Georgia and Georgians - the Digital Library of Georgia

3098 GEORGIA AND GEORGIANSmaterial well being of his home county and is essentially a public-spiritedcitizen of broad mental ken and mature judgment, his political allegiancebeing given unreservedly to the democratic party, in the local councils andwork of which he has been influential for many years. By successivere-elections a high mark of popular approbation he has served consecutively as tax receiver of "Wilkes County since 1908, and he has shown markedefficiency in connection with the ordering of the fiscal affairs of the county.Both he and his wife are zealous members of the Baptist Church atWashington.On the 3d of March, 1873, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Harris toMiss Annie E. Gheesling, who likewise was born and reared in WarrenCounty and whose father, the late Joshua H. Gheesling, was a prosperous agriculturist and highly honored citizen of that county, where both he and hiswife continued to reside until their death. Mr. and Mrs. Harris have threechildren, concerning whom brief record is entered in conclusion of thisreview: Mrs. Laura Gresham, who was born in Warren County, now residesin the City of Savannah and by a former marriage she is the mother of fourchildren: Edwin, James, Comer and Pauline Cooper. Prank, the only son,was born and reared in Wilkes County, where he is successfully engaged inifarming, and he and his wife have five children. Mrs. Clara Bufford stillresides in Wilkes County and is the mother of three sons.iORLANDO S. WOOD, M. D. In the exacting profession of medicine andsurgery, as in other vocations, the ultimate criterion of ability and worth isthe success achieved, and measured by this authoritative gauge Doctor Woodis definitely to be designated as one of the representative younger membersof his profession in Wilkes County, his residence and central stage of activitybeing the fine little City of Washington, the county seat, where his popularityis on a parity with the admirable service which he is according in his chosencalling.Doctor Wood was born in Morgan County, Georgia, on the 26th ofFebruary, 1881, and is a son of S. J. T. and Rebecca L. (Harriss) Wood,who still reside on their fine old homestead plantation in Morgan County,both having been born and reared in Georgia and the father, who was seventyfouryears of age in 1915, having devoted virtually his entire active life toagricultural pursuits, in connection with which he has been distinctivelysuccessful. He was a representative of Morgan County as a valiant soldierof the Confederacy during the climacteric period of the Civil war and fromthe ranks he was promoted to the office of corporal. He served in the command of General Stewart until the death of that gallant officer and thereafterwas a member of Gen. Joseph Wheeler's cavalry until the close of the war.He took part in many important engagements and minor conflicts, but wasfortunate in escaping other than slight wounds. In later years his continuedinterest in his old comrades has been signalized by his appreciative affiliationwith the United Confederate Veterans. His wife, who celebrated in 1915 hersixty-third birthday anniversary, is a daughter of the late Benjamin Harriss,who was a citizen of prominence and influence, he having served as a member of the Georgia Legislature and also as a trustee of the University ofGeorgia, besides having been called to other positions of public trust.John C. Wood, grandfather of the Doctor, was a native of Virginia, amember of a family that was founded in the historic Old Dominion in thecolonial era, and he became one of the earliest pioneer settlers in MorganCounty, Georgia, where he developed a large plantation and also built upan extensive mercantile business, as gauged by the standards of the localityand period.Doctor Wood was the fifth in order of birth in a family of ten children,and concerning the other eight who are living the following brief record of