USA > Mississippi > Mississippi : comprising sketches of towns, events, institutions, and persons, arranged in cyclopedic form Vol. III > Part 79
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cal associations, and he served one term as a member of the State board of health and has been for twenty years district surgeon for the Illinois Central railroad. He is a stanch adherent of the Demo- cratic party and takes a lively interest in the promotion of its cause and also in local affairs of a public nature, being essentially a pro- gressive and public-spirited citizen. He has served as a member of the Democratic State executive committee and also as a member of the county executive committee. He was appointed to member- ship in the Mississippi commission which had charge of providing proper representation of the State at the Louisiana Purchase Expo -. sition, in St. Louis, and served as president pro tem. of the board. From July, 1890 to 1896, Dr. Quin served McComb as mayor and in January, 1899, was again elected to the office, serving until January, 1906, having declined at that time to accept a renomination. He is affiliated with the Odd Fellows, of which order he is grand master for the State of Mississippi, also with the Masonic fraternity and the Knights of Pythias. On Dec. 9, 1880, Dr. Quin was united in marriage to Miss Sophie W. Clark, daughter of William and Margaret Clark, of Pike county, and they have had four children, three of whom are living: Madge, wife of P. Magruder Fugler of McComb; Ella, deceased, who became the wife of J. E. Alford of McComb; Mary and O. Benton, the last two residing with their parents. Dr. Quin and his wife are members of the Missionary Baptist church.
Ramsay, Charles Horace, M. D., a skilled physician and surgeon of Collins, Covington county, and an interested principal in the Williamsburg Drug Company, in the county seat, was born in Jackson county, Miss., Dec. 6, 1858, and is a son of Alfred H. and Jane (Fairly) Ramsay, the former native of Jackson county and the latter of Greene county, this State. The father of the doctor was a stanch supporter of the cause of the Confederacy when the inevitable conflict was precipitated be- tween the North and the South, having become a member of Company B, Fourth regiment of Mississippi cavalry, in which he served with all of devotion and loyalty until the close of the war. He devoted the greater part of his active career to the lumber industry and died at Mt. Olive, Miss., Sept. 14, 1862, in the service of the Confederate army. His wife is now living at Gulfport. Doctor Ramsay secured excellent advantages in the schools of his native State, and for some time was a successful teacher in the free schools of Covington county, in the meanwhile deciding to prepare himself for the profession of medicine and surgery. With this end in view he was matriculated in the medical department of Tulane univer- sity, in New Orleans, La., where he was graduated and received his degree in 1886. He forthwith located in Jaynesville, Covington county, where he built up a fine practice and where he continued
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his labors most successfully until 1899, when he removed to Collins, discerning the superior. advantages of this place and identifying himself intimately with its business, civic and social affairs, while his practice is of the most representative character and constantly increasing in scope, so that he finds his time and attention fully occupied. He is a valued member of the Covington county medical society and also that of the State, is a stalwart Democrat in his po- litical adherency and has been both a member of the board of alder- men and a director of the school board since the town of Collins was incorporated. He is affiliated with the Masonic order, in which he has taken the ancient craft degrees, and with the Knights of Pythias, while both he and his wife hold membership in the Presby- terian church. On Sept. 6, 1893, Doctor Ramsay was united in marriage to Miss Lela Hubbard, daughter of William J. and Ella (Magee) Hubbard, of Simpson county, Miss., and they have four children, Ella Hubbard, Archie Carr, Granville Storey and Jane Fairly.
Rape, Jacob Nathaniel, M. D., is to be noted as one of the representative mem- bers of the medical profession in Jackson county and is located in practice at Moss- point. Doctor Rape was born in Harper- ville, Scott county, Miss., Feb. 18, 1859, and is a son of Cyrus M. and Dorcas (Gra- ham) Rape, the former native of Georgia and the latter of South Carolina. The father of the doctor enlisted in a Missis- sippi regiment of the Confederate forces at the outbreak of the Civil war, and he proceeded to the front with his command, while he died at Gainesville, Ala., just after the battle of Shiloh, as the result of an attack of pneumonia. Doctor Rape secured his early educational training in the schools of his native State, having been for a time a student in Centerville Institute, in Newton county, and he later carried out his well defined plans by entering the medical department of Tulane university, in the city of New Orleans, from which he was graduated with the degree of Doctor of Medicine, as a member of the class of 1891. Prior to having taken up his work as a student of medicine the doctor had devoted his attention to farming and teaching school. He began the practice of his profession in Tchula, Holmes county, where he remained until 1900, when he located in Mosspoint, where he has built up a representative practice, ramify- ing throughout this section of Jackson county. He is a member of the American medical association, the Mississippi State medical society and the Jackson county medical society, of which last men- tioned he is secretary at the time of the preparation of this sketch. He is a stanch Democrat in his political allegiance and a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, South, while his wife holds mem- bership in the Missionary Baptist church. On Nov. 11, 1897, was
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solemnized the marriage of Doctor Rape to Miss Bertha Amis, daugh- ter of Capt. Albert and Augusta (Petty) Amis, of Gulfport, Harrison county, and of the children of this union we here enter the names with respective dates of birth: Cyrus, Jan. 12, 1900; Woodson, Aug. 28, 1902; Jacob N., Jr., Aug. 12, 1904 and Alfonso Gallatin, June 12, 1906.
Ratcliff, Edward H., a lawyer of Natch- ez, Miss., was born at Liberty, Amite county, Miss., March 21, 1862, and is the son of Holloway H. and Fannie (Jenkins) Ratcliff, both of whom were natives of Amite county. Both his paternal and maternal grand-parents settled in Missis- sippi when it was a territory. His father was a soldier in the Confederate army, and after the war practiced law and also engaged in planting, and is at present mayor of Gloster, Miss. Capt. Lewis Jenkins, a maternal uncle, and nine brothers served in the Confederate army, all of whom were killed or died in service. Mr. Ratcliff attended the University of Mississippi and was gradu- ated in the class of 1884. He was admitted to the bar in 1885 and located at Gloster, from thence removing to Natchez, where he has since resided in the active practice of his profession. In 1892 he was elected district attorney and re-elected in 1896. He is attorney for the Yazoo and Mississippi Valley railroad, First Natchez bank, New Orleans and North Western railroad, Western Union Telegraph Company, Cumberland Telephone and Telegraph Company, Natchez and Southern railroad and Southern Light and Traction Company. He is connected with the First National bank and Southern Light and Traction Company; is a member of the fraternal orders of Elks, Knights of Pythias and Masons, and of the Prentiss Club. He was twice married, first to I. M. Webb in January, 1885, who died in Au- gust, 1890; and again in 1894, to Anna Martin, a native of Georgia. Mr. and Mrs. Ratcliff have six children, Edward H., Jr., Carrie Vaughn, Claude, Lee, Martin and Hall.
Ranck, Edward M., V. M. D., of Natchez, is one of the leading representatives of the veterinary profession in Mississippi and has gained distinctive prestige in the work of his chosen vocation. Doc- tor Ranck was born in Lancaster county, Pa., March 28, 1873, and is a son of Jacob and Susanna (Jacobs) Ranck, the former of whom is of Holland Dutch lineage and the latter of English and Scotch. The Ranck family was founded in Pennsylvania in the pioneer era of the old Keystone State and has been one of prominence in that commonwealth. After attending Toledo academy, in his native county, Doctor Ranck was matriculated in the department of veter- inary science in the University of Pennsylvania, in the city of Phila- delphia, and was there graduated as a member of the class of 1897, with the degree of Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. After his gradu-
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ation he remained in Philadelphia and was identified with the State live-stock sanitary board, and for six years he was an instructor in the veterinary department of the University of Pennsylvania. For the same length of time he was also veterinarian for the H. K. Mul- ford Company of Philadelphia. In April, 1903, the doctor came to Natchez, where he has attained to marked precedence in the work of his profession. He is ex-president of the Pennsylvania State Veterinary medical association, was second vice-president of the Amer- ican Veterinary medical association, was ex-secretary and treasurer of the Keystone Veterinary medical association, and resident secre- tary for Mississippi for the American Veterinary medical association. In this association he is chairman (1906) of the committee on phar- macopoea and ex-chairman of the committee on diseases. He is a member of the Philadelphia pathological society. He is affiliated with the Masonic fraternity and the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. In 1898 Doctor Ranck was united in marriage to Miss Florence N. Bunch, daughter of William Bunch of Philadelphia, who is an ex-member of the Pennsylvania legislature.
Raymond, Joseph Sherwood, who has been principal of the Jefferson military college for more than thirty years, is num- bered among the prominent and popular educators of the State. He was born near the city of Terre Haute, Vigo county, Ind., Aug. 8, 1831, and was a son of Jeremiah and Laura (Browning) Raymond, the former of whom was born in Montville, New London county, Conn., and the latter in Williamstown, Berk- shire county, Mass. The father was a soldier in the War of 1812, serving as a member of a Connecticut regiment. About the year 1820, the father, Jeremiah Ray- mond removed from Connecticut and settled near Terre Haute, Ind. Here he met and married Miss Laura Browning, who had also moved and settled in this section. Both father and mother continued to reside near Terre Haute during the remainder of their lives. Joseph S. Raymond, the subject of this sketch, was afforded excellent edu- cational advantages, having taken a course of study at Bacon academy, at Colchester, Conn. He taught school for several years in Virginia and afterwards entered as a student Washington college, now Wash- ington and Lee university, at Lexington, Va. While at this institu- tion the Civil war coming on, he manifested his loyalty to the Southern cause by enlisting as a private in Company I, Fourth Virginia volun- teer infantry, which became a part of what was known as "Stonewall Brigade.". He was present at the first battle of Manassas and took part in the seven day's fighting around Richmond under Gen. Stone- wall Jackson, as well as in most of the operations in Virginia in which his command was engaged. He was wounded twice and captured on two different occasions and for a number of months remained a
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prisoner in the hands of the enemy. After the war he identified him- self intimately with educational work as a teacher and this vocation he has ever since followed with marked success, gaining high prestige in his chosen field of labor. In 1872 Professor Raymond assumed his present office as principal of Jefferson military college, which is one of the well conducted and well equipped educational institutions of the State and which owes not a little of its high prestige to his able and indefatigable efforts as an executor and teacher. In politics Professor Raymond is unwavering in his allegiance to the Democratic party. He is a member of the Presbyterian church at Pine Ridge, Miss. In February, 1862, he married Miss Maggie R. Paxton of Rockbridge county, Va. She died in 1875, having become the mother of four children, namely Guy S., Clarence C., Fanny Bell, and Margaret R. Clarence C. is deceased. In July, 1878, Professor Raymond was united in matrimony to Miss Bessie Grafton, the daughter of Maj. Thomas Grafton, who was for a number of years the editor of the "Natchez Democrat." By his last wife Professor Raymond had two children, Katie G., now deceased; and Josephine S., who is still a member of the home circle.
Raymond, Rev. Thomas Ware, D. D., president of the Mississippi Synodical college at Holly Springs, was born in Marion, Ala., June 23, 1858, being a son of Dr. H. R. and Elizabeth (Ware) Raymond. Dr. H. R. Raymond is now pastor of the Presbyterian church at Starkville, Miss. Dr. Thomas Ware Raymond was graduated at Howard college, Ala., in 1878 with the degree of A. M. He then took a three years' course in Union theological seminary, Va. His first charge was at South Rome and Cave Spring, Ga., and then for six years he was pastor of the Brownsville, Tenn., church. It was there that Dr. and Mrs. Raymond established the Union female seminary and conducted it successfully for a period of five years. In 1888 they came to Holly Springs, where the doctor was pastor of the Presbyterian church for the following three years. At the end of that period he organized a stock company in that place and purchased Maury Institute, a female college. For twelve years he and his wife conducted that school under the name of the North Mississippi Presbyterian college. In 1903 it was adopted by the Presbyterian synod as the State female college of the denomination and since that year has been known as Mississippi Synodical college. When the institution was first opened in 1891 it had but one boarder and a few day pupils and its property was valued at $5,000. The enrollment of 1905 showed one hundred and eighteen boarding stu- dents, coming from all the gulf States, and some sixty day pupils from the surrounding country, and its property was valued at $65,- 000. Doctor Raymond married Miss Loulie Gwaltney daughter of the Rev. L. R. Gwaltney, D. D., for many years president of Judson female institute, Marion, Ala., and Shorter college, Rome, Ga., and a prominent minister of the Baptist church. At the time of their marriage, Doctor Raymond's father was president of the Marion female seminary, and Mrs. Raymond's father was president of the Judson female institute of Marion, Ala. Thus it can be seen that
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both the doctor and his estimable wife have had the best possible training for the work in which they are now engaged. In 1901 the Southwestern Presbyterian university, recognizing Doctor Raymond's worth and ability, conferred upon him the degree of Doctor of Divin- ity.
Reber, Thomas, is one of the prominent business men and sterling citizens of Natchez and for the past twenty years he has been prominently concerned with steamboating on the Mississippi river, through connection with which he has done much to advance the interests of his home city. Mr. Reber is of German an- cestry and was born in the city of San- dusky, Erie county, Ohio, March 3, 1843. He is a son of George and Amanda (Boalt) Reber, the former of whom was born in Lancaster, Ohio, and the latter in Norwalk, that State. The father became a promi- nent and successful member of the bar of the old Buckeye commonwealth, and also served as a member of the State legislature. Thomas Reber passed his youth in his native city, where he received his early education in the common schools. He then entered the New York agricultural college, in which he was a student at the time of the outbreak of the Civil war. In 1862 he enlisted as a private in Company K, Eighty-eighth Ohio Volunteer infantry, but was subsequently transferred to the One Hundred and Ninety-sixth Ohio Volunteer infantry, with which he served until the close of the war and in which he was twice promoted. He received his honorable discharge in June, 1865, was first lieutenant and brigade quartermaster. After the close of his military career Mr. Reber re- turned to Ohio, where he remained until 1869 when he located at Vidalia, La., where he was elected Parish judge, and where he served on the bench several years. Since the early eighties Judge Reber has been prominently concerned with navigation interests on the Missis- sippi river, operating a line of steamboats and having done much to build up the river transportation trade between Natchez and Vicks- burg. He is a loyal citizen of Natchez and takes a deep interest in all that touches its welfare. In politics he is a Republican, and he and his wife are communicants of the Protestant Episcopal church. He is a member of the Natchez Mardi Gras Association and the Prentiss Club, and is affiliated with the local organizations of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, the Woodmen of the World, and the Concatenated Order of Hoo Hoos. In 1872 Mr. Reber was united in marriage to Miss Annie Vernon, daughter of William and Rowena (Crane) Vernon, of Vidalia, La., and the children of this union are as follows: John Boalt, Mrs. Vernon Henderson, Virginia (commonly known as Tom), George Butler, Annie, William R., Leicester, and Clara.
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Reaves, William F., is one of the repre- sentative citizens of New Albany, and has made his home in Union county from the time of his birth. He is the owner of valuable landed interests in this section of the State and has done much to pro- mote the industrial and civic advance- ment of his home town and county. He was born in Union county, Dec. 11, 1853, and is a son of Edward Y. and Lucinda (Pitts) Reaves, both of whom were born in Mississippi, whence the respective fam- ilies came from South Carolina in an early day. Edward Y. Reaves was an EDWARD Y. REAVES influential citizen of Union county, served fifteen years as mayor of New Albany and for many years as county superintendent of education. He accumulated much property, was liberal and public-spirited and ever commanded the unqualified esteem and confidence of his fellow men. The subject of this sketch was afforded the advantages of the schools of his native county and after initiating his independent career he was for a number of years a successful contractor in levee and railway work. He is the owner of 2,000 acres of land in Union county, and also reserves seventy acres of a large farm which he formerly owned in immediate conti- guity to New Albany. He has disposed of various parts of this latter property for manufacturing sites and has thus aided in furthering the upbuilding of the city, which has grown to be a commercial and industrial center of no mean importance. He has capitalistic in- terest in a number of these enterprises, including a well equipped brick factory of large capacity. He is a loyal supporter of the cause of the Democratic party but has never been a seeker of public office. Mr. Reaves is a bachelor.
Rees, Samuel Ernest, M. D., is one of the representative young medical prac- titioners of Marion county, being success- fully established in the work of his pro- fession in Purvis. The doctor is a native of Mississippi, having been born in Oak- land, Yalobusha county, April 25, 1871, being a son of Marion McD. and Julia A. (Brewer) Rees, the former of whom was born in Oakland and the latter in Aber- deen, this State. Dr. Rees secured his preliminary educational discipline in the public schools, while he initiated his medical studies by entering the medical department of the Industrial college of Arkansas, while later he continued his technical studies in the Memphis medical college, in Memphis, Tenn., where he was graduated as a member of the class of 1903. In the 44-III
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meanwhile he had devoted himself to teaching in the public schools of Arkansas, and through this medium he earned the money which enabled him to complete his medical studies. He initiated the practical work of his profession by locating in the village of Scot- land, Ark., and in 1899 he removed to Itta Bena, Miss., where he was successfully engaged in practice for the ensuing four years, while in the spring of 1904 he came to Purvis, where he has succeeded in building up an excellent practice, while he also conducts a well equipped drug-store in the town, being regarded as a progressive citizen and as a representative member of his profession. He
is a member of the Masonic fraternity, the Knights of Pythias, and the Woodmen of the World, while both he and his wife hold membership in the Methodist Episcopal church. On Sept. 25, 1894, Dr. Rees was united in marriage to Miss Minnie Emerson, daughter of Jay and Amanda (Poole) Emerson, of Marietta, Ga., and of the three children of this union Sybil was born on April 25, 1896; Mabel on April 23, 1898; and Dymple on June 6, 1900.
Reid, C. H., of Potts Camp, is one of the successful planters and popular and influential citizens of Marshall county, where he also operates a cotton gin and a saw mill. His wife is the only surviving child of the late Hon. Erasmus F. Potts, the founder of Potts Camp and a citizen whose name is one of marked distinction in the annals of this section of the State. Mr. Reid was born in Tallapoosa county, Ala., in 1848, and when he was but four years of age his parents removed to Mississippi, where he was reared to manhood and where he has since maintained his home, having received somewhat limited educational advantages in his youth but having overcome this handi- cap to a large extent, through his active association with business and civic affairs and through the lessons gained in the practical school of experience. At the time of the outbreak of the war be- tween the States Mr. Reid became a member of the State militia and when but sixteen years of age he enlisted in the Confederate service, becoming a member of the Eighth Mississippi cavalry, with which he served until the close of the war, making an excellent rec- ord. He is a member of the United Confederate Veterans and is also affiliated with the Masonic fraternity. He is a stanch adherent of the Democratic party and both he and his wife hold membership in the Methodist Episcopal church, South. Mr. Reid has been the most prominent factor in the upbuilding and civic progress of Potts Camp, named in honor of the father of his wife. He gave a double right of way through the town to the St. Louis & San Francisco rail- way and was the builder of the local Methodist church and the first school house, also having erected a number of business build- ings. He is a progressive and enterprising citizen and has the un- qualified respect and confidence of the community. In 1874 Mr. Reid was united in marriage to Mrs. Mary Adelaide (Potts) Fant. She was reared and educated in Mississippi and is a woman of most gracious presence, having a wide circle of friends in Marshall county. She is a daughter of Erasmus F. and Elizabeth (Brownlee) Potts,. being their only surviving child. Potts Camp, as before stated,
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was founded by her father, who came to Marshall county in 1840, securing 6,600 acres of land, and reclaiming much of the same to cultivation. He became one of the influential men of this part of the State, was the owner of a large number of slaves and did much to further the development of Marshall county. He individually constructed a turnpike road from Holly Springs to Pontotoc, and this enterprise brought him prominently before the people of the State. He was a man of distinctive ability and was the architect of his own fortunes. Though his early educational advantages were most limited he became a man of broad and practical information and was actively concerned in public affairs, having also been a skilled surveyor and having done much work in making early surveys in Marshall county. He served as a member of the State legislature and was a man who ever commanded the high regard of all who knew him. He was born in South Carolina and came to Mississippi from the vicinity of Birmingham, Ala., his wife having been native of Chickasaw county, Miss., and having passed the closing years of her life in Marshall county. Mr. Potts was sixty-one years of age at the time of the outbreak of the Civil war and was thus too old to enter the military service. He gave, however, a most liberal support to the cause of the Confederacy, contributing large amounts of supplies to the armies, and by reason of his attitude in this regard he was taken a prisoner by the Federal troops and taken to Alton, Ill., where he was held in captivity until his death, in 1864. Mrs. Reid has one child by her first marriage, Dora, who is now the wife of Charles E. Hughes, who conducts an extensive mercantile busi- ness at Charlottesville and Louisa, Va. Mr. and Mrs. Reid have one child, Corneille C. Potts, who is associated with his father in business. Reynolds, William Henry, of Starkville, Oktibbeha county, is a gallant veteran of the Confederate service in the war be- tween the States and is one of the well known and honored citizens of his county, where he is the owner of large landed in- terests and is a successful cotton-grower. He was born in the city of Lawrenceville, Ga., Aug. 24, 1843, and is a son of Hugh Montgomery and Martha Ann (Hamilton) Reynolds, the former of whom was born in Fairfield district, S. C., Jan. 18, 1818, and the latter of whom was born in Gwin- nett county, Ga. In 1845 Hugh M. Rey- nolds came with his wife and their two children from Georgia to Mississippi, settling on a farm near Stark- ville, where he maintained his home for a number of years, finally removing to Arkansas, where he resided until his death which occurred in November, 1893. He was a soldier in the Seminole Indian war, serving two years, and he followed the agricultural vocation through- out his entire active career. William H. Reynolds received his early education in the schools of Starkville, continuing his studies until
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