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 138

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 138

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MEMOIRS OF MISSISSIPPI.

himself to his plantation, thereby accumulating a handsome property. He was a man of sound judgment, good financial ability and active in all public duties; was a prominent democrat, but not an officeseeker; was the mayor of Aberdeen and a power in all church affairs. Our subject is the youngest of nine children, of whom six are still living. The Doctor was educated principally at La Grange, Ala., where he was when the war broke out. He immediately left school, and joined company F, of the Forty-third Mississippi infantry. and served in the capacity of sergeant for a short time, when he was made an aid-de-camp to Gen. W. S. Featherstone, which position he held till just before the close of the war, when he was made adjutant of the Third Mississippi regiment. After the war he attended the University of Toronto, Canada, one year, and then graduated from the University of New York city in 1870. After practicing about one year, he gave up his profession, and devoted himself to his planting interests. He owns two fine farms, one of which is the farm on which he was born. He owns in all about eighteen hundred acres of land, a portion of which he inherited, but to which he has added largely by his own effort. He has been in the insurance business for several years. He is president of the Mississippi Exposition and Fair convention at Aberdeen, and stands high in social circles. He is a prominent member of the Knights of Honor, Eureka lodge No. 719, at Aberdeen, and was first dictator of the lodge. He is now the representative to the grand lodge, and for six years was a representative to the supreme lodge of the United States. He is also worshipful master of the Aberdeen lodge No. 32. F. & A. M., in which he stands high. He was married in 1872 to Eliza Brandon Clopton, a daughter of William H. and Cornelia W. Clopton, who came from Alabama to Aberdeen about 1840. Mr. Clopton was a prominent planter, and died in 1879. Mrs. Sykes was born in Aberdeen, where she received her early education, later graduating with high honors from the Columbus Female college. She was a lady of high attainments and amiable disposition. She died in 1886, leaving three sons aud one daughter to mourn her loss. Dr. Sykes is a man of fine presence and very elegant manners. He is deservedly one of Aberdeen's most popular and representative citizens. His fellowmen have entire confidence in him as a busi- ness man; his political record is unblemished, and he is among the foremost in social circles, and is a worthy member of his noted family.

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CHAPTER XX.

CONSPICUOUS RESIDENTS OF THE STATE, T.

ALOBUSHA county has a prominent citizen and a successful planter in the person of James B. Talbert, who was born on the plantation on which he now resides, February 1, 1836. He was a son of Michael D. and Mary (Trnitt) Talbert, the former of whom was born in Edgefield district, S. C., in 1799, the latter in 1807. They were married in 1822, and ten years later they moved to Tennessee, and in the same year, Mr. Talbert came to Yalobusha county, where the following year he bought his home, which was then surrounded by a forest. There he passed the remainder of his life, dying in 1853. His wife died in 1877. He was a well-to-do planter and trader, and one of the prominent men of the county. He was the only one of his family except his sister, Mrs. Hartwell, who came to this state. Mr. and Mrs. Hartwell were both members of the Primitive Baptist church. Mr. Smith, the maternal grandfather of the subject of our sketch, lived and died in South Carolina. James B. Talbert was the eighth of twelve children of his parents, who lived to maturity. Of these five were sons and seven were daughters, and of this large fam- ily only Mr. Talbert and three of his sisters are living. Mr. Talbert and all of his brothers served during the war in the Confederate army. Edmund died at home, after one year's service, in the Twenty-ninth Mississippi infantry. Pinckney rose to the rank of captain, and died while a prisoner of war. John R. was discharged after a few months' service for dis- ability. He was in the Twenty-ninth Mississippi infantry. His death occurred in 1869. Joseph T., who had served from 1863 as a scout, was killed February 23, 1867, in Talla- hatchie bottoms. Our subject was educated at home, and began life for himself as a farmer and planter at the age of seventeen. October 29, 1861, he married Maggie E., daughter of Allen and Angelina Gattis, who came to Yalobusha county at a very early date. They passed their lives in this county, both dying near Oakland, the first in 1858, the other in 1867. Mr. Gattis, who was a well-known planter, was the son of Samuel Gattis of this county, who was a soldier during the Revolutionary war. Mrs. Talbert's mother's father, Olsimus Kendrick, was also an early settler of this section, who had also served the colonies during the Revo- Intion, and who died in Tallahatchie county. Mrs. Talbert was born in this county, one of eight children of her parents, who grew to manhood and womanhood. She has five

children, four sons and one daughter, all of whom are well educated: Minnie L. became the wife of J. E. Aldridge, of Washington county. She was educated at the public school at home, and at the State Female college, of Memphis, Tenn. Robert B. began life for himself at the age of thirteen, and has made his own way with success ever since. He has been a resident of Texas for several years, and during the last few years has served in different capacities in banks, having been at one time cashier of the First National bank

