USA > Alabama > History of Alabama and dictionary of Alabama biography, Volume II > Part 93
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1896-7-W. C. McGuire; J. W. Knowles.
1898-9-J. F. Tate; W. C. McGuire.
1899 (Spec.)-J. F. Tate; W. C. McGuire. 1900-01-J. E. Henry; J. M. Holt.
1903-Thomas Abner Johnson; Boswell DeGraffenreid Waddell.
1907-Homer R. Dudley; William J. Price. 1907 (Spec.)-Homer R. Dudley, William J. Price.
1909 (Spec.)-Homer R. Dudley; William J. Price.
1911-T. H. Dennis; B. DeG. Waddell. 1915-T. H. Dennis; G. L. McGough. 1919-C. C. Jordan; D. DeG. Waddell.
REFERENCES .- Toulmin, Digest (1823), index; Acts of Ala., Prewer, Alabama, p. 510; Berney, Handbook (1892), p. 325; Riley, Alabama as it is (1893), p. 188; Northern Alabama (1888), p. 214; Alabama, 1909 (Ala. Dept. of Ag. and Ind., Bulletin 27), p. 193; U. S. Soil Survey (1915), with map; Alabama land book (1916), p. 136; Ala. Official and Statistical Register, 1903-1915, 5 vols .; Ala. Anthropological Society, Handbook (1910) ; Geol. Survey of Ala., Agricultural fea- tures of the State (1883) ; The Valley Regions of Alabama, parts 1 and 2 (1896, 1897), and Un- derground Water resources of Alabama (1907).
RUSSELL MANUFACTURING CO., Alex- ander City. See Cotton Manufacturing.
RUSSELLVILLE. County seat of Frank- lin County, on the main line of the Northern Alabama Railroad, in the north-central part of Franklin County, on the headwaters of Cedar Creek, in part of sec. 22, T. 8, R. 11, 9 miles southeast of Frankfort, and 20 miles south of Tuscumbia. Altitude: 742 feet. Population: 1870-180; 1888-500; 1890- 920; 1900-1,602; 1910-2,046. It was first incorporated by the legislature, Novem- ber 27, 1819. A new charter was granted February 16, 1891. It is now operated un- der the municipal code of 1907. It rents its municipal buildings, except the schoolhouses. It has municipally owned electric light and waterworks plants installed in 1912. Its tax rate is 5 mills, and its bonded indebtedness $31,500, consisting of light and water bonds, due in 1942, $24,000, and school bonds, due In 1920, $7,500. The Citizens Bank & Sav- ings Co. (State) is its only bank. The Frank- lin County Times, a Democratic weekly estab- lished in 1896, is published there. Its in- dustries are electric light and waterworks plants, 2 grain mills, 2 cotton ginneries, and the Sloss-Sheffield Steel & Iron Co.'s mines with 5 ore-washers in operation, the Sheffield Coal & Iron Co.'s iron-ore mines and coal
1220
HISTORY OF ALABAMA
mines, the Alabama Fuel & Iron Co.'s iron- ore and coal mines, McCormick Bros.' iron- ore mine, and the Foster, Creighton Co.'s oolitic stone quarry, the largest in the South, equipped with crushers and mills for sawing the stone. It is the location of the Franklin County High School. The Masons have a hall in the town.
Gen. Andrew Jackson cut the military road through Russellville, on his way to New Or- leans. His chief of scouts was Maj. Wm. Russell, who later returned to the locality and in 1815 settled in the valley, which has since been known as Russell's Valley. Among the officers and soldiers who came into the State with Russell, were Jesse Van Hoose, Joseph Underwood, M. Tutwiler, T. C. Rhodes, Luke Pryor, Major Cowan, J. W. Sloss, Jacob Stroup, John Gamble, M. Turner Glidden, John Hanby, J. H. Posey, James E. and Jon- athan Mahan. A few of them settled at Rus- sellville, and the others in different parts of the State. Anthony Winston, John Hamil- ton, Brice Wilson (Scotch), Richard Ellis, and Jesse Van Hoose, settled at Russellville in 1818. Other early settlers were Rev. David Owen, Benjamin Hudson, Peter Martin, Thomas East, Noble R. Ladd, Joseph Ladd. Dr. Sevier, W. S. Jones, Lindsey Allen, and the Sherrill, Keller, and Ormond families. Russellville was the most important town of the county as early as 1819, and was the county seat from 1818 to 1849. In 1891 an election was held to decide upon a permanent location for the county seat and Russellville was selected.
