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Georgia Genealogy Trails "Where your Journey Begins" |
Gideon
Barnes was born in
Southampton County, Virginia, Dec. 2, 1791. In his young manhood he
moved to Jones County, Georgia, where he married Miss Sarah Crawford
Raiford. In 1326, he came to the new county, Pike (now Lamar), and made
his home in an unsettled locality still frequented by Indians and wild
beasts. A white man by the name of Jenks had acquired a tract of land
on which Mr. Barnes desired to settle, so he bought the land from Jenks
with money obtained by the sale of a horse. With all the energy and
adaptability of a pioneer, he built a double log house with a floor of
hewn logs.
Whether the young wife
accompanied him on his first trip into the wilderness is not known. It
is probable that he came alone and returned for her after the house was
built. In recalling the experiences of this period of his life in after
years, he said when he arrived at the site of Barnesville his only
possession in the way of furnishings were a tin cup, two pewter plates,
one blanket and a cow hide. His house was built at the intersection of
two Indian trails, and by trading with the passing red men he soon
established a thriving business.
He made a journey to his
old home in Virginia and brought back with him three mules and two
slaves, Bob and Sallie. He also brought the first chickens into this
section and a young apple tree, which he planted in front of his house.
He built a log store across the road from his residence and established
a stage line between his place of business and the town of Columbus, on
the Chattahoochee river; While the slave man, Bob, drove the stage
coach, his wife, Sallie, became famous for the gingercakes which she
baked and sold to the Indians and passing pioneers.
Willis J. Milner, Josiah
Holmes, John Wellmaker and others bought land in the vicinity. Farms
were opened; travel and trade increased; the little settlement in the
woods became a real community. Additions to the first residence of
Gideon Barnes converted it into "Tavern," around which a village grew
and began to be called Barnesville.
To Gideon Barnes and
Sarah Raiford Barnes five childien were born. The three daughters were
Mrs. Maria Louisa Barnes Sneed, Mrs. Millicent W. Barnes Graddick, and
Mrs. Virginia Barnes Keifer. The two sons were Frederick N. Barnes and
Augustus G. Barnes. Millicent Barnes was married to Reddick Graddick at
his early age of twelve years. With the exception of a period of
service in the Indian wars, Gideon Barnes spent the remainder of his
life in the town which bears his name.
With the building of the
Macon and Western (now Central of Georgia) Railroad through the town in
1836, the population increased and the influence of the town broadened.
Mr. Barnes then built a substantial hotel with the front about where
the police booth is today, in which for years he was the genial and
popular landlord. This building, with improvements made from time to
time, was destroyed by fire in 1884.
Mrs. Sarah Barnes died in
1861. She was buried in an old cemetery near the Methodist church, from
which some bodies were removed to Greenwood cemetery. She lies in her
first resting place, which is now beneath the new Lamar county court
house. She was a woman of culture and deep piety. Her home contained a
"prophet's chamber," which was occupied by traveling ministers of all
the denominations. Rev. Benjamin Rush, a Methodist minister sent by the
Carolina Conference to carry Methodism into the newly settled regions
of Alabama, said that he fcund the hospitality of Sister Barnes very
welcome on his long journey.
In 1852 Gideon Barnes
married Mrs. J. L. Aldridge, of Perry. Georgia, who survived him nine
years. They had no children. In their last years he became "Uncle
Giddy" and she "Aunt Giddy" to the young people of the community.
Sallie, the faithful servant, died in Barnesville before the War
Between the States. Bob and many others of Gideon Barnes' large number
of slaves livel to be free. He died in Augusta, Georgia, while trying
to make his way back to his old home in Virginia.
Gideon Barnes was small
in stature, quick in movement and ready in speech. He was a member of
the Methodist Church and was honored for his fine Christian character.
He was a good business man, capable and honest in all his dealings. At
his death, his estate was valued at $36,000. When he died, May 10,
1871, all-schools and business enterprises in the community closed that
the entire population might march in the procession which accompanied
his remains to the Methodist church, where tribute was paid to him as
the Founder of Barnesville. He and his last wife rest side by side in
Greenwood Cemetery in a lot enclosed by an iron fence with a marble
shaft over each grave.
