Skip to main content

Full text of "The leading Afro-Americans of Vicksburg, Miss., their enterprises, churches, schools, lodges and societies;"

See other formats 


F349 
.V6L4 


LIBRARY  OF  CONGRESS 


DDDOmbflOHE 


^0^  \D 


'-^^0^ 


^oV^' 


;<    -n^o^ 


3     vrv,       .?£^i^^       .V^     -$- 


•  ^^  ^^  ^'-^      '^         ' 


V 


A  o  "  o  ,         ^'q 


"°^'^"V    V'*^""y'    "°*''^^'*/    '*<>--i^'-/ 


."   .>^''V 


.<i.^ 


•^^ 


THE   LEADING 

AFRO-AMERICANS 

of 

VICKSBURG,  MISS. 

THEIR  ENTERPRISES 
CHURCHES,  SCHOOLS 
LODGES  and.  SOCIETIES 

Introductory    by    W.   E.  MOLLISOX. 


Mr  « 

\i$       \it       \ii 


1908 
BIOGRAPHIA  PUBLISHING  CO. 

VICKSHURG,  MISS. 


fNOeCED 


F3f7 


'        // 


FULL  PAGE  ILLUSTRATIONS 


Edw.  P.  Jones. 
Thomas  Dillon. 
W.  E.  Mollison. 
Rev.  R.  T.  Middleton. 
Rev.  Kelly  Rucks. 
Rev.  Jno.  J.  Morant. 
Sandy  H.  Highland. 
Rev.  J.  H.  C.  Henry. 
W.  D.  Hicks. 
Jerre  M.  Blowe. 
Mrs.  Edw.  P.  Jones. 


Georgia  A.  Procter,  M.D. 
Officers  Union  Savings  Bank. 
Interior  Lincoln  Savings  Bank. 
Mt.  Heroden  Baptist  Church. 
Holly  Grove  Baptist  Church. 
St.  Mary's  Church  and  School. 
Jackson  Street  Baptist  Church. 
Bethel  A.  M.  E.  Church. 
King  Solomon  Baptist  Church. 
Cherry  Street  School. 
Magnolia  Avenue  School. 


INTRODUCTORY. 


By  W.  E.  Mollison. 

A  CITY  set  upon  a  hill  cau  not  be  hid.  Vioksbiirg  has 
been  in  the  front  ranks  of  pnblicity  for  the  past  sixty 
years.  It  was  the  home  of  a  race  of  statesmen  before  the 
war  of  the  rebellion.  It  was  the  home  town  of  Jefferson 
Davis,  the  President  of  the  Southern  Confederacy.  It  was 
the  home  of  many  of  the  reconstruction  leaders.  It  was  here 
that  the  first  colored  man  attempted  to  manage  a  community. 
No  reference  need  be  had  to  the  success  or  failure  of  those 
who  took  upon  themselves  this  most  serious  task.  But  the 
Carters  and  Cardozas,  and  others  whose  names  were  house- 
hold words  when  the  present  generation  of  active  people  were 
in  kilts  and  short  skirts,  have  left  conflicting  memories. 

In  the  very  earliest  days  this  city  attracted  a  number  of 
brilliant  and  energetic  colored  people  from  abroad.  Vicks- 
burg  became  the  center  from  which  radiated  the  spirit  and 
intelligence  which  attempted  the  management  of  the  common- 
wealth. 

It  was  inevitable  that  it  should  have  afterward  been  the 
theater  in  which  was  played  the  tragedy  of  the  second  revo- 
lution. Its  white  people  came  from  a  race  of  men  who  had 
sent  the  Southrons  to  win  glory  at  Beuua  Vista,  and  after- 
wards at  Gettysburg  and  in  the  Wilderness,  and  whose  valor 
in  defense  of  its  rugged  heights  added  a  ucav  and  brilliant 
chapter  to  American  arms. 

Colored  i)eople  are  imitative  of  the  best  as  well  as  the 
worst  in  their  Avhite  neighbors  and  compatriots,  and  they 
aspired  to  try  their  hands  at  taking  part  in  the  game  of 
politics  as  they  had  seen  the  masters  play  it. 

But  not  in  the  jjolitical  field  has  the  colored  citizen  of 
Vicksburg  been  shown  at  his  best.  In  the  gentler  walks  of 
private  and  business  life  he  has  won  for  himself  a  name  for 
integrit}'  as  well  as  ability.  The  first  colored  physician  who 
ever  practiced  in  tJie  state  made  Vicksburg  his  home.  A 
lawyer  who  had  won  honors  in  Queen's  College,  Oxford,  John 
D.  S.  Ferrier,  made  great  progress  in  his  profession  in  this 
city,  maintaining  the  dignity  and  grace  which  his  training 
in   England   had    impressed   upon   him.      Dr.    Coi-neil    made   a 


name  as  a  general  physician  and  surgeon,  living  for  many 
years  as  a  prominent  and  useful  citizen. 

No  mere  sketch  could  give  the  names  of  men  who  have 
been  jtrominent  in  the  i)ul)lic  affairs  of  the  commonwealth. 

Dr.  Thomas  W.  Stringer,  who  taught  the  colored  people 
of  Mississippi  the  great  lesson  that  the  man  who  did  not  pro- 
vide for  those  of  his  own  household  was  worse  than  an  in- 
fidel, and  who  left  the  Masonic  Benefit  Association  as  a  mon- 
ument to  his  memory,  lived  and  died  on  Cherry  Street,  loved 
and  honored  by  thousands. 

Thomas  W.  Broad  waters,  a  little  less  original  but  just  as 
earnest  and  aggressive,  brought  Pythianism  to  a  position  of 
great  prominence  and  usefulness. 

W.  T.  Jones,  who  founded  the  order  just  entering  a  career 
of  usefulness  in  the  fraternal  field  of  insurance,  lived  to  have 
a  thousand  nienibers  march  behind  his  Itier.  regretting  the 
loss  of  a  man  whose  genius  had  made  an  institution  whose 
benificence  had  made  thousands  happy. 

But  yesterday's  triumphs  are  no  more  brilliant  than  those 
of  to-day. 

The  colored  man  has  no  part  in  the  management  of  local 
affairs.  He  has  accei)ted  the  inevitable  and  pursues  the  path 
of  simple  industry  and  energetic  effort  to  nmke  homes  and 
means  of  livelihood. 

He  has  done  this  well.  He  has  maintained  a  number  of 
fraternal  insurance  orders  whose  payments  have  ecpialled  a 
king's  ransom  within  the  ])ast  ten  years.  He  has  builded 
homes  of  beauty  and  filled  them  with  books  whose  stories 
tell  of  ho])e  and  with  articles  of  beauty  which  make  for  cul- 
ture and  ])rogress. 

He  has  shown  the  world  that  in  the  higher  branches  he 
can  hold  his  own.  He  has  four  ])hysicians  whose  works  attest 
their  worth.  .V  colored  man  is  dentist;  another  is  stenog- 
rjipher  for  one  of  the  leading  business  houses  and  still  another 
has  for  years  occupied  the  })Osition  of  shipping  clei-k  in  the 
largest  wholesale  house  in  the  country;  two  others  are  more 
than  shipping  clerks  for  the  biggest  ship])ers  in  the  country. 

\'icksl)Ui-g  has  s|)oken  in  jtraise  of  her  colored  lawyer, 
whose  ollice  ;ni(l  e(|ni|tment.  as  well  as  the  (piestions  with 
which  he  deals,  e(|n;ils  those  of  any  lawyer  anywhere.  He 
is  known  all  over  the  st;ite  as  well  as  the  country  and  his 
works  speak  for  the  man. 

Two  banks  with  a  i>aid  in  cajntal  of  some  twenty  thou- 
sand dollars  and  whose  loans  and  discounts  run  close  to  the 
hundred    tli(»nsand   dollar   mark,   aic  amonu   the   things   which 


its  colored  oitizeDS  have  established  aud  are  maintaiuiiig. 
It  has  no  limit  to  the  uuinber  nor  to  the  eloquence  of  its 
preachers.  It  has  within  it  many  denominations.  It  boasts 
of  the  close  Presbyterian,  the  Episcopal,  who  is  reputed  to 
be  as  liberal  to  a  fault,  all  branches  and  varieties  of  Meth- 
odists and  Baptists  of  all  shades  of  belief  and  performance. 

It  has  many  beautiful  and  stately  church  edifices.  To 
name  them  would  too  greatly  })rolong  this  story. 

It  has  a  Catholic  as  well  as  an  Episcopal  Parish  school. 
Its  public  school  system  has  the  largest  number  of  teachers  of 
any  city  in  the  state.  The  course  is  the  very  best  given  to 
colored  youths  south  of  ^lemphis.  The  teachers  are  reputed 
to  be  among  the  best. 

The  colored  people  are  too  young,  as  a  race,  to  have 
made  many  scholars  or  artists,  but  we  have  some  accom- 
plished and  widely  read  men  and  women.  We  have  some  musi- 
cians of  skill  and  ability  and  one  musical  organization  of 
colored  men  have  really  at  times  made  Yicksburg  famous.  We 
have  colored  men  artisans  and  builders.  They  are  workers 
in  wood  and  iron,  and  in  stone  and  brick  and  have  maintained 
their  place  Avith  the  best  of  their  white  competitors. 

There  is  a  good  feeling  between  the  two  races.  Among 
the  best  of  each  there  is  the  closest  bonds  of  sympathy  and  the 
widest  charity  and  good  will.  This  feeling  is  not  lessening. 
There  is  no  maudlin  sentimentality  between  them,  but  each 
respects  all  that  is  best  in  the  other. 

Such  a  people  will  make  progress.  The  star  of  hope  is 
in  his  sky.    To-morrow  will  be  better  than  to-day. 

Whether  intended  or  not,  this  book  will  be  an  inspira- 
tion to  the  colored  youths,  a  source  of  satisfaction  to  those 
who  are  still  doing  things  and  a  solace  to  those  whose  memo- 
.ries  will  be  enlivened  by  the  reference  to  filings  and  men 
with  which  thev  are  familiar. 


EDW.  P.  JONHvS,  D.I).,  B.S. 

Grand  Secretary  Geo  Wiklc,  of  Eiiglaiul.  (to  the  riffht)  lYeseiiting  Fraternal  Delegate 
Jones,  of  America,  at  Manchester.  England,  .Iiine  15,  I'.KJT. 


LEADINCx  AFRO-AMERICANS. 


EDW.  P.  JONES,  B.  S.,  D.  D. 

THE  subject  of  tliis  sketch  Avas  boru  on  the  21st  day  of 
February,  1872,  in  the  County  of  Hinds,  State  of  Mis- 
sissijtpi. 

His  father.  Kev.  (ieor^e  1'.  Jones,  was  an  ordained  ekler 
of  the  Missionary  liajitist  Church. 

The  mother  of  Edw.  1*.  Jones  died  in  1878  wlien  our  sub- 
ject was  only  six  years  of  age. 

Edw.  P.  Jones  attended  school  at  the  Vicksburg  Public 
Schools  and  at  Alcorn  College  and  Natchez  College.  He  grad- 
uated at  the  early  age  of  16  and  20  from  the  Public  Schools 
of  Yicksburg  and  Natchez  College,  acting  as  valedictorian 
in  each  class.  Immediately  upon  leaving  school,  he  com- 
menced teaching  at  Rolling  Fork,  Miss.,  as  the  Principal  of 
the  City  School  and  resigned  to  accept  the  i)rinci}talship  of 
the  Tunica  High  School.  Here  he  was  called  and  ordained  to 
the  ministry  in  June,  18S)-t,  by  the  Tunica  County  Paptist 
Convention.  He  at  once  accepted  the  call  to  the  First  liaptist 
Clinch  of  Tunica,  Miss.,  and  at  once  proceeded  to  tear  down 
the  old  structure  and  build  a  modern  up-to-date  church.  He 
led  the  workmen  in  getting  out  the  shingles  for  the  roof  and 
in  sixty  days  after  he  had  accepted  the  call,  a  beautiful  struc- 
ture Avas  erected  to  the  untiring  energy  of  his  congregation. 
After  serving  here  for  a  period  of  three  years,  he  succeeded 
Dr.  K.  T.  Hoffman  as  I'astor  of  the  First  Chui'ch  of  Green- 
ville, Miss.,  where  he  also  remodeled  the  Mount  Horeb  Church. 
]\lanv  were  added  to  the  church  during  his  administration  for 
four  years  and  a  half.  During  this  period  he  also  pastored 
the  King  Solomon  P>aptist  Church  at  Yicksburg  and  the  Le- 
land  P>ai)tist  Church.  He  then  accei)ted  the  call  to  the  First 
Ba])tist  Church  at  Greenwood  and  later  came  to  the  Blount 
Heroden  Baptist  Church,  succeeding  the  late  lamented  Dr.  A. 
A.  Hamilton,  and  the  First  Baptist  T'liurch  at  Port  Gibson, 
Miss.,  succeeding  the  late  Dr.  R.  J.  Temple.  He  has  built 
in  Yicksburg  a  modern  and  u])-to-date  structure  at  a  cost 
of  |;(j,()0().()0  and  paid  the  entire  indebtedness  of  |4,000.()()  owed 
on  the  Church  at  I'ort  Gibson  for  Ave  years  previous  to  his 


acceptance.  ]Mucli  conid  be  said  of  his  own  church  work,  but 
it  has  been  in  the  line  of  fraternal  work  about  which  we 
shall  now  write. 

He  was  elected  Grand  Master  of  the  Grand  United  Order 
of  Odd  Fellows  in  the  year  of  1900,  defeating  Dr.  A.  I).  Snod- 
grass,  who  had  been  Deputy  Grand  Master  for  a  number  of 
years.  At  the  time  of  his  election  he  had  been  only  a  mem- 
ber for  two  years.  He  has  been  re-elected  each  successive  term 
by  acclamation  except  at  the  last  meeting  at  Vicksburg.  The 
opposition  to  Dr.  Jones  brought  forward  every  possible  means 
to  defeat  him  at  this  session,  but  after  his  report  he  was  re- 
elected by  a  vote  of  287  to  48.  He  feels  especially  proud  of 
this  election,  as  he  was  in  Europe  as  Fraternal  Delegate  of 
the  entire  Order  in  America  during  the  thickest  of  the  fray. 
He  has  served  for  four  years  upon  the  Sub-(,'ommittee  of  Man- 
agement and  until  his  election  as  Grand  Master  of  Missis- 
sippi, no  interest  was  taken  whatever  in  the  National  affairs 
of  the  Order.  The  first  B.  M.  G.  attended  by  Dr.  Jones  was  at 
Louisville,  Kentucky,  in  1900,  when  he  nominated  the  lamented 
General  N.  A.  Anderson  and  he  was  elected  by  a  handsome 
majority.  He  succeeded  the  lamented  General  Anderson  at 
New  Haven,  Gonn.,  and  was  re-eleceted  at  T'olumbus,  Ohio. 
He  was  a  formidable  candidate  for  Grand  Master  at  Rich- 
mond, Va.,  and  by  agreemeunt  withdrew  and  moved  the  elec- 
tion of  the  present  Grand  Master,  Hon.  W.  L.  Houston.  Im- 
mediately Grand  blaster  Houston  moved  the  election  of  Dr. 
Jones  as  Fraternal  Delegate  to  England.  He  is  now  in  his 
thirty-sixth  year  and  is  serving  as  ^^upreme  Master  of  the 
United  Reformers  of  America,  Europe,  Asia  and  Africa,  hav- 
ing been  elected  for  five  successive  terms. 

He  credits  whatever  success  he  has  attained  to  the  devo- 
tion and  wholesome  advice  given  by  his  wife,  to  whom  he  was 
married  November  19tli,  1890.  They  are  blessed  with  thi-ee 
bovs,  Eddie  1*.,  Jr.,  George  1*.  an<l  McKissack  ^IcHenrv. 


Caesar  !>.  .Minor,  Secretary  and  Law  rjcik  to  ^V.  K.  ^lol- 
lison.  has  had  a  wider  exjx'rience  in  the  business  world  than 
nsnally  falls  to  the  lot  of  the  avei-age  young  man  of  color.  He 
was.  iiji  to  I  he  lime  of  the  cartlupiake  in  San  Francisco,  em- 
ployed in  a  |)osition  of  great  trust  and  res]»onsibility  in  the 
largest  clothing  house  on  I  he  coast,  lie  is  now  a  very  rapid  and 
expert  ty|»e\\riter  operatoi*.  and  his  experience  is  making  him 
an  inxalnable  assistant  to  the  bnsy  lawyei-  for  whom  he  is 
eiiii»ioye(l.     lie  ought   1o  make  his  mark  in  the  world. 

ID 


THOMAS  DARDEN. 


Thomas  Dardeu  is  a  native  of 
Meringo  County,  Ala.,  He  came 
to  Mississippi  about  twenty 
years  ago  and  settled  at  Utica, 
where  he  remained  five  years. 
Leaving  Utica  he  came  to  Vicks- 
burg,  where  he  has  since  re- 
mained. His  only  school  train- 
ing was  secured  at  an  early  age 
in  the  Alabama  public  schools. 
He  has  pursued  various  voca- 
tions in  the  city,  but  the  prin- 
cipal work  which  has  brought 
him  into  prominence  has  been 
his  work  in  the  Christian  Home 
Society,  of  which  he  is  ])resi- 
dent.  He  is  also  prominently 
identified  with  the  Mt.  Olive 
Bai)tist  Church,  being  one  of  the  ofticers  of  the  Church.  The 
Christian  Home  Society,  a  benevolent  institution  which  pays 
a  sick  benefit  and  buries  its  dead  members,  is  a  monument  to 
the  untiring  energy  of  Mr.  Harden.  He  has  been  a(  the  head 
of  the  society  seven  years  and  enjoys  the  respect  and  confidence 
of  all  his  people.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Executive  Board  of 
the  General  Missionary  Baptist  Educational  Convention.  He 
is  a  prominet  Mason  and  I'ythian. 


One  of  the  most  prominent  colored  physicians  in  Vicks- 
burg  is  Dr.  J.  A.  ^liller.  He  is  a  native  of  rortsmouth,  Va., 
and  received  his  early  training  in  the  Pourtsmouth  public 
schools.  He  graduated  from  the  preparatory  department  of 
Howard  College,  Washington.  I).  C,  in  1892.  Four  years  later 
he  graduated  fi-om  Williams  College,  receiving  the  degree  of 
B.  A.  He  graduated  in  medicine  from  the  T^niversity  of 
Michigan  in  V.HH).  He  began  the  practice  of  medicine  in  Vicks- 
burg  in  1900,  and  has  built  uj)  an  extensive  practice. 


Rev.  Kelly  Rucks,  j»astor  of  Holly  (irove  Baptist  Church, 
spends  every  other  month  in  St.  Louis  and  has  done  so  for  twen- 
ty years.  His  St.  Louis  Church  pays  him  a  good  salary  and 
in  addition  pays  his  railroad  fare  to  and  from  St.  Louis. 

11 


THOMAS  DILLON. 

MANAGER  UNION  (iKOCERY  CO. 


THOMAS  DILLON. 


