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 72

Author: Taylor, Hannis, 1851-1922; Wheeler, Joseph, 1836-1906; Clark, Willis G; Clark, Thomas Harvey; Herbert, Hilary Abner, 1834-1919; Cochran, Jerome, 1831-1896; Screws, William Wallace; Brant & Fuller
Publication date: 1893
Publisher: Madison, Wis., Brant & Fuller
Number of Pages: 1164

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 72

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PERSONAL MEMOIRS-CHAMBERS COUNTY.

class of 1888. During the last year of Mr. Bludsoe's college life he deter - mined to devote himself to preaching the gospel, and in the spring of 1888 he was ordained by the Baptist church at Georgetown and the fol- lowing October took charge of the Cane Run church near Lexington, Ky. In August preceding he was married to Miss Rena L. Cason, a lovely and gifted lady, well suited to be a helpmate in his life work. In one brief year, however, she died, leaving an infant daughter, Rena L., who is now (1893) the wife of Mr. W. E. Riordan, a merchant of Dawson, Ga. Failing health forced Mr. Bledsoe to a more temperate climate, and in 1870, he removed to his old home in Alabama, locating in La Fayette where he at present (1893) resides. On October 11, 1871, he married Miss Sallie E. Higgins, daughter of Col. Harvey J. Higgins of La Fayette county, Mo. She is a woman of sterling worth, possessing many noble quailties of mind and heart. Four children are the fruits of this' marriage; two died in infancy and two survive. The elder, a son, John Harvey, who is (1893) a cadet at the Marion Military institute, Marion, Ala. the younger, a daughter, Mary Susan, is a member of the graduat- ing class of 1893 at La Fayette college. In 1890, Howard college confer- red upon Mr. Bledsoe the degree of D. D. Since 1889, he has been vice- president for Alabama of the Foreign Mission board of the Southern Baptist convention. He served his denomination, also, for some years as a member of the state board of missions, and of the Bible and Col- portage board. Dr. Bledsoe has been pastor of the Baptist church at La Fayette sixteen out of the twenty past years. In 1890, he succeeded in building a new house of worship, which is one of the prettiest in the state. He is greatly loved by his flock and is one of the prominent min- isters of the Baptist denomination in Alabama; he is an eloquent preacher as well as a popular gentleman. Dr. B. is a stanch friend of the cause of education, having been for a number of years superintendent of education for his county. He is also prominent in Masonic circles, having been for more than a dozen years grand chaplain of the grand lodge of the state.

THOMAS BOAZMAN, a farmer of Chambers county, is a son of Bain- bridge and Rebecca (Rudd) Boazman. The former was a native of South Carolina, was reared and married there. In 1838, soon after his mar- riage, he came to Alabama, locating in Lee county, and afterward remov ing to Chambers county, eight miles southeast of Opelika, living there from that time until his death, which occurred April 22, 1891. He was a planter by occupation, and was very successful, but seldom took much interest in politics. He was a member of the Christian church at Shady Grove, Lee county, Ala. The Boazmans are in all probability, of Irish descent. Thomas Boazman was born February 20, 1839, near the old homestead in Lee county. He enlisted in- company A, Fourteenth Ala- bama infantry, as a private soldier, in July, 1861, and served in that reg- iment until December of the same year, when he was discharged on ac-

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count of ill health. In August, 1862, he again entered the army, and in the battle of Sharpsburg, just one month after his second enlistment, he was wounded, having all the fingers of his left hand shot away. He was again discharged, and did not again enter the active service of the Confederacy, although he did some service as a member of the conscription corps. Upon returning from the war he lived on a part of the old home- stead until 1884, when he removed to Talladega, and lived there one year. In 1886 he removed to his present farm near Marcoot postoffice, where he owns a plantation of 400 acres of land and runs six plows. he was married November 1, 1864, in Lee county, to Sallie Lewis, by whom he had eight children, viz. : B. M., who lives near his father; John L., salesman of Sycamore, Ala .; Mark, who farms with his father; James B., who lives at home; Stella, wife of W. J. Meadors, of Wise posto ffice, Ala ; Sallie, Thomas and David. Politically Mr. Boazman is a democrat, he is a Mason and a member of the Christian church of Shady Grove, Lee county. Mr. Boazman also runs a store in connection with his farm.

