Encyclopedia of Mississippi History Comprising Sketches of Counties, Towns, Events, Institutions and Persons, Vol. II, Part 42

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 42

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).

Guion left Fort Massac with two companies, under Captains Demler and Heth. At New Madrid the Spanish commandant, De Lassus, formally protested against his proceeding down the river. This was made a matter of negotiation by the war depart- ment, which did not approve the course Guion took, of giving his parole to the Spanish commandant that he would go no further than the Chickasaw bluffs, until informed that "existing difficul- ties" between the two governments had been removed. Until relieved from this parole he could do nothing to perform his military mission, but would be in position to deliver the first gov- ernment annuity to the Chickasaws, which he brought with him in goods. He reached Chickasaw Bluffs (q. v.) July 20. Next day Augustin Grande, commandant at Hopefield, across the river, notified Guion that he had no orders from his superior to permit him to pass, to which Guion replied, "This I doubt not, nor that you have any orders to the contrary, as they would be extraordi- nary indeed." In the spring, when the Spanish authorities in- tended to carry out the treaty of limits, the stockade here had been burned, and the garrison transferred across the river. Now, Guion believed it was the intention, before his arrival, to reoc- cupy it.

Guion built a stockade, called Fort Adams, and later Fort Pick- ering. August 19 Governor Gayoso sent a despatch, releasing him from his parole not to proceed beyond Chickasaw Bluffs. In November, he sailed down the river to Fort Nogales, (December 1st) and finding Captain Beauregard in command, politely asked if he were ready to give possession and was politely informed that he was not. The expedition arrived December 6 at Natchez, where there was a Spanish garrison of forty men, under Capt. Stephen Minor, commandant and governor of the district. There seems to have been no protest against his landing, and he "en- camped on a hill just a thousand yards from the Spanish fort, and the flags of two nations waved over the same district." (Let- ter of Guion, quoted by Claiborne, p. 184.) The small commands

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of Lieutenants Pope and McClary, already there, became a part of Guion's battalion.

There was no change in the situation for two or three months. Wilkinson wrote Guion from Pittsburg, January 2, 1798, "Your building a fort at the lower Chickasaw bluff, though not in your orders, was, under the circumstances, very judicious, and conforms with my views exactly. The minister of war now approves what he would not allow in the spring. Capt. John Pierce has been sent by the secretary himself, to command at the bluff, with a select . corps of incomparable rascals, under Lewis, Marschalk and Steele. The party you left there have been ordered to report to you at Natchez." This was brought to Guion by the Marquis de Mount- joy, in attendance upon the refugee prince later known as King Louis Phillippe.

While under parole at Chickasaw Bluffs, far from the scene of trouble at Natchez, the captain, upon complaints from Governor Gayoso had advised Lieut. Pope that "if there has been any just cause of dissatisfaction on the part of Governor Gayoso, it will no longer continue, and that you will remove it by a change of conduct." But his own conduct was not essentially different. In October he wrote the "courtly Gayoso" in rather plain terms that it was becoming to soldiers to tell the truth. After reaching Nat- chez Guion ordered his men to make fascines for fortification. Minor protested, saying he knew of no danger, and Guion sharply responded : "That you are entirely ignorant of being in any dan- ger, I doubt not, seeing that you are snug in garrison; but I am not so certain that my camp is in perfect security, or that hostility to it is not meditated." When Minor continued to write, Captain Guion said he hoped his excellency would put an end to a cor- respondence already too voluminous by telling him when he would evacuate Natchez and Walnut Hills. His redoubt was built and camp established on the spot where Ellicott had his tent, and this little field work, he told the secretary of war, had contributed much to the Spanish evacuation.

Governor Gayoso gave notice that the evacuation was ordered January 10, his letter reaching Natchez on the 18. It was not definitely stated in this communication, it seems, whether the forts would be demolished or not, a matter which had been left entirely to Spain to choose, when she raised the point. At a later date Gayoso gave orders to the officers at Natchez and Walnut Hills "to leave the fortifications in the state they were in, without de- molishing any part of them, and as to the buildings that otherwise might be sold to the public, to offer the preference to the com- manding officer of the United States troops at Natchez." (Letter to Wilkinson, Claiborne, p. 191-94.) He gave every other instruc- tion, he said, to prove the friendship of the nations, and the com- mandants at Natchez appointed appraisers for the buildings and arranged for a settlement through the courts.

January and February passed, however, without any change in the situation.

