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

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 83

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A small pox camp was established by order of Governor Clai- : borne, and Drs. D. and W. Lattimore put in charge of it. Their report, showing that few deaths resulted is recorded in the gov- ernor's journal. Following is an extract: "The well-known ex- ertions which your excellency used to preserve the territory from the small-pox, and the influence you have exercised in favor of vaccination, induce us to believe that you will be highly gratified to hear that the latter has prevented the ravages of the former, by a very general circulation. We conceive that two-thirds of

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the inhabitants must have undergone vaccination, and in no case that we have heard of has it produced mortality. It is not easy to say what might have been the fate of this menaced country, without the advantage of this invaluable preventative ; but it would seem as if its opportune arrival amongst us was something provi- dential. No case of small-pox, as far as we know, now exists in the territory."

At the session of the legislature of 1846, much alarm prevailed on the subject of the small pox, and by the act of March 2, 1846, a vaccine depot and agency was established at Jackson, with an annual salary of $400 to the agent. In 1852 the governor recom- mended that the agency be abolished, the cause of alarm having long since passed away and vaccine matter being accessible to all at trifling expense. For recent epidemics, see Board of Health.

Smedes, a post-hamlet in the southwestern part of Sharkey county, on the Yazoo & Mississippi Valley R. R., about 16 miles south of Rolling Fork, the county seat and nearest banking town. Population in 1900, 41.

Smiley, James Malcolm, vice-chancellor 1846-52, was born in Amite county, Miss., October 25, 1812, was educated at Jefferson college, Pennsylvania, and at Oakland college, Mississippi, being the first graduate of that institution and the entire "class" of 1834. He read law with William Dillingham, of Liberty, completed his studies at New Orleans and at Transylvania university, Ky., and began the practice in Amite county in 1837. He was elected to the legislature in 1841, 1843 and 1845, and in 1846 was elected vice- chancellor for the southern district of the State, defeating Pow- hatan Ellis by a large majority. He was reelected in 1850, but resigned in 1852 to make his home at New Orleans. There he was concerned in important litigation, including the celebrated Gaines case, in which he was one of the counsel for Mrs. Myra Clark Gaines, daughter of Daniel Clark, Jr. Judge Smiley returned to Amite county in 1859, was elected circuit judge in 1865, and held that office by various reappointments until January, 1878, when he resigned. His death was at Magnolia, April 8, 1879. In politics, so far as he permitted himself to participate, he was a Whig. He was particularly noticeable as bringing down to times not far re- mote the characteristics of the bench and bar of a much older period.

Smith, Benjamin F., a native of Kentucky, when a boy of six- teen, enlisted with the troops under Gen. Jackson and served in the battles of the Creek campaign and at Mobile, Pensacola and New Orleans, as a private and officer gaining the favorable atten- tention of his general. Subsequently he removed to Mississippi with his father, Maj. David Smith, a hero of the revolution. The family settled in Hinds county, not long after that region was yielded by the Choctaws, and B. F. was the first representative of Hinds in the legislature. Afterward he was appointed agent among the Chickasaws by President Jackson. Joining the Austin colony

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in Texas he was adjutant of the revolutionary troops at the begin- ning of hostilities in 1835, under Col. Austin.

Smithburg, a post-hamlet in the south-central part of Pike county, 10 miles east of Osyka, the nearest railroad and banking town. Population in 1900, 36.

Smith, Cotesworth Pinckney, was born in the district of Nat- chez, the son of Peter Smith, a planter who immigrated from South Carolina in 1785, and died in 1837, leaving a large estate. In early manhood he engaged in the practice of law. In politics he was a Whig. In 1826 he was elected representative of Wilkin- son county and was chairman of the committee on internal im- provements in the house. In 1830 he was elected to the State sen- ate, and after the new constitution went into effect he was elected one of the three judges of the High court of errors and appeals .. He served until 1837 by this election ; for a few months in 1840, by appointment of the governor, was the successor of Judge Pray, and in 1849 was again elected to the court for a full term, and in November, 1851, was chosen chief justice, a dignity which contin- ued to be his until his death, November 11, 1862. He delivered the opinion of the court in the famous case of Johnson vs. The State, sustaining the validity of the Union bank bonds, in contra- diction to the political decision on this subject. The resolutions of the bar, presented by Hon. T. J. Wharton, February 23, 1863, recite: "Born in Mississippi while yet under the Territorial gov- ernment of Georgia, Judge Smith grew with the growth of his State. Honored and trusted at all times by his fellow-citizens, he never sought rewards or honors from any other source, and never held an office not conferred by them. Learned, conscien- tious, fearless and upright, for nearly twelve years he presided in this court."

