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 9
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60
1
€33.634
1
i . .
BENJ. J. BALDWIN.
-
PERSONAL MEMOIRS -- MONTGOMERY COUNTY. 635
settling first in Southampton county, Va., and removing thence to North Carolina in the year 1764, in the person of two brothers-Arthur and Joseph. The former was the great-grandfather of Judge Arrington. John Arrington, the judge's grandfather, was for many years a member of the North Carolina legislature, and also a member of the convention of 1836 that revised the constitution of that state. The judge's father, known as Col. Samuel L. Arrington, who.moved to Montgomery in 1852, was educated for the law, but on account of ill-health took to agricultu- ral pursuits. He represented Nash, his native county, for ten years in the state senate, and his brother. Archibald H. Arrington, was twice a member of the United States congress, and later of the Confederate con- gress. He was also a member of the North Carolina constitutional con- vention in 1870. Thomas N. Mann, a half brother of the colonel, and for whom Judge Arrington was named, was a distinguished lawyer, a member of the legislature, and was sent by President Monroe as minister to Central America. On his way out he died at Hampton Roads, Va.
BENJAMIN J. BALDWIN, M. D .. at Montgomery, is a specialist of wide repute throughout the south and the Union. He was born in Bullock county, Ala., November 17, 1836, and is a son of Benjamin J. Baldwin, Sr., and Martha J. (Barnett) Baldwin, natives, respectively, of Alabama and Georgia. He is a graduate of Randolph-Macon college of Virginia. Studied medicine at the office of Dr. R. F. Michel at Montgomery, and received his degree of M. D. from the Bellevue Medical college, New York city, in 1877. He was at once appointed physician to the New York insane asylum, and then' house surgeon of the Charity hospital of the same city. In 1878 he located at Louisville, Ky., and at the end of the year formed a partnership with Dr. Preston B. Scott, with whom he practiced about two years. In 1881 he returned to New York for special instruction in diseases of the eye and ear, and at the end of two months was appointed resident surgeon of the Manhattan Eye and Ear hospital. He next visited the great hospitals of London, Paris and Heidelburg, and then returned to Montgomery, where, in October, 1887, he opened the Morris Eye and Ear infirmary, the largest institution of its kind in the south. He is editor of the eye and ear department of the Alabama Medical Journal, and stands at the head of his profession as a specialist. His marriage took place at Montgomery, December 16, 1884, to Miss Hulit Morris, the refined and accomplished daughter of Hon. Josiah Morris.
FRANK BALTZELL, editor of the Alliance. Herald, Montgomery. was born at Oak Hill, Worthington county, Fla., June 3. 1850, and was educated at Marianna and Knox Hill. Fla., leaving school in 1867. In September, 1864, however, he was in the battle at Marianna, between Confederate troops and a raiding party of Federals, commanded by Gen. Ashboth, where he was captured, but paroled at Vernon, Fla., soon after. After leaving school, in 1867, he became editor and proprietor of the Courier,
636
MEMORIAL RECORD OF ALABAMA.
at Marianna, Fla., which he continued to control until January 1, 1874; he came to Alabama in August of the same year, locating at Rutledge, where he edited the Lancet for six months. and then went to Troy, Ala., and established the Enquirer, and published it until February, 1890, and then settled in Montgomery, Ala., and established the Alliance Herald, which he is now (1893) publishing. Mr. Baltzeli was admitted to the bar in Marianna, Fla., in September, 1971, and practiced there until 1874. He was admitted to practice in the supreme court of Florida, in January, 1872. In 1873, he received a complimentary vote for United States senator, but, being under age, could not be a candidate. Mr. Baitzell has been very active in politics, and was a delegate to the national democratic con- vention in 1872, and was alternate elector at-large in that campaign. He was elected to the legislature from Pike county, Ala., in 1882. In November, 1892, he was a candidate for congress from the second district,' having received his nomination at the fusion convention, held at Lake View, Jefferson county, Ala., in September, 1892, and is now (1893) contesting the seat of Jesse F. Stallings, nominated by the democratic convention held at Evergreen, Ala., in September, 1892. Frank Baltzell was married in 1877 to Ria, daughter of Maj. B. R. Harris, of Mt. Pleasant, Tenn., and to them have been born four children, as follows: William B., Meta C., Mary E. and Tom. Gen. F. Baltzell, father of Frank, was a native of Kentucky, who married Rebecca H. Long, a native of Georgia. He moved to Florida in 1837, where he died in 1888. He was judge of the Jackson county (Fla.) court at the time of his death. During the war, he was receiver of the western division of Florida.
