Mississippi : comprising sketches of towns, events, institutions, and persons, arranged in cyclopedic form Vol. I, Part 105

Author: Rowland, Dunbar, 1864-1937, ed
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: Atlanta, Southern Historical Publishing Association
Number of Pages: 1030

USA > Mississippi > Mississippi : comprising sketches of towns, events, institutions, and persons, arranged in cyclopedic form Vol. I > Part 105

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).

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before taking his present position. He was the first to introduce the systematic study of Anglo-Saxon in Southern colleges, and made his department at the university a model of English educa- tion. He is the author of the University of Virginia Memorial, memorial addresses on Jefferson Davis and James Z. George, and other addresses.

Johnsonville. When Sunflower county was divided in 1871, to assist in forming the county of Leflore, the old county site of McNutt was embraced within the area of the new county, and its county buildings and grounds were also given to Leflore county. The Legislature, at the same time, directed that a town be estab- lished at the junction of Mound Bayou and the Sunflower river, to be called "Johnsonville," and which should be the new seat of justice for Sunflower county. This was at once done, and the necessary county buildings were erected. A prosperous town of about 150 inhabitants and a dozen or more stores promptly resulted. Johnsonville continued to flourish until the Legislature again in- terfered on March 8, 1882, and passed an act providing that the voters of the county express their will as to the removal of the seat of justice from Johnsonville, to a point about four miles west of Sunflower river, on Indian Bayou, known as Eureka at that time, and now called Indianola. The vote favored Eureka and the town of Johnsonville lost the county seat. When the town of Baird, one mile north of Johnsonville, on the new railroad, sprang into existence a few years later, it absorbed the business and pop- ulation of Johnsonville.

Johnston, Amos R., was a native of Tennessee, a descendant of Jacob Johnston, of Southampton county, Va., who moved to North Carolina. "He came to Mississippi about 1830 and settled in Hinds county, living at Clinton, Raymond and Jackson at different times, as business called. Until 1839 he was an editor. In 1836 he was a member of the legislature. He was elected circuit clerk in 1839, and while in that office studied law. He served two terms, and then, in 1845, was elected probate judge. He was a member of the convention of 1851, in which he advocated acquiescence in the compromise measures, and the preservation of the Union. The fact that he was a Union man and a Whig kept him out of political office, but indeed he seemed to care little for it. He was a member of the constitutional convention of 1865 (q. v.), and in 1875 of the State senate. He was a dignified, courteous and sympathetic gen- tleman; a studious, painstaking, thorough and successful lawyer. He died in 1879." (Edward Mayes, in Memoirs of Mississippi, II, 31.)

Johnston, Frank, was born at Raymond, Miss., December 31, 1843, son of Amos R. Johnston and Harriet Newell Battle. In 1861 he had been three years a student at the military institute at Nashville. He served in 1861 with the Tennessee artillery under Gen. Zollicoffer, and then returning to Mississippi became a lieu- tenant in company A, Withers' regiment of artillery, with which he was in battle at Chickasaw Bayou, Champion's Hill and other

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engagements. Wounded at the Big Black, he was in Vicksburg during the siege. In 1866 he was admitted to the bar by the High Court of Errors and Appeals of Mississippi. On June 14, in the same year, he married Fannie, daughter of Judge William Yerger, of Jackson. He was actively engaged in the campaign of 1875, and suggested to Gen. George the conference with Gov. Ames, which resulted in disarming the colored militia. In 1884 Mr. Johnston began the agitation against State convict leasing, which system was overthrown by the Constitution of 1890. In 1893 Gov. Stone appointed Mr. Johnston attorney-general to succeed Hon. T. M. Miller, resigned. He served until the expiration of his term in 1896, when he retired to private practice. He is an active mem- ber of the Mississippi Historical society, to which he has contrib- uted many valuable papers.

