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 30
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ville, Ind., and there spent the rest of the summer with a sister. In the succeeding winter he returned to Alabama and began farming, an occu- pation which he has followed ever since, except during three years which he spent with his brother in a store at Brundidge. He then returned to his farm, two miles northeast of Brundidge, where he owns 500 acres of land, all in one good farm. He had accumulated a good property before the war, but lost it all in that struggle. He has always been successful as a business man. He is a member of Brundidge lodge, F. & A. M., joining that lodge in 1863. He was married February 1, 1868, to Allie, daughter of Simeon and Louisa Williams, natives of North Carolina, but who removed to Alabama while young, marrying in this state and settling near Brundidge, where Mr. Williams spent the rest of his life, dying July 12, 1870. He was a successful farmer, a Mason, and a licensed Methodist minister from the time he was a young man. Mrs. Williams is still living. Mrs. Collier was born and educated in Pike county, and is the mother of two children, one of whom only is living, Lena, wife of A. L. Dickinson, a merchant of Brundidge. Mrs. Dickin- son was educated at Brundidge and is an elegant and accomplished woman. Both Mr. and Mrs. Collier are members of the Methodist Episco- pal church south, she from her eighteenth year, and their family occupies a high place in the respect of the community.
RICHARD P. COPELAND, a Missionary Baptist minister and planter of Dixon's beat, Pike county, was born in Putnam county, Ga., January 16, 1823. He was a son of John and Penelope (Mosley) Copeland, natives respectively of Virginia and South Carolina. They were people who enjoyed but limited educational opportunities, and spent most of their time in Putnam county, Ga. Mr. Copeland died in 1845, while on a visit to his brother William in Harris county, his wife. having died about two years before. They were both members of the Primitive Baptist church for many years. He was a well-to-do farmer and a sincere abolitionist all his life. He was active in politics, and always exercised the right of suffrage. " He was a very industrious and energetic man, but rather reserved in his disposition, never aspiring to publicity. His father, Richard P. Copeland, was a Scotchman, who came to the United States at an early day and probably died in Georgia, as also did grandfather Mosley. Richard P. Copeland, whose name heads this paragraph, was the seventh in a family of seven sons and three daughters, of whom four are now living. He was reared on a farm and received a fair English education, mainly by his own private study. He made a profession of religion in 1839, and about 1860 was licensed to preach. He was soon afterward ordained, and followed the ministry for a good many years. Soon after coming to Alabama, he was instrumental in building Provi- dence church. and he was very active in building the Baptist church in Brundidge. He has been a very active church worker for nearly fifty years, and has always led a very exemplary life. He was married in 1845
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to Louise, daughter of Green B. and Rebecca Turner, who lived and died in Newton county, Ga. He was a farmer, wealthy, quiet, prominent and popular. Mrs. Copeland was born in Newton county, Ga., and died in 1865, having had five children. Mr. Copeland married for his second wife in 1865 Martha Harris, daughter of James and Excel Cox, both natives of Jones county, Ga. They are now living at Columbus, Ga., aged ninety-five and eighty-two years respectively. In 1863 Mr. Cope- land came to Pike county, and has lived on his present farm of 700 or 800 acres ever since. This farm is one of the best in the county, being under a high state of cultivation. Mr. Copeland has done a great deal for the public, and is well known throughout this portion of Alabama. He was formerly a Mason. His two eldest sons are active members of the Baptist church. Mrs. Copeland's parents moved to the northern portion of Alabama prior to the Indian war of 1836, and owing to the hostility of the Indians returned to Georgia. Mr. Copeland was in the war of 1812. He has long been an active worker in all religious and temperance movements, and for his sterling character is universally respected. Mrs. Copeland was born in. Harris county, and has one son. She received an excellent academic education. Her first husband was Jasper Harris. He served a short time in the late Civil war as lieutenant of cavalry; but owing to ill health resigned and died at Okalona, Miss., on his way home. He was a very religious man, a prominent Methodist, a stanch democrat and an ardent secessionist. He left three sons, one of whom has completed a course in theology at Louisville, Ky., and has been ordained a Baptist minister.