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of St. Angelo, Tex., and having been then known as the youngest national bank cashier in the United States. Joseph T. was educated at Oxford, and is now assistant cashier in a bank at Fort Worth, Tex. James B. received his education at Buena Vista, and in a com- mon school, and is now a telegraph operator for the Louisiana, New Orleans & Texas rail- road. Barksdale was educated at Hardy, and at the Capital Commercial college of Jackson, Miss. In 1862 Mr. Talbert joined company E, of the Twenty-ninth Mississippi infantry, and fought at Corinth and at Munfordville, Ky., where he was wounded in September of that year so severely as to disable him from further service. Since his return home, he has devoted his energies entirely to planting, He is the owner of about fifteen hundred acres of well-improved land, producing about one hundred bales of cotton yearly, and sufficient hay, corn and other products to meet his demands for home consumption. This fine prop- erty he has accumulated since the war, being a man of great business ability, everywhere recognized as one of the best planters of this section. His standing as a citizen is high, and he is a liberal supporter of every movement for the general good. Strictly temperate in his habits, he gives his entire attention to his business affairs, and his success has been the suc- cess of a selfmade man. If there is one thing in which he takes more pride than in all others, it has been in properly rearing and amply educating his children, and his concern for the advancement of all the interests of his county has been deep aud abiding. He has given considerable attention to blooded horses, of which he is a lover, and those he drives are among the best in the town. Mrs. Talbert is a lady of culture and intelligence, and amiable disposition, a model wife and mother, hospitable to the last degree.

David S. Tankersley, College Hill, Miss., whose name heads this short biography, was born in Birmingham, Ala., in April, 1829, and is the sixth of a family of ten children. His parents, Reuben and Aisley H. (Scott) Tankersley, were natives of Virginia and Alabama, respectively; they were married in Alabama where they lived for many years. Reuben Tankersley was magistrate there for a number of years, and was also interested in agricult- ural pursuits. He removed with his family to Lafayette county, Miss., in the fall of 1842, and bought wild land there; he and his three sons cleared and improved his place, converting it into one of the most desirable plantations in the county ; he lived only two years after coming to the county, his death occurring in 1844; he was an elder in the Presbyterian church, of which he was a worthy and consistent member; he left a wife and nine children- three sons and six daughters: Jane C., wife of Newton Buford; James M. ; John F., Mar- garet, wife of Benjamin Smith; Mary M., wife of Yancey Wiley; David S., the subject of this sketch; Nancy E., wife of Oliver Smith; Martha A., wife of Robert Gray, of Pontotoc county, Miss., and Sarah S., wife of Jones Brooks, who resides near Waterford, Miss. The mother lived to see all of her children grown; she died in July, 1866; she was also a member of the Presbyterian church. At the age of twenty years David S. began life on his own responsibility, taking up agriculture. In the spring of 1862 he enlisted in the Confeder- ate army and served with his command until he surrendered at Charlotte, N. C., in April, 1865. He was under Bragg from Corinth until his removal; then with Johnston, through his campaign through Georgia, until his removal; then with Hood, through Tennessee, and until his surrender at Charlotte, N. C., during the whole period in the quartermaster's department. He then returned to his home in Lafayette county, Miss., and resumed his occupation of farming. He was married March 4, 1869, to Mary S. Henlon, and of this union seven chil- dren were born-one son and six daughters -four of whom are now living: Sallie S., Ella W., Maggie L. and David N. Mr. Tankersley owns two thousand acres of land, one thousand of which are under cultivation. He has been a plain, practical farmer all his life, and has left

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public life to other aspirants. He has lived on his present plantation since coming to the state in 1842, and has a host of friends who esteem him for his sterling traits of character. He has always contributed liberally to all laudable public enterprises, and is a generous sup- porter of the Presbyterian church, of which he and his wife are members.

