Mississippi : comprising sketches of towns, events, institutions, and persons, arranged in cyclopedic form Vol. II, Part 41

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 41

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field for them with good shipping facilities and an abundance of natural resources, combined with its proximity to the coal and iron of Alabama.

The following statistics from the twelfth United States census for 1900, relate to farms, manufactures and population :- Number of farms 4,412, acreage in farms 318,205, acres improved 193,390, value of land exclusive of buildings $2,265,590, value of buildings $735,720, value of live stock $893,056, total value of products not fed $1,581,046. Number of manufacturing establishments 78, cap- ital invested $122,898, wages paid $24,044, cost of materials $61,- 833, total value of products $133,820. The population in 1900 con- sisted of whites 4,699, colored 26,147, a total of 30,846 and an in- crease of 3,508 over the year 1890. The population is steadily in- creasing and was estimated at 33,000 in 1906. The total assessed valuation of real and personal property in Noxubee county in 1905 was $4,295,362 and in 1906 it was $4,579,586 which shows an in- crease of $284,224 during the year. Fine artesian water has been found in various parts of the county, especially at Macon and the eastern part of the county. The schools of the county are in a flourishing condition and the rural schools average about 7 months term a year. The town schools which constitutes separate school districts, such as Macon, Brooksville, and Shuqualak, have 9 months' terms. The largest and finest specimen of quarter-sawed oak on exhibition at the World's Fair at St. Louis, was furnished by the Macon Lumber Co. from Noxubee county timber. Noxubee county has bred and marketed the largest hog and the largest ox the world has ever produced. They were raised by Simeon Orr near Brooksville. The hog weighed 1,604 pounds and the ox over 3,000 pounds.

Nugent, a post-hamlet in the south-central part of Harrison coun- ty, on the Gulf & Ship Island R. R., 8 miles by rail north of Gulf- port, the county seat. Two sawmills are located here. Population in 1900, 75; estimated at 300 in 1906.

Oakforest, a postoffice in the north-central part of Benton county, 12 miles north of Ashland, the county seat.

Oakgrove, a postoffice of Kemper county, 8 miles southeast of Dekalb, the county seat.

Oakland, a town in the northwestern part of Yalobusha county. It is on the Illinois Central railroad and is surrounded by a good farming country, which will produce excellent crops of cotton and corn, and is also well adapted to stock raising and the growing of fruits and vegetables. It is claimed that Oakland pears rival those of California.

The census of 1900 gave the town a population of 209; the popu- lation in 1906 was estimated at 350. The principal shipment is cot- ton, of which about 5,500 bales are shipped annually, valued at $275,- 000. Ten miles west of the town is the eastern edge of the great Mississippi Delta region.

The town was first settled about 1836, one half a mile east of the station. When the Mississippi and Tennessee Railroad was

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built the business portion was removed to its present site. Some of the early settlers were G. W. S. Davidson, G. D. Moore, Rev. William A. Bryan, an early missionary of the Cumberland Pres- byterian church, Dr. W. B. Rowland, Johnson Burtin, Ervin M. Sayle, Wm. B. Craig, D. G. Sayle, and Wm. Black. Among the lead- ing citizens in 1906, may be mentioned James Moore, Dr. T. H. Gordon, W. H. Bell, J. H. Bailey, R. K. Marders, Dr. J. A. Sayle, son of Ervin M. Sayle the pioneer, W. K. Black, A. P. Herron, and W. S. Sayle, also a son of E. M. Sayle the pioneer mentioned above. The town is prosperous and is one of the best business towns of its size in the State. The Bank of Oakland, a branch of Grenada Bank, is a prosperous institution. The town has excellent schools and two churches, a fine cotton gin with the Munger system, and many prosperous merchants. The assessed valuation of taxable property in Oakland, both personal and real, is about $120,000, and the town rate of taxation is 41/2 mills.

