USA > Mississippi > Mississippi : comprising sketches of towns, events, institutions, and persons, arranged in cyclopedic form Vol. I > Part 35
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ward of the Mississippi, and presumably to the westward of Kas- kaskia. He found considerable iron ore and a small quantity of lead ore, but no silver. It was during Cadillac's administration that Bienville (q. v.) received his orders to proceed to Natchez and construct a fort at that point. He also caused a fort to be estab- lished at Natchitoches, 75 leagues from the mouth of the Red river, to prevent the Spaniards approaching too closely the French colony, and ordered Fort Toulouse built in 1714, on the Coosa river as an outpost against the English of Carolina. Cadillac ad- ministered the government of Louisiana till the 9th of March, 1717, when he was superseded by M. de L'Epinay and returned to France. He died there in the following year.
Caesar, a postoffice in the north-central part of Hancock county, situated on Catahoula Creek, about 25 miles from Bay St. Louis, the county seat. It has several stores, a church, a school, and one of the largest turpentine plants in the state. The town is located on the H. Weston Lumber Co.'s R. R. and is a prosperous place.
Cage, Harry, was a native of Tennessee who became a lawyer at Woodville, in the early period of the State, and in January, 1828, was elected to the supreme and circuit court (Third district) to succeed Judge Hampton. He held this office until the early part of 1832, when he resigned to become a candidate for Congress. He was an industrious and conscientious judge, of considerable power in the political field, liberally educated, and brilliant in so- cial life.
It is recalled that he was fond of literature, a crack shot and bold rider, and of a highly courageous and independent disposition though very patient and aimable in manner. When the famous naturalist, J. J. Audubon, was in need of a friend, Judge Cage organized a dancing class for him and himself took lessons in en- tire disregard of any fictitious dignity of the bench. His service in Congress embraced the sessions of 1833-35. Subsequently he retired from practice as a lawyer and made his home upon a plan- tation in Louisiana, where he died.
Caile, a postoffice in the extreme southern part of Sunflower county, on the Yazoo & Mississippi Valley R. R., and on Lake Dawson, about 12 miles south of Indianola, the county seat.
Cairo, a post-hamlet in Clay county, 16 miles northwest of Westpoint, the county seat. It has two stores, a saw-mill, grist mill, a cotton gin and a church.
Caldwell, a post-hamlet in the southern part of De Soto county,
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near the right bank of the Coldwater river, and about 7 miles south- west of Hernando, the county seat.
Caldwell, Isaac, a famous lawyer of the early period of the State, was the law partner of George Poindexter, before the latter went to the United States senate. He was appointed to the supreme bench September 28, 1825, to succeed Powhatan Ellis, appointed United States senator, but his service was brief, as the legislature, in January, 1826, elected John Black to the place. In 1828 he was defeated as a candidate for judge of the new circuit, including Hinds and Monroe counties.
At the inaugural levee of Governor Lynch, 1836, Poindexter, under the influence of the liquors that circulated, mounted a table and furiously attacked President Jackson, and ridiculed his- ap- pointment of Col. Samuel Gwin as register of public lands. Gwin, who was present hissed, and the result was a challenge from Cald- well. They fought just outside the limits of Jackson, each armed with six pistols, and advancing upon each other as they fired. Both received bullets. Caldwell died the same day and Gwin a year later, after much misery. The widow of Caldwell, beautiful and rich, yielded in marriage to the solicitations of a young man from New York, and two years later she was murdered in her home at Clinton. (R. Davis, Recollections).
Caledonia, a post-village in the northeastern part of Lowndes county, about 16 miles north, northeast of Columbus, the county seat. It has a money order postoffice, and 4 rural routes. Popula- tion in 1900, 201.
Calhoun, a postoffice of Madison county, on the Illinois Central R. R., 8 miles south of Canton, the county seat and nearest banking town. Population in 1900, 49.
Calhoun County, located in the north-central part of the State, was established March 8, 1852, during the administration of Henry S. Foote. The county has a land surface of 588 square miles. It was named for the great South Carolinian John C. Calhoun and is bounded on the north by LaFayette county, on the east by Chickasaw county, on the south by Webster county and on the west by Grenada and Yalobusha counties. It was carved from the counties of Yalobusha, Chickasaw and Lafayette, and the original act defines its boundaries as follows: "Beginning at the northeast corner of twp. 12, range 1 west of the basis meridian ; thence east to the northeast corner of twp. 12, range 1 east of the said basis ; thence south to the northeast corner of twp. 15, range 1 east of said basis; thence west to the northwest corner of sec. 3 in twp.
