Georgia and Georgians - the Digital Library of Georgia

3016 GEORGIA AND GEORGIANSing and repair shop, and also engaged in farming until his death, whichoccurred October 16, 1872, at the age of thirty-eight. His wife was born April12, 1835, and was burned to death February 20, 1915, when eighty yearsof age. Both parents were members of the Lutheran Church, and the fatherwas affiliated with the Masonic fraternity. Of their eight children two diedin infancy. The oldest, N. Peter Larsen, died at Pembroke in Bryan County,Georgia. F. Samuel died August 20, 1889, in Liberty County, Georgia, wherehe was well known as a farmer and in political affairs. Inger Sophelia married for her first husband Dr. B. J. Simmons of Stilson, Georgia, and is nowthe wife of L. B. Swain, of Evans County, Georgia. The next in age is "William W. Larsen of Dublin. The oldest son, N. Peter Larsen, left a son WilliamTell Larsen; who graduated as a lawyer, came to Dublin, practiced as juniorpartner of William W. Larsen and on January 15, 1914, met death whilecrossing the tracks of the Central of Georgia Railway in his automobile. Mrs.L. B. Swain by her marriage to Doctor Simmons had three children,: Wilma,now Mrs. B. J. Hodges of Evans County; Norah L., now Mrs. Cohen Chapman of Macon; and Pearl, wife of P. M. Anderson, an attorney at Claxton,Georgia. Mrs. Swain by her present husband has two children: Larsen Swainof Claxton; and Fealiemae, of Claxton.William W. Claxton as a boy attended the public schools at Hagan andthe Bryan Institute of Lamar, the Southern Georgia Military School ofThomasville, and also the literary department of the University of Georgia.His law studies were carried on under the direction of the firm of Williams,Twiggs & Williams at Swainsboro. He was admitted to the bar April 26,1897, and on the first of November following began active practice at Swainsboro, which was his home until October, 1911. While there he was associatedfor a time as junior with Alfred Herrington, later was with the firm of Herrington,Warren & Larsen, from which he retired after one year, and for fiveyears was with the firm of Smith & Larsen. For nine years from 1902 he wasassociated with F. II. Saffold under the firm name of Saffold & Larsen. JudgeLarsen came prominently into public affairs while at Swainsboro. GovernorCandler in 1899 appointed him solicitor of city courts, an office he filledadmirably for five years. His circuit included a large part of Jenkins, .Candler, Toombs and Emanuel counties. While at Swainsboro he also took anactive part in organizing Company C of the Georgia State troops.On January 1, 1910, Judge Larsen was appointed secretary to the -stateexecutive department by Governor Joseph E. Brown, and filled that officeuntil July, 1911, resigning at the close of Governor Brown's term. He wasreappointed by Governor Slaton, but held the office only one month. Muchof his reputation over the state at large is due to his splendid ability as aspeaker, and he is also an able party manager, and was recently manager forMr. Underwood in the Twelfth Congressional District, where he carried elevenout of twelve counties for his candidate. By appointment from GovernorSlaton he served as judge ad interim from July 1'5, 1914, to January 1, 1915.At the present time Judge Larsen is senior member of one of the strongestlaw firms in the Dublin Circuit, Larsen & Crockett, his partner being C. C.Crockett. The firm are attorneys for the First National Bank, the SouthernExchange Bank and the Bank of Dublin. Mr. Larsen is a member of theState Bar Association, of the Commercial League of America, the IndependentOrder of Odd Fellows and the Knights of Pythias. Outside of law and business interests he also owns farm lands and looks after their development andcultivation.On December 18, 1898, at Swainsboro he married Miss Dovie EstelleStrange, daughter of David J. and Mary (Edenfield) Strange of BullochCounty,_ Georgia. Her father, who was born in 1831 in Emanuel County,Georgia, died at Sherman, Texas, in 1908 at' the age of seventy-seven.He was a farmer by occupation, and as a soldier in the Civil war was wounded