USA > Mississippi > Newton County > History of Newton County, Mississippi from 1834 to 1894 > Part 24
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).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30
:
١ ٠٠١٠٠
is ! 1sraaM
:0
358
HISTORY OF NEWTON COUNTY.
experienced lady and keeps good stock and is secur- ing a liberal share of the patronage. Mr. Will Hop- kins, a well known Newton county man, has confec- tionery and fancy groceries, where customers may be well supplied. Mr. Frank Johnson, a well known cit- izen, has a blacksmith and wood shop, where all kinds of work in his line can be done. Mr. Stevenson has steam gin and grist mill ; also has attached an indus- try in the way of barrel-hoop manufactory, that if properly worked may prove of great benefit to the county. F. H. Hannah has steam saw mill and planer immediately in the town, where a large amount of lum- ber is sawed. J. H. Wells has a good livery stable, where the traveling public may be accommodated. Depot is kept by R. H. Melton, who is also express agent and telegraph operator ; he is a sober and reli- able man.
Hickory has three physicians ; Dr. Semmes is con- sidered a fine physician and is well patronized. Dr. Carraway is also considered a skillful physician, and has the patronage and confidence of the people.
Dr. Gilmore, a young man raised in the town of Hickory, son of a very popular doctor, late of that place, has just received his diploma, and will, no doubt, command the the patronage and respect of his and his father's old friends.
Dr. J. P. Harris is a resident dentist, is a Newton county boy, who has worked his way up, and deserves the patronage of the people.
J. M. Gage is the only lawyer at Hickory, is a man well known to the people of the county, and gets a, good share of the practice connected with this part of the county.
Hickory is surrounded by fine bodies of swamp and upland timber, large amounts of which are brought to that place for shipment.
3
1
T
HICKORY INSTITUTE, AT HICKORY.
. .
361
HISTORY OF NEWTON COUNTY.
Hickory has a good school; the citizens have built a house well suited to accommodate the wants of the community. This school is called Hickory Institute, and has been presided over by some useful and prac- tical teachers. Prof. J. C. Hardy, now principal of the Jackson graded school, was once a teacher at Hickory. Prof. W. E. Thames, one of Newton county's best young men and most useful teachers, for a term of years conducted as principal the Hickory Institute. Prof. L. M. Cox has had the school for the last term.
The people have decided at Hickory to make this school a separate school district, and have voted a ten mills tax on the property of the town for its support.
-
CHUNKEY.
The town of Chunkey was settled in year 1861. Prep- arations were made, and probably some houses put up before the railroad was finished through to Me- ridian. John Dyess and John Warren are said to have been the first men to sell goods at the town. After the railroad was built, John I. Cook was the first sta- tion agent ; he was succeeded by Levi Jones, after the war, who was agent of the railroad and merchant for many years. Dr. Hughes was also a merchant at the place after the war. The land on which the town is built was owned by Ben. Murphy, W. J. Bartlett and Levi Jones.
The old settlers were Murphy, Dyess, Warren, Bart- lett, Clark, Hughes, Mayberry, and the Misses Kid, who were educated and accomplished ladies, who have long been residents of the town and still live there.
Chunkey has always been famous as a good milling town, as there is fine timber near the place ; has a mill at the place, or near it, and is shipping large amounts
10:3
362
HISTORY OF NEWTON COUNTY.
of lumber. It also has a barrel factory, operated and owned by Mr. Collier, who makes a good molasses barrel out of fine cypress, and gets ready sale for them. There is also a turpentine orchard and distillery, owned and operated by McDonald & Co. This is the . first and only one that has ever been put up in the county, and there is no doubt but this one and others might be operated to the advantage of the owners.
There has never been a large amount of cotton shipped from Chunkey, nor has it ever been considered a place of any great importance, yet there are lands joining the place, and the lumber and turpentine in- terests that might make it a place of much more im- portance if the energy and capital were invested to de- velop it.
Present business houses are : Jno. F. Mays, McDon- ald & Co., George Armstrong, Mrs. Z. Belew, Frank Buckley and Mr. Collier. Mr. Lee Murphy is station agent ; Dr. Spivey, a sprightly young doctor, is the physician for the town and surrounding country.