REFERENCES .- Acts, 1819, p. 115; 1890-91, pp. 796-815; 1898-99, pp. 999-1001; Brewer, Alabama (1872), pp. 254-257; Armes, Story of cool and iron in Alabama (1910), pp. 21-34, 352, 451, 457; Northern Alabama (1888), pp. 102-103; Polk's Alabama gazetteer, 1888-9, p. 684; Alabama Of- ficial and Statistical Register. 1915.
RYE. See Cereals.
S
ST. BERNARD COLLEGE. See Roman Catholic Church.
SAINT CLAIR COUNTY. Created by an act, November 20, 1818, and its territory was taken from Shelby County. By an act of the legislature, December 20, 1820, a part of this county was added to Jefferson. It has an area of 633 square miles, or 405,120 acres.
It bears the name of Gen. Arthur St. Clair, of the Revolutionary Army.
The seat of justice was incorporated at Ashville since 1822. The first voting places were at Joel Chandler's, Peter Ragsdale's, and William Guthrey's, in 1819. John Ashe, John Massey, John Cunningham, Joel Chandler, and George Shortwell were appointed to superin- tend the erection of the courthouse in 1821.
Location and Physical Description .- It is situated in the north central part of the state, and is bound on the north by Blount and Etowah Counties, on the south by Tal-
ladega and Shelby, on the east by Etowah, Calhoun, and Talladega, and on the west by Blount, Jefferson and Shelby. The elevation is from 450 to 1,600 feet above sea level. In general the county may be described as moun- tainous. A mountain range divides it into two geographical divisions. Backbone Moun- tain is continuous throughout the county. Blount and Chandler Mountains lie in the north and northwestern parts, while Bear, Cahaha, Canoe, and Canoe Creek Mountains, and many other ridges of minor importance traverse different parts of the county. The slopes of the mountains are of no agricultural value as they are steep and rough, but on top of some of the ridges and mountains there are in places narrow, winding areas that are generally rolling or flat and susceptible of cultivation. The most important agricultural lands are found in the broad valleys where the soil is principally of limestone origin. The mountains contain vast deposits of coal, iron, limestone and kaolin, and minor de- posits of bauxite, barites, lead, and other minerals. The county lies in the Appalachian Mountain range and twenty-three distinctive types of soil are found in its range. The rocks show a great variety of sandstones, shales and limestones. Sandstone forms practically all of the mountain ranges, while the shales and limestones are developed for the most part in the lowland belts lying be- tween the ranges. The climate and soils are well adapted to trucking and dairying. Practically all of the county is well drained by the Cahaba and its tributaries, Little Cahaba River and Black Creek, and the Coosa and its tributaries, Big and Little Canoe Creeks. There are numerous springs through- out the county. The trees of the forest are the oak, hickory, long leaf and short leaf pine, chestnut, walnut and other hardwoods. The mean annual precipitation is 52.32 inches. The climate is mildly temperate, the mean temperature in winter being 42.6°. F. and in summer 79.6º F.
Aboriginal History .- The larger part of the county was situated within the domains of the Creek Indians. The Cherokee boun- dary line as recognized by the Cherokee treaty of September 14, 1816, pased north- westerly through the northern part of the county. The Indian population of the county was largely Creek, with some intermingled Cherokees. On Big Canoe Creek there were two Creek towns, Cataula, situated on the site of the present Ashville, and Littafatchee, about eight miles above Cataula. On the morning of October 29, 1813, during the Creek War, Colonel Dyer commanding a de- tachment of Tennessee troops, surprised and burned Littafatchee. He returned to Gen- eral Jackson's army with twenty-nine prison- ers, consisting of men, women, and children, and a large supply of corn and cattle. At Ten Islands, near Greensport, General Jackson built Fort Strother, his base of operations against the Creeks. After the treaty of Fort Jackson, August 9, 1814, all the remaining Creeks in the county were brought over and settled on the east side of the Coosa, as all
1221
HISTORY OF ALABAMA
the county on the west side was embraced in the treaty.
