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 69

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 69

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nessee and the mother of New York. Mr. and Mrs. Knight were married near Memphis, Tenn., and had a family of seven children-three sons and four daughters- Mrs. Mims being the eldest of the family. The parents are still living and Mr. Knight is engaged as an educator. The Doctor and Mrs. Mims are both members of the Methodist Church South, and the Doctor has been a member of the Masonic fraternity for twenty years, Albert Pike lodge. Dr. Mims being a native of Marshall county, the people have had every opportu- nity to judge of his character and qualification, and he is not only one of the prominent physicians of the county, but one of its most esteemed citizens.

Gov. Don Stephen Minor (deceased) was a Pennsylvanian by birth, and comes of a well-known and prominent family. He was given excellent educational advantages of a high order, and being a young man of enterprise and energy he, at an early day, pushed westward, visiting while enroute Pittsburgh, Vincennes and St. Louis, at the latter place making the acquaintance of Colonel Howard, an Irishman in the Spanish service. By this gentleman he was sent with dispatches to the governor-general at New Orleans, and upon holding audience with that gentleman created a very favorable impression, as he invariably did on all whom he endeavored to please. He was soon commissioned a captain in the Royal army, and was assigned to duty at Natchez, Miss., where he remained until the final evacuation of that post by the Spanish, in 1798. He was then appointed governor to succeed Gayoso, and was also one of the commissioners for Spain in the location of the boundary line in that year. He was always held in high esteem, and had the unbounded confidence of the Spanish authorities, and it may with truth be said that he wielded more influence than any other foreigner in their service. He was a man of commanding and dignified presence, well calculated to maintain the honor of his position, possessed a brilliant, shrewd and practical mind, and with these admirable qualities was blended a social temperament, rare conversational powers and a winning manner, that inspired ease and confidence in his presence. His financial abilities were of a high order, and he rapidly accumulated property, but was very liberal and charitable with his means. He purchased the home of Governor Gayoso (Concord) upon the removal of the latter from Natchez, and in this home he lived in princely style, dispensing a splendid hospitality until his death in 1815. No mansion in Mississippi has so many historic memories clustering about it as the old Gayoso-Minor house, which is still standing in the suburbs of the city. Governor Minor was married twice, his second union being to Miss Catharine Lintot, who was born in Con- necticut in 1770, and bore her husband five children: Fannie, wife of Maj. Henry Chotard (see sketch); Catherine, wife of J. C. Williams; Stephen, William J., and one that died in infancy.

Dr. H. A. Minor. The citizens of Noxubee, as well as the surrounding counties, are familiar with the name that heads this sketch, for the greater part of his life has been devoted to healing the sick and afflicted throughout this section, and a portion of his reward has been received in this world, for he has the respect, confidence and love of his fellowmen, and the consciousness that he has driven sorrow and despair from many homes by his skill and talent as a physician. He was born in Mooreville, Limestone county, Ala., Febru- ary 25, 1835, a son of Dr. William T. and Fannie (Washington) Minor, natives of Virginia, who emigrated to northern Alabama in about 1818, where the father practiced medicine throughout the remainder of his days. He was a graduate of Jefferson Medical college, of Philadelphia, Penn., about 1817, and as a professional man his life was a success. He died in 1854, and his widow in 1879. Their union resulted in the birth of nine children, three sons and four daughters, of whom are living: Dr. Lucian of Alabama; Dr. H. A .; W.