Citizens are : Jones, Buckley, Clark, Murphy, Kid, McDonald, Mays, Belew, Collier, Spivey, Hughes. Some others live near who are prominent citizens in the county, as Castles, Dyess, Armstrong, Pennington, Graham, Jones.
The town of Chunkey has two churches-Methodist and Baptist. It has always been considered a quiet and usually a sober town. There is a school near the town which is operated on the plan of the free schools of the county.
On the 13th of May, 1861, John Warren and a man named Mayberry engaged in a fight which resulted in the death of both. Warren was a merchant and Mayberry was probably a merchant and citizen of
-
1
·ま·
1.
6
363
HISTORY OF NEWTON COUNTY.
the town. These two men are all that have been known to be killed in the town.
TOWN OF CONNEHATTA.
The town, originally called Centerville, is situated in - the northwestern part of the county, about eleven miles north of Lake. It was settled in the year 1867, by J. L. B. Carver, and had small business until 1869. The land on which the town is situated, formerly be- longed to Ben Bright who sold it to J. J. and Thos. Thornton. Thornton, Easterling & Co., did large busi- ness here from 1869 to 1880. Thornton & Co. continued until October, 1883, when the entire business portion of the town was burned except one house. Liquor was sold in the town from 1867 or 1868, until 1872, by Hurst, Clark and Snipes.
B. F. McGowan opened business in 1872 and con- tinued until 1880, when J. M. Haralson became asso- ciated with him. This business was sold to Joe Baum & Co., in 1883, and soon after closed up. R. B. Pace commenced business in 1872, continued three or four years, when the building and stock were burned, and the business discontinued. Mr. R. B. Pace opened business here again in 1884, and continued until 1890. . Centerville Co-operative Association began business here in 1877. This was called the Grange store ; capital advanced by the Grangers and a mana- ger selected to conduct it. W. L. Kelly was the first manager ; in 1880 he was succeeded by A. F. Loper ; in 1886 A. J. Small succeeded Loper; in 1890 Small was succeeded by Floyd Loper. The business was discontinued in 1892 after being operated fifteen years.
. Frank Smith commenced doing business about 1881; his house and stock were burned in the fire of 1883. He
4
: care want adt
Poft
-
1
364
HISTORY OF NEWTON COUNTY.
rebuilt in 1884, and in a short time sold to Newt. Mc- Mullen, who in the year 1886 sold to Capt. Thos. Faucet, who in 1892 sold to E. L. Faucet.
W. F. Petty commenced business in 1884 and con- tinued only a short time.
Capt. Thomas Faucet commenced business of gen- eral merchandise in the year 1886 and continued until 1891.
Loper & Pace opened general merchandise business in the year 1886. In the year 1890 Loper died and the business was continued by J. R. Pace & Co.
Kelley & Co. had mercantile interests in the town in 1883 to 1885.
J. S. Brown did small business in 1890; was suc- ceeded by T. P. Williams, who did business only a short time.
S. Sanders did business about two years in the town of Conehatta.
J. W. Day & Bro. commenced to sell goods here about 1891. J. W. Day bought the interest of his brother and is still in business.
Floyd & Loper commenced business in the year 1892, was burned out in November, 1893, and reopened in 1894.
The town of Conehatta has been very unfortunate in reference to fires. Most of the town was consumed in 1883, and then after building up to some extent, was burned again in 1893. There are very few business houses left in the place, and consequently less being done in this way than for years. This inland town has ever been famous for its schools. Conehatta In- stitute was established in 1877, with Prof. F. M. Mosley as principal ; he was succeeded by Prof. G. Hand ; he by Prof. Wheat ; and he by Rev. A. M. McBryde, J. S. Scott and Prof. L. L. Denson, The school continued
-
.3
W
365
HISTORY OF NEWTON COUNTY.
