Gone to the Swamp: Raw Materials for the Good Life in the Mobile-Tensaw Delta (Fire Ant)

291 Pages·2008·4.1 MB·English

by  Robert Leslie Smith

Gone to the Swamp
You are reading copyrighted material published by the University of Alabama Press.
Any posting, copying, or distributing of this work beyond fair use as defined under U.S. Copyright law is illegal and
injures the author and publisher. For permission to reuse this work, contact the University of Alabama Press.
Map of some logging relics. 1. Hubbard Landing; 2. Bryant’s Upper Landing; 3. Mast
Tree; 4. Champion Cypress; 5. Boat Ways; 6. Pullboat; 7. Bryant’s Lower Landing;
8. Hubbard Landing Rangia Stratum (Courtesy of Robert Leslie Smith)
You are reading copyrighted material published by the University of Alabama Press.
Any posting, copying, or distributing of this work beyond fair use as defined under U.S. Copyright law is illegal and
injures the author and publisher. For permission to reuse this work, contact the University of Alabama Press.
Gone to the Swamp
Raw Materials for the Good Life
in the M obile- Tensaw Delta
Robert Leslie Smith
THE UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA PRESS
Tuscaloosa
You are reading copyrighted material published by the University of Alabama Press.
Any posting, copying, or distributing of this work beyond fair use as defined under U.S. Copyright law is illegal and
injures the author and publisher. For permission to reuse this work, contact the University of Alabama Press.
Publication of this book is made possible by a grant from the Snook Foundation
Copyright © 2008
Stockton Civic Club
The University of Alabama Press
Tuscaloosa, Alabama 35487-0380
All rights reserved
Manufactured in the United States of America
Typeface: ACaslon
∞
The paper on which this book is printed meets the minimum requirements of
American National Standard for Information S ciences- Permanence of Paper for
Printed Library Materials, ANSI Z39.48-1984.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Smith, Robert Leslie, 1918–
Gone to the swamp : raw materials for the good life in the Mobile-Tensaw Delta /
Robert Leslie Smith.
p. cm.
“Fire Ant Books.”
ISBN 978-0-8173-5494-7 (pbk. : alk. paper) — ISBN 978-0-8173-8069-4
(electronic) 1. Smith, Robert Leslie, 1918– 2. Smith, Robert Leslie, 1918–—
Family. 3. Pioneers—Alabama—Baldwin County—Biography. 4. Baldwin County
(Ala.)—Social life and customs. 5. Mobile-Tensaw Delta (Ala.)—Social life and
customs. 6. Country life—Alabama—Mobile-Tensaw Delta. 7. Outdoor life—
Alabama—Mobile-Tensaw Delta. 8. Swamps—Alabama—Mobile-Tensaw
Delta. 9. Baldwin County (Ala.)—Biography. 10. Mobile-Tensaw Delta
(Ala.)—Biography. I. Title.
F332.B2S63 2008
975.8′57304—dc22
2007050824
Photographs
Photographs appearing in this work have been collected from various sources.
When known, credit is given to the photographer. Any time period shown directly
in the caption refers to the central subject of the photograph.
To public timber inspectors G reat- Uncle Hector Augustus Smith and Uncle John
Wesley Smith who left me a legacy of integrity and public trust, and to my father,
Robert Augustus Smith, who taught me to cherish this legacy.
You are reading copyrighted material published by the University of Alabama Press.
Any posting, copying, or distributing of this work beyond fair use as defined under U.S. Copyright law is illegal and
injures the author and publisher. For permission to reuse this work, contact the University of Alabama Press.
Contents
Preface vii
Acknowledgments ix
Introduction xi
Gone to the Swamp 1
The Skin Game 15
The Public Timber Inspector 19
Oxen and the Men Who Drove Them 29
High Water Logging 42
Rafting and Loading Gunboats 48
Work of the Blacksmith 54
A Personal Note 59
Work of the Sawyer 61
Camp Life 66
Night Rafting 74
Kingfi sher 77
The Yupon 81
Aunt Violet Boston 86
River Tale 88
Wildcats 92
Lost in the Swamp 94
Fear Strikes the Bend 96
You are reading copyrighted material published by the University of Alabama Press.
Any posting, copying, or distributing of this work beyond fair use as defined under U.S. Copyright law is illegal and
injures the author and publisher. For permission to reuse this work, contact the University of Alabama Press.
vi / Contents
Swamp Tale 98
The Kennedy Mills 102
Sawmill Tales 109
Sawmill Tales Continued 111
Logging in Blakeley Battleground 113
Mechanized Logging 115
Flatboats 131
Stockton Boat Ways 146
Latter Day Watermen 149
Latter Day Pullboating 151
The Last Watermen 154
Other Swamp Stories 159
Recovery of a Union Mortar in the Delta 163
Famous Trees 170
Oil in the Delta 182
Hubbard Landing 185
An Alabama State Treasure 198
The Old Ways 206
County Surveyor 215
Hunting Camp Life 217
The McGowan Compass 219
Dixie Landing 222
The Art and Practice of Hollering 230
United States Reserve Fleet 233
Delta Elementary School 238
How to Build a Double Ender 241
Construction of a Flatboat 248
Glossary 253
You are reading copyrighted material published by the University of Alabama Press.
Any posting, copying, or distributing of this work beyond fair use as defined under U.S. Copyright law is illegal and
injures the author and publisher. For permission to reuse this work, contact the University of Alabama Press.
Preface
Latham, Alabama
Winter 2002–2003
My Family and Friends:
An era has passed in which most of the families of North Baldwin
County took their living directly from the land. They sowed seeds in
the earth, harvested wild animals for food and skins, grazed their do-
mestic animals on the wild grass, cut virgin timber, and transported its
products to markets which were necessarily downstream. They were
dependent on and at the mercy of seasons, weather, and chance.
The M obile- Tensaw River Delta, “The Swamp,” was a rich source of
raw materials for the good life, but it exacted its price from those who
came to claim them— yellow fever, malaria, exposure to the elements,
and backbreaking toil.
My parents and their forebears were of those who took from the
swamp and paid its price. I took another path in life but observed and
remembered some of what I saw. Today the delta bids fair to become a
playground, a recreation area for those with leisure. I fi nd this prospect
fi tting and proper.
Lately, I have felt the need to record—f or those to come— some re-
membrances of a time when the delta was not a playground. The remem-
brances fi ll these pages.
Sincerely,
Robert Leslie Smith
You are reading copyrighted material published by the University of Alabama Press.
Any posting, copying, or distributing of this work beyond fair use as defined under U.S. Copyright law is illegal and
injures the author and publisher. For permission to reuse this work, contact the University of Alabama Press.
You are reading copyrighted material published by the University of Alabama Press.
Any posting, copying, or distributing of this work beyond fair use as defined under U.S. Copyright law is illegal and
injures the author and publisher. For permission to reuse this work, contact the University of Alabama Press.
Acknowledgments
Even a modest publication such as this one requires the help of many
people, and I thank them for that help. I can name many but not all:
Dr. Sue Brannan Walker, who caused me to do this writing in the fi rst
place; Joyce Eloise Sutton, who in a struggle with my longhand, typed
and constructed the book; her sister, Mary Katherine Steedley, retired
Supervisor of English and Social Studies for Baldwin County Board of
Education, who undangled my participles and did sister Joyce’s house-
work to free her to “make book”; Dalton James Smith, Harry Davis
Smith, William Edward Slaughter, and William E. “Red” Long, who
contributed chapters; Thomas Hastie Gause who wrote comments; James
Arthur Bryars III, who recalled swamp stories of Baldwin County Hunt-
ing Club days; Robert Bryant, Davida Richerson Hastie, and Tom Gandy,
who read drafts and offered suggestions and comments; Raymond Rich
Kennedy, who told the Ghost Fleet story; Floyd Morris, who told Mary
Rine’s story; Jerry Sherrell, Claudia Slaughter Campbell and her sister,
Marilyn Slaughter Davidson, R. L. “Dick” Cox and his wife Margaret,
Percy Bryars Cox and his wife Edith, Randolph McGowan and his wife
Janice, Mac M. Chastang, and Hattie Smith, who provided many photo-
graphs and much encouragement; Shirley Mathews for key pieces of in-
formation; Dr. Carl M. Booth, Kenneth Bohnenstiehl, and Dr. Kathryn
“Kitty” Barchard Callaway for critical reading and encouragement; and
Dianne Crabtree for technical assistance.
I wish especially to thank W. Keith Gauldin for interest he showed by
reading my material andi for his assistance and encouragement and pro-
viding photographs.
You are reading copyrighted material published by the University of Alabama Press.
Any posting, copying, or distributing of this work beyond fair use as defined under U.S. Copyright law is illegal and
injures the author and publisher. For permission to reuse this work, contact the University of Alabama Press.