Meriwether-Coweta County GaArchives Obituaries.....CLOWER, George William January 25, 1907
************************************************
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:
Candace (Teal) Gravelle http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00023.html#0005680 February 12, 2006, 10:39 am

"THE HERALD AND ADVERTISER"

Newnan, Coweta County, Georgia

NEWSPAPER Issue of Friday, February 8, 1907

OBITUARY OF GEORGE WILLIAM CLOWER

Stricken with apoplexy on the night of Jan. 25, 1907, at his residence in 
Grantville, surrounded by his loving, weeping family, and attended by his 
devoted grief stricken friend and family physician, Dr. Letson,  Dr. George 
William Clower departed this life, calmly, painlessly and in the possession of 
all of his faculties, thus yeilding another victory to death, the all 
conquering foe to the human race.  When the end came he was at the very zenith 
of a splendid career of usefulness and of unselfish service to humanity, with 
the promise of many years yet to live, to bless the world.  In his sudden 
taking off we are reminded of the uncertainty of life, and thus solemnly 
warned of the truth of the divine utterance: "set thine house in order for 
thou shalt die and not live".

George William Clower was born in Meriwether County, GA Jan. 9, 1848. His 
parents were Cyrus J. and Mary Ann Clower (nee McLaughlin).  Dr. Clower was 
twice married.  His first wife was Miss Josephine O. Lambert whom he married 
in 1868.  She died, leaving one child, Dr. Thos. Z. Clower of Atlanta.  In 
1876, Dr. Clower married to Miss Martha C. Bellamy of Grantville, to whom were 
born five children:  Robert H.,  William L., Mary V., Sallie P., and George P. 
Clower.

Dr. Clower was emphatically a self made man.  He was reared on a farm, and 
could only attend school during short intervals between crops.  When a mere 
child of 12 years he carried the mail on the star route from Grantville to Oak 
Ridge in Meriwether County. He acquired the rudiments of an English education 
in the primitive log school house of the times and supplemented this by 
careful and persevering study at home. Very few persons of this day born and 
reared under our present well organized system of public schools with 
academies, colleges and universities everywhere accessible can realize or 
appreciate the many obstacles which beset the pathway and frustrated the 
efforts of the young man to obtain an education.  Under innumerable 
difficulties, he prosecuted his studies in such schools as were then 
accessible, manifesting that indomitable will and perseverance which yield to 
no obstacles, however formidable.  In 1867 he attended a school in Grantville 
taught by Prof. Leonidas Jones.   He went with Prof. Jones the next year to 
LaGrange but his marriage terminated abruptly his career in school.  After his 
marriage he returned to the farm and engaged in agriculture. Here he husbanded 
his resources and saved his earnings until he accumulated a sufficient sum to 
enable him to attend the Southern Medical College in Atlanta.  He was 
graduated from this school and began the practice of medicine in his home town 
in 1882.  In the practice of his profession he endeared himself to all classes 
by his uniform courtesy, answering calls at any hour of the day or night and 
often without reward or the hope thereof.

Although medicine was his profession and he applied himself to it assiduously, 
he found time to devote to the questions of politics and statesmanship.  He 
served the State in many capacities, and in every instance he proved true to 
the trust reposed, gaining the welcome plaudit "well done, thou good and 
faithful servant."

Among the positions of trust and honor that he filled may be mentioned the 
following:  He was mayor of Grantville several terms;  trustee of the Georgia 
Deaf and Dumb Asylum; a member of Gov. Terrell's staff; chief inspector of the 
Georgia penitentiary;  founder and builder of Cureton Springs and Grantville 
tabernacles, where the illustrious and lamented Sam P. Jones held several of 
his great meetings.  He was also a member of the Legislature in 1900 - 1901.  

Such is the record of our deceased friend as a public man.  We come now to 
consider his character in private life and the estimate which those who knew 
and loved him placed upon it.  The grave seals the lips of unfriendly 
criticism and should also close them against the hypocrisy of indiscriminate 
laudation.  His friends do not pretend that he was free from the imperfections 
and weaknesses common to human nature, like the generality of mankind he had 
his faults yet, "the elements so mixed in him that nature might stand up and 
say to all the world, this was a man."

In all the relations of life he proved himself the true gentleman, courteous, 
generous, liberal, and warm hearted. As a son he was dutiful, affectionate, 
and considerate.  As a husband and father he was kind, loving, patient and 
tender.  As a citizen he was patriotic and public spirited, laboring earnestly 
and zealously for the development of the material interests of his immediate 
section and of the entire state.

The kindly traits of his character, his purity of life and purpose were 
attested by the immense concourse of people that assembled to pay the last sad 
tribute to his memory.  In that vast crowd the largest perhaps that had ever 
assembled in our town on a similar occasion, there was hardly an eye that was 
not suffesed with tears as the beloved pastor, Rev. A.H. S. Bugg,  with 
fervent words of unfeigned sorrow repeated the story of his life.
He was buried with Masonic honors, and now "sleeps the sleep that knows not 
breaking" in the quiet shades of Fairview Cemetery in the suburbs of 
Grantville.  Though no monumental shaft of bronze or marble to mark his last 
resting place, yet his noble deeds will not be forgotten.  His memory will 
live, enshrined in the hearts of those to whom he so unselfishly ministered 
while tabernacling here in the flesh.   A Friend.

File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ga/meriwether/obits/c/clower3827gob.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/gafiles/

File size: 6.3 Kb