Johnstone, George, first British governor of West Florida, gained distinction as a captain in the royal navy before he came to Pensacola in February, 1764. His administration was embit- tered by a quarrel with Maj. Farmar, regarding the governor's authority in military affairs. He resigned, his duties devolving upon the lieutenant-governor, Montfort Brown, Dec. 17, 1766. After his return to England he was elected to parliament. When Lord North introduced his "prohibitory bill" Johnstone, supported by Edmund Burke, endeavored to have an exception made of Georgia as loyal to the crown. He did not side with the ministers in support of the war until after the French alliance, when he de- clared, in an animated rejoinder to a sneer from Lord Admiral Howe, that he would serve in any capacity that might be given him, even in command of a bumboat. He was one of the three commissioners from the British government, his associates being the Earl of Carlisle and William Eden, who were authorized to treat for peace when the British held Philadelphia. As a briga- dier-general of the British army he was in subordinate command at Long Island, Brandywine and Germantown. He had charge of the force that took St. Lucie island and held it against d'Estaing. Afterward he advanced through the ranks of major-general, lieu- tenant-general and general of the British army, and died in 1806.

Johnstons Station, a post-hamlet in the northwestern part of Pike county, on the Illinois Central R. R., 14 miles north of Mag- nolia, the county seat. Summit, 4 miles to the south, is the nearest banking town. It has a money order postoffice. Population in 1900, 90.

Joliet. See Marquette and Joliet.

Jolly, a hamlet in Chickasaw county, 6 miles southwest of Oko- lona, one of the county seats of Chickasaw county.

Jona, a hamlet of Covington county, 4 miles west of Williams- burg, the county seat. The postoffice here was recently discon- tinued and mail now goes to Terrell.

Jonathan, a post-hamlet in the central part of Greene county, on Big creek, an affluent of the Chickasawhay river, 9 miles northwest of Leakesville, the county seat.

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Jonesboro, a postoffice in the northern part of Tippah county, 3 miles east of the railroad, and 16 miles north of Ripley, the county seat.

Jones County is located in the southeastern part of the State and was established January 24, 1826, during the administration of Gov- ernor Holmes. It was named in honor of Commodore John Paul Jones, the founder of the American navy. It was formed from the counties of Covington and Wayne and its boundaries were declared to be "all that part of Covington county lying west of the center of range fourteen, and all that part of Wayne county lying west of range nine." Its northern boundary is formed by the Old Choctaw line established by the Treaty of Mt. Dexter, Nov. 16, 1805, which divides it from Jasper county, and its southern boundary is formed by the line between townships five and six, which divides it from Perry county. The first county officers in 1826 were John Snow, Judge of Probate ; John Moffit, Adam Shows, James Tate, Associate Justices ; William Ellis, Sheriff; Stacy Collins, Assessor and Col- lector; Jason W. Movein, Coroner; Samuel Ellis, County Treas- urer ; John McCormick, County Surveyor; Elisha Williams, Isaac Williams, Peter Loper, Jr., John C. Thomas, John Nesom, Daniel Windham, Justices of the Peace; and William McGehee, Ranger. It has a land surface of 674 square miles. Ten years later, in 1836, the county had a population of only 1,017 whites and 108 slaves, and, until the advent of the railroads, it remained one of the most sparsely settled and unproductive counties in the whole State. In 1900 the value of its manufactured products was over two millions of dollars, a total which is only exceeded by the counties of Lauder- dale, Warren and Harrison, while the value of the live stock and farm products has reached the respectable total of over one million of dollars. Since the census of 1890 the population of Jones has increased more than 100 per cent., a rate of increase which is only equaled by the counties of Perry and Pearl River. The county site is Ellisville, located in the center of the county and containing a population of 1,899 people in the year 1900, or double that of the year 1890. Ellisville is one of the "live" towns in this part of the State, is on the line of the New Orleans & North Eastern R. R., has a large cotton mill and is an important shipping point for lum- ber, turpentine and other timber products. The region about it is covered with a heavy growth of long leaf pine and possesses abundant water power. The largest town in the county is Laurel, which is now an important railroad junction for three lines of rail- way, and had 3,193 people in 1900. It was named for the dense laurel thickets growing within its limits and has become a large ship- ping point for lumber and the various timber products. Some of the other towns in the county are Estabutchie, Sandersville and Black- burn. The county is well watered by the Leaf river, which flows through the western part, and by the Tallahalla, Tallahoma and Bogue Homo creeks, together with their numerous tributaries, down which log drives are made to the numerous saw mills of the region. The New Orleans & North Eastern and the Mobile, Jackson

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& Kansas City R. R's. now traverse the county from north to south, and a branch of the Gulf & Ship Island R. R. runs to Laurel in the northwestern part of the county. Jones county is located in the long leaf pine region of the State and is finely timbered. On the rivers and creeks are found oaks, hickory, elm, beech, ash, bay, gum and magnolia. The soil is generally thin and sandy on the uplands, fertile in the creek and river bottoms. It produces cotton, corn, oats, potatoes, sugar-cane, sorghum, field peas, peanuts and most of the vegetables and fruits. The scuppernong grape thrives in this region and pecan nuts are grown in abundance. Pasturage for stock is good and sheep husbandry and the raising of live stock are rapidly growing industries.

