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 98

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 98

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a partner of the firm of Provine Bros. & Co., is a large planter in Calhoun county, and a prominent citizen; John W., was killed in the battle of the Wilderness, Virginia, leaving a wife and two daughters; Nancy J., is the wife of I. C. Steele, and resides in Calhoun county; L. F., passed his youth in Calhoun and Yalobusha counties, and obtained his education in the common schools. In 1861, when there was a call for men to go to the defense of the country, he forsook all his private interests, and enlisted in company C, Blythe's battalion, which was afterward known as Blythe's regiment. The most important engagements in which he participated were Shiloli, Murfreesboro, and Missionary Ridge. He was flagbearer after the battle of Shiloh, and was in many skirmishes around Corinth. He was paroled in North Carolina, and then returned to Pittsboro, Calhoun county, where he engaged in the more peaceful pursuits of mercantile life. One year later he came to Coffeeville, remaining there until 1872. He then went back to Calhoun county, resuming the same business, and in 1878 he came to Coffeeville again. The firm is one of the most substantial in the state, and does an annual business of $70,000. They pay cash for everything they buy, but never refuse credit to good men. Mr. Provine was married to Miss Ada P. Barker, a daughter of William and Isabella (Harris) Barker, natives of North Carolina. They came to Mississippi about the year 1840, and there reared a family of six children, of whom Mrs. Provine is the youngest. Mr. and Mrs. Provine are the parents of ten children: Kate, Broxton B., Fin- ley, Pearl, Sallie M., Alline, Robert F. and Frank P. The other two died in infancy. The parents are members of the Cumberland Presbyterian church, and are zealous, active workers. Mr. Provine is a member of the Knights of Honor. Politically he affiliates with the demo- cratic party. He is a typical Mississippi gentleman, has excellent business qualifications, and is in every way worthy of the high regard in which he is held.

James W. Prowell belongs to that sturdy, honest and independent class, the planters of Mississippi. His plantation comprises four thousand four hundred acres, is very fertile, and is so carefully tilled that it yields a large annual income. Mr. Prowell was born in Richland county, S. C., April 5, 1817, a son of David R. and Rachel (Morris) Prowell, both of whom were born in the Palmetto state, and were of French descent. James W. Prowell and his brother William resided in the state of their birth until the spring of 1832, when they came to Lowndes county, Miss., settling on a tract of land of which about two acres had been cleared by the Indians, the Choctaws. The following spring the father, David R. Prowell, removed to Lowndes county, Miss., with his family and, preempted one hundred and sixty acres of land at $1.25 per acre, which is now in possession of his son, James W. The grandfather was a soldier in the Revolutionary war, and died in the state of South Car- olina. The father resided in his adopted state for only two years, and on a visit to his brother in Tennessee was taken with cholera, and died in 1835. He was a soldier in the War of 1812; his wife then received a land warrant, which is still in the possession of her son, James W. His widow survived until 1872, when she was called from earth. James W. Prowell was educated in the schools of Plymouth, and afterward finished his knowledge of books in La Grange college, Alabama. In 1842 he was married to Miss Catherine, daughter of Joseph and Louisa Caldwell, natives of Virginia. His wife died in 1851, having borne him five children: Virginia, William, Eliza, Joseph and John. J. Mr. Prowell's second mar- riage took place in 1855, Miss Mary Madry becoming his wife. They have three children: Edward, Mary and James. Mr. Prowell is a member of the A. F. & A. M., of which order he has been a member for forty years, is a democrat politically, and is the oldest settler of the county.

It was but natural, perhaps, when starting out in life for himself, that James T. Pryor,

