Mississippi : comprising sketches of towns, events, institutions, and persons, arranged in cyclopedic form Vol. II, Part 32

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 32

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Money, Hernando De Soto, of Carrollton, one of Mississippi's representatives in the senate of the United States, was born August 26, 1839, in Holmes county, Miss. He received his collegiate advantages in the University of Mississippi and after completing his scholastic work he became a planter and engaged in the practice of law. When war broke out between the North and South Mr. Money joined the Confederate army and served until Sept. 26, 1864, when defective eyesight compelled his retirement from the service. As the representative of his district he was a member of the Forty- fourth, Forty-fifth, Forty-sixth, Forty-seventh, Forty-eighth, Fifty- third and Fifty-fourth Congresses in the House of Representatives. In January, 1896, he was elected to the United States senate for the term beginning March 4, 1899. On Oct. 8, 1897, he was appointed to fill the vacancy in that body caused by the death, on August 14, 1897, of the Honorable J. Z. George; the legislature elected him to fill out the unexpired term and in 1899 he was elected for a full term and re-elected on Jan. 20, 1903. His term expires March 3, 1911.

Monroe County was originally embraced within the Chickasaw Indian territory, and, by the treaty of Chickasaw Council House, concluded September 20, 1816, that nation ceded to the United States 408,000 acres on their eastern or Creek frontier. This large tract lay upon the eastern tributaries of the upper Tombigbee river and comprised the original "county of Monroe." The Creek claims to these lands were surrendered by the treaty of Fort Jackson. It was attached to the State of Alabama until the winter of 1820, when the boundary was determined by actual survey, and on February 9, 1821, the legislature of Mississippi recognized it as within the limits of the State and approved a law entitled, "An act to form a county east of the Tombigby river, and for other purposes," which defined its limits as follows: "All the tract of country lying on the east side of the Tombigbee river . . . beginning on the east side of said river, where the eastern boundary line of the State crosses the same; thence northwardly with said boundary line, to

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the Chickasaw boundary; thence with said boundary line west- wardly to the Tombigbee river; thence with the meanders of said river to the beginning." The act of February 9, 1836, which organ- ized the Chickasaw cession of 1832 into counties, extended the limits of Monroe and defined them as follows: "Beginning at the point one mile due north of the point where the line between town- ships 11 and 12 intersects the eastern boundary line of the State, and running thence due west to the line between ranges 5 and 6 east; thence south with the said range line, to the northern boun- dary of Oktibbeha county ; and thence due east to the mouth of the Buttahatchy river; thence according to the present boundaries be- tween the said county of Monroe and the county of Lowndes, to the eastern boundary line of the State, and thence along the said eastern boundary line to the beginning." For the final modification of the boundary line between Lowndes and Clay, see those counties. The county has a land surface of 762 square miles. Since that time Monroe county has formed part of the State of Mississippi, though it was long separated from the older counties in the southern part, and from the counties in the western part, erected out of the "New Purchase," by the remaining territory of the Choctaws. It was connected with them by a public road through the Chickasaw and Choctaw nations long known as the Natchez Trace (q. v.). Lowndes county and a part of Clay county were embraced within the old county of Monroe. It received its name from President James Monroe, and as now constituted, is bounded on the north by Lee and Itawamba counties, on the east by Alabama, on the south by Clay and Lowndes counties and on the west by Clay and Chicka- saw counties. A list of the civil officers of the county for 1821, the year of its organization, discloses the names of the following pioneers: Gideon Lincicum, Chief Justice of the Quorum, and Wiley Harbin, Ezekiel Nash, Stephen Harman, Frederick Weaver, Associate Justices; Bartlett Sims, Sheriff; Silas Brown, Assessor and Collector ; Hezekiah Lincicum, Coroner ; John G. Faulks, Treas- urer and Ranger; Nathaniel Morgan, George Dilworth, Silas Mc- Bee, Thos. Sampson, Andrew Haynes, John H. Morris, David Shannon, John Halbot, Robert Earington, Jacob Laughridge, Justices of the Peace; James Draper, Robert Pickens, James Dil- lingham, Isaac Dyche, John Bibb, John H. Hayes, John Brighton, Benj. Morgan, William M. Kincaid, Constables; William S. Moon, Surveyor ; S. Hawkins, Judge of Probate; Nathaniel Harbin, Clerk. Additional county officers for the years 1822-1827 inclusive, and excluding the names of officers given for the year 1821, are Robert I. Haden, Thomas Sampson, William Dowsing, George Higgason, Judges of Probate; John Kirk, Nathan L. Morgan, Associate Justices ; John Dexter, Assessor and Collector ; James T. Burdine, Abram P. Gideon, Samuel B. Morgan, Constables; Samuel Rags- dale, Sheriff; Matthew . Anderson, Geo. Dilworth, Coroners ; Matthew Sims, Ranger; Willis A. Farris, Notary Public; William Downing, Ovid P. Brown, John H. Hand, Presidents of Columbus ; William Standifer, James White, Collin Mckinney, John Mullin,

