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 143

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 143

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has borne him seven children, six of whom are living: Sidney, Stennis, Gussie, Ida, Mamie and Ethel. The family are members of the Methodist Episcopal church.

Pharaoh Carter Thompson. In the very early settlement of the state of Mississippi, among the families who wore closely identified with its affairs and associated with its progress and de- velopment, were the Thompsons, and a respected representative of this family is found in the subject of this sketch. He is a prominent planter and breeder of Holstein cattle and fine saddle horses and mules, and at the present time is the owner, in connection with his uncle, C. F. Thompson, and general manager of the Southern Progress, a weekly newspaper, published at Garden City, the official organ of Franklin county. He was born in the neighborhood in which he is now residing, in 1852, to Bartlett C. and Adeliza A. (Carter) Thompson, the former of whom was also born in this county in December, 1819, and is still residing on the farm on which he was born, having led the industrious life of a planter. He was educated in the common country schools, and in time became noted throughout this region as a man of sound judg- ment, and much executive ability. He served some years as a member of the board of super- visors, and was also magistrate for some time. He was called upon to mourn the death of his worthy wife in 1862, she having been a true helpmate throughout their married life. His father was Col. John L. Thompson, who was born in South Carolina, but came with his parents to Franklin county, Miss., at a very early day, spending the rest of his life here. He was made a colonel while serving in the War of 1812, and after settling down to the life of a civilian, became a successful pioneer planter. His wife was Elizabeth Callahan, who was born in Franklin county. Maj. David Thompson, the father of John L., was born in the Old North state, in 1758, but was married, in South Carolina, to Miss Frances Longmire, of that state. In the early history of this region they came hither, and here Mrs. Thompson was called from life soon after. Mr. Thompson then married again, Miss Nancy Sojourner be- coming his wife. He afterward moved to Amite county, where he passed from life July +, 1840. He had been a soldier in the Revolutionary war, and was major of militia in the War of 1812. He reared two large families. Mrs. Adaliza Adelia Carter was born in Adams county in February, 1823, and was a daughter of Pharaoh Carter, who was, in all probability, a North Carolinian, and when a young man came to Adams county, Miss., where he married Miss Susanna Griffing, and resided until just prior to the war, when he removed to Pike county, and was there called from life in 1888, at the extreme old age of ninety-one years. He was a planter and mechanic, and was exceptionally skillful in the use of tools. Pharaoh Carter Thompson was the fifth of seven children, three sons and four daughters, five of whom are now living: Elizabeth, wife of Henry K. Aldridge; Laura, wife of William J. Laughman; John B., of Shelby county, Texas; Susan E., wife of Samuel R. Farrell, and Pharaoh C. The latter was given the advantages of the common schools, and at about the age of eighteen years he began trading for himself whenever opportunity afforded, though he lived with and acknowledged the right of his father to dictate until he was twenty-one years old, doing for himself as a trader, being also engaged in trapping for many years, sold books and dealt in stock, in fact, he engaged in anything honorable that came in his way, and promised reason- able compensation. In the spring of 1883, after a winter's hunt or trapping campaign, he embarked in the mercantile business near Knoxville. The following year he moved his bnsi- ness to Knoxville, where he ran a store and carried on a farm. This he continued with suc- cess until January 26, 1886, when he was severely injured by the closing of an opening in a freight train, at Knoxville depot, on the New Orleans & Tennessee railroad, the result of carelessness and gross negligence on the part of the employes of the road, which was proven by the decision of the circuit court, the following fall, which gave a verdict of $15,000

