Mississippi : comprising sketches of towns, events, institutions, and persons, arranged in cyclopedic form Vol. I, Part 83

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 83

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).

June 7, 1813, Gov. Holmes wrote to Col. John Steele, "From the time I heard of the serious indisposition of Colonel Girault I have been determined, in case it should eventuate in his death, which has happened, to alleviate the misfortune to his family by conferring upon one of his sons the appointment which he held, and the duties of which he discharged with so much credit to him- self and utility to the community." His son who was acting as deputy clerk was not of age, however, and the elder son lived in New Orleans. But the governor had some plan for arranging the matter which he did not put on record, but entrusted to Secretary Dangerfield and Col. Steele. Col. Girault died at Bayou St. John, May 28, 1813, in his 58th year.

Gitano, a post-hamlet in the northwestern part of Jones county, and a station on the Gulf & Ship Island R. R., 12 miles from Laurel, the county seat and nearest banking town. Population in 1900, 20.

Glade, a postoffice of Pearl River county, on the New Orleans & North Eastern R. R., 4 miles southwest of Poplarville, the county seat. There is a saw milling plant located here and the population in 1906 was estimated at 50.

Gladhurst, a postoffice of Pike county, about 10 miles southeast of Magnolia, the county seat.

Gladys, a postoffice of Jones county, situated on the Leaf River, about 15 miles northwest of Ellisville, the county seat.

Glancy, a postoffice of Copiah county.

Glass, a post-hamlet of Warren county, on the Yazoo & Missis- sippi Valley R. R., 10 miles south of Vicksburg. Population in 1900, 20.

Glaston, a postoffice of Jones county, 10 miles northeast of Ellis- ville, the county seat.

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Glen, a hamlet in the eastern part of Alcorn county, on the Southern Railway, 7 miles southeast of Corinth, the county seat. A money order postoffice is maintained here.

Glenallan, a post-village of Washington county, situated on Wash- ington Lake, and a station on the Riverside division of the Yazoo & Mississippi Valley R. R., 28 miles south of Greenville. It is in a rich cotton growing section. A money order postoffice is main- tained here. Has a large cotton seed oil mill. Population in 1900, 150; estimated in 1906 to be 300.

Glendora, a post-village in the southern part of Tallahatchie county, on the Yazoo & Mississippi Valley R. R., about 20 miles southwest of Charleston, the county seat. Webb station, 12 miles to the north, is the nearest banking town. It has a money order postoffice. Population in 1900, 100; the population in 1906 was estimated at 175.

Glenfield, a postoffice of Union county, two miles northwest of New Albany, the county seat.

Glenn, David Chalmers, was born in North Carolina about 1824, and after the death of his father, was brought to Mississippi in infancy. He read law with his uncle, J. W. Chalmers, partner of Roger Barton, at Holly Springs, and was admitted to the bar at the age of 18. He was a Democrat and became well known through- out the State as an orator in the campaign of 1844. In the fall of that year he moved to Jackson. In 1848 he was again a brilliant campaigner, and in 1847 was elected attorney-general, and re- elected on the expiration of his term. Subsequently he made his home on the sea shore in Harrison county. He was prominent as a "Resister" orator in 1850-51, and again in the campaign of 1860; was a delegate to the Charleston convention, and a member of the secession convention of January, 1861, being one of the leaders of the secession movement. He died early in January, 1869. "There was a magnetism about him, both charming and irresisti- ble." His voice was "of surpassing power and sweetness," his orations were adorned with vivid pictures of imagination, and the power of voice and insinuating manner worked wonders with wit- nesses in court.

Glenville, a postoffice in the extreme northeastern part of Panola county, about 10 miles from Sardis, one of the two seats of justice for Panola county.

