USA > Mississippi > Lowndes County > Columbus > A history of Columbus, Mississippi, during the 19th century > Part 5
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Old Mr. Jimmy Vaughn, grandfather of G. W. Vaughn, settled the place near Vaughn church, where David John Ussery now lives. His son, John Vaughn, settled the Alf Perkins place. He owned the first water mill in that sec- tion of the county. It was located on Cooper's creek, near the residence of Dr. R. K. Lee. George McCown settled the place now known as the Robert Harris place in 1820, and his son, John McCown, settled the Thos. Kidd place, now owned by W. A. Harris.
Robert Hawkins put up the first mill on Yellow Creek, known as Kidd's mill. He settled the Wiggins place on the Seed-tick road and then moved to the Bob Swanzy place. Ira L. Wheat settled and made some improvements on Glory Hill above Judge Sampson's place, and sold it to Abram Groves, father of R. M. Groves, for a pony.
Uncle Tommy Smith, oldest man in the county (1878) settled the place on which he now lives. Cooper, father-in- law of Tommy Smith, settled the State line place.
The land on which the village of Caledonia is situated was entered by Uncle Billy Gallagher, and afterwards settled on and improved by Captain Robert Dowdle. The first store in Caledonia was kept by George Fry, who afterwards became the senior member of the firm of Fry, Bliss, & Com- pany, of Mobile, Ala. It was Mr. Fry who brought to Cale- donia the seed of the famous Rodden apple. Robert Dowdle, W. G. Wright, and Thomas Wiggins established the Caledonia bank, a bank of issue. Mr. Warren Gardner, our present county treasurer (1901) has in his possession one of the notes of this bank.
El Bethel, primitive Baptist church was the first church built in this section. It was organized by Rev. Henry Petty
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and others in 1823. Unity church (Presbyterian) was built of hewn logs in 1828, where the present building now stands, by a man named Furr, who was paid by neighborhood con- tributors.
Andrew Egger, Sr., settled the place now occupied by Billy Egger. Giles McElroy, a famous bear hunter, grand- father of J. W. McElroy, of Columbus, settled the place now owned by Mrs. M. E. Kennon. In those days bears were as abundant in Buttahatchie bottoms as hogs are now. The whole bottom was a vast cane brake. The citizens were forced to keep their calves and pigs confined in pens near their dwellings and with that precaution could raise but few. Mr. McElroy kept a pack of savage cur dogs and the dog that failed to wade in when Bruin was brought to bay never saw home again. But if he fought, his master, who was a powerful man, dispatched the bear with his knife and carried his wounded dog in his arms.
In 1820, John Egger, known as "Shot-gun John," settled the place that Aunt Savilla Egger now lives on. "Shot-gun John" held crab grass in about the same favor the people of the present do cocoa, or nut grass. It is said of him that he was accustomed to pick the grass seed from the teeth of his horse and to wash his horses feet upon reaching home when he had reason to believe he had fed on it or had been where it existed. W. E. Egger, Sr., father of Uncle Billy Egger, who died a short time since, settled the place that Dexter Andy Egger now lives on.
Dan Seale sold his place to L. M. Hatch (of Columbus) and there Marcellus W. Hatch, of Hatch's corner, was born.
Sandy Mayo, father to Dr. Thomas Mayo, of Columbus, settled on the Wolf road, at present the residence of Dr. Tho- mas. He bought and improved the George Givins Mill, the first mill on Buttahatchie.
Jacob Swofford settled the Witt place now owned and occupied by Henry Barrentine. It is said John Swofford introduced crab grass into the country, having brought the seed from Tennessee. William G. Wright, Robert Murphey, and his son-in-law, Andy Dowdle, built the first mill where Shedd and Nichols' mill now stands.
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"Old Granny" Roden, her son James, and two daughters were probably the first settlers in the Caledonia neighborhood. They settled the old place adjoining the farm of "Aunt Becky" Egger. "Granny" Roden invariably wore a man's shirt and hat, and was held in awe by all the youngsters of her day. A threat to hand them over to "Granny" Roden never failed to receive obedience.
Mrs. Gaston, the mother of Elihu Scott, J. N. and J. T. Gaston, settled the place owned by James Conn.
In 1818, David Alsop settled the place on which Andrew Stephenson lives. John Stephenson, the father of Robert, Abe, and Dan Stephenson, settled the place on which their mother now lives.
Uncle Billy Verner in 1817 settled the place on which Ed Hutchinson now lives. James Sullivan, brother-in-law of Maj. Richard Barry, settled the Shields farm.