my S avis

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damages. This decision was sustained in the supreme court the following spring, 1887, which augmented the cost, making the total damages allowed $16,200. After this injury, which re- sulted in breaking his thigh bone in two places and his pelvis bone in two places, and causing a considerable wasting of the muscles, necessitated his abandonment of the mercantile busi- ness, though he kept up his farm. He finally settled down to planting and stockbreeding, and is now one of the most extensive and successful followers of these callings in this part of the state. He is the owner of two thousand eight hundred acres of land, his residence being very pleasantly situated on the Leland plantation, at Garden City, making one of the most attractive homes in Franklin county. On the 1st of January, 1889, he purchased the Hamburg Herald, removed the press to Knoxville, and began the publication of the Southern Progress, where he continued until June 26, 1890, when he removed his plant to Garden City, and here has since continued the publication of his journal. In 1887 he was married to Miss Mary S., daughter of Samuel G. and Sina Marshall, who were born in Madison county, Ala., in 1834, and Hinds county, Miss., respectively. Mr. Marshall came to Mississippi when a young man, and he and his wife have since lived in different parts of the state, his principal business being that of a druggist. He was for some years deputy chancery clerk of Hinds county, was a faithful, painstaking and zealous official, and discharged the duties incumbent upon the office in a manner highly satisfactory to all. Mrs. Thompson was born at Raymond, in Hinds county, and by Mr. Thompson is the mother of two children. She is a Methodist, but her husband is a member of the Baptist church-a deacon. Mr. Thompson is one of the

most progressive men of Franklin county, and, although he commenced life a poor boy, by his untiring efforts has become one of the foremost planters of the county. He has always been active in the general up-building of the county, is deeply interested in the progress and development of the same, and is a genial and agreeable gentleman to meet. He is kind, generous and hospitable in disposition, in the domestic circle is a model husband and father, and for this reason, has won numerous friends and lost few:

Robert H. Thompson, a prominent lawyer residing at Brookhaven, Lincoln county, was born in Copiah county, Miss., August 25, 1847. He is the son of J. Harvey Thompson and Margaret Ann (Watson) Thompson, both natives of Mississippi, and both are still living. His grandfather, Jesse Thompson, who married a Miss Margaret Harvey of that state, was a prominent planter of Georgia, and came from there to Mississippi when it was a terri- tory. The father of the subject of our sketch was a man of prominence in the ante-bellum days of the state. He was the youngest of quite a large family, while the mother (Mar- garat A.) was the eldest of such a family. To these parents were born seven children; one son and six daughters. Julia is the widow of Capt. T. J. Chrisman, who was killed at the siege of Vicksburg, a Confederate soldier, leaving two children: Anna C. and Agnes. Anna C. lost her life in the Johnstown, Penn., flood, while on her way to Brazil as a missionary. Agnes and her mother are schoolteachers at Wesson, Miss. Mrs. Maggie T. Butler, the second sister, is the wife of Dr. John T. Butler, of Oregon, Mo. Laura, Emma, Margaret and Mary, sisters, are all dead. Robert H. Thompson received his primary education in Copiah county; he attended schools at Gallatin, Hazlehurst and other points until February, 1864, when he enlisted in the Confederate army, in Capt. T. J. Hargrave's company of the Twenty-fourth Mississippi regiment, under the command of Col. George Moorman. This regiment was in Wirt Adams' brigade of Forrest's command. Mr. Thompson served with it until the surrender, at Gainesville, Ala., in April, 1865. He was paroled April 12th, of the year last mentioned, and returning home engaged in planting. During the same year he entered the old Summerville institute, of Noxubee county, Miss., as a student, and EEE

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remained there two years. Entering the junior class of the University of Mississippi, at Oxford, in September, 1867, he graduated in June, 1869, with the degree of A. B. After his graduation from the literary department he remained as a student of law, which depart- ment was then in charge of Professor Lamar, now justice of the supreme court of the United States. In 1889, twenty years after his graduation, Mr. Thompson returned to the univer- sity and delivered an able address to the alumni association. He is now a trustee of this university, his alma mater, and takes much interest in the institution. He began to practice law in January, 1871, at Brookhaven, only a few days after receiving his license at Gallatin, then the county site of Copiah county, Miss. Since that time he has been engaged unremittingly in the practice of his profession. He is now regarded as one of the leading lawyers of the Mississippi bar, and one of the best judges of law in the South. He has prepared several papers of more than common interest for the Mississippi Bar associa- tion, of which he has been the president and is one of its leading spirits. He was married December 21, 1871, to Miss Mary Lou Coleman, of Madison county, Miss., a daughter of E. H. and Mary (Gilchrist) Coleman, who died shortly afterward. Mr. Thompson was mar- ried the second time, in 1876, to Mrs. Fannie P. Myers, widow of the late Hamilton Myers. This lady was reared in Natchez, Miss., and was a daughter of L. M. Patterson, a merchant of that city, but who was a native of Maryland. Her mother, Miss Lucy Gridley, was from New York. Of their eight children Mrs. Thompson was the youngest. Mrs. Thompson can trace her family genealogy on the maternal side back to the Mayflower. Three brothers, named Richard, Samuel and Thomas Gridley, came with the Pilgrims, and were among the fathers who settled the city of Hartford, Conn. Mrs. Thompson is descended in direct line from the last mentioned of these brothers. To Mr. and Mrs. Thompson have been born four children: Harvey, Robert, Gertrude and Mildred, all of whom, the eldest being only four- teen, are living with their parents.

