The profiles featured candidates competing for various county offices including county commissioner, sheriff, ordinary, county superintendent, and coroner. Those incumbents for the office of clerk of courts, surveyor, tax receiver, and tax collector were unopposed. The upcoming March 1st Democratic Primary would decide the election. (This was back when Republicans were an endangered species in Georgia politics.)
The following photographs are the only ones found in the T. Emmett Nunn collection taken for the newspaper article. They were scanned from the original negatives and are shown uncropped. The description of each candidate is reproduced as written for the 1960 article.
FOR SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT
LOWELL S. HIX -- The incumbent, has served seven years as school superintendent. He was born near Gore, on October 22, 1918. He was educated at the University of Georgia, earning a B.S. degree, and did graduate work at Emory University and the University of Georgia. He is a member of the Methodist Church, the Masons, American Legion, Lions Club, and the NEA and GEA. His wife is Sarah Floyd Hix and they have two children, Debbie, 9, and Bill, 14 months.
JAMES H. SPENCE -- He was born May 16, 1927, and lives on Route 1, Summerville. He received a BS degree from Auburn in 1951, and a Master of Education degree from Auburn. He has done advance study at the University of Georgia. He has taught eight years in the county school system, at Summerville, Lyerly, and Trion High Schools. He belongs to the Masonic Lodge, Trlon 50-Yard Club, and the Phi Delta Kappa honorary fraternity at college. He and his wife, Rethia Spence, have two children, a girl, Janice, who is 4, and a boy, Bill, who is 2.
(Note: Spence won.)
FOR TAX RECEIVER
RAY VAN PELT -- The incumbent, who is unopposed. He was born March 18, 1924 in Carroll County, and attended Lyerly High School. He is a member of the New Hope South Church, the VFW, the American Legion, and Lodge No. 704, F&AM. He and his wife, Catherine Van Pelt, have two daughters, Cathy and Lynn.
FOR SHERIFF
JOHN FRANK MCCONNELL -- He was born May 15, 1913 in the Teloga District and lives on Route 3, Summerville. He is a farmer, livestock grower, poultryman, and fertilizer dealer. He attended Teloga School, two years at Trion, and finished at Summerville High School. For eight years he has been a justice of the peace and is a member of the Democratic Executive Committee from the Teloga District. He is a member of the New Hope Baptist Church, been a deacon for 20 years and chairman of the board for six years. His wife is the former Marguerite Rea McConnell, and they have a son, Gary W. McConnell, in the ninth grade at Summerville High School.
FOR CLERK OF COURTS
SAM CORDLE -- The incumbent, who is unopposed. He was born Oct. 21, 1921, in Summerville. He attended Summerville High School and the Atlanta School of Commerce. He is a member of the Baptist Church, the Masons, Lions, VFW, and the American Legion. The Cordles live at 102 Allen Street, Surnmerville. His wife is Kathryn M. Cordle, and they have two boys, Lann, 9: and Spann, 1 1/2.
FOR CORONER
THEODORE ROOSEVELT YOUNG -- The incumbent. He lives at 102 Oak Street, Summerville, and was born January 17, 1902 at Mentone, Alabama. Besides being coroner, he is custodian at the Chattooga County Courthouse. He is in his 12th year as a county official. He is a member of the Summerville Church of God. He and his wife, Janie Tapp Young, have three children: a son, Ralph Eugene Young; and daughters, Ruth Young Lawson and Rachel Young Fashee. (Note: Young won.)
FOR COUNTY COMMISSIONER
WILL STEPHENSON -- He was born June 15, 1915, in Summerville. He is an appliance dealer in Summerville, and is a member of the city council. He was re-elected to the Council on December 12, 1959, for a two-year term after having served for four years. He is a high school graduate and a member of the First Baptist Church. He is a Little League baseball official, a member of the Lions Club, and the Summerville Retail Merchants Association. He and his wife, Cathrine Dendy Stephenson, have a daughter, Jane, 14.
Other candidates for various county offices featured in the original newspaper article included:
For Commissioner: Junius S. James, John Jones* (incumbent), Kelly Jordan, Leroy Massey, and Mark Strawn.
For Sheriff: Fred Stewart* (incumbent), Calvin "Slim" Johnson, and Tom Grubbs.
For Ordinary: Hall Baker, Bud Day, Bill King, and Paul Weems*.
For Coroner: Walter A. "Shorty" Bagley.
for Tax Collector: Emmett Clarkson (incumbent, unopposed).
(*won the election)
Photographs by T. Emmett Nunn, courtesy of Chattooga County Library.
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2012 Greg W. McCollum. All rights reserved.