Marion County Al Histories

Site hosted by Angelfire.com: Build your free website today!

The Journal-Record Bicentennial Edition
Thursday, July 1, 1976
Section C, Page 3

BEAR CREEK WAS ONCE CALLED ALLEN'S FACTORY BEFORE
WAR

        Bear Creek was first call(sic) Allens Factory. It was operated by
Langdon ALLEN, and he represented Marion County in the Secession
Convention
at Montgomery in 1860.
        The factory was burned during the closing years of the Civil War
but was rebuilt in 1868. It was known as L. C. Allen and Company. It
was
capitalized at $20,000 and was run by water power from Bear Creek.
The
Factory make cotton yarn and operated 640 spindles with 30 hands
employed
and used 280 bales of cotton each year.
        The second factory was known as the Fall Mills Manufacturing
Company. It was two and one half miles from Allen's Factory and also
used
water power to operate. It was capitalized at $15,000 and started
operation
in 1877. It used 6000 pounds of cotton per day and 600 bales each year.

Bear Creek also had a flour mill to which farmers from 25 to 50
miles away carried their wheat and had it made into flour. No definite
date
can be fixed as to when it was established, but some of the old buildings
were standing in the late 1920s.
The original Bear Creek was about one mile down the creek west
of
the present town. This was during the Civil War, and just prior to the
starting of the present town of Bear Creek. Thee was one store one mile

south of Bear Creek at that time [known] as Goddard, and was operated
by
James DONALDSON. then in the late 1880's and early 1900's a railroad
known
as the Northern Alabama was built to Parrish, Alabama and to Sheffield,

Alabama.
        J. R. PHILLIPS moved from Thorn Hill to the present town of
Bear
Creek and built a nice rock building and went into the merchantile (sic)
business with good success. He reared a large family of boys and girls.
        Other early settlers were Cpt. FLIPPO, who operated a grist mill,
Mr. HULL, Mr. John DUNDAN, who built a cotton gin, Mr. BARKER,
who operated
a blacksmith shop and Mr. HATCHER, who put up a hotel. Capt.
SMITH was a
section foreman. So with all these early settlers the town grew rapidly.
        A Methodist Church was built and soon after the Church of Christ.
Col. BROCK went into the merchantile(sic) business. Dutch PHILLIP
in the
grocery business. Dutch John LOGAN was appointed postmaster, and I.
B.
JOHNSON was rural carrier for years.
        All these citizens and many more with large families called for a
school. A two story frame building was erected but only rooms on the
ground
floor were used for some years. it was a two-teacher school.
        About this time there were hundreds of acres of level land north
and west of Bear Creek. They wee thought to be of little value,
craw-fishy
and not fertile. A number of families began to settle this land purchased
from $1.00 to $10.00 per acre. As they improved the soil and increased
the
average yield and built nice homes more people moved in. The town
became a
flourishing little place. It was a trade center for miles around. Since
there was no I. C. Railroad in this area at this time, Hackleburg,
Wiginton, and even as far down as Hodges used Bear Creek as their
trade and
shipping center. The GODDARDS and TOBYS who operated a livery
stable
carried passengers to various places.
        The prosperity of those in town and the farmers around, such as
MARROWS, MANNS, HOWARDS, FAULKNERS, PARTIANS,
VICKERYS, COALSONS and WOODS
and a number over in the fork of the Creek, demanded a bigger and
better
school, so an application was made and now one of the county high
schools
is there. It is one of the best in the county.

The Journal-Record - Bicentennial Edition
Thursday, July 1, 1976
Section A, Page 4

BYRD COMMUNITY WAS NAMED AFTER MAN WHO
DONATED LANDS FOR FIRST SCHOOL

BYRD Community was named after Mr. W. A. BYRD who gave the
land for the
first BYRD School grounds.

Early settlers in the community were the CANTRELLS, REALS,
RIGGSES,
WATSONS, NORTHINGTONS, RUDICELLS, WHITEHEADS and
SCOGGINS. Some of these
early settlers came from Georgia and South Carolina. Many descendants
of
these early settlers live in the present-day BYRD Community.

The roads throughout the Community have been grealty(sic) improved in
the
last few years. Highway 17, a modern paved road, runs through the
center of
the community. Other farm to market roads are also paved.
Transportation is
by privately owned cars and trucks.

