Goodspeed

The Goodspeed Publishing Co., History of Tennessee, 1887
Biographical Sketches, Shelby County TN
Transcribed by Helen Rowland

P Surnames

Walter L. PARKER, secretary of the People�s Insurance Company, is a native of this city and was born January 5, 1852. His parents were Robert A. and Lamira A. (Minter) Parker, natives respectively of North Carolina and Kentucky. In 1845 the father came to Memphis and engaged in the mercantile pursuit, continuing successfully until his death in 1864. Our subject was reared and educated in his native city, and in 1869 he left the schoolroom and entered the employ of the People�s Insurance Company as clerk, and has remained with the company continuously to the present time, having by close and accurate business methods won the highest confidence of his employers. He is also agent for the following companies: Phoenix, of Hartford; Guardian, of London; American, of Philadelphia; Northwestern National, of Milwaukee; and Hibernia, of New Orleans. Mr. Parker has the enviable credit of having originated the Tennessee Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, and has been largely instrumental in securing legislation in kindred philanthropic movements. June 13, 1872, he was united in marriage with Miss Ella Burr, of this city, and to this union there are living three sons and three daughters. Mr. Parker is a Democrat, is a member of the K. of P., and in religious views is a Presbyterian.

Page M. PATTERSON, of the firm of P.M. Patterson & Co. (the Co. being Robt. W. Galloway), was born in Orange County, N.C., on the 8^th of January, 1828. His parents moved to West Tennessee and settled near McLemoresville, Carroll County, in the year 1833, where they engaged in agricultural pursuits. In this family were ten children, six of whom are living. In 1868 his father died. His parents were Cumberland Presbyterians; of their sons two were in the Confederate service, one being killed. Our subject was of Scotch-Irish descent. He came to Memphis in August, 1850, and engaged in the stage office as agent of the different lines leading out of Memphis. In 1852 he engaged in the omnibus and transfer business, in which he has continued up to the present time. On October 11, 1854, he was married to Harriett F. Hart, near McLemoresville, by whom he had seven children, only one now living, named Nannie M. Patterson. She was married in October, 1876, to Dr. Walter Wesser, who died of yellow fever in September, 1878. They had born to them a son, August, 1877, who is living, and in December, 1885, she was married to G.W. Harris, of Louisville, Ky. Both Mr. and Mrs. Patterson are members of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. He is a Democrat in politics. Since 1866 he has run the local ferry between Memphis and Hopefield, Ark. For thirty-six year Mr. Patterson has been intimately connected with the business of Memphis, and has ever been considered one of the most active business men of the city.

Joseph T. PENTON, auditor of the L., N.O. & T.R.R., is a son of George R. Penton, a native of New York, who came when young to Louisville, Ky., where he married Emma Kendrick, by whom he had two sons, only one of whom is now living. He was a merchant by occupation, and died in 1860. Our subject was born October 21, 1859, in Louisville, Ky., where he grew up and received his education. In 1877 he began his career as a railroad man. He was clerk in the auditor�s office for some time, and from that he arose step by step, to the auditorship. In 1883 he married Florence Melone, a native of Kentucky. Upon the appointment of Mr. Penton to the auditorship of the above road in 1885, they moved to Memphis. His father was a consistent member of the Episcopal Church, and his mother, himself, and wife are members of the same.

Calvin PERKINS, attorney at law, came to Memphis in 1881, and has since practiced his profession here. He is a native of Lowndes County, Miss., and was reared there and educated in the schools of that State, remaining there until he came to Memphis. His parents were Calvin and Louisa (Blakeney) Perkins and were natives of South Carolina, but were engaged in planting in Mississippi at the time of their deaths in 1863 and 1869, father and mother respectively. In 1878 our subject married Miss Susan A. Chapman, a native of Orange County, Va. She has borne her husband six children, five of whom are still living. Mr. Perkins is president of the Shorthand Type-Writer Company of this city, which company was organized in April, 1884, and incorporated with a capital stock of $100,000, James H. Anderson being secretary and treasurer. In February, 1885, they sold the patent, but retained a royalty.

George B. PETERS, Jr., attorney-general of the criminal court, was born in Hardeman County, January 11, 1850, and is the son of Dr. George B. Peters, long a well known resident and physician of Hardeman County, and now a resident of Arkansas and a member of the Senate of that State. In 1870 our subject graduated at Washington Lee University, Virginia, and then entered the law school at Lebanon, Tenn., and graduated thence in 1871, and began practicing his profession in Memphis as one of the firm of Finlay & Peters. He continued thus until his election to his present official position. Mr. Peters is an unswerving Democrat, and as such was elected to the State Legislature in 1875 and again in 1877. In 1884 he declined the nomination of the Democratic convention to the State Senate. He is a member of the K. of P., K. of H., A.O.U.W. and of the Episcopal Church. June 13, 1872, he was married to Miss Katie B. Greenlaw, of this city. They have five living children�one son and four daughters.

