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Territory and State.
355
Register in the Land Office, Circuit Judge, delegate to the Convention, Judge of the Criminal Court of Natchez, Representative, Chancellor, Judge of the Supreme Court, maintaining in all of them the reputation of an industrious, conscientious and upright officer. He was an entertaining companion, of elegant manners, extremely hospitable, and greatly beloved. He died at his residence in Franklin county, before the ?late unpleasantness.?
Joseph Sessions, a native of Sampson county, North Carolina, came to Mississippi Territory in 1801, as a surveyor, then a very valuable vocation where there were so many conflicting land claims. He married the daughter of Joshua Howard, who had settled here, on Sandy Creek, in the county of Adams, when it was the British province of West Florida. Being a man of fine sense and commanding presence, and a good talker, the young surveyor rapidly became popular and wealthy, was repeatedly elected to the Territorial Assembly, then to the Convention, and afterwards as Representative and Senator from the county of Adams.
John Steele had been in office-in the Continental army; was Secretary of the Territory in the time of Governor Sargeant. Was always greatly esteemed, and frequently a member of the Legislature. He died at Natchez, about 1816, unmarried, and far advanced in years.
Cowles Mead has been already mentioned.
H. I. Balch was a lawyer from North Carolina, to Tennessee, thence to this Territory. Some of his family figured in the State of Franklin, and afterwards in Nashville.
Joseph E. Davis, a native of Kentucky, came in very early life as a lawyer and settled near the now extinct town of Greenville, Jefferson county. He was the elder brother and guardian of Jefferson Davis, a name not born to die. He was a well-trained lawyer, a thorough man of business, a close, logical speaker, who made every word tell, mild in manner, but of cool and tried courage. He uras often in official position, but more frequently declined it. He resided for many years on his extensive plantations on the Mississippi below Vicksburg, and as long as he lived impressed his opinions on the country. He died in Vicksburg, soon after the close of the civil war.
Tohn Ford was a South Carolinian, who early settled on Pearl river?a farmer and a man ot line sense and unimpeachable integrity ?of patriarchal influence?who has left numerous descendants who inherit his characteristics.
His colleague, McLaughlin, was from the settlement of Scotch Highlanders in North Carolina, who contributed so large and valuable an element to our early population?remarkable then and to this day for their industry, thrift and temperance and their clanship. They may be traced in one continuous chain from Union Church, Jefferson county, through Claiborne, Franklin, Copiah, Simpson, Lawrence, Covington, Marion, Greene and Perry, into Alabama?the same people representing the old historic clans of Scotland, strict Presby-,-rerians, and in'-?very neighborhood a school-house and a church. / mvt	settlea\on	Pearl river and accumulated a princely estate.*
Jarywas the son of a man who came out as sergeant of a Kmnth Count Rochambeau. He served until the sur-
frnor Humphries was one of his sons-in-law.