USA > Mississippi > Mississippi : comprising sketches of towns, events, institutions, and persons, arranged in cyclopedic form Vol. II > Part 85
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106 | Part 107 | Part 108 | Part 109 | Part 110 | Part 111 | Part 112 | Part 113 | Part 114 | Part 115 | Part 116 | Part 117 | Part 118 | Part 119 | Part 120 | Part 121 | Part 122 | Part 123
As the year 1789 approached, Miro was gratified by assurances from both the distinguished diplomats whom he regarded as allies, Wilkinson and McGillivray (one cannot say certainly that either was sincere), of the progress of disunion in the West. Kentucky was about to become a State independent of Virginia, and no doubt "our great scheme will meet with a favorable re- ception." The Cumberland people, discouraged by the suppres- sion of their State of Frankland, asked for peace with the Creeks and desired to be "vassals of His Catholic Majesty." In that region Spain was represented by Dr. James White. There is a letter from John Sevier stating that the people were unanimous in their desire to go under the protection of Spain. They had rechristened the Cumberland as the Miro district.
But Miro began to suspect that Wilkinson was a fraud. His good news accompanied a flatboat cargo from Kentucky, for which he asked generous treatment, and he wanted protection against
711
MISSISSIPPI
any rude measures for the collection of $3,000 he had borrowed in New Orleans on the strength of Navarro's recommendation.
Before departing for Spain, in the spring of 1788, Martin Navarro, the intendant, sent a memorial to the king, again urging upon the government the great danger of the growth of the United States, and the necessity of promoting secession and division. "Grant," said he, "any sort of commercial privilege to the masses in the western region, and shower pensions and honors on their leaders." But no Spaniard could understand the situation. They could give money, but they could not give what the Americans demanded and Spain did not know-individual freedom to think and talk and trade.
In February, 1789, Wilkinson confessed, under a great show of fine phrases and glittering prospects, that the new Union was too strong for him and his fellow conspirators. He had even gone over to Miro's rival, Gardoqui, and applied for a grant of land on the Yazoo, as a place of refuge if it became necessary. That Spain continued her hopeless struggle after the inauguration of Presi- dent Washington, must be ascribed in considerable degree to the advice this faithless creature sent down to New Orleans by Major Dunn, that secession would be sure to come in time, and "to foment the suspicion and feelings of distrust already existing here, and inflame the animosity between the Eastern and Western States, Spain must resort to every artifice and other means which may be in her power." As the chief means, he urged Miro to obstruct the river to American trade.
There was considerable immigration, resulting from the efforts of Gardoqui, even of Pennsylvania Germans. To all claiming the promise of special privileges Miro replied, as to these: "I can only receive the foreigners who may come spontaneously and of their own free will, to swear themselves vassals of His Catholic Majesty. To them surveyed lands shall be granted gratis, in pro- portion to the laborers of whom each family may consist. The smallest concession shall not be less than 200 arpens; 400 to fami- lies of four to ten laborers, and 800 to those numbering from ten to fifteen hands or more." This policy was sustained by the edict of the King in 1790 to Las Casas, captain-general of Cuba.
Morgan came down to New Orleans in 1789, and Miro advised him to settle in the Natchez district. Of the terms Gardoqui had promised the old soldier and speculator, Miro wrote home that he could bring the American congress to New Orleans on such a proposition. "Already had Thomas Hutchins, their surveyor-gen- eral and principal geographer, written to Daniel Clark, a merchant and resident of this town, begging to be informed whether Mor- gan's propositions were accepted by me, because, disregarding the office and the salary he now enjoys, he would become the subject of His Catholic Majesty, being under the impression, as he declares, that New Jersey, with the districts of Fort Pitt and of Kentucky, would be deprived by emigration of their best inhabitants." But Hutchins died before that year was done, to be succeeded as fore-
712
MISSISSIPPI
most surveyor by Andrew Ellicott. In view of the general effort of Gardoqui, Thomas Jefferson wrote to President Washington: "I wish a hundred thousand of our inhabitants would accept the invitation. It would be the means of delivering to us peaceably what must otherwise cost us a war. In the meantime we may complain of this seduction of our inhabitants, just enough to make the Spanish believe it is a very wise policy for them."
Three great events in 1789 determined the future of the West. The beginning of the French Revolution; the death of the liberal Charles III, and the accession of the worthless Charles IV, under whom an agent of the Holy Inquisition was established at New Orleans; the inauguration of President Washington as the execu- tive of what he called a "consolidated" republic, with Thomas Jefferson as his secretary of state.
