The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1905-07-22
Old Times in Grenada County
BY AARON q. DAVIS


key, which was only five cents a glass,
gamble, and indulge in fist and skull,
rough and tumble fights. They would
often get drunk and paint the town
red and women and children had to
stay off the streets. while they were
around. These fellows had their own
way for a long time so far as the Off
in the forties James Sims was
! elected marshal and made the
first arrests among them, and
broke up their rowdyism in town. He
was the first man to conquer the
rough element.
: A few miles below Grenada, on the
north bank OF the Yalobusha, was sit
uated in the early days, the town of
Troy, with a population of about
$50 people. A number Of wealthy
and intelligent planters lived in the
surrounding country, among whom
were the Leighs, Powells, Talberts,
| Bakers, Minters and TONNES. The
chief mercantile firm of the place was
Chisolm & Minter. Robert. Mullin az
forwards one Of the leading mer-
chants of Grenada. began his business
career at Troy. In the course of
time both the population and trade Of
the town were absorbed by Grenada
and it became a deserted village"
Richard n. Hall was one of the early
Sheriffs of the county and an honored
citizen.
Bear, deer, turkey and other game
was plentiful in those days and the In
dams would kill the game and sell it
to the whites, they knew very little of
the value of things and made poor ira
ders.
Among the early settlers in the
county were Il. l.. II. Wright, O. S.
Beck, VIM. II. Beck and Rev. + L.
Steele, father of Rev. Sam Steele,
who was born in Grenada county.
Another old pioneer vas r. M. Spicer.
who kept a tavern on the stage road
near Spring Hill church. The sign of
this tavern, the first on the road,
read: "R. NJ. Spicer, Go it with a
Rush." Rev. f. l.. Steele was a very
\ 1CdI IICu lldII anu oil dUlC WIlJCIs
Educational advantages were not
very good in Grenada in the early
days. William Duncan conducted
the first girls high school in the town
in 1888, but resigned his position to
60 into the mercantile business in
1889. The next teacher of the girls
high school was Mrs. Sarah A. Ball.
who was succeeded by Miss Kate
Sawyer-afterwards Mrs. Geo. Donkin.
G.. D.. Mitchell established a boys
high school in 1888. The school was
afterwards conducted by Hughes
Mitchell. Col. G.. X. Martin was a
prominent lawyer of the early day.
The Presbyterian church was built
in 1882 by John Moore, contractor,
the lumber for the construction of the
church was sawed with an old fash
toned wrip saw and the columns
turned out by hand. Rev. M. Rich
ardsOn was pastor of the church at
that time and Charles HOgshead,
whose grand children worshipped at
the sacred editice now, was one of it's
ruling elders.
John A. Murrell, the noted outlaw
was tried in Grenada in the early days
Of the town. Murrell had been OPP
perating in this part of the country
and was betrayed into the hands of
the officers by one Stewart, a member
of his band.
Rev. Jas. G. Hall, who was for
more than fifty years a minister in
the Baptist church settled near Gre
NADIA in 1897. He had a large family,
and his son, Judge JAS. G.. Hall, was
born in Grenada, Aug. 10, 1847. He
was a distinguished judge, legislator
and political leader and made his
home in Sardis.
At this period the old time circus
which travelled in wagons would some
times visit the town and all the peo-
pie for miles around would attend.
On September Is, 1886, there was a
killing frost in this section of the
state which did much damage.
Turnbull, the noted Indian chief
lived on the Tuscahoma road ia the
early days.
The town of Chocchuma was estab-
lished about 1885, about seventeen
miles west of Grenada, on the south
bank of the Yalobusha river. This
town, besides being a river shipping
point, was made of more importance
by the government land Office, which
was located there. Many people were
attracted to Chocchuma by the land
sales and the town vas a good trade
center. 1t had at One time five bust
ness houses, besides saloons, other
shops, three hotels, five boarding
houses. The land office was moved tol
Grenada in 1912 and the town went
down. James A. Giralt was once re-
ceiyer of public moneys at Chocchu-
ma and George Connolly, a prosper
Gus merchant.
The first stage coach arrived in Gre
NADIA in January 1888. This was a
memorable day for the town. The
stage line was from Jackson to Mem
phiS. The mails were carried and
travellers taken in four horse coaches.
The drivers would herald their ap-