USA > Mississippi > Mississippi : comprising sketches of towns, events, institutions, and persons, arranged in cyclopedic form Vol. III > Part 78
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Price, Williamson Theobald, M. D., who conducts a well equipped drug store under the name of the Gulfport Drug Com- pany, is an able physician and surgeon and was for a number of years engaged in active practice, but he is now practi- cally retired from work of that nature save as incidental to his drug business. He was one of the loyal young men who went forth to do battle for the Confederacy during the dark and climacteric period of the Civil war, and in the connection his record is one of signal fidelity and honor. Dr. Price was born in Frankfort, the capi- tal city of Kentucky, Oct. 23, 1843, being a son of W. T. and Margaret Campbell (Theobald) Price, both of whom were born and reared in Georgetown, Ky. To the common schools of his native State Dr. Price is indebted for the early educa- tional advantages which were afforded him, and preliminary to taking up the work of the medical profession he took a careful course of reading under the preceptorship of his uncle, Dr. J. S. Price, at that time one of the leading physicians and surgeons of Frankfort, Ky. In July, 1861, when but seventeen years of age, Dr. Price, subject of this review, enlisted in Company E, Fourth Kentucky infantry. Soon after entering the service he was detailed as a courier to Russell- ville, Ky., and while on this trip his horse fell upon him and broke his leg. This accident incapacitated him for further infantry ser- vice and he was therefore transferred to the command of Gen. John H. Morgan, within which he saw much hard service, taking part in the engagements at Shiloh, Chickamauga and Missionary Ridge and in all of Morgan's famous raids through Kentucky and Tennes-
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see. He was a private during his entire term of service, and was ever found at the post of duty, ready to meet the direst fortunes of war. The doctor was one of a party of twelve who refused to sur- render after the capitulation of Generals Lee and Johnston, and with the others he was finally captured by Federal troops under command of General Wilson, at Atlanta, Ga. The prisoners were thence taken on foot to Dalton, that State, whence they were trans- ferred to Chattanooga Barracks, and finally to Nashville, Tenn., where they were offered the option of taking the oath of allegiance to the Union or being imprisoned indefinitely. Under so great exigency they naturally chose the former alternative. After the close of the war, Dr. Price made a visit to his home, in Kentucky, and then, in 1865, came to Mississippi, identifying himself with the cotton business in Lowndes county, while later he removed to Enter- prise, Miss., where, for nine years, he was engaged in the mercantile business in company with his maternal uncle, Maj. G. P. Theobald. In 1875 he purchased a drug store in that place, conducting the same until 1881, when he removed the stock to Meridian, that State, where he continued the enterprise until 1884, when he went to Little Rock, Ark., where he was engaged in the same line of business until 1900, when he returned to Mississippi and located in Gulfport, as manager of the business of the Gulfport Drug Company, whose stock and business he purchased in 1903, since which time he has successfully conducted the enterprise under the original title, being held in high regard in both business and social circles and being one of the rep- resentative business men of the thriving little city. He is affiliated with the Masonic fraternity, the Knight of Pythias, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and the Improved Order of Red Men. His re- ligious faith is that of the Methodist Episcopal church, South. Dr. Price has been thrice married. On Oct. 30, 1867, he wedded Miss Martha J. Lyerly, of Enterprise, Miss., and she died March 6, 1883, at Merid- ian, this State. On Nov. 15, 1887, the doctor was united in marriage to Mrs. Annie Steele, of Morrillton, Ark., and she was summoned into the life eternal July 1, 1889. Dr. Price became the father of four children by his first marriage, whose names, in order of birth, are as follows: Marion Wilmot, Florence, Thomas T., Mary Lucille. Williamson Theobald, Jr., is the son of his second union. The third marriage of Dr. Price occurred in 1893 to Mary L. Walker, widow of Chas. M. Walker, and to this marriage one child, Hallie K., was born.
Plunkett, Mattie Drunetta, the efficient librarian of the State library at Jackson, was born Dec. 24, 1864, at Carthage, Miss., and is a daugh- ter of Dr. Joseph Lawson and Eliza Melinda (Rawls) Plunkett. Dr. Plunkett was born in North Carolina, but came to Mississippi in early life and settled in Holmes county. He afterwards moved to Carthage, Leake county, where for forty years he was a practicing physician with offices in Carthage. Miss Plunkett received her pre- liminary scholastic training in the public schools of Carthage under the instruction of George J. Leftwich, and completed her education by a course in the Iuka normal college when Prof. H. A. Dean was
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at the head of that institution. For several years she engaged in teaching, until the legislature of 1900, on Jan. 15, elected her to the office of State librarian, a position to which she was re-elected by the legislature of 1904. During her incumbency of the office the library has been enlarged considerably in the number of volumes and it is now housed in one of the finest apartments of the State capitol. Miss Plunkett is a member of the Baptist church of Car- thage.
Priestley, Charles S., M. D., of Canton, holds precedence as one of the represen- tative physicians and surgeons of the State and is a direct descendant of Dr. Joseph Priestley, the renowned scientist and theologian of England and whose standing as a physicist and chemist were of the first order. He was the discoverer of oxygen and also made many other im- portant chemical discoveries. Through the influence of Benjamin Franklin he was finally induced to come to America and he passed the closing years of his life in Pennsylvania. In each successive genera- tion from this eminent ancestor repre- sentatives of the family have been identified with the medical pro- fession. Dr. Charles S. Priestley was born in Canton, Madison county, Miss., Sept. 30, 1847, and is a son of Dr. James and Susan (Nelson) Priestley, both native of Tennessee, where the former was born in 1812 and the latter in 1814. Dr. James Priestley took up his residence in Canton, Miss., in 1838, and here he continued in the practice of his profession until 1855, when he died,-a victim of the yellow fever, whose ravages that year were extremely great and fatal. His wife survived him by many years, her death occurring in 1888, at the age of seventy-four years. The subject of this review was afforded the advantages of the common schools of his native town and from 1866 to 1867 was a student in the University of Mississippi, at Oxford. For the ensuing decade he was identified with the drug business in Canton and in March, 1878, he was graduated in the medical department of the University of Louisiana, from which he received his degree of Doctor of Medicine. He returned to Canton and forthwith engaged in the practice of his profession, whose work he has since followed with unequivocal success and in connection with which his clientage is of representative order. He keeps in intimate touch with the advances made in medicine and surgery and has the high regard of his professional confreres. He served about sixteen years as health officer of Madison county, Miss., and in this office did most efficient and self-abnegating work during yellow-fever epidemics. For a period of twenty years he has served as district surgeon for the Illinois Central railroad, which position he still holds. He is a member of the State and county medical associations, is medical examiner for a number of insurance companies,
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and is affiliated with the Knights of Honor, Benevolent and Protec- tive Order of Elks, and Woodmen of the World. He is a member of the directorate of the First National bank of Canton and is a loyal and progressive citizen. His political allegiance is given unreservedly to the Democratic party. In 1872 Dr. Priestley was united in mar- riage to Miss Rosa Knight, who was born and reared in Mississippi and who is a daughter of the late Rev. James M. Knight, a clergy- man of the Baptist church. Mr. Knight located in Mississippi a number of years prior to the Civil war and here passed the resi- due of his life. Dr. and Mrs. Priestley have three children, Nannie L .; Leila M., wife of Frank J. Flournoy, Jr., cashier of the First National Bank of Canton; and James D., who is engaged in keeping books in Canton.
Preston, James Rhea, who served ten consecutive years as State superintendent of education of Mississippi, and who is one of the best known and most honored educators of the commonwealth, is now the president and virtual owner of two finely equipped and well conducted schools for young ladies,-Stanton, at Natchez, in which city he resides; and Belhaven, in Jackson. Mr. Preston is native of the Old Dominion State, having been born in Washington county, Va., Jan. 22, 1853, and being a son of Col. James T. and Fannie (Rhea) Preston. In the Seventeenth century the Prestons removed from England, the land of their birth, to Ireland, whence came the orig- inal progenitors in America. The paternal grandfather, John Pres- ton, was a resident of Walnut Grove, Va. Col. James T. Preston served in the Confederate army during the Civil war and was in com- mand of a Virginia regiment. His wife was of Scotch ancestry and was born in Blountville, Tenn. They became the parents of six children of whom four are living. Colonel Preston was a lawyer by pro- fession, but he devoted his attention principally to agricultural pur- suits, being a man of high intellectuality and one who commanded the unqualified regard of all who knew him. James Rhea Preston received his rudimentary educational training under the direction of private instructors, and at the age of sixteen years he entered Georgetown university, where he remained as a student for two years. He then entered Emory and Henry college, at Emory, Va., in which institution he was graduated as a member of the class of 1873, with the degree of Bachelor of Arts, while in 1875 his alma mater conferred upon him the degree of Master of Arts. Soon after leaving college he engaged in teaching, which vocation he followed for one year in Tennessee and the next year in Indiana. In 1875 he came to Mississippi and located in Okolona, Chickasaw county, where he taught in the public schools for the ensuing three years, within which time he also studied law, being admitted to the bar. In 1878 he removed to Center Point, Noxubee county, where he was principal of the high school for three years, resigning to accept the position of superintendent of the public schools of Water Valley, Yalobusha county. Four and one-half years he remained in service in this capacity, and he was then, in November, 1885, elected State superintendent of education. He continued incumbent of this