An early wool carding factory, operated by water power, was in
operation
for ten or fifteen years. Two hands handled the factory work. For the
carding, the operators received wool or money toll. The wool was put in
bales and later sold.

Today as formerly, agriculture is the principal occupation of the citizens
of BYRD Community. Cotton and corn are the two main crops. Many
farmers are
supplementing their farm incomes by raising beef cattle and hogs. Some
are
engaged in dairying.

Two mil routes run through the Community each day picking up the
milk and
carrying it to market. Some farmers are raising broilers for the market.
Some men and many women are employed in the garment factories
located in
Detroit and Hamilton.

There are four Churches in the Community, Rudicell, Ballard, Cooper,
and
Mount Joy. Other churches are located just outside of the community
boundary lines. All of these serve to meet the religious needs of the
people.

The BYRD Community today is one of the most progresssive(sic) rural
Communities in the state. In 1948, a Community Improvement Club was

organized, and it has done much to improve living conditions and
appearanc.e(sic) The club sponsored such projects as:
1. Keeping Cemeteries Clean
2. Painting Church houses and putting out shrubbery
3. Erecting signs for churches and boundary lines
4. Improving and lettering mailboxes
5. Build a Club House
6. Established roadside parks and picnic areas.
7. Contributed to the Red Cross.
8. Distributed baskets to underprivileged children.

The Journal-Record - Bicentennial Edition
Thursday, July 1, 1976
Section A, Page 4

BYRD COMMUNITY WAS NAMED AFTER MAN WHO
DONATED LANDS FOR FIRST SCHOOL

BYRD Community was named after Mr. W. A. BYRD who gave the
land for the
first BYRD School grounds.

The BYRD Community today is one of the most progresssive(sic) rural
Communities in the state. In 1948, a Community Improvement Club was

The Journal-Record - Bicentennial Edition
July 1, 1976
Section A, Page 4

CHARLIE SNYDER, ONE OF FIRST RAILROAD ENGINEERS

In other stories, numerous people have been mentioned in connection
with
the building of the Frisco Railroad and in regard to early workers in
Frisco (sic) employ, but Mr. E. G. TRULL told of Charlie SYNDER
(sic), one
of the first engineers on the railroad then known as the KCM&B, whom
had
not been mentioned in these articles.

While working on a bridge near Selma in 1901, Mr. TRULL heard a
negro
remark that he'd "Like to hear Mr. SYNDER (sic) blow the train whistle
just
once more before he passed on." Mr. TRULL said that beginning about
a mile
from town and continuing to below the railroad crossing, SNYDER
would pay a
tune on the Quill Blowers of the train whistle, to the sheer delight of all
the families who lived along the track who listened daily for his run.

Other engineers that followed were Bob PERSONS, Charlie
BERNARD, and Al
ZINAMON, who was killed in the train wreck near Winfield in the
1920s.

The Journal-Record - Bicentennial Edition
Thursday, July 1, 1976
Section B, Page 6

WINFIELD'S HISTORY FROM FIRST BEGINNINGS THROUGHOUT
THE YEARS

There are several different versions as to how the Depot (located since
the
beginning on the same spot) was located here. Mrs. R. E. MOORE, Sr.
said
that Dr. J. M. WHITLEY offered land for the depot near his residence,
and
members of the Elisha VICKERY family stated that the also offered
land for
the depot but it seems that the railroad officials considered both spots
too hilly, and in the end the land offered by Henry F. MUSGROVE
(according
to Newt WHITEHEAD and Mrs. Clara ASTON) was decided the best.
The depot was
built on the MUSGROVE property in 1887.

WINFIELD WAS NEEDMORE
Many citizens agree that Winfield was first called Needmore, but in the
year that the citizens established the first postoffice and the name
Needmore was presented to the United States Post Office Department,
thee
was already a Needmore, Alabama so the officials submitted three
names to
William A. MUSGROVE for the final decision, Mrs. R. E. MOORE, Sr.
stated,
and Mr. MUSGROVE decided upon Winfield, Alabama because he
admired General
Winfield SCOTT so much. Willard DODSON stated that his mother
remembered
Mrs. Maggie HARRIS REESE, sister-in-law of Mr. MUSGROVE,
helping Mr.
MUSGROVE and his wife to decide of the name of Winfield.

SUMP(sic) [SLUMP] IN 1891 WINFIELD
E. G. TRULL, a citizen of Winfield since November 1891 and son of
Winfield's first mayor, said that it seemed in 1891 and 92 that Winfield
had a "set-back" as there were some three of the business houses
unoccupied. As Mr. TRULL remembered Winfield in that year, the
following
places were doing business: WEBSTER and JONESES, Base
McCOLLUM, Lige
WADSWORTH, J. L. McGAHA, HARKINS and SHELTON (managed
by J. A. NORTHCUTT)
and later bought by R. W. HARRIS; one jeweler shop, DICKENSON
and GAMBLE;
one doctor's office, with two doctors, Dr. EARNEST and Dr.
WHEELER; two
hotels MUSGROVE and MARTIN; two gins, WEBSTER and JONES,
and Farmer's
Alliance; Farmers Alliance Cotton Yard, Camp House and Stock yards;
one Tan
Yard, Wilson WHITE (his son Abe made and repaired shoes); and two
churches,
the Baptist and Methodist, neither of which had seats. At this date there
were thirty-seven families living in Winfield, Mr. TRULL stated and
mapped
out the dwellings as to location. He explained that one of the most
colorful of the people in Winfield at that time was "Whistling Arthur
Flunky" who worked at the MUSGROVE Hotel.

CEMETERY STARTED 1889
E. G. TRULL also said that the Winfield Cemetery was started in either
1889
or 1890, when two or three of the children of John SMITH died of
typhoid
fever (John SMITH was distinguished from other John SMITHS as he
was known
as "Sage Grass." When other persons needed burial, Mr. TRULL said
that his
father W. Jasper TRULL, W. R. H. LODEN and Bill WEBSTER got
together and
bought space from the SMITHS for the cemetery. In the City Hall
Records
for 1935, under the Mayorship of James McDONALD, an addition to
the
Cemetery was obtained from Mrs. Gwenn McDONALD, an addition to
The notes
stated that Geneva, George, W. O., Felix N. and Ella McDONALD,
along with
Mr. MAY, granted permission to extend the cemetery boundaries and
divide
into forty-one burial lots to be sold by the "undersigned" but no list was
given following undersigned. In recent years, the Winfield Garden Club
has
carried out an extensive beautifcation (sic) project, with the help of
other organizations, and in 1954, the Garden Club placed a memorial
marker
at the Grave of Frank Smith, whom they said donated part of the land
for
the beginning of the cemetery.

Besides the homes owned by the MUSGROVES, VICKERYS,
RAINES, and some other
first families, some of the early "Dwellings", according to Newt
WHITEHEAD,
that sprang up shortly after the railroad included J. B. WHITEHEAD
home
built between the present street; Bill WEBSTER, who built near the
Columbus
COUCH home, a log cabin up near the original PERRY place) Dr. Jim
Franklin
EARNEST, who first built a log shack near where Dr. Rufus SHIREY
lived and
later built the home that later housed the BROWN Service Funeral
Home and
was torn down for a new Post Office site across from the last traffic light

on Highway 78 heading toward Guin; the home of Jasper TRULL (still
standing) near the present residence of E. G. TRULL; two homes, plank
houses built on the street where Mrs. Newt WHITEHEAD lived. These
two homes
were built by John EARNEST and Newt WHITEHEAD. The
EARNEST home burned and
the property was sold to Emmitt MAYS but the WHITEHEAD house
remains today.

In 1892, Mr. E. G. TRULL listed the families of Winfield as follows: J.
L.
McGAHA, J. P. McGAHA, Jim GAMBLE, Lizzie WESTBROOKS,
John William WHITE,
Miss DOBINS, John SMITH, John WHITE, the MUSGROVES, the
MARTINS (of the two
hotes(sic) [hotels]), W. J. TRULL, Dr. J. F. EARNEST, Charley
GAMBLE, Dr.
James MOODY, "Aut" WHITLEY, J. B. WHITEHEAD, Joe
DICKINSON, Base McCOLLUM,
Lige WADSWORTH, Bill WEBSTER, Dr. CANTERBURY, W R H
LODEN, Calvin WETHERLY,
R. F. CARNES, Jack WHITE, Sony MARTIN, P M R SPANN, Will
SHELTON, J. A.
NORCHUTT (sic) [NORTHCUTT], Billy ASTON, Walter ASTON,
White LOGAN, T. W.
MOSS, Wood WARD, Dr. ciscero WHEELER, Lawson WHITE and
the JONES.

Another family who catered to travelers in those early 1880s was the
Lige
(Elisha) VICKERY household, which Ruby HARRIS states was more or
less known
as "The Wayside Inn". Miss HARRIS said that her mother known as
"Aunt Jo"
(Now Mrs. M. W. HARRIS) did the cooking for railroad workers of no
relation
to her husband. Ruby HARRIS says that she is not sure that the family
tree
of Mr. VICKERY can ever be quite fully mapped out because in those
days
when illnesses usually brought death, it was a common thing for the
survivors to be remarried several times as was the case of Mr. Elisha.

In talking with citizens already pased (sic) away at this time, Mr.s R. E.
MOORE, Sr. knew of this list as being among the very earliest settlers of

the Winfield area: the JONES, McGAHAS, MUSGROVES,
WHITELYS, ASTONS, MOSSES,
VICKERYS, CURLS, TRULLS, WHEELERS, SMITHS, and
WHITEHEADS. Others have
added the WARDS, the GREENS, the ADKINS, the HANEYS, the
KIRKLANDS and
others.

Way back before the railroad was built, that the scattered residents of
this section had to travel sixty miles to Columbus, Mississippi to buy the
staple groceries such as flour, sugar, coffee etc. Old timers say that it
took about a week to travel to Columbus and back. Eggs were five cents
per
dozen then, and hens were ten cents apiece. The Zion Baptist Church
was
established in 1835 according to A. W. GREENE, who remembers it
because her
father gave the Bible for the church then, even though he didn't become
a
member until later. She remembered the McGAHAS and Dr.
WHITLEY's family who
lived in this area, and also a Dr. WOODS.

Many elderly citizens told of how the early families would pack lunches
and
go down to where the railroad was being built over areas requiring
trestles. Mrs. A. W. GREENE remembered that they stayed all day and
watched
the workers drive the big logs into the ground over the Luxapallila
Creek.

It seems generally established that the first train, a freight, came
through Winfield, in April of 1887, but Mrs. Lou ASTON TRULL stated
that a
work tain came to Winfield in 1886. She remembered it and other
travellers
who stopped over there. From Aunt Jo's beginning of cooking (mostly
salt
pork and peas in those days) she has become famous to acquaintances
who
describe her as a person "who can fix a good meal out of almost
nothing."
Aunt Jo was one of the ten sets of children and step children of Mr.
Elisha
VICKERY, as was Mr. NEWT and J. B. WHITEHEAD, former
postmasters and mayors
of early Winfield. In fact Mr. NEWT's wife, (who was a RAINES) was
also a
stepchild, but was near the time of her grandfather's (E. L. ADKINS)
death
and it was recorded in the Bible of the ASTON family.

Mr. WHITEHEAD remembered the first store as being that of Jonathan
JONES.
He said that there was a saloon (quite legal in those days) near where
the
R. W. HARRIS Warehouse is located today. He remembered other
stores abut
that time being Bill WEBSTER's near where HILL Drug Store now is
located;
the store of Caly and Base McCOLLUM. HARKINS, SHELTON store
where R. W.
HARRIS and Son is now located; Elisha VICKERY's store whee the
Citizens
Bank formerly stood; and a general merchandise store of Bob COUCH
where the
ODUM Dime store is at the present time.

J. L. McGAHA had about the second or third store in Winfield, and
became
the first postmaster of Winfield. The post office was locate din his store.
Mr. M. R. McGAHA stated that J. L. McGAHA was his
great-grandfather. He had
told the amusing story of how "Mr. Mac," as he was known to many,
not only
kept the postoffice and store, but also bought opossums and fattended
(sic)
them (for resale to customers) in the back of his store. One night, a
group
of mischievous youngsters lost for him all his profit by breaking in the
store and letting out the 'possums.'

A fellow by the name of HAMM was sent by the Railroad Company to
map out
the town in 1892, according to M. L. LUCAS.

Before Winfield came into being, Jonathan R. JONES had corn fields on
the
area where the city of Winfield is located today, and the MUSGROVES
owned a
great part of the town.

