The 1875 May Day Celebration

May 06, 1875, Banner-Democrat
Was a success on the part of the Providence Fire Company No. 1 and the school children. It far exceeded any display ever made by the fire company since their organization, and spoke well for their perseverance in the cause under all the discouragement which have surrounded them. They were met on the grounds in Mr. F. F. Montgomery's yard, by great numbers of ladies and gentlemen. The arrangement and execution of the whole celebration was complete and beautiful. The school children were trained to sing for the occasion by Mrs. Newman, lady of our worthy Mayor. The speeches were taught them by professor R. K. Jayne.The children sang very sweetly and showed how excellently they had been trained. And as to the judgment displayed by professor Jayne in the arrangement of the whole affair, we cannot do him full justice. We regard him as decidedly the hero of the occasion.Col. C. M. Pilcher was the selected orator of the day, and delivered a very elegant and appropriate address, receiving continued applause. After which a number of gentlemen were called upon and made handsome extempore addresses. The little Queen, Flora Reynard, looked very sweetly and did her magisterial duties well.The boys and girls all acted their part so perfectly that we cannot draw comparisons. It was all good.There was a ball at night, where the devotees to Therpsichore remained to the 'we small hours.'The firemen deserved great credit, and the property holders of Providence ought to step forward and help them.

The River's Overflowed !

March 5th, 1867: (East Carroll Parish newspapers)
We have just learned that the levee at Mrs. Savage's plantation, in Thompkin's Bend, just below Goodrich Landing, broke on last Sunday night. There was a probability of the crevasse being stopped yesterday. We hope the planters in that section have stopped it, for a large and most valuable portion of the parish will be impaired by it.
March 12th:
From the waters running down through Arkansas into Bayou Macon, the whole country this side of that stream, and within some five or six miles of this place, and up and down the Mississippi River, have become overflowed.
Our large, substantial levees up here don't seem to do us much good in the general. Traveling from this place to Floyd is done altogether in skiffs.--In this connection, we would inform all desiring to visit our parish site, that our energetic young friend, Jax B. Tompkins, has fitted up an A No. 1 boat, and will make semi-weekly trips to that place on Mondays and Thursdays.
April 2nd:
It is melancholy to contemplate the immense damage being done by the present high water. A few days ago a portion of the Bass levee gave way, which we thought at the time would, with the large amount of back water from the Macon, overflow almost the whole of the lowest part of our parish, but, astonishingly to every one, it has not done one-third the damage that was expected, and the people in the lower portion of our parish, form the Bass crevasse down to the Madison line, after having stopped the crevasse at Mrs. Savage's, were beginning to feel somewhat secure. This, however, did not last long, for the first of the week the levee at Hawse Harris' place, just above the Madison line gave way, and we are informed that the water is pouring through in a tremendous volume for a half mile or more in width, and has already backed, up the river for eight or ten miles, and a large number of the most valuable plantations in Tompkin's Bend are now under the water, and we are informed that Henry Goodrich's Plantation, which is nine miles above the crevasse, is at least two-thirds under water, and is still increasing. What our unfortunate people are to do we are afraid to conjecture.
April 9th:
On Wednesday morning, between twelve and two o'clock, the little levee protecting that portion of our town between the large new levee and the river gave way, or was cut; (there are different opinions about the matter, for at twelve o'clock it was apparently perfectly safe.) Nearly the whole town was under water before the alarm could be given, and it actually was in the house of some before they hardly had time to realize the fact that the levee had broken, while by six o'clock, the highest part of the town was four feet under water.
We congratulate ourselves and a large number of our citizens that so large commodious an ark as the upper wharf-boat, was at hand, and that so kind and generous a man as Major A. D. Smith, has charge of her.

