72 Notable alumni of
Mercer University
Updated:
Mercer University is 1009th in the world, 368th in North America, and 346th in the United States by aggregated alumni prominence. Below is the list of 72 notable alumni from Mercer University sorted by their wiki pages popularity. The directory includes famous graduates and former students along with research and academic staff.
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Nancy Grace
- Enrolled in Mercer University
- Graduated with Bachelor of Arts
- Occupations
- podcasterlawyerjournalisttelevision presenter
- Biography
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Nancy Ann Grace is an American legal commentator and television journalist. She hosted Nancy Grace, a nightly celebrity news and current affairs show on HLN, from 2005 to 2016, and Court TV's Closing Arguments from 1996 to 2007. She also co-wrote the book Objection!: How High-Priced Defense Attorneys, Celebrity Defendants, and a 24/7 Media Have Hijacked Our Criminal Justice System. Grace was also the arbiter of Swift Justice with Nancy Grace in the syndicated courtroom reality show's first season.
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L. Lin Wood
- Enrolled in Mercer University
- Studied in 1974
- Occupations
- lawyer
- Biography
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Lucian Lincoln Wood Jr. is an American former attorney who made claims about the existence of widespread election fraud during the 2020 US presidential election. He has faced legal sanctions for lawsuits made in furtherance of these claims in the state of Michigan. In July 2023, while facing investigation and possible disciplinary action by the State Bar of Georgia for violating the Georgia Rules of Professional Conduct, Wood surrendered his law license and asked to retire rather than face disbarment.
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Jay Sekulow
- Occupations
- lawyer
- Biography
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Jay Alan Sekulow is an American lawyer, radio, television talk show host and politically conservative media personality. He has been chief counsel of the American Center for Law & Justice (ACLJ) since 1991. As a member of President Donald Trump's legal team, he served as lead outside counsel for Trump's first impeachment trial in the United States Senate.
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Nathan Deal
- Enrolled in Mercer University
- In 1964 graduated with Bachelor of Arts
- Occupations
- lawyerpolitician
- Biography
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John Nathan Deal is an American politician and former lawyer who served as the 82nd governor of Georgia from 2011 to 2019. A Republican, he previously served as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives.
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Sam Mitchell
- Occupations
- coachbasketball playerbasketball coach
- Biography
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Samuel E. Mitchell Jr. is an American former professional basketball player and coach. Playing at small forward, Mitchell's 18-year professional basketball career spanned three decades, and was most notable for his ten seasons with the NBA's Minnesota Timberwolves, whom he also coached as an interim for the 2015–16 season. Mitchell coached for the Toronto Raptors from 2004 to 2008 as well, winning Coach of the Year Award in 2007.
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Erick Erickson
- Occupations
- journalistradio personality
- Biography
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Erick Woods Erickson is an American conservative talk radio host, blogger, and former politician. He hosts a three-hour weekday talk show on WSB 95.5 FM and 750 AM in Atlanta, which is syndicated to other radio stations around the U.S. He also writes a political blog called The Resurgent. Prior to this, he was editor-in-chief and CEO of another conservative political blog called RedState. He was a political contributor for CNN from 2010 to 2013, and afterwards was a contributor to the Fox News Channel before leaving the network in 2018.
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Ed Roberts
- Occupations
- inventorphysicianmilitary officercomputer scientistbusinessperson
- Biography
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Henry Edward Roberts was an American engineer, entrepreneur and medical doctor who invented the first commercially successful personal computer in 1974. He is most often known as "the father of the personal computer."
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Thomas E. Watson
- Occupations
- politicianlawyereditorjournalistpublisher
- Biography
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Thomas Edward Watson was an American politician, attorney, newspaper editor, and writer from Georgia. In the 1890s Watson championed poor farmers as a leader of the Populist Party, articulating an agrarian political viewpoint while attacking business, bankers, railroads, Democratic President Grover Cleveland, and the Democratic Party. He was the nominee for vice president with Democrat William Jennings Bryan in 1896 on the Populist ticket.
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William Heard Kilpatrick
- Occupations
- pedagoguephilosopher
- Biography
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William Heard Kilpatrick was an American pedagogue and a pupil, a colleague and a successor of John Dewey. Kilpatrick was a major figure in the progressive education movement of the early 20th century.
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Diana Harshbarger
- Enrolled in Mercer University
- In 1987 graduated with Doctor of Pharmacy
- Occupations
- pharmacistpolitician
- Biography
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Diana Lynn Harshbarger is an American pharmacist, businesswoman, and politician. A member of the Republican Party, she has served as the U.S. representative for Tennessee's 1st congressional district since January 3, 2021. Her district is based in the Tri-Cities area in northeastern Tennessee.