Gloster, an incorporated post-town in the western part of Amite county, on the divide between the branches of the Mississippi and the Amite rivers. It is an important station on the Yazoo & Mis- sissippi Valley R. R., 15 miles west of Liberty, the county seat, and 144 miles north of New Orleans. The town was laid out in 1883 in what was then a pine forest, and is now a thriving little city with a considerable cotton and lumber shipping business. It has telegraph, express, telephones, water works, electricity, two hotels and two banks. The Bank of Gloster was established here in 1898; The Citizens Bank was established in 1905. The Valley Record, a Democratic weekly, was established in 1888, W. D. Caul-

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field being the present owner and publisher. It has fine school buildings and a school year of nine months. All the principal re- ligious denominations maintain churches here. Among its manu- facturing enterprises are an oil mill, ice and bottling works, and cotton compress. It has a city debt of $29,000 ; a property valuation of $368,430 ; a tax rate of 10 mills; population in 1900, 1661. The population in 1906 was estimated at 2,000.

Glover, a postoffice in the western part of De Soto county, and a station on the Yazoo & Mississippi Valley R. R., 14 miles north- west of Hernando, the county seat.

Golden, a hamlet in the extreme southeastern part of Tishomingo county, on Big Bear Creek, 24 miles south of Iuka, the county seat. The postoffice here was discontinued in 1905, and it now has rural free delivery from Dennis.

Gomez, a post-hamlet of Lafayette county, 10 miles northwest of Oxford, the county seat.

Good Roads. The first good roads convention in the State was held at Jackson in the spring of 1901, J. A. Redhead president, with 42 counties represented. The movement was encouraged by the running of a special train over the Illinois Central system, in order to demonstrate at various places the modern methods and ap- pliances for the improvement of roads. A road improvement sys- tem, known as the Road Contract law, was passed in 1900, the adoption of which was optional with the counties. It has been ruled that counties having adopted the same are not bound to adopt the road law under the code of 1902. Under the law of 1900 a county road commissioner was authorized.

Goode, a postoffice in the southwestern part of Tate county, on Kirksy Creek, about 14 miles west of Senatobia, the county seat.

Goodfood, a hamlet of Pontotoc county, about 10 miles southeast of Pontotoc, the capital of the county. The postoffice here was discontinued in 1905, and it now has rural free delivery from Pontotoc. 1

Goodhope, a post-hamlet of Leake county, 20 miles north of Morton Railroad station, on the Alabama & Vicksburg R. R., and 10 miles southwest of Carthage, the county seat. It has two churches. Population in 1900, 100.

Goodluck, a postoffice of Perry county.

Goodman, an incorporated post-town in Holmes county, 51 miles northeast of Jackson, on the Illinois Central R. R. It was named for the first president of the Mississippi Central R. R. It is in a fine cotton district, and ships a large quantity of this staple an- nually. It has 3 churches, a high school, a cotton gin, a lumber mill, an express office, a telegraph office, and a bank, the Bank of Good- man, established in 1900 with a capital stock of $24,200. Popula- tion in 1900, 442 ; estimated at 600 in 1906.

Goodwater, a post-hamlet in the southwestern part of Clarke county, 15 miles from Quitman, the county seat. Population in 1900, 20.

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Gordon, James, was born in Monroe county, Miss., Dec. 6, 1833, son of Robert Gordon. He was graduated at Oxford in 1855, mar- ried a daughter of Yancey Wiley, of Oxford, and inherited from his father the plantation home, "Lochinvar," near Pontotoc. He or- ganized a company of cavalry in 1861, known as the Chickasaw Rangers, with which he entered the Confederate service as captain, his company becoming part of Martin's battalion in Virginia, and later of the Jeff Davis legion. Returning to Mississippi in 1862, he recruited the 2d cavalry regiment, with which he took a con- spicuous part in VanDorn's Corinth campaign, and the later events of the war. At the battle Thompson's Station, Tenn., early in 1863, he was the captor of Gen. Shafter, then a regimental officer. Gen. John S. Coburn presented Gordon his sword, in appreciation of courtesies shown, and later in the year this token served to pro- tect the colonel's home from Grierson's raiders. In 1864 Col. Gor- don was in England on a naval mission; later he was a prisoner of war, and on secret service in Canada under Jacob Thompson, his wife's uncle. In recent years he has made his home at Okolona. He was a representative in the legislature, 1857, 1878 and 1886, and was elected to the senate in 1903.

