Mae Miller Claxton
- Published in print:
- 2018
- Published Online:
- May 2019
- ISBN:
- 9781496814531
- eISBN:
- 9781496814579
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University Press of Mississippi
- DOI:
- 10.14325/mississippi/9781496814531.003.0008
- Subject:
- Literature, American, 20th Century Literature
This essay argues for including an “indigenous perspective” in teaching all literature, but especially works by Eudora Welty. Welty’s knowledge of the indigenous history of Mississippi and especially ...
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This essay argues for including an “indigenous perspective” in teaching all literature, but especially works by Eudora Welty. Welty’s knowledge of the indigenous history of Mississippi and especially the Natchez Trace suggests the need to provide this context for students. Teaching LeAnne Howe’s Shell Shaker along with Welty’s Natchez Trace stories and The Robber Bridegroom provides new ways to view complex cultural and historical issues associated with these works. In her fiction, Welty constructs her own “tribalography,” an alternative American narrative strongly influenced by her understanding of Native American history and culture.Less
This essay argues for including an “indigenous perspective” in teaching all literature, but especially works by Eudora Welty. Welty’s knowledge of the indigenous history of Mississippi and especially the Natchez Trace suggests the need to provide this context for students. Teaching LeAnne Howe’s Shell Shaker along with Welty’s Natchez Trace stories and The Robber Bridegroom provides new ways to view complex cultural and historical issues associated with these works. In her fiction, Welty constructs her own “tribalography,” an alternative American narrative strongly influenced by her understanding of Native American history and culture.
Dolores Flores-Silva
- Published in print:
- 2018
- Published Online:
- May 2019
- ISBN:
- 9781496814531
- eISBN:
- 9781496814579
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University Press of Mississippi
- DOI:
- 10.14325/mississippi/9781496814531.003.0009
- Subject:
- Literature, American, 20th Century Literature
This chapter addresses Latin American contexts for reading and teaching Welty's fiction. Beginning with traces of Spanish Natchez and territories of New Spain in Welty, this chapter moves to engage ...
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This chapter addresses Latin American contexts for reading and teaching Welty's fiction. Beginning with traces of Spanish Natchez and territories of New Spain in Welty, this chapter moves to engage aspects of magical realism, carnival ethos, and consciousness ofla frontera (the border) in Welty's early work. Readers may come to see that Welty can be read well in alignment with several different Latina or Chicana writers.Less
This chapter addresses Latin American contexts for reading and teaching Welty's fiction. Beginning with traces of Spanish Natchez and territories of New Spain in Welty, this chapter moves to engage aspects of magical realism, carnival ethos, and consciousness ofla frontera (the border) in Welty's early work. Readers may come to see that Welty can be read well in alignment with several different Latina or Chicana writers.
Karen L. Cox
- Published in print:
- 2017
- Published Online:
- January 2018
- ISBN:
- 9781469635033
- eISBN:
- 9781469635057
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- University of North Carolina Press
- DOI:
- 10.5149/northcarolina/9781469635033.001.0001
- Subject:
- History, American History: 20th Century
In 1932, the city of Natchez, Mississippi, reckoned with an unexpected influx of journalists and tourists as the lurid story of a local murder was splashed across headlines nationwide. Two ...
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In 1932, the city of Natchez, Mississippi, reckoned with an unexpected influx of journalists and tourists as the lurid story of a local murder was splashed across headlines nationwide. Two eccentrics, Richard Dana and Octavia Dockery—known in the press as the “Wild Man” and the “Goat Woman”—enlisted an African American man named George Pearls to rob their reclusive neighbor, Jennie Merrill, at her estate. During the attempted robbery, Merrill was shot and killed. The crime drew national coverage when it came to light that Dana and Dockery, the alleged murderers, shared their huge, decaying antebellum mansion with their goats and other livestock, which prompted journalists to call the estate “Goat Castle.” Pearls was killed by an Arkansas policeman in an unrelated incident before he could face trial. However, as was all too typical in the Jim Crow South, the white community demanded “justice,” and an innocent black woman named Emily Burns was ultimately sent to prison for the murder of Merrill. Dana and Dockery not only avoided punishment but also lived to profit from the notoriety of the murder by opening their derelict home to tourists.
