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 41
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ness he has since been engaged. In 1885, he began the saw mill busi- ness in connection with his lime business, which he also continues to the present time. He is a Knight of Pythias, a Knight of Honor, a mem- ber of the farmers' alliance, and one of the leading citizens of the county.
HENRY C. REYNOLDS, a leading merchant of Montevallo, was born in Warren county, Tenn., March 11, 1838. He was a son of Elisha and . Nancy (Petty) Reynolds, both natives of the same county in Tennessee with himself. Elisha Reynolds remained in his native state until 1841, when he removed to Alabama and settled in Montgomery, where he remained three years. He then lived at Greenville, Ala., six or seven years, when he returned to Montgomery, and after a year or two removed to Selma, where he remained until the breaking out of the war. All this time he was a mail contractor, which necessitated these frequent removals. During the war of the rebellion he lived on a farm in Shelby county, and at its close removed to Montevallo, where he engaged in mercantile business, and also conducted a branch store in Mississippi. . Upon the failure of his health he returned from Mississippi to Shelby county, Ala., and lived in this latter county until his death. He was a Mason and a Baptist. His father was a native of North Carolina, and served as a soldier in the Revolutionary war. Henry C. Reynolds was raised in Selma, Ala., where he received a good common school educa- tion. He then attended the military school in Georgia one year. Early in 1862 he enlisted in company I, Fifty first Alabama infantry, under John T. Morgan, assisted him in raising the company and went to Gov. Watts for arms for the regiment. He immediately began scouting duty, which he continued during the war, on one occasion taking a prisoner within the Union lines and bringing him out. In a sketch of him, pub- lished some time since, it was said: "A more perfectly brave man, more shrewd and careful scout never wore the uniform of a soldier. It is safe to say that not a night passed during the great retreat of Joseph E. Johnston from Dalton to Atlanta, that Lieut. Reynolds, and his few trusty men, did not enter the enemy's lines and come out with such information as was absolutely necessary to Gen. Johnston's successful disposition of bis troops." It was Lieut. Reynolds who served as guide to Gen. Wheeler when Gen. Kilpatrick's headquarters were captured in North Carolina. Lieut. Reynolds was the last man to leave Columbia before the burning of that city. He had already ridden out of the city before it was set on fire, and upon riding up to Gen. Hampton, that gen- eral said to him: "Lieut. Reynolds. I wish you would ride back and see what troops those are firing the city." Selecting a comrade to go with him, they went back into Columbia, and on returning they each took a prisoner to Gen. Hampton. After the war he located at Montevallo and engaged in the mercantile business, in which he has continued until the present time. In 1861, he married Miss Mary Boyd, of Selma, daughter
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of Hugh and Mrs. Boyd. 'To this marriage there have been born ten children, viz. : William B., Bessie, Eugene, DuBose, Herbert E., Fred K., Belle, Harvey C., Maude and Lucia, nine of whom are living. The mother of these children was born in Chester district, S. C., and died June 29, 1890. She was a member of the Baptist church. December 2. 1891, Mr. Reynolds married Mrs. Hattie Meredith, a daughter of a Mr. Simpson, of Atlanta, Ga., whose mother was taken sick during the siege of Atlanta, in a bomb proof, and was sent north to Boston by Gen. Sher- man. Mr. Reynolds is a Knight of Honor. On his return from the war he began life without property, but by his industry and energy he has accumulated a competence. He stands deservedly high in the esteem of his neighbors and friends, who almost idolize him for his bravery and patriotism during the late Civil war.
