These bios are from a book published in the 1880s titled “Cherokee Georgia”. It was loaned to Sara Hightower, one of the Polk County Historical Society’s charter members, and copied by William W. Mundy for our records. It is believed its publication contributed to the influx of immigrants seeking iron ore mining work in the area.
Attorney at Law, who during his many years of professional life has ever lent strength to the Georgia bar, and made his weight felt in the courts of our state, was born in Polk County, in whose best interests he is, indeed, a worthy factor. He was a diligent student of the truths laid down by Blackstone at Lumpkin Law School, under Chief Justice J. H. Lumpkin and Gen. T. R. R. Cobb and Wm. Hope Hull, and was admitted in 1861.
The War breaking out soon afterwards he at once volunteered, and went with Phillips’ Legion to Virginia. The legion was actively engaged in several battles, till the fall of 1863, when they were ordered to Tennessee, where, at Knoxville, on the 29th of November, the command was captured. He remained for two years a prisoner at Rock Island, Ill. In January 1866, he commenced practice at Cedartown, and by his close attention to his clients’ interests, and preparing his cases with exhaustiveness, has been eminently successful, and built up the large business whose fruits he enjoys today. Mr. Thompson has always been a very hard student, and is considered with few equals in his detailed knowledge of the law. He has been mayor of the town, county solicitor, etc. He was appointed by Gov. James M. Smith solicitor-general of Rome Circuit on the 6th of April, 1872, to fill an expired term. He is attorney for the E. & W. Railroad, and the Cherokee Iron Company; also, for the E. T., Va. & Ga., in Paulding County. He is noted for his geniality, his many attractive personal attributes, and gives weight to Cedartown and North Georgia’s society and general standing.
(note: Ivy F. Thompson was disinterred from a plot in Cedartown and buried at Westview Cemetery in Atlanta in 1936.)
Joseph A. Blance is one of the strongest minds in North Georgia, and as a lawyer lends dignity to the bar. He was born in Savannah, but spent only a few years there, his father moving to Polk when he was seven years of age. He graduated at the Lebanon Law School, Tennessee, in 1859. When the war broke out he was at once enlisted and went with the First Regiment of Georgia Regulars to Virginia. At the second Manassas, on the 30th of August 1862, he lost his left arm, which disabled him for further active duty. In 1865 he was appointed solicitor-general for this district, filling his post with marked agility till reconstruction, in August 1868. He has been since devoting himself to the interests of a large clientage. He represented Polk County in the Senate from 1873 to 1876, and showed himself possessed of that stuff of which statesmen are made. He is popularly spoken of for Congress. He is a blunt and able speaker, and of deep knowledge in the law. He married into an old Polk family, and has a nice residence on the outskirts of town. His young partner, J. A. Noyes is a lawyer of promise. He is a native of Polk, and graduated from Vanderbilt University in 1882.
A rising young lawyer of Polk, son of Marcus H. Bunn, was born in Cave Spring, Floyd County, but has lived in Cedartown all his life. He graduated from Mercer University in 1881, made a diligent study of the truths of Blackstone under one of North Georgia’s best lawyers, and was admitted to the bar in 1882. He does a healthy practice in all the courts of this state and Alabama. He also loans a great deal of money on real estate, on liberal terms. He was the pro tem, and active mayor, has been active in bringing about the late town improvements, and is counted one of Cedartown’s sensible and useful men.
This firm is one of the best known in North Georgia. Chas. G. Janes is a native of Polk, graduated from the state university, studied law at the University of Virginia, being admitted in 1871. He has since been practicing in Cedartown. He represented this county two terms in the Legislature from 1878 to 1881.
Mr. Armistead Richardson is a native of Polk, studied here, and was admitted in 1873, before he was twenty-one. He practiced a short time, went west, spending six years in Dakota, Colorado, Texas, etc. He returned here in 1880. He was mayor in 1884-1885. This partnership was formed seven years ago, and has conducted many cases in all the courts of Georgia and Alabama. They do a lucrative practice, and are a strong team. They are attorneys for several railroads, and take prominent part in advancing the interests of this thriving little town.