Gov. James M. Smith sent together to the senate the names of Gustavus J. Orr to be state school commissioner and Hiram Warner to be chief justice of the supreme court. Both were unanimously confirmed. These were the first appointments under a Democratic administration after the days of reconstruction. Mr. Orr was thereafter reappointed, by the advice and consent of the senate, six times in succession and by five governors, namely: James M. Smith, Alfred H. Colquitt, Alexander H. Stephens, Henry D. McDaniel, and John B. Gordon. In none of these instances was there any opposing candidate, and his incumbency of the office terminated only with his death. Doctor Orr was as truly the father of public education in Georgia as was Horace Mann the father of the public-school system of Massachusetts. The first school law, enacted in 1870, was modeled upon a report made by him as chairman of a committee of the Georgia Teachers' association, in 1869, and in 1872, at the request of Judge William M. Reese, then a senator, he drafted the general school law of that year. Thereafter he framed almost every important act relating to the common schools. Not only was his influence thus felt in affirmative legislation, but he also had to stand constantly on the defensive to protect and foster the interests which lay so close to his heart. At every session of the general assembly open or covert assaults were made on the school system and bills were offered to abolish it outright or else to accomplish that end under the guise of bettering the law. These had to be met and defeated, and his efforts along this line were constant and indefatigable. The difficulties of his work, especially at the outset, are hard to realize. In the first place, an effort had been made, under the first school law, to put public schools in operation with no funds in sight, and this had resulted in a school debt which was hard to manage. Many of the people were opposed to public schools because they thought them a “Yankee" institution; many of the religious people because they thought them "Godless schoois;" and many more because the negro must have schools as well as the white. In combating opposition and awakening favorable sentiment Doctor Orr wrote thousands of letters, issued many official circulars, published numerous articles in the newspapers of the state, and delivered hundreds of addresses all over Georgia. His annual reports contained many recommendations which were acted upon only after his death and some of which, especially the matter of local taxation for rural schools, are only now being accepted by the people of the state. In addition to all the ordinary duties of his office he was in control

in this state of the Peabody fund, being the trusted representative first of Doctor Sears and afterward of Doctor Curry. This fund was wisely administered, largely in free scholarships for the education of teachers and in normal institutes in different parts of the state, under his general personal supervision. Doctor Orr was widely known among the educators of the United States. While he impressed Sir George Campbell, member of parliament, (“White and Black in the United States," page 373), as a "thorough old southerner" and as being "extremely reasonable for an out-and-out southern man," he was listened to with the highest respect by northern educational audiences everywhere and on a number of occasions by committees of the United States senate and house of representatives. He was gifted in presenting his own views when these were antagonistic to those entertained by his audience. In the year 1880 he delivered, from the standpoint of the south, an address on "The Negro," at Chautauqua, N. Y., before the National Educational association, more, perhaps, than nine-tenths of whose members were from the north and west. Immediately thereafter, without being a candidate therefor, he was elected vice-president of that body for the ensuing year, and at the succeeding session received the unsolicited honor of the presidency of the association. Evans, in his valuable History of Georgia, speaks of him as "an able man, possessing great learning, energy and ability," and of his being "called the father of common schools in Georgia." In Avery's History of Georgia, after mentioning his first appointment, the following occurs: "This was a most admirable selection. A gentleman of erudition, energy, sleepless zeal, crystal purity and integrity, and fine organizing capacity, Mr. Orr has, in the nine years of his continuous incumbency, seen the public-school system. flourish and grow under his able direction until its former unpopularity has been wholly changed and its sterling benefits are everywhere admitted." Nearly four years after his death, Hon. Andrew S. Draper, superintendent of public instruction of the state of New York, in an address before the Georgia State Teachers' association, delivered at Brunswick, said: "With some opportunities for special knowledge of the subject, I can not hesitate a moment in saying. that the statute books of your state contain a system of school laws, a scheme for the organization and management of the state school system, more comprehensive and judicious, more wise and statesmanlike than is to be found in most states of the Union. If I were asked to name one in which, taking all things together, there were better provisions for securing an efficient state, city and coun

ty supervision, for regulating the admissions to the teaching service, for selecting trustees and directors, and for directing all the innumerable details of public-school work, I should have the greatest difficulty in doing so. I suspect that the educational interests. of your people owe a debt of gratitude to the wisdom and experience, the discriminating mind and the honest and courageous purpose of Gustavus J. Orr, which was hardly appreciated in his. life time but which, as the fruits of his work are gathered, will win for him the honor and esteem of many generations." As a thinker Doctor Orr was noted for the comprehensive view he obtained of any subject which engaged his attention. He seemed to think that he knew nothing of a matter unless his knowledge of it was exhaustive. As a writer and speaker his logic was, perhaps, equalled by the simple elegance of his diction. There was hardly ever any revision of an article once written by him, and an extempore speech when delivered by him could be stenographically reported and published without a single correction. Many details might be named to show the wise management and practical efficiency of his administration, but only one will be here mentioned. During the sixteen years of his incumbency, such was the honesty and economy of his official life and so well was the small school fund of that early day husbanded, that ninety-five per cent. of all money raised reached the teachers, only five per cent. going to all expenses of administration, state and county. His Christian character was without a blot and his faith in Jesus Christ was that of a little child. Doctor Orr was married on Dec. 30, 1847, to Miss Eliza Caroline Anderson, daughter of Dr. William and Mary D. (Hunter) Anderson, of Orrville, Anderson county, S. C. Following is a brief record concerning their children: William Anderson Orr died in infancy; Judge Edgar H. Orr is a resident of Atlanta; Alice Gertrude died in infancy; Mary Eliza died in Atlanta, Dec. 21, 1900; Anna Gustavia died in infancy, Rev. Gustavus John Orr is principal of the Massey school in Savannah; Mrs. Jessie Olivia Bass resides in Atlanta; Cornelia Agnes is a teacher in the public schools of Atlanta; and Angus Elgin is in the railway mail service and resides in Atlanta. Doctor Orr was an active and consistent member of the Methodist Episcopal church South, with which he united in early manhood and in which he continued until his death, which occurred on Dec. 11, 1887.

