USA > Mississippi > Newton County > History of Newton County, Mississippi from 1834 to 1894 > Part 23
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beaded ceiling, oiled and varnished. Cris. Miller, of Meridian, master mechanic, assisted by competent men from a distance and the home workmen, did ex- cellent work in finishing up the stores. All this work was done by the same contractors except the P. E. Blelack house, which was done by C. H. Doolittle, and Bingham & Parker's by Wedgeworth.
In six months from the time dirt was broken for the making of the brick, every house was up and ready for being occupied. Now Newton has more handsome brick store houses than frame ones that were destroyed by fire-houses that invite capital and are an adver- tisement to the town. By energy and a timely use of money, the merchants did their part. By the magic touch of the labor and skill of Wilson, Miller, Dabbs, Kane and Taylor, a pile of smoking ruins have risen Phoenix-like from the ashes, and to day stands a mon- . ument to their well directed efforts of industry, know- ledge and perserverance.
Newton, after the war, as almost every other town in the State, was cursed with the sale of liquor. It was thought that no town could do business success- fully without the sale of liquor. A great amount of it was sold and much disorder prevailed; much cost to the county and greatly increased the circuit court business. For about twenty years after the war liquor was sold at Newton. By proper legislation, and the moral sentiment prevailing, and the necessity of cut- ting off the sale of liquor, on account of schools, was finally accomplished, and so we have it that it is un. lawful to sell liquor in any quantity in the town of Newton and most parts of the county. Business since that time, much to the surprise of some, and to the gratification of the temperance element, has increased, and the town, since the liquor trade was abolished, is
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a more prosperous and far more respectable place than it ever was before. The callabose has almost gone into disuse. Very few arrests are now made, and of the thousands of people who come to town, it is rarely that the place is disturbed, and very seldom an oath is heard on the streets. Ladies are free to go at any time in any part of the town without disturbance, and are also employed at the postoffice and in business houses and have never been insulted or annoyed. All this is what the temperance movement has done for the town and county.
The rising generation is being brought up not to know what a general use of whisky is. To say that no liquor was used and none sold in the town of New- ton, would probably not be stating the subject fairly or truthfully. There is no doubt but sometimes liquors are brought to this town and sold and used under disguised names, and at great risk ; yet it is so minimized as to be of little importance compared to what it originally was. This feeling of reform is fast taking hold of persons who were, although good citi- zens, good business men, and not addicted to the use of liquor, but who thought no business could prosper in any town without it.
The town of Newton has twelve business houses, a postoffice doing large business, three churches, three livery stables, two newspapers, barber shop, and two hotels. W. B. Richardson does a very large business, larger than any other house in town, and buys nearly one-half the cotton brought to the place. Without Mr. Richardson, Newton would be a great loser, and unless his place was taken by another such man, the business of the town would greatly decrease. He is prudent, conservative, sober and diligent in business ; is very kind to his customers, at the same time look-
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ing well after his own interests. He is always in the cotton market, and is well supplied with goods ; has large credit business, and has made a large amount of money.
Bingham & Parker is a strong firm, well situated and well equipped with ample means. They are sober, discreet, looking well after their own interests; have only been here a few years.
T. C. Viveret & Co. is a firm very recently com- menced business ; have good name and credit and all the money they need; are sober and industrious, and are among the best citizens of the town.
R. W. McClinton, who succeeded Jno. T. O'Fer- rall, is a firm doing large cash business, who have ample means, are industrious and sober and have been very successful.
W. A. Dunagin, manager of W. A. Dunagin & Co .. is a progressive business man ; is sober and alive to all the interests of his firm. Previous to the fire he had made money and was a great sufferer by the event ; but he is not discouraged, and is doing a good cash business.
Newton Mercantile Co., a new limited association of some very good men in the country and some good men in town, who have combined in a stock company and employed T. M. Scanlan, a man of energy and sobriety, to conduct it. They have an excellent stand, good brick building, and are prepared to do a large business.
The firm of W. A. Williams, succeeding to the firm of A. E. Williams, is well situated in new brick store, and is conducted by M. Williams, one of the most ex- perienced merchants in town.
Baucum & Leverett, situated on the east side of the main street, are doing fine cash business. They are
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young men who have built up a fine trade from small commencement, and are among the prosperous mer- chants of the place and are making money.
