USA > Mississippi > Mississippi : comprising sketches of towns, events, institutions, and persons, arranged in cyclopedic form Vol. III > Part 104
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Walker, W. C., M. D., of Houlka, Chickasaw county, is not only following in the professional footsteps of his honored father, who was for many years one of the distinguished physicians of this county, but in his hold upon popular confidence and esteem he sets at naught all application to him of the aphorism that "a prophet is not without honor save in his own country." He was born in the little city which is now his home and is a son of Dr. W. L. and Janette (Moffat) Walker, the former of whom was born in Alabama, while the latter was one of the first white children born within the limits of Chicka- saw county, Miss. Dr. W. L. Walker was engaged in the practice of his profession in Chickasaw county until the time of his death, in March, 1890, and he is held in affectionate memory throughout this section, where he labored with so much self-abnegation. After leaving the common schools Dr. W. C. Walker began the work of
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preparing himself for the noble profession which his father had so honored, and in 1880 he was graduated in the medical department of Vanderbilt university, at Nashville, Tenn., as a member of the class of 1880, receiving the degree of Doctor of Medicine. In the same year he began the active practice of his profession in Houlka, being associated with his father for a decade and becoming virtually his successor when he was summoned to his final rest. He has at all times commanded the confidence and good will of the people of his native town and county, and his practice is large and of repre- sentative character. He is a member of the medical association of the county, as well as that of the State; is a stanch Democrat in poli- tics and is affiliated with the Masonic fraterniy, having served as master of his lodge about ten years, and as council commander of the local organization of the Woodmen of the World. He and his wife are zealous members of the Methodist Episcopal church. On Nov. 28, 1883, was solemnized the marriage of Dr. Walker to Miss Ida Whitfield, daughter of R. W. and Adeline (Walker) Whitfield, of Chickasaw county, and the children of this union are eight in number, namely: John C., Wilbert L., Samuel S., Bessie May, James B., Nellie Irene, Oscar M. and Joseph G.
Walker, Buz M. The subject of this sketch is a descendant of patriotic ances- tors who were among the first settlers of North Carolina prior to the Revolutionary war. His father, William Walker, moved into Mississippi during the early part of last century and did much government surveying of public lands and later became a planter. Buz M. Walker was born in Oktibbeha county, Miss., Aug. 20, 1863, the third son in a family of six children, and spent his boyhood days on the farm, until the death of his father in 1874. While a little boy, he was taught at home by his mother, Mary E. (Hines) Walker, and he obtained his early education in the face of difficulties, by attending the poor country schools during the dark days of carpet- bag rule and reconstruction in Mississippi. He was next in the high school for four years where his mathematical trait of mind began to show itself. He entered the Mississippi Agricultural and Mechanical college at the opening of its first session, always led his class in mathe- matics and graduated with honors in the first graduating class in 1883, receiving the degree of Bachelor of Science. As a college student, he was one of the organizers of the Young Men's Christian Association and was its first president; he was a member of the Dia- lectic literary society and always took an active part in its proceed- ings; in the military organization, he was a good officer and discip- linarian, and served as senior captain in charge of the student bat- talion for a year and a half. Immediately after graduation, Mr. Walker was employed in the college' as instructor in the prepara-
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tory department during the session of 1883-1884, and then was trans- ferred to the department of mathematics as assistant professor, which position he filled until 1888 when he was promoted to pro- fessor of mathematics and given a year's leave of absence. He spent the summers of 1885, 1886, and 1887 studying mathematics at the University of Virginia under Prof. Wm. M. Thornton, who said to his pupil: "It gives me great pleasure to certify that you were a student of my private class in mathematics during three summers, and worked with me through courses in plane analytical geometry, analytical geometry of three dimensions, differential and integral calculus, and elementary theoretical mechanics. Your work was exceedingly satisfactory, done with unusual zeal and intel- ligence, and quite up to the grade of the best college work." The degree of Master of Science was conferred on him by his alma mater in 1886. He spent the session of 1888-1889 in Gottingen and Berlin studying mathematics under the German masters. After his return from Europe, Gen. S. D. Lee wrote of him as follows: "I know of no young gentleman of Professor Walker's age who has more thoroughly prepared himself as a teacher. He has had five years' training in Latin, one and a half years in Greek, two years in German, fifteen months in French and has a reading knowledge in Italian. He is an apt scholar, is quick, and has a very analytical mind. I consider him one of the clearest and most successful teachers in the section room I have ever heard." However, Professor Walker was not satisfied with his education and in 1895 obtained a second leave of absence from the college and went to the University of Chicago, which institution probably has the strongest mathematical faculty in America, and spent fifteen months studying mathematics and mathematical astronomy. At the