USA > Mississippi > Newton County > History of Newton County, Mississippi from 1834 to 1894 > Part 30
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fully responded to his relief. His own words are : "A more noble set of men never signed an official bond."
The robbing of Treasurer Portis was thoroughly in- vestigated before the grand jury of this county, but no proof could ever be brought before that body that sat- isfied them of the identity of the parties committing the act.
RECOLLECTIONS OF TWO OLD AND HONORED CITIZENS.
The following correspondence from two of the oldest citizens in the county will not be without interest in this history ; one from Judge Hamilton Cooper, who died July 8, 1894, in his eightieth year, and was among the last letters ever written by him. Judge Cooper, up to his death, possessed great mental vigor and was the means of adding much to this volume of early recollections in this county that probably no other man could have given. The Judge, in this last com- munication is in some error, as his statements do not altogether agree with the printed records of the State, The names of the men who organized the county are taken from the printed acts of the Legislature, and they are, Wm. Donalson, Michael Thomas and Fran- cis Jones. The latter name is probably incorrect and Judge Cooper may be right, as he writes that it was Freeman Jones, and the probabilities are that the prints have it wrong and that it should be Freeman in place of Francis Jones, as the former is a well known name in the early settlement of the county. He is also mistaken as to the organization of the county, as the act was passed February 25, 1835, and the county was organized after that date. Judge Cooper writes :
KEENAN, MISS., May 24, 1894.
A. J. Brown, Esq , Newton, Miss :
DEAR SIR-I have been to see W. J. Jones, and we
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have had a long talk in regard to some things that per- tain to the early history of Newton county. We are of the opinion that Judge Hudson was judge of pro- bate when Newton was a part of Neshoba county. The circuit court that was held at Union was held as a court for Neshoba. The first court for Newton was held at Pinkney. The courts were organized in 1835. The commissioners were, Dempsey Smith, Roland Wil. liams and Freeman Jones (not W. J. Jones' brother, but old Freeman).
"James Ellis built the first court house, in Decatur. The first "grocery" was two forks put in the ground, a pole placed on them and poles from the ground to the ridge-pole and covered with four-foot pine boards, and one barrel of whisky put in it. The counter was constructed of forks driven in the ground, poles put on them, and a few four-foot boards on the poles.
Henry Thomas put up the first store. James Ellis' house served as the first tavern. The first grist mill was built by Joshua Maxwell, on Chunkey Creek, not far from where Thomas Wells now lives ; the second one, Tilasha, north of the road leading from Decatur to Old Marion (in Lauderdale county), by Robert P. Jones and Freeman Jones. After Hudson, old man Furgerson was judge of probate, then Robert Parish, then Abner Haralson, then Geo. W. Shelton, then Ham- ilton Cooper, then Wm. Graham, then Wm. Thames (who were elected) ; afterwards I. L. Bolton and A. E. Gray, by appointment. Tavern charges were so high for some time after the settling of Decatur that many persons would carry provisions with them to the courts and camp. You can get the date of the organization of the first Grange from M. J. Chandler, as "Pine For- est" was the first, and their minutes will show the date. The first Masonic Lodge in the county was at Deca-
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tur, Evergreen, No. 77, organized in 1846; Decatur Chapter, No. 31, was organized in 1850 ; and there was a Council at Decatur until 1861 ..
- . Your friend and obedient servant,
HAMILTON COOPER.
The communication which follows, from Dr. William Lewis, now living at Union, will also show a man of advanced years, but well possessed of his mental fac- ulties and good memory, as is shown by his recalling events with much vividness as early as 1837. His see- ing the first court-house at Decatur does not settle the point that court was never held at Pinkney, as it is probable that court was held in Newton county before the court-house at Decatur was built.
