Butler County, Alabama - Chapter 26, 1885

This scattered settlement is situated on the southeast side of Pigeon Creek, and has nearly the same soil as that found in the South Butler neighborhood, but being more calcareous, it produces better with less work. Lovet B. Wilson is the oldest person living at this place now. He came here with his father, George W. Wilson, in 1826. They came from Jones County, Georgia, to Conecuh County, in 18 18, but not being satisfied with that locality, they moved to Butler County. When they moved to this neighborhood, they found a good many persons already here ; the soil being of such a quality that no emigrant could pass it after an examination of its general appearance. David Simmons, Isaac Smith, George Tillman, Richard Prewhitt, and Joe Jones were living here in 1826, when the Wilson family moved here. Thomas Hester, Daniel Stallings, and William Graydon are supposed to be the first settlers of this

This place was named Oaky Streak, from the fact that no pine is found here, and oak is the principal growth. As has been stated in a previous chapter in this book, this peculiar soil begins on the southeast side of Persimmon Creek, about section 8, and runs up the creek about five miles, and extends across the county in a southeastern direction, crosses Pigeon Creek, and passing on out of the county, being about nine miles long and four and a half miles wide. It extends on in Crenshaw County to the Patsiliga River, where the formation is different. The road from Greenville to Andalusia, passing this place, was cut about 1 82 1. The people built a Baptist Church one and a half miles from where the post-office is now. The settlement grew gradually until 1830, when Lem Harvel came here from Covington County, and opened a mixed store, which gave the neighborhood some advantage over the other settlements in the county at that time. In 1835, James Jones opened a very extensive mercantile business here, which proved very profitable, as there were not many stores of any importance in those days, the most of them being mere dramshops and peanut-stands. The Methodist people erected a church for their congregation soon after this, which was about two miles southeast of the post-office. The Methodist Church still stands where the old one was first built, but the Baptist

The wells are from twenty to forty feet in depth in this place. The water is not good, having a large per cent, of lime in solution, yet the health of the place is comparatively good. Dr. Kendrick is the practicing physician here, and is well thought of in the neighborhood. The people are doing very well ; most of them are out of debt, and raise their own corn and other things needed on their farms, this being the principal occupation. The land is worth now from ;^2.50 to $7.50 per acre, according to improvements and locality. The schools are not as good as they could be, as there are a large number of children here, and most of the parents are able to pay for sending them to school. There are several stores in the neighborhood, but John Crittenden has the only store of any importance, he being the wealthiest man in Oaky Streak at this time. There is not much wealth in this section of the county. A majority of the planters farm on a small scale. This little town was called Middleton from 1840 up to 1870, the post-office was then given the name of Oaky Streak. O. H. Crittenden is the present postmaster, and has been for several years. This place was once noted for its fights and general rowdyism; but, since John Crittenden owns the land around the post-office, he will not allow any whisky to be sold near the place. The people are now very peaceable - never being in a row. This neighborhood was considerably excited in the fall of 1833. A white man, whose name was never ascertained, passed through here, having in his charge five negro men. It was afterward learned that they were from Mobile, the negroes being stolen from their masters. They lived by hunting and killing people's stock, as they found them in the country through which they happened to pass. They were found gathering chestnuts east of Oaky Streak, and were attacked immediately by the enraged citizens, who had spent many sleepless nights, fearing to hear of the killing of some of the stock in the neighborhood, or of the robbery of some house. Upon approaching, one of the negroes offered to resist the attack by cocking his gun, but he was shot down instantly, and several other shots were fired at the same time, wounding the white man and several of the negroes. All made their escape, however, except the one shot dead at the first fire. They were capured the next day, but the white man was not in the number. On inquiry, the negroes reported that he had died from wounds received the day before, and had been buried. The negroes were put in jail until the news was sent to Mobile of their capture, and they were sent to their proper owners on receipt of the necessary claims. This was a great event in the early history of Oaky Streak.