Strange, fascinating, and sobering, Goat Castle tells the story of this local feud, killing, investigation, and trial, showing how a true crime tale of fallen southern grandeur and murder obscured an all too familiar story of racial injustice.Less
In 1932, the city of Natchez, Mississippi, reckoned with an unexpected influx of journalists and tourists as the lurid story of a local murder was splashed across headlines nationwide. Two eccentrics, Richard Dana and Octavia Dockery—known in the press as the “Wild Man” and the “Goat Woman”—enlisted an African American man named George Pearls to rob their reclusive neighbor, Jennie Merrill, at her estate. During the attempted robbery, Merrill was shot and killed. The crime drew national coverage when it came to light that Dana and Dockery, the alleged murderers, shared their huge, decaying antebellum mansion with their goats and other livestock, which prompted journalists to call the estate “Goat Castle.” Pearls was killed by an Arkansas policeman in an unrelated incident before he could face trial. However, as was all too typical in the Jim Crow South, the white community demanded “justice,” and an innocent black woman named Emily Burns was ultimately sent to prison for the murder of Merrill. Dana and Dockery not only avoided punishment but also lived to profit from the notoriety of the murder by opening their derelict home to tourists.
Strange, fascinating, and sobering, Goat Castle tells the story of this local feud, killing, investigation, and trial, showing how a true crime tale of fallen southern grandeur and murder obscured an all too familiar story of racial injustice.
Angela Pulley Hudson
- Published in print:
- 2015
- Published Online:
- May 2016
- ISBN:
- 9781469624433
- eISBN:
- 9781469624457
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of North Carolina Press
- DOI:
- 10.5149/northcarolina/9781469624433.003.0002
- Subject:
- History, Indian History
This chapter focuses on Warner McCary's desire to escape his hometown of Natchez, Mississippi, and his own painful past by reinventing himself. It explores the brickyards and barbershops of the ...
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This chapter focuses on Warner McCary's desire to escape his hometown of Natchez, Mississippi, and his own painful past by reinventing himself. It explores the brickyards and barbershops of the Mississippi River port and sketches the city's complex cultural milieu—its reliance on chattel slavery, its briefly flourishing free black community, its connections to other ports, its rich indigenous life and history, and its varied cultural venues. McCary's decision to represent himself as an Indian following his manumission and departure from Natchez must be evaluated not only in the context of slavery, but also with an understanding of the influence of Native people and affairs on life in the South, including the context of Indian removal.Less
This chapter focuses on Warner McCary's desire to escape his hometown of Natchez, Mississippi, and his own painful past by reinventing himself. It explores the brickyards and barbershops of the Mississippi River port and sketches the city's complex cultural milieu—its reliance on chattel slavery, its briefly flourishing free black community, its connections to other ports, its rich indigenous life and history, and its varied cultural venues. McCary's decision to represent himself as an Indian following his manumission and departure from Natchez must be evaluated not only in the context of slavery, but also with an understanding of the influence of Native people and affairs on life in the South, including the context of Indian removal.
Karen L. Cox
- Published in print:
- 2017
- Published Online:
- January 2018
- ISBN:
- 9781469635033
- eISBN:
- 9781469635057
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of North Carolina Press
- DOI:
- 10.5149/northcarolina/9781469635033.003.0008
- Subject:
- History, American History: 20th Century
This chapter explores the national media attention associated with this case. Because the case took place after the first pilgrimage of homes in Natchez, stark contrasts were made between the Old ...
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This chapter explores the national media attention associated with this case. Because the case took place after the first pilgrimage of homes in Natchez, stark contrasts were made between the Old South and the gothic South represented by Dana, Dockery, and Glenwood. The press nicknamed Dana the “Wild Man,” Dockery as the “Goat Woman,” and Glenwood as “Goat Castle.” Descriptions of Goat Castle and photographs of the interior were shared nationwide, which caused journalists to make analogies with Edgar Allen Poe’s “Fall of the House of Usher.” The scandal was that the Old South Grandeur represented by the pilgrimage was a distraction from the squalor of Goat Castle.Less
This chapter explores the national media attention associated with this case. Because the case took place after the first pilgrimage of homes in Natchez, stark contrasts were made between the Old South and the gothic South represented by Dana, Dockery, and Glenwood. The press nicknamed Dana the “Wild Man,” Dockery as the “Goat Woman,” and Glenwood as “Goat Castle.” Descriptions of Goat Castle and photographs of the interior were shared nationwide, which caused journalists to make analogies with Edgar Allen Poe’s “Fall of the House of Usher.” The scandal was that the Old South Grandeur represented by the pilgrimage was a distraction from the squalor of Goat Castle.
