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 53

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 53

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L. D. JOHNSON, physician and farmer, Oatts, Burke Co., Ga., was born in Green county, Ga., in 1836, and is the son of W. B. and Elizabeth (Boswell) Johnson. W. B. Johnson, a planter and life resident of Green county, was the son of Gilbert Johnson, of North Carolina. Dr. Johnson was reared on a farm and given a good country schooling, and in 1862 enlisted in the war, joining Company F, Cobb's legion, under Capt. Malcolm B. Jones. He was in active service from the first to the last, and was in many hard-fought battles, including the seven-days' fight

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about Richmond. In 1861 he married B. J., a daughter of John and Mary A. (McBride) Rollins. Mr. Rollins was born and reared in Burke county, and one of its leading planters. He was the son of William Rollins, a native of North Caro- lina, and grandson of Raleigh Rollins, of Scotch-Irish parentage. Raleigh Rollins came to America with Sir Walter Raleigh when a boy and settled near where Raleigh, N. C., now stands. Thomas A. McBride, the grandfather of Mrs. John- son, was a native of Scotland and moved to America and settled in Georgia. Mrs. Johnson's great maternal grandfather, William Pugh, was in the revolutionary army and was captain of scouts, and was descended from a very old family in Wales. One child, Martin, has been born to Mr. and Mrs. Johnson. Both husband and wife are members of the Presbyterian church. In 1857 Mr. Johnson began to read medi- cine under Dr. W. L. M. Harris, and then attended lectures at the Augusta Medical college, where he was graduated in 1859. He located in Burke county, and has attained a very large practice. He ranks high in his profession, and his skill and great learning are recognized by his fellow physicians as well as the public. Dr. Johnson lives on a fine farm of 3,000 acres located near Oatts.

JONES. The Jones family, well represented in the early civil and military history of Burke county, still has representatives in J. B. Jones and H. W. Jones, farm- ers, near Herndon, Ga., natives of the county, born respectively in 1817 and 1824. They are the only surviving sons of Henry P. Jones, a popular, leading citizen of his day, who by wonderful industry and judicious energy accumulated and left to four sons and three daughters an estate of $350,000, embracing 75,000 acres of land in different sections of the state. H. P. Jones was a native also of Burke county, born in 1788, was an only son of Philip Jones, and was a colonel in the war of 1812. Philip Jones was born in 1759, and with his three older brothers, Frank, John and James, were soldiers in the Amerian army in the war of independence. He owned and resided on the farm given him by his father, embracing the land which in the hands of his son, H. P. Jones, became the noted Birdsville estate, still in the ownership and possession of his great-grandsons. Even in that early day Burke county, with its immense agricultural resources, was a county of consider- able wealth, and therefore an inviting booty-land to the tories, who with squads of soldiers from the British forces, then in possession of Savannah and adjacent sections, often formed raiding parties for plundering the counties above Savannah. They went up as far as Burke, which became the meeting-point and battleground, where these raiders were met by the "liberty" men, as they were called, or rebels, from the counties and sections above, who, hastily organizing, would drive the raid- ers back. On one of such occasions Philip Jones was on a scout with one of his slaves, named Caesar, near his mill, when suddenly he was surprised by three British soldiers and captured. The soldiers disarmed him and bound his arms, giving his rifle and their own to Caesar to carry, and, with their prisoners, began their march along the mill-dam, which yet stands. Two soldiers in advance, Caesar following, and his master next, and the third soldier in the rear as guard. Faithful Caesar was quick to see the opportunity to release his master and himself, and as quickly aiming with his rifle at the back seam of the coat of the soldier ahead of him, shot him through, and wheeling instantly, with his knife cut the cords from his master's arms, and gave him his rifle. Thus suddenly was changed the fortunes of war, and Philip Jones and his slave became the captors, and promptly began their march with their prisoners to the headquarters of the American forces at Augusta. For this daring, successful feat, Caesar was granted his freedom by his master, and for the remainder of his life was honored with the title of "Rebel Cae- sar." The three elder brothers of Philip Jones, before named, were citizens and residents of Screven county, from which they joined the American army. The