Dr. Wm. Lewis writes under date May 5th, 1894 : Mr. A. J. Brown, Newton, Miss. :
I came to Newton county in 1837. My mother bought Mr. Walton's place, just two feet over the Neshoba and Newton lines to the residence. Mr. Walton, to give us possession, moved into the old Neshoba court-house, a few feet away. This old court-house was of black- jack logs. Timber was scarce; the house had a floor of mixed straw and mortar about one foot thick and which was very hard and firm.
There was scarcely any farms ; cattle everywhere, on wet places, cane brakes with broad stretches of only large trees of hard wood variety, with occasionally a large, short-strawed pine. There was no thick under- growth, no long, young short-leaf pine; could see a deer at some places, half a mile.
Mr. George Boyd was a grocery keeper; Jas. J. Mon- roe a clerk. Boyd moved to Pinckney, opened up a large store of general merchandise with capital of about $10,000. The style of the firm was Boyd & Lane.
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In the back of their store they had a "shin plaster" bank based upon Decatur bank. Every five dollars of their "shin plaster" was taken up by the Decatur bank. In 1839, Decatur bank broke, which carried Lane & Boyd under. To give an idea of the reckless- ness of such business : I was in old Pinkney, the boys were playing marbles and betting, on same. My luck was in and towards evening I was the possessor of a Decatur $5.00 bill. I went to Lane & Boyd and pur- chased a few articles tendering my $5.00. Mr. Boyd took it, and as he was busy asked me to go back and look in some barrels and get my change.
Union then was half mile east of the present little village; only one man ever killed there, S. D. Daniels. The first court-house I saw in Decatur was a log house ; also the first jail house I saw there was a hewed log house, ceiled inside and grated windows-in those times considered very safe.
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CHAPTER XLIII.
SKETCHES OF PERSONS WHOSE PORTRAITS APPEAR IN THIS VOLUME : REV. N. L. CLARKE, DR. J. B. BAI- LEY, A. B. AMIS, EsQ., R. H. HENRY, ESQ., AND MR. A. W. WHATLEY.
REV. NATHAN L. CLARKE,
WHOSE portrait appears on page 401, is now living at Newton, editing the Mississippi Baptist, a religious paper representing East Mississippi and supplying the wants of the Mt. Pisgah Association, the General Asso- ciation, and the people generally.
Mr. Clarke is probably as well known to the citizens of Newton county as any man in it. There is scarcely a man or woman in the county who does not know him personally, or by reputation ; and there are very few boys or girls in the county who have not heard him preach. All the people of the county do not know what a work he has performed since he came into the county; nor do all know what a useful man he has been. It is intended in this brief sketch to place be- fore the readers of this book some of the work that has been done by Mr. Clarke, feeling that it is only an humble and inadequate tribute to a man whose name should be held in grateful remembrance and high es- teem by every one in the county.
He was born in Burke county, N. C., 7th February, 1812, which makes him something over eighty-two
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years old. He left his native State and came to Sump- ter county, Ala., in April, 1835, where he remained for three years, and in the year 1838, joined the Baptist church, and was baptized at Gainesville, Ala., on the 10th day of June of the same year. Having impres- sions that it was his duty to preach, he returned to North Carolina and devoted himself to the study of the languages. On the 11th of May, 1839, he was granted liberty to exercise his gifts as a preacher, and in November of the same year he was married to Miss Powell, of his own State. He left North Carolina and settled at DeKalb, Kemper county, Miss., in the early part of the year 1840, and spent the summer of that year at that place. The latter part of the year he moved to Neshoba county, and in the following year, 11th of April, 1841, was ordained Elder, and entered immediately into pastoral work in the counties of Kemper, Neshoba and Newton. In the fall of 1847, moved to Newton county and became member and pas- tor of Decatur church, January, 1848. January, 1849, took work in the Mt. Pisgah Association as missionary, still holding the pastorate of the church at Decatur, preaching for several years in the court-house before there was a church built at that place. For eight years before the war he took missionary work in con- nection with his pastoral work, giving from two to three weeks of his time, and riding at least 350 miles per month to do the work and preaching at least twen- ty times in the month and sometimes oftener. His missionary work carried him to Kemper, Leake, Scott, Smith, Neshoba, Simpson, Covington, Jasper, Jones and Lauderdale counties, besides the home work done in Newton county. During the war a portion of his time was taken up as missionary to the army wherever he could reach it. After the war from 1866, he was
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again engaged eight years in missionary work, much in the old fields of his labor in years before, doing the . usual amount of riding and preaching.