F. P. BROCK, merchant of La Fayette, Ala., is a son of J. T. and Sarah ( Baugh ) Brock, the former of whom was born in South Carolina in 1820. When he was a child his mother died, and he was taken by an aunt, named Mary Crayton, and reared by her. She at the time lived at Greenville, and shortly afterward moved to Augusta, Ga. When he was twelve years old she removed to McDonough, Ga., and about this time he began attending the university of Georgia at Athens, where he was educated. When about eighteen or twenty years of age his aunt moved to La Fayette, and here he studied law in the office of Robert Baugh. He was admitted to the bar and began the practice of his profession at that place. He was married in 1843 at the age of twenty-three, in La Fayette, to Sarah Baugh, of an excellent family which was among the early settlers in this region.' Mr. and Mrs. Brock had a family of eight children, viz .: Mary, now Mrs. Meador of Atlanta, Ga .; Annie deceased wife of W. H. Pope, of Macon, Ga .; J. T., cotton broker of San Antonio, Texas; W. L., merchant of Montgomery, Ala. ; Sallie, wife of W. L. Jeter, Atlanta, Ga., and Lucia, wife of W. C. Rawson, of Atlanta, Ga. The father of these children died in 1864, but the mother still lives in La Fayette. F. P. Brock was born November 15, 1853, in La Fayette, Ala., and received an academic educa- tion. He began business for himself, in 1881, as a partner of Dr. F. A. Trammel, the firm name being Trammel, Brock & Co., which kept a general store. That firm continued two years, and in 1883 Mr. Brock withdrew from it and formed a partnership with J. M. Tucker and William Ratchford, under the firm name of Tucker, Brock & Co. This firm also ran a general store. In 1892 Mr. Brock sold his interest in this business, and he is not now engaged in any business. He was married April 18, 1888, in La Fayette, Ala., to Sallie Frederick, daughter of Dr. A. H. R. Frederick. To this marriage two children have been born, viz. :

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Lillian, and an infant, deceased. Mr. Brock and his family are among the best people in the county.

N. D. DENSON is a son of Augustus R. and Elizabeth (Ivey) Denson. Augustus R. Denson was born in Franklin county, N. C., and reared in Hancock county, Ga., and when yet a young man came to Alabama, locat. ing in Russell county. He first_settled on a plantation near Uchee, mar- ried in 1838 and lived there until his death, which occurred October 16, 1871. By occupation he was a planter, in politics he was an ardent whig, and he was a member of the Baptist church. His father was John E. Denson, a native of North Carolina, but of Scotch-Irish ancestry. The Iveys were from Georgia, Miss Elizabeth Ivey having been reared in Oglethorpe county. Augustus R. Denson and wife reared a family of ten children, six of whom are now living, viz .: Mary J., unmarried and living in Etowah county; Julia F., wife of John R. Walker, of Etowah county ; William H., lawyer of Gadsden; Eugenia Ivey, wife of John B. Ivey, of Etowah county; Robert H., of Grundy county, Mo., and N. D. Denson. This gentleman was born June 20, 1856, in Russell county, Ala., and moved to LaFayette, Chambers county, in 1871, where he has resided ever since. In 1873-74-75 he attended Auburn college, leaving the insti- tution in his junior year. He then studied law in the office of his brother, William H., in Lafayette, and in 1877 was admitted to the bar by the chancery court. He first formed a partnership with J. J. Robinson, under the firm name of Robinson & Denson, which remained intact until 1882, when it was dissolved on account of the appointment of Mr. Robin- son as judge of probate. In 1883 Mr. Denson formed a partnership with J. R. Dowdell, under the firm name of Dowdell & Denson, which con- tinued until 1885, when it was dissolved, and since that time Mr. Denson has practiced alone. In 1881 he was elected mayor of Lafayette and was thrice re-elected. In 1884 he became the nominee of the democratic party for the state senatorship, to represent the ninth senatorial district com- posed of Chambers and Randolph counties. He was opposed by Rev. Henry R. McCoy, an independent standard bearer, and defeated Mr. McCoy by a large majority. Mr. Denson was then but twenty-eight years old, and as the Rev. McCoy was an old "war horse" in politics, very popular individually, and conceded to be one of the best campaigners in eastern Alabama, the victor very naturally felt a high degree of satis- faction at the result of the election. Mr. Denson served one term in the state senate. The most important legislation during that period was that concerning the powers of the railroad commission, and what is known as the "strangulated county" legislation. Upon the expiration of his sena- torial term in 1888 he was nominated by his party without any solicita- tion on his part for representative in the legislature, was elected and served one term. In 1992 he was nominated by the straight democracy for judge of the fifth judicial circuit. In the convention, he had three opponents for the honor, but was nominated on the fourteenth ballot,

