Conecuh County, Alabama - Chapter 26, 1881 (part 3 of 3)

Edmund W. Martin

This distinguished son of Conecuh was born near the city of Montgoniery, on December 15th, 1821. He received his mental training at West Point. Through the influence of Senator Dixon H. Lewis, an ardent friend and relative of Mr. Martin, a cadetship was secured for him at the National Military Academy. Returning to his home from West Point, Mr. Martin's gifts led him into the forum, rather than the field. Having taken a course in law, he was admitted to practice, and commenced his career, as a lawyer, at Hayneville, about the year 1843. When the conflict with Mexico began, in 1846, Mr. Martin raised a gallant company in the county of his adoption, known as the "Lowndes County Volunteers," was made their captain, and went immediately to Mobile to offer their services to the government. Here they were received and mustered into the service of the government, but lack of transportation prevented their being transferred to the scene of action, and the war closed without their being able to participate. In 1849 Mr. Martin removed to Sparta, where he began a career which enabled him to make quite a reputation for himself as a practitioner of law. He was regarded by his brethren at the bar, as a close, calm reasoner, dignified, and keenly conscientious with regard to all questions of ethics. He was one of the readiest of speakers. A subject was quickly grasped by him, and even while the thought was warm, fresh from its new creation, he was giving it expression in elegant diction. During the war Mr. Martin raised a company of volunteers, of which he was made captain. Subsequently he became the major of the regiment to which his company was attached. During the battle at Dalton, Georgia, on the 24th and 25th of February, 1864, Major Martin was wounded by the fragment of a shell. In his command he was admired for the wonderful combination of kindness with firmness, in the exercise of discipline. At one time one of the men under his command became somewhat refractory, and it became necessary for him to give him some peremptory orders, which, with relutance, the soldier proceeded to obey, but with a protest in a low, under tone of voice, but sufficiently loud for every one to hear him say, " Well, never mind, every dog has his day." To which Major Martin replied, "That may be, if there are not more dogs than days." In politics, Major Martin was a life-long Democrat. In 1872 he was elected to the State Senate, from the district composed of Butler and Conecuh counties, but upon a contest, his opponent. Miller, was seated, not because he had received a majority of the popular vote, but because the Eepublican Party was dominant in the

Senate. In 1874, however, when the Democrats again attained the ascendency. Miller was legally ejected, and Senator Martin re-seated. The Montgomery Advertiser^ in referring to his restoration to his seat in the Senate Chamber, said of him : " He is an able and watchful Senator, and possesses to the fullest extent, the confidence and esteem of his associates." He was the leading candidate for Lieutenant Governor in the Convention of 1874, and came within a fraction of a two-thirds vote upon the nomination. Also, in 1878, he was conspicuous as a candidate for Congress, and came within one vote of the nomination. On the 22nd of October, 1878, he died at his home, at Evergreen.

Rev. George Lee

was a Baptist minister of some local distinction, and a member of one of the best families that ever resided in Conecuh. He was the seventh son of Justice Joel Lee, and brother to Kevs. Hanson Lee, whose sketch has already been given, and David Lee, now of Lowndes county. George Lassiter Lee was bom near Burnt Corn, on November 9th, 1819. When he was a lad of fifteen or sixteen, he became a Christian, and was baptized by Elder Alexander Travis. From the date of his conversion he had a disposition to attempt to preach, but great constitutional diffidence restrained him from the assumption of the sacred office for ten or twelve years. Yielding at length to those inward impressions, he became quite an eflfective minister of the gospel. During his early years he had received a thorough English training. Besides being a preacher of marked ability, he was a terse, vigorous writer. During his ministerial career, he served the Bethlehem Association, on different occasions, in the capacity of Clerk and Moderator. He was the Moderator of the body the year before his death. About 1871 or 1872, he died in the same section in which he had been reared. Mr. Lee was honored for his piety by all who knew him.

Hezekiah Donald

was a native of Conecuh. He was a man totally unpretentious, and yet one of the most useful of men during his career. Such was his extreme modesty, that no emphasis was ever given by himself to the liberal benefactions which came from his hand. He found special delight in contributing to a cause, the object of which was the increased happiness or usefulness of his fellows. Diligent in the administration of his private affairs, he was prosperous. During the last few years of his life he was prominent as a successful planter. Mr. Donald died at his home, near Bellville, in 1861, much lamented by all who knew him.

Churchill Jones

The birth-place of Mr. Jones was Virginia. But little is known of his early career. He emigrated to Conecuh when a young man, and began teaching at Gravella. He soon found a charm in the agitated politics of the county, and ardently espoused the cause of the Whig Party. As the standard-bearer of that party he was sent to the Legislature for several consecutive sessions. He was regarded as possessing uncommon shrewdness in business, and within a few years after he came to the county he was the possessor of no mean wealth. His name is inseparable from the litigations which characterized the history of the county during his residence within it. He is remembered, to-day, as a most uncompromising litigator. In manners, Mr. Jones was affable and communicative. Several years before his death he removed to Texas.

John W. Ethridge

The subject of this sketch came to Conecuh with his father's family when he was quite a small boy. He was born in North Carolina in 1810, and eight years later was residing near Brooklyn. Mr. Ethridge has led a quiet, unostentatious life. At different times he has been summoned from the solitude of home life, and by the popular vote elevated to positions of trust.

In 1870, he was regarded the most available man in Conecuh to defeat the notorious William P. Miller for the Legislature. In this his supporters were not disappointed. His unquestioned integrity, and sober, conservative spirit, secured to the party of the Democracy a majority, and he became the Eepresentative of the county in the lower house during the sessions of 1870 and 1872.

to himself and lionor to his county. Though the frosts of three-score-and-ten winters have gathered upon his locks, he is, to-day, as elastic in his tread as a youth. Of him it may be almost as truly said as of the olden lawgiver : "His eye is not dim, nor is his natural force abated."

Sherman G. Forbes

Many years ago there came to New England from Scotland two brothers whose names were Abisha and Squire Forbes. One of these settled in Salisbury, and the other in Canton, Connecticut. The latter of these, according to the history of that section, was the first smelter of iron in the United States. Abisha was the grandfather of Sherman G. and Dr. Solomon S. Forbes.

Sherman G. Forbes, familiarly known in all sections of the county as "Squire Forbes," was born in Canton, Connecticut, in the year 1818. His father was a native of the same section. Mr. Forbes removed to Alabama when he was quite a young man, and located at Sparta. Here he found employment as a clerk in the mercantile establishment of Eobinson & Cary. He afterwards served Mr. Cary as clerk in the Land Office. Subsequent to this he was postmaster at Sparta, by appointment ; and was also elected justice of the peace, which office he continued to hold for more than thirty years. He was, at length, elected to the position of tax assessor of the county, where he displayed such rare efficiency that he was re-elected for several suooes- sive terms. About the year 1845-46, he was elected Clerk of tlie Circuit Court. In 1849, he engaged in a political contest with A. D. Cary for the Probate Judgeship. He was defeated by only thirty votes, and by a man of the most decided strength in the county. The close approximation to success in this election manifested the estimate which was placed upon his worth by the good people of Conecuh. Upon the resignation of Stephen C. Eichardson as sheriff of Conecuh county, the office was tendered Mr. Forbes by the Governor of Alabama, but this offer he declined. At the close of the late war, he was appointed Eevenue Assessor for the United States District, and none could have performed the duties pertaining to this office with greater efficiency. Mr. Forbes was a gentleman of even temperament, of much native dignity, and of superior qualifications for business. His memory was proverbially exact. The different stations held by himself during his life, had led him largely into the investigation of the legal science, and within a given compass of law no opinion could exceed his in exactness. He was freely resorted to for legal advice, which was gratuitously given. Politically, Mr. Forbes was a Democrat. He was emphatically a Union Democrat, both before and after the war. In March, 1876, he suffered from a paralytic stroke, from which he never recovered. After a sickness of seventeen days his spirit passed from earth into the boundless Beyond. The verdict of Judge Cary upon the reception of the news of his death, was that of every one who knew him with any degree of intimacy: "Conecuh county has lost one of its best citizens. He was the most correct business man I ever knew 1 " brother to Sherman G. Forbes, beheld the light, first, in 1827, in the town of Canton, Connecticut. He emigrated southward and reached Sparta in 1852, where he engaged in teaching a school. This he discontinued, however, after six months, and addressed himself to the study of medicine, under the tutorship of Dr. John Anderson. In 1854 he attended medical lectures in Albany, New York, at the Union Medical College. Here he graduated three months before the expiration of his term of study, received his diploma, and started westward. He opened an ofiice at Sauk Eapids, in the Minnesota Territory, eighty miles above St. Paul. He continued his practice in this region for eight months, until the arctic breath of winter brought with it a vivid reminder of the bland climate and fervid skies of the far South, and without delay he left the hyperborean region of Northern Minnesota and returned to Alabama. Coming again to Conecuh, he located at Bellville, in 1856, and continued the practice of his chosen profession until 1872, During this interval he was President of the Board of Examination for the county, Vice-President of the County Medical Association, and 2nd Eecording Secretary of the Medical Association of Alabama. During the year 1872 he removed to Milton, Florida, where he continues the practice of medicine. The citizens of Milton have honored him for three successive terms with the mayoralty, and upon his election the third time, it was his humorous boast that he had beaten General Grant for "the third term." Dr. Forbes is a gentleman of cultivated taste and of polished manners. A vein of genuine humor pervades his nature, which, coupled with his accomplishments, makes him quite companionable in the social circle.

