Encyclopedia of Mississippi History Comprising Sketches of Counties, Towns, Events, Institutions and Persons, Vol. II, Part 41

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 41

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).

Digitized by Google

344

MISSISSIPPI

of carrying such articles as he takes out is in little barrels, which are placed upon packhorses, three barrels upon a horse; and in this manner he will travel for hundreds-I may say thousands, of miles through the woods, bartering with the Indians as he goes along, and receiving in return skins and furs, or wild horses. These horses (of which there are plenty in the Apelousa country, and in the province of Mexico) are caught in a most curious man- ner, and which can only be effected with success by those who have been used to the practice," i. e., the now familiar method of lassoing. In a letter from New Orleans, April, 1797, Nolan tells a story of one Newman, "an unprincipled villain," ruined and imprisoned, who had threatened to make some exposure regarding Wilkinson. Nolan was about to start from Natchez for San An- tonio, with a party of ten riflemen. "I have got such a passport, that I apprehend neither risk nor detention; I have instruments to enable me to make a more correct map than the one you have ; Ellicott assisted me in acquiring a more perfect knowledge of astronomy and glasses, and Gayoso himself has made me a present of a portable sextant. My time piece is good. I shall pay every attention, and take an assistant with me, who is a tolerable mathematician." Writing from Natchez, July 21, he declared he would set out next day, having waited for assurance of peace. He would take $7,000 worth of merchandise, and every necessary credential from the Baron. Gayoso had been appointed governor of Louisiana at last, and Grand Pré governor of Natchez. Of Gayoso Nolan said: "He is a vile man and my implacable enemy ; yet he treats me with attention. . The Baron knows him, and has done all in his power to secure me from his vengeance. I have, however, my fears; and I may yet be obliged to shoot the monster with a poisoned arrow. What do you think of Ellicott? He professes great friendship for me. Will we have a war? At all events, I can cut my way back, and you may calculate on me."

Edward Everett Hale quotes Nolan as writing: "I look for- ward to the conquest of Mexico by the United States and I expect my friend and patron the General (Wilkinson), will, in such event. give me a conspicuous command." Mr. Hale adds: He expected the command in the expedition which John Adams and Hamilton were preparing at Cincinnati in the "new army", as it was called. This army was to be commanded by Hamilton, and a considerable part of it gathered at Cincinnati. It is likely, however, that Nolan's main ambition was in regard to a conquest of Mexico, such as afterward engaged the attention of Aaron Burr.

In the spring of 1800 Nolan appeared at Natchez on his way to Kentucky, and acting as an agent for Major Minor's brother, took away a slave Caesar, who had served as Indian interpreter for Minor and Sargent.

In October. Gov. Sargent was notified by Capt. Vidal, com- manding at the Spanish post of Concord, opposite Natchez, that Nolan was preparing to enter Spanish territory "in a manner to disturb the amity between Spain and the United States," and the

Digitized by Google

345

MISSISSIPPI

subject was referred to Judges Lewis and Bruin, who called Nolan before them; but there being no evidence against him, and as he had a passport from the Spanish governor, he was dismissed. Papers bearing on this episode were found in the office of the secretary of state of Mississippi and read by a Federal officer, in 1863, and by him related to Edward Everett Hale, who had made the name of Philip Nolan familiar by his story of "A Man without a Country," taking the name from the references to Nolan in the memoirs of General Wilkinson. Nolan had by this time, October, 1800, married Fanny Lintot, who was related to the Minors of Concord mansion, and a son, Philip, was born after his father ventured again into Spanish territory, never to return. Nolan had with him, in this expedition, it appears, a small body of armed men, and the Spanish authorities suspected him of organizing a rebellion.

