Madison County, Georgia Genealogy and History - Presented by Genealogy Trails History Group

Long, Crawford W., one of Georgia’s eminent physicians, was born at Danielsville, Madison county, on Nov. 1, 1815. In 1835 he graduated at the University of Georgia (then known as Franklin College) and four years later received the degree of M.D. in the medical department of the University of Pennsylvania. He began practice at Jefferson, but subsequently removed to Athens. Although other physicians have claimed the discovery of anaesthetics, that honor, unquestionably belongs to Dr. Long, who used ether to deaden pain while performing a surgical operation in the spring of 1842. Dr. Long died at the bedside of one of his patients in Athens, on June 16, 1878. During his professional career of almost forty years he was recognized as one of the most progressive physicians in the state, and the medical society of Athens adopted resolutions after his death setting forth their belief in the claim of Dr. Long to be the discoverer of ether as an anaesthetic
(Source: Georgia Sketches of Counties, Towns, Events, Institutions, and Persons, VOL II, by Candler & Evans, Publ. 1906. Transcribed by Joanne Morgan)

Mitchell, Eugene Muse, senior member of the well known and successful law firm of E. M. & G. F. Mitchell, Atlanta, was born in that city, Oct. 13, 1866. He is a son of Russell Crawford Mitchell, who was born in Madison county, Ga., Feb. 27, 1837, and Deborah Margaret (Sweet) Mitchell, who was born at Mount Pleasant, Fla., March 12, 1847. There is a large family connection in Atlanta, noted for several generations for wealth and political prominence. In the agnatic line Mr. Mitchell is descended from the ancient Mitchell family of Aberdeenshire, Scotland. Thomas Mitchell, the progenitor of the family in Georgia, was a lieutenant in the Continental line during the Revolution, and settled in Wilkes county, Ga., about 1777. He later became civil engineer for the state, being one of the engineers who established the boundary line between Georgia and North Carolina. William Mitchell, great-grandfather of the subject of this sketch, was a soldier in the war of 1812, taking part in the battle of New Orleans, and his brother-in-law, Arnold Thomason, was General Jackson's courier who carried the news of the victory to Washington. Alexander W. Mitchell, great-uncle of Eugene M., took up his residence in Atlanta about 1844, and shortly afterward Rev. Isaac G. Mitchell, grandfather of him whose name heads this article, also located in this city. Upon him devolved the privilege of performing the marriage ceremony for the first couple to be wedded in the village of Marthasville, as Atlanta was then known. Russell C Mitchell was a member of the city council of Atlanta in 1872; served as alderman from 1877 to 1880, and in the latter year was mayor pro tem. He was a descendant also of James Dudley, who was rewarded for services as a Revolutionary soldier by special act of the Georgia legislature in 1822. William Charles Sweet, maternal grandfather of the subject of this sketch, was a soldier in the Seminole war and also served as lieutenant in the Confederate ranks during the Civil war. On the maternal side Mr. Mitchell is descended also from Capt. John Munnerlynn, who served with Gen. Francis Marion in the Revolution; also from Capt. John McKenzie and Chaplain John Bethune, of the Highlanders' regiment of North Carolina royalists in the Revolution. Russell C Mitchell enlisted in the Confederate service in July, 1861, as a private in Company I, First Texas volunteer infantry, with which he took part in the battles of Seven Pines, second Manassas and nine other engagements, being severely wounded in Hood's famous charge at Sharpsburg. He was made orderly sergeant in 1862, and from 1863 until the close of the war was in service as superintendent of a military hospital. Eugene Muse Mitchell availed himself of the advantages of the public schools of Atlanta, winning the Peabody scholarship medal, and prepared for college in the Means high school. He was graduated in the University of Georgia as a member of the class of 1885, with the degrees of Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science, securing first honors in the latter and third in the former, while he had the highest senior average recorded in the university up to that time. In 1886 he was graduated in the law school of the university, securing the degree of Bachelor of Law. He was admitted to the bar in the same year and forthwith established himself in his native city, where he built up a representative professional business, devoting himself for a number of years more particularly to criminal law, being engaged in several noted cases, including the Myers' case and the Bryan murder case. He now devotes himself more closely to the specialties of real-estate, probate and commercial practice, and is associated with his brother, Gordon F., under the professional title noted in the opening lines of this article. The firm controls a large and important business. Mr. Mitchell is also secretary and treasurer of the Continental Land Company, one of the largest land-holding corporations in Atlanta. For the past twenty years he has taken a prominent part in nearly every political campaign in which principles and not merely men have figured as issues, but he has invariably and insistently resisted the importunities of his friends to become a candidate for political office. He is unwavering in his allegiance to the Democratic party, has served as a member of the county executive committee of the same, and as secretary of the Young Men's Democratic league, of Atlanta. In May, 1905, he was elected a member of the Atlanta board of education, for a term of five years. From 1899 to 1903 he was a trustee of the public library of Atlanta, in the organization of which he bore a leading part. For three terms he was president of the Young Men's library association, of which he was also secretary for many years. As chairman of the historical committee of this association he caused to be collected the valuable library of books pertaining to the history of Georgia now in the local Carnegie library. He was for several years a member of the Atlanta artillery, a local company of the state militia, and served as first sergeant in the same. He is identified with the Georgia bar association, the Atlanta bar association and the Chi Phi college fraternity. He is past grand in the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, past chancellor of the Knights of Pythias, and past sachem in the Improved Order of Red Men. On Nov. 7, 1892, Mr. Mitchell was united in marriage to Miss Mary Isabel Stephens, daughter of John and Annie E. (Fitzgerald) Stephens, of Atlanta, and they became the parents of three children,—Russell Stephens Mitchell, who died in 1894; Alexander Stephens, who was born in 1896; and Margaret Munnerlynn, who was born in 1900.
[Source: Georgia Comprising Sketches of Counties, Towns, Events, Institutions, and Persons, Vol 2, Publ 1906. Transcribed by Tracy McAllister]

Hawkins, Willis A., soldier and jurist, was born in Madison county, Jan. 15, 1825, and was admitted to the bar May 7, 1846. At the beginning of the war he organized a company which was made a part of the Twelfth Georgia regiment, of which he became colonel. He was appointed justice in 1880 and served only four months, during which time he made an excellent record. He died Nov. 28, 1886.
(Georgia: Comprising Sketches of Counties, Towns, Events, Institutions, and Persons, Arranged in Cyclopedic Form. VOL III Publ. 1906. Transcribed by Angelia Carpenter)