Georgia and Georgians - the Digital Library of Georgia

'GEORGIA AND .GEORGIANS 2883Doctor Wilson is a life member of the board of education of Savannah,Georgia, a member of the Georgia Medical Society. The Georgia MedicalAssociation and the American Medical Association. He is also a member ofthe Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity, and a Mason. In politics he is ademocrat.In addition to filling the chair of mathematics at the North Georgia Agricultural and Military College he was commandant of cadets for several years.At the beginning of the Spanish war in 1898, he was commissioned first lieutenant in the Oglethorpe Light Infantry, but this company was not musteredinto service and he resigned as s»on as peace was declared.Doctor Wilson descends from old Revolutionary families, and countsamong his forebears many whose names appear in the roster of those whoserved their county during those perilous times. Among them may bementioned. Capt. William Cone on his maternal side, who with remarkablestrategy having a force of only twenty-nine men intercepted and defeated300 men sent up the Satijla River by the English to destroy valuable property in the interior. The intrepid Capt. John Pitts was also a maternalancestor. On his paternal side is Capt. James Wilson of the Tenth NorthCarolina Continental troops who served both in the Revolution and the warof 1812. 'The only son of Doctor Wilson, Emmet C. Wilson, now represents Capt.James Wilson in the North Carolina Society of the Cincinnati.In 1883 Doctor Wilson was married to Caroline Price, eldest daughter ofHon. William Pierce Price and Martha Martin Price of Dahlonega, Georgia.Their children are: Pauline Martin Wilson, wife of Harry Floyd Noyes,Mary Sterling Wilson, wife of Albert Hopkins Marsh of Augusta, Georgia,Emmet C. Wilson, married to Isabel Hey ward, Katherine Wansley Wilson,wife of Olaf Otto, Caroline Price now attending Goucher College, Baltimore,Maryland.COLUMBIA DOWNING. A more notable illustration of the exercise of American energy, ability, integrity and superior skill has rarely been known thanthat exhibited by The Downing Company, dealers in naval stores, which hasachieved a state-wide reputation, and by its able management and steadydevelopment, has secured to Brunswick the undoubted supremacy as regardsthis line of business. The founder and president of this concern, ColumbiaDowning, has been a resident of Brunswick during a period of thirty-fiveyears, and has had much to do with the advancement and development ofthe community, not alone in a business way, but as a friend and supporterof movements for civic betterment and educational progress. Primarily abusiness man, he belongs to that class of men who always find time to aidothers and without whose aid and support no community may thrive.Mr. Downing was born at Downington, Ohio, where the family was welland favorably known, in February, 1845. He was but sixteen years of agewhen the Civil war came on, and November 27, 1861, enlisted for service inthe Union army. He was an artillery officer when nineteen years of age,and was made brigade quartermaster and aide de camp to General Maltby.After a brave and faithful service of four years, he received his honorabledischarge and returned to civilian life on August 11, 1865. His studies hadbeen interrupted by the insatiable demands of war, and he now resumed hislabors toward gaining an education. He attended college at Athens, Ohio,and the Lombard University, Galesburg, Illinois, for three years. His earlybusiness training was along mercantile lines, and he early showed himselfambitious, energetic and thoroughly reliable. In 1881 Mr. Downing came toBrunswick, Georgia, as agent for the Standard Oil Company, and herefounded the naval stores business for that company. However, after a shorttime, the oil company decided to abandon this enterprise, but Mr. Downing,