USA > Alabama > Memorial record of Alabama. A concise account of the state's political, military, professional and industrial progress, together with the personal memoirs of many of its people. Volume I > Part 130
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 | Part 131
1129
PERSONAL MEMOIRS-HENRY COUNTY.
womanhood in Henry county, having the advantages of the common school. She was married in her twenty-fifth year to Mr. Ward, this being her second marriage. She died in her fifty-second year. John B. Ward began life on the farm, performing various duties incident to farm life, and attending school until he was fourteen years old. His education was then brought to an abrupt termination by the death of his father. He being the eldest of the family, the management of the farm devolved upon him. He proved equal to the emergency, though, and through his management, the farm was operated with success. In 1868, he was nomi- nated for the legislature, and was elected by a majority of 1,400. He served during the years 1888-89, and during this time secured the passage of a bill providing for the erection of a new and modern court house, and also securing the establishment of an agricultural school and experiment farm at Abbeville, which is now meeting with success and the approbation of the people. This school he secured by his own efforts, engaging the house in a three-day struggle, before he accomplished his purpose. This school is termed the Southeast Alabama agricultural school and experiment station. The securing of this establishment was the means of his defeat for the following term, the people then not recog- nizing the great value of such an institution. They therefore voted against him. He, however, attended the legislature as a lobbyist, and secured the passage of a measure appropriating $2,000 for the support of this school. This bill was vetoed by the governor. Mr. Ward is now a candidate for re election. He owns a fine farm of 1,500 acres, and he and his brother own 3,000 of timber and improved land. In 1872, Mr. Ward removed with his family to Abbeville, and has resided there ever since. In 1875, he was married to Miss Norah E. Newman, daughter of George Newman, a farmer and merchant of Henry county. This lady was born near Abbeville, and had the advantages of the best of schooling, attend- ing the high school of Clayton, Barbour county. She was married at the age of seventeen, and has had nine children, four of whom survive: Miss Norah B., who is in attendance at the Judson institute, at Marion, Ala .; George A., who is at school at Abbeville; James, also going to school at Abbeville, and Robert W. Mr. J. B. Ward has been a member of the municipal board for years; is superintendent of the Missionary Baptist Sunday school, and is a moderator of the Judson association of the Baptist church. Both he and wife are members of the Missionary Baptist church. He is a democrat both by inheritance and conviction, and is public spirited, fearless in his views, takes an interest in everything that promises to advance the material interests of the county.
WILLIAM WOOD, deceased merchant and farmer of Gordon, was born in Washington county, Ga., March 22, 1826. His father died while William was a mere lad. His mother then moved to Campbellton, Fla., where she died, leaving a family of children small and destitute. He and his brothers and sisters were then bound out, and thus provided with
1130
MEMORIAL RECORD OF ALABAMA.
homes. The man with whom William found a home became involved in a difficulty and killed another. He then fled the country, leaving William again without the protection even of a foster father. Finding himself without a home, and one sister dependent upon him for support, he came to Gordon. Ala., being then ten years of age. He was a poorly clad and a half-starved boy, and sought employment in any capacity, no matter what, so long as it provided him with support. This, however, for a long time he failed to find, until he formed the acquaintance of an old negro man who had bought his time of his master. This old negro owned a yoke of oxen and gave William the use of them for a percentage of his earnings. He thereupon began to haul wood to the town of Gordon, and worked at this business, new and hard to him, with as much attention as. his poor health would permit. He, however, persevered, and at the end of his year had taken care of himself, and of his sister, and had saved up $50. He now found employment as porter, or general man of all work, with Henry Hawley, merchant of Gordon, which position he occupied some six months. He then entered the store of Louis Bowden of Gordon as clerk, and was so attentive to business and so industrious. that he rapidly grew into the confidence of his employer. He here per- mitted his wages to accumulate in his employer's hands until he had sufficient to purchase a half-interest in the store. This purchase he made, and remained in partnership with Mr. Bowden until 1854, when he withdrew from the firm. He then formed a partnership with E. E. and J. D. Pearre in a general stock of merchandise, continuing in this business until 1858. He then sold out to his partners in 1850, and in 1859 was elected to the state senate, serving four years to the general satisfaction of his constituents. By 1861, he had amassed the enormous fortune of $100,000, which, with the exception of what was invested in lands, was swept away by the war. His health was such that he could not take an active part in in the war, but during that bloody struggle he looked after the families of those that enlisted and supplied many of the poor with food and shelter, and after the war was over he found comfortable homes for many fatherless and friendless children. He afterward located at Eufaula, but soon the loss of health by his wife caused him to return to Gordon. He then moved to his farm and continued farming in connection with his other business until his death. In 1870, he engaged in mercantile business with Mr. D. Harrell, and in 1874 bought the entire stock, which he man- aged in connection with his farming operations. Shortly afterward he formed a partnership with E. E. Pearre, selling out to his partner in 1877, turning his attention entirely to farming until 1880, when he formed a partnership with R. H. Walker, this firm opening a store in the town of Gordon and continuing one year. He then bought out Mr. Walker and ran the entire business alone until 1883. He then sold his stock to Mr. George Leslie, and this terminated his remarkable business career. He then devoted his attention to his farm for two or more years, when his
1131
PERSONAL MEMOIRS-JACKSON COUNTY.
health broke completely down. Then in the hope of recovering his health he removed to Columbus, Ga., where he died October 15, 1885. By his death there terminated a long, exemplary and useful life. He was a member of Caledonian lodge, No. 180, A. F. & A. M. He was married twice; first, April 29, 1856, to Miss Ida Ballard, who was at the time twenty-two years old. She died June 2, 1857, leaving no children. He was married the second time in August, 1861, to Miss Missouri Pynes, daughter of James and Winnifred (Register) Pynes, the former of whom was a native of South Carolina, where he grew to manhood and received his early training. Early in life he came to Alabama with his parents, who settled in Henry county, near Gordon. He was a farmer, and was elected to represent Henry county in the legislature, and served for a number of years. He was a member of the Missionary Baptist church, and died in 1873. Mrs. Pynes was born in North Carolina, and at an early age came to Alabama with her parents, who settled in Henry county, and were identified with frontier life. She died in 1861. Mrs. William Wood attained her womanhood in Henry county, and was there educated. She was married in her nineteenth year, and is the mother of four children, two of whom survive, viz .: Charlie Alice, single and living at home, and Winnie L., wife of Captain E. F. Tuttle, whose memoir appears elsewhere in this work. Mrs. Wood resides in her beautiful home one mile from Gordon, surrounded by all the comforts of life. She owns a fine planta- tion which she operates, enjoys a quasi-retired life, and the respect of all her neighbors and friends.
JACKSON COUNTY.
J. B. ALLEN, M. D., of Stevenson, Ala., was born in Granby, Mo., January 25, 1858. He came to Jackson county, Ala., with his parents in 1863, in the schools of which county he received the rudiments of his education. He then attended the Vanderbilt university, Tenn., and gradu- ated from the Tennessee Medical university at Nashville. Locating in Stevenson he began the practice of medicine, and has ever since been in practice there. He is a member of the Jackson county Medical society, and also of the Alabama Medical association. He was married in 1881 to Miss Margaret Cargile, by whom he had four children, three of whom survive, viz .: Ora, Dean, and Lee. He was married the second time to Dicey McKelvy, September. 1, 1892, of Jackson county. Dr. Allen's father was William D. Allen, a native of Jackson county, who was killed in the Confederate service ..
JOHN H. ANDERSON, lumber merchant of Bridgeport, Ala., was born in Monroe county, Ind., near Smithville, June 17, 1847. Leaving school at the age of sixteen, he remained one year on the farm, and then entered the naval service of the United States in August, 1863, and was
1132
MEMORIAL RECORD OF ALABAMA
assigned to the monitor, Milwaukee, and served on this vessel thirteen months until she was blown up by a torpedo in Mobile bay. He was then assigned to the man of-war, Genesee, and served on her three months, and he was then assigned to service on a pilot sloop, on which he served until the war closed. While on the Milwaukee he wis in the engagement on Mobile bay when Spanish fort and other forts were bombarded. On board the Genesee the bombardment continued after the Milwaukee was sunk. He was messenger during all his term of service. When Mobile surrendered he was on board the pilot sloop, and he remained on this sloop until July, 1865, when he was discharged. He was slightly wounded in the foot while on the Milwaukee. After the war was over he went to Nashville, Tenn., and remained there three months. He then returned to his home in Indiana and worked on the farm three years. He next went into the lumber business in Monroe county, Ind., and continued in that business there for a year, and then removed to Shelbyville, Tenn., where he established himself in the lumber business and carried it on for three and a half years. He was then in the same business two years in Scottsboro, Ala., next at Stevenson two years, and he then settled down in Bridgeport, Ala., in 1888, where he still remains. besides his lumber business he contracts for the erection of factory buildings, and he also has farming and milling interests at Idalia, Mo. Mr. Anderson is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, south. He was married in July, 1866, to Susannah Knott, daughter of Albert F. Knott, of Tennessee, to which marriage there were born five children, four of whom survive, viz. : Frazier A., Fanny M., William E., and Edgar T. Charles M. Anderson, the father of John H. Anderson, was born in North Carolina, and removed to Indiana when a young man. He was a Methodist preacher. He married Margaret F. Petree, who now (1892) lives in Monroe county, Ind. To his marriage there were born six children, of whom two daugh- ters died unmarried, and four children survive, viz. : John H., Ellen R., wife of N. M. Stipp, of Bedford, Ind .. Emma C., and Margaret, wife of John S. Keller, of Monroe county, Ind. Rev. Charles M. Anderson died in February, 1881.
