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 130

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 130

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BIOGRAPHICAL AND HISTORICAL

went to Canton, Miss., where a small army was formed which moved on toward Vicks- burg, when the news of the surrender reached them and they fell back to Jackson, with the enemy in close pursuit. Remaining at Jackson for some days, the regiment then fell.back to Brandon, Miss. During the siege of Jackson, the Thirty-first regiment lost quite a num- ber of men, among them being Maj. Henry E. Topp, who was mortally wounded while directing the left wing of the regiment repelling an assault from the enemy. After going to Brandon, they went to Forest, and later to Newton Station, where Colonel Orr turned over his regiment to Lieutenant-Colonel Stephens, and went home to engage in the canvass for congress. The command then went to Enterprise, Miss., and thence to Demopolis, Ala., where they remained till winter, when they went to Montevallo, Ala. In the spring they, with the rest of Johnston's army, now commanded by General Polk, went to Rome, Ga., and from there by rail, went to Resaca, where they met and repelled the enemy coming through a mountain gap. The regiment took part in two or three brisk engage- ments at this point, and then fell back to Adairsville and Cassville, where preparations were made for a final stand, but were ordered back to Cartersville and encamped for several days in the Altoona mountains. They met the enemy at New Hope Church, and after an engage- ment in which the regiment was victorious, it was mustered into Featherston's brigade, Loring's division of Polk's corps. Lieutenant-Colonel Stephens had been promoted to the colonelcy after the resignation of Colonel Orr, who was elected to congress. Colonel Stephens received his commission February 12, 1864.

The regiment then went from the line at New Hope to Lost Mountain, and from there to Noonday creek in front of Kenesaw mountain, and fell back after a short skirmish on this creek to the mountain, where they were attacked by a heavy force June 27, but repulsed the enemy at every point and then fell back to Smyrna church and fortified a line, but soon abandoned it and fell back to Chattahoochee river, and on the 17th of July crossed the river and formed a line on Peachtree creek. July 18, Johnston was removed and General Hood took his place in command. July 21, the regiment attacked the enemy on this creek and took their breastworks, but were compelled to fall back. Colonel Drane was severely wounded and Maj. F. M. Gillespie was killed, and two hundred and sixty-five men were either killed, wounded or captured. On the 22d of July, the regiment supported General Hood on the right at Atlanta, and on July 28, supported him on the left. He then encircled the city of Atlanta, and put up temporary breastworks and the siege of Atlanta began, which lasted till September, when the enemy struck General Hardee's corps at Jonesboro. On the evacuation of Atlanta, the regiment joined General Hardee at Lovejoy station, where they remained for some time, then crossed the Chattahoochee, and came to the railroad at Big Shanty, where a sharp engagement ensued between Featherston's brigade and the enemy. The regiment sustained some loss and the horse of Colonel Stephens was shot and the fort cap- tured. Then the regiment moved on Acworth, which surrendered without a fight. Gen- eral Frendi's division attacked Alatoona, and was repulsed after a severe engagement. The regiment was still with General Loring, but Gen. A. P. Stewart was the corps commander, and went to Cedartown and back across the Coosa river and struck the railroad at Resaca. The regiment then moved off up the river, tearing up the road as far as Dalton, where it deflected to the left and went to Summerville, Ga. From there it went to Summerville, Ala., and thence to Decatur, where the enemy was attacked by the brigade. The command halted at Tuscumbia, Ala., where they remained a few days. They took up the line of march for Nashville, Tenn. At Franklin General Hood attacked the enemy in his stronghold behind three lines of breastworks. Hood's army suffered a fearful loss. Colonel Stephens had his

