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A- r.
A'"^
THE
HISTORY
OF
Butler County, Alabama,
From 1815 to 1885.
With Sketches of Some of Her Most Distinguished
Citizens, and Glances at Her Rich and
Varied Resources.
JOHN BUCKNEK LITTLE, B. A.,
Assistant Professor of Chemistry in the University of Alabama, at Tuscaloosa.
WITH TWELVE ILLUSTRATIONS.
A land without ruins is a land without memories — a land without memories is a land without history. — Father Ryan.
CINCINNATI:
Elm St. Printing Co., Nos. 176 & 178 Elm St. 1885.
AUG 5 \'y:f-\ I ^<°^ washing!
Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1885, by
JOHN BUCKNER LITTLE,
In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. Electrotyped by the Elm Street Printing Co., Cincinnati, O.
PREFACE.
The people of Butler County have long expressed a desire to have a book published, containing the interesting history and a review of the natural resources of the County. The author was requested, by some of the prominent residents of the County, to undertake the preparation of such a book.
While in the County, during the summer of 1884, he began the collection of the data for a complete map of the County, and the materials for writing her history. These facts have been arranged by the author, at odd hours, during the last six months. The author has endeavored to present facts in a plain and simple way, without aiming at the graces of elaborate his- tory or the vivid coloring of exciting romance.
Many inaccuracies will no doubt occur, owing to the differ- ent statements given concerning some particulars, and the author was forced to exercise his own judgment in some instances. A few facts here and ttiere, that should be mentioned, are omitted entirely for want of authentic information. If the materials had been collected ten or fifteen years ago, while many of the older settlers of the County were still living, the errors would occur less frequently. But as it is. the humble volume is put before the people of Butler County, with the earnest hope that it may meet with their approval and receive their hearty sup- port.
(iii)
IV PREFACE.
The author begs leave to acknowledge his great indebtedness to Benjamin F. Meek, LL.D., and Eugene A. Smith, Ph.D., pro- fessors in the University, for kind encouragement and valuable suggestions, which have proved of much benefit in the prepara- tion of the work. Also to Professor John Summerfield Daniel, for kind assistance rendered. Valuable information has been received from many other gentlemen, among whom the follow- ing deserve special mention : C. J. Armstrong, Judge S. J. Boiling, Ransom Scale, Dr. Job Thigpen, Major D. G. Dunk- lin, W. F. Hartley, Joseph Dunklin, W. H. Flowers and Joseph Steiner, of Greenville ; Warren A. Thompson and Wm. H. Traweek, of Monterey ; E. M. Lazenby and Thomas Glenn, of Forest Home ; O. C. Darby, John F. McPherson and Wal- ter Bennett, of Garland ; Daniel Peavy and R. S. Pilley, of South Butler ; Lovet B. Wilson and Oliver Crittenden, of Oaky Streak ; Elias McKinzie and John Kimmons, of McBrides ; J, W. Hancock and John McPherson, of Three Runs; John F. Barganier and R. H. Bush, of Dead Fall ; John J. Flow- ers, of Boiling ; Captain E. C. Milner, Professor J. M. Thigpen and Major A. Glenn, of Georgiana. Also to Mrs. Ellen Scale, of Monterey, and Mrs. I. M. P. Henry, of Greenville.
The following publications have been frequently consulted, and have thrown much light upon points of interest and dis- pute :
Pickett's History of Alabama,
Garrett's Public Men of Alabama, Brewer's Outline History of Alabama, The Trade Issue of the Greenville Advocate.
J. B. LITTLE. March 2, 188=5.
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I. PAGE.
Geographical Position — Geological FormaUons — Different Varieties of Soil — Virgin Growth — Slopes — Drainage, Etc., 15
CHAPTER II.
Earliest History — Formation of the County — Early Settle- ment, Etc., ........ 19
CHAPTER III.
The Ogly Massacre — Death of Captain Butler and Others —
The Erection of Forts, Etc., 25
CHAPTER IV. The Rapid Settlement of the County After the Indians are
Driven Away, Etc., ...... 34
CHAPTER V.
Establishment of Commerce — Mail Routes — The Seat of Justice Located at Greenville — General Growth and Prosperity of the County, ..... 40
CHAPTER VI.
Great Need for Conveniences, such as Grist Mills, Gins,
Blacksmith Shops, Etc., 44
(V)
VI CONTENTS.
CHAPTER VII. PAGE.
Biographical Sketch of Ex-Governor T. H. Watts, - . 47
CHAPTER VIII.
The War Between the States — The County During this Time, 53
CHAPTER IX.
Condition of the County After the War, .... 58
CHAPTER X.
A General Description of the Present Resources of the
County and Its Prospects for Future Development, . 60
IPJ^E^T II.
CHAPTER XI. Pine Flat, • ... 71
CHAPTER XII. Fort Dale, 74
CHAPTER XIII. Greenville, ......... 78
CHAPTER XIV. Greenville, 1885, 95
CHAPTER XV. Ridgeville, lOO
CHAPTER XVI. Sketch of Hon. W. H, Crenshaw, 103
CONTENTS. Vll
CHAPTER XVII. PAGE.
Manningham, ......... 105
CHAPTER XVIII. Sketch of Warren A. Thompson, ..... 108
CHAPTER XIX. Dead Fall, Ill
CHAPTER XX. Sketch of Judge Benj. F. Porter, 1 14
CHAPTER XXI. Monterey, ......... 120
CHAPTER XXII. Sketch of Colonel T. L. Bayne, 132
CHAPTER XXIII. Butler Springs, ........ 136
CHAPTER XXIV. Sketch of Judge Anderson Crenshaw, .... 141
CHAPTER XXV. Ancient Mounds in Butler County, . . • . . . 143
CHAPTER XXVI. Oaky Streak, ......... 145
CHAPTER XXVII.
Garland, . . . . . . . . . .154
CHAPTER XXVIII. South Butler, 156
CHAPTER XXIX.
Sketch of Colonel Sam. Adams, . . . . .158
VI 11 CONTENTS.
CHAPTER XXX. page.
Sketch of W. W. Wilkinson, i6o
CHAPTER XXXI.
Forest Home, . . . . . . . . . 165
CHAPTER XXXII. Georgiana, ......... 172
CHAPTER XXXIII. Starlington, ......... 175
CHAPTER XXXIV.
Sketch of Colonel H. A. Herbert, . . . . ; 177
'chapter XXXV. Shackelville, 186
CHAPTER XXXVI. Boiling, 188
CHAPTER XXXVII. Sketch of Mrs. I. M. P. Henry, . . . , .191
CHAPTER XXXVIII. Sardis, .......... 195
CHAPTER XXXIX. Toluka, .......... 197
CHAPTER XL. McBnde's, 198
CHAPTER XLI. Press of Butler County, 200
CHAPTER XLII. Bear s Store • • • 2lo
CONTENTS. IX
CHAPTER XLIII. page.
Rocky Creek, ......... 212
CHAPTER XLIV. Roper Wells, 213
CHAPTER XLV. Sketch of J. K. Henry, Judge, . . ' . . . 215
CHAPTER XLVI. Steiner's Store, ......... 216
CHAPTER XLVH. Dunham Station, ........ 218
CHAPTER XLVni. Mobile and Montgomery Railroad, ..... 219
CHAPTER XLIX.
The Medical Profession in Butler County, . . . 221
CHAPTER L. The Bar of Butler County, 224
CHAPTER LI. County Officers, 1885, 232
CHAPTER LII. Voting Precincts. ........ 236
CHAPTER LHI. Churches and Places of Worship, 237
CHAPTER LIV. Our Wealthy Men, . . . . . . , . 239
CHAPTER LV. Members of the State Legislature, ..... 241
<. CONTENTS.
CHAPTER LVI. page.
Officers of the County, 244
CHAPTER LVII. ^ List of Post-Offices, Etc., 247
CHAPTER LVni. Wai- Record of the County, ...... 248
CHAPTER LIX. Conclusion, ......... 252
ILLUSTRATIONS.
OPPOSITE PAGE.
City Hall, 80
Court House, ......... 65
Colonel W. H. Crenshaw, ...... 103
Greenville Collegiate Institute, ...... 142
Hon. Hilary A. Herbert, M. C, 178
Judge Benj. F. Porter, 115
Methodist Episcopal Church at Greenville, ... 93
Residence of J. C. Richardson, Esq., ..... 28
Ransom Seale, Esq., 233
Residence of W. R. Thagard, ...... 206
Governor Thos. H, Watts, ...... 47
W. Wilkinson, 160
(xi)
Part 1.
This Part of the Work Contains a General History of the County.
History of Butler County^ Alabama.
CHAPTER I.
Geographical Position — Geological Formations — Dif- fej'ent Vat ie ties of Soils — Virgin Growth — Slopes — Drainage, Etc.
This county is situated a little south of the cen- ter of the State, and borders Lowndes on the north, Crenshaw on the east, Covington on the south, Conecuh on the southwest, Monroe on the west and Wilcox on the northwest. It originally contained thirty townships, but has been dimin- ished by the formation of Covington and Crenshaw Counties. There are twenty-one and one-half townships now in the county, making about 765 square miles of territory, the most of which is woodland.
The larger portion of the county is underlaid with rocks of the tertiary formation. These rocks are covered with deep strata of drift, vary- ing from twenty-five to one hundred feet in depth, at different localities in the county. In the south-
(15)
l6 THE HISTORY OF
ern part of the county the cretaceous rocks are exposed, and, from the amount of phosphoric acid contained in them, the soil here is by far the most productive in the county. A part of these rocks are also overlaid with drift, giving rise to a sandy soil on the hills and a calcareous variety in the swamps.
This productive region of prairie — about forty- five square miles in the northwestern corner of the county — owes its fertility to the amount of phos- phoric acid contained in the lime rocks, which are constantly exposed to the disintegrating effects of the weather, and are continually being broken down and dissolved, enriching the soil and making it yield an abundant harvest of different kinds of agricul- tural products.
These lands, drained by Cedar and Wolf Creeks, need no fertilizer of any kind, and when properly ditched, have been known to produce well for forty and fifty years in succession. The Drift in the county is generally of a light silicious nature, containing clay of different colors, varying from dark brown to deep red. The color is commonly due to the amount of organic matter present and the form of the iron oxide. There are some red clay hills in the county that contain as high as ten per cent of iron in combination.
In some parts of the county the tertiary rocks are exposed, and give rise to a yellowish brown loam that is very sticky when wet and easy to crumble when dry. This variety of soil is difficult
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. 1 7
of cultivation, and has a low value in the market for farming land. The outcrop is four or five miles in width, and extends several miles across the county from below Butler Springs east, in township ten, to the neighborhood of Greenville, where the strata are overlaid with red clay. Many tertiary shells, in a good state of preservation, may be found in different localities along this outcrop. All the mineral springs in the county flow from the tertiary deposit.
The whole of the slope drained by Persimmon and Pigeon Creeks and their tributaries, is oak and hickory uplands, with long-leaf pine, except in a few places where the tertiary or cretaceous rocks are exposed. In these places there is generally short-leaf pine, if any pine at all. The basin drained by Cedar Creek was covered with a virgin growth of oak, hickory, cedar, walnut, sweet gum, ash, dogwood, poplar, elm, etc., the most of which has long since been removed and consumed, leav- ing this section almost destitute of timber.
There are no mountains in Butler County, and but few hills of extraordinary height — the highest of these not being over two hundred feet. The Cedar Creek basin is by far the deepest in the county, and is bordered by the loftiest peaks and cliffs in this whole section of country.
The creeks have gradually worn their beds southward, leaving a gentle slope on the north side and a steep, rugged hill on the south side of the swamp. All the small streams and creeks that
1 8 THE HISTORY OF
run into the larger ones generally empty on the north side, and rarely ever from the south. This fact is very perceptible from an examination of the map at the end of the book.
Geographically, the whole county is divided by a high ridge into two slopes, or watersheds. By referring to the map of the county, the reader will find that it is divided into two unequal water- sheds, the northwestern and the southeastern, the latter being much larger than the former. In 1812 General Andrew Jackson cut out a road on this di- viding ridge. This road, now known as the Old Federal Road, was cut from Montgomery to Mo- bile, by way of Fort Deposit, Fort Dale, the Buckalew Place, Shackelville and Claiborne. All the water falling in this county, on the southeast- ern side of this road, is emptied into the Conecuh River, and that falling on the northwestern side into the Alabama River. The creeks that drain the northwestern slope are Cedar, Wolf, Breast- work, Pine Barren and Reddock's, with their tributaries. The other slope is drained by Persim- mon and Pigeon, and their different tributaries.
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. 1 9
CHAPTER 11.
Earliest History, — Formation of the County from Conecuh and Monroe — Named in Honor of Cap- tain William Butler — First Settlements by the Whites — Description of the County at That Time.
This county was formed from Conecuh and Monroe, by an act passed December 13, 18 19, by the Legislature while in session at Huntsville. This was the first session of the Legislature of Alabama as a State. The House was composed of forty-five members, with James Dellet, of Mon- roe, as Speaker; the Senate of twenty-one mem- bers, and Thomas Bibb was President. William W. Bibb was inaugurated first Governor of the State on the 9th of November, 18 19, before Con- gress had yet admitted Alabama into the Union as a State. The name of Fairfield was first pro- posed for this county, but was changed, on the passage of the bill, to Butler, in honor of Captain William Butler. This brave captain was a native of Virginia, and was of a restless and am- bitious nature. He lived in the State of Georgia for a few years, and was, while there, a member of her Legislature, and was also connected with the militia of the State. He soon came to the Terri- tory of Alabama to satisfy his adventurous charac- ter, but did not remain here long before he was killed in a horrible manner by the Indians, near
20 THE HISTORY OF
Butler Springs, on the morning of the 20th of March, 18 18. While on his way from Fort Bibb, in the Flat, to Fort Dale, in company with four other men. Captain Butler was wounded and thrown from his horse, — but attempted to make his escape. Seeing that this was impossible, he resolved to die fighting the enemy. By his pluck and skill, he succeeded in killing one of Savannah Jack's bravest warriors, and severely wounding several others who attacked him, but the unfortu- nate soldier was finally overcome by the numerical strength of the bloodthirsty savages, who not only took his life, but who left his mangled body in the open forest, after having beaten him almost to a jelly with ramrods, scalped him, and cut off his ears and privates, and stuffed them into his mouth. He was found in this condition the next day. Captain Butler was exploring the new country previous to the Ogly massacre, and had taken refuge in Fort Bibb, until the Indians should be driven away. He volunteered his service to go along with any person to carry some important message to Fort Dale, which was situated in another part of the county, about fifteen miles distant. Unfortunately, his daring courage caused him to lose his noble life be- fore he had scarcely time to make it useful to his fellow-men. His remains, along with those of Daniel Shaw and William P. Gardner, were buried the next day by a detachment of men sent by Colonel Samuel Dale for that purpose; and the
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. 21
dense forest, where these young heroes were killed, was their burial-ground ; and the mild wailing of the wind, as it quietly whistled through the branches of the towering pines, was their only mourner for many years.
In the year 1858, or thereabout, after a rest of over forty winters undisturbed, the decayed remains of these adventurous patriots were removed to the city of Greenville and buried in the old cemetery. A large concourse of citi- zens were in attendance when the remains were quietly deposited in their final resting place, and not a single gun was fired in memory of their heroic lives.
Joseph Dunklin took an active part in having the bodies removed, and he deserves to be highly commended for the noble and patriotic motives which prompted him to be so conspicuous in such a good work. The pall-bearers on the occasion were Joseph Dunklin, Judge Samuel J. Boiling, Ezekiel Pickens and Joseph M. Parmer — four of the oldest residents of Greenville. Hilary A. Herbert, who is now one among Alabama's most distinguished statesmen, delivered a beautiful and patriotic address, which was filled with praise of the sacred names of our first fallen braves. After the delivery of the address, resolutions were offered and unanimously adopted by those present, to raise money for the purpose of erecting a suitable monument over the graves of these dead heroes. Unfortunately, the war between the States soon
22 THE HISTORY OF
followed, and the requisite amount of money was never raised for purchasing the marble shaft for marking the spot of Captain Butler's last resting place, and showing to the world that his name still lived, although he himself was dead.
Previous to the war, however, Hon. Benjamin F. Porter removed to Greenville with his interest- ing family. His kind and cultured wife sought the graves of the buried heroes, and immediately took steps to have a tomb erected to mark the sacred spot. Existing circumstances prevented her from receiving any encouragement from the people, and she was forced -to give up all hopes of their assist- ance in the matter. In 1861, greatly to the honor and memory of her illustrious name, Mrs. Porter purchased a small slab of marble at her own ex- pense, and had it placed over the grave of the noble William Butler.
It is to be earnestly hoped that the good people of our county will, in the near future, take active steps for having a lofty shaft raised in some con- spicuous place in Greenville, in memory of the man whose name Butler County now so proudly bears.
The exact date of the first settlement made by the white people in the limits of this county, is not entirely authentic. It is believed by some to be as early as 18 14, and by others to be about 1 8 16. The author has compromised and put it at 18 1 5. James K. Benson is supposed to have settled in the Flat as early as 18 15, and built the
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. 23
first house ever erected in this county. It was built near where the Pine Flat Methodist Church now stands, and was made of logs. About the same time, or shortly after, William Ogly and John Dickerson came with their families, and made a settlement on the Federal Road, about three miles below where Fort Dale was afterwards erected. In the fall of 1816, a party, composed of the following persons, came from the State of Georgia, and pitched their tents in the dense forest of Pine Flat: Thomas Hill, and his two sons, Reuben and Josiah ; Warren A. Thompson ; Cap- tain John H. Watts; Benjamin Hill, and his son Isaac. They brought with them horses, cattle, wagons, tools, and enough provisions to last them one year. These settlers worked very energetic- ally to prepare for their families, which were brought during the winter of the next year. In the fall and winter of 18 17, a good many emigrants stopped in this county, near Fort Dale, and on the head of Cedar Creek, the names of all of whom the author is unable to give. Among them were the families of Thomas Gary, Colonel A. T. Perry, James D. K. Garrett, and Andrew Jones. John Murphy and Alph. Carter had already located be- low where Butler Springs are situated.
Butler County presented quite a different ap- pearance at this early period of her history from what it does to-day. The whole country was a deep forest of oak, hickory, pine, chestnut, chin- quapin, poplar, sweet and sour gum, etc., with
24 THE HISTORY OF
not a stick amiss. All the heads of small streams were covered with a thick undergrowth of switch- cane, and the swamps were perfect wildernesses of cane-brakes. Where the land was at all fertile, the canes covered the sides and tops of the hills as well as the bottoms. Thousands of wild ani- mals infested the forests, and rendered the nights hideous with their unfriendly and discontented growls, as they roamed the wilderness in search of food. Hundreds of bears of various sizes rambled up and down the hills, large herds of deer gal- loped through the thickets, and flocks of hungry wolves made the hearts of the new settlers beat with fear, as they howled yearning for prey.
In these early days, the emigrants lived almost entirely upon the game of the new country. This consisted of deer, turkey, squirrel, opossum, rabbit, raccoon, and all kinds of game-birds. A large portion of the time was at first taken up in hunting and trapping, the farm receiving but very little attention for several years. The settlers at first lived in small, rudely constructed cabins, which afforded good protection from the hungry wild beasts, but only little comfort to the inhab- itants. A good many scattered, unfortunate In- dians, were still to be seen wandering from place to place, lamenting the destruction of their favor- ite hunting grounds. The constant echoes of the woodman's axe, as it proceeded to level the forest, told them that civilization was soon to be intro- duced into the savage land.
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. 2$
CHAPTER III.
Further Settlement of the County by the Whites — The Conduct of the Indians on Seeing Their Land Completely Taken Possession of — The Ogly Massacre — The Death of Captain Butler — The Erection of Forts Bibb and Dale — The People Forced to Remain in the Forts the Larger Part of the Year i8i8.
We will now take the reader over the blood- stained pages of Butler's history, caused by the settlement of the garden spot of the territory by the whites, against the will of the overpowered red men, who had been driven from their native land with fire and sword.
In the winter of 1817, a large number of emi- grants passed down the Federal Road, some stop- ping in the section of country now known as Lowndes, Butler, Monroe and Conecuh Counties, while others crossed the Alabama River, below Claiborne, and settled in Clarke County. The few unhappy Indians who were left scattered through this section, became enraged at seeing the land of their forefathers completely taken pos- session of by the whites, and, accordingly, began to make preparations to drive them back from a place where they were unasked and unwelcomed. They forthwith made preparations for bloodshed,
26 THE HISTORY OF
and organized themselves into two bands of war- riors, under the command of Uchee Tom and Sa- vannah Jack.
About the 6th of March, i8i8, Uchee Tom and his warriors showed signs of hostiHty by stopping Wilham Ogly, who was in his ox-cart on his way to Claiborne for provisions for his family. He was, however, permitted to pass on without injury, after having been frightened almost out of his senses. Reaching Sepulga Creek, he succeeded in purchasing corn from a settler, and, feeling great anxiety about his fam- ily, he returned home without going to Claiborne. During his absence the Indians had visited his cabin, and showed signs of violence to his family. The news of the conduct of the hostile savages spread immediately to all the settlers, who began to make preparation for the protection of the whites. The men of the settlement were called to a company muster on the 13th of March, and different plans were discussed for the defense of the settlers against the attacks of the savages. The red men, seeing the movements of their op- ponents at the company muster, took it as a bad omen, and at once decided to take the lives of some of the settlers.
While returning from the company muster, William Ogly met with Elias Stroud, who had been on a visit to relatives in Georgia, and was then on his way to his home near Claiborne. He had his wife and only child with him. Being an
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. 2/
old acquaintance of Ogly, he was persuaded by him to spend the night under his roof and partake of the hospitahties of the savage land. Ogly had a wife and six children, and lived near the Federal Road, about three miles below where Fort Dale was afterward built. Shortly after supper, after the children were all put to bed, while these native Georgians sat around the scanty fire, talk- ing in their accustomed style of the misfortunes of different persons, and the many dangers and trials of the pioneer life, their attention was suddenly attracted by the tramp of warriors. Springing to his feet, Ogly seized his gun, and ran to the door, calling to his dogs ; but he was shot down before he had time to fire his piece at the enemy. Sev- eral guns having been discharged, and Ogly having been suddenly killed, the other inmates of the cabin became greatly excited with fear. Unfor- tunately, there happened to be but one way of es- cape, and that seemed almost certain death. But Stroud and his wife, regardless of the great danger of the whistling bullets and approaching savages, leaped out of the front door and attempted to save their lives. Mrs. Ogly, taking in the situation, did likewise. They were pursued by the blood- thirsty savages, bent on taking their lives, but by some means Stroud managed to escape. Mrs. Ogly was partially protected by a fierce dog that fought for her life like a tiger, and enabled her to escape to a ravine near by, where she hid herself in the high switch-cane. From this place
^8 THE HISTORY OF
she heard the pitiful screams of Mrs. Stroud at- tempting to make her escape, but who was finally- tomahawked and left on the cold ground as dead. The house was soon entered, and the shrieks and cries of the helpless children, as they were torn from their couches and butchered by the heartless demons, rendered the night hideous. No pen can describe the terrible feelings of Mrs. Ogly as she lay in concealment and heard the woeful cries of her dear children as their precious lives were be- ing taken one by one.
After killing every person in reach, from the innocent little infant of Mrs. Stroud to the stout and brave William Ogly, the blood-thirsty heroes of the night marched triumphantly away, greatly rejoicing over the success of their victory. The profound silence which followed told the miserable woman that the bloody work was over. Early next morning the settlement was aroused with the sad news of the massacre, and many persons re- paired to the spot. They found six persons quietly asleep in death. Mrs. Stroud, who was tomahawked the night before, was not dead, but had managed to crawl into the house and pick out her little infant from the other mangled bodies in the room, and, having lost her mind, she was found stuffing her dead child's skull with leaves. Out of a family of eight, Ogly and four of his children were killed ; his wife and two small daugh- ters, Elizabeth and Mary Ann, were still alive, although these two children were scalped and
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. 2g
tomahawked, and left for dead. The dead were all buried together in an old wagon-body under an oak tree near the cabin ; the living were well cared for among the settlers until Col. Dale sent an es- cort from Fort Claiborne, and immediately started with them to Monroe County. Mrs. Stroud died on the way, and was buried by ,the side of the road. Mary Ann expired after reaching Clai- borne. Through the kind treatment of Dr. John Watkins, Elizabeth recovered from the injuries re- ceived at the massacre, and lived for many years in Butler Country. Her hair never looked natural, and she never gained her right mind. She lived over twoscore years, and died during the war between the States, having never married.
Mrs. Ogly afterward married John Dickerson, and they lived in the Manningham neighborhood the remainder of their lives, and raised a large family.
It should have been stated that previous to the Ogly massacre Thomas Gary erected, at his own expense, a small fort or block-house, about two miles west of where Fort Dale was afterwards built. This fort was built by Gary for the pur- pose of collecting fees from the settlers as they would come in for protection. About the same time the people in the Flat erected a fort on the place of Captain Saffold, who had, only a short time before, moved from the Ridge to that place. When the people in the flat heard of the Ogly massacre, they forthwith took their families into the fort,
30 THE HISTORY OF
which was soon named in honor of W. W. Bibb, the Governor of the Territory. The Governor had sent Colonel Samuel Dale to the place of ex- citement, and sent a good many soldiers with him to quiet the Indians. The people became dissat- isfied with paying Gary for staying in his fort, and at once decided to build another. Colonel Dale Immediately put them to work on Fort Dale, about two miles from Fort Gary. When Thomas Gary saw that the settlers were all determined to build a new fort, he was greatly troubled, and soon lost his mind. This is the first case of in- sanity in this county.
One week after the Ogly massacre, William P. Gardner, Daniel Shaw and John Hinson, in com- pany with Captains William Butler and James Safifold, started from Fort Bibb to carry an im- portant message to Fort Dale, then in the course of erection. As the forest was filled with mad Indians, ever anxious for an opportunity for kill- ing some unfortunate wanderer, but few persons would dare to undertake such an adventure. Well armed and mounted, these five braves rode proudly through the gates of the fort on the morn- ing of March 20, 18 18. There being no road cut out to Fort Bibb at that time, they took the trail up Pine Barren Creek. Having gone about the distance of four miles from the fort, and while passing around the head of a small ravine, they were fired upon by a band of Savannah Jack's warriors, who were hid in ambush.
31
Gardner and Shaw, being pierced with bullets, fell dead from their horses. Both Butler and Hin- son were wounded and thrown from their horses ; Saffold received no injury and was not thrown. Young Hinson soon caught his horse, which was a small pony, and remounted. As Butler could not recover his horse, and seeing that it was death to be left, he begged Saffold, who rode a large bay mare, to let him ride behind him. Saffold paid no attention to Captain Butler's earnest pleadings, but galloped away as rapidly as possible, leaving his poor comrade to his own fate. Saffold, being greatly frightened, soon reached Fort Bibb, and had told the news before Hinson arrived. The people in the fort were very indignant at the cow- ardly conduct of Saffold, and always blamed him for the death of Captain Butler, who was a man highly esteemed by everybody in the fort. There being no troops at this fort, they were compelled to send for aid to Colonel Samuel Dale, who was then at work building a fort at Poplar Springs,
To get a message such a distance under existing circumstances was very dangerous. After sev- eral hours' discussion, it was finally decided by chance that Alph. McGlocklen should be the courier. He at once set out for Fort Dale, cross- ing Pine Barren, and going on the north side of the creek in order to miss the Indians. The courier reached his destination about sunset and delivered the message. A detachment of soldiers was sent soon the next morning to the bloody
32 THE HISTORY OF
scene, and found Gardner and Shaw dead in one place, and Captain Butler horribly bruised and beaten to death two hundred yards from them. After burying the three dead heroes together, the soldiers set out in search of the red men. They found that the Indians had camped the night be- fore at a spring about three-quarters of a mile southeast of where Monterey was afterwards built. A blaze, indicating the direction of their course, was left on a pine on the top of the hill. They were traced into the swamp of Cedar Creek and given up as gone.
Every settler was by this time safe in the forts, which were well fortified and guarded. Troops were sent from Fort Claiborne to each of the forts in this county to assist in protecting the peo- ple against any further injury by the savages. The families remained in the forts the larger part of the year, expecting an attack from the enemy every moment.
In the spring of 1818, shortly after Butler was killed, the Indian^ came near Fort Bibb one night and took several horses from Dave Reddock, Thomas Carter and Josiah Hill, and a good many of Thomas Hill's fine beeves, which were killed and the flesh carried away in sacks. They were pursued by the militia and a few of the citizens, and the horses were tracked southward into the fork of Long Creek, where the Indians were found enjoying their spoils. Discovering the white men first, the savages hid themselves in the thick un-
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. 33
dergrowth of the swamp and awaited an oppor- tunity for an attack. The captain of the militia threw out a Hne of skirmishers, succeeded in catching the stolen horses, and began to burn the beef. One of the skirmishes, named William Cog- burn, who lived with James K. Benson, got upon a log in order that he might have a better view of the situation, and was commanded by one of the officers to get down. He replied that he was not afraid, but a bullet pierced his heart before he had hardly finished the sentence, and he fell dead upon the ground. The captain rallied his company, and attempted to make a charge against the en- emy, but not without some difficulty as a man could not be seen ten steps in the thick cane and bushes of the swamp, and the men were expecting to be shot down every moment. After firing a few volleys in the direction of the enemy, the com- pany set out for Fort Bibb, carrying with them the dead man and the captured horses.
The people, expecting an attack from the Indians every day, remained in the forts the larger part of the year 1818. They had considerable difficulty in providing themselves with food. It was some distance to Claiborne, and very dangerous to make trips through the forests when so many were be- ing killed by the savages. They, however, man- aged to make some corn during the year of fort life. Some would plow and hoe, while others would stand guard around the field with their guns ready to resist any attack.
34 THE HISTORY OF
CHAPTER IV.
All Danger of Another Attack by the Indians Re- moved, and Peace Restored — The County Rapidly Settled by Emigrants from Georgia and South Carolina — TJie Year \%\g a Year of Great Prosperity to the Settlers — Some of the Customs of the Times.
News was received in October that the Indians had left this section entirely, and that there was no danger of further disturbance. These tidings brought great joy to the hearts of the settlers, who had remained in the forts the larger part of the year, enduring all the hardships of the fort life, and feeling great anxiety for the preservation of their lives from a bloody grave. They immediately returned to their cabins in the forest, and began to work with renewed energy, making preparations for the following year.
When the news was spread abroad over the land that peace had been restored in the Territory of Alabama, thousands of families from Georgia, Tennessee, Virginia, North and South Carolina, and Kentucky, began to flock to this territory to find homes upon this fertile soil. A large num- ber of those coming from Georgia and South Caro- lina stopped in the present locality of Butler County. This was in the latter part of i8i8 and
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. 35
the early part of 1819. About this time, the fami- lies of the DunkHns, Herberts, BoUings, Gray dons, Judges, Farmers, Hutchinsons, Burnetts, Pick- enses, Smiths, Caldwells, Cooks, Waterses, Joneses, Dulaneys, Demings, Blacks, and Pickens, a large number of which settled near where Green- ville was afterward built. They were soon fol- lowed by the families of the Carters, Arringtons, Peavys, Donaldsons, Joneses, Mannings, Leving- stons, Crenshaws, Womacks, and others, who settled in different parts of the county.
All the land at that time belonged to the Govern- ment, and could be settled and cultivated by any person who so desired. Any one wishing to pur- chase land, could do so by going to the land office, which was then at Cahaba, on the Alabama River. There was nothing but a trailway to Cahaba at this early period ; a plain road was, however, cut in a few years. At first, the land agent would knock off different pieces of land to the highest bidder on certain days of sale ; and it very often oc- curred that a settler would lose his homestead, after spending several months of hard labor build- ing the house and clearing the land around it. If he did not lose it, it frequently happened that some person would bid against him, and make him pay about two or three prices for his home. A case is reported of a settler, who had spent both time and money on his place, and who had to re- build, after riding over a hundred miles on horse- back, and spending several weeks on the road to
36 THE HISTORY OF
Cahaba — his place having been knocked off to an- other person who overbid him. Another settler, in the same neighborhood, seeing how his friend had been treated, determined that he himself should not suffer the same treatment ; and when his land was put up for sale, he mounted a barrel, with rifle in hand, and announced that he would put a ball through the first man that bid against him for his own land. His place was knocked off to him at fifty cents per acre without any opposite bidding from any of the bystanders. But this law was soon changed, so that no person could buy another person's land after it had been improved. The price of all the land was regulated by law at ;^i.25 per acre, for rich as well as poor. All were well pleased at this solution of the prob- lem, and no further trouble was given to the people about their homes. Every family was soon pro- vided with as much land as it desired, and was happy.
In these early days, the soil was very fertile, and money plentiful. The surface of the ground was perfectly loose, and yielded corn on the least attention. The settlers would kick a hole with the heel of their shoe, drop in a few grains of corn, cover it up, and would gather good corn by only hoeing it once. There being no horses, cows, nor hogs in the county when the settlers came, the range was magnificent. Cane, pea-vines, grasses of all kinds, covered the face of the earth. The people lived the pioneei life, having but little
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. 37
use for money. Their dress, being almost entirely made at home, was of a very common type. The houses of the settlers were of the lowest order of architecture. They were roughly built of logs and poles, and covered with boards, held on by poles and pegs, as there were no nails to be had in the savage land in those days. The floor was generally of dirt, packed hard with mauls, and dried. Sometimes they were made of puncheons, which were poles split in half, with the flat side turned up. The chimneys were constructed of logs, sticks and dirt, and sometimes of rocks. The old-fashioned spinning-wheel and loom were a part of every family's furniture. The men spent their time in hunting, exploring the country, and work- ing some on the farm, while the women remained at home, looked after the children, spun and wove, cut out and made the garments, and cooked for the family.
