Biographical and historical memoirs of Mississippi, embracing an authentic and comprehensive account of the chief events in the history of the state and a record of the lives of many of the most worthy and illustrious families and individuals, Vol. II, Part 119

Author: Goodspeed Brothers
Publication date: 1891
Publisher: Chicago, Goodspeed
Number of Pages: 1314

USA > Mississippi > Biographical and historical memoirs of Mississippi, embracing an authentic and comprehensive account of the chief events in the history of the state and a record of the lives of many of the most worthy and illustrious families and individuals, Vol. II > Part 119

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MEMOIRS OF MISSISSIPPI.

men. The family are very highly respected, and own one of the most beautiful places in the county. Major Butler was a member of Gen. James Wilkinson's army at Fort Adams, and was ordered by his commanding officer to have his queue cut off, but refused to obey, and was put under arrest. He soon after sickened and died. He gave orders about his burial; " Bore a hole," said he, "through the bottom of my coffin, right under my head, and let my queue hang through it, that the infernal old rascal may see that, even when dead, I refuse to obey his orders." These directions were literally carried out.

Robert C. Shepherd, one of the most successful business men of Yazoo county, is a native of the Buckeye state. He was born in Butler county January 7, 1835, and is the second of a family of seven children of Daniel and Catherine (Clayton) Shepherd, natives of Pennsyl- vania and New Jersey, respectively. The father was reared in Ohio, and there received his education in the common schools. He was a contractor and builder by trade. In 1849 he removed with his family to Mississippi, and located in Tallahatchie county, where he was engaged in railroad contracting. In 1853 he went to Marshall county, and there contracted for bridges and trestles on the Mississippi Central railroad. He remained in Marshall county until 1860, removing in that year to Arkansas, where he contracted for the construction of bridges and trestles on the Memphis & Little Rock railroad. In 1862 he enlisted in the Confederate army, and served bravely until he was killed in 1864, at Arkansas Post, where he was buried. He was a son of Stephen Shepherd, a native of Pennsylvania, of Welsh extraction. Robert C. was reared and educated in Ohio. At the age of seventeen years he accepted a situation as clerk of a steamboat plying the Yazoo river, between Yazoo City and Vicksburg. He held this position until 1862, when navigation was stopped by the fall of Memphis. During the war he was engaged in the civil service of the Confederate states, as he was physically unable for active duty. After the end of the war he was offered a situa- tion in a large mercantile establishment in Yazoo City, which he filled until the autumn of the same year, 1865, when he went into business for himself. He formed a partnership with W. H. Mangum, and in 1867 he purchased the entire stock, became sole proprietor, and the firm name was changed to R. C. Shepherd, general plantation supply business. His efforts have met with marked success, and he has accumulated a comfortable fortune, con- sisting of real estate, mortgages, and bank stock. Upon the organization of the Yazoo City bank, in 1876, he invested largely in the stock, and was at once made president. Under his wise supervision the institutiou has been highly prosperous. The present capital stock is $100,000, with $50,000 surplus. He has large real estate interests in Chattanooga, Tenn. He was married in 1865 to Mary J. Fuque, a native of Mississippi and a daughter of John W. Fuque, a native of Virginia. Mrs. Shepherd died in 1873, mourned by all who knew her. Mr. Shepherd is a Mason, and although he is not a member of any church he is a lib- eral contributor to all religious movements. He has no aspirations to political honors, but lives a retired life, enjoying to the fullest extent the respect of the entire community.

Dr. J. N. D. Shinkel is the third of seven children born to Isaac and Mary (Faust- night) Shinkel, his birth occurring in Brookville, Ill., March 18, 1857. The parents were both natives of Pennsylvania and were of German and French origin respectively. The father followed the occupation of a merchant and settled in Illinois at an early day. His death occurred in 1885, at the age of fifty-nine years. The mother is now residing at Aurora, Ill. Dr. Shinkel attended the Rochelle high school, and in 1878 entered the Cornell university, New York, from which he graduated in the class of 1881 in the course of science and letters. When about eighteen years of age he began the study of medicine, and when at Cornell took the medical preparation course. After graduating at the last-named insti-