Governor Clark wrote of him in a message of December, 1863 : "Sad as have been the inroads which death has made upon our State in the last twelve months, the demise of none of her sons has caused a wider or more heart-felt sorrow. Born upon the soil of Mississippi, devoted heart and soul to her interest, and watching with zealous care over her honor, Judge Smith spent a long and laborious life in her service. In the forum, in the senate chamber and upon the bench, he labored with a zeal that knew no weari- ness, and with a purity of patriotism and loftiness of purpose that has had few parallels. In every position he occupied, his great talents, his profound erudition, his extensive legal attainments and the unquestioned purity of his character, shed unfading luster upon the annals of his native State."

In the winter of 1861 Judge Smith asked and was given a place on the staff of Gen. Reuben Davis, in command at Corinth. "I considered this a very great honor to me," Davis wrote, "as he was a gentleman of sixty-five years of age, of unusual dignity of char- acter, a ripe scholar, and the ablest jurist in the State, excepting Judge W. L. Sharkey." He was interested in the movement for the liberation of Cuba, in 1850, and while he was judge of the

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high court his name appeared on the bonds that were put in cir- culation by Lopez.

Smith County was established December 23, 1833, and was named in honor of Major David Smith, of Hinds county. The county has a land surface of 610 square miles. It lies a little to the south of the center of the State, and was the southwestern corner of the large area of land finally ceded to the United States by the Choc- taws, in the treaty of Dancing Rabbit, September 27, 1830. Its limits were defined as follows by the act which created the county : "Beginning on the line between ranges 9 and 10 east, at the point at which the line between townships 4 and 5 crosses said line, and from thence south with the said line between ranges 9 and 10 east, to the southern boundary of the Choctaw nation; from thence west, with said southern boundary line, to the western boundary line of said Choctaw nation; from thence north with said western bound- ary line, to the point at which the line between townships 2 and 3 strikes said western boundary line; from thence west to the line between ranges 5 and 6 east; from thence north with said line be- tween ranges 5 and 6 east, to the line between townships 4 and 5; and from thence to the place of beginning." A large influx of set- tlers from the older parts of the State poured into the new county at an early date, and by 1837 there were 1,085 free whites, owning some three hundred slaves. A list of the county officers for the year 1838 follows: Abraham Carr, Sampson Ainsworth, Emanuel A. Durr, Thomas J. Husbands, John Sprinks, Members of the Board of Police; James B. Graham, Sheriff, Assessor and Collector ; Ben- jamin Thornton, Clerk of the Circuit and Probate Courts; John Campbell, Judge of Probate ; James L. McCaugh, County Surveyor ; Abner Lewis, Coroner ; Charles C. Horton, Ranger; Reuben Craft, County Treasurer ; David Ward, Justice of the Peace; Jesse Rose, Constable.

The original county site was located at Fairchild, about four miles south of Raleigh, but was soon abandoned. The county seat was then established at Raleigh, so called for Sir Walter Raleigh, and was a place of 200 inhabitants in 1900, situated near the center of the county. There are no large settlements in the region, but numerous small villages abound. Two of the oldest towns are Polkville and Trenton, established during the 40's and located on the east and west bank of Strong river in the northwestern corner. Some of the other towns are Boykins (pop. 350), Lorena, Lemon, Sylvarena, Taylorsville and Summerland. The only railroad in the county is the Laurel branch of the Gulf & Ship Island R. R., which cuts across the southern part of the county from west to east. The water courses are Strong and Leaf rivers and their numerous tributary streams, affording very good water power. About one-fourth of the acreage of the county is now improved, and the balance is well timbered with long-leaf pine for the most part; on the river and creek bottoms are found white, red and black oak, hickory, chest- nut, beech, magnolia, pecan and cypress. The surface of the land is level on the bottoms, undulating and hilly elsewhere. The soil is of various kinds; partly red and black prairie, good for corn and

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cotton ; partly fertile bottoms, and partly hill lands, where the soil is not so good. All the agricultural crops, fruits and vegetables common to the central part of the State are raised in fair abundance. Sheep raising and animal husbandry are profitable, as the pastur- age is good, wood range in summer and switch-cane on the bottoms in winter. The climate is mild and healthful and schools and churches are to be found in every neighborhood. No manufactures of importance are to be found in the county, though the census lists some 46 small ones.

The following statistics, taken from the twelfth United States census for 1900, relate to farms, manufactures and population : Number of farms 2,400, acreage in farms 270,831, acres improved 75,602, value of lands exclusive of buildings $749,490, value of build- ings $335,620, value of live stock $421,041, total value of products not fed to stock $751,744. The number of manufactures was 46, capi- tal invested $66,914, wages paid $7,796, cost of materials $47,135, total value of products $80,672. The population in 1900 consisted of whites 10,695, colored 2,360, total 13,055, increase of 2,420 over the year 1890. The total assessed valuation of real and personal property in Smith county in 1905 was $1,996,641 and in 1906 it was $3,404,118 showing an increase during the year of $1,407,477.

Smithdale, a post-hamlet in the northeastern part of Amite county, on the east fork of the Amite river, about 16 miles from Liberty, the county seat. Summit, 11 miles east, on the Illinois Central R. R., is the nearest railroad and banking town. Smithdale has two churches. Population in 1900, 31.

Smith, James Argyle, a native of Tennessee, was appointed from Mississippi to West Point in 1849, and after his graduation was on duty with the United States army in the west until 1861, when he resigned and accepted a commission as captain in the Confed- erate States army. In 1862 he was adjutant-general of General Polk's army until Shiloh, when he was second in command of a regiment. He commanded the Fifth Confederate regiment at Per- ryville, Murfreesboro and Chickamauga, winning promotion to brigadier-general. At Missionary Ridge he was distinguished for gallantry and was shot through both thighs. On recovery he led his brigade at the battle of Atlanta and was again wounded. When Major-General Cleburne was killed at Franklin, Smith took com- mand of his division, and his last service was at Bentonville, N. C. After the war he made his home in Mississippi, being engaged in farming from 1866-1877, and in the latter year was elected State superintendent of education, an office he held until 1886.

Smiths Mills, a post-hamlet in the northern part of Carroll county, on Potacocowah creek, about 15 miles north of Carrollton, the county seat. Population in 1900, 15.

Smith Station, a hamlet in the western part of Hinds county, on the Big Black river, and a station on the Alabama & Vicksburg R. R., 16 miles by rail east of Vicksburg. It has rural free delivery from the town of Edwards. Population in 1900, 24.

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Smithville, a village in the northern part of Monroe county, 21/2 miles east of the East fork of the Tombigbee river, and 24 miles northeast of Aberdeen, the county seat. Amory is the nearest railroad and banking town. It has two churches, and a money order postoffice. Population in 1900, 150.

Smyrna, a post-hamlet of Attala county, 9 miles southeast of Kosciusko, the county seat, and nearest railroad and banking town. Population in 1900, 30.

Snell, a postoffice of Clarke county.

Snoody, a postoffice of Kemper county, 5 miles southwest of De- kalb, the county seat. Population in 1900, 23.

Snowden, a postoffice of Lauderdale county, about 14 miles north of Meridian.

Society, Colonization. This society was organized by a few philanthropic men in Mississippi, to co-operate with the American society under the presidency of Bushrod Washington, of Virginia. James G. Birney, of Huntsville, Ala., a lawyer and planter and one of the organizers of the State of Alabama, was appointed in July, 1832, agent of the Colonization society for Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Arkansas. It was after his efforts in this field that Birney became an abolitionist.

