Encyclopedia of Mississippi History Comprising Sketches of Counties, Towns, Events, Institutions and Persons, Vol. II, Part 16

Author: Dunbar Rowland
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: Madison, Wis. : S.A. Brant
Number of Pages: 1020

USA > Mississippi > Encyclopedia of Mississippi History Comprising Sketches of Counties, Towns, Events, Institutions and Persons, Vol. II > Part 16

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

The legislature of 1882 was very liberal in appropriations, in support of schools, institutions and immigration, exempted new railroads from taxation for ten years, also extended the same ex- emption to all factories hereafter erected. An appropriation of $15,000 was made for the relief of Mississippi flood sufferers, which, with contributions from the National government, were expended under the direction of W. L. Hemingway, who was stationed at

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Memphis, while the governor personally aided the citizens' com- mittee at Vicksburg.

The valuation of realty in 1882 was (in round numbers) $80 .- 000,000, of personalty $37,000,000; in 1883 the increase in the total was $17,000,000. The land valuation of 1883 was over $20,000,000 larger than in 1879. This permitted further reduction of the tax rate, or increased revenues at the same rate.

The treasury statements showed receipts in 1882, $720,959; ex- penditures, $1,057,441. In 1883, receipts, $746,864; expenditures, $836,500. The cash balance was reduced from $545,000 at the be- ginning of 1882 to $169,000 at the first of 1884. The public debt to the Chickasaw and Seminary funds was $1,360,000; to the Agri- cultural college fund, $227,000. Over and above this, if the debt to the Common School fund ($817,646) were disregarded, the State debt was $510,000, January 1, 1884. The legislature of 1882 increased the common school revenues by $100,000 per annum and decreased the rate of taxation from three to 21/2 mills, a reduction equal to $50,000 per annum. These two items made a difference of $600,000 in the financial transactions of the State in the four years following. Gov. Lowry commented in 1884: "It is well to increase school facilities and to reduce taxation, but, unfortunately, both cannot be done at the same time without increasing the debt."

He said in his first message to the legislature of January, 1884 : "In some respects the history of Mississippi since the war is with- out a parallel in the history of the world." Though there had been accusations of disregard of law and order, the revelations of the census of 1880 were a complete disproof. Comparing previous conditions with those then existing, he said: "The public debt has been almost extinguished. Taxation has been reduced from 91/2 mills in 1875 to 21/2 mills in 1883. State and county taxation has been reduced from an average of about $27.85 on the $1,000 in 1874, to an average of about $16 on the $1.000 in 1883. All the lands forfeited to the State for taxes have either been redeemed or purchased, except about 200,000 acres. In the last two years alone 461,783 acres have been purchased through the Auditor's of- fice from the State. There is a growing confidence in the future as shown by the purchase of these lands and of 435,110 acres held by the Federal government in the last two years, together with the unprecedented homestead entries, amounting to 286,283 acres. The reduction in the debt and the rate of taxation and yearly ex- penditures has been accomplished without detriment to the pub- lic service or neglect of the different charitable and educational institutions. All these have been liberally sustained and new ones established." About 450 miles of railroad had been built in two years, and large amounts invested in cotton factories and com- presses and oil mills.

He also pointed out in his message of 1884 that the laws fav- ored the maintenance of chain gangs. "The enormity of the wrong is patent. The prisoner is required to pay the fine and costs

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within 24 hours after sentence, notwithstanding it may be practi- cally impossible to estimate the costs because of the witnesses failure to prove attendance until five days after the adjournment of the court." There were various pretexts also, for holding pris- oners in the gangs after they had served their time, sometimes to make up periods of sickness caused by brutal treatment. The legislature attempted to reform the system by an act of 1882. "A fruitful source of crime is the too prevalent habit of carrying concealed weapons." He recommended that the use of deadly weapons in assault should be declared a crime not admitting ex- cuse or justification.

Notable acts of legislature in 1884 were for the protection of contracts between landlord and tenant; providing penalties for persuading an employee to leave an employer to whom he was bound by written contract, also penalties for the employee who violated a contract ; an act making it a misdemeanor for officials of the State to accept railroad passes; an act establishing the In- dustrial institute for white girls, and the Railroad commission bill. (q. v.)