HON. F. J. COWART was born in Pike county in December. 1850. He is a son of Hansford D. and Louisiana E. (Carter) Cowart. Hansford D. Cowart was born in Barnwell district, S. C., in 1818, and Mrs. Cowart was born in Conecuh county, Ala., in 1820. Mr. Cowart went west with his parents to Mississippi when but two years old, and was reared there and in Georgia on a farm, receiving but a common school education and that of rather a limited nature, but he afterward so applied himself to reading and study that he became possessed of much valuable informa- tion. He was a member of the Medodist church, and though of a retiring disposition, was yet a great church worker. He was a member of Harri- son lodge, F. & A. M., No. 246. At one time he held the office of county commissioner, and at other times he held other minor offices. He served in the Fifty-seventh Alabama infantry for about two years during the late war, or until after the battle of Franklin in 1964, and died in June, 1890. Mrs. Cowart is still living. Mr. Cowart was a member of a family of two sons and one daughter, born to James Cowart in North Carolina. He was born in 1778, during the Revolutionary war. In 1520 he removed to Mississippi. thence to Georgia, and in 1840 he removed to Pike county, Ala., where he died in 1846. His wife died in 1841. His father, Ezekiel Cowart, was born in North Carolina in 1727. He also went to Mississippi
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MEMORIAL RECORD OF ALABAMA.
in 1820, and died there in 1823. He was of Welsh parentage and reared a large family of children. The maternal grandfather, William Carter, was born in Hancock county, Ga., in 1789, and fought against the Indians in the war of 1-12 at the battle of Autasee, eastern Alabama. In 1817 he removed from Baldwin county, Ga., to Conecuh county, Ala., and in 1825 to Pike county, where he died in 1883, being one of the first settlers of Pike county. He was a tax collector of the county about 1836, a farmer by occupation, and a member of the Primitive Baptist church. His wife, Mary Buchanan, died in 1875. F. J. Cowart is one of a family of ten children, of whom six are living. Harrison B. joined the Fifty-seventh Alabama infantry in 1862, and was killed at Peach Tree creek in 1864. F. J. was reared on a farm, received a common school education, and at the age of nineteen, began teaching school, and the next year attended Auburn college, and again taught school for a few years. In 1873 he married Mattie, daughter of W. C. and Elizabeth Sanders, natives of Talbot county, Ga., who in 1869 came to Pike county, where they still live. Mr. Sanders is a farmer, and was in the Confederate army from Georgia. Mrs. Cowart was born in Talbot county, Ga., and was educated there and at Troy. In 1875 Mr. Cowart became editor of the Troy Mes- senger, but in 1877 retired from that position to engage in merchandising, which he followed until 1885, in the mean time acting occasionally as. editor of the Messenger. From 1877 to 1880 he was superintendent of education for Pike county. In 1880 he was elected to the legislature and was elected again in 1882. During his first term he was chairman of the committee on public printing, and acting chairman of the committee on education. He introduced several important measures, one changing the liquor law so as to require a majority of the voters to petition for the sale of liquor, instead of ten qualified voters. During the last term he was chairman of the committee on temperance. In 1885 he was appointed by the Cleveland adminisiration to a position in the public service in New Mexico, being agent of the Mescalero Apaches. This place he filled acceptably, resigning in June, 1889. He then again engaged in merchan- dising. He sustains a high position as a Mason, being W. M. of Troy lodge, No. 56. He was a charter member of Troy commandery No. 12, of which he is past E. C. He is also a member of the grand commandery of the state. He is active in all public enterprises. He was until recent- ly, for two years, chairman of the county democratic executive committee. Both himself and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church, south, and Mr. Cowart is an upright and public-spirited citizen in every respect.
