Mississippi : comprising sketches of towns, events, institutions, and persons, arranged in cyclopedic form Vol. II, Part 115

Author: Rowland, Dunbar, 1864-1937, ed
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: Atlanta, Southern Historical Publishing Association
Number of Pages: 1032

USA > Mississippi > Mississippi : comprising sketches of towns, events, institutions, and persons, arranged in cyclopedic form Vol. II > Part 115

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In 1725, Governor Bienville, who had served the company con- tinuously since 1718, was recalled to France, and pending the ar- rival of M. de Perier, his successor, in August 1726, M. de Bois-

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briant was summoned from his station at Fort Chartres to fill the interim. Bienville had served the company long and faithfully, but was nevertheless recalled, owing to the accusations and calum- nies of his enemies. He had handled the Indians especially well, and conciliated them by diplomacy, or, if necessary, made them feel the weight of his sword. He had vainly recommended the cul- tivation of the soil as the only true basis of colonial prosperity, and for this reason had caused the chief establishment to be fixed on the fertile banks of the Mississippi. His successor Perier, also gave great encouragement to agriculture, and urged the policy up- held by his predecessor, of strong garrisons, prompt retaliation, and incessant vigilance against the Indians. They had become discontented and threatening after the departure of Bienville, whom they dreaded. From this time on the company was put to enor- mous expense on account of the long wars with the Natchez, Chick- asaws and other hostile tribes. In 1729 occurred the dreadful mas- sacre of the French, which wiped out the prosperous French posts at the Natchez and the Yazoo and imperiled the existence of the whole colony. The Natchez were persistently followed by the vengeance of the company, until they were almost exterminated, and the few survivors after years of struggle, took refuge with the Chickasaws and other friendly tribes, and lost their identity. Many were captured and confined at New Orleans, whence they were taken to St. Domingo and sold as slaves, and the proceeds turned into the treasury of the company.

Of the state of the colony at this time, Beauchamp, who com- manded at Mobile, thus wrote the French Ministry: "You see to what a state of things is reduced this colony, which has so long groaned under a harsh command (de Perier's). The colonists are in a miserably wretched condition, and are ill supplied with the provisions and the merchandise they want. When flour is sent here the heads of the colony take hold of it, as they do with all the brandy and the cordials which are imported, and they do not part with these articles, except at exorbitant prices. It is, after all, what they do for every sort of merchandise." Of the Indians he wrote : "Since the departure of Bienville all the Indians are spoiled. In spite of the augmentation of merchandise we have to supply them with, and of the reduction in the quantity of furs which they give us back in return, they are not satisfied. On the contrary, they are insolent and less tractable." He was emphatic in requesting the return of Bienville, and further wrote: "The evil is now without a remedy unless M. de Bienville could come back. Perhaps he could succeed in changing the state of things, on account of the consideration which the Indians have always had for him, and of the services which he has rendered them, particularly to the Choc- taws."

From 1717 to 1731, the company had spent the sum of $3,700,000 in the vain effort to make a profit from its monopoly. January 23, 1731, it petitioned for leave to surrender its charter, which had still ten years to run. The request was granted, and two commis-

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sioners, Bru and Brusle, were sent to the colony by the king to settle the accounts between the company and the government. Its affairs were slowly wound up, and the French government as- sumed the direct management of the colony. (See Crozat Grant; also the Land Grants, French.)

West Florida, see British West Florida; Boundary on 31º North Latitude ; Johnstone, George; Louisiana Relations; Mobile, County of ; Charlotte County ; Spanish Dominion, etc.

West Fulton, an old extinct town in Itawamba county which flourished before the war. It was situated on the west side of the Tombigbee river about two miles from Fulton, the county seat. Col. D. N. Cayce was a merchant of the place.

Westonia is a post-village in Hancock county, about 17 miles northwest of Bay St. Louis, the county seat. It is on the H. Wes- ton Lumber Co.'s R. R. extending from Pearl river to Caesar, with a branch road running to Pickayune. The R. R. Co's shops are located at Westonia.

