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 164

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 164

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BIOGRAPHICAL AND HISTORICAL

on the 9th of April, 1861, to Miss Mary R. Eskridge, a native of Montgomery county, Miss., and daughter of Tolive and Sophia (Butler) Eskridge, who were formerly from South Carolina, and who were of an old and prominent family. Mr. Wilkins' marriage resulted in the birth of seven children: Lula, wife of D. R. Branch; Waddie, wife of Thomas A. Will- iams; William, Emma, attending school; Belle, also attending school at Winchester, Tenn .; Drew and Erne E. The Colonel, his wife and most of the children are members of the Baptist church. Colonel Wilkins is a Knight Templar in the Masonic fraternity and is also a member of the Knights of Honor.

Charles Williams, proprietor of the Pearl river foundry in Jackson, Miss., was born in England in 1827, the youngest of three sons born to Paul and Elizabeth (Norham) Williams, the former of whom was a machinist by trade. He came with his family to America in 1829, and settled at Philadelphia, where he built the first worsted machinery in the United States. He continued in business in the city of Brotherly Love until his death, in 1834, his widow surviving him until 1862. Charles Williams was educated at Manayunk, near Philadelphia, and learned the machinist's trade at Reading, Penn. At the age of twenty-one years he had completed his trade, and became an engineer on the Philadelphia & Reading railroad, and the next year (1849) was engaged as master mechanic of the Illinois Central railroad, the construction of which was then begun, and six months later he was made superintendent. After serving in this capacity for one year he returned to Reading on account of sickness, and again became engineer on the Reading railroad, running a locomotive for a few months. At the end of this time he was engaged by the Pennsylvania railroad to take charge of the railroad shops at Miflin, Penn., remaining in their employ until 1853, when he was engaged by the Mississippi Southern railroad to come to Jackson and become superintendent of the road. Three years later he became general superintendent of the combined line from Vicks- burg to Meridian, and was the youngest general superintendent of a railway in the United States. In that capacity he served until he resigned of his own accord, in 1859, to enter other business. During the war he ran a gristmill for the Confederate government, five miles east of Jackson, and at the close of hostilities he at once started the Pearl river foundry on the west bank of the beantiful Pearl, which he christened with the name which its pel- lucid waters suggested. He and his enterprise were among the pioneers in an undeveloped forest, and although obstacles which invariably beset the pioneer and explorer strewed his pathway, they were courageously met and successfully overcome. This enterprise, in every respect, breathes the spirit of energy and intelligence that animated the veteran proprietor, Mr. Williams, which attributes have characterized his course throughout an honorable and successful business career of over a quarter of a century. The following article was pub- lished in the Jackson Clarion on December 12, 1867, and was written by the now Hon. Ethel Barksdale:

This establishment deserves a more than passing notice. Its founder and proprietor, Mr. Charles Williams, belongs to that class of men who are destined to become famous as the architects of the future material prosperity of the South, if it he recorded in the book of fate that she is ever to arise from the dust and ashes of her defeat in her struggle for independence.

This class embraces the stanch, solid, laboring men of the country who have apprehended the requirements of the times, and consequently addressed themselves to the task of supplying what is needed.

No man deserves more credit than the agriculturist who, nothing daunted by the destruction of the labor system of the country, gathered courage from adversity, and entered upon the hard task of wresting from the bosom of mother earth her fruits with the poor materials that were left him. For it is from her undeveloped resources, at least, that the elements of a restored prosperity must be secured.

But not less deserving of reward is the manufacturer, who, amid the wrecks which surround him, essays to build up such enterprises as the one over which Mr. Williams presides.

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The farmer will toil in vain to restore the prosperity of the country if he is wholly at the mercy of foreign interests and dependent upon them for the implements with which he works. The great object of our people should be to make what they need at home, and the money which is expended to supply their wants will circulate among themselves. Last season tens of thousands of dollars were sent outside of the state for agricultural tools. It went to enrich the people of Louisville, Pittsburgh and other com- munities, and hundreds of thousands were expended in the Western markets for provisions. In meet- ing these expenditures the cotton crop of the state has been almost wholly absorbed.