Along the Coosa river from a point above Ten Islands, the entire river boundary of the county is dotted with evidences of abori- ginal occupancy. At Lock 3, at Lock 4, and Woods Island and at points in the northwest- ern section of the county the indications are quite extensive. DeSoto found the country on the opposite bank of Coosa River quite thickly settled when he visited Coosa in 1540 and it is very reasonable to suppose that these settle- ments extended west. A town of the Chero- kees was located some 20 miles southeast of Brown's villages in Marshall County, but lit- tle is known of it.
Later History and Settlement .- It is very likely that soon after the treaty of Fort Jack- son the upper parts of the Creek cession were visited by many prospectors. It is certain that by the close of 1815 some settlements had been made in the cession. The influx of set- tlers greatly increased in 1816 and many permanent homes were made in what later became Shelby County. Settlers from Madi- son County travelled down the old Indian trail that led from Ditto's Landing to Mud Town on the Cahaba, while East Tennesseeans came down the Tennessee River in flat boats, landed at Deposit or Gunter's Landing, and thence made their way to their place of settlement. The Georgians and Carolinians reached the Creek cession on the Coosa by crossing the Chattahoochee at the Upper Shallow Ford, passing through Rome, crossing Will's Creek near Bennettsville and thence skirting the east side of the mountains. By 1818 the set- tlers in the new county had become so numer- ous that the first session of the Alabama Ter- ritorial legislature found it necessary to cre- ate thirteen new counties.
Near Greensport, in July, 1864, during the War of Secession, General Clanton made a stand against General Rosseau, who passed on to Chehaw and Loachapoka.
Agricultural Statistics .- From U. S. Census, 1910:
Farms and Farmers.
Number of all farms, 2,611. Color and nativity of farmers: Native white, 2,232. Foreign-born white, 7. Negro and other nonwhite, 372.
Number of farms, classified by size: Under 3 acres, 1. 3 to 9_ acres, 72.
10 to 19 acres, 331.
20 to 49 acres, 797.
50 to 99 acres, 620.
100 to 174 acres, 483.
175 to 259 acres, 172.
260 to 499 acres, 113.
500 to 999 acres, 19.
1,000 acres and over, 3.
Land and Farm Area.
Approximate land area, 412,800 acres. Land in farms, 227,615 acres. Improved land in farms, 89,972 acres. Woodland in farms, 130,809 acres.
Other unimproved land in farms, 6,834 acres.
Value of Farm Property.
All farm property, $3,340,458.
Land, $1,820,423.
Buildings, $737,778.
Implements and machinery, $173,361.
Domestic animals, poultry, and bees, $608,- 896. Average values:
All property per farm, $1,279. Land and buildings per farm, $980. Land per acre, $8.00.
Domestic Animals (Farms and Ranges).
Farms reporting domestic animals, 2,517.
Domestic animals, value, $586,576.
Cattle: total, 8,873; value, $131,484.
Dairy cows only, 4,298.
Horses: total, 1,463; value, $138,691.
Mules: total, 2,361; value, $276,978.
Asses and burros: total, 22; value, $3,280.
Swine: total, 8,310; value, $32,190.
Sheep: total, 1,039; value, $1,632.
Goats: total, 2,088; value, $2,321.
Poultry and Bees.
All poultry, 59,989; value, $19,497. Bee colonies, 1,708; value, $2,823.
Farms Operated by Owners. Number of farms, 1,356.
Per cent of all farms, 51.9. Land in farms, 158,285 acres.
Improved land in farms, 52,223 acres.
Land and buildings, $1,600,274.
Farms of owned land only, 1,185.
Farms of owned and hired land, 171
Native white owners, 1,192.
Foreign-born white, 5.
Negro and other nonwhite, 159.
