The Magnolia gazette. [volume] (Magnolia, Miss.) 1872-current, 1899-04-19
COL. GEO. NJ. GOFAN IS DEAD
GALLANT SOLDIER AND GEN.
TLEnAN PASSES AWAY.
The Body Carried from New Or
leans to Holly Springs for
Interment.

McComb, died at one O'Clock
Friday, April IA, 1899, in the
New Orleans Sanitarium, after a
long and painful illness. All the
members of his family were at his
bedside when the end came, ex-
cept Mrs. Govan, who has been
critically ill for some time at the
family home in McComb.
His remains were embalmed
and carried to Holly Springs,
where they were laid to rest in
the beautiful cemetery Sunday,
The funeral took place from Christ
church and was conducted by the
Rev. P. G.. Sears. The church
was crowded to its utmost. The
Knights of Pythias and the Au-
trey Rifles stood in the aislesr
The active pail bearers were: AdA
Olson Craft, Gen. VIM. Henry,
Capt. Yerger, w. R. CASTOR, II.
S. Dancy, r. A. McWilliams and
L. H. Nall. Honorary pall-
bearers: Col. Montgomery, ex-
NGov. Lowry, Sam Frank, j. j.
Evans, Capt. Fuller, j. d. Nc
Innis, Capt. Campbell, David Nc
Dowell, j. w, Gray, Geo. Finley
and Henry G.. Vaught. The floral
offerings from McComb City and
New Orleans were profuse and
beautiful, The service and music
were impressive. A large pro-
cession followed the remains to
the cemetery. Many distinguish
ed persons from all portions of
the state attended his funeral.
Col. Govan was native Of
Marshall county, having been
born there October 20, 1910. He
was educated at st. Thomas Hall
and when the war broke out he
enlisted as a private on the 9th
day of March, 1861, in Company
B, 9th Mississippi regiment. The
regiment was then ordered to
Florida and there served a year,
when most Of the men W ere mus
tered out Col. Govan returned
to Holly Springs and raised a
company Of his own OF which he
was elected first lieutenant. He
was mustered into the S9th Mis-
sissippi regiment at Corinth.
When Gen. Walthall was APP
pointed Brigadier General, Col.
Govan was appointed Inspector
General and when Gen. Walthall
was appointed Major General he
was put on his staff as Inspector
General of the division. He
served in this capacity until the
reorganization Of the army about
a month before the close of the
war, when he was appointed
major Of the Oath Mississippi reg
iment. Col. Govan took part in
some of the hottest battles of the
war and was wounded at Mum
fordsville, KY. He was in the
Chickamauga and Lookout Noun
tain fights and the battles around
Atlanta. At the close of the war
he settled in Marshall county and
went to farming. In 1876 he was
elected clerk of the house of rep
resentatives, and was re- elected
in 1S77-78. In 1880 he was elect
ed secretary- treasurer of the
Mississippi Valley company own
ed by the Illinois Central, and
moved to McComb City, where
he has resided ever since. Iii
1884 ne was elected to the legis-
lature from Pike county, and ir
the following year was nominated
by the State Democratic Conven
ton to the position Of Secretary
of State and was elected. VIr
1889 he was renominated to thii
position and was elected, holding
the office until 1896, when he waI
succeeded by Col. j. L. Power
the present incumbent. Return,
ing to this county, he began tn,
practice of law in partnership
with P. E. Quin of McComb, th,
firm name being Govan & Quin
At the outbreak of the war will
Spain the deceased was appointed
Colonel of the First Mississippi
regiment of volunteers, and con.
tracted the cold that caused his
death while spending the winter
with his regiment in Columbia,
Tenn.
Besides his invalid wife, Col.
onel Govan leaves one son and
two daughters to mourn his death