Oops - on-line Braxton Bragg COMER bio at: http://www.archives.state.al.us/govs_list/g_comerb.html List of all AL governors/bios at : http://www.archives.state.al.us/govslist.html The finger is quicker than the mind!! -----Original Message----- From: Jim and Terri Tait <jtait@HiWAAY.net> To: ALBARBOU-L@rootsweb.com <ALBARBOU-L@rootsweb.com> Date: Saturday, August 12, 2000 7:24 PM Subject: [ALBARBOU] COMER, Braxton Bragg >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. > > >==== ALBARBOU Mailing List ==== >The Barbour County mail list a place where Barbour researchers have become friends in research across the miles. >