After the war he served as one of his charges, the church at Sylvarena, in Smith county, about 50 miles from home, for eight years. Also the church at Sharon in Smith county, about the same distance as Sylva- rena, five years. Still keeping up the work at Decatur and other charges to occupy his time for four Satur- days and Sabbaths in the month. Has been since 1850 continuously an officer in the Mt. Pisgah Asso- ciation ; for five years the clerk and the balance of the time the moderator of that body. He bas been in every meeting of the Mt. Pisgah Association, taking active part since 1841, has never missed a meeting. He has presided over the General Association with probably two exceptions since its organization in 1855. He has preached in the county since 1842, which would be fifty-two years ; has held the pastorate at Decatur since 1848, which would be forty-six years; has preached at the town of Newton since the organization of the church in 1869, which twenty-five years without a change. In all the time he has preached at Decatur he has missed less than half dozen times, and the same could be said of Newton, unless called away by duties at the Associations. In all these years he has never asked or taken a rest-week. He has baptized some- thing over fifteen hundred persons, and assisted in the organizing of sixty churches within the bounds of this Association.
As a citizen, Mr. Clarke is classed among the best ; his honor and integrity is never questioned; he is in- dustrious and frugal ; always providing to make home comfortable ; his credit stands well ; he is good for his debts ; as a neighbor he is kind and accommodating ;
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' in his relations with the world he is social, genial and cheerful; as a preacher he stands far above many of his associates ; he has a liberal education, and has always devoted himself to study, and particularly the Bible. There is no place that Mr. Clarke feels so much his authority as in the pulpit ; he is not rough, yet he is plain, and feels that when he stands up in the sanc- tuary of the Lord that it is his duty to speak the truth, and those who come to hear him must take his under- standing of the scriptures. He is tender, loving, kind, and sympathizing, with no affectation or flattery, yet willing to treat all with deference and respect. As a presiding officer he knows his duty, and is not back- ward in the discharge of it. He is a dignified and com- petent official; willing to treat every one with respect ; . yet if a member, no matter who he is, gets out of or- der, his rulings are without favor or affection ; he car- ries his point and sustains the dignity of his position.
Mr. Clarke has the confidence of his people, the high esteem of other churches, and his good works will follow him.
DR. J. B. BAILEY ..
The name of Dr. J. B. Bailey, whose portrait may be seen on page 225, is a man of whom special mention should be made in the history of Newton county.
All men are expected to do their duty in any com- munity in which they live; but that few do their whole duty is well kown. It is expected that most men will work for their own interest. It is very natural that they should ; most men will work when they expect a reward for their services ; yet few men, comparatively speaking, will devote a large portion of their time from their own labor that could be employed in the accu- mulation of wealth, for the public weal. Dr. Bailey,
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probably more than any other man in the county, has given his time, attention and abilty, to further the educational and industrial interests of the working classes in his section of the State. He has been the President of the Patrons' Union since its organization, and has never failed presiding over that body during its sitting - this being the twelfth year. To do the work preparatory to one of these meetings, and to give constant care and attention to all the details, is no small tax upon the time, tact and talent of any one.
Dr. Bailey is a fine presiding officer ; dignified, cour- teous, and always on the alert, he is equal to every emergency. He is polite and genial without affecta- tion, with a knowledge of human nature which will fit him for the arduous duties devolving upon him. He has great patience and exercises much ability in the management of the large bodies which have from year to year assembled at the Union.