close of this time, Head Professor of Mathematics E. H. Moore, said in a letter to him: "I am glad you honor our university and our department so signally. It is men of your make-up that we rejoice exceedingly to come in contact with." He continued his work by making a critical review and examination of the literature treating of the singularities of alge- braic curves and undertook the difficult task of solving the cele- brated mathematical problem, "On the resolution of higher singu- larities of algebraic curves into ordinary nodes." To duly appre- ciate the significance of this task one needs to know this brief mathe- matical history :- "The theory of the singularities of algebraic curves is historically celebrated, it is extremely important in the science of mathematics, and has been extensively studied by mathema- ticians for two centuries. In 1736, Newton began investigations to determine the expansions of an algebraic curve in the vicinity of a singular point; in 1750, Cramer carried out the work of Newton; and in 1850, Puiseux made an extended treatment of this theory. The resolution of higher singularities began to attract wide attention and was studied by many mathematicians, Arthur Cayley being among the number. In . 1875, Noether established the theorem that every algebraic curve can be transformed by a birational trans- formation of the plane, into another curve which has no other singular
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points than ordinary multiple points; soon afterwards the theory was studied by Weierstrass, Hamburger, and many others, including Halphen who enunciated the problem that any algebraic curve having only ordinary multiple points can be transformed into an- other having only ordinary double points. The Halphen theorem is the final enunciation of the celebrated problem, which had been of so much interest in the mathematical world; it naturally attracted wide attention as it promised high honors to the mathematician who could solve it, and consequently has been vigorously attacked in different countries. Three essentially different methods have been employed for its proof by the great mathematicians of Europe; but, however, all of these proofs are written in an exceedingly con- cise style and leave a great many minor points to the reader." Pro- fessor Walker spent several years in conquering this problem; he attended to his regular college duties during the sessions and spent his summer vacations in Chicago doing mathematical reading with Prof. Oskar Bolza and studying this problem. His laborious efforts were crowned with success. His solution is an entirely new proof of this celebrated theorem, a method different from any of the other three. It was accepted by the University of Chicago as a disserta- tion submitted to the faculties of the graduate schools of arts, litera- ture, and science in candidacy for the degree of Doctor of Philoso- phy. The degree was conferred on him at the August convocation in 1906. The solution of this celebrated problem gives Dr. Walker a prominent and permanent place in mathematical history, makes him a credit to the college, and an honor to the State and the entire South. Dr. Walker keeps in close touch with modern thought in science and education; he is a member of the American mathematical society, a member of the London mathematical society in England and a life member of the Deutsche Mathematiker-Vereinigung in Germany, a member of the Circolo Matematico di Palermo in Italy, a member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and a member of the National educational association. Being a man of executive ability combined with administrative ca- pacity, he is a power in the college, and an inspiration to the faculty and students with whom he is universally popular. In 1902, when the president and board of trustees organized the School of Engineer- ing, he was made its director, in addition to being professor of mathe- matics. He is a great believer in the doctrine of a practical educa- tion for the masses of the people, not forgetting that the people should be educated for the main business of life, such as agriculture, horticulture, mechanics, and the industrial pursuits. He is devoting his attention, at the present time, to developing the School of Engi- neering, which has for its primary object the training of the young men of this college in those fundamental principles of mathematics and along the different lines of engineering which make the founda- tion and form the basis of all successful specialization; and, further, prepare the young men to do the engineering work called for in this State and section at the present time. He stoutly advocates the principle that the education of the engineer must be well balanced
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and well rounded, it must be broad enough to make its men respect other lines of work, and thorough enough to make them hold their own among other men. That as a profession, engineering must maintain its rank among the liberal professions and push forward at the same time, it must have its share of thinkers and writers, and must be a profession from which its men may rise to accept the most influential and responsible work, and be called to take the places of higher honor and trust in the land. ¿ In the business world, Dr. Walker is regarded as a conservative and successful business man, owning good city property, and is a stockholder and director in the Security State bank and Starkville Cotton Oil Company, be- sides having a splendid farm in the country. He is decidedly a self- made man, who has the courage of his convictions; a man of sound judgment, who makes no compromise with principle; a devout Chris- tian gentleman and a deacon in the Starkville Baptist church. He is a man of family; on Dec. 23, 1890, he was married to Miss Blanche White in Brookhaven, Miss., and two children, both boys, Buz M. and William White, have blessed this happy union.