The Pearl River foundry is a complete establishment. By reference to his advertisement it will he seen that the proprietor has determined to leave no pretext for purchasers to seek other markets in order to supply themselves with the various descriptions of articles which are manufactured there. They are very numerous and are afforded at lower rates than usual. A thoroughly practical man, he has accumu- lated all the latest labor-saving improvements by which work can be done expeditiously and at the lowest cost, and has gathered around him a corps of experienced and skillful craftsmen. The hest evidence of his success is found in the fact that at the recent exhibition at Kosciusko his plow ( which he offers at from $5 to $7) took the prize from six other manufacturers, and his ornamental work has been purchased by some of the most imposing buildings that have been erected in Vicksburg, as well as this city, since the close of the war. When the superior facilities of Vicksburg for cheap river transportation from the largest establishments of Pittsburgh, Cincinnati and other Northern cities are considered, it will be imagined what a triumph Mr. Williams has achieved by his success over other competitors in that city.

We need not doubt the success of this enterprising and thoroughgoing citizen. It is an assured result, if our beautiful and glorious land is not forever lost in gloom and darkness, and this sad fate will not overtake her if other classes of our countrymen will display but one-half of his energy, skill and courage in useful undertakings.

In 1873 he erected his present building, occupying some four acres on South State street, and from this establishment turns out annually a large number of plows. His plow, called the Pearl River, has taken the premium wherever exhibited. He makes all kinds of agricultural machinery, at which he is an adept, and in his establishment, which is the largest of the kind in the state, he does all kinds of repairing, and also makes machinery to order. He has been very successful financially, and is the owner of a fine tract of land in Jackson, on which are erected seven houses, and he also owns a farm of eighty acres near the city. He is very courteous and kind to his employes, and is very thoughtful of their comfort, his factory being supplied with everything for their convenience. When run- ning full force he employs about forty men, the majority of whom are skillful and prac- tical mechanics. Mr. Williams is very tasteful and methodical in all his ways, and is a very desirable gentleman with whom to have business dealings, for he believes in and prac- tices the teachings of the golden rule. He is a stanch democrat of the Jacksonian type, but has never been an aspirant for public office, although he was a member of the city council for a number of years. He was at one time appointed mayor of Jackson by Governor Ames, but respectfully declined the office. In 1857 he was married to Miss Rosa Spang- ler, a daughter of Joseph Spangler and a native of Vicksburg. She died in 1886, without issue, an earnest and worthy member of the Catholic church.

C. C. Williams, president of the Meridian Sash, Door and Blind factory, one of the lead- ing manufacturing concerns of the city and the largest of its kind in the South, was born in Hawkins county, Tenn., February 12, 1826, a son of George Williams, who was a native of the same county, having been born at Red Bridge, Tenn. He was reared, educated and died in his native county, and was regarded as one of the best planters in that part of the state. His wife was Sarah Moore, who bore him eight sons and three daughters, who grew to maturity, four sons and two daughters surviving until the present time. Of this large family of children the subject of this sketch was the fifth in the order of nativity. He was reared and educated in Hawkins county, Tenn., completing his studies at the Emory and Henry college. He came to Mississippi in 1849, and located at Okolona, Chickasaw

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county, and there engaged in planting. In 1862 he enlisted in company C, of the Twelfth Mississippi cavalry, and served until the close of the war. He came to Meridian, Miss., in 1871, and bought an interest in a small sash, door and blind factory. This con- cern, largely through Mr. Williams' management, has developed into the present great Merid- ian sash, door and blind plant. It has always been recognized as the leading manufactory of this class of goods in the South. This being a distributing point, the products of this con- cern reach all of the surrounding states, and they have been sent as far as Cairo, Ill., on the north, and to Texas, on the southwest. The gentlemen composing the company which owns this large plant are thoroughly conversant with their business, and keep constantly in stock the very best material in the country, their ample capital enabling them to carry a large sup- ply of lumber which is not manufactured until it is thoroughly seasoned, and for this reason gives the very best of satisfaction. Their main factory building is 112x210 feet, being two and three stories high, while their brick warehouse is over two hundred feet long, with over forty thousand feet of floor space. Their planing department has a capacity of about fifty thousand feet of dressed lumber daily, and the concern carries over two million feet of lumber in stock, and is prepared to execute unlimited orders. Its work can not be surpassed for beauty, style and finish, and is made from designs which are models of taste and elegance. The company manufactures and keeps in stock sash, doors, blinds, moldings, newels, balus- trades, brackets, stairs, and all kinds of inside finish, as well as office and bank furniture of the most tasteful character; in fact everything that the building trade demands which can be manufactured out of wood. One hundred and twenty-five men are employed, and about sev- enty-five machines are in operation. Mr. Williams, besides being the president of this con- cern, owns stock in nearly every enterprise in the town. He was married in 1861 to Miss Ardenia Pullen, of Giles county, Tenn., and they have four children living: F. W., E. C., Mrs. Lillie Smith and Mrs. Daisy Weems. Mr. Williams is a deacon in the Meridian Bap- tist church.

