Georgia and Georgians - the Digital Library of Georgia

GEORGIA AND GEORGIANS 3025was not satisfied until he had thoroughly fortified himself in the minutiaeof the involved science of jurisprudence through punctilious preliminarydiscipline, and in the active work of his profession he has manifested thesame zeal and earnestness, with the result that he has built up a substantialand representative practice and effectively demonstrated his powers as askillful trial lawyer and safe and conservative counselor, besides which hehas taken a loyal interest in public affaire and in the advocacy of the principles of the democratic party, with attendant prominence and influence thatled to his being elected to represent his district in the upper house of theGeorgia-, Legislature. He is a young man of energy and progressiveness,buoyant, genial and considerate in his association with his fellow men, andhe has a wide circle of stanch friends in the state that has ever representedhis home and in which he is a scion of an honored pioneer family.Mr. Ford was born on the homestead farm of his father, in Worth County,Georgia, and the date of his nativity was August 23, 1879. He is a son ofJames H. and Sophronia D.N\(Sullivan) Ford, both of whom were likewiseborn and reared in Worth County, where the father still resides, as a venerable,honored and representative citizen of his native county. The original progenitor of the Ford family in Georgia was John Ford, who came to this favoredcommonwealth in the early part of the eighteenth century and who becameone of the pioneer planters and influential citizens of Worth County, whichwas at that time an integral part of Dooly County. He obtained a grant ofland and developed the same into a productive plantation, besides which heotherwise contributed materially to the civic and industrial advancement ofthe section in which he was one of the earliest settlers and in which he continued to reside until his death. His descendants have in all later generations well upheld the prestige of the honored family name, and many of themare still found represented in the sterling citizenship of Worth County.James H. Ford was reared to manhood on the old home plantation andreceived the advantages of the common schools of the locality and period.During the long intervening years he has not abated his allegiance to thebasic industry of agriculture, of which he has been a prominent and successfulexponent in his native county, where he stands exponent of loyal and publicspiritedcitizenship and where he commands unqualified popular esteem.Though he has continued his association with, agricultural pursuits and is asubstantial landholder in his native county, his energy has led him intoother fields of enterprise, as indicated by the fact that for a number of yearshe conducted a large and prosperous general merchandise business at Ty Ty,Worth County. He retired from active business about 1900, is now seventyfiveyears of age, in 1916, and, venerable in years, he still maintains his homeat Ty Ty. Mr. Ford was one of the loyal and gallant sons of the fair Southlandwho went forth in defense of the cause of the Confederacy when the Civilwar was precipitated on the nation. He enlisted in Company G, FourteenthGeorgia Infantry, and was chosen captain of his company, and in many asanguinary battle he led his command with marked gallantry and effectiveness. At the second day's fight at Richmond he received a severe wound,but returned to his regiment as soon as he was able to overcome his physicaldisability. He made a record that will reflect enduring honor on his nameand memory and continued in the ranks of the boys in gray until the closeof the war, his continued interest in his old comrades having in later yearsbeen signified by his affiliation with the United Confederate Veterans.Mrs, Sophronia (Sullivan) Ford likewise was a representative of one of thesterling pioneer families of Worth County, within whose borders she passedher entire life, a gracious-and gentle woman who was loved by all who camewithin the sphere of her influence. She was summoned to the life eternal in1910, at the age of sixty-seven years, and is survived by five children: E. M.,J. C., and Mrs. J. C. Redman, all residents of Worth County; Mrs. C. W.