The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1914-07-17
Another Gone-One Left

! ed by our friend and brother, IhomaS
Alexander McWilliams, Thursday,
July 9th, at p. m. after painful
illness of two Or three weeks. He was
making his home for the past two
years with his nephew, Mr.. Robert
L. Compton of Terrell county. He was
nursed and cared for through this
last sickness by the loving and ten
der hands of his devoted daughter,
Nettie, and nephews and nieces.
Captain McWilliams was blessed IN
life with fine physique, strong mind,
and noble character, and was of gen
teel and graceful address. He was
man of letters, with memory that
retained and could tell with precision
and interest the historical events oc-
curing through his early bOyhOOd
days down to the present time. He
knew we'll the early history of old
Randolph county and the making OF
the new Terrell. He was also con-
versant with the state of Georgia
early history and with the subjects
of interest of the day. He thought
Tom Watson the great man of our
time and section. He loved to tell
and write short stories, which were
true to character, of the Indians and
their nearby battles, point out the
places and tell who was killed or
wounded, and of the days of slavery,
ante-bellum days, of the siege of the
civil war, how and when he lost his
left arm and the four long years he
gave to the lost cause during that
cruel carnage of the SOS. He said
while on the bed of his last sickness
that the hardship, privations and SUI
ferings of that war, to him, were not
to be compared to the painful suffer
ing through which he was then pass
ing. Yet his sustaining hope, cOnso-
lation and comfort were in Christ
Jesus, his great burden-bearer, who
said, Come unto me all We that labor
and are heavy laden and | will give
you rest"
He could tell with interest where
he spent each Fourth of July, some
thing of what was done and some of
those present of each successive year
back for fifty years or more.
Captain McWilliams was born in
Houston county, of christian parents,
and while a small boy moved to then
Randolph county, from which Terrell
afterwards was formed. His father,
Thomas N. McWilliams, settled, lived
and died near where the deceased
ever afterward made his home. He
was 76 years and "a days old. Out
of a large family of brothers and Sis
ters but one is left-a half-brother,
Jared B. McWilliams, of Cuthbert.
He was married tWice-the first
time to Miss Elizabeth Morris OF
Georgetown. Three children were
born to them-Mrs. Mollie Perry and
Mrs. Amanda Perry of Miami, Fla,
and Miss Nettie McWilliams of near
Shellman, who still live to mourn his
departure. His second marriage was
with Mrs. Matte Orr of Sandersville
in 1895. She preceded him to Chelr
long home some two years before.
He was carried to RehObeth fro
interment. After reading a selection
from the Bible and appropriate songs
were sung touching comments were
made of the beautiful and useful life
that brother had lived. Services were
conducted by Rev. A. A. Allison OF
Cuthbert. His remains were laid to
rest in the Rehobeth church yard,
around winch lie udu SpGnt many
happy moments. Here it was that
he had gotten his early school train
ing and his first spiritual impress
sions. He, like his father, who had
died SO years previous to him, was OF
the Primitive Baptist faith. Many
of us will miss our brother and I'M
Gle Alex.
Now, to the kind friends who rem
dered so many timely favors, and to
the ladies who so thoughtfully and
lovingly remembered him and the be-
reaved ones, bestowing their sympa-
thies with beautiful flowers and the
Confederate flag, for which he gave
his blood and left arm, these for
time to mark the place where brave
and honored soldier and beloved
countryman was laid to wait till the
graves shall give up their dead, we
are grateful. Among the contrlbu-
tors in Dawson we're Mrs. Hood,
mother of the Mary Brantley chapter
U. D. c., a flag and lilies; Mrs. }. ).
Lowrey, flowers, and Mrs. R. r. Mar
lin flowers. To these and many other
sympathi-ing friends, please accept
the heartfelt thanks of the family
His brother. ]. B. McWILLIAMS.