Robert V. Haynes
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- September 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780813125770
- eISBN:
- 9780813135434
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University Press of Kentucky
- DOI:
- 10.5810/kentucky/9780813125770.003.0012
- Subject:
- History, American History: 19th Century
This chapter discusses the transformation of the Mississippi Territory from being a boorish community to a mature society. It describes the new Natchez District and Washington: Natchez as a ...
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This chapter discusses the transformation of the Mississippi Territory from being a boorish community to a mature society. It describes the new Natchez District and Washington: Natchez as a commercial and agricultural center and Washington as the home of the territory's social center. These two towns were considered the most important in the territory, although a number of villages are also discussed in this chapter. It also looks at the different societal factors of the territory, including education, land ownership, and politics.Less
This chapter discusses the transformation of the Mississippi Territory from being a boorish community to a mature society. It describes the new Natchez District and Washington: Natchez as a commercial and agricultural center and Washington as the home of the territory's social center. These two towns were considered the most important in the territory, although a number of villages are also discussed in this chapter. It also looks at the different societal factors of the territory, including education, land ownership, and politics.
Robert V. Haynes
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- September 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780813125770
- eISBN:
- 9780813135434
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University Press of Kentucky
- DOI:
- 10.5810/kentucky/9780813125770.003.0015
- Subject:
- History, American History: 19th Century
This chapter discusses the Mobile question. Mobile was an important port to the Bigbee settlers, and without it the Natchez District and the Bigbee District would be unable to prosper. The failure to ...
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This chapter discusses the Mobile question. Mobile was an important port to the Bigbee settlers, and without it the Natchez District and the Bigbee District would be unable to prosper. The failure to address the question regarding the possible ruin of the Tombigbee Settlement was a steady source of irritation to the residents of Washington County.Less
This chapter discusses the Mobile question. Mobile was an important port to the Bigbee settlers, and without it the Natchez District and the Bigbee District would be unable to prosper. The failure to address the question regarding the possible ruin of the Tombigbee Settlement was a steady source of irritation to the residents of Washington County.
Robert V. Haynes
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- September 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780813125770
- eISBN:
- 9780813135434
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University Press of Kentucky
- DOI:
- 10.5810/kentucky/9780813125770.003.0001
- Subject:
- History, American History: 19th Century
This chapter provides a brief introduction to the Mississippi Territory. It was formed during President John Adams' second year of office, and after the Revolution many immigrants traveled from the ...
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This chapter provides a brief introduction to the Mississippi Territory. It was formed during President John Adams' second year of office, and after the Revolution many immigrants traveled from the mountains and into the territories that are now known as the states of Tennessee, Kentucky, and Ohio. The chapter also looks at the Natchez District, which was handed over to the government of the United States. It was located in a remote southwestern corner of the country and was populated by former British Loyalists and wary Native Americans.Less
This chapter provides a brief introduction to the Mississippi Territory. It was formed during President John Adams' second year of office, and after the Revolution many immigrants traveled from the mountains and into the territories that are now known as the states of Tennessee, Kentucky, and Ohio. The chapter also looks at the Natchez District, which was handed over to the government of the United States. It was located in a remote southwestern corner of the country and was populated by former British Loyalists and wary Native Americans.
Robert V. Haynes
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- September 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780813125770
- eISBN:
- 9780813135434
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University Press of Kentucky
- DOI:
- 10.5810/kentucky/9780813125770.003.0002
- Subject:
- History, American History: 19th Century
This chapter discusses the transition of the Natchez District from a Spanish province to a territory of the United States government. It describes the lives of the settlers while under the rule of ...
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This chapter discusses the transition of the Natchez District from a Spanish province to a territory of the United States government. It describes the lives of the settlers while under the rule of the Spanish. It describes the aftermath of the Spanish rule as having left a legacy of bitterness and discord and being responsible for the separation of the ruling class of landholders into two hostile camps. When the Natchez District was turned over to the United States government, it was given its own local government system.Less
This chapter discusses the transition of the Natchez District from a Spanish province to a territory of the United States government. It describes the lives of the settlers while under the rule of the Spanish. It describes the aftermath of the Spanish rule as having left a legacy of bitterness and discord and being responsible for the separation of the ruling class of landholders into two hostile camps. When the Natchez District was turned over to the United States government, it was given its own local government system.
