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 64

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 64

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G EORGE WILLIAMS WARREN, judge county court, Louisville, Jefferson Co., Ga., son of Lindsay C. and Julia (Battey) Warren, was born in Augusta, Ga., Aug. 18, 1851. His paternal grandfather, Benjamin H. Warren, was a native of Virginia, who, when a young man, came to Georgia and became quite wealthy and one of the most prominent citizens of Richmond county. Judge Warren's father was a leading merchant of Augusta, did a very large business and had also a large plantation interest. He was an active and valued member of the Pres- byterian church, and died some years ago; his widow, a revered member of the same church, is still living. They were the parents of eight children, but only three are now living: Fannie, wife of J. H. Wilkins, Waynesboro, Ga .; Thomas H., merchant, and George Williams, the subject of this sketch. Judge Warren received his primary education first in the excellent schools in Augusta, and then in Louisville. In 1868 he entered the university of Georgia, Athens, from which he was graduated in 1871. After he graduated he attended the university of Scotland, at Edinburgh, a year, and thence went to Berlin, Germany, and entered the university there, where he remained two years. On his return here he read law under the preceptorship of Hon. J. C. C. Black, now representative from the Tenth congressional district of Georgia, and being admitted to the bar, located in Jefferson and entered upon the practice of his profession. In 1892 he was elected to represent the Eighteenth senatorial district in the general assembly of Georgia and was chosen president pro tem. of the senate. In June, 1893, Gov. Northen appointed him judge of the county court of Jefferson county, the duties of which he has discharged with distinguished ability. In addition he has a very

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JOHNSON COUNTY SKETCHES.

large planting interest and ranks high as an agriculturist as well as a jurist. Judge Warren was married in 1889 to Miss Mattie W. Walton, of Madison, Mor- gan Co., Ga., and to them two children have been born: Julia Battey and Mary Louise. He is an ardent and influential democrat and a member of the Metho- dist church.

JOHNSON COUNTY.

THOMAS JEFFERSON ARLINE, merchant, Wrightsville, Johnson Co., Ga., son of Thomas J. and Elizabeth McCauley (Gilbert) Arline, was born in Wash- ington county, Jan. 17, 1865. His paternal great-grandfather was a native Vir- ginian and raised a very large family. His grandparents were Jethro and Eliza- beth (Mason) Arline, who had a family of eight children: Thomas J., Henry, who died young; Mary, Sarah, Jane E., Elizabeth, Martha and John M. Arline. Mr. Arline's grandfather was born in Virginia in 1804, was left an orphan when three years old and grew to manhood comparatively uneducated. He left two brothers in Virginia when he came to Georgia and settled in that part of Montgomery (originally Washington) county now included in Johnson county. He was a man of unusual religiosity, open-handed, an uncompromising temperance man, an ex- emplary member of the Methodist church and a liberal contributor to its support and to church building. Mr. Arline's father was born in what is now Johnson county, where he received a fairly good education and afterward clerked for sev- eral years and then engaged in farming near Oconee, where he was when the war between the states began. In 1861 he enlisted in the Twelfth Georgia battalion, and after serving three years died in Charleston, S. C., in 1864. His wife was of Scotch-Irish descent, and connected with the Lees and Daniels of Virgina, her father, Drewey Gilbert, being a son of William Gilbert, whose mother was a daughter of Joseph Daniel. Mr. Arline's maternal grandparents were natives of Washington county, Ga., and had but three children, herself and two brothers: Thomas M., who died young, and Mills, who was killed during the war while in the service. To Mr. Arline's parents two children were born, himself and a sister, Mattie McCauley Arline, who married Mr. Daley and lives in Atlanta. Mr. Arline's mother, who was a very pious woman and devoted to Christian work and advancement, died in May, 1865, when he was only three months old. Mr. Arline was raised on the farm and enjoyed very good educational advantages until he was fifteen years of age, when he engaged as a clerk for Dr. G. L. Mason in Washington county, with whom he continued a number of years. He then embarked in business with a Mr. Walker, under the firm name of T. J. Arline & Co., for two years, after which he formed another partnership with Mr. Daley, which continued for six years. He next organized the Arline Mercantile com- pany, and two years afterward (Jan. 8, 1895) bought the hardware department and is now engaged in the hardware and grocery business. He has been content to attend strictly to business, taking no part in politics further than casting his vote for such candidates as in his judgment would serve the public interest the best. His fellow-citizens, however, elected him a member of the city council, where he is doing good service, and he is also a trustee of Nannie Lou Warthen college at Wrightsville. Mr. Arline was married Jan. 8, 1885, to Miss Maggie McCord Malpess, daughter of Kinchen and Mrs. Augustus Cummings, of Han-

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cock county, who has borne him four children: Walter Thomas, Clarence, Made- line and Eva McCauley. Mr. Arline is a royal arch Mason and himself and wife are working and influential members of the Methodist church, of which he is a steward.