There was no society at this time. Every- thing was work, although work to the adven- turous settlers was nothing more than a pas- time. They would frequently assemble to assist in a house-raising, a log-rolling, or a cotton-pick- ing. These meetings were both social and busi- ness-like. All the men and women, both young and old, would be present; the men would engage in the harder part of the work, and the other sex would prepare a meal, a kind of feast, for the settlers. After the work was done, they would spend several hours in telling tales of an adventur-
38 THE HISTORY OF
ous character, or of news from friends and relatives back in the old country. The few old settlers still liv- ing in the county, take great delight in telling some of these interesting and blood-curdling stories of early pioneer life. The author has col- lected a great many of these exciting narratives, but for want of space, will give only one in brief.
While a settler was out hunting, his dog bayed a bear in the cane-brake. The hunter, not know- ing what it was, crawled along through the cane with his gun ready to fire on short notice. When he was within eight feet of the object, a large bear made at him, breaking the cane as it came, blow- ing and puffing as if mad. Being greatly sur- prised and frightened at the sight of so dangerous an animal so near, the hunter turned himself as quickly as possible to flee, but, in turning, his foot was caught in a bamboo, and in attempting to free himself, he fell headlong into a brook — the bear still coming on him, reaching out his claws and blowing. The faithful dog, seeing his master in such a predicament, seized the bear by the hind leg, and began to tear his flesh vigorously. The bear turned immediately upon the dog, and the hunter escaped without injury.
The settlers always laughed heartily at the nar- row escape of their comrades, and considered them great heroes.
There were no churches nor preachers in the county at this time, and the people would fre-
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. 39
quently meet at some neighbor's house to engage in religious worship. A few chapters of the Scriptures being read, and a prayer or two offered, concluded the exercises, after which the settlers would spend some time in social and business con- v'ersation. Some persons would walk six or eight miles to these meetings. The settlers never lived close together, and neighbored with families ten or fifteen miles distant. The men carried their guns with them at all times, and brought down a buck or a turkey wherever they happened to meet them, regardless of the day of the week, or the work they were engaged in, whether plowing, hoeing, going to meeting, a burial, a marriage, or visiting their friends — it was never out of order to lay up something for eating purposes. It was some time before many of the settlers regarded Sunday more than any other day, for every day of the pioneer Hfe is a kind of hohday or time of rest and recreation.
The early settler cared but little for money, and spent a very adventurous, easy-going sort of life, caring more for his rifle, ammunition, dogs, and the best stands for deer and turkeys, than for speculation in lands and any of the industries by which he could soon lay up a large fortune for his family. None of them ever accumulated a large amount of wealth, but all provided their fami- lies with a comfortable country living. The edu- cation of the children was, for several years, almost entirely neglected, and a great many of
40 THE HISTORY OF
them grew up to be men and women without the least mental training.
CHAPTER V.
Men of Capital Begin to Locate in the County — Es- tablishment of Commerce — Mail Routes — Seat of Justice at Greenville — General Growth and Prosperity of the New Country — Great Demand for Landy Etc. , Etc.
The report soon reached the older States of the natural resources of the new country — the vast amount of game, the large tracts of land, the fer- tility and diversity of the soil, covered with inex- haustible forests of all kinds of timber, healthful localities, good water and everything at extremely low prices. Men of means spared no time in in- vesting their capital in lands, in locating in the forests, and in devoting their energies to the ac- cumulation of more wealth. The best land in the county was soon taken up, and large fields of cotton and corn were seen where once stood all sorts of trees, making a perfect wilderness.
William Martin started a store at Fort Dale in 1 8 19, carrying a small stock of general merchan- dise. A store was soon opened at Greenville, then called Buttsville. Stores near at hand, for
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. 4I
the convenience of the people, were very much needed at this time, as everything had to be hauled over one hundred miles to market. The profits on goods of all kinds were then immense, and everybody soon tried to conduct a store. Nearly every man that could afford it soon started in the business, and a joke went the rounds, that when a person approached a set- tler's house, a cock would fly up on the front yard fence, flap his wings, and crow, ' ' Master's got a store!" In 1821 permanent settlements had been made in the Flat, at Fort Dale, on the Ridge, and around Greenville, and the county was thickly enough settled to begin to want laws and courts to regulate the conduct of the people and give justice in all cases of dispute. The first court ever held in the county was held on some logs under the shade of a few large oaks, at Fort Dale, Judge Anderson Crenshaw presiding. The author was unable to find the nature of the cases on the docket at this term of the court, as no record of it can be found, nor does any citizen remember anything of it. There was a great demand now for roads to differ- ent parts of the country. The citizens had already applied to the Legislature for commissioners to lay out these roads, to establish a seat of justice, and open mail routes to the important places in the State for their convenience. The Legislature, then in session at Cahaba, appointed a Board of County Commissioners, and passed an act author- izing this board to locate a seat of justice for the
42 THE HISTORY OF
county, lay off as many lots, and dispose of the same in such manner, as they might think most expedient for the benefit of the county. This act was approved December 7, 1820. George W. Owen was Speaker of the House, Gabriel Moore, . President of the Senate, and Thomas Bibb was then acting as Governor of the State of Alabama. Joseph Dunklin, John BoUing and Jesse Stallings were members of this board. The board, having taken into consideration the best localities for the convenience of the whole county, finally decided on the place now known as Greenville as the seat of justice, and reported the result of their investi- gations to the Legislature at its next meeting.
An act was then passed authorizing the judge of the county court and the commissioners to levy an extra tax upon the property in the county for the purpose of building a court-house and jail in the town of Buttsville (the name afterwards being changed to Greenville), said town having been made the permanent seat of justice for Butler County. This act was approved December 18, 1 82 1. James Dellett, Speaker of the House; John D. Terrell, President of the Senate; Israel Pickens, Governor of Alabama.
The commissioners appointed May 5, 1822, as the day for laying out the town and locating the court-house. According to an understanding, the settlers from all parts of the county assembled at an early hour on the appointed day for the specified purpose, and took great delight in assisting in
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. 43
such a good work. No one ever saw a May day- more beautiful than the one on which the town of Buttsville was laid out and the site of the future court-house was staked. It is not known whether the few silver-tongued orators of the new county made the primeval forests of this locality resound with their gifted eloquence, or whether the day was spent in the earnest, silent work of laying out the town in the best approved style and in discuss- ing its future prosperity. The writer, however, is of the opinion that there was no display of elo- quence on this occasion.
The tide of emigration had already flooded some parts of the county with new settlers just from Georgia, South and North Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia, some of these bringing large num- bers of negroes and already beginning to lay plans for farming on a large scale. The Ridge was now settled up very rapidly, and all the land on Cedar Creek was taken up by the eager farmers, who had an eye for growing corn and cotton and get- ting rich from the sale of the fleecy staple. The demand for land in some localities was greater than the supply, consequently some were forced either to locate on the thinner and less productive soil of the county, or to fold their tents and seek other climes.
44 THE HISTORY OF
CHAPTER VI.
Great Need for Grist-Mills, Saw-Mills^ Gin-Houses^ Cotton Presses, Tanneries^ Shoe-Shops], Black- smiths, Carpenters, etc. — The New Country Showing Signs of an Advance in Civilizationy Etc., Etc.
The accommodations of the settlers in every respect were very poor. There was no place for them to have their corn ground into meal, no mills to get lumber from, no place to gin their cotton, no tanyards to prepare leather for making shoes, and no person to make the shoes when the leather was furnished. If one desired to build a house, he could not engage a carpenter to perform the work, as there were none ; if a horse needed shoeing, or if a plow or wagon was out of fix, there was no blacksmith to repair them. For several years some of the settlers made their meal with hand-mills, while others beat their corn in large mortars, burnt out of trunks of trees. The cotton that was used for making clothes — they at first raised cotton for no other purpose — was for several years separated from the seed by picking the seed out with the fingers. The few houses made of plank were very expensive, as the plank was sawed with a hand-whipsaw — quite a slow process of making plank compared with
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. 45
the rapid manner in which our mills now turn it out.
The great demand for these accommodations and the necessities of the country soon brought them into existence, and the people rejoiced, although they were forced to go ten and fifteen miles to a mill, and sometimes farther to a blacksmith or shoemaker. There being plenty of water in the county, it was not long before every neighborhood had a mill. The first of these, of course, did not have all the improvements of the mills of to-day, being very rude imitations of our mills, and they giound corn very slowly. It is said, however, that the meal turned out by them was more whole- some and nutritious than that ground by our fast mills of to-day. One by one these conveniences were given to the settlers, and the colony grad- ually changed from a land of savages to that of civilization. These changes always come grad- ually, and can hardly be detected by the people themselves. The small log huts were constantly torn down and replaced by neat, country dwell- ings of hewn logs or sawed planks, put up in the frame style. Public roads, leading to different parts of the country, were continually being cut out, and the stage-horn was soon heard to echo in the forest as the thundering stages went on their way from one part of the State to another, carry- ing mail as well as passengers. The whole coun- try began to show signs of civilization and growth. Emigration continued, and every one that located
46 THE HISTORY OF
here seemed to be well pleased. The yield of the land in these early days was really astonishing. Everything being cheap, it cost but little to live, and consequently the prosperity of the thrifty was remarkable.
There is nothing of importance to record for several years. Everything was work, money, and abundance. Education and the various accom- plishments, as well as the luxuries of higher civ- ilization were gradually introduced, until the county and the people became enlightened in many respects. Everything moved on quietly and smoothly until 1855, when an effort was made to have a railroad run through the county for the transportation of produce and the accommodation of the people. This enterprise received great en- couragement from the wealthy and influential men of the county, and was soon a reality. It was not until 1 86 1 that the road was completed. In May of that year Butler County was in communication with Montgomery and Mobile, the two principal towns in the State. Their cotton, corn, stock, timber, leather, and any other part of their pro- ducts could be shipped to any part of the country in a few days.
This railroad, known as the Mobile and Mont- gomery, was of great value to the county. More emigrants flocked to the county, land rose in value, wages were raised and the whole county began to show decided evidences of an increased prosperity.
GOV. T. H. WATTS,
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. 4/
CHAPTER VII.
Thomas Hill Watts, Ex-Governor of AlabarKa.
This honored citizen of Alabama was born in Butler County, January 3, 18 19, and was the eldest child of John H. and Prudence Watts, who moved in 18 17 from Greene County, Georgia, to Butler County, in the then Territory of Alabama. His father was among the first settlers of Butler County, and located the place now known in the Flat as the Watts' Old Place, and which is often visited as the birth-place of one of the Governors of Ala- bama. His mother was a daughter of Thomas Hill, who distinguished himself by his generosity to the first emigrants to this county, and after whom the subject of this sketch was named. The country being new, Governor Watts did not have the privilege of going to a good school until he was sixteen years of age, when he was sent to the Airy Mount Academy, in Dallas County, where he received careful instruction from James A. McLean, a thoroughly educated Scotchman. Here young Watts made rapid progress, and was pre- pared for college in 1836. He was admitted to the University of Virginia in November of the same year, where he remained until July, 1840, when he was graduated in all the schools in the regular course except the school of the Greek
48 THE HISTORY OF
language and literature. In addition to the regu- lar academic course, he received certificates of proficiency in political economy, geology and mineralogy. During the last session at the Uni- versity, he took the junior course in law. On his return home, in the summer of 1840, he found the county very much excited over the celebrated Harrison presidential campaign, and he began his political career by making several speeches in favor of the Whigs.
He continued the study of law at home until January, 1841, when he moved to Greenville, where he was admitted to the bar in March, on the examination of the eccentric Judge Ezekiel Pickens. He at once entered upon the duties of his profes- sion, but was often interrupted by politics.
In 1842, he was elected to the Legislature by the people of his native county, and was re- nominated in 1843, but declined the honor for want of time to devote to his business. He was, however, elected in 1844 and again in 1845 ; and made a good member of the Legislature each time. It was during his last session that the Con- stitution was changed so as to have only biennial sessions, and this was the last session at Tus- caloosa. On the lOth day of January, 1842, he was married to Miss Eliza B. Allen, the accom- plished daughter of Wade Allen, Esq., then a prominent and wealthy citizen of Montgomery. She died August 31, 1873, leaving a family of ten children. In 1847, Governor Watts removed to
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. 49
Montgomery. That city, then being the Capital of the State, was looked upon as headquarters for all the best lawyers of the Alabama bar. Here he opened an office, and enjoyed a successful prac- tice, soon winning the esteem and confidence of the intelligent people of the town and county. They showed their high appreciation of his worth by electing him to represent them in the House in 1849, and in the Senate in 1853. The Capitol was burned during the session of 1849, ^"^ ^^^ effort to remove the seat of Government back to Tus- caloosa, and not rebuild in Montgomery, was the absorbing question during the remainder of that session.
In 1855, he was the Whig candidate for Con- gress from this district, but was defeated by James F. Dowdell, Esq., the Democratic nominee. Al- though Mr. Watts was defeated by a small majority in this election, he was generally recognized as the leader of the Whig party in the State ; and was, accordingly, nominated as an elector on the Bell and Everett ticket in i860, hoping by their election to avoid, the necessity of secession. He was disappointed.
The whole South was, in the fall and winter of i860, in a state of intense excitement. William L. Yancey and Thomas H. Watts were elected by the people of Montgomery to the Secession Convention of the State, which assembled on the 7th day of Jan- uary, 1 86 1. Colonel Watts voted for and signed the Ordinance of Secession, a lithographic copy of
50 THE HISTORY OF
which now nangs in the library of the Supreme Court at Montgomery. After the organization of the Confederate Government, he was appointed by President Jefferson Davis, to act as Confederate States Commissioner to Arkansas, but declined the appointment from the fact that he was a mem- ber of the convention which seceded. In the spring of 1861, war was proclaimed against the Southern States by President Lincoln ; and Mr. Watts was instrumental in raising the 17th Alabama Regiment, of which he was elected colonel. He first entered active service at Pensacola, in the grand bombardment which took place there in 1861. In March, 1862, he was ordered to Corinth, Mis- sissippi, and it was while his regiment was at this place, that he received notice from President Davis of his appointment as Attorney General of the Confederate States, with the request that he immediately repair to Richmond. This appoint- ment was unsolicited by Colonel Watts or any of his friends, and shows how his ability as a lawyer was recognized by the public men of the South. With this appointment, Colonel Watts retired from the battle-field, after having won for himself a fine reputation in the military circles of the country, for bravery and gallantry.
He entered upon the duties of this office, April 9th, 1862, and continued to act as Attorney Gen- eral until October I, 1863. In August of that year, while he was absent from the State, the people of Alabama, from their high regard for his
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. 5 I
executive ability, elected him to the office of Chief Magistrate of his native State. He received a majority of the votes cast in every county of the State except Winston.
Governor Watts entered upon his administration under most trying circumstances. The cause of the South had already assumed a distressing as- pect ; the governmental affairs in every State were in a most embarrassing condition, and it required a steady nerve and a sound and experienced judg- ment to meet every emergency to the satisfaction of the oppressed people. Governor Watts guarded the interests of Alabama to the best of his ability, and made the best use possible of the means at his command, for the good of the general public. In these times of great trial and excitement, he held the reins of Government with a firm and unswerv- ing hand, and the people of this grand State were exceedingly fortunate in having such a man at the helm of the ship of State. It is a remarkable fact that he gave general satisfaction. During the sec- ond year of his administration, the cause of the South became the Lost Cause, and the Govern- ment of the people was changed to the Provisional Government. The people of the South know, by experience, the effects of this form of Govern- ment. Fortunately, the Government of the peo- ple has been re-established, and Alabama buds and blossoms again as of yore.
With the introduction of the Provisional Govern- ment, Thomas H. Watts, the distinguished Ex-
52 THE HISTORY OF
ecutive Officer, retired from public life. He has, ever since that time, diligently devoted himself to the practice of law^, giving his whole time and energy to every case entrusted to him. He has argued more cases in the Supreme Court of Ala- bama than any other lawyer that ever lived in this State ; and has defended over one hundred persons charged with murder, and never had one of his clients hanged. He still lives in Montgomery, and enjoys a good share of public patronage from different counties in the State ; and is a member of the firm of Watts & Watts, having taken in part- nership with him his son, Thomas H. Watts, Jr., who is a lawyer of recognized ability.
Governor Watts is a strong advocate of temper- ance, and has abstained from drinking any ardent spirits for forty years. He is now sixty-five years old, and still walks with the springing step of youth ; and is now able to do more work, both physical and mental, than he could do at the age of forty.
He has a good knowledge of hygiene, and en- joys perfect health. In August, 1846, while liv- ing at Greenville, he connected himself with the Baptist Church, and has been a consistent Chris- tian ever since. He is now a prominent member of the First Baptist Church of Montgomery, and contributes liberally to all charitable enterprises.
Before the war, he had accumulated a large amount of property, owning over 200 slaves, but, by his great liberality to friends during the needy
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. 53
times of the war, he lost his wealth, and was forced into bankruptcy in 1868.
Governor Watts is a warm-hearted, polite, tem- perate, intelligent, energetic, honest, conscientious Christian, and is worthy of the admiration of all those who appreciate the rare qualities of a truly great man. He has many relatives, and a host of warm friends in Butler County, who remember him very distinctly, and refer to his name with a great deal of patriotic pride. Let the noble ex- ample of Governor Thomas H. Watts serve to kindle in the breasts of the young men of Butler County, the desire to make their lives useful, and light up the pages of Southern history with their illustrious names !
CHAPTER Vni.
The War Between the States Interferes with the Great Prosperity of the People — The County Furnishes Many Brave Soldiers — The War Robs Her of Some of Her Best Men and Sweeps Away the Wealth of Her Citizens, Etc.
Amid great prosperity and progress, the South was stirred from center to circumference in 1861, by a declaration of war between the States. The party issues of the country culminated in the elec- tion of Abraham Lincoln to the Presidency of the
54 THE HISTORY OF
United States in i860, and war was declared against the Southern States no sooner than he had taken his seat as Chief Executive Officer. The Southern States, feehng that their people deserved justice, seceded from the Union, and formed the Confederacy, to decide all party issues at the point of the bayonet. The author will not attempt to enter into the details of this bloody conflict be- tween the North and the South. He is concerned only in the part that Butler County took in the matter, and how she suffered from the effects of the conflict.
Her men were brave and heroic sons of liberty, and espoused the Southern cause with as much patriotism as Roman soldiers. The Greenville Guards, with Captain H. A. Herbert in command, set out for Richmond early in May, 1861. Sev- eral military companies were soon organized and equipped by the citizens of the county, and sent to the battle-field to fight for justice to rule over the land. The whole county was enthusiastic on the subject of joining the Confederate Army, and six- teen companies were soon formed, and marched toward the scene of action, feeling almost confi- dent that their arrival would determine the result of the contest in favor of the South. The noble and thoughtful women from all parts of the county greatly assisted in the equipment of these com- panies of gallant men, and underwent many hardships and privations for the soldier-boys far from home. They worked with untiring energy
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. 55
to provide for their families and keep the soldiers in clothing at the same time. These patriotic daughters of Butler County, many of whom are still living in our midst, should be praised as much for the noble part they took in the late war, as our gallant soldiers, who spilt their life-blood on the gory fields of battle, and each should wear a crown of gold for their many self-denials in "the times that tried men's souls."
The wheels of commerce were soon clogged by the struggles of war, and all the luxuries, as well as some of the necessities, of life were taken from the people. The cards, the spinning-wheel and loom of pioneer life had to be pressed back into service, for making clothing for the family at home and for the absent ones fighting for peace and justice. Coffee and tea were hardly to be had at any price. Meal, bran, okra, potatoes, sassafras and other things were substituted as a beverage for coffee and tea.
A few men remained behind to prepare food for the army by working the slaves of several plan- tations in connection, and these men generally succeeded in making a good harvest every year during the war. The negroes labored faithfully and showed no signs of discontent, and are to be highly commended for their conduct and action in this great struggle concerning their future freedom. News was constantly received of the death of a brother, father, son, other near relatives, neigh- bors, or of the defeat of the Confederates in some
$6 THE HISTORY OF
battle; but this did not discourage the men at home nor the brave-hearted women, for they con- tinued to work without thinking of giving up hope of victory for the Southern people. It is, indeed, sad, that all their hopes, arduous labors, self-deni- als, earnest and tearful prayers should be in vain; and, though the bravest and most gallant men of the nineteenth century fought for the Confederacy, the South was defeated. And in the spring of 1865, while the South bloomed in all the beauty of her flowers, and shed sweet fragrance over the soil made sacred by the blood of her noble citizens, the whole country was pillaged and plundered by the Federal Army — not satisfied with the injury al- ready done the rebels, these thoughtless victors proceeded to drain the last drop of blood from the veins of the Southern people. The horse or mule was taken from the plow, corn from the barn, meat from the smoke-house, the last cent from the purse, every piece of jewelry that could be found — all these, and any other valuables that were in reach, were boldly seized by the Union soldiers and either carried off or destroyed. The dome of heaven was often lit up by glaring light from the flames that laid in ashes the palatial home of some Southern family. During this great excitement the Confederate soldiers began to return to their homes, to find the whole country in perfect con- fusion.
After all the soldiers had returned, many of Butler's brave and noble sons were found absent.
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. 57
Among the gallant officers that were left dead upon the battle-field were Colonel Samuel Adams, commander of the Thirty-third Regiment; Captains R. N. Cook, Zachariah Daniel, William E. Dod- son, E. Y. Hill, Lewis A. Livingston, J. D. Mc- Kee, H. H. Rutledge and William S. Sims. Besides these officers, there were many privates whose names the author could not mention here for want of space, although they were noted for their gallantry and courage in many hard-fought battles.
The war being over and the freedom of the col- ored people established, great excitement pre- vailed among the negroes. Some went off with the Union soldiers, while others, more sensible, contracted with their old masters to stay with them the remainder of the year for a certain part of the crop. All the bonds issued by the Con- federate Government had now no value whatever, and cash money was at a premium. The citizens of the county, being robbed of their wealth by the freedom of their slaves and the high taxes of the war, began at once to arrange their business matters, to provide for their respective households and make the best of the circumstances in which the country was placed by the late war. In addition to the many disadvantages and embarrassments of the times, the people had to endure the provisional form of government, and be ruled by men either directly opposed to the Southern cause, or who were in sympathy with the Union men, and had
58 THE HISTORY OF
turned traitor to the South for the purpose of gain. Every office in Butler County was soon filled by an officer against the will of the ma- jority of the most intelligent citizens of the county. Several years were spent in trying to readjust matters, to wind up bankrupt and insolvent es- tates, and get back into the old path of happiness and prosperity. Many wealthy citizens sank amid the financial crash, only to rise in poverty and obscurity. This state of things could not last always, and a change for the better was earnestly hoped for by the downtrodden people. They gave up all hopes of the negro as ever being of any more service to them financially, and began to concentrate all their energies to fight their own battle in the struggle for subsistence.
CHAPTER IX.
The People Manage to Survive the Oppressive Times Which Followed the War, and Begin to Pros- per— They Succeed in Electing Their County Officers from the Ranks of the Intelligent Dem- ocrats, and are no Longer Governed by Carpet- Baggers and Republicans — The Prosperity of the People Assured^ Etc.
The business interests of the county were now
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. 59
in a bad condition. No one's credit was good for any amount ; the commerce of the whole country- was greatly affected by the destruction of the war; the labor of these sections was of no service to the people for some time, and many other things retarded the progress of the county for several years. But this state of affairs could not last al- ways. The clouds soon began to break away in the East, and a bright sun rose to shine in all its grandeur and splendor upon the desperate efforts of the Southern people to free themselves from the oppression of the times, and restore peace, happiness and prosperity in this their beautiful land.
In 1874, the affairs of the county were removed from the hands of the Republican party, where they had suffered greatly from the want of proper attention, and all the offices were filled with men elected by the Democrats — this party consisting of a majority of the most intelligent and influen- tial voters of the county. The result of this elec- tion was received with great joy by the whites, for it meant that the provisional form of government was abolished, and justice and right should once more rule over the people.
The principal officers inaugurated under the new regime in the fall of 1874, were John L. Powell, Judge of Probate Court; Ransom Scale, Clerk of the Circuit Court, and William M. Flow- ers, County Sheriff.
The whole county now presents a different as-
60 THE HISTORY OF
pect — the farming and business interests begin to look up and prosperity is secured to the thrifty. All kinds of enterprises of the citizens receive great encouragement, and the natural resources of the county begin to be developed by the capitalist. The immense forests were brought in service for making houses, and shipping timber to different parts of the State ; farming land and all kinds of real estate increase in value, and everything once more assumes an air of prosperity. This progress has steadily continued from that day, until Butler County stands to-day abreast with any county in the State in nearly every respect, and is far ahead of the average in some particulars.
CHAPTER X.
A General Description of the Present Resources of the County y and Its Prospects for Future Devel- opment.
We will now take the reader over a summary of all the resources of thb county, showing him its area of cultivated and uncultivated lands, the variety of soil in different localities, with its pro- ducts ; and, in fact, everything of interest to a per- son in search of general information will be found in this chapter. A fuller description of the small
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. 6 1
villages and neighborhoods in particular localities of the county can be read in the second part of this book.
There are in this county about 450,000 acres of land, about 5,200 of which belongs to the Gov- ernment, subject to homestead entry at the rate of ten cents per acre; the rest is owned by cor- porations and private individuals. The Mobile and Montgomery Railroad, which extends about thirty-four miles nearly diagonally across the county, owns 8,800 acres, valued at ^1.25 per acre; the Michigan Land Company owns 10,700 acres, the Milner, Caldwell & Flowers Mill cor- poration owns 25,000 acres, and Judge Samuel Boiling pays taxes on 20,000 acres. Joseph Steiner, W. W. Wilkinson, and others, own small plantations in several portions of the county.
The mineral resources of the county are lim- ited. Up to the present there has been reported but one deposit of iron ore which contains enough metallic iron to pay for working it.
The real value of the land, as well as its market price, depends upon the amount of timber on it, its agricultural products, and its locality. All the land of the county can be classified under three heads, viz., the Prairie, or Black Belt; the Mid- dle, or Red Clay Belt; and the Southern, or Gray Lands.
Black Belt. The land in the northwestern part of the county, drained by Cedar Creek and the lower half of Wolf Creek, and lying north of Man-
62 THE HISTORY OF
ningham, and north of Monterey, and bordering these villages on the north, is of the black prairie variety, and is very productive without any assist- ance in the way of fertilizers. There are about 8,500 acres of this land, nearly all of which is in a high state of cultivation. The principal growth on these lands was red cedar, ash, hickory, sev- eral kinds of oak, covered with gray moss, poplar, wahoo, elm, sweet gum, dogwood, etc. Cane also grows vigorously in this region. This soil yields from thirty-five to sixty bushels of corn, from 800 to 1,700 pounds of seed cotton per acre, and other things in proportion. From the richness of the soil, this is the most valuable farming land in the county, selling for, at least, $\o, and some- times as high as $25, per acre. Fossils and rocks of the cretaceous division are plentiful here, and interfere somewhat with the higher cultivation of the soil. Water in this section is very scarce, and, when found, is impregnated with lime, which renders it almost unfit for drinking purposes, often producing sickness. The malaria, constantly rising from the stagnant water in the lagoons found on the edges of the swamps, is the cause of so much sickness, that but few people dare trust their health in this locality. A great many, neverthe- less, live along the dividing line between the red and the black land, and own plantations in this productive region.
Middle, or Red Clay Belt. This section borders the black belt of which we have just spoken, and
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. 6$
extends in a southern direction, occupying nearly all of that portion of the county lying north of Greenville, and including that city, and extending east to Crenshaw County. The red color of this soil is due to the large amount of iron oxide dif- fused through it. In some places this iron has been concentrated, probably by the agency of cir- culating atmospheric water charged with organic matter, and may now be found in beds of very fair needle iron ore, yielding about fifty per cent, of metallic iron upon analysis. This deposit of ore begins in the neighborhood of Dead Fall, and is found on the tops of hills from this place around to near McBride's, in the eastern part of the county. The red clay section is not near so pro- ductive as the prairie lands, but when properly assisted by some kind of fertilizer, it has been known to produce very abundantly. Naturally, it yields from six to eight hundred pounds of seed cotton, and from fifteen to twenty bushels of corn per acre, but can be made to produce three or four times as much if properly assisted and cultivated. The natural growth is chestnut, oak, hickory, gum, long and short-leaf pine, etc. This land is generally termed rolling, and is sup- plied with plenty of freestone water. The locality is healthful and convenient to market. The lar- ger portion of this division is already under culti- vation, and is valued at from ;^5 to $\^ per acre. Gray, or Sandy Loam Belt. The third, or gray belt, embraces all the land covered with yellow
64 THE HISTORY OF
pine timber as the principal growth, and includes the most of the land lying in the middle and southern part of the county. This soil, which is of a gray, sandy variety, is very productive when properly assisted by fertilization, and can not be cultivated to any advantage if some help is not received in the way of manure, bone phosphate, or some kind of decayed organic matter. The land is very valuable for its pure freestone water, its healthfulness of locality, and its immense for- ests of long-leaf pine, which are now being util- ized by having the timber sawed into lumber and shipping it in large quantities to the Western States, where it finds a ready market. This land, having plenty of timber, an abundance of good water, being level and susceptible of the highest stages of cultivation, will soon be the most valua- ble land in the county. Those desiring a safe investment would do well to purchase a few hun- dred acres of this land while it is comparatively cheap, the price now being from 50 cents to ;^io an acre, and if the development in this region con- tinues, the value will increase to four and five times what it now is. The land at Forest Home, in the western part of the county, is of this variety, and has been developed in a remarkable manner within the last ten years. In 1870 the best land could be bought for $^ per acre ; none can be bought now for less than $2^ per acre. All of our gray lands are becoming more and more in demand every day. They promise to be
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. 6$
the garden spot of the South for truck farming. This has been thoroughly demonstrated by ex- periments in the growth of all kinds of vegetables known to grow in this climate. All kinds of grapes and fruit trees can be as profitably culti- vated here as the vegetables. All of the agricul- tural and horticultural properties of this soil have been thoroughly tested by skilled farmers living in different localities of the county.
Cotton is Butler's principal product, yielding 15,000 bales as the average crop. All of the land is well adapted to the growth of corn, cotton, oats, sweet and Irish potatoes, sugar cane, all kinds of garden plants and fruits of nearly every variety known. The author is of the opinion that it would be far better for the farmers to have a di- versity of agricultural products than to depend upon cotton as the only source of revenue or pay. This plan is practicable in many respects. In the first place, the cotton crop often turns out a faik ure; in this case other products would help out; another good reason is, it would make the farmers more independent; they could live more at home, live better, and become more prosperous. There are 108,480 acres of tilled land in the county, planted as follows: cotton, 41,320; corn, 21,570; oats, 15,350; sweet potatoes, 860; these being the principal products.
Greenville, Butler's seat of justice, is located a little north of the center of the county, on the Mobile and Montgomery Division of the Louisville
66 THE HISTORY OF
and Nashville Railroad, forty-five miles south of Montgomery, the Capital of the State. This is our largest town, and is an incorporated city of about 4,000 inhabitants. There are five com- modious churches and several fine schools at this place. The Greenville Collegiate Institute is un- der the control of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and the South Alabama Female Institute under the supervision of the Baptist denomina- tion. Besides these, there are several private schools — the Greenville Male High School, the Butler High School, and others, all of them hav- ing the services of competent and experienced teachers, who giv.e instruction in the different de- partments of science and literature.
The court-house is beautifully located in the eastern part of the town, and is a very durable building, constructed of the best quality of pressed brick. The Greenville Advocate, the only paper now published in the county, is printed here every Wednesday, with Colonel J. B. Stanley as editor and proprietor.
Georgiana, fourteen miles south of Greenville, is a flourishing little town of 800 souls, and ranks next to Greenville in importance in the county. Garland is about twenty miles below Greenville; population, 300. Both of these towns are on the railroad. Forest Home, a village fifteen miles west of Greenville, is located in a beautiful and productive part of the county. Manningham and Monterey, villages situated on the southern bor-
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. 6/
der of the fertile black prairie belt, are very de- sirable localities in many respects.
The people enjoy a very good system of public schools established in every township, the salaries of the teachers being paid by an appropriation an- nually made by the State for that purpose. The private schools are generally very good, but are not what they should be. The people are not as much aroused upon the subject of education as their interests demand, and it is sincerely hoped that they will soon arouse themselves from their apparent lethargy, in order that they may be in har- mony with the efforts now being made by the State to advance the cause of education and to ex- tend its enlightening influence to the masses of the people.
We have no rivers in Butler, though the county is well supplied with water. The most of the streams furnish sufficient water-power to run any kind of machinery, when properly applied. Water- power is now extensively used throughout the county for grinding corn and ginning cotton. Pigeon and Persimmon are our longest and largest creeks, and are both used to some extent for raft- ing pine and cypress timber to Pensacola, Florida, for ship-building purposes.
There are several large steam-power saw-mills situated on the Louisville and Nashville Railroad, which are doing a very successful business in con- verting our pine forests into very fine lumber.
68 BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA.
Water-power in other parts of the county is util- ized for this purpose.
