Georgia and Georgians - the Digital Library of Georgia
Georgia and Georgians - the Digital Library of Georgia Georgia and Georgians - the Digital Library of Georgia
GEORGIA AND GEOKGIANS 30.39leaving college he returned to La Grange, and engaged in cotton planting.He was then twenty-one years of age, but already displayecl the prescience,the keen judgement and the resolution which were such notable characteristics.of his entire career. He was one of the few who recognized the possibilitiesin cottonseed, which up to that time had been practically a waste by-productof the cotton industry, though some experiments had already demonstratedthe value of the oil, and the manufacture of oil was already being carriedon in a small way. , It was in this department of the industry that Mr.Thornton embarked his enthusiasm and energy, which led him eventually. to rank as a foremost leader in an industry which has added almost untoldwealth to the Southern states. For several years Mr. Thornton studied,,observed, experimented, and mastered all the details of the cottonseed business so far as then understood. In 1882 he came to Atlanta and built the firstAtlanta oil mill. While his work from that time forward cannot be followedin particulars, it can be asserted without fear of contradiction that he did asmuch toward building up the immense cottonseed oil industry as any otheroneman, and possibly more.Mr. Thornton extended his interests from Atlanta, as president of the oil'mills at Elberton and Milledgeville, and for many years served as presidentof the Georgia State Crushers' Association. He also became president of theInterstate Crushers' Association, an organization which directs the entireindustry and covers the large soap and packing interests of the United States,.and which, with its 750 members at the time of his death, represented acapital of $100,000,000. How important the cottonseed industry is in theeconomic assets of the South is understood better from a statement of statisticians that the products of the cottonseed in their finished commercial staterepresent a value equal to about 20 per cent of the total value of the lintcotton crop. That means an addition of approximately $100,000,000 a yearto the cotton belt.With the prominence which he acquired as an organizer and builder inthe cottonseed trade, Mr. Thornton was naturally associated with many otherbusiness affairs, and his name would readily find a place among a small groupof financiers and executives who to a large degree controlled many of themostimportant business resources of the Southeastern states. Mr. Thorntonserved as a director of the Seaboard Air Line Railway, the Atlanta and WestPoint Railway, in the Atlanta Home Insurance Company, the Georgia Railway and Electric Company, the Southern States Mutual Insurance Company,,and the Atlanta National Bank. He was for a period of twenty-five years a.director and vice president in the Atlanta National Bank, the oldest andlargest bank in Atlanta, and it was only an expression of the verdict of his.associates in that institution that the bank never had a more highly valuedmember upon its directory nor one who gave it better service. As.Mr. Thornton began his business career as a planter, so he was never entirelydivorced from that basic industry. He found his greatest recreation in planting, and clearly saw the need for an improvement in Southern methods, ofdealing with stock and for an increase in the live stock industry. In his lateryears he made a study of the Bermuda grass just as he had previously ofcotton seed and lent the full force of his influence to the introduction andcultivation of that grass as a means of enriching the Southern farms andplanters.In 1881 Mr. Thornton married Miss Leila Austell, a daughter ofGen. Alfred Austell, whose high position in Atlanta commercial affairs andiwhose life and services are recorded on other pages. Mr. Thornton was survived by Mrs. Thornton and three children, two sons and a daughter: Alfred'A., Albert E., Jr., and Jane Thornton. The oldest, Alfred Austell Thornton,.died July 23, 1913, in this thirty-first year. Albert E. Thornton, the only/living son, is a lawyer by profession and a member of the Atlanta bar.
