Oxford eagle., 1922-11-30

In old papers given us by Mrs.
Henry Moore, we found some receip-
ted accounts from other business
firms, the earliest being a statement
dated 1881. This was before LaFay-
cite County was Incorporated. 1t is
an iten1ized account of James &.
Browning, who was an uncle of Mrs.
Moore, with Wendell and Sheegog.
| Still other early business firms were
r. Sheegog and Son, 1884. Sheegog
and Bowen, 1887, Wendell. Wilson and
Company 1889, w. H. Smithers 1849.
I Deeds.
The Chickasaw Treaty was con-
cluded in May, 1884, and it is known
I that there were white persons living
here among the Indians and trading
with them as early as 1881, hence,
| it is probable that we have no official
record of the very first land sales.
/ One of the earliest recorded deeds
is dated June Is, 1886 and shows that
Charles Mcdonald of Giles County,
! Tennessee, sold to Edward Feathers
I ton OF Georgia, for seven hundred and
fifty dollars, one section of land sit
uated iii this county. at being a
part of the Publam-ma -tubby Re-
serve" Three days earlier, June II,
Ha-Ka (No. 371) of the Chickasaw
Nation decided to Martin, Chisolm
! and Craig, Section 21, Township 8,
Range 8, West. This sale had to be
made thru the Land Office at Ponto-
toe, but as automobiles had not been
thought of and there was not even
Ia weekly mail, this deed was not re-
corded until September Is, 1886, three
months after the sale was made.
I Ha-Ka's signature and seal, as
copied by the clerk, consisted of a
,crossImark This deed is particularly
interesting to the Daughters, because
it was conveyed by a woman. 1t
reads, "she, the said Ha-Ka." The
sex is further emphasized by the fol-
lowing which appears just below this
,deed; "We, the undersigned certify
that the above named Ha-ha is able to
take care of her own affairs" signed
by George and James Colbert.
Gorge and James Colbert.
In the same year, Green Berry
Bowles, grandfather of Mrs. Benz
Price, came from Hardeman County,
Tennessee, aid purchased from Joseph
Carothers of Marshall County, Mis-
sissippi, two sections of land, nos. 2S
and 20, situated in Lafayette County.
This is now the Shinault farm.
Harrison Jones, a Revolutionary
soldier ana a multiple grandfather
of Mrs. ]. B. Browns was a large
land owner at an early date. He
lived, at the time of his death, on
what is now the Baird place. We
found no deeds to him, but in 1886,
his son John Peyton Jones purchased
two adjoining sections of land. In
fact all Of Woodson's Ridge was
owned in the arly days by the Jones,
Bowles and Pegues.
In Book B. Page 375, we found
that Chisholm, Martin and Craig in
1910 sold to Richard Stephens, grand
father of Mr.. Louis Stephens, large
tract of land, some. of which is now
the Fee property. We understand
that the Martin of this firm built
the house now owned by Mrs. Stanley
Logan
Messrs. Louis Stephens and j. K.
Hudson are at present engaged in
preparing for the county, an abstract
of land deeds, which when completed,
will be very valuable addition TO
the county records.
During the four years 1836-1840 the
name of almost every prominent
family appears on the records as pur-
chasers. The examination of these
deeds is most interesting, provided one
has unlimited time, but they are too
numerous to be given passing
mention.
Doubtless, the deeds, which have
been most far reaching in their in
fluence in the county and state, are
those which donated lands for churches
and educational institutions.
In 1870, Goodloe Buford and his
wife Salina G. gave to the. trustees of
North Mississippi College and their
successors, the Northeast quarter of
Section /, Township s, Range 4 West.
In 1841, John D. Martin ard his
wife Sarah Martin decided to the
state, three hundred and twenty acres
of land, designated as the South half
of Section 20 Township 8, Range 8
West, for a site for the State Uni
versity.
The same year James Stoclard
and his wife Sarah H. (Neeley)
decided to the state the same number
of acres, designated as the South half
of Section 20, Township 8, Range 3
West, for the same purpose.
The tradition both in Oxford and
among the University officials is that
the citizens of the town and county
gave the land for the University, but
the records show only the above men
toned persons as donors. A probable
explanation Of this is, that the citizens
paid these men, at least in part for
the land.
/ The Stockards were very promin-
ent in the early history of the county.
The came from Tennessee. Since
there were two men by the name of
James Stockard. we have INQUIRED