History of Alabama and dictionary of Alabama biography, Volume II, Part 33

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

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LITHOGRAPHIC STONE. Some of the bedded limestone of the lower Carboniferous formation has been quarried in Jackson County, and used in producing very satis- factory lithographie prints. Certain of the Knox dolomites in the central part of the State have been pronounced suitable for this purpose, but little practical use has so far been made of them. The details of the dif- ferent beds of calcareous rocks above re- ferred to may be found in the reports of the Geological Survey of Alabama, particularly in the Report on the Valley Regions, parts 1 and 2.

REFERENCES .- Smith and McCalley, Index to mineral resources of Alabama (Geol. Survey of Ala., Bulletin 9, 1904), p. 32; U. S. Geol. Survey;

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Mineral resources of United States, 1883, pp. 595-596.

LITTAFUCHEE, ENGAGEMENT AT. Brlef engagement or attack, by Col. Dyer, with 200 cavalry, October 29, 1813, in which the In- dian village of Littafuchee was destroyed. The town was attacked at four o'clock in the morning. It was burned, and 29 pris- oners, consisting of men, women and children were taken. This town was located on the headwaters of Canoe Creek, between Ashville and Springville in St. Clair County.

REFERENCES .- Pickett, History of Alabama (Owen's ed., 1900), pp. 552-553; Brewer, Ala- bama (1872), p. 523.

LITTLE MOUNTAIN. A striking topo- graphical feature of the Tennessee Valley, separating the Moulton and Russellville Val- ley (q. v.) from the rest of the main valley. Its general direction is east and west, and it gradually merges with Sand Mountain (q. v.) on the east. Its slope to the west is gradual from its apex to near the Mississippi line. The mountain is about 85 miles long and 10 miles broad, from 875 to 1,000 feet above sea level at its summit, and from 300 to 500 feet above the general level of the Tennessee Valley. It is composed of hard capping strata with softer underlying strata. In the latter, which crop out on the steeper northern side, are several caves and big springs. Some of the springs have deen dammed, forming subterranean ponds which furnish water power to run mills. The scenery, both on the mountain itself and that visible from its elevations, is very picturesque. Many fine views of the Ten- nessee Valley can be had, and also of high bluffs, rock houses, natural bridges over sinks, etc., most of them along the numerous water- courses of the valley. The southern slope of the mountain has a thin, light-yellowish, sili- ceous soil. Its principal growth is short-leaf pine. Asphalt, gas, and petroleum have been ohtained in small quantities on the mountain but have not been important commercially. The towns of Hartselle and Somerville are situated on its southern slope.

REFERENCE .- McCalley, Valley regions of Ala- bama, pt. 1, Tennessee Valley (Geol. Survey of Ala., Special report 8, 1896), pp. 17, 156, 257.

LITTLE RIVER, postoffice and interior vil- lage, in the extreme northern part of Bald- win County on the south bank of Little River; about 6 miles northeast of Blacksher; and about 30 miles north of Bay Minette. Pop- ulation: 1910, 70.

This was one of the earliest settled sections of the interior. Pickett refers to "the wealthy half-bloods about Little River." Alexander McGillivray spent the winter of 1792-93 here, presumably on his own plantation, or at one of his homes, just prior to his death at Pen- sacola February 17, 1793. In November, 1773, Francis, a trader, lived in the vicinity and a record is preserved of his ransom of a negro woman from the Indians for $100 (pe- sos). David Tait's cow-pens were on or near the river; and here Col. James Caller was

reinforced by a company from Tensaw Lake and Little River, under Capt. Dixon Bailey, a half-breed Creek, on the ill fated Burnt Corn expedition in 1813.

After the Creek War, Weatherford, whose relatives were numerous in this region, gath- ered his negroes, horses and cattle together and settled permanently. Meek says: "His home, to which his family repaired, was lo- cated in a fine live-oak grove upon the banks of Little River." He died March 9, 1824, and is buried near by. His remains lie in an unmarked grave.

The Little River is the boundary between Baldwin and Monroe Counties, and between Monroe and Escambia.

REFERENCES .- Pickett, Alabama (Owen's ed., 1900), pp. 429, 522, 528; Hamilton, Colonial Mobile (1910), p. 349; Meek, Romantic pas- sages in southwestern history (1857), pp. 289-293.

