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 68
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S. W. CROOK, one of the pioneers of Calhoun county, was born in Spartanburg district, S. C., in 1824, a son of James and Amelia (Owen) Crook. The father was a native of Virginia and a son of James Crook, who married a Miss Williams. The grandfather Crook was a soldier in the Revolutionary war and after the war went to South Carolina. James Crook was one of the leading politicians of South Carolina in his day and served in the legislature during the time the "Nullificaton" bill was before the house, and was a union man. Mrs. Amelia Crook's father was also a soldier in the Revolutionary war. S. W. Crook came. to Alabama with his parents in 1834, and settled on the Tallachatee bat- tle field, where the father opened up a farm, on which he resided until his death in 1849. The educational advantages of S. W. Crook were very limited and obtained at the old log school house. In 1853, he married Sallie Chisolm, a daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth (Whatley) Chisolm, who were natives of Georgia. They had five children, viz .: Millie, Dora, James E., Mamie and Samuel W. The mother is a native of Georgia and. with her husband a member of the Baptist chucrh James E. Crook was born on the old farm, but at the age of five years was taken by his pa- rents to Jacksonville for the purpose of schooling. He attended the common school at Jacksonville, and in 1875 he entered the high school at Cave Spring, Ga., and remained nearly three years and in 1878, entered the state university of Alabama, from whcih he graduated in 1881, and immediately began the study of medicne with M. F. Ladel of Cedartown, Ga .; the same year he took one course of lectures at the Medical college at Atlanta and in 1882 went to Nashville and attended two courses at the Vanderbilt university, graduated with the highest honors and was made valedictorian; he was then the youngest member of the class. Returning to his old home, Alexandria, he beagn the practice of his chosen pro- fession and now has a very large patronage. The Crook family is one of the oldest and most highly respected of the county.
DR. J. F. M. DAVIS, an eminent physician of Calhoun county, was born in South Carolina, January 12, 1839. His parents, John and Catha- rine (Savage) Davis were both natives of South Carolina. The father was a mechanic and was a son of Miram Davis. Mrs. Catharine Davis was a daughter of Robert Savage, whose father was a soldier in the Revolutionary war. Dr. J. F. M. Davis was reared in South Carolina, received but a common school education, and his parents being very poor, he had to make his own way in the world, and let it be said to his credit.
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that he is a self-made man. By hard work and close economy he man- aged to save enough to make his own way through college. In 1859 he entered the Atlanta Medical college, and graduated in 1860. He located, in 1861, at the old home at Unionville, but before he started in his prac- tice, he enlisted in April, 1861, in company A, Johnston's rifles. He shouldered his gun and went to the front as a pirvate and after serving one year the regiment was reorganized into a regiment known as the Palmetto Sharpshooters, and in 1862, he was put into the medical depart- ment and there remained until the close of the war. After hostilities ceased, he located in Louisa county, Va., where he remained until 1867, when he came to Alabama, located at Choccolocco and began the prac- tice of his profession and has since met with abundant success. In Feb- ruary, 1865, he married Mary Britt, of Virginia, daughter of John T., and Malinda B. Britt. Mrs. Davis died in 1869, and in 1871 the doctor married Alice Mallory, daughter of William and Eliza J. (Lowery) Mallory, who were early settlers of Calhoun county, and bought their lands from the Indians. The children of this union still living are: Jessie M., Lida G., Mallory, James and Cleveland. The mother was born and reared near Choccolocco. The doctor and wife are members of the Baptist church, and he, also, Is a member of the Masonic order. The doctor has been very successful as a practitioner and he is a man that has the entire con- fidence of all who know him. He has served as justice of the peace of his beat, and has been postmaster since Grant's last term. He has also been engaged in mercantile business since before there was any town of Choccolocco.
WILLIAM H. FORNEY .- William H. Forney was born in Lincolnton, N. C., November 9, 1823. His father was Jacob Forney, his grandfather, Gen. Peter Forney, both of whom were engaged in the manufacture of iron. His mother was the daughter of Hon. Daniel Hoke of Lincoln county. In 1835 the Forney family removed to Calhoun county, Ala. Young Eorney attended the state university and was graduated there in 1844. He read law with his brother D. P. Forney in Jacksonville. He was carried to Mexico, by the spirit of the volunteer. proceeding there with Coffey's First Alabama volunteers. He served for one year in Mexico and returned home to continue his law studies. In 1848 he was admitted to the bar, forming a partnership with James B. Martin. He was honored in 1859 with a seat in the legislature. The war beginning, he promptly volunteered, entering the service as captain of company G, Tenth Alabama infantry. At Drainesville he suffered a wound in the leg and was disabled to do duty for two months. When he returned he had been promoted to a majority. As inajor he was under fire at Yorktown, and at Williamsburg he had an arm shattered. He was then promoted to a lieutenant-colonelcy. He was captured by the enemy while quartered in William and Mary college. He was exchanged in four months, and resuming his soldiers life was wounded at Salem church in the leg. At
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Gettysburg he led his regiment and was wounded in the same place he had been shot at Williamsburg, and after falling, a ball carried away a part of one heel bone. He was taken prisoner and remained a prisoner for thirteen months in Fort McHenry and Fort Delaware. He was one of fifty officers selected by the Federals to be placed on Morris Island within range of the Confederate batteries. He was spared so cruel an experience, as were the others, by an adjustment that caused the plan to be dropped. In 1864 while still on crutches he rejoined his command and was shortly promoted to a position of brigadier general, being placed in command of Wilcox's brigade, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th 13th and 14th Alabama. He con- tinued in service throughout the remainder of the war, surrendering his command 1,050 strong at Appomattox. He returned to Jacksonville and again took up the practice of the law. In 1865 he was elected to the state senate and served there until a new era and new men came in with the reconstruction acts of congress. In 1874, after a warm contest before the convention, he was nominated as a candidate at large for the state for con - gress. on the democratic ticket, and was elected. He was renominated in his own district, the seventh, in 1876 and has served continuously in congress since. He declined a renomination and will accordingly retire from the house of representatives in March, 1893. In congress, Gen. Forney has been for years a conspicuous member. He was for a long time the right hand man of Samuel J. Randall on the committee of appro- priations, and in the fifty-second congress he was tendered the chairman- ship of that committee. Gen. Forney was an infrequent speaker, but his wide and large experience, eminently qualified him for a dignified and useful carreer as a national legislator. He leaves Washington accom- panied by the best wishes of thousands of friends and admirers through- out the state. Gen. Forney's wife is the daughter of E. L. Woodward of Calhoun county, to whom he was married October 4th, 1854. He has five living children.
JOSEPH A. GABOURY, a proimnent civil engineer and railroad contrac- tor of Jacksonville, Ala., was born near Montreal, Can., in 1852. He is a son of Francis and Catharine (Lavigne) Gabuory, both of whom were natives of Canada. The ancestors of Mr. Gaboury were among the early discoverers of America, coming to this country in 1642, and afterward settling first in Canada. Joseph A. Gaboury was reared and educated in Canada until he was eighteen years of age, having attended by this time the university, and taken a classical course and a course in civil engineering. Graduating at the age of eighteen, he remained a short time in Canada, and was soon engaged as civil engineer on the Cincinnati Southern railway. He aftewrard served in the same capacity on the Big Sandy railroad; on the Fort Worth & Denver City railroad; on the Knox- ville & Ohio railroad; on the Western North Carolina railroad; on the Tidesville and Lake Harney railroad; on the Georgia division of the East Tennessee, Virginia & Georgia railroad; on the Blue Mountain
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Mineral railroad; on the Arcadia, Gulf Coast & Lakeland railorad; on the Columbus, Ga., street railroad, and on the Capital City street rail- road, Montgomery, Ala .; on all these railroads working as contractor as well as engineer, except the Fort Worth & Denver City railroad. The steet railways in Columbus, Ga., and Montgomery, Ala., he built and owned, but afterward sold them. In 1885, he adopted electricity as a motive power and claims to have been the first man in the United States to successfully and practically apply electricity as a motive power, and that in Montgomery, Ala. He is a large real estate owner and dealer, one of the largest in the state. He is the sole owner of the Blue Moun- tain railroad, in connection with which he intends opening up extensive iron beds, owned by himself. In 1876 he married Miss Marion Dolan of Georgia, by whom he had one child-John D .. Mrs. Gaboury was born and reared in Columbus, Ga., and died in 1882. In 1884 Mr. Gaboury married Alice O'Dwyer of Montgomery, Ala., by whom he had four child- ren: Francis, Charles, Arthur and Philip. The mother of these chil- dren died in 1891, and in 1892, Mr. Gaboury married Miss Carrie Frank of Jacksonville. Both Mr. and Mrs. Gaboury are members of the Roman Catholic church.
