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 90
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numerous friends, he declined to serve the public longer. Since retiring from office he has devoted his attention to farming, owning some 800 acres of land in different tracts. all of which he has accumulated through his own energy and industry. He at one time served as justice of the peace. He has been a Mason for thirty one years, and is at pres- ent a member of Luverne lodge. He is a member of Thomas M. Bragg chapter, No. 99, R. A. M., at Rutledge. Mrs. Cody is a member of the Christian church. Mr. Cody is one of the most popular and highly re- spected citizens of Crenshaw county.
THOMAS F. DANIEL, a prominent farmer of Beat No. 2, Crenshaw county, was born in this county, in 1847. He is a son of William J. and Emillia (Harrison) Daniel, both natives of Georgia, but who were taken to Alabama by their parents, Mr. Daniel, when he was about five years old. He received no education in his youth, being unable to write his name until he had attained his maturity. Mr. and Mrs. Daniel were mar- ried in Butler county, and at once settled in what is now Crenshaw county, where Mr. Daniel improved a farm and upon it spent the rest of . his life, dying in 1887, aged seventy-three years. Mrs. Daniel is still living on the old farm. Mr. Daniel followed farming all his life with considerable success. He served a short time in the late war with the state troops. He was a member of the Primitive Baptist church. His father, Francis Daniel, was one of the pioneers of Montgomery county, to which he came about 1820. After living there a few years, not being satisfied with the country, he moved to what is now Crenshaw county, settling several miles from any habitation, in what was almost a wilder- ness, and there spending the rest of his life, dying when the subject of this sketch was a boy. While he lived here the Indians were the princi- pal inhabitants, and with them he became quite familiar. Grandfather James Harrison was of a roving disposition, and lived in different states. He and his wife, Delany Harrison, lie buried in Butler county. They had four sons and ten daughters. The mother of Thomas F. is about seventy-six years old, and is the mother of ten children, viz .: Mary E., wife of W. J. Mothershed; John W., died in infancy; Elisha J., Jr., who was in the late war; Sarah A. R., widow of William Johnson; Martha D., wife of Robert A. I. Stringer; Moses F .. killed at battle of Drewry's Bluff; Susan F., wife of Anderson T. Stringer; Thomas F .; Ophelia J., wife of Joseph Mccullough: Resana T., wife of William S. Sexton. Thomas F. Daniel was reared on a farm, and began farming for himself at twenty- one years of age. In 1882 he married Georgia E. L., daughter of John A. and Nancy Stringer, now of Butler county, where Mrs. Daniel was born. She is the mother of six children. Since his marriage Mr. Daniel has lived on his present farm of 600 acres. He owns 940 acres in all, and has about 130 acres cleared. He has always been a very in- dustrious man, and what property he has he has accumulated by his own efforts. For some years he was engaged in the milling business, but has
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retired from that and will soon remove to Sandy Ridge, in Lowndes county. He is now one of the leading farmers in Crenshaw county, and is president of Pan Grove alliance, No. 1924. Mrs. Daniel is a member of the Missionary Baptist church, and both stand high in society.
RANSOM L. DAVIS, lumberman and farmer of Beat No. 2, Crenshaw county, was born in Fairfield district, S. C., in 1831. He is a son of of David and Mary (Woods; Davis, both natives of South Carolina, where they were reared, given a good education, and in 1834 came to what is now Elmore county, Ala. The next year, on account of their suffering with chills and fever, they removed to Harris county, Ga., remaining till after the Indian war, and while there Mrs. Davis died. Mr. Davis then removed to. Chambers county, Ala., and lived there some years. He then moved to Russell county, remaining there but one year, when he removed to Macon county, and in 1854 to what is now Crenshaw county, where he lived until his death, in 1863. He was a farmer, hard working, industrious, honest, and one of the earliest citizens of the state. He was twice married, and reared two sets of children, was a member of the Missionary Baptist church and one of a large family born to Thomas Davis, a Scotchman, who came to South Carolina soon after his mar- riage, and spent the rest of his life in that state. Grandfather Woods was probably a South Carolinian, was a farmer, and died in the state of his birth. Ransom