Mississippi : comprising sketches of towns, events, institutions, and persons, arranged in cyclopedic form Vol. III, Part 75

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 75

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

Phillips, George F., is to be designated as one of the progressive and successful planters of Washington county, his finely improved estate being located near Arcola. He is a native of that county, having been born on the homestead plantation, Nov. 6, 1873, and being a son of Seldon F. and Sarah (Fall) Phillips, the former of whom was born in Hanover county, Va., and the latter in Warren county, Miss. The father devoted his entire active career to agri- cultural pursuits, having been one of the prominent planters of Washington county at the time of his death, which occurred in Ar- cola, in 1903; his widow is still living. George F. Phillips was afford- ed excellent educational advantages, having been a student in both Millsaps college, in Jackson, Miss., and Hiwassee college, in Monroe county, Tenn. He was reared on the home plantation and early became familiar with the details of the business. For four years he was engaged in the general merchandise business in Arcola, and since that time he has given his undivided attention to his agricul-

649

BIOGRAPHICAL

tural interests, having 800 acres under effective cultivation, the plantation being one of the best in matter of soil constituency that can be found in the famous delta district of Mississippi. Mr. Phillips is held in high regard in his native county and is a loyal and public- spirited citizen. His political support is given unreservedly to the Democracy and he and his wife are members of the Methodist Epis- copal church, South. He is a member of Greenville Lodge No. 148, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, at Greenville, and of Delta Camp, No. 269, Woodmen of the World, in Arcola. On Feb. 20, 1896, Mr. Phillips was united in marriage to Miss Bessie Love, daugh- ter of Robert H. and Emma J. (Hudson) Love, of Madison county, Miss., and the four children of this union are: Opal, George R., Earl L. and Hugh L.

Polk, Lonney Lee, M. D., is successfully established in the drug business in Purvis, Marion county, where he also holds pre- cedence as one of the leading medical practitioners of this favored section of the State. He was born in Lawrence county, Miss., as was also his father, Willis E. Polk, while his mother, whose maiden name was Nancy A. Roberts, was likewise born and reared in Mississippi. The doc- tor secured his early educational training in the public schools and later prosecuted his literary studies in Mississippi college, at Clinton, while he completed his technical course in medicine and surgery in the Memphis Hospital medical college, in Memphis, Tenn., being there graduated as a member of the class of 1902 and duly receiving his well earned degree of Doctor of Medicine. He was self-reliant and ambitious, as is evident when we revert to the fact that he defrayed to a very large extent the expenses of his college courses through his successful work as a teacher in the public schools of Lawrence and Covington counties, Miss. The same attributes of character have conserved his success and prestige as a physician and business man, and he stands today as one of the representative and honored citi- zens of Purvis, where he has varied capitalistic interests and where he controls a large practice as a physician and surgeon. He is local surgeon for the New Orleans & North-Eastern railroad, was health officer for Lamar county and holds membership in the American medical association, the Mississippi

State medical association and in the Pearl River and Marion county medical society, being held in high regard by his professional confreres. In addition to his drug business Dr. Polk is a member of the directorate of the Lamar county bank and the Purvis Electric Light and Power Com- pany. He and his wife are members of the Baptist church, and in a fraternal way he is identified with the Masonic order, the Knights of Pythias and the Woodman of the World. On Dec. 2, 1891, was solemnized the marriage of Dr. Polk to Miss Ella Victoria Hickman,

650

MISSISSIPPI

daughter of Joshua and Emily (Roberts) Hickman, of Monticello, Miss. Three children have been born of this union, Leigh L., aged thirteen years (1906); Earle Venable, aged eight; and Larence Hick- man, who died in May, 1904, aged one year.

Price, Thomas Markham, M. D., is one of the leading physicians and surgeons of Hinds county and is established in a successful and representative general prac- tice at Raymond. He was born in Rod- ney, Jefferson county, Miss., Feb. 28, 1853, and is a son of Rev. R. Robert Price, A. M., D. D., one of the most prominent men in the Presbyterian church in the South. Dr. R. Robert Price was born in Missis- sippi and received his early academic edu- cation in Oakland college, near Rodney, in which he was graduated as a member of the class of 1849. He then entered the theological seminary of Princeton uni- versity, New Jersey, in which he was graduated in 1852, being soon afterward ordained a clergyman of the Presbyterian church. He became pastor of the Presbyterian church at Rodney, Miss., where he remained twelve years, having a similar charge at Port Gibson for the ensuing seven years and thereafter being pastor of a church in the city of Vicksburg for twelve years, at the expiration of which he was called to his present position, the chair of ecclesiastical and profane history in the Southwestern Presbyterian university, at Clarksville, Tenn. He is a man of high scholarship and has long been a conspicuous figure in the Presbyterian church in the South. In 1852 he was united in marriage to Miss Mary Black, daughter of John Henry Black, of New Jersey, and they became the parents of nine children, namely: Thomas M., the immediate subject of this sketch; Robert Oakley; Mary, deceased; Anna; Llewellyn; Jane; Henry, deceased; Margaret, and Jessie, deceased. The loved and devoted wife and mother was summoned to the life eternal in 1899, and her remains were interred in the cemetery at Clarksville, Tenn. Dr. Thomas M. Price, after due preliminary training, was matricu- lated in his father's alma mater, Oakland college, and he pursued his technical studies in the medical department of the University of Virginia and the Louisville medical college, in which latter he was graduated as a member of the class of 1875, duly receiving his degree of Doctor of Medicine. He at once engaged in the active work of his profession and since 1882 has maintained his home and profes- sional headquarters at Raymond, where his success has been on a parity with his fine professional ability and his devotion to his work. Since 1903 he has also conducted a drug store in connection with his practice. For twenty years he served as county physician for the second district of Hinds county, and he is a member of the Missis- sippi State medical association, president of the Hinds county medi- cal society and a member of the American medical association. He

651

BIOGRAPHICAL

gives his support to the Democratic party and takes a loyal interest in public affairs. He is a zealous member of the Presbyterian church, in which he was an elder for a score of years. On April 9, 1879, Dr. Price married Miss Fanny Blunt, daughter of Beverly Blunt, of Edwards, Miss., and she passed away April 6, 1900, being sur- vived by two children-Beverly Blunt and Robert Black. On Jan. 21, 1903, Dr. Price married Miss Mary Neal, daughter of Berry and Sarah Neal, of Clinton, Miss., and she presides most graciously over the attractive home.

Price, Wilson, is conducting a success- ful general merchandise business at Ed- wards, Hinds county, and his position as a progressive citizen and reliable and enterprising business man is such as to well entitles him to representation in this historical compilation. Mr. Price was born near Brookhaven, Lincoln county, Miss., Dec. 30, 1853, and is a son of Francis M. and Margaret (Moak) Price, both of whom were likewise native of this State, where they passed their entire lives. Mr. Price duly availed himself of the advantages of the schools of his native town and as a youth he initiated his business career by by securing employment in a mercantile establishment. He was thus engaged for nine years, within which he was employed in turn at Johnston's Station, Bogue Chitto, and Brandon, Miss., and the city of St. Louis, Mo. He then located in Edwards, where he was engaged in the general merchandise business, in which he has since continued and in which he has been deservedly successful. He is a stanch adherent of the Democratic party and is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, South.

Pope, William E., a representative citi- zen of Panola county, maintains his resi- dence in the village of Pope, which was named in his honor, and he is one of the extensive planters and prominent busi- ness men of the State. Mr. Pope was born in the city of Athens, Ga., July 8. 1836, being a son of Burwell and Sarah (Strong) Pope, the former of whom was an influen- tial planter and merchant of that State, of which he was an honored pioneer. He commanded the Georgia troops during the removal of the Seminole Indians from Florida, and he continued to reside in Athens until his death, in 1840, while the remains of both him and his wife rest in the cemetery in that pictur- esque old city. William E. Pope completed his education in the University of Georgia, at Athens, being graduated as a member of

652

MISSISSIPPI

the class of 1856, with the degree of A. M. In the same year he came to Mississippi, locating in Panola county in 1857 and identified him- self with the building of railroads, to which he here gave his attention during the period of the Civil war. He has traveled extensively and handled extensive business interests outside this State. He resided in the republic of Mexico for two years, and was chief engineer in the construction of an irrigating canal in Arizona. He lived in Bolivar county, Miss., twelve years, being there engaged in mer- cantile pursuits and planting. He now ownes 1,000 acres of land in Pa- nola county, and the same is operated through the plan of leasing to desirable tenants. In Pope he conducts a large and well equipped general store, to which he gives his personal supervision. He has ever given allegiance to the Democratic party, and during the war he rendered valuable aid to the Confederacy through his connection with the building of needed railway lines. He had three brothers, John, Frank and Benjamin, and the two last named were soldiers in the Confederate ranks throughout the war between the States. In 1883 Mr. Pope married Miss Bertha Steiner, who was born and reared in Illinois, being a daughter of Solomon and Hannah Steiner. No children have been born of this union.

Powe, William T., of Bucatunna, is president of the board of su- pervisors of Wayne county, and is a man who has ever held closely at heart all that touches the welfare of this, his native county, being a progressive and liberal citizen and one whose standing in the com- munity is indicated by the office of which he is incumbent. He was born in Wayne county, Miss., April 21, 1853, and is a son of Erasmus W. and Mary Powe, both of whom were born in Wayne county. The Powe family was one of the very first to settle in Wayne county, William Powe, grandfather of the subject of this sketch, having taken up his residence here in 1814 and having be- come one of the prosperous planters of this section of the State. Erasmus P. Powe followed in the footsteps of his father in the matter of vocation, continuing to be identified with agricultural pursuits in Wayne county until his death, which occurred in 1861, so that he was spared the pain and humiliation of witnessing the devasta- tion wrought in his loved commonwealth through the ravages of the Civil war. His wife died in 1896, and of their children four are living. William T. Powe was reared on the old homestead plan- tation and his educational privileges were those afforded in the schools of the locality and period. He was but eight years of age at the time of his father's death and was the eldest son in a family of seven children, so that he was early called upon to assume personal responsibilities, developing in the connection that fertility of re- source and that self-reliance which have so definitely contributed to his success in later years. He is still identified with the great basic industry of agriculture, owning a well improved plantation, while he has also operated a sawmill and been identified with the merchandise business. He has long been a prominent factor in pub- lic affairs in the county, as is evident when we advert to the fact that for nearly a quarter of a century he has been a valued and able

653

BIOGRAPHICAL

member of the board of supervisors, of which he has been president about twelve years. He has done much, in his official capacity as well as individually, to promote the progress and development of his native county, where his circle of friends is limited only by that of his acquaintances. His political faith is that of the Democratic party, of whose principles he is a stanch advocate, while he is well fortified in his convictions as to matters of public policy. He has been a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, South, from his boyhood days, and is at present a member of the board of stew- ards of the church at Bucatunna, where he has maintained his resi- dence for the past fifty-three years. His wife also is a zealous mem- ber of the church. On Aug. 28, 1880, Mr. Powe was married to Miss Nannie M. Shackelford, of Chickasaw county, Miss., and they be- came the parents of four children, of whom three are living, namely: William T., Jr., who is a station agent and telegraph operator by vocation and a resident of Marion, Miss .; and Mary Sue and Bettie N., both of whom are attending the Industrial institute college, at Columbus, Miss.

Pratt, Francis Brigham, one of the rep- resentative members of the bar of Madison county, is engaged in the practice of his profession in Canton, the judicial center of the county, where he has practiced for more than thirty-five years. Mr. Pratt is native of the old Bay State and comes of stanch old colonial ancestry. He was born in Grafton, Worcester county, Mass., April 19, 1831, and is a son of Ezra K. and Abigail B. (Brigham) Pratt, the former of whom was born in Connecticut and the latter in Worcester county, Mass. Mr. Pratt secured his early education in the common schools of his native county, but he is largely self-educated, even as he is the architect of his own fortunes. After leaving school he went to California, being one of the intrepid argonauts of 1850, and he remained in that State about seven years, passing a portion of the time in the gold fields. There- after he was employed on the Boston & Albany railroad, in Massa- chusetts, and in January, 1866, he came to Mississippi and located in Madison county, where he purchased a plantation, to whose opera- tion he gave his personal attention for five years, at the expiration of which he located in Canton, where he has since made his home. He obtained no technical training in law, so far as attending profes- sional schools was concerned, but through careful and indefatigable study in a private way he thoroughly grounded himself in the science of jurisprudence and was admitted to the bar in 1870. He has ever been a hard worker, and no man has a greater respect for the dignity of honest toil. He has met with distinctive success in the work of his profession and stands high in the esteem and confidence of his confreres. In politics he gives his allegiance to the Republican party

