Sketches of prominent Tennesseans. Containing biographies and records of many of the families who have attained prominence in Tennessee, Part 6

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

USA > Tennessee > Sketches of prominent Tennesseans. Containing biographies and records of many of the families who have attained prominence in Tennessee > Part 6

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The Chesters and the Greers were in the Revolution, and in every war since-a fearlessly brave people.

Dr. John Chester, the second child and oldest son of Col Chester, to whom brief reference is made in the a)w ye family record, was a man of most amiable traits of character, high and noble deeds, whose life was

so full of good and useful actions as to deserve more than a mere passing notice in this sketch. He died at Jackson, on June 4, 1877, of small-pox, which disease he contracted in performing a charitable operation on a poor woman. He was a successful physician and skillful surgeon, and was at all times as ready to obey the calls of those whom he knew could never pay his fees, as of those upon whom fortune had showered her gifts. An intimate personal friend, the editor of the Jackson Whig and Tribune, writing on the occasion of his death, said of him : "There was a suaviter in modo in his style and an electricity in his pleasant face and cheerful, witty words which, it is proverbial, were sun- light in the chamber of the sick, and thrilled the suffer- ing frame of the patient with something like the glow of health as soon as he entered the sick-room ; and for many years up to the close of his career, he did a very large and lucrative practice." His death threw the whole city into mourning, and the entire community poured out its grief at the loss of one of its noblest citizens. The business houses were closed and draped in mourning, and the people, with one accord, assembled to commemo- rate the virtues of the distinguised dead. At this meeting there was a large attendance of ladies, who felt that in the death of Dr. Chester almost every family in the city had been bereaved. The meeting was presided over by Gen. Alexander W. Campbell, who appointed the following gentlemen as a committee to give formal expression to the feelings of the community on the sad occurrence, viz. : B. 1. Enloe, chairman, R. W. Haynes, Thomas S. Vincent, Rev. E. MeNair and J. D. H. Tomlin. The committee submitted the following re- port:

The large assembly that is here to-day portrays, in a manner more potent than language can express, the heavy affliction that has fallen upon this community. The sad whispering of every heart is, that "Dr. John Chester is dead ;" the noble man, the sincere friend, the dis interested philanthropist, the pure Christian, is no more. Having embalmed himself in all hearts by his unself- ish and pre-eminent life of usefulness, no words that we can now employ could add anything to the universal sense of our great loss. His character was so complete and well rounded, in every relation of life, that the moment we touch it or attempt to express our appreciation of what he was, we are burdened with a sense of our inability to tell what is keenly felt by all, and is far more vividly spoken by the dark pall which hangs over us to-day.

" Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright, the end of that man is peace." Dr. John Chester was born in the city of Jackson, May 18, 1827 ; was educated in West Tennessee College, where he received his first honorary degree. As soon as he graduated he promptly responded to the call of his country, then engaged in war with Mexico. Having served his country with distinguished gal- lantry, he returned to his home, and soon after commonced tho chosen profession of his life. In the late war he was again found in the ranks of the soldier. The testimony of those who knew him well, and who were with him in the conflict, is that a braver heart never throbbed upon the battle field than his. While a gentle and affectionate companion in social lifo, he rose to the dignity of a born commander ; with the gentle submission and reverence of a sen, he combined the prudence and wisdom of a father ; as a citi- zon he was ever a patriot ; as a physician, he manifested the highest skill in his noble profession, to which he died a martyr ; and by the magic inspiration of his faultless manner be onvour-

PROMINENT TENNESSEANS.

aged, comforted and blessed his patients, and demonstrated his own greatness and the influence of a great mind and character.

Resolved, That in the death of Dr. John Chester suffering humanity has lost a noble benefactor, whose car was ever open to the call of distress as his hand was willing to tender relief ; society one of its brightest members ; the medical profession one of its noblest und most devoted exponents ; the church a true and tried member, whose lifo was a living witness to the beauty of Christian charity; the State a self-sacrificing and disinterested patriot ; the world a man whose character justified the declaration that "an honest man is the noblest work of God."

Resolved, That we, the citizens of Jackson and Madison county, in muss meeting assembled, do, with one voice, give this expres- sion of our sense of the lors we have sustained in the death of a citizen so eminent and useful in all the walks of life, and we beg leave to tender to his bereaved family our profoundest sympathies

in this hour of their deep distress, and to join our prayers with theirs that the love of a, merciful Father may bring the consolation of the Christian's hope to heal the stricken hearts of his family and friends.

The preamble 'and resolutions were adopted by a rising vote, every person in the vast assembly, many of whom were in tears, voting in the affirmative. Eloquent and heartfelt tributes to the memory of Dr. Chester were also adopted by all the Masonic bodies of Jackson, the Ancient Order United Workmen and the Knights of Honor, of all which he was an active and zealous member.

HON. JACOB THOMPSON.

MEMPHIS.

T' THIS gentleman, like a great many prominent. Tennesseans, was born in North Carolina. Ilis father seems to have combined the business of a tannery and harness factory with agriculture on a considerable scale. The subject of this sketch was born in Caswell county, North Carolina, May 10, 1810, and was one of eight children, six male and two female. His education up to fourteen years of age was obtained in the com- mon schools of the county, and then he was placed at the Bingham Academy in Orange county, at that time quite a renowned school. After a preparation here of three years, he was entered at the University of North Carolina, where he graduated in 1831. The graduating class of that year consisted of thirteen students, nearly all of whom became distinguished in after life. Among them were Chancellor Calvin M. Jones, of Tennessee, Judge James Grant, of Iowa, the Rev. W. W. Speare and Dr. Steadman of the Episcopal and Presbyterian . churches respectively, the latter of whom died at Mem- phis, and Prof. Hooper, now of the University of North Carolina. That he had acquired the good opinion of the faculty was proved by his appointment as tutor in the University on the day of his graduation. This office he held for eighteen months, when he left the University and entered the law office of Judge Dick, of Greensborough, North Carolina, as a law student. In .1834 he obtained his first license, and his second in 1835. The former authorized him to practice in the lower courts of the State and the latter in the higher.

The same year (1835) he emigrated to Pontotoc, Mississippi, where he commenced practicing, and con- tinued to do so successfully till 1839, when he was elected to Congress for the Northern District of Miss- issippi. He served uninterruptedly in Congress for twelve years, but in 1851 was beaten by Mr. B. D. Nabors, a Whig clergyman. It was during this canvass that Mr. Thompson made one of his characteristic

humorous speeches. He commenced, "Gentlemen, I have now been your Representative in Congress for twelve years and understand all the routine of business there, and have sustained all the impressions which the life in Washington City is capable of making upon a man's character and morals. Now, if you send Mr. Nabors there, you will spoil a good preacher and make a very poor Congressman, and I confidently . predict that if you do send him there he will never preach again. I know the influence that society at the capital has upon new men." Nabors was elected and the pre- diction was verified-he never preached again.

To go back a few years, when Polk was elected Pres- ident, in 1844, Gov. Brown of Mississippi appointed Mr. Thompson United States Senator to fill some un- expired term and sent the appointment to the Secretary of State, Robert J. Walker. For some unexplained reason Mr. Walker failed to communicate the appoint- ment to Mr. Thompson, which is the more remark- able, as it was through the earnest solicitation of Mr. Thompson that Walker was admitted to the cabinet. On his return to Mississippi he was unanimously re- nominated by his party for Congress, and, when Gov. Brown insisted upon his accepting his appointment as Senator, he declined, inasmuch as he had accepted the nomination, and was elected that fall to Congress by the largest majority ever given to a congressional can- didate in the State. Early in 1857 he was appointed Secretary of the Interior in Mr. Buchanan's cabinet, entered upon the duties of the office in March of that year, and made a peculiarly favorable impression by his manner of conducting the business of the office. No recommendation made by him to Congress ever failed of being promptly acted upon.

In 1861, after the agitation of secession had com- menced, an event occurred productive of much scandal at the time, and which was made the pretext of much

PROMINENT TENNESSEANS.

groundless obloquy against Mr. Thompson in after years. A clerk in the office of the Interior Department, it would appear, allowed eight hundred and seventy thousand dollars of the Indian trust funds to be trans- ferred to the office of the Secretary of War, taking the acceptance of that officer for the amount. Strange to say, this transaction was reported to Congress the same day that Mr. Thompson first heard of it. Of course, it excited much comment and discussion, and a committee of Congress was appointed to investigate the whole affair. The clerk was prosecuted, and the congressional committee, after a rigid investigation, reported that Secretary Thompson was clear of all complicity in the affair. But those were days of intense and bitter per- sonal animosities, and the most injurious charges were constantly alleged against him, nor have his political enemies even yet foregone the indulgence of those malicious innuendoes for which this unfortunate affair has furnished the basis.

Mr. Thompson continued in the performance of his official duties as Secretary till the secession of Mississ- ippi, when he resigned his office and gave in his adhe- sion to the Southern Confederacy. He became a vol- unteer aide on Gen. Beauregard's staff, but did not remain long enough with the army to leave any important military record. He was appointed lieutenant-colonel of Ballantine's regiment, and had a horse shot under him in an engagement at Water Valley. Immediately after this Gen. Pemberton appointed him inspector- general of his corps. He held that position until the surrender of Vicksburg, when he returned to his home at Oxford, Mississippi, and was elected to the Confede- rate Legislature. While a member, President Davis summoned him by telegraph to Richmond, whence he despatched him on an important mission.

Information had been received that a large number of influential men in the Northwest were desirous of forming a peace party, and wished for confidential com- munication with influential Confederates to ascertain what terms of peace would be accepted. Always de- sirous of a peaceful solution of the existing troubles, the President made it the duty of Mr. Thompson to communicate with these gentlemen and ascertain whether any understanding could be arrived at. This mission was very reluctantly accepted by Mr. Thompson, but believing that nothing which promised an honorable termination to the war ought to be neglected, he started for Canada. He had to run the blockade at Wilmington, whence he sailed to Bermuda, and thence to Halifax, Nova Scotia. Here and at other points in British America he entered into communication with the "Sons of Liberty."

It is not known, and probably will never be known now, what were the precise purposes of this organization, or what negotiations with them were attempted by Mr. Thompson or authorized by the Confederate goverment, and, for this very reason, conjectural scandal has long

been busy with the reputation of Jacob Thompson, and has not even ceased its attacks since his death. Slanders which can neither be proved nor disproved are long lived and die hard. On the one hand, negotiations with the disaffected in the enemy's country have always been considered legitimate during war, subject always to the risk of prosecution for treason on the part of the dis- affected, and execution as spies on that of the emissaries, if captured within the enemy's territory. On the other hand such negotiations, though justifiable and necessary, are in their nature distasteful to high minded gentlemen, and, as has been seen, Mr. Thompson entered on them reluctantly and gladly relinquished them. One purpose contemplated was the care of Confederate prisoners who had escaped from the military prisons in the North and their conveyance to the South, and it has been alleged that the arrangement contemplated aid to them in escaping, but this purpose, if it was ever seriously entertained, was soon Abandoned through the natural indisposition of the Sons of Liberty to commit them- selves by overt acts which would lead to their arrest and indictment by the Federal authorities. It is not deemed necessary to refute the sensational fictions of the northern press about schemes to import rags infected with yellow fever and small-pox, to burn northern cities, and other monstrosities, though these are still occasionally reproduced for electioneering purposes, and will still probably "revisit the glimpses of the moon " from time to time. There is no limit in fact to the number of iniquities that were attributed to Mr. Thompson and the Cenfederate government in con- nection with this mission by the Federal papers during the war, and the lower class of Republican organs have kept them up to the present day: meantime, through fear of compromising his northern correspondents, Mr. Thompson's lips have been closed, and are now closed in death. Silence, therefore, is imposed on this editor also.

Having carried out what was practicable in his mis- sion, and ascertained the impracticability of the rest, Mr. Thompson reported accordingly and requested to be recalled, which was done, but he resided until the close of the war in Toronto.

On his way home he was detained at Portland, Maine. Secretary Stanton immediately issued an order for his arrest. As soon as this was known to the President he directed that the order should be withdrawn, stating that he preferred that Mr. Thompson should be permit- ted to escape if he desired to do so. It was withdrawn but afterwards renewed, and Mr. Lincoln, on the very day on which he was assassinated, orally directed that the order should be a second time withdrawn. Mr. Thompson had served in Congress with Mr. Lincoln, and there was a kindly feeling between them, as the following transaction shows; the date of it is not given, but it must have been shortly before the surrender at Appomattox. While Mr. Thompson was in Canada

PROMINENT TENNESSEANS.

Mr. Emmons, the district-attorney for Michigan, was directed to look after the cases under investigation in the Canadian courts in which the United States govern- ment was interested While he was in Canada for that purpose, he was requested by Mr. Lincoln to see Mr. Thompson in person and inform him that Mr. Lincoln desired a private interview with him, and wished him to come to Washington for that purpose, promising the amplest protection should he consent : he did consent, and upon his arrival at Washington, the President di- rected him to apply to Mr. Seward for letters of protec- tion. Mr. Seward objected, and while the President and Secretary were discussing the subject, Mr. Thomp- son left Washington and made his way back to Canada without the letters.

After the surrender at Appomattox, he went to Mississippi for Mrs. Thompson and took her to Europe, where he remained two years, visiting Palestine, Egypt and other places of historical interest.

Among themany annoyances heaped upon him by the officials at Washington was the absurd charge got up by Messrs. Holt and Stanton and, at their instance, made the subject of a proclamation by President Johnson, that he had been an accomplice in the assassination of President Lincoln. This charge was so utterly absurd and groundless that after a short time it was withdrawn by a second proclamation.

After the rancor of political vindictiveness abated he returned to the United States and settled himself at Memphis, where he chiefly occupied his time in collecting the relies of his dilapidated fortune. He also devoted himself with great zeal to the affairs of the Episcopal church, of which he was a member, regularly attending both its State and general conven- tions, He died at Memphis on March 24, 1885, in the seventy-fifth year of his age.

At the time he was visited by the editor of this work, the impression conveyed was that he was a man of affairs, of culture and refinement, and in his careful but easy politeness and attention to his visitors a typical southern gentleman. His height was five feet eleven inches ; his form somewhat attenuated and a little bowed with age.

As a speaker his oratory was eager and earnest, as well as closely argumentative, sparing in the use of ornamental diction, and, perhaps for that reason, always practically effective.

ITe became a Master Mason in 1812, but for twenty years previous to his death had not attended a lodge. He was a member of the Episcopal church, a director 4

in railroad, bank and insurance companies, and promi- nent in other offices of trust.

He commenced life on two thousand dollars and a body servant, two horses and a good law library, and before the war was worth a million and a half of dollars.

Mr. Thompson's father was. Nicholas Thompson, a native of Orange county, North Carolina. He was moderately well educated and of industrious, thrifty habits. His trade was that of a saddler, to which he added a tannery, and he was the proprietor of two farms, and generally successful and prosperous in busi- ness. He had six sons and two daughters, and it seems to have been a laudable object of his ambition to give his sons a better education than he had received himself.

In 1838 Jacob Thompson married Miss Catharine Anne, daughter of Col. John .P. Jones, a Mississippian of wealth, whose property was eventually inherited by his daughter. Her mother was a daughter of Col. Whately, an eminent Georgian, member of the Legisla- ture of his State. An anecdote is told illustrative of his bravery. 'A squad of men was sent by the Federal government to arrest and remove him from the Chero- kee country, where he had settled. He came out in front of his house, leveled his gun on the com- manding officer and commanded him, on pain of instant death, to give the order to ground arms. The officer hesitated, but finally complied. Ile then marched the men away from their arms, had them collected and delivered to military headquarters. lle was no more molested. The Jones family were men of property and intelligence but without political ambition. The paternal grandfather of Mrs. Thompson was a Revolutionary soldier of the Virginia militia, and lost a leg at the battle of Guilford Court-house. Hle died in the receipt of a government pension, She had three paternal uncles, settled as planters in North Alabama and Mississippi, Weldon, Richard and William Jones. Her brother, Thomas L. Jones, died in the Mexican war. Mrs. Thompson is a lady of great per- sonal attractions. She acquired social distinction in Washington City. Her prominent trait was cheerfulness combined with thoughtful consideration.

By his marriage with this lady, Mr. Thompson had one son, Tazewell Macon, who graduated at the. Uni- versity of Mississippi, and afterwards devoted himself to agricultural pursuits. He married Miss Sallie Fox, who was educated at Washington. He died at the age of thirty-seven years, leaving two children, (1), Katie J., graduated at Fairmount, Tennessee. (2). Mary Anne, now at school at Fairmount.

PROMINENT TENNESSEANS.

MAJ. JOHN W. CHILDRESS.

MURFREESBOROUGI.

M AJ. JOHN W. CHILDRESS, for many years a leading and highly respected citizen of Mur- freesborough, was born in Sumner county, Tennessee, June 1, 1807. His father was Joel Childress, who came to Tennessee from North Carolina at an early day, and engaged in merchandising at Fox Camp Spring, then a noted place, remaining there until the sale of lots at the present site of Murfreesborough, when he went there and built the first house in Murfreesbor- ough. He was made first postmaster at Murfreesbor- ough, and held the appointment until his death, in 1819,

The mother of Maj. Childress was Miss Elizabeth Whitsitt, daughter of John Whitsitt, also a native of North Carolina, who came to Sumner county among the pioneers and located there before the Indian troubles of the frontier were settled. He was associated with the Browns, Haskells, and Blackmores, families so well known in Tennessee.

Maj. Childress was the youngest of a family of two girls and two boys. One of his sisters married Presi- dent James K. Polk, and the other Dr. Wmn. R. Rucker, of Murfreesborough. His brother, Anderson Childress, was a lawyer of ability at Murfreesborough.

Maj. Childress began his education under Samuel P. Black, of Rutherford county, a noted teacher in his day, and continued it under Rev. Robert Henderson, for a long time a Presbyterian minister at Murfreesbor- ough. In 1822 he entered the University of North Carolina, at Chapel Hill, and remained there more than two years, when he graduated. He returned to Ten- nessee, and began the study of law at Columbia in the office of his brother-in-law, Hon. James K. Polk, and remained under his instruction until the fol- lowing year, when Mr. Polk was elected to Congress. He then went into the office of his brother, Ander- son Childress, at Murfreesborough. At the age of nineteen he was admitted to the bar by Judge Thom- as Stuart, one of the ablest judges that ever pre- sided ou the Murfreesborough circuit. Young Chil- dress then settled in Greene county, Alabama; and began the practice of law with fair prospects of success, but in a few months was compelled to leave that section on account of ill health, being threatened with con- sumption, and once more returning to Tennessee he went to work on a farm, and followed the business of farming all his life, with the firm conviction that farm- ing is the greatest and best of professions.

In 1855, Andrew Johnson, then Governor of Tennes- see, appointed him a director of the Bank of Tennes. see, at Nashville, the largest banking institution in the State, and he served a term of four years. During this period Hon. Cave Johnson was president of the bank

and James Morton cashier, and the institution was in a more flourishing condition than ever before, Of the fifteen directors who served during that time but two are now living - Hon. Michael Burns, of Nashville, and Col. John MeGavock, of Franklin. When the Plant- ers' Bank of Nashville established a branch at Mur- freesborough, Maj. Childress, at the request of Mr ... Dempsey Weaver, cashier of the parent bank, became president of the branch, and filled that position with great credit and ability until the branch was withdrawn during the war. After the war, when the Murfrees- borough Savings Bank was organized, he was made one of its directors and served as such until the bank was merged into the First National Bank of Murfreesbor- ough. He then served as a director of that bank until the death of its president, Mr. Kimbrough, a year or two later, when he was made president, and remained so until 1881, when he resigned on account of increasing age, and was succeeded by Mr. E. L. Jordan, whose sketch appears elsewhere in this volume. During all his banking career, covering a period of some twelve or fourteen years, Maj. Childress never owed a dollar to any bank with which he was connected, and in every case the position came to him unsought. He was also twice appointed a director of the Nashville, Chatta- nooga & St. Louis Railroad, serving in that capacity about thirteen years in all, and in both instances the position came to him without previous solicitation.

Maj. Childress was raised a Democrat, and lived a Democrat all his life, casting his first vote for Andrew Jackson in 1828. He never held a political office, never was a candidate or office-seeker. but always took a lively interest in polities through principle, patriotism, and on account of his friends. In 1818 he was a delegate to the National Democratic convention, at Baltimore, which nominated Gen. Lewis Cass for President.

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Sketches of prominent Tennesseans. Containing biographies and records of many of the families who have attained prominence in Tennessee, Part 6

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