Mississippi : comprising sketches of towns, events, institutions, and persons, arranged in cyclopedic form Vol. III, Part 53

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 53

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his political allegiance and is a Royal Arch Mason and a Knight of Pythias. In 1886, was solemnized the marriage of Dr. Lowrey to Miss Theodosia Searcy, daughter of Rev. J. B. Searcy, D. D., of Arkansas. Dr. and Mrs. Lowrey have five living children, namely: Linnie, Ruby, William Tyndale, Jr., Sara, Searcy, and one deceased, Edwin Berry.

Lowrey, B. G., president of the Blue Mountain female college of Blue Moun- tain, has served in his present capacity since 1898. Previous to that time he was superintendent of class room work and professor of English in the same institu- tion for nine years. In 1887 the Missis- sippi college of Clinton graduated Pro- fessor Lowrey with the degree of B. S., and the following year he taught at Pitts- boro and then for one year attended Tu- lane university. The Mississippi college bestowed upon him the degree of A. M. In 1889 he married Mary Lee, daughter of Rev. A. H. Booth, of Winona, Miss., for more than fifty years a minister of the Baptist church. Professor Lowrey is a son of Gen. M. P. and Sarah (Holmes) Lowrey, the for- mer native of McNairy county and the latter of Lincoln county, Tenn. The Holmes family later lived near Corinth and then moved to Missouri. General Lowrey, in turn, was a son of Adam and Margaret (Doss) Lowrey and was left fatherless at an early age. When a mere boy General Lowrey inlisted in the U. S. army and served in the Mexican war, returning at the close of it to his native town to learn the brickmaker's trade. When the war of secession broke he was a Baptist minister, preaching alternately at Ripley and Kos- suth. Notwithstanding he enlisted as a private in the sixty-day service and was chosen captain of his company. Before the cam- paign was over he had been promoted to the colonelcy. At the end of his sixty-day service he organized the Thirty-second Missis- sippi regiment. At the battle of Perryville, Ky., he was brigade commander of Wood's brigade and was slightly wounded. In the engagement at Chickamauga he again led the same brigade, and. because of valor and meritorious service was made a brigadier-gen- eral. He became known as the "Fighting Parson" and his command as Lowrey's brigade. At the battle of Franklin the general rode over the breastworks, through the Union lines and back. After the lamented Cleburne's death he was for a short time in command of that leader's division and in the battles around Nashville served as major-general of Cheatham's division. After the cessation of hostilities he was made State missionary of the Baptist church in the re-organization of the churches of that society. For a time he was editor of the Mississippi department of "The Baptist," published at Memphis. In 1869 he purchased the Brougher estate at Blue Mountain and four years later opened the college there. For twelve

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years he served as its president. For ten successive years the Mis- sissippi Baptist State convention elected General Lowrey as its presi- dent. In educational circles of the State he was also well known, having served at different times as trustee of the State university and also of the Mississippi college at Clinton. His death occurred Feb. 27, 1884, in his fifty-seventh year. His wife, for many years his able assistant, passed away in December, 1900. Eleven of their children are living. Mrs. Modena Lowrey Berry, the eldest, is the wife of Rev. W. E. Berry and since the organization of the college has served it as lady principal. She is a graduate of the Stonewall college at Ripley and also of the Baptist female seminary at Pontotoc. Maggie L. is the wife of Rev. J. D. Anderson, of Mobile, Ala; Jennie L. is the wife of Dr. R. H. Graves, the head of a Baptist Mission at Canton, China; Linnie is the widow of Rev. L. T. Ray and makes her home at Blue Mountain. Dr. W. T. Lowrey, whose sketch ap- pears in this volume, is president of the Mississippi college of Clinton. Prof. Booth Lowrey, at the head of the department of expression and body building in Blue Mountain college, received his education in the same college as did his brother, Prof. B. G. Lowrey. His special line of work was expression and physical culture, and his preparation has been the best to be had, North or South. He has earned a reputation as a platform orator and is well known through- out the South as a writer of negro dialect stories and humorous poetry. A book, "Health, Expression and Personal Magnetism," published by the B. F. Johnson Company of Richmond, Va., and serially by the Commercial Appeal of Memphis, was written by Prof. Booth Lowrey and has had a large sale. For five years he was professor of oratory at the Southwestern Baptist university of Jackson, Tenn. In 1900 he accepted the position which he now holds. He married Miss Patti Lowry, of Forrest, Miss. She is now librar- ian of the Blue Mountain college. Prof. Booth Lowrey has trav- eled extensively at home and abroad. His twin brother, Hon. P. H. Lowrey, was for a number of years circuit judge and is now a practicing attorney of Batesville.