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the opposition considering it useless to nominate a candidate to oppose him. He was elected at the August election, and is now serving in that position. Judge Denson was married December 19, 1883, at Cusseta, Ala., to Miss Carrie Vernon, daughter of John N. Vernon. To this marriage there have been born three children, John V., Nimrod D., Jr. and Carrie L. As has been already stated Judge Denson is a democrat, and he is a master Mason, a Knight of Pythis and a member of the Baptist church. He is a deacon of his church and superintendent of the Sunday-school. Judge Denson is one of the strong men of his county, an able lawyer, an upright judge and a highly esteemed citizen.

J. R. DOWDELL, judge of the fifth judicial circuit, is a son of James F. and Sarah (Render) Dowdell. James F. Dowdell was born in Harris county, Ga., November 26, 1818. His father was a Virginian of Irish de- scent, and a wealthy planter, and his mother was a distant relative of Henry Clay. The Dowdell ancestors came from Armagh county, Ireland, in colonial times, and its history can be traced back more than five hun- dred years. It was often prominent in governmental positions. Judge J. R. Dowdell has a family tree complete extending back into the thirteenth century. Upon coming from Ireland the Dowdells settled near Spottsyl- vania, Va., and became connected with the best people of the state. Lewis J. Dowdell, father of James F. Dowdell, was born in Virginia, re- moved to Jasper county, Ga., with a brother, returned to Virginia, and there married a Miss Elizabeth Farley, returned to Georgia, settled permanently in Harris county, and there lived the remainder of his days. He reared three sons and one daughter, and died in 1848. James F. Dow- dell was reared to manhood in his native county. He graduated at Ran- dolph-Macon college, at Ashland, Va., and read law in the office of General Hugh Haralson, in LaGrange, Ga. He was married in Menri- wether county, Ga., and lived there from that time, in 1841, to 1845, when he removed to Chambers county, Ala. Here he lived some years and then removed to Auburn. Lee county; for the purpose of educating his children. Here the family lived until it was broken up by the scattering of the children and by death. James F. Dowdell was a prominent demo- crat in his day. In 1851 he was a candidate for the legislature, but was defeated. The next year he was an elector on the Pierce and King ticket and in 1853 he was elected to congress, defeating the Hon. Thomas G. Garrett of Calhoun county, by a majority of 3,115. In 1855 he was again elected to congress, defeating the Hon. Thomas H. Watts, and in 1857 he was once more elected, defeating the Hon. Thomas J. Judge. He then voluntarily retired and took no further part in politics until 1861, when he represented Chambers county in the secession convention and voted for the ordinance of secession. In the winter of 1861 -- 62 he raised the Thirty-seventh Alabama infantry, and led it to the field as its colonel. He served in the western army until 1863, participating in the battles of Corinth, of Iuka, the siege of Vicksburg, and other battles. The expo-