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tution he spent fifteen months in Europe, studying medicine at Vienna and London, after which he returned and took a regular course at Rush Medical college, Chicago, taking his degree from that college in 1884. He was surgeon for the Longford Lumber company, of Canada, for one year, and in January, 1886, he came South, locating at Friar's Point in the following month. Dr. Shinkel is a member of the Tri-State Medical society, and has been county physician for Coahoma county for the past five years. He is of literary taste and habits, often contributes to medical journals, and is a constant student of subjects relating to his profession. The Doctor contemplates another trip to Europe for especial study. Though not a specialist in surgery he has made especial study of those branches, and practices in

those cases with great success. He is examiner for a number of life insurance companies and does considerable in that line. Miss Georgia Clindinning, who became his wife on the 7th of November, 1888, is a native of Arkansas, and the daughter of J. A. and J. C. Clin- dinning. Her father was a planter and merchant at La Grange, Ark., and her mother was a member of the Alcorn family, her maiden name being Julia C. Alcorn. Dr. Shinkel was quite a noted athlete and oarsman in his college days; was stroke oar and captain of the col- lege crew, and for a time was commodore of the Cornell navy. He won many races, being stroke oar of a crew of four that made the best time on record. He is of medium size, compactly built, dark hair and eyes, and has a striking countenance. He is permanently located in Coahoma county, has a rapidly growing practice, and sees a bright future opening before him. Although solicited to remove to Memphis he thinks it best to remain among the people who have given him such a cordial reception here. The Doctor has recently finished a very neat cottage, one of the neatest and coziest in town. He is one of the organizers of the Bank of Friar's Point and has been a director in the same since. He is a member of the Masonic lodge and also the Knights of Pythias, Coahoma lodge No. 49.

J. N. Shirley was born in Lauderdale county, Miss., in April, 1858, the fourth in a fam- ily of eight children born to J. P. and Sarah (Martin) Shirley, the former of whom was born in North Carolina, and the latter in Greene county, Miss. The father was taken by his parents to Alabama when a small boy, and there resided until he was seventeen years of age, when he came to Mississippi and located in Lauderdale county, where he still lives. Here he was married, and on the plantation on which he is now living he reared his family. He has made planting his chief occupation throughout life, never caring to enter political life, or to hold any public office. J. N. Shirley began the battle of life for himself when sixteen years of age, and when only eighteen years of age was married to Miss Nancy Dunham, of this county, and to them four sons and three daughters have been born: Arabella, Tolitha, Charles (deceased), Arthur, Julian and Justin (twins), and Ora. Although Mr. Shirley com- menced to make his own way in the world without a dollar, he has, by energy and strict attention to business, succeeded in getting a fair start in the world. In 1881 he opened a mercantile establishment, and to this calling has given the most of his attention since that time, but has also farmed more or less, and has been engaged in milling a part of the time. He began business in the southeastern part of Lauderdale county, where he remained until 1889, at which time he sold out and moved to his present location, thirteen and a half miles north of Meridian, where he had purchased a plantation of one hun- dred and twenty acres. On this plantation he opened his store, his stock of goods being worth at least $3,000, from which he derives an annual income of $15,000. He is a young man of excellent business qualifications, and thus far has made a success of the enter- prises in which he has engaged, when many others would have failed. He is progres- sive, public-spirited and intelligent, and makes a point of keeping well posted on the general

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topics of the day, and up with the times in the business affairs of life. By his honorable methods of doing business and his many amiable and worthy traits of character, he has won the respect and esteern of all who know him, and he and his wife are gladly welcomed in the highest social circles. He and Mrs. Shirley are members of the Baptist church, and he has been liberal in his support of this as well as other churches. He is a patron of education; in fact all worthy enterprises receive his hearty support.

