[Source:Biographical Souvenir of the States of Georgia and Florida, Containing Biographical Sketches of the Representative Public, and many Early Settled Families in These States. F. A. Battey & Company, 1889]

Robert S. Lanier, Esq., was born September 22, 1819, near Athens, Clarke County, Ga, and is a son of Sterling and Sarah V. (Fullwood) Lanier. His father was born in Virginia in 1794, of French descent, and died in 1870. His mother was born in 1803, a native of Georgia. They were married in 1818, and of the six children born to them but two are now living: Robert S., our subject, their eldest child, and their youngest, Mrs. Wilhelmina Eason, of Charleston, SC. Sterling Lanier sold out his business in Macon, Ga, in about the year 1855, going thence to New York, where he rented the LaFarge Hotel; put in $100,000 worth of property, all of which was destroyed by fire before he had arranged for insurance, except for a part of it. At the age of sixty years he thus lost his property, but being a man of great energy, enterprise, and thrift, phoenix like, he rose again and accumulated considerable wealth in Montgomery, Ala.

Robert S. Lanier received his literary education partly in the schools of Georgia and partly in Randolph Macon College, Virginia. He left college in 1840, and commenced the study of law in Macon, but before being admitted to the bar, returned to Virginia and was married in November, 1840, by Rev. Prior (father of Roger A. Prior), a Presbyterian clergyman, to Miss Mary J., daughter of Hezekiah Anderson, of Nottoway County, Va. The children born to this marriage are: Sidney (deceased), Clifford and Gertrude. Mr. Lanier commenced the practice of law with David Clopton, now on the supreme bench of Alabama, under the firm name of Lanier & Clopton. He is now, and for thirty-five years, has been practicing under the firm name of Lanier & Anderson, this firm having a very successful business. Neither he nor his partner has had desire for political preferences, although the latter holds the office of attorney-general of the State. Mr. Lanier served in the late war under the conscript act, but was not in active service owing to his wife's illness, her death occurring May 22, 1865, shortly after the close of the war. She was a devout member of the Presbyterian Church. Mr. R. S. Lanier was married a second time in 1870, to Mrs. Anna Morgan, who was reared in South Carolina, and is of French extraction. Her ancestors were large planters in St. Domingo. Mr. Lanier is remotely related to J. F. D. Lanier, lately a banker of New York, now deceased. Sidney and Clifford Lanier were in the Macon volunteer company, and afterwards transferred to the signal service during the war.

Sidney Lanier, the eldest son, graduated from Oglethorpe University in 1860, and on the day of his graduation was elected tutor in his alma mater. He served one year in the school and then enlisted as a private with the first organized battalion that went from Georgia to Virginia. He remained a private through the entire war, although offered promotion three different times, refusing because of consequent separation from his younger brother. He did his whole duty and participated in the engagements around Richmond, Va, and was finally taken prisoner, when on special duty, by a blockade vessel, and taken to Point Lookout, Md, where from exposure in a cold winter he contracted disease from which he never recovered. Released in February, 1865, he struggled homeward to Georgia on foot, as did many another brave soldier, reaching it weary, foot-sore, and broken down. After recuperating he became a clerk in a hotel, Montgomery, Ala, where he remained until April, 1867, in which year he began teaching school. In 1867 he married Miss Mary Day, in Macon, Ga, a lady of rare accomplishments, a daughter of Charles Day, a native of New York, and for many years a resident of Macon, Ga. Sidney Lanier was a writer of poetry and published many works on different subjects, and was an author of considerable prominence. At a regular meeting of the Georgia Historical Society Mr. C. N. West read a paper on the writings of this author, which is printed in full in Savannah Daily Times of December 8, 1887. Some of his principal works are: "The Science of English Verse," "The English Novel," "Lectures at Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Md," a text book for colleges named, "Comparative Studies of Chaucer and Shekespeare," "Froissart," "King Arthur," "The Mabinogion," and "The Percy Reliques." Mr. West's closing remarks were: "Beautiful and brave soul, his head shall indeed be forever among the stars. In that great and friendly city, Baltimore, Md, which was the place of his struggle and success, whose scholars and students came daily to hear his thoughts poured forth and its chief seat of learning, and whose musicians (he being a great flutist as well as writer) hung at night upon the soft and melting tones of the poor artist's flute -- his bust and portrait adorn hall and library, and his name is a household word. But his heart was given to us and to this land as long as he lived, and it is our right and privilege to claim him by that bond. Let us in this historical body of the State, whose mountains, red hills and sea beach he loved so well, and of which he sang with so much affection, let us, at this, his own national fireside, gather him to our hearts and keep his memory green. I will be happy and count myself successful, indeed, if I can inspire you with some of that delight in and love for his personality, that even those who know nothing of him, save by his books, have drank in with the music of his English, and with a natural pleasure that this true son of Georgia, who by his boyish soldier career, his brave, beautiful life, his elevation of thought and grasp of language and knowlege, and his exquisite poetic fancy, has charmed the whole English speaking world, came from us, and will forever go down to posterity as one of us." In the hall of Johns Hopkins University there has been erected to the memory of Macon's gifted son, Sidney Lanier, a beautiful tablet of Italian marble which bears this inscription: "Aspirio Dum Exspirio (inspiring while expiring). Sidney Lanier lectured here on literature 1879-81." In the hall is also a bronze bust of the dead poet. Had he lived it is not too much to say that he would have been one of the best writers the State has produced. He was dearly beloved in Baltimore, and the forty-sixth anniversary of his birth, February 3, 1888, was celebrated with extensive manifestations of sincere affection and true admiration. He died at Macaboy's NC, September 7, 1881, the poet laureate and sweet singer of the south.

Clifford Lanier, the second son of Col. Lanier, was a thorough student, and a writer of considerable notoriety, but few of his writings have ever been published. For some years he was a proprietor of a hotel in Montgomery, Ala, and while acting as landlord he studied law at night, and was admitted to the bar, but never practiced. He was elected superintendent of the schools of Montgomery, and after accepting the position he visited many of the best schools north. At the close of one year he refused to hold the position longer as the wrok was greater than his strength would admit of. He left his impress, however, and the schools were greatly benefited by his services as superintendent. He accumulated wealth, and is now living retired at Montgomery, Ala. He is perhaps one of the most symmetrical of men morally and intellectually, and withal a devout member, as is also his wife, of the Methodist Church. He married Willie Clopton, daughter of Judge Clopton, of Montgomery, Ala. His daughter, Wilhelmina, was married December 20, 1887, to William Durr, son of one of the firm of Leman, Durr & Co., bankers and merchants.

Gertrude Lanier, the third child of Col. Lanier, was first married to E. B. Shannon, who was a member of the firm of Lewis & Shannon, merchants, New Orleans, and to this marriage was born one son, Eddie Robert, after the death of his father, who died of yellow fever. She was married a second time to Major J. C. Gibson, of Virginia, and this union has ben blessed with three children. They live near Montgomery, Ala, in comfortable circumstances.

R. S. Lanier, the father, is still engaged with his partner, Clifford Anderson, in the active practice of his profession. His parents live in Rose Hill cemetery, on the banks of the Ocmulgee river, at Macon, Ga.


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