under the supervision of McBryde and Scott for several years, prospering until it had 212 pupils. This was the pioneer high school and first chartered school iu the county. The school at Conehatta has done much to educate the youth of the county, and as a place of good society and clever people, cannot be excelled - in the county. In the year 1888, the town having reached over 200 inhabitants, was incorporated ; J. F. Williams was first Mayor. Resident citizens are and have been: Dr. J. B. Bailey, Dr. Thornton, J. M. Haralson, C. W. Day, Rev. A. M. McBryde, J. F. Wil- liams, T. I. Graham, A. J. Small, W. L. Kelly, Geo. D. Pace, Thomas Faucet, Dr. J. J. Haralson, J. W. O'Brien, A. F. Loper, J. A. Pace, Mrs. O. C. Jackson, T. M. Thornton, T. P. Williams, C. E. McCord, J. P. Clark, J. L. Frazier, J. S. Scott, T. O. McDonald, Floyd Loper, L. L. Denson, W. H. Lack, W. B. Thornton, F. E. McKee, Sol. Saunders, J. C. Wilson, D. Smith, T. W. F. Petty, Frank Smith, W. F. Petty, B. F. Mc- Gowan.
Y
CHAPTER XXXVIII.
THE VARIOUS COUNTY OFFICERS WHO HAVE HELD OF- FICE SINCE THE SETTLEMENT OF THE COUNTY-STATE SENATORS WHOSE DISTRICTS EMBRACED NEWTON COUNTY, AND THE IMMEDIATE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE COUNTY, FROM 1837 TO 1894-JUDGES AND CHANCELLORS WHO HAVE HELD THE CIRCUIT AND CHANCERY COURTS OF NEWTON-SKETCHES OF THESE DISTINGUISHED MEN BY PROMINENT PERSONS OF THE STATE.
IT will be endeavored to name all the officers of the county from its organization, and in doing this some omissions may occur, as there are no records to be ex- amined, and all that can be relied upon is the recollec- tion of these men by those who have lived in the . - county. In some instances a proper succession may not be followed, yet it is hoped the readers of these pages will recollect that when the records of a county are burned, there is no other reliable data, and if errors occur it is because the facts cannot be reached by memory.
The first probate judges, Judges Hudson, Furgerson and Shelton, are named as the first to hold these offices, though it is not known who held the office first, or in what succession they came. Then Judge Abner Har- alson ; after that Judge Hamilton Cooper held the office for eight years. Judge William Graham suc. ceeded him and was judge for twelve years. Judge
367
HISTORY OF NEWTON COUNTY.
Thames was elected to the office in in 1866, and served about one year, or a little over, and was removed by the military authorities. A. E. Gray was then ap- pointed and served a short time, and I. L. Bolton was appointed to fill his place. After the adoption of the new Constitution and election of Governor Alcorn and - his induction into office in March, 1870, chancellors were appointed to hold the courts formerly held by the judges of probate, and whose jurisdiction was greatly enlarged. The names of the chancellors will appear with the judicial officers in another place.
SHERIFFS.
Hullum Redwine is said to have been the first sheriff, probably two terms; Bailey Johnson three terms ; John Williamson three or four terms; J. H. Wells three terms. The last three died in office. Mike Ware was elected to fill out Wells' term. Edmunds, elected in 1864, resigned. J. J. Perry was appointed and was sheriff about three years. Cox was then appointed ; then Gray ; then Dr. Longmire ; then Dr. Howard, and J. P. Dansby succeeded him and was sheriff about two · years until Capt. Gallaspy was elected in 1872 and served eight years, and was succeeded by G. B. Har- per, who served twelve years, and who is said to be the only man ever beaten for the office, those holding the office either dying in office or refusing to stand for a re-election. H. O. Horne succeeded Harper in 1892.
TREASURERS.
H. O. Kelly is reported as being the first treasurer of . the county, succeeded by Wm. Graham, Patterson, Todd, W. H. Jones, A. McAlpin, A. F. Clarke, M. W. Stamper, J. C. Portis, F. B. Loper and Wm. B. Lewis.
٢٠٠:٥٠
11007: 42 0
368
HISTORY OF NEWTON COUNTY.
CHANCERY CLERKS.
