|
Georgia
Biographies
COL. N.
C.
BARNETT
SKETCH OF COL. BARNETT's
CAREER.
The following sketch of Col. Barnett's interesting career is founded on
information furnished by him to a friend in 1883; He was born June 28,
1801, at Columbia county, five miles from Appling, near Winfrey's
mills. His mother was a sister of William H. Crawford. She remained in
Columbia county with her family two years after the death of her
husband, when they removed to Greene county and settled in the fork of
the Occonee and Appalachee rivers.
COL. BARNETT's EARLY SCHOOL
DAYS.
Little Nathan was sent to school at a very early age. One of his
instructors was a man named Hewland, and Irishman, and a whipping
teacher of the old school. On one occasion he struck a boy so severely
on the leg that he fractured the bone, yet, as soon as the lad was well
enough to walk he was sent back and committed to Hewland's tender
mercies by his father, though the child was so badly hurt that after he
returned to school pieces of broken bone continued to work out of his
ankle.
THE WANDERINGS OF THE FAMILY.
Col. Barnett's mother moved next to a place about four miles from
Greensboro. There the family rended till he was 10 years old, when they
went to Oglethorpe county and settled on the land of her brother, Judge
Crawford, near Lexington, in 1821. When Col. Barnett was 20 he bought a
"fraction" farm in Walton county and they removed there. That year the
drouth [drought?] was so extreme that it almost caused a famine, and he
had to go all the way to Gwinnett county to get bread.
SOWED HIS WILD OATS.
The next year he went to Monroe. There, as he put it, he "sowed his
wild oats," which only meant that he was fond of gay society and spent
most of his time in amusing himself as he was never the least but
dissipated. He never learned to play cards, his only information on the
subject at the age of 81 being that the ace of spades was the lowest
card in the deck.
HIS MARRIAGE TO MISS MORETON.
In 1824 he married Miss Margaret J. Moreton, sister of William Moreton
of Athens. Three years later he left Walton for Clarke county, where he
lived till 1831, when he moved to Watkinsville, near which place he
purchased a fine farm. He also engaged in merchanise and cotton buying.
CHOSEN A LEGISLATOR AND
RUINED FINANCIALLY.
He was elected to the legislature in 1836, and while attending to his
official duties at Milledgeville an incompetent clerk whom he had left
in charge of his store practically ruined him financially by a bad
trade. The clerk bought cotton heavily at 15 cents, without a limit as
to the time of delivery. The staple declined in value so that the next
year Col. Barnett found himself receiving cotton at 15 cents and
selling for 7 cents. He struggled on till 1842, when his business
faded, and he sacrificed everything he possessed to pay debts.
ELECTED SECRETARY OF STATE.
Meanwhile he had served a second term in legislature and a year after
his business failure was elected secretary of state over Peter J.
Williams and others. He then made Milledgeville his home. He was
re-elected in '45 and '47, and defeated in '49 by Col. Geo. W.
Harrison, father of the present clerk of the supreme court. In '51 he
was again elected, but after serving two years gave place to E. P.
Watkins, who was state secretary for eight years.
Col. Barnett was re-elected in 1861 to the consolidated office of
surveyor - general and Secretary of State and he continued to hold the
position against competitors, such as Ex-Governor Jas. Boynton, who ran
against him in 1865 till displaced by the federal military in 1869. In
the election which followed Judge Cothing, the republican candidate
defeated him. In '73 he was again returned to the office by the
democrats and held up to the time of his death. At one time, he was
surveyor in the Cherokee hand lottery. He was adjutant of a militia
regiment before the war and also held rand as captain, major and
colonel.
HIS SECOND MARRIAGE.
His first wife having died during the Harrison freshet in 1840, he
married, in 1841, a daughter of Dr. Cooper, who was superintendant of
the Lunatic asylum before Dr. Green. By his first wife he had seven
children and by his second eight, three of whom survive him. [Macon Weekly Telegraph, February 2, 1890 -
submitted by Christina Anthony]
ALEXANDER STEPHENS
Alexander
Stephens was born March 17, 1726 in
England and died March 15, 1813 in Georgia.
He settled in Duncannon City, Perry County, Pa. After the Rev. War he
moved to Georgia
He married Catherine Baskins.
Alexander Stephens served under Washington and was with him at
Braddock's Defeat in 1755.
He was a private of Capt. Jos. Shippen's Co. , Col. Wm. Clapham's Regt.
in the French and Indian War in 1756.