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G. Harrold Carswell
- Occupations
- judgemilitary officerlawyer
- Biography
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George Harrold Carswell was a United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit and a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Florida. He was also an unsuccessful nominee to the United States Supreme Court in 1970.
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Griffin Bell
- Occupations
- judgepoliticianlawyer
- Biography
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Griffin Boyette Bell was the 72nd Attorney General of the United States, having served under President Jimmy Carter. Previously, he was a U.S. circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.
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Walter F. George
- Enrolled in Mercer University
- In 1901 graduated with Juris Doctor
- Occupations
- judgepoliticianlawyer
- Biography
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Walter Franklin George was an American politician from the state of Georgia. He was a longtime Democratic United States Senator from 1922 to 1957 and was President pro tempore of the United States Senate from 1955 to 1957.
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Ellis Arnall
- Occupations
- lawyerpolitician
- Biography
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Ellis Gibbs Arnall was an American politician who served as the 69th Governor of Georgia from 1943 to 1947. A liberal Democrat, he helped lead efforts to abolish the poll tax and to reduce Georgia's voting age to 18. Following his departure from office, he became a highly successful attorney and businessman.
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Scott Rigell
- Enrolled in Mercer University
- In 1983 graduated with Bachelor in Business Administration
- Occupations
- entrepreneurpolitician
- Biography
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Edward Scott Rigell is an American businessman and politician who served as the U.S. representative for Virginia's 2nd congressional district from 2011 to 2017. He declined to run for re-election in 2016, and he left office in January 2017.
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Cory Gearrin
- Occupations
- baseball player
- Biography
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Cory Nathanial Gearrin is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Atlanta Braves, San Francisco Giants, Texas Rangers, Oakland Athletics, Seattle Mariners, New York Yankees, and Minnesota Twins.
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Langston Hall
- Occupations
- basketball player
- Biography
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Langston Avery Hall is an American professional basketball player for Karditsa of the Greek Basketball League (GBL). He played at the collegiate level with the Mercer Bears, and was named Atlantic Sun Player of the Year in his final year.
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Godwin Maduka
- Years
- 1959-.. (age 66)
- Occupations
- businessperson
- Biography
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Godwin Maduka //, is a Nigerian-American doctor, businessman and philanthropist. He is the founder of Las Vegas Pain Institute and Medical Center. In 2008, he played a major role in the renaming of his hometown, from Nkerehi to Umuchukwu.
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Blanton C. Winship
- Occupations
- politicianmilitary personnellawyer
- Biography
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Blanton C. Winship was an American military lawyer and veteran of both the Spanish–American War and World War I. During his career, he served both as Judge Advocate General of the United States Army and as the governor of Puerto Rico. An investigation led by the United States Commission on Civil Rights blamed him for the Ponce massacre, which killed 19 people.
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Beverly B. Martin
- Occupations
- lawyerjudge
- Biography
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Beverly Baldwin Martin is a former United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit and a former United States District Judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia.
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Michael J. Moore
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Michael Jonathan Moore is an American attorney and former politician from Georgia. Moore is a former Georgia state senator and United States Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia.
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Betty Cantrell
- Occupations
- modelbeauty pageant contestant
- Biography
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Baciliky Andris "Betty" Maxwell is an American singer, actress, model, author, and beauty pageant titleholder from Warner Robins, Georgia, who was crowned Miss Georgia 2015. On September 13, 2015, she was crowned Miss America 2016 by Miss America 2015, Kira Kazantsev. She is the first Miss Georgia to be crowned Miss America since Neva Jane Langley, Miss America 1953.
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Thomas W. Hardwick
- Occupations
- lawyerpolitician
- Biography
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Thomas William Hardwick was an American politician from the U.S. state of Georgia who served as governor of Georgia, a United States Senator from Georgia, a member of the United States House of Representatives from Georgia, and a member of the Georgia House of Representatives.
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James Florence
- Occupations
- basketball player
- Biography
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James Brian Florence is an American professional basketball player for Sigortam.net İTÜ BB of the Basketball Super League. Standing at 1.86 m, he plays the point guard position.
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Robert Reichert
- Occupations
- lawyerpolitician
- Biography
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Robert Reichert is an American Democratic politician and former mayor of Macon, Georgia, the fourth largest city in the state.
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Alan Walden
- Occupations
- literary agentmanager
- Biography
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Alan Walden is an American manager, publisher, booking agent, and promoter.
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Vicente Arze
- Occupations
- association football player
- Biography
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Vicente Arze Camacho is a Bolivian footballer.
