History of Alabama and dictionary of Alabama biography, Volume I, Part 60

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

USA > Alabama > History of Alabama and dictionary of Alabama biography, Volume I > Part 60

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1907 (Spec.)-George T. McWhorter.

1909 (Spec.)-George T. McWhortor.

1911-E. B. Fite.

1915-W. H. Key.

1919-A. H. Carmichael.

Representatives .-

1868-C. P. Simmons.

1869-70-C. P. Simmons.

1870-John A. Steele.

1871-2-John A. Steele.

1872-3-Samuel Corsbie.

1873-Samuel Corsbie.

1874-5-Barton Dickson.

1875-6-Barton Dickson.

1876-7- S. J. Harrington.

1878-9-J. A. Steele.

1880-1-N. T. Underwood.

1882-3-N. T. Underwood.

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HISTORY OF ALABAMA

1884-5-G. T. McWorter.

1886-7-John W. Bishop.

1888-9-W. C. Summers.

1890-1-C. C. Rather.

1892-3-W. R. Brown.

1894-5-P. N. G. Rand.

1896-7-W. R. Brown. 1898-9-Wilson R. Brown.

1899 (Spec.)-Wilson R. Brown.

1900-01-John E. Deloney.

1903-John Edward Deloney.

1907-A. H. Carmichael.

1907 (Spec.)-A. H. Carmichael.

1909-A. H. Carmichael.

1911-E. B. Almon.

1915-A. H. Carmichael.

1919-W. H. Shaw.

For many details on various subjects in the history of the county, see separate sketches of Barton; Bear Creek Villages; Cherokee; Cherokee Indians; Chickasaw Indians; Con- federate Monuments; Doublehead's Village; LaGrange College; Leighton; Newspapers and Periodicals; Riverton; Sheffield; Soils and Soil Surveys; Tuscumbia; Tuscumbia Rail- way Co .; Tuscumbia Courtland and Decatur R. R. Co.

COLDWATER MOUNTAIN. The inter- section of two great faulted unsymmetrical anticlinals with northeast-southwest and northwest-southeast trends, respectively. Its structure is complicated by smaller anti- clinals, faults, etc. It is situated in Calhoun County and is really the broken-up, south- west end of the Jacksonville or Choccolocco Mountains, from which it is separated by the irregular, narrow, unsymmetrical, synclinal valley between Oxford and Anniston. Its highest peaks are more than 2,000 feet above sea level. At the southwestern end of the mountain there are many fine springs of clear water gushing out from under a knoll of massive conglomerates. These springs supply the city of Anniston with water. On the top of the mountain are several bald spots of perfectly naked, flat rocks, which are doubtless the tops of two intersecting waves. Near the northeast extremity of the mountain there are numerous large deposits of limonite, some of which have been worked extensively. Bauxite also occurs in the same vicinity.

REFERENCES .- McCalley, Valley regions of Al- abama, Pt. 2, Coosa Valley (Geol. Survey of Ala., Special report 9, 1897), pp. 19, 676-679; U. S. Dept. of Agriculture, Bureau of Soil Sur- veys, Soil survey of Calhoun County (1910), pp. 5-6.

COLDWATER VILLAGE. See Oka Ka- passa.

COLLECTORS AND COLLECTIONS, PRIVATE. Shown below are some of the groups of miscellaneous items in the hands of private collectors in the State. There are in addition a large number of book collectors, who specialize on the several subjects, which make up their private libraries.

Barnes Collection .- Prof. E. R. Barnes, Montgomery, has an interesting collection of walking canes from several States and for- eign countries.

Bishop Collection .- J. L. Bishop of Selma, has brought together a representative collec- tion of philatellic items including stamps from most of the countries of the world. The collection is especially rich in British Colonial stamps, in unused condition.

Included in Mr. Bishop's collection is possibly the largest private lot in the South- ern States, of broken bank bills and Con- federate Slave paper, and items of this char- acter.

Bradley Collection .- T. Emory Bradley, Luverne, is an extensive collector of postage and revenue stamps. He has a large lot in- cluding many world war issues.

