Jim and Janet Granade loved Paris and are pictured on one of the bridges over the Seine River with the Eiffel Tower behind them. They travel the world. They love Wilkes County.

"What a great place to be! We truly love Washington-Wilkes and want to see it thrive." Because of their promotion of WashingtonWilkes, six families have recently bought property in Wilkes County.

Many of you know Jim, who was Jimmy while attending Washington High School, where he was president of the 1960 senior class; was an honor graduate. He enjoyed membership in the Future Farmers of America and served as state vicepresident; and the fat steer shows. He says, "I remember Marshall Guill as a mentor before the word was popularized." (Mr. Guill was Vocational-Agriculture instructor, FFA advisor, assistant principal.) Jim also enjoyed band trips and those six-hour school bus rides to school and back, "uphill, with no heater and not many seats."

Jim Jr.'s family home on Columbus Granade Road was 12 miles from school. He and his younger sister, Nancy, enjoyed wonderful family times there with his parents, James Ansley and Elizabeth Lunsford Granade, in the white house built by his grandparents, T.A. and Alice Fanning Granade, in 1886. He does not remember them, but has wonderful memories of his maternal grandparents, Joe and Ione Thornton Lunsford, who lived in the heart of Rayle.

Jay Granade points to a bullet which is still in the hole made in East Hoathly Parish Church when his ancestor, Thomas Lunsford, fired at his cousin. With him are (l-r), his Uncle Jon Granade, his Grandfather J. A. Granade Jr., and his Daddy Jimmy Granade III. Jim's memories of Beaverdam Baptist Church are of "the revivals in August, the singing of great old hymns, funeral home fans, the cold, spring-fed baptismal pool, and music flowing out open doors and windows." Members know and appreciate how much the younger Granades have continued to contribute to Beaverdam. We see and feel it all around us.

Jim graduated from the University of Georgia (UGA) in 1964. While there he met on a blind date Janet Riley, daughter of E.T. and Gladys Riley of Decatur, where Janet grew up. Her father, who was director of the Georgia Department of Labor Computer Center for 36 years, and her mother, a homemaker, are deceased.

Janet Granade loved the flight with her husband, Jim Granade Jr., to the top of Mount McKinley, until she learned the plane had no brakes. Janet was a freshman at the Woman's College of Georgia (now Georgia State University), but soon transferred to the University of Georgia. After a courtship of 21/2 years, she and Jim were married, August 15, 1964.

During his junior year at UGA Jim was in Air Force ROTC and was trying to decide between flight school and Emory Dental School. He had some help in the decision making. Janet chose Emory. Jim had also been encouraged by Washington dentists, Dr. Carlton Hearn and Dr. John Morrow, and by his cousin, Tom Granade with the Veterans Service. He says he has never regretted the decision. "I love my profession."

After maintaining first in his class all four years, he received his D.D.S. degree with highest honor from Emory University School of Dentistry in 1968 and began his practice that year. Since 1992 Jim has been a trustee of the Emory Dental Alumni Society.

Enjoying the outdoor patio at the farm cabin are (l-r) Phyllis, Jimmy, Jay, Janet, Jim, Samantha and Jonathan Granade (before the birth of Ansley). Janet graduated from UGA Phi Kappa Phi in 1965 and taught school in DeKalb County while Jim was at Emory. Their first home was in Decatur. They moved to Stone Mountain in 1987 and now live six miles from his office.

Jim has been in private practice of general dentistry, in NorthlakeTucker since 1968. He and his son, Jimmy Granade, III, are partners in the practice. Dr. Clay Skognes, joined them two years ago. They have five assistants, three taking care of the front office, and four hygienists. Included are three nieces of Jim and cousins of Jimmy, Elsie and Bucky Purcell's children. Janet manages payroll and accounts payable for the office.

She is a busy lady, is with the Hinman Dental Society, with the Dental Management Association of Atlanta, with a 20-member investment club; is enjoying helping to care for Jay, and is looking forward to spending lots of time with little Ansley. They do have help at their Stone Mountain home, and say they have a wonderful caretaker who keeps everything on the farm looking so pretty.

Their own family began growing in 1969, with the birth of James Ansley Granade III who graduated from Lakeside High School, UGA, and the Medical College of Georgia School of Dentistry. Jimmy, his wife Phyllis, and their young son, Jay, are the ones building the pretty cabin retreat, and . . . you read all about them last week. I do want to mention that Phyllis was pictured in the business section of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution last Sunday.

Jim and Janet's youngest, Jonathan Granade, was born in 1974. After graduating from Tucker High School and UGA, he attended Emory University School of Law; received his Doctor of Law degree in 1999. As a law student, he interned for Presiding Judge William LeRoy McMurray Jr. of the Georgia Court of Appeals and the United States Attorney's Office. He became a member of the State Bar of Georgia in 1999; moved to the farm and began his career as law clerk to Chief Judge E. Purnell Davis II and Judge Roger W. Dunaway Jr. of the Superior Courts of the Toombs Judicial Circuit.

