Crisp County, Georgia Biographies

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Crisp County, Georgia
Biographies

Cutts, Charles Clinton, mayor of the thriving little city of Cordele, the county seat of Crisp county, and one of the prominent lumber manufacturers and representative business men of that section of the state, was born in Wilmington, New Hanover county, N. C., Jan. 5, 1867, a son of Allen Henry and Ann Lovic (Holmes) Cutts. Charles C. Cutts was reared and educated in North Carolina and has been identified with the business interests of Cordele for several years. He is a stalwart supporter of the cause of the Democratic party; was a member of the city council of Cordele in 1892, and since 1898 has served consecutively as mayor of the city, save for the year 1902.

He and his wife are communicants of the Protestant Episcopal church, and he is affiliated with Cordele Lodge, No. 296, Free and Accepted Masons; Codele Chapter, No. 55, Royal Arch Masons; Cyrene Commandery, No. 13, Knights Templars; Yarab Temple, Ancient Arabic Order, Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, in Atlanta; Cordele Lodge, No. 44, Knights of Pythias; Cape Fear Lodge, No. 2, Independent Order of Odd Fellows; Cordele Lodge, No. 939, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks; and No. 3013, Concatenated Order of Hoo Hoos. He married Miss Lena Colwell, daughter of Albert E. Colwell.
[Source: "GEORGIA - Comprising Sketches of Counties, Towns, Events, Institutions, and Persons, Arranged in Cyclopedic Form, Vol 1, by ALLEN D. CANDLER AND General CLEMENT A. EVANS; 1906; Transcribed by K. Torp]

Dorris, William Herschell, is engaged in the successful practice of law in Cordele, Crisp county, and is one of the representative members of the younger generation of barristers in this section of the state. He was born in Douglas county, Ga., Aug. 9, 1871, and is a son of William C. and Matilda (Lowe) Dorris, the former of whom was born in Carroll county and the latter in Cobb county, Ga. William C. Dorris was one of the loyal soldiers of the Confederacy in the Civil war, having been a first lieutenant in Company I, Fifty-sixth Georgia volunteer infantry, and participated in several important battles, including Missionary Ridge and those incidental to the siege of Vicksburg. After completing a course of study in Douglasville college, in his native county, William H. Dorris took up the study of law in the office of A. L. Bartlett, of Brownsville, made rapid progress in his assimilation of legal lore and was admitted to the bar, in Paulding county, in 1896. He began practice in Cordele, and has here built up a very excellent professional business. He is a Democrat in his political proclivities, is affiliated with the lodge, chapter and commandery of the Masonic fraternity and holds membership in the Methodist Episcopal church South. Through the influence of Mr. Dorris the Carnegie library was obtained for the city of Cordele, and he is now chairman of the board of library trustees. He has served as president of the board of trade, and has always stood ready to cooperate in any movement for the upbuilding of the city.
[Source: "GEORGIA - Comprising Sketches of Counties, Towns, Events, Institutions, and Persons, Arranged in Cyclopedic Form, Vol 1, by ALLEN D. CANDLER AND General CLEMENT A. EVANS; 1906; Transcribed by K. Torp]

Edwards, Walter Evans, M. D., who is engaged in the practice of his profession at Cordele, Crisp county, is recognized as one of the able representatives of his profession in his native commonwealth. He was born near Warrenton, Warren county, Ga., Jan. 21, 1868, and is a son of William Henry Edwards, who was born in Columbia county, Ga., in 1816, and Mary Elizabeth (Perry) Edwards, who was born in Warren county, in 1826. Judge William H. Edwards enlisted for service as a soldier of the Confederacy at the time of the Civil war, becoming a member of the Third Georgia volunteer infantry, but on account of delicate health he was unable to enter the field and was therefore detailed as guard in Andersonville prison. He served as judge of the inferior court of Warren county after the war. The maternal grandfather of the subject of this sketch was a patriot soldier in the Continental line in the war of the Revolution and took part in the battle of Guilford Court House, N. C. Doctor Edwards completed his literary education in Emory college, Oxford, Ga., and for six years was successfully engaged in teaching in the common schools, in both Georgia and Florida. He then began the work of preparing himself for his chosen profession, finally entering the famous Baltimore medical college, Baltimore, Md., where he was graduated on April 22, 1896, with the degree of Doctor of Medicine. In September of the same year he located in Cordele, where he has since been engaged in practice and where he has gained high prestige in his profession, being known as a skilled physician and surgeon. In 1905 he was appointed a member of the military staff of Col. W. E. Wooten, commanding the Fourth regiment of Georgia state troops, and in this connection he is serving as assistant surgeon, with the rank of captain. In 1899 he was appointed state oil inspector for the Cordele district, and has since remained incumbent of this office, he is local surgeon of the Georgia Southern & Florida and the Atlantic & Birmingham Railway Companies, and is medical examiner of a number of life-insurance companies. The doctor holds membership in the American medical association, the Medical Association of Georgia, the American association of life insurance examining surgeons, and the Crisp County medical society, of which last mentioned he is an ex-president. He is a stalwart in the ranks of the Democratic party, but has never sought or held office. In 1904, he was a delegate to the Democratic state convention and an alternate delegate to the national convention, held in St. Louis. He and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church South. On May 9, 1897, Doctor Edwards was married to Miss Elizabeth B. Stewart, daughter of Rev. William W. and Martha Paul (Corbin) Stewart, of Galveston, Tex., and the two children of this union are Ruth Haseltine and William Walter.
[Source: "GEORGIA - Comprising Sketches of Counties, Towns, Events, Institutions, and Persons, Arranged in Cyclopedic Form, Vol 1, by ALLEN D. CANDLER AND General CLEMENT A. EVANS; 1906; Transcribed by K. Torp]

