USA > Alabama > History of Alabama and dictionary of Alabama biography, Volume II > Part 49
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106 | Part 107 | Part 108 | Part 109 | Part 110 | Part 111 | Part 112 | Part 113 | Part 114 | Part 115 | Part 116 | Part 117 | Part 118 | Part 119 | Part 120 | Part 121 | Part 122 | Part 123 | Part 124 | Part 125 | Part 126 | Part 127 | Part 128 | Part 129 | Part 130
Among the educational institutions which at various times received support from the Ala- bama Conference may be mentioned: Oak Bowery Female Institute; the Macon Female Institute; Tuscaloosa Female College; Tuske- gee Female Institute, later the Alahama Con- ference Female College; Southern University, Greensboro; East Alabama Male College, Auburn; Centenary Institute, and Athens Female Institute, later Athens Female Col- lege.
By action of the General Conference held in May, 1870, the northern portions of the Montgomery and Mobile Conferences were thrown into the north Alabama Conference, and that portion of the old Alabama Con- ference lying within the state of Mississippi was thrown into the Mississippi and North Mississippi Conferences. The remainder of the two Conferences re-united under the name of the Alabama Conference, the first session of which was held at Montgomery, Ala., De- cember 7, 1870, according to the minutes; this being called the 38th session since the first organization of the Alabama Conference.
From their inception in 1870 the two
982
HISTORY OF ALABAMA
Alabama Conferences have slowly but surely advanced in membership, missionary work and missionary contributions, contributions to the ministry, education and the like. A large number of magazines and periodicals have been published by the Methodists throughout the South. Among them may be mentioned: The Nashville "Christian Advo- cate," the New Orleans "Christian Advo- cate," "Quarterly Review," and many others. First one and then another of these maga- zines would be the official organ of the Alabama Conference. To meet the need of the Methodists throughout the state for a well edited magazine of their own the two Conferences united and established the Ala- bama "Christian Advocate," in 1880.
The movement which resulted in the found- ing of the Alabama Methodist Orphanage be- gan in 1887 when it was learned that the property of the Centenary Institute was for sale. The two Conferences purchased the property, installed a matron and opened the home for the reception of needy orphaned Methodist children. It was formally incor- porated in 1891.
To alleviate the need of the young minis- ters of the North Alabama Conference and to enable those young men who aspired to the ministry to secure the rudiments of a college education, the North Alabama Confer- ence College, later known as Birmingham College was founded in 1897, the charter being approved on December 14, 1898.
(See Birmingham-Southern College.)
During the session of the Alabama Confer- ence held at Dothan, the Alabama Confer- ence Historical Society, was organized on Friday, December 8, 1905. The objects of this society are to collect and preserve all material for the history of the Methodist Church, within the bounds of the Alabama Conference. The society holds an annual meeting the night before the Annual Con- ference begins, to further its objects. The collections of the society are preserved in the Alabama State Department of Archives and History.
In 1909 the centenary of the planting of Methodism in Alabama was appropriately celebrated, throughout the Alabama and North Alabama Conferences. The last great educational enterprise that the Methodists of Alabama have entered upon is the Woman's College of Alabama, at Montgomery. This school is patronized not only by Methodists of Alabama, but by those of other states as well.
BIBLIOGRAPHY: OF ALABAMA METHODISM .- The general minutes of the Methodist Epis- copal Church.
The General Minutes of the Methodist Epis- copal Church, South.
Asbury's Journal .- (3 vols). Dow's Works.
The History of Alabama, 2 vols. by A. J. Pickett.
Methodism in Mississippi. John G. Jones.
History of Methodism in Tennessee (3 vols). John B. McFerrin.
Journal of the South Carolina Conference. Journal of the Georgia Conference. Advocate and Journal, 1825-1830.
Southern Christian Advocate, 1843-1852.
Quarterly Conference Records of Franklin, Greene, Talladega.
LaFayette, Wills Valley, and Jasper Cir- cuits, and Greensboro and Athens station.
Church Registers Tuscaloosa and Greens- boro stations.