AMONG  the  voung'  business  men  of  Vicksbui*j>,  no  one 
stands  more  prominently  as  a  representative  of  the  in- 
tegrity and  business  sagacity  of  his  people  than  Thomas  Dillon, 
Manager  of  the  Union  Grocery  Company.  Mr.  Dillon  is  a 
native  of  Edwards,  Miss.,  born  Dec.  24,  1878.  He  has  a 
sister  older  than  himself  and  one  younger  brother.  His  early 
life  was  beset  with  many  difficulties,  and  at  an  early  age  he 
determined  to  acquire  an  education.  He  ai)plied  himself  stu- 
diously in  the  public  schools  of  the  county  for  several  years 
and  when  about  16  years  of  age,  he  saw  it  would  be  neces- 
sary for  him  to  sever  the  home  ties  and  get  out  into  the 
world  and  fight  the  battle  of  life  alone.  Leaving  Edwards,  he 
engaged  in  various  vocations  and  practiced  strict  economy 
until  he  was  able  to  enter  Tougaloo  University,  where  he  spent 
five  years.  Being  full  of  determination  and  energy  and  be- 
lieving that  there  is  always  help  for  those  who  first  show  a 
disposition  to  help  themselves,  he  had  no  trouble  in  arranging 
with  the  principal  of  the  University  to  remain  under  its  tu- 
torage until  his  education  was  perfected  to  such  an  extent 
that  he  could  take  care  of  himself  in  the  commercial  world. 
He  was  assigned  to  various  duties  around  the  college  and  in 
this  manner  tried  to  keep  his  accounts  even  with  his  Alma 
Mater, 

After  leaving  Tougaloo  LTniversity,  Mr.  Dillon  came  to 
Vicksburg  and  secured  employment  in  the  Y.  &  M.  V.  shops, 
where  he  remained  five  years  and  was  at  all  times  considered 
one  of  their  most  valuable  employees.  In  19U4  Mr.  Dillon 
saw  what  he  thought  and  what  has  since  proved  a  good  oppor- 
tunity in  a  commercial  field,  and  he  founded  the  Union  Grocery 
Company,  the  largest  colored  grocery  concern  in  this  section, 
interesting  with  him  Messrs.  Ed.  Williams,  W.  M.  Ware,  Al- 
bert Judge  and  Frederic  Sims.  On  April  15th,  1907,  the  com- 
pany sustained  the  loss  of  their  business  by  fire,  losing  over 
|3,000,  but,  undauted,  Mr.  Dillon  had  the  business  going  the 
very  next  day,  and  a  short  time  afterwards  a  new  building 
was  erected  and  now  marks  the  spot  where  the  beginning  was 
made. 

Mr.  Dillon  was  married  in  1002  to  Miss  Tarris  S]»eed,  a 
])rominet  Vicksburg  girl,  who  has  proved  a  most  capable  and 
devoted  helpmeet. 


W.  E.  MOLLISON. 


ATTOUNKY  AND  COUNSELLOR. 

I'KEsI1)1:nT  LINCOLN  SAVIN(;s  BANK. 

sn-KKMH  (.OVKKNOK  COLOKED  WOODMEN. 


W.  E.  MOLLISON. 


WE.  MOLLISON,  lawyer,  banker,  and  publicist,  was  born 
in  Issa<iiiena  County  at  what  is  now  Mayersville.  He 
does  not  remember  when  he  received  the  first  part  of  his  edu- 
cation. He  could  read  at  five  and  since  that  time  has  been 
a  student.  He  attended  the  Blue  Back  Speller  Schools  in 
his  native  bailiwick  and  was,  as  he  has  been  most  of  the 
time  since,  at  the  head  of  his  classes.  He  went  to  Fisk  Uni- 
versity in  1870  and  although  he  had  not  much  technical 
schooling",  he  entered  the  preparatory  school  and  was  {»repared 
to  enter  Oberlin  College  with  the  class  of  1883.  This,  from 
common  fractions  on  a  plantation,  showed  some  progress. 

He  was  married  to  a  schoolmate  in  the  Fisk  University 
Chapel  in  1880,  and  entered  actively  upon  the  battle  of  life. 
He  studied  law  in  the  otfice  of  Judge  Jeffords  and  was  ad- 
mitted to  the  bar  at  his  home  town  in  May,  1881.  His  wife 
was  his  assistant  in  the  passing  of  what  was  declared  to  be 
one  of  the  best  at  the  time. 

He  Avas  ai)pointed  Superintendent  of  Public  Education 
of  Issaquena  County  by  a  Democratic  Board  of  Education 
over  a  white  Democrat.  He  served  the  two  years  in  that  place 
and  in  1883  was  elected  Clerk  of  the  Circuit  and  Chancery 
Courts  of  his  county.  He  was  re-elected  in  1S87  without  op- 
])Osition,  polling  within  fifteen  votes  of  the  largest  ever  cast 
in  the  county. 

In  1892  he  retired  from  the  office  and  resumed  the  prac- 
tice of  law.  He  was  apjtointed  District  Attorney  ])ro  tem. 
in  181)3  by  a  Democratic  Judge,  a  distinction  which  no  other 
man  of  his  race  has  ever  enjoyed.  He  was  by  I*resident  Mc- 
Kinley  appointed  Supervisor  of  the  12th  Census,  and  with 
1(>5  enumerators  under  him  in  the  most  important  district  in 
the  state,  he  discharged  the  duties  of  the  office  in  a  manner 
which  won  for  him  the  encomiums  of  the  people  of  the  state. 

In  the  political  world  he  has  been  prominent  for  years. 
He  has  been  Chairman  of  the  District  Committee  of  his  dis- 
trict, and  Secretary  of  the  State  Committee.  He  represented 
the  State  in  the  National  Republican  Convention  of  1892  at 
^Minneapolis  and  made  a  speech  in  that  body  nominating  James 
Cr.  Blaine  which  brought  him  to  the  attention  of  the  country. 
He  organized  and  ])ut  in  ojteration  the  first  banking  institu- 
tion organized  and  managed  by  colored  men  in  the  state  and 
to-day  Lincoln  Savings  15a nk  is  one  of  the  best  known  insti- 
tutions in  the  country. 

1.') 


REV.  R.  T.  MIDDLETON, 

KKCTOK  ST.  MARY'S  Kl'lSCOPAL  CIIUKCII. 


REV.  R.  T.  MIDDLETON. 


REV.  R.  T.  MIDDLETON  was  boiu  in  Vicksburg,  Miss., 
August  lOtli,  1873.  He  attended  the  public  schools  of 
Vicksburg  during  his  childhood.  His  college  training  was 
received  at  Fisk  University.  This  was  supplemented  by  some 
special  studies  at  Howard  University,  Washington,  I).  C.  He 
studied  theology  at  King's  Theological  Hall  at  Howard  Uni- 
versity, and  was  graduated  from  King  Hall  May  3()th,  1900. 
Mr.  Middleton  is  truly  one  of  the  sons  of  the  pro])liet,  his  father 
and  grandfather  having  both  been  ministers.  His  father  was 
the  first  colored  man  to  be  admitted  to  the  ministry  of  the 
Protestant  Episcopal  Church  in  .Mississippi. 

St.  Mary's  Church,  Vicksburg,  Miss.,  is  his  first  and  only 
charge.  He  has  been  there  since  the  10th  of  July,  1900.  He 
is  justly  held  in  the  highest  esteem  by  the  best  people  of  both 
races.  His  life  has  approached  the  scriptural  standard  of  the 
preacher's  life,  "whatsoever  things  are  honest,  and  of  whatso- 
ever things  are  of  good  report.''  He  often  tells  his  friends 
that  he  has  always  had  a  very  high  ideal  of  what  the  min- 
ister's life  should  be;  that  he  has  never  realized  those  ideals, 
but  he  is  striving  to  do  so. 

Mr.  Middleton  has  rounded  out  his  life  by  taking  to  him- 
self a  wife  of  the  teniperament  needed  for  the  model  minister's 
wife.  His  marriage  to  Miss  Elizabeth  Izod  Roland  was  an 
event  in  the  social  life  of  the  city  of  Natchez,  the  home  of  the 
bride.  Bishop  Bratton  made  the  trip  from  his  home  in  Jack- 
son to  perform  the  ceremony.  The  life  of  this  couple  in  the 
splendid  parsonage  of  the  Episcopal  Church  is  a  model  of 
domestic  simplicity  and  felicity. 

Mr.  Middleton  is  the  principal  by  virtue  of  his  office  of 
rector  of  Saint  Mary's  Academy.  His  splendid  literary  equip- 
ment amply  fits  him  for  the  place.  His  friends  predict  for  him 
a  career  of  great  usefulness  and  prominence. 


l*rominent  among  the  colored  })hysicians  of  N'icksburg,  is 
Dr.  J.  H.  Roby.  He  is  a  graduate  of  Meharry  Medical  College 
of  Nashville,  being  a  member  of  the  class  of  l!»or».  He  secured 
a  license  to  practice  from  the  Mississi]>j)i  State  Board  of 
Health  the  same  year  and  located  at  Mound  liayou,  and  after 
a  residence  of  nine  months  lie  came  to  Vicksbni-g,  where  he  is 
building  up  a  Incrative  practice. 

2  17 


REV.  KELLY  RUCKvS. 


PASTOR  IIOI.LY  CKOVK  I'.AITIJ^T  CHL'KCH. 


REV.  KELLY  RUCKS. 


THE  history  of  Rev.  Kelly  Rucks,  pastor  of  Holly  drove 
Baptist  Church,  if  told  in  detail,  would  till  a  volume  this 
size  and  would  be  one  full  of  interest.  Some  great  preacher 
has  said  that  this  life  is  full  of  "ups  and  downs,"  Avhere  some 
have  more  "downs  than  ups."  Rev.  Rucks  has  had  his  "up 
and  downs,"  and  with  a  strong  and  abiding  faith  in  the 
Master,  and  his  motto,  "Arise,  therefore,  and  be  doing,  and 
the  Lord  be  with  you,"  he  has  kept  in  the  straight  and  narrow 
path,  and  the  Lord  hath  ])rosi)ered  him.  He  was  born  near 
Vicksburg,  March  1,  1S48,  of  slave  parents,  and  was  him- 
self a  slave  until  Abraham  Lincoln  issued  his  ])roclamation. 
He  never  attended  school  a  day  in  his  life,  and  what  little  he 
first  learned  Avas  gathered  from  the  children  of  his  inaster, 
whom  he  attended  to  and  from  school.  However,  he  has  ac- 
complished much  along  literary  lines,  and  as  a  minister  of 
the  gospel,  very  few  men  can  point  to  a  more  successful  career. 
He  was  converted  in  18(;S  and  began  the  study  of  the  bible  and 
the  preaching  of  the  word  immediately  afterwards,  and  since 
that  time  he  has  ministered  to  twelve  churches,  three  of  which 
he  serves  to-day.  He  has  been  the  pastor  of  Holly  Grove 
Church  since  1874  and  during  the  whole  time  there  has  never 
been  a  day  of  confusion  or  disharmony  among  his  congrega- 
tion. He  has  served  them  faithfully  and  honestly,  and  they 
know  it,  and  follow  his  ministrations  with  love  and  respect. 
In  1888  he  was  called  to  the  pastorship  of  Pleasant  Green 
Baptist  Church,  St.  Louis,  Mo.  This  call  came  to  him  abso- 
lutely unsolicited  and  was  a  great  surprise.  He  had  a  short 
time  before  gone  to  that  city  to  conduct  the  funeral  obsecpiies 
of  one  of  his  former  members  in  Vicksburg,  and  while  in 
St.  Louis  he  preached  several  sermons  which  brought  him 
into  great  prominence  and  were  the  direct  result  of  the  call 
to  the  church.  Rev.  Rucks  did  not  care  to  accept  the  call, 
but  the  St.  Louis  Church  believed  so  firmly  in  his  ability  as 
a  pastor,  that  they  ofiered  him  special  inducements,  and  be- 
sides paying  him  a  liandsome  salary,  they  jiaid  his  railroad 
fare  to  and  from  Vicksburg  and  St.  Louis  and  have  kept 
tliis  up  for  twenty  years.  During  his  ministerial  career  he 
has  ba])tized  ]»robably  over  2,000  converts.  Rev.  Rucks  says: 
"1  blame  it  all  on  the  Lord.  He  hath  prospered  me  and  all 
my  days  will  I  serve  Him." 

10 


/ 


JNO.  |.   MORAXT. 

rASTOH  lUiTIIKL  A.M.  K.  (  IIlllClI. 


JNO.  J.  MORANT,  D.  D. 


WAS  born  near  Selnia,  Ala.,  Feb.  14tli,  1ST2.  Was  brought 
to  Mississippi  by  parents  in  1875.  Had  all  the  advant- 
ages of  good  pnblic  schools  dnring  his  boyhood  days.  Raised  a 
j)oor  farm  boy  and  has  never  known  what  it  is  to  be  idle.  He 
Avas  converted  in  1884  and  joined  the  A.  M.  E.  (Minrch.  A  few 
years  after  he  was  licensed  to  preach  by  the  immortal  Btringer. 
Was  received  into  the  ministry  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church  by 
Bishop  R.  R.  Dinsey,  at  the  session  of  the  North  Mississippi 
Annual  Conference  18!)().  Served  missions  until  1805,  when 
he  received  the  scholarship  of  the  North  ;Mississii)]>i  Confer- 
ence to  Wilberforce  University.  He  entered  Will)erforce  Uni- 
versity under  unfavorable  circumstances,  but  never  thought  of 
faltering,  and  was  the  life  and  lead  of  his  class  even  to  the 
day  that  he  graduated.  He  graduated  in  the  Class  of  '99 
with  great  honor  and  demonstration,  with  the  degree  of  D.D. 
The  degree  of  D.D.  was  conferred  u]»on  him  by  A>'ilberf()rce 
University  in  19U(J  at  the  Wilberforce  '^Jubilee."  He  has  been 
elected  two  consecutive  times  to  the  General  Conference  of 
the  A.  M.  E.  Church  (1904  and  1908.)  He  has  i)astored  suc- 
cessfully from  the  smallest  missions  to  the  leading  stations, 
and  is  now  filling  the  responsible  pastorate  of  Bethel  A.  M. 
E.  Church  and  his  success  here  has  been  phenomenal.  Dr. 
Morant  is  a  great  student,  a  giant  debator  and  is  matchless  in 
oratory  Avhen  fired  to  an  effort.  He  is  a  fearless  writer,  a 
spokesman  for  his  race  in  all  public  issues,  and  has  often 
been  weighed  in  the  balances  but  never  found  wanting. 


The  first  commercial  phonograph  to  be  used  in  Vicksburg 
is  in  use  in  the  law  office  of  W.  E.  Mollison,  whose  immense 
correspondence  has  rendered  the  use  of  the  machine  a  neces- 
sity. The  busy  attorney  talks  into  the  machine  the  letters  and 
legal  documents  and  his  clerk  conies  in  and  listens  to  the 
message  and  transcribes  it  on  the  typewriter.  The  jdionograph 
is  the  latest  turned  out  of  the  great  Edison  sho]). 


Tom  Dillon  represents  the  highest  class  of  citizcMishij)  among 
his  j)eo])le.  He  stands  well  and  has  the  respect  of  every- 
body, both  white  and  colored,  and  strives  to  attain  every 
ideal  calculated  to  make  him  a  man  of  worth  and  infiuence. 
He  is  a  prominent  Odd  Fellow  and  Mason  and  a  member  of 
Bethel  A.  M.  E.  Church. 

21 


^'^  -A  -  ©■. 


vSANDY  H.  HIGHLAND. 


(iKANI)  K.  i:   .^  S    KXKniTsOF  I'VTllIA^ 


SANDY  H.  HIGLHAND. 


SANDY  H.  HIGHLAXJ),  the  subject  of  tiiiy  sketch,  is  a 
native  of  Issaquena  County,  State  of  Mississippi.  His 
parents,  James  Hijililand  and  ^larv  Higlihmd,  wei-e  slaves.  His 
fatliei-  was  from  Mai-vland  and  his  motliei-  was  from  Georgia. 
Though  he  was  born  of  slave  parents,  they  had  some  knowl- 
edge of  books.  He  was  taught  his  alphabet  by  his  father, 
and  when  he  entered  school  he  got  along  pretty  well.  He 
finished  up  in  the  common  schools  of  the  county  at  an  early 
age.  At  the  age  of  fifteen  years  he  passed  a  creditable  ex- 
amination and  was  assigned  as  an  assistant  teacher  in  the 
same  school  he  attended.  From  his  salary  as  an  assistant 
teacher  he  entered  the  Seminary  at  Natchez  in  1883.  Owing 
to  the  health  of  his  father,  he  was  called  home  in  his  Fresh- 
man year.  He  taught  school  in  his  native  county  for  sev- 
eral years,  during  which  time  he  took  special  courses  under 
Hon.  W.  E.  Mollison,  then  Superintendent  of  Public  Educa- 
tion, and  Prof.  F.  1*.  Brinson. 

He  entered  politics  in  Issaquena  County  in  1887.  He  was 
appointed  County  Commissioner  of  Elections  for  three  suc- 
cessive terms.  In  188!)  he  was  elected  County  Assessor,  under 
fusion  agreement,  and  held  this  position  until  the  dissolution 
in  the  fusion. 

In  1800,  when  the  entire  Mississippi  Delta  was  overflowed, 
the  Assistant  Secretary  of  Wai'  a]»])ointed  him  General  ]\Ian- 
ager  to  supjjly  six  thousand  flood  sutt'erers.  The  people  in 
his  vicinity  were  loud  in  their  applause  in  praising  him  for 
his  eft'orts.  In  1800  he  joined  the  Order  of  Colored  Knights 
of  Pythias  and  was  ai)pointed  District  Deputy  Grand  Chan- 
cellor. 

Two  years  later  he  was  elected  Grand  Lecturer  and  served 
in  that  position  two  years,  after  which  he  was  elected  Grand 
Keejter  of  Records  and  Seal,  the  position  he  holds  at  })resent. 
He  is  highly  esteemed  by  his  associates  in  the  fraternal  circle, 
and  his  counsel  is  considered  when  any  question  of  iiuportance 
f-onfronts  the  fraternal  body. 

As  a  citizen  of  influence  and  worth  he  is  esteemed  by 
Ihe  members  of  both  races  and  is  noted  as  a  man  of  strict 
integrity  and  character. 

He  was  married  in  1804  to  INIiss  Ida  E.  Tallry  and  their 
union  lias  been  blessed  with  one  l»oy  and  two  girls.  They 
own  a  nice  and  comfortable  home  on  East  Magnolia  Street. 


J.  H.  C.  HENRY. 

I'ASTOK  KIN(i  SOLOMON  BAITIST  C  HLKCH. 


J.  H.  C.  HENRY,  D.  D. 


REV.  J.  H.  C.  HENRY,  pastor  of  Kin"  Solomon  Baptist 
Chiircli,  is  a  native  of  Tensas  I'arish,  La.,  boni  near 
Vidalia  in  ISOO.  He  was  ordained  in  1884  and  began  preach- 
ing in  Adams  Connt.v.  ^liss.  He  was  called  to  King  i^olomon 
Church  in  1!)(I0  and  the  church  has  made  great  headway  for 
good  under  his  administration.  He  began  his  study  of  the- 
ology in  the  McKinley  Memorial  University.  In  190G  the  de- 
gree of  D.I),  was  conferred  upon  him. 

He  is  the  statistical  secretary  of  the  General  Ba])tist  Con- 
vention of  ]Mississii»i>i  and  president  of  the  Sunday  School 
Convention  of  Mississippi.  He  is  also  a  member  of  the  Execu- 
tive Board  of  the  Convention  and  a  trustee  of  Natchez  College. 