Hill, Joseph Thomas, has been established in the successful practice of law in the city of Cordele, Crisp county, for the past decade, and is one of the representative members of the bar of this part of the state. He was born in Wilcox county, Ga., Sept. 30, 1873, and is a son of Joel T. and Mary Edna (Moore) Hill, the former of whom was born in Pulaski county, Ga., and the latter on the old Moore homestead on Blackshear trail in Wilcox county. Her grandfather in the paternal line was a loyal soldier of the Continental line in the war of the Revolution. Rev. Joel T. Hill is a clergyman of the Primitive Baptist church, in which he has long been an earnest and devoted worker. He is an ardent advocate of the principles of the Democratic party but has never been an aspirant for political office.

He served the Confederacy as a soldier in the Civil war, having enlisted, in 1863, as a private in a company of Georgia militia, and took part in the battle of Atlanta and in other engagements in the locality. Joseph T. Hill secured his preliminary educational discipline in the common schools, and as his father's financial circumstances were such that he was unable to extend the aid which was necessary, young Hill, with full consent of his parents, left home when fifteen years of age and sought employment which would render sufficient returns to permit him to continue his educational work. He was employed at farm work a considerable portion of the time for several years, in the meanwhile attending school, and he also did successful service as a teacher in the public schools of Pulaski county. He passed five years as a student in Red Hill academy in Wilcox county and his technical courses in preparation for his profession were secured in the law departments of the University of Georgia and the University of Virginia. He was duly admitted to the bar in the autumn of 1894, having thus gained his desideratum and, the satisfaction of knowing that his success thus far had been attained through personal effort and ability, even as has been the case in connection with his active career as a lawyer. He entered into the practice of his profession in Cordele in January, 1895, and in the intervening years has succeeded in building up a very substantial professional business and in gaining a reputation for scrupulous care and discrimination both as a trial lawyer and as a counselor. Mr. Hill accords an unswerving allegiance to the Democratic party and has been an active and valued worker in its cause. He was a delegate from the Third congressional district of Georgia to the Democratic national convention of 1896, in Chicago and also to the Kansas City convention in 1900. In 1901-2 he served as solicitor of the city court of Vienna, the county-seat of Dooly county, and was elected to represent this county in the state legislature for 1905-6. He introduced and urged to successful passage the bill creating the new county of Crisp and is a member of various important committees of the house, in which he has proven a valuable working member, both on the floor and in the committee room. He was also elected as the first representative in the state legislature from Crisp county for the years 1907-8. He is not a member of any religious body but has the firmest belief in and utmost reverence for the verities of the Christian religion, his views being largely in harmony with the faith of the Primitive Baptist Church, in which he was reared. Mr. Hill has passed the Knights Templar degrees in the Masonic fraternity and is also found arrayed as a member of the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine. He is a past exalted ruler of the Cordele Lodge of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and is an officer in the state association of Elks' lodges. On Jan. 6, 1895, Mr. Hill was united in marriage to Miss Carrie Dennard, daughter of Hon. Joseph J. and Carrie (Mitchell) Dennard, of Wilcox county, and they have three children, — Joe Thomas, Lloyd, and Clark Howell. Hill, Joshua, was born in Abbeville district, S. C., in 1812. He was educated in the public schools, studied law and after being admitted to the bar located at Madison, Ga., where he began his professional career. In 1856 he was elected to Congress on the American ticket and served until 1861, when he retired with the other Georgia Congressmen. In 1866 he was appointed collector of customs for the port of Savannah; registrar in bankruptcy in 1867; was elected United States senator in 1871 and served until March, 1873. He was a delegate to the constitutional convention in 1877 and died at Madison in 1891.