Mark Butler Travis

Few men have left a more illustrious record to the future generations of Conecuh, than Mark Butler Travis. His life was one of chivalrous heroism and of devotion to his country. He was born in the neighborhood of Old Town,- on May 18th, 1827. At quite an early age he evinced remarkable aptness in the acquisition of knowledge, while attending the schools of the neighborhood. Having pursued a course of medical study under the supervision of Dr. John Watkins, he left his home, when a stripling of only seventeen, to attend medical lectures in a distant State. But Mars was a more attractive personage to his chivalrous mind than jEsculapius, and while en route to college, he met the famous Palmetto Eegiment, of South Carolina, on their way to join General Scott, in Mexico, and the blood of our young hero grew so warm within him, that he determined to enlist in the regiment and to go with them to Mexico. This he did, and shared with them the glories of Contreras and Cherubusco. In the latter named battle, he received a wound in the head, and was thereby prevented from being with his regiment when they entered the Mexican Capital. Eecov.ering from his wound, he rejoined his comrades and served with patriotic efficiency throughout the remainder of the struggle. Returning to his home, he was honored by his fellow citizens with the office of Colonel of Militia, and was afterwards made General of Militia, over Col. Brock Henderson, of Butler. The people of Conecuh showed him deserved consideration by elevating him to the office of Clerk of the Circuit Court, which he held for four consecutive terms. He was universally known as an ardent Democrat, and yet such was his personal popularity, that serious inroads were invariably made by him into the ranks of the opposite party, and hence his unbroken political success. When again the clash of conflict summoned the men of the South to arms. General Travis was among the first to respond. He enlisted in the Conecuh Guards - the first company that left the county. He was made the 2nd lieutenant of this company, and went with it to Virginia. The following anecdote is related of him, as connected with the battle of Bull Ran. At the time of the fall of the gallant Colonel Jpnes, the Fourth Alabama Regiment, to which the Conecuh Guards belonged, seemed threatened with utter extermination by the peculiarity of its surroundings. Becoming cognizant of this fearful fact, a panic seemed inevitable, and brave men began to turn their feet and faces toward the rear. Seeing the perilous situation, Lieutenant Travis endeavored to stay the flight of the regiment, and stood before the retreating columns with brandished sword, begging them not to fly. He was suddenly confronted by a burly Teuton, whose glaring eyes, open mouth and thin nostrils showed that he was the victim of a stupendous fright, and as he witnessed the efforts of Travis to check the flying columns, he blurted out: "0, mine friendt, my life is too schweet!" Lieutenant Travis, seeing that all efforts to arrest the flight were useless, himself joined in and sought a more secure position. He was sadly encumbered by a pair of heavy horse-skin boots, which provoked Dr. Taliaferro to say to him as he ran past : "Lieutenant, you had better look out, or Barnum will have those boots in his Museum before night ! " The subject of this sketch died of pneumonia, at his home, in 1864. There were combined in his character many elements of true nobility.

John Dudley Gary

Conspicuous among the worthies of Conecuh county is he whose name is placed at the head of this sketch. He was brought to Conecuh, by his parents, when quite an infant, having been born in Sumter District, South Carolina, on the 20th of January, 1820. Having been reared by a father whose uprightness was proverbial in the county, Mr. Cary became an elegant gentleman, and one eminently fitted to the positions which he was summoned to occupy during his life. His first attainment to distinction was in 1841, when he had barely reached maturity. During this year he was elected county clerk, and in 1845 was reelected to the same position. But for his personal popularity, he would have sustained defeat in the second contest, as he had to encounter the serious difficulties of leading a party whose voting power was in the minority, and of confronting a candidate who himself enjoyed the confidence of the people - William M. Bradley. The second victory of Mr. Gary was exceedingly creditable to him, as he led his opponent, in the face of the barriers already alluded to, with a majority of sixty-eight. In 1857 he was sent by the popular voice of the county to the Legislature. Having been renominated two years later, for the same office, he was again elected, defeating Hon. F. M. Walker. Like his father, he enjoyed the confidence of the masses, which was manifest whenever he presented himself before them for their suffrage. He removed to Florida in January, 1872, and died just a month later, leaving a wife and five children.

The election of Abraham Lincoln to the Presidency of the United States in 1860, was the signal for the clash of conflict. For successive decades the storm had been gathering, and the delay only rendered more terrific its fury when at length it did burst upon the country. Petty sectional issues had grown into giant proportions, and by their strength had drawn the North and South face to face, with demonstrations the most hostile. A review of these issues need not here be attempted, as they are familiar to all. We have only to do with the part borne in that period of carnage by the brave sons of Conecuh. Her people felt as deeply as did any, the force of the great questions which were moving the masses throughout the broad land of States. The withdrawal of Alabama from the Union, sent a tremor of patriotic thrill throughout the hosts of her brave men, and under the impulse of this power, they formed themselves into military organizations, and repaired at once to the scene of conflict.

Among the companies earliest enlisted for this approaching struggle, was that of the Conecuh Guards. They were organized at Sparta, April 1st, 1861, and on the 24:th of the same month they left their homes for the seat of war in Virginia. Through the zealous efforts of some noble women, among whom were the Misses Stearns and Mathews, Mrs. Jay and Mrs. Dubose, a magnificent banner had been ordered for the gallant company, and reached Sparta just the day before their departure for Virginia. A large concourse had gathered at the Sparta depot to witness the formal presentation of the flag and to take affectionate leave of friends and loved ones. Master Henry Stearns. held the banner during its presentation, and on either side of him stood three young ladies, dressed so as to represent the States that had withdrawn from the Union. Miss Irene Stearns represented South Carolina; Miss Kate Autrey, Georgia; Miss L. Henderson, Florida; Miss Mathews, Alabama ; Miss 0. Gary, Mississippi ; Miss S. Crosby, Louisiana. This group, having been confronted by the company, drawn up in order, Miss Mathews proceeded to deliver the following

Address

Gentlemen of the Guards : - The clouds which have so long impended over us, have burst at last in the fury of war, the tocsin has sounded, your country has summoned you to arms, and nobly answering to her call, you have assembled here to bid adieu to old familiar scenes and faces, and to receive in return our parting words of encouragement and cheer. We admire your valor, we love your patriotism, we partake of your enthusiasm, and as a token of these feel- ings we have assembled to-day, to present to you this banner, consecrated by a thousand loving wishes - a thousand earnest prayers. The light of spring is on the Southern hills, a thousand flowers lend fragrance to the breeze, a thousand birds are warbling songs of love - the friends of your youth, the companions of your boyhood, are around you - all is peace, and beauty, and tranquility. But the gleam of sunlight upon gay uniforms and flashing steel, reminds me (of what I would fain forget) that from all these you must turn away - that you must exchange the quiet of these green old woods, in all their spring-tide beauty, for the turmoil of the camp ; sweet bird songs and loving tones, for the musket's rattle and the cannon's roar; kindly smiles and familiar faces, for the whizzing ball and deadly bayonet. In these perils we may not participate - we may not share with you the battle's rage, nor partake of the hardships and privations of a military career - but we, too, have our mission. It is ours to give you words of sympathy and cheer, to animate you by our enthusiasm, to encourage you to deeds of noble daring. Our prayers shall attend you our smiles shall welcome your return, and should it be the fate of any here to fill a warrior's grave, his name shall be embalmed with our heartfelt tears and cherished forever in our inmost memories. As the Spartan women in the olden times sent forth their loved ones to the battle, bidding them never to return unless graced with the laurel wreaths of victory, so do we now bid you go forth, to return to us only when our native land is free. I profess to be endowed with no gift of prophecy, but Ifeel^ I know, that the South will be victorious in the approaching conflict. Already has the telegraph brought to us " great news from the Carolinas," and our ears welcomed the salutes which ushered in the victory. Already has one important stronghold yielded to our arms, and the Black Republican flag gone down dishonored, before the proud banner of the Confederate States. Naturally gallant and chivalrous, the sous of the South have plucked Fame's proudest laurels

In the thickest of the fight has ever rang the Southern war-cry ; going as gayly to the battle as to a/e^e champetre. No foe has ever yet withstood the rush of Southern steel, and in such a cause as we are now engaged, our armies must prove invincible. Battling on their own soil, in the holy cause of Freedom, in defence of their homes and loved ones, and in short, of all that is nearest and dearest to the hearts of men, they will know no such word as "fail," and Victory must be their handmaid. The war may be long, it may be bloody, but there can be but one result - the eagle of victory will finally perch upon the banner of our young Republic. Go, then, " where glory awaits you," and may this flag, which, in the name of the ladies of Conecuh county, I present to you to-day, float ever like the white plume of King Henry of Navarre, in the very front of battle. Then

At the conclasion it was presented to Captain Bowles, and, in behalf of his company, he expressed his thanks for this expression of encouragement.