A twin brother of Prof. B. G. Lowrey, Thomas C., is secretary of the Blue Mountain female college. J. J. Lowrey is a cotton broker of Munroe, La., and is president of the board of trade of that city. He married a grand- daughter of Judge J. W. C. Watson. The youngest child is the wife of Dr. W. D. Potter of Senatobia, Miss. Prof. B. G. Lowrey and wife are the parents of six boys and one girl-from sixteen years old down,-Joe Jarman, Vernon Booth, Rosewell Graves Webb, Edwin Stovall, Leon Ray, Mary Alice and Baron Gray.

Lampkin, Robert A., is one of the prominent business men and in- fluential citizens of Starkville and is a representative of one of the honored pioneer families of this section of the State. He was born at Starkville, Oktibbeha county, Miss., Oct. 22, 1848, and is a son of Robert A. and Samantha (Rand) Lampkin, the former of whom was born in Tennessee, in February, 1809, and the latter of whom was born in North Carolina, in 1812. In 1833 Robert A. Lampkin came from Tennessee to Oktibbeha county and here engaged in agricultural

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pursuits, with which he continued to be identified until the time of his death, having been one of the extensive landholders and planters of this section and having wielded much influence in public affairs. He was the first sheriff of the county, and the first session of court was held beneath a tree, about three miles northwest of the present city of Starkville. Robert A. Lampkin, Sr., died at Starkville, in 1887, and his wife survived him by several years. He served as a member of the State militia during the Civil war. The subject of this review was reared on the homestead plantation and was afforded the advantages of the common schools of his native county. He continued to be actively engaged in farming until 1878, when he established himself in the mercantile business in Starkville, where he has since continued in this line of enterprise, being one of the oldest merchants in the city in point of consecutive operations and now conducting a well-equipped furniture and grocery store. He is essentially progressive and public- spirited and has contributed materially to the upbuilding and civic and industrial advancement of Starkville. He is a member of the directorate of the Security State bank, and also of the local oil-mill, cotton-mill, and street railway companies, the last mentioned of which was organized in the summer of 1906, for the purpose of build- ing an electric line from Starkville to the Mississippi Agricultural and Mechanical college. He is a stanch supporter of the principles and policies of the Democratic party and takes a lively interest in its cause. In 1887 he was elected a member of the board of supervisors of the county and he has retained the office consecutively to the present time, having been one of the board, therefore, at the time of the erection of the fine new county court house in Starkville, in 1900. He and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church, South. In November, 1868, Mr. Lampkin was united in marriage to Miss Mary E. Rand, daughter of Jackson and Cornelia (Miller) Rand, of Pontotoc county, Miss., and they became the parents of four children : Josephine died in 1877, at the age of five years; Evans remains at the parental home; Robert died in early childhood; and Alice is the wife of H. H. Bonner, of Memphis, Tenn.

Luckett, Oliver A., a leading attorney of Kosciusko, was born at Canton, Mad- ison county, Miss., on Dec. 1, 1854. His parents were Oliver A. and Elizabeth T. Luckett, the father born in Georgia in 1818 and the mother in the same State in 1820. The father was a prominent lawyer of Canton for many years and in 1863-1864 represented Madison and Scott counties in the session of the legislature which met at Macon. The subject of this memoir received a common school education in the schools of Madison county. After com- pleting his scholastic labors he studied law and was admitted to the practice of the profession by the Circuit court of Madison county at the March term

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of 1875. Shortly afterward he started his active practice, locating in Carthage, Leake county, Miss. There he remained until May, 1900, removing then to Kosciusko. Although his residence in Kosciusko has not been of great length of time he has come to be recognized as a powerful and influential member of the bar. Fraternally he is a member of Trinity lodge, No. 88, Free and Accepted Masons, Kosci- usko chapter, No. 20, of the Royal Arch Masons, Kosciusko council, No. 12, Royal and Select Masons, and the Kosciusko lodge of the Knights of Pythias. He is affiliated with no church. On Dec. 25, 1879, Mr. Luckett married Miss Henrietta Clinton Hanson, a daughter of Col. J. A. and Julia (Coats) Hanson of Carthage, Miss. Shortly afterward death severcd this union and on Oct. 1, 1882, was solem- nized the marriage of Mr. Luckett to Miss Maggie T. Eads, daughter of Col. Joseph D. and Margaret (Treadwell) Eads of Carthage. The children of the second union are six in number. Lillian Eads, the eldest, is now the wife of W. C. Clem, of Clarksdale, Miss. The others, Joseph Eads, Francis Carlton, C. Douglas, Victoria and Maggie Martina, are all at home.