Mr. and Mrs. Thompson are members of the Presbyterian church, and, with their family, are attendants upon its services. Mr. Thompson has had a somewhat interesting political career. He is a stanch democrat, and, on account of his age, was one of those who were com- pelled to cast his first presidential vote for Horace Greeley. In 1875 he was elected to the state senate by a large majority, to represent Pike, Lincoln and Lawrence counties. The campaign of that year in Mississippi is known as the political revolution, and the senate of which he was a member has passed into history as the historical senate. Of this hody Mr. Thompson was the youngest member. He served with credit until the end of his term, comprising four years. In 1890 he was elected to represent Lincoln and Jefferson counties in the state constitutional convention, and acted as chairman of the legislative committee of that body. The report of this committee, brought in by Mr. Thompson as such chairman, was widely commented upon, and everywhere regarded as the ablest report of the convention. At the close of the session he was made chairman of the committee on revision, which was charged with the duty of arranging the various ordinances that had been passed, and with making the constitution harmonious and consistent in all its parts. This committee received the unanimous thanks of the convention for the able manner in which it performed its duties. The constitution then formulated required the governor to appoint a committee of three learned lawyers to revise the statute laws of the state, and prepare such other laws for adoption by the legislature as should be found necessary to put the new constitution in full operation and force. Of this committee Mr. Thompson was made chairman, and he is now engaged upon the work of preparing a new code of laws for Mississippi. In view of the facts that we have stated, it would be superfluous to say that Mr. Thompson is an influential

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and widely known citizen of Mississippi. At home, and where he is most intimately known, he is perhaps held in highest esteem; and there are few local interests that have not received his helpful support. He was unanimously elected the president of the Mississippi state (lemocratic convention, which met at Jackson, in July, 1891, and presided over its delibera- tions with ability and grace. He was elected by the convention itself, an unusual but great honor, the chairman of the democratic state executive committee, which office he now holds.

E. W. Thornton, planter, Sardis, is a native born resident of the county, his birth occur- ring on November 28, 1863, and although young in years he is foremost among the planters of his locality. He is of English descent and the eldest of four children born to Benjamin W. and Jane (Mckinney) Thornton, the father a native of North Carolina and the mother of Mississippi. Benjamin W. Thornton immigrated to Panola county, Miss., before the Indians had left the state, engaged in planting, and continued that occupation until his death on Sep- tember 28, 1885. He was very successful, and accumulated quite a fortune. His father, Wright Thornton, was also of the Old North state. Mrs. Thornton's parents, Michael and Susan Mckinney, were natives of Tennessee, and the family is of English origin. E. W. Thornton was left motherless when quite small, and what he has won in the way of this world's goods is wholly due to his own good fighting qualities, for he started out for himself at the age of eighteen with no capital. He selected the occupation of a planter, and by his industry and good management has become the owner of three hundred and sixty-eight acres of rich land, one-half of which is on the Tallahatchie bank and is extremely productive. He has one hundred and forty acres under cultivation. He is wideawake, energetic and thor- oughgoing, and believes that what is worth doing at all is worth doing well. He is consid- ered one of the best farmers of his age in the county, and contributes liberally of his means to all worthy enterprises. In personal appearance he is tall, strongly built, black hair, dark eyes, fair complexion, and is a prepossessing young man. He is a democrat in political views.