The company embarked on the following morning for Montgomery, receiving a number of accessions to its ranks at Evergreen.* The organization and departure of the Conecuh Guards, were speedily followed by the organization of other companies in the county, while others joined companies from the surrounding counties. Quite a number of the gallant boys of Conecuh entered the ranks of the Monroe Guards. The patriotism of no county was more profoundly stirred than was that of Conecuh. Not only did brave young men leave the comforts and clustering associations of palatial homes, and set their faces toward the uninviting camp and the perilous field; but brave mothers, wives and sisters, sought to inspire them with timely words and deeds of sacrifice. And great was the patriotic generosity manifested by very many of the oldest citizens, in supplying the families of absent soldiers with food. Draught after draught, was made upon the barns and smokehouses of men too old for service, by the families of those upon whose labors they had been dependent for the neces- purpose of reconnoitering. When they had come withia three or four miles of Evergreen, they suddenly encountered a small squad of Spurlin's command, that had been sent forward upon the Bellville road to guard against any sudden demonstration on the part of the citizens, while the chief command was moving along the dirt road toward Sparta. This squad had dismounted near the Bradley Plantation, in a sudden curve of the road, to burn a wagon, which had just been captured, when the Bellville deputation rode suddenly upon them. The surprise was equally shared in by both parties, but evidences of precipitate flight having been first given by the reconnoitering Bellvillians, nothing was left the invaders but a hot pursuit. With a clattering pell-mell, the citizen soldiery, still clinging to their shot-guns, fled back toward home. All would have reached their homes in safety, but for a diseased horse, which was ridden by Willie McCreary. Unable to keep abreast of the others in the stampede, his animal continued to slacken in speed until he was finally overtaken at Hunter's creek. Here, Willie, then a lad of sixteen, fell into the hands of the enemy, and was sent at once to Ship Island, as a prisoner of war. The extreme northern portion of Conecuh suffered somewhat from the depredations of Wilson's raid during the following month.

The events just recorded, were but the prelude of a scene of chaotic confusion throughout the county. Ujifortunately for its inhabitants, this disaster was introduced just at a season when every thing turned upon activity on the farm, and when entire cessation of^ labor would have been well nigh calamitous. ^ Following in the wake of these local troubles, was the surrender of the armies of the Confederacy, and the sudden close of the war. With the crops just springing into luxuriant promise, the slaves were liberated, and in their exhilaration, they left their old homes in vast crowds, and thronged the Federal camps. Utter lawlessness everywhere prevailed. Demoralization was wide-spread and rampant. Gloom was depicted in every countenance as men gazed upon a scene of universal disaster. The Southern soldier, returning to his home, after years of privation, either maimed or poverty-stricken, if not both, was confronted by the wreck and ruin of war_j But with a heroism, just as marked as that which they had evinced on the weary march, or upon the field of carnage, they addressed themselves to the work of repairing their shattered fortunes, and of providing for loved ones. Their heroism was not more conspicuous under the leadership of Lee, Jackson and Johnston, than it was in peacefully following their vocations after the tattered banner had been folded, and the cannon hushed in silence.

James A. Stallworth

was the most distinguished of the sons of Conecuh. Highly gifted with brilliant parts, of pleasing address and commanding person, h^ combined all the elements requisite to success in the realm of politics. He was born near the village of Evergreen, on April 7th, 1822. He became an orphan quite early, his mother having died when he was but three years of age. When he was but fourteen, he was left entirely parentless by the death of his father. His scholastic training was merely academical. His career as a student was spent in the academy at Evergreen. But such was the readiness with which he could always command his resources, that every one was impressed with the idea that his mental training was of the highest order. So deeply impressed was the Hon. Frank Beck, of Wilcox, with his social ease and graceful mien, and his ability as an orator, that he asked him, while both were representatives together in the Legislature, "Stallworth, from what college did you graduate ? " He expressed great surprise when he was told, "I never attended college." At quite an early age Mr. Stallworth gave promise of future ability.

His powers of oratory were quite marked when he was but a boy. At the early age of eighteen he was married to Miss Harriet E. Crosby, eldest daughter of John Crosby. His marriage was quite fortunate for his future success in life. Inheriting, to a large degree, the energy and executive ability of her father, Mrs. Stallworth contributed largely to the growing success of her husband. Soon after his marriage he began planting, which he pursued for several years, when he was called into public life by having been nominated upon the Democratic ticket for Representative to the Legislature. In Mr. Mortimer Boulware, young Stallworth found a strong opponent. He was a gentleman of great personal popularity and wealth, and was connected with one of the wealthiest families in the county. Mr. Stallworth, who had scarcely passed his twenty-second year, awoke a sensation wherever he went in the county, so brilliant was his oratory, and so cordial was his address. Large accessions were drawn from the ranks of the Whig Party, and he was elected, first, to the Legislature in 1845. He was renominated by the Democrats in 1847, and was again elected by a largely increased majority over his Whig competitor. Judge H. F. Stearns. During his last term of service in the Legislature he entered upon the study of law, and after adequate preparation, was admitted to practice. By force of talent he rose rapidly as a lawyer, having entered at once upon a most lucrative practice. So distinguished had his ability at the bar become, that in 1850 he was elected to the solicitorship of the Second Judicial Circuit. In this new position he had to encounter the ripe experience of one of the ablest bars in the State; and yet so nobly did he acquit himself that he came to be recognized as one of the best prosecuting attorneys the State ever had. In 1855 he resigned his position as solicitor and accepted the nomination for Congrcvss of the Democratic Party, against Col. Percy Walker, of Mobile - the candidate of the Know-Nothing Party. Though defeated in this contest, Colonel Stallworth added new lustre to his rapidly-rising star, as an able debater and eloquent exponent of the political issues of the period. In 1857 he was again honored with the nomination of his party, for Congress. The result of this contest was the election of Colonel Stallworth, by quite a handsome majority, over Col. John McKaskill, of Wilcox. Two years later still, he was renominated for Congress, and this time defeated Col. Fred Sheppard, of Mobile. Colonel Stallworth remained in Congress until the passage of the ordinance of secession by the Alabama Convention, when he, together with the remainder of the Alabama delegation, withdrew. Returning to his home, he contributed largely of his means to the cause of the young Confederacy. His declining health forbade his entrance into the army, but his sons were among the first to enlist, though quite young. Colonel Stallworth died at his home, in Evergreen, on the 31st of August, 1861. Daring the brief period of sixteen years, he had occupied several of the most prominent positions in life.

Harper's Weekly^ of February 9th, 1861, has this to say with regard to the subject of our sketch : " James A. Stallworth, who represents the First, or Mobile District, in the House of Representatives, was born in Conecuh county, Alabama, on the 7th of April, 1822. After having received an academical education, he studied law, passed a high examination, and has since enjoyed a lucrative practice. He was twice elected District Attorney for the circuit in which he practices, and was a member of the Legislature from 1845 to 1848. After having been defeated by the Know- Nothings, he was in 1857 elected to Congress, where he is a universal favorite, ever ready with an anecdote or repartee, yet none the less determined in maintaining the rights of his native State." Colonel Stallworth was a man of the noblest natural impulses. Most princely in hospitality, he frequently drew around his family board many of his truest friends. It is a matter of deep regret that one of such vast lisefulness, and possessed with so many elements of greatness, should have been swept into a premature grave. He passed away at the early age of thirtynine years.

William A. Ashley

The reputation enjoyed by this prominent Conecuhian was far from being local. His sterling ability was recognized throughout the Commonwealth of Alabama. William Adam Ashley was a native of Conecuh county, having been born in 1822. After an academical training in the schools near his father's home, he entered the East Tennessee University, at Knoxville, from which institution he was graduated. After his return to his home he married Miss Amanda Thomas, a daughter of Major Thomas. His attention was first devoted to planting, - but one with such distinguished qualifications for public service could not be suffered to address himself solely to his private interests. He was summoned into public life first in 1849, when the Whig Party of Conecuh named him as the champion of its principles, and nominated him for the Legislature. His success was easily attained. So conspicuous was his usefulness in his new rofe, that he was returned during the following canvass in 1851. Two years later he was elected to the State Senate, in which capacity he served for four years. In 1861 he was again elected to the lower house from Conecuh. During this year, too, he was Presidential elector for Messrs. Davis and Stephens. In 1865 he was returned to the Senate for four years - which terminated his publie career.