Out of opposition to the new constitution, however, according to the story of O'Fallon, proceeded the first Yazoo grants by Geor- gia in 1789 to the South Carolinians, Moultrie, Huger and others. The agent of the adventurers was instructed to tell Miro that their proposed colony would form "a highly advantageous rampart for Spain." But Miro replied ominously that it would be very painful for him to be compelled to make war on citizens of the United States. Georgia had no rights in the territory, he said.
Miro did what he could to meet the new situation. He recom- mended that Wilkinson be continued in the service of the king at an annual pension of $2,000 and Sebastian hired to watch him. He used the occasion of the great fire in New Orleans to practically open the port to free ocean trade, giving the Southwest a great advantage over the interior. But the new order of things was indicated in 1790 by the suggestion of the United States, when a British invasion from Canada was feared, in case of war between Spain and England, that the United States would guarantee Louis- iana from such an attack in return for the cession of New Orleans and the Floridas. About this time McGillivray was persuaded to agree to acknowledge the supremacy of the United States, and was made a brigadier-general and given an annuity by the Federal government. He continued to maintain a show of loyalty to Spain, but was in failing health and died in 1793. Federal appoint- ments were used effectively in Kentucky, and the war in the North- west to destroy the British-Indian pretensions made an opening for General Wilkinson in the United States service. After France became a republic (1793), the intrigues of Genet kept the govern- ment of Louisiana in dread of invasion by Georgians, Carolinians and Westerners under the French flag, and even the people of New Orleans were exposed to seduction by the call to "liberty, equality and fraternity." An edict of June 9, 1793, on account of Louisiana being deprived of the French trade by the war that followed the beheading of Louis XVI, permitted commerce with all friendly na- tions, subject to a duty of 15 per cent. on imports and 6 per cent. on exports, except negroes, who might be imported free of duty.
713
MISSISSIPPI
Wilkinson complained that this lowering of tariff would take the life out of the movement for Kentucky independence.
The complication of dangers and jealousies in Europe induced Spain, in 1795, to agree to relinquish all her claims outside of the limits yielded by Great Britain, but the turn of affairs that followed persuaded the Spanish government to obstruct the execution of the treaty in the hope that it might be altogether renounced. At the same time there was a second threat of British invasion, known as the Blount Conspiracy, which seemed to pick up the threads dropped by the French filibusters. In this situation of affairs Elli- cott brought the United States flag to Natchez.
Spanish Relations, see Louisiana Relations ; British West Florida ; Treaty of San Lorenzo el Real; Spanish Dominion; Spanish Con- quest ; Land Laws, Spanish; Land Grants, Spanish; Galvez, Bernardo de; Gayoso de Lemos; Carondelet ; Carondelet Intrigue ; Boundary on 31ยบ North Latitude; Andrew Ellicott; Natchez Dis- trict, Spanish ; War with Spain, 1898; Minor, Stephen; Bourbon County ; Navigation and Limits; Georgia Domain; Georgia Ces- sion ; Georgia Land Claims ; Mobile, County of ; Miro, Estevan, etc.
Sparta, a village in the southern part of Chickasaw county, 9 miles south of Houston, one of the county seats. Woodland is the nearest railroad town. It has two churches and a school. The postoffice has been recently discontinued, and it now has rural free delivery from the village of Montpelier, in Clay county. Popula- tion in 1900, 102.
Spay, a postoffice in the southern part of Choctaw county, 12 miles south of Chester, the county seat. Ackerman is the nearest banking town. Population in 1900, 16.
Special Warrants. In 1894, with a deficit at hand because of failure to make an adequate tax levy, the legislature had recourse to a device resembling the certificates of Alcorn's administration in 1870. At a special session in 1894 the auditor was directed to issue Special warrants, instead of cash warrants upon the treasury, in the form of bills of $5 to $20 denominations, to an amount not exceeding $200,000, these warrants to be receivable for all dues to the State, and bear interest at three per cent. payable January 1, 1896, but without interest when used in payment of dues. No appropriation being made, $1,500 was borrowed of a Jackson bank to pay the cost of printing the warrants. In June, 1894, the use of them began, in partial payments of disbursements, and this was kept up until the $200,000 limit was reached. January 1, 1896, about $50,000 was outstanding. "This miserable makeshift for cash, a forced loan, for it was nothing else, upon the citizens who had nothing to lend, has been extremely unsatisfactory and oft- times distressing, school teachers and the public institutions being the chief sufferers," said Governor Stone in 1896. "Salaried officers suffered least, as they could arrange to handle the warrants with- out material loss. Banks and money-lenders refused, with the low rate of interest allowed, to take them except at a heavy discount. In sections remote from the larger towns, it was difficult to get rid
:14
MISSISSIPPI
of them upon any terms. This is a form of State credit than which none can be worse. In fact, it tends to impair confidence in the ability of the legislature to vigorously grasp financial embarrass- ment and relieve it in a positive business-like manner."