Augustus F. PHILLIPS, dealer in staple and fancy groceries, dry goods, etc., is a native of Shelby County, Tenn., and has been in business at Brunswick for a period of seven years. He is a son of William and Sarah W. (Purser) Phillips, natives respectively of Virginia and North Carolina. The father lived in this county for many years, and died when our subject was quite small. He was married three times, his first wife being a Miss Head. Six children were the fruits of this union. To his second marriage were born three children, two of whom are now living. In 1871 he married Mrs. Lucy A. (Thomas) Rogers, a native of Mississippi, and by her became the father of two children. After spending about nine years of his life in Arkansas, engaged in farming the principal part of the time, our subject returned to this county, about twenty-nine years ago, where he has remained up to the present time. Since locating here many improvements have been made that add greatly to the general appearance of the village, which Mr. Phillips has been quite instrumental in producing.

William E. POLK, extensive farmer and merchant, is a son of Charles G. and Mary A. (Massey) Polk, both natives of Middle Tennessee. They came to Shelby County when young; married here, and made this their permanent home. He began life with a wife, a pony and a few pounds of bacon. When he died he owned 2,500 acres of good land. Their family consisted of eight children, only one of whom is now living. One of the boys died in the Confederate service. The father died in 1876 at sixty-one years of age, but the mother is still living. Our subject was born in January, 1856, in Shelby County, and while growing up received a good English education. At the age of nineteen he began his career as a farmer, which he has made his chief business since. In 1878 he married Lena A. Wesson, of Shelby County. The fruits of this union were five children, two now living, viz: Charley W. and Lewie R. Mr. Polk owns 960 acres of land in the best part of Shelby County, and takes an active interest in the rearing of fine stock. In 1884 he and Mrs. L. T. Anderson opened a stock of general merchandise in Millington. He is a Democrat in politics as was his father before him. Our subject�s great-grandfather, Civil Charlie Polk (as he was called), helped to raise the liberty flag in Mecklenburg, N. C.

Capt. E. C. POSTAL was born in Jefferson City, Mo., in 1843, and is the son of William and Luna C. (Carter) Postal, natives of New York, who remained in their native State until about 1820, and then removed to Missouri; their family consisted of twelve children�six sons and six daughters. Three of the sons followed steamboating and became masters of vessels. At the age of fifteen Capt. Postal began his career on the river as clerk on a steamer. From that he went to piloting on the river in 1866, and while thus engaged gave such proof of his ability and skill, that he was made captain in 1874, which position he has since held, running almost exclusively on the White River. Through the instrumentality of himself and Capt. J. H. Rees, the steamer �Chickasaw� was built in 1883, and Capt. Postal took command of that noble vessel and has run her ever since. The Captain is a pleasant man socially, and is accounted among river men as one of the ablest masters in the service.

Poston & Poston, general legal practitioners of the Memphis bar and general attorneys for the Memphis & Charleston Railroad, is a firm consisting of D. H., W. K. and F. P. POSTON, sons of W. K. Poston, Sr. The father came to Memphis in 1839, and practiced law here until his death in 1866. He was a prominent man, and was a member of the State Legislature just at the close of the war. His wife, Mary (Park) Poston, at present resides in this city. The three brothers, members of the above firm, are all natives of this city. D. H. and W. K. were admitted to the local bar in 1866, and practiced with the firm of Humes & Poston, with a few changes, until April 1, 1882, when F. P. was admitted and Mr. Humes withdrew, leaving the firm as it is at present. This firm has a large practice and the confidence of the public. The two elder brothers served throughout the war in the Confederate service and are both married. The younger brother is yet single.

