Chambers County AlArchives Biographies.....Oliver, James M. May 12 1831 - living in 1893
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Ann Anderson alabammygrammy@aol.com May 15, 2004, 5:19 pm

Author: Brant & Fuller (1893)
    JAMES M. OLIVER, a prominent lawyer of La Fayette, Ala., is a son of
Florence M. and Hannah K. (Banks) Oliver. The former was a farmer, born, reared
and married in Elbert county, Ga. In 1838, the family moved to Chambers county,
Ga., settling ten miles west of La Fayette, and living there until the death of
Mr. Oliver, which occurred in 1854. Mrs. Oliver had died in Elbert county, Ga.,
when James M. was two years old. Mr. Oliver was a quiet, energetic and thrifty
farmer, a whig in politics and a Methodist in religion. The Oliver family are of
English origin, came to this country and settled in Virginia about 1700.
Dionysius Oliver was the first representative of his family in this country. The
Olivers were prominent people in government affairs, and a great grandfather of
James Oliver served in the Revolutionary war. Grandfather McCarty Oliver was a
boy at that time. He married a Miss Clark of a prominent Virginia family.
Dionysius Oliver was one of the early settlers in Elbert county, Ga., was an
extensive planter, and assisted to survey the counties of the state. Mrs. Hannah
K. Oliver was born and reared in Elbert county, Ga., and her family was a very
prominent one in the state. The first annual conference of the Methodist
Episcopal church met at the house of Ralph Banks, the grandfather of Mrs.
Oliver. Florence M. and Mrs. Oliver were married about 1829, in Elbert county,
Ga., and reared a family of two sons, Samuel C., and James M. After the death of
the mother of these children, Mr. Oliver married a Miss Glenn, by whom he had
five children. Mrs. Glenn belongs to the family after whom Glennville, Russell
county was named. James M. Oliver was born May 12, 1831, in Elbert county, Ga.
His parents removed to Chambers county when he was but a small boy. He received
but a common school education, and read law, in 1855 and 1856, under the
direction of Pascal M. Allison, of La Fayette, and was admitted to the bar by
Judge John G. Shorter in March, 1856. He settled down for the practice of the
law at Dadeville, Ala., in January, 1857, and remained there until the war. He
was commissioned colonel in April, 1862, raised the Forty-seventh Alabama
infantry, and led it to the field, joining Stonewall Jackson's command in
Virginia. On account of ill health he resigned his commission after a few
months' service, and returned to the practice of the law at Dadeville. He has
been actively engaged in the practice of his profession ever since, removing,
however, from Dadeville to La Fayette in 1887. While he has always been active
in politics, yet he has never sought office. He was for many years chairman of
the executive committee of Tallapoosa county, and has frequently been a delegate
to state conventions. He was married in Chambers county in 1850, when but
nineteen years old, to Matilda Allen, by whom he has had six children, viz:
Aurelia, wife of Dr. John M. Watkins, of Camp Hill, Tallapoosa county; Florence,
wife of Col. Henry A. Garrett, Dadeville, a prominent lawyer of that place;
Olivia, wife of James S. Herren of Atlanta, Ga.; Woodson, deceased; James M.,
Jr., merchant of Dadeville, and Samuel J., merchant of Dadeville. The mother of
these children died in 1882, and Mr. Oliver married in February, 1884, Catherine
V. Cater, of Perry, Houston county, Ga., by whom he has had no children. She was
at the time of her marriage corresponding secretary of the Woman's Board of
missions of the South Georgia Methodist conference, and she is now
superintendent of the juvenile department of the Woman's Board of missions of
the North Alabama Methodist conference. Mr. Oliver is himself a member of the
Methodist Episcopal church, and in politics he is a democrat. He is now a
council Mason, and has been worshipful master of the Blue lodge. He is also a
member of the Knights of Honor. He is one of the leading lawyers in Chambers
county, and a man of great value as a citizen. For his worth of character he is
very highly esteemed and his influence is always exerted for good.



Additional Comments:
from "Memorial Record of Alabama", Vol. I, p. 630-632

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