USA > Mississippi > Mississippi : comprising sketches of towns, events, institutions, and persons, arranged in cyclopedic form Vol. III > Part 59
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Mitchell, Thomas J., M. D., who has served for twenty-eight years past and now commissioned for an additional year as superintendent of the Mississippi hospital for the insane, in the city of Jackson, is one of the distinguished members of his profession in the State and is held in the highest regard as a citizen. Dr. Mitchell was born in Limestone county, Ala., July 4, 1830, and is a son of Cullen and Mary T. (Sykes) Mitchell, his father having been a planter by voca- tion. Dr. Mitchell completed his academic education in the Uni- versity of Alabama, after which he took up his residence in Jackson, Miss., where he read medicine under the preceptorship of Dr. S. C. Farrar. In 1852 he was graduated in the medical department of the University of Pennsylvania, securing his well earned degree of Doctor of Medicine and forthwith returning to Jackson, where he initiated the active practice of his profession. In 1856 he went to Europe, where he did effective post-graduate work, giving special attention to the theory of practice and to practical clinical work in the famous hospitals of the old world. He then returned to Jackson and resumed the active work of his profession, in which he was en- gaged at the time of the outbreak of the Civil war. His loyalty to the Confederacy in this climacteric period was of no equivocal order, and as he then held rank as one of the leading physicians of Mis- sissippi he was commissioned by President Davis to the office of surgeon in the Confederate service, entering active duty in this capac- ity in 1862, with the Thirty-ninth Mississippi regiment of Villepigue's
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brigade, VanDorn's division, army of Mississippi. A year later he was transferred to the hospital service, in which he continued, at Canton and other points, until the close of the war. He soon afterward resumed the practice of his profession in Jackson, and in 1878 he was appointed superintendent of the Mississippi hospital for the insane, by Gov. John M. Stone. As has been previously written concerning him, "He has been reappointed by every succeeding administration and thus continued ever since in this important posi- tion, in which he has manifested notable executive ability and pro- fessional skill, while he is one of the most honored and venerated citizens of Jackson." The doctor is a member of the American Psychological society, American medical association and the Mis- sissippi State medical society, while he is an appreciative and valued member of R. A. Smith Camp, United Confederate Veterans. In 1858 Dr. Mitchell was united in marriage to Miss Annie McWillie, daughter of the Hon. William McWillie, at one time governor of Mississippi. Mrs. Mitchell died in 1878, and is survived by two sons and three daughters.
Mixon, William Barrett, is to be consid- ered the pioneer lawyer of the thriving town of McComb, having been the first representative of his profession to open an office in the village and having built up a fine practice from this headquarters. He is one of the leading members of the bar of Pike county and is at present a mem- ber of the State legislature, in both branches of which he had previously served. Mr. Mixon is a native of Missis- sippi, having been born in Amite county, Nov. 22, 1866, and being a son of Abner Jackson Mixon and Catherine E. (Easley) Mixon, both likewise natives of Mississippi, the father's ancestry tracing to Irish origin and the mother's to English. One of the paternal great-grandfathers of the subject of this sketch served under General Jackson in the Seminole Indian war and also in the Mexican war. Abner J. Mixon, together with his brother, was a loyal soldier of the Confederacy in the Civil war, having been a member of Company B, Thirty-third Mississippi infantry, and having been captured in 1864 and held a prisoner during the greater part of the last year of the war. William B. Mixon secured his rudimentary education in the schools of his native county, and then entered Gillsburg Collegiate institute, at Gills- burg, this State. Upon leaving that institution he became a student in Mississippi college, at Clinton, where he took a special course in Latin, Greek and mathematics. He engaged in teaching in the public schools of Mississippi and followed the pedagogic profession for several years, with marked success. He took special post-grad- uate work in the National normal university, at Lebanon, Ohio, in 1889 and 1890. He devoted careful attention to the study of law,
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being admitted to the bar, at Magnolia, Miss., in 1892. In 1895 he was graduated from the law department of Columbian university in Washington, D. C., from which institution he received the degree of Master of Laws. He was the first lawyer to open an office in Mc- Comb, where he has since been engaged in the general practice of his profession and where he has gained unequivocal success. In 1889 Mr. Mixon was elected county superintendent of education for Pike county, serving one term. He is unwavering in his allegiance to the Democratic party and has been an effective worker in its cause. In 1895 he was elected to represent his district in the State senate, serving one term, and in November, 1903, he was elected to the lower house of the legislature. He was the author of the bill to incorporate the study of agriculture as a portion of the public school system of the State, and the bill came to enactment in the session of 1904. He is a Royal Arch Mason and is also affiliated with the Knights of Pythias, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, and Woodmen of the World, and both he and his wife hold membership in the Baptist church. On June 22, 1890, Mr. Mixon was united in marriage to Miss Mabel Frances Craven, and they have one child- George Bishop.
