Prof. William Allen Huckabee

Source: Memoirs of Georgia Containing Historical Accounts of the State's Civil, Military, Industrial and Professional Interests, and Personal Sketches of Many of Its People. Vol. 2. Atlanta, Ga.: Southern Historical Association, 1895. pp. 871-872

PROF. WILLIAM ALLEN HUCKABEE, president South Georgia college, McRae, Telfair Co., Ga., was born in Fannin county, Ga., July 2, 1857. His father, Patten M. Huckabee, was a Methodist minister, and died in 1864. His scholastic opportunities were so meager that, at the age of seventeen he could not read. Later he attended Nacoochee valley (White county, Ga.) high school, where he was prepared for college, and, going afoot sixty miles, entered Emory college, Oxford, Newton Co., Ga., in 1880, and graduated as an A. B. in 1884. Immediately after graduating he entered the ministry, and was admitted into the South Georgia conference, M. E. church, south; and was stationed at Columbus, Ga., two years. He was next on Brooks county circuit two years, and the year following was in Mitchell county. The next two years he was in Montgomery county; and, while on this work, delivered a series of lectures on education in that section, and projected the South Georgia college under the auspices of the South Georgia conference, M. E. church, south. After it was established he was made its president—a position he has filled with consummate ability, and has continuously held since. The institution is established on a firm basis, and is in a flourishing condition. The faculty consists of eight instructors of excellent reputation and adaptedness to their vocation. There are 233 students, from four states, enrolled. It ranks with the best schools in the state, is eligibly situated, with an extensive territory whence to draw support, and has before it a promising future of prosperity and usefulness. Prof. Huckabee was married to Miss Hassie Townsend, of Mitchell county, Aug. 17, 1887, by whom he has had five children: Thaddeus T., born July 10, 1888; Henry Guy, born Nov. 20, 1889; Bessie Lee, born Nov. 24, 1891; Leo Bennett, born Jan. 23, 1893; Atlas Haygood, born Oct. 30, 1894. The professor is a master Mason, and a member of the college fraternity of Phi Delta Theta.