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Alanson Nash, Wm. Coates, Wm. Cook, John Price, John Thomp- son, Eli Runnels, James Gray, Benjamin Land, Matthew Gibbs, Jeremiah Riggin, John McKinny, Richard Dilworth, Wm. Dowsing, Stephen Harman, Richard Halley, Jacob Bruton, Peter R. Mc- Clanahan, J. S. Cravens, Jesse McKenny, Edmond J. Bailey, George Good, Reuben Menifee, Stewart Pipkins, Robert D. Haden, John Fisher, William E. Willis, Robert B. Pickens, John T. Neal, Justices of the Peace.

Its early county seat was at Hamilton (q. v.), in the southern part of the county, one mile east of the Tombigbee river. The pres- ent town of Hamilton lies three miles to the northeast. Later, in 1830, the seat was moved to Athens, a little north of Aberdeen on the eastern side of the Tombigbee, where it remained until 1849. Cotton Gin Port (see separate title), was another old settlement on the Tombigbee about 13 miles north of Aberdeen. The present county seat is the thriving town of Aberdeen, which contains about 5,000 inhabitants and is a manufacturing town of considerable im- portance and the center of a thriving trade. It is on the Tombigbee river and has three railroads, the Mobile & Ohio, the Kansas City, Memphis & Birmingham, and the Illinois Central. It is adjacent to the iron and coal of Alabama, has a fine water power and is sur- rounded with forests of valuable wood and should continue to de- velop in many lines. Amory is a growing town of 1,211 (census of 1900) people in the northern part of the county, on the line of the K. C. M. & B. R. R., and, next to Aberdeen, is the most important town. Some of the smaller settlements besides those previously mentioned, are Gattman, Smithville, Prairie, Rees Store, Quincy and Sykes. The three railroads above mentioned give the region excellent transportation facilities in all directions. The attractions of this favored region of the State were early recognized, and a strong tide of emigration set in, composed for the most part of hardy pioneers of the best stock from the older states. It has long been regarded as one of the wealthiest and most inviting sections of the Commonwealth, noted for its fertile farms and thriving man- ufactures. The principal streams in the county are the Tombigbee river and its numerous tributaries, the most important of which is the Buttahatchie river on the southeastern border. The region is partly level and partly undulating with rich black prairie, and fine black sand soils, and a clay subsoil. Abundant crops of cotton, corn, wheat, oats, field peas, sorghum and grasses are grown, and all the fruits, large and small, and vegetables do well. It is an excellent stock region and many fine grades of live stock are being bred here. The county contains forests of poplar, cedar, hickory, ash, cypress, gum, wild-cherry, maple, walnut, beech, pine and oak, which supply ample material for its wood-working industries.

The following statistics, farm, manufacturing and population, from the United States census, 1900, will show the recent develop- ment of the county: Number of farms 4,854, acreage in farms 372,738, acres improved 187,404, value of land exclusive of build- ings $3,013,680, value of buildings $848,950, value of live stock $877,-

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675, total value of products not fed $2,009,066. The number of inan- ufacturing establishments 91, capital invested $711,161, wages paid $126,485, cost of materials $322,254, total value of products $665,990. The population in 1900 was whites 12,555, colored 18,661, a total of 31,216 and 486 more than in 1890. The estimated population in 1906 was 35,000. Artesian water has been found in various parts of the county. The public highways are being worked under con- tract. Improved and unimproved lands have doubled in value in the last five years. The total assessed valuation of real and personal property in Monroe county in 1905 was $3,878,271 and in 1906 it was $4,322,575, which shows an increase during the year of $444,304.

Monterey, a post-hamlet of Rankin county, situated on Richland creek, a tributary of Pearl river, 7 miles southwest of Brandon, the county seat. Population in 1900, 36. Florence is its nearest rail- road and banking town.