654

MISSISSIPPI

so far as national issues are involved. He was appointed district attorney of Mississippi by Governor Ames, and later was elected to this office by popular vote. In 1875 he was elected to the State senate and he served two terms as postmaster of Canton. He is affiliated with the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. Mr. Pratt's entire career has been dominated by a spirit of lofty integ- rity and honor, and he merits the high regard in which he is so uni- formly held. He is not married.

Prewitt, Rufus K., M. D., physician, sur- geon and druggist at Ackerman, Choctaw county, has there been actively engaged in the practice of his profession for the past score of years and is a citizen of prominence and influence. He was born in the town of French Camp, that county, Feb. 13, 1844, being a son of John and Elizabeth (Cochran) Prewitt, the former native of South Carolina and the latter of Georgia, while both passed the closing years of their lives in Mississippi, of which State they were sterling pioneers, the father having here followed agricultural pursuits for many years. The parents came to Choctaw county in 1834, being among the first settlers, and the father was one of the commissioners who assisted in laying off the county into townships. Dr. Prewitt attended the schools of French Camp and Vaiden, Miss., in his youth, and made good use of the opportunities thus afforded him, while he completed his medi- cal studies in the Louisville medical college, in the metropolis of Kentucky, in which institution he was graduated, with the degree of Doctor of Medicine, in 1882, having previously been in practice thirteen years after taking one course of lectures. His intrinsic loyalty to the South and its constitutional rights was manifested in no uncertain way when the Civil war was inaugurated. He en- listed in defense of the Confederacy, becoming a member of Company A, Fourth Mississippi infantry, in which he was promoted to the office of second lieutenant, while he continued in the ranks of the boys in gray until the close of the war. Among the principal engage- ments in which he was a participant were the battles of Fort Donel- · son, Chickasaw Bayou, Grand Gulf and Vicksburg, the Georgia and Tennessee campaigns and the battle at Blakely, Ala. In 1861, at the battle of Fort Donelson, he was taken prisoner, but was soon afterward exchanged, and with his command he surrendered after the memorable siege and capitulation of Vicksburg, in 1863. Dr. Prewitt began the practice of his profession in Whitefield, Oktibbeha county, Miss., in 1869. Four years later he removed to Webster, Winston county, where he was successfully engaged in the work of his profession for a period of eleven years, at the expiration of which he came to Ackerman, in 1884, and has since been engaged in general practice there, having built up a large and representative business

655

BIOGRAPHICAL

and commanding the high regard of the people of that section. He is a Democrat in his political proclivities, but during the years when the Populist party stood representative of principles and policies which met his approval he gave to the same his unqualified support and endorsement, being one of the leaders of the party in Mississippi. For eight years he was publisher and editor of the Phagocite, a weekly paper issued in the interests of the Populist party, and in 1895 he was elected to the legislature on the party ticket, serving until 1899. In 1896 he was the party nominee for congress from his district, and upon the completion of his term in the legislature he was given still further evidence of the confidence and apprecia- tion of the party leaders, in that he became the nominee for governor of the State. He made spirited and effective canvasses on each of these occasions, but met the defeat which attended the party ticket in general throughout the State. Dr. Prewitt is president of the Choctaw county medical association and is also identified with the State association, while he is an ex-member of the board of health . of Choctaw county. He is local surgeon for the Mobile, Jackson & Kansas City railroad. In connection with his practice he owns and conducts a finely equipped drug store. He owns the largest orchard in the State, having over 6,000 trees planted on forty acres of land, the fruit consisting of apples and peaches, mostly the latter. In a fraternal way he is identified with the Masonic order, the Knights and Ladies of Honor and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. On Nov. 17, 1869, Dr. Prewitt married Mrs. Elizabeth Easley, daugh- ter of John and Margaret (Robinson) Crow, of Choctaw county, and they have been the parents of seven children, all of whom died in childhood, except Thomas, Rufus and John, the latter of whom was killed on a railroad at Birmingham, Ala., in 1893, at the age of twenty-two, leaving one son, Perkins Prewitt. Rufus was a book- keeper at Ackerman and died in 1900, aged twenty-three years.

P'Pool, Otho, a prominent business man of Meridian, was born in Mecklenberg county, Va., Aug. 19, 1861, a son of William and Fanny (Owen) P'Pool, both natives of Mecklenberg county. The P'Pool family were prominent figures in the pioneer days of Virg nia. William P'Pool was engaged in various occupa- tions, chief among which were his mill, foundry and mercantile interests, at Pool- ville, Mecklenberg county, Va., until his death in 1893. Otho P'Pool, the subject of this sketch, received due preliminary. discipline in the schools of Virginia. He was first engaged in the building business in Virginia and in 1891 came to Meridian, where he and his brother Alva embarked in the contracting and building business. Later they purchased the whole interest in a lumber concern, operating in connection with it a factory for the manufacture of sash, doors and

656

MISSISSIPPI

blinds and other building materials. During the time they were interested in the lumber trade they also did a large amount of general contracting. In 1904 the subject of this sketch engaged in the gen- eral mercantile business in the West and is still largely interested in it. In February, 1905, he and his brother disposed of their lumber business and since that time he has devoted his time to the manage- ment of his properties, having stock in a number of large and thriving concerns. In politics he is a Democrat, but has never held office. He and his family are communicants at Emanuel Baptist church in Meridian, and is identified fraternally with the Woodmen of the World. On March 24, 1887, Mr. P'Pool was united in marriage to Miss Hattie Glascow, a daughter of William and Mary (Slagle) Glascow of Meck- lenberg county, Va. The children of this union are three in number -Ora, Bessie and Lowry.

Purnell, George Washington, M. D., (deceased) was a resident of Hazlehurst, and consistently considered the dean of the medical profession in Copiah county, where he was engaged in the practice of his profession for forty years and where he was held in the utmost confidence and regard by the people of the community, his self-abnegating and faithful ministrations having endeared him to many of the representative families of this section of the State. It was also his to render loyal service as a surgeon in the Confederate ranks during the climacteric period of the Civil war. Dr. Purnell was a native of Berlin, Worcester county, Md., where he was born July 20, 1836, and a son of James Robbins Purnell and Mary (Frank- lin) Purnell, both of whom were likewise native of Maryland, being of stanch English descent. Dr. Purnell was afforded the advan- tages of excellent schools in Maryland, and in preparing for the work of his chosen profession he entered the medical department of the University of Pennsylvania, in which he was graduated as a member of the class of 1858, duly receiving his degree of Doctor of Medicine. At the outbreak of the Civil war he was engaged in the practice of his profession at New Orleans, La., and he forthwith entered the Confederate service, being assigned to hospital duty during the first two years of the war, and afterward being surgeon in Myles' Legion. He was captured at Port Hudson in 1863, and after his exchange he served as surgeon with the Eleventh and Seventeenth Arkansas (consolidated) regiment, with which he remained until the close of the war. In the autumn of 1865 the doctor took up his residence in Hazlehurst, where he successfully followed the work of his noble and humane profession during all the long intervening years. He was a member of the Mississippi State medical association, was a Democrat in his political proclivities, and was affiliated with the Masonic fraternity and the Knights of Honor. In 1858 Dr. Purnell was united in marriage to Miss Gertrude Selby, daughter of the late Dr. William H. Selby, of Maryland, and her death occurred in 1886. In 1888 he married Miss Lily Burdett, of Massachusetts, whose home had been in Hazlehurst since she was six years old. Dr. Pur- nell had four children, two of whom were born of the first marriage. Their names are: Elizabeth Posie, who is now the wife of T. B. Bird-

657

BIOGRAPHICAL

son; Louisa, who is the wife of J. D. Stapleton; Martha Kortright, who remains at the parental home; and George W. On April 4, 1905, Dr. Purnell died very suddenly from heart disease. He was of kindly disposition and did much of charity work among those who were unable to pay for medical attention. His loss was keenly felt by all classes in his community.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

Mississippi : comprising sketches of towns, events, institutions, and persons, arranged in cyclopedic form Vol. III, Part 75

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