Forms Operated by Tenants.
Number of farms, 1,251.
Per cent of all farms, 47.9.
Land in farms, 68,596 acres.
Improved land in farms, 37,573 acres.
Land and buildings, $950,337.
Share tenants, 989.
Share-cash tenants, 42.
Cash tenants, 191.
Tenure not specified, 29.
Native white tenants, 1,036.
Foreign-born white, 2.
Negro and other nonwhite, 213.
Farms Operated by Managers.
Number of farms, 4. Land in farms, 734 acres. Improved land in farms, 176 acres.
Value of land and buildings, $7,590.
Live Stock Products. Dairy Products.
Milk: Produced, 1,178,832; sold, 10,762 gal- lons.
Cream sold, Butter fat sold,
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HISTORY OF ALABAMA
Butter: Produced, 471,073; sold, 69,261 pounds. Cheese: Produced,
Dairy products, excluding home use of milk and cream, $94,838.
Sale of dairy products, $16,107.
Poultry Products.
Poultry: Number raised, 157,247; sold, 49,- 575.
Eggs: Produced, 268,428; sold, 117,414 dozens.
Poultry and eggs produced, $87,181. Sale of poultry and eggs, $34,855.
Honey and Wax.
Honey produced, 5,569 pounds. Wax produced, 205 pounds. Value of honey and wax produced, $674. Wool, Mohair and Goat Hair.
Wool, fleeces shorn, 806. Mohair and goat hair, fleeces shorn, 2.
Wool and mohair produced, $467.
Domestic Animals Sold or Slaughtered. Calves-Sold or slaughtered, 644.
Other cattle-Sold or slaughtered, 2,290.
Horses, mules, and asses and burros-Sold, 218. Swine-Sold or slaughtered, 5,530.
Sheep and goats-Sold or slaughtered, 927. Sale of animals, $50,266.
Value of animals slaughtered, $74,630.
Value of All Crops.
Total, $1,161,380.
Cereals, $277,044.
Other grains and seeds, $3,268.
Hay and forage, $47,934.
Vegetables, $116,521.
Fruits and nuts, $55,612.
All other crops, $660,998.
Selected Crops (Acres and Quantity).
Cereals: total, 28,644 acres; 299,269 bush- els.
Corn, 25,088 acres; 260,921 bushels.
Oats, 3,459 acres; 37,745 bushels.
Wheat, 96 acres; 593 bushels.
Rye, 1 acre; 10 bushels.
Kafir corn and milo maize,
1820
3,607
559
4,166
1830
4,818
1,157
5,975
1840
4,505
1,133
5,638
1850
5,501
1,328
6,829
1860
9,236
1,777
11,013
1870
7,295
2,065
9,360
1880
11.621
2,834
24,455
1890
14,303
3,050
17,353
1900
15,983
3,442
19,425
1910
17,083
3,632
20,715
1:20
....
23,383
Post Offices and Towns .- Revised to July 1, 1919, from U. S. Official Postal Guide. Figures indicate the number of rural routes from that office.
Acmar
Caldwell
Ashville (ch)-3
Coal City
Branchville
Cooks Springs
Cotton, 20,617 acres; 7,119 bales.
Cane-sugar, 79 acres; 299 tons. Sirup made, 4,255 gallons. Cane-sorghum, 358 acres; 1,108 tons. Sirup made, 20,250 gallons.
Fruits and Nuts.
Orchard fruits: total, 104,603 trees; 77,390 bushels.
Apples, 29,702 trees; 31,427 bushels.
Peaches, and nectarines, 66,958 trees; 43,- 299 bushels. Pears, 2,932 trees; 974 bushels.
Plums and prunes, 4,133 trees; bushels. . Cherries, 498 trees; 60 bushels.
1,469
Quinces, 368 trees; 151 bushels. Grapes, 7,849 vines; 60,105 pounds. Tropical fruits: total, 273 trees. Figs, 269 trees; 6,711 pounds. Oranges,
Small fruits: total, 4 acres; 2,369 quarts. Strawberries, 4 acres; 2,259 quarts. Nuts: total, 149 trees; 7,275 pounds. Pecans, 18 trees; 135 pounds.