Brannon Collection .- Peter A. Brannon, Montgomery, has a collection of about 10,000 philatellic items of a general character and has paid especial attention to foreign covers, in which the collection is rich. Precancels and early postmarks form also prominent groups.

Another feature of this collection is badges. Included are pin buttons, ribbon badges, political badges, tag day tags, patriotic em- blems. About 5,000 items have been brought together.

Brewer Collection .- Owen D. Brewer, Montgomery, has a large stamp collection and is paying minute attention to precancels and revenues.

Golsan Bird Egg Collection .- Lewis S. Golsan, Prattville, has a collection of 72 dif- ferent sets of bird's eggs, for the most part from Autauga County. In nearly every case he has the original nest which adds largely to the scientific value of the group. Included are three or four rare sets not reported otherwise for this State. This is the largest collection in the State and is made up nearly entirely of interior land birds nests.

Jones Collection .- Conrad R. Jones, Mont- gomery, has a fine lot of philatellic items, manuscripts and autographs.

Rolston Bird Collection, displayed in the office of the Rolston House, a tourist hotel at Coden, is a representative collection of Coast and Shore birds. It was brought to- gether some years since by the proprietor, John Rolston, and has been added to mate- rially in recent years.

Tresslar Collection .- H. P. Tresslar, Sr., Montgomery, has what is thought to be the most valuable collection of philatellic items in private hands in Alabama, as it contains many Confederate items. His collection of coins and old currency is also large.

REFERENCES .- Mss. data in Alabama Depart- ment Archives and History.

COLLEGES, ASSOCIATION OF ALA- BAMA. See Association of Alabama Col- leges.

COLLINSVILLE. Post office and incorpo- rated town, in the southeastern part of De-

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FROM THE ORIGINAL MAP OF CAHABA, ALABAMA'S FIRST STATE CAPITAL

Vol. 1-20

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HISTORY OF ALABAMA

Kalb County, secs. 11 and 12, T. 9, R. 7, and on the Alabama Great Southern Railroad, 15 miles southwest of Fort Payne. Altitude: 726 feet. Population: 1890-367; 1900- 524; 1910-673. It has the Farmers & Merchants Bank (State), and the Collinsville Courier, a weekly newspaper, edited and pub- lished by H. H. Smith.

The town is situated at the foot of the Lookout Mountains, on the old stagecoach road from Guntersville to Rome, Ga., and 011 the Little Wills Valley road from Birming- ham to Chattanooga, Tenn. It was named for Alfred Collins, who bought all the land, on which the town was built in 1842. Many of the early settlers arrived before the In- dians left the country. Among them were the Alfred Collins, Charles Napier, O. P. Fisher, John Russell, James Hoge, James Reed, Samuel Ward, and Thomas Watts fam- ilies. T. B. Collins was the first postmaster.

REFERENCES. - Polk's Alabama gazetteer, 1888-9; Alabama Official and Statistical Regis- ter, 1915.

COLONIAL DAMES OF AMERICA, NA- TIONAL SOCIETY OF, IN ALABAMA. A woman's patriotic society organized in Wil- mington, Del., in 1892, having for its pur- poses the collection of manuscripts, traditions, relics, etc., of Colonial and Revolutionary times, and the commemoration of the success of the Revolution. Membership is restricted to women who are especially invited, and who are descended from some ancestor of worthy life who came to reside in an Amer- ican colony prior to 1750. The Alabama Society Colonial Dames was incorporated February 22, 1898, Mrs. Hortense A. Batre of Mobile being the founder and for sixteen years president. She was succeeded by Mrs. James G. Thomas of Mobile, and she by Mrs. J. Morgan Smith, of Birmingham, March, 1916. The following memorials have been erected by the Society since its organization : Fort Toulouse shaft on site of old Ft. Tou- louse, now Ft. Jackson, at the confluence of the Coosa and the Tallapoosa rivers; the Bienville Cross, in Bienville Square, Mobile; the Tuscaloosa boulder, Tuscaloosa; Tom- beckbee monument on the site of old Ft. Tombeckbee; Lunetter window in Y. M. C. A. building, Mobile; marked two old cannon with bronze tablets in Bienville Square, Mobile, one from Ft. Conde and one from Ft. Char- lotte. The Alabama Society of Colonial Dames has a membership of 224.