Montgomery, Jesse S., M. D., of Stark- ville, Oktibbeha county, is a representa- tive member of his profession in that section of the State and is an ex-member of the Mississippi legislature. He was born in Starkville, his present home, Nov. 27, 1845, and is a son of Dr. Charles P. and Caroline (Shivers) Montgomery, the former of whom was born in Fairfield dis- trict, S. C., and the latter in Greensboro, Ala. The paternal grandfather, David Montgomery, represented Oktibbeha coun- ty in the legislature in the forties. He was one of the early settlers of the county and a large slave and land owner. He died in 1872 at the age of eighty-five years. Dr. C. P. Montgomery was an able physician and surgeon, and after practicing his profes- sion in Alabama about two years he came to Mississippi and located in Starkville, being one of the pioneer physicians of that section, and there he continued in active practice until about 1852. He died at his home in Starkville, in 1867, his wife surviving him by about two years. Dr. Jesse S. Montgomery passed his youth in Starkville, where he secured his preliminary education, which was supplemented by liberal collegiate advantages of an academic sort. For two years, 1863-64, he was a student in the University of Ala- bama, and he was then matriculated in the University of Mississippi, in which he was graduated as a member of the class of 1868, with the degree of Bachelor of Arts. He then began the work of preparing himself for his chosen vocation, and in his technical training had the advantages afforded in one of the most renowned institutions of the
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sort in the Union, the New York College of Physicians and Surgeons, which is the medical department of Columbia university, in the city of New York. In that celebrated college he was graduated in 1873, receiving his well earned degree of Doctor of Medicine. Shortly afterward he began the practice of his profession in his native town, and within the three decades which have since passed he has risen to distinctive prominence and success in his profession, having a large and representative practice. He is president of the medical association of Clay and Oktibbeha counties and holds membership in the Mississippi State medical association and the American medi- cal association and the Southern Railway Surgeons' association. He is local surgeon for the Illinois Central and Mobile & Ohio rail- roads, and he served as health officer of Starkville from 1893 to 1899. In a fraternal way the doctor is identified with the Knights of Pythias, the Knights of Honor and the Knights and Ladies of Honor. In 1869 Dr. Montgomery was united in marriage to Miss Joanna Bard- well, daughter of Dr. Brainard and Martha M. (Rogers) Bardwell, of Starkville, and the only child of this union is Hunter Montgomery, M. D., a graduate of Tulane college and now engaged in the practice of his profession in Shawnee, Okla. In politics Dr. Montgomery has ever been stanchly arrayed as a supporter of the principles and policies of the Democratic party, and in 1877 he was elected to repre- sent his county in the State legislature, being re-elected in 1881 and again in 1883, and thus serving for a total of eight years. Dr. Mont- gomery and wife are old school Presbyterians.
Montgomery, Samuel, a lawyer and planter of Greenville, was born at Beulah, Bolivar county, Miss., Dec. 2, 1868. His parents, William E. and Mary Adeline (Clark) Montgomery, were both natives of Mississippi, the former of Franklin county, and the latter of Fay- ette, Jefferson county. The father was a lawyer and planter and during the Civil war was a major in the Confederate service. The maternal grandfather, Charles Clark, was a colonel of the Second Mississippi in the Mexican war, and was a brigadier-general in the Confederate army. At the battle of Baton Rouge he was so severely wounded as to disqualify him for further military service, and in 1864 he was elected governor of Mississippi, being the last governor under the Confederate regime. Samuel Montgomery was educated at the Agricultural and Mechanical college, Starkville, Miss., and soon after completing his education entered upon the practice of law, in which he is still actively engaged, while at the same time looking after his plantation. He has inherited from his ancestors soinething of the military spirit, for when the war with Spain was declared, in 1898, he entered the service of the United States as sergeant-major of the Second Mississippi infantry, and is now colonel commanding the First regiment of the Mississippi national guard. He is prominent in fraternal circles, being a member of the Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows, the Knights of Pythias, the Improved Order of Red Men, and the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. Politically he is a Democrat, one of the kind who is always ready to defend his principles, but who by his manly bearing and
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evident sincerity holds the respect of his political opponents. As a lawyer he enjoys a comfortable practice and has a high standing at the bar. In the community he is regarded as one of the progres- sive men of Greenville, ready at all times to lend his aid to any move- ment for the upbuilding of the moral, material and social interests of the city.