Extract from a volume
entitled "White's Statistics of Georgia," published about 1850:
"Barnesville is a thriving little village, named after Mr. Barnes, who
settled there first. It is on the Macon and Western Railroad, 18 miles
from Griffin. It is the point from which the Columbus stages depart."
The name of Gideon Barnes appears in the list of early settlers of Pike
County in "White's Historical Collections of Georgia," and also in
"White's Statistics of Georgia." Other histories of Georgia make
mention of Gideon Barnes, for whom Barnesville was named.
The children of Gideon
and Sarah Raiford Barnes were:
Marie Louisa, m. Dr. A.
H. Sneed;
Millicent, m. Reddick Graddick;
Sara Virginia, m. W. H. Keifer;
Frederick N. Barnes; Augustus H. Barnes.
The children of Dr. A. H.
and Maria Barnes Sneed were:
Carrie, Raiford,
Lulu,
Roddey,
Archie,
Latham,
Lawrence,
William,
Johnnie,
Clayton and Annie M. (twins),
Etta. Archie m. Willie Wallace;
children,
Banrie,
Wallace,
Gordon,
Edwin,
Archie.
Lawrence m. Marie Bradbury.
Will m. Estellc Shackelford;
children, Virginia, John, Helen.
The children of Reddick
and Millicent Barnes Graddick were:
Gideon, m. Mrs. Winnie
Mays;
Josephine,
Esther.
Robert Henry, m. Linda Eugenia Middlebrooks;
Alexander,
Sidney.
Charles Crawford, m. Roxie Hammock;
Olin H., Laura. Nora, m. David F. Bennett;
son, David Frank, m. Irene Kingman.
Children of Robert Henry
and Linda M. Graddick:
Sallie Josephine, m.
Thomas J. Moore; Charlie H., m. Sallie E. Pentecost; Mamie; Gideon;
Robert Henry II, m. Nellie Ingram; Linda Eugenia, m. James A. Matthews.
Children of Charles
Crawford and Roxie Hammock Graddick:
Remilla, m. Holton H.
Matthews; Louise, Martha, Elizabeth, John Wesley Stewart.
Great-great grandchildren
of Gideon Barnes: Frances Linda Moore, m. Tom Chaff in; Effie
Josephine, m. Albelt S. Sanders; Esther Mae Moore, m. Frank Fer.uu.son;
Thomas F. Moore, m. Vera Pittman; Emmie Elizabeth Moore, m. Earl
Markert; Charles P. Graddick, m. Tilly Woolvin; Etta Evans Graddiek, m.
Charles McDonald; Ethel Elizabeth Graddick, m. Jim West; Donald
Graddick; Henry Graddick; Wallace Graddick; P.)pe Huguley Graddick;
Clarence Graddick; Sara Graddick; Ray Edison Matthews, in. Pearl Bland;
James Robert Matthews*; Charles Harold Matthews; Mali on Eugene
Matthews.
The children of Charles
P. and Tilly Woolvin Graddick are:
Charlene, Tilly.
Robert Henry Graddick
served four vears in the Confederate Army. He enlisted at sixteen years
of age. He was twice left on the battlefield as dead and once, when
almost frozen, was carried to a hospital, where he revived and went
back to his post.
Laura Graddick, a young
girl in the days when women had but few opportunities in the business
world, made her way through college and entered the Government service
in Washington, where for many years she has filled an office of
responsibility and trust.
Laura Graddick
This memorial is her
expression of loyalty to her grandfather. Gideon Harries, and his
descendants,
Charles P. Graddick
Charles P. Graddick.
great-great grandson of Gideon and Maria Louisa Karnes, possesses the
courage and initiative of his pioneer ancestors. A leader in the class
of 1911 of Gordon Military College, he was splendidly equipped for
service in the World War. Mis military training and the experience
gained in Mexico with the American forces made a commission possible in
the early months of the war. He went overseas as a captain in the
Rainbow Division, and served until the armistice was signed. After the
war. he was elected captain of the reorganized Barnesville Blues and
later as major of the First Battalion. 12lst Infantry, National Guard.
