History of Alabama and dictionary of Alabama biography, Volume II, Part 19

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: 724

USA > Alabama > History of Alabama and dictionary of Alabama biography, Volume II > Part 19

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Rev. Mr. Gutheim was the first Rabbi of "Kahl Montgomery;" previously readers had been employed. He entered upon his minis- terial duties in 1862, after the occupation of New Orleans by the Federal troops. He offi- ciated with the highest satisfaction to the congregation until the close of the late war. His intellectual endowments and education were of a superior order, ranking him equal, at least, to any of the ministers of our city. He is at present in charge of "Temple Eman- uel" in New York City.

Rev. Dr. Meyer of Savannah, Georgia, was the successor of Mr. Gutheim. This Rabbi is a native of England and had resided in Jamaica, prior to his coming to the United States. He remained with "Kahl Montgom- ery" only one year, during which his minis- tration proved beneficial, and a strong at-

tachment was formed for him by his flock. He, also, now resides in the City of New York. Rev. E. B. M. Brown of Cincinnati, Ohio, was the third Rabbi, but he continued only nine months and then returned to the West.

His successor was the Reverend Dr. Moses, a native of Germany, who came direct from the Fatherland to Montgomery. He has suc- ceeded admirably in making a very favorable impression with the congregation, able in his ministrations and prompt and faithful in all of his services. The regular membership has now reached the number of seventy.

For ten years an excellent school was conducted in the Synagogue, for youths of both sexes, children of Hebrew parents.

The Hebrew ladies have in successful operation a benevolent society, which has contributed its full quota to benevolent and charitable enterprises.

The present officers of "Kahl Montgomery" are-L. Waldman, President; A. Moog, Vice- President; David Weil, Treasurer; L. Young, Secretary; S. Cahn, Sexton. The Trustees are-L. Lemle, J. Goetter, M. Kahn, E. H. Jacobi, H. E. Faber, and J. Simon.

Up to 1874, the congregation conformed to the German Ritual. Since that period, the Ritual of Temple Emanuel of New York has been used. Sundry alterations have been made, among which the adoption of pews for families.

Rev. Dr. Moses, now of Temple Sinai of New Orleans, was succeeded by the Rev. Dr. B. E. Jacobs. Rev. Dr. S. Hecht, the present learned and able Rabbi, became Pas- tor last year, and fully maintains the high reputation he deservedly enjoyed elsewhere."

Temple Emanu-El, Birmingham .- The con- gregation was organized June 28, 1882, in the Masonic Hall of the First National Bank building on the present site of the Marx building. The first officers were Abe Wise, president; Henry Lazarus, vice-president; Ben M. Jacobs, secretary; Ike Hochstadter, treasurer; E. Rubel, collector. The charter membership consisted of 16 persons, eight of whom were unmarried men. Arrangements were at once effected for the proper observance of holy days. A church building was rented and a young student of the Union Hebrew College was engaged to conduct the services.

The first public service was held on Friday evening, in September, 1882, preceding New Year, in the Cumberland Presbyterian church, on 5th Avenue. Services were conducted through the holiday month by the Rev. Joseph Stolz, a junior student at the Hebrew Union College, Cincinnati. A Sunday school was soon formed under the leadership of Mr. Hochstadter and a class of boys and girls made ready for confirmation in 1883.

During the next three years there was a large influx of co-religionists into Birming- ham and a cemetery plot was secured in the northwestern outskirts of the city. In 1884, a lot was purchased for the site of the pro- posed Temple on 5th Avenue and 17th. Sam- uel Ullman was elected president of the

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Congregation Emanu-El in 1886 and the corner stone of the Temple was laid that year, the impressive ceremonies being con- ducted by Rev. Isaac M. Wise of Cincinnati. The Rev. Mr. Rosenspitz was elected minister but served only a few months.

