History of Alabama and dictionary of Alabama biography, Volume I, Part 108

Author: Owen, Thomas McAdory, 1866-1920; Owen, Marie (Bankhead) Mrs. 1869-
Publication date: 1921
Publisher: Chicago, The S. J. Clarke publishing company
Number of Pages: 756

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Huntsville; Marshall County Fair Association, Albertville; Mobile County Fair, Mobile; Perry County Fair, Marion; Pickens County Fair Association, Reform; Pike County Fair Association, Troy; Shelby County Fair Asso- ciation, Montevallo; Talladega County Fair Association, Sylacauga; Walker County Fair, Jasper; West Alabama Fair, Tuscaloosa.

See Agricultural Society, The Alabama State (new); Agricultural Society, The Ala- bama State (old); Farmers' Alliance; Farm- ers' Educational and Co-operative Union of America; Farmers' Organizations; Grange of the Patrons of Husbandry of Alabama; Wheel, The Alabama Agricultural.

REFERENCES .- Bailey, Cyclopedia of American agriculture (1912), vol. 4, pp. 289-297; American cotton planter, Montgomery, 1853-1861, inderes; The rural Alabamian, 1872, vol. 2, pp. 502, 559, 1873, vol. 3, p. 226; Acts, 1875-76, p. 295; and Manuscript data in the Alabama Department of Archives and History.

FAKITCHIPUNTA. A Choctaw town on the Tombigbee River. The name signifies "little turkeys," Fakit, "turkey," Chipunta, "little," the last word a plural adjective, which indicates that Fakit is plural. The Choctaw town was known to the Americans as Tombigbee Turkey Town. It was reserved

from cession by the treaty of Mount Dexter, the text of the treaty reading as follows: "The Choctaws reserve from the foregoing cession a tract of 2 miles square, run on me- ridians and parallels so as to include the houses and improvements in the town of Fu- ketchepoonto."

This language would suggest that it was a town of some importance. It was situated on both sides of the Tombigbee, about two thirds being on the east side of the river. Hence it was both in Choctaw and Clarke Counties. As noted on La Tourrette's Map of Alabama, 1838, Turkey Creek, in Choctaw County empties into the Tombigbee about the middle of the northwest quarter of the town. The town certainly derived its name from the creek, of which the name Turkey Creek is a partial translation. In the Indian grant made to John McGrew in 1799, this creek is espe- cially named as "Fouket Cheeponta or Little Turkey Creek."

Turkey Town was the last Choctaw posses- sion east of the Tombigbee, and was held until ceded by the treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek in 1830. It belonged to Nittakechi's District. The last officlal notice of Turkey Town is in the Census of that distret, taken in 1831, where Ishtonerhomma's family is represented as living in the east side of the town.

REFERENCES .- Ala. Hist. Society, Transactions, 1898-1899, vol. 3, p. 234; LaTourrette, Map of Alabama (1838); Ball, Clarke County (1882), p. 164; Manuscript data in the Alabama De- partment of Archives and History.

FALKVILLE. Post office and station on the Louisville & Nashville Railroad, in the southern part of Morgan County, T. 8, R. 4 W., about 18 miles south of Hartsell, 15 miles north of Cullman, and 18 miles southeast of Decatur. Altitude: 602 feet. Population: 1870-1,054; 1880-105; 1888-170; 1900 -343; 1910-335. It was incorporated in 1876, probably under the general laws, with mayor and council. The corporate limits ex- tend 600 yards in all directions from the rail- road depot. It has public schools, and 3 miles of paved sidewalks. Its tax rate is 5 mills, and its bonded indebtedness $3,800, maturing in 10 years, and issued for the construction of sidewalks. It has a branch of the Tennes- see Valley Bank, of Decatur. Its industries are 2 cotton ginneries, a gristmill. a cotton warehouse, a sawmill, a planing mill, a lum- ber yard, wagon and blacksmith shops, and general stores. There is a city high school with normal training department, and gram- mar schools. The school building was erect- ed in 1896, and cost $8,000. It churches are the Baptist, Methodist Episcopal, South, and the Christian.

The town was settled prior to 1860, by Malcolm Patterson, of Tennessee, and James Densmore. The first merchant and the first postmaster was Louis Falk, for whom the town was named. He was a gallant Confed- erate soldier, and was captured early in the War and held a prisoner until its close.

560

HISTORY OF ALABAMA

REFERENCES .- Polk's Alabama gazetteer, 1888-9, p. 347: Alabama Official and Statistical Register, 1915.

