Henry County
GAGenWeb
One of the ablest and best known attorneys in
southwestern Georgia is Zach Arnold, whose activities have brought him
prominently before the people in professional, civic and public connections. He
was born on the 5th of January, 1889, at Stockbridge, Henry county, Georgia, and
is a son of Rev. W. E. and Hattie (Murphy) Arnold, the latter now living in
Atlanta. The father, who is now deceased, was educated at Middle Georgia College
and was a minister of the Methodist Episcopal church South during all of his
active life.
Zach Arnold received his preliminary education in the public
schools of Loganville, Barnesville and Fairmount, after which he attended Gordon
Institute and Young Harris College. He then entered the Atlanta Law School, from
which he was graduated June 11, 1911, with the B. L. degree and the same day was
admitted to the bar. He engaged in the practice of his profession in Atlanta
until 1913, when he moved to Fort Gaines, where he has practiced continuously
since, gaining marked prestige as an able and successful lawyer and as a
public-spirited and influential citizen. He employs none of the arts and tricks
of oratory, but his speeches are eloquent in the clearness of statement, the
broad common sense of reasoning, the force of logic, earnestness and power. He
has been connected, as counsel, with most of the important cases in the local
courts for years and is considered unusually safe and sound as a counselor. He
is a member of the Georgia Bar Association and was a vice president of the same
in 1924. He also belongs to the Commercial Law League of America.
Mr.
Arnold takes a deep interest in everything relating in any way to the welfare of
his community, cooperating in the advancement of all measures for the betterment
of local conditions. He is a stanch democrat and represented his county in the
lower house of the state legislature for eight years, from 1915 to 1922,
attending ten sessions, and during the last two years was speaker pro tem.
Fraternally he is a Mason, is a past master of his lodge and is now high priest
of the Royal Arch Chapter; he also belongs to the Knights of Pythias and the
Woodmen of the World. He is a member and steward of the Methodist Episcopal
church and is assistant superintendent of the Sunday school. He is secretary of
the board of education. He served for ten years, 1903 to 1913, as a member of
the Fifth Regiment, National Guard of Georgia, and was a captain in said
regiment for two years. During the World war he gave effective service as
chairman of the food administration and chairman of the Liberty Loan drives in
his county. He was also vice president of the Red Cross at Fort Gaines.
Mr. Arnold was married June 29, 1911, to Miss Jimmie McLendon, of Fort Gaines, a
daughter of N. H. and Jimmie Elizabeth (Wright) McLendon, the former a
prosperous and highly respected merchant of Fort Gaines, while the mother was
born in Stewart county, Georgia. Mrs. Arnold graduated from the Fort Gaines high
school, then attended the Bessie Tift College and the Atlanta Conservatory of
Music and taught voice and oratory prior to her marriage. Mr. and Mrs. Arnold
are the parents of four children: Elizabeth, Edwina, Zach, Jr., and Ruth.
Personally, Mr. Arnold is a man among men, possessing to a marked degree those
qualities which commend a man to the good opinion of his fellows. He is kindly
and thoughtful in all his personal relations and stands high in the confidence
and esteem of the entire community.
[Volume 2, pages 66-67]
Mrs. John S. Brown, one of the scholarly women of her
community, has forged to the front in a responsible and exacting calling and
earned an enviable reputation as the head of one of the most important branches
of public service in her county. Her work as an educator has brought her
prominently to the notice of the public and the result has been a demand for her
services where a high standard of professional excellence has been required. She
is now county superintendent of schools of Henry county, Georgia.
Mrs.
Brown, who bore the maiden name of Katherine Bradfield, was born at Lagrange,
Georgia, in July, 1880, and is a daughter of William R. and Willie (Pitman)
Bradfield, both of whom are deceased. She comes of a long line of sterling
ancestry and English, Scotch and Irish blood flows in her veins. Her forebears
have long been prominent in Georgia affairs, her maternal grandfather having
been one of the earliest physicians in this state. She secured her elementary
education in the public schools, and then entered the Lagrange Female College,
where she was graduated in 1901 with the degree of Bachelor of Science. She
later was a student in the University of Tennessee.
Mrs. Brown then
engaged in teaching school, in which vocation her superior qualifications were
quickly recognized and after serving as principal of several schools was chosen
superintendent of the schools at Stockbridge, Georgia. In 1924 she was elected
county superintendent of schools for the term ending January 1, 1928, and in
this responsible position she has gained added prestige among the successful
educators of this state. She has twenty-six white schools and twenty-eight negro
schools under her supervision and has so directed the affairs of her office as
to receive the hearty commendation of all who have been familiar with her work.
In 1904 she became the wife of John S. Brown, who was born in February,
1880, and who has long been engaged in business and in farming at Locust Grove,
Henry county, serving as postmaster at that place since 1912. He is a graduate
of a business college in Atlanta and is a man of splendid business ability and
fine personal character. They are both supporters of the democratic party, while
their religious faith is that of the Methodist Episcopal church, belonging to
that church at Locust Grove. Mrs. Brown is an earnest member of the United
Daughters of the Confederacy, the Daughters of the American Revolution and of
the Missionary Society. She keeps abreast of the times in advanced educational
methods, and her general knowledge is broad and comprehensive. Because of her
earnest life, high attainments, well rounded character and large influence, she
has long enjoyed an enviable position in the confidence and esteem of all who
know her.
[Volume 4, pages 63-64]
Dr. Zachary Stuart Cowan, who proved his loyalty and patriotism by
distinguished service in the World war, is now engaged in the practice of
medicine in Atlanta and although he has not yet reached the zenith of his
powers, his pronounced ability and deep interest in his profession have led to
his recognition as one of the city’s leading physicians. He was born September
29, 1886, in Henry county, Georgia, and represents one of the old and prominent
families of the state. His grandfather, Dr. J. J. Cowan, was also an able and
successful member of Georgia’s medical fraternity and for thirty years conducted
a sanitarium at Conley, his patients coming from a wide area. His son, James W.
Cowan, was a lifelong resident of Georgia, devoting his attention to the
occupation of farming, and in 1900 death terminated his labors. He had married
Ann Bailey, who survives him and is now living in Atlanta. In their family ‘were
eight children and two have passed away. Those who survive are: Edward, a
resident of Ellenwood, Georgia; J. G., C. G. and Zachary Stuart, all of Atlanta;
Mrs. G. T. McDaniel, whose home is at Eastman, Georgia; and Mrs. J. W.
Roundtree, of Atlanta.
Dr. Z. S. Cowan received his rudimentary
instruction in the rural schools of his native county and this was followed by a
course in the high school at McDonough, taught by Professor C. F. Ham. For a
time he was employed as a clerk in Atlanta and in 1909 matriculated in the
University of Georgia, from which he won the B. S. degree in 1913. He next
became a medical student at Emory University and was graduated with the class of
1917. He began his professional career in Atlanta but soon afterward offered his
aid to the nation and was accepted for service. On July 10, 1917, he was
commissioned a first lieutenant in the United States Medical Corps, being
detailed for hospital duty, and was rapidly promoted. He was made a captain.
