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 II pt 1 > Part 47
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bate judge of Limestone county, Ala., for one term, and was then elected circuit judge, and served for sixteen consecutive years. He represented Limestone county several times in the legislature. At his death, in Louis- ville, Ky .. in November, 1864, he held the office of judge of the United States district court of northern Alabama, under Lincoln. He was an old line whig, and a Union man. He married Martha Nicholas Davis, a daughter of Capt. Nick Davis, a native of Hanover county, Va .. and the first president of the Alabama state senate. To this union there were born, eleven children. of whom seven lived to maturity. and four now sur vive, as follows: Kate L., widow of Col. Robert R. Towns, of Illinois: May, wife of Dr. Theodore Westmoreland, of Athens, Ala. ; Hector D., of Athens, Ala., and Charles P. Lane, editor of the Huntsville (Ala.) Mercury. Robert Wilson Lane, one of the sons, was captain of the North Alabama mounted cavaliers, which troop was organized in Madison county, Ala., , but went into the service as lieutenant at the beginning of the war. He died in the fall of 1862, from exposure, two days after his arrival home. Grandfather Jonathan Lane, was a native of Georgia, and a planter. The maternal great-grandfather, John Davis, was a native of Virginia, and a soldier in the Revolutionary war. The Lanes are of English stock and of Huguenot descent, and the emigrant ancestor was Ralph Lane, who came over with Sir Walter Raleigh, to Baltimore. The Davis fam- ily is also of English descent.
ANDREW C. LEGG, one of the old pioneers of Limestone county, Ala., was born in Madison county. Ala., July 24, 1820, and is a son of William and Nacy . (Coffman) Legg. The father was a native of Virginia, and came with his parents to Tennessee, in 1793. where he grew to manhood, and came to Alabama in 1817, settled in Madison county, and was appointed by the first legislature of Alabama to lay out the county seat of Jackson county. He was a son of Edward and Sarah (Garrett) Legg. Grandfather Legg was a native of England. city of Manchester, and came to America before the Revolution, and was a' soldier in that struggle. William Legg was a soldier in the Creek war. Mrs. Nacy Legg was a daughter of David Coffman, a native of Pennsylvania, who came to Ala- bama in 1815, and opened up a farm. William Legg served in Limestone county as commissioner of roads and revenues, twenty-eight years. He and wife were members of the Baptist church. Andrew C. Legg attended school in the old schoolhouse, and had to walk two and a half miles, doing the chores at home night and morning before going to and after coming from school. When his parents were married, their families objected to the union. and they married without their consent; when they went to housekeeping they had nothing, and the mother wove cloth, and the father split rails to buy their first bacon and the first cow, but they worked hard, and soon accumulated enough money to remove to Alabama, and in 1818, bought their first land, which was opened out of an unbroken forest, and remained till 1-24, when Mr. Legg settled on Elk river,
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where he opened another farm. and remained till his death in June, 1865, beloved by all who knew him. Andrew C. Legg began teaching school after he had become well enough advanced, and continued to teach six years. In 1847 he married Mrs. Tera (Easter) Walker, daughter of Champeon and Miss (Rucker) Easter. This union was crowned with the birth of four children-one living-Pamphylie. The mother was born in Madison county. in 1518, and died December 16. 1852, and on September 8. 1853, Mr. Legg married Martha Gray, daughter of Leven and Sarah (Wade) Gray. The father was a native of South Carolina. and the mother a native of North Carolina. and came to Alabama in an early day, settling in Limestone. To the union of Mr. Legg and wife six children have been born. four living, viz. : Emma T .. Sarah A., Laura and Andrew C. The ยท mother was born in 1836, within one half of a mile of where she now lives. He and wife are both members of the Baptist church. Mr. Legg began life without a dollar, and the first thing he ever owned was ten cents given him by an uncle, with which he bought a chicken and raised chicks until he had accumulated 82.50, with which he bought a sow. When he became twenty-one years of age his father gave him a horse, and with this began life. The first saddle he ever owned. he earned making maple sugar. and bought it for 824.00. After his father resigned as com- missioner of roads and revenues. he was appointed in his place and was re-elected until he served eleven years. He has been a hard working man in his time, and at one period owned 3,700 acres of good land. He is now one of the best citizens of the county.