On March 26, 1801, he was shot down and killed at the head of his men, by Spanish troops. "His companions were all taken pris- oners and made to work in the Spanish mines. From time to time, rumors or messages would come back from them. On the 11th of November, 1807, Ephraim Blackburn, one of their number, was hanged. Observe, they had all been acquitted by the court which tried them. They were to be decimated. But there were but nine of them left, from the twenty companions of Nolan. A drum, a glass tumbler, and two dice were brought. The prisoners knelt and were blindfolded. Ephraim took the glass first and threw the dice. He threw three and one. This was the lowest throw and so he was hanged." (E. E. Hale, "Philip Nolan." edition of 1898, introduction.) Mr. Hale regarded the killing of Nolan and im- prisonment of his companions as one of the causes for the bitter hatred of the Spaniards in the Mississippi valley.

Nolen, a postoffice in the north-central part of Yalobusha county, 6 miles west of Watervalley, one of the county seats of justice, and the nearest railroad and banking town.

Nome, a postoffice of Pike county, 20 miles east, northeast of Magnolia, the county seat.

Norfield, an incorporated post-town in the southern part of Lin- coln county, on the Illinois Central R. R., about 12 miles south of Brookhaven, the county seat. The Natchez, Columbia & Mobile, a standard guage railroad, doing a general business, but operated primarily as a logging road, extends east from Norfield for about 20 miles and taps a rich pine country. It is a prosperous lumbering town, located in the heart of the long-leaf yellow pine region. Many northerners have settled here. The important business in- terests of the town, including lumber yard, saw mill and logging road, are in the hands of one of these families, the Butterfields. It has a money order postoffice. Population in 1900, 347; in 1906 it was estimated at 700. The town is furnished with electric light and water by the Butterfield Lumber Co.

Norfleet, a postoffice of Covington county.

346

MISSISSIPPI

Norfolk, a postoffice in the northwestern part of De Soto county located on the Mississippi river, 6 miles west of Walls Station, on the Yazoo & Mississippi Valley R. R. Population in 1900, 21.

Norrell, a postoffice of Hinds county, on the Alabama & Vicks- burg R. R., 14 miles west of Jackson.

Norris, a postoffice of Scott county, 4 miles southeast of Forrest, the county seat, and nearest railroad and banking town. Popula- tion in 1900, 21.

Northbend, a post-hamlet of Neshoba county, 6 miles northeast of Philadelphia, the county seat. Population in 1900, 40.

Northcarrollton, an incorporated post-town of Carroll county, on the Southern Railway, less than a mile north of Carrollton, the county seat. It has a money order postoffice, telegraph and express facilities, a cotton seed oil mill, a brick factory, and is supplied with electric light from Carrollton. The town has 4 churches. The Peoples Bank was organized in 1901 with a capital of $25,000, which has since been increased to $45,000. Its population in 1900 was 189; the estimated population in 1906 was 400.

Noxapater, a postoffice of Winston county, located 9 miles south of Louisville, the county seat, on the Noxapater creek, and on the Mobile, Jackson & Kansas City R. R. It has several good general stores, the largest saw milling plant in the county, cotton gins, 2 churches, a good school and a bank-The Bank of Noxapater, a branch of the Grenada Bank, established in 1905.

Noxubee County was established December 23rd, 1833, its name being taken from an Indian word meaning "stinking water." It is a fertile prairie region, lying on the northeastern border of the State and is bounded on the north by Oktibbeha and Lowndes counties, on the east by the State of Alabama, on the south by Kemper county and on the west by Winston county. It is one of the sixteen counties formed from the Choctaw cession of 1830 and its original boundaries were as follows: "Beginning on the Tom- beckbee river, at the point at which the line between townships 16 and 17 strikes the said Tombeckbee river, and from thence west with said line between townships 16 and 17, to the line between ranges 14 and 15 east ; and from thence south with said line between ranges 14 and 15 east, to the line between townships 12 and 13; from thence east, with said line between townships 12 and 13, to the line between the State of Alabama and the State of Mississippi, and from thence a northern direction with said line to the Tombeckbee river; and from thence up said river to the place of beginning." The original limits as thus defined have not been changed. The total area of the county is about 18 townships, or 659 square miles. Two of the early settlements were at Bounds- town, so-called from its first settler Mr. Jesse Bounds, and the town of Brooklyn. Boundstown never got beyond the rough country village stage, and was soon absorbed by the neighboring town of Brooklyn, situated on the Noxubee river, eight miles east of Shu- qualak. Loomis Bros. and Hinzy Walker were early merchants here. The river never proved to be navigable for steamboats, and