December 23, 1917, and on March 15, 1918, was advanced to the grade of major. He
was an instructor at Camp Oglethorpe, Georgia, for a time and on June 30, 1918,
sailed for France as regimental surgeon with the Thirty-seventh Engineers, with
which he went to the western front. He participated in the latter part of the
Chateau Thierry drive and also in the St. Mihiel and Argonne-Meuse offensives.
After the signing of the armistice he spent some time on the Rhine with the
Third Army of Occupation and on April 8, 1919, was honorably discharged at Camp
Upton, New York. On his return to Atlanta he located in the Hurt building, later
opening his present suite of offices in the Candler building, and now enjoys a
large practice. He is a member of the staff of the Baptist Hospital and chairman
of the medical staff of the Atlanta Tuberculosis Association. He is also in the
service of the American Red Cross, giving a course of instruction in first aid,
and in recognition of meritorious work in behalf of the organization was awarded
a certificate which bears the signatures of President Coolidge, who is the
executive head of the order, and John Barton Payne, chairman of the central
committee.
Dr. Cowan was married May 1, 1919, to Miss Martha L. Wilkins,
a daughter of Samuel G. Wilkins, one of the oldest and most prominent merchants
of this city, and they now have one child, Zachary Stuart Cowan, Jr., born April
8, 1920, in Atlanta. The Doctor gives his political allegiance to the democratic
party and is a Presbyterian in religious faith. He has attained the
thirty-second degree in the Masonic order and is one of the Nobles of the Mystic
Shrine. An indefatigable student, he utilizes every opportunity to perfect
himself in his profession and keeps in close touch with its onward trend through
his affiliation with the Fulton County and Georgia State and Southern Medical
Societies and the American Medical Association.
[Volume 3, pages 196-199]
Natural inclination and inherited
tendencies inclined Dr. Robert Battie Goldin toward the medical profession, a
field in which members of the family in both the paternal and maternal lines
achieved noteworthy success, and he is ably sustaining its traditions, ranking
with the leading physicians of Rock Mart and Polk county. He was born November
21, 1890, at Draketown, Georgia, and his father, Dr. William Franklin Goldin,
was a native of what is now Harolson county, this state. The latter was a son of
Seaborn and Sarah Goldin, both of whom were natives of a district now included
within the borders of Walton county, Georgia. Seaborn Goldin was born in 1817
and in 1844, when twenty-seven years of age, moved with his family to Paulding
county, Georgia, settling on a tract of land which he converted into a fruit and
nursery farm. He was systematic, energetic and farsighted and became recognized
as one of the most progressive horticulturists of that section of the state.
His son, Dr. William F. Goldin, was born on the 6th of February, 1851, and
during his youth his educational advantages were very limited. After attaining
manhood he attended the high school at Tallahoosa, Georgia, and then read
medicine. He practiced for awhile under a temporary license and in 1875 entered
the Atlanta Medical College, from which he was graduated in 1877. He located at
Draketown and in 1888 went to England, completing a special course in surgery in
the London medical colleges. Returning to Draketown, he subsequently built up a
large and very remunerative practice. In his district he stood at the head of
his profession, and his prestige as a physician extended far beyond that
locality, bringing him patients from the neighboring state of Alabama. He
possessed a kindly, sympathetic nature, a genial, warm-hearted disposition and
was universally beloved. He was very hospitable, and his home resembled a
convention on Sundays when his patients called for a friendly visit. He not only
excelled in his profession but was also the possessor of superior business and
financial ability. He established a reputation as a wise and able legislator,
representing the thirty-eighth senatorial district in the general assembly of
Georgia, in which he served for three terms: 1890-91, 1896-97 and 1902-03. His
life was conspicuously useful and was terminated on the 6th of May, 1915, when
he was sixty-four years of age.
In 1878 Dr. William F. Goldin was married
to Miss Sarah Hutcheson, who was born at Draketown and is still a resident of
that place. Her parents were Dr. Robert B. and Sarah Hutcheson, the former of
whom was long numbered among the foremost physicians of Draketown. Dr. Hutcheson
was born in McDonough, Henry county, Georgia, in 1825 and was there reared and
educated, attending the “old field” schools common to the rural districts during
his boyhood days. In 1854 he secured a license to practice medicine and followed
his profession for many years with much success. He was chosen for public
honors, representing the thirty-eighth senatorial district in the constitutional
convention of 1867-68, and in the session of 1873-74 represented Harolson county
in the general assembly, to which he was reelected in 1886.
Robert B.
Goldin acquired his early education in Draketown, completing his high school
course in 1909, and he then spent two years at Mercer University. He was next a
student at the Atlanta Medical College and in 1917 was graduated from the
Chicago College of Medicine & Surgery. He was made an interne at the Birmingham
(Alabama) Infirmary, filling that position until the close of the World war, and
he has since engaged in general practice at Rock Mart. He has thoroughly
demonstrated his ability to cope with disease, employing the most approved
modern methods and remedial agencies, and a large list of patients is indicative
of the confidence reposed in his professional skill.
On November 11,
1917, at Draketown, Georgia, Dr. Goldin was married to Miss Estelle McBrayer, a
daughter of Joseph B. McBrayer, a well-to-do planter of Paulding county. To this
union four children were born, namely: Robert Battie, Jr., Harold, Mary Beth and
Joel.
Dr. Goldin attends the Baptist church, and his political allegiance
is given to the democratic party. He enjoys outdoor sports and is the possessor
of a fine physique. He played professional baseball for seven years in the South
Atlantic, Georgia State and Southeastern Leagues and was drafted by the
Columbus, Ohio, team of the American Association. He is identified with the Rock
Mart lodge of Masons and while a student at the Chicago College of Medicine &
Surgery became a member of the Phi Delta fraternity. He is serving as secretary
of the Polk County Medical Society and also belongs to the District and State
Medical Societies and the American Medical Association. Although young in years,
Dr. Goldin has already gained high standing in his profession, and his rapid
progress indicates that he has chosen the vocation for which nature intended
him.
[Volume 4, pages 64-67]
Among the
venerable and highly esteemed citizens of Henry county, Georgia, stands Absalom
G. Harris, a retired business man and farmer, who for seventeen consecutive
years has served as ordinary of Henry county. Those who know him best will
readily acquiesce in the statement that many elements of a solid and practical
nature are united in his makeup, and which during a long period of years have
gained for him a conspicuous place among his fellow citizens.
Mr. Harris
was born in Meriwether county, Georgia, on the 15th of March, 1847, and is a son
of Alston Green and Ann (Gray) Harris. The father, who passed away at the
advanced age of ninety years, was of English extraction and was related to the
noted Green family of Atlanta, while the mother, who died at the age of eighty
years, was of Irish descent.
