latter than any member of the family. He is a member of the masonic fraternity, and sustains the reputation of the family for sobriety, honesty, and integrity of character. His children are: Sarah F., Mrs. L. S. Evans; John M .; Leonora E., Mrs. R. L. Edwards; Hattie E., Wm. H., and Ilda May. The latter three are at home; the others in homes of their own in the county near.

HARLOW CLARK, one of the sons of Colfrey, was born in 1845, Feb. 26. Al- though but a youth, he became a soldier, enlisting in the "Wiregrass" Fourth Georgia cavalry under Capt. Crum. His service was mostly on the coast of Florida and Georgia, and his most serious engagement was at Ocean Pond, Fla., where the carnage was terrible, 8,000 being killed, and where Mr. Clark received slight wounds. On his return from the war he married Cassie A.,

600

MEMOIRS OF GEORGIA.

daughter of Joseph Miller, Montgomery county, and a sister of Hamilton's wife, and settled down to build a home. He has succeeded admirably, and entirely by his own exertions. Beginning with but little capital he has reared his family in the best society and with good educational advantages, and has accumulated one of the handsomest properties in Dodge county. His plantation consists of 400 acres of rich land, on which he has all the modern improvements, and he operates a gin and grist mill in their scason. Harlow Clark is also a democrat, though he cares nothing for political preferment, and the masonic order also numbers him among its best members, he being a past worshipful master. His children are: John B., at home; Cynthia, Mrs. Donaldson; Mary F., Mrs. Nash; Bartlett H., and Cassie G., all of Dodge county-the first and last two being at home.

J.T. COLCORD, the present manager of the Amoskeag Lumber company, is a native of Brentwood, N. H., and was born Oct. 27, 1839. When but a youth of twenty hc came south and located in Screven county, where he secured employment as a millwright. His position was one of great hardship, but by being most faithful in the performance of his duties, and practicing the most rigid economy, he soon became a mill manager and owner. He successfully conducted mills in the following counties: Emanuel, Burke, Pierce and Ware. In 1881 he moved to Dodge county, his present location. Here he established the large industry of Amoskeag. Mr. Colcord is not an aspirant for political distinction, though he is a most zealous democrat. He is very proud of the fact that his first ballot was cast for the distinguished Stephen A. Douglas, of whon he is a great admirer. In 1869 he became a member of the masonic lodge, and is a Knight Templar. He has been high priest of his chapter for eight years and grand captain of H of the state grand chapter. The present Amoskeag is due entirely to the intelligent management of Mr. Colcord, who views with just- ifiable pride one of the largest and most prosperous lumber plants in the south. The Amoskeag Lumber company was incorporated in 1881, its site lying on the E. T., Va. & Ga. railroad, one and a half miles from the thriving county seat town of Eastman. From a force of sixty employes the pay roll has grown to 400; two immense mills are operated with the latest improved machinery; and thirty miles of railroad have been built, on which are run four locomotives.

FLIAS HERMAN, judge of the county court of Dodge county, is of Jewish extraction. His father was Henry Hcrman, a native of Germany, where he was reared and where he married Henrietta Goodman. They emigrated to the United States in 1849 and settled in Laurens county, Ga., where he engaged in merchandising with great success at Dublin. In 1873 the family removed to Eastman, where he was one of the leading business men until his death, which occurred in 1875. Mr. Herman was a man who very fully identified himself with his adopted people. He was for years the efficient postmaster of Dublin, and took great interest and was an active worker in the democratic party. Like most men of his race he was endowed with great financial ability, which carried him through a successful career. During the war between the states he did his duty as a member of the state troops, serving through the Atlanta campaign with credit. He was a master Mason and a member of the Macon Jewish parish, where he and his wife lie buried, the latter dying in December of 1893. His children were well-educated and honor their parents by useful and successful lives. Their names are: Isaac, born in New York, came to Eastman in 1869, and was one of her first merchants. He served a period as clerk of the superior

601

DODGE COUNTY SKETCHES.

court. He is now dead; Elias was the second child; Solomon, a merchant; Jefferson Davis, physician; Albert and Carrie, all of Eastman. Elias Herman was born in Dublin, Ga., and was given an excellent education, doing some advanced work in New York city. He began the study of law under T. J. Simmons, now chief justice of the supreme court of Georgia, and in 1874 was admitted to the bar of Laurens county. He practiced in Macon until 1877, when he located at Cochran, Pulaski Co., where for ten years he enjoyed a lucrative practice, being most of that time city attorney for that progressive town. Judge Herman has been a resident of Eastman since 1888 and so won his way into the hearts of Dodge county people as to cause his appointment to his present im- portant position by Gov. Northen in 1893. He makes a model judge and administers the office in a manner satisfactory to his constituents. Judge Herman also served the city of Eastman as mayor during 1891, and the unusually able conduct of that office had much to do with his appointment to the judgeship. Fraternally he affiliates with the Masons and with the Knights of Pythias, and is of course a good democrat. Judge Herman found a lady to suit him for a life companion in Josephine Heimer of Montezuma, Ga., a union which has been blessed with three attractive children, Jule, Isaac and Hennie.

SAMUEL HOWARD LOWTHER, one of the substantial planters and a citizen of merit in Dodge county, is a son of Absalom Lowther, a South Carolinian. He was born July 30, 1838, in Screven county, Ga., where he was reared to manhood's estate with a limited education. Just as he was ready to leave the home nest to build one of his own, his government asked his aid in a similar enterprise, and he unselfishly relinquished his own aspirations and en- listed in the army of the new Confederacy. He was mustered into the service in the spring of 1861 at Whitesville, Ga., a private in Company D, Forty-seventh Georgia regiment, Capt. J. D. Ashton. Chickamauga was his most notable engagement, though he was in many others almost equaling it in interest. Dur- ing his service he was twice captured by the Yankees, but luckily made his escape. He settled in Screven county after the war, and though he had nothing to begin with, managed to provide for his wife and child until he could secure a foothold. In 1868 he removed to Pierce county, Ga., where he engaged in the lumber business until 1882. While living in that county he also served a term as sheriff, from '72 to '74. He made some considerable money at the lumber business, but was greatly crippled in the panic of '73. In October of 1882 he bought his present home, and has since resided there. He owns 600 acres of good land, 200 of which are under excellent cultivation. He also operates a gin and grist-mill. Mr. Lowther is a believer in the principles of Jefferson, but cannot vote with the so-called democratic party, the new people's party being more to his notion. He is a Free and Accepted Mason, and since his fourteenth year has been a member of the Baptist church. He married a Miss Kelly, and to them one child-Verbena-has been born, now Mrs. Howard, of Screven county. The mother of this child died, and Mr. Lowther subsequently married his present estimable consort, Susan A. Cail, daughter of Bird Cail of Screven county, who has borne him a daughter, Willie, who married Mr. Wood, but was early be- reaved and is now at home with her parents. Mr. Lowther's father was, as stated, a native of South Carolina, where he was born March 2, 1806. He married, Feb. 10, 1828, in Screven county, Ga., Elizabeth J. Thompson, daughter of James Thompson. She was born Oct. 30, 1806, and died in February of 1874, the mother of the following children: Mary C., widow of H. B. Howard; Caro- line E., widow of Rev. J. S. Thompson; Sarah, Mrs. W. W. Lesch, Effingham

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

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 87

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