Within the borders of the county are found seventy-six churches, most of which are Method- ist and Baptist. None of these churches have preaching every Sunday except those in Green- ville, but they all have services, at least, once •each month during the year. This exerts a won- derful influence upon the people throughout the county, and assists very materially in molding their character and in making of them good and useful citizens. Churches, wherever found, are a good sign of an enlightened and prosperous people.
Butler County is known throughout the State for her many accommodations, for her refined society, and for the general intelligence of her citizens. No portion of Alabama is more desira- ble for homes and agricultural purposes than por- tions of this county, and few people are so happy and contented as her people.
The following tabular statement will show the population as it is given by the Federal census: —
1820. 1830. 1840. 1850. i860. 1870. 1880. Whites, 835 3,904 6,192 7,162 11,260 8,590 10,684 Blacks, 570 1,746 2,493 3.674 6,862 6,391 8,965
Total, 1,405 5,650 8,687 10,836 18,122 14,981 19,649
The decrease in the population in 1870 is due
to the number of men killed in the war, and to the
fact that a part of the county was cut off in the
formation of Crenshaw County.
Part 1 1.
This Part of the Work Contains a Description
OF THE Towns and Villages in the County,
AND Short Sketches of a Few of the
Most Distinguished Kesidents.
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. ^1
CHAPTER XL
Pine Flat.
The level portion of low, flat land between Red dock and Pine Barren Creeks, was originally covered with a pine forest and a dense under- growth of dogwood. From the thickness of this undergrowth, this section of the county was called Dogwood Flat, but the name was afterward changed, and is now known as the Pine Flat. The soil of Pine Flat is a brown loam, and pro- duces abundantly, when properly fertilized and cultivated. It was in this beautiful section of level country that James K. Benson erected the first house ever erected by a white man in this county. The exact date of this historical fact is not known, but the best authorities in the county give it as 1815. The part of Butler County north- west of the Federal Road, belonged to Monroe County at that time.
Reuben Hill, the elder son of Thomas Hill, came to Alabama the same year, and being well pleased with Pine Flat, persuaded his father to leave the State of Georgia and come to the new Territory of Alabama. In the fall of 18 16, a party, composed of the following persons, came to try the new country : Thomas Hill, his two sons, Reuben and Josiah ; Warren A. Thompson ; Cap-
72 THE HISTORY OF
tain John H. Watts, (Ex-Governor Thomas H. Watts' father); Benjamin Hill (brother of Thomas Hill), and his son Isaac. All of these persons had horses, cattle, and enough provisions to last one year. Tommy Hill settled the place now owned by James Reynolds ; Captain Watts settled the Watts' place ; the other members of the party re- mained with these in their houses. 'Squire James K. Benson brought his family here in the fall of
1817, and Thomas and Benjamin Hill brought their families the winter of the same year.
Thomas Hill was one of the pioneer settlers, and named a good many creeks in this part of Butler County. He was born in the great State of Virginia, and was a herder of cattle. When quite a young man, he drove his herds from his native State into North Carolina and then into South Carolina. Becoming dissatisfied with the range in his State, he carried his stock to Georgia, finally removing them to the Territory of Alabama in 1816.
When the Ogly Massacre took place in March,
18 1 8, the people of this section of country erected a fort on a piece of land a little more elevated than the surrounding country. This was on Cap- tain Saffold's place, who had only been here for a few months. This place of refuge for the white people was known as Fort Bibb, named in honor of the Governor of the Alabama Territory. The Saffold place was afterward purchased by some of the Carters, and is still known as the Carter place,
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. 73
but is now owned by Peter Cheatham. After remaining in the fort the whole year of i8i8, the people became dissatisfied with this locality, and moved farther West, but their places were soon filled by other emigrants from Georgia, who tried their lots in the Flat. Not being accustomed to the frontier style of living, some of these soon be- came dissatisfied and moved farther West, those remaining, soon wishing that they had done like- wise; for, not taking the proper care of their horses, and feeding them exclusively on switch- cane, the animals soon died, leaving the settlers with no teams to haul their provisions from Clai- borne, and no other means of tilling the soil than by hoeing.
The families that remained in the Flat soon be- came prosperous, from their untiring energy and the readiness with which the soil yielded to the de- sires of the tillers.
A visit to this old settlement will convince any person of the wealth of its first settlers. Some of the palatial residences are still to be seen, but are now crumbling under the frosts of sixty winters. Although this land has been cleared over fifty years, the soil produces corn, oats, and cotton about as well here as on any similar soil in the county.
Land is valued from i^io.oo to ;^ 15.00 per acre, but can not be bought for hardly any price. Those living here are too well satisfied to sell their inter- est for the purpose of trying some other locality.
74 THE HISTORY OF
There are three mails per week from Greenville. The name of the post-office is Butler Springs, and put down on the map, Reynolds.
Ex-Governor Thomas H. Watts was born in the Flat, and his mother and father were buried here in the old family graveyard. Captain John H. Watts was born in April, 1781, and died October, 1841.
There is an old church at this place which has long been established.
John Smith lives in this neighborhood, and is the wealthiest man here now, and is a man of considerable influence. James Reynolds, the postmaster here, is known throughout the county.
CHAPTER XII.
Fort Dale.
This fort was erected in the spring of 18 18, by order of Colonel Samuel Dale, who had charge of a garrison of soldiers at Fort Claiborne. It was built on the top of a small hill, near a spring, now known as the old Poplar Spring, in the neighbor- hood of Oak Grove Church. Although all traces of the fort have long since been removed, the spot still bears the name of the noble soldier who was so instrumental in its erection for the protection
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. 75
of the whites against outrageous attacks by the Indians, that reluctantly saw their favorite hunt- ing-grounds turned into corn-fields. All the peo- ple in this part of the county sought refuge in this fort, and remained there the larger portion of 1818, although a red man was not to be seen.
After the excitement of 18 18 was over, the settlers returned to their homes and resumed work. Colonel A. T. Perry entered the land on which the fort was built, and lived there several years, finally selling it to Joseph Hartley, who came from Putnam County, Georgia, January 15, 1825. Hart- ley built a good house of logs, which were sawed with a whipsaw, and cleared a large field around the fort. Several families had settled near the fort, making a kind of village. William Martin started a small store in 18 19, and others were opened soon after. These were the first stores in Butler County. A small one was, however, started at Greenville, shortly after this. It is said by some of the older inhabitants, that the first court of any kind ever held in the county, was held here at Fort Dale, on some logs, before Judge Ander- son Crenshaw. This place, like all other new places of the county, was often frequented by the citizens of the county, and was the scene of many foot-races, horse-swappings, drinkings, fightings, etc. One of the most notable characters that visited Fort Dale, was Betsy Donaldson, whose father lived about two miles from Greenville. There is quite a contrast between this representa-
'J^ THE HISTORY OF
tive of the opposite sex at that early period in the history of the county and the average maiden of to-day. She was about six feet in height, very stout and muscular, and weighed about i8o pounds. She was a maid of about eighteen sum- mers, when, one day, while her father was ab- sent from home, she killed a large bear, which had made an attack upon some hogs in the field near her home. This demonstration of her bravery, gave her a considerable reputation among the many adventurers of the county. She increased her reputation by throwing William Tragus, a worthless young man, into Stalling's Creek one night, for attempting to escort her home against her consent. She frequently visited the stores at Fort Dale, and was bantered for a wrestle one day by one of the bullies of the neighborhood. To the great delight of the bystanders, she gave her opponent a chance to show his agility and strength, and threw him the best two out of three. She soon entered the boxing-ring, and was equal to any man in the county in a pugilistic encounter. Her muscles were now so well developed that she was able to perform a number of wonderful feats of physical strength. It is said that she could pick up a barrel of whisky by the chimes, and raise the bung to her mouth and drink whisky from it without the assistance of any other person. After gaining so much notoriety, Betsy married a very quiet, peaceable man, and settled down, and made for him a good wife. They did not live in this
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. 7/
county long before they moved West, where they lived to a happy, old age. She and her husband have both, long since, been gathered to' their graves in peace.
When Greenville was made the seat of justice for Butler County, Fort Dale began to go down, and has continued in that direction ever since. There are but a few families in the neighborhood now, and the stores have been closed many years past. The thing now at this place, of most in- terest to the general reader, is the old graveyard. Here are deposited the remains of many of the first settlers of the county, the descendants of whom are now scattered to all parts of the State. Thom^as Gary was the first person ever buried here. He was born in South Carolina, in 1764, and came to this county in January, 18 18, and died in the fort in April of the same year. He was a Tory. His wife died in 1826. Andrew Jones was buried here in 1822. Ennis McDaniel died in 1832. Many other pioneer settlers were buried here, but they have no tombs to mark their resting places, and to tell the people whose sepul- chre they guard. Many large trees, regardless of the sacred spots, have grown on the smoldering mounds. Among the old citizens recently buried here, are: Joseph Hartley, born 1769, died 1849; his wife, born 1777, died 1863. Jesse Stallings, born 1795, died 1881; his wife, born 1804, died 1883.
The palings that once inclosed this burial-place.
yS THE HISTORY OF
have long since rotted down, and should be re- placed by those who have relatives and friends buried here. A small amount, subscribed by each one interested, would be sufficient to put it in a decent condition.
CHAPTER XIII.
Greenville — Early Settlement — Made the Seat of Justice — Gradual Progress — Business Men — Changes Down to the Present.
This thriving little city is beautifully situated on the Louisville and Nashville Railroad, forty- five miles south of Montgomery. The locality is healthful, the water freestone ; the land, however, is not as level as it is in some other portions of the county ; the soil is of the red clay variety, giv- ing rise to an impalpable powder, or dust, in dry weather.
Although Greenville is not a very large town, she is one among the first places settled in the State, having received a few emigrants as early as 1 8 19. She has never made any rapid progress at any particular period of her history, but has grad- ually grown from a small village to her present size and importance. Like the great city of an- tiquity, Greenville was not built in a day.
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. 79
Previous to 18 19, the present site of Greenville was a. favorite resort for wild deer, hundreds of them often being seen at one time feeding upon the luxuriant growth of grass which covered her verdant hills, or lying down resting themselves in the cool and refreshing shade of the cane thickets that hid the mossy banks of the crystal streams from the face of the bright luminary of day. On the evening of the 14th of January, 18 19, the peace of this happy forest of oaks was disturbed by a train of emigrants, who had come from the State of South Carolina to the new country in search of future homes. Being favorably im- pressed with the appearance of this locality, they stopped for the night on what is now known as Routon's Branch, to rest themselves from the fatigue of the day, and to breathe the fresh and invigorating air characteristic of the locality.
After further investigation the next day, thay were all well pleased with the surroundings, and at once decided to erect their future homes in this beautiful portion of Nature's happy vineyard. Among the settlers included in this train of emi- grants were James Dunklin, Joseph Dunklin, John Dunklin, Dr. Hilary Herbert, Webster Gil- bert, John Boiling, William Graydon, John Gray- don, William Payne, Thomas Coleman and Dr. George Herbert, eight of these emigrants having families. They brought with them fifty-two horses and twelve wagons, loaded with bedding, clothing, cooking utensils, all kinds of food, and
8o THE HISTORY OF
an assortment of tools used in mechanical work. Each family selected a particular spot upon which - to erect a rude cabin, for the shelter and protection of its inmates from exposure to the weather and the danger of attack from wild beasts.
A few weeks after the first batch of emigrants had pitched their tents here, Ephraim Palmer, John Cook, N. Hutchinson, and others, came from the older States, and cast their lots with their friends in this locality. The same year came John Caldwell, Samuel Black, Ezekiel Pick- ens, David Waters, and Thomas Burnett, all of whom settled near where Greenville was after- wards located.
The first marriage in this county was confirmed in February, 1819, by John Cook, the Justice of the Peace, and the contracting parties were Dr. George Herbert and Miss Anna Dunklin. The day set apart for this great event was a cold and rainy one ; the magistrate was sick in bed, thereby compelling the couple to visit his house, and the ceremony was pronounced by Esquire Cook while sitting up in bed. The attendance on this occa- sion was small, compared to such grand social events in the higher circles of Greenville society of to-day, and, of course, the ceremony was marked with brevity and simplicity.
Ephraim Palmer erected the first log cabin in the immediate vicinity of Greenville, it being situ- ated about where the Sycamore stables were after- wards built. It was not long before this section
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. 8 1
of country was tolerably thickly settled, and it soon became necessary for the people of the county to have courts, judges, etc. The inhabit- ants of the South Carolina colony immediately took steps to have the court-house located in their midst, and thereby build up a town in this savage land.
The State Legislature, at its second session at Cahaba, in 1820, appointed a committee of citi- zens from different parts of the county, authoriz- ing them to select a suitable place for locating the seat of justice for Butler County, and further in- vesting in them the power of laying off as many lots as they may have purchased for that purpose, and dispose of the same in such a manner as they might deem most expedient for the county. The committee thus appointed, examined all the locali- ties in the new county, and decided upon the pres- ent site of Greenville as the proper place for the location of the court-house. On the i8th of De- cember, 1 82 1, the General Assembly passed an act authorizing the Judge of the County Court and the Board of Commissioners of the Roads and Revenue of Butler County to levy an extra tax upon the property of the people, for the purpose of building a court-house and jail in the town of Buttsville, said town having been made the per- manent seat of justice for the county.
The 5th of May, 1822, was set apart as the day for laying out the future town of Buttsville. It was named in honor of Captain Samuel Butts> a
82 THE HISTORY OF
Georgian, who was killed at the battle of Calabee, January, 1814. The good people of the little town petitioned the Legislature, and had the name changed to Greenville, in memory of the district in South Carolina by the same name, from which a majority of the first inhabitants of the hew town had emigrated.
The court-house was soon completed, and was a neat frame building, which served all the purposes of the people for over twenty-five years. It was a very good house when it, with all the jfublic records of the county, was consumed by fire in 1852. Another frame building was shortly erected on the same spot, and this was replaced in 1 87 1 by a substantial brick structure, at a cost of ;^i2,ooo. This building is a handsome piece of workmanship, and will, no doubt, last fifty years without much repairing.
About the same time the first court-house was erected, James Johnson put up a log house for Caulfield & Bell, who opened a small stock of goods in it, having hauled them from Claiborne on the Alabama River, a distance of over seventy miles. Thomas McDaniel soon purchased the outfit, and continued the business in the same storehouse. Whisky was a great article of com- merce in these early days, and it was sold to the customers at extremely low prices. J. C. and W. H. Caldwell entered the mercantile business shortly after, the former employing his spare time as a silversmith and jeweler. A hotel was now'
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. 83
erected by W. H. Caldwell, the father of Mrs. M. E. McKeller. William L. Yancey, the gifted orator of Alabama, who set the South on fire with his burning eloquence and caused the secession of the States in 1861, is said to have been among the early business men of Green- ville.
The Boiling Hotel, with John Boiling as pro- prietor, was situated south of the court-house. The proprietor of this primitive inn sold whisky and groceries to his customers on the spot where the Boiling Bar now stands, and kept the accounts of his debtors on the walls of his store with long marks of charcoal. Old Uncle Johnnie was a rare specimen of Butlerian character, and many inter- esting tales are still told of his native originality and shrewd disposition shown in the accumulation of this worid's goods. It is said of this good old financier that he never allowed an opportunity for making a dime to pass without making good use of it.
The first church was erected on a spot that is now inclosed in the limits of the old cemetery. It was in this small church that Parson James Dulaney expounded the Holy Scriptures to the colonists in his primitive style of delivery. All denominations in the vicinity used this house for some time, though it was generally considered to be Methodist. Religion and education were somewhat neglected for several years. The abso- lute necessities of every-day life had to be provided
84 THE HISTORY OF
for, before mental and spiritual training could be taken into consideration.
The little town constantly received additional citizens from the older States ; but, owing to the distance from the river and the inconvenience of transportation, she grew very slowly. Large teams were continually on the road to the land- ings on the Alabama River, carrying off the coun- try produce and hauling goods to Greenville in return. The transportation of news in these early days was an item of great importance. The United States mail system was not so perfect then as it is now, and, in some counties in the State, there was no mail communication whatever. The enterprising people of Butler were not long in de- vising plans by which they could have their mail transmitted without much delay. Horse mail routes were soon established, the first one being from Montgomery to Mobile, and making weekly trips. The Federal Road, which passed through a large part of Butler County, and within five miles of Greenville, was the route. The mail was first carried by Ward Taylor, on horseback, and afterward in a one-horse wagon.
As civihzation advanced, passengers needed transportation as well as letters ; consequently, a stage line was established, which carried both mail and travelers between Mobile and Montgomery. Clute and Powell were the owners of this line for some time. Other mail and stage routes be- tween different points in the State were after-
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. 8$
wards established for the convenience of the pubHc.
The restless minds of the progressive citizens soon became dissatisfied with this slow transpor- tation by horse-power, and expressed a great desire for a more speedy transportarion of mail, passengers, and all kinds of freight. The earnest efforts of some of the most energetic business men of the State, resulted in turning this long stage line into the Mobile and Montgomery Railroad, the exact course of the route being necessarily changed to the shortest line between these points. This road passed diagonally across Butler County, and within the corporate limits of the town of Greenville. This little place was now a town of several hundred souls, and her progress had been greatly retarded for the want of a more convenient means of transportation.
The passage of this railroad gave new life to Greenville, and filled her streets with many per- sons in search of homes and occupation within the borders of the inland town. Carpenters and brick- layers were employed, houses sprang up as if by magic, and the future greatness of Greenville was considered certain. But, ah ! we are too fast. Be- fore the deafening whistle had announced the ar- rival of the first iron-horse at the station of Greenville, war had been declared between the States of the Union, and instead of building up, the town retrograted during the time of this great conflict between the Union men and the Confed-
86 THE HISTORY OF
erates. A hospital was erected here as an asylum for the maimed soldiers, who had been wounded in defense of the Southern cause. Many of these unfortunate braves were nursed in this place by our noble, kind-hearted women, and some of them regained their strength sufficiently to re-enter the Confederate ranks; but a large number of them lingered, and died, and were buried beneath But- ler's sacred soil. Their lonely graves may be found in the old burial-ground below the old Crenshaw place, in the southwestern part of Greenville. The old hospital building still stands on the hill west of the depot, but is now used for tenant-houses, instead of a refuge for sick and wounded soldiers.
We will now go back and bring up the history of the schools and churches from the earliest times down to the present, leaving the progress of Greenville since the war for the latter part of this article. Let us first take up the churches.
The Holy Spirit knocks, and is forced to linger for some time, at the door of the colonist, before it finds an entrance into his rude apartments. The pioneer, who leads an easy, careless kind of life, filling his mind with heroic adventures, and caring more for hunting than for anything else, turns a deaf ear to the earnest pleadings of the evangelist, and forgets that this faithful adherent is teaching the sacred truths of the beloved Savior. From this fact, no churches were erected in Greenville for several years, and but few of the people con-
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. 8/
fessed their belief in the teachings of the Holy Book.
The Presbyterians are supposed to have estab- lished a church here some time before 1830; there was, however, preaching by the Methodists and Baptists previous to this time. The lot on which the church was built, was given by William Kirk- patrick, in 1825. This church has never been a strong one in Greenville, though it has always had on its roll of membership some of the most influential persons in this vicinity. Her members have always stood up to the standard of the old orthodox Presbyterian Church, whose followers, as a rule, live more in accordance with the laws of the Church than any other denomination now in existence. The pastors of this church have been the following highly esteemed servants of God: J. Bradshaw, James Stratton, E. O. Martin, S. McKee, D. Swift, Dr. Nail, James Nail, Robert Nail, Jr., George T. Petrie, Robert Keer, M. M. McCoy and John C. Duncan. The last-named gentleman has done a great deal to revive the cause here, and has managed to receive enough subscriptions from the members and friends of the church, to build a handsome brick structure as an earthly temple in which the generations to come can assemble and sing praises unto the Giver of all good and holy gifts.
Rev. Hanson Lee came into this part of God's vineyard in 1847, and held a series of meetings in the Presbyterian Church, which resulted in the
88 THE HISTORY OF
conversion of many precious souls into tne Bap- tist faith of salvation. With this outpouring- of God's Spirit among the people, this little band of Baptists has been increasing in strength, until to- day the membership of this church numbers over two hundred souls. Through the kindness of their Hberal friends, the Baptists held their religious services in the Presbyterian Church, until they could build a church of their own, which they did in 1854. Prominent among those who assisted in this noble enterprise, were : J. Thames, H. Rudulph and Dr. T. M. Bragg. The names of the pastors of this church are: Revs. W. Keith, J. E. Bell, Dr. J. B. Hawthorne, N. Taylor, P. Lundy, Dr. B. Goodwin, B. H. Crumpton, T. W. Hart and C. P. Fountain. It is said, that the services of Mr. Crumpton, at this church, met with more success than those of any other pastor ever in charge of this gentle fold.
The Protestant Methodists claim to have estab- lished the first church in the vicinity of Green- ville. This denomination was never very strong here, and finally sold their lot to the Methodist Episcopal denomination, in 1872. These earnest Christians immediately went to work, and suc- ceeded in erecting the finest church ever built in Greenville. William H. Flowers, Joseph Steiner and W. W. Wilkinson opened their hearts and purses, contributing ;^ 1,000 each for the comple- tion of this handsome edifice, which will stand for many years as the sanctuary of God, in all its
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. 89
beauty and grandeur. This little flock, in the short space of thirteen years, has increased to two hundred and thirty-five members. The Confer- ence has sent the following reverend gentlemen to look after this fold: J. W. Glenn, Charles King, W. M. Motley, Josiah Barker, O. R. Blue, John Urquhart, W. J. Mangum, W. A. J. Briggs, W. M. Motley, Josiah Bancroft, Dr. R. H. Rivers, J. R. Peavy and A. J. Lamar.
The Episcopal Church was founded in i860, by Rev. James Jarrett, of Montgomery, and its few followers served their Master for several years in the building that is now a part of the South Ala- bama Female Institute. In the course of time, however, this devoted rector succeeded in con- structing a building which bears the name of St Thomas's Church. Soon after the completion of this church, Mr. Jarrett went to Florida, and left the parish under the protecting care of Rev. Dr. Benister, who was followed by Rev. James D. Porter. After the untimely death of this young minister, the church was for several years without a resident priest. Rev. George R. Upton is now serving the church to the great satisfaction of the parish.
There are also a few Primitive Baptists in Green- ville. Their church was erected in 1881, on a piece of land donated by Judge Samuel J. Boiling. Rev. E. L. Norris, who has been the pastor ever since the church was moved to Greenville, was
go THE HISTORY OF
very instrumental in the establishment and promo- tion of.the primitive faith in this locality.
We have already taken up more space than was set apart for this article, but some remarks on the history of the schools of Greenville must be made. The South Alabama Institute is nothing more than the old Greenville Female School, es- tablished in 1846, by Thomas Herbert and his accomplished wife, Mrs. Dorothy Herbert ; both of whom came from Laurens Court House, South Carolina, where they had been successfully engaged in teaching for a number of years. Some time after the war, Prof. J. Mack. Thigpen became the Principal of this school, and soon built it up to the reputation of a female seminary of learning. He was greatly assisted by Rev. B. H. Crumpton, who advertised the school thoroughly, and in- duced a great many persons to send their daugh- ters here. All those coming from a distance, were allowed to board in any of the private fami- lies in the vicinity of the college buildings. In 1879, this institution was chartered, with the authority to confer certificates of graduation in the different branches taught in its curriculum. This school is indirectly under the control of a Board of Trustees, consisting of members of the Baptist Church, with the pastor of the Greenville Church as President of the Board. It has enrolled as many as 200 pupils during one session. Its prosperity has been gradually diminishing ever since Prof. J. M. Thigpen and Rev. B. H. Crump-
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. 9I
ton severed their connection with it. Prof. Milton Park, of Texas, was Superintendent of this insti- tution, but remained in, charge of it for only one year, when he returned to Texas.
The Greenville Male High School was estab- lished through the instrumentality of Rev. B. H. Crumpton, about 1876. The principal teachers have been Professors M. M. McCoy, L. R. Gra- ham, B. H. Abrams, George W. Thigpen, W. R. Mustin, Thomas J. Howell and John C. Duncan. Prof. George W. Thigpen has been the Principal since 1878, and has now Hmited the number of pupils to thirty. This school was originally a branch of the South Alabama Institute, and under the control of the Baptist denomination.
The Greenville Collegiate Institute was founded by the late Colonel James H. Dunklin, and char- tered in 1872. This earnest educator was greatly assisted by Joseph Steiner and W. W. Wilkinson in this important enterprise. The first President elected by the Board of Trustees, was Colonel James H. Dunklin, followed by Prof. Dyer, Rev. Dr. Urquhart, Prof. M. E. Butt, Rev. R. S. Hol- comb, Prof. George D. Hughes, who died in the service of President. He was succeeded by Prof. J. W. Holmes, whose successor is Prof. S. P. Rice. The college is now in a flourishing condi- tion, and enjoys a more extended patronage than ever before.
We will now take up the history of Greenville after the war. Many of Greenville's wealthy and
92 THE HISTORY OF
most influential citizens fell in the battles of this great conflict, but when the smoke had cleared away, the future size and importance of the town were clearly seen in the background. Houses were erected on every hand, persons moved in from all parts of the country, property rose in value, and, in 1870. the town had reached such dimensions as to require the services of a Mayor and other municipal officers to keep order in the thriving little city, now restless with progress. The State Legislature was accordingly petitioned to incor- porate Greenville as a city. A charter was granted by the Legislature, March 9, 1871, and ratified and accepted by the vote of the people on May 20, of the same year. John B. Lewis was elected the first Mayor of the city of Greenville.
Since this time, Greenville has continued to grow, both in population and in business, until to- day she claims 4,000 inhabitants in her vicinity, and an annual trade of ;^850,ooo. The authorities erected the City Hall and Market House in 1880, at the expense of the city. This commodious building cost the city ;^ 10,000, but is paying for itself in the way of fees collected for the use of it as a market and for other purposes.
In June, 1874, the young men of the city organ- ized a military company, which was given the name of the Greenville Light Guards, with D. B. Taylor as captain. The successors of Captain Taylor have been Captains H. M. Amerine, R. Y. For-
METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, GREENVILLE.
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. 93
ter and Robert E. Steiner, the present excellent commander.
In August, 1884, another military company was organized, and is under the command of Captain A. Steinhart. This company was named the But- ler Rifles. Both of these organizations are excel- lent military companies, and rank high among the different companies of the Second Regiment of Alabama State Troops. The whole of Butler County, as well as Greenville, feel a just pride in their gallant soldiers, even in the happy times of peace, for the members of these companies are among the best young men of Greenville. Three cheers for Greenville's militia !
The authorities of the city liave always striven to make all the improvements and changes that they thought would be most beneficial to the citi- zens. At different times they have improved her streets, sidewalks, etc. , and have kept her treasury well guarded. They have now begun the boring of artesian wells, for the purpose of furnishing the city with an abundant supply of water. Notwith- standing all this, Greenville is financially in a very healthy condition, having a surplus of several thousand dollars in her treasury unexpended. As long as progress and internal improvement is her motto, the outlook for Greenville's future pros- perity is very promising.
The author regrets that he was unable to pro- cure a complete list of the councilmen and other officers of the city, from 1871 down to the present
94 THE HISTORY OF
time. The list of Mayors, however, is about cor- rect.
COUNCIL FOR 1885.
Louis Harrell, ex-officio member of the Board and President.
J. C. Richardson, First Ward. J. T. Perry, Second Ward. J. M. Steiner, Third Ward. A. B. Dulin, Fourth Ward. P. N. Weatherly, Fifth Ward.
LIST OF MAYORS.
1 87 1 — John B. Lewis. 1872 — Alexander McKeller. 1873— A. B. Dulin. 1874— A. B. Dulin. 1875— S. B. Otts. 1876— John W. Mallett. 1877— L. M. Lane. 1878— J. F. Thames. 1879 — J. F. Thames. 1880— Hiram Pierce. 1 88 1 — Louis Harrell. 1882 — Hiram Pierce. 1883 — Louis Harrell. 1884 — Louis Harrell. 1885— Louis Harrell.
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. 95
CHAPTER XIV.
Greenville, 1885.
We have just carried the reader briefly over the gradual development of this pleasant little city. We shall now turn our attention to the Greenville of the present day.
Her corporate limits are about two miles square, and her officers claim 4,CX)0 inhabitants, the majority of whom are whites. In a business point of view, she is generally considered the most important point on the Louisville and Nash- ville Railroad between Mobile and Montgomery, receiving more freight, and shipping more cotton and other produce.
The amount of trade carried on here can be estimated, and its character and quality deter- mined, by the number and variety of stores, which may be classed thus: fifteen dry goods and grocery stores, four dealing in drugs, one in books and stationery, eight in family groceries, two in furniture, two in jewelry, four in hardware, three in notions, ten in confectioneries, and two in tinware. There are also three well-kept livery and feed stables, six warehouses for weighing and storing cotton, three gun-shops, two excellent car- riage shops, two shops for the manufacture of bri- dles and saddles and all kinds of harness, two shops for making tinware, several good blacksmith and
96 THE HISTORY OF
shoe-shops, eight liquor and biUiard saloons, one poor-house, three bakeries, five millinery stores, etc. The names of the most important firms are: D. G. DunkHn & Co., H. Z. Wilkinson & Co., A. G. Winkler, Flexner & Lichten, Charles Neuman, Drum & Ezekiel, Steiner Bros. & Co., Long & Greenhut, Wimberly & Co., J. T. Perry & Co., A. Steinhart, Weatherly & Barrow, Payne & Burnett, Beeland & Co., and J. K. Seale. The only bank- ing house here is owned by Joseph Steiner & Sons. H. Z. Wilkinson & Co. carry on some banking business, but do not keep a regular ex- change.
The travelers stopping here have the privilege of choosing between three well-kept hotels — the Perry House, at the depot; the Holzer House, about the center of the business part of town, and the City Hotel, near the court-house. Persons so desiring can procure very good board at private boarding-houses at reasonable rates.
The people belong to nearly all the religious denominations found in Southern cities. The whites have five churches — Methodist, Mission- ary Baptist, Primitive Baptist, Presbyterian and Episcopalian. The Methodists and Presbyterians have very durable brick churches ; the other de- nominations have neat frame buildings, suffi- ciently large for their present congregations. The colored people have four churches, all of which are made of wood.
The children and young people of Greenville
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. 9/
enjoy the advantage of receiving instruction from any of the following schools: The Greenville Col- legiate Institute, governed by a Board of Trustees appointed from members of the Methodist Church, and directly under the management of Professor S. P. Rice, male and female ; the South Alabama Female Institute, now under the supervision of Mrs, M. E. Garrett, who is assisted by several com- petent teachers ; the Greenville Male High School, with Professor George W. Thigpen as principal ; the Butler High School, for boys and girls, with Professor E. L. Norris as principal; the Home School, taught by the Misses Farrior. There are a few other schools taught in private families. Besides these, the State and county pay for the teaching of a public school, free of tuition. Green- ville could be made a great educational center, as it is healthful, conveniently located, with a favor- able climate and a refined society.
The health reports from the Medical Board of the county show that Greenville is the most healthy city of its size in the cotton belt. Within three miles of the court-house are situated the celebrated Roper Wells, whose waters, upon an- alysis, are found to be very valuable for medical purposes. Water is shipped from these wells to all parts of the United States. Five miles west of the city are found the Reddock Springs, noted for their healing properties in cases of dyspepsia, dropsy, consumption, etc. Within the limits of the city the water is freestone, of the very best
98 THE HISTORY OF
quality, and is found about forty feet from the surface of the earth. An artesian well is now be- ing bored, and when completed will furnish the city with an abundance of water for all uses.
The city is governed by a Board of Councilmen, elected by the citizens, and the laws are enforced by a mayor, as chief executive officer, assisted by a marshal and several police officers. By this means the people have perfect order, and enjoy all the privileges of city life. The city owns the two-story brick building called the City Hall, which is located near the center of the city. The basement of this building is rented and used as a market-house ; the second floor is used as the ar- mory for the Greenville Light Guards, and for theatrical performances, balls, etc. All the rev- enue collected from the use of this building is turned into the city treasury.
Greenville has twelve pleaders at the bar, whose persuasive powers make them rank high in their noble profession, and no citizen need fear that he will not get his deserts in this locality, for these followers of Blackstone are ever ready to prose- cute or defend those who may happen to be in need of their assistance and counsel. Those in need of medical advice have the privilege of nam- ing one of eight skilled physicians, who are ever ready and willing to prescribe, to the best of their ability. Greenville is not wanting in the dental profession. Three of these happy relievers of human pain hang their signs in conspicuous
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. 99
places in her streets, and inform the pubHc that all work in their line will receive prompt and careful attention.
The Greejtville Advocate, the only paper printed in the county, is issued here, and employs a large number of men to do different kinds of work.
From what has been said, we see that nearly every profession and trade is represented in Greenville, so that no one need go from her salu- brious shades in search of employment, for no city of the same size and importance has so great a diversity of work as the county-site of Butler.
The private residences here are mostly neat, comfortable and substantial structures, of the cot- tage order of architecture, and are especially adapted to this locality and chmate. But few are found of the palatial order. All, however, impress the observer with the fact that they are constructed in accordance with the most ap- proved patterns of modern workmanship, and are built both for their beauty of design and for the great convenience of those who occupy them.
The society of Greenville is marked by hon- esty, morality and intelligence, and will com- pare favorably in culture with that of any other city of the same size in Alabama. Since the late war, the higher circles are not controlled by the so-called aristocj'ats, and any person who is honest and worthy of respect is now permitted to enter the social circles without further restrictions.