Digitized by Google

347

MISSISSIPPI

by the outbreak of the War the town was dead. It was in this county, between the two prongs of Dancing Rabbit creek, that the famous treaty of Dancing Rabbit was made and signed, September 27th, 1830, whereby the Choctaw Indians relinquished to the United States all their remaining lands east of the Mississippi. The com- missioners for the United States were Major John H. Eaton and Colonel John Coffee. Some six thousand Indians, men, women and children, from first to last were encamped on the creek, and participated in the discussions leading up to the treaty through their Mingoes, chiefs, captains and warriors, chief among whom were the celebrated Colonel Leflore, Mu-shu-la-tub-bee, Nittakechi and Little Leader. This famous spot, so well known to the Choc- taw Nation, is now owned by a local citizen, and is entirely un- marked. Eye-witnesses to the signing of the treaty were two pioneer settlers of the county, Mr. Hilcar Burwell and Mr. G. W. Campbell. Other early emigrants to the region were William Dar- roh, Thompson Allen, J. L. Higginbotham, Isham Harrison, Wm. Colbert, W. C. H. Finley, Thomas Ellington, Felix H. Walker, J. T. Harrison, C. W. Allen, Thomas H. Dixon, Hezikiah W. Foote, John Bartlett, William Woodward, Cyrus Lovelady, John Culbert- son, Edward Freeman, Shelton Standifer and H. L. Jarnagin. The first court in the county was held in the log house of Joseph H. Frith, on the present site of Macon. The county seat is Macon, pleasantly situated in a beautiful valley, on the east bank of the Noxubee river, at the center of the county. Here, in the late 30's, a two storied brick court house, with porticoes and marble columns was built and used until a more commodious building costing $60,- 000 was erected just before the war. The present fine court house was erected in 1900. Macon is now a thriving place of over 2,000 peo- ple, with several prosperous manufactures and the center of a large trade from the rich farming country about it. The Mobile & Ohio R. R. gives it excellent shipping facilities. Brooksville (pop. 1,- 000), Shuqualak, (pop. 800), Cooksville, Mashulaville and Clifton- ville, are the more important towns. The Mobile & Ohio R. R. runs north and south through the center of the county. The Nox- ubee river runs a very crooked course through the center of the county from the northwest to the southeast, and, with its numerous tributary streams, provides the region with ample water. The eastern two-thirds of the county lies in the black prairie belt and possesses a rich, black soil, underlaid by rotten blue and white limestone. The western third is rolling, timbered lands, with a rather light sandy soil, and not so productive, but well adapted to the raising of fruits and vegetables. The county produces cotton, corn, small grains, potatoes, and fruits and vegetables of all de- scriptions, suitable to the latitude. The stock raising industry is extensive and has become very profitable ; many northerners have gone into the horse business, breeding working horses as a spec- ialty, and there are probably as many fine cattle and hogs in Nox- ubee as any county in the State. Manufacturing industries have not attained much prominence as yet, but the region offers a fair

Digitized by Google

348

MISSISSIPPI

field for them with good shipping facilities and an abundance of natural resources, combined with its proximity to the coal and iron of Alabama.