This legislature invited Jefferson Davis to make a visit to Jack- son, which he did in March, 1884. He was received by the gover- nor and the supreme court in presence of a joint session of the legis- lature, and made a brief address expressing his strong attachment to the State and her interests. Several changes occurred in the con- gressional representation and in the composition of the supreme court, which are treated in the appropriate articles. In 1885 the East Mississippi Insane Hospital (q. v.) was opened at Meridian. During the winter of 1883-84, attention was publicly called to the evils of the Convict Lease System, and an agitation began which led to the creation of the Board of Control (q. v.). In the winter of 1884-85 the World's Industrial and Cotton Exposition was held at New Orleans, with Maj. S. A. Jonas as state commis- sioner. This was the first exposition at which Mississippi had been adequately represented.

There was a balance in the Treasury at the beginning of 1884 of $168,989. In the year the expenditures were $886,158, which was met by the initial balance. $61,700 from sale of 5 per cent. bonds, and $665,281 from ordinary sources, of which $152,334 was licenses and forfeitures, etc., belonging to the school fund, and $56,915 was railroad tax. Less than $275,000 was from the State tax levy. Among the disbursements were $250,000 for the com- mon schools, and $65,295 for Chickasaw school fund interest. The cash balance at the end of the year was less than $10,000. In 1885 the receipts were $902,142, including $81,000 from bonds sold; and the disbursements $904,494. The indebtedness of the State was about $1,000,000, exclusive of Chickasaw and Seminary Common school funds. The State tax rate was increased slightly and the sale of bonds for $500,000 authorized.

G. D. Shands was lieutenant-governor during Lowry's first ad- ministration, and the department officers were H. C. Myers, sec-

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retary of state; W. L. Hemingway, treasurer; Sylvester Gwin, auditor; T. C. Catchings, attorney-general; J. A. Smith, superin- tendent of education.

Attorney-General Catchings was elected to congress in 1884 and resigned in February, 1885. The governor appointed T. S. Ford, of Marion county, in his stead.

At the election in 1885 there was no ticket in the field but the Democratic. Gov. Lowry, who was nominated, received almost the entire total vote of about 90,000. The other officers elected, for 1886-90, were: G. D. Shands, lieutenant-governor; George M. Govan, secretary of state; W. L. Hemingway, state treasurer ; W. W. Stone, auditor ; T. Marshall Miller, attorney-general ; J. R. Preston, superintendent of education.

The year 1886 was memorable for the adoption of an effective law relating to common schools (q. v.), and the local option law (see Saloon legislation).

The revenue of 1886 was $1,295,707, of which $483,000 was de- rived from the sale of bonds and 8 per cent. certificates, and the disbursements were $1,039,678. In 1887 the total revenue was $1,069,568, of which $215,783 was derived from the sale of bonds, and the disbursements were $1,023,098. In the two years the dis- bursements were nearly $400,000 more than the receipts from reg- ular sources. (Auditor's statement.) The State debt had increased to $3,750,000 or $1,345,000 more than what the treasury owed the trust funds.

In his message of 1888 Governor Lowry said that signs of in- dividual and general prosperity were more manifest in Mississippi than at any time of the decade. He discussed vigorously the grow- ing debt of the State, the gross irregularities of the revenue laws, the great under-valuation of taxable property, the non-collection of poll taxes, and the abuses of the judicial system in regard to payment of costs in criminal cases by the counties.

In the summer of 1889 it was generally advertised that a prize fight by two individuals distinguished in pugilism would occur in Mississippi. Such exhibitions were generally prohibited in the States, but it was purposed to have this encounter at some point in Mississippi to be reached by train from New Orleans. Gov. Lowry issued a proclamation directing that the fight should not be permitted, and stationed State troops at various points to aid the sheriffs. But, through the connivance of the Northeastern railroad, said the governor, communication between the governor and sheriff of Marion county was prevented, and the fight was brought off in that county in July. The principals were arrested in New York and Maryland, and tried in the circuit courts, from which they appealed to the supreme court. The governor re- quested the attorney-general to begin proceedings to forfeit the charter of the Northeastern railroad.

John M. Stone was nominated for governor at the Democratic convention in 1889, and elected in November.

There was a balance in the treasury of $276,980 at the begin-

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ning of 1888, the receipts were $1,033,712, and the expenditures were $976,480, leaving a balance of $334,211. The receipts of 1889 were $1,151,055, bringing the total, including balance, up to $1,485,266. The disbursements of 1889 were $929,816, and a bal- ance of $555,450, was reported.

