A history of Mississippi : from the discovery of the great river, Part 49

Author: Lowry, Robert, 1830-1910; McCardle, William H
Publication date: 1891
Publisher: Jackson, Miss. : R.H. Henry & Co.
Number of Pages: 674


USA > Mississippi > A history of Mississippi : from the discovery of the great river > Part 49


Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).


Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57


550


HISTORY OF MISSISSIPPI.


Barry, Speaker of the lower branch of the State Legislature, member of Congress, colonel in the Confederate army, and one of the most eloquent and accomplished men of his day ; Hugh Montgomery, the father of Colonel W. B. Montgom- ery, the latter an accomplished scholar and the most success- ful raiser of fine cattle in the South; Thomas W. Dillard, now eighty-three years of age, the father of State Senator Geo. G. Dillard, who has been twice elected to the State Senate from Noxubee, and also a member of the Constitutional Convention of 1890; Stephen E. Nash, father of Hon. Wiley N. Nash, ex-Dis- trict Attorney and prominent lawyer of the county; Hampton H. Gray, Jas. W. Ervin, Chas. F. Miller and C. T. Montgomery.


Among the first lawyers were Major Livingston Mims, now a prominent citizen of Atlanta, Georgia, formerly State Senator; Chas. F. Miller, Stephen E. Nash, C. J. Sullivan, Hampton H. Gay, Jas. W. Erwin and others, whose sons and daughters have emulated the virtues of their sturdy ancestors, and whose intel- ligence and patriotism have been alike creditable at home and abroad.


The principal towns beside Starkville are Whitefield, Salem and Montgomery.


The principal streams in the county are Noxubee river, Chinca, Talking Warrior, Red Bull, Sand and Trim Cane Creeks.


The railroads are the Illinois Central and the Mobile and Ohio.


Oktibbeha county has 120,903 acres of cleared land; average value per acre, $4.98 ; total value, including incorporated towns, $811,821.


The population of the county, as shown by the census report of 1890: Whites, 5,585; colored, 12,109; total, 17,694.


SENATORS.


REPRESENTATIVES.


1835 1836


1837 James Walton.


Alden S. Bayley.


John G. Skinner.


1839 James Walton.


John P. Thompson.


1840 James Walton.


Richard Ellett.


1841 James Walton.


Spencer O. Harrington.


1842 James Walton.


1843 Littleberry Gillum.


1844 John H. Williams.


1846 John H. Williams.


W. R. Cannon.


S. A. Harrington.


1850 W. R. Cannon.


1852-'53 R. G. Steele.


1854 R. G. Steele.


Henry Gibson.


H. W. Norton.


1838 James Walton.


1848 W. R. Cannon.


W. S. Barry.


W. S. Barry. E. R. Burt.


551


HISTORY OF MISSISSIPPI.


1856 J. W. Rice. 1857 Chas. R. Jordan.


Robert Muldrow. Robert Muldrow.


Samuel H. Daniel.


1858 J. V. Harris. 1859-'60 J. V. Harris. 1861 J. V. Harris.


W. H. Merrinar.


Chas. Merrinar.


1861-'62 Moses Jordan.


Chas. F. Miller.


B. L. Cromwell. Geo. H. Holland, D. Higgins,


· 1865-'66-'67 Chas. F. Miller. 1870-'71 C. A. Sullivan, Robert Gleed. 1872-'73 C. A. Sullivan, Robert Gleed.


Geo. H. Holland, R. Nettles.


1874 C. A. Sullivan, Gleed.


Robert Benjamin Chiles, A. Boyd.


1874-'75 N. B. Bridges, Robert Gleed.


Benjamin Chiles, A. Boyd.


1876-'77 W. H. Sims, Barry. F. G. Henry L. Muldrow, Benjamin Chiles.


1878 F. G. Barry. Jesse S. Montgomery, Wm. R. Rainey. J. G. Carroll, Wm. R. Rainey.


1880 John L. Crigler.


1882 John L. Crigler. J. S. Montgomery, Thos. J. Wood.


1884 H. L. Burkitt. J. S. Montgomery, Wiley N. Nash.


T. B. Carroll, J. H. Askew.


1886 H. L. Burkitt, J. W. Bar- ron. 1888 A. A. Montgomery, J. W. J. G. Carroll, J. H. Askew. Barron.


1890 A. A. Montgomery, J. R. S. O. Muldrow, R. P. Washington. Nolen.


CHAPTER XXXI.


