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 2 > Part 29
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REV. LLEWELLYN H. BOWLES, president of Troy Business college, and secretary of Troy Fertilizer company, was born in Edgefield district, S. C., September 3, 1845. He is a son of Isaac and Emily (Holloway Bowles, who were also natives of the same district in South Carolina, where Mr. Bowles died in 1898, and where Mrs. Bowles still resides. Both of them early became members of the Baptist church. Mr. Bowles was a farmer by occupation, but followed public surveying a good deal, and was sheriff of Edgefield district some years. He was a man of con- siderable local prominence and influence, industrious, honest and success- ful. He was of excellent character, very liberal, and a great friend to the destitute, often sacrificing much of his own time and means to assist those in need. He was a Mason and an Odd Fellow, and he was the only son of his father, who was born and died in South Carolina, but was of English extraction. The maternal grandfather, Jordan Holloway, was
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born and died in Edgefield district, S. C., and was a successful farmer. He died in 1862 at the age of eighty-four. He was a man of considerable abil- ity and prominence, and was a member of the Baptist church. Rev. Llewel- lyn H. Bowles is the youngest but one of a family of two sons and four daughters. The other son. Gen. Pinckney D. Bowles, now a prominent citizen of Evergreen, Ala., was colonel of the Fourth Alabama infantry all through the Civil war, serving in the Confederate army in Virginia. During the last few months of the war he commanded a brigade, and just at the close he was made a brigadier-general. Rev. Mr. Bowles was reared on a farm and received a good education in the schools in the neighborhood. When but fifteen years old he left school and joined company G. Third Georgia infantry, fighting first at Sawyer's Lane in North Carolina, and then in numerous skirmishes in the vicinity of Rich- mond. At Malvern Hill he lost his left arm. He was kept at a private house in Richmond a short time, and was then taken home, where he recovered. He then attended Erskine college, S. C., nearly two years, and then a private school in his native county until the close of the war, when he entered the State university of South Carolina, graduating therefrom in 1867. After reading law until 1869, he was licensed by the supreme court of South Carolina, and in 1870 he removed to Troy and practiced his profession with success for about ten years, when he engaged in merchandising. In the mean time he was elected to the state senate, serving four years, and during both sessions was chairman of the military committee and was a member of the committee on the revision of the law. He introduced several local measures which became laws. He was the author of the amendment to the law regarding the carrying of concealed weapons, and the measure to prohibit gambling in futures, which passed the senate but did not become a law. He continued mer- chandising until August, 1889, since which time he has been secretary of the Troy Fertilizer company. In July, 1888, he was regularly ordained as a minister of the Missionary Baptist church, and during 1891 was pastor of the Second Baptist church of Troy. On February 15, 1892, he completed the organization of Troy Business college, of which he is pres- ident. This institution has commenced what it is hoped will be a suc- cessful and brilliant career. Rev. Mr. Bowles is a member of the Knights of Honor, and of the Ancient Order of United Workmen. He was married December 24th. 1874, to. Miss Julia L., daughter of late Judge J. McCaleb and Cornelia Wiley. Mrs. Bowles was born in Troy, and graduated from the Southern Female college, of La Grange, Ga. The family of Rev. Mr. and Mrs. Bowles consists of three daughters.