Monterey, Battle of. In the Mississippi archives is Col. Jeffer- son's Davis' report to Gen. Quitman of this battle, September 21- 23, 1846. After stating the position of the regiment in the advance of the brigade against the lower fort (Teneria), the report reads: "I ordered the Mississippi riflemen to advance obliquely by the left of companies to a line which I established as effectively near to the enemy, and then ordered the battalion into line; the companies being directed when formed to commence firing as in open order. In a few minutes the fire of the enemy had so far diminished as to indicate the propriety of a charge, and being without instructions it was accordingly ordered. Lieut .- Col. McClung sprung before his old company and called on them to follow him. The call was promptly answered. In an instant the whole regiment rushed forward, the flanks converging toward an open embrasure which lay nearly before our center, and it became a contest of speed who first should reach the fort. The enemy fled from the rear sally ports as we entered the front, leaving behind him his artillery, a considerable number of muskets, his dead and wounded. Passing immediately through the fort we found the enemy flying in disor- der, some to a fortified stone building immediately in rear, others across the stream to the fort which stands beyond it. Our pursuit was so close that we reached the gate of the stone building before it was secured, and, upon forcing it open, the men inside fled be- hind the pilasters of the portico and held up their hands in token of submission. An officer offered me his sword and announced the surrender. I received it and retired to select an officer to take charge of the prisoners and receive their arms. Lieutenant Town- send of Company K was directed to discharge this duty, and the pursuit of the enemy was immediately resumed. Leading those who had come up across the ford, we advanced within rifle range of the fort beyond the stream, and opened a fire upon such of the enemy as showed themselves above the wall, the intention being to storm the fort as soon as a sufficient number of our regiment came up. In acordance with my instructions and expect- ing to find the main body of my regiment, I passed up the street

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to our right, with the force just withdrawn across the stream. We soon became mingled with other troops which we found along the wall, and after rallying my command for a forward movement, I found it much reduced. Captain Cooper had kept say twenty of his company together. With these and about ten others of our regiment I advanced until we met with Captain Field of the United States army, who led me to a point where he had discovered a con- siderable body, probably one hundred of the enemy. On our ap- proach they fled beyond a street which was enfiladed by the fire of a strong party sheltered behind the tete du pont of the principal bridge. Captain Cooper with the party accompanying us was posted in an interior building to act as sharp shooters against the men of the tete du pont, until we should be sufficiently reinforced for more offensive operations. After a brief period we were joined by Major Mansfield, of the United States engineers, with a small party of the First infantry under his command. Whilst the men were resting we reconnoitred the position and decided on a plan of attack. At this instant we were joined by General Hamer with a portion of his brigade and from him we received orders to retire, as I was afterward informed, to give protection to a battery of ar- tillery threatened by lancers, in the rear. In the meantime a few individuals, but no organized portion of my regiment, had joined me, and we followed in rear of General Hamer's column. After having proceeded the half of a mile or more, the enemy's cavalry appeared on our left, and the troops in front began to close and form on a chapparal fence in advance of us. The men under my com- mand had undergone such severe fatigue that their movements were necessarily slow, and some of them fell behind. A party of lancers dashed forward to attack the rear. I ordered the Rifle- men to face about and return to the relief of our comrades. The movement was readily executed, and though the files were in loose order their effective fire soon drove the enemy back, leaving sev- eral dead behind him. Soon after this I was joined by Major Brad- ford with the portion of the regiment which had served under his orders a great part of the day. We were now on the ground where for the third time during the day we had been under the cross fire of the enemy's batteries ; when I learned from you the position of another portion of my regiment, and received your orders to join and consolidate it. . . I saw no exhibition of fear, no want of confidence, but on every side the men who stood around me were prompt and willing to execute my orders. I cannot omit to mention the gallant bearing of Lieutenant-Colonel Mc- Clung. At the storming of the fort he first mounted the parapet and turning to the regiment waved his sword over his head in that position to cheer the men on to further danger. It was my mis- fortune soon after to lose his services. At the fortified stone build- ing he was dangerously wounded. I must also mention Lieutenant Patterson who sprung into the open embrasure as Colonel McClung mounted the parapet, and fired the first American piece within the . work of the enemy. Captain Downing, in whom is happily com-

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bined the qualities of a leader and commander, was severely woun- ded whilst (among the foremost) cheering his company to the charge, and I felt severely the loss of his services. Corporal Gresham, of Captain Taylor's company, fell near me, after we had crossed the stream and were advancing upon the fort beyond it. He had fired his rifle several times and was advancing firing with exemplary intrepidity, when he fell forward with two wounds and died as he had fought, calmly, silently, and with his eye upon the foe. Lieutenant Calhoun attracted my attention by the gallantry with which he exposed himself and the efforts he made to shelter others.