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15, range 1 east; thence south to the northern boundary line of Choctaw county ; thence west 18 miles, to the southwest corner of twp. 22, range 8; thence north to the south boundary of Lafay- ette county ; thence due east to the western boundary of Pontotoc county ; thence south to the beginning point." The boundaries as thus defined, have not been since changed. Porter A. Davis, W. H. Duberry, L. Brasher, M. Murphree, C. Orr, John Hunter and James McCrory were appointed commissioners to organize the county, and it was provided by the act that the Board of Police select a seat of justice as near the geographical center as possible. Pittsboro was thus chosen and was named in honor of one of the early settlers. It is a small town of 254 inhabitants, located at the geographical center of the county. Other towns in the county are Sarepta, Banner, Denton, Ellzey, Wardwell and Slate Springs. No railroads have thus far entered Calhoun and the nearest shipping points are Water-Valley, Coffeeville and Grenada on the Illinois Central railway. The principal streams are the Yalobusha and Schoona rivers, which, with their tributaries, pro- vide the county with its water power. The surface of the county is undulating and in places rugged and hilly ; the valleys are level and fertile. All the timber trees common to central Mississippi are found here in considerable quantity. The soil is usually light col- ored and underlaid with either clay or sand. Large upland tracts of land overgrown with hardwood timber are frequently found and produce corn and other grain crops. The stock raising in- dustry has attained considerable proportions and many settlers have gone into the horse raising business, breeding working stock. Good churches and schools exist throughout the county and with the introduction of railroads and better shipping facilities the county will grow rapidly in wealth and importance. Among the names prominent in the early days of the county may be mentioned Allen, McCrory, Burney, Duncan, Reasons, Guy, Woodward, Davis and Stephens, all of whom represented their county in the State Legislature prior to the war between the states.
The United States census for 1900 shows that the agricultural development of the county has been considerable since 1890 and the following data will be found of interest. Number of farms in 1900, 3,097; number of acres in farms, 307,537; acres improved, 92,168, value of the land exclusive of buildings, $1,147,480; value of buildings, $416,410; value of live stock, $628,197, and value of products not fed to stock, $996,600. Little manufacturing is done in the county ; the census gives figures as follows: Total number of
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establishments, 47; capital invested, $95,154; wages paid, $11,042; cost of materials, $26,186, and value of products, $71,428. The total assessed valuation of real and personal property in the county in 1905 was $1,277,750 and in 1906, it was $2,070,208, which shows an increase of $792,458 during the year. The population of the county in 1900 was: whites, 12,415 ; colored, 4,097, a total of 16,512, and an increase over 1890 of 1,824.
Calooga, a post-hamlet of Webster county, on Sand creek, about six miles southwest of Walthall, the county seat, and the same distance northwest of Eupora, the nearest railroad station. Popula- tion in 1900, 21.
Calumet. Calumet means a pipe. It is a Norman word, derived from "chalumeau," which was the name of a rustic pipe or musical instrument, used among the shepherds at their rural feasts and dances. The name of calumet was first applied to this Indian pipe by the early Norman-French settlers of Canada, and it has since retained the name. It was used by the Indians as a symbol or instrument of peace and war. The head or bowl was made of baked clay, or soft red stone, fashioned to look like the head of a bird, or animal, and somewhat larger than the common tobacco pipe. This head was fixed to a hollow reed or cane, about a yard in length, and very much ornamented with the feathers of the paro- quet, wild turkey, water-fowl, eagle and various birds of prey. When used to proclaim war, the calumet was ornamented with the feathers of the eagle, and other birds of prey ; as a peace symbol, with the feathers of water-fowl, etc. The dance and song of the calumet of peace was a solemn ceremony, among the Indians, which often lasted several days, and was only performed on im- portant occasions, such as to confirm an alliance, make peace with their neighbors, or as a token of friendship to strangers who ar- rived amongst them. They also performed it when they came to pay a visit to another nation, on which occasion they got up a grand entertainment.
While d'Iderville was constructing the first French fort at Biloxi, in 1799, the Pascagoulas, Colapissas, Chickasaws, Pensa- colas, and Biloxis, headed by their several chiefs, came with great ceremony to the fort, singing, and holding out to M. d'Iverville the calumet, who smoked it, in conformity to the Indian custom. The ceremony continued three days, during which time they danced and sung three times a day.