JOHN F. GRANTHAM, farmer, Wrightsville, Johnson Co., Ga., son of Owen and Elizabeth (Gaddy) Grantham, was born in North Carolina, Sept. 1, 1837. His paternal grandfather, Josiah Grantham, was a native of England and emi- grated to this country before the revolutionary war, through which he served as a soldier in the continental army. He settled in North Carolina, in which state he married happily and became a man of property and prominence, and himself and wife lived to be very old. His son, Stephen, grandfather of the subject of this sketch, was born in North Carolina, June 23, 1790, where he grew to manhood, married and spent his life, and raised a family of twelve children, of which Owen was the oldest. Mr. Grantham's father (Owen) was born in Robeson county, June 23, 1812, was raised a farmer and remained one all his life. He was twice married-his first wife being Miss Elizabeth Gaddy, by whom he had four children: John F., the subject of this sketch; Ann, wife of Elias Mitchell; S. E., wife of L. R. Daniels, and Catharine Ann, wife of J. D. Rodgers. The mother of these died in 1844, and subsequently he married Miss Abigail Powell, born and raised in Cumberland county, N. C., by whom he had nine children, eight of whom reached maturity. He died June 16, 1882, and himself and wife were members of the Missionary Baptist church, in which faith they raised their children. Mr. Grantham was raised on the farm, and after attending the county schools finished his education at an academy, after which he went to Louisiana and engaged in planting. When the war between the states began he enlisted (1861) in Company A, First Mississippi regiment, which became a part of the western army. With his command he bore a part in the battles of Shiloh and Shelbyville, in which last-named battle he was wounded in the hip by a minie ball, which he keeps as a memento of perils past. He served through the war, but was at home on leave of absence at the time of the surrender; his command was at Nashville. He returned to his North Carolina home after the war and resumed farming. Subsequently he came to Georgia and settled in Mitchell county, still pursuing his original occupation. He remained in Mitchell county six years, after which he sold out his turpentine business and moved to Macon, in Bibb county, Ga., engaging in other business until the present year, when he moved to Johnson county, again investing in the turpentine business, which he is now carrying on. 'For twenty years he has been engaged in the turpentine business, which he has made a splendid success of. He is a wide-awake business man, energetic and enterprising, and takes an interest in everything calculated to develop the resources of his locality. Mr. Grantham was married in 1866 to Miss Martha E .- born in South Carolina-daughter of John R. and Sarah (Ford) Wat- son, who bore him eight children: Sarah E., Beulah B., Owen W., Alfred P., lawyer; James M., druggist, Albany; Lena M., deceased; Virginia M. and Lillie, deceased. The mother of these children died in 1883, an exemplary member of the Baptist church, of which Mr. Grantham is also a communicant.

JOHN F. NORRIS, tax collector, Wrightsville, Johnson Co., Ga., son of William and Behlison (Powell) Norris, was born in Emanuel (now Johnson) county, Ga., in 1836. His father, of Scotch descent, was born in South Carolina, came to Georgia when eighteen years of age and settled in Emanuel county, where he married. Fifteen children were born to him, of whom thirteen reached

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maturity. He had five sons in the Confederate service: Isaac, Benjamin, Jordan, William and James. The two last-named were killed, and Benjamin died in prison while in the service. Of the two survivors Jordan is a Primitive Baptist minister. His wife was a daughter of Benjamin Powell, a member of an old and well-known family, and was born in Georgia. Mr. Norris' mother died in 1856, and his father died in January, 1874. Mr. Norris grew to manhood on the farm and received a very meager education. At the age of eighteen he engaged as a clerk with Mr. W. F. McVeigh, and remained with him three years, when he was elected tax-collector, which office he was re-elected to and held a number of

terms. He then formed a partnership under the firm-name of (John B.) Wright & Norris, and engaged in a general merchandise business, which continued until the death of his partner, when he closed its affairs. Subsequently he was again elected tax collector, which office he now holds, and which he has held, altogether, twenty-four years. No better evidence could be given in proof of his business capacity, his efficiency and faithfulness, and his popularity than this fact supplies. In addition to merchandising and holding the office "he does, he has continued farming, and now owns and conducts a fine farm, running eight to ten plows. He is a good farmer, as well as a good public officer, prosperous and popular. Mr. Norris was married in December, 1875, to Miss Etta, daughter of Etta Moye, of · Washington county, Ga. Her father died during the civil war while in the service. To them five children have been born: John B. W., Lizzie D., deceased; William P., Luella Mabel. Himself and wife are members of the Christian church.