Robert V. Haynes
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- September 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780813125770
- eISBN:
- 9780813135434
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University Press of Kentucky
- DOI:
- 10.5810/kentucky/9780813125770.003.0003
- Subject:
- History, American History: 19th Century
This chapter discusses the arrival of the first governor of the Natchez District, Winthrop Sargent, whom the settlers called “His Yankeeship”. He is described as being rather temperamental, and his ...
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This chapter discusses the arrival of the first governor of the Natchez District, Winthrop Sargent, whom the settlers called “His Yankeeship”. He is described as being rather temperamental, and his efforts to organize the militia and the names of his appointees were met with mixed reviews. His other efforts were also considered controversial, such as his decision to create a probate court to administer estates, grant letters of administration, and a host of other functions. Until his impeachment as the governor of the Natchez District, most of Sargent's activities and efforts centered on the militia and upholding the law.Less
This chapter discusses the arrival of the first governor of the Natchez District, Winthrop Sargent, whom the settlers called “His Yankeeship”. He is described as being rather temperamental, and his efforts to organize the militia and the names of his appointees were met with mixed reviews. His other efforts were also considered controversial, such as his decision to create a probate court to administer estates, grant letters of administration, and a host of other functions. Until his impeachment as the governor of the Natchez District, most of Sargent's activities and efforts centered on the militia and upholding the law.
Robert V. Haynes
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- September 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780813125770
- eISBN:
- 9780813135434
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University Press of Kentucky
- DOI:
- 10.5810/kentucky/9780813125770.003.0004
- Subject:
- History, American History: 19th Century
This chapter discusses the second governor of the Natchez District, William Charles Cole Claiborne. The challenges faced by this twenty-six-year-old governor were different from those of his ...
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This chapter discusses the second governor of the Natchez District, William Charles Cole Claiborne. The challenges faced by this twenty-six-year-old governor were different from those of his predecessor, Winthrop Sargent. First, he needed to rally the Mississippians behind the policies of the newly elected and popular President Jefferson, as well as correct the mistakes of his despised predecessor. He was also faced with two immediate problems: an exposed territory that was surrounded by unfriendly Indians and uneasy Spaniards, and an unorganized militia. Compared to Sargent, Claiborne was an eager convert of the new Republican Party, and his reputation as a defender of democracy and as a disciple of Jefferson was appreciated by many.Less
This chapter discusses the second governor of the Natchez District, William Charles Cole Claiborne. The challenges faced by this twenty-six-year-old governor were different from those of his predecessor, Winthrop Sargent. First, he needed to rally the Mississippians behind the policies of the newly elected and popular President Jefferson, as well as correct the mistakes of his despised predecessor. He was also faced with two immediate problems: an exposed territory that was surrounded by unfriendly Indians and uneasy Spaniards, and an unorganized militia. Compared to Sargent, Claiborne was an eager convert of the new Republican Party, and his reputation as a defender of democracy and as a disciple of Jefferson was appreciated by many.
Robert V. Haynes
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- September 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780813125770
- eISBN:
- 9780813135434
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University Press of Kentucky
- DOI:
- 10.5810/kentucky/9780813125770.003.0005
- Subject:
- History, American History: 19th Century
This chapter discusses the tensions between the residents of the Natchez District and the residents of the “Bigbee” District during the acquisition of Louisiana into the Mississippi Territory. While ...
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This chapter discusses the tensions between the residents of the Natchez District and the residents of the “Bigbee” District during the acquisition of Louisiana into the Mississippi Territory. While those in Natchez were able to enjoy the cotton boom, those in Bigbee were unable to enjoy either long-term benefits or immediate relief. This discussion looks at the differences between these two districts and the problems encountered by the residents of the Bigbee District during the administration of Winthrop Sargent and William Claiborne.Less
This chapter discusses the tensions between the residents of the Natchez District and the residents of the “Bigbee” District during the acquisition of Louisiana into the Mississippi Territory. While those in Natchez were able to enjoy the cotton boom, those in Bigbee were unable to enjoy either long-term benefits or immediate relief. This discussion looks at the differences between these two districts and the problems encountered by the residents of the Bigbee District during the administration of Winthrop Sargent and William Claiborne.
Robert V. Haynes
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- September 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780813125770
- eISBN:
- 9780813135434
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University Press of Kentucky
- DOI:
- 10.5810/kentucky/9780813125770.003.0006
- Subject:
- History, American History: 19th Century
This chapter discusses Robert Williams, another governor of the Natchez District. He is different from his predecessors because he held multiple offices, as the land commissioner of the western ...
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This chapter discusses Robert Williams, another governor of the Natchez District. He is different from his predecessors because he held multiple offices, as the land commissioner of the western district and as the governor of the Natchez District. This special recognition also lay him open to a number of criticisms. Later on in the chapter the brief resurrection of the Federalists and the matters addressed by the General Assembly are discussed.Less
This chapter discusses Robert Williams, another governor of the Natchez District. He is different from his predecessors because he held multiple offices, as the land commissioner of the western district and as the governor of the Natchez District. This special recognition also lay him open to a number of criticisms. Later on in the chapter the brief resurrection of the Federalists and the matters addressed by the General Assembly are discussed.
Robert V. Haynes
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- September 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780813125770
- eISBN:
- 9780813135434
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University Press of Kentucky
- DOI:
- 10.5810/kentucky/9780813125770.003.0007
- Subject:
- History, American History: 19th Century
This chapter discusses the continuation of Robert Williams' regime as the governor of the Natchez District. It discusses his strongest critics, the Greens of Jefferson County and the longtime ...
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This chapter discusses the continuation of Robert Williams' regime as the governor of the Natchez District. It discusses his strongest critics, the Greens of Jefferson County and the longtime residents of the district. It follows the criticisms of these two parties against Governor Williams, even of his selection of a new secretary. It also looks at the period of unrest along the border and the approaching crisis with Spain, which was due to the Louisiana Purchase.Less
This chapter discusses the continuation of Robert Williams' regime as the governor of the Natchez District. It discusses his strongest critics, the Greens of Jefferson County and the longtime residents of the district. It follows the criticisms of these two parties against Governor Williams, even of his selection of a new secretary. It also looks at the period of unrest along the border and the approaching crisis with Spain, which was due to the Louisiana Purchase.
Robert V. Haynes
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- September 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780813125770
- eISBN:
- 9780813135434
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University Press of Kentucky
- DOI:
- 10.5810/kentucky/9780813125770.003.0008
- Subject:
- History, American History: 19th Century
This chapter discusses the need to improve communication with remote areas, such as the Natchez District and St. Stephens. The Congress designated a number of post roads and the establishment of post ...
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This chapter discusses the need to improve communication with remote areas, such as the Natchez District and St. Stephens. The Congress designated a number of post roads and the establishment of post offices. Tighter security and faster communication was soon needed, and were considered to be more important than the comfort of the passengers traveling along those roads. The chapter also describes the increase of the population of the district due to cotton production, and how the Mississippi Territory was viewed as “the garden of all America”.Less
This chapter discusses the need to improve communication with remote areas, such as the Natchez District and St. Stephens. The Congress designated a number of post roads and the establishment of post offices. Tighter security and faster communication was soon needed, and were considered to be more important than the comfort of the passengers traveling along those roads. The chapter also describes the increase of the population of the district due to cotton production, and how the Mississippi Territory was viewed as “the garden of all America”.
Robert V. Haynes
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- September 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780813125770
- eISBN:
- 9780813135434
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University Press of Kentucky
- DOI:
- 10.5810/kentucky/9780813125770.003.0009
- Subject:
- History, American History: 19th Century
This chapter discusses the final and third visit of Aaron Burr to Natchez District. He was considered to be the most illustrious visitor to the territory. He had also been linked to an assortment of ...