The following statistics from the twelfth United States census for 1900, relate to farms, manufactures and population :- Number of farms 4,412, acreage in farms 318,205, acres improved 193,390, value of land exclusive of buildings $2,265,590, value of buildings $735.720, value of live stock $893,056, total value of products not fed $1,581,046. Number of manufacturing establishments 78, cap- ital invested $122,898, wages paid $24,044, cost of materials $61,- 833, total value of products $133,820. The population in 1900 con- sisted of whites 4,699, colored 26,147, a total of 30,846 and an in- crease of 3,508 over the year 1890. The population is steadily in- creasing and was estimated at 33,000 in 1906. The total assessed valuation of real and personal property in Noxubee county in 1905 was $4,295,362 and in 1906 it was $4,579,586 which shows an in- crease of $284,224 during the year. Fine artesian water has been found in various parts of the county, especially at Macon and the eastern part of the county. The schools of the county are in a flourishing condition and the rural schools average about 7 months term a year. The town schools which constitutes separate school districts, such as Macon, Brooksville, and Shuqualak, have 9 months' terms. The largest and finest specimen of quarter-sawed oak on exhibition at the World's Fair at St. Louis, was furnished by the Macon Lumber Co. from Noxubee county timber. Noxubee county has bred and marketed the largest hog and the largest ox the world has ever produced. They were raised by Simeon Orr near Brooksville. The hog weighed 1,604 pounds and the ox over 3,000 pounds.

Nugent, a post-hamlet in the south-central part of Harrison coun- ty, on the Gulf & Ship Island R. R., 8 miles by rail north of Gulf- port, the county seat. Two sawmills are located here. Population in 1900, 75; estimated at 300 in 1906.

Oakforest, a postoffice in the north-central part of Benton county, 12 miles north of Ashland, the county seat.

Oakgrove, a postoffice of Kemper county, 8 miles southeast of Dekalb, the county seat.

Oakland, a town in the northwestern part of Yalobusha county. It is on the Illinois Central railroad and is surrounded by a good farming country, which will produce excellent crops of cotton and corn, and is also well adapted to stock raising and the growing of fruits and vegetables. It is claimed that Oakland pears rival those of California.

The census of 1900 gave the town a population of 209; the popu- lation in 1906 was estimated at 350. The principal shipment is cot- ton, of which about 5,500 bales are shipped annually, valued at $275,- 000. Ten miles west of the town is the eastern edge of the great Mississippi Delta region.

The town was first settled about 1836, one half a mile east of the station. When the Mississippi and Tennessee Railroad was

Digitized by Google

349

MISSISSIPPI

built the business portion was removed to its present site. Some of the early settlers were G. W. S. Davidson, G. D. Moore, Rev. William A. Bryan, an early missionary of the Cumberland Pres- byterian church, Dr. W. B. Rowland, Johnson Burtin, Ervin M. Sayle, Wm. B. Craig, D. G. Sayle, and Wm. Black. Among the lead- ing citizens in 1906, may be mentioned James Moore, Dr. T. H. Gordon, W. H. Bell, J. H. Bailey, R. K. Marders, Dr. J. A. Sayle, son of Ervin M. Sayle the pioneer, W. K. Black, A. P. Herron, and W. S. Sayle, also a son of E. M. Sayle the pioneer mentioned above. The town is prosperous and is one of the best business towns of its size in the State. The Bank of Oakland, a branch of Grenada Bank, is a prosperous institution. The town has excellent schools and two churches, a fine cotton gin with the Munger system, and many prosperous merchants. The assessed valuation of taxable property in Oakland, both personal and real, is about $120,000, and the town rate of taxation is 41/2 mills.