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P .; Mary A. (Mosely) of Decatur, Ala .; Louisa (Lisle), of northern Alabama; Minnie (Wal- don) and Sallie (Ferris), also of that state. Dr. H. A. Minor was reared and received his lit- erary education in the state of his birth, but completed his knowledge of books in the high school near Nashville, Tenn., and in the college at La Grange, Ala. After deciding to make the practice of medicine his calling through life, he entered the University of Virginia, from which he was graduated as an M. D. in 1857, and immediately entered upon the practice of his profession in Decatur, Ala. In the spring of 1859 he moved to Macon, Miss., where he continued to follow his calling until the opening of the war, in 1861, at which time he aban- doned the calling of AEsculapius to become a votary of Mars, and enlisted in company F, Eleventh Mississippi infantry, which was the first company from this place that was sent to Virginia. He was wounded at the first battle of Manassas by a gunshot in the leg, and in September, 1861, he was commissioned assistant surgeon in P-A -- , Confederate States, and was assigned to the Nineteenth Mississippi regiment, in which capacity he served until February, 1862, when he was made surgeon of the Ninth Alabama regiment, in which he served until the surrender at Appomattox. He then returned to Macon and resumed his practice, since which time he has continued a zealous and laborious physician. January 1, 1866, he formed a partnership with Dr. S. V. D. Hill, an eminent physician of the state, and their partnership lasted harmoniously for nineteen years. The Doctor has been health officer of Noxubee county for about twenty years, and a trustee of the A. M. college for five years. He is a member of the state Medical society, the Tri-state Medical society and the county association. Socially he is a member of the A. F. & A. M. and the I. O. O. F. He was married in November, 1865, to Mrs. Kimble, a daughter of Dr. H. Dent, of Macon, by whom he has five children living: Anna D., wife of A. T. Dent; H. Dent, an attor- ney, of Long Island, N. Y .; Fannie; Henry M., in business in Birmingham, Ala., and Launcelot, at home. The mother of these children died in 1883, after which the Doctor married Mrs. Baechtel. He has been a member of the Methodist Episcopal church for the past twenty-five years, and has risen to prominence in his profession as well as a citizen. The Doctor is a grandnephew of Col. William Washington, and his first wife was a niece of Gen. James Longstreet, and grandniece of Judge Longstreet, of Oxford. The Doctor is also a nephew of Prof. John B. Minor, of the University of Virginia, who has been connected with that institution for over fifty years.

Capt. Matthew K. Mister, postmaster at Grenada and proprietor of New Era planta- tion at Blaine Station, Miss., was born in Baltimore, Md., in 1845. The father, Matthew K. Mister, was born in Maryland, in 1810, and was married in that state, in 1835, to Miss Julia A. Lake, also a native of Maryland, born in 1812. In 1840 they moved to Grenada, Miss., but only resided there until 1845, when they returned to Baltimore. After making their home there until 1850, they again came to Grenada, and here the father, in connection with merchandising, engaged quite extensively in planting until 1873. He was a member of the Mississippi legislature from Yalobusha county in 1870, when Grenada county was formed. In reconstruction times he was appointed judge of the county court of Yalobusha county; also alderman of Grenada, by the general in command at Vicksburg, but was removed by General Ames. He was a stanch Union man during the war, but was not an extremist. In his religious views he was a Methodist all his life, and a liberal supporter of that church. His death occurred in 1880. The mother, who was also a member of the same church, died in 1873. The paternal grandfather of our subject, Lowder Mister, was probably born in Maryland. Capt. Matthew K. Mister was the third of nine children-six sons and three daughter-five of whom are living: James F., an attorney, now living in Kansas City, Mo.,

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was attending college when the war broke out. He joined Wise's legion of Virginia, University grays, and remained in service for twelve months. He then returned home and joined General Forrest's cavalry, serving with him until the close of the war. He was capt- ured near Holly Springs and imprisoned at Alton, Ill., and other places until exchanged in 1863 in Virginia. He then rejoined his command and served until the close of war. He was reporter of the Missouri supreme court. Prof. Wilbur F., of Plano, Tex., and a teacher by profession, was educated in the University of Mississippi, Princeton, N. J., and Columbia, S. C., graduating from the last-named institution. He is now a teacher and minister of Texas. He was in company G, Fifteenth Mississippi regiment, at Vicksburg and vicinity a short time, and was afterward chaplain in General Forrest's cavalry until the close of war. Edward C., a traveling salesman of Baltimore, was educated at Grenada, and Eugene, a merchant of Texas, was also educated at Grenada. At twelve years of age Matthew K. Mister left school and clerked in his father's store until the breaking out of hostilities. He then joined the Fifteenth Tennessee as first lieutenant and was assigned staff duty in the first brigade and first division of General Forrest's cavalry, acting assistant adjutant-general until the surrender. He was in many severe engagements in Tennessee and Mississippi and was paroled at Meridian, Miss., by General Canby. After the war Captain Mister engaged in merchandise in partnership with his father until 1873. Since that time he has been engaged in planting, and is the owner of two thousand seven hundred and sixty acres, with about one thousand six hundred under cultivation, producing three hundred bales of cotton and hay and corn to supply the plantation. He is a director in the Grenada creamery, Cold Storage company, and of the Alliance Warehouse company. In 1882 he was made post- master, served in that capacity until 1885, and was appointed to the same position in May, 1890. He is a member of the I. O. O. F., Grenada lodge No. 6, and is county lecturer of the Farmers' Alliance. He is also a Knight of Honor, Grenada lodge No. 983. The Captain was married in 1878 to Miss Jennie Topp, a native of Nashville, Tenn., and a mem- ber of the Episcopal church. Her parents, Dixon C. and Mary Topp, were natives of Tennessee also, and were there reared and married. Mr. Topp, who was a planter and com- mission merchant, died at Holly Springs in 1890. Captain Mister is a self-made man, and owes his success to his own industry and good management. He is a republican in principle and is prominent in politics, being the choice of his party as a candidate for congress in 1890.