P.  C.  COPELAIN. 


IMiillip  Charles  Copelain  is  a  na- 
tive of  Vicksburg  and  has  been 
]»r()niinently  identified  with  his 
people  for  a  number  of  years.  He 
has  engaged  in  several  vocations, 
lint  has  made  a  success  chiefly  as 
a  caterer  and  now  conducts  a  cafe 
on  Washington  Street,  where  he 
does  a  nice  business.  He  was 
n.arried  to  Miss  Julia  Huff,  of 
l^randon.  Miss.,  and  they  have  two 
girls.  Both  are  graduates  of 
Straight  University,  and  the  eld- 
est is  now  a  teacher  in  the  Cherry 
Street  Public  School. 
Mr.  Copelain  was  one  of  the  founders  of  the  Lincoln  Sav- 
ings Bank,  the  first  institution  of  the  kind  in  Mississip])i,  and 
is  at  ])resent  the  vice-jtresident  of  the  institution. 

He  is  also  prominent  in  fratei-nal  circles,  being  a  Mason, 
(Jdd  Fellow,  Pythian  and  Woodman. 

He  is  a  large  real  estate  holder  and  owns  in  addition 
a  nice,  comortably  furnished  home  on  Harris  and  Marshall 
Streets. 

2.') 


W.  I).  HICKS. 


sri'i:i;Mi-;  gkand  chancellor  ijenevolkxt  iNi)rsTKL\L  assoiiation. 


W.  D.  HICKS. 


WD.  HICKS  was  born  in  Brandon,  a  small  town  near 
•  Jackson,  in  the  State  of  Mississippi,  on  July  25tli,  1868, 
which  i)Iace  is  remarkable  for  nothing  moi-e  tlian  the  desert- 
like api)earance  of  its  soil  and  the  general  dilapidation  of  its 
farms  and  fences.  He  was  educated  at  the  (irammar  School 
of  Brandon  and  the  Alcorn  A.  &  M.  College.  At  Alcorn  Col- 
lege he  was  elected  to  a  prominent  position  over  the  boai'ding 
department,  which  office  he  filled  five  years.  He  then  launched 
out  in  the  mercantile  business  by  opening  a  store  in  the  town 
of  Hattiesburg,  Miss.,  which  he  conducted  for  three  years  with 
success.  Feeling  that  he  could  do  better  in  another  field,  he 
engaged  with  an  insurance  company  of  New  Orleans,  La.  In 
this  work  he  made  a  wonderful  success.  The  company  was 
so  impressed  with  his  success  and  work  that  after  the  second 
year  it  raised  his  salary  from  |90.00  per  month  to  |140.00  per 
month.  In  June,  1005,  they  disagreed  on  account  of  the 
company  refusing  to  pay,  as  he  thought,  just  claims,  and  as 
the  company  would  not  remedy  the  matter,  he  resigned  and 
founded  what  is  known  as  the  Benevolent  Industrial  Associa- 
tion. 


BENEVOLENT  INDUSTRIAL  ASSOCIATION. 

THIvS  Order  was  organized  on  the  5th  of  August,  1905. 
the  Supreme  Board  Officers  were  as  follows:  W.  I). 
Hicks,  Supreme  Grand  Chancellor;  \\.  H.  Jefferson,  Vice-Chan- 
cellor;  N.  C  Cannon,  Supreme  Treasurer,  and  J.  M.  Hicks  as 
Supreme  Secretary.  Its  ])rogress  has  been  wonderful.  De- 
cember 80th,  1807,  the  membershii*  had  .increased  to  4,800  mem- 
bers. The  General  Fund  was  |480.00  and  the  Endowment 
Fund  was  .f 3,200.  This  Association  i)ays  all  elaims  ])romptly. 
The  ritualistic  work  cannot  be  excelled.  Its  obligations  are 
founded  on  Moses,  Peter  and  Christ.  There  are  seventy-ftve 
lodges  in  the  State  of  Mississippi.  There  are  four  grades  of 
policy,  namely:  |4,000.00,  .f8,000.00,  |1,200.00  and  .f2,000.00. 
From  each  there  is  a  benefit  paid  when  sick  and  only  one 
tax  a  year,  which  is  to  defray  the  ex]>ense  of  the  Grand  Lodge 
every  August.  The  tax  is  known  as  the  per  capita  tax  and  is 
25  cents.  The  sick  claims,  as  well  as  the  death  claims,  are  all 
paid  by  the  Supreme  Board,  which  leaves  the  subordinate 
lodges  no  responsibility  to  speak  of,  or  almost  free  from  any 
payments. 

27 


JERE  M.  BLOWE 


WlUf  IS  (lie  i-ec()«;iiized  historiiui  of  tlu-  Most  ^^'()l•sllipflll 
Strinj>ei-  (ii-and  Lodj^e  F.  and  A.  M.,  Illustrious  Coin- 
iiiaiider  In  Chief  of  the  Key  Stone  Consistoi-y  A.  A.  S.  R., 
Ki^hl  lOniinent  (Jrand  ( \»niniander  of  St.  .John's  (iiand  (\)ni- 
niander.v.  Knijihts  Templar;  member  of  Mecca  Temple  Ancient 
Arabic  Order  Nobles  of  Mystic  Shrine.  Worshipful  Master  of 
Strinj^er  Lodj^e  No.  1  F.  and  A.  M.,  Past  Pati-on  of  Rose  of 
Shai'on  (Miapter  ( ).  K.  S.,  an  Odd  Fellow,  a  Knij;h(  of  Pythias, 
a  Fnited  Woodman,  Fiiiled  Kefoiiiier  and  an  all  'rouinl  good 
fellow.  Ih'  is  a  native  of  the  city  of  Vicksburg,  wh(»re  he  has 
s|»ent  all  of  his  <lays  and  is  ]»rond  of  the  <dd  "Historic  City'^ 
of  which  he  never  fails  to  boast. 


A.  L.  BROWN. 


Tlio  subject  of  this  sketch,  Abra- 
ham Levi  Brown,  was  born  at 
Raymond,  Miss.,  July  12,  18G3. 
At  the  age  of  three  years  his 
motlier,  Mrs.  Mima  Smith,  left 
Raymond  and  moved  to  Jackson, 
wliere  slie  lived  one  year.  From 
there  she  came  to  Vicksburg, 
young  Abraham  being  constantly 
with  her.  His  tirst  days  in  school 
were  spent  at  Nitta  Yuma,  Miss., 
under  a  Northern  teacher  Leav- 
ing Nitta  Yuma,  young  Brown 
came  back  to  Vicksburg  and  at- 
tended the  public  schools  under  the  tutorage  of  Mrs.  A.  A. 
Watkins.  Young  Brown  in  his  early  school  days  showed 
marked  ability  in  gra])pling  with  the  stern  duties  that  con- 
fronted his  youthful  days.  In  the  common  school  he  was 
always  at  the  head  of  his  classes.  Standing  high  in  his  schol- 
arship and  deportment,  he  took  easy  rank  as  the  first  in  his 
school.  Having  finished  the  prescribed  course  in  the  city 
schools,  young  Brown,  without  the  aid  of  anyone  on  earth  ex- 
cept a  fond  mother's  prayers,  went  to  Holly  Springs,  Miss., 
where  four  years  consecutively  he  attended  Rust  University. 
With  that  indomitable  spirit  and  "stick-to-it-iveness,"  he  fin- 
ished his  normal  course,  leaving  with  the  honors  of  his  class. 
After  spending  the  vacation  at  home  with  his  widowed  motliei*, 
young  Brown  returned  to  Rust  University,  where  he  spent 
two  years  in  the  ('Ollege  Department,  after  which  time  his 
means  gave  out  and  he  had  to  leave  college  in  his  S()]>homore 
year  to  assume  the  duties  of  real  life.  His  first  occupation 
after  leaving  college  was  that  of  school  teaching,  holding  at 
all  times  the  highest  license  issued  in  his  county.  On  the 
12th  of  December,  1885,  young  Brown  was  married  to  Miss 
Henrietta  Vincent,  with  whom  he  lived  hajtpily  for  a  num- 
ber of  years.  As  a  result  of  this  union  six  children  were  born, 
two  of  whom  are  now  living,  a  son  and  a  daughter.  As  si 
teacher  the  services  of  Mr.  lirown  are  constantly  sought  by 
patrons,  ])ui>ils  and  teachei-s.  He,  by  hard  and  inccssjint  study 
and  strict  a})]»]icati<)n,  has  added  so  much  to  his  college  ac- 
quirements that  he  is  known  to  all  races  of  his  community 
only  as  Professor  Brown,  a  title  which  lie  more  than  deserves. 


JNO.  A.  WILLIAMS. 

John  A.  AVilliams  is  the  eldest  son 
of  Robt.  and  Mattie  Williams.  He 
was  born  in  Meridian,  Miss.,  on 
the  nth  day  of  August,  1876. 
When  one  year  of  age  his  parents 
came  to  ^'i(•kshurg,  where  he  has 
lived  ever  since.  Mr.  Williams' 
scholastic  education  consists  of 
what  he  was  able  to  acquire  in 
live  terms  at  the  ])ub]ic  school 
at  Lane's  Hill.  Owing  to  an  ac- 
cident to  ^Ir.  Williams'  father, 
which  incapacitated  him  for  work. 
John  A.  was  forced  to  give  up 
school  and  provide  for  his  parents. 
Mr.  Williams  served  in  various  positions  throughout  the 
city,  and  finally  engaged  with  the  liiedenharn  Candy  Com- 
])any.  with  whom  he  remained  about  seven  years.  It  was 
here  that  he  learned  the  confectionery  business  and  the  art  of 
making  all  kinds  of  candies.  liCaving  the  Biedenharn  Com- 
pany, Mr.  Williams  engaged  with  Mr.  Kahn,  baker  and  con- 
fectioner. Here  he  remained  until  Kahn  retired  and  sold  out 
to  Dreyfuse,  and  he  remained  with  Dreyfuse  over  a  year. 
During  his  connection  with  the  Biedenharn  and  Kahn  and 
Dreyfuse  establishments.  ^Ir.  Williams  conceived  the  idea  of 
going  into  the  bakery  and  confection  business  on  his  own  ac- 
count, and  on  Feln-nary  ISth,  11)07.  he  V)ak(Ml  his  tirst  ]>an  of 
bread.  His  business  has  seen  a  substantial  increase  ever  since 
and  continm^s  lo  grow,  his  daily  consum])tion  of  Hour  being 
on(^  barrel.  Ib^  manufactnres  the  Sweet  Home  brand  of  bread, 
and  many  customers  declare  that  it  is  the  best  biand  of  bread 
in  the  city. 

.Mr.  Wiliiaiiis  was  married  March  l*.~)th,  11)01.  to  Miss  An- 
nie Ilitcli.  who  lias  ])r()\('<l  a  most  ]oval>lc  liclpiiicet,  and  to 
whom  a  great  deal  of  Mr.  Williams'  succi^ss  is  due. 

.Mr.  Williams  is  an  Odd  Fellow  and  Woodman  and  also 
a   member  of  .Mt.  Ilei-odeii   I'.ajttisl   Chnrch. 


r.rooks'  I»and  and  Orchestra,  under  the  leadershi])  of  Reu- 
ben 11.  1 '.rooks,  is  one  of  the  best  known  musical  organizations 
in   the  State. 

:?0 


H.  L.  SLAUGHTER. 

Voi'v  few  colored  men  oceupy  more 
l)romiiieut  places  in  the  councils 
of  their  people  than  Henry  L. 
Slan»>hter.  He  is  a  native  of  Car- 
thage, Miss.,  and  first  saw  the 
light  of  day  in  1S"")7.  He  came  to 
N'icksburg-  a  few  years  after  the 
war  and  commenced  his  career  in 
this  city  driving  a  dairy  wagon. 
Later  he  became  bntler  for  Dr. 
Harper.  In  1876  he  nuirried  Miss 
(ioodwin,  and  began  farming.  Xot 
finding  the  tilling  of  the  soil  as 
]>i'<)fitable  as  he  had  ho]>ed,  he  en- 
gaged with  Fred  Loyd,  butcher,  and  learned  that  trade.  Tir- 
ing of  that  trade,  he  began  draying  and  after  a  few  years  of 
success  in  that  field,  he  entered  the  mercantile  field,  in  which 
he  did  well  until  the  i)anic  of  185)3  swooped  down  upon  him, 
causing  him  a  loss  of  about  |3,50().  After  paying  his  creditors, 
he  retired  from  the  mercantile  field. 

He  has  held  many  places  of  trust  for  both  white  and  black 
and  has  never  proved  recreant  to  any  task.  He  has  suc- 
cessively been  elected  president  of  one  of  the  oldest  fraternal 
organizations  in  the  state  for  twenty  years  and  is  now  presi- 
dent of  the  Supreme  Lodge  of  the  same  organization — the 
(lolden  Rule  Society.  For  three  years  he  was  cashier  of  the 
Lincoln  Savings  Bank,  the  oldest  colored  bank  in  the  state, 
having  only  recently  resigned  to  embark  in  other  business. 

He  is  the  father  of  seven  children,  four  of  whom  are  living. 
No  man,  white  or  black,  ever  stood  higher  in  the  estimation 
of  the  people  of  his  home  than  H.  L.  Slaughter.  He  has  much 
influence  among  his  people  and  is  always  advocating  any  meas- 
ure conducive  to  their  good. 


Among  the  Avell-to-do  citizens  of  Vicksburg  none  is  more 
favorably  known  than  ^Mr.  Calvin  Gibbs,  who  is  the  oldest 
hackman  in  point  of  service  in  the  city.  Mr.  Gibbs  conducts 
a  line  of  public  carriages,  and  is  a  general  favorite  with 
the  traveling  public.  He  owns  valuable  city  ])ro}»erty  and  no 
man  stands  higher  than  he  with  the  community  in  which  he 
lives. 

31 


B.  G.  VERNON. 


The  subject  of  this  sketch  was 
born  in  Noxubee  County,  Miss., 
January  1st,  1870.  His  i>ai'ents, 
Israel  and  Charlotte  Vernon,  were 
slaves.  He  entered  the  public 
schools  of  his  county  in  obscure 
circumstances.  In  man^'  respects 
he  had  to  depend  upon  his  little 
classmates  to  get  books  to  study. 
He  had  heard  his  teachers  say, 
where  there  was  a  will  he  would 
certainly  lind  a  way.  He  took 
it  for  his  motto,  and  in  doing  so 
he  got  along  fairly  well  in  school. 
Many  times  his  lamp  was  the  pine  knots  of  Noxubee  County, 
but  he  made  the  best  of  the  situation.  He  moved  to  the 
Mississippi  Delta,  in  Issaquena  County,  in  1886,  and  entered 
the  pursuits  of  a  farmer.  While  in  this  emi)loyment  he  con- 
tinued to  rejid  useful  l)Ooks.  He  joined  the  A.  M.  E.  Church 
in  1880  and  has  been  a  devoted  member  of  that  church  ever 
since.  He  was  elected  for  several  terms  as  Secretary  of  the 
Quarterly  Conference  and  at  present  is  a  member  of  the  Trus- 
tee lUnnd  of  liethel  A.  M.  E.  Church  of  Vicksburg,  one  of 
the  largest  churches  in  the  State.  In  1808  he  was  appointed 
Su])reme  Deputy  of  the  K.  of  H.  of  the  World  by  Col.  G.  F. 
Bowls  and  held  that  position  until  1904,  when  he  was  elected 
Grand  Dictator  of  the  K.  of  H.  of  the  World  for  the  State 
of  Mississij)pi.  Tender  his  administration  the  Order  has  nour- 
ished as  a  green  bay  tree.  Its  cardinal  ]>rinciples  are  now 
known  over  all  parts  of  the  commonwealth.  In  11)01  the  K. 
of  H.  Hank  was  organized  and  he  was  one  of  its  directors. 
He  is  also  a  stockholder  in  the  Cnion  Savings  Bank  of  Vicks- 
burg. In  1007  he  founded  tlu^  K.  of  H.  of  Amei-ica  and  under 
his  leadership  it  will  soon  rank  among  the  leading  fraternal 
institutions  of  Mississi]»pi. 

lie   is  a  young   man   and   bids  fair  to  become  one  of   the 
urealest  leaders  in  fraternal  circles  of  the  State. 


Sandy   H.   Highland  owns  a   tine   Delta   jdantalion   of  one 
hundred  acres  in   Issnipiena  County.     lie  has  also  other  realty 

holdings. 


A.  J.  BROWN. 


No   man    in    Vicksburj^   can   point 
to  a   more  sncc-essfnl  careev  as  a 
citizen  and  business  man  than  A. 
.1.  Jirown.     As  a  business  man  his 
life  is  marked  by  acts  of  the  strict- 
est    integrity    and    as    a    citizen 
wlio   lias   at  lieart  the  best   inter- 
ests of  his  people,  morally,  social- 
ly   and    industriously,    he    stands 
without    a    ])eer.     ^Mr.    Brown    is 
probably  one  of  the  most  temper- 
ate  men   to   be   found   amonj;'   the 
members   of   his   race — he   neither 
drinks,   chews   or   smokes,    is   pol- 
ished   in    manner    and    clean    in 
thought  and   word  and  deed.     He  is  a  native  of  Livingston, 
Ala.,  and  received  his  education  at  the  Talladega  Industrial 
College     He  never  left  his  parenal  roof  until  he  had  reached 
his  majority.     He  came  to  Vicksburg  in  188(jl  practically  pen- 
niless and  found  enqdoyment  in  the  railroad  shops  of  the  Y. 
&  M.  V.  Ky.     He  was  live  years  with  the  railroad  ](eo])le  and 
resigned  to  go  into  the  coal  business,  which  enterprise  he  con- 
ducted  for  three  years.     Quitting  the  coal  business,  he  took 
u])  the  real  estate  business  and  it  is  in  this  particular  line  his 
greatest  success  has  been  made.     During  his  seven  years  in 
this  field  he  sold  851  homes  to  his  people  and  accumulated 
five  for  himself.    When  he  first  engaged  in  the  business  about 
three  hundred   home   owners   were   located   on   rented   ground 
and  ^Ir.  lirown  has  brought  the  nundter  down  to  about  twenty- 
five.    Two  years  ago  he  established  the  Brown  Brick  Manufact- 
uring Company,  which  venture  has  proved  a  success.     He  has 
l>lants  at   Vicksburg  and  Kosciusko,  with   a    daily   output   of 
:{00,()(>(»  and  finds  ready  sale  for  more  than   both   ])lants  can 
turn  out.     ^Ir.  P>rown  is  one  of  the  most  deserving  race  build- 
ers of  the  country.     He  is  a  christian  gentleman  of  the  highest 
type,  a  truthful  and  honest  man  and  is  universally  resjxM-ted 
and  esteemed.     He  is  one  of  the  niost  prominent  Odd  Fellows 
in  tlie  State  and  is  at  present  Grand  Advocate  of  the  order. 
He  is   Su])reme  Lecturer  and   Organizer  of  Woodmen   of  the 
ITnion   of   Mississii)])i,  Vice-rresident  of  the  Christian    Home, 
Secretary  of  the  Educational  Convention  of  Mississii)]»i.     He 
is  also  a  Pythian. 

3  *  33 


D.  D.  FOOTE. 


]).  D.  Foote,  a  native  of  Vicks- 
biii-g,  was  boi-n  Oct.  20,  1879.  His 
father  and  niotliei-  were  both  Mis- 
sissippians.  Tlie  former  was  for 
a  nmnber  of  years  in  the  govern- 
ment postal  service  in  tiiis  city, 
serving  as  carrier,  and  was  noted 
among  the  most  prominent  col- 
ored men  in  Vicksburg.  Dr. 
Foote's  early  education  was  se- 
cured in  the  Vicksbnrg  public 
schools.  From  Vicksburg  he  ma- 
triculated with  Straight  Univer- 
sity, New  Orleans,  La.,  and  was 
in  that  institution  four  years,  finishing  in  1001  with  high 
honors  in  a  class  of  eighteen  After  finishing  at  Straight  Uni- 
versity, young  Foote  returned  to  Vicksburg  and  entered  the 
mercantile  business,  in  which  he  remained  two  years.  Tiring 
of  a  commercial  life,  young  Foote  decided  to  study  dentistry, 
which  had  been  his  intention  when  he  left  school  at  New  Or- 
leans. Accordingly  he  entered  Howard  University,  AVashing- 
ton,  I).  (\,  in  1!)(I8,  and  was  awarded  a  diploma  in  11)0(>.  He 
returned  home  and  applied  for  a  temporary  license  to  conduct 
his  profession  and  after  one  year  he  applied  for  and  was 
granted  a  permanent  license. 