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ancestral head of the family, Frank Jones, immigrated from Wales in the early part of the eighteenth century to the Carolinas, where he resided a good many years, the head of a large family. In the latter part of his life, impelled by the same spirit of adventure which brought him from his native country, and realizing the necessity of larger advantages for his growing household than he possessed, he moved, with his four sons, Frank, who bore the ancestral name, John, James and Philip, some years before the revolution, to Screven county, locating in the south- ern portion of it, near where is now the line of the Central railroad, and not far from the point called Cameron, which near three-quarters of a century afterward became the home of one of his great-granddaughters. The opening of the war . found the progenitor of a vast colony of descendants failing under the weight of many years and heavy hardships, which had not abated the ardor of his love for his country, and surrounded with sons full of the fire of patriotism and spirit of resistance to the oppression of the British crown, they were quick to espouse the cause of their country, for liberty, life and home. Tradition in the family testifies to the faithful service of those brothers, especially as to John, how that with emaci- ated person and otherwise unlike himself, he was slow to be recognized by the home folks on his return from the war. They lived many years to enjoy the rights of liberty which they aided to secure; accumulated considerable estates and reared large families, except Frank, who had none. The descendants of John and James are very numerous and are to be found in several counties in southeast Georgia, especially Thomas and counties adjoining, with a few in Savannah.

R. T. JONES, retired farmer, Waynesboro, was born in Burke county in 1825, and was the son of J. M. and Sarah E. (Thomas) Jones. The father was a son of Vincent and Elizabeth Jones, natives of North Carolina, who moved to Georgia at an early day. J. M. Jones was born on the Roanoke river, N. C., and came to Georgia with his parents when a lad. He began life as an overseer, saved his money and then purchased a farm in Burke county, where he married and reared a family. His wife was a daughter of Grigsby Thomas, a prosperous citizen and good farmer. Judge R. T. Jones was reared a farmer boy and only given a meager education, but his quick mind responded to the studious habits and fondness for reading and he early acquired a fund of knowledge which has served him well in life. In 1845 he married Emily Calsom, daughter of William and Sarah (Fulcher) Caisom. Mr. Calsoni was a brave officer in the war of 1812 and a highly esteemed citizen of Burke county. The union has been blessed with three children, now living-Lindsey E., Bessie and Lula. The mother was born in 1827 and died in 1874. Mr. Jones was married the second time to Aurelia Cox, formerly a Miss Holcomb, daughter of William Holcomb, a native of Connecticut, who came to Georgia in 1838. Mr. Holcomb served in the late war and died in prison. The fruits of the second marriage are: Robert P. and Thomas D. Jones. The mother was born in Lexington, Oglethorpe Co., in 1840. Both Mr. Jones and his wife are firm members of the church, the wife being of the Methodist belief and he of the Baptist faith. During the war Mr. Jones was elected justice of the inferior court. He started in life a poor boy and now owns an estate of about 5,000 acres of land.

J. J. JONES, lawyer, Waynesboro, was born in Burke county in 1824. His parents were Seaborn H. and Margaret Jones. Seaborn H. Jones was a native and life-long resident of Burke county, who died in 1859. He was the son of Abraham Jones, a soldier in the revolutionary army, and was captured at Augusta. He was a successful farmer and lawyer and a member of the legisla- ture for several terms in the early history of Georgia. He died in Burke county in II-24

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1808. Margaret Jones was the daughter of John and Margaret (Walker) Jones. He was of Irish descent and a settler in Burke county before 1800. Mr. J. J. Jones was given the advantage of a good education and was graduated from Emory college in 1845. He read law two years and was admitted to practice in 1847, in the old state house in Louisville, Ga. In 1856 he married Eva Toombs, daughter of Lawrence C. and Mary (Flournoy) Toombs. Mr. Toombs was born in Wilkes county and was a large farmer and brother of Gen. Robert Toombs. The mother, Mary Flournoy, was a daughter of Josiah Flournoy. To Mr. and Mrs. J. J. Jones were born children, of whom only Seaborn H. and Mary T. are living. Mrs. Jones was born in Putnam county in 1829. They are both members of the Methodist church. In 1859 Mr. Jones was elected to congress, and served ·

one term, returning home, as Georgia seceded from the Union. He served a short time as captain of Jones' hussars, mounted infantry. Howell Cobb was the major-general, and Henry R. Jackson was brigadier-general. He was also made colonel of Gov. Brown's staff, and was on the staff at the close of the war. Mr. Jones is one of the leading lawyers of eastern Georgia and enjoys a large practice in Burke and adjoining counties. He is also interested in farming, owning a fine estate of 3,000 acres. Of all the Georgia members of congress who were in con- gress with Mr. Jones, he is the lone survivor. The deceased embrace noted figures in Georgia history, viz .: Robert Toombs, Alfred Iverson, senators; James Jack- son, M. J. Crawford, John W. H. Underwood, Lucius J. Gartrell, Joshua Hill, Thomas Hardeman and Peter Love, congressmen.