WILLIAM R. SINGLETON, M. D., a leading physician of Shelby county, but who is now, however, retired, was born September 1, 1823. He is a son of John and Sarah (Kidd) Singleton, the former of whom was born and reared near Knoxville, Tenn. He was educated at Maryville college, and afterward practiced medicine until his death in 1854. William R. Singleton was born and brought up on the farm where he now lives. He attended the common schools of the county, and in 1847 entered the university of Louisiana at New Orleans, remaining there two sessions, and, returning home, began practice in 1849. Since then he has been until recently continuously engaged in the practice of his chosen profession. In 1846, he married Miss E. P. Mitchell, daughter of William and Deborah (Haughton) Mitchell, by whom he had six children, three of whom are living, viz .: Ibrey T., Mary R .. wife of T. J. Giles, and Cora, wife of J. A. Williams. The mother of these children was born in 1828 and died in 1870. In April, 1875, Dr. Singleton was married to Miss B. V. Mallory, daughter of Col. William and Mary Mallory of Talladega county. To this marriage there was born one child, William M. Mrs .. Singleton was born in August, 1850, and died in October, 1880. Both of Dr. Singleton's wives were members of the Baptist church. He is a mem- ber of the Masonic fraternity. Commencing at the close of the war with- out property, he has succeeded in accumulating a handsome competence. He owns 160 acres of the old homestead farm, which was originally entered by his maternal grandfather. Dr. Singleton is a splendid speci- men of what a man can make of himself by application to a determinate purpose, and stands high among his fellow-citizens.
COL. WILLIAM T. SMITH, one of the leading agriculturists of Shelby county, is a native of Petersburg Va., born January 4, 1844. He is a son of William and Mary (Jones) Smith. The mother was a native of Vir- ginia. The father, while connected with the P. & W. railroad, was so badly scalded that he died. Col. Smith came to Alabama with his widowed mother when but six years old. She settled in Talladega county, where she died five years later. After her death Col. Smith went to St.
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Clair county and engaged in farming two years, when he became clerk in a drug store, remaining thus engaged until 1861. In 1861 he received . letters of credit from J. L. Elston, and with these letters went to Charleston, S. C., bought a bill of goods, and began business on his own account at Cropwell, St. Clair county. Ala. It was said at that time that he was the youngest buyer of a bill of goods that had ever been in Charleston, he then being only seventeen years of age. He conducted his business until June 4, same year, when he enlisted in company F, Tenth Alabama infantry, under Capt. J. D. Truss. At first he was first sergeant of the company, serving in that capacity until the death of First Lieut. R. N. Allen, when he was elected by the company to the vacant position, receiving all the votes in the company except five, which were given to the second lieutenant. He served as first lieutenant about two years, when he was promoted to the captaincy of the company, and . served in that office until 1864, when he was promoted to the colonelcy of the regiment, holding this position until the close of the war. In 1865 he married Martha Hendricks, daughter of Rev. M. Hendricks, of De Kalb county. She became the mother of four children, viz. : Clara F., George, Cora, and Will, and died in 1876. Col. Smith in 1878 married Miss Hen- rietta Fields, of Marengo county, Ala., daughter of William Fields. To this marriage there have been born four children. three of whom are living, viz. : Alonzo, Leroy D., and Oland D. On the termination of the war Col. Smith began life again as a farmer, and as the stock of goods which he had left in charge of a clerk at the time of his enlistment had all been been swept away. he was left in debt 84,000. But in 1866 an uncle assisted him to purchase another stock of goods, and he began business at the same place where he had begun before the war. Here he remained in business until 1871, when he engaged in the mercantile busi- ness in Wilsonville with John W. Jones. In 1872 he sold his interest in the firm to his partner, and retired to the farm. In 1873, however, Mr. Jones died, and in 1874 Col. Smith re-purchased the business and con- ducted it until 1884, when he closed it out and again returned to the farm. During this latter period, however, he extended his business into Marengo county, was at the same time there engaged in the saw mill, grist mill, ginning and farming business. He was also conducting a mill at Wilson- ville, and was at the same time depot agent and postmaster. It will be seen from the above sketch that he began not only without money, but instead of that in debt, and it may be truthfully said that his success in life has been truly phenomenal. In 1886 he was called upon by the democratic party to stand for the legislature, and was elected by a very handsome majority. At the previous election the county had been carried by the independents, but by this success of Col. Smith it was restored to the democracy. In 1888 he was again nominated for the same position. but declined to make the race in the hope that such declination would restore peace and harmony to the party. One incident connected with
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the politics of St. Clair county. in which Col. Smith played a conspicuous part, is worthy of record. In 1866, what was known as the Springfield gang was in possession of that county. This gang was holding a meet- ing in the court house at Ashville. The court house was filled, and the Rev. Mr. Finley was the orator of the occasion. The crowd present was _composed of the gang and Federal soldiers, and the orator was vilifying secession and the southern people, when Col. Smith, upon entering the house and ascertaining what was going on, soon determined in his own mind what course he would take. He thereupon called to the speaker to stop, made him leave the stand, and denounced him and his meeting and kept up his denunciation until he broke up the meeting. In 1867 he was one of the leaders who held the first democratic convention after the war, in Ashville. On their way to this convention they were intercepted by the Springfield gang, and Jack Springfield shot Frank Harrison off his horse. On account of the killing of Harrison the convention was postponed for about one month, and then it was held at Boulton's Cross Roads. At this convention Leroy Box was nominated for the legislature, and he was elected by a handsome majority, Col. Smith taking an active part in the campaign. It will thus be seen that while Col. Smith prefers the quiet life of a farmer, he yet, upon occasion, when the public inter- ests seem to him to require it, can take an active and successful part in the politics of his state. Col. Smith is thus equally prominent in agri- culture and in politics, and stands high in the estimation of his fellow- citizens of this portion of his state.