100 THE HISTORY OF
CHAPTER XV.
Ridgeville,
This piace was once the center of civilization and culture in Butler County, but is now inhab- ited almost entirely by the American citizen of African descent. A high ridge of drift soil, with Cedar Creek on the north and Wolf Creek on the south, extends from Manningham about eight miles west, and this Ridge is the dividing line of the black prairie land in the county from the com- mon sandy land. This situation attracted the at- tention of many of the earliest settlers, who erected stately mansions upon this elevated locality, and enjoyed the healthful properties of the pure free- stone water that poured forth in abundance from the sides of the Ridge. This situation allowed the planters to live on the healthy Ridge and farm in the sickly swamps of Cedar Creek. As farming was the principal occupation, and as this was on the edge of the best farming land in the county, many of these planters soon accumulated wealth, and became the leading men in Butler County, both in culture and politics. Each farmer owned from twenty to sixty slaves, as much rich land as he cared to cultivate, and a fine buggy and car- riage, drawn by fat, sleek horses. But the Ridge has been considerably affected by the late war,
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. lOI
and now appears to be deserted, as far as wealth and culture is concerned. Who would have proph- esied this state of things in 1850? No one knows to-day what changes the morrow's sun may bring. The Ridge was first permanently settled about 1819. The following is a'list of the early settlers, as far as is known, with the names of the places settled : Adam Livingston settled the place now known as the George Lewis old place, in 1820; he sold out, and located the John B. Lewis place; Matherson Patton, the Watts place ; John and Dave Griffit, the Caldwell place. William Drake entered the land at the foot of the Ridge, now owned by Captain Ira Traweek. Drake sold to Thomas Hays in 1822. The same year. Jack Womack built a house on the place now owned by Dr. C. J. Knight. Andy Tarver entered the place now occupied by Mrs. M. A. Thompson. He killed a negro in 1822, and was forced to leave the State, giving his place to his brother, who soon sold it to Jesse Womack. The latter traded it to Thomas Hays, about 1830. The first store started on the Ridge, about 1822, was owned by James Earnest, and was at the place now known as the Lewis Womack place. There was a post- office at the store at that time, and the store was known as the old stand. This was a general dis- tributing point of the mail for the western and northern part of the county. This store and post- office was moved down the Ridge to the Caldwell place, and called Ridgeville. It was in 1835 1*^-
I02 THE HISTORY OF
moved to the crossroads at the Davis place, and is still known as Ridgeville. This same storehouse and post-office was afterward removed across Wolf Creek to Monterey, where it still remains. The post-office was called Monterey.
The Ridge was once the gayest place in Ala- bama. The people enjoyed themselves at foot and horse-racings, fightings, log-rollings, cotton- pickings, and sometimes dances and weddings. The people showed a decided disposition to fight. There was scarcely a public gathering of any kind, unless several fights occurred. The people were so accustomed to pugihstic encounters then, that the first question asked a person on his return from a gathering, was : ''Who fought to-day?" No deadly weapons, such as knives and pistols being used at that time, a person was rarely ever killed in one of these personal encounters. Fighting, boxing and wrestling were indulged in very freely by everybody, and afforded very innocent pas- time for the young men and boys of those early times. As the revenue laws were not so strict then as they are now, whisky was very cheap, and a large amount of it was annually consumed by the people of all classes. Many tales are told by the old settlers of the drunken fights that occurred on the Ridge, but they are not of enough importance to be mentioned, although they make up a. large part of the history of Ridge- ville.
The Ridge was a kind of continued village for
HON. WALTER H. CRENSHAW.
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. IO3
about eight miles, there being no two houses over half a mile apart on the whole Ridge.
Henry C. Jones taught the first school on the Ridge, about 1820. The people generally, had a very good country-school all the time, but were constantly changing their teachers, which always has its bad effects. A subscription was taken in 1830, and a substantial brick academy was built, which still stands in memory of the thoughtful fathers, the majority of whom have long since been cut down by the sickle of death.
A church was erected near the Waters old place, in 1835, ^^^ another near the Davis place, in 1850. Neither of these churches are now in use by the white people.
Many large families were reared upon the Ridge, the most important of which bear the following familiar names: Crenshaw, Caldwell, Hays, Lewis, Little, Patton, Waters, Watts and Womack.
CHAPTER XVL
Hon. Walter H. Crenshaw.
This noble citizen of Butler County was bom at Abbeville Court House, South Carolina, July 7, 1 8 17. He was the eldest son of Judge Ander- son Crenshaw, who emigrated to this State in the
104 "^^^ HISTORY OF
year 1 8 19, and located at Cahaba, then the Capi- tal of the State of Alabama. Judge Crenshaw soon moved to Butler County — about 182 1 — and settled the old Crenshaw place, on the Ridge below Manningham. The subject of this sketch was graduated at the State University at an early age, receiving the degree of Bachelor of Arts in 1834, he being then about 18 years of age.
After his school days were over, he began to read law under his father, but was not admitted to the bar until 1838. He was elected to repre- sent Butler County in the State Legislature in 1838, being hardly 21 years old. He received the degree of A. M. from the University of Ala- bama in 1837; he was appointed major of the Alabama State Militia, by the Governor, in 1837, and was promoted to the rank of colonel of the State Troops in 1848. He represented his county in the legislative halls of Alabama as follows: 1838, 1840, 1841, 1847, 1861 and 1863, and was Speaker of that noble body in 1861 and 1863. He was a member of the State Senate in 185 1, 1853 and 1865, being elected President of the Senate in 1865. He was noted for the grace and dignity with which he presided, and gave general satisfaction while occupying this high position.
He was appointed Judge of the Criminal Court of Butler County, and gave general satisfaction to the members of the bar and to the people, his de- cisions rarely ever being reversed by the Supreme Court.
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. IO5
Judge Crenshaw died from a stroke of paraly- sis, December 7, 1878. He was noted for his sound judgment and firmness of character, getting on the right side at first, and always sticking to it.
He accumulated considerable wealth in his younger days, but suffered considerable loss by the late war, and died in very ordinary circum- stances. He left a widow and six children. Cap- tain Edward Crenshaw, his eldest son, is an attorney-at-law in Greenville, where the remain- der of the family still lives.
CHAPTER XVn.
MamiingJiam.
Elijah Manning brought his negroes to this place in the fall of 181 8, and pitched the first tent on this soil. He brought his family from Geor- gia the next year, and was followed in 1820 by his cousin, Benjamin Manning. Both of these put up mills on Wolf Creek. Benjamin soon started a small store and had a post-office estab- lished for the convenience of the people. The Postmaster-General named the office Manningham, in honor of the first postmaster, which name it still retains. Grey Thigpen, Sr., settled about a quarter of a mile west of where the stores now
I06 THE HISTORY OF
stand. Judge Anderson Crenshaw settled the Crenshaw place about 1821, and opened a store soon after Elijah Manning started his. Several stores were put up at Manningham after this, there never being more than four at any particu- lar time. Grey Thigpen soon moved on Cedar Creek, about two miles northeast of the stores, where he brought up a large family of boys, whose names were: Job, now Dr. Thigpen, of Greenville; William J., Grey, Gideon, John, George, and one other, whose name I do not remember. The old man lived to a ripe old age, and died in 1877, having accumulated a considera- ble amount of this world's goods. Many of his descendants still live in this county, and are men of honor and integrity. Grey Thigpen is said to have built the first frame house in this county, the planks being sawed with a whipsaw.
The first massacre committed by the Indians took place about four miles east of Manningham, in 18 1 8. Mrs. Ogly, the wife of the man killed, afterwards married John Dickerson. John Dick- erson and his wife reared a large family in the Manningham neighborhood, some of whom are still living in this locality. John Dickerson died in 1866, and his wife in 1854. William Ashcraft and James Brown came to this county in 1830, and have been identified with Manningham ever since. Most of these old settlers have been gath- ered to their fathers, and the present inhabitants of Manningham know nothing of its past history.
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. 10/
Manningham was never noted for high culture and refinement, the majority of its people being always in ordinary circumstances and of practical disposition. There was never as much wealth here as there was on the Ridge. The schools were always of a common order, and hence the education of the children was limited. A large amount of whisky has been sold here, causing many men to become habitual drunkards. It was a place of much merriment at one time, but is now quite different. Jerry Simpson is the most prominent citizen of this place now, and owns the largest store here. There are now three small stores, one blacksmith-shop, shoe-shop, etc., and all in successful operation. Dr. J. D. Simmons has been practicing medicine here for many years. Dr. Harvey E. Scott has only been here for a short time, but has already won the confidence of the people, and enjoys a lucrative practice. The post-office is kept by Miss Mary Shell, who makes a very accommodating and efficient officer, and gives general satisfaction. The water is freestone, and very healthy. This being in the pine region, the land is not very valuable, and can be bought for $^ per acre, although some ask a much higher price for theirs.
The people of Manningham have long been be- hind in some respects, and they will remain so, unless they awake from the sleep into which they have thoughtlessly fallen, while other neighbor- hoods have kept abreast with this unquestionable
I08 THE HISTORY OF
age of progress. The schools should be made better, the churches need repairing, and the homes and farms would be more in harmony with those of neighboring towns if they had some improve- ments. It is to be hoped that the good people of Manningham will arouse themselves and place their village where it once was — in the front rank of progress and on the high road to prosperity.
CHAPTER XVIII.
Warren A. Thompson.
This old citizen of Butler was born in Clark County, Georgia, May lo, 1802. His father died in 1807, leaving a large family without any means of support, and his children were distributed among the neighbors. Thomas Hill took Warren, and adopted him. When Thomas Hill came to Ala- bama Territory in 18 16, he brought the adopted child with him. Warren spent the earlier days of his life driving cattle for this good old man, and worked faithfully for him until his death in 1821, and remained with his widow until she died in 1822. He was then about grown, and was thrown upon his own responsibilities, having no relatives in this distant land. He was quite small for his age, weighing only 98 pounds, but was very strong
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. IO9
and tough. He bore the reputation of being the only man in the county that could throw down Betsy Donaldson, who was quite a noted charac- ter for strength at that time. He was employed by Dave Elder as overseer, and remained with him five or six years. He married December 19, 1829. His wife, Mrs. Mary Danvis, was the sec- ond daughter of Thomas Hays, who was so op- posed to the marriage, that Warren had to steal his bride from the paternal roof at night. This marriage proved quite fruitful, and nine children were raised, all of them having since married and have families. The names of Warren's children are: Albert, Mary, James, Arvilla, Franklin, David, Calvin, John and Pinkney. Three of these, Albert, Mary and Franklin, died in 1883 ; all of the otHers are still living. Warren's wife, known as Aunt Polly, also died in 1883. Having no money to start with, this old veteran had some difficulty in providing for his large family, and had to under- go many hardships, of which the men of to-day know nothing. For several years he tried farming on the rich land in the fork of Wolf and Cedar Creeks, but sickness in his family caused him to move out to a more healthful locaHty, and in 1835 he settled the place where he now lives, and his family enjoyed perfect health. He carried on a tannery here in connection with his farm, and made a very good living for his family.
It is to be regretted that this pioneer settler was deprived of the advantages of a common-school
no THE HISTORY OF
education. By some means, he learned to read, write and rriake his figures, and thus equipped, he went forth into the world, and made a comforta- ble living. In the times of the militia musters, he was elected captain of a company in the county, and held that position with credit for many years. He joined the Primitive Baptists in 1840, and has been a very consistent member ever since, but was never an enthusiastic member. As he came to this county in 18 16, he is well acquainted with everything as it was then, and relates with pleasure the things of most interest to those in search of historical events. He went with Captain John H. Watts and Thomas Hill on their many explorations through the county, and was with them when they named many of the creeks in the county. He was in Fort Bibb in 18 18. He was personally ac- quainted with William P. Gardner, Daniel Shaw, Thomas Hinson, Captains William Butler and James Saffold, and saw them the morning when they started on their way to Fort Dale. Uncle Warren is now over 82 years old, and has lived to see a new country undergo the many changes necessary to bring it from the savage life to the highest stages of civilization and enlightenment. He has seen a country in all its virgin richness, yield- ing plants of every description in abundance, and has seen this prolific soil almost exhausted and worn out by long use. He has seen families grow, become prosperous and die ; seen towns build up and crumble under the wheels of time, and yet he
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. Ill
is spared a few years longer, and is still stout and full of life and humor.
May the Lord, in his infinite mercy, spare him a while longer, and comfort him in his old age !
CHAPTER XIX.
Dead Fall.
This neighborhood is one among the oldest in the county. James F. Barganier came from Wash- ington County, Georgia, to Alabama in 1821, and has lived in this neighborhood ever since that time. He reared a large family, consisting of seven sons and two daughters. His eldest son, Captain John F. Barganier, was captain of a com- pany, and did good work in favor of the South, during the war of 1861-65. His fellow-citizens showed t-heir appreciation of him in 1876, by elect- ing him to the position of sheriff of his native county.
A store and dramshop was started here in 1822. It was named Dead Fall by Aaron Butler and William Poterfield, who were then the important leaders in the neighborhood. This singular name was bestowed from the reputation it bore for bloody fights, there being several every day. Two per- sons were killed here the first year after the dram-
112 THE HISTORY OF
shop was opened, and this fact gave the place such a bad reputation, that a considerable decrease in the trade was caused in consequence. There is no sign of a store at the place where it was first located. The original site is in front of where James F. Barganier's house now stands. The store was afterward moved down to the place now owned by William F. Hartley, and was finally sus- pended.
The Federal Road along here, is the dividing line between the prairie-lime land and the com- mon sandy land ; all the water falling east of the road, flows into the Conecuh, and that on the west into the Alabama River. The larger portion of the land that is at all fit for cultivation, has been cleared and tilled for a number of years.
A post-office was once established at this place, but has long since been abolished. Dead Fall is an old voting precinct, the exact place of voting having been moved several times. The polls are now opened at the Indian Creek Baptist Church, which is about nine miles from Greenville. A con- siderable amount of iron ore occurs in this part of the county, from the fact that the drift here is underlaid with the lime rocks of the cretaceous formation, and the iron has been probably reduced by the lime. The best quality of this ore occurs on Richard H. Bush's place, about one mile east of the L. & N. R. R. It crops out from the sides of nearly every hill in this locality, and is about two feet in thickness in some places, and as much
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. II3
as four feet in others. The ore is classed Needle ore or Limonite, and is of a very good variety. A proximate analysis, made by Cadet Thomas D. Stallings, shows that it contains about fifty per cent, of metallic iron, which, of course, is a very workable ore where the materials are convenient. It has yet to be determined whether it would be profitable to have the ore shipped to some furnace for working it. A plan may yet be suggested for working this ore successfully, and if it is worked, the v/hole county may expect to benefit by the en- terprise.
Land in Dead Fall neighborhood is worth from ;^4.oo to ;^7.oo per acre The schools are gener- ally poor, and should be improved by the good people of this locality.
There are two or three churches in the neigh- borhood. Some of the people are Baptists, and others belong to the Christian churches, there being but few Methodists.
A large portion of the trade from this place goes to Fort Deposit, which is only a few miles distant, in Lowndes County. Every one seems to be well pleased with this enterprising market.
114 THE HISTORY OF
CHAPTER XX.
Judge Benjamin F. Porter.
Although this distinguished jurist spent only ■^e last ten years of his life in this county, we feel that his prominence as a patriot, the high order of his talents, together with his sterling worth of character, entitle his name to a place in Butler's history.
He was born in Charleston, South Carolina, in the year 1808. Though he was debarred from the privilege of a collegiate education by the un- timely death of his father, we find him trying his fortune in the world at a remarkably early age. His earliest experience displays the restless ten- dency of his disposition. When fourteen years of age, he found employment in a counting-house ; but, holding this position only about a year, he next entered the office of Dr. Thomas Legare, a distinguished practitioner of Charleston, where he earnestly improved the opportunities offered him in the study of medicine and the natural sciences. Still the yearning spirit of this ambitious youth was not satisfied. The burning words of elo- quence, ably spoken by distinguished lawyers, touched in him a sympathetic chord, so that, in a few months, he is found engaged in the office of William Crafts, a leader at the bar, and a man of letters, where the young student applies himself.
JUDGE BENJ. F. PORTER.
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. II5
with his wonted diligence, to the subject of law. He was admitted to the Court of Appeals in the year 1826.
The following year he moved to Chesterville. Not meeting with the desired success in this place, he removed to Claiborne, Alabama, in December, 1829. During the first year of his stay in this county, Mr. Porter practiced medi- cine, but having gained some reputation by his eloquence and natural abilities as a lawyer in the voluntary defense of a criminal case, he was en- couraged to resume his profession, and in 1832 was elected to the Legislature from Monroe, which county he represented for three successive sessions, being also Judge of the County Court in 1832.
In 1834 he was appointed by Judges Saffold, Lipscomb and Thornton, the three Justices, to fill the place of Mr. Stewart as reporter of the Su- preme Court. He held this position five years, in the meantime representing Tuscaloosa County in the House for three sessions. During his term as reporter, he gained great distinction by the able manner in which he discharged the duties of that office. While in Tuscaloosa, Mr. Porter was elected a trustee of the University, and was also appointed its attorney. At his suggestion, the Chair of Law was established in that institution, and he was elected the first professor in this de- partment. It has been intimated that Mr. Por- ter's incentive in adding this branch of instruction
Il6 THE HISTORY OF
to the University, was the hope of thereby afford- ing himself an opportunity, under very favorable circumstances, of preparing some valuable treatise on law — perhaps designed to be used as a text or reference-book — and had his plans met a favorable issue, we have no doubt but that his originality, his profound learning, the boldness of his conceptions, and the vivacity of his style, to- gether with the general talents of no common order, would have produced a book to take high rank among the best of the day. Unfortunately, the professorship was to be supported by fees from students attending the department, and, not seeing a prospect for sufficient irnmediate remun- eration to justify his attention, he resigned the position before entering upon its duties.
The session of 1839-40 was the last that Judge Porter served in the House from Tuscaloosa County; at that session he was elected Judge of the Tenth Judicial Circuit, and he then repaired to Mobile to assume the obligations of this office. The good people of this city were appreciative of his rare qualities and of his indefatigable efforts for the public good, and received him with marked civilities. Imbued with his wonted zeal, Judge Porter discharged the duties of this office with great energy for one term, clearing the docket of several thousand cases, and then re- signed on account of a dispute which had arisen as to his eligibility to the position. His term of service in this office was very satisfactory.
BUTLER con MTY. ALABAMA. 11/
Judge Porter was a membdr of the General As- sembly in 1842, in 1845, ^^^ again in 1847. Dur- ing his long term of service as member of the House from different counties, ranging from 1832 to 1847, J'Jdge Porter introduced a number of very important bills. He always had at heart the good of his country, and especially of his footer State, and he never allowed an opportunity of im- proving her condition to pass by. Indeed, he was one of those pioneers whose earnest labors, directed with intelligence, served to awaken our State from the sleep of ages, to redeem her from the hands of savages, and to ** carve an empire out of a wilderness."
Among the important measures whose pater- nity is credited to Judge Porter, is the one to sub- stitute the penitentiary as a punishment, instead of the old way of whipping and branding, for crimes deserving less severe punishment than death. The penitentiary was first rejected by a popular vote, but was adopted in 1839, ^^^^ build- ings were ordered to be erected at Wetumpka, and were ready for use in 1 841. He was author of a bill looking to the improvement of the public school system, and he published, in pamphlet form, an ingenious and logical line of argument to support this measure. We should state, while speaking of Judge Porter's legislative career, that he was an earnest and eloquent opponent of the death penalty, and used his efforts to have it stricken from the lav/s of Alabama. Some of his
Il8 THE HISTORY OF
published speeches upon this subject are marked by much abiUty, learning and research, whatever may be said of the soundness of the views advo- cated.
In 1848 Judge Porter removed to Georgia, and settled at Cave Springs, which offered superior advantages in health and educational facilities. The romantic scenery and general surroundings of this place accorded well with his refined taste and aesthetic tendency, but he was soon induced by his friend and associate, Richard Yeadon, of Charleston, editor of 'the Courier, to make that city his future home. In 1850 he once more became a citizen of his native State, and began his work in Charleston as editor of the Charleston Nezvs. Although he was a man of decided liter- ary propensities, his connection with the News was, for some reason, severed in less than a year. He continued to practice law while in Charles- ton, and, in several important cases, sustained his well-earned reputation as an advocate at the bar.
Mr. Porter had many warm friends among the abler men of Charleston, and they had hoped to rftain his citizenship; but he found it to his imerest to remove to DeKalb County, Ala- bama. He spent about two years in this county, where he practiced law, edited the WilVs Valley Post, and filled the responsible position of Super- intendent of Education of the county and Presi- dent of Will's Valley Railroad Company. He
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. II9
was SO zealous in his labors for the people's good, that he was but a short while out of the public service before he was nominated for State Senator, but was defeated in the election.
In i860 he removed to Greenville, Butler County. After the Republican party, under the Reconstruction Act of Congress, took charge of the government of Alabama, Judge Porter be- came a member of that party, and was appointed Judge of the Twelfth Judicial Circuit; and it was while discharging the duties of this office that he died at Greenville, in June, 1868. This change in politics was, perhaps, unfortunate for Judge Porter, as it was a source of regret to his friends, and afforded a new pretext for those who were envious of his abilities, jealous of his reputation, and unwilling to satisfy his ambition, to do what was in their power to entail upon him the disfavor of the people. In 1833 ^^ was a Nullifier, and gained the reputation of a State Rights man by the introduction into the House of a bill pledging this State to support South Carolina in case of a crisis growing out of her resistance of the oppres- sions of Congress. His political views often un- derwent radical changes. In 1840 he supported General Harrison for President, and Clay in 1844, and Taylor in 1848. In 1852 he was in favor of Pierce against General Scott for the Presidency. He was a true Southerner in the war between the States, and defended the Lost Cause with all the enthusiasm of his nature. It has already been
120 THE HISTORY OF
Stated that he changed from his old party to that of the RepubHcan shortly after the war.
We have previously called attention to the lit- erary tastes and talents of Judge Porter. These led him to dive deep into the various departments of learning, and his extensive and well-selected library of rare books on different subjects of sci- ence and art was his pride and delight. Various periodicals frequently published his articles ; and if he was vain in this particular, let us believe that he had something of which to be vain ; and if he had faults, let us hide them behind the shadow of our own ; for that he was chaste, enthusiastic, gen- erous and noble, none can deny.
In 1828, while in Chesterville, South Carolina, he married Miss Eliza Taylor Kidd, a lady of great conversational powers, but very modest in her manners. They raised a large family, and many of their descendants are still living in Butler County. Of these, Mrs. I. M. P. Henry is gen- erally known throughout the Southern States as a lady of marked literary talent.
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. 121
CHAPTER XXI.
Monterey.
This pleasant little town is situated near the line where the black, prairie soil of the cretaceous formation is overlaid with the white, sandy drift. The water is freestone, of the best quality, and the locality is as healthful as any other in the State. One may ask if Monterey has a history; yes, it has. In 1 8 17, Thomas Hill had a trail cut from the Flat to the present Steen's Ford. This trail passed through Monterey, and was used for several years before a permanent settlement was made in this beautiful forest of oaks and sour-gums. Dave Elder built the first house in 1820. He settled on the top of the hill coming from Wolf Creek, where he afterward built a gin-house. He removed in 1835, to the place where Thomas W. Traweek now lives, and built a double-pen log-house. In 1 83 1, John Cannon settled back of where Jackson Luckie now lives. William Powell soon settled the J. M. Donald place, and William Miller the school-house lot ; the former owned all the land, and sold it out to the people as they moved in. J. M. Yeldell located the place now owned by W. H. Traweek, Esq., and opened a mixed store in
1837.
Bob Steverson soon put up a grog-shop, and
sold the worst of poisons to the people by the gal-
122 THE HISTORY OF
Ion. William H. Traweek came from the prai- ries the same year, and built a house where Cap- tain T. A. Knight's gin-house now stands. There was so much sickness in the prairie regions, that nearly all the white people had to move out. Monterey being the nearest point, and very healthful, most of the farmers located here, where they could go to their plantations in the day, and return to their homes at night. Accordingly, as soon as a few planters had tried the change, nearly every one left the sickly, muddy farms on the creeks, and bought lots in the new village, then called Goblersville. It was given this name from the fact that large droves of wild turkeys frequented this beautiful grove of oaks in the fall, for the purpose of feeding upon the acorns, which were in abundance. The farmers had turkey every day while the acorns lasted. After Esquire Will- iam H. Traweek's return from the Mexican War, he gave the place the name of Monterey, in mem- ory of the battle fought at the city by that name in Mexico, and this name was retained when the post-office was estabHshed. In 1838, T. M, B. Traweek built on the place which is now the home of Mrs. Telitha C. Barge. David Gaston built the Tom Smith old house, and Dr. J. W. Atkins built the house now occupied by Dr. J. G. Donald. Hon. James R. Yeldell built the house in which Dr. C. J. Knight now lives. Henry Smith and Monroe Watts started a store. Jonathan Yeldell started one soon after, and did a good
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. 123
business. Jonathan Yeldell will long be remem- bered by the people of this locality, for superior business qualities and powerful influence upon the people. He was the first to take hold of every new enterprise that he thought would be of any service to the people. He was very rich, and merchandised and farmed until his death. When he died, he left his family well provided for. He was twice married and started a large family, but was not permitted to live long enough to have them educated as he had often said he wanted them to be. The names of his children now living are, John, Robert, Will- iam, Edward, Fenner, Frank, Mary and James. After the death of Mrs. Yeldell from smallpox, in 1873, the family was separated, and some of the children have since gone to Texas. Jonathan never catered politics, although he had considera- ble influence throughout the county, and would have made a model county officer. James R. and Robert Yeldell both raised families here, and were men of wealth.
Among the other families most conspicuous in Monterey's earliest history, are the families of Billy Powell, who was the father of Judge J. L. Powell, now of Greenville, William H. Traweek and Jesse Knight.
There was a considerable amount of whisky sold at this place before the war, and the village bore the reputation of being one of the rowdiest places in the whole section of the country. This was caused from the fact that a great many of the
124 THE HISTORY OF
young men, then living in the vicinity of Monterey, would come over and get under the influence of whisky, and in this state, they often had difficul- ties with persons in whose company they happened to be. In those days, it was no uncommon thing for a man to be cut all to pieces in a fight at Monterey. However, there were not many lives lost compared to the number of fights. Horse- racing, cock-fighting, and amusements of a similar nature, were frequently indulged in, and many hundred dollars were spent in gambling and bet- ting. All this was done in the "flush times of Alabama," before the country was drained of its money by the war between the States.
The fight between Joe Yeldell and Dr. James Longmire threw a damper on rowdyism at Monte- rey, which lasted for some time. Joe Yeldell was killed by Dr. Longmire, and the latter was cleared in the courts for the deed.
The murder of Richard Hartsfield, by two slaves in 1862, created more excitement among the people of the surrounding country than anything that ever happened at Monterey, before or since.
The following are the facts of the case : Rich- ard Hartsfield was a mechanic, and ranked high among the people who knew him as a man of honor and integrity, and was a first-class contractor. He was born in the State of Georgia, April 28, 1830, and was killed on the morning of Feb- ruary 10, 1862. He purchased two slaves, Simon and Lewis, from the Peaster estate. These slaves
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. 125
soon began to hate their master, and accordingly began to make plots to kill him. Their plans were executed on a bright, frosty morning in Feb- ruary, 1862. Their master gave orders to have some hogs killed, which had been fattened in a pen near a spring, about two hundred yards from the residence. Mr. Hartsfield came down to the spring to shoot the hogs for the negroes, but found that the water was not hot enough to scald, and he began to stir up the fire around the kettle. While Hartsfield was stooping down, punching the fire, Lewis struck him with an ax, crushing his skull. Simon struck him with a fence rail, and terminated his life immediately. One of the negroes then ran to the house, asked their mistress for their master's horse, telling her that the hogs had broken out of the pen and the horse was needed to get them back. The horse was saddled and brought to the spring. It was the intention of Simon and Lewis to put their dead master on the wild horse, fix one of his feet tightly in one stirrup, and turn the horse loose, and say that he was thrown and killed. The ani- mal was a fine, ambitious bay, and had only been managed by his master, and emphatically resisted all attempts to place the dead man upon him. The heartless murderers, failing in this part of their plot, smeared a small stump with blood, and dragged their master from it some distance, and left him lying dead. They then turned loose the enraged horse, which ran many miles, snorting
126 THE HISTORY OF
and looking back as if pursued, and seemingly greatly frightened. They immediately informed their mistress of the death of their master, telling her that he was thrown from his horse, and his foot was caught in one stirrup, and was dragged some distance before it was released. The fright- ened horse, with bloody saddle, stopping and snorting at every house on the road, and instantly galloping on, showed the people that something terrible had happened, and every man thus in- formed immediately repaired to the bloody scene. When the neighbors saw blood on Simon's shirt; that the hogs were never killed ; that there was blood on the saddle ; they immediately saw through the whole plot, and had the murderers arrested. After the burial of Mr. Hartsfield, at which every person for ten miles around was pres- ent, T. M. B. Traweek, Justice of the Peace, called a preliminary trial of the case, and, from the evidences brought forth, found the negroes guilty, and ordered them to be carried to jail, at Greenville, the next morning. Lewis Knight, a prominent citizen in the neighborhood, made a touching speech to the excited assembly, and ended by saying, that ' ' all those in favor of burn- ing these bloodthirsty devils, will step on the, opposite side of the road." Every man immedi- ately stepped on the other side of the road, ex- cept the Justice of the Peace and the four men who had been appointed to carry the prisoners to jail. Those in favor of burning the murderers
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. 12/
then resolved themselves into a mob and ad- journed, to meet next morning at the post-office before sunrise. Next morning long before the appointed time of meeting, the little village was astir with excitement, and the streets were thronged with the enraged mob, bent on the destruction of the helpless prisoners. After some delays, the mob marched up the Greenville road, about three-quarters of a mile from the post-office, and stopped on a small hill. Here they waited several hours for the victims of their wrath to pass on their way to Greenville. Finally they came. They were taken from their guard, and locked with chains to two pines, standing close together. Pine knots were collected from every direction and piled around the trees. The mob had, by this time, increased to over one thousand persons. Everything being ready, the torch was applied, and the angry flames soon licked the tops of the trees. It is said that a fire never burned more energetically, and flames never leaped more triumphantly, than in the burning of these two murderers. Shortly before the burn- ing, Simon confessed the deed, and related the details of the murder, but Lewis never did con- fess it.
Richard Hartsfield left two children, Livia and Mary — both of them are grown and married; the older was married to J. W. Weaver, and the younger to Ransom Scale, Esq. Mrs. Cath- erine Hartsfield still lives at Monterey, and is
128 THE HISTORY OF
loved and highly esteemed by all who know her. The first families that settled at this place were from South Carolina and Virginia, and were fami- lies of culture. They gave a high tone to the society at Monterey, which is still very character- istic of the people of this village. A majority of the citizens living at this place were wealthy be- fore the war, but much of their wealth has disap- peared since the abolition of slavery. They have always had a high regard for those versed in the fine arts, and have taken great interest in the edu- cation of the young. The author was unable to procure the names of all the teachers to whom the people of this place are under many obligations for valuable services rendered in the school-room. Among the female teachers, Miss Anna Bonum is remembered above all others ; more, however, for her peculiar notions of discipline than for her su- perior mode of instruction. Ransom Scale was an instructor of rare parts, and had the force of character to enforce any regulation necessary for the advancement of his pupils, or to sustain the reputation of his school. He resigned in 1874, to accept the position of Clerk of the Circuit Court of Butler County, to which he had been elected by the people of the county. Young Columbus Norris is the next teacher worthy of notice. He took charge of the school in 1875, and is regarded by all those who patronized him as a faithful pre- ceptor. Prof. John Moore, A. B., of Howard College, was offered the position of Principal of
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. 1 29
the Monterey Academy by the Board of Trustees in 1879, ^nd remained in that position four years. He was assisted by Mrs. M. C. Jones, of the Jud- son Female Institute.
The school flourished more while Prof John Moore was Principal than ever before, and the people had to build a larger academy for the ac- commodation of the increased number of students in 1882. The scholars advanced very rapidly while going to Prof Moore; but it is said by some that they did not learn as much as when they went to other teachers that advanced them more slowly, but learned everything thorough as they went.
Prof Andrew W. Hayes, A. B. , a graduate of the University of Alabama, was elected Principal in 1883, and was assisted by Miss Tinie Gullette, of Camden. Miss Alice Adams, of Tuskegee, taught the school in i^jy-y^^ and Miss Hattie Stewart in 1878-79. Both of these ladies were well qualified, and rendered good service to the people, but, of course, could not give the satis- faction to the general public that male teachers give.
The first church at this place was built in 1838, and was called the Monterey Methodist Church. The church was moved in 1870 from the school- house lot to where it now stands, and was used as a union church until 1878, when the Baptists com- pleted their house of worship. Since that time, it has been known as the Methodist Churchy A
130 THE HISTORY OF
Union Sunday-school has been organized for sev- eral years, and meets every Sabbath evening at the Baptist Church. Alexander Stewart was the Superintendent for over six years, and made one of the best the school has ever had. Both of the churches are badly in need of a coat of paint, and it is hoped that the citizens will attend to this at their earliest convenience.
The peculiar selfishness of the land-holders has retarded very much the progress of Monterey. They will not sell an acre of land to any one, and the consequence is, a new house has not been erected at this place for years. Several more dwellings could be built without the least incon- venience to those now living here.
