Georgia and Georgians - the Digital Library of Georgia

GEORGIA AND GEORGIANS 3261Civil war days and engaged in the wholesale hardware business, becoming asuccessful and well-to-do merchant in Petersburg. In the vicinity of thevillage he owned a 400 acre farm, on which the famous Crater fight wasfought during the war. This farm is now the property of a sister of Mrs.Hughlett, Mrs. Annie Peebles. One of her sons is John Bradbury Peebles,professor of applied mathematics in Emory College, Oxford, Georgia. Mrs.Hughlett is a graduate of the Southern Female College at Petersburg, Virginia, and she has done post graduate work in Norfolk, Virginia, and inNew York City. She is especially active in the work of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, and is a great help to her husband in his work.To Doctor and Mrs. Hughlett have been born three children, Miss LelandBradbury Hughlett, John Mitchell Hughlett and William Smith Hughlett.The daughter, Miss Leland, is a graduate of Washington Seminary, Atlanta,and is now attending Randolph-Macon Woman's College, at Lynchburg,Virginia.JOHN M. BEKKIEN was born August 23, 1781, near Prineeton, New Jersey,at the home of his paternal grandfather, John Berrien. John Berrieu wasone of the justices of the Colonial Supreme Court. It was in his house thatGeneral Washington had his military headquarters when he wrote his farewell address to the army. His father was a gallant major in the Continentalarmy and his mother, Margaret Mcl'hersou, was the daughter of a brave officerin the provincial navy. In 1782, shortly after Anthony Wayne's victoriousre-occupation of the City of Ogtethorpc, the parents selected Savannah astheir future home.John M. obtained his higher education, in his youthful days, at NassauHall, Prineeton, New Jersey, and selected law as his profession. On hisreturn to Savannah he entered the office of Hon. Joseph Clay, studied in hisoffice for two years and in 1799, when in his eighteenth year, was admitted tothe bar.In 1809 he was selected solicitor-general of the eastern circuit and inthe following year lie was chosen to the judgeship of the same circuit, holdingthe office continuously until 1821. While upon the bench this country becameengaged in war with England, Judge Berrieu did not permit official dutiesto militate against his obligations to home and country and. as colonel ofcavalry, he saw service in the vicinity of Darien and gave his undivided attention to her coast defenses.In 1822 Judge Berrien was elected to a seat in the upper house of theGeorgia Legislature, was made chairman of the judiciary committee andwas instrumental in securing tbe passage of many important bills. In 1824that body elected him United States senator, resigning-that position to acceptthe attorney-generalship in President Jackson's cabinet. In June, 1831, heresigned that portfolio and retired to private life. In 'March, 1841. JudgeBerrieu was again called to the United States Senate and for a decade ormore was regarded as a conspicuous figure in that high place of honor, whichboasted the historic eloquence and power of Clay, Calhonn and Webster.This was the era of great and knotty questions, but Senator Berrien handledthem with the skill of a master. In 1844 he was a member of the conventionwhich nominated Henry Clay for the presidency and he was selected as thechairman of the committee to inform Mr. Clay of the great honor tenderedhim. Between 1840 and 1850 the most notable questions which engaged theUnited States Senate were those relating to Oregon, the Mexican war, theWilmot Proviso and the Missouri Compromise in all of which debates Senator Berrien took an active part. Of the compromise measure of 1850 he wasa strong champion. In May, 1852, Senator Berrien again resigned his scatin the Senate, and retired permanently to private life. He was one of thecharter members of the Georgia Historical Society, served as president ofVol. VI 31