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. II, Part 111

Author:
Publication date: 1859
Publisher: Atlanta, Ga., The Southern historicl association
Number of Pages: 1166

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. II > Part 111

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S. T. JENKINS, now of Denver, Colo., son of W. C. Jenkins and Penelope Mc- Lendon, was born at Indian Springs, Ga., June 14, 1838. When two years of age his father died, and his mother moved to Randolph county, Ga., where he was raised a country boy, and graduated at Graystown college, Kentucky, in 1860. He chose teaching as a profession, and in May, 1861, turned over a selected school of forty boys in Cuthbert, Ga., to the Presbyterian minister, and entered the army in the Fifth Georgia regiment. He was afterward an officer in the Forty-seventh Georgia until the last year of the war, when his health failing, he was placed in the secret service of the Confederacy in Florida, where he was engaged until the war closed. In a few days after the war closed he was merchandising in Cuthbert on a capital of less than $10, doing his own cooking (in a sardine box) and work- ing night and day. In three months he had made $1,500, selling no whisky and no drugs. In two years he had an almost unlimited credit, established by buying and selling for cash only, and was worth $20,000. In 1867 he was forced into the credit business, and had plenty of it, but cotton dropped from thirty-seven cents to seven cents per pound, and he was overwhelmed with bankrupt notices. He compromised with his debtors, but refused to do so with his creditors at an offer of fifty cents on the dollar. But, instead, he paid all the principal and interest-the latter amounting to more than $10,000-for he was over twenty years in cancelling his indebtedness. Seeing that all cotton was destruction, he began the publication of "The Southern Enterprise," in Atlanta, Ga., "Diversified Industries" as his motto, and this was the first paper in the south to publish a regular immigration

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department. Four years of the best energies of his life were devoted to this work, during which time he was practicing what he preached, on Harvest Home, his celebrated fruit farm near Cuthbert, Ga .; and it is gratifying to his friends that he has lived to see Harvest Home peaches famous throughout the United States, and the palm yielded to his native section for growing the finest peaches in the world. Twelve years ago he moved to Baltimore and engaged in the law and collection business and in the manufacturing ripe fruit carriers, a novel invention of his own, in which ripe peaches can be shipped anywhere without ice, some having been successfully sent to Europe. Three years ago he was compelled to leave the south and make his home in the far northwest, among strangers, in search of health for a dear son. Mr. Jenkins was married to Miss Nannie T. Jackson, of Vir- ginia, in 1866, and they have three children-Claude J., Pearl K., and Robbie. All of his family are members of the Baptist church, and he is a master Mason. Mr. Jenkins' fruit farm, Harvest Home, is all the business tie he has to his dear native south.

PETER E. KEESE, merchant, Benevolence, Randolph county, was born in this county, and was the son of E. H. and Henrietta (Kingston) Keese. Mr. E. H. Keese, a prominent planter of Randolph county, and honored citizen, was born Nov. 10, 1826, in South Carolina, near the Georgia line. His parents died when he was a small boy, and left him with an uncle, with whom he remained for a short time, when he carne to Georgia and found a place in Randolph county, where he went to work for wages, laboring six months and going to school the other six. He also followed the business of a peddler, and sold tinware and domestic goods to the housewife and mother. He married Henrietta Kingston, a maiden of Ran- dolph county, having been born near Benevolence about 1836. After his marriage he purchased 100 acres of land, two and one-half miles north of Benevolence, where he resided till his death, May 21, 1894, except one year, during which he sold his place and purchased one adjoining, upon which he resided a few months, only to buy back the home place. He was an ardent worker in his church-Bap- tist-and one of its most liberal supporters. He united with the church in 1852 and was a strict member up to the end of his life. As a husband and father he was a noble example. He was affectionate as well as genial, and possessed all those traits of character which go to make a home pleasant and attractive. He was a man who cherished only the kindest feelings toward his fellow-men, what- ever their grade, condition or race. To do good was his aim in life. Place, position, power, honor or worldly glory never entered his mind. Only a few knew his true worth, and only his most intimate friends knew what a peerless character was covered by an exterior of unassuming simplicity. He was a beloved Christian gentleman. He took no part in politics, more than to exercise the right of suffrage, but was a stanch democrat. He served in the state militia for a while during the late war. He was quite successful in business, and at the time of his death left quite a large fortune. To Mr. and Mrs. Keese were-born eleven children, as follows: Rev. A. E., of Bowman, Ga., president of the Gibson institute; Mrs. Mollie E. Mitchiner, who lives near Dawson; Peter E., the subject of this sketch; Mrs. Sarah E. Harris, Benevolence, Ga .; Mrs. Theodosia Graham, of Fort Gaines, Ga .; Mrs. Emma F. Ward, on the old home place; Mrs. Robert Ellen Crozier, living near Benevolence; H. L., Benevolence; W. S., teaching school at Bowman; Miss Alma E., at school at Bowman; Johnnie. Mrs. Keese was a devoted member of the Baptist church, a good Christian and a loving inother. She died in June, 1894, aged fifty-eight years. Mr. Peter E. Keese lived on the home place with his parents until after he reached his majority. His edu-

