Alabama Fever

176 Pages·1610·5.5 MB·English

The Huntsville
H isto rica l R eview
A History of Early Settlement:
Madison County Before Statehood
1808-1819
James Madison, President of the United States from 1809-1817
Special Issue
Published by
The Huntsville-Madison County Historical Society

The Huntsville Historical Review
A History of Early Settlement:
Madison County Before Statehood
1808 1819
-
Special Issue
Published By
The Huntsville-Madison County Historical Society
OFFICERS OF THE
HUNTSVILLE-MADISON COUNTY HISTORICAL
SOCIETY
PRESIDENT
Bob Adams
1st Vice President (Programs) - Nancy Rohr
2nd Vice President (Membership) - Linda Wright Riley
Recording Secretary - Sharon Lang
Corresponding Secretary - Dorothy Prince Luke*
Treasurer - Wayne Smith
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Jack Burwell Jim Lee*
Rhonda Larkin George Mahoney, Jr.*
James E. Davis, Jr. Sam Tumminello
Joyce Smith* Dr. John Rison Jones*
Virginia Kobler* Dr. Clarence Toomer
David Milam*
* Denotes Past Presidents
Editor - The Huntsville Historical Review
Jacquelyn Procter Reeves
The Huntsville Historical Review
A History of Early Settlement:
Madison County Before Statehood
1808 1819
-
James Madison, President of the United States from 1809-1817
Special Issue
Published by The Huntsville-Madison County Historical Society
Copyright 2008
The Huntsville Historical Review
Special Issue
TABLE OF CONTENTS
President’s Page.................................................................................................................v
Editor’s Notes....................................................................................................................vi
Dedication..........................................................................................................................vii
Alabama Fever...................................................................................................................1
Nancy M. Rohr
Indian Creek and Western Madison County..................................................................23
John P. Rankin
Two Hundred Years - the Big Spring and John Hunt..................................................42
David Byers
New Market - First and Fairest of Them All?...............................................................60
Joseph M. Jones
Ditto’s Landing..................................................................................................................73
Norman M. Shapiro
Hazel Green and Meridianville........................................................................................84
David Milam
Ryland-Brownsboro-Maysville........................................................................................95
Jacquelyn Procter Reeves
The Three Forks of Flint...................................................................................................112
Donna Dunham
Epilogue..............................................................................................................................144
Nancy M. Rohr
Appendix.............................................................................................................................147
Contributors.......................................................................................................................152
Index...................................................................................................................................155
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President’s Page
On December 13, 1808, the land in the “bend of the Tennessee River” officially
became Madison County by an act of the Mississippi Territorial Government. Although it
was the second county of what was to become the State of Alabama, it became the most
important county in those early years of settlement. Many residents of Madison County
played a prominent role.
Madison County was home to Alabama’s first bank, first library, first Masonic
Lodge, and many other “firsts” too numerous to mention. More significantly, Madison
County was the site of the Constitutional Convention that brought Alabama into the
union as its 22nd state.
This issue is centered on the founding years from about 1804, when the earliest
settlers began to arrive, until 1819 when Alabama attained statehood. At the suggestion
of Ms. Ranee’ Pruitt, Archivist for the Huntsville-Madison County Public Library, the
Huntsville-Madison County Historical Society adopted this publication as our
contribution to the Madison County Bicentennial. As with all other society articles and
books, it was accomplished by local volunteer historians who spent untold hours
researching, writing, and rewriting to provide a history of that era heretofore not
available. I believe you will find this reading most interesting.
The Historical Society is most appreciative to these contributors and to the
Madison County Board of Commissioners for underwriting the costs of this publication.
Bob Adams
President
v
Editor’s Notes
The Huntsville Madison County Historical Society, with contributions from the
Madison County Commissioners, is pleased to celebrate the 200th anniversary of Madison
County, Alabama, with this special issue of the Huntsville Historical Review. It is our
great pleasure to present a comprehensive outline of the people who lived in our corner of
wilderness, when America was young. Our story starts in 1808, with the birth of Madison
County in the Mississippi Territory.
To achieve our goal, the special issue committee decided to create an outline that
would begin with the settlements in the foothills of Appalachia, unearthing family names,
homesteads, and general information long lost in the last two hundred years. Those early
settlements include: Hunt’s Spring, Indian Creek, Three Forks of the Flint, Ditto’s
Landing, New Market, and Ryland/Maysville/Brownsborough.
Who were these early settlers? Why did they stay, and how did they survive?
Perhaps you are a 4th grade student studying Madison county history, a member of the
Historical Society, or one of the many 21st century settlers to this area. Whatever the case,
there is something here for you.
This project was the brainchild of archivist Ranee’ Pruitt, who is known far and
wide to researchers who have passed through the doors of the Heritage Room in the
Huntsville-Madison County Public Library in search of history. Her name appears in
countless books by appreciative authors. Ranee’, along with the hard work of Susanna
Leberman, provided the facts and foundation of this issue.
This publication is the proud accomplishment of many talented writers and
historians in Madison County who volunteered for this project, unaware that they would
find themselves consumed by their interest in the stories of our forefathers. They have
spent hours searching for clues and facts to bring us a collection of interesting stories for
present and future students, young and old. Explore the history around you and the
settlement from whence you came. Madison County is rich is history and steeped in great
adventure.
Jacque Reeves
Editor
vi
Dedication
Madison County Commissioners
Seated left to right: Faye Dyer, Chairman Mike Gillespie, Dale Strong
Standing left to right: Roger Jones, Mo Brooks, Jerry Craig, Robert C. (Bob) Harrison
On December 13, 2008 Madison County, Alabama will celebrate its 200th
birthday. Throughout these years this county has always been blessed with concerned and
caring citizens.
Former County Commissioner James Record felt that his county and history just
seemed to blend together. Mr. Record planned to write five volumes about his county’s
history, and before his untimely death, two books were in print. Mr. Record
acknowledged he was not a professional historian nor did he intend to create a literary
masterpiece. He also conceded that history books are not notorious as moneymakers.
However, he had hoped the county commissioners who followed would recognize the
need, and joy, of its history and continue to preserve the past. He earnestly hoped the
Madison County Commissioners would publish other volumes and continue his work. In
effect Mr. Record, in the dedication to his book, challenged the Commissioners and the
people of Madison County to keep their history alive and well.
This was not just about the original family settlers but also about those who have
moved in and enjoyed these communities. As Madison County grew, so grew much of
the illustrious past of Alabama, the Old Southwest, the South, and the nation. Madison
County has been a vibrant representation of Alabama progress. The links have been
blurred, even obscured, but the connections are there to be made. Each is a part of the
whole, and yet, much remains to be done.
As passionate as Mr. Record was about Madison County, the writers of these
essays in the Review are no less so. Certainly these non-professional writers did not work
for fame or fortune, to produce a masterpiece of historical literature, or to sway the public
to any political ideology. Nevertheless these writers spent long, difficult hours
vii
researching, writing, erasing, and rewriting to share what they learned and felt important
to share.
And as Mr. Record noted in his work, some names were left out; some probably
should not have been included. A few names might be misspelled, facts not straight or at
the least a bit crooked along the way. Thus the editors of the Review challenge readers to
write their own version and to share.
The Huntsville-Madison County Historical Society wishes to thank the Madison
County Commissioners, past and present, who have provided the means for this very
special issue.
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