Rev. Maurice Eisenberg was elected min- ister in 1888, and upon his resignation shortly afterwards Mr. Samuel Ullman, president of the congregation was elected spiritual leader and accepted the position of Rabbi in 1890. A. Stern was made acting president and Mr. Jacob Fies was elected as vice-president. In 1891 Mr. J. R. Hochstadter was elected president of the congregation and on leaving the city Mr. Fies was elected president.

Mr. Ullman resigned from the pulpit in the beginning of 1894 and Rabbi David Marx, a young graduate of the Hebrew Union Col- lege was extended a call. He was succeeded by another graduate of the Hebrew Union College, Rabbi Morris Newfield, the present incumbent.

Mr. B. Steiner served as president of the congregation 1893-1900 and was succeeded by S. Klotz who served from 1900 to 1904.

In September, 1908, the site on Highland Avenue and 31st street was purchased at a cost of $20,000.

In 1910 Mr. M. V. Joseph was elected president and is serving at this time.

Since 1911 the congregation has erected a very handsome new Temple at a cost of $200,000, with a seating capacity of 1,200 and all the equipment that goes with a modern church plant. It is one of the finest church buildings in the country. The Inde- pendent Presbyterian Church (Dr. Henry M. Edmonds, pastor) has been using the build- ing for all its activities ever since they organized, as guests of the Jewish congrega- tion.

Temple Emanu-El has a membership of 300 families, with approximately 1,000 com- municants, while the Jewish population of Birmingham is about 4,500.

In the Great War, the congregation fur- nished to the army and navy more than 100 men, of whom 25 were commissioned as officers and 35 were non-commissioned offi- cers; one, Lt. Julius Schnitzer, received the distinguished service cross, croix de guerre, and Belgian cross of honor; another, Lt. Jerome Fox, the croix de guerre. The rabbi and another member of the congregation went into service as welfare-workers.

B'nai Sholem (Children of Peace), Hunts- ville was organized about 1870 by a dozen families of German Jews whose descend- ants still reside in that city. The Jewish population is now about a hundred souls. Religious services were held for many years in a hall of the Masonic Temple. In 1898, the present beautiful Temple on Clinton and Lincoln Streets was dedicated. The official reader in 1920 was Gus Marx. Rabbis: Newman Block, Michnie Wagenheim, Dr. Lauterbach Reich. Past presidents, M. Wise, Robert Herstein, I. Weil, Jos. Kalus, I. Schiffman.

Jewish Church Census, In U. S. Census Report, 1916.

Total number of organizations, 15.

Number of organizations reporting mem- bers, 15.

Total number members reported, 2,947.

Total number members reported (Male), 1,185.

Total number members reported (Female), 1,437.

Church edifices, 10.

Halls, etc., 5.

Number of church edifices reported, 10.

Value of church property reported, $291, 000.

Amount of debt reported, $71,500.

Value of parsonages reported, $3,000.

Amount expenditures reported, $57,721.

Number of Sunday Schools reported, 12.

Number of officers and teachers, 78.

Number of scholars, 778.

JONES COUNTY. See Lamar County.

JONES VALLEY. The long valley sep- arating the Cahaba from the Warrior coal field. It is slightly more than 100 miles long, and generally not over 3 or 4 miles wide, though at its junction with Murphrees Val- ley, one of its subordinate valleys, it reaches a width of about 12 miles. Its area is about 300 square miles. It is one of the outliers of the Coosa Valley (q. v.), and is a complex valley, fluted with smaller valleys and ridges. It was formed entirely by erosion, and its floor for nearly its whole length is higher than the mountainous country on either side of its raised edges. It thus presents the ano- maly of a valley that is a water-divide in a mountainous country. Its edges are well defined by ridges of millstone grit, and it is much more complicated in its structure than the valley between the Coosa and the Cahaba fields. Like the Cahaba Valley (q. v.), it is of anticlinal structure, somewhat masked by faulting. The geological formations repre- sented in it are (1) the lower Silurian; (2) upper Silurian; (3) Devonian; (4) lower Subcarboniferous; (5) upper Subcarbonifer- ous; and (6) Carboniferous.