Gordon, Robert, a younger son of one of the ancient Scotch families of that name, travelling in America for adventure, was present at the treaty with the Chickasaws in 1832, and signed as a witness. When the land agency was opened at Pontotoc, he speculated in land, buying and selling, and, taking to wife Elizabeth Walton, of a noted Virginia family, made his home on a section acquired from an Indian woman, Mollie Gunn. On the highest hill in Pontotoc county he built the famous plantation home of "Lochinvar." He became one of the wealthiest planters of the State, his property being estimated at $1,600,000, and was the founder of the city of Aberdeen.

Goshen Springs, a postoffice of Rankin county, 15 miles north of Brandon, the county seat.

Goss, a post-hamlet of Marion county, on the Gulf & Ship Island R. R., 8 miles northwest of Columbia, the county seat. Population in 1900, 28.

Gossett, a hamlet of Tippah county, 7 miles east of Ripley, the county seat and nearest railroad and banking town. The postoffice here was discontinued in 1905, and it now has rural free delivery from Ripley.

Govan, George M., was born in Marshall county, Miss., Oct. 30, 1840, son of Andrew M. Govan, of Holly Springs, who was a native of South Carolina, and a congressman from the Orange- burg district in 1826. A sister of George M., was the wife of Gen. C. H. Mott. A brother, Andrew R., lieutenant-colonel of the 7th Mississippi, was killed at Chickamauga. George M. left school at St. Thomas hall in 1861, and went to Pensacola, with one of the companies later assigned to the 7th regiment, and when the en- listment of that regiment expired, he raised a company for the 9th regiment and was elected first lieutenant. He was afterward in-

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spector-general of Walthall's commands, brigade and division, until, in North Carolina in 1865, he was made major of the regiment reorganized from the fragments of Walthall's old brigade. He was clerk of the lower house of the legislature in 1876-78; in 1880 he made his home at McComb City, where he was secretary and treas- urer of the Mississippi Valley company ; he was elected to the leg- islature in 1884, and in 1885 was elected secretary of state, and served in that capacity from Jan. 14, 1886 to Jan. 20, 1896. In the spring of 1898 he was commissioned colonel of the 1st Miss. vol- unteers during the war with Spain, and served until the regiment was mustered out late in that year. He died at McComb City in July, 1899, and was buried at Holly Springs.

Goza, a post-hamlet of Copiah county, 18 miles west of Hazle- hurst, the county seat. Population in 1900, 22.

Grace, a village in the northeastern part of Issaquena county, about 8 miles from Mayersville, the county seat. Rolling Fork is the nearest banking town. It has a money order postoffice. Popu- lation in 1900, 70.

Grady, a post-hamlet of Webster county, on the Southern Ry., 3 miles southwest of Eupora, the nearest banking town, and 8 miles south of Walthall, the county seat. Population in 1900, 25.

Grafton, a postoffice of Greene county.

Graham, a post-hamlet in the northeastern part of Union county, 15 miles east of New Albany, the county seat. Baldwyn is its nearest railroad and banking town. Population in 1900, 26.

Grandee, a postoffice of Perry county.

Grand Gulf, was once an important business place on the Missis- sippi river in Claiborne county. Before the War its wharf was crowded with cotton from Copiah, Hinds and Claiborne counties, and it served as a shipping point for the town of Port Gibson. The two towns were connected by rail at an early date. It was incor- porated in 1833, and was a place of 1,000 or more inhabitants down to the time of the Civil War. It received its name from the whirl- pool, or gulf, formed by the current of the Mississippi against a large rock. The Grand Gulf Advertiser, a weekly paper, was pub- lished here in the 30's. A westward shift in the course of the river left the town stranded, and it is now a village of about 150 in- habitants. In its early days it was a rival of Port Gibson for the county seat.