ALLEN W. JONES, Midville, a leading farmer and a public-spirited citizen of Burke county, was born in Burke county in 1861 and was the son of Malcom D. Jones and Virginia L. (Inman) Jones. Malcom D. Jones was an eminent lawyer of eastern Georgia. He was a native of Burke county and was a graduate of Mercer university. He began the practice of law at Waynesboro and continued there with success until he died in 1869. He served several terms in the legisla- ture, a member of the Baptist church, and upon his demise left an estate of $200,000 to his heirs. The grandfather of Mr. Allen Jones was Matthew Jones, a native of Burke county, and a farmer by avocation; and his mother was the daughter of Allen Inman, born in North Carolina and for many years a resident of Georgia. He was a soldier in the war of 1812, as had his father, a native of England, served with the colonies in the war of freedom. Mr. Allen W. Jones received his early educational training in the Hephzi Baptist high school, and completed it at the state university. In 1886 he married Hattie Crosland, daughter of J. E. and Haseltine (Bush) Crosland. The father is a native of South Carolina, where he still lives, and was a major in the late war, serving with distinction and bravery. Mrs. Jones was born in 1863, at Aiken, S. C., and is the mother of four children: Malcom, Crosland, Virginia and Kate. Mr. and Mrs. Jones are members of the Baptist church and Mr. Jones is a Mason. Mr. Jones has been interested in the banking business at Reidsville, N. C., and the manufacture of tobacco, but is now devoting his attention to his large farming investments. He is a progressive young man of fine business ability, and lives with his interesting family on a fine farm near Midville.

EDWARD F. LAWSON, a leading lawyer of Burke county, was born in 1836, and is the son of Alexander J. and Barbara (Tuttle) Lawson. Judge Alexander J. Lawson was born in Liberty county, and was ten years old when his parents moved to Burke county. He was a large farmer and a prominent politician, serving in the state senate from 1825 to 1840. In the latter year he was the democratic candidate against Mr. Toombs for congress. He was an elector upon

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the Douglas and Johnson electoral ticket for the state at large in 1860, and opposed the secession movement in 1861. He was a leading member of the Methodist church and chairman of the board of justices of the inferior court for a number of years. He was a son of John Lawson, who was born in Liberty county in 1734, moved to Burke county in 1796, and purchased a farm, which Mr. Edward F. Lawson now owns. He served as captain in the revolutionary war, and was captured at Georgetown, S. C., and taken to the British prison in Cuba. The Lawson family came to America in 1712, the progenitor of the Georgia branch settling in Liberty county a few years later. Mrs. Alexander Lawson was a daughter of Francis Tuttle, a native of New Jersey, and for years a successful merchant in Burke county. Mr. Edward F. Lawson was graduated from the Georgia military institute in 1857. He then went to Savannah and began the study of law in the office of Ward, Owens & Jones. He practiced one year after he was admitted to the bar, and then enlisted in the civil war. He served as captain, and was afterward made major. On account of sickness he was obliged to leave the service after about cighteen months, and returned home and took the active management of his father's farm, the parent having died in 1862. In 1861 he married Leora Martin, daughter of John and Eliza (Walker) Martin. Mr. Martin was a native of North Carolina, and a wealthy broker, who moved to Macon, where he died in 1842. Mrs. Lawson was born in Macon in 1842. Mr. and Mrs. Lawson are members of the Methodist church. He has always been prominent in state and county politics and served as member of the constitu- tional convention of 1866. He was ordinary of Burke county for thirteen years, and has been a frequent delegate to conventions. He has practiced law with great professional and pecuniary success, and operates a fine and improved farm of 1,500 acres. At the close of the war his property was stripped of everything but the land value of a small farm, and his present circumstances are the result of his own industry and energy.

