The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1910-06-03

olIy ~ nave court mouse, ana cen
ter for the new civilization A mile
below the present site of GreenviTle,
the buildings were erected and trade
began to make strong hold. Before
this, everyone went to New Orleans
once a year for stores, clothing and
tools. Not many of each were needed
in those days. The rich land yielded
bOuntifully. The hunters stout boots
protected the clothes. The hand spike
was a powerful tool 1t rolled logs
for buildings, planted corn or killed
bear. They spoke of going to town
as if New Orleans were only a mile
distant Thrift, trade and united
community caused the Yazoo region to
grow into an enviable prominence be
fore the war came. That terrible
struggle over, the buildings were burn
ed and all trace of county papers gone.
The flood had swept over the site. The
undaunted few remaining of the men
OF the community, determined to re
build on safer ground, so the present
site was taken. 1t was then BlantOnia
| plantation. Not even the flood of '23
had reached it. Here the citizens tried
| to have a new place named for the in
| trepid noble pioneer, but wise and
| trusted friend of the place thought, as
| all records had been marked with the
| name of Greenville, that it ought to
| be perpetuated; so Greenville got its
| name. There is in the very heart of
| the new town, a marble shaft to mark
| the place where the founder lies. 1t
was designed by the writer, as many
| of you know. stump Of a tree, the
| axe lying at its root to signify that
it was cut off. BY it, there is bunch
of cane, typifying beautifully the fate
| of forest ana fen to be used by the
hand Of man to serve his purposes. In
the midst of the whirl of the busy mul-
| titude, this marble stands, and weaves
| to each ina ginatiOn a thread of his
! t0ry or interest. No one can accuse
| me of vanity if I say it fills me with
| pride to remember the days of old and
| with humble thankfulness that [ am
| honored in these lays of mine with
so many loving tokens of appreciation.
7 can but share with those who were
not spared to see the glories of this
dav of progress and prosperity. Many
still live who have done much, and
were not favored with financial sue
cess that should have attended them.
7 must here mention a noble name
Mr.. c. P. Huntington. To him Green
Vile owes her first railroad, the Green
vile Narrow Guage. This was the en-
| tering wedge that opened the way to
the later enterprise that has given i'm
petus to trade and life to all business.
The enterprise was begun in 1877.
| On December 9th the first rails were
| landed at the town. The road was
| called the Greenville, Columbus &
| Birmingham. Financial embarrassment
| prevented this man of untiring zeal
from realizing anything from the road.
But to him is due the honor. And al
so a recognition of great service in
giving a valuable library to the town
But already my letter is long, and
have still to say I thank the citizens
for many compliments paid me as the
| oldest resident Eighty-nine years
have come and gone, and still | am
| blessed I was called to drive the first
| spike at the opening of the new rail
! road; to ride on the first street car
| of the place; to give my name to the
| first fire engine Recently ] was asked
| to be present at the opening Of the
Jewish temple, and the first bank note
! of the First National bank was direct
| ed to me by a hand that wrote a pre-
| cious accompanying note. 1t IS not
vanity, but pr de and thankfulncss
that commits this paper to meet the
eyes Of my friends who have conspired
to give me happiness. To them | give
| this word of thanks. As adopted moth
er of the town, let my benediction be
in Keeping May heaven shower
| light and mothers blessings upon the
| place.
Now farewell
H. B. THEOBALD.