The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1920-07-13
"A BRONWOOD MAN
AND COX BOY CHUMS
Mr.. WINKLER AND DEMOCRATIC
NOMINEE WORKED ON THE
SAME FARM IN OHIO.

A very interesting bit of early his
tory concerning the boyhood life or
Governor James M. Cox, of Ohio, the
Democratic nominee for Presiden:,
has been related by Mr. Conrad
Winkler, former resident of Bron-
wood, to the Savannah Press. Mr..
Winkler, who is a stepson of Mr.
Paul Holland, of Bronwood, and now
the proprietor of a meat market III
Savannah, was one Of Governor
Cox's boyhood friends. The article
in the Savannah Press follows:
Reminiscing back to a period some
thirty-eight years ago, when he lived
in Hamilton, O., Mr.. Winkler saiG
that when he was 16 years of age
his mother married the second time
and the family moved out to Jack
sonburg, typical country village of
that period, located at the lnterset-
ton of two crossroads: Young
Winkler was EARNED out" by hrs
step-father to a farmer at Jackson
burg, for the munificient wage of Sc
and board per month.
Near Cox Farm.
The Cox farm was located at Jack
sonburg and, at the time young
Winkler arrived in the neighborhood,
the now. famous nominee was II
years of age. Following up the usual
gregarious propensities of boys,
young Cox and Winkler soon became
warm friends and, after their chores
for the day had been finished it was
their custom to repair to the village
grocery store where with a few other
boys they would assemble on the cell
lar steps to tell jokes and sing their
favorite songs. Two of the song=
which Mr.. Winkler remembered as
especially popular were: For to Be
farmers Boy and "a Soldiers
Poor Little Boy"
According to Mr.. Winkler, young
Cox was considered a very bright boy
for his age. He officiated as sexton
for the United Brethren Church,
which was the only place of worship
that Jacksonburg included within LIS
crossroads limits. Young Cox was
also charged with the responsibility
of driving about ten miles to the
town of Hamilton and attending to
the purchase of supplies and other
business connected with the farm.
The small congregation of the Uni
ted Brethren Church, Mr.. Winkler
said, were very devout and firmly be-
lieved in the efficacy of prayer. In
one particular season, when no rain
had fallen in several months, and the
long drought threatened to ruin the
wheat crop daily prayer meetings
were held for a week in the. little
church. The prayers for rain were
unsuccessful for several days, and
the farmers became apprehensive
that the grain would drop from the
stalks before it matured. Finally,
though, the prayers were answerec
and a fine rain came just in time to
save the crops.
Called at Shop.
After his time was up on the farm
young Winkler went back to Hamil-
ton and opened a butchers shop
Young Cox whenever he came TO
town always dropped around to see
his friend and fellow-farmer, Wink
! Ter, and incidentally dispose of
few bologna and rye bread sand
| witches.
After Mr.. Winkler gave up his
business in Hamilton and moved from
Ohio he heard nothing from his boy
hood friend of the little village OF
Jacksonburg until he was elected
governor of Ohio. Since then he has
kept in touch through the newspapers
with the political career of the popu'
lar young member of the cellar-dool
choir, and had a peculiarly strong
personal interest in his selection pJ