He was State Commander of the American Legion 1929-1930. He was
postmaster in Barnesville from Sept. 26 1919. until he was promoted to
the office of postal inspector in 1930. He is stationed in the New
Jersey district with his home in Fdizabethtown. New Jersey. He is an
extensive landowner and left a beautiful residence in Barnesville.
Georgia, for his northern home.
Great-great-great
grandchildren of Gideon Barnes: great-great grandchildren of Reddick
and Mellicent Barnes Graddick:
Children of Charles P
Graddick: Charlene Graddick, Tilly Graddick.
Children of Tom S.
Chaffin: Hubert Chaffin, Eugene Chaffin.
Children of Carle
Markert: Frederick Markert, Earlene Markert.
Children of Albert S.
Sanders: Albert Sanders, Dorothy Sanders.
Children of Jim
West; Jim West Jr., Sara Jeane West.
Children of Charles
McDonald: James McDonald, Sallie Lou McDonald.
Children of Tom F.
Moore: Frances Moore, Thomas Moore.
(Editors' note: The editorial staff of the History of Lamar County wish to explain that the greater part of the material contained in this chapter was written by persons not members of the staff, the biographical sketches having been composed principally by members or friends of the families involved. The editors do not assume responsibility for the contents of this chapter.)
Cashier of the Bank of
Zebulon since its organization, Mr. Gwyn has not only been an
individual factor of prominence in commercial affairs in Pike County,
but is related to families which have been prominent in this section of
Georgia from the early days. Mr. Gwyn is a grandson of Dr. Charles
Frederick Redding, who was born in Monroe County, Georgia, August 27,
1825, but spent many years in Zebulon, where he died in 1899, and was a
man of such character and influence as to deserve special mention in a
history of Georgia. His parents were John and Martha (Dozier) Redding,
of Monroe County, Georgia. Doctor Redding secured a common school
education and afterwards attended medical college at Augusta. He was
one of the first if not a charter member of the Georgia State Medical
Association. After gaining his education he removed from Monroe County
to Pike County in 1846, and spent many years of useful service not only
in his profession but in public affairs, and died in the fullness of
years and honors at his home in Zebulon. April 17, 1899. As a democrat
he served as clerk of the Superior Court of Pike County from 1862 to
1872 and was active in early military affairs, being adjutant in
Company G of the Twenty-seventh Georgia Regiment. One of his important
interests throughout life was his relations with the Methodist Church,
and he was also a member of the Masonic order. On October 29, 1848, at
Zebulon, Doctor Redding married Mary Jane Temperance Mangham.
Mr. Gwyn through
the marriage of his grandfather, Doctor Redding, to Miss Mangham, is
also a great-grandson of Wiliy Eppison Mangham, who was likewise a
prominent and honored citizen of Pike County and held important offices
in the county and lived an exemplary and useful career. Widely known
throughout this section of the state and affectionately known as "Uncle
Wiliy" he was born in Putnam County, Georgia, January 9, 1805, a son of
Willis Austin and Temperance (Brewer) Mangham. He grew up during the
first quarter of the nineteenth century, gained a common school
education, but equipped himself for work as a teacher, which he
followed a number of years. Later he was a merchant and farmer. As one
of the pioneers of Pike County, he settled there about 1822, and lived
at or near Zebulon until the date of his death in 1891. He was a
democrat, and served as Ordinary of Pike County from 1844 to 1854. He
was a very loyal and consistent member of the Baptist Church, and was
one of its deacons. In Pike County, December 20, 1827, Wiliy E. Mangham
married Malinda Mira Holmes, daughter of James C. and Rebecca (Pope)
Holmes of Wilkes County, Georgia. Their only daughter, Mary Jane
Temperance, married Dr. C. F. Redding as above stated, and she is now
living at Zebulon, a venerable and lovable woman of eighty-four years.
Doctor and Mrs. Redding had two children: Wiliy M. Redding, who died in
1897, and Rebecca Dozier (Redding) Gwyn, the latter the mother of
Charles Redding Gwyn.