Love, James Sanford, holds the responsible office of cashier of the First National bank of Lumberton, Lamar county, having been one of those principally instrumental in the organization of the institution, of which, he is also a stockholder and director. Mr. Love was born in Brookville, Noxubee county, Miss., Jan. 25, 1877, and the same county figures as the native place of his parents, Davis M. and Mary (Cockerell) Love, his mother is still resident of Brook- ville, his father having died Nov. 10, 1906. The latter was one of the loyal soldiers of the Confederacy during the war between the North and South, valiantly offering his services in defense of the cause and the principles in which he so firmly believed. James S. Love duly availed himself of the advantages of the public schools of his native county and thereafter effectively supplemented this training by a course of three years in Mississippi college, at Clinton, where he amply fortified himself for the labors and responsibilities of an active business career. After school he became bookkeeper in the mercantile establishment of R. K. Wootten, Jr., of Brook- ville, retaining this position one year, at the expiration of which he initiated his banking experience by taking a position in the count- ing room of the Merchants and Farmers' bank of Macon, Miss., remaining with this institution two years. In 1900 Mr. Love re- moved to Hattiesburg, Perry county, where he accepted the position of general bookkeeper for the National Bank of Commerce, but in December of the same year he came to Lumberton and effected the organization of the First National bank, which was incorporated with a capital stock of $50,000. He was forthwith chosen cashier of the bank and has since remained in tenure of this position, while the other members of the official corps are as follows: H. A. Camp, president; W. W. Pigford, vice-president; and J. B. Salmond, assist- ant cashier. The average deposits at the time of this writing are about $225,000, the surplus of the bank is $50,000, while an annual dividend of twenty-five per cent. has been declared each

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year since organization. Ample capital, able management and ster- ling officials are enlisted in the prosecution of the enterprise, and the bank is one of the solid and popular financial institutions of the State, its growth in popular favor having been noteworthy from the time its doors were thrown open for business. The chief executive management and direction of the bank falls upon the shoulders of Mr. Love, and his experience and careful handling of details have gained him recognition as one of the able young financiers of the State. He is also manager of the Lumberton Improvement Com- pany, and is one of the most loyal and progressive citizens and busi- ness men of the town, being held in unqualified esteem in the com- munity. He is affiliated with the Knights of Pythias, holds mem- bership in the Baptist church, while they enjoy marked popularity in the social life of the community. On May 27, 1903, Mr. Love was united in marriage to Miss Lilie Bufkin, who was born and reared in Perry county, this State, being a daughter of Charlie W. and Corinne (Heidelburg) Bufkin, of Hattiesburg. Mr. and Mrs. Love have a winsome little daughter, Elizabeth, who was born Jan. 16, 1905.

Lowenburg, Sim H., is numbered among the representative business men and influ- ential and popular citizens of Natchez, which has been his home from the time of his birth, which here occurred Oct. 24, 1867. He is a son of Isaac and Ophe- lia (Mayer). Lowenburg, the former of whom was born in Germany and the latter in the city of Natchez. The father was one of the leading business men of Natchez for many years before his death and was a citizen who commanded un- qualified confidence and esteem. He served four years as mayor of the city and was ever liberal and public spirted in his attitude. He was one of the organ- izers and incorporators of the First Natchez Bank, of which he was vice-president at the time of his demise, and for many years he was at the head of one of the largest wholesale grocery houses in the city. He was a man of ability and unblemished character and left a definite impress upon the history of the city in which he so long made his home. He died Sept. 7, 1888; his wife, April 6, 1871. Sim H. Lowenburg was afforded the advantages of colleges in Cin- cinnati, Ohio, and Quincy, Ill., and was preparing himself for the profession of civil engineer. The death of his honored father neces- sitated his withdrawal from college, however, and he assumed charge of the varied capitalistic and business interests of his father, now being the executive head of the wholesale grocery business and having succeeded his father also as vice-president of the First Natchez bank, of which office he is still incumbent. He is well upholding the prestige of the family name, both as a capable business man and

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loyal and liberal citizen. He is president of the City Water Com- mission, vice-president of the Natchez Compress Company, and a member of the directorate of the Natchez Building and Loan asso- ciation, in addition to which he has other important capitalistic interests. He is a Democrat in his political proclivities, is a member of the Jewish church and the order of B'nai B'rith. He has been chairman of the board of trustees of the local lodge of Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks from the time of its organization. In 1891 Mr. Lowenburg was united in marriage to Miss Medea Eise- man, of St. Louis, Mo., and they have two children-Isaac and Henriette.