FALUKTAEUNNA, FALLECTABENNA, or FLUCTAEUNNA. Name of a locality on the west bank of the Tombigbee River in Choctaw County, exactly opposite the northwest corner of Clarke County. The name seems to show that the place was used as a hunting camp, where scaffolds were erected for curing veni- son. In correct Choctaw orthography the word is Falakto abana, or Falaktabana, mean- ing "a scaffold," that is, Falakto, "a fork," Abana, "laid across," or "forks" witth sticks laid across."

REFERENCES .- Manuscript data in the Ala- bama Department of Archives and History.

FARM DEMONSTRATION AND RURAL EXTENSION WORK. Collateral activities of the Department of Agriculture and industries, authorized by legislative enactments of 1911 and 1915, as shown helow. These activities include cooperative agricultural extension work; demonstration work in agriculture and home economics, in connection with federal operations under the Smith-Lever bill; or- ganization of boys' and girls' farm clubs, as corn clubs, pig clubs, tomato clubs, etc .; and general educational and demonstration work with the object of exterminating or circum- venting the cotton-boll weevil, ascertaining the particular crops best adapted to the soils of various localities, and improving rural methods and conditions in many ways.

The special lines of experimental and edu- cational effort included under the general head of farm demonstration and rural exten- sion work in Alahama were first provided for hy legislative enactment on February 9, 1911. The scope of the work contemplated is fully set out in the title of the act, as follows: "An Act for the advancement of agriculture and to prepare the farmers of Alabama for the coming of the boll weevil by providing for local agricultural experiments in the sev- eral counties of Alabama to ascertain the best fertilizers for each class of soils and crops, to investigate hest the methods of producing cotton profitably in the presence of the boll weevil and of the black root disease, to de- termine the most effective methods for con- trolling the boll weevil and other insect pests, to determine the most profitable field crops for each soil and the best system for grow- ing and marketing them, to ascertain the grasses and clovers best suited to each soil, to ascertain the best varieties of fruits and vegetables and the best horticultural prac- tices, to determine the best means of grow- ing, feeding, and marketing live stock and poultry, to investigate other agricultural prob- lems, to provide for the publication of results and of related agricultural information and for other expenses of agricultural experi- ments, to provide for agricultural extension work in connection therewith, and to make an

appropriation for these purposes and to pre- scribe how these funds shall be expended."

The execution of these purposes was put in charge of the experiment station of the Alabama polytechnic institute at Auburn, with the mandate "to conduct, in as many of the counties of Alabama as advisable and prac- ticable with the funds hereby appropriated, experiments to acquire agricultural informa- tion . . . . and to publish and to disseminate the results." The means for carrying on these experiments were provided by the fol- lowing annual appropriations: for local fer- tilizer experiments in the several counties and for the investigation and introduction of new or improved field crops and forage plants, $7,000; for combating the cotton boll weevil and other injurious insects, $2,300; for plant breeding of field and forage crops, $1,200; for drainage, irrigation and farm machinery, $1,500; for preparing, printing, illustrating, and distributing hulletins, ciculars and other publications of the experiment stations, and for general administrative expenses, $2,500; for horticultural investigations, $2,000; for live stock investigations, $3,500; for investi- gating and combatting hlack root and boll rot of cotton, and other diseases of plants, $1,000; for promoting the poultry industry, $1,000; for agricultural extension work, $5,000. This total of $27,000 a year is to be expended under the immediate direction of the board of trustees of the Alabama polytechnic in- stitute and the general supervision of the commissioner of Agriculture and Industries.

On the 11th another act was passed, to establish a board of agriculture to have su- pervision of funds appropriated by this act for farm demonstration work in Alabama, and to provide a plan for carrying on such work. After reciting that farm demonstration work has been found to be the best method of disseminating knowledge of improved farming methods, the act establishes the board of agriculture, composed of the commissioner of agriculture and industries, ex officio chairman; the director of the Alabama experi- ment station, Auburn; the professor of school agriculture in the Alabama polytechnic in- stitute, Auburn; and two practical, successful farmers to be named by the other three mem- bers of the board. The work of the local demonstration agents is directed by this board, and an appropriation of $25,000 a year is placed at its disposal.

A law supplementing the two foregoing was passed on February 28th. It authorized courts of county commissioners or boards of revenue in any county in which the state or federal authorities shall take on or have taken up the work of farm demonstration or the organization of farm life clubs to appropriate funds, not exceeding one thou- sand dollars in any one year, for aiding in such work. The use of a portion of these county appropriations for premiums or prizes for excellence in crop production is permitted.

I. E. DIBBLE,

PHOTOGRAPHER.

CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION. Montgomery Alubuma, September 30th 1875.