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cation was obtained in the schools in Benevolence and Fort Gaines. When twenty-four years old he moved to Benevolence and engaged in merchandising, at the same time farming. He has been twice married. His first wife was Susan Wade, daughter of John Wade, of Hancock county. She was born in Randolph county, but when a child her parents moved to Hancock county, where she grew up. She was an excellent woman and a conscientious Christian, and her death, but two months after her marriage, was deeply lamented. His second wife was Irene L. Wiggins, born in Fort Valley, Houston Co., Ga., and the daughter of William A. Wiggins, now deceased. They have one child -- Lillian Keese. Mr. and Mrs. Keese are members of the Baptist church. In politics he is a democrat. Mr. Keese is now a partner in the firm of Perryman & Keese, general merchan- dise, Benevolence. He has a pleasant home in that promising little town, where he stands high as a citizen and business man.

J. J. M'DONALD. The McDonald family ,which has achieved much prominence in the annals of Georgia's history, descends from the McDonald who was born 011 the isle of Skye, Scotland, and coming to America, settled at Fayetteville, N. C. There a son, John, was born and grew to manhood. He married a Miss Shaw, a native of that state, and with his family came to Georgia and located in Screven county, from which he afterward removed to Randolph county. He was among its first settlers, was a farmer, an old-line whig and a strict member of the Pres- byterian church. He died about five years after taking up his residence in Ran- dolph county, leaving his wife, who survived him many years. They were blessed with five children: Edward, now deceased; Archie, who settled in Mississippi, where he died; Mrs. Dollie Smith, of Randolph county; Mrs. Abbie Cheshire, now deceased, and Mrs. Catherine Ivy, who lives in Randolph county. Edward McDonald, the eldest of these children, was born in 1812, and died in December, 1878. He came from North Carolina with his parents and commenced life as a clerk for a Mr. Buchanan, one of the first merchants of Cuthbert, and was at times employed by Jesse B. Key and John McKay Gunn. He continued in this capacity till the building of the railroad to Cuthbert, when he opened a cotton warehouse and engaged in buying and selling cotton. He was very successful in his business affairs and acquired much wealth. He was opposed to secession, but when the state withdrew from the Union he was quick to respond to duty in defense of home and property rights. He was very charitable and liberal with his means, and was a friend to nearly every one. He was often called on before the war for help in the way of indorsements of obligations. At the close of the war he found himself impoverished, and just where he had started many years before. With a new will he began business again, and opened his warehouse. He had much to contend with, and was frequently imposed on by friends, by whom he lost much money; still he persevered and regained a goodly portion of his previous accumulations. Mr. McDonald was a notary public for many years, at one time clerk of the superior court of Randolph county, and was also a justice of the inferior court. He was inade a member of the masonic order early in life, and derived much pleasure from the associations he there formed. Like his parents, he was a regular at- tendant and a member of the Presbyterian church. Previous to the war he was active in behalf of the whig party, but in later years was a firm democrat. Mr. McDonald was a conspicuous figure in business circles in his day, and was a public-spirited citizen, who did much to rebuild his city and county. In private life he was the most companionable of men. He married Eliza Hannah Ross, who was born in Laurens county, Ga., and was the daughter of James L. Ross, a native of North Carolina, but whose progenitors came from Scotland. Some