PANOLA COUNTY


W AS established February 9th 1836. By an act of the Legislature, passed the 14th of February, 1836, A. B. Saunders, Chas. Bowen, B. W. Wilson, and John C. Henderson were appointed commissioners to organize the county.


Among the early settlers of the county were Orville Harrison, D. J. Goff, E. Q. Vance, father of Hon. C. B. Vance, who rep- resented the county in the State Senate in 1878 and 1880 ; Gar- land G. Nelson, John Rayburn, who was first Senator from the county ; David Mckinney, Thos. B. Hill, both of whom repre- sented the county in the lower branch of the Legislature ; Jeff J. Meek, John R. Dickens, W. B. Dickens; the family of Killa- brew, R. N. Childress, a member of the Legislature from the county ; Isaac N. Davis, familiarly known as "Panola Davis," who served the county as State Senator for four years ; Thos. F. Wilson, William and John H. Keith, J. T. M. Burnbridge, the first probate judge after the organization of the county ; J. C. Armstrong, first clerk of the county; Jas. L. Fletcher, L. J. Taylor, the father of Hon. Robert L. Taylor, a lawyer of dis- tinction, who has been prominent in Mississippi politics for a number of years; he served the county one term in the State Senate, and was in 1889 a popular candidate for the nomination of Governor, and was a delegate from the State at large in the Constitutional Convention of 1890; Simpson Lester, Monroe Kyle, father of Hon. John C. Kyle, who served one term as State Senator, two terms as Railroad Commissioner, and is now a member of Congress from the district in which he lives ; Hon. Anthony Foster, who was twice a member of the Legislature from the county ; David Butts, Dr. Henry Lard, Wilson T. Caruthers ; Dr. C. K. Caruthers has represented the county in both branches of the; Legislature and is now State Senator ; E. H. Bolton, George P. Anderson, Garland G. Nelson, Dr. Mc- Mullen, Wm. R. Robertson, R. W. Brahan and W. M. Estelle ; the


553


HISTORY OF MISSISSIPPI.


two latter represented the county in the lower branch of the Legislature.


Much of the lands of Panola county are rich and productive. The valleys of the Tallahatchie and Yockona rivers are dotted with well improved farms ; the soil on these two streams respond generously to cultivation, and the same may be said of the up- lands, creek and branch bottoms.


The early towns were Belmont, Burlingham and Panola. The present towns are Sardis, the county site, with a population of probably 1200; Batesville, with a population approximating one thousand; Como and Courtland each have a much smaller population. This county is divided into two judicial districts, Batesville being the seat of justice for the second.


The principal streams in the county are the Tallahatchie and Yockona rivers, McIver, Long, Peach and Hoatophu creeks.


The only railroad is the Mississippi and Tennessee, which runs very nearly through the center of the county.


There are 215,529 acres of cleared land in Panola, the average value of which per acre, as rendered to the assessor, is $6.98. The total value of cleared lands in the county, including incor- porated towns, is $1,922,654.00.


Panola county is well watered, has a thrifty and prosperous population, with excellent church and educational advantages.


The population of the county as shown by the census report of 1890 : whites, 9,064 ; colored, 17,913 ; total 26,977.


SENATORS.


REPRESENTATIVES.


1837 John Rayburn.


1838-'39 John Rayburn.


I840 Thos. B Hill.


IS41 Thos. B. Hill.


1842 Thos. B Hill.


1843 Thos B. Hill.


1844 Jno. W. Lampkin.


IS46 Jno. W. Lampkin.


R. W. Brahan. Anthony Foster.


1848 J. L. Alcorn.


T. F. Wilson.


1850 J. L. Alcorn.


W. M. Estelle.


1852 J. L. Alcorn.


Wm. S. Keith.


1854 J. L. Alcorn.


Jno. R. Dickens.


IS56-'57 I. N. Davis.


W. B. Johnson.


1858 I. N. Davis.


1859-'60_'61 J. E. Talliaferro.