Manuscrips Journal of the Rev. A. C. Ram- sey.
Manuscript Journal of the Rev. E. Hearn.
Manuscript Journal of the Rev. William Wier.
Manuscript Journal of the Rev. Joseph T. Curry ..
Manuscript "History of Methodism in Flor- ence," W. B. Wood.
Life and Times of the Rev. John Brooks.
History of Alabama. Willis Brewer.
Public Men in Alabama. William Garrett. Life of Bishop Capers. W. M. Wightman.
History of Clarke County, Alabama, and its Surroundings. T. H. Ball.
Biographical Sketches of Itinerant Ministers. History of North Alabama. Smith.
History of Methodism in Texas. H. S. Thrall.
History of Methodism. Stevens.
History of The Methodist Episcopal Church. Stevens.
History of Methodism in Kentucky. Redford. History of the churches of the City of Mont- gomery, Alabama. M. P. Blue.
Letters of Rev. R. H. Rivers. Alabama Chris- tian Advocate.
Letters of Rev. John DuBois. Alabama Christian Advocate.
History of Methodism in Georgia and Flor- ida. Smith.
History of Methodist Protestant Church. Paris.
William's History of The Methodist Protes- tant Church.
History of the Methodist Protestant Church. Brown.
Stray Copies Minutes of Alabama Annual Conference Methodist Protestant Church.
Selma: Her Institutions and Men. Hardy. Manuscript Sketches of the Preachers of the Alabama Conference.
Baptists in Alabama. Holcombe.
Methodist Magazine.
REFERENCES .- General minutes of the Metho- dist Episcopal Church, South; Dow's Works; Brewer's "Alabama;" Pickett, History of Ala- bama;" "Alabama Christian Advocate;" "His- tory of Methodism in Alabama," West; Manu- scripts, letters, etc., in the files of the Alabama State Department of Archives and History.
METHODIST ORPHANAGE. See Child Welfare.
METHODIST PROTESTANT CHURCH. In- stituted in 1828 and organized under its present title at the meeting in Baltimore, November 2-23, 1830, with 83 ministers and about 5,000 members. It traces its origin
983
HISTORY OF ALABAMA
through the Methodist Episcopal Church, back to the Evangelical Reformation begun in England by John and Charles Wesley, of Oxford University, and Presbyters of the Church of England.
Its doctrine stands on the same basis as the Methodist Episcopal Church, hut there are certain radical differences in polity. The Methodist Protestant Church has no bishops or presiding elders and no life officers of any kind. It makes ministers and laymen equal in number and in power in the legislative bodies of the church, and grants to ministers the right of appeal from the stationing au- thority of the conference. Its system of quarterly, annual, and general conferences is similar to that of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
In Alabama, Eli Terry, Peyton Bibb, Brit- ton Capel, Elijah Myers, Arnold Campbell, Mark Howard, Joseph Walker, Henry Whet- stone and Jacob Whetstone were among the first organizers of the church. The part of the state that included Autauga, Butler, Dallas, Lowndes, Montgomery, and Wilcox Counties was the first to become interested in the organizing of Union societies. In No- vemher, 1827, a Union Society was organized at Greenville, and there was also one at Rocky Mount, Autauga County. At the lat- ter place, on May 1, 1829, a meeting was held to organize an annual conference for South Alabama, which was called the Annual Con- ference of the Methodist Associated Churches of the Alabama District. Rev. Britton Capel was chosen president of this, the first Ala- bama conference, and was also elected the delegate to the General convention which met November 2, 1830. Rev. Peyton Bibb, Rev. Britton Capel, Rev. Arnold Campbell, Rev. Peyton S. Graves, Rev. Samuel M. Meek, Rev. Elijah Myers, and Rev. Eli Terry attended the Rocky Mount meeting and were active in the work of organization. Benjamin Du- lany, John Jenkins, James Jenkins, and Robert Durham all local preachers in the Methodist Episcopal Church and of Wilcox County, joined the new organization in 1830. Greenville, in the same year, withdrew in a body with their minister, Samuel Oliver, and founded the strongest society in the State.