3040 GEORGIA AND GEORGIANSMr. Thornton's home life has been well described as ideal. His homewas the center of culture and refinement. He himself possessed the qualitiesso often associated with the highest type of Southern gentlemen, and was anunrivaled host, dispensing generous hospitality which, combined with hispleasant personality, his ready wit, his perfect tact, and his rare gift as araconteur, made a visit to his home one of delight to his guests. He exemplified all the strength of devotion to his family and upheld the highest idealsin all his social relations. He was a member of all the leading business andsocial organizations of Atlanta. He was a charter member of the Chamberof Commerce, the Piedmont Driving Club, and was a vice president of theCapital City Club when organized. While a master in business, it is recalledthat he was pleasant and courteous in all his dealings from the humblestperson up to the greatest, and he never gave a just cause for envy or hatred,since he never took advantage of the needs or distresses of his competitors.A cardinal principle of his life was to give everybody absolute justice. Byhis death the City of Atlanta was bereaved of one of its greatest as.well asone of its kindest citizens. To quote an editorial of the time: '' He is mournedby a host of sincere and devoted friends, and there is not a walk in life inthis progressive community which will not miss his kindly heart and masterful hand." Above all his other accomplishments the late Albert E. Thorntonhad character, the basis of all enduring greatness, which lives onwhen the earthly tabernacle is dissolved. Men trusted him, believed in him,honored him. .GEN. ALFRED AUSTELL. The biography of few Georgians can afford moreinspiration and incentive to the living than that of the late Gen. AlfredAustell. His achievements and character are still among-the best assets ofAtlanta and the state. He was the founder of the Atlanta National Bank,the first national banking institution ever organized in the South. In banking and business affairs he was an exemplar in the matter of commercialprobity.. His was a clean record, made without ostentation. A man of greatwealth and the creator of a great financial institution and builder of railways,his life emphasized the truth that enterprise and wealth are not inconsistentwith the highest standards of character and conduct, and it is true today asit was at the time of his death that his influence cannot be measured by theordinary standards of achievement. Much of the 'incentive which flows fromhis career is due to the fact that he was one of the self-made men of his time.In his early life he faced obstacles and disadvantages, such as have kept manymen of good endowment down upon the lower levels of achievement. Hisambition, his native virility of character, enabled him to surmount conditions and many years before his death to become one of the ablest and bestknown financiers in the South.In the language of Henry W. Grady in the Atlanta Constitution is found aconcise tribute to General Austell and will serve to introduce a more extendedsurvey of his life: " In the death of General Austell, Atlanta loses one of itsbest known and most prominent citizens. General Austell has, for years,been a financial leader in Georgia, and dies as one of the wealthiest men inthe state. His career was an eminently successful one, illustrating the strongrecord of self-made men, only possible in America. Wise, prudent andsagacious he carried the enterprise of which he was the head through stormand sunshine, amassing fortunes for those who were connected with.him, andstanding as a bulwark of Atlanta's finances. Better than all this, GeneralAustell died in the fullness of integrity, without a blot on his name, leavinghis children the legacy of an honest and stainless name."Alfred Austell was born in Jefferson County, Tennessee, January 14, 1814,and died of paralysis at his home in Atlanta, December 7, 1881. Sixty-eightyears of life had been sufficient to accomplish a great and manifold structure
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3040 GEORGIA AND GEORGIANSMr. Thornton's home life has been well described as ideal. His homewas <strong>the</strong> center <strong>of</strong> culture <strong>and</strong> refinement. He himself possessed <strong>the</strong> qualitiesso <strong>of</strong>ten associated with <strong>the</strong> highest type <strong>of</strong> Sou<strong>the</strong>rn gentlemen, <strong>and</strong> was anunrivaled host, dispensing generous hospitality which, combined with hispleasant personality, his ready wit, his perfect tact, <strong>and</strong> his rare gift as araconteur, made a visit to his home one <strong>of</strong> delight to his guests. He exemplified all <strong>the</strong> strength <strong>of</strong> devotion to his family <strong>and</strong> upheld <strong>the</strong> highest idealsin all his social relations. He was a member <strong>of</strong> all <strong>the</strong> leading business <strong>and</strong>social organizations <strong>of</strong> Atlanta. He was a charter member <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Chamber<strong>of</strong> Commerce, <strong>the</strong> Piedmont Driving Club, <strong>and</strong> was a vice president <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>Capital