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sure was however too severe on his constitution; his health gave way and he was compelled to retire just before the Georgia campaign, and did not again actively participate. He however refused to resign, thinking it a bad example to set, but he was retired by a medical board. He was a man of fine education and in 1866 he was elected president of the East Alabama Male college at Auburn, which position he held until 1870, when he was compelled to resign on account of feeble health. His death oc- curred in September, 1871. In 1858 he became a minister of the Metho- dist Episcopal church, and after the war he was regularly ordained. He then devoted much of his time to preaching the gospel. He reared a family of seven, four sons and three daughters, viz .: A. G., of Opelika, Ala .; Elizabeth, wife of A. H. Reed, of Opelika, Ala .; J. R .; L. A., of Houston, Texas; Susan A., deceased wife of Harry Brown; M. C., wife of George E. Driver, of Opelika, Ala .; Joshua S., of La Fayette, Ala. The mother of these children died in December, 1887. J. R. Dowdell was born April 2, 1847, in Chambers county, four miles south of La Fayette. He entered the university of Alabama in June, 1864, and participated in all the exciting events connected with the burning of the institution by the Yankees. The cadets were in the service at times during the war at Mobile and northern Alabama. His education was completed at the Auburn school in 1867. The next year he entered the school room as a teacher in a private school at La Fayette, and afterwards at Opelika, for a period of two and a half years. During this time he read law and was admitted to the bar in the fall of 1869, at Opelika. He began practice the next year at that place. In 1876 he was elected solicitor of the ninth judicial circuit, which office he held four years. In 1878 he removed to La Fayette, and when his term of office expired in 1880, he resumed the practice of law which he continued until appointed judge of the fifth judi- cial circuit in 1888. Since then he has devoted himself to the perform- ance of the duties pertaining to his office. He was married in La Fayette, in 1878, to Miss Ella Ware, daughter of Jonathan Ware, a member of a prominent family in the county. Jonathan Ware represented the county in the legislature several terms. Two children have been born to their marriage, Annie Love and Sarah. Politically Judge Dowdell is a demo- crat. He is a master Mason, a Knight of Pythias and a Knight of Honor, and he and his family are members of the Methodist Episcopal church, south. The Render family, to which Mrs. Dowdell belongs, is an old Georgia family, Mrs. Dowdell being a daughter of Judge James Render, county judge for many years of Merriwether county.

THOMAS H. GRIMMETT, a farmer of La Fayette, Ala., is a son of William M. and Martha (Hester) Grimmett, the former of whom was a native of Georgia, born in Butts county, in 1810. He was reared there and went to Troup county when a young man. He was married in 1830, and lived in Troup county a short time and then moved to Chambers county, Ala., settling seven miles east of La Fayette, where he lived the

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remainder of his life, dying in 1864, his wife having died in 1863. He was a man of great energy and industry, and accumulated considerable prop- erty. In politics he was an old line whig, though he did not take an active part in politics. In religion he was a Methodist. To him and his wife were born ten children, only two of whom are now living, viz .: " Thomas H., and Artemisia, widow of Whitmel H. Williams, who now lives eleven miles east of La Fayette. Thomas H. Grimmett was born in Chambers county, Ala., July 24, 1838. He enlisted as a private soldier in Bell's battalion of cavalry in 1862, and served in the western army until the surrender. He was in the battle of Corinth, where Albert Sydney Johnston was killed. He was also in the battles of Perryville, Murfrees- boro, Mission Ridge, Chickamauga, and the Atlanta campaign, and in an engagement during the latter campaign, was badly injured by his horse falling on him, incapacitating him for further active service. He, how- ever, did perform detailed duty, and after the war he returned home and found every thing had been turned into Confederate money, except the slaves, and they were, of course, free. His father and mother had both died since he was away, and besides all this he had on his hands to support a widowed sister with three small children. He farmed for a while on rented land but finally, in 1870, purchased the place where he now lives. He has 400 acres of land two miles south of La Fayette. He was married Decem- ber 5, 1863, in La Fayette to Miss Louisa Towles, of an old Alabama family. She is a daughter of John C. Towles, a prominent citizen of the county. Col. Towles was a leading politician, and frequently served in the legislature. By this marriage Mr. Grimmett has six children, viz: Kate, wife of J. J. Robinson, of LaFayette, Ala. ; Dora T., single and living at home; Georgia Key, single; Elizabeth Diamond, single; Mary Jane, sin- gle; and William Ely. Politically Mr. Grimmett is a democrat, and he is a Knight of Pythias and a member of the Baptist church. Mr. Grimmett is a practical and substantial farmer and is well informed on all practical subjects. He is an industrious and thrifty man and a good manager. He is well connected, of high standing as to character, and is highly esteemed by the whole community.