The American Almanac (1833) said of Mississippi: "Free blacks, of intelligence and respectability, have been sent to Liberia, to examine the prospects. Auxiliary societies have been formed in several counties, and they number among their numbers many of the most intelligent and wealthy planters." At the annual meet- ing in 1836 the society resolved to purchase a suitable territory in Africa for colonization by free negroes from Mississippi and such negroes as might be freed. The strain upon the social and State organization of maintaining the system of slavery was making it impossible to allow slaves to be freed and then to remain in the State, although not a few slave owners desired to free slaves from time to time. A committee of the Mississippi society acquired a region on the river Sinoe, and as there was delay in taking posses- sion, the society resolved in 1837 to "go onward notwithstanding the empty condition of the treasury, and to rely on the prompt liberality of the friends of the measure, and of the cause of African colonization, for the necessary funds." They resolved to call the country "Mississippi in Africa," and to name the main town "Green- ville," in memory "of the late James Green of Adams county and as a memorial of his munificent bequests to the cause of African colonization ;" that an expedition should be prepared as soon as possible, to sail from New Orleans; that the parent society should take temporary supervision of the colony, and Rev. R. S. Finley was appointed general agent. Stephen Duncan was president of the Mississippi society, Thomas Henderson, secretary, and other mem- bers were John Ker, F. Beaumont, and Levin Wailes .- (Natchez Courier & Journal, Jan. 27, 1837.)

The annual meeting of 1838 was held at the Methodist church, at Natchez, with addresses by the Reverends Winans, Page, Drake

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and Winchester. In this year the society owned the brig "Mail," which sailed from New Orleans in March with a company of emi- grants from Mississippi, bound for "Mississippi in Africa."

The will of Capt. Isaac Ross, of Jefferson county, who died Jan. 16, 1836, provided that the bulk of his estate should be applied to the support of education in Liberia, and such of his slaves as so desired should be sent there by his executors, "there to remain free." Suit was brought by the widow and children to set aside the will. One of the two children was Margaret A., wife of Thomas B. Reed (q. v.). Upon the bequest being sustained by Chancellor Edward Turner, there was an appeal to the High Court. S. S. Prentiss argued in behalf of the Colonization society. The popular points in the opposing argument, made by Daniel Mayes, as at- torney for the heirs, embraced the following :

"Slavery is a cherished institution of Mississippi. Her interest, her feelings, her judgment and her conscience alike con- spire to sustain it. Is it not necessary, to maintain the institution of slavery and to rescue our wives and our children from the horrors of insurrection and servile war, that we hold out no inducements to abolitionists and emancipators to visit our State and inculcate and disseminate their principles ? Is it not a part of the policy of Mississippi to protect her citizens against fanaticism in religion and a morbid sensibility on the subject of slaveholding? The existence and promotion of the Roman Catholic religion, at Rome or in France, comes no more in conflict with the policy of England, than does the education of negroes in Africa come in conflict with the policy of Mississippi. Al- though the colonization society is established to colonize, on the coasts of Africa, such free persons of color as may voluntarily go, or such slaves as may be manumitted by their owners with a view to colonization, do not the members of that society look forward to the entire overthrow of African slavery as an ultimate consequence to their design? Is it not part of the policy of Mississippi to support the institution of slavery?"

The opinion of the court, delivered by Judge Trotter, December term, 1840, was that slaves were property under the law and could be freely renounced by the owner unless there were something in slave property different from other property. Captain Ross could not in his lifetime emancipate a slave, in Mississippi, for that was forbidden by statute. But he had a perfect right to take his slaves to Africa and there free them, in his lifetime, and this right he could carry out by will. His provision that the slaves should remain there free, made absurd the suggestion that he meant to evade the law. The law against emancipation was designed to prevent the increase of free negroes in Mississippi. Hence the opinion of the chancellor was sustained. The case was a very famous one and occasioned much agitation. (See Freeman's Chancery Reports, Supreme court reports, and Claiborne's Mississippi, 386-391.)

It was subsequently enacted by the legislature that "it shall not be lawful for any person either by will, deed, or other conveyance,

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directly or in trust, or otherwise, to make any disposition of any slave or slaves for the purpose or with the intent to emancipate such slave or slaves in this State, or to provide that such slaves be re- moved to be emancipated elsewhere, or by any evasion or indirec- tion so to provide that the colonization society, or any donee or grantee, can accomplish the act, intent or purpose, designed to be prohibited by this article."

The newspaper files show that meetings of the society were held in Mississippi as late as during the Mexican war. The society was courageously preaching in Mississippi that the end of slavery as a profitable status was in sight, if not already at hand, and the coloni- zation of negroes in Africa was the only solution of the problem that remained. But they were denounced alike by the rabid Abolitionists in the North, and the rabid pro-slavery element in the South, and were soon submerged by the tide of angry debate that led to war.

