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 98
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MEMORIAL RECORD OF ALABAMA.
a democrat and has held the office of mayor of Charlton. He became a Mason in 1880 and is a member of Haw Ridge lodge, No. 399. He is one of Dale county's brightest young business men, and was among the first to endeavor to secure the construction of a railroad through this section of the state. He was also one of the first to establish a home market for cotton. He takes a reasonable amount of interest in the politics of the day and is in every sense a public-spirited citizen.
LEWIS DANIEL SNELL, farmer and hotel keeper at Daleville, was born in Honeytown, Dale county, Ala., January 19, 1832, and is a son of John C. and Angelina (Rouse) Snell. John C. Snell was a native of Georgia, born in Emanuel county, in 1815; was reared a farmer, and married in Emanuel county in 1839; later he came to Alabama and located in Dale county, on the Little Choctawhatchee river, below Newton; subsequently he bought a farm near Daleville, which he has brought to a high state of cultivation, and which is looked upon as a model farm. Although now a democrat, he cast his first presidential vote for William Henry Harrison. He has lived on his present home place thirty-six years. His possessions comprise about 1,000 acres, and other business interests. Mrs. Angelina Snell is also a native of Georgia, and was born in 1821. She was married in her seventeenth year, and bore her husband ten children, all of whom grew to maturity, and six of whom are still living. Both are members of the Missionary Baptist church, with which she united early in life. Lewis D. Snell, at the age of nineteen years, made a trip to Texas with a view to bettering his financial condition, but, after a stay of sixteen months only, returned to Alabama, where he has since been content to live. The first two years after his return were devoted to farm work for his father on salary. He then engaged in farming on his own account, and has made a success of it. In 1891 he was appointed postmaster of Daleville, took possession of the office January 1, 1892, and still retains it. He has been the proprietor of the public hostlery, and as a landlord is most popular. A small farm is also conducted in connection with his hotel. In 1891 he opened a store in Daleville, with a miscellaneous stock of goods, valued at $2,500, but at the end of a year closed out his stock of merchandise, as he did not find store keeping suitable to his taste. The marriage of Mr. Snell was solemnized January 9, 1876, with Miss Mary I. Barnard, a daughter of Elisha Smith Barnard, who was a gun-maker of note in southeastern Alabama, and who afterward successfully engaged in the grocery business at Eufaula, Ala. At the time of his death he was part owner in a steamboat plying on the Chattahoochee river, and also owned landed interests near Abbeville, Ala. Mrs. Snell was born in Abbeville, Henry county, and was in her eighteenth year at the time of her marriage. She is now the mother of nine children, named Nannie May, India Ola, Mary C., Anna D., John B., Georgia H., Myrtle J., Willie D., and Verlie. Mrs. Snell's mother bore the maiden name of Olive Kelley, and is a daughter of William R. Kelley, one of Alabama's
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pioneer settlers, and now the oldest man in Henry county; he was for many years clerk of the circuit court of Henry county, and has filled inany other positions of public trust. Mrs. William R. Kelley's family is a very extensive one, and extends back to the well-known Kirklands, of Henry county .. Mr. and Mrs. Snell are members of the Missionary Bap- tist church. Mr. Snell is a stanch democrat.
JESSE H. WALL, merchant of Charlton, was born in Dale county, February 28th, 1854. He is a son of Jesse and Mary (Hathhorn) Wall, the former of whom was born in South Carolina, but who grew to manhood in Georgia, spending much of his time in Bibb and Polk counties. He married and remained in Georgia until 1853, when he removed to Alabama, settling in Dale county at Haw Ridge. He became known as one of the stanch farmers of Dale county, his plantation consisting of 2,800 acres. He continued on the farm until his death, which occurred in 1877. Politi- cally he was a democrat and generally voted in accordance with that party's principles. The mother of Jesse H. Wall was a native of South Carolina, also, born in 1815. Early in life she united with the Methodist Episcopal church, and was married in her eighteenth year. She was the mother of eleven children, nine of whom reached maturity, and five of whom still live. She died in 1886. Jesse H. Wall grew up on the farm and attended the country schools as much as possible until he was twenty years of age, then he engaged in farming for himself near Haw Ridge, remaining there until January 1, 1888, when he removed to the present town of Charlton and engaged in mercantile business and has thus con- tinued since. He now owns some of the finest buildings in Charlton, both business blocks and dwellings. He has now in process of construc- tion a building designed for a cotton warehouse, with a fraternity hall above, 36x64 feet, 22 feet high. He transacts cash business of about $7,000 per year. Since 1890, he has been a heavy operator in cotton. He was married March 7, 1878 to Miss Mary E. Smith, sister of Mitchell A. Smith, whose memoir appears elsewhere in this work. She was born in Dale county, and is a graduate of the schools at Haw Ridge. She was married in her eighteenth year and is the mother of seven children; Jessie E., Mary S., Lee C, Eva, Albert, Corinnia, and the baby. Mrs. Wall is a member of the Missionary Baptist church, with which she united in her thirteenth year. In politics Mr. Wall is a democrat and is a public-spirited citizen.