West Point, the county seat of Clay county, is situated in a fer- tile and healthful region, at the crossing of the Illinois Central, Mobile & Ohio, and the Southern railways, 16 miles northwest of Columbus. The original town was a little hamlet, about one half a mile west of the present town. When the Mobile & Ohio railroad was completed through this section a few years before the War, 1861-65. the business of the town moved to the railroad. It was incorporated November 20, 1858. When Colfax county was formed in 1871. it became the county seat, and when the name of the county was changed to Clay it was continued as the county seat, and is now one of the most flourishing towns in northeastern Mississippi. It has about 125 business houses, two good hotels, fitted with all the modern conveniences, and is located within forty miles of the rich coal fields of Alabama, and only 100 miles from where iron is mined. Among its prominent manufacturing enterprises may be mentioned, a cotton mill, furniture factory, electric lighting plant, a $75,000 system of water works owned by the city, with fine artesian water, a brick and tile works, an ice factory and soda bottling works, two oil mills, a cotton compress, machine shops, two planing mills, a stove factory, a steam laundry, an artificial stone factory, handle factory, heading factory, and wagon and carriage shops. A street car system is contemplated in the near future. There are four banking institutions, the First National Bank, established in 1883, capital, $100,000; the Bank of West Point, established in 1896, capital $50,000; the First Savings Bank, established in 1902, capital $25,000, and The Citizens Bank, established in 1905, capital $50,000. There are eight churches, all the principal denominations being represented. It is the seat of the Southern Female College and has two graded schools ; also the Mary Holmes school (Presbyterian) for colored girls. The first newspaper published in West Point was the Broad Ax, published by W. Ivie Westbrook, from about 1858 to 1860. The following newspapers are now published here: The Leader,

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a Democratic weekly established in 1881, L. T. Carlisle, editor and publisher; the Dixie Press, established in 1892 as a Democratic weekly; The Times, established in 1899, a Democratic weekly ; The West Point Advertesir, a Democratic weekly established in 1906; the Conservative (colored) established in 1902 as a weekly.

The country within a radius of ten miles is filled with a thriving population, engaged in growing cotton and grain, and in stock raising. The city's debt in 1906 amounted to $78,000, in 30 and 40 year bonds ; its assessed valuation is $1,250,000 ; tax rate is 15 mills. The population in 1900 was 3,193, which has materially increased since that date, and in 1906 was estimated at 5,000. The contract for the erection of a fine high school building was let in 1906.

West Port. An extinct town of Lowndes county, situated on the west bank of the Tombigbee river, a mile above Columbus, which flourished before the War between the States. Dr. W. L. Lips- comb, in his History of Columbus and Lowndes County says: ** *

* Just as soon as the Choctaw lands began to produce crops of cotton, there sprang up a village called by the early settlers West Port, and built to accommodate the planters of wes- tern Lowndes, and the adjacent countries, in the shipment of their cotton, and in the reception of their plantation supplies to and from Mobile, Ala. They thus avoided the payment of the ferriage across the river and had good camping grounds for their wagons and teams.

M. M. Carrington, relative of Col. John W. Burn, Sheriff of Lown- des county in 1835, built its first store and warehouse. He was fol- lowed by Messrs. Haskins, Brownrigg, Hale and Murdock, Dick Jones, Foster, Alexander and others. A town was regularly laid off, good residences, fine hotel, stores with large stocks of goods, and immense cotton sheds were erected, with all the appointments of a prospective town. The shipment of cotton reached 30,000 or 40,000 bales annually, but in 1840 a fine bridge was built across the Tombigbee, free to all Lowndes county citizens, which soon di- vided the storage of cotton and brought thousands of bales to the warehouses of Columbus. The great high water in 1847 deluged the town, swept off some of its warehouses, and destroyed much of the sandy bluff on which it was situated. In 1861 the Mobile & Ohio railroad completed its branch to Columbus, and West Port succumbed to the inevitable and is now a desert of white sand on which Daniel Davis (colored) with his blacksmith shop and little farm hard by resides, its only occupant."

Westside, a hamlet in the southwestern part of Claiborne county, about 10 miles from Port Gibson, the county seat, and nearest rail- road and banking town. It has a money order postoffice.

West Station, an incorporated post-town in the northeastern part of Holmes county, on the Big Black river, and a station on the Illinois entral R. R., 43 miles south of Grenada, and 10 miles north of Durant. There are 2 banks established here. The town was named for A. M. West, a prominent citizen, and president of

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the Mississippi Central R. R. at the time of the War, 1861-5. Pop- ulation in 1900, 196; population in 1906 estimated at 225.