The following statistics, taken from the twelfth United States census for 1900, will be found instructive as showing the resources of the county at that time. Number of farms 1,561, acreage in farms 218,314, acres improved 44,078, value of land exclusive of buildings $646,830, value of buildings $326,130, value of live stock $348,454, total value of products not fed $666,410. Number of manufactur- ing establishments 54, capital invested $2,050,568, wages paid $350,- 114, cost of materials $1,296,849, total value of products $2,087,650. The population in 1900 consisted of 12,156 whites, 4,690 colored, a total of 17,846, and 9,513 more than in the year 1890. The popula- tion of the county in 1906 was estimated at 20,000. The total as- sessed valuation of real and personal property in Jones county in 1905 was $5,576,627 and in 1906 it was $6,512,410, showing an in- crease of $935,783 during the year.

Jones County "Secession." Jones county, in the "piney woods," was inhabited in 1861 by a people, peaceable and inoffensive, who went to church, dressed as they saw fit, and needed few courts of justice. There were few negroes in the county. When the ques- tion of secession came up in 1860, they elected J. D. Powell, an opponent of secession, to the convention, only 24 votes being cast for the secession candidate. Yet Jones county gave from her scant population three full companies for the Confederate army, and a great part of four more that were formed on her border. Some of those who enlisted left the army when the laws seemed to use them to protect slave property while slaveholders were to some extent exempt from military duty, under the "Twenty Negro law," as they called it. In the latter part of 1862, the famous Newt Dwight Company was formed, with Dwight (of Jasper county) as captain, Jasper Collins and W. W. Sumrall lieutenants. It grew to about 125 men, including a goodly proportion from other coun- ties and States. They made their headquarters on an island in Leaf river, opened communications with the Union officers at Vicksburg, and fought battles with Confederate detachments at Tallahala creek, Ellisville, and Leaf river. Gen. Robert Lowry made a campaign against them, but because of the nature of the country could not do much beyond capturing a few of their men. The leader and most of the company remained at large. That there was a convention of the county which adopted resolutions

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of secession from the State and Confederacy, has been asserted in two articles in the Magazine of American History, 1886, and 1891, and denied after a careful investigation by Goode Montgomery, Miss. Hist. Publ., 1904, and by Prof. Bondurant, Vol. I, same pub- lications. The legislature of October, 1865, received a petition signed by 106 citizens of Jones county, who "would respectfully represent that from occurrences that have transpired within the past two years the name of our county beyond its limits has be- come notorious if not infamous, at least to sensitive ears and the public spirited, the reproaches and vulgar comparisons are mor- tifying to those who occasionally travel beyond its limits, and have sacrificed much to sustain a higher reputation. We therefore would petition your honorable body to change the name of the county to that of Davis, and that of our county seat, Ellisville, to Leesburg," hoping that this would begin a new history, "and that its past history may be obliterated and buried so deep that the hand of time may never resurrect it, but if by chance posterity should learn that there was a Jones and the back part of its history," the petitioners asked that their names be spread on the journal to witness their non-participation "in any of its dark deeds." (House Journal, 1865, p. 351.) An act passed to make the change, and in the public documents of 1866-68 "Davis" county appears to the exclusion of Jones. But the constitutional convention of 1868 restored the old names by ordinance.