If there is one trait more predominant than the many good ones which he possesses, it is that freedom from bias and unjust discrimination in the selection of per- sons to conduct the exercises of the Union. The poor- est, meekest and humblest individual, if he have merit,is as sure to be noticed by Dr. Bailey as the most prom- inent and wealthy persons on the grounds. A dispo- sition of self-sacrifice and to prefer others to himself, appear to be predominant characteristics. All these qualifications make him a man worthy of emulation. His good deeds, and works of kindness and love for others, will live after him.
Dr. Bailey was born in Shelby county, Alabama, in March, 1843, and came to Mississippi in 1869. He was raised a farmer boy, and was educated principally in common schools of the country, having but little
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opportunity of attending the higher schools. He en- listed in the Confederate army in 1861, and served four years as a private in Company I., 27th Mississippi Regiment of Infantry. At the close of the war, he was in school awhile, being one of the first to enter Cooper Institute. He afterwards taught school three years in this county, and then entered the Alabama Medical College, Mobile, from which college he received his degree of doctor of medicine. 'In 1859 he was mar- ried to Miss Joe Day, and from that union has five children-one son and four daughters. He joined the Grange in 1874; was Master of Centreville Grange several times ; was Master of the County Grange two years in succession ; was Master of the State Grange three years, succeeding the lamented Capt. Put. Dar- den; represented the State Grange in the National Grange meeting at Topeka, Kansas, Sacramento, Cal., and Atlanta, Ga .; was at the first organization of the Patrons' Union, gave it its name, and has been its pre- siding officer ever since its organization, having at- tended every meeting ; been a trustee of the school at Connehatta since its establishment, and is now a trustee of the A. & M. College at Starkville. Dr. Bailey is regularly in the practice of his profession, and has the patronage and confidence of a large part of this county. He is a member of the Cumberland Presby- terian church.
A. B. AMIS, ESQ.
In selecting a person who is the best educated man that has ever gone from Newton county, it is appro- priate that a page should be devoted to his portrait.
A. B. Amis, Esq., now practicing law at Meridian, was born in Scott county, but came with his parents to Newton county when he was quite an infant. Mr.
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Amis, though having some means to assist in educa- ting himself, found the sum inadequate to carry him through, and for a time was thrown upon his own re- sources in order to make money to complete his edu- cation.
He first commenced to go to school in the common schools of the country, and then attended for two terms of nine months each the Connehatta Institute. After that he went to the Chamberlain-Hunt Acad- emy, at Port Gibson, where he attended school for eight months. October, 1885, he attended the Tulane University, at New Orleans, but only remained until January, of 1886. In October of 1886 he entered the University of Mississippi, at Oxford, where he re- mained successively until February, 1888, when he was compelled to quit and teach in order to obtain means to finish his studies. After teaching the greater part of the years of 1888 and 1889, he returned to the State University and entered the senior class. In June, 1890, he completed his course. In July, 1890, he was ap- pointed tutor in Mediaval and Modern History at the University, which place he held for two years. In the _ meantime, he took a two years' course in law, and graduated in June, 1892, with second honor, with a general average of 98} per cent. During his course at the University, for two years he was a member of the editorial staff of the University Magizine, published by the Literary Societies.
In June, 1892, he was a member of the faculty of teachers at the Patron's Union Teachers' Normal Insti- tute, held at Lake Camp Ground. In January, 1893, he removed to Meridian and entered into the employ of Threefoot Bros. & Co., and Marks, Rothenburg & Co., as their salaried attorney. June 11th, 1893, he was married to Miss Mary S. Langford, of Connehatta. 30
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January, 1894, he severed his relations as attorney with the above named firms and formed a law part- nership with Floyd Y. Lewis, of Meridian, where they are now practicing their profession.
