Georgia and Georgians - the Digital Library of Georgia

3090 GEORGIA AND GEORGIANS1904; A. J. Williams, born in 1906; J. J. Williams, Jr., born in 1908; andFred Williams, born in 1912.HON. ROBERT W. EVEBETT. Properly considered the life of a successfuland progressive farmer should always be a subject for study and appreciation. While the life work of Robert William Everett was mainly concernedwith the agricultural industry, he also gained a number of other distinctionswhich make a man's name known to his community and state. He was alegislator for several terms, represented his district in Congress, was a soldierduring his early life, was a banker, and with all the maturity of his wellbalanced judgment, to the limit of his powers, and with fine convictions asto duty, performed every relation of life in such a manner as to be creditableto him and useful to his friends and community.The family to which he belongs is one of the oldest and most distinguishedin America. In New England the name Everett has been associated withsome of the highest talents and positions in public and private life. TheEveretts are of old English stock, and two brothers came from England, oneof them settling in Massachusetts and the other in Isle of Wight County,Virginia. Robert W. Everett descended from the Virginia branch. Hisgreat-grandfather was a colonel in the Revolutionary war. His home duringthe war was in Chowan County, North Carolina. The grandfather ofMr. Everett was Miles Everett, who in 1827 removed from Chowan County,North Carolina, to Washington County, Florida, locating at Orange Hill,where a block house served both as his residence and as a fortification againstIndian attack.Robert William Everett was born near Hoyneville, Houston County,Georgia, March 3, 1839, a son of Alexander and Harriet Franks (Bryan)Everett. Alexander Everett was a farmer, and in 1833 moved to HoustonCounty, Georgia, and was married there in 1835 to Miss Bryan. She belongedto that Bryan family so honorably represented in the early days of Georgiaby Jonathan Bryan, who was one of the foremost patriots of the Revolutionaryperiod and whose name is preserved in Bryan County.Mr. Everett received the most liberal educational advantages of his time.As a boy he attended country school in Houston County and then enteredMercer University, then located at Penfield, Georgia, where he was graduatedA. B. in 1859, and subsequently the institution conferred upon him thedegree A. M. Then followed a year or so in which he made himself usefulas a teacher, until the outbreak of the war called him to sterner duties. Asa young Georgia volunteer he was a cavalryman, first with Morgan's command,and later as orderly sergeant in Captain Gartrell's company in the escort toGeneral Forrest. During all his service except when on detail duty he nevermissed roll call.For about ten years after the war Mr. Everett continued teaching, but in1875 took up his real vocation, as a farmer and stock raiser. As a farmer hewas successful beyond the average, and for many years it is said that he neverbought a bushel of corn, a pound of flour, a pound of meat or of any othersupplies that could be raised on his own land. Naturally enough his interestsexpanded into relations with various local institutions in Polk County. Hebecame a stockholder and director in the bank at Rockmart, and afterwardsserved as president of the Citizens Bank of Rockmart. For twelve years hewas chairman of the Board of Education of Polk County.As a democrat Mr. Everett worked faithfully for what he thought wasthe good of the country and party and Georgia has never had a moreconscientious and painstaking representative in its public life. He servedas a member of the Legislature from 1882 to 1885 and was again sent to theLegislature in 1897, serving during that year and 1898. While in the Legislature he was chairman of the agricultural committee, the largest committee