Eli S. Mitchell, real estate agent, is one of the first settlers of Corinth, and is a man of thought and action, as is clearly shown by the achievements of his long and useful life. He was born in east Tennessee on the 1st of December, 1819, and was the son of H. B. and Mary (Houston) Mitchell, and grandson of Adam Mitchell, a native of North Carolina and a farmer by occupation. The father and mother were both natives of Tennessee and the father was a merchant and farmer, and followed these all his life. The mother was a second cousin of Sam Houston, of Texas. Eli S. Mitchell, the eldest of eight children (Nancy A., Adam, Houston, L. B., Martha, Catherine and Mary, two besides our subject now living, L. B. and Nancy), came with his parents to Alabama when an infant, but subsequently moved back with them to Tennessee. He made his home in McNairy county, Tenn., and Alcorn county, Miss., until 1840, when he went to Indian territory, following merchandising there for thirty years. From there he went to Fort Smith, Ark., and then back to Alcorn county, Miss., where he has followed the real estate business ever since. He always consid- ered Alcorn county his home, and in 1854 he and his brother, Houston, together with a Mr. Hamp Mask, bought the ground where Corinth now stands, laid it off in lots, and began sell-

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ing these. Mr. Mitchell came to Corinth in 1877 to take charge of the business, sell lots, etc. There he has resided ever since. He is a gentleman of extensive general information, is thoroughly versed in his business, and all business entrusted to him receives his prompt attention. He was married in 1850, in Alcorn county, to Miss Martha A. Phillips, a native of Tennessee, born in 1830, and the daughter of Joe and Mary (McQueen) Phillips; the father a native of Virginia and the mother of Tennessee. Mrs. Mitchell was one of eleven children: Avarilla, Mary, Louisa, Martha A., Susan, Virginia, John, Hill C., Joseph J., Thomas J. and Malcom. Mr. Mitchell was suttler for a Choctaw regiment for the Confederate army from 1861 to 1865. He is a democrat in politics, but has never aspired to any public office. Mrs. Mitchell is a member of the Presbyterian church, and he is a believer in the same and contributes liberally to religious and educational enterprises.

Hon. James C. Mitchell was born near the Peaks of Otter, in Virginia, to which fact he sometimes laughingly attributed his lofty stature and his soaring ambition. He removed to east Tennessee at an early age, and turning his attention to the law rapidly rose to eminence. He was a whig in politics and a warm admirer of General Harrison. He was, while in congress, a warm personal friend of Gen. Sam Houston. At the expiration of his term in congress, in 1828, he was elected to the circuit bench of Tennessee. He was the author of Mitchell's Justice. He came in 1837 to Hinds county, Miss., then advanced in years, and died there in 1843.

Dr. T. J. Mitchell, superintendent of the state insane asylum, at Jackson, Miss., was born in Livingston county, Ala., in 1830, the eighth of nine children born to Cullen and Mary T. (Sykes) Mitchell, who were born in North Carolina and Virginia, respectively, the former being one of the early pioneers of Alabama, in which state he successfully followed the calling of a planter until his death in 1832, his wife dying in 1849, both members of the Methodist Episcopal church. The paternal grandfather was of Scotch-Irish ancestry, and a pioneer of the Old North state. James Sykes, the mother's father, a planter of Virginia, was of English descent, and served in the continental army during the Revolutionary war. Dr. T. J. Mitchell was educated at Tuscaloosa university, Alabama, but left while in his junior year, in 1848, to begin the study of medicine, graduating from the University of Penn- sylvania as an M. D. in 1852. He at once began practicing at Jackson, but in order to perfect himself in his profession he abandoned his practice to pursue his medical studies and researches in Europe, where he remained during 1856-7. In 1862 he entered the Confed- erate army, as surgeon of the Thirty-ninth Mississippi regiment, but as his health at this time was rather poor, he only served irregularly. After the war he practiced in Jackson until 1878, when he was appointed by Governor Stone to his present position at the insane asylum, which he has held by reappointment ever since. Under his management the institu- tion has attained a high degree of perfection, and as his reputation for wonderful cures has gone abroad the attendance at the asylum is large. The Doctor is especially skilled and well posted in that branch of his profession which treats of abberation of the mind, and there could be found no more fitting person for the position than he, for aside from possessing the above mentioned qualification, he is kind-hearted, considerate, and possesses sound judgment. He was married in 1858 to Miss Annie McWillie, a daughter of ex-Governor McWillie, a sketch of whom appears in this volume. To their union five children were born: Kate, wife of Carroll Johnston, of New Orleans; Ida, wife of J. W. Robinson, a merchant of Jackson; Henrietta, Thomas J., and Cullen Calhoun. The mother of these children, who was a worthy member of the Episcopal church, was called from life in 1878, having been an earnest Chris- tian and an exemplary wife and mother. The Doctor is also a member of the Episcopal

