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 140

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 140

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Judge Samuel H. Terral, of Clarke county, Miss., was born in Jasper county of that state in 1835. His parents were James S. and Alletha (Heielburg) Terral. His father was

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born in Wayne county, in 1809, a son of Edward Terral, of Welsh descent, who was born in South Carolina, but moved to Mississippi, going there at an early day and settling in Wayne county. He fought in the Revolutionary war, in which he enlisted from the state of South Carolina, where he then lived. His wife was a member of the Stevens family. The father was one of five children reared by his parents, the most of whom were born in this state. He was one of the early settlers in this section of the state, and became a prominent planter. He was married in Perry county of this state, in 1831, and reared a family of five sons and three daughters. Of these, John H. died in 1861; James S. Terral, who in 1858 was elected district attorney of the eighth district, over a very popular incumbent. In 1861, when the call for volunteers was made, he left his circuit and raised a company for the war, of which he was elected captain. It was designed for an infantry company, but the need in that arm of service being supplied, he turned over the company to Capt. Melancthon Smith, a graduate of West Point, for the artillery service. In the fall of 1861, a new call for troops being made, with the aid of Major Welborne, he raised the Seventh Mississippi battalion, composed of seven companies from southeastern Mississippi, of which he was elected com- manding officer, lieutenant colonel. After a short training, the battalion was attached to Little's division of General Price's army. It was in the affair at Iuka, September 19, and in the battle at Corinth, October 3, 1862. On the latter day, while leading his battalion, with spirit and gallantry, he was wounded in the left breast, and was still leading and encouraging his men in the thickest of the fight, when he was stricken to the ground by a minie-ball, which broke the bone of the thigh, just above the knee. His left leg was amputated and his wound had nearly healed when erysipelas set in, of which he died November 2, 1862. He was generous and brave to a fault and had the full confidence of his men. When death approached he sent a loving remembrance and farewell to his family, in which he expressed his content to die, in that he died for his country. The next in order of birth is the subject of this sketch, Edward S. Terral, who lives in Texas and was lieutenant of the Sixteenth Mississippi regiment; Milton was lieutenant of the Thirty-seventh Mississippi regiment, company C, and was killed at Corinth, October 4, 1862; Ardelissa was married to Mr. Munger and died in Jasper county; Nannie became the wife of Mr. Smith, and is living in Jasper county; Lucretia, who also married a Mr. Smith, is residing in Heidelburg. The father of these children died in Jasper county, February, 1879. He was a Mason of high standing and a member as well as a minister of the Baptist church. The mother, who was a daughter of Thomas C. Heielburg, was born in the state of Georgia, of which her parents were both natives, they coming here at an early date and locating for a time in Perry county, whence they removed to Jasper county, where they died, the mother at Quitman, in 1885. The early life of Judge Terral was passed in Jasper county. He was educated in the common-schools and later attended Oxford university. Still later he studied law and hung out his shingle as a legal practitioner at Quitman, in 1858. He was district attorney of this county for eight years, and in 1861 was a member of the secession convention of this state. At another time he represented his county in the legislature. In 1882 he was appointed judge of the circuit court, a position which he has held with credit up to the present time. In February he enlisted in company C, of the Thirty-seventh Mississippi regiment, of which company he was elected captain and served with that rank till 1863, when he was promoted to the rank of major. He was present at the engagements of Iuka, Corinth, Vicksburg, Atlanta, the Atlanta courthouse affair, Franklin, and Nashville, Tenn. Immediately after the war he settled per- manently at Quitman, and engaged in the practice of law. He was married in 1859 to Mary E. McLeod, a daughter of Alexander McLeod, of Winchester, whose wife was Lydia Avera.

