Georgia and Georgians - the Digital Library of Georgia

GEORGIA AND GEORGIANS 3061age of fifty-eight. His father for many years has been interested in the navalstore industry-and in farming.Ira 0. Parker grew up on a farm, attended the schools at Millen, and forthree years was a student in the Dahlonega Agricultural College. In 1900 hegraduated from Draughon's Business College at Nashville, Tennessee, and soonafterwards returned to Millen to enter the banking business. In April, 1901,he began his service with the Bank of Millen as bookkeeper, was promoted toassistant cashier, and now occupies the more responsible post of cashier. Healso has farming interests, and is interested in the Cherry Cola Bottling Worksat Millen.While his time and attention has been rigidly devoted to his bankingbusiness, Mr. Parker has also manifested a keen interest in public affairs,served) eight years on the city council, and was mayor of Millen during1911-12-13. He is a democrat, a member of the Knights of Pythias and of theJunior Order of American Mechanics.On December 19, 1905, he married Miss Elizabeth Magruder.BEVEBLY DANIEL EVANS. For a dolen years associate justice of theSupreme Court of Georgia, Beverly D. Evans is a native of Sandersville,where he was born May 21, 1865. He has two degrees from Mercer University, studied iaw for two years at Yale and in 1884 was admitted to- theGeorgia bar. Judge Evans served in the Legislature during 1886-7; was delegate to the Democratic National Convention in 1888; in 1890-7 acted as solicitor general of the Middle Judicial Circuit of Georgia and was judge of thesame in 1899-1904, having served as associate justice of the State SupremeCourt since April 1st of the latter year.THOMAS WILLIAM HARDWICK, who has been in Washington, either as acongressman or United States senator, since 1903, is a native of Georgia bornin Thomasville, December 9, 1872. He graduated from Mercer University,in 1892, with the degree of A. B., and from Lumpkin Law School of theUniversity of Georgia, in the following year, with the regular degree of B. L.He was admitted to the bar in 1893 and his resident, town has since beenSandersville. In 1895-7 he served as prosecuting attorney of WashingtonCounty; was a member of the Georgia House of Representatives in 1898-1901;was a congressman from the Tenth Georgia District in 1903-14, and in thelatter year was elected United States senator for the unexpired term 1914-19.THOMAS E. WATSON. The briefest list of Georgia's famous men must contain the name of Thomas E. Watson, whose career in politics and literaturehas made him a national figure but whose life has been devoted with singularfidelity to the cause of the common people. One of Georgia's greatest personalities of the present time, in order that something like an adequate representation of his career and services may be contained in this publication thereis reproduced in the following paragraphs a sketch written by L. L. Knight,author of this '' Standard History of Georgia,'' and which appeared originallyin the Library of Southern Literature. This sketch, with only a few changes,is as follows:Men of strong and positive convictions seldom fail to develop sharp antagonisms. Especially is this true of one who, with consummate eloquence, hasbeen the advocate of a cause ; and the subject of this sketch has been no exception to the rule. Twice he has been the candidate of the people's party forthe high office of President of the United States. Besides, he has borne thebrunt of many arduous campaigns in the interest of governmental reform;and if, in this biographical and critical portraiture of Watson, the author, itbecomes necessary to speak of Watson the political leader, it is because thetwo are so intimately interwoven that the one is needed to supplement andto interpret the other.