USA > Mississippi > Mississippi : comprising sketches of towns, events, institutions, and persons, arranged in cyclopedic form Vol. III > Part 26
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Easterling, Walter Lee (deceased), formerly a lawyer of Jackson, Miss., was born at Cato, Rankin county, Miss., May 2, 1870, and was the son of W. B. East- erling and Cornelia (Cox) Easterling. His father served in the Confederate army and was taken prisoner during the - war and sent to Johnson Island. Mr. Easterling was educated at Mississippi college, and was graduated from that in- stitution in 1891 with B. A. degree. He was instructor of commercial law and mathematics in Baylor university of Texas, and practiced law in Waco, Tex., with his brother, E. E. Easterling, until 1896, when he moved to Jackson, Miss., where he was admitted to the bar in October, 1896. In 1900 Mr. Easterling formed a partner- ship with W. H. Watkins that existed until his death, which occurred at Vicksburg, Jan. 22, 1905. Mr. Easterling was the first assistant attorney-general of Mississippi, having been appointed March 6, 1902. He resigned the position June 21, 1902, in order that he might devote his entire time to the practice of law. He was a Democrat and member of the fraternal order of Woodmen of the World. On Sept. 21, 1896, he was married to Miss Annie M. Johnston, daughter of H. W. Johnston and Sallie F. (Iungherr) Johnston of Clinton, Miss.
Edwards, William Wickliff, of Stark- ville, is the efficient and popular chancery clerk of Oktibbeha county and is a mem- ber of one of the honored families of that section of the State. He was born in Choctaw county and reared at Whitefield, now known as Sturgis, Oktibbeha county, Nov. 19, 1870, and is a son of Dr. William and Mary J. Edwards, the former of whom was born in Talladega, Ala., and the latter in Mississippi, whither her father, Col. James H. Edwards, removed from South Carolina, becoming one of the influential citizens of Choctaw county, which he represented in the State legis- lature in the year the State seceded from the Union-1861. Dr. William Edwards served during the Civil war in the Tenth Ala- bama infantry, army of Virginia, in which he was promoted to the office of first lieutenant, serving in this capacity until the close of the war. He was for many years engaged in the practice of dentistry and is now living essentially retired, in the village of Sturgis, his wife having passed to the life eternal in 1903. The sub-
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ject of this sketch secured his earlier education in the public schools and thereafter completed a partial course in the University of Mis- sissippi. After leaving school he was in the West for several years, returning to Sturgis in 1892 and being there engaged in the general merchandise business until 1899, when he was elected clerk of the chancery court of his native county, forthwith taking up his resi- dence in Starkville, the county seat. He gave a most able admin- istration of the duties of his office and the popular appreciation of this fact was shown in his re-election as his own successor, in 1903, for a second term of four years. He is a stalwart in the local camp of the Democratic party, is a member of the Baptist church, and is affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Knights of Pythias and the Sigma Alpha Epsilon college fraternity. On Nov. 9, 1895, Mr. Edwards was united in marriage to Miss Elnora Heflin, daughter of Charles J. Heflin, of Oktibbeha county. They have no children.
