MAYOR BOOTH WILLIAMS CARED FOR MONROE

          Continuing with my series of “Movers and Shakers of Monroe,” I want to focus on one of the most important members of any city organization, the mayor.

          As defined by Merriam-Webster, a mayor is an official elected or appointed to act as chief executive or nominal head of a city, town or borough.”  The earliest known use of the word dates back to the 14^th century.

          Under the council-manager government system, the mayor is a first among equals on the city council, which acts as a legislative body while executive functions are performed by the appointed manager.  The mayor may chair the city council, but lacks any special legislative powers. The mayor and city council serve part-time, with day to day administration in the hands of a professional city manager.  The system is most common among medium-sized cities from around 25,000 to several hundred thousand, usually rural and suburban municipalities.

          A little known fact about the term is “Mayor” shares a linguistic origin with the military rank of Major, both ultimately derived from French "majeur."

          Monroe has long had a distinguished researching the list of gentlemen who have served Monroe, I came upon an interesting tidbit:  seven men who served as mayor all resided at one time on Walton Street or Walton Circle. Going all the way back to 1912, Paul McDaniel Felker was the youngest man to serve in this capacity when he was 21 years of age. Others who served were: Marshall Pollock, Jake Launius, Eugene Kelly, L. C. McGarity, Booth Williams and Knox Bell.  One distinguished mayor of our town lived off Walton Street on Jackson Street was Ed L. Almand, Jr., who served from 1944 to 1947 leading his city.

          There have been several men who served our city with distinction over the years in the mayor’s office who have served longer than the usual two terms.  Greg Thompson served the city for 12 years, from 2006-2017; Knox Bell also served for 12 years, from 1978-1985 and from 1988-1991; Dr. James F. Matthews served for 10 years, from 1968-1977;  Harry Knight served for 10 years, from1992-1997 and from2002-2005; Dr. George P. Hammond served for 9 years, from 1934-1939 and from 1962-1965.

          One man from Walton Street who served only one term but came from a prominent family and held the city close to his heart in word, manner and deed was James Booth Williams.

          Booth Williams was born on May 26, 1904 in the Bold Springs Community, the son of the late Emmett Mitchell and Floy Booth Williams.

          Born into a pioneer Walton County family, his grandfather, Charles M. Booth, was a county surveyor for many years and the Booth Militia District derived its name from him. Both Charles M. Booth and his son-in-law, Emmett Williams, represented Walton County in the Georgia State Legislature.

         The Williams family moved to Monroe when Booth was five years old. Emmett Williams debated the wisdom of moving the family. In later years Mr. Williams recalled how he came to the county seat and asked several of the town’s citizens and businessmen what they thought of the idea.  All but one urged him to remain on his farm. The person who urged him to move to town was the Methodist minister, who was desirous of increasing his congregation.

        Mr. Williams took the minister’s advice and moved to Monroe where Booth entered first grade and graduating from high school in 1921.  In recalling his childhood in Monroe, Booth recalled the happiness and enjoyment of watching the carnivals unload and the summer swims in the Alcovy River at Dickinson’s Bridge.

       Booth Williams enrolled at The Georgia School of Technology and from Booth there he went to the Alabama Polytechnic Institute where he received a Mechanical Engineering Degree in 1926 and a Civil Engineering degree from the University of Georgia in 1928. In the summer of 1926 Booth completed a business course at Columbia University.

      Beginning work as a young engineer, Booth went to work for his father’s construction business.  For several years they worked side by side constructing bridges, roads, buildings in Augusta, Elberton, Columbus, Hartwell, Decatur and Monroe.    

          It was while working in Augusta he met Miss Frances Verdery and they were married on June 19, 1930.  The couple lived in Fort Valley and Cedartown before returning to Monroe to live.

          For 26 years Booth was the local agent for Standard Oil Company. He was mayor of Monroe from 1960-1961, served on the city council for nine years and was a former chairman of the city board of education along with serving on the Water, Light and Gas Commission.  He was also a former chairman of the Farm Credit Board of Columbia, SC.

         Other organizations he was a member of included the Kiwanis Club, The Generous Warren Masonic Lodge #20 F&AM Monroe of which he was a member for over 50 years, director of the Monroe Savings and Loan Association, a member of the Official Board of the First United Methodist Church where he also severed as Trustee of the church, president of the Federal Land Bank of Madison where he also served on its board of directors for a long number of years.

          In 1959 after being an integral part of the Monroe community for so long, Booth decided to utilize his business acumen and run for mayor of Monroe.  He served his city for two years as mayor with the best interest of Monroe always in the forefront.

         At the August 21, 1975 meeting of the Directors of the Federal Land Bank Association of Madison, Booth was awarded a plaque designating him as a Director Emeritus of the company honoring his service as a director since 1941.

       Back in November, 1978, local Tribune columnist Wayne Shields remembered his long-time friend in a humorous but generous column showing the depth of service Booth Williams cared for his city. Wayne recalled:

          “When I first came to Monroe, homes were heated by oil. I realize some homes are still heated by oil and that’s all right.  Natural gas was not available here so every home had a big old tank stuck close to the house or in a hole in the ground and periodically a truck would come by and fill it up.  Woe to your warmth if you gave out!

          So, Monroe said “Let’s have natural gas whereby we rip up the streets and put in pipes to each home that wants it.”  What a mess that was.  Streets torn up, mud, new types of heaters to buy, et cetera.

          In all this transitional period, Booth Williams, who ran an oil business and sold oil to heat houses, came out in favor of natural gas!  What was the gimmick?

        At the time I didn’t know Booth Williams. Now I know the kind of man he is; honest, straight in ways and a public servant.  I even asked him why he favored losing money. “Monroe’s betterment must come first,” he said.  That was it?

           Booth Williams is what we call a good man.”

       When Booth Williams died on September 3, 1980, his loss was deeply felt throughout Walton County. The Walton Tribune remembered him in an editorial along with Tribune general manager Jimmy Milhous recalling the associations he had with “Mr. Booth” and the concern and appreciation he had for his town.

     The editorial honoring Booth Williams read: “Booth era ends,” and went on to say: “With the death of Booth Williams, an era has come to an end in Walton County.  The list of his accomplishments in government and civic activities is long and impressive and he will go down in the town’s history as one of the county’s most dedicated community leaders

     Those who knew him will also remember Booth as a kind, thoughtful and intelligent man who treated his fellow citizens with respect and dignity.  He always gave the impression he was more concerned  about others than himself.

          There are man and women who make important contributions to the physical welfare of their communities; there are men and women who offer their neighbors friendship.  Booth Williams managed to do both during his lifetime, and Walton County is a better place because of him.”

Ever the consummate neighbor, friend, civic leader and church steward, Booth Williams knew the importance of these words: family, friend and town, which were always at the forefront of his life.

          Booth was survived by his wife, Frances and their three children: Elizabeth (Libba) Williams McDonald, Louise Williams Baker, James Booth Williams, Jr and seven grandchildren.

(Sincere appreciation is extended to Libba Williams McDonald and family for providing additional information for this column)