The Pennington~Roberts Wedding on March 10, 1869

(March 20th, 1869 newspaper)
In this village on the evening of the 10th inst., at the residence of the bride, by the Reverend M. DuBose, Colonel William F. Pennington and Mrs. Mattie Roberts. Colonel Pennington was a brave and gallant officer of the 4th Louisiana Infantry, and, as such, served with distinction in the cause of the Confederacy; and it is with peculiar pleasure that we tender our most sincere congratulations upon the consummation of his happiness. The editors of the Record were handsomely remembered. And as we raised the drinking glass, O'erflowed with the sparkling wave, We drank "long life to the happy pair, and a health to the fair and brave."
"When kindred hearts in rapture meet,
When e'en their plaintive sighs are sweet,
There dwells celestial bliss below,
Their flies all thought of care and woe."
The above lines suggested themselves to our mind on Wednesday evening while we gazed with unfeigned pleasure and satisfaction upon one of the most happy scenes it has been our privilege to witness for years. We refer to the marriage of our friends, Colonel Pennington and Mrs. Mattie D. Roberts. The bride looked truly magnificent in the splendor of her dress and person, while her gentle nature and goodness of heart shone out vividly in the lustre of her eyes; it has been many a day since we have seen so much to admire and approve as its the pair who stood up to exchange their marital vows. The Colonel looked fully self-possessed, and confident in the assurance of this future happiness. There was a "goodly company" in attendance who done ample justice to the good cheer which had been profusely provided; man a pleasant smile was provoked, and merry joke elicited among the joyous crowd. The bride and bridegroom were heartily toasted with all the good wishes that warm-hearted friends could conceive, in all of which we most earnestly joined, wishing them all the happiness this world can afford, be the vicissitudes what they may--
Closing with a cheery good night to the happy pair.

Steamer "David White" Blew Apart

February 26, 1867 (East Carroll Parish newspaper)
Steamer DAVID WHITE.
This boat was blown up a few days ago, about sixty miles above this point. We understand that the boat was completely separated bout the middle, and the ladies' cabin floated off down the river, thereby saving all the ladies on board, who were safely rescued at some distance below. The Captain, Engineer, Clerk, and one Pilot were lost, with some thirty-five or forty other persons, as we learn. We know of but one of the passengers who, and who got on the boat at this place. He was Dr. Bush, formerly, we believe, of New Orleans, late of Louisville.
We are not at all surprised at this catastrophe. This boat was utterly unfit to navigate the Mississippi. We traveled on her from Baton Rouge to this place last August; she was then almost a wreck, and seemed to be too old and crazy to hang together; we felt ourselves in constant danger.--by what authority this miserable concern has continued to run the river we know not. But doubtless official corruption has kept apparent life and motion in it, until the usual end and destruction of human life, which generally follow in all such cases, has been the fatal result.

The Ole Bruin, Killed by Billy Alexander

December 19, 1868 (from East Carroll newspaper)

Our friend Billy Alexander, who, by-the-way, is quite a Nimrod, and the acknowledged champion shot in the country, killed a very large fat bear last week in the swamp back of "Middlesex Plantation" in this county. It's gross weight was about 700 pounds. The net weight 465 pounds. One half of it sent to Vicksburg, sold for $72. Although Billy did not seem inclined to boast of his feat in overcoming this monster single-handed, it was nevertheless an adventure which displayed a great deal of genuine courage, and would have covered us all up with glory.--Billy says that when he first discover "Bruin" his lordship was industriously engaged in raking up acorns, and had about four bushels gathered, and had his head turned from the direction of attack. Our hunter walked up within fifteen steps and gave the unsuspecting brute a charge of buckshot into his rear, which however only caused him to kick up like a mule, until doubtless, from curiosity, he turned to see the author of this ungentlemanly assault, when Billy gave him the contents of the other barrel of shot-gun. This had the effect of stunning him for a moment; but recovering, he made a desperate lunge at his persecutor. Billy was prepared, and administered another dose of lead, which made him yell most hideously, and maddened with pain, seemed bent on revenge. The fourth shot however, laid him out. We are under obligations for that 'bar' oil, Billy.