Jones, Obadiah, was born in Virginia, of Welsh parentage, and the family moved to South Carolina in his childhood. He grew up, working on the farm and studying at night, learning to ask help of no one, and when food was scarce living on roots and leaves. He learned great self-control and self-poise. At the age of 21, with his earthly possessions tied up in a handkerchief, and fifty cents in his pocket, he went to a town 50 miles distant to seek wider fields of opportunity. Falling in with Judge Knight at his destination, he was aided in finding work, went to school, and in an incredibly short time was practicing law as a partner of the judge. As Georgia was a promising new field, he became a pioneer of Oglethorpe county. Between the ages of 30 and 32 he married Elizabeth Cowden, of Asheville, N. C. He received the appointment of judge of Madison county (on the great bend of the Tennessee river), Mississippi territory, in 1805, but, appar- ently, did not accept at that time, as he filled a similar post for Illinois territory in 1809, and came to Madison county in the year 1810. On his arrival he bought a large plantation called Spring Hill, near the present town of Athens, Ala. (See Judiciary, Ter- ritorial.) He was an intimate friend of Senator William H. Crawford, of Georgia. A family record says "He directed the surveying of Mississippi and Alabama into townships and sections and directed the moving of the Chickasaw Indians." His old negro body servant, Grafton, whom he bought of Judge Knight, said the Indians were partial to him because of the descent of his wife from Pocahontas. He was given 12 sections of land for his services in

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Mississippi, 8 in DeSoto county, which he divided among his 4 sons, and 4 in the lower part of the State, which he gave to his only daughter, Mrs. Roberts. He died at his Alabama home, May 31, 1825, at the age of 62 years. In 1836 his widow and sons moved to DeSoto county, where most of his descendants now live. There are may legends of the judge, particularly of the great pomp with which he used to open court and maintain its dignity.

Jones, Richard Watson, was born in Greensville county, Va., May 16, 1837; was graduated at Randolph-Macon college and University of Virginia; enlisted in the war of 1861 as a private and rose to major of the 12th Virginia regiment, in which rank he surrendered his regiment at Appomattox; became professor of mathematics in Randolph-Macon college in 1866; was president of Petersburg Female college three years, and for eight years of Martha Washington college; was professor of chemistry in the University of Mississippi, 1876-85, resigning to become first presi- dent of the State Industrial Institute and College at Columbus. Dr. Jones formulated the plan of education which has succeeded so admirably in Mississippi's great, state-supported school for girls. Three years later he was chosen president of Emory and Henry college, Va., from which he resigned in 1900 to resume his chair at the University of Mississippi, and served as vice- chancellor. Dr. Jones resigned his chair at the University at the close of the session of 1904-'05, and removed to Laurel, Miss., where he now resides. He is a member of various learned and religious organizations and has done much valuable literary work as an editor and author. He is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Department of Archives and History, and first Vice Presi- dent of the Mississippi Historical Society; has been for eighteen years a member of the State committee of the Young Men's Chris- tian association; is a member of the American Chemical society and the American association for the advancement of science ; has been a delegate to the general conferences and one ecumenical council of the Methodist Episcopal church.

Jonestown, an incorporated post-town in the northeastern part of Coahoma county, on the Helena branch of the Yazoo & Missis- sippi Valley R. R., 15 miles southeast of Helena, Ark., and 10 miles east of Friar's Point, one of the two county seats of justice. It is situated in a fertile cotton growing section, and has telegraph, express and banking facilities, and a money order postoffice. The Jonestown Bank was established in 1899, with a capital of $8,750; the Peoples' Bank was established in 1902, with a capital of $10,000. It has three churches, and several mercantile establishments, and does a good shipping business. It has a large cotton seed oil mill and a public gin. Population in 1900, 317; population in 1906 is estimated at 500.

Joplin, a post-village of Winston county, on Nanawayah creek, 7 miles due east of Louisville, the county seat and nearest railroad station. It is surrounded by a good farming and stock raising country.

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Joseph, a postoffice of Attala county, 8 miles southwest of Kos- ciusko, the county seat.

Josephine, a postoffice of Bolivar county, 10 miles due east of Rosedale.

Jourdan, Noel, member of the constitutional convention of 1817 from Hancock county, also county judge and member of the legis- lature, was the son of a French soldier in Virginia under Rocham- beau, who after the Revolution made his home at New Orleans, became wealthy in the bakery business, obtained a Spanish grant on the Catahoula river, now known as the Jourdan river, and became a breeder of cattle and maker of tiles. Noel Jourdan was educated in France. He was a member of the Constitutional Con- vention of 1817, and served in the Legislature from 1819 to 1822. He was the most influential man, especially with the Creole popu- lation, on the gulf coast of Mississippi, until his removal to the parish of St. James, La., where he engaged in sugar planting until his death.

Judah, a postoffice of Pontotoc county, 12 miles southwest of Pontotoc, the county seat and nearest banking town.

Judiciary, Territorial. Under the ordinance of 1787, the funda- mental act of organization of the Mississippi territory, the presi- dent appointed three judges to constitute the highest court of the territory, and also, with the governor, to adopt for the government of the territory, such laws of the States as seemed applicable. In practice, both in Ohio and Mississippi, they were simply guided by such principles of legislation as they were familiar with in the States, and framed laws to suit the conditions they found. This was made the subject of technical remonstrance, but very likely was the wiser method. The first judges appointed by President John Adams were Peter Bryan Bruin, of Bayou Pierre, and Daniel Tilton, of New Hampshire, May 7, 1798. Two or three weeks after his arrival, Governor Sargent wrote: "My great source of uneasiness is the want of the judges. I pray God Mr. McGuire may soon arrive, or some law character. In a court from which is no appeal, most certainly there should be a law knowledge. Judge Bruin, a worthy and sensible man, is beyond doubt deficient, and Judge Tilton cannot have had more reading and experience. Under these circumstances might it not be advisable to make com- pensation to some gentleman learned in the law to reside here as an attorney for the United States and Territory?" Meanwhile the president had selected William McGuire, of Virginia, as the third judge. During the long and embarrassing delay for the arrival of the judges, the governor was obliged to make temporary appoint- ments of conservators of the peace and sheriffs of two districts that he was not yet authorized to designate as counties. (See Sargent administration.) He also; after waiting three months, found it necessary to appoint William Dunbar as a probate com- missioner, to care for estates of decedents according to his best judgment, until laws could be provided. These acts were used as the pretext of bitter political criticism. J. F. H. Claiborne, in his

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history of Mississippi, (p. 208) without noting the circumstances, or the careful manner in which the appointment was made as provisional, and omitting the name of the appointee, "a very worthy one," calls this the governor's "greatest stretch of author- ity," and adds, "Truly has it been said, by an astute commentator, "Royalty could do no more." The comments of the same authority regarding the laws adopted after the arrival of the judges is that "Tilton and McGuire aided the governor in concocting a code of laws incompatible with the spirit of our institutions and with the constitution of the United States, most of which were annulled by Congress, and soon after this worthy pair disappeared and never returned."

The early laws were signed by Sargent, Bruin and Tilton.

In the criminal code, punishments were provided for treason and arson, including forfeiture of property. This penalty was evidently in conflict with the constitution, and all Sargent could say in justi- fication was that they had forgotten the constitutional provision and would repeal the penalty.

It was also a constitutional provision that treason should be a subject of Congressional legislation only. But these penalties were a small part of the body of laws adopted. Their prominence is due to the disputes of the period. As for "unusual punishments" it cannot be said that the punishments provided by Sargent and the judges were excessive, as compared with those afterward provided by the general assembly. Imprisonment for debt, whipping at the post, the pillory and stocks, were in vogue for many years after- ward. It was the complaint of later governors that the criminal code was in some respects too severe to be enforced. The records show that murders, riots, and offences against property were fre- quent at all times as the situation of the Natchez district made inevitable.

J. F. H. Claiborne's exhaustive abstract of congressional legis- lation regarding the Sargent code shows that the laws giving the governor a fee of $8 for issuing licenses to sell intoxicants, and giv- ing the judges fees in certain cases, were disapproved. If any others were annulled, the record does not show it. The fee for marriage license by the governor seems to have been unrevoked. The $8 fee was required in cases where the parties asked a special dispensa- tion without the publishing of bans, under ordinary conditions the fee was 75 cents, which cannot be called excessive even in pioneer days.

Judge Tilton did not arrive until January 10, 1799, bringing no law books except the acts of the last two sessions of congress. Sargent, Bruin and Tilton then set about legislating with no guide at hand but the laws of the Northwest territory, upon which the new laws were based, much to the regret of the governor, who expressed this regret long before the circumstance was made the basis of an attack upon him. A list of expired or repealed laws in the digest of 1816 indicates that Feb. 28, 1799, the judicial-legisla- ture adopted laws regulating a militia, establishing courts of judi-

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Mississippi : comprising sketches of towns, events, institutions, and persons, arranged in cyclopedic form Vol. I, Part 105

Author: Rowland, Dunbar, 1864-1937, ed Publication date: 1907 Publisher: Atlanta, Southern Historical Publishing Association Number of Pages: 1030

Author: Rowland, Dunbar, 1864-1937, ed
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: Atlanta, Southern Historical Publishing Association
Number of Pages: 1030