JONES COUNTY.

S. M. ANDERSON, M. D., deceased, son of John C. and Nancy A. Anderson, was born in Monroe county, Ga., July 5, 1829. The Andersons were origin- ally from Virginia. Dr. Anderson's father came from the Old Dominion to Georgia in the 20's, and located in Monroe county, where he raised his family. He was accidentally killed. Dr. Anderson grew to manhood in his native county, where he studied medicine, and afterward attended lectures at, and graduated from the Ohio Medical college at Cincinnati. He located in the southwestern portion of Jones county, Ga., where he did an extensive and profitable practice for thirty years. Retiring from active practice about 1886, he removed to Hillsboro, Jasper Co., and devoted the remainder of his days to church and educational work. He died there Jan. 18, 1893. The following is an extract from a voluntary tribute to his memory, prepared and published by a friend: "At the age of fifteen he united with the Missionary Baptist church. When he removed to Hillsboro, there being no church of his order there, he, with a few others, undertook and erected the Baptist church at that place, which now stands near his grave, as a monument to his memory, his devotion to Christ and to the Christian religion. In his death a wife has lost a devoted husband, the children an affectionate father, the county a good citizen and physician, the church a consistent and devoted member, and the masonic fraternity a tried and zealous brother. He has left a valuable legacy to all, in his quiet, orderly, meek, peaceable, hospitable and charitable life." About 1859 Dr. Anderson married Miss Frances A. Alexander, in Jones county, and raised a family of nine children. He was a firm believer in

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education, and gave his children the best advantages his means would command. J. F. Anderson, Cornucopia, Jones Co., Ga., the eldest son, was graduated at Mercer university, Macon, Ga., in 1881, and, choosing his father's profession, went to Baltimore, where he graduated in 1885, at the College of Physicians and Surgeons. He succeeded to his father's practice and continued it with skill and profit for several years. His eyesight failing he retired from active practice and is now planting at the old homestead. His popularity with his fellow-democrats brought him the nomination in 1894 for representative of Jones county, and he is now serving in that capacity. J. L., tlie second son, was also graduated at Mercer university, and is a planter on the old homestead. J. W., the third son, after graduating at Mercer university read medicine, then attended lectures at Bellevue Medical college, New York, whence he graduated, and is now located at Clinton, Jones Co., where he is building up an excellent practice. Carola, married F. G. Middlebrook, and now resides at Flovilla, Butts Co .; Mittie is the wife of J. W. Turner, Hillsboro, Ga .; Lela, Roberta, Eula B. and Marietta, single daughters, are living with their mother at Hillsboro.

JAMES F. BARRON, physician and surgeon, Clinton, Jones Co., Ga., son of William and Elizabeth (Finney) Barron, was born in Jones county, Feb. 10, 1825. Dr. Barron's great-grandfather, Barron, was a native Irishman, who came to this country in colonial days, and settled in Maryland. From Maryland the family moved to Virginia, where the doctor's grandfather, Samuel Barron, mar- ried and went to North Carolina, where he lived until about 1792, when he migrated to Georgia, and settled in Hancock county. In 1809 his grandfather moved into Jones county, then just organized, and settled about six miles north of what is now Clinton, the county seat. Of eleven children born to him all are dead. Dr. Barron's father was born in Hancock county, and married in Jones, where he lived and died. He was the father of eight children: Mary, widow of William Morris, Jones county; James F., the subject of this sketch; John W., died in California; William G., deceased; Abington, died in Camp Douglas, Ill., Dec. 29, 1864; Joanna, widow of Dr. Austin, Fort Valley, Ga .; Robert H., Macon, Ga .; and Andrew J., died in the army of disease, July 2, 1862. He was elected a captain of militia when it was regarded a distinction, and was also elected sheriff, served several years, and was serving as such at the time of his death, Dec. 21, 1836; his widow died, Feb. 1I, 1848. Dr. Barron, being the eldest son, and only eleven years old when his father died, had to assume grave responsibilities, and enter upon the battle of life when young. He went to school, and taught, alter- nately, until he acquired a fair education. He then studied medicine, and, when twenty-seven years of age, graduated from the medical department, university of New York. He located the same year in Clinton, where he has since resided. When the war between the states began, he volunteered, but yielding to the importunities of friends, remained at home for the benefit of soldiers' families, and practiced for them without compensation during the war. When twenty-one he was elected justice of the peace -- no unmeaning or insignificant compliment. In 1855 he was elected as a democrat to represent the county one term in the general assembly. In 1858 he was elected a justice of the inferior court, and held the office fifteen years. In 1867 he was elected judge of the county court, but resigned in a few months. Dr. Barron was married in 1853, in Jasper county, to Miss Joanna E. Shropshire, who has borne him six children: James H., farmer, Jasper county; William W., clerk superior court, Jones county; Jackson C., judge Jones county court; A. B. L., teacher, Clinton; Sallie E., single; Robert E., physician, Macon, Ga. Dr. Barron is an uncompromising democrat, and a master Mason;

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and that he enjoys the respect and confidence of his fellow-citizens is evidenced by his election to office, and his being continued so long in any he would accept.

HENRY S. GREAVES, United States deputy collector, Clinton, Jones Co., Ga., son of Joseph D. and Mary (Shorter) Greaves, was born in Crawfordsville, Taliaferro Co., Ga., April 17, 1830. His father was born and reared at Mur- freesboro, Tenn., came to Georgia when a young man and settled in Taliaferro county, where he married his wife. Mr. Greaves' grandfather on his mother's side, Henry Shorter, was a member of the family of that name so distinguished for eminent public services in Georgia and Alabama, he having been a brother of Dr. Reuben Shorter, father of the late ex-Gov. John Gill Shorter, and ex-Congressman Eli Shorter, of Alabama. Mr. Greaves' father was a successful planter and specu- lator, and left a fine estate. He died in Barbour county, Ala., in 1840; and his wife died in 1858, in Fairburn, Ga. They raised a family of nine children: Sarah (deceased); Virginia (deceased); Henry S., the subject of this sketch; Henrietta, widow of Mr. McRae, Henderson county, Texas; Frank - (deceased); Reuben (deceased); Joseph (deceased); Cornelia, widow of Richard Hustings, Macon, Ga .; and Mary (deceased). Before he died Mr. Greaves removed his family to Bar- bour county, Ala. In 1850 they returned to Clinton, to their old Georgia home -so that Mr. Greaves was raised and educated partly in Alabama and partly in Georgia. His introduction to practical business life was as a clerk in a store in Eufaula, Ala .; his fixed life business until 1862 was farming. That year he enlisted in Anderson's battery of artillery as a private, which command was assigned to the western army, reaching it in time to participate in the battle of Murfreesboro. Before and after that battle he accompanied Gen. N. B. Forrest in some of his raids. He was at the second Fort Donelson fight, the battles of Lookout Mountain, Chickamauga, Missionary Ridge, and then in front of Gen. Sherman between Chattanooga and Atlanta, and in his "march through Georgia." He had a horse shot under him and holes shot through his clothes at Fort Donelson, and holes .through his hat at Atlanta, but received not a scratch on his body. He was with the forces surrendered at Greensboro, N. C.

During his service he was promoted to a first lieutenancy. After the

war he engaged in farming; also clerked for Juhan & Clower, and managed the merchandise business of Peter L. Clower until his death. In 1868-69 he was elected tax collector for Jones county, and held the office of county treasurer for sixteen years-until he would serve no longer. In 1893 he received the appoint- ment of deputy collector Sixth division, United States internal revenue service, with headquarters at Macon. Mr. Greaves was married Dec. 3, 1857, to Miss Martha,

daughter of Thomas W. and Pollie Stewart of Jones county, who has borne him the following children: Annie S., wife of James A. Stewart, Clinton, Ga., drum- mer for Adam Watson & Co., Macon, Ga .; Frank H. (deceased); and H. Clower (deceased). Frank H. Greaves (deceased), son of Mr. Greaves, was a young man of remarkable intellectual capacity, intense religious sentiment, and other promi- nent interesting characteristics, giving promise of a most brilliant future. He had been educated at Mercer university, and in his sophomore year won the "black medal" for declamation; and as a junior was given a speaker's place. The spring before he would have graduated he, through Congressman Blount, was appointed to a West Point cadetship. After two months' preliminary instruction he went to West Point, but at the end of six months resigned and returned home on account of protracted sickness. On his recovery he accepted the position of bookkeeper for C. B. Willingham, warehouseman, Macon, Ga., which he held until his last sickness. He was attacked by typhoid fever, and wasting slowly

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away died Dec. 21, 1885, in the twenty-fourth year of his age. He was an excep- tionally devout member of the Baptist church, conspicuous for his deep piety, his observance of every Christian duty, and the ordinances of his church. He devel- oped intellectual ability and spiritual gifts of a high order, and was publicly zeal- ously active in all denominational and Christian work.

