Dougherty County GaArchives Obituaries.....Wooten, Colonel W. E. 1913 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Naomi McFadden naomi@ctc.com.na June 23, 2004, 10:53 pm Newspaper (assume to be the Albany Herald) Newspaper (assume to be the Albany Herald) Dated Jan 28, 1913 Colonel W. E. Wooten Died Early this Morning HAD BEEN ILL SEVERAL MONTHS Was for 16 Years Solicitor General of Albany Circuit, and Reached Highest Rank in State Military Service Funeral Tomorrow Morning. Colonel William E. Wooten, former Solicitor General of the Albany Circuit and one of the most prominent members of the bar of South Georgia, died at his residence, corner of Jefferson and Tift streets, at 4 o clock this morning, after an illness which had confined him to his bed for several weeks. Colonel Wooten s condition had really been serious for months, a general breakdown of health following close on the heels of his campaign for re- election to the office of solicitor general. While conducting his campaign through out the counties of the Albany Circuit, he had also been carrying on his work as prosecuting attorney, and the strain told on him severely. He was under the treatment of physicians for several months before being forced to take to his bed, and was for a time in an Atlanta sanitarium. His condition grew gradually more serious, however, and it had been realized for some time that the end was in all probability a matter of but weeks. For some days prior to his death, the sick man has been in a semi-conscious state, though realizing fully his condition. Every possible attention was lavished upon him by skilled and loving hands, and when the end came it was quiet and peaceful, as a tired man falls asleep. William E. Wooten was the youngest son of the late Judge Council B. Wooten who was for many years one of the most prominent men this section. After preparation in the best schools of the state, William E. Wooten entered the University of Georgia, at Athens, from which he graduated with honors. Entering the law office of his father, he was shortly afterward admitted to the bar, and the firm of Wooten & Wooten was formed. Won Many Honors. From the beginning of his legal career, Colonel Wooten took prominent rank as an attorney, and was markedly successful in the practice of his profession. He was elected City Attorney of Albany several years after his admission to the bar and compiled the city code now in use. He was several times re-elected, and retired from the office voluntarily Sixteen years ago Colonel Wooten was elected, without opposition, solicitor general of the Albany Circuit, each time without opposition. There was no abler or better equipped prosecuting attorney holding a similar office in the state, and his record of sixteen years service was one of which he and his friends have long had reason to be proud. Colonel Wooten was a candidate for re-election in the last general primary for the term beginning January 1, 1913, but was defeated by the present incumbent, Col. R. C. Bell, of Grady county. Colonel Wooten represented Dougherty county and the Tenth Senatorial District in the General Assembly serving there, as he did in other positions, with conspicuous ability. He entered into legislative work with the same enthusiasm which he manifested in other undertakings, and as a representative and senator brought credit to his constituency. Some years ago Colonel Wooten entered into a law partnership with Mr. I. J. Hofmayer, the firm of Wooten & Hofmayer becoming one of the most prominent in this section. The firm is division counsel for the Central of Georgia railway. At one time Colonel Wooten was also a law partner of the late Judge D. F. Crosland. Interesting Military Record. For many years Colonel Wooten took a keen and active interest in military affairs, and did much to improve the efficiency of the Georgia state troops. He was made captain of the Albany Guards soon after his return from the University of Georgia, where he received his first military training. From the captaincy of the Albany Guards came promotion to the rank of major commanding the battalion of the Fourth Georgia Regiment to which the Albany company was attached. Subsequently followed promotion to the lieutenant- colonelcy, and finally election to the highest office which the Fourth regiment could bestow, that of colonel. It was while holding this office that Colonel Wooten commissioned Brevet-Brigadier General or Georgia State Troops, that rank coming to him because of the fact that he was ranking colonel in the state service. At the breaking out of the war with Spain, Colonel (then major) Wooten was offered a major's commission in the First Georgia Regiment of Infantry United States Volunteers. He accepted the commission and was in the service of the United States during the six-month period which marked the term of enlistment of most of those who volunteered for the war with Spain. Colonel Wooten continued to be identified with the state military organization for several years following the close of the war. Colonel Wooten married, in 1892 Miss Eva Carter, of Albany, daughter of Mr. T. M. Carter. She survives her husband, with one child, a daughter, Stella Coles Wooten, nine years old. Mrs. M. W. Tift, of this city, is a sister of Colonel Wooten, and Mr. John Wooten, of Shellman, is an only brother. There is an extensive family connection in Terrell, Randolph, Marion and other counties, the Wooten family being one of the most prominent in this secton of the state. Colonel Wooten was 46 years old, he having been born at Dawson, Dec. 18, 1866. Before coming to Albany he lived for a long time in Macon, and also in Calhoun county. Personally, Colonel Wooten was one of the most lovable of men, and none could claim more friends, among the people of all classes in the section where he was known. He was big hearted and open-handed, public spirited and patriotic, and his death occasions the keenest sorrow not only in Albany, but throughout the counties of Southwest Georgia in which he was intimately known for so many years. Announcement is made that the funeral will take place at 11 o'clock tomorrow morning from the family residence, corner Jefferson and Tift streets. Services will be conducted at the residence by Rev. Lamar Sims, pastor of the Albany Baptist church, while the Masonic fraternity, of which Colonel Wooten was a member , will be in charge of services at the grave. Members of the bar and court officials of Albany Judicial Circuit; the Albanv Guards, the Masons, Elks and Odd Fellows will act as an honorary escort, together with former members of the military organizations with which Colonel Wooten was at various times identified, either in the state service or during the war with Spain. The following gentlemen have been requested to act as pallbearers: Messrs. R. P. Hall, H. T. McIntosh, H. A. Tarver, John D. Pope, S. J. Jones, Cruger Westbrook, N. F. Tift and I. J. Hofmayer. Former members of the military organizations who served under Colonel Wooten are requested to assemble at the residence just before the funeral hour, and will proceed in full body to the cemetery. The Guards and secret societies will assemble at their respective quarters. ******************************************************************************** (This was A Tribute but no date it is assumed to be from the Albany Herald WILLIAM E WOOTEN. News of the death his home in this city of Colonel William E. Wooten, for sixteen years Solicitor General of the Albany Circuit, and one of the most prominent members of the bar in Georgia, carries sadness wherever it travels today. Colonel Wooten had been seriously ill for several months, and his death had been almost, hourly expected for days, but the news that he has passed away causes no less keen regret because the public had been prepared for it. Besides serving with conspicuous ability as prosecuting attorney for the state in the Albany Circuit, Colonel Wooten held many other positions of honor and trust. He represented his county in one lower House of the General Assembly and his district in the State Senate. He was for a number of years Albany's City Attorney, and in the state military establishment he reached the highest rank, that of brevet brigadier general. Personally, Colonel Wooten was one of the most popular of men. His friends were drawn to him by those generous qualities of heart which endeared him even to the stranger. Few men won friends more easily or held them more surely, and news of his death will cause hundreds to feel that they have suffered, in his passing from, earthly scenes, a personal bereavement. He was cut off in his prime, with the best years of his life seemingly ahead of him. The Herald, in common with the people of Southwest Georgia, feels that in the death of Colonel Wooten the section has sustained a loss which will he keenly felt. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ga/dougherty/obits/nob137wooten.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/gafiles/ File size: 9.4 Kb