He was on the Pa. roll as Pvt. of the 4th Co. 5th Bt.
His Children were:
A. James Stephens who married Elizabeth Garrett their children were:
1. Alexander
2. Robert married Martha Jones
3. Wm.
4. James married Fannie Garrett
5.Andrew married Agnes Garrett
6. Catherine married Hearst
7. Sarah married Jas. White
8. Jennie married Robert Garret
9. Eliz married Hugh Latta
B. Nehemiah
C. Andrew married Margaret Greer their children were:
1. Mary
2. Aaron
3. Alexander
Second Married to Maheda their children were:
1. John L.
2. Andrew Baskins
3. Benjamin
4. Linton
C. Catherine married Coulton
D. Mary married Jones
E. Eliz married Kellogg
F. Sarah married Hodgkins
G. Jane
Alexander and Jane lived with Andrew.
Alexander was Governor of Georgia when he died in 1813.
Alexander H Stephens was a grandson of Alexander Sr.
He was vice-president of the Confederacy, a Congressman and Governor of
Georgia when he died in 1883.
Source Colonial-Revolutionary Families in Pa. by Jordan- Pres. Hsp
Curator of Independence Hall
Transcribed by Barbara Ziegenmeyer from materials provided from the
research of Lynn Stephens Headley
STONE, LUCIUS BENNETT, business man,
was born October 15, 1835, at Homer, Cortland County, N. Y.; son of
Jacob Thompson and Mary (Bennett) Stone; grandson of Mary Webb Stone
who was on the maternal side a direct descendant of Gov. William
Bradford and on the paternal side the Webb family is of Scotch origin,
tracing its line of descent back to Harry Webb who settled in
Warwickshire, England, in 1377; great-grandson of Thomas Stone who was
a private in Col. Artemus Ward's regiment in the Revolutionary War, and
participated in many battles among them being the battle of Bunker
Hill, and of Asa Bennett and a Miss Barrows, the former who served as a
lieutenant in the Revolutionary War, and the latter who was a daughter
of Capt. Thomas Barrows. Lucius B. Stone received his education in the
Cortland academy at Homer, and at the age of twenty years because of
ill health he went to Georgia. On January 23, 1861, he enlisted in
Jackson's battery, Georgia state troops with whom he marched to the
coast; in April, 1861, enlisted in the second Georgia battalion of
infantry, going to Norfolk, Va.; was assigned to the Forty-ninth
Georgia infantry, C. S. A., as drill master; and later he was appointed
ordnance sergeant. In 1876, he came to Cherokee County; engaged in
merchandising, mining, and farming; was elected state senator from the
twenty-ninth district, 1900, was re-elected in 1902, and again in 1903.
Married: on December 3, 1874, at Cave Springs, Ga., to Martha Shorten,
daughter of Moses Rochester and Elizabeth (Harper) Wright, of that
place; great-granddaughter of Armstead Richardson who served as major
in the Mexican War, and served throughout the War of Secession;
greatgreat-granddaughter of Lieut. Daniel Richardson of Culpeper, Va.,
who served three years in the Revolutionary War, and received a land
grant of four thousand acres for services rendered Virginia. Residence:
Farill.
[History of Alabama and dictionary of Alabama biography, Volume 4 By
Thomas McAdory Owen, Marie Bankhead Owen, 1921 - Transcribed by AFOFG]
STONE, GEORGE WASHINGTON, lawyer, was born October 24, 1811, in Bedford
County, Va., and died March 11, 1894, in Montgomery; son of Micajah and
Sarah (Leftwich) Stone, of Bedford County, Va., who removed to Lincoln
County, Tenn., in 1818; grandson of Micajah Stone, a native of England
who emigrated to America and settled in Bedford County, Va.; grand
nephew of Jabez Leftwich (q. v.). Judge Stone was educated in the
common schools of Lincoln County, Tenn., later attending the village
academy. He studied law in the office of James Fulton, of Fayetteville,
Tenn.; removed to Alabama; was admitted to practice his profession in
that State, May, 1834, and opened an office in Talladega; entered into
partnership with William P. Chilton, later chief justice of the supreme
court of Alabama; appointed judge of the circuit court, August, 1843;
elected to the same position for a term of six years by the
legislature, in December, 1843; resigned in January, 1849, and removed
to Hayneville, Lowndes County, practicing in succession with Nathan
Cook, T. J. Judge, and S. Perry Nesraith. He was elected associate
justice of the Alabama supreme court bench, January, 1856, re-elected
in 1862, and upon the reconstruction of the State government after the
War of Secession retired from the bench and again took up the practice
of his profession in Montgomery. He formed a partnership in 1866 with
David Clopton and Gen. James H. Clanton. Upon the death of General
Clanton the firm was continued under the name of Stone and Clopton.