JOSEPH DAY BARRON was born. in Upson county, Ga., March 19, 1833. In 1837, his father moved from Georgia to Alabama, settling in Russell county. His father, Rev. Hiram Barron, was for forty years a minister of the Baptist church and imbued his son during this long career as a servant of God with the natural piety that distinguishes him, and at the same time taught him, as the life of a country preacher best can do, something of the short and simple annals of the poor. Young Barron got his education in the common schools of Russell county. In 1848 his father once again changed his home, this time going to Randolph county in this state. The son was now in a measure thrown upon his own resources. He learned what labor meant. He worked at a trade of mill- wright for a number of years. A strong sense of humor, much native intelligence and habit of reading. finally carried him into journalism. His first contributions were of a humorous kind. They met with instant public favor, and in 1856 he took editoral charge of the Louina Eagle. He removed this paper in 1858 to Wedowee, changed its name to the Southern Mercury, and continued to edit it until 1861. During the war he continued a while to follow the milling business, but enlisted in 1864 as a member of the Sixth Alabama cavalry, and followed this command to the close. After the war he removed to Clay county. where he temporarily
1
.---- ----
637
PERSONAL MEMOIRS-MONTGOMERY COUNTY.
renewed his connection with journalism by editing the Ashland Times. His last newspaper work was done after his removal to Montgomery. He was here for several years a regular editorial contributor to the Mont- gomery Advertiser. Mr. Barron began his public career by representing Clay county in the lower house of the general assembly. He sat as a member during the sessions of 1874-5 and 1875-6. In 1878 he was appointed chief clerk in the office of secretary of state by the secretary, Hon. Wallace Screws. He was retained in this place by Mr. Screws' successors, Hon. Ellis Phelan and Hon. C. C. Langdon, and on the death of Mr. Langdon, in 1889, he was appointed secretary of state by Gov. Seay. He was nominated and elected for a full- term, in 1890, and renominated and re-elected in 1892. Mr. Barron is a gentleman of quiet and unassuming manners. He retains much of his fondness for the simple style of the good people among whom he was born and reared. It is a standing boast among his friends that no amount of city life has been able to make him vary one minute or second even from his time-honored dinner-hour, twelve o'clock. Mr. Barron is a great student and has made much special research in Indian history. His friends hope he may see fit at no distant day to give the public the benefit of his knowledge of Indian language, character and traditions.
WILLIS V. BELL, merchant and farmer of Ada, Montgomery county, Ala., was born in Lowndes county in 1851. He is a son of Osborne K. and Anna (Baker) Bell, natives of South Carolina, born near Camden in that state, and who received there a common school education. ' About 1849, a few years after their marriage, they came to Alabama, and lived for some years in Lowndes county. They then removed to Montgomery county, where"Mrs Bell died in August, 1866. Mr. Bell married twice afterward. and since 1883, has been living with his third wife at Clanton. He has always been a thrifty and successful farmer, and served in the state troops two or three years during the late war. He was opposed to secession as long as opposition did any good. He is a member of the Missionary Baptist church, and at the age of seventy-three is a well pre- served man. His father was also a native of South Carolina, but spent the last years of his life in Mississippi. Willis V. Bell is the second of a family of three sons and one daughter, viz. : Newton J., of Montgomery, who served a"short time in the state troops when only sixteen years old; Willis V .; James M., of Grady; Jodie, wife of Robert Porter. Mr. Bell was reared on a farm in Montgomery county, near where he now resides. His education was interfered with by the coming on of the war. At the age of eighteen he began working for himself on his father's farm as a field hand. and'at the end of one year, purchased a horse, and farmed part of his father's farm for a few years, during which time he accumu- lated several hundred dollars. bought some land. and since then has con- tinued to accumulate property, till he now owns over 3,000 acres of land, including the old homestead. He has been a merchant for about twelve
-
638.
MEMORIAL RECORD OF ALABAMA.
years and also now owns three good cotton gins and a store at Grady, all of which he has accumulated through his own efforts. His land pro- duced over 700 bales of cotton last year. Beside being one of the leading merchants and planters of the county, he is postmaster and railroad agent at Ada. He has been married three times; first to Miss Frances N. Boyd, daughter of Robin Boyd, who was born in Montgomery, and died in 1873. The second marriage was to Miss Sarah Boyd, a sister of his first wife, in November. 1874. She died November 27, 1888, leav- ing seven children, four of whom are living. Mr. Bell was married, for the-third time, to Mrs. Mary Rushton, daughter of Rev. R. A. Jackson, a Missionary Baptist minister, now of Ramer, Ala. Mrs. Bell was born in South Carolina, and is the mother of one child. Mr. Bell has lived all his life within one and a half miles of his present home. He has been a suc- cessful farmer and business man, this success being due to hard work, economy and personal supervision of his affairs. He is a member of the Mosaic lodge, Knights of Pythias, at Montgomery. He and his present wife are, and his two previous wives were, members of the Missionary Baptist church. While Mr. Bell is not a politician, and does not desire office, yet he is always ready to support his party.