Labor, Feritlizer and Feed. Labor-Farms reporting, 600.
Cash expended, $27,345. Rent and board furnished, $5,824.
Fertilizer-Farms reporting, 1,757. Amount expended, $40,238. Feed-Farms reporting, 598. Amount expended, $23,527.
Receipts from sale of feedable crops, $13,- 901.
Domestic Animals Not on Farms.
Inclosures reporting domestic animals, 633. Value of domestic animals, $92,228.
Cattle: total, 1,311; value, $28,921. Number of dairy cows, 613. Horses: total, 249; value, $31,193.
Mules, and asses and burros; total, 181; value, $27,995. Swine: total, 962; value, $4,028. Sheep and goats: total, 75; value, $91.
Population .- Statistics from decennial pub- lications of the U. S. Bureau of the Census.
White
Negro
Total
Rice, -
Other grains:
Dry peas, 308 acres; 1,109 bushels. Dry edible beans, .
Peanuts, 84 acres; 1,459 bushels.
Hay and forage: total, 2,724 acres; 3,757 tons.
All tame or cultivated grasses, 887 acres; 1,294 tons.
Wild, salt and prairie grasses, 547 acres; 852 tons.
Grains cut green, 762 acres; 803 tons. Coarse forage, 528 acres; 808 tons. Special crops:
Potatoes, 210 acres; 17,630 bushels.
Sweet potatoes and yams, 542 acres; 48,- 408 bushels.
Tobacco, 6 acres; 2,715 pounds.
.
Brompton
Cropwell-2
HISTORY OF ALABAMA
1223
Easonville Eden-1 Margaret Odenville-2 Pell City (ch)-2 Ragland-2 Whitney
Riverside Saint Clair Springs Seddon Springville-3
Steele 2
Delegates to Constitutional Conventions .- 1819-David Conner. 1861-John W. Inzer. 1865-C. G. Beeson. 1867-Henry J. Springfield. 1875-John W. Inzer. 1901-N. B. Spears.
Senators .- 1819-20-David Conner. 1822-3-David Conner.
1825-6-John Ashe.
1828-9-David Conner.
1831-2-David Conner.
1832-3-John Ashe.
1835-6-Charles C. P. Farrar.
1838-9-Charles C. P. Farrar.
1841-2-Walker K. Baylor.
1843-4-Moses Kelly. 1844-5-John Ashe.
1847-8-Moses Kelly. 1851-2-Moses Kelly. 1853-4-Mace T. P. Brindley.
1857-8-William Thaxton.
1859-60-F. W. Staton. 1861-2-W. N. Crump. 1863-4-C. G. Beeson. 1865-6-W. H. Edwards.
1868-John Oliver. 1871-2-John Oliver. 1872-3-G. W. Hewitt. 1873-J. W. Inzer.
1874-5-J. W. Inzer. 1875-6-J. W. Inzer.
1876-7-J. L. Cunningham.
1878-9-J. L. Cunningham.
1880-1-J. L. Cunningham.
1882-3-S. K. McSpadden.
1884-5-S. K. McSpadden. 1886-7-John L. Burnett. 1888-9-J. L. Burnett. 1890-1-John W. Inzer. 1892-3-John W. Inzer.
1894-5-J. S. E. Robinson.
1896-7-J. S. E. Robinson.
1898-9-J. A. Hurst. 1899 (Spec.)-J. A. Hurst. 1900-01-J. A. Hurst. 1903-Dr. James Alpheus Hurst. 1907-Ed D. Hamner. 1907 (Spec.)-Ed D. Hamner.
1909 (Spec.)-Ed D. Hamner. 1911-W. T. Brown.
1915-A. V. Lee. 1919-Watt T. Brown.
Representatives .- 1819-20-James Hardwick. 1820-1-Phillip Coleman. 1821 (called)-Phillip Coleman. 1821-2-James Hardwick. 1822-3-James Hardwick; P. Coleman.
1823-4-James Hardwick; George Short- well.
1824-5-Phillip Coleman; George Short- well.
