Crisp-Paulding-Douglas County GaArchives Biographies.....Dorris, William Herschell 1871 - living in 1913
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Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 October 18, 2004, 9:19 pm

Author: William Harden
p. 777-778

   COL. WILLIAM HERSCHELL DORRIS. In no profession is there a career more open
to talent than is that of the law and in no field of endeavor is there demanded
a more careful preparation, a more thorough appreciation of the absolute ethics
of life or of the underlying principles which form the basis of all human rights
and privileges. Col. William Herschell Dorris is a lawyer of the highest ideals
and also a most public-spirited citizen, this fact having become happily evident
in his administration as mayor of Cordele, his election to the mayoralty having
occurred in 1910. He is a native son of the state, his life record having begun
on a farm in the vicinity of Douglasville, Douglas county, August 9, 1871. He
remained upon the parental homestead until the age of twenty-one years, gaining
his elementary education in the public schools and under paternal instruction
gaining a practical experience in the many sided science of agriculture. He
entered Douglasville College about the age mentioned and was graduated from that
institution of learning in 1892 with the degree of Bachelor of Arts. While in
college he was a member of the Greek letter fraternity, Phi Cappi.

   Having determined to adopt the profession of law as his life work, young
Dorris began his study of Blackstone in the office of A. L. Bartlett, of
Brownsville, Georgia, and was admitted to the bar in the year 1896, under
examination by the committee appointed by the court. He engaged at once in
general practice and his gifts and attainments have received signal recognition.
He located at Cordele in the year 1896 and has ever since retained his residence
here. He has been extremely loyal to its interest and it was due to his efforts
that the fine Carnegie library, which is one of its most useful institutions,
was secured for the city. He was a member of the first board of trustees
appointed to supervise the affairs of the library. He served his city as
alderman for two terms and in 1910 was elected mayor, of which office he is the
present incumbent.

   Colonel Dorris is the son of William C. and Matilda (Lowe) Dorris, both
living and both natives of Georgia, the father's birthplace having been Carroll
county, and the mother's Cobb county. His grandfather, Rev. John Dorris, was a
distinguished member of the conference of the Methodist Episcopal church, South.

   William C. Dorris served in the Civil war as first lieutenant of Company I,
of the Fifty-sixth Georgia Infantry. He was in the thickest of the fight,
serving at the siege of Vicksburg, at Missionary Ridge, at Baker's Creek, etc.,
and being captured at Vicksburg. The other members of the subject's, family are
James A., Marvin Homer, Mrs. Ola Stone, Mrs. L. C. Satterfield, Mrs. E. H.
Huffines, and Miss Emma Dorris.

   The colonel is a Mason of high standing, belonging to the blue lodge the
chapter, the commandery at Cordele, and having "traveled east" with the Shriners
at Savannah. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church at Cordele and is
helpfully interested in all the good measures promulgated by the church. He is
president of the Chamber of Commerce and has for several years been identified
in praiseworthy fashion with all public affairs looking toward the welfare and
progress of city, county and state.


Additional Comments:
From:

A HISTORY OF SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA
BY
WILLIAM HARDEN

VOLUME II
ILLUSTRATED
THE LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY
CHICAGO AND NEW YORK
1913

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