Dr.  Foote  is  considered  one  of  the  best  dentists  in  the 
city.  His  ofiice  is  sjilendidly  and  handsomely  equipped  and 
his  work  will  compare  favorably  with  that  of  any  dentist  in 
the  State,  white  or  black. 

He  is  a  young  man,  attable  and  entertaining,  and  has 
many  friends  among  the  members  of  both  races  and  enjoys 
their  confidence,  respect  and  esteem. 

He  is  a  member  of  A.  M.  K.  Church  and  also  a  ]>rominent 
Woodman. 

Dr.  Foole's  offices  are  located  at  KMi'/w  North  ^^'ashington 
Srteet,  wiiere  he  will  ]»e  [(leased  at  all  times  to  see  his  friends. 


Mr.  W.  E.  Kelly  is  the  owner  of  a  splendid  tract  of  real 
estate  known  as  liryson  Hill,  on  which  he  has  erected  a  num- 
ber of  cottages  for  rental  purposes.  He  is  a  young  man  and 
an  excellent  citizen. 

34 


JESSE  W.  WILLIAMS. 


Jesse  W.  Williams  was  born  in 
Jatkson,  Miss.,  August  5tli,  1804. 
He  received  his  eariy  (raining  in 
the  public  schools  of  that  city. 
At  the  age  of  1C>  years  he  came  to 
Vicksburg  with  a  widowed  moth- 
er, he  being  her  only  sup^tort.  In 
1881  he  was  em])loyed  as  a  waiter 
in  the  Pacific  Hotel,  which  occu- 
pation he  followed  until  1884, 
when  he  accei)ted  a  position  as 
cook  at  the  United  States  Engi- 
neer's Office  at  Wilson  Point,  La. 
In  1888  ill  health  forced  him  to 
resign  this  service.  After  a  stay  of  five  months  in  the  North- 
west in  search  of  health,  he  returned  to  this  city,  his  adopted 
home,  quite  restored.  In  1889  he  accepted  the  })Osition  of  ship- 
ping clerk  of  the  L.,  N.  O.  &.  T.  railroad  shops  here.  In  1890 
he  was  tendered  the  position  of  messenger  in  the  United  States 
Engineers  Office  under  Major  J.  H.  Willard,  then  in  charge 
of  said  office.  This  position  he  accepted  and  has  held  ever 
since  with  credit  to  himself  and  to  his  race.  In  1886  he  ])ro- 
fessed  religion  and  has  ever  since  been  a  consistent  christian. 
He  is  a  member  of  King  Solomon  Missionary  (.'liurch  of  this 
city,  where  he  held  many  important  positions,  having  held, 
among  other  offices  of  the  Church,  that  of  Secretary  and  Treas- 
urer of  the  Building  Committee. 

In  190.5  he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Sarah  Javes, 
one  of  the  most  estimable  and  cultured  ladies  of  the  city.  He 
is  a  member  of  Prince  Hall  Lodge  No.  26  F.  and  A.  M.,  Z.  R. 
A.  Chapter  Vicksburg  Commandery  No.  1  Knights  Temjdar, 
^nd  is  a  32  degree  mason. 

In  young  men  like  Williams,  who  enjoys  the  confidence 
and  respect  of  both  races,  rests  the  future  of  the  negro.  Mr. 
Williams  is  modest,  and  unassuming,  but  in  the  van  with 
those  whose  careers  give  promise  of  great  and  permanent  suc- 
cess. 


Robt.   Ellis  has  one  of  the   largest   meat   markets   in   the 
•city  and  enjoys  a  large  trade. 


ARCHIE  WILLIAMS. 

The  subject  of  this  skett-h  was 
born  at  Beechwood,  live  miles 
fioiii  Vicksbiii'g,  on  the  ith  of 
May,  1S72.  At  abont  the  age  of 
nine  years  he  entered  the  public 
school  of  his  native  town,  where 
he  was  a  scholar  for  about  four 
years.  Leaving  Beechwood  at  the 
age  of  seventeen,  he  came  to  Vicks- 
burg  and  attended  the  public 
school  about  one  year.  In  1S89 
Mr.  Williams  entered  the  large 
iiardware  house  of  Lee  Richardson 
(S:  Co.  in  the  capacity  of  stove  in- 
spector. He  remained  with  this  firm  as  one  of  its  most  valu- 
able employes  for  a  term  of  over  eighteen  years.  This  in  it- 
self is  one  of  the  very  best  evidences  of  Mr.  Williams'  integrity 
and  character. 

In  1895  he  led  to  the  altar  Miss  Mary  Jane  Mabre,  of  this 
city,  who  has  proved  a  most  devoted  helpmeet  and  to  whom 
he  insists  the  credit  for  a  great  deal  of  his  success  is  due. 
Their  union  has  been  blessed  with  two  children,  Roger  Lee  and 
Lucuis,  aged  9  and  7  respectively. 

In  1!)0(»  ^Ir.  Williams  engaged  in  business  in  a  small  way 
with  Mrs.  Williams  looking  after  the  store.  He  handled  a 
small  line  of  family  groceries,  charcoal  and  ice.  This  business 
continued  to  grow  larger,  and  Mr.  Williams  decided  to  give 
uj)  his  position  witli  the  Lee  Richardson  Conii)any  and  give  it 
his  entire  attention.  He  now  carries  a  complete  line  of  family 
groceries  and  sujtplies  and  sells  annually  -ibout  .')50  tons  of  ice. 
Mr.  Williams  owns  a  nice  and  cosy  home  at  722  E.  Craw- 
ford Street.  He  is  treasurer  of  .Jackson  Street  Bajttist  Church, 
is  K.  of  R.  and  S.  Stringer  Lodge  40:!  K.  of  P.,  a  member  of  the 
IJaidcing  Committee  Pedestal  Brotherhood  Lodge,  Odd  Fellows, 
1S44,  and  is  President  of  (Jood  Samaritan  Lodge  No.  1,  a  re- 
ligious oi-der. 


Thoiiiiis  y.  .McAllister,  collector  of  jjublic  moneys  at  .lack- 
son,  is  a  citi/eii  of  \'icksburg  and  owns  a  handsome  home  on 
Main  Street. 

36 


W.  H.  JEFFERSON. 


^VilIia^l  Henry  Jeffei-son  was  born 
at  Clinton,  Hinds  County,  Julv 
2:?,  1867,  the  second  son  of  Wil- 
liam and  Charlotte  Jefferson. 
When  he  was  about  six  years  of 
age  his  parents  moved  to  Vicks- 
burg.  He  received  his  education 
in  the  Vicksburg  public  schools. 
After  leaving  school  Jefferson  fol- 
lowed various  avocations,  among 
tliein  a  service  of  six  years  in  the 
Pullman  service.  In  1904:  he  es- 
tablished the  W.  H.  Jefferson  Un- 
dertaking Company,  of  which  he 
is  (he  sole  proprietor,  and. for  the  jjast  fourteen  years  he  has 
conducted  successfully  the  business.  On  the  Ttli  day  of  De- 
cember, 1885,  he  received  from  the  Kenouard  Training  fc^chool 
for  Embalmers,  of  New  York,  a  diploma  licensing  him  to  prac- 
tice the  art  of  embalming  in  connection  with  the  undertaking 
business,  and  he  is  now  the  only  colored  end)almer  in  the 
State  and  owns  the  largest,  ttnest  and  most  complete  undertak- 
ing establishment  in  the  South.  He  carries  in  stock  a  full 
supply  of  metallic  cases  and  caskets  of  every  description. 
Burial  robes  of  all  styles  for  ladies,  gentlemen  and  children. 
He  also  furnishes  first-class  carriages  for  funeral  and  wedding 
parties. 

Mr  Jefferson  is  a  member  of  twenty-nine  societies,  figuring 
lu'ominently  in  the  ^Masons,  Odd  Fellows,  Pythians  and  others. 
He  is  considered  one  of  Vicksburg's  leading  colored  citi- 
zens, numbering  his  friends  by  the  hundreds  among  the  mem- 
bers of  both  races,  and  enjoys  the  confidence,  res])ect  and  es- 
teem of  his  large  circle  of  acquaintances. 


Spencer  Craves  is  a  first-class  car])enter  and  builder,  and 
bears  the  distinction  of  being  the  oldest  negro  Mason  in  the 
state.     Mr.  (iraves  owns  nice  property  in  the  city. 


(^a]>t.  January  is  one  of  the  best  colored  butchers  in  Vicks- 
burg. He  has  been  here  for  a  number  of  years  and  is  well 
known  and  liked  bv  all. 


CHAS.  H.  SPATES. 


Standi ng  prominently  among  the 
young  business  men  of  Vicksburg 
is  ('has.  H.  Spates,  [u-oprietor  and 
managei-  of  the  Delta  Tailoring- 
Company.  "Sir.  Si)ates  is  a  na- 
tive of  North  Carolina,  being  l)orn 
at  Kingston,  on  August  2!),  ISSl, 
He  began  tlie  foundation  of  his 
education  in  the  public  schools 
of  his  native  town  and  Avhen  nine 
years  of  age  his  parents  moved  to 
Water})roof,  I^a.,  where  young 
Spates  again  attended  the  public 
schools  for  six  years.  Leaving 
Waterproof,  the  family  moved  to  Mounds,  La.  At  that  place 
young  Sj»ates  finished  his  education  and  taught  in  the  ]»ublic 
schools  for  two  years.  This  showed  that  young  Spates  had 
been  ambitious  and  studious  and  was  determined  to  have  an 
education.  In  1903  he  came  to  Vicksburg  and  went  into  the 
service  of  the  People's  Tailoring  Comjuiny,  where  he  sj)ent 
three  years  and  gained  a  practical  and  technical  knowledge 
of  the  tailoring  business  in  all  its  branches.  He  withdrew 
from  the  above  concern  in  1!)0()  and  established  the  Delta 
Tailoring  Comjiany,  and  has  built  uj)  one  of  the  best  taihu-- 
ing  establishments  in  the  city.  On  July  4,  IIXKI,  Mr.  Spates 
led  to  the  altar.  Miss  Agnes  Connor,  and  to  her  he  attributes 
a  large  share  of  his  sj)]endid  success. 

Mr.  Sjtates  is  a  i)rominent  K.  of  1'.  and  Odd  Fellow  and 
also  a  mend)er  of  the  Jackson  Street  I>a]»tist  Church.  He 
is  full  (if  energy,  has  a  large  circle  of  friends  among  both 
races  aii<l  enjoys  the  confidence,  esteem  and  respect  of  all. 


•las.  W.  Collins  is  the  ]»ioneer  negro  letter  carrier,  and  an 
excellent  citizen.  Mi-.  Collins  is  the  owner  of  a  handsome 
residence,  nicely  located,  and  stands  well  in  church  antl  state 
allairs. 


All  the  well  dressed  negroes  of  A'icksburg  buy  their 
clothes  from  Ciiarlie  Spates,  of  the  Delta  Tailoring  Company, 
o|(]M»site  tlie  Piazza    Hotel. 

3S 


W.  J.  PEMBERTON. 


W.  J.  Pembertoii  is  another  one 
of  the  stanncli  business  men  of 
Yieksburg.  having  be,i»nn  five  years 
ago  Avitli  a  capital  of  less  than 
•flO.  and  a  magniticent  grocery 
business  and  a  nice  home  is  the 
best  evidence  that  his  commercial 
career  has  been  a  success.  He 
carries  a  stock  aggregating  over 
$1,500.  and  keeps  two  delivery 
wagons  busy  delivering  things 
good  to  eat  to  his  many  satisfied 
customers.  ^Ir.  l*emberton  is  a 
native  of  Vicksburg.  His  educa- 
tion was  secured  in  the  Vicksburg  public  schools.  He  is  a 
man  that  always  stood  well  among  the  people  of  both  races. 
He  is  a  prominent  Mason  and  Odd  Fellow  and  a  deacon  in 
King  Solomon's  Baptist  (Miurch. 

He  Avas  married  in  1883  to  Miss  Annie  Johnson,  of  this 
city,  who  has  been  very  instrumental  in  his  success.  They 
have  three  sons  and  one  daughter.  Two  of  the  l)oys  assist 
in  the  store.  It  is  such  men  as  Mr.  Pemberton  who  have  set 
a  higher  standard  of  citizenship  among  his  people,  and  he 
is  an  advocate  of  any  measure  which  tends  to  lead  his  people 
up  to  a  higher  standard  of  living.  He  was  born  shortly  after 
the  war  and  during  his  early  life  there  was  not  the  same  op- 
portunities atforded  at  that  time  as  at  the  present  day  and 
his  success  is  all  the  more  deserved. 

He  has  endeavored  to  give  his  children  a  ]U'actical  edu- 
cation and  fit  them  for  the  various  duties  of  life. 


Jerry  Lawson  is  a  true  type  of  the  "horny-handed  sons  of 
toil."  He  is  a  well-known  licensed  drayman  and  can  handle 
more  cotton  than  two  ordinary  draymen.  He  owns  several 
nice  teams  and  a  beautiful  home.  He  is  a  ])roniinent  Mason 
and  his  ])resence  is  absolutely  necessary  when  there  is  any 
Masonic  work  to  be  done. 


Cox  &  Harris,  colorc^l  barbers,  have  one  of  the  best  (Mpiip- 
]>ed  barber  shops  in  tlie  city  and  enjoy  a  large  white  trade. 

:i9 


B.  W.  CURRIE. 


1>.  W.  Cnrrie  was  l)orn  at  Warren- 
ton,  Mi.ss.,  in  the  rear  of  1870,  and 
received  his  education  in  the 
schools  of  his  native  village  and 
liie  schools  of  Vicksburg.  At  the 
age  of  eighteen  he  passed  a  very 
creditable  examination  and  was 
assigned  to  teach  the  school  at 
which  he  was  a  pupil  only  a  few 
years  i)revious  As  a  teacher  he 
at  once  took  high  rank,  especially 
distinguishing  himself  in  mathe- 
matics. He  gave  up  teaching  to 
enter  the  government  service  as 
letter  carrier,  Avhich  place  he  now  fills  acceptably  to  all  par- 
ties concerned,  having  been  advanced  yearly,  as  a  compliment 
to  his  fidelity  and  efficiency.  By  special  ])ermission  from  the 
Postofiice  Department,  at  Washington,  he  was  designated  by 
Col.  Mollison  as  enumerator  of  the  Tweflth  Census.  This  po- 
sition he  tilled  without  one  word  of  complaint,  notwithstand- 
ing his  duties  carried  him  in  the  homes  of  three  thousand 
people,  both  white  and  colored.  He  is  secretary  of  the  local 
branch  of  Letter  Carrier's  Association,  and  has  been  re-elected 
five  successive  terms  without  opposition.  Was  a  delegate  to 
the  sixteenth  convention  of  National  Letter  Carriers,  at  Can- 
ton, (Jhio,  Sept.  11)07,  and  in  that  body  was  elected  National 
State  Vice-President,  a  ])osition  never  before  filled  by  a  col- 
ored man.  He  is  one  of  the  founders  of  the  Lincoln  Savings 
Bank,  the  oldest  institution  of  its  kind  in  the  State,  a  director, 
and  s(M-relary  of  its  Executive  Committee.  He  is  also  ]»roni- 
inent  in  the  fraternal  world,  being  a  .Mason,  a  Past  .Master. 
IMastei-  of  lOxchecpier  of  his  K.  of  I'.  Lodge  and  Sujtreme 
IMaster  of  Hecords  of  the  Master  Buihleis. 


Walter  15.  -loiies  is  one  of  the  successful  young  negi-(H'S 
of  A'icksburg.  He  has  the  reputation  of  being  one  of  the 
best  bi-icklayers  in  Vicksbui-g.  Steady  and  reliable,  Mr.  .Jones 
is  a  menibei-  of  several  fraternal  oi-ders,  a  christian  and  a 
gentleman,  lie  owns  a  magnificent  residence  on  a  |to|>ular 
sti-ecl  and  other  real  estate.  He  is  a  director  in  the  Lincoln 
Sasings  r>anU  and  proniincnl   in  church  and  oilier  s(»cieties. 

•10 


EDWARD  P.  EASTMAN. 


Edward  Paul  Eastman,  the  sub- 
ject of  this  sketch,  was  born  in 
the  t^tate  of  Mississipi)i  near  Hard 
Times  Lauding,  September  Otli, 
1872.  At  an  early  age  he  was 
brought  to  Vicksburg  and  left  to 
the  care  of  his  grandmother,  Ma- 
tilda Boyd.  He  attended  the  city 
schools  until  the  failing  health  of 
his  foster  parents  compelled  him 
to  quit  school  and  go  to  work. 
At  an  early  age  he  was  appren- 
ticed to  one  of  the  leading 
}»lund»ers  of  that  day.  Where  he 
learned  his  trade  he  has  worked  continuously  at  the  one  ])lace 
for  twenty  years  and  has  the  confidence  of  his  emph^yer. 

He  lays  no  claim  to  haying  accomplished  anything  great. 
He  is  a  "plain  blunt  man ;''  attends  strictly  to  his  own  affairs, 
trying  to  make  the  most  of  life  and  live  as  useful  a  life  as 
possible,  "for  he  shall  not  pass  this  w^ay  again." 

He  is  secretary  for  the  Jackson  Street  M.  B.  Church,  su- 
perintendent of  the  Sunday  School  and  a  leader  in  most 
things  for  the  benefit  of  the  Church. 

He  is  a  home-loying  man,  enjoying  the  companionship  of 
his  wife  and  the  loye  of  his  only  daughter. 

He  is  a  member  of  several  societies,  holding  positions  of 
trust  and  honor,  but  his  main  object  is  to  serve  his  God,  serve 
liis  familv  and  serve  his  fellow-man. 


Joseph  C.  Jennings  unfortunately  is  not  a  native  Mis- 
sissippian,  he  having  been  reared  in  New  Orleans,  La.,  and 
moved  to  Vicksburg  about  eight  years  ago.  During  his  stay 
liere  in  the  state  of  his  adoption,  he  has  contracted  for  and 
successfully  completed  the  plastering  of  some  of  the  largest 
buildings  in  the  city  and  state.  His  work  on  the  Craig  man- 
sion, the  Y.  &  M.  V.  passenger  station,  the  First  Presbyterian 
Church  and  hundreds  of  other  jobs  stands  as  a  lasting  monu- 
ment to  a  young  negro  contractor.  Mr.  Jennings  is  a  young 
man  and  employs  regularly  a  force  of  a  dozen  or  more  work- 
men. 