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Mr. McLeod was a native of South Carolina, who came with his parents to Mississippi when he was a small boy, the family locating in Greene county. He was a son of John and Mary (Bethune) McLeod. Mrs. Judge Terral's mother was born in Greene county, Miss., in 1819, a daughter of Powell Avera and wife, who was formerly a Miss Susana Middleton, who early settled in Wayne county. They were married in Greene county, Miss., in 1836, and Mrs. Terral was her only child. Mrs. McLeod died in February, 1837, in Greene county, and her father married a second time, and by that union had four chil- dren: Kenneth, John, Laughlin and Margaret, who was named for her mother. Mrs. McLeod's parents, as were also her grandparents, were among the early pioneers of this state. Her father was a physician and died in 1855. Mrs. Terral was born in Greene county, in 1836, and has borne her husband six children, of whom four are living: James A., a railroad man residing at Meridian, Miss .; he married Maud Massingale, of this county, who died leaving him one son, James A .; Joseph E., a successful attorney at law; Mary A. and Samuel H., who are living at home with their parents; John S. and Milton K. are dead. Judge Terral has been interested in politics all his life, and has always done his full share toward the general development and improvement of the county. Many years ago he united with the Masonic fraternity, and he and his wife are both members of the Methodist Episcopal church.

Dr. George A. Teunisson, now president of the Farmers' Alliance of Mississippi, is a practicing physician and life-long resident and planter of Lawrence county. He was born within six miles of Monticello, August 21, 1841. He is a son of John Henry and Mary Ann (Kennicott) Teunisson. His father was born in Amsterdam, Holland, July 4, 1800, and his mother was a native of Connecticut, born December 31, 1811, and was reared in Cattaraugus county, N. Y. John H. Teunisson was a son of John Teunisson, a Danish sailor, who married Susan Van Bergen, a native of Holland, and who followed a seafaring life between Holland and Denmark, dying in the latter place in 1802. At one time during his life, he had been very wealthy, but his fortune became so reduced that, at his death, his family was left. in very moderate circumstances. His wife died in Holland at a very advanced age, in IS55, after fifty-three years of widowhood. She had several children, of whom the father of our subject was the youngest. He was apprenticed to learn the trade of chair-making. Later he took up the shoemaker's trade. When quite a youth he left home with a theatrical troupe, but, after a short time, returned to his mother, only to leave again in a short time for the sea. Embarking on board of ship, the vessel was wrecked on the coast of Cuba, and he and one other were the only ones saved. They were rescued by a ship bound for Brazil. In that country, the father of our subject remained for about one year, when he shipped for New Orleans, going soon to north Louisiana, where he engaged in planting and trading. He was at that time about eighteen years of age. He removed thence to Pike county, Miss., where he followed the same occupation. In 1828 he engaged in merchandising, on Canal street, New Orleans, but later he sold out his store and invested his money in goods, intend- ing to bring them to Monticello, Miss., and there engage in merchandising, but the schooner. on which his goods were loaded was wrecked on Lake Ponchatrain, and all on board, except Mr. Teunisson and the captain lost their lives. They were obliged to remain three days in the rigging, before being rescued. Mr. Teunisson, having lost all of his possessions, was obliged to begin life anew. He began- planting for a time, in 1830, carrying out his original intention of engaging in the mercantile business, which he continued until about 1840, when he again engaged in farming, which he followed for some years. Atter a time he relinquished this occupation, and again turned his attention to the mercantile pursuits, in Monticello,

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where he continued with success until 1867, when he retired from business and removed to New Orleans, possessed of considerable property. He lived there quietly until 1873, when in Keokuk, Iowa, he was attacked with cholera, and died. He was a man of great energy and force of character, honest in every sense, in all of his dealings. He was a member and an elder in the Presbyterian church, and was a member of the Eastern Star lodge, A. F. & A. M., of Monticello, Miss. In politics he was a whig, and a Union man in sentiment and influence. His favorite recreation was chess playing, at which he was skillful.

