Alan Anderson: Historic tidbits: 1905-1906

Alan Anderson

AMERICUS — Jan. 13, 1905: obit of Mrs. Elizabeth Tinsley, “relict of the late Thomas Tinsley,” sons Wm., Jack and Arthur Tinsley

Jan. 31, 1905: “Mr. L.S. Tower has leased the handsome home on Taylor street, to be vacated by Mr. E.J. Miller, and will occupy it in a short while.”

Feb. 3, 1905: “FAMILY WILL RESIDE IN MACON. Left Yesterday For Future Home In That City. Mr. Edgar J. Miller and family left yesterday for Macon, their future home, and will reside at 529 Vineville avenue. Mr. Miller will engage in the marble business there, quite likely, while his son, Boyce Miller, will enter the retail grocery business. The departure of this most excellent and highly esteemed family from Americus is deeply regretted among their large circle of friends here. Mr. Miller has been a citizen of Americus for more than twenty years, and both in business and in social life was held in great esteem. They carry to their new home the best wishes of a host of friends in Americus.”

Feb. 7, 1905: “FIRM HERE TO MAKE A CHANGE IN NAME. Wheatley & Ansley Dissolve Partnership. BUSINESS WILL BE CONTINUED. By Charles L. Ansley, Who Owns Entire Business and Assumes all Obligations of Firm. Mr. Wheatley Will Retire From Business. The formal announcement this morning of the dissolution of the well known firm of Wheatley & Ansley will be of general interest, marking, as it does, the passing of a firm so long identified with commercial Americus and this section of the state. A name that for fifteen years has been a household word in south Georgia is obliterated. More than that, it marks the passing from active business life of a name that for a half century has been synonymous with the growth of the city … Owing to ill health, Mr. Thornton Wheatley desired to retire … His entire interest is sold to Mr. C.L. Ansley … It has been just a quarter century agone that he entered the employ of Mr. Wheatley as salesman. Ten years thereafter he was admitted to full partnership … he becomes sole owner of one of the largest houses in south Georgia … Mr. Ansley will retain his entire corps … Mr. H.C. Davis, the accountant, will be … credit man, standing next to Mr, Ansley in managing the business … ”

March 9, 1905: “For Ordinary. To the voters of Sumter County: I announce myself as candidate for ordinary of Sumter County and will if elected discharge the duties which I think I am fully qualified. I am in needy circumstances, not able to work, or would not ask for it. JOSEPH A. (NAP) COBB.”; “ … funeral of Capt. J. Marsh Johnston, whose death occurred on Tuesday morning [March 7] was conducted yesterday in Macon where he had so long resided … Captain Johnston was very well known in Americus … a large land owner here, among his possessions being the vast Huguenin plantation of ten thousand or twelve thousand acres near Americus [straddling both sides of what is now Lake Blackshear]. It was Capt. Johnston who had bored the first artesian well in Georgia … ”

March 10, 1905: “A telegram last night announced the death of Mrs. Nancy Wheeler in Brunswick, where she was visiting her daughter, Mrs. Frank Bragan. The deceased was the relict of the late A.W. Wheeler and widely known here as one of the oldest residents of Americus. The funeral will occur here Saturday morning.”; Americus Hospital Association acquired "the former Smithwick home on Barlow" and began renovation; letter to T-R signed by “BARLOW STREET” complained about the city’s hospital presence in a residential neighborhood

May 26, 1905: “IS OPEN TO PUBLIC TO HEAL THE SICK. Portals of Hospital Flung Ajar. RECEPTION MARKED OPENING. Hundreds of Citizens Witness Ceremonies Last Night and Inspected Handsome Building — Hospital Now Ready for Patients … After the invocation by Rev. J.P. Wardlaw … an address was delivered by Mr. E.A. Nesbit … benediction was pronounced by Rev. R.L. Bivins … appearance of the rooms was very inviting … upstairs hall and rooms … bath rooms up and down stairs are handsomely fitted up … two memorial rooms — one to Dr. Eldridge and one to Miss Emma Dodson — … are the “pay rooms.” The operating room is a gem … Miss Ruth Sanderson has been secured as head nurse and matron … ”

July 8, 1905: “WEDDING IN COLORED SOCIETY. Occasion of Interest of Recent Occurrence Here. A marriage of interest in the best circles of colored society here was that of Lucile Warren and Thad Bouie. The bride is the daughter of Boss Warren, an industrious and respected colored citizen, and for several years [she] has been a teacher in the McKay [sic] Hill school. The groom is likewise much esteemed among many friends. The marriage took place at the home of the bride’s parents, Rev. R.L. Darden of Bethesda Baptist church officiating.”