The State debt at the close of Governor Lowry's administration was $1,417,026, exclusive of the trust funds for educational pur- poses, which swelled the aggregate indebtedness to $3,837,490.

In 1890 Governor Lowry had been "the agent of the people in the executive department of the State government for eight years, a greater length of time than had been served by any of his pre- decessors since the admission of the State into the Union." He congratulated the State upon the favorable outlook of affairs. There had been a great increase in the valuation of taxable prop- erty ; the mileage of the railroads in the State had been more than doubled since 1882 (1,078 to 2,366 miles) ; agriculture was gener- ally prosperous and rapid progress had been made in truck farm- ing and fruit growing; the Mississippi levees were better than ever before, and that region dwelt in security. Banks were increasing in number, and to all appearances the prosperity was solid and enduring. Since 1881 not a vote had been cast in opposition to the State ticket of the Democratic party, and, added the gover- nor, "the intimation, from any quarter, of invoking improper methods in State elections is a slander upon the fair name of our Commonwealth, for there has been no opposition to the party nominated by the white people, who pay 99 dollars of every 100 required for the support and maintenance of the State govern- ment."

Loyal League, or Union League, an organization of negroes after the war of 1861-65. The Union League was originally a secret organization in the North, begun in 1862, to support the Union and oppose the efforts of the "Copperheads," and Knights of the Golden Circle. The organization was spread southward among the Unionists as early as 1863. The membership was at first entirely white, and included some old Whigs, as well as United States army officers and ex-soldiers of the Union army who settled in the South. The Northern league, with which these Southern white leagues were affiliated, was active in support of the reconstruction measures and disseminated thousands of pamphlets, some of them highly partisan and exaggerated.

In 1866 the organization of negro councils began. at first with the color line sharply drawn. "Before the end of 1867, all of the negro leaders were members and the mass of the black population organized in 'Union Republican clubs,' for political control and instruction. The admission of negroes caused most of the native whites to desert at once. Henceforth the order consisted of a few white leaders with a membership of blacks, principally local leaders, though every negro was considered an ex colore member. In every negro community there was a council of the Union league ; in each State there was a State grand council with headquarters

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at the State capital, and the national grand council with head- quarters in New York. During 1867 and 1868 the Loyal League, as it was popularly called, gave to the negroes an organization and a training that made it possible for a few alien leaders to con- trol them and to vote them solidly for several years against the native whites. The dislike of the whites to the Union league was so great that the local bodies began to assume other names : Alcorn clubs in Mississippi, etc. . By 1870 the organization was broken up in the South, most of the councils that survived becoming simply Republican clubs. The discipline of the league was greatly missed after 1870 by the Radical leaders in the South, who, without its aid, could no longer count upon the negro majorities. The permanent result of the work of the Union league in the South was the alienation of the races; this alone made it possible for outsiders to control the negro vote and draw the color line in politics." (Walter L. Fleming, Documents Relat- ing to Reconstruction.)

The local lodges were called councils. "Lynch council" at Jack- son was one of the most important. The Freedmen's bureau agents aided in the organization among the negroes. There was a great increase in this movement after the congressional recon- struction began. As the negroes could not read, it was necessary to collect them in meetings to be addressed by the Bureau agents even for legitimate advice, and as politics began to be worked in with this, it was an easy step to the organization of councils. "One thing about the league that attracted the negro was the mysterious secrecy of the meetings, the wierd initiation ceremony that made him feel fearfully good from his head to his heels, the imposing ritual and songs. The ritual, it is said, was not used in the North ; it was probably adopted for the particular benefit of the African." (Fleming.) The ceremony consisted mainly in introducing the candidate to the emblems of the order: the altar, the Bible, the declaration of independence, the constitution of the United States, the flag of the Union, censer, sword, gavel, ballot-box, sickle, shut- tle, anvil and other emblems of industry, and included an oath, in a darkened room, before the "fire of liberty." with one hand on the flag, to support the government, elect true Union men to office, and "To defend and perpetuate freedom and union, I pledge my life, my fortune and my sacred honor." The main sign was pro- nouncing, with the right hand in corresponding positions, the four words, "Liberty, Lincoln, Loyal, League." The councils met at night, sometimes with the members armed, and when in session stationed armed guards. The negro churches and schools were commonly used as meeting places. The negroes were instructed, as appears from publications made in the North for the purpose of instruction, that the Democrats would take away all their rights, and if possible return them to slavery. "They are devoid of principle, and destitute of all sense of justice where the colored man is concerned." So reads a catechism published by the order, in which it was also asked and answered: "Do all white people