Oakland College, was located in Claiborne county, five miles east of the Mississipi river, near Rodney landing. Rev. Jeremiah Chamberlain, one of the pioneer Presbyterian preachers of the Southwest, conceived the idea of establishing a college which should be under the care and supervision of his church. He sub- mitted a plan to the presbytery which met at Baton Rouge, La., April, 1829. This body took the matter up and a meeting of the friends of education assembled at Bethel church, two miles from the subsequent location of the college, Jan. 14, 1830. This meet- ing was composed of men from three parishes of Louisiana and eight counties of Mississippi. Rev. Benjamin Chase, chairman of the committee on resolutions, introduced a resolution declaring that it was "expedient to establish and endow an institution of learning within our bounds which should embrace the usual branches of science and literature, together with a preparatory grammar school and theological professorship." After three days' deliberation the resolution was unanimously adopted, and a sub- scription was immediately opened to secure the necessary funds. At that time no scholar had ever graduated Southwest of Ten- nessee, and no educated native of Mississippi had ever entered the ministry. There was no institution of learning prepared to give a collegiate course in Mississippi, Louisiana, or Arkansas, with a combined population of more than 300,000 people and embracing the growing city of New Orleans.

The presbytery of Mississippi, embracing all the Presbyterian ministers in Mississippi, Louisiana and Arkansas, took charge of the movement, located the college, opened the school with three pupils May 14, 1830, and began the clearing occupied by the buildings July 2, the first tree being cut by Dr. Jeremiah Cham- berlain, who had been chosen president of the institution. The first session closed with sixty-five pupils. The college was char- tered in 1831, and in 1833 had its first commencement, the first in the history of Mississippi. James M. Smiley, afterward a vice- chancellor of the State, received the degree of A. B. Dr. Cham-

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berlain was assisted as instructor by John Chamberlain, afterward professor of chemistry and natural philosophy. An unknown donor contributed $25,000 to endow a theological professorship. Rev. Zebulon Butler, D. D., was elected temporary professor in 1837, and soon after Rev. Jones, of New Jersey, was chosen to fill the position. This professorship continued until 1841 and edu- cated many young men, not only Presbyterians, but of other denominations, for the ministry. From 1839 to 1871 the college was under the management of the Synod of Mississippi. In 1840 it had 250 acres of land donated by Robert Cochran, subscriptions to above $100,000 for an endowment fund, a president's house, a professor's house, a steward's house and 15 cottages for students. The first story of the main building was raised. No attempts had been made to collect a library, but about 1,000 volumes had been contributed, and about 3,000 volumes belonged to the literary so- cieties belonging to the college. The college consisted of an Eng- lish school, a classical school and a college proper. Six young men had been licensed to preach, and others were preparing for the ministry in the Baptist, Methodist and Presbyterian churches, but the great mass of the students were preparing to be planters, physicians and lawyers.

In 1852 the college had aided in the education of nearly 1,000 native youth. It had besides the main building and residences of president and professors, 30 cottages for students; two handsome halls for the literary societies, with libraries attached; a college library of more than 4,000 volumes, and apparatus costing nearly $4,000. September 5, 1851, Dr. Chamberlain was stabbed and killed by a resident of the community.

In 1852 the faculty of the college was: Rev. R. L. Stanton, pres- ident and professor of moral sciences ; Rev. J. R. Hutchinson, pro- fessor of Latin, Greek and Hebrew; T. Newton Wilson, professor of mathematics; W. LeRoy Brown, professor of chemistry and natural philosophy ; H. B. Underhill, principal of the preparatory department. President Stanton was succeeded by Rev. James Perviance.

Rev. Wm. Breckinridge became president in 1860, but the out- break of the war made his service a short one. The institution was closed during the conflict, from which it suffered much. Its endowment was lost, and many of its patrons impoverished. Later, an attempt was made to revive the school; Rev. Joseph Calvin was elected president, but he soon died, and the institution virtually closed its doors. In 1871, under the pressure of debt, the synod resolved to sell the college, and it was sold to the State, as the site of Alcorn university. The funds, after all debts were paid, were used in the building of Chamberlain-Hunt academy.

Among the founders of Oakland college, who gave to the insti- tution $5,000 and upwards, were: Alvarez Fish, Dr. Stephen Dun- can, Dr. John Ker, Dr. Metcalf, John Routh, Thomas Henderson, Alex Henderson, Francis Serget, Alexander Ross, Mrs. Precilla McGill. Dr. John Ker gave $20,000 with the understanding that

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his name should not be divulged. After his death the secret was given out. . Oakland College was situated in a historic part of the State. Near it was the plantation of Gen. Zachary Taylor. Gen. U. S. Grant crossed the Mississippi river three miles north of its nearest landing, Rodney. Here was the scene of incidents in the lives of Andrew Jackson, Lorenzo Dow, and Aaron Burr.

Oakley, a station on the Natchez-Jackson branch of the Yazoo & Mississippi Valley R. R., 6 miles southwest of Raymond, one of the seats of justice for Hinds county. It has a money order post- office. Population in 1900, 80.