WILLIAM ANDREW CROSSLEY, M. D., a practicing physician of Troy, was born twelve miles northeast of that city, in 1834, and is a son of Andrew and Jane (Woods) Crossley. Andrew Crossley was born in Darlington district, S. C., and Mrs. Crossley in Jefferson, county, Ga. Mr. Crossley received a liberal education, and when a young man went
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to Georgia, married in Jefferson county, and soon afterward removed to Natchez, where he engaged for a few years in merchandising. He then removed to Pike county, Ala., locating at Monticello, twelve miles north- east of Troy, where he engaged in both merchandising and farming for a few years, when he removed to Montgomery, where he became a member of the firm of Harwell & Crossley, merchants, for a short time, when. on account of failing health, he returned to Pike county, settling at Irv- ington, now Eufaula, where he died in 1836. He was one of the pioneers of Pike county, made merchandising and farming his occupations, and was always an active, industrious, and public-spirited man. He was always held in high estimation by his neighbors, and was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and of the Masonic fraternity. He was mustered into the army during the war of 1812, but performed no service. He was of Irish origin, two brothers emigrating from Ireland at an early d'ay, they being the only sons in the family; and, strange to relate. so far as is known, no more than two sons were born to the same family until the present generation. The elder Mr. Crossley was born and died in South Carolina, and the grandfather, Woods, a farmer, died in Jefferson county, Ga. Dr. William A. Crossley was the youngest of a family of two sons and three daughters. He received a good academic education at Perote, Bul- lock county, Ala., and then studied medicine with Dr. Thomas B. Ligon, deceased, of Montgomery, graduating in 1857 from the State Medical col- lege at Charleston, S. C. He then settled down to the practice of medi- cine at Perote, where he remained until the breaking out of the Civil war. In February, 1861, he was one of the first to join the army, enlisting for one year in company E, First Alabama infantry, as a private soldier. After about eight months' service at Pensacola, Fla., he was stricken with typhoid fever, from which he did not rocover for four years, during which time he remained at his home at Perote. He then removed to Rutledge, Crenshaw county, where he enjoyed a large practice for five years, at the expiration of which time he removed to his farm in Pike county. In 1879, he removed to Troy, where he has a fine practice, con- fined almost exclusively to the city. He is a member of the State Medi- cal association, and is treasurer of the Pike county Medical society. He was, for some time, a member of the Masonic fraternity, and at the present time both he and wife are prominent members of the Methodist Episcopal church, south, and occupy a high social position. They were married, in October, 1858. Mrs. Crossley, before her marriage, was Eugenia, a daughter of James DeWitt, and Sarah McCall, natives of South Carolina and Georgia, respectively, but at an early day they came to Alabama. and died at Perote. Mrs. Crossley was born in Pike county, and is the mother of two sons and four daughters, viz. : Sallie, wife of Tyre Carter; Dr. Andrew Crossley, a dentist of Atlanta, Tex., a gradu- ate of Vanderbilt university, Nashville, Tenn .; Jennie, Lavenia, wife of Thomas Hollis; Mattie, and James M.
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MEMORIAL RECORD OF ALABAMA.
JOHN H. DEWBERRY, M. D., druggist at Brundidge, was born in Tal- bot county, Ga., in 1833. He is a son of Irby and Mariah (Walker) Dew- berry, who were born in Warren county, and Putnam county, Ga., respectively. They were brought up on the farm, receiving a fair educa- tion for the time, and spent all their lives in Georgia. They reared their family in Talbot county, and there died, Mr. Dewberry in January, and Mrs. Dewberry in July, 1869, the former being about ninety years and the latter about seventy-two years of age. " Mr. Dewberry was a farmer, honest, industrious, and well to do. He accumulated good property. He was a member of the whig party, and was an enterprising, public-spirited citizen. He was of English extraction and was probably of the first gen- eration of his people born in the United States. Mrs. Dewberry was a member of the Missionary Baptist church for many years. The maternal grandfather of Dr. Dewberry was John Walker, an Englishman, who died in Putnam county, Ga. He was a farmer by occupation and reared a large family. Irby Dewberry had two sons by his first wife, Bradford and Hampilton. Bradford died without marrying, about his maturity. Hampilton married and raised a large family in Harris county, Ga., and died a few years ago. Irby Dewberry also raised two daughters by his second wife, Emily and Emory E. Emily married, lived in Talbot county, Ga., and is still living, being about sixty-seven years of age. James M., who died in Richmond, Va., was never married. Thomas Jefferson was married and had one son, who is now a physician in Georgia. By the second marriage he had three sons and two daughters, Dr. John H. being the third of this family. The two other sons by the second wife were mentioned above, James M., died at Richmond during the war, and Thomas Jefferson, who was killed near Richmond in battle, a few days before his brother died. Dr. John H. was reared on the farm and received a good education, principally at the Hamilton academy and Wav- erlv Hall academy, Georgia. He studied medicine with Dr. H. K. Stan- ford, of Harris county, Ga., two years, in the meantime attending Augusta Medical college, and graduated from Jefferson Medical college, at Philadelphia, in 1857. He then removed to Hilliard's Cross Roads, in Pike county, Ala., and there practiced medicine during 1857 and 1858, when he returned to Talbot county, Ala., and there married Sallie E., daughter of Rev. Hiram Powell, a Missionary Baptist preacher for many years previous to his death, serving one church over thirty years. He reared a large family, several of whom were ministers of the gospel and of good standing. Mrs. Dewberry was born and educated in Talbot county, Ga., and was the mother of three sons and two daughters, viz. : Ida Irene, who died young; James M., a graduate from Nashville Normal school, and for three years principal of Capital Hill school at Montgom- ery, and then professor of mathematics in the State Normal school at Troy, which position he resigned to become one of the editors and pro- prietors of the Alabama Baptist, of the Alabama Printing Co .; he mar-
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PERSONAL MEMOIRS-PIKE COUNTY.