HON. R. A. MCCLELLAN, one of Limestone county's leading attorneys, was born in Tennessee, December 24. 1843. son of Thomas J. and Mar- tha F. (Beattie) Mcclellan. both also natives of Tennessee. The father was raised on the farm, and received a limited education. He settled in Alabama, served in the legislature of this state in 1861, and was a mem- ber of the secession convention, and was also a member of the constitu- tional convention of 1865. He lived in Limestone county till his death, in 1886. He had always been a whig in politics until after the war. He was opposed to secession and fought hard against it, but went with the south in the end. and furnished three sons, who served in the Confederate army during the war. When he was candidate for office, it was without his con- sent or solicitation, but he never lost a vote in his beat. His parents were both natives of Virginia, and of Scotch descent. His ancestors came to America sometime in 1700 and first settled at Pittsburg and afterward drifted to North Carolina. Mrs. Martha F. Mcclellan was a daughter of John Beattie, who settled at Nashville about 1500. R. A. McClellan was reared on a farm. and came to Alabama with his parents in 1844. He attended the common schools until interrupted by the war. In 1862 he enlisted in company C. Seventh Alabama cavalry, under Col. J. C. Malone, and served until the close of the war. The last year he was in command of company I, although a lieutenant only. After the
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war he accepted a clerkship with his brother as probate judge of Lime- stone county, and served till 1868, when the reconstruction turned him out of office. He then read law one month, received his license, began. practice, and has been in practice at this place ever since. Thus he was thrown in contact with such men as Hon. Luke Pryor, Gen. George S. Houston, Judge W. H. Walker, Judge J. A, Malone and others of almost equal renown, and was successful from the start, and for many years has stood at the head of the profession of Limestone county bar. In 1875, he was elected to the constitutional convention without opposition, and in the same year was elected to the state senate and served one term. His friends put him in nomination for congress. in 1980. For several ballots he received a majority of all votes cast, but it required two-thirds to nominate, and he was withdrawn from the contest. In his practice of law at Athens, his success has been almost phenomenal. He' was always on one side of all cases. and usually has preference of the side he takes. and seldom loses a case, which is due. to a large extent, to the interest he takes in every one that is intrusted to his care. It is said of him that he takes the same interest, and works with the same energy in a case where there is but a few dollars involved. as he does if the case involved thousands. In 1872, he married Aurora Pryor, daughter of Hon. Luke Pryor. This union has been blessed with four children, two living, viz. : Thomas C., a law-student at Lebanon, Tenn., and Memory. . The mother was born and reared in Limestone county.
JOHN T. PEEBLES (deceased was one of the pioneers of Alabama; born in Northampton county, N. C. in 1812, a son of Henry and Miss Ba relay) Peebles, both natives of the Old North state. His parents came to Alabama in 1815 and settled in the woods. He was reared on the farm. He received but a limited education, but was well posted on all subjects of general interest. In 1841. December 2. he married Martha A. Tisdale, daughter of Shirley and Anna E. (Blick) Tisdale. Shirley was a native of Virginia, and was a lieutenant in the Petersburg volunteers in the war of 1812, and came to Alabama in 1539 and settled in Limestone county, and remained till his death in 1865. The mother was born in Brunswick county, Va., and was a daughter of Major Blick. of Revolutionary fame. To the union of John T. Peebles and Martha Tisdale. nine children were born-three living-H. T .. John H., Mary, wife of B. F. Harn. The father and mother were both members of the Christian church. Mr. Peebles remained with his parents until his marriage, then he began life without anything. and, in 1542, he entered into a partnership with his brother, Robert B .. and engaged in general merchandising, at Moores- ville, in the store which is now occupied by H. T. and John. When they first began business it was on a very small capital, but by close applica- tion to business and fair and honest dealing. they soon built up a large trade and were soon one of the most substantial business firms of the county: but during the war they retired from their business for about
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eighteen months, and lost all they had at that time except their land. After the war, Mr. Peebles settled on the farm and spent the remainder of his life in agricultural pursuits. He died September 29, 1874, beloved by all who knew him. His wife died March 23, 1886. H. T. Peebles, the eldest son now living, received a good education, and, in 1864, enlisted in Roddy's escort company of cavalry, and served till the close of hostili- ties. After the war he returned to Mooresville, and, in 1866, entered the store as a clerk, and on January 1. 1573, was admitted as a partner in the business; from 1830 the firm name was Peebles. Zietler & Co., till Janu- ary 1, 1890, when his brother, John H., came into the business, and since that time the firm name has been Peebles & Bro. He is one of the prominent democrats of the county, and attended the conventions that nominated Grover Cleveland two different times. He is a member of the Knights of Honor. John H. was reared in Limestone county and received a limited education. In 1851 he married Elizabeth Withers, daughter of Dr. S. and Emily (Stewart) Withers. This union has resulted in the birth of four children: John H., Anna, Withers, and Emily. The mother was born and reared in this county. Mr. Peebles is one of the leading democratic politicians of the county, and for many years was chairman of the central committee. The family is one of the best and leading families of the county.