HENRY WILLIAM BERNHEIM, tobacco and liquor merchant of Mont- gomery, was born in Baden, Germany, November 29, 1846. He came to America at the age of eighteen, landed in New York city, and remained there sixteen months, engaged in clerking. He then went to Tensas Parish, La., where he worked for Chas. Morss & Co., as assistant book- keeper, from December, 1867, until August, 1868, and then came to Mont- gomery, Ala .. where he accepted the position of assistant bookkeeper with Moore, Waldman & Co., but soon after took the position of book- keeper, with Lemle & Dreyfuss, with whom he remained eighteen years, and then, in 1859, with a partner went into the wholesale liquor, cigar and tobacco business, under the firm name of H. W. Bernheim & Co., which he still carries on. Mr. Bernheim belongs to the B'nai B'rith, of which he is past president, and is past chancellor of the Knights of Pythias lodge, past sachem of the I. O. R. M., and member of the Masonic fra- ternity, is a notary public, also ex-first assistant chief of the Montgomery fire company, of which he had been a member for twenty-two years, and held every office. Mr. Bernheim was married November 27, 1878. to Regina Dreyfuss, daughter of Sol. Dreyfuss, his present partner, and to this union there were born two children, Clemma and May Belle. Wil- helm Bernheim, father of Henry William, was born in Baden, Germany in 1811. He was an attorney all his active life, and died in 1870. He married Babette Newburger, and to them were born thirteen children, of whom eleven still survive, as follows: Julia. now Mrs. Emerich, of New York; Solomon, of Nashville, Tenn .; Henry William, of Montgomery, Ala. ; Jacob W .. of Baden, Germany; Sophie, widow of Moses Myer, of Chat tanooga, Tenn. ; , Bertha, wife of Jacob Myer, of New York city; Benja-
1.,9.144
639
PERSONAL MEMOIRS-MONTGOMERY COUNTY.
min, of Baden, Germany, who served in the Franco-Prussian war, as captain; Leopold, who lives in Baden, Germany; Caroline, of New York city; Julius, of Baden, Germany, and Hannah, also of Baden. Mrs. Babette Bernheim died in Baden, in 1887, aged sixty-five
RICHARD J. BIBB, planter, of beat number 9, living near Hope Hull, Montgomery county, was born in Boone conaty, Mo., in 1812. He is the son of Richard and Charity (Hinkson) Biob, the former a native of Vir- ginia and the latter of Missouri, and a grandson of James Bibb. Richard Bibb removed with his parents to Georgia, and thence went to an uncle, Richard Bibb, in Kentucky. While still a young man. he went to Missouri, where he married, and in 1818, came to Alabama, locating first in what is now Elmore county, and in 1835, removing to Washington county, Tex., where he died in 1844, in his fifty-fifth year, his widow dying one year later. Mr. Bibb was a farmer and a Mason. He was a whig, in politics, but rather conservative in his views. He was first-cousin to Governors William and Thomas Bibb, and also of United States senator, George M. Bibb, elected from Kentucky, who also served as secretary of state during President Tyler's administration. His father, James Bibb, was a native of Virginia, whence he removed to Georgia, where he died. He was a son of John Bibb, of Hanover county, Va., who was a son of William Bibb, whose father was Benjamin Bibb, a native of Wales, who came to America in colonial times. From him descended all the Bibbs in the United States, and many of the family have been distinguished in both state and national affairs. Robert Hinkson, father of Mrs. Charity Bibb, was connected with the early settlement of Missouri, and was familiar with Indian warfare in the northwest. Some of his descendants became prominent in Missouri politics. He was of Irish descent, and both he and his wife died in Missouri. Richard J. Bibb was the eldest of nine children, of whom only three are now living, himself and two sisters. Martha B. is now the widow Armstrong of San Francisco, Cal., and the other sister is Mrs. M. Bibb Mitchell, of Texas. Mr. Bibb was reared on the farm and began life for himself at eighteen years of age as a farmer, in what is now Elmore county, where he was married, in 1835, to Elizabeth Spivey, daughter of Ephraim and Mary Spivey, both natives of North Carolina, in which state they were reared and married. At an early day they came to Alabama, and located first in what is now Elmore county, whence they afterward removed to Coosa county and there lived the rest of their lives. Mr. Spivey was a farmer, and his father, Aaron Spivey, was a Revolutionary soldier. He died in what is now Elmore county. Mrs. Bibb was born in North Carolina, and died July 25, 1892, and was the mother of nine children, viz .: John M., William, Mary C., Thomas, the latter three dying when young; Richard was a lieutenant in Capt. Middleton's company of Col. Holt's regiment of Alabama troops, and was killed at Chickamauga. He was a cadet at Tuscaloosa and spent the first year of the war in different parts of the
.