Eggleston, Theodore A., the present sheriff of Lowndes county, is one of the well known citizens of this section of the State, where his entire life has been passed, and he is a representative of one of the honored pioneer families of the county. He has large planta- tion interests, to which he gives his personal supervision, and he maintains his home in the city of Columbus, the attractive county seat. Mr. Eggleston was born in Columbus, June 29, 1842, and is a son of Edward Carr and Matilda (Seay) Eggleston, the former of whom was born in Hanover county, Va., in 1811, and the latter of whom was born near Murfreesboro, Tenn. Edward C. Eggleston came to Lowndes county in 1837, at which time Columbus was but a small village, and he became one of the largest landholders and most extensive planters of the county, where he improved fully 2,000 acres of land. For some time he conducted a hotel and a livery in Columbus, where later he engaged in the general merchan- dise business. He was the largest land owner in the county and prior to the Civil war owned 157 slaves, his losses being very heavy as a result of the war. He served twenty years as sheriff of the county, having been incumbent of this office at the time of the war, and he was a citizen in whom was reposed unqualified popular esteem. He died July 5, 1871, at the age of sixty years ; his wife preceded him to the life eternal and was forty-five years of age at the time of her death. Of the seven children only two are living- the subject of this sketch, and Thomas S., who is a resident of Oklahoma and who was a soldier in the Confederate service in the Civil war, as was also another brother, John W. Theodore A. Eggleston was afforded excellent educational advantages in his youth and was a student in the Wesleyan university, at Florence, Ala., at the time of the outbreak of the war between the States. He was among the first to tender his aid in defense of the cause of the Confederacy. In February, 1861, he enlisted in the Florence Guard, which was mustered in as a company of the Seventh Alabama in- fantry, with which he served one year, at the expiration of which he became a member of the provost guard in General Forrest's
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cavalry, with which he took part in the engagements at Fort Pillow, Prairie Mound, Brice's Crossroads, Athens, Ala., Athens and Frank- lin, Ga., and thereafter was with Hood's army in the various en- gagements leading up to the siege of Nashville, where he was wounded in the leg, after which he was sent home on furlough. The war closed before he was again eligible for field service and he re- ceived his parole at his home in Columbus. After the war Mr. Eggleston resumed his connection with the work and management of the home plantation and he has since been continuously identified with the agricultural industry in his native county, where he has a large and well improved landed estate. In politics he is aligned as a loyal supporter of the cause of the Democratic party. In 1897 he was appointed deputy sheriff and he continued to serve in that capacity until 1903, when he was elected sheriff of the county, of which office he has since been incumbent. He has shown marked discrimination and ability in the discharge of his official duties and has made a fine record as sheriff. He is affiliated with the Masonic fraternity and the United Confederate Veterans, and both he and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church, South. On April 22, 1862, Mr. Eggleston was united in marriage to Miss Sarah Matilda Peeples, daughter of James D. Peeples, of Columbus. She died in 1898, and of the six children of this union only two are living-Theodore A., Jr., and Sarah Matilda. On April 15, 1901, Mr. Eggleston married Annie Louise Cox, daughter of George W. Cox, of Columbus, and they have one child-Marie.
Ellis, John R., of Meridian, is incum- bent of the office of superintendent of education for Lauderdale county and his work in this capacity has been faithful and effective in every respect. His juris- diction is one of the most populous in the State and its schools are maintained at the highest possible standard. Mr. Ellis was born in the southeastern part of Lauderdale county, in 1871, and he is a son of J. W. and Mrs. M. J. Ellis, his father having been a planter by vocation. Mr. Ellis was reared under the discipline of the farm and after availing himself of the advantages of the common schools he entered the Mississippi agricultural and mechanical college, at Starkville, being matriculated in 1888 and attending this institu- tion for two sessions. In 1890 he began teaching in the schools of his native county, and he continued to follow the pedagogic pro- fession until 1895, when he entered the University of Nashville, Tenn., in which historic old institution he was graduated as a mem- ber of the class of 1898 and received the degree of Bachelor of Arts. He then returned to Lauderdale county and resumed teaching. In the following year he was elected superintendent of education of the county, and that his administration was eminently satisfactory