The mother of our subject still survives, and is a resident of New Orleans, though she is now quite feeble. She has been for many years a member of the Presbyterian church. Mr. and Mrs. Teunisson had ten children, four of whom are still living: Isabella E. married John S. Lamkin, of Magnolia, Miss .; Charles E. is a merchant at Summit, Miss .; Alice E. is the wife of Wallace Wood, of Madison, Wis .; James and Eugene died in childhood; Willie H. was a member of General Gordon's staff, acting as a courier, was captured by the Federals at Nashville, Tenn., and died at Camp Chase, Ohio, at the age of eighteen years; he was the youngest of the family and a general favorite with all who knew him; Helen L. married Col. M. A. Oatis, and lived in Monticello, where she died in 1866, leaving her hus- band two children. Two other children died in infancy, being unnamed. Dr. George A. Teunisson was reared in Monticello, Miss., and was educated at the common schools near his home and at the Monticello academy, he studied medicine, which study was interrupted for four years by the war. While a student at what is now Tulane Medical college, he enlisted in company A, of the Twenty-second Mississippi regiment, with which he served until the close of the war. He took part in the campaigns around Vicksburg, at Baton Rouge, and in the campaigns in Kentucky under General Johnston, being present at the battles of Corinth, Vicksburg, Rolling fork, Baton Rouge, Baker's creek, Jackson, Resaca, Atlanta, New Hope church, Peachtree creek, Decatur, Columbia, Franklin, and Nashville. He was in the rear guard, to which is given the credit of having saved Hood's army when retreating from Nash- ville. After the return of Hood from Tennessee, Dr. Teunisson received a furlough of sixty days and returned to his home, but rejoined the army at Demopolis, Ala., and was paroled at Meridian, May, 1865. He was regularly promoted from fourth sergeant of his company to that of adjutant of the Twenty-second regiment, but upon the reorganization of the regiment he was appointed first lieutenant of company A, Twenty-second Mississippi regiment.

Returning home at the close of the war, he re-entered Tulane Medical college, but his studies were interrupted, this time by illness in his family, and he was prevented from im- mediately returning to the institution, from which he finally graduated in 1884. Soon after he began the practice of his profession in Monticello, and he has come to be regarded as one of the leading physicians of his county. He was married April 5, 1866, to Miss Anna C. Daughtry, a daughter of Enos Daughtry, a native of Anson county, N. C. Mr. Daughtry was born December 6, 1806, and came to Mississippi when a child, with his parents, Enos and Catherine (Bryant) Daughtry. He was a member of a Quaker family, of Irish and French ancestry, who went to Ireland as refugees from France, and thence to America, at the time of the Huguenot massacre. The family landed at Natchez, and were residents near there for a time, later removing to Pike county, Miss., where Enos, the father of Mrs. Teun- isson, was reared. He was married in Pike county, and then removed to Hinds county in . 1839, and thence to Lawrence county in 1846. He was a planter, a hotel-keeper and a merchant, during different periods of his life. His wife was Mary Ann, daughter of Richard and Anna (Stovall) Ratliff, who was born in South Carolina, August 30, 1816, and came, when a child, with her parents to Pike county, where she grew to womanhood. To this

Btwtard

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union have been born five children, three of whom are living: Dr. J. B. Daughtry of Brook- haven; J. H. Daughtry of Houston, Tex., and wife of Dr. George A. Teunisson; Roy T. served as a soldier in the late war and was a prisoner of war for seven months at Point Look- out, and died at the age of thirty-two years; Clara died at the age of two years. To Mr. and Mrs. Teunisson have been born six children, five of whom are living: Mary A., who graduated from Whitworth college in 1891; and Alice, Rose, George E. and John H. are members of their parents' home. Dr. Teunisson is a democrat in politics and has twice represented his county in the state legislature, having been reelected in 1880 and again in 1886. He was elected vice pres- ident of the Farmers' Alliance of the state of Mississippi, and succeeded to the presidency on the death of R. C. Patty, the former president. The Doctor is also much interested in Mas- onry. He was elected master of the Eastern Star lodge in 1868, and has held that position for twenty years. He is now a district deputy grand master of this order, a position which he has filled for the past ten years. He and his wife are members of the Presbyterian church, in which he has held the office of elder for twenty years, being also superintendent of the Sunday-school. He has been acting superintendent of education for two years, as a substitute for the appointed superintendent, who is a lady. Outside of his professional duties, the Doctor is engaged in planting, having a fine home near Monticello. His practice is large and lucra- tive. He is a member of the State Medical association.