JAMES M. OLIVER, a prominent lawyer of La Fayette, Ala., is a son of Florence M. and Hannah K. (Banks, Oliver. The former was a farm- er, born, reared and married in Elbert county. Ga. In 1838, the family moved to Chambers county, Ga., settling ten miles west of La Fayette, and living there until the death of Mr. Oliver, which occurred in 1854. Mrs. Oliver had died in Elbert county, Ga., when James M. was two years old. Mr. Oliver was a quiet, energetic and thrifty farmer, a whig in politics and a Methodist in religion. The Oliver family are of English origin, came to this country and settled in Virginia about 1700. Diony- sius Oliver was the first representative of his family in this country. The Olivers were prominent people in government affairs, and a great grandfather of James Oliver served in the Revolutionary war. Grand-

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father McCarty Oliver was a boy at that time. He married a Miss Clark of a prominent Virginia family. Dionysius Oliver was one of the early settlers in Elbert county, Ga., was an extensive planter, and assisted to survey the counties of the state. Mrs. Hannah K. Oliver was born and reared in Elbert county, Ga., and her family was a very prominent one in the state. The first annual conference of the Methodist Episcopal church met at the house of Ralph Banks, the grandfather of Mrs. Oliver. Florence M. and Mrs. Oliver were married about 1829, in Elbert county, Ga., and reared a family of two sons, Samuel C., and James M. After the death of the mother of these children, Mr. Oliver married a Miss Glenn, by whom he had five children. Mrs. Glenn belongs to the family after whom Glennville, Russell county was named. James M. Oliver was born May 12, 1831, in Elbert county, Ga. His parents removed to Chambers county when he was but a small boy. He received but a com- mon school education, and read law, in 1855 and 1856, under the direction of Pascal M. Allison, of La Fayette, and was admitted to the bar by Judge John G. Shorter in March, 1856. He settled down for the practice of the law at Dadeville, Ala., in January, 1857, and remained there until the war. He was commissioned colonel in April, 1862, raised the Forty- seventh Alabama infantry, and led it to the field, joining Stonewall Jack- son's command in Virginia. On account of ill health he resigned his com- mission after a few months' service, and returned to the practice of the law at Dadeville. He has been actively engaged in the practice of his profession ever since, removing, however, from Dadeville to La Fayette in 1887. While he has always been active in politics, yet he has never sought office. He was for many years chairman of the executive com- mittee of Tallapoosa county, and has frequently been a delegate to state conventions. He was married in Chambers county in 1850, when but nineteen years old, to Matilda Allen, by whom he has had six children, viz: Aurelia, wife of Dr. John M. Watkins, of Camp Hill, Tallapoosa county ; Florence, wife of Col. Henry A. Garrett, Dadeville, a prominent lawyer of that place; Olivia, wife of James S. Herren of Atlanta, Ga. ; Woodson, deceased; James M., Jr., merchant of Dadeville, and Samuel J., merchant of Dadeivlle. The mother of these children died in 1832, and Mr. Oliver married in February, 1884, Catherine V. Cater, of Perry, Houston county, Ga., by whom he has had no children. She was at the time of her marriage corresponding secretary of the Woamn's Board of missions of the South Georgia Methodist conference, and she is now superintend- ent of the juvenile department of the Woman's Board of missions of the North Alabama Methodist conference. Mr. Oliver is himself a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and in politics he is a democrat. He is now a council Mason, and has been worshipful master of the Blue lodge. He is also a member of the Knights of Honor. He is one of the leading lawyers in Chambers county, and a man of great value as a citi-

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zen. For his worth of character he is very highly esteemed and his in- fluence is always exerted for good.

