Mississippi : comprising sketches of towns, events, institutions, and persons, arranged in cyclopedic form Vol. I, Part 57

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 57

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).

560

MISSISSIPPI

Convention, Pearl River. Judge Harry Toulmin, of Fort Stod- dert, wrote to Nathaniel A. Ware, Territorial secretary, August 19, 1816, regarding a publication he had seen of "resolutions en- tered into in Clarke county for electing a delegate and recom- mending it to other counties to elect delegates to meet at Mr. Ford's on Pearl river on the last Monday of October, for the pur- pose of adopting such measures as in their opinion will hasten our admission into the union and prevent division. The business, I "suppose, was brought forward by Colonel Carson, but I live so far from him and others that take part in such matters that I have had no intercourse with them about it. All I have done has been to endeavor to excite attention to the subject in the newspaper called the Halcyon, and by letters to individuals, recommending calmness as well as exertion, and trying to give a little check to that spirit of invective which was brewing against our congressional delegate. I like the plan which has been set on foot in Clarke county, and which I think will be generally followed here. But I should have preferred having the place of meeting in this quarter and leaving it to our brethren west of Pearl river to form another meeting of delegates in your quarter, for I have no idea that any really general meeting will take place at Fords, and the time of meeting at so distant a place is necessarily so distant that the bus- iness may possibly be settled in Congress before our recommenda- tions can reach them. The infamous mail is so long in coming from Washington (two, three, four or five weeks) that it is really difficult to cooperate." Judge Toulmin favored two con- ventions, for the expression of opinion, but urged the secretary, if one meeting were held, to have a good representation from the west, so that it should be indeed general. "If it is to be a meeting of ourselves here, let it be so, and let it appear as such, whilst you, on the other side, will have your own meeting and cooperate with us ; for I suppose we are all agreed now that there is to be a State as soon as may be, and that this State shall be one and indivis- ible." (Miss. Archives.)

One convention was held, at the home of John Ford, on Pearl river, twenty miles south of Columbia, Marion county. This place was on the road from Natchez, Washington and Liberty to Fort Stoddert and Mount Vernon, and was the halfway station of the military movements from the western counties to the Tombigbee country in 1813. The main house, John Ford's residence, was built in 1809, on a plateau about a mile from the river. It was two and a half stories high, the first story with walls of brick; "the upper

561

MISSISSIPPI

part of heart pine, hand-cut and dressed, and put together with hand-wrought nails, made at the home forge." Perhaps in 1816 the stockade, built around the house during the Creek war, within which the settlers of the vicinity found refuge in moments of alarm, was yet standing. Gov. Holmes and his troops had stopped there, and Gen. Jackson and the forces marching from Mobile to New Orleans. The house was yet intact in 1903.

It appears, from the record of the presentation of the memorial in congress, that 15 counties were represented at Ford's (there were 20 in all). Cowles Mead was the presiding officer, and among the delegates was Gen. Sam Dale.

The convention declared for the organization and admission of the Mississippi territory as one State, and Judge Toulmin was selected to bear the memorial to congress, and work for the desired object, which he did. (See Statehood.) But the voice of this con- vention, like that of repeated memorials of the legislature, was of no avail to prevent division.

Conway, a post-hamlet of Leake county, about 10 miles north- west of Carthage, the county seat. Kosciusko is the nearest rail- way and banking town. Population in 1900, 54.

Cooksey, a post-hamlet of Newton county, about 10 miles west of Decatur, the county seat. Population in 1900, 47.

Cooksville, a post-village in the southeastern part of Noxubee county, on Oaknoxubee creek, 14 miles east of Shuqualak, the near- est railroad and banking town. It has 3 churches, a steam cotton- gin, and a steam-mill. Population in 1900, 100.

Cooley, a post-hamlet in the southeastern part of Jasper county, about 12 miles from Paulding, the county seat. Vosburg, on the New Orleans & North Eastern R. R., is the nearest railroad town.