1
640
MEMORIAL RECORD OF ALABAMA.
state drilling troops. He was a promising young man and had nearly completed his education when the war came on. He was killed at the age of twenty-one; Payton was educated at the common schools and at Tuscaloosa until the latter place was captured by the Federal troops. He afterward engaged in farming for some years and is now a resident of Montgomery; Mattie, dceased wife of David Graves, who is also deceased. She left a son, David Bibb Graves, who is now living with Mr. Richard J. Bibb; Walter, who died when young, and Willie. Mr. Bibb removed to Montgomery county in 1847. where he lived until 1855, and then he moved to Lowndes county, remaining there until the war, when he returned to Montgomery county and since then has lived on his present farm, nine miles south of Montgomery. His farm contains 927 acres of land, and is one of the best farms in the county. He has been and still is one of the most progressive and prosperous farmers in the, county, but lost heavily during the war. He was for some years engaged in the lumber business. During the war he was not subject to military duty, and so was detailed to assist in maintaining the families of those who did go into the army. He has always been an active worker for his party, and was especially so during reconstruction times, but never has aspired to office. Mrs. Bibb was, and Mr. Bibb has been; for a long time, a member of the Protestant Methodist church. He belongs to one of the best families in the state, and is highly esteemed by the entire community.
FAY M. BILLING, one of the most prominent financiers and bankers of the south, was born at Columbus, Ga., October 28, 1846. He was educated there and at the university of Alabama. In 1865 he removed to Mont- gomery, and went into the banking house of Josiah Morris & Co., as a partner. He still retains his interest in this institution, and since the death of Mr. Morris. he has been in control of it. He was. for several years before Mr. Morris' death, in charge of the general management of the bank. "Josiah Morris & Co .. " one of the oldest, most stable and most famous banking institutions of the south, has continued to prosper under the able and discreet management of its present head, Mr. Billing. Mr. Billing was married in 1872 to Miss Lucy Noble, a daughter of John A. Noble, of New Orleans. He has several lovely children. His grand- father was Samuel A. Billing, who was born in Charleston, S. C., in 1806. He was a physician by profession.
DAVID T. BLAKEY, lawyer of Montgomery, was born in the county of that name, August 12. 1833, and is a son of Dr. Boling A. Blakey, a native of Georgia, and of English descent. Dr. Blakey came into Alabama in 1818, settled first at Mount Meigs, this county, and removed into Mont- gomery in 1835. Here he was many years associated with Dr. Silas Ames. In 1841 he moved to Macon county, this state, and died there in 1873. David T. Blakey was graduated from the university of Georgia in 1851 as A. B., and soon afterward, at Tuskegee, began reading law in the office
641
PERSONAL MEMOIRS-MONTGOMERY COUNTY.
of the late Judge Chilton. Though admitted to the bar, it appears that he was planting at the outbreak of the late war. Early in 1861, he enlisted as a private in the Third Alabama infantry, and in September of that year was promoted to ordnance officer under Gen. Withers. In this capacity he was at Mobile a few months, when by permission he raised a company of volunteer cavalry, and became its captain. It was known as company E, First Alabama cavalry. Col. Blakey was with this regiment to the close of the war. His first promotion took place in August, 1862, when he was made major of the regiment; in October following, he was promoted to lieutenant colonel, and in March, 1863, was made colonel of the regiment. In the latter part of the war, during the North Carolina campaign, he commanded the brigade to which his regiment was attached, and surrendered the brigade at Charlotte in May, 1865. As the captain of company E, he participated in the battle of Shiloh; was major at Perryville, and lieutenant-colonel at Murfreesboro. At Chickamauga and Knoxville he commanded the regiment, and at the battle of Bonton- ville he commanded the brigade. At Dandridge, east Tennessee, he received his first and only wound, a gun shot through his body. Immediately after the close of the war, he again engaged in planting. In 1867 he began the practice of law in Montgomery, to which he has since devoted his entire time. He was married at Union Springs in December, 1866, to Miss Mary S. Mabson, daughter of the late Dr. William S. Mabson.