Mr. Ashley was a man of solid, rather than shining qualities. Cool, deliberate, of unerring judgment, and withal, highly scrupulous, no one was better fitted than himself to serve his people during the trying ordeals through which they were called to pass during much of his public career. He was emphatically a patriot. Although he supported the Bell and Everett ticket in the memorable canvass of 1860, and though he opposed secession in 1861, Mr. Ashley did not falter a moment in sustaining the cause of the South throughout the hard struggle. " His wealth and his personal services" - says Mr. Garrett, in his "Public Men of Alabama" - "were devoted to the public defence." During the war many a Confederate soldier, weary and footsore oftentimes, found a cordial welcome beneath the hospitable roof of Mr. Ashley. After the close of the war, and when the work of the infamous Eeconstruction measures was commenced in the South, Mr. Ashley denounced it in unmeasured terms as being the essence of tyranny.

He died at his home on Hampden Eidge, February 12th, 1870, and was buried in the Thomas burial ground. Thus there passed away that honored son of Conecuh before he had reached the meridian of life. Simple justice demands that appropriate reference be made in this connection to his most estimable wife, who honored her distinguished husband, and aided greatly in his elevation in life. The liberal and refined hospitality for which he was so noted, was enhanced by the conspicuous part borne by herself in its dispensation.

Rev. William C. Morrow

was a native of Pulaski county, Tennessee, where he was born on June 6th, 1815. At an early age he removed to Alabama, where he spent the major part of his life. When he was quite young, he was received as a member into the Presbyterian Church, and under its auspices fitted for the ministry. He continued his connection with this denomination until 1841 or 1842, when his views upon certain cardinal principles underwent a complete change, and he at once joined a Baptist church. His first charge was the Old Flat Creek Church, at TurnbuU, in Monroe county. Remarkably gifted as a speaker, and unusually skillful in debate, he at once took high rank in the Baptist ministry. On different occasions he became the champion of his cherished principles in the field of polemics, and was justly esteemed an ardent advocate of the peculiar tenets held by his denomination. Such was the ability displayed by himself on several occasions, in the delivery of sermons, that their publication was earnestly sought, and they found enduring form in pamphlet shape. Mr. Morrow's secular interests, together with his declining health in later years, withdrew him gradually from the pulpit ; so that, for more than an entire decade, toward the close of his life, he had no pastoral charge. He died at his home in Evergreen, on October 16th, 1879, in the sixty-fifth year of his age.

John M. Henderson

Among the men of worth produced by Conecuh is John M. Henderson. His place of birth was Brooklyn, and the time October 14th, 1824. He was educated in the schools of his native county, and never enjoyed the advantages of a course of training in college. Notwithstanding this, his mental attainments were by no means of a limited character. His mind was well stored with useful information gleaned from different fields of thought. His debut into public life was when his father, David F. Henderson, became sheriff of Conecuh. The son - then just budding into manhood - served the father as an efficient deputy. Subsequent to this he entered the mercantile business at Sparta, in which he remained until 1860. During this period he was treasurer of the county for one or two terms. In 1860 he removed to Pensacola, Florida, where, with marked success, he was engaged for some time as a commission merchant. Pensacola having become a scene of exciting hostility after the commencement of the war in 1861, Mr. Henderson returned to Conecuh and built a handsome home near Castleberry, and was instrumental in the establishment of a depot at that point. The advancing demands of the armies of the Confederacy for increased strength, made an appeal to the patriotism of Mr. Henderson, and such that he could not resist. Together with General Martin, he raised a company of volunteers, of which Martin became captain, and himself 1st lieutenant. The company was connected with the Thirtyeighth Alabama Regiment. Mr. Henderson remained in active service about two years, when he was appointed by Governor Watts, Judge of Probate of Conecuh county, to succeed Judge Cary, who had resigned because of a constitutional provision forbidding the occupancy of the office beyond a specified age. The ability which he brought to this new station enabled him to meet its demands in such way as to win distinction to himself and to impart unusual satisfaction to his constituency. This position he continued to hold until the dawn of the Reconstruction period, when he was ejected against the popular vote of the county, and A. W. Jones was elevated to the office.

Retiring to his home at Castleberry, he remained here but a short while, when he removed to Brewton, and thence to Mill View, Florida - at both of which places he was engaged in the milling and timber business, with varied success and misfortune. He died at Mill View, of typhoid dysentery, on September 9th, 1872. His remains were transferred to Sparta, where they were interred in the old family burial ground.

Judge Henderson was a typical Southern gentleman. Of commanding person and dignified mien, he excited the profoundest respect in every circle which he entered. His whole course of life bore the stamp of true manliness. He was exceedingly scrupulous with regard to the slightest promise. Toward the close of his life he evinced unusual solicitude in regard to his children, precipitated, as their lives had been, into the midst of the wide-spread demoralization which followed in the wake of the war. His family are still residents of the county.

Dr. Milton Amos

who was one of the earliest residents of the county, and for many years one of her most distinguished physicians, was born in the State of Maryland, about the year 1781. At an early age he turned his thoughts to the study of medicine, and afterwards finished his course in Philadelphia. Eemoving to Jones county, Georgia, he was married to Miss Reese. In the year 1818 or 1819 he came, with his young bride, to the wild scenes of South Alabama. His first point of location was at Cotten's Bluff, about twenty miles below Brooklyn. Here he resided for only a year, when he removed to Brooklyn, which gave early promise of vast importance in the future. When he came to this place, which afterwards became the most conspicuous point in the county, he found but two families residing here - those of Mr. Edwin Robinson, a merchant, and Mr. Thompson, the owner of the ferry on Conecuh river. During the period of his residence here, he had an extensive practice - reaching to all portions of the county, and even beyond. In 1835 he changed his location to Bellville. Again, he removed to Milton, Florida, in 1850. The town of Milton derived its name from that of his own. Dr. Amos died in Escambia county, in 1875, at the advanced age of ninety-four years. He has left a record of honored usefulness.

Dr. William Cunningham

This distinguished physician was born in Mecklenburg county, Virginia, on April 21st, 1809. His medical training was secured in Philadelphia, where he was graduated when quite a young man. Returning to his Virginian home, he determined to seek a sphere for the exercise of his talents in the far South. Hence he removed to Alabama, and located first at Montevallo, in Shelby county. Thence he removed to Arkansas, and purchased lands upon Red river. A brief sojourn here was altogether sufficient to satisfy any longings which he might hav6 had for the muchtalked-of West, and he again turned his face toward Alabama. Removing farther south than before, he founded a home in Monroe county - the one now occupied by Hon. W. T. Nettles, and but a short distance from the present site of Kempville. In 1842, he served Monroe county in the lower branch of the Legislature. About this time he suffered the saddest of misfortunes - the loss of his wife - when he removed a few miles south of Burnt Corn, and built a handsome residence, just within the limits of Conecuh. Here he continued to reside until his death.

With remarkable success Dr. Cunningham combined planting with the practice of medicine. He shared in the general "wreck and ruin" incident to the war. By thrift and skillful management he had become the possessor of a vast estate before the war. Dr. Cunningham was a polished gentleman of the Old Virginia School. He was exceedingly polite, and his urbanity was extended to all alike.* Highly gifted as a conversationalist, and broadly informed upon all current topics, he was quite companionable. His scope of reading, however, was not restricted to the current literature of the period. His fondness for study led him into the investigation of all sciences, alike. He was one of those remarkable spirits, who was prepared to impart information in regard to almost every subject. By the sprightliness of his conversation he always shed a wholesome radiance into the chamber of sickness. To these superior qualities of personal character was added that of exceeding great fondness for the fine arts. No one had a keener appreciation for excellent music, or works of art, than himself. Naturally hospitable, his pleasant home was the frequent resort of congenial associates. He contributed with unstinted hand to the war waged for Southern Independence. Besides contributing three sons to the armies of the Confederacy, he sustained the families of other men, who were absent upon "the tented field." Dr. Cunningham died at his home, on August 26th, 1867.

Histoby Of Conbcuh

Dark Sway of Reconstructionism - Social Chaos - ^Demoralization - Local Troubles - Sovereignty of the Bayonet - The Negro as a Politician - How the New Order of Things Affected Southern Society - Heroism Displayed, &c.