Ist Bise- IT A Carson A IT Curtis & P Rice W. N Lume, J. F. P. Finn-not, 1 W Laird, G P Harrison, J T. Foster. T. Lomas, G W. Delbridge. F. A. O'Neal. R. A. Mcclellan. 1. M & wee, S. T Prince TH Wane & W Cable Q & Ballett R. C. They. B > Screws 8 J Beling. Halen, Jones, of Ch elaw. J & Rubbing. J H Levy. Red Line .- G & W I-wie, & A Ling. & Forward, GH. Park, T. J. Burton, K. I Norrn. F W Sikes. J. D Rather, ( Hannum & C. Allgood, W C Little Jr 'J. W laser. L. Cardinal. S & Sont. 8 L \ Mitte, J & K -p. JP Rest. A A atriett, J. W. Intra, W A Smith, & F Johnson, " M Hanr. T D "Semwith, F. K Ferguson, L. Brewer.

LIBE- R Julies . Deve J to Meadows, " I Taylor, S & Furter, R & Powell, E G Richards, C. C Langdon, I E. Brown J HI White, J I Murphre, D. Nowlese, & A Parall. W. A MuggTOve J. F. Lures, M & Alice, a W. Shopping, A. J Suple, M. L. Wunde, Engrossing Clerk

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HISTORY OF ALABAMA

By a joint resolution adopted on January 29, 1915, the legislature assented to the pro- visions and requirements of the act of con- gress, approved May 8, 1914, providing for cooperative agricultural extension work, and thereupon the trustees of the Polytechnic in- stitute became competent to receive the grants of money carried by the Act.

On the 25th of September following, steps were taken to put the plans contained in the act of congress referred to (commonly known as the Smith-Lever act), into effect in this state. An appropriation for that purpose was made for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1917, of $20,000, and $40,000 for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1918. The work con- templated by this law includes the organiza- tion and supervision of live stock, marketing and other agricultural clubs; boys' corn clubs and pig clubs; girls' canning clubs; home economics and other clubs for women; the encouragement of diversification of crops, and the introduction of better methods of farming.

The list of legislative enactment on these subjects was completed by the act approved on September 28 which provided an appropria- tion of $100 annually for the years 1915, 1916, 1917, and 1918 for each county, to be used for prizes and premiums and otherwise encouraging and instructing the farm boys and girls in their club work, and to be avail- able to any county that raises $100 annually, for each of the years mentioned, for the same purpose. The professor of school agriculture of the Alabama polytechnic institute is em- powered to make the rules and plans govern- ing the club work provided for.

Under the provisions of these several enact- ments, a large amount of experimental and demonstration work has been carried on by the State's agents usually in cooperation with the local representatives of the general gov- ernment. There are demonstration agents in most of the counties, whose salaries fre- quently are paid by the state, or jointly by the state and the U. S. government, without any contribution from the county itself. However, in many cases the county does pay a part of its demonstration agent's compen- sation. These county agents have supervi- sion of the boys' club work, and the work of the girls' clubs is under the direction of the county canning club agents. These agents are women, experts in rural extension and domes- tic science, who are paid by the government under the Smith-Lever act. Usually they are appointed assistant county superintendent of education and work in cooperation with the Education department's representatives.

See Polytechnic institute, Alabama, Experi- ment Station; Agriculture and Industries, De- partment of.

REFERENCES .- Acts of Alabama, Agriculture and Industries, Department of Reports; Ala- bama Polytechnic Institute, Experiment Sta- tion, Reports.

FARM IMPLEMENTS. See Agriculture.

FARM LIFE CLUBS. Semiofficial educa- tional and promotive organizations, author- ized by act of February 28, 1911, to encour- age agriculture and kindred pursuits. The act authorizes the county commissioners or boards of revenue, or other body having sim- ilar jurisdiction of any county in which the State or Federal authorities may take up the work of farm demonstration, to appropriate such sums as they may deem advisable, not exceeding $1,000 in any one year, in aid of such work. A part of the fuuds so appro- priated may be used for premiums or prizes offered for excellence in crop production. An act of September 28, 1915, provided for or- ganizing the farm boys and girls of Alabama into various kinds of clubs for the purpose of encouraging, interesting and instructing them in better methods of agriculture, home-mak- ing, cooking, sewing and gardening. The promotion of the latter class of clubs is pro- vided for by special appropriations, described under that title.

See Agriculture and Industries, Commis- sioner of; Agriculture, Board of; Farm Dem- onstration and Rural Extension Work.

REFERENCES .- General Acts, 1911, p. 35; 1915, p. 43.

