University of Mississippi - Ole Miss Yearbook (Oxford, MS)

Page 24 text:

Board of Trustees Q HON. J. S. SEXTON, President ............ ..... H azlehurst, Miss HON. JAMES GORDON, Chairman of the Executive Committee of the University Of Mississippi ............................................. Okolona, Miss HON. B. A. VVEAvEn, Chairman of the Executive Committee of the I. I. 8: Ci. Miss HON. T. L. VVAINNVRIGI-IT, Chairman of the Executive Committee of the A. 81 M. College ............................................... Stonewall, Miss lION. I. C. ENOcHs, Chairman Of the Executive Committee of the Alcorn A. 8 M. College ............................................. Jackson, Miss HON. G. A. AICILHENNY. .. .... Forest, Miss l'ION. G. A. GLENN. .. .... Starkville, Miss I'ION. F. C. HOLMES. .. .... Hernando, Miss I9

Page 23 text:

5 N-mf x X -Y '-ff' Biz XKXKQNX'

Page 25 text:

HON. J. S. SEXTON President Board 0f'l'rnstees lona in 1859. He is a member ot IION. JAMES GORDON James Gordon, Democrat, of Okolona, was born on a farm in Monroe County, Mississippi, Deccmlter 6, 18315. His father, Robert Gordon, a Scotchnian, married his mother in Cotton Gin Port, on the '1'omhiglu'c ltiver. Slu- was Mary E. 1Valton, born in Amelia County, Virginia, and moved with her parents to the Chickasaw Terri- tory when she was quite young. Robert Gordon was a 'arge planter and settled in Pontotoc County when thc Chickasaw land sales were located there, founding the city of Aberdeen. James Gordon was an only son. lic grew up in Pontotoc, attended school in Holly Springs several years at St. Thomas Hall, later entered La- Grange College, Alabama, and at the beginning of his Sophomore year went to the University of Mississippi, graduating in the class of 1955. He married Miss Caro- lina Virginia XViley, daughter of a planter residing near Oxford. Her mother was a sister of Hon. Jacob Thomp- son, who was Secretary of the Interior in President Buchanan's Cabinet. Col. Gordon has a daughter, Mrs. Annie G. Barrow. born in 1856, and a son, Robert James, born in 1977. His wife died in February, 1903. In April, 1901, he married Miss Ella N. Neilson, of Oxford, Miss. He was elected to represent Pontotoc County in the Legislature of 1857. He located in Oko- the Presbyterian Church, a Mason, a trustee of the Mississippi University, and has been a writer for quite a number of journals and magazines, and is the author of a book of poems en- titled '1'he Old Plantation and other poems. XVhen the war came on he equipped a company of cavalry and served twelve months with the Jeff Davis Legion under Gen. J. E. B. Stuart in Virginia. He then raised a regi- ment known as the Second Mississippi Cavalry, and was attached to the brigade commanded by Gen. Frank C. Armstrong, fought under Major Generals Price, Yan Dorn, YVilliam H. Jackson and Forrest. He was sent to Europe in the summer of 1861 by the Confederate gov- ernment on a private mission, and was captured on his return in January, 1865, in the harbor at lVilmington, N. C., his ship having entered the harbor in the night, not knowing Fort Fisher had fallen. He escaped on the 22d of February and fled to Can- ada, where he was under suspicion of being in the con- spiracy with Booth in the assassination of President Lin- coln. 1Vith the assistance of friends he was enabled to go to New York and surrender to Gen. Dix, who was satisfied of his entire innocence, and gave him a passport to his home. He was disfranchised for ten years on account of his having served in the Legislature in 1857. He also served in the Legislature of Mississippi in 1878 and 1886, also in the State Senate in 1901- and 1906. He was appointed December 27, 1909, by Gov. Noel to fill a vacancy in the United States Senate caused by the death of Hon. A. J. McLaurin.-Taken from Congres- sional Directory, Simly-first Congress. Sw-and Session. 19 HON. JAMES GORDON