Mr. Amis is 27 years old; is a sober, energetic, self- made man, a profound thinker, a fine writer and a good speaker. He delivered a literary address at Newton at the close of Prof. Mabry's school, June, 1893, which did him great credit. Hon. T. C. Catchings, one of the brightest speakers in the State, and Senator A. J. McLaurin, had both favored the schools at Newton with addresses on commencement occasions and Mr. Amis' compared favorably with both of them. His address was not only clothed in elegant language, but it was reasonable and convincing, and delivered in such a way as to show that he was a profound thinker and graceful orator. Taking him in all the phases of his character, and his varied acquirements, this writer feels that no mistake was made in selecting him as the best scholar that has ever gone out from Newton coun- ty. Aside from his learning as a literary man and lawyer, his sober habits and attention to business, should recommend him to those needing his services. Newton county feels proud of Mr. Amis.
R. H. HENRY, EDITOR OF THE CLARION-LEDGER.
It will be seen by reference to Chapter 22, that the worthy gentleman above named was the first to pub- lish a newspaper in Newton county. It is therefore fitting that he be the subject of a portrait, which will be found on page 197. The following excellent sketch of his honorable and useful career is from a recent issue of the Times-Democrat :
" R. H. Henry, editor, and one of the owners of the Clarion- Ledger, was born in Scott county, Miss., forty-
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two years ago. He attended the Hillsboro Academy until the school was broken up by the war, then such schools as the country afforded. At the early age of sixteen he became a printer's apprentice and worked four years at the case, mastering the "art preserva- tive" before laying down "stick and rule." This thorough training in a printing office has been of in- calculable benefit to him, and to it he ascribes much of his success in life.
" When only twenty Mr. Henry established the Led- ger, at Newton, Miss., where he published it for four years with decided success. He moved the paper to Brookhaven in 1875, and remained there eight years, where he did remarkably well, beside making a name as being one of the best and most successful newspa- per men in the State. Tiring of the limited field af- forded by Brookhaven, Mr. Henry, in 1883, decided, against the advice of his most intimate friends, to try his journalistic fortunes at the State capital, moving his paper to Jackson in January of that year, and christening it the State Ledger. The journal at once took rank with the best papers of the State, and be- came an instantaneous success.
' In 1886 Mr. Henry was elected State Printer, and was re-elected in 1888 and 1890, defeating the last time the strongest combination possible to form in the State. In 1888 the State Ledger was consolidated with the Clarion, under the name of the Clarion-Ledger, with Mr. Henry as editor, under which title it is still pub- lished.
"Mr. Henry has attended five National Conventions, serving on some of the leading committees. He was made chairman of the committee appointed by the . National Convention of 1884 to present complimentary resolutions to Tilden and Hendricks, and accompanied
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the committee on that mission. As editor and pub- lisher Mr. Henry's success has been most remarkable.
"Commencing life with no means save his indomit- able energy and confidence in himself to succeed, he has, step by step, by constant application and hard labor, worked his way up to the topmost round in Mis- sissippi journalism, and is to-day the editor, manager and principal owner of one of the most influential papers in the State. Indeed, he has, by some of his press brethren, been styled "the Napoleon of the Mis- sissippi press," and certainly no newspaper man of the State is more entitled to the appellation than he, for it is a well-known and recognized fact that Mr. Henry never made a failure in any of his newspaper enter- prise. He is a bold, aggressive writer, being always ready and willing to express himself on any public question."
FARMER A. W. WHATLEY.
The subject of this sketch is Mr. A. W. Whatley, who was born in Newton county, November 7, 1864, and whose face appears on page 467. Mr. Whatley is considered the working man among those represented 'in this history ; that is, he makes his living by manual labor. As much attention should attach to a man who works with his hands as those who work with their brain. It is just as necessary to have laboring men as it is to have professional men. The world could bet- ter do without the professional man than the man . who tills the soil. A man who works in field or shop for his living, deserves as much respect as those who have professions.