Dox Jamison

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right leg broken with a minie-ball just below the hip, and fell against the breastworks of the enemy. In this charge he lost one hundred and eighty-four men, in killed and wounded, forty-five dying on the field. He was himself captured by the enemy and taken in the direc- tion of Nashville, across the H- river, where he was abandoned by them in an old field. The ground was frozen and the north wind was blowing and he would doubtless have died but for the kindness of a Federal soldier, who kindly wrapped him up in a pair of his blank- ets, and another soldier who put a fire at his feet. This no doubt saved his life, and in the morning the men of his own regiment found him and took him to Major McGorvick's resi- dence, where he was cared for till an uncle in the neighborhood, Miles R. Hudson, removed him to his house, where he remained till the army went to Nashville. He feels under many obligations to Mr. Barr of the One Hundred and Sixty-fifth Illinois regiment for ban- daging his wound on the battlefield, and for moving him from between the lines of the enemy and for watching over and protecting him, and to Colonel Stewart, of the same regimeut, for his kindness and consideration to him while in his lines, and to the soldier, Mr. Hindman, who built the fire at his feet to warm him on that bitter cold night, and to a soldier belong- ing to an Iowa regiment for kindly giving him a pair of United States blankets to keep him from freezing. He and these soldiers are fast friends, and have exchanged photos, and he points with much pride to these pictures of his friends in blue, who came to his relief on the battlefield in the hour of danger.

He fell back with the army across the Tennessee river, and made his way home, arriving there January 1, 1865, having ridden three hundred miles with his broken leg fastened to the horn of the saddle, with his negro boy walking in the road before him and riding behind him across creeks. He was eighteen days making the trip from Franklin to Sarepta, his home in Calhoun county, Miss. This ended his military career, as he was confined to his bed for nearly two months and was obliged to use crutches for more than a year. He took no further part in the war, but attended the session of the legislature in March, 1865, at Columbus, Miss., and took a part in its deliberations. When the surrender came he was at home with his family, consisting of his wife, a son Rudolphus and his daughter, Cleora. He was without a single dollar; the Confederate money he had was utterly worthless, and everything was gone but his family and some land, and he on crutches. He at once resumed the practice of medicine, but soon found that his broken leg would make it impossible for him to ride much on horseback. He gathered a little money and engaged in merchandising with Capt. H. L. Duncan, his former companion in arms. They soon took in a partner, S. R. Kirkwood, and opened a store in Water Valley, Miss., with a capital of $10,000. Captain Duncan soon sold his interest in the store to W. D. Mayes, and took up the practice of law. Stephens & Co. now did a large, paying business. In 1871 W. D. Mayes withdrew from the firm, and Stephens & Kirkwood continued the business. He was elected to the legislature of Missis- sippi in the fall of 1863, at the time Colonel Orr was elected to congress, but he kept in the field all the time except when the legislature was in session. He did not resign, for the men would not permit him to leave them. In the spring of 1865, soon after the surrender of the forces east of the Mississippi river, Gov. Charles Clarke called the legislature, and Colonel Stephens, being a member, went to Jackson with C. A. Lewers, his co-representative for Cal- houn county. Neither of them had a cent of money; in fact, there was no money in the country. They got transportation on the railroad and reached Jackson, and arranged to board with the family of Col. C. E. Hooker, Colonel Stephens drawing rations from the commissary, by order of Governor Clarke, to pay the board of himself and Lewers. The legislature was in session about three days, the city full of Yankee soldiers and negroes; the ZZ

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legislature did nothing, could do nothing. The third day Governor Clarke informed Stephens that there was an order for his arrest, and that the boys had better scatter, and soon after that warning they adjourned The proceedings of this assembly have never been pub- lished, and are perhaps unwritten. The Colonel got home without spending a dollar. He was elected to the state senate in October, 1866, from the district of Calhoun and Yalobusha, and served one session, and until, by the reconstruction act of congress, he, together with all the officers of the state, was turned out, and the state placed under military government. His business as a merchant prospered until contraction brought ruin to the country, culminat- ing in 1878 in suspension and the surrender of everything to his creditors, and he once more took a new start in the world, and went to clerking to support his wife and seven children.