Westville, a post-town in the southwestern part of Simpson county, near the Columbia branch of the Gulf & Ship Island railroad, about 8 miles southwest of Mendenhall, and 35 miles south of Jackson. When Simpson county was formed in 1824, the county seat was located at the present site of Westville, and the town which subsequently grew up was named for Col. Cato West. The following informa- tion about Westville is taken from Goodspeed's Memoirs of Miss- issippi, vol. 1, p. 211: "Franklin E. Plummer, then residing there and the only congressman who ever lived in the county, assisted in laying off the town, which was then only a crossroad place, where a grocery was kept and a store and tanyard were owned by Nathaniel O. Freeman, one of the pioneers. The first courts were held in a log cabin about twenty feet square, subsequently converted into a blacksmith shop. Soon afterward a frame court- house was erected on the present site, which was destroyed by a fire in 1844, which was supposed to be the work of an incendiary. In 1846 a brick courthouse was built, which was also burned on the night of May, 9, 1872. About a year after this the jail, a wooden structure, was burned at night and a mulatto, incarcerated for murder, was burned in it. In 1874 the brick courthouse still stand- ing was built at a cost of about $13,000." The county seat for five years was removed to Mendenhall on the Main line of the Gulf & Ship Island R. R., but by an order of the Supreme Court of Miss- issippi it was re-located at Westville in January, 1905, and remained the county seat until July 12, 1906, when at an election called for the purpose the citizens of Simpson county selected Mendenhall as the permanent county seat. Westville has two churches and a good school. Population in 1900, 200.

Whaley, a postoffice of Carroll county, 20 miles northwest of Carrollton, the county seat.

Wharton, Thomas J., was born at Nashville, Tenn., May 18, 1817. He was the son of Jesse Wharton, a lawyer, who served in both houses of congress. He graduated at the University of Nashville ; was admitted to the bar of Mississippi in 1837; practiced law at Clinton and Raymond; removed to Jackson in 1849; elected attor- ney-general in 1857 and held this position until he was removed by the military in 1865. He was a strong supporter of the Confed- erate government. In 1882 he was appointed circuit judge by Governor Lowry.

Wheat, a postoffice of Pearl River county, situated on the Pearl river, 13 miles west of Poplarville, the county seat, and nearest railroad and banking town.

Wheeler, a post-hamlet of Prentiss county, on the Mobile & Ohio R. R., and on 20 Mile Creek, 6 miles south of Booneville, the county seat and nearest banking town. It has a money order post- office. Population in 1900, 70.

Wheeling. This was an old town in Itawamba county situated on the Tombigbee river a few miles below the old village of Van

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Buren. It was founded soon after the sale of the Chickasaw lands and its life was very short, as its business was absorbed by the latter town, just then rising into prominence. Its one hotel was owned by Jefferson Foster. Its merchants were Jowers & Hol- comb, and R. P. Snow.

Whistler, a postoffice of Wayne county, 10 miles west of Waynesboro, the county seat, and nearest railroad and banking town.

Whitaker, a postoffice in the southeastern part of Wilkinson county, on the Yazoo & Mississippi Valley R. R., 5 miles south of Centerville, the nearest banking town, and 14 miles southeast of Woodville, the county seat.

Whiteapple, a station on the Yazoo & Mississippi Valley R. R. in the western part of Franklin county, 10 miles from Meadville, the county seat. It has a money order postoffice. Population in 1900, 53.

Whitefield. An abandoned town of Oktibbeha county, located in the southwestern part of the county, just north of the present station of Sturgis on the Illinois Central railroad. One Smith was its first settler in 1854. A few of its most important citizens were Dr. John Barron, Dr. W. W. Edwards, J. M. Cain, Tumlinson, and Carpenter. Its business firms were Barron & Neal, Hannah & Company, Hunt Brothers, and Walker Brothers. It was absorbed by Sturgis when the railroad came through.

Whites, a postoffice in the southwestern part of Rankin county, 16 miles south of Jackson. Terry, in Hinds county is its nearest banking town.

Whitesand, a post-hamlet and station of Lawrence county, on the Mississippi Central R. R., 12 miles northeast of Monticello, the county seat. Silver Creek is the nearest banking town. Popula- tion in 1900, 60, and in 1906 was estimated at 200. There are two saw mills located here.

Whitestown, a postoffice of Oktibbeha county, 7 miles south of Starkville, the county seat and nearest railroad and banking town.

Whitfield, James, acting governor for a few weeks in 1851-52, was born in Elbert county, Ga., December 15, 1791, and came to eastern Mississippi, as many Georgians did, to attend the land sales at Columbus, when that place was a small village. Locating there, he conducted a mercantile business in addition to his inter- ests as a planter in the adjacent prairie country of Lowndes county. He was a representative in the legislature from Lowndes in 1842- 48, and was elected to the senate in 1851. He was honored with election as president of the senate in November (see Guion-Whit- field Adm.), and as such was acting governor until January 10, 1852. Later in the same year he became president of the Columbus insurance and banking company, and this business he conducted until his resignation in 1870. This was one of the very few banks in the State, and in the South, that maintained its credit during the war, and redeemed its circulation after the war. In 1858 he was

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again a member of the legislature. He was successful in business, and accumulated quite a fortune, which however, was greatly re- duced in 1861-65. He is remembered as a man of pure character and kindly impulses, to whom rich and poor alike could resort for counsel. Governor Whitfield died at Columbus, June 25, 1875.

