Taliaferro County GaArchives Biographies.....Nelms, George June 30, 1911 - April 16, 2003
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Terri Saturday http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00011.html#0002583 August 15, 2005, 8:00 am

Author: Terri Saturday

Martha V. Portwood was the second child of
Eulous Thomas and Martha Stephens Gee Portwood.  She was born August 17,
1919, and was a member of the Alexander H. Stephens Chapter of the United
Daughters of the Confederacy. Martha married George C Nelms in 1936. George
C. Nelms was born June 30, 1911 in Commerce, Georgia to Charles H. and Julia
Wilder Nelms. After growing up in Commerce, he earned his bachelors degree
from North Georgia College in Dahlonega. He began teaching math at Cleveland
School in White County in 1932.  After teaching in Taliaferro County at ASI
and serving as principal in Union Point, Mr. Nelms became superintendent of
the Cornelia School system in Habersham County in 1938. Two years earlier he
married our cousin Martha Nash Portwood in 1936. He served four years in
Europe during World War II as a member of General Patton's 3rd Army, then
returned to Taliaferro County as a visiting teacher before being elected
superintendent there in 1952.
 
In 1947, George C. Nelms was the owner of the Crawfordville Hardware and
Furniture Co., purchased from Eugene Clifford Gunn who had owned and
operated the business for over 40 years. Eugene was the brother of Lela Gunn
Chapman and announced on February 5, 1935 that he was the dealer for that
Good “COCO – PEP” GAS.  The Crawfordville Hardware and Furniture Company
were combined with the old Hill Bros. Grocery to make the Southern Magnolia
Restaurant.
 
The Hill Grocery” and “The Crawfordville Hardware and Furniture Company”
are pretty much the same as they once were other than the dividing wall
having been "knocked out".  The large dining room appeared to be the rear of 
the former hardware store. 
 
George C. Nelms was the first president of the Crawfordville Kiwanis Club.
He held their first meeting on May 27, 1947 in the cafeteria of the Royal
Manufacturing Company in Crawfordville. He took over the job of County
Superintendent upon the retirement of his father in law Eulous T. Portwood.
 
In late 1954 and early 1955 100 grade ewes and 4 registered Hamshire rams
were delivered to the Macfie farm near Raytown and 30 ewes and 4 register
Hamshire rams were delivered to the George Nelms farm near Lyneville where
demonstrations were conducted to promote the sheep industries in Georgia.
 
Mr. Nelms returned to Northeast Georgia in 1964 as the director of regional
services for the State Department of Education's ninth district. He retired
from the department of education and spent another 18 years with the Georgia
accrediting commissioner, during which he visited all 183 schools systems in
the state. Mr. Nelms retired after 56 years of service to the children in 
1977. He and his wife Martha relocated to Gainesville but returned often to 
their home in Taliaferro County. George and Martha had one child and her name 
is Sarah Ann. Funeral services were held for Mr. George C. Nelms, 93, on April 
18, 2003 at the First Presbyterian Church in Gainesville, Georgia.
 (Sara donated her father George’s desk to Taliaferro County.  Come by and 
check it out at the Taliaferro County Historical Society.)

Additional Comments:
Special Thanks are extended to The Advocate Democrat, Josie Bird, Rem 
Blanchard Edwards Jr. and the members of the Taliaferro County Historical 
Society for the information that is contained within.

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