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of Slate Spring, Miss., should select planting as his chosen occupation for life, for his father, Samuel O., and both his paternal and maternal grandfathers followed that calling all their lives. The father was born in Tennessee in 1811, and when but a boy went with his parents to Tuscaloosa county, Ala., where he grew to manhood. There he met and married Miss Unity Fox, a native of Tennessee, born in 1810. and who also removed to Alabama with her parents when young. After marriage, or in 1836, they came to Choctaw, now Webster county, and settled in the woods on Lindsey's creek, where they improved a good farm and there passed the remainder of their days, the mother dying in 1855 and the father in 1859. Both were members of the Missionary Baptist church for many years. The grandfather, Joseph Pryor, was probably born in Kentucky, but was married in Tennessee, and at an early day went to Tuscaloosa county, Ala., where his death occurred. He was of Scotch- Irish descent. Grandfather Henry Fox also removed from Tennessee to Tuscaloosa county, Ala., and in 1835 came to Choctaw county, now Webster county, where he also received his final summons. He was one of the very first settlers of this vicinity, James T. Pryor is the sixth of seven sons and seven daughters, all of whom are living but two. Four of the sons served in the Confederate army, viz .: James T. (subject); Joseph, enlisted in the Fif- teenth Mississippi infantry, was captured at Fishing creek, and was in prison at Fort Dela- ware for about eight months (after this he was captured again at Atlanta, Ga., and was in prison until the close); Jacob D., served in company K, Fifteenth Mississippi infantry, until the fall of Vicksburg, after which he was in the Third Mississippi of Forrest's cavalry until the close (he was a member of the board of supervisors two years, and then, from 1866 to 1890 he was sheriff of Webster couuty); John was in General Forrest's cavalry for two years. James T. Pryor was born in Tuscaloosa county, Ala., in 1836, but was reared on a farm in the wilds of Choctaw county. He received a limited common-school education and when eighteen years of age began for himself as a farmer. He was married in 1857 to Miss Mary J., daughter of Alex. B. and Isabell H. McKee, who came from Alabama to what is now Webster county, Miss., in 1839, and there passed the remainder of their days, the father dying in 1859 and the mother after the war. Both were members of the Missionary Baptist church. He was a wealthy planter and was justice of the peace for many years. Mrs. Pryor was born in Choctaw, now Webster county, Miss., and by her marriage became the mother of eight children, six now living: Belle, wife of J. B. Spencer, a merchant of Slate Springs; James, a merchant of Grenada; Alonzo, farmer and merchant with his father; Cora, wife of Prof. W. J. Taylor, a teacher of Winona; Min- nie and Samuel Tilden. Mr. Pryor lived on the old farm until the father's death, and then settled on Sabougla creek, where he remained until 1870. He then removed to Slate Spring, and has resided alternately there and on his farm ever since. He owns six hundred acres with three hundred acres cleared, and has improved it all since 1873, at which time he settled in the woods. All this he has accomplished by his own exertions. Since 1871 he has also been engaged in merchandising at Slate Spring, Grenada and Duck Hill respectively, the present firm being Spencer & Pryor. They do an annual business of about $6,000. In 1861 Mr. Pryor joined company G, Forty-second Mississippi infantry, and served in the army of Vir- ginia until the close. He was on provost duty at Richmond for a long time, and the first general engagement was at Gettysburg. After this he was in the battle of Falling Water, Wilderness, Spottsylvania, and around Richmond and Petersburg. After this he obtained a furlough and came home. He was captured soon after the battle of Gettysburg, but was soon after released. He was also wounded in the first day's fight at Gettysburg, and after the war he returned to his family. He filled the office of justice of the peace for a number

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of years, and has been junior and senior warden of the Masonic fraternity, Slate Spring lodge. He and wife and family are members of the Missionary Baptist church. Mr. Pryor is one of the most energetic, thoroughgoing planters of Webster county, is strictly honest and is well and favorably known. He is giving his children good advantages for an education.