DR. W. GLOVER, one of the oldest settlers in Calhoun county, was born in South Carolina, October 21, 1822, a son of Willis and Susan (Wightt) Glover, both natives of Virginia. The father, Willis Glover, was always a farmer. The mother was a daughter of Truman and Martha (Burt) Wightt. The grandmother, Burt, had seven brothers who fought through the Revolutionary war, and not one ever received a wound, although they stayed through the seven years. Dr. W. Glover was reared until seventeen years of age in South Carolina and then came to Alabama with his guardian, Alfred Wightt. His father having died when the doctor was but one year of age, the latter's early advantages were very poor for schooling, but when he became twelve years of age his guardian sent him to school at Pendleton Court House, S. C. He attended one year and then went to Anderson, in Anderson district, where he attended four years, and then in 1839, came to Alabama, and entered the Louisville (Kentucky) school of medicine. remained one term and came home. Preferring the quiet life of a farm to that of a profes- sional life, he dropped medicine and began farming, of which he made a great success. He first began with three slaves, and at the close of the war he lost fifty-two. But he sold his farm for $14,000. In 1846, he had enlisted in the Mexican war under Capt. Earle, who was afterward lieutenant-colonel in that war and was a general in the late war. He served about six months, when he was taken sick and was discharged. In 1864, he enlisted in the late war in company A, Thirty-first Alabama. regiment, under Gen. John T. Morgan and served about one year; he was detailed to assist in working lead mines in Calhoun county, and the war closed while he was at this point. When the war ended he was
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bankrupt, but began again to regain his lost fortunes, has succeeded well and now owns 600 acres of fine land, which is under a good state of cul- tivation. He also runs a gin in connection with his farming. In 1847 he married Angeline S. Killough, daughter of Isaac and Martha (Beard) Killough. Of the eight children born to this marriage four are living: William, John M., Henry B., and Thomas M. The mother was born in Birmingham, Ala., in 1832; she died in 1884, a member of the Presby- terian church, of which he has been an elder thirty years. The doctor is one of the leading citizens of the county and says "he was born a dem- ocrat and does not know anything else."
W. B. GREEN, a prominent citizen of Calhoun county, was born in South Carolina in 1831, a son of William and Nancy A. (Bates) Green. The parents were both born in Greenville district, S. C., and came with their families to Alabama in 1833 and first settled near Jaksonville, where the father rented land two years, when he came to near where the E. & W. junction now stands, where he opened a farm. There was not a stick disturbed when he first settled on this land, but by hard work he soon cleared up his farm and was repaid with fields of flourishing grain. He was a aon of Isaac and Phebe Green, both natives of South Carolina. Mrs. Nancy A. Green, was a daughter of John and Nancy Bates, both South Carolinians. The Greens are supposed to be de- scendants of Gen. Green of Revolutionary fame. W. B. Green was reared on the farm. He attended school but little, and that between crop times. In 1853 he married Lydia A. Prater, daughter of Balis and Eliza (Alanis) Prater, both of South Carolina. Of their eleven children, eight are liv- ing: Mary, Alice, Martha, Nancy, Belle, Francis, Miller B., and Joseph. The mother was born in South Carolina in 1835, came to Alabama with her parents about 1840. Mr. Green beagn life with some money, which was all lost in the war. He has always been a farmer and in connection he runs a gin and grist and flour mill. In 1885 he engaged in mercantile business at E. &. W.junction. He now owns over 600 acres of good land, the most of which is under cultivation. In 1861, Mr. Green enlisted in company G, Capt. Henry Forney, Tenth Alabama regiment. He was with Gen. Joe E. Johnston in his famous retreat and served through the entire war. He was never wounded, but had several horses shot under him. In religion he is a Baptist and in politics a democrat.
REV. W. S. GRIFFIN, a leading minister of Calhoun county, was born in Greenville district, S. C., February 6, 1845, a son of Green and To- bitha (King) Griffin, both natives of South Carolina. The father was a son of Henry Griffin; the mother was a daughter of Robert and Martha King. Grandfather King was a Baptist and prominently known over his state as an earnest worker for the church, and devoted the most of his life to the service of the Lord. Green Griffin came to Alabama in 1857 and settled in Calhoun county, where he remained till his death in' 1882. He and wife were devoted members of the Baptist church.