LIVE STOCK AND PRODUCTS. As here discussed, live stock includes domestic and farm animals, that is, horses, donkeys, mules, cattle (hulls, milch cows and steers), sheep, goats and hogs. Live stock products include dairy products (milk, cream, butter, cheese), hides, tallow and wool. The United States censuses of 1900 and 1910 included poultry and bees with live stock. Notwithstanding this arrangement in government statistics, these two topics are treated separately.

Early History .- With the planting of their colonies, the French brought horses, cattle, and hogs. They also brought other living things, as well as such material things as could be brought so great a distance, which would add to comfort and enjoyment in the new homes. The history of livestock is in a way, therefore, contemporaneous and concur- rent with the expansion and growth of the colonists themselves. All animal life multi- plied rapidly, and in a few years, in all sec- tions where the French maintained posts or settlements, they were surrounded by flocks and herds. Records are preserved of the use of cattle as money, or as a medium of ex- change. For the sale of a lot and house in Mobile, made in 1749, the consideration was not named in money, but "fifteen cows and calves, one pair of oxen of three years, and a bull of two years and a half, the whole to be paid in two installments." In 1765, a great Indian conference was held in Mobile, and John Stuart, Indian superintendent, made contracts for "beef cattle at 20 piastres a head" to meet the needs of the large numbers who were to be in attendance. Some of these cattle were brought into town from the range, but they were found to he "too poor for use."

In 1765, cattle and horses were at large in the interior, mention being made of them in land cessions of that year made by the Creeks to the British. Maj. Robert Farmer was the commandant at Mobile under the Brit- ish domination. In exploring the country north of Mobile, with a view to causing the with- drawal of the French, he found them engaged In cattle raising. In 1766, one of the officers

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reported that there were 2,280 head of cattle belonging to the people on the east side of the Bay of Mobile. In 1767, it appears that cattle was shipped from the country west of Mobile into Louisiana, a practice soon to be declared unlawful.

The uplands and forests were always good ranges for cattle, and in 1812, Josiah Blakeley writes to relatives in Connecticut, among other things, that cattle and hogs do well on such lands. Speaking specifically, he says, "Upon them I have about 30 head of cattle and hundreds of hogs, the hogs wild. I shoot or catch them with dogs."

During the French period, the value of the horse was not much appreciated. For local use, oxen were employed. Long voyages were made into the interior by boat or on foot along the Indian trails. In developing the farms, oxen were used for plowing, rather than horses.

Among the Indians, a breed of horses had been developed from the "Spanish barbs." In 1780, Galvez, then in command of New Orleans, took Mobile for the Spanish. The British in command at Pensacola evidently had mounted men, since the Indians were em- ployed to drive back the Spaniards "who had crossed the Perdido and overpowered the British advance posts in order to drive off horses."

On the trip through the southern country in 1777 made by William Bartram, the botan- ist, his party traveled on horseback. Bar- tram records that his horse gave out, and in order to keep up with his companions, "he had to buy a new one from some traders whom they met," at a cost of ten pounds. Bartram describes a custom of traders which allowed their horses to graze at night, and because of the difficulty in getting them to- gether, they were unable to start in the morn- ing until the sun was high. When the beasts were loaded and ready, they fell into single file, urged along with whip and whoop.

The more wealthy Indians in early Ameri- can times, had large plantations along the Alabama and other rivers. These were stocked with horses, cattle, and hogs. Owing to natural conditions, trade was limited, al- though Mobile afforded a market.

Among the historic horses of which record is made in Indian annals, is the gray horse "Arrow," which Weatherford rode in his leap into the Alabama River, after the battle of the Holy Ground. Some writers state that Weatherford rode the same horse when he came into Fort Jackson to surrender after the Creek War.

The remarkable eight-day ride of Sam Dale, from Hawkins Creek agency in Georgia, with despatches from Washington for Gen. Jack- son, at Mobile, was made on a tough Georgia pony, which bore the name of Paddy.