WILLIAM P. CHILTON (deceased) was born in 1810, in Christian county, Ky. His mother (a Bledsoe) was of distinguished family, and his father was a Baptist divine, widely known and of great influence. His mother died when he was but three years old, and his father soon after, and he was left with Lysias, a still younger brother, to the care of his sister, Jane, who married Rev. Charles Metcalfe. He read law with Judge Meggs (of the supreme court of Tennessee) and while at Nashville, met, and afterward married, his first wife, Mary C. Morgan, daughter of George Morgan, Esq., of Athens, and a sister of Hon. John T. Morgan, now of the United States senate. In 1834 he located at Mardisville, in Talladega county, and there began the practice of law. associated with George P. Brown, and the firm soon acquired a lucrative practice. In 1839, though a whig in a strongly democratic county, he was elected to the legislature, where he readily took and retained notably high rank. In 1840 he supported Harrison for the presidency, and in 1844 worked arduously for Clay. He was recognized as one of the most powerful debaters of his time in the state. In 1845 he ran against Gen. F. McCon- nell for congress, but was defeated. He was elected in 1848, by a demo- cratic legislature, to the supreme court bench. In 1852 he succeeded Judge Collier as chief justice. In 1856 he resigned the office of chief jus- tice to resume the practice of law at Tuskegee. In 1859 he was elected to the senate from the Macon district. The political events of that
--
642
MEMORIAL RECORD OF ALABAMA.
period-state and national-were of the most exciting character. Though Judge Chilton deprecated disunion, he could not submit to dishonor in the Union. He earnestly desired the perpetuation of the government as the fathers had pequeathed it; but not in violation of the constitution. Judge Chilton resigned his seat in the senate, and with his sons, Thomas G. Chilton and W. P. Chilton, Jr., in connection with William L. Yancey, and his son Benjamin C. Yancey, established the law firm of Chilton & Yancey, with offices at Montgomery and Tuskegee. The two offices were consolidated on the death of Thomas G. Chilton, a lawyer of brilliant promise, in 1860. After the secession of Alabama, Judge Chilton was unanimously chosen by the state convention a member of the provisional Confederate congress, and was afterward twice elected to the congress of the Confederacy. In the fall of the Confederacy, Judge. Chilton, in com- mon with his southern countrymen, sustained a severe loss in property of every kind. Undaunted by reverses, he resumed, after the war, the practice of law at Montgomery, associating with him Col. Jack Thoring- ton and Col. W. P. Chilton, and engaged in a first-class law practice. Col. Chilton afterward retiring from the firm, W. S. Thorington and John M. Chilton became members of it. Judge Chilton in person was over six feet in height, well proportioned, erect and of commanding appearance. In character he was as pure as a virgin. He was a devoted husband, a kind and affectionate father. He was an ardent Baptist, and during his life was president of the Baptist state convention, and vice-president of the Southern Baptist convention. He was, at the period of his death, grand master of Masons, and high priest. The degree of LL. D. had been conferred on him by a Tennessee university. In 1875 the county of Chilton was named in his honor.
ALEXANDER H. CLARK, planter and stock-raiser of beat No. 9. post- office, Hope Hull, was born in New Orleans, in 1844. He is the son- of James S. and Margaretta Brown (Sproule) Clark, both natives of Ken- tucky, who were reared. liberally educated, and married in their native state. After their marriage they removed to Vicksburg, and a few years later, in 1842, they went to New Orleans, where they spent the rest of their lives. Mr. Clark died in 1969, and Mrs. Clark in 1888. She was a Presbyterian. Mr. Clark was a merchant all his life, and met with marked success until the war. He was not a politician nor an aspirant to office. He was one of a family of three children, the other two being daughters, born to James Clark, a native of England, who died when James S. Clark was very young. Charles Sproule, the father of Mrs. Margaretta B. Clark. was a native of Ireland, but came to the United States at an early day, and settled in Kentucky, and died near Mont- gomery, Ala., when yet a young man. He was owner of a line of barges on the Mississippi river. His wife was Margaret Humphreys, a native of Kentucky, who was of the third generation from Rev. John and Mar- garet Preston. The former came from the north of Ireland in 1740, and
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.