JAMES M. BLEDSOE, president of Scottsboro Baptist college, was born in Barbour county, Ala., July 22, 1852. He was educated, first, in the schools of Barbour county, and then in the academy at Midway, Bullock county, leaving this school in January, 1873. He taught several of the classes in the academy during the second year, 1871-72. In 1873 he went to Winchester, Tenn., and was there associated with Prof. R. A. Clark, in the Carrick academy, they being the principals. He remained in that school five years, during which time the school gained a wide reputation, the attendance rapidly increasing from forty to 130. In the year 1878 Prof. R. A. Clark, Mr. Bledsoe and J. W. Terrell re-organized the academy, and founded the Winchester Normal school. Mr. Bledsoe was made professor of the classics and English literature, and held that chair
-
1133
PERSONAL MEMOIRS-JACKSON COUNTY.
until 1882. when The" accepted the chair of classics and pedagogics, in Mary Sharp college, at Winchester, which chair he held until 1889. He then removed to Scottsboro, Ala., and accepted the presidency of the Scottsboro college"and Normal school, of which he is president and pro- . fessor of the classics and philosophy. Prof. Bledsoe is a member of the American Legion of Honor, and of the Baptist church, of which he was ordained a deacon in Winchester, Tenn. He was married in 1879, to Ella Turman, daughter of B. B. Turman, of Winchester, and to this marriage there were born two daughters, viz. : Lilian and Alma. Mrs. Bledsoe died in 1890. Prof. Bledsoe is a democrat, but has never taken any active part in politics. His father, Dr. J. W. Bledsoe, was born in Butts county, Ga., in 1822. He was educated in medicine at the medical college at Augusta, Ga., and at Nashville, Tenn., graduating at both places, and parcticing in Barbour and Bullock counties, Ala., up to the time of his death in 1871. He was for a time in the Confederate service, raising a company toward the close of the war, of which he was made captain. He married Lillis Turk, a native of Alabama, and to this marriage were born seven children, of whom six grew to mature years, viz .: James M .; J. W., of Bullock county; Mary J., wife of T. J. Gains, of Winchester, Tenn .; Lillis, teacher of music in the college at Scottsboro, and principal of the music department in the normal school at Winchester, Tenn., for ten years; Lorena, wife of Mr. Lawrence, of Montgomery; Robert L., who died in 1889. The Bledsoe family is of English origin, and Mrs. Bledsoe, mother of Prof. Bledsoe, died in January 1868.
ANDREW BOYD, M. D., a practicing physician of Scottsboro, Jackson county, Ala., was born in that county, June 11, 1866. He is the son of Dr. J. H. Boyd, who was born near Wytheville, Va., October 6, 1833, and removed to Madison county, Ala., with an elder brother, Andrew, his parents being dead, when he was a child. He attended Cumberland university, at Columbia, Tenn., but did not complete the course, return- ing to Alabama, and teaching school in Marshall county, three years, and then removing to Jackson county, where he taught school two years. He was in the meantime studying medicine, and when he ceased teaching in Jackson county, he attended the Louisville Medical college during the sessions of 1859 and 1860, and 1860-61, and the medical college at Nash- ville, Tenn., graduating in 1861. April 29, 1861, he entered the Con- federate service as a member of company K, Fourth Alabama infantry, and served in that regiment most of the year 1861, being occasionally detailed for hospital duty. During 1862 he was detailed as assistant surgeon at Chimborazo hospital at Richmond, Va. He afterward went to a little village called Jerusalem, on Nodaway river, Va., and established a hospital, of which he was made assistant surgeon, and served as such several months, and was then transferred to hospital service at Peters- burg, Va., where he remained until 1864, when he was sent to Raleigh, N. C., on hospital service. Soon afterward he rejoined his regiment and
1134
MEMORIAL RECORD OF ALABAMA.