1825-6-Phillip Coleman; George Short- well. 1826-7-Phillip Coleman; John Massey. 1827-8-Henry Bradford; John Massey. 1828-9-T. M. Barker; John Massey. 1829-30-Henry Bradford; John Massey. 1830-1-C. Longford; John Massey. 1831-2-C. C. P. Farrar; G. T. McAfee. 1832 (called)-John Massey; G. T. Mc- Afee.
1832-3-John Massey; G. T. McAfee. 1833-4-John Massey; C. C. P. Farrar. 1834-5-John Massey; C. C. P. Farrar. 1835-6-John Massey; R. Hammond. 1836-7-John W. Cobb; R. Hammond.
1837 (called)-John W. Cobb; R. Ham- mond.
1837-8-John W. Cobb; R. Hammond.
1838-9-James Rogan; R. Hammond. 1839-40-John Massey. 1840-1-Oran M. Roberts.
1841 (called)-Oran M. Roberts. 1841-2-Richmond Hammond.
1842-3-John W. Bothwell.
1843-4-John W. Cobb.
1844-5-J. M. Edwards.
1845-6-J. M. Edwards.
1847-8-Richmond Hammond. 1849-50-J. M. Edwards.
1851-2-Albert G. Bennett.
1853-4-James Foreman.
1855-6-G. H. Beavers.
1856-Richmond Hammond. 1857-8-Richard F. Hammond.
1859-60-Levi Floyd. 1861 (1st called)-Levi Floyd.
1861 (2d called)-James Foreman.
1861-2-James Foreman. 1862 (called)-James Foreman.
1862-3-James Foreman.
1863 (called)-George W. Ashe. 1863-4-George W. Ashe.
1864 (called)-George W. Ashe.
1864-5-George W. Ashe.
1865-6-George W. Ashe.
1866-7-George W. Ashe.
1868-H. J. Springfield.
1869-70-H. J. Springfield.
1870-1-Leroy F. Box.
1871-2-L. F. Box.
1872-3-George W. Ashe.
1873-George W. Ashe.
1874-5-F. Dillon. 1875-6-F. Dillon.
1876-7-Frank Dillon.
1878-9-George W. Ashe.
1880-1-J. S. Maddox.
1882-3-D. A. Aderholt.
1884-5-J. T. Green.
1886-7-J. Compton. 1888-9-John S. Maddox. 1890-1-W. S. Forman. 1892-3-W. S. Forman. 1894-5-W. S. Forman. 1896-7-John Yarbrough.
1898-9-N. B. Spears.
1899 (Spec)-N. B. Spears.
1900-01-N. B. Spears. 1903-Watt Thomas Brown.
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HISTORY OF ALABAMA
1907-J. W. Moore.
1907 (Spec.)-J. W. Moore. 1909 (Spec.)-J. W. Moore. 1911-J: Fall Robertson.
1915-J. Fall Robertson.
1919-W. S. Crump.
REFERENCES .- Toulmin, Digest (1823), index; Acts of Ala .; Brewer, Alabama, p. 522; Berney, Handbook (1892), p. 326; Riley, Alabama as it is (1893), p. 86; Northern Alabama (1888), p. 156; Alabama, 1909 (Ala. Dept. of Ag. and Ind., Bulletin 27), p. 195; U. S. Soil Survey, with map; Alabama land book (1916), p. 137; Ala. Official and Statistical Register, 1903-1915, 5 vols .; Ala. Anthropological Society, Handbook (1910) ; Geol. Survey of Ala., Agricultural fea- tures of the State (1883); The Valley Regions of Alabama, parts 1 and 2 (1896, 1897), and Un- derground Water resources of Alabama (1907). 1
SAINT JOSEPH'S COLLEGE FOR NEGRO CATECHISTS. Roman Catholic institutlon for the education of colored males, located near Montgomery. The object of the school is "to train young colored laymen as teach- ers and catechists who will go among their people in our colored missions of the South and teach them Catholic truth." The build- ings and lands of the school are located on the Mount Meigs Road about six miles from Montgomery. Courses leading to teaching and education for the priesthood are offered. The students do farm labor, raising part of their food, and other things for sale.
