Schley-Monroe-Spalding County GaArchives Obituaries.....Redding, Robert Jordan June 4 1914 ************************************************ 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: Harris Hill http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00011.html#0002514 May 16, 2004, 5:59 pm The Atlanta Constitution June 5, 1914 The Atlanta Constitution June 5, 1914 CAPT. R.J. REDDING DIES SUDDENLY AT GRIFFIN Was Pioneer in Agricultural Advancement of Georgia. Funeral This Morning. Griffin, Ga., June 4--(Special)--Griffin today grieves the death of one of her oldest and noblest citizens, as well as one of the foremost men in the entire state, Captain Robert Jordan Redding. At no time within a decade has the community been more shocked than early this morning, when the announcement was made that Captain Redding had died sudenly during last night. Captain Redding retired somewaht earlier than usual last night, suffering from acute indigestion. His attending physician stated that no unusual symptoms were manifest, and declared that the patient would probably be all right by morning. At 10 o'clock last night he was resting comfortably, at which time his family retired for the night. Between the hour of midnight and daybreak this mornung he passed away without even a murmur or struggle. His death was discovered at 6 o'clock. His health had been in good condition during recent weeks, and he had been dilligently at work revising the tax returns of the county all day yesterday, to which position he had been recently appointed. Captain Redding was exceedingly well known throughout the state, having occupied an eminent position in state affairs for over a quarter of a century, and being a pioneer in the agricultural advancement of Georgia. In farming circles he was well known, and his opinion on agricultural topics was considered authoritative. He was the author of numerous agricultural books, and for twenty-five years was editor of farm publications. He was also farm editor of The Atlanta Constitution for many years, in which position he has done as much or more than any other man in the south in bringing the farmers of the country to put their business on a sound basis. Captain Redding is survived by his wife, Sarah Elizabeth Redding, and five children as follows: Robert Augustus Redding, insurance adjuster of Atlanta; Samuel Arthur Redding, electrical engineer, of Atlanta; Mrs. S.B. Sawtell and Henry George Redding, of Griffin. The funeral will take place Friday morning from the First methodist church. The services will be conducted by Rev. Fletcher Walton, D.D., presiding elder of the Griffin district, and Rev. G.F. Venable, pastor of the First Methodist church. The First Methodist board of stewards, of which Captain Redding was a member, will act as honorary escort. Captain Redding was born in Monroe county December 28, 1836. His ancestry can be traced back seven generations, when three Redding brothers came to America in 1634 aboard the ship Bonaventure and settled in the state of Virginia. In his boyhood days Captain Redding was educated in the private schools of Milledgeville, where his father had lived as keeper of the state penitentiary. When he was 12 years of age his father was removed to Dahlonega as president of the United States mint there. The young Redding was then entered in the Dahlonega academy. Later the young Redding was sent to school at the Brownwood insttute, then located in LaGrange. In his eighteenth year he finished the course at Brownwood, where he had studied civil engineering, chemistry, astronomy, physics and political economy. His studies in political ecomomy at that early age made him a confirmed free-trader in theory. Captain Redding was married three times. His first marriage was to Miss Mary E. Bivins, in 1858. His second wife was Miss Sarah E. Worrill, of Atlanta, whom he married in 1877. His third wife, who survives him, was Miss Sarrah E. Redding, of Decatur, Ala. A notable fact connected with the three wives of Captain Redding is that each one was named Elizabeth, and that his last wife's great-great-grandfather and his own great grandafther were one and the same man. When Captain Redding reached the age of 21 he launched upon his life career, determining to practice law. The county of Schley had just been created, and he established himself in law practice in Pondtown, the prospective county seat. He found law practice uncongenial, so abandoned it in 1859, after having served as judge of the Schley county Inferior court. Having been reared on a farm, Captain Redding took up that work again, the owner of twelve slaves and a plantation valued at $6000. He made good at farming, rapidly accumulating real estate and making rapid strides in progressive agriculture. In March 1862, he entered the confederate service as first lieutenant of the "Schley Rifles," or company B, Forty-sixth Georgia volunteer infantry, commanded by Colonel Peyton H. Colquitt. In the battle at Kennesaw Mountain, three miles from Marietta, June 24, Captain Redding was wounded severely by a minie ball penetrating the left leg. The wound was not a serious one within itself, but his removal to a confederate hospital then at Macon, where gangrene was among the soldiers, came near costing him the loss of the leg and his life. He was not able to enter active service again before the close of the war. In October, 1875, Captain Redding was appointed assistant commissioner of agriculture, having been assigned to that post by Thomas F. Janes, commissioner. He continued in that position till September, 1889, when he resigned to become the first director of the state experiment section, which had just been established. For seventeen years he continued in that office, introducing many of the modern ideas of agriculture in this state that have made the state many millions of dollars richer and the farm land much more productive. In 1907 Captain Redding was appointed commissioner of the Georgia building and exhibit at the Jamestown exposition. Captain Redding never indulged in active politics and never sought office. He was a lifelong democrat and a single taxer. He was opposed to the civil war, yet gave his services in behalf of his southland. For forty-six years he was an officer in the southern Methodist church, having served as steward for forty- six consecutive terms. Captain Redding's greatest acheivement has been in the development of Georgia's agricultural resources. For two years he was editor of "The Southern World," and for six years the editorial management of "The Southern Cultivator" was in his hands. For the past twenty-one years he has been editor of th farm department of The Atlanta Constitution. Additional Comments: SUMTER COUNTY MARRIAGES Redding, Robert J to Bivins, Mary E 19 May 1858 book 4 page 16 1860 Schley County census,page 9. 52 REDDING, Robert J. 23 m Mary E. 20 f Frank W 6/12 m BIVINS, Samuel W. 18 m Student A supporting document as testimony in the pension application of Jasper newton Woodall, filed in Florida, was written by Captain R.J. Redding on stationary from the Ga. Experiment Station in Griffin. That document was dated May 22, 1902 and it's text may be viewed at http://files.usgwarchives.net/ga/schley/military/civilwar/pensions/woodal l.txt Captain Redding's signature can be found on many Georgia pension applications as receiver of funds in Atlanta for many pensioners. This file has been created by a form at http://www.poppet.org/gafiles/ File size: 7.7 Kb