George Armstrong, said to be the first chancery or probate clerk, R. P. Jones probably the second ; J. P. Dansby was then clerk of both probate and circuit courts ; James A. Ware was then elected in 1854 or 1855 and served until 1865; was elected again in 1866 as circuit clerk and served until removed by military authority. Thos. Keith was elected probate clerk in 1866 and was removed by military authority in 1868. C. S. Swann was appointed sometime in the year 1868, and was clerk until 1872, when Eugene Carleton was elected and served sixteen years, and was succeeded by F. N. McMullen who took the office January, 1888, and is the present clerk.
CIRCUIT CLERKS.
James Armstrong is said to have been the first cir- cuit clerk ; was succeeded by James J. Monroe, R. P. Jones served in both offices ; so did J. P. Dansby and J. A. Ware. Thos. Dearing served by appointment a short time. T. M. Scanlan was elected in 1872; Jones and Hunter both succeeded Scanlan and both died in office. S. M. Adams was elected in 1867 and is the clerk at this writing.
SURVEYORS.
Booker is reported as the first surveyor of Newton county ; Sid Castles longer than any other man ; Job Taylor, E. D. Beattie, Sy Harris, Fred M. Lewis, J. M. Kelly ; the last named is surveyor at this time.
CORONERS.
There are very few persons who are reported to have filled this place, some likely to have been left out ;
Ur.
:
CIA
٢٠٠
369
HISTORY OF NEWTON COUNTY.
.
David Bradley, W. H. Martin and T. J. Coker, who is now acting in that office.
ASSESSORS.
George Armstrong is reported as an early assessor and collector of taxes of Newton county. He was probably not the first assessor. The names of Wm. Thames and Wm. Graham are both reported as being early assessors ; James Castles is also mentioned. James Sims, John C. Williamson, Young Waul, J. P. Hardy, James Sessums, A. Mott, J. C. Portis, J. B. McAlpin, S. M. Adams, J. J. Phillips, J. B. Boberts and J. M. C. Bullard. These do not come in every in- stance as they succeeded each other, but most of the assessors are named.
SENATORS AND REPRESENTATIVES FROM 1837 TO 1894.
Senators.
Representatives.
1837. Oliver C. Dease.
1838-'39 Oliver C. Dease
.James Ellis.
1840-'41 John C. Thomas . James Ellis.
1842-'43
John C. Thomas W. B. Dozier.
· 1844-'46 Simeon R. Adams J. M. Loper.
1848.'50
W. P. Carter Wm. Thames.
1852. Shields L. Hussey Wm. Thames.
1854. . James J. Monroe, Wm. Thames.
1856, '57, '58 C. G. Miller
M. M. Keith.
1859, '60, '61 Wm. Thames
M. M. Keith.
1861-'62 Wm. Thames
J. C. McElroy.
1865. Robert Leachman
.J. C. McElroy.
1866. J. W. Brooks
J. C. McElroy.
1870.'71 J. T. Hardy
I. L. Bolton.
1872-'73
.Jno. Watts
I. L. Bolton.
1874.
1875 T. B. Graham
No Representative 1875
1876. T. B. Graham
Isaac L. Pennington.
1877 H. C. McCabe . Isaac L. Pennington.
1878-'80 Asa R. Carter
Martin W. Stamper.
1882. Thos. Keith
D. T. Chapman.
24
T. B. Graham Wm. Thames.
197
370
HISTORY OF NEWTON COUNTY.
S I. L. Bolton. 1884. Thos. Keith
{ J. H. Regan.
1886.
R. P. Austin
\ W. L. Robberts.
1888 R. P. Austin
( J. H. Regan.
J. R. Pace.
{ J. H. Regan.
1890
A. M. Byrd
¿ W. L. Robberts.
§ A. E. Graham.
1891, '92, '93 . A. M. Byrd
\ R. H. Taylor.
1894. .. A. M. Byrd
§ A. E. Graham.
Thos. Keith.
S D. T. Chapman.
CHAPTER XXXIX.
JUDGES, CHANCELLORS AND DISTRICT ATTORNEYS OF NEWTON COUNTY.