James B. Thornton, one of the most practical and progressive planters of Tallahatchie county, was born in the valley eight miles north of Charleston, in the neighborhood near where he now lives, in 1854. He is the son of Philip H. and Eliza A. (Bailey) Thornton, both of whom were natives of Tennessee. Mr. Thornton came as a young man to Talla- hatchie county, Miss., and was twice married; first to a Miss Baker, by whom he had one daughter, and who is now deceased; for his second wife he married Eliza A. Bailey, a sister of Col. James S. Bailey. (See sketch of Col. James S. Bailey, which will be found in this work.) Mr. Thornton first lived some miles south of Charleston, and then a few miles above the same city, where he died while in the service of his country. His death took place in 1863. He was a good man and a progressive planter. He was the only son of his parents, and the only one of his family that came to Mississippi. The subject of this sketch was the fourth of five children: Sallie, who died young; Belle, now of Sardis, the widow of Judge J. G. Hall, who died in 1890 (he was a promising attorney, and had served as chancellor of his district); Eliza A., wife of C. S. Merriweather, a lawyer of Scranton, Miss .; the subject of this sketch comes next in order, followed by Philip H., a merchant at Charleston. James B. Thornton received a common English education, and resided with his aunt, Mrs. Caruthers, after the death of his father. When he was fourteen years of age he left the shelter of his aunt's home and went to Texas, where he lived about six years with his eldest sister, who had married and settled there. He then returned home and lived with Colonel Bailey for about one year, till he reached his majority, when he engaged in farming on his own account. He was married in 1882 to Maggie, a daughter of J. R. and Mary A. Davis, of Vaiden, Carroll

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county, Miss. His wife's parents were natives of Mississippi, and for many years they lived in Carroll county, where Mr. Davis has been circuit clerk for many years and still holds that office. Both of them are Presbyterians. The daughter, Mrs. Thornton, was born in Carroll county, one of three children. Since his marriage Mr. Thornton has lived on his present plantation, which can in truth be said to be one of the finest if not the finest plantation in this county. The energetic habits and progressive mind of the owner are easily seen by the prosperous condition of things in general about the farmn, such as good substantial buildings, good fences, and all that goes to make up a first-class plantation. There are eleven hundred acres in this plantation, which produce about one hundred and fifty bales of cotton annually. He inherited a part of this fine old place from his father, but the most of it has come through Mr. Thornton's own unaided efforts, a fact of which he may well be proud. On this planta- tion are eighteen tenement houses, a steam sawinill, a gristmill and a cottongin. Mr. Thorn- ton is a member of the Knights of Honor, of A. Macon Leigli lodge No. 3233, of Charleston, while his wife is a strong Presbyterian.

Dr. J. J. Thornton, Gulf Port, Miss., was born in Troop county, Ga., in 1883, and is a son of Jordan and Jemima (Mabry) Thornton, natives of Georgia. The father was a soldier in the War of 1812, and was promoted to the rank of major. He was a farmer by occupa- tion. He emigrated to Montgomery, Ala., and died there in 1880. His wife died in 1854. They reared a family of six sons and two daughters: Mrs. Mary McCane, P. M., Mrs. Georgia Horrelson, Andrew J. and J. J., the subject of this notice, are the only surviving members. The Doctor was reared in Wetumpka, Ala., and received his elementary education there. He began the study of medicine at an early age, and was graduated at Mobile, Ala., in his twenty-first year, from the Alabama Medical college. He engaged in practice at Buyckville, Ala., where he remained several years. There he was married to Miss Sarah Buyck, and eight children were born to them: Buyck, Alice, Finlayson, Thomas M., Mary G., Clower, Laura and Jennie. In 1857 the Doctor removed to Scott county, Miss., and set- tled at Hillsboro, but at the end of the year he went to Conehatta, Miss., and practiced there until 1870. His next place of residence was at Hattiesburg, Miss., where he practiced medicine and managed a hotel until 1888. In that year he came to Gulf Port, and built the Thornton house, which is a well equipped and managed hotel. The Doctor has abandoned professional work, and attends to the hotel; it is kept up in first-class style, and is a credit both to the proprietor and to the town. Dr. Thornton was married, in 1875, to Margaret Buyck, and one child was born of the marriage-Minnis. Mrs. Thornton died in April, 1889. The Doctor is a member of the Knights of Honor and of the Masonic fraternity. While a resident of Hattiesburg he was mayor for one term.