JOHN H. WEED, merchant and cotton buyer of Ariosta, Ala., was born in Abbeville district, S. C., January 12th, 1823. The Weed family was founded in New York state at an early day by Reuben Weed, great- grandfather of our subject, who came from England and who took an active part in the Revolutionary war. The succeeding generations of the family drifted toward the south and it is now represented in nearly all the southern states. The maternal grandfather of John H. Weed, William Buck, came from Ireland in the seventeenth century and settled in South Carolina.
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MEMORIAL RECORD OF ALABAMA.
Here his daughter, Mary Buck, married John Weed, Sr., who was born in Abbeville district, April #2d,#1792, where he was married in 1813. He turned his attention to farming and pursued that occupation through- out his life. In 1826 he moved to Gwinnett county, Ga., remaining there until 1853, when he moved to "Chattahoochee county, Ga., from which place he moved to Alabama in"1870, making his home with John H. for a time, and then went to Texas, where he died in. 1883. Early in life he united with the Presbyterian? church, but later he joined the Anti-mis- sionary Baptist. Politically he was always a democrat and cast his first vote for James Madison for president. The mother of John H. Weed was born in Abbeville district, S. C., in 1796, married in her seventeenth year, and was the mother of nine children, seven of whom reached maturity. and five of whom still survive, three sons and two daughters. Like her husband she was a Presbyterian in early life, and also like him united with the Anti-missionary Baptist. Her death occurred in 1873. John H. Weed grew to manhood on the farm, and upon arriving at maturity engaged as a farm hand at $6 per month; afterward he rented a farm and engaged in farming on his own account. At the end of four years he purchased a small tract of land in Gwinnett county, Ga., upon which he lived seven years. He then moved to Chattohoochee county, Ga., bought a farm and lived upon it until the fall of 1855, when he moved with his family to Alabama, settled in Dale county, near where the village of Ariosta now stands. His first purchase in Dale county was of 210 acres, and soon afterward he bought 200 acres more, and now owns about 800 acres. In 1888, in connection with James M. Williams, he engaged in a general mercantile business at Dean Station, now Charlton, Ala. In 1890 they erected a large and commodious building at Ariosto, on the Alabama Midland raliroad, and put in a $10,000 stock and are now doing a business of from $50,000 to $60,000 per annum. The firm also buys cotton and does a general shipping and mercantile business. Mr. Weed was married June 13th, 1844, to Miss Phebe Jones, daughter of William Jones of Georgia. She was born in Gwinnett county, Ga., June 17, 1824, and was married in her nineteenth year, and was the mother of seven children, all of whom reached maturity. William W. died in the Confed- erate service. Eilzabeth J., wife of Mr. Williams, partner of our subject. John N. married Miss Nancy Grimmer; he is a successful farmer in Dale county. George T., who married Miss Susan Barnes, is also a success- ful farmer. Mary C., married James C. Barnes, a prominent farmer of Dale county. Samuel L. is a practicing physicain at Ariosta. Melissa A. married James J. Barnes, and died March 6th, 1890. John H. Weed enlisted in the Confederate service in 1862, in company E, Fifty-third Alabama mounted infantry, and served until the end of the war and was engaged in many battles and skirmishes. He was wounded at the battle of Athens, Ala., from the effect of which he has never fully recovered. He cast his first vote for president in 1844 for James K. Polk. He has
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PERSONAL MEMOIRS-DALE COUNTY.
ever since voted the straight democratic ticket. He was made a Mason in 1865, was appointed junior deacon in 1866, and was elected senior warden in 1867, and in 1869 was elected master of Clopton lodge, No. 171, in which position he has served up to the present time. He is now a member of Landmark chapter, No. 71. He was made a royal arch Mason in 1868 and has served as king most of his time. He was made council Mason in 1872. He has served as justice of the peace and county commissioner. John H. Weed became a member of the Univer- salist church, together with his wife, in 1875. In the spring of 1890 Mrs. Weed was confined to her bed with an attack of typhoid fever, from the effects of which she never recovered. She died the 5th day of June, 1890. Mr. Weed was appointed by the state executive committee one of the four men to reorganize the democratic party of Dale county. He has served on many committees and delegations, and has been identified with the development of the material and moral interests of Dale county all the time of his residence therein.
