Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1913-07-04
Early RecOIIectiOns
Of Old NOxubee
To The Beacon:

A~oPSSSNCiyJ, anu Will uOW say LAo
some Of the most brilliant men anS
women of our state and the states sur
rounding were educated there. some o.
whom are today living.
Indeed, SO well and generally was il
accepted that a man was "gentle
man" and woman '1ady" who were
educated there. (for the highest ideals
OF principle and honor were inculcated
and were the schools bragg, that nc
further recommendation was necessary
to find entire into the highest circles Of
society when going out into the world
among strangers than to let it be
known that one were pupil of Gath
rights school and had received grad.
uating diploma there, and this accepta.
tion being general it were no wonder
that often at the school openings the
arrival of pupils would go beyond the
limit and in several instances many
would have to be sent back to their
homes.
/ can we'll remember the steel gray
eyes and facial expression of Mr.. Thos.
Gathright of the male school-an eye
and countenance betokening frmness
and honest purpose, and which boys go
ing there soon learned would brook of
no lodging the issue" and as result
"a chalk line" was walked by them to
their ultimate educational success and
future glory.
~ =
Along in 1868, when Confederate
money began to shrink rapidly in valu-
alton, (the fortunes of war showing
largely in the Unions favor). I remem-
ber on one trip | made carrying the
Shuqualak and Summerville mail for
my father, Che being the star route
contractor for several routes, one of
them to Kosciusko). that on top of the
mountain, opposite a marsh where
there was spring, / found two-and-
a-half-dollar gold piece and upon reach
ing home that evening was offered for
it, by Mr.. jack Bledsoe, who was the
war deputy sheriff for the Shuqualak
beat, $4,000, which I took, and which
he clung to through to the surrender
when it was seen that it served him to
mighty good purpose.
Not long since l saw in the BEACON
where an old Confederate veteran by
the name of Higginbotham had died in
the Fearn Springs neighborhood and
the high tribute you paid him as a citi-
zen and soldier. l we'll remember Mr..
Higginbotham, who was, when the war
started, about 40 years of age and who
then lived at Shuqualak in little log
house between the 81 Nicholson place,
which was the last house going out of
town on the Macon road. and the rail-
road, and right close to the old we'll /
mentioned not long since where mob
came mighty near throwing suspi-
cious character into. l well remember
the day, in the early portion of 1862,
when Mr.. Higginbotham along with
several others who were going forward
to join companies of their choice which
had gone on, boarded the train at Shu-
qualak, and that was the last l ever
saw of him. his family having removed
away a few weeks after he enlisted
and to where never knew until saw
lthe account of the old mans death in |
your paper not long since.
4 \ ~
Ali during the war the dependence |
for meal for the people of Shuqualak |
and the country around was Lees mill,
out on Running Water creek, four
miles northwest OF the town, and | re-
member that the boys, (for there were
scarcely any men left after the con-
script law was passed by Congress),
had to ride astride two and three bush
ell sacks Of corn, carried on horseback,
and that one of the delights of the trip,
other than fishing, was to play fox
and geese" while they were waiting
for their meal to be ground, Lee hav-
ing prepared several of these "fox and
geese" boards for the boys amuse-
ment and pastime while they waited.
Lee. though totally -uneducated and un-
sophisticated, was nevertheless egotis-
tical. He didn't think. to hear him
talk, that his equal in importance had
ever been created, and this reminds me
that on one occasion while out there,
(about the time General Lee was win
ming victory after victory, asked him
i"if he was any kin to General Lee?"
his reply being Eyes, he has been writ
ing TO us telling that he is kin, but
never paid any attention to it. il being
. rule of my family of Lees to not try
30 rake up kin with anybody"
]. j. HAYNIE.