James Pryor, of the firm of James Pryor & Co., dealers in dry goods, groceries, millinery, etc., at Grenada, although young in years is one of the wideawake, thorough- going business men of the town. He was born in Calhoun county, Miss., in 1862, and is a son of James T. and Mary J. (McKee) Pryor, natives respectively of Alabama and Mississippi. When young the elder Pryor came with his parents to Mississippi, and after growing up was married in Choctaw county, where he resided until 1890. He then removed to Winona and is now retired from the active duties of life. He is one of the prominent farmers and has also been engaged in merchandising for many years. He lost a handsome property during the war and was obliged to start anew. He was all through the war in the Virginia army, and served in a creditable manner as a private. After the war he began at the bottom of the ladder, but has been very successful and is probably worth $50,000. He is the owner of about six hundred acres, producing about one hundred and fifty bales of cotton per year, and has everything convenient and comfortable about his place. He has been a member of the Masonic fraternity for a good many years. His father, Samuel O. Pryor, came from the Old Dominion to Mississippi many years ago, was a planter, and died before our subject was born. Mr. and Mrs. Pryor have been prominent Baptists for many years. Their family consisted of eight children, six now living, named in the order of their births as fol- lows: Belle (wife of J. B. Spencer of Slate Spring, Miss.), James, Alonzo, Cora (wife of William J. Taylor, of Winona), Minnie and Tilden. James attended the public schools until sixteen years of age and then began business for himself at Slate Spring, where he continued for four years. After this he was at Duck Hill for two years, and in 1886 he came to Grenada, where he was engaged in business for the same length of time. He was subsequently book- keeper for E. Cahn & Co. for some time, and on the 1st of January, 1891, the firm of James Pryor & Co. was established. Honest in his dealings and representations Mr. Pryor merits the esteem with which he is regarded. He is sole proprietor of the Grenada Saddlery com- pany, which does an annual business of about $5,000. He is a stockholder in the Grenada bank and of the Building and Loan association. He was married in 1882 to Miss Jimmie McCord, a native of Calhoun county, Miss., and the daughter of James and Angie McCord, natives of Calhoun county also. Mr. McCord was killed in the early part of the war, while in service at Water Valley. His father, T. K. McCord, was a native Scotchman, who came to Mississippi at an early day and died in Greenwood, Miss. To Mr. and Mrs. Pryor have been born four children. Mrs. Pryor's maternal grandfather, William Cook, who was of Irish descent, at an early day settled in Calhoun county, where he still resides. He is about eighty-two years of age and is a wealthy planter. Mr. Pryor is a member of Grenada lodge, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, No. 6, and he and wife hold membership in the Baptist church.

James C. Purnell, president of the Citizens' bank at Winona, is a native born resident of Carroll, now Montgomery county, Miss., and was born March 17, 1847. He is the son of M. T. and Eunice E. W. (Read) Purnell, natives of the Old North state. His father was born in 1801, and his mother in 1809. M. T. Purnell was a man of fair business education, who carried on a merchandise business in connection with extensive planting. He moved West at an early day, and first located in west Tennessee, removing in 1839 to Carroll county, Miss. Mrs. Purnell died December 15, 1848. Her husband did not long survive her, dying August

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26, 1849. He left a goodly estate in land and negro slaves to his five surviving children. The war swept away most of this property before the subject of this sketch had reached his majority. The five children were: M. T. Purnell, Jr., who died December 3, 1862, leaving no children; M. A. Purnell, who died September, 1866, leaving two boys: W. A. Purnell and M. A. Purnell; Elizabeth Helen, who married Capt. E. E. Foltz, a sketch of whom appears in this work; Eliza R., who is the wife of Capt. B. W. Sturdivant, of Tallahatchie county, and James C. Purnell, the youngest, the subject of this sketch. The three latter are the only survivors of the family at this date. Left an orphan at an early age, James C. Purnell grew to manhood in his native county, and received a fair education at Salem and Oxford, N. C. After completing his studies, and at the close of the war, he returned to Carroll county, and engaged in planting near Vaiden. May 24, 1870, he was married to Miss Jennie B. Hawkins, daughter of Maj. Frank Hawkins, a sketch of whom appears in this history. She was born and reared in Carroll county, but was educated at Jackson and Memphis, Tenn. In 1871 Mr. Purnell moved to Winona, and entered merchandise, in partnership with Joe C. Kittrell, the firm being Kittrell & Purnell, doing a successful business for three years. Mr. Purnell then formed a partnership with his brother-in-law, Frank Hawkins, Jr., under the firm name of Purnell & Hawkins. They carried on business successfully from 1874 till 1888, when they were burned out. They carried a large stock of general merchandise, and did a large fur- nishing business. After being burned out, the firm formed a private banking company, and engaged in banking. In September, 1890, a stock company was formed, and the Citizens' bank organized, when Mr. J. C. Purnell was made president; T. H. Somerville, vice president, and Frank Hawkins, Jr., cashier. Mr. J. C. Purnell is one of the enterprising business men of Winona, and is connected with a number of public enterprises. He was a town alderman for some years, president of the board of trade, and also of the Winona Land and Improve- ment company. He was the originator and first president of the Winona Warehouse com- pany. Success has crowned all his various enterprises. Mr. and Mrs. Purnell have had eight children: Frank M., Mary H., Jennie H., James C., Jr., Anna E., Eunice Read, Rhesa H. and Eunice Elizabeth. Eunice Read died in August, 1884. Mr. Purnell is a member of the Episcopal church, of which he is junior warden, and also past master in the Masonic fraternity.