L. Davis was the youngest of three brothers, two of whom, John and Lawrence, died before the war. There were several half-brothers, viz .: Thomas, who died in the army; James, now of this county, was in the Tennessee army; Green, now of Texas, was in the same army; Burrell, of Ozark, Ala. Ransom L. Davis was brought up on the farm and received a common school education. He began life for himself at twenty-five years of age as a farmer, and then learned mechanics, afterward milling, and has followed the latter ever since in different places. He was married, in 1855, to Nancy M., daughter of Reuben and Theresa Isom, natives of South Carolina, who removed to Alabama and later to Texas, just before the war, when Mr. Isom died, Mrs. Isom following him a few years later. Mrs. Davis was born in what is now Crenshaw county, and is the mother of six children, viz .: John Robert, of Montgomery county; Rosetta, wife of John Thomas Best ;. Jeff F .; Mary, wife of James Fields, of Texas; Helen, wife of Joseph McMillan, from Scotland, now of this county, and William T. On Febru- ary 1, 1862, Mr. Davis joined company A, Seventeenth Alabama infantry,. as a private soldier, and began operations at Pensacola, and after a time joined the Tennessee army and participated in the battle of Shiloh, where he was captured and taken to Camp Douglas. He was retained until September, when he was exchanged to Vicksburg, rejoined his command at Mobile, and served in the battery until the battle of New Hope Church in 1864. He then joined Johnston's army and fought down to Atlanta and back with Hood, participating in the battles of Franklin
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and Nashville, at which latter battle he was captured on picket line and again taken to Camp Douglas, where he was held until June, 1865. He was never wounded, but always ready for roll-call, was never furloughed, nor in the hospital. After the war he worked at his trade, and later engaged in milling and farming, which occupations he has since fol- lowed. He has erected and operated several mills. and now owns, in different tracts, some 600 acres of good timbered land. He has acquired all his property by his own exertions and economy. He belongs to the National Lumber association of Chicago. He is one of the most substantial citizens of the county. His wife belongs to the Christian church, and both are highly respected members of society.
DR. EDWARD F. DYER, dealer in drugs and general merchandise, Rut- ledge, was born in Clarke county, Ala., in 1827. He was a son of Joseph and Elizabeth (Beard) Dyer, both born in Darlington district, S. C., the former in 1783, the latter in 1793. They were liberally educated and married there, and in about 1812 came to what is now Clarke county, Ala., and in 1828 to Pike county, settling in the woods. Here Mr. Dyer im- proved a farm and here Mrs. Dyer died in 1865, Mr. Dyer dying in Rut- ledge in 1881. He was a member of the Missionary Baptist church and she of the Primitive Baptist church. He was one of the first settlers in Alabama, living on the very frontier of civilization when the woods were full of Indians and wild beasts. He spent some time in the war of 1812 on Sullivan island. His father, John Dyer, was born in Dublin, Ireland, came to this country previously to the Revolutionary war, fought seven years in that war, settled in South Carolina and died in that state, as also did his wife. William Beard, Mrs. Dyer's father, was in the war of 1812, and died in South Carolina. Dr. Edward F. Dyer is the only son, and has one sister, Mary E., wife of John F. Williamson, of Texas. He was raised upon the farm in the early days of Pike county, received a good English education. taught school a few years in Pike county, and after- ward practiced dentistry a few years. He then read medicine with Dr. J. M. McDaniel, of Pike county, and in 1859-60 attended Macon Medical college, and then practiced medicine in Pike county until 1874. He then practiced a few years at Rutledge, since which time he has been engaged in merchandising and farming. During 1863 he served in company E, Fifty-sixth Alabama cavalry in north Mississippi, but was thrown from a horse and disabled, and was in consequence discharged after about one year's service. He was married in Pike county to Nancy, daughter of Richard W. and Rebecca Horn, who came from Georgia to Clarke county, Ala., a good many years ago. Mr. Horn died in Crenshaw county in 1890 and Mrs. Horn still lives. Mrs. Dyer was born in what is now Crenshaw county. Dr. and Mrs. Dyer have no children. He is a public-spirited man, energetic and industrious, and while he does not seek office, he is always interested in the character of the candidates.