B. F. REA, a leading physician of La Fayeette, Ala., is a son of Robert and Jane (Smith) Rea, the former a native of Pennsylvania, born in Cumberland county in 1775. He is a farmer by occupation. The family removed to Greene county, Ga., when he was but a small boy. He mar- ried in Greene county in 1818, and lived there until 1845, when he moved to Alabama, settling at La Fayette in Chambers county. Here he lived until his death, which occurred in 1852. His wife survived him until 1878. He was a man of fine education, which he acquired mostly by pri- vate study. He was especially well versed in astronomy and was qutie an authority on that subject, and as a mathematician few excelled him. He was prominent in politics in his own state, representing Greene county for twenty-three years in the legislature, serving during that time in both branches. He was for many years one of the judges of the inferior county court. He was a prominent member of and an elder in the Pres- byterian church, and in politics a whig. The Rea family are of Scotch- Irish extraction, Samuel Rea, the grandfather of Dr. B. F. Rea, coming to this country a few years before the Revolutionary war. He took an active part in the struggle, and after it was over settled in Cumberland county, Penn. The Smith family is also of Scotch-Irish ancestry, Will- iam Smith, grandfather of Dr. Rea, having come from near Dublin, Ire- land, to this country with grandfather Rea. William Smith also took part in the war of the revolution as an officer of high rank. The Smith family also resided for a number of years in Greene county, afterward went to Tennessee. The parents of Dr. Rea reared a family of four, three sons and one daughter, viz .: B. F .; William S., deceased; Frances E., de- ceased wife of Rev. William H. Moore, Presbyterian minister; Cornelius, of Lockesburg, Ark. Dr. B. F. Rea, was born in Greene county, Ga., in November, 1819. He was reared in that county in Greensboro and given a liberal classical education. He began the study of medicine with Dr. T. W. Grimes of Greensboro, Ga., and remained a student there two years, when he entered Jefferson Medical college at Philadelphia, and graduated in 1842. During his two years in Jefferson college he was also a private pupil of the great Dr. Robley Dunglison, one of the most renowned physicians of any age. After his graduation he located for the practice of his profession at his home in Greensboro, where he re- mained until 1852, when he removed to his present location, La Fayette. During the war he was a surgeon in Gen. Joseph E. Johnston's army. He was married in 1847 to Laura V. Gresham, who was born in George- town, D. C., and reared in Greensboro, Ga., by whom he had no child- ren. She died of consumption in 1853, and Dr. Rea married, in 1855, Sarah Williams, who was born and reared in Tuskegee, Ala. By her he has had the following children: Ida, deceased; Carrie Lee, wife of Charles Schuessler of La Fayette, Ala .; William R., salesman of Ro-

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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 72

Author: Taylor, Hannis, 1851-1922; Wheeler, Joseph, 1836-1906; Clark, Willis G; Clark, Thomas Harvey; Herbert, Hilary Abner, 1834-1919; Cochran, Jerome, 1831-1896; Screws, William Wallace; Brant & Fuller Publication date: 1893 Publisher: Madison, Wis., Brant & Fuller Number of Pages: 1164

Author: Taylor, Hannis, 1851-1922; Wheeler, Joseph, 1836-1906; Clark, Willis G; Clark, Thomas Harvey; Herbert, Hilary Abner, 1834-1919; Cochran, Jerome, 1831-1896; Screws, William Wallace; Brant & Fuller
Publication date: 1893
Publisher: Madison, Wis., Brant & Fuller
Number of Pages: 1164