Grand Gulf. "Wednesday, May 10th, (1797), we came to this perilous vortex, which is the most dangerous place in the whole navigation of the Mississippi. The river here is thrown up with great impetuosity against the bluff point of a rock, which opposes its broadside to the current, and makes it revolve upon its own course in numberless whirlpools, into one of which if a boat gets, she is carried round with an astonishing rapidity, like a whirligig, and becomes totally unmanageable; so that if the direction of the vortex happens to be towards the rock, she must inevitably be dashed to pieces. The river then makes a very sharp turning round a point of land directly opposite the rock, and runs a course immedi-

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ately contrary to the one before pursued. The way to escape this place and pass in safety through its terrors, is to keep the boat exactly in the middle between the current which runs toward the rock, and the eddy or counter-current which runs near the point; for, in all these places there is a counter current runs along the opposite shore." (Francis Bailey, "Journal of a Tour.")

Grand Gulf, Engagements. When the Federal expedition from New Orleans, under Admiral Farragut, went up river in May, 1862, a battery at Grand Gulf fired upon them, (probably Ral- ston's) and Gen. Williams landed some infantry, resulting in a skirmish May 26. June 9, the batteries, having been strengthened, repelled the attacks of the steamers Wisshickon and Itasca. June 22, Williams stopped there on his move to Baton Rouge, and by a flank movement on Bayou Pierre, compelled the evacuation of the batteries, after which he burned the town.

Grange, a postoffice in the northern part of Lawrence county, on the Gulf & Ship Island R. R., 15 miles northeast of Monticello, the county seat.

Grapeland, a post-hamlet in the southern part of Bolivar county, about 17 miles south of Rosedale, and about 15 miles southwest of Cleveland. Benoit is the nearest banking town. Population in 1900, 100.

Gratz, a postoffice of Panola county, about 9 miles northeast of Sardis, one of the county seats of justice.

Graves, a hamlet in the western part of Tippah county, 8 miles west of Ripley, the county seat and nearest railroad and banking town. The postoffice here was discontinued in 1905, and it now has rural free delivery from Ripley.

Graves Defalcation. This matter was finally examined by Alexander S. Arthur, State commissioner, in 1859. He reported, "The temptation to a man who, for the first time in his life, per- haps, had $165,000 in gold and United States treasury notes in his hands, with which he could buy State warrants at fifty or sixty cents on the dollar, was too great for him to resist, and he no doubt thought he could speculate on the trust funds-following the ex- ample of others-and still make his accounts good with the State warrants purchased." For lack of time "he failed, however, and had to flee the country, and has for fifteen years been a fugitive." The dates of payment by the United States at various times, of the trust fund money, and the dates set down as received by the State treasury "would indicate that others had reaped advantages by speculating on them, but were more fortunate than Graves. J. H. Mallory, formerly auditor, was a defaulter for about $54,000 of the various trust funds, which he failed to pay into the treasury. In addition to this he drew money out of the treasury, on his warrant as auditor, without the least voucher or specification for what pur- pose it was used." Arthur found that Graves drew $144,500 of the Two per cent fund, and $20,500 of the Three per cent fund. After Graves had fled, the location of the loot being unknown, his wife voluntarily turned over to the governor $164,579, of which about

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$70,000 was in State warrants. He should also have been credited with disbursements of $21,649 in excess of his actual receipts of ordinary revenue, reducing his total defalcation to $39,813. The courts had not yet decided in 1859 that this loss should fall upon the trust funds.

Gray, a post-hamlet in the north-central part of Leake county, about 12 miles north of Carthage, the county seat. Kosciusko, about 14 miles to the northwest, is the nearest railroad and banking town. Population in 1900, 88.