Mr WHITEHEAD, who helped build the railroad tracks in 1886, when
only a boy
of eighteen, and Mrs. WHITEHEAD whose parents were Henry and
Martha MOSS
RAINES said that the first building in the downtown area was a little
two-room log cabin, owned in the early 1800's by Lige MOSS. They
told the
story about how Uncle Lige's wife wanted to move to Fayette County to
be
near her people and that the land including the little log cabin was sold
to the MUSGROVES.

Mrs. Clara ASTON, whose parents were Nath and Aunt Harriett
MUSGROVE said
that she never heard her grandparents [John Tilden and Susannah
MUSGROVE]
speak of the transaction but that she knew her grandfather gave Aunt
Harriett the two lots between Sherman's store and the Depot that
reached to
the little branch. It was on these lots that Aunt Harriett ran the first
boarding house for the workers of the Railroad, then known as the
Kansas
City, Memphis and Birmingham Railroad and now the Frisco Railroad.

Mrs. ASTON also said that Henry F. MUSGROVE gave every other lot
to the
town of Winfield, and kept the others for himself and his family. It was
on
one of these donated lots that the Winfield Depot was built in the year of

1887, and where the South-side Freewill Baptist and First Baptist
Churches(sic) of Winfield, stand today.

This first boarding hose grew into a career of Hotel ownership and
management for Aunt Harriett and Uncle Nath. They established the
first
Hotel in Winfield, and operated a Hotel for forty-three years and
according
to Paul WHITEHEAD's article on "When Winfield Was Mud Street,"
Aunt
Harriett's dining room with its circular "Lazy Susan" table became
famous
over several states as Railroad and other traveling men passed on the
compliments to fellow-travelers. They also had the first screen door in
town.

Mrs. Clara MUSGROVE ASTON, daughter o Mr. and Mrs. Nath
MUSGROVE, was
thirteen years of age when the MUSGROVEs moved to Winfield in
1885, and to
her it was quite different with all the hustle and bustle of building the
railroad. She told Oscar RODEN, that she remembers writing to a friend

saying "You, honestly, can't tell Sunday from any other day here,"
because
there were so many people around and so many exciting things
happening.

TOWN FIRSTS
First Mayor of Winfield was W. Jasper TRULL. First Postmasters were
Marting
C. BOWLING and then J. L. McGAHA; first mail carriers were White
McDONALD
and T. C. McCLESKY; first bank in Winfield was The Winfield State
Bank,
1907, and Mr. J. G. STALCUP was first Cashier of bank; first hotel and
first screen doors were both to the credit of Aunt Harriet and Uncle
Nath
MUSGROVE; the fist brick building was the same building that houses
ALEXANDER Drug Company today, then owned by CARROLL
Brothers of Tupelo;
first funeral home was KILGROW (sic), located where Alabama Power
was
formerly located. Then later Joe KILGORE opened the LUQUIRE
Funeral Home
and later bought it under the Name, KILGORE Funeral Home which is
now MILES
Funeral Home, first shoe factory was operated by Col. WEATHERLY
out near
the OWENS residence on the way to the Sub-Station; first industry (see
story); first grist mill was owned by Tucker MOSS, who also had a
sawmill;
Bill HANEY and sons has the fist sawmill; a Mr. ALLEN had the first
Gin
powered by mules; WHITEHEAD has first the Water Mill and Gin; first
car
(see story); first painted home, Dr. J. M. WHITLEY, who lived next to
Winfield Church of Christ; first cafe, George WHITE (Dees Cafe was
first
Big cafe); first inside bath was owned by Raymond W. HARRIS, Sr.;
White
McDONALD had the first electrical system (Delco); first carbide
lighting
systems bought by R. W. HARRIS and M. L. LUCAS; M. L. LUCAS
installed the
first Butane Gas heating system; the first gasoline pumps were installed
the Butane Heating system [as written]; the first gasoline pumps were
installed at both HILL and Oden SHIREY Drug Stores; R. E. MOORE,
Sr. had
the first Automobile agency; first skating rink was owned and operated
by
N. V. MAYS and brothers; first poolhall by R. G. DEES; first Dentist
(see
story); first drugstore, Harry McCLENAHAN (later ODEN-SHIREY);
first
newspaper was edited by Lige WADSWORTH in 1893.

The Journal-Record Bicentennial Edition
Thursday, July 1, 1976
Section B, Page 5

WHITE ROCK, NEAR HAMILTON, WAS ONCE A PRISON CAMP
DURING CIVIL WAR DAYS
        White Rock, located about 1 mile north of Hamilton, just off
Highway 43, is noted for having been a prison camp during the Civil
War.
The location is appropriately named, as it consists of a series of white
rock bluffs that stretch out along the Buttahatchee.
        White Rock is also noted as the site where the notorious Ham
Carpenter was put to death. Carpenter, a southerner, became a feared
terrorist during the Civil War. He not only was opposed to those of the
Yankee team wishing to stay neutral, but to each and every one wanting
to
stay neutral on the general situation.
        Carpenter became renowned as he covered the countryside
burning
people out of their homes, destroying their life supporting crops, and
worst of all, killing many innocent people. He became a self-appointed
truant officer, picking up men who did not want to fight and giving them
only a short time to join his side. If they refused, they were killed.
        Carpenter was known and feared all through Northwest Alabama.
He
was a mean man, brutally killing men, women and children as he and his
bad
of men crossed the country-side.
        The terrorist finally struck one time too many when he attacked a
Colonel's wife and left her to die, along with a baby boy.
        The Colonel, upon finding his wife and son, gathered the men of
the
community and set out to capture Carpenter.
        In a short time, the enraged Colonel and his men captured
Carpenter
and his entire band of men. Carpenter was taken to the camp at White
Rock
where he was put to his death.

The Journal-Record - Bicentennial Edition
July 1, 1976
Section A, Page 4

MARION COUNTY CHURCHES DATED BEFORE CIVIL WAR

Hamilton prior to the Civil War the few Methodist in Toll Gate
worshipped
at Old Pleasant Ridge Church, two miles north of the town. [transcribed
as
published] During these years P. K. BRINDLEY, Largus BELL, and
Elbert
NORTON were the pastors, Lebenon church was organized in 1867.
Charter
members were: Alexander HUEY and wife, Dr. M. H. KY and family,
W. B. OWENS
and family, Roben BELK and family, Nancy CASHION, R. W.
CLARK, Thomas
CARPENTER and family and Miss Della KEY. The Methodist Church
was moved to
Hamilton in 1884.

The Baptist Church was organized in 1896. The charter members were
Mr. and
Mrs. J. RAMEY, James HARRISON and family, E. J. GREY and
family, A. J.
THOMAS and family, and Stege WILSON and wife. The pastors of the
Baptist
Church have been R. W. CLARK, Terry JOHNSON, W. A. DARDEN,
A. C. GREEN, E.
G. FINN, A. J. DARLING, A. L. MAYS, W. C. KIRK, S. S. HACKER,
Rev. GOODWIN,
A. M. NIX, J. A. HILL, P. F. McGUIRE, Lee FRANKLIN.

The Church of Christ was organized in Hamilton in 1903. The
courthouse was
used for services until 1907 at which time the first building was erected.
Charter members were: I. O. GUIN and wife, Henry HARRIS and wife.
Henry
HARRIS was the first pastor.

HACKLEBURG
The first church was the Congregational Methodist housed in little log
building about one mile south of the town. Some of th4e members were,
W. W.
FREDERICK, John COLEMAN, and B P. CANTRELL. They came out
of this church
and organized the Methodist Church South. The building for this church
was
erected in town in 1889. Because of some large cedar trees the church
was
called the Cedar Tree Methodist Church.

The Baptist Church was organized July 5, 1908. Some of the charter
members
were: J. M. CONDEN and family, J. L. VANDIVER and family and W.
J. BRYAN
and family.

The Church of Christ was organized about 1912 and the Church of God
about 1920.

GUIN
The Guin Methodist Church was organized on February 22, 1890 with
14
members. Rev. D. A LOVE of the Beaverton Mission was the first
pastor. It
was organized at the home of Orse SILAS. The charter members were
Watson
BROWN, S. R. GUIN, Jim HUGHES, S. C. LOWE, R. T. LOWE,
Minoree NORTHCUT,
Mary Ellen BROWN, Mrs. O. E. HUGHES, Nance GUIN, I. R. FREE,
Amanda FREE
and Agnes PEARCE. The names of the other two are not given. A
wooden
building was the first built and served until 1927 when the present
building was erected. In 1937 a beautiful parsonage was built.

PLEASANT RIDGE
After the Civil War the Methodist moved from Pleasant Ridge to Toll
Gate.
The Free Will Baptist moved in and took over this place of worship.
They
built a new building and worshipped thee for 15 years when the building
was
blown away by a cyclone. Another new building was erected and was
used
until 1937 when the present church was erected.