remained with it until it surrendered at Appomattox. After the war he returned to Jackson county, and has been engaged in the practice of medicine there ever since. He is a member of the Jackson county Medical society, and has at different times held all the offices of the society. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, and was married September 14, - 1865, to Miss Johnason Moore, daughter of Andrew Moore, of Jackson county, Ala., and to their marriage there have been born nine children, of whom seven survive, viz .: Andrew; Fanny; Lee; Edward; Anna; Hugh, and Mollie. Andrew Boyd, the eldest of the seven, was educated first in the schools of Jackson county, and afterward graduated at the university of Alabama, in 1884. He then entered the college of Physi- cians and Surgeons at Baltimore, Md., in the fall of 1884, and graduated there in 1887. He then spent a year in the hospital at Baltimore, and returned to Alabama, locating in Larkinsville, where he practiced with his father for a year. He then removed to Scottsboro, and in November, 1888, formed a partnership with Dr. J. P. Rorex, which still exists. Dr. Andrew Boyd is a member of the Jackson county Medical society, and of the Alabama Medical association. He has been a member of the board of censors since 1888, and also secretary of the society since that time. He was elected vice-president of the Tri-State, Alabama, Ten- nessee and Georgia, Medical association, in 1890, and served one term. He has been surgeon of the Third regiment Alabama state troops since 1889, and is a member of the Knights of Pythias. He has contributed papers to the New York Medical News, to the Alabama Medical and Surgical Age, and to the Southern Medical Journal at Atlanta.
VIRGIL BOULDIN, a lawyer of Scottsboro, Ala., was born October 20, 1866, in Jackson county, and until he was thirteen years old attended the schools of his native county. In 1881 he went to Burritt college, at Spencer, Tenn., for one year, and then to the normal school, at Win- · chester, Tenn., four years, graduating in the spring of 1886. He then taught school in Jackson county one year, and in Texas one year. He then went to Lebanon, Tenn .. and took the law course at the Cumberland university, graduating in 1889. Returning to Scottsboro, he was admitted to the bar, in February, 1889, and in April, following, formed a law partnership with W. L. Martin, the attorney general of the state. Mr. Bouldin is a democrat, and takes an active interest in politics. He is now chairman of the Jackson county executive committee, and is a member of the congressional committee of the eighth district. In 1890 and 1892 he was a delegate to the state convention, and in 1892 he was one of the committee on credentials. He belongs to the Beta Theta Pi society, and to the Baptist church. The father of Virgil Bouldin is John Bouldin, a native of Warren county, Tenn. He removed to Jackson county in 1855. He is a farmer. and was a soldier in the Confederate army, serving through the war. He married Mary Collins, a native of Jackson county, Ala., and to this marriage there have been born fourteen children, of whom twelve
1135
PERSONAL MEMOIRS-JAEKSON COUNTY.
survive, Virgil being the second of the family. John Bouldin was married twice, but had no children by his first wife.