Hon. Stephen Thrasher. This eminent attorney is one of the leaders of his profession in this section of the state, for his long experience in the practice of law, his brilliant intel- lect and his powers as an orator, have tended to place him on the topmost round of the ladder. He possesses all the fire, vim and eloquence of the native Kentuckian, for in that state he was born February 24, 1833, being the eldest of seven children born to William and Henrietta (Hook) Thrasher, who were born in Kentucky and Maryland, respectively. The former was the fourth child born to his parents, and grew to manhood in Kentucky, where he was edu- cated, and where he settled, his attention being devoted to trading. He was born in April, 1804, and is now a resident of Indiana, and makes his home with his grandchildren. His wife died in 1869, in that state, whither they moved about 1850, being an earnest and worthy member of the Christian church at the time of her death. Their children are as fol- lows: Stephen; Sarah (deceased); Mary, wife of Oscar Turner, is a resident of Eau Claire,

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Wis .; Henrietta, wife of a Mr. Golding, is a resident of Minnesota; John is a resident of Shelbyville, Ind., and David is a resident of Texas. Stephen Thrasher, the father of William, was born in Maryland, and after the Revolutionary war removed to Kentucky, where he became colonel of a Kentucky troop and participated in the War of 1812. He was a mem- ber of the Kentucky legislature, and was a very prominent man in his day, taking an active interest in politics. He was a participant in the early Indian struggles in Ohio, and was at the battle of Miami when Anthony Wayne was in command. He died about 1830, in his sixtieth year, his ancestors having been natives of England. His wife was a Miss Boyd, a grandniece of General Montgomery, of Revolutionary war fame. They reared a small family of children. Stephen Thrasher, whose name heads this sketch, began the battle of life for himself in the year 1852, at which time he came South. After remaining here a short time, he returned to Bloomington, Ind., where he entered an excellent institution of learning, and graduated in 1857. He then once more returned South, and settled at Port Gibson, where he followed the practice of law until the breaking out of the late war, at which time he cast aside personal considerations to enlist in the Claiborne guards, of Port Gibson, which was afterward incorporated in the Twelfth Mississippi regiment, with which he served until the close of the war, participating in the battle of Seven Pines, the seven days' fight around Richmond, and Chancellorsville, where he was wonnded in the left arın and side, and for some time was confined in the hospital at Richmond and Petersburg. After obtaining a furlough he came home, and later rejoined his regiment at Rapidan, and took part in the battles of Wilderness and Spottsylvania. He was captured in front of Petersburg, and was taken to Point Lookout, where he remained until hostilities had ceased. Upon his return home he formed a copartnership with his uncle, J. B. Thrasher, in the practice of law at Port Gibson, and since 1875 had been at his present stand. His plantation, on which he now resides, the property of his wife, is one of the finest and most valuable in the county, and was first settled by Capt. Thaddeus Lyman, it being a portion of the land granted by George III, of England, in 1775, and was among the first land grants made in the county, consisting of twenty thousand acres. In addition to the property of Mr. Thrasher, Mrs. Thrasher owns a fine plantation of about one thousand acres, under a high state of cultivation. Mr. Thrasher is a lawyer of experience, and possesses broad and liberal views. His mind is acute, and his reasonings void of sophistry, and his reasons for his convictions are always clear and well detined, he has at all times the courage to express his views. He was first elected a member of the state senate in 1886. and was returned in 1889, serving two terms in succession, being a very strong supporter of the soldiers' monument appropriation. He is very conservative in his views, and does not seek political favors, being elected to the legislature much against his will. His reputation as a pure and intelligent legislator was of the very best, and while a member of that body he discharged the duties of his position with eminent ability, and to the satisfaction of all concerned. In 1875 he was married to Mrs. Lizzie (Belknap) Hamil- ton, a native of Tennessee, the Belknap family being noted throughout the South, and becoming early citizens of Mississippi. Mrs. Thrasher came with her mother to Grand Gulf in 1849, at which place she was married to C. D. Hamilton in 1853, his death occurring in 1869, having been an extensive planter. To them seven children were born, five of whom are living: Richard; Mary J., wife of Amos Burnett; Nannie. wife of S. C. Humphreys; Bettie, wife of B. E. Humphreys; Charles (deceased), and R. E. Lee, living near Grand Gulf. Mr. and Mrs. Thrasher have a beautiful home overlooking the Mississippi river, and are enjoying their prosperity as only people of education and refinement can do. They are members of the Episcopal church, and to every worthy project or institution they contribute

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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 143

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