Georgia and Georgians - the Digital Library of Georgia

3060 GEORGIA AND GEORGIANSconflict between the North and South. He died in 1876 at the age of sixtysix.He filled the office of tax receiver and tax collector, and these offices withthat of sheriff kept him busy for more than twenty years. He was also anactive member of the Sons of Temperance.Louis Russell Farmer gained his early education in the old Field schoolsof Jefferson County. Educational and other opportunities were severelylimited by the strictures imposed by the war times, and the following era ofbusiness and economic depression. When only fifteen he left the farm andmoved to Louisville, and for fully forty-five years this town has been hishome and the center of his varied operations as a financier and business man.He first worked as a clerk with the firm of Little & Clark, later^Wilkins &Hopkins. With the first firm he remained twelve years. Later he spent twoyears in Waynesboro, Georgia, where he was a clerk for Wilkins, Neely & Jones.After all this varied experience largely in behalf of others, characterized bydiligent and faithful service, he returned to Louisville and took up businessfor himself on a very modest scale. He had laid the foundations well, andsoon built up a large and flourishing concern. In 1893 he sold out his store,and took up his work as a banker.Almost continuously for thirty years, Mr. Farmer was identified withsome important local office. For ten years he was county treasurer, from 1880to 1890, and for sixteen years filled the office of postmaster at Louisville. Hefinally refused his office on account of health, and resigned as postmaster ofLouisville in 1911. He is a Royal Arch Mason and a Knight of Pythias, andsince 1878 has been a steward in the Methodist Episcopal Church at Louisville.On November 10, 1877, he married Miss Maggie Turner. She was born atWhite Marsh Island, below Savannah, Georgia, a daughter of Screven andMargaret (Hopkins) Turner. Her father was killed during the battle ofAtlanta while fighting with the Confederate army and her mother died whileshe was in her infancy. In the latter months of the war her grandparentstook her to Jefferson County, and there she was reared an orphan in theyears following the war. Mr. and Mrs. Farmer became the parents of eightchildren, three of them now deceased. Bessie, is the wife of Milledge Lockard,of Augusta. Susie is the wife of W. G. Rowe, formerly of Charleston, SouthCarolina, and now living in Louisville, Georgia. Margaret is the wife ofDr. R. L. Rhodes, of Roanoke, Virginia, but both were born in Louisville,Georgia. Rhesa S., aged twenty-two, is making good progress toward a successful career as a banker and is now employed by the Bankers Trust Company ofAtlanta. Lewis Turner is still in school. The children all received the bestof educational advantages and have diplomas from various higher schools andcolleges. Mrs. Farmer takes much part in the Presbyterian Church and itsactivities.Outside of banking Mr. Farmer owns and operates a 1,600 acre plantationin Jefferson County, and has put in practice many of his cherished principlesof diversification and intensive agriculture. Some years ago he organized theJefferson Rifles, and served as second lieutenant in the company.IRA 0. PARKER. For the past fifteen years Mr. Parker has been closelyidentified with banking interests at Millen. He has contributed much towardthe substantial character and popularity of the Bank of Millen which wasorganized January 4, 1893, with a capital stock of $25,000.00, and in 1905 thiswas increased to $50,000.00, the increase coining from the profits of thebusiness. The present officers of this bank are: J. P. Applewaite, president;R. G. Daniel, vice president; and I. 0. Parker, cashier.The second in a family of five children, Ira 0. Parker was born in ScrevenCounty, Georgia, December 16, 1879, a son of H. W. and Sarah C. (Edenfield)Parker. Both parents were natives of Screven County, and they are stillliving near Millen, the father at the age of sixty-three and the mother at the