Savannah Biographies

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  A 19th Century Man: The Life of George Anderson Nicoll (1830-1879)

  William E. Christman

  George A. Nicoll was born in Savannah on October 26, 1830. He was the son, of United States Judge John C. Nicoll. Nicoll learned the trade of engineer in, New York. He then, served as engineer on several steamships of the Philadelphia line. Shortly before the war Nicoll returned to Savannah. During this time he married Sallie Parker. Nicoll fought with the Confederacy during the War Between the States and was captured at Fort McCallister in 1864. After the war, Nicoll became a Savannah bank officer, a position he held until his death in 1879. He was forty-seven when he died.

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  Aaron R. Altmayer: A Biography

  Donna Tyrone

  Aaron R. Altmayer spent his years in Savannah operating a dry goods store, A. R. Altmayer & Co. He came from New York around 1875 and operated his business in Savannah and in New York. After a number of years in Savannah, Aaron Altmayer sold his business to Leopold Adler and returned to New York.

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  A Biographical Sketch of Edward Clifford Anderson, Sr. (1815-1883)

  Hatel D. Desai

  Edward Clifford Anderson, Sr. (1815-1883), Naval Officer, Confederate Officer, businessman, and Mayor of Savannah was born on November 8, 1815.

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  A Biographical Sketch of John Alfred Daily

  Lance Ward

  John A. Daily. Son of Joseph and Bridget Daily, was born January 19, 1879. He continued in the family grocery business and served with the “Irish Jasper Greens” from 1899 until after WWI.

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  A Biographical Sketch of John Morel (1733-1776)

  Emma M. Adler

  John Morel is among those of consequence in the early history of the Georgia Colony at Savannah. The eldest son of Peter Morel, he was born in Savannah at the dawn of the colony. He was a man of property, a man of letters, a merchant and a sea island planter. He was active in governmental affairs and was a patriot in the early days of the Revolutionary War. He was a member of Christ Church, the mother Church of the colony. During his brief lifetime of forty-three years, he was married twice and was the father of eleven children. In his will, written from "Bewlie" on the Vernon River, June 1774, John Morel bequeathed an extensive estate including Ossabaw Island, property in Savannah and at Yamacraw, property on the great Ogeechee and on the Vernon to his four sons. He provided amply for his wife during her widowhood, and left substantial dowries to his daughters. His descendants continue to live in Savannah and to take an interest in the life of. the city.

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  A Biographical Sketch of Judge Charles Seton Henry

  April Scott

  Charles Seton Henry was born in 1791, and came to Savannah from Albany, New Y.ork. He was an attorney, a city alderman, Commissioner of the United States customs house, a judge, and a founding member of the Georgia Historical Society. He married Sarah Aborn in 1827, and died in Savannah on August 19, 1864. Judge Henry is buried in laurel Grove Cemetery.

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  A Biographical Study of Captain Robert Flournoy

  John B. Edwards

  Robert Flournoy was born into an affluent family in Prince Edward County, Virginia in 1763. After moving to Georgia and fighting in the Revolutionary War, Robert amassed large land holdings in 11 counties. Mr. Flournoy married Mary Willis Cobb and fathered 9 children. Robert served several terms in the Georgia legislature as a Representative and Senator. Capt, Flournoy moved to Chatham County late in his life and purchased three plantations. Mr. Flournoy separated from his wife and died in Lexington, Georgia.

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  A Biography of Alexander Harris (1818-1909)

  Maureen O'Brien

  Alexander Harris lived from 1818 until 1909. He was born to a Free Black family. He lived most of his life in the same house on Williams Street;. He was married and had three children. He was employed as a dreyman, a musician, a soldier, and a Pastor. His appointment to the ministry almost split his church. He served at this post until his death. During his term as Pastor, he was instrumental in developing various social and civic groups in the lively Free Black community in Savannah.

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  A Biography of Alexander Telfair

  William C. Hamilton

  This is certainly true of Alexander Telfair. He was born to the Governor of Georgia and the daughter of a wealthy Savannah planter. Shortly after graduating from Princeton, Telfair's father died. This left him with the responsibility of managing his father's vast estate. His older brothers died leaving him as the only man in the family of a mother and sisters,.

  Telfair preserved the family, the family wealth, and took his place as a religious and civic leader. He is mainly remembered for the house he had constructed which is now a museum.