Coonbox, a place in Jefferson county, situated a short distance southwest Shankstown, elsewhere described, where the Union Church and Rodney road crossed the Natchez Trace. It derived its name in a peculiar way and Dr. F. L. Riley thus describes the incident: "During the War of 1812 an embargo was placed on Jamaica rum, the favorite beverage of that day. Although its sale was made illegal, it was still sold in egg shells, one egg for a flip, two for a bit, at the wayside houses throughout the country. The merchant prince, who had erected at the place mentioned above a log cabin store with a 'California built shed-room' in the rear, was doing a thriving business selling eggs. One night a crowd of gentlemen from Greenville, passing by this store, decided that they wanted something to drink. The store was closed, and as no

36-I

562

MISSISSIPPI

houses at that time opened after dark to callers unless they were well known, these men got no response to their repeated knocks on the front door. Finally one of them jovially said that he would 'rouse the old coon out of his box behind by knocking on it.' He did so and the members of the party supplied themselves with eggs before resuming their journey." Nothing is now left to mark the site of the little settlement.

Coonville, a hamlet in the northeastern part of Lauderdale coun- ty, about 18 miles from Meridian. Lauderdale, on the M. & O. R. R., is the nearest railroad station. The postoffice was discontin- ued in 1905, and it now has rural free delivery from Lauderdale.

Cooper, Douglas H., was captain of Company B, First Missis- sippi Rifles, with Carnot Posey as his first lieutenant in the Mexi- can war.

In 1861 he was sent to Indian Territory by the Confederate gov- ernment to secure the alliance of the Choctaws and Chickasaws and other Indian tribes, and was commissioned colonel of the 1st Choc- taw and Chickasaw regiment of mounted riflemen. He fought two battles with the Indians of opposing allegiance in the latter part of 1861. He also assisted Col. Albert Pike in raising two other Indian regiments, and fought under Pike at the battle of Pea Ridge. Sept. 30, 1862, in command of about 4,000 Indian and mixed troops, he supported J. O. Shelby in the battle of Newtonia, after which he was defeated at old Fort Wayne and driven back into the Territory. He was commissioned brigadier-general May 2, 1863. In 1864 he took part in Price's raid through Missouri, in command of a brigade of Chickasaws, Choctaws, Cherokees and Creeks. Two years after the close of the war Gen. Cooper died in Indian territory.

Cooper, Tim Ervin, was born in Copiah county, July 5, 1843, and is a son of William A. Cooper. He was a student at the University of North Carolina when he entered the Confederate army. He served through the war, began the practice of law at Gallatin in 1866, practiced at Crystal Springs till 1872, and at Hazlehurst from 1872 to 1881. He was then called to the supreme court to succeed J. Z. George, who had been elected U. S. senator. He was reap- pointed in 1888, and served till Nov. 1896, when he resigned his position. He was married in 1866 to Mary E. Dicks, and is now living at Memphis, Tenn.

Cooperville, a post-hamlet in the extreme southwestern part of Scott county, about 15 miles from Forest, the county seat. Popu- lation in 1900, 66.

563

MISSISSIPPI

Coopwood, a post-hamlet of Winston county, about 10 miles southeast of Louisville, the county seat. It has a money order postoffice and 3 general stores. Population in 1900, 81.

Coorshill, a post-hamlet of Copiah county, about 9 miles east of Hazlehurst, the county seat and nearest railroad and banking town.

Copiah County. The New Purchase acquired from the Choc- taw Indians, October 18, 1820, had been erected into the large county of Hinds, and on January 21st, 1823, it was deemed wise to create out of its extensive area the counties of Copiah and Yazoo. The original act defines the limits of Copiah as follows: "Beginning on the eastern boundary line of Claiborne county, where the southern boundary line of township three strikes the same; thence east along said line to the Choctaw boundary line; thence southwardly with the same to the northern boundary of Covington county ; thence westwardly along the old Choctaw boundary line to the southwest corner of the same; thence northwardly with the old Choctaw boundary to the beginning." One year later Simpson county was formed from that portion of Copiah lying east of the Pearl river, and April 7th, 1870, it surrendered a strip of its southern territory to Lincoln county. (q. v.) The name Copiah is an Indian word, signifying "calling panther." An interesting roll of pioneer settlers of Copiah county will be found in the following list of county officers for the year 1823 and the years 1824-1827 inclusive: Year 1823, Barnabas Al- len, Judge of Probate, (resigned) ; John Coon, Associate Justice, (did not accept) ; Lewis Parker, John Sandifer, Associate Justices; Robert Middleton, Wm. Thompson, James B. Satturfield, Duncan McLaurin (removed), Rob't C. Blount, Wm. N. Miller, Wm. S. Byrd, Justices of the Peace; John Coon, Assessor and Collector (Feb'y 13) ; John Coon, Sheriff (April 29) ; Reading Sessums, Cor-

oner ; Jacob Haley, Ranger ; John Watts, County Treasurer; John H. Wilson, Sheriff (Aug. 18) ; John Rhymes, Coroner (Aug. 18) ; John McLeod, County Surveyor; Years 1824-1827, John Welch, John Ellis, Seth Granberry, Associate Justices; Thomas Kellar, Resin W. Irwin, Judges of Probate; John E. Watts, County Trea- surer ; A. B. Ross, Ranger and Assessor and Collector; William Barnes, Notary Public; Abram Harper, Seth Cosley, James Ains- worth, Geo. Phillips, Elisha Greenlee, James Harrell, John Lott, Francis Tillman, Wm. S. Little, John Ellis, Jno. Pritchard, John Ricketts, Jos. Brown, John H. Wilson, Daniel McLaurin, Wm. F. Noble, Micajah Henry, Benjamin Thomas, Absolom Hanger, Wy-

564

MISSISSIPPI

ley B. Cassety, Stephen Pace, Wm. N. Miller, David Smith, Zeba- diah Guess, Baylus Richmond, Angus Ray, Elijah Wallace, S. D. Tillman and H. D. C. Lawrence, Justices of the Peace. The county has a land surface of 748 square miles. Until the formation of Simpson county, Coar's Springs, five miles east of Hazlehurst, was the temporary seat of justice, with Barnabas Allen as judge of the first orphans and probate court. During the 30's it was a prosper- ous watering place, and the Coar's, Welches and Howells were prominent families of the place. The historic old town of Gallatin next became the county seat 1824-1872. Among its early residents were "Uncle Billy" Cook, Morris Cook, and E. R. Brower, Circuit Clerks ; John Coar, Tom Holliday, John C. Wade and Wm. Haley, Sheriffs; Doctors Adams and Bush, and Albert Gallatin Brown, Judge E. G. Peyton, L. B. and Merry Harris, Judge H. B. Mayes, Judge "Jack" Millsaps, Judge Thos. A. Willis and Col. Ben King. The town is now almost obliterated. Georgetown is another old settlement, now extinct, but prominent in the early part of the 19th century. Here lived the Catchings, Allens, Harpers, Brileys, Brints and Chandlers.

The present county seat is the thriving town of Hazlehurst, which contains a population of 2,500 people and is located near the center of the county on the line of the Illinois Central railway. The town is near the southern part of the fertile fruit belt, which extends north to Holmes county, and is an impor- tant shipping point for fruits, vegetables, wool, hides and lumber. Other important towns in the county are Crystal Springs, contain- ing a population of 2,000 inhabitants, and long noted as the center of the largest fruit and vegetable growing interests in the State. The truck farms within a radius of six or seven miles of this town are the most extensive in the State and show what can be accom- plished on the fertile soils of Mississippi by methods of intensive farming. There were shipped in 1903, from Crystal Springs alone, 684 car loads, of which there were 325 car loads of tomatoes, 100 car loads of cabbage, 259 car loads of mixed fruits and vegetables. These were sent to every market in the United States, far enough north to be dependent on the South for early fruits and vegetables. The important town of Wesson, named for Col. J. M. Wesson, is situated near the southern border of the county and now contains a population of 3,500. Here is located the Wesson Cotton and Woolen Mills, founded in 1871, which have proved a phenomenal success and have been of inestimable value to the state at large by proving what can be done along this line in working up its raw

