Habersham County Obituaries
Thomas Joseph Gastley
1934- March 29 - Tri County Newspaper - Hon. Thomas J. Gastley Claimed By Death Wednesday Morning - End Comes Peaceful To Pioneer Resident of Habersham County Who Served???(Action in Confederate Army??) The entire community was saddened to learn of the passing of one of it oldest and most highly esteemed citizens, the Honorable Thomas Joseph Gastley, whose death occurred at 3:30 a.m. Tuesday, March 27, at his home near Clarkesville. Mr. Gastley had been in declining health for some time, and had been confined to his bed for the past fifteen weeks, and two weeks ago pneumonia developed, causng complications which resulted in his death Wednesday morning. Mr. Gastley was in his eighty-sixth ....July 29, 1848 at the ... Clarkesville. His parents.... America from Holland of the ..?? Jeruse..settled in ...passed away December .children were born..of whom are now..Baptist church ....attending school...outbreak of the war between the states ??....?? Course and as a ... years enlisted as a volunteer..confederate army, serving ....and later going into the regular army , where he served with distinction until the close of the war. Mr. Gastley's public service has been long and varied including positions of public responsibility, serving as Sheriff of Habersham County on different occasions for some eighteen years: in the State Legislature for four years from 1909 to 1912; he also served as Chairman of the Democratic Committee of Habersham County.
He was an active member of the Clarkesville Lodge F and A Masons in which he has held the offices of Tyler, Junior Warden, Senior Warden, Worshipful Mater, and Treasurer and was also a trustee of the lodge. He had taken the Royal Arch degrees and held offices in Habersham chapter no, 77 R.A.M. He was also an Odd Fellow having first joined Baldwin Lodge in February 1902 and was a charter member of Clarkesville Lodge at the time it was constituted about twenty-five years ago. He was also prominent in church activities having been ordained as a deacon of Bethlehem Baptist Church on Mary 31, 1873 and had been superintendent of that Sunday school and trustee of the church for a number of years. He served as Moderator of Clarkesville Baptist Association for eight years and was a memeber of Hambersham County Singing Convention since 1878 and was president of that organization for forty six years. For years he and his sons have been successful in operating saw mills, grist mills and plaining mills in addition to their extensive agricultural pursuits in which Mr. Gastley continued to take an active part until the past year when his health began to gail to such a degree that he was unable to work.
He possessed a lovable personality and had many friends throughout this county and section. During the last years of his long and useful life he was made inexpressibly happy when on his birthday each year, July 29, his children, grandchildren relatives and friends gathered at his home to do honor to this grand old man, and Christian gentleman, who was noted for his kindness and helpfulness to others. Mr. Gastley is survived by one daughter, Mrs A.A. Erwin of Habersham, Five sons, Messrs. T.R., J.H. and J.A. Gastley of Clarkesville, Charlie Gastley of Fairburn, Joseph Gastley of Seneca, S.C. also by a large number of grand children and great grand children. Funeral services were held today, Thursday, at Bethlehem Church, which was crowed to overflowing by sorrowing relatives and friends, from all sections of Habersham County assembled as their tribute to a beloved and venerated man. Mr. Gastley before his death had expressed his wishes in regard to his funeral which were carried out in the minutest detail, even to the musical selections. Rev. J.O. Fullbright, Rev. H.H. Humphries and Rev. T.C. Burrell read scriptures and offered prayers, and a number of friends paid tribute to Mr. Gastley's unimpeachable character and exemplary life. His five sons and one grand son acted as pallbearers. Members of Clarkesville Masonic Lodge were in charge of the impressive burial rites at the grave to which the body borne to its last resting place in a beautiful grey casket, made at Mr. Gastley request.