Oakohay, a post-hamlet in the northeastern part of Covington county on the Leaf river, about 15 miles from Williamsburg, the county seat. Mt. Olive is the nearest banking town, on the Gulf & Ship Island R. R. Population in 1900, 63.

Oakridge, a post-hamlet of Warren county, about 20 miles north- east of Vicksburg. Population in 1900, 43.

Oaks, a postoffice of Madison county, about 14 miles north of Canton, the county seat.

Oakvale, a postoffice of Lawrence county, 12 miles southeast of Monticello, the county seat. Silver creek at present is the nearest banking town, but a bank has been organized at Oakvale and will soon be in operation. Population in 1900, 33, and in 1906 was esti- mated at 200. The town is located on the Columbia branch of the Gulf & Ship Island R. R.

Obadiah, a postoffice of Lauderdale county, 12 miles north of Meridian.

Obed, a postoffice of Pike county, 15 miles due east of Magnolia, the county seat, and nearest railroad and banking town.

Occupation by U. S., 1797-98. The correspondence between Wayne and Carondelet is mentioned in "Advent of the Flag," the movements of Captain Pope, with 25 men, in support of Ellicott's escort, in "Ellicott and Gayoso." May 20, 1797, Gen. Wilkinson, the successor of Wayne, notified Capt. Isaac Guion that he had selected him to take possession of the military posts on the Mis- sissippi, theretofore held by the Spanish. He was to embark at Fort Washington (Cincinnati) May 26, with the party assigned him, and proceed to Fort Massac, near the mouth of the Tennes- see river, where he would be given more men and supplies by Capt. Zebulon Pike. Full instructions were given regarding the possi- bilities of the trip from there. He was to sail with the flag con- spicuously displayed, notify any Spanish post of his approach, and offer to exchange salute for salute, but stop for nothing but an official order or menace, in which case he was to deliver a protest and either return or take a position within the limits of the United States and defend it to the last extremity. At Chickasaw Bluffs he was to halt and distribute goods to the Chickasaws; then pro- ceed to Walnut Hills and take possession if the Spanish had gone, or demand possession if they had not evacuated. Leaving one 'company there, with a detachment of artillery, he was then to proceed to Natchez, where he would exercise diplomatic as well

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as military functions. (See Permanent Committee). It was some time after he had written these instructions that Wilkinson was informed by Carondelet that the Spanish proposed to hold the forts until the diplomats should determine whether they should be left intact or demolished, out of tender regard for the Indian treaties by which Spain had acquired the land to build upon ; also of the other pretext for delay, rumors of British invasion from Canada; also for fear of expeditions "against the Indians, the an- cient allies of Spain;" also until a "sufficient force, commanded by an officer of rank" should be sent, to guard against these dan- gers. Guion was not an officer of rank and his force was less than 200 strong, but the war department let it go at that. The military dispositions were sufficient to hold the Natchez people from mak- ing an imaginary war on the Indians and the imaginary Canadians from taking New Orleans.

Guion left Fort Massac with two companies, under Captains Demler and Heth. At New Madrid the Spanish commandant, De Lassus, formally protested against his proceeding down the river. This was made a matter of negotiation by the war depart- ment, which did not approve the course Guion took, of giving his parole to the Spanish commandant that he would go no further than the Chickasaw bluffs, until informed that "existing difficul- ties" between the two governments had been removed. Until relieved from this parole he could do nothing to perform his military mission, but would be in position to deliver the first gov- ernment annuity to the Chickasaws, which he brought with him in goods. He reached Chickasaw Bluffs (q. v.) July 20. Next day Augustin Grande, commandant at Hopefield, across the river, notified Guion that he had no orders from his superior to permit him to pass, to which Guion replied, "This I doubt not, nor that you have any orders to the contrary, as they would be extraordi- nary indeed." In the spring, when the Spanish authorities in- tended to carry out the treaty of limits, the stockade here had been burned, and the garrison transferred across the river. Now, Guion believed it was the intention, before his arrival, to reoc- cupy it.

Guion built a stockade, called Fort Adams, and later Fort Pick- ering. August 19 Governor Gayoso sent a despatch, releasing him from his parole not to proceed beyond Chickasaw Bluffs. In November, he sailed down the river to Fort Nogales, (December 1st) and finding Captain Beauregard in command, politely asked if he were ready to give possession and was politely informed that he was not. The expedition arrived December 6 at Natchez, where there was a Spanish garrison of forty men, under Capt. Stephen Minor, commandant and governor of the district. There seems to have been no protest against his landing, and he "en- camped on a hill just a thousand yards from the Spanish fort, and the flags of two nations waved over the same district." (Let- ter of Guion, quoted by Claiborne, p. 184.) The small commands

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of Lieutenants Pope and McClary, already there, became a part of Guion's battalion.

