Georgia and Georgians - the Digital Library of Georgia

IGEORGIA AND GEORGIANS 2801JOHN SOUTHWELL TYSON. Late grand secretary of the -Grand Lodge ofGeorgia Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and grand scribe of the Encampment, John Southwell Tyson was of an old Georgia family whose ancestorscame from North Carolina and settled in Effingham County, Georgia, manyyears prior to the Revolution. He was the eldest son of Thomas Tyson,whose wife was Miss Elvira Southwell, and he was born in Effingham Countyin 1835. Early in life he located at Savannah, Georgia.When the war between the states occurred' he promptly volunteered andwas commissioned a first lieutenant in siege of heavy artillery, serving assuch at different forts and fortifications on the coast, and until he wasdetailed with the rank of major to look after the transportation of troopsfor the Confederate States toward the latter part of the war.After the war he became prominent in railroad transportation service inGeorgia, was master of transportation for the Atlantic and Gulf Railroad,which road was virtually demolished during the war and is now a part of theAtlantic Coast Line, one of the principal railways of the South. It was duein great part to his untiring work that the road became the valuable propertyit was twenty years later. On account of ill health, after more than twentyyears' service he resigned his position. Later he became grand treasurer ofthe Grand Lodge of Independent Order Odd Fellows, of Georgia, and a fewyears afterward became grand secretary of the grand lodge of Georgia OddFellows, which position he held up to the time of his death. He died inSavannah, Georgia, February 11, 1910.John S. Tyson married Miss Anna Rosa Thompson, a native of Augusta,Georgia. To their marriage were born six children: Charles M., William G.,John S., Jr., Easton Y., M,rs. Caroline Tyson Thomson and Miss Anna R.Tyson.CHARLES M. TYSON, now serving as judge of the City Court of Darien,was born in Savannah, Georgia, July 7, 1862, and is the eldest son of thelate John S. Tyson. As "a boy he attended the public schools of Savannah,and after graduating went to work with a cotton exporting firm. Later hetook up the study of law in the office of the firm of Tompkins & Denmark,and finished his studies under the firm of Denmark & Adams.After being admitted to the bar Judge Tyson located in Darien, Georgia,for the practice of law, his present home city. He has lived in Darien since1885, with the exception of eight or nine years, when he lived at Sandersville,Georgia.Judge Tyson married Miss Emma Lawson, of Sandersville, a daughter ofWilliam Hugh Lawson. Mr. Tyson died February 27, 1906. She was themother of three children: William Southwell, who is now a junior at theUniversity of Georgia, Rosa Lawson and Glenn Cheatham Tyson, who areattending the Darien High School.Judge Tyson has represented Mclntosh County in the House of Representatives of the Georgia Legislature, for several years assisted the late C. S.Nbrthen, secretary of the Georgia Senate, as one of the clerical force of theSenate, and in 1913 and 1914 was state senator -from the Second District.He was for many years connected with the state militia, serving with theMclntosh Light Dragoons, the Georgia Hussars and the Washington Rifles,being captain of the last named for over eight years, and is now a retiredcaptain of the National Guard of Georgia. For many years he has been areal factor in Darien's civic, commercial and industrial life. He is a pastmaster of his Masonic Lodge, was county school commissioner for five yearsand a director and president of The Darien Bank, ice factory, electric lightplant and the saw and planing mill at Darien.JUDGE EUGENIUS A. NISBET was a native Georgian, born in Greene County,December 7,1803. He graduated from the University of Georgia before he was