While Union was blessed with several hotels in the early 1900s, only one survived until late in the century. In 1919, Stephen D. Parker, a railroad man who ran the Blue Goose from Meridian to Union, saw the need for a hotel near the depot as a convenience for railroad men who stopped in Union to eat, change trains, or stay overnight.
Therefore, he bought a lot from A.A. Nicholson at 102 Main St. to build his hotel. In 1922, he opened Hotel Parker, a picturesque three-story building with the name Hotel Parker built into the bricks near the top. Mrs. W.I. McCoy leased it from him.
Then in 1923, Parker sold the hotel to the Rev. Fred Long of Jackson, and A.D. Stewart from Jackson came to manage it for him. The next year Stewart left the hotel and moved to Ocean Springs.
When the hotel needed a new a manager, Anna Roxanne Hamilton (Ma) Sessums leased it; and she, along with her daughter Mattie Worthen, took over June 21, 1924.
Having worked at Hotel Parker for more than a year, she sold her Union Hotel on Bank Street to S.D. Whittle in October 1925. In 1926, six more rooms were added to Hotel Parker.
Finally, Ma Sessums bought Hotel Parker and changed the name to Sessums Hotel in 1929. The hotel had 23 rooms, and at least part of the time, the third floor was reserved for teachers.
The main reason for this hotel’s survival and fame was the food that Ma Sessums put on the table. The Jackson State Times newspaper had a feature article on Ma and her hotel in 1960. It stated that “Persons from far and wide come to thehotel to sink their teeth into her Southern-styled fried chicken or three other meats and about 12 other tasty dishes on the table.” Included in that number of visitors were Theodore Bilbo, Tom Bailey, Hugh White, and Gov. J.P. Coleman. On Sundays, she served about 100 hungry visitors for lunch.
After 92-year-old Ma fell in 1960 and later died in 1963, Mattie put the hotel up for sale, but she had no buyers. Therefore, she kept it open herself until she had a heart attack and then died in 1971. At that time, Sessums Hotel closed. The building was later used as a furniture and jewelry store until it burned at 2 a.m., Dec. 26, 1992. Later, storage units were built on the vacant lot that had once housed a renowned Union landmark.
This hotel holds memories for many people. One of those was Mike Kogon, manager of Midland Shirt Co. who had moved to Mississippi in 1954 to open the plant. Upon reading about the fire that destroyed the old hotel, he wrote a letter from his Florida home to my daddy, Billie Heflin.
It read: “I received the Union Appeal of Dec. 30. It brought back so many memories to me!
The old (even then) hotel where I spent my first two weeks in Mississippi; where I had so many delicious meals; where I played checkers with Lester White; where we had so many delightful nights at meetings and get-togethers.
The picture of the remains of the building brought back memories of the fire at the shirt factory.”
Can you answer these questions?
• When did Midland Shirt No. 2 plant open on Jackson Road?
• Do you remember where Woodward Gin was located?
• Do you have pictures that you would like to share?
If you have memories to share or additions to contribute, contact me at teresablount26@yahoo.com or 109 Woodhaven Drive, Union 39365, or 601-774-5564.
