Bacot, Samuel Atkinson, secretary and treasurer of the William Atkinson &
Bacot Company, of Osyka, is one of the prominent and successful business men of
the younger generation in this section of the State and the concern in which he
is a principal is one of the largest of the sort in southeastern Mississippi.
Its trade extends throughout Pike and Amite counties and into neighboring
parishes in Louisiana.
Mr. Bacot is a native of Pike county, having
been born in Summit, March 13, 1865. He is a son of Dr. William and Myra
Caroline (Atkinson) Bacot, the former of whom was born in Pike county, Oct. 13,
1832, and the latter in Columbia, Marion county, this State, where her father
was a leading merchant.
The paternal grandfather was a planter and
merchant and served eighteen years as Sheriff of Pike county. Dr. William Bacot
was graduated in the Medical College of Louisiana, at New Orleans, and he was
for many years one of the representative practitioners of Pike county. He lived
retired for several years prior to his death, which occurred Dec. 11, 1901. His
widow still resides on the fine homestead plantation, in Pike county.
Concerning their children it may be here recorded that Junius Laban is engaged
in business at Osyka; James Robert died in June, 1906; Anna Moore is the widow
of Otis Vaught; the subject of this sketch was next in order of birth; Willis
Clinton likewise resides in Osyka; Ella is the wife of John W. Richmond; Myra
Pet is the wife of Walter D. Vanado, who is engaged in the drug business in the
city of New Orleans; Ema S. is the wife of James H. Jones, of Jackson, Miss.;
Jesse died in infancy; and Alford resides with his mother on the home
plantation, near Summit.
After availing himself of the advantages of
the Summit public schools, Samuel A. Bacot continued his studies for some time
in the Roanoke college, Salem, Va., and at the age of seventeen years assumed a
clerical position in the store of his uncle, William Atkinson, at Magnolia.
In 1902 Mr. Atkinson and Junius L. Bacot,
together with the subject of the review, organized the present William Atkinson
& Bacot Company, of which the uncle is president and of which Samuel A.
Bacot has been secretary and treasurer from the start. The concern handles
general merchandise and has a large and well equipped establishment. The
company handles annually from eight to ten thousand bales of cotton and does a
general plantation supply business of large proportions.
Mr. Bacot has gained reputation as a
progressive and reliable business man and his rise has been gained through
merit and been fortified by personal popularity and public spirit. He is a
Democrat in his political allegiance and is a member of the Methodist Episcopal
church, South. He is a bachelor.
Ball, Jesse Newton, M.D., is worthy of upholding the prestige if the medical
profession of Pike county, being engaged in practice at Summit. The Doctor is a
native of the county which is now his home, having been born in Tylertown, Dec.
22, 1864, and being a son of Daniel Newton Ball and Mary E. (Tyler) Ball, both
of whom were likewise born in the State and county.
Dr. Ball received his academic education in
Kavanagh college, which was then located at Holmesville, Miss., and his
professional education was secured in Louisville medical college, at
Louisville, Ky., where he was graduated as a member of the class of 1893, with
the degree of Doctor of Medicine.
In the same year he went to Texas, where he
had been practicing since June, 1890, to Oct., 1892, on a certificate, in which
State he was engaged in practice until 1895, when he located in Alexandria,
La., where he built up a good practice and where he remained about a decade --
until his removal to Summit, where he has met with a most favorable support and
has taken rank with the leading physicians of his native county.
He is a member of various medical
associations, is identified with the Masonic fraternity and he holds membership
in the Methodist Episcopal church, South, his wife being a Baptist. On Jan. 6,
1897, was solemnized the marriage of Dr. Ball to Miss Lovie Brumfield, daughter
of Jesse K. and Elizabeth Jane (Harvey) Brumfield, of Pike county, Miss., and
they have four children, namely: Claudius Eugene, Myrtle Olive, Harold Curtis,
and a baby. Dr. Ball is a Mason and a Woodman.
Collins, Frederick W., Jr., is one of the popular young business men of Summit and
served for some time as postmaster of this thriving little city. He was the
youngest presidential postmaster ever appointed to that position in the State
and never since has there been an appointment made of that age. He was born in
Pike county, Nov. 15, 1876, and here his life thus far has been passed. In this
State also were born his parents, Frederick W. and Mary E. Collins, who still
maintain their home in Pike County, being well known and honored citizens of
this section of the State. The subject of this sketch availed himself of the
advantages of the public schools of his native county and thereafter identified
himself with mercantile pursuits, having been individually engaged in business
for several years. He was assistant in the Summit post office for sometime and
in February, 1902, he appointed postmaster, entering upon the discharge of his
duties the following month. He gave a most able and satisfactory administration
and is held in unqualified esteem in the community. He is a Republican in politics,
so far as national issues are involved, and in local affairs maintains an
independent position. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, South,
and is a young man of sterling character and gracious personality. In March,
1906, Mr. Collins resigned the office of postmaster to accept a position as
deputy collector of customs at Gulfport, Miss., his father being collector of
customs.
Collins, Seth Woodruff, has served nearly a score of years as postmaster at
McComb, Pike county, and is one of the well known and highly esteemed citizens
of this, his native county, where he was born, at Tylertown, Feb. 21, 1854. He
is of Scotch-Irish descent and is a son of Chauncey and Amelia (Woodruff)
Collins, the former of whom was born in the State of Connecticut and the latter
in Pike county, Miss., where their marriage was solemnized.
Mr. Collins was educated in the schools of
his native county and after leaving school he located in Summit, Pike county,
where he became assistant postmaster, his brother having been postmaster at the
time. In 1881 he was appointed postmaster at McComb, under the administration
of President Garfield, and he has since continued incumbent of the office save
for an interval of eight years -- during the two administrations of President
Cleveland. When he assumed charge of the office it was of the fourth class, and
it was later advanced to the third and then to second class -- signifying the
increase in business and the industrial and material development and growth of
McComb.
In politics, Mr. Collins is an adherent of
the Republican party, and has served many years as commissioner of elections in
Pike county. In a fraternal way he is identified with the Woodman of the World.
In 1891 Mr. Collins was united in marriage to
Miss Mytilene G. Daniel, daughter of George J. Daniel, who was a resident of
Georgia and the children of this union are: Irma W.; George W.; Emmet McKenzie;
and Seth W., Jr.
Payne, William Eugene, conducts a large and prosperous business in Collins,
Covington county, where his attractively appointed department store is the
center of a large and representative trade, derived from the wide radius of
country normally tributary to this new and enterprising little city.
Mr. Payne was born in Pike county, Miss.,
Aug. 19, 1863, being thus ushered into the world at a time when the South was
in the throes of the great conflict which finally trailed the loyally defended
flag of the Confederacy in the dust of defeat. He is the son of Dr. Nelson R.
and Margaret (Smith) Payne, both of whom were likewise born and reared in Pike
county, the father having been for many years engaged in the practice of his
noble profession and having been one of the honored and influential citizens of
his county.
William E. Payne was afforded the advantages
of public schools of Mississippi and also received excellent private
instruction, being reared to maturity in Pike county. In initiating his
independent career he secured a position in the mercantile establishment of
Lampton Brothers in Tylertown, that county, being employed as salesman and
bookkeeper and remaining in the employ of the concern for a number of years.
In 1901, shortly after the founding of the
town, on the line of the newly completed railroad, he came to Collins and
opened a general store, on Main street, thus gaining title to being one of the
pioneer merchants of the city. His thorough knowledge of the business and his
punctilious care in meeting the demands of trade enabled him to secure an
excellent supporting patronage, and his original quarters soon proved
inadequate to accommodate his rapidly expanding business.
In 1904 he erected his present building,
which is unmistakably the finest of the sort in the town and which is
thoroughly metropolitan in its appointments and in the character of stock
handled in the various departments. The store room is 60x100 feet in
dimensions, and with balcony, and basement gives available floor space of
12,000 feet.
In political matters, while not active as a
worker, Mr. Payne is a stance Democrat and is never neglectful of the duties of
citizenship, while in local affairs he takes a loyal interest and lends his aid
and influence in support of those measures and enterprises which make for the
well being of the community. He is identified with the Masonic fraternity, and
both he and his wife hold membership in the Methodist Episcopal church, South.
On Aug. 26, 1886, Mr. Payne was united in marriage to Miss Dora Sandifer,
daughter of James M. and Arkansas (Rushing) Sandifer, of Tylertown, Miss., and they
have one son, Percy Eugene.
Biographies submitted by Patti Smith.
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