Wallace, Sidney J., of Starkville, is the able and popular incumbent of the office of superintendent of education for Oktibbeha county and has been prominent in educational work for a number of years. Mr. Wallace was born at Coldwater, Tate county, Miss., March 11, 1870, and is a son of John E. and Mary J. (Jeans) Wallace, the former of whom was born in South Carolina and the latter in Tate county, Miss. John E. Wallace was but six years of age at the time of his parents' removal from South Carolina to Tate county, Miss., where he was reared and educated and where he was engaged in agricultural pur- suits at the time of the inception of the war between the States. He manifested his loyalty to the Confederacy by enlisting as a member of a regiment of Mississippi volunteer infantry, in which he became color-bearer. He was serving in this capacity at the time of the battle of Gettysburg, in which he was shot down but not seriously injured. Previously he served under Gen. Albert Sidney Johnston, and in the battle of Shiloh when General Johnston was shot Mr. Wallace caught that gallant officer in his arms when the general fell from his horse. He was eventually promoted to a lieutenancy and served in this office until the close of the war. After the close of the great internecine conflict he returned to Tate county, where he continued engaged in agricultural pursuits until his death, which occurred June 6, 1879. His widow is still living, as are also their four children, of whom the subject of this sketch was the second in order of birth. Sidney J. Wallace secured his fundamental education under the able instruction of his devoted mother and after due preliminary discip- line he entered the Mississippi Agricultural and Mechanical college, in which he was graduated as a member of the class of 1894, receiving the degree of Bachelor of Science. He thereafter continued his studies in Millsaps college, in the city of Jackson, completing the English course and being graduated in 1896. Soon afterward he became assistant principal of the high school at Starkville, retaining this incumbency one year and passing the following years in the
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office of principal of the Monticello schools. He then returned to Starkville, and he continued teaching in the schools of Oktibbeha county until 1903, when he was elected to his present office of county superintendent of education, in which he has rendered admirable service and gained the most unqualified popular commendation and the hearty co-operation of the teachers employed in his jurisdiction. He has done much to unify and systematize the school work in the county and has gained to it much prestige in a relative way. He is a valued and appreciative member of the Mississippi teachers' asso- ciation and also the teachers' association of his county. He is a stalwart adherent of the Democratic party and both he and his wife are zealous members of the Methodist Episcopal church, South. On Jan. 16, 1896, Mr. Wallace was united in marriage to Miss Edwina Gillespie, daughter of George and Alexzina (Lamkbin) Gillespie, of Oktibbeha county, and they have three children-Lois, Clifford and Edwina.