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Rev. W. S. Griffin was reared on the farm. His early educational ad- vantages were limited; he obtained the rudiments of English, however, in the common schools, but the most of his knowledge was acquired by hard study at his home. He joined the Baptist church at the age of twenty-six years and began his ministerial work in 1871, was ordained a minister in 1876, and since that time has devoted the most of his time to the church. Since he began his work for Christ he has baptized over 200 souls and has performed over fifty marriage ceremonies. In 1872 he married Mary Allen, daughter of Matthew and Rebecca (Drummond) Allen. Matthew Allen was a soldier of 1812, represented Calhoun county in the state legislature several years, and was one of the leading and prominent men of the county during his life. Mrs. Mary Griffin is also a member of the Baptist church. Dr. Griffin is a prominent member of the Masonic order and was chaplain of his lodge at Alexandria two years. In 1863 he enlisted in the late war in company A, Thirty-first Alabama regiment, under Capt. Hughes, and served till the close of the war. He joined Gen. Joe E. Johnston's army at Dalton, and was with it from that time in all its campaigns till the surrender. After the war he returned to Calhoun county, and began farming in con- nection with his ministerial work, and little by little he accumulated, until he now owns 300 acres of fine land, which was settled by his father-in-law in 1833. Mr. Griffin is one of those kind-hearted men who are always ready and willing to lend a helping hand to those in need. He is a progressive citizen and a liberal contributor to all legitimate enterprises.
W. M. HUGHES, one of the pioneers of Calhoun county, was born in South Carolina, April 14, 1817, a son of Lankford and Nutty (Reeves Hughes, both also natives of South Carolina. The father was a son of Moses and Telitha Hughes, both natives of Virginia. Mrs. Nutty Hughes was a daughter of William and Jane (White) Reeves, both natives of Virginia. Lankford Hughes was reared in South Carolina was always a farmer and remained in South Carolina until 1837, when he removed to Georgia, where he remained until 1842, when he came to Alabama and settled near Edwardsville, Claburne county, where he remained about ten years, then moved to a farm about one and a half miles north of Choccolocco, where he died in 1862, at the age of sixty- seven years, a strict member of the "Hardshell" Baptist church. He came to Alabama a vey poor man, but succeeded well and became one of the wealthy farmers of the county. W. M. Hughes was reared on the farm and attended school in a little cabin, in the winter, and during the summer season would help his father in the farm work. He has plowed many a day with rawhide traces, and the only wagon used at that time was what is called a truck wagon, with wheels sawed off of a sweet gum tree. At that time they had to haul their tobacco to Charleston, S. C., a distance of 100 miles. After his father moved to Georgia, W. M. Hughes
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went back to South Carolina to make some collections, and while there he thought he would take a wife back to his new home with him, but when the time came the father of the young lady entered a very vigorous pro- test to the match; but not to be outdone, arrangements were made and January 12, 1855, he married Margaret Ritchie, daughter of Joseph and Jane (Roberts) Ritchie. This union resulted in the birth of eight chil- dren, of whom five are still liying: Eliza, Caroline, Nancy, James and Amanda. The mother was born and raised in South Carolina, and died a member of the Baptist church. In 1862, Mr. Hughes, married Emily Harrison (widow of John T. O'Neal). The children now living, born to this union, are John, Emma, Selety, Deanna, R. L., Enoch, Mary and Callie. The mother was born in Georgia and died August 13, 1891. In December, 1891, Mr. Hughes married Susan Thompson, widow of James Pollock. He is a member of the Baptist church. When he began life for himself all he had was a mare that his father gave him, and after a few months his father-in-law relented and asked him to come to see him and, strange to say, when the father-in-law came to die, in making his will he willed his personal property to his daughters, but to Mr. Hughes he willed the real porperty direct. In his early life, Mr. Hughes fol- lowed teaming, and many a time he has swung a six mile team; and although he began without anything, he is now one of the substantial citizens of Calhoun county and at one time owned 700 acres; he now owns 600 acres of fine land in the Cheekeleeke valley. In 1862 he en- listed in the late war in Brabeau battalion under Capt. Bowie and was at Selma when it was taken by the Yankees.
