Georgia and Georgians - the Digital Library of Georgia

2952 GEORGIA AND GEORGIANS1912, when he was seventy-eight years of age. Mrs. Tison, also a native ofWorth County, passed away in 1891, when fifty years of age. Of their elevenchildren, William AVoodruff was the third in order of birth.As a boy William W. Tison attended the country schools of Worth County,and his earliest occupations were those connected with the vocations of planting arid farming. Later he became interested in a mercantile way, becominga country merchant at Doles, which is a country village situated about twelvemiles north of Sylvester, and where he developed an excellent business; attracting trade from all over the countryside. .Judge Tison still owns his farm inthat locality, and continues to operate the store, which has shown a yearlyadvancement.In 1904, when he was first.elected ordinary, Judge Tison came to Sylvesterto make his residence and soon became interested in business and financialactivities here. In 1910 he was made president of the Farmers and Merchants.Bank, an office which he still retains, and his wise policy and farseeiug management have served to make this one of the most substantial banking concerns of the county. He has held the office of ordinary through three general elections, and is held in -the highest esteem, not alone by the legal fraternity, but by the general public, who have found in him a fair and impartialjudge and one who is capable of tempering justice with mercy. He belongedto the Farmers Alliance and is religiously connected with the Baptist Church.On January 13, 1887, Judge Tison was united in marriage with MissAlice Amelia Ford Holamon, of Worth County, Georgia, daughter of J.Me. Holamon. Mrs. Tison died in September of the same year, without issue,and was laid to rest in Worth County. On September 24, 1899, JudgeTison was again married, being united with Miss Sarah Van Houston, of thiscounty, daughter of George R. and Sarah Van (Calhoun) Houston. Theyhave been the parents of the following children: Miss Georgia Merle, bornOctober 10, 1902, who is attending the public schools of Sylvester; William]5ryan, who died in infancy; Paul, born May 17,1903, who is attending school;Lora Alice, born in February, 1904, and now attending school at Sylvester;Jewel, born January 24, 1907, also a student in the public schools; SarahVan, born January 30, 1909, who has commenced her education; WilliamWoodruff, Jr., born April 4, 1911; Thomas Theophilus, born March 5, 1913,who died eight months after birth; and Emma Iris, born September 8, 1914.MARVIN R. SMITH, M. 1). A physician whose work has brought him alarge practice and high standing as a citizen in the community of Cordele,Dr. Marvin R. Smith came out of college ten years ago and quickly earned aposition among the well trained able medical men in his section of Georgia.Though most of his life has been spent in Georgia he was born at Somerton,Virginia, September 9, 1878. His parents, E. R. and Marianna(Goodman) Smith were also born at Somerton, Virginia, but in 1881 removedto Georgia and established a home in Sycamore, where the.father died in1908 at the age of sixty-two, and where the mother is still living at fifty-six.E. R. Smith acquired extensive turpentine interests and was one of thepioneers of that industry in that section of Georgia. Though only a boy atthe time he participated in the Civil war, having enlisted at the age of seventeen toward the close of -the struggle, and fought with the Confederates inand around Richmond with the army of Northern Virginia until the close.There were eight children in the family: W. R. Smith, of Sycamore; E. R.Smith, of Sycamore; Sydney K. Smith, of Ashburn, Georgia; Arthur Smith,of Ashburn; Dr. Marvin R.; B. G. Smith, of Sycamore; Mrs. J. L. Evans,of Ashburn; and Mrs. H. B. Cross, of Suffolk, Virginia.Marvin R. Smith finished his literary education in 1902 at Emory College.and then entered the medical department of the state university at Augusta,where he was graduated M. D.'in 1905. After spending a year as interne in