Ward, Benjamin F., M. D., of Winona, is one of the oldest and most distinguished representatives of the medical profession in the State of Mississippi and is the presi- dent of the State board of health. Dr. Ward was born in Abbeville county, S. C., Feb. 25, 1836, being a son of William F. and Martha (Mecklin) Ward, both repre- senting stanch old Irish lineage. William F. Ward was a prosperous planter and honored citizen of South Carolina, where he died when his youngest child, the subject of this review, was an infant, there having been five sons and two daughters in the family. In 1846, when the doctor was about eleven years of age, he came with his widowed mother to Choctaw county, Miss., where the devoted mother passed the remainder of her life. Dr. Ward had attended the schools of the locality as opportunity afforded, but his early advantages were limited, being supplemented by self-discipline and by the opportunities he secured through his own efforts, his academic and professional attainments being of high order, while he has ever been a close student and a wide reader of the best literature. As a young man he removed to Carroll county, where he taught school and also read medicine. He took his first course of lectures in the medical department of the University of Louisiana, while later he continued his studies in the Atlanta medical college, in which he was graduated as a member of the class of 1859, with the degree of Doctor of Medicine. Thereafter he was engaged in the practice of his profession in Carroll county, Miss., up to the time when he re- sponded to the call of higher duty by tendering his services in defense of the cause of the Confederacy. In 1861 he enlisted as a private in the Carroll Rifles, which became a company of the Eleventh Missis- sippi infantry, commanded by Col. Philip F. Liddell. After one
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year of service he was appointed from the ranks as field surgeon and assigned to duty with the same regiment, after which he became senior surgeon on the staff and in the brigade commanded by Gen. Joseph R. Davis. Later he was appointed a member of the army medical board, with the division of Major-General Heth, and he served in this capacity until the close of the war. He was in active service throughout the campaigns of Virginia, Maryland and Penn- sylvania. At the battle of Gettysburg he was ordered by Gen. Heth to remain on the field as chief surgeon and to supervise the caring for the wounded, more than 600 in number. He remained on the the battlefield three weeks after Lee's army had retired, and after all his wounded men had been placed in federal hospitals he himself was made a prisoner of war, being confined at Fort McHenry for five months, at the expiration of which he was exchanged, rejoining his command and remaining with the same until the war closed, and surrendering with General Lee's command at Appomattox. After the close of the war Dr. Ward located in Winona, Montgomery county, where he has ever since been engaged in the practice of his profession, while he is one of the oldest and most honored practitioners in the State. He has been a valued contributor to the leading periodical publications of his profession and his services have been in frequent demand as a speaker or lecturer upon popular as well as technical subjects. He was formerly president of the Mississippi State medical association, and is the present president of the State board of health, of which he has long been a member, while he is also identified with the American medical association and is chief surgeon of the Missis- sippi division of the United Confederate Veterans. The doctor has never been a seeker of office of political order, but his services have been freely and effectively given in the furthering of the cause of the Democratic party, of which he is a representative member in his State. Dr. Ward has a very extended acquaintanceship throughout Missis- sippi and is one of the eminent physicians of the State and a man of high scholarship, while he has honored the State through his life and services during his long and successful career as a physician and surgeon as well as through his strenuous labors during the great Civil war. On June 3, 1868, Dr. Ward was united in marriage to Miss Mary H. Hardeman, who was born in Tennessee, being a daughter of Constant H. and Mary (Deak) Hardeman, both of whom died when she was a child, and she was reared in the home of an uncle in Grenada county, Miss. Both Dr. and Mrs. Ward are prominent and zealous members of the Presbyterian church. They have four children : Mel- zana, wife of Henry Hart, a leading merchant and planter of Winona; William C., also engaged in merchandising in Winona, and Mary' and Benjamin F., Jr., remaining at the parental home.
Warfield, Robert E., president of the Merchants and Planters' bank, at Tchula, Holmes county, is one of the representative citizens and business men of this section of the State, where he has maintained his home since 1869. Mr. Warfield was born in Lexington Ky., May 25, 1851, and is a son of Lloyd and Elmira (Burbank) Warfield, the former of whom was born near Bryan Station, Ky., and the latter
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in the State of Maine, her father, Moses Burbank, having been a soldier in the War of 1812. Three of the brothers of the subject of this sketch were loyal soldiers of the Confederacy in the war between the States. Robert E. Warfield was reared to maturity in his native city, where his father was a prominent and influential business man, and there he received his higher education in Transylvania university. In 1869 he came to Mississippi and located in Holmes county, where he became a successful and extensive planter, continuing to devote his personal attention to this line of enterprise until 1904, when he became one of the organizers and incorporators of the Merchants and Planters' bank, of Tchula, of which he has since been president, ably directing the executive policy of the institution, which has received an excellent support from the start and which is recognized as one of the solid bank- ing houses of this part of the State. Mr. Warfield still retains extensive plantation interests in Holmes county, and has other real-estate and capitalistic interests. He gives an unqualified allegiance to the Democracy, and while he has never been a seeker of public office he is rendering effective service as a member of the city council of Tchula. He is loyal and progressive as a citizen and is held in high esteem in the county which has so long been his home. He is affiliated with the Masonic fraternity, Knights of Pythias, Knights of Honor, Wood- men of the World, and Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. On March 26, 1881, Mr. Warfield was united in marriage to Miss Laura C. Mosby, daughter of Dr. Robert J. and Laura (Adams) Mosby, of Kosciusko, Miss., and they have three children-Robert M., Lloyd B. and Laura E.