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members of the family came to Georgia, and the name became well known throughout the state. Eliza Hannah McDonald was born in 1825, and died aged sixty-six years. She was a woman possessed of the most striking traits of Christian character, and was loved by all who enjoyed the privilege of her ac- quaintance. She was the mother of nine children: James J., the subject of this sketch; Edward, cashier of the Cuthbert national bank; Mrs. Mollie Baldwin, Mrs. Mattie K. Lumlin, Miss Nettie; George, president of Cuthbert bank; Ross, Floyd, and Lilah, who died in youth. Mr. James J. McDonald, the eldest son-the subject of this sketch-was born Feb. 12, 1845, in Randolph county, where he attended school till the breaking out of the late war, when he enlisted as a private in Company A of the Second Georgia cavalry, serving throughout the struggle. When his colonel, C. C. Crews, was made a brigade commander he acted as aide- de-camp until the war closed. His first battle was Murfreesboro, Tenn .; then Perryville, Ky., and then at Murfreesboro again. He was on Gen. Crews' staff when Stoneman was captured in Georgia. When peace was declared Mr. Mc- Donald returned to his home, Cuthbert, and engaged in the drug business, which he conducted until about 1872. Since that time he has turned his attention to farming and banking and dealing in stocks, bonds, lands, etc. He is now one of the largest planters in southern Georgia, owning vast estates in Randolph and Calhoun counties, and is a large shareholder in the bank of Cuthbert. Mr. Mc- Donald is a prosperous business man, and his career, crowned with rare success, has been achieved by fair and honorable methods. He has ever held his honor sacred, and every obligation he assumed was faithfully carried out. He possesses a remarkably clear and well poised judgment, and is seldom in error in any business project he has carefully investigated. Through every moment of his business and private life there has shone a rigid and unflinching integrity, which has never yielded to any stress of circumstances, and was never led by any plausible consid- eration of policy. He is a free giver to deserving charity, and a friend of the needy. The allurements of political life have no charm for him, and beyond the discharge of the duty every private citizen owes to public affairs, he takes but little part in politics, though a stanch democrat. With the exception of serving in the general assembly from Randolph county in 1877-78, he never held an office. Mr. McDonald was married, May 3, 1866, to Eudora L. daughter of John W. and Sarah B. (Bailey) Harris, of Randolph county. They have had born to them three children: John H., who died aged two years; Eva Gertrude, who died at Wesleyan Female college, at Macon, July 21, 1887, aged seventeen years, and Annie, who married John W. Drewry, and lives in Cuthbert, Ga. The family are members of the Methodist church, and Mr. McDonald, like his father, is an eminent member of the masonic order. They live in a beautiful home in Cuthbert, sur- rounded by all the comforts of life.

J H. MANRY, merchant and planter, Bethel, Randolph Co., was born in Early county in 1841, and is the son of William and Ann (Collier) Manry. William Manry was a native of Georgia, born Dec. 17, 1820, and settled near Blakely, Early Co., when the county was infested by Indians. He moved his family to Calhoun county in 1849 and located near the Randolph county line, not far from the present residence of J. H. Manry. Here he lived until his death in 1886. In early life he was a mechanic, and worked at his trade in connection with farming. Later he gave his entire attention to farming with gratifying success. He was an open, whole-souled man, born to pour sunshine into the world and make others happy. Of a generous nature, liberal to a fault, kind and considerate, he was a friend of everybody. He was a hard worker, but always found time to

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enjoy the society of his large and happy family, to whom he was impressively devoted. Mrs. Manry was born May 10, 1818, and died Aug. 23, 1865. She and her husband were consistent members of the Missionary Baptist church. To them were born eight children, seven of whom were sons. Of the children five are living: J. H., the subject of this sketch; J. B., a farmer of Calhoun county; William, Jr., of Calhoun county; Sinion W., Calhoun county; Penelope, of Calhoun county. All the deceased children were sons, and two of them were lost in the battle of Sharpsburg. Benjamin F., eighteen years old, was killed in this battle. He was a member of Company E, Fifty-first Georgia regiment, to which company his brother, John B., also belonged. The latter was known to enter into the conflict and was probably killed and his body buried among the unidentified dead, as nothing as ever been heard from him since. Joseph is the third dead son. Mr. Manry was the second time married to Mrs. Martha A. Culbrath, a native of Alabama. They had four children: B. Franklin, Easter, Belle and Sidar, all of whom live in Calhoun county. Mr. J. H. Manry, the eldest son of William Manry, was reared on the farm and educated in the common schools. At eighteen years of age he commenced life for himself as over- seer for Benjamin Hodge, of Calhoun county. He had just settled on part of the old home place when the call for volunteers for the war was inade. He enlisted in Company E, Fifty-first Georgia regiment, and was placed in Gen. Longstreet's corps. He was in the thickest of the battle of Sharpsburg, and at the Wilder- ness was disabled by a piece of shell which incapacitated him for duty for a few days. He refused to go to the hospital, however, and was soon back in the ranks. The shell which struck him killed seven of his comrades, including the color- bearer of the regiment. He was in many skirmishes, seeing active service all the time he was out. At Gettysburg he was taken prisoner and confined sixteen months at Point Lookout, Md., and four months at Fort Delaware. While in prison he waited upon one hundred of his sick comrades, and during the scourge of smallpox handled thirty-six cases. Mr. Manry says his stay in prison, com- pared with the experience of some others, was pleasant, and the greatest exception was when he was handcuffed, two hours of which was for laughing. During his confinement he helped provide for the comforts of his sick comrades by making finger rings of bone, which he found sale for at one dollar each. He was finally sent home on a parole for forty days, and when he started back the army had surrendered, so he returned to his parents' home and resumed farming. Mr. Manry was married in 1862 to Easter O. Saxon, a native of Randolph county. She was born Jan. 3, 1843, and was a daughter of Richmond and Jane (Martin) Saxon, early settlers of Randolph county, where she was reared and educated. They have had fourteen children, those living being John B., Albany, Ga .; Mrs. Nannie Bynum, living near Shelman, Randolph Co .; Mrs. Mary Webb, of Calhoun county; Mrs. Dosea Wiggins, Calhoun county; Miss Sarah, at home; Mrs. Etta Grubbs, living on the old home place with her parents; Richmond A .; Miss Lula; J. H., Jr .; Miss Lydia and Bessie. Those deceased are Mrs. Ida Taylor, Minnie and a baby boy. Mr. Manry settled in Randolph county in 1868, near where he now lives, at New Bethel. He conducts a general merchandising establishment there, and in connection with his farm has a gin and mill. He owns about 1,800 acres of land, 1,100 of which are improved, all the result of his own energy and industrious habits. When he returned from the war he had nothing to commence life withli except his will. Mr. Manry, wife and family are members of the Baptist church, of which he is one of the deacons. He has belonged to this church since he was fifteen years of age. In politics he is a democrat, and while he has never aspired to office, he takes

