Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1918-11-15
EDWIN MEMORIES. sr.

MS nome IN lNdb tllN WI 'N''"
from heart complications superln
duced by influenza.
He was born and reared IN NoXu
bee county, and his life was such as U
be worthy the emulation Of any aspir
ing youth Of his native county. M
was essentially a self-made man, Hi
birthplace, as | recall it, was neaI
Mashulaville. Early in life, on &C
count Of Universities following thu
war, he was placed upon his own re
sources, but by dint Of right ideals
land unremitting endeavor he soor
forged his way to a position of I'M
portance.
For some years he was in the mer-
camille business in the little city OF
Brooksville. where he established him
self as a man Of character and busl-
ness ability. 1t was here that he met
his lifelong companion, Miss Carrie
| Love, to whom he was married in
| 1886, from which union sprang three
children, now all grown to manhood
and womanhood.
Though | was acquainted with HIM
in Noxubee county, it was in Merid-
ian that learned to know intimately
he subject of this sketch. For four
years ! lived in his home, and for the
fifteen years Of my residence in that
'ity, | was in constant association
with him, both in an official capacity
while he was a trustee of the city pub
'ic schools, and very frequently in
ocial and business ways. He was a
man Of the highest ideals and of the
3trictest business integrity and was
Universally admired and esteemed by
members of the community.
He once said to me that in his
arly manhood he had resolved to
'f
rake Of himself a banker. This pur-
osc he carried out in the fullest
leasure; for, for twenty-five years
is was the controlling mind in the
hief financial institution of Meridian.
I addition, his ability as a director
f business policy was such that he
as in constant requisition for ser
.cc on boards of trust and RESPONSE
ility. At the time of his death, he
ad for years held several such posi-
ons, either of executive or advisory
laracter, having been particularly
tive on the managing board of the
Ieridian Fertilizer Factory, one of
We largest plants of it's kind in the
South.
He was a man of clear vision, and
n a real sense was an optimist in
hat he believed in the virtues of his
elbow man and had faith in the idea
hat when things were properly orga-
lied and managed, business opera
ions could be done both with good will
nd in good faith. His success as a
'ank administrator lay largely in his
bility to analyze the character of
hose seeking credit and accurately
o measure their ability to carry
Trough the projects they had in
mind, | have heard him say that in
attending credit to customers of the
)ank, his chief reliance was on the
moral character of the debtor, and
hat in his experience it was rare in
Iced that he found a man unwilling
o meet his just obligations.
He was an agreeable companion and
was possessed of n genial humor, his
mind being always stocked with a
store Of anecdotes which he could call
'nto use with the greatest facility.
He enjoyed to the full any good story,
md was always ready to tell a good
one in r%ejoinder. His mind was pure
and chaste, and in my long association
with him | cannot recall any anec-
tote Of his which could not have been
rccited in the most polite society.
He was a typical Southern gentle
man, fond of his state and city and
devoted to his family. In his leisure
hours, he was very fond of reading
and was a lover of good books. He
found inestimable pleasure in the
character ~delineations of Dickens,
having been absorbed in a volume of
this inimitable author at the time
that he was stricken with his fatal
illness.
In the social and church life of
Meridian he was a conspicuous figure.
He was loyal to his church and to his
pastor, and he could always be
counted upon as a helper in every
good work.
He possessed the entire confidence
of the community in which he lived,
and was truly representative of the
best spirit of the people. But his
reputation was not limited by the
boundaries of his own city, for, in