Georgia and Georgians - the Digital Library of Georgia

3248 GEORGIA AND GEORGIANSIn 1893 he entered the life insurance field and became district agent at Americusfor the Equitable Life Insurance Society of New York, remaining withthat old line organization until 1896, when he caine to Atlanta. Here he wassoon identified with the Aetna Life Insurance Company and for the pasttwenty years has continuously held the position of general agent, with oneshort interval.When Mr. Hawkins accepted his present position the Aetna Life InsuranceCompany had less than $1,000,000 of life insurance in force in the state. Acomparison is interesting. At present this company has the vast sum of$12,000,000 in force in Georgia and its annual premiums amount to about$350,000. The Georgia agency for the company ranks fourth among all theother agencies in the United States, an eloquent testimonial to the businesscapacity and faithful service of William E. Hawkins.Mr. Hawkins was united in marriage on August 6, 1890, to Miss HelenNewton Hawkins. No relationship existed between the families, despite thesameness of name, Mrs. Hawkins being a daughter of Eugene A. Hawkins, aprominent attorney of Americus, and a granddaughter of Judge Willis A.Hawkins, formerly a member of the Georgia Supreme Court. Mr. and Mrs.Hawkins have four daughters: Helen Newton, who is the wife of ArthurClarke, of Atlanta; and Mary McCleskey, Elizabeth Hall and Will E., thelast named a little maiden of eleven years.A loyal democrat in all things political, Mr. Hawkins has never foundthe time even if he had the inclination to serve in public office, although, as acitizen he never shirks responsibility as a member of local committees forpublic welfare. He is active as a member of the Atlanta Chamber of Commerce and belongs to the Capital City, the Piedmont Driving and the DruidHill Golf clubs. Not only is he a member but is ex-president of the GeorgiaAssociation of Life Underwriters, of which he is now chairman of theexecutive committee, and is a member and ex-vice president of the NationalAssociation of Life Underwriters. In fraternal life he is a Mason. With hisfamily he holds membership in the Ponce de Leon Avenue Baptist Church.Mr. Hawkins is a man of genial personality and cannot fail to impress astranger with confidence and that he is sincere in all the claims he makesconcerning the business of his life, and this quality perhaps has had something to do with his unusual success in the field of life insurance.ALEXANDER STEPHENS CLAY, who served as United States senator for twoterms commencing 1897, was born in Cobb County, Georgia, September 25,1853. He was graduated from Hiawassee College, Tennessee, in 1876 and wasadmitted to practice in the later part of 1877. First he served in variouslocal offices, followed by eight years in the Georgia Legislature, during whichhe was speaker of the House and president of the Senate. He was always anactive leader in the democratic party,- for four years was chairman of theState Democratic Executive Committee; was elected to the United StatesSenate in 1897 and reelected in 1903 and 1909. He died while thus serving,November 13, 1910. On August 12, 1912, a handsome bronze statue of Senator Clay was unveiled in the town square at Marietta, on which occasionBishop Warren A. Candler, of Atlanta, and Congressman William G. Brantley,of Brunswick, delivered the principal addresses. Senator Clay was succeeded by Hon. Hoke Smith in the United States Senate.CAPT. HENRY GRAY TURNER, a North Carolina man, who long resided atNashville, Georgia, represented his district in Congress for a period of sixteen years. He obtained his military title in the Confederate service, wastaken prisoner at Gettysburg, and finally dismissed from a Northern military prison with his health much undermined. He was admitted to the bar,however, in October, 1865, and enjoyed many years of successful practice.