Absalom G. Harris was reared and educated in
his native county and during the Civil war enlisted as a member of Company B,
Second Georgia Cavalry, with which he served during the last years of that
conflict. He took part in the engagement at Macon when General Stoneman was
captured. On returning to civil life, Mr. Harris engaged in mercantile pursuits
and also farmed, devoting practically all of his active life to those two
occupations up to the time of his retirement, in 1900, since which time he has
taken things more leisurely, enjoying that rest which his former years of
endeavor so richly entitle him to. In 1909 he was elected ordinary of Henry
county and each year since he has been reelected without opposition, being the
present incumbent of that position.
Fraternally Mr. Harris has for over a
half century been a member of the Free and Accepted Masons, and all of his sons
also belong to that time-honored fraternity. Religiously he is an earnest and
faithful member of the Methodist Episcopal church.
On September 22, 1870,
Mr. Harris was married to Miss Ophelia Burch, in Monroe county, and in 1920 they
celebrated their golden wedding anniversary. To them have been born seven
children, briefly mentioned as follows: Joseph C., who is now a cotton buyer at
Jackson, Tennessee, has been twice married, first to Miss Talmadge Johnson, now
deceased, of which union there are four living children, and second to Miss
Roida Ivinson; Sally Fannie is the wife of O. R. Brown, of Homestead, Florida,
and they have two children; Essie is the wife of H. L. Carmichael, of East
Point, Fulton county, Georgia; Ella Mae is the widow of T. A. Woodruff, of
Atlanta, Georgia, and has three children; Absalom G., Jr., who is with the
Williamson Cotton Company of Atlanta, married Miss Edna Hightower and they have
one child; Eva is the wife of H. E. Cook, of McDonough, and they have six
children; Homer B., who is connected with the Ford sales agency at Atlanta,
married Miss Ida Lou Tarpley. He was an ensign in the United States navy during
the World war.
Mr. Harris is a man of kindly and genial manner, who,
despite his nearly four score years, takes a genuine interest in public affairs
and enjoys the companionship of his friends, of whom he has a host throughout
Henry county. He has at all times stood for those things which tend to elevate
the standards of living and is sincerely as oa because of his earnest and
upright life.
[Volume 4, pages 15-16]
Dr. Lum Geoffrey Neal, a veteran of the World war, is engaged in the
practice of medicine at Cleveland, and his deep interest in and love for his
work, combined with untiring application, have enabled him to advance rapidly in
the profession of his choice. He was born June 28, 1891, on the home farm near
the Salem camp grounds, in McDonough, Georgia, and is a son of Francis Marion
and Floy Anna (Stroud) Neal. His mother was born March 14, 1873, in Henry
county, Georgia, of which her father, Isham Stroud, was also a native. He
followed the occupation of farming and also was engaged in merchandising. During
his boyhood he was seized with a strong desire to serve the Confederate cause
and ran away from home in order to enlist. Francis Marion Neal was born June 26,
1870, at Walnut Grove, Alabama, and as a young man entered the mercantile field,
in which he continued until about 1916. Owing to failing health he sought an
outdoor occupation, and he has since been engaged in the contracting business,
making his home in Atlanta. He occupies an enviable position in commercial
circles of the capital city and along fraternal lines is connected with the
Independent Order of Odd Fellows. His father, W. A. Neal, was of Scotch descent
and was a native of Alabama, in which state he was engaged in agricultural
pursuits for many years. He was a captain in the Confederate army, serving under
General Forrest, and was wounded in the service.
Dr. Neal attended the
common schools of Palmer, Texas, and of Holly Pond, Alabama. In 1908 he
completed a course in the high school at Blountsville, Alabama, and he devoted
about a year to the profession of teaching. Subsequently he matriculated at the
Atlanta College of Physicians and Surgeons, from which he was graduated in 1916.
For eight months he was an interne at the Battle Hill Sanitarium in that city,
and he was next connected with a hospital at Redlake, Minnesota. In August,
1917, Dr. Neal entered the United States army. He was commissioned a first
lieutenant in the medical corps and on October 7, 1917, was ordered overseas. On
reaching Liverpool, England, he was assigned to duty at the Fourth Scottish
General Hospital, situated at Glasgow, and there he spent two months. He was
connected with the war hospital at Edinburgh, Scotland, for six months and then
went to Leeds, England, for a special course of instruction which covered six
weeks. On the expiration of that period he was made a surgeon of the Twelfth
Battalion of the King’s Liverpool Regiment and was stationed near Amiens,
France, remaining on that war front from April 1, 1918, until an armistice was
declared. He was gassed August 18, 1918, in the sector near Arras and for six
weeks received hospital treatment in France. In February, 1919, he returned to
the United States and was placed in a hospital at Fort McPherson, Georgia. He
was honorably discharged July 15, 1919, with the rank of captain, and since
September 1, 1919, he has been engaged in general practice at Cleveland. He is
now specializing to some extent in internal medicine and diseases of the chest,
and his professional services are in constant demand. He has a thorough
understanding of the fundamental principles of medical science and his military
experience has proven of great value in his work.
On April 24, 1919, in
Blairsville, Georgia, Dr. Neal was married to Miss Pauline Erwin Butt, a
daughter of Eugene W. Butt, a retired merchant and a prominent banker of that
place. He was a native of Union county, Georgia, and his demise occurred on the
12th of February, 1921. He was honored with several public offices, serving for
one term as ordinary of Union county and for two years as mayor of Blairsville,
and he also represented his district in the state legislature. He entered the
Confederate army, joining the Forty-ninth Regiment of Georgia Infantry, and was
sergeant of his company. Three of his brothers were injured in defense of the
southern cause and one, J. W. Butt, died as a result of his injuries. Dr. and
Mrs. Neal have become the parents of a son, Lum Geoffrey, Jr., born June 22,
1922. Mrs. Neal attended the public schools of Blairsville and in 1914 was
graduated from the Young Harris College. She was trained in music and art and is
a vocalist and a pianist of ability. She is president of the Woman’s Missionary
Society and is active in the work of the Methodist church, with which the Doctor
is also affiliated. He belongs to Yonah Lodge No. 382, of the Masonic order;
Alleghany chapter, R. A. M.; Pilgrim commandery, K. T.; and Yaareb Temple of the
Mystic Shrine. He is also connected with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows
and the Woodmen of the World. He is a member of the Hall County, Ninth District
and Georgia State Medical Societies and the American Medical Association. He is
a constant and untiring student of his profession, and while in college he was
president of his class. Dr. Neal is allied with the democratic party and has
served for three terms on the board of aldermen of Cleveland. He has
demonstrated his loyalty and patriotism by both word and deed and represents the
best type of American manhood and citizenship.
[Volume 2, pages 498-501]
Macaulay has said: “The history of a community
is best told in the lives of its people,” and an important chapter in Griffin’s
progress is. covered by the life record of Jonathan P. Nichols, chairman of the
board of directors of the Griffin Banking Company, one of the pioneer financial
corporations of Georgia. Some forty-four years of his life have been devoted to
the service of this institution, which is largely indebted to him for its
success and prestige, and he has also left the impress of his individuality in
marked measure upon industrial activities and religious affairs,
Mr.
