Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1910-03-17
EARLY Recollcctions of
Oxford.
Dy A About 9, year old oxford Boy

The Masonic Hall in 1855 was
just wcs, II the southwest cor
ner OF the square. Howry q
Hayes law office WIS in the same
>ory. This was to be expected
Tor Judge Howry was one OF the
fathers of Masonry in Oxford,
and all his life was its strong
supporter. think, in fact am
about sure, that he built that
block. In 1859 the Masons built
them a temple Of their own on
the northeast corner and Just
east OF south main street. | sup
pose IL is there yet. In those
days it was n high honor to be n
mason. and you could find in it
in the rank Of Lafayette county.
| remember that when the new
temple was just started, they had
u corner stone laying Of course,
but in the meantime packed au-
dience met in the new c. L.
Church and listened to the fin-
ished. scholarly Judge Stesrns
deliver an elegant address on
Masonic Light, after which Col
Walter of Holly Springs, in that
rich, musical tone for which he
was noted, arose. and having
stated that Masonry just at that
time needed money, am began
20 call for subscriptions. La
Fayette county was rich then and
liberal almost 10 a fault. and
masonry was popular. Women
began to jump all over the house
and in ten minutes the money
was forthcoming. They rattleI
il dow to the tuue II fifty dol
lars at time and very few gave
less.
The Odd Fellows Lodge was on
the north side OF the square just
west of the Lafayette Hotel. i
smaller room than the Masonic
room, but neatly furnished. Its
membership was not large, but
they were our good citizens, and
some OF them in good circumstan-
ces. Both lodges were well at
tended. and stood at the very
top in the estimation OF the pub
lie. over the James +. Fades
store on the South side was q
hall used by sorls secret order,
the name OF which cannot re-
member. In 1859 the independ-
ent Order OF Good Templars was
organized aud for one year met
IN that hall. As | belonged to
the order, | can speak with some
Certainty as to its previous &C.
eupaney by another order. 1t
was fairly well furnished With
stands, altar, plenty Of chairs,
ard they were nice ones too.
After the first year the Good
Templars met in the Odd Fellows
Hall. 1t had a large and high
toned membership, James G.
Trigg being its first Worthy
Chief Templar. Then DR. Pc
CUES, fine man, a polished, cul-
tivated gentleman, as | remem
Der, took the office, and he was
followed by DR.. John W. C.
Smith. This latter gentleman
was country boy, who managed
to secure a good education, both
literary and medical, and then
came into Oxford TO make his
way into the world, and he made
It. He soon attracted the atten-
ton of that prince of men, DR.. T
ID. lsom. who made him his part.
her, and their friendship con-
tnued, as far as | have heard
until the war dissolved the part.
nership. Either during or jus
at the close of the war lac married
a wealthy Mississippi planter
daughter, and heard that hi.
duties as a farmer were so grea
that he aim ost lad his profession
aside. (Boys, this is not intend
ed as a hint to you all to learn t,
be doctors so you can marry rich.
In previous article | sale
something about the churches
but | omitted one pleasant fact
Nearly everybody went to church
! speak whereof | know when
say that on any Sabbath all NV
OF hs churt hes were compare,
lively crowded except perhaps
the Episcopal CATER II was bull
in 1850, and it was well ATTENDED
though it had small member,
ship.
+. A. SMITH.