Dr. Andrew H. Thomas (deceased) was a very prominent physician, living near Cumber- land, Webster county, Miss., whither he had removed in 1857, but was a native of Nashville, Tenn., born in 1818. His father, Andrew Thomas, removed to the Lone Star state many years ago, followed farming and trading, and there received his final summons. Dr. Thomas left his home in Nashville when about fourteen years of age, went to Pickens county, Ala., and worked there for a short time. He started life a poor boy and earned his first twenty- five cents by carrying brick all day. He afterward learned the blacksmith's trade, and worked at the forge until he earned money enough to buy a negro, who was taken sick on the day he paid for him and died in a few days. He continued to work at his trade until he made money enough to buy another negro, for whom he paid $1,800. This negro he taught the blacksmith trade, and this way the Doctor continued to carry on blacksmithing, and in connection, also, engaged in farming, for a number of years investing the proceeds in negroes, etc. About 1840 he married Miss Martha E. Walker, who was also born near Nashville, Tenn., in 1824. She went with her parents to Lowndes county, Miss., where she was mar- ried to Dr. Thomas. From boyhood, Dr. Thomas had had a taste for the medical profession, and prior to his marriage had taken a course of lectures, not with an intention, however, of making that his profession, but merely for his own satisfaction. An occasional professional call to a sick neighbor soon gave evidence as to his skill and ability as a physician, and after the Civil war, his slaves having been freed, he placed his farming interest in the hands of other men, he, himself, devoting his entire attention to his profession. This he followed with marked success until his death in January, 1891. He was a man of strong and vigorous mind and those who knew him best, loved and appreciated him most. The willing heart and ready hand that so often ministered to others in the alleviation of suffering and the prolonging of life was helpless before the Great Reaper. He left a devoted wife and a family of interesting children to mourn their loss.

Noble, generous and hospitable, he had a kind word for everybody, and the child of want never went empty-handed from his door. He was influential and active in all that went toward the advancement of the town and county, and was ever ready to give his weight to any worthy enterprise for the public weal. He was a devout Methodist, and was for- DDD

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merly a member of the Masonic fraternity. He was a good financier and left a handsome property. Soon after his marriage he settled in Nashville, Miss., where he resided until about 1857, when he removed to what is now Webster county, where he made his future home. He was one of a large family of children. His widow, who still resides on the old farm near Cumberland, is an excellent lady and a devout Methodist, also. Her father, Mr. Walker, removed many years ago from Tennessee to Lowndes county, Miss., where he died when Mrs. Thomas was a girl. Dr. Thomas was the father of ten children, viz .: John, died at nine years of age; Mary, now deceased, was the wife of Dr. F. N. Arnold, of Wal- thall; Sallie, wife of D. T. Hartley, a planter near Cumberland; Andrew H. was born in Lowndes county, in 1851, and passed his boyhood in assisting on the farm and in attending the common-schools. In 1868 his father placed him in his dry goods store at Bellefontaine, as a clerk, and after serving two years in that capacity he returned to his father's farm. In 1873 he engaged in merchandising at Cumberland, where he has been in business ever since, and is perhaps the leading merchant of the county, carrying a very heavy stock of general merchandise; he also has large planting interests. He is one of the most successful busi- ness men of northern Mississippi, is an excellent financier and is a gentleman in every sense of the term. The next child, in order of birth, born to Dr. Thomas, was John A., also a prominent merchant at Cumberland. The latter was born in Lowndes county, Miss., in 1853, received a common-school education, and since 1870 has been merchandising. He also has large planting interests, and is a man not only respected and honored for his upright and honest dealing, but is one of the county's best citizens. The doctor's sixth child was Cath- arine C. (deceased), who was the wife of A. W. Dominick, of Houston. James L. died in infancy. James Walker was burned to death in a building in Winona, October 6, 1889. He was a merchant also, and had been to Memphis to purchase goods, and on his return stopped over night at that place to wait for the train. He was a young man of excellent habits, fine business ability, and had a bright future opening before him. He was educated at Cumberland and at the state university. Laura E., wife of J. E. Clark, an attorney, of Walthall, and Dr. Sylvester S., who is a practicing physician uow on the old homestead. Sylvester S. received his education principally at Cumberland and graduated in his profession from Louisville (Ky.) Medical college.