Nearly all the Caledonia neighborhood described was pre-empted by the settlers named prior to the land sales at Tuscaloosa, whereby several were entered out.
The following facts will interest the citizens of the eastern part of the county: Silas McBee, who settled the farm at the mouth of McBee creek in 1817, was the father-in-law of Thomas Sampson, Bartlett Sims, Thos. H. Williams and Tilghman M. Tucker.
The upper Tuscaloosa road was opened in 1822.
Conrad Hackleman settled the Barksdale, or Mills place, hence the name of the slough running by it, Hackleman slough. Thomas Cooper, father of Cincinatus Cooper, settled the Dr. Ervin place.
About 1826 or 1827, a large number of immigrants moved into the section between the Luxapalila and Yellow creeks. They were generally Methodists, and in 1828 organized the first Methodist church in Lowndes county known as Piney Grove church. Tabernacle (Methodist) church, situated near by on the Alabama line, was also organized in 1828, and made this section the stronghold of Methodism in the early history of the county. These two church buildings and societies antedated the Columbus Methodist Church about four years. The following local preachers assisted in the organization of Piney Grove church; Revs. John Booth,
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(afterwards a dentist in Columbus,) Reuben and Elijah San- ders, Roddy Smith, Stephen McReynolds, William Belk, Felix Wood and Stephen Tunnell. The charter members were Revs. Reuben and Elijah Sanders, Absalom Sims, Mr. Brewton, Washington Gray, Roddy Smith and his son-in-law, Rev. Martin Sims, "Uncle Martin," and their families. Rev. Mr. Gray was Capt. Flood's uncle. His mother, Jane Flood, and her sister, Victoria Gray, were also charter members.
In 1832, Rev. Felix Wood brought with him into this section a large number of immigrants, among whom were the Tunnells, Belks, Dukes, Fosters, Harrells, Boswells, Mitch- ells, Sparks, Wrights, Tennysons, Lusks, Stidhams, Arnolds, Lyons, McGowans, Fords, Skinners, and Youngs, and 1834 and 35 came the Bucks, Philips, Lesters, Harringtons, and Aaron C. Bangs.
Friendship Church and camp ground and Pleasant Grove (Vaughn's Church) and camp ground were organized about 1838, and were the outgrowths of the Piney Grove church. At Vaughn's camp ground, Judge Thomas A. Sampson, Capt. Wm. Neilson, and Capt. E. B. Randolph were converted and joined the Methodist church at that place. Capt. Wm. Neilson was buried at Vaughn's burying ground.
THE FOLLOWING FACTS ARE FOR THE SOUTHERN PORTION OF THE COUNTY.
John Mullen, father of John M. and Perry, settled the Townsend or Early Hendricks place. James Boswell, father of Ira M. Boswell, about 1820, settled the place adjoining. A man named McCrory settled near the Blue Springs near the mouth of the creak that bears his name. Samuel Willlesford,
Capt. Neilson and Capt. Randolph were old army men between whom a warm friendship existed. Early one morning it was reported to Capt. Neilson that some of his cattle were missing. Without waiting to get on his coat and hat he hastened to the cattle pen where he saw indications of Indian depredations. Following the trail for some miles into the deep woods his attention was arrested by voices singing. Drawing nearer he came upon a board shelter where the Rev. George Shaeffer was earnestly exhorting sinners to repentence. Seeing Capt. Randolph respond to the invitation for prayers, Capt. Neilson, with- out a moments hesitation, followed his friend and as he gave his hand to the preacher he said: "What's good for Ned Randolph is good for me"-a beautiful example this of true friendship .- EDITOR.
RESIDENCE OF WILLIAM BALDWIN, ESQ.
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father of Lawson, settled a farm and kept a ferry across the Luxappalila just above the Ben Taylor fish trap. Gustavus Hendricks, father of Early Hendricks, settled in the same neigh- borhood and was murdered by two of his slaves, George and Squire, who were hanged near Columbus on the Pickensville road. These were the first public executions in Lowndes county. Samuel Little and Cornelius Snider settled near the Lott Laws or Stallings place and built the old mill which stood beyond the Huddleston Ford. The Spruills settled near Concord Meiho- dist church, and afterwards moved to Pickens county, Ala., on McBee creek near Tabernacle church. A man named Young, a blacksmith, settled Nashville and the bluff was then called by his name. This bluff became quite an import- ant shipping and trading point. Some northern merchants settled there and brought out larger stocks of goods than any that were in Columbus, and Nashville was looked upon as a prospective rival, but very high and frequent overflows caused its abandonment. A ferry is still continued in that place.