Nothing equalled the wild chaos which prevailed in the South, just subsequent to the close of the war. The disorder introduced by invading armies, the derangement of the system of labor by the sudden emancipation of the slaves, the crash experienced by the heavy loss sustained by their former owners, the shock of disappointment at the failure of Southern arms - all these produced a universal gloom among the whites of the South. Exhilarated by the consciousness that he was no longer under the restraint of a master, the negro unceremoniously threw aside the implements of labor, and met his fellows where they were wont to gather, from day to day, in the rural village, at the depots, in the towns and crowded cities. All industry was suddenly paralyzed. There was a painful consciousness in the minds of the most reflective that no shield of legal defence existed, and that for once, society was launched upon a wild and stormy sea of disorder. Prompted by the innate principle of self-defence, every man resolved to protect, as far as possible, his own interests against the invasion of lawlessness. Hence it was to be expected that there would be occasional outbreaks of disorder. Robbery was by no means a rare occurrence, and here and there a murder was committed, while differences between the two races were frequently arising. Nothing of a serious nature arose in Conecuh. After the establishment, by the government, of military districts, troops were quartered at several points in the county, but here, as elsewhere, they were productive of more disorder than quiet. Every local camp became a kind of confessional, to which the negro would, for the most part, resort, not to confess his own sins, but to make confession of the sins of his white neighbor, and perhaps former owner, especially if these sins had the slightest relation to himself. Hence squads of cavalrymen were traversing the countrydistricts, hunting up the perpetrators of reported misdemeanors, and great was the annoyance to which the people were subjected by these petty commanders of local posts. The feeling of demoralization, which came immediately upon the heels of the war, was gradually displaced by that of desperation, as the people witnessed the removal, by military orders, of the entire official incumbency of the civil positions, and their places filled by military appointees. Legally enfranchised, the blacks swarmed around the ballotboxes at the first opportunity, and seemed greatly to relish the privilege of citizenship, though they were totally ignorant of the consequence of voting. Conflicting elements would soon have been tranquilized, and serene peace would again have smiled upon the desolate'fields of the South, and would have kindled new hopes in the bosoms of her impoverished people, had not a horde of unprincipled politicians swarmed into the States, and fanned into intenser heat the hostility between the races. These, unfortunately, found fellow-helpers among the whites of the South, who, stimulated by no higher motive than selfaggrandizement, sought to widen the chasm between the races, in order to command the negro vote, and secure to themselves the spoils of office. Among those who contributed to this race agitation in Conecuh were William P. Miller and Rev. A. W. Jones.

In the midst of this wide- spread anarchy, created by the war and its disastrous results, it is wonderful that there was evinced such elasticity on the part of Southern society. A revolution could not have been more sudden or complete, than that into which the society of the South was precipitated ; and yet the ease with which it was speedily adjusted to the existing order of things, was indeed marvelous. Men had risen from the most straitened circumstances into easy competency, and with a contentment at once natural and legitimate, were quietly resting from their early toils ; and yet, when the crash of disaster came, they had to resume the hard labor of other days, in order to provide the actual necessities of life. Women, unused to domestic drudgery, and the thousand cares of which they had been relieved by competent servants, had to face the dire inevitable, and grapple with the duties to which a disastrous war had subjected them. But with the energy and elasticity for which the Anglo-Saxon race is so famous, these heroic men and women bravely met these trying odds, and distinguished themselves as signally as did their soldier boys upon the bloody field. Year by year, the South emerged from the wreck of the dark and bloody past, her people came more and more to take a calm and dispassionate view of "the situation," the lines of race prejudice were growing gradually dimmer, a spirit of industry began to awaken the sluggish energies of the people, and a wholesome change was being manifestly wrought in all directions.

The one event of marked interest in Conecuh, during the year 1866, was the removal of the seat of justice from Sparta to Evergreen. Two principal causes contributed to this removal. The first -was the total destruction of the court house at Sparta, with all the county records, and the second was the growing importance of Evergreen, and its easy accessibility from all portions of the county. Two years later, Conecuh lost a portion of her southern territory by the formation of Escambia county. This county was established by an act approved December 10th, 1868. It was carved from Conecuh and Baldwin counties. It has not been allowed separate representation in the General Assembly, until the last few years.

Judges Of Probate

** Peep o' Day " - Darkness Clearing Away - Advancement of Order - Returning Signs of Prosperity - The People Becoming Themselves Again - A Glance at Current Events up to the Present.

The period about which I now write, was anticipated in the closing remarks of the last chapter. Several years elapsed before the people of Conecuh could withdraw sufficiently far from the reign of disorder to address themselves to the re-establishment of their institutions, and the resuscitation of their shattered fortunes. But a steady- growing resolution was possessing the people, and gradually the signs of returning prosperity began to show themselves in every quarter. Of cour.^e this growing change was largely due to the revolution in politics. The combined powers of ignorance and selfishness were gradually giving way before the strong assertion of intelligence and public-spiritedness. Instead of being represented by men who were hostile to the public interest, the people were eventually able to send representatives of their choice. The wholesome legislation so sadly needed by the masses in their depressed condition, was eventually secured,, and impartial officers elected to execute it.

The colored people, having realized the extent of the boon of liberation, and the relation which bound them to the whites, resumed, with commendable spirit, their former habits of industry in the field, the shop, the home, and thus contributed, in no small degree, to the prosperity which all, in common, now enjoy. Few have been the events that have disturbed the increasing growth of harmony in Conecuh, within the last few years.

In the summer of 1877 a painful event occurred in the quiet town of Evergreen, and one, the circumstances of which rendered it more painful, because of the parties connected therewith. SheriiflF B. M. Burns, of Monroe county, while on official business in Conecuh, was engaged in a game of billiards with William Ashley, son of the late Senator Ashley, when a disagreement arose between them, and Mr. Ashley was shot and killed by Sheriff Burns. Intense excitement was created in both counties by the sad and unexpected tragedy, because of the prominence both of the slayer and the slain. After two years, Mr. Burns was tried at Evergreen and sentenced to hard labor for the county for a limited term of months.

To recount the events which have transpired from year to year, would be to tell the deeds of a determined people to make their section fairer, better and more inviting, than during any period of the past. Of the material elements with which they have to deal, I have occasion to write more at length in a subsequent chapter.

Approaching, as we are, the conclusion of our county history, so thrilling in historic event, and so conspicuous in the biography of prominent spirits, it has been thought proper to devote attention to those who are at present recognized as the representative men of Conecuh. Prominent among these is who is a native of the county, and has shared largely in its fortunes and its reverses. He was born within three miles of his present home, at Jayvilla, on February 16th, 1820. His father was one of thue earliest emigrants to the county, and upon his removal hither was quite poor. But he was not lacking in those qualities of industry and economy, which invariably find expression in accumulation. His father surrounded himself and family with a competency of life's necessities. His son was early taught the habits of industry, and has led quite an active life. His mental acquirements were secured within the narrow compass presented by the school facilities of his boyhood days. When he had attained manhood the academy was established at Evergreen, and for three successive sessions, he studied there with vast advantage to himself. After his marriage to Miss Ashley - daughter of Capt. Wilson Ashley - ^he devoted his attention to planting. At different periods of his life he has been elevated to positions of trust and distinction. During the period when considerable attention was bestowed upon the organization of an efficient militia, Mr. Jay was selected as the major of a battalion. He was successively commissioner of roads and revenue, tax assessor and Representative to the General Assembly. For two consecutive terms he served Conecuh in the Legislature. Mr. Garrett, in his "Eeminiscences of Public Men of Alabama," pays him a deserved compliment when he speaks of his ability as a legislator, and the marked attention bestowed by himself upon the interests with which his position was invested. Up to the period of the formal emancipation of the slaves, Mr. Jay had gathered about him a respectable fortune. And during the period of his prosperity, his liberality was proverbial. Whatever enterprise was inaugurated for the public weal, found a generous response at the hands of Mr. Jay. No one advocated with more profound earnestness the establishment of the railroad through Conecuh, than did he. He was one of the most liberal contributors to the enterprise. He gave largely to the endowment of Howard College, and the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, at Louisville, Kentucky.

of a brother. By this event the management of his father's estate fell completely upon himself. But having naturally a sprightly mind, he continued to address himself to literary pursuits, as he had opportunity. In September, 1847, he connected himself with the Baptist Church at Evergreen, and shortly after became one of its deacons, which position he has held to the present. He was married, in 1848, to Miss Polly H. Stallworth, and at once turned his attention to planting. He was regarded a successful planter during the palmiest period of that pursuit in Conecuh. In 1856, we find him a citizen of Evergreen, whither he had removed for the education of his children. Here he formed a partnership with S. A. Barnett (now a citizen of Mobile), in a mercantile interest, which was conducted with success until the beginning of the late war. For many years Mr. Eabb was a member of the Commissioners' Court of the county, where he was exceedingly scrupulous in regard to the expenditure of the people's money. After the close of the war, he relinquished his farming interest, and embarked in a timber enterprise in Escambia county, Florida, as the partner of W. D. Mann. Here the failure of the contractors, under whose auspices the firm operated, involved it in serious embarrassment, thereby rendering Mr. Eabb unable to sustain that spirit of hospitality and benevolence for which he was characteristic during more prosperous periods. In 1880, Mr. Rabb ofiTered himself to the people of Conecuh- as a candidate for the Judgeship of the

Probate Court. He was, however, defeated by Judge Walker, a former incumbent of the office, and the regular nominee of the people. The many virtues of Mr. Rabb, his devotion to the public interest, and his intellectual qualifications, make him one of the representative men of Conecuh.

