USA > Mississippi > Mississippi : comprising sketches of towns, events, institutions, and persons, arranged in cyclopedic form Vol. II > Part 18
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Lynch, James D., was a native of Virginia, entered the Univer- sity of North Carolina in 1855; became a teacher in Franklin academy, Columbus, Miss., 1860, and at the outbreak of the war entered the Confederate service as a private. After the battle of Shiloh he organized a company of which he was captain.
At the close of the war he began the practice of law at Columbus, but was forced to give it up on account of deafness. The remainder of his life was devoted to literary work. His poem, "Columbia Saluting the Nations," was unanimously adopted by the World's Columbia commission as the national salutation. The National Editorial Association afterwards adopted it as the "press poem of America." He is the author of "The Bench and Bar of Missis- sippi," "The Bench and Bar of Texas," "Kemper County Vindi- cated," and other works.
Lynchburg, a postoffice in the northwestern part of De Soto county, 14 miles northwest of Hernando, the county seat.
Lynncreek, a post-hamlet in the northwestern part of Noxubee county, situated on the creek of the same name, about 15 miles northwest of Macon, the county seat. Brookville, 8 miles to the east on the Mobile & Ohio R. R., is the nearest banking and rail- road town. Population in 1900, 57.
Lynwood, a post-hamlet of Rankin county, about 13 miles south- east of Brandon, the county seat, and nearest railroad and banking town. Population in 1900, 46.
Lyon, an incorporated post-town of Coahoma county, on the Yazoo & Mississippi Valley R. R., 2 miles north of Clarksdale, the nearest banking town. Population in 1900, 166; population in 1906 is estimated at 300.
Maben, an incorporated post-town in the extreme northwestern part of Oktibbeha county, on the line of the Southern Ry., about 25 miles west of Westpoint, and 10 miles east of Eupora. A branch of the Bank of West Point was established here in 1896. The town also has a large brick plant and a fine cotton gin. Population in 1900, 282.
Mabry, a postoffice in the northern part of Tate county, on Bear · Tail creek, a tributary of the Coldwater river, 10 miles northeast of Senatobia, and 6 miles from Coldwater, the nearest banking town.
Macedonia, a postoffice of Noxubee county, 8 miles southwest of Macon, the county seat.
Mack, a postoffice of Marshall county, 6 miles northwest of Holly Springs, the county seat.
Macksmith, a postoffice in the southwestern part of Lawrence county, 10 miles southwest of Monticello, the county seat. It is
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a station on the Natchez, Columbia & Mobile R. R., a logging road running east from Norfield, Lincoln county.
Macon, the capital of Noxubee county, is a thriving city located 35 miles south by west of Columbus, and 63 miles north of Meridian. It lies on the east bank of the Oaknoxubee river, on the main line of the Mobile & Ohio R. R. The city was named for . Gen. Nathaniel Macon, U. S. senator from North Carolina. Judge T. S. Sterling held the first county court here in the spring of 1834, in the log house of Joseph H. Frith. The first brick court house was erected in 1841, which was replaced just before the War, in 1860, by a larger building ; the present fine commodious court house was erected in 1900. Macon lies in an agricultural and cotton-growing district, and is the market and shipping point for a large section of rich surrounding country. Its two banks, the Merchants and Farmers, founded in 1888, and the Bank of Macon, founded in 1899, are both prosperous institutions. The Beacon is a Democratic weekly which was established in 1849, and is now under the edi- torial management of D. C. Ferris, a grandson of Henry C. Ferris, the founder of the paper; the Beacon has always remained in the Ferris family. Among the industries of Macon are several very strong mercantile establishments, a cotton compress, cotton seed oil mill, four cotton gins, a large brick plant, an ice factory, bottling works, and a large planing mill. Several lumbering plants have their offices in Macon, and there are two large lumber yards, two hotels and three livery stables. An excellent electric lighting and water works system is owned and operated by the city. All the principal religious denominations have churches here, and the city supports one of the best school systems in the State. The Macon high school building was erected in 1900 at a cost of $30,000. During the War between the States, when Jackson was occupied by Federal troops, Macon was the war capital of the State. The census of 1900 showed a population of 2,057, or 500 more than in 1890.