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church. He is the owner of some three thousand acres of land in Copiah and Attala coun- ties, which is considered very valuable land.

Hon. Alexander Montgomery was born and reared in Natchez in the old territorial days. He received an exceptional literary education, and then addressed himself to the study of law. He is regarded as having been one of the most profound lawyers ever produced by this state. In 1831 he was appointed judge of the supreme court, but his official career as such was terminated the following year by the elective judiciary introduced under the new consti- tution. On retiring from the bench he resumed the practice of his profession in Natchez, where he was for a time a partner of the distinguished Samuel S. Boyd, and was an active practitioner to a very advanced age. He died at the home of a relative in Warren county.

Hon. A. A. Montgomery, farmer, Osborn, Miss. Mr. Montgomery's parents, Samuel A. and Elizabeth (McClary) Montgomery, where natives of the Palmetto state, the father born in Fairfield district in 1824, and the mother near Charleston about 1830. The paternal grand- father, Charles Montgomery, who was also a native of South Carolina, was of Scotch-Irish origin. The latter left his native state, removed to Oktibbeha county, Miss., and settled on the present site of Osborn, where he purchased a large tract of land. The maternal grand- father, David McClary, moved from South Carolina to Alabama, and thence to Columbus, Miss., when Mrs. Montgomery was but a child. He was a prosperous planter. Samuel A. Montgomery reached the age of nineteen years on his father's farm in South Carolina, and then came with the latter to Oktibbeha county, Miss. Two years later his father gave him a small farm, and he started out for himself as an agriculturist. In 1847 or 1848 he married Miss Elizabeth McClurg, who bore him three interesting children: Sanuella (deceased), Alvin A. and Samuel A. (who is now a successful physician of Osborn). Samuel A. Montgomery, Sr., became the owner of about four hundred acres of land in Oktibbeha county, and there his death occurred in 1854. His widow survived until 1878. Both were members of the Old School Presbyterian church, and he was an elder in the same. Alvin A. Montgomery was born in Oktibbeha county, Miss., in 1851, and comes of a prominent and highly respected family. Until seventeen years of age his time was divided between assisting his father on the farm and in attending the common country schools. He then engaged as clerk, and con- tinued this three years, first, one year at West Point, then a year at Mayhew, and finally a year near Osborn. He then began farming where he now lives, cultivating about one hundred and thirty acres; has about seventy-five acres in native grass and the remainder in timber. His principal crops are corn and cotton. He is also interested in stockraising, horses and cattle principally, and is a prosperous young planter of the county. He was married in December, 1890, to Miss Lulu Muldrow, a native of Lowndes county, Miss., born in 1866, and the daughter of Robert and Annie (Oliver) Muldrow, natives, respectively, of South Carolina and Georgia. Mr. Montgomery was elected to the state senate in November, 1887. For a number of years he was judge of elections in the county. He is a member of the Farmers' Alliance, and he and Mrs. Montgomery are members of the Presbyterian church, in which he holds the office of elder. His brother, Dr. Samuel A. Montgomery, was born in Oktibbeha county, Miss., and was also reared on a farm, receiving the foundation of his education in the com- mon schools, which he attended until about fifteen years of age. He then entered Salem college, Garnettsville, Ky., remained there two years, and subsequently took a literary course in Erskine college, South Carolina, for the same length of time. After this he took a full course in medicine at a medical college in Nashville, Tenn., and graduated in 1872. After practicing his profession for three years at Osborn, Miss., he removed to Starkville, where he resided seven years. On the 15th of December, 1874, he wedded Miss Margaret Watt, a