Monterey has furnished the county with a num- ber of noble citizens, some of whom have been honored with positions of public trust. She has sent to the halls of the State Legislature : Hons. James R. Yeldell, William H. Traweek, John L. Powell, and Dr. Conrad Wall ; to the County Courts of Justice, Hon. John L. Powell ; Ransom Scale to the office of County Clerk ; and Captain Ira Y. Traweek to the office of Sheriff.
While Hon. Nathan Wright was in the Legisla- ture from this county in 1880, the sale of whisky was prohibited within five miles of this place, and everybody is well pleased with the result. The majority of them are now in favor of prohibition in the whole State, as well as in Butler County.
There are now at Monterey three stores, which do
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. I3I
a very good business in general merchandise. They buy about three hundred bales of cotton per an- num, but most of the trade is cash.
Dr. Thomas H. Barge was the druggist of the place, and always kept on hand a full line of drugs. He died in the spring of 1884, much to the regret of all who knew him. He was a man of fine busi- ness qualities.
There are three mails per week from Greenville, with Captain Thomas A. Knight as postmaster.
There are two practicing physicians here, although it is a very healthful locality. Dr. James G. Donald has been here for many years. Dr. J. J. Garrett came here in 1882. Their practice is con- fined almost entirely to the section of country ly- ing north and northeast of Monterey. Dr. Comer J. Knight lives at this place, but has retired from practice. The society at this place will compare very favorably with that of any other town in the county.
132 THE HISTORY OF
CHAPTER XXII.
Colonel Thomas Levingston Bayne — Extracts from a Biographical Sketch of Him in * * The Representative Men of the Souths
This distinguished citizen was born at Clinton, Jones County, Georgia, August 4, 1824. The Bayne family were among the original settlers of the eastern shore of Maryland, and in Virginia. John Bayne, the grandfather of the subject of this sketch, removed, when quite young, into Georgia, at an early period in the settlement of that State. He was prominently identified with the early history of Georgia, and represented Jones County in the State Legislature for sixteen years successively. His son, Charles Bayne, was married to a daughter of Charles Bowen, a well-known planter of Jones County, and both parents died at an early age, while their son, Thomas L. Bayne, was quite a child. On the death of his parents, he passed under the control of his maternal uncle. Colonel Edward Bowen, of Butler County, Ala- bama, a gentleman of high character and intelli- gence, who spared no trouble nor expense in obtaining the best teachers for his nephew, who was reared as one of his own family.
Mr. Bayne was fortunate in having his early ed- ucation intrusted to William Lowery, a graduate
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. 1 33
of Dublin University, Ireland, and a most ac- complished scholar, who prepared him for college, and to whose thorough scholarship Mr. Bayne attributes much of his subsequent success. He en- tered Yale College, Hartford, Connecticut, Sep- tember, 1843, and graduated with distinction in the class of 1847. He received at the hands of the Faculty, the high appointment of valedictorian for his class at Commencement, B. Gratz Brown, of Missouri, being his competitor. He was also President of the Calliopian Society at Yale Col- lege. After graduation, he returned to Alabama. Shortly, he went to New Orleans, where he studied law under Thomas Allen Clarke, a distinguished lawyer of that city, then associated with Thomas Slidell, afterward Chief- Justice of Louisiana.
Mr. Bayne was admitted to the bar in the fall of 1850, and after remaining for some time in Mr. Clarke's office, became his partner in the follow- ing year. In 1852 and 1853, he became Acting City Attorney of New Orleans, as a substitute for Thomas R. Wolfe, during that gentleman's ab- sence from the city in the summers of those two years. In 1862, he went into active military serv- ice, as a private, in the Fifth Company of the Washington Artillery of New Orleans, which was largely composed of gentlemen of high social standing ; the members were elected by ballot — a small number of votes excluding. Mr. Bayne served with this gallant company in the Southwest, until after the battle of Shiloh, at which he was
134 THE HISTORY OF
severely wounded, being shot through the right arm while serving one of the guns, and was con- sequently disabled from further immediate service.
Brigadier-General Randall L. Gibson, who had studied law in Mr. Bayne's office, offered him, prior to the battle of Shiloh, a position on his staff, which was declined, the general tone and spirit of the Fifth Company at that early period of the war being against accepting any position which would separate its members. Mr. Bayne returned to New Orleans, and when, in April, 1862, Commodore Farragut's fleet arrived in front of that city, he left for South Carolina.
After locating his family, and remaining suffi- ciently long to recover from his wound, he left for Richmond, Virginia, where he was appointed Captain of Artillery, and assigned to ordnance duty with his brother-in-law, General Josiah Gorgas, Chief of Ordnance in the Confederate service. He was afterward promoted to Major, and subse- quently to Lieutenant-Colonel of Artillery, and was appointed Chief of the Bureau of Foreign Supplies, reporting directly to the Secretary of War.
When it became necessary to evacuate Rich- mond, Colonel Bayne left with the other officers of the Government for Danville, Virginia, where he remained until the surrender of General Robert E. Lee at Appomatox, and from thence he re- moved to Charlotte, North Carolina, where the Confederate Government was virtually dissolved.
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. 1 35
When the war was over, Colonel Bayne returned to New Orleans, where he resumed the practice of his profession with his former partner, Thomas Allen Clarke. Colonel Bayne has never been a candidate for any political position, but has al- ways actively discharged his duties as a citizen. Like most of the officers of the army, he accepted the war as closed in 1865, and at once addressed himself to the restoration of his own means and to the revival of the prosperity of his State.
Colonel Bayne was married, December, 1853, to Maria Gayle, a daughter of Hon. John Gayle, formerly Governor of Alabama, Member of Con- gress from the Mobile District, and Judge of United States District Court.
Butler County was his home during his boyhood and college life, and we recognize him as belong- ing to this county, and his noble life makes a part of its history. With affectionate familiarity, we recall him as one of the triumvirate — Tom Watts, Tom Judge, and Tom Bayne. He still lives in New Orleans, engaged in a successful practice, and has fond recollections of the happy youthful days spent in Butler.
136 THE HISTORY OF
CHAPTER XXIII.
Butler Springs.
These Springs, at one time, afforded a very pleasant summer resort for a large number of health-seekers in the southern part of the State, but it now appears that the Springs have seen their best days. They are situated in the valley of a small creek, on an outcrop of tertiary rocks of the buhr-stone variety, many specimens of which are to be seen near the Springs. The steep, rugged hills, with precipitous cliffs of rock on the south, and a low, flat land, covered with a dense forest of long-leaf pine, on the northwest, afford a variety of scenery peculiarly adapted to those persons of meditative minds.
The author does not know to whom is due the honor of the discovery of these valuable springs. He has been informed that they were found by some girls wading in the creek. The names of two of these girls were Susan Murphy, afterward married to John Clark, and Ellen Murphy, after- ward married to Ransom Scale. There is a gen- eral belief among the old residents of the county that the Springs were discovered by hunters as early as 1830. This was a central point where hunters would meet after the chase and clean their game, drink of the mineral water, rest them-
BUTLEF COUNTY, ALABAMA. 1 3/
selves from the fatigue of the day, and relate their interesting adventures. The land where the Springs were was then owned by the Government as public land. The surrounding land was owned by Ransom Seale and Wilson Murphy. The Springs at that time all boiled up in a hole about five or six feet in diameter, and about four feet deep in the edge of the creek, and was overflowed when the creek was at all swollen by rainfall. The medical properties of the water were not entirely established until about 1842, when Jesse Knight's wife came here with her son Thomas, and spent a few weeks in a rude cabin, temporarily con- structed for the convenience of the two, for only a short time. Other afflicted ones soon came and boarded with Wilson Murphy, and were also ben- efited by the many healing properties of the water. John Ubanks built a temporary tavern here in the spring of 1843, and had the Springs thoroughly advertised throughout the surrounding country, and gave a big barbecue on the Fourth of July of the same year. Frederick W. Cren- shaw, who had just been graduated at the State University, was selected to deliver an address on the occasion, and did so to a large and apprecia- tive audience, who had come to see the new water- ing-place and to hear the different orators of the day discuss subjects of general interest. The Springs were purchased the next year by Nat. Sims, a wealthy farmer from Lowndes County, who soon erected a fine hotel for the accommoda-
138 THE HISTORY OF
tion of the large crowds that now began to fre- quent this place of health and pleasure. At that time a large number of persons came here and camped under tents for eight or ten days, to re- cuperate themselves by drinking the water, and to strengthen themselves by the hardships of camp- life.
Isaac Keiser opened a store in connection with a billiard saloon in 1846, and soon had a very suc- cessful business, as his combination was a thing much needed here. John Clark soon opened a dram-shop, which paid him as well as any other kind of business could pay at such a place as this. After the death of Nat. Sims in 1855, his widow sold the Springs to John Edy, who kept them only a few years and sold them to Captain T. A. Knight and Alph. Carter, i860. These two gen- tlemen did a great deal to improve the whole ap- pearance of the Springs, and expended large sums of money in the way of repairs. The Springs were never divided into separate springs until they took charge of them. They had a large spring-house built and curbed in with costly mar- ble, making four distinct springs, the water in each being different from that in any other. The Springs flourished more under their management than ever before or since, there being over 500 visitors on the grounds at different times. The war soon came on, and the success of the Springs was considerably interfered with. In 1862 Cap- tain Knight sold his interest to James Benson,
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. 1 39
and Alph. Carter sold his to John Carter. Will- iam A. Sims bought both interests in 1874, and has had entire control since that time. But the Springs have not been such a place of general re- sort since the war as they were before the war; first, because the people in the surrounding coun try have not got as much loose change to spend in that direction now as they once had, and sec- ondly, because the Springs are not as well kept now as they were then. Most persons who desire to visit a watering-place during the summer sea- son, prefer to go North, to some place situated more conveniently to the railroads.
These Springs were named in honor of Captain William Butler, who was killed in 18 18, about two miles northeast of them.
The neighborhood of Butler Springs was settled by John Murphy, who came from Georgia in 18 1 7, and Alph. Carter. Both settled near the Springs, which were not discovered then. John Murphy reared a large family, and his descendants are still to be found in different parts of the county. He removed from his old place near the Springs in 1827, and started the mill now known as the old Murphy Mill. He died in 1844.
Alph. Carter also raised a large family, many members of which are still living — still keeping up the reputation of their father for honesty and general information.
This mineral water has been analyzed, and con- tains many elements, in combination, eminently
140 THE HISTORY OF
fitted for the cure of a variety o. diseases too numerous to mention here. The author is sorry that he was unable to procure a copy of the anal- ysis for publication. No doubt the water con- tains a large amount of free sulphuric acid, sulphide of hydrogen, sulphate of iron and car- bonic acid gas. Many recommendations of its healing properties can be obtained on application to William A. Sims, the present proprietor of the Springs. It has long been customary for the peo- ple of the county to assemble here on the Fourth of July each year, and celebrate the Declaration of Independence by a basket picnic. The exercises generally consist of a few political and literary speeches, delivered by persons previously selected, after which dancing is participated in until sunset. This is a very good way of spending the glorious Fourth, and should be kept up for years to come.
\ BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. I4I
CHAPTER XXIV. Judge Anderson Crenshaw.
The name of Crenshaw is a familiar one in this county, and has always been associated with pub- lic affairs. The subject of this sketch was born in Newberry District, South Carolina, in 1786, and spent the earlier part of his life in this good old State that has furnished Alabama with so many useful and influential men. His kind and thought- ful father paid particular attention to his educa- tion, and, at the proper time, placed him at South Carolina College, where he received his diploma in 1806. Choosing the legal profession, he studied in the office of the distinguished Judge Nott, under whose instruction he succeeded in master- ing the subject and was licensed to practice in 1809.
In 1 81 2, we find him a member of the Legisla- ture of his native State. With the great ti'de of emigration in 1820, he came to the new State of Alabama, and located at Cahaba, then the Capital. The following year, he was elected one of the Associate Judges of the Supreme Court, a position that was occupied by him for twelve successive years. Shortly after his election in 1 821, he re- moved his family to this county, and settled on the Ridge below Manningham, where he resided the remainder of his life.
142 THE HISTORY OF
When the Supreme Court was separated from the Circuit Court, Judge Crenshaw was retained on the Circuit Bench. He discharged the duties of this office until he was elected Chancellor of the Southern Division in 1839. -^^ ^^^ filling. this position when he died in 1847, ^^ the age of sixty-one, after having served in the capacity of Judge for over a quarter of a century. One of his contemporaries has well said that "His mind was stored with a vast amount of knowledge of the principles of jurisprudence, and he strove to make his court the forum of the reason and spirit of the law."
Judge Crenshaw was honest, just, and hospita- ble, and his moral character was without blemish. Our State Legislature showed their high apprecia- tion of his noble character by naming a county in honor of him in 1865. He married a Miss Chiles, of Abbeville, South Carolina, and reared a large family, giving each one of his children a liberal education, and a good start in life. His eldest son was the only one that chose the law as a profession. A sketch of him will be found in another part of this book.
a:
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. I43
CHAPTER XXV. Ancient Mounds in This County,
In Georgia, Florida, Mississippi and Alabama, are found a number of mounds, which have ex- cited much curiosity and speculation. These mounds were built in prehistoric times, and vary in size and shape in different localities. In Missis- sippi they have been measured sixty feet in height, and over a thousand feet in circumference. They are oval, elliptical, conical, and sometimes square. In Butler County, however, they are all oval in shape, and small, measuring from fifteen to thirty feet in diameter at the base, and from four to ten feet in height. They are more frequently found in swamps, on creeks, than on high table-lands. Some of them have been nearly leveled with the surrounding land by the process of cultivation ; others still, in the forest, are covered with large trees of natural growth.
A large number of these mounds have been ex- cavated and carefully examined. Bones of per- sons, in a bad state of preservation, human teeth, Indian beads, arrow-heads, earthen pots, pipes of clay, and many other things indicative of savage life, have been found in them.
These mounds are supposed to be the burial- places of the Indians, when that unfortunate race lived and flourished on the fruitful soil that now
144 THE HISTORY OF
yields so abundantly to the demands of the happy people inhabiting this section of country.
Two of these mounds are found on the south bank of Cedar Creek — one below Sixteenth Bridge, and the other above Steen's Ford, near the old Creampot Springs. Both of these have been con- siderably disintegrated by the leveling action of the plow and the drenching rains of many years.
Two may be found on Long Creek, in the Bennett settlement. These were examined in 1878, and Walter Bennett has some of their con- tents in his possession as curiosities. Two are found near Pigeon Creek, on Lovet B. Wilson's plantation — one upon a hill near his residence, the other in the hollow of a ravine close by. Both of them have been plowed down, until they are nearly upon a level with the surrounding land, but the'.r exact position is determined by small particles of decayed bones, which can still be seen scattered around over the plowed soil.
There are several of these mounds on the banks of Persimmon Creek, but they are not of sufficient importance to call for a description now.
Many stories of romantic interest are told by some of the superstitious persons living near these mounds. They tell of the death of a heroic chief at the head of his warriors, who sacrificed his noble life in defending the cause of his oppressed tribe. They mourned the loss of so brave a leader, and raised a mound in memory of his heroic life.
Another tale is told of a passionate Indian maid,
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. 1 4$
who died in the arms of her lover on returning to her native wigwam, after having been captured in battle and kept from the fond embrace of her lover for five long years.
CHAPTER XXVI.
Oaky Streak — Precinct No. 3.
This scattered settlement is situated on the southeast side of Pigeon Creek, and has nearly the same soil as that found in the South Butler neigh- borhood, but being more calcareous, it produces better with less work. Lovet B. Wilson is the oldest person living at this place now. He came here with his father, George W. Wilson, in 1826. They came from Jones County, Georgia, to Cone- cuh County, in 18 18, but not being satisfied with that locality, they moved to Butler County. When they moved to this neighborhood, they found a good many persons already here ; the soil being of such a quality that no emigrant could pass it after an examination of its general appearance. David Simmons, Isaac Smith, George Tillman, Richard Prewhitt, and Joe Jones were living here in 1826, when the Wilson family moved here. Thomas Hester, Daniel Stallings, and William Graydon are supposed to be the first settlers of this
146 THE HISTORY OF
section of the county, but they did not remain long, before they moved farther west.
This place was named Oaky Streak, from the fact that no pine is found here, and oak is the principal growth. As has been stated in a previ- ous chapter in this book, this peculiar soil be- gins on the southeast side of Persimmon Creek, about section 8, and runs up the creek about five miles, and extends across the county in a south- eastern direction, crosses Pigeon Creek, and passing on out of the county, being about nine miles long and four and a half miles wide. It extends on in Crenshaw County to the Patsiliga River, where the formation is different. The road from Green- ville to Andalusia, passing this place, was cut about 1 82 1. The people built a Baptist Church one and a half miles from where the post-office is now. The settlement grew gradually until 1830, when Lem Harvel came here from Covington County, and opened a mixed store, which gave the neighborhood some advantage over the other settlements in the county at that time. In 1835, James Jones opened a very extensive mercantile business here, which proved very profitable, as there were not many stores of any importance in those days, the most of them being mere dram- shops and peanut-stands. The Methodist people erected a church for their congregation soon after this, which was about two miles southeast of the post-office. The Methodist Church still stands where the old one was first built, but the Baptist
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. I47
has been moved from its original position to near the Methodist, about a mile from where the post- office now stands.
The wells are from twenty to forty feet in depth in this place. The water is not good, having a large per cent, of lime in solution, yet the health of the place is comparatively good. Dr. Kendrick is the practicing physician here, and is well thought of in the neighborhood. The people are doing very well ; most of them are out of debt, and raise their own corn and other things needed on their farms, this being the principal occupation. The land is worth now from ;^2.50 to $7.50 per acre, according to improvements and locality. The schools are not as good as they could be, as there are a large number of children here, and most of the parents are able to pay for sending them to school. There are several stores in the neighbor- hood, but John Crittenden has the only store of any importance, he being the wealthiest man in Oaky Streak at this time. There is not much wealth in this section of the county. A majority of the planters farm on a small scale. This little town was called Middleton from 1840 up to 1870, the post-office was then given the name of Oaky Streak. O. H. Crittenden is the present post- master, and has been for several years. This place was once noted for its fights and general rowdy- ism; but, since John Crittenden owns the land around the post-office, he will not allow any whisky to be sold near the place. The people are now
148 THE HISTORY OF
very peaceable — never being in a row. This neigh- borhood was considerably excited in the fall of 1833. A white man, whose name was never as- certained, passed through here, having in his charge five negro men. It was afterward learned that they were from Mobile, the negroes being stolen from their masters. They lived by hunting and killing people's stock, as they found them in the country through which they happened to pass. They were found gathering chestnuts east of Oaky Streak, and were attacked immediately by the en- raged citizens, who had spent many sleepless nights, fearing to hear of the killing of some of the stock in the neighborhood, or of the robbery of some house. Upon approaching, one of the ne- groes offered to resist the attack by cocking his gun, but he was shot down instantly, and several other shots were fired at the same time, wounding the white man and several of the negroes. All made their escape, however, except the one shot dead at the first fire. They were capured the next day, but the white man was not in the number. On inquiry, the negroes reported that he had died from wounds received the day before, and had been buried. The negroes were put in jail until the news was sent to Mobile of their capture, and they were sent to their proper owners on receipt of the necessary claims. This was a great event in the early history of Oaky Streak.
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. I49
CHAPTER XXVII. Colonel Thomas James Judge.
Butler County was the home of this distin- guished jurist and cultured gentleman, both in his childhood and in his riper years. He was born in Richland District, South Carolina, November i, 181 5, but came with his father's family to Butler County about the year 1820. The early part of his life was spent near Greenville, in assisting his father on the farm and in attending such schools as were then taught in this locality. At the age of fifteen we find him serving an apprenticeship in a printing-office at Montgomery. After hand- ling the composing-stick for one year, he aban- doned the printing art to accept a position as salesman, which had been offered him by one of the dry goods merchants of Montgomery. Re- maining in this store for three years, he left it in 1834 to estabUsh a newspaper in Greenville, which was called the Greenville Whig^ and was published by John W. Womack and Thomas J. Judge for about one year.
He volunteered his services in the Creek War, and remained with the army for several months. In 1837, at the age of twenty-two, he removed to Lowndes County and began the study of law in the office of Nathan Cook and John S. Hunter,
ISO
THE HISTORY OF
who prepared him for entering active practice the following year.
In 1842 Mr. Judge was appointed SoHcitor of the Second Circuit by Governor Benjamin Fitz- patrick. He held this position until the Legisla- ture met, but was defeated before that honorable body by Franklin K. Beck, who was a Democrat, while Mr. Judge was a Whig. Having won the confidence of the people, Mr. Judge was elected by them to represent Lowndes County in the lower branch of the Legislature in 1844, and again in 1845. Two years later he was sent to the upper branch of the State Legislature from Lowndes and Butler Counties, but remained in this trust for only three years, when, in 1850, he removed to the city of Montgomery, which ne- cessitated his resignation as a member of the State Senate. The next year he was a delegate to the National Convention, at Nashville, which nomi- nated Winfield Scott for President.
In Montgomery, Mr. Judge formed partner- ship with Thomas H. Watts, in the practice of law, and gave his whole time as well as talent to the earnest prosecution of all cases entrusted to the firm. He was not, however, permitted to rest from public duty long, for in 1853 he was sent to the legislative halls from the county of Montgomery.
By this time Mr. Judge had won considerable reputation as a man of marked ability as well as a fluent speaker. In 1857 he was the candidate of
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. I5I
the Whig party for Congressman from the Second District of Alabama against Hon. James F. Dow- dell, of Chambers County. Although the canvass was conducted with particular reference to the fundamental principles of the two distinct parties then in the State, Mr. Judge was defeated at the ballot-box. Not content with this decision of the voice of the people, he solicited the support of his friends again in 1859 against Hon. David Clopton, the Democratic candidate. A second defeat showed his party that it was not due to the want of talent and confidence in Mr. Judge, but to the fact that the Democratic party was much the stronger in the Second Congressional District, for by this time Mr. Judge was generally recog- nized as a man of power throughout the State, and a man whose influence and prominence among the people was greatly envied by the most talented men of Alabama.
In i860 he supported John C. Breckinridge for President. When war was proclaimed against the Southern States, Mr. Judge entered the ranks of the Confederate Army as a private, but served only a short time at Pensacola, when he was ap- pointed by Governor Andrew B. Moore as Com- missioner to negotiate with the Government of the United States in reference to the forts, arsenals and custom-houses in Alabama, and was entrusted with other business of importance between the United States and the Confederate Government. The President of the United States, however, re-
152 THE HISTORY OF
fused to recognize Mr. Judge in his official capacity, thereby rendering his mission of no service to his country. His services as a diplomatist being fruitless, Mr. Judge returned to Alabama to enter the military service in defense of the South. He soon succeeded in getting up a regiment, which was organized at Auburn, August i, 1 86 1, with Thomas J. Judge, as Colonel, in command. This regiment of infantry was composed of men from Chambers, Lowndes and Tallapoosa Counties, and entered the service as the Fourteenth Alabama. Colonel Judge remained with his command in Vir- ginia in active service until April, 1862, when he was so severely injured by a railroad collision that he was forced to resign his position as colonel of the regiment and return home for recovery.
Shortly after Colonel Judge's return to Mont- gomery, President Davis appointed him judge of a military court in Virginia, with the rank of Colo- nel of Cavalry. This position was declined by Colonel Judge, because he was confident that the rheumatism, which he had contracted, would give him great trouble if he should expose himself to the cold climate of Virginia. The President, learn- ing the cause of Colonel Judge's action, tendered him a similar appointment, with orders to serve in Mobile, which appointment was accepted. Colo- nel Judge discharged the duties of this office until the close of the war in 1865, and won much repu- tation as a distinguished tactician and a man well versed in military jurisprudence.
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. 1 53
In 1865, when the Supreme Court of the State was reorganized, Colonel Judge was called to that high tribunal, and it is said that he graced the er- mine with all the dignity of the judges of old. He only remained in this position of highest legal trust three years, when he was removed, in 1868, by the Reconstruction Acts of Congress. Shortly after this he removed his family back to his old home in Greenville, where he spent the declining years of his useful life among the friends of his childhood, enjoying the high esteem of all who knew him, and the happiness of being contented with the success with which he had met in life, with the world and all mankind. He paid the debt that every man owes to Nature on the 3d day of March, 1876, and his remains were buried beneath Butler's fertile soil, amidst a throng of his old acquaintances.
He married Miss Graves, of Lowndes County, and has two sons now living in Greenville, one of whom represented Butler County in the last ses- sion of the Legislature.
The career of Judge Judge is surpassed by that of but few men in Alabama. He began as a poor printer's boy, with but little mental training, but by his earnest application to business and to books, and a determination only excelled by his perseverance, he won a reputation among the people of his State for intelligence and ability that will not soon be forgotten.
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CHAPTER XXVIII. Garland.
This station is in the southwestern corner of the county, in the swamp of Persimmon and Sepulgah Creeks, and is the last station in the county on the L. & N. R. R. going toward Mo- bile.
This part of the county was settled about 1840. It is not known who first cut and built here, but it is known that as early as 1845, John Coleman, Hamp Kebler, Tom and Dan Koker. Edmund Etheridge, lived on the east side of Sepulgah Creek, and Elias Presley, John P. Mires, Andrew Dunham and James Adams settled on the west side of Persimmon Creek. John F. McPherson lived about five miles up the creek from where Garland is now. John Rogers lived in the fork of the two creeks. Garland was located and named in the spring of i860, by Colonel W. P. Garland, one of the chief engineers on the Mobile and Montgomery Railway. The railroad reached this place in the fall of the same year. Edmund Brooks owned all of the land, and took Garland in with him as a partner. Robert Powell started a dram-shop here in the fall of i860, at the same time selling a few other things. John Rhodes and H. Clay Armstrong, with his father, started stores
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. 1 55
here the same year, seUing general merchandise. The town grew very rapidly. Elias Hinson bought a lot, and soon erected a hotel, but as it was a small town, the hotel never prospered. John Julian started a steam saw-mill at this place in 1861, and furnished the people with a very good article of lumber. When the war came in 1861, every kind of business was suspended here, except the mill, which continued until 1865. H. Clay Armstrong raised a company in this part of the county, and went to join the army.
After the war, merchandising was resumed, and the town has been growing ever since, having now five stores of general merchandise, one drug store, shoe-shop, etc. There are two churches here, but the school is sorry, although there are enough children here for a flourishing school. The post- office is kept by Mr. O. C. Darby. A majority of the people of this place belong to the church, and whisky or ardent spirits are not allowed to be sold in this vicinity. About four miles east of Gar- land, may be found a neighborhood of Latter- Day Saints, consisting of about forty members, having services at appointed times.
Land in this part of the county has always been comparatively cheap, except a while in 1859 and i860, when it was sold for ;^5.oo and sometimes ;^7.oo per acre. Before that time, it was worth ;^i.25 per acre; now it is put on the market at ;^3.00 per acre, and much demand for it at that price. There is but little farming interest at this
156 THE HISTORY OF
place. The soil would produce very well, if prop- erly fertilized. The land is more valuable for its timber than anything else. However, a great deal of the timber has been used. M. B. Bazer started a mill here in 1870, but was soon burned out. He was succeeded in the lumber business by the Binion Brothers, who have cut all the timber in several miles of the place. They moved their mill about four miles east of this place the early part of 1884, cind are doing a good business, still keep- ing a lumber-yard at Garland, and sawing a very good quality of lumber.
Some timber is rafted down the creek from this place, there being a good deal of fine pine and cypress wood in the Persimmon Swamps.
CHAPTER XXIX.
South Butler,
John Wheeler and Jessie R. Hinson moved to this part of the county about 1823, the former coming from North Carolina, the latter from Georgia. Both of these gentlemen have long since died. South Butler, like a good many other vil- lages in the county, should have the name of Scatterville. It is a neighborhood about eight miles square, and all of that part of the county is
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. 15^
called South Butler. There are three stores in this neighborhood, but none of them are in a mile of each other. There is a post-office at one edge of the neighborhood, with Mr. W. C. Shell as postmaster. The soil at this place is a kind of lime, with oak and dogwood growth and short- leaf pine. Land is worth about ;^5.oo per acre. Some fertilizers are used here, and the soil pro- duces tolerably abundantly when all things are suitable. This is a very healthy section of coun- try, the people never having any need of a physi- cian. There never was but one physician that lived at this place. Dr. U. H. Cook moved here about 1874. He being an old man, did not live ^ong. The water here is not very good, contain- ing some lime in solution. There never was much wealth at this place, and none of the planters farm on a large scale.
The first store was opened by Pleasant G. Jack- son, in the fall of 1835, near where the Georgiana Road crosses the Sparta Road, about two miles from the old South Butler Church. This church was built by the Methodist people in 1827, being the only church in this part of the country at that time.
The people of South Butler are noted for their good behavior generally. They are particularly known as law-abiding people, rarely ever having any litigation. There is generally a school of some kind in this neighborhood ; but the schools are not near what they ought to be, as there are
158 THE HISTORY OF
enough children in the community to have a flour- ishing school the year round.
Some timber is rafted down Persimmon Creek, near this place, but not enough to be a source of much revenue to the inhabitants ; their chief oc- cupation being farming, with Georgiana and Green- ville as their market. Different kinds of grapes and fruits are grown in abundance on this kind of soil but very little wine is made
CHAPTER XXX.
Colonel Samuel Adams.
The subject of this sketch was one of Alabama's mihtary heroes, who fought bravely for the South, and who lost his precious life in her defense. He was born in Abbeville District, South Carolina, in 1830, where he spent his childhood. Entering Columbia College at an early age, he succeeded in finishing the course taught in that institution at the age of twenty. He came to Butler County in 185 1, and became the Principal of the Male and Female Academy at Greenville. After holding this responsible position for two years, he began to read law under Hon. John K. Henry, and was, in due time, admitted to the bar. Removing to Conecuh County, he entered into partnership with
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. I 59
J. A. Stallworth, a prominent lawyer of that county, and a relative of Mr. Adams.
Not meeting with the desired success in Cone- cuh County, he returned to Greenville in 1854, and was admitted as a partner of Colonel H. A. Herbert. This firm was not long in becoming successful in the practice of the county.
In 1857, the people of Butler elected Mr. Adams to represent them in the General Assembly, and returned him in 1859. These two sessions in the lower house of the Legislature, terminated his public career as a citizen.
When the war broke out in 1861, Mr. Adams entered the military service as a second lieutenant in the Ninth Alabama Infantry, and remained in Virginia with this regiment until February, 1862. While at home on a furlough, for the purpose of recuperating his health, he was elected Colonel of the Thirty-third Alabama, which position he filled with great ability until his death. Colonel Adams received a severe wound in the foot, while com- manding a brigade at Perryville, and was com- pelled to obtain a leave of absence to assist in the speedy recovery of his wound. He soon joined his regiment, leading it at Murfreesboro, and in all operations between this place and Atlanta, al- ways displaying the highest courage in his com- mand. While he was superintending the erection of some fortifications near Atlanta, on the morn- ing of July 21, 1864, a ball passed through his breast, kiUing him instantly. His remains were
l60 THE HISTORY OF
brought to nis home in Greenville, and buried in the old cemetery.
Courage, sincerity, integrity and lofty morality were the most prominent traits of his noble char- acter, and won for him the respect and esteem of all his associates. His brave disposition gave him complete control of his command, and en- abled him to execute all orders from higher authorities. Generals Hardee and Cleburne had frequently recommended him for promotion. He was, undoubtedly, a man of promise, and one that would have been of great service to his coun- try, if he had lived through this awful struggle be- tween the North and the South. He fills the grave of a brave soldier, an honest man, and a use- ful citizen. He was married to Miss Dora, a sister of Colonel H. A. Herbert, of this county, and made a devoted husband.
CHAPTER XXXI.
W. W. Wilkinson.
This prosperous merchant of Greenville ranks high among the business men of Butler County, both as a skilled trader and a shrewd manager; and it will not be out of place to devote a few pages of the county's history to a brief sketch of his varied and successful life.
W. W. WILKINSON.
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. l6l
He was born in Dale County, in the eastern part of this State, June 15, 1830, and spent the days of his childhood and youth in that county. His father, Henry T. Wilkinson, was one of the first settlers of Dale County, and was a thrifty farmer and stock-raiser. He had only three chil- dren— two daughters and one son. The subject of this sketch spent the early part of his life on his father's farm, and enjoyed but few educational advantages, going to but one or two old field- schools before attending a high school at Orion, where he finished all the studies taught there in 1850. He returned home and soon received em- ployment as a salesman in a small store at old Cerublia, where he remained one year.
After leaving this store, he had a great desire to accumulate wealth, and decided to begin bus- iness for himself As he had no capital to start with, his friend, Samuel Collins, was kind enough to lend him ;^500, at sixteen per cent. , with Wil- kinson's father as the security. He at once pur- chased a stock of goods at Milton, Florida, and opened it at Daleville. Soon after the court- house was moved to Newton, Mr. Wilkinson opened a branch store at that place, and finally moved his whole business to that thriving little town.
In 1857 Mr. Wilkinson was united in marriage to Miss Elizabeth J. Vinson, a modest, noble- hearted Christian, who did a great deal to make her husband the man that he is to-day. He al-
l62 THE HISTORY OF
ways was a fair and honest merchant, but when he first started in business he sold the fiery hquid and poisoned his many customers with the great- est curse of the nineteenth century. His wife soon persuaded him to abolish the grog-shop in connection with his other business, and to devote his whole attention to general merchandise. This advice was wise and commendable in this excel- lent lady, and was very instrumental in the great success that followed all of her husband's efforts in his business pursuits. He continued the dry goods and grocery business with marked success until the war. He had managed to pay off the ^500 at 16 per cent, that was borrowed to start with, and had purchased several lots and small pieces of land around Newton.
