Hon. John Luther Kent
Able and prominent in the law for many years in Johnson County and honorably distinguished in public life, Hon. John Luther Kent, judge of the Superior Court of the Dublin Circuit, is ranked with the leading and representative men of Georgia. On many occasions his people and party have called him to high places, and to his credit be it said, he has never refused to accept honorable responsibilities and has discharged every known 'duty to the best of his ability. While faith and confidence in his integrity have thus been shown by his fellow citizens, they know that he has many times been a co-worker when neither fame nor emolument were considering features, nevertheless his part of every contract has been fulfilled to the letter. This in part may explain his great personal popularity and the fact that he has never been defeated for any office for which he has ever consented to be a candidate.

John Luther Kent wag born on his father's farm situated two and one- half miles east of Wrightsville, Johnson County) Georgia, March 27, 1868. His parents were Capt. Thomas W. and Martha B. McWorther (Brown) Kent. Captain Kent was born in Warren County, Georgia, and before and after the war between the states was interested in farming, in which he was fairly successful. He never owned but one slave. When civil war was precipitated he entered the Confederate army as a private in the Forty-eighth Georgia Infantry, in which he served one year. He returned to Johnson County on a furlough and while here recruited a company, of which he was elected captain, and served with distinction with this body until the close of the war, being twice wounded, once at Winchester and later at Gettysburg, and twice was captured by the enemy. On account of his valor he was included in the notable 600 who were immortalized by the pen of J. Ogden Murry.

Captain Kent was married first to Mary Todd, who died during his absence in the army. Of the six children of that union, the two survivors are: Sallie K., who married a Mr. Kight; and Samantha, who is the widow of Dr. W. J. Hicks, of Moultrie, Georgia. Captain Kent's second marriage was to Mrs. Martha (McWorther) Brown, who was the widow of Newton Brown and is a daughter of E. B. McWorther, formerly of Hancock County, Georgia. Captain and Mrs. Kent now live in comfortable retirement at Wrightsville, bearing well their weight of eighty-seven and seventy-six years respectively. He has always been active in democratic councils, has long been identified with the Masonic fraternity, and is a faithful member of the Christian Church. To his second marriage five children were born: Ida B., who is the wife of Henry W. Snell, of Winter Haven, Florida; John Luther; Robert L., who is cashier of the Bank of Wrightsville; Julian Gordon, who is a farmer in Monroe County, Georgia; and Lillian, who is the wife of Bunyan H. Lord, of Tennille, Georgia.

Until he was sixteen years of age, John Luther Kent attended more or less regularly, the country schools in Round Township, and for the next nine years gave his father assistance on the farm and thus it was not until he was twenty-five years of age that he felt free to devote himself to the study of law, a profession for which he had always had a natural inclination. He then entered the office of Hon. Alexander F. Daley, with whom he continued as a student until he was admitted to. the bar in September, 1894, by Hon. C. C. Smith, who was then occupying his present position on the bench, as. judge of the Superior Court of the Dublin Circuit.

Mr. Kent entered upon the practice of law at Wrightsville, later becoming associated with A. L. Hatcher, under the firm name of Kent & Hatcher, which partnership was dissolved one year later. Mr. Kent continued alone in practice for a number of years, not admitting a partner until 1911, when he took in B. H. Moye, the firm style becoming Kent & Moye and later a junior partner was admitted, G. H. Howard, who was placed in charge of the firm's branch office at Sandersville, Georgia. This firm did a large amount of business and gained an enviable reputation and continued until 1914, when it was dissolved following the election of the senior partner to the bench.

Judge Kent has long been an important factor in, politics but until 1902 declined to accept party recognition of an important character. In that year he was elected a member of the State Legislature and served with the highest efficiency for three years. In 1905 he was appointed solicitor of the city courts of Wrightsville, by Governor Terrell, and served two years. Then he was appointed judge of the city courts, by Governor Hoke Smith, and served four years, when the office became an elective one and he was elected to succeed himself, continuing on the city bench until the summer of 1914, when he was elected judge of the Superior Court of the Dublin Circuit. Not only is he an honored and respected judge, but he is a popular and beloved citizen.

Judge Kent was married October 15, 1890, at Linton, Hancock County, Georgia, to Miss Clara V. Travick, who was born in Hancock County and is a daughter of Andrew J. and Elizabeth (Robson) Travick. Judge and Mrs. Kent have four children: Luie, who was born in Hancock County, December 4, 1891, is a farmer in Johnson County, married Lucille Culver and they have one daughter, Martha Elizabeth; Don C., who was born in Hancock County, August 25, 1894, is a farmer, and married Anita Wood, of Waycross, Georgia; Clarice, who was born in Hancock County August 28, 1897; and John Luther, who was born at Wrightsville in December, 1898.

Judge Kent has always been a hard worker and it is said of him that he has never taken a vacation. Perhaps an explanation may be found in the fact that in addition to his arduous official duties, he manages and operates his extensive plantation and has earned the reputation of being an excellent farmer.
[A Standard History of Georgia and Georgians Volume 5, by Lucian Lamar Knight, 1917 - Submitted by Brenda Wiesner]

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