At the second conference which met in September, 1830, held near Smith's Ferry, on the Cahawba River. in Perry County, eight hundred and eighty-one members were reported. Those who received pastoral charges at this meeting were: Rev. Peyton Bibb, Rev. A. J. Blackburn, Rev. Britton Capel, Rev. Benjamin Dulany, Rev. Peyton S. Graves, Rev. J. D. Lee, and Rev. J. Mc- Cormick. Other ministers present were: Rev. A. J. Campbell, Rev. G. A. Campbell, Rev. J. Holly, Rev. Elijah Myers, Rev. John Meek, Rev. Samuel M. Meek, Rev. James Meek, Rev. Samuel Oliver, Rev. William Rice, and Rev. Eli Terry.
In 1834 they had a membership of 1,000. The Mills and Westcott Meeting House, near Montgomery, was taken over by the organi- zation, the Methodist Episcopal members leav- ing to find quarters in another place. At
Hope Hull both house and society went into the new organization.
Lewis Houser, Mark Howard, William Keener, James Mitchell, James Stoudenmire, John Stoudenmire, and Benjamin Taylor, at Dutch Bend, Autauga County, went with the new organization. Others were: James Good- son, Buckner Harris, and Thomas Smith, of Washington, Autauga County; William Olds, L. C. Graham, and James Alexander, of Lebanon, Dallas County; E. H. Cook, J. P. Cook, Hudson Powell, Seymore Powell, Rob- ert Russell, and Benjamin Tower, of Lowndes County; B. S. Bibb and Abner McGehee, of Montgomery County; James K. Benson, of Butler, and a Mr. Steadman, of Wilcox County.
As early as 1830 there were members of the church living at Montgomery. A church was built by them in 1832 on Coosa Street hut on April 28, 1834, it was destroyed by fire. A new building was erected in 1842, and dedicated on October 30 of that year. Rev. Andrew A. Lipscomb was the pastor and the members were: Mrs. Joseph Mount, Mrs. Edna Nickels, Mrs. F. M. Gilmer, Mrs. B. S. Bibb, Mrs. T. R. Baldrick, Mrs. A. A. Lip- scomb, Mrs. Peyton Bibb, George Chisholm and B. S. Bibb.
The Alabama Conference of the Methodist Protestant Church in 1845, comprised two stations, Montgomery, and Hayneville and Lowndesborough; eleven circuits, Montgom- ery, Mount Jefferson, Union, Benton, Rocky Mount, Cahawba, Cedar Creek, Sumter, Cof- feeville and Washington, Coosa and Lowndes; and four missions, Florida, Pea River, Pick- ens, and Talladega. Autauga, Butler, Coosa, Dallas, Lowndes, Montgomery, and Wilcox Counties had the greatest number of this de- nomination. There were 2,872 white mem- bers, 1,157 colored members, and 53 itinerant preachers in 1845. Among the latter were: W. W. Hill, Peyton S. Graves, Benjamin Dulany, W. Rice, James Holly, John B. Per- due, Samuel Oliver, Sr., Jesse Mings, Samuel Johnston, John Jenkins, James Jenkins, Zachariah Williams, O. L. Nash, E. Myers, M. E. Murphy, F. Freeman, James Meek, Samuel M. Meek, John Steadham, W. C. Marsh, C. Kelley, A. D. Stewart, J. M. D. Rice, J. W. S. Deberry, O. H. Shaver, Thomas Shaw, C. S. V. Jones, J. L. Wright, Stephen Williams, D. B. Smedley, A. Roberson, A. A. Lipscomb, Mark Howard, T. F. Selby, F. W. Moody, B. S. Anderson, J. L. Clarke, W. A. Bently, W. Mozingo, A. C. Patillo, R. P. W. Balmain, J. F. Burson, C. F. Gillespie, J. J. Bell, W. Coleman, R. F. Perdue, Luther Hill, W. B. Sims, G. W. Vest, D. A. Murdock, E. W. Sewell, W. J. Stanton, John T. Mings, W. Luker, J. F. Smith, Luke Brooks, G. Royster, William Bowden, W. W. Chapman, Dempsey Dowling, and D. Henderson.