Jordan P. Short, planter, Melrose, Miss., is the sixth of ten children born to Monroe and Lucinda (Harrison) Short, the father a native of North Carolina, and the mother of Tennessee. Monroe Short was an extensive planter of Mississippi, and an honored and highly respected citizen. He came to this state in 1848, settled in Panola county, and at the time of his death, which occurred in 1883, he had accumulated quite a fortune. He was of Scotch-Irish origin. His parents were James and Elizabeth Short. Mrs. Short's father was W. H. Harrison, and the latter's father was a cousin of ex-President William Henry Harrison. Jordan P. Short is a native of Panola county, Miss., born on the 22d of February, 1852, and remained in the private schools of the same until sixteen years of age, when he attended school at White Creek Springs, Tenn., for two years. He subsequently entered the William and Henry college of Virginia, but at the end of two years, on account of ill health, he was obliged to leave school, and since that time has been engaged in planting. He has been successful in this occupation, and is the owner of five thousand acres of land, two thousand five hundred acres under a fine state of cultivation. He has a beautiful residence, and everything about his place indicates the owner to be a man of enterprise and progress. Aside from his planting interests he is also engaged in merchandising, and carries a stock of goods valued at $3,000. Miss Mary W. Sorrels, who became his wife in 1877, was born in Mississippi, and is the daughter of Robert P. and Mary B. Sorrels. The fruits of this union have been seven children: Mary L., Lelia A., Bennie B., Robert S., Monroe and Jordan P., Jr., and Lillian L. Mr. Short and family are members of the Methodist church, and although he is a democrat in his political views, he is not an active partisan. He is liberal with his means to further all enterprises for the good of the county, and is a live, energetic young man. He stands very high in the estimation of the people, and wields a great deal of influence in his vicinity. In personal appearance he is tall, but not powerfully built, dark hair, gray eyes, and is considered a handsome man.

Mrs. Laura Shotwell, widow of the late Bourbonn Shotwell, was born in Nashville, Tenn., January 26, 1833, the elder of two children born to John G. and Anna (Work) Hay, both of whom were Kentuckians by birth. Mrs. Shotwell's marriage to Mr. Shotwell took place in 1849, her husband having been born in Madison county, Ala., September 2, 1829. His parents, Robert and Mary (Tallefano) Shotwell, were born in Georgia and Alabama, respectively. Bourboun Shotwell was reared in Lowndes and Madison counties, Miss., and was educated in Princeton and Bardstown, Ky., graduating from a college of the last- named place. After leaving school he read law, and was admitted to the bar in 1849, but his large planting interests occupied his attention so completely that he found no time to devote to the practice of his profession, and in time abandoned all thought of practice. He became the owner of large tracts of valuable land in Hinds, Scott, Holmes, Tallahatchie, Quitman and Coahoma counties, and was very thorough and practical in the management of his real estate. In 1863 he enlisted in the Confederate army, becoming a member of company A, Withers' light artillery, and was a participant in the siege of Vicksburg, where he was wounded, but not seriously. He served until the close of the war, when he returned to his home, and once more assumed the duties of a planter, a calling he followed until his

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death, in 1883. He was modest and retiring in disposition, and although well known and greatly admired, he was never a candidate for office, much preferring the quiet, uneventful life of a planter to one of political strife and intrigue. Of six children born to himself and wife the following are living: Anna L., wife of A. Perkins; Ellen H., wife of T. K. Green, of Natchez; Walter G., who has inherited many of his worthy father's fine business quali- ties and principles, is the owner of twenty-five thousand acres of land, and is one of the leading business men and substantial planters of the county of Coahoma; Bourboun, a planter, and Laura H. Robert is deceased. Mrs. Shotwell is now residing on the old home plantation, six miles from Jackson, is an estimable woman, and is an earnest and devoted member of the Christian church.

B. Shotwell was born in Hinds county, Miss., on April 15, 1865, his brothers and sisters being also born in the state of Mississippi. He was the third of his parents' seven children. His father and mother, B. and Lanra (Hay) Shotwell, were born in Alabama and Tennessee, respectively, and the former when a youth, graduated with honors from Bardstown (Ken- tucky) college, after which he studied law under Judge Sharkey, of Jackson, Miss., and although he was admitted to the bar he never practiced his profession. He came to Mis- sissippi in 1835, settled in Madison county, and in connection with his father, purchased a large tract of land in Madison and Coahoma counties. Prior to the war he came to Hinds county, purchased a large body of land and became very wealthy, bnt during the hostilities between the North and South, all his accumulations were swept away with the exception of his real estate. He enlisted in Withers' artillery, and was on active duty in Mississippi until the fall of Vicksburg, when he went to Demopolis, Ala., and engaged in some government constructions. He was wounded at Vicksburg. B. Shotwell, the subject of this sketch, attended the common schools up to the age of fifteen years, then entered the city schools of Jackson, where he remained two years. At the end of this time he returned home and took charge of the home plantation, which comprises about two thousand acres, the most of which is good productive soil. Seven hundred acres are under cultivation, which annually produce one hundred and fifty bales of cotton and four thousand bushels of corn. In the ten years that he has managed this place he has only purchased about fifty bushels of corn. He raises a sufficient number of cattle and hogs to supply them with meat for family use. He was married in 1888 on January 18, to Miss Lydia George, a native of Madison county, Miss., by whom he has one child, Walter G. Socially Mr. Shotwell is a member of the K. of H., and has always been interested in worthy enterprises. He is a genial, whole-souled gentleman, and is very hospitable and has many warm friends.

