USA > Mississippi > Mississippi : comprising sketches of towns, events, institutions, and persons, arranged in cyclopedic form Vol. III > Part 63
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McFarland, Baxter, lawyer and sol- dier, of Aberdeen, comes of the best blood of Scotland. He is descended in direct male line from the chiefs or lairds of the Highland clan MacFar- lane, whose domain comprised a portion of the ancient Lennox district of Scot- land, between the shores of the pic- turesque and beautiful Lochs Lomond and Long. Here for six hundred years prior to 1784 they had ruled their clans and led their people in all their struggles. The clan MacFarlane was a promi- nent factor in the historic engagement at Bannockburn. Intermarriages have connected the family with most royal of Scottish people. Up to the time when clanship in Scotland became extinct no people had more prestige than the clan MacFarlane. Paternally these chiefs traced their ancestry in direct line to the Celtic earls of Lennox, and through them to King Kenneth II, whose ancestor, Kenneth Mac- Alpine (Kenneth I), had, one hundred and fifty years before, been the greatest of Scotland's ancient monarchs. It was Kenneth I, who, after his overthrow of the Picts and the establishment of Scot- tish supremacy, had been crowned king, A. D. 844. On the mater- nal side there was Stewart blood in these chiefs, which later united with the earldom of Lennox that of Darnley and the titles and es- tates of de Aubigne, in France. On this side also, relationship is had with the houses of the earls of Angus, Douglas, Glencairn, Both- well, King James (Stewart) V, and King Robert (Bruce) I. Four MacFarlane brothers were officers in a Scotch regiment of foot under Marlboro in the battle of Malplaquet (1709), and three of the number lost their lives in that engagement. A grandson of one of these heroes
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was the first McFarland to leave his native heath and seek his for- tune in the new world. He was John McFarland, who, with his son Bartholomew ("Parlane" in the Gaelic), came to this country in 1770-72 and settled in Cumberland county, North Carolina. Both fought in the Continental army in the American War of Revolution. To Bartholomew McFarland was born a son, George Washington McFarland, who when he became of age married Ann Clarke and removed to "Woodson's Ridge," Lafayette county, Miss., in 1835. To this union was born, on May 15, 1839, Baxter McFarland, the subject of this sketch. His "bringing up" was in Chickasaw county and his professional education was acquired at the State university. In 1860 he began the practice of law in partnership with Maj. J. M. Thompson in Houston, Chickasaw county. When the somber cloud of war appeared on the horizon of national unity he enlisted in the "Chickasaw Guards" and in January, 1861, went with his company to Pensacola, Fla., for the purpose of seizing the government stores there. In the following April the company went to Virginia, and on May 13, 1861, was mustered into the Confederate service at Lynch- burg. The company was known as H, Eleventh Mississippi regi- ment, Bee's brigade, Army of Northern Virginia, and Judge McFar- land served respectively as orderly sergeant and lieutenant. He saw service at Harper's Ferry, in Gen. Joseph E. Johnston's valley campaign. The winter of 1861-62 was spent at Dumfries on the Potomac river, doing guard duty and early in the spring of the latter year the regiment went to Yorktown, and thence to Richmond. Seven Pines, Ashland, Mechanicsville and the "Seven Days" battles were all participated in by the Eleventh Mississippi. At Gaines' Mill, June 27, 1862, in a magnificent charge of Whiting's division, Judge McFarland was dangerously wounded. On rejoining the army he was made adjutant of the Forty-first Mississippi, Patton Anderson's brigade, Hindman's division of Bragg's army. At Mis- sionary Ridge, Chickamauga and in the fighting around Dalton he displayed such valor that he was appointed assistant adjutant gen- eral with the rank of major on the staff of Gen. Tucker. The com- mand participated in the Atlanta campaign, the battle of Resaca, the battle of Franklin, and the Nashville campaign. With the shattered remnants of Hood's army he went to join Johnston's army in North Carolina. After reaching there Johnston surrendered. Rather than surrender Major McFarland started to join the trans- Mississippi department, but before he reached his destination the greatest of civil wars was over. Major McFarland then re-entered the legal profession at Houston with Judge J. A. Orr and Col. J. R. McIntosh as partners, the firm name being Orr, McFarland & Mc- Intosh. Upon the severing of this partnership Major McFarland became interested with Gen. Reuben Davis and on Oct. 1, 1870, removed to Aberdeen. He continued to practice until Aug. 31, 1883, when he was appointed chancellor of the first chancery district and remained upon the bench until Sept. 1, 1899. With possibly one exception fewer of his decisions have been reversed by the Su- preme Court than those of any other chancellor or judge the State
