History of Aberdeen, (Monroe County) Mississippi United States of America

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Local History Notes:

Aberdeen, Miss., Feb. 18, 1864 9th Illinois Cavalry. Incidental to Sherman's Meridian expedition, the 9th Ill. Cavalry, Col. Burgh commanding, by order of Gen. B. H. Grierson, moved upon Aberdeen. There it found and drove back two companies of state militia, killing and wounding several and taking 18 prisoners. It destroyed a 10-Pounder Cannon, about 3,500 bushels of corn, a saddle-tree factory, 300 saddle-trees and a quantity of leather, whisky, beans and other products and commodities.

SOURCE: The Union Army A History of Military Affairs in the Loyal States 1861-65 -- Records of the Regiments in the Union Army -- Cyclopedia of Battles -- Memoirs of Commanders and Soldiers. 8 vols. Madison: Federal Publishing, 1908.

Biographies:

Samuel Jameson Gholson, representative, was born in Madison county, Ky., May 19, 1808. He removed to Russellville, Ala., in 1817, and was admitted to the bar in 1829. The following year he removed to Athens, Miss., and engaged in the practice of law. He was a member of the state legislature, 1833-36, and in 1837 was elected as a Democrat, a representative from Mississippi in the 24th congress, to fill a vacancy caused by the resignation of David Dickson. He was re-elected to the 25th congress, serving 1837-39; was U.S. judge for the district of Mississippi, 1838-61, and in the letter year resigned to enter the Confederate army. He was promoted from private to captain, and led a company at the battle of Fort Donelson where he was wounded. He was again wounded at the battles of Iuka and Corinth, and in 1863 was appointed major-general of the state troops. He was promoted brigadier-general, June 1, 1864. He was twice wounded near Jackson, Miss., and on Dec. 27, 1864, lost his right arm at Egypt, Miss. He was a representative in the state legislature in 1866 and 1878. He died at Aberdeen, Miss., Oct. 16, 1883.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Hiram R. Revels, senator, was born in Fayetteville, N.C., Sept. 1, 1822. He was the son of free-born parents of mixed blood. Education being denied him under the laws of North Carolina, he removed to Indiana in 1844, attended the Friends seminary at Liberty and a theological school in Ohio, and was ordained a minister in the African Methodist Episcopal church. He engaged in missionary work among the Negroes of Indiana, Illinois, Ohio and Missouri, and in 1860 settled in Baltimore, Ohio, as a minister and principal of a high school for Negro students. He assisted in organizing colored regiments in Maryland and Missouri, taught school in St. Louis, 1863?64, and in 1864 went to Vicksburg as chaplain of a colored regiment, assisting the provost-marshal in establishing order and industry among the freedmen. He accompanied the army to Jackson, Miss., where he preached to the emancipated slaves, organized several churches, and engaged in similar work in Kansas and Missouri, 1865?67. He settled at Natchez, Miss., in 1868, was chosen presiding elder in the African church, and served as a member of the city council and as state senator. On the reconstruction of the state he was elected U.S. senator from Mississippi with Adelbert Ames, and drew the short term expiring, March 3, 1871. He took his seat in the senate, Feb. 25, 1870, being the first colored man to sit in that body. He was president of the Alcorn Agricultural university, Rodney, Miss., 1871?83, and subsequently pastor of churches at Holly Springs, Miss., and at Richmond, Ind. He died at Aberdeen, Miss., while addressing the Mississippi conference, Jan. 15, 1901.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

James Phelan, representative, was born in Aberdeen, Miss., Dec. 7, 1856; son of Judge James and Eliza J. (Moore) Phelan. He removed to Memphis, Tenn., with his parents, 1867, and was educated in the Kentucky Military institute, the literary department of the University of Nashville, and at University of Mississippi, where he matriculated in 1872. He went to Europe in 1874, and completed his education in the Gymnasium of St. Thomas, and at the University of Leipzig, where he received the degree Ph.D. in 1878. In 1881 he settled in the practice of law in Memphis, and was married, Oct. 15 of that year, to Mary, daughter of Dr. Robert Early of Lynchburg, Va. He was a Democratic representative from the tenth Tennessee district in the 50th and 51st congresses, 1887-91. He died in Nassau, Bahama Islands, seeking relief from phthisis, Jan. 30, 1891.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor