USA > Mississippi > Mississippi : comprising sketches of towns, events, institutions, and persons, arranged in cyclopedic form Vol. I > Part 59
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By 1886 the company controlled 131 mills, constituting 88 per cent of the crushing mills in the United States, and having certifi- cates to the amount of $40,000,000 outstanding. In 1890, as a re- sult of the popular agitation and the laws enacted to prevent mo- nopolies, it was transformed into the American Cotton Oil Com- pany, which is the title of the organization which now controls the industry. (See "The Cotton Oil Industry," by W. D. Shue, M. H. S. Pub. VIII, 253.)
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In Longino's administration suit was brought against sixteen cotton oil mills in the State, to revoke their charters because of al- leged conspiracy to violate the anti-trust laws of the State. After an adverse ruling the attorney-general appealed to the supreme court, where it was held that suits could be instituted only in the domicile of each defendant.
In 1901 there were 41 cotton seed oil mills in Mississippi, out of 357 in the South. They produced 15,000,000 gallons of oil, val- ued at $3,364,000; 141,500 tons of cake and meal, valued at $2,- 618,000 ; 185,000 tons of hulls, valued at $146,000; 9,200,000 pounds of linters (short lint), valued at $75,000. The total cotton seed production of the State was estimated at 500,000 pounds, valued at $8,000,000, or one-sixth the value of the cotton. The hulls are used for paper, but are mainly mixed with meal for cattle feed, and the meal is also used as a fertilizer. The linters are used for cotton batting. The oil goes into soap, butter and salad oils, lard and cottolene.
Cottonville, a post-hamlet in the western part of Tate county, near the Coldwater river, and about 18 miles from Senatobia, the county seat.
Coulter, a postoffice of Yalobusha county.
Counties. The counties of the State now number seventy-eight in all, and may be conveniently grouped according to the historical order of their formation from the Natchez District, the early Choc- taw Indian cessions, the District of Mobile, and the later Choctaw and Chickasaw Indian cessions.
The Natchez District, containing the principal white population of the new Territory of Mississippi, was first divided into the coun- ties of Adams and Pickering, April 2, 1799, and the dividing line was nearly the same as the present boundary between Adams and Jefferson. From the area contained in the Natchez District were subsequently erected the counties of Wilkinson, Claiborne, Amite, Franklin, and Warren counties, named in the order of their crea- tion, being seven counties in all.
By the treaty of Mount Dexter, concluded Nov. 16, 1805, the Choctaws ceded to the United States an extensive area in the south- ern portion of the Territory, between the Amite and Tombigbee rivers, comprising 5,987,000 acres, and lying north of the thirty- first parallel of latitude. From this area, roughly speaking, were formed, by the year 1826, beginning with the county of Wayne, which was established December 21, 1809, the counties of Wayne, Greene, Marion, Lawrence, Pike, Covington, Perry, and Jones,
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and the new counties of Lincoln, Lamar and Forrest, established 1870, 1904 and 1906, or a total of eleven counties.
The Gulf portion of the State, comprising the counties of Han- cock, Harrison, Pearl River, and Jackson, was formerly embraced in the District of Mobile, and was not annexed to the Territory of Mississippi until May 14, 1812, when the legislature promptly organized the new acquisition into the counties of Hancock and Jackson, May 14, 1812. These counties were divided in 1841 to form Harrison, and in 1890, Hancock was again divided to form Pearl River county and Harrison to form Jefferson Davis. While these counties are younger, in point of establishment, than those of the Natchez District, they were settled by the whites at an even earlier date.
Sept. 20, 1816, the Chickasaw Indians ceded to the United States, by the Treaty of Chickasaw Council House, 408,000 acres, lying upon the eastern tributaries of the upper Tombigbee river. This area was erected into the large county of Monroe Feb. 9, 1821, and nine years later, Jan. 30, 1830, the southern part was taken to form the county of Lowndes. After the Choctaw cession of 1830 and the Chickasaw cession of 1832, the limits of these two counties were considerably extended, so as to include a part of those ces- sions, west of the Tombigbee.
By the Treaty of Doak's Stand, Oct. 20, 1820, the Choctaws ceded to the United States an extensive scope of country, long known as "The New Purchase," north of the Mount Dexter treaty line, and bounded on the north by the present northern boundary line of Holmes county, and a line running northwesterly, from the Yazoo river, on the western boundary of Holmes county, to a point one mile below the mouth of the Arkansas river, on the Mississippi ; and on the east by a line running a little west of north, from the eastern boundary of Simpson county, to the northern boundary of Holmes county. In this cession were included a total of 5,447,- 267 acres. All this area was first erected into the county of Hinds, Feb. 12, 1821. Later it was subdivided to form the counties of Yazoo and Copiah in 1823, Simpson (1824), Washington (1827), Madison and Rankin (1828), Holmes (1833), Issaquena (1844), and Sharkey (1876), or ten counties in all.
The remaining lands of the Choctaws in the middle portion of the State were finally ceded by the Treaty, of Dancing Rabbit Creek, concluded September 27, 1830. This large area of land was erected into sixteen large counties by the act of December 23, 1833, to-wit: Noxubee, Kemper, Lauderdale, Clarke, Oktibbeha,
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Winston, Choctaw, Tallahatchie, Yalobusha, Carroll, Jasper, Nesh- oba, Smith, Scott, Leake, Attala. Bolivar and Coahoma counties were not erected until the organization of the last Chickasaw ces- sion into counties, in 1836, though most of their area lies within this Choctaw territorial group. Newton was also established in 1836, from the lower half of Neshoba county. No new counties were formed from this area until 1844, when Leflore county was es- tablished, and finally, during the years 1870-1877, the counties of Grenada, Webster, Leflore, and Quitman were created.
The Treaty of Pontotoc, Oct. 20, 1832, finally extinguished the title of the Chickasaws to all their lands east of the Mississippi. This immense territory, comprising the entire northern portion of the State, was divided into twelve counties Feb. 9, 1836, when the following counties were formed: Tishomingo, Itawamba, Tippah, Pontotoc, Chickasaw, Marshall, Lafayette, DeSoto, Panola, Tunica, Coahoma and Bolivar, though the last two should be properly grouped with the Choctaw cession of 1830. Calhoun county was formed in 1852, and it was not until 1866, when Lee county was created, that this area was further subdivided into counties. Ben- ton, Union, Alcorn and Prentiss counties were established in 1870, Clay in 1871 and Tate in 1873.
It thus appears that all the territory of Mississippi was not organized into counties until the year 1836, when the last Indian cession was divided by the legislature. It will be noted also, that the earliest county organization obtained along the Mississippi river in the southwestern part of the State, and that the northern section of the State was the last to be settled and organized into counties. (See each county treated separately.)
Counties, Indian names of. The following statement of the deri- vation of the Indian names of counties is condensed from the paper by H. S. Halbert, (Department Reports, 1896-97) : .
Choctaw words frequently occurring are Oka, water, and Bok, (bogue), creek.
Attala-not an Indian name, merely the invention of Chateau- briand, the novelist.
Chickasaw, from chikasha, rebellion, probably referring to the separation of the nation from the Creeks and Choctaws.
Chocktaw, originally Chahta, the second h having a strong gut- tural sound. According to best authorities it means "separation," similarly to Chikasha.
Coahoma, a rather common name for a man throughout the Mus- cogee peoples, in Choctaw, Ko-i, (panther), Hom-ma, (red).
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Copiah, from Choctaw Ko-i (panther) and paya (to call out). Probably from Koi paya bok, or Calling Panther creek.
Issaquena, from Issa (deer), and okhina, the poetical name of river-oka hina, (water road), the common name for river being hachcha, corrupted to hatchee.
Itawamba, seems to be a man's name, and Choctaw scholars are unable to discover its meaning.
Neshoba (properly Nashoba), means wolf.
Noxubee, from Oka nakshobi, stinking water, meaning the smell from overflows in summer, which present inhabitants are familiar with. The etymology given in Claiborne's History is purely fic- titious, and the legend an invention.
Oktibbeha, from the name of a creek now known as the Tibbee.
Oktibbeha is compounded from okti (ice), and abeha (therein). There is a tradition that once, long ago, after a severe winter, the river was full of floating ice.
Panola, from ponola (cotton).
Pontotoc, from Ponte (name of a weed) and oktah, prairie.
Tallahatchie, from tali (rock) and hachche, (river).
Tippah, from tapa (cutoff).
Tishomingo, from Chickasaw Tishu (warrior) mingo (chief).
Tunica, from the name (meaning in their language, the people) of a tribe who emigrated from Mississippi in 1817.
Yalobusha, from yaloba (tadpole) asha (is there), or tadpole place.
Yazoo, from the Yazoo tribe, who were incorporated in the Chickasaw nation in 1836. There is no evidence whatever that the word signifies "river of death," as imaginatively said. The word had no significance in the native speech of the tribe, nor in the Choctaw, though the latter had a clan called Yashu okla, or Yazoo people. "The best supposition is that the name must be sought in the Uchee tongue, in which Yashu signifies leaf. The Uchees claim that they were the most ancient inhabitants of the Gulf states, and they gave some names to streams in Mississippi, that are prehistoric." In all these words, o has the long sound, and a the sound of ah. In okhina, abeha, and nakshobi the accent is on the last syllable. The first a in asha has a slight nasal sound.
Couparle, a post-hamlet of Madison county, about 24 miles north- east of Canton. It has a money order postoffice, and a church. Population in 1900, 56.
Courtland is an incorporated post-town in the southern part of Panola county, on the Illinois Central R. R., 64 miles south of
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Memphis, and 6 miles south of Batesville, one of the county seats of justice. The town was laid out in 1867 on the land of Col. W. B. Johnson. Its first merchant was M. H. Trentham ; its first doc- tor, W. B. Wall, and some of the other pioneers were A. D. Mc- Gill and Adolph Canslor. Courtland has a money order postoffice, and is supplied with express, telegraph and banking facilities. The Bank of Courtland was founded in 1904 with a capital of $10,000. It has three churches and a good school, and among its industries are a cotton gin, and a brick and tile plant (now (1906) in course of construction). It ships annually about 3,000 bales of cotton. The total assessed valuation of property, both real and personal, is $127,282, and the tax rate is 3 mills. Its population in 1906 was estimated at 350.
Court Reports and Digests. The first reporter of the decisions of the High Court was Robert J. Walker, who published one vol- ume, 1834, covering the opinions from 1817 to 1832, enriched by learned notes. Robert Hughes, the next reporter, made no publi- cation. Volney E. Howard, appointed in the latter part of 1837, published seven volumes before his retirement in 1843. The next reporters, William C. Smedes and Thomas A. Marshall, were in office until July, 1851, and published 14 volumes. The legislature assumed the election of the reporter previous to their retirement. John F. Cushman, chosen by the legislature, published volume 23, and the six succeeding, and began the entitling, "Mississippi Re- ports." James Z. George held the office in 1855-61, and published ten volumes. (See sketch by Edward Mayes, in Memoirs of Mis- sissippi, I, 119).
"The first series of reports issued after the war were those of Reuben O. Reynolds-the 40th to 42d Mississippi. They embrace all of the decisions made subsequent to the war and prior to the reorganization of 1870." (Mayes) Joshua S. Morris, attorney-gen- eral, published six volumes, ending with the April term, 1873, also a compilation of all the opinions in criminal cases up to date, as authorized by the legislature in 1870. This volume is known as "Mississippi State Cases." George E. Harris, attorney-general, and G. H. Simrall published four volumes, ending in the October term, 1876. Joseph A. Brown and J. B. H. Hemingway published thirteen volumes, ending in October, 1888. L. Brame and Charlton H. Alexander published volumes 56 to 73; T. A. McWillie, vol- umes 74 to 85.
The first digest of the reports of decisions of the Supreme court and High court was prepared by W. C. Smedes, covering the de-
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cisions of 1818 to 1847, and published by Little & Brown, Boston, in 1847. The next digest was prepared by James Z. George, while court reporter, assisted by Judge Clayton, who prepared the chap- ter on "Limitation of Estates," and William R. Barksdale, "Crim- inal Law." This digest, covering the period from 1818, was pub- lished in 1872. A supplementary digest was published by Garnett Andrews in 1881, and D. W. Heidelberg covered the same period and on to time of publication, in his digest of 1888.
In 1898 the legislature authorized the purchase of 500 volumes of a digest of the Supreme court decisions (volumes 45 to 73) to be published by Brame & Alexander, and the governor, attorney- general and justices of the supreme court, were appointed to super- vise the same. This digest was published in 1899. (Also see Chancery Court).
Courts. See Judicary, High Court, Supreme court, Chancery court.
Covington County is situated in the south central part of the State and was established January 5, 1819, a short time after Mis- sissippi became a State from the counties of Lawrence and Wayne. Its name was given in honor of Gen. Leonard Covington. It is bounded on the west by the county of Lawrence, the old Choctaw boundary forms its northern line and separates it from Simpson and Smith counties. The county of Jones bounds it on the east and the counties of Marion and Perry on the south. It is now al- most a perfect square, the county seat being located at Williams- burg at the very center. The original act defined its boundaries as follows :- "Beginning on the eastern boundary of the eighteenth range line where it intersects the southern boundary line of Law- rence county ; thence north along the said range line to its intersec- tion with the dividing ridge between the waters of Leaf and Pearl rivers; thence along the summit of said ridge to its intersection with the Choctaw boundary line; thence easterly along that line to the eastern boundary of the tenth range line; thence south along the said range line to its intersection with the northern boun- dary of Greene county ; thence west along the said line to the cor- ner of the said county of Greene; thence along the fifth parallel township line to where the same intersects the eighteenth range line." In 1825 the dividing line between Covington and Lawrence was declared to be: "beginning on the eastern boundary of the 18th range line, where it now intersects the northern boundary of the 5th township line; thence due west four miles; thence due north to Simpson county line." In 1826 all that part of Covington
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lying east of the center of range 14 was taken to form part of the county of Jones. The present line between Covington and Law- rence has been fixed at a line drawn north from the southwest corner of section 33, township 6, range 18 west, to the old Choctaw boundary line. Its present area is about 16 townships or 577 square miles. The following is a list of the county officers during the year 1819, when the county was first organized: John Shipp, John Snow, Thomas Colbert, Isaac Boles, Joseph McAfee, Justices of the Quorum; John B. Low, John C. Thomas, Uriah Flowers, Abb. L. Hattin, Duncan Thompson, Justices of the Peace; Gowen Harris, Assessor and Collector; William Bud, Sheriff; Stephen Shelton, Coroner ; Norwell Robertson, Sr., County Treasurer ; Norwell Rob- ertson, Jun. Ranger ; John Graves, Sr., County Surveyor ; Archibald McPherson, Joshua Terril, Richard Flowers, Wm. Ducksworth, Constables.
Some of the other towns in the county are Seminary, Pickering, Sanford, Collins and Mt. Olive, all on the line of the Gulf and Ship Island R. R., which crosses the entire county in a southeaster- ly direction. The Mississippi Central R. R., from Hattiesburg in Perry county, also crosses the extreme southwestern border of the county and is projected to extend west to the Mississippi at Natchez. The county is watered by quite a number of creeks, the largest being Okatoma and Bowie creeks tributaries of the Leaf river. The general surface of the region is undulating and there are extensive areas of valuable long leaf or yellow pine on the uplands, and oaks, hickory, ash, beech, magnolia, etc. along the creek bottoms. The soil is that common to the long leaf pine region and is rather thin and sandy except in the bottoms, which are very fertile. It produces cotton, corn, oats, potatoes, sugar cane, sorghum, ground peas, field peas, and a great variety of veg- etables and fruits. The county, though a very old one, developed slowly. Since the advent of the railroads a few years ago it has been much more prosperous and many new settlers have located within its borders. One result being the rapid exploitation of its valuable forests.
The United States census for 1900 shows that there were 1,966 farms with a total acreage of 252,427, of which 59,664 acres were improved. The value of the land was placed at $794,470, exclusive of the buildings, value of the buildings $455,870, value of the live stock $384,465 and the total value of farm products not fed to stock $748,350. The total number of manufacturing establishments in the county is given at 42, total capital invested $276,521, total
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wages paid $80,399, cost of materials $124,998 and total value of products $336,878. The total assessed valuation of real and personal property in the county in 1905 was $2,896,869 and in 1906 it was $4,252,753, which shows an increase of $1,355,884 during the year. The population in 1900 consisted of whites 8,471, colored 4,605, a total of 13,076 and an increase over 1890 of 4,777. The population has greatly increased since 1900 and in 1906 was estimated to be at least 20,000.
Artesian water has been found in various parts of the county- notably at Collins, Mount Olive and Mish.
Covington, Leonard, native of Maryland; entered the United States army in 1792, in the light dragoons; was promoted rapidly to lieutenant and captain ; had a horse shot under him at Fort Re- covery, Ohio, and was distinguished for gallantry at the battle of the Maumee, 1794. Resigning in 1795 he returned to Maryland, and was elected to congress from the St. George district. He returned to the service when there was danger of war with England in 1809, as colonel of light dragoons, and was for a time stationed in Mississippi territory, where Gov. Holmes called him in consul- tation at the beginning of the Creek war. He was promoted to brigadier-general August 1, 1813, and called to the Canadian fron- tier, where he participated in the unfortunate campaign of Gen. Wilkinson, and was' mortally wounded in the battle of Chrysler's field, Nov. 11, 1813, dying three days later. He was riding a white charger, cheering his men to attack the British intrenchments, when he fell. At that time his wife and six children were making their home with Alexander Covington near the town of Washing- ton, where they continued to reside. Levin, a son of Gen. Coving- ton, became judge of probate of Adams county ; a daughter married the well known geologist and author, B. L. C. Wailes. Alexander Covington, a brother of the general, was a native of Prince George's, Va., resided in Mississippi forty years, was a man of great intelli- gence and social powers, served as county judge many years, and died at Warren City, Oct. 16, 1848, aged 71 years.
Cox, a postoffice of Pontotoc county, 6 miles northeast of Pon- totoc, the county seat.
Cox, John C., originally a surgeon in the British army, settled in the town of Washington before the war of 1812. He was a man of some eccentricity, but of very decided talents and great emi- nence in his profession. "As a surgeon and physician he never had his superior in the South." His son, William R. Cox, a man of
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great ability and noble traits of character, was a surgeon in the war of 1813, but died early in his career.
Coxburg, a post-hamlet of Holmes county, about 12 miles south- west of Lexington, the county seat. Eden is the nearest railroad station. Population in 1900, 50.
Coxe, Daniel, see Carolana.
Coy, a postoffice in the northeastern corner of Neshoba county, about 15 miles from Philadelphia, the county seat. Population in 1900, 21.
Coyt, a postoffice in the extreme northeastern corner of Wayne county, on the Alabama boundary line, about 20 miles from Waynesboro, the county seat.
Crab, a hamlet of Jones county, 5 miles west of Ellisville, the county seat. It has rural free delivery from Ellisville.
Craft, a post office of Smith county.
Craft, Mijaman Sidney, was born at Jackson, Miss., Aug. 6, 1827; was graduated in medicine at the University of Louisville ; began the practice at Jackson in 1853; was commissioned surgeon in the Confederate States army May 18, 1861, and assigned to the 12th regiment, with which he served in the Army of Northern Vir- ginia until Feb. 6, 1865, when he reported for duty to Medical Director Scott at Meridian. Resuming his practice at Jackson in 1865, he was one of the founders of the State medical association and its third president ; made a collection of reports of surgery in Mississippi, and contributed many valuable papers to medical publications ; in 1878 was appointed one of the committee selected under an act of congress to investigate the yellow fever. He died at Jackson, April 8, 1888.
Craig, a post-hamlet of Yazoo County, situated on Silver creek, 15 miles northwest of Yazoo City. Population in 1900, 100; esti- mated in 1906 to be about 300.
Crane, a hamlet of Clarke county, about 10 miles southwest of Quitman, the county seat. It has rural free delivery from Quit- man. Population in 1900, 15.
Crawford, an incorporated post-town, and a thriving station on the Mobile & Ohio R. R., in the southwestern part of Lowndes county, about 18 miles southwest of Columbus. Brookville, 6 miles south by rail, is the nearest banking town. The town was named for the Reverend Crawford, a Baptist minister. It has four churches and an academy, and a money order postoffice. Popula- tion in 1900 was 389.
Creek, a postoffice of Attala county.
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Crenshaw, a post-hamlet in the northwestern part of Panola coun- ty, on the Yazoo & Mississippi Valley R. R., about 18 miles west of Sardis. It has several good stores, a bank, an oil mill and cotton- gin combined, churches and good schools. The Bank of Cren- shaw was established in 1905. The population in 1906 was esti- mated at about 600.
Crescent, a postoffice in the southwestern part of Noxubee coun- ty, about 18 miles from Macon, the county seat.
Crevi, a post-hamlet in the northern part of Tallahatchie county, 12 miles north of Charleston, the county seat. Population in 1900, 21.
Crews, a post-hamlet of Tunica county, about 14 miles southwest of Tunica, the county seat. Population in 1900, 43.
Criss, a postoffice of Yalobusha county, 6 miles east of Coffee- ville, one of the county seats of justice.
Crockett, a postoffice of Tate county, 6 miles west of Senatobia, the county seat, and nearest railroad and banking town.
Crosby, a postoffice of Jones county, about 8 miles southwest of Ellisville, the county seat, and on the west bank of the Leaf river.
Crossroads, a post-hamlet of Jackson county, on Beaverdam creek, a tributary of the Pascagoula river, 40 miles north of Pas- cagoula, the county seat. Eubank station on the Mobile, Jackson & Kansas City R. R. is the nearest railroad town. Population in 1900, 200.
Crottstown, a postoffice of Jones county.
Crowsville, a post-hamlet of Choctaw county, 7 miles north- west of Chester, the county seat. Tomnolen station on the South- ern Ry. is the nearest railroad town.
Crozat Grant. The French settlements on the Gulf of Mexico, established by d'Iberville and Bienville, from 1699-1712, continued very small and feeble. Population remained almost at a standstill ; in the whole colony, there were not more than 400 persons, 20 of whom were negroes. The French-Canadian traders were an un- stable element among the colonists and came and went at will. There were very few women. Provisions had become so scarce in the colony in 1710 that the men were actually distributed around among the Indians in order that they might obtain food. Bienville, indeed, had done his best to advance the interests of his sovereign, though constantly charged by his enemies with acts of mismanage- ment and oppression. He had been indefatigable in his efforts to establish friendly relations with the various Indian tribes of Mis- sissippi, Alabama, and Louisiana, and had thoroughly explored the
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