Macon Convention, 1839. There was a convention of representa- tives of the Mississippi banks at Vicksburg in November, 1838, presided over by H. G. Runnels, and a convention of the banks of Tennessee, Arkansas, and Alabama was called for December, by the Union bank, to consider the resumption of specie payments. The result was an address to the cotton planters, merchants and bankers of the Southern States, signed by prominent bankers of the various States, headed by Nathaniel A. Ware, of Mississippi, proposing a scheme for basing money upon cotton, through a banking and commercial alliance with the English cotton manu- facturers and the Bank of England. Under this scheme the South- ern banks would make advances on cotton, and through their British correspondents relieve the planter of all further care re- garding the marketing of their crops. A convention was called at Macon, Ga., in October, 1839, to further consider this remarkable proposition. On production of bills of lading the banks would issue post notes, which would be the currency of the country.
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The scheme was presented as a method of protecting the cotton crop from sacrifice to the profit of speculators and brokers. This was at a time when the so-called United States bank, of Pennsyl- vania, supplied the good paper money in Mississippi, and South Carolina and New York were preparing banks for a similar pur- pose. It was the policy of S. S. Prentiss and the Whigs to put the issue of paper money under the control of the national govern- ment.
Mactobys. See Indians.
Madden, a post-village in the eastern part of Leake county, 12 miles southeast of Carthage, the county seat. Philadelphia, 18 miles to the northeast, is the nearest railroad town. Forest is the nearest banking town. It has a money order postoffice. Popula- tion in 1900, 200.
Maddox, a postoffice in the eastern part of Simpson county, about 16 miles southeast of Mendenhall.
Madison County, in the central part of the State, was established January 29, 1828, and was named for President James Madison, fourth President of the United States. The county has a land surface of 714 square miles. Embraced within the territory ceded by the Choctaws in 1820, and long known as the "New Purchase," it was originally a part of the old county of Hinds. In 1823 Hinds surrendered a large section of its area to form the county of Yazoo, and five years later, that portion of Yazoo lying east of the Big Black river, was taken to form the county of Madison. The act creat- ing the county recites that "So much of the county of Yazoo as lies east of the Big Black river, beginning on the east bank of said river, where the Hinds county line strikes the same; thence with the said line to Pearl river; thence up said river to the Choctaw boundary line; thence with said boundary line, to where it strikes the Big Black ; thence down the Big Black river to the beginning." December 23, 1833, the county was enlarged by adding "the terri- tory south of the line drawn from the western boundary of Leake county, through the center of township 12 of range 5 east, and ex- tended west to the old Choctaw boundary, and thence west to the Big Black river, and west of Leake county." February 22, 1840, the present boundary line between Madison and Hinds counties was established as follows: "Beginning at that point on the Big Black river, which is intersected by the range line No. 2 west, running thence due south to the present boundary line between the said counties; thence east with the present line to the basis meridian ; thence south to township No. 6, north ; thence east to the present line." It is bounded on the north by the county of Attala, on the east by Leake county, on the south by Rankin and Hinds counties, the Pearl river on the southeast forming the boundary between Madison and Rankin; on the west by Yazoo county, the Big Black river on the northwest forming the boundary between it and Yazoo county. This is one of the richest farming sections of the whole State and early attracted a large influx of settlers. It had a population of 3,675 whites and 11,238 slaves as early as 1837, and
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had 89,746 acres under cultivation in 1836. Many of the old settle- ments of the region, such as Runnelsville, Williamsburg, Madison- ville, Livingston and Vernon, (q. v.) are now extinct or moribund. The first courts of the county were held at Beattie's Bluff, on the Big Black river, and boats ascended the river to this point. The fol- lowing men were appointed commissioners to select and lay out a county seat, and contract for the erection of county buildings : Jonah R. Doak, Robert Carson, Sr., Archibald McGehee, John P. Thompson and William Wilson. The first permanent county seat was located at the old town of Livingston, situated about 15 miles southwest of Canton, and at one time the most important town in the county. It began to decay when the county seat was changed to Madisonville. The present county site was finally established at Canton, near the center of the county. Canton is a thriving town of 5,000 people, on the Illinois Central R. R., has the largest nursery and floral establishment in the State, and is the center of a locality where the growing of fruits and vegetables for market has assumed large proportions. Some of the other important towns in the county are Madison Station (pop. 323), Ridgeland (pop. 300), Flora (pop. 304), Sharon and Millville. In the northeast corner of the county formerly stood the old historic home of Gov. McWillie, "Kirkwood," long known as one of the most beautiful and hospit- able homes in the South, and a refuge for its war-worn sons during the Civil War. Gen. Quitman, Governors Matthews, Foote, Pettus, and McRea, President Davis and many others of note have been entertained within its hospitable portals.