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was shown in his being chosen as his own successor in 1903, for a second term of four years. He was elected without opposition. Mr. Ellis is an unswerving Democrat in his political affiliations and is a member of the Baptist church. Fraternally he is a member of the Knights of Pythias, the Woodmen of the World, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, and the Red Men. He is also a thirty-second degree Mason. On June 20, 1901, he married Hattie V. Page, a daughter of C. W. Page. Enochs, John Romily, of Brandon, Rankin county, is one of the able and rep- resentative jurists and legists of the State, and has served on the bench of the Eighth judicial circuit since 1898, while he is an ex-member of the legislature of his native commonwealth. Judge Enochs was born on the old homestead plantation in Rankin county, Miss., Dec. 28, 1848, being thus a slightly belated Christmastide arrival in the family circle of William Carroll Enochs and his good wife, whose maiden name was Elizabeth McRee, the former having been born in Tennessee and the latter in Louisiana. Judge Enochs was reared to the sturdy and invigorating discipline of the plantation and after completing a course of study in Somerville in- stitute, in Noxubee county, he engaged in teaching in the schools of his native State, being very successful in his pedagogic work, to which he devoted his attention for several years. In 1875 he was elected treasurer of Rankin county, and in January of the fol- lowing year removed to Brandon and took up the duties of the office, giving an able administration of the fiscal affairs of the county and being re-elected at the expiration of his first term. In the meanwhile he had taken up the study of the law, in the office of Jayne & Buchanan, of Brandon, one of the leading law firms of that section of the State, and in 1878 was admitted to the bar, upon examination before the properly constituted authorities. He has since been actively identified with the work of his profession, either as a practitioner or as a jurist, and his precedence is the result of thorough knowledge of the law and distinctive power of application in a practical way. He gained a high reputation as a trial lawyer, while on the bench his rulings have indicated an intuitive discrimination and the wise application of the principles of equity and jurisprudence in the adjudicating of the causes brought before his tribunal. In 1884-5 Judge Enochs represented his county in the State legislature, as did he also from 1893 to 1895, while, under appointment by Gov. Robert Lowry, he served one term as swamp-land commissioner of the State. In 1898 he was appointed circuit judge of the Eighth circuit, by Governor Mc- Laurin, his jurisdiction comprising the counties of Covington, Jones, Lawrence, Leake, Newton, Rankin, Scott, Simpson and Smith. He
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took up his judicial labors in May, 1898, and has ever since served with unqualified acceptability on the bench of this circuit, having been reappointed in 1902, by Governor Longino. He is one of the leaders of the Democracy in this section and has shown a deep interest in the party cause. In a fraternal way the judge is identi- fied with the Masonic order, and both he and his wife hold member- ship in the Methodist Episcopal church, South. On Jan. 14, 1880, Judge Enochs was united in marriage to Miss Frances Marion Shaw, daughter of Daniel A. and Sarah (Sinclair) Shaw, of Rankin county, and the five children of this union are: DeWitt Carroll, Sarah Elizabeth, Shaw, Ruby and John Romily, Jr.
Errington, James Buchanan, who is en- gaged in the practice of law in Hazle- hurst, is one of the leading members of the bar of Copiah county, and the prestige which he has attained sets at naught all 1 = application of the biblical adage that "A prophet is not without honor save in his own country," from the fact that he is native of this county and has here gained distinctive recognition professionally and in public affairs. He was born on the homestead plantation, in Copiah county, Oct. 1, 1863, and is a son of Elisha and Nancy (Weeks) Errington, the former of whom was born in Tennessee and the latter in Pike county, Miss., both being of English descent. The father rendered valiant service as a soldier in the Confederate ranks during the war between the States, having been a member of a regiment of Mississippi infantry. James B. Errington is indebted to the schools of Copiah county for his early educational discipline, which was supplemented by a course in Mississippi college, at Clinton. In 1887 and 1888 he attended the law school of the famous old University of Virginia, at Charlottesville, and he soon after- ward located in Hazlehurst, where he has since followed the work of his profession, being known as a skilled trial lawyer and con- servative counselor and having gained a clientage of representative character. He is one of the leaders in the Democratic party in his county and has ever shown a loyal interest in public affairs. He twice served as mayor of Hazlehurst, was on the police bench of the city for one term, showing marked judicial acumen, and in November, 1903, he was elected to represent his native county in the State legislature, for the term of 1904-6, and during this term he served on the constitutional, enrollment of bills and judiciary committees. He spent 1878-79 in Montana, where he had driven from southern Texas. He was with the first party which took sup- plies to the Sioux Indians after the massacre of General Custer, and the following year went to Montana, where he remained during the summer and then returned to Copiah county, and from that time until he took up the study of law, remained there. He has traveled
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widely, having been in every State in the union except Florida and the New England States. Judge Errington is affiliated with the Masonic fraternity, and his religious faith is that of the Baptist church.
Estes, William M., representative of Clarke county in the State legislature and the present county attorney, was born in Enterprise, Clarke county, where he now resides, the date of his nativity having been May 11, 1873. He is a son of E. S. and Mattie F. Estes, of Enterprise, where the father is a prominent business man and influential citizen, being a native of Rankin county, Miss., and a member of one of the old and honored families of the State. William M. Estes secured his early educational training in the public schools of Enterprise, after which he was for part of a year a student in the Southern University, at Greensboro, Ala., and in 1899 he was graduated in the Macon & Andrews business college, in West Point, Miss. After leaving school he read law under effective preceptorship, and in 1902 he was admitted to the bar of his native State, passing a rigid examination and giving evidence of the exceptional degree of care he had given to his study of the science of jurisprudence. He forth- with engaged in practice in Enterprise, and he has met with gratify- ing success in his professional endeavors, while he has been called to office of distinctive trust and dignity at the practical initiation of his professional career. In 1903 he was elected to represent Clarke county in the State legislature, while he has served one term as a member of the board of aldermen of Enterprise. In May, 1904, he was elected county attorney, making an excellent record as a public prosecutor and being chosen as his own successor in 1905, while in January of the latter year he was also elected city attorney of Enterprise. He is a stalwart among the young Democrats of that section of the State and takes an active interest in the party work. He is affiliated with the local lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and Knights of Pythias, and is a zealous member of the First Methodist Episcopal church of Enterprise, being a member of its board of trustees and superintendent of its Sunday school, while he is secretary of the Epworth League of the Meridian district.
Evans, David W., is numbered among the representative business men of Mississippi's capital city, being vice-president and general manager of the Jackson Lumber Company, one of the leading con- cerns of the sort in the State. Mr. Evans is a native of the old Buckeye State, having been born in Greene county, Ohio, on Sept. 5, 1860, and having been reared and educated in Ohio. Mr. Evans came to Mississippi in 1887, and here he was identified with the hotel and restaurant business about ten years, at the expiration of
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which, in 1898, he became associated in the organization of the Jackson Lumber Company, of whose affairs he has been general manager from the start, while he is also incumbent of the executive office of vice-president. The company was organized in February, 1898, operations being initiated on a paid-up capital of $3,000, while the enterprise has been broadened in scope and importance and the company is now incorporated with a capital stock of $12,500, the average annual sales reaching an aggregate of fully $120,000, while the business is constantly expanding. The company does a general wholesale and retail lumber business, ramifying into diverse sections of the State, also handling general lines of building ma- terial. The office and yards of the company are eligibly located on West Capital street, and the facilities in every respect are of the best. The present executive corps is as follows: John B. Nalty, president ; David W. Evans, vice-president and general manager ; and Walter S. Mize, secretary and treasurer.
Everitt, Horace Benjamin, of Scranton, is recognized as one of the representative members of the bar of Jackson county and within the twenty years of his active labors in the domain of law he has at- tained prestige and success of no equiv- ocal order. Mr. Everitt was born at Brandon, Rankin county, Miss., Jan. 16, 1860, and is a son of Dr. George G. and Mary A. (Mayers) Everitt. Dr. Everitt was a physician and surgeon of no little distinction and was also a successful druggist and planter, having also been a slave owner prior to the Civil war, his valuable plantation having been located near Brandon. He more than once tendered his services as a soldier in the Confederate ranks, but on each occasion was discharged on account of physical disability. After the war he engaged in the practice of his profession at Newton, and there he passed the re- mainder of his life, his death occurring in 1895. The mother of the subject of this review is a sister of the late Judge A. G. and Capt. P. K. Mayers. The paternal grandmother of Mr. Everitt was a sister of Gen. Edmund P. Gaines and George S. Gaines, the former of whom shared with Generals Brown and Scott in the laurels of shedding the greatest honor on the American arms in the conflicts north of the Niagara river during the War of 1812, as mentioned in the message to congress by President Madison; he also served in the French and Indian wars, captured Aaron Burr, in Alabama, and succeeded General Jackson in command in eastern Florida. George S. Gaines, as government Indian agent, was noted for his services in dealing with the hostile tribes, was president of one of the first banks established in the city of Mobile, Ala., and founded the once famous Gaines-Cole nursery at State Line. Horace Ben- jamin Everitt duly availed himself of the advantages of the common
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schools and then entered the law department of the University of Mississippi, in which he was graduated as a member of the class of 1881, duly receiving his degree of Bachelor of Laws and being forth- with admitted to the bar of his native State. He has been con- tinuously in active practice for more than a score of years and has won his professional distinction by ability and earnest and dis- criminating effort. For several years he was in practice in the city of Meridian, as a member of the firm of Watts & Everitt, his asso- ciate having been his half-brother, Capt. S. B. Watts. The greater portion of his professional career, however, has been one of identi- fication with the bar of Jackson county. Here he was for some time associated in practice with Hon. W. M. Denny, ex-member of congress from this district, but he now conducts his professional business in an individual way, having an excellent clientage and controlling a large practice. Though a stalwart supporter of the cause of the Democratic party, Mr. Everitt has ever held his pro- fession as worthy of his undivided allegiance and the honors and emoluments of political office have had absolutely no allurements for him. He and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church, South, and he is affiliated with the Knights of Pythias, and Woodmen of the World, being also a member of the Mississippi State bar association. In 1882 was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Everitt to Miss Mattie Roberts, a daughter of Aaron and Martha (Hearn) Roberts, of Alabama. The children of this union are Carrie E., Mary Lois, Bessie and Horace B., Jr.