"The issuing of these special warrants was held by the Treas- . ury department of the United States government to be a violation of the Federal laws which prohibit the issuance of such obliga- tions in similitude of the obligations of the United States, and the secret service division of that department caused the arrest of the governor, auditor and treasurer for an alleged violation of the Fed- eral statute that denounces counterfeiting and imposes a penalty of twenty years' imprisonment for such violation. This was re- garded generally as a most outrageous proceeding." (Governor's message, 1896.) J. A. P. Campbell was appointed .to defend these officers, and the Treasury department engaged one of the ablest lawyers of the State to prosecute, but the grand jury failed to indict and there was no trial.
Speed, a post-hamlet of Covington county, 9 miles east of Wil- liamsburg, the county seat, and 3 miles east of the Gulf & Ship Island R. R. Seminary is the nearest banking town. Population in 1900, 40.
Speight, Jesse. "General Speight was born in Greene county, N. C., September 22, 1795. His father, Rev. Seth Speight, was a minister of the Methodist church. His education was not exten- sive, but his extraordinary success was owing to his own natural shrewdness of character, his tall and commanding person, and un- tiring perseverance. In 1822 he was first a member of the house of commons. In 1823 he was a member of the senate, of which he was several times the speaker and continued until 1827, when he was elected a member of the house of representatives, until 1837, when he declined a reelection, and removed to the State of Mis- sissippi. He was soon returned a member of the Mississippi legis- lature and speaker of the senate, and in 1844 was elected to the senate of the United States, which post he held at the time of his death, on May 1, 1847. Without any extraordinary powers of mind, superior education, or brilliant parts of character, such un- exampled success in political life can only be attributed to native energy of character, devotion to principles and simple-hearted honesty." (Wheeler's North Carolina.) Gen. Speight, as he was called invariably, settled at Plymouth, was elected senator from Lowndes county in 1841, was president of the senate in 1842 and at the extra session in 1843, and again in 1844, when he was also elected to the United States senate, as a Democrat, over the distinguished Roger Barton, Whig. Before coming to Mississippi he was a representative in Congress from December, 1829, to March 3, 1837. He served in the United States senate from De- cember 1, 1845. He died at Columbus, May 1, 1847, and this event permitted the appointment of Col. Jefferson Davis, on his return from Mexico.
715
MISSISSIPPI
Spencer, an old village in Scott county which was abandoned before the War 1861-1865. It was located in the southwestern part of the county a few miles south of the station of Morton, on the A. & V. railroad.
Spencer, a hamlet of Copiah county, 9 miles west, south- west of Hazlehurst, the county seat and the nearest railroad and banking town. Population in 1900, 55.
Spencer, James Grafton, was born near Port Gibson, Miss., September 13, 1844. He entered Oakland college in 1861, but at the close of his freshman year enlisted in the Confederate army, and served till the close of the war. He returned to Port Gibson, began farming and in 1892 was sent to the legislature. In 1894 he was elected to the 54th congress.
Spight, a postoffice in the east-central part of Benton county, on Tippah creek, 7 miles southeast of Ashland, the county seat. .