Charles Redding
Gwyn was born at Zebulon, Georgia, April 2, 1874, a son of William 0.
and Rebecca D. (Redding) Gwyn. His father served throughout the Civil
war and was a lieutenant in Company A of the Thirteenth Georgia
Regiment, and subsequently became prominent in public affairs. He was a
native of Georgia, was a farmer by occupation, and served ten years as
sheriff of Pike County. He was killed while performing his duties in
that office by members of the notorious Delk gang on April 2, 1896.
Mr. Gwyn grew up in
Pike County, and acquired a liberal education, having graduated from
Emory College in 1897. In April of the following year he was admitted
to the bar, and forthwith took up active practice at Zebulon. For three
years he served as court solicitor, and has also been clerk and
treasurer of the city. For the past ten years, however, he has devoted
his principal time and attention to the Bank of Zebulon, which was
organized in 1905, with a capital stock of $15,000. Its first officers
were: C. H. Humphrey, president; W. J. Franklin, vice president; and C.
R. Gwyn, cashier. This is now one of the strongest banks of Pike County
and in 1914 has a capital stock of $25,000 and surplus and undivided
profits of $12,500, and deposits of about $65,000. At this time the
president is W. J. Franklin, the vice president P. M. Sullivan, and the
cashier Mr. Gwyn, who has thus consecutively served in the office of
cashier for ten years. The bank owns its own home, a substantial
one-story brick building 20x50 feet.
Mr. Gwyn is serving
as deacon and treasurer of the Zebulon Baptist Church. He was married
November 26, 1902, to Miss Bessie Floyd of Monroe County, Georgia,
daughter of Walter B. Floyd, a farmer in that locality. Their three
children are named Caroline, Charles Redding, Jr., and William Floyd.
Mr. Gwyn takes much interest in fraternal affairs, is a past master of
the Blue Lodge of Masons, a member of the Royal Arch Chapter, and is
past chancellor of the Knights of Pythias. At the present time he is a
trustee of the public schools. His principal diversion is found in
farming, and he owns and operates an excellent place of 200 acres in
Pike County. Besides his business as a banker he is local
representative at Zebulon for several of the leading fire insurance
companies.
Through father and son
a wide community around Zebulon in Pike County has had the benefit of
the capable medical services of Doctors Head for more than thirty
years. Not only professional success but influential activity as
citizens have marked the careers of these well known physicians.
Dr. James Monroe
Head, the father, was born in Monroe County, Georgia, December 26,
1853, a son of George W. and Lavinia (Clay) Head, the latter a member
of the same family made conspicuous by the great Henry Clay. The family
for many years lived in Virginia, whence they came into Georgia. James
M. Head acquired his early education under private instructors,
attended the medical department of the University of Georgia,
graduating M. D. in 1877, and has been continuously in practice in Pike
County since that year. He is a member of the Georgia State and
American Medical associations, is affiliated with the Knights of Honor,
is an elder in the Presbyterian Church, and for several years served as
mayor of Zebulon. In 1912 he purchased the Times-Journal at Zebulon,
and has since been its editor and publisher. On November 19, 1879, he
married Miss Lutie Pope, a daughter of Cadesman and Lucy Pope, farming
people of Pike County. Five children were born: Marvin Monroe, Perrin
Boylston, Horace W., Lucy Pope, and Douglas Lamar.
Few physicians in
this part of the state have accomplished more or gained higher
recognition in the profession than Dr. M. M. Head, though he is still
but a young man and has the promise of many years of beneficent
activities before him. He was born in Merriweather County, Georgia,
October 19, 1880, was educated in the Gordon Institute at Barnesville,
Georgia, from which he graduated in 1899, and soon afterwards entered
the Atlanta. College of Physicians and Surgeons, from which he was
graduated M. D. in 1902. He at once located at Zebulon, and has now
been in continuous practice for thirteen years. Some of the
distinctions wdiich indicate his standing in the profession should be
mentioned. He is president of the Pike County Medical Society, being
also a member of the Georgia State and American Medical associations,
is a member of the visiting board of the Georgia Academy for the Blind,
is local surgeon for the Southern Railroad and a member of the
Association of Southern Railroad Surgeons. He was also mayor of Zebulon
for five years, and through these mediums he has made himself an
effective factor in the life of his community.