When Bienville had completed Fort Rosalie, among the Natchez, in 1716, 600 Natchez warriors and some 30 Yasous danced the calu-
th
-
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met before the new fort, to signify their joy over the new alliance with the French.
Calvert, a hamlet in the extreme southwestern part of Kemper county, on Calvert creek about 16 miles from Dekalb, the county seat. The postoffice was discontinued in 1905 and it now has rural free delivery from Battlefield. Population in 1900, 43.
Calyx, a postoffice of Noxubee county, about 12 miles south of Macon, the county seat.
Cam, a hamlet of Lincoln county. The postoffice here was dis- continued in 1905, and it receives mail by rural free delivery from Brookhaven, the county seat.
Camden, a post-village of Madison county, about 44 miles north, northeast of Jackson, and about 18 miles northeast of Canton, the county seat. It has a money order postoffice, three churches and three stores. Population in 1900, 161.
Cameron, a post-hamlet in the northern part of Madison county, about 22 miles north of Canton the county seat. Population in 1900, 20.
Cameron, Joel S., said to have been one of the most skillful plan- ters in the history of Mississippi, the partner of Governor McNutt in the same occupation, was murdered about 1833 by several of his negro slaves, whose defense upon their trial, was entrusted by the court to Henry S. Foote. The details of this case, which caused considerable popular commotion, involving Governor McNutt in the gossip, may be found in Foote's Reminiscences, 198-206. Cam- cron was accused of having killed several slaves, and Stephen Lewis, his father-in-law, was indicted and tried for burning one alive. The murder of Cameron was undoubtedly the basis of one of the startling events in the novel of Mississippi plantation life, "Jonathan Jefferson Whitlaw," published in London by Mrs. Trol- lope, in 1837.
The last person tried for the murder was Mercer Bird, a free mulatto, whom Foote and George Coalter were employed to de- fend, "by the venerable father of Mercer Bird, whom I had known for many years in North Alabama," said Foote (Natchez Courier, Oct. 6, 1837). Bird was found guilty after an eloquent effort of S. S. Prentiss for the prosecution, who appealed to the jury to con- vict Bird because he might be a dangerous leader of the negroes in case of insurrection. As Foote asserted in public speeches and published in the press in 1837, Mercer's last statement, written and spoken "in the presence of thousands," accused Governor Mc- Nutt of complicity in the crime. The charge against McNutt was
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generally believed to have been prompted by bitter political feel- ing.
Cameta, a postoffice of Sharkey county, on the Yazoo & Mis- sissippi Valley R. R., 3 miles north of Anguilla, and 9 miles north of Rolling Fork, the county seat.
Cammel's Town, an early settlement in Tishomingo county, which was located on the old Reynoldsburg road, in what is now the county of Alcorn. (See Tishomingo county). The town is now extinct.
Campbell, Josiah A. P., was born in the Waxhaw settlement, Abbeville district, South Carolina, March 2, 1830. He is of Scotch- Irish descent, one of the six children of Robert B. and Mary (Pat- terson) Campbell, also natives of the Palmetto state, and the for- mer a Presbyterian minister. Their other children were: Robert, who rose to the rank of major in the Confederate service, and was killed at Vicksburg; James A., who became a colonel, and died a prisoner at Johnson's island; Chas. H., who attained the rank of captain, served through the war and became a circuit judge; Mary, wife of Dr. Scarborough, of Kosciusko, and Jane, the wife of James M. Grafton, of Madison county.
The subject of this sketch completed his education at Davidson college, North Carolina; studied law in Madison county, Miss., where his father located in 1845; was admitted to the bar at Kos- ciusko, June 12, 1847, when only seventeen; located at that place, rose rapidly in his profession, and soon enjoyed a large practice. He was elected to the legislature in 1851, at the first election in which he was old enough to vote; was again elected in 1859, and became speaker of the House. In 1850 he was married to Eugenie E., daughter of Rev. W. W. Nash.
When Mississippi seceded he was sent as a delegate to the con- stitutional convention at Montgomery, Ala., and was elected a member of the Confederate congress, which removed from that place to Richmond, Va. At the close of his term, March 2, 1862, he entered the army, was elected captain of Co. K., which became part of the 40th Miss., and became its colonel on its organization at Meridian. He commanded this regiment at the battle of Iuka and also at Corinth, where he was wounded. He rejoined the army at Grenada, and while at Vicksburg was assigned to the military court of Polk's corps, with the rank of colonel, where he served until the war ended.
