The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1912-04-19
MARION COUNTY YOUNG MEN
SEEKING HONOR AND FAME

SEEKING HONOR AND FAME
We rejoice to observe that many of
the young men sent out from Marion
county to become the architects of
their own fortunes are succeeding ad-
mirably, and this paper notes their
efforts and success with a great deal
of pleasure.
Mr.. Elmer Stevens, son of Mr.. John
w. Stevens, of Fort Mccoy, who for
while lived in Ocala and served as
deputy revenue collector, migrated to
Crystal River to seek his fortune, and
incidentally to become builder for
that section, and We are glad to note
that he is succeeding so well. He was
twice elected mayor of the city, and
is now running for a seat in the state
legislature with fiattering prospects
of success.
His Marion county friends note
with a great deal of pleasure his am
bition and determination to crafty it,
and his going after things rather than
sitting down and waiting for things
to look him up He is chip off the
"old block" which is saying a good
deal, for there are few better men
in Marion county than John w. Ste
vens
On the opposite and extreme south
ern section of the state Mr. Jesse L..
Billingsley has located and is strug-
Cling to carve his name high on the
rolls of fame and fortune. He was
early touched with the latent sparks
that lead to the royal road of success,
and since his boyhood has determin-
ed to make a name for himself that
shall command the resuect if not the
admiration of his fellows.
Jesse Billingsley was poor coun-
try boy and was compelled to labor
in the fields and at other occupations
all through the day, but he early de-
termined to equip himself for higher
things, so he assiduously read law at
night and never faltered until he had
fully equipped himself for that hon
orable profession, and realized the
full fruition of his early dreams.
While a page, or some other at
tache of the house of representatives,
he attracted the attention of Speaker
Jennings, and when he was called to
the executive chair he made young
Bilhngsley his private secretary,
which office he filled with signal abil-
ity.
Since going to Miami he has been
elected city attorney, against two 9TH
er and older competitors, and is now
a candidate for legislative honors. If
elected he will give his constituents
the best service that is in him, which,
from his past achievements, seems to
be a great deal.
Another young man who is making
his mark and is ambitious to mount
still higher on the hard, laborious
rungs of the ladder of fame is Mr.. W.
B. Dickinson, a former citizen of Nc
Intosh. He is a son of an old friend
of the elitor of this paper, and for
that reason he has watched his course
with more than ordinary interest. Mr..
Dickinson moved to Tampa some
years ago and while yet pursuing the
studies of the law taught school to
tide him over the financial breakers
and became so greatly interested in
school work that he was made super
ntendent of schools of Hillsborough
county, but he never abandoned his
determination of becoming a disci-
pie of Blackstone, and was finally adj
mitted to the practice of law with
many encomiums to his credit.
Mr.. Dickinson is now a candidate
for county solicitor, and his friends
say that he Will be elected by very
handsome majority.
Mr.. George G. Mathews, who repre-
sented this county in the legislature
for two terms, was consul to Para,
Brazil, and since leaving Ocala after
his return from South America, has
been editor of three newspapers, and
has been happy in gathering the
roses of success from many sources
and in many directions, is a candi-
date for delegate to the Baltimore
convention, and his friends are going
to vote for him regardless of his pres
idential preferences
Those who maninulatnd the nreSi-