There was no change in the situation for two or three months. Wilkinson wrote Guion from Pittsburg, January 2, 1798, "Your building a fort at the lower Chickasaw bluff, though not in your orders, was, under the circumstances, very judicious, and conforms with my views exactly. The minister of war now approves what he would not allow in the spring. Capt. John Pierce has been sent by the secretary himself, to command at the bluff, with a select corps of incomparable rascals, under Lewis, Marschalk and Steele. The party you left there have been ordered to report to you at Natchez." This was brought to Guion by the Marquis de Mount- joy, in attendance upon the refugee prince later known as King Louis Phillippe.

While under parole at Chickasaw Bluffs, far from the scene of trouble at Natchez, the captain, upon complaints from Governor Gayoso had advised Lieut. Pope that "if there has been any just cause of dissatisfaction on the part of Governor Gayoso, it will no longer continue, and that you will remove it by a change of conduct." But his own conduct was not essentially different. In October he wrote the "courtly Gayoso" in rather plain terms that it was becoming to soldiers to tell the truth. After reaching Nat- chez Guion ordered his men to make fascines for fortification. Minor protested, saying he knew of no danger, and Guion sharply responded : "That you are entirely ignorant of being in any dan- ger, I doubt not, seeing that you are snug in garrison; but I am not so certain that my camp is in perfect security, or that hostility to it is not meditated." When Minor continued to write, Captain Guion said he hoped his excellency would put an end to a cor- respondence already too voluminous by telling him when he would evacuate Natchez and Walnut Hills. His redoubt was built and camp established on the spot where Ellicott had his tent, and this little field work, he told the secretary of war, had contributed much to the Spanish evacuation.

Governor Gayoso gave notice that the evacuation was ordered January 10, his letter reaching Natchez on the 18. It was not definitely stated in this communication, it seems, whether the forts would be demolished or not, a matter which had been left entirely to Spain to choose, when she raised the point. At a later date Gayoso gave orders to the officers at Natchez and Walnut Hills "to leave the fortifications in the state they were in, without de- molishing any part of them, and as to the buildings that otherwise might be sold to the public, to offer the preference to the com- manding officer of the United States troops at Natchez." (Letter to Wilkinson, Claiborne, p. 191-94.) He gave every other instruc- tion, he said, to prove the friendship of the nations, and the com- mandants at Natchez appointed appraisers for the buildings and arranged for a settlement through the courts.

January and February passed, however, without any change in the situation.

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"At length, on the 23d of March, when Captain Guion had al- most determined to take the forts by assault, Fort Nogales was evacuated, and the garrison descended the river to Natchez. Here it retired into Fort Panmure, and remained for six days longer, previous to its final evacuation. During this time, the commander studiously concealed the time of his intended depart- ure, while Captain Guion looked with impatience to the near ap- proach of the first day of April, which he declared should not witness the Spanish garrison in the fort. At length, on the 29th of March, about midnight, the Spanish drums began to sound the note of preparation; and at four o'clock next morning, having previously sent the artillery, stores and baggage on board their boats and galleys, the troops marched out of the fort to the river bank. Before the morning light they had embarked, and were several miles below Natchez, on their voyage to New Orleans." (Monette, I, 531.)

Commissioner Ellicott, who had been waiting for a year and a month, was notified in the night, so that he arose at four, walked to the fort, found the rear guard departing, and, as the gate was left open, went in "and enjoyed from the parapet the pleasing prospect of the galleys and boats leaving the shore and getting under way." The Natchez fort was occupied by Captain Demler. The Nogales fort was occupied later by Major Wm. Kersey, and a battalion under Captains Rickard and Wade and Lieutenants Marshall and Davidson. These commands were parts of the First and Third regiments, United States army, and detachments from the artillery. August 20, 1798, there was a reinforcement under Lieut .- Col. John F. Hamtramck, who had been a captain in the Continental army, and commanded the left wing of Wayne's army (Wilkinson the right) in the decisive battle of the Maumee in 1794. Wilkinson arrived at Natchez August 26. A day or two later he consulted Gov. Sargent about "the propriety of remain- ing at Natchez or descending the river," and was advised "to take post at or near some heights, elevated three hundred feet above the Mississippi, commanding the river and called Loftus Cliffs. They are almost seven miles above the line; and I suppose the troops will descend on the morrow," wrote Sargent September 29. Gen. Wilkinson moved his troops to this spot at once, leaving a garrison at old Fort Panmure, thereafter called Fort Sargent. At Loftus heights Fort Adams was built in 1799.