The main line of the Illinois Central R. R. runs through the center of the county, and a branch line of the same road runs from Jackson to Yazoo City and cuts across the southwestern corner. Besides the two large rivers already mentioned, numerous tribu- tary creeks afford the region ample water power, the power on Kentuctah and Doak's creeks being especially good. The timber consists of all kinds of oaks, hickory, pine, gum, poplar, walnut, beech and cypress. The region is gently undulating and the soil various in character, with a clay sub-soil; much of it is very rich, and, on the river and creek bottoms, of an alluvial quality. In the southern part, quantities of limestone and marls have been dis- covered. Immense quantities of peaches and strawberries are grown along the line of the Illinois Central R. R. in this county, and shipped to the northern markets. Pears, apples, figs and other fruits are also raised in abundance and do very well. The region is well adapted to stock raising and sheep husbandry on account of the excellent pasturage, and in 1900 the value of the live stock in the county had reached a total of $878,489. It can be made the banner live stock county of the State. As compared with agri- culture, manufactures have attained small development, though the last census records a total of 75 manufacturing establishments.
The following statistics, taken from the last United States census for 1900, and covering farms, manufactures and population, will be found instructive: Number of farms 4,717, acreage in farms
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341,388, acres improved 218,172, value of the land exclusive of the buildings $2,600,260, value of the buildings $882,420, value of the live stock $878,489, total value of products not fed $1,860,708. Number of manufacturing establishments 75, capital invested $179,- 315, wages paid $34,200, cost of materials $102,561, total value of products $233,732. The population in 1900 consisted of whites 6,574, colored 25,919, a total of 32,493 and 5,172 more than in the year 1890. The population in 1906 was estimated at 37,000. Farm lands are rapidly advancing in price and a hill farm near Canton was recently sold for $20 per acre cash. This farm had been in cultivation 75 years. Such sales are more or less common. The total assessed valuation of the real and personal property in Madison county in 1905 was $4,819,430 and in 1906 it was $5,266,701, showing an increase during the year of $447,271.
Madison County, Territorial. Gov. Robert Williams wrote to Secretary Albert Gallatin, Aug. 23, 1808, regarding "the settle- ments on the public lands in the great bend of Tennessee river, within this territory. It is stated there are at least thirteen hun- dred families already settled on those lands; that they contain six or seven hundred militia organized into companies and armed. There are no laws or officers, civil or military amongst them, and frequent applications are made to me on this subject. These settlers being (as I presume) intruders, prevent my taking any measures respecting them, and such as I should were they not thus situated." He recommended some action by the government on the subject adapted to the reputed character of the settlers as honest and well-disposed people. Being advised by the president to extend county government to the region, as the Indian title had been extinguished, by the Cherokee and Chickasaw treaties of 1805-6, Gov. Williams issued his proclamation December 13, 1808, establishing the county of Madison, choosing the name in compli- ment to the secretary of state. Thomas Freeman was appointed register of the land office for that region, and commissioned as justice by the governor, who asked him to recommend the appoint- ment of officers, save that of sheriff, which was to be filled by Capt. Stephen Neal of Natchez district. President Jefferson par- ticularly advised the governor to appoint no one to office who claimed land under the Georgia land companies.
In the spring of 1810 Madison county was given a separate Ter- ritorial judge-Obadiah Jones, of Georgia, and the privilege of suffrage was conferred upon the inhabitants. The county seat was Twickenham, which name was changed to Huntsville by act of the Mississippi assembly in 1811. This was the seat of the first legis- lature of Alabama State in 1819, and the meeting place of the constitutional convention.
Madison Station, an incorporated post-town in the southern part of Madison county, on the Illinois Central R. R., 12 miles by rail north of Jackson. The Bank of Madison was established here in 1901, with a capital of $20,000. It has a money order postoffice. Population in 1900, 323. It is the banner town of the county in the
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volume of truck shipments and large quantities of strawberries, plums, peaches, peas and beets are shipped in car load lots during the berry and vegetable season.
