Records of Pickens County, Alabama, Volume I, Part 1

Author: McGuire, C. P., Mrs. dn; Birmingham Genealogical Society. cn
Publication date: 1900
Publisher: Tuscaloosa, Ala. : Willo Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 140


USA > Alabama > Pickens County > Records of Pickens County, Alabama, Volume I > Part 1


Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org.


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976.101 РОЛЬ v.I


Gc 976.101 P57b v.1 1173313


M. L. /


GENEALOGY COLLECTION


ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 00824 8574


RECORDS OF PICKENS COUNTY,


ALABAMA


VOLUME I


By Mrs. C. P. McGuire, Sr. and THE BIRMIGNGHAM GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY


WILLO PUBLISHING COMPANY


Post Office Box 284 Tuscaloosa, Alabama


TABLE OF CONTENTS 1173313


Pages


BIOGRAPHIES


74 - 101


CENSUS RECORDS 13 32


CHURCH RECORDS .


34 - 60


CONFEDERATE WAR RECORDS. 66 - 73


EARLY RECORDS OF PICKENS COUNTY. 7 - 10


"FIRSTS" IN PICKENS COUNTY


5


"FACE IN THE WINDOW" 0 . .


12


INDIANS IN PICKENS COUNTY. 3


MAP OF ALABAMA 2


MAP OF PICKENS COUNTY.


1


REVOLUTIONARY WAR SOLDIERS OF PICKENS COUNTY 60-A - 63


64 - 65


WAR OF 182 SOLDIERS OF PICKENS COUNTY.


MALE INDEX


FEMALE INDEX


$ 8.0


Willo Prete.


LAMAR


COUNTY


-


COUNTY


MACEDONIA CHURCH


GREEK


17


1


1


PALMET TO


L


Gou


7 LIBERTY CHURCH


FOREST CHURCH


KEASLEY SCHOOL


can-


ALA


8


ETHELSVILLE


1 82


MINERAL SPRINGS CHURCH


COAL FIRE


ALA


HWY


6


OHIO


37


18


AND


RO.


CO.


RD.


CO


R


PINE GROVE CHURCH


BELL


--


RD.


AL


HEBRON CHURCH


STANSEL )


LINE


HWY


0


CARLOSS


ARCHER


TỌA **


ALA


1


CARROLLTON


1


S


-


70


RO


19


S


SAPPSOL


-


COUNTY


ALA


UNION CHAPEL


S


S


SAN


S


DILLBURG


-


UNITY CHURCH


M


AD


8


CUNNINGHAM


OLNEY


RAILWAY


PLEASANT GROVE


ALICEVILLE


& CREEK


RO


BENEVOLA


COUNTY


NOXUBEE


HWY


LUBSUB


LAH


-


COCHRANE


ALA


GREENE


DANCY


SIPSEY


SUMTER


COUNTY


PICKENS COUNTY, ALABAMA SCALE IN MILES


O


2


3


PAVED ROADS


-


- UNPAVED ROADS


COUNTY


OEL BETHEL CHURCH


MOBILE


co


LOWNDES_


REFORŮ


CO


MCSHAN


CREEK


30


`HARGROVE CHURCH


SHEPHERDE


ALA


FIRE


GORDO


can


SINOT



79.1


NOLAND


63


CO.


COUNTY SEAT ?.


RD.


CO


PICKENSVILLE


BEASLEY


BEAR


RO.


63


00


HW


. FRANCISCO


MEMPHIS


(TOMRIGBEE


CO RO.1J


RIVER


RIVER


LNWY


71


STAFFORD


49


LUBBUB


RO


NEW HOPE O CHURCH


U.S. HI


CREEK


17


RD


CO


KIRK SCHOOL CO


TUSCALOOSA


CO


00


Lauderdale


Madison


Limestone


Jackson


Colbert


Lawrence


Franklin


Morgan


Marshall


Cullman


Cherokee


Marion


Winston


Etowah


Blount


Lamar


Walker


Calhoun


St.Clair


Fayette


Cle- burne


Jefferson


Pickens


Tuscaloosa


Shelby


Randolph


Bibb


Coosa


Groene


Tallapoosa


Hale


Chilton


Perry


Elmore


Lee


Sumter


Autauga


Macon


Dallas


Montgomery


Marengo


Choctaw


Lowndes


Bullock


Wilcox


Barbour


Clarke


Butler


Pike


Cren- shaw


Monroe


Henry


Washington


Dale


Conecuh


Coffee


Covington


Baldwin


Houston


Geneva


Escambia


Mobile


ALABAMA


Talladeg:


Clay


Chambers


Russell


Dekalb


HIGHWAY MARKERS IN PICKENS COUNTY, ALABAMA


The present northern boundry of Pickens County is the original boundry seperating the Choctaw and Chickasaw Indian Tribes. The Creeks had a town on the site of Tuscaloosa, within the Choctaw Territory and con- tested the Choctaw title to this land and in 1800 defeated the Choctaws in a battle between the Tombigbee river and the present State boundry, one mile south of Pickenville. The Choctaws refused to give up their Claims and held the territory until 1816 when they ceded the land east of the Tombigbee River to the United States. Now Highway Markers show the locations.


CHOCTAW NATION:


These were the ancestral hunting grounds of the Choctaws ceded in 1816. The Choctaws were one of the four great civilized tribes occuping the Southeast frrom aboriginal times.


U.S. 82 near Reform,


CHOCTAW INDINAS. 1830


This territory west of the Tombigbee was ceded by the Choctaws at the Treaty of the Dancing Rabbit Creek in 1830.


Alabama #17, between Cochrane and Dancy.


CHOCTAW-CHICKASAW INDINA BOUNDRY


The present county line between Pickens and Lamar Counties is the same as the boundry between these two great civilized Indian Tribes which occupied these parts until 1816.


Alabama #17 on Pickens - Lamar Line.


CREEK-CHOCTAW BATTLE 1800 5 miles west


The Creeks invading the Choctaw lands and contesting their title defeated the Choctaws, but were not able to eject them or settle this section.


Alabama #17, between Aliceville and Carrollton,


- 3 -


ORIGIN OF PICKENS COUNTY, ALABAMA


When Alabama became a State in 1819 what is now Pickens .County was in Tuscaloosa County, but the settlement on the Tombigbee River was too far from the county seat of Tuscaloosa County, so a new county was formed December 19, 1820 and named PICKENS in homor of ISRAEL PICKENS, the third Governor of Alabama, The first seat of Pickens County was in the home of Jacob Dansby, who lived where Pickensville now is, with three electoral precincts, one at the home of Mr, Mullins, another at the home of James Heflin, in the Garden community and the third at Ezeckial Nash's


The first settlers were mainly from South Carolina, down the trail from Ditto's Lanci Ditto's Landing on the Tennessee River to "Mud Town", IL ater named Elyton. Even more settlers came in, with the seccion of the Choctaws land in 1830, causing some of the earlier settlers to move on west, as they had only "squatter's rights" to the land in Pickens County,


Pickensville was the first county seat when Government gave 80 acres in 1830 to establish a county seat, The county seat was moved to Carrollton later. Carrollton was incorporated as a town January 15, 1831, with Robert Jemison as member of the Board of Commission to locate and lay off the town,


The Acts of the State in 1821 established an election precinct at the house of Mr, Cox, near Cole Fire Creek.


December 20, 1824 Fayette County was established from part of Pickens and Tu Tuscaloosa and Marion Counties. In 1832 two Beats on the west side of the County, were added from Greene County,


- 4 -


In 1819, Rev. Lorenzo Dow, and Itinerant preacher, came into what was later - Reform, Pickens County, to try and convert the many vandals and saloons there. He had no result at all in his undertaking, and as he was leaving someone was suggesting a name for the town - he yelled back: "Name it REFORM" and left!


The first white settler in Pickens County was Josiah Tilly, and Indian Trader who came into Tuscaloosa in 1817, to the east bank of the Tombigbee River, half a mile above the rpesent town of Pickensville. He is said to have been born in North Carolina or Tennessee and married in Tuscaloosa County to a daughter of Patrick Scott, who came to Pickens County from South Carolina. Tilly is said to have gone to Texas with the Choctaws.