41 


W.  H.  SPRIGGS. 

^^'illialll  Heudei'Hon  Spriggs  is  a 
native  of  Warren  County,  Miss. 
His  ])oyliood  days  were  spent  on 
the  farm  and  liis  education  ac- 
(piired  in  tlie  pnblic  schools  of 
the  county.  For  several  years 
prior  to  1890,  Mr.  Spriggs  con- 
ducted a  mercantile  business  in 
New  Orleans,  La.,  beginning  with 
a  capital  of  about  .|;4,(»(K).  In  1S9G 
he  disposed  of  his  New  Orleans 
business  and  returned  to  Vicks- 
burg,  entering  into  mercantile  pur- 
suits, in  which  he  remained  two 
years,  quitting  that  to  take  up  the 
interests  of  the  Knights  of  Canaan.  It  is  in  the  interest  of 
this  order  that  he  has  made  most  marked  success.  When  he 
took  up  the  work  the  order  liad  very  few  members  and  was 
far  from  being  on  a  substantial  basis.  Its  first  system  of 
insurance  was  a  kind  of  weekly  benefit.  Dues  were  collected 
by  a  collector  whose  duty  it  was  to  call  from  house  to  house, 
collecting  from  each  member  at  their  home.  This  was  the 
first  position  in  the  order  which  fell  to  Mr.  S])riggs.  Several 
months  afterward  Mr.  Sjtriggs  accpiired  the  interests  of  the 
then  president,  and  a  Supreme  Lodge  was  organized  and  laws 
adojjted  for  its  further  government.  Mr.  Spriggs  then  took 
the  field  in  the  interest  of  the  order  and  traveled  over  ]\Iissis- 
sii)pi  and  Jjouisiana  for  four  years.  His  was  an  up  hill  strug- 
gle for  a  long  time.  Many  ditticulties  were  encountered  and 
broken  down  and  Mr.  Spriggs  to-day  bears  the  title  of  a 
*'record-breaker"  in  fraternal  work.  He  was  and  is  devoted  to 
the  oi-der  and  sj)ent  his  money  and  his  time  freely  in  the  effort 
to  make  it  the  most  popular  order  in  the  Stale. 


William  II.  Jones  is  a  rising  young  man  of  sjilendid  at- 
tainments. A  colh'ge  man,  a  Fi-ee  .Mason  and  a  consistent  fol- 
lower of  "(he  man  of  .'!.'>."  Mr.  -Jones  is  a  decorator  and 
])ainter.  He  owns  a  nice  home  in  the  residential  i>or(ion  of 
^'icksbnrl•  and  is  making  a  name  in  his  held  of  work. 


Vou  should  join  the  Knights  of  Canaan. 


I 


LEADING  NEGRO  WOMEN. 


FANNIE  B.  SLAUGHTER. 


Aiiioiii*-  the  leading  iieyro  Avoinen 
of  \'icksbni-g  none  are  more  proni- 
inent  than  Miss  Fannie  13. 
Shui<;htei-,  chuii>htei'  of  ^Ii".  and 
.Mis.  H.  L.  Slan,i»hter.  Miss 
Shuiiihter  was  born  in  Vieksburg, 
Imt  when  three  years  old  she  went 
to  (N)h)rado  with  her  god-niother 
and  remained  there  uiitil  seven- 
teen years  old.  While  in  the  West 
^liss  Slaughter  attended  the  very 
best  schools  and  as  a  result  of 
close  application  to  her  books  is 
a  highly  educated  young  woman 
and  now  holds  a  ])Osition  as  assistant  book-keeper  in  one  of 
the  large  wholesale  firms  in  Mcksburg,  and  is  the  first  and 
only  colored  woman  to  hold  such  a  ]»osition  in  this  city. 

By  reason  of  her  commercial  ability  and  familiarity  with 
such  work,  she  is  connected  in  a  clerical  capacity  with  sev- 
eral of  the  leading  colored  enterprises  of  the  State,  being- 
assistant  secretary  of  the  Colored  State  Fair  Association,  as- 
sistant secretary  of  the  Golden  Kule  Society  and  a  mend)er  of 
the  executive  board  of  the  ('olored  Press  Association  of  Mis- 
sissippi. 

Resides  her  distinction  in  the  business  world.  Miss 
Slaughter  is  very  })opular  socially,  having  only  recently  been 
voted  the  most  }>o])ular  young  lady  in  the  city. 

She  is  her  father's  "right  hand  bower,"  assisting  him  in 
all  of  his  business  aff'airs.  She  has  traveled  extensively,  is 
well  read  and  is  a  very  brilliant  conversationalist. 


Dr.  Thomas  W.  Stringer,  who  taught  the  colored  ])eople 
of  Mississippi  the  great  lesson  that  the  man  who  did  not  pro- 
vide for  those  of  his  own  household  Avas  worse  than  an  in- 
fidel, and  who  left  the  Masonic  Benefit  Association  as  a  mon- 
ument to  his  memory,  lived  and  died  on  (Mierry  Street,  loved 
and  honored  by  thousands. 

43 


CxEORGIA  A.  PROCTER,  M.  D. 

FKOrUIETOR  I'ROCTER'S  I)KU(;  STORK. 


GEORGIA  A.  PROCTER,  M.D. 


IT  IS  only  in  the  j)ast  few  years  that  women  have  l)e<>nu 
to  attract  attention  as  pliysicians  by  the  number  of  tliem 
taking  \\\i  the  practice  of  medicine.  In  the  State  of  ^lississippi 
Ihere  are  very  few  white  women  doctors,  and  Vicksbnr<»-  is 
the  home  of  the  only  colored  woman  in  the  state  licensed  to 
practice  this  science.  Mrs.  Georgia  A.  I'rocter  was  born  at 
BoAvling  Green,  Ky.,  in  1872,  of  well-to-do  ]>arents.  She  com- 
pleted her  high  school  education  in  her  native  town  and  en- 
tered Bereah  College,  where  she  remained  one  year,  going  from 
there  to  the  State  T'niversity,  where  she  remained  until  the 
death  of  President  Wm.  J.  Simmons.  She  then  removed  to 
Eckstein  Norton,  where  she  was  employed  as  assistant  in- 
structress. She  was  married  in  18!)2  to  Henry  M.  I'rocter, 
and  in  1!)()2  she  and  her  husband  completed  the  medical 
course  at  Meharry  Medical  College,  at  Nashville,  Tenn.  ^Irs. 
IM-octer  also  graduated  as  a  trained  nurse  at  the  same  time. 
The  following  year  she  and  her  husband  located  in  Vicksburg 
and  began  the  practice  of  their  profession  and  have  always 
enjoyed  a  lucrative  practice.  Mrs  Procter  is  proprietor  of 
Procter's  Drugstore,  the  only  business  of  the  kind  in  the  city 
owned  and  managed  exclusively  by  colored  people.  They  carry 
a  complete  stock  of  drugs  and  chemicals,  as  well  as  all  the 
leading  patent  and  proprietary  medicines  and  druggists  sun- 
dries. 


Among  the  many  noted  colored  women  of  Yicksburg  none 
stands  higher  in  the  hearts  of  the  race  than  Mrs.  Koxena  A. 
Jones,  widow  of  the  late  W.  T.  Jones. 

Mrs.  Jones  is  the  Grand  Treasurer  of  the  Grand  Court 
of  Calanthe  of  the  State  of  ^Iississi})pi,  Governess  of  Rebecca 
Circle  United  Woodmen,  and  high  official  in  such  noted  orders 
as  the  Eastern  Star,  Knights  and  Ladies  of  Honor  and  the 
Race  Pride.  She  bears  the  distinction  of  having  been  one  of 
the  first  ladies  promoted  to  the  i-anks  of  bank  directors..  She 
is  a  thorough  business  woman,  minus  the  mannish  style  of 
business  women.  ^Irs.  Jones  owns  a  nice  residence  on  Crayton 
Street  and  not  a  few  cottages  for  rental  ])urposes.  She  is 
a"  conspicuous  figure  in  all  the  Grand  Lodges  to  which  negro 
women  attend,  and  is  given  an  imi)orfant  jdace  on  all  com- 
mittees. 

4.'i 


MRS.  LUCY  JEFFERSON. 


Mrs.  I^ncy  Jettei-8on  was  born  in 
Jackson,  Miss.,  1807,  but  the 
greater  part  of  her  life  has  been 
spent  in  Vicksburg,  where  her 
]»arents  reside  She  attended  the 
city  jtnblic  schools  and  accpiired 
the  honor  of  being  the  leader  of 
her  class.  She  is  known  as  a  great 
chnrch  and  society  worker  in  this 
city  and  possesses  those  qual- 
ities which  make  up  true  woman- 
hood. Mr.  Jefferson's  success  in 
his  undertaking  establishment  is 
largely  due  to  the  assistance  of 
his  wife.  She  is  the  president  of  the  Women's  Christian 
Union,  who  are  buying  a  piece  of  property  at  Cedar  Grove 
to  establish  an  old  folks  liome  and  orphanage  for  her  race. 
She  is  pointed  to  with  jiride  as  one  of  the  leaders  of  her  race. 
She  is  a  member  of  twelve  secret  societies,  secretary  of  the 
Stewardess  Board  of  Bethel  Church,  of  which  she  is  a  zealous 
worker.  (Irand  Treasurer  of  the  National  Knights  and  Ladies 
of  Honor,  a  fraternal  societv. 


Miss  Maud  Gertrude  Lovett  is  a  graduate  of  Straight  Uni- 
versity, New  Orleans.  La.,  and  is  an  accomjdished  musician. 

She  is  a  product  of  A'icksburg  and  all  \'icksburg  negroes 
are  }»rond  of  her.  Miss  Maude's  delight  is  in  the  sonatas  of 
Bethoven,  Wagner  and  Listz.  She  is  one  of  nature's  noblest 
women  and  nothing  pleases  her  better  than  to  entei'tain  with 
her  excellent  musi<-  her  admiring  friends.  Miss  Maud  is  one 
of  (he  few  coloi-ed  girl  heiresses  of  \'i(ksburg.  She  in- 
herits in  her  own  right  the  title  to  several  valuable  city  lots 
and  a  farm  near  Mound  Bayou,  Miss.  She  is  consi)icuous 
in  all  musical  entei'tainments  given  by  her  peoi)le  in  the  city 
and  is  an  honoraiy  member  of  ^'icksburg  Commandery  Xo.  1 
Knights  Temjdar  and  Stringer  Lodge  F.  and  A.  M.  She  is 
the  idol  of  the  Masonic  Fraternitv  of  ^'icksbura. 


MRS.  EDW.  P.  JONES. 


o 


o 

o 

> 

< 

Q 
> 


NEGRO  ENTERPRISES. 


LINCOLN  SAVINGS  BANK. 

IX  the  business  world  of  this  section  no  institution  stands 
in  higher  regard  than  this  staunch  institution.  It  was 
founded  in  1<S1*2,  hirgely  as  an  experiment,  for  the  memories 
of  the  Freedmen's  Savings  Bank  came  like  harpies  over  the 
colored  people  of  this  section,  notwithstanding  the  fact  that 
the  (lovernment  Avas  back  of  that  institution  and  it  was  num- 
aged  and  controlled  by  white  men. 

The  bank's  name  was  changed  and  its  real  career  entered 
upon  Emancipation  Day,  19(13.  It  has  known  few  days 
since  that  it  has  not  grown.     Its  tirst  statement   showed  a 


M.  Z.  M0LL180N,  Cashikr  Lincoln  Savings  BANK.^ 

total  of  resources  of  less  than  .f3,500.00  including  everything. 
The  deposits  for  any  average  Monday  will  e(pial  or  exceed 
that  figure,  while  its  loans  now  exceed  forty  thousand  dol- 
lars. Its  president  is  W.  E.  Mollison,  whose  biography  ap- 
l)ears  in  this  volume.  He  is  known  all  over  Mississippi  as  well 
as  most  of  the  Southern  States.  B.  F.  Lacey,  the  First  Vice- 
President  of  the  concern,  is  a  suciessful  and  energetic  planter 
and  business  man.  1'.  C.  ro]»elain  is  also  a  well  known  and 
])rogressive  citizen.  Its  Cashier,  ^I.  Z.  ^lollison,  has  grown 
u]t  with  the  bank,  having  been  its  bookkeeper  and  corres- 
])()ndent.  She  is  a  graduate  of  the  famous  Oberlin  ColJege  and 
is  an  ex])ert  stenograjdier  and  very  proficient  book-keeper.  The 
bank's  afi'airs  have  been   run  by   her   with   great  success,  the 


b.n 

^  Assr.  [A'jHir.R  1/hioiv JAVM05 3'^'^fi 


Dillon 
Second  i/icf,  -  prir,:)!Di^NT 


OFFICERS  UNION  SAVINGS  HANK. 


President's  duties  requiring  that  for  days  in  a  stretch  she  is 
the  sole  authority.  That  the  bank  has  grown  wonderfully  since 
she  has  l>een  in  control  shows  the  confidence  of  the  public  in 
her  ability  and  integrirv". 

Among  the  directors  will  be  found  the  names  of  some  of 
our  leading  citizens  and  business  men.  A  few  of  them  are 
here  given :  B.  W.  Currie.  Walter  B.  Jones.  C.  B.  Minor.  Jno. 
W.  Harris.  W.  \V.  Manaway.  S.  H.  Highland.  Lewis  Johnson. 

The  bank's  capital  has  been  increa.sed  lately  and  it  is  now 
api»arent  that  within  a  short  time  this  bank  will  be  what  its 
promoters  ho])e  and  dream :  a  sure  enough  great  big  bank, 
disjjensing  thousands  of  dollars  into  the  channels  of  trade  to 
the  hundreds  now  being  put  out. 


UXIOX  SAVINGS  BANK. 

THE  UXIOX  SAVINGS  BANK  of  Vicksburg.  Miss.,  is  an 
institution  of  which  the  negroes  may  justly  feel  proud. 
It  was  organized  about  three  year-s  ago  with  the  capital  of 
the  negroes  of  this  community  who  felt  that  they  could  spare 
a  few  dollars  of  their  earnings  to  invest  in  a  negro  Ijanking 
business  venture,  and  has  been  supported  during  that  i»eriod 
almost  entirely  by  negro  patronage. 

The  history  of  this  institution  can  be  told  in  a  few  words. 
It  was  in  the  main  the  conception  of  Dr.  C.  Henri  Woode.  a 
prominent  physician  of  Vicksburg.  and  Mr.  T.  G.  Ewing.  Jr.. 
the  present  cashier.  They  succeeded  in  interesting  the  rep- 
resentative colored  people  in  this  effort  to  the  extent  that 
sufficient  capital  was  subscribed  and  paid  to  enable  the  pro- 
moters to  begin  business  as  soon  after  the  fii'st  meeting  as 
the  charter  could  be  secured.  As  a  reward  for  this  effort  to 
promote  the  organization  of  the  bank.  Dr.  Woode  was  made 
Iiresident  and  served  the  bank  as  such  until  his  death.  His 
mantle  fell  sticcessively  upon  Prof.  R.  J.  Rowan,  president  of 
Alcorn  College  and  I>r.  H.  E.  Connor,  the  latter  of  whom 
honor-s  the  position  of  president  at  this  writing.  Mr.  T.  (}. 
Ewing.  Jr.,  a  brilliant  and  aggre-ssive  young  business  man, 
was  chosen  cashier  and  has  filled  this  position  ever  since  with 
credit  to  himself  and  profit  to  the  bank.  Its  success  is  due 
largely  to  his  management. 

The  rating  of  the  bank  is  what  reflects  credit  upon  the 
business  ability  and  tact  of  the  race.  In  a  city  of  less  than 
2o.(KMi  inhabitants,  where  five  banking  institutions  with  an 
aggregate  capital  of  more  than  half  a  million  dollars  were 


doing  business,  this  infant  institution  came  fortli  tliree  years 
ago  claiming  a  sliare  of  tlie  i)atronage  or  the  race.  Many 
thought  at  the  time  that  this  was  a  too  venturesome  venture; 
tliat  the  odds  against  its  success  were  too  great,  but  time  and 
result  have  proven  the  wisdom  of  tlie  enterprise.  It  has  be- 
come the  Mecca  institution  of  tlie  negroes  of  this  community 
who  do  financial  business.  Its  standing  is  known  and  re- 
spected by  the  business  institutions  and  business  people  of 
the  opposite  race.  It  is  well  know^n  that  its  affairs  are  directed 
by  men  of  honesty  and  business  integrity  that  its  condition 
is  entirely  solvent;  that  it  throws  around  the  funds  of  its  de- 
positors the  greatest  possible  safeguards.  Its  accounts  and 
funds  undergo  the  regular  scrutiny  of  an  auditing  committee, 
it  carries  a  reasonable  fire  and  burglar  insurance,  and  has  its 
officers  under  bond  commensurate  with  the  holdings  of  the 
bank. 

The  venture  has  been  a  success  in  a  business  way.  Two 
dividends  have  been  declared  in  its  short  history  and  a  hand- 
some sum  passed  to  surplus. 

The  Union  t^avings  Bank  is  an  example  of  what  the 
negroes  in  any  community  may  do  if  they  organize,  having  for 
their  motto :  "Business  ability  and  business  integrity." 


1 


LINCOLN  PARK  LAND  CO. 

FOUR  miles  north  of  the  city  of  Vicksburg,  nestling  be- 
neath the  hills  which  trembled  beneath  the  heavy  guns 
which  resisted  the  siege  of  one  of  The  most  magniticents  armies 
of  the  modern  days  is  beautiful  Spout  Springs,  which  for  three 
generations  has  poured  forth  a  stream  of  the  coolest  and 
most  welcome  water  that  ever  came  freely  forth  from  hill 
or  crag.  There  is  a  table  land  just  west  of  it  sloping  down  to 
the  line  of  the  railroad  at  Avhat  is  known  as  Kings.  This  land 
is  as  bountifully  rich  as  ever  held  the  fleeting  shadow  of  the 
crow  or  eagle.  This  tract  of  land  and  the  beautiful  elevation 
overlooking  it  seemed  designed  by  nature  for  a  i)leasure  re- 
sort. It  is  amply  sui)plied  with  everydiing  that  would  make 
it  an  ideal  resort.  The  construction  of  the  street  railway  by 
Houston  Bros,  will  ]>ut  this  tract  within  three  or  four  minutes 
of  Yicksburg's  city  limits.  The  I>inc<)ln  I'ark  Land  Conijtany 
was  chartered  to  own  and  put  this  jtroperty,  as  well  as  a  num- 
ber of  other  ])ieces  that  have  belonged  lo  \A'.  10.  ]\Iollison,  on 
the  market.  It  is  not  known  >Nlietlier  it  will  be  ])]atted  or 
not.      Mr.    Mollisoii    li;is   re-fused   .1^.'),.")0(l    for   the    thirteen   acre 


tract  and  expects  to  have  the  Land  Company  take  it  in  charge 
when  the  time  seems  ripe  to  pnt  it  and  other  lands  tliat  will 
be  conveyed  to  the  company.  The  Land  Company's  officers  are : 
W.  E.  Mollison,  President ;  C.  B.  Minor,  Secretary ;  T  W.  Molli- 
son,  Vice-President;  M.  Z.  Mollison,  Treasurer.  Among  the 
directors  are  C.  B.  Minor,  J.  Monroe  Hnbbard  and  other  well 
known  colored  citizens.  It  is  reported  that  the  managers  have 
arranged  that  the  issue  of  stock  will  not  exceed  ten  thousand 
dollars,  and  that  a  new  feature  is  that  stock  certificates  will 
be  accepted  in  part  payment  for  building  lots  in  Lincoln  Park 
as  soon  as  the  leases  now  on  the  property  shall  expire.  Shares 
of  stock  are  ten  dollars  each,  and  this  is  a  good  time  to  buy. 


VICKSBURG  MERCANTILE  CO. 