COL. LUKE PRYOR. one of the old pioneers of Alabama, was born July 5, 1820. a son of Luke and Ann B. (Lane) Pryor. The father was a native of Virginia. and was educated by his eldest brother. In the olden times the eldest brother came in possession of the estate. The family comprised four boys and one girl, as follows: Richard. Samuel. Luke. Phillip and Mary. The eldest brother schooled all the children. and when they all became of age, he called them together and divided the estate himself, by having them turn their backs to him. when he would point out one part of the estate and have his brother Philip say who would have so or so, and in this way the estate was settled, and when it was distributed he made this memorable remark: " The woman is the weaker vessel, and I give my fifth to Mary, in addition to her share." The father was a soldier in the war of 1812, and it is thought he also belonged to the Virginia Blues. He was a son of John and Miss (Dennis) Pryor. The grandfather was a native of England. who came to America some- time in 1700. and purchased land in Virginia, and was a warm friend of Patrick Henry and William B. Giles. He was an enthusiastic farmer and was elected to many positions of trust and honor. The grandmother was of Scotch doseent. Mrs. Ann B. Pryor was a daughter of Benjamin and Sylvia (Perry) Lane, both natives of old Virginia. Luke Pryor, the elder, was one of those "big-hearted" men who could not refuse any one who asked his assistance, and by going security. lost all his worldly pos- sessions. In 1-20 he came to Alabama, and first located in .Madison county, four miles north of Huntsville, where he remained two years,
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during which time he taught school and did some farming. Then he removed to Limestone county. where he remained until his death. They had ten children only two of whom are living: Luke, whose name heads this sketch. and Mary D. Kimbell. who now makes her home with her brother Luke. The mother was a strict member of the Presbyterian church. The father was a prominent member of the Masonic order, and was buried under the . auspices of that order. in June, 1851, at the age of eighty-one years. Col. Luke Pryor was reared in Alabama. He attended school in the old pioneer log school house and paid for all his schooling by money he earned by hard work, although he remained with his parents, and being the only boy at home, it worked as a very great hardship upon him. Often he would get up early in the morning and work in the field until school time and he would also take odd jobs at any work by which he could make a dollar, and by this way he advanced himself in the world. It can be . truthfully said that he is a self-made man. He had not only to aid in the support of his father and mother, but also that of all his sisters, and although they were poor people they were most highly respected by all who knew them. He was, in fact, devoted to his father, mother, and sisters. At the age of twenty years, he entered Wash- ington college, Mississippi, but had been in college about three months when he returned home, and in 1841, began reading law with Judge Coleman. In December, 1841. he was licensed to prac- tice, and in 1842 and 1843 was in partnership with Judge R. C. Brickle, the first part of 1-43. he entered into partnership with E. J. Jones. and in the spring of 1844 he and Gen. L. P. Walker were appointed bank attor- neys at Decatur; in 1845, he was re-appointed, with D. C. Humphries, as attorney for same bank, which brought him in contact with all the promi- nent attorneys of the state; during this term all kinds of cases were brought. and he had to meet such men in the practice as Judge Chilton, Rice, McClure, Parsons, and Coopers, and many other distinguished attorneys: and he feels sure that that was the best law school he ever attended when he had such men as these to fight on legal questions. On August 20, 1845. he was united in marriage with Isabelle V. Harris. daughter of John H., and Frances (Rousey) Harris. both natives of Virginia. The father was a captain in the war of 1812, and Mr. Pryor has now his old sword, which he carried through the war. The Harris family was one of note, respectability and wealth, and came to Alabama in 1817, and settled in Limestone county. To the union of Mr. Pryor and Miss Har- ris were born eight children, seven of whom are still living: Aurora, Richard, Memory, Ann, Francis Snow. Mary. and Hattie. The deceased one was named Isabella. The mother was a native of Alabama, born Janu- ary 7, 1826, After marriage, Mr. Pryor resigned his bank attorneyship. and continued the practice of law in connection with farming at Athens, and soon built up a large and lucrative'clientage. After the war he con; tinued in the practice with George S. Houtou, as a partner. till 1874.