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belong to a party which would treat us in that way? They do not. There are many who have stood up nobly for your rights, and who would aid you to the end; indeed all the Republicans are such. To what party do the people of the South belong? The larger portion belong to the Democratic party." This instruction was preparatory to the organization of a Union Republican club. It was charged that the leagues or clubs were the scenes of incendiary advice to the negroes, and in some regions military drill was carried on at night. The signs of the league were used to influence negro magistrates, and juries, where there were such. There was much intimidation and persecution of negroes who were delinquent in their loyalty to these organizations, or who failed to vote the Re- publican ticket. In Lester and Wilson's history of the Ku Klux Klan, written in Tennessee, it was said: "It is a part of the history of those times that there was a widespread and desperately active organization called the Loyal League. It was composed of the disorderly element of the negro population and was led and con- trolled by white men of the basest and meanest type just now re- ferred to. They met frequently, went armed to the teeth, and lit- erally 'breathed out threatening and slaughter.' They not only uttered, but in many instances executed the most violent threats against the persons, families and property of men, whose sole crime was that they had been in the Confederate army."

Loyd, a post-hamlet of Calhoun county, 7 miles east of Pittsboro, the county seat, and 15 miles northwest of Houston. Population in 1900, 56.

Lucas, a postoffice in Lawrence county, on the Mississippi Central R. R., 10 miles northeast of Monticello, the county seat.

Lucedale, a post-hamlet in the southern part of Greene county, on the Mobile, Jackson & Kansas City R. R., 41 miles by rail north- west of Mobile, and 16 miles south of Leakesville, the county seat. Population in 1900, 100.

Lucern, a post-hamlet in the northwestern part of Newton county, 8 miles from Decatur, the county seat, and nearest railroad town. Population in 1900, 40.

Lucile, a post-hamlet of Lauderdale, 2 miles north of Meridian. It has a money order postoffice. Population in 1900, 100.

Lucky, a postoffice of Jones county.

Lucre, a post-hamlet of Sharkey county, 15 miles southeast of Rolling Fork, the county seat, on the Sunflower river. Population in 1906, 25.

Lucy, a postoffice of Leake county, 10 miles northwest of Car- thage, the county seat.

Ludlow, a post-hamlet in the northwestern part of Scott county, situated on Coffee Bogue, a tributary of Pearl river, about 20 miles from Forest, the county seat. Morton is its nearest banking town. Population in 1900, 100. It has a good saw and grist mill combined, and a good gin.

Lula, an incorporated post-town in the northern part of Coahoma county, at the junction of two branches of the Yazoo & Mississippi 10-11

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Valley R. R., 10 miles northeast of Friar's Point, and about 8 miles southeast of Helena, Ark. It has a money order postoffice. Popu- lation in 1900, 174; population in 1906 estimated at 250.

Lumberton, an incorporated post-town in the southern part of Lamar county, 25 miles southwest of Hattiesburg and 10 miles southwest of Purvis, the county seat. The Mendenhall-Maxie branch of the Gulf & Ship Island R. R. crosses the New Orleans & North Eastern R. R. at this point, and provides it with excellent shipping facilities. It is a thriving town and growing rapidly. Its name is derived from its chief industry. It is situated in the heart of the long leaf pine section of the State, and large lumbering operations are carried on in the vicinity. It is also extensively engaged in the manufacture of naval stores. It has express, tele- graph and telephone offices, a money order postoffice, a bank and a newspaper office. The First National Bank was established in 1900 with a capital of $25,000 ; the capital and surplus have been increased to $100,000. The Head-Block is a Democratic weekly, established in 1889, T. B. Geiger, editor and publisher. Population in 1900, 1,509 ; the population in 1906 was estimated at 3,000. The town is supplied with an excellent electric light and water plant. It has many fine churches and a splendid system of schools.