Pioneer and Later Development .- The pio- neers brought with them horses, cattle and hogs. Soon after permanent settlement came sheep, goats, and poultry. With the develop- ment of plantations and the enlargement of agricultural interests, mules were introduced. Water and forage, the two factors which

largely contributed to stock raising in the early settlement of the State were abundant. Ranges as a rule were good. Cattle were rarely ever confined. During even the cold- est winters, in the river bottoms and densely wooded areas, they flourished without any care or attention. With the taking up of lands, however, and the building up of waste spaces, the open range was discouraged. In some sections long dry seasons made stock raising unprofitable, both commercially and for local use. With the advent of the arte- sian or bored well, these conditions changed.

The early years of the State found the planters and farmers all interested in the development of good breeds, and many of the very best strains had their origins on the plantations of the South in ante bellum days. The few farmers' publications preserved dur- ing the first half of the nineteenth century, have interesting illustrations of blooded ani- mals. Prior to the War, 1861, the business of importing selected breeds had assumed quite large proportions. The absence of sta- tistics makes difficult the presentation of de- tails of introduction and cultivation.

The census of 1840 shows 668,018 cattle, 163,243 sheep, 143,147 horses and mules, and 1,423,873 hogs. By 1850, the value of live- stock had increased to $21,690,112 which included 728,015 cattle, 371,880 sheep, 187,- 896 horses and mules, and 1,904,510 hogs. The census of 1850 recorded a wool clip of 657,118 pounds and in 1860, 775, 117 pounds. This fell off to 318,253 pounds in 1870, while in 1909 it fell off still further to 339,884 pounds, valued at $85,667. The census of 1860 shows a decrease in the values of live- stock products, and on account of the War, several decades passed before the State reached the high-water mark of 1850.

During the War period and for many years afterward, indeed, until within the last twen- ty-five years, there had been little change in live stock development in the State. Energies of the people during the years from 1861 to 1875 were directed toward the continuation of living opportunities, rather than to in- troduction of new methods, new breeds and improvements in other directions. While in many individual instances and in some coun- ties there were signs of betterment, these things were the exception rather than the rule. The cattle, horses and mules in the State during the particular period mentioned were hardly more than sufficient to meet the actual needs of farms, and other local domestic and business uses. It is to be noted here that live stock did not increase for the better in the ratio of the increase in other departments of agriculture. This was true notwithstanding agricultural societies and other organizations encouraged stock raising and the improvement of cattle.

Imported Stock, 1854 .- As illustrative of live stock activities, particularly in the mat- ter of the importance of breeds, the follow- ing record of a progressive community in middle Alabama is given. The community referred to was in Autauga county, and in- cluded Robinson's Springs and Coosada. The

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letter was in the "Cotton planter," February 1854, in answer to a meager description given in an earlier number of that journal. Mr. Jackson says:

"The stock here referred to, was purchased for myself and some of my neighbors, by an agent of mine of the vicinity of Poughkeepsie, N. Y. In this lot of stock, I had a bull and heiter of the short-horn Durham breed; a buck and ewe of the Cotswold breed of sheep, the buck weighing at one year old one hun- dred and sixty pounds live weight; and a pair of Suffolk pigs; my brother, Gen. C. M. Jackson, a bull and heifer, and a pair of Cotswold sheep; Capt. Lunceford Long, a heifer and pair of Cotswold sheep; Capt. Joseph S. Ruse a pair of Cotswold sheep, and Mr. Robert J. Glenn a heifer. Since this importation, Gen. Jackson has added to his stock a pair of Suffolk pigs. My agent was instructed, in the first place, to look to the purity of pedigree, and in the next place, in the case of cattle, to their milking qualities; in the case of sheep, to size and quality of mutton; and in the case of pigs, to their fat- tening qualities. This importation of stock is destined, no doubt, to have a favorable influence on stockbreeding in this part of Alabama.

"Col. Hall was in advance of myself and the gentlemen above named, in the introduc- tion of fine stock into this neighborhood. More than a year ago he had an arrival of a short-horn Durham bull, some heifers of the same breed, a Devon heifer, and a half dozen South Down sheep. He has lost by death some of this stock, but has some of each variety yet alive and doing well.

"When I say above that Col. Hall was in advance of others in the introduction of fine stock into our neighborhood, I only speak in reference to recent times. In 1836, I imported from England some very fine stock. The bull of that importation lived till 1848. The im- provement in my cattle, and the cattle of my neighbors, from having bred to him for so long a time, is most manifest."