Next day (22d) Quitman's brigade, including the Rifles, occupied the fort (Teneria) that the Rifles had taken, exposed to the fire of the citadel, Fort El Diablo and other works, while offensive opera- tions were going on under the direction of Gen. Taylor. On the morning of the 23d Col. Davis took Company H, Lieutenant Moore, and Company G, Lieutenant Greaves, and two companies of Ten- nesseeans, out to reconnoitre. Ad. Griffith having been wounded, Lieut. Cook volunteered to act in his place. "The duty we had to perform was considered both difficult and perilous." As they ad- vanced into the town, parties of the enemy fled at their approach. The fort (El Diablo) was found to be evacuated and the artillery removed, but the interior was swept by the fire from other forts, and the Mississippians took shelter outside the walls. A safer position was taken, to the left. At this point Company B, Capt. Cooper, took the place of Company G, and Company D, Lieut. Russell, took the place of one of the Tennessee companies. Push- ing on to the left they came to a barricade across the street, and under the fire of sharpshooters. Two balls narrowly missed the colonel as he led his men. A little battle followed, the enemy occupying a massive stone building. Private Tyree, coming up from the rear to take part in the fight, was killed. "We continued to advance, and drive the enemy by passing through courts, gardens and houses, taking every favorable position to fire from the house- tops, which from their style of architecture furnishes a good de- fense against musketry, until near the plaza, where we found all the streets barricaded and swept by so severe a fire that to advance from our last position it became necessary to construct a defense across the street. For this purpose we used the baggage and pack saddles found in the houses, and though under a fire of artillery as well as musketry, had more than half finished the work when we were ordered to retire." The retreat was made in good order, but Lieut. Howard and others were wounded. Col. Davis specially mentioned Capt. Cooper, Lieuts. Moore, Russell, Posey, Greaves, Hampton, and Cook, Surgeons Seymour, Halsey, and Sergeant- Major Harlan. Two volunteers on the 23d, Maj. E. R. Price of Natchez, and Capt. I. R. Smith, were conspicuous for gallantry.

The companies of this regiment left in Fort Teneria when Davis started out, were under the command of Maj. A. B. Bradford. They moved out about an hour later, when so ordered, (leaving

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Capt. Taylor and company to hold the fort), advanced for several hundred yards under a heavy fire, and found cover of the houses. Remaining there some time awaiting orders, a number of the men joined Col. Davis. Orders finally came from Quitman to charge the town, which was promptly responded to. "We carried the street here for several hundred yards under a continued shower of grape and canister shot, accompanied with musketry, and took a position in the heart of the town and maintained it firmly for sev- eral hours under a most galling fire the whole time, and until we were ordered by the commanding general to draw off and then re- tired in good order. The officers with me were Captains Willis and McManus, Lieutenants Patterson, Townsend, Wade, Arthur, Bradford and Markham, who all behaved with great presence of mind and courage, as did every soldier who accompanied us." (Report of Major Bradford.)

Next day Monterey was surrendered to Taylor, Colonel Davis being one of the three American officers who met the Mexicans to arrange terms. The official report of casualties of the Mississippi regiment was 14 killed and 47 wounded.

Montevista, a postoffice of Webster county, located on Shutispear creek, a tributary of the Yalobusha river, 6 miles north of Walthall, the county seat.

Montgomery, a post-hamlet of Lincoln county, on the Illinois Central Railroad, 5 miles north of Brookhaven, the county seat and nearest banking, express and telegraph town. Population in 1900, 48.

Montgomery, an extinct settlement in Holmes county, situated on the west bank of Big Black river, at Pickens ferry. It was incor- porated in 1836.