ALEXANDER LIVELY, farmer, near Sardis, was born in Burke county in 1832, and comes from a long-lived ancestry. He is the son of Mathew and Elizabeth (Odim) Lively. Mathew Lively was a revolutionary soldier and died in 1834, aged eighty-four years. He was a big farmer and slave holder and a man prominent in the affairs of the Methodist church. He was of Scotch descent, his father, Abram Lively, having been born in Scotland and located in Georgia before 1750, when the Indians were numerous and settlers far apart in the marshy woodlands of Burke county. Mr. Alexander Lively was brought up on the farm and educated in the old field schools. In 1852 he married Valinda, the daughter of Moses and Martha (Royal) Godbee. Mr. Godbee was born in Burke county and was in the second war with Great Britain. The mother was born in 1836 and died in 1861, leaving one child-Mark. In 1862 Mr. Lively married Elizabeth Kimbrell, daughter of William and Eliza (Sapp) Kimbrell. The father was a successful farmer and a worthy gentleman. Mrs. Lively was born in Burke county in 1821. She is a Baptist in her religious faith and Mr. Lively a Methodist and a member of the masonic order. For twenty-four years he was justice of the peace in his county and in 1884 he was elected to the legislature, serving one term. He did some valuable work there on the agricultural and other com- mittees. Mr. Lively owns a nice farin near Sardis, which he has developed into a fine state of cultivation, and he is a man highly esteemed for his honesty and uprightness.

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T.J. M'ELMURRAY, one of Burke county's leading farmers, was born in this county in 1841, and is the son of Minis H. and Emily Leslie McElmurray. Minis McElmurray was a native of South Carolina and moved to Georgia about 1835. He was a soldier in the Indian war of 1836 and a prosperous farmer. His father was Andrew McElmurray, of Scotch-Irish descent and a native of South Carolina, who married Martha Hankinson. Emily Leslie, mother of Mr. McEl- murray was a daughter of William and Sarah (Hankinson) Leslie. The father was born in Scotland and came to America about 1800, locating in South Carolina. Mr. T. J. McElmurray was educated at Mercer university and attended a course of lectures at Augusta Medical college. When the war broke out he enlisted in Company B, Fifth Georgia state troops, Capt. Shewmake, and later with Fifth Georgia cavalry, and finally with Georgia militia. He fought in the engagements around Atlanta, and until the end of the war. In 1861 he married Louise, daughter of William and Mariah (Sharp) Barrou. Mr. Barrou was of Irish ancestry and was born and lived his life in Burke county, Ga., and was a large farmer and slave-holder. Mrs. McElmurray was born in Burke county in 1845, and was the mother of four children now living. She died in 1873 and in 1875 Mr. McElmurray was married to Mary, daughter of William and Jane (Darlington) Chandler. Mr. Chandler is a prominent farmer and merchant of Burke county and served with credit in the Fifth cavalry in the civil war. By his second marriage Mr. McElmur- ray has six children. The mother was born in 1855, and is a member of the Baptist church. In 1881 Mr. McElmurray was elected ordinary, and in 1884 he was elected to the senate. When in the legislature he served on the important com- mittees of agriculture and finance, and distinguished himself for his close appli- cation to duties and the thoroughness with which he considered measures before giving them his support. He is a Mason of many years. When the war closed Mr. McElmurray found himself without any means and started out in life with only his energy and push for capital. He now owns about 2,000 acres of good farming land and valuable town property.

JOHN F. M'ELMURRAY, member of the legislature and farmer, was born in Burke county, in 1842, and is the son of Minis H. and Emily (Leslie) McElmur- ray. The father was born in South Carolina and moved to Georgia in 1834. He was the son of Andrew and Mary (Hankinson) McElmurray. Mr. McElmurray's mother was a daughter of William L. and Sarah (Hankinson) Leslie. Mr. J. F. McElmurray was educated at Mercer university and in 1861 he enlisted in the late war with Company K, Thirty-second Georgia regiment. He served as captain in the company and fought at Fort Sumter; John's Island; Rivers Bridge; Ocean Pond, Fla .; Averasboro and Bentonville, and served to the close of hostilities. In 1865 he married Anna Shewmake, daughter of Judge Joseph A. and Caroline (Hankinson) Shewmake. Judge Shewmake was a native of Burke county and occupied a seat on the bench of the inferior court, and was a member of the legisla- ture from Burke county for years. He was a first sergeant in the Indian war, and in politics and as a citizen was one of the most prominent men ever born in Burke county. Mr. and Mrs. McElmurray have six living children: Leslie, Caro- line, Lorraine, Thomas J., John F., Jr., Sarah. The mother was born in 1842 and died in 1881. She was a member of the Methodist church, while her husband's faith is that of a Baptist. Mr. McElmurray was a justice of the peace for several years, and is a member of the county school board. In 1894 he was elected to the legislature and served on the committees on temperance, special, agriculture and manufactures, education and school for the deaf. Mr. McElmurray owns a nice farm of 2,000 acres near Alexander, and is a citizen highly esteemed not only for his public usefulness, but private character.