Appointed assistant district attorney, by District Attorney Dennis C. Sanders, Jonathan prosecuted hundreds of cases on behalf of the state, primarily in McDuffie, Taliaferro and Wilkes counties. "It was a pleasure to work with the best prosecuting attorneys and judges in Georgia. I appreciate all the on-the-job training I received from them."

In August of 2001, Jonathan married Samantha Dougherty of Augusta at the First Baptist Church in Washington. They lived on the farm, and Samantha attended Augusta State University, graduating in 2003 with a Bachelor of Business in Administration Degree. They moved back to Atlanta but still spend as much time on the farm as they can.

As a member of the law firm of Casey Gilson Leibel P.C., he represents individuals and businesses, plaintiffs and defendants in his law practice, which focuses on civil litigation with an emphasis on cases involving wrongful death, personal injury, medical malpractice, premises liability, and business litigation. He says, "I am pleased to get a good result for someone who deserves it, but I miss working on a regular basis with friends and colleagues in the Toombs Circuit."

Samantha is a real estate agent with Harry Norman Realtors. They live in Dunwoody where they are enjoying the newest member of the Granade family, their precious Ansley Marie Granade, born August 31, 2005. Jonathan says they look forward to teaching Ansley about her Wilkes County Ancestry. "Buster" belongs to Samantha, Ansley and Jonathan.

Jim is well-known for being able to do a lot of things. His wife credits his ability to handle all things well with growing up on the farm where hard work, ingenuity, and patience were necessary.

Jim is involved with organizations of his profession. He is a member of, and held/holds many positions in the Board of Directors of the Georgia Dental Insurance Services, Northern District Dental Society, and the Georgia Dental Education Foundation. He is a member of the Academy of General Dentistry, the Hinman Executive Council, the Georgia Academy of Dental Practice; and is a Fellow of the American College of Dentists and the International College of Dentists.

Like his father, who was a member of the Washington Rotary Club, Jim is a Rotarian. He is a charter member of Northlake Rotary Club, with a perfect attendance of 27 years. He has served as president, vice-president, secretary, treasurer, as director of committees and services; was state endowment trustee for the Georgia Student Program, 1992-2001, and club endowment trustee, 1992-present.

Jim has been a delegate to Rotary International conventions in Munich, Germany; Nice, France; Glasgow, Scotland; Indianapolis, IN; and San Antonio, TX. He is a Paul Harris Fellow, Will Watt Fellow, Hue Thomas Fellow, Kendall Weisiger Fellow. They have hosted students, Rotarians, and families in Rotary Exchange Programs. Colin and Cynthia Smith, British Rotarians from Washington, England, enjoyed Granade hospitality while spending several days on the farm with Jim's parents, James A. and Elizabeth Granade. The families kept in touch for a long time.

First of the Granades' many trips abroad was when Jim, Elizabeth, Jim Jr., Janet, and seven-year-old Jimmy III, went to visit Nancy, recipient of a Rotary Scholarship, who was studying in Germany.

Jim and Janet's first trip together, after their honeymoon to Lookout Mountain, was a road trip with the Rileys to the Grand Canyon, Bryce and Zion, Carlsbad Caverns, and places in-between. Jimmy III's first trip was to see Cousin Helen Woodbury in Florida at about 10 months. He was with his parents and the Rileys for a trip to Canada when he was three. Jon started traveling at an even earlier age. He was three months when he, his brother and parents went to Hilton Head. His first big trip was to Germany and the Netherlands when he was five; Jimmy was 10.

There is no way to tell about all of their trips, many with the family, some with their traveling buddies - Janet's sister and brother-in-law, Elsie and Bill "Bucky" Purcell, and friends Teresa and Everett Bennett. Many are wrapped around meetings of dental organizations mentioned above. They say, "Our best trip is always the last one we took."

They have visited the Parthenon on the Acropolis in Athens (one of Janet's favorites); have enjoyed the Island of Poros with Cousin Helen Granade Woodbury; have flown to the top of Mount McKinley. Janet wasn't frightened until she learned the plane had no brakes.

Last year they enjoyed several trips. The whole family went to Montana and Yellowstone in January and to England in the spring; to Ponte Vedre, Florida, in May; to Reynolds Plantation; to Alaska in June. December saw them in Chicago in a foot of snow, which was beautiful.

Jim is a great photographer. Janet and Bucky also enjoy photography. They have beautiful photographs of their travels and of scenes around their Beaverdam homes - many of gorgeous sunsets. Jim can spot wildlife while driving or from a plane. He has great photographs of wildlife, including a picture of one of the 100 wolves in Denali, with a ptarmigan in its mouth; pictures of goats taken on their approach to the Matterhorn, of bear and eagle in Alaska, and of a Beaverdam hawk in flight.

