The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-12-22
MEN, WOMEN
 AND THINGS

other Barbour county family. which has played its part in the state and in the south.
 I'll have to take you back to old Spring Hill before the war in the days when the aroma of southern life was at it's best. It was the time of planta- tions, long before they were cut up into farms, and in this division there was a subtle change, for it meant that much of the aristocrat ways would give way to commercialism.
 
 If you heard the eloquent and thought provoking address of my friend, pr. M Ashby Jones of Atlanta, at the Southern club on Friday night last, you will be able to discover just the revolution which was quietly but silently inauguratad when the broad acres which were wont to surround the old mansions were cut up to make homes for the rising class of farmers.
 
 I was glad that in his plea for the breaking up of the "solid south" that he went out of his way to pay tribute to the memory of the masters and mis- tresses who, having leisure for culture and entertaining, set such a precedent that to this hour when any one wishes to bestow upon hospitality the last word they make use of the term the old time southern hospitality.
 
 It was in such home that the Conner family had it's birth, but coming on after the close of the war I only know it by hearsay, but out of it have come stalwart sons who have made names for themselves in the business and pro- fessional life of their country Now this Is not to be a. detailed history of their lives, but just sketch, emitting much and showing only enough to pay loving tribute to Mother Conner"
 Her husband never. knew, but she was well known to me, for she used had frequent opportunity of being thrown with her in the home of her son, ex-Governor Bragg Conner, during his residence at Spring Hill, in Annis- ton and later here in Birmingham. She was the highest type of the brave, re- sourceful women of the south, whose circumstances were so changed by the fortunes of war. No one can ever pay too much honor to the self-sacrificing widows who by sheer will power and Ira baf fo, e the death of their husbands.
 
 She was brought to my memory by the following telegram:
 Macon, Ga, December 1.-The gift of $50,000 in Liberty bonds to Wesleyan college by E. T. Conner of Millhaven, Ca, in honor of his mother, Mrs. Cath crime L. Conner, was announced at the college Tuesday. The gift is to be used as an endowment to aid girls in secur- ing an education. Mrs Conner, mother also of ex-Governor B. B. Conner, of Alabama, was one of the first graduates of Wesleyan, being of the class with Admiral Bensons mother.
 ,*
 It is claimed by the Wesleyans that it is the oldest female college in the world, and while this is controverted, yet it is indisputable that if it did not lead it was mighty nigh the top. ct is easy to see that being Baptist preacher I am hedging here as Judson makes some claims itself) Any way, when Catherine Lucinda Drewry, for this was the maiden name of Mrs. Conner, graduated, she was one of the first young women in all the world to have diploma.
 I know nothing of the courtship by which she became a Conner, but her maiden name is one that was most fa- miliar to me for Dr. Drewry was our family physician, and it was at his hands that all through childhood I was dosed. She came from mighty good stock and when the Drewry blood was grafted onto that of the Conner, it made a breed of men that was hard to beat. She never had daughter, but six stall wart boys she gave to her country. I car only say word about those I know best. Hugh Conner went tc Georgia to live and in the business af- fairs of Savannah soon grew to be q recognized leader as a cotton factor of ability and standing. He had also other large interests, but will be best remembered as the president of the Central of Georgia. I used to get glimpses of him on his visits to Eu- faula, where he was always pointed out as a man who had reflected honor on his country by his rapid rise in tha commercial world. f
 Wallace and Fletcher I never knew so well, but heard them frequently spoken of by my older brothers. Wal lara liUad in aa rlxy days and was connected with big in dustrial enterprises. Fletcher makes his home at Midway and I think is en- gagged in mercantile business and farm ing, but neither of them, while men of ability and integrity, were ever so much in the public eye as Hugh, Legree and Bragg.
 G. L. Conner. for years the mayor of Eufaula, have known intimately for many years. He Is the lawyer of the family and has made just as loyal a member of the Baptist church as Bragg has been in Methodist circles. Legree has had about all of the honors that could fall on Baptist 1ayman. being a deacon in his local church, the moder- ator of the Eufaula Baptist association and at one time the president of the Alabama Baptist State convention. He is known as man with the courage of his convictions and stands four-square for civic righteousness.
 
 B. B.. or Bragg as he is known to his friends, is the best known one, both here and throughout the state, for he has been in public life. and made for himself reputation as governor of this great commonwealth The CnDnar a m ir,ic fra