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important office until 1896, having thus been the first to hold the office after the adoption of the new State constitution. Of his labors in this connection the following appreciative estimate has been written: "Mr. Preston has made education his study, and intro- duced several very important reforms into the school system of Mississippi, among which may be mentioned the following, which were adopted and passed by the legislature by his suggestion: one providing for uniform examinations to test the scholarship of appli- cants, so that they could be paid according to their qualifications, the county superintendent being required to fix the salary of each teacher, with due regard not only to his scholarship but also to his experience and ability and the scholastic population of his district; another reform was that providing a system of districts to limit the number of schools and to make each large enough to justify the employment of a competent teacher; a third provision was that requiring the superintendent to inspect the work of teachers, and also to arrange and manage the institutes for the advancement of teachers in the best methods of instruction and discipline; another important reform was one requiring continuous sessions, so that the school fund might not be frittered away, and also that all schools of a term should be in session at the same time, that the work of supervision might be systematic and effective. A salary system based upon the average attendance had been in vogue and had been a fruitful source of unjust discriminations and of many frauds. This was abolished, and the salaries of teachers of the different grades were fixed between a maximum and minimum limit." Thus it may be seen that Mr. Preston has left an indelible impress upon the history of popular education in Mississippi, whose noble school system owes much to his fidelity and discriminating labors. Upon retiring from the office of superintendent of education Mr. Preston assumed the presidency of Stanton college, at Natchez, which was then owned by a corporation, and he'rapidly extended the prestige of this insti- tution, of which he effected the purchase in 1901. This is a select, chartered school for young ladies, is located in a high, healthful region and has a representative patronage. The college offers three high-grade literary courses, besides the various musical, art and special courses, ranking with the best institutions of the class. In 1904 he also purchased the Belhaven college, in Jackson, and this also provides the best of training and accommodations for young ladies. He is president of both colleges, and both are an honor to the State, and to him as an executive. After retiring from the office of State superintendent, Mr. Preston went to Scotland, where he took a year's course of study in the historic old University of Edinburgh. In politics Mr. Preston has ever given a stanch allegiance to the Democratic party, and in 1875 he assisted in redeeming the State of Mississippi from radical misrule, while he has ever shown a loyal interest in public affairs.
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Philips, W. B., M. D., is one of the leading physicians and surgeons of Pontotoc county and is engaged in the practice of his profession at Sherman. He is associated with Dr. John W. Gillispie, under the firm name of Drs. Philips & Gillispie, and in connection with their professional work they also conduct a well equipped drug store. Dr. Philips was born in St. Clair county, Ala., in 1854, and is a son of Judge Ross and Marzee (Aubrey) Philips. Judge Philips was a son of Reuben Philips, who removed from Spartanburg dis- trict, S. C., to Alabama in an early day. The father of the doctor was judge of probate of St. Clair county for twenty years. In 1868 he removed to Mississippi and settled in Pontotoc county, where both he and his wife passed the remainder of their lives, honored by all who knew them. Dr. Philips secured his rudimentary education in his native county and was fourteen years of age at the time of the family removal from Alabama to Mississippi. He was reared to maturity in Pontotoc county, and after a course in the Pontotoc academy he began the work of preparing himself for the profession in which he has attained so noteworthy success and prestige. He entered the medical department of the University of Alabama, at Mobile, in which he was graduated as a member of the class of 1877. Soon after receiving his degree of Doctor of Medicine he engaged in the practice of his profession in Monroe county, Miss., where he remained until 1886, since which time he has followed the work of his profession in Pontotoc county. He is a member of the Tri-State medical association and the Mississippi State medical association and he keeps in close touch with the advances made in both depart- ments of his profession. The doctor is a stanch adherent of the Democratic party, is identified with various fraternal organizations and is a citizen of distinctive loyalty and public spirit. Dr. Philips' first marriage was solemnized in Lee county, where he wedded Miss Agnes Alsup, who is survived by three children-Watson, who resides in Memphis, Tenn .; Marzee, who is the wife of Stephen L. Davis, of Tupelo; and May, who is the wife of George Jameson, of Hot Springs, Ark. After the death of his first wife Dr. Philips married Miss Estelle Robinson, daughter of Hon. John P. and Ruth (Mc- Whorter) Robinson, of Union county. Mr. Robinson was a mem- ber of the State constitutional convention of 1890 and has served as a member of the State legislature. Dr. and Mrs. Philips became the parents of two children-Fannie Ruth, who is attending school in Sherman, and James W., who died at the age of four years.
P'Pool, Alva, a leading contractor and builder of Meridian, was born in Mecklenberg county, Va., on Aug. 4, 1859, a son of William and Mary (Owen) P'Pool. A brief sketch of the parents may be found in the biography of Otho P'Pool, elsewhere in this volume. The subject of this sketch was educated in the common schools of Virginia and immediately after completing his work he learned the contractor's trade. In 1890 he came to Meridian, and in the spring of 1893 engaged in the contracting business in that city. Some six years later he and his brother Otho purchased the lumber yards of Daniels & McAllister and combined with them a manufactory
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of doors, blinds and sash and a planing mill. These later addi- tions were operated in connection with the building and contracting interests until February, 1905, when the brothers sold out the mill and yards to Caldwell Bros., and Meeds & Gray. Since that time Alva P'Pool has been successfully engaged in contracting. In poli- tics he is a stanch Democrat and served as alderman of Meridian in 1900-1901. Fraternally he is a member of the Ancient Order of United Workmen. His religious affiliations are with the Emanuel Baptist church of Meridian, in which society he is a deacon. On Feb. 16, 1881, Mr. P'Pool married Miss Hattie Walker, daughter of Richard and Eugenia (Davis) Walker, of Mecklenberg county, Va. Richard Walker served in the Civil war in the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia, and attained the rank of colonel. To Mr. and Mrs. P'Pool have been born two children, Oscar and Alma.
Potter, Manly B., the popular and efficient superintendent of the public schools of Vaiden, Carroll county, has met with unqualified success in his work in the educational field and he has been a resi- dent of Misissippi from the time of his birth, which occurred at Cherry Creek, Pontotoc county, Jan. 29, 1879. He is a son of Rev. George W. and Frances J. (Burnett) Potter, the former of whom was born in Alabama and the latter in Georgia. The parents now reside in Nettleton, Lee county, this State, the father being an honored mem- ber of the clergy of the Baptist church and having served under General Wheeler as a loyal soldier of the Confederacy in the war between the States. After availing himself of the advantages of the public schools of Pontotoc and Tippah counties, Manly B. Potter continued his studies in Blue Mountain college and Providence Male and Female college, in Nettleton, this State. Since that time he has taken several special courses, at various institutions, sparing no pains to fully qualify himself for the direct and executive duties of the pedagogic profession. He has been actively engaged in teach- ing for eight years and since 1903 has held his present position as superintendent of the Vaiden schools, where he has accomplished a splendid work and gained unqualified popular and official commen- dation. Professor Potter is a stalwart in the camp of the Democracy, but has never been a seeker of public office of any description. He is affiliated with the Woodmen of the World and both he and his wife are members of the Baptist church. On Feb. 1, 1896, Pro- fessor Potter was united in marriage to Miss Annie Butt, daughter of Charles H. and Helen Butt, of Crystal Springs, Copiah county, Miss.
Ratcliff, Clem V., of Summit, is the representative of the Sixth district in the State senate and is one of the prominent and successful members of the bar of Pike county. He was born in Gloster, Amite county, Miss., Aug. 9, 1871, and is a son of Holloway Huff Ratcliff and Frances (Jenkins) Ratcliff, the former of whom was born in Ten- nessee and the latter in North Carolina, both being of English de- scent. They are now residents of Gloster and the father is a lawyer by vocation. He is a man of influence and holds high prestige at the Mississippi bar. He was graduated in Oakland college in 1856
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and two years later was graduated in the law department of the University of Virginia. The subject of this review duly availed himself of the advantages of the public schools of his native county and his academic education was secured in the University of Mis- sissippi, from which he graduated in 1893 with the degree of B. S. He then entered the law department of the same institution and was graduated as a member of the class of 1897, with the degree of Bachelor of Laws. Shortly afterward he was admitted to the bar by the supreme court of the State. He was official -court stenog- rapher for the Third circuit-court district from 1894 to 1898, in which latter year he engaged in the active practice of his profession in Sum- mit, where he has since remained and where he has built up a large and substantial business. He is an uncompromising supporter of the cause of the Democratic party and has been an active and valued . worker in its ranks, having served as a member of the Democratic executive committee of Pike county. He was mayor of Summit from 1900 to 1902, and in 1903 was elected to represent the Sixth senatorial district, comprising the counties of Franklin and Pike, in the State senate, where his course has been such as to fully justify the popular support accorded him at the polls. In August, 1904, he was elected county attorney of Amite county for a term of four years. Senator Ratcliff is affiliated with the Masonic fraternity, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Benevolent and Protec- tive Order of Elks, the Woodmen of the World and the Chi Psi col- lege fraternity. Both he and his wife hold membership in the Bap- tist church. On March 31, 1896, Mr. Ratcliff was united in marriage to Miss Emma Teunnisson, daughter of Charles E. and Annie (Austin) Teunnisson, of Summit, and they have two children, Anna May and Grace Irving.
Quin, Hillrie Marshall, lawyer of Jack- son, Miss., was born at Holmesville, Pike county, Miss., March 2, 1866, and is the sonof D. H. and Annie Beattie (Long) Quin. His father was a physician and surgeon and was a native of Pike county, while his mother was a native of North Carolina. Mr. Quin was educated at the University of Mississippi taking the degree of A. B., and also taking the degree of Bachelor of Laws. He is the senior member of the law firm of Quin & Rob- ertson, of Jackson, Miss. Mr. Quin was a member of the legislature from 1900 to 1904; presidential elector from the State at large in 1904, is a member of the board of trustees of the Univer- sity of Mississippi and Grand Keeper of Records and Seals of the Knights of Pythias for Mississippi. He is a member of the Knights of Pythias, Masonic fraternity, Shriners and Beta Theta Pi. He was married to Nettie Darden, daughter of Henry and Kate Darden of Jefferson county in 1890. Mr. and Mrs. Quin have four children :
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Hillria Marshall, Jr., Annie Beattie, Kate Augusta and Richard Darden.
Quin, Oliver Benton, M. D., manager and cashier of the First National Bank of Mc- Comb City, was for many years engaged in the active practice of his profession in Pike county, which has been his home from the time of his birth, and he withdrew from professional work to assume the executive position of which he is now incumbent. Dr. Quin was born in Holmes- ville, Pike county, Miss., Dec. 6, 1857, and is a son of Daniel Hillary and Mary (Bick- ham) Quin, the former of whom was born in Mississippi, of Irish descent, and the latter of whom was born in Louisiana, of English lineage. His grandfather, Rich- ard Quin, came from South Carolina to the vicinity of Pike county, Miss., about 1815. Dr. Daniel Hillary Quin was a graduate of Kenyon college of Ohio. After graduation he immediately com- menced the practice of his profession at Holmesville, Miss., and also conducted a large plantation. After the close of the war he moved to Summit where he took up the practice of his profession, remaining there until 1878 when he came to McComb where he re- mained in the practice of his profession until his death, Aug. 17, 1893. At the breaking out of the Civil war he tendered his service to the Confederacy but at the solicitation of the people of Holmesville he was induced to remain at home, the other doctors having enlisted. During the siege of Vicksburg he raised a regiment of which he was made colonel and served sixty days under Gen. Stephen D. Lee. After the siege the regiment was sent home and disbanded having been composed largely of old men. Dr. O. B. Quin was the second of five children who lived, viz .: Mary, wife of E. T. Denson, of Amite, La .; Dr. O. B .; Elizabeth T., wife of W. L. Hubtley, of Winona, Miss .; Hillrie M., of Jackson; and Richard T., editor of the McComb City Journal. The doctor had exceptional educational advantages in his boyhood, having received careful instruction from his father, who was a man of fine intellectual attain- ments, having been graduated in historic old Kenyon college, at Gambier, Ohio. Dr. Quin attended the high school, and after due preparatory study he entered the medical department of Tulane university, in New Orleans, where he was graduated as a member of the class of 1879, receiving the degree of Doctor of Medicine. He began the practice of his chosen profession at McComb where he built up an excellent professional business, in which he continued until November, 1904, when he withdrew from practice as far as possible and assumed the position of cashier and manager of the First National Bank of McComb City, being a stockholder in the institution and having handled its executive affairs with marked discrimination and ability. Dr. Quin is a member of various medi-
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