Georgia and Georgians - the Digital Library of Georgia

3078 GEORGIA AND GEORGIANSGeorgia. He is now thirty-nine years of age, born in Webster County andreared in the lovely town and country home of his parents in Eatonton, whichpremises has since become one of the most beautiful and distinctive residenceavenues to be found any where. The newly nominated judge is an alumnusof the University of Virginia and of the law department of the University ofGeorgia. Upon the completion of his law course at Athens, he began thepractice of his profession in partnership with his distinguished father, who atthat time had just vacated the bench of the Ocmulgee Circuit. The beautifulcompanionship which ever existed between father and son in every relation oflife was such as to be noted and commented upon by all who knew them; andthis association, more than any other factor, has marked and moulded hischaracter and fixed his ideals.Upon attaining early manhood he was married to Susie May Thomas,daughter of Dr. George W. Thomas and Mary (Dennis) Thomas, of his homecity of Eatonton. The happy home circle includes two children, Leila May,aged fifteen years, and George T., aged twelve years. His home people havevoluntarily conferred upon the subject of this sketch almost every honor withintheir power. Within a very short time after he attained his majority, he wasmade chairman of the board of trustees of the city school, chairman of thecounty board of education, Mayor of Eatonton, and he served as member ofthe House of Representatives during 1905 and 1906. He has been moderatorof his church association, and is a trustee of Mercer University. He has servedas temporary chairman of the State Democratic Convention, and as vice chairman of the State Democratic Executive Committee. He was recently sent asa delegate from the state at large to the National Democratic Convention atSt. Louis. Without solicitation from any source, he was tendered the office ofSolicitor General of the Ocmulgee Circuit by Governor Harris upon a vacancyarising during the year 1916; but while deeply appreciating the high honorconferred, he declined the appointment for the reason that his ambition ledhim to seek service in the judiciary of his state.While Judge Jenkins, since his graduation and admission to the bar, hasenjoyed a large and valuable practice, in w'hich he has been eminently successful, his fame as a lawyer has gone forth distinctively as a peace maker. Justas in the case of his father before him, scores upon scores of disputes and misunderstandings have been amicably adjusted and friendships have been savedthrough the confidence which his fellow citizens have always had in his counseland advice. This has ofttimes been accomplished to his own financial detriment, but it has endeared him still more strongly in the hearts of his people.One of the most striking and lovable virtues possessed by Judge Jenkins, andthe one which pre-eminently impresses his friends, is the natural and genuinemodesty which innately and unmistakably belongs to him. Rarely has he soughtfor himself personal preferment. And while, for a man of his years, hisadvancement and successes have been truly remarkable, yet he always seems toclaim for his friends all the credit and all the honor of his noteworthy achievements. His unassuming modesty is all so natural, genuine and sincere thatthose who come in contact with him are more impressed with this than withany other trait of his strong character. His own home and that of his widowed'mother, with whom lives his only sister, receive alike his watchful care. Hehas one brother, Rev. J. W. R. Jenkins, of Zebulon. Never has moreunbounded and more unanimous enthusiasm been displayed by the people ofPutnam County than when they recently crowded about the incoming trainto grasp his hand upon his return from the Macon Convention where he hadbeen so signally honored.WILLIAM LAELIUS STALLINGS, solicitor of the City Court of Newnan, is alawyer with an enviable reputation in his part of the state, is a man of great