Grayson, Beverly R., came in early manhood from Virginia to Natchez, and became prominent in public affairs. He was ap- pointed auditor of public accounts for the Territory in June, 1805, by Governor Williams, and was removed by him in 1808. At that time Grayson was also justice of Adams county and clerk of the supreme court. After the admission of the State Grayson repre- sented Adams county in the legislature, 1820-21. He was also register of the United States land office.

Grayson, Spence M., was born in Prince William county, Va., in 1803. In youth he was busied in support of the family orphaned by the father's death, until his uncle, Beverly R. Grayson, of Adams county, helped him to an education at Jefferson college, at Wash- ington, Miss., and a place in the law office of Thomas B. Reed. He began the practice of law about 1825, in 1830 married a daughter of William L. Chew, and in 1835 removed to a plantation in Ya- zoo county. That county he represented in the State senate in 1838, and in the following year he died, leaving a wife and children. He was the lawyer, says Foote in his reminiscences, who "oftenest appeared at the bar of the Natchez courts in 1830, next to the two Walkers." He had then been engaged in the practice of law for several years, was a fine looking man of about thirty years, some- what elaborate in dress, plain, direct and sensible in talk, well- informed, honest and industrious. He was believed to be a descen- dant of the eminent Virginia statesman of the same name.

Graysport, a post-village of Grenada county, 12 miles east of Grenada, the county seat and the nearest railroad and banking town. It is located on the Yalobusha river. It has 2 churches and several stores. Population in 1900, 87.

Greek, a postoffice of Grenada county, 12 miles west of Grenada, the county seat and nearest banking town.

Green, Col. Thomas. At the time George Rogers Clark was ex- tending the domain of Virginia to the Mississippi river along the Ohio, during the Revolution, Thomas Green and his two sons, and son-in-law, Cato West, Virginians, who had lived for several years in Georgia, set out with the Harrisons and other families, to join the Kentucky settlements. They followed the usual route, over the mountains to the Holston river, where they built boats, and went down the Tennessee to the Ohio. Being unable to as- cend that river, it is said by Claiborne, (p. 96) they changed their plans. The Georgia-Virginians came down the river, and secured grants of land from the Spanish government in what is now Jeffer-

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son county, then under the jurisdiction of the commandant at Natchez. Green was granted a hundred acres near Natchez Sept. 1, 1782. He appears to have been given authority as commissioner of Georgia to demand of the governor of Louisiana the surrender of the region north of the 31st parallel. He made such a demand upon the governor, and upon the first plausible pretext, says Wailes, he was arrested and imprisoned at New Orleans. His land, slaves and property were confiscated. (Amer. State Pp., I, 559). His wife followed him to New Orleans and died there, and after that Col. Green was released. June 6, 1784, he executed before Gov. Philip Trevino, a power of attorney to care for his property, to "his loving sons," Thomas Marston Green, Cato West and Ab- ner Green, affixing his private seal. He returned to Georgia through the Creek country, and secured the passage of an act of the legislature of that State, early in 1785, creating the county of Bourbon in Natchez district. (See Bourbon county).

The land office records show that in 1785 he sold 2,000 acres of land on Bayou Sara to John Ellis. In 1795 he was granted 800 arpents on Bayou Sara, which he sold to John Ellis.

After the arrival of Ellicott he proposed to organize a force to drive out the Spanish, and for that reason the governor made an attempt to arrest him, which caused much excitement. He was a member of the Hutchins committee of safety. Ellicott, in the course of his criticisms on those associated with Hutchins, says that he always found Green, though a captain in the militia under the Spanish government, a republican and a friend of the United States. Governor Sargent tendered him an appointment in the or- ganization of the territory, but he refused it. In 1802 he was ap- pointed by Gov. Claiborne treasurer of Jefferson county. From the beginning of the territory he contested with the United States the ownership of the property known as Villa Gayoso, north of Natchez, and finally the property was awarded to the family. Col. Green's sister married the father of Gen. Green Clay, and became the grandmother of the famous Cassius M. Clay.