Oakland College, was located in Claiborne county, five miles east of the Mississipi river, near Rodney landing. Rev. Jeremiah Chamberlain, one of the pioneer Presbyterian preachers of the Southwest, conceived the idea of establishing a college which should be under the care and supervision of his church. He sub- mitted a plan to the presbytery which met at Baton Rouge, La., April, 1829. This body took the matter up and a meeting of the friends of education assembled at Bethel church, two miles from the subsequent location of the college, Jan. 14, 1830. This meet- ing was composed of men from three parishes of Louisiana and eight counties of Mississippi. Rev. Benjamin Chase, chairman of the committee on resolutions, introduced a resolution declaring that it was "expedient to establish and endow an institution of learning within our bounds which should embrace the usual branches of science and literature, together with a preparatory grammar school and theological professorship." After three days' deliberation the resolution was unanimously adopted, and a sub- scription was immediately opened to secure the necessary funds. At that time no scholar had ever graduated Southwest of Ten- nessee, and no educated native of Mississippi had ever entered the ministry. There was no institution of learning prepared to give a collegiate course in Mississippi, Louisiana, or Arkansas, with a combined population of more than 300,000 people and embracing the growing city of New Orleans.

The presbytery of Mississippi, embracing all the Presbyterian ministers in Mississippi, Louisiana and Arkansas, took charge of the movement, located the college, opened the school with three pupils May 14, 1830, and began the clearing occupied by the buildings July 2, the first tree being cut by Dr. Jeremiah Cham- berlain, who had been chosen president of the institution. The first session closed with sixty-five pupils. The college was char- tered in 1831, and in 1833 had its first commencement, the first in the history of Mississippi. James M. Smiley, afterward a vice- chancellor of the State, received the degree of A. B. Dr. Cham-

Digitized by Google

350

MISSISSIPPI

berlain was assisted as instructor by John Chamberlain, afterward professor of chemistry and natural philosophy. An unknown donor contributed $25,000 to endow a theological professorship. Rev. Zebulon Butler, D. D., was elected temporary professor in 1837, and soon after Rev. Jones, of New Jersey, was chosen to fill the position. This professorship continued until 1841 and edu- cated many young men, not only Presbyterians, but of other denominations, for the ministry. From 1839 to 1871 the college was under the management of the Synod of Mississippi. In 1840 it had 250 acres of land donated by Robert Cochran, subscriptions to above $100,000 for an endowment fund, a president's house, a professor's house, a steward's house and 15 cottages for students. The first story of the main building was raised. No attempts had been made to collect a library, but about 1,000 volumes had been contributed, and about 3,000 volumes belonged to the literary so- cieties belonging to the college. The college consisted of an Eng- lish school, a classical school and a college proper. Six young men had been licensed to preach, and others were preparing for the ministry in the Baptist, Methodist and Presbyterian churches, but the great mass of the students were preparing to be planters, physicians and lawyers.

In 1852 the college had aided in the education of nearly 1,000 native youth. It had besides the main building and residences of president and professors, 30 cottages for students; two handsome halls for the literary societies, with libraries attached; a college library of more than 4,000 volumes, and apparatus costing nearly $4,000. September 5, 1851, Dr. Chamberlain was stabbed and killed by a resident of the community.

In 1852 the faculty of the college was : Rev. R. L. Stanton, pres- ident and professor of moral sciences ; Rev. J. R. Hutchinson, pro- fessor of Latin, Greek and Hebrew; T. Newton Wilson, professor of mathematics; W. LeRoy Brown, professor of chemistry and natural philosophy; H. B. Underhill, principal of the preparatory department. President Stanton was succeeded by Rev. James Perviance.

Rev. Wm. Breckinridge became president in 1860, but the out- break of the war made his service a short one. The institution was closed during the conflict, from which it suffered much. Its endowment was lost, and many of its patrons impoverished. Later, an attempt was made to revive the school; Rev. Joseph Calvin was elected president, but he soon died, and the institution virtually closed its doors. In 1871, under the pressure of debt, the synod resolved to sell the college, and it was sold to the State, as the site of Alcorn university. The funds, after all debts were paid, were used in the building of Chamberlain-Hunt academy.

