USA > Mississippi > Mississippi : comprising sketches of towns, events, institutions, and persons, arranged in cyclopedic form Vol. III > Part 103
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Wilson, Joseph Beauregard, merits rec- ognition in this publication by reason of his standing as one of the prosperous and prominent land agents and repre- sentative members of the bar of Yazoo county and also that he is a native son of the State. He was born in Neshoba county, Miss., July 29, 1861, but at an early age moved to Yazoo county. He is the son of Samuel J. and Caroline (Kelly) Wilson, the former having been born in Lawrence county, Ala., and the latter in Blount county, Ala. The orig- inal American ancestors of the Wilson family came from the north of Ireland, and were of Scotch-Irish lineage, and early became pioneers of east Tennessee. His parents for more than forty years have lived on a farm near Anding, Miss., his father having followed planting for a vocation during the major portion of his active career. His father was a valiant soldier of the Confederacy during the Civil war, having been a private in the Thirty-seventh Mississippi infantry, and hav- ing taken part in the siege of Vicksburg and other battles of the great internecine conflict. He was captured near Marietta, Ga., and was held as a prisoner of war, at Camp Douglas, Ill., for a period of eleven months. Joseph B. Wilson secured excellent preparatory training in the schools of Yazoo county and then entered Mississippi college, at Clinton, in which institution he was graduated in 1880, with the degree of Bachelor of Science. He was then matriculated in the University of Mississippi, where he graduated with the degree of Bachelor of Arts in 1882. Having decided to adopt the profession
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of law as his life work, he then entered the law school of Cumberland university, at Lebanon, Tenn., where he received the degree of Bachelor of Laws in 1884. In the same year, after passing an exam- ination before the supreme court of the State, he was admitted to the practice of law, and located in Yazoo City, where he actively engaged in the practice of his profession, but as early as 1885 being attracted to the undeveloped resources of the Yazoo delta, at this time a large portion of said section being held by the State for the taxes, he went actively into the land business, advertising the rich soil and hardwood timber resources of the Yazoo delta throughout the North and West, and to the success of these early efforts in attract- ing Northern capital to the South, the Yazoo delta of today, with its rebuilt levees, thousands of farms, saw mills, railroads, etc., owes its present development, perhaps more to him than any other one individual. His land business now demands most of his attention, being the resident agent for many large land companies owning these valuable hardwood timber lands of the Yazoo delta. One of of his most successful ventures in the land business was the purchase of a 4,000-acre farm adjacent to Yazoo City and converting the same into a stock company known as the Lintonia Land Company, and sub-dividing this tract and selling it out. Today a large part of of the resident portion of that beautiful city is built on this property. Being a product of the soil, he could not help mixing a little farming along with his other business, and in 1894-5-6-7 he conducted a model 300 acre farm on the intensive idea, and during these four years he averaged thirty-four bales per mule each year, the least made, in 1905, being thirty bales per mule; the most made, in 1897, being thirty- eight bales per mule. In politics, Mr. Wilson is a stalwart Demo- crat. When a young man he took an active part in county, district and State politics, being always on hand as a delegate to the party conventions. He never ran for any office; he was appointed a trus- tee on the school board of Yazoo City and served in that capacity a number of years was chairman of the building committee that built the first public school building erected in Yazoo City for school purposes. He has been affiliated with the Knights of Pythias for more than a score of years. He and his wife are members of the Presbyterian church, and he served several years as Sunday school superintendent. On Feb. 11, 1885, he was united in marriage to Miss May Nance, daughter of Thomas and Amanda (Hart) Nance, of Pickens, Holmes county, Miss., and the eight children of this union are : Lucile, Joseph, Grady, Louise, Thomas, Annie, May and Grace.
Wilson, Solon G., M. D., is one of the representative physicians and surgeons of the younger generation in Lincoln county, and both personally and professionally he has attained to a strong hold on popular confidence and esteem in his chosen field of endeavor, being established in practice in Brookhaven. He was born in Hazlehurst, Copiah county, this State, of German ancestry, and is a son of Ben- jamin F. and Susan (Presser) Wilson, both of whom were likewise born and reared in Mississippi. After attending the University of Mississippi for two years Dr. Wilson was matriculated in the medical
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department of Tulane university, in New Orleans, where he was graduated as a member of the class of 1901, receiving his coveted degree of Doctor of Medicine. He later took an effective post- graduate course in the New York Polyclinic. Shortly after his graduation he located in Brookhaven, where he now controls a large and representative practice as a physician and surgeon. He is a member of the Mississippi State medical association, is a Democrat in his political allegiance and is affiliated with the Phi Kappa Psi college fraternity. He is also the county physician and Lincoln county health officer.