IS61-'62 J. E. Talliaferro


F. B. Irby, W. B. Dickens.


A. I. Ellis, B. F. Irby.


C. Y. Yancy, J. H. Piles.


1871 Jas. H. Pierce.


1872-'73 Jas. H. Pierce.


1874-'75 R. H. Taylor.


1876-'77 R. H. Taylor.


T. B. Moseley.


A. I. Ellis, W. B. Dickens.


: 1865-'66-67 H. Mosely. 1870 Jas. H. Pierce.


A. R. Howe, J. H. Piles.


A. R. Howe, J. H. Piles, Jno. Cooke.


Orange Brunt, Thos. Sykes, D. T. J. Mat- thews.


D. F. Floyd, J. G. Hall, Jr, G. Vaughan.


David McKinney. Thos. B. Hill. R. M. Childress. Anthony B. Foster.


554


HISTORY OF MISSISSIPPI.


1878 C. B. Vance.


1880 C. B. Vance.


1882 Jno. C. Kyle.


1884 Jno. C. Kyle.


1886 J. B. Boothe.


1888 J. B. Boothe.


1890 C. K. Caruthers.


H A. Moody, Wm. D. Miller, Jas. M Young.


M. T. Wright, S. T. Pollard, A. Fields.


N. C. Knox, J. O. Askew, A. B. Poston.


J. O. Askew, W. W. Caldwell, J. T. Settle. Jno. Flower, J. L. McGehee, S. C Cook. Jno. Flower. C. K. Caruthers, B. H. Payne A. S. Yarbrough, G. W. Harris, J. H. Jones.


PEARL RIVER COUNTY


Was established May 11th, 1890, and carved from Hancock and Marion counties. The act creating the county conferred author- ity upon the Governor to appoint all county officers, and that they should hold their respective offices until the next general election, and until their successors were qualified.


The Governor appointed as supervisors, A. F. Rawls, P. E. Williams, Jas. Smith, Jos. E. Wheat, Thos. Martin ; Jas. M. Shivers, sheriff; Rufus L. Ratliff, circuit and chancery clerk ; Eli P. Stewart, assessor ; Andrew Smith, treasurer; Frank B. Lenoir, enumerator.


Poplarville was made the county site.


The streams are Crane Creek and a prong of the Abolochitto.


The population of Pearl River county as shown by the census report of 1890: whites, 2,298 ; colored, 659 ; total, 2,957.


PERRY COUNTY,


Named in honor of Commodore Oliver Hazzard Perry, was established February 3d, 1820. As early as 1806, Samuel Cole- man, Thomas and Isaac Carter, a descendant of whom, Hon. J. P. Carter, has served in both branches of the Legisla- ture, and was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention of 1861 and 1890; Robert Little, John Dease, and his two sons, .Ed. and Oliver, and William Griffin, settled on Little Creek. The same year Isaac and Joel Lewis located homes on Leaf river. The following year Christopher and George B. Dameron, David Reese, Jacob J. H. Morris, alias "Coon Morris," settled in the county. From 1808 to 1813, the following persons came to the county : Elias Spikes, John B. Jacobs, George D., George C. and Young Gaines, Jonathan Thomas, Uriah Millsaps, Robert and Henry Miley, Wm. Herrington, David Miley, James Newell, Jesse Hinton, John McDonald, Alexander Mckenzie, Charles


555


HISTORY OF MISSISSIPPI.


Garvin, Aaron Boulton, Sherrard Bradley, James Depriest, Pleasant Tisdale, John Draughn, Daniel and David Myers, Mal- com McSwain and Henry Barlow. Those from 1815 to 1817, were John and Asa Hartfield, Malcolm McCallum, Andrew E. Denham, who was sheriff for several terms, Craven P. Moffett, Thomas Sumrall, Jonathan and Sanders Taylor, John Jones and Robert Chaney. John McCallum was the first white child born on Leaf River, in what is now Perry county. Elias Spikes built the first mill in the county on Garraway's creek in 1811. Scon afterwards Asa Hartfield built a mill near Augusta. Pre- vious to the erection of these mills, meal was made by pounding corn in mortars. The people at this time traded at St. Stephens, in Alabama, making the trip on horseback. In 1814, a Mr. Bart- lett brought a trading boat up Leaf river, laden with salt, etc., that he exchanged for hides, corn meal, dried venison, hams and other produce, which he carried back to Pascagoula. Bartlett made regular trips which were announced to the people by the blowing of a tin bugle, and it was said he realized large profits. He buried several thousand dollars in Spanish coin near the bank of Leaf river, a few miles below Augusta, and died without dis- closing its whereabouts. It was found in 1854 or '55, by Allen Hinton.