George R. POWEL, coroner of Shelby County, was born in Rogersville, Hawkins Co., Tenn., January 10, 1816. His parents were Benjamin and Ellen (Rutledge) Powel, natives respectively of Pennsylvania and Tennessee. In 1817 our subject was taken to Franklin, Tenn., where he was reared to manhood and given a fair education. May 4, 1843, he married Musadora C. Jones, of Bedford County, Tenn., and to this union there are three living sons and two living daughters. John A., his eldest son, is a constable of the Fifth District, Shelby County. His son Benjamin is superintendent for a Memphis cotton storage company. His son, George R., is a traveling salesman for a Memphis company. His daughter Annie is the wife of E. E. Colby; and his daughter Sallie is yet at home. In 1844 our subject moved to DeSoto County, Miss., and in 1851 came to Memphis. He followed various pursuits until 1856 when he was appointed deputy sheriff of Shelby County, and served until 1860. He was then elected State and county tax collector, and was re-elected in 1862, but could not serve, owing to the disorder attending the civil war. In 1866-67 he again served as collector, and then for a time conducted his plantation near Memphis. In 1870 he was made deputy sheriff, and in 1871 deputy trustee. In 1872 he was again elected tax collector, and in 1876 was appointed deputy trustee and tax collector, serving thus until 1880. In 1882 he was elected magistrate, and in 1886 was elected coroner of the county, which office he yet holds. He is a notary public, and is a Jacksonian Democrat. He is one of the most useful, upright and substantial citizens of the city.

Col. Joseph D. POWELL was born in Henry County, Tenn., near Paris, December 29, 1833. His father was born near Raleigh, N.C., and came with his parents to Tennessee in 1827, and settled near Paris, where he married, in 1829, Eliza Fowler, daughter of William and Morning (Cridup) Fowler. Four sons and five daughters were born to them, our subject being the second. All of them are living, but one son-�ohn C., who died at Lauderdale Springs, Miss., from disease contracted during the Shiloh campaign. The Powells and Fowlers were among the early settlers of Tennessee; the latter family moved to the State in 1820. The father of our subject was a farmer and a carpenter, and is still living in Marshall County, Miss. The mother was born in 1812, near Raleigh, N.C., and died at Marystown, Tex., December 22, 1884, while visiting relatives. Both parents were members of the Baptist Church, having united with the church before their marriage. Our subject was raised on a farm, and has made farming his business. He enlisted in the Confederate Army May 10, 1861, and belonged to the Fourth Tennessee Infantry, under Col. R. P. Neely, and was at the battles of Shiloh, Perryville, Murfreesboro, Missionary Ridge, and the retreat from Dalton to Atlanta. Toward the close of the war he became a member of Forrest�s cavalry, and was surrendered at Gainesville, Ala., in May, 1865. Col. Powell was married in Marshall County, Miss., December 28, 1870, to Miss Sarah A. McFadden, daughter of James McFadden, a tanner by trade. They have had five children, four living: James B., Joseph D., Vannoy H. M. and Edna E. The mother was born in Marshall County, Miss., March 11, 1848. Her parents were natives of South Carolina and Tennessee; her mother was born in Smith County, Tenn., in 1810, and lives near McGregor, Tex. She was a Miss Barry, and her father had been one of the first printers at Nashville. Col. Powell is an enthusiastic Democrat, and cast his first presidential vote for Buchanan; he owns 100 acres of land one and three-fourth miles northwest of Colliersville. He is sincere in his friendships, liberal in his ideas, and honest in all of his transactions.

John H. PRIDDY, proprietor of the Priddy House, is a native of Virginia, born July 4, 1811. He is the son of William and Lucy (Priddy) Priddy, both native Virginians. Our subject was reared on a farm and at the age of sixteen went to Richmond, Va., where he learned the bricklayer�s and plasterer�s trade. In 1833 he wedded Maria A. Priddy and in 1835 he came to Shelby County with his father and located on a farm, but still worked at his trade. October 10, 1868, his wife died, leaving six children to mourn the loss of a mother. In 1869 he married Lucy A. Martin, of Memphis. She was keeping boarding-house at the time, which prospered under its new landlord until 1882, when he took a five years� lease on his present house and is running it in first-class style. Mr. Priddy is well known in Shelby County, having held responsible offices and is well suited to the position he now so admirably occupies.

W. P. PROUDFIT, manager of the DeSoto Oil Mills, is a native of Tennessee, and came to Memphis in 1853. He was for a number of years junior member of the firm of Harris, Wormley & Co., wholesale grocers and commission merchants, but severed his connection with them in 1858. He was a member of the firm of Day & Proudfit for about twenty-three years, they being commission merchants and cotton factors. At the end of that time he became stockholder and manager of the De Soto Oil Mills, this institution manufacturing crude oil, oil cake, oil meal and regin lint. The business was established in 1881, with E. Ensley, president; W. P. Proudfit, manager, and E. S. Proudfit, secretary and treasurer. Our subject is the son of William and Eliza (Walker) Proudfit, both natives of Fredericsburg, Va., and of Scotch origin. In 1852 our subject married Laura Harris, of Memphis, and the daughter of A. O. Harris. She died in 1869, leaving four children. In April, 1870, Mr. Proudfit married Fairfax Harris, half-sister to his first wife, and five children were the result of this union. He and family are members of the Episcopal Church. Mr. E. S. Proudfit, brother of our subject was married July 1, 1874, to Virginia A. Tharpe of Macon, Ga., and the daughter of C. A. Tharpe. One child, Irene H., was born to this union. Mr. Proudfit came to this city when about ten years of age, and with the exception of eight years, has made this his home up to the present time. He and wife are worthy members of the Episcopal Church.