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  A Biography of Algernon Sydney Hartridge

  Mary G. Speir

  Algernon Sydney Hartridge was one of three sons born of Charles and Mary Hartridge. Algernon set up his business at 92 Bay Street as a cotton factor and commercial merchant. Some­ time in 1855, Algernon marries Susan E. Knight of Richmond County. The Hartridges had five children and their names were Ada, Charles, Gazaway, Algernon, Jr., and an infant who was still born.

  During the Civil war, Algernon served as a first lieut­enant in the Confederate Army. He was responsible for many army commands that were made in the interest of the people of the city of Savannah.

  In the years to follow the Civil War, Algernon S. Hartridge became a member of the Chamber of Commerce and of the Board of Directors for the Oglethorpe Insurance Company (1864), the Savannah National Bank (1865-1868), the Tyler Cotton Press Company (1871), and the Central Railroad and banking Company of Georgia (1871-1876).

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  A Biography of an Early Savannah Merchant Dominick O'Bryne

  Mike Seigle

  Dominick O'Byrne Esq. was an Irish immigrant who lived in Savannah from 1820 to 1850. He increased his wealth through wise business and real estate decision. His local business was primarily lumber. He was an active Catholic and a Hiberian. He was an Alderman for the last year of his life. He died of tuberculosis at age 67.

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  A Biography of Charles Green

  Nancy Alderman

  Charles Green immigrated from Liverpool, England aboard the William Donald which arrived 15 October l833 in Savannah, Georgia, a young and growing town whi.ch had been founded by the English just 1()() years e:arlier. Green left a country many centuries old steeped in tradition to seek his fortune in the fledgling United States of America which had only fifty years earlier gained its independence from England.

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  A Biography of Daniel Gugel

  Edith T. Brunjes

  Daniel Gugel or (Gugie) was born on November 1, 1766, and died on April 10, 1832. He was the eight child out of nine. His parents, Anna Maria and John Christopher Gugel, Sr., were first generation Salzburgers. They settled at Ebenezer, Georgia around 1750. There is no information on the childhood of Daniel. During his adult life, Daniel resided in Savannah, Georgia. In Savannah, he owned several pieces :of property; earned his living as a blacksmith; belonged to The Lutheran Church of the Ascension; and had a wife named Maryann.

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  A Biography of Ellen McAlphin

  Dee Mullis

  Ellen McAlphin, daughter of Angus and Sarah Rucker McAlphin was born on August 14, 1856 at the Hermitage Planation along the Savannah River. Shew grew to be a charitable person, giving of herself to others. This was seen in her work with the Savannah Society where she organized and served as President of the Port Sewing Society for fifty-fur years. She was instrumental in the formation of the local chapter of the YWCA and served as its first president for more than five years after which she was made honorary president for life. She was an active member of the Independent Presbyterian Church where she served in the Women's Auxiliary and the Ladies Foreign Mission Society.

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  A Biography of Francis J. Cercopuly

  Cindy Hardegree

  Francis Juan Cercopuly was born on March 15, 1805 in St. Augustine, Florida, the son of Greek and Spanish immigrants. He came to Savannah while a young man and worked on the small barges and boats traveling along the Savannah River. He became a captain on the steamers “Ida” and “Beauregard,” both of which played important roles in Savannah’s history during the Civil War. He died on July 26, 1869 and was buried in Cathedral Cemetery in Savannah.

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  A Biography of James Wallace McAlpin

  Brett M. Campbell

  James Wallace McAlpin was born October 29, 1831, son of Henry McAlpin a wealthy businessman. Mr. McAlpin was one of eight children. He was educated as a civil engineer, and worked on the construction of the South-Western Railroad between Albany and Macon. Mr. McAlpin served in the Confederate Army for the entire war. He became a wealthy planter on the Savannah River with his wife, Maria S. Champion. Mr. McAlpin and his wife had five children together. Mr. McAlpin died August 3, 1905, outliving his wife, Maria, and leaving a large estate behind.

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  A Biography of John Dorsett

  Richard Brenner

  John Dorsett came to Savannah from New York City sometime prior to July 1838. During: his brief eight year residence in Savannah he became well known in both the social and business communities. At the time of his death he left a wife and three children but the absence of a will has decreed that the value of :his estate be lost in history.