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when Mr. Houton was elected governor, and the partnership dissolved. Mr. Pryor continued the practice alone until December, 1879. when Mr. Houston, then in the United States senate. died, and the governor of Alabama appointed Mr. Pryor in the following January, as his successor. He served one term, and declined to take the position the second time. He then abandoned the law, and gave his attention to the farin. He remained in quiet life two years, when the eighth congressional district was in the hands of the republicans, and the democrats were in need of & Moses to lead them out of the republican wilderness; whereapon, in convention assembled at Decatur. Mr. Pryor was nominated for congress. without his knowledge or consent. and by acclamation. The news was telegraphed to him at Athens, that he must take the nomination, and that the party would not take no for an answer, and when the committee went in search of him, was out on the chase. of which he was very fond, and when found. he was coming home with a fox. and his pack of honnds following. After consulting with his true wife. he gave his consent to run, and adopted his own way about his campaign, and it was a new one; he believed in the true, open and honorable war, made no promises to give anything for a vote, and would tell voters from the stump that he had no money or whisky for them, and that if they voted for him, it should be from principle, and it is hardly necessary to say that he redeemed the eighth district. He served two years and notified the peo- ple that he would not have the office again: but the eighth district has since been true to democracy. Mr. Pryor was a member of the legisla- ture, however, in 1855, and in 1856 while in that body, secured the bill to raise a tax to build the L. & N. railroad, and D. & N. & S. railroad, and was induced to go to the legislature on these grounds.
WILLIAM N. RICHARDSON, one of the largest planters in Alabama. was born in Athens, Ala., January 29, 1849. son of Joshua and Mary P. ( Richardson ) Richardson. The father was a native of Tennessee, and came to Athens, Ala., in about 1847. to practice law, and was married in 1848. He remained in Athens until 1-50, when he returned to Tennessee and continued the practice of the law. In 1853, he was elected to the legislature, and served ane term. when he died. He was also a lieutenant in the Mexican war. After the death of Joshua Richardson, the mother returned to Athens. She was a daughter of William and Anna ( Davis ) Richardson. The grandfather was a native of Virginia and came to Alabama sometime in the early part of the nineteenth century, and began teaching school. and afterward took up law and became one of the legal lights of Alabama, remaining in the practice at Athens till his death. The grandmother was a daughter of Capt. "Nick" Davis, who was once governor of Alabama, and was among the early settlers of the state. Mrs. Mary P. Richardson was born March, 1830. in Athens, Ala., where she grow to womanhood. When the war came on her father refugeed to Georgia. He had four sons in the Confederate army. viz .: Dr. "Nick"
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Richardson, William Richardson, Edward Richardson and James Richard- son. William N. Richardson was raised in Athens, and attended the common schools up to the time of the war. and at age of fifteen years entered the Confederate service, and was in the Georgia militia three months and in the siege of Atlanta. When the militia was abandoned he went with Ward's battery and served till he was captured at Selma about. three weeks before Lee's surrender. When he was captured he was thrown in the stockade at Selma, where he and others remained two weeks and almost starved for something to eat and drink: he was then sent to Montgomery. where he was paroled and the first thing he did was to try to find something to eat. He selected the finest residence and rang the door bell, and when the lady came to the door he made his wants known." She insisted on his coming in the house. seeing that he was a mere youth. . saying that any Confederate soldier was welcome; but he replied that he . was too dirty to enter such a house. She retired to the kitchen and returned with a service well laden with all the good things to eat that she could get. He sat down on the steps and began to eat . while she stood by and talked; he was so embarrassed that he did not eat all he wanted. and when he left there went but a few blocks farther, when he again stopped and begged some more to eat. After he had satisfied him- self, he started for his home in Athens. There were some Yankee soldiers camped on his road, and when he came up