▁ 1 , ▁ 1 8 9 5 , ▁in ▁Center ▁Point , ▁Ark ansas . ▁He ▁attended ▁Young ▁Harris ▁College , ▁and ▁settled ▁in ▁C airo . ▁R ivers ▁also ▁obtained ▁a ▁law ▁degree ▁through ▁La ▁S alle ▁Ext ension ▁University . ▁A ▁Dem ocrat , ▁R ivers ▁served ▁as ▁a ▁Justice ▁of ▁the ▁Peace , ▁C airo ▁City ▁Att orney , ▁and ▁Gr ady ▁County ▁Att orney . ▁He ▁later ▁moved ▁to ▁Mill town ▁( now ▁called ▁Lak eland ) ▁to ▁become ▁editor ▁of ▁the ▁Lan ier ▁County ▁News . ▁ ▁Career ▁R ivers ▁was ▁elected ▁to ▁the ▁Georgia ▁House ▁of ▁Representatives ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 4 ▁and ▁to ▁the ▁Georgia ▁State ▁Senate ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 6 . ▁In ▁ 1 9 2 8 ▁and ▁ 1 9 3 0 , ▁R ivers ▁was ▁an ▁un success ful ▁candidate ▁for ▁the ▁Democratic ▁nom ination ▁for ▁Governor . ▁In ▁ 1 9 3 2 , ▁he ▁ran ▁for ▁the ▁Georgia ▁House ▁of ▁Representatives . ▁He ▁was ▁elected ▁Spe aker ▁of ▁the ▁Georgia ▁House ▁of ▁Representatives , ▁serving ▁from ▁ 1 9 3 3 ▁to ▁ 1 9 3 7 . ▁ ▁His ▁election ▁as ▁governor ▁came ▁after ▁a ▁storm y ▁Democratic ▁primary ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 6 ▁in ▁which ▁the ▁race ▁served ▁as ▁a ▁sur rog ate ▁refer endum ▁on ▁US ▁President ▁Franklin ▁Ro ose vel t ' s ▁New ▁De al . ▁Since ▁Georgia ▁did ▁not ▁allow ▁three ▁consecutive ▁terms , ▁Governor ▁Eug ene ▁Tal mad ge