Among the founders of Oakland college, who gave to the insti- tution $5,000 and upwards, were: Alvarez Fish, Dr. Stephen Dun- can, Dr. John Ker, Dr. Metcalf, John Routh, Thomas Henderson, Alex Henderson, Francis Serget, Alexander Ross, Mrs. Precilla McGill. Dr. John Ker gave $20,000 with the understanding that

Digitized by Google

351

MISSISSIPPI

his name should not be divulged. After his death the secret was given out. Oakland College was situated in a historic part of the State. Near it was the plantation of Gen. Zachary Taylor. Gen. U. S. Grant crossed the Mississippi river three miles north of its nearest landing, Rodney. Here was the scene of incidents in the lives of Andrew Jackson, Lorenzo Dow, and Aaron Burr.

Oakley, a station on the Natchez-Jackson branch of the Yazoo & Mississippi Valley R. R., 6 miles southwest of Raymond, one of the seats of justice for Hinds county. It has a money order post- office. Population in 1900, 80.

Oakohay, a post-hamlet in the northeastern part of Covington county on the Leaf river, about 15 miles from Williamsburg, the county seat. Mt. Olive is the nearest banking town, on the Gulf & Ship Island R. R. Population in 1900, 63.

Oakridge, a post-hamlet of Warren county, about 20 miles north- east of Vicksburg. Population in 1900, 43.

Oaks, a postoffice of Madison county, about 14 miles north of Canton, the county seat.

Oakvale, a postoffice of Lawrence county, 12 miles southeast of Monticello, the county seat. Silver creek at present is the nearest banking town, but a bank has been organized at Oakvale and will soon be in operation. Population in 1900, 33, and in 1906 was esti- mated at 200. The town is located on the Columbia branch of the Gulf & Ship Island R. R.

Obadiah, a postoffice of Lauderdale county, 12 miles north of Meridian.

Obed, a postoffice of Pike county, 15 miles due east of Magnolia, the county seat, and nearest railroad and banking town.

Occupation by U. S., 1797-98. The correspondence between Wayne and Carondelet is mentioned in "Advent of the Flag," the movements of Captain Pope, with 25 men, in support of Ellicott's escort, in "Ellicott and Gayoso." May 20, 1797, Gen. Wilkinson. the successor of Wayne, notified Capt. Isaac Guion that he had selected him to take possession of the military posts on the Mis- sissippi, theretofore held by the Spanish. He was to embark at Fort Washington (Cincinnati) May 26, with the party assigned him, and proceed to Fort Massac, near the mouth of the Tennes- see river, where he would be given more men and supplies by Capt. Zebulon Pike. Full instructions were given regarding the possi- bilities of the trip from there. He was to sail with the flag con- spicuously displayed, notify any Spanish post of his approach, and offer to exchange salute for salute, but stop for nothing but an official order or menace, in which case he was to deliver a protest and either return or take a position within the limits of the United States and defend it to the last extremity. At Chickasaw Bluffs he was to halt and distribute goods to the Chickasaws; then pro- ceed to Walnut Hills and take possession if the Spanish had gone, or demand possession if they had not evacuated. Leaving one company there, with a detachment of artillery, he was then to proceed to Natchez, where he would exercise diplomatic as well

352

MISSISSIPPI

as military functions. (See Permanent Committee). It was some time after he had written these instructions that Wilkinson was informed by Carondelet that the Spanish proposed to hold the forts until the diplomats should determine whether they should be left intact or demolished, out of tender regard for the Indian treaties by which Spain had acquired the land to build upon ; also of the other pretext for delay, rumors of British invasion from Canada : also for fear of expeditions "against the Indians, the an- cient allies of Spain ;" also until a "sufficient force, commanded by an officer of rank" should be sent, to guard against these dan- gers. Guion was not an officer of rank and his force was less than 200 strong, but the war department let it go at that. The military dispositions were sufficient to hold the Natchez people from mak- ing an imaginary war on the Indians and the imaginary Canadians from taking New Orleans.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

Encyclopedia of Mississippi History Comprising Sketches of Counties, Towns, Events, Institutions and Persons, Vol. II, Part 41

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