William Wade Brewton (1891-1972) was born in Lumpkin, Georgia, to Henry Caughey Brewton (1852-1934) and Martha Jane Culpepper (1859-1903). He served in the Georgia National Guard in the Mexican Border Campaign, and subsequently in World War I. After his service, Brewton attended Emory University, and then began a journalism career as a reporter for the Macon News and Telegraph. He then became a police reporter for The Atlanta Georgian, working his way up to front page daily columnist and city editor. In addition to journalism, Brewton was an attorney under the Georgia Bar in Fort Valley, and also served as legal secretary to Judge James K. Hines. He also published several books, including The Son of Thunder: An Epic of the South, The Life of Thomas E. Watson, and The South Must Publish Her Own Books: An Exposé. He and his wife, Frances Marion (1897-?), had two children, Barbara Ann and John B. (1929-?).