Hill, Joseph Thomas, has been established in the successful practice of law in the city of Cordele, Crisp county, for the past decade, and is one of the representative members of the bar of this part of the state. He was born in Wilcox county, Ga., Sept. 30, 1873, and is a son of Joel T. and Mary Edna (Moore) Hill, the former of whom was born in Pulaski county, Ga., and the latter on the old Moore homestead on Blackshear trail in Wilcox county. Her grandfather in the paternal line was a loyal soldier of the Continental line in the war of the Revolution. Rev. Joel T. Hill is a clergyman of the Primitive Baptist church, in which he has long been an earnest and devoted worker. He is an ardent advocate of the principles of the Democratic party but has never been an aspirant for political office. He served the Confederacy as a soldier in the Civil war, having enlisted, in 1863, as a private in a company of Georgia militia, and took part in the battle of Atlanta and in other engagements in the locality. Joseph T. Hill secured his preliminary educational discipline in the common schools, and as his father's financial circumstances were such that he was unable to extend the aid which was necessary, young Hill, with full consent of his parents, left home when fifteen years of age and sought employment which would render sufficient returns to permit him to continue his educational work. He was employed at farm work a considerable portion of the time for several years, in the meanwhile attending school, and he also did successful service as a teacher in the public schools of Pulaski county. He passed five years as a student in Red Hill academy in Wilcox county and his technical courses in preparation for his profession were secured in the law departments of the University of Georgia and the University of Virginia. He was duly admitted to the bar in the autumn of 1894, having thus gained his desideratum and the satisfaction of knowing that his success thus far had been attained through personal effort and ability, even as has been the case in connection with his active career as a lawyer. He entered into the practice of his profession in Cordele in January, 1895, and in the intervening years has succeeded in building up a very substantial professional business and in gaining a reputation for scrupulous care and discrimination both as a trial lawyer and as a counselor. Mr. Hill accords an unswerving allegiance to the Democratic party and has been an active and valued worker in its cause. He was a delegate from the Third congressional district of Georgia to the Democratic national convention of 1896, in Chicago and also to the Kansas City convention in 1900. In 1901-2 he served as solicitor of the city court of Vienna, the county-seat of Dooly county, and was elected to represent this county in the state legislature for 1905-6. He introduced and urged to successful passage the bill creating the new county of Crisp and is a member of various important committees of the house, in which he has proven a valuable working member, both on the floor and in the committee room. He was also elected as the first representative in the state legislature from Crisp county for the years 1907-8. He is not a member of any religious body but has the firmest belief in and utmost reverence for the verities of the Christian religion, his views being largely in harmony with the faith of the Primitive Baptist Church, in which he was reared. Mr. Hill has passed the Knights Templar degrees in the Masonic fraternity and is also found arrayed as a member of the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine. He is a past exalted ruler of the Cordele Lodge of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and is an officer in the state association of Elks' lodges. On Jan. 6, 1895, Mr. Hill was united in marriage to Miss Carrie Dennard, daughter of Hon. Joseph J. and Carrie (Mitchell) Dennard, of Wilcox county, and they have three children,—Joe Thomas, Lloyd, and Clark Howell. Hill, Joshua, was born in Abbeville district, S. C, in 1812. He was educated in the public schools, studied law and after being admitted to the bar located at Madison, Ga., where he began his professional career. In 1856 he was elected to Congress on the American ticket and served until 1861, when he retired with the other Georgia Congressmen. In 1866 he was appointed collector of customs for the port of Savannah; registrar in bankruptcy in 1867; was elected United States senator in 1871 and served until March, 1873. He was a delegate to the constitutional convention in 1877 and died at Madison in 1891.
Source Georgia: comprising sketches of counties, towns, events, institutions, and ... edited by Allen Daniel Candler, Clement Anselm Evans