New ministers received were: Rev. J. J. Lazenby, in December, 1846; Rev. John W. Skipper, in December, 1847; Rev. C. C. How- ard, Rev. D. J. Sampley, and Rev. S. N. Gra- ham, in November, 1849, and on this date Rev. Samuel E. Norton was transferred from the South Carolina conference. In November,
984
HISTORY OF ALABAMA
1850, Rev. Alexander McCaine was received from the South Carolina Conference and at the same time Rev. Edwin Baldwin, Rev. D. A. M. Ferguson, Rev. James Lindley, and Rev. B. F. Perdue were received as itinerant preachers. Rev. John E. P. Cowart was re- ceived in November, 1851, and Rev. S. E. Hoagland was transferred from Illinois at the same time. Rev. W. W. Tupple and Rev. W. F. Bonham were accepted as itiner- ant preachers in 1853. Rev. F. L. B. Shaver, formerly a member of the Virginia Confer- ence of the Methodist .Protestant church, and who had served in South Carolina, Missouri, and Louisiana, was received as a member in November, 1854. From November, 1857, until December, 1869, he was president of the conference. At the latter date he joined the Methodist Episcopal church.
On November 10, 1855, Rev. Joseph R. Nix was received and two days later Rev. James W. Harper and Rev. George S. Mou- chett were also received. Revs. John Hen- ning, James M. Scott, William C. Norris, J. R. Johnson, A. J. Jenkins, and James S. Jarratt were received on November 8, 1856, and the following year Revs. James Collins, W. J. A. J. Hilliard, E. C. Odum, J. C. Weaver, and Angus K. McDonald. In No- vember, 1858, Revs. G. A. McAllister, James Cisk, W. Smith, and Axford were received. Rev. George H. McFaden was transferred from the Maryland conference in 1859, but in 1888 he joined the Methodist Episcopal church.
In 1851 the church had 89 church build- ings and 2 parsonages.
Many prominent laymen were found dur- ing the period from 1845 to 1865. Among these were: M. B. Abercrombie, B. S. Bibb, James K. Benson, E. H. Cook, C. E. Cren- shaw, Albert Crumpler, C. W. Dunham, P. P. Daniel, A. N. Ellis, Peyton T. Graves, F. M. Gilmer, Bolling Hall, J. H. Howard, Leonidas Howard, R. T. Houser, John A. Houser, C. M. Howard, Edmond Harrison, Edwin Jenkins, Seth Little, William Little, J. J. Little, Abner McGehee, C. Mathews, W. A. Oliver, A. F. Posey, L. Robertson, S. Robbins, R. Robinson, Robert Russell, D. M. Smith, J. M. Stoudenmire, Ezekiel Towns- end, Daniel Turnipseed, William Taylor, E. Watson, William N. Williams, B. B. Wilson, and H. H. Whetstone. Prominent women were: Mary McGehee, Nancy D. Long, Sophia L. A. Bibb, Elizabeth Reese, Rebecca L. Mel- ton, Mary Smith, Ann Elmore, Silvia Stone, Mary L. Peebles, and Mary and Sarah Cren- shaw.
In 1840 a move was made by Bolling Hall for the establishment of a male college. The conference was in favor of the establishment of such an institution and elected a board of trustees. Robinson Springs was selected as the site and the school was to be called "The Snethen Institute." The generosity of Abner McGehee towards this institution caused the name to be changed to McGehee college. It was later found impracticable to carry out the plans and the building of a
female college at Montgomery, in 1859, also fell through.