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native of Oktibbeha county, born in 1852, and the daughter of Dr. William and Virginia (Childs) Watt, the former from South Carolina and the latter from Mississippi. After leaving Starkville, Dr. Montgomery engaged as agent with Illinois Central railroad, and in this capacity he still serves. In connection he is also engaged in farming, owns two hundred acres of land and has one hundred acres under cultivation. He raises cotton and corn, and is also engaged in stockraising. He is a member of the Knights of Honor, at Starkville, and he and wife are members of the Presbyterian church, of which Dr. Montgomery is deacon. He is the father of four children: Eva May, Bessie Lou, Grace and Ruth.

Dr. D. C. Montgomery, the second in order of birth of nine children born to W. P. and Catherine (Cameron) Montgomery, owes his nativity to Franklin county, Miss., where his birth occurred in 1835, and is of Scotch-Irish descent. His parents were natives of South Carolina and descendants of representative families in that state. The father grew to manhood in North Carolina, and after marriage came to Mississippi, settling in Adams county about 1820. Some time after this he came to the present site of Greenville, and, with his brother A. B. and others, entered a tract of five thousand acres. He made many and vast improvements until his death, in 1886. The mother had died in 1852. Both were members of the Presbyterian church. Mr. Montgomery opened about twelve hundred acres of land and became an extensive planter. Of their large family of children only three are now living. Dr. Montgomery was educated in Centenary college, Louisiana, and gradu- ated in medicine from the University of Pennsylvania, in 1855. One year later he located in Bolivar county, and at the breaking out of hostilities during the late unpleasantness, he enlisted in the Confederate service as a private in the Bolivar troops. He was in the battles of Shiloh and Corinth. In 1862 he was appointed surgeon of the First Mississippi cav- alry, and was taken ill while in Hood's retreat from Nashville. Later he was captured and detained until July 23, 1865, when he returned to his practice in Bolivar county. In 1869 he came to Greenville, and here he has since been located, being justly regarded as one of the thoroughly reliable and efficient physicians of Greenville. He was married first in 1866, to Miss Fannie Semmes Harris, daughter of Judge William L. Harris, of Columbus. She died in 1881. One child, Harris, who died at the age of three years, was the fruit of this union. Dr. Montgomery's second marriage occurred in 1883, to Mrs. M. N. Sims, nee Fin- ley, daughter of Dr. John L. Finley, of Greenville. To this union one child, Cameron, has been born. Mrs. Montgomery had two children by a former marriage. The Doctor is a member of the state medical association, and is a vigorous supporter of all enterprises of local interest. The family are members of the Methodist Episcopal church.

William Eugene Montgomery was the son of William Pinckney Montgomery and Cath- erine Cameron, and was born in Franklin county, Miss. W. P. Montgomery was born in South Carolina, and was the son of William Montgomery and Agnes Barclay, who moved from South Carolina and settled in Adams county, Miss., about the time the state was admitted into the Union. Catherine Cameron was the daughter of Daniel Cameron and Mary McMil- lan and came from North Carolina about the same time, settling in Franklin county, Miss. They were all of Scotch parentage. In 1857 W. E. Montgomery married Mary Adelia Clark, the daughter of Charles Clark, who was the governor of the state of Mississippi at the close of the war between the states. W. E. Montgomery was appointed first lieutenant in the First Mississippi battalion of cavalry, then to the rank of captain and then to that of major, and commanded the First Mississippi battalion until the surrender. At the date of the surrender he was operating with a portion of his battalion in the swamps of Mississippi, along the Mississippi river, and owing to the floods from the Mississippi river at the time of

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the surrender, he did not receive orders to surrender from Col. William S. Yerger, with whose regiment he had been consolidated, until long after the surrender of the state. The order to surrender from Colonel Yerger was delivered to Major Montgomery under a flag of truce by a Green Boat captain, to whom he surrendered his command near the mouth of White river and were probably the last Confederate troops surrendered in Mississippi. Major Montgomery has two brothers residing in Washington county, Miss., Dr. Daniel Cameron Montgomery, who was brigadier-surgeon in General Armstrong's cavalry brigade, and Captain John Malcom Montgomery, of Col. Richard A. Pruson's regiment in same brigade. Both served until the close of the war. W. E. Montgomery resides at Natchez, Miss.

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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 69

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