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CHAPTER XVII.

MEMOIRS OF A FEW FAMILIES, Q.

H. Quin, M. D., McComb City, Pike county, Miss. Peter Quin, Sr., grand- father of the subject of this sketch, came to Mississippi from Spartanville, S. C., in 1808, and settled on Tangipahoe. In 1812 he laid out the town of Holmesville, Pike county, Miss., as it now stands. He acted as governor of Mississippi territory for a short time. He was made a member of the convention that framed the first constitution of Mississippi. He had four sons, Daniel, Richard, Henry and Peter, and one daughter, Nancy. Dr. D. H. Quin is a descendant of his second son, Richard Quinn, who was a farmer by occupation. During his long life he was almost always connected with public duties. The Doctor was born February 16, 1821. At the age of fifteen he went to Kenyon college, Ohio, and finished his literary education there, and thence to Philadelphia, and finished his medical education in the Pennsylvania university. He was a physician in the hospital for two years, and graduated in the session of 1845 and 1846. He was married in 1848 to Mary F. Bickham. By this marriage were born two sons and two daughters; James and Oliver being the sons. O. B. Quin is now a physician and practitioner in McComb City, Miss. After the death of his first wife, the Doctor, in 1860, was married to Nannie Elezay, who died a short while after without issue. In the fall of 1864 he was married to Anna Beattie Long. They have two sons, Hillary and Richard. Hillary, the eldest, is a graduate of Mississippi university, Oxford, and now a professor at Fayette, Miss. Richard is yet young and unmatured.

Judge H. Murray Quin is among the pioneer families of Pike county, and among the more prominent in all its history this family has always taken superior rank. Col. Peter Quin, his father, who came to Pike county about 1813 and settled near where the town of Holmesville now is, was a native of South Carolina, having been born in York district of that state in 1787. He was reared and educated there and married Martha Moore, a native of North Carolina, and born and reared in Rutherford county. She was born in 1794. Soon after his marriage Mr. Quin emigrated to Mississippi, locating in the territory now embraced in the county of Pike. He assisted in the organization of the county and gave land at Holmesville upon which was erected the first county building, and at the first county election he was elected to represent the county in the legislature. He served also as a delegate from Pike county to the constitutional convention. Through all his active life he was one of the most prominent and useful citizens of the county. He died in 1839, his widow surviving him till 1864. Of the children of these worthy pioneers, Judge H. M. Quin is probably the best known. Mrs. S. A. Nicholson, widow of Dr. George Nicholson, is his eldest daughter; L. J. Quin, of McComb City, is also well known; he was sheriff of the county several years; Mrs. Louisa Bosworth, another daughter, is now dead; Dr. Irvin M. Quin, formerly of Bran-