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THOMAS KIRVIN BRANTLEY, of the firm of T. K. Brantley & Son, of Troy, and of T. K. Brantley & Co., of Brantley Station. Crenshaw county, general merchants, was born in Montgomery county in 1833. He is the son of James A. and Elizabeth Kirvin Brantley, natives of South Caro- lina, but who came with their parents to Alabama. They received a
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common school education, and lived in different parts of that country the rest of their lives, Mr. Brantley dying in 1842, and Mrs. Brantley in 1854. Mr. Brantley was a hard working and well-to-do farmer, honest and unassuming. His father was Jesse Brantley, who came from South Carolina to Montgomery county, Ala., at a very early day, and afterward removed to Mississippi, where he died. He was of Scotch-Irish origin, and was the father of a large family. Mrs. Elizabeth (Kirvin) Brantley was a member of the Primitive Baptist church, and was a daughter of Thomas Kirvin, who came at an early day from South Carolina to Mont- gomery county, and died in what is now Butler county, Ala., a well-to-do farmer .. He was also a minister of the Primitive Baptist church. Thomas K. Brantley is the youngest but one of five children, the others having been named: William, now of Mississippi, a soldier in the late war; James, died in Mississippi: Washington, of Pike county, and Martha, widow of James Billups. Thomas K. Brantley was reared on a farm, and received a good common school education, and for a short time attended a military school in northern Alabama. He remained with his mother until her death, and then began life for himself by teaching school and farming for three years. In 1855 he married, in Chambers county, Miss Sarah A., daughter of Abner and Minerva Hill, natives of Virginia and Georgia, respectively. Mrs. Hill died in Georgia, and Mr. Hill afterward moved to Pike county, Ala., and died . there. Mrs. Brantley was born near Madison, Ga., and was there edu- cated. She is the mother of ten children, viz .: James, of the firm of Brantley & Edmondson, general merchants of Troy, who was educated at Troy and at Auburn : Thomas, of the firm of T. K. Brantley & Son, who was educated at Troy and at Howard college; Ella, wife of A. C. Edmondson, who was educated at Judson; Ada (deceased), who was the wife of Henry Folmar, and who was educated at Columbus, Ga .; Lester, the wife of John F. Swift, who was educated at the Wesleyan college at Macon, Ga .; Rosa, wife of Prof. Edward M. Shackelford, a professor in the state normal school at Troy; Florrie, wife of Frank Johnson, who was educated at Troy, and who is a teacher in the public schools; William, who is at present bookkeeper for the firm of T. K. Brantley & Son; Minnie, who is now in attendance upon the State Normal college at Troy; Hilliary, who died December 9, 1886, in the ninth year of his age, and Herbert. Soon after his marriage Mr. Brantley removed to Randolph county, and there followed teaching and farming until just previous to the close of the war, when he removed to Troy and became engaged in merchandising under the firm name of Brantley & Copeland, and later under the present firm name. When the Central railroad of Georgia built its extension a station was established on a site purchased by him in Crenshaw county, and the station and postoffice were named for him. Here he soon engaged in business with his son-in-law. Mr. Johnson, and now they are doing an annual business of about 875,000, and the same at Troy, where
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they are one of the leading firms. Mr. Brantley is also largely interested in planting. He started with nothing, and his success is largely due to honesty, frugality, and strict attention to business. During the war he joined Hilliard's legion, but was soon afterward accidentally wounded and disabled for further service. Soon after removing to Troy he was elected justice of the peace, and from 1868 to 1874 he served as clerk of the circuit court. He was afterward elected city councilman, serving for a few years, and also served as mayor for two years. He was a member of Wedowee lodge, F. & A. M., in Randolph county, from which he has dimit. Both Mr. and Mrs. Brantley are members of the Missionary Baptist church. Mr. Brantley is doubtless the oldest merchant in Troy, and is well known and universally esteemed as one of the best citizens of the place.
MARTIN M. BROOKS, a prominent planter of Monticello, beat No. 5, was born in the neighborhood of his present home, in 1845. He is a son of William C. and Phoebe A. "(Hill) Brocks, who were both natives of Georgia. They were reared upon a farm and received but a common school education. After their marriage, which event took place in their native state, they removed to Pike county, Ala., about 1840, set- tling not far from where Mr. Martin M. Brooks now resides, there spend- ing the rest of their lives. Mr. Brooks died in 1859. aged about fifty- four, and Mrs. Brooks died in 1883. Mr. Brooks was a well-to-do farmer, a good citizen, a Mason in early life, an active and stanch democrat, and served one term as sheriff of Pike county. His father was of Irish origin, and he was the youngest of his father's children. and the only one who ever removed to Alabama. William Hill, father of the mother of Martin M., died in Georgia, where he reared a large family. He was of Dutch descent, and a very successful farmer and blacksmith. - Martin M. Brooks is the eighth of ten children, five of whom are living. viz. : Mary, wife of R. H. Lane, of Troy: Sallie, widow of Alexander Friar. of Lou- isville, Ala .; Josephine, wife of William Fausette, of western Texas, and Sula, wife of Thomas Jones of Newton, Dale county, Ala. The rest died young, except John H., who was in Hilliard's Legion in the army of Vir- ginia during the late war. who was wounded at Petersburg, and was killed in a collision of trains while en route home. Martin M. Brooks was reared on a farm and educated in the neighborhood. In September, 1863, he joined company H. Forty-sixth Alabama infantry on its return home after the fall of Vicksburg, and fought at Chickamauga, Missionary Ridge, all through the Atlanta campaign, back with Hood to Nashville, and was then sent with other soldiers to Gen. Johnston, in North Caro- lina, surrendering with that general. He served nearly all the time as a drummer and was in no engagements bearing arms. After the close of the war he returned home and took up farming, and in 1868, he married Margaret, daughter of Dr. J. P. D. and Jane Kelley, who came from North Carolina to Georgia at an early day, and removed to Alabama, settling in
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the neighborhood of Buck Horn in Pike county, where Dr. Kelley prac- ticed medicine with success for many years. He was of Scotch descent, and died about 1872. Mrs. Kelley also died in the same neighborhood in 1878. Mrs. Brooks was born and educated here, and is the mother of eight children, viz. : Mollie, Emma, wife of J. R. Connell, of Brundidge; Jessie, Pearl, Peter C., Lula and Lena, twins, and. Mattie Clay. .. Mr. Brooks lived on the old home farm until about 1878, since which time he has lived at Buck Horn. He owns about 800 acres of land all in one tract, which is one of the best farms in the county. Mr. Brooks is a practical and successful farmer, having accumulated all his property by his own industry, economy and good management. He takes little part in politics, only doing what he can to see that the right men are selected for office and to exercise the right of suffrage, yet he served one term as county commissioner from the second district from 1882 to 1886. Mr. Brooks evidently believes that the post of honor is the private station, but he is nevertheless highly respected by all who know him.
