Webster-Macon County GaArchives Biographies.....Souter, James Frederick 1838 - living in 1913
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Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 October 30, 2004, 6:06 pm

Author: William Harden
p. 984-985

   JAMES FREDERICK SOUTER. For twenty years a member of the Georgia bar, and
since 1902 located in practice at Preston, the county seat of Webster county,
Mr. Souter easily stands in the very front rank of his profession in his home
county, and has a large practice in all the courts and as large a general
business as any other lawyer in that section.

   James Frederick Souter who was born on a farm in Macon county, Georgia, June
8, 1865, on both his father's and mother's side represents old and respected
families in this state. His father was John W. Souter, who was born near
Columbia, South Carolina, in 1828, and his grandfather was Cullias Souter, who
came from South Carolina to Georgia, and settled in Macon county about 1849. The
grandfather bought a tract of land, ten miles west of Oglethorpe, and cleared
away the wilderness and created an excellent farm and homestead. He died on that
old estate, and was the father of several children.

   John W. Souter, the father, was reared and educated in his native state, and
after moving to Georgia, bought land in the same locality as his father had. He
possessed a number of slaves, and employed their labor in operating his
plantation until the breaking out of the Civil war. He was one of the loyal sons
of Georgia, who responded to the call of the Confederacy, and he joined
Rylander's Battalion, with which command he went to the front and was in many of
the great battles of the war. He was wounded only once and that not severely,
and escaped capture. Resuming his farm operations after the war, he continued in
the quiet industry and substantial prosperity of his homestead until his death
at the age of eighty-four years. The maiden name of his wife was Eliza Barfield.
She was born in North Carolina, a daughter of Jesse Barfield, who was a native
of the same state, and who came to Georgia, about 1835. This migration from
North Carolina to Georgia was accomplished in real pioneer style. Several wagons
and teams were required to haul the household goods, and many of the slaves
either rode horseback or walked by the side of the wagons. The Barfields located
in what is now Macon county and at that time nearly the entire western half of
Georgia was in the condition it had been from the beginning of American history.
No railroads were built for a number of years, and in all that vast district,
devoted almost entirely to plantation, Macon was the one great market and depot
for supplies. Mr. Barfield in this county became a farmer and remained there
until his death. Mrs. Souter, the mother, died at the age of sixty-eight years.
She reared four children, whose names are Nancy C., Mary, John M., and James
Frederick.

   Mr. James F. Souter when a boy attended the schools which were then found in
the country district of Macon county, and was given a little better than
ordinary educational equipment by attendance in the Tazewell high school. Reared
on a farm he continued in that occupation until 1893. In the meantime he had
taken up the study of law and pursued it industriously, and on being admitted to
the bar he located at Oglethorp where he was engaged in practice until 1903. In
that year he moved to Preston, where his office has since been, and where he has
acquired a liberal share of professional business.

   Mr. Souter in 1895 married Eliza Brooks, who was born in Macon county, a
daughter of Benjamin C. and Sarah Brooks. Mr. and Mrs. Souter's four children
are Laverne, Lester, Mary and Hoyle. As an able lawyer Mr. Souter has naturally
been honored with public position and responsibility. He served as a member of
the city council, and was mayor of Preston, and in 1911 was elected by the
county board of education as county superintendent of schools, his choice and
appointment being confirmed by election of the people during the same year.
Fraternally he is a member of the Patriotic Order Sons of America.



Additional Comments:
From:

A HISTORY OF SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA
BY
WILLIAM HARDEN

VOLUME II
ILLUSTRATED
THE LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY
CHICAGO AND NEW YORK
1913

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