In 1859 there were five stations: Mont- gomery, Hope Hull, Robinson's Spring, Au- taugaville and Ivey Creek, and Greenville; eighteen circuits, Lowndesboro, Montgomery, Rocky Mount, Sumter, Lowndes, Cedar Creek, Coosa, Cahaba, Mt. Jefferson, Pike, Choctawhatchee, Pickens, Benton, Macon, Sandy Ridge, Alabama, Russell, and Choc- taw; and missions at Talladega, Union, and Mobile. There were 44 ministers at this time. The following year Choctawhatchee was made a mission, and in 1862 missions were also at Abbeville and Girard. The Church lost Rev. John Steadman, one of its most prominent ministers, in 1862. In 1878 there were two stations, Montgomery and Pleasant Grove; four missions, Jeffer- son, Union, Auburn and Catoma, and twelve circuits, Union, Montgomery, Wilcox, Dallas, Lee, Talladega, Coosa, White Water, St. Clair, Chilton, Conecuh, and Lowndes, while in 1882 there were new missions at Troy and Shelby.
Alabama in 1885 had 3,185 members, 65 churches, 2 parsonages, 26 ministers and preachers, 35 local ministers and preachers, 31 Sunday schools, 91 officers and teachers, and 1,180 students. Prominent ministers at this date were Rev. L. L. Hill, of Mont- gomery; Rev. T. M. McGraw, of Evergreen; Rev. W. J. Finley, of Montgomery; and Rev. W. J. Hilliard and Rev. J. T. Howell, of Troy. In 1898 there were 3,465 members, 34 itinerant ministers, 52 local preachers, 7 parsonages, and 96 churches.
For the past twenty odd years the Church has had a slow but steady growth. In 1919 we find this organization with 98 churches, 7,746 members, 123 Sunday schools, and 3,187 students.
Statistics, 1919 .-
Total number of organizations, 100.
Number of organizations reporting, 100. Total number members reported, 7,088. Number of organizations reporting, 100. Total number members reported (Male),
2,932.
Total number members reported (Female),
4,156.
Church edifices, 95.
Halls, etc., 5.
Number of church edifices reported, 95. Number of organizations reporting, 95. Value reported, $108,441.
Total number of organizations, 100. Number of organizations reporting, 9. Amount of debt reported, $3,825.
Number of organizations reporting, 17. Value of parsonages reported, $23,450. Number of organizations reporting, 94. Amount of expenditures reported, $18,554. Number of organizations reporting, 65. Number of Sunday schools reported, 65. Number of officers and teachers, 425. Number of scholars, 3,168.
Birmingham Station, T. C. Casaday: No. churches, 1.
Members, 292.
985
HISTORY OF ALABAMA
Sunday Schools, 1. Enrollment, 146. Bryan, E. M. Dickerson : No. Churches, 1. Members, 56. Sunday Schools, 1. Enrollment, 60.
Chilton Circuit, F. A. Gibson:
No. churches, 6. Members, 393. Sunday Schools, 2. Enrollment, 97.
China Grove Circuit, J. P. Morgan :
No. churches, 4. Members, 173. Sunday Schools, 3. Enrollment, 116.
Clanton Circuit, J. H. Limbrick: No. churches, 5. Members, 290. Sunday Schools, 3. Enrollment, 167.
Clark Circuit, J. B. Reneau: No. churches, 6. Members, 487.
Coosa Circuit, G. B. Golden:
No. churches, 6. Members, 519. Sunday Schools, 2. Enrollment, 100.
Covington Circuit, R. M. Coates. No. churches, 4. Members, 283. Sunday Schools, 3. Enrollment, 105.
Cullman Circuit, E. M. Dickerson:
No. churches, 3. Members, 178. Sunday Schools, 2. Enrollment, 143.
Dallas Station, M. Barnett: No. churches, 3. Members, 402. Sunday Schools, 2. Dundee Circuit, E. R. Kelly: No. churches, 3. Members, 183. Sunday Schools, 2. Enrollment, 125.
Echo Station, S. M. Baldwin: No. churches, 1. Members, 27.
Evergreen Circuit, A. C. Messer:
No. churches, 4. Members, 376. Sunday Schools, 2. Enrollment, 153. Georgiana Circult, A. E. Maddox: No. churches, 5. Members, 351. Sunday Schools, 5. Enrollment, 195.