Orus, a post-hamlet of Colquitt county, is on the Georgia Northern railroad, seven miles northwest of Moultrie. It is also known as Schley Station.

Osborn, a post-hamlet of Towns county, is on the headwaters of the Hiawassee river, about six miles southeast of the town of Hiawassee. The nearest railroad station is Clayton.

Osborne, Lyman S., M. D., one of the leading physicians and surgeons of Irwin county, engaged in the active practice of his profession at Fitzgerald, and one of the highly esteemed citizens of that thriving and attractive little city, was born in the city of Janesville, Wis., Jan. 11, 1855. He is a son of William F. and Helen (Shedd) Osborne, both of whom were born in Genesee county, N. Y., in the year 1833, and are now residents of the state of California. The father served three years in the Union army during the Civil war, having been a member of Company I, Eighth New York heavy artillery. His great-grandfather, Roswell Osborne, was a soldier in the Continental line during the Revolution and also served in the war of 1812 Doctor Osborne secured his preliminary educational discipline in the public schools of Genesee county, N. Y., after which he became a student in the State normal and training school at Brockport, N. Y. His professional training was received in the medical department of the celebrated University of Michigan, at Ann Arbor, where he was graduated as a member of the class of 1878. receiving the degree of Doctor of Medicine. In the following year he located in Waverly, Ia., where he was engaged in practice one year, at the expiration of which he removed to Big Stone City, Dakota, where he continued in practice until 1884. He then engaged in the work of his profession at Kansas City, Mo., remaining there until 1890, when he returned to Waverly, which represented his home and field of endeavor until the autumn of 1897, when he came to Georgia and located in Fitzgerald, where he has since resided and where he controls a large and representative practice. He has made various removals on account of weakness of the lungs, but has found the climate of Georgia most excellent in its effect upon him. He is a member of the Medical Association of Georgia and of the American medical association; is a Republican in his political views; and fraternally is identified with the Ancient Order of United Workmen and the Knights of the Maccabees. Both he and his wife hold membership in the Congregational church. For the past five years he has been

a valued member of the board of education of Fitzgerald, being secretary of the same at the present time (1905) and having served one year as its president. He has taken a very deep interest in local educational affairs and has done much to improve the schools of Fitzgerald. At his suggestion the schools were entirely reorga nized and a thorough business course has been added to the curriculum, the schools of Fitzgerald being now recognized as among the best in the state. Dr. Osborn has been a member of the board of pension examiners of Irwin county since 1899, having been appointed by President McKinley. While resident of South Dakota he also served three years in this capacity. He is the owner of one of the finest homes in this section of the state and is one of the loyal and public-spirited citizens of his city. On Sept. 24, 1884, he was united in marriage to Miss Laura Smilie, daughter of Francis and Mary (Perry) Smilie, both of whom were born in Vermont and are now deceased. Ancestors on both sides were soldiers of the colonial army during the war of the Revolution. Dr. and Mrs. Osborne have three children,-William Farrand, Helen M. and Esther L.

Osborne, Henry, chief justice of Georgia from March, 1787, to January, 1789, succeeded John Houston in that office. After the constitution of 1789 went into effect he was the first judge of the superior court in the Western circuit. Sometimes he presided with George Walton at Savannah, and sometimes he sat alone in the Eastern circuit. The old court records show that he remained on the bench until 1791, after which all trace of him appears to have been lost.

Oscarville, a post-village of Forsyth county, with a population of 63, is twelve miles northeast of Cumming and not far from the Chattahoochee river. Flowery Branch is the most convenient railroad station.

Osgood, a post-village of Berrien county, is on the Georgia Southern & Florida railroad, six miles north of Sparks. It is a trading center and shipping point for that part of the county, and in 1900 had a population of 46.

Osierfield, a post-hamlet of Irwin county, is a station on the Atlantic & Birmingham railroad, about ten miles east of Fitzgerald. O'Steen, Levi, judge of the city court of Douglas, Coffee county, is an able jurist and lawyer, and a man who has won success and prestige through his own efforts. He was born in the town of Clinch, Clinch county, Ga., Sept. 1, 1870, a son of Benjamin and Mildred O'Steen, the former born in Waycross, Ware county, this