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This chapter discusses the final and third visit of Aaron Burr to Natchez District. He was considered to be the most illustrious visitor to the territory. He had also been linked to an assortment of schemes ranging from establishing a settlement in Louisiana to heading a conspiracy to dismantle the Union and seize Spanish Mexico. However, in the midst of the war against the Spanish, many considered Burr's activities in the district to be rather mystifying. After several accusations, one of which was planning to seize the Union, Burr appeared in court and insisted that he only intended to seize Spanish West Florida and then Mexico.Less
This chapter discusses the final and third visit of Aaron Burr to Natchez District. He was considered to be the most illustrious visitor to the territory. He had also been linked to an assortment of schemes ranging from establishing a settlement in Louisiana to heading a conspiracy to dismantle the Union and seize Spanish Mexico. However, in the midst of the war against the Spanish, many considered Burr's activities in the district to be rather mystifying. After several accusations, one of which was planning to seize the Union, Burr appeared in court and insisted that he only intended to seize Spanish West Florida and then Mexico.
Fred C. Smith
- Published in print:
- 2014
- Published Online:
- September 2014
- ISBN:
- 9781617039560
- eISBN:
- 9781626740099
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University Press of Mississippi
- DOI:
- 10.14325/mississippi/9781617039560.003.0003
- Subject:
- History, American History: 20th Century
This chapter is an institutional history of Tupelo Homesteads. The Homesteaders were subject to a milder and more subtle form of pressure to cooperate than were the clients of Dyess and Hillhouse. ...
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This chapter is an institutional history of Tupelo Homesteads. The Homesteaders were subject to a milder and more subtle form of pressure to cooperate than were the clients of Dyess and Hillhouse. This chapter explores the chaffing nature of detailed requirements, mutual economic dependence, and anxiety about a 30-year mortgage. The selection process ensured that the Homesteaders would be people of proven economic and social middle-class standing. At Tupelo the initial selection process was, at the insistence of M.L. Wilson, left to a local committee. As a consequence of that local knowledge the selected Homesteaders were industrious, community and family oriented, and fully intended to pursue economic and social mobility.Less
This chapter is an institutional history of Tupelo Homesteads. The Homesteaders were subject to a milder and more subtle form of pressure to cooperate than were the clients of Dyess and Hillhouse. This chapter explores the chaffing nature of detailed requirements, mutual economic dependence, and anxiety about a 30-year mortgage. The selection process ensured that the Homesteaders would be people of proven economic and social middle-class standing. At Tupelo the initial selection process was, at the insistence of M.L. Wilson, left to a local committee. As a consequence of that local knowledge the selected Homesteaders were industrious, community and family oriented, and fully intended to pursue economic and social mobility.
Timothy B. Smith
- Published in print:
- 2014
- Published Online:
- September 2015
- ISBN:
- 9781628460971
- eISBN:
- 9781626740563
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University Press of Mississippi
- DOI:
- 10.14325/mississippi/9781628460971.003.0007
- Subject:
- History, American History: Civil War
This chapter describes the increasing tensions between the delegates of the Mississippi Secession Convention with regard to presented ordinances, and the overall organization of the envisioned ...
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This chapter describes the increasing tensions between the delegates of the Mississippi Secession Convention with regard to presented ordinances, and the overall organization of the envisioned “Southern Confederacy.” It also discusses the concerns over the increasing power of the delegates. The Natchez Daily Courier noted that confusion existed as to whether the delegates were limited to the question of secession, or “to do what they pleased.” In order to face this controversy, George Clayton offered four resolutions that stated: that the convention was merely called to secede and set up a new government; that setting up a new government was “the extent of its power”; that the convention should not tamper in legislative areas which by extension could also lead to other areas of government such as the judiciary; and finally that the convention only amend the constitution to allow for secession and the creation of a new government.Less
This chapter describes the increasing tensions between the delegates of the Mississippi Secession Convention with regard to presented ordinances, and the overall organization of the envisioned “Southern Confederacy.” It also discusses the concerns over the increasing power of the delegates. The Natchez Daily Courier noted that confusion existed as to whether the delegates were limited to the question of secession, or “to do what they pleased.” In order to face this controversy, George Clayton offered four resolutions that stated: that the convention was merely called to secede and set up a new government; that setting up a new government was “the extent of its power”; that the convention should not tamper in legislative areas which by extension could also lead to other areas of government such as the judiciary; and finally that the convention only amend the constitution to allow for secession and the creation of a new government.
Kenneth Watson
Douglas B. Chambers (ed.)
