Bio: James Douglas Head, Sparta, La, Bienville Parish La Source: Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Northwest Louisiana The Southern Publishing Company, Chicago & Nashville, 1890 Submitted by: Gaytha Thompson ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ************************************************ ************************************************ James Douglas Head, merchant and parish treasurer, Sparta, La. The public services of Mr. Head, since 1888, have been characterized by a noticeable devotion to the welfare of this parish, and his ability and fidelity in all positions of public trust have made a lasting impression upon the sphere of public duty. For a number of years his name has been closely connected with the history of Bienville Parish, not only officially, but as an honored and much esteemed citizen. He is a native born resident of Louisiana, born July 1, 1855, and wass the fifth of thirteen children, ten now living, the result of the union of Hon. James Robert and Sophronia (Prothro) Head, natives of South Carolina. The father was born in 1825, and was a farmer and a lawyer. He represented his parish in the Legislature two or three terms, and was also sheriff of Bienville Parish for seine time. He was parish judge, and in fact was one of the represent~ ative and prominent men of that Parish. He died in 1874. The mother died in 1889, at the age of sixty years. Their living children are named in order of birth, as follows: D. F. (educated in Mount Lebanon and at Georgetown Theological College; he now resides in Ouachita Parish, and is a clergyman in the Missionary Baptist Church; he is married), Mary A. (resides in South Carolina, and is the wife of James C. Moody, who is a planter), Joshua P. (married and resides in Bienville Parish, where he is engaged in planting), James Douglas, Mittie (resides in Sparta, La. and was the wife of the late E. H. Hightown), Lucy G. (deceased), George E. (educated in the common schools and in the New Orleans Law College, and is now residing in Sparta, where he practices his profession), Al-Lou (resides in Sparta, and is the wife of R. M. Tarver, a druggist at that place), Fannie (reides in Bienville Parish, and is the wife of R. M. Crowson, who is a salesman), W. P. (a pharmacist and salesman at Sparta) and Sophronia (wife of F. M. Mays, an agriculturist). James Douglas Head received his early education under private tutelage and in the schools of Sparta, La., and by self application, thus fitting himself for the practical life he has led and is leading. He is, in every sense of that much abused term, a self-made man, and was obliged to commence at the bottom of the ladder. To his wife, formerly Miss Martha C. Crowson, he vas married February 13, 1878, and to them has been born one child, Linden C., who is ten years of age, and who is attending school. Mrs. Head vas born August 17, 1859, and was educated in the ommon schools and at Sparta. Mr. Head has ever affiliated with the Democratic party, and has advocated those principles. He is now holding the important and very responsible office of parish treasurer, and also treasurer of the parish school rund, being elected to fill these honorary positions in 1888. He is also postmaster and has held that office since 1888. He was justice of the peace in his ward, but resigned that position when elected to his present office. He is a Master Mason of Sparta Lodge No. 108. He is a member of the Missionary Baptist, and Mrs. Head a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Aside from his official positions, Mr. Head is also engaged in merchandising, in Sparta. Pleasant and agreeable in business affairs, he is equally so in social life, and it is a pleasure to meet him. 158 HISTORY ( and is now resting beside his children in Arcadia femetery, where a handsome monument marks his last resting place, erected to his memorv bv his sorrowing widow. His death was regarded as a calamity to this region, for he bad nlwdvs bc(~n v~ry pnhlic spirited and had resided here for a number of years. He possessed many of the cardinal virtues, among which may be mentioned un~verving honesty, kindness of heart and liber~ty. He was a faithful and affectionate husband and father, and his memory will long be held in grate ful remembrance in social as well as business circles. She resides in a typical Southern home, and dispenses. hospitality with a liber~ hand to her numerous friends in this section her house being always open to the unfortunate, also to whom she gives liberally of her means. She controls a large mercantile establishment in Arcadia and has shown herself to be an intelligent business woman. Rev. Joseph Henry Jordan, minist('r, Arcadia, La. Mr. Jordan, a representative mel of the co(Inty, has done much good in the world, adminis- tering to the spirital wants of his fellow~man, and by living a life of such constancy and ~rity as has not failed to have its effect on the rising generation He is a native of Georgia, born September 17, 1838, near the home of the renowned Alexander Stephens, of historic fame. He was the fifth of seven children~ four sons and three daughters~born to John Wesley and ~1abala ~Jatbews (~1er-cer) Jordan, both natives of Georgia, and born in 1500 and iSOc, respectively. The children are named in the order of their births: Thomas (died at the age of thirty~seven years, from exposure durthe war; he was a clergyman and a member of the Georgia conference), Elizabeth (resided in Georgia, and died when she was about fifty-six years of age), Frances (resides in Georgia, and is the wife of G. C. Edwards, who is now judge of the inferior co~ of Georgia), George (who died at the age of three years), Joseph Henry, J. \\~. (who resides in Atlanta, Ga., and is a clergyman in the Methodist Episcopa) Church of that city) and Susan (deceased). The father of these chi]Jreii has spent bis entire life as an agriculturist, and has been a consistent member of the ~1eth~list Episcopal t LOUISIANA. Chnrc~ since the age of eighteen years. He is now eighty.nine years of age, and is a man of remark-able energy and fortitude. When eighty~sevea years of age he paid a visit to his son in Louisiana. The mate~al grandfather of our subject was a Baptist minister and a brother of the famous Eev. Jesse ~fercer, who is the reputed founder of the ~lissionary Baptist Church, after the division of the Baptist Church. Rev. Jesse Mercer was also the founder of the Penufield Institute, now in ~L.icon, Ga. The mother of our subject died when about forty years of age. Rev. Joseph H. Jordon received his rudimentary education in the common schools, and finished his literary course in Brown Wood Institute, at La Grange, Ga. He was married when eighteen years of age to Miss Louisa Hall, a native of Georgia, born in October, JS30. She was educated in the Montgomery Female College, at La Grange, Ga. They were married November 11, 1551, and their union has resulted in the birth of seven children~three sons and four daughters: Rugenia (;'esides in Arcadia, and is the wife of Dr. W~ ~f. Baker, see sketch), Joseph Homer (resides in Shreveport, La., and is engaged in a clothing and gent's furnishing store; he marned a Miss Bouquin, of Shreveport), Rebecca (resides in Arcadia, La., and is the wife of W. H. Eli- ington, general salesman), Hattie (resides also in Arcadia, and is the wife of Thomas Whitehead, who is in the livery business), John Wesley (re. ~ sides in Shreveport, La., and is engaged with hisi-: brother, Joseph Homer), Robert C. (resides in Arcadia, and is a salesman and book~keeper; he is a graduate of Atlanta (Ga.) Commercial College) and Madgie (attending a fema]e college). Rev. Jor enlisted as private in the Claiborne Invincibles, in 1S~l, and was sent by the governor to MQore, where they were assigned to the Seven teenth Louisiana Infantry Volunteers, under S. S~ Heard. His regiment was assigned to Army of Tennessee. Very soon after the ization of the regiment, Rev. Jordan was as chaplain of the regiment, direct from thq ranks. He was in the battle of Shiloh, Creek, and finally at the great siege of Vicksb where his services ceased. He then returned