As a man of business James A. C. Shrader has become well known throughout Sharkey county and the surrounding country, but during the time that he has been connected with the business affairs of life his career has been illustrated with acts of liberality. With each vital interest of his section and his people he has been closely identified, and every step taken in the development of this section has found in him a warm supporter. He was born in Benton county, Ala., August 8, 1834, his father, Henry Shrader, being a native of Kentucky, born and reared near Lexington. The latter's father came to this country from Germany and settled near the above city, where he reared his family. Henry learned the trade of a machinist, a calling he followed for some years after settling in Alabama, and in that state was married to Miss Mary Weatherly, a native of the state, by whom he became the father of ten children- seven sons and three daughters: John W. settled in Texas, where he is a planter; Mary A. is the wife of W. A. Bevil, also of Texas; Henry A. is a resident of Arkansas and was a sol- dier in the Confederate army during the late war; Thomas is connected with the Shelby Iron

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works of Alabama; George came to Mississippi, and was a resident of Sharkey county until 1886, when he moved to Bolivar county, where he died in 1887, leaving a wife, four sons and three daughters (he was a soldier in the Confederate army); James A. C. comes next in order of birth; Jackson V. also served in the Confederate army and is now residing in Ala- bama, and Isaac, who is also a resident of that state. Two little daughters died in infancy. The father of these children was born in 1799 and died in Alabama in 1882, having, during the last years of his life, followed farming. His wife was called from earth in 1838, in Ala- bama, both being worthy members of the Methodist Episcopal church at the time of their death. When only thirteen years of age James A. C. Shrader began earning his own living, one-half of his time being spent at farm work and the other half in going to school. At the age of nineteen years he was married and began devoting himself to farming, continuing to reside in Alabama until 1856, when, with his family, he moved to Mississippi and took up his abode in the Yazoo delta, where, after a few years, he purchased some land, on which he resided until 1865. Since that time he has been a resident of Sharkey county, but has only resided on his present plantation since 1869. He is the owner of several hundred acres of fine land, a considerable portion of which is under cultivation, and on which is located a good general store. He has been engaged in merchandising since 1876, but first conducted affairs on a very small scale, and gradually increased his business as his patronage demanded it, and now has a first-class stock of goods and is doing a prosperous business. His wife, formerly Miss Mary E. Logan, was born in Alabama, a daughter of James Logan, a planter of that state, and by her he has a family of four sons and two daughters, who are living at the present time: William Henry is married and resides on the Sunflower river; Samuel is married and lives near his father; W. P. is married, lives at home and is a bookkeeper in his father's store; James resides at home; Isabella is now the wife of Charles Lewis; she was first married to J. A. Overby (deceased), a planter; Rosa is the wife of W. J. Clark, a planter of Washington county, Miss. Mary B., another daughter, became the wife of Charles Lewis, a merchant of Percy, Miss., and died at the age of twenty years; three other children died in infancy. Mr. and Mrs. Shrader are rearing a little orphan girl, Annie Hill, who is now in her twelfth year. Her parents died when she was very young, she being their only child, and she has since found a father and mother in her good friends, Mr. and Mrs. Shrader. Mr. Shrader is a typical Southerner, and, upon the opening of the Civil war, espoused the cause he considered right and just and enlisted from Yazoo county, Miss., in Withers' light artillery, being taken prisoner at the siege of Vicks- burg. He was in the Chickasaw bayon fight, just before the engagement at Vicksburg, and after the siege he went to Texas, where he remained about one year. Upon returning to what is now Sharkey county, Miss., he was appointed by the governor as one of the members of the board of supervisors of the county, which office he efficiently filled for ten years. He is a democrat, politically, and he and his wife are members of the Universalist church. An organization of that faith, known as the Vickland church, was organized in 1886 by J. C. Burruss, editor of the Universalist Herald, which he publishes in Alabama, with Rev. Pope as the first pastor, the latter being from Illinois. There are about twenty- five members now on the roll. Mr. Shrader is a self-made man, is very highly respected and esteemed, is well to do, and is now residing in a beautiful residence, which has just been completed.

Among the many enterprises necessary to complete the commercial resources of a town or city no one is of more importance to the community than the pharmacist, and prominent in this trade is John A. Shreve, who keeps one of the finest establishments of the kind in VV

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BIOGRAPHICAL AND HISTORICAL

the town of Port Gibson. his stock of goods being exceptionally large and well selected. He was born in Nelson county, Ky., August 12, 1854, being the eldest child of his father's last marriage. A short sketch of his parents and brother Charles is given in the article imme- diately succeeding this. His brother, James B., is a resident of Chicago, and his sister, Ruth B., resides in Port Gibson, Miss., and is a thorough student of the New England conservatory of music, Boston, Mass., being also a preceptress in the Port Gibson Female college. John A. Shreve obtained his early scholastic training in the schools of Port Gibson and at a later period became a student in Forest academy, near Louisville, Ky., in which he received a full academic course, which has thoroughly fitted him for the active business life he has led. He made his debut in the business circles of Port Gibson at the age of twenty-two years, succeeding to his father's fine drug establishment, and has proved himself a stir- ring, successful and popular business man. His aim is at all times to meet the wants of the public and to make his store the central emporium of trade in his line of goods. In addi- tion to a most complete line of pure drugs and chemicals he keeps the standard school books, stationery, etc., and in fact all articles that go to make up an admirable drug store. He is a gentleman of genial, social and refined tastes and always courteously and cordially attends upon the wants of his customers, his efforts to gratify their wishes and desires being fully appreciated, as is fully attested by the large patronage which he has gathered about him. On the 28th of February, 1877, he was married in Natchez, Miss., to Miss Sue Willie Wickliffe, a native of Kentucky, who was born in the town of Bardstown, being the next to the youngest in her parents' family. The Wickliffe family is well known throughout the state of Kentucky, her great-uncle, Hon. Charles A. Wickliffe, having been governor of Kentucky and was also postmaster-general during President Tyler's administration. Her great-grandfather, Robert Wickliffe, was a very prominent resident of Lexington, Ky. To Mr. and Mrs. Shreve a family of six children were born, only three of whom are living: Margaret H., born February 24, 1879, an attendant of Port Gibson Female college; Charles, born August 16, 1881, and John, Jr., born August 18, 1886. Mr. Shreve has not been an active politician, but has always exercised his franchise for the democratic principles, and for men whom he deemed competent and honorable. He has been a member of the board of aldermen of Port Gibson, Miss., for a number of years, and his marked ability and his individual efforts in the interests of his city were so generally observed by the citizens, his constituents and associates, that upon his resignation a beautiful tribute was paid him in the form of a testimonial which was recorded in the minutes of the municipal body and a memo- rial copy presented him. For a number of years he was a trustee of the Port Gibson academy, a position he also filled with distinction after the incorporation of the Chamber- lain Hunt academy. In his religious views he is a churchman and is a member and vestry- man of St. James Episcopal church at Port Gibson, of which church his wife is also a mem- ber. Mr. Shreve is one of that type of men who present a strong example for the younger generation to follow, for his life has been strictly upright and he has endeavored to follow the teachings of the Golden Rule. As far as he can at present judge he and his wife expect to make Port Gibson their future home, where, by their many kind, disinterested and benevolent deeds, as well as by their many admirable social qualities, they have gathered about them a host of warm admirers and friends.

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Biographical and historical memoirs of Mississippi, embracing an authentic and comprehensive account of the chief events in the history of the state and a record of the lives of many of the most worthy and illustrious families and individuals, Vol. II, Part 119

Author: Goodspeed Brothers Publication date: 1891 Publisher: Chicago, Goodspeed Number of Pages: 1314

Author: Goodspeed Brothers
Publication date: 1891
Publisher: Chicago, Goodspeed
Number of Pages: 1314