Georgia and Georgians - the Digital Library of Georgia

GEORGIA AND GEORGIANS 3027Barnett, who is a native of Mitchell County, Georgia, still survives him at theage of sixty-eight years, and is making her residence at the comfortable familyhome at Newton. The family of Robert L. and Laura Barnett consisted ofthe following five children: R. A., who resides at Newton; Dr. J. M., of thisnotice; L. S., also a resident of Newton; Mrs. L. 0. Benton, of Monticello,Georgia, and Mrs. R. H. May, of Bainbridge, Georgia.The country schools in the vicinity of his father's farm furnished J. M.Barnett with his early education, following which he went to the high schoolat Newton and duly completed his course. This was furthered by study atthe Bethel Male College at Cuthbert, and a course at the State NormalCollege at Athens, but the ambitious youth was still not satisfied, and afterhis graduation from the last-named institution, in 1896, he adopted the vocation of school teaching, with the intention of earning the means with whichto continue his education. Accordingly, he was placed in charge of a classat Pavo, Georgia, in which rural community he continued to teach for sometime, and later had other schools in Colquitt County. Three years coveredthe period of his experience as an educator, and by that time he was ready toresume his own training. He began the study of medicine in the College ofPhysicians and Surgeons, at Atlanta, from which he was graduated with hisdegree in 1902, and immediately entered upon his professional career atPretoria, there becoming local surgeon for the great lumber camp belongingto the late R. II. Plant, of Macon, Georgia. This work occupied DoctorBarnett's attention for about eight years, and when he left Pretoria he wentto New York, there taking post graduate work in the New York Post GraduateSchool and Hospital. Thus fully equipped, in 1911 he came to Albany, wherehe has since been very successful in building up a large and representativeprofessional business. The same will power and determination which hemanifested in gaining a reputation and foothold has unquestionably broughthim to the front ranks of the medical profession within the comparativelyshort space of a few years.Doctor Barnett is a great student and passes much of his leisure time inperusing the leading journals published in the interest of his profession. Itis his laudable ambition to keep fully abreast of the times in all modern discoveries pertaining to the treatment and cure of disease and to be progressivein all his methods. At the same time he is sufficiently conservative to deemit wise to adhere to those old and tried ways the merit of which is unquestioned. He belongs to the American Medical Association, the Georgia StateMedical Society, the Dougherty County Medical Society, the Southern Medical Society and the Second District Medical Society, of which last named heserved as president in 1908. Fraternally he is affiliated with the IndependentOrder .of Odd Fellows, socially belongs to the Country Club of Albany, andreligiously holds membership in the Methodist Episcopal Church. DoctorBarnett uses his right of franchise on behalf of the nominees and principlesof the democratic party. Socially, he is deservedly popular. His cheerful,genial disposition is such as readily wins friends, and, what is still better,he possesses the happy faculty of keeping friends once made.CHARLKS SIMON BARBETT, who is the national president of theFarmers' Union, is a resident of Union City, Georgia, He was born inPike County, in 1866, and was educated in Kentucky and Indiana. Until hewas thirty-seven years of age he was engaged in farming and teaching, whenhe began the work of organizing the farmers. He served as president of theGeorgia Farmers' Union in 1905 and 1906, and since the latter year has beenat the head of the national organization, which has reached a membership of2,500,000 in thirty-one states. He has been a national figure in the CountryLife movement, and Secretary Bryan appointed him a delegate to the International Agricultural Institute, which met in Rome, Italy.