Spight, Thomas, of Ripley, a lawyer of high standing and the representative of the Second Congressional district in the lower house of the national legislature, was born near Ripley on Oct. 25, 1841, a son of James Munford and Mary (Rucker) Spight. His paternal ancestors are of good Irish stock, and one of them, Richard D. Speight, was a delegate from North Carolina to the convention which framed the Constitution of the United States. The subject of this sketch received his early educational advantages in the common schools of Tippah county and the Ripley Male academy, entering La Grange college of Tennessee from the latter institution in 1859. Two years later he left school to enlist in the Confederate army and before he was twenty years old he had risen to the rank of captain of Company B of the Thirty-fourth Mississippi infantry. He was the youngest officer of his rank in Walthall's famous brigade and with his company participated in practically all the battles fought by the Army of the Tennessee. On July 22, 1864, he was severely wounded at Atlanta, Ga., and in April, 1865, was in command of what was left of the gallant Thirty-fourth when it was surrendered with the rest of Johnston's army at Greensboro, N. C. After the cessation of hostilities he taught school for a time, devoting his spare time to the study of law. In 1874 he was admitted to the prac- tice of the profession and has been actively engaged in it since. From 1874 to 1880 he represented Tippah county in the state legisla- ture, being elected on the Democratic ticket. While a member of that body he took a prominent part in the impeachment of Adelbert Ames. In 1880 he was a presidential elector on the Hancock ticket and in 1884 was elected district attorney for the Third Judicial dis- trict, serving until 1892, when he voluntarily resigned the office. On June 1, 1898, he was elected to the House of Representatives and has since been the incumbent of that office. He has always been prominently identified with the work of the Democratic party and for several years was a member of its state executive committee. In a religious way Captain Spight is a member of the Baptist church, is clerk of his church and association and superintendent of the Ripley Sunday school. Fraternally he is a Knight of Honor. On December 12, 1865, Mr. Spight married Miss Mary Virginia
716
MISSISSIPPI
Barnett, a daughter of Albert G. and Francis A. (Rucker) Barnett, of Tippah county. The children of this union are six in number- Mattie (Spight) Hines, Mary V., Lynn D., Alice F., Henry R. and Lillian.
Spinks, a post-hamlet of Kemper county, 10 miles southwest of Dekalb, the county seat. Population in 1900, 35.
Splinter, a postoffice of Lafayette county, 9 miles southwest of Oxford, the county seat and the nearest banking town.
Splunge, a hamlet in the northeastern part of Monroe county, on the creek of the same name, 13 miles east of Amory, the nearest banking town. Gattman station is the nearest railroad point, on the Frisco System. It has a money order postoffice. Population in 1900, 18.
Spring Cottage, a post-hamlet situated in the southeastern part of Marion county, on Popes Mill creek, a tributary of the Pearl river. It is 17 miles south, southeast of Columbia, the county seat and nearest banking town. Population in 1900, 42.
Springcreek, a postoffice of Webster county, 6 miles northeast of Walthall, the county seat.
Springhill, a postoffice of Benton county, 8 miles north, north- west of Ashland, the county seat.
Springs, a postoffice in the southeastern part of Clarke county, 2 miles east of Buckatunna creek, and 16 miles from Quitman, the county seat and nearest railroad and banking town. There is a splendid mineral spring located here.
Stafford, a post-hamlet in the north-central part of Bolivar county, 10 miles northeast of Rosedale, one of the county seats of justice. Gunnison is the nearest banking town. It is 2 miles east of Perthshire, a station on the Yazoo & Mississippi Valley R. R. Population in 1900, 26.
Stage, a post-hamlet in the southwestern part of Scott county, about 13 miles from Forest, the county seat. Morton is its nearest banking town. Population in 1900, 24.
Stamp, a postoffice in the eastern part of Montgomery county, on the Southern Railway, about 14 miles east of Winona, the county seat.
Stamper, a post-hamlet of Newton county, 6 miles north of De- catur, the county seat. Population in 1900, 40. The name of the town has recently been changed to Stratton and is a thriving place.
Stampley, a post-hamlet of Jefferson county, and a station on the Yazoo & Mississippi Valley R. R., 6 miles southwest of Fayette, the county seat and nearest banking town. Population in 1900, 25.
Standing Pine, a post-hamlet of Leake county, 7 miles southeast of Carthage, the county seat, and about 22 miles north of Forest, the nearest railroad and banking town. Population in 1900, 100.
Stanton, a post-hamlet in the northeastern part of Adams county, and a station on the Natchez-Jackson branch of the Yazoo & Mis- sissippi Valley R. R., 12 miles by rail from Natchez. Population in 1900, 37.
717
MISSISSIPPI
Star, a postoffice in the southern part of Rankin county, and a station on the Gulf & Ship Island R. R., 17 miles by rail southeast of Jackson.