Nichols was born September 15, 1859, in Meriwether county, Georgia, a son of
Isaac C. and Katherine (Protho) Nichols, the latter a representative of an old
and highly respected family of Georgia whose members achieved distinction in the
Civil war. Isaac C. Nichols was of Scotch and Irish lineage and his ancestors
were among the early settlers of South Carolina. He was one of the gallant
defenders of the Confederate cause and was in the service from the beginning
until the close of the bitter struggle between the north and the south. He was
one of the well known planters of Meriwether county, and he taught school for a
time. Mr. Nichols was called to public office, proving his value to the state as
a legislator, and in later life he entered the Baptist ministry. He was an
eloquent divine and filled pastorates in various parts of Georgia, working
earnestly and effectively to strengthen the power of the church and expand the
scope of its influence. He was removed from the scene of his early labors in
1892, having for many years survived his wife, whose demise occurred in 1868.
The public schools of Spalding county afforded Jonathan P. Nichols his early
educational advantages, and his academic training was received in Oxford College
of Alabama. For three years he was engaged in merchandising: in Griffin,
Georgia, and in 1884 he became cashier of the Griffin Banking Company. The
ability and devotion to duty which he displayed in safeguarding the funds of the
institution resulted in his election to the presidency in 1896 and for
twenty-nine years he was the incumbent of that office, wisely and successfully
guiding the destiny of the bank. In 1925 he tendered his resignation, and he is
now chairman of the board of directors. His associates on the board are J. H.
Stevens, Lloyd Cleveland, B. R. Blakely, J. P. Nichols, Jr., E. C. Smith, W. F.
Ingram, W. H. Williams and John B. Mills.
The Griffin Banking Company
came into being through a charter granted by the Georgia legislature October 26,
1870. It was organized as successor to the firm of J. S. Jones, Drumright &
Company, which did a private banking business here for a few years following the
Civil war, and was established in response to a need for enlarged banking
facilities in an important and rapidly growing market, in the midst of a rich
and productive agricultural territory. The founders of the bank were J. S.
Jones, W. P. Drumright, J. C. Freeman, James Neal and Samuel Bailey. The
legislative charter gave them the privilege of organizing with a capital of one
hundred thousand dollars and of beginning business with fifty thousand dollars
paid in. The banking house of J. S. Jones, Drumright & Company was chosen as the
home of the Griffin Banking Company, the purchase being made shortly after the
organization, and the sum of five thousand dollars was paid for the property. In
1909 the building was practically reconstructed, and throughout the period of
its existence, covering fifty-five years, the company has occupied the same site
at the corner of Hill and Bank streets. The remainder of the stock subscriptions
was called June 10, 1872, thus increasing the capital stock to one hundred
thousand dollars.
The original officers of the Griffin Banking Company
were W. M. Bates, president, and J. S. Jones, cashier. The first board of
directors included J. S. Jones, J. C. Freeman, Samuel Bailey, Andrew Bates, N.
C. Munroe, W. J. Kincaid, W. P. Drumright and W. M. Bates. Banking hours were
from eight in the morning until four in the afternoon and officers had many
duties to perform. All the executive functions were vested in the president,
while the cashier also served as bookkeeper and often in other capacities. The
business progressed satisfactorily until 1875, when difficulties arose, and on
March 20 of that year the stockholders called a meeting, authorizing and
directing the winding up of the company’s affairs by January 1, 1876. _ They
reduced the capital to fifty thousand dollars but did not wind up the business,
as directed, struggling along while improvement came slowly but surely, and at
the regular meeting of October 4, 1876, their former action was rescinded. Thus
the day was saved and the bank preserved for a career of larger and wider
usefulness.
Upon the death of the beloved president, W. M. Bates, Samuel
Bailey was chosen as his successor, occupying the office until October, 1876.
The “stringency of the times” necessitated voluntary service and M. L. Bates
promptly agreed to act as president without remuneration. A year later the
company offered him a salary of five hundred dollars a year, and his
administration covered a period of twenty years, during which time the business
grew and prospered. In 1881 W. M. Mitchell tendered his resignation as cashier
and his place was filled by D. D. Peden, who served until June 30, 1884, when
his duties were assumed by J. P. Nichols. The first vice president of the
institution was B. R. Blakely, who was elected January 3, 1893, and filled that
post for many years. At the same time E. C. Smith was made assistant cashier,
and he became cashier on January 1, 1896, when J. P. Nichols was elected
president. A noteworthy feature of the early part of Mr. Nichols’ administration
was the inauguration of the policy of the company to take a direct and active
interest in Griffin’s industrial institutions and their development. Investments
were made by the corporation in several of Griffin’s industrial enterprises, and
others were materially assisted in gaining a start by strong and whole-hearted
cooperation on the part of the company.
In October, 1900, the company
secured a renewal of its charter for thirty years, and steps were taken in
January, 1909, to reorganize the institution upon a basis which would enable it
better to meet the growing demands of modern business. The capital stock was
increased to one hundred thousand dollars and in September, 1913, the savings
department was established. The statement of December 31, 1892, showed deposits
of ninety-six thousand, six hundred and sixty-four dollars, with aggregate
resources of one hundred and sixty-two thousand, four hundred and eleven
dollars, and the surplus and profits were approximately fourteen thousand
dollars. On December 31, 1924, the statement of the bank disclosed the fact that
its deposits amounted to seven hundred and thirty thousand, seven hundred and
fourteen dollars and the aggregate resources to nine hundred and sixty-three
thousand, eight hundred and forty-five dollars, and that its surplus and profits
had grown to one hundred and fifty-eight thousand, one hundred and thirty
dollars. When the Griffin Banking Company came into existence the population of
this community was about two thousand, and the institution has kept pace with
the growth of the town and the county, being ready at all times to supply the
service needed by its customers.
With an expert understanding of the
intricate details of modern banking, Mr. Nichols has labored effectively to
broaden the scope of the institution which he represents, and his opinions carry
great weight in financial circles of the state. He aided in organizing the
Georgia Bankers Association, becoming one of its first members, and is also a
leader in the local industrial field. He is vice president of the Rushton Cotton
Mills, of which he was treasurer for a quarter of a century, and is serving as
president of the Griffin Manufacturing Company. He is endowed with a high order
of executive ability and looks ever beyond the exigencies of the moment to the
possibilities and opportunities of the future, building not only for the present
but for the time to come.
Mr. Nichols’ first marriage was with Miss
Jennie Smith, of Hogansville, Georgia, and three children were born to them.
