Henry Waterman, Sr., was born in Germany, February 13, 1841. At the age of ten he went to New York to live, and two years later moved to Macon, Ga. He was married to Louisa Harris of Augusta, Ga., March 25, 1860. At the beginning of the War Between the States he enlisted on the side of the Confederacy and fought until the close of the war. Seven children were born to Henry and Louisa Harris Waterman, two having died in infancy. Henry Waterman, Jr., married Theresa Worthington, of Peoria, Illinois; Mollie Waterman married Henry L. Manne; Alice married Samuel Mayer, a merchant of Cochran, Ga., who afterwards became a cotton exporter of Macon, Ga. Emanuel Waterman was never married, and Maude Smith Waterman married Ernest H. Piper, who was connected with a chain of large hotels in Detroit, Michigan. At the close of the war, Henry Waterman, Sr., located in Hawkinsville and began the operation of a live stock business there, later bringing his youngest brother, Maurice, from Germany, to be associated with him. After the death of his wife, he moved to Macon, Ga., leaving his son, Henry, in charge of the business in Hawkinsville.
Pine Level, an aristocratic community of pioneer Hawkinsville, was the location of the Waterman home. A typical Southern house and surroundings, with a half-mile race track, where trotting and pacing races were frequently held, was the home of this family, lovers of horses.
It is probable that no woman ever lived in Pulaski County who possessed a more positive personality than Mrs. Mollie Waterman Manne. With a heart of genuineness and sincerity, she never conceded anything which was not in accordance with these principles. The early years of her married life were spent in Mount Vernon, Ga., where her husband was engaged in the mercantile business. Later they moved to Hawkinsville, the birthplace of their four children: Bertie Louise, who married Henry H. Whitfield, of Hawkinsville; Frances, who died in infancy; Moses L., who for a number of years has lived in Athens, Ga., where he is manager of the Atlantic Ice & Coal Company; Sarah, who married Dr. Joseph M. Adams, formerly of Savannah, Ga., now of Sebring, Fla. Bertie Manne Whitfield died March 12, 1922.
Mrs. Manne was a member of the Presbyterian Church in Athens, Ga., at which place she died April 25, 1927. Henry L. Manne died in Hawkinsville, July 29, 1896.
The grandchildren of Henry L. and Mollie Waterman Manne are Henry H. Whitfield, of Porterdale, Ga.; Sarah Whitfield Lee, of Milledgeville, Ga.; Morris Adams, of Sebring, Fla., now a student of engineering at Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado; Manne Adams, of Sebring, Fla., a student at the University of Georgia; Mary Julia, June, and Jack Adams, of Sebring, Fla. Morris Lee, Jr., of Milledgeville, Ga., is a great-grandchild.
Samuel Albert Way, son of Dr. Edward F. and Sarah (Shine) Way, was born at Longstreet, Pulaski County, Georgia, June 10, 1865. He was one in a family of eleven children, only -two of which survive: Mrs. Mollie S. Jelks, Macon, Ga., and Mrs. T. H. Wingfield, Atlanta, Ga. His parents moved from Longstreet to Hawkinsville when he was quite a lad, and he received his education in the schools of Hawkinsville.
His first venture in business was as clerk and prescriptionist for Taylor & Jelks, leading druggists in Hawkinsville for a number of years. He later acquired this business, which he operated very successfully until 1902, when he bought the old furniture establishment of Mr. Anton Schneider, where he remained until his death on April 6, 1908.
During his young business career, he served the City of Hawkinsville as mayor for six years, and at the time of his death he was serving his State the second term as representative from Pulaski County in the legislature. In addition to Mr. Way’s service to his city and State, he held other positions of trust and honor. He was a prominent and enthusiastic Mason, and was affiliated with other secret orders.
On October 25, 1894, he was married to Ella Virginia Glover, daughter of George Robert and Ella (Breazeal) Glover. Their union was blessed by the birth of four children, Edward Frank, Virginia (Mrs. Ramsey Thompson), Samuel Albert, and Robert Glover Way, all of whom are living.
Mr. Way was always proud of his ancestral line. On his mother’s side he was a descendant of Daniel Shine, prominent Twiggs County citizen, and on his father’s side he was a descendant of Edward Way, Liberty County pioneer from near old Midway Church.