Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans. Vol. I. Boston, MA, USA: The Biographical Society, 1904
ADAMS, William Forbes, second bishop of Easton, and 109th in succession in the American Episcopate, was born in Enniskillen, Ireland, Jan. 2, 1833. At an early age he was brought to America by his parents, who settled in Kentucky. Young Adams was fitted for Yale, but pecuniary reverses attendant upon the failure of his father in business, obliged him to forego his plans. He bravely accepted the change in his circumstances, obtained a mercantile situation, and in his leisure time studied law. At the age of twenty-one he was admitted to the Mississippi bar. He removed to Tennessee, and pursued his theological studies with a view to entering the church; he returned to Mississippi before the completion of his course, and was ordained a deacon in St. Andrew's church, Jackson, Miss., in 1859; he was admitted to full orders July 29, 1860. His first charge, which he held for six years, was St. Paul's, Woodville, Miss.; in 1866 he became rector of St. Peter's, New Orleans, and took charge of St. Paul's in the same city the following year, where he remained until his consecration as first missionary bishop of New Mexico and Arizona, in 1875. He accepted the duties of his charge with every promise of abundant success, but the fatigues of the long and painful journeys, necessary in so new and extensive a diocese, undermined a constitution already impaired by his ministrations to sufferers from yellow fever in Louisiana, and compelled his resignation, which in 1877 was accepted by the house of bishops. From 1876 to 1887 Dr. Adams was rector of Holy Trinity, Vicksburg, Miss., when he was again elected to the episcopal (sic) office, as bishop of Easton. He received the degree of D.C.L. from the University of the South, Sewanee, Tenn.
Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans. Vol. I. Boston, MA, USA: The Biographical Society, 1904
ALCORN,
James Lusk, senator, was
born near Golconda, Ill., Nov. 4, 1816. He was graduated from Cumberland
College, Kentucky, taking up his residence in that state, and in 1843 he served
one term in the state legislature. In 1844 he went to Mississippi to practice
law, and between the years 1846 and 1865 he represented his district in the
state legislature for sixteen years, serving in both branches. In 1852 he was
an elector on the national Whig electoral ticket, and in 1857 was nominated for
governor by the Whigs, but declined. In 1858 he was an unsuccessful candidate
for representative in Congress. The levee system was founded by him, and he was
chosen president of the levee board. At the breaking out of the civil war he
was appointed by the State Secession convention brigadier-general, but when his
brigade entered the Confederate army, President Davis refused to commission
him, on account of political differences. He was elected United States senator
in 1865, but did not take his seat, as Mississippi was under provisional
government and not allowed congressional representation. In 1869 he was elected
governor by the republicans, but resigned in 1871, having been elected to the
U. S. senate, where he remained until 1877, when he was succeeded by L. Q. C.
Lamar. In 1873 he was the unsuccessful candidate for governor. In 1890 he
served as a member of the State constitutional convention. He died at Eagle
Nest, Miss., Dec. 20, 1894.
Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans. Vol. I. Boston, MA, USA: The Biographical Society, 1904
ALLEN,
Henry Watkins, governor,
was born in Prince Edward county, Va., April 29, 1820. He was educated at the
Collegiate institute, Marionville, Mo., studied law; was admitted to the bar,
and practised (sic) at Grand Gulf, Miss. He married in 1842, Salome Crane of
Rodney, Miss., and in that year raised and commanded a company under Gen.
Houston in the war between Texas and Mexico. He was a representative in the
Mississippi legislature in 1846; engaged in sugar-planting at West Baton Rouge,
La., and was elected to the Louisiana legislature in 1853. He studied law at
Harvard in 1854; sailed for Italy in 1859, intending to enlist with Garibaldi,
but found the war was over, and made a tour of Europe. He served a second term
in the Louisiana legislature, enlisted in the Confederate army in 1861, and
became colonel of the 4th Louisiana regiment and military governor of Jackson,
Miss. He distinguished himself at Shiloh, Baton Rouge and Vicksburg; was
promoted brigadier-general in 1864, and was elected governor of Louisiana. He
returned to the city of Mexico in 1866, and established the "Mexican Times." He
died in the city of Mexico, April 22, 1867.
Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans. Vol. I. Boston, MA, USA: The Biographical Society, 1904
ALLEN, John M., representative, was born in Tishomingo county, Miss., July 8, 1847. He received a common-school education, and at the age of fifteen enlisted in the Confederate army, in which he served as a private throughout the civil war. He then studied law at the Cumberland university, Tenn., and at the University of Mississippi, where he was graduated in 1870. He opened a law office at Tupelo, Lee county, and in 1875 was chosen district attorney for the first judicial district of Mississippi, and served for four years. In 1884 he was elected to represent his district in the 49th Congress, and was returned to the 50th, 51st, 52d, 53d, 54th, 55th and 56th Congresses. He became universally known as "Private Allen," through a happy repartee which he made in a political speech during the canvass for his first election to Congress. In a joint debate his competitor opened his speech with: "Fellow citizens, I slept one night in a tent on the mountainside, awaiting the battle on the morrow." When he had finished his speech, Allen rose to his feet and said: "Friends and fellow citizens, what General Tucker has told you about sleeping in his tent that night before the battle is true. I know, for I was guarding that tent all night long in the cold and the wet. Now, I want to say to all of you who were generals in the war, and slept at night in your guarded tents, vote for him; but all you fellows that guarded the generals' tents in the wet and cold, like me, you vote for 'Private Allen.'" Allen was triumphantly elected. In Congress he showed himself a ready and effective debater.[p.68]
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