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 93

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 93

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GRIGSBY E. THOMAS, JR., a very prominent attorney-at-law of Columbus, Ga., was born at the family residence on Rose Hill, then a suburb (now annexed and a portion) of that city, Sept. 7, 1842, and is.a son of Grigsby E. and Mary A. (Shivers) Thomas. Grigsby E. Thomas, Sr., was born in Hancock county, Ga., near Mount Zion, Jan. 10, 1796, was an attorney and had his first practice in Warren county, which he represented six years in the general assembly of Georgia. During his service in that body he was the author of a number of valuable acts; among the most prominent was the "honest debtors" act of 1823, which virtually abolished imprisonment for debt in Georgia. He was also an able advocate on the floor of the house and gave his earnest efforts in support of an act to establish a female college in Georgia, and to divide the state into congressional districts. He removed to Columbus, Ga., in 1830, and was soon after solicited to become a candidate for judge of the Chattahoochee circuit, to which position he was elected in 1832. He was elected during a fierce political strife in the then backwoods of Georgia, and was frequently compelled to travel his circuit through Indian trails, to swim creeks and rivers, to sleep in open houses and to hold court in log cabins in the midst of a people wild and rude in their habits at that time. He never drank intoxicating liquor, and was eloquent in his appeals against the vice of intemperance. He was educated at the school of Nathan Beman, and among his schoolmates were Hons. Charles J. McDonald, W. T. Colquitt, A. H. Chappell, M. A. Cooper, Charles J. Jenkins and others of equal prominence. He died July 5, 1865, a member and elder of the Presbyterian church. His father, Frederick G., was a son of John Grigsby, a Baptist preacher.

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Mrs. Mary A. Thomas was born in Warren county, Ga., a daughter of Barnaby Shivers, of Warren county, whose ancestors were of the Isle of Wight county, Va. Her family is of French extraction, and the name was formerly spelled Chievres, but has been anglicized to Shivers. Grigsby E. Thomas, Jr., after the usual attendance at the Columbus schools, entered Oglethorpe university, at Midway, near Milledgeville, Ga., leaving that institution in 1860 and going to the state of Texas, where he was engaged in teaching school for eight months. On April 20, 1861, at the age of eighteen, he enlisted in the City Light Guards, of Columbus, which was Company A, Second Georgia battalion, the other companies of that command being the Macon volunteers, the Spalding grays and the Floyd rifles. These four companies were ordered to Portsmouth, Va., April 21, 1861, and stationed at the navy yard, where they were drilled in heavy artillery as well as tactics. One month later the Light guards were sent to Sewall's Point to mount guns and hold Fort Sewall, and then were engaged in the first battle on Virginia soil between the Confederate and Federal forces, May 21, 1861, brought about by a gunboat firing on Fort Sewall, Capt. P. H. Colquitt commanding. The com- pany and battalion remained there a year. The Second Georgia battalion was sent to Goldsboro, N. C., in March, 1862, where they were stationed one month, and at the expiration of that time were given fifteen days' furlough. Before leav- ing on their furloughs, the soldiers of the command were addressed by their major, the late Thomas Hardeman, of Macon, Ga., who, having been promoted to the colonelcy of another regiment, spoke to them in farewell as follows: "Sol- diers: You are going home after twelve months' faithful service, but remember that a soldier has no home so long as that home is threatened by an invader." Such was the enthusiasm aroused by this speech, of which the foregoing is the concluding paragraph, that every man of the four companies re-enlisted on the spot. After his furlough had expired Mr. Thomas rejoined his company at Wilmington, N. C., and remained there until the battle of Seven Pines, when the command was ordered to Drury's Bluff, remaining there a month. The battalion was then placed in Gen. Evans' brigade, Holmes' division, Huger's corps, of South Carolina, and sent to the left of the Confederate army in front of Richmond, arriving at Gaines' mill the noon after the battle there; thence supporting Stone- wall Jackson's brigade in front of Richmond. Holmes' division, Huger's corps, intercepted McClellan near the James river and forced him to fight at Malvern hill. Mr. Thomas was promoted from private to ordnance sergeant of the post of Petersburg, Va., and was in that city during the siege, holding the rank of post-ordnance officer of the department of Southern Virginia and North Caro- lina. He remained in Petersburg until the evacuation of that city, when he was ordered to take charge of the ordnance stores in Lynchburg, but the surrender of Lee occurred before he could perform that service. After the close of hos- tilities he returned to his home in Columbus, Ga., and began the study of law under L. T. Downing and ex-Gov. Johnson, was admitted to the bar in Novem- ber, 1865, was subsequently appointed solicitor of the Muscogee county court by Gov. James Smith, reappointed by Gov. Alfred H. Colquitt, and held that office six years. In 1884 he was elected a member of the state democratic executive committee, and in January, 1892, he was appointed United States circuit court commissioner for the western division of the northern district of Georgia. On Jan. 24, 1867, he married Fannie Wellborn Davie, daughter of Wellborn G. and Nancy (Loflin) Davie. She bore him one child, Wellborn Marshall, now residing at Selma, Ala., and she died Sept. 26, 1884. She was a graduate of the Talbotton Female college. On Aug. 18, 1886, Mr. Thomas married Emma Hart Miller, of Greene county, Ga., a graduate of Lucv Cobb institute, at Athens, Ga., by whoni

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he has two children, viz .: Grigsby E. Thomas (fourth) and Maria Virginia Thomas. Mr. Thomas is a member and elder of Lucy Cobb institute at Athens, Ga. Mr. Thomas is a member of the Presbyterian church. He is also a member of the Knights of Honor, of which order he was grand dictator and representative of the supreme lodge in 1883; he has also served as grand master workman of the grand lodge of Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Florida and the Carolinas, also serving twice as supreme representative. He is also a member of the Royal Arcanum, K. and L. of Honor, and is a master Mason. He still resides at the old family residence on Rose Hill, which is one of the landmarks of Columbus, having been built in 1837 by the late Judge Thomas, and is even now in a fine state of preservation. It is located on the west brow of Rose Hill, 100 feet above the city, and commands a view four miles down the Chattahoochee river and two miles up that stream, including the North highlands, with Girard, Phoenix City and the Alabama hills on the west. Mr. Thomas loves his native soil and believes in the future greatness of the city of Columbus and bends his every effort to assist in establishing that greatness.

DOUGLASS C. TICKNOR, M. D., of Columbus, Ga., was born at Torch Hill,

Muscogee Co., six miles south of the city of Columbus, on July 31, 1852. He was reared in his rural home, receiving the larger part of his earlier education at the hands of his father, Dr. F. O. Ticknor, noted at that time as a physician, surgeon and litterateur. Young Ticknor was graduated from the Atlanta Medical college with the degree of M. D. in 1876. Immediately after his graduation he located in the city of Columbus, Ga., and entered actively upon the practice of his profession, and has continued to do so up to the present time. In the profession his skill and ability are manifest in a large and successful practice, and he sustains a very de- sirable rank among the members of the profession. He is of a progressive, inves- tigating turn of mind and takes much interest in the advancement of the profession. He has been honored by his fellow-citizens at different times by being selected to fill important positions in the city government, notably as president of the Colum- bus board of health for three years, from 1890 to 1893, and as city physician of Columbus for one term. Dr. Ticknor is a prominent member of the masonic fraternity. He is also a consistent member of the Protestant Episcopal church.

DR. JOHN EVANS WALKER, of Columbus, Ga., was born Jan. 2, 1863, at Chester, S. C. He entered Vanderbilt university, Nashville, Tenn., in 1879, selecting a scientific course. From 1882 to 1885 he was a student in the medical department of the university of the city of New York. After the termination of his course of study in that institution he was appointed house physician to the city hospital of Elizabeth, N. J., and served in that capacity for more than a year. In 1885 he was connected with the Chambers street hospital, New York city, and later served as physician in the Emigration hospital, on Ward's island, New York, remaining there not quite three years. In 1889 he removed to Columbus, Ga., where he has since resided, except during the year 1890, when he was a medical student at the university of Berlin, Germany. In 1890 Dr. Walker was happily joined in the bonds of holy wedlock to Anna R. Lamar, daughter of Col. Albert R. Lamar, of Macon, Ga. Dr. Walker is a member of the masonic fraternity, of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and of the Knights of Pythias. He is a member of the Presbyterian church.

DR. LOVICK WYNN WELLS, a prominent physician of Columbus, Ga., was born in Russell county, Ala., in 1847. His father was James Phillips Wells, a native of North Carolina. He was a large planter and a major in command of a

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battalion in the Creek war of 1836. He died in 1863 at the age of sixty-eight years. The family on the father's side is French. L. W. Wells resided in Russell county, Ala., until the age of thirteen, and then went to Oglethorpe university, then located at Midway, near Milledgeville, and was graduated from that institution in 1860. He then began the study of medicine and was graduated, in 1860, at the university of the city of New York, and in 1861 was one of the 550 southern students who left that city when the war began. He then graduated from the Tulane university, New Orleans, La. In 1861 he entered the Thirty-first Georgia infantry as assistant surgeon, and eleven months later organized a company of partisan rangers, in Albany, Ga., and was made the captain. He served as captain of that company in the army of northern Virginia until the close of hostilities. He par- ticipated in the battles of second Manassas, Fredericksburg, Petersburg, and all the battles around Petersburg except the last one; also at Bentonville, N. C., and in the battle near Raleigh, N. C. After the war Dr. Wells returned to Russell county, Ala., where he had large farming interests, and practiced medicine there until 1889, when he removed to Columbus, Ga. He has built up an extensive practice in that city. He is a member of the Improved Order of Red Men and attends the Presby- terian church. He has been twice married. The first time in June, 1880, to Julia L., daughter of the late Dr. Eli Gaither, of Wetumpka, Ala., and the second time in October, 1894, at Ozark, Ala., to Georgia, daughter of E. F. Davis, who was a lieutenant in Dr. Wells' company during the civil war.

G EORGE B. WHITESIDE, the agent of large steamboat interests in Columbus, Ga., was born in New York city Oct. 4, 1855, and resided in that city until he was fifteen years of age, attending school in the city of Brooklyn. In 1870 he removed to Columbus, Ga., where his father, Samuel J. Whiteside, was engaged in steamboating, and the son engaged in business with his father. He remained in Columbus about one year, going thence to Savannah, Ga., where he acted as super- intendent of the Gordon Compress company. Returning to Columbus in 1880 he served as treasurer of the Columbus Iron Works company ten years, since which time he has been agent of steamboat lines running between Columbus, Ga., and Apalachicola, Fla. This fleet consists of three beautiful combination freight and passenger river steamers, named the "Pactolus," the "Naiad" and the "Queen City." Mr. Whiteside is also general superintendent for the lessee of the Central railroad compresses, located in the cities of Columbus and Macon, Ga., and Eufaula, Ala. While a citizen of Savannah Mr. Whiteside was elected a corporal in the Repub- lican Blues, a prominent military organization, and he served as such as long as he resided there. In 1890 he was elected captain of the Columbus guards, and credit- ably filled that position for two years. He had joined the company as a private, and had been promoted to a lieutenancy, his comrades in arms having observed his peculiar fitness and ability as a commanding officer. Although he has never been a seeker after preferment of any kind, Mr. Whiteside has served for the past five years as a trustee of the Columbus public schools. He is eminent commander of St. Aldemar commandery, No. 3, Knights Templar, and a member of the vestry of Trinity Episcopal church. In 1879 Mr. Whiteside was married to Miss Carrie E. Brown, of Columbus, a daughter of W. R. Brown, a prominent citizen of that place.

DR. CHARLES L. WILLIAMS of Columbus, Ga., was born March 26, 1844, in Hamilton, Harris, Co., Ga., receiving his earlier education in the town of his birth and afterward attending the Brownwood institute at La Grange, Troup Co., Ga., and the Glennville Military institute,. Glennville, Russell Co., Ala. In July, 1861, Mr. Williams enlisted, as first sergeant, in the Twentieth

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Georgia infantry, serving as such until the battle of Sharpsburg, Tenn, Sept. 22, 1862. In that battle he suffered a serious wound, and in consequence, was placed on the retired list and returned to his homc, but, having sufficiently recovered from his wound, he was made an enrolling officer and served in that capacity until the close of the war. While on the field Mr. Williams was a participant in the battles of Sharpsburg, Malvern Hill, second Manassas and many minor skirmishes. He had five brothers in the Confederate service, viz .: John Thomas, a member of the Third Georgia cavalry, who died about the year 1881; James F. C., in Gen. Clement A. Evan's brigade, under Stonewall Jackson; Benjamin H., a member of one of the companies composing the First Georgia regiment, which company was commanded by Capt. Frank Wilkins of Columbus, Ga .; Brittain Williams, who served during the latter part of the war; and O. S. Williams, a member of the Georgia cadets, a company formed from the students of Oglethorpe university, at Marictta, Ga. During the year 1865 Mr. Williams began the study of medicine at Hamilton, Harris Co., Ga., and later attended a course of lectures at the Augusta Medical college, now the medical department of the university of Georgia, but was finally graduated from the Atlanta, Ga., Medical college, in 1866. Immediately after his graduation and in order to further perfect himself in the knowledge of his profession, Dr. Williams entered the Bellevue Hospital Medical college, New York city, remained therc one year and then returned to his home in Hamilton, Ga., during March, 1867. After practicing for a time at Hamilton he removed to Villula, Russell Co., Ala., where he entered upon the practice of his profession, but at the end of four years, to accommodate a large patronage, he changed his residence to Seale, the county seat of Russell, and remained there fourtcen years, removing to his present residence in Columbus, Ga., in December, 1886. Although he has never sought political preferment, Dr. Williams was elected treasurer of Russell county, Ala., in 1877 and served four years. He was made president of the Russell County Medical society for one term and was a charter member of that organization. He is a member of the Baptist church and also a prominent member of the masonic fraternity, having served as worshipful master of the lodge at Seale, Ala., for several years. On Dec. 31, 1869, Dr. Williams was married to Miss Mary L. Evans, a daughter of John Q. Evans, a prominent citizen of Villula, Ala. Dr. Williams was called upon to mourn the death of his wife in 1889, leaving four daughters as the issue of their union, viz .: A little boy, Charles Wellborn, died in 1875, two and one-half years of age; Fanny L., Mary E., Sallie B. and Ina J. The father of Dr. Williams was Thomas A. Williams, a prominent citizen of Harris county, Ga., who died while the subject of this sketch was in infancy. Hc was a planter and was the first democrat ever elected to the office of sheriff of Harris county. Dr. Williams is descended maternally from Lucinda (Henry) Williams, a native of Harris county, Ga.

WILLIAM A. WIMBISH, a very prominent attorney of Columbus, Ga., was born at La Grange, Troup Co., Ga., May 1, 1859, and is a son of Dr. H. S. and Emma (Stanley) Wimbish. Dr. H. S. Wimbish was a native of Abbeville district, S. C., came to Georgia in early manhood and for a time practiced his profession at Greenville, Mcriwether Co. In 1858 he removed to La Grange, Troup Co., Ga., and founded the La Grange Banking & Trust company, of which institution he was the president at the date of his decease, in 1875. He was married to Miss Emma Stanley, a scion of the famous North Carolina family of that name. William A. Wimbish received most of his primary education in La Grange, in 1875 went to Washington and Lee university, Lexington, Va., and was graduated from that institution in the academic course in 1878, and from

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the law department of the sanie in 1879. Immediately after his graduation he returned to his home at La Grange, Ga., where he was admitted to the bar the same year by diploma, and practiced his profession five years. In 1884 he removed his law office to Atlanta, Ga., practiced there four years and was regarded as an eminently successful attorney. In 1888 he removed to Columbus, where he has since been actively engaged in the practice. Together with his old law partner, Hon. William A. Little of Columbus, Mr. Wimbish was for two years the counsel of the Columbus Southern railroad, and was brought very promi- nently before the public in the celebrated case of that road vs. Wright, comp- troller-general. Mr. Wimbish carried the cause of his clients to the supreme court of the United States, and it was here that he achieved the extensive reputation he now enjoys. Mr. Wimbish is special counsel of the state of Georgia for the Western & Atlantic railroad, an office created by the general assembly, to which he was appointed by the governor. This railroad, extending from Atlanta to Chattanooga, and having very valuable terminals in both cities, is the exclusive property of the state, though now leased to and operated by the Nashville, Chattanooga & St. Louis railway. The state first leased the road, more than twenty-five years ago, since which time, until 1892, it had no representative to specially look after and guard its interests in this valuable property. In conse- quence of the growth of the cities of Atlanta and Chattanooga, and the encroachments of other railroads on the right of way and properties of the Western & Atlantic, it was found that great confusion had arisen concerning the rights of the state and much litigation was threatened. Mr. Wimbish was appointed special counsel for the purpose of ascertaining and asserting the rights of the state in this property. He has been eminently successful in this work, having recovered properties which had been lost sight of for more than forty years, and adjusted numerous controversies which otherwise would have resulted in seri- ous loss to the state. Mr. Wimbish is a director in, and general counsel for the Interstate Building & Loan association, one of the strongest financial institutions in the south, having assets of nearly $1,500,000, with its home office in Columbus. About a year ago Mr. Wimbish founded the prominent and successful law firm of Wimbish, Worrill & McMichael. In 1881 he was happily joined in the bonds of holy wedlock to Miss Susie Dickenson, a most estimable lady of Decatur county, Ga., and a daughter of the late William Dickenson, a very prominent citizen of that county.

CHARLES B. WOODRUFF, secretary and treasurer of the Eagle & Phoenix Manufacturing company of Columbus, Ga., was born in that city on Aug. 27, 1860. His father, Louis T. Woodruff, was a native of New Jersey and came south prior to the war between the states, and at one time operated a line of steamboats on the Chattahoochee river from Columbus, Ga., the head of naviga- ion, to Apalachicola, Fla. He died in 1863. During the war, the gentleman whose name heads this article, then an infant of two years, was removed by his parents to the city of Elizabeth, N. J., returning with his mother to Columbus, Ga., in 1866. Young Woodruff received his entire education in the Columbus city schools and in 1873, at the early age of thirteen years, began his life-work as a clerk in a dry goods establishment at Columbus. He served in that capacity for two years and then obtained employment as a bookkeeper for the firm of Gordon & Cargill, and remained in the employ of that firm five years. In 1879 Mr. Woodruff entered the service of the Eagle & Phoenix Manufacturing company of Columbus as a bookkeeper and general office man, and as such served fourteen years. For his faithfulness and efficiency in the performance of any duty devolving upon him, he was, in February, 1894, promoted to the responsible

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position of secretary and treasurer of the company, which is one of the largest manufacturers of cotton and woolen stuffs in the entire southern states. In 1890 Mr. Woodruff was made secretary and treasurer of the Chattahoochee Knitting company, of Columbus, also, and he was elected a member of the board of directors of the Eagle & Phoenix Manufacturing company. Though he has never sought political preferment, he was in 1893 selected as a member of the democratic executive committee of Muscogee county and served very efficiently in that capacity through the succeeding campaign. Mr. Woodruff is not a member of any church, though entertaining a most profound respect for every form of Christian belief. He is a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. In October, 1890, Mr. Woodruff was happily joined in the bonds of wedlock to Miss Mary L. Mott of Columbus, a granddaughter of Col. Randolph Mott of that. city. This union has been blessed by the birth of one son, Randolph Mott Woodruff.

HENRY LINDSAY WOODRUFF, superintendent of the Empire flour mills of Columbus, Ga., is a son of George W. Woodruff, the owner of those mills, and was born in Muscogee county, Ga., May 20, 1851. He has resided in the county of his birth all his life except a few years, probably seven, during his childhood. His educational advantages were limited to such as were afforded by the common schools of Muscogee county, which he attended regularly until his fourteenth year. He began his work in life as a bill clerk in the Empire flour mills and by close application and a thorough discharge of the duties devolving upon him has been successively promoted from the lowest to the highest position connected with that large mill, having been unanimously chosen superintendent of the same in 1872. Mr. Woodruff is a man of much native talent and a thorough business man, energetic and full of enterprise. He occupies several positions of trust and honor in the business world at large; among others, hold- ing the place of a director of the Columbus Investment company and in the Columbus Savings bank. He is also a large stockholder in the East Atlanta Land company, the Atlanta Home Insurance company and the Atlanta Consoli- dated Street Railway company, all of Atlanta, Ga .; and he has considerable stock in the Union Oil and Land company of California, besides a moderate amount of stock in several minor concerns. Although he has never sought preferment of any kind, Mr. Woodruff was, in 1881, selected as alderman from the Fourth ward of Columbus, but firmly declined re-election. However, in 1894, he was prevailed upon to accept a place as a member of the Columbus board of police commissioners, and he retains that position at the present time. He is a member of the masonic fraternity, and also a member of the Presbyterian church. Mr. Woodruff was married on Oct. 28, 1875, to Miss Mary J. Kyle, an estimable lady of Columbus, Ga., a daughter of the late John Kyle. This union has been blessed by the birth of three sons and two daughters, viz .: Virgie Bright, James Waldo, Harry Ernest, Anna Lucile, and George Cecil.

I. H. WORRILL, a prominent attorney of Columbus, Ga., was born in Tal- · botton, Talbot Co., Ga., Aug. 10, 1855. He was reared and received his earlier education in the town of his birth; and in 1873 he became a student at the university of Georgia (Athens), graduating with distinction from that insti- tution in 1875. Immediately after his graduation he returned to his home at Tal- botton and began the study of the law under the tutorage of his father, Hon. E. H. Worrill, who was, for fourteen years, the presiding judge of the Chattahoochee judicial circuit, departing this life in 1881. The son was admitted to the bar at the fall term of Talbot superior court and practiced his profession in Talbotton

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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 93

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