Tombigbee Tales

The Harris Family's Last Ball - Mary Oliver Harris

In the twilight of the antebellum era, White Arches stood as one of Columbus, Mississippi's most impressive mansions. Built in 1857, its distinctive octagonal tower, ornate cast-iron balconies, and sweeping verandas epitomized the grandeur of Southern architecture. The mansion boasted fifteen-foot ceilings, imported crystal chandeliers, and hand-carved mahogany staircases that spiraled gracefully between its three stories.
 
On that fateful January evening in 1861, as tensions between North and South reached their breaking point, White Arches hosted what would become a legendary social event.

The Ghost at White Arches in Columbus, MS

White Arches stands as one of the most distinguished homes in Columbus, its gleaming white columns and deep porches a testament to 19th-century Southern Italianate architecture. The towering three-story structure is crowned by an octagonal cupola that offers panoramic views of the neighborhood and the river and became young Sarah Miller's sanctuary during her frequent visits in the summer of 1974. That is...until she met a ghost who objected to her reading habits...

A Confederate Captain's Story: William Washington Humphries

After Appomattox, Humphries returned to a dramatically changed Columbus. Like many Confederate veterans, he took the requisite oath of allegiance to the Union and worked to rebuild his law practice eventually entering the political arena. He specialized in helping fellow veterans navigate the complex legal landscape of Reconstruction. He was a prominent member of the local Columbus Chapter of the Ku Klux Klan under the leadership of former CSA General Jacob Sharp, S. D. Lee, and Jeptha Vining Harris and other former CSA leaders. Humpries also served on the City Council from 1872-1876. 

John Gilmer - Champion of Mississippi Women's Property Laws 1839

What made Colonel Gilmer truly remarkable was his forward-thinking approach to women's rights. In 1839, he authored and championed what became known as the "Woman's Law" in Mississippi. This groundbreaking legislation was revolutionary for its time - it allowed married women to own property separately from their husbands. Under this law, a wife's property couldn't be seized for her husband's debts or sold without her consent.
John Gilmer's groundbreaking analysis of the Mississippi Married Women's Property Act of 1839 transformed our understanding of this landmark legislation.
 

Charles McLaran First Owner of Riverview Mansion

By 1847, McLaran had established himself as a respected businessman in Columbus, Mississippi. His greatest achievement during this period was co-founding what would later become the First National Bank of Columbus, investing $25,000 of his capital. As its first president, he Introduced innovative lending practices for small farmers and established the first mortgage department in the region.

Riverview - A Greek Revival Masterpiece of the Old South

In the warm spring of 1847, Colonel Charles McLaran stood on a hill overlooking the bustling river town of Columbus, Mississippi. The successful cotton planter and businessman had a vision - to build the grandest home north of Natchez. As steamboats churned past on the Tombigbee River below, McLaran could already see in his mind the majestic columns and sweeping verandas of his future mansion.
McLaran spared no expense in creating his masterpiece. He hired James S. Lull, a talented architect from Vermont known for his classical designs. Lull had studied the latest architectural pattern books and even traveled to see ancient Greek and Roman temples.

Dr. Rozelle Hahn Breaking Barriers in Medicine

This is the incredible life story of Dr. Rozelle Hahn, a pioneering female physician who recently passed away at the age of 100. Her story isn't just about medicine – it's about perseverance, breaking barriers, and dedicating one's life to helping others.

Beulah Ruth Bettersworth - A Forgotten Artist

Welcome to "Tombigbee Tales a podcast dedicated to illuminating the untold stories of remarkable, colorful, and unusual people who lived, worked, or passed through Columbus, Mississippi. Today, we'll explore the extraordinary life of Beulah Ruth Bettersworth, an artist who transcended mere visual representation to become a profound social documentarian of early 20th-century America and who painted the mural in our downtown post office in the 1930's.
 

Sin City South and the Complicated Life of William "Buddy" Adair

Welcome to "Tombigbee Tales" - where we dive deep into the fascinating narratives that shape our regional history. Today, we're exploring the life of William J. "Buddy" Adair Jr., a man whose story reads like a complex tapestry of crime, family, and regional intrigue. He loosely associated with a local group of “entrepreneurial bootleggers and gambling den owners some called the Dixie Mafia.

Charles Fredericks aka Fred Egger Cockerham

Baritone actor and Broadway musical star Charles Fredericks was born near Caledonia in Lowndes County, MS on Sept 5, 1918, to Mallory Oden Cockerham and Lillie Egger Cockerham. He was the second of three children, all boys. At birth, his father was an aspiring pastor and full-time Railroad Agent.