Jones Valley and its outliers, Possum and Roupes Valleys, occupy portions of Jefferson, Tuscaloosa, and Bibb Counties-their soils are mainly of two varieties, known as the Decatur and the Hagerstown, both residual soils representing the decay of many hun- dreds of feet of the limestone rock out of which the valleys were carved. The Decatur clay loam is a favorite truck-garden soil. Its heavy texture makes it especially suited to the cultivation of such crops as tomatoes and cabbage. The Hagerstown stony loam is formed from the Knox dolomite and Coosa shale of Cambrian and Silurian ages. It can be plowed when wetter than the Decatur clay loam and is especially well suited for pasture. Corn and cotton, particularly the latter, produce very well on these soils, and the yield can be much increased by the use of proper fertilizers. The principal agricultural

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products of the valleys, aside from garden vegetables, are cotton, corn, oats, cowpeas, sweet and Irish potatoes, sorghum and sugar- cane. The number and diversity of these crops are susceptible of great increase by the use of improved methods of farming.

The first settlers of the valley came from Tennessee, Kentucky, and the Carolinas. The population increased rapidly, and with the development of mining and related industries, has become concentrated in the cities and towns.

REFERENCES .- Squire, Report on the Cahaba coal field (Geol. Survey of Ala., Special report 2, 1890), pp. 170-180; McCalley, Valley regions of Alabama, Pt. 2, Coosa Valley (Ibid, 9, 1897) ; Gibson, Report on the geological structure of Murphrees Valley (Ibid, 4, 1893) ; U. S. Dept. of Agriculture, Bureau of Soil Surveys, Soil survey of Jefferson County (1910); Jefferson County and Birmingham, Alabama, historical and biographical (1897), pp. 17-49; Berney, Handbook (1892), pp. 426-430; Armes, Story of coal and iron in Alabama (1910), pp. 10-11, et seg.

JOPPA. Post office and interior village, in the northeast corner of Cullman County, on the headwaters of the Mulberry Fork of the Warrior River, and 20 miles northeast of Cullman. Population: 1900-130; 1910- 167.

JOURNALISM. See Newspapers and Peri- odicals.

JUDICIARY. "The system of courts of jus- tice in a country. The department of govern- ment charged or concerned with the adminis- tration of justice." The federal courts were established by Act of Congress of September 24, 1875; March 3, 1887, which was amended August 13, 1888; March 3, 1891, which created the circuit court of appeals; and the judiciary code of March 3, 1911, which became effective January 1, 1912.

The judiciary, or judicial department of Alabama was created by the constitution of Alabama, adopted August 2, 1819. The judi- cial power of the state, was vested by Art. 5, S. 1 "in one supreme court, circuit courts to he held in each county in the State, and such inferior courts of law and equity, to consist of not more than five members, as the General Assembly may find time to direct, ordain, and establish." By section 2, of article 5, appellate jurisdiction only was con- ferred on the supreme court. However, it was given power to issue the necessary and remedial writs," in order to exercise a general superintendence over inferior courts. By Article 5, S 3, "The judges of the Circuit Court were vested with the powers and re- quired to perform the duties of the Supreme Court, until the General Assembly otherwise prescribed." The supreme court was re- quired to sit at the seat of government of the state, hut was authorized to remove if danger from the enemy or disease was known. The judges were to be selected by the general assembly and were to hold office during good

behavior. The constitution was amended in 1830, and the term of office of judges was prescribed at six years.

The first term of supreme court was held at Cahaba, which was the Capital of the state at that time and began on the first Monday in May, 1820. The first court consisted of Hons. C. C. Clay, Reuben Saffold, Henry Y. Webb, and Richard Ellis. Hon. A. S. Lip- scomb, the fifth circuit judge was absent and there is no record that he was present dur- ing the term. Hon. Clement C. Clay was se- lected as chief justice. There were only nine cases presented, and they contained only points of pleading and practice.

