The Brandon news., 1905-02-09
Death Of Judge Mayors,

February o, 1919, at I2O p. M, a.
his home in Brandon, after q few
weeks illness. The funeral services
were conducted at his .lats residence
Tuesday evening, BY Bishop O.. B.
Galloway, assisted by Rev. j. A.
Moore, pastor of the Methodist church
at this place of which the deceased
was a consistent member.
The following biography, which
appeared in the New Orleans Picayune
the day after his death, gives the COR
rect history of Judge Mayors life:
In the passing away of Judge
Alonzo Gustavus Mayors, nestor cf
the Mississippi bar, the State loses
one of her grandest sons. This ven.
erable jurist had presided over the
States largest circuit court district
theEighth )for twenty two consecutive
years, being succeeded in 1896 by
Judge John r. Enochs. In spite of
his advanced age, he was, up to about
one year ago, one of the most active,
energetic and vigorous men in the
State.
Judge Alonzo Gastavus Mayors was
born at Winchester, Wayne County,
Miss, on March 6, 1921. He was
son of James Mayors, native of
Richmond, Va, who moved to Missis-
sippi in early life; was one of the
pioneers of that section of the State,
married Miss Jane Cole, and became
man of considerable local prominence,
filling with ability several county Of
fees. He died in 1884.
Juoge Mayors left home at the early
age of IA years to make his own way
in the world. at which time he had
very limited education and absolutely
no financial means, but with the en-
ergy and determination that marked
his career later in life he began at
once to seek his fortune, and found a
position in store at Quitman, Clarke
county, and later at Garlandsville, in
the meantime devoting all of his spare
time to study and self improvement.
Judge Mayors commenced reading
law in the Office of Judge Watts, at
Garlandsville, and was admitted to
| the bar at Winchester before he was
81 years of age. Some time later he
formed partnership with Judge
| Watts, with whom he was associated
| for short time. In 1874 he located
at Raleigh, Smith county, where he
practiced law until lS47, when he re-
moved to Paulding, Jasper county,
and was associated with Judge Noun
ger until the death of the latter in
1851. I845 he was candidate for
District Attorney in strong Demo
cratic district, and, although strong
Whig, was defeated by only two votes.
In 1852 he removed to Brandon, where
he had since resided. In 1860 he
formed a partnership with Ex-Gov-
ernor Robert Lowry, whose tutor he
was, and with whom he remained
professionally associated for sixteen
years. In 1876 he was appointed Cir
cult Judge of the district by Governor
Stone, and was re-appointed by Gov
ernor Lowry in 1882 and 1888. When
Governor Stone again entered the Of
flee he reappointed Judge Mayors, and
the latter served on the bench until
1896, when Governor McLaurin ap-
pointed Judge John r. Enoch as his
successor, thus bringing to a Gloss a
continuous service of twenty years on
the bench.
Judge Mayors was man Of re-
markable physical vitality, and until
a year or SO ago retained an elastic
step, acute intellect and wonderful
energy. He possessed rugged con-
stitution that many men quarter of
a century younger might we'll have
envied.
Judge Mayors was presiding on the
bench during the famous Hamilton
trial of 1883, the defendant being
charged with the killing of Rhoderick
Gambrell, and which, perhaps, at
tracted more attention than any other
criminal case in the history of Missis-
sippi.
Judge Mayors was married Jan. D,
IS48, to Elizabeth Clotilda King, Of
Rankin county, who died in 1852,
leaving two children, who died during
the same year. He married Miss
Nancy L. McLaurin, of Coyington
county, daughter of Judge Daniel Nc.
Laurin, Feb. IA, 1856. Four children
were the result of this union, as fol-
lows; Henry Mayors, Of st. Louis
Mrs Olin Green, of Meridian, Miss. !,
Mrs. Dantzler, of Mosspoint, Miss !,
and D. M. Mayors, of Brandon, Miss,
with the latter of whom Judge Mayors
had lived for some years. He leaves
a brother, Hon. P. K. Mayors, the
l.