Improvement in Post Bellum Conditions .- However, the campaign for improved condi- tions, persistently made by the experts of the U. S. Department of Agriculture through its Bureau of Animal Industry, the Alabama Polytechnic Institute through its Experiment Station, and the State Department of Agricul- ture and Industries, began to bear fruit in the last quarter of the last century. The statistics for this period form a stimulating record of progress, not only in the various improvements in all farm animals, but also in the increase of the business of live stock grow- ing for the market. The first essential toward successful cattle raising, namely, the introduction of well-bred or high-bred ani- mals, has been made. The great herds of the middle west have been drawn upon to improve individual stock as well as local dairy and commercial herds. This process has gone on until nearly all cattle of Alabama have now more or less of improved blood. The old scrub cattle have almost disappeared, except in isolated localities.

Hand in hand with the improvement just narrated, have been the formation of live stock associations, both county and city. The Montgomery Live Stock Association, formed in 1915, is an excellent illustration of the value of organized effort, through thoughtful direction. The various State, sectional and county fairs have shared in the progress of the period. They have invited exhibits of thor- ough bred horses, mules and cattle, sheep, goats and hogs, not only from their home products, but also from abroad. Without dis- paraging other agencies, expositions and fairs have perhaps done more than any other by way of giving publicity to the live stock in- dustry, and the fine opportunities offered for raising thorough bred stock for the market.

Legislation and Regulation .- Mississippi Territory was but one year old when the gov- ernor and judges, September 21, 1799, by virtue of their legislative powers, provided a penalty of ten dollars a head for the bringing into the territory of "cattle afflicted with a contagious distemper." In March, 1803, the territorial legislature enacted "that every per- son in this territory, who hath any horses, cat- tle or other stock, shall have a brand and ear mark, different from the brand and ear mark of every other person in the same county," such brand and mark to be recorded in the county. Heavy fines were imposed for altering or defacing marks or brands. In 1807 a stringent stray law was adopted, which together with other legislation, was re- enacted December 21, 1820. In territorial times one of the county officials of much im- portance was the ranger, whose duties re- quired, among other things, the looking after stray animals. Penalties were provided for killing live stock and domestic animals by persons "hunting with fire in the night-time." Stock drovers passing with their stock through the country were required to be careful that stock from the ranges should not join their droves, and if any such should be discovered, a halt was to be made to separate them. Drovers and butchers, their slaves or servants, were not permitted to "drive cattle, sheep or swine in any part of this territory [Missis- sippi], on the first day of the week, called Sunday, under the penalty of five dollars."

One of the early criminal statutes, Decem- ber 17, 1821, provides for the punishment of "malicious mischief," that is, the unlawful, wanton or malicious killing, disabling, disfig- uring, or injury to any animal, the property of another. On April 8, 1873, owners of dogs, "known to worry, or kill sheep," who per- mitted them "to run at large," were guilty of a misdemeanor; and on February 26, 1881, the prohibition was extended so as to include hogs, and the protection, to "sheep or domes- tic fowls or goats." Legislation for the pre- vention of cruelty to animals dates from Feb- ruary 27, 1883.

Stock Law Districts .- In Alabama the com- mon law doctrine that one must confine his cattle to his own premises has not been adopted, not being suited to the condition of the people, and is opposed to the legislation of the State as to estrays and damage by ani-

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mals at large. Therefore the owner of cattle is not a trespasser, and can demand ordinary care and diligence to avoid injury to them while upon another's unenclosed lands, or on a railroad track. The language of the court in Pruitt v. Ellington is that: "It is the right of every owner to permit his cattle and stock to run at large; those who would avoid in- jury to their lands from the exercise of this right, must enclose against them.' Because of this, fences were everywhere necessary for the protection of crops, orchards and gardens. Even in pioneer times there was a feeling of protest against the language of the common law rule, and communications are found in the papers of the times, proposing various meas- ures of relief.

At the West Alabama Fair, Demopolis, No- vember 1, 1859, Col. Isaac Croom, at one time president of the State Agricultural Society, presented "An essay on the propriety and policy of abolishing fences." This essay was awarded a prize. The writer pointed out what appeared to him to be the large and unnecessary expense of fencing, and at the same time suggested that improved stock con- ditions could not be looked for until all their stock were kept in enclosures, rather than turned out to make their subsistence on the public commons or pastures. He urged an appeal to the legislature for the passage of special or private laws laying out fence law districts, or in providing for the common fencing of large areas by the beneficiaries who would be enclosed.