Montgomery, William Alexander, who is engaged in the practice of law at Edwards, Hinds county, is a veteran of the Civil war and also of the Spanish-American war, while he is an ex-member of the State legislature, having served in both bodies of the same. Mr. Montgomery was born on the old homestead plantation, on Noxubee creek, Winston county, Miss., Oct. 18, 1844. His father, Charles Warren Montgomery, was born in Columbia, S. C., and his mother, Olivia Feree (Moore) Montgomery, was born in Lynchburg, Moore county, Tenn. She was a daugh- ter of Gen. William Moore, who served in the Seminole war and also in the War of 1812, while, at the age of seventy years, he also raised a regiment for the Confederate service, his son, William L. Moore, having been made colonel of this regiment, the Eighth Tennessee, and having sacrificed his life while leading his command in the charge at Murfreesboro, Tenn., where sixty-nine per cent. of the members of the regiment fell. Gen. William Moore bore the official message of Tennessee's secession to Richmond, in 1862, and he served his State not only as a gallant soldier but also as a member of its legislature in both houses. In May, 1861, William A. Montgomery, who was not yet seventeen years of age, enlisted as a private in Raymond's Fencibles, a com- pany organized in Raymond, Miss. This company was assigned to the Twelfth Mississippi infantry, and after serving about eight out of the twelve months for which he had enlisted, Mr. Montgomery was discharged, on account of illness and also by reason of the fact that he would not be of military age at the end of his regular term of enlistment. After duly recuperating, he re-enlisted in the Con- federate service, becoming a member of Muldrow's company in the cavalry regiment commanded by Gen. Wirt Adams. In 1863 he gained his first distinction as a soldier, having, May 12, been sent to burn the bridges on Fourteen Mile creek, and having had a spirited engagement at Dillon's bridge. The object in destroying the bridges was to retard the progress of General Grant's army, which was mov- ing toward Raymond, Miss. Colonel Montgomery pressed into service a number of negroes who supposed him and his men to be Union soldiers, and they felled enough timber to construct an effect- ive breastwork for his little detail of ten or twelve men. They also seriously retarded Grant's advance after he had finally crossed the creek. Protected by his hastily constructed fortification Mr. Mont-
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gomery waited until the head of the advancing column, a cavalry regiment, was within thirty steps of his breastworks, when he gave order to his men to fire. The Union column reeled and retreated, but again advanced, was driven back, and came the third time be- fore discovering that the bridge was burned. Many pieces of artil- lery and thousands of infantry were soon thrown in a semi-circle on a neighboring hill, and the little squad under command of Mont- gomery retired from the field, but it may be said that on that day certain corps of Grant's army did not advance by the road so effectively guarded by the little band of brave men under command of the subject of this sketch, though the battle of Raymond was being fought within hearing distance. Four days later Mr. Mont- gomery took part in the battle of Champion Hills, and was compli- mented by the new commander, Gen. Wirt Adams, who detailed him for scouting duty. At Bear Creek, Mechanicsburg and Pritch- ard's Field, at Clinton and Jackson, as well as Britton's Lane and Coleman Crossroads, in the attacks upon the gunboats, and in the second battle of Champion Hills, he was conspicuous for bravery and discriminating service, winning the confidence of his superior officers by his accurate reports concerning the enemy, the result being that he was promoted to the office of captain and authorized to raise a company of mounted men for service on the Mississippi front. He won soldier's laurels at Concord Church, at Tinnin Monu- ment, at Rolling Fork, at Sypsie and in front of Wilson on his raid through Alabama. He was loved by his own men and respected by the enemy. He took part in the following engagements: Dillon's bridge, battle of Champion Hills, Bolton, Forrest, Decatur, Bear Creek, Clinton, Jackson, Fulmons' Crossroads, attack on gunboat, second Battle of Champion Hills, Calhoun Station, Concord Church, Good- man and Ingram's. At the Fall of Vicksburg, Colonel Montgomery had been sent by Gen. Joseph E. Johnston to carry a dispatch to General Pemberton, who was then besieged at Vicksburg and was concealed in a sink hole at the time Vicksburg was surrendered, but failed to deliver his dispatch. Colonel Montgomery was in command of a squad and followed General Sherman from Vicksburg to Meridian and saw all the devastation done by Sherman's army. The colonel was captured in Warren