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Richard B. Hubbard
- Occupations
- diplomatpolitician
- Biography
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Richard Bennett Hubbard Jr., occasionally referred to by the nickname Jumbo, was the 16th governor of Texas from 1876 to 1879 and United States Envoy to Japan from 1885 to 1889. He was a Confederate veteran of the American Civil War and was a member of the Democratic Party.
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John Oxendine
- Occupations
- lawyerbusinessperson
- Biography
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John W. Oxendine is an American politician and businessman who served four terms as Insurance Commissioner of the U.S. state of Georgia. A member of the Republican Party, he was first elected commissioner in 1994 and was reelected in 1998, 2002, and 2006. Prior to entering politics, Oxendine owned and operated a small business and was a lawyer practicing in Gwinnett County, Georgia.
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Chauncey Sparks
- Occupations
- judgepoliticianlawyer
- Biography
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George Chauncey Sparks, known as Chauncey Sparks, was an attorney and Democratic American politician who served as the 41st Governor of Alabama from 1943 to 1947. He improved the state education of whites and expanded the state schools and centers for agriculture. He campaigned for passage of the Boswell Amendment to the state constitution, which was designed to keep blacks disfranchised following the US Supreme Court ruling Smith v. Allwright (1944) against the use of white primaries by the Democratic Party in the states.
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Meldrim Thomson, Jr
- Occupations
- lawyerpolitician
- Biography
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Meldrim Thomson Jr. was an American politician who served three terms as the 73rd governor of New Hampshire from 1973 to 1979. A Republican, he was known as a strong supporter of conservative political values.
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Michael P. Boggs
- Occupations
- lawyerpolitician
- Biography
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Michael P. Boggs is an American lawyer who has served as the chief justice of the Supreme Court of Georgia since 2022. He concurrently serves as an associate justice of the court since 2017. He is a former judge of the Georgia Court of Appeals and a former nominee to be a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia. He was appointed to the state Supreme Court by Governor Nathan Deal.
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Allen D. Candler
- Occupations
- archivistpolitician
- Biography
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Allen Daniel Candler, was a Georgia state legislator, U.S. Representative and the 56th Governor of Georgia.
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Doug Barnard, Jr
- Occupations
- lawyerpolitician
- Biography
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Druie Douglas Barnard Jr. was a United States congressman from Georgia.
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Charles Frankel
- Occupations
- philosopheruniversity teacherdiplomat
- Biography
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Charles Frankel was an American philosopher, Assistant U.S. Secretary of State, professor and founding director of the National Humanities Center.
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William Usery
- Occupations
- trade unionistpolitician
- Biography
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William Julian Usery Jr. was an American labor union activist and government appointee who served as United States secretary of labor in the Ford administration.
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Myrtle Cagle
- Occupations
- teacheraircraft pilot
- Biography
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Myrtle "Kay" Thompson Cagle was an American pilot and one of the Mercury 13 female astronauts group. She worked as a flight instructor and wrote about aviation in North Carolina.
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John Peyton
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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John Stephens Peyton is an American businessman and politician who is currently president of Gate Petroleum. He served as Mayor of Jacksonville, Florida from 2003 to 2011, when he was succeeded by Alvin Brown. He was the second Republican to be elected to the position since 1888. After his term he returned to Gate, his family business, and succeeded his father Herb Peyton as the company's president in January 2012.
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William D. Jelks
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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William Dorsey Jelks was an American newspaper editor, publisher, and politician who served as the 32nd Governor of Alabama from 1901 to 1907. As Lieutenant Governor of Alabama, he also served as acting governor between December 1 and December 26, 1900, when Governor William J. Samford was out-of-state seeking medical treatment.
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Joe Pettini
- Occupations
- baseball player
- Biography
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Joseph Paul Pettini is an American former Major League Baseball player and the former bench coach for the St. Louis Cardinals and Houston Astros.
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John Stephens Wood
- Enrolled in Mercer University
- In 1910 graduated with Juris Doctor
- Occupations
- lawyerpolitician
- Biography
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John Stephens Wood was an American attorney and politician from the state of Georgia, United States. He served as a Democrat in the United States House of Representatives, 1931–1935 and 1945–1953.
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Peter Zack Geer
- Occupations
- lawyerpolitician
- Biography
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Peter Zack Geer was an American lawyer and a Democratic politician from the U.S. state of Georgia.
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Benjamin S. Griffin
- Enrolled in Mercer University
- Graduated with Master of Business Administration
- Biography
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Benjamin Saunders Griffin, was a four-star general in the United States Army. He served as the Commanding General, United States Army Materiel Command from 5 November 2004 to 13 November 2008. Prior to this assignment, he served as the Department of the Army Deputy Chief of Staff, G-8. He retired from the Army after over 38 years of service.