JUDGE JOHN C. WELLS .- One of the repersentaitve business men of Daleville, Dale county, Ala., is John C. Wells, who was born in Jefferson county, Ga., February 24, 1832. . He was reared on the home farm, received a good academic education, and on reaching man's estate taught school for three years. In 1855, he began to read law, was admitted to the bar in the latter part of the same year, and a year later located for practice at Fort Gaines, Ga., where he met with much success, but was interrupted by the outbreak of the war between the states. He at once took up arms for the Confederate cause, and was appointed quartermaster of the Sixth Georgia regiment, under ex-Governor Joseph E. Brown; he remained in this position until his term of enlistment expired, when he returned home and taught school for five months, and then enlisted in the Cobb Guards, as a private heavy artilleryman. He was detailed on signal corps and then by Gen. Cobb as a recruiting officer-raising enough men for a new company, of which he declined the captaincy, and was elected first lieutenant. He was stationed at Savannah until the evacuation of that city, was thence transferred to Charleston, where he remained until that city was evacuated; on February 11, 1865, he was twice wounded by gun- shot in an engagement with a United States gunboat, and five regiments of infantry were captured, and for six weeks was confined in Beaufort hospital, whence he was removed to Hilton Head and detained until the close of the war, when he received his parole, May 15, 1865. Returning to Fort Gaines, he resumed the practice of law, which he continued until 1890, when he came to Alabama, and in partnership with his brother suc- ceeded T. B. Wells & Co. in mercantile business at Daléville, now doing a lucrative trade. The marriage of Mr. Wells took place January 24, 1860, to Miss Carrie C. Jonhson, eldest daughter of Dr. William J. John- son of Fort Gaines, Ga., whose practice extended over portions of Ala- bama, Florida and western Georgia. Mrs. Wells was born in Fort
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MEMORIAL RECORD OF ALABAMA.
Gaines, was highly educated, and was married in her seventeenth year, and became the mother of nine children, viz .: William E., John C., Mamie E., John B., Janette, Carrie C., Lelia A., Thomas C. and George B., all of whom have passed to the better land, with the exception of the last three. Of these, Thomas C. occupies the position of clerk in his father's store. The saddest blow to the parents was the loss, in 1887, of their daughter, Carrie E., who was a young lady of remarkably sweet disposition, was accomplished in music and had won the hearts of a host of friends in Georgia, Florida and Alabama; and equally as sad was the loss of their eldest son, Willie E., July 31st, 1890, who was their comfort and mainstay, although twenty-nine years old, and held everything in common with them. Mrs. Wells early became a member of the Mission- ary Baptist church and has ever led a consistent christian life, her hus- band joining the same church in 1866. Everett Wells, father of Judge Wells, was born in 1801 in Jefferson county, Ga., where he married Miss Delilah Cottle, who bore him seven sons and one daughter. Mrs. Wells was a native of Jefferson county, Ga., born in 1817. and was married in her eighteenth year. Her father, John J. Cottle, was also a native of Jefferson county, and was a planter of extensive means. Of her seven sons she gave five to the Confederate cause-one dying while in the ser- vice. The death of Everett Wells took place in 1847, and that of his widow in 1886, both being members of the Missionary Baptist church. John C. Wells has always taken an active part in advancing the interests of the democratic party, and in 1865 was appointed judge of the court of ordinary, Clay county, Ga., under the provisional governor, James H. Johnson, to fill out the unexpired term of the late Judge J. H. Jones. Being a lawyer, he was satisfied said appointment was illegal; he there- fore announced himself a candidate and was elected over the brother of the deceased by a handsome majority, and at the expiration of this term Mr. Wells was re-elected to the same office for the term of four years. He has always been successful from a business standpoint, and soon after the termination of the recent war began the accumulation of landed property. He is now owner of several valuable tracts, to which he adds as funds are acquired, and among which are tracts of 1,800 acres in south Florida. His · total holdings in Alabama, Georgia and Florida amount to at least 3,000 acres. He is public spirited and progressive, and stands high in the esteem of his fellow-citizens and neighbors.