On their cabin's dining room wall are six beautiful pictures of houses in Gerberoy, France. Janet says Gerberoy is one of France's most beautiful villages. "We were on a quest with Elsie and Bucky to see how many of these small villages we could find and photograph. Bill and Jim stood shoulder-to-shoulder to get the good shots on many trips - to France, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, and the American West."

All of their trips are educational. The England trip was planned by Jimmy to appeal to the family history buffs. They stopped outside Nottingham and saw the Annesley family manor house - Annesley Hall, the church and cemetery next to it, both in ruins but still attractive. The Annsleys came to America. This branch became Ansley before they reached Wrightsboro in McDuffie County, where Thomas Ansley built the still-standing Rock House in 1782.

Jim's great-great-grandmother, Rebecca Ansley, born June 28, 1809 (June 28 is Jimmy's birthday.), married Adam Granade in 1830. Their son Columbus Granade married Nancy Beck in 1856. Their son was T.A. Granade, who built the white house, where Jim Jr. grew up, in 1886. Jimmy and Jon do love history.

The family enjoys keeping up with local cousins who lived on the farm, Elizabeth Granade (Mrs. Olin) Lindsey and Vivian Granade (Mrs. Erskine) Wickersham. The farm was recognized in 1994 as a Centennial Family Farm by the Georgia Trust for having been continuously in operation by the same family for over 100 years.

They visited Wylie, Sussex, where Thomas Lunsford was born, and saw the bullet hole in East Hoathly Church where the bullet he fired at his cousin is still lodged. He and his cousin had been feuding for several years. Thomas Lunsford left England and settled in Virginia. He died in 1653. Lunsfords eventually moved to Wilkes County. They visited Old Whyly, the home of the Lunsford family since the 12th century. Jay enjoyed riding one of the real steam engines from Thomas the Tank Engine, known as the Duke Dog.

Samantha's mother, Diane Powell, and her sister Sandy (Mrs. Brian) McKinney live in Augusta. Her dad, Richard Dougherty, lives in West Virginia. Mrs. Powell still has family in England. Samantha and Jon visited her great uncle, Kenny Potter in Bungay, Suffolk. He shared a lot of family history and photographs and showed her a silver cup won by her great-great grandfather, Jimmy Fisher, in 1895 in a "drawing match," (plowing contest). He gave a tour of Bungay and took them to All Saints Church, where Jimmy Fisher and Samantha's great grandparents, Clement and Ella May Potter, are buried.

Jim and Janet recently returned from Hawaii and a meeting of the Mainland Advisory Council (MAC) of Hawaii Baptist Academy. They are among the Christian supporters who believe in, and are committed to ensuring the school's financial well-being. They love what they are doing; enjoy friendship with Dr. and Mrs. Dan Kong, the teachers and students. Royce Miyahara was their delightful student host last month. They appreciate a book of student essays which was presented to them. Nina Nomura's begins, "I have accepted Jesus into my heart. Jesus brings love and peace to people. . ."

They became involved with the council 15 years ago and support the school through prayer, money and encouragement of the students through visits and letters. The K-12 co-educational, private school was begun in 1949 by Baptist missionaries. Affiliated with the Hawaii Pacific Baptist Convention, it is located on two campuses in Nuuanu Valley near downtown Honolulu. The council was organized in February 1977. Dr. Jimmy Waters of Macon served as co-chairman for the first six years.

They say many of the students have Buddhist or Hindu backgrounds, that teachers make sure the 1000+ students know about Jesus before leaving the school. Almost 100% of the students go on to college. There are scholarships. "We are a Great Commission school. Our desire is for everyone in the world to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ . . ." begins the school mission statement. The Granades' pastor at Smoke Rise Baptist Church, where other people are involved in the MAC, is Dr. Robert Browning.

Jim and Janet have many treasures from their trips. A funny one is a beautiful, hand-painted, stone table they found in Ravello, Italy. They enjoy eating on it every warm morning. In Stowe, England, they found a wonderful, 1785 long-case clock from Ireland, made by James Wilson. It arrived at their home in what appeared to be a coffin.

They have a collection of beautiful wooden bowls, made by Ed Moulthrop and his son Phillip of Atlanta. Jim and Janet had a very close friendship with the father, who died in 2003. He was a master woodturner of large bowls made of Southern woods. His work can be found in many museums, in the White House, and the palace of Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands.

Jim also enjoys timber farming and antique cars like his and his sons' 1914 Hudson seven-passenger touring car, which is like the first car bought by T. A. Granade for his family.

Volumes could be written about the Beaverdam Granades, but I'll stop now, with good wishes for all. They really do love Wilkes County.