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don, was state senator from Rankin and Scott counties for eight years, and died at Arcola, in Sunflower county, in 1887, and was a prominent man in his day; Mrs. C. M. Leland, widow of Dr. L. C. Leland, late of Panola, resides at Holmesville; Col. Peter C. Quin, deceased, was state senator, representing Pike and Lawrence counties for four years; Capt. Josephus R. Quin, a prosperous merchant in Summit, was killed at the battle of Harrisburg, Ky., in 1864; DeWitt C. Quin, the youngest son, represented Pike county in the legislature, and died while a member of that body; Mrs. C. M. Wallace, another daughter, who became the wife of Dr. Jesse Wallace, died in New York. Judge Quin's younger days were passed upon his father's plantation, and it was in the common schools of his neighborhood that his education was begun; later he was a student for one year at Oakland college, afterward reading law at Holmesville, and being admitted to the bar in 1840, though he did not engage in the practice of his profession for several years thereafter, being in that year elected treasurer of Pike county, and serving in that capacity for four years. He was next elected, in 1845, to the office of circuit clerk; later, in 1846, he was elected to the office of clerk of the probate court and continued in that position as clerk of both circuit and probate courts for ten years, until his election as probate judge, in which office he served for eight years. After his retire- ment from office he continued his practice of law until 1871, when he became mayor of the town of Summit, since which time he has lived retired from active labor, devoting his atten- tion to planting with much success. He first had as a partner in his law practice Judge Hurst, late judge of the supreme court, but later he became connected with Col. T. R. Stock- dale, present member of congress, and later Judge H. Cassidy, Sr., also became a partner in said law firm. Excepting when the incumbent of some office, he was in the active practice of his profession from 1842 to 1871, a period of nearly thirty years. Prior to the war he became the owner of considerable property, including quite a number of slaves, but, in com- mon with the rest of his friends and business associates of the South, he lost heavily as a consequence of the struggle. During the last twelve years he has served as justice of the peace, and he was one of the supervisors of the State Lunatic asylum, appointed by Governor Humphreys, serving in that capacity for six years. He was married September 1, 1842, to Miss Delilah Bearden, a daughter of Jeremiah Bearden, late of Pike county. Mrs. Quin, who was a native of this county, died in 1866, having left her husband five children: Dr. L. M. Quin, of Holmesville; Emma E., wife of L. W. Connerly, of Baton Rouge, La .; Wallace W., a farmer near Summit; George M. (now dead), and Lulu, who married Charles H. Rowan, and living at Point Pleasant, La. In May, 1867, Judge Quin married Miss Nannie Sumrall (his second wife), a daughter of Henry Sumrall, of Copiah county, by whom he had two children: Henry N., a bright young man of nineteen, who graduated from Jackson Commer- cial college in 1890, and is now a bookkeeper at Poplarville, Miss., and Ina M., who has recently graduated at Edward McGehee's college at Woodville. Judge Quin has been a Mason since 1848, and has been a Royal Arch Mason since 1855; is a member of the Holmes- ville lodge, A F. & A. M., is a member of the consistory of the Scottish Rites Masons, having taken eighteen degrees, and for the past thirty years has been a member of the Meth- odist Episcopal Church South. As a politician, he was a leader of the old whig party in his county, and after the late war he allied himself with the democratic party. He has occupied public positions in his county for fifty years and discharged his duties in all with such con- summate ability as to gain unusnal esteem and the confidence of his constituents.

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CHAPTER XVIII.

OTHER PROMINENT PERSONS, R.

C. Radgesky, merchant, Gunnison, Miss., a live, energetic business man, is a native of Europe, and when but a child four years of age came with his parents to the United States. They landed at New Bedford, Mass., in 1859. His father, Joseph Rad- gesky, upon coming to this country, first located in Mississippi, was one of the first settlers of Greenville, and was, it is believed, the third merchant at that place; and the fire in Greenville in 1875 or 1876 burned him out. He died there of yellow fever during the epi- demic of 1878. In 1870 J. C. Radgesky embarked in business for himself at Concordia of this state, was very successful, and in 1872 and 1873 went to South Bend, Ark., where he opened a branch store on the Arkansas river in partnership with Clay Rice, then sheriff of Lincoln county, who died in 1873, when Mr. Radgesky returned to Concordia. Recognizing the advantages of Gunnison he located there in 1890, soon after the establishment of the station, and was the second to start business enterprises there. It is worthy of note that the business element of Gunnison is made up mostly of merchants and citizens of Concordia. There Mr. Ragdesky has invested in considerable property and has erected seven buildings, which he rents, and is completing a number more. In the winter of 1890 and 1891 he erected the first building at the station of Round Lake and now has a business interest there. He is also expecting to build on property in Rosedale. He has been rather active in politics and served as alderman of Concordia for three terms, filling that position in a creditable and satisfactory manner.

The ancestors of Samuel E. Ragland, planter, Delay, Miss., were originally from Wales, his grandfather having emigrated from that country to the United States with his parents when but an infant. His father, Pettis Ragland, was born in Hanover county, Va., about 1768 and followed tilling the soil and teaching school during his lifetime. He was a popular man and was ever ready with his time and means to assist in all enterprises pertain- ing to the welfare of his county. He was married to Miss Martha Carter, a native of North Carolina and a woman of marked intelligence and refinement. She was the daughter of Phillip Carter, who was an honorable and upright citizen and who served during the Revolu- tionary war. Samuel E. Ragland, who has Virginia blood in his veins, was born in Halifax county of that state on July 6, 1811, and was the eldest of seven children born to Pettis and Martha (Carter) Ragland. He had limited educational advantages during youth, but by observation and contact with the world he has become a well-informed man. At the age of seventeen, he began fighting life's battles for himself and located in Monroe county, W. Va., where he remained until 1832, when he located at Lynchburg. While a resident of that

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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 98

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