Georgia and Georgians - the Digital Library of Georgia

GEORGIA AND GEORGIANS 2947of this article. Circumstances were such that he was enabled to attend schoolonly a few months within the entire period of his boyhood and youth, but bypersonal application and broad and varied experience he has since made .goodthis youthful scholastic handicap. ,On the 25th of November, 4892, Mr. Oliver came to Georgia, and for aboutfour years thereafter he was employed as clerk in mercantile establishmentsat Sibbie. On moving to Abbeville he continued 'clerking until 1902, whenhe established what is now the Oliver Mercantile Company, of which he continues the executive head, as he is also of the Bank of Abbeville, his cottongin having been erected by him in 1911 and being thoroughly modern in itsequipment and general facilities. sMr. Oliver is arrayed as a stanch supporter of the cause of the democraticparty and while he has been essentially a business man and has had no desirefor public office, his civic loyalty has never been lacking and was significantlymanifested during his period of service as member of the city council ofAbbeville, in which municipal body he stood sponsor for progressive and liberal policies and careful administration of all departments of the city government. Both he and his wife hold membership in the Methodist EpiscopalChurch, South.On the 18th of February, 1897, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Oliverto Miss Minnie E. Mixon, daughter of James Mixon, of Abbeville, and of theeight children of this union two died in infancy Louis and Margaret. Thesurviving children are Louise, born in 1899; Canty, born in 1901; WillieBelle, born in 1904; Hoke Smith, born in 1909 and named in honor of a distinguished former governor of Georgia; Edward, born in 1912; and Edith,born in 1915. Miss Louise Oliver is now a student in South Georgia College,at McRae, Telfair County.OBIEN THOMAS GOWER. The ability of a scholar and man of affairs hasbeen employed successfully by Orien T. Gower both as a lawyer, and he isone of the leaders of the profession at Cordelc, and also in connection Avithbusiness and public affairs of moment. His record as a legislator was one ofspecial distinction and benefit to his home county and the state at large.Mr. Gower is still young, having been born at Monroe, Georgia, August29, 1879. His parents were David Spence and Mary Elizabeth (Hamilton)Gower, both of whom were born in Gwinnett County, Georgia. The motherdied at Monroe in February, 1911. The father is now a retired farmer and isliving hale and hearty at the age of seventy-seven, having been born in February, 1839. While his business career has been largely that of a farmer, hehas for thirty years preached as a minister of the Primitive Baptist Churchand is a man whose character has brought him the love and respect of a largefollowing throughout this part of Georgia. In young manhood he enlisted as aprivate in the Sixteenth Georgia Infantry and continued fighting for theSouth until wounded in the Battle of the Wilderness. While convalescinghe wras made nurse on the hospital staff, and was by nature well qualified tohelp those in pain and trouble. The hospital in which lie served was locatedin a secure place in West Virginia. As soon as he had recovered from hisown wounds of his own accord he rejoined his company, and soon afterwardswas captured at Front Royal and sent a prisoner to Elmira, New York. Afterthe war he returned to his Georgia home and by energy and good managementbecame a very successful farmer. There were seven children in the family,five of whom are living. Angie, who died in Monroe in 1910, was the wifeof W. H. Goodwin; Eugenia is the wife of J. D. Gordon of Ingleside, De KalbCounty, Georgia; Robert Hoyt Gower is a real estate man at Atlanta; OscarSamuel is a dealer in horses and mules and also a farmer at Momroe.Orien Thomas Gower spent his boyhood chiefly at Monroe, Georgia, wherehe attended the public schools and in 1899 graduated from the Peabody Nor-