Legends and Lore of the Mississippi Golden Gulf Coast (17 page)

Corner of Lameuse Street and Howard Avenue in downtown Biloxi.
Courtesy of Alan Santa Cruz Collection
.

By the next year, Brother Isaiah was brought to Biloxi by Martin Fountain. Fountain had been treated by Brother Isaiah and had leased the Fountain place in St. Martin to him. Brother Isaiah would be moving four houseboats from New Orleans, along with a number of his followers. The article said that the group would be involved in farming, but Brother Isaiah would “practice his doctrine of healing the sick and affected without medicine.”

On April 28, 1922, Brother Isaiah, accompanied by Bert Davis, Murphy Davis, Cass W. Ladnier, M. Quave and J.E. Hendriz, all from Lumberton, had arrived at the Fountain property in two Ford cars. This property was near the mouth of Bayou Puerto. Brother Isaiah indicated that he had about twenty-five individuals who would be joining them at the colony. As to the reason for the move, Brother Isaiah said that “he had a vision of a flood of the lower Mississippi” near New Orleans. He reported that he was “very much pleased with this city and vicinity and anticipated a pleasant stay.”

The rest of Brother Isaiah's group, including men, women and children, arrived with the houseboats and other vessels. The group lived in tents, houseboats and small houses that were yet to be constructed. All of the men were heavily bearded. The Fountain property gave them access to the Biloxi/Ocean Spring highway, which is today's Lemoyne Boulevard. It was reported that they had several trucks to haul supplies from Biloxi, while Brother Isaiah “rides in a handsome limousine.”

When Brother Isaiah arrived in Biloxi, he was greeted by another miracle man: Lord Abraham. Was there room on Biloxi Bay for two healers? According to the
Daily Herald
, Lord Abraham had arrived in Biloxi on April 25, 1922, from Jacksonville, Florida. The article indicated that he “walked here bare-headed and barefooted.” He was reported to be living in a shack on the edge of Back Bay between Lameuse and Reynoir Streets. Here he received the ill and supposedly cured them. He claimed to be in Biloxi because God had told him to come and meet the other healer, Brother Isaiah.

When the two men met, the conversation lasted only a few minutes, as Brother Isaiah said that while Lord Abraham's healing was similar to his, Lord Abraham did not belong to his band. Exactly what was said will never be known, but on May 4, Lord Abraham left Biloxi and headed to Louisiana, “his fare paid out of the city by Brother Isaiah.” It seems there wasn't room enough for two healers.

February 1922 found Brother Isaiah on trial in Los Angeles, California. He was charged with manslaughter in the death of Margaret Dunbar. It was reported that she had broken bones and bruises after Brother Isaiah treated her. During the trial, his followers threatened to kill the prosecutor and others. On March 3, a jury acquitted him of all charges.

On his return to Jackson County, Brother Isaiah continued to attract crowds to his camp. Some came to bear witness, while others came to be healed of mental and physical problems. On June 24, 1922, the
Daily Herald
reported, “There has been no actual cures thus far reported to this office and investigation has also shown that considerable imagination is also attached to the faith healing powers of the leader.”

The St. Martin colony lasted only four short years before moving to California. In 1931, Brother Isaiah claimed that members of his cult were immortal. He also believed that he was the eighty-eighth reincarnation of the prophet Isaiah. On July 21, 1934, Brother Isaiah died at his Oroville, California colony, and for three days, forty followers awaited his resurrection. It was reported that, after no resurrection, “the long white robes of Brother Isaiah were tossed into his grave by his followers” and his remains buried “beneath an oak tree beside his cabin.”

CHAPTER 26

R
OOSEVELT
'
S
V
ISIT TO
B
ILOXI

On November 16, 1913, thirty-one-year-old Franklin Delano Roosevelt made a visit to Mississippi's Golden Gulf Coast. He was twenty years away from being elected president of the United States. Woodrow Wilson had just appointed him assistant secretary of the navy to Secretary Josephus Daniels. He was also eight years away from becoming ill and diagnosed with polio. He served as assistant secretary of the navy from 1914 until 1920, when he resigned.

FDR was visiting the area to support Congressman Harrison's pending resolution for a deep-water port at Biloxi. Byron Patton Harrison, known as Pat Harrison, was elected to the United States Congress in 1911 and was considered a good debater and a favorite of President Woodrow Wilson. Pat Harrison served Mississippi as a congressman until 1919 and as a senator from 1919 until his death in 1941.

FDR arrived at Biloxi's Yacht Club at 3:00 p.m. on the yacht
Glendoveer
, owned by E. Jabncke. He was accompanied by his wife, Eleanor, and his cousin, Miss Laura Franklin Delano. The group was greeted by members of the Biloxi Commercial Club and their wives, former congressman E.J. Bowers of Gulfport and Congressman Harrison. The welcome was conducted on William Watson's yacht
Iona
, moored at the Yacht Club.

Eleanor Roosevelt and the other ladies in her party were hosted by the ladies of the Commercial Club. It was reported that they took part in “a delightful automobile ride about the city,” with the gracious hosts “pointing out to them the various points of interest.” One particular point of interest to Eleanor and Miss Delano was Beauvoir, where they spent “a delightful visit there with the old soldiers at the Soldiers' Home.”

Biloxi Yacht Club, 1908.
Courtesy of Alan Santa Cruz Collection
.

White House Hotel, Biloxi.
Courtesy of Alan Santa Cruz Collection
.

