BENJAMIN HILL TOMPKINS
BENJAMIN HILL TOMPKINS, planter, Franklin, Heard County, Georgia,
son of Nicholas and Lucinda T. (Springer) Tompkins, was born on the plantation on which he now
lives, in 1860.
His paternal grandfather, Giles Tompkins, was a soldier in the patriot army during the
Revolutionary War, and migrated from Virginia to Georgia, and settled in Oglethorpe County the
latter part of the last century. Mr. Tompkins‘ father was born in Oglethorpe County in 1798,
received such education as could be obtained at the country schools of the locality at the time,
and when grown, entered upon farming as a life pursuit. Later, he moved to Putnam County, Georgia,
and thence to Troup County about 1830, and settled on land now within the bounds of Heard County.
He served during the Seminole War, holding a commission as major. He also served as a soldier in the
War with Mexico. At the close of that war he returned to his farm. Such were his skill as a planter
and his business sagacity and management that he became the owner of 175 slaves and the largest
land-owner in Heard County. He died Aug. 12, 1860. He was married twice; his second wife being the
mother of the subject of this sketch. She was a daughter of William G. and Mary (Baxter) Springer.
Mr. Springer was for many years an Indian agent. By this marriage he had five children: William G., John
T., Humphrey A., Benjamin Hill, and Eliza Baxter.
Mr. Tompkins was left fatherless when an infant, was raised on the family homestead, and educated at
the common schools of the county. His surroundings compelled him, while very young, to assume the
duties and responsibilities of mature manhood. But following the example, and inspired by the spirit
and courage of his brother Humphrey, he set manfully to work to solve the great problem of life and
success. He, like his brother, determined to know no such word as fail and like him, he has worked
out a splendid success. He owns several thousand acres of fine land, including the original family
homestead, improved by his father more than sixty years ago- of which he is justly proud—and is
otherwise supplied with an abundance of the good things of this life-—and is, therefore, happily
situated.
Mr. Tompkins was married Sept. 1, 1880, to Miss Montie, daughter of Joseph and Mary (Pendergrass)
Holliday. To them the following children have been born: Nicholas, Joseph B., John, Berd Berry,
Mary Baxter, and Levi Ridley.
Source: Memoirs of Georgia, Containing historical accounts of the states civil,
military, industrial and professional interests and personal sketches of many of it’s people, Volume I,
The Southern Historical Association, Atlanta, Georgia, 1895
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