Mitchell County Georgia Obituaries Ben Thomas Burson 1937 ****************************************************************************************************** USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be freely used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages cannot be reproduced in any format for profit or other presentation. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for FREE access. ****************************************************************************************************** File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Sam Luckey Oct 2002 Table of Contents page: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/mitchell.htm Georgia Table of Contents: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm Obituary of Ben Thomas Burson as written in "The Camilla Enterprise" dated 2 Apr 1937. Camilla and Mitchell County was called upon to give up one of its very best assets, a good citizen and a Christian gentleman, when Judge Ben T. Burson passed to the Great Beyond at a hospital in Thomasville at an early hour Saturday morning, March 27 1937. The "Judge," as he was affectionately called by the Bar, although he was not actively engaged in judicial work at the time of his death, fought a losing fight through the long rainy dreary days following Tuesday March 16th, when he was taken from his home in Camilla to the hospital in Thomasville. Judge Burson had but one motive in life, which is the highest motive that can actuate any man. He lived and died for his family. High proof that he did not live in vain was left as living memorials to his sacrifice in his faithful wife that stuck to him all through his married life and remained within a few feet of him practically every hour during the last few days of his illness, giving evidence of willingness to return sacrifice for sacrifice of such high order. No lovelier family of children has ever been given to a community than the five children that Judge Burson gave a good start to carry on in commemoration of an exceptional father. His oldest child is Mrs. T. F. Lear of Albany and his namesake, Ben Thomas Burson, business manager of The Enterprise, is the next oldest. The third child, Miss Harriette Burson, is doing creditable work at the University of Georgia, and a younger daughter, Caroline, is also at the University making a splendid record. The youngest child, Mary Lucy Burson, is in attendance at the Camilla school. Judge Burson was at the time of his death teacher of the Men's Bible Class of the Camilla Baptist Church, a member of the Board of Deacons, and all his life has been identified with forward Christian movements, not only for his own church and community but for the general public as well. As a tribute to his ability as a judge, the records show that he was reversed in his decisions very few times and all of his associates of the Bar held him in high esteem, not only as a lawyer of ability but a man of integrity and high moral purpose, such as becomes a judge in the administration of laws. It was not generally understood among the general public that Judge Burson's health had been failing for two years, although his family was somewhat concerned about his condition for that period of time and close friends and members of his family persuaded him not to undertake the arduous duties of a political campaign in seeking to be re-elected as Judge of the City Courts of Camilla and Pelham, where he had served for eighteen years, having succeeded Judge R. D. Bush, who died shortly after the close of the World War. Other relatives left by Judge Burson are a devoted mother, Mrs. E. B. Burson of Camilla, age 86 years; five brothers, Geo. A., and Grover C. Burson of Camilla; Issac W. and E. N. Burson of Atlanta, and Frank G. Burson of Brooklyn, N. Y., and one sister, Mrs. John S. Evans of Camilla. Judge Burson was just fifty years and two months old at the time of his death, having been born in Walton County, 28 Jan 1887, where his boyhood was spent. He was the son of Isaac J. and Elizabeth Bush Burson. He moved to Mitchell County when but a youth. One of the first positions that he held was with the late Mr. T. A. Acree, who was at that time a large business operator in Camilla. After completing his high school work in Camilla, he entered Mercer University and graduated from that historic institution. He was admitted to practice law in 1908 in Albany, and soon thereafter formed a partnership with Mr. R. J. Bacon, which was dissolved, however, when he came back to Camilla to "hang out his shingle" alone. He was married to Miss Lucile Culpepper June 29 1911, and