Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1914-02-13
Early Recollections
Of Old Noxubee.

The name, ''Shuqualak. in the Choc-
taw Indian language, is spelled "Shar-
kalok" and the definition is goose,
and the town takes its name from the
creek of that name. which runs in q
southwesterIy direction, the railroad
crossing it one mile below the town. !.
1t is said that the outlines of the
creek. Tin its running), if sketched on
paper, would show the figure of huge
goose-the short body, long neck and
bill all being there, true to life.
1t was along the banks of rhis creek
that Indians spent much Of their time
before the railroad was built, the swamp
furnishing plenty of game for hunting
and trapping for the men, and cane for
the making of baskets by the women.
Even as late as 1858, there could be
signs seen of their camps in the swamps
along the creek, and to this day, per-
haps, some of the mounds may be seen,
if not effaced by the land being since
cleared and placed in cultivation. I;
Many times when boy, with others
u would visit this creek and follow its
meandering in search of Indian relics
and l remember how often my. quests
were rewarded by the finding of bow
and-aIrow spears. made. of flint rock,
and these furnished the points for the
arrows with which the men killed their
game turkey, deer, etc.
And as. an evidence that the section
about Shuqualak must have indeed
abounded with game before the railroad
was built, even as late as 1859, saw
the Jenkins boys. Crock" and ISL"
who were great hunters, ON several oc-
casions, pass through town with deer,
sometimes one apiece, tied across heir
horses at the backs of their saddles,
and all through the lasting of the war,
when there was but little hunting and
game became more gentle, have
known Tom Dunlap, the station agent,
to get up about. four o'clock in the
and not go more than mile
east, and get back with a wild turkey
before breakfast, themost of them being
killed in the fiatwoods swamp near the
Wash Campbell place..
And speaking of the meaning Of
names, there is a small limerick cut in
The old Hudson field two miles south of
that the railroad passes
through, which, up to the time I left
went by the name of "Bull
Face" the name having been given it
because of notable happening there
hort time after the railroad was built,
he original "Hell fired jack" an engi-
leer of daring, having met his first
Waterloo there, huge bull being en-
midway in the cut, and de-
pite all the blowing of the whistle and
inging of the bell, refused to bulge.
He was standing in the middle of the
rack, defiantly looking the approaching
rain squarely in the face, seeming to
ely it.
Well, now, "Hell-fired Jack" had
aimed his reputation by not letting a
little thing like that cause him to lose
ny Sleep" it being his custom to pull
he lever wide open on such occasions,
nd was, until this time, successful in
learing the obstruction, but in this
ase the bull. though losing it's life,
vas the victor to an extent, for the i'm
act knocked the engine from the track,
itching it in the mud. for which the
ut is noted. but "Hell-fred Jack"
merged from the wreck unscratched,
nd walking to the front to view the
ause of his first defeat, remarked, as
e gazed upon the dead enemy. "Old
elbow. I admire your spunk, but d--n
our Judgment" and from that day
enceforth the cut took the name Of
Bull Face" and the star of HELL
red Jack" began to wane. for until
hat time no COW, horse or bull ever l
aused wreck of his train nor had he I
yer been known to slacken. but always {
,creased his speed in encountering
lch an obstruction, saying that was 9
ne easiest way to clear the track of J
lch menaces.
In after years, several engineers, a
ne after another, were called Hell I
red Jack" because of initiating the '
riginal when such distractions were S
ncountered, but the only and original G
as the one who spoke to the dead bull q
the Hudson field, and changed the \
anne of lime hill cut to "Bull Face" c
]. J. HAYNIE. 7
uitman. Miss. February II. 1914.