Warren County Mississippi Biographies and Biographical Sketches

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CAMERON, John M. Biography

John M. Cameron, county treasurer of Warren county and a member of the firm of Peatross, Cameron & Co., coal merchants, was born in Warren county in 1849, the eldest in a family of six children born to Dougald A. and Catherine (Mann) Cameron, both of whom were born in Mississippi. The father was a successful planter and a prominent man of his day in his community, but while in the prime of life, in 1858, was called from earth. His widow died in 1889, a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. The paternal grandfather, Daniel Cameron, was a Scotchman, and came to America at the end of the last century, settliug in Franklin county, Miss., where he followed the life of a farmer and spent the rest of his days. He left four sons and two daughters, all of whom grew to maturity and left families. John M. Cameron received few advantages in his boyhood, owino- to the opening of the war, but as he was too young to enlist in the service, he began manacino his mother’s plantation, continuing until 1807, when he engaged as a clerk at Grand Gulf, and from that time until 1809 followed the calling, in the meantime learning bookkeeping. In the last named year he went to Rockv Springs, where he tilled the duties of manager of a mercantile establishment for four years, then came to Vicksburg and became bookkeeper for the firm of Mattingly, Flowerree & Co., coal merchants, and their successors, Mattingly, Son & Co., remaining as their trusted employe seventeen years, at the end of which time with his present partner he succeeded to the business. The firm has a large river and city wholesale and retail trade, owning tug boats, coal barges and wharves essential to their river trade. Mr. Cameron has been quite active in politics, and in 1S85, by his numerous friends, was elected to the office of county treasurer, being reelected in 1887 and again in 1889, and is now ably discharging his duties. He is practi cally a self made man, as the property which had been accumulated by his father was mostly swept away by the war. His education has also been mainly secured by his own efforts and he is now a well-informed gentleman and a representative business man as well as an ideal public officer. He has made business his study from youth up,' and has put to a practical use the knowledge gained in the school of experience. He has, perhaps, one of the most complete agricultural libraries in Mississippi, and has made fruit culture a study and experiment. He is social, courteous and very popular, and his numerous worthy traits of character have won him many warm friends. He is of medium stature, strong and robust, has black hair and eyes, and is decidedly fine looking. He was married in 1877 to Miss Kate McLean, a native of Claiborne county, and a daughter of Edward McLean, an old settler from Kentucky. To their union seven children have been born, only three of whom are now living: Edward It., Irene E., and Stanley M. Mr. Cameron belongs to the A. F. & A. M., and the K. of H. His wife is an active and earnest member of the Methodist church. [Source: Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Mississippi, Chicago, The Goodspeed Publishing Company, 1891.]