Starke, Peter B., is known as one of the distinguished cavalry leaders of Mississippi. At the special election of a successor to Jefferson Davis in congress, 1846, he was the Whig candidate, defeated by Ellett. In 1850, 1852, 1854 he represented Bolivar county in the legislature. He organized a cavalry company early in 1861, and in February, 1862, was commissioned colonel of the 28th regiment, a cavalry command. In the latter part of that year he rendered valuable service in compelling the retreat of Hovey's expedition from Arkansas. Later, his regiment formed part of Gen. W. H. Jackson's brigade, with the regiment of Pinson, Har- ris, Adams, and Steede's battalion. He took part in the victory of Thompson's Station, Tenn., under Van Dorn, and afterward, in the organization under Gen. S. D. Lee, was given command of a brigade including his regiment, Pinson's and Ballentine's. He at- tacked Sherman's Meridian expedition at Sharon, February 24, 1864. During the Atlanta campaign his brigade was commanded by Gen. F. C. Armstrong. Commissioned brigadier-general No- vember 4, 1864, he took part in the Tennessee campaign under General Forrest, and at the last, was one of the three brigade com- manders under General Chalmers in Mississippi.
Starkville. Oktibbeha county was established December 23, 1833, and early in the following year the present site of Starkville was selected for the permanent location of a county seat of justice. The new town was located on the southeastern quarter of section thirty- four, township nineteen north, range fourteen east, not far from the center of the county. The site chosen was a beautiful one, on un- dulating hills and watered by several springs of pure and never failing water. One of these springs was called by the Choctaws "Hickashebeha," or Sweet Gum Grove, where the Indians had long been wont to gather and weave their baskets, etc. Here a town was laid out, and the first sale of lots took place in 1834. It was in- corporated by the Legislature in 1837, and received its name in memory of General John Stark, the hero of the battle of Benning- ton. Says an old chronicler, writing in 1838: "Starkville is already a growing place, with two hotels, five stores, two groceries, an academy with fifty students, two churches, a Presbyterian and Methodist, and four attorneys and two physicians." The following men composed its board of selectmen for that year: Elijah Hogan, Robert Lampkin, Richard S. Graves, L. L. Reese, David S. Moody, Thomas H. Todd and James Cleft. The first paper published in the county was the Starkville Whig. It was founded in 1847 by Dr. J. T. Freeman, and a few years later became the Broad Ax, under which name it was issued until shortly before the War.
On the 28th of February, 1878, the Legislature passed an act which first provided for the establishment of agricultural and mechanical colleges in Mississippi. Provision was here made for an agricultural and mechanical college for the education of the
718
MISSISSIPPI
white youth of the State. In selecting a site for the new college, the charter directed that the board of trustees "shall look to the con- venience of the people of every section of the State, the proximity of the proposed site to other public institutions supported in whole or in part by the State, with a view to giving the preference to localities least favored heretofore, and also the facilities for going to and from said college, the advantages and disadvantages of the different sites proposed, and shall locate the same at the place where most advantages are offered." In the judgment of the board, Stark- ville best met these tests, and the institution was located just out- side the city limits December 13, 1878. The present college land was bought for $7.00 an acre. The citizens of Starkville and Oktib- beha county contributed $9,000 to the institution at the time of its location there. The college first opened its doors to students in 1880 and has been highly successful in the attainment of the ends for which it was created from the very start. Three hundred and fifty-four students matriculated at the institution the first year, and it has taken high rank among the agricultural schools of the country. This splendid institution has benefited not only the boys and young men of the State, but through the farmers' institutes, the bulletins of the experiment station and other agencies, reaches out and serves every class of people in the State. No other one agency has done more for the material and industrial development of Mississippi. The work carried on at the College, including its model farm and creamery, has been of especial benefit to Starkville and the sur- rounding country, where more attention has been paid to raising improved breeds of stock and to scientific methods of agriculture than in any other part of the State. The natural result has been the material enhancement of land values, which have more than doubled in the last five years.
The Southern Farm Gazette, the leading stock and agricultural authority in the South, the East Mississippi Times, the Starkville News and the Oktibbeha Record, are published at Starkville.
The twelfth census gave the city a population of 1,986, a total which has been augmented to over 2,100 during the last five years. Its merchants are prosperous and do a large local and shipping business. Transportation facilities are provided by the Aberdeen branch of the Illinois Central, and a branch of the Mobile & Ohio railroads. The moral atmosphere of the city is of the best, the following denominations supporting churches: Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian, Associate Reformed Presbyterian, and the Cumber- land Presbyterian. There are also three colored churches, two Methodist and one Baptist.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.