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MADISON COUNTY, ALABAMA
History & Genealogy

 

 

Source:
The History of
Madison County, Alabama

with an autobiographical sketch
by
Thomas Jones Taylor
The Manuscript was written in Huntsville
from 1880 to 1886

MADISON COUNTY

PLEASE NOTE:  This is a very bad copy and lots is illegible.  Perhaps the original is much better and contacting a nearby library in Alabama will have a better copy.  Also spelling is not the greatest as well.   ~ Sharon Wick

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     The first white person who claimed the territory including Madison County by purchase  were the members of the Tennessee Land Company desiring their claim from a cession of the Georgia Legislature of 1795-6 General Oglethorpee charter from the British Government included all Mississippi and Alabama except portions south of the 31st.  Parallel of latitude which was claimed by apain.?  The United States based its claim to this Territory on the following grounds, 1st. that when Georgia ___ rendered all right to jurisdiction of the Territory beyond th elimit of Georgia Colony property being the present state of Georgia and the Territory of Ala. and Mississippi reverted to the crown and was ceded to the United States in the treaty of 1783, but Georgia claims that the war left the States separate and revered __ and an the result of the war Georgia was left in possession of the Territory. To the Mississippi river as Virginia retained title in the great northwestern Territory.  These question involved rights of the States and the extent of stats f__ ver___ ___ but wars amicably settled by Legislation and compromise.  The United States while claiming jurisdiction and control of the Indian Territory in the limits of the treaty of 1783 yet acknowledged the right of the Indians as origin__ occup__te of their territory and this title the Government extinguished by purchase and conquest.  But before the Indians titles were extinguished and while Georgia claimed this territory certain corporations were formed in the state of Georgia that induced the Co__ Legislatore to sell them the Territory including nearly all of the States of Ala. and 1st rosting one showing as it does that such enterprises and the ___ of accomplishment has not been completed to the present era of _____________

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fraud and corruption I propose to give a brief outline of these, transactions known in the day as the Yazoo Land Frauds which caused grant excitment and indignation among the people of Georgia.  There were three of these companion known as the Georgia, the Tennessee, and the Yazoo or Lower Mississippi land companies but as several of the parties belonged to all three of the companies and the methods adopted identical, I shall confine myself to the action of the Tennessee land Co. that purchased North 1 stating however, that the cession to the three companion embraced nearly all of the present states of Alabama and Mississippi.  On the beginning of the year 1796 Zachoria Lease, Michael Maker and others formed the Tenn. Land Co. and proposed to purchase from the State of Georgia the lands from the Tennessee line South to 34010 N latitude and running from the head waters of Bear Creek and hundred and twenty miles embracing the greater portion of present _ Ala. on the day of January 1796.  The bill making the cession passed the lower branch of the day of January 1796.  The bill making the cession passed the lower branch of the Georgia Legislature by a vote 19 to 9 and next day passed the Senate by a vote of ten to eight received their signature of Gov. Matthews and became a law.  The act of the Legislature making this cession set for the right of the state to this domain and declared the purpose of  this sale to be the payment of the late State Troops and for other purposes and for the better protecton of the frontier and for other purposes.  The passage of this bill created great indignation throughout the State and it was openly charged that its passage was effected by bribery and corruption and when the Legislature of 1796-7 convened a committee was appointed to investing to this matter.  The committee of which James Jackson was chairman after taking evidence in the case made the following report.
     "Resolved, that all such proofs relating to the Fraude and corruption practiced to obtain the act for "The disposal of the western Territory of this state be entered by the clerk on the journals of teh house in order that the testify   ___ taken may be perpetuated as well for the satisfaction of the Legislature __d to show ------------------------

