The Aberdeen examiner. [volume] (Aberdeen, Miss.) 1866-current, 1883-02-01
Mississippi an d Louisiana.
SOME PROMINENT CITIZENS FOR WHOM WE
ARE INDEBTED TO THE FORMER STATE.
NATCHEz Ian On 1919

NAToHEz, Jan. 90, 1883.
Editor N. o. Times-Democrat
Did it ever occur to you how much
Louisiana is indebted to Mississippi for
her statesmen, jurists, capitalists and
philanthrOplsts
VIM. G. G. Claiborne, your first Gov.
ernor, and for SO many years at the head
Of affairs, was citizen Of Mississippi and
Governor thereof when he was called to
Louisiana by President jefferson.
Your great jurist and historian, Judge
Martin, resided here before he went to
New Orleans.
Thomas Green Davidson, of st. Helena,
and John II. Harmanson, Of Rapides,
two of the most popular and influential
OF your Congressman, were born in
Jefferson county, Miss.
The late Judge McCaleb, of the United
States District Court, New Orleans, an
able lawyer, an accomplished scholar
and q finished gentleman, was native
Of Claiborne county, Miss, and so was
his brother, who held such high posi-
ton at your bar.
| Henry johnson, Governor and United
States Senator, Virginian by birth, re
sided several years in Mississippi before
he removed to Louisiana.
Gov. Joseph Walker, of Rapides, was
born and raised within three miles of
| Natchez
| Gov. Isaac Johnson, of West Feliciana
was native of Wilkinson county, Miss.
The three most prominent politicians
IN North Louisiana rs years ago were
| Ean g Nv IS
Edward Sparrow, of Concordia, and Col
VIM. s. Parham, of Madison. The first
was born in Warren county, where his
family came before the Spaniards left
the country. The second was raised in
Natchez; the third was raised in Kinds
and Madison counties, Miss.
Hon. E. W. Noise, Speaker of your
House OF Representative commenced
his career in Woodville, Miss.
The late DR.. Mercer. who rs capitalist
and philanthropist, stands in class with
Corcoran and Tulane, resided in this
county and here acquired the great for
tune which he disposed off SO benef-
Gently in your city. In 1919, or there
aboats, he was an army surgeon, and
was with small detachment of troops
at Bay st. Louis. The late Gen. Ripley
(who owned what is now the O'Brien
property at the Bay), brought over his
family in schooner. One of his serv
ants, an Irish woman. sickened OIL the
lake and died in n day or two, after they
landed, with black vomit. From that
moment the disease rapidly spread, and
Il terrible epidemic ensued. There hap
pened 10 be several families from this
quarter spending the summer Mt the
Bay; among them Capt. Ben. Farrar,
his wife, sister and daughters. All but
one daughter died. She owed her life,
under Providence, tothe young gurgeon,
and twelve months thereafter became
his wife. He thus became the wealthiest
man in Mississippi and perhaps in the
entire South, and your city in after years
received substantial proofs of his muni-
| ficence.
Your distinguished Senator, Gen.
Randall Acknowledgements asa SOL
der, scholar, orator and statesman, and
for whom, We think, the highest honors
are in reserve-comes from q family
prominent in Mississippi since the first
American immigration. His grandfather
was our pioneer clergyman, universally
beloved and honored, who founded here
a family numerous and influential, al
ways prominent socially and politically.
The father of the Senator was most
accomplished gentleman and extensive
planter, who married at Lexington, KY,
niece of Mrs. Henry Clay and of Hon.
Thomas 81. Benton.
l am not sure that Mississippi can
claim Senator Jonas, but his brother,
| Major 3. A. Jonas, man Of brilliant
talents, and not excelled as writer by
any one in the South, is citizen Of
Aberdeen, Miss, and Editor Of the Ex-
aminer.
The family of your Mr.. Blanchard
(who is 30 rapidly acquiring reputation
in Congress), came here from Norfolk,
Va, when Mississippi was q territory.
His grandfather was an able lawyer, who
soon died. His grandmother was sister
to the Hon. Thomas Newton, for twenty
five years representative from Norfolk
district, and during the entire term,
chairman of the committee on naval
affairs.
Mrs. Blanchard was left with five sons,
Charles X. Henry, Alfred, Edward o.
and Carey. They removed to Rapides.
La, and all became prominent. The last
time saw Hon. Alfred Blanchard was
here at Natchez, was when he took part
in the great Bowie fight, and received
two desperate wounds. We removed
him over to Vidalia, where nursed him
six weeks.
Your talented young statesman, Hon.
E. T. Lewis, who has just been nominal.
ed for Congress, is of Mississippi origin.
His grandfather, Hon. Seth Lewis, was
leading lawyers of the Nashville bar,
when W. @. G. Claiborne, then repre>
senting Tennessee in Congress, was APP
pointed Governor Of Mississippi Terrific
ry. He prevailed on Mr.. Lewis to move
here, and appointed him Chief Justice
of the Territory. Subsequently he re-
moved to Opelousas, and Gov. Claiborne,
now transferred to Louisiana, appointed
him to the Supreme Court. He was
profound lawyer and scholar, and O
writer of great ability. The sister of
Judge Lewis was q woman of rare &C
compliments, wife of Major Isaac
Guion. He was the son of French
Huguenot, who settled in New York.
Major Guion entered the army at an |
early age /; was on the staff of General
Alexander Hamilton, was subsequently
under Gen. Wayne IN his Indian Cam.
paigns, and came down the river with
the first detachment of American troops
that occupied Fort Nogales (now Vicks-
burg, when the Spaniards evacuated it.
He subsequently retired from service,
and settled at the foot of the Halfway
Hill, near Natchez. Both husband and
wife we're endowed with remarkable |
talents, and highly cultivated. Their
sons inherited these gifts. Frederick,
lieutenant in the army, fell in duel
here with VIM. Herby, a young lawyer
of Woodville. John I. Guion, distin.
guished as lawyer and legislator, was
partner Of VIM. L. Sharkey and s. s.
Prentiss. George W. Guion, parish
Judge of Concordia. removed n La.