SOME  months  ago  a  couple  of  promoters  came  through 
Vicksburg  and  solicited  subscriptions  to  the  stock  of  a 
corporation  which  was  chartered  and  put  into  working  order. 
A  number  of  our  leading  colored  citizens  were  interested  and 
took  part  in  the  organization.  It  met  and  elected  J.  J.  Morant 
president,  Juo.  W.  Harris  Secretary,  H.  L.  Slaughter,  treas- 
urer and  John  T.  Spencer  vice-president  and  all  things  looked 
hopeful  for  a  prosperous  campaign.  The  corporation  elected 
Mr.  Jno.  Tate  business  manager  and  is  now  in  every  way  in 
shape  to  enter  the  business  field.  The  panic  of  last  fall  is  all 
that  prevented  the  Vicksburg  Mercantile  Company  from  en- 
tering a  live  and  active  business  before  August  1st,  1908. 


No  mere  sketch  could  give  the  names  of  men  who  have 
been  prominent  in  the  public  aft'airs  of  the  commonwealth. 

Thomas  W.  Broadwaters,  a  little  less  original  but  just  as 
earnest  and  aggressive,  brought  Pythianism  to  a  position  of 
great  prominence  and  usefulness. 

W.  T.  Jones,  who  founded  the  order  just  entering  a  career 
of  usefulness  in  the  fraternal  field  of  insurance,  lived  to  have 
a  thousand  members  march  behind  his  bier,  regretting  the 
loss  of  a  nmn  whose  genius  had  made  an  institution  Avhose 
benificence  had  made  thousands  happy. 

Vicksburg  has  spoken  in  praise  of  her  colored  lawyer, 
whose  office  and  equipment,  as  well  as  the  questions  with 
which  he  deals,  equals  those  of  any  lawyer  anywhere.  He 
is  known  all  over  the  state  as  well  as  the  country  and  his 
works  speak  for  the  man. 

53 


INTERIOR  UNION  GROCERY  CO. 


THOMAS  DILLON,  MANAGER,     {fw  pa-e  18.) 


tx-'*',,-'"*' 


^I^St  ]  cS'iz,  i  a^  ^   ssr  I  3^ J 


THE  UNION  GROCERY  CO. 


>npHE  UNION  GROCERY  COMPANY  was  organized  in  1904 
-*-  by  Thomas  Dillon  and  the  business  to-day  stands  as  a 
monument  to  his  strict  integrity  and  devotion  to  business.  As- 
sociated with  Mr.  Dillon  are  Ed.  Williams,  president  of  the 
company ;  Wm.  Ware,  secretary,  and  Albert  Judge  and  Ferdi- 
nand Sims. 

The  company  began  operations  on  the  30th  day  of  May, 
1904,  with  a  capital  of  less  than  |1,000,  and  under  the  careful 
management  of  Mr.  Dillon  it  has  prospered  beyond  the  most 
sanguine  expectations  of  its  founders.  They  now  carry  a 
stock  ai)proximating  .f4,000  and  run  two  delivery  wagons  to 
all  parts  of  the  city. 

On  April  1."),  1907,  the  company  suffered  the  loss  of  their 
entire  stock  by  tire,  losing  over  .f3,000.  Phoenix-like,  however, 
the  very  next  day  the  company  was  doing  business,  having 
secured  temporary  quarters.  Shortly  afterwards  they  built 
a  new  and  large  store  building  and  the  business  is  continuing 
to  grow  larger  day  by  day.  The  company  enjoys  a  large 
trade,  and  caters  to  the  best  trade.  Their  stock  is  always  clean 
and  fresh  and  everything  that  is  good  to  eat  can  be  secured 
from  them.  The  fresh  meat  department  is  under  the  manage- 
ment of  ^Ir.  Williams,  the  president  of  the  c()m])any.  Here 
can  be  had  all  the  choicest  native  and  ^^'estern  meats,  and 
l)r()duce. 


MX.  HERODEN  BAPTIvST  CHURCH. 


KDW.    1'.  .loNlvS.  1'.  C.     (See  PiiKc  U. 


THE  NEGRO  CHURCHES. 


MT.  HERODEN  BAPTIST  CHURCH. 

1\  /r  OUXT  HERODEX  BABTIST  CHURCH,  organized  in 
^^^  the  year  of  1S<><)  by  Rev.  G.  G.  Middleton,  who  after- 
wards became  the  tir.st  clergTnian  of  tlie  Episcopal  Church 
South,  has  ever  been  known  for  its  worsliip  as  at  variance 
with  the  hirge  majority  of  negro  Baptist  Churches.  Intelli- 
gence has  ever  held  sway  with  this  congregation.  Dr.  Middle- 
ton  Avas  succeeded  by  the  lamented  Dr.  A.  A.  Hamilton,  who 
served  the  congregation  for  fourteen  years  and  the  Baptists  of 
Mississippi  as  president  for  four  years.  Dr.  Hamillon's  ad- 
ministration was  one  of  the  most  successful  and  he  deserves 
much  credit  for  the  great  number  which  were  added  to  the 
congregation,  many  of  whom  are  now  the  most  devout  and 
true  members  of  the  church.  Dr.  Hamilton  died  June  24th, 
11)02,  and  the  present  pastor.  Rev.  Edw.  P.  Jones,  B.S.,  D.D., 
was  immediately  called  as  his  successor.  Upon  liis  death  bed 
Dr.  Hamilton  earnestly  requested  that  they  should  call  tliis 
young  man  to  his  pulpit.  Dr.  Jones  has  served  the  church  as 
best  he  could.  He  has  succeeded  in  replacing  the  old  structure 
with  a  modern  and  up-to-date  building.  One  of  the  best 
pipe  organs  used  by  any  colored  church  in  the  South  has 
been  purchased  and  is  a  monument  to  the  devotion  of  the 
membership  of  the  church  for  excellent  music.  Dr.  Jones  is  of 
the  opinion  that  he  has  an  efficient  Board  of  Deacons,  viz. : 
Patrick  Washington,  Steven  Tucker,  Robert  Ellis,  John  ('amp- 
bell,  Matt  Campbell,  Elijah  Bates,  I.  S.  Terrell  and  Robert 
Crane,  who  serves  as  treasurer,  and  W.  P.  Thompson  is  clerk. 
John  W.  Harris  is  secretary  of  the  Relief  Fund  and  the  follow- 
lowing  are  the  trustees:  A.  Asberry,  William  Thomas,  James 
Anderson,  B.  C.  McCoy,  Walter  Pittman,  Joshua  Black  and 
Edward  Patterson, 

The  Church  has  also  a  flourishing  Sunday  School,  over 
which  Armstead  Asberi-y  has  been  Superintendent  for  twenty- 
five  years  and  ^Nliss  Alice  Cam]>bell  for  about  eigliteen  years. 

The  Church  has  a  memlxn-ship  of  500  members  and  the 
Sunday  School  about  llncc  hundred  and  flftv. 


JACKSON  vSTRHKT  BAPTIST  CHURCH. 

KDWAKI)  r.  KASTMAN.  Skchkiahv.    (Sec  I'iiKo  11.) 


T 


JACKSON  STREET  CHURCH. 

BAPTIST. 
HE  Jacksou  Street  Baptist  Church,  Yicksburg,  ]Miss.,  was 


J-  organized  in  April,  1899,  by  Rev.  A.  A.  Hamilton  and 
others  in  State  Golden  Kule  Hall  with  seventy-five  members. 
The  ehnrch  called  Kev.  A.  ]\I.  Johnson,  D.D.,  of  Port  Gibson, 
as  [>astor.  The  congregation  bought  a  lot  at  a  cost  of  |1,00().00 
on  the  corner  of  Second  North  and  Jackson  Streets.  For  two 
years  they  continued  to  worship  in  the  State  Golden  Rule 
Hall.  On  July  10.  1899,  the  ground  was  broke  for  the  build- 
ing of  an  elaborate  brick  edifice.  This  building  has  a  main 
auditorium  up  stairs  that  will  seat  800  persons.  This  is  a 
model  of  beauty  and  is  finished  in  the  latest  style.  The  parlor 
(or  basement)  has  a  large  lecture  room,  dining  room  and 
kitchen,  together  with  the  young  men's  gymnasium.  This  is 
one  of  the  best  church  buildings,  as  well  as  the  largest  and 
finest  (when  completed)  owned  by  colored  people  in  the  State 
of  Mississippi.  It  was  built  under  the  direction  of  the  present 
pastor.  Rev.  A.  M.  Johnson,  and  the  Board  of  Trustees.  The 
membership  of  the  Church  now  numbers  about  350  members. 
There  is  one  feature  about  the  erection  of  this  church  that 
shows  the  progress  of  tlie  negro,  and  that  is,  all  of  the  work 
was  done  by  negroes. 

The  Church  numbers  among  its  mend^ership  some  of  the 
most  progressive  young  men  and  women  in  the  State.  Under 
the  direction  of  the  Church,  they  have  a  model  Sunday  School, 
a  B.  Y.  P.  U.  and  also  a  Benevolent  Society,  which  looks  after 
the  wants  of  the  poor  and  sick  members  of  the  Church. 

The  Church,  when  completed,  will  have  cost  about  |25,- 
000.00. 


Rev.  Kelly  Rucks  was  born  a  slave  and  freed  at  the 
age  of  fourteen  Avithout  a  home,  or  respectable  chUhes;  yea, 
even  the  necessities  of  life,  he  now  through  (Jod's  blessings, 
owns  a  nice  home  and  other  i)roperty  valued  at  over  |10,000, 
has  an  interesting  family  and  enjoys  the  full  confidence  and 
respect  of  every  one  who  knows  him.  He  is  a  member  of  I  lie 
Board  of  Directors  of  Kosciusko  Industrial  College.  He  has 
never  been  a  member  of  anv  secret  order. 


BETHEL  A.  M.  \i.  CHURCH. 


.INO.  ,1.  MORANT.  1'.  ('.     (Src  piiKi'  -1 


BETHEL  A.  M.  E.  CHURCH. 


BETHEL  A.  M.  E.  (^HUR('H  was  oi-oiiiiizod  in  1S()4  by 
Rev.  Page  Tyler.  Bishop  J.  P.  Cainiibell  was  the  first 
Bishop  of  the  A.  M.  E.  Church,  wlio  visited  this  ehurcli  and 
organized  the  first  annual  cont'erenee.  The  present  site  and 
building  was  formerly  owned  by  the  First  Presbyterian  Chureh 
(white)   of  this  city 

Many  have  been  the  hardships  of  Bethel  congregation  and 
great  has  been  its  struggles,  but  in  all  of  it  the^^  have  been 
more  than  conquerers ;  and  to-day  ''Bethel"  is  one  among  the 
leading  churches  of  the  great  A.  ^I.  E.  connection.  She  has 
an  enrollment  of  nearly  seven  hundred  members  and  property 
valued  at  |25,()00. 

The  following  are  some  of  the  illustrious  ministers  who 
have  served  the  church  as  pastors:  Page  Tyler,  Hiram  Bevels, 
Dr.  Cooper,  T.  W.  Stringer,  Brother  Allen,  Brother  Brown,  J. 
C.  Embry,  Adam  Jackson,  J.  I.  Lowe,  F.  Carolina,  C.  H. 
Thomas,  H.  B.  Parks,  W.  T.  Anderson,  O.  P.  Ross,  A.  J. 
Russel,  P.  W.  Mills,  (;.  W.  Porter  and  Jno.  J.  Morant. 

Bethel  Church  is  an  old  landmark  of  African  Methodism 
and  a  citadel  for  the  faith  that  has  been  delivered  to  the 
saints.  The  congregation  is  proud  of  her  work  in  past  days 
and  is  now  turning  its  attention  to  the  future  and  to  greater 
achievements.  In  a  few  years,  D.V.,  a  new  structure  will  hallow 
this  sacred  spot.  Bethel  has  done  much  in  the  way  of  moulding 
public  sentiment,  and  stands  to-day,  as  it  has  always  stood, 
for  the  Fatherhood  of  God,  and  the  I^rothei-hood  of  ^Tan  Her 
I)astors  in  the  main  have  never  been  recreant  to  duty,  and  have 
always  been  found  to  the  front  in  all  emergencies  that  sav- 
ored detriment  to  the  people — and  especially  to  the  race.  Her 
members  are  made  up  of  a  class  of  Yicksburg's  best  citizenry, 
and  they  live  and  ]»reach  "peace  on  earth  and  good  will  to 
all.''  Her  pulpit  is  a  veritable  "watch  tower"  and  will  always 
seek  to  be  on  the  side  of  right,  the  majoi-ily  on  the  wrong- 
notwithstanding.  She  has  done  untold  good  in  bringing  about 
amicable  relations  between  the  two  races,  which  is  e\idenc('(l 
by  the  good  feeling  that  exists  toward  her  by  a  wliilc  neigh- 
borhood that  surrounds  her. 


Rev.  K.  1*.  Jones  conducts  a  Avell  e(|uipped  piinling  estab- 
lishment. 

61 


HOLLY  GROVE  BAPTLST  CHURCH. 


KKLLY  RUCKS,  P.  C.    (See  page  Hi.) 


HOLLY  GROVE  CHURCH. 

BAPTIST. 


HOLLY  GROVE  BAPTIST  CHURCH  was  orgaiiizod  and 
foiiiuled  by  Rev.  Mose  Bell,  shortly  after  the  capitn- 
hition  of  Vicksbiirg  iu  18()3.  Rev.  Bell  preached  to  his 
congregation  about  one  year  under  an  improvised  slied.  and 
Avhen  the  chnrcli  was  tlnis  established,  the  congregation  de- 
cided to  bnild  a  church.  Rev.  Bell  was  gathered  to  his  Fathers 
before  the  completion  of  the  church,  and  was  succeeded  by 
Rev.  Lee  Davis,  who  remained  until  his  death,  four  or  five 
years  afterwards.  He  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  Sterling  Stiles, 
who  remained  only  a  short  time,  and  was  succeeded  by  the 
Rev.  Kelly  Rucks  in  187().  Rev.  Rucks  found  the  church 
greatly  disorganized  and  its  erstwhile  influence  and  standing 
greatly  crippled.  He  gathered  around  him  a  few  of  the  more 
devout  members  and  proceeded  to  bring  order  out  of  chaos, 
and  in  a  short  time  the  church  again  took  position  among  the 
leading  churches.  When  the  church  was  originally  built,  it 
was  erected  on  rented  ground,  and  after  Rev.  Rucks  came  to 
the  church  he  bought  a  site  and  built  a  new  church,  at  a  cost 
of  |1,()5().  In  1!)07  it  became  neceifsary  to  tear  down  and 
rebuild,  and  the  present  building  was  completed  in  November, 
1907,  at  a  cost  of  about  |2,()00.  The  congregation  numbers 
about  225  devout  mend»ers,  and  since  Rev.  Rucks  has  been  its 
pastor  there  has  never  been  a  day  of  dissension  among  its 
members.  The  entire  membership  work  in  harmony,  and  go 
in  more  for  pure  religious  worship  and  the  good  they  can  do, 
than  for  style  and  show.  Rev.  Rucks  has  only  two  and)itions. 
One  is  to  be  a  good  husband  and  father  and  the  other  to  be 
a  good  minister  for  God,  and  there  are  any  number  of  phys- 
ical evidences  that  his  ambition  in  this  respect  is  being  ful- 
filled. He  believes  that  the  biblical  injunction  that  ''Take  heed 
unto  thyself,  and  unto  the  doctrines;  continue  in  them;  for 
in  doing  this  thou  slialt  save  thyself  and  them  that  hear  thee 
*  *  *  But  if  any  provide  not  for  his  own,  and  specially 
for  those  of  his  own  house,  he  hath  denied  the  faith  and  is 
worse  than  an  infidel.'' 

When  Vicksburg  cajdtulated  Rev.  Kelly  Rucks  was  a  four- 
teen year  old  slave.  He  is  now  worth  -fKKOOO,  and,  a  yet 
greater  asset,  he  is  trusted  and  respected  by  bolh  whiles  and 
blacks. 

03 


(  lloll;  AND  (  UANCEL,  -ST.  MARY'S  CHURCH,     (i-ue  page  17.) 


ST.   MAKV'S  SCHOOL  AND  I'AKISH   HoCSE.     ( S,i.  piifjc  TJ. ) 


ST.  MARYS  CHURCH. 

EPISCOPAL. 


ST.  MARY'S  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH,  Yieksbiirg,  Miss.,  was 
established  diiriug  the  year  18S5.  The  three  men  who 
did  more  than  any  other  in  establishing  the  Chnrch  were  the 
Rt.  Rev.  H.  M.  Thompson,  the  Rev.  Henry  Samson  and  Mr. 
R.  R.  Harrison.  Bishop  Thompson  did  not  receive  very  much 
enconrageinent  from  the  majority  of  his  people  in  what  some 
of  them  called  his  "pet  scheme."'  St.  Mary's  Church  was  the 
first  Protestant  Episcopal  Church  organized  among  the  col- 
ored people  of  this  section  of  the  country.  This  church  stands 
for  an  intelligent,  refined  and  dignified  mode  of  worship.  Its 
ideals  of  Christianity  are  b}'  some  of  the  people  misunderstood, 
misrepresented  and  consequently  severely  and  adversely  criti- 
cised. A  church  is  not  to  be  blamed  if  its  ideals  are  in  ad- 
vance of  the  majority  of  the  people  she  tries  to  reach.  Her 
duty  is  to  minister  faithfully  to  those  who  can  appreciate  and 
^ill  accept  what  she  has  to  offer.  The  church  is  growing  on 
the  people  of  Yicksburg,  and  as  they  know  her  better,  she  re- 
ceives thankfully  the  sympathy  and  help  of  a  great  many  of 
all  classes  of  the  citizens.  St.  ]Mary's  Church  was  the  first 
church  in  Yicksburg  to  organize  the  vested  choir.  Since  its 
organization,  it  has  had  eight  ministers,  two  white  and  six 
colored.  The  Rev.  Dr.  Middleton,  now  in  charge,  is  the  eighth. 
He  has  been  there  since  1900.  Since  his  coming  to  the  church 
very  little  remains  of  the  old  equipment  except  the  floor,  the 
walls  and  the  ceiling.  The  pipe  organ,  as  large  and  sweet- 
toned  as  any  in  Yicksburg,  the  pews,  the  carpet,  the  bap- 
tismal fount,  sanctuary  lamj)  and  altar  furniture  have  been 
j)laced  in  the  church  during  his  incumbency.  However,  these 
things  would  count  for  very  little  if  they  were  all  the  church 
stood  for.  The  minister  tries  to  get  his  people  to  realize  that 
it  is  the  church's  duty  to  do  some  real  and  tangible  good  for 
the  people  of  the  community;  that  its  influenc(^  ought  to  be 
felt  in  the  moral,  spiritual,  and,  indirectly,  in  the  social  life 
of  all  the  people.    No  church  has  any  other  excuse  for  existing. 


W.  E.  ]Mollison  is  known  as  a  writer  and  sj)eakei'  of 
ability  and  is  recognized  as  one  of  the  leaders  of  the  people  in 
America. 

5  65 


KING  vSOLOMON  BAPTIST  CHURCH. 

J.  H.  C.  HENRY,   r.  C.     (Seo  page  •-'•■..) 


KING  SOLOMON  CHURCH. 

BAPTIST. 


A  MEETING  of  the  Mount  Pleasant  Baptist  Association, 
doniieiled  in  Vieksburg,  Mississippi,  was  held  in  their 
one-storv  frame  edifice  on  the  site  of  the  jtresent  church,  No- 
vember 17th,  18()6.  After  devotional  exercises  were  had,  a 
notice  was  read,  authorizing  the  call  of  the  council.  The  fol- 
lowing ordained  elders  were  present:  Revs.  Handle  Pollard, 
Marion  Dunbar,  William  Tensly,  Marcus  Bryan,  Joseph  Smoth- 
ers, L.  Woods  and  Ivorv  Williams. 