The second settler was Jonothan fork, who lived on the road from Pickensville to Columbus, Mississippi. His daughter, Catherine, was the first child born in Pickens County.


The first male child born in Pickens County was Edward L., son of Stephen P. Doss, about 1818.


The first marriage in the county was that of Elizabeth Cox and Lewis Christopher in February 1820, she being the daughter of Daniel Cox.


The first Methodist preacher in the community was Rev. Ebenezer Hearn, who came in from Tennessee in 1819.


Rev. Charles Stewart, a Baptist preacher was preaching at the Big Creek Baptist in the year 1823.


The early Presbyterian preachers were not permanent ones, though several of that faith preached there in the early days.


- 5 -


FROM ALABAMA MILITARY REGISTER


PICKENS COUNTY, ALABAMA FIRST COUNTY OFFICALS


1821


March 20 Adino Griffin


Sheriff


3 Peter Kilpatrick


Clerk of Circuit Court


Levi Parker


Clerk of County Court


September 1


Underhill Ellis


Justice of Peace


Thomas Shannon Justice of Peace


November 1


Joseph Parker


Justice of Peace


Hezekiah Williams


Justice Of Peace


Samuel Carnill Justice of Peace


William Johnson


Justice of Peace


Thomas Gore Justice of Peace


Benjamin Pollard


Justice of Peace


F


Herbert Becklam Constable


Excerpts from ACTS OF ALABAMA 1837 - 1838


Pickens County, Alabama. Carrollton Male Academy established.


Trustees: Benjamin Roper, Edmund T. Bush, Francis W. Bostick, John M. Pettigrew, George W. Daniel, Anderson Russell, and Richard K. Chamberlayne.


Bridgeville, Pickens County, Alabama


Male and Female Academy.


Trustees: Reuben Gardner, John Summerville, William Fowler, James Gillespie and James B. Gladney.


- 6 -


THE FIRST JUDGE OF PICKENS COUNTY, ALABAMA


The first Judge was Solomon Marshall electedin 1821. "Old Sol" was the soubriquet bestowed upon the Judge and was sonsidered an indication of popularity in the community. Mr. Marshall came originally from the State of Georgia, at a very early period in the history of Alabama, he had been a member of the General Assembly of the State. He was a man of some prominence in his county, before he moved to North Alabama. He first settled in Madison County and resided there several years. Being unsuccess- ful there, in business he removed to Pickens County. The Old Judge was. however a thriving man while he resided in Pickens County. In 1830 Judge Marshall resigned and removed to Panola County, Mississippi, where he re- sided to the time of his death.


Hon. Martin L. Stansel was elected Judhe 1849 - 1850 and served for a few months. His father, Rev. William R. Stansell came to Pickens County in 1824 from Washington County, Georgia, when his son was seven months old. Martin L. Stansell was born in Savannah, Georgia in April 1824, being the Son of William R. Stansell and Jane C. Riddle (Riddell). His father came to South Carolina with the Hugenots. Rev. Stansell's father was a Captain in the Revolutionary War. Rev. Stansell was in the War of 1812 and died in Pickens County in 1860; his wife died there October 16, 1868. He mar- ried Olivia, daughter of James C. and Mary C. Sherrod. Judge Stansell was a graduate of the University of Alabama. The Stansell home still (1959) stands in Carrollton.


- 7 -


HON. TRISTAM SHANDY THOMAS


From THE PICKENS REPUBLICAN 1854


Hon. Thristam Shandy Thomas was the first Judge of Probate of Pickens County, was elected by the people in May 1849, after having been clerk in the County Court. He was also a licensed Baptist preacher. He was born 1800 in Wythe County, Virginia, whence he removed to Kentucky , when a boy, resided one year in Tennessee, then to Pickens County in 1818. He died June 7, 1854.


1850 Census of Pickens County, Alabama


Family #35 T. S. Thomas


aged 49


born Va, Judge of Probate


Delile Thomas


= 47


m Tenn


Malinda Thomas


=


18


Ala.