JOHN B. KNOX, a prominent young attorney at Anniston, Ala., was born in Talladega county, in 1857. He is a son of James C. and Mary J. (Bowie) Knox, the former of whom was a native of Georgia, who came to Alabama in 1833, and was one of the leading physicians of Alabama in his day. Miss Mary J. Bowie was a native of South Carolina and a daughter of Alexander W. and Susan (Jack) Bowie, the former of whom was chancellor of his district for many years. John B. Knox was reared in Alabama, received a good common school education, and began the study of law when eighteen years of age. He was admitted to the bar in 1878 and began the practice of law in Talladega, remaining there until January 1, 1889. He, at that time, removed to Anniston, and at once entered upon the practice of the profession there, and is now one of the most prominent attorneys in the city. He has also taken an active inter- est in politics, and was a delegate at large to the democratic state con- vention in 1888. In 1884 he was married to Miss Carrie McClure, of Marshall county, Tenn., daughter of Dr. Robert G. and Mary E. (Ewing) McClure. To this marriage have been born two children, Carrie McC. and Mary L. Mrs. Knox was born and reared in Tennessee and both she and her husband are members of the Presbyterian church. The Knox family, to which John B. Knox belongs, is directly descended from
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John Knox, the great Scottish reformer, who was the principal author of the original confession of faith of the reformed church. Mr. Knox is one of the leading attorneys of Calhoun county and has a large practice. He is also one of the leading politicians of the democratic party in this county. For so young a man Mr. Knox has made great and commend- able progress, and from such a beginning almost any attainable success may be predicted.
REV. MARSHALL HALL LANE, D. D., pastor of the Baptist church in Jacksonville, Ala., was born at Washington, Wilkes county, Ga., July 9, 1845. He is a son of Dr. James H. and Mary C. (Simpson) Lane, both natives of the same county. Dr. James H. Lane took a classical course of study at Mercer university, located at Macon, Ga. and graduated from the medical department of the university of Georgia, located at Athens. He has always been devoted to the medical profession and has been un- usually successful. He is a member of the Baptist church and of the Masonic fraternity. His wife is a daughter of William Simpson, one of the pioneer settlers of Wilkes county, Ga., who was a native of Virginia and of Scotch ancestry. Dr. and Mrs. Lane were the parents of five children, three sons and two daughters. Dr. Lane's father was the Rev. Micajah A. Lane, a Baptist divine, who removed with his parents from Virginia to Georgia when but six years old, and after a long, successful and popular ministry died in 1887 at the great age of ninety-seven years. Rev. Marshall Hall Lane was educated at Wright and Hoys' high school and at the age of seventeen became a member of Wingfield's battery of Cutt's battalion, A. B. Hill's corps, army of Virginia. He was at the battle ot Gettysburg and in all the subsequent battles fought by the army of Virginia until the close of the war, though he was at home on furlough at the time of the surrender of Lee. Immediately after the war he entered Rockby institute, taught by Col. R. M. Johnson, a noted southern author. He afterward entered the university of Virginia and studied law two years. In each of these institutions he paid his own tuition and he also educated one of his brothers. After leaving the university of Virginia he became a law partner of Gen. Toombs and DuBose and prac- ticed law as a member of this firm many years. Since then he has devoted all his time to the ministry and to education. He has been pastor of several Baptist churches in Georgia and at the Central Baptist church in Nashville, Tenn. He traveled two years as an evangelist in Tennessee, Kentucky and Arkansas. He had charge of the Hern institute, Ga., from 1871 to 1877, and of the Baptist church at Cave Springs, Ga., from 1872 to 1877. He was also pastor for two years of Alpine Baptist church, in Talladega county. He received the honorary degree of D. D. in 1886, from the university of Alabama. He has been pastor of the Baptist church, at Jacksonville, Ala., since 1877. Dr. Lane is a strong democrat, and just after the war he was mainly instrumental in securing election of the first democratic ticket in Wilkes county, Ga. His friends
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made an effort to secure for him the nomination for congress in the seventh district, and though he had earnest and active support he was defeated by combination of the other counties against him. This, how- ever, did not dampen his ardor for the success of the ticket and he is now, as he has always been, ready to work and vote for the success of his party's nominee. Dr. Lane was married October 6, 1868, to Miss Undine Brown, daughter of the celebrated Dr. Algernon S. Brown, one of the most successful physicians whoever practiced medicine in Georgia. To this union were born twelve children, namely: John S., Edward McIntosh, Mary Undine, Louise E., Sidney B., Eugene C., Bluebell C., James A., Marshall H., Jr., Marguerite T. and Reynolds. One boy died in infancy.
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