There were many difficulties to contend with in the early set- tlement of the county, and boys in their teens cheerfully assumed their share of pioneer hardships. Reuben Hartfield, a boy of fourteen years of age, rode an Indian pony from Perry county via St. Stephens to the Chattahootchie river in Georgia, alone and without a guide, following Indian trails, and when necessary, swimming rivers and creeks. Alexander Mckenzie moved his household goods from North Carolina to Perry county, in a hogshead made of oak, with an iron axle and drawn by one horse. Robert Chaney established the first cattle ranch in the county on a creek that now bears his name.


The towns of the county are Augusta, the county site, Hatties- burg, Morristown, Enon and Monroe.


The principal streams are Leaf river, Bowie, Tallahala, Bogue- homa, Thompson, Gaines, Little and Black creeks.


The New Orleans and North-Eastern Railroad runs through the northwestern part of the county. The Gulf and Ship Island Railroad when completed will also pass through the county.


The county is especially adapted to the raising of sheep and cattle. Not less than one hundred citizens own each over one


556


HISTORY OF MISSISSIPPI.


hundred head of sheep, besides cattle in proportion. Ten or more persons, own each, not less than five hundred head, and two or three persons own each over one thousand head of sheep. Two or three persons in the county own each over five hundred head of cattle.


There are 5,433 acres of cleared land in Perry, valued per acre, as rendered to the assessor, at $3.12. The total value of cleared lands, including incorporated towns, $16,944.


The population of the county as per census report of 1890 are : Whites, 4,569 ; colored, 1,887 ; total, 6,456.


SENATORS.


REPRESENTATIVES.


1821 Isaac R. Nicholson.


R. H. Gilmer, Hugh McDonald.


1822 Isaac R. Nicholson.


J. J. H. Morris.


1823 Laughlin Mckay.


David Reese.


1825 Laughlin Mckay.


J. J. H. Morris.


1826-'27 John McLeod.


Jacob J. H. Morris.


1828 John McLeod.


Hugh McDonald.


1829 John McLeod.


Abner Carter.


1830 John McLeod.


John Barefield.


1831 Thos. S. Sterling.


Geo. D, Gaines.


1833 John McLeod.


Abner Carter.


1835 Thos. P. Falconer.


1836-'37 Hanson Alsbury.


1838 Hanson Alsbury.


Rufus T. Draughn.


1839 Hanson Alsbury.


W. D. Joyner.


1840-'41 Hanson Alsbury.


W. J. Draughn.


1842 A. W. Ramsey.


1843 A. W. Ramsey.


1844-'46 A W. Ramsey.


1848-'50 A. W. Ramsey.


1852 A. W. Ramsey.


1854 A. W. Ramsey.


1856 T. J. McCaughan.


1857-'58 T. J. McCaughan.


1859-'60-'61 W. J. Rankin.


1861-'62 W. J. Rankin.


G. H. Holliman.


J. P. Carter.


Geo. H. Hartfield.


1872-'73 Jacob H. Seal.


1874-'75 J. P. Carter.


J. W. Foxworth.


1876-'77 J. P. Carter.


John Gillis.


1878 J. P. Carter.


J. W. Denham.


1880 J. P. Carter.


John Lewis.


1882 Elliott Henderson.


H. M. McCallum.


1884 Elliott Henderson.


J. W. Denham.


1886 J. L. Morris.


A D. Draughn.


1888 J. L. Morris.


J. P. Carter.


1890 A. G. Furguson.


G. H. Holleman.


P. J. Myers. Julius B. Kennedy.


Asa R. Carter.


Isaac E. Carter.


Isaac E. Carter.


. 1865-'66-'67 John F. Smith.


1870-'71 Jacob H. Seal.


Abner Carter.


A. E Dennam.


Thos. S. Ford.


