The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1921-02-22
JUSTICE GEORGE w. GAGE

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The State, 18th.
Judge Gage was born February 4.
1856, near Fairforest, Union county,
S. C. His parents were Robert j. and
Martha (Willians) Gage. His father
was planter who was noted for his
kindness of heart, cleanness of ln-
teliect and sound judgment. He was
a member of the general assembly
from Union county and in 1883 he
served on the board of visitors of the
South Carolina Military Academy.
His mother, though an invalid for
nearly all hel life, was a woman of
fine intellectual. ,ndowments, remark
able social charms and deep piety.
She was a great help to her children
in their studies, even after they reach
ed the higher grades, and was kind
and helpful to all to whom she could
render service.
The first paternal ancestor in this
country was John Gage, who came
from Coleran, Ireland. His father
was Robert Gage who lived and died
in the old country. John Gage locat
ed in Philadelphia in 1900, and two
years later removed to Union, S. c.
He was the father of Robert J. Gage.
On the maternal side the first ances-
tor in America was Richard Williams,
who came from Glamorganshire,
Wales, and was living in Taunton,
Mass, in 1887. Edward Williams,
father of Martha Williams Gage, was
fifth in line of descent from him.
For a long period this branch of
the Williams family resided in
Maine, and several of its members
were prominent in public affairs.
In childhood and youth George
Gage lived in the country. His health
was delicate, but his tastes were for
outdoor work and sport, and being
much in the open air gave him IN
creased bodily vigor. The devasta-
ton caused by the Confederate war
placed the family in limited circum-
stances and made it necessary for
him, at a comparatively early age,
to take up the various kinds Of work
which boy on the farm is able to
perform. This experience taught him
''the value of doing things for ones
SELF" and proved Of great benefit in
later years. From 1854 to, 1871 he
attended the inferior schools which
at that time the country supplied. In
the year last named he entered Wof-
ford college from which institution
he was graduated in the summer of
1875 with the degree of A. B. In the
following October he entered the em-,
ploy of the Carolina Savings bark Of
Charleston, where he remained for
three years. Afterward ne studied
law at Vanderbilt university from
which institution he was graduated in
1880 with the degree Of LAB. I'M
mediately after his graduation he op-
ened law Office in Chester. For
time he was associated with his uncle
by marriage, the late Giles j. Patte--
son, and the late T. C.. Gas5on, and
afterward for several ears with j..
X: Henry. His natural ability, thor
ough preparation and excellent iudg-
ment soon won him .arge ard luc-
rative practice. In 1893 ne was elect
circuit Judge to succeed Judge |. u.
Witherspoon of York, ,nd VS. re-
elected by the Legislature III 1905.
He served as circuit judge until JAN
uary Is, 1914, when he was elected
associate justice of the supreme court
which office he has ably held for the
past seven years. The pollS;cai non
ors that have come to him are those
of member of the Chester city coun~
Gil, 1884; presidential elscto", 1888;
member of the State Constitutional
convention, 1895, and member of the
state legislature, 1897.
Hbo~e p~ofas.,,,, E,rly
His principal difficulties in ;tcquir-
ing ar education came from the nee
essity of strict economy. During the
FIVE years in collage his expenses
were only s1,100. The BOOKS which
he has found most helpful IN lifting
him for and aiding him IN the work
of life he named as the Bible, works
of history, psychology, biography and
law. His first strong impulses to
strive for the prizes he has Won came
from his admission to .'ol?ege at the
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