Whitfield Administration. See Guion-Whitfield.

Whiting, William Henry Chase, was born at Biloxi, Miss., March 22, 1824, of Northern parentage. His father, Levi Whiting, a native of Massachusetts, was for forty years an officer of the United States army, and died lieutenant-colonel of the First artil- lery. The younger Whiting was graduated at West Point in 1845, and served in the engineer corps until his resignation in February, 1861, at which time he was a captain. In the Confederate army he was first in the Georgia service, next an officer of engineers at Charleston and Harper's Ferry. After the battle of First Manas- sas, he was promoted to brigadier-general, and took command of Bee's brigade, including Falkner's regiment. He was greatly dis- tinguished in the campaign against McClellan before Richmond, commanding a division and advising the successful strategy of the campaign. After this, for some reason, he was practically shelved, in command of the district of North Carolina, though J. E. John- ston asked his promotion to lieutenant-general. He was promoted to major-general in 1863. When the main defense of Wilmington, Fort Fisher, was actually assailed, by a great armada, in January, 1865, he was superseded by Bragg, and went into the fort, saying to Colonel Lamb, "I have to share your fate, my boy. You are to be sacrificed." In a hand-to-hand fight in defense of the fort, he fell with two wounds. Carried as a prisoner of war to Governor's Island, N. Y., he died there March 10, 1865.

Whitworth Female College. The Whitworth College for girls is located at Brookhaven, Lincoln county. It was established by the M. E. Church South, in 1859, much being due to the generosity of Rev. M. J. Whitworth. The college opened under the leadership of Rev. J. P. Lee, with 57 students and proved very popular. During the years of the Civil war it was found necessary to close it, and the buildings were occupied by a detail of the Confederate army as a hospital. When peace was restored, the college was reopened with Rev. H. F. Johnson as president and grew rapidly. The first buildings were the frame buildings known as "Old College," Calis- thenic Hall, and Music and Art Halls. President Johnson donated to the college Margaret Hall, named after his wife, together with the ground upon which it stands. It is a handsome, steam heated, brick dormitory, and cost in the neighborhood of $15,000. At the same time Col. W. L. Nugent gave the generous sum of $1,000 to the college, and Maj. R. W. Millsaps, $3,000. President Johnson then built and donated the institute, a building worth probably $30,000, with its grounds. The college property was appraised in 1901 at $80,000, and its annual income at $15,000. The tuition is $50 per year.

President Johnson's death in 1886 was a great loss, but his suc- 61-II

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cessor Prof. Lewis T. Fitzhugh has carried on the work very suc- cessfully, and the college has about 200 students. Elimentary, pre- paratory and collegiate courses are offered, and in addition, music, art, pedagogy and stenography are taught. The college has a small, but well selected library of about 1,000 volumes. Its collegiate courses lead to the degrees of A. B. and B. L.

Whynot, a post-hamlet in the southeastern part of Lauderdale county, 13 miles from Meridian, the nearest railroad and banking town. Population in 1900, 32.

Wiggins, a village in the northern part of Harrison county, on the Gulf & Ship Island R. R., 35 miles by rail north of Gulfport, the county seat. Its business interests are represented by a bank which was established in 1905, several stores, a number of turpen- tine distilleries, and a large saw-mill. It has an excellent school, and a money order postoffice, and is considered one of the pros- perous towns in the county. Its population in 1900 was 230. It is growing rapidly and the population was estimated at 1,200 in 1906.

Wilcox, John A., born in North Carolina, April 18, 1819, and came to Tennessee with his parents; he was educated in the common schools; moved to Mississippi and located at Aberdeen ; was secre- tary of the State senate; lieutenant and adjutant of the Second regiment in the Mexican war, and is credited by Reuben Davis with securing his election as colonel; was chosen lieutenant-colonel after the resignation of Davis; in 1851 was the Union Whig candi- date for congress against W. S. Featherston and was elected. In 1853, he was defeated by W. S. Barry for reelection and then moved to Texas; represented that State in the Confederate congress, and died at Richmond, Va., of apoplexy, February 7, 1864.