A. D. Draughn.


PIKE COUNTY


Was established December 9th, 1815. Prior to the organization of the county a number of South Carolinians settled on Bogue


557


HISTORY OF MISSISSIPPI.


Chitto river. John Magee, Sr., made the first settlement in the latter part of 1811, as did also Wm. Sibley.


These early pioncers were followed by quite a number of per- sons who settled on Bogue Chitto, Magee's creek, Topasaw and Tangipahoa ; among whom were Benjamin Bagley, David Morgan, Bedy Goldman, Henry Goldman, Mathew Cox, James McNulty, Isaac Sadler, David Cleveland, William Bullock, Thos. Heard, William Love, Edmund Andrews, John Brent, Jesse Harper, Vin- cent Garner, James Andrews, David McGraw, Henry Raglan, John Bond, Wm. Sibley, Jere Smith, Richard Dillon, Chas. King and Isaac Carter. A year later, mostly from the same State, came Willis Prescott, George Hartzog, Peter Felder, Solomon Cole, Allen Carter, Michael Prescott, John Buck Allen, Derrell Martin, Wm. Martin, Hardwick Vaughn, Green Cook, Wm. Mil- ler, James G. McNab, Robert Hundley, Robert Love, Richard Smith and Isaac Roberts. In 1814, came Ralph Stovall, Daniel, Richard and Henry Quinn, Nathaniel Wells, Samuel Prestidge, Thos. Reeves, Edmund Gatlin, Hiram Terrell, Shadrack Cooper, Zachariah Reeves, Allen Carter, Willis Prescott, Peter and Isaac Felder and Peter Quinn. The greater portion of the persons named located on the streams in the county. At that early day the pine woods were covered by switch cane, and afforded a fine pasture for stock the entire year.


The first county site was Jacksonville, on the east side of Bogue Chitto river. As the county increased in population, the settlers on the west side of the Bogue Chitto insisted upon an election for the permanent location of the courthouse. In 1816 an election was held, resulting in moving the county site to Holmesville, west of the river mentioned. Afterwards it was removed to Magnolia. John Felder, Laban Bacot, Felix Allen and Peter Felder were appointed commissioners to lay off the new county site.


David Dickson, Wm. J. Minton and James J. McNab were del- egates to the Convention that framed the Constitution of 1817.


The first clerk of the court in the county was Henry Quinn, a son of Peter Quinn, Sr., who has a number of descendants in the county at this time. Some years later S. A. Matthews, Esq., still an honored resident of the county, served the people most ac- ceptably as clerk. The first sheriff was Laban Bacot, who held the office for many years and was noted for his systematic busi- ness habits.


558


HISTORY OF MISSISSIPPI.


Pike county was represented in the Constitutional Convention of 1832 by James J. McNab and Laban Bacot.


Since the completion of the Illinois Central Railroad Pike county has increased largely in population, and land has appre- ciated in value.


The Illinois Central Railroad runs the entire length of the county, north to south, a distance of twenty-five and a half miles.


The towns situated on the line of railroad are Magnolia, the county site, Johnston, Summit, McComb City, Chattawa and Osyka. Towns in other portions of the county off the railroad are Walker's Iron Bridge, Tylertown, China Grove and Sartins- ville.


At McComb City there are shops and round-houses for the southern division of the Illinois Central Railroad, where they employ a large number of operatives in building coaches, loco- motives, etc.


Summit is a thrifty and prosperous town, with an intelligent and law-abiding population, and the same may properly be said of Magnolia and McComb City.


The principal streams are Bogue Chitto river, Magee's, Otouto- pasa, Carter's, Leatherwood, Sweetwater, Tangipahoa, Beaver, Clear, Lazy, Pushapata, Varnell, Terry's, Balachitto, Kirkland's and Darbone creeks.


Pike county has 69,094 acres of cleared land ; average value per acre being $6.98. Total value of cleared lands, including in- corporated towns, $912,509.


The population of this county as shown by the census report of 1890: Whites, 10,531 ; colored, 10,672; total, 21,203.


SENATORS.


1820 David Dickson.


1821 David Dickson.


IS22 William Spencer.


Wiley P. Harris, Wm. Dickson, James Y. McNabb. John Burton, R. Davidson, D. Cleveland.