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"At length, on the 23d of March, when Captain Guion had al- most determined to take the forts by assault, Fort Nogales was evacuated, and the garrison descended the river to Natchez. Here it retired into Fort Panmure, and remained for six days longer, previous to its final evacuation. During this time, the commander studiously concealed the time of his intended depart- ure, while Captain Guion looked with impatience to the near ap- proach of the first day of April, which he declared should not witness the Spanish garrison in the fort. At length, on the 29th of March, about midnight, the Spanish drums began to sound the note of preparation; and at four o'clock next morning, having previously sent the artillery, stores and baggage on board their boats and galleys, the troops marched out of the fort to the river bank. Before the morning light they had embarked, and were several miles below Natchez, on their voyage to New Orleans." (Monette, I, 531.)

Commissioner Ellicott, who had been waiting for a year and a month, was notified in the night, so that he arose at four, walked to the fort, found the rear guard departing, and, as the gate was left open, went in "and enjoyed from the parapet the pleasing prospect of the galleys and boats leaving the shore and getting under way." The Natchez fort was occupied by Captain Demler. The Nogales fort was occupied later by Major Wm. Kersey, and a battalion under Captains Rickard and Wade and Lieutenants Marshall and Davidson. These commands were parts of the First and Third regiments, United States army, and detachments from the artillery. August 20, 1798, there was a reinforcement under Lieut .- Col. John F. Hamtramck, who had been a captain in the Continental army, and commanded the left wing of Wayne's army (Wilkinson the right) in the decisive battle of the Maumee in 1794. Wilkinson arrived at Natchez August 26. A day or two later he consulted Gov. Sargent about "the propriety of remain- ing at Natchez or descending the river," and was advised "to take post at or near some heights, elevated three hundred feet above the Mississippi, commanding the river and called Loftus Cliffs. They are almost seven miles above the line; and I suppose the troops will descend on the morrow," wrote Sargent September 29. Gen. Wilkinson moved his troops to this spot at once, leaving a garrison at old Fort Panmure, thereafter called Fort Sargent. At Loftus heights Fort Adams was built in 1799.

His little army embraced four hundred men in all, Morales heard at New Orleans. The troops "were quartered in canton- ments in the vicinity of Washington, and near the Halfway Hill, on the road to Second creek, until the following year, when a mili- tary post was erected at the first highland point on the Mississippi, a few miles above the Spanish line of demarcation." (Monette.) Lieut. McClary, with a small body of men, marched from Natchez May 5, 1799, to take possession of Fort Stephens, on the Tombig- bee, which was evacuated by the Spaniards on his arrival. In July Capt. Schaumberg, of the Second regiment, marched from

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Natchez, with two companies, to the first bluff below the conflu- ence of the Tombigbee and Alabama, and built the stockade after- ward known as Fort Stoddert. (Pickett's Alabama.)

General Wilkinson departed for the seat of government May 27, 1799, and left Major Cushing in command on the Mississippi.

Ocean Springs, an incorporated post-town of Jackson county, sit- uated on the Gulf of Mexico and the Bay of Biloxi, five miles east of the city of Biloxi. It is an important station on the Louisville & Nashville R. R., 84 miles from New Orleans and 56 miles from Mobile. It is a popular pleasure resort, both winter and summer, and is widely famed for its mineral springs, its salubrious climate, fine sea bathing, and beautiful drives. It is well provided with churches, hotels and schools, and has telegraph, telephone, express and banking facilities. Truck-farming and sheep raising are exten- sively carried on in the vicinity. It is an extensive wool market, and a large turpentine industry is established here. In addition to the Ocean Springs State Bank, the Scranton State Bank, and the Merchants and Marine of Scranton also maintain branches here. The Ocean Springs, a Democratic weekly newspaper, established in 1897, is edited and published by A. E. Lee. Population in 1900, 1,255.

Ochre. Yellow ochre is of common occurrence in the Orange sand formation throughout the State, but not in large quantities. One of the main deposits, near White Cliffs, was evidently in ancient use. It is not impossible that large beds may be found. Red ochre is also common, used for paint in some localities, and furnishing extremely beautiful tints. Aluminous brown iron ore and brown hematite are very extensively diffused through the Orange Sand, but not, under present condition, commercially val- uable.

Octavia, a hamlet in the extreme southern part of Yazoo county, about 21 miles south of Yazoo City. It has a money order post- office. The population in 1906 was about 30.

Odd Fellows. The grand lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows of Mississippi was instituted by Thomas Wildey, past grand sire, at Natchez, May 6, 1838. There were then only two lodges in the State-Mississippi, No. 1, and Washington, No. 2-both at Natchez, which had been chartered by the grand lodge of the United States, now the sovereign grand lodge. Washing- ton, No. 2, after a record of more than fifty years, ceased work in 1888, and the grand secretary has its original charter from the grand lodge of the United States, dated February 22, 1838. War- ren, No. 3, at Vicksburg, was organized May 14, 1838, eight days after the organization of the grand lodge.