YANCEY L. BRYAN, planter of Grimes's, beat, No. 8, was born near Troy on the Ozark road in 1846. He is a son of John and Elizabeth (Gibson) Bryan, natives of Sumter district, S. C., who received an ordinary education and married there at an early day, possibly prior to the removal of the Indians from Alabama. He came to Alabama and settled in the woods four miles below Troy, when there were yet a few scattering Indians, and when the white settlers were few and far between. He improved his farm, and spent the rest of his life thereon, dying about 1880. His wife died in July, 1890. Both were members of the Primitive Baptist church for many years. Mr. Bryan was a well-to-do farmer, rather retiring in his disposition, a hard working, industrious and honest man. He and a brother were all of the family who ever came to Alabama. Samuel Gibson, the maternal grandfather of Yancey L. Bryan, was probably a native of South Carolina, and removed from that state, first to Florida, and then to Pike county, Ala., a few years before Mr. Bryan, settling twelve miles below Troy, and died there about the beginning of the war. He was the father of a large family. Yancey L. Bryan was the seventh in the family of five sons and five daughters, all but one of whom are living, viz. : William, deceased, was in the Thirty-seventh Alabama infantry. but who contracted measles, and had to be sent home; Andrew, of Dale county, who was in the Thirty-seventh Alabama all through the war, and who was captured at Vicksburg; Emeline, wife of Isaac Wood; Mellison. wife of John Sanders; Susan, wife of John Freeman; Adeline, wife of Marion Carroll; Yancey . L. Bryan; Lorenzo D .; Sidney; Frances, wife of Fred Burke: all reared and educated in the neighborhood. In December. 1863, when but seventeen years old, Yancey L. Bryan joined company F, Fifty-seventh Alabama infantry, and spent a short time on the coast at Pollard, then went to north Georgia and fought at Resaca, and all the way back to Atlanta, then to Jonesboro and back with Hood
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to Franklin and Nashville, where he was on picket duty the first day and was captured after a desperate defense and after shooting away all his ammunition. He was captured about dark on December 15, was in the old penitentiary yard a few days and was then sent to Camp Douglas, where he remained until the third Sunday in June, 1865. He had very scanty food and suffered almost nnendurable hardships. While he was in many severe engagements-he was never wounded. After the close of the war he returned home and went to farming. In April, 1866, he married Susan, daughter of Henry and Helen Pinckard. Mr. Pinckard being one of the prominent farmers of Pike county, where he has lived a good while, his wife having died many years ago. Mrs. Bryan died in 1884, leaving nine children, all of whom are living. She was a member of the Missionary Baptist church. In April, 1885. Mr. Bryan married, for his second wife, Amy, daughter of William and Sallie Harrington, natives of Georgia, where they spent all their lives. Mr. Harrington died in the army, and Mrs. Harrington died during the war. Mrs. Bryan was born in Georgia, and when quite small came with her grandfather, Enoch Bragg, to Pike county, where she was reared, and educated. Mr. Bryan first settled near Brundidge for a few years, remaining in the neighbor- hood of his birth-place until 1885, and since then he has lived on his present farm at Hilliard's cross roads. Here he has a fine farm of 464 acres, and has about 175 acres of it under cultivation. He has been a hard working man and has accumulated what property he has by his own. industry and good management. He has placed nearly all the improvements on his present farm, and is one of most practical farmers in the county. While he is an earnest democrat he has never been an aspirant for any kind of political honors of office, preferring to devote himself to his noble calling of agriculture.
