Bibb County, Alabama: The First Hundred Years

693 Pages·1999·4.04 MB·English

by  Rhoda C. Ellison

Bibb County, Alabama : The First Hundred
title:
Years, 1818-1918
author: Ellison, Rhoda Coleman.
publisher: University of Alabama Press
isbn10 | asin: 081730987X
print isbn13: 9780817309879
ebook isbn13: 9780585279749
language: English
subject Bibb County (Ala.)--History.
publication date: 1999
lcc: F332.B5E44 1999eb
ddc: 976.1/82
subject: Bibb County (Ala.)--History.
Page iii
Bibb County Alabama
The First Hundred Years, 18181918
by
Rhoda Coleman Ellison
Page iv
Copyright © 1984
The University of Alabama Press
Tuscaloosa, Alabama 35487-0380
All rights reserved
Manufactured in the United States of America
First Paperback Printing 1999
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 / 07 06 05 04 03 02 01 00 99
The paper on which this book is printed meets the minimum
requirements of American National Standard for Information Science-
Permanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials, ANSI Z39.48-
1984.
Cover design by Gary Gore
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Ellison, Rhoda Coleman, 1904-
Bibb County, Alabama.
Bibliography: p.
Includes index.
1. Bibb County (Ala.)History. I. Title.
F332.B5E44 1984 976.1'82 83-5875
ISBN 0-8173-0987-X
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data available
Page v
To My Sister
Connie
Page vii
Contents
List of Illustrations ix
Preface xi
1. The Land and Its Indians 1
2. Arrival of the Squatters 12
3. Early County Government 23
4. Mrs. Chotard's River Town 32
5. Search for a Permanent County Seat 40
6. Pioneer Life and Occupations 51
7. Early Churches 60
8. Antebellum Schools 71
9. Slavery 82
10. Economic Growth, 18351860 94
11. Culture, Changing and Unchanged, 18351860 105
12. In the Confederate Army 116
13. On the Confederate Home Front 128
14. Conflicts during Reconstruction 143
15. Revival of Agriculture and Industry 155
16. The Coal-Mining Towns 168
17. The Turbulent 1890s 185
18. The County Seat in the Early 1900s 199
19. At War with the Kaiser 220
Conclusion 232
Appendixes
I 234
Revolutionary Soldiers Who Settled in Bibb County
II 235
County Jury Venire: 1819, 1820, 1821
III 237
Charge Customers of James C. C. Wiley before 1829
IV 239
Patients of Dr. David R. Boyd, 1829, and His
Successor, 1836
V 244
Owners of Slaves (20 or More) in 1850
VI 245
Citizens in Certain Vocations in 1860
VII 247
Muster Rolls of Certain Confederate Companies
VIII 261
Bibb's State Militia Roll, November 25, 1865
Page viii
IX 262
Business and Professional Directory of Blocton,
19051906
X 264
Mayors of West Blocton, 19011982
XI 265
County Judges, 18181982
XII 266
County Sheriffs, 18181982
XIII 267
Senators and Representatives in Legislature, 18181982
Notes 269
Bibliography 293
Index 304
Page ix
Illustrations
Photographs
Cahaba lilies 4
An original settler 14
Rock and mud chimney 19
Mayberry-Moren-England house 48
Green plantation house 49
Cahaba Valley Baptist Church 62
Randolph Methodist Church 66
Green Pond Presbyterian Church 69
Centreville Academy 75
Typical country school, Antioch 80
Fourth courthouse 104
Two Confederate soldiers 121
A woman of the county's first century 136
Oath of allegiance, 1865 145
Lieutenant Governor E. H. Moren 152
Typical moving day scene 158
Brierfield Furnace 163
Bob Hayes's general store, Woodstock 166
Beehive coke ovens, Blocton 170
T.C.I. school, Blocton 171
"Little Italy" 172
Photographer Albert Lebourg 173
Belle Ellen Band 175
Tipple at Coleanor mine 179
Main Street, West Blocton, 1909 181
East Court Square, showing 1898 additions 193
Snead boardinghouse, Centreville 194
Brent Mercantile Company's original store 196
Brent Banking Company's original building 197
Logging with oxen at Belcher sawmill, near Eoline 201 198
County officers, 1902
Courthouse during freeze of 1899 202
West Court Square and new courthouse 203
Principals in the execution of Tolley Mason 204
Page x
Walnut Street, Centreville, rebuilt after fire 206
First two-lane bridge across the Cahaba River 207
Bibb County High School, 1909 209
Class of 1913, Bibb County High School 210
Henry Damon Davidson 211
Lightsey's Pond in winter 215
J. A. Fair Livery and Sale Stables, Centreville 216
Confederate Monument 217
Confederate parade 218
Four actors in drama of Confederate Monument 219
dedication
Blocton Band 223
World War I soldier 230
Maps
Alabama, 1818 29
Early Postal Roads 36
Bibb County, 1849 107
Bibb County during the Coal-Mining Era 178