The Robbery of Dr. Key; Ends in an Arrest

May 07, 1867
TO THE PATRON OF THE RECORD.
EDITOR OF THE RECORD;--
[Communicated; East Carroll Parish newspaper]
Dear Sir:--It will be remembered by many of the readers of your excellent paper, that in January last an old gentleman by the name of Dr. Key was robbed of all his money at Ashton Landing, in this parish. The Doctor and family had been refugees from Franklin Parish to Texas, and were on their return when this misfortune over-took them. Dr. key had been previous to the war, a planter of wealth as well as a successful and popular physician; but like many others, had in the waning fortunes of the Confederacy, disposed of his plantation for Confederate script, and joined the vast flood of emigration, which poured into Texas; and in the vicissitudes of an unsettled life, his means melted away and gradually evaporated--until $1150 in gold and silver with team and household effects, comprised all that was left of the worldly possessions of himself and family. A mournful example of the pranks which fortune plays with us poor humanity on this mundane sphere.
It was on the morning of the 17th of January, that your correspondent was called upon by a lad about twelve years old, -- who with tears rolling down his cheeks, stated that his father had that morning been robbed of all the money he had in the world--amounting to $1150 in specie. The little boy give me the particulars, as nearly as he could, and wished to know if I could not do something; for, said he, "Pa is nearly crazy about it." I immediately proceeded to Ashton Landing, and saw the Doctor, from whom I learned the following particulars: It appeared that the Doctor's wagon had got stalled the night previous in the vicinity of the new Ashton levee which was being built. A man giving his name as "Charley Cassidy," (a laborer on the levee), had offered his services to Dr. Key, in getting him out of the bog; for which service, the generous hearted old man had remunerated him with $1.25 in silver. The Doctor camped in the vicinity, and on the following morning, "Cassidy" returned and kindly offered to assist in reloading the wagon, preparatory to pursuing their journey. Cassidy, while apparently busy in his kind endeavors, was keenly scentuing each portion of the baggage for the location of the treasure; which his practiced metropolitan instinct had obtained a "sniff" of the night before. He was not long in ferreting out its whereabouts. Is weight had detected the coin in satchel, and e're the unsuspecting honest old man, or his family, were aware, their "devoted" but treacherous stranger friend had darted into a cane-brake a few yards from the camp, and "done gone."
This was the story of the old gentleman, told over and over again, as he rushed about frantic at his loss, beseeching me to "catch the d-m scoundrel." Assuring him of my sympathy, and that I would do all in my power, I immediately wrote to the Chief of Police at St. Louis, Memphis and Vicksburg, giving a full description of the villain, feeling confident that he would make his way to the river, at some point above, and be almost sure of detection from the large amount of silver. A reward of $100 was also offered at the request of the Doctor for the capture of the thief, and a return of the money.
On the following day our unfortunate friend passed on his way--receiving the sympathies and donations of our citizens. At Lake Providence, warm hearts gave forth needed contributions, and stout hands indignantly clenched at the recital of the robbery. Some of the more chivalric young men scoured the country in search of the perpetrator, and, had he been caught, it would probably not have cost the State anything in his prosecution. The following is the sequel and will explain itself: G. (Goffe)
From the communication of our friend "G." (Goffe) many of our readers will be glad to learn of the arrest of the scoundrel who robbed a Dr. Key, in the northern portion of our parish in January last. He will, we suppose, be brought to this parish for trial.
We cheerfully give a place in our paper, to the excellent contribution to the Record, from C. H. G. (Charles H. Goffe)- We have read before several elegant productions from the pen of our talented young friend, and welcome him as a contributor to our columns.

Urias Conn; Hunter, October 11, 1884

Banner Democrat Newspaper
Urias Conn is decidedly the best hunter in this country. He can not be excelled in many other sections. A few days since while hunting with his Winchester Rifle, he came on a flock of three deer and they dispersing in various directions, he killed them all three by several shots from his single gun. This was remarkable shooting, showing great coolness of judgment and precision of aim. These make up the number of fifty-two killed by him with this rifle.

Major Todd's Leg, July 8, 1875, Clipping & Transcription

Sketch by Sandy Guthrie Moore.
This story came out of the New Orleans Republican, and then on July 8, 1875 was placed in the Carroll Watchman, of Carroll Parish, La.