Rev.  Randle  I'ollard  was  chosen  moderator  of  the  council. 
Rev.  Ivory  Williams  Clerk.  The  Moderator  stated  that  the 
object  of  the  council  was  to  establish  an  independent  and  reg- 
ular organized  Church  of  the  Baptist  denomination  at  Vieks- 
burg, Miss.     The  following  resolutions  were  read: 

"■Be  it  resolved,  that  Mt.  Pleasant  Baptist  Association  be 
known  hereafter  as  the  Mount  Pleasant  Church  of  Vieksburg, 
Miss."  These  resolutions  were  received  and  adoj)ted,  after 
which  the  council  adjourned. 

The  Church,  at  the  time  of  its  organization,  was  without 
a  regular  pastor.  During  the  latter  part  of  1804:  and  ISdf) 
spiritual  help  had  been  given  by  local  preachers.  Among  the 
most  prominent  of  these  were  Rev.  Jim  Middleton,  Rev.  Hodge 
and  Chaplain  Edwards  (white)  of  the  lOth  Regiment  of  the 
U.  S.  Army.  He  assisted  the  church  in  securing  the  lot  upon 
which  their  one-story  fran)e  building  stood.  He  labored  Avith 
them  for  several  years  after  the  organization  of  the  church. 
By  the  consent  of  the  church  at  a  regular  meeting,  he  changed 
the  name  of  the  church,  ]\rarch  22,  18()1)  from  ^It.  Pleasant  to 
that  of  King  Solomon  Bajttist  Church.  He  was  an  earnest 
worker  for  the  upbuilding  of  the  church,  and  he  was  greatly 
esteemed  by  them.  He,  however,  left  the  State  in  the  latter 
part  of  1869.  After  his  departure  the  church  called  Rev.  G. 
G.  Middletton  to  its  pastorate  and  afterwards  ordained  him 
for  the  Avork  in  1870.  During  his  administration  the  mem- 
bership of  the  church  increased  to  upward  of  seven  hundred 
regular  attendants.  In  1874  he  resigned  his  otTice  to  take 
charge  of  Mount  Heroden  Baptist  Church.  lOarly  in  the  year 
1875  the  church  elected  Rev.  Jefferson  Tliomjison  ])astor  to 
succeed  Rev.  G.  G.  ^liddleton.  H<*  labored  until  the  sum- 
mer of  1878,  when  he  fell  a  victim  to  vellow  fever,  and  at  his 


own  request,  his  remains  were  buried  at  the  southeast  corner 
of  the  church,  where  they  repose  until  this  day.  Eev.  G.  P. 
Jones  was  elected  pastor  to  succeed  Rev.  Jefferson  Thompson 
late  in  the  year  1878.  His  administration  began  under  the 
most  extraordinary  circumstances.  He  found  an  empty  treas- 
ury, the  church  half  finished,  notes  on  contracts  maturing, 
besides  an  oversight  of  the  spiritual  condition  of  his  Hock. 
He  sold  one  of  the  church  lots  to  the  Drayman's  Aid  Society 
for  |«30()  and  completed  the  church,  bought  new  pews  which 
are  now  in  use;  dedicated  the  church  to  the  service  of  God 
in  1880  and  paid  off  all  the  indebtedness  left  by  his  predecessor. 
He  established  our  first  church  choir,  bought  an  organ  and 
added  many  other  progressive  improvements  to  the  credit  of 
the  church  and  the  denomination.  He  labored  on  for  the  good 
of  the  cause  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  until  his  i^hysical  body 
gave  way  to  disease  and  died  in  1883.  He  was  succeeded  in 
1884  by  Rev.  Marion  Griffin,  who  served  for  thirteen  years. 
He  found  the  church  in  the  zenith  of  her  glory.  During 
his  administration  many  converts  were  added  to  the  church. 
At  the  close  of  the  thirteen  years  he  was  stricken  with  con- 
sumption and  after  lingering  several  mouths,  the  destroying 
angel  came  for  the  third  visit  to  take  the  ruler  oft"  the  throne, 
and  he  was  buried  beside  his  predecessor.  Rev.  M.  Charles 
succeeded  Rev.  Marion  Griffin  in  1896.  His  career  was  ended 
on  January  22,  1900.  His  remains  were  shipped  to  Mont- 
gomery, Ala.,  their  last  resting  place. 

Rev.  J.  H.  C.  Henry  was  elected  pastor  to  succeed  Rev. 
Marion  Charles,  Sept.  24,  1900.  He  accepted  the  call,  Sept. 
28,  1!)00.  He  found  the  church  in  a  feeble  condition — the  joy 
of  old  was  to  be  restored,  the  waste  places  to  be  made  to 
flourish  as  before,  the  spiritual  growth  of  the  church  to  be 
re-established.  Whether  he  has  succeeded  in  the  arduous  work 
before  him,  we  leave  that  to  the  future  generations  to  pass 
judgment  upon.  His  career  as  pastor  and  leader,  during  his 
administration,  the  church  has  increased  her  membership  up- 
wards of  five  hundred.  In  1901  he  built  a  hall  for  the  church, 
to  be  used  for  suppers,  concerts,  etc.,  at  a  cost  of  |440.00,  and 
remodeled  tiie  church,  including  fixtures  and  furnitur(^  at  a 
<-ost  of  |.~),2.")T.2.~).  -Jesse  W.  A\'illiams  has  served  as  clerk  of 
the  cliurcli  since  1898.  He  lias  been  a  member  of  the  I'.oard 
of  Trustees    since  1!M)4. 


The  Vicksburg   Light   is   the   leading   negro   news[»aper  of 
Vicksburg.     It  is  owned  and  edited  by  W.  11.  Rogers. 

6H 


THE  NEGRO  SCHOOLS. 


CHERRY  STREET  HIGH  SCHOOL. 

SOME  little  time  after  the  civil  war,  there  being  little  or 
no  educational  facilities  opened  to  the  colored  people  of 
the  South,  the  most  noteworthy  Presbyterian  Church  organ- 
ized in  this  city  what  was  known  as  the  U.  P.  ^lission  on  North 
Cherry  Street,  where  now  is  located  the  present  Cherry  Street 
School,  a  part  of  which  was  purchased  Oct.  28.  1872,  and  the 
other  part  on  Dec.  (>,  188(1. 

It  was  conducted  as  a  mission  school  for  several  years, 
even  into  the  early  seventies,  drawing  of  course  its  support 
from  the  church  which  organized  it. 

That  the  educational  work  done  by  this  God-sent  organi- 
zation was  well  done,  is  evidenced  by  some  of  tlie  students 
who  have  taken  and  yet  maintain  high  standing  as  Avorthy  cit- 
izens of  this  very  historic  and  progressive  city.  Among  those 
Avorthy  of  mention  are  Mrs.  A.  A.  McCalloway,  Mrs.  M.  A. 
liell,  Hon.  W.  E.  ^lollison,  Prof.  A.  S.  Barnes  and  others  who 
might  be  named. 

There  is  a  tide,  though  slightly  noticed  by  the  wise,  and 
entirely  unnoticed  by  the  unwise,  which  carries  man  on  to 
meet  ucav  conditions,  higher  planes  and  ideals,  questions  of 
greater  moment,  more  difficult  of  solution,  yet  must  be  solved, 
more  tasteful  appreciation  of  the  beautiful ;  the  tide  of  time, 
Avhich  correctly  solves  all  (juestions,  wise  and  unAvise — the 
test  of  all  human  effort. 

Time  brought  a  change.  The  people  thought  of  ]»ublic  edu- 
cation and  reasoned  on  higher  things  Avliich  smacked  of  more 
equitable  justice  towards  the  tattered  and  uncultured. 

The  }>roi»<)siiion  to  sell  and  buy  Avas  agreed  to,  Avhich 
caused  a  cessation  of  the  U.  P.  ^lission  and  the  Cherry  Street 
Public  School  came  into  existence,  draAving  on  the  city  treasui-y 
for  support. 

The  first  ])riiici]»al,  a  Mr.  Sullivan,  (Avhite)  Avas  from 
Dublin,  Ireland.  Next  in  order  canie  ^Irs.  I.  I).  Shad  (col- 
ored) ;  then  Mrs.  Anna  Watkins,  now  Mrs.  McCalloAvay;  then 
Messrs.  Barnes,  Reynolds,  Shannon  and  ]McIntyi-e,  the  jtresent 
incumbent,  Avho  has  served  for  the  ])ast  five  y(^•lrs. 


.1.  Monroe  Hubbard  is  a  po]>uhir  China  Street  barber, 


CHEKKY  STREET  SCHOOL. 


%. 


T'"^'^^^ 


.MAOXOLIA   AVEXl'E  SCHOOL. 


MAGNOLIA  AVE.  SCHOOL. 


WHAT  is  now  Magnolia  Sc-liool  was  begun  as  a  result  of 
an  ovei'rtow  of  attendance  at  ("lien-y  Street  School. 
About  lifteeu  years  ago  Cherry  Street  School,  which  Avas  then 
the  only  public  school  for  negro  children  in  Vicksburg,  became 
so  congested  that  the  P.oard  of  Education  felt  called  u})on  to 
provide  other  accommodations  for  the  excess  of  attendance, 
and  for  those  who  had  been  refused  permission  to  enter.  Ac- 
cordingly, they  rented  the  Golden  Rule  Hall  on  Clay  Street 
and  employed  several  teachers  under  the  supervision  of  the 
principal  of  the  Cherry  Street  School,  to  teach  those  who  by 
force  of  circumstances  were  compelled  to  enter  this  jilace. 
This  incipient  institution  became  known  as  Clay  Street  School 
and  continued  for  four  years  in  this  relation  to  Cherry  Street 
School.  At  the  end  of  this  time  the  increased  importance  of 
the  school  made  it  necessary  that  a  su])ervisor  be  placed  in 
the  building,  and  so  the  board  elected  a  principal  whose  duty 
it  was  to  supervise  this  work,  and  thus  organized  it  into  a 
separate  and  distinct  school.  From  this  time  forward  the 
school  began  to  grow.  Its  faculty  of  four  teachers  was  in- 
creased with  the  increasing  demand  to  five  and  then  to  six. 

Finally  the  Board  of  Education  decided  that  a  building 
was  necessary.  A  committee  from  this  body  selected  a  lot 
situated  in  the  center  of  negro  ])Opulation  of  this  city  and 
recommended  its  purchase  and  the  erection  thereon  of  a  six 
room  school  house,  to  the  city  council.  This  recommendation 
was  acted  upon  and  in  January,  1902,  the  six  teachers  and 
pupils  of  Clay  Street  Schools  were  installed  in  their  new 
quarters  on  Magnolia  Avenue.  Subsequently  three  rooms  and 
as  many  teachers  were  added  to  the  school  to  accommodate 
the  increasing  attendance.  The  school  has  now  a  princi])al 
and  eight  teachers;  an  enrollment  of  5S1  i>upils.  .\mong  the 
furniture  of  this  school  is  to  be  found  an  organ,  a  book  case 
containing  about  400  books  and  pictures  which  are  copies  of 
the  master  artists  of  the  world.  There  are  many  other  fur- 
nishings and  apparatus  of  an  educative  character  which  have 
beeii  added  by  i)Opular  subscri]>tion  to  the  school. 


Prof.  G.  M.  IMcTntyre,  ]irinci]>al  of  Cherry  Street  High 
School,  has  been  at  the  head  of  that  institution  tor  five  years, 
and  the  school  has  never  enjoyed  greatei-  ]>r<)sperity. 

71 


ST.  MARY'S  PARISH  SCHOOL. 


THE  writer  believes  that  he  is  simply  stating  a  fact  when 
he  says  that  the  Episcopal  Church,  generally  speaking, 
does  not  appeal  to  the  absolute  unlettered  person.  A  greater  or 
less  degree  of  education  is  really  necessary  to  a  just  apprecia- 
tion of  her  service  and  mode  of  worship  even.  The  church 
and  school  are  usually  found  side  by  side,  or  the  one  is  very 
soon  followed  by  the  other. 

St.  Mary's  Parish  School  was  opened  in  1900  when  the 
Rev.  A.  A.  Roberts  was  rector.  The  school  was  taught  in  the 
church  building;  it  was  afterwards  moved  to  the  old  Benev- 
olent Hall  just  across  the  street,  and  later  to  a  hall  on  First 
North  Street,  between  Main  and  First  East.  In  neither  of 
these  places  were  conditions  favorable,  as  the  teachers  had  only 
one  room  in  which  to  do  their  work.  Conditions  are  very 
much  better  now.  Through  the  untiring  efforts  of  Bishop 
Bratton,  the  school  now  owns  a  large  two-story  building  con- 
taining eight  rooms,  which  is  used  as  a  school  and  parish 
house.  The  accompanying  cut  does  not  represent  the  spacious 
grounds,  almost  a  half  block,  nor  the  teachers  cottage  that 
fronts  Main  Street. 

The  school  admits  children  from  any  or  no  denomination 
who  will  be  obedient  and  teachable.  Like  the  public  schools, 
it  has  been  patronized  by  some  of  the  best  and  some  of  the 
worst  families  in  Vicksburg.  It  is  a  fact  that  some  of  the 
young  people  who  have  gone  from  this  school  to  the  Univer- 
sities of  this  and  other  States,  have  kept  their  places  in  the 
grades  they  left  in  our  school. 

We  have  three  lady  teachers,  with  Mrs.  A.  A.  McCalloway 
as  principal  and  Miss  M.  L.  Harrison  and  Miss  A.  B.  Coates 
assistants.  Mrs.  McCalloway  was  for  some  time  principal 
of  the  ]»ublic  school  and  is  known  to  be  thoroughly  capable. 
The  school  has  a  hundred  and  fifty  or  more  i)U|)jls.  The  girls 
are  taught  sewing  and  the  boys  are  taught  to  make  themselves 
handy  about  the  grounds.  We  hope  in  time  to  have  a  board- 
ing school  with  other  industries  for  the  bovs  and  girls. 


J  no  T.  Spencer  is  Supreme  Treasurer  of  the  Knights  of 
Honor  of  the  World. 

You  should  join  the  Knights  of  Canaan. 


LODCxES  AND  SOCIETIES. 


T 


GRAND  LODGE  F.  &  A.  M. 

HE  :\I()ST  WORSHIPFUL  STRINGER  GRAND  LODGE 
-L  Avas  organized  in  the  eitv  of  Yicksburg,  Miss.,  July  3rd, 
1S7().  The  first  Grand  ^Master  was  Dr.  Thomas  W.  Stringer, 
through  whose  efforts  Masonry  was  introduced  into  the  State 
to  negroes  in  1867.  The  Fraternal  Life  Insurance  lienefit  was 
created  by  the  M.  ^^^  Stringer  Grand  Lodge,  which  pays  a 
death  benefit  of  |700  to  its  beneficiaries.  The  Grand  Lodge 
has  a  membership  of  nearly  14,000  members  and  owns  timber 
lands  along  the  line  of  the  Y.  &  M.  V.  R.  R.  of  1,000  acres 
for  which  they  have  refused  an  offer  of  |15.00  per  acre  for 
the  timber  alone.  They  paid  to  widows  and  orphans  in  1907 
1110,000. 

The  present  Grand  Master  is  Dr.  E.  W.  Lam])ton,  of 
Greenville,  Miss.,  who  is  serving  his  fourteenth  year  as  Grand 
Master.  Under  the  direction  of  this  financier  and  matchless 
leader  the  Stringer  Grand  Lodge  is  easily  the  most  foremost 
Grand  Lodge  in  the  world  operated  by  negroes.  The  annual 
communication  is  looked  forward  to  with  much  pleasure  by 
the  craftsmen.  Instead  of  ancient  stove-pipe  hats  and  short- 
tailed  coats.  Dr.  Lampton's  representatives,  who  are  medical 
doctors,  lawyers,  professors,  merchants,  preachers,  brick-layers, 
etc.,  appear  in  Prince  Albert  coats  and  latest  style  silk  hats. 
The  greatest  desire  of  Dr.  Lampton  is  to  advance  the  interests 
of  the  craftsmen  generally,  and  the  young  men  among  them 
especially.  He  is  the  idol  of  his  fellows.  A  large  percentage 
of  the  lodges  own  their  own  halls,  etc.,  a  movement  advanced 
and  personally  looked  into  by  the  Grand  INIaster. 

The  negro  Free  Masons  stand  head  and  shoulders  above  all 
other  fraternal  organizations  in  the  state. 


INDEPENDENT  ORDER  ODD  FELLOWS. 

VICKSBURG  is  the  liome  of  the  Grand  Lodg(\  Tnde])eudent 
Order  of  Odd  T'ellows.  The  Odd  Fellows  is  one  of  the 
oldest  colored  lodges  in  the  state  and  also  the  wealtliiest.  In 
the  city  of  Yicksburg  there  are  twelve  subordinate  lodges,  four 
Households  of  Ruth  and  two  Patriarch  Councils. 

Edw.  J'.  -loiK^s  is  (Jraiid  .Master  of  the  (irand  Lodue. 


THE  COLORED  WOODMEN. 

THE  colored  i>eo|)le  have  so  many  fraternal  orders  with 
high  sonnding  names,  and  so  many  of  them  have  lived 
their  brief  hour  and  disappeared  or  died,  that  the  pnblic  has 
tired  of  learning  new  names  and  titles,  A  few  have  survived 
the  period  of  infancy;  some  have  dragged  out  a  miserable 
existence  and  some  have  died  of  starvation. 

No  institution  is  any  stronger  than  its  membership  and 
the  integrity  of  its  oflBcers,  No  fraternal  order  can  boast  of  any 
millions  of  assets.  It  must  have  the  determined  effort  of  the 
members  of  the  order  to  continue  the  good  work,  and  the 
energy,  intelligence  and  integrity  of  its  officers  to  wisely  direct 
and  honestly  manage  the  affairs  of  the  order. 

The  Colored  Woodmen  was  born  less  than  three  years  ago. 
It  had  a  large  and  powerful  body  of  persons  well  directed 
who  imagined  themselves  injured  by  its  existence  and  pros- 
perity. The  public  was  told  that  it  had  no  charter  and  when 
that  was  shown  to  be  false,  they  fell  back  on  the  charge  that 
it  was  not  licensed ;  then  that  it  was  not  paying  enough  ben- 
efits. Its  splendid  record  has  contradicted  all  these  slanders. 
The  shafts  and  arrows  of  malice  have  fallen  harmless  at  its 
feet.  It  is  the  young  giant  among  the  fraternities.  In  its 
Supreme  and  Grand  Encampments  will  be  found  the  flower  of 
the  youth  and  vigor  as  well  as  the  intelligence  and  character 
of  the  colored  people  of  Mississip])i.  It  has  no  a])ology  to 
make  for  its  being.  Its  success  and  good  works  are  sufficient 
answer  to  the  slanderous  tongue  and  the  records  of  fraternal 
orders  will  l)e  s(^ai'ched  in  vain  for  one  which  has  ]>assed  the 
five  hundred  dollar  mark  of  death  payment  within  two  years 
after  the  grant  of  the  first  license. 