John Thomas


: 17


=


Elizabeth Thomas


11 15


=


Joseph Thomas


=


14


Tristam, Jr,


= 12


David Thomas


=


11


1


James Thomas


11


5


In this family was: David Thomas born Tenn. aged 22.


From the family names - Thristam & Matthew Cother Thomas, there must be a descent from the THOMAS family of Maryland, thru George Thomas who married Elizabeth Cother. George Thomas said to have lived a short time in Christain County, Kentuck, then to Warren County, Tennessee. No record that he owned land in Wythe County, Virginia and the early records of Warren County, Tennessee were destroyed.


William Thomas, brother of Tristam, also lived in Pickens County for a while then moved into Jefferson County where he died. The settlement of his estate in Ophan's Court states that he died June 24, 1843.


8


NAMES OF MEN IN THE CIRCUIT COURT ABOUT 1824 IN PICKENS COUNTY, ALABAMA


Adair, Thomas


Gordon, John


Mckinley, John


Adair, William


Gore, Ellis


Hall Hallaway


Addington, William Alden, Samuel Austen, J. B.


Hawkins, Henry


Parham, Nat


Aycock, William T.


Hill, John P.


Porter, Samuel


Ballard, Henry W.


Hooper, John


Powell, James


Ballard, John G.


Hooper, Obadiah


Ricks, James


Bell, Samuel


Howard, Robert


Riley, James


Bridges, Robert


Ivy, J. A.


Ring, William


Brown, Nat


Johnson, George


Robertson, Ephraim


Byler, Abram


Johnson, Hayley


Scott, Andrew


Carroll, William


Johnson, Henry


Scarborough, Joseph


Carroll, William W.


Johnson, Stpphen


Shannon, Moses


Cary, John C.


Johnson, William


Shannon, Owen


Clark, Daniel


Jones, Hardy


Shannon, Thomas


Clark, Lewis


Jones, Jesse


Shaw, Archibald


Clark, Theophilus


Lacy, James


Saltonstall, Gilbert


Denton, W. D.


Lukes, James


Saltonsrall, Gordon


Denty, John


Marshall Solomon


Silas, James


Dobson, Sterrett


Mayfield, Obadiah


Steen, John


Dobson, Neely


Merrell, Alex


Stodfill, jesse


Dobson, William


Morehead, John


Springs, Sloan


Doss, Stephen


Mullins, Loan


Teas, Charles


Ellison, Jonothan


McCombs, Williams


Temple, James


Forrester, Silas Gammell, William


McCarary, Andrew


Townsend, Thomas


Gilbry, J. W.


McGeehee, William


Ward, John


Weaver, Elijah


Williams, George


Watson, Samuel


Wigginton, George


Williams, James


Watson, Simon


Grant, William


Neighbors, William


Harrison, Richard


Oxford, John


- 9 -


McClanahan, Robert


Thomason, Fleming


NAMES OF THE MEN OF THE COMMISSIONERS COURT 1824 - PICKENS COUNTY


Ball, Burell


Jackson, William


Ball, Parks


Jones Richard


Barnes, Caleb


Martin, Alex


Barnes, Joseph


Morehaed. Joseph


Bradford, Davis


Morfit, John


Brashier, Thomas


Parkinson, Edmund


Billington, John


Petete, John


Cox, Allen


Peterson, James


Cox, Danile


Porter, Andrew


Cox, William


Ring, John G.


Crunbull, John


Robertson, Henry


Ellis, Joe


Robertson, Loderwick


Ellis, Robert


Scott, John Scott, Patrick


Ellis, Underhill


Sherrod, Randall


Davidson, William


Shoemaker, Linsey


Dobbs, Charles


Sims, Thomas G.


Dobbs, Silas


Smith, James


Dobbson, Steret


Spraggins, William


Fournoy, George H.


Forrester, Forrest


Fowler, William


Wilkins, George


Hargrove, William


Williams, John


Harris, Thomas


Wilson, William


Harrison, Hugh Holland, C. M.


