John Myres Wilson, born Apr. 16, 1916 in Wayne County, now Brantley, was the son of Seward Wilson and Queen Hendrix Wilson. He married Hazel Morgan, daughter of Ira Milton and Nancy Morgan on Feb. 22, 1941 in Blackshear, Ga. Four children were born to them.
(1) Arla Dean, born May 9, 1942, married Albert Layton Johns on June 4, 1981 (div.). Children: Arla Elizabeth, Albert Layton,and Laura Johns.
(2) Una Leanita, born Jan. 26, 1944, married (a) Jessie Carroll Allen on July 12, 1963 (div.) Children: Mary Kimberly and Kevin Myres Allen. She married (b) Dennis D. Fulford, Jr. on Jan. 12, 1979.
(3) Anna Dee, born Feb. 9, 1947, married (a) James Donald Lewis on Sept. 4, 1967 (div.). Child: Amy Melissa Lewis. She married (b) Earl Donald Frazier on Jan. 23, 1997.
(4) Ellen Melinda, born Aug. 10, 1950, married (a) Charles Clifford Harden on Aug. 7, 1967 (div.). Children: Camille and John Charles Harden. Melinda married (b) Truette Malcolm Pingel on Dec. 19, 1984 (div.).
John's father Seward Wilson was a farmer. He died on June 7, 1935 and was buried at the Oak Grove Cemetery near Raybon, leaving a widow, Queen Hendrix Wilson, five sons; Talmadge, Lonnie, Omie, and Woodrow; John, and one daughter, Marthina.
John M. Wilson received his elementary and high school education in Brantley County, graduating in 1936.
He graduated from the J. C. Friedman Business School in Albany, Ga., and attended Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College in Tifton, Ga.
He was a veteran of World War II, having served in the U. S. Army in the Pacific Theater.
He was a farmer and served as Tax Commissioner from 1953 to 1973, and served as Clerk of the Brantley County Commissioners for twelve years. He was also Chairman of the Brantley County Commissioners from 1977 to his death on Jan. 22, 1980.
John M. Wilson was very dedicated to serving the citizens of Brantley County. During his political career he served on the Board of Directors of the Southeast Georgia Area Planning and Development Commission, Southeast Georgia Economic Development Council, Southeast Georgia Medical Board, and on the Board of Multi-Modal transportation Corridor Committee which was seeking a railroad-pipeline system from Brunswick, Ga. to Kansas City, Ks. This pipeline is know today as the South Georgia Parkway or Corridor Z. He served as Chairman of the Brantley Commissions of Roads and Revenues with Milton "Tex" Bradshaw, John Bennett, Carlton Lee, Terry Lee "Tag" Herrin, and John Nix.
They were very proud of their accomplishments which included renovation of the Brantley County Courthouse in 1978-1979, renovation of the Nahunta Elementary School located on Burden Street to house some of the overcrowded county offices, and developed the Brantley County Library which was housed in this building until Oct. 1991.
John Myres Wilson was involved in county and state politics. He served on Gov. George Busbees staff as Lieutenant Colonel Aide de Camp. He served as doorkeeper for the Georgia State Senate during President Jimmy Carter's term as Georgia's Governor. He was listed in the book "Personalities of the South" in 1969. John and Hazel Wilson attended the festivities and inauguration of President Jimmy Carter.
Submitted to the Brantley County Historical Society by Una W. Fulford, 1510 East Cherokee Dr., Waycross, Ga. 31501.
September 24, 1923 - June 30, 2002, Cemetery: Greenlawn Mausoleum.
Mrs. Hazel Morgan Wilson, 78, born September 24, 1923, died Sunday, June 30, 2002 at Baptist Village after an extended illness. A native of Brantley County and long-time Raybon Community/Nahunta resident, Mrs. Wilson has resided in Waycross since 1986. She was retired from the Brantley County Agriculture Stabilization and Conservation Service (ASCS) in 1981.
She was a member of Trinity United Methodist Church. She served on the Board of Trustees, member of the United Methodist Women Group, Kennagers Club, and the Mary Martha Sunday School Class.
She was a member of AARP of Nahunta and Waycross, Rose Garden Club, Martha Washington Club, Okefenokee Grandmothers Club, and National Association of Retired Federal Employees(NARFE). She was a charter member of the Nahunta Chamber of Commerce and Mineral Springs Chapter of Daughter of the American Revolution and served as Regent. She was a member of Nahunta Women's Club and was named Brantley County Tree Farmer of the year in 1994.
She was the daughter of the late Milton Morgan and Nancy Morgan. She was preceded in death by her first husband John M. Wilson and second husband John E. Britt, also preceded in death by a brother Conway Morgan, sister Mavis Newbern, two grandsons Sammy Fulford, and Tommy Fulford. She is survived by four daughters, Dean W. Johns of St. Simons, Una Fulford (husband Dennis) of Waycross, Anna Wilson of St. Simons, and Melinda Wilson of Jacksonville, FL; a sister, Iris Lake of Nahunta; grandchildren, Beth Squires, Layton Johns, Lara Johns, Kim Allen Robinson, Kevin Allen, Amy Lewis Schultze, Camille Harden, Jay Harden, Jeff Fulford and Denny Fulford; and 14 great grandchildren.
A service is planned for 11:00 am Tuesday (July 2, 2002) in the Music Funeral Home Chapel. Entombment will be held in Greenlawn Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 6 until 8 o'clock Monday evening at the funeral home.
The family asks that the Mary Martha Sunday School Class and Martha Washington Club serve as honorary pallbearers and to meet at the funeral home at 10:40 a.m. Tuesday.