His little army embraced four hundred men in all, Morales heard at New Orleans. The troops "were quartered in canton- ments in the vicinity of Washington, and near the Halfway Hill, on the road to Second creek, until the following year, when a mili- tary post was erected at the first highland point on the Mississippi, a few miles above the Spanish line of demarcation." (Monette.) Lieut. McClary, with a small body of men, marched from Natchez May 5, 1799, to take possession of Fort Stephens, on the Tombig- bee, which was evacuated by the Spaniards on his arrival. In July Capt. Schaumberg, of the Second regiment, marched from

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Natchez, with two companies, to the first bluff below the conflu- ence of the Tombigbee and Alabama, and built the stockade after- ward known as Fort Stoddert. (Pickett's Alabama.)

General Wilkinson departed for the seat of government May 27, 1799, and left Major Cushing in command on the Mississippi.

Ocean Springs, an incorporated post-town of Jackson county, sit- uated on the Gulf of Mexico and the Bay of Biloxi, five miles east of the city of Biloxi. It is an important station on the Louisville & Nashville R. R., 84 miles from New Orleans and 56 miles from Mobile. It is a popular pleasure resort, both winter and summer, and is widely famed for its mineral springs, its salubrious climate, fine sea bathing, and beautiful drives. It is well provided with churches, hotels and schools, and has telegraph, telephone, express and banking facilities. Truck-farming and sheep raising are exten- sively carried on in the vicinity. It is an extensive wool market, and a large turpentine industry is established here. In addition to the Ocean Springs State Bank, the Scranton State Bank, and the Merchants and Marine of Scranton also maintain branches here. The Ocean Springs, a Democratic weekly newspaper, established in 1897, is edited and published by A. E. Lee. Population in 1900, 1,255.

Ochre. Yellow ochre is of common occurrence in the Orange sand formation throughout the State, but not in large quantities. One of the main deposits, near White Cliffs, was evidently in ancient use. It is not impossible that large beds may be found. Red ochre is also common, used for paint in some localities, and furnishing extremely beautiful tints. Aluminous brown iron ore and brown hematite are very extensively diffused through the Orange Sand, but not, under present condition, commercially val- uable.

Octavia, a hamlet in the extreme southern part of Yazoo county, about 21 miles south of Yazoo City. It has a money order post- office. The population in 1906 was about 30.

Odd Fellows. The grand lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows of Mississippi was instituted by Thomas Wildey, past grand sire, at Natchez, May 6, 1838. There were then only two lodges in the State-Mississippi, No. 1, and Washington, No. 2-both at Natchez, which had been chartered by the grand lodge of the United States, now the sovereign grand lodge. Washing- ton, No. 2, after a record of more than fifty years, ceased work in 1888, and the grand secretary has its original charter from the grand lodge of the United States, dated February 22, 1838. War- ren, No. 3, at Vicksburg, was organized May 14, 1838, eight days after the organization of the grand lodge.

Says an official report: "It is a notable fact that the yellow fever, in every epidemic in the State, has carried off scores of our brethren; but this is not remarkable when we recollect that all ranks of society fill our lodges-especially the laboring classes. At each of these visitations of Providence the treasuries of lodges have been emptied in the service of humanity. In the past sixty-

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six years the lodges have passed through many vicissitudes. At least one-third of them have been burned out, outside of those destroyed during the war. From total destruction during the war only some half-dozen lodges escaped. Twenty-two lodges never revived after the war, and as many more, by the undying love of Odd Fellowship, were only kept alive a few years longer. Odd Fellowship in Mississippi has had many 'ups and downs,' but has gloriously survived them all."

There are now about 110 subordinate lodges in the State. The receipts of the order in Mississippi in the last year reported were $27,051, expenditures $21,906; investments and lodge property, $111,117. The grand lodge of 1906 is expected to make provision for the building of an Orphans' Home.

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Mississippi : comprising sketches of towns, events, institutions, and persons, arranged in cyclopedic form Vol. II, Part 41

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