The ridge between the Nashville and Pickensville roads on which many of the earliest farms were located, was called the "Mulatto ridge" from the color of the soil. Abner Nash settled the Dr. Craddock place.
John McClanahan, grand-father of W. D. Humphries, settled the Eubanks place near Choctaw Springs.
James Brownlee settled on the big hill north of Ellis Creek, on the Pickensville road, and his son, John Brownlee, the place now owned by R. B. Ellis. Micajah Brooks, father of Madison, Matthew, Thomas, and Mrs. Charles Baskerville settled the Sparks place.
Prior to 1837, on the Tuscaloosa road, at the place where Blewett's bridge was built, a ferry was established by Tapley Oldham and Kincaid, which was the principal crossing over the Luxapalila. The Old Zion church was organized in 1823 and held its first meetings in the Zion school house, taught by William Nash. The membership afterwards built a church, which became a center of Baptist influence and had a member- ship which occupied the adjoining territory in Lowndes and Pickens counties. In 1825, their membership amounted to 300 or 400.
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Revs. Henry Petty and William Cook were the first presbyters or pastors. The Rev. Henry Petty was a man of strong character and great ability. He was the leading spirit of the Baptist churches in this part of the State. He was the grandfather of Mrs. Moses B. Smith and great grand- father of Mrs. James Irion and Mrs. Nellie Blair. The original records of this church are still extant and from them these data were taken.
The Concord Methodist church at a later date was organ- ized by the Seals, Jordans, and others. The Seal camp ground held its first meeting in 1840.
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CHAPTER VIII. 1830-LOWNDES COUNTY ORGANIZED-COLUMBUS THE THE COUNTY SITE-EARLY FACTS-LAND SALES.
In January 1830, Lowndes county was organized out of the southern portion of Monroe county, south of the Butta- hatchie and east of the Tombigbee rivers. The following citizens were appointed commissioners to select a county site: Samuel Lauderdale, William H. Craven, Chas. H. Abert, George Goode, Titus Howard, Edward B. Randolph, and Henry Greer, Sr. This same act provided that the courts of the county should be held in Columbus until a court house should be erected. Without any recorded opposition, Colum- bus was chosen as the county site.
In October, 1831, a commission elected to locate the public buildings of the county at the county site, was com- posed of the following persons: Thomas Sampson, Richard Barry, Samuel D. Lauderdale, John Mullen and William W. Neilson, who contracted with Robert D. Haden, president, and George Shaeffer, secretary of the board of selectmen of the town of Columbus for lots 1 and 2, square No. 8 north of Main Street for a site for the court house, jail, etc. This square had been reserved in the original survey as a public square. The conditions of the contract was that the ground should be free from all rent or lease as long as the county used it for the specified purposes. The original deed or con- veyance is still in existence and is the property of Hon. James C. Neilson, son of William W. Neilson, one of the commis- sioners.
The first court house was built in 1832, by a county tax and a subscription by the citizens of Columbus, as the town was not subject to a tax of any kind. This latter fact appears in the books of Abert and Shaeffer, merchants of Columbus in 1832, in which an entry occurs, paying a subscription of $25 each for building the court house. This book is still extant and is a good guide to the names of citizens and other facts in the history of Columbus at that time. The book 5
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is the property of Col. George W. Abert, son of Charles H. Abert, member of the firm of Abert and Shaeffer.
The first officers in Lowndes county were: Nimrod Davis, sheriff; William Dowsing, circuit clerk; Robert D. Haden, probate clerk; Thomas O. Sampson, probate judge; Isaac R. Nicholson, circuit judge. The first probate court was held in February, 1830, in the house of Joseph Bryan, on the southwest corner of Main and Franklin Streets. The first circuit court was held the second Monday in May 1830, in a store house where the Columbus Clothing store now stands, 1901. The lawyers in attendance at this court were: Stephen Cocke, J. F. Trotter and T. M. Tucker. The records of the circuit court of Lowndes county are in a good state of preser- vation from 1830 to the present time. The records of the chancery court are also in a good state of preservation. Deed book, No. 1 is a transcript of books 1, 2, 3, and 15, from 1832 to 1857. Original land entries are in book No. 12, pages 1 to 96. Deeds transferred from Monroe county to Lowndes county records are in a special book for that purpose. All these books have been indexed and an abstract of title can be easily obtained from the present time back to the original patent or sale. The writer of these chapters is indebted to Messrs. Cooper and Moore for much courtesy and assistance.