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a very active interest in the welfare of his party. He is broad-minded and liberal and of sympathetic and generous disposition, characteristics that have made him justly popular and influential among his fellow-citizens. His success has been due not only to his natural fine ability as a business man, but to his integrity and fair dealing as well.

REV. JOHN MARTIN, minister of the gospel and planter, of Randolph county, is one of the oldest settlers now living in this county, having resided here continuously since 1831, except one year spent in Stewart county. Mr. Martin was born Jan. 3, 1821, in the Union district, S. C., and was the son of James and Hester (Bogan) Martin, natives of South Carolina and of Irish parentage. Robert Martin, grandfather of the subject of this sketch, and his wife, Polly, were born in Ireland, and came to this country before the revolutionary war, in which he served as a soldier. He had a brother, who also came over at the same time and settled in the palmetto state. He, too, was in the patriot army, and while making his escape from the British troops was forced to swim a river. In doing so he was shot in the arm, so crippling him that although the shore and safety were within a few yards he was obliged to succumb and was drowned. Robert Martin was a farmer, and died at an old age in South Carolina, leaving a large family of children. One of his sons, James, was born in 1788, and when a young man moved to Georgia and settled in Jasper county, where he married the mother of Rev. Martin. He, too, followed farming, and died in Randolph county on the tract of land his son now owns. He left South Carolina with his family in 1821, and coming overland to Georgia, settled in Jasper county, where they resided to 1831, when they moved to Randolph county, and located on a piece of land where he continued to live until his death in 1869. He was a man vigorous in physical development and of high mental attainments. Five of his sons became ministers of the gospel. His wife's death occurred just previous to her husband's demise. She was a good mother and wife, and a member of the Baptist church from childhood. This union was blessed with ten children, who are as follows: Rev. Isaac, who died in Texas; Rev. Robt. now in Texas; Rev. John, the subject of this sketch; Rev. Crawford, now of Texas; Rev. Charles C., of Randolph county; George, of Randolph; James C., of Cuthbert; Mrs. Eastor Houston, of Louisiana; Mrs. Jane Sapon, of Randolph county, and Nancy, who died in childhood. Rev. Mr. Martin grew to manhood on the place where he now lives, and was educated in the common schools of that time. He has been engaged in farming all his life, and in 1866 opened a store which he continued until a few years ago. He has been uniformly successful with every- thing he has been associated with in a business way, the result of his quick mind and industrious habits. He professed religion in his nineteenth year, and soon after was licensed to preach. In 1844 he was ordained as a minister of the Baptist church, and has since occupied the pulpit regularly, devoting most of his time to the poorer churches. His charge now embraces one church in Randolph county and one in Stewart. His has been an unusually active life, and one which has ever brought him the love and esteem of all who knew him. He was married in 1838 to Martha Truitt, born in Jasper county in 1821 and a daughter of Riley and Boneta (Smith) Truitt, natives of Wilkes county, Ga. Mrs. Martin was the youngest child, her father having died soon after her birth. She was reared and educated in the common schools. To Mr. and Mrs. Martin have been born thirteen children, eleven of whom are living: J. M., who lives with Rev. J. W .; Hester, wife of W. S. Curry, living on the old settlement place ; Amanda, wife of C. F. Curry, of Randolph county; R. B .; Mrs. Sarah Watson; Mrs. Tyree Saxon; Mrs. Mattie Swan, and Miss Lillie Martin of Randolph