Its charter members were Mrs. Hortense A. Batre and Mrs. Harvey Ellis Jones, Mo- bile; Mrs. Mary R. Kent Fowlkes, Selma; Mrs. Douglass C. Peabody, Mobile; Mrs. Ellen Peter Bryce, Tuscaloosa; Mrs. Benja- min Rhett, Mobile; Mrs. Albert J. Henley, Birmingham; Mrs. James J. Mayfield, Tus- caloosa; Miss Elizabeth Benagh, Birming- ham; Mrs. Samuel G. Wolf, Demopolis; Mrs. Minthorne Woolsey, Mrs. J. P. Furniss, Mrs. Frank Gaines, Selma; Mrs. Martha G. Snow, Mrs. Charles Shawhan, Mo- bile; Mrs. Fleming Tinsley, Selma. The first officers were: president, Mrs. Batre; first vice

president, Mrs. Jones; second vice president, Mrs. Fowlkes; corresponding secretary, Mrs. Peabody; recording secretary, Mrs. Bryce; treasurer, Mrs. Rhett; historian, Mrs. May- field; registrar, Mrs. Henley.

COLOOMEE. See Kulumi.

COLUMBIA. Post office and station on the Central of Georgia Railway, in the eastern part of Houston County, and on the Chatta- hoochee River, 20 miles east of Dothan. Pop- ulation: 1888-village proper, 400; 1890- Columbia Precinct-960; 1900-Columbia Precinct-1,132; 1910-Columbia Precinct- 1,122, town proper 1,000. The Bank of Columbia (State), founded in 1915, is located in the town. Its principal industry is a large cotton mill.

REFERENCES. - Polk's Alabama gazetteer, 1888-9, p. 278; Lippincott's gazetteer, 1913, p. 447.

COLUMBIANA. County seat of Shelby County, situated in the south-central part of the county, in parts of secs. 23, 25, and 26, T. 21, R. 1, W., about 9 miles northeast of Calera, about 12 miles northeast of Monte- vallo, and about 8 miles west of the Coosa River. Altitude: 426 feet. Population: 1872 -450; 1888-600; 1890-654; 1900-1,075; 1910-1,079. It is an incorporated town with limits extending 1 mile in every direction from the courthouse. It has a privately-owned elec- tric light plant, 1 mile of improved streets, with paved sidewalks constructed in 1915. Its bonded indebtedness is $12,000, created for the construction of the county high school building. Its banking facilities are provided by the Columbiana Savings Bank (State), and the Shelby County State Bank. The Peo- ples Advocate, a Populist weekly, established in 1892, and the Shelby County Sun, a Dem- ocratic weekly, established in 1910, are pub- lished in the town. Its principal industries are a cotton ginnery and warehouse, grist- mill, lumber mill, planing mill, and a furni- ture factory. It has the Shelby County High School, and public schools. Its churches are a Baptist established in 1856; a Methodist Episcopal, South, established the same year; and a Presbyterian, established 1873.

Columbiana is situated in the Coosa Val- ley and in the rich mineral district of Shelby County. Joseph Howard was the first set- tler, followed by William Akin. The two for many years owned the lands on which the town is built. Leonard Tarrant came in 1826. In that year the county seat was per- manently located at Columbiana. The court- house was built by Thomas Rogers, and Judge Joab Lawler was the first judge to preside in it. The post office also was established in 1826. The town was first called Columbia, but was changed to the present name when the post office was established.