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DR. A. G. WHITEHEAD. One of the most elegant gentlemen in Georgia is Dr. A. G. Whitehead of Waynesboro, and he is one of the most accomplished physicians as well. Having everything in the way of family prestige to sustain him, he was fitted by birth and education to occupy a prominent position among the most cultured. The doctor is a member of a family of Scotch Presbyterians, who refugeed to north Ireland in the seventeenth century on account of religious troubles. Of this family, William Whitehead emigrated to America in 1700, set- tling in Virginia-three of his grandsons moving to Burke county in 1764. These bought largely of lands and ranked among the wealthy, solid people of that day. The names of these carly settlers were John, Amos and Caleb. John owned a place widely known as "Spread Oak Plantation." In the old family mansion that stood upon this place were born three generations of children. A. Grattan White- head was born Feb. 14, 1841; reared on this plantation, sent to the state uni- versity at the age of thirteen, graduating at nineteen. His mother, Mary Ann Dent, being the daughter of Dr. John Dent, founder of the Georgia Medical col- lege, possibly furnished the doctor with a desire for medical prominence, and accordingly he read medicine under Dr. H. F. Campbell, of Augusta, took one course of lectures at that place, when the war began, he enlisting with the Clinch rifles, Company A, Fifth Georgia, serving one year, after which he was appointed aid-de-camp to Gen. Montgomery Gardner, and at the close of the war was com- manding a battery of artillery. After the war he completed his medical course, going to Waynesboro in 1866, where he has since lived, enjoying prominence in his profession, and gaining decided reputation as a careful and competent busi- ness man. He still manifests a great interest in agricultural pursuits, while pursu- ing a lucrative practice, owning 1,000 acres of land in Burke county, besides his large local interests, consisting of choice building lots and residences. Dr. White- head is not only one of the most prominent members of his profession in Georgia, having been president of the State Medical association, but is one of the most cul- tured and hospitable gentlemen. He takes a great interest in fraternal orders, being prominently identified with the Masons, Knights of Honor, American Legion of Honor, Home Circle, Royal Arcanum and Golden Chain.

CHATHAM COUNTY.

MR. D. C. BACON, president of the Atlanta Lumber company, is a native of Liberty county, Ga., being born in 1845, and passed the first five years of his life in this vicinity, removing thereafter to Savannah, Ga. At the age of fifteen he entered the Confederate army, enlisting in Company B of the Eighth Georgia regiment as a private soldier, and served as such until wounded in the battle of Gettysburg. By reason of this accident he was captured and held a prisoner in the custody of the enemy for six weeks, and finally exchanged during a cartel. After recovering from the effects of his injuries he became a member of the secret service of the Confederate government as a telegrapher and signal officer. Mr. Bacon participated in the following engagements: Yorktown, Va .; seven days' fight around Richmond, Thoroughfare Gap, Second Manassas, Chantilly, South Mountain, Sharpsburg, Fredericksburg and Gettysburg. His record was that of a brave, chivalric soldier and his gallant deeds are not unknown. After the

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close of the war Mr. Bacon went to Savannah and entered the lumber business, with which he is now so prominently identified. Though his life has been de- voted to and absorbed in the lumber traffic, nevertheless he has found time to serve his state as wisely in peace as he defended her bravely in war. During 1880-81 he represented the county of Chatham in the state legislature, and in 1884 was appointed commissioner to the New Orleans exposition. There he made a superb exhibit of Georgia woods that attracted great attention and received much merited praise. It was a magnificent display of the piney woods products. Mr. Bacon has an interesting family about him-a household of boys who give promise of future eminence. He was first married in 1868 to Miss Minna Hol- comb, who died, leaving two sons: De Witt and Holcomb. He was again mar- ried in 1878 to a half-sister of his first wife, a Miss Holcomb. She has borne one child, Milton. Mr. Bacon, besides filling the presidency of the Atlanta Lum- ber company is also president of the Piedmont Investment company of Atlanta and president of the De Witt Farming company of Mitchell county, Ga. The last is an immense industry, comprising about 5,000 acres of land, on which are planted 20,000 peach trees, 1,500 pecan trees and 3,000 pear trees. This does not include the enormous growth of cotton and the raising of hogs and vegetables. These facts plainly indicate that Mr. Bacon inherits the tastes and inclinations of the ante-bellum southern planter, a generous, open-hearted race. He is a member of the Capital City club of Atlanta and enjoys an evening where friendship and mirth join hands to lighten the tedium of the day's anxieties. Mr. Bacon is a citizen of Savannah, but feels a deep interest in Atlanta and strives unceasingly for her advancement.

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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 53

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