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county; J. A. and C. W. Martin, of Shellman. The two children deceased are Mrs. Mary Jones Pope, who died in Texas, and R. T., killed at Bainbridge, Ga. Rev. Mr. Martin is the grandfather of fifty-two children and the great-grandfather of twelve, and the immediate family connections number over 100 persons. Mr. Martin is a stanch supporter of the principles of democracy, and takes great interest in the welfare of the party. The family home is eleven and one half miles southeast of Cuthbert, and the neighborhood is known as the Martin settlement. Mr. Martin was appointed postmaster during Harrison's administration. The postoffice was established before the war and was known as Bedford, and J. C. Martin was the first postmaster. During President Har- rison's administration the name of Bethel was given to the office. Mrs. Amanda Curry is now the post-mistress.

H C. NEWTON. The present generation of Newtons, one of the oldest and most influential families of the palmetto state, is represented in Randolph county, Ga., by H. C. Newton, a successful merchant of Cuthbert. They are descendants of the Newtons of England. His great-grandfather, Giles Newton. was a resident of Henrico county, Va., and reared a family of two sons and four daughters, as follows: James Newton, Younger Newton, Martha Bullard, Eliza- beth Summerall, Ann Herndon and Portwood. He and his two sons, James and Younger, served as patriots in the war of the revolution, at the close of which they moved, with their families, to Marlboro district, S. C., and entered and purchased large tracts of land on both sides of the North and South Carolina line. Having amassed quite a fortune in lands and chattels, he died Oct. 15, 1807, leaving to his wife, Bettie Newton, several plantations and quite a number of negroes and cattle. James Newton died a resident of Marlboro district, S. C., in 1836. He names in his will three sons and three daughters, as follows: James Newton, William Newton, Pleasant Newton, Martha Wright, Elizabeth Purnell and Sarah Adams. Of these, Pleasant died a resident of Marlboro district, S. C. James and William moved away, probably to North Carolina or Georgia. Younger Newton, son of the above-named Giles Newton, was born in Henrico county, Va., in 1761, spent his early manhood in defense of his country, and after the British yoke had been broken and independent, he took to himself a wife-Miss Curghill, of Roanoke, Va .- and moved with his father and brother, James, to Marlboro district, S. C., and reared a large and industrious family, consisting of five sons and five daughters, as follows: Giles Newton, moved to Georgia or Alabama; Benjamin Newton, moved to Indiana; Younger Newton, Cornelius Newton, Daniel Newton, Sallie, married Mose Parker and moved to Ohio; Nancy, married John Usher; Julia, married John P. Adams; Elizabeth, married Samuel Snead, and moved to North Carolina; Mary. Younger Newton, grandson of Giles Newton, and father of H. C. Newton, was born in Marlboro district, S. C., June 6. 1792. served in the war of 1812, at the close of which he married a Miss Smith, of North Carolina. To this union were born six sons and two daughters, as follows: Giles, Cornelius, Alexander, Anderson, William, Younger S., Ann and Elizabeth. Having lost his wife in the year 1840, he married Miss Harriet Covington, of North Carolina, daughter of Bexley Covington, and his first wife, who was a Miss Hunter. To this union were born thirteen children, five of whom died in infancy, the remaining eight are as follows: John C., killed at Drury's bluff, May, 1864; David D .; Martha, married A. B. Covington; Dudley C., died in Mississippi, Tallahatchie county, July, 1871; Nancy, married P. E. Odom; Peter S .; Frances. married H. C. Northam; H. C., subject of this sketch. H. C. Newton was born April II, 1855, in Marlboro district, S. C., was the tenth child of his parents, and is the youngest son now living. He was given an excellent education, first

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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. II, Part 111

Author: Publication date: 1859 Publisher: Atlanta, Ga., The Southern historicl association Number of Pages: 1166

Author:
Publication date: 1859
Publisher: Atlanta, Ga., The Southern historicl association
Number of Pages: 1166