Chambliss & Jourdan, a new firm from Enterprise, where they have long enjoyed a prosperous business, are men of means and good capacity. The business is conducted by Mr. Chambliss, who is a sober, discreet man, and whose prospects are good. They are situated in one of the brick stores built by Bingham & Parker.
Mrs. M. J. L. Hoye, who succeeded her husband, late in business here, has large capital, and has associated in her house her three grown sons. The business is conducted by Mr. I. M. Hoye, who has been with the house since 1876. This house has been very fortunate since it was established at Newton. For the first twelve years, with M. J. L. Hoye as general manager, though not living here, and with I. M. Hoye, F. B. Lo- per and the writer, employed in the house, made sixty thousand dollars.
The drug store owned by H. C. Price, a young man from Crystal Springs, has only been in operation a short time ; he bought out McWatkins & Co. Mr. Price is a moral, sober, energetic man, well understands his business, and has one of the neatest drug stores in the State, and will no doubt make money.
Mrs. Ella Armistead has a good millinery establish- ment and has been very successful in pleasing her cus- tomers, has a host of friends and has made money.
In the same place is a fancy grocery business con- ducted by E. P. Armistead, which appears to be doing a prosperous business.
Misses Watts & Brown keep a good millinery store, and have one of the best locations and neatest brick stores in town. They also keep up general dress mak- . . ing and are well prepared to serve customers, and ap- pear to be doing well.
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Rew & McClinton have a family grocery store, con- ducted by J. R. Kelly, which attracts good trade and is doing well.
Racket Store, by J. M. Patterson, is something new at Newton-there never having been one before. This store has only been in operation a few months and may succeed well.
H. C. Majure, postmaster, who is accommodating and polite, is assisted by J. C. Bell, who is a jeweler, and does general repair work in his line.
The Mississippi Baptist is published in Newton by L. S. Tilghman, and edited by Rev. N. L. Clarke. Mr. Clarke is a good writer, a very zealous minister, re- markable ability and great energy, and though quite old is always at his post as pastor, citizen and editor, always doing something to further the cause of moral- ity and religion. S. B. Ross, one of the owners of this paper, also a contributor to its columns, has large ex- perience in newspaper business, is an experienced typo, besides being a good writer of miscellaneous articles. He is also a lawyer and agent for monied syndicates.
J. R. Byrd is a young lawyer who has had advan- tages of the Lebanon Law School. He is industrious and appears to be making money.
Dr. J. C. McElroy is one of the oldest physicians in the county; has been engaged in his profession in this county about forty years, is a good doctor and receives a good share of the practice of the town and vicinity.
Dr. A. H. Puckett is a well-read physician, born in Tennessee, but has been associated with the county and town of Newton about thirty years, and receives a share of the practice incident to the town and county.
Dr. H. G. McNeill is a young man of great energy, a native Mississippian, who has fitted himself well for
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the practice of medicine. He is a graduate of the Med- ical College at New Orleans and after years of practice took a post-graduate course in New York City, so as to still further prepare himself. He does a large prac- tice in the town and surrounding country.
Dr. G. G. Everrett, long associated among the prac- ticing physicians of Newton, is now an invalid, unable to do any work professionally.
Dr. H. B. Ross, a young physician who has but re- cently come to Newton to practice, is a young man having educational advantages, is a graduate from Atlanta, Ga., Medical College. He is devoted to his profession, and has those personal qualities that can- not fail to win him friends and business.
There are three churches in the town of Newton. The Baptist church has Rev. N. L. Clarke, as pastor. Mr. Clarke has been the pastor here since the organi- zation of the church about twenty-five years ago ; is well known and universally' respected for good works and unremitting toil for the cause of the church and salvation of souls.
Rev. J. M. Morse is a fine looking young man, belong- ing to the Mississippi Conference; is with this church for the fourth year. He is very acceptable to his peo- ple; is a good pastor and preacher, a good citizen and reliable under all circumstances.
Rev. T. D. Barr, a young man representing the Pres byterian church, has had good opportunities; is an able preacher, a very zealous advocate of his Master ; is very acceptable to the people and his charge at this place. He has done more to advance and permanently establish the cause of his church than any preacher the Presbyterians have ever had here.
The town has three good preachers of whom the people may be justly proud.
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Go here or go there, go near or go far, You'll not find such men as Clarke, Morse and Barr.