This gentleman is a native Georgian. He was born in Fayet-te county, in that State, on January 16th, 1833. His parents were poor - but his father, by no means, humble in his influence. He was repeatedly elected to the State Legislature. For his public services he realized but little remuneration, and hence was unable to give his children the intellectual advantages which they might have otherwise enjoyed. The subject of our sketch was the eldest of the family of children, and upon him devolved the necessity of laboring upon the farm for the support of the younger children. He was an industrious laborer upon the farm until he was fully nineteen years of age, enjoying at brief intervals the advantages of country schools. But with his father absent as a public servant, and himself the first of a family of thirteen children, these opportunities for scholastic training were exceeding scant. At the age of nineteen. Dr. Eobinson removed to McDonough, Georgia, where he attended a good school for six mouths. On the 17th of August of that year, he was married to Miss Josephine Moftett, 'of

During the winter following his marriage, Dr. Robinson removed to Stewart county, Georgia, and began work upon a little farm, in connection with occasional intervals of school- teaching. In 1856 he sold his interest in Georgia, and removed to Covington county, in this State, settling upon Pigeon creek. In the midst of his varied reading he had acquired a peculiar fondness for the investigation of the science of medicine. Resolving to adopt the practice of medicine as a profession, he disposed of his place on Pigeon creek, and removed to Brooklyn, for the purpose of pursuing a more systematic course of study. Here, by stress of necessity, he was forced to divide his time between his studies and. labors in the wagon shop of D. M. Dodson - his wife, meanwhile, assisting as teacher in the academy at Brooklyn. In 1857 and 1858 he attended lectures in Memphis, Tennessee. Here license to practice was granted him, and he returned to his home, and entered at once his chosen profession. In 1859 Dr. Robinson formed a partnership with Dr. John Scott ; but after a year's connection with this gentleman, the copartnership was dissolved by the withdrawal of Dr. Scott. During the summer of 1859 Dr. Robinson attended another course of lectures at Atlanta, Georgia. Returning to his home, he found himself rapidly introduced into an extensive practice. For several years his practice in the portion of the county in which he resided was simply overwhelming. Declining health forced him gradually to retire. Since his retirement from the duties of a physician, he has been honored by the people of Conecuh during two different sessions with the position of Representative to the General Assembly. In this capacity he has proved to be quite useful, and has won for himself considerable distinction as a legislator. He served Conecuh during the last session of the General Assembly.

Dr. Robinson is a gentleman of many sterling qualities. His usefulness has been realized not only in direction of public affairs, but also in the sacred matters of the church. He is profoundly interested in the spiritual elevation of the masses. Possessing the highest sense of right, he is admirably fitted to become a prominent director in all matters relating to the public weal.

Nicholas Stallworth

familiarly known as "Nick," is the third child of Hon. James A. Stallworth. He was born at Evergreen on the 9th of August, 1845, and hence is now but thirty-six years of age. He left school at the early age of fourteen, to accompany his father - then in declining health - to Washington. He spent the winters of 1859-'60- 61 in the National Metropolis. Returning with his father in 1861 to Conecuh, he at once joined the "Conecuh Guards," though he was a lad of only fifteen. His honored father accompanied him to Montgomery, and there meeting several of his quondam associates in the United States Congress - who were then members of the Confederate Congress - ^they proposed to secure for "Nick" the commission of lieutenant in the regular army. This was communicated to him by his father and friends ; but the offer he politely refused, saying that he preferred a place in the ranks with the companions of his boyhood days. Upon the organization of the Fourth Alabama Eegiment, he was found to be the youngest member in the entire command. He went with the Fourth Alabama Eegiment to Virginia, and served in all the campaigns and battles in which it participated until the battle of Cold Harbor, where he was wounded and discharged. For some time prior to this he had been suffering from a bowel affection, and was in feeble health when he received the wound. Eeturning to his home, he found his mother stricken with grief by the double affliction of the loss of her husband and eldest son. The mother communicated to her son the dying request of his father, that if he should survive the bloody scenes of the war, he should go at once to the University of Alabama and complete his education. Eegaining his health, "Nick" repaired to the University, and entered the Junior Class, in 1863. But his university course was cut short by sickness, and after an attendance of only eight months, he returned to his home. After the recuperation of his health, again he was offered a position on the staff of Gen. Samuel

Adams. But before the offer was responded to,-General Adams was killed. He was also tendered a position on the staff of Gen. Thomas 0. Hindman, but declined. Subsequently he accepted the Adjutancy of the Twenty- third Kegiment of Alabama, then under the command of Maj. Nick Stallworth. Leaving at once for Virginia, he reached Petersburg ; but the communication being cut between that place and Eichmond, he was forced to turn his face homewards after several vain attempts to /reach his command. The death of his brother-in-law, Captain Broughton, left him the oldest male member of the family, and he was forced to remain at home by the sad dependency of the family, combined with the shattered condition of his health. The war closing soon after this, he found himself ladened with unusual responsibilities for one so young. With no resources at command, he addressed himself with heroic spirit to whatever his hands found to do. After varied struggles with adverse circumstances, and hard labor with his own hands, for some time, he determined to address himself to the study of law. This he did with P. D. Page, Esq., and was soon admitted to practice.

In 1872, and again in 1874, he was chosen Representative from Conecuh to the Legislature. At the session of 1875-76 he was elected Solicitor of the Eleventh Judicial Circuit. In this circuit he had to cope with many of the ablest legal spirits of the. State, and yet his course was attended with remarkable success from the beginning. By the respect- fulness of his deportment, and the urbanity of his disposition, he won the esteem of his legal brethren in all parts of the circuit ; and by his efficiency and impartiality as a judicial officer, he secured almost universal popular esteem. He is justly regarded one of the most promising young men in the State.

Pinckney Downie Bowles is a native of South Carolina. His place of birth was l^dgefield District. He received his educational training at the Citadel of Charleston, South Carolina, and at the University of Virginia. His collegiate course completed, he returned to his native State, and engaged in the study of law under Gen. Samuel McGowan.* He came to Alabama in April, 1859, and went into the office of Hon. James A. Stallworth, where he remained until the beginning of the war. In 1860 he was elected Colonel of the Twenty-eighth Eegiment of Alabama Militia; and also 2nd lieutenant in the "Conecuh Guards," in the summer of 1860. In January, 1861, he went in that capacity with the company to Pensacola. When the company returned home, and upon its reorganization, he was chosen captain, and went with his gallant company to Virginia. Henceforth the war record of Colonel Bowles is inseparably connected with the illustrious career of the Fourth Alabama Infantry - "of which he was the brave and faithful commander" almost throughout the entire war. He led his regi- ment into the majority of the fiercest battles fought on the soil of Virginia. The regiment belonged to the famous brigade commanded by General Bee, who was so conspicuous at the first battle of Manassas. It was in the battle of Seven Pines, Cold Harbor, Malvern Hill, Second Manassas, Boonsboro', Sharpsburg, Fredericksburg,. and Suflfolk. It joined in the invasion of Pennsylvania, and was engaged- in the fierce conflict at Gettysburg. It went with Longstreet when he was sent to reinforce Bragg in North Georgia ; it returned with him when he marched through East Tennessee, via Knoxville. Eejoining the Army of Northern Virginia, it was engaged in the battle of the Wilderness, and at Spottsylvania. In the operations of the Second Cold Harbor it was again engaged ; and then lay for ten months behind the defences of Petersburg, sharing in the various movements and assaults connected with that eventful period. And finally, with ranks depleted by death and disability, it surrendered with the rest of the army at Appomattox Court House, with two hundred and two men.

During this long and bloody period. Colonel Bowles was ever found at the head of his regiment. I believe only one brief respite from service was given him - and that was on the occasion of an amorous mission to his adopted county in February, 1863, when he was married to Miss Steams, daughter of the late Judge Stearns.

of five regiments, near the close of the war, and a full brigade staff ordered to report to him. When he returned to Conecuh, in 1865, he had but fifty cents in his pocket. Without delay, he opened an oflSce at Sparta, and resumed the practice of law. The following year he was elected county solicitor for Conecuh, in which position he served for a long period, with efficiency.

Though having so eventful a record. Colonel Bowles is still comparatively a young man. He is now a resident of Evergreen, and is a successful practitioner of law.

