L. K. Altwood

Louis Kossuth Atwood, also documented as L. K. Attwood[1][2] (December 15, 1850 - January 8, 1929) was a lawyer, bank founder and president, minister, teacher and state legislator in Mississippi.

Early life and education

He was born December 15, 1850 in Alabama to slave parents.[3] He was sold at a slave auction when he was 18 months old, his mother bought him and took him away to Ohio.[4]

Altwood obtained both his primary and secondary education at Ripley, Ohio.[3] He was an 1874 Bachelor of Arts graduate of Lincoln University in Pennsylvania.[3][5] Altwood was also ordained as a Presbyterian minister while at university.[3]

He helped found Southern Bank in Jackson and served as its president.[5]

Career

After graduating he moved to Bolton, Mississippi where he started working as a school teacher and then later in commerce.[3]

He studied law and was admitted to The Mississippi Bar in 1879 before starting up a law practice in Bolton.[4][5][3]

He founded the fraternal insurance company the Sons and Daughters of Jacob of America in 1883 which he ran until his death.[3]

Altwood served two terms in the Mississippi House of Representatives from: 1880 to 1881 and from 1884 to 1885 representing Hinds County as a Republican.[5][6][7] He was also appointed a United States internal revenue collector, until 1899, and was a delegate to several republican national conventions.[3][8]

Death

He died January 8, 1929 (as reported by his grave) or January 7 as reported in the newspaper obituary that described him as "one of Mississippi's greatest negro citizens".[3] He was survived by his widow of 49 years Maggie Beatrice Welborne, one son, Dr. Mollison Atwood and three daughters Hcrtycena Dickson, Ollive McKissack and Mary Millsaps.[3][5]

See also

References
  1. Washington, Booker T. (November 18, 1909). The Story of the Negro: The Rise of the Race from Slavery. Doubleday, Page & Company. ISBN 9781105120381 – via Google Books.
  2. Smith, Alfred Emanuel; Walton, Francis (November 18, 1909). "Outlook". Outlook publishing Company, Incorporated – via Google Books.
  3. "Obituary for Louis Kossuth Atwood". Clarion-Ledger. 13 January 1929. p. 11. Retrieved 2 May 2022.open access
  4. Smith, J. Clay Jr. (May 2, 1999). Emancipation: The Making of the Black Lawyer, 1844-1944. University of Pennsylvania Press. ISBN 0812216857 – via Google Books.
  5. "Louis Kossuth Atwood – Against All Odds".
  6. "Mississippi Legislative Directory 1880". Clarion-Ledger. 14 February 1880. p. 1. Retrieved 2 May 2022.open access
  7. "Mississippi House of Representatives 1884". Clarion-Ledger. 7 March 1884. p. 4. Retrieved 2 May 2022.open access
  8. "Internal Revenue Service Notice". Clarion-Ledger. 2 August 1899. p. 8. Retrieved 2 May 2022.open access
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