The first court house was located on the southwest corner of the present court house square. It was a plain two-story brick building about forty by sixty feet in dimensions. The lower story was occupied as a court room, the east half, being used for court purposes, while the west half was entirely empty, except a stairway to the offices above. The entrances were by central doors on the north, south and west. In 1847, the present spacious, commodious, and remarkably well built structure superseded the old building. It was erected by James S. Lull, architect.
After 1830, the town of Columbus increased very rapidly in population, and buildings of every kind. Hotels and board-
Dr. Franklin was born in the city of New York, where, after graduating from Yale College, and subsequently getting the degree of M. D., he practiced his profession for a number of years. Failing health led him to come South. In 1835 he settled in Columbus, where he established a successful mercantile business, occupying a part of the site on which the First State Bank now stands .- EDITOR.
DR. SIDNEY S. FRANKLIN. (1806-1886.)
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ing houses, stores of all kinds of merchandise, and shops for mechanics and artisans were huriedly and rapidly erected. Public attention, especially in the states of Tennessee, Vir- ginia, North and South Carolina was attracted to Columbus on account of its location immediately on the border of the great Choctaw nation which had just been purchased by the United States from all the Indians by a treaty in the fall of 1830 at Dancing Rabbit creek. The general government had commenced a survey of these lands and was prosecuting it with all possible rapidity. That part of the Choctaw nation immediately west of Columbus was composed of large and very fertile prairie lands and especially adapted to the growth of cotton, which had become the leading staple of Southern production. As soon as the survey was concluded, all the Choctaw purchase was organized into counties by legislative enactment, at which time the boundaries of Lowndes county were very materially enlarged. Beginning at the mouth of Buttahatchie creek, the northern boundary was extended west, to the northeast corner of Oktibbeha county, thence south along its eastern boundary to the northwest corner of Noxubee county, thence east to the Noxubee line to the Tom- bigbee River, thus doubling its former area. The establish- ment of the land office for the sale of the lands in the Choctaw purchase, at Columbus, greatly increased its importance and made it a center of attraction to land speculators and those wish ng to make settlements thereon.
These land sales being most important events it is deemed proper to compile, for historical use, a description of these sales and the circumstances attending them. As soon as the survey was made and the records satisfactorily deposited in the offices of the government, the president of the United States issued his proclamation appointing the time and place for the land sales. The land sales were to continue for a period of two weeks. The number of townships and sections to be sold were specified definitely in the proclamation of the president, and the sale was limited to parcels of 1-4 of a section or 160 acres at each offer. They were offered by an auctioneer at public outcry to the highest bidder, a speci- fied amount being named as the lowest bid to be received. In case of the Choctaws this amount was $2.00 per acre. The
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sales of Choctaw lands occurred in Columbus, Miss., in 1834-6 and were continued for two weeks at each special sale, and repeated from time to time as the president's proclamation directed. It is charged that great frauds were committed by purchasers or bidders combining not to bid against each other, although these frauds were forbidden by law under heavy penalties. Messrs. Buckner, Harris, and Boyd were respectively the first registers and receivers. Nimrod Davis of Columbus, former sheriff, was the auctioneer.
These sales were unsatisfactory-both to the government and the purchaser, or those wishing to purchase, on account of the short time allowed for examination and selection be- tween the survey and the sales. Great advantage was given to land speculators and those having large sums of money, in obtaining information from traders and Indian agents in the location of the best lands. Another drawback was the reluctance on the part of the Choctaw Indians to leave their lands, many of them pretending to remain for the purpose of availing themselves of the homestead offer to the Dancing Rabbit treaty. It is also charged that the United States commissioners were intentionally or negligently remiss in furnishing the Indians opportunities for locating their reser- vations. The Chicksaw land sales occurred at Pontotoc, Miss., beginning January 1st, 1836. Important differences existed between the terms of purchase of the Chickasaw and Choctaw lands by the general government. The Choctaw lands were purchased by the government for a stipulated amount of money payable in annual installments, and very large reservations of lands allowed to their chiefs and families, as well as a given reservation of land to each Choctaw Indian who desired to remain and become an American citizen.
The Chickasaw lands were sold for the Chickasaw tribes, the expenses of survey and sale by the United States to be deducted therefrom.
The influx of land speculators and persons desiring to examine and purchase these lands began to flow into Columbus many months before the land sales. The hotels and boarding- houses were crowded to the utmost limit of their accommo- dation. Rooms and bedsteads were almost unattainable. A place to eat and room enough on the floor to sleep were the
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best that could be obtained. The houses of most of the citi- zens were converted into boarding houses, and many com- panies of friends brought with them their own tents and pro- visions.