Among the prominent settlers and residents of the town are Thomas and Samuel Brasher, Isiah George, the first teacher, Dr. Carter Roberts, the first physician, David Owen, Abner and James Hughes, Isaac Williams,

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HISTORY OF ALABAMA

Fox Rushing, Lewis Sentell, John W. Teague, France Genet, Isaac Estill, William Johnston, Thomas Rogers, Jesse Roberts, Lemuel Moore, Jesse Roach, and Joab Lawler.

There was an iron foundry in Columbiana before the War, and during the War C. B. Churchill operated a foundry for the Confed- erate Government. It was burned in 1865.

REFERENCES .- Armes, Story of coal and iron in Alabama (1910), pp. 143-144; Northern Ala- bama (1888), pp. 160-161; Alabama Official and Statistical Register, 1915.

COLUMBIANA MOUNTAINS. A chain of mountains constituting the rim of the south- west end of a canoe-shaped synclinal east of Columbiana, Shelby County. Their length is about 8 miles, and the elevation of their highest point about 1,000 feet above sea level. At their southeastern extremity there are several spurs or ridges separated from each other and from the mountains proper by faults. There is some very good red iron ore in the top strata of the mountains and of the separating synclinals.

REFERENCES .- McCalley, Valley regions of Alabama, Pt. 2, Coosa Valley (Geol. Survey of Ala., Special report 9, 1897), pp. 20-21.

COLUMBUS AND FAYETTEVILLE RAIL- ROAD COMPANY. See Mobile and Ohio Railroad Company.

COLUMBUS AND WESTERN RAILWAY COMPANY. See Central of Georgia Railway Company.

COLUMBUS DAY. See Special Days.

COLVIN MOUNTAINS. See Green Creek and Colvin Mountains.

COMFORT OF SOLDIERS AND VISITORS COMMITTEE, MONTGOMERY. Sub-commit- tee, of the Central Committee on organization for Camp Activities, of Montgomery. The first meeting of the Committee was called to order on July 2, 1917. The following citizens of Montgomery were designated as members of the Committee with offices as follows: Messrs. Leopold Strauss, Chairman, Sidney Levy, Vice- chairman, Dr. Thomas M. Owen, E. C. Taylor, L. D. Fairchild, and Adolph Weil. The or- ganization of the Committee was completed by the election of Mr. George W. Jones as Secretary.

The Committee was very active while Mont- gomery was used as one of the cantonments for soldiers during the World War. It was re- sponsible for the placing of the information bureau at the depot by railroad authorities, the opening of rest rooms throughout the city, arranging for entertainment of soldiers and visitors while in the city on business or pleas- ure and handling of housing problems which daily arose. Shower baths, lavatories, etc., were installed at different places throughout the city for the convenience of soldiers and visitors.

REFERENCES .- Typewritten minutes of the meetings of the Committee from July 2, 1917- August 6, 1917; letters from the Chairman of the Committee, Mr. Leopold Strauss, letters

and cards from the Chamber of Commerce of Montgomery and personal notes of Dr. Thomas M. Owen, which are on file in the Alabama State Department of Archives and History.

COMMERCIAL EDUCATION. Special training in branches of study which prepares for service in business and professional and business offices. It is to be distinguished from training in commercial life, and, as here understood, is limited to service largely clerical, or as undertaken by the office exe- cutive. The earliest school for instruction in this field is attributed to R. M. Bartlett of Philadelphia in 1843. The development of these institutions was slow, however, but when once thoroughly planted, they sprang up rapidly throughout the entire country.

The itinerant penman contributed to inter- est in these schools, and often courses in penmanship only were offered. The Bryant and Stratton, the Spencer and Gaskell sys- tems were the most widely known. They were well advertised, and almost all of the most popular family publications carried advertisements, both of instruction In com- mercial courses, and in penmanship. These advertisements were usually accompanled by highly ornamental specimens of penmanship, . oftentimes including beautifully drawn

birds and animals.

History in Alabama .- In Alabama, busi- ness training, or commercial education, has not been successfully specialized probably for more than 40 years.