ried Miss Effie Lee, of Selma, Ala. ; Ola M., wife of S. B. Copeland, who was educated at Brundidge and at Troy; John R., attended the state uni- versity, and now has a position in the auditor's office' of the Alabama Midland Railroad company at Montgomery; Allie P., who was educated at Brundidge, and who is now clerking in a drug store at Dothen. Dr. Dewberry practiced medicine in Monroe county, Ga., in 1859, and in 1860 came to Brundidge, where he continued his practice until 1873, when he removed to his farm, upon which he spent seven years, still doing prac- tice. He then returned to town and has since been engaged in the drug business. He is also interested in planting. He is one of the oldest and most popular of the physicians of the 'county. He is a member of the State Medical association and of the Pike county Medical society. He has been a member of the Masonic fraternity for many years, and both he and his wife have been members of the Baptist church from their youth up. Having spared neither pains nor expense in the education of his children, he is now being rewarded by the positions they occupy and by their noble characters. He has always been foremost in all undertak- ings tending toward the public good and the educational and moral advancement of the community, and although never an aspirant for pub- lic honcrs, he is always actively interested in the success of the demo- cratic party. He is well and widely known and is universally respected for the sterling qualities of his character.
WILLIAM L. FLEMING, planter of Grimes's beat, No. 8, was born in Harris county, Ga., in 1848. He is a son of John A. and Nancy (Watson) Fleming, natives of Columbia county, Ga., the former born in 1810, the latter in 1811. Both were reared on the farm and received a common school education. They were married in 1831, and in 1852 came from Harris county to Coffee county, Ala., and with the exception of one year, 1865, when they lived in Jefferson county, they have since lived in Cof- fee county. Both were Methodists for many years. Mr. Fleming is a well-to-do farmer, was tax collector of Coffee county a good many years ago, has always been public spirited and active in public affairs, but has never been an active politician. He has always been honest and industri- ous, but he has not been a hard worker. He was one of a large family born to Robert Fleming, a native of North Carolina, who removed to Columbia county, Ga., at an early day, and died in Harris county, Ga., in 1867. He was of Scotch descent, and an active, industrious man. It is probable that his parents were both Scotch, and that his mother was born in the old country. James Watson, the maternal grandfather of Mr. Fleming, and his wife, were both natives of Georgia, where they lived until 1852, when they removed to Coffee county, Ala .. where Mrs. Watson died in 1856, Mr. Watson dying in 1862. He was a farmer by occupation and had served as a soldier in the war of 1812. William L. Fleming was the third in a family of three sons and four daughters. Benjamin, now of Coffee county, Ala., was in the Fifteenth Alabama,
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MEMORIAL RECORD OF ALABAMA.
company E, and served in the army in Virginia from 1851 to 1835, as a private soldier. He was wounded at Richmond. in January. 1865, and also once before. William L. Fleming, in April, 1865, joined the Second Florida cavalry, and operated in eastern Florida, near Jacksonville, until May. After the close of the war be returned home and vent to farming in Coffee county, and, in 1873, was married, in Dale county, to Mary Love, daughter of Leroy M. and Martha Edwards, natives of Georgia, but who removed to Alabama with their parents, and married in Russell county, whence they removed to Dale county, where they still live, both having been Methodists for many years. Mr. Edwards was in the late war in the cavalry service in the Tennessee army from 1863. He was captured once but soon afterward made his escape. He was a member of the legislature from 1874 to 1875, and was county superintendent of edu- cation about four years. He has also held other minor offices. He has reared five children, three sons and two daughters. Mrs. Fleming was born in Russell county, Ala., and is the mother of eight children. In 1873 Mr. Fleming removed to Pike county, lived in different parts thereof until 1880, when he settled down upon his present farm, five miles south of Brundidge, where has a fine farm of 700 acres, in a good location and well improved. It is well fenced, has upon it good buildings, and is one of the best farms in Pike county. He is engaged principally in raising cattle and farm crops, and his success be attributes to his having given his personal attention to his business. He is a thorough, practical farmer, has an elegant home and everything in as good shape as could be desired. Both he and his wife have been members of the Methodist church for many years, she since her youth. Mr. Fleming is rather retired in his disposition, but takes an active interest in seeing that the best men are elected to office, and he is sparing no pains nor expense to give his children a good education.