City Club when organized. While a master in business, it is recalledthat he was pleasant <strong>and</strong> courteous in all his dealings from <strong>the</strong> humblestperson up to <strong>the</strong> greatest, <strong>and</strong> he never gave a just cause for envy or hatred,since he never took advantage <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> needs or distresses <strong>of</strong> his competitors.A cardinal principle <strong>of</strong> his life was to give everybody absolute justice. Byhis death <strong>the</strong> City <strong>of</strong> Atlanta was bereaved <strong>of</strong> one <strong>of</strong> its greatest as.well asone <strong>of</strong> its kindest citizens. To quote an editorial <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> time: '' He is mournedby a host <strong>of</strong> sincere <strong>and</strong> devoted friends, <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong>re is not a walk in life inthis progressive community which will not miss his kindly heart <strong>and</strong> masterful h<strong>and</strong>." Above all his o<strong>the</strong>r accomplishments <strong>the</strong> late Albert E. Thorntonhad character, <strong>the</strong> basis <strong>of</strong> all enduring greatness, which lives onwhen <strong>the</strong> earthly tabernacle is dissolved. Men trusted him, believed in him,honored him. .GEN. ALFRED AUSTELL. The biography <strong>of</strong> few <strong>Georgia</strong>ns can afford moreinspiration <strong>and</strong> incentive to <strong>the</strong> living than that <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> late Gen. AlfredAustell. His achievements <strong>and</strong> character are still among-<strong>the</strong> best assets <strong>of</strong>Atlanta <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> state. He was <strong>the</strong> founder <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Atlanta National Bank,<strong>the</strong> first national banking institution ever organized in <strong>the</strong> South. In banking <strong>and</strong> business affairs he was an exemplar in <strong>the</strong> matter <strong>of</strong> commercialprobity.. His was a clean record, made without ostentation. A man <strong>of</strong> greatwealth <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> creator <strong>of</strong> a great financial institution <strong>and</strong> builder <strong>of</strong> railways,his life emphasized <strong>the</strong> truth that enterprise <strong>and</strong> wealth are not inconsistentwith <strong>the</strong> highest st<strong>and</strong>ards <strong>of</strong> character <strong>and</strong> conduct, <strong>and</strong> it is true today asit was at <strong>the</strong> time <strong>of</strong> his death that his influence cannot be measured by <strong>the</strong>ordinary st<strong>and</strong>ards <strong>of</strong> achievement. Much <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> 'incentive which flows fromhis career is due to <strong>the</strong> fact that he was one <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> self-made men <strong>of</strong> his time.In his early life he faced obstacles <strong>and</strong> disadvantages, such as have kept manymen <strong>of</strong> good endowment down upon <strong>the</strong> lower levels <strong>of</strong> achievement. Hisambition, his native virility <strong>of</strong> character, enabled him to surmount conditions <strong>and</strong> many years before his death to become one <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> ablest <strong>and</strong> bestknown financiers in <strong>the</strong> South.In <strong>the</strong> language <strong>of</strong> Henry W. Grady in <strong>the</strong> Atlanta Constitution is found aconcise tribute to General Austell <strong>and</strong> will serve to introduce a more extendedsurvey <strong>of</strong> his life: " In <strong>the</strong> death <strong>of</strong> General Austell, Atlanta loses one <strong>of</strong> itsbest known <strong>and</strong> most prominent citizens. General Austell has, for years,been a financial leader in <strong>Georgia</strong>, <strong>and</strong> dies as one <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> wealthiest men in<strong>the</strong> state. His career was an eminently successful one, illustrating <strong>the</strong> strongrecord <strong>of</strong> self-made men, only possible in America. Wise, prudent <strong>and</strong>sagacious he carried <strong>the</strong> enterprise <strong>of</strong> which he was <strong>the</strong> head through storm<strong>and</strong> sunshine, amassing fortunes for those who were connected with.him, <strong>and</strong>st<strong>and</strong>ing as a bulwark <strong>of</strong> Atlanta's finances. Better than all this, GeneralAustell died in <strong>the</strong> fullness <strong>of</strong> integrity, without a blot on his name, leavinghis children <strong>the</strong> legacy <strong>of</strong> an honest <strong>and</strong> stainless name."Alfred Austell was born in Jefferson County, Tennessee, January 14, 1814,<strong>and</strong> died <strong>of</strong> paralysis at his home in Atlanta, December 7, 1881. Sixty-eightyears <strong>of</strong> life had been sufficient to accomplish a great <strong>and</strong> manifold structure