Sketches of prominent Tennesseans. Containing biographies and records of many of the families who have attained prominence in Tennessee, Part 57

Author: Speer, William S
Publication date: 1888
Publisher: Nashville, A. B. Tavel
Number of Pages: 1278

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unkindly of others. One of his maxims was, "If you can't speak well of a man, don't speak of him at all." Another was, " Never feel yourself above the influence of any one, however humble."

Gen. Atkins' mother, are Miss Sarah Manly, was born in Anson county, North Carolina, daughter of Richard Manly and Keziah Freeman. She 'had a brother, Rev. John Manly, who was a leading Methodist preacher in West Tennessee in the early settlement of that portion of the State. Manly's Chapel, in Henry county, named for him, bears evidence as to his prominence and popu- larity. Gen. Atkins' mother was a devout Methodist. She died at the age of thirty-two, when the son was an infant.

The Atkins family has produced mostly farmers and a few merchants, the subject of this sketch being the most prominent one in politics. Gen. Atkins' brother, Eldridge G. Atkins, who died at Memphis in 1866, was a lawyer, and practiced at Paris and in the adjoining counties. He left one son, JJ. W. G. Atkins.

John D. Clinton Atkins, was born in Henry county, Tennessee, nine miles east of Paris, near Manly's Chapel, June 4, 1825 ; grew up in the same county ; was educated at the Paris Male Academy, and at Knoxville, graduat- ing with the first honors of his class, from the East Tennessee University, August, 1846. His earliest po- litical proclivities were Democratic, his ancestry on both sides being Democratie as far back as family tradition goes. In the American Revolution, they were Whigs. Young Atkins began taking a lively interest in politics as early as his fifteenth year, in the campaign of 1810 between Messrs. Van Buren and Harrison, and in 1813 in the contest for congress in his congressional district between Hon. Cave Johnson and Hon. Gustavus A. Henry. When only nineteen years old, he took an ac- tive part, while at the East Tennessee University, in the campaign of 1844, between Messrs. Polk and Clay. He first began making political speeches in 1818, in the campaign between Messrs. Cass and Taylor. He was elected to the Tennessee House of Representatives in 1849, in opposition to extending State aid to railroads, but in the progress of events changed his opinion on this subject, and in 1851, was re-elected to the Legisla- ture, being then in favor of State aid to the railroads, and in that Legislature he was one of the committee of nine that inaugurated the internal improvement system of the State. In 1855, he was elected to the State sen- ate from the counties of Henry, Weakley and Obion, and in that body opposed the " omnibus railroad bill," in conjunction with Hons. W. C. Whitthorne, Neill S. Brown, Frank C. Dunnington and others. On January 8, 1856, Gen. Atkins was elected chairman of the Dem- ocratic State convention at Nashville, which sent dele- gates to the national Democratic convention, which nominated Buchanan and Breckinridge. The same year he was presidential elector for the Ninth congress- ional district, on the Buchanan and Breckinridge ticket.

In 1857, Gen. Atkins was nominated by the Demo- crats as their candidate for Congress from the Ninth congressional district, composed of the counties of Henry, Weakley, Obion (which then embraced Lake), Dyer, Lauderdale, Tipton, Gibson, Carroll and Hender- son. He was elected by one hundred and twenty-mme majority in a district which had been Whig by six hun- dred or seven hundred majority, overcoming the cele- brated Emerson Etheridge, who, in 1853, represented the district without opposition, and, in 1855, had de- feated Judge T. J. Freeman, by between five hundred and six hundred votes. In 1859, Gen. Atkins was again a candidate, but after a still more heated and animated campaign, was defeated by Mr. Etheridge by only eight votes.

Gen. Atkins was a delegate for the State at large to' the Charlesten and Baltimore conventions of 1860, and : acted with the Tennessee delegation, withdrawing from the Baltimore convention when Virginia withdrew, be- cause the delegates were admitted from the States which had already seceded, and who were, therefore, without a constituency. In the interval between the Charleston and Baltimore conventions, Gen. Atkins was again made presidential elector for the Ninth congressional district on the Breckinridge and Laue ticket, but the Bell and Everett ticket was successful in the State.

Sectional agitation ensuing, and feeling rising so high as to result in the secession of the southern States, it became necessary for Tennessee to take action one way or the other, and Gen. Atkins, without hesitation, acted with the southern wing of the Democracy, and thinking Tennessee had just cause for complaint as to her treat- ment by northern agitators, he favored a State conven- tion on the basis of the Crittenden compromise. The majority of people in the State thought otherwise, and the convention was voted down in February, 1861. Events transpired so rapidly throughout the nation, especially in the southern States which had seceded, Tennessee could no longer occupy a quiescent or neutral ground, and in June, 1861, voted herself out of the Union.

Meanwhile Gen. Atkins had voluntered for the Con- federate service, had been elected lieutenant-colonel of the Fifth Tennessee regiment, and like everybody else in the army, voted for the State's withdrawal from the Union. He remained in the army but a short time, his health being very poor, when, without being a candidate, he was elected to represent his district in the provis- ional Confederate Congress, and took his seat, at Rich- mond, in August, 1861, Tennessee having seven repro- sentatives only, viz. : Judge Robert L. Caruthers, Col. John F. House, Hon. David M. Currin, Hon. Thomas L. Jones, Hon. James H. Thomas, Col. William Il. DeWitt and Gen. J. D. C. Atkins, In November, 1861, he was elected a member of the House of Repre- sentatives of what was called the permanent Confede- rate Congress, and was re elected in 1863, when the army

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nominated candidates at Winchester, Tennessee. In that body he served on the post-offices and post-roads, army and foreign affairs committees. He introduced, as a member of the foreign affairs committee; of which Wil- liam C. Rives, of Virginia, was chairman, the resolu- tion which led to the appointment of Messrs. Stephens, Campbell and Hunter to the Hampton Roads confer- ence. (See Hon. A. H. Stephens' correspondence with Hon. Ben Hill).

The close of the war found Gen. Atkins in very straightened financial circumstances ; his family were in Texas, and he returned home in the latter part of 1865, and set about recuperating his broken fortunes, accept- ing the situation and trying to make himself the best citizen he could. In connection with two other gentle- men, he founded the Paris . Intelligencer, in 1867, and published it for several years as a means of support. In the meantime he returned to his farm and lived upon it, and has been in that business, as an occupation, ever since, making stock-raising and grass culture a specialty.

The partialty of the Democratic party, however, again called him into service. In 1872, he was nominated as a candidate to represent his district in the United States Congress, and was elected by a large majority. He was nominated without opposition, and was re- elected in 1874, 1876, 1878 and 1880, each time receiv- ing large majorities over his Republican competitors.

During eight of the years he has served in the United States Congress, he was a member of the committee on appropriations, four of which years he was chairman of the committee, and during his entire twelve years of service there he was identified with questions of eco- nomie reform. He had charge of the army bill when the Democracy purposely defeated it, which caused a change of policy in the iron will and military des- potism the administration had so long maintained to- ward the southern States. He was one of the selected committee of sixteen appointed by the Democratic sen- ators and representatives in the Forty-fourth Congress, which finally consented to and advised the adoption of the electoral commission as a mode of settling the pres- idential difficulty, and which the country generally regarded as necessary to prevent civil war and much bloodshed. He also served as a member of the special committee appointed by the Democrats of the two houses of the Forty-fifth Congress, to formulate the policy of the Democratic party in that Congress upon the subject of the repeal of the test oaths and super- visor of election laws, of which committee Hon. Allen G. Thurman, of Ohio, was chairman.

On the Tennessee " State debt " question, Gen. Atkins has always acted with the State credit party, and voted for Gen. William B. Bate for governor, in the canvasses of 1882 and 1884, believing that the policy advocated by Gov. Bate was the best solution of the State's financial difficulties.

In 1882, Gen. Atkins voluntarily retired fron lic

life, more warmly regarded by his constituency than ever before, seeing that his retirement was a detriment and a loss to the public service, yet after a long life of activity, he found social and domestic quiet stronger charms, In 1884. he was sent as a delegate from. his county to the State Democratic convention, and without solicitation, and even against his protest, he was made president of that body, which nominated delegates to the national Democratic convention, at Chicago, which nominated Cleveland and Hendricks. At the same con- vention, and against his personal wishes, he was unani- mously chosen as one of the presidential electors for the State at large on the Cleveland and Hendricks ticket. ITis much impaired physical health, however, forced him to relinquish many of his appointments in that campaign, and again he retired to the privacy of his home. But the signal triumph of the national Democracy in that memorable contest, demanded, in order that the victory might be made more complete, that the ablest statesmen of the party should be placed in charge of affairs. President Cleveland having se- lected Hon. L. Q. C. Lamar, United States senator from Mississippi, as secretary of the interior in his cab- inet, the next selection in that department was Gen. J. D. C. Atkins as United States Indian commissioner, which was tendered him and accepted March 26, 1885. To this position Gen. Atkins brings his great abilities, his wise judgment and his life-long experience in public affairs-qualifications that will add additional lustre to his fame, and greatly advance his country's interests.

Gen. Atkins was married in Paris, Tennessee, No- vember 23, 1817, to Miss Elizabeth Bacon Porter (cousin of ex-Gov. James D. Porter). daughter of William Porter, a farmer, a very popular man, who was for many years county court clerk of Henry county. Her grandfather, William Porter, sr., a native of Penn- sylvania, moved in early life to Kentucky, thence to Tennessee. He was the son of one of seven brothers, who came to this country from Ireland (see sketch of Gov. Porter elsewhere in this volume). The Porter's are related to Gen. Patterson, of Pennsylvania. Mrs. Atkins' mother's maiden name, was Miss Sarah Ware, of a Kentucky family of considerable wealth, Mrs. Atkins' unele, Thomas K. Porter, father of Goy. Por- ter, was a prominent physician at Paris, and her unele, Dr. James D. Porter, is now a prominent physician in Hill county, Texas. Mrs. Atkins was educated at Paris, under Prof. Ball. She is pre-eminently a char- itable woman, noted for her kindness of heart, her strong common sense, and her ability to make every- body around her her friend. By this marriage, Gen. Atkins has five children : (1). Sallie Atkins, educated at the Holly Springs Institute, at Mrs. Pettitt's select school at Mound Prairie, Texas, and at Paris; married in 1867, Hugh Dunlap, son of Gen. John 11. Dunlap, and has six children, Clinton. Hugh, John, Porter, Evelyn and William. (2). Bettie Atkins, graduated

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at the Paris Female College, under Prof. Sterling; mar- ried, in 1880, Prof. T. H. M. Hunter, of Paris, formerly of Lewisburg, Tennessee ; has one child, Atkins. (3). John D. Atkins, born January 20, 1857; educated at the East Tennessee University and at Cecil College, Kentucky; now farming in Henry county; unmarried. 4). Mattie Green Atkins, graduated at Jackson, Ten- nessee, under Prof. Jones, (5). Clintie Atkins, mar- ried, in 1885, Dudley Porter, son of es.Gov. James D. Porter, now assistant secretary of State for the United States.

Gen. Atkins was elected, when quite a young man, and commissioned by Gov. Neill S. Brown, as brigadier- general of the State troops in the peace establishment. IIence, he is called General-a title universally given him, though in the late war he only held the rank of lieutenant-colonel. He became a Mason at Knoxville, Tennessee, in 1846, and has taken all the Chapter de- grees. He is also a member of the Knights of Honor and of the order of the Golden Cross. Beginning life on a handsome patrimonial estate, he has been prudent and economical, and now finds himself in very easy and comfortable circumstances. Besides his farm property and other investments, he is a member of the Bon Air Coal, Land and Lumber company.

Personally, Gen. Atkins does not appear over fifty years of age. He is somewhat tall, slender, and of very lithe build. Hlis countenance is frank and honest in every lineament. He is quick spoken, and with a soft-

ness of voice that indicates a kindly good nature, and has that look of self-confidence and self-satisfaction that Cicero points out as the principal factor of success in a candidate for the public suffrages. The writer found the General at his farm, among his stock, and he at once commenced dilating upon the delights of country life, dwelling with enthusiasm upon the notes of the wood-thrush that made vocal with the most de- licious music his fine forest of poplar, oak and chest- nut. And here, perhaps, was the best place to study the man.

One of the strongest traits of his character is his fi- delity to his word; faithfulness to his obligations. "But the foundation corner-stone of his character is to do injustice to no man, and to guard, if necessary with his heart's blood, his own good name. No man who:' does this can be far out of the way, for he must be fair, honest, liberal and correct, if he preserves a good name. Although he once changed front on an important State question, the people still adhered to him as being a man open to conviction, and honest and brave enough to avow belief in his new position. His name has never been smirched. He has no false pride that makes him feel superior to the people who have conferred honors upon him. The people believe he has an identity of interest with them. and that he is fearless in the advo- cacy of what he believes to be right, and what he be- lieves are the people's rights. He is a noble specimen of a noble Tennessean.

WILLIAM HI. MORGAN, M.D., D.D.S.

NASHVILLE.

T! HIE distinguished gentleman and eminent dental surgeon whose name heads this biographical sketch, is of Welsh extraction. It is a well authenticated fact that nearly all of the American Morgans are the offspring of three brothers Morgan, who came over from Wales, and who were descendants of the celebrated Morgan, the buccaneer, one of the boldest, most noted and most successful that ever sailed the seas, It is this same stern perseverance of the Welsh blood that has given the American descendants success in various callings in life. The members of the family who have most illustrated the name are: Gen. Daniel Morgan, the famous American patriot; the late Gov. E. D. Morgan, of New York ; Col. William A. Morgan, of Gen. J. E. B. Stuart's Confederate cavalry, and senior captain in Stuart's old regiment ; the late Dr. Jacob Bedinger Mor- gan, once president of the Union Bank of Mississippi, whose daughter, Miss Sallie Bedinger Morgan, has attained some literary celebrity as the author of " Tahoe, or Life in California," and by her frequent contribu-

tions to leading journals of the country, and last, but by no means least, Dr. William HI. Morgan, of Nash- ville, subject of this sketch.

Dr. Morgan's great-grandfather, William Morgan, was born in New Jersey, settled at Shepherdstown, Virginia, and died there. His grandfather, Hon. Abram Morgan, was born in Jefferson county, Virginia ; was a soldier in the Revolution ; served ten years in the Virginia Legislature, and died in Logan county, Kentucky. He was a cousin of Gen. Daniel Morgan, mentioned above.

Dr. Morgan's father, Joseph Morgan, was born in Jefferson county, Virginia, emigrated with his father in 1809, and settled as a small farmer in Logan county, Kentucky. He was in the war of 1812-14, in the cam- paign under Gen. Hopkins, in what was then known as the " Territory of Indiana ;" was under Jackson in Gen. Coffee's brigade of mounted rifles in Florida, and was at the battle of New Orleans, in a company thirty-two strong which came out of the fight without a commis- sioned officer. This was on the night of December 23,

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1814, preceding the general engagement. Mr. Morgan died, at his home in Logan county, Kentucky, in 1871, in his seventy-ninth year.

Dr. Morgan's paternal grandmother was Miss Mary Bedinger, daughter of Henry Bedinger, a Revolution- ary soldier, and a prominent citizen of Jefferson county, Virginia. She was a sister of Hon. Michael Bedinger, who served in Congress from Kentucky, and an aunt of the distinguished Henry Bedinger, who was in Congress from Virginia, and afterwards United States minister to Holland.

Dr. Morgan's mother, wee Miss Elizabeth Adams, was born in Montgomery county, Maryland, the daughter of Alexander Adams and Sallie Beall. She died in 1824, at the age of twenty-five years, leaving four children, of whom William II. Morgan was the oldest. Her only other surviving child, Sarah A. Morgan, is now the wife of Erasmus A. Apling, of Illinois.

William II. Morgan was born in Logan county, Ken- tucky, February 22, 1818. He was raised on a farm, and received his education, which was very meagre, in the country schools, near his father's homestead. At the age of thirty years he graduated from the Baltimore College of Dental Surgery, March 1, 1848, when there had been issued only fifty-one regular dental diplomas in America, not counting honorary degrees. After ·

practicing a short time in Russellville, Kentucky, he located in Nashville, Tennessee, in 1849, and has lived there ever since-now thirty-seven years. When he came to Tennessee there was but one other regular dental 'graduate in the State. As an evidence of the interest he takes in the profession outside of his office, it is pertinent to mention, as a part of the dental his- tory of the country, that he was present at and assisted in the organization of the American Dental Associ- ation in 1860, and has rarely missed a meeting of that body since. At its session in Boston, in 1866, he was made first vice-president, and in 1870, at Nashville, its president. By appointment of the Tennessee Dental Association, he delivered the address of welcome on the assembling of this national body at Nashville. He was chosen the first president of the Central State Dental Association ; has also served as president of the Nash- ville Dental Association ; president of the Mississippi Valley Dental Association, and president of the Ohio Dental College Association, having been for many years a member of the board of trustees of the Ohio Dental College, and for a time was its president. He called to- gether, by his individual card, the convention that formed the Southern Dental Association at Atlanta, in 1869, which is now one of the most prominent and pros- perous associations in the United States, more than one hundred members being present at its meeting in At- lanta, in 1882.

In 1879, Dr. Morgan was elected to the chair of clin- ical dentistry and dental pathology in the University of Nashville and Vanderbilt University, and has served as

dean of that faculty since the organization of the dental department. No man in America has labored harder, and no man in the South has done so much to elevate dentistry to the dignity of a separate and distinct science as Dr. Morgan, nor more successfully used his time, talent and influence to raise the standard of dental education. It was no idle compliment of the late Dr. (. K. Winston, when he said of him, " Dr. Morgan is not only an eloquent speaker, but an honor to his pro- fession and a benefactor to his race."

His contributions to dental literature, published in the dental journals of the country, bear ample evidence of his ability as a writer, clear, concise and pointed. As a lecturer and debater, he is earnest, enthusiastic, direct, comprehensive and convincing.

Though professionally known as a dentist, and as a most skillful operator, recognized as ranking among the most eminent in the United States, Dr. Morgan's name and fame are not confined to that one field of usefulness. In the Methodist church he has held, almost continu- ously, for upward of forty years, official relations, from class-leader to delegate in the annual and general con- ferences. For sixteen years he has been a member of the book committee of the Southern Methodist Pub- lishing House, and secretary of the committee for that time; for the past seventeen years has been president of the Nashville and Davidson County Bible Society; is a director in several insurance companies ; holds several trusteeships ; has been secretary of Masonic lodges; chaplain in his Commandery, and is a member of the Vanderbilt senate. In all these trusts he has been ex- ceptionally punctual in attendance, and in whatever body found is known and spoken of as "a working member." At the age of sixty-eight years, the Nestor of his profession, full of honors, it must be a proud satisfaction for his posterity to read that he has done more for the advancement of dental science than any other man in the southern States, that he stands among the foremost in every good work, eminent among promi- nent Tennesseans, and has a national reputation. Yet, if one should enter his office, he doubtless would be found as hard at work as if he had his name and fortune still to make.

The life of such a man is worth the study of young men who would rise in the world, and of parents who would point out to their children the path to success. In boyhood, Dr. Morgan had and cultivated a natural taste and love for mechanics, and the one predominat- ing trait in his character has ever been an ambition to excel, to do better than any other could, whatever he undertook. It is this principle that gives cunning to the hand of the artisan, keenness to the eye of the ex- plorer, eloquence to the orator, energy to pride, and perfection and finish to those who would triumph in architecture, manufactures and the sciences. It is a quality found in the noble for who do all the work in building up the world's civilization.

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Dr. Morgan married in Logan county, Kentucky, November 30, 1852, Miss Sarah A. Noel, who was born in Shelby county, Kentucky, daughter of Garnett B. Noel, of the Garnett family of Virginia. Her mother, nee Miss Caroline H. Rouse, was a daughter of William Rouse, a merchant at Shelbyville. Mrs. Morgan's mother was one of the two first graduates of Mrs. Tevis noted school, Science Hill Academy, Shelbyville, Keu- tucky. Mrs. Morgan is a lady of fine education and excellent judgment, and her husband (competent au- thority) " praiseth her when he sitteth among the elders of the land," as a lady endowed with the three highest womanly graces: modesty, industry, and domestic skill. By this marriage Dr. Morgan has four children, all born in Davidson county; Tennessee: (1). Henry William Morgan, born October 25, 1853; graduated from the Nashville High School; was the first matriculant and first graduate of the medical department of Vander- bilt University ; graduated in 1876, from the Philadel- phia College of Dental Surgery; now in successful practice in partnership with his father. He married, November 3. 1880, Miss Tillie Evans, daughter of the late William M. B. Evans. a druggist, formerly of Troy, New York. Her mother, nee Miss Irene Me- Nairy, is a grand-daughter of Dr. Boyd MeNairy, an eminent physician in the early days of Nashville, noted for his hospitality, having entertained Gen. LaFayette on his visit to Nashville in 1825, and other distinguished men, Clay, Calhoun, Jackson, and others. By this mar- riage Dr. Henry William Morgan has one son, William Henry, jr., and one daughter, Irene. (2). Effic Morgan, born January 24, 1855; graduated at the Nashville City High School, (3). Joseph Bedinger Morgan, born April 30, 1856; graduated at the Nashville High School ; now of the firm of Morgan & Hamilton, man- ufacturers, Nashville; married, January 17, 1883, Miss Jennie Gibson, daughter of the late Nathan Gibson, of Nashville. (4). Garnett Noel Morgan, born March 12, 1861; finely educated; now in commercial life in Nashville. Thoroughness is his principal characteris- tic. For this he won the praise of the Vanderbilt fac- ulty, especially of Bishop MeTyeire, president of the board of trust.

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Sketches of prominent Tennesseans. Containing biographies and records of many of the families who have attained prominence in Tennessee, Part 57

Author: Speer, William S Publication date: 1888 Publisher: Nashville, A. B. Tavel Number of Pages: 1278

Author: Speer, William S
Publication date: 1888
Publisher: Nashville, A. B. Tavel
Number of Pages: 1278