Georgia and Georgians - the Digital Library of Georgia

3292 GEORGIA AND GEORGIANSTJIOMAS B. EAINEY. Another of the native sons of Georgia who hasgained, a place of prominence as a member of its bar and who has been distinctively successful as one of the leading lawyers of Buena Vista, the judicialcenter of Marion County, is Thomas Benajah Rainey, who is one of the influential citizens of this thriving little city and whose personal popularity, aswell as his unequivocal eligibility, has been indicated by his election to theoffice of county superintendent of schools, of which he has been the incumbent since 1904, and by his preferment as mayor of Bnena Vista, in whichposition he is, in 1916, serving his third term, though not in consecutiveorder. His administration of the affairs of the municipal government hasbeen marked by unqualified civic loyalty and progressiveness and it may wellbe understood that lie is one of the strong and influential citizens of MarionCounty, where his circle of friends is virtually coincident with that of hisacquaintances.Mr. Rainey was born in Schley County, Georgia, on the 6th of October,1873, and is a son of Reuben If. and Edna D. (Peacock) Rainey, the formerof whom was born in Sehley County, in October, 1849, and the latter of whomwas born in Marion County, in September, 1853, a daughter of Benajah andEleanor (Thompson) Peacock. Benajah Peacock was born and reared inSouth Carolina and came as a young man to Georgia, as founder of the branchof the family in this favored commonwealth of the South, his wife havingbeen of Scotch-Irish lineage.Reuben M. Rainey, who was a son of Thomas R Rainey, became one ofthe substantial agriculturists and influential citizens of Schley County, andhere his death occurred on the 17th of June, 1915. At the time of bis demisehe was the owner of a valuable landed estate of 600 acres, constituting oneof the finest plantations in Schlcy County, and be was a man whose progrcssivenessand public spirit made him quietly but effectively influential incommunity affairs. He was a stalwart in the local camp of the democraticparty, was affiliated with the Masonic fraternity and was a zealous memberof the Baptist Church, as is also his widow, who now maintains her home atBuena Vista. Of tlicir nine children Thomas B., of this review, is nest tothe eldest; Mary E. is the wife of 'William E. Barron, of Schley County;Elizabeth is the wife of Robert L. Owens, of that county; Ecnry Thompsonis now a resident of Grayburg, Texas; Charles 0., M. I)., was graduated inthe Atlanta College of Medicine as a member of the class of 1910 and is nowengaged in practice at Palmetto, Campbell County; William Mack is superintendent of schools at Lavouia, Franklin County, and is a graduate of MercerUniversity; Dr. Boyce Tnckcr Raiuey is engaged in the practice of his profession at Buena Vista and concerning him more specific mention will bemade in later paragraphs of this article; and Lucy B., the youngest of thechildren, is the wife of Eenry Wiggins, of Myrtle Springs.Thomas B. Rainey acquired his early education in the public schools atEllaville, the county seat of Schley County, and in preparation for his chosenprofession he entered the law department of Mercer University, in which fineGeorgia institution he was graduated as a member of the class of 1898 andfrom which he received the degree of Bachelor of Laws, with concurrentadmission to the bar of his native state. Soon after his graduation Mr. Raineyestablished his residence in Buena Vista, where his professional labors wereinitiated and where he has continued to hold impregnable vantage ground asone of the representative members of the bar of the Chattahoochee Circuit, thewhile his ability, close application and definite achievement have resulted inhis retaining a large and important clientele and involved his appearance inconnection with numerous litigated causes of more than local note. In 1904he was elected county superintendent of schools, and of this important position he has since remained the earnest, circumspect and efficient incumbent,his administration having inured greatly to the benefit of the schools of MarionCounty. In 1903 further honors were conferred upon Mr. Rainey, in that he