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grounds on which they proceeded as to hand down to future Legislatures the ___ ____ by which the rights of the people were attempted to be b_stored away and this report was adopted by the Legislature.
Although the preceeding Legislature was so severly rebuked and this whole transaction repudiated as a fraud of the Legislature of '97, yet these land companies holding a deed under the seal and signature of Gov. Matthews did not relinquish their claim but bought, sold and conveyed these lands until the year 1810.  When Georgia ceded these lands to the general government in 1802 and the United states began to exercise ownership over them those companies menalyed Congress for relief, Georgia seat upon the papers of the committee which show conclusively the fraud and corruption practiced and in March 1803 the Secretary of State, Secretary of treasurer, and Attorney General were appointed a committee to adjust these claims.  After the repudiation of this sale by the State of Georgia many of the parties released their claims on the lands and whatever money had been paid by them to the State of Georgia was refunded by the act of 1803 proof of purchase was required to be plied in the land offices except to parties claiming in lands belonging to the Indians whose title had not been extinguished but by legislature at different periods the tribe of filing claim was extended as late as January 1815 while these land companies did not realize their magnificent scheme for riches and power, yet they probably made a great deal of money by their enterprise.  On March 31st, 1814 Congress appropinated the sum of six hundred thousand dollars to identify the purchases from the Tennessee Land Company which was distributed prorata among the claimants.  Each claiment received a certificate of Mississippi stock to be raid out of the proceeds of the _les of land in Mississippi Territory which certificates were receivable for public lands in proportion of ninety five dollars stock and five dollars cash on the hundred dollars.  All claims under these land companies filed to January 1815 where the purchases money had not been refunded by the State of Georgia more so adjusted and all claims of like character not filed at the time were made void and ---------------------------

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___ ts. ejected in some instances by the Military and in the year 1815 the United States had perfected their title to all these lands.

Indian Cessions in Madison County ---

     When Georgia ceded Mississippi Territory to the United States in 1803 Madison County was the property of the Cherokees and Chickasaws.  This boundry between these tribes was by consent of these tribes established and surveyed about the year   MORE TO COME

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Settlements East of Flint River.

     This includes from Hickory Flat to Maysville.  Elijah Franklin entered the Petty place on the state line on the Limestone road, James Walker, Rubin __do and J___ Wood settled around Plovna Post Office on Winchester road and Samuel _avis and John Weaver and J. Milem about the Bostic place on same road.  Garland Miller, Wm. Steadman and Labon Rice located the lands west of main street in New Market, and George Smith the land east of the same in sec. 33 Charles Robertson made an entry at the old McCrary Young place further down the Deposit road.  Stephen Kennemer entered the Ceron place, James Hamilton who carried out a company in 1812 lived at the John Bigsby place, John Peters at the George Anderson plance and William Derrick owned the old Beasley place and the west part is now M___ville.  Geo. Taylor lived near the Bridge over Flint River on Bellefonte Road and Charles McCarthey had a house near where Brownsboro depot now stands.  John Sprowl at the Ben Lawler place

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[MAP of CHICKASAW BOUNDARY]
 

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on Deposit road, Ebenezer Byram and John Derrick owned the land from the cross roads in Maysville south of the Belleforte road.  John Derrick to Flin Jordon line and E. Bryam beyond and including Dr. Jordans residence.  Levi and Samuel Byram entered the Allen Stephen homestead which was the end of the settlements in this direction.  These localities are of settlements in the county in 1809.  The diagram on opposite page gives the location of the settlement in the year 1809.  There were of course many settlers who did not buy lands until later but the settlements were located as I have given them on the opposite page.  The war of 1812 checked for awhile the tide of emigration as Tecumsey visited the southern tribes and endeavored to rouse them against the whites.  His eloquence does not seem to have had much effect on our nearist neighbors, the Chickasaws and Cherokees.  They had come in contact with the white man often enough to become satisfied and in Jacksons war 1812-13 many of them joined his forces as scouts.  But many who had intended emigration, and purchased lands here did  not bring their families here until after the war and 1812 was virtually ended by the extermination of the old Creek tribe.  On proclamation of peace in 1815 the tide of emigration set in a  new and was greater than ever.  An inspection of the diagram will convince any one acquainted with the topography of the county through these old fellows know how to select good land but they could not buy it all and by the year 1816 most of the land of the first quality in the old county was taken up.  Suppose four thousand settlers to have been on the lands shown to be settled in 1809 and then emagine ten thousand more to have come here and occupied the land by 1816 and we can form an idea what a vast difference it would make.  The result was that except the lands taken up by the barrens, mountains and rivers it would make the diagram nearly solid red and indicate nearly the same lands entered in old Madison as the maps now indicate.  But in 1818 the rich lands in this part of the county were surveyed and placed in the market and land went up to an even more higher price.  Some of it being bidden at as high as one hundred dollars per acre.  The diagram on the next page will show how rapidly these lands were taken up after which I will give the names of purchases that came in after 1809.  This diagram shows the lands taken up in the