Henry B., the oldest, died when a young man of twenty-eight years. He had
married Miss Louise Green, who survived her husband but a short time and left
two beautiful children, Coleman and Jeannette, now being reared by their
grandfather. Jonathan P., Jr., is a graduate of Mercer University and succeeded
his father as president of the Griffin Banking Company. He is an experienced
financier and ably discharges the duties of the office. He was selected to
represent Spalding county in the Georgia legislature, and since its
establishment he has been a member of the board of city managers, working at all
times for the best interests of Griffin. He married Miss Angie Fields, by whom
he has two children, H. K. and Jonathan P. (III). Katherine married William
Pinkney Price, who is engaged in the wholesale grocery business in Griffin, and
two sons were born to them—William Pinkney, Jr., who died in infancy; and James
Nichols Price. After the death of his first wife Mr. Nichols was married to Miss
Mary Daniels, their marriage being celebrated in 1905. Her father, Cicero
Daniels, was a captain in the Confederate army and served with distinction from
the beginning until the close of the Civil war, being at Appomattox at the time
of Lee’s surrender. Mr. Daniels afterward became a prominent educator, serving
as superintendent of schools of Henry county, Georgia, and for many years was a
justice of the peace. He is now living retired in McDonough, this state. The
mother, Carolyn (Barnes) Daniels, passed away in 1923. Mrs. Nichols completed
her education in the McDonough high school, and she is a Baptist in religious
faith. She is deeply interested in movements for the spiritual uplift and
betterment of humanity and is one of the most prominent church women in the
state. She served for years as superintendent of the Missionary Association and
is now one of the trustees of the Baptist Training School of Louisville,
Kentucky, and a member of the executive board of the Georgia Missionary Union.
Mr. Nichols is also active in church work and is known throughout the south
for his piety and devotion to the Baptist faith. Since a young man of twenty-two
he has been a deacon in the church and for thirty-two years was Sunday school
superintendent, receiving a loving cup at the time of his retirement. He is a
Knight Templar Mason and a Noble of the Mystic Shrine, and he acts as chairman
of the executive board of the Griffin Hospital. His labors have at all times
been guided by a fidelity of purpose born of the desire to have every duty well
done, and his life has been varied in its activities, honorable in purpose, and
far-reaching and beneficial in its effect.
[Volume 2, pages 436-438]
Atlanta leads the south in the manufacture of
tents and awnings and one of the leaders of this industry is D. T. Ricks, a
young man of exceptional enterprise and ability, who has made his own way in the
world, proving what may be accomplished through diligence ard perseverance, when
guided by intelligence and sound judgment. He was born June 11, 1888, in Henry
county, Georgia, and his parents, Larry Redman and Mary Elizabeth (Crowell)
Ricks, were also natives of that county. They always reside within its borders
and the father was an agriculturist. They had a family of seven children and
four survive: Levy R., whose home is in Henry county; Berry G. and D. T., both
of Atlanta; and Mrs. H. J. Berry, also a resident of Henry county.
David
T. Ricks received his education in the public schools of his native county and
afterward came to Atlanta in search of employment. His first position was that
of a bundle wrapper in the establishment of Chamberlain, Johnson & Du Boise and
a year later he obtained work in the plant of M. D. and H. M. Smith,
manufacturers of awnings. He remained with them for a number of years, mastering
every phase of the industry, and in 1917 his initiative spirit prompted him to
establish a business of his own. He opened a small shop and his expert knowledge
of the trade soon brought him a fair share of public patronage. He organized the
Standard Tent & Awning Company, of which he is now the president and general
manager, and under his wise guidance this has become one of the largest
industries of the kind in the city. The firm has about thirty employes and
recently moved to its new home at No. 292 Edgewood avenue. The building, which
is fifty by one hundred and thirty feet in dimensions, was especially
constructed for their use and the plant is supplied with every modern appliance,
ranking with the best of its kind. The awning had its origin in Oriental
countries. Stripes of canvas, tinged with the gayest colors, stretched across a
roof or court, enclosing balconies and sheltering a market place, booth or
bazaar, gave distinctive character to streets in Bagdad or Damascus, to the
water lanes of Venice and the villas and pavilions of the Riviera. The awning,
as well as other things, has been greatly improved by American ingenuity, and in
no place in the world is it used more freely than in the south. Counteracting
the extreme heat and at the same time adding an attractive touch of color and
decoration, it is indispensable to the modern home.
On the 28th of June,
1911, Mr. Ricks was united in marriage to Miss Caroline Smith, a daughter of Mr.
and Mrs. John Clay Smith, prominent Atlantans. Mr. Ricks is identified with the
Knights of the Maccabees, the Loyal Order of Moose, and has taken the degrees of
the lodge chapter and council in Masonry. He belongs to the Southern Canvas
Men’s Association and during its Atlanta convention was chairman of the
entertainment committee. He is also a member of. the National Tent & Awning
Manufacturers Association and the Atlanta Chamber of Commerce. He is affiliated
with the Methodist Episcopal church and consistently follows its teachings. Mr.
Ricks is an active factor in every movement for the improvement and betterment
of Atlanta and the south and enjoys the respect which the world ever yields to
the self-made man.
[Volume 2, pages 389-390]
A lawyer of ability, a jurist of the highest type and a man of integrity and
honor, Judge Charles E. Roop, of Carrollton, has made a deep impress on the
history of this section of the state. He stands as a worthy and notable member
of a striking group of public men whose influence on the civic and social life,
as well as in the professional circles of the locality, has been of a most
beneficent order. The Roop family, as represented in Carroll county, came to
this state from South Carolina. Judge Roop’s paternal grandfather, Martin Roop,
who was the son of John and Phoebe (Pilcher) Roop, was born in South Carolina in
1810. In 1845 he migrated to Georgia, making the trip by wagon, being nine days
on the road. He first settled in Jackson county, where he bought a piece of
cleared land, but at the end of four years moved to Coweta county. This time his
wife traveled practically the entire distance on horseback. After four years
there, they came to Carroll county, where they found conditions that suited
them, and settled on a tract of land at what is now known as Roopville, which
was named in his honor. There was “not a stick amiss,’ an expression meaning
that none of the native timber had been cut. They used pewter dishes and Mrs.
Roop carded, spun and wove all the clothing that they wore. During the Civil war
she made sox, clothing and other necessities for the soldiers in the field. Mr.
Roop was made a member of the Masonic order during the war and in his life
exemplified the sublime principles of that time-honored order. He eventually
became one of the most influential and highly respected men of his locality and
was an important factor in the development and prosperity of that region in
those early days. In 1839, in South Carolina, he had been married to Miss
Elizabeth King, a native of that state and a daughter of Abraham and Lucy
(Bradford) King. To them were born ten children, namely: John K., William W.,
Robert H., Benjamin J., Thomas M., Henry O., James G., Sarah Elizabeth, Savannah
and George W.
John K. Roop was born in Union district, South Carolina,
October 20, 1839, was reared on the paternal farmstead, received his education
in the district schools of that neighborhood and later taught school several
terms. In 1849 he accompanied his parents on their removal to Georgia, where he
spent the remainder of his life. In 1861 he enlisted in Company D, First
Regiment of Georgia Infantry, under Captain J. R. Thomason, but was later
transferred to the cavalry known as Phillips’ Legion, with which command he took
part in many of the most hotly contested battles of that great conflict,
including Sharpsburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, Culpeper Court House and
Mine Run, and saw much service under General Wade Hampton. On returning to civil
life he resumed farming but in 1874 established a mill, which he operated until
1880, when he turned his attention to mercantile business and farming, building
a store at Roopville. A postoffice was established there in 1881 and named
Roopville. He took an active part in public affairs, serving as a justice of the
peace eight years and as a member of the board of county commissioners from 1886
to 1892. He was solicited to run for a seat in_
the general assembly, but
declined to make the race. He served as president of the Carroll County Farmers
Alliance and was a member of the Free and Accepted Masons. A man of unusual
ability and business acumen, abundant success crowned his efforts. Beginning
life with practically nothing, he became the owner of over two thousand acres of
land, a good store and a flourishing mercantile business at Roopville. In 1872
he was married to Miss Eliza Moore, of Henry county, Georgia, daughter of W. H.
and Sarah (Barnes) Moore, also natives of this state, her grandfather, Joshua
Moore, having been an early settler of Henry county. To this union were born
five children, namely: Nora L., the wife of L. A. Ware; Henry A., Charles E.,
Bessie and Fannie.