The war interfered so materially with his bus- iness that Mr. Wilkinson was persuaded to leave Dale County and remove to Greenville, which he •did in May, 1866, buying the corner lot, which he still owns. He soon built up an active trade, and was one among the first to erect a brick store in Greenville. He met with considerable opposition from all the older merchants of the town, but competed with them in every respect, always beating them in low prices and good bargains. He was the farmers' friend, often doing them favors and giving them accommodations that seemed impossible without losing all the profits. He soon built free wagon-yards and camp-house, wJiere the farmers could stay all night with their
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. 1 63
teams, well protected from the weather, and be safe from all danger of thieves — all free of cost. He reduced the charges made at the livery sta- bles for taking care of horses and buggies. When he first came to Greenville the liverymen would charge fifty cents for hitching a horse in the stable out of the sun. All horses could be hitched in Wilkinson's stable free. He allowed a farmer to furnish his own feed, and only charged a small amount for giving it to the horse at the proper time. This was never done before Billy Wilkin- son came to Greenville. It was not long before he opened a warehouse for weighing cotton, and re- duced the price charged for weighing and storing the fleecy staple. Immediately after the war the most of the farmers were compelled to adopt the advancing system and get their supplies from the merchants on time. It is said that no man was ever turned away from Wilkinson's store without getting what he wanted, either for the cash or on a credit; for Wilkinson always would credit any and everybody. All these things conspired to make him known, not only to the people through- out this county, but in all the adjoining counties, and they flocked to his store in large numbers to profit by the rare inducements offered.
Enough has been said to show the reader the important place that W. W. Wilkinson has occu- pied in the business circles of Butler County. He has been abused and severely criticised by his fellow-merchants, slandered and prosecuted by
164 THE HISTORY OF
some of his debtors, and laughed at by the peo- ple ; but it can be truthfully said that he has done as much for the general good of the people of this county as any other merchant that ever sold goods in Greenville. And, in spite of all opposi- tion, small margins and many losses, he has ac- cumulated a large amount of wealth, and ranks among the first tax-payers of this county. He has dealt, at different times, in drugs, hardware, groceries, dry goods, and general plantation sup- plies. After being actively engaged in merchan- dising for over thirty years, W. W. W. has at last retired and turned his business over to his son Zollie, who has shown a great deal of talent in that direction, and who may prove to be finan- cially as shrewd as his father.
W. W. Wilkinson is a friendly, liberal, kind- hearted man, full of energy and determination, and has a keen eye to business. He is a devout Christian, a faithful member of the Methodist Epis- copal Church, and contributes liberally to all char- itable enterprises. He was very instrumental in building the Methodist Church in Greenville in 1872, contributing ;^ 1,000 for that purpose. He is honest, reliable and conscientious in all his transactions. As his ideas do not always coin- cide with those of the general public, he is said to be cranky, and is undoubtedly very original. His advertisements in the Greenville Advocate were always read with great interest by every sub-
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. 1 6$
scriber. The following is a fair specimen of his peculiar style of advertising : —
NOTICE TO YOUNG MEN!
"1\7"ANTED an all sober, stout, hearty young man, not to ^' weigh less than i6o pounds; a prize-fighter and a natural collector; who is not afraid of work; has sufficient self-will and backbone to be sure he is not wrong and to go ahead when he is right; who desires to work himself up in business and to make a man.
Those possessing the above pedigree will please correspond with the undersigned. No others need apply.
W. W. Wilkinson,
Greenville, Ala.
He has been the life of trade in Greenville for many years, and his retirement will be felt and re- gretted by the people of the surrounding country, for he has done a great deal in promoting their in- terests, and has rendered them valuable assistance in their prosperity.
CHAPTER XXXn.
Forest Home.
This village has the reputation of being the most energetic and prosperous settlement in the county. Situated as it is, on the north side of Pine Barren Creek, it enjoys all the advantages that a level, sandy and productive soil can afford. The blue marl is from 75 to 100 feet under the surface of the ground, and hence the wells here are much
1 66 THE HISTORY OF
deeper than at any other place in the county ; but the superior quahty of freestone water found, more than repays for the extra depth. This section of country remained undisturbed for many years, while the people tried their fortunes on more pro- ductive soil. A few, who settled in this locality, convinced the public that a much better living could be obtained here than on the more produc- tive soil of the sickly prairies. As soon as this fact was established, the virgin pine forests, that had stood so long, were hewn down, and were re- placed by beautiful fields of oats, corn and cotton.
Although this place has been settled ever since 1819, yet Forest Home is in its infancy; for it was not until recently that the people became thor- oughly convinced that this place offered superior advantages to those of any other locality in the whole surrounding country.
In 18 19, Henry Powell settled in the field near where E. M. Lazenby's gin-house now stands. He sold out to his son-in-law, Robert C. Traweek, who came from the State of Georgia to Tus- caloosa County, in 18 19, and removed to this county in 1820. The old gentleman not being used to the log-house accommodations, soon went to work to build a frame-house, which he com- pleted in 1827. This house still stands on the old site, and on the brick chimney may be found this inscription in large letters : Robert C. Traweek, 1827. Traweek put up a mill on Breastwork Creek in 1825, the dam of which may still be seen a
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. 167
few hundred yards below the mill now owned by Lewis Wright & Co. Mr. Traweek opened a blacksmith-shop here in 1821, being the only shop of this kind in this part of the county at that time. He lived here about twelve years, but did not de- pend upon farming for his living. Here he began to rear a large family, the most of them being boys. They were : Thomas, William H., Brown, Lafayette, Ripley and Hugh.
In 1833, Robert Traweek sold his interests here to William Wallace, who soon sold to Green Cole- man. The property then passed through several hands, being owned at one time by Major James Yeldell, and at another by Mrs. Christian, and finally was purchased by E. M. Lazenby in 1869.
L. H. Gibbs built a house in 1828, about one mile northeast from where Smith's mill now stands, and put up a mill on Pine Barren for John Murphy. This was one of the first mills started on this creek.
Lod Roberson moved into this neighborhood about 185 1, and was followed by John Worrell, Seb. Moore, Nathan Wright, Thomas and Joseph Glenn, and many others, who can not be men- tioned in this short sketch of Forest Home.
In 1 87 1, E. M. Lazenby opened a shoe-shop with S. J. Campbell, and shortly after, during the same year, he had a few goods for sale in the shop. Finding that there was business enough to em- ploy one man's whole time, he opened a store separate from the shoe-shop, an enterprise which paid him very handsomely for the amount of cap-
l68 THE HISTORY OF
ital invested. In the meantime, the land that had been almost valueless as far as its market price was concerned, now sold for prices equal to those paid for fine Cedar Creek land, and the demand was greater than the supply. A large number of families having moved in, they opened a school in 1 87 1, which was taught by Mr. J. Norris, whose place was filled the next year by Miss Hattie Stewart, a lady of rare accomplishments, superior culture and refined Christian manners. It is to this lady that the good people of Forest Home should feel grateful for giving to this happy and prosperous village the name it now so appro- priately bears. To think of a home where strife, disappointment and grief are replaced by joy, hap- piness and peace, and this home, situated in the refreshing atmosphere of a deep pine forest, is enough to make the mind of the common pil- grim wander.
In 1873, the people erected a frame school- house, which still stands near the Baptist Church. Miss Stewart was succeeded by Miss Wilson, from Georgia, who proved quite as efficient a teacher as those that had preceded her. She was after- ward married to Thomas Ansley, and still resides at this place. At the close of Mrs. Ansley's school in June, 1875, occurred a difficulty which will long be remembered by the Forest Home people. It arose from a wrong interpretation of what a Meth- odist preacher named Gillis, who lived near the school-house, had said in the church at Monterey,
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. 1 69
some time previously, and the young men at Monterey took this opportunity of caUing upon the reverend gentleman for an explanation. Not finding him at home, they attempted to interfere with the exercises of the school, which the citizens resisted very emphatically. However, the writer will not enter into the details of this matter, but will proceed with the next teacher at Forest Home, who was Samuel A. Lowrey, of Monroe County. It was here in 1876, under his ever- watchful eye, that the writer of this little volume entered upon the studies of geography, algebra, and English grammar.
Lowrey was followed in 1878 by Prof. Seb. Reynolds, assisted by Mrs. Powers. They taught together for several years. In 1883, the people decided to erect an academy for the accommoda- tion of all the students in the place. Each citizen subscribed according to his means, and the acad- emy was, according to agreement, erected near the Methodist Church ; but after its completion, there was a misunderstanding between the people as to their teacher, and a disagreement ensued, which resulted in a denominational issue. The Baptists took the old school-house and employed their teacher, and the Methodists took the academy with their teacher. They both had flourishing schools during the past session, the Baptist enjoy- ing the best reputation. It would be considerably better, if the whole place could unite and have a school in common. But from appearances now,
170 THE HISTORY OF
it will be some time before a union can be effected on the school question at Forest Home.
In 1880, the Methodists, assisted by other citi- zens, erected a very handsome and commodious structure, which now bears the name of the Forest Home M. E. Church. A parsonage was erected in 1 88 1. The Baptists removed old Ebenezer Church from the cross-roads, near Butler Springs, in the summer of 1882, and remodeled it, making a very nice building, with plenty of room for the large congregation which always assembles on the regular days for services.
As there is not much wealth at this place, most of the farms are two-horse farms. The planters farm here on the intensive system, using a great deal of the different kinds of fertilizers, which pays them very handsomely for the money expended and the extra pains taken in the course of cultiva- tion. Land rents at from ;^4.oo to ^7.00, and can be made to produce over 1,600 pounds of seed cotton per acre, when the season is at all favor- able. Land sells at from ;^ 15.00 to ;^35.00 per acre, and sometimes even higher than this when improved and in a very desirable locality.
There is a post-office here, George Lazenby, postmaster, with three mails per week from Green- ville. Here are also three stores, owned by F. N. Moorer & L. Glenn, Lewis Wright, E. M. Lazen- by & Son, the last carrying a full line of general merchandise and plantation supplies.
Dr. Conrad Wall moved to this place in 1878,
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. 171
from Monterey, but as this is a very healthful lo- cality, the Doctor does not depend upon his prac- tice entirely. He spends his spare time upon a few well-fertilized acres, which always yield very abundantly.
The general tone of the society at Forest Home will compare with that of any other place in the county, but there is not as much * 'starch" in this society as is usually found in villages of the same size and importance.
Hon. Nathan Wright, an honest man, a worthy citizen, a true gentleman, and a faithful Christian, spent the latter part of his useful life within the borders of this happy village. He represented Butler County in the General Assembly in 1880, and was an active member in the passage of many local prohibition bills in different parts of our State. This fact, along with his noble traits of character, should make the good people of this county immortalize his humble name. He de- parted from our earthly shades in 1883 to join the angels in that bright and blissful home above, where none but the righteous dwell.
May fragrant roses ever bloom over his silent grave !
1/2 THE HISTORY OF
CHAPTER XXXIII.
Georgiana.
This town on the Louisville and Nashville Rail- road was founded by Pitt S. Milner, a Baptist minister, who came from Pike County, Georgia. He settled the place now known as the old Milner place in 1855. He established a post-office here the same year, naming it Georgiana. The rail- road soon established a depot here, and named it Pittsville for Rev. Pitt S. Milner, but the reverend gentleman objected to the name, and had it called Georgiana, the same as the post-office. John M. Smith came here soon after the post-office was es- tablished. Several people lived in the surround- ing country; the oldest settler lived about two and a half miles north of this place. He was named John Shepherd, and was also from Geor- gia, having moved here in 1824. The name Georgiana is a combination of Georgia and Anna. Mr. Milner combined his daughter Anna's name with that of his native State, and made a very euphonious name for this pleasant little city. In 1858 Pitt S. Milner opened a store of general merchandise. T. H. Powell soon followed with a grog-shop, the liquor business proving quite as profitable as any other for. some time. Miles and Peter Simpson and John W. Wheeler each started a store the same year. Many people having
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. 1/3
moved in, and the business being very good, the pubhc demanded roads leading to the prosperous village. Accordingly, in 1862, the Commission- ers ordered a road to be cut to Bear's store from this place, and the road to Oaky Streak through South Butler was cut the same year. Other roads have since been cut to this place from all parts of the southern portion of the county, making it a convenient market for all that live in this section of the country.
Rev. Pitt S. Milner started the Baptist Church here in 1865, and began preaching in it in 1866. The Methodists started their church the next year. Both denominations have very handsome structures for the size of the town. In 1868 the citizens erected a large building for school pur- poses, which is called the Georgiana Academy. First school was taught at this place in 1856, in a log school-house, by Miss Eunice Eskew. E. C. Milner, Pitt Milner's son, had a steam saw and gristmill here as early as 1858. In' 1867 Jerry Fail established one, which is still in operation.
The mercantile business sprang up very briskly in 1866, and has been steadily increasing ever since. The merchants buy from 3,500 to 4,000 bales of cotton per year, and other country prod- uce in proportion. This place commands not only the trade of this part of the county, but also a considerable amount from the adjoining coun- ties. There are now in Georgiana ten stores, two drug-shops, two hotels, one livery and feed stable,
174 THE HISTORY OF
one cotton warehouse, public mill and ginnery, shoe-shop, blacksmith-shop, etc. There is also a City Hall for public meetings and theatrical troupes. This place was incorporated as a town in 1869, and as a city in 1872. As there is no whisky sold here, there is not much use for municipal officers. Major A. N. Glenn is the present Mayor. Major Glenn is a man of consid- erable influence, and makes a very efficient officer. There are about 600 people living in the cor- poration. The state of society compares very favorably with that of any other town in the county. A very flourishing school is now in operation, with Prof. J. M. Thigpen as Principal. This school will continue to grow, as Professor Thigpen is a superior teacher and is aided by other very competent instructors. The people have always been noted for their observance of the laws of the country, and for pursuing their own interests and not interfering with those of others.
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. 1/5
CHAPTER XXXIV.
Starlington.
Philip Coleman located on Long Creek about 1821, and was soon followed by Joe Ainsworth, Joel Ellis and Elijah Hobbs, all coming from Mississippi. Coleman lived in what is now known as the Bennett neighborhood, about three miles south of Starlington. The old Sparta Road was cut through this place about 1825. The road to Cleburne was made public about 1832. Ben- jamin Parker moved his family here in 1820, and his son began a small mercantile business here in 1830. The place was named for Benjamin Park- er's son, Starling Parker, he being the most busi- ness-like and intelligent person in the settlement at that time. The first store was not at the cross- roads, but was about one mile south of where the church is now. There was one murder committed at this place in 1833. There was a misunder- standing between Granville Parker and Graves Ellis ; the former struck the latter on the head with a piece of scantling and killed him almost in- stantly. No other person was ever killed at this place. The store was moved up to the church about 1836. A man by the name of Sims kept it for some time, afterwards selling out to Jim Page. The latter sold to Jackson Allen about i860. There has been no store here since the war. It is
1/6 THE HISTORY OF
not known exactly when the churcH was put here. Starlington never was much of a place — nothing more than a cross-road. The land here is of a yellowish, sandy nature, and does not produce well unless highly fertihzed ; yet those living here seem to be doing about as well as they do in any other part of the county. The schools here are very poor, and the houses are not at all comforta- ble. There has been some wealth here, but very little here now. A great many negroes have bought land in this neighborhood and seem to be doing very well. The land is very cheap here, being bought for ;^i.50 per acre. The land is well timbered, the pine forests extending for miles on every side. In April, 1836 or 1837, a hurricane passed through the southern part of the Starling- ton neighborhood and did a great deal of damage in the way of blowing down houses, fences and trees, killing stock and people. No tree of any size was left standing in its path. It passed on in an easterly direction, and marks of its destructive path are found in South Butler and in Oaky Streak. It passed a little north of these places, and was even more destructive in Oaky Streak than any- where else in the county.
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. I'J'J
CHAPTER XXXV.
Colonel Hilary A. Herbert, Congressman from the Second District of Alabama.
This worthy son of our county was born at Laurens Court House, South Carolina, March 12, 1834. His parents, Thomas E. and Dorothy T. Herbert, were prominent educators in South Caro- Hna and Alabama. They taught a flourishing female school together in Laurensville until 1846, when they removed to Greenville, Butler County, where they were engaged in teaching school with marked success for a number of years.
It was while his parents were in Greenville that Hilary went to school to W. P. Eaton and other faithful teachers, and laid a good foundation for his future education. He made sufficient progress to be ready to enter college at the age of sixteen. His father, however, did not approve of sending him to a boarding-school while so young, and put him to work on his plantation. On the farm he was as diligent and successful as in the school- room, and proved to be of great assistance to his father.
After remaining in active service on the farm for about two years, he was matriculated as a member of the Sophomore Class in the State Uni- versity at Tuscaloosa, in the fall term of 1853,
178 THE HISTORY OF
and by his diligent application made a high stand in his class. His pleasing manners and superior character soon won for him a host of friends, who admired him both as a student and a true friend.
It was a great misfortune that the **Doby Re- beUion" should have taken place while this prom- ising youth was at college.
Doby was a member of the Sophomore Class; had earned the means for defraying his college ex- penses, and was recognized as a young man of some promise. He was dismissed from college by the faculty for shouting **Wolf!" at Prof. George Benagh, but he denied the truth of the charge, and appealed to his class to prove that he was in- nocent. The enraged Sophomores, feeling that a great injustice had been done to their classmate, met in the Erosophic Society Hall and called Hilary Herbert to the chair. Inflammatory •speeches were made, and, amid great excitement, a resolution was offered -and adopted that the signers would attend no more college duties until Doby was reinstated.
The faculty immediately suspended all those who signed the resolution. Among those sus- pended were Hilary Herbert, as well as a majority of his class, about half the Freshmen and a few of the Juniors. Many members of the class after- wards returned to the University, made the nec- essary reparations for having acted as they had done in the matter, and were reinstated. A ma- jority of those engaged in the Doby Rebellion
COL. HILARY A. HERBERT.
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. I/p
were influenced by pure and noble motives, and accepted the decision of the officers of the institu- tion as final. Those suspended for taking part in the Doby Rebellion have never harbored any ill will against the University for the action the faculty took in the matter, but, on the other hand, have been strong friends and supporters of the institution. Hilary Herbert has since served on its honorable Board of Trustees, and made a very useful and influential member.
After being sent from college at Tuscaloosa, Mr. Herbert entered the University of Virginia, and prosecuted his studies here during the ses- sions of 1854-55 and 1855-56. At this great seat of learning he made good use of the superior ad- vantages offered and enjoyed the same success that he had met with in Alabama. Greatly to his regret, his health gave way under the pressure of sedentary life, and he was forced to return to his home in March, 1856, for the purpose of re- gaining his strength. Having contracted dyspep- sia, it was necessary for him to employ the best medical skill, and to adhere strictly to the pre- scriptions given, lest he should be an invalid for life. His health had improved sufficiently by the following September for him to begin the study of law, which he did with E. A. Perry (now Gen- eral E. A. Perry, of Pensacola, Florida). They both had just begun to read law, and soon formed a great attachment and friendship for each other. One would read aloud while the other listened;
l80 THE HISTORY OF
they would then have a quiz on the whole chapter. These two young men made rapid progress, and were both admitted to the bar by the Supreme Court in March, 1857. M^- Perry opened an of- fice in Pensacola, and shortly after married Miss
Taylor, a beautiful and accomplished lady,
and a granddaughter of Dr. Hilary Herbert, an uncle of the subject of this sketch, and for whom he was named.
Herbert formed partnership with Samuel Adams, a very prominent lawyer in Greenville at that time, and who represented Butler County twice in the General Assembly. He married a sister of Hilary Herbert. He was a brave soldier in the Confed- erate Army, and was promoted to the rank of Colonel of the Thirty-third Alabama Regiment, but was killed at Atlanta in 1864 before he had time to add much lustre to his name as a com- mander.
From 1857 to 1861 Mr. Herbert practiced law successfully in Greenville, but was no aspirant for office. He was, however, alternate elector for Breckinridge, having always been a stanch Dem- ocrat and a strong supporter of such principles as were consistent with Democratic views.
Having advocated secession, he thought it his duty to defend it. The Greenville Guards had been formed in Greenville in the fall of i860 and Herbert was elected Second Lieutenant in that company. Governor Moore ordered the com- pany to Pensacola in January, 1861, before the
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. l8l
State had seceded. After staying at Pensacola about six weeks, the company was ordered to re- turn to Greenville. Here it was reorganized, and Hilary A. Herbert was elected as its Captain. Captain Herbert took his company to Richmond the following May. This was the first company that enlisted into regular service from this county, and was made Company F, Eighth Alabama In- fantry, with John A. Winston as Colonel in com- mand. After the battle of Williamsburg, in the spring of 1862, Captain Herbert was promoted to the rank of Major of the regiment. He was wounded and captured at the battle of Seven Pines, but was exchanged in August. He was then in command of the regiment, and was struck three times at Sharpsburg, but was not wounded severely enough to be obliged to leave the field ; was promoted to be Lieutenant-Colonel, and re- mained with the regiment during all of 1863, ^^^ until the battle of the Wilderness, in May, 1864, when he was disabled by a severe wound in the left arm.
After reaching home, he sent on his application for retirement, and wrote to Colonel King, the commander of the brigade, to have it hurried through, as he did not wish to stand in the way of the gallant officers, the promotion of whom would follow his retirement. Colonel King showed this application to the regimental officers. The of- ficers who would be promoted by Colonel Her- bert's retirement, after consultation, decided that
152 THE HISTORY OF
Colonel Herbert deserved to be promoted to a full Colonelcy, and, as it was likely he would get promotion before a great while, they requested Colonel King to withhold and not forward his res- ignation. These officers thus voluntarily caused Herbert's promotion to the position of Colonel of the regiment, and this at a sacrifice to themselves. Such instances of self-sacrificing devotion to a commander were not common among officers, even in the heroic days of the Confederacy. This is quite a compliment to Colonel Herbert. It shows how highly the officers of the Confederate Army regarded him as a commander, and his abil- ity in the successful discharge of the different duties devolving upon him while holding such a responsible position. A soldier, on a thirty days* furlough, on his way home, brought to Colonel Herbert his commission as Colonel, thus obtained for him by the devotion of the officers of his old regiment.
After the war was over, Colonel Herbert re- sumed the practice of law in Greenville, and formed partnership with John L. Powell, now Probate Judge of Butler County. In 1867 Colo- nel Herbert was united in marriage with Miss Ella Smith, a daughter of Colonel Washington M. Smith, of Selma. Mrs. Herbert is a lady of high culture and rare accomplishments. Having spent several years in the city of Washington with her husband while in Congress, she had the opportunity of meeting a great many distin-
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. 1 83
guished persons from different parts of the coun- try, and has won the admiration and esteem of all those who know her. She has been elected Vice- Regent of the Ladies' Mount Vernon Association for Alabama, an organization for the purpose of preserving the sacred home of George Washing- ton for the American people, who constantly visit it in large numbers.
Colonel Herbert followed the profession of his choice with considerable zeal, and had but little to do with politics until the passage of the Recon- struction Acts. He then considered it his duty to oppose Republicanism in the State, and took an active part in the campaign of 1867. He soon won a reputation as a speaker and Democratic leader, and was made a member of the State Executive Committee. In the meantime, Hon. David Buel had been admitted into partnership with him in the practice of law.
The war had deprived his father, Thomas E. Herbert, of all his property, and had robbed two of his daughters of their husbands. Colonel Sam- uel Adams was killed at Atlanta, George M. Cook at the battle of Seven Pines, and his nephew, James A. Young, who was an adopted son, fell at New Hope Church in 1864. Colonel Herbert, the only survivor of the family from the war, had the gratification of being able to assist his aged father in the houi of need, and took great pleasure in giving him every care and com- fort in his decHning years. The good-hearted old
1 84 THE HISTORY OF
gentleman was disabled in 1863 by a paralytic stroke, and was perfectly helpless until his death, in 1868.
In 1876 Colonel Herbert received the nomina- tion for Congressman from the Democratic party of the Second District of Alabama, and was duly elected the following November. Soon after his election, L. M. Lane, a prominent and able law- yer, was admitted into the firm, and the firm still bears the name of Herbert, Buel & Lane. Colo- nel Herbert has been in Congress ever since 1876. It was very gratifying to his friends of the Second District, as well as the people of Alabama, that he was renominated in 1884 without opposition, and was elected by a large majority.
In national legislation. Colonel Herbert has shown himself to be a man of Integrity and ability. He has always kept in view the interests of the people, is a strong advocate for reform, and has ever been in favor of a judicious management of the affairs of the Government.
Many of his constituents, for a time, thought him in error, when, in 1877, they learned that he was not In favor of the indorsement of the Texas Pacific Railroad Bonds, amounting to ;^38,ooo,ooo. When the company found that Colonel Herbert opposed the passage of the bill, they put out agents through the Second District of Alabama, and got a large number of the most influential men of the district to sign a petition, asking their Representative, Colonel Herbert, to support the
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. 1 85
bill. Colonel Herbert, who had given the subject due consideration, delivered an able speech in Congress against the bill. His speech met almost universal approval, and the soundness of his posi- tion was no longer doubted by his constituents.
This distinguished Congressman from Alabama has been prominent in the passage of many im- portant bills in the House, and is generally rec- ognized, by members of the Republican as well as the Democratic party, as a statesman of ability and influence. In the XLVHI. Congress, he is a member of the Committee on Ways and Means, which is considered the most important committee in the House of Representatives. He takes a great deal of interest in the discussion of the Tariff ques- tion, and is in favor of a reduction. He is an honor to Alabama in Washington, and should, by all means, be kept in Congress, to guard the in- terests of the people, and to assist in making laws that will be beneficial in the advancement and prosperity of this country, by helping the devel- opment of its wonderful natural resources.
1 86 THE HISTORY OF
CHAPTER XXXVI.
Shackelville ,
Tom Seale, who was an uncle of the Primitive Baptist preacher by the same name, settled on the old Federal Road, near where this place is now, about 1826. James Moore lived on the same place, afterward sold it to George Vickery in 1837. Thomas Seale, the minister, located near here in 1835. He hardly ever remained at one place long enough to tell whether he would like it or not. James D. Parks and Stephen Sims settled near where the store now stands, about the year 1830. This section of the country not being very fertile, was not as much desired for homesteads by the pioneers as other parts of the county, and those that did locate here, soon became dissatisfied, and removed to another portion of the county to pitch their tents. This is a kind of a flat, sticky, cal- careous soil, that is not very productive, even when properly fertilized and cultivated. The water con- tains a very perceptible amount of lime, but is very good for drinking purposes.
The land here has always been cheap, selling now from ;^2.oo to ;^5.oo per acre, and being higher now than at any time before this. Although the soil is not easily tilled, and when tilled is not very productive, yet this place is tolerably well settled
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. I 8/
up, and everybody seems to be getting along about as well as could be expected. While there is plenty of timber for having pine-planks sawed at the mills, it is a fact that the majority of the houses in Shackelville are now constructed of losfs. and, of course, are not near as comfortable as they should be. There are two churches here. The Shackelville Missionary Baptist, established in 1872, by Rev. Thomas Scale, and changed from the Primitive to the Missionary after his de- parture from this place. The Butler Branch Church is of the Latter-Day Saints' faith, and was erected in 1883, but has only a few followers as yet.
Mr. Lewis Hartsfield built the first house at the cross-roads where Frank Vickery now lives, about 1846.
L Forst & Bro. started a small mercantile busi- ness here in the fall of 1879, but did not continue it long, as it was not a paying business under ex- isting circumstances. The schools are not what they ought to be ; however, there is generally a school here about six months a year, and is patron- ized about as well as could be expected, the larger proportion of the people being in ordinary circum- stances. There being no very wealthy men living in the neighborhood, the town does not show itself off to much advantage. A steam saw-mill at this place, would pay a very good dividend, if properly managed, as there is any amount of fine timber here, and the land very cheap. There is no post-office here. Rev. Thomas Scale named
1 88 THE HISTORY OF
this place about 1870, but it is not known why he gave it this name.
CHAPTER XXXVII. Boiling.
This place has sprung up since the passage of the railroad through the pine forest region.
John T. and B. C. Miiner began to build a steam saw-mill here in the year 1865. The latter built the first dwelling-house in this place the same year, on the lot now owned by Asberry Flowers. The mill started to sawing lumber in 1866, with James Flowers as the sawyer. He has given satis- faction to the company in this position for eight- een years, and is of all men one that is entirely reliable. The company employed W. H. Flowers, as Superintendent of the mill in 1867, which posi- tion he held until he bought an interest in the company in 1872. A stock company was formed September i, 1880, with a stock valued at ;^8o,- 000. W. H. Flowers was elected General Super- intendent, and John J. Flowers Secretary and Treasurer. J. T. Miiner, H. M. Caldwell, W. H. Flowers and J. J. Flowers are the principal stock- holders, each owning ;^20,ooo.
This company owns about 28,000 acres of land
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. 1 89
near this mill, all of which is well timbered, yel- low long-leaf pine being the principal growth.
This mill has suffered three times from fire. The mill, with lumber on the grounds, was burned in 1869; loss about ^^ 15,000. It was rebuilt im- mediately, and burned again January, 1879; 1^^^ ;^ 1 5,000. It was rebuilt almost as quickly as burned. There was no insurance in either case. The lumber-yard and the kiln-drying machine were consumed by fire in April, 1884. Insurance, ^15,- 000; loss, ^40,000. The lumber business was in such a flourishing condition in 1873, that the com- pany employed convicts from the county to assist in cutting timber. The timber being sawed so rapidly, they found it expedient to use a steam locomotive on their tramway. An engine was made especially for their use, and it was put on the Narrow Gauge Railway in June, 1875. This railroad ran out about six miles southeast, and all the timber reached by it was exhausted by the spring of 1882. Work began immediately on a road northwest from the mill. The timber has been exhausted in this direction for five miles. The road will extend about seven miles farther be- fore it will be removed to another bed.
This mill, known all through the county as Flowers' Mill, does an immense business. It has a 95 horse-power engine, and turns out 35,000 feet of sawed planks per day. They have a pat- ented drying-machine, that dries about the same amount per day, and also a planing-machine, which
1 90 THE HISTORY OF
prepares the lumber for immediate use. Most of the lumber is shipped West. They work between 50 and 75 convicts here the year round, getting them from several counties in the State, and pay- ing for them from ;^7.oo to ;^i5.oo per month each. I am glad to state that the convicts, sentenced to hard labor and in the employ of this corporation, are well cared for. On examination of Colonel Reginald R. Dawson's report as inspector, you will find that he, as well as many others who have visited the mill, are well pleased with the system adopted by the company. The good treatment given to all convicts under their control, should se- cure for them, in the future, as many more as they may happen to need, to keep up with the orders for lumber.
The most of the land here belongs to the cor- poration or some of its members. John J. Flowers opened a store here in 1872 ; bu»t, as the business was not sufficient to pay him a reasonable per cent, on the money invested, it was soon suspended. The company has always kept a kind of grocery store here to supply the hands with meal, flour, bacon, etc., and a few dry goods.
As the land around this place is not very fertile, and as the corporation owns the larger portion of it, there are no farming interests here. Everyone living here is connected with the mill, and in that way obtains a livelihood.
The people all have a great desire for the edu- cation of their children, and always employ the
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. I9I
best teacher they can get, and by this means there is generally a better school here than in many of the other little villages in the county. Although it takes more money to engage a good teacher, yet the efficient services rendered, will more than repay the difference in cost.
The academy is a very neat and commodious building, centrally located.
The majority of the people here are Methodists, and have built a very handsome structure, in which they meet at appointed times to worship the Giver of all good things.
It is supposed that this station was named in honor of Judge S. J. Boiling, of Greenville, but this statement is not entirely authentic.
The post-office was established here in 1873, with J. J. Flowers, postmaster, who has acted in this capacity ever since.
There is a telegraph office here, but no ticket office.
CHAPTER XXXVIII.
Mrs. Ina Marie Porter Henry.
This gifted and accomplished lady was born in the city of Tuscaloosa, the Athens of Alabama,* which has given birth to many distinguished men and women. She was the daughter of Judge
192 THE HISTORY OF
Benjamin F. Porter, and inherited the literary- tastes and talents of her distinguished father. She was taught her letters by Mrs. Dr. John Little, Sr., whose admirable training did so much to fashion and develop the boys and girls of the classic city.
From Tuscaloosa, Judge Porter removed to Cave Springs, Georgia, where the education of his gifted child was continued in the schools of that place, though, on account of her delicate constitu- tion, her father was compelled to check the en- thusiastic fervor with which his child pored over the printed page. Her education was afterward continued at schools in DeKalb and Marshall Counties, and finished in Greenville, Butler County, under the skillful tuition of Mrs. E. V. Battey, an accomplished and experienced teacher.
From early childhood, Miss Porter exhibited great fondness for poetry, and soon learned to ex- press her thoughts in verses highly creditable to her youthful years, verses marked by force and finish. Some of the first of her graceful produc- tions were published in the Marshall County News and in the Wills Valley Post, and were much ad- mired and praised by many who saw rich promise of future fame for the young writer.