George Robert Farnham

This prominent young attorney was born near Bellville, on January 23rd, 1845. He was reared by his great-grandmother, Mrs. Nancy Savage, whose piety and usefulness were proverbially known for many years, throughout Conecuh. His course of instruction was cut short at the Bellville Academy, by enfeebled health, when he had reached the age of fifteen, and was recuperated by active work on the farm. When a youth of only sixteen, he enlisted in the Confederate army, having joined the "Monroe Guards," under Capt. Giles Goode. He went with his command to Pensacola, whence, after a brief service of three weeks, it was ordered to Virginia. Near the close of 1861 he was prostrated by a protracted attack of measles ; he was discharged and returned to his home. The following year he resumed his studies at the

Bellville Academy, and in the fall of 1862 was entered as a cadet upon the matriculation roll of the University of Alabama. In the early part of 1865 he graduated in the regular course of that institution, with the exception of mathematics, and was pursuing the last studies in that branch when he retired. His course at the University was marked with distinction. He was appointed first a sergeant in the corps, then promoted to a second lieutenancy, afterwards to the adjutancy, and when he left the University he was senior 1st lieutenant. While at the University the corps of cadets did service, as soldiers, for three weeks in Mobile, and again at Jacksonville. -In 1864, while going home upon a tour of vacation, about fifty or sixty of the cadets reached Montgomery, where they found the city in the midst of the most intense excitement, growing out of the threatening demonstrations of General Rousseau. Governor Watts ordered the cadets to remain in Montgomery and assist in its defence against Rousseau, who was then at Chehaw. Arms having been furnished them, a soldier of the regular army was appointed to the command, and they were permitted to elect their other officers. Mr. Famham was at once chosen 1st lieutenant, and the buoyant cadets leaped upon the train and started at once for Chehaw. They were accompanied by some regulars, who happened to have been in Montgomery at the time, and also by some raw reserves. But for the military training and thorough efficiency of the cadets, the entire command would have been captured, and the city of Montgomery would have fallen. Subsequent to this, Mr. Farnham served as adjutant in the corps of cadets, near Spanish Fort. In the early part of 1865 he raised a cavalry company among the students of the University, which was designed to serve as the body-guard to General Buford, and the company left the University, to return to their homes to secure horses and equipments; but just at this juncture the State was overrun by the Federal troops, and before a thorough organization could be effected, the war closed. In 1866, Captain Farnham commenced the study of law in the office of General Martin, at Sparta, and in September, of the same year, was admitted to practice. The first year of his legal career was spent as a partner of General Martin, after which he practiced alone, until his late connection with M. S. Eabb, Esq. In 1868 he was elected a member of the Executive Committee of the Democratic Party of Conecuh, and in this capacity served without intermission, for ten years - the last four of which he was the chairman of the committee. In 1870 he was unanimously nominated for the county solicitorship, by the Democratic Party, but was defeated by the Radicals. In August, 1876, Captain ^Farnham, underwent the greatest of all changes - the renovation of his spiritual character. He became at once an active member of the Baptist Church at Evergreen, and finds peculiar delight in the work pertaining to the office of Sunday School Superintendent. In 1880 he was elected the President of the State Sunday School

History Op Ooneouh

Convention. During the same year he was nominated for the Senatorship of his district, and was overwhelmingly elected - having received the largest vote ever cast in the district, 5,435. He was sustained by both the Democratic and Republican Parties. During the approaching session he signalized his usefulness as a legislator, by securing the passage of a bill providing for the humane treatment of prisoners - the proper ventilation, heating of cells, and the proper supply of pure water for drinking purposes. He also secured an amendment to the section of the code relating to the regulation of the hire of convict laborers, so limiting the time as not to remand persons to slavery under the color of law. He earnestly strove to secure the passage of bills relative to reformation in the voting system of Alabama. In this he encountered strong opposition in the State Senate. His object was to secure an amendment to sections 274-276 of the code, relative to numbering and the size of ballots. By dilatory motions and parliamentary manoeuvring, the action upon the bills was delayed. By resolute effort he forced a vote upon them toward the close of the session, and lacked only a few votes of securing the passage of the bill providing for the numbering of ballots. His speech upon the election law was published in the Montgomery Advertiser^ and won alike the approbation of the press and the people. For one so gifted, so young, and energetic, and withal so virtuous in his life, there is a future of the most radiant promise.

According to the late census* Coneculi has a population of 12,606. The population would have been much greater had the county retained its original territorial limits. By the formation of Escambia county, in 1868, Conecuh lost much of her southern territory, which included several thousand of her population. Among her numerous villages, Evergreen, the county seat, is the largest. It is one of the thriftiest towns of Southern Alabama; is situated on the Mobile and Montgomery Eailway, nearly mid-way between these two cities, and has a population of nearly 800 inhabitants. Its location, in one of the most productive regions in this section of the State, the elevated tone of its society, its educational and religious facilities, and its mineral springs, make it quite a desirable point.

Conecuh county lies in the southern part of Alabama, and is within the southern portion of the temperate zone. Its climate is such as to exempt it alike from the rigors of a Northern region, and the disease and debility of the tropics. The mean annual tem- perature is about 65 degrees. Within the limits of the county can be found every variety of soil, from the most productive to the most barren. From the centre of the county to its northern limits are to be found lands of great fertility, while in the southern portion the lands are for the most part, thin, but by no means valueless. In the earliest periods of the settlement of the county, the lands which lay along the streams had a deep alluvial soil, that had been enriched for ages by the steady influx of productive deposits. And when the forests were felled, and the implements of industry had begun to stir the soil, the yield from these lowlands was immense. The basin lands of Murder creek, Conecuh river, Bottle creek and the Sepulgas, furnished the most productive soil found in the county. Adjoining these regions, though elevated to uplands, are the red lands of the county, which are regarded the most unfailing and uniform in their yield, as well as being most resistful to the power of waste. In the lower portion of the county are the pine districts, made famous, in late years, by the vast quantity of timber furnished to foreign ports. Since the earliest settlement of the county, these regions have been held in high esteem as pasturage lands. The absence of undergrowth or shrubbery, gives unbounded freedom to the luxuriant grass that flourishes throughout this entire section. Though naturally thin, the soil is susceptible to a high degree of artificial cultivation, as there is usually found in this sandy region, a deep sub-soil of clay. These, regions of sand and pine, though prevailing almost uninterruptedly in the lower half of Conecuh, are found in many portions of the county. These lands, almost without exception, are of level surface, thereby rendering quite easy the retention of fertilizers. And it is a subject of inquiry, if, with their subsoil of clay and their level surface, they are not destined to become the most unfailingly-productive lands in the county. It is a subject of regret that so many of the best lands of the county have been surrendered to the sway of **the tangled vine and riotous weed." Where once there waved the harvests of plenty, there are to be found, to-day, in many places, the thicket of briar and rustling sedge. Having undisputed sway, the early farmers would betake themselves to the invasion of uncleared forests, as soon as it became evident that their lands were being impaired by usage, and they would thus leave behind them broad acres of soil that needed but little careful attention to preserve their wonderful productive powers. These lands are only awaiting the hand of industry to become again the most yieldable in the county.

Stock Raising

Conecuh is peculiarly adapted to the raising of cattle, sheep, hogs and goats. Her extensive areas of grassy lands, which are covered with a verdant and luxuriant herbage, almost the year round, and wellwatered with perpetual streams, places Conecuh in the front rank of stock- producing counties. In addition to the growth of these tender grasses, there is that of the wild cane, which grows throughout aJl seasons along the streams, and is much relished by every variety of stock. Beef in considerable quantities, and of superior quality, has for a long time been furnished from these, and adjoining regions, to the markets of Pensacola and Mobile. The production of wool is beginning to excite considerable attention in the county, and the time is not distant when it will become a source of vast revenue to the county.

The prevailing growth in the forests of Conecuh is that of the hickory, poplar, ash, beech and pine, all the varieties of oak, and the queenly magnolia. The uncleared districts of the county cover at least 75 per cent, of its surface. Along the streams, and upon the most fertile soil of the county, are found abounding the oak, the hickory, and beech - the annual yield of whose fruit fattens hundreds of hogs. And in the near future the hand of Art will be laid upon these useful timbers, and they will be made serviceable in the homes and trades of men. For many years past, the pine timbers of Conecuh have been a profitable commodity to dealers in lumber. Hewn into proper shapes, these timbers are floated in rafts down the principal streams to Pensacola, whence they are transported to the ship-building yards of different countries.

Redwine, a turpentine manufactory has just been established at Castleberry. This article will no doubt become quite a commodity in the future commerce of the county.

The productions of Conecuh are as varied as the soil upon which they are grown. The soil is peculiarly adapted to the growth of cotton, which is its all-prevailing staple. All the cereal crops, except wheat, are cultivated and yield in abundance. Improved systems are obtaining very generally throughout the county, and as a consequence, production is progressive.

Of fruits, the apple, pear, peach, fig, grape and melons, are the chief productions. Vast varieties of grapes are being introduced into different parts of Conecuh, and they never refuse to yield handsomely. The forests and abandoned fields abound in nuts, grapes, and berries, in large variety, which are furnished by Nature without cultivation. Because of the diversity of soil, the variety of productions, the favorableness of climate, and the easy accessibility to market, no field is more alluring to the immigrant than Conecuh. Vast regions of her land can be purchased at figures quite low. To the farmer, the horticulturist, the gardener, the shepherd, and the man-

Geological Resources

Within the county is found a great variety of useful stone. In different sections the lime rock abounds. Mica has been discovered within the last year in such quantities as to encourage the hope of future profit.

Along its eastern border runs the Conecuh river into which flows Sepulga and Bottle creeks, while farther in the interior is Murder creek - a stream of great width and depth - and the southern portion is watered by Burnt Corn creek and its numerous tributaries.

Social Amd Educational Advantages

The county of Conecuh will compare favorably with any other in the State, with respect to the tone of its society and the character of its institutions. The society is, for the most part, moral and refined. Schools and churches abound. Two academies of high grade are to be found - one at Evergreen and the other at Bellville - presided over respectively by Professors Tate and Newton.

