Rowland Bailey. Mrs. Traylor was born in Virginia, and sprang from the well-known Hariston family which settled in Henry county, Virginia, in the early history of the State. Among her other distinguished relatives was the late Gen. Jubal A. Early. She was a woman of striking personality, strong character, and exerted a wide influence for good over all who came in touch with her—a helpmate in every way for her honored husband.

Nine children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Traylor. Col. George M. Traylor, of Atlanta; Jerry R., of Opelika; Hon. Robert B., of Chipley; Thomas H., of Troup county; Mrs, T. H. Northen, of Atlanta, and Miss Elizabeth and Marshall Traylor, survive their father. John C. and Chas. H. have passed away.

Mr. Traylor joined the Methodist church when quite a boy and became a devout Christian gentleman. He was always prominent and helpful in the councils of all good people, upon matters both religious and secular. His strong native intellect, guided by unusual common sense and fully developed through his quick insight and most excellent mental training, made him a leader among men. A ripe scholar, with lofty ideals and a brave spirit, purely unselfish and broad in bis views of public policies, he was always in sympathy with and in active and open service for what he believed best for the public welfare, regardless of personal sacrifice. Nothing in public life was more abhorrent to him than the advocacy and the policies of the self-seeking. He was upright in character, strong in his friendships, and marked and distinct as a most lovable personality. He was greatly esteemed as an honest man, of strong convietions and the courage always to announce and the ability to maintain them.

All his life, Colonel Traylor took an active interest in public affairs. Cultured and courteous, he commanded the greatest respect of his compeers. Clear and outspoken in his public deliverances, he received most kindly consideration from men of opposing political views. His counsel was sought in times of stress, as his judgment was wise and his sympathy for the needy or the unfortunate never failing.

These elements of character and sympathies of life led Colonel Traylor to attach himself to many worthy and charitable enterprises. He was a member of the Masonic order and the following extract taken from resolutions adopted by his lodge, after his death, indicates the measure of the character of the man and the warm esteem in which he was held.

"While we feel keenly the great loss our sacred order has sustained in the death of this golden hearted gentleman, we have only to look back upon his long and useful life, to feel fully recompensed for our sorrows—a life full of crowning victories, not only for his fellow-men, but for his country, his church and for his God, whom he always loved to worship, victorious even when the sting of death had stilled his great heart. His death filled with sorrow all the hearts of all the people whose good fortune it was to know and love him."

Prior to the War Between the States Colonel Traylor was a Whig, but joined the Democrats when the Whig party was dissolved. He never sought office for the sake of office, and never allowed his name used for political place, except when he believed he could be of service for the common good.

In 1885 he was elected State Senator and represented, with distinction, the thirty-seventh district. During this term of service he advocated all measures he believed would advance the permanent interests of the commonwealth. He was especially prominent in his support of the measures for strengthening the

authority of the Georgia Railroad Commission and the bill enacting local option as applied to the sale of intoxicating liquors. He gave conspicuous and earnest attention as well as intelligent and constant advocacy to every measure favoring what he believed to be the best interests of the people.

He was a pioneer in the reform element of the Democratic party and took advanced positions and advocated new policies that were finally embodied in the platform of the People's partj. He strongly allied himself with the advocates of this party, and soon became one of the party's most trusted and conservative leaders.

In 1898 he was nominated by the People's party for Gover nor of Georgia and made a general canvass of the State. In a joint discussion in Chattahoochee county, United States Senator A. S. Clay said "Colonel Traylor would make a splendid Governor if he were only still a Democrat." He lived to see many of the measures proposed and advocated by the People's party adopted by the Democratic party.

Colonel Traylor was one of Georgia's sturdiest and most independent farmers. He lived all his later life upon his farm, in a most elegant country home. Always a most hospitable and courteous gentleman, his home was open at all times to bis friends, who frequently sought his counsel or came to enjov his hospitality and his hearty fellowship. He died at the advanced age of 82 years, February 9, 1907. He was buried in the family cemetery on his plantation.

The following article is from the pen of John Temple Graves, editor of The Atlanta Georgian, and was written during Colonel Traylor's last illness:

"The Georgian regrets to learn that the Hon. John H. Traylor of the county of Troup, who is one of the oldest and most cherished of its friends, and one of the strongest and noblest Georgians, is lying quite ill at his home near LaGrange. We

sincerely trust that his recovery may be speedy and that his years may be long in the land which he has honored and bettered by his living.

"John H. Traylor is one of Nature's noblemen. He was born at Traylorsville, Va., and educated at Emory and Henry College in that State. He is a ripe scholar, a man of superior natural gifts, and belongs to the old school of Virginia gentlemen. Since his life in Georgia he has always been a prominent factor in public affairs. As State Senator he was notable in his advocacy of the Georgia Railroad Commission and has been all the years of his life a conspicuous force in every moral question, and on the honest side of every political question.

"A pioneer among the reform element of the Democratic party, he went to the People's party and was nominated at one time by the Populists for Governor.

"Lofty in his ideals, pure in character and strong in personality, he is a leader whose counsels will always be missed as from a big-hearted, honest, brave and generous gentleman in all things.

"May the angels of healing touch him with a speedy restoration to usefulness and health."

W. J. NORTHEN.

Elisha Peck Smith Denmark.

E

LISHA PECK SMITH DENMARK was born in Brooks

county, December 4, 1854. He attended the common schools of his community in his early boyhood, and tt eighteen years of age entered the Mount Zion High School taught by W. J. Northen, in Hancock county. He entered Mercer University soon after leaving Mr. Northen's school, but had to leave there on account of an epidemic of meningitis. He then went to the State University and completed the Junior course in 1874.

He married Miss Mary E. Lane, January 6, 1881. They have had five children, all of whom are living.

Mr. Denmark's father, Thomas I. Denmark, of Irish descent, was a man of great energy, unusual benevolence and a devout Christian. He never sought political prominence or public place, but made himself eminently useful in his immediate community. His wife, Amanda (Groover) Denmark, was a woman of strong character and religious force. These two together made a home life that gave to the State a family of boys from sturdy stock, having every element of the highest and best citizenship known to our people.

The subject of this biography, the sixth son of the family being reared in the country on a farm, was a robust and hearty boy. He loved fields and trees and birds and flowers, and these things strengthened his fondness for the beautiful and the good, and elevated his thoughts to the spiritual and the true. Mr. Denmark chose the law as his profession. He entered the law office of Hon. Henry G. Turner as a student, in 1876,