Evans, James B., of Quitman, is the able incumbent of the office of clerk of . the chancery court of Clarke county and is a representative of one of the honored pioneer families of the State, with whose annals the name has been identified for more than three score of years. He was born in Clarke county, Aug. 24, 1861, being a son of John H. and, Sarah A. (Phillips) Evans. John H. Evans was born in Wayne county, Miss., Nov. 15, 1824, a son of Jehu and Sarah P. (Hicks) Evans, the former of whom was born in South Carolina, in 1795, while he died in Shubuta, Clarke county, Miss., June 24, 1877, having settled in Wayne county, this State, in 1810, when the commonwealth was yet a part of Louisiana territory. He was cap- tain of a company which saw active service in the War of 1812, and in 1832 removed to Clarke county, where he became a successful planter, here continuing to reside until his death. For twenty-two years he was county surveyor, and he was a man of influence in the community, commanding the esteem of all who knew him. His wife died Dec. 4, 1885, at the age of eighty-four years, both having been consistent members of the Baptist church. John H. Evans was reared to manhood in Clarke county, receiving a good common
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school education, while he was numbered among the successful planters of the county during practically his entire business career, having been the owner of a valuable landed estate of about nine hundred acres. He served for a long term of years as county surveyor, being finally compelled to resign the office on account of failing sight. He was major of State militia prior to the Civil war, and he was a recruiting officer for a time after the war was in- augurated, later a member of the Thirteenth Mississippi infantry, while during the later years of the conflict he was engaged in the manufacture of salt, at the government salt works, for the benefit of the destitute families in the State. He held various offices of public trust and was inflexible in his integrity, while to him was accorded the unreserved respect of the people of the county in which practically his entire life was passed. He was a Democrat and a member of the Masonic fraternity. In 1845 he married Sarah A., daughter of Thompson and Lydia (Seale) Phillips. She was born in Marion county, Miss., where her parents were pioneers. Mr. Evans passed the closing days of his life in Desoto, Clarke county, where he died in October, 1902, his widow now being seventy-nine years of age and in good health. They became the parents of nine children, of whom five are living. James B. Evans, whose name initiates this review, was reared on the homestead farm, in Clarke county, and in the county schools he secured his early educational discipline, making the best use of his opportun- ities, as is evident when we revert to the circumstance that he worked by the month to earn the funds with which to continue his school work. He continued to be associated with farm work until he had attained maturity, thereafter devoted one year to the service of a company engaged in cutting railroad ties, and in the spring of 1883 he entered the service of the Mobile & Ohio railroad, and Southern Express Company. In September, 1885, he was tendered and accepted the office of deputy sheriff of Clarke county, and entered upon the discharge of the duties of the office Jan. 1, 1886, in which capacity he served two years, at the expiration of which, in 1887, he was elected circuit court clerk, holding the position eight years, through re-election without opposition in 1891. In 1895 he was elected sheriff of the county, serving four years, to the satis- faction of the people of the county, who had still higher preferment in store for him at the expiration of this period, since in 1899 he was elected to represent Clarke and Jasper counties in the State legis- lature, in which body he rendered efficient service, during his term of four years. In the fall of 1903 he was elected to his present office, that of clerk of the chancery court. For several years he was land agent for the Mobile & Ohio railroad, and has ever directed his course along the clearly defined lines of fidelity and unswerving rectitude, so that he has not been denied the fullest measure of popular confidence and regard. He is a stanch Democrat in his political allegiance, is a master Mason, and is a valued member of the Methodist Episcopal church, South. On March 23, 1887, Mr. Evans was united in marriage to Miss Mary A. Jennings, daughter
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