Mississippi : comprising sketches of towns, events, institutions, and persons, arranged in cyclopedic form Vol. III, Part 106

Author: Rowland, Dunbar, 1864-1937, ed
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: Atlanta, Southern Historical Publishing Association
Number of Pages: 938

USA > Mississippi > Mississippi : comprising sketches of towns, events, institutions, and persons, arranged in cyclopedic form Vol. III > Part 106

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daughter of Philip G. and Eliza B. (DuBuisson) Cocks, of Yazoo City, and they have seven children, namely: Janie A., Christopher H., Jr., Philip C., John S., Charles L., Duke and Robert S.

Willis, Capt. John, deceased, pioneer planter and a distinguished citizen of Mississippi for more than half a century, was born at Openwoods, Warren county, Miss., June 30, 1819. He was a son of Col. William and Martha P. Willis, both natives of North Carolina, where the father was born Sept. 28, 1789, and the mother first saw the light near Raleigh, June 27, 1796. The father, in turn, was a son of Col. John Willis, who served with distinction in the Continental army throughout the Revolutionary war and received a valuable land grant in Ken- tucky in recognition of his valor and patriotism. Col. William Willis spent most of his active life in Natchez, Miss., and at the time of his death in his thirty-second year was the incumbent of the office of State senator from the old Clai- borne county district. The subject of this sketch was an only son and on the maternal side was related to the Vick family, his mother having been a Miss Vick. (See sketch of John Wesley Vick.) He attended the Transylvania college in Kentucky and completed his education in Princeton university, which was then known as the College of New Jersey. At the time of the breaking out of the Mexi- can war he was captain of a military organization in Vicksburg known as the Vicksburg Southrons and at his own expense equipped this company so that it might participate in the struggle. It became a part of the regiment under Hon. Jefferson Davis, afterward presi- dent of the Southern Confederacy, and played an important part in the engagements at Vera Cruz, Monterey and Buena Vista. At the cessation of hostilities he returned to Vicksburg and occupied his mother's old home, now known as the Cowan homestead. Upon leaving Vicksburg in 1875 he removed to his large plantation at Panther Burn on Deer creek in Sharkey county and there spent the remainder of his days. On June 20, 1851, Captain Willis married Miss Annie Ricks, a daughter of S. S. and Frances (Winter) Ricks of Madison county. To this union were born seven children, of whom but two grew to maturity. A daughter, Fannie Winter, is the wife of Junius W. Johnson and a son, St. John, died in 1892 in his thirty-fifth year. The other children, Willie Gray, Sherwood Ricks, Mattielise, Ricks and Winter Lee, all died in infancy. Captain Willis departed this life at 3 a. m. on Jan. 17, 1906. To within a few hours of his demise he had been in the best of spirits and health and the news of his death came as a shock to the whole community. The body was laid to rest in the Vicksburg city cemetery beside the remains of the wife and children, and was escorted to the grave by the Vicksburg Southrons in full uniform, an effective tribute of the

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organization to its first commander. In all walks of life Captain Willis was essentially a good man. It was never said of him that he failed in any trust imposed in him and was always an exemplary example of a Christian gentleman-one who carried into his daily life the principle of the Golden Rule and the Ten Commandments. As a soldier he won renown while still a young man and in the service which he rendered his country displayed exceptional qualities as a leader and organizer. As a planter he achieved great success, but by integrity and merit alone, not at the sacrifice of principle. The Vicksburg Herald thus fittingly commented editorially at the time of his demise: "The death of Captain Willis is impressive not alone for the close of a long life and an honorable career. His passing comes home especially to the living who were young in his genera- tion, as the vanishing of a type never to be known more on earth .. He was a true product of the old regime."