Lamb, Thomas L., a representative law- yer of Webster county, is engaged in practice at Eupora, near which place he was born May 6, 1868, this section then being a portion of Choctaw county. He is a son of John W. and Sarah A. (Ferris) Lamb, the former of whom was born in Georgia and the latter in Mississippi. The father was a prosperous farmer in Mississippi at the time when the dark cloud of Civil war spread its pall over the national horizon, and he went forth to do yeoman service in the Confederate cause, having enlisted in the Thirty-first Mississippi infantry, and having served under General Featherston and later in the command of General Hood, while he was thus a participant in many of the notable battles of the great conflict, while he was severely wounded in the battle of Shiloh. After his common-school education had been duly compassed Thomas L. Lamb continued his studies in Walthall normal school, at Walthall, Webster county, where he was graduated. He completed his technical prep- aration for the work of his profession by entering the law school of Cumberland university, at Lebanon, Tenn., where he was graduated on June 5, 1892, with the degree of Bachelor of Laws. He at once established an office in Eupora, and he has built up an excellent practice in the county and federal courts, being now a member of the firm of Fox & Lamb. His associate maintains an office in West Point, Clay county, and they thus control a large legal business in both counties. Mr. Lamb has been an active worker in the ranks of the Democratic party ever since attaining his legal majority, and he was but twenty-seven years of age when he was elected to represent his district in the State senate, in which he served from 1895 to 1899, making an admirable record. In the latter year he was elected Webster county's representative in the lower house of the legislature, his term expiring in 1903. Mr. Lamb is identified with the Masonic fraternity and the Woodmen of the World, in the latter of which he is deputy grand master of the fifth district. On Feb. 7, 1895, Mr. Lamb was united in marriage to Miss Mollie E. Hays, daughter of W. A.

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and Mary P. (Harvey) Hays, of Walthall, this county, and the only son of this union is William Moore.

Lambert, James W., who was editor and publisher of the Democrat and Courier, of Natchez, at the time of his death, long wielded a determinate influence in public affairs in Mississippi and also had the distinction of representing this common- wealth as a gallant soldier of the Con- federacy during the war between the States. He was born in the State of New York, June 2, 1838, being a son of John and Mary (O'Sullivan) Lambert, both of whom were born and bred in Ireland, while the latter was related to the great Irish liberator, Daniel O'Connell. When Capt. James W. Lambert was still an infant his parents removed to the South and took up their residence in the city of Natchez, where the father became a successful merchant. Captain Lambert was reared in Natchez, where he received good educational advantages in his youth, and here he held the office of assistant postmaster prior to the Civil war. He had also become a member of the Adams Light Guards, a volunteer military company, and with the same he entered the service of the Confederacy in April, 1861, the company being mustered in at Corinth, as Company I, Sixteenth Mississippi infantry, commanded by Col. Carnot Posey. Proceeding with his command to Virginia, Captain Lambert was on duty in Trimble's brigade, Ewell's division, in northern Virginia until the spring of 1862, when they joined Stonewall Jackson in the Shenan- doah valley, and he had his first battle experiences in the victories of Front Royal, Winchester and Cross Keys. He had in the meanwhile risen from private to third lieutenant, and upon the reorganization of his command, in 1862, had been made captain of his company. After General Jackson joined his forces to those under Gen. Robert E. Lee, Captain Lambert led his company with gallantry and ability in many combats, including the ever memorable battles of Fredericks- burg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, Wilderness, Spottsylvania Court House, Second Cold Harbor and Petersburg. At Chancellorsville he was captured, but was fortunate in that he was exchanged three weeks later. In August, 1864, he was again captured, in the fight on the Weldon railroad, before Petersburg, and this terminated his career on the field, as he was held a prisoner of war, at Fort Delaware, for a period of ten months, being released in June, 1865, after the close of the war. He resumed his residence in Natchez, and in 1866 was there elected to the office of assessor of Adams county, in which position he served four years. In 1866 he also initiated his career in connection with the newspaper business, securing an interest in the Natchez Democrat, which was consolidated with the Natchez Courier in 1872, while in 1879 he became the sole owner of the consolidated papers, and long maintained high rank as one of the able, progressive, fearless and

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aggressive journalists of the State. From 1881 to 1896 the captain also held the office of county sheriff, while he always showed deepest interest in the progress and material and civic welfare of his home city and State. In politics he was an uncompromising Democrat and in a fraternal way identified with the United Confederate Veterans, the Catholic Knights of America and the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. In 1877 he was united in marriage to Miss Rose Kelly, of Natchez, and one son, James K., resulted from this union.

