Mitchell County Georgia Obit George Byron Baggs 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 Table of Contents page: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/mitchell.htm Georgia Table of Contents: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm Obituary of George Byron Baggs as written in "The Camilla Enterprise" dated 9 Apr 1937. George Byron Baggs, 60, one of Mitchell County"s outstanding and valuable citizens, died suddenly at his home in Camilla Sunday, 4 Apr 1937, shortly after noon. So unexpected was his death that the announcement provoked a paralyzing wave of sorrow as the news rapidly spread throughout the county, for no man in the county had more devoted friends or was more highly prized as a useful citizen. Mr. Baggs had apparently been in the best of health lately and on Saturday returned from an inspection tour of State prison camps with other members of the legislature. Sunday morning he was down town, conversing with friends in the best of spirits, arriving home shortly before noon he first complained of a pain over his heart but declined to have a physician called. A few minutes later when it was apparent that the pain was growing worse, someone called a doctor who responded promptly and administered emergency treatment, but before the medicine had time to take effect the patient passed away. Within a few minutes more than a hundred grief-stricken friends had gathered at the residence anxious to render some assistance, but their friend had passed into that realm beyond the reach of human agencies and they were forced to bow helplessly to the will of the Almighty Ruler who fixes the hour of our departure from this earthly sphere. Coming up on a farm near Hopeful, the deceased was trained in the school of hard times. He turned handicaps into success and refused to admit failure. As a business man he was successful, but he was not content with success for himself alone. He continually sought to help those associated with him and gave of his thought and time to the friends who came along with him. At the time of his death he was counted one of our most substantial citizens, but his greatest wealth was represented by the good will of hundreds of people he had been able to aid and in his work for the community and the County socially as well as in a business way. As a young man Mr. Baggs came to Camilla and became associated with Mr. F. S. Perry in the mercantile business, but after a few years the partnership was dissolved and each elected to go it alone. Mr. Baggs became one of the organizers of the old Citizens Bank which later became the Planters and Citizens Bank and was active vice president of that institution at the time of his death. His influence back of this institution helped it through the hard places all banks were forced to pass through in recent years. He was largely interested in farming, a form of business activity he enjoyed more than any other and he was a successful farmer. From time to time the community called upon him to serve on the Board of Trustees of the local school, as a member of the local city government and finally as one of the County Commissioners of Mitchell County. He served for twenty- six years in this latter official position, the greater part of time as the Chairman of the Board. To all these places he gave the best that he had in him constantly seeking to advance the interests of his community and his County and due to the thought and hard work he gave to his public service he was one of the best informed men in the County on affairs of this nature and his advice and counsel was sought after. As head of our County government he had the direction of the most important forward movements the County has made in the matter of road building and other public improvements up to the time he left the Board. Mitchell County was one of the first in this section of the State to secure a paved highway, largely through his efforts, and the financing of these projects was carried in a throughly businesslike way. He was a member of the State Association of Commissioners, served as its president for the annual term and was an honorary life member at the time of his death. He was widely known to other County officials of the State and was recognized as a leader of ability in this regard. When he declined to offer for County Commissioner again he thought to retire from public life and devote his time chiefly to his farming interests. He was able to follow this course for only a few years however, when his friends pressed him into offering for one of the places as Representative from this County in the General Assembly of Georgia. Reluctantly he agreed to become a candidate and was elected without opposition. He was serving his first term in this office at the time of his death and was keenly interested in the important legislation recently acted upon affecting the farming and business interests of the State. He was a lifelong member of the First Baptist Church of Camilla, and although he was a man slow to make pretensions he supported the religious movements of the community conscientiously and gave of his time and his substance to the furthering of these causes. For a long number of years he served as secretary- treasurer of the Baptist Sunday School and was a member of the Deacon Board of his church. He was a Mason and a Shriner and a member of the Camilla Lions Club, a local civic organization in which he was very active. In every movement worth while in the community if he did not by his own seeking and leadership find a place for himself in the activities, he was invariably pressed into service by his fellow citizens and under his leadership many difficult problems of the community were solved and the social, religious and business interests of town and country were advanced. The passing of such a man as Mr. Baggs is certain to leave behind many places that will be hard to fill and he will be sadly missed by people in all walks of life. Mr. Baggs is survived by his devoted wife, who before her marriage was Miss Rose Davis of Thomasville, and one son, G. B. Baggs, Jr. One other son, Charles Davis Baggs, died in infancy. He is also survived by two sisters, Mrs. J. A. Rackley and Mrs. W. D. Cross, both of Camilla, and three brothers, Dr. L. D. Baggs of Bainbridge and Mr. L. R. Baggs and Sheriff Wade H. Baggs of Camilla. Funeral services were held from the residence on Broad Street Monday, 5 Apr 1937, at 3:00 PM, conducted by Rev S. H. Bennett, pastor of the First Baptist Church of Camilla. Despite the inclement weather more than twice as many sorrowing friends gathered to witness these last rites as could find room in the spacious residence. Hundreds of beautiful floral offerings attested the number of his friends at home and abroad. A number of County and State officials, including fellow members of the Legislature were present. The active pall bearers were Messrs. J. R. Spence, W. C. Adams, Dan Palmer, Geo. M. Perry, A. B. Cochran, E. J. Vann Jr., and W. D. Palmer of Camilla, Chas. W. Bullard of Atlanta, and Representative Fred B. Hand, Mr. A. R. Baggs of Pelham. Interment was in Oakview cemetery. The Camilla Hardware and Implement Co. was in charge of the funeral. Among the out-of-town relatives and friends attending the funeral were: Mr. and Mrs. Linton Baggs of Macon; Dr. and Mrs. Linton Baggs, Mr. Mercer Baggs and Mr. and Mrs. Griffin of Bainbridge; Mr. Crockett Twitty, Mr. Linwood Wingate, Mr. Jack Payne, Mr. Singletary, Mr. Fred Hand, Mr. and Mrs. Armand Baggs, Mr. Perry Baggs and Mr. and Mrs. W. C. Cooper of Pelham; Mr. and Mrs. F. S. Perry, Miss Frances Perry and Mr. Tom Barrow of Jacksonville; Mrs. W. N. Spence and Miss Toy Spence of Albany; Mrs. Manie Mitchell and Mr. and Mrs. John Cater of Columbus; Mr. M. L. Lively and Mr. Charlie Will Bullard of Atlanta; and Mrs. Taylor Mitchell of Thomasville. There were many others whose names were not available. Among the members of the Legislature noted at the funeral were: Mr. Fred Hand of Pelham; Mr. George Sabados and Mr. A. N. Durden of Albany; Mr. John Parker and Mr. John Bardon of Moultrie; Dr. W. B. Cochran and Mr. J. B. Edwards of Thomasville; Mr. Joe Kirbo of Bainbridge, and Mr. Gordon Hays of Colquitt.