JUDGE THOS. S. STERLING.
JUDGE THOS. S. STERLING was the first circuit judge who held the courts in the counties embraced in the Choctaw Purchase of 1830. Newton county was one of them, but was a portion of Neshoba from 1833 to 1836.
Judge Sterling was born in one of the Northern States, and had liberal education. He was a graduate of one of the prominent colleges of that section. He came early to Wayne county, and married Miss Fal- coner, sister of General Thos. P. Falconer, a man of prominence and a lawyer of ability.
Judge Sterling was noted for his amiability of dispo- sition and kind consideration for every one. He was popular with the people, as was shown by his election, before his promotion to the bench, as a senator from the counties of Wayne and Jones, in the years 1830 and 1831. He did not live to a very great age, and was not in any public office after he came off the bench. He was judge probably two terms.
. JUDGE HENRY MOUNGER.
The following is a sketch of Judge Mounger, by
1.
1
4.
872
HISTORY OF NEWTON COUNTY.
Hon. A. G. Mayers, Judge of the 8th Judicial District of Mississippi :
. "HON. HENRY MOUNGER was a native of the State of Georgia. He was a nephew of Governor Jack Clark. He was educated at Athens, Ga., and among his classmates were John A. Campbell, late of Mobile ; Hugh H. Harralson, of Ga., and George R. Clayton, of Columbus, Miss.
-
He came to Mississippi and located as a lawyer at Paulding, soon after the organization of the county of Jasper, and formed a partnership with Gen. John Watts (afterwards Judge of this District); he soon came to the front as one of the leading lawyers in East Mississippi, and was engaged in every case of import- ance in his district. He was a very impressive speaker, and his high character for truth, honesty and fair deal- ing, had a wonderful effect upon the juries. He was quite successful as a criminal lawyer, and his services as such were in great demand in his district.
He was elected judge of the circuit court of his dis- trict, and presided with dignity, ability and impar- tiality. Having been soundly converted, he was licensed as a local preacher in the Methodist Episcopal · Church, and he opened his courts with prayer.
He married Miss Celia Millsaps, a daughter of Judge Uriah Millsaps, of Jasper county. Their children who survived them are: Rev. E. H. Mounger, D. D., W. H. Mounger, Esq., Mrs. Ranson J. Jones, Uriah Mounger and Elijah Mounger, Celia Jones, and Susan Cook and Elizabeth Reed.
In 1847 he formed a law partnership with the writer, which continued until his death, in July, 1851.
It is but the simple truth to say that Judge Mounger was no ordinary man. He was a noble specimen of the Christian gentleman; in every relation of life he
-
. ... J. - f
373
HISTORY OF NEWTON COUNTY.
exhibited those traits of character which elevate and adorn mankind ; he was charitable and liberal to the full extent of his means; he was ardent in his friendships and generous to his foes ; he sought peace with all men, but possessed a moral and physical cour- age that was equal to all occasions. His last illness continued ten days ; he was fully aware of his condi- tion, gave directions as to his affairs, and bade his family farewell; he was not afraid to die, for he knew in whom he put his trust. His remains were followed to the grave by the largest funeral procession that was ever seen in Paulding.
JUDGE A. B. DAWSON.
HON. A. B. DAWSON was elected Judge of the 4th Judicial District, which embraced the county of New- ton, and served a term of four years and was succeeded by Hon. John Watts. It has been found difficult to obtain any data in reference to Judge Dawson. The supposition is that he was a Georgian and came early to this State and was elected after being here for sev- eral years, as Judge for one term. He afterwards re- sumed the practice of law and died in a few years.
JUDGE JOHN WATTS.
Hon. JOHN WATTS, whose portrait occupies the fron- tispiece in this book, was so nearly and closely, and . for such a long time associated with the people of · Newton county, as to deserve more than a passing notice.
Judge Watts was born in Chesterfield District, South Carolina, May 26, 1805. His father, a prominent and influential citizen, came early to Wayne county, and his family was a very conspicuous one in the same
:
. .