Willson, Thomas F., M. D., is one of the able and popular physicians and surgeons of Washington county, being established in the general practice of his profession at Arcola and tracing his lineage to old and honored families of the patrician Old Dominion, where was cradled so much of our national history. Dr. Willson was born at Ballsville, Powhatan county, Va., Jan. 13, 1879, and is a son of Anthony W. and Blanche (Crowder) Willson, both of whom were likewise born in that State, where they still maintain their home, the father being engaged in the mercantile business at Ballsville and also owning valuable plantation interests. He is a son of Maj. Thomas F. Will- son, who was a gallant soldier of the Confederacy in the Civil war, having been major of a regiment in the command of Gen. Joseph E. Johnston. He was captured at the battle of Corinth, Miss., and was held a prisoner of war on Johnson's island, in Lake Erie, about one year. He passed the remainder of his life in Virginia. After availing himself of the advantages of the graded schools of his native town Dr. Willson decided to prepare himself for the profession of medicine. With this end in view he was matriculated in the Uni- versity College of Medicine, in Richmond, Va., where he completed the prescribed course and was graduated as a member of the class of 1899. He began the practice of his profession in Ballsville, his native place, and there met with excellent success. Two years later he left Virginia and came to Mississippi, locating in Arcola, where he has built up a very successful and representative professional business and gained the unqualified esteem of the community. He is a member of the Mississippi State medical association, the Vir- ginia medical association, the American medical association, the Tri-State medical association and the Washington county medical society, being also health officer of Arcola. The doctor is a stanch

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adherent of the Democratic party, and he is now a member of the board of aldermen of Arcola and also incumbent of the office of city treasurer.

Willner, Rev. Wolff, the able and honored rabbi of Congregation Adath Yeshurun, in the city of Houston, Tex., is one of the representative members of the clergy of his church in Texas and is descendent of a long line of rabbis. He was born in the city of Strassburg, prov- ince of West Preussen, Prussia, July 28, 1863. His grandfather, Rabbi Israel Willner, was a rabbi in Pleschen, province of Posen. Rev. Samuel H. Willner, father of the subject of this sketch served as rabbi of congregations in Tremesn, Posen, and in the city of Strassburg, and finally came to the United States and became rabbi of the congregation in Newburg, N. Y., whence he went to assume a similar charge in the city of New Haven, Conn. 'His wife, whose maiden name was Sarah Herzfeld, was likewise descended from a long line of rabbis. In 1874 Wolff Willner, in company with his mother and his brother and sisters, came to America, the father having preceded them by one year. In 1878 the family took up their residence in New Haven, Conn., in which city the subject of this sketch entered Hillhouse high school, where he prepared for Yale college, in which famous institution he was graduated as a member of the class of 1885, with the degree of Bachelor of Arts, while in 1887 his alma mater conferred upon him the degree of Master of Arts. He received his rabbinical discipline under the direction of his honored father, who ordained him July 1, 1887. He served as rabbi of Congregation Oheb Shalom, in Newark, N. J., until 1890, when he assumed the rabbinical charge of Congregation Beth Israel, in Houston, Tex., where he remained until 1892. He thereafter served the Hebrew Friendship Congregation, in the city of Balti- more, Maryland, until October, 1894, passing the next year in the study of the Romance languages, in Johns Hopkins university. In September, 1895, he accepted the call to Cong. Beth Israel, Meridian. Miss., and here he labored with unequivocal success, having the un- qualified regard of his people and of the community at large and being recognized as a man of high intellectual attainments and of broad humanitarian sympathies and liberal views. He took a deep interest in civic affairs, and was one of the founders of the Asso- ciated Charities of Meridian, of which he was secretary for four years. For three years he gave most acceptable service in the office of presi- dent of the official board of the Meridian Circulating Library, while he manifested a specially lively concern in the public-school system and work of the city being a frequent visitor in the schools and being always accorded a hearty welcome by both teachers and pupils. Greatly to the regret of the citizens of Meridian, without distinction

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of creed, he accepted a call to Congregation Ahavia Sholom of Port- land, Oregon, in September, 1905, but preferring the South and Southern people and ways of life, neither he nor his family really felt themselves at home on the Pacific Coast. It was therefore a great pleasure to him. when Congregation Adath Yeshurun of Hous- ton, Tex., extended a call to him, and he returned to this former scene of labor (though a different synagogue), to resume work in this grand Southern clime, on March 1, 1907. Rabbi Willner is past chancellor of Pythagorean Lodge, No. 22, Knights of Pythias, of Baltimore, Md., and is affiliated with Meridian Lodge, No. 138, Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows, while he is past president of Asaph Lodge, No. 268, Independent Order of B'nai B'rith. He is a promi- nent and appreciative member of the Masonic fraternity. He was raised to the sublime degree of Master Mason in 1897. In 1903 he was worshipful master of King Solomon Lodge, of Meridian; in 1904 served as high priest of Meridian Chapter, Royal Arch Masons; and in 1905 held the office of Thrice Illustrious Master of William S. Patton Council, Royal and Select Masters. His degrees in the An- cient Accepted Scottish Rite were received in November, 1903, and he has since been an enthusiastic worker in this branch of the time- honored fraternity serving as Venerable Master and later as Wise Master. In politics he accords allegiance to the Democratic party. On March 26, 1893, was solemnized the marriage of Rabbi Willner to Miss Fannie S. Willner, daughter of Samuel and Zilli (Langer- man) Willner, of Ashtabula, Ohio, and they have two children, Zillah Longfellow, born Feb. 2, 1897, and Samuel Herzfeld, born Jan. 19, 1904.