REFERENCES .- Folders, announcements, cir- cular letters, and petitions.
ST. LOUIS AND SAN FRANCISCO RAIL- ROAD COMPANY (FRISCO SYSTEM). Les- see of the Kansas City, Fort Scott & Memphis Railroad Co. for 99 years from August 23, 1901, which comprises the original lines of the Kansas City, Memphis & Birmingham Railroad Co. (q. v.). It has no other Ala- bama lines or connections.
REFERENCE .- Poor's manual of railroads, 1916, p. 1909.
ST. MARK'S ACADEMIC AND INDUS- TRIAL SCHOOL. Private institution for the education of colored girls, and boys under twelve years of age, located in Birmingham. Established in 1892, on a side street with only eight pupils in attendance, the school has grown until its quarters now consist of a commodious four story brick structure on the corner of Eighteenth Street and Avenue D. Literary and industrial departments are main- tained. Courses in cooking, sewing, laun- dering, and practical house keeping are of- fered. A kindergarten is maintained in con- nection with the school at which boys under twelve years receive instruction.
REFERENCES .- Catalogues, 1900-1915.
ST. MARY'S OF LORETTO ACADEMY. See Roman Catholic Church.
ST. STEPHENS. Postoffice and interior village, in the eastern part of Washington
County, on the west bank of the Tombigbee River; about 100 miles, by river, from Mo- bile; about 15 miles northeast of Chatom. Population: 1818-1,500; 1870-250; 1880- 75; 1910, St. Stephens Precinct 1-856; 1920, Precinct 1-674.
The place was settled by the Spaniards, 1790, and American colonists came in 1802. The first American establishment was a "Factory," or trading-house with Joseph Chambers in charge, Thomas M. Williams, as- sistant, for the benefit of the Choctaw In- dians. In 1805, George S. Gaines became fac- tor; in 1807, the town of St. Stephens was laid out in lots and a road opened from this point to Natchez, Miss.
In 1815, the first Alabama Territorial Leg- islature convened at St. Stephens; James Titus was the only member of the Senate; Gabriel Moore of Madison County, was speaker of the house. In 1818, the first Bank was established, with David Files, J. A. Torbert, D Darling, Thomas I. Strong, Israel Pickens, J. G. Lyon, William Crawford, J. F. Ross, W. D. Gaines, A. S. Lipscomb, Na- than Whiting, George Buchanan and Thomas Crowell, directors.
During this year St. Stephens Academy was incorporated and its trustees authorized "to raise $4,000 by a lottery." At the same time the St. Stephens Steamboat Company was Incorporated.
Old St. Stephens was located three miles east of the present railroad station.
The Base Meridian was surveyed from the old town, and is still the basis of all maps of Alabama.
The first postmaster was James Magoffin, a citizen, in 1807; he was Register of the Land Office, and used that office for a Post- office. At his death, James A. Pelham was made Postmaster and held the office for thirty years. Three miles away are the old Salt Works used during the War of Secession.
Old St. Stephens Fort, built by the Span- iards is today well outlined.
REFERENCES .- Pickett, History of Alabama (Owen Edition, 1900), pp. 417, 465, 503, 616; Brewer, Alabama-Washington County; Ala- bama Official and Statistical Register, 1915; Manuscript data in Alabama Department of Archives and History.
SAKAPATAYI. An Upper Creek town in Coosa County and situated on the Socapa- toy branch of Hatchet Creek. It was prob- ably the site of the modern former town of the name a few miles west of Kellyton. It was evidently an unimportant village, since it is not listed in Hawkins, 1799. Of the origin of the name, Gatschet gives this ex- planation:
"A legend, which evidently originated from the name already existing, relates that way- farers passing there had left a large pro- vision-basket (saka) at this locality, which was upset and left rotting, so that finally it became flattened out. From pataidshas "I spread out something;" patayi, partic. pass., "shaken out." Swanton doubts that the word has any reference to "water-lilies cov-
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HISTORY OF ALABAMA
ering the surface of a pond," a meaning sometimes given.
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