Charles D. Williams, one of the most substantial and progressive citizens of Hinds county, Miss., was born near Auburn, Ala., May 18, 1848. His father, the late Samuel Moore Williams (born 1805, died 1889), was a native of South Carolina, an architect; he planned and erected many of the courthouses of his own state and in Georgia. In the latter state he married Emeline, daughter of Dr. Pleasant Philips, whose ancestors were English. The subject of this sketch is the eldest of their seven children, and until he was thirteen years old he attended school, but on the outbreak of the Civil war the school was closed and his education was practically finished. Shortly before his eighteenth birthday, he enlisted in the Georgia cavalry as a member of Cheatham's staff. Three days later a severe scalp wound disabled him, and before he was again able to be in the saddle, General Lee had surrendered. His parents, who had been wealthy at the beginning of the struggle, now found themselves poor, and with their family they came to Mississippi where they engaged in farming. This they pursued until 1868, when they removed to Texas. Charles, having obtained a situation as clerk in Raymond, remained behind. For his first year's services he was paid his board and $6.25 per month. But he had made himself the trusted friend of his employer, who raised his salary a few dollars the ensuing year. This he divided with his mother. Four years thereafter, he was engaged by Messrs. Harrison & Lewis, of Edwards, where he was joined by his younger brother, Philips, who was employed by the same firm. Together they saved sufficient money to buy a farm in Texas, which they presented to their parents, who were thereby rendered independent. They remained in Edwards until 1878, when with a capital of $450 each they formed a copartnership with C. L. Robinson, of Bolton, to conduct a

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general furnishing business. Here they prospered, and at the expiration of two years they dissolved the partnership with Mr. Robinson and carried on the business in their own name and according to their own ideas. In 1885 J. M. Black was admitted as a partner. The following summer, the interest of P. P. Williams (who removed to Vicksburg) was purchased by his brother. In December, 1889, he also bought the stock owned by Mr. Black, and now conducts the business under the firm name of C. D. Williams & Co. (the company is nominal). He carries a stock of general merchandise, the inventory of which is $6,000; with this he does annually a business of $125,000. During thirteen years his business has grown from $450 the first year to $150,000 at the present writing (1891), and from handling fifty bales of cotton in 1878 to three thousand five hundred in 1890. He owns stock in two of the best banks in Jackson and one in Vicksburg, besides a liberal share of life insurance. Each year he retires from $1,000 to $5,000 for outside investments, and expends a great deal in charity. His landed estates to the amount of fifty-five hundred acres are under his personal super- vision and are growing in beauty and value. His plantations are furnished with the latest and best farming implements and are excellently stocked. He expects soon to retire from mercantile life and devote his attention to the management of his plantations. He belongs to several fraternities, the Masons and the Knights of Honor among them. He is also a member of the Methodist church. In 1890 he married Miss Lula Bates, whose father, F: A. Bates, was one of the first physicians of Alabama.