JAMES HURT, planter, Blountville, Jones Co., Ga., son of William and Lucy (Turner) Hurt, was born in Warren county, Ga., June 2, 1828. His grandfather, Elisha Hurt, came from Virginia to Georgia, and settled in Warren county the latter part of the last century-where he raised his family. Mr. Hurt's father passed most of his life in that county; but late in life he moved into western Georgia, and ultimately to Russell county, Ala. He was killed in 1844 by the fall- ing of a tree while on a visit to his old home in Warren. His wife died in 1833. He was a man of considerable wealth when he died, but it was lost by misman- agement. They reared seven children: Elisha; George T .; Benjamin Joel; Eliza- beth, Mrs. Miller, Rockdale county, Ga .; James, the subject of this sketch; Nancy (deceased); and William (deceased). George T. and Benjamin were mem- bers of Cobb's legion, and were killed in the war. Mr. Hurt received a very fair education, and when beginning life for himself embarked in a general merchan- dise business in the northeastern part of Jones county, in 1852. He did a pros- perous business there until it was interrupted by the "unpleasantness" of 1861. He enlisted in the state troops, and served at different times and places; was at the battle of Griswoldville. Since the war he has confined himself to farming, of which he has made a success, as his nice home and pleasant surroundings amply testify. Mr. Hurt was married in 1858 to Miss Mary, daughter of Cary and Leah Davison. They have had but one child, Ida L., who married a Mr. Wagnon, now dead, and the widowed daughter and her little daughter, Alline, are with "the old folks at home." Mr. Hurt belongs to the democracy, and has been a member of the county executive committee. He is also a member of the Methodist church. The Hurts are an aggressively progressive family, a representative type of which is the dashing and daring electric street railway and real estate operator in Atlanta -Joel Hurt. It will be observed that one of Mr. Hurt's brothers bore the same name, which would indicate blood relationship.

G. W. F. M'KAY, planter and mechanic, Plenitude, Jones Co., Ga., son of Hugh 1

and Sarah (Dixon) McKay, was born in Jones county, July 4, 1828. His father was a native of the Hebrides islands (off the west coast of Scotland), where this branch of the McKay family had lived for generations, and came to America, a nine-year-old orphan boy, in 1773. He had relatives in Wilmington, N. C., who raised him to manhood. In 18II he married Isabella McQueen, by whom he had six children. In 1823, having lost his wife, he came with his family to Georgia and settled in Bibb county. There he married Miss Sarah Dixon, by whom he had three children: Hugh Dixon (deceased); G. W. F., the subject of this sketch, and an infant, unnamed. About 1826 he settled the place where G. W. F. now lives, and where he died, May 21, 1839. He was a whig in politics, and a man of great energy and perseverance. Mr. McKay, the only surviving member of the family, has passed his life at the old homestead where he was born. On Oct. 16, 1849, he was married to Susan A., daughter of Henry and Nancy Finney-a native of Jones county, by whom he has had eight children: Alexander H. S., Clinton, Ga .; Henry A., Jones county; Hugh D. (deceased); Annie L. (deceased), wife of C. L. McCarty, Jones county; William Lee, Macon, Ga .; Jeff Davis; Henrietta D., died in infancy; Sarah J., died in infancy. Mr. McKay's mother

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died in 1863. He has never sought office, but such is his popularity that the people elected him twice to represent Jones county in the general assembly- 1882-83, and 1892-93. He was the author of the act requiring the signatures of three-fifths of the voters to a petition for holding an election on the sale of intoxi- cants in a county. Mr. McKay is unusually well informed, is enterprising and progressive, and possesses great versatility intellectually. He takes great pride in his children and took the deepest in their education. The intelligent and wise foresight of this is demonstrated by the estimation in which they are held, and their positions in professional and business circles. One son, Alexander H. S., is county school commissioner, one of the most efficient in the state; and another, Hugh D., after graduating in medicine at Bellevue Hospital Medical college in 1883, returned to his native county and practiced five years-until 1888-when he died; in the meantime building a reputation for ability and skill not surpassed by any equally young practitioner in the state, giving great promise of future pro- fessional distinction; and establishing a large and lucrative practice. Mr. McKay owns a fine 2,700-acre plantation; is a democrat; is a Knight Templar Mason -- for years presiding over the master's lodge; and himself and wife are ardent and zealous working Methodists.

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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 64

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