county while on an expedition to destroy the gunboat, Indianola, which had been sunk by the Confederate gunboat and later repaired by the Yankees. Hearing Colonel Mont- gomery was coming a company was sent out and captured him. He was put on board a boat and started north but jumped off, swam to shore and escaped just before reaching Memphis, Tenn. General Dennis, of the United States army, to whom he surrendered at the close of the war, made hin and several of his men special guests at dinner on the day when said general handed him his parole. Many years intervened and greatly changed were conditions when Colonel Montgomery again entered active military service. At the outbreak of the Spanish-American war he tendered his services to President McKinley and was appointed, by Governor McLaurin of Missis- sippi, colonel of the Second Mississippi regiment, of which he remained
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in command until the close of the war. He was acting brigadier- general of the First brigade, Third division of the Seventh army corps, and organized the Third division of that corps, under orders of Gen. Fitz-Hugh Lee at Panama Park, Fla. He is an honored member of the United Confederate Veterans, and maintains a lively interest in his old comrades. Reverting to the civic career of Colonel Montgomery, it may be said that he was afforded good educational advantages in his youth, and that after the close of the Civil war he took up the study of law at Lexington, Ky., but on account of his father's death he was compelled to take charge of the homestead plantation. Though he secured his license to practice law in 1868, he did not engage in active practice until 1880, since which year he has devoted the greater portion of his time to the work of his profession, in which he has been very successful, his clientage being of representative order. He is an ardent advocate of those noble principles which are the basic elements of the Democratic party's doctrines and he has been an active worker in the party ranks. In 1897 Colonel Montgomery was elected to represent Hinds county in the State legislature, to fill the vacancy caused by death of his son-in-law, S. S. Champion, while in 1878 he was chosen senator of the district composed of Hinds and Rankin counties in the State senate, making admirable records in both houses and showing the same lofty ideals of citizenship that have ever characterized him in all other relations of life. At the time Governor Longino was nom- inated in 1900 Colonel Montgomery was a prominent candidate for governor of Mississippi. He was perhaps the most prominent figure in bringing about the disarming of the Ames militia in 1875, the white people of the State of Mississippi, under the title of the "Demo- cratic and Conservative party," at that time finding it possible to rid themselves of carpet-bag and negro rule and to end the "recon- struction" epoch in the annals of the State. Colonel Montgomery is a prominent member of the Baptist church, and is a member of the board of trustees of Mississippi college, at Clinton, the same being the State institution of his church. He is affiliated with all of the bodies of York Rite Masonry, and the adjunct organization, the Mystic Shrine, and also with the Knights of Honor, Knights of Pythias, Woodmen of the World Knights of the White Cameleon, and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, while he has the distinc- tion of having been chairman of the executive committee of the United Confederate Veterans' association from the time of its organ- ization, while he is commander of the First brigade of the Missis- sippi division of this association. In 1868 Colonel Montgomery was united in marriage to Miss James Ella Dupree, youngest daughter of Colonel James Dupree, of Brownsville, Miss. Mrs. Montgomery, who was usually called by the name of Mella, died in 1881, having become the mother of five children, namely: Patrick Henry, Charles Warren, Olivia (widow of S. S. Champion and who is president of the W. A. Montgomery chapter of U. D. C.), and Hugh R. and William A., Jr., both of whom died in childhood. In May, 1884. Colonel Montgomery wedded Miss Bettie Henry, daughter of
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Capt. Benjamin W. and Sue (Randolph) Henry, the former having been the eldest son of Patrick Henry, of Brandon, Miss., and the latter a daughter of Thomas J. Randolph, of Vicksburg, this State. Of this marriage three children have been born, the only daughter, Mella, named for the first wife of the colonel, having died in infancy. The two sons are William A., Jr., and Wilkins Henry, the former being cashier of the Bank of Edwards, to which office he was appointed when but eighteen years of age. Colonel Montgomery was one of the prime movers in the organization of the Bank of Edwards in 1904, and is a director of the same.
