The

sufficient fall can not be obtained to insure a good current. company next tried to construct a railroad across the swamp. By this means they were able to get a lot of the cypress timber into market, but the enterprise, like the canal, was finally abandoned as being too expensive to warrant completion. In 1897 the company was declared insolvent and its affairs were wound up by a receiver.

Oliver, one of the important towns of Screven county, is on the main line of the Central of Georgia railroad system, not far from the Effingham county line. The population in 1900 was 350. It has some mercantile and manufacturing establishments, a money order postoffice, from which radiate several free delivery routes, express and telegraph service, good schools and church privileges, and does considerable shipping.

Oliver, Francis McDonald, a leading attorney of Savannah, Ga., was born in Montgomery, Ala., April 11, 1872. He is the second child and oldest son of Joseph Samuel and Nannie (Roberts) Oliver, both of whom were born and reared near Georgetown, the county seat of Quitman county, Ga. His grandfather, James M. Oliver, was born in Twiggs county, Ga., but in early life, after his marriage to Mary Ann Reddish, a native of Warrenton, Ga., removed to Quitman county. He was a soldier in the Confederate Army, enlisting as a private in Company F, Thirty-second Georgia regiment, at Charleston, S. C., May 9, 1864, and continued in active service until the surrender of his brigade at Greensboro, N. C. on April 26, 1865. Shortly after the war he was elected sheriff of Quitman county and held this position continuously, for years. For four years he was tax-receiver of Quitman county, and for sixteen years, was clerk of the superior court of that county. Shortly before his death, on Jan. 13, 1903, he had just been elected clerk for the ninth consecutive term. Had he served the unexpired term, he would have completed a continuous service of eighteen years as clerk. Joseph Samuel Oliver was the second child, and oldest son of James M. Oliver. He was born May 20, 1849. On Jan. 9, 1868, he married Miss Nannie C. Roberts. The children of this marriage are, Annie B., wife of N. B. Bryan, of Kissimmee, Fla.; Mary Ola, wife of Rev. Jasper C. Massee, of Raleigh, N. C.; Edgar J., a practicing attorney in Savannah, Ga.; Ruby, now residing with her mother in Kissimmee; Thaddeus S., a student at the Georgia school of technology, and Francis McDonald. Joseph Samuel Oliver resided at Kissimmee, Osceola county, Fla., from April, 1885 to his death on Nov. 28, 1901. His business was that

of a railroad contractor and builder. Among the railroads constructed by him, were the Toccoa & Elberton; a part of the Spartanburg & Asheville line; a part of the Georgia Southern & Florida; The South Bound railroad, from Savannah, Ga., to Columbia, S. C., now a part of the Seaboard Air Line Ry.; The Carolina Midland, from Barnwell to Allandale, S. C., now a part of the Southern system; The Florida East Coast, from Daytona, to Rockledge, and the Carrabelle, Tallahassee & Georgia railroad. He represented Osceola county in the legislature for two consecutive terms. Francis McDonald Oliver received his early education in the public schools of Georgia and Florida, which was supplemented by a four years course in the Florida state college at Lake City, where he graduated in 1892 with the degree of Bachelor of Arts. In 1894 he entered Vanderbilt university at Nashville, Tenn., graduating from the law department in June, 1896 with the degree of LL. B. During his two years at Vanderbilt he did post graduate work in history and economics. While at the Florida state college, Mr. Oliver won the honor medals in language, history, science, oratory and essay. At Vanderbilt he received the "Founders Medal" in oratory and the "Debaters Medal." After his graduation from Vanderbilt, Mr. Oliver, on July 3, 1896, went to Savannah, Ga., where he began the practice of his profession, becoming in the office of Barrow & Osborne an associate of Ex-United States senator Pope Barrow, and solicitor-general W. W. Osborne. On Jan. 1, 1898, he formed a law partnership with Judge H. D. D. Twiggs, who had about that time removed to Savannah from Augusta. The firm name of Twiggs & Oliver was adopted and has so continued since that date. This is one of the most influential law firms in the city of Savannah. Mr. Oliver is a Democrat. In January, 1904 he was elected to the aldermanic board of his city, and has continuously served in that capacity since his initial election. He is a member of the Delta Tau Delta fraternity, the Savannah lodge Knights of Pythias, The Savannah Yacht club, the Savannah Volunteer Guards and is a consistent member of the First Baptist church. On April 16, 1902, Mr. Oliver was married to Julia Peck Ashurst, a daughter of Charles F. and Carrie (Peck) Ashurst of Montgomery, Ala.

Oliver, George Duncan, of Blakely, the incumbent of the office of ordinary of Early county, is an ex-member of the state legislature, an able member of the bar of his county. He was born in Dougherty county, Ga., May 1, 1852, and is a son of Joshua Braddy and Sarah A. (Dupree) Oliver, the former born in North Carolina

and the latter in Georgia. He attended school in Plattville, Early county, studied law in the office of McGill & O'Neill, of Bainbridge, and was admitted to the bar in 1875 in Colquitt. He began practice in Blakely in 1885, has been successful as an attorney and counselor and has gained recognition as one of the progressive and public-spirited citizens of Early county. In 1888-9 he represented Early county in the state legislature, and he served as judge of the county court two terms, under appointment by Governor Atkinson, though this judicial office has now been abolished throughout the state, by legislative enactment. Judge Oliver was mayor of Blakely three years and in October, 1904, was elected ordinary of the county. He is a stanch adherent of the Democratic party and both he and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church South. In November, 1897, Judge Oliver was united in marriage to Miss Sadie Jameson, daughter of William C. Jameson, of Talbot county, Ga.