Charles E. Roop was born at Roopville, Carroll county,
on the 11th day of August, 1877, and received his elementary education in the
public schools there. Then he entered the Southern Normal University at
Huntingdon, Tennessee where he was graduated in 1897, with the degree of
Bachelor of Science. He next attended Mercer University two years, after which
he entered the law department of the University of Georgia, where he was
graduated in 1901, with the degree of Bachelor of Laws, and was admitted to the
bar in the superior court of Clarke county. He then formed a law partnership
with Judge W. F. Brown, an association which was maintained until 1904, when
Judge Roop was elected solicitor of the city court of Carrollton, which office
he filled most acceptably until 1916, when he was elected solicitor general for
the Coweta circuit. He held this office until 1920, when he was elected judge of
the superior court of the Coweta circuit and was reelected in 1924, his present
term expiring in 1929. In Judge Roop are found many of the rare qualities which
go to make up the successful lawyer and jurist, bringing to every case submitted
to him a clearness of perception and ready power of analysis characteristic of
the learned judge. He is the embodiment of the best traditions of the bar and
into his profession he carried and has exemplified a rectitude of purpose that
has given it both dignity and respect. He is a member of the Georgia State Bar
Association and the American Bar Association.
Fraternally, Judge Roop is
a Mason, has taken all the degrees of the York Rite, becoming a Knight Templar,
and the thirty-second degree of the Scottish Rite, and also belongs to Yaareb
Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S. He belongs to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows,
the Knights of Pythias and the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks, being a
member of the grand lodge in each of the three last-named orders. Politically
the judge has been a lifelong supporter of the democratic party, while his
religious membership is with the Missionary Baptist church.
In January,
1905, Judge Roop was married to Miss Lula Long, the daughter of H. W. and
Tullulah (Mandeville) Long, one of the most prominent families of Carroll
county. Her father, who served eight years as mayor of Carrollton, was the son
of Benjamin Long, who was the first white child born in Carroll county. Mrs.
Roop attended the public schools and completed her education in the Alabama
State Normal & Industrial College. She is a member of the Woman’s Christian
Temperance Union, the Order of the Eastern Star and the United Daughters of the
Confederacy. Judge and Mrs. Roop have a daughter, Mary Helen, now twelve years
of age. Personally Judge Roop is genial and friendly in manner and a fine
conversationalist, a man who graces any company that he may choose to enter. He
has long held the absolute confidence and esteem of the people of his community,
who recognize and appreciate his ability, his splendid character and his
friendly attitude toward all with whom he comes in contact.
[Volume 2,
pages 465-467]
The medical profession of
Henry county, Georgia, has an able and worthy representative in the person of
Dr. Wyman Platt Sloan, of McDonough, whose success while yet young in years has
won for him a host of warm friends and admirers in the town and county and made
him widely and favorably known among the representative medical men in this part
of the state. He was born on the 11th of April, 1895, in the town where he now
lives, being a son of Thomas A. and Ola (Tye) Sloan, and he is descended from a
sterling line of ancestors. His father is a namesake of Colonel Thomas A. Sloan,
our subject’s great-uncle, who led one of the first companies from Henry county
during the Civil war. The paternal grandfather was William C. Sloan, who was’a
son of Adam C. and Elizabeth (Johnson) Sloan, the latter being a sister of
ex-Governor Johnson. Adam C. Sloan came to McDonough at the age of sixteen
years, later opened a blacksmith shop here and became a successful business man.
The Sloan family is originally of Scotch and English origin, members of the
family first locating in Virginia, and from there coming to Georgia.
Thomas A. Sloan has for many years been numbered among McDonough’s leading
merchants and representative citizens, owning the largest department store there
and being president of the First National Bank. His wife is a sister of Dr.
Robert L. Tye and a daughter of Dr. Louis McAmy Tye, who was one of Henry
county’s leading physicians during the days of the Civil war. He was in the
army, but the citizens of his home county petitioned him to return and care for
the people here who were without medical attention. He did so and in the care of
his patients drove for twenty miles around McDonough, keeping twelve horses for
that purpose. The Tye ancestry is traced back to pure Yorkshire English stock.
The mother of Mrs. Ola (Tye) Sloan was in her maidenhood Mary Anne Crockett, of
South Carolina. To Thomas A. and Ola Sloan were born five children, namely:
Thomas A., Jr., who is associated with his father in business; C. C., who is a
graduate of the Georgia Institute of Technology and is now with the American
Telegraph & Telephone Company in New York; Dr. Wyman P., thé immediate subject
of this sketch ; Anne Ola, the wife of Terhim Sudderth, who is connected with
the General Motors Corporation at Atlanta; and Ethel Miriam, the wife of D. J.
Arnold, of Hampton, Georgia.
Wyman Platt Sloan received his elementary
education in the public and high schools of McDonough, graduating from the
latter. After attending the University School for Boys, he entered the Georgia
Institute of Technology, where he took three years of engineering. Having
determined to devote his life to the practice of medicine, he then entered the
medical. department of Emory College, where he was graduated in 1918, with the
degree of Doctor of Medicine, after which he spent one year at Grady Hospital as
interne. He began the practice of his profession at McDonough in 1919 and has
since met with very pronounced success. He has a well appointed office in the
First National Bank building and is enjoying a large and representative
practice. Because of his success, his ability and his splendid personality, he
holds an enviable place in the confidence and esteem of the people of his
community.
The Doctor is a member of the Henry County Medical: Society,
of which he is secretary and treasurer; the Georgia State Medical Society and
the American Medical Association; the Kappa Alpha college fraternity and the Chi
Zeta Chi medical college fraternity. He is a member of the Free and Accepted
Masons, in which he has attained the Knights Templar degree, and also belongs to
the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine. His religious choice is the Presbyterian
church, of which he is an earnest member.
In June, 1918, Dr. Sloan was
married to Miss Helen Harris, a daughter of J. C. and Talmadge (Johnson) Harris
and a granddaughter of A. G. Harris, who is represented on other pages of this
work. Mrs. Sloan is a graduate of the Lagrange Female College, at Lagrange,
Georgia, where she received the degree of Bachelor of Music, having specialized
in voice and piano. To Dr. and Mrs. Sloan have been born two children, Wyman
Platt, Jr., and Anne Helene. Mrs. Sloan is a member of the Presbyterian church,
in the work of which she is deeply interested, and she also belongs to the
United Daughters of the Confederacy and the Woman’s Club of McDonough. She is a
lady of charming qualities of character and is extremely popular in the circles
in which she moves.