Luna, Tristan de. In 1557 Phillip II confided the conquest and settlement of Florida to Don Louis de Velasco, the viceroy of New Spain, and two years later, Velasco dispatched an army of 1,500 soldiers and settlers under the command of Don Tristan de Luna. The object of the expedition was not primarily one of con- quest, but rather of conciliation and settlement. The Indians were to be well treated and a number of Dominican friars accompanied the army. The expedition arrived at the Bay of Ichuse (Santa Rosa bay) in July, 1559. Before he could unload his vessels, they were struck during the night of Sept. 19, by a storm which lasted 24 hours, destroying five ships, a galleon and a bark, and beaching one caravel and its cargo high and dry in a grove. Many of the people perished and most of the stores intended for the colonists were lost. Left thus in as miserable a condition as any ship- wrecked party before, De Luna was not disheartened and ad- vanced with over 1,000 of his company to the Indian town of Nanipacna, on the Escambia, which had been taken and wasted by De Soto. In July of the following year, a detachment of the Spaniards in search of provisions reached Coca, on the Coosa river, an Indian town of thirty houses, near which were seven other towns of the same tribe. In order to gain the good will of the Coosas, they agreed to aid them in a campaign against the Napo- chies, who lay on the Ochechiton, or great water, which the Span- iards took to be the sea. These were in all probability the Natchez. The Natchez were defeated by the allies, and the Spaniards reached the Ochechiton, which proved to be a mighty river, the Rio del Espiritu Santo, or Mississippi, thus once more discovered by the Spanish adventurers and missionaries. Revolts and open mutiny had meanwhile arisen in De Luna's camp, and though he was re-

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luctant to abandon the projected settlement, the desire to abandon the country where all had suffered so severely was universal, and Luna seeing himself utterly abandoned, embarked for Havana with a few servants. Until the coming of the French under Iber- ville, the region of the Mississippi was left undisturbed.

Lunch, a postoffice of Itawamba county, 14 miles north of Fulton, the county seat.

Lurline, a postoffice in the northeastern part of Tate county, situated on Bear Tail creek, a tributary of the Coldwater river, 9 miles northeast of Coldwater, the nearest railroad and banking town. It has a general store, a church and a school.

Luster, a postoffice of Chickasaw county, 8 miles northeast of Houston, the county seat, and nearest railroad town.

Luther, a postoffice of Leake county, 6 miles north of Carthage, the county seat.

Lux, a post-hamlet in the southeastern part of Covington county, on the Gulf & Ship Island R. R., about 17 miles from Williamsburg, the county seat. Seminary is the nearest banking town. Popu- lation in 1900, 50.

Luxembourg, a post-hamlet in the northern part of Issaquena county, situated on Lake Lafayette, 6 miles northeast of Mayers- ville, the county seat. Population in 1900, 48.

Lyman, a post-hamlet in the southern part of Harrison county, on the Gulf & Ship Island R. R., 10 miles north of Gulfport. It has a money order postoffice, an express office, a large saw mill, and a good general store. It has a population of about 150.

Lyman Colony. The Company of Military Adventurers, com- posed of persons principally from Connecticut, under a mistaken expectation of obtaining a large grant from the British crown, sent agents in 1773 to West Florida, for the purpose of exploring the country. The governor of that province promised to grant lands to such as should become settlers, on as advantageous terms as he was authorized to do, and to reserve till next spring, for that purpose, nineteen townships, which had been selected and sur- veyed by the agents. A number of emigrants from Connecticut, accordingly removed to the Mississippi in 1774; the war prevented the progress of the settlements; and one hundred and forty of the settlers left the country in 1781, when the Spanish conquest took place, and traversing the Choctaw and Cherokee country, reached the inhabited parts of Georgia. "The claim which is now set up in the name of the company for the nineteen townships has no foun- dation. Such of the settlers as had obtained grants, or have con- tinued on the lands, will be embraced by the provisions made for other claimants of a similar description." (Report of Madison, Gallatin and Lincoln, 1803.)

The moving spirit in this scheme of colonization was Gen. Phineas Lyman, of Suffield, Conn. Gen. Lyman was born in Dur- ham, Conn., in 1715; graduated at Yale University, subsequently practiced law in his native State, and was major-general in com- mand of all the Connecticut troops during the French and Indian

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Encyclopedia of Mississippi History Comprising Sketches of Counties, Towns, Events, Institutions and Persons, Vol. II, Part 16

Author: Dunbar Rowland Publication date: 1907 Publisher: Madison, Wis. : S.A. Brant Number of Pages: 1020

Author: Dunbar Rowland
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: Madison, Wis. : S.A. Brant
Number of Pages: 1020