The municipal officers of Newton are : Capt. T. F. Pettus, mayor, and S. M. McElroy, marshal. Capt. Pettus came to Newton in 1872 as one of the firm of Richardson & Co., and conducted the large business for about fifteen years. He then sold his interest to W. B. Richardson and was appointed as Consul to Ningpo, China, by Mr. Cleveland. He remained abroad about four years and returned and lived at his home at Newton, and in January, 1894, he was elected mayor. Capt. Pettus is a good business man, a practical book-keeper and well informed on all sub- jects. He is related to ex-Gov. Pettus, of Mississippi, and Gen. Pettus, of Alabama. S. M. McElroy, the marshal of the town, is a young man raised at the town of Newton, son of Dr. J. C. McElroy, is a sober and steady officer.
J. J. Armistead, as mayor, and J. P. McMahan, as marshal, years ago, were probably the most efficient officers this town ever had, and would have been capa- ble of administering a city government anywhere in the State. They were the officers when the town was disorderly through the sale of liquor and they did good work in preserving the peace and order of the place.
T. H. Selby, book-keeper for W. B. Richardson, is as well known to the people who come to this place as any man in it. By his efficiency and steady habits, and faithfulness to his employer, he has been able to retain his place in the same house about twenty-five years. E. E. Powe, in the same house, is also a sober, steady man, and appears to be a fixture in the busi- ness. J. S. Sones, also, is a good business man and well retains his place. E. H. Selby, assistant book-keeper,
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is a worthy young man, well deserving the confidence of his employer. T. J. Jackson is a coming man be- hind the counter ; is sober, industrious and deserves a good place.
Dr. J. T. Watts, the agent for the A. & V. Railroad, came to Newton in 1862, and has held the place since, without ever making a change. He is the oldest agent on the road, and by faithful and efficient service has been able to hold the Express and Railroad office since he came here. His long stay at our place is indicative of good behavior; close, sober attention to business will succeed.
I. M. Hoye, the book-keeper of the business of M. J. L. Hoye & Co., and their successors-over a period of eighteen years, including his management of the business at present, and being administrator of his brother's estate, which is the largest that has been in the courts since the war, shows, like other two men- tioned, that a close and faithful attention to business for employees is always a sure road to success. Mr. Hoye has saved quite a snug sum of money by his hard work and economy.
Mr. J. M. Williams, the efficient book-keeper of Mrs. M. J. L. Hoye, has been with the firm since the death of Mr. Hoye. Mr. Williams is one of our best citi- zens, and from one of the best families of the county, and by his ability and close attention to business is hold- ing a good place. Messrs. Eugene Kelly and Walter Love, with W. A. Dunagin, are both sober, steady young men, giving good attention to business ; so is Earnest Ross, with H. C. Prince. Mr. Rogers, with Rew & McClinton, is a man competent, attentive and sober. W. J. Reynolds, with the Hoye house, is a young man that may be trusted, is sober and moral. Miss Fannie Sansing, a very deserving and competent
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young lady in the house of Baucum & Leverett, well understands the duty of clerk, and proves herself worthy and profitable'to her employers. Victor Scan- lan, who is employed in the Mercantile Company, is a young man born and raised in the town'of Newton ; he is talented, sober and reliable. Mrs. Mag. Blakely, with Mrs. Armistead, is a very competent and deserv. ing woman. J. W. Guthrie has been alternately mer- chant, mayor and superintendent of education of New- ton county, is now keeping hotel. Judge J. D. Tol- son, for some time employed in mercantile pursuits, has always been an acceptable and reliable citizen.
Mr. Hand, with Chambliss & Jourdan, is a new man in our midst, but is always at his post. Tom. Bing- ham is always there, for he was brought up that way. Sam. Parker, our competent and clever telegraph ope- rator, is well thought of. Sansing and Doolittle are the cotton weighers and are successful in their line. Wilson & Doolittle are our livery men-and know how to accommodate the traveling public. I. W. Walker is also another man in this line, and is as clev- er a fellow as ever drew a line over a pair of horses, for Judge Mayers says so.
Newton has a good school building, costing $3,000, with ' three rooms below, with large hall overhead, which serves a room for school purposes, and also any other occasion when it is necessary to accommodate large crowds.
The teachers at Newton have been: Hamiter and West, King, Emmerson, Miss Fielder, Miss Byrd, Miss Ward, Woodbridge, Campbell, Jayne, Miss Watts, Brown, Ward, Mrs. Blelack, Spratt, Foster, Fant. Miss Leggett, Miss Minor, Miss Armistead, Miss Ross, Miss Robinson.