565

MISSISSIPPI

materials. The annual output of the mills is about one and one- half millions and they employ about 1,500 operatives. The towns of Beauregard, Gallman and Martinsville are prosperous little set- tlements. All of these cities and villages are located on the line of the Illinois Central railway which traverses the county from north to south giving them excellent shipping facil- ities. The important streams of the county are the Pearl river, which washes its eastern boundary and is navigable for about six months in the year; Foster's creek; Brushy creek; Bayou Pierre; Copiah creek and Bahala creek. The general surface of the county is level and undulating, with some hilly sections. There is a considerable timber growth, consisting of pine, red post and white oaks, hickory, elm, maple, poplar, gum and cypress. The soil is sandy and produces an abundance of cotton, corn, oats, wheat, sugar cane, sorghum, upland rice, potatoes, field peas, ground peas, vegetables and fruits of all kinds. The county is rapidly de- veloping into one of the richest agricultural and manufacturing counties in the State and is growing rapidly in wealth and popu- lation.

The United States census for 1900 shows that there were 4,500 farms embracing a total acreage of 216,224, of which 176,814 were improved ; the value of the land exclusive of buildings was $2,008,- 880, the value of the buildings $969,690, the value of the live stock $883,628 and the total value of the products $1,973,137. The total number of manufacturing establishments in the county in 1900 was 137, capitalized at $1,159,214 ; the total wages paid was $258,- 824; total cost of materials used $605,674 and the total value of the products $1,077,987. The total assessed valuation of real and personal property in the county in 1905 was $5,277,918 and in 1906 it was $6,298,133, which shows an increase during the year of $1,070,215. The population of the county for the year 1900 was whites 16,355, colored 18,040, a total of 34,395 and an increase over 1890 of 4,162. Copiah county polls more votes than any other county in the State and a conservative estimate of the population in 1906 was placed at 40,000. The county has over 800 miles of public highways on which it expends more money than any county in the State. It has numbers of fine steel bridges and has expended as much as $35,000 on their construction.

Coral, a postoffice of Lamar county.

Corinth, the capital of Alcorn county, is situated in the extreme northeastern part of the State, at the junction of the Southern, the Mobile & Ohio and the Mississippi & Alabama railroads. The

566

MISSISSIPPI

Corinth & Shiloh Electric Railway Co. contemplates building a trac- tion line from Corinth to the Tennessee river which will pass through the Shiloh National Park. There seems to be no doubt but that the line will soon be built and in operation. Corinth is the largest and most prosperous city in this section and is one of the most important manufacturing towns in the State. Here are lo- cated large iron, lumber and clothing works; The Corinth Engine and Boiler Works, the W. T. Adams Machine Company, and the Alcorn woolen mills are among its important industries. There are also large lumber and planing mills. The census for 1900 gives the following manufacturing statistics for Corinth; Number of manufactures, 30; capital $441,689 ; number of wage earners, 476; wages paid, $151,657; cost of materials used, $383,877; value of products, including custom work and repairing, $759,542. Two newspapers are published here; the Corinthian, a Democratic daily, established in 1897; also issues a weekly, which was established in 1894; The Herald, a Democratic weekly, established in 1877. J. C. Martin is editor and publisher of the Corinthian, and the Herald is published by the Herald Publishing Co .- R. B. Hollandsworth,' editor. There are three banks, the Tishomingo Savings Institu- tion, established in 1867; the Bank of Corinth, established in 1900; the Citizens Savings Bank, established in 1903. There is a large seminary, and ten churches, which include all the important de- nominations. Corinth was the scene of considerable fighting and military activity in 1862. Engagements were fought here April 8, May 17, and October 3 and 4 of that year.