Says an official report: "It is a notable fact that the yellow fever, in every epidemic in the State, has carried off scores of our brethren; but this is not remarkable when we recollect that all ranks of society fill our lodges-especially the laboring classes. At each of these visitations of Providence the treasuries of lodges have been emptied in the service of humanity. In the past sixty-

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six years the lodges have passed through many vicissitudes. At least one-third of them have been burned out, outside of those destroyed during the war. From total destruction during the war only some half-dozen lodges escaped. Twenty-two lodges never revived after the war, and as many more, by the undying love of Odd Fellowship, were only kept alive a few years longer. Odd Fellowship in Mississippi has had many 'ups and downs,' but has gloriously survived them all."

There are now about 110 subordinate lodges in the State. The receipts of the order in Mississippi in the last year reported were $27,051, expenditures $21,906; investments and lodge property, $111,117. The grand lodge of 1906 is expected to make provision for the building of an Orphans' Home.

Following is the succession of grand masters, and year of elec- tion :

M. Ruffner, 1838; Wm. Doyle, 1839; Benj. Walker, 1840; E. P. Pollard, 1841; S. Halsey, 1811; Geo. Dicks, 1842; Richard Grif- fith, 1842; S. B. Newman, 1844; J. R. Stockman, 1845; W. H. Brown, 1846; Thomas Reed, 1847; D. N. Barrows, 1848; C. H. Stone, 1849; W. Cruther, 1850; A. M. Foute, 1851; N. G. Bryson, 1852; J. K. Connelly, 1852: W. A. Strong, 1853; A. H. Arthur, 1854; L. K. Barber, 1855; John L. Milton, 1856; H. L. Bailey, 1857; Wm. Wyman, 1858; A. E. Love, 1859; J. P. Hawks, 1860; R. B. Mayes, D. G. M., 1861; C. Parish, 1865; N. T. Keeler, 1866; L. K. Barber, 1867; S. C. Cochran, 1868; George Torrey, 1869; G. K. Birchett, 1870; Ira J. Carter, 1871; Isaac T. Hart, 1872 ; J. S. Cain, 1873; H. S. Van Eaton, 1874; D. P. Black, 1875 : R. L. Saunders, 1876; A. B. Wagner, 1877: J. H. Mckenzie, 1878; Joseph Hirsh, 1879 ; T. J. Hanes, 1880; W. J. Bradshaw, 1881; J. L. Power, 1882; G. W. Trimble, 1883; I. D. Blumenthal, 1884; H. C. Roberts, 1885; James C. Lamkin, 1886; Wm. Strickland, 1887; Amos Burnett, 1888; R. C. Patty, 1889 ; Wiley N. Nash, 1890; Emile Bonelli, 1892; Monroe McClurg, 1893: Ellis T. Hart, 1894; C. L. Lincoln, 1895; Simon Fried, 1896; L. F. Chiles, 1897; J. W. Stewart, 1898; O. L. Kimbrough, 1899; O. L. McKay, 1900; Wm. Hemingway, 1901; John L. Buckley, 1902; James McClure, 1903; W. O. Menger, 1904; J. J. Coman, 1905.

Odile, a postoffice of Marion county.

Ofahoma, a post-village of Leake county, situated on the Yoka- hockany river, 10 miles west of Carthage, the county seat, and 24 miles east of Canton, the nearest railroad and banking town. It has a church and a money order postoffice. Population in 1900, 106.

Ofogoulas, see Indians.

O. K., a post-hamlet and landing of Tunica county, on the Mis- sissippi river, 6 miles from Tunica, the county seat, and nearest railroad and banking town, and ?0 miles below Memphis. Much cotton is shipped from here. Population in 1900, 65.

Okolona, an incorporated post-town of Chickasaw county, and one of the two seats of justice for the county. It is an important

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station on the Mobile & Ohio R. R., and is also connected with Houston by a spur line of the Southern Railway. It is 68 miles south of Corinth, and about 45 miles northwest of Columbus. The name Okolona is an Indian word meaning "much bent." It has telegraph, express and banking facilities, and lies in a cotton, corn and hay producing district. It is a shipping point of importance and the market town for a large area of country. The Okolona Banking Company was established here in 1888, present capital $60,000; the Merchants & Farmers Bank was established in 1897, capital $25,000. It supports two weekly newspapers; the Messen- ger, an Independent paper founded in 1872, and the Sun, a Demo- cratic paper published in 1892; Race Pride (colored) is a semi- monthly Republican paper. There are a number of manufacturing enterprises here, among which are a large cotton-seed oil mill, a cotton compress, an ice factory, bottling works, and a handle factory. The Mobile & Ohio round house and machine shops are maintained here. The town owns and operates electric lighting and water works systems, and is rapidly improving its streets and side walks. A male academy, a female institute, and the principal relig- ious denominations are represented by churches. Population in 1900, 2,177; in 1906 it was estimated at 2,500.