After the war (1865) he was elected circuit judge of the 5th judicial district; reëlected in 1866, but resigned as he could not
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take the test oath of the military government. He removed to Canton, and practiced law in partnership with Judge S. S Calhoon for several years. In 1870 he was offered the professorship of law in the University of Mississippi, but declined to accept; was one of the code commissioners of 1871, and in 1876 was appointed to the supreme bench of the State by Governor Stone, for a term of nine years, and being reappointed by Governor Lowry, filled this position eighteen years. He is the author of the Code of 1880. (See Codes). In 1890, by invitation of the legislature, he delivered before that body the memorial address on the "Life and Character of Jefferson Davis." During the last six years of his term on the supreme bench he was chief justice.
Judge Campbell was a brave, efficient and gallant soldier ; a wise and profound statesman, but his greatest work was on the bench, and in the laws of Mississippi he has an enduring monument. He is now living in Jackson.
Campbellsville, a post-hamlet in the western part of Yazoo coun- ty, on the Sunflower river, 16 miles west of Yazoo City, the county seat. Rolling Fork is the nearest railroad and banking town. Population in 1900, 53; estimated in 1906 to be 200.
Camphill, a postoffice of Tippah county.
Canaan, a postoffice of Benton county, 6 miles northeast of Ashland, the county seat.
Candler, a post-hamlet in the west-central part of Tishomingo county, about 6 miles southwest of Iuka, the county seat and nearest railroad and banking station.
Candler, Ezekiel Samuel, Jr., of Corinth, representative in Congress from the First Mississippi district, was born on Jan. 18, 1862, at Belleville, Hamilton county, Florida. He is a son of Ezekiel Samuel and Julia (Bevill) Candler. On the paternal side he is descended from William Candler, a colonel in the Continental army during the War of the Revolution and the ancestor of the Candler family of Georgia, who have been famous in the history of that state since 1776. The subject of this sketch removed to Tish- omingo county, Miss., with his parents when he was but eight years of age. His preparatory education was received in the Iuka Male Academy, after the completion of which he entered the department of law of the University of Mississippi at Oxford. He was grad- uated at the latter institution with the degree of Bachelor of Laws on June 30, 1881, and the following day began the practice of his profession with his father at Iuka under the firm name of Candler & Candler. This partnership still continues. On Jan. 1, 1887, Mr.
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Candler removed to Corinth and has since made that city his home. In politics he is a stanch believer in the principles of the Demo- cratic party, and is a strict "party" man. He has seen much active and influential service as a member of the county and district ex- ecutive committees. His first office was that of presidential elector in 1888 on the Cleveland and Thurman ticket and his first election to the House of Representatives came on Nov. 6, 1900, as the successor of "Private" John M. Allen. Since that time he has been successively re-elected. His religious affiliations are with the supporters of the Baptist faith, and at the present time he is a deacon of the Corinth congregation. He is also moderator of the Tishomingo Baptist association, which office he has held for eight years. He is much interested in Sunday school work and at the present time is the incumbent of the office of superintendent of the Corinth school. In a fraternal way Mr. Candler is identified with the Free and Ac- cepted Masons, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Knights of Pythias, and of the last named order has been Grand Vice Chancellor in the Domain of Mississippi. On April 26, 1883, at Cherokee, Ala., was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Candler to Miss Nancy Priscilla Hazlewood, a daughter of Thomas B. and Susan Hazlewood, of Town Creek, Ala. To this union have been born three daughters: Julia Bevill, Susan Hazlewood and Lucia Alice.
Cannonsburg, a post-hamlet in the southern part of Jefferson county, on the Natchez division of the Yazoo & Mississippi Valley R. R., about 10 miles southwest of Fayette, the county seat and nearest banking town. It has two churches and a money order postoffice. Population in 1900, 31.
Canton, the county seat of Madison county, is a thriving city of 3,404 inhabitants (census of 1900, estimated at 5,000 in 1906), sit- uated on the main line of the Illinois Central railroad, and near the center of the county. It is one of the live towns of Mississippi and is growing in population and wealth at a rapid rate. It is located on a rolling, well drained site, at an altitude of three hundred and twenty feet above the Gulf. The original town was laid out during the early 30's on section 19, township 9, range 3 east, and was incorporated by the Legislature in 1836. Only two years later, it contained a population of 300 whites and 100 blacks. Its public buildings then consisted of a court house, a jail, one church and a female academy, incorporated in 1836. It had two banks, a branch of the Commercial Bank of Natchez, capital $600,000, and the Citizens Bank of Madison county, capital $1,-
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000,000; two hotels, ten drygoods stores, a drug store, three gro- ceries, a bakery, tin shop, three tailor shops, and two watchmaker shops. It seems to have been more litigious than diseased at this early period, with sixteen attorneys and only six physicians. Tooker S. Salmon was President of its Board of Selectmen, the other members of the Board being Thomas J. Catchings, John T. Camron, R. M. Cox, John T. Dearing, and James Priestly. Chas. J. Searles was Town Treasurer. During the early years of the town, it had a well which furnished sulphur water of a superior quality, and the free use of this water during the hot season is said to have rendered it almost exempt from malarial fevers.