However, an earlier effort had been put forth, as will appear from a charter of the legislature, February 23, 1860, incorporating John J. Byrd and his successors as a body corporate under the name of the "Commer- cial College, of Montgomery." Nothing is known of its organization or history, but if ever opened it was evidently short lived because of the coming on of war.

Old catalogues disclose that courses in bookkeeping, shorthand and commercial law were offered in State and other institutions, but the results were apparently small. For many years students desiring advanced and thorough business courses attended some one of the Bryant and Stratton business colleges in the larger cities of the eastern and middle States, or the business college at Pough- keepsie, N. Y. Many of the best impulses to improved accounting methods were intro- duced through these students, who on return- ing home, not only reorganized the offices of leading business concerns, but also gave per- sonal instruction to many young men of their acquaintance.

With the industrial growth of the State, and the coming in of men of large experi- ence from other sections of the country, there also came a demand for better and more im- proved methods in every department of busi- ness. This led not only to an increase in the number of young men attending commer- cial schools out of the State, but it also emphasized the need for some local oppor- tunity for instruction.

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HISTORY OF ALABAMA

The first distinctly business college organ- ized, and actually operated in Alabama is not definitely known. However, what is known as the Massey Business Colleges is probably entitled to the distinction. On December 10, 1886, the "Birmingham Col- lege of Business" was incorporated by the legislature, with headquarters in Birming- ham. It was denominated "a school for business education, shorthand, telegraphy and English literature," and authority was given to grant "diplomas and certificates of profi- ciency as awards or evidence of merit or skill, having the same efficiency as those granted by colleges or other institutions of learning in the United States." The incor- porators were Charles A. Tingle and R. Wal- ter Massey. The latter is now head of a chain of colleges in Richmond, Va., Colum- bus, Ga., Jacksonville, Fla., Houston, Tex., and Birmingham and Montgomery, Ala.

The Wheeler Business College at Birming- ham dates from 1888, but was originally founded by Amos Ward as the Birmingham Business College. Mr. Willard J. Wheeler came to Alabama from Kansas City in Octo- ber, 1895, and became associated with this institution. In a few years it was incorpor- ated, and the name changed to the Wheeler Business College. The claim is made for this school that it is the first to engage in teaching strictly commercial branches.

The Troy Business College was chartered by the Legislature December 8, 1892, with O. C. Wiley, L. E. Gellerstedt, J. C. Hender- son, F. J. Cowart and J. S. Carroll, with power to open a school for the purpose of instruc- tion in theoretical and practical single and double entry bookkeeping, commercial arith- metic, commercial and ornamental penman- ship, commercial law, commission business, banking and insurance, shorthand and type- writing, telegraphy, political economy, and other branches that are usually taught in schools of like character. Details as to actual work by this school are wanting, but it is thought that its charter was the foundation of Porter's Business College, conducted by John Euclid Porter. The latter is thus re- ferred to in an old catalogue of 1898-99: "This institution has recently been made a part of the State Normal College. It is lo- cated in a separate building and is splendidly equipped. It enjoys the distinction of being the highest grade business college in the State, and the only one in the South giving a professional course and conferring degrees." How long this relation continued is not known.

Draughon's Practical Business Colleges, founded by John F. Draughon, successfully maintains high grade schools at Birmingham and Montgomery.

In Selma the Central City Business College was established in 1898. It is now under the management of Mrs. Minnie Wood Miller, one of the original founders.

A short-lived institution, known as the Anniston Business College was established in that city, about 1899, by F. M. Stutsman.

In 1901 the Thorsby Normal and Business College was organized, and to which both sexes were admitted. The founders were R. A. Rasco and W. E. Johnston, who conducted the institution as co-principals. The business college was under the direction of M. P. Johnston, master of arts, as principal. The courses of study consisted of double and single entry bookkeeping, banking, business pen- manship, business law, business arithmetic, business correspondence, business practice, business forms and orthography. Four to five months were necessary to complete the course, and a total charge of $67.00 was required.

In 1906 Mr. E. L. Layfield organized the Dothan Business College, which he managed until 1909, when it was closed. For a time, the Campbell Institute of Shorthand and Ac- counting was conducted at Dothan by J. D. Campbell, President.

