The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1878-09-21

Nicholson died in 1896 or 1897, and
the lands were sold by his executor,
James Jervey. of Charleston, South
Carolina, at private sale to DR..
Samuel Marshall, in February, 1898,
at about one dollar aud quarter an
acre. The Doctor afterwards in
1874 divided the tact by Long Cane
creek and gave the eastern part ON
which Rapley lived and died to his
son DR.. j. w. w. Marshall, and the
tract on the west side of the creek to
Col. j. F. Marshall. The old Rapley
house remained intact until 1916,
when it was removed by DR.. Mar
shall to another part of the tract to
he occupied by his Overseer, and was
afterwards moved again, and we sup
pose that the house is still standing
occupied by negroes, on Mr.. Wesley
| Cromer's lands.
General Hodges was a hard work :
er, always temperate and prudent in
the management of his monetary
affairs. In his younger days he has
been known to run around" his cot
ton in the afternoon and then after
supper to ''plow out the middles" by
moonlight, and by his industry and
economy he managed to amass con-
siderable fortune, and when he built
his late dwelling fifty -four years ago,
it was considered the finest house
above Columbia. The result of the
war swept away almost his entire
estate. He, unlike many Others.
surrendered his property and adapt
ed himself to the new situation as
readily as could Il much younger
man. He never allowed his temper
or spirits to be crnssed or sOured by
i. anything, but remained always the
friend and neighbor to the last. The
General was a public spirited citi-
zen, and whether in church or State
affairs he was always foremost. In
the war of 1912, (sixty-fOur years
ago. he was among the first to re-
spond to the call for soldiers. and
served i'm that war as lieutenant,
and up to the time of his death drew
for his services in that campaign
eight dollars IA month from the pen
sion Office at Washington.
He was sheriff of Abbevi!le county
from 1896 to 1880; during which time
Mr. James Wardlaw was clerk of the
court. with his son Robert IL. Ward
law as assistant clerk. The business
at that time was of course not SO
fAr IN. II
agricultural liens" were unknown,
but Mr.. James Wardlaw was feeble
in health and depended upon his son
Robert for the performance of the
mechanical or clerical work of the
office. In this connection we might
mention that Mr.. r. Ii Wardlaw
named the Generals Youngest broth
err, Mr.. X. II. w. Hodges, who is now
more than sixty years of age. 1t
occurred in this way: General
Hodges father being friend of Mr..
James Wardlaw, the father of Robert
who was clerk of the court and lived
at Abbeville, and as people had not
got into the habit of stopping ut the
hotels the town people aud especially
those expecting the suffrage of the
voters were expected to entertain
friends in attendance upon the court.
TO he better able to Oblige their
friends the citizens would sometimes
send their children to the country,
and Robert was among the children
so disposed of during court, and
was sent to the Generals fathers.
The youngest boy who was quite
young had not been named; Robert
saw the babe and wanted To know
its name. Mrs. Hodges told Robert
that her names had given out, (she
had named only nineteen up TO that
time) and asked Robert for name,
who promptly asked her to name it
for him. She agreed to il, and the
infant babe then is now Robert Henry
Wardlaw Hodges, who wears u gray
beard aud is over sixty years of age.
He says he has long been expecting
Mr.. Wardlaw to do something for
his namesakc, but SO far he has seen
no tangible evidence Of material aid
from that quarter.
During General Hodges term as
Sheriff he hung man of the name
of Matthews, who was convicted of
stealing horse from Governor No
ble's stables, then located on the
Enoch Nelson lot. For the prison
er he entertained great sympathy,
and treated him with all the kind
ness in his power. and his feelings
were so much overcome at the eXecu-
ton that he wept like child.
He was once member of the State
Legislature. aud long held commis-
stoned Office in the militia Of the
Savannah regiment. In all matters
Of public interest he always took an
active part, and at one time he was
sent as commissioners to the Indians,
1.-THE Seminoles, we beIieye,) with
whom Ire WAS exceedingly popular
and who were delighted because Of
his smoking with them ''the pipe Of