Georgia and Georgians - the Digital Library of Georgia

GEORGIA AND GEORGIANS 3097and for the past six years has been president of the board of education. Heis chairman of the board of stewards of the Methodist Episcopal Church.The pride of the heart of Mr. Turner is the "Wesley Adult Bible Class of theCity of Fitzgerald which, due largely to his ability as a teacher and organizer,went in a few months from a membership of half a dozen to 225 busy businessmen and young men and is one of the busiest classes in the state. Mr. Turneris high priest of the Royal Arch Chapter of Masonry and a Shriner, is achancellor commander of the Knights of Pythias, and also belongs to theIndependent t)rder of Odd Fellows. His political party is the democratic.In June, 1902, at Fitzgerald, he married Miss Julia Dorminy, daughterof A. S. Dorminy, of Ben Hill County. They are "the parents of fourchildren: Martha Jane, born in 1903; Julia Jane, born in 1907; Ida Nell,born in 1911; and Mary Edwin, born in 1916. The two older daughters areattending the public schools of Fitzgerald.JOSEPH T. HARRIS. Sterling character, distinctive ability and high placein popular confidence and esteem are evidenced when a man is called tosuch official position as that occupied by Mr. Harris, who has served continuously as tax receiver of Wilkes County since 1908 and who is one of thehonored and influential citizens of the county which has represented hishome for many years and in which he is the owner of a well improved landedestate.Mr. Harris was born in Warren County, Georgia, on the 10th of May,1845, and is a son of Turner and Martha A. (Wright) Harris, both of whomwere born and reared in Warren County, where their marriage was solemnizedand where the father continued to be successfully identified with agriculturalpursuits until 1860, when he removed to Washington County; there his deathoccurred in October, 1867, at which time he was sixty-eight years of age.Mrs. Martha A. Harris survived her honored husband by more than adecade and was called to the life eternal in 1878, at the age of sixty-nineyears.After duly availing himself of the advantages of the schools of his nativecounty, Joseph T. Harris continued his association with agricultural pursuits and he was still associated with his father in this line of enterprise, inWashington County, at the time when the Southland was compelled to callforth her loyal sons to do battle for the institutions and privileges which sheheld as her inherent right. At the age of seventeen years Mr. Harris thussubordinated all personal interests to tender his aid in defense of the causeof the Confederacy. He enlisted in what was known as the PalmettoBattalion, Light Artillery, in which he served as sergeant in the companycommanded by Capt. Sam Richardson. The command was assigned principally to the coast defense, on the seaboard of Georgia and South Carolina,its stations having been for some time in the City of Charleston and laterat Fort Johnson. During a spirited engagement Mr. Harris was renderedunconscious by a bursting shell, but fortunately he received no severe woundsduring his entire period of service, which continued until the close of thewar. His military record is one that reflects perpetual honor upon his nameand his more gracious memories of the great conflict between the South andthe North are perpetuated through his affiliation with the United ConfederateVeterans.Still a young man at the termination of the Civil war, Mr. Harris soonafterward established his residence in Wilkes County, where he has continued to be closely associated with the great basic industry of agricultureduring the long intervening period of virtually half a century and wherehe still owns and resides upon his well improved farm, which is eligiblysituated several miles distant from the county seat, the City of Washington.Mr. Harris has ever shown loyal interest in all that concerns the social and