Bio/picture of Braxton Bragg Comer on-line at: Source: "Alabama Official and Statistical Register, 1907" State of AL Dept of Archives and History, compiled by Thomas M. Owen, L.L, D. Director, Brown Publishing Co, Montgomery, AL, 1907 p. 10/11 State Executive Offices - Governor BRAXTON BRAGG COMER, Governor of Alabama, was born Nov 7, 1848 at Old Spring Hill, Barbour county. He is the fourth son of John Fletcher and Catherine (Drewry) Comer, and the grandson of Hugh Moss Comer, and John and Elizabeth (Wallace) Drewry. The Comers are of English and Irish stock, early seated in Virginia, and it is an interesting coincidence that the family is related to the family of Clement Comer Clay, a native of Virginia , and Governor of Alabama, 1835-37. It is related that the first Comer ancestor to locate in the old Dominion was a Cromwellian. Hugh Moss Come, in the early years of the nineteenth century left Virginia, and located in Jones county, Georgia. Here he prospered and reared his family, living the life of a Southern planter. The Drewrys are also of Virginia ancestry, but resided in Jones county, Ga. John F. Comer had held judicial position in this county, and in his after life he was always called "judge". After his marriage he followed a brother to Alabama, and located at Spring Hill, in Barbour county. This was in 1837, almost coincident with the removal of the Indians from the State. At Spring Hill his brother had built a home and a water mill. Securing his property, John F. Comer planted his houseld gods, and here spent the remainder of a useful life. He was a progressive citizen, his plantation are widenend, he built a steam grist mill to take the place of the crude water mill, and in 1853-54 he represented Barbour county in the Legislature. He died at the early age of forty-seven. His old estate has been kept intact, and is now the property of his son, the Governor. Governor Comer spent his childhood in the healthy environment just described, and as soon as he was of sufficient age he was put to such work as he could perform. At ten years of age he began his school life. His teacher, under whom he studied for eight years, was Prof. E.N. Brown, a noted pedagogue, and afterwards State Senator from Russell County. In 1864 he was sent to the State University at Tuscaloosa, but in the spring of 1865 his college career was cut short with the burning of the University buildings by Gen. John T. Croxton. Governor Comer retains a vivid recollection of the exciting experiences of April 4, 1965, when the cadets were hurriedly marched from the city, the fierce glare of the burning buildings lighting their ways for a long distance. The cadets disbanded at Marion and Mr. Comer walked home. After another year on the farm, he entered the University of Georgia but was compelled to leave on account of his health. He then entered Emory and Henry College, Va. where he took his A.B. degree in 1869. He therefore enjoys the unique distinction of being an alumnus of three institutions, although only a graduate of one. At Emory and Henry College he took college honors , and won a medal for special proficiency in natural science. After graduation Mr. Comer returned to Spring Hill, and to the task and problems of plantation management under new and trying conditions. In 1872 he married, and leaving the old place, he erected a spacious home at Comer Station on the Eufaula railroad. Until 1885 he led the life of planter here, his interests growing and his character maturing. Determining upon a wider career in business, in 1885, with his family he removed to Anniston, where under the firm name of Comer & Trapp (S.B. Trapp), he conducted a wholesale grocery and commission business. Five years later, he located in Birmingham, where he has since continuously resided. There he became president of the City National Bank, and at the same time manager of the Birmingham Cotton Mills. Leaving the active management of the bank, he has in recent years devoted his time to cotton manufacturing, together with farming and corn milling. He has never disposed of his plantation in Barbour county, but on the contrary, has constantly improved his farming opportunities. While a planter in Barbour county, Mr. Comer was a member of the commissioners court of that county serving from 1874 to 1880. The holding of the minor, though important office did not indicate any political tendencies or aspirations on the part of Mr. Comer, and he held no other office until 1904 when he defeated Hon. John V. Smith for re-election as president of the State Railroad Commission. In entering this race, Mr. Comer sought thereby to place himself in position to secure certain reforms in the management of public service corporations. His convictions on the subject date back twenty years, and his race for Governor, in which he defeated Lieutenant-Governor Russell M. Cunningham for the nomination on Aug. 27, 1906, in the Democratic primary, was predicated on the hope that in the larger position he could better realize these convictions. On Nov 6, 1906, he was elected by a vote of 61,223 to 9,967 for Asa E. Stratton, Republican, and 417 for J.N. Abbot, Socialist. During his whole life Governor Comer has been loyal and true to Democratic principles, although he has never served on the committee of the party. For more than thiry years had has been an active church worker, serving as Sunday-School superintendent at Comer, and also as such in the First Methodist Episcopal church in Birmingham, and also as a steward and a trustee. He is a member of Masonic fraternity. On Oct 1, 1872, at Cuthbert, Ga. he was married to Eva Jane, daughter of John and Sally (Bailey) Harris, one of the prominent families of Randolph county, Ga.