Lamb, William John, one of the leading members of the bar of the city of Corinth and ex-chancellor of the First Chancery district of Mississippi, was born in Bell- buckle, Bedford county, Tenn., Sept. 24, 1868, and is a son of Gilbert William Lamb and Henrietta (Peacock) Lamb, both of whom were likewise native of that State. Judge Lamb secured his early educational training in his native town, where he was afforded the advantages of the Webb school, a well ordered preparatory institu- tion. He continued his academic studies in Vanderbilt university, Nashville, Tenn., and finally entered the law department of that institution from which he graduated and received the degree of Bachelor of Laws. He engaged in the practice of his profession in Corinth, where he has since maintained his home and where he has met with unequivocal success in the work of his chosen profession, holding distinctive prestige at the bar of the State. He is a stalwart advocate of the principles and policies of the Democratic party and in 1896 he was elected to represent Alcorn county in the State legislature, serving one term. On March 6, 1905, he was appointed chancellor of the First chancery district, remaining incumbent of the office ten months and then resigning from the bench to devote his attention to his large and important practice. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, South, and is affiliated with the Masonic fraternity, the Knights of Pythias and the Woodmen of the World. On Oct. 31, 1899, Judge Lamb was united in marriage to Miss Anna Sanders, daughter of V. A. and Artemisia Sanders, of Corinth, and they have one daughter, Virgie.

Lampton, Walter M., is one of the leading business men and in- fluential citizens of Pike county and a representative of one of the honored pioneer families of this county, where his entire life has been passed. He now maintains his home in the thriving town of Magnolia, the judicial center of the county. The lineage of the Lampton family is traced back to stanch Scottish derivation, and the subject of this sketch was born at Tylertown, Pike county, Miss., Aug. 12, 1850. He is a son of Benjamin and Mary Jane (Connolly) Lampton, both of whom were likewise born in this State. Mr. Lampton was reared and educated in his native county and has long been identified with its business and civic interests. From an article published in the

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Magnolia Gazette of Oct. 31, 1906, touching the thirty-seventh an- niversary of the establishing of the Lampton business in Tylertown, the following excerpts are made, with such change of phraseology and data as is demanded in the present connection. "Benjamin Lampton began business at Tylertown in 1850 and during the ten years between that time and the Civil war had built up a very good trade for a country store. During the war, of necessity, he carried only a small stock of goods and did not do a regular business, opening his store only two days in the week. After the war closed business conditions were such that he found it necessary to discontinue his mercantile business. He compromised with his debtors for just what they could pay him and went back on his farm, where he remained until 1869. By that time his indomitable energy and pluck had again netted him a small capital and in the fall of the year last mentioned he again opened a store at Tylertown, with a capital of $2,000. His oldest son, Walter, was his only clerk, and the twain ran the store until 1871, when Walter was admitted as a partner, the firm thereupon becoming B. Lampton & Son. In April, 1874, the second son, Lucius, was admitted as a partner. In 1880 the firm had so enlarged its trade territory that it was deemed advisable to establish a branch store at Columbia, Marion county, and this action was taken in the fall of that year. The third son, Iddo W., was taken into partnership at this period and was placed in charge of the store at Columbia. Thus business relations between father and sons ran along most amicably and prosperously until July 9, 1885, when the father died, stricken with years and universally beloved. At his death, contrary to usual custom, his estate was not divided but the brothers continued to operate the business jointly. Walter and Lucius took the store at Tylertown and operated the same under the firm name of W. M. Lampton & Brother. Iddo and Edward remained at Columbia, styling their firm I. W. Lampton & Company. In September, 1888, Walter came to Magnolia and entered into partnership with George C. Briley, under the title of Lampton Brothers & Briley Company. One · year later the partnership with Briley was dissolved and Walter became the junior member of the William Atkinson & Lampton Company, the senior member at that time being one of the largest merchants in south Mississippi. In 1894 .Mr. Atkinson's interest was purchased by the Lampton brothers, and the present title, Lamp- ton Mercantile Company, was then adopted. In 1889 the business at Tylertown was incorporated under the name of Lampton Brothers Company. This arrangement continued until 1895, when the Lamp- tons obtained control of the Isabella Lumber Company, at Kentwood and joining with them the Enoch brothers, began the operation of a large saw mill at that point and projected what is now known as the Kentwood & Eastern railway. In this year also the Magnolia bank was organized, with Walter M. Lampton as president. During the intervening years the ramifications of the Lampton brothers' business have been in process. A bank was organized at Columbia and a new store building erected there. In association with J. B. Rawls, mer- cantile establishments were placed at Mount Olive and Silver Springs

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Mississippi : comprising sketches of towns, events, institutions, and persons, arranged in cyclopedic form Vol. III, Part 53

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