A commercial department is maintained at St. Bernard College, near Cullman, in which courses are offered in arithmetic, bookkeep- ing, accounting, phonography, typewriting and business methods. The degree of Master of Arts is conferred on all students who sat- isfactorily complete the commercial course.

Instruction .- In all of these schools now active, courses are offered in shorthand, type- writing, penmanship, bookkeeping and com- mercial law as the principal elements of a business training. However, full courses are not required, but students may elect to receive instruction in a limited number of branches, as bookkeeping, or in shorthand and type- writing. Some offer commercial courses, or combined courses. Students are urged to avail themselves of instruction in spelling, grammar, business correspondence, business forms, copying, card indexing and filing, mani- folding and general office practice. In the haste on the part of aspiring or needy young men and women, there has been a tendency to take only such studies as will immediately fit them for a position, but the higher grade schools are discouraging such practice. In this they have the cooperation of the better business offices.

REFERENCES .- Catalogues of Draughon, Mas- sey and Wheeler Business Colleges, and occa- sional catalogues of other institutions above referred to; Acts 1859-60, p. 398; 1886-87, p. 253; and 1892-93, p. 23; Monroe, Cyclopedia of Edu- cation (1911), vol. 2, p. 143; Swiggett, Commer- cial Education, in U. S. Bureau of Education, Bulletin, 1916, no. 25; and State Normal Busi- ness College Journal, Troy, vol. 1-2, 1899- 1901.

COMMERCIAL ORGANIZATIONS. See

Chambers of Commerce.

COMMERCIAL TRAVELERS. Travelers Protective Association of America; United Commercial Travelers.

COMMERCIAL TRAVELERS, UNITED. See United Commercial Travelers.

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HISTORY OF ALABAMA

COMMISSARY GENERAL. See Quarter- master General.

COMMISSION GOVERNMENT FOR CITIES. That form of municipal government which consists in "the concentration of all executive and legislative power in the hands of a few men," usually three ro five, who may be appointed by the governor of the State, or elected by the people under a charter granted by the legislature. It is one of the newest. though not the most recent, developments in the government of American cities. In Ala- bama it is the latest development in munici- pal government, for the newer form-the city-manager plan-has not yet been adopted by any city in the State.

Origin .- The commission plan originated in Galveston, Tex., in 1901, after the virtual destruction of that city by storm. It was imperative that some efficient method of re- storing normal conditions should be found, and a small commission of competent admin- istrators clothed with both legislative and executive authority was the plan devised to meet the emergency. The advantages of the plan, for normal as well as abnormal condi- tions, soon became apparent, and other Texas cities applied for similar charters. From Texas the plan spread rapidly to other parts of the country. Hundreds of cities, both large and small, in nearly every State in the Union, now have some form of commission government; and the change from the old aldermanic form is usually claimed to have resulted beneficially.

Modifications .- There are some variations in the form of commission government adopted by different cities. Besides the Galveston plan, probably the most important and best known are the Des Moines (Iowa) and the Sumter (S. C.) plans. The Des Moines plan is similar to the Galveston plan, the substan- tial differences being the inclusion in the for- mer of provisions for the iniative, referen- dum, and recall, and for the nomination of commissioners by an open, nonpartisan pri- mary. The forms of commission government provided for by Alabama statutes are modeled after the Des Moines plan, but none of them authorizes the use of the initiative, and only one class of municipalities, in which the city of Montgomery is included, may use the refer- endum. All the forms provided for the recall of the commissioners. The Sumter plan is essentially the city-manager plan.

Alabama Cities with Commission Govern- ment .- The first cities in Alabama to adopt commission government were Birmingham and Montgomery, in which it became effective on the same day, April 10, 1911, but in slightly different forms, and under separate enabling acts of the legislature. Mobile inaugurated the new plan on August 14, 1911, under a third act of the legislature.

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History of Alabama and dictionary of Alabama biography, Volume I, Part 60

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