Before the war, the modesty of the young poetess kept her from seeking place in the magazines of the day for her happy and well-rounded verses. Soon after the war, however, her pen became more active, and sought a wider field. General David
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. 1 93
H. Hill and the Hon. John Forsyth, of Mobile, were two of her warm and admiring literary friends and advisers. The former sought her poems, stories, and sketches for the pages of The Land We Love, and the latter for the columns of the Mobile Register. Other periodicals and papers were glad to present her poetry and other literary work to their readers.
In 1858, Judge Porter, with his family, includ- ing his gifted daughter, moved to Greenville, where her life has since been spent, and where she has continued her devotion to letters and her lit- erary work.
In 1867, Miss Porter was married to Captain George L. Henry, son of Judge John K. Henry ; but eight years ago she was left a widow with one child. Since this time, Mrs. Henry has been busy with her pen, and, what so few Southern writers have done, has earned a support with its productions.
On the 1st of August, 1883, Mrs. Henry be- came connected with the Greenville Advocate as associate editor, and has done admirable work in the columns of this most excellent and prosperous paper, whose many readers always greet with pleasure the effusions of her pen.
Mrs. Henry is possessed of rare intellectual powers, and wields a vigorous pen, but whatever she writes is marked by the modesty and refine- ment of true womanhood. While fully apprecia- ting the loveliness and dignity of her sex, she
194 THE HISTORY OF
exhibits no sympathy with the so-called strong- minded women of the day, and with the mascuHne acts and utterances which come from them. Gentle- ness and grace, in an eminent degree, mark what- ever she writes and does, and she is one in whom our county and State may feel a just pride.
Her longest and perhaps her most finished poem, is entitled Southrea. Many of her poems, enough, in fact, to fill several handsome volumes, are as yet in manuscript; but we trust they will soon be published, for they would, no doubt, add in no small degree to the reputation of their cultured authoress, and to the growing literature of our State.
From her publications we have selected the fol- lowing, and we regret that space forbids ampler justice to this accomplished lady.
AWAY DOV^N SOUTH IN DIXIE.
In Dixie cotton loves to grow With leaf of green and boll of snow ; Here waves the golden wheat and corn, In Dixie land where I was born —
Come away down South in Dixie !
In Dixie gayest roses bloom, The jasmine yields its rare perfume ; And here the sea-breeze haunts the South With orange-blossoms in his mouth —
Come away down South in Dixie!
In Dixie land we love to give With generous hand — we love to live With cheerful light and open door; What matter if the wind doth roar? The heart is warm in Dixie !
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. 1 95
The Dixie skies are bonnie blue, And Southern hearts are warm and true ; Let there be love throughout the world, The pure white flag of Peace unfurled,
Floats away down South in Dixie !
In Dixie it is sweet to rove Thro' piney woods and sweet-gum grove ; And hark ! The rebel mocking-bird, With sweetest song you ever heard,
Sings away down South in Dixie !
In other lands 'tis sweet to roam. But Dixie land is Home, Sweet Home, And Southern maid, with simple song. Loves dear old Dixie, right or wrong — God bless the land of Dixie 1
CHAPTER XXXIX.
Sai'dis, Box 2, Beat No. 4.
This post-office is on the Andalusia Road from Greenville, and is about ten miles from the court- house. The land here is not entirely a pine land. Some of the wells and springs afford freestone water and some lime-water. There is not much wealth in this section, yet everybody makes a good living. The schools here are, as they are nearly all over the county, of a low order of excellence. The people are generally pious. The Baptist de- nomination is very strong.
196 THE HISTORY OF
There are three stores on the road from Sardis Church to Oaky Streak; R. D. Shell, R. C. Shell and A. C. Van Pelt are the owners.
Van Pelt keeps the poisonous liquid as well as general merchandise. The others sell goods or- dinarily kept in common country stores. R. D. Shell is the postmaster ; the post-office here being called Pigeon Creek.
The health of this place is very good. Young Dr. McCane does the practice when there is any to do.
Nothing is known of the early settlement of this place. It seems that those who settled it, have either moved away or died, never relating the growths of the village or the difficulties of the pioneers. The land here is worth from ;^3.0o to ;^5.oo per acre, and is not as good as it is at Oaky Streak. Most of the people here live in small houses built of logs, there being but few frame houses in the whole neighborhood. It is a sad fact that the citizens are not as hospitable as they might be, a stranger having often to ride in to an- other neighborhood before he can get a meal or a night's lodging. This fact will give the general reader a very good idea of the general tone of so- ciety at this place.
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. I97
CHAPTER XL. Toluka, Box I, Beat No. 4.
ToLUKA is in the open piney woods near the Crenshaw line. There is no store here at present, business having been suspended some time since.
Jackson Thornton and John Thomas settled in this neighborhood about 1830. The other citizens moved in slowly, but it is not now known in what order. They erected a church near Pigeon Creek, about 1840, naming it the Damascus Baptist Church. The church has since been torn down, and rebuilt on the same spot. It is now a very spacious house of worship, and accommodates a large congregation on the regular days of service.
The land here is generally level, and produces well when properly fertilized. All the land in this part of the county is level, and is worth from ^7.00 to ;^I5.00 per acre, according to the amount of im- provements and locality. Dr. T. A. McCane is the most influential man in this neighborhood. The people are tolerably well up with the times, have very comfortable homes, and are making a good living. Toluka is on the Lower Troy Road. Some of the neatest farms and dwellings are to be seen on this road from Toluka to Greenville.
Land on this road is more valuable than on any other road in the county, except the land at Forest Home. One of the prettiest farms in the county
198 THE HISTORY OF
is on this road, two miles and a half from Greenville, owned by W. R. Thagard, Esq., who is well- known as one of the best and most successful sci- entific farmers in the county. He farms on a large scale, and is always successful in his plans of farming.
CHAPTER XLI. McBrides.
This place is known as McBride's, Yellowshanks, and Zinn ; but more generally known throughout the county as McBride's. It is located in a very beautiful section of level, sandy soil, with long-leaf pine and oak as the natural or virgin growth. The people here have well-cultivated farms, which re- pay them for their trouble by the average yield of the stuff planted.
Land is worth about ;^5.oo per acre, and is very fine farming land, being easy of cultivation, and well adapted to the different kinds of fertilizers now sold for use.
This neighborhood, being on the Upper Troy Road, enjoys a superior locality for good roads to the different markets. There are two churches in this neighborhood, but no schools of any conse- quence. The people through here are generally Primitive Baptists and Campbellites, and it is not
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. I99
necessary for me to say anything of the higher circles of society and prevaiHng styles in vogue here, as these denominations have had almost a uniform style since 1826.
The people here are known throughout the county for their honesty and promptness in the way of discharging their duties in every respect.
Elias McKensie came here from Tennessee in 1836, and found Maxy Armstrong and William Taylor already here, having been here probably ten or twelve years.
Jesse McBride opened a store of general mer- chandise here in 1858, but there was a kind of store and grog-shop here as early as 1845. There has always been a blacksmith-shop here in connec- tion with a wood-shop. Elias McKensie and Jesse McBride are the most prominent men in this place, both being men of general information and some property.
There are some very fine farms on the road from Greenville to McBride's.
The people on the Upper and Lower Troy Roads seem to have the neatest and best kept up farms of any in the county.
200 THE HISTORY OF
CHAPTER XLII.
The Press of Butler County.
The first newspaper was established in this county in 1834, edited by John W. Womack, and pubHshed by Thomas J. Judge. This was in the days of the Whigs, and these two gentlemen being strong advocates of the principles of their party, named the paper the Greenville Whig. They were both energetic and intelligent men, and soon made their paper a success. Thomas Judge afterward became a leading politician in the State. The first printing-office was over the store of Gafford & Co., afterward owned by John K. Henry & J. C. Cald- well.
The MijTor soon after put in its appearance, and was edited by Watson. It was a paper of lit tie influence, and soon suspended.
In 1845, Curtis took up subscriptions for the Alabamian, and was afterward assisted in its pub- lication by Moody. John S. Davies was their foreman, and subsequently bought the paper, and was both editor and business manager.
By this time, a number of persons in the county began to think that journalism was the most at- tractive occupation of the age, and the Southern Messenger was accordingly established, with Liv- ingstone and Steele on the editorial tripod. Each
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. 201
editor of the town papers was very eager for the success of his own paper, often forgetting entirely the interests of all other journalists. This brought on a bitter rivalry between the newspapers, which grew into personal abuse, and came near ending in bloodshed.
When the Southern States seceded from the Union, the officers of the Government thought it more expedient to have the printers and editors employed shooting the Union soldiers, than to have them at home to spread the news of the de- feat of the Confederates in the different battles; consequently, the voice of the press was hushed in many counties in the State during the unfor- tunate struggle of the South to protect her un- questionable rights.
In 1865, when the Greenville Advocate vjdiS ^stsh- lished, there was not a printing-office in Butler County, nor a piece of type, except at Judge B. F. Porter's residence, where he had a job press for printing legal documents for his own use.
In 1864, the Southern News W3.s irregularly pub- lished by Captain George L. Henry, and in a part of 1865-66 by W. W. Beasly, assisted by Hon. Benjamin F. Porter.
In 1869, the Sout/i Alabamian was revived, with J. R. Thames at its helm. Its pages sparkled with the burning thoughts of Mrs. I. M. P. Henry, the following year. In 1871, this interesting writer was a member of the editorial staff of the Mobile Register. Dr. J. M. Jennings made his
202 THE HISTORY OF
salutatory in 1872, but unfortunately his obituary was written in the same paper three weeks later. J. R. Thames resumed his seat in the editorial chair in 1873. The paper was purchased the fol- lowing year and published by Porter, Drake & Harbin, with J. D. Porter as editor. Later, Per- due purchased the interests of Drake and Harbin, but soon sold his interest to Porter, who continued to publish the Alabamian until August, 1876, when he retired to enter the ministry. The name of Dr. T. J. Parmer then appears as editor, until the paper was suspended in October of the same year.
The Independent Thinker made its appearance in 1872, with Colonel J. M. Whitehead at its mast. It was short-lived.
In November, 1879, George D. Reid started the publication of the Spirit of tJie Times.
In the hotly-contested county campaign during the summer of 1880, the Echo budded and bloomed in favor of Hon. John L. Powell, for Judge of. Probate, and was edited by J. R. Thames. At the untimely death of this earnest quill-driver, Mrs. I. M. P. Henry lent her glowing pen for a few months, until Rev. B. H. Crumpton purchased the outfit and assumed the responsibilities of its man- agement; but his active ministerial duties prevented him from continuing its publication long, and it died in 1882.
In the same campaign that brought the Echo into existence in 1880, the Voice \^2i?> heard to pro- claim to the people of the county in favor of J. C.
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. 203
Richardson, Esq., for Probate Judge, and was en- couraged in its work by Colonel J. M. Whitehead. It did not have such a long life as the Echo^ but died a natural death after the election.
Colonel William C. Howell made his polite bow to the people of this county in 1883, in the form of the Butler County Citize7i. Colonel Howell has edited a number of papers in different parts of the State, but his experience was to no effect in this county, as he had to compete with the Advocate. The Citizen was suspended before the end of the year.
It will not be out of place to give the Greenville Advocate^ with its editor and associates, a more ex- tended notice in the history of the county than we have given any other paper, as it has, un- doubtedly, a much greater reputation for general information than any of the other papers ever pub- lished in Butler County.
James Berney Stanley was the founder of this newsy journal, the prospectus of which appeared in the Montgomery Advertiser in the latter part of 1865. He had not long returned from the war, and was a young man of considerable energy, but had never had any experience in journalism. After canvassing the county soliciting subscrip- tions for the paper, he bought the outfit for its publication, paying 1^150 in cash and giving his note for the remainder, which was paid three months afterward. Under these disadvantages, the Greenville Advocate ^ a six-column weekly, made
204 THE HISTORY OF
its appearance before the public, published by Leatherwood and Stanley; subscription, ;^5.oo per annum.
The people, immediately after the war, were not especially interested in any particular kind of liter- ature, but gave their time and attention almost en- tirely to the adjustment of their financial and domestic affairs. The different journals conse- quently received but little encouragement from them for some time.
Mr. Stanley managed to save up enough money to buy out the interest of Leatherwood in 1867, paying that gentleman ^2,500. The Advocate has been directly under his management ever since that time. In 1876, he issued a four-column daily, then a tri-weekly, then a semi-weekly, and subse- quently enlarged the Advocate to an eight-column weekly, which has the largest circulation of any paper in the State of Alabama.
This paper is not only regarded as a good paper by the intelligent and competent people of the county, but the whole South, it being awarded the First Premium of $100 and Gold Medal, at the Southern Exposition, Louisville, Ky., October 23, 1883, for being the best county weekly printed in the Southern States. This is no ordinary com- pliment ; however, it simply confirms the earnest convictions of its many readers. The Advocate now goes to over 500 different post-offices, from Canada to Mexico; the circulation in some towns reaching as high as 150 copies. Thousands of
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. 205
dollars are annually distributed to its many sub- scribers, and yet the manager makes more money from the paper than any other journalist in the State. The Advocate owes a great deal of its literary success and reputation for containing mat- ter of general interest, to the associate editors. We will now notice these briefly.
In 1880, Lucien J. Walker, a young man from Lowndes County, who had shown a decided liter- ary talent, made his bow to the public. The col- umns of the paper soon sparkled with the news as it was recorded by his glowing pen. It was while he was connected with the Advocate that it at- tained its reputation for sprightliness and origin- ality. He left the Advocate in the summer of 1 88 1, to take a position on the Daily Times, at Selma, but did not remain on that paper long be- fore he accepted a position on a paper in Eufaula. In the fall of 1883, he went to Washington City, as a special correspondent to several of the Southern papers, and was soon appointed secretary to an important committee in the House of Representa- tives, a position which pays him very handsomely for the amount of work done. He is still at Wash- ington, engaged as secretary of the committee and correspondent of the different papers, and is generally regarded as a very interesting corre- spondent as well as a young man of much promise.
In 1 88 1 the responsibilities of associate editor fell upon the shoulders of Charles R. McCall, of Bullock County, who was graduated first in his
206 THE HISTORY OF
class at the University of Alabama in 1879, ^^^ was an assistant professor in that institution for the next two years after graduation. As this in- experienced youth ascended the tripod and made his unpretentious bow, it was generally conceded that the interests of the paper would flag; but greatly to the surprise and pleasure of the many readers, the interest grew with each edition of the paper after his connection with it. He did a great deal to raise the general tone of the paper, and put the editorial department abreast with the other papers in the State, and succeeded admira- bly. He remained with the Advocate two years, and resigned to enter upon the duties of editor of the Troy Messenger, a weekly published in Pike County, which position he still holds, to the great satisfaction of the many readers of his paper. Few writers wield more scholarly and gifted pens than the accomplished McCall. He still enter- tains fond hopes for Greenville (?), and pays her (?) a number of visits each year, thinking, probably, that he may yet make Butler County his home.
Since the summer of 1883, Mrs. I. M. P. Henry has been associate editor. A short sketch of the useful life of this accomplished lady will be found in another chapter of this book.
We will next turn our attention to Colonel James B. Stanley, the successful editor and pro- prietor of this well known paper. He was born in Hayneville, Lowndes County, August 9, 1844, and was the fourth son of Robert H. and Emma
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. 20/
Stone Stanley. His father was a Carolinian, of English parentage ; his mother was the daughter of a British officer, and was born in Paris.
He attended but few schools until after the age of fourteen. His first work, of which we have any record, is his connection with the Southern Messe?tger, a weekly paper printed at Greenville, his father's family having already removed to that place. He entered the office of this paper as an apprentice in 1858, and remained here for three years. He was then entered as a student of the Glenville Collegiate and Military Institute in Bar- bour County, but did not remain here long before the whole college, aroused by Southern patriot- ism, entered the army in defense of the Southern Confederacy. The subject of this sketch joined the celebrated Seventeenth Alabama, and re- mained in its ranks until the close of the war. Although he was in active service all the time, and witnessed some of the bloodiest of the fights, he was wounded in but one battle. On the mem- orable field at Franklin he received two severe wounds, which disabled him for several months, and the marks of which he will bear while life lasts.
Immediately after the war, the people of the South were financially embarrassed, and those who wished for early prosperity entered the first employment which presented itself On Mr. Stanley's return home he took all the money that he had in the world, which was only j^ioo, and in-
208 THE HISTORY OF
vested it in a family grocery and notion store in Greenville, and by close attention to his business, and strict compliance with the laws of economy, he soon saved enough hard cash to invest in a paper, which was unfurled to the breeze in 1865 as the Greenville Advocate.
Mr. Stanley started the publication of this paper against the advice of many of his friends, who thought it useless to attempt such an enterprise while the country was in such a condition. For- tune smiled upon the proprietor, and the Advocate flourished as the green bay tree. Day by day the paper grew more and more in the favor of the people, and new names were constantly added to the subscription list, until to-day the newsy sheet is welcomed in thousands of families. Mr. Stan- ley deserves special recognition as one of the first newspaper men after the war who fostered home talent by the substantial encouragement of remu- neration.
Although he is a stanch Democrat, and a strong advocate of the principles of his party, he is not particularly fond of politics, and has never shown any desire for office. If he should ever wish to enter politics, he is too honest to resort to the various schemes by which the majority of the officers of our Government now receive the nomi- nation by the Democratic Conventions. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, but is a man of views too broad to believe that there Ts but one church, and that all th^t is good and
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. 2O9
holy is in that church. As all earnest Christians should be, he is constantly striving to impress the minds of the young with the sacred teaching of the Holy Scriptures, and is rarely ever absent from the Sunday-school.
In May, 1882, on a steamboat on the Alabama River, the editors of the State unanimously elected Mr. Stanley President of the Press Association of Alabama. The members of the press showed their appreciation of his abihties as an officer by re-electing him the following year at Selma. At Eufaula, in May, 1884, he was made President by acclamation. He takes a great interest in the brotherhood, and does everything in his power to make each meeting of the Association as instruct- ive and pleasant as possible.
The success of his paper and the noble qualities of his character have won for him a wide reputa- tion and given him a high rank among the differ- ent journalists of the country. Many of the Southern papers have tendered him positions on their editorial staff, and several persons have, at different times, offered to buy his interest in the Advocate, but his sound judgment tells him to "let well enough alone."
He was united in marriage to Miss Lulu Reid December 17, 1867. His wife is indeed a help- meet, whose worth is only rivaled by her modesty. His happy family consists of one son and four daughters. Being energetic, persistent, painstak- ing and scrupulously honest, he deserves all the
210 THE HISTORY OF
success that he now enjoys; and may peace, hap- piness and prosperity abide with him the remain- der of his days.
CHAPTER XLIII.
Bear's Store.
This little village might be very appropriately called Burkettville, as every other house you pass is occupied by some descendant of the Burkett family.
Thomas Burkett came here about 1830, and pitched his tent southwest of where the store now stands. He was soon followed by John Hood, Joab Coleman, Manuel Burkett, Davy Grason and Evans Burkett, who settled near each other, and were the pioneer settlers. Thomas Burkett built ;a house where the present store now stands. Of course, there was no town here for some time after these men entered the land. The land being of a poor variety, the people did not care to cast their lot in this section of the county.
A Dutch peddler, named Lewis Bear, opened a few dry goods in connection with his dram-shop here in 1857. It was quite a profitable business for several years, as there were but few stores in ihis part of the county at that time. He sold out
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. 2 1 1
to John Coleman in i86i, and joined the Con- federate Army. The place was named in honor of him, and still retains his name. There has been some kind of a store here ever since he left, but the business was not very profitable until 1882, when Joseph Sellers took charge of it and has worked up a considerable trade.
There never was a post-office here, there being no mail line along either of the roads passing the place.
Although there is plenty of pine timber here, the people live in houses built of hewn logs. The land is a kind of sticky, rotten lime, being difficult to cultivate properly. There are but few springs that afford water from one year to the other. The water is not good, containing lime in very per- ceptible quantities.
The schools are very ordinary at this place, and the people do not use much starch. All of them are law-abiding people. They have a church in the neighborhood, and have preaching twice each month.
There is not much demand for land in this place, hence it can be bought for ^1.50 to ;^2.oo per acre. This is a very healthy locality, and could be made a very desirable one.
212 THE HISTORY OF
CHAPTER XLIV.
Rocky Creek ^ Beat No. i6.
James Campbell pitched his tent in this pleasant locaHty about 1855, and found James Prewhitt and Allen Lovet enjoying the blessings of its pro- ductive soil, they having immigrated here about 1845. These, with a few neighbors, were the only persons living here until about 1870, when the land got on a boom. So many famiHes coming in, soon gave the place the appearance of a country village. The people established a voting precinct here in 1874. There are two churches here, both in a very flourishing condition. There never was a store here ; Boiling is the nearest point to pur- chase goods, it being about five miles. The peo- ple have tolerably good common schools here, and patronize them very well. Most of the timber near this place, has been used by Flowers, Cald- well & Co. , for making planks. The soil here is similar to that at Shackelville and Bear's Store ; for particulars see Shackelville.
The locality of this neighborhood is very beau- tiful. It is supposed, by some that have their imaginative powers well developed, that the red men often assembled in the neighborhood to cele- brate their different festivals, and pass a few hours in innocent sports appropriate to the customs and
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. 213
the occasion. Many pots, beads, arrow-heads and other Indian relics have been plowed up in the fields in the course of cultivation.
The land is not very good for farming purposes, yet the people manage to make a very good living by earnest and untiring energy. The land sells for;^2.50 per acre, and is sometimes sold for as much as ;^5.oo, being worth much more now than ever before.
There is no post-office here.
CHAPTER XLV.
Roper Wells,
These wells are located about two miles east of Greenville, and are owned by E. B. Roper. In 1875, he had a well dug in his yard for drinking purposes. Water was obtained after digging 42 feet, but proved to be entirely unfit for ordinary use. The water seeps out of a kind of iron-rock at the bottom of the well, and gives everything a deep yellow color with which it comes in contact. There is a stratum of blue marl, fifteen feet in thick- ness, just above the iron-rock.
The peculiar properties of the water were reported to different persons living in the neigh- borhood, and many opinions were expressed con-
214 THE HISTORY OF
cerning its probable mineral ingredients. An experiment in 1877, upon a long sufferer from dyspepsia, established its healing properties. In the spring of 1878, the water was sent to W. C. Stubbs, Professor of Chemistry in the A. & M. College, at Auburn, Alabama, who gives the fol- lowing as a complete analysis. The amount of water used was one litre, which is a little more than one quart.
|
Sulphuric Acid, 84|- grs. |
Magnesic Oxide, 4^ grs. |
|
Ferric Oxide, 27I '' |
Sodium, -j^ '* |
|
Ferrous '' I7| '' |
Chlorine, -| ** |
|
Calcic '' lOj^ " |
SiHca, 2| '^ |
|
Potassic '' 2I '' |
Carbonic Acid, 5^ ** |
The Roper Well water was thoroughly adver- tised, and put on the market at 50 cents per gal- lon for the first year, and sold for ;^i.oo per gallon the next year. Fifty cents is the regular price now. This water has cured many cases of different kinds of diseases, when all other appli- ances had failed. It is highly recommended by the medical profession as being a good remedy for all skin diseases, burns, dyspepsia, loss of appetite, and especially for all chronic diseases. The water is for sale in all the principal cities in the State, and is sometimes shipped to other States.
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. 21 5
CHAPTER XLVI.
Judge John K. Henry.
This able member of Butler County's bar was born in Hancock County, Georgia, March 23, 18 14, and came with his parents to this State in 18 19. His father located in Wilcox County, where he spent his time in farming. His son re- mained on the farm until grown, and assisted his father in the management of the plantation. He received but little mental training while on the farm ; nevertheless, he chose the legal profession, and began its study as soon as it was convenient for him to do so. He was in his twenty-ninth year when he began to prosecute his legal studies in Greenville, but it was not long before he gained sufficient knowledge of the subject to stand a creditable examination for admission to the bar. Being a close student and an industrious business manager, he was not long in building up a paying practice.
In 185 1, Mr. Henry was nominated by his party for the State Senate, but was defeated by Hon. Walter H. Crenshaw. He was, however, elected to the Circuit Court Bench in i860, and discharged the duties involving upon him, while in this office, with great satisfaction to the people. He was again elected to the same position in 1866, with-
2l6 THE HISTORY OF
out opposition. Contrary to the wishes of the people of the Eleventh Judicial Circuit, he was re- moved from office by Congress in 1868.
In 1874, he was elected Judge of the Circuit Court, and held that honorable position for several years. He was elected by the Counties of Butler and Conecuh in 1884, to represent them in the the State Senate.
He is now a partner of the firm of Henry & Steiner, of Greenville.
CHAPTER XLVn.
Steiner' s Store.
This place is known by three names — Scatter- ville, Three Runs and Steiner's Store. Three Runs is its proper name, as a creek by that name passes through the neighborhood.
John McPherson moved here from Conecuh County in 1832. He found three families living here at that time. There were two families of Browns and the family of William Peavy, he being the first to settle here. As the soil is not very productive here, the land was not in much de- mand until after the war between the States. Joseph Steiner may be said to be the pioneer set- tier of this place. He built a log cabin here in the
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. 21/
winter of 1848, which he used for a dwelling-house, and opened a store here in 1849. These houses were soon torn down and frame houses erected in their stead. He engaged in a very paying business here until i860, when it was suspended. Riley & Ziegler bought the Steiner lot the same year and sold it in 1865 to Jerry Gafford. A post-office was established here in 1849 called Three Runs, with Joseph Steiner postmaster, and was sus- pended in i860, never being opened since.
The land here is not entirely a lime, nor can it be called a sandy soil, yet it produces about as well as the average soil in the county when prop- erly cultivated and fertilized. The water here contains some Hme in solution. Land is worth from $^ to $S per acre, and not much demand for it at that price. There is some iron ore found here, which is of the limonite variety, and is a very good ore. A large quantity of it is found on Mrs. Nancy Hancock's place, on the east side of Three Runs Creek.
There are two churches in the Three Runs neighborhood, which have services at regular ap- pointed times. The schools are not as good as some of the patrons would have them, but are on an average with other schools of the same grade in the county. There is not much wealth here, Joshua Perdue having the reputation of being the richest man in this neighborhood.
2l8 THE HISTORY OF
CHAPTER XLVIII. Dunham Station. •
This place is situated on the Louisville and Nashville Railroad, about eighteen miles from Greenville. The Dunham Lumber Company is situated here, and is the only thing of importance here. This mill was put up in 1882 by B. B. McKenzie, one of the chief engineers on the Louisville and Nashville Railroad. He is now President of the Lumber Company and owns the larger portion of the stock. The mill is run by a ninety-horse-power engine, and turns out over 20,000 feet of lumber per day. They have one of the patented drying machines, and also a plan- ing machine, which prepare the lumber for im- mediate use. They have a broad-gauge railway, about four miles in length, which supplies the mill with logs from the almost inexhaustible forest of yellow pine near at hand. There being no convicts employed here gives work to many hundred men, who come from all parts of the county to profit by the wages offered.
This company has the contract to furnish the Louisville and Nashville Railroad with cross-ties and bridge timber. This is a very large bill to fill, and they fill it, having time to saw other lum- ber for flooring and ceiling purposes. A person
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. 2I9
can not form a correct idea of the amount of lum- ber handled by this company until he visits it and sees the immense side-track, three miles long, used in loading the different cars for shipment. This company does not saw all the lumber that passes through their hands. They have several other smaller mills in their employ, and by this means are able to furnish lumber in any quantities on short notice.
CHAPTER XLIX.
Mobile and Montgomery Railroad Leased by the Louisville and Nashville Railway Company.
This railroad runs diagonally across the county^ and is 34 miles in length. It Avas completed through the county in the fall of i860. This road is of considerable service to the county, as it is the only source of transportation. It pays a handsome revenue annually to the county treas- ury, which the following statistics will show: —
34 mis. main track, valued per mile at . $ l2,00O 2. 71-100 mis. side-track, valued per mile at . 3,000 Rolling stock valued at . . . . 458,289
Depot buildings, 5, 100
Land owned in the county is 8,800 acres; rate of tax is 6^ mills on the dollar.
220 THE HISTORY OF
TAX RECEIVED FROM THE RAILROAD. Main track, . . • . . 152,704.845
Side track, ...... 52.845
Rolling stock, ..... 274.2285
Land, 28.6000
Depot buildings, ..... 33.1500
Total ^553,093. 6685
There are eleven men employed by the com- pany at the different offices in the county, and five section bosses, who employ six hands each, making a total of 46 men given employment on the road, besides many that are kept employed preparing cross-ties. The road is kept in good con- dition, and has always had polite and accommo- dating men in its employ. They run two passenger trains each way daily, and one accom- modation, with freight trains to suit the demands of transportation. As there is no river in this county, commerce would be very much retarded by the suspension of this road.
Other lines have been contemplated through the county, but it will be some time before the people will enjoy the advantages of another rail- road in this county. This road is the main chan- nel through which Butler County exchanges her produce.
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. 221
CHAPTER L. The Medical Profession in the County,
Although the health of this county is as good as that of any other county in the State, we do not want for medical skill. There are twenty- seven doctors in the county, all of whom are graduates of recognized medical colleges of the country, and are thoroughly acquainted with the different branches of their profession, and have always kept abreast with the steady advance of the science of sciences. As a general rule the doctors do not receive the amount of praise that they so justly deserve. In the times of antiquity the people looked upon them as the wise men of the land, and showed them marked civilities ; to- day the opinion of the public gives them a low place in the scale of excellence, while the politi. cians are given a place even above the clergy.
The medical profession has been gradually broadening its field of usefulness by constantly adding to its college curriculum more extended courses in the various departments of science, and making the instruction more practical by the use of large hospitals, where every type of disease can be privately studied by the students of medicine. Specialists have devoted their whole time to the study and practice of some one of the different branches of medicine, and have succeeded in cur-
222 THE HISTORY OF
ing cases that had hitherto been regarded as entirely hopeless.
As there are no large cities in this county, we have no specialists, each physician devoting his time to the general practice. None of them have grown particularly rich from the fees collected from patients, although all have made comforta- ble livings.
Dr. Hilary Herbert was the first resident phy- sician of this county, and was followed by Dr. Thomas Bragg. Dr. Barge came to the Flat about 1 82 1, and married a daughter of Thomas Hill. The first doctors of the county were very practical in their treatment of the different cases that came before them. Dr. Bragg lived to a ripe old age, and died in 1881. Being a useful citizen and a faithful Christian, he was loved and respected by his many acquaintances.
Previous to 1873, any person could practice medicine, provided a certificate was obtained from the Medical Board of the State certifying that he had a sufficient knowledge of the subject to prac- tice, although he may never have graduated at a medical college. In 1873 the Legislature of the State passed a law requiring each county to have a Board of Examiners, before which each person wishing to practice medicine in that county must appear. The applicant must be a graduate of a rec- ognized medical college, and Is required to show his diploma. Before obtaining a certificate from this Board he is also required to stand an approved ex-
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. 223
amination on all the branches of the medical profes- sion. The Board of Examiners is elected by the Medical Society of the county, which is an organ- ization composed of all the physicians of the county, and which has meetings at regularly ap- pointed times. Officers of the Society are annually elected, and subjects of most interest to the pro- fession are discussed freely by the members. This organization is a good one, and should be perpetuated.
We might state in this connection that we are well provided with drug stores and a corps of ex- perienced druggists, who understand their busi- ness, and who fill all prescriptions with care and skill.
The following is a list of the physicians in But- ler County as far as the author remembers: —
At Greenville: Doctors Job Thigpen, C. B. Herbert, C. B. Lampley, T. J. Broughton, F. C. Webb, J. C. Kendrick, Joseph Harrison, S. J. Steiner, Arthur Stewart, J. B. Kendrick and Lewis Perdue.
Monterey: Doctors J. G. Donald, C. J. Knight and J. J. Garrett.
Forest Home: Dr. C. Wall.
Butler Springs : Dr. B. Sims.
Georgiana: Doctors J. E. Allman and T. M. McLenden.
Oaky Streak : Dr. W. F. Kendrick.
Toluka: Doctors T. A. McCane and James McCane.
224 THE HISTORY OF
Stelner's Store : Dr. Webb.
Manningham : Doctors H. C. Scott and J. D. Simmons.
Dead Fall: Dr. J. D. Owen.
CHAPTER LI.
The Bar of Butler County.
The bar of Butler County has always ranked among the first in the State for learning and ability. Many of its members have distinguished themselves for their judgment in the administra- tion of the Government to the general satisfac- tion of the people. The State has frequently shown its confidence in their wisdom and counsel, by electing them to the highest positions of public trust.
. Judge Anderson Crenshaw was the first lawyer that settled in this county. He was born in New- berry District, South Carolina, in 1786, and came to this State in 1820. He read law in his native State under Judge Nott, and was licensed to prac- tice in 1 809. In 18 1 2, he was a member of the Legislature of his native State. Soon after com- ing to the State of Alabama, he was elected to the bench of the Supreme Court, and held that posi- tion for twelve years in succession. He resided in
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. 22$
Butler County from 1821 until his death in 1847. Judge Crenshaw was Chancellor of his District for eight years.
The names of Crenshaw, Womack, Watts, Henry, Porter and Judge will always be cherished by the bar of this county for the reputation they gave it in the earliest days of its existence.
Governor Watts was born in the county in 18 19, and began practice in Greenville in 1841. He represented the county several times in the Legis- lature, and then removed to Montgomery, and was afterward elected to the office of Governor of the State.