Benjamin K. PULLEN, Jr., register of the taxing district of Memphis, was born in Richmond, Va., February 2, 1860, and is the son of Benjamin K. and Minerva A. (Smith) Pullen, natives respectively of North Carolina and Virginia. His father came to Memphis in 1860, and yet resides here engaged in the mercantile business. Our subject was reared and educated in Memphis and first began business here as entry clerk, with Langstaff, Graham & Proudfit, but later entered the employ of the Manhattan Bank as individual bookkeeper for eighteen months. He subsequently accepted a position as traveling salesman for a New York firm, and later still became bookkeeper for the Gayoso Hotel. In September, 1886, he was appointed by the city council of Memphis, to the position of register, succeeding his father who resigned after having held the position for five years, which responsibility he has carried in a highly satisfactory and efficient manner to the present time. Mr. Pullen is a young gentleman of high character and fine promise. In politics he is Democratic, and in religion he is a member of the Central Methodist Church of this city.

Dr. Hortensius W. PURNELL was born June 17, 1838, in Green County, Ala., near Greensborough, in what was known as the �canebrake and Prairie� portion of the county. He grew up there and at the age of fifteen removed to Noxubee County, Miss., in December, 1853. He subsequently attended Wesleyan University at Florence, Ala., and afterward attended college at Oxford, Miss., graduating from the literary department of that institution in 1859. He also attended the Medical University of Louisiana, spending several years as resident student of medicine in the Grand Charity Hospital in New Orleans, La., and graduated in March, 1862. On the breaking out of the war, he joined the medical department of the army, on the Confederate side, and (save about two months, stationed in the hospitals at Holly Springs, Miss., until the evacuation of Corinth, after the Shiloh battle) was in the field medical service down to the close of the war. Subsequent to the surrender of the army at Greensboro, N.C., he came to Memphis, Tenn., at which place he located, and has practiced his profession, both in surgery as a specialty and the general practice of medicine since October, 1865, having practiced in the cholera epidemics of 1866 and 1873, and the other epidemics of small-pox, yellow fever, etc., he being especially well qualified to practice in these diseases, owing to his intimate acquaintance with them and on account of the favorable opportunities he had enjoyed for observation and practice in New Orleans during the days of such surgeons as Drs. Warren Stone, Samuel Choppin, Mercier James Jones, Cenas, Mandeville, Thomas Hunt, William C. Nichols, Chaille, Richardson and others. He practiced in the epidemics of yellow fever in Memphis in 1867, 1873, 1878 and 1879, reporting in 1878 as many as 685 cases of yellow fever, and with a remarkable record of successful treatment of these cases, showing a very favorable per cent of recoveries. Since that time he has resided in Memphis, and has assiduously devoted himself to the practice of surgery, both general and special, he being posted and skilled in the treatment of diseases of the eye and ear, and all operative surgery. At present he is located at 279 Main Street, his residence being 393 Vance Street, in the most pleasant locality and most eligible portion of the city. Thomas Purnell, the originator of the family in America, came from England in 1664, and settled in Maryland, from which place ramify the different branches of the family. Dr. William Purnell married in Christian County, Ky., and subsequently removed to Pulaski, Tenn., thence to Green County, Ala., at which place Hortensius Purnell was born and lived, rearing a family of five children, of whom the Doctor, the subject of this article, is the second son. In 1849 his father, Hortensius P., died in Alabama. After his decease the widow, Mrs. E. W. Purnell, and three children�the Doctor, and her two daughters, Misses S. A. and M. E. Purnell (all still single)�returned to Tennessee to make their home. The other surviving son, William Purnell, resides in Issaquena County, Miss. In 1885 the widow died in the seventy-third year of her age at Nashville, Tenn. Of William�s family, one son, John Hortensius, having graduated in medicine in the Memphis Hospital Medical College in 1882, was connected with the board of health at Memphis until he resigned, subsequently becoming surgeon-general of the State of Mississippi, where he now resides.