Wilson, Hollie Bascum, M. D., is one of the able and prominent physicians and surgeons of the city of Vicksburg and is at the present time incumbent of the office of county physicians of Warren county. Dr. Wilson was born in Jackson, the capital city of Mississippi, Nov. 18, 1859, being a son of Stephen S. and Mar- tha E. (Owen) Wilson, both of whom were born and reared in Kentucky, where their marriage was solemnized and whence they came to Mississippi about 1853, taking up their residence in Jackson, where they passed the remainder of their lives, the

father having been a contractor and build- er by vocation. Dr. Wilson was afforded the advantages of the schools of his native city, and he was identified with the drug busi- ness, both in Jackson and Vicksburg, prior to taking up the medical profession. In 1888 he was graduated in Bellevue hospital medical college, in the city of New York, receiving his degree of Doctor of Medicine from this celebrated institution. He then returned to Vicksburg, serving eighteen months as interne in the Mississippi State charity hospital, after which he took up the regular practice

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of his profession in this city, where his success both as a physician and surgeon has been of the most unequivocal type. He served eight years as city physician and is now serving his fourth year as. county health officer, being also the official county physician. Dur- ing the yellow fever epidemic of 1897 Dr. Wilson represented both the State board of health and the United States marine-hospital ser- vice, being at the time also incumbent of the office of city physician. He is surgeon for the Alabama & Vicksburg and the Vicksburg, Shrevesport & Pacific railroads, having thus served consecutively since 1897. The doctor has taken an active interest in civic affairs and in politics is a stanch adherent of the Democratic party. He is lecturer on obstetrics in the Mississippi State charity hospital and the Vicksburg infirmary, is a member of the Mississippi State medical association and also of the Warren county medical society. In a fraternal way he is identified with the Knights of Pythias and the Woodmen of the World. His wife, whose maiden name was Lettie Morton Smith, was born and reared in Portsmouth, Ohio.

Wynne, William Townes, one of the representative younger members of the bar of Tallahatchie county, is engaged in practice at Charleston, the county seat. He was born near Coffeeville, Yalobusha county, Miss., Oct. 6, 1872, and is a son of William T. and Judith M. (Jones) Wynne. Capt. William T. Wynne was born in Yalobusha county, Dec. 20, 1843, being a son of Robert E. and Mary (Williams) Wynne, the former native of Virginia and the latter of South Carolina. Robert E. Wynne came

to Mississippi when a youth and he became one of the leading citizens of Yalobusha county, as a representative of which he was elected a member of the State legislature in 1854 and again in 1862. During the Civil war he was a member of the home militia, being cxempt from active duty on account of his advanced age. It has been written that he was "a man of great strength and breadth of character, universally honored and re- spected." This worthy pioneer died in 1866. Capt. William T. Wynne completed a course in the famous old University of Vir- ginia, at Charlottesville, where he was graduated as a member of the class of 1861. He then went forthwith to Richmond, Va., where he enlisted in the Vicksburg Southrons, Company A, Twenty- first Mississippi infantry. He served as private until after the siege of Vicksburg and then was assigned to the signal staff of Gen. "Stonewall" Jackson. He participated in many important en- gagements and distinguished himself by gallant service. He was recommended for a captaincy by General Jackson, who died beforc the essential order was issued. After the close of the war Captain Wynne returned home, and about a year later was married to Miss Judith M. Jones, who was born in Mississippi, in 1845, being a