Doctor Head is also
interested in Masonry, being a member of several of the York Rite
bodies including the council, and is affiliated with the Knights of
Pythias and the Woodmen of the World. He is a steward in the Methodist
Church. Outside of his profession he looks after the management of a
large farm of 1,100 acres in Pike County. On April 27, 1905, he married
Miss Susie Anna DuPree, daughter of Judge Elijah F. DuPree, one of the
old and prominent lawyers of Pike County. They have one child, Marvin
Nicholson.
For a period of more
than twenty years Doctor Mathews has had a position among the most
reliable physicians and surgeons of Elbert County. His life has been
one of earnest purpose and effective endeavor, and he entered the
medical profession after a thorough preparation and an education which
was gained largely as the result of his diligent application and
individual earnings.
The birthplace of
Doctor Mathews was Concord, Pike County, where he was born January 9,
1868. His parents were Dr. J. B. and Elizabeth (Brooks) Mathews. The
Mathews family came into Georgia from Virginia, and was founded by
Ewell Mathews, a prominent Baptist minister of the early days, who
located at Lexington in Oglethorpe County. The maternal ancestry was
South Carolina people, the maternal grandfather having been William
Brooks, a planter and slave holder of the early days. Dr. J. B. Mathews
was born at Lexington, Georgia, and his wife in Pike County. They were
reared and educated and married in Pike County. During the early part
of his career the father was a practicing physician, but gave up that
vocation to take up educational work, and taught in the schools of Pike
(Barnett) Fall, born in
Mecklenburg, North Carolina, July 19, 1780. Their marriage took place
on October 27, 1812. Dr. John Strader Fall lived for a great many years
at Decatur, Georgia, died May 3, 1863, and is buried at Fayetteville,
Georgia. Martha Barnett Fall died February 19, 1851, and is buried at
Decatur, Georgia. Apparently the Fall family were of Scottish origin,
Dunbar, Scotland, according to the best information, being the central
point of the family in the old country. The Stroud line appears to be
purely English, the family records indicating that the earliest
settlers in America of that name came to this country shortly after the
great civil conflict which grew out of the struggle between Charles I
and the Parliament, and were either descended from or closely related
to William Stroud, of the English House of Commons, who with Hampden,
Pym, Holies, and Heselrig constituted the celebrated "Five Members" who
led the anti-royalist forces in resisting the encroachments of the
Crown. Sarah Battle Stroud, who became the wife of Dr. Calvin J. Fall,
was a daughter of William Stroud, who was born in North Carolina and
reared in Hancock County, Georgia, and of his wife Serena Ragan Battle,
who was a daughter of William Sumner Battle, of Hancock County,
Georgia, but who was originally from North Carolina. William Stroud was
a son of Mark Stroud and Martha (Strother) Stroud, of Orange County,
North Carolina, and Mark Stroud was a son of John Stroud and Sarah
(Connelly) Stroud. The Strouds, Strothers and Battles came to North
Carolina from Virginia and were all of Revolutionary stock. William
Sumner Battle was a member of the noted family of that name, which
appears to have been originally of Norman-French origin and which in
both England and America claims among its numbers a numerous and
distinguished array of scholars, ministers, lawyers and statesmen. At
the present time the family is most numerous in Virginia, North
Carolina and Georgia, but various branches of it have achieved
distinction in numerous other states North as well as South. Eight
generations of that family are buried in Hancock County, Georgia
When the poet Pope,
out of the wealth of weary experience that shattered health and lost
opportunities had brought to him, wrote that one immortal phrase of his
masterpiece, "Know Thyself," he gave to the world a bit of advice of
inestimable benefit that has doubtless aroused and awakened the
ambition in the life of many walking, as it were, blindfolded, that has
led on to success. Self knowledge points the way the path should lead,
it inspires effort and confidence follows and it is often the only
needed fulcrum for achievement. These thoughts come in considering the
interesting story, largely as the result of his own remarks along the
same line, of one of Atlanta's steadfast men, William B. Baker,
president of the Atlanta Ice and Coal Corporation, who is also a member
of the American Association of Economics and probably one of the best
known expert auditors in the State of Georgia.