As has been noted, Cato West was one of the sons-in-law of Col. Green. Abner Green married a daughter of Anthony Hutchins. Thus a powerful connection was formed, that "at one period, largely controlled the territory." Col. Green died in 1805.

Green, Thomas Marston, the third child of Col. Thomas Green and his wife Martha Wills, was born in James City county, Va., Feb. 26, 1758. He accompanied his father and family to Natchez district in 1780. (See Col. Thomas Green). The land records show that he was granted 800 acres on Fairchild's creek in 1789, also owned in 1805 over 3,000 acres by purchase, largely on Cole's creek. He was a member of the first general assembly of the ter- ritory, and was elected a delegate to congress by the legislature in May, 1802, to succeed Narsworthy Hunter, deceased, and served from December 6, 1802 to March 3, 1803.

His wife, Martha, described as the unfailing "friend of the

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wretched and unhappy," died November 15, 1805. His death oc- curred February 7, 1813.

Andrew Jackson (q. v.) was married to Rachel Robards at the home of Thomas M. Green, near the mouth of Cole's Creek, in 1791, by Col. Thomas Green, who, according to Sparks' Memories, acted as a justice of the peace by authority of the Georgia legislature. He may also have been an alcalde, as Georgia had repealed the Bourbon county act. "That there was anything disreputable at- tached to the lady's name is very improbable," says Sparks, "for she was more than fifteen months in the house of (Thomas M.) Green, who was a man of wealth, and remarkable for his pride and fastidiousness in selecting his friends or acquaintances." Two of the Green brothers married nieces of Mrs. Jackson, who was a Donaldson. Sparks himself married the youngest daughter of Abner Green, territorial treasurer of Mississippi.

Green, William Mercer, was born at Wilmington, N. C., May 2, 1798, son of a wealthy rice planter and was graduated at the Uni- versity of North Carolina in 1818; was ordained deacon in the Episcopal church April 29, 1821; ordained priest April 20, 1828; became rector of St. John's church Williamsborough in 1821; founded St. Matthew's church, Hillsborough in 1825; was ap- pointed chaplain and professor of belles lettres in the University of North Carolina in 1837; received the degree of D. D. from the University of Pennsylvania in 1845; was elected first bishop of Mississippi in 1849, and was consecrated at St. Andrew's church in Jackson Feb. 24, 1850. He was one of the founders of the Uni- versity of the South at Sewanee, Tenn., in 1860, and became its chancellor in 1867. Among his writings is a life of Bishop Otey, published in 1886. The beloved bishop of Mississippi died at Sewanee, Tenn., Feb. 13, 1887.

Greene County is one of the oldest counties of Mississippi, having been erected December 9, 1811, while David Holmes of Virginia was serving as territorial Governor. The county has a land sur- face of 819 square miles. It is located far down in the southeastern section of the State on the border of Alabama. The counties of Wayne, Franklin and Amite contributed to form its area, and its original limits were thus defined : "Beginning on the line of demar- cation, where the trading road leading from the Choctaw nation to Mobile crosses the same, thence along said trading road to where the fifth parallel township line crosses the same, thence west with said line to the fourth range of township east of Pearl river, num- bering from whence the line of demarcation crosses the same, thence down the said range of townships to the line of demarcation, and with the same east to the beginning." That portion of the county lying west of the dividing line between the eighth and ninth ranges, was taken February 3, 1820, to form the county of Perry. Among its earliest settlers was a large infusion of industrious and conservative Scotchmen from the Carolinas and Virginia, as is evidenced by the prefix "Mac," which appears in so many of the names. Asa Hartfield, Jacob Carter, William Morgan, John McRae,

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Mississippi : comprising sketches of towns, events, institutions, and persons, arranged in cyclopedic form Vol. I, Part 83

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