Jeff Davis County, Georgia Genealogy and History - Presented by Genealogy Trails History Group

JAMES IRA HARRISON—James Ira Harrison, who came from a large family of thirteen children, has become one of the most influential men in his community. Listed among his many activities over the years are teaching, life insurance agent, farming, pulpwood, contracting and real estate. Being an active leader in civic affairs, he has served both on the Hazlehurst City Council and in the Georgia House of Representatives.

Born on May 27, 1899, in Jeff Davis County, Mr. Harrison was the son of George Washington Harrison, who was born on December 7, 1865, and who died October 21, 1940. James Harrison's mother was Mary Flander (Hartley) Harrison, born on March 21, 1875, in Jeff Davis County, where she died in November, 1941.

James I. Harrison was graduated from Hazelhurst High School, and from South Georgia College at Douglas, Georgia, where he took a scientific course. Most of his education was earned the hard way, in country schools and with diligent work at home during the vacation months. In his early days, he taught school in order to finance his own way to complete his higher education. Tn 1917, he received a medal for being the most rapid mathematician in his county.

After teaching school, he became an agent for the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company at Jacksonville, Florida. In 1936, he returned to Hazlehurst and began naval stores operations, purchasing and leasing large tracts of land, and subsequently became an extensive real estate dealer and land owner, accumulating many of the best farms in Jeff Davis County.

Mr. Harrison has extensive interests in the tobacco farming industry, growing between thirty and forty acres of tobacco, and experiencing very high yields. In 1942, he was appointed pulpwood dealer for several counties in this area, representing the St. Mary's Craft Corporation, and was their principal supplier of pulpwood in this section.

In 1948, James Ira Harrison purchased, and has continued to operate, a retail hardware store in Hazlehurst. In 1950, he also went into the contacting business. This business, through Mr. Harrison's direction, became one of the largest contract firm: in this part of Georgia. His firm, in 1955 and 1956. built two major school buildings in Jeff Davis County, and completed three cafeteria buildings. He was on the building committee which arranged for the erection of the educational building of the First Methodist Church. In 1955 and 1956, James Harrison served in the Georgia House of Representatives, retiring from this office, and not seeking re-election, because of the extensive pressure of business interest at home He purchased. in 1958 the holdings of his brother. H. C. Harrison. These holdings were known as the Circle H Ranch, and included a herd of registered Polled Hereford cattle.

During World War II, Mr. Harrison served as a member of the local draft board He is a charter member class A. of the Ohamaha Country Club, and was a former member of the Douglas Country Club. He still maintains membership in the Vidalia Country Club. Both he and Mrs. Harrison are members of the Methodist Church, where Mr. Harrison serves on the finance and building committee. He was appointed by Governor Vandiver as an honorary lieutenant-colonel on the Governor's staff.

At Ty Ty. Georgia on June 14 1925 James Ira Harrison was married to Violet Kate Pickett, who was born on March 21. 1907 She was the daughter of Jeptha Bouleware Pickett. born in 1857 in Webster County, and who died in 1907, and Geneva Watts (Nevie) Pickett, who was born in March, 1881, and died in 1950.

Mr. and Mrs. Harrison have two children; James Pickett Harrison, born December 6 1941 now a student at the University of Georgia. Athens, Georgia; George Wayne Harrison. born May 20 1947, now a student at Jeff Davis High School, Hazlehurst

Families of Southeastern Georgia By Jack N. Averitt

Girtman, Henry L., treasurer and general manager of Savannah Stationery and Printing Company, was born in Hazlehurst, Jeff Davis (then Appling) county, Ga., May 15, 1872, and is a son of Henry C. and Sarah (Moore) Girtman, the former of whom was born in Hazlehurst and the latter in Brunswick, Ga. They still reside in the town of Hazlehurst where the father is the owner of a saw mill and conducts a prosperous lumbering business. After a due preliminary training Henry L. Girtman entered Mercer university, where he continued his studies until he had attained the age of eighteen years. He then located in Savannah and entered the employ of the firm M. S. & D. A. Buck, printers and stationers, continuing with this concern fifteen years and gaining a thorough knowledge of all details of the business. In May, 1905, Mr. Girtman organized and incorporated the Savannah Stationery and Printing Company, of which he was forthwith made treasurer and general manager. The concern has already advanced to a place in the front rank among others of its kind in Savannah, having well equipped and appointed headquarters at Nos. 9 to 17 Whitaker street, and also maintaining a large warehouse on the same street, and a bookbindery on Bay street. Mr. Girtman is a member of the lodge and encampment of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, is affiliated with the Masonic fraternity and for many years has been a member of the Savannah Volunteer Guards. On March 25, 1902, he was united in marriage to Miss Minnie Irene Roach, of Dublin, Georgia, and they have a son, Henry L., Jr. born April 23, 1904.
(Georgia: Comprising Sketches of Counties, Towns, Events, Institutions, and Persons, Arranged in Cyclopedic Form. VOL III Publ. 1906. Transcribed by Marilyn Clore)