Wilczinski, a postoffice of Washington county, and a junction point on the Yazoo & Mississippi Valley R. R., 4 miles by rail northeast of Greenville, the county seat.

Wildwood, a hamlet of Lamar county, situated on Black creek, 9 miles northwest of Purvis, the county seat. The postoffice at this place was discontinued in 1905, and mail now goes to Oloh. Population in 1900, 37.

Wilkes, a postoffice in the northeastern part of Yazoo county, about 12 miles from Yazoo City.

Wilkesburg, a post-village near the boundary line between Mar- ion and Covington counties, 12 miles north of Columbia, the county seat of Marion county, and nearest banking town. It has a money order postoffice. Population in 1900, 125. The town is in Cov- ington county and the postoffice is in Marion county.

Wilkins, James Campbell. Thomas Wilkins and John Wilkins, Jr., were land owners in the Natchez district in 1788, the latter as- sociated with Stephen Minor. Doubtless they were descendants or kin of John Wilkins, one of the pioneers of Pittsburg, whose son, William, was congressman, United States senator, minister to Russia, etc., and influential in the extension of the Pennsylvania railroad west to Pittsburg. James C. Wilkins, of this Pennsylva- nia family, born at Pittsburg, came to Natchez early in the Territor-

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ial period, and married into the Bingaman and afterward into the Minor family. His life was devoted to business enterprises, but he was active in politics and military affairs. When Andrew Jack- son was calling for help to defend New Orleans against the British he raised a company of volunteer riflemen at Natchez, and took them to the assistance of the general. He represented Adams county in the last general assembly of the territory, 1815-16, and was a member of the constitutional convention of 1817. He was colonel on the governor's staff in 1822; was appointed by the gov- ernor United States senator to succeed Powhatan Ellis in 1832, but declined, and was a candidate for the same office in the dead-lock in the legislture in 1833. He was the United States pension agent at Natchez.

When the Planters bank was established upon the credit of the State, Mr. Williams was its president. For the history of this en- terprise, see "Banking." As its head, Wilkins was the business and political opponent of the adherents of the old Bank of Missis- sippi, as well as of the wilder banking schemes that followed and rapidly degenerated into wholesale repudiation of obligations. His bank went down in the wreck, and the credit of the State soon fol- lowed. Mr. Wilkins died at Louisville, Ky., in April, 1849.

J. F. H. Claiborne wrote of him: "In connection first with Wil- liam Kenner, and afterward with John Linton, (New Orleans and Natchez) he controlled for a long time the commerce of the Missis- sippi and nearly all the cotton it produced. He was very prompt- rapid in his decisions, brusque and incisive in manner, somewhat imperative, impatient of opposition, but with a heart as tender and a sensibility as delicate as a woman's. Of all men whom I have known he was the most impulsive, generous and forgiving. He was the counselor of the old, and the guardian and patron of the young. The widow in her distress, the debtor when pressed by embarrass- ments, the enterprising when they saw an opportunity that only needed a little aid to make them independent, the orphan left deso- late and destitute-all found in him an unfailing resource. No man now living knew the wide sweep of his charities, and the many fortunes he built up for others by giving them the use of his means and his credit. He was impatient of thanks and would not listen to them."

Wilkinson, a post-hamlet in the north-central part of Wilkinson county, situated on Buffalo Bayou, 10 miles north of Woodville, the county seat, and nearest railroad and banking town. Popula- tion in 1900, 56.

Wilkinson Colony. Gen. James Wilkinson, when it became ap- parent that the inauguration of George Washington as president of "a more perfect union," would check the Kentucky movement in favor of Spain, wrote to Governor Miro, from Lexington, February 12, 1789: "You will be surprised at being informed that lately I have, jointly with several gentlemen of this country, applied to Don Diego Gardoqui for a concession of land, in order to form a set- tlement on the river Yazoo. The motive of this application is to

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procure a place of refuge for myself and my adherents, in case it should become necessary for us to retire from this country, in order to avoid the resentment of Congress. It is true that there is not, so far, the slightest appearance of it, but it is judicious to provide for all possible contingencies."

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Mississippi : comprising sketches of towns, events, institutions, and persons, arranged in cyclopedic form Vol. II, Part 115

Author: Rowland, Dunbar, 1864-1937, ed Publication date: 1907 Publisher: Atlanta, Southern Historical Publishing Association Number of Pages: 1032

Author: Rowland, Dunbar, 1864-1937, ed
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: Atlanta, Southern Historical Publishing Association
Number of Pages: 1032