The Colored Population

their emancipation many have secured comfortable homes by energy and frugality. There is a number who are well-to-do - having amassed to themselves respectable property.

Closing Remarks

Together, dear reader, we have passed over the scenes enacted in the county of Conecuh from the time that the first white man faced its perilous wilds, to the present time. Through all the shifting scenes incident to human life, we have passed, in this rapid review. Together have we stood with the grayhaired sires of the long-ago, and gazed upon the sunlit hills and green valleys of Conecuh, ere the tread of civilization broke their slumbering echoes. We have seen the hardy settler leave his home in the distant States and confront the barriers and hazards of a long journey, and finally pitch his home in a region as yet unwrenched from the grasp of the wild savage. We have seen the heroism with which he addressed himself to the colossal task of subjecting the wild forces of nature to his control. We have watched the growth of civilization along successive decades, and have seen its struggles with frowning disadvantages. Through poverty and pinching distress, through smoke of battle and radiant prosperity, we have come up to the Present. And looking back from our present eminence-height, along the stretch of past years, we see the monuments of worth erected along the track of six and a half decades - monuments reared by the energy and pluck of our fathers and grandfathers, - yea, we see a county reclaimed from its wilderness wilds and made to "rejoice, and blossom as the rose." The determination to snatch from oblivion the records of their heroism and success, and embody it in perpetual form, was alike honorable to sire and son. These brave men and women of the past, many of whom slumber beneath the sods of Conecuh, have bequeathed to the present and succeeding generations a rich legacy - a priceless bequest - in their deeds of nobleness ; they "being dead, yet speaketh." Upon the generation of the present - the sons and grandsons of a noble ancestry - rests the duty of continuing the work of advancement commenced sixty- six years ago, when Conecuh was enfolded within her own virgin forests. Let them seek to preserve intact the institutions designed to ennoble the masses, and let them be as diligent in service to the generations to follow as were their ancestors to the generation of the present. So shall Conecuh continue her onward progress, and her people shall continue to be elevated in the scale of intellectual and moral excellence, "to the last recorded syllable of time."

Preamble

Whereas, the citizens of Conecuh county being desirous of reclaiming from the obscurity of the past, all the elements which will serve to make a correct history of the county, have agreed to constitute a Society for that purpose, to be governed by the following Constitution :

Sec. 2. The object of this Society shall be the accumulation and compilation, in enduring form, of the events which have marked the history of the county in the past, reaching back to its earliest period, and also of the men who have flourished in its annals, and indeed of every object and item which would serve to contribute, in anywise, to the interest of the history of a people.

Sec. 3. The officers of this Society shall be a President, two Vice-Presidents, a Recording Secretary and a Treasurer, who shall perform the duties usually connected with such offices.

Sec. 4. In addition to the above officers there shall be an Executive Committee of five, composed of four members to be chosen from different parts of the county, and the President of the Society, who shall be ex officio Chairman of the Committee. The duty of this committee shall be to appoint time and place of meetings, arrange programme of exercises, and do whatever else will be demanded for the success of each occasion.

Section 1. This Society shall be composed of all who are or have been citizens of this county, who may desire to unite therewith. A list for the enrollment of names shall be kept in the office of the Judge of Probate, and a Recorder shall be appointed in each Beat, whose duty it shall be to secure the names of citizens, and forward weekly to the Judge of Probate at Evergreen.

Sec. 2. The members of this Society shall secure material from every possible source that would in anywise contribute to the history of the county, whether traditional, biographical, martial, agricultural, or otherwise.

Sec. 4. This Constitution may be amended by a majority vote at any regular meeting of the Society ; provided, that notice of such proposed amendment be given at a previous meeting.

Conecuh Guards

It was permanently organized at Sparta, Alabama, on the 1st day of April, 1861 ; mustered at Sparta Depot, April 24th, 1861 ; received flag from the Ladies of the county ; embarked on train with the following named commissioned, non-commissioned officers and privates ; mustered into the Confederate States Army at Lynchburg, Virginia, May 7th, 1861 ; surrendered at Appomattox Court House, Virginia, April 9th, 1865 :

Lee, William, promoted captain from 1st lieutenant, August 22, 1862 ; wounded at Gaines' Farm, Virginia, 1862 ; killed at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, July 3, 1863.

Mclnnis, Archibald D., promoted captain, from 1st lieutenant, July 3, 1863 ; retired from wounds received at first Manassas, July 1861, and at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, July 3, 1863, and at Cold Harbor, Virginia, 1864 ; died in Mobile, Alabama, since the war.

Guice, John G., promoted Ist lieutenant, from 2nd lieutenant, August 22, 1862 ; wounded first battle Manassas, Virginia, July 21, 1861 ; wounded at Gaines' Farm, Virginia, July, 1862 ; wounded in two places sacond battle Manassas, August, 1862, lost leg; honorably discharged ; resides in Conecuh county, Alabama.

Christian, Alfred, Ist lieutenant ; wounded second battle Manassas, Virginia, August, 1862 ; died in Conecuh county, Alabama, since the war.

Taliaferro, Charles T., 2ad lieutenant; resigned 1862 ; promoted to assistant surgeon 1862 ; promoted full surgeon Fourth Alabama Regiment, 1864 ; resides in Conecuh county, Alabama.

Stearns, John S., 2nd lieutenant; wounded at Knoxville, Tennessee, November, 1863; wounded at Wilderness, Virginia, May 6, 1864 ; died at his home in 1880.

Mosley, Andrew J. , 1st sergeant ; wounded first battle Manassas in head and arm ; wounded at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, July, 1803 ; wounded at Chickamauga, Georgia, September, 18(53 ; wounded at Spotsylvania Court House, Virginia, May 9, 1864; resides in Falls county, Texas.

Cotton, James, 4th sergeant; taken prisoner at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania ; remained in prison to the end of the war ; died in the State of Texas since the war.

Stinson, Jasper Newton, promoted to color sergeant Fourth Alabama Regiment, July, 1862 ; killed at the second battle Manassas, August, 1862.

Boulware, Gil R. , promoted to color sergeant Fourth Alabama Regiment ; wounded at Fredericksburg. Virginia, September, 1862 ; wounded in side and arm, and right arm amputated, at Chickamauga, Georgia, September, 1863; resides in Conecuh county, Alabama.

Spence, Ingram, sergeant ; recruited November, 1861 ; wounded at Knoxville, Tennessee, September, 1863 ; resides in Conecuh county, Alabama.

Clark, William D., sergeant ; recruited November, 1861 ; wounded at Gaines' Farm, July, 1862 ; wounded at Spotsylvania Court House, Virginia, May 10, 18G4; resides in Conecuh county, Alabama.

Floyd, Alfred H. , 2nd sergeant ; recruited November, 1861 ; wounded at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, July, 1863 ; wounded (lost leg) at Wilderness, Virginia, May 6, 1864 ; honorably discharged ; resides in Texas.

Thomas, Joseph A. , 4th corporal ; wounded first battle Manassas, Virginia, July 21, 1861 ; wounded at Eltham's Landing, Virginia, April, 1862 ; wounded at Gaines' Farm, Virginia, 18()2 ; wounded at Fredericksburg, Virginia, 1863 ; wounded at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, 1863 ; resides in Conecuh county, Alabama.

Bobertson, James, 3rd corporal; wounded in three places at Sharpsburg, Maryland, September, 1862 ; wounded at Wilderness, Virginia, May 6, 1864 ; resides in Conecuh county, Alabama.

Grice, Francis M., recruited November, 1861; lost left arm at Gaines* Farm ; afterwards sutler Fourth Alabama Infantry ; resides in Escambia county, Alabama.

Hyde, John D., recruited November, 1861 ; wounded at Ghdnes* Farm, 1862, and at Ghickamauga, September, 1863, and in skirmish below Bichmond, 1864 ; resides in Conecuh county, Alabama.

Kirk, Frank, recruited November, 1861 ; honorably discharged; joined the Thirty-eighth Alabama Begiment; killed at Chickamauga, September, 1863.

Myers, John, recruited November, 1861 ; wounded at Gaines' Farm, July, 1862 ; dropped from the roll in 1863 ; killed in Butler county, Alabama, since the .war.

Quinley, William, recruited April, 1862; woimded at Gaines* Farm, July, 1862, and at Gettysburg, July 3, 1863 ; deserted to the enemy in 1865.

Snowden, William H., wounded in skirmish at Lenoir Station, Tennessee, December, 1863 ; honorably discharged for wounds received in 1863 ; resides in Conecuh county, Alabama.

Salter, Mich B., wounded at Gaines' Farm, July, 1862,- wounded at Gettysburg, July 3, 1863, and right arm amputated ; honorably discharged ; resides in Conecuh county, Alabama.

Sheffield, Evans, wounded at Gaines* Farm, July, 1862, and at Gettysburg, July, 1873 ; killed by a falling tree in Conecuh county, Alabama, since the war.