In 1821, a sixth circuit was established, and Hon. Anderson Crenshaw was elected judge. In 1828 a seventh circuit was cre- ated and Hon. Sion L. Perry was elected judge.

As has been mentioned above the term of office of the judges was limited in 1830. It was further provided that those in office should continue until 1833. The legislature of 1832 however, enacted a law which re- duced the supreme court to three members, provided that they should he elected by both houses of the legislature, and that they should hold office for six years. Under the provisions of this statute judges Lipscomb, Saffold, and Taylor were elected. Judge Tay- lor resigned in 1834, and was succeeded by Hon. Henry Hitchcock. Under the reorgani- zation Judge Lipscomb became chief justice and when he resigned in 1834 Judge Saffold succeeded him.

The Legislature in 1851-52, increased the number of judges from three to five and Hons. David G. Ligon and John D. Phelan were elected to the new positions. The con- stitution of 1867, which was framed in ohedi- ence to the "Reconstruction Laws" of Con- gress, gave to the direct vote of the people, the power of selecting all judges. Under the new constitution Hon. E. W. Peck, was elected chief justice, and Hon. Thomas M. Peters, and Hon. B. F. Saffold associates.

In 1889, the number of judges was in- creased to four, and attorney-general Thomas N. Mcclellan was elected to the newly cre- ated place. Upon the addition in 1891 of an- other judge, Hon. Richard W. Walker was appointed to the new justiceship.

By an act of the legislature of 1903, the number of judges was increased from five to seven, the new members to enter upon the office, after the general election of 1904. The constitution of 1901 prescribed terms and upon casting lots it was found that Judges Anderson and Denson, had drawn the six year term, Haralson and Simpson, four years, and Tyson and Dowdell, two years.

Under the present system, the judicial de- partment consists of a supreme court, pro- bate courts, chancery courts, county courts, circuit courts, courts of common pleas (old Justice of the Peace Courts), and City courts, now Recorder's Courts.

REFERENCES .- Mayfield's Digest, Vol. 6; Code of Alabama, 1907.

Vol. II-1

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HISTORY OF ALABAMA

JUDSON COLLEGE. An institution of A grade for the education of young women, located in Marion, Perry County. It is the property of the Alabama Baptist State Con- vention, and is wholly supported by that body. It is controlled by a board of 16 trustees appointed by the convention. The officers and teachers all receive stipulated salaries, and no one is interested in any pecuniary profits arising from its management. The college grounds include a campus of 20 acres, all attractively landscaped. It has a central administration building and dormitory, an auditorium and music hall, a separate library building and a president's home.

The College is a member of the Alabama Association of Colleges, and "maintains the same requirements for entrance and standards of excellence that are to be found in the University of Alabama and other institutions of higher learning in Alabama." Admission is by certificate from accredited schools, and by examination. However, for the benefit of students who are not prepared for entrance, an academy is maintained "separate from the college," in which four year courses are given. Full college courses, courses in music, art and expression, a teachers' training course, and a business course are offered. These courses lead to the B. A. and B. S. degrees.

Founding and Early History .- The college was founded as the Judson Female Institute in 1838, and was opened to students January 7, 1839. Its name was given in honor of Ann Hasseltine, wife of Adoniram Judson, the famous missionary. Its founders were public spirited gentlemen, members of the Baptist church, who resided in Marion, then the center of influence of this denomination throughout the South. The sessions of the first two or three years were held "in a modest, two story wooden building thirty by forty feet, with two small wings." Nine pupils were enrolled the first day, which was soon increased to 19, and the first year closed with between 70 and 80. Just two years after the opening, January 9, 1841, the legislature incorporated the institute, naming Edwin D. King, James S. Goree, Larkin Y. Tarrant, A. C. Eiland, Langston Goree, Francis Lowery. John Lockhart, and Wm. E. Blassingame as trustees. They were clothed with usual cor- porate powers, but their real estate holdings were limited to $50,000. It was provided that they might "grant certificates or diplo- mas, or such other evidences of scholarship, as they may prescribe," they were empow- ered "to do any and all such acts as other incorporate literary institutions of this state may lawfully do," and "that so long as the property, real and personal of said corpora- tion, shall be used for purposes of education, the same shall be exempt from taxation of every kind." In 1907 the charter was amended changing the name to Judson College.