Charles W. Tatum, of Missionary, Jasper county, Miss., was born in Greene county, Miss., in 1836. When but two years of age he located in Jasper county, where he grew to maturity and was educated at the public schools. He was married in 1858 to Miss Martha McCormick, a daughter of that honored pioneer, J. J. McCormick. In 1861 he enlisted in company C, of the Eighth Mississippi regiment, under Colonel Flint. At the close of the war he returned home and engaged in planting, and which he has continued with such snc- cess that he is now the owner of nearly a section of land. Mr. and Mrs. Tatum have had born to them a family of three children: James J., M. D., a practicing physician of this county ; Lillian C., who married W. H. Munger, and lives in Newton county; and William C. Mr. Tatum is a member of the local lodge of A. F. & A. M., and has long been connected with the Methodist Episcopal Church South. He does a general planting business, raising cotton, corn and other farm products, besides a large amount of stock.

Col. Caleb W. Taylor, who is now deceased, was born near Lexington, Ky., in 1811. He moved to Alabama when he was a young man, locating in Greene county, where he remained for a few years. Here he married Miss Lizzie Morton. Their union was blessed with two children-sons-one whom died during the war, near Lynchburg, Va., the other son will be spoken of later in this sketch. Col. Caleb W. Taylor came to where Morton now stands about the year 1850, and busied himself in planting until the outbreak of the war. He was intensely loyal to the cause of the Confederacy, doing all in his power to aid it. His home, which stood only about one-fourth of a mile from Morton, was the only place where travelers through the then sparsely settled country could find refreshment for man and beast. As he was a typical Southern gentleman, it is needless to say that all comers were welcomed, par- ticularly in those troublons times. He was not an extensive farmer, but lived that happiest of all existences, an in lependent plantation life. Politically he was a whig; was a man very prominent in politics, and was a member of the seceding convention which was held at Jackson, Miss., March, 1861, and at which he earnestly advocated the right of secession. He was also a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church South, in whose service he was earnest and active, and it is not too much to say that he was a man whom everybody respected and honored in the highest degree, and one who, though dead, is not forgotten. J. A. Taylor, the second son of Col. Caleb W. Taylor, was born in Monroe county. Miss., in 1844, and came with his parents to Scott county in 1850. He has made this country his home ever since. He has been a most successful business man, owning at the present time an interest in a good paying mercantile business in the town of Morton, and he also has an interest in a store at Pelahatchee, Rankin county, Miss., while he is also an extensive land owner in Scott county. In the fall of 1861 Mr. Taylor enlisted in company G, of the Twenty-eighth Mississippi regiment, serving the first year under the command of Peter B. Stark. Later he joined the Tennessee and Georgia division of the army, and remained with it until the close of the war. The service left him, as it did thousands of others, in a debil- itated condition, and he has never recovered from its effects.

Capt. Hillary L. Taylor, Bentonia, was born in Greenville, Ala., October 15, 1843, and is the third of a family of ten children. His parents, Dr. Marion D. K. and Elizabeth (McDaniel) Taylor, were natives of Georgia and Alabama, respectively. The father was a well- known physician and a successful planter. He removed to Cass county, Tex., in 1846, and

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was for seventeen years speaker of the legislature of that state. When his county was divided Marion county was named in his honor. He was also a member of the state senate, and has for many years presided over the democratic state conventions. He is now living at the age of seventy-three years, holding a high place in public estimation. In all the duties of life he has acquitted himself with great honor and credit. Captain Taylor was reared in Texas, receiving only a common-school education. He remained under the paternal roof until 1861, when he enlisted as a volunteer in company G, Third Texas regiment. He was promoted to the office of lieutenant, and finally to the command of his company. He participated in the battle of Oak Hill, Mo., and other engagements in the West. He was transferred to the army of the Tennessee, served under Generals Bragg, Johnston and Hood through Tennessee and Georgia, until the close of the war. He was wounded at Iuka, Miss., and was paroled at Liv- erpool, Yazoo county, Miss. He then settled in Yazoo county, where he has since resided. He has been engaged in planting and in mercantile pursuits. In 1875 he was elected sheriff of Yazoo county, and re-elected in 1877. In 1879 he was made president of the board of county supervisors, and in 1886 he represented the people of Yazoo county in the legislature. Captain Taylor has been twice married. First to Miss Mary G. Calvit, in November, 1865. She was a native of Mississippi, and a daughter of Charles Calvit. She died in 1879, having borne four children: Nettie H., Marion D. K., Lizzie K. and Mary G. The Captain was mar- ried a second time, in 1881, to Mrs. A. E. Harris, a daughter of Col. J. R. Mosley. Two children were born of this union, only one of whom survives, Annie Ross. Mrs. Taylor passed away in 1883. Captain Taylor owns about five thousand acres of land, and large mercantile interests, doing about $60,000 business annually. He is a member of the I. O. O. F. and of the Knights of Honor. He is a man of public spirit, benevolent and hospitable, and a citizen whose influence for good would be felt in any community.