"Major Todd of our place, lost his right leg at the battle of Fredericksburg, and some time ago he purchased an artificial leg from a man in Wilmington. It contained a system of springs, which enabled the major to use it in such a natural manner that when he was walking along the street nobody would for a moment suppose that he had not both of his own legs.
One Sunday, while the major was on his way to church, he slipped upon the ice and gave the store leg a severe wrench: He must have dislocated some of the springs; for after reaching church and taking his seat, and while the clergymen was reading the Scriptures, the leg suddenly flew up and rested upon the back of the pew in front of him. The congregation looked at him in amazement, and he grew very red in the face. As soon as he took it down it jumped up again and wiggled about on the back of the pew, finally kicking Mrs. Thompson's bonnet to rags. Then the Major suppressed it again, and held it down, but it instantly began a convulsion movement in his own pew, during which it upset the stools, plunged around among the hymn books and hats, and hammered the board beneath the seat, until it made such a racket that the minister had to stop. The sexton came rushing in to find what was the matter, and the Major after explaining the difficulty in a whisper, asked the sexton to let him lean on him while he charged on the front door. As soon as the Major got into the aisle that dissolute leg kicked the sexton sixteen or seventeen times in a most insolent manner, varying the exercise by making eccentric swoops off at the side, during which it kicked right off the high hats at the pew doors into black silk chaos.
By the time the Major reached the vestibule the leg had become perfectly reckless. It flew up before and it flew up behind. It butted against the good leg, and darted on sideways, and described circles, and tried to insert its toes in the Major's coat tail pockets, and to whack him on the nose. When the sexton came with a hack and put the major in it, the leg banged through the window glass, and when the driver got down to see about it, the leg brandished it self in his face, and concluded the exercise by planting a powerful blow in his stomach. The Major told the driver that he would give him $10 to take that leg off; and the driver accepted the offer. For several minutes it eluded all his efforts to catch it as it danced about, but finally he got hold of it, and hung on, while the Major tried to unbuckle the straps. Then it came off and rolled the driver in the mud. He got up to watch it. It writhed and kicked, and jumped and throbbed and hopped; and whenever it would make a dash to one side or the other, the crowd would scatter in order to give it full play. Finally Ben Woolley set his dog on it, and a most exciting contest ensued, the leg two or three times running off with the dog, and as it seemed likely that the dog would be whipped, Mr. Woolley got a crowbar and aimed a blow at the leg, with the intent to smash it; but he missed it and nearly killed the dog. As soon as the dog retired Mr. Woolley whacked at it again and burst in into flinders, and then there was peace. The Major drove home and got his crutches, and since then he has confined himself to the use of a wooden leg which has no springs. He tells the story himself with much animation, but he thinks it a little harsh that the deacons tried to expel him from that church for indulging in profane levity during services."--[N. O. Republican]

Tornado Destroys Monticello, Louisiana

February 09, 1867 (East Carroll Parish newspaper)
A portion of our parish was visited by a very severe hurricane (tornado) on Friday evening, the 1st inst. It came from the west, passing directly east, and following almost immediately the Goodrich Landing, Monticello, and Monroe Road, and crossed the Mississippi River at the Wilton Plantation. We are informed that it tore everything to pieces in its track. The town of Monticello was almost completely demolished, and almost every plantation along the road was injured by the blowing away of houses, cabins, stables, &c., and on some places it did not leave a house of any description standing. Several persons were badly injured. We also learn that it did considerable damage in Mississippi, but have heard no particulars. It was from a quarter to a half mile in width, and extended across the whole of our parish from west to east.

Good Invention - Or What???

December 19, 1868 (at the newspaper office)
An old Irishman came into our office a few weeks ago, with an invention he wished to have patented. It consisted of a fine long steel blade of a pen knife and whose handle terminated in a lead pencil.
“Yes”, we said, “it’s a good pencil, but what’s the blade at the other end intended for?” “Oh”, replied he, “that’s where the merit lies. Don’t ye see, it’s to sharpen the lead pencil with, when it gets dull.”
We directed him to the patent office, for such an inventive brain ought to receive its just reward.

The Monticello Rifles

Banner Democrat Newspaper

Saturday, July 22, 1899
FROM AN OLD CONFEDERATE
Canton, Ky., July 4, 1899. Mr. Editor: -- My object in writing you is to find out if some of my old comrades are yet in the land of the living. I went out with Company II, 3rd La. Volunteers, and our company was known as the Monticello Rifles, J. S. Richards, Captain; D. Hardeman, 1st Lieut.; C. A. Hedrick, 2nd Lieut.; William Corbin, 3rd Lieut. I have forgotten our orderly sergeant, but he was a good old man, and I think was discharged during the first year of the war. Then H. B. Briggs was made orderly, and served in that capacity until we stacked arms at Vicksburg, thirty-nine years ago to-day. Mr. Briggs was a native of the State of New York, and was as good a soldier as ever fired a gun; but I think our company was made up of as good material as could be found anywhere; officers and men were brave and fearless. I would be glad to hear from some of them. I am an old man now; will be sixty-four years old on the 11th of August, if I should live to that time. It has been so long since I lived in your parish that I have forgotten the names of a great many persons. I am a native of Kentucky, and went to Floyd in 1858, and did business in that place with my brother-in-law, G.M. Langford, and knew a great many people. If I could I would pay dear old Carroll a visit before I die. I had but one sister, and she sleeps on a mound two miles below Floyd, on what was then known as the Creed Motley place, but I will never be able to visit the spot. I know everybody would be strangers now; but if I could see the Lotts, the DeFrance's, the Cheatham's, Draughn, the Montgomery's, the Wyly's Roberts, Delony, Darden, Hanagan's, and a host of other good people, it would be a very great pleasure to me in my old age. Hoping this will be the means of finding some of my old friends,
I am respectfully, J.A. HUMPHRIES.