Just when the first district stock law was passed has not been determined. However, on December 3, 1866, an act was passed for the protection of the crops within certain limits of Dallas County, and in which it was made unlawful "for any stock of any descrip- tion whatever to run at large at any time," between February 15 and December 25 fol- lowing in the same year. On December 29, 1868, an act was likewise passed to regulate the enclosure of stock in Greene County. The former was repealed March 9, 1871, and the latter was supplanted by a new act Feb- ruary 18, 1871. The legislative records at every session, until the adoption of the con- stitution of 1901, contain many stock law acts. These multiplied as interest in stock raising and the improvement of breeds in- creased, and in many instances almost entire counties were covered. As might have been expected these acts were attacked, but the supreme court uniformly held that laws pre- venting the running of stock at large within certain districts were within the constitu- tional power of the legislature.

In 1903, the legislature, September 29, passed a general stock law for the establish- ment of separate stock districts, with provisos that it should not apply to incorporated cities and towns, and that it should not be con- strued as repealing any of the local stock laws heretofore enacted.

Municipal Regulation .- Adequate powers are usually granted municipalities to regulate live stock and products for the protection of the public health. The general municipal

laws confer authority to regulate the sale of fresh meats, and to establish a system of in- spection of slaughter houses, and of meats, either before or after being butchered. Such powers, however, are not self-executing, and the city authorities must provide a means for their enforcement. The case of Barrett v. Mobile, 129 Ala., p. 180, contains an inter- esting discussion of such legislation. Milk and meat inspectors are appointed in Annis- ton, Auburn, Bessemer, Birmingham, Green- ville, Mobile, Montgomery, Selma, Troy, Tus- caloosa and Union Springs. Concerning the important subject of inspection, Dr. Charles A. Cary, state veternarian, in his Report for 1917 says:

"In some towns the officials seem to think that a city marshal, or a policeman or a butcher, is qualified to inspect meat and milk. This is a serious mistake and officials should learn that it requires special instruction and experience to become an efficient milk and meat inspector. In many states the law spe- cifically states that a meat or milk inspector must be a graduate of a legally recognized veterinary college. The time has come when such should be the case in Alabama, since Alabama has the only legally recognized and qualified veterinary college in the South.

"It is gratifying to note that Birmingham for the first time has tested a large part of the dairy cattle that supply milk to the city public. The city should now employ more graduate veterinarians."

Live Stock Diseases .- Live stock are care- fully protected from diseases of all kinds to which they are subject. Laws exist, prohibit- ing their transportation to the State when infected, or from infected districts. A live stock sanitary board and the office of state veterinarian have been established, not only to protect cattle and to administer the stat- utes for the regulation of the live stock in- dustry, but to safeguard the public health. In this work they have had the valuable sup- port of the United States Department of Agriculture. The live stock sanitary board and the state veterinarian have large powers, and for particulars, see those titles.

Any person having in his possession a horse or other animal "afflicted with glanders or other fatal contagious or infectious disease, who fails to keep such diseased horse or other animal securely confined and away from all other animals" is subject to a fine, and is also liable, in a civil action, "for all damages sus- tained by any person by reason of such fail- ure." The sale or exchange of a "choking" horse, or one afflicted with glanders, or other fatal contagious or infectious disease is pun- ishable by fine of not less than $100 nor more than $500, and a hard labor sentence of not less than three nor more than six months may be imposed. For special discussion of Hog Cholera serum laboratory and Cattle tick era- dication, see titles below.

Cattle Tick Eradication .- The cattle tick has throughout the entire history of the State been the greatest menace to cattle. The Texas or tick fever is the most common of all cattle diseases, and it is now known

Vol. 11-12

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that the cause of transmission from infected to non-immune cattle is only by and through the cattle tick. While this condition was generally known, farmers, dalrymen and stock raisers submitted to the menace, with great losses to their herds. No systematic effort at relief was undertaken. The usual practice was merely to apply oils by means of swabs or sprays, and by picking off by hand.

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History of Alabama and dictionary of Alabama biography, Volume II, Part 33

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