1823 William Spencer.


1825 Wiley P. Harris.


D. Cleveland, P. Quinn, Jr , N. Wells.


1826 Wiley P. Harris.


D. Cleveland, W. Dickson, V. Garner.


1827 Wiley P. Harris.


D. Cleveland, Peter Quinn.


IS28 Wiley P. Harris.


D. Cleveland, Wm. Dickson.


IS29 Wiley P. Harris. 1830 D. Cleveland.


D). Cleveland, R. Davidson.


1831 Wm. C. Cage.


1833 Franklin Love.


1835 Jesse Harper.


A. Cunningham, S. Shope. John Gwin, Franklin Love.


Wm. G. Martin, Jesse Harper.


Wm. G. Martin, Jesse Harper, Franklin Love. Franklin Love, A. P. Cunningham.


A. P. Cunningham, Hardy Carter.


1836 James Y. McNabb. IS37


REPRESENTATIVES.


Vincent Garner, D. Cleveland, Wm. Dick- son. Win. Dickson, James Robinson, Vincent Garner.


559


HISTORY OF MISSISSIPPI.


1838-'39 Cornelius Trawick.


Thomas Denman, W. A. Stone.


1830 Franklin Love.


Jesse Harper, James Cunningham.


IS41 Franklin Love.


Hiram Terrell, Benjamin W. Leggett.


1842 Christian Hoover.


Benjamin W. Leggett, Hiram Terrell.


1843 James B. Quinn.


Benjamin W. Leggett, Hiram Terrell.


1844 James B. Quinn.


Benjamin W. Leggett.


1846 George Nicholson.


E. Rushing, Wm. Simmons.


IS48 E. McCoy Davis.


Jesse Brumfield.


1850 E. McCoy Davis.


S. A. Matthews.


1852 J. M. Nelson.


James G. H. Sasser.


1854 J. M. Nelson.


Ross A. Ellzy.


1856-'57 Franklin Love.


Levy Bacot.


1858 Franklin Love.


D. C. Quinn.


1859-'60-'61 J. B. Chrisman.


H. E. Weathersby.


1861-62 J. B. Chrisman.


J. O. Magee.


J. W. Huffman.


1870-'71 John Gartman.


1872-'73 H. Cassedy, Jr.


IS74 H. Cassedy, Jr.


Samuel E. Packwood.


1874-'75 J. F Sessions.


Samuel E. Packwood.


1876-'77-'78 R. H. Thompson.


James M. Causey.


ISSO A. H. Longino.


James C. Lampkin.


18S2 A. H. Longino.


IS84 Samuel E. Packwood.


1886 Samuel E. Packwood.


1888 Theo. B. Ford.


J. H. Crawford, S. M. Simmons.


1890 Theo. B. Ford.


John B. Leggett, Theo. McKnight.


PONTOTOC COUNTY


Was established February 9th, 1836. John Bell, Samuel L. Watt, Robert Tenning, Robert Gordon and John D. Bradford were, by an act of the Legislature approved February 14th, 1836, appointed commissioners to organize the county.


The first settlement made by the Chickasaw Indians was at Chickasaw Old Fields, originally in Pontotoc, but now in Lee county. This place is some fifteen miles east of the town of Pontotoc.


General Jackson, with his troops, on their march from Tennes- see to New Orleans, camped three miles southeast of the town of Pontotoc on Chiwappa Creek. It was near this stream that the treaty between the Chickasaws and the United States govern- ment was made. Stephen Daggett, one of the earliest pioneers, was a witness to the treaty.


One of the mission schools in the Chickasaw Nation was es- tablished six miles south of Pontotoc by Rev. T. C. Stewart, a Presbyterian minister. This pioneer divine organized the first church in the county, at the same place, and called Monroe. The original members of this organization represented three nationalities, to-wit: three whites, one Indian and one negro.


.


. I865-'66-'67 W. F. Cain.


W. H. Roane.


Vincent J. Wroten.


W. F. Simmons.


Jas. C. Lamkin, Geo. M. Govan.


T. F. Causey, J. M. Bates.


560


HISTORY OF MISSISSIPPI.