[ Map Madison County in 1809]

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now district up to January 1st, 1820 about a year and a half after they were put upon the market.  There was about 70,000 acres in this new survey added to Madison County or about 110 square miles and it is by far the most valuable body of land in the county from the diagram about 40,000 acres _as take to 1830 and many of  the original purchases who paid over enormus prices had to obtain relief by act of congress when cancelled the original sales and purchases by loosing the money first paid, obtained it by paying an additional preemption rate of the dollars per acre.  We find many now names among the settlers some of whom came here at an early day but had made no entries until this time.  Others came later had made money and now invested in these lands.  Among the settlers whose reputations as men of prominence and who were not here in 1809 are William Patton and James Manning, old merchants of Huntsville.  Elisha Humbolt from whom  we have Humbolt Mountain near Madison.  Reuben Crutcher and William Crutcher Baptist Ministers well and favorably known in their time.  James Galbraith, Henry Moore, E. Massey, Nathaniel Norwood, robt. Payne, The Wards, Joel W. Jones, Samuel Matthews, R. Coach, T. Solomon Mosely, Thomas and William Brandon, E. H. Boardman, Eldred Rawlilns, John Withers and Clement Comer Clay and Gros_ Schruggs all names familiar to our people and many of whom are credited to something mor_ than a mere mention in these pages.  We also find the well known names of William West, Wiley Pride, Charles Betts and M_mes Clemens, Michael Farley, Steth Spragins, E. H. Boardman, John Cartwright, R. ___kley, James Collier, Richard Jumer, John C. Ayres, John W. Looney, William Weeden, Abram Bradfor_, Charles Word, Arthur Jones, Harris Toney, William I. Adair, John Lindsey, Joshua and Ed. Dillard many of whom bought large plantations in this section and will receive farther notice hereafter, the most part of the lands in this district not bid off at the land sales in 1818 were donated to Alabama by the General Government for improvement of Tennessee river and were nearly all bought by holders under sale of 1818.  About the year 31-2 there is very little vacant land in this 

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part of the county and as it was bought by slave holders and generally in large tracts it became the home of large numbers of slaves those descendants still prodominate in the proportion of about four to one and they contribute a large amount of the cotton crop of the county as from their training it is a favorite crop with them.  At the land sales in 1818 tracts of eighty acres were the minimum quanity sold in each tract.  The lands in T. 3 R. 2 W and the west part of T 4, R 3, W 2, about three miles south and two east were pat of the Barrons, though timbered and better land than the (Northern Barrens) and is very healthy and well watered.  There is probably no healthier little town in the south than Madison that is situated on the southern edge of this region.  The southern part of this survey for seven or eight miles from the river is cut by sloughs made by Indian Creek and Millbrook as they approach the river and backwater from the Tennessee often co___ the lowlands but while this makes malaria prevalent in come localities yet them, are many delightful and salutrious ol dcounty seats on the ridges and then ___ by a large white population the town of Trianna was considered a very healthy pl___.

New Madison -----

     Prior to 1817 New Madison was part of the Cherokees Nation in which year Andrew Jackson made the treaty with them that completed the cession of their territory north of the Tennessee to the United States.  From various cause the survey of this part of the county was commenced in 1819 and continued with long intermissions until the beginning of 1830.  The year 1830 was a memorable year in Alabama and Mississippi as in the year occurred the event known to the old citizens as the year of the great land sales and to day it is an era from which many of our old citizens recken the date of events happening a few years before or a few years after that date it being the year from which many of the old landholders date their settlement of their present homes, New Madison differed then and still differs in many respects from west or old Madison.  While old Madison offered great facilities for opening large farms,  New Madison made up primarily of long valleys between mountains in the midst of which valleys run large clear creeks or rivers was favorable for settlements

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all farmers and most of the settlers in  that region b___ with small tracts of 80 or 160 acres.  Though many of them from small beginnings worked their way to prosperity yet but few accumulated large property and this part of the county has always been essentially white mans country.  Though over fifty years have passed yet a large part of the lands in that section are yet in the hands of the original purchasers or their descendants.  The emigration to the new lands was great for many years and it is still largely increasing its population.  It offered many advantages to the class of settlers whose means were sufficient to purchase a home and also of the class that never have a home of their own.  The land was good, timber and water in great abumdance and the climate mild and healthy.  This induced large emigration not only from Tenn. