The Tupelo journal., 1905-07-14
pEN.PiCTURES Of THE OLDEN TINE
HY col. ". =. CLAYTON.

When the tocsin Of war SCUM
ded, Henry Martin, the teacher
of the old Male Academy, but
who had then gone into the mer-
camille business, was living hap
PLY in the bosom Of his family
at Richmond, having married, in
the fall Of 1856, Miss Lou Will
Jams, daughtero of Owen Williams,
and sister to our townsman, Jas.
M. Williams; but he raised a
company, and was elected it's
captain, and entered the service
of the Confederacy, and offered
up his life upon her altar. If my
memory serves me right. he was
not killed in battle, but sickened
and died in the service. But new
theless, he was and is as truly a
hero as if he had died on the
field of conflict: His widow after
wards married w. H. Parks, Of
Shannon, Miss, where she now
sits a second time in her widow
hood.
The Female School at old Rich
mond was under the control Of
Miss Martha Lindsey when /
went there to school to Martin.
Miss Martha was a rather re-
markable woman in many re-
spects. She was firm and deter
mined, yet gentle and loving to
her pupils. Strong of purpose,
strong in the hearts of her pu-
pills and strong in her hold upon
her patrons; apt to teach and
loving her profession, it goes
without the saying that she made
a success Of the school, and turn
ed out many young ladies who
have been ornaments to society
and helpful to the world. But
however strong she may have
been in many respects, she was
not proof against cupid's arrow,
and so, like other women, she
was weak enough to be caught
in his tolls, and on Feby. l, 1856,
she was led to hymen's altar by
NJ. Williams at old Van
Buren,, on the Bigby river, at the
home of her brother, John w.
Lindsey. I remember the cir
cumstance very well, having at
tended the marriage, going from
Richmond, where the bridegroom
lived, amid the snow of winter.
It was a surprise wedding, and
placed on Friday evening to more
effectually hide the discovery of
the purpose Of the gathering, it
being given out as a party gath
ering for young people for social
intercourse, and not even the
Young ladies who acted as brides
maids knew Of the purpose Of
the meeting till after they ar
rived at the place for the mar
rage. And from then on till
now, through sunshine and shade,
Joy and sorrow, hope and fear,
sickness and death, they two have
been one. For many years they
were our nearest neighbors, and
my wife and Mrs. Williams spent
many pleasant social hours to-
gether, and for all those years
the gentle and loveable Mr.. Will
liams was in business in Tupelo,
and no man ever made a better
record for upright dealing and
business integrity than he, and
now, when the business time of
life has passed with them, they
have returned to their old home
town to wait and watch and look
and hope. May their declining
years be the mellowing ones of
their lives, so that when the reap
er comes, he that soweth and
they that reap may rejoice to-
-
gether.
Living near Richmond in those
olden days was a man in public
life I must not fail to mention,
George w. Stovall, who was cleo
ted to the legislature from old
Itawamba just after left school
there, and | thing in 1858. He
ran on the Democratic ticket. He
was not a brilliant speaker, and
in fact till he was nominated by
his party, / had never heard OF
his making any public speeches
at all. But he carried his party's
cause well and ably, being well
posted in the principles Of his
party and that of his adversary,
and while not an eloquent speak
er, he was a forceful one. He
made an acceptable member OF
the legislature and stood for re-
election in 1860, but was defeat
ed by James G. Gilstrap by one
vote, and such counting, recount
ing, and still counting on to see
if the ONE could not in some way
be changed, but it always came
out the same old ONE, as potent
for defeat as if it had been 9
thousand, and as good for sue
cess as if it had been many. G.
w. Stovall kept open house fol
all his friends, living about two
miles southeast Of Richmond