Winn, Osamus, superintendent of the Belzoni Cotton Oil Company of Belzoni, was born in Lagrange, Tex. Oct. 29, 1867. His father was Samuel D. Winn, a native of Little Rock, Ark., who served in the Confederate army during the Civil war, first with the Texas troops, and later with the Mississippi troops under Gen. N. B. Forrest. During the siege of Vicksburg he was wounded. Until his death in 1904 he worked at his trade of mechanic, the last thirty years of his life being spent at Belzoni. He was a member of the Presbyterian church. The mother of Osamus Winn was Elizabeth (Taylor) Winn, a native of Milledgeville, Ga., and a devout member of the Baptist church, in which faith her son was brought up. Osa- mus Winn received his education in the common and private schools in the vicinity of his birthplace. His first labor was done on a farm. From that work he went into ginning, having charge of a plant. For a number of years afterward he followed the trade of blacksmith, conducting a shop and a general repair establishment. In 1901 he came to Belzoni as superintendent of the cotton-seed oil plant, and has been engaged in that work ever since. He is also vice-president of a furniture and undertaking business of which J. W. McClintock is president. Politically he is a Democrat and is at present one of the five aldermen. He has also held the office of city marshal. On Sept. 7, 1897, he married Miss Carey, daughter of William and Lou M. (Rutherford) Sergeant of Louisa county, Va. Of this union there are two children living-Gilmer J. and Corinne S. Mr. Winn is a member of the Knights of Pythias, of which order he has filled all the chairs. Thrift and frugality have enabled him to purchase a plantation just outside of Belzoni and he oversees the management of it himself. He also owns valuable real estate within the city.
Wortham, Eben Robert, one of the extensive planters and repre- sentative citizens of Washington county, was born in East Baton Rouge parish, La., on Aug. 3, 1849, and is a son of Dr. N. J. and Maria Elizabeth (Woodward) Wortham, the former of whom was born near Richmond, Va., and the latter in the State of Louisiana. The father was a skilled physician and surgeon and was engaged in
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the practice of his profession in various States of the South, while he passed the closing years of his life in Texas, where he died in 1886, his wife passing away in 1904. Eben R. Wortham duly availed himself of the advantages of the common schools, after which he was a student in the University of Kentucky, at Lexington. He has been identified with agricultural pursuits during the greater portion of his active business career and he came to Greenville, Miss., in 1873, in which year he was admitted to the bar, in Waco, Tex., after careful preliminary study. He has never engaged in the practice of his profession, but is one of the extensive planters of the county, where he has a partially improved and equipped landed estate of 4,000 acres. He resides in Greenville but gives his attention to the general supervision of his farming interests. He is a stanch sup- porter of the Democratic party and under the first administration of President Cleveland he served as postmaster of Greenville, while at the present time he is a valued member of the city council. He is identified with the Woodmen of the World and the Elysian Club, a leading social organization of Greenville. On Dec. 5, 1903, Mr. Wortham was married to Miss Sally Montgomery, daughter of William and Eliza A. Montgomery, of Greenville, and they have two children : Eben Alexander, and Annie Margaret. Mrs. Wortham is a member of the Presbyterian church.