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Cathy Cox
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Lera Catharine "Cathy" Cox is an American academic administrator and former lawyer, politician, and journalist. She is President of Georgia College & State University. Cox, a member of the Democratic Party, previously served as Secretary of State of Georgia, a candidate for Governor of Georgia in 2006, Dean of Walter F. George School of Law at Mercer University, and as the 21st president of Young Harris College.
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Perry L. Wiggins
- Years
- 1961-.. (age 64)
- Occupations
- military personnel
- Biography
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Perry Louis Wiggins is a retired United States Army lieutenant general who served as commanding general, United States Army North. He assumed command in September 2013, having previously served as Deputy Commanding General. He is the son of a former senior noncommisioned officer and earned his commission as an Infantry lieutenant from Mercer University in 1983. Wiggins retired on September 30, 2016.
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Claude M. Kicklighter
- Enrolled in Mercer University
- Graduated with Bachelor of Arts in biology
- Occupations
- military officer
- Biography
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Claude Milton "Mick" Kicklighter Sr. is a retired United States Army officer. He is a former commander of the United States Army Western Command (later United States Army Pacific), which he held from 1989 to 1991. He was also Director for Security Assistance for the US Army Security Assistance Center and Chief of Staff for the US Army Materiel Development and Readiness Command (DARCOM) in Alexandria, Virginia, from 1981 to 1984 and Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics and Director of the Army Staff for the Office of Chief of Staff in Washington, D.C. Kicklighter was commander of the 25th Infantry Division from 1984 until being succeeded by James W. Crysel in 1986.
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Michael L. Howard
- Enrolled in Mercer University
- Graduated with Bachelor of Science in biology
- Occupations
- military officer
- Biography
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Michael L. Howard is a retired United States Army lieutenant general who last served as the deputy commander of the United States European Command. Prior to that, he was the command's operations director.
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Henry Dickerson McDaniel
- Occupations
- lawyerpolitician
- Biography
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Henry Dickerson McDaniel, was the 52nd Governor of Georgia from 1883 to 1886.
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Seaborn Roddenbery
- Occupations
- judgepoliticianlawyer
- Biography
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Seaborn Anderson Roddenbery was a Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives from the state of Georgia, known for his proposal of an anti-miscegenation amendment to the United States Constitution. He was elected to the 61st Congress to replace the deceased James M. Griggs, and re-elected to the 62nd and 63rd Congresses before dying in office.
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Ronnie Thompson
- Occupations
- businesspersonradio personalitypoliticiansongwriterjournalist
- Biography
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Ronald John "Ronnie" Thompson Sr., also known by "Machine Gun Ronnie" Thompson, was an American gospel singer, politician, musician, and mental health caseworker. During the 1960s, Thompson became a household name across Georgia and parts of the American South for his live gospel music television shows. He also recorded and released his own contemporary Christian and country music albums and singles. In 1967, Thompson was elected Mayor of Macon, Georgia, becoming the city's first Republican mayor in its history. He became known for his unorthodox, often controversial, views and colorful, charismatic personality during his tenure as mayor, which spanned two terms from 1967 to 1975.
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William Stanley West
- Occupations
- lawyerpolitician
- Biography
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William Stanley West was a United States Senator from the state of Georgia. He was a Democrat. He is notable for being the first person appointed to the Senate after ratification of the Seventeenth Amendment made that possible.
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Edward H. Hurst
- Occupations
- military personnel
- Biography
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Edward Hunter Hurst was a highly decorated officer of the United States Marine Corps with the rank of brigadier general. He is the recipient of the Navy Cross, the United States military's second-highest decoration awarded for valor in combat. He completed his career as director of Marine Corps Landing Force Development Center Quantico in 1968.
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Richard Henry Mills
- Enrolled in Mercer University
- In 1957 graduated with Juris Doctor
- Occupations
- lawyerjudge
- Biography
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Richard Henry Mills was a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Central District of Illinois.
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Carlton Mobley
- Occupations
- judgepoliticianlawyermilitary officer
- Biography
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William Carlton Mobley was a jurist and politician from the American state of Georgia. He is one of the youngest people to ever be elected to the United States House of Representatives, having entered the house at the age of 25.
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Dwight Laing Rogers
- Enrolled in Mercer University
- In 1910 graduated with Juris Doctor
- Occupations
- lawyerpolitician
- Biography
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Dwight Laing Rogers was a U.S. Representative from Florida.