The first pastors were L. L. NICHOLS, and James BUCKHAM of
Horse Creek.
Other pastors have been J. G. BOYETTE, V. L. PUCKETT, I. K.
BOYETTE, C. R.
PUCKETT, Hudson BURLESON, and Jim HOWELL.

The charter members were: L. L. NICHOLS, Smith PARKER, Mattie
PARKER,
Clementine BELK, E. M. BELK, Josh LITTLETON, Lafayette
PALMER, Sallie
WHITE, J. B. PETERSON, Nancy NICHOLS, Cinda NICHOLS and
Ashitliee WINSETT.
The church now has over 200 members.
The Journal-Record - Bicentennial Edition
Thursday, July 1, 1976
Section B, Page 5

EARLY POST OFFICE IN WEST MARION CO.
The following is a report on Post Offices in West Marion County
from the General Services Administration, National Archives and
Records
Service, Washington, D.C.
BEXAR, MARION COUNTY, ALABAMA - This post office was
established
August 12th 1843. It was discontinued July 18, 1866; re-established July

12, 1872; discontinued July 23, 1874; re-established September 23,
1874 and
FINAL discontinuation February 15, 1974.
The postmaster as Bexar Post Office were John BROWN, Samuel
A.
BARNES, Lemuel B. TRUELOVE, Willie W. PEARCE, Marcus D. L.
SPEARMAN, Jesse
D. ARNOLD, Merrill W. CLAYTON, Pearce GOGGINS, Orince W.
COFIELD, and
Lillie Lou STIDHAM LOCKRIDGE.

SHOTTSVILLE, MARION COUNTY, ALABAMA - Shottsville
Post Office was
established February 10, 1874; discontinued February 27, 1884;
re-established June 3, 1886 and FINAL discontinuation February 23,
1905 by
reason of free delivery mail route from Bexar, Alabama.
Postmasters at Shottsville were: Lovick C. SHOTTS, C.
NORTHINTON,
John L. SHOTTS and Tillman L. SHOTTS.

COCKRELL, MARIO (sic) COUNTY, ALABAMA - This Post
Office was
established July 21, 1893 and discontinued February 28, 1905 by reason
of
free delivery from Bexar. Postmasters at Cockrell were Lawrence T.
HOLMES
and A. C. SHOTTS.

BULL MOUNTAIN, MARION COUNTY ALABAMA - Bull
Mountain Post Office
was established June 22, 1874 and discontinued February 15, 1905 by
reason
of free mail delivery from Bexar. Postmasters at Bull Mountain were
Isham
J. LOYD and Millie F. SHOTTS.

SAVOY, MARION COUNTY, ALABAMA - Savoy Post Office
was established
January 28, 1888 and discontinued July 14, 1906. Postmasters there
were:
James J. KILGO, Sanders B. WILLIAMS and Peter M. SCOTT.

The Star Route mail was carried from Savoy, via Bull Mountain,
Cockrell, Shottsville to Bexar and returned in the afternoon by the same
route, three times per week by pouch on horseback by James Russell
EMERSON.
The Free Delivery mail carried to replace the Star Route was
carried by John R. COFIELD from Bexar, Alabama by horse and buggy
and later
automobile.

The Journal-Record - Bicentennial Edition
Thursday, July 1, 1976
Section B, Page 5

SAVOY, MARION COUNTY, ALABAMA - Savoy Post Office
was established
January 28, 1888 and discontinued July 14, 1906. Postmasters there
were:
James J. KILGO, Sanders B. WILLIAMS and Peter M. SCOTT.

PIKEVILLE AND HAMILTON HAVE SERVED AS MARION
COUNTY SEATS

Marion County, which is one of the original counties of Alabama having
been
formed in Territorial days, has had only two county sites (sic), the first
being Pikeville, which ended in 1882, and Hamilton which has been the
county seat since 1882.

In 188 an election was held in Marion County to select a new county
site
(sic), and the two locations proposed were "Center" which was in an
unsettled woods about six miles east of "Toll Gate" which was a post
office
and an old settled point on the old Military Road and where Captain A.
J.
HAMILTON had lately moved to from Pikeville and opened up an old
abandoned
pre-Civil War Plantation. Toll Gate won the election and a new Court
House
was erected following which the court, court officials and records were
moved.