Jefferson Circuit, W. D. Stewart:
No. churches, 4. Members, 302. Sunday Schools, 4. Enrollment, 305. Lee Circuit, C. W. Walton: No. churches, 5. Members, 427.
Sunday Schools, 3. Enrollment, 207. Macon Circuit, C. L. Spencer : No. churches, 4. Members, 641. Sunday Schools, 4. Enrollment, 300.
Mineral Springs Circuit (To be supplied) : No. churches, 3. Members, 95. Sunday Schools, 1. Enrollment, 23. Montgomery Station, J. S. Eddins:
No. churches, 1. Members, 58. Sunday Schools, 1. Enrollment, 45.
Mt. Carmel Circuit, C. D. Messer: No. churches, 3. Members, 264. Sunday Schools, 1.
Ozark Station, J. P. Morgan: No. churches, 1. Members, 69. Sunday Schools, 1.
Pike Circuit, W. A. Lynch. No. churches, 4. Members, 569. Sunday Schools, 4. Enrollment; 140.
Pleasant Grove Station, W. G. McDaniel: No. churches, 1. Members, 66. Shelby Circuit, C. E. Clark: No. churches, 3. Members, 323. Sunday Schools, 2. Enrollment, 150.
Talladega Mission, C. E. Clark:
No. churches, 3. Members, 207. Sunday Schools, 3. Enrollment, 215.
Tuscaloosa Circuit, W. C. Conner: No. churches, 6. Members, 230. Sunday Schools, 2. Enrollment, 60.
Union Circuit, S. H. Lynch: No. churches, 4. Members, 264. Sunday Schools, 4. Enrollment, 248.
Wilcox Circuit, C. M. Nolen : No. churches, 4. Members, 221. Sunday Schools, 1. Enrollment, 87.
Officers .- President, T. C. Casaday, Bir- mingham, Ala .; Secretary, Ira Champion, Montgomery. Ala .; Conference Steward, W. C. Connor, Coker, Ala.
Legislative Committee: Ira Champion, A. C. Rogers, M. M. Chesser, W. G. McDaniel J. P. Morgan.
Board of Church Extension: T. C. Casa- day, President; Ira Champion, Secretary; A. C. Rogers, Treasurer; J. P. Morgan, W. G. McDaniel.
Deaconess Board: T. C. Casaday, C. D.
986
HISTORY OF ALABAMA
Messer. W. G. McDaniel, J. S. Kilpatrick, A. C. Rogers, Mrs. A. H. Lynch, Mrs. W. A. Lynch, Mrs. Leola T. Hyatt.
Standing District Committee: W. G. Mc- Daniel, T. C. Casaday, C. D. Messer, A. J. Wright, W. W. Sellers, John W. Hayes.
REFERENCES .- West, History of Methodism; Methodist Protestant handbook, 1919; Min- utes, annual conference, Methodist Protestant Church, 1859, 1860, 1862, 1871, 1876, 1878, 1882, 1883, 1884, 1887, 1892, 1894, 1896, 1898, 1899, 1900, 1904, 1910, 1916; Meth- odist Protestant Yearbook, 1885.
MEXICAN WAR. The war between Mexico and the United States, 1846-1848, brought on by a series of attacks on American citizens, the sympathy of the people of the United States, for the independent State of Texas, the annexation of Texas, a dispute regarding the boundary of Texas, and other friction be- tween the two countries on account of viola- tion of territory of the two, was participated in by a large number of volunteers from Ala- bama, though but one regular regiment, one battalion, and a few independent companies, were mustered in.