William B. Baker was born
August 12, 1868, in Pike County, Georgia, and is a son of Dr. William
Battle and Annie M. (Jackson) Baker, the latter of whom survives and
resides with her son, William B., at Atlanta. Mr. Baker's family
history leads far back to an English ancestor and all along the line
have appeared military heroes. As early as 1656 Jasper Baker is on
record as witnessing a deed in Virginia. He was, perhaps, one of three
brothers of the name, who appear to have subsequently moved to Warren
County, Georgia, and it is certain that his sons participated in the
Revolutionary war.
Edwin Baker, the
grandfather of William B. Baker, was born in Virginia in 1782, and in
Warren County, Georgia, married Nancy Darden. He befame a man of
affairs and represented Warren County in the Legislature, for
twenty-five consecutive years. His sons were men of brilliant military
record during the war between the states, all serving the Confederate
cause with marked gallantry. John Harris Baker was a member of the
Thirteenth Georgia Volunteers, in 1862 being major of this regiment,
later lieutenantcolonel and still later was commissioned colonel.
This regiment
served in 1861 in West Virginia; in December of that year was sent to
Gen. R. E. Lee, then commanding at Charleston; in the spring of 1862
served on the Georgia coast with distinction on Whitemarch Island, and
was sent back to Virginia with Lawton's Brigade in time to take part in
the seven days' battles. From that time it served in the army of
Northern Virginia until the close of the war. Upon the death of Colonel
Ector early in 1862, Marcellus Douglas was appointed colonel. He was
killed at Sharpsburg while gallantly leading his regiment and was
succeeded by James M. Smith. John Harris Baker, at that time major of
the regiment, was promoted to lieutenant-colonel and afterwards was
commissioned colonel.
The name of Alfred
Baker is indissolubly associated with the splendid Confederate military
service of the Baker Volunteers, and Caswell's Georgia Battalion of
Sharpshooters, as will appear by this sketch of his special devotion to
the brave boys of that command and his general warm support of the
Confederate cause. He lived several years after the war ended, enjoying
the honor in which he was held by Confederate soldiers, and remaining
true to their memories and proud of their fame to the last. Alfred
Baker was born in Warren County, Georgia, February 8, 1811, and died
June 16, 1896, in Summerville, Richmond County, near Augusta, Georgia.
He was son of Edwin Baker, who was born in Virginia in 1782. His
grandfather was John Baker, an Englishman, one of three brothers, who
came to America some timq before that date and fought with distinction
in the Revolutionary war. This grandfather married Miss Patty Harris,
of Virginia. The family then moved to Warren County, Georgia, and there
Edwin Baker married in 1809, Miss Nancy Darden, of Georgia, and
represented Warren County in the Legislature for twenty-five years
consecutively. He was a very popular and prominent man and highly
educated for that time.
William Battle
Baker, father of William B. Baker of Atlanta, died when his son was but
one month old. He was a prominent physician in Pike County, Georgia.
During the Civil war he had served as captain of a company in the
Fifty-third Georgia Volunteers, this regiment being a part of the
splendid brigade of General Semmes in Virginia. Captain Baker served
under the above gallant officer until his death at Gettysburg, then
under General Bryan during the Chattanooga and Knoxville campaign of
Longstreet, with whom he returned to Virginia and served in the
overland campaign and around Richmond. At all times he was a brave and
efficient officer.
Too young to
realize the loss he had sustained in the death of his father, William
B. Baker had, necessarily, through boyhood and early youth, fewer
opportunities than would otherwise have been the case, but he attended
school and, after numerous experiences, drifted into mercantile life.
It takes a long time for a country to recover from the ravages of war
and years passed over fair Georgia after the end of hostilities before
business adjustments came and prosperity once more encouraged and
repaid industry. It was a period when other men beside Mr. Baker found
it difficult to find the proper niche, the equal balance that
undoubtedly was necessary in order to make plans effective and results
satisfactory. This problem he solved in his own way and it can be told
no better than in his own words.
