Georgia and Georgians - the Digital Library of Georgia

2856 GEORGIA AND GEORGIANSSamuel R. McBrayer gave most valiant and loyal service as a soldier of theConfederacy in the Civil war. He enlisted as a member of a Georgia volunteer regiment, served during the entire period of the war, took part in manyengagements, including a number of important battles, and though he wasslightly wounded he was never incapacitated for duty. He perpetuates themore gracious memories of his military career through his affiliation with theUnited Confederate Veterans, is a stalwart and lifelong democrat and bothhe and his wife are earnest members of the Baptist Church.Reared to the sturdy and invigorating discipline of the home farm, John B.McBrayer early gained appreciation of the dignity and value of productivetoil and endeavor, and in the meanwhile he duly availed himself of the advantages of the common schools of the locality and period. In his twentieth yearhe engaged in the mercantile business in Gwinnett County, where he continuedto be successfully identified with this line of enterprise for a period of fifteenyears.In 1912 Mr. McBrayer removed to Lavonia, Franklin County, where hepurchased the Lavonia Roller Mills, the plant being of essentially modernorder and equipped effectively for the grinding of both wheat and corn. Hehas since increased to a large extent the business of the mills, the products ofwhich find a steady and appreciative demand, and his progressive policies havemade this one of the most substantial industrial concerns of Franklin County,the mills having been erected in 1900 and having since received numerousimprovements.In politics Mr. McBrayer pays staunch allegiance to the democratic party,both he and his wife are members of the Baptist Church, and in the localorganizations of the Masonic fraternity he is secretary of the Blue Lodge andjunior deacon of the chapter of Royal Arch Masons in 1915.In January, 1885, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. McBrayer to MissEffie B. Kirby, daughter of Permelia Kirby, a representative citizen and business man of Gumming, Forsyth County. Concerning the children of Mr. andMrs. McBrayer brief record is entered in conclusion of this review: GuyNolan, who was born in 1886, resides at Forsyth and is employed in the railroad service; Fay Julian, who was born in 1890, is in the service of the "WesternUnion Telegraph Company at Buford, Gwinnett County; Elise, who was bornin 1893, is the wife of Russell D. 0 'Kelley, of Atlanta, and they have one child,Fred; Madge, who was born in 1897, is the wife of Hoyt Thomas and theyreside in South Carolina; and Mary Leslie, who remains at the parental home,is attending the public schools. All of the children were born at Buford,Gwinnett County, except the eldest, who is a native of Forsyth County.COL. SAMUEL B. SWILLING. One of the leading members of the legal profession of Franklin County, Samuel B. Swilling, of-Royston, enters into thepreparation of cases with a thoroughness and a breadth of view which havegenerally proved assurances of success whether the campaign be one of offenseor defense. He is a man of deep legal knowledge and keen practical insight,and these qualities have been noticeably strong elements in his continuedadvancement.A native son of Hart County, Georgia, Samuel B. Swilling was bornMarch 12,1874, a son of Thomas A. and Charity L. (Holbrook) Swilling. Hisgrandfather, Samuel Swilling, was an early planter of Georgia, settling onBroad River, near Carroll Church, where he passed the rest of his life in thepursuits of the soil. He married a Miss Felton, who was also a native ofSouth Carolina, and five of their sons participated in the Civil war as Confederate soldiers, three dying in the service. Thomas A. Swilling was born inSouth Carolina, and was a small boy when brought to Georgia, his youth beingpassed on the homestead place. Subsequently he moved to Royston, where hewas postmaster for many years, and held that office at the time of his death.