FARMERS' ALLIANCE. A farmers' or- ganization for the promotion of the interests of agriculture, whose objects were, "to labor for the education of the agricultural classes in the science of economical government in a strict non-partisan spirit, and to bring about a more perfect union of said classes for the promotion of their interests socially, politic- ally and financially. To oppose all forms of monopoly as being detrimental to the best interests of the public, and to demand equal rights for all and special favors to none. . . To promote the best interests of our agricul- tural people in a practical and legitimate way. First, by the inculcation of the home senti- ment with all its elements of nobleness, by importuning the use of such educational pro- visions made by the State for the intellec- tual promotion of agriculture, and the use of the best moral, intellectual, agricultural and political literature of the times in our farm homes . . . to co-operate in buying and sell- ing for the purpose of securing an exchange of commodities with the least possible tax upon interchange. To secure representation in the State and National Legislatures as the importance of the agricultural interests war- rant, to secure the strict legislative control of railroads in the interests of equity and justice to the public; to crush out monopolies in every form, whether in land, transporta- tion or commerce, to crush out the manufac- ture of and traffic in adulterated food prod- ucts; to protect the live stock interests of the country against contagious diseases, and to protect and foster agricultural interests in every way feasible and just." The order originated in Texas, the first alliance of permanence being organized July 28, 1879.

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HISTORY OF ALABAMA

The Farmers' Alliance was the fourth state- wide agricultural society represented in Ala- hama. The first local alliance was instituted at Beech Grove, Madison County, in 1887 by A. T. Jacobs, of the Texas Alliance, the charter being received March 30. Others were soon after established in Jackson, Lime- stone, and Marshall Counties. Still later na- tional organizers visited the State and started alliances in Coosa, Bihb, Shelby, Lauderdale, Talladega, Perry, St. Clair, and Elmore Coun- ties. Records of the first and second state meetings or conventions are not available, though it appears from unofficial sources that the locals in all the counties mentioned sent delegates to the second convention, held at Cave Spring, Madison County, August 2, 1887. At the first general meeting in the State, apparently held in the early part of 1887, W. J. McKelvey was elected state president, and at the second convention S. M. Adams was elected to succeed him, and J. W. Brown was made secretary. Practically simultane- ously with its entrance into the State, the Alabama Farmers' Alliance was affiliated with the national organization. At the fourth annual meeting, Auburn, August 6-8, 1889, the Alabama Farmers' Alliance and the Agri- cultural Wheel in Alabama were consolidated, and a new constitution and by-laws adopted. The consolidated organization was called the Farmers' and Laborers' Union of America; but at its first meeting, at St. Louis in 1889, the name was changed to the National Farm- ers' Alliance and Industrial Union. The State and local subdivisions of the national organ- ization continued to be known by their for- mer names, some being called "alliances," some "wheels," and some "unions." How- ever, they all were chartered by the national order, conformed to its constitution, and used its secret work.

In 1890 several of the different farmers' organizations of the country combined in the National Farmers' League. The purposes of the league were avowedly political, some of its objects being legislation to bring about the issue of Treasury notes, Government loans to individuals, the increase of the cir- culating medium, free coinage of silver, Gov- ernment ownership of railroads, popular elec- tion of Senators, and an income tax. The league opposed the national banking system and alien ownership of land. The National Farmers' Alliance and Industrial Union par- ticipated in this movement, but the southern branch of the league did not put out separate candidates for State offices as was done by the northern branch. When in 1892 the league in the northern States united with other polit- ical elements and formed the People's or Pop- ulist Party, the southern members declined to leave their old political connections, endorsed the Democratic candidates, and endeavored to have included in the Democratic platform, planks advocating the subtreasury scheme, free silver, more greenbacks, public owner- ship of transportation facilities, etc. During the convention these circumstances resulted in a split in the league, and after 1892 it ceased to exist as a political party. The state

sub-divisions of the National Farmers' Alli- ance and Industrial Union continued to exist as agricultural organizations for several years. Exact records of their history subse- quent to 1892 are not, however, available.

During the existence of the Alabama Farm- ers' Alliance, its activities looking to the improvement of agricultural conditions, in- cluding better methods of growing farm prod- uce, and the obtainment of legislation, both State and Federal, were numerous and fairly effectual. At its third annual meeting in 1888 resolutions were passed demanding leg- islation to encourage education. Whether as a direct result of this action or not does not appear, but the legislature at its next session appropriated $100,000 for the common schools of the State. Resolutions also were passed calling for the reform of the national banking laws, and recommending that the state alliance send representatives to Con- gress to secure agricultural legislation. At the next annual session resolutions were passed requesting the National Government to lend money to farmers on real estate, to the extent of one-half its value, at 2 per cent interest. During 1889 the state alliance es- tablished a commercial exchange at Mont- gomery, and undertook to establish a cooper- tive industrial enterprise at Florence. Dis- satisfaction having arisen with what was called the "Bagging Trust," a special meeting at Birmingham was called for May 15, 1889, at which delegates from all the Cotton States were in attendance. The convention resolved not to use jute hagging and to insist on all commercial fertilizers and grains being sacked in cotton bagging. This action aroused con- siderable discussion and the controversy con- tinued through two or three years.

REFERENCES .- N. A. Dunning, ed., Farmers' Alliance history (1891), p. 237; W. S. Morgan, History of the Wheel and Alliance (1891), pp. 111-113, 308-310; Bailey, Cyclopedia of Ameri- can agriculture (1909), vol. iv, p. 295; Ritual, 1890, 8 vo. p. 21.

FARMERS' EDUCATIONAL AND CO-OP- ERATIVE UNION OF AMERICA, ALABAMA DIVISION. An educational and cooperative union of farmers, having certain secret fea- tures, organized for the furtherance of all the interests of agricultural classes. The national union was organized December 5, 1905, Newton Gresham being its founder. It entered Alabama with the organization of the Walker County Farmers' Educational and Co- Operative Union of America at Cordova, Au- gust 23, 1905, at which time Henry T. Na- . tions was elected president. The gathering was addressed by several speakers, and before adjourning, resolved that its members should not sell cotton for less than 10 cents a pound; should reduce acreage from year to year so as to maintain that price; and should buy fertilizer and grains put up in cotton bags only. A state organization was also launched at this meeting. The second meeting was held at Clanton, March 8, 1906, and was pre- sided over by J. A. Worley, state president. Records of the proceedings are not at hand.

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HISTORY OF ALABAMA

The first regular annual meeting of the state union was held at Bessemer, August 23-25, 1906, with more than 300 delegates In at- tendance. Discussion centered about the prop- osition to establish union cooperative ware- houses. Most of the business of these and subsequent conventions has been transacted in executive session and cannot, therefore, be fully discussed. It appears, however, that the question of cooperative warehouses, with other phases of the marketing of crops, espe- cially cotton, continued for some time to be the most prominent in the transactions of the union. The older farmers' organizations have been virtually dormant for several years. The union apparently is now the only active agricultural society in the State.

In 1913 the total membership of the union in the United States was estimated at 3,000,- 000, its greatest strength and influence being in the South. The number of its members in Alabama at that time is not available, but there were said to be more than 1,500, in Tuscaloosa County. In recent years the union has concentrated its energies upon securing the establishment of a national rural credit system as the means of affording relief from the present credit and land-mortgage systems. The union has claimed to be nonpolitical but has nevertheless appointed committees from time to time to aid in securing desired state and national legislation.

Presidents .- J. A. Worley, 1905-1907; J. F. Duncan, 1907-1908; W. A. Morris, 1908- 1912; O. P. Ford, 1912-1916.

Meetings .- Meetings have been held at the times and places named:

Cordova, August, 1905; organization.

1st, Bessemer, August, 1906.

2d, Andalusia, August, 1907.

3rd, Birmingham, June, 1908.

4th, Birmingham, August, 1909.

5th, Montgomery, August, 1910, pp. 30.

6th, Auburn, August, 1911.

7th, Anniston, August, 1912.

8th, Montgomery, August, 1915.

9th, Birmingham, August, 1914.

10th, Birmingham, August, 1915.

11th, Birmingham, August, 1916.

PUBLICATIONS .- Minutes. 1910, 1915, 2 vol.

REFERENCES .- Alabama Division, Minutes, 5th and 10th sessions, 1910 and 1915; National Farmers' Educational and Co-Operative Union of America, Minutes, 7th annual session, 1911; Age-Herald. Birmingham, Aug. 23, 1905, Mar. 9, and Aug. 23, 24, 25, 1906; J. O. Prude, "Work of Farmers' Union," in Tuscaloosa News. Mar. 7, 1913; Barrett, Mission, history, and times of the Farmers' Union (1909), pp. 222-225, 259-269.

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History of Alabama and dictionary of Alabama biography, Volume I, Part 108

Author: Owen, Thomas McAdory, 1866-1920; Owen, Marie (Bankhead) Mrs. 1869- Publication date: 1921 Publisher: Chicago, The S. J. Clarke publishing company Number of Pages: 756

Author: Owen, Thomas McAdory, 1866-1920; Owen, Marie (Bankhead) Mrs. 1869-
Publication date: 1921
Publisher: Chicago, The S. J. Clarke publishing company
Number of Pages: 756