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has ever had. The value of his judicial labors during this long period is attested by the records of the courts and the State reports, as well as by the universal confidence of bar and people in his integ- rity, learning and ability. Upon his retirement from the bench Judge McFarland resumed the practice of law in partnership with Capt. George C. Paine, and has continued at it most successfully since. On June 15, 1870, Judge McFarland married Mary A., daugh- ter of Col. John and Maria G. (Speight) Holliday of Aberdeen. Mrs. Holliday's mother was a daughter of Gen. Jesse Speight, United States senator from Mississippi. It was his unexpired term, caused by his death in 1847, that Jefferson Davis was appointed to fill. Col. and Mrs. Holliday came to Mississippi from North Carolina in 1836 and 1837 respectively, and were married in 1837. Judge and Mrs. McFarland have four children. John Baxter, the oldest son, has been for many years the captain of a company of the national guard. This company, of which Thomas Holliday McFarland, the second son, was lieutenant, was Company M, Second Mississippi Volunteers in the Spanish-American war. Ben, the youngest son, is a graduate of the literary and law departments of the State uni- versity and is now engaged in the practice of law as his father's part- ner. In 1903 he was elected from Monroe county as a representa- tive in the State legislature. An only daughter, Anne, is an accom- plished musician and does considerable newspaper writing. Judge Baxter McFarland is a Democrat in politics, and while he is deeply interested in the welfare of his party, he has never aspired to office, having limited his political service to eight years of aldermanic duty. He has often been a delegate to the State and national conventions of his party. As chairman of a committee appointed by a district convention, he prepared and presented to Congress the bill creating the eastern division of the northern district of Mississippi, visiting Washington at his own expense and working strenuously for the passage of the measure which gave to Aberdeen its Federal court- house and postoffice. For some time the judge served as first vice- president of the State bar association. At the present time he is a director of the First National bank of Aberdeen, president of the Henderson Hardware Company, president of the Aberdeen Sand- Lime Company and is largely interested in cotton planting.
McGuire, John G., owner and publisher of the Yazoo City Herald, is one of the well known and popular newspaper men of the State, being ex-president of the Mississippi press association and also an ex-member of the State legislature. Mr. McGuire was born in Ox- ford, Lafayette county, Miss., July 16, 1855, being a son of Michael J. and Mary Johnson (Strickland) McGuire, the former of whom was born in Cambria county, Pa., Dec. 12, 1812, and the latter of whom was born in South Carolina, about 1830. Both passed the closing years of their lives in Mississippi. The father was assistant archi- tect and builder of the old State capitol and also of the original build- ings of the University of Mississippi, at Oxford, becoming one of the leading representatives of his profession in the State. The subject of this review was afforded the advantages of the common schools
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of his native town, and after clerking two years in a confectionary store in Oxford he took up the study of telegraphy, becoming a capa- ble operator, but he did not long follow this business. He then identified himself with the newspaper business, doing general work on the Oxford Falcon, with which he continued connected for a period of eight years, at the expiration of which he came to Yazoo City, where, Feb. 1, 1884, he purchased a half interest in the plant and business of the Herald, his associate in the enterprise being A. M. Roach, from whom he purchased the remaining half interest Feb. 1, 1890, thus coming into sole control of the paper. As editor and publisher of the Herald he has brought the same to a high status, both as an exponent of local interests and of the cause of the Demo- cratic party, and he is known as a forceful and able writer. The mechanical plant of the Herald is maintained at modern standard and the business is one which has prospered under the control of Mr. McGuire. His interest in the welfare of Yazoo City and the State is of the most insistent type, his loyalty to the commonwealth in which he was born being intrinsic and also intensified by deep appre- ciation. He is aligned as a stanch supporter of the principles and policies of the Democracy, and in 1891 he was elected a member of the State legislature, serving in the sessions of 1892-'04. He was president of the Mississippi press association one term and served twelve consecutive years as secretary of the same. He is affiliated with the local lodge of Knights of Pythias, of which he is past chan- cellor commander. He and his wife are devoted and prominent members of the Presbyterian church in their home city, and he is assistant superintendent of its Sunday school, being also ex-presi- dent of the State Sunday school association. Feb. 23, 1882, Mr. McGuire was united in marriage to Miss Laura G. Gordon, daughter of Robert Gordon, of West, Holmes county, and they have one son, Eugene Hays McGuire, born Nov. 26, 1899.
McIlwain, McD., of Starkville, is one of the well known and popular citizens of this section of the State and is serving with marked efficiency as sheriff of Oktibbeha county. He was born in Cherokee county, Ala., Sept. 21, 1851, and is a son of James and Sarah (Hayes) McIlwain, both native of South Caro- lina. They removed to Oktibbeha county, Miss., when the subject of this sketch was a child, and here they passed the remainder of their lives, the father having been a planter by vocation. He served through the Mexican war, and during the war between the States he operated a tannery, supplying products to the Confederate govern- ment and thus being exempt from field service. During the last year of the war he was a member of the home guard, being lieuten- ant in his company and thus serving until the close of the great con-
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flict. The subject of this review was afforded the advantages of the common schools and supplemented this by a course in a business col- lege in the city of Memphis, Tenn. After leaving school he engaged in teaching, following the pedagogic profession one year in the State of Texas and then returning to Oktibbeha county, Miss., where he was engaged in successful work as a teacher for several years. Thereafter he served three seasons as official cotton-weigher of the county, and for the ensuing four years he was employed as clerk in a drug store. His political allegiance has ever been given to the Democratic party, and in 1895 he was elected sheriff of Oktibbeha county, serving one term and thereafter holding the office of deputy sheriff one term. In 1903 he was again elected sheriff, of which office he has since remained incumbent, handling its affairs with much discrimination and having gained the earnest commendation of the people of the county. He holds membership in the State - sheriffs' association. On Dec. 29, 1885, Mr. McIlwain was united in marriage to Miss Betty H. Hemphill, daughter of James and Julia (Adams) Hemphill, of Attala county, Miss., and of this union three children were born: James Duffy, who died at the age of seventeen years; Thomas Glenn and Margaret Julia, who remain at the pa- rental home.
McInerney, John, wholesale and re- tail confectioner, Vicksburg, is one of the representative business men of this city, where he has maintained his home since 1887. Mr. McInerney is a native of the beautiful "City of the Straits," Detroit, Mich., where he was born Oct. 14, 1866, being a son of Thomas and Mary (McGuire) McInerney, the former of whom was born in Ireland, and the latter in Scotland. The father was for many years engaged in the real estate business. In the public schools of his native city John McInerney received his early educational discipline, and after initiating his business career he traveled as salesman for a De- troit wholesale cigar-house for two years. He came to Vicksburg in 1887, and for eighteen months was in the employ of J. C. Moore. He then engaged in merchandising, beginning operation upon a very small scale. His business expanded rapidly in scope and im- portance, and in 1897 he erected his present three-story brick build- ing, at a cost of about $12,000, utilizing the entire structure for the accommodation of his business, which is one of the largest of the sort in the city, the trade of the house extending into the most di- verse sections of the State, as well as into neighboring States. In 1906 he disposed of his retail business and now gives his entire atten- tion to his large and increasing wholesale trade. Mr. McInerney has made judicious investments in local real estate aside from that of his business block, owning several residence properties and vacant
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lots. He is a member of the Knights of Columbus. In 1892 Mr. McInerney was united in marriage to Miss Johanna Sheehan, who was born in Ireland. They have no children.
McInnis, Daniel C., the able and popular sheriff of Simpson county, is a representative of the third genera- tion of his family in Mississippi, which fact implies that members of this stanch old Scottish family were numbered among the pioneers of the common- wealth. Sheriff McInnis was born in Covington county, Miss., Oct. 9, 1857, being a son of Daniel W. and Nancy (Carr) McInnis, who removed to Simp- son county when he was a boy, the father becoming one of the substantial and influential planters and honored citizens of this county, where both he and his wife passed the remainder of their lives. He was a stalwart in the ranks of the Democratic party and the esteem in which he was held in his home county was shown in his election, in 1879, to represent the same in the State legislature. He died in 1899 and his wife passed away in 1890, the former having been a worthy mem- ber of the Presbyterian church, while the latter was a member of the Methodist church. Daniel C. McInnis secured a good practical education in the schools of Simpson county, where he was reared to manhood on the old homestead plantation, in whose work and management he early began to assist, while he has been more or less actively identified with agricultural pursuits during his entire life, being now the owner of valuable farms and timber lands and being largely identified with the mill and banking interests of Simp- son and Lawrence counties. Of him another writer has spoken as follows: "He is essentially a model man, full of energy, enterprise and push, and is one of Simpson county's most thoroughgoing and successful planters. He has always taken an active part in local affairs, and in 1889, at the earnest solicitation of friends, he became a candidate for sheriff, being elected by a handsome majority over a popular opponent. His upright policy, unfailing courtesy and . vigilance in guarding the public trust have won for him a host of stanch friends." Mr. McInnis was elected his own successor in the office of sheriff and tax collector in 1891, and upon the expiration of his second term he removed to Covington county, where he was engaged in the farming and mill business for the ensuing four years. In 1901 he returned to Mendenhall, and in 1903 was again chosen to serve the people of the county in the office of sheriff and tax collector, for a term of four years. During the year 1902-3 he was special agent for the Gulf & Ship Island railroad and also claim agent for the Bradford Construction Company, resigning both of these positions upon his election to his present office. He is a zealous and valued worker in public affairs and is one of the wheelhorses
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of the Democracy in Simpson county, where his circle of friends is limited only by that of his acquaintances, save as his official fealty has caused him to antagonize malefactors and the unruly social ele- ment from which no community is entirely free. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity and of the Presbyterian church, while his wife is a member of the Baptist church. On Jan. 5, 1881, Mr. Mc- Innis was united in marriage to Miss Sabra A. Griffith, daughter of Hiram and Sabra (Brinson) Griffith, well known citizens of Coving- ton county, and the names of the children of this union are here entered, with respective dates of birth: Maud Lane, Jan. 18, 1882; Ernest Clifton, Dec. 1, 1884; Sabra Nancy, Nov. 27, 1887; Louise Elena, Oct. 10, 1897; and Daniel C., Jr., March 3, 1902. Maud L. is the wife of Charles F. Thompson, of Marion county, Miss.
Mckay, James W., of Waynesboro, is one of the representative business men and influential citizens of Wayne county, which is the place of his birth and which has been his home through- out life. He was born on the old home- stead plantation, fourteen miles from Waynesboro, Nov. 27, 1855, and is a son of John and Ann Mckay, the former of whom was born near Wil- mington, N. C., and the latter in Wayne county, while both passed the closing years of their lives in Wayne county, honored by all who knew them. John Mckay came to Mississippi about 1845, and engaged in farming and in the mercantile business in Wayne county. He was thoroughly loyal to the Confederacy and was a member of the State militia but was not in active field service, having been too old for enrollment. He attained to the venerable age of eighty- four years, his death occurring at Waynesboro, in November, 1904, while his devoted wife passed away in 1900. Of their children five are living. James W. Mckay was reared to manhood in Wayne county, in whose schools he secured his early educational training. He assisted in the management of the home farm, and later was em- ployed as clerk and bookkeeper in a mercantile establishment for a number of years. In 1888 he became associated with his brother, Alexander J., in the general merchandise business in Waynesboro, the enterprise being conducted under the firm name of Mckay Broth- ers. In 1893 he sold his interest in the business to his brother and for a short time thereafter he was in business at Aberdeen, Monroe county. He then returned to Waynesboro and engaged in the gen- eral merchandise business in an individual way, having at the pres- ent time one of the well equipped and successfully conducted general stores of the town and having a representative supporting patronage. In 1903 Mr. McKay became an interested principal in the Leakes- ville Mercantile Company, at Leakesville, Greene county, and he is president of the company, which was originally incorporated
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with a capital stock of $3,000 and later raised to $10,000. In No- vember, 1906, Mr. McKay established a general store at Bucatunna, Wayne county, and the same is receiving a gratifying support. . He is a stockholder in the Bank of Waynesboro and in the Union Bank and Trust Company of Meridian, and is also the owner of much valuable realty in Wayne county. Mr. McKay is an unswerving advocate of the principles of the Democratic party and both he and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church in Waynes- boro, of whose board of stewards he was a valued member for ten years. In 1SS5, Mr. McKay was united in marriage to Miss Willie R. Wooten, daughter of Wyatt Wooten, of Scott county, and they have two children, Fannie Pearl and Annie Zelle, who are attending Meridian female college in Meridian.