The census of 1900 shows a very rapid growth for the city during the preceding ten years. It had a population of 2,111 in 1890, and 3,661 in 1900. In 1906 the population was estimated at 6,000.

In addition to those manufactures already named there are lo- cated here: two clothing mills, a chair factory, a steam laundry, a stave factory, a large brick m'f'g plant, a cement block factory, a large cotton-seed oil mill, and cotton gins, a cotton compress, an ice factory and bottling works. There are two electric lighting plants; also water works and sewerage systems owned and oper- ated by the city; two good hotels, two livery barns, and a large wholesale grocery house. The city streets are mostly macada- mized and have concrete sidewalks. Manufactures have more than doubled in the city in the last 5 years. The Masons, Odd Fellows, Knights of Honor, The Knights & Ladies of Honor, Knights of Pythias, Woodmen of the World, and the Elks, have lodges here.

567

MISSISSIPPI

Corinth, Battle of. See War of 1861-65, and Iuka, battle. Gen. Earl VanDorn, in command of the Army of West Tennessee, at Ripley, in September, 1862, about 22,000 strong, resolved to at- tack some part of Grant's army, nearly 50,000 strong, distributed along the line of the Memphis & Charleston railroad, from Memphis to Iuka, with headquarters at Jackson, Tenn. VanDorn selected Corinth as the point of attack. Gen. Rosecrans was there with 23,- 000 men under his command, but they were scattered somewhat, south to Rienzi, and east to Iuka. VanDorn first marched out to- ward Ripley and threatened Bolivar, Tenn., where there was part of Ord's command of 18,000. He occupied LaGrange, Tenn., and his cavalry advanced as far as Somerville. Grant decided, October 1, that VanDorn meant to attack Corinth, ordered Rosecrans to call in his outposts, and started Hurlbut from Bolivar to follow VanDorn, who crossed the Hatchie on the evening of Oct. 2, leav- ing Wirt Adams' cavalry to guard the wagon train, and marched to Chewalla, about ten miles from Corinth, driving back the Fed- eral outposts. At daybreak the march was resumed, following the railroad, and, as the old Confederate intrenchments were ap- proached, Price's corps formed in line of battle between the Mem- phis and Charleston and Mobile & Ohio railroads, with Lovell on his right. In Price's corps were the two divisions of Hebert and Maury. Under Hebert were Gates' Missouri brigade ; Hebert's brigade, under Col. W. B. Colbert of the 40th Mississippi, which included that regiment; and Martin's brigade (36th, 37th, 38th Miss. and 37th Ala.) These troops had recently fought at Iuka. In Maury's division, mainly from west of the Mississippi river, were Moore's brigade, including the 35th Mississippi regiment, and Cabell's and Pfifer's brigades. General Armstrong com- manded the cavalry of Price's corps, the regiments of Wirt Adams and Slemons. Lovell's corps was smaller-only three brigades of infantry, under Generals Rust, Villepigue and John S. Bowen, and one of cavalry, under Col. W. H. Jackson, of Tennessee. The 33d and 39th Mississippi were with Villepigue; Bowen's brigade was made up of his regiment, the 1st Missouri, and the 6th, 15th and 22d regiments and Carruther's battalion, Mississippi infantry. The 1st regiment Mississippi cavalry was with Jackson, and the Pettus artillery was one of the thirteen batteries of the army.