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J. M. ELLINGTON, a prominent farmer of Beat No. 5, was born twelve miles south of where he now lives, in 1838. That was then in Butler county. He is a son of Joseph and Emily (Patterson) Ellington, the for- mer born in Early county, Ga., in 1806, the latter in Darlington district. S. C., in 1796. Mr. Ellington was liberally educated, and when about eighteen years old came to Alabama, and taught school near where Greenville now stands, afterward teaching for many years in different places. Governor Watts was a pupil of his at one time. He married in Butler, what is now Crenshaw, county, in 1827, near where Joseph M. now lives, and settled in the woods, when the principal inhabitants were the red man, the black bear, and the wolf. There were also plenty of deer and turkeys. Mr. Ellington in trafficing with the Indians became familiar with their habits, customs and manners. He improved at least six farms in different parts of what is now Crenshaw county, and in which county he spent most of his life, dying October 16, 1890, his wife dying September 24, 1891. His father was Enoch Ellington, who died in Georgia, when Joseph was a boy, and his mother then came to Alabama. She afterward returned to Georgia, and died there; but her children re- mained in Alabama. Peter Patterson, maternal grandfather of Joseph M., came from South Carolina to Montgomery, Ala., when Mrs. Ellington was a little girl, and when Montgomery consisted of one pole business house. He afterward removed to Butler county, where he died, in 1863. His wife died in this vicinity before Joseph M. was born. Joseph M. is the youngest of a family of three sons and one daughter, viz. : John A., died in 1857; William D., died fourteen days after John A .; Roxie R., widow of Furman Holland, deceased, and Joseph M., who received in his youth a fair education, mostly, however, by his own efforts. January, 1860, he married Emalina, daughter of William and Mary Knight, natives of South Carolina and Georgia respectively; they, however, coming to what is now Crenshaw county when Mrs. Ellington was but twelve years old. After the war they removed to Greenville, where Mrs. Knight died, in 1876, and her husband in 1887. Both were members of the Christian church for many years. Mrs. Ellington had twelve children, named as follows: Mary V., wife of Harvey Dukes; Charles H .; Mackey, wife of Peter Mitchell; William Joseph; John A .; Emma, wife of Robert Horbin; Eugenia; Lawrence S .; Leonidas; Edward; Fannie; Addie Belle, and Lucy, deceased, at three years of age. In September, 1862, Mr. Ellington joined company K, Seventeenth Alabama infantry, and spent two years at Mobile on garrison duty, after which he was sent to the Tennessee army, and fought from Resaca down to Atlanta, to Jonesboro. and then to Tennessee with Hood. He was with him on the retreat to Corinth and Montgomery, and finally returned home. He was neither captured nor wounded during the war. He has lived, with the exception of the time spent in the war, within a few miles of where he was born, and for the past twelve years on his present farm. He owns 384 acres of land, and
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has 200 acres of it clear. All his property he has accumulated by his own efforts. He is a member of the Christian church, and is one of the best citizens of the county. He takes no part in politics further than to exer- cise the right of suffrage.
DAVID H. FINLAY, farmer of Beat No. 10, was born in Chesterfield district, S. C., in 1819. He is a son of Archibald and Eleanor (Camp- bell) Finlay, both of whom were natives of North Carolina, the former born in 1778, the latter in 1780. They were married in Chesterfield dis- trict, S. C. Mr. Finlay was a well educated man, was a practical sur- veyor, but followed farming for a livelihood. In 1819 he left South Carolina with his family, and landed at Montgomery, Ala., in January, 1820, when there were but a few log stores there. In 1835 he removed to Pike county, now Crenshaw county, settling in the woods on Curtis creek, where he improved a farm and spent the rest of his life, dying in Decem- ber, 1854, Mrs. Finlay having died in 1850. Mr. Finlay was an enter- prising citizen, and served for a time as surveyor of Montgomery county. Afterward he served as deputy surveyor of Pike county under Col. Sny- der. He was one of the pioneers of Montgomery county, shared in the hardships and privations of early days, and was always an active public- spirited man. His father was born near Glasgow, Scotland, but came when a young man to America and married in North Carolina, was a cooper by trade, and died in North Carolina. Grandfather Campbell also came from Scotland, reared a large family, and probably died in South Carolina. David H. Finlay was the eleventh in a family of eight sons and six daughters. Of this large family but himself and one sister are now living. He was reared on the farm in the early days of Montgomery and Pike counties, attended school about three months in the year during his minority, and remained at home until he was thirty years of age. He was married in 1849 to Rebecca, daughter of Bartholomew and Margaret Staggers, natives of Williamsburg district, S. C., but who at a very early day came to Butler county, that is about seventy years ago. They both died in this county, now Crenshaw, he about 1866, and she in 1887. Mrs. Finlay was born in what is now Crenshaw county, and is the mother of twelve children, as follows: William A., Escambia county; the second died very young; Mary S., deceased; Sarah, wife of C. F. Saulter; Robert S., deceased; Elizabeth F., wife of F. B. Lassater, of Milton, Fla. ; Margaret E .; David, deceased; Charles E. ; James D .; John Smith; Dud- ley B. Mr. Finlay has lived for over fifty years near where he now lives, and since 1856, on his present farm near Luverne. His farm con- tains 350 acres of land, and he is one of the best farmers and one of the best known men in the county. He has followed farming all his life. In 1856 he was tax assessor of Pike county. He served a short time in the Indian war of 1836, and about sixteen months in the late Civil war. He enlisted in March, 1862, in Hilliard's legion, and served the last year as ordnance sergeant, but was discharged just before the battle of Chicka-
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mauga on account of his poor health and advanced age. He was not in any engagements, but was within hearing distance of the battle of Perry- ville. He takes no active part in politics, but bears his share of the bur- den of party support. He is a great reader, has a retentive memory, and is thus exceedingly well informed. His wife is a member of the Mission- ary Baptist church. Mr. Finlay is one of the substantial and reliable citizens of Crenshaw county, and one whom everybody respects.