Submitted by Gila Ragan-Hoover
Grant
OBITUARY / Clarkesville, Georgia / Thursday, September 19, 1935 / Funeral Services For Captain Noel Grant Held Here Saturday -- Funeral services were held at four o'clock Saturday afternoon, September 14, for Captain Noel W. Grant, prominent retired United States Naval officer, a former resident of Clarkesville, who died Friday morning at the Mountain View hotel, where he had come several days previously, with his wife from their home near Clayton. In accord with his wishes the service was simple and lacking in ostentation, being conducted by Rev. J. B. Smith, pastor of the Methodist church and attended by a large gathering of sympathetic friends and relatives of the deceased. The casket, draped with an American flag in recognition of his service in the navy, was borne by a group of life-long friends to its resting place beside his parents in the old cemetery at Clarkesville. Church and Son, funeral directors were in charge of arrangements. Captain Grant was born in Clarkesville in 1878, the son of the late Mr. and Mrs. William D. Grant, well-known residents of this community. He spent his boyhood and received his education at Clarkesville, and later attended North Georgia College, at Dahlonega, being an honor student of the latter institution. He represented Dahlonega in a state-wide oratorical contest in 1902, winning first place over a number of other contestants from leading Georgia colleges and universities. After his graduation from Dahlonega he received his commission in the United States Navy, in which service he remained for thirty-one years. During his service he was stationed on several of the lage [sic] vessels of the U.S. Navy, and was assigned to Naval Stations both on the Atlantic and Pacific coasts. He was stationed at Charleston, S.C., when he retired from the service in 1934 to his home near Clayton, Ga. He and Mrs. Grant spent several months here last spring, and have many friends who learn with genuine regret of his passing. He was a Mason and a member of the Methodist church. Captain Grant is survived by his wife, Mrs. Rose Grant; by one sister, Mrs. J. C. Hood, of Cornelia; by one brother, Mr. Asa Grant, of Seneca, S.C.; and by a number of nieces and nephews.
Submitted by Denise Murphy [denisemurphy13@msn.com]
Mary Gastley Wheeler McIntire
1923-April 5: Tri-County Newspaper Mrs. Mary McIntire dies in Gainesville - Mrs. Mary McIntire, aged 84, died at Gainesville on last Sunday, April 1, 1923. Her body was brought here last Monday and buried at Bethlehem Baptist Church, where she had been a member for the past fifty four years. Mrs. McIntire was Miss Mary Gastley before marriage and a sister to Mr. T.J. Gastley and moved to this country from Germany with her parents at the age of seven years and like her brother and other relatives when she reached her adopted country she became a true and loyal American. She was a (good) woman and highly respected by all. She leaves nine children and a host of friends and relatives.
Submitted by Gila Ragan-Hoover
Ward
Taccoa Record
Thursday, May 10, 1956
John William Ward, 85, well known resident of Stephens county, died early this morning at his home on the Mize road following an extended illness.
Mr. Ward was born September 28, 1870 in Banks county, son of the late Joe and Martha Savage Ward. He had made his home in Taccoa for the past 18 years, and was a member of the Toccoa Church of God.
Surviving are his widow, Mrs. Ada Cheek Ward, of the home; four sons, Enos and Everett Ward, both of Toccoa, Amos Ward of Commerce, and Edsel Ward of Thomasville, N.C.; four daughters, Mrs. Jesse Wood and Mrs. Gladys Moore of Toccoa, Mrs. George Free and Mrs. Lester Gordon, both of Thomasville, N.C.; one daughter in law, Mrs. Mildred Ward of Toccoa,; one brother Sam Ward of Spartanburg, SC, 28 grandchildren and 11 Great grandchildren.
Funeral services were held at Calvary Baptist Church at 3:00 p.m. Sunday with the Rev. Ed Aiken, the Rev. Phillips and the Rev. H.C. Carpenter officiating.
Submitted by, Keith Ward
John George Wheeler
Tri-County Advertiser 2/5/1953: J. George Wheeler - J. George Wheeler, 91, of Demorest, Route 1, died Tuesday morning at his home following a brief illness. Mr. Wheeler was born October 12, 1861, in Habersham County, and spent all of his life in this section. He was a prominent farmer until the time of his retirement. Survivors include his widow, Mrs. Mary Wheeler; four daughters, Mrs. Allie Vinson, of Rock Hill S.C.; Mrs. Sallie Wheeler, and Mrs. J.C. Stover, of Atlanta and Mrs. A.B. Powers, of Gainesville; five sons, Charlie Wheeler, of Atlanta, Jim, Joe, and Tom Wheeler, all of Demorest; and John Wheeler of Paw Creek N.C. He also leaves two step-daughters, Mrs. Ora Ritchie, of Atlanta, and Mrs. Exie Addington, of Cornelia; three step-sons, C.M., I.W. and J.F. Kinney, of Atlanta; 49 grandchildren; 20 great-grandchildren; three sisters, Mrs. Sallie Elliott of Gainesville; Mrs. Mary Ann Powers of Winterville, and Mrs. Eliza Woodall; two half-brothers, Thomas McIntyre and Bill McIntyre both of Demorest. Funeral Services were held today at 3:00p/m/ from the Bethlehem Baptist Church near Clarkesville, the Rev. Clyde Bates, Sr., the Rev. Hoyt Tench and the Rev. J.M. Jarrard officiating. Burial took place in the church cemetery. Church and Son Funeral Home was in charge.
Submitted by Gila Ragan-Hoover
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