John Taylor (deceased), one of the early settlers of old Tishomingo county, Miss., was born in Leesburg, Loudoun county, Va., in February, 1776. He was married to Miss Mary Knott in Granville county, N. C., on the 20th of May, 1801, her birth having occurred in the county in which she was married December 23, 1784, and her death on the 4th of August, 1827. In 1818 or 1819 they moved to Caswell county of the same state, but afterward became residents of Clarke county, Ga., locating near Salem, but at a still later period they settled in Jackson county, where they purchased land and resided until the fall of 1838. They then removed to Tishomingo county, Miss., and settled near the town of Old Danville, where the father continued to make his home until his children had grown to maturity and started out in life for themselves. At the time of his death in 1864, he was living with his youngest son. He lived a life of usefulness, and by attending strictly to his farming interests he raised large crops, for which he received good prices. Although an old line whig and a great Henry Clay man, he was not an active politician, and after the whig party went down he remained neutral. He was a strong Union man, and opposed secession with all the strength of his will, but at the time of his death, was the owner of quite a number of negroes. Al- though not a member of any church he believed in the Christian religion, and was upright and moral in every respect. He was strictly temperate, a rare thing in his day, and was never heard to take an oath. One of his elder brothers was killed while serving in the Revolution- ary war, and one of his sisters married a Mr. Dorr and settled in the East. Mrs. Taylor was reared in the county of her birth, being a daughter of James Knott, who became the father of four sons: John, James, David and Robert, all of whom reared families. and lived to be old men, and settled in Georgia, with the exception of Robert, who emigrated to Tennessee, in which state many of his descendants yet live. Mrs. Taylor was an earnest member of the

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Methodist Episcopal church, and was a kind and faithful wife and mother, as well as an exemplary Christian. She bore her husband thirteen children, whose names are as follows: Frances was born August 8, 1803, in Caswell county, N. C., and on the 24th of December, 1823, was married to George Swain, a brother of David Swain, of North Carolina, who after- ward became governor of that state, and at her death, which occurred the same year as her mother's, left her husband with one child to care for. This child afterward was reared by her grandfather Taylor, and, upon reaching womanhood, married Dr. Long, of Athens, Ga., who became a prominent physician, and was said to have been the discoverer of anesthesia. He died a few years ago, in Athens, members of his family having moved to San Antonio, Tex. His wife was killed in a railroad wreck near San Antonio, Tex., after having borne him two sons and four daughters, all of whom are living. The second child born to Mr. and Mrs. Taylor, was Robert Knott, who was born May 3, 1804, and died in July, 1820, soon after his parents had moved to Georgia; Franklin was born May 3, 1805, and was married in Georgia, July 7, 1831, to Miss E. A. Baring, and by her became the father of four sons and seven daughters. He moved to Chambers county, Ala., during the early settlement of that region, afterward to Claiborne parish, La., where he followed planting. In 1853, with a brother, he began merchandising, a calling he very successfully followed until the opening of the war. He afterward moved to Texas, where he died in 1871, leaving a large family of children; Elizabeth Taylor was born November 22, 1806, and died in October, 1807; John Taylor, Jr., was born May 8, 1808, removed to Mississippi with his parents, and after a short residence at Columbus moved to Jacinto, the old county seat of Tishomingo, where he followed merchandising with a brother; he died at the home of his brother in 1875, a single man; Mary Ann, the next child, was born December 1, 1809; was married October 6, 1835, to Coday Fowler, who died in Tishomingo county, Miss., shortly before the war, leaving her with three sons and three daughters to care for, some of whom still reside in this vicinity; Martha was born May 26, 1812, and died in February, 1813; Calvin A. was born in Caswell county, N. C., January 6, 1813, emigrating to Georgia with his parents when six years of age, and to Mississippi with them in 1838. He was educated in the common schools and at Randolph-Macon college, Virginia, but soon after returned to Mississippi, his health having become very much impaired while in school. In 1839 he began teaching in Old Farmington, and in 1840 opened a private school in Marshall county. The following year he was elected circuit clerk of Tishomingo county, and in 1842, while holding this office, he opened a mercantile establishment which he conducted for several years, being associated during this time with his next eldest brother. He also followed the same calling with his brother in Claiborne parish, La. In 1861 he was elected to the state legislature for the second time, which office he held throughout the war. Since that time he has held the office of county treasurer of Tishomingo county, besides various other offices of importance. After the forming of Prentiss connty, in 1869, he removed to Rienzi, and until 1875 conducted a mercantile establishment at that place, being now a member of the firm of John R. Moore & Co., of Booneville. He has also been successfully engaged in planting near Rienzi. He was married in Tishomingo county to Miss Elizabeth Haigh, a native of Tuscumbia, Ala., she being the daughter of Jacol) Haigh, a leading merchant of that place, and a German by descent. He removed from Alabama to Mississippi about 1836, and in 1857, became a resident of Arkansas county, Ark., where he died in 1870, leaving a large family. The wife of Calvin Taylor was his eldest child. She was reared in Mississippi, and has borne her husband five children who lived to maturity, their names being as follows: John J., who is married, and is engaged in merchandising in Booneville; George C., who is

