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 147

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 147

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Robert H. Turner, planter, and the present treasurer of Grenada county, was the youngest of five children born to his parents, Robert and Lovinda (Childs) Turner, his birth occurring in Abbeville district, S. C., on the 8th of October, 1825. The father was born on the Atlantic ocean in December, 1786, while his parents, Alexander and (Hood) Turner, were on their way to Charleston, S. C., from Dublin, Ireland. Soon after landing at Charleston, Alexander's wife died, and he went on to Georgia, settling near Atlanta. The little son, Robert, who was left motherless, was taken and reared

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by his aunt, Mrs. Anderson, in Abbeville district, where he grew to manhood. He was married there to Miss Childs, a native also of that district, who died in 1826, leaving five children: Robert H. Turner being six months old at that time. The other children were Matilda, now the widow of Samuel Major, resides at Greenwood, Abbeville district, S. C .; John C., served as a soldier in the war and died at Tuscahoma, Miss., in 1870; Judith, was the wife of Wesley Major, and died at Abbeville, S. C., and Alexander died in South Carolina when young. The father was married the second time to Miss Dorotha Klugh, a native of Abbeville district, who bore him ten children, only one of whom is now living, Alexander K., who is a planter, and resides near Grenada. Those deceased are Paschal D., who died of consumption at the age of fifty years; he served during the Civil war, and received a medal for being the best and bravest soldier in a cavalry company during a march from the siege of Vicksburg; William A., was also a soldier in the Civil war, and was wounded and taken prisoner at Fisher's creek, but who was soon after paroled; he then remained with a family by the name of Jones until able to return to the company; he died in December, 1889; Rebecca, was the wife of Willis Davis, and was the mother of four children, all born in Mississippi; Carrie, was the wife of Stephen Dunlap, who resided near Grenada, and there she died, leaving two children; Mollie, was the wife of D. L. Holcombe, who resided at Tuscahoma, this county, and there she died leaving two children; Wesley was killed at the battle of Shiloh; he was a young man; James died at Tuscahoma, at the age of twelve years, and an infant, named Wesley, died in South Carolina. Mr. Turner came to Mississippi, with the younger members of the family, in 1846, settled at Tuscahoma, and opened up a large tract of land. There he reared his family. His death occurred in 1868, but his wife had passed away five years previously. Both were worthy members of the Methodist church. In politics he was democratic. Robert H. Turner attained his majority in South Carolina, and came to Mississippi on horseback when a single man. He located at Tuscahoma, and there continued to reside until 1880, when he moved to Grenada, Miss. He selected as his life companion Miss Martha S. Miller, who was born in Tennessee in 1831, and who was the daughter of Lewis and Sybil Miller, both natives of the Palmetto state. Mrs. Turner was a well educated lady, having attended James A. Girault's school, and the school at Spring Hill, Miss. She was a member of the Methodist church, and was a noble and exemplary Christian. Her death occurred in December, 1876. To this union were born six children: Lewis R., who is cashier at the bank at Bolton, Miss .; Matilda, wife of B. R. Turnipseed, resides in South Carolina; Venie, is single, resides at Grenada, and is a highly accomplished young lady; Ellen, is the wife of Dr. J. H. Bitzer, of Temple, Tex .; Donna, married Harry O. Rollins, and resides at Greenwood, Miss., and Johnnie W. died in 1878. During the late unpleasantness between the South and North, or in 1862, Mr. Turner entered Gwaltney's company, Brumley's regiment, and soon after, when the Third Mississippi cavalry was formed, he became a member of it, and was in Colonel Barksdale's company. He was made captain by election of the company and participated in the following battles: Col- lierville, Jackson, Harrisburg, Atlanta and Jonesboro, besides numerous skirmishes. Mr Turner received a contusion wound in his right arm at Collierville, Tenn. From Pollard, Ala., to Pensacola, his regiment had a running fight with the Union soldiers and put them to flight. Captain Turner was paroled at Ramsey, Ala., on the 12th of May, 1865, and then returned to the homeplace, where he has since been engaged in planting. In 1889 he was elected county treasurer, which position he has held successfully up to the present time. He is a public-spirited citizen and is deeply interested in educational matters. While a resi- dent of Tuscahoma he was a trustee of the schools, and held other positions of like character.

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He owns a large tract of land, but is now manager for Captain Mister on the latter's planta- tion, although he resides in Grenada. He is quite active in politics and votes with the dem- ocratic party.