The attack upon the old outer line of intrenchments, three miles from Corinth, was begun about 10 o'clock, Oct. 3. In spite of the fallen timber that protected the works, the whole line was carried by half-past one, and several pieces of artillery taken. Price pushed

568

MISSISSIPPI

on within about a mile of Corinth, where, about three p. m., a sec- ond line was encountered, with artillery posted on the elevations, which wrought havoc in the exposed Confederate lines. After a fight of two hours, the enemy gave way and fell back into the inner- most intrenchments around the town. At the same time Lovell drove the enemy across Indian Creek, carried the Federal rifle pits and a strong redoubt, and at the close of the day was in touch with Price, and south of the railroad. That night, the Confederates, so far victorious, slept upon their arms within six hundred yards of Corinth. But the loss had been heavy. Col. John D. Martin, who had long been performing the duties of a brigadier-general, fell mortally wounded at the first line of intrenchments. Price wrote of him: "The gallant bearing of this officer upon more than one bloody field had won for him a place in the heart of every Mis- sissippian and the admiration and confidence of his superior of- ficers." The troops were exhausted by marching and fighting through an intensely hot day. The Federals had suffered heavily also, mainly in Davies' division, which had born the brunt of the assault, and lost a fourth of its strength, including General Hackle- man killed and General Oglesby, desperately wounded. Hamilton's division, sent by Rosecrans north on the Mobile & Ohio to guard against a flank attack, was brought back in the evening and struck Price's left flank, causing some confusion. Meanwhile, Hurlbut was coming from Bolivar and McPherson from Jackson, Tenn., with a brigade on railroad trains, but they did not reach the field until the battle was over next day.

Rosecrans spent all night posting his men and guns to resist the attack expected in the morning. In fact, the question of success was settled when the gallant Confederates, after marching ten miles over a dusty road, without water to drink, were compelled to pause before the new and skillfully defended intrenchments about Corinth. "One hour more of daylight and victory would have soothed our grief for the loss of the gallant dead," said VanDorn in his report; and Rosecrans bewailed it also, in his report, for he needed it, he said, to throw Hamilton's division against the Confed- erate flank. VanDorn did not have his army well in hand in the morning. He ordered a general assault at daybreak, but it was nine o'clock before Price's corps attacked. Lovell did not go into battle at all, except to repulse a skirmish line attack. Price could not use artillery. The infantry must attack unaided, and could do nothing but demonstrate the daring of the American soldier. The fighting was terrific in front of battery Robinett, at the Federal center.

569

MISSISSIPPI

Gates' brigade went up to the works and into them, but was com- pelled to fall back. Cabell's men pushed up to the cannons' mouths, but were driven back.

Of the third and last assault Rosecrans wrote: "The head of the enemy's main column reached within a few feet of Battery Rob- inett, and Col. Rogers, who was leading it, colors in hand, dis- mounted, planted a flagstaff on the back of the ditch, and fell there, shot by one of our drummer-boys, who, with a pistol, was helping to defend Robinett. I was told he was the fifth standard- bearer who had fallen in the last desperate charge. It was about as good fighting on the part of the Confederates as I ever saw. The columns were plowed through and through by our shot, but steadily closed up and moved solidly until forced back." Just after this last assault, Rosecrans walked among the dead and dying and offered a drink to a wounded Arkansas lieutenant and talked with him of the fight. "Yes, General," said the Arkansan, "you licked us good, but we gave you the best we had in the ranch."

Other brigades of Price's corps took battery Powell, captured a battery of light artillery, took possession of the Tishomingo hotel and other buildings in the town, and held briefly a lot of the reserve artillery. But they were soon overwhelmed and driven out or captured. Rosecrans related that he saw a gallery full of Con- federate soldiers swept away by one discharge of grape and canis- ter. A Confederate officer wrote that when they got into Corinth the Federals swallowed up seven brigades of good fighting men in about twenty minutes.

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.

Mississippi : comprising sketches of towns, events, institutions, and persons, arranged in cyclopedic form Vol. I, Part 57

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