R. W. CLOPTON, attorney-at-law, at Scottsboro, Ala., was born in Jack son county, Ala,, in March, 1857. While he was a small boy, his parents . moved to Winchester, Tenn., and he was educated at that place. Leaving school at the age of fourteen, he went to his father's farm near Winchester, and remained there three years. He then removed with his father to Dallas county, Ala., and became clerk in a store, remaining there until the summer of 1875, when he removed to Jackson county, and began teaching school. After following this profession for two years, in 1877, he went to Huntsville, Ala., and there became a law student in the office of Humes & Gordon, and was admitted to the bar in 1878, at the fall term of court. He then returned to Jackson county, Ala., and, on account of ill health, taught school for three years, instead of practicing law. In 1888, he began his practice, however, in Scottsboro, and has remained thus engaged ever since. He has taken some little interest in politics, and has been a delegate to several democratic senatorial conventions. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, south. He was married, in 1884, to Effie Barnard, daughter of J. L. Barnard, of De Kalb county, Ala., and to this marriage were born two children, Effie and Albert. The father of Mr. Clopton, Dr. A. G. Clopton, was born and reared in Madison county, Ala. He was a graduate of the medical depart- ment of the university of Kentucky, at Lexington. He practiced princi- pally at Winchester, Tenn., and in Jackson and Madison counties, Ala. He organized a company at Winchester, Tenn., in the spring of 1862, for the Confederate service, and was made its captain. Soon afterward he was made regimental surgeon, and served in that capacity through the war. He was taken prisoner at Ft. Donelson, in 1862, and made his escape almost immediately, from the fact that he had on citizens' clothes, having removed his uniform to have it washed. He was thus caught inside the Federal lines, but was given a pass by Gen. Grant, who, later on, discovered, much to his chagrin, that he had given a pass to a Confed- erate officer. Dr. Clopton married Eliza Walton, daughter of Robert Walton, of Virginia, and to this marriage were born six children, of whom three survive, viz. : Mollie, wife of J. W. Jeffers, of Ft. Payne, Ala .; Elizabeth, wife of W. C. Quarles, of Lowndes county, Ala., and R. W. Of the three that died, two died in infancy, and Emma, wife of John M. Cowen, died in 1874. The mother of these children died in 1858, and the father married, for his second wife, Jennie M. Mckenzie, née Rigney, of Madison county, Ala., by whom he has five children, only one of whom is living, viz. : Mattie, wife of Mr. Fisher, of Florida.
W. A. COFFEY, president of Jackson county bank, was born in Bed- ford county, Tenn., August 26, 1837. He is a son of Alexander H. Cof- fey, who was born in Tennessee, always lived there, was a farmer all his life and died in 1864, aged fifty-five years. He was a justice of the peace
1136
MEMORIAL RECORD OF ALABAMA
for many years. He married Nancy Weatherly, a native of Tennessee, and to them were born four children, viz. : Napoleon B., deceased; Mary, deceased wife of Pleasant Lovelady, also deceased; R. A. of Scottsboro, and W. A. W. A. Coffey was educated at the schools of Bedford county, Tenn., and came to Alabama at the age of nineteen, settling at Steven- son, where he clerked for two years for Austin, Coffey & Co., Mr. Coffey, of this firm, being his uncle. In 1858 he and his brother, R. A., pur- chased the business and carried it on until March, 1861, when he entered the Confederate service as a member of the Seventh Alabama infantry. commanded by Col. John S. Coltart. He served as a private soldier until June, 1861, when he was granted a furlough on account of ill health. In the fall of 1861 he organized a company in Jackson county, which became company C of the Thirty-first Alabama infantry. Of this company Mr. Coffey was made captain. The regiment afterward became the Forty-ninth. Mr. Coffey served as captain of his company until after the battle of Shiloh, when the regiment was reorganized, and though he did not retain his captaincy, he remained with the regiment until July 9, 1863, when he was captured at Port Hudson and immediately paroled. He was not afterward in active servive. The principal battles he was engaged in were those of Shiloh and Port Hudson, and he was in several minor engagement. After the war he went to Stevenson, remaining there until February, 1866, engaged in clerking. He then moved to Maynard's Cove, and was there engaged in farming until 1888, when he removed to Scottsboro. In February, 1889, he was made president of the Jackson county bank, which position he still retains. In March, 1892, he and his brother, R. A. Coffey, and J. W. Moody, opened a general store, which they still carry on. Mr. Coffey is largely interested in farming in Jackson county. He is a democrat, but takes but little inter- est in politics. He is a Mason and a member of the Missionary Baptist church, and he has been a deacon of his church for many years. He was married May 2, 1866, to Miss Mary E. Harris, daughter of Carter O. Har- ris, a native of Kentucky, and to this marriage were born six children, all of whom survive, viz .: Alexander Harris; Rice Abner, Eula Lee, W. A., Jr., Mamie and Vivie.
GEORGE W. FOSTER, M. D., a prominent physician of Stevenson, Ala., was born in Jackson county, December 19, 1856. He was educated first. in the county schools and then in the William and Mary Austin academy at Stevenson, Ala. Leaving school when he was twenty-one years old he immediately commenced the study of medicine with Dr. William Mason, in Jackson county, and afterward attended Vanderbilt university, grad- uating in 1882. Locating in Stevenson, he began the practice of his pro- fession there, and has remained there thus engaged ever since. He is a member of Jackson county Medical society, and was its secretary from 1882 to 1889. He was also a member of the county board of censors, and was president of the county society one year. He is also a member of
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.