Madisonville, an extinct town of Madison county, located about 12 miles from Canton, in the southeastern part. When Madison county was formed from Yazoo in 1828, this place was made the county seat. It was incorporated in 1836; other acts relating to its charter were passed in 1837 and 1848. Dr. James Anderson, a phy- sician, and the firm of Joseph Coffman & Co., merchants, were located at Madisonville in the early days. Major Walker's planta- tion now embraces the site of the old settlement.
Maffit, John Newland, a famous Methodist preacher, made his home for some time at Natchez, about 1840, and there published a religious paper. He was also in great demand as a lecturer.
He was a native of Ireland, mainly educated through associa- tion with his fellows, but possessed of a remarkable command of pure English and a marvelous voice, which in its persuasive tones was well nigh irresistable. Henry S. Foote said that he never observed any one else who could produce such effects upon an audience. Yet he seldom said anything that left behind a useful or permanent impression. His printed sermons were singularly cold and unimpressive and without noteworthy thought. But he was a master of all that appertains to the human voice as an in- strument of persuasion. "His heart was warm and generous and his admiration genuine of all that is lofty in sentiment or action." He was prone to be carried away by feeling in his attacks on the social customs of his day, and was consequently the subject of much criticism, by the young and gay.
Magdalen, in the southern part of Harrison county, 5 miles north- west of Gulfport, the county seat.
Magee, a post-hamlet in the eastern part of Simpson county, 42 miles southeast of Jackson, and 10 miles southeast of Menden- hall. It is a station on the Gulf & Ship Island R. R. It has tele- graph, telephone, express and banking facilities. The Magee Bank was established in 1902. One newspaper is published here, the Magee Courier, a Democratic weekly, established in 1900, W. H. Watkins, editor and publisher. Two saw mills, a wood working plant, a cotton gin, several stores, churches and a good school are located here. Population in 1900, 100; the population in 1906 was estimated at 1,000.
Magnavista, a post-hamlet in the southwestern part of Issaquena county, situated on the Mississippi river, 20 miles south of Mayers- ville, the county seat. Vicksburg is the nearest banking town. Population in 1900, 50.
Magnolia, the capital of Pike county, is a thriving, incorporated town on the Illinois Central R. R., 98 miles north of New Orleans. It is 450 feet above tidewater, and is drained by the Tangipahoa river on the right and Minnehaha creek on the left, which form the eastern and western boundary lines of the town. Its first court house, together with the valuable county records, was destroyed
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by a disastrous fire in August, 1882. It has two banks with a total invested capital of $95,000; three hotels, two good schools and a colored college, seven churches, including all the leading denomina- tions ; a complete system of water works supplying artesian water ; an electric lighting plant, with a light on every corner, and an excel- lent fire department. Among the manufacturing enterprises now in the town are an oil mill, ice plant, a $200,000 cotton mill, a com- press, two Munger system cotton gins, and a saw and planing mill. It is surrounded by a lumber, cotton, fruit and vegetable-growing section. It has two newspapers-the "Gazette," a Democratic semi-weekly, established in 1872 and owned and edited by Jos. E. Norwood; and the "Magnolia News," a Democratic weekly edited by J. B. Sternberger.
There is a city debt of $24,800; the assessed valuation of property is $637,735 ; the tax rate is 1312 mills. Population in 1900, 1,038; in 1890, 676 ; present estimated population, 1,500.
The following fraternities have lodges here: Masons, Odd Fellows, Knights of Honor, Knights of Pythias, Woodmen of the World, the American Guild, The Knights and Ladies of Honor. Company L, known as the Magnolia Guards of the 3d regiment of State troops, is located here. The town has an exceptionally low death rate and has never had a case of yellow fever since its organ- ization.
Magnolia-State Flower. At the request of the school children of the State, an election was ordered to occur November 28, 1900, to select the "State Flower." The secretary of state received re- turns from 237 schools, and 23,278 votes were cast, of which the Magnolia received 12,745, the next highest being the cotton bloom 4,171, Cape jasmine 2,584.
Maharris, a post-hamlet of Copiah county, 11 miles west of Hazle- hurst, the county seat. Population in 1900, 24.
Mahned, a postoffice in the central part of Perry county, 2 miles south of New Augusta, the county seat, and a station on the Mobile, Jackson & Kansas City R. R. It has several stores, two churches, a school, and a saw mill.
Mahon, a post-hamlet of Marshall county, on the Kansas City, Memphis & Birmingham R. R., 4 miles northwest of Holly Springs. Population in 1900, 41.
