GRANDFATHER MCARTHUR

I have no memories of my Grandfather(John Gordon McArthur).  He died at age 56 when my Papa was only 9 yrs old. Papa told me little about his father. Papa's sister Chad was only 7 yrs old at that time, but she did gather some interesting information about him and shared it. John Gordon McArthur was born July 21, 1829 in Wilcox County AL, the son of John McArthur** and his wife Christen Gordon. His first marriage was to Sarah M. Williamson.  Before they were married his sweetheart,Sarah, wrote a note to him dated September 23, 1850 in which he was invited to visit her that evening so that she could answer some questions that he had asked her.  We do not know what the questions were but guessed that they concerned marriage plans since they were evidently married soon after that visit. Their first child was born in 1852.  He was named Edwin Hart McArthur, but became to be called Buddie. Buddie became the father of a large family, most of whom lived in the neighborhood where I grew up in Meridian, Mississippi. Their second child Sarah or Sallie as she was called was born November 5, 1861.

John Gordon served in the Confederate army (Co. C, 2nd Mississippi Cavalry) from March 8, 1862 to about July 15, 1865 when he was "Reduced to rank and discharged by reason of substitute." He had served as as a sergeant. A letter from his wife Sarah, was written to John Gordon while he was serving in the Civil War.  That letter was written July 15, 1862.  That letter was written from Tamala Station on the M&O Railroad.  In this letter she told of a neighbor, Jim Delk, who had trouble with one of his Negro slaves.  The Negro was mad with him because he would not let him go to see his wife in her house. He burned Mr. Delk's gin house with his wheat, rye, and his gin gear.  She said that Jim Delk either hung him or said that we would hang him.

Sarah wrote of various things that had happened during his absence.  She sent one of the Negroes out to cut wood, and he, trying to burn down a yellow jacket's nest, set fire to the woods which spread almost to the buildings around the home before he could put it out.

Two letters from John Gordon to Sarah were written from Lincoln, Illinois, in May of 1868 (This was 3 years after the close of the Civil War) telling of the great trip he was having.   He was attending the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. He met and became friends with many of the great men of that church. His family were members of that church which later became the Presbyterian Church U.S.A., which was the home church of most of our family.  John Gordon McArthur's wife Sarah died shortly after the above letter was written.

My grandmother, Mary Elizabeth (Betty) McKee was first married to a Mr. Sanders who was killed just after the close of the Civil War.  He was walking over the battle ground when bomb exploded and killed him. A girl was born to that marriage, but died in infancy. John Gordon McArthur and Mary Elizabeth were widowed about the same time.

At that time Dr. J. L. Cooper was President of Cooper Institute at Daleville, Mississippi.  He was a good friend of both John G. and Mary E.  Dr. Cooper saw to it that these two got to know each other because the thought they were suited to become husband and wife.  He must have been a match-maker for his scheme worked.  It was a happy marriage.  My grandmother became the step-mother of Sallie and Buddie. Aunt Chad wrote, "No step-mother could ever be more like a real mother than my mother was to those two."  Sallie was 9 years old.  Buddy about 18 years old at the time of the marriage.

The first child born to this union was Mary Christianna (Annie), born in 1872. The second child, Johnny, died in infancy.  Robert Donnell Ware was born in 1876; Willie Chaddick (Chad) was born in 1878;  Talitha Bell (Tal) was born in 1881.

In 1880 John Gordon's occupation was listed as Nurseryman in Lauderdale County, Mississippi. He died May 24,1886 and was buried in Semmes Cemetery near Meridian.

 My grandmother was left a widow for the second time when my grandfather died.   She had not only helped to raise my grandfather's first two children, but they took into their home Lonnie Matthews and his sister Mollie Matthews.  Buddie became the husband of Mollie Matthews.

Aunt Chad wrote:

 "My mother was left with four children ages 5 to 14. Sallie was still with us.  Eternity will only tell what my mother went thro' to feed and clothe, and educate her children. We were raised in a Christian home where God was reverenced  and where the preacher was always welcomed and many times entertained.

"My Father's last words to my mother were, 'Do the best you can, and trust the results to God.' This is what  she did with wonderful results.

"...God has  been good to us and He has  been 'our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.'
 -Psalm 46:1"

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** A story has been handed down that this John McArthur was called "Honest John" because he paid a debt of 1/2 cent by cutting one penny in two!  Sounds like a real Scotchman!