Georgia and Georgians - the Digital Library of Georgia

3130 GEORGIA AND GEORGIANSfinally resigning the office. Then for three years during the illness of SolicitorGeneral Bennett he acted as solicitor general pro tern.Judge Gale is a member of the Brunswick and State Bar associations, ispast eminent commander of the Knight Templar Commandery and a memberof the Royal Arch Chapter and other bodies of Masonry, and is also affiliatedwith the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and the Knights of Pythias.In politics he is a democrat.On December 27, 1892, at Thomasville, he married Miss Lottie Lofton,daughter of W. H. and Dolly (Halsey) Lofton. Her family was well knownboth at Thomasville and Atlanta, and her mother is still living. Their marriage was followed by the birth of four children: Alvin D., Jr., born in 1894and a graduate of the Brunswick schools; Miss Margaret, born in 1896 atBrunswick; Henry Bennett, born in 1898 and a member of the high schoolclass of 1915 ; and Miss Willie Bell, born in 1901 and attending the BrunswickHigh Sc-hool. The oldest daughter, Miss Margaret Amanda, was married inJanuary, 1916, to Mr, Jesse Gibson, sales manager of the Yaryau Rosin andTurpentine Company.A. J. GORDON. The modern merchant knows what the people want andsupplies the best facilities for meeting those wants. He also knows how fartrade can be safely stimulated. He keeps a large and well selected stock, butnever so long that it is out of date, and acts on that solid commercial principlethat real success is only a return for an adequate service.Of merchants in South Georgia illustrating this principle there is no moreconspicuous example than that of A. J. Gordon of Brunswick. About twelve orthirteen years ago Mr. Gordon removed from Savannah, where he had hisfirst independent business experience, to Brunswick and opened a stock ofgoods in a small store room. In the face of vigorous competition he has builtup a department store which is now second to none in the city and that partof the state. Along with success in his private business ventures he has combined a splendid public spirit which has made him a factor in much of thecivic improvement and municipal betterment in his home city where he islooked upon as a man of the finest character and useful influence.Born at Koenigsburg, Prussia, Germany, July 8, 1881, he nevertheless hasgood reason .to call himself an American citizen, except for the first six monthsof his life spent in his native country. When he was six months old his parents, Julius and Sarah Gordon, set out for America and landed in Baltimore,where Mr. Gordon acquired his early education in the common schools. Hisfather on locating at Baltimore engaged in the dry goods business until 1886and then'came South to Georgia, locating at "Waynesville, where he is still inbusiness, and has a large department store. He is now about sixty-two yearsof age while his wife is about fifty-eight. They became the parents of elevenchildren.The oldest of these children, A. J. Gordon, after leaving school had somepractical experience in a wholesale dry goods house at Baltimore, remainingthere five years and laying a complete foundation for his independent efforts.He then came South and located at Savannah, where he went into business ina small way, was getting well established, but eventiially determined upon anew field. He was a merchant at Savannah from 1898 to 1903 and in thelatter year moved to Brunswick. His large department store now carries astock of men's ready made clothing, shoes, hats and also linens and otherfurnishings for general household purposes. His stock is valued at from$40,000 to $50,000, and some idea of the business done can also be obtainedfrom the employes, which number about twelve during the dull season, whilethirty sales people are in the store when the trade is most flourishing. To bethe proprietor of such an establishment is no small achievement when one conuoprsthe humble start which Mr. Gordon made, one among a thousand, where