Hon. C. W. Williams, a prominent citizen of Alcorn county, and one of the oldest settlers of northeast Mississippi, was born in Marshall county, Tenn, in 1813. His father, William Williams, was a native of the Old North state, and came to Tennessee in 1798, settling on Mill creek, near Nashville. From there he moved out on an old Indian trail, about fifty miles south, near the Nashville & Huntsville road. He had been previously married in Granville county, N. C., to Miss Elizabeth Allison, a native of that state and the daughter of Robert and - (Oglesby) Allison, also of North Carolina, the father of Scotch descent. Mr. and Mrs. Allison lived to be old people, he dying at the age of ninety-six years, and she at the age of ninety. They were the parents of nine children, the youngest one living to be sixty years of age before a death occurred in the family. The father of our subject fol- lowed farming after coming to Tennessee, although in his early life he had followed mer- chandising. He started with a small stock of goods early in the present century, and grad- ually increased his business until he became a very successful merchant. He also engaged in the same business at what is now known as Belfast, in about 1831; was succeeded by his son, Robert Williams, who in turn was succeeded by his son-in-law, Joseph Orr, who was succeeded by his widow, Mrs. Orr, the latter now carrying on the business. Thus the busi- ness has been conducted by some member of the family since its foundation. Mr. Williams died where he settled in Tennessee in 1842 or 1843, at the age of sixty-eight years, and was a consistent member of the Methodist church. His father was of Welsh descent, and prob- ably a native of Wales. His wife died in Marshall county, Tenn., at an advanced age and was also a member of that church. Their family consisted of ten children, seven of whom lived to be grown, but only C. W. Williams now living. They were named in the order of their births as follows: Mrs. Nancy McCrory, the mother of Mrs. Dr. Price and Mrs. Dr. Taylor, of Booneville; Benjamin, died in Mississippi; Robert, died at Belfast, Tenn .; Will- iam, died in Mississippi; C. W., subject; John, died at Louisburg, Tenn .; Mrs. Sarah Now- lin, died in Mississippi; and Alfred O., died in Tennessee. The others died young. C. W. Williams was reared in his native state, educated in the common schools, mostly in log cabins, and received a civil engineering education from a Scotchman by the name of James R.

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Brown, a man of education. Mr. Williams was an inveterate reader, and was devoted to his books. In 1834 he commenced for himself, and came to Pontotoc, Miss., where he sold goods for some time. He then sold out, and having a knowledge of surveying, was engaged in looking after land for some time. In June, 1837, he married Miss Mary L. Boone, the only daughter of Col. R. H. Boone, and sister of Judge Boone, of Booneville, Miss., and afterward settled on his present property, where he lias resided since. He purchased his land from a Mr. J. N. Niles, and this was all unimproved, there being only a small cabin on it. Mr. Williams constructed a log house and continued to live in that after additions were added. Until the war Mr. Williams was engaged in farming and selling goods, and founded a mannfacturing establishment that was burned before it was well under way. He was a heavy contractor in the building of the Mobile & Ohio railroad, by which he lost a large amount of money, and followed merchandising until 1889. He was elected to the legislat- ure in 1861, but is not an officeseeker, and takes only a fair amount of interest in political matters. He was elected county surveyor of Tishomingo county at the first general election after 1837, and was the second surveyor of that county. He held that office many times, but since the division of Tishomingo county he has not held any office. However, he has been engaged as surveyor in the several counties, and has surveyed many of the towns in northeast Mississippi, including Corinth, Iuka and Booneville. Mr. Williams' wife died in December, 1859, leaving four children, three of whom are living: William L., county sur- veyor of Alcorn county; Charles W., Jr., and Walter, who resides in Rienzi, Miss. Reuben B. was in the Twenty-sixth Mississippi regiment, afterward attached to another Mississippi regiment, and was killed at Petersburg, near Richmond, Va., on the 22d of April, 1865, while on a retreat, not being able to hold the fortifications. Mr. Williams' second marriage was with Mrs. Fannie R. Martin, nee Moores, the widow of Dr. Martin, who was a native of Williamson county, Tenn., and who died with cholera in Lincoln county, Tenn. One child was born to Dr. and Mrs. Martin, C. B. Martin, who is now residing near Rienzi, Miss. To Mr. and Mrs. Williams were born five children, three now living: James H., married and resides at Memphis; Julia A., and Hetty, now attending school at Staunton, Va. Those deceased were: M. F., who died at the age of seventeen years, and Robert, who died at the age of one year. Mr. and Mrs. Williams are members of the Methodist church, and in politics he is a stanch democrat. He was the first postmaster at Rienzi, while Hon. Amos Kendle was postmaster-general.