Dr. R. J. Turner, physician and surgeon, Bay St. Louis, Hancock county, Miss., was born in Murfreesboro, Tenn., July 30, 1841, and is a son of Thomas J. B. and Sarah (Jetton) Turner. The parents were natives of middle Tennessee, where they lived and died. The father was a planter by occupation. He reared a family of five sons, three of whom served in the late war. The Doctor was the eldest of the family. He was reared in Murfreesboro, and received his literary education there. He began the study of medicine at an early age, and was graduated from the medical department of the University of Tennessee at the age of nineteen years. When the war began he enlisted as a private in company I, First Tennes- see regiment. He was afterward appointed assistant surgeon, Confederate States Army, and served until the close of the conflict. He had charge of a hospital at Kings- ton, Ga. While on field duty at Chickamauga he was wounded by a cannon shot and was picked up for dead. He finally survived, and was in the hospital as a patient only two weeks. He was twice captured and left in the lines with his wounded. After the surrender he returned to Murfreesboro and began practice at Salem, a little town near Murfreesboro. Desiring to perfect himself further in his profession he entered Vanderbilt university and took a course of medical lectures. In 1878 he removed to Nashville, Tenn., and practiced there until 1881. He then came to Hancock county, Miss., and settled at Nicholson, where he was physician to the Northeastern railroad until 1883. In that year he removed to Bay St. Louis and has established himself in a large and paying practice. He is president of the board of health and is physician for several insurance companies. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, and he and his wife are worthy members of the Method- ist Episcopal church. The Doctor was married in 1865, to Miss Laura Butler, of Ruther- ford county, Tenn., a daughter of Capt. William S. Butler. They have one son living, F. B. Turner. Dr. Turner is a man who is interested in all the enterprises tending to the development of the county, and is a liberal contributor to benevolent movements.

Robert L. Turner, M. D., of the firm of Smith & Turner, physicians and surgeons, Ellis- ville, Miss., was born in Jasper county, Miss., July 8, 1865. His parents were the Rev. Martin and Susan M. (Thompson) Turner, natives of Alabama and Georgia, respectively. The father was born in Wilcox county of the state just mentioned, November 1, 1838, and was the son of Martin D. and Harriet (Haddol) Turner, who were natives of Georgia and South Carolina, respectively, and removed to Mississippi in 1841, and thence to Texas in 1865, where the mother died in 1868, and the father in 1869. They were the parents of thirteen children, twelve of whom grew to be men and women. Rev. Martin C. Turner came with his parents to Mississippi in 1841, and has resided in the state ever since that date. In May, 1861, he enlisted in company F, of the Sixteenth Mississippi regiment, known as the Jasper grays, and served in that organization until the close of the war. April 2, 1865, he was taken prisoner at the battle of Port Gregg, near Petersburg, and was taken to Point Lookout, Md., where he was kept until June, 1865, when he was released and returned home. During the service he returned home on a furlough in 1864, and was married, September 16, 1864, to Susan M., a daughter of Zachariah and Charity (Duckworth) Thomp- son, who was born in Georgia, November 16, 1836. In 1866 Rev. Mr. Turner was elected assessor of Jasper county, and served in that capacity four years. He was afterward elected again and served three years. He has been a member of the Baptist church since 1853, and was licensed to preach in 1867, and was regularly ordained in 1874. In 1879 he was elected

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to the office of chancery clerk of Jasper county, Miss., and served two successive terms, during which time he attended to his ministerial duties also. In March, 1891, he removed to Ellisville, Miss. He has had born to him the following named children: Martin F., William A., Eugene L., Susan M., Ida L. (deceased), and Dr. Robert L., above mentioned, the eldest member of the family. Dr. Turner was educated at the Agricultural and Mechan - ical college at Starkville, Miss., from which he was graduated in 1887. In 1888 he began reading medicine under Dr. C. W. Bufkin, of Vossburg, Miss., and in the winter of 1888-9 he attended lectures at the University of Pennsylvania, at Philadelphia, after which he returned to Mississippi, and resumed his studies, which he continued there until the winter of 1889-90, when he attended lectures at the Tulane university, at New Orleans, La. In the winter of 1890-91 he took his concluding course of lectures at the institution last mentioned, and the degree of M. D. was conferred upon him April 1, 1891. He returned immediately to Ellisville, Miss., and entered into a partnership with Dr. Sidney O. Smith. Drs. Smith and Turner rank among the best educated, most skillful and most successful physicians and surgeons in the county, and have a large and increasing practice.

