The Aberdeen examiner. [volume] (Aberdeen, Miss.) 1866-current, 1883-11-15
BAR HsEETENE.


former member of the Aberdeen Bar
whereupon tn, Court adjourned for the
day, out of respect TO his memory. A
meeting of the Aberdeen Bar Associa-
ton was called and organized by the
election of Chancellor Baxter Mcfarland
as Chairman, and G.. J. Buchanan, Esq.
as Secretary.
The Chair appointed committee con-
sisting of Hon. Reuben DAVIS, Hon. l.. f.
Houston and Hon. J. W. Buchanan, to
prepare suitable resolutions expressive
of the feelings of the Bar touching the
death of the lamented General Gholson,
and in open court on Monday, November
18th, the following remarks and resolu-
tions were submitted, which were order
ed to be enrolled on the minutes of the
minutes of the Court:
RESOLUTIONS.
General SAMUEL JAMESON GHoIsoN, to
commemorate whose death we have as
sembled, was born in Madison county,
Kentucky, May 10Th, 1908. Thence he
removed in 1877, with his fathers family,
to North Alabama. With limited edu-
cation he entered upon the study OF the
Law, in the office of and under the tute-
lage of Judge Peter Martin, in Russell
vile, Alabama, and in 1929, was licensed
to practice his profession, by the SUI
preme Court of Alabama.
In 1899, he located in Athens, the then
county-seat of Monroe county, Missis-
sippi. The first time his name appears
on the Court Docket of that county, as
an Attorney, was on the 3rd day of May,
1881. At this time Daniel w. Wright,
james f. Trotter, Thilman NJ. Tucker
and John Fisher, were the practicing At
torneys of Monroe county bar. Wright
and Trotter were afterwards promoted
to positions on the Supreme Court Bench
of the State. Tucker became Governor
of Mississippi. Fisher, of fair ability and
a highly respected gentlemen, was Il
brother to the gentleman known TO the
early settlers of Mississippi us the owner
of the celebrated Fisher Land Claim"
| ptSlutS lllt lDcdl DuI, tHtIt "tlt many
nonresident lawyers who practiced in
the Courts of Monroe county, prominent
among whom were Col. Rose, of Column
bus, an accomplished lawyer, nephew Of
President Madison, and was afterwards
the partner of General Gholson; f.. L.
| Acee, also of Columbus, James Davis
William Cooper, and Judge VIM. Kelley
of Alabama, all distinguished lawyers
Judge Kelley is described in the Bench
and Bar of the Southwest as being equa
in wit, humor, whitening satire, fiery aut
lofty eloquence, to mir. Sheridan
Amidst this array of talent, learning
and experience, as competitors for pro
fesslonal honors and emoluments, Nj
Gholson entered the arena, young-abou
twenty-five years of age-wthout ex
perience and without riches; but armed
for the conflict with native talent, will
fine practical sense, with an indomtabl,
will and determination; and the Cour
ecords attest the quickness of his boun,
into large and lucrative practice, But
rs is often the case with young attorneys
his mind was diverted from his protes
sional pursuits by the blandishing allure
ments of political promotion, aud yield
ing, was in 1883, elected member of tn
Representative branch of the Mississippi
Legislature from this county, and in lS3
was again returned as 4 member of tn
same body.
In 1887, on account of the suspension q
the Deposit Banks, President Van Bure
deemed it necessary to call an extra ses
sion of Congress. Under writ of cleo
ton issued by the Governor, Samuel ,
Gholson and }. L. II. Clayborne wcr
elected members OF that body, and ~
peared and took their seats. At the re-
ular election in November of that yea
Sergeant 5. PTentis5 and Thomas }. WUI
became candidates, and -(Gholsons M
Claborne's names not being before III
people, they relying upon their specii
election)-wcre elected and claimed the
seats in the following December. Out {
these elections grew the great Mississippi
Contested Election Case, in the Nations
7 House of Representatives, betwee
Prentiss and Word on the one side, au
. Gholson and Claiborne on the other. II
vote being taken first as to Gholson'san
Claiborue's right TO their seats, was d.
cided against them. The vote was the
taken as to the right of Prentiss III
Word, which resulted in a tie. and who
was resolved by the casting vote of ia
> Knox Polk, then Speaker of the Hou
e of Representatives, RELOCATING the que
: ton to the people OF Mississippi.
A the canvass resulting from this action
Congress, Mr.. Ghoson declined to be
candidate, and General james Davis III
. Colon. i j. f. II. Claiborne were the Den
3 ocratic, and Sergeant S. Prentiss and y.
l., Word the Wing candidates, and the la
e ter were elected.
In 1898 Mr.. Gholson married Miss Ma
, garrett Ragsdale, of Athens, Mississippi
a lady of superior intelligence and r.
tinement, who survives her husband. Du
luz Lhdb yphi nv "uo hpppihe'' W. ~
n Judgeshp of the United States Distri
IS Court for the District of MISSISSIPPI
+. which position he held until the secessit
. of his State from the Federal Union,
!, the 9th of January, 1861.
;. In December, 1860 Judge Gholson al
Judge Francis M. Rogers were elect
- delegates TO the Convention that di
solved the bonds between the State
n Mississippi and the United States Go
n ernment. The former had been an "a
a drew Jackson Democrat" the latter
i. Henry Clay Wing" Both men Of strol
> convictions, and eacu devoted to his !
spective chief and party, who, in pol
ical elections or on political question
g had never before acted together. Bo
r. were men of chivalry and lofty patriC
ID ism both voted for the ordinance Of {
"A cession; both voted for liberal approp
- atoms to enforce the purposes of th
ordinance, and on the adjournment
D that Convention they, together, return
70 to their homes and simultaneously rails
re each company for the war-thelrs'
n ing the first formed In the county; ate
.. wards, the Van Doom Reserves, by Ga