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  A Biography of John Murchison

  Karen Price

  John Murchison was born August 11, 1793 in Lochalsh Parish in the county of Ross, Scotland, came to Savannah in 1820, and became a naturalized citizen of the United States December 1829. On March 22, 1836 he married Mary Ann Summers Purse in the Lutheran Church of Ascension, and they had two children, Mary Ellen and James Wallace, ho died at an early age of scarlet fever. To his family Murchison as a devoted husband and father. He also ran a grocery store on Market Square and became a successful business­ man. In later years he was a stockholder to the Central Rail­road of Georgia, the Atlantic and Gulf Railroad, and the Augusta and Savannah railroad. He was a member of the St. Andrew's Society, the Union Society, the Union and States Rights Party, a lifelong member of the Independent Presbyterian Church, and at one time a director for the Merchants' and Flanters' Bank. In 1851 he built a house on Lot 30, Pulaski Ward which is still standing at 114-116 West Jones Street. He died in Savannah August 30, 1869 of tuber­culosis after having retired several years earlier. He was sur­vived by his wife Mary Ann, his daughter Mary Ellen and her hus­band Cornelius D. Rogers, and their children(Mary Ellen's and Cornelius's) from whose lines may be traced living descendants of John Murchison.

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  A Biography of Mary Savage (Jones) Anderson

  Lisa M. Coughlin

  Mary Savage (Jones) Anderson was a descendant, both by birth and marriage, of the Habersham and Noble families. Both of these families’ roots can be traced back to the founding of Georgia. This is a brief sketch of her life. The purpose of this paper was to give an idea of what it was like to grow up one hundred years ago in a prominent local family, and to give an insight on the personality and attitude of Mary Anderson.

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  A Biography of Mrs. Georgianna J. Laroche

  Thomas Kennedy

  Georgianna J. Laroche was born Georgianna J. Roberts to Mr. James Roberts and his wife the former Miss Mary Henley on January 8, 1820. Georgianna attended Chatham Academy. She excelled at history and arithmetic. At the age of 14 Georgianna married Mr. Isaac D. Laroche on December 1, 1834. They had a total of twelve children seven of whom reached maturity. She died giving birth to her last child on Sept­ ember 14, 1860.

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  A Biography of Philip Ulmer

  Joe Hulsey

  Philip Ulmer, a wealthy planter in southeast Georgia was born in 1783 probably in western Chatham County, Georgia. During his life, he fathered eleven children by two wives and died a wealthy man 1856, at the age of seventy-three. Since both Philip's father and granr1rather also had the name of Philip Ulmer, this report will refer to the grandfather as Philip 1, the father as Philip II, and the son, the focus of this report, as Philip III.

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  A Biography of Quintin Pooler

  Cynthia A. Johnson

  I, Quintin Pooler, arrived in the fair thirteenth colony from Belfast, Northern Ireland, on Friday, the 6th of December,1768, on board the ship Prince George, captained by Robert Beatty. Also on board the ship was Reverend Mr. David MacKay, appointed pastor or the Williamsburg congregation of South Carolina and 144 settlers or whom I was one. Obviously, they thought me quite the gentleman, for I signed in the name of them with David MacKay and Clothworthy Robson, in thanking Captain Beatty for their safe passage across the Atlantic.

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  A Biography of Richard Dennis (1770-1845)

  Paul Conner

  Richard Dennis, son of John Dennis and Mary Jacque (maiden name), was born in the state of New Jersey in 1770. During Richard's lifetime he made his way south into the state of Georgia where he established himself within Savannah as a merchant. By 1800 Dennis was fully active in the local business society and town government. If duty called then.Richard Dennis answered because, not only was he a successful merchant but Dennis was appointed commander of the local Savannah militia.

  Dennis had fruitful ten year period in Savannah until for one reason and another he evacuated the city. Sources support the idea that Dennis ventured into states such as Pennsylvania and Kentucky. Whatever his reason was for leaving he did in fact continue his career as a merchant. On 8 November 1845, after three marriages and the births of three children, Richard Dennis died in the state of Kentucky.

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  A Biography of Richard J. Davant, Jr (1866-1915)

  Patrick A. Bonard

  It is my intention that the information I will present will bring the reader to the conclusion that Richard J. Davant, Jr. was a progressively minded citizen who put the well being of those around him in higher regard that his own and who contributed significantly to the betterment of Savannah during the period 1903-1915.

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  A Biography of Samuel Butler Palmer

  Michael E. Bowman

  Samuel Butler Palmer was both a wise and successful business man. He transformed a small neighborhood business started by him and his father into one of the Southeast's largest hardware wholesale outlets. He was a staunch successionist and served his state to the bitter end. He was a generous member of the Savannah Benevolence Association. He was a husband twice and a father twice, although sadly enough in the end he died a single man with no living offspring. He was a credit to the Palmer family.