John R. Williams, planter and stockraiser, Williamsville, Miss. Mr. Williams belongs to one of the earliest and best known families of Grenada county and is now one of the largest planters of the same. He was born in Yalobusha county, Miss., in 1835, and is the son of Major John and Lurana (Lowry) Williams, the father born in the Palmetto state in 1800 and the mother in Georgia in 1809. The parents were married in the last named state and about 1833 moved to what is now Grenada county, where the father farmed as a tenant for a number of years. They then moved to Yalobusha county and about 1838 or 1839 removed to the farm on which their son John R. now resides. There the father died in 1842. He was, in his younger days, a successful merchant in South Carolina and Mississippi, but he finally engaged in planting and became quite rich. He was major of the militia in the Palmetto state and was a member of the Masonic fraternity. When he first settled in Grenada county the country was a vast canebrake teeming with bears, panthers, deer and wolves, and he and family experienced all the hardships incident to pioneer life. Mrs. Williams was left a widow in 1842 and all the care and responsibility of this family fell on her shoulders. She was equal to the task, and, although difficulties and privations

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beset her way, she reared her little family in the wilderness and was honored and highly esteemed by all. She was a member of the Baptist church for many years and died in 1873. The paternal grandfather, Robert Williams, was of Scotch-Irish parentage and was born in North Carolina. He was a planter and died in South Carolina. The maternal grand- father, Rev. James Lowry, was a native of Georgia, where he spent his entire life and was a minister in the Methodist church. He reared a large family. The six children born to the above mentioned union are named in the order of their birth as follows: James died in youth, Ann Eliza also died when a child, Tobitha F. is the wife of J. J. Andrews, John R., Mary (deceased), and Elizabeth (deceased) was the wife of O. H. Perry. John R. Williams received his primary education in the common schools and at Grenada and finished at the University of Mississippi. In 1861 he assisted in organizing a company of which he was made lieutenant, but he was not called into service. The company was disbanded and Mr. Williams went to Knoxville, Tenn., where he served as an independent in the Fifteenth Mississippi infantry. He was wounded at Fishing Creek in January, 1862, and then returned home, where he raised company G, Twenty-ninth Mississippi, and served as lieu- tenant in General Bragg's raid until December of the same year, when he was compelled to resign on account of the effects of his old wound. From that time he acted as scout for General Forrest in Mississippi, Tennessee and northern Alabama. He had many thrilling adventures and hair-breadth escapes and was wounded once while serving as a scout. He was paroled near Vicksburg, and at once returned to the old farm, consisting of about four thousand acres, all, with the exception of about two hundred and forty acres, the result of his own exertions. From the eight hundred acres cleared he raises from one hundred to one hundred and twenty bales of cotton annually and corn and hay to supply the place. He is also quite extensively engaged in stockraising. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, a charter member of Graysport lodge No. 289 (now defunct). Mr. Williams is well known all over the county and has many associates and friends. He frequently engages in the chase, of which he is very fond.

John Williams, merchant, Philadelphia, Miss., son of Samuel and Jane (Slaughter) Williams, was born in Kemper county, Miss., in 1836. The same year his parents removed to Neshoba county, Miss., located near Philadelphia, and there John passed his youthful days. He received a common-school education and then read medicine with Dr. J. S Smythe, of Gholson, after which, in the winter of 1859-60, he attended medical college at New Orleans. He selected as his companion in life Miss Lavinia Lewis, daughter of James and Katie Lewis, and their nuptials were celebrated in January, 1861. The same year Mr. Williams enlisted in company K, Fifth Mississippi, under General Bragg, but immediately after the battle of Shiloh he was discharged on account of disability. When he first entered the army he was made lieutenant, in which capacity he served until the close of his service. He subsequently went to High Hill, Leake county, engaged in mer- chandising, and there remained until 1879, when he sold out and went to Meridian. There he embarked in business and continued for eight years, when he came to Phila- delphia, where he has since been engaged in merchandising. He carries a good stock of general merchandise, and low prices and superior goods have assured him one of the largest trades in the city. He has a family of three living children: Louie V., who has recently graduated at the University of Tennessee; Katie and Gertrude. Mr. Williams is an affiliating member of the Masonic fraternity and American Legion of Honor. He is a member of the Methodist Church South, as are all his family. His father, Samuel Williams, was a native of Pendleton district, S. C., born in 1810. The latter removed

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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 164

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