Georgia and Georgians - the Digital Library of Georgia

GEORGIA AND GEORGIANS 2823this was the beginning of t'lie noted Meriwether family of Georgia. NicholasMeriwether and wife settled in Virginia but later in the same year moved toWilkes, now Oglethorpe, County, Georgia, and found homes in the BroadRiver district. Both the Weavers and Meriwethers lived as neighbors in thatsection of Wilkes County. David Weaver, the grandfather of DoctorWeaver, married Miss Frances Howard. In 1800 he removed to PutnamCounty, Georgia, became one of the pioneers there, and lived in that community until his death. His plantation was located about ten miles northeast of Eatonton. He had a large plantation, with many slaves, and he wasone of the first men not only in time hut in general social raiik in the county.Of his brothers, Isom Weaver settled in Newton County, Georgia, whileSamuel located in Tift County.. The Weavers of Thomaston, among thewealthiest and most prominent people of Upson County, are all descendedfrom Samuel Weaver. Samuel AVeaver, judge of the Criminal Court atBirmingham, Alabama, is a direct descendant of David Weaver. DavidWeaver and wife had four sons. Simeon and Lindsay both settled in CalhounCounty, Alabama, at Weaver's Station, while James Weaver located at Tal-'botton in Talbol County, Georgia.David A. Weaver, father of Doctor Weaver, graduated from the AugustaMedical College and practiced in Putnam County until his death in 1882 atthe age of fifty-six. Outside of his profession he did much work in elevatingthe standards of public education, and was a man of distinctive qualities ofleadership in church and public affairs generally. He was a deacon in theBaptist Church and a member of the Masonic order. His wife, Sarah C.Cog-burn, was a cultured Christian woman, and lived to be eighty years ofage, passing away in 1906. She -was a. daughter of Judge Alien Cogburn.Judge Cogburn left home at the age of seventeen, went to Texas, where heaccumulated some means, and on returning to Georgia married his first sweetheart, Sarah Henderson, the daughter of a wealthy planter. 'Judge Cogburnbecame one of the wealthiest and most highly honored citizens of PutnamCounty. lie used his influence to settle many disputes while judge of theInterior Court of Putnam County. At one time he was the largest landowner in the county and was appointed guardian of more orphans andadministrator of more estates than any man in the history of Putnam County.He gave a liberal education to his children and Doctor Weaver owed muchto the culture and character of his splendid mother.Doctor Weaver was one of seven children: His oldest brother, Rev. MarionSwan Weaver, graduated from Mercer University, is pastor of the BaptistChurch at Lexington, Georgia, and is also, county school commissioner forOglethorpe County; his son, David Weaver, graduated with honors from theAnnapolis Naval Academy, became a special officer under the late AdmiralRobley D. Evans, and under that commander at one time had charge of thefleet of battleships, and is now first lieutenant commander in the UnitedStates navy. Dr. John C. Weaver, the second brother of Doctor Weaver,graduated Bachelor of Arts from Mercer College, and took his degree ofDoctor of Medicine at the Louisville Medical College, engaged in practice inFlorida, but returned to Georgia stricken with a fatal illness and died inPutnam County at Eatonton in 1911 at the age of fifty-five. Mattie, theoldest of the sisters, is the wife of J. W. Cain, of Orlando, Florida. SarahLou, who died in 1900. married E. C. Newsome. Sally is now living atEatonton.Dr. James D. Weaver after leaving the Harmony School, near Eatonton,entered Mercer University and graduated Bachelor of Arts in 1879. Then,at the age of nineteen, he began to depend upon his own resources, and forone year worked as a clerk in the drug store of Dr. S. E. Brown at Eatonton,and out of his earnings paid for his tuition in the College of Physicians andSurgeons at Baltimore, where he graduated as Doctor of Medicine in 1882.