The sea coast echo. [volume] (Bay Saint Louis, Miss.) 1892-current, 1899-04-01
IN. O. Picayune, Monday, March 27.l

news which was flashed over the
wires Of the East Louisiana Raa-
road Yesterday morning to the
sorrowing relatives and friends IA
New Orleans, of the de. tn Of
The death of Captain John Polite
vent, at Abita Springs.
4 man more thorou ghly 1dentl-
fed with the commercial history
of Mississippi and Louisiana and
IN fact. OF the entire South, could
not be foaad, and well, indeed {,
had he GAINED the title of The
Lumber King Of the South" be-
slowed upon him by Northwestern
Journals devoted to the intere 5ts
Of the lumber industry. His king
dom, the Southern lumber busi-
ness, local and eXrSrt. lives after
him, a monument t6his thrift, en-
terprise and indefatigable indus
try. OF such a man too much can
not be said in praise, nor combin-
ed with his untlring energy, excel
lent business acumen and sterling
honesty and truth, he possessed a
character in social and private life
which made hIm loved of all men.
His associates admired HIM, his
friends esteemed him, and his em-
ploves loved him. He was access
sible to all, and the humblest dar-
KEY in the pine woods could gain
his attention as readily as could
those who stood high in authority
under him.
The second of seven children of
Capt. W J. Poitevent, known all
along Pearl river as "Old Captain
Bill" John Poitevent was born at
Gainesville, Miss, in the midst of
country the recent development
and progress of which is largely
due to hIm. His brothers were
Messrs June Poitevent, at present
located at Palmetto, Fla, Sam
Poitevent, of Abita Springs, and
Adolph Poltevent, superintendent
of the East Louisiana Railroad.
His sisters were the late Mrs. +.
j. Nicholson, proprietress Of the
Picayune, lady we'll known in
the literary world under the nom
de plume of "Pearl Rivers Mrs.
w. E. Carter, of Sardis, Miss
and Mrs. Henry Weston, wife of
the president of the IL. Weston
Lumber Company.
A history of the life of Captain
John Poitevent is one replete with
great, but we'll considered under
takings and deserved success.
IdIeness was a word not under
stood in his vocabulary, except as
one of censure and condemnation.
Even before he had passed his
boyhood days and had obtained
his education his indominata5le
energy made itself apparent and
found an opportunity of exerting
itself. His father, Capt. W. j..
Poitevent, was interested in or
owned and commanded number
of steamboats, at,varlous periods,
and his son, John, begged to be
allowed to accompany his father.
His natural aptitude and the
great interest he manifested in the
business soon made his services to
his father valuable, and he was
competent to take command of a
vessel himself. He passed exam
ination successfully and credlta-
bly, and became Il licensed pilot
and master, and thus earned the
title of "captain" by which he was
known to the hour of his death.
He served on or commanded a
large number of vessels, promi-
nent among which were the Ruby,
A. g. Brown, Captured during
the war by the United States gov
ernment and owned by Capt. W
j. Poitevent). The w. I, Poite-
vent. Virginia Pearl, W. q. Han
cock, Earl and number of 9TH
ers.
At the time the civil war broke
out in 1861 the young man was en-
gagged in the steamboat business,
navigating Pearl river and streams
Tributary to the Mississippi Sound
and lake Pontchartrain. He vol
unteered his services to the Con-
federate States and was assigned
to the navy AMI commissioned as
lieutenant com Mander. He com
manded the gunboat Carondelet in
lake Pontchartrain, and subse-
quently at the bom6ardment and
naval battle at FortA jackson and
St. Philip. When New Orleans
fell into the hands off the Federal
troops Capt. Poitevent was as
signed to shore dutyt in the artil-
lery branch of the service. and par
ticipated in the battleA of Mans
field, La. and other Warm and
spirited engagements. Atuhe ter
mination of the war he resumed
his former occupation of steam
boating. and gradually extended
his business and enterprises.
The pine forest of Mississiplpi
and Louisiana were then almaEt
virgin. especially in Hancock couh-
ty, Miss, and adjoining counlieIs.
and st. Tamnany parish, La.
the eastern border of which skirk-
ed Pearl river, on the banks oAf
which he was born. He foresapS
the vast wealth that lurked amonol
these. old silent forests. and be-
came interested in the lumber bus-1
mess in other ways than hauling