[Volume 3, pages 663-664]
Thomas R. Stephenson, founder and president of the Stephenson
Company, which was organized in 1909, is one of the best known men in Atlanta
connected with the plumbing trade. He was born December 23, 1860, in De Kalb
county, and belongs to one of Georgia’s old and highly respected pioneer
families, being a representative in the fifth generation from John Stephenson,
who came from Belfast, Ireland, to the United States in 1758. John Stephenson
and his family were members of a party that sailed from Queenstown, and after a
voyage of fifty-six days landed at Jamestown, Virginia. In this party were a
number of families that, like the Stephensons, in later years became residents
of Georgia and have been identified with its development. Among them were the
Waddells, Andersons, Peelers and Callahans, whose descendants intermarried for
several generations following and gave to this state a high type of citizenship.
Thomas Stephenson, a son of John Stephenson, and the great-grandfather of
Thomas R. Stephenson, was born in Belfast, Ireland, in 1755, and was but a child
of three years when his parents emigrated to America and settled in North
Carolina. He served in the war of the Revolution and later married Mary Waddell,
a sister of Moses Waddell, one of the founders of the first school at Athens,
Georgia. Their marriage had its romantic side. Both had come to America as
children on the same sailing vessel. Their romance began in childhood and at the
time Thomas Stephenson enlisted to fight for the independence of the colonies he
wished to make this young lady his wife before he left for the front. She
declined but assured him that she would be waiting his return. He renewed his
efforts at different times when at home on furloughs, but the young lady
remained obdurate, only to make good her promise when the war was over and the
young man returned home. Their first child was John Stephenson, the grandfather
of Thomas R. Stephenson.
John Stephenson was born November 12, 1786, in
Wilkes county, Georgia, and in 1823 removed to De Kalb county, just about the
time that county was formed. He built a most substantial residence on his farm,
about five miles south of Lithonia which for more than a century has withstood
the elemental forces of nature, constituting one of the historical landmarks of
the state. This old home is yet in the family. John Stephenson was an extensive
land owner and one of the most prominent men in his community. He was for years
a justice of the peace and exerted a most wholesome influence in general
affairs. His judgment and opinion were highly regarded, and he was frequently
consulted on various questions. He lived to the ripe old age of eighty-five and
died January 20, 1871. His wife, whose maiden name was Susan Peeler and to whom
he was married in 1812, lived to be sixty-eight years old and died August 11,
1860. Their children were: Thomas; James; Franklin; a daughter, who married
Thomas Gardner; William; Susan, who married William Brantley and moved to Texas
in 1849; Joseph; Moses Randall; John, who died young; Henry John II who also
died young; and Mary, who married Needham Whitely.
Moses Randall
Stephenson, the father of Thomas R. Stephenson, was born March 8, 1827, in
Dekalb county on the old Stephenson homestead. He was one of the aides of
Governor Joseph E. Brown and was later transferred to the staff of General
Joseph Wheeler. He participated in all the engagements around Atlanta in the
summer of 1864. After the close of the war between the states he returned to
Dekalb county and during the remainder of his active life successfully followed
farming. He was choir leader and clerk of Macedonia church for more than forty
years, and, with his family, took a very prominent part in the work of the
church. He was an excellent type of the old time Christian gentleman, whose word
was as good as his bond and whose everyday life reflected those noble virtues of
honesty and uprightness in his every relation to his fellowman. He was married
April 29, 1852, to Miss Mary James, who was born February 14, 1830, in Henry
county, Georgia, a daughter of Joseph and Susan (Hambrick) James. Moses R.
Stephenson and his wife lived together nearly sixty-two years, his death
occurring in Atlanta, December 22, 1913, while on a visit to his son, Thomas R.
His widow survived him until October 29, 1922, when she passed away in Dekalb
county in her ninety-third year. They reared a remarkable family, one that would
be a distinct credit to any parentage. Three of the eight sons became ordained
Baptist ministers, while five were deacons. In nearly three-quarters of a
century there were but three deaths in their immediate family, those of the
parents and eldest son. Their eleven children, all born on the old Stephenson
homestead in Dekalb county, are as follows: Henry D., born March 16, 1853, died
in Alabama in 1884; John C., born November 14, 1854, is a retired merchant of
Decatur, Georgia; Joseph J., born April 6, 1856, a minister of the gospel,
resides in Rockdale county, Georgia; Sally, born December 3, 1857, is Mrs.
Almand Robertson, of Covington, Georgia; William J., born May 26, 1859, resides
at Lithonia, Georgia; Thomas R. is the subject of this sketch; Mary Ann, born
December, 1862, is the widow of William Park and lives in Dekalb county,
Georgia; Benjamin F., born January 10, 1865, is also a resident of Dekalb
county; Charles M., born October 9, 1867, lives in Corinth, Mississippi; Mary
E., born July 1, 1870, is the wife of Edward Evans and lives on the old
Stephenson homestead place in Dekalb county; and June E., born August 8, 1873,
is a resident of Shreveport, Louisiana.
Thomas R. Stephenson was born
December 23, 1860, on the old homestead in Dekalb county. He was reared amid the
environment that prevailed in that section of the state fifty and more years
ago, and attended the public schools of Conyers, Georgia, remaining at home
until nearly twenty-one years old. On August 19, 1881, he came to Atlanta to
seek work. At that time his capital, in addition to the twenty-five cents in
actual money he possessed, consisted of his energy and ambition. His first
employment was with Hunnecut & Bellingrath, with whom he remained for eleven
years, acquiring a comprehensive knowledge of the plumbing and heating business.
During that time he was for seven years on the road for the firm, traveling over
North and South Carolina, Alabama and Georgia. He was foreman for the firm when
it installed the plumbing in the state capitol building, also the Constitution
building, and in the first building of, the Georgia School of Technology in
1888.
In 1892 Mr. Stephenson decided upon an independent venture in the
plumbing business, starting with a, capital of one thousand dollars. It was
conducted as a copartnership until 1909, when it was incorporated as the
Stephenson Company, with Thomas R. Stephenson as president, and he has ever
since been its executive head. The business has enjoyed a steady and healthy
growth and long since has attained a foremost position among Atlanta firms in
its line, occupying one of the most complete plumbing and heating establishments
in the state. The Stephenson Company has filled many important contracts, among
them being the plumbing and heating for some of Atlanta’s finest residences,
also the Standard Oil building, the Central Presbyterian church, the building
occupied by the White Provision Company, the Wynne-Claughton Realty building,
Peachtree Terrace, the apartment houses at No. 696 and 1085 Peachtree street,
the St. Andrews apartment, the dormitory at the Florida State Normal School in
Tallahassee, as well as buildings in Jacksonville, Florida, and other prominent
cities through this section of the south. The spirit behind the organization is
one of helpfulness, and the knowledge and experience of the firm are ever at the
service of its patrons, who are thoroughly appreciative of this broad policy of
personal service, for no one ever calls upon the Stephenson Company for advice
without receiving it, regardless of whether there is a job involved or not. The
firm keeps posted on the laws governing sewers, drains, water and gas mains, and
this information is at the command of friend or stranger alike. Night and day
the Stephenson Company is at the beck and call of the public, and frequently
time runs to seventy hours a week for each employe. A man of high ideals, Mr.