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Steven A. Boylan
- Years
- 1965-.. (age 60)
- Biography
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Steven Arthur Boylan, formerly a U.S. military spokesman in Baghdad for General David Petraeus in the prosecution of the Iraq War troop surge of 2007 from February, 2007 to September, 2008. After leaving Iraq, he became the public affairs officer and the senior public affairs observer/trainer for the Battle Command Training Program (BCTP) at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, according to U.S. News & World Report.
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Harry Stillwell Edwards
- Years
- 1855-1938 (aged 83)
- Occupations
- writerjournalistnovelist
- Biography
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Harry Stillwell Edwards was an American journalist, novelist, and poet, born at Macon, Georgia. He studied law at Mercer University, Macon, and graduated in 1877. He was assistant editor and editor of Macon journals (1881–1888), gaining distinction as a writer of dialect stories. He wrote on the Georgia aristocracy as well as pro-slavery fantasies popular in the South. Amongst his publications are:
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Lyman Hall
- Occupations
- scientist
- Biography
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Lyman Hall was a professor and president of the Georgia School of Technology (now called the Georgia Institute of Technology, commonly referred to as Georgia Tech). Hall's administration introduced degrees in electrical engineering and civil engineering in December 1896, textile engineering in February 1899, and engineering chemistry in January 1901.
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William Augustus Bootle
- Occupations
- lawyerjudge
- Biography
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William Augustus Bootle was an American attorney and a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Georgia noted for helping oversee desegregation in the Southern United States.
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William Lee Robinson
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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William Lee Robinson was an American politician who was the Mayor of Macon, Georgia from 1987–1991, and a four-term State Senator of Georgia. At the time of his death, Lee Robinson was serving as the Circuit Public Defender of the Macon (Georgia) Judicial Circuit, which includes Bibb, Peach and Crawford Counties.
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George Hillyer
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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George Hillyer was an American politician, serving as the 29th Mayor of Atlanta, Georgia, as well as a state representative and senator. He was also an officer in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War.
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George J. Walker
- Enrolled in Mercer University
- Graduated with Bachelor of Arts in history
- Biography
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George Jerry Walker served as an officer in the U.S. Army, including a stint in 1985 as Deputy Commanding General of the United States Army Intelligence and Security Command (INSCOM).
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Richard Malcolm Johnston
- Occupations
- educatorwriter
- Biography
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Richard Malcolm Johnston was an American author.
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Erasmus W. Beck
- Occupations
- judgepoliticianlawyer
- Biography
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Erasmus Williams Beck was a slave owner and U.S. Representative from Georgia.
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Charlton Greenwood Ogburn
- Occupations
- lawyer
- Biography
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Charlton Greenwood Ogburn was a lawyer who served as a public official in various capacities from 1917 through to the 1930s. He was employed as legal counsel both for government bureaucracies and labor organizations. His most widely recognized work was undertaken as counsel for the American Federation of Labor in the 1930s.
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Robert W. Everett
- Years
- 1839-1915 (aged 76)
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Robert William Everett was a U.S. Representative from Georgia.
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Thomas G. Lawson
- Occupations
- judgepoliticianlawyer
- Biography
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Thomas Graves Lawson was a Congressional Representative from Georgia.
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Alexander T. Hawthorn
- Occupations
- Christian ministermerchantarmy officerlawyer
- Biography
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Alexander Travis Hawthorn was a senior officer of the Confederate States Army who commanded infantry in the Western and Trans-Mississippi theaters of the American Civil War. After the war, in company with a party of friends, he traveled extensively in Brazil as the guest of the imperial government, the policy of the government being to encourage immigration from the Southern States. In 1880, he was ordained a minister of the Baptist Church.
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Edward Eugene Cox
- Enrolled in Mercer University
- In 1902 graduated with Juris Doctor
- Occupations
- judgepoliticianlawyer
- Biography
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Edward Eugene "Eugene" or "Goober" Cox served as a U.S. representative from Georgia for nearly 28 years. A conservative Democrat who supported racial segregation and opposed President Franklin Roosevelt's "New Deal," Cox became the most senior Democrat on the House Committee on Rules.
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Van C. Swearingen
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Van Cicero Swearingen was an American attorney and politician who served as the 21st Florida Attorney General, serving from 1917 until 1921.
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Thomas Adiel Sherwood
- Biography
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Thomas Adiel Sherwood was a justice of the Missouri Supreme Court from 1873 to 1902.
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Charlie Harris
- Occupations
- baseball player
- Biography
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Charles Jenkins Harris was an American Major League Baseball third baseman who played for the Baltimore Orioles in 1899. He stood 5'8" and weighed 200 pounds. He batted and threw right-handed. Born in Macon, Georgia in 1877, he attended Mercer University.