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- March 2014
- ISBN:
- 9781617033032
- eISBN:
- 9781617033056
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- University Press of Mississippi
- DOI:
- 10.14325/mississippi/9781617033032.001.0001
- Subject:
- History, American History: 20th Century
This is a collection of twenty-one literary and historical chapters marking the 50th anniversary of the Southern Quarterly, one of the oldest scholarly journals (founded in 1962) dedicated to ...
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This is a collection of twenty-one literary and historical chapters marking the 50th anniversary of the Southern Quarterly, one of the oldest scholarly journals (founded in 1962) dedicated to southern studies. This book features the best of the work published in the journal. Chapters represent every decade of the journal’s history, from the 1960s to the 2000s. Topics covered range from historical chapters on the French and Indian War, the New Deal, and Emmett Till’s influence on the Black Panther Party to literary figures including William Faulkner, Robert Penn Warren, Richard Wright, Eurdora Welty, and Carson McCullers. Important regional subjects like the Natchez Trace, the Yazoo Basin, the Choctaw Indians, and Mississippi blues are given special attention.Less
This is a collection of twenty-one literary and historical chapters marking the 50th anniversary of the Southern Quarterly, one of the oldest scholarly journals (founded in 1962) dedicated to southern studies. This book features the best of the work published in the journal. Chapters represent every decade of the journal’s history, from the 1960s to the 2000s. Topics covered range from historical chapters on the French and Indian War, the New Deal, and Emmett Till’s influence on the Black Panther Party to literary figures including William Faulkner, Robert Penn Warren, Richard Wright, Eurdora Welty, and Carson McCullers. Important regional subjects like the Natchez Trace, the Yazoo Basin, the Choctaw Indians, and Mississippi blues are given special attention.
Aaron D. Anderson
- Published in print:
- 2013
- Published Online:
- March 2014
- ISBN:
- 9781617036675
- eISBN:
- 9781621030591
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- University Press of Mississippi
- DOI:
- 10.14325/mississippi/9781617036675.001.0001
- Subject:
- History, American History: 19th Century
This book describes how, between 1865 and 1914, ten Natchez mercantile families emerged as leading purveyors in the wholesale plantation supply and cotton handling business, and soon became a ...
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This book describes how, between 1865 and 1914, ten Natchez mercantile families emerged as leading purveyors in the wholesale plantation supply and cotton handling business, and soon became a dominant force in the social and economic Reconstruction of the Natchez District. They were able to take advantage of postwar conditions in Natchez to gain mercantile prominence by supplying planters and black sharecroppers in the plantation supply and cotton buying business. They parlayed this initial success into cotton plantation ownership and became important local businessmen in Natchez, participating in many civic improvements and politics that shaped the district into the twentieth century. This book digs deep in countless records (including census, tax, property, and probate, as well as thousands of chattel mortgage contracts) to explore how these traders functioned as entrepreneurs in the aftermath of the Civil War, examining closely their role as furnishing merchants and land speculators, as well as their relations with the area’s planters and freed black population. Their use of favorable laws protecting them as creditors, along with a solid community base that was civic-minded and culturally intact, greatly assisted them in their success. These families prospered partly because of their good business practices, and partly because local whites and blacks embraced them as useful agents in the emerging new marketplace. The situation created by the aftermath of the war and emancipation provided an ideal circumstance for the merchant families.Less
This book describes how, between 1865 and 1914, ten Natchez mercantile families emerged as leading purveyors in the wholesale plantation supply and cotton handling business, and soon became a dominant force in the social and economic Reconstruction of the Natchez District. They were able to take advantage of postwar conditions in Natchez to gain mercantile prominence by supplying planters and black sharecroppers in the plantation supply and cotton buying business. They parlayed this initial success into cotton plantation ownership and became important local businessmen in Natchez, participating in many civic improvements and politics that shaped the district into the twentieth century. This book digs deep in countless records (including census, tax, property, and probate, as well as thousands of chattel mortgage contracts) to explore how these traders functioned as entrepreneurs in the aftermath of the Civil War, examining closely their role as furnishing merchants and land speculators, as well as their relations with the area’s planters and freed black population. Their use of favorable laws protecting them as creditors, along with a solid community base that was civic-minded and culturally intact, greatly assisted them in their success. These families prospered partly because of their good business practices, and partly because local whites and blacks embraced them as useful agents in the emerging new marketplace. The situation created by the aftermath of the war and emancipation provided an ideal circumstance for the merchant families.
