Georgia and Georgians - the Digital Library of Georgia

GEORGIA AND GEORGIANS 3115JAMES C. WILLIAMS. Among the best known and most successful newspaper men of Georgia, is James C. Williams, editor and proprietor of theHerald-Journal, of Greensboro, Greene County, who is widely esteemed by thecraft and generally recognized as a representative journalist of the state.James C. Williams is a native of Georgia; born January 4, 1869, at Camak,in Warren County. He was only five years old wnen he became an orphanand in other ways fortune had not been kind to him. By the time he wastwelve years of age he had received all the school training and discipline heever gained and then it was that he, fortunately, determined to enter a printingoffice to learn the trade, finding an opening in the office of the CrawfordsvilleDemocrat as printer's "devil," a humble position that has not yet been eliminated in the most modern of printing offices with their expensive linotypemachines. Mr. Williams satisfactorily passed through this stage of his education and finally completed his entire period of apprenticeship. Afterward heworked in many southern printing offices, his positions varying from foremanof the composing room, advertising solicitor and circulation manager untilabout 1901, when he purchased the Reporter, at Washington, Georgia. Thispaper he conducted on a successful scale for four years, when, desiring toenter a wider field, he disposed of his first journal at a profit and then boughtthe Crawfordsville Advocate-Democrat, this being the very newspaper onwhich he had learned typesetting. It must have been very gratifying whenhe found himself able, through technical skill and able management, to largelyexpand the paper's circulation and secure profitable advertising, and he continued to issue this paper for the next three years and then sold, again withprofit, leaving plant and circulation in far better condition than when hepurchased.In January, 1906, Mr. Williams came to Greensboro and soon after boughtthe entire plant and good will of the Herald-Journal, which he has built upuntil its reputation is that of one of the best weekly newspapers in the state.As a business man, Mr. Williams has been remarkably successful and as aneditorial writer he has few equals. His paper is one of the organs of thedemocratic party, Mr. Williams being an influential member of that politicalorganization by which he has frequently been highly honored. He has servedas a member of the state democratic committee, as a member of the democraticexecutive committee for Wilkes, Taliaferro and Greene counties and as democratic presidential elector from the Eighth Georgia District in 1912. He wasagain named presidential elector of the Eighth District in 1916. He has beeninterested also in civic affairs and has served on the city council of Greensboro,his efforts ever being to promote movements for the public welfare.Mr. Williams has a happy home circle comprising wife and four daughtersand two sons. He is a man of forethought and prudence, as has been evidencedby his judicious property investments in and adjacent to Greensboro, thevalue of these in recent years having been greatly enhanced.In the light of Mr. Williams' success in life, entirely through his ownefforts, a word may be permitted calling attention to the results that accruefrom industry, perseverance and integrity, no matter how heavy may be thehandicaps in youth.JOHN B. HUTCHESON. One of the recognized leaders of the bar of Georgiais John B. Hutcheson, of Ashburn, who, identifying himself with the newCounty of Turner, from the date of its organization, in 1905, became one ofthe dominant figures in this section of the state, conspicuous during the pastdecade for its phenomenal growth. Mr. Hutcheson inherits a name which haslong stood for integrity in private life and for civic virtue in official station.In the last General Assembly (1915-16) he was a member of the House ofRepresentatives from Turner County, and in this body his forceful personalitymade him an accepted leader, though his most effective work, perhaps, was in