Judge John K. Henry came from Wilcox County, but studied law and began to practice in Butler County. He has spent a long, busy and useful life in the county, at the bar and on the bench. He was elected Judge of the Circuit Court of this District in i860, and filled that position with great satisfaction, until he was ejected by Congress in 1868. He is now serving with ability the people of Butler and Conecuh Counties in the State Senate. Judge Walter H. Crenshaw was a son of Chancellor Crenshaw, and was a chip of the old block. He represented this county many years in the State Legislature, and was both Speaker of the House and President of the Senate. His last public duty was in the office of Judge 01 the Criminal Court of Butler County.
Thomas J. Judge was a member of the Butler County Bar, and represented his county in the
226 THE HISTORY OF
Legislature. He was generally recognized as stand- ing at the head of the legal profession in the State, and was the candidate of the. Whig party for Con- gress against Judge David Clopton, the Demo- cratic nominee. This election is conceded to have been the most hotly contested election ever known in Alabama, and resulted in the defeat of the Whig candidate by a small majority. Thomas Judge was three times elected to the Supreme Court Bench, which position he held with the uni- versal confidence of the people at the time of his death.
His opinions delivered from the Supreme Bench, are regarded by the legal profession as clear, logical and convincing.
Judge Benjamin F. Porter was a native of South Carolina, He was a member of the Butler County bar about eight years before his death. He was a man of fine culture, rare literary attainments and profound judgment, and was the peer of any man in the legal profession in Alabama at the time of his death. He represented as many as three different counties in the Legislature at differ- ent times ; and was appointed Circuit Judge when quite a young man. He was Supreme Court re- porter for a number of years. He died in Green- ville, in 1868.
Since the war the members of the bar have been none the less able. Judge M. C. Lane will ever be remembered by all those who knew him, for his social qualities and conversational powers. He
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. 22/
was a good lawyer, but never entered politics.
Colonel Hilary A. Herbert was raised in this county, and was a member of her bar for over fifteen years. He is the most distinguished mem- ber of the bar since the war, having been in Con- gress for eight years in succession, and having been elected for another term. He began the practice of law at Greenville just before the war, but is generally considered among the younger members of the bar. He was a student of the University of Alabama, and was for several years one of its honored Trustees.
Hon. John L. Powell was born and educated in this county, and began the practice of law here. He represented the county in 1870, was elected Judge of the Probate Court of the county in 1874, and has held that office ever since. He is well versed in law, and was the partner of Colonel Herbert for several years. He is probably the most influential man in the county.
The firm of Judge & Boiling was formed in 1868, composed of Thomas J. Judge and Captain John BoUing, and his father, Hon. S. J. Boiling. The firm of Powell & Gamble was formed about this time, and consisted of Hon. J. L. Powell and Captain John Gamble, and was dissolved on the election of the former to the office of Probate Judge. After this. Gamble practiced several years vv^ith Padgett. He is now in the firm of Gamble & Richardson.
J. C. Richardson, the junior member of this
228 THE HISTORY OF
firm, is not a native of this county, but is rapidly growing in the favor of the people by the close attention given to all business entrusted to him. Being Avealthy, he does not rely upon his practice for a support. He was Hon. John L. Powell's opponent in 1880 for Probate Judge, causing con- siderable excitement and a close race. Judge Powell was re-elected by a majority of "j^ votes.
The firm of Herbert, Buel & Lane is the oldest one now in the county. It originally consisted of Colonel Hilary Herbert, Hon. David Buel and L. M. Lane. Colonel Herbert has not been an active member of the firm since 1876, but his name is still retained by the firm. Hon. David Buel is a Northern man. He married a sister of Colonel Hilary Herbert. He has been identified with the interests of the county ever since 1865, and represented Butler and Conecuh in the Senate in 1877. He died in 1884, having suffered several years from bad health. The firm of Whitehead & Dukes was formed in 1870, which was dissolved in 1874, when the latter moved to Texas. Colo- nel J. M. Whitehead, the senior member of the firm, was editor of the Greenville Advocate for several years, but gave up the paper as soon as his practice justified him. He moved to Mont' gomery in 1882, and is editing the National Inde^ pendent in connection with his work as a lawyer.
We will now briefly notice the younger mem- bers of the present bar. Captain Edward Cren- shaw IS. a son of Hon. Walter H., and was
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. 229
educated at the Universities of Alabama and Vir- ginia. He began the practice shortly after the war, and has held several appointments, such as County Clerk, Circuit Clerk, SoHcitor for the county, etc.
Jesse F. Stallings is a native of this county, and was graduated at the University of Alabama in 1877, and studied law at Greenville in 1878. He is rapidly winning the confidence of the people by the despatch with which he discharges all his business.
H. B. Pilley was born in this county, and is a promising member of the bar. Not having a collegiate education, he read law with considera- ble disadvantage, but with earnest application he was admitted to practice in 1879.
C. W. King came to Greenville in 1878 from the chilly climes of the State of New Jersey. While working for his uncle in Greenville, he de- voted his spare time to the study of law, and was examined in 1880. He has been elected to the office of County Coroner. He is accused by some of the old citizens of the county of trying to lead the Democratic party in the politics of the county.
John W. Crenshaw was born at Manningham in this county, and graduated in the academic de- partment of the State University in 1881, and in the law department in 1882. He had scarcely entered upon the practice in Greenville when he was offered a partnership with Tweed & Han- cock in Phoenix, Arizona, which he accepted,
230 THE HISTORY OF
and is enjoying a lucrative practice in the Far West.
Harris D. Lamply is a native of this county, and was graduated at the State University with distinction in the class of 1 88 1, and received his law diploma in 1883. Being a young man of a brilliant mind, it is to be expected that he will make a good lawyer.
Captain Robert Eugene Steiner was also born in this county, and graduated from the University at Tuscaloosa. He received his final degree from the University in 1881, and stood high in his class. He entered the law department of Harvard University at Cambridge, Mass., the same year, and pursued the regular course in that institution until he was graduated in June, 1884. This law school has a more extended reputation than any other law school in the United States. Shortly after his return from Cambridge, he formed a partnership with Judge John K. Henry, of Green- ville. Mr. Steiner's prospects for success are thought to be as good as those of any young lawyer in the State.
The firm of Judge & Wilkinson is about the last firm formed in the county. David G. Judge, the senior member of the firm, is a son of the late Judge Thomas J. Judge, and is a young man ot promise. Charles L. Wilkinson, the other mem- ber of this firm, is a son of W. W. Wilkinson, a large merchant of Greenville. Mr. Wilkinson is
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. 23 1
a graduate in law from the University of Ala- bama, of the class of 1883.
Dr. J. W. Blow and J. R. Keen resided at Georgiana and practiced law for a number of years, but both of them have since left the county.
The lawyers and firms now in practice in Butler County are as follows : H. B. Pilley, Edward Crenshaw, Harris Lamply, W. C. King, Jesse F. Stallings, L. M. Lane, Judge & Wilkinson, Henry & Steiner and Gamble & Richardson. It is very gratifying to the members of the Butler Bar to say that no lawyer from any other bar of the State ever has a case in any of the different courts of this county.
CHAPTER LH. County Officei's, 1885.
Jonathan L. Powell, Judge of Probate and County Courts.
Ira Y. Traweek, Sheriff.
Ransom Scale, Clerk of Circuit Court.
James L. Dunklin, Treasurer.
C. J. Armstrong, Tax Assessor.
George W. Lee, Tax Collector.
H. B. Pilley, Register in Chancery.
Dr. J. B. Kendrick, Coroner.
Rev. W. H. Morris, Superintendent of Educa- tion.
232 THE HISTORY OF
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS.
Jonathan L. Powell, ex-officio President; Robert Powers, W. P. Graham, W. R. Thagard, P. D. Rigsby.
It was the intention of the author to have por- traits engraved of the first three officers of the county, but he has been unable to procure the photographs from any except Mr. Scale, a very neat engraving of whom the reader will find on the following page. We will now proceed to notice these three officers briefly.
Judge Jonathan L. Powell was born and raised near Monterey, in the western part of the county. His father was one of the early settlers, and was a practical farmer and good neighbor. His son, Jonathan, however, did not inherit his father's tastes for agricultural pursuits, and, at an early age, he abandoned the farm in search of an educa- tion to fit him for a public life. He soon began the study of law in Greenville, and was in due time admitted to the bar to practice his profession in all the courts of the State. His earnest efforts were constantly rewarded with marked success, and it was not long before he ranked high among his legal brethren. He was for a while in partner- ship with Colonel Hilary Herbert, but spent the last years of his practice with Captain John Gamble.
His easy manners and friendly disposition won for him many warm friends, who soon pressed him into the service of his county in an official capacity. In 1870, he was elected to represent
RANSOM SEALE. CLERK OF THE CIRCUIT COURT.
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. 233
the people of his native county in the House at Montgomery, making a useful member in that time of great confusion. Desperate efforts were made by the people of the county to throw off the yoke of Radicalism in 1874, and elect the county officers from the Democratic ranks. Mr. Powell, being one of the strongest men in the county, was placed at the head of the Democratic ticket for Probate Judge, his many friends doing everything in their power to secure his election, and restore harmony to the people. Beyond the earnest ex- pectations of his friends, he was elected by a large majority to the highest office at the hands of the people of his county, and has performed the duties of this office ever since, having been re-elected in 1880.
Judge Powell is kind-hearted, social, hospita- ble, and free and open in all his manners, and makes a good, careful, agreeable officer. Possess- ing all the essential qualities for success, both in public and private life, he has a wonderful influ- ence upon the voters of the county, always receiv- ing their cordial support in times of need.
He married a daughter of Hon. Samuel J. Boiling, and enjoys all the pleasures of a cheerful home made happy by an interesting family.
Captain Ira Y. Traweek, the present Sheriff, was born near Monterey, and has spent all of his life at this pleasant little country village. His father, Hon. William H. Traweek, came to the county about 1820, being one among the county's first
234 THE HISTORY OF
settlers. Like a great many of the first settlers, he spent the most of his time in farming and rais- ing stock, but, at the same time, not forgetting the interests of the people. He was elected to the Legislative Halls at Montgomery in 1852, but retired from public life after serving one session. His son, Ira, adopted farming as his occupation, and has made it quite a success. His friends urged him into politics in 1884, and he was elected to the office of Sheriff of the county by a very hand- some majority. Being straightforward and prompt, he discharges the duties of his office as efficiently as the people could wish. He is tall, stout, well proportioned, and has a commanding appearance; is polite, obliging, cheerful and agreeable in his manners, making friends wherever he goes. He married a daughter of Mr. Thomas Smith, one of Monterey's cleverest citizens.
Ransom Scale, Clerk of the Circuit Court, was born near Rocky Creek Beat, and spent the early days of his life in this locality. His good father paid special attention to the careful training of his son's mind, giving him every advantage that a man in ordinary circumstances could well give. This course consisted of the branches generally taught in our best high schools. Thus equipped. Ransom starts out as a school-teacher, and meets with great success in every respect. He was a natural teacher, possessing that great faculty of easily imparting his knowledge to others — the thing most essential for the success of any teacher. He
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. 235
possessed another essential to success in teaching, as well as in any other vocation in life, that is a strong will and powerful executive ability — these form the basis of all true success, and no man can be truly great if he is lacking in this particular.
Mr. Seale spent several years in teaching in dif- ferent localities, and made many friends wherever he stopped. It was while he was teaching a flour- ishing school at Monterey that he received the nomination in 1874 for Clerk of the Circuit Court, and was elected to that office ; which position he still holds, having been again elected in 1880. He is honest, conscientious, and as sound as a silver dollar; is energetic, particular and prompt in the discharge of the duties devolving upon him as an officer of the people. He is competent to fill any office in the gift of the people.
He married Miss Mary, a daughter of Mrs. Catherine Hartsfield, of Monterey, this county, and has a pleasant home.
236
THE HISTORY OF
CHAPTER LIII.
Voting Precincts in Butler County.
|
Beat No. i, . |
. |
. Starlington. |
|
|
Beat |
'' 2, |
South Butler. |
|
|
Beat |
'' 3, . |
. |
Oaky Streak. |
|
Beat |
'' 4, |
TBox I, Toluka. \ Box 2, Sardis. |
|
|
Beat |
'' 5, . |
. . |
Steiner's Store. |
|
Beat |
'' 6, |
McBride's. |
|
|
Beat |
" 7, . |
• |
. Spring Hill. |
|
Beat |
'' 8, |
Dead Fall. |
|
|
Beat |
'' 9, . |
. . • |
Manningham. |
|
Beat |
'' ID, |
Monterey. |
|
|
Beat |
"II, . |
\ Box { Box |
1, Forest Home. 2, Butler Springs. |
|
Beat |
-12, |
Greenville. |
|
|
Beat |
-13. . |
. |
Garland. |
|
Beat |
'* 14, |
Georgiana. |
|
|
Beat |
"15, . |
, . • |
Mt. Olive. |
|
Beat |
-i6, |
Rocky Creek |
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA.
237
CHAPTER LIV.
Churches and Houses of Worship.
Name and Denomination. Locality.
Greenville Primitive Baptist, Greenville.
Greenville Missionary Baptist, Greenville.
St. Thomas Church, Episcopalian, Greenville.
Greenville Methodist Episcopal, Greenville.
Greenville Presbyterian, Greenville.
Georgiana Missionary Baptist, Georgiana.
Georgiana Methodist Episcopal, Georgiana.
Garland Methodist Episcopal, Garland.
Garland Missionary Baptist, Garland.
Pleasant Hill Union, near Garland.
Monterey Methodist Episcopal, Monterey.
Monterey Missionary Baptist, Monterey.
Forest Home Missionary Baptist, Forest Home.
Forest Home Methodist Episcopal, Forest Home. Butler Springs Missionary Baptist, Butler Springs.
Shackelville Missionary Baptist, Shackelville.
Moriah Primitive Baptist, Dead Fall.
Oak Grove Methodist Episcopal, Fort Dale. Mount Zion Primitive Baptist,
Damascus Missionary Baptist, Toluka.
Spring Hill Methodist Episcopal, Spring Hill. St. Paul Methodist Episcopal. Antioch Missionary Baptist. Spring Creek Missionary Baptist.
Sardis Missionary Baptist, Sardis.
238
THE HISTORY OF
Name and Denomination. Mount Carmel Primitive Baptist. Mount Pisgah Primitive Baptist. Wesley Chapel Methodist Episcopal. Bethel Methodist Episcopal. Mount Zion Methodist Protestant. Good Hope Missionary Baptist. Shiloh Primitive Baptist. Pine Level Missionary Baptist. Mount Pisgah Missionary Baptist. County Line Protestant Methodist. Pine Flat Methodist Episcopal. Providence Methodist Episcopal. Ebenezer Primitive Baptist. New Prospect Missionary Baptist. South Butler Methodist Episcopal, Elizabeth Primitive Baptist, Bethel Missionary Baptist, Oaky Streak Methodist Episcopal, Consolation Primitive Baptist, Friendship Missionary Baptist, Ebenezer Methodist Episcopal, New Prospect Methodist Episcopal Mount Olive Missionary Baptist, Breastwork Primitive Baptist. Pleasant Point Christian, Friendship Missionary Baptist. Pine Grove Missionary Baptist. Boiling Methodist Episcopal, Liberty Chapel Methodist Episcopal. Salem Protestant Methodist.
Locality.
South Butler. South Butler. South Butler. Oaky Streak. Oaky Streak. Oaky Streak. Sardis. Mount Olive. Mount Olive.
Dead Fall.
Boiling.
butler county, alabama. 239
Name and Denomination. Locality.
Brushy Creek Missionary Baptist.
Butler Branch Latter-Day Saints, Shackelville.
CHAPTER LV.
Our Wealthy Men.
The following is an alphabetical list of the wealthy citizens of Butler County; none of them own less than ;^ 15,000, while a few of them are valued at ^95,000.
Judge Samuel J. Boiling, Greenville. Burt Boutwell, Forest Home. John Crittenden, Oaky Streak. Fred. C. Crenshaw, Manningham. A. Z. Davis, Davis'. M. P. Davis, Davis'. Major D. G. Dunklin, Greenville. John J. Flowers, Boiling. William H. Flowers, Greenville. William Harrison, Greenville. William F. Hartley, Greenville. Dr. C. J. Knight, Monterey. E. M. Lazenby, Forest Home. Jackson Luckie, Monterey. Dr. T. A. McCane, McCane's. Captain E. C. Milner, Georgiana.
240 THE HISTORY OF
Charles Neuman, Greenville.
J. G. Peagler, Manningham.
Joshua Perdue, Steiner's Store.
J. T. Perry, Greenville.
Joseph Pool, Davis'.
J. C. Richardson, Esq., Greenville.
Pinkney Rouse, Greenville.
Jerry Simpson, Manningham.
J. M. Sims, Georgiana.
John Smith, Butler Springs.
Joseph Steiner, Greenville.
W. R. Thagard, Greenville.
Joseph Touart, Georgiana.
Mac Wimberley, Greenville.
A. F. Whittle, South Butler.
W. W. Wilkinson, Greenville.
A. G. Winkler, Greenville.
W. J. Yeldell, Monterey.
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. 24I
CHAPTER LVI.
Members of the Legislature.
Previous to 1825, this county voted with Cone- cuh in the election of Representatives.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
1825 — Nathan Cook.
1826 — Andrew F. Perry.
1827 — Nathan Cook.
1828 — Nathan Cook.
1829 — Nathan Cook.
1830 — Nathan Cook.
1 83 1 — Nathan Cook.
1832 — Nathan Cook.
1833 — Edward Bowen.
1834 — Edward Bowen and Herndon L. Hender- son.
1835 — John W. Womack and Herndon L. Hen- derson.
1836 — Henry T. Jones and H. L. Henderson.
1837 — H. T. Jones and Herndon L. Henderson.
1838 — Henry T. Jones and Walter H. Crenshaw.
1839 — Jesse Womack and James W. Wade.
1840 — Edward Bowen and Walter H. Crenshaw.
■I 841 — Joseph Rhodes and Walter H. Crenshaw.
1842 — Thomas Hill Watts and Herndon L. Hen- derson.
i843_William H. Traweek and W. D. K. Taylor.
242 THE HISTORY OF
1844 — Thomas H. Watts and Joseph Rhodes.
1845— Thomas H. Watts and W. D. K. Taylor.
1847 — ^- ^- Henderson and Walter H. Cren- shaw.
1849 — Edward Bowen and John S. McMullan.
185 1 — Brockman W. Henderson and John S. Mc- Mullan.
1853 — Thomas J. Burnett and James R. Yeldell.
1855— R. R. Wright and John S. McMullar.
1857 — Samuel Adams and A. B. Scarborough.
1859 — Samuel Adams and M. C. Lane.
1 86 1 — Walter H. Crenshaw* and Thomas J. Burnett.
1863 — Walter H. Crenshaw* and S. F. Gafford.
1865 — Thomas C. Crenshaw and S. F. Gafford.
1867 — No election. ;
1870 — Jonathan L. Powell.
1872 — Nathaniel V. Clopton.
1874 — John F. Tate.
1876 — John Gilchrist and Dr. Conrad Wall.
1878 — Dr. Thomas A. McCane and Richard S. Hughes.
1880— Bartow Wimberly and Nathan Wright.
1882 — Daniel G. Dunklin.
1884 — Thomas J. Judge.
■'•Small capitals show that the member presided over the body at that session.
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. 243
MEMBERS OF THE SENATE.
1822— John D. Bibb.
1825 — William Jones.
1828 — John Watkins.
1830 — William Hemphill.
1833 — William Hemphill.
1836 — Samuel W. Oliver.
1837 — Herndon L. Henderson.
1839 — Joseph W. Townsend.
1840 — Jesse Womack.
1842 — Asa Arrington.
1845 — Archibald Gilchrist.
1847 — Thomas J. Judge.
185 1 — Walter H. Crenshaw.
1855— Franklin C. Webb.
1857 — Thomas J. Burnett.
1861 — Edmund Harrison.
1865 — Walter H. Crenshaw.^
1870— William Miller, Jr.
1874— Ezra W. Martin.
1876 — James H. Dunklin. f
1877 — David Buel.
1880 — George R. Farnham.
1884— John K. Henry.
*The small capitals indicate that the member presided during that session.
tMr. Dunklin died in 1877, and his unexpired term vras filled by Mr. Buel.
244 TH^ HISTORY OF
CHAPTER LVII.
Officers of the County.
SHERIFFS.
I AM indebted to the f(jllowing gentlemen for in- formation concerning the officers prior to 1852: Hon. S. J. BoUing, Alex. McKellar, Esq., Messrs. Anderson Scale and Ambrose Smith. 1820— A. T. Perry. 1824 — Wm. Payne. 1828 — John Taylor. 1832 — Samuel J. Wright. 1836 — David Rogers. 1840 — ^John T. Henderson. 1844 — Thos. B. Windham, who soon resigned,
and Phil. B. Waters was appointed to the
vacancy. 1848— Phil. B. Waters. 1852 — George W. Thagard. 1855— Phil. B. Waters. 1858 — Walter D. Perryman. 1861 — Jerry P. Ronton. 1864 — Andrew M. Black.
In 1865 a new election was ordered by the Provisional Government, and in November, 1865, John T. Long was elected. He resigned before the expiration of his term of office, and Hiram Pierce was appointed by the Governor. He also resigned, and Ira W. Stott was appointed, who
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. 245
finally resigned, and his place was filled by the ap- pointment of Jas. H. Perdue in 1869. 187 1 — Jas. H. Perdue. 1874— Wm. M. Flowers. 1877 — John F. Barganier. 1880— John W. Grant. 1884 — Ira Y. Traweek.
CIRCUIT CLERKS.
1820 — Robert Reid.
1828 — Samuel L. Caldwell.
1836— William T. Streety.
i8zi4 — Ezekiel Pickens.
1864 — Jerry P. Routon, resigned 1868.
1868 — James D. Porter, appointed.
1869 — Edward Crenshaw, appointed.
1874 — Ransom Scale, elected, which office he holds until 1886.
1885 — Rev. William H. Morris, County Superin- tendent of Education.
CLERKS OF COUNTY COURT.
1820 — Edward H. Herbert.
1826 — Reuben Reid.
1832 — Benjamin Newton.
1837 — Samuel J. Boiling, who served in this office until 1850, when it was abolished and the work given to the Circuit Clerk.
TREASURERS.
Hilary Herbert.
William Gafford.
246 THE HISTORY OF
1844 — Ezekiel H. Pickens. 1846 — James L. Dunklin. 185 1 — James L. Dunklin. 1854 — Joseph Dunklin. 1856 — ^Joseph Dunklin. 1858 — Joseph Dunklin. i860 — Joseph Dunklin. 1861 — Joseph Dunklin. 1861 — Samuel B. Lewis. 1863 — Samuel B. Lewis. 1865— Alexander McKeller. 1870 — Alexander McKeller. 1874 — James L. Dunklin. 1880 — James L. Dunklin. 1885 — ^James L. Dunklin.
JUDGES OF THE PROBATE AND COUNTY COURTS.
William Lee.
James Lane.
Daniel Gafford.
Herndon L. Henderson.
J. F. Johnson.
1850 — Samuel J. Boiling. 1854 — Samuel J. Boiling. 1858 — Samuel J. Boiling. 1862 — Samuel J. Boiling. 1866— Samuel J. Boiling. 1868 — Samuel S. Gardner. 1869— H. W. Watson. 1874 — ^Jonathan L. Powell. 1880 — ^Jonathan L. Powell.
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA.
247
CHAPTER LVIII.
List of post-offices and publ County, with the names of the Name.
Bear's Store, BolHng,
Butler Springs, . Dead Fall, . Dunham, . Forest Home, Fort Bibb, Fort Dale, Garland, Georgiana, Greenville, Manningham, McBride's, Monterey, Oaky Streak,
Reynolds, Butler Springs P. O. Sardis, Pigeon Creek P. O. Scarey, .... Shackelville, . South Butler, Shell P. O., Spring Hill, . Starlington, Steiner's Store, Toluka,
ic places in Butler postmasters.
Postmaster.
. No office.
. J. J. Flowers.
Jas. Reynolds.
B. B. McKenzie. Geo. Lazenby.
O. C. Darby.
. J. R. Stott
. J. H. Perdue.
Miss E. Shell.
T. A. Knight.
Oliver Crittenden.
, Jas. Reynolds.
. R. D. Shell.
Riley Searcy.
W. F. Shell.
248 THE HISTORY OF
CHAPTER LIX.
War Record of the County.
With the Number of the Regiments and Companies^
and the Names of the Various Captains of
the Companies at Different Ttnies.
It is very desirable to have a complete record of the names of the companies that went from the county, with all the officers and the time they went into service ; but all the efforts of the author to obtain such information has been unsuccessful.
The following tabular statement has been taken from Brewer's History of Alabama.
EIGHTH ALABAMA INFANTRY.
One company from this county. Captains : Hilary A. Herbert; promoted to Major; wounded at Seven Pines ; promoted to Lieutenant Colonel. Severely wounded at the Wilderness ; subsequently promoted to Colonel of the Regiment.
Lewis A. Livingston, wounded at Gettysburg, and died in the hands of the enemy.
Ira W. Scott.
NINTH ALABAMA INFANTRY.
One company from this county. Captains : E. Y. Hill, killed at Gaines' Mill; Thomas Mills, re- signed ; Mathew Patton.
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. 249
THIRTEENTH ALABAMA INFANTRY.
One company from this county. Captains : John Glasgow, resigned ; C. N. Cook, killed at Cold Harbor; L. P. Broughton was Adjutant of this Regiment, but was killed at the battle of the Wil- derness.
SEVENTEENTH ALABAMA INFANTRY.
Three companies from this county. Captains: first company, Thomas J. Burnett ; promoted to Major; wounded at Atlanta; subsequently pro- moted to Lieutenant Colonel. T. A. McCane carried the company through.
Second company: W. D. Ferryman, resigned. John Boiling, captured at Nashville.
Third company : J. Dean, resigned. James S. Moreland, captured at Resaca.
EIGHTEENTH ALABAMA INFANTRY.
Ojte company frojn this county. Captains : H. Clay Armstrong, resigned ; Augustus C. Green, wounded at Jonesboro.
THIRTY-THIRD ALABAMA INFANTRY.
Three companies from this county. Samuel Adams, of this county, was elected the first Colonel of this Regiment, wounded at Perryville, and killed at . Kennesaw.
Willis J. Milner, of this county, was Adjutant of the Regiment during its last service.
Captains: First company, James H. Dunklin, promoted to Major; wounded at Chickamauga ;
250 THE HISTORY OF
promoted to Lieutenant Colonel. William E. Dodson, killed at Kennesaw. Charles S. Lithicum.
Second company: J. D. McKee, killed at Perry- ville. B. F. Hammett, wounded at Chickamauga.
Third company: Thomas G. Pour, resigned. John F. Barganier, resigned. William S. Sims, killed at Chickamauga. John Gamble, wounded at New Hope and Columbus.
FIFTY-SIXTH ALABAMA, MOUNTED.
One company from this county. Captain : F. D. N. Riley.
FIFTY-NINTH ALABAMA INFANTRY.
Tzvo companies from- this county. Captains : First company, J. R. Glasgow, resigned. Louis Har- rell, resigned. H. H. Rutledge, killed at Drewry's. Zach, Daniel, killed at Hatcher's Run.
Second company: R. F. Manly, wounded at Drewry's, wounded and captured at Hatcher's Run.
SIXTIETH ALABAMA INFANTRY.
One company from this county. Captains : W. D. Tarbutton, wounded and retired. G. A. Tarbut- ton, wounded at White Oaks Road.
SIXTY-FIRST ALABAMA INFANTRY.
072e company from tins county. Captains : John
F. Barganier, detached. Porter, captured
at Spottsylvania, and died in prison.
BUTLER COUNTY, ALABAMA. 25 I SECOND ALABAMA CAVALRY.
One company from this county. Captains : R. W. Carter, promoted to Major. Joseph Allen, served until close of the war.
JEFF DAVIs' ARTILLERY.
This company was organized in May, 1861, and was composed of men from Butler, Dallas, Lowndes, Marengo and Perry Counties. Robert Yeldell, of this county, was First Lieutenant, but soon resigned his commission.
252 TPIE HISTORY OF
CHAPTER LX.
CONCLUSION.
Together, kind reader, we have passed over the most important pages of Butler County's his- tory. We have seen her forests in all the beauty of their nativity. We have seen hopeful emi- grants leave their native land in search of happy homes, and pitch their tents on Butler's sunlit hills and in her shaded valleys. We saw the little colony increase in numbers, and the settlers un- dergo all the hardships of the frontier life. We saw her fertile soil stained with the precious blood of her heroic citizens. We have followed the prog- ress of the people until we find them to-day among the first men and women of Alabama. We have read sketches of her towns and villages, and the lives of some of her most distinguished residents. But we must now part, and leave the future his- tory of the Banner County to some other son of Butler, whose tastes for historical details are more highly cultivated than those of the present writer. And while the happy people of Butler County are enjoying a more general prosperity than ever be- fore in the annals of her history, the curtain is drawn.
GENERAL INDEX.
PAGE.
Adams, Colonel Samuel, Sketch of, . . . .158
Ancient Mounds in Butler County, ..... 143
Bar of Butler County, ....... 224
Bayne, Colonel Thomas L., Sketch of, .... 132
Bear's Store, Description of, 210
Black or Prairie Lands, . . . . . . . 6i
Blood-Stained Pages of Butler's History, ... 25 Bodies of Butler, Gardner and Shaw Removed to Greenville
in 1858, 21
Boiling, Description of, . . . . . . . 188
Butler, Captain Wm., Notice of, ..... 19
'* Last Resting Place, ... 21 Butler, The Horrible Massacre of, . . . . .20
Butler Spring, Description of, ..... 136
Churches and Places of Worship, ..... 237
Commerce Established in the County, .... 40
Conveniences of the People Needed, .... 44
Confederates, Defeat of, ...... 56
Condition of the County After the War of 1865, . . 58
County Offices in 1866, 58
1874 59
1885 232
«* " from 1822 to 1885, 244
County Named in Honor of William Butler, ... 19
Conclusion, ......... 252
Court House, Where Erected, etc., .... 82
Crenshaw, Judge Anderson, Sketch of, ... . 141
'« Hon. Walter H., " .... 103
" John W., Notice of, . . . . . . 229
Cultivated Lands, etc., ....... 6l
254
GENERAL INDEX.
Customs of the People in 1820, " " 1825,
Dead Fall, Description of, . Defeat of the Confederate Army Democratic Rule in 1874, . Deposit of Iron Ore, Doctors of the County, Donaldson, Betsy, Notice of, . Drainage of the County, Dunham Station, Description of. Earliest History of the County, Fertility of the Soil in 1820, . First Bloodshed in the County,
Companies of the Late War, Court Held in the County, Court House Erected, House in the County Erected, Marriage in the County, Settlements by the Whites, Store in the County, Attack by the Indians, Formation of the County, Forest Home, a Description of, . Forts Erected in the County, . Fort Dale, a Description of, Geographical Position of the County, Geological Formation, Garland, Description of, Georgiana, Description of, . Gins, Tanneries, etc.. Gray Lands in the County, Grist and Saw Mills Needed, . Greenville, First Settlement of, etc Greenville, 1885, a Description of, Henry, Mrs. I. M. P., Sketch of,
" Judge John K., " Herbert, Colonel Hilary A., Sketch of. How Land Was First Entered,
GENERAL INDEX,
255
Indians Become Dissatisfied;
" Show Signs of Hostility,
'• Attack the People,
** Compel the People to go in Forts,
** Do Other Damage,
" Further Trouble the Settlers,
" Leave the County, Iron Ore Deposit in the County, Judges of the County, Judge, Colonel Thomas J., Sketch of, Lampley, Horris D., Notice of, . Lands Cultivated and Uncultivated, Land Office, .....
Lawyers of the County, . Legislature, Members of, . Lumber Mills, ....
Mail Routes Established, Manningham, Description of, Monterey, " . .
Men of Capital Locate in the County, Medical Profession in the County, Mayors of Greenville, List of. Mineral Waters, ....
McCall, Charles R., Notice of, McBride's, Description of, . Mobile and Montgomery Railway, . Mounds of Prehistoric Times, Names of the Settlers of 1818-19, .
Heroes That Fell in 1861-65, Oaky Streak, Description of, . Officers of the County, 1885,
" " From 1822 to 1885
Ogly Massacre in 1818, Pine Flat, Description of, Populaion from 1820 to 1880, Porter, Judge Benjamin F., Sketch of, Post-Offices, Postmasters, etc.. Press of Butler County, .
256
GENERAL INDEX.
Produce of the County, Properties of the Soil, etc.. Public Schools, .... Railroad Built Through the County Religion in the Savage Land, Religious Influence of To-day, Red Clay Lands, Ridgeville, Description of, Rocky Creek, Description of, Roper Wells, "
Sardis, Description of, Saw Mills, .... Seat of Justice Located at Greenville, Self-Denials of the People During the Late War, Schools, Public and Private, Shackelville, Description of, Starlington, ♦'
Steiner's Store, *'
South Butler, "
Stage Lines and Routes, Slopes and Drainage, Stanley, Colonel James B., Sketch o Steiner, Captain Robert E., Notice < State of Affairs in 1865, Timber on Gray Lands, . " Black «<
Red «' Thompson, Warren A., Sketch of, Toluka, Description of, . Truck Farming, Virgin Growth of the County, Voting Precincts, Walker, Lucien J., Notice of, War Between the States, War Record of the County, Water and Water-Power, Wealthy Men of the County, Wilkinson, W. W., Sketch of, Wright, Hon. Nathan, Notice of,
6 70
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