DALLAS COUNTY.
V. B. ATKINS, of the firm of Atkins, Dortch & Co., Selma, Ala., was born in Hale county, Ala., April 25, 1856. . His parents were John and Florence R. (Harrison) Atkins, the former of whom was born in King and Queen county, Va. The grandfather of V. B. Atkins was born in Virginia, while his great-grandfather was a native of England and was
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PERSONAL MEMOIRS-DALLAS COUNTY.
the founder of the family in the United States. It is held that the ancestry was Scotch and Irish. Mr. V. B. Atkins was reared and educated in Virginia, and came to Alabama when quite a young man. He began business for himself as a druggist at Greensboro, Ala., where he remained about ten years, and where he was succeeded by his brother, who had joined him a few years before. He then returned to his farm on which he lived until after the war, when he removed to Selma, and lived there for some years engaged in the dry goods business. After a short time he returned to his farm in Hale county, Ala., where he died in July, 1877, at the age of sixty-five years. A short time after coming to Alabama he married Miss Florence R. Harrison, who bore him nine sons and three daughters. She was born in Hale county, near Greensboro, and is now living, at the age of sixty-five years. Her father was a Mr. Har- rison, a native of Alabama, his ancestors removing to Alabama from Virginia, and laterally related to the branch from which sprang Presi- dent Benjamin Harrison. V. B. Atkins was reared in Hale county, where he lived till sixteen years old, when he removed to Selma, where he has since remained, with an intermission of three years, which he spent in Hale county. He was first a clerk for the dry goods firm of Hurt, Corbin & Atkins, the latter member of the firm being his brother. He afterward traveled for four years in Alabama for a Louisville clothing house. In 1881 he was united in marriage with Miss Mary Martin, of Martin's Station, Ala., and in 1883 he became a salesman for the firm, Montgomery & Bowen, wholesale grocers of Selma. Two years later he accepted a position with Moore, Kornegay & Co., at Selma, and became a partner September 1, 1889. Changes were subsequently made and the firm is now known as Atkins, Dortch & Co. The business of this firm is at the present time a wholesale grocery and cotton commission business. Mr. Atkins is a member of I. O. O. F. and the Episcopal church. Mr. and Mrs. Atkins are the parents of three sons.
ROBERT O. BLAKEY, of the firm of Cunningham & Blakey, wholesale and retail druggists, of Selma, Ala., was born in Marengo county, Ala., July 13, 1867. His father, Robert O. Blakey, was born in Stanardsville, Va., in 1836, and died at Old Spring Hill, Ala., in 1867. He descended from an old Virginia family of English origin, and his mother and the mother of President Grover Cleveland were sisters. His father was born in Virginia, and his grandfather, the first representative of the Blakey family in the United States, was born in England. He settled in Vir- ginia and his descendants have become numerous and well scattered throughout the several states. The father of Robert O. Blakey was reared and educated in Virginia. When a young man he went to Mis- souri, and was there engaged in the mercantile business when the war came on. At the beginning he entered the commissary department of the Confederate service in connection with the First Missouri brigade. He participated in the service during the entire war, and was at Mobile
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MEMORIAL RECORD OF ALABAMA.
when the final surrender was made. At Demopolis he met Miss Melissa A. Sledge, whom he married in 1865. She was born in Marengo county, Ala., in 1841. The Sledge family is of English origin, but came from North Carolina to Alabama. After his marriage he removed to Old Spring Hill, Ala., where he established himself in the mercantile busi- ness, remaining there thus engaged until his death. He left a widow and one child, the subject of this sketch, who was reared and educated at Old Spring Hill during his earlier boyhood, but later attended school at St. Louis, Mo., and at Sparta and at Nashville, Tenn. However, the greater part of his scholastic training was obtained at Sparta, under a kinsman, Prof. J. L. Cary. His studies covered the branches usual in a college course, and he mastered them thoroughly. On July 1, 1885, he became bookkeeper for Cawthon & Coleman, wholesale druggists at Selma, with whom he remained until July 1, 1891, when he entered into partnership with George A. Cunningham, and under the firm name of Cunningham & Blakey they have since then conducted a wholesale and retail drug business. In 1891 Robert O. Blakey was married to Alva Craig, daughter of Judge George H. Craig, of Selma, where she was born and reared. He and his wife are members of the Methodist Epis- copal church, south, at Selma, and Mr. Blakey is a steward of his church. He is also an Odd Fellow, and an honored and useful member of society.
DANIEL BRISLIN, deceased, was born in Ireland in 1813, and came with his parents to the United States when he was seventeen years of age. He first made his home in New York city, and followed the trade or cabinet making until he was about twenty years old, when he went to Mobile, Ala., where he worked as a journeyman for a few years, then removed to Marion, Ala., and worked at the same trade there for a short time. Here he first met Miss Jane E. Montague, whom he afterward married. Later he removed to McKinley, Ala., where he established a furniture and undertaker's business on a small capital, the fruits of his earnings. From McKinley he removed to Selina, in 1866, resuming the business in which he had previously been engaged. He remained in this business until his death, which occurred February 19, 1880. He was a man of unusual skill in his trade, and was highly respected by the entire community, which was plainly evidenced at his funeral. He was buried by the Odd Fellows, of which he had been a member since 1854, assisted by the entire fire department of the city. The immense concourse of citizens present at the funeral exercises testified more eloquently than words of the estimation in which he was held. He was greatly missed by the entire community, but more especially by the poor, whose friend he had always been. He was a man of most charitable and generous heart, and no one was ever turned away that asked him for assistance for the church, for the poor, or for any other good cause. As a member of I. O. O. F. he practiced the motto of that order, Friendship, Love and Truth. He was married December 5, 1844, to Miss Jane E. Montague,
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PERSONAL MEMOIRS-DALLAS COUNTY.
who was born in Cumberland county, Va., December 29, 1821, and died in Selma, Ala., October 21, 1891. She was the daughter of Thomas Montague, who married Sarah S. Daniel, daughter of Leonard Daniel, a soldier in the Revolutionary war. He was born in Cumberland county, Va., and emigrated to Marion, Ala., and raised a family of three sons and five daughters. He was a son of Peter Montague, of Cumberland county, Va. Daniel Brislin and his wife had the following children : Mary, William F., Montague, Judson, Sallie E. and Daniel, three being deceased. Both Mr. and Mrs. Brislin were members of the Baptist church. Judson Brislin succeeded to his father's business, and. is a very successful business man.
JOHN MCKIM BRIDGES, one of the most popular and efficient railroad officials in the south, and at the present time superintendent of the Ala- bama division of the East Tennessee, Virginia & Georgia railway, with office at Selma, was born at Athens. Tenn., entered railroad service April. 1st, 1854, as clerk in depot at London, Tenn., was afterward agent at Cleveland, Dalton and Chattanooga, and secretary and treasurer of the same company (East Tennessee & Georgia railroad) at Knoxville, Tenn .; resigned in 1865, and was agent of the Western & Atlantic railroad in At- lanta, Ga., 1866 to 1868, removed to Selma in 1868, and was secretary and treasurer and afterward superintendent of the Alabama Central railroad until it was purchased by the East Tennessee, Virginia & Georgia rail- road company in 1881, when it was made a part of the Alabama division, comprising 414 miles, of which he was appointed superintendent. He is a man of fine business qualifications, and is a sagacious and practical rail- road man. He is a pleasant and accommodating gentleman, and has a. high sense of honor and justice to his fellow-man, and is now one of the most efficient railroad officials in the south. Mr. Bridges, through his kindly disposition and firmness in discipline, is enabled to control a large number of employes with marked ability and without difficulty.
WALTER SOLOMON BUTLER is of Scotch-Irish descent, and is a son of John Miller Butler, who was born in Autauga county, Ala., and died in Selma in 1865. He was a son of Solomon Butler (whose father, John Butler, was one of the boy soldiers in the Revolutionary war, having en- listed at the age of eighteen), who was born in Edgefield district in what is now South Carolina, in 1797, and came to Alabama and settled in Autauga county in 1817. John Miller Butler was a carpenter by trade, and came to Selma in the "fifties." He was married to Miss Fannie Sellers, a daughter of William Calvin Sellers, a well-to-do planter and one of the pioneers of Lowndes county, Ala., having come from Georgia. She is still living in Selma. They were blessed with six children, three- of whom died young. Of the three living, whose names are William Alva, Alfred Berry and Walter Solomon, the latter (who is the youngest) is the gentleman whose name heads our sketch. He was born at Selma, Ala., on Wednesday, February 4, 1862, and was reared in his native town, re-
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