This  Order  has  had  a  i)henoinenal  growth.  It  started  in 
November.  !!)().")  with  practically  no  membership.  It  was  char- 
tered and  licensed  and  commenced  business  January,  l!l()(>.  It 
is  now  licensed  and  authorized,  under  a  ten  thousand  dollar 
bond  to  do  business  in  the  State  of  Arkansas,  where  it  has 
nearly  twenty-five  working  Camits  and  Circles.  It  is  author- 
ized and  is  woi-king  in  the  State  of  Alabama.  Avhere  it  has 
four  hundred  and  fifty  members  in  good  standing.  In  ^lis- 
sissi])]n  it  has  nearly  one  hundred  and  fifty  ('am]»s  and  Cir- 
cles. The  payment  of  death  benefits  now  reaches  the  princely 
sum  of  |(i(M).(l(l.  It  has  collected  no  assessement  in  excess  of 
7")  cents  in  any  one  month.  Its  i)romises  are  as  good  in  the 
market  as  gold  bonds,  its  otticers  are  all  under  bond;  are 
all   new  men;  are  fi-esli   from   the  peojile.  and  are  vigorous  in 


tlie  proyeention  of  the  work.  It  lias  no  lai-fje  inimber  of  old 
iiieiiibers ;  its  growth  is  from  the  growing  and  vigorous  oak 
and  cypress  and  cedar.  It  is  destined  to  a  great  and  pros- 
perous future. 

The  Supreme  Governor  is  W.  E.  ^lollison,  l*resident  of  the 
Lincoln  Savings  liank.  and  an  active  practicing  attorney  at 
Vicksburg.  He  has  just  been  honored  by  election  as  Delegate 
from  the  State  at  large  to  the  Chicago  National  l\e])ublican 
Convention.  The  comjtlimentary  notices  in  the  jtress  about  his 
election  show  the  high  regard  of  the  i)eoi»le  of  Mississippi  for 
him.  The  Supreme  Banker  is  Benjamin  F.  Lacey,  of  Shiloh. 
Mississip})!,  a  ])lanter  of  large  means  and  influence.  He  is 
Grand  Senior  ^^'arden  of  the  ^lasons  of  Mississippi,  which  in 
itself  is  an  assurance  of  his  ]»oi)ularity  and  ability.  The  Su- 
preme Secretary  is  Miss  M.  E.  (Tunstall)  Ingram,  of  the  town 
of  Byhalia.  She  has  recently  completed  a  course  of  shorthand 
and  typewriting  at  Rust  University  and  is  thoroughly  fitted 
for  the  work  before  her.  She  has  the  regard  and  esteem  of 
all  the  people  in  her  section  of  the  State.    She  makes  a  model. 

The  State  of  Mississippi  is  under  the  immediate  jurisdic- 
tion of  J.  E.  Walker,  Grand  Governor,  a  man  of  large  i)rop- 
erty  holding  in  the  town  of  Gunnison,  Mississi]»pi,  a  prac- 
ticing lawyer,  and  an  ardent  and  enthusiastic  worker  in  wood- 
craft. Its  Grand  Banker  is  W.  M.  Foote,  who  is  known  as 
the  watch  dog  of  the  Treasury.  He  lives  at  New  Albany, 
and  his  bond  is  signed  by  all  the  leading  bankers  and  mer- 
chants of  the  town.  The  Grand  Secretary  is  R.  M.  Boyce,  of 
Byhalia,  whose  ability  and  integrity  won  for  him  a  reputa- 
tion under  the  former  management  of  the  Woodmen.  S.  Wat- 
son, A.  B.  Andrews,  It.  A.  Armstrong,  W.  G.  Johnson,  Wm. 
Atkinson,  G.  L.  Yates  and  G.  I*.  Gordon  are  some  of  the  men 
who  have  contributed  to  the  great  success  of  this  giant  young 
order.  They  are  the  oaks,  cedar:<  and  cypresses  upon  which 
the  structure  of  woodcraft  rests  in  Mississi]»pi. 

The  Su})reme  Officers  are:  W.  E.  Mollison,  Supreme  Gov- 
ernor, Vicksburg,  Miss. ;  B.  F.  Lacey,  Supreme  Banker,  Shiloh, 
Miss.;  M.  E.  (Tunstall)  Ingram,  Holly  S])rings,  Miss.;  W. 
C  Atkinson.  Sui)i-eiiie  Oi-ator,  GoHeevilie,  Miss. 

The  (iiand  Officers  are:  J.  K.  Walker,  (Jrand  Governor; 
Gunnison,  Miss.;  R.  M.  Boyce,  (Jrand  Secretary,  Byhalia, 
^liss.,  Wm.  M.  Foote,  (Jrand  P»anker,  New  Albany,  ^Nliss. ;  S. 
Watson,  (Jrand  Lecturer,  New  Albanv,  Miss. 


You  should  join  (he  Colored  Woodmen. 


STATE  GOLDEN  RULE  vSOClETY. 

AMONG  the  many  Societies  wliicli  liave  done  and  are  still 
doing  a  great  work  for  the  unfortnnates  of  its  nieinber- 
shi})  may  be  mentioned  the  t^^tate  Golden  Rnle  Society.  Its 
charities  have  not  been  confined  to  its  mend)ership,  bnt  to  the 
deserving  withont  restriction. 

The  Society  was  organized  in  the  early  seventies  by  Rev. 
Chas.  H.  Smith,  a  man  of  much  influence  among  his  people, 
and  its  growth  in  a  short  time  was  Avonderfnl.  Its  members 
took  a  leading  part  in  The  yellow  fever  fight  of  '78,  being 
identified  with  the  Howard  Association,  and  did  much  to  re- 
lieve suffering  humanity. 

In  1882  the  State  Golden  Rule  Society  was  chartered  by  a 
sjjecial  act  of  the  Legislature.  J)uring  its  existence  it  has 
distributed  upwards  of  fifty  thousand  dollars  in  sick  benefits 
and  other  chanties,  and  has  given  decent  burial  to  more  than 
one  hundred  of  its  dead. 

Under  the  leadership  of  H.  L.  Slaughter,  which  covers  a 
period  of  twenty-two  years,  it  has  been  identified  with  every 
movement  looking  to  the  betterment  of  it  members  in  par- 
ticular and  the  negro  race  generally. 

The  State  Golden  Rule  Society  teaches,  as  a  part  of  its 
obligations,  respect  for  the  hnv  of  the  land,  and  that  it  is  a 
crime  to  protect  a  criminal. 

During  the  overHow  of  18!)T  it  thi-ew  oi»en  its  headquarters 
to  those  who  had  not  food  or  shelter  and  also  contributed 
liberally  to  the  fund  raised  in  their  behalf. 

Lodge  No.  1  owns  valuable  ])roperty  in  the  city  and  is  a 
large  holder  of  stock  in  several  enterj»rises. 

So  well  has  the  State  Golden  Rule  Society  succeeded,  that 
in  1S!)S  it  voted  to  extend  its  field  of  usefulness,  and  accord- 
ingly an  endowment  de]»artnient  was  established  and  the  So- 
ciety extended  to  other  towns.  They  have  at  this  time  forty 
lodges  in  Mississijijii  with  a  large  niend)ership. 

The  dealings  of  the  Society  have  been  strictly  upon  the 
principle  of  the  (Jolden  Rule.  No  high-sounding  i)r()niises  are 
made  to  catch  the  unthinking,  the  jterformance  of  which  would 
be  im])()ssible.  On  the  other  hand  tlie  Society  ]»romises  to 
conduct  its  affairs  in  a  business-like  way  at  the  smallest  cost 
jM'r  capita  of  jierhaps  any  SocictN   in  the  South. 

H.  L.  Slaughter  is  Snitrenic  President,  an<l  IM'of.  J.  F. 
(Jayden,  of  Kculah,  is  Sujn-enie  Secretary-Treasurei*. 

The  Stale  Golden  Rule  Society  is  licejisfMl  under  the  sujter- 


vision  of  the  State  Insui-aiice  I)ei>ai-tment,   and   stands  well 
with  tlie  Department. 

The  Snprenie  Presiik'nt  has  )»een  a  citizen  of  Yicksburg 
for  many  yeai-s,  and  has  earned  an  excellent  repntation  for 
reliability  and  integrity,  and  possesses  the  esteem  of  the  people 
of  both  races. 


KNIGHTS  OF  PYTHIAvS. 

VICKSBURG  is  the  birth-place  of  the  Order  of  Colored 
Knights  of  Pythias  of  Mississippi.  It  was  organized 
April  17th,  1880,  by  Thomas  W.  Stringer,  T.  M.  Broadwater, 
E.  A.  Lightfoot,  A.  S.  l^arnes  and  others. 

Like  many  fraternal  orders,  it  suffered  many  obstacles 
before  it  had  a  financial  footing.  The  founders  of  this  order 
never  dreamed  when  they  launched  it  under  such  adverse  cir- 
cumstances, it  would  ever  rise  to  such  ])rominence  in  the 
world  that  it  has.  It  drifted  with  the  "tide''  with  a  few- 
lodges,  here  and  there,  for  several  years.  New  life  was  injected 
into  the  order  in  1899,  when  that  untiring  leader.  Major  W.  T. 
Jones,  became  Grand  Chancellor  by  reason  of  the  death  of 
Hon.  G.  F.  Bolds,  then  the  Grand  Chancellor  of  the  order. 
Under  his  administration  the  order  progressed  as  never  be- 
fore. When  he  entered  upon  his  duty  as  Grand  Chancellor, 
his  native  city,  Yicksburg,  had  four  subordinate  lodges.  At 
present  it  has  fifteen  financial  lodges  whose  postoftice  is  Yicks- 
burg. Of  the  ninety -eight  thousand  dollars  paid  into  the  En- 
dowment Department  annually,  the  lodges  at  Yicksburg  and 
its  vicinity  i)ay  25  per  cent.  Yicksburg  and  its  vicinity  have 
thirty-three  financial  lodges.     Their  names  are  as  follows: 

Pride  of  the  West  No.  33— J.  A.  Freeman,  C.  C. 

Progress  No  35 — A.  J.  Lindsey,  C.  C. 

Belmont  No.  51— John  Whitney,  C.  C. 

Golden  Leaf  No.  100— F.  S.  :M()rris.  C.  C. 

AVillow  Glenn  No  112— A.  R.  Davis,  C.  C. 

Bright  Crown  No.  116— R.  D.  Dewberry,  C.  C  . 

Pride  of  the  South  No.  117— G.  Brown,^C.  C. 

Signal  No.  124— Jerry  Carter,  C.  C. 

Magnolia  No.  126— S.  G.  Johnson,  C.  C. 

I'ride  of  the  East  No.  133— J.  B.  Robinson,  C.  C. 

Forest  Home  No.  136 — Geo.  Jinkins,  C.  C. 

Golden  Grain  No.  170 — B.  G.  Yernon,  C.  (.'. 

Golden  (Jem  No.  181 — E.  G.  Flowers,  C.  C. 

Southern  lieautv  No.  192 — J.  J.  Price,  C.  C. 


Mornin<i  Star  No.  221 — Win.  Jolinson,  C.  C. 

Golden  Crown  No.  245— W.  I'.  I?ortei%  C.  C. 

Silver  Moon  No.  247 — Monroe  Pilort,  C.  C. 

Center  Beauty  No.  252— W.  S.  Hargrove,  C.  C. 

Valley  I'ark  No.  278— J.  W.  Young,  C.  C. 

Mt.  ()live  No.  280— H.  R.  Burns,  (\  C. 

Hickory  Tree  No.  319— Wni.  Walker,  C.  C. 

American  Beauty  No.  320 — Boss  Eastman,  0.  C. 

C.  Henry  Woode  No.  363 — Simon  Nathan,  C.  C. 

Huntsville  No.  371— J.  C.  Tate,  (\  C 

T.  W.  Stringer  No.  103 — Louis  Jinkins,  C.  0. 

T^nion  Square  No.  415 — Juo.  M.  Williams,  C.  C. 

Chickasaw  No.  435— C.  R.  Custard,  C.  C. 

Mount  A'ernon  No.  438 — Jesse  Drayton.  C.  C. 

Greenwood  No.  441 — E.  C.  Brown,  C.  C. 

J.  C.  Ross  No.  471— J.  W.  Seals,  C.  C. 

Silver  Leaf  No.  475— L.  A.  Hindricks,  C.  C. 

Sir  A.  J.  Lindsey,  C.  C.  of  Pride  of  I'rogress  Lodge  No.  35; 
Secretary  of  Grand  Trustee  Board  and  City  Deputy. 

Sir  J.  W.  English,  C.  C.  of  Bride  of  Onward  Lodge  No.  23 
and  a  member  of  the  Grand  Trustee  Board. 

Sir  1*.  C.  Downs.  Grand  Lecturer. 

Sir  S.  H.  Highland,  G.  K.  of  R.  &  S. 

Sir  L.  D.  Hendricks,  D.  D.  G.  C.  of  the  Northern  Division 
of  Warren  County. 

J.  M.  Head  and  G.  Brown,  D.  D.  G.  C.  of  the  Southern 
Division. 

Hs  management  is  in  the  hands  of  a  good  and  efficient 
cori)s  of  bonded  officials,  which  insures  the  safety  of  all  its 
members. 


KNIGHTS  OF  CANAAN. 

THE  Order  of  the  Knights  of  Canaan  was  founded  by 
Prof.  Wm.  H.  Spriggs,  a  native  of  Warren  ("ounty.  .Miss. 
The  Order  was  organized  under  great  difficulties,  having  as 
a  neuclus  only  about  half  a  dozen  jkm-sous,  and  these  at  times 
were  ready  to  faint  and  fall  by  the  way.  On  June  22,  1883,  a 
Charter  of  Incorporation  was  ai>i)lied  for  and  obtained  and 
after  that  time  W.  11.  Spriggs,  in  person  and  at  a  great  sacri- 
fice <»r  time  and  money,  traveled  over  four  States,  Mississippi, 
Louisiana,  Texas  and  Alabama,  lecturing  and  rei)resenting 
the  cause  of  Canaan.  To  him  the  cost  of  establishing  the 
Order  of  the  Knights  of  Canaan  was  great  in  every  way.     It 


cost  him  the  accniiinhition  of  inaiiv  veai's  of  toil.  From  a 
tinaiK'ial  viewpoint  it  cost  liiiii  his  baiikiiiy  account  of  .ft, 000. 00. 
But  beiug  the  undauuted  leader  that  he  is.  he  did  not  give  up 
the  struggle  until  the  Canaan  banner  floated  in  the  breeze 
over  the  hund)le  cabins  of  the  dwellers  in  four  states.  The 
founder  of  the  Order  not  only  intended  that  the  Knights  of 
Canaan  should  be  what  any  other  secret  organization  is,  but 
more;  and  in  carrying  out  this  idea,  he  has  been  called  the 
''record-breaker,"  and  so  he  is,  for  while  other  fraternal  or- 
ganizations look  only  after  the  sick  and  dead,  the  Canaans 
in  addition  to  this  pays  its  members  for  living.  Its  member- 
sliip  is  made  up  of  all  classes  and  professions:  Lawyers, 
Doctors,  Preachers,  Teachers  and  Farmers,  aggregating  in 
numbers  many  thousands.  As  a  charitable  institution  it  has 
but  few  equals.  It  does  not  content  itself  with  giving  its 
members  their  weekly  sick  benefits,  but  goes  farther  and  fur- 
nishes them  medicine  and  pays  their  physician's  bill,  aids  its 
members  when  in  distress,  helps  to  secure  them  employment 
and  helps  them  in  all  possible  ways.  One  of  the  prime  objects 
of  the  Order  is  to  inculcate  and  propagate  the  teachings  of 
Christ  and  to  promote  peace,  good-will,  benevolence  and  charity 
among  its  members;  to  help  the  sick  and  feed  the  hungry, 
and  to  do  all  such  works  of  kindness  and  humanity  as  will 
develop  among  its  members  a  proper  appreciation  of  the  prin- 
ciples of  the  Christian  religion  The  Knights  of  Canaan  takes 
rank  easy  as  one  of  the  greatest  negro  organizations  in  Amer- 
ica. It  redeems  all  of  its  pledges,  both  with  the  states  and  the 
people.  Many  a  widow  and  orphan  has  been  saved  from 
destitution  by  the  benevolent  hand  of  the  Knights  of  Canaan. 
And  men  and  woman  of  color  throughout  this  broad  land  are 
singing  its  praises. 


THE  KNIGHTS  AND  LADIES  OF  HONOR 
OF  AMERICA. 

WAS  organized  July,  11)07,  its  founders  being  1*>.  C.  AVrnon 
and  K.  B.  Johnson.  During  its  short  period  of  existence 
it  has  made  wonderful  ])i'ogress  and  now  numbers  one  hundred 
and  fifty  subordinale  lodges  and  over  four  thousand  menil>ers. 
Since  its  organization  it  has  ]>aid  out  over  .f;i,000. 

The  object  of  this  order  is  to  relieve  the  distress  of  widows 
and  orphans.  The  as])iration  of  the  order  is  for  the  ameliora- 
tion  of   humanity;    for   drawing   men   together   by   the   gentle 

79 


cords  of  love  and  mutual  sympathy;  for  imitiug  them  niioii 
one  common  platform;  for  enlisting-  them  in  one  common 
cause  against  one  common  enemy;  honesty,  love  and  truth,  its 
paramount  idea — this  comprehends  the  elevation  of  man  in 
the  moral,  social  and  intellectual  scale.  Veneration  for  pure 
religion;  a  just  deference  for  laAV  and  order;  the,  promotion 
of  free  education;  general  moral  culture;  the  suppression  of 
vice,  and  the  earnest  advocacy  of  such  relation  as  tend  to 
aAvaken  the  sympathy  and  generous  feeling.  Its  desires  in 
membership  only  those  of  good  moral  character  who  are  will- 
ing to  subscribe  unreservedly  to  a  submission  to  its  laws 
and  usages  and  pledge  fidelity  to  its  principles.  It  will  give 
them  Avork  to  do,  for  so  long  as  there  are  sorrows  to  soothe, 
bleeding  heart-strings  to  tie  up,  desolate  widows  to  help  and 
cheer,  orphan  children  to  feed  and  educate;  until  there  are  no 
more  cesspools  of  slander  and  calumny  to  mildew  a  fair  repu- 
tation or  destroy  a  priceless  character;  until  all  men  shall  be 
fraternal  and  tolerant,  will  it  find  labor  to  be  done.  Its 
divine  mission  is  to  hasten  the  period  when  man  shall  hail 
his  brother  man  with  fraternal  greetings;  when  wickedness 
and  falsehood  shall  be  drawn  from  the  earth  and  the  race  of 
Adam  form  a  universal  family,  acknoAvledging  the  Ood  of  the 
universe  as  their  father  and  every  child  of  man  as  a  brother; 
when,  in  short,  one  law  shall  bind  all  nations,  races  and 
tongues  of  the  earth  and  that  law  the  law  of  universal  broth- 
erhood. Thus  will  it  strive  until  the  shout  of  the  archangel 
and  the  trumphet  of  God  shall  announce  the  end  of  time  and 
the  great  clock  of  nature  shall  i)eal  out  its  last  note  on  the  stag- 
nant air,  its  wasted  machinery  run  down  and  its  sluggish 
pendulum  stand  still. 


Vicksburg  is  soon   to   have  a   bottling  works  owned   and 
manaued  bv  negroes. 


MISSISSIPPI   PRINTING  CO  ,  VICKSBURG. 


•  D      2(S:9 


-a^S^ 


^ 


1^  .   V    ♦  o  .         '^^ 


,*19 


^°-;^. 


,\ 


^' 


1^       .  *  •  < 


^K' 


•^0^ 

.^q. 


'b  V^ 


n^    -  •  • 


Ao^ 


,0-7 


^"  , 


.^\^^4i4>  "^.    A■^^^:4.•i^/^.    ..''"  y.^m^^^^^    .A^^^;^. 


*i.,«- 


\0 


«1  o^ 

o  «  o  ■'*      ,0 


1-'  f  « 

0  ■«*-'.  ^ 


-lO 


;   %.  <^    .*^fei^  ^^o   <.^   ^'^ 


S  "J' 

1.^    ^ 


*°-*. 


DOBBS  BROS. 

IRARY    BINDING