Stephen Upson 1785
- 1824
Contributed by Troy Colquitt
<[email protected]>
December 5, 2005
Posted with permission
Author: The Oglethorpe
Echo
The Oglethorpe Echo, Lexington,
Ga.
Friday, August 19, 1898
Pioneer Citizens
Great and Good Men Whose Influences
Are yet Felt
Founders Of County And State
The Dangers They Braved, the hardships
They Bore, and the Successes
Our Forefathers Achieved
Sketch No. V--Stephen Upson
The subject of this sketch
was born at Waterbury, Connecticut, in 1785.
From his earliest days
every advantage that wealth could afford was given him, and he utilized
these advantages just as though he had been poor. He commenced from
childhood to prepare himself for an active and useful life and chose new
fields rather than those about his birthplace, which was a settlement far
advanced in civilization--social and intellectual.
Mr. Upson graduated at
Yale in 1804 with a high reputation for scholarship, and immediately began
the study of law in the office of an eminent jurist of his State at
Litchfield. Long confinement and continuous application to studies
had broken down his health this early in life and it was necessary for
him to remove to a Southern climate. He, therefore, came to Hanover, Virginia,
where he had letters to the famous colonial lawyer, Mr. Pope. He
remained here only a few years. His health still threatened to break
down his hopes and purposes in life. While studying in the office
of Col. Pope it is said that he spent his leisure time teaching the children
who came about his place.
Mr. Upson came to Oglethorpe
county, bringing with him letters from Col Pope. Hon.
W. H. Crawford was then practicing law in Lexington and Mr. Crawford seeing
that young Upson was a man of no ordinary ability, took him in his office
as a student. Mr. White, speaking of Mr. Upson’s life says:
“His modesty, industry and
intelligence prepossessed
Mr. Crawford in his favor and he accordingly received him in his office
and
Afforded him many facilities,
of which Mr. Upson always retained a grateful recollection.”
When Mr. Upson was admitted
to the bar, it was crowded with such men as Dooly, Cobb and Crawford, but
Mr. Upson took his place among the foremost very soon. He outshined all
of them intellectually and his ability and eloquence at the bar, his clear
understanding of law soon won him the admiration and confidence of the
citizens of Oglethorpe
county.
When Mr. Crawford had
been called to public life and Mr. Cobb went to Greenesboro And was
from there elected to Congress Mr. Upson was left without a rival in his
judicial Circuit. He was everybody’s lawyer. For a few years it is
said he was compelled to become peacemaker among the litigants. With
his knowledge of law and correct sense of justice he determined causes
in his office whenever he could and wiped away all signs of
malice which so often
prompted litigation.
Mr. Upson was consulted
freely by Crawford concerning his political purposes and the great questions
which at that time agitated the people of Georgia and at one time he bore
the honor as “the wisest man in Georgia.”
Mr. Upson was prominently
spoken of for the highest office in the gift of the people among whom he
lived. He was too modest to enter the political arena from the standpoint
of ambition. He allowed himself to be urged and sought after by those
who recognized in him qualification of a statesman and patriot.
In 1812 he married a
miss Hannah Cummins, a daughter of the celebrated Dr. Cummins. Several
children came to bless this union. The late Francis Upson was a son, who
rose to serve his county as judge of the inferior courts, and in many other
respects proved himself a useful and able gentleman. Mr. Stephen
Upson, Jr., is
residing in the county
of Clarke at present, and is one of the prominent citizens of Northeast
Georgia.
Mrs. William Henry Sims,
of Washington, D. C., is the grand-daughter of Mr. Upson--a lady much beloved
for her many graces and uniform piety, and loved by all who have the
honor to know her.
Mr. Upson represented
his county in the Legislature four years and, while a member of the
House in 1824, death removed him from his labors. At the time of
his decease he was justly esteemed “Georgia’s best lawyer” and the next
session of the body of which he was a member would have made him United
States Senator. Mr. Upson contributed much to the development of
the character and manhood of Oglethorpe county.
Copyright, submitter Troy
Colquitt All rights reserved.