Mahrud, a postoffice in the western part of Holmes county, on the Yazoo river, about 20 miles west of Lexington, the county seat.
Malaria. This vague term is used to name the fevers which are less serious than yellow fever, but cause perhaps more suffering than the latter, because of their frequency and constancy in the summer seasons. It was demonstrated in 1905 that malarial fevers may be practically prevented by a general campaign against mosquitoes. The malaria does not proceed directly from decayed vegetation or filth of any kind, but the disease in man is due to a microscopic organism that makes its home in the red corpuscles of the blood. Its regular period of growth and production of spores (seed or young) and the bursting of the walls of the blood
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corpuscles, are the cause of the recurring chills and fevers. The organism is communicated to human beings by the species of mosquito known as Anopheles, which has spotted wings, and when resting, hangs at right angles to the ceiling. The remedies are good drainage, and the thorough screening of houses.
Malco, a hamlet in the northern part of Scott county, situated on Taalo Bayou, about 13 miles north of Forest, the county seat. The postoffice here was discontinued in 1905, and it now has rural free delivery from Harperville.
Malcum, a post-hamlet of Lincoln county, 10 miles east of Brook- haven, the county seat, and nearest banking and railroad town. It is. a station on the spur line of the Illinois Central R. R., running east from Brookhaven. Population in 1900, 35.
Malones, a hamlet in the southwestern part of Coahoma county, situated on the Mississippi river, about 18 miles west of Clarks- dale, the county seat. The postoffice at this place was recently dis- continued and mail now goes to Hillhouse. Population in 1900, 27.
Malvina, a post-hamlet of Bolivar county, on the Yazoo & Missis- sippi Valley R. R., 6 miles east of Rosedale, the county seat, and nearest banking town. Population in 1900, 52.
Mamie, a postoffice of Madison county.
Mammoth Springs, or Springs Station, a postoffice in the north- western part of Perry county, on the Gulf & Ship Island R. R., 5 miles by rail northwest of Hattiesburg.
Manassas, battle, see Army of Northern Virginia.
Manila, a postoffice of Prentiss county, 12 miles east of Boone- ville, the county seat.
· Mann, a postoffice in the southern part of Tishomingo county, on Big Bear creek, a tributary of the Tennessee river, 18 miles due south of Iuka, the county seat.
Mannassa, a postoffice of Clarke county, 10 miles southeast of Quitman, the county seat.
Manning, a post-hamlet in the northeastern part of Pike county, 24 miles from Magnolia, the county seat. Population in 1900, 20.
Manning, Van H., was born in Martin county, North Carolina July 26, 1839. His parents moved to Mississippi when he was two years of age, and he was educated at Horn Lake academy, in De- Soto county, and at the University of Nashville, where he studied law and was admitted to the bar. He moved to Arkansas in 1860, and was colonel of the Third Arkansas infantry in Lee's army. In 1876 he was elected to the Forty-fifth Congress from the 2nd Miss. District; was reelected in 1878 and 1880, and served from 1877 to 1833. In 1886-87 he prosecuted to a successful issue the suit of the State in the court of claims for the five per cent. fund withheld as an offset to the non-payment of the war tax. He died in Washington. "The joint canvass of Colonel Manning and Thomas H. Walton in the summer and autumn of 1876 will long be remembered for its brilliancy and intensity of feeling. Manning was a remarkable stump speaker, as fiery as Foote, and mingled scholary grace and polish with passion and feeling." (Rowland.)
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Mannsdale, a postoffice of Madison county, 11 miles southwest of Canton, the county seat.
Mantachie, an incorporated village in the western part of Itawamba county, 6 miles northwest of Fulton, the county seat, and 14 miles northeast of Tupelo, the nearest railroad and telegraph town. Fulton is the nearest banking town. Population in 1900, 150.
Mantee, a postoffice in the extreme northeastern part of Webster county, on the new extension of the Mobile, Jackson & Kansas City R. R., about 15 miles from Walthall, the county seat.
Manufacturing. In 1812 there were 807 spindles and 1,330 looms at work in the Mississippi territory, including what is now Ala- bama, manufacturing 342,472 yards of cotton cloth, 450 yards of linen, and 7,898 yards of woolen stuffs. In 1840 the statistics of the State of Mississippi indicated 53 cotton "factories" with 318 spindles, employing 81 hands and involving a capital of $6,420.
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