Woods, Thomas


Wier, Samuel


Homes, Thomas


Jackson, Joseph


Jenkins, Stephen


- 10 -


Steen, Thomas White, William


Ellison, Lewis


SAMUEL B. MOORE, 6TH GOVERNOR OF ALABAMA


Samuel B. Moore was born in Franklin County, Tennessee in 1789 and died in Carrollton, Pickens County, Alabama November 7, 1846. He had received a limited education and settled first in Jackson County, Alabama, where he represented that county in the Legislature as early as 1823. After serving several terms in the Lower House, he was elected to the State Senate in 1828, being President of that body in 1831.


He succeeded Judge Flournoy by election at the session of 1834 and 1835. He held his first County Court in July of the latter named year. He served out the full term of six years. He fills too important a place in the history of Pickens County and the State to receive a mere passing notice, He was State Senator from Pickens at the time of his election. When Governor Gabriel Moore (Governor of Alabama) resigned to take his place in the United States Senate, Samuel Moore succeeded him in the Executive office and Administered until December of the same year. Gabriel Moore resigned March 3, 1831.


At the end of his term he returned to Pickens County, which he represented in the State Senate 1834 - 1838, serving as President of the Senate in 1835


He was Judge of the County Court of Pickens County from 1835- 1841. He was never married and made his home in Carrollton.


11 -


THE FACE IN THE WINDOW


The Courthouse in Carrollton, seat of Pickens County, Alabama was burned on Tuesday, November 16, 1876. A negro - Henry Wells was arrested, two years after as being the one who started the firs. In the meantime a new courthouse had been built.


Henry was, also suspected of other crimes and to save him from the enraged mob, he was hidden in the garret of the new Courthouse. Just at that time an electrical storm occurred and as Henry was looking down at the mob, his face was stamped on the window by the electricity.


Through all the years, in spite of hail and storm, which destroyed all other windows in the Courthouse, that particular pane, with the striking image, remains.


The glass has been scribbed with soap and gasoline as well as other means, but still that pane has met all tests and to this day, (August 1959) the face remains unchanged.


Henry died in jail from effects of wounds he received as he once tried to escape.


- 12 -


METHODIST CHURCH OF ALICE, PICKENS COUNTY, ALABAMA


The church was organized in 1879, during the ministry of the Rev. W. M. Ripper, 5 miles south of Aliceville, a few hundred yards east of the present Aliceville-Eutaw Highway. The church was named the Emory's Chapel and was on the Carrollton demominational circuit.


Another church, on the same Circuit, was located at Olney, eight miles east of the present site of Aliceville.


In 1900 when the Rev. John W. Norton was pastor of the Circuit the two churches were torn down, and the lumber taken to Bethany, six mile southeast of Aliceville and a new church was constructed there. There had already been a Methodist congregation in Bethany, so the combined congregation formed a flourishing church which went by the name of Bethany and remained in the community for about six years.


In 1906, when the Rev. Samuel N. Burn was pastor, the church building in Bethany was sold and the congregation moved into Aliceville and constructed a new church, On Sunday, the 3rd one in May 1909, Bishop H. C. Morrison preached the dedicatory sermon in the new church in Aliceville. In 1923, the Aliceville Methodist Church was taken into the Carrollton Circuit and made a full-time station. During the pastorate of the Rev. J. E. Jenkins, 1923-1927 an annex was added for Sunday School rooms.


In 1944 a building fund was started for a new church building and manse. The first service in November 1948, was held in the new build- ing which cost approximately $45,00.000


- 13 -


BETHESDA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, ROUTE 2, PICKENS COUNTY, ALABAMA


The pioneer Presbyterians in the southern part of Pickens County, many of whom came in from the Carolinas planned to organize a church. On the 29th of September 1838, the Rev. Thomas Morrow of the Tuscaloosa Presby- tery organized the church, near Crawford, with fifteen Charter Members, who were: Thomas Loftin Mary K. Eddings


Edwin Bridges


Andrew Lofton


Martha Bridges Nancy Davis


Elizabeth Loftin


Harry Burnsides John S. Knox


David C. Russell Elizabeth Burnsides Rachel R. Knox


Ann B. Russell


Jane Craig Elizabeth Love


Thomas and Andrew Lofton and John S. Knox were elected the ruling Elders. On September 30, 1828 the Session met and decided to name the church - BETHESDA.


