The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1884-04-09
EARLY LIFE IN MISSISSIPPI.

20 1Ah41 LIFE In AlSo4oo1E11.
a 4 Among the manuscripts destroyed i
# the burning Of the residence of Col. J
e T. II. Claiborne, was graphic sketch Q
le the leading men and events in MississiE
q pi,prepared by Ex-Governor A.G Brown
in 1874, at the request of Col. Claiborne
t We are pleased to find portion Of til
IS sketch had been copied. and we find
: in a recent issue of the Copiahan:
d Mr. first r collection, of what was one
= q noble State, dates back TO 1924. In No
+ vemher Of that year, following my father
e immigrant wagon from South Carolina,
+ plac d my bare feet across the line whicl
= divided Alabama from Mississippi, few
niles East OF Columbus.
Fifty years ago. What an immensity o.
0 history IS compressed within that narrog
= limit Families have lived, and passed
b away. Politicians have had their day.
: Statesmen have strutted their brief hour
6 and are already numbered among the
{ things that were. Fifty years ago! What
] do the boys of to-day know, or even dream
| of what the next fifty years may bring
for'h.
T am not writing history, but sketching
Early Life in Mississippi" in the humble
, hope that my experience may be of some
benefit to you .hfll friends who stand
to-day VIII re | stood fifty years ago.
Columbus, in 1924, was mere hamlet.
There were some white houses in il. But
whether they were painted, or white
washed, | have no recollection. | only
know at it was q town; and 1t was the
first one had seen, after leaving Green
vile, in South Carolina.
After leaving Columbus, | do not think
my fathers family encountered white
settler until they reached jackson. Ihg
Chick asaws and ChOctaws had undiSputed
possession OF the country, above what Is
now the lower part OF Madison. The
| Ctoc;aws had lett Copiah, and a part OF
Kinds, but they still ling red in the upper,
or Northern part of their cession 10 Ih-
| United States
| jackson had name, and that was about !
all. / do n0t call 70 mind but single |
family in the town. They were OF the |
name of Whitesides. Ii any OF the de /
scendants OF thai family survive, l tax, |
| this late opportunity To return thanks III /
the name of my mother and her infant
children, for certain hospitaiities which /
were doubly acceptable III view oi tr t
fact that We had for several weeks knpwr
no ther friends than the Indians.
Where the city Of jackson nov standr
was wilderness The site of the Carito,
was a reed-brake. Tie Fair Ground was
the habitation OF beasts and reptiles.
Where the eli ief bu. inesS is now done was
known only to wild beasts ami the mere nd
venturous huntsmen | remember that my
fathtr drove his wagon across Town Creek
at a point near whrre the railroad now
crosses it, under an arch OF immense cane
made hy friendly hand in IN attempt t.
cut roadway TO the lower country.
There il an anecdote, now almost forgot
ten, which tells what Jackson vas. Odd
Col. DeFrance kept hotel at a little
later date than that of which speak
The Colonel WAS fond OF dry joke. One
evening a traveller threading lis way
from Natchyz 10 Ma hville divelged
somewhat from The old Robinson road to
spend "a light at the new Seat OF Govern 9
ment.
Traveller" Rather wild looking coun- {
try this, landlord"
Landlord WcH, yes! little so"
'An, game around here2'' 5
"Oh, yes plenty, plenty"
"What kind?" t
"Well, all sorts of small game and i
then we have lots of deer aud bear, and :
"What! bear, and 10 you kill bear hsrt?'
Certainly" tg
"How? with dogs and guns? b
"No; nonsense"
GLOW, then?' T
tWeli, you see we can just get long ,
pole, and fix spike on the end of it, with !
a sort of barb so as to make it keep it, p
holt and then We go down to the "
thickest part of that cane brake and com d
rnap,.o ram, ~, inc N
"What! and kill bear that way?"
'Oh no, we never kill anything tla .
way"
After leaving Jackson my father passed u
TWO settlements before he reached GaIlatin d
.frahern, seven miles south of Jackson, p
md Josiah Ships, thirteen miles south n
)f the same place. d
Aaron Miller was eamped six miles =
north of Galfatin, within two hundred
Yards of where he lived afterwards for el
more than ffty years, and there died uni q
Eersally respected, az an honest man,
good citizen, and pure patriot. a
G4llatin at that day was very snail Il
,ity. If there was anything in il except d
he courthouse did not see it. was a d
mali boy and had my eyes about mr, and IT
as the town bore part OF my name, | do al
lot think | am mistaken in saying that l y
ook it all in at glance. NJ
The courthouse was buili of pine poles. ei
The bark had been taken of, but the spur d
,nds had not been sawed down. The tloa ol
vas OF puncheons and the roof of clap b'
boards weighted down with small poles.
The Judges bench was constructed OF
boards split out of pine timber Z .ld pegged
ogether. The house thus rudely construct
a served The triple purpose OF court CT
l0nse, sheriff7s office and clerks office. The al
all As stump to which the prisoners were oi
haine,i, and a small thicket in the rear OF "
he courthouse served the double purpose q
i jury room, and stands for retail grocer n
es. b.
Winding our way along, after a travel h
i two days or more, my father found him. i
elf at the house Of James Graves, ON F0s- !.
er's. Crt OK, whom may as well say just !
lere, was the father of that most excellent :
adv. the wife Of our mutual friend, B, F. : :
Nelson. =
Mr.. Graves being woodsmau, pioneered :
IS through a wilderness and brought us {, \
! camping ground on land which my fatiler !,
aad entt red from the Gnitsd Slxteo.
This, 7 remember, was on the 24th OF y
December, 1874, The weath.r hal been =
1ropiti0us. But the next Christmas =
the gates OF heaven seemed to be opened n
The rain fell, the winds blew, and the 81
hunder rolled. Ii seemed to me in my Il
childish simplicity, that We had got not 81
lnly into new country but to place f
where they had the hardest rains. the herc- ii
st winds, and the londest thunder that Il
my mortal people had ever encountered. Il
We were in dense forest with not ;.
tick amiss, and in the midst of this fear 2, g
ul atorm, leavir my mother and her lIt- !, =
lie children, with very slight help. to shit :,
or themselves, my father set out in search :. =
i food. The nearest point was Port 6la- i i
on. With incredible difficulties he reaeht = =
hat point, only 10 learn that no supplies 2
sere 10 be had there; he had to 60 On 70 y
3ruinsburg, the point where Grant crossed p
ne Mississippi before taking Nicksburg IN =
he rear.l Here he purchased such meagce ie
upplies as his poorly filed parse would ii
lllow. Then he took up his weary way b.
lack to his family in Copiah. The heay- 0I
ms lowered, the rains descended, but the n
tout heart 81 the pioneer pressed on. bi
Those who have travelled the road from ,;
Port Gibson 10 Linden, need not Be told g
loW many streams there are across that s.
Dad. Let them consider that at the time n
4 which I speak, there were no bridges nor Z,
erries, uor even fortls Aeross those streams; q
md then take into account that there we're I. I.
eW willing hands 10 help and they will 7.
lare an idea 81 the difficulties which my 4 /
afher eneountered in getting haek home, &
He gof home II the end of three weeks
= more. and found his family II an alI1oel u
Itarxfng condition. II might BE interesting le
9 tell how, with the aid of some 1ihers il s.
Ike condition With himself RATS we're con. 4
Itrnefed, wagons aoated, horses swan. etc. b
1ut this would draw onf l1y story too long ei
During MS fathers abssnce We offered ID
.llnosf i1conceirabie hardships. / would S
'elafe them. But even etolid aeinn-I sl
ion can Ga Do The hratus When state S
ssinq VI tbouf NEST. she rid deer looked =
antsfszinzly into oar camp. and other /.
sane was pIenfys but We had neithes
powder nor shat.