Judge Stone was again appointed in March, 1876, as associate justice of
the supreme court by Governor Houston to fill an unexpired term;
elected by the people in 1880 for a term of six years; appointed chief
justice by Governor O'Neal in 1884; and elected to the same office for
a term of six years in 1886; after which he returned to his practice.
He served on the supreme court bench for nearly a quarter of a century
and delivered over two thousand and one hundred decisions. These
decisions are to be found in the twenty-eight to the thirty-ninth, and
fifty-third to the eighty-ninth volumes of the Alabama State reports,
inclusive. Married: (1) December 16, 1834, to Mary, daughter of George
and Martha (Morgan) Gillespie, of Franklin, Tenn.; (2) September 4,
1849, to Emily, daughter of William and Dolly (Rutherford) Moore, of
Lowndes County; (3) February 8, 1866, to Mrs. Mary E. (Harrison)
Wright, daughter of Paschal and Elizabeth (Phillips) Harrison, of
Georgia, later of Lowndes County. He left numerous descendants. Last
residence: Montgomery.
[History of Alabama and dictionary of Alabama biography, Volume 4 By
Thomas McAdory Owen, Marie Bankhead Owen, 1921 - Transcribed by AFOFG]
STONE, FRANK SINGLETON, Sr.,
steamboat owner, was born October 3, 1839, at Bladen Springs, Choctaw
County, and died at Montrose, Baldwin County; son of Capt. Sardine
Graham Stone, and brother of S. G. Stone, treasurer of Mobile County.
His parents removed to Mobile in 1847, and he received his early
education in that city. At the age of twelve he entered the shipyard of
J. and D. Howard, Jeffersonville, Ind., for the purpose of learning the
business, a year later he went to Mississippi where he completed his
literary studies under Alexander Demitry. In 1854, he returned to
Mobile and worked as shipping clerk, and the next year he began his
career as a river man. His first position was that of second clerk on
the "Ben Lee," running in the Tombigbee River trade. In 1858, he was on
the "Eliza Battle" as clerk and when that boat burned during a passage
he saved several lives for which act he was commended by rescued
persons and the Masons of the state, the latter giving him a gold medal
for his daring. In 1864, he became captain of the steamer "The
Admiral," plying the Tombigbee River, and later had command of a
company of boats. Later in life he retired from the river man's life to
his home "Montrose" in Baldwin County, and became widely known as a
scientific horticulturist. Married: September 4, 1862, to Mary,
daughter of Dr. Augustus C Hawkins, the latter a native of Georgia, who
practiced medicine in Union Springs before finally locating in Waverly,
Miss., where he died in 1856. Children: 1. Frank S. jr., student
University of Alabama, 1880-83; LL. B., University of Georgia, 1886;
clerk, supreme court of Georgia, 1887-88; solicitor, Baldwin County,
1894-99; tax commissioner, Baldwin County, 1899-1900; m. Mary Alice
Staats, of Daphne; 2. Mary, deceased; 3. Robert O. Last residence:
Baldwin County.
[History of Alabama and dictionary of Alabama biography, Volume 4 By
Thomas McAdory Owen, Marie Bankhead Owen, 1921 - Transcribed by AFOFG]
LACY, ERNEST RENFROE, lawyer, was
born October 11, 1877, in Talladega County; son of Sheriff and Mary
(McCullough) Lacy, the former a native of Randolph County, who lived at
different times in Randolph, St. Clair, and Talladega Counties, until
1882, when he moved to Jasper, is a lawyer, has served as county
solicitor, register in chancery, representative in the legislature, and
solicitor of the law and equity courts; grandson of Abner Wise and
Martha Ann (Brewster) Lacy, of Ashville, the former of a Virginia
family and the latter of a South Carolina family, and of John Marion
and Ruth (Skinner) McCullough, of Macon County, the former a
Confederate soldier who was killed at the battle of Peach Tree Creek,
July, 1864. The McCulloughs came from South Carolina to Alabama, and
the Skinners from Georgia. Mr. Lacy attended Howard College, 1894-1895;
attended the law school of the University of Alabama during the session
of 1899-1900, graduating, LL. B.; began the practice of law at Jasper,
January 15, 1902; and represented Walker County in the State
legislature, 19071911. He is a Democrat; a Missionary Baptist; and a
Knight of Pythias. Married: November 3, 1903, at Jasper, to Gaye
Musgrove, daughter of John B. and Zou (Musgrove) Long. Residence:
Jasper.
