Courtland Simmons Winn (1863 – 1940) was a

politician A politician is a person active in party politics, or a person holding or seeking an elected office in government. Politicians propose, support, reject and create laws that govern the land and by an extension of its people. Broadly speaking ...

, lawyer, and civic leader from the State of

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States Georgia may also refer to: Places Historical states and entities * Related to the ...

. Courtland S. Winn was born in

Lawrenceville, Georgia Lawrenceville is a city in and the county seat of Gwinnett County, Georgia, United States. It is a suburb of Atlanta, located approximately northeast of downtown. As of the 2020 census, the population of Lawrenceville was 30,629. In 2019, the ...

, while the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states ...

raged. His father, Judge Samuel J. Winn, was then acting Colonel of the 13th regiment of Georgia Cavalry riding with

Morgan's Raid Morgan's Raid was a diversionary incursion by Confederate cavalry into the Union states of Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio and West Virginia during the American Civil War. The raid took place from June 11 to July 26, 1863, and is named for the command ...

ers in Northeast Georgia and East Tennessee. His mother Sara Simmons was at home in Lawrenceville looking after her first-born. Both parents were from pioneer

Gwinnett County Gwinnett County ( ) is located in the north central portion of the U.S. state of Georgia. It forms part of the Atlanta metropolitan area. In 2020, the population was 957,062, making it the second-most populous county in Georgia (after Fulton ...

families, Elisha Winn (1777–1842) and Adam Q. Simmons (1786–1863).Huff, Frederick W., "Four Families: Winn, Thomas, Ware, Garrett of the Southern United States from 1600 to 1993"; 1993 Courtland attended Emory College in

Oxford, Georgia Oxford is a city in Newton County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 2,134. It is the location of Oxford College of Emory University. Much of the city is part of the National Parks-designated Oxford Histori ...

, and read law under his father. He was admitted to the bar at

Monroe, Georgia Monroe is a city in Walton County, Georgia, United States, serving as the county seat. It is located both one hour east of Atlanta via US 78 and GA 138 to I-20 and east of Hartsfield–Jackson International Airport and is one of the exurban c ...

. At the age of 21 in 1884, he was elected

mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well ...

of Lawrenceville and served two terms. In 1885 he married Fannie Thomas, daughter of Lovick Pierce Thomas II and Jemima Jane Peeples of Atlanta. The family moved to

Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...

in 1888. In 1902 Winn was elected councilman of Ward 2 of

Fulton County, Georgia Fulton County is located in the north-central portion of the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 1,066,710, making it the state's most-populous county and its only one with over o ...

. Also, he was the Fulton County administrator and vice-chairman of the Fulton County Board of Education. In 1910, Winn ran a successful campaign against James G. Woodward for Atlanta mayor. Winn served one term as mayor of

from 1911 to 1913 and was considered a progressive. During his term he increased teachers' salaries, eliminated many garbage dumps and oversaw the building of a garbage incinerator, had a bridge built over the railroad, eliminating a dangerous

level crossing A level crossing is an intersection where a railway line crosses a road, path, or (in rare situations) airport runway, at the same level, as opposed to the railway line crossing over or under using an overpass or tunnel. The term a ...

, opened a fire station in South Atlanta, and began the switch from horse-drawn to motor-driven firefighting equipment. Although he was to never enter politics again, Winn was a leading lawyer in the city for over fifty years and served as assistant city attorney for Atlanta.Garrett, Franklin M., "Atlanta and Environs, Vol. II"; Athens: University of Georgia Press, 1969.

References

External links

13th Regiment Georgia Cavalry
*
Stuart A. Rose Manuscript, Archives, and Rare Book Library
Emory University
Courtland Simmons Winn papers, 1892-1940
1863 births 1940 deaths Mayors of Atlanta {{GeorgiaUS-mayor-stub