The social, political and business history of this section is filled with the deeds and doings of selfmade men, and no man in Jefferson county is more deserving the appellation than Robert Tweed, for he marked out his own career in youth, and has steadily followed it up to the present, his prosperity being attributable to his earnest and persistent endeavor, and to the fact that he has always consistently tried to follow the teachings of the golden rule. He was born in Ayrshire, Scotland, June 2, 1821; his parents, William and Mary (Orr) Tweed, being also born in that country, the father following the occupation of merchandis- ing at Irvine, Ayrshire, until his death, which occurred when the subject of this sketch was an infant. After Mrs. Tweed became a widow she bravely took up the duties of life and con- tinued her husband's business until she was called to her long home, which was in the year 1831. Robert remained in his native town until he was ten years of age, and after the death of his mother he spent four years in an adjoining village, Stevenson, attending school. He then went to the city of Glasgow, where he engaged in clerking, continuing for about four years, when he decided that in the New World there were better things in store for him, and time has proved the wisdom of his views. In 1839 he immigrated to the United States, and in the month of January, 1840, arrived in Rodney, Miss., and his first efforts in the way of making a living here was as a school teacher, a calling he followed for some four months, then accepted a position as clerk in a mercantile establishment, and during the four years that were given to this calling he managed to save some of his earnings, and in 1844 engaged in business for himself. After following that calling in Rodney up to 1850, he moved to the city of New Orleans, and there for a number of years, followed the same occupation. From 1857 to 1860 he was in business in New York, but in 1861 again returned to New Orleans, and in that city and Mexico he resided up to 1869, when he once more returned to Rodney, at which place he again opened a mercantile establishment. Here he has been in business ever since; and although he commenced life a poor boy, and obtained only a small salary by clerking, he acquired excellent and methodical business habits, and these, in connection with a naturally fine mind, perseverance and industry, have acquired for him a comfortable income. In former years he did a business at this point of from $50,000 to $60,000 annu- ally, but of late years business has been reduced, by the railroads cutting off the more dis- tant trade, and his sales have not been nearly so large, amounting to about $30,000 each year. He was married in Philadelphia, in 1851, to Miss Virginia Van Uxem, a native of Pennsylvania, reared and educated in the city of Philadelphia, a daughter of Louis Van

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Uxem, a merchant of that city. For a number of years prior to her marriage, Mrs. Tweed was a teacher in Mississippi. She and her husband have two children: Mary, wife of Rev. J. J. Chisholm, of Winchester, Ky., and Robert Tweed, Jr., a merchant of Wilkesbarre, Penn. Mr. and Mrs. Tweed are members of the Presbyterian church, and in this church Mr. Tweed is an elder, and is superintendent of the Sunday-school, in which capacity he has served for some forty years. They are earnest Christians; and although Mr. Tweed is nearly seventy years of age, he is remarkably well preserved, and gives promise of spending many more years of usefulness in this vicinity. The sons of Scotland are fairly represented in Jefferson county, and although with characteristic modesty they do not assume the bril- liancy in the forum, yet they hold conspicuous places in many pursuits, which makes the county of Jefferson a substantial star in the galaxy of Mississippi's many interesting counties; and prominent among these is Mr. Tweed. He and his wife lost two children: Louisa, who died in Brooklyn, N. Y., at the age of four years, and Clara, who died in Rodney.