Some of the early members were:


Julia Crawford Mrs Nancy G. Herndon Francis Weir


Nelson Crawford


John Herrington


Mrs. Sarah Weir


Eli T. Goinf Sarah D. Lanier


Eliza Williams


Martha A. Going


Thomas C. Lanier


Michael Williams


Mahala Going


Mrs. Jane Lavender


Rebecca Going


Mrs. Prudence Weit


Members added in 1824 - 1852


Mrs. Margaret Craig


Mrs. Elizabeth Lofton


Miss Sophronia Lofton


Miss Jane Caroline Richard


Miss Elizabeth Lofton


- 14 -


Members added 1853 - 1860


William I. Goign


Rebecca Jane Going


Mrs. Ann Somerville


Amanda C. Bailey


Josephine Going


Dr. C. W. Somerville Henrietta Somerville


Martha J. Bailey


Sarah A. Going


Miss Mary Crawford


Mrs. Elizabeth Gardner


Mary Ann Gardner


Martha Jay


William Gardner


Louis Jay


Mrs. Wright Hudson Gardner


Members added in 1863 - 1873


Martha Bailey Mrs. Elizabeth Cunningham Harry Boutwell


Mrs. Caroline Boutwell


Tyler Polk Jay James Jay


Rosaline Cunningham


H. D. Boutwell


Mary Jay


Thomas G. Duncan


Mrs. H. L. Hutton


Going Jay


Dr. James A. Fulton


James A. Going


Lewis Jay


Miss Mary Fulton


John S. Going


Laura E. Lanier


Edwin E. Fulton


Job. Going


Thomas B. Lanier


James H. Fulton


H. Graham


James G. Lanier


William L. Fulton


Duncan E. Lockhart


Ellas Lofton!


Miss Davis Wilson,


James H. Nunnellee


Mrs. Amanda Nunnellee


from Centerville Church


E. E. Nunnellee


Mary Nunnellee


Members added in 1875 - 1882 S. S. Stanton and his wife and their baptized children: Mary Jessie, Porter, Elizabeth and Martha.


Mrs. Maggie B. Osborne and her children: Lula C., Elizabeth,


Martha E., Walter R., and Willie F. Osborne.


Mrs. Maude Going William Akines


James M. Weir


Mrs. Jane S. Murphy


M. R. Hood


A. Hood Mrs. M. P. Paden Miss Rebecca Russell Eugene Stanton


Minnie Sommerville


- 15 -


John K. Spence, Feb. 28, 1869, from Greensboro, Ga,


Carrie Nunnellee


J. D. Weir


Alfred E. Going


James Huffman


Elizabeth White


16


BETHESDA CHURCH - Continued


Mr. and Mrs. W. S. Morrow came into the church several years later. She descends from the A. E. Going family and Mr. Morrow was a descer ant of Rev. Thomas Morrow. They being the only ones of the congrega tion descending from one who was present at the organization of the Church one hundred years before.


Rev. John K. Spence who was a well known Presbyterian Minister of Alabama, was at one time an Elder of this church. He being the only person who had once belonged to this church - to enter the ministry. The early churches were a sort of court - where grievance of its members were threshed out.


As was custom in the South, before the War between the States, quite a number of slaves were regular members of this church. In later years, the younger generation preferred an organization of their own The cemetery at BETHESDA, where the older members were laid to rest, is well cared for. A Revolutionary war Soldier - Thomas Lofton lies buried in this adjoining cemetery.


Early Presbyterian Churches were located at Carrollton, Pickensville Reform, Franconia, (2) Bradfords, over Sipsey and Sipsey Turnpike.


17


BIG CREEK BAPTIST CHURCH


This church is said to have been the oldest congregation in Pickens County and was organized in 1823, at the Garden (Enon), then moved to Aliceville.


Its second organization was at Yorkville (now Aliceville), by Elder Jacob Crocker in 1829.


