Biography of MILLSAPS, Uriah, Mississippi, then Ouachita Parish, Louisiana

Submitted by Mike Miller
Source: Louisiana:  Comprising Sketches of Parishes, Towns, Events, Institutions, and
Persons, Arranged in Cyclopedic Form (volume 3), pp. 552-553.  Edited by Alcée
Fortier, Lit.D.  Published in 1914, by Century Historical Association.
  



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Millsaps, Uriah, for many years a prominent figure in the commercial life of
Monroe, was born in Mississippi July 22, 1847.  He came to Union parish, La.,
when a young boy and lived there until 18 years old, obtaining his early
education there and attending the University of Mississippi, at Oxford, which,
at the request of his father, he left to enter business.  In 1868 he moved to
Trenton, La., and began the general mercantile business with Mr. Flournoy,
which he continued until 1885.  In that year he removed to West Monroe and
established a general mercantile business, which grew to large proportions,
his trading extending to sections of Ouachita Union, Lincoln and Jackson
parishes.  While building up a large and prosperous business he took an active
interest in many other enterprises.  He became vice-president of the Ouachita
National bank under its first charter, and on the death of its first and
former president, he became president and remained in that office until its
expiration.  He organized the Central Savings Bank & Trust Co., and was
elected president, in which capacity he remained until his death.  He also
held large interest in the Monroe Hardware Co., Ltd., Standard Warehouse and
Compress Co., Ouachita cotton mills, Millsaps & Co., Ltd., the Whitney Central
National bank of New Orleans, and other institutions.  He also owned extensive
planting interests at Crew Lake.  At one time he was parish superintendent of
education and took great interest in the subject of good roads.  He was one of
the originators of the movement to build steel bridges over all the streams
throughout the parish.  In 1896, when the drought destroyed all the crops in
Lincoln and portions of Jackson, Union and Ouachita parishes, Mr. Millsaps
distributed supplies furnished by the state, in a way that gave the greatest
possible relief.  He was a charter member of the Knights of Pythias, Stonewall
Lodge No. 8.  Nov. 4, 1873, Mr. Millsaps married Miss Mary A. Lockett of
Paducah, Ky.  Mr. and Mrs. Millsaps were the parents of 7 children, as follow: 
Edmonia L., now Mrs. George Weaks;  Lillie Heath, deceased;  Thomas Benton, 
Louise Getty, deceased, wife of P. A. Atkins;  Ruth Allison, now Mrs. W. C.
Youngblood;  Herbert Uriah, of West Monroe;  Mary Aldina, now Mrs. P. M.
Atkins.  For some time Mr. Millsaps had been in declining health, when his
death occurred March 14, 1914.  Having been long and conspicuously identified
with the material and moral interest of Ouachita parish, his departure left a
distinct gap in the community which is not easy filled.

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