In 1848 the Canton Male Academy was incorporated. In 1852, the present imposing brick and stone court house was built. It is surrounded by a four-acre plot of ground, which forms the public square of the town, and the principal business center.
Besides the large local trade enjoyed by merchants, it is an important shipping point, and from 18,000 to 20,000 bales of cotton are shipped annually from this station.
The educational and social atmosphere of the town are excellent. It has Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian, Episcopal and Roman Catholic churches, and a Jewish Synagogue, while the colored pop- ulation are amply provided with separate church edifices of their own. Canton forms a separate school district and has an excellent public school. It has a large oil mill, one of the largest ice factories in the state, a large cotton compress, a large saw-mill plant, a brick factory, three; large gin plants, bottling works and a grist mill. It has a hundred or more mercantile establishments, three banks, two newspapers and two good hotels. The Canton Exchange Bank was established about 1880 by Augustus N. Parker and has been a successful institution since its organization. The Mississippi State Bank was established in 1890 with a capital of $100,000; the First National Bank of Canton was established in 1903 with a capital of $50,000. The Picket, a Democratic week- ly, was established in 1883, and the Canton Times, also a Demo- cratic weekly, was established in 1893. The Mississippi Baptist (colored) is published weekly. Canton is provided with a very good electric lighting and water works system which the city owns and operates. Its streets and sidewalks are kept in excellent condition. The city debt amounts to $70,000; the total assessed valuation of property amounts to $1,000,000, and the city tax rate is 12 mills.
Capell, a post-hamlet in the extreme southwestern corner of
JACK SON. MIS
OLD CAPITOL.
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Amite county, near the Louisiana State line, and about 14 miles southwest of Liberty, the county seat. Whitlake station on the Yazoo & Miss. Val. R. R., 3 miles west, is the nearest railroad town. Population in 1900, 27.
Capital. During Territorial times, from 1798 to 1803, the capital was at Natchez. (See Sargent Adm.) It was changed to Washing- ton, where it remained from 1803 to 1817. The question of loca- tion was a troublesome one in the constitutional convention of 1817, and it was temporarily arranged that Natchez should have the honor. But the prevalence of yellow fever seriously inter- fered, and during Poindexter's administration (q. v.) the seat of government was changed to Columbia, at the same time that pro- vision was made for a permanent capital near the center of the State. The Choctaw cession of 1820 provided a central region, and by act of the legislature of February 12, 1821, Thomas Hinds, James Patton and William Lattimore were appointed commis- sioners to locate within twenty miles of the true center of the state the two sections of land which congress had donated for a seat of government.
Major Freeman, the surveyor, estimated that the center of the State was close to Doak's stand on the Natchez-Tennessee road and Choctaw line, in what is now Madison county. Hinds and Lattimore, acompanied by Middleton Mackay, guide and inter- preter, set out from Columbia for that spot November 12. They visited Yellow bluff, but found it objectionable, and decided there was no desirable place on the Big Black or anywhere within the limits set by the legislature. So they returned to Lafleur's bluff, ten miles south of the Choctaw agency. They had passed this bluff going up and were satisfied by the beautiful eminence north of and continuous with the bluff, falling eastwardly into an ex- tensive and fertile flat, and continued by high, rolling land on the west. A never-failing spring of pure water in front of the eminence and the good water of the creek, the fertile soil, abundant timber, and evidently healthful air, added to the attractions. The river was navigable-a keel boat had gone up beyond the bluff several times, the school section of the township was within a mile of the eminence, and the fact that it was thirty-five miles south of the center was only a recommendation to the present population. In their report to the legislature, Nov. 20, they suggested that this was a favorable time for the experiment of a town on the "checker- board plan" as suggested by President Jefferson to Governor Clai- borne, seventeen years before, i. e., the alternate squares to be
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