to them he was tired walking, and seeing a negro with a fine horse, he picked up a brick and demanded the horse; the negro called upon the Yankee soldiers to help. but they were not disposed to interfere. and he took the horse and started on his way home, which he reached without further trouble. Soon after the war he was known as one of the "dare-devils" of Limestone county. and when some of the Federals would excite the negroes to some villainy he was always the first man to lead a posse of men to restore order. At one time he. in company with three or four others. took Col. Dan H. Bingham out of the Jackson hotel, and tore nearly all the clothes off him. and blacked him with lampblack and linseed oil. They went unmasked and took him out of the hotel where there were several Federal officers. Mr. Richardson stood the crowd off with a revolver and also did the blacking himself. Others met a similar fate, when they would make an incendiary speech to the negroes. After he returned home he attended school in Athens a short time, and then entered a commercial college in Pittsburg, Pa., and after finishing his business course, he went to . Trigg county, Ky .. where he accepted a position as clerk for D. H. Hillman in a rolling mill. remaining one year and then accepted a position as clerk in a dry goods store in Nashville, where he remained ten years: then returned to Athens, and in April. 1-75, married Minnie Harris, daughter of Schuyler and Anna ( De Woody ) Harris, both natives of Virginia. The father was born and reared on the farm where Mr. Richardson now lives. To the union of Mr. and Mrs. Richardson eight children were born, six
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now living: Anna D., Minnie L., Ruby, William N., Schuyler and James B. The mother was born and reared on the farm where she now lives. She is a member of the .Methodist Episcopal church. Mr. Richardson now owns 2,000 acres of fine land. well improved.
W. S. WHITE. one of the best and most prominent farmers of Lime- stone county. was born in Madison county, Ala., in 1837, a son of Flem- ing B. and Catharine (Alexander) White, both natives of Virginia. The father was born in 1801, and left an orphan when about two or three years of age, was reared by his half brother. Samuel Smither, and came to Alabama with him in 1-06. crossing the mountains in wagons and on pack mules. Their principal food during the trip was wild game. They settled in Madison county, Ala., in the woods, where they opened a farm. F. B. White owned and operated a tannery and manufactured harness, shoes and saddles, which were sold to supply the large cotton plantations in the surrounding country, in addition to his farm. He was a son of Ewel White, a native of Virginia, and one of the prominent and wealthy citizens of the state. Mrs. Catharine White was also a native of Virginia. W. S. White was reared in Madison county. Ala .. and attended the com- mon schools of the county. In 1859 he taught school, and in 1860 entered the store of T. W. Martin, at Madison Cross Roads, as clerk. In 1861. he enlisted in company I, Fourth Alabama infantry, under Capt. E. D. Tracy. and served until July 3. 1863. when he was captured at the battle of Get- tysburg, Penn., and was taken to Fort Delaware, via Baltimore. and was held until June 15, 1865, when he was released and returned to Alabama. In 1868 he came to Limestone county and engaged in the drug business three years, when he engaged in the general merchandising business and remained till 1875, when he sold out and bought the farm where he now lives, and in 1877 settled on the place. and since that time has given his attention to farming. In 1575. in April, he married Eliza S. Collier, daughter of Charles E. and Elizabeth M. (Stewart) Collier. The parents were natives of Virginia, and came to Alabama in 1819, and settled in Madison county, the father being about fourteen years old when the family came here. The father was a son of James and Elizabeth ( Boleyn) Collier. The grandfather was a native of Virginia, and was a soldier of the Revolutionary war. carrying to his grave a scar on his check that was made by a sword cut in the hands of a British soldier. To the union of W. S. White and wife two children have been born-Emily C. and Elizabeth Stewart. The mother was born September 25. 1841, in Madison county. Mr. White is a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian church, and his wife of the Episcopal church. He is a member of the Masonic order and the K. of H. He began life after the war without anything, but by hard work and close economy has succeeded in securing one of the best improved farms in Limestone county.
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