Rev. Milo P. Jewett, first President of the Judson College was a man of striking powers

and character. Born in 1808 in Vermont, educated at Dartmouth college, he first taught school, then studied law, and afterwards at- tended Andover seminary to prepare himself for the ministry of the Congregational church. In 1838 he came to Marion and aided in the work of establishing the Judson, as already related. The school was immediately suc- cessful. Mr. Jewett devoted all his time and enthusiasm to its upbuilding. A commodious brick structure was erected in 1841 on the site of the present Judson, which, with many important additions, remained in use till the great fire of 1888. Mr. Jewett taught the ancient languages and mental and moral sci- ence. The professor of music was Mr. D. W. Case, while the other teachers were ladies.

There were three departments, primary, preparatory, and collegiate, the last divided into three classes, Junior, Middle, and Senior. .In 1849 a fourth class appeared, sub-junior. Greek, Latin, Hebrew, German, French, Italian, and Spanish were offered among the languages. Board with bed and bedding cost $9.50 a month, fuel, lights, and washing be- ing extra; and feather beds were a luxury to be "furnished at a small charge" if desired.

The boarding pupils were required to wear a uniform, not only on public occasions, but every day in the school room. For winter, green merino; for summer, pink calico, and for Sabbath, white muslin dresses were re- quired. A bonnet, was also worn, in the win- ter it was trimmed with green, in the summer with pink. Blue checks and white muslin aprons were also used.

The catalogue of 1843-4 mentions the "Par- thenian Society," a literary and scientific association for the purpose of founding a library, making collections in the various de- partments of natural science, in the fine arts, and in illustration of the manners and custom of foreign nations.

Mr. Jewett resigned the presidency of the Judson in 1855, and Dr. Samuel Sterling Sherman was elected his successor, bringing with him as his presiding teacher his sister Miss Mary E. Sherman, who had graduated at the Judson in 1850. The school this year (1855) numbered 239.

Dr. Noah K. Davis succeeded Prof. Sherman in 1859, but resigned in 1864, and was suc- ceeded by J. G. Nash, of Pickens County, who had been a gallant soldier and was a teacher of experience. Prof. Nash remained at the Judson only one year.

The Judson began its fall session, in 1865, as usual in October, with Rev. A. J. Battle as President, and during the session there were over 200 students in attendance, which was remarkable.

In 1872 Dr. Battle was called to the presi- dency of Mercer University, Ga., and resigned the care of the Judson to accept that position.

The original buildings were replaced by three handsome three story brick edifices, joined by two story wings, forming an im- posing structure 240 by 120 feet, occupying

MISS ZITELLA COCKE Author of some fine poems

MRS. CAROLINE LEE HENTZ Among whose numerous novels the scenes of several are laid in Alabama

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HISTORY OF ALABAMA

the highest point in Marion, well furnished, and liberally supplied with apparatus and musical instruments. These buildings were destroyed by fire, November 2, 1888, but re- built the following year, the new structure being superior in plan and construction to its predecessors. Under the leadership of Rev. Robert G. Patrick the necessary amount, $24,- 000, was raised and on May 1st, 1897, the debts incurred in rebuilding the college after the fire of 1888 were paid.

The Conversational Club was formed on the evening of November 17, 1893, in the old library room, under the direction of Miss Kirtley, head of the English department. Since 1899 the club has published the Judson Annual, called "The Conversationalist." The establishment of the lecture course which has brought so many fine lectures and concerts to the Judson has proved of great educational value.

Scholarship and Gifts .- (1) Averett Memo- rial Association Scholarship for one pupil; (2) Students aid fund, helps several girls every year; (3) Harriette McKleroy Memo- rial Scholarship; (4) Farham Donation; (5) United Daughters of the Confederacy, $65; (6) O. L. Shivers Scholarship, consisting of $1,000; (7) Ellen Cochran Crumpton Schol- arship; (8) Lydia Hombucke scholarship; (9) The Bessie Curry Quisenberry Memorial; (10) "The J. Curtis Bush Endowment Fund."

Carnegie Library .- The building was com- pleted in 1908, and on May 12, of that year was dedicated with appropriate ceremonies. The building is of Colonial style and repre- sents an expenditure of $30,000. There are in the library now about 10,000 books and the reading room is well supplied with news- papers and periodicals.

The President's Mansion was finished in 1910 and is a memorial to Zaidee Ellis Ash- craft.

The Alumnae Anditorinm, for. which ground had been broken in 1902, was com- pleted and used in the commencement of 1904.

Society of Alumnae, was organized on April 30, 1868. The first officers being Mrs. Mary P. Lovelace, President; Mrs. Lucy Langhome, first vice-president, Miss Ruth S. Tarrant, second vice-president; Miss Ida Walker, re- cording secretary; Miss Georgia Sumner, Cor- responding secretary; Miss Josephine Tutt, treasurer.

Organizations. Athletic association, The Conversational Club, Y. W. C. A., Ann Has- seltine Missionary Society.

Sororities. Kappa Delta Zeta Tau Alpha Delta Delta Delta Alpha Delta Phi Lambda Sigma Deta Psi Delta Zi Beta Sigma Phi Sigma

K. K's.

Grand Chapter of The Eyeshudwurrys. Judson Chapters. Pho Omega Phi Chapter. Beta Chapter Delta Theta Chapter

Kappa Chapter

Presidents of the Board of Trustees .- Gen. Edwin Davis King, 1838-62; William N. Wyatt, 1862-68; Judge Porter King, 1868-87; Judge John Moore, 1887-91; W. W. Wilker- son, M. D., 1891-93; Jesse B. Lovelace, 1893- 1901; Benj. F. Ellis, 1901-09; Ernest Lamar, 1909 -.

Presidents .- Milo Parket Jewett, LL. D., 1838-55; Samuel Sterling Sherman, LL. D., 1855-59; Noah Knowles Davis, LL. D., 1859- 64; Jesse G. Nash, 1864-65; Archibald J. Battle, D. D., 1865-72; Richard H. Rawlings, 1872-75; Martin T. Sumner, D. D., 1875-76; Luther Rice Gwaltney, D. D., 1876-82; Rob- ert Frazier, LL. D., 1882-87; Samuel Wootten Averett, LL. D., 1887-96; Robert Goodlett Patrick, 1896-1913; Paul Vernon Bomar, 1913 -.

Librarian .- Miss Frances Pickett.

PUBLICATIONS .- Catalogues, 1847-1916; Bulle- tins, 1913-1916; The Conversationalist (student annual), 1899-1916, 18 vols .; Judson Echoes, prob. est. in 1880, and vol. 6 published in 1886-87, but particulars not ascertained; Y. W. C. A., Handbooks.

On September 30, 1916, the reports of Judson College to the State superintendent of education showed 26 teachers; 233 pupils, of which 26 only were enrolled as day students; and a total support of $70,406. The claim of its Catalogue of 1914-1915 appears well sustained, that "For seventy-seven years the Judson has been a leading factor in the civilization of the South, and, for the character of its work, we point with confidence and pride to the thousands of noble women who have come under its training and who are now exerting a potent influence in almost every refined community from the At- lantic to the Pacific."

REFERENCES .- Miss Louise Manly, History of Judson College (1913), ill .; Clark, History of Education in Alabama (1889), pp. 193-197; Townes, History of Marion (1844); Acts, 1840- 41, p. 52; Riley, History of the Baptists of Alabama (1895); Alabama Baptist State Con- vention, Proceeding, 1841-1916; and Publica- tions listed supra.

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History of Alabama and dictionary of Alabama biography, Volume II, Part 19

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: 724

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: 724