Sept. 17, 1905: “ESTATE WORTH FIVE MILLIONS. Late Frank M. Coker Wealthiest Man in State. Mr. Frank M. Coker, who died the past week in Atlanta, was the wealthiest man in Georgia, his estate being worth something like 5,000,000. Much of this is in Atlanta property but the great bulk of it is in very valuable realty in St. Paul and Minneapolis where he bought large tracts of land shortly after the [Civil] war. Mr. Coker was a citizen of Americus [born and raised at the Plains of Dura] when the war began and enlisted here with the famous Cutts Artillery, serving with it throughout the war. When he first came to Americus, a poor boy, before the war, he worked for a firm here for $10 a month and even at the meager salary saved money. When the war ended his little [-] here was swept away but he again started business in Americus and in 1873 went to Atlanta, where he has since resided as one of the leading bankers and financiers of the state. Mr. Coker is survived by his wife and three children, F.M. Coker, Jr., of Atlanta; Mrs. George T. Hodgson, of Athens; and Mrs. W.W. Turner, of LaGrange. Three brothers, John M. Coker, of Americus; Judge W.B.C. Coker, of Brunswick, and Dr. C.W. Coker, of Medford, [Oregon] and several sisters, also survive him.”

Sept. 26, 1905: “Miss Laura Ansley, the bright and winsome young daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Charles L. Ansley, recently celebrated her eleventh birthday, and among her many gifts was a handsome Chickering grand piano, a present from her father.”

Nov. 17, 1905: “Treasurer A.C. Speer Better — The friends of Judge A.C. Speer were glad to see him at his office yesterday after his confinement of nearly a year at home. Judge Speer is still quite infirm, and this visit to the courthouse was the first in many long months. The duties of the treasurer's office are looked after by Judge Speer's grandson, Mr. Earl Speer.”

Nov. 28, 1905: front page photo of First Methodist Church as it hosted the 39th Annual Session of the South Georgia Conference, J.W. Shiver, S.M. Gordy, J.P. Raiford, F.G. Olver, E.Y. Grey, Dr. J.P. Wardlaw, reception committee

Dec. 8, 1905: “Askew-Purvis — Mr. and Mrs. J.J. Askew announce the engagement of their daughter, Leila, to Mose Purvis, of Smithville, Ga., the marriage to occur on Sunday evening, December 10th, at 3 o'clock, at the home of Mr. J.J. Askew, Richland, Ga.”

Dec. 12, 1905: “Miss Rosalie Speer (your narrator’s maternal grandmother) has gone to Sumter upon a visit of several days to relatives and friends.”

Jan. 12, 1906: “SULLIVAN GIVEN HIS RELEASE — Americus Man is Pardoned By Commission. Mr. G.T. Sullivan was on yesterday granted a pardon by the State Prison Commission and in a day or two will leave the State Farm at Milledgeville for his home in Americus. After a stay of a year in a camp at Macon he became too ill for the work required and recently has been at the State Farm, where the duties were less arduous. His attorney, Col. W.A. Dodson, appeared before the Commission yesterday in his behalf and secured his release from prison.”

Jan. 13, 1906: “HERO OF CIVIL WAR IS DEAD IN MACON. Captain William L. Johnson Passes Away. FORMER CITIZEN OF AMERICUS … Captain William L. Johnson died yesterday morning at 7 o’clock at his home in Macon. Capt. Johnson was one of Macon’s most highly esteemed citizens and was well known in Americus as well, where he resided for many years, engaged in business here. Only recently Captain Johnson celebrated his 85th birthday. For a long number of years, both prior to and after the Civil War, Captain Johnson resided in Americus where he was successfully engaged in the cotton business with the late Col. A.S. Cutts, the firm having a large warehouse where the J.W. Harris store stands [southwest corner of Forrest and Lamar]. At the beginning of hostilities he organized the Sumter Light Guards, and as its captain led the first command leaving Americus for the front. For some time he remained with the company and was later detached by the Confederate government for other duties. Captain Johnson was a brother of the late Mr. Henry R. Johnson of Americus … ”

Feb. 8, 1906: “DEATH OF MR. JOHN M. COKER … deceased was well advanced in years and a few weeks hence would have reached his 69th birthday. Nearly all of his life had been spent in Americus, where for a long time he engaged in business. In early life he wedded Miss Anna Barrett, who with three daughters, Mrs. A.S. Thompson, Mrs. Al Poole and Mrs. Henry Bradford, survive him. He was a Confederate veteran, having served through the war with a command from this county. Two older brothers, Frank M. Coker, of Atlanta, and J.W. [sic] Coker of Brunswick, died recently, the three brothers thus passing away within the period of three or four months.”; “ARE GOING TO REAR A SHAFT TO WIRZ. Monument To a Confederate Hero. LADIES GOINGTO SELECT SITE. Martyr of Fanatical Hatred to Have a Marble Shaft. Daughters of Confederacy Going to Andersonville For That Purpose Today … The shaft will be erected at a point near the depot in the historic little village, and while not as tall and costly as some of those erected there by northern states, it will tell a story of the sixties and refute the calumnies heaped upon a valiant soldier … ”