In 1879 he was elected to the legislature and served in the session of 1880, and assisted as one of the committee in making the code of 1880. Soon after his return from the legislature he was appointed deputy chancery clerk, and served in that capacity till 1883, when he was elected chancery clerk. He served four years in this position. In 1888 he was elected recorder of the city of Water Valley, and in 1890 re-elected recorder, in which position he is now serving. His wife and seven children are still here with him. His eldest daughter, Millie, married John W. Smither, December 22, 1890. His sons are unmarried. Since he came to Water Valley he has served as alderman and school trustee; in fact he is one of the founders of the magnificent grade of public schools in Water Valley, which has now enrolled more than six hundred and fifty pupils, and there is a fine building of twelve rooms for the accommodation of the pupils. Colonel Stephens was made a Master Mason in Theodosia lodge No. 182, in Sarepta, June 18, 1855. He represented this lodge in the grand lodge of Mississippi which assembled in Vicksburg, January, 1856. He joined the chapter and council at Duncansby, Miss., in 1863, and was made a Knight Templar Mason in 1873. In 1866 he represented Theodosia lodge in the grand lodge at Jackson, and was elected grand senior warden for this year. He delivered the memorial address to the lodges of Calhoun city in the spring of 1866, which address was published in pamphlet form and is now among the records of the grand lodge. He was master of Theodosia lodge for seven years and master of the Water Valley lodge; high priest of Water Valley chapter and eminent commander of St. Cyr commandery at Water Valley. He has ever been a true and loyal Mason, and devoted much of his time in his younger days to the work of the lodge, and was a bright Mason in the various lodges to which he has belonged.

Z. M. Stephens is foremost among the lawyers of the state of Mississippi. He is a resident of New Albany upon which city his name sheds luster. He was born near Fulton, Itawamba county, Miss., in the year 1852 and lived there until 1865. Then he removed with his parents to Memphis, remaining there until 1870. In 1873 he located in New Albany and began the study of law, for which profession he was pre-eminently fitted. In 1874 he was admitted to the bar and has since practiced his profession with increasing and gratifying success. He has been engaged in some of the most noted criminal cases in northern Mis- sissippi and, owing to the masterly manner in which he has conducted them, lie has been almost uniformly victorious over his opponents. Colonel Stephens is one of the most exten- sive land owners in the state and is one of its leading business men. He was first elected to the state legislature in 1873 and served during the session of 1874-5. He was returned in 1883 and served with distinction during the succeeding session and has since then devoted his time almost exclusively to the practice of law. He was an elector on the Cleveland ticket in 1884. His father, Dr. Stephens, was a prominent physician and surgeon of New Albany, who during a long career won the respect of all who knew him, and died deeply lamented in January, 1891.

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MEMOIRS OF MISSISSIPPI.

J. H. Stevens is one of the reliable business men of Lowndes county, Miss., and although he has only followed the calling of a merchant in Columbus since November, 1889, his efforts have been prospered and his patronage is now large and lucrative. He was born in Colum- bus, in the month of January, 1838, to Hardy and Elizabeth (Myatt) Stevens, who were born in Raleigh, N. C., the former of whom came to Mississippi on horseback about 1830, being one of the earliest settlers of this region. Although he was brought up to learn the details of planting he began learning the carpenter's trade upon coming to Columbus, and some of the first houses in the town were erected by him. He followed this calling for many years, and in 1889 died at the age of eighty-four years; his wife's death occurring in 1882. Their mar- riage was blessed in the birth of eight children, six of whom are living at the present time: Mrs. Taylor, of Kentucky; J. H., of Columbus, Miss .; Mrs. Palmer, of Columbus, Miss .; John A., of West Point, Miss. ; and J. A. Stevens, and Mrs. J. B. Cobb, of Texas, all of whom are mar- ried and settled in life. Hardy Stevens was a member of the board of county supervisors for many years, was a member of the city board of aldermen and also belonged to the Masonic fraternity. J. H. Stevens was reared and educated in Columbus and at the age of sixteen years started to make his own way in the world as deputy probate clerk, a position he filled to the satisfaction of all concerned for three years. He next became a clerk in a mercantile estab- lishment, a calling he followed until the opening of the war, when he became a member of company K, Old Columbus rifleman (which is still in existence), serving as a private until the surrender of General Lee at Appomattox. When at Bowling Green, Ky., he was clerk of a court martial, but he afterwards became a member of company H, Thirty-fifth Mississippi regiment under Col. W. S. Barry, serving six months until company K returned from Camp Douglas, when he rejoined that company and served till the close of the war. After the sur- render he returned home and embarked in the mercantile business, which he continued to follow until 1874, when he was appointed deputy chancery clerk, serving throughout that year and in 1875. In 1876 he was made clerk of the circuit court, in which capacity he made a faithful and zealous official until 1888. He then turned his talents toward making a plat and index of land numbers of the county, and for the admirable manner in which he carried out this work he was well paid. In November, 1889, he once more embarked in merchandising, and is now one of the leading men engaged in this business in the county. He was married in Columbus, Miss., in 1869, to Miss Ophelia Wallace, who was born in Lebanon, Tenn., by whom he has two living children: L. W. and Allie M. He and his wife and daughter are members of the Christian church, and socially he is a Knight Templar in the A. F. & A. M., and a member of lodge of Perfection, at Columbus, and secretary in the lodge of I. O. O. F., in which position he has served fourteen years.