The name of the location was changed in honor of Captain A. J.
HAMILTON,
who donated forty acres of his plantation to be sold in lots to help cover
the cost of building the courthouse. At this time there was one business
place, but soon others came and the town began to grow. Toll Gate Post
Office was changed to Hamilton Post Office November 17, 1882 with
W. R.
WHIRE continuing as Postmaster. There was one mail delivery a week
coming
from Aberdeen, Mississippi by horseback almost fifty miles a day.

There have been three Courthouses in Marion County. The first, built in
1882, was destroyed by fire in April 1887. It was a wooden structure,
built
of clear heart pine lumber, with four brick chimneys and wide porches
on
the north and south sides, both up and down stairs. With this fire which
destroyed the courthouse were lost all the county records.

The courthouse which replaced the first one was also a wood building
and
used up to 1902, when it was rolled west across the street from the court

square and converted into a hotel building, and later was burned down in
a
fire which swept the west side of town in 1912. The stone building was
begun in 1901 and completed in 1902, and later enlarged by building
east
and west wings. After the railroad was built through Guin in 1887 and
1888
a daily mail was established leaving Hamilton in the morning and
returning
in the evening.

The first school was taught in 1884 in a little plank house at the foot of
Mitchell Hill (West Bexar Street) by Jim WHITE. The next year Doctor
KEY
and his daughter Miss Elliott KEY taught the school. There was no
public
money, and all the scholars were called on to pay tuition fees which
supported the school and paid the teachers. The first high school was
organized about 1889 with a professor FINDLEY (SON-IN-LAW OF
DR. KEY) as
the principal. He was a graduate of the Florence State Normal School
and
Miss Elliott KEY was his assistant. At first the only church was the
Methodist and until the wooden church was built in 1888, services were
upstairs in the court room of the courthouse.

Years later the Baptist church was built, then later the Christian. When
Hamilton became the county site (sic) in the 1880 election, there was
one
store, a partnership business by Captain A. J. HAMILTON and
Postmaster W.
R. WHITE. After the courthouse was built, this partnership was ended
and W.
R. WHITE continued in business for himself (for the rest of his life).
Soon
after FRAZIER and GASTE established businesses at the county site
(sic),
William NEAL came from Pikeville to go into business and the next year
L.
J. CLARK opened a store, which the following year he sold to G. B.
MIXON.
The MIXON business from father to son has continued over the years.

Until the railroad was built across the south side of the county, with Guin

as the nearest depot, goods were hauled in by wagons from Aberdeen
and
Columbus, Mississippi, forty and seventy miles away or from East Port,
Mississippi on the Tennessee River. Aberdeen was the nearest point 45
miles
away and it took all of a week to make the round trip there and back.

The Journal-Record - Bicentennial Edition
Thursday, July 1, 1976
Section B, Page 10

MOSS LINEAGE CAME FROM S.C.

The MOSS lineage was traced to Barnett MOSS of South Carolina,
according to
Miss Edith EAGAN, a descendant of the family who was a prominent
Winfield
teacher at the City High School until here retirement a few years ago.
Barnett MOSS was married to Ellen KUYKENDALL.

Fourteen children were born into this family, among them Simon Wiley
Tucker
MOSS, who was born in Fayette County and married to Martha Jane
NORTHAM,
also of Fayette County. They had one child, Mary Ella MOSS, who was
born
near BOBO School, where the family lived until their coming to
Needmore,
now Winfield, in 1887.

S. W. MOSS served as Mayor and Town Councilman, Deacon in the
Missionary
Baptist Church and his business activities included farming, operating a
grist mill and a general merchandise store. Mrs. MOSS was active in
church
work also, and spent much of her time administering to the needy and
sick
of the community.

Mary Ella MOSS was married to John C. EAGAN of Greenfield,
Tennessee and
Winfield, in 1890. to this marriage was born four children, Barney Lee,
Eula Pearl, Edgar, and Edith EGAN.

Eula P. EGAN was worked in various levels of education in the States of

Alabama and Mississippi. She received her A. B. degree from Judson
College,
her M. A. degree from Columbia University and her Ph.D. degree from
Peabody
College.

Edith EGAN taught in both the Hamilton and Winfield High Schools.
She
received her A. B. degree from Judson and her M. A. degree from the
University of Alabama.