In the time of the "Exodus" (q. v.), 1880, Rev. C. K. Marshall, of Vicksburg, delivered an address before the board of directors of the Colonization society, at Washington, D. C., in which he said : "The South is no longer what it was when this society was organ- ized. The negro is no longer a bondsman. Nor yet is he altogether a freeman." He did not believe "the peasantry of any country, ancient or modern, ever made so great progress in any ten decades as the negroes of the South have done. Still the negro is less comfortable, less moral, less happy now than formerly, with exceptional cases. The Caucasian lifts his unattainable altitude in his presence and overwhelms and disheartens him. Among millions of his own race, it would be quite otherwise." He called attention to Africa impenetrable while the abolitionists were being rejected at the doors of parliament and congress; the Coloni- zation society planting a colony on the coast; then the Great war with the result of millions of blacks in America free to go where they please; then the explorations of Livingston and Stanley. "Migration is the normal condition of the human race. It is the founder of nationalities. It is the Christianizer of all peoples. It will be the salvation of Africa. Africa, the Rachel of nations, has long mourned the robbery and enslavement of her off- spring. Let her not forever weep." The same doctrine that Amer- ican slavery would work out in the end for the good of the African continent, was held in Virginia and Maryland before the Revolu- tion.

Societyhill, a post-hamlet in the southeastern part of Lawrence county, about 16 miles from Monticello, the county seat. Popula- tion in 1900, 25.

Sol, a post-hamlet of Neshoba county, 8 miles south, southwest of Philadelphia, the county seat. Population in 1900, 24.

Sonora, a post-hamlet of Chickasaw county, 5 miles south of Houston, one of the county seats and the nearest railroad town. Population in 1900, 22.

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Sontag, a post-hamlet in the northwestern part of Lawrence county, about 9 miles from Monticello, the county seat. It is a station on the spur line of the Illinois Central R. R., which runs from Brookhaven to Monticello. Population in 1900, 25, and in 1906 was estimated at 50.

Soso, a station on the Laurel branch of the Gulf & Ship Island R. R., in the northwestern part of Jones county, 10 miles by rail from Laurel, the nearest banking town. It has a money order post- office. Population in 1900, 50.

Sowellville, a postoffice of Panola county, 5 miles northeast of Sardis, the nearest railroad and banking town.

Spanish Conquest. On May 8, 1779, Charles III of Spain gave out a formal declaration of war against Great Britain, and on July 8, his subjects in America were authorized to participate in hos- tilities. This meant the repossession of Florida, a project which had been entertained by the Spanish at New Orleans for some time. It is impossible to doubt that in the long negotiations that pre- ceded the declaration of war by Spain, the acquisition of territory was fully discussed, and that the movements of Spain also looked toward a renewed possession of ancient Louisiana, eastward to the Mobile and the Alleghanies, by France. The news of war was received joyfully by young Bernardo de Galvez, colonel of the Louisiana regiment and temporary governor of the province. It gave him an opportunity to gain the advantage of the first blow, and end the strain of a situation in which he had reason to fear invasion both from West Florida and the United States. He promptly submitted a plan for attack on the Manchac, Baton Rouge and Natchez posts, to a council of war, which advised delay, hoping for re-inforcements. But Galvez may have known that Col. Campbell, at Pensacola, had been appealed to from Manchac for British reinforcements. He carried forward his preparations, under the veil of making ready a post on the Manchac for defense. August 22 was the day set for the march from New Orleans, but on the 18th a great hurricane swept over the lower Mississippi, destroying many buildings in New Orleans and on the plantations for forty miles along the river. Cattle were killed, crops were ruined, and general consternation prevailed. All the vessels pre- pared for the invasion of West Florida, save one, went to the bot- tom of the river.

Galvez would not permit this disaster to defeat his enterprise. By working day and night he restricted the inevitable delay to a few days. Calling the people of New Orleans together, he revealed for the first time that his commission as governor had come from Madrid with the notice of war, but he would not accept it or take the oath until they had promised to stand with him to conquer or die. The response was as hearty as he could wish. France and Spain were now united in war on Great Britain, and the Louisiana people could act heartily in accord. The French, indeed, were more enthusiastic than the Spanish. Galvez raised his sunken boats and procured others from up river. These were to form a fleet, loaded

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

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