Wise, John Dallas, D. D. S., of West Point, is the leading representative of the profession of dentistry in Clay county, and has been engaged in the practice of his profession in that place for the past fourteen years, within which he has built up 'an excellent practice. Dr. Wise was born in Selma, Dallas county, Ala., on July 27, 1867, being a son of Amon Frank- lin Wise, who was born in Reading, Pa., and Amelia (Sheppard) Wise, who was born in Sumter, S. C. They were resi- dents of Alabama at the outbreak of the Civil war, and the father served as a soldier in the Confederate ranks during the great internecine struggle. After completing a course of study in Dallas academy, in his native city, Dr. Wise entered the school of dentistry of Vanderbilt university, Nashville, Tenn., in which he received his degree of Doctor of Dental Surgery in 1892, coming forth well equipped for the work of the profession, which represents both a science and a mechanic art. He located in West Point im- mediately after his graduation, and his skill and close attention to business have enabled him to secure the best class of patronage and to forge to the front in his profession. He is a member of the Na- tional dental association, of the southern branch of the same, and of the Mississippi State dental association, in which he is ex-officio vice-president. His political faith is that of the Democratic party, but he has never taken an active part in political affairs. On July
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31, 1894, Dr. Wise was united in marriage to Miss Evelyn Connell, daughter of William V. and Mary (Munger) Connell, of Mayhew, Miss., and they have six children-John Dallas, Jr., Evelyn, Mildred, Merrill Sheppard, Harold Gordon and Dorothy.
Wise, Rev. Joseph L., the honored pastor of the Church of the Assumption, Yazoo City, has the distinction of being the dean of the Catholic clergy of Mississippi, having been longer in the priesthood than any other in the State. Father Wise was born in Emmitsburg, Md., Aug. 12, 1841, being a son of James and Lucy (Flautt) Wise, both of whom were likewise natives of Emmitsburg, where each was born in the year of 1808. Father Wise received his early educa- tional discipline in the parochial schools of his home city and thereafter continued his studies in St. Mary's college, in Perry county, Mo., in 1858. In the following year he went to Europe, and in a celebrated church institution in the city of Nantes, France, he completed his course in philosophy and theology, being there or- dained to the priesthood in 1865. In the same year he returned to America, locating first at Holly Springs, Miss., where he held a pas- toral charge for the ensuing five years, thereafter being established three years at Water Valley, five years at Pascagoula, Port Gibson a short time, later being located at Vicksburg and Canton, from which latter place he came to Yazoo City in 1878, having since been the priest in charge of the Church of the Assumption, which was established in that city in 1847. It was attended at first from Natchez, then from Sulphur Springs, Madison county. In 1852, Rev. Paul Lecorre, a native of Quimper, France, was the first per- manent pastor, and lived nineteen years in Yazoo City. He was succeeded by Father Bartholomew Thisolfi, a Genoese, who remained but a short time. Rev. Father Philip Huber. was then appointed, remained one year and retired, Father John B. Mouton, a zealous French priest, succeeding him, but dying one year later of yellow fever. In 1878, Rev. J. L. Wise, the subject of this sketch, took charge of the parish and is the present pastor. The first church building, a small frame building, was erected in 1847. This church stood until 1895, when it was razed and on its site a brick edifice was built. This second church was destroyed by fire in 1900, and on the same site another brick church was erected. This one was destroyed in 1904 during the great conflagration which almost totally destroyed Yazoo City. On the same site still another and finer church is just being completed, which is by far the most imposing church building in this section of Mississippi. Father Wise is held in affectionate regard by his large and important parish and has the unqualified esteem of the community at large. He is indefatigable in his pas- toral and sacerdotal labors and the temporal and spiritual affairs
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of his parish stand in evidence of his zeal and devotion. Father Wise is a member of the Catholic Knights of America. In 1906 he was made a Roman Prelate, with the title of Monsignor.
Wohner, John, is a leading representa- tive of the real estate and loan business in the city of Canton, where he has built up a reputation as a reliable and success- ful business man and where he commands unqualified confidence and esteem. Mr. Wohner was born in the city of Jackson, Miss., March 22, 1858, and is a son of Michael and Catherine (Spiegel) Wohner. His father was born in Saxony, Germany, and his mother in the historic old city of Heidelberg, Bavaria. Mr. Wohner at- tended the schools of Canton, Madison county, Miss., and supplemented this dis- cipline by effective private study. For several years he was employed as clerk in mercantile establishments and at the age of eighteen years he engaged in business on his own responsibility. He has been a resident of Canton since 1860 and has gained marked prestige in his real estate operations. He also makes a specialty of financial loans on real estate security and both depart- ments of his business are managed with distinctive discrimination and executive ability. He is a loyal adherent of the Democratic party and he served a number of years as a member of the board of aldermen of Canton. He is affiliated with the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and with the Knights of Pythias. Mr. Wohner has been thrice married. He first wedded Miss Sadie Ed- wards, of Jackson, who died six months later. His second wife, whose maiden name was Elizabeth Katzmeier, died twelve years after their marriage and is survived by five children-John, Ethel, Katie, Clarence and Michael. On April 29, 1903, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Wohner to Miss Anna D. Weiner, daughter of John and Bertha (Kuntz) Weiner, of Vicksburg. They have no children. Reverting to the parents of Mr. Wohner it may be stated that his father was a shoemaker and was employed at his trade by the Confederate government during the war between the States. He died in 1883 and his wife survived him by several years. He was a member of the Presbyterian church and his wife was a communi- cant of the Catholic church.
Wood, Charles H., one of the leading members of the bar of Jack- son county, being established in practice at Mosspoint, is an ex- member of the State legislature and has been prominent in the work of the Democratic party for the past decade and a half. Mr. Wood was born in Lauderdale county, Miss., Nov. 26, 1849, and is a son of George and Maria (Sage) Wood, both of whom were born and reared in the State of Connecticut, being representatives of sterling old colonial families of New England. George Wood came to Mis- sissippi in the year 1836 and located in Marion, Lauderdale county,
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where he became a prominent citizen and influential business man, both he and his wife continuing residents of that county until their death. Charles H. Wood completed his more purely academic or literary studies in Roanoke college, Va., and thereafter was matricu- lated in the law department of Cumberland university, at Lebanon, Tenn., from which he was graduated as a member of the class of 1873, with the degree of Bachelor of Laws. Shortly after his gradu- ation Mr. Wood initiated the practice of his profession in Mosspoint, where he has since maintained his home, being practically the dean of the bar of this place and standing high in the regard of his pro- fessional confreres and the general public. In 1877 he was elected to represent Jackson county in the legislature of the State, making an excellent record in the connection and being honored with re- election in 1879. Upon the incorporation of Mosspoint, in May, 1901, Mr. Wood was elected its first mayor, and he served two terms, handling municipal affairs with marked ability and inaugurating that progressive and liberal policy which has so greatly fostered the advancement of local interests. He has been specially active in public affairs of a local nature, and is one of the leaders of the Demo- cratic party in the county. He and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church, South, and in a fraternal way he is affiliated with the Masonic order. On April 21, 1875, Mr. Wood was united in marriage to Miss Martha R. Jones, of Corinth, Miss.
Woods, Daniel C., of Hazlehurst, is the efficient and popular cir- cuit court clerk of Copiah county, is a native of Mississippi and is one of her gallant sons who did yeomen service as a soldier in the Confederate service during the war between the States. Mr. Woods was born on the homestead plantation, in Copiah county, Aug. 21, 1842, and is a son of John and Jane (Cupit) Woods, the former of whom was born in North Carolina, of Scotch-Irish ancestry, and the latter of whom was born in Franklin county, Miss. Mr. Woods was afforded the advantages of the schools of his native county and con- tinued to be actively identified with agricultural pursuits up to the outbreak of the Civil war, when he promptly tendered his services in defense of the Confederate cause, enlisting as a private in Company D, Twelfth Mississippi infantry, May 11, 1861. His regiment was assigned to the army of northern Virginia and he took part in many important battles, among the more notable of which may be men- tioned the following: Seven Pines, the Seven Days' fight in front of Richmond, Gettysburg, Spottsylvania Court House, Wilderness, Petersburg, Antietam, Williamsburg and second Manassas. He was with General Lee's forces at Appomattox at the time of the final surrender. From that point he walked the entire distance to his home in Copiah county, returning May 12, 1865. Here he again engaged in farming, adjusting himself to the changed conditions and doing his part in the work of reviving the prostrate industrial life of his loved State. He became one of the successful planters of the county, where he still owns a valuable landed estate, and he continued to give his personal supervision to his agricultural inter- ests until 1900, when he was elected clerk of the circuit court, per-
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forming the duties of the office in a most capable and satisfactory manner and being elected as his own successor in 1904, for a second term of four years. Mr. Woods pins his political faith to the prin- ciples and policies for which the Democratic party stands sponsor, and he is affiliated with the United Confederate Veterans, the Ma- sonic fraternity and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. In the year 1876 Mr. Woods was united in marriage to Miss Ellen Wade, and after her death he contracted a second marriage, in 1886, when he wedded Miss Mary E. Wilkins, daughter of George and Frances Wilkins, residents of the State of Illinois. He is the father of six children, all of whom were born of the second marriage. Their names, in order of birth, are as follows: Clarence H., Daniel R., Mary E., Fanny, Jessie Z. and Clara.