from that time until the time of his death was one of the most active members of the Bar in Southwest Georgia. When the World War drew the United States into its vortex Judge Burson was one of the first to tender his services tot he Army but was rejected on account of dependents and served as Food Administrator of the County during the war and gave unstingily of his time to any cause in connection with the preparations of the County for this mighty conflict. He served his community as trustee of the Camilla Consolidated School, was for several years Moderator of the Tucker Baptist Association, having been a life-long member of the Baptist church, was a Mason and Shriner and was so much appreciated that his loss will be keenly felt. During the last two or three years of his life he worked day and night as legal representative of the Albany Production Credit Association in the arduous duties of this work. Coming on in a rush the strain of this work is thought by many of his friends to have been a contributing factor in the cause of his death. The floral offerings at Judge Burson's funeral were some of the most elaborate ever seen in this section and the one that we would have prized most highly, given by the Mitchell County Bar Association, was very elaborate and beautiful. "Judge" as everyone called him, had the kind of funeral he would have liked. On a quiet bright Easter Sunday, with his family bowed down with grief but to cultured to give away to vulgar noise, they consigned him to his final sleep in the Sun Rest (old) cemetery within the city limits of Camilla, where several years ago an infant child preceded him. Their loss seemed unbearable. Few families can have as a permanent recollection a golden record of having been able to lay such a costly and complete sacrifice on the altar of love. Particularly touching was the grief manifested by many of Judge Burson's colored friends. Sunday morning there was a constant stream of these humble citizens who regarded him as a friend and safe advisor who came to the residence to view the remains and pay their respects. At the church a Sunday school room had been reserved for the colored people, but through some misunderstanding a large number who gathered at the church did not go in. The funeral was held at the Camilla Baptist Church, Sunday, 29 Mar 1937, afternoon at 3:00 PM, conducted by Rev S. H. Bennett, pastor of the Camilla Baptist Church, and assisted by Rev. R. C. Sampley, of the Camilla Methodist Church. Active pall bearers were: B. C. Gardner, O. G. Swindle, R. E. L. Culpepper, O. B. McElvey, W. H. Baggs, G. B. Baggs, Roy Stripling and R. C. Taylor. The Honorary Escort was composed of the Deacons of the Camilla Baptist Church, Mr. J. R. Adams, W. C. Adams, J. E. Brooks, A. B. Cochran, W. F. Cullens, B. L. Holton, M. B. Mock, T. G. Tyson, J. G. Johnson, G. B. Cochran and M. H. Metcalf; members of the Mitchell County Bar, J. D. Gardner, Frank S. Twitty, M. A. Warren, C. E. Crow, E. M. Davis, Robt. Culpepper, Jr., of Camilla; and A. J. Shirley and W. M. Morrison of Pelham; Sam S. Bennett and R. J. Bacon of Albany; and the following friends and neighbors: John C. Butler, Roy S. Hall, L. Weiner, O. C. Holland, E. J. Vann, Jr., U. U. Campbell, A. A. Maples, J. F. Smith and J. L Palmer of Camilla. Hon. John B. Wilson, Secretary of State, Charlie Mullis, connected with the Secretary of State's Office, Atlanta; Sheriff O. F. Tarver and "Buck" Gibson of Albany, and Judge C. R. Bell of the Georgia Supreme Court joined other out- of-town visitors attending the funeral. Among those coming from a distance to attend the funeral were: Mr. and Mrs. E. N. Burson, Napier Burson, Jr., Miss Elizabeth Burson, Miss Lynda Webb, Tom Acree Whiting, Mr. John B. Wilson, Mr. Mullis of Atlanta; Mr. and Mrs. W. V. Mixon of Denmark, S. C.; Mr. and Mrs. J. R. Mayfield, Misses Sara and Catherine Mayfield, Mr. R. P. Burson, Miss Ruby Burson, of Monroe; Mr. and Mrs. Harold White of Tifton; Mr. and Mrs. James Mayfield, Mr. and Mrs. Strother of Milledgeville; Mrs. Ruby Montgomery, Sue Webb, and Mr. Layton of Colquitt; Mr. and Mrs. Jim Garrett and R. S. Rice of Arlington; Mr. and Mrs. G. R. Durham, Mr. and Mrs. Ralph NeSmith of Cordele; Mr. Joe Burson of Fargo; Mr. Allen Burson of University of Georgia in Athens; Miss Ruth Burson of Thomson; Miss Mary Burson of Shellman; Judge R. C. Bell of Cairo; Mr. and Mrs. Herschel McCarty, Mr. and Mrs. Loyd McCarty, Mr. A. A. McCarty of Attapulgus; Mr. S. S. Bennett, Mr. R. J. Bacon of Albany; Mr. and Mrs. E. R. Clark, Mr. L. C. Clark, Mr. George D. Clark, Miss Fannie Clark, Mrs. Mrs. Frank Bulloch of Ochlocknee.