Robert Bell was a Cumberland Presbyterian minister to the Chick- asaw Indians. The first Baptist church organized in the county was Tockshish, some ten miles south of Pontotoc. The Ponto- toc circuit of the Methodist Episcopal Church South was organ- ized in 1836. Reverends L. Bonner and James Callaway, two local preachers, supplied the work that year, R. Alexander be- ing the presiding elder.


Among the early settlers of the county were John Bell, who served two terms as State Senator; P. H. Fontaine, Col. Robert Gordon, W. H. Duke, who was a member of the State Senate ; Jas. W. Drake, Judge Joel Pinson, J. N. Wiley, W. Y. Gholson, C. W. Martin, S. J. High, Solomon Clarke, Jack Edmonson, R. Bolton, G. W. Reneau, Dr. Marshall Weatherall, Dr. Figret, Dr. C. P. Cof- fin, Dr. Hannah, J. P. Carr, N. W. Dandridge, Thos. B. Dandridge, T. C. McMackin, the hotel celebrity ; Samuel Watts, Samuel Bigham, Stephen Trelkeld, Mark Hardin, T. L. Duncan, Robert Handley, Rev. John Haynes, Solomon Stegall, Isaac Bell, J. J. Wilson, Hugh R. Miller, circuit judge ; Andrew Miller, J. A. McNeill, Benjamin Earl, Dr. Hereford, J. T. Ray, Wm. Brad- ford, Willis W. Cherry, the first Representative of the county ; D. P. Anderson, and John A. Bradford, both of whom were Representatives; Jeff Wilson, who represented the county in both branches of the Legislature. Hon. James Gordon was a member of the Legislature from the county, first in 1857 and again in 1878.


The county site, Pontotoc, was incorporated May, 1837. It was here that the land office was located and the land sales made, and was also the location of the Chickasaw Land Bank, and for a number of years the United States Court was held at Pontotoc.


Among the principal water courses in the county are Mud, Lapatubbee, Jockana, Scoona, Chookatonkchie, Coonawa and Chiwappa creeks.


The Gulf & Ship Island Railroad is completed from Middleton, Tennessee, to Pontotoc, there being about twelve miles of rail- way in the county.


The first newspaper published in the county was called the Chickasaw Union, and edited by W. W. Leland.


There are 95,981 acres of cleared land in the county, the aver- age value per acre of which, as rendered to the assessor, is $3.27 ; total value of cleared lands, including incorporated towns, $416,- 658.


5 61


HISTORY OF MISSISSIPPI.


Pontotoc is a fair county of lands, her people intelligent and hospitable, with flourishing schools and numerous churches.


The population as shown by the census report of 1890 : Whites, 10,529 ; colored, 4,411 ; total 14,940.


SENATORS.


1857 John Bell.


1838-'39 John Bell.


1840 John Bell.


1841 Wm. H. Duke.


1842-'43 John H. Miller.


1844-'46 Russell O. Beene.


IS48 John A. Bradford.


1850 John Bell.


1852 John Bell.


1854 B. R. Webb. .


1856 B. R. Webb.


1857 B. R. Webb.


1858 Jefferson Wilson.


1859 Jefferson Wilson.


1860-'61 Jefferson Wilson.


1861-'62 Jefferson Wilson.


· 1865-'66-'67 Jefferson Wilson.


1870 J. C Shoup. 1871 W. L. Lyles.


1872-'73 W. L. Lyles.


1874-'75 J. A. McNeil.


1876-'77 J. A. McNeil


IS78 W. L. Lorance. 1880 W. L. Lorance.


1882 Chas. B. Mitchell.


1884 Chas. B. Mitchell.


1886 Wm. T. Houston.


1888 Wm. T. Houston.


1890 R. Wharton.


REPRESENTATIVES.


Willis W. Cherry.


B. D. Anderson.


John A. Bradford.


John A. Bradford.


H. R Miller, John A. Bradford.


Chas. D. Fontaine, E. Millsaps.


J. Barden, Wm. Melton, Henry Duke.


B. R. Webb, J. Barden, W. H. Baker.


J. C. Jones, J. Barden, Jeff Wilson.


Jacob Barden.


E. R. Smith, R. Pinson, J. B. Herring.


Jas. Gordon, R. Pinson, J. B. Herring.


R. A. Pinson, D. Prude, Thos. Wood.


R. A. Pinson, B. F. Mc Whorter.




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