Georgia and Georgians - the Digital Library of Georgia

GEORGIA AND GEORGIANS 3089also noted as a horticulturist, and helped to bring fruit growing into high.favor in Sumter County. "Walter and Mary Davenport were the parents ofeleven children, all but two reaching their majority.Daniel Frederick Davenport attended the schools of Americus and fortwo years was a student at Auburn, Alabama. He left college in the senioryear and at once became associated with his father and brother in the drugbusiness at Americus. He was in that line for twenty-eight consecutive years,and in 1910 he engaged in the real estate and insurance business associatedwith his brother, James A. Davenport. On September 15, 1913,Mr. Davenport became postmaster at Americus, and has since devoted hisbest time and energies to the capable administration of that office.In the meantime his interests "have extended to the various affairs, andfrom early life he was much interested in the local military and during 1881-82served as first sergeant of Company B at Auburn, Alabama, and in 1883-85was first sergeant of the Americus Light Infantry. In politics he is a democrat, and is a member of the Patriotic Order Sons of America and the SigmaAlpha Epsilon college fraternity. He is active in the Methodist Churchand is now assistant superintendent of the First Methodist Sunday School.On March 21, 1889, at Americus he married Miss Leila B. Crisp, daughterof Hon. Charles F. Crisp, who rose to eminence in our national affairs andwas especially noted during his term as speaker of the National House ofRepresentatives. Mrs. Davenport has inherited largely the concise manner ofwriting and expression wMich was characteristic of the late Speaker Crisp.She was educated in the public schools at Americus and in the Woman'sCollege at Staunton, Virginia. Mr, and Mrs. Davenport have two children:Clara Belle and Mary Ella. The daughter, Clara Belle, was married April 16,1912, to Mr. W. G. Hooks.J. J. WILLIAMS. For the past ten years Mr. Williams has been a prominent banker at Cordele, and for a man who made his start in life on aGeorgia farm and has had to depend on himself for his advancement hissuccess is of a quality to command admiration.Born on a farm in Dooly County, Georgia, September 18, 1872, he wasthe oldest son and child of Hiram and Emma (Slade) Williams. Bothparents were born in Dooly County, where the father became a farmer andis now living on a farm in Crisp County at the age of sixty-eight. He enlistedfor service in the Confederate army during the last year of the war. Themother died in 1878 at the age of twenty-six. The other three children, allliving in Crisp County, are Sarah, C. L. and W. H. Williams.As a boy J. J. Williams attended the public schools of Dooly County, andspent several years as a practical farmer. Seeking to widen the horizon ofhis opportunities and activities he engaged in the turpentine business inCrisp and other counties, and in that industry he laid the solid foundationof his business experience and his prosperity. He sold out the last of histurpentine interests in 1908.In 1906 Mr. Williams organized the Exchange Bank of Cordele, and hasbeen president since its organization, and has brought it to a high standingamong the banks in this section of the state. The other officers of the ExchangeBank at the time it was organized were: B. B. Pound, vice president; S. A.Royal, cashier. At the present time, S. A. Royal is vice president and E. F.Tison, cashier. It has a capital of $100,000.00 against its original capitalof $50,000.00.Mr. Williams is a Mason and Shriner, a member of the Baptist Churchand in politics a democrat. On November 28, 1900, at Cordele he marriedMiss Lucile Fenn, daughter of the late A. J. Fenn. All their five childrenwere born in Cordele and all but the youngest are now attending the localpublic schools. Their names are: Faustelle, born in 1901; Lucile, born in