Okolona, battle. Gen. Wm. Sooy Smith, of the Union army, left Memphis in February, with 6,500 cavalry, to attempt to join General Sherman at Meridian (see War of 1861-65). At New Al- bany he crossed the Tallahatchie, behind which river Gen. Forrest lay with his cavalry, and advanced toward Pontotoc and Houston. At the latter place and in the Houlka swamp he was given battle by Gen. S. J. Gholson, commanding State troops, and Smith turned toward Okolona, and sent detachments toward Columbus and West Point. Forrest moved rapidly in pursuit, reaching Stark- ville February 18, and disposed his brigades to guard the threat- ened towns. West Point seemed most in danger and there was a concentration of both Smith's and Forrest's troops on the road there; but Forrest was waiting for reinforcements, and fell back to a position on Sakatonchee creek, three miles south of West Point. Disposing his other troops to guard other ways of ap- proach and support him, he awaited Smith with Chalmers' division, behind a breastwork of rails and logs, fighting his men as infantry. Smith was repulsed after a two hours' fight, February 21, and the retreat was so hotly pursued that the Federals became demoral- ized. At Okolona, on the 22d, Bell's brigade charged and captured a battery of five guns. Five miles beyond Okolona there was a fierce engagement, in which Col. Jefferson E. Forrest, brother of the general, and Col. James A. Barksdale, of the 5th Miss. cav- alry, were killed. Five miles further in the retreat, there was another stubborn fight, with which the pursuit ceased. The Con- federate loss was 97 killed, besides the wounded, among whom were Colonels McCullock and Barteau. The Federals had 47 killed and 152 wounded. Forrest had probably about half as many men in battle as his opponents.

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Oktibbeha, a postoffice of Kemper county, 14 miles southwest of Dekalb, the county seat.

Oktibbeha County was established December 23rd, 1833. It was one of the numerous counties formed at this time from Choctaw territory ceded by the treaty of Dancing Rabbit in 1830, and is situated in the northeastern part of the State. "Oktibbeha" is an Indian word meaning "ice there in creek," or, according to another authority "bloody water," because of the battles fought here be- tween the Chickasaws and Choctaws in an early day. The orig- inal act defined its boundaries as follows: "Beginning at the point at which the line between ranges 15 and 16 east, leaves the line be- tween townships 16 and 17, and running from thence north with said line, between ranges 15 and 16 east, to a point directly west of the junction of the Buttahatchy river, with the Tombigbee river; from thence west to the line between ranges 11 and 12 east; from thence south, with said line between ranges 11 and 12 east, to the line between townships 16 and 17, and from thence east, with said line between townships 16 and 17, to the place of beginning." A part of its northern area was taken in 1871 to assist in forming the new county of Clay, (q. v.) Clay county lies to the north, Lowndes county on the east, Winston and Noxubee counties on the south and Choctaw county on the west. The old "Robinson Road" ran through the southern part of the county and in the southeastern part was the old Choctaw Indian agency. Numerous mounds and the many Indian names of streams and towns are constant re- minders of the old Choctaw occupancy. The county has a land surface of 435 square miles.

A list of the civil officials of the county for 1838, soon after its organization, is as follows: David Ames, Judge of the Probate court ; Joseph Yates, Clerk of the Circuit court; Charles Debrells, Clerk of the Probate court ; John Moore, Sheriff ; Richard S. Graves, Surveyor; John Wiseman, Assessor and Collector; Thomas A. Forbut, Treasurer; Richard Drummond, Coroner ; John R. Todd, Ranger; James Copeland, S. Clark, Samuel Harper, John Quin, Nicholas H. Simmons, members of the Board of Police.

The first Probate Judge was David Reese; the first Sheriff was J. W. Eastland, the first county Treasurer was Robert Bell, the first Clerks of the Circuit and Probate Courts were Yates and De- brell above mentioned. R. A. Lampkin was the first postmaster and Horatio Bardwell, a Presbyterian divine, was probably the first minister to hold services in the county, about 1835. The "Stark- ville Whig," established in 1847 by Dr. J. T. Freeman, was the first paper published. This became the "Broad Ax" a little later and continued under that name down to the time of the War.