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living in Nashville, Ark .; James F., who is in the store of John R. Moore & Co .; Katie married R. F. Arnold, a well-known attorney of Graham, Tex., and judge of the circuit court; and Mollie, who became the wife of G. M. Street, and died in 1885, leaving three chil- dren, one of whom has since died. Katie E. and Mary E. have resided with their grandfather, Calvin Taylor, since their mother's death, their father being in business at Little Rock, Ark. Calvin Taylor and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church; he is a democrat in politics, and since 1884 has been mayor of Rienzi. The ninth child born to John and Mary (Knott) Taylor was Elsa, born November 24, 1814, and on November 26, 1839, mar- ried James Rosamond, by whom she became the mother of five children. The next was Luther R., born November 24, 1816, married Miss Louisa Brewster, December 23. 1843, by whom he had four children. Sarah C., the eleventh of the family, was born September 28, 1818, and on July 7, 1840, was married, to A. B. Dilworth. William A. was born January 26, 1821, in Jackson county, Ga .; was married on June 6, 1849, to Miss H. P. McCrory, by whom he had two sons, one of whom is now deceased, and James M., who was born January 12. 1827, in Jackson county, Ga., being married on October 8, 1851, to Miss Mary E. Cox.

Dr. William A. Taylor is a son of John Taylor (deceased), a sketch of whom immediately precedes this, and although born in Georgia he was principally reared in Mississippi, whither he came with his parents. After receiving a good practical education in the common schools of Tishomingo county he began the study of medicine, and after attending lectures in the University of Louisville, Ky., he was graduated as an M. D., after which he returned to his home in Mississippi, for fourteen years thereafter practicing his profession at Danville, and Jacinto. Since that time he has been an active medical practitioner of Booneville, and in his professional capacity has entered the homes of many of her citizens. His long experience (since 1860), his thorough knowledge of his profession and his sound good sense, have placed him among the foremost medical practitioners of the state, and he has been exceptionally successful in the treatment of diseases to which the human body is heir. While at Jacinto he was engaged in the mercantile and manufacturing business, but since leaving that place he had devoted his attention to his profession, with the best results. On the 6th of June, 1849, he was married to Miss Hannah P. MeCrory, a native of Tennessee and a daughter of Robert McCrory, who settled in this section in 1846, following the calling of a planter near Rienzi. Mrs. Taylor was one of a large family and was reared in Mississippi. She has borne the Doctor two children, one of whom is deceased. Marcus E., their living son is a surgeon in the United States army, and is located at Vancouver barracks, opposite Portland, Ore., where he is post surgeon. He prepared himself for his profession at home under his father, took lectures at Louisville, Ky., for a time, after which he taught school in Jack- son, Tenn., for a time, in order to obtain means with which to continue his medical studies, and later entered the Bellevue Hospital Medical college of New York, from which institution he graduated in 1875. While in this college he made application for a position in the United States army, was commissioned and sent to Jackson barracks, New Orleans, where he remained for three years. At the end of this time he was ordered to the Missouri depart- ment, thence to Fort Bliss, El Paso, Tex., remaining there four years, thence to Jefferson barracks, Mo., and afterward returned to his home in Mississippi on leave of absence. He was next sent to David's island, thence to Fort Stanton, N. M., remaining at this place four years, next to Boise City, Ida., and in 1890 to Vancouver barracks, where he now is. His literary education was acquired in the University of Mississippi at Oxford, from which he graduated with honors in 1871. Clay Taylor, the other son, died at the age of ten years. Mrs. Taylor is a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian church. Dr. Taylor is a member

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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 138

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