Col. F. A. Tyler, a well-known citizen of Holly Springs and a man universally esteemed and respected, is the eldest child born to Nathan and Eliza (Brooks) Tyler. His paternal ancestors were of English descent, and settled in Massachusetts soon after the Pilgrims. On the maternal side the Brooks came over in the Mayflower. Col. F. A. Tyler was born in Massachusetts in March, 1812, and was educated in Brown's university, Providence, R. I. He began the study of law at Bangor, Me., and also attended the law school at Cincinnati, being admitted to the bar by the supreme court of Ohio, in 1835. He then went to Vicks- burg, Miss., and entered the office of Prentiss & Guion. In 1836 or 1837 he purchased the Vicksburg Register, the first paper published in that place, and conducted this until 1839, when he sold to William H. McCargle. In May, 1839, he located in Grenada, Miss., formed a partnership with E. H. Fisher, and after practicing there one year bought a paper which he conducted for several years. He subsequently removed to Panola, started the first paper in that place, did well, and remained there for two years. He then bought a planta- tion twelve miles north of Grenada, and after two years began the study of theology, at the Lane seminary at Cincinnati. During this time he boarded with Dr. Lyman Beecher. He was licensed and ordained in Mississippi in 1848, and began preaching at Grenada, spend- ing twelve years in the ministry. He then removed to Memphis, having been elected by the Memphis synod to establish a church paper, called the Presbyterian Sentinel, at that place. This he conducted up to the war. He later became connected with the Memphis Appeal, of which he was for a time editor in chief, and he was also president of the Appeal Publishing company. He was elected superintendent of the schools of Shelby county, Tenn., during 1871 and 1872, and then went to Washington city, where he edited the Sunday Gazette. In 1878 he came to Holly Springs, and took charge of the Holly Springs South, with which he continued until about 1886. During that time he did much to advance the interests of the place. He was married, in 1840, to Miss Virginia Ann Townes, daughter of Armstead Townes, of Virginia, a prominent man in the early days of the state. Mrs. Tyler died in 1879 leav- ing a son, who now resides at Gainesville, Tex., and who is a prosperous merchant. They had five children, all of whom died previous to the death of the mother. Mr. Tyler was married at Holly Springs in June, 1880, to Mrs. Rosa Goodlow, daughter of Roger Barton (see sketch), and one child is the result of this union, Roger Barton. Socially Colonel Tyler is a member of the Masonic and Odd Fellows orders. It is said that he gave more to the Con- federate cause, according to his means, than any man in Memphis. He is now living a semi- retired life, though ably filling the office of magistrate of Holly Springs, and is engaged in literary work. He is a well-preserved and courteous gentleman.

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James M. Tyler, the proprietor of a sawmill, farmer and postmaster of Bogue Chitto, Lincoln county, Miss., is a son of Derrell M. and Elizabeth (Jones) Tyler. He was born in 1847, in what was then known as Lawrence county, within ten miles of his present residence. He is now one of the most prominent and popular men of this town and county. His father was born in 1822, and was a son of Daniel Tyler, a native of South Carolina, who came to Mississippi among the pioneers of this section, bringing with him his wife, who was Miss Elizabeth Sistrunk, also a native of South Carolina. They lived to a good old age, and reared a large and respectable family. He was a whig in politics, and was a member of the Baptist church. Derrell M. Tyler was the youngest child but one, and was reared within a short distance of where he now lives, and is engaged in farming. He served in the militia during part of the late war. From principle he was a strong Union man, and for many years he has been connected with the Baptist church. His wife, Miss Elizabeth Jones, was a daughter of Vincent Jones, of South Carolina, and who was a soldier in some of the early wars. He came to Mississippi soon after his marriage, where he accumulated some property, consisting of land and negroes, becoming what was considered well-to-do. He died just before the war, and professed religion on his deathbed. His wife died about two years afterward. She was a member of the Baptist church. Politically her husband was a lifelong whig. They had children named as follows, four of whom are yet living, including the mother of our subject: Martha, became the wife of Rev. Bailey, a very aged mininster, who lives in this county; Mrs. Emily Busby, a widow, residing in this county, and who has raised a large family; Margaret, who became the wife of John A. Grear, of this county. Those deceased were Andrew V., Zacharias Berry; Mrs. Dolly Grear, Mrs. Phebe Mclendon and Mrs. Cynthia Brister, who was the eldest child, and who died in 1871 (see sketch of B. E. Brister). To the parents of Derrell Taylor were born eight children, four of whom were sons: William M. died in 1888, leaving a wife and three children; Mrs. D. Summers; Mrs Dolly Mccullough, and Mrs. Emily Bailey, three of the daughters are residents of this county; Vincent Lafay- ette, who was accidentally shot in 1889, was postmaster of Brookhaven, his wife being appointed to succeed him, and is holding that office at the present time; another daughter, Mrs. Martha Norman, is a resident of Pike county; Ira W. Tyler is a merchant at Bogue Chitto, Miss. Our subject is the second child in order of birth, and he attained his majority in this county, living on the home place until he was twenty-two years of age. He received his education principally at the common schools of his home. He was married February 21, 1871, and began farming in Lincoln county, near the old plantation. In the fall of that year, he was elected a member of the board of supervisors. In 1873 he was elected assessor, after which he was again elected a member of the board of supervisors. He was re-elected assessor in 1879. Mr. Tyler is the owner of a fine plantation near Bogue Chitto, and of a sawmill four miles distant from his plantation, which is connected with Bogne Chitte by a tramway. He is also largely engaged in ginning. He was married to Miss Mary L. Brent, a native of Pike county, who was reared in what is now Lincoln county. She was a daughter of Jesse M. Brent, also a native of Pike county, and whose wife was Miss Mary Williams, and who was born in Lawrence county. Her mother died in 1860; her father is yet living. To her were born two children: James M., a miller and a farmer of this county, and Mrs. Tyler. Mr. Brent is now living with his third wife, by whom he has had five children, and he also had two by his second wife. To Mr. and Mrs. Tyler have been born nine children: James C., Amanda Belle, Frankie E., Louis I., Jesse M., Derrell M., a baby called Pet, Willie W., aged five, and Mary E., who died at the age of ten years. Mr. and Mrs. Tyler are members of the Baptist church, of which he has been clerk almost continuously ever since his identifi-