REV. DR. E. B. TEAGUE, of Columbiana, Ala., was born in Newberry district, S. C., January 20, 1820, but removed with his parents, in the spring of 1822, to Greene county, Ala., and in the fall of the same year to Shelby county. He remained on the farm with his parents until he was sixteen years of age, his educational opportunities having been very limited, and beside this his father's circumstances were such that his services were needed on the farm. However, in 1836, with an insatiable thirst for knowledge. he entered the state university at Tuscaloosa, and, with little financial assistance, paid his own way through his entire course, and graduated in December, 1840, with the second honors of his class, noted all the way through for his intense desire for knowledge and his , aptitude for learning. He began life for himself by teaching grammar schools in southern Alabama, and was thus engaged six years, during which time, feeling called to the ministry, he began preparing himself for this as his life work. In 1844, he was ordained a Baptist minister and preached at different churches in Alabama for the next ten years. He then assumed pastoral charge of the Baptist church at LaGrange, Ga., and for ten years continued there as the beloved pastor of this church. He was made president of the board of trustees of the Southern Female college, lecturing for a time on natural, moral, and mental science in the college. He was then elected president of the East Alabama Female
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college at Tuskegee, Ala., and remained in this position three years, serving also a portion of the time as pastor of the church at Tuskegee. His next regular pastoral charge was at Selma Ala .; where he remained eight years. Since then he has been pastor of dif- ferent churches in middle Alabama, but for two years of this time he has administered to the spiritual necessities of the people at East Lake. a suburb of Birmingham. He was mainly instrumental in removing the Howard college from Marion to Birmingham. While Dr. Teague is prominently known, and universally esteemed, in his state as an able minister of the gospel, and as possessing to an eminent degree the cul- ture and acquirements necessary for such a position, yet it is through his contributions to religious papers for many years that his distinguished abilities are more generally known and recognized throughout the south- ern Baptist church. He has also contributed liberally to literary periodi- cals. For many years he was trustee of Howard college, and from which college he received the degree of doctor of divinity in 1872. From his childhood up, Dr. Teague has been thoroughly imbued with the princi- ples of democracy, and has been a firm believer in the states' rights doc- trine, as he conceived it to be taught by Jefferson and Calhoun. It is said of him, that in 1860, when the "war dogs were howling," he made the first secession speech in western Georgia, the war coming on, he was made chairman of the relief committee from LaGrange, Ga. He was with the army of Tennessee from Chickamauga until Hood's expedition into Tennessee. To Dr. Teague may be given credit for the first publi- cation of the Alabama Baptist. Dr. Teague, in connection with Drs. Wink- ler and Renfroe, edited the Baptist without pay for the first two years of its existence, and thus put it upon its feet. He has, since that time for two short periods, written its main editorials. In 1844, Dr. Teague was married to Sophia Blount, and to this marriage six children were born, three of whom are still living, viz. : M. B. Teague, who is in the mercan- tile business in St. Louis; Mary, wife of W. H. Shank, a farmer of Smith county, Tex., who has charge of music and is teacher of music in the female school in Hopewell, Smith county, Tex., and Blanche, wife of H. F. Wood, a contractor and builder of East Lake, Ala. The mother of these children died April, 1858. She was the daughter of Capt. J. G. Blount, who attained his title by raising a volunteer company and taking them to the Florida war. He also served as sheriff and as a member of the legislature. In 1861, Dr. Teague was married to Miss L. E. Philpot, of Tuskegee, Ala., by whom he has had ten children, four of whom are still living: Elburda, W. C .. a conductor on the New Orleans & North- easton railroad; Louella, and E. B., Jr. The mother of these children is a daughter of W. H. Philpot, a planter of Alabama. John W. Teague was the father of Rev. Dr. Teague. He came to Alabama with his family in 1822, and followed the vocation of a farmer the rest of his life. In early times, when it was the height of every young man's ambition to
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be well trained in military tactics, he was captain of a company in New- berry district, S. C. He was a deacon in the Baptist church for many years. Dr. Teague is highly valued as a citizen for other than his clerical qualities. He has a high sense of honor, and numbers his friends by the hundreds. He has always labored hard for the welfare of the church, and for the benefit of his people, sometimes at his own expense.