Capt. John P. Stevens was born in Caswell county, N. C., November 30, 1835, the third of ten children born to Rev. George and Susan P. (Richardson) Stevens, the former a native of Georgia and the latter of North Carolina. The father was a minister of the Methodist Episcopal church and moved from the state of his birth to Christian county, Ky., where he devoted his life and energies to his calling until his death, in 1854. He was a strong suppor- ter of his church and served the cause of the Master faithfully throughout a long career. His widow survived him until 1888, when she died at the age of seventy-four years. The mother was of English descent, but the father was of Scotch-Irish lineage. Capt. John P. Stevens, was reared in Christian county, Ky., and in Hopkinsville received a common English educa- tion. At the age of fifteen years, he left the shelter of the parental roof and after spending two years in Cadiz, Ky., he came to Jackson, Miss., and from 1858 until 1861 he was a salesman with the firm of Robinson, Winelly & Co. He then became a member of company

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A, Sixth Mississippi regiment, participating in the battles of Shiloh, Port Gibson, Baker's creek and siege of Vicksburg. During this time he served as captain of his company. After being paroled and exchanged, he reported to General Forrest at Corinth, was promoted to the staff of General Buford and went through Hood's campaign. Upon his return from that campaign he was sent from Iuka to Aberdeen in charge of the ordnance train, and upon reaching his destination was assigned to duty at Enterprise, to relieve Captain Freeman, col- lector of provisions for the army. He remained at this place until the surrender, then went to Pickensville, Ala., and followed the calling of a merchant for about ten months. He then came to Jackson, Miss., and here, in connection with John W. Robinson, he successfully fol- lowed the calling of a merchant until 1881, when Mr. Robinson died and Mr. Stevens contin- ued the business under the name of Stevens & Saunders until 1889, when the stock of goods was closed out. Mr. Stevens and Mr. Saunders then organized the Jackson Grocery Company, in which Mr. Stevens is a large stockholder. He also owns six thousand acres of land, of which some two thousand acres are under cultivation. He is a stockholder in the Jackson Fertiliz- ing Company, and the Jackson Compress Company, and he has been one of the thrifty and pros- perous men of the city and a fine business man. He is moral, religious and honorable and his standing is high in both business and social circles. He was married in 1868, to Miss Sidney E. Green, a native of Mississippi and a daughter of Thomas and Mary J. (Stuart) Green, the former of whom was born in Baltimore, Md. To Mr. and Mrs. Stevens, two children have been born: Sue Stuart and John Price, Jr., both of whom are at home. Mr. Stevens and his wife and children are members of the Methodist Episcopal church and he is a member of the A. F. & A. M., the Knights of Honor, the A. L. of H., and the Knights and Ladies of Honor.

W. G. Stevenson is a native of the Palmetto state. He settled in Alabama in 1851, and engaged in building machinery. He then moved to Noxubee county, Miss., continuing his former business. In 1862 he joined the Forty-first Mississippi regiment, and was detailed in the ordnance department. In 1863 he was ordered to the commissary department for the erection of flouring and sawmills, and remained there until the close of service, surrendering at Meridian to General Canby. In 1865 Mr. Stevenson became a citizen of Meridian, was made a member of the city council of the rising town, and was also ex-officio trustee of the public schools. Meridian becoming a separate school district, he was elected president of the board of trustees, but prior to that had been president of the city council. He still holds the former position. Mr. Stevenson is one of the strongest advocates of education. In 1885 Meridian had five small schools, three white and two colored, with an attendance of two hundred and seventy. Now, with her three magnificent new buildings, and other structures, and two thousand students in attendance, she presents a striking example of progress and enterprise. The city has received more substantial aid in population, etc., from her schools, than through any other source. In 1884 the city did not own a dollar in school property, but she now owns $70,000 worth of fine property. The negro school, numbering seven hun- dred pupils, is the largest in the state. Mr. Stevenson and Prof. A. A. Kincannon, who was superintendent of the schools, were sent by the city to the northwest and northeast to investi- gate the progress of school architecture, etc. On returning, their plans were adopted by the trustees and city council. The system put into effect is essentially the one used at James- town, N. Y. Mr. Stevenson is the originator of the industrial feature of the Meridian public schools, which he considers a success. He is Anglo-German by descent, and inherits a turn for machinery.