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daughter of William S. Jones, and she died in 1872, leaving one son, William T., whose name initiates this sketch. Captain Wynne later married Miss Sally M. Cock, and they became the parents of three children, of whom two are living. Mrs. Wynne died in 1887, and her husband still resides in Yalobusha county, one of its well known and honored citizens. He is a stanch Democrat, and he served three terms as superintendent of education in said county, giving a most able administration. He was appointed by President Cleveland to compile the commercial and agricultural statistics of Mississippi, and for a period of twelve years he was chief magistrate of district No. 4, his election being unanimous. William Townes Wynne, subject of this review, completed a course in the public schools of Coffeeville and then became a student in the Mississippi Agri- cultural and Mechanical college, at Starkville, but left this college during his second term and entered the literary department of the University of Mississippi at Oxford. After two sessions in this department he entered the department of law from which he grad- uated in 1901 with the degree of Bachelor of Laws. He soon after- ward located in Lawton, Comanche county, Okla., where he re- mained in practice about eighteen months, at the expiration of which he returned to his native State and took up his residence in Charleston, where he is meeting with excellent success in the prac- tice of his profession. He is a stanch adherent of the Democratic party, and he held the office of superintendent of public education in Yalobusha county for five years, having succeeded his honored father in this office and having been appointed by Governor Stone to fill out an unexpired term, after which he was elected to the position for a full term, as his own successor. He is affiliated with the Masonic order and with the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity at his alma mater, the University of Mississippi. He is a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian church. Mr. Wynne has adopted the final "e" in the spelling of his name-the name being spelled both with and without it by the family.

Withers, Sterling Adolphus, is one of the alert and influential young business men of Tunica county and is a valued member of the levee board of the Yazoo- Mississippi Delta district. He is engaged in the general merchandise business at O. K., where he also controls a flourish- ing lumber manufacturing enterprise. Mr. Withers was born at Hernando, De Soto county, Miss., Nov. 13, 1877, and is a son of John P. and Ada B. (Thomp- son) Withers, the former of whom was born in Marshall county and the latter in De Soto county. He received a good common school education and at the age of twenty years initiated his independent business career. He opened a general store at Lake Cormorant, De Soto county, in

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October, 1897, and there he remained until January, 1900, when he transferred his headquarters to O. K., where his success has been unequivocal. He has a well equipped general store and is en- gaged in the manufacturing of lumber and cypress shingles, besides having valuable plantation interests in this county. In March, 1904, he was appointed a member of the State board of levee commis- sioners for the Yazoo-Mississippi delta district, and he still re- mains incumbent of this office, under the appointment of Governor Vardaman. He is a stalwart supporter of the principles of the Democratic party, is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, South, and is affiliated with the Masonic lodge at Tunica and with the lodge of Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks at Clarksdale.

Young, Chas. Whit, is numbered among the leading business men and influential citizens of the thriving and progressive little city of New Albany, the judicial center of Union county. Mr. Young was born in Tippah county, Miss., Dec. 16, 1867, and is a son of William Tandy Young, who came from middle Tennessee to Mississippi in 1835 and who here became a successful merchant and planter. The Young family is of English extraction and was early founded in North Carolina, Josephine M. (Cox) Young, the mother of the sub- ject of this sketch, was a daughter of Michael Cox, and both her paternal and maternal ancestors were numbered among the early settlers of Georgia, whence came the representatives of the two families of Mississippi. Chas. W. Young, the immediate subject of this review, was afforded the advantages of the common schools of his native county and early became identified with active busi- ness affairs. He finally engaged in the general mercantile business at Ripley, Tippah county, where he continued operations in this line for twelve years, with marked success. He is still identified with the same line of enterprise in association with one of his brothers, and, under the title of the Young Mercantile Company, they conduct a large business in New Albany. In January, 1905, Mr. Young took up his residence in New Albany, to whose upbuilding and prestige he has contributed in large measure, through his activity in promot- ing industrial advancement. He is secretary and treasurer of the New Albany Furniture Company, which was organized in the au- tumn of 1904, with a capital of $50,000, and he is one of the chief stockholders in the concern, which has a fine modern plant giving employment to about 100 operatives. He is also a stockholder in the New Albany canning factory, representing another important local enterprise, and, as already noted, is a principal in the Young Mercantile Company of this place. He is also interested in a mer- cantile business at Middleton, Tenn. New Albany has no citizen who is more loyal and progressive, and Mr. Young is rendering most effective service as secretary of the Business Men's League, which has done much in securing to New Albany a line of excellent manu- factories. Mr. Young is alligned as a stalwart supporter of the cause of the Democratic party and is identified with various social and fraternal organizations. In 1894 he was united in marriage to Miss Jennie Kenney, daughter of James A. and Callie (Pickens) Kenney,

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of Tippah county, and the children of this union are three sons -Kenney, Milton and Charles.