Stephenson has utilized practical methods in their attainment, and in the
upbuilding of his business has been governed by the following principle: "We all
owe something to the other fellow. We can’t stand alone." His attitude toward
those who serve him is indicated by the following motto: "Trust all of your men,
but see that they are worthy of trust." In 1915 the company began to finance
homes for its workers and in this connection has contributed materially toward
their prosperity and happiness. A spirit of sympathy, understanding and
cooperation exists between the firm and its employes, and this has constituted
one of the vital elements in the success of the business and the prestige now
enjoyed by the company.
Ever since he has been in business, Mr.
Stephenson has endeavored to bear a different relation to h’s patrons than
merely that of a dealer selling to the public. He has always taken a delight in
selling good, honest merchandise and doing good, honest work. This fact is
attested by patrons who have dealt with him for forty years, and when any
occasion arises to require or consult a plumber, they never think of anyone else
but Thomas Stephenson. There are few men in any line of business that enjoys the
implicit confidence of an extensive clientele, as does Mr. Stephenson. He has
discounted his bills for years and his credit has always been among the highest.
Very few men have given as close attention to business as he has, and for
thirty-nine years he never took a vacation. He works because he likes it. His
energetic nature would never be contented with inactivity.
On June 12,
1884, Mr. Stephenson was married to Miss Susan E. Adams, a daughter of Joseph
and Susan (Porch) Adams. of Beulah, Lee county, Alabama, and their union was
terminated by her death on August 23, 1922. They were the parents of six
children: Clara B., who resides with her father; Thomas R. and Susan E., twins,
both of whom died in childhood; Lamar Reese, also died in childhood; Fred A.,
who was born July 22, 1890, and died April 27, 1916, after being associated with
his father in business; Kiser Adair, born May 23, 1898, enlisted for service in
the World war and was made sergeant of his company. He was stationed at Camp
Gordon, Atlanta, and acted as inspector of heating and plumbing. He is secretary
and treasurer of the Stephenson Company, discharging the duties of outside
superintendent and also has charge of the purchasing department.
Thomas
R. Stephenson belongs to the National Association of Master Plumbers and since
1889 has been connected with the local organization, of which he is a charter
member. He is a member of the Chamber of Commerce, and his political connection
is with the democratic party. He has never sought political honors, and his
interest in politics is merely that of a good citizen, anxious to see honest and
capable men in office. For over forty-five years he has been a devout and
consistent member of the Baptist church and has served in every office. Like his
father before him, he has been for many years one of the pillars of the church
and has taken a most active and helpful part in its work. He is a charter member
of the Atlanta Baptist Council, and in 1923 was honored by being selected to
represent the Baptist churches of Atlanta at the World Alliance in Stockholm,
Sweden, but ill health compelled him to decline the honor. Notwithstanding the
busy, active life he has led, his inheritance of a robust constitution, clean
living and regular habits have been responsible for his remarkably well
preserved physical condition. Mr. Stephenson has traveled over much of the
United States and Canada, and, being a close observer with a retentive memory,
travel has not only been entertaining but highly instructive as well.
He
is a self-made man but not one who has lived merely to accumulate worldly goods,
for his success has been achieved by integrity and honor in every relation with
his fellowman. His good name is just as great a satisfaction to him as his
pecuniary strength, and when both have been acquired simultaneously the feat is
doubly creditable. Mr. Stephenson has been identified with the business and
commercial life of Atlanta for forty-five years and long since has been accorded
a high position among the city’s strong and able business men. His residence is
at No. 320 Grant street, in which community he has resided for twenty years.
[Volume 2, pages 216-221]
Joseph
Benjamin Wall, one of the distinguished members of the Fitzgerald bar, is
solicitor general for the Cordele circuit, in which capacity he has served for a
period of twelve years, and has also filled other public positions of trust and
responsibility, making a highly creditable record in every office to which he
has been called. He was born July 11, 1878, in Henry county, Georgia, and comes
of English ancestry. His parents were William Pittman and Caroline (Lewis) Wall,
the former of whom Mr. Wall received his rudimentary education in the country
schools near his home and in 1899 completed a course in the Locust Grove
Institute. He was graduated from the literary department of Mercer University in
1902 and in 1904 completed his studies in the law school of that institution,
from which he holds the degrees of A. B. and LL. B. He began his career as a
lawyer in 1904 at Jackson, Georgia, and in the same year was elected mayor of
the town. He acted in that capacity until 1908 and during that period was also
county attorney of Butts county. In 1908 Mr. Wall moved to Fitzgerald and in
1912 recognition of his worth and ability led to his selection for the office of
solicitor general for the Cordele circuit. He is still serving in this
connection, his present term expiring in 1927, and his long retention in the
position establishes his qualifications for the duties devolving upon him and
the place which he holds in public esteem. He was city attorney of Fitzgerald
from 1909 until 1925, doing valuable work for the municipality in that capacity,
and in February, 1922, was appointed special assistant United States attorney to
prosecute the Atlanta, Birmingham & Atlantic Railroad strike, maintaining his
headquarters in the capital city. Mr. Wall is engaged in the general practice of
law and acts as division counsel for the Atlanta, Birmingham & Atlantic Railroad
Company, ably safeguarding the © legal interests of the corporation. His
knowledge of the principles of jurisprudence is comprehensive and exact and the
prestige which he has won as a public official has brought to him a large and
desirable clientele. He owns valuable real estate in Fitzgerald but concentrates
his attention upon the law.
At Indian Springs, Georgia, in 1908, Mr. Wall
married Miss Caroline Smith, who was born in Macon, this state, in 1879. Her
mother is a member of the Collins family of Indian Springs and her grandfather,
General Smith, of Macon, Georgia, was one of the noted officers of the Civil
war. Mrs. Wall founded the Woman’s Club and in 1909 became its first president.
She also fostered the plan and procured the establishment of the Carnegie
Library in 1911. During the World war Colonel Wall was one of the Four Minute
speakers, in which connection he aided in raising subscriptions for Liberty
bonds in Ben Hill county, and also assisted many in filling out questionnaires.
He is a lover of outdoor sports and is identified with the Fitzgerald Country
Club and the local Hunting & Fishing Club. He is a Shriner, a Knight of Pythias,
an Elk and an Odd Fellow. He belongs to Phi Delta Theta, a college fraternity,
and is a democrat in his political convictions. A man of high character and
marked legal acumen, Mr. Wall has dignified the profession of his choice and
combines in his nature the best elements of American citizenship.
[Volume
4, pages 545-546]
Contributed 2026 Mar 26 by Norma Hass, extracted from 1926 History of Georgia, Volumes 1-4.
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03/24/2026