Mckay, Oliver L., of Meridian, has long been identified with railroading interests, is one of the leading business men of his residence city, where he has varied capitalistic interests, and stands high in the Masonic fraternity in the State, as well as in the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, in each of which he has held exalted official preferment. Mr. Mckay was born in the city of Mo- bile, Ala., May 1, 1859, and is a son of John A. and Angelica (Dunham) Mc- Kay, both of whom were native of the city of Baltimore, Md. The father became a prominent business man of Mobile, where his death occurred in 1876, his wife passing away in 1902. Oliver L. Mckay secured his educational discipline in the schools of his native city, and he has been identified with railroad- ing affairs since the age of twenty years, for in 1879 he took a posi- tion in the freight office of the Mobile & Ohio railroad in the city of New Orleans, where he remained until 1885, when he was stationed at Aberdeen, Miss., where he was freight agent for the same road until 1901, when he came to Meridian and temporarily retired from the business with which he had so long been concerned. In 1904, however, he was tendered and accepted the position of joint freight agent in Meridian for the Mobile & Ohio and the Southern railroads, which incumb ncy he still retains. In 1902 he was vice-president of the Meridian National bank, and he has been vice-president of the Union Bank and Trust Company, of this city, since 1903, while he is a director of the Meridian board of trade and cotton exchange and president of the local Railroad Young Men's Christian Associ- ation. In 1904 he served as president of the Meridian board of trade and cotton exchange. In his political proclivities Mr. Mckay is a stalwart Democrat, and his fraternal relations identify him promi- nently with the time-honored institution of Freemasonry, the Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows, the Knights of Pythias, the Wood- men of the World and the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks.
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In 1900-1 he was grand master of the Mississippi grand lodge of Odd Fellows; in 1901-2 was grand master of the Masonic grand lodge of the State; in 1902-3 was grand commander of the grand com- mandery of Knights Templars of Mississippi; and in 1903-4 was grand high priest of the grand chapter of the Royal Arch Masons of the State, and in 1906, grand patron Order Eastern Star. He is a trus- tee of the Masonic Widows and Orphans Home of Mississippi and was father of the resolution adopted at the 1904 meeting at Gulf- port making this home a possibility. He is also a trustee of the Knights of Pythias Widows and Orphans Home of Mississippi. On June 22, 1879, Mr. McKay was married to Miss Clara Kimball, daughter of Frank Kimball, a prominent business man of Mobile, Ala., and their children are: Oliver C., John, Annie L., Gladys, Millard Gibson, Dorothy Russell, and Marion Clarke.
McLaurin, Albert Goldwire, M. D., one of the able representatives of the medical profession in Mississippi, is established in practice in Brandon, Rankin county. The doctor is a native of Mississippi, having been born in Trenton, Smith county, on Dec. 15, 1850, and being a son of Lauchlin and Ellen C. (Tullas) McLaurin, the former of whom was born in Marlborough district, South Carolina, and the latter in Simpson county, Miss. Dr. McLaurin made good use of the educational advantages which were afforded him in his youth, having completed a course of study in Summerville institute, in Noxu- bee county, Miss., and then entering the medical department of the University of Nashville, Tenn., from which well equipped insti- tution he was graduated as a member of the class of 1873, receiving his degree of Doctor of Medicine, being but twenty-two years of age at the time. He has been very successful in the work of his profes- sion, having been engaged in general practice at Trenton, Smith county, for twenty-one years and having then removed to Brandon, where he controls a large and representative clientage and where he is held in high regard professionally and socially, as well as in busi- ness circles, being one of the loyal and public-spirited citizens of the attractive little city in which he thus maintains his home. He is a stalwart Democrat in his political adherency, and in 1890 was a delegate from Smith county to the State constitutional conven- tion. He is an appreciative and active member of the Mississippi State medical society, as well as that of Rankin county, and is also affiliated with the Woodmen of the World. In 1887, Dr. McLaurin was married to Miss C. F. Evans, who was born and reared in Scott county, Miss., being a daughter of John S. Evans. Two sons, Horace and Sidney, represent the offspring of this union.
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