1914 Biography - Joseph L. Street

Street, Joseph Lewis, merchant; son of Thomas Parke and Emily Kate (Norwood) Street, was born in Amite county, Miss. Thomas Parke Street was born in Liberty, Miss., Nov. 16, 1839, and has lived in that vicinity all his life. After an elementary education he entered Oakland college, near Rodney, from which he graduated in 1858 with the degree of A. B. This Oakland college was a prosperous and important institution in ante-bellum days, and in it Mr. Street gained quite a reputation as a debater. There was considerable secession talk among the students, but Mr. Street opposed secession and represented his literary society in an exhibition, making a strong speech against secession, in which he predicted what actually came to pass. Oakland college was an endowed institution, the funds of which had been loaned to rich planters who, on account of the war, were unable to pay the loan, and the property had to be sold. In the administration of Gov. Alcorn the state purchased the grounds and buildings of the old Oakland college and established the Alcorn Agricultural and Mechanical college, which is the most prominent colored institution in Mississippi. From the funds of this sale there was established the Chamberlain-Hunt academy, which is now a flourishing institution at Port Gibson, Miss. As already stated, Mr. Street was opposed to secession, but remained loyal to the South, and as soon as it seemed necessary, in 1862, he joined the 33d Mississippi regiment of infantry. On account of poor health he was discharged in March, 1863, but in October of that year, after recuperating, he reëntered the army in the 9th Louisiana battalion cavalry. After serving in this command about 2 months, he was put on detached service in the commissary at Liberty, Miss., where he was at the surrender, in May, 1865. From there he went to Clinton to get his parole from the Federal government. Mr. Street was in the Mississippi legislature in 1896 and 1898. His father was Henry Goodall Street, who came from Virginia and practiced law in Woodville, Miss., and later in Liberty, Miss., where he died in 1875. He was a very ardent secessionist and was displeased at the position his son took when a student at Oakland college. T. P. Street's maternal grandfather was Thomas Batchelor, who had large planting interests and was the first clerk of Amite county. He was a member of the constitutional convention of Mississippi. In 1860 T. P. Street married Emily Kate Norwood, who was born April 2, 1841, in East Feliciana parish. She was the daughter of Judge Abel J. Norwood, who settled the town of Norwood. To them the following children were born: Carrie Parke, died in infancy; Thomas Carey, died at 19 years of age while a student in the L. S. U., in 1883; Charles Napoleon, at Street, Miss.; Dr. H. Norwood, at Little Rock, Ark.; Estelle F., died in 1885; Joseph Lewis, merchant in Norwood; Katie V., now Mrs. H. L. Lewis, living at Street, Miss.; Mary Ella, died in 1885; Abel J., in insurance business in Street and Greenville, Miss.; Julia W., now Mrs. A. G. Payne, of Jacksonville, Fla. Joseph L. Street spent his youth in the vicinity of his birthplace, where he attended both public and private schools until 14 years old. He then worked on a farm for 3 years, after which he clerked in the store of T. P. Street & Co., from 1891 to 1893. He then moved to Norwood, La., where he formed the Norwood Mercantile Co., Ltd., a Louisiana corporation. The members of this company are: T. P., Mrs. E. K., Dr. H. N. and J. L. Street and I. D. Norwood. Of this company, J. L. Street has been the manager from its organization to the present time. The company does a general mercantile trade and is one of the prominent business houses in this part of the state. March 14, 1901, Mr. Street married Maude, daughter of F. B. and Maggie (Clement) Watkins, of St. Helena parish, and a relative of Judge Land. Mr. and Mrs. Street are the parents of 4 children: Mabel Louise, Frances Carey, Joseph L., Jr., Thomas Parke.

Contributed 2021 Nov 04 by Mike Miller, from Louisiana: Comprising Sketches, edited by Alcee Fortier, published in 1914, volume 3, pages 665-666.