While the ladies were being entertained, Assistant Secretary FDR was touring Biloxi's coastline and bay by boat. FDR examined charts furnished by the Commercial Club secretary, Mr. Roof. FDR was impressed with the number of canneries and fishing vessels in Biloxi. The
Daily Herald
reported, “Several large schooners loaded with oysters were moored at the Point, ready for work Monday morning and were a forceful illustration of the magnitude of Biloxi's oyster business.”

As they toured the mouth of Biloxi Bay, it was explained to FDR how vessels had to run from the mouth west between Deer Island and Biloxi's mainland to reach the channel. FDR noted that no official channel markers were present. He stated, “In every New England fishing village where ten men are operating their boats, the channels have been marked by the government, and you certainly should have markings here.”

The reporter indicated that the route of the suggested channel would run south of the drawbridge and east of Deer Island. It was stated that “the natural sweep of the current from the mouth of the bay…would make such a channel practically self sustaining, once it was dug.” While touring Biloxi Bay, FDR's group arrived just north of the drawbridge. Here they observed a one-thousand-ton barge from the Alabama and New Orleans Transportation Company. FDR was informed that this was “one of a line of such boats doing business between New Orleans, Biloxi, Mobile and intermediate points.”

As they continued north, the Biloxi Bay turned westward, with the peninsula of Biloxi on the southern shore and North Biloxi on the northern shore. This created a “landlocked harbor” that impressed FDR and provided easy access to the deeper water two miles south of the Louisville and Nashville Railroad bridge. As they continued up the Biloxi Bay, FDR remarked, “Many a city would give any price to have a body of water like this adjacent to it and as easily to be made accessible.”

FDR was very interested in the story of Fort Maurepas and the early French explorers as he and his host continued their tour and journey up Biloxi Bay. After a long day, FDR, along with his wife, Eleanor, and cousin Laura Delano, arrived at the White House Hotel. At 7:00 p.m., they joined the Commercial Club for dinner at the hotel. They dined on oyster cocktail, chicken consommé, redfish à la White House, roast duck, deviled crabs, chicken salad, radishes, pickles, celery, creamed potatoes, peas and cranberry jelly, followed by cake, ice cream and coffee.

The flowers were furnished by Mr. Adams of Pass Christian and Mr. Mahn of Biloxi. Guy Donaldson, traffic manager of the Alabama and New Orleans Transportation Company, and Captain Sadler were also guests of the club. During dinner, they discussed the plans of the Alabama and New Orleans company to handle “a large volume of commerce into and out of Biloxi.” Additional guests were Congressman and Mrs. Harrison and former congressman Bowers.

Mr. Osoninach, president of the Commercial Club, welcomed the distinguished visitors to Biloxi. An American Beauty rose bush was presented to Congressman Harrison, who in turn presented it to Eleanor Roosevelt.

In response, FDR stated that he, his wife and Miss Delano were charmed by the hospitality they had received on the coast. He talked about the spirit of Biloxi and its willingness to go after things that would mean advancement and improvement. He continued to say that if a deep port were established there, the Navy Department would send ships for all its celebrations. He felt that a port at Biloxi would be valuable to the United States government as a place to station “a fleet of its smaller vessels.”

He explained that in the case of war, battleships would be the first part of an offense and defense. The small vessels that could be stationed at Biloxi would also be critical for protection of the coastline.

That same evening, FDR, Eleanor and Miss Delano boarded a night train to Pensacola and arrived on November 17. On November 18, they were in Brunswick, Georgia, and finally in Washington, D.C., on November 19. FDR's visit to Biloxi was short, and despite his praise for the idea, no deep-water port would be built in Biloxi. However, the visit brought national attention that would continue to focus on Biloxi and Mississippi's Golden Gulf Coast.

CHAPTER 27

P
ASS
C
HRISTIAN
'
S
D
IXIE
W
HITE
H
OUSE AND
P
RESIDENT
W
OODROW
W
ILSON

After taking office, President Wilson had driven himself to work relentlessly and suffered a bout with influenza. Wilson had been working long, hard hours on his promised legislative program, the New Freedom, plus the strenuous demands of the office of the president. Dr. Cary T. Grayson, the president's personal physician, convinced President Wilson to take a much-needed vacation for health reasons. This information was released to the press, and before long, invitations began to pour in from various states. In early December 1913, word was received from Washington that President Woodrow Wilson was considering coming to Mississippi's Golden Gulf Coast for a combined Christmas vacation and complete rest following an illness.

All the coast cities contended for the honor of being host, offering private homes, cottages and hotels. On December 16, 1913, the front page of the
Daily Herald
said that the president was considering staying at Biloxi, Gulfport or Pass Christian. A few Biloxians were making an all-out effort to induce the president to select Biloxi as his stopping place. On December 17, the
Daily Herald
said that the Biloxi Commercial Club had wired United States congressman Pat Harrison of Mississippi to extend the invitation to the president. The club had acquired accommodations at the White House Hotel in Biloxi. (The Biloxi Commercial Club would later become the Biloxi Chamber of Commerce in 1919.)

The
Daily Herald
article of December 19 read, “Find cozy cottage at Pass for President Wilson,” per the request of Senator Vardaman in a wire to Judge Hardy. The president decided on the small town of Pass Christian. It appears that U.S. senator John Sharp Williams of Mississippi and two close family friends who lived in New Orleans played a role in the decision to stay on Mississippi's Gulf Coast. On December 20,
Daily Herald
headlines read, “Wilson is Coming to Coast for Sure.” It reported that President Wilson had signed a currency bill and was on his way to the Gulf Coast.