The first Alabama volunteers under Col. John R. Coffee, with A. company, commanded by Captain A. L. Pickens; B. by Captain W. Thomason; C. by William G. Coleman; D. by S. Moore; E. by J. D. Shelly; F. by R. W. Jones; G. by D. P. Baldwin; H. by J. P. Youngblood; I. by R. G. Earle; K. by H. M. Cunningham. These were twelve months vol- unteers in the regular establishment. Prior to this organization, a regiment of six months volunteers under Col. John M. Withers, and Captains John L. Mumford, H. W. Cox, D. P. Baldwin, Daniel Gibbs, Sydenham Moore, Jacob D. Shelly, E. W. Martin, James Craw- ford, J. D. Parke, Sumeral Dennis, John B. Todd, and John A. Winston, had volunteered. As will be seen Captain S. Moore, Captain J. D. Shelly, and Captain D. P. Baldwin, were in the regular volunteers.
Major John J. Seibels' battalion of volun- teers, also shown as Lieut .- Col. Seibels' inde- pendent battalion, with captains John G. Barr, Co. A .; Thomas E. Irby, Co. B .; Daniel Gibbs, Co. C .; Tennant Lomax, Co. D .; and Blanton McAlpin, Co. E., was also accepted. They volunteered for the period of the war.
Lieutenant-Colonel P. H. Raiford, mustered an infantry battalion of four companies under Captains James M. Curtis, Robert L. Down- man, Robert F. Ligon, and John J. Seibels, for six months volunteer service, prior to the formation of Colonel Seibels' battalion.
Independent companies under Captains William H. Platt, Robert Desha, Rush El- more, and James N. Gee, were accepted for service, but these companies, nor any of the regularly enrolled Alabama troops partici- pated in any of the campaigns.
The 13th United States Infantry, raised under the 10 Regiment Bill of 1847, was officered in part by Alabamians.
Colonel Coffee's regiment was mustered into service in June, 1846, at Mobile, by Walter Smith, Brigadier General and Mustering
Officer. The completed muster of the regi- ment dates the 29th of that month. The officers were John R. Coffee, Colonel; Richard G. Earle, Lieut .- Col .; Goode Bryan, Major; James D. Parke, Adjutant; A. H. Hughes, Quartermaster; John C. Anderson, Surgeon; Nesbitt, surgeon mate; Arithy B. Green, surgeon mate; with a non-commis- sioned staff of John B. Fuller, Sergeant- Major, no quartermaster sergeant, Christo- pher Darrow, Drum Major; Joseph Anderson, Fife Major.
The staff of the six months volunteers regiment under Col. Withers, and which was mustered originally June 11, 1846, was Jones M. Withers, Col .; Philip H. Renford, Lieut .- Col .; J. A. Winston, Major; and R. W. Smith, Adjutant; and Jefferson Noble, Ser- geant-Major. The individual companies of these volunteers, show musters in May and early June.
Lieutenant-Colonel Seibels' battalion mus- ter, shows the following staff: John J. Sei- bels, promoted from Major, 23rd of February, 1848, though his service muster is Decem- ber 20, 1847; George W. Thomas, Acting Surgeon; Robert A. Hardaway, Adjutant; Charles M. Martin, Sergeant-Major; John B. Brewer, Quartermaster Sergeant; and John Perry, private and musician.
There are no extant records of the field and staff of Colonel Raiford's battalion. The muster rolls show August 17 and 18, 1846, as the date these companies were mustered out of service.
The independent companies were mustered out of service in New Orleans and Mobile between August, 1846, and July, 1848, Cap- tain Elmore's company being mustered out on August 18, 1846, but Captain Gee's com- pany was not mustered out until July 29, 1848.
An examination of these records will show that many of the officers and men who par- ticipated in the Mexican War, later saw serv- ice, the majority with high commands, in the War of Secession. Among them are Colonel Seibels, Col. Lomax, Col. Ligon, Major El- more, General Shelly, and Captain Hardaway, and many of these men took prominent parts in the political life of the State in after years. Among these being Col. Withers, Sydenham Moore, Daniel Gibbs, Lieut .- Gov. Robert F. Ligon, and Governor John Anthony Winston. REFERENCES .- Pickett, History of Alabama (Owen Edition, 1900) ; Brewer, Alabama (1872) ; Muster Rolls Alabama Volunteers, Mexican War, 1846-47 (official) in Alabama De- partment of Archives and History.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.