C. M. CARLISLE, M. D., a practicing physician, and superintendent of education of Pike county, was born in Marlborough district, S. C., in 1827. He is a son of Jason and Parmelia (Stubbs) Carlisle, natives of the same district, and born about 1808 and 1810, respectively. Their opportunities for receiving a good education were very limited, as they were reared in the country. In 1830, they' removed to Jefferson county, Ala., and in 1833, to Pike, now Bullock, county, settling six miles south of Union Springs. After living there six years, and improving a small farm, they returned to Jefferson county, but in 1846, again returned to Pike county, near to Orion, where Mr. Carlisle had a good- farm. Here they lived until 1872, when they returned to Jefferson county, where they died in 1878. Mr. Carlisle was a successful farmer, a hard-working, industrious. and a self-made man. He was a deacon in the Baptist church for nearly fifty years. He served in the Creek war in 1836. In politics he was always a democrat, but never was an aspirant for office. and was somewhat reserved in his manners. His father was Richard Carlisle, a native of England, but who came with his parents to the United States, when but a small
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boy, prior to the Revolutionary war, settling in South Carolina, where he lived until about 1820, when he removed to Jefferson county, Ala., and there he died, in about 1835. He was by occupation, a farmer, and reared a large family of children. His father was killed in the Revolu- tionary war, leaving but one son. The maternal grandfather of Dr. Car- lisle, Lewis Stubbs, was born in Elgefield district, S. C., and removed from that state to Pike county, Ala., about 1833, settling in the woods in the north part of the county, where he died. He was a hard-working, industrious, honest citizen, and served in the war of 1812. Dr. Carlisle's mother died in 1956. Mr. Carlisle married twice after her death. He is the eldest of six sons and three daughters. Five of the sons served in the late war, viz .: Francis, now of Union Springs, who served in the army in Virginia all through the war: Joel, now of Jefferson county, who also served all through the war; William, who also served all through the war, but who died, soon after its close, of disease contracted in the service; Richard, who served all through the war, and now living in Georgia; and Thomas, who was killed at Resaca. Dr. Carlisle, of this sketch, finished his education at, Orion, attending school three years after attaining his majority. He then taught school three years. He was married, in 1848, to Emily, daughter of Robert and Patience Rabb, natives of South Carolina, from which state they removed to Georgia, and about 1846, to Pike county, and there died. Mrs. Carlisle is the mother of five children, viz. : Robert J., of Troy; George W., of Bibb . county ; Lafayette A. ; Vandilla D., wife of M. F. Whaley, and Charley S. When twenty years of age, the doctor took up the study of medicine, but did not practice until 1863, and then continued in practice for about five years. From that time on until 1875, he was engaged in merchandising and farming. and he then resumed the practice of medicine, which he has continued until the present time, at Spring Hill. Here he owns a fine farm of 540 acres, which property he has acquired by his own efforts. He commenced life by working at splitting rails, and at the breaking out of the war, he had a good property, which he lost during the war. At the
beginning of the war, he lived at Henderson, and was postmaster there, and during nearly the whole time of the war was employed by the gov- ernment, collecting ties for the repair of the railroads, his health not permitting him to enter active service. In 1890, he was elected superin- tendent of education of Pike county. He is a member of Pike county Medical society, and of the State Medical association. He is a member of the Harrison lodge, No. 246, F. & A. M., and both himself and wife are members of the Missionary Baptist church. While of a retiring dis- position, Mr. Carlisle is universally considered as one of the best citizens of Pike county.