H. FOREMAN, M. D., a practicing physician of Brundidge, was born in Autauga county. Ala., 1837. He is a son of David and Nancy ( Betzell ) Foreman, the former of whom was born in Edgefield district, S. C., in 1800, and the latter near Milledgeville, Ga., about 1812. David Foreman was brought upon a farm, and received a liberal education. He removed with his parents to Georgia, where he married and afterward removed to Autauga county, Ala. About 1839 he removed to Pike county, now Bul- lock county, where he died in 1863, his wife surviving him until 1886. Mr. Foreman was a model farmer and was extraordinarily successful. In politics he was a democrat. He was one of a large family born to Isaac Foreman, who was of Irish origin, born in South Carolina and who died in Georgia. Grandfather Betzell was also the father of a large family and died in Georgia. Dr. Foreman is the sixth of a family of five sons and three daughters. Andrew J. was a soldier in the late war and died in 1864 in the Georgia campaign; Augustus L., now a merchant of Union Springs, served all through the war in the Virginia army. Dr. Foreman
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was reared on a farm and received his early education in the country schools. Later he attended the Orion and Montgomery academies, and then read medicine with Dr. William Mabson of Union Springs, and graduated from Jefferson Medical college at Philadelphia in 1859. He then took a post-graduate course at the South Carolina Medical college at Charleston. He practiced at Union Springs until the breaking out of the war, and early in 1861 joined company I, Twenty-second Alabama infantry, and was stationed at Hall's Mill near Mobile for some time, when he joined the Thirty-ninth Alabama as surgeon and served in Kentucky, Tennessee, and Georgia, and then back to Nashville with Hood. He went thence to Montgomery and Spanish Fort, where they were soon driven out by the Federal army, and they then made their way to Meridian, Miss .. where they were paroled. The doctor had a horse shot under him at Resaca which fell upon him and broke his left knee, which caused him to walk for some time on crutches. From the time spent in the army he gained a great deal of useful experience. After the close of the war he settled on his plantation near Union Springs, and did not practice much for some years, but since he removed to Brundidge he has ยท been continously engaged in practice with good results. He is also largely interested in planting both in Bullock and Pike counties. In 1870 he married Barbara, daughter of T. W. and Christine Griffin, who were early settlers of Brundidge, where they still reside. Mr. Griffin is a prosperous farmer and a worthy citizen. Both Mr. and Mrs. Griffin are members of the Baptist church. Mrs. Foreman was born and educated at Brundidge and has one daughter. The doctor has been mayor of Brundidge for some years. He is a member of Brundidge lodge, No. 184, F. & A. M., and both he and his wife are members of the Missionary Baptist church. He is one of the most genial, upright and useful citizens of the place.
HENRY. W. EMFINGER, planter of Tanyard beat, No.6, was born in Edge- field district, S. C., in 1814. He was the son of Henry and Mourning (Trotter) Emfinger, both natives of the same district. They were persons of limited educational opportunities. They lived in South Carolina till 1835, when they removed to Chambers county, Ala., settling near West Point and renting land. About 1837 they removed to Russell county, where Mr. Emfinger died in 1847 or 1848. He was a good farmer, lived in moderate circumstances, was fond of hunting and was a soldier in the war of 1812. Both he and his wife were members of the Baptist church. Mrs. Emfinger died some years after the death of her husband. Henry Emfinger's father came from Germany, and died near Charleston, S. C. He was twice married, his first wife being the mother of Henry En. finger. Mrs. Mourning Emtingers's father was Joseph Trotter, an Englishman . who married a Miss Gentry. They reared a large family and died in South Carolina. Henry W. Emfinger was the fourth in a family of five sons and six daughters. Two of the sons were in the late war, David and
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