C. C. VANDEGRIFT, a prominent business man of Montevallo, was born in St. Clair county, in 1838. He is a son of John and Lydia (Hardwick) Vandegrift. John Vandegrift was a son of Christopher Vandegrift, a native of Pennsylvania, whose aucestors came to this country with William Penn, and whose father was a soldier in the Revolutionary war. Lydia Vandegrift, mother of C. C. Vandegrift. was a daughter of James Hardwick, a Revolutionary soldier, a son of a Revolutionary soldier, and a descendant of Lord Hardwick of England. He represented St. Clair county in the legislature twelve years, and a soldier in the Creek war. C. C. Vandegrift was raised on the farm, had the benefits of a common school education, and prepared for college at Montevallo Male institute, but instead of entering college he accepted a position as clerk for Sylvester Steel, and held this position until April, 1862, when he enlisted in the Second Alabama cavalry under John P. West, serving in that regiment until the close of the war. He was with Gen. Joseph E. Johnston on his famous retreat. On returning from the war to Monte- vallo Mr. Steel took him into full partnership and the firm continued to conduct business until 1871, when Mr. Steel retired, since which time Mr. Vandegrift has continued it alone, at the same time being largely interested in agriculture. In 1880 he began the business of banking, which he is still conducting in connection with his merchandising. In 1865 he married Annie E. Steel, daughter of Sylvester and Marinda (Camp) Steel, by whom he has two children, Maylene and Imogene. Mrs. Vandegrift was born and brought up in Alabama. Both Mr. and Mrs. Vandegrift are members of the Methodist Episcopal church, south. He has always affiliated with the democratic party, but has never sought office. Commenc- ing with but little of this world's goods, he has, by his industry and strict attention to business, become one of the wealthiest men in Shelby, county, and no man stands higher in the estimation of his fellow- citizens.
C. G. WAGNER, one of the prominent lawyers and citizens of Shelby county, Ala., was born in Charleston, S. C., and lived in his native state until 1845. He pursued his preparatory studies in the private schools in the city, which were of a high order, and completed his education at the Charleston college. In beginning life he first engaged in the mercantile business; but in 1839 he began the study of law, having the good fortune to have as his preceptor his uncle, Hon. Henry Bailey, who occupied a very enviable position among the members of the bar in South Carolina,
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and was attorney general of that state for six consecutive years. He was admitted to the bar in 1845, and began the practice of the law in the southern judicial district, making his home in Aiken, S. C. Here he remained till 1853, when he removed to Charleston, retiring temporarily from the practice of the law. In 1854 he went to Washington to accept the position of secretary of the judiciary committee of the United States senate, which had been tendered him. He served but a short time in this position, having accepted a more lucrative and prominent position in the interior department, which he retained till the secession of South Caro- lina. Resigning soon after this event, he returned to his political mother to share with her whatever should be the result of the strife for the maintenance of states' rights and the general prosperity and fortune of his much loved south land. He remained but a few days at Charles- ton, and then proceeded to Montgomery, Ala., having been tendered,the position of clerk of the war department of the Confederate States, over which Hon. L. P. Walker presided as secretary of war, by President Davis. Maj. Wagner organized the several bureaus of the then most important department, and had charge of the telegraph office during the time the Confederate government was located at Montgomery, and the telegrams to Gen. Beauregard, ordering him to open fire on Fort Sumter, passed through his hands, as well as the one announcing the fall and surrender of that fort, an honor he holds, in very pardonable pride, in high estimation. After the telegram announcing the fall of Sumter had been read by President Davis and the members of his cabinet, it was then handed to Maj. Wagner with instructions to make its contents public. This duty was cheerfully performed in a neat speech, after which the first states' rights flag was thrown to the breeze by Maj. Wagner, assisted by Alexander B. Clitherall, a prominent and much loved citizen of Ala- bama, and was saluted by the firing of a battery belonging to the Mont- gomery Blues, a volunteer company of Montgomery. Maj. Wagner remained connected with the war department of the Confederate States until the close of the war. On the removal of the capital to Richmond, Va., he was stationed at Montgomery with instructions to build an arsenal. How efficiently he performed that duty is too well known to all who had occasion to call upon him for supplies. At the close of the war he again resumed the practice of the law, and continued to do so until his health forced him to retire from all active employment. Maj. Wagner has always been an active worker in the democratic ranks, and is an uncompromising adherent to the doctrine of states' rights and state sovereignty.