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cation with that organization, in 1871. He is a member of the Masonic order and a Knight of Honor. Politically he is a republican.

Rev. John Tyler Christian, D. D. The subject of this sketch was born in Fayette county, Ky., near old Fort Boonesboro, December 14th, 1854. His mother was a Miss Martinie, a granddaughter of Charles Tyler. He thus comes of two of the oldest families of the state-the Christians and Tylers having emigrated to Kentucky either with Daniel Boone, or soon after that historical pioneer went to the state. Dr. Christian was born on a farm, and remained upon the farm until his seventeenth year. He then entered Bethel college and graduated with distinction from that institution in 1876. Soon after his graduation he moved to Mississippi and took the pastoral care of the Baptist church at Tupelo. It had been his intention to practice law, and he was already preparing himself for the bar, when he was called to preach. He consulted not with flesh or blood, but enthusiastically entered upon his work as a preacher. While pastor at Tupelo he was married to Miss Evylyn Quin, of West Point, Miss., and to her wise counsel and help he owes much of his distinction. After hav- ing preached six years in Mississippi with much success, he became pastor of the First Baptist church, Chattanooga, Tenn. The church grew rapidly, and nearly five hundred members were added to its fellowship during his pastorate. For over four years he has been the efficient missionary secretary of the Baptist denomination for Mississippi. In 1890 he received from Bethel college the honorary degree of doctor of divinity. As a man Dr. Christian is sunshiny and genial, and consequently numbers his friends by hundreds. He is one of the best known men in the state, and while he is progressive and pronounced in his opinions, he is popular with all. He is a strong preacher and eminently evangelical. He has marked ability as a writer, and has been a frequent contributor for newspapers and magazines. During the present year he has published a volume upon Immersion, the Act of Christian Baptism. The book is having a remarkable sale. Three editions have already been called for, and the press is very pronounced in its praise. He is scarcely yet in the prime of life, and if he lives out the allotted time allowed man upon the earth, many years of service are doubtless yet before him.

H. L. Tynes, M. D., Tynes, Tishomingo county, Miss., was born in Tuscaloosa county, Ala., February 20, 1850, a son of Robert F. and Eliza Ann (Berry) Tynes. His father was a native of Virginia, and his mother of Georgia. They were married in Alabama and lived there for twenty years thereafter, where Mr. Tynes was engaged in planting and a portion of the time held a position as a bookkeeper for Robert Jamison, of Tuscaloosa county, a mail contractor who operated several stage lines and mail routes. Mr. Tynes and wife had twelve children, seven sons and five daughters, of whom six sons and two daughters lived to maturity. The family removed from Alabama to Mississippi in 1855, and bought land and located in Itawamba county, where Mr. Tynes engaged in planting, and accumulated con- siderable property in the period before the war, owning a good quantity of land, about fifty slaves, and having a snug sum of money at interest. He was a practical, progressive man of affairs, who had no political aspirations whatever. He took a deep interest in educa- tional and religious matters and was a consistent and helpful member of the Presbyterian church. He died in 1888 in Itawamba county, his wife having died in the same county in 1874. H. L. Tynes, M. D., began life for himself at the age of eighteen as a clerk in Brownville, Miss., a connection which he continued for four years. At the end of that period he became a drug clerk in the same town in the employ of Smith & Brown. There he remained for the next two years, reading medicine in the meanwhile, and in 1874 he went to Mobile, Ala., where he took a course in the Alabama Medical university. Return-

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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 147

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