Mr. Whatley had very little advantage of an educa . tion, but can read and write, and do ordinary business of farm and railroad (requiring an education). He is
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more or less required to make reports of his work and to keep his accounts with his hands. He has learned much in this way since he went into the railroad busi- ness. Mr. Whatley is six feet two inches high, and his average weight is two hundred pounds. He lived with his parents until he was twenty-one years old, and then went to work for himself on the farm and bought a good place south-west of Newton, of 160 acres of land. He says he does not owe a cent to anyone. After he had farmed for several years he hired himself as a common railroad hand to do work under a "section boss," and by his efficiency and steady habits secured in a short time the care of a section on the road, which place he now holds on the Mississippi Valley road, at a salary of $50.00 per month. He is renting his farm in Newton county, and is working on the road with a view to saving money by which he may be at no remote period independent. He early married Miss Richie, of this county, and by that union has four children. His first child, Glover, was so large and fine- looking that he was awarded a prize of $25.00 in gold at the Patrons' Union as the best specimen of a baby. Mr. Whatley's first wife died, and he has again mar- ried. He is a man of great strength and power of en- durance. He can do all kinds of farm and railroad work, and is particularly good with the ax, and maul and wedge. In one day Mr. Whatley split one thousand rails ; the timber was pine and "was cut." Mr. What- ley is of good, moral, sober habits ; was never under the influence of liquor. He is an amiable, well-balanced citizen, and deserves a place among men who distin- guished themselves in their sphere.
PORTRATIS IN THIS VOLUME.
In selecting persons whose faces appearin this work,
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it has been the intention of the writer to get those who are well known and who are now or have been clearly identified with the county. This selection has been made from the various avocations in life-from the judge upon the bench and preacher in the pulpit, to the farmer who feels it an honor to till the soil and walk behind the plow-handles.
In making these selections careful attention has been given to the choice of such men as could be re- ferred to as honorable citizens who have proved them- selves worthy in the community in which they live, and to the people whom they serve, and who have been able to attain some success in the line of employment in which they have been engaged.
In every instance the selection is a sober, reliable man, who can be referred to as one who has done something for himself, and willing to do for others. These are all self-made men, never having been en- dowed with great patrimony; and while some may have had better educational advantages than others, their success in life and usefulness as citizens depends on their intrinsic worth and industry. It is not in- tended to refer to any one as a success in life unless his course is consistent with goodness. No matter how conspicuous a man may be, nor how much he may attain in life, he should be considered a pattern to the youth-"great only as he is good." It is not the amount of money that a man may acquire that should make him acceptable in life or remembered when he is dead, but a right acquirement of wealth and a proper use of it while he lives, would make him the benefac- tor and Christian patriot. All men should acquire something of this world's goods and should so use it as to be profitable to themselves, and when necesssary, dis- pense it for the benefit of others.
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ERRATA.
On page 17, 7th line from top, the last words of paragraph should read : women well performed their part.
Page 87, 10th line from bottom, should read : July 9, 1863, instead of 1865.
Page 94, 15th line from bottom, should be I. L. Bolton, not J. L. Bolton.
Page 190, 12th line from bottom, should be J. N. instead of J. L. Shofner.
Page 192, 7th line from bottom, should be F. B. instead of F. L. Loper.
Page 250, 3d line from top, should be 25 per cent., not 25 cent.
Page 339, 6th line from top, should be 29th May, 1893, in- stead of 1883.
Page 342, 13th line from top, should be Rew & McClinton, not R. W. McClinton.
Page 345, 2d line from bottom, should be Dr. G. H. McNeill, not H. G. McNeill.
Page 352, 14th line from top, should be : probably a negro man; not "some negro man."
Page 368, 8th line from bottom, should be: S. M. Adams was elected 1877-not 1867.
Same pago, 5th line from bottom, should be James Castles, not Sid.
Page 446, Ist line, should be 1832, not 1833.
Reader will please note errors with pencil on pages where they occur, so as to be understood.
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