CARROLL, Edward C. Biography

Vicksburg, the metropolis of Mississippi, famed in war and in peace, is noted for the number of her citizens who have achieved distinction in the various callings of life. Her soldiers have illustrated the highest types of valor and manhood upon the most celebrated battlefields of our country. Her statesmen have been among the foremost in controlling the policy, and shaping the destiny of the nation. Her lawyers have stood in the front ranks of their profession. Among her divines and physicians are many men of mark and brilliant reputation. And yet to her merchants, her business men, Vicksburg is also largely indebted for the proud position which she now occupies. It was their skill, industry, pluck and confidence that materially aided her in repairing the waste of the devastating civil conilict, in constructing the foundations of an enduring prosperity, and in extending the sphere of her influence. Among those who have thus contributed to the advancement of Vicksburg no one has acquired greater popularity, or accomplished more, than Edward C. Carroll. At the institution of every new enterprise he is with those who lead; when the interests of his adopted city are assailed, he is there to defend; no occasion finds him lacking, no call of duty is by him unheeded. These hastily sketched outlines of his career only faintly suggest the fullness, completeness and strength of his active manly life. He was born in Maryland in 1838, and is, therefore, still in the prime of life, and although he has done much and well, it is the universal wish of all who know him (and who in Vicksburg and the Mississippi delta does not?) that many years may elapse before his daily record of good deeds is closed. His father? Charles C., and mother, Ann (Smith) Carroll, were also natives of Maryland. His father, however, removed to the city of St. Louis in 1839, and resided there until his death, June 10, 1882, at the ripe age of seventy-one years. Ho was an accomplished lawyer, and at one time occupied the position of city attorney. His talents were recoguized and appreciated even before his departure from his native state, for ho was elected to the legislature from Somerset county before ho had attained his majority. His sou, Edward C. was the fifth of eight children and was reared and educated in St. Louis. His sturdy independence and native energy were early manifested, for at the age of fourteen years he began to earn a livelihood as a clerk in that city. The great river which gives prominence to both St. Louis and Vicksburg, and upon which they must mainly rely for the maintenance of their prestige, probably at that immature age directed and influenced young Carroll and finally determined the choice of his vocation. From 1859 to 1 SOT he officiated as clerk upon a number of the steamboats plying the Missouri and Mississippi rivers, and in the latter year ho located at Vicksburg, where he accepted employment as the cashier of W. M. Williams & Co., then owning the wharfboats at that port, afterward succeeding that firm in the wharfboat business under the firm name of Carroll, Green Sc Co. From that time until the present he has been closely identified with the steamboat interests of the Mississippi river and tributary streams. His promotion to places of responsibility and power was rapid. In 1873 he became superintendent of the P. line operating steamboats in the Yazoo river (in its day one of the most successful corporations in Mississippi) and finally became the largest owner, and president, of said company and its successor. In 1870 he was appointed to the responsible position of agent for the famous Anchor line steamers at Vicksburg, and has held that office continuously ever since. Captain Carroll's duties were not confined to the organization or management of river transportation lines. His occupations are most varied, and he is actively connected with the leading financial institutions which have proved factors in the promotion of the trade of Vicksburg. In fact, it seems almost incredible for one man to discharge so faithfully and successfully the onerous tasks with which he is burdened by reason of the diverse interests he represents. This is made clear by a brief recital of the numerous organizations demanding his care and attention. In addition to his superintendency of the Anchor line steamers at Vicksburg, he is now a director of the Yazoo Sc Tallahatchie transportation company, whose boats navigate the Yazoo, Tallahatchie and Sunflower rivers. Ho was one of the promoters, and is now a director, of the Merchants’ national bank; he is president of the Vicksburg Hotel company, president of the Yazoo-Mississippi delta timber company, a director of the Vicksburg cotton press association, vice president of the Hill city oil mills, vice president of the D. W. Flowerree ice company, director of the Mississippi Home insurance company, director in the Vicksburg gas light company, superintendent of the Mississippi river elevator company, chairman of the Vicksburg harbor committee since its organization in 1883, a member of the Meteorological board of the United States signal service of Vicksburg. He was chairman of the committee to secure the location of the Louisville, New Orleans & Texas railroad shops at Vicksburg, which have been recently built at a cost of $150,000. He is also an active member of several fraternal and social organizations, being a member of the order of Knights Templar of Magnolia commandery No. 2, a member of the order of Red Cross, the American Legion of Honor, the Knights of Honor, the Progressive Order of Elks and of the Nogales social club of Vicksburg. He is a vestryman of the Holy Trinity Episcopal church of Vicksburg. He was married in 1875 to Miss Nellie T. Wilson, the daughter of Victor F. Wilson now deceased, who was the originator of the Ice A Coal company, and one of the most influential citizens, of the city of Vicksburg. He has two sons and three daughters, namely: Edward C., Jr., Nellie W., Jr., Wilson F., Katie T. and Eliza T. We deem it needless to say in conclusion that Captain Carroll is a true type of the generous, courteous, refined and hospitable gentleman. [Source: Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Mississippi, Chicago, The Goodspeed Publishing Company, 1891.]

CATCHINGS, Hon. Thomas C. Biography

Hon. Thomas C. Catchings of Vicksburg, was born in Hinds county, Miss., January 11, 1847; entered the University of Mississippi in September, 1859, and, after passing through the freshman and part of the sophomore years, left to enter Oakland college, Miss., where Inpassed into the junior class in the spring of 1861; entered the Confederate army early in 1801, and served throughout the war; commenced the study of law in 1805 after tintermination of the war; was admitted to the bar in May, 1806, and has since practiced law in Vicksburg; was elected to the state senate of Mississippi in 1875 for a term of four years, but resigned on being nominated in 1877 for attorney-general; was elected attorney-general of Mississippi in November, 1877, for a term of four years, was renominated by acclamation in August, 1881, and elected in the following November, resigning February 10, 1885; was elected to the XLIXth and Lth congresses, and was reelected to the List congress as a democrat, receiving eleven thousand six hundred and twenty-four votes, against four thousand six hundred and fourteen votes for James Hill, republican. [Source: Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Mississippi, Chicago, The Goodspeed Publishing Company, 1891.]