McArthur, Thomas Jackson, M. D., one of the leading physicians and surgeons of Crisp county, and secretary of the South Georgia medical association, is engaged in the practice of his profession in Cordele where he is also associated in conducting a well appointed drug store. He was born in Wilkinson county, Ga., April 30, 1868, a son of John and Winnie (Rivers) McArthur, both of whom were born in that county. The father removed thence to Bibb county, where he remained thirty years and then returned to Wilkinson county where both he and his wife passed the closing years of their lives. He was a planter by vocation, a man of strong character and much public spirit, served several years as tax collector, and it as his to render valiant service to the Confederacy as a soldier in the war between the states. Doctor McArthur secured his earlier educational training in the schools of Wilkinson county, and his professional education was secured mainly in the Southern medical college in Atlanta, in which institution he was graduated as a member of the class of 1894, duly receiving his degree of Doctor of Medicine. He forthwith engaged in the practice of his profession in Unadilla, Dooly county, where he remained nine years, at the expiration of which, in 1903, he took up his residence in Cordele, now the county seat of Crisp county, where his success has been equally pronounced, his practice having wide ramification throughout that section. He is one of the proprietors of the Cordele sanatorium established Jan. 1, 1906. The drug store in which he is a part owner is the finest in the town and has a representative supporting patronage. Doctor McArthur is a member of the Medical Association of Georgia, ex-president of the Dooly county medical society, and secretary of the South Georgia medical association. He holds membership in the Primitive Baptist Church. In September, 1895, Doctor McArthur was united in marriage to Mrs. Sannie Horne, nee, Henderson, daughter of Tillet Henderson of Dooly county. They have three children.
[Source: Georgia Comprising Sketches of Counties, Towns, Events, Institutions, and Persons, Vol 2, Publ 1906. Transcribed by Renae Donaldson]

Hill, Joseph Thomas, has been established in the successful practice of law in the city of Cordele, Crisp county, for the past decade, and is one of the representative members of the bar of this part of the state. He was born in Wilcox county, Ga., Sept. 30, 1873, and is a son of Joel T. and Mary Edna (Moore) Hill, the former of whom was born in Pulaski county, Ga., and the latter on the old Moore homestead on Blackshear trail in Wilcox county. Her grandfather in the paternal line was a loyal soldier of the continental line in the war of the Revolution. Rev. Joel T. Hill is a clergyman of the Primitive Baptist church, in which he has long been an earnest and devoted worker. He is an ardent advocate of the principles of the Democratic party but has never been as aspirant for political office. He served the Confederacy as a soldier in the Civil war, having enlisted, in 1863, as a private in a company of Georgia militia, and took part in the battle of Atlanta and in other engagements in the locality. Joseph T. Hill secured his preliminary educational discipline in the common schools, and as his father’s financial circumstanccs were such that he was unable to extend the aid which was necessary, young Hill, with full consent of his parents, left home when fifteen years of age and sought employment which would render sufficient returns to permit him to continue his educational work. He was employed at farm work a considerable portion of the time for several years, in the meanwhile attending school, and he also did successful service as a teacher in the public schools of Pulaski county. He passed five years as a student in Red Hill academy in Wilcox county and his technical courses in preparation for his profession were secured in the law departments of the University of Georgia and the University of Virginia. He was duly admitted to the bar in the autumn of 1894, having thus gained his desideratum and the satisfaction of knowing that his success thus far had been attained through personal effort and ability, even as has been the case in connection with his active career as a lawyer. He entered into the practice of his profession in Cordele in January, 1895, and in the intervening years has succeeded in building up a very substantial professional business and in gaining a reputation for scrupulous care and discrimination both as a trial lawyer and as a counselor. Mr. Hill accords an unswerving allegiance to the Democratic party and has been an active and valued worker in its cause. He was a delegate from the Third congressional district of Georgia to the Democratic national convention of 1896, in Chicago and also to the Kansas City convention in 1900. In 1901-2 he served as solicitor of the city court of Vienna, the county-seat of Dooly county, and was elected to represent this county in the state legislature for 1905-6. He introduced and urged to successful passage the bill creating the new county of Crisp and is a member of various important committees of the house, in which he has proven a valuable working member, both on the floor and in the committee room. He was also elected as the first representative in the state legislature from Crisp county for the years 1907-8. He is not a member of any religious body but has the firmest belief in and utmost reverence for the verities of the Christian religion, his views being largely in harmony with the faith of the Primitive Baptist Church, in which he was reared. Mr. Hill has passed the Knights Templar degrees in the masonic fraternity and is also found arrayed as a member of the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine. He is a past exalted ruler of the Cordele Lodge of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and is an officer in the state association of Elks‘ lodges. On Jan. 6, 1895, Mr. Hill was united in marriage to Miss Carrie Dennard, daughter of Hon. Joseph J. and Carrie (Mitchell) Dennard, of Wilcox county, and they have three children,--Joe Thomas, Lloyd, and Clark Howell.
(Georgia: Comprising Sketches of Counties, Towns, Events, Institutions, and Persons, Arranged in Cyclopedic Form. VOL III Publ. 1906. Transcribed by Angelia Carpenter)