[History of Alabama and dictionary of Alabama biography, Volume 4 By
Thomas McAdory Owen, Mrs. Marie (Bankhead) Owen, 1921 – Transcribed by
AFOFG]
LANE, ALEXANDER OSCAR, lawyer and judge, was born October 29, 1848, in
Macon County, and died in Birmingham; son of Dr. Alexander and Mary E.
(Phillips) Lane, both natives of Georgia. He received a liberal
education and was for a short time principal of a boys high school at
Clayton. Reading law under Chancellor John A. Foster he was admitted to
the bar in 1869, and began the practice in Ozark. In 1873 he located in
Birmingham, where the next year he formed a partnership with John T.
Terry. Upon Mr. Terry's retirement from the practice he formed a
partnership with E. T. Taliaferro and B. H. Tabor; later and for many
years, he was associated with Frank S. White in the practice. In 1880
he became editor of the "Iron Age"; was elected mayor of Birmingham in
1882, re-elected in 1884 and 1886, and again in 1890. Since 1892 he
continually practiced his profession. He was appointed associate judge
of the tenth judicial circuit, provided by the act of 1907. At the time
of the change of the form of government for the city of Birmingham in
1911, he was appointed one of the three commissioners for a term of
four years. He was a Democrat; a Presbyterian; and a Knight of Pythias.
Married: in May. 1875, to Minnie, daughter of Col. John T. and
Elizabeth (Kerr) Terry, the former of Chester District, S. C; the
latter of Sumter County; granddaughter of William Kerr of that county.
Children: 1. Alma, m. Benson Cain, Birmingham; 2. Minnie, m. Louis
Hart, of Gadsden; 3. Terence; 4. Lucile, m. Bailey, of St. Louis; 5.
Frank. Last residence: Birmingham.
[History of Alabama and dictionary of Alabama biography, Volume 4 By
Thomas McAdory Owen, Mrs. Marie (Bankhead) Owen, 1921 – Transcribed by
AFOFG]
LANE, CHARLES PAUL, lawyer and
editor, was born March 28, 1854, in Madison County, and died May 1,
1907, in Huntsville; son of George Washington and Martha Nicholas
(Davis) Lane (q. v.). He was educated in Huntsville, and studied law in
the office of Col. Luke Pryor and Robert M. McClellan in Athens. He was
admitted to the bar in 1873, and practiced law in Athens and
Huntsville. He was elected to the State legislature from Limestone
County in 1881; was nominated by the Greenback convention as their
candidate for attorney general in 1882; and was three times nominated
by the Republican party as candidate for governor of Alabama. He served
as a Blaine and Logan elector in 1884, and in 1885 established the "New
South," at that time the only Republican paper in the state. Later he
founded the "Evening Tribune," another Republican newspaper, and was
editor and publisher of both at Huntsville. During the year 1887, Mr.
Lane was the representative in the north of four large land companies,
the Sheffield, Decatur, Florence, and Huntsville. He was president of
the Alabama commercial club for three terms, and a member of the
Episcopal church. Married: January 4, 1881, at Tuskegee, to Eleanor
Wimberly, daughter of John Lucas and America (Watson) Abercrombie;
granddaughter of James H. and Lavinia (Chilton) Abercrombie, and of
Michael Watson, who married a Miss Ross of South Carolina. Children: 1.
Madge Westmoreland, m. Judge Milo Abercrombie, Tuskegee; 2. Mattie
Morton; 3. Lalie Bradley, m. Carl N. Brown, Cedar Town, Ga.; 4. Charles
Day, m. Blanche Fowler, Huntsville; 5. Elizabeth Richardson, m. Alex
McCallister, Huntsville; 6. James Abercrombie; 7. William Rison,
Huntsville. Last residence: Huntsville.
[History of Alabama and dictionary of Alabama biography, Volume 4 By
Thomas McAdory Owen, Mrs. Marie (Bankhead) Owen, 1921 – Transcribed by
AFOFG]
|