Montgomery, Alexander, said to be the pioneer of that family in Mississippi, came from the famous Waxhaw settlement of Scotch- Irish in South Carolina. His journey seems to have been made after the period of the Revolution. He came down by way of Ten- nessee, without means, to seek the lands being offered by the Spanish government in the Natchez, and in 1793 was granted 500 arpents on Thompson's creek. It appears from the land reports that a John Montgomery was in the district in 1790. In 1801 Alex- ander Montgomery was chosen by President Adams, from the nominations of the representatives, as one of the Territorial council of five, and he held this office five years, after which he was elected to the house of representatives. In 1808 he was again appointed to the council, and being re-appointed in 1809, was chosen president of that body. His death occurred in November, 1812.

President Montgomery's first wife was a daughter of Maj. Rich- ard King, and his second marriage was to a lady of the Swayze family. He was the father of a large family, the most distinguished of whom was Judge Alexander Montgomery. Four of his brothers, William, Samuel, Robert and Joseph, followed Alexander to Mis- sissippi, and founded families of importance.

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Montgomery, Alexander, son of the foregoing, was a native of Adams county, and upon his election by the legislature to the cir- cuit and supreme court in November, 1831, defeating William L. Sharkey for that honor, became the first native Mississippian upon the bench. He was a pupil of George Poindexter and Edward Turner, and a clear-minded and expert counsel. He was noted rather for a well-balanced equipment for his profession rather than any especial brilliancy. In the practice of law he was associated with his partner, Samuel S. Boyd, a native of Maine, and their firm was for many years one of the leading ones of the State. His term upon the bench was cut short by the adoption of a new con- stitution and judicial system, which went into effect in 1833. He lived to be a very old man and died at Vicksburg.

Montgomery County was established late in the history of the State, May 13, 1871, and was carved from the counties of Carroll and Choctaw (q. v.). It was named in honor of General Richard Montgomery, who fell in the assault on Quebec. It is one of the smaller counties, containing a superficial area of 391 square miles and lies in the north central part of the State, bounded on the north by Grenada county, on the east by Webster and Choctaw counties, on the south by Attala county and on the west by Carroll county. Its first county officers were W. B. Peery, Eli P. Cartlidge, Thomas C. Curry, James Thomas, Supervisors ; John C. Mckenzie, Sheriff ; Thomas C. Blackmore, Clerk of the Chancery Court; Henry Harris, Clerk of the Circuit Court ; T. B. Brown, Assessor ; F. M. Shyrock, Treasurer ; W. H. Parke, Superintendent of Education. All of these officers were temporary appointments of Governor Alcorn, at the time the county was first organized. Its largest town and the county seat is Winona, which is a growing place of 3,500 people, at the junction of the Illinois Central and the Southern Railways. The word "Winona," is an Indian word meaning "first-born daughter." It has a large number of important industrial enterprises and is located in the center of a rich farming region. A few of the other towns in the county are Duck Hill (pop. 300), Kilmichael (pop. 400), Thrail- kill, Stewart, Eskridge, Lodi, Minerva, Poplar Creek, Fox, Carnegie, Sawyer and Alva. Good transportation facilities are provided by the two railroads above mentioned. The Big Black river runs through the southeastern part; the other streams are Bogue-Hays, Mulberry, Lewis', Wolf and many other smaller creeks. The gen- eral surface of the land is undulating, a small part is hilly. The soil is a rich, dark or yellow loam, on the bottoms a dark alluvial. It produces large crops of cotton, corn, oats, wheat, rye, sorghum, field peas, ground peas, potatoes and hay. Fruits and vegetables are extensively raised for both home consumption and the market. The timber consists of oaks, ash, poplar, walnut, hickory, chestnut, maple, gum and cypress. It is an excellent stock region and a good many horses, especially, are bred in this section. The climate is mild and healthful and good school and church privileges are found throughout the whole county.

The following statistics, taken from the twelfth census for 1900,

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relating to farms, manufactures and population, will be found in- structive: Number of farms 2,394, acreage in farms 215,967, acres improved 91,375, value of land exclusive of buildings $933,650, value of the buildings $380,710, value of live stock $478,328, total value of products not fed $860,035. Number of manufacturing establish- ments 61, capital invested $183,707, wages paid $57,488, cost of materials $180,184, total value of products $361,223. The population in 1900 consisted of whites 7,963, colored 8,573, a total of 16,536 and an increase over the year 1890 of 2,077. The population in 1906 was estimated at 20,000. The total assessed valuation of real and personal property in the county in 1905 was $2,386,684 and in 1906 it was $2,703,811, which shows an increase of $317,127 during the year.

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Mississippi : comprising sketches of towns, events, institutions, and persons, arranged in cyclopedic form Vol. II, Part 32

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