"I was a failure up
to the time that I was thirty years old. I always seemed to try to
carry more than I could comfortably'pack up to that period of my life,
but from the time the thirtieth milestone was passed, fortune seemed to
smile on me more benignly. I attribute my success, such as it has been,
to a closer study of life and economics. When I found that I needed
expansion and a wider viewpoint, I took advantage of what extra hours
that could be found, and read and studied to the end that I might grasp
the more intimate affairs of life and conquer my mercantile problems."
The Atlantic Ice
and Coal Corporation, of which Mr. Baker is president and with which
business he has been identified for more than twelve years, was
organized at Atlanta, Georgia, and at present operates large
establishments in sixteen Southern cities and affords employment to
from 2,000 to 3,000 men. The concern is worked on the co-operative
plan, which has proved a success as a business system and has proven
also most satisfying in other directions. Mr. Baker is a thoughtful,
well read man and is a large contributor to the school of economics at
the University of Georgia, and has presented several valuable sets of
works on modern economics to the institution, besides delivering
lectures during the school term to the student body, on the subject of
accounting. He is, in large measure, responsible for the recent passage
of the certified accountant law in Georgia, and has, for years, been a
leader along the lines of expert auditing.
Mr. Baker was
married March 22, 1892, to Miss Perla Pope, who-is a daughter of Judge
J. S. Pope, of Pike County, and they have two sons: William Pope Baker
and Ernest Battle Baker, both at present being students in the
University of Georgia, the elder a senior in the medical department.
The entire family belongs to St. Mark's Methodist Episcopal Church,
Atlanta. Mr. Baker belongs to the Atlanta Chamber of Commerce and is a
life member of the Capital City Club
Source: A standard
history of Georgia and Georgians, Volume 4 By Lucian Lamar Knight
Jordan, William A.,
judge of the city court of Blakely, Early county, ex-mayor of the city,
and one of the representative lawyers of that section of the state, was
born in Pike county, Ga., May 20, 1856, a son of Willis Pope Jordan and
Mary R. (Bethnell) Jordan, both natives of Georgia. The father was a
lawyer by profession and served for a number of years as ordinary of
Quitman county. William A. Jordan secured his preliminary education in
the schools of Quitman county, after which he attended the University
of Georgia. He read law under the preceptorship of his father and in
1877, at the age of twenty-one years, was admitted to the bar of his
native state. He began the practice of his profession in Georgetown,
Ga., and succeeded his father as ordinary of Quitman county, having
been elected in 1881 and remained the incumbent of the office for a
period of four years. In 1886 he located in Blakely, where he engaged
in the practice of his profession and has ever since maintained his
home, prominent in his profession and in the public affairs of the city
and county. He was made solicitor of the county court in 188T and in
1889 he was made Judge of the county court and served on the bench
until this court was abolished by act of the legislature. In 1890 he
was appointed judge of the city court, and has since remained in tenure
of this office, where he has gained a high reputation for the effective
discharge of his judicial duties. He served two terms as mayor of
Blakely; has been alderman of the city several terms, and has always
shown a public-spirited interest in local affairs. He is affiliated
with the Masonic fraternity, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and
the Knights of Pythias, and both he and his wife are members of the
Methodist Episcopal church South. His political allegiance is given to
the Democratic party. In 1887 Judge Jordan was united in marriage to
Miss Jennie Buchanan, daughter of James Buchanan, an honored and
prominent citizen of Blakely, and at one time treasurer of the county.
He served in the Seminole Indian war, in which he was wounded. Judge
and Mrs. Jordan have three children—Maud, William, and Walker. Joseph's
Town.—Among the earliest settlements in Georgia was one about three
miles below the mouth of Abercorn creek, opposite to Onslow and Argyle
islands. Two Scotchmen opened plantations there and thirty servants
were employed in cultivating the lands. The name of Joseph's Town was
given to the place and for a time it promised to become an important
settlement. Then malarial fever attacked the inhabitants; several of
the servants died, the rest moved away, and the plantations lapsed into
neglect.
(Source: Georgia Sketches
of Counties, Towns, Events, Institutions, and Persons, VOL II, by
Candler & Evans, Publ. 1906. Transcribed by Tracy McAllister)

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