ROBERT B. CHAPMAN, D. D. S., resident dentist of Troy, was born in - that part of Crenshaw county, that was formerly Pike county, in 1855. He is a son of Hon. John D. and Mary (Anderson) Chapman, natives of
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Marietta, Ga., where they were educated and married, and wbence they came to Pike county, now Crenshaw, county, where Mr. Chapman spent the rest of his life, dying in 1885. Mrs. Chapman is still living. Both of them were Baptists for a good many years. Mr. Chapman was always a planter, but at the same time carried on merchandising to some extent, and was also engaged in the lumber business. He was a public-spirited man, active in all public matters and quite a politician. He was indus- trious and successful in business, was honest and highly esteemed by all who knew him, and it is said that he had not an enemy in the world. He was a man of true principles, generous and kind, a constant Christian, and a liberal supporter of the church. Beside holding minor political offices, he served in the state legislature soon after the war from Cov- ington county, being a member of that body when Crenshaw county was formed, and proved a worthy and able legislator. He was a prominent Mason, being at one time worshipful master of Mt. Ida lodge in Crenshaw county. Very little is known of his father, Abner Chapman. Supra Anderson, the maternal grandfather of Robert B. Chapman, was probably a native of Georgia, whence he came to Alabama, and died in Crenshaw county. Robert B. Chapman was the fourth in a family of four sons and three daughters, viz .: John H., a prominent farmer of Andalusia, Cov- ington county; Dr. William H., a successful physician of Elba, Ala., a graduate of Mobile Medical college and formerly an attendant of Balti- more Medical college; Dr. Abner R., a prominent physician of Geneva, a graduate of Vanderbilt university. of Nashville, Tenn., and the subject of this sketch; Anna W., wife of Malachi Riley of Andalusia; Bettie, wife ' of Dr. E. H. Johnson of Troy; Mary B., wife of P. N. Hickman of Elba. Robert B. Chapman was reared on a farm, received a fairly liberal edu- cation, which he completed at Rutledge. He then spent some years as a clerk in a drug store, with Dr. E. H. Johnson of Rutledge, and took up his present profession in 1885. He is a graduate from the dental depart- ment of Vanderbilt university. He practiced in Crenshaw county one year, and since then has practiced at Troy, where he has a fine practice and is very popular. He takes considerable interest in public affairs, and has served for four years as a member of the city council. He is a member of Troy lodge, F. & A. M., No. 56, which he has served as junior warden; he is scribe of Tyrean chapter, No. 54, and is sword bearer of commandery No. 12. He is also a member of Conecuh lodge, No. 2759 K. of H .; of Pike county lodge No. 86, K. of P., and also of the K. & L. of H., of which he was a charter member and for some years secretary. In 1878, he was married to Leonora Johnson, sister of Dr. E. H. Johnson, above mentioned, and whose sketch appears elsewhere in this volume. Mrs. Chapman was born in Pike county, and is an elegant lady. Both she and Dr. Chapman are prominent members of the Methodist church, and stand high in social circles.
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THOMAS A. COLLIER, planter of Dixon's beat, No. 7, was born in Burke county, N. C., July 13, 1831. He is a son of George and Martha (James) Collier, natives of the same county in North Carolina, where the mother died when Thomas A. Collier was but two weeks old. Mr. Collier was born in 1793. Subsequent to the death of his wife he married again, and in 1835 moved to Cherokee county, Ala. After the war he removed to Texas, where he died about 1873. He was a success- ful farmer and millwright. 'At the age of eighteen he was licensed by the Methodist Episcopal church as a local preacher, and followed that calling the rest of his life. He gave liberally, in fact, all he accumulated, to the support of the church, and he was always active in religious work, devoting nearly all of his time to the good of the people. He was the father of two large families'of children. His father was born in Eng- land, and when a young man ran away from home and came to the United States, soon after the Revolution. He married and settled in Philadelphia, afterward removing to North Carolina and there spending the rest of his life. He was a farmer, and held some local office at the time of his death. His widow, Mary, by whom Thomas A. Collier was reared, emigrated to Alabama in 1836, and lived in this state the rest of her life. Thomas A. Collier was the youngest of five sons and six daughters, all of whom lived and have lived to a good old age. The entire family came to Alabama, and two of the sons were engaged in the late war. Caleb M., now of Texas, was in the Tennessee army, was wounded at Shiloh and was discharged. As stated above, Thomas A. Collier was reared by his grandmother. He received a fair common school education, and was brought by her to northern Alabama. After arriving at mature years he attended school on his own account, and derived from the studies, he then pursued, more benefit than all his previous schooling. He then followed railroading for some years before attaining his majority, and then engaged in merchandising at Brundidge, to which place he came in 1856. He served as clerk the first year, and . then he and his brother, George C., formed a partnership which contin- ued until the breaking out of the war. On July 1, 1861, he enlisted as a private soldier in company F, Fifteenth Alabama infantry, and fought at Front Royal, Cross Keys, in Jackson's valley campaign, at Harper's. Ferry, Antietam, Second Manassas, and in the Wilderness campaign, He was captured at Leesburg after the battle of Antietam, and was imprisoned in the old capitol prison at Washington, D. C. He was then on parole at Richmond for some time, and on May 6, 1864, in the battle of the Wilderness, he was captured and taken to Gen. Grant's headquar- ters, and had nothing to eat for six days. He was then at Point Look- out for three months and then at Elmira, N. Y., until July, 1865. He served in the Scottish Guards, whose service was in the rear most of the time. He was never wounded. After the close of the war he went to Gordon-
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