March 10, 1906: W.C. Sullivan reelected to city school board with U.B. Harrold, G.T. Miller and G.W. Glover

March 16, 1906: “Miss Speer and Mr. Purvis to Wed on 28th — A marriage of interest to the friends of the bride and groom prospective will be that of Miss Rosalie Speer and Mr. Edgar M. Purvis. The happy event is announced for Wednesday, 28th inst. at the residence of the bride's mother, Mrs. Jennie Speer, 703 Forsyth street, east.”; “The liveliest fight is for county treasurer, for which office there are already four candidates ... Judge A.C. Speer, the present incumbent ... And thus far no one has picked the winner.”

March 22, 1906: biography and photograph of Hon. Crawford Wheatley, announcing his run for U.S. Congress in Georgia’s Third District

March 30, 1906: marriage of Edgar M. Purvis and Rosalie Speer; A.C. Speer lost primary election to P.H. Williams, 162 to 548

April 8, 1906: obit of Dr. William Columbus Tinsley, died April 7th, about 62, survived by “several sons and daughters”

April 20, 1906: “ ... Prof. L.D. Lockhart has purchased the Kleckley residence out Lee street and next the residence of Mr. E.B. Everett, and in turn has sold to Mrs. Kleckley his desirable residence on Barlow street, where she will reside ... “

Aug. 15, 1906: “Large Number Gather at Speer Home for Good Time — One of the most pleasant sessions of the Epworth League held in sometime was the meeting Monday night at the Speer home on Forsyth street. After the work of the body was transacted an excellent program of musical and literary numbers was given which called forth much approval. Later on games were played after which the merry throng of about 40 people wended their way homeward. The out of town guests included Miss Mary Sullivan of Fitzgerald and Pierce Few of Sandersville.”

Sept. 7, 1906: “DESOTO IS SWEPT IN A RUSH OF FLAMES. Disastrous Fire is Started There. LOSS AMOUNTS TO THOUSANDS. Fire Started in Pile of Rubbish in Rear of Moore’s Store and Spread Rapidly, Sweeping Away All Buildings on That Street. DeSoto, fourteen miles east of Americus, was swept by [a] most disastrous fire at an early hour yesterday morning, and ere the flames died out for lack of food to feed upon eight or nine storehouses in the little town had been reduced to ashes. There was no fire department to give battle, and only when the last frame building fell a heap of charred ruins did the fire fiend cease the disastrous onslaught … The fire was discovered at 11:30 o’clock, and started, it is said, in a pile of straw in the rear of Moore’s store. Immediately, the people turned out to fight the flames, but so rapidly did they spread that the fire was soon past all control. All the stores burned were frame buildings, in a row, and built close together, and from one to the other the flames leaped easily. As it was impossible to check the fire citizens began the removal of goods from the doomed buildings. There was little insurance carried by any of the merchants, some having none at all, and all tried to save as much property as they could. Many of the merchants, thus assisted by the people of the town, saved a part of their stocks, while others lost all. It was hot work indeed, but the citizens stuck to it valiantly. Principal among the losers by the fire are Messrs. E.A. Luke, Ferguson & Son, Geo. W. Bagley, W.J. Sessions, F.H. Scarborough and, in fact, all doing business on the street. In all, some eight or nine frame buildings were swept away. Ferguson & Son carried a small amount of insurance, but it is understood that few if any of the other merchants were thus protected. Among the heaviest losers, perhaps, is Mr. E.A. Luke, who carried a large stock and was uninsured. The total loss by the fire will probably reach $15,000 or $18,000.”

Nov. 1, 1906: Georgia Division of the United Daughters of the Confederacy held their 12th Annual Session in Americus over three days, during which they visited Andersonville, the prison site and the national cemetery, voting to place the Wirz monument in Americus (later overturned for Andersonville), Mrs. J.E. Mathis president of the local chapter; in honor of the occasion, Americus city schools Superintendent A.G. Miller ran a Confederate flag up the 100-foot flag pole at Furlow School, the first time in Americus

Nov. 7, 1906: “The real estate of Dr. W.C. Tinsley and located in and near the town of Leslie brought on the aggregate about $2,000, consisting of two houses and lots there and 100 acres land near the town.”

Nov. 28, 1906: “Mr. Frank Marsh of Americus carries in his pocket ... a treasured souvenir of the great naval battle between the ... Merrimac and the ... Monitor, fought in Hampton Roads. After the docking of the Merrimac at the end of the fight Mr. Marsh went aboard and detached from her machinery a tiny brass oil cup, and this he still carries ... “



Anderson is a local historian, middle school teacher and special history correspondent for the Times-Recorder.

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