Montgomery, William Alexander, cashier of the Merchants' bank, of Jackson, and incumbent of the office of treasurer of the capital city, is one of the well known and popular young business men of Jackson, while he is a native of Hinds county, where he was born on Jan. 25, 1870, being a son of Dr. William Wallace Montgomery and Cora (Green) Montgomery, both of whom were born and reared in Mississippi, the former having been for many years actively en- gaged in the practice of medicine in Sunflower county but now re- tired, while his wife died when William A. was a child of five years. Mr. Montgomery was taken into the home of his inaternal grand- father, Alexander R. Green, of Terry, Miss., after the death of his mother, and was there reared to the age of fourteen years, when he initiated his identification with the practical affairs of life by securing a clerkship in the dry-goods store of A. Virden, of Jackson, with which concern he remained three years, at the expiration of which he took a position as collection clerk with the Capitol State bank. With this institution he rendered effective service and finally rose to the position of assistant cashier, having continued an employe of the bank for thirteen years. He then, in 1901, resigned, to accept the office of assistant cashier of the Merchants' bank, later being made cashier, of which position he is incumbent at the present time, being held in the utmost confidence as an able executive and careful ad- ministrative officer. The estimate placed upon Mr. Montgomery in Jackson is shown forth in no equivocal way through his tenure of the office of city treasurer, to which he was elected in 1903, to fill an unexpired term, while at the regular election of 1904 he was chosen to succeed himself, being elected for the full term of two years,. without opposition and was re-elected in 1906. When a youth of sixteen years Mr. Montgomery became a member of the Mississippi National Guard, in which he rose to the rank of captain, while he retired from the organization in 1897. He is affiliated with the Knights of Pythias, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. Though not aggressive in his political views, Mr. Montgomery is a stanch supporter of the principles and policies of the Democracy, in whose cause he mani- fests a loyal interest. On Dec. 8, 1897, Mr. Montgomery was united in marriage to Miss Lillian Smith, of Jackson, a daughter of Robt. C. Smith and a great-niece of Jefferson Davis, president of the Con- federacy. They have two children-Lillian Ann and Annie Davis.
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Moore, Edward Harris, a distinguished citizen and member of the bar of the State of Mississippi and the present representa- tive of the Thirtieth district in the State senate, is engaged in the practice of his profession in said county, having offices at both Rosedale and Cleveland, in the former of which places he retains his resi- dence. Senator Moore was born in Hunts- ville, Madison county, Ala., Nov. 8, 1852, being a son of William Henry Moore and Margaret (Harris) Moore. William H. Moore was born at Chapel Hill, Orange county, N. C., and was a representative member of the bar of Huntsville, Ala. for many years and up to the time of his death, which occurred Aug. 7, 1891. The paternal ancestors who founded the family in Mis- sissippi came hither from North Carolina, and Gabriel Moore, a great- uncle of the subject of this review, was speaker of the house of rep- resentatives of Mississippi before the admission of the State to the Union, while he later served as governor of Alabama. Senator Moore attended in turn the Green academy, Huntsville, Ala .; Wilson's School, in Alamance county, N. C .; and the Virginia military insti- tute, in Lexington, Va. He then read law under the direction of private preceptors in his native city, and was admitted to the bar of Bolivar county, Miss., in 1873. He forthwith established himself in practice in Rosedale, where he was for sometime professionally associated with Judge F. A. Montgomery. Afterwards and for many years, he was associated with the Hon. Fred Clark, now de- ceased, and the firm of Moore & Clark controlled a large and repre- sentative legal business, maintaining offices in both Rosedale and Cleveland. Mr. Moore has been specially prominent in public affairs and has wielded much influence in the local councils of the Demo- cratic party, of whose principles and policies he is a stalwart and uncompromising advocate. He was president of the board of super- visors of Bolivar county in 1891-2, and in 1893 was elected to rep- resent the Thirtieth senatorial district in the State senate, making an enviable record and being re-elected in 1895, 1899, 1903 and 1905. He was for eight years chairman of the judiciary committee of the senate, beginning in 1896, and had the distinction of introducing the bill for the establishment of the State department of archives and history, which became a law Feb. 26, 1902. He has been a trustee of the Industrial Institute and College, at Columbus since 1897, being also a member of the executive board of the trustees of that worthy institution. In January, 1904, he was by acclamation elected president pro tem. of the State senate, which position he is now filling with credit to himself and to the full satisfaction of the senate and people of the State. He and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church, South, in which he has been a steward and Sunday-school superintendent since 1882. He is affiliated with
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