James Madison Hood

Captain James Madison Hood was the real U.S. Consul in the novel Anna and the King of Siam, but before his arrival in Bangkok, he was also a merchant ship captain, builder of clipper ships, legislator in both Massachusetts and Illinois, industrialist, and land speculator. He was present at the birth of the Republican Party. As U.S. Consul, he presided over the trial of Dr. Dan Beach Bradley for libel of the French Consul, Gabriel Aubaret, a case which influenced the course of Southeast Asian history and got Anna Leonowens in trouble with King Mongkut. Captain Hood lived large and was not above a little extralegal maneuvering to support his lifestyle. His life is a tour through the politics, economics and deal making of the mid-19th century.

Focusing mainly on the Burrises of Amite County, Mississippi, andthe Florida Parishes of Louisiana, this examination offers a mother lode ofinformation for genealogists researching the Burris line, which may includesuch family names variations as Burroughs, Burrows, Burrus, Burruss, Burress,and Burriss. Much more than a tale of who begat whom, this volume provideshelpful insight into the nature of the family.By their fellow men, the Burrises are usually highly regarded.They are considered reliable, trustworthy, and honest. They also are known fortheir fair play. One of the highest tributes the author ever heard paid theircharacter came from a former district attorney, who remarked that, whenever hehad a case to come before a jury and there were Burris men present, he alwaysaccepted them without a single question.

This work offers a new and comprehensive account of the fastest and most beautiful sailing ships ever built. It explores the quest for speed on the seas from the early 1800s through the fast-paced times of the 1850s spurred on by the California Gold Rush of 1849. Not only are the career details of such noted ships as the Flying Cloud and Challenge discussed in detail, but they are also put in context with the times in which they operated. Their builders in East Coast states from Maine to Florida are discussed in detail, as are the men, and a woman in one instance, who commanded and manned these ships. The book documents the roles that owners and shipping agents played, what kinds of cargo the ships carried worldwide and the unusual trades in which they participated.

This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the original. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions that are true to the original work.

William Magee (1762-1827) came out of the Carolinas in the late 18th century, settling what is now Walthall County, Mississippi. He moved to Washington County, Louisiana ca. 1801.