W. W. WALLACE, a leading agriculturist of Shelby county, Ala., was born in Scott county, Va., January 14, 1832. He is a son of Samuel and. Ann F. (Ballou) Wallace. The former was a native of Pennsylvania and removed to Virginia when about twenty-one years of age, and remained there until 1834, when he removed to Alabama, and settled where W. W.
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Wallace now lives, remaining there until his death. He was always a farmer. His wife was a native of Virginia and a member of the Baptist church. W. W. Wallace was raised on the farm. He attended the common school, and for two years, Emory college, Georgia. He then returned to the farm where he has since remained. In 1852. he married Mary Single- ton, daughter of Dr. John and Mrs. (Kidd) Singleton. The doctor was one of the most prominent physicians of Shelby county. By his marriage with Miss Kidd Mr. Wallace had one child. which died when three months old. Its mother was born and raised in Shelby county, and died in 1834, a member of the Baptist church. In January, 1866, Mr. Wallace was mar- ried to S. Victoria Pitts, daughter of Noel Pitts, by whom he had one child, Sallie V. Mrs. Wallace was a native of Dallas county, and died in December, 1866. In 1873, he married Miss Kate H. Henderson, daughter
of Dr. Samuel and Eliza (McGee) Henderson. Her father was a native of Tennessee, and a soldier in the Seminole war. He was a member of the Baptist church, and devoted over fifty years of his life to the ministry. Her mother was a native of North Carolina. To this latter marriage have been born seven children, viz. : Rosa W., Taliaferro, Wales W., Samuel H., Janie F., Jessie B., and Roberta. The mother of these chil- dren was born in Talladega county, Ala., September 4, 1846, and both she and her husband are members of the Baptist church. In 1863, Mr. Wal- lace enlisted in company K, Thirty-first Alabama infantry, being mus- tered in as first sergeant. One month later he was made third lieutenant, and was afterward promoted to the captaincy in 1864, and served as such during the rest of the war. One of the severest campaigns he was in was the defense of Vicksburg. After the capitulation of Vicksburg he resigned his position in his company, and joined company A, First Alabama reserves, known as the Boy company. He was captain of this company until the close of the war. His new company was under fire at Spanish Fort and behaved themselves so well that they received great and mer- ited praise from the entire regiment. After the battle of Spanish Fort they went to Blakely, and there fought on April 9, 1865, the very day on which Gen. Lee surrendered. When he returned home everything was in confusion, and his property destroyed. He, like most others who had served in the Confederate army, had to begin life anew with nothing but determination and energy; but such has been his success that he now owns over 3,000 acres of land, which is well improved. In politics he has always been an uncompromising democrat; but would never accept office. He is of high social standing and is one of the leading men of the county in which he resides.
EDWIN T. WITHERBY, assistant treasurer of the Shelby Iron company, was born at Millbury, Mass., March 18, 1845. He is a son of Thomas Huston and Mary Goddard (Forbes, Witherby, and received his education at the Worcester high school, in Massachusetts. At the age of sixteen
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