Watts, Samuel Boykin, of Meridian, was born April 13, 1843, at Garlandsville, Jasper county, Miss., and is the son of Samuel Boykin and Mary (Mayers) Watts. The father was a merchant of Garlands- ville, where he died in 1843. Mr. Watts attended the schools of Garlandsville and Brandon under the instruction of Col. A. Y. Harper and Luke W. Fuhley. At the outbreak of the Civil war at the age of eighteen he enlisted in the Con- federate army, becoming a member of the Tenth Mississippi regiment. In 1863 he was made lieutenant of his company and was promoted to a captaincy in 1864. After the war he began the reading of law under the tutorage of Judge John Watts, an uncle, who for many years was a circuit judge of the State, and in 1867 was admitted to the bar and began the practice of his profession at Meridian. In 1892 he was elected to the State senate from Lauderdale county (Fourth district), and in 1903 was elected to the house of representatives from Lauderdale county. Mr. Watts is a member of the Methodist church and of the fraternal orders of Odd Fellows, Knights of Honor, Knights and Ladies of Honor, and Supreme Lodge, Knights of Honor, and Knights and
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Ladies of Honor, also Woodmen of the World and American Guild. He was married Nov. 25, 1868, to Kate McLaurin, daughter of Daniel McLaurin of Rankin county. Mrs. Watts died June 9, 1899. Mr. Watts has four children : Zell (Watts) Kendall, Kate (Watts) Ormand, Mary Inez and Louise Love.
Weathers, P. H., of Jackson, Miss., was born in Calhoun county, Ala., Aug. 13, 1870. He attended the public schools and obtained an elementary education, during much of the time being employed in machine shops. He was for a time in the employment of Eugene T. Heiner of Houston, Tex., under whom he studied architecture. In 1886 he was associated with his uncle L. M. Weathers in building and construction. In 1901 he located in Jackson, Miss., where he carries on a large business. Among some of the most important contracts that Mr. Weathers has filled are the Norvelle Hotel, and St. Peter's and St. Andrew's churches. He is a member of Knights of Pythias and Eagles, and was married in 1899 to Bennie V. Semoyne, a native of Iowa.
Wells, Arthur, of Greenville, is identified with a line of enterprise which has impor- tant value in any community, and is numbered among the successful general insurance agents of the State, controlling a large business in his chosen field. He was born in Hinds county, Miss., Oct. 14, 1861, and is a son of James D. and Mary (Arnold) Wells, the former of whom was born in Hinds county, Miss., and the latter in Yazoo City, Miss. The original American ancestors of the Wells family came to the New World from the North of Ireland. James D. Wells was a son of Ira Wells and was born in Mississippi. His father settled near Big Black river, in Hinds county, and there became a successful planter and influential citizen. James D. Wells also followed agricultural pursuits and was one of the well known planters and honored citizens of Hinds county at the time of his death; his wife also died in that county. Arthur Wells, the immediate subject of this sketch, was reared on the home plantation and was efforded the advantages of the schools of his native county. In 1875, when but fourteen years of age, he left the parental home and went to the West, where he remained seven years, principally in Colorado, Kansas City, Mo., California and the city of Chicago. Within this interval he was identified with mercantile pursuits. In 1883 he returned to his native county and engaged in planting. He
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