:
374
HISTORY OF NEWTON COUNTY.
county. There were but few facilities for educating young men in that new country; however, the best that could be provided was given to this rising young man. After leaving school, which he did at a very early age, quite a preference was shown him by his fellow-cit- izens, and they first elected him to the office of justice of the peace, then captain of a militia company ; he then acted as deputy sheriff; was then elected circuit clerk, and during the term he was clerk studied law and was admitted to practice in the supreme court of the State in the year 1831. He then opened a law office in the town of Winchester. Within a few years he became a candidate for district attorney and was elected by the people for eleven years. He was elected in that and other districts in which he lived, judge of the circuit court for twenty-two years, and but for the conduct of the military in the reconstruction of the State, would have remained until the end of his term. His last public service was in the State Senate in the troublous times of Radical rule, where he did good work for his people.
It will be seen that for thirty-seven years he was a servant of the people, elected by the suffrages of the people. These were places of honor and great respon- sibility. In all these years he served the people of Newton county-as this was at all times in his district. He was the district attorney who assisted in the first court ever held in this county, even before the county was divided from Neshoba, and continuously so as attorney and judge, with the exception of four years, up to 1868. He was also Brigadier-General of State militia at one time, and made a fine commanding officer.
Judge Watts, as has been intimated, did not have the educational training that he would have liked and ap-
1
...
375
.
HISTORY OF NEWTON COUNTY.
preciated, but he used well what he did have, and filled every position to which he aspired in political life with honor to himself and justice to his con- stituents. He had the honor of presiding over the bar at the State capital, when he considered it the best in the South. He was always elected by the people, showing that they approved his course. For more than thirty years he was in office, and was never de- feated but twice.
Judge Watts felt proud of any position that his fellow-citizens conferred upon him. No pains were spared to do his duty. He was a pattern of young men for sobriety and diligence in official duties, feel- ing that the performance of these duties was his high- est obligation and reward. Judge Watts had great pride of character, was a fine looking man, of com- manding size and appearance, and always presided on the bench with a dignity befitting his honorable posi- tion. He was a conscientious man, who tried to do his duty, and the people who placed him in the high position set the seal of their approval on his conduct by keeping him in office. He loved to mingle with his old friends, irrespective of party. It was well known that he was an " old line Whig," and for the greater part of his official life he was on the weak side of politics. Yet such were his magnetic qualities among the yeomanry of the country as to win them to his support, and by his consistent course of justice and care for their cause as to keep them with him.
Judge Watts was a Methodist preacher for about thirty years, and amidst all his hard work and active duties of his profession, found time to devote much good work to his church. He was kind and sympa- thetic, a loving father and husband, a good neighbor, and great peace maker among those who had difficul-
L
11
:
376
HISTORY OF NEWTON COUNTY.
ties. He lived to the ripe age of seventy years, and died at Newton, May, 1875, surrounded by his child- ren and friends, and was very greatly mourned.
JUDGE JONATHAN TARBELL.
JONATHAN TARBELL was appointed judge of this district by Gov. Alcorn, in 1870, and succeeded Judge Watts, who was removed. Gen. Tarbell was a Nor- thern man from Oswego, New York ; was a lawyer of some ability, and was afterwards appointed as one of the supreme court judges of the State. He was not the judge in this district for more than two years, probably not that. He came South as a politi- cal adventurer, and after the State resumed her posi- tion under Democratic administration, he removed to Washington City, and died there several years since.
JUDGE R. E. LEACHMAN.
The following sketch is by Capt. J. W. Fewell :
ROBERT LEACHMAN was born in Virginia in 1806. His parents removed to Kentucky when he was very young, and in the latter State he was reared and edu- cated. Having received a fair education, he attended Transylvania University Law School, where he was graduated in that profession. In his early manhood he removed to Greene county, Alabama, where he practiced law for many years. Some years before the commencement of the war between the States, he re- moved to Lauderdale county, Mississippi, where he continued the practice of law until he was appointed United States District Attorney, in 1866. He had been a Whig in politics all his life, and when the war ended he became a Republican. He was a member of the State Senate just after the close of the war. Having
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.