Wright, Charles Harris, of Holly Springs, Miss., was born at Laws Hill, Marshall county, Miss., April 11, 1873, and is a son of G. W. Wright and Nannie (Harris) Wright, natives of Tennessee, but both of whom came to Mississippi with their respective parents while yet infants. Mr. Wright was reared in Marshall county as was his wife where they married in 1854. He was an extensive planter and served throughout the war with the Thirty-fourth Mississippi, attain- ing the rank of captain in the commissary department. Charles H. Wright served in the office of the chancery clerk of Marshall county as deputy clerk for seven years. He was elected chancery clerk of the county, Sept. 8, 1904. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity (Knight Templar), and is a Knight of Pythias.
Wright, Thomas Bennett, D. D. S., an able representative of the dental profession in Mississippi, is engaged in the active work of his chosen vocation in Hattiesburg, Perry county, where he is meeting with gratifying success. Dr. Wright was born in Tyro, Tate county, Miss., Feb. 20, 1870, being a son of Patrick Henry Wright, who was born in South Carolina, while the mother, whose maiden name was Anna Clark, was born in Virginia. His father served as a valiant soldier in the Confederate ranks during the Civil war, having been a member of Company I, Thirty-fourth Mississippi, Walthall's brig- ade. After completing the curriculum of the public schools Dr. Wright took a course in a business college in Memphis, Tenn., while in 1901 he was graduated in the Southern dental college, in Atlanta, Ga., with the degree of Doctor of Dental Surgery. He had previously made a careful study and received practical instruction in his pro- fession, having entered the office of an able dentist, and he had engaged in practice in 1900, at Coffeeville, Miss. In 1902, after his graduation, he came to Hattiesburg, where he has since been engaged in practice and where he has a finely appointed office. He has the best modern equipment for both the laboratory and operative work of his profession, which represents both a science and a mechanic art, and his skill and personal kindness and courtesy have gained to him a large and appreciative support, while his business is con- stantly increasing in scope. The doctor is identified with the Inter- national and the Mississippi State dental associations and takes an active interest in the work of each and in all else that enables
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him to keep in touch with the advances made in his profession. His political faith is that of the Democratic party and fraternally he is identified with the Knights of Pythias, the Woodmen of the World and with W. H. Handy Camp, Sons of Confederate Veterans. He is a member of the Baptist church.
Wroten, William M., M. D., of Magnolia, is one of the prominent and popular physicians and surgeons of Pike county and is one of the loyal sons of Mississippi who went forth in defense of the Con- federate cause in the war between the States. He was born on the homestead plantation, near Magnolia, Pike county, this State, May 15, 1847, and is a son of Dr. V. J. and Elizabeth (Quin) Wroten, the former of whom was born in Copiah county and the latter in Pike county. The father, who was of French and Irish descent, was one of the pioneer physicians of Pike county and he represented this county in the State legislature for two terms. The subject of this sketch was afforded the advantages of the schools of his native county, completing a course in the high school. At the age of sixteen years he enlisted in Company I, Fourth Mississippi cavalry, under General Forrest, and he served with this command until the close of the great Civil war, taking part in many important battles. After the war he took up the study of medicine, and in 1872 he was graduated in the Louisville medical college, at Louisville, Ky., where he received his degree of Doctor of Medicine. He at once established himself in practice in Magnolia, where he has since re- mained and where he controls an extensive and representative pro- fessional business, being recognized as one of the leading physicians and surgeons of this section of the State. He is identified with the Mississippi State medical association and the Pike county medical society. In a fraternal way he is affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Woodmen of the World, and both he and his wife hold membership in the Methodist Episcopal church, South. In 1872 Dr. Wroten was united in marriage to Miss Eleanor Lea, who was born and reared in St. Helena parish, La., and they have three children, namely: Vincent Jones, Lillian and William Hugh. Lillian is now the wife of T. J. Vaught, of Hattiesburg, this State.
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