* An early pioneer of Clarke County was Mr Alexander Gordon, who came with his parents from Alabama and settled on a tract of land four miles east of Pachuta near Souenlouvie Creek.
Mr Gordon was born November 17, 1813. At the age of fourteen years he accompanied his father to Mobile, Alabama on is yearly pilgrimage in a covered wagon to purchase supplies and drove a large flock of turkeys to Mobile market. After his marriage, he built a log cabin where he lived and reared a large family. He was an extensive land and timber owner and had lots of slaves and negro cabins on his plantation. He owned large herds of cattle, mules and other live stock. He was a successful planter and businessman, a highly respected and influential citizen.
Mr Gordon had three sons who enlisted in the Civil War. Yankey's came to his home to get mules to be used in the war. He spent the last days of his life in his log cabin home on his plantation where he died. He has two daughters now living in Pachuta, Mrs J.S. Gunn and Mrs Gilbert Evans.
~ Story by Mrs Gilbert Evans, 1938


*We don't know much about our great grandfather Gordon. I was only five years old when I lost both of my grandparents (mother's parents). Grandmother Gordon died Feb 4, 1912, grandfather died Feb 10, 1912. Mother's three brothers were very close to my mother. We never had a holiday with her family.
I remember going to my great grandfather's house where grandfather was born. I own fourty acres of land , T.J. or Buster my cousin, has the other 40.
I have the copy of the deed. He bought it from the M&O Railroad 1888, paid $2.00 per acre.
I think when great grandmother Catherine died he married a woman named Viney Bunch. He moved away from his home across the county. Our parents never talked about him. My mother or her brothers didn't give us any material.
I think they were not pleased with his marriage. I think he had some children by her. My grandparents died when I was so young. My mother lived to be ninety eight years. I am ninety-one years old. I'm the oldest in the family. I had a birthday Jan 13 - we had six children born to our parents, one born dead. Only two are living - me and my younger sister, Eugenia. She & her husband live in Valdosta GA. They are selling their home and moving back to Wayne Co, Miss where we grew up. We have land we got from mother and father.
We lost two brothers and one sister. I have one daughter who lives in Quitman Miss. I lost my other daughter two years ago. I have 4 grandchildren & 5 great grandchildren.
I still live alone, drive my car around town. Do most of my work. I have been blessed with good health. I had all fourteen for dinner Sunday before Christmas. I love to have them come.
Lela D. Jones
~ 1998 Letter from Lela Jones to me.

* My grandfather & grandmother died when I was only five years old. I still remember some things about them. He was such a fine man, had a beautiful home, many horses & cattle. He had a large farm.
When we ate the plates were stacked in front of him and her served our plates to us. He always helped my granmother cook. His family lived better than most of those who lived around him. A cemetery is on this land. I remeber stones at the head of their graves. Someone destroyed the head stones when I was a small child. I remember the home. It was torn down and T.J.'s father built his home and used some of the lumber from this home. You have a Wiley Gordon in the census. Our Wiley Gordon married my father's brother's wife about the time I was born - Uncle Bunyan was killed, a log rolled over him. He had two sons and Aunt Isabell married Wiley Gordon. They had three children. Isabell was a Hartley. I think Wiley was a distant cousin of mother's. I knew a John Wesley Gordon who lived in the western part of the county. He wasn't married. I think he was in the Viney family. My husband's sister married George W. Gordon from around that part of the county but didn't know about his family (I mean way back).
~ Mar 30, 1998 letter from Lela Jones to Charlie Gordon

*Gilbert Keith Evans, one of the best known business men and prominent in the banking circles in East Mississippi. Mr Evans died in Pachuta, his home town, in August 1931.
~ Clipping, Unknown MS newspaper