Newton has two good hotels, two grist mills, and
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two gins, the latter ginning about 500 bales of cotton each season, a barber-shop, spoke lathe. The re- ceipts of cotton will run to between 11,000 and 12,000 as the maximum shipment, with the best facilities for handling, weighing and storing of any town on the road. It will not be considered egotistical or stating it untruthfully to say that Newton is the best county town on the A. & V. road-receiving more cotton and produce, and selling more goods than any other town in the county.
There has never been but one white man killed in the town-that was G. W. Cheek, in 1870. Two In- dians were killed outside the corporation, and prob- ably some negro man. This is a good showing for a town having liquor for sale twenty-five out of thirty- four years of its existence.
LAWRENCE.
The town of Lawrence is one of the most suitable places for a town in the county. A fine country sur- rounds it, fine water and a beautiful level situation. It was laid out and owned by R. E. Wilson, who had large mill interests near the place. It was settled in 1866. It has never had a large trade. Messrs. Andrew Jones, J. A. McCain, R. E. Wilson, Daniel McFarland, and William Dennis were among its first settlers. Then came Mr. E. T. Beattie, who became a prominent citi- zen of the place, as depot agent, merchant and post- master. J. Z. Jones and W. H. Sisson were also mer- chants. Mr. Sisson died of yellow fever at Lawrence ; contracted it, no doubt, from opening clothing brought from infected cities. Mr. Jones still remains as one of the principal merchants and farmers. Yellow fever had quite a hold on the citizens of Lawrence in the ep- idemic of 1878; about nineteen cases and several
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deaths occurred. Yet most of the citizens left the place. .
Lawrence has two churches-the Presbyterian, with L. D. Barr pastor, and the Methodist, with Rev. Mr. Witt, pastor. The Methodist church is new and stylish ; it was completed in 1893.
J. Z. Jones and Threefoot Bros. have stores at Law- rence ; so has Hunnicut & Bunyard, a new firm from Alabama. A steam saw mill and steam gin and grist mill are also in the place. Dr. F. B. Nimocks, a suc- cessful and well qualified physician, enjoys the confi- dence and practice of that commuity. J. A. McCain, a large land owner and farmer, has one of the finest peach and apple and pear orchards at Lawrence any where to be found. Mr. McCain has the most excel- lent variety of fruits, with the best method of treating trees to insure crops and prevent destruction from worms, with the most improved methods of shipping fruit to insure safe delivery, of any one in the county. Mr. E. D. Beatie is also a good fruit man, having a larger orchard of pears, fine apples and strawberries, and more grapes than any other one man in the county.
HICKORY.
The town of Hickory was settled in 1860. The land was owned by A. E. Gray and wife, who sold out the lots, and donated the necessary right-of-way for rail- road purposes.
The town is situated, as is stated, where General Jackson camped with his army on his march from New Orleans to Nashville, after the great battle of the 8th of January of that year at New Orleans. That is possible and very probable, as it is well known that the army referred to crossed Pottoxchitto creek just 23
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south of Hickory, and the bridge was constructed a short distance below where the bridge on the public road now stands. It is further stated that a portion of the old timbers of the original bridge are still in the creek. Hence it is possible that the army camped on the site of the present town. The military road runs through the place.
The town was named Hickory in honor of "Old Hickory," General Jackson, whose name is a house- hold word as one of the greatest men of his day. Judge Gray named the place.
The railroad was completed to Hickory in 1860, but regular trains did not run to that place until after the road was completed through, in June of 1861. It was necessary to transport troops through the State, and the road was completed sooner than it would have been.
A. E. Gray was appointed as the first railroad agent in 1861 and held the place until 1866. He was also appointed after that time, probate judge of Newton county, was also sheriff of Newton by appointment, was justice of the peace for beat No. 5 in this county, in some of the most troublesome times this county has ever had. Judge Gray has been quite a conspicuous figure in the county and town of Hickory, and is now the Honorable Mayor of the place, and in his old age, without any interest personally in schools, is working bard for educational interests and separate school dis- trict in his town. He was the first merchant at the place and has resided there thirty-six years.
The town is beautifully situated, the ground being perfectly level and is drained to the creek by ditches. The stores and railroad surround a public square with ample room for all business purposes. The roads from all parts of the county are good to the town.
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There were a few men who did business there before the war: Gray, Heidle, Edwards and Jim Bell. But business did not commence to be done on any very large scale until several years after the war. Then Gray & Ward, Barber & Thompson, Ogletree & Brown, W. N. Raines, Lem Nelson, saddle shops and retail grocery ; Pennington & Bros., Harper & Bro., Norman & Co., retail grocery ; Cook & Johnson. First drug store was Osburn & Grissette, Wm. Hyde also had a drug store. For many years the largest and most im- portant business was done by I. I. Barber and his brothers, who were associated with him from time to time. He first introduced fertilizers in the county, had large saw mills in different parts of the county in operation, had large farming interests, bought and sold stock, bought most of the cotton that came to that place, and did one of the most extensive trades of any man in Newton county. W. N. Raines also did large business for a time and kept the post-office in his store and had a large number of friends and customers who patronized him.
The town of Hickory, like that of Newton and De- catur, was for a long time cursed with the sale of liquor, with a large amount of disorder and much loss of life, as the result. It is said that twenty-two men were killed after the war in Hickory, and no doubt every one on account of whisky ; most of them were Indians. It cannot be said to be an intemperate town now ; on the contrary, it is one of the most civil and orderly places in the county. It has been visited by one or two destructive fires which burned most of the original store-houses, and it has now some large, handsome and convenient places of business. It also has quite a number of new style dwelling houses that show taste in construction. It is a real pleasure to go to Hickory
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and meet its sober, law-abiding and hospitable citizens. The town is seven miles west of the Lauderdale coun- ty line, and from the many good roads running to it, and the enterprise and capital. of its merchants, will always command good trade. Its convenience to dif- ferent parts of the territory adjoining, will always claim for it one of the best business points in the county. The town has about 500 inhabitants with a good class of merchants, with capital enough to do the business of the place.
There are three churches in Hickory. The Method- ist church is one of the finest in the county, very con- spicuously and centrally located, and has been sup- plied for the last four years by Rev. J. M. Morse, the same that supplies the church at Newton. The Bap. tists have a comfortable church, very well situated, but not so new and commanding in appearance as the Meth- odist church. They are supplied by Rev. Mr. Hall. The Christian church at Hickory is the only one of that denomination in the county ; it is small but suf. ficiently large for the present demands of its members. This church has no regular supply, but is preached to by various ministers of this faith who come from time to time in the county.
Hickory has at present the following places of business : Walton, Gillaspy, & Russell, is a substan- tial firm consisting of three young men who were principally brought up in Newton county, who have been trained to business ; they have ample capital and are doing a large and profitable business. The first two named parties live in the town ; the latter, S. D. Russell, lives in Jasper county and is a successful planter and merchant ; J. L. Wells, who succeeded to Wells & Hailey, is a young man who was brought up in Newton county, and who did successful business in
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the county before going to the railroad. Buckley Bros. is another firm who are well known in the county, and who are active young men in business. G. W. Rayner, who was a Newton county farmer, has for some years been engaged in business at Hickory, is a well known man in his town and county. J. C. Barber & Co., a well known firm, have, one way and another, with some of the Barber family been engaged in business at Hick- ory for the last twenty-five years; J. C. Barber is a son of I. I. Barber, is sober and steady, and brought up to close business life. Nelson & Hopkins is a respect- able firm who have long been in business, and have good reputation as business men. McDonald Bros., who have until recently been very prominent in the business interests of Hickory, are intelligent and well qualified for mercantile pursuits ; they are now out of business but still remain at Hickory. Pierce & Everett are men who came from the farm to town. They are safe, con- servative men, who do small business ; they are reliable and trustworthy. W. A. Russell, a young man who was · brought up in the town, of a well-known and prominent family in the county, has succeeded his father, Frank Russell, in business, is well situated in one of the nicest stores in the town. Basket & Massengale, a new firm who are well situated in the town, are doing a small, neat business. J. A. E. Dowling, one of the oldest druggists in the place, assisted by his good wife, appears to be doing a nice business. Caddenhead & Jordan are young men recently moved to Hickory, who are doing a good business; have probably the best and largest stock of drugs ever brought to Hickory. They are active and reliable men. Mrs. Nelson has milli- nery, is very conveniently situated, and the ladies of the county may be well supplied with goods in her line. Miss Bettie Rew, also in the same line, is a well
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