Murders & Outrages of Carroll Parish, La.

Assistant Commissioner for the State of Louisiana
Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen and Abandoned Lands, 1865 - 1869.
National Archives Microfilm M1027 Roll 34 Records Relating to Murders and Outrages
Mar. 1867 - Nov. 1868
May 26th, 1866 - Lieut. G. W. Rollins, Lake Providence, reports a freedman insulted the wife of W. R. C. Lyons (owner of a leased plantation) during his absence from home. On his return, Lyons gave the freedman 30 lashes. The overseer of the place, Hopkins (employed by the lessee), told Lyons he would protect the freed people. Lyons then went to Lake Providence and returning to the plantation with his crowd, knocked Hopkins down with a pistol, gave him 300 lashes with a cowhide, brought him to the river, put him on a steamboat and sent him down the river. An infantry force was sent to Lake Providence and remained there for some time but were unable to arrest any of the accused who absconded for the time.
May 27th, 1866 - Lieut. Rollins, Lake Providence, reports that about 10 o'clock on Sunday morning in the town of Lake Providence, Martin Day, freedman, for answering a white boy quickly was knocked down by Mr. Kingsly (white), taken through the town facing the East and there stopped and terribly beaten with rawhides by Kingsly and some 6 or 7 other men, who put a rope around his neck, nearly choked him, jumped upon him &c. Civil Authorities took no notice of the affair and on arrival of the Military the parties left the Parish.

1886 Keller's School Examinations

JULY 3, 1886

~ KELLER'S SCHOOL ~
Miss M. C. Keller's school closed on 11th of June, and she gives an exact report of those who passed the highest examination, also those who won prizes.
Arithmetic-- Charlie Beard, James Beard, and Mary Beard; from United States money to Ratio; 197 examples were given them, worked all.
Charles Ikerd, and Dollie Kennedy; 297 examples were given them in U.S. money, fractions, denominate numbers, denominate fractions to ration; worked all.
John Kennedy, Maggie Crowly, Mande Williams and Olander Hamilton; 197 from beginning to the end of Arithmetic, worked all.
Albert Taylor, Ikie Cohn; worked all.
Suzett Maguire, Phenie Cohn, Morgan Larche; fractions, ratio, interest,Partial payments, partnerships, insurance, denominate fractions, profit and loss, commission and analysis; 319 were given them, failed on two.
Francise McBarron; 197 given her, worked all.
Ollie Keller, Pauline Larche, worked all of the 319
Nimo White, primary arithmetic, 48, worked all.
Ollie Cohn, Louie Martin, and William Taylor; 46 examples given, worked all.
ALGEBRA-- 100 examples were given worked all.
Mamie Therrel, 197 given her, worked all.
GRAMMAR-- Charlie Beard, James Beard, Mary Beard, Dollie Kennedy, Maggie Crowley, and Maud Williams, Olander Hamilton out of 299 questions answered all.
John Kennedy, Ikie Cohn, Francise McBarron out of 299 failed on 3.
Albert Taylor out of 299 failed on 2.
Suzett Maguire, Morgan Larche, and Phenie Cohn out of 489 questions false syntax answered all.

~ PRIZE LIST ~
Pauline Ammons, Jake Purdy, Bessie Rhodes, Morgan Larche,
Nannie Rhodes, Moreau Purdy, Mamie Therrel, John Kennedy,
Dollie Kennedy, Morgan Hamilton, Mattie Hamilton,
Charles N. Ikerd, Pauline DeLauny, O. Hamilton, Francis McBarron,
Ollie Cohn, Hattie Blunt(Blount?), Suzet Maguire, Pollie Williams,
Ikie Cohn, Lizzie Therrel, Nimo White, Annie Belden, John Jenkins,
Maggie Crowley, Jason Hamilton, Annie Cassino, Lonie Martin,
Phenie Cohn, Lucien Killkist, Mary Brock, Bob Williams,
William Taylor, and Albert Taylor
Enrolled 61 children.

PRIZES-- Poems by Longfellow and Tennyson. Histories by Abbot, Story and picture books, Life of Cleveland, George Eliot and other poetry by Rose Cleveland.