HON. JOHN C. FONVILLE, a prominent farmer of Crenshaw county, was born in Darlington district, S. C. April 3, 1842. He is a son of Rev. John A. and Rachel (Sloan) Fonville, natives of North Carolina, both born in 1809, the former in Orange, and the latter in Dublin, counties. After their marriage they removed to South Carolina, and in 1853 came to Lowndes county, now Crenshaw county, Ala. Here he improved a farm, upon which Mrs. Fonville died in 1865 and he in 1870. Both had been members of the Missionary Baptist church for many years. He had been a minister of the church for more than thirty years. He was a self- made and practical man, and while he was conservative was very strong in his opinions. For about ten years previous to his death he was a member of Sandy Ridge lodge, No. 223, F. & A. M., and he was always active in public matters. He was one of a large family born to Rev. Frederick Fonville, who died in North Carolina, where he had lived many years. He was a free-will Baptist minister all his life. He was of French descent. Grandfather Gibson Sloan also died in North Carolina. He was a very large slave owner, and raised a large family, his wife dying in Alabama. John C. Fonville was the fifth of a family of nine children, as follows: Mary and Margaret died young; Susan F., widow of Samuel Stakely, deceased; Fredrick Gibson, killed at the explosion of Petersburg, having been a member of company B, Fourteenth Alabama infantry, serving as lieutenant and adjutant; John C .; Sarah M., widow of Dr. T. P. Burgamy, deceased; and Dr. James B., deceased in 1885, was in the Seventeenth Alabama infantry from 1862 till captured at Atlanta, and imprisoned at Camp Morton till 1865, graduated from Atlanta medical college; Professor William Drakeford, president of the Alabama military institute at Tuskegee, Ala., is a graduate from Howard college, and Theodosia. Mr. Fonville was reared on the farm andreceived a good education, which, however, was cut short by the breaking out of the war. July 1, 1861, he joined company B, Fourteenth Alabama infantry, as first. sergeant, was mustered in at Auburn, and was discharged October 1, 1861, on account of disability, the result of an accidental shot before the was. In June, 1862 he joined De Bar Delaman's Partisan Rangers, after- wards the Fifty-sixth Alabama cavalry, and began operations at Mobile in the department of the Mississippi, and in the spring of 1863 they went to north Mississippi, from which time they were known as Ferguson's brigade. They fought Sherman in Tennessee and also in Mississippi and afterward joined Johnston and fought in the Atlanta campaign at Jones-
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boro and with Hood on his way north as far as north Alabama, when they were sent to follow Sherman on his march to the sea, and to North and South Carolina. At Greensboro, N. C., they met President Davis, and were with him until he reached Washington, Ga., where they heard of Johnston's surrender and they surrendered themselves. He was always ready for roll-call and was home once on detail for clothing, and other necessary articles. After the war he engaged in farming till 1869, when he married Florence, daughter of Judge Caswell and Eliza Clifton, the former a native of Huntsville, Ala., and the latter of Warrenton, N. C. He died in Jackson, Miss., in 1855, and she in 1860. He was a prominent lawyer and was at one time the clerk of the supreme court of Mississippi, a position now held by his son. Mrs. Fonville was born in Jackson, Miss., and was educated there and at Clinton, Miss. She is the mother of eight children. With the exception of one year, when he lived at Tuskegee, Ala., for the purpose of educating his children, Mr. Fonville has lived on his present farm in the extreme northwest part of Crenshaw county, where he owns 600 acres of fine land. In 1878 and 1879 he represented his county in the legislature and served on the committee of education as well as other committees. He has been prominent in politics for some years and in 1892 was a candidate on the Kolb ticket for secretary of state. He is a leading member of Panola alliance and was once lecturer for the county alliance. He was for several years, W. M. of the Sandy Ridge lodge, No. 223, F. & A. M., and both he and wife are members of the Missionary Baptist church.
JOHN W. HOLLOWAY, farmer of Honoraville, was born in Madison county, Ala., in 1842. He is a son of J. P. and Cicely Stovall) Holloway, the former born in Virginia, the latter in North Carolina. They were married in Alabama, and in 1852 removed to Lincoln county. Tennessee, where they died in 1870. He was a farmer, and was major of the militia before the war. He was one of a large family born to Simon Holloway, who was born in Virginia and went to Madison county, Ala., when the Indians were still there. He was of English descent, a member of the Primitive Baptist church, and died in Madison county while the sub- ject of this sketch was a small boy. His wife also died in the same county. Grandfather Stovall was a farmer, reared a large family, and died before the subject was born. The mother of John W. Holloway died in Tennessee in 1864. He was the third of six sons and three daughters, viz .: F. Henry of Tennessee; William Henry, drowned in the Mississippi river in 1856; Caroline, wife of Calvin Baker of Madison county; John W. ; Gabriel D., of Madison county, served in the home guards during the latter part of the war; Jacob P. of Arkansas; James S. of Arkansas; Mary F., deceased; Laura, deceased. John W. Holloway was brought up on a farm with but limited education, not attending school more than six months in all. In December, 1861, he joined company E. Thirty-second Tennessee infantry, and served under' General Bragg i
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middle Tennessee, and other parts of the south. He was wounded at Chickamauga and taken to the hospital at Atlanta. After about two months started for home but was cut off by the enemy. He then made his way to Butler county, Ala., and soon afterward . to Sumter county, where he had an uncle. He was married in Butler county, in May, 1865, to Mrs. Sarah F. Kettler, daughter of James Baxter. She was born in Georgia. Soon after his marriage Mr. Holloway located near Honoraville, in which vicinity he has since resided. He is one of the most successful and prominent farmers in the county, owning several good farms and a one- half interest in a good gin mill. He started with no property, and all that. he has he has accumulated by his own efforts. He is a natural mechanic and can do almost any kind of mechanical work. He is a prominent mem - ber of Honoraville alliance, No. 1,264, and is at the present time its presi- dent. He is also president of the county alliance. He is always active in all public affairs, and is one of the most public-spirited citizens in the county. Both he and his wife are members of the Missionary Baptist church. He has one of the most attractive country homes in the county.
JAMES W. IVEY, general merchant and lumber manufacturer, post- master and railroad agent, at Petrey, Ala., was born in Pike county in 1855. He is a son of Rev. John and Caroline (Dickey) Ivey, the former a. native of North Carolina, the latter of Georgia. They came to Alabama. when young, married and settled in Pike county, where Mr. Ivey spent. the rest of his life, dying September 22, 1887. He followed farming all his life. He was also a minister of the gospel, being a regularly ordained Missionary Baptist minister, and preached for many years. He was a, man of ability, character and conservatism. He served three years in the Fifty-fourth Alabama infantry as a private soldier, and lost his left arm at Atlanta. His mother died in North Carolina when he was quite small, and his father, Harbard Ivey, who was a native of North Carolina. came. to Alabama about 1838, and died in Pike county. The mother of the sub- .ject is still living, aged about fifty years. She is a daughter of Samuel Dickey, born in Georgia, and who at an early day settled in Pike county, followed farming successfully, and died in 1863 at the age of eighty years, his wife dying when she was ninety years old. They reared a large family, Mrs. Ivey being the youngest of their children. James W. Ivey is the fourth of three sons and two daughters, viz : William. Daniel, John Franklin and Samuel Greene, all died young; James W .; Sarah Frances, wife of S. Nedham of Pike county, and Mary J., wife of W. D. Carter of Petrey. J. W. Ivey was reared on a farm with but, limited educational advantages, and at the age of twenty began life for himself, following farming four years. He then engaged in merchandising at Indian Creek, in Pike county, where he continued in business with suc- cess until 1887. He then removed to Forkland, a station which has since been changed to Petrey. When he came here there was nothing but a little warehouse. He established himself in mercantile business, and also.
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