Then at Big Creek on January 10, 1829, with fourteen members, with Rev. Charles Stewart as pastor; first Deacons were Notley Gore and Dempsey White. In two months, the congregation had increased to twenty members - one - " a black woman, Melly". At that date, slaves In were given the opportunity to attach themselves to that church. the next ten years, there were thirty-four black members, out of the whole list of one hundred and sixty four. In 1848 it was agreed to build a separate building for the black population. This church was the scene of a break in the Baptist denomination, in 1837, the Missionary Baptists continued in this church and the Hardshell Baptist established a new organization.


From the Big Creek Church, a Baptist church was organized in Carrollton in 1846 by Mrs. Candace Bostick, Mrs. Caroline Sherrod, Matthews Lyons and others.


The UNITY GROVE CHURCH was the place of the beginning of an Assembly known as "CAMP MEETING", where people from even nearby states have camped and held religious services for over fifty years.


MT. OLIVET PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH


This church was located about sixteen miles west of Tuscaloosa in Pickens County, in the Davidson Settlement of Tuscaloosa County. Saturday, January 6th, 1838, Rev. Joseph B. Adams, organized this church. The fifteen charter members were:


Thomas Wier William Archibald


Milus A. Davidson


Nancy S. Wier Margaret Archibald Devey Davidson


Wallis Alexander Sarah Archibald Alonzo F. A. Love


Elizabeth Alexander


Thomas W. Falls Mary Love


Mary Robison


Eliza Falls Ann Chambers


Thomas H. Wier and William Archibald were elected as the first ruling elders of this church. Rev. William Williams was the first pastor and served for eleven years.


The seats were arranged so the slaves would have a place to sit in the church.


Mr. Ninian Steel, a native of Iredell County, North Carolina, was one of the early members in 1839 and remained a member until his death, October 15, 1842, at the age of 62 years and his body was the first to be buried in Mt. Olivet Cemetery. One corner of this cemetery was reserved for the slaves.


Thomas H. Wier was the first clerk of the Church, until his death when Thomas W. Falls was elected to serve in that place. 3 William Archibald was appointed to attend the Presbytery in Tuscaloosa, October 2, 1838. Rev. James Somerville succeeded Rev. Williams as pastor of this Church in 1850, where he served faithfully for twenty- nine years. Rev. Somverville was a great-uncle of Mrs. T. C. Border of Reform. The church building was well constructed and even the wooden pegs in the benches were in use one hundred and one years later.


19


Records of the OAK GROVE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, at Franconia, near Aliceville, Pickens County, Alabama. Data copied from the minutes of that Church.


MAY 20th 1837


"According to a previous appointment, Rev. Thomas Morrow, a member of the Tombecbee Presbytery, proceeded to organize a Presbyterian Church near Mayrehoop' store, in the county aforesaid; when the


following persons were on certificate, received as members, vis:


1. John Turnipseed 17. Eliza J. Hood


2. Elizabeth Turnipseed


18. William Owens


3. Mary Ann Turnipseed 19. Elizabeth M. Owens


4. Martha Turnipseed 20. Robert Cunningham


5. Abraham Turnipseed


6. Nancy Turnipseed


7. Archibald Hood


8. Mary A. Hood


9. John Summerville


10. Sara Summerville


11. Jane N. Summerville


12. William H. Summerville


13. John Hughes, Sr.


29. Margaret S. Duncan


30. Rebecca Going


31. Queen Ann ( colored)


32. Hannah (colored)


Elders :


John Hughes


John Turnipseed


John Summerville


Abraham Turnipseed


Archibald Hood


RESOLVED : That this church be called "OAK GROVE,"


26. Eliza J. Williams


27. William Kelsey


28. Joseph Duncan


14. Sarah Hughes


15. Margaret Summerville


16. Samuel W. Hood


21. Mary Cunningham


22. Jane Summerville


23. Martha D. Summerville


24. Andrew H. Summerville


25. Michael C. Williams


Records of Oak Grove Presbyterian Church, Continued May 21, 1837 - the following members were received.


Robert Bell, John Rogers, David Hood, Nancy Morrow June 4, 1837 - Margaret Rowe rec.on certificate. September 30, 1837 - These were received:


George Weir M. McBurney Susan Howarth


Jane Hughes D. McBurney




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