The medical profession is ably represented in Lauderdale county, Miss., by W. J. Stev-

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enson, M. D., for his efforts as a medical practitioner have been attended with the best of suc- cess and he is well posted and up with the times in his profession. He was born in Clinton, Green county, Ala., November 24, 1856, the son of W. G. and Eliza J. (Shepherd) Steven- son, both of whom were born in Newberry district, S. C., and emigrated to Alabama with their parents, where they met and afterward married. After remaining there several years they removed to Mississippi in 1860 and located in Noxubee county, where Mr. Stevenson followed the calling of a machinist. W. J. Stevenson was educated in the common schools of Lauderdale county, and at the age of twenty one began the study of medicine, entering, in 1879, the Alabama Medical college at Mobile, from which he graduated in March, 1881. He entered upon his practice in De Kalb, Kemper county, Miss., but at the end of six months, or in the fall of 1881, he located at Lauderdale, Miss., where he has continued to reside up to the present time. In connection with the large practice which he commands, he is also engaged in the drug business, at which he is doing well. He is a young physician of acknowledged ability, and his agreeable and pleasant disposition fits him in an eminent degree for his calling. He is the owner of about five hundred acres of land near Lauder- dale, of which about two hundred acres are improved, and his stock of drugs is valued at · about $800. In 1885 he was married to Miss Sorinthia L. Simmons, a daughter of J. L. Simmons, and to their union three children have been born: Martha (deceased), Willie (deceased), and Katie. Dr. Stevenson and his wife are members of the Presbyterian church and he is also a member of the A. F. & A. M. of the K. of H. They move in the highest circles of society and are liberal contributors to all enterprises that deserve their patronage.

Isaac D. Stewart is an extensive planter and dealer in general merchandise and planta- tion supplies, his residence being one mile west of Fayette. He is a young man of good business ability and coming, as he does, of one of the best families of the county, he is highly respected, not only on this account, but for his own merit also. He is a son of Will- iam and Martha J. (Mayberry) Stewart, the former of whom was born in New Jersey and raised in Illinois, but came to Jefferson county, Miss., while yet a young man, this being about the year 1839. He soon became a clerk in the store belonging to J. B. Carpenter, and after- ward became a partner in the concern. He married Miss Mayberry in 1849, and went into business for himself, opening a store of his own. He continued to follow this occupation with excellent success until 1855, when he sold his business in Fayette and moved to his farm four miles south of that point and lived there until his death. In company with a man named Drake, he merchandised at Rodney, Miss., in 1856 and 1857. He sold out to his partner, Drake, in 1858, and attended to his farm. He died March 1, 1859. He was a man of shrewd financial views and owned a fine plantation of about eight hundred acres. He at all times manifested a Christian spirit and for many years had held official position in the Methodist Episcopal church. He left a widow, two sons and three daughters to mourn his loss, all of whom are now residing near Fayette, Isaac D. and his family residing on his place about a mile west of the town. William C. Stewart is a dentist and is doing a large and flourishing business in that line at Fayette; Mary L., is the wife of Judson J. Gordon, a merchant of Fayette; Fanny E., is the wife of Dr. George Rembert, a dentist of Natchez; and Mattie M. is the wife of C. R. Freeman, a farmer of Jefferson county. Mrs. Stewart, the mother of these children, is the daughter of Abraham Mayberry, a planter and native of Tennessee. He became a resident of Mississippi when a young man and was here married to Miss Lucretia Boles, who was born in this county near Fayette, she being a daughter of James and Mary Boles. Mrs. Stewart has one brother and three sisters living: Henry J., Mary E.,

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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 130

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