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CHAPTER IX. THE REMOVAL OF THE INDIANS - THE PYTCHLYNS - EARLY SETTLERS IN LOWNDES COUNTY WEST OF THE TOMBIGBEE RIVER.
The treaty with the United States government required the Choctaw Indians to move one fourth of their number during the fall of 1831; one fourth during the fall of 1832 and the balance during 1833. Those who lived within the limits of Lowndes county moved in 1832. The late Mr. James Prowell Sr., then a youth of about eighteen years of age, accompanied this detachment as far as Memphis, Tenn., having charge of his father's wagons which were engaged in their removal. The cholera was epidemic in Memphis at that time and hastened his return home. Among the Indians who remained in Lowndes county, accepting the reservation of land allowed them by the terms of this treaty, were the noted family of Pytchlyns. John Pylchlyn Sr., was an En- glishman by birth and began to live among the Choctaws Indians soon after the Revolutionary war. He was for forty years before the Dancing Rabbit treaty, (1830) an interpreter for the United States government. He resided on the west side of the Robinson road about four and a half miles from Columbus, Miss., on the plantation owned by Maj. Richard T. Brownrigg, father of Dr. John Brownrigg and Mrs. Wad- dell, of this city. Major Brownrigg lived in the house built and occupied by Maj. Jack Pytchlyn, as he was familiarly called; it was a large house of twelve or fourteen rooms, very
GENERAL RICHARD THOMAS BROWNRIGG.
General Brownrigg emmigrated from North Carolina in 1836 from near Edenton and Albermarle Sound. When he arrived in Mississippi with his family he went to the home he had bought the year before, on the Robertson Road, five miles from Columbus. This house, of twelve rooms, had been built by Jack Pytchland, Chief of the Choctaw Indians. The Indian burying ground was on an elevation and had been reserved in the sale of the large plantation, but General Brownrigg kept it in good order as long as he lived. After living on this plantation for three years, he moved to Columbus, where he built a large house. He was prominent in his church, the Episcopal, and was a most enthusiastic Whig. He was respected and loved by all who knew him and a noted infidel once said of him, "his life is the best
GEN. R. T. BROWNRIGG.
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comfortable, and commanded a fine view of the Robinson road, and the prairies in front and south. The Pytchlyn burial ground was situated within the home enclosure, pro- tected by a picket fence, and was kept in repair by Maj. Brown- rigg until he moved to Columbus in 1839. The plantation is now owned by Mr. Robert Williams. The residence is all gone and only a few elm trees mark the grave yard. The reservation of land, about 6000 acres, owned by the Pytchlyn family, extended from the M. and O. branch railroad, crossing on both sides of the Robinson road, as far as the present store of Col. W. D. Humphries. The Pytchlyn family sold all their land to white settlers prior to 1836.
Maj. Jack Pytchlyn had four sons and several daughters. He had two sons by his first wife, (a half breed Choctaw) Peter and Jack, and two by his last, Silas and Thomas. His second wife was a widow with grown sons. Peter Pytchlyn lived on the plantation afterward called Longwood, the resi- dence of Hon. Joseph B. Cobb, near Cobb Switch, (the resi- dence of Hon. John W. L. Smith).
Jack Pytchlyn lived at the family homestead, and in an altercation at the breakfeast table or at a social gathering in the neighborhood killed his step-brother with a blow of his tomahawk. His step-mother was absent from home at the time; on her return she avenged the death of her son by securing the murder of Jack Pytchlyn by persons hired for that purpose. He was murdered near Old Hamilton or Cotton Gin Port. Some of the Pytchlyn daughters or grand- › daughters were educated at the old Franklin Academy, to which school they rode every day on their Indian ponies; others were educated at Nashville, Tenn., and corresponded with their white friends and neighbors, the elder Prowells and Canfields with whom they were well acquainted.
proof of the Christian religion that I know." He was a most humane master and the love between him and his slaves was beautiful.
General Brownrigg was the father of Dr. John Brownrigg, Mrs. E. B. Waddell (the mother of H. M. Waddell, a man beloved and res- pected by the people of Columbus). General Brownrigg's two other sons, Thomas and Richard, also served with distinction in the Confed- erate army. Richard was killed in Louisiana while an officer on Gen- eral Sibley's staff. Another daughter, Sarah, married Chancellor La- fayette Haughton, of Aberdeen, Miss.
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Peter Pytchlyn, after the sale of his lands in Lowndes county, moved to the Choctaw Nation west of the Mississippi River, was for many years representative of that nation in Washington.
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