C. L. Thomas is a Hinds county Mississippian, born in the month of July, 1829, and throughout life he has followed the calling of a planter, at which he has been reasonably suc- cessful. He is the fourth of eight children born to Andrew Thomas, a native of Tennessee, who came to the state of Mississippi when about eighteen years of age, and eventually became the owner of a large amount of real estate in Hinds county, and was one of its most substan- tial citizens prior to the opening of the Civil war. C. L. Thomas, like the majority of youths, was an attendant of the common schools during his youth, but at the age of fifteen years he entered Mississippi college at Clinton, where he spent four years, but did not complete the course. At the age of nineteen years he engaged in general merchandising at Clinton, con- tinuing until 1861, when he closed out his business, which had been a very profitable and pros- perous one. After the war he became assistant superintendent of the Alabama & Vicksburg railroad, continuing until 1866. Mr. Thomas' first purchase of land was on the Big Black river in 1868, a tract of ten hundred and eighty acres, on which he engaged in farming, and has been so occupied ever since. In 1870 he purchased another valuable tract of land, containing eleven hundred acres, the most of which is in pasture, and which he uses as a stockfarm. He is quite extensively engaged in the raising of horses, mules and cattle, about thirty colts being foaled each spring. He has two fine thoroughbred horses, also two

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pedigreed jacks, and his herd of Jersey and Holstein cattle is an exceptionally large and fine one. His home place, which contains six hundred acres, was purchased in 1885, and on this place is a handsome and comfortable residence, pleasantly located. He has about fifteen hun- dred acres under cultivation, on which he annually raises about two hundred and fifty bales of cotton, and has three hundred acres devoted to grass, from which he secures two hundred and fifty tons of hay, which he is now selling at $16 per ton. Five hundred acres of his land are heavily covered with timber, the most valuable woods being oak, hickory and wal- nut. He is enterprising and progressive in every respect; is intelligent, well posted and up with the times, and has always been strictly honorable in all his business transactions. He has always manifested much interest in the cause of education, and for at least twenty years has been trustee of Central Female institute and Mississippi college. He was married in 1864 to Miss Cabbell, of Hinds county, which union has not resulted in the birth of any chil- dren. He is a worthy and earnest member of the Baptist church, in which he is a deacon, and socially is a member of the A. F. & A. M.

B. F. Thomas, merchant, and manager of Chamberlain hotel, Grenada, Miss., was born March 23, 1846, in Sumter county, Ala., and was the youngest of a family of nine children born to Morrison and Patience (Horn) Thomas, natives of the Old North state. Morrison Thomas was born April 17, 1802, and was the second son of a family of eight children, seven sons and one daughter, born to the marriage of Theopolis Thomas, who was a uative of the famous old Edgefield district, N. C. The latter's eldest son, Archibald, was the first husband of Mrs. Dr. Trimble (see sketch); Wade R., the third son, died in Meridian, Miss., leaving a wife and two children; John R. died in Alabama during the latter part of the war, and left a wife and child, both of whom were soon laid to rest; Edwin resides in Gainesville, Ala., where he is engaged in merchandising; Bennett B., makes his home in Sumter county, Ala., and there follows the occupation of a planter; James R. died in 1867, leaving a wife and two children, and Margaret R., the daughter, married W. B. Barnes, who came to Mis- sissippi in 1850, and who died eighteen years later, leaving a large family, two of whom are now living, Willie and Margaret. Morrison Thomas resided in Alabama for a number of years, and then, in 1849, immigrated to Mississippi, coming overland to this state. He settled on a place eight miles west of Grenada, and became one of the leading planters of the county. He was a stanch whig and kept himself well posted, being a constant reader of the news. He was a member of the Presbyterian church and a liberal contributor to the same. He was also a member of the I. O. O. F. lodge of Grenada, and a Mason of the same place. His death occurred on April 17, 1872, in Mississippi, after a long and useful life. His wife, whom he married in North Carolina, was born in 1805 and died on December 31, 1869, in full communion with the Presbyterian church. Both were kind, generous and hos- pitable, and won the respect and esteem of all with whom they came in contact. Of the large family of children born to this union, four lived to be grown and three survive at the present time: A. V. B., the eldest (see sketch of J. T. Thomas), and Rebecca F., who is the wife of C. C. Peete, formerly of Parson's station, and who is now keeping a hotel, the Brink- ley house, at Greenwood, Miss. She was educated at the Female institute. Her husband is one of the very early settlers of this county, having located and settled a place near what is now Parson's station, and this was named Peete postoffice, for him. B. F. Thomas came to Mississippi, with his parents, when but three years of age, and supplemented a common-school education by attending the Masonic academy, where he received a thorough education. After the war he commenced for himself as a farmer, followed this occupation for about six years on the old home place, and on coming to Grenada clerked for Lake Bros., until 1876,

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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 140

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