Olley's Creek is a little stream in Cobb county. On June 27, 1864 after the repulse of the Federal forces at Kennesaw mountain, Sherman sent a flanking party down the valley of this creek toward the Chattahoochee. The movement was successful, causing Johnston to abandon his position north of Marietta on the 2nd of July.

Ollie, a post-village of Gilmer county, with a population of 47, is about ten miles northwest of Ellijay, which is the most convenient railroad station.

Olympia, a town of Lowndes county, is on the Valdosta Southern railroad, not far from the Florida state line. In 1900 it reported a population of 164. It is the principal trading center for that section of the county and has important shipping interests.

Omaha, a town in the western part of Stewart county, was incorporated by act of the legislature on Oct. 5, 1891. It is on the Seaboard Air Line railroad, in the Mineral Springs militia district, and in 1900 reported a population of 152. It has a money order postoffice, express and telegraph offices, some good stores, schools, churches, etc. Besides the railroad facilities the town is near enough to the Chattahoochee river to profit by the rates offered by the river traffic, which makes it a good shipping point for the products of the surrounding country.

Omar, a post-hamlet of Wayne county, is about five miles north of Screven, which is the nearest railroad station.

Omecron, a post-hamlet of Wilkinson county, is eight miles northeast of Allentown, which is the nearest railroad station.

Omega, a village in the southern part of Worth county, is on the Fitzgerald & Thomasville division of the Atlantic & Birmingham railway, and not far from the Colquitt county line. It has a money order postoffice, an express office, some mercantile interests, etc.

O'Neill, James J., one of the representative business men of Rome, Floyd county, where he conducts the largest saw mill, lumber and planing mill business in northern Georgia, one of the largest enterprises of the sort in the state, is a veteran of the Confederate service in the Civil war and has passed his entire life in Georgia. He was born in Cherokee county, April 26, 1844, and was there reared and educated. He is a son of Capt. John B. and Nancy (Blythe) O'Neill, the former born in South Carolina and the latter in Cherokee county, Ga. Capt. John B. O'Neill enlisted in the Confederate ranks at the beginning of the Civil war as captain of Company A, Eighteenth regiment, Georgia Volunteers, and was wounded in the second battle of Manassas. The injury was so severe that he was never afterward able for field service, and passed the remainder of his life in Cobb county, where his wife also died. The family was also represented in the war of the Revolution. James J. O'Neill was seventeen years of age at the time of the outbreak of the war between the states. He entered the military service of the state of Georgia in 1861, as sergeant in Company A, First regiment, Fourth Georgia brigade. After being in rendezvous two months the command went to Virginia and entered the Confederate service, being numbered as the Eighteenth Georgia infantry. This was the Georgia regiment that was brigaded with three Texas regiments to form what was known as Hood's Texas Brigade, famous for its reckless daring in battle. Sergeant O'Neill shared fully in the service of this brigade at the battles of West Point, Seven Pines, Seven Days' battle before. Richmond, Mechanicsville, Cold Harbor, White Oak Swamp, Malvern Hill, Kelly's Ford and Thoroughfare Gap. In the second battle of Manassas he captured the flag of the Twenty-fourth New York regiment. In this engagement his father, Capt. J. B. O'Neill, was seriously wounded and was furloughed to his home, carrying the captured flag with him. He gave the flag to private Northcutt, of his company, to convey the same to a member of the

legislature and through the latter to the governor of the state at Milledgeville, and by some means Northcutt was given credit for the capture of the flag, as is shown in the reports of Forty-second Georgia records. Following closely on Manassas were the battles of South Mountain and Sharpsburg, Md., in which Sergeant O'Neill participated, and later he took part in the battles of Fredericksburg, the Wilderness, Chancellorsville and Gettysburg, after which he was transferred to the Western Army as a private in the Sixth Georgia cavalry, and was under command of Gen. Joe Wheeler. Private O'Neill took part in the battles of Chickamauga, Sweetwater, Philadelphia, Loudon and Dandridge, at which last mentioned place he was promoted to first sergeant. He was also in the siege of Knoxville and the engagements at Bean's Station and Mossy Creek (Now Jefferson City), at which last point he was seriously wounded, Dec. 29, 1863. He was thereafter in hospital until sent home on a furlough. On recuperating he joined his regiment at Resaca and took part in the engagement at that place as first sergeant in command of his company. In the battle of New Hope Church he was promoted to second lieutenant, in which rank he was often in command of his company. He took part in the battles of Jones' Farm, McAfee's Cross Roads, Latimer's Mill, Kenesaw Mountain, and the engagement near Smyrna, was in all of the battles around Atlanta and assisted in the capture of Stoneman and his command, as well as the driving of Cook and Garrard across the Chattahoochee river. He rode with Wheeler and his men on the famous raid through northern Georgia and Tennessee, fighting and skirmishing day and night. While crossing the Cumberland mountains he was captured by the notorious bushwacker, Blackburn, but escaped by taking desperate chances, and rejoined his regiment. Returning in time to see the destruction of Atlanta, he assisted in fighting Sherman's cavalry night and day, on the famous march to the sea, and after the fall of Savannah took part in the operations in the Carolinas, including the battle of Aiken, where his horse was shot under him, and also the battle of Bentonville. He surrendered near Greensboro, N. C., under the capitulation of Gen. Joseph E. Johnston, April 26, 1865. After the close of his gallant and faithful military career Captain O'Neill located in Marietta, where for some time he was employed as a clerk in a mercantile establishment and where, in 1865, he was united in marriage to Miss Mary A. Cook. He finally engaged in the lumber and milling business, with which he has ever since been identified. In 1881 he established himself in this line of enterprise in Rome,