Yarborough, Rev. Warren Furman, pas- tor of the First Baptist church of Jackson and recognized as one of the leading mem- bers' of the clergy of his denomination in Mississippi, was born in Yazoo county, this State, Dec. 11, 1867. His father, John Yarborough, was likewise born in Yazoo county, where he resided on his plantation up to the time of the outbreak of the Civil war, when he enlisted in a Mississippi regiment, with which he did valiant service for the Confederate cause. He was taken prisoner in the battle of Missionary Ridge and confined in the Rock Island prison until the close of the war After the close of the war he married and finally removed into Holmes county, near Pickens, where he continued in the same line of enterprise which had previously engaged his attention and to which he had been reared. He was a son of Thomas G. and Jane (Jacob) Yarborough, the former of whom removed from Franklin county, Tenn., to Franklin county, Miss., about 1840, later taking up their residence in Yazoo county where he was married and where he and his wife passed the remainder of their lives, the former dying shortly after the close of the Civil war. John Yarborough married Miss Mary Elizabeth Toombs, daughter of George W. and Wini- fred (Green) Toombs, of Copiah county, Miss., where the family lived for many years. Mr. Toombs was a member of the well known Georgia family of that name. Rev. Warren F. Yarborough re- ceived his preliminary education in the country schools of Holmes county; his first teacher having been the Rev. Matthew Lyon, one of the ablest and best of the old field type of school teachers. In 1887 Mr. Yarborough was graduated with first honors in the Gillsburg Collegiate institute, with the degree of Bachelor of Science and in 1892 he was graduated in Mississippi college, at Clinton, with the degree of Bachelor of Arts and with the first honors of his class. In his senior year the Hermenean literary society of the college elected him its anniversarian. From 1887 to 1889 Mr. Yar- borough was a successful teacher in the public schools of Pike county, Miss., and he has ever continued to manifest a deep interest in edu- cational affairs. He completed a three years' course in theology, in the Southern Baptist theological seminary, in Louisville, Ky., where he was graduated as a member of the class of 1896, receiving the degree of Master of Theology. He was ordained to the ministry of the Baptist church, in Clinton, Miss., Feb. 21, 1892. Thereafter he supplied various churches during his vacation until he was gradu- ated from the theological seminary, and after his graduation became pastor of the Baptist church at Crystal Springs, Copiah county, 1896-7, while in February, 1899, he accepted the call to his

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present important charge, as pastor of the First Baptist church of the capital city, where his work has been attended with gratifying success, both in spiritual and in temporal advancement. The nu- merical and financial strength of the church has been materially augmented and in all departments of its work a gracious co-opera- tion and sympathy obtains between pastor and people. Mr. Yar- borough is a member of the Mississippi Baptist Publishing Company, the Baptist board of ministerial education, board of trustees of the Baptist orphanage, the Baptist State convention board, of whose · executive committee he is chairman, as he is also of the publishing company of the church, noted above. In 1893-4 he was a member of the editorial staff of the Baptist Seminary Magazine, Louisville, Ky., and in 1899-1900 he wrote able expository notes on the Inter- national Sunday school lessons, for the Baptist denominational organ of Mississippi, and has also been an occasional contributor to the denominational and secular press. He is a man of high schol- arship, much power and eloquence as a public speaker and of that genial and gracious personality which begets stanch friendships. His political allegiance is given to the Democratic party. On Nov. 24, 1896, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Yarborough to Miss Mettie May Forbes, daughter of David N. and Delia (Keene) Forbes, of Louisville, Ky. The paternal line is traced to the sturdy pioneer stock of Kentucky, and the maternal ancestors took pride in tracing a direct lineage from Oliver Cromwell. Mr. and Mrs. Yarborough have four children, whose names, with respective dates of birth, are as follows: Warren Forbes, Aug. 23, 1897; John Marion, Oct. 25, 1898; Mary D., Nov. 24, 1900; Lilian, July 20, 1902.

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Mississippi : comprising sketches of towns, events, institutions, and persons, arranged in cyclopedic form Vol. III, Part 106

Author: Rowland, Dunbar, 1864-1937, ed Publication date: 1907 Publisher: Atlanta, Southern Historical Publishing Association Number of Pages: 938

Author: Rowland, Dunbar, 1864-1937, ed
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: Atlanta, Southern Historical Publishing Association
Number of Pages: 938