Starkville has been the county seat from the first and is a place of 2,100 people, at the junction of the Illinois Central and Mobile & Ohio railroads. The country adjoining is an excellent stock country and the city has a thriving local and shipping trade, has several factories, and possesses exceptional social and educational advantages. The State Agricultural and Mechanical College and

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U. S. Experiment Station are situated one mile east of Starkville on the railroad. This institution is doing a splendid work for the industrial education of the youth of the State and is constantly widening its field of usefulness. Other towns in the county are Sturgis (pop. 350), Maben, Hickory Grove, Double Springs, Long- view, Osborn and Bradley. The eastern part of the county is for the most part rich prairie soil with a timber growth of white oak, red oak, poplar, black walnut, hickory and gum. A few miles west of Starkville is a four to ten mile strip of the Flatwoods belt, hav- ing a stiff clay soil and a timber growth of white and post oak. West of the Flatwoods are the Sandy Hills, extending to Web- ster county and having a timber growth of oak, hickory, pine, blackjack, and chestnut. The county produces cotton, corn, oats, wheat, rye, barley, sweet and Irish potatoes, all kinds of grasses, and fruits and vegetables of every description. There is no better stock country in the State, and Colonel W. B. Montgomery of Oktibbeha has gone extensively into the busi- ness of breeding fine cattle, and is recognized as an authority throughout the South. Many northerners have also embarked in the stock business on a large scale, the fine grasses of the prairie section making the industry particularly attractive. The Illinois Central R. R. crosses the county from east to west, a branch of the Mobile & Ohio R. R. runs from Columbus to Starkville, and the Southern R. R. crosses the northwestern corner of the county. The Noxubee river runs through the south- ern part of the county, and with its tributaries, Chincahoma, Talk- ing Warrior, Sand and Wolf creeks water this section. In the east and north are Red Bull, Trim Cane, Self, Biba Wila, Line and many other creeks.

The following statistics, from the twelfth United States census for 1900, relate to farms, manufactures and population :- Number of farms 3,163, acreage in farms 207,895, acres improved 119,809, value of land exclusive of buildings $1,505,580, value of buildings $474,130, total value of products not fed $1,075,512, and total value of live stock $618,648. Number of manufacturing establishments 59, capital invested $162,025, wages paid $21.477, cost of materials $68.808, total value of products $149,677. The population in 1900 consisted of whites 6,363, colored 13,820, a total of 20,183 and an increase of 2,489 over the year 1890.

The value of real estate has advanced fully 100 per cent in the last 5 years. The public highways are being worked by contract. Great advancement has been made in the schools of the county. Owing to the emigration of the negroes the population on the whole has not increased much since the last census. The total assessed valuation of real and personal property in Oktibbeha county in 1905 was $1,819,537 and in 1906 it was $2,085,863 which shows an increase of $266,326 during the year.

Oktoc, a postoffice of Oktibbeha county, situated on Folsom creek, 10 miles south of Starkville, the county seat.

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Oldenburg, a postoffice of Franklin county, about 8 miles north- west of Meadville, the county seat. Hamburg is the nearest rail- road station, 5 miles west on the Yazoo & Mississippi Valley R. R.

Old Salem, a post-hamlet in the south-central part of Carroll county, 12 miles west of Vaiden, and 20 miles south of Carrollton, the county seat. Vaiden is the nearest railroad and banking town. It contains several stores, and has 2 churches and a good school. Population in 1900, 35.

Oldtown, a postoffice of Calhoun county, located on the Schoona river, 3 miles northeast of Pittsboro, the county seat.

Olio, a postoffice of Amite county, about 14 miles southwest of Liberty, the county seat.

Olive, a postoffice of Holmes county, 4 miles due north of Lex- ington, the county seat and nearest railroad and banking town.

Olive Branch, an incorporated village in the northeastern part of De Soto county, on the Kansas City, Memphis & Birmingham R. R., 18 miles southeast of Memphis. It has two churches, an academy, a steam mill, and several good stores. Population in 1900, 198; the population in 1906 was estimated at 300.

Oliver, a postoffice of Coahoma county, about 12 miles south of Clarksdale, the county seat.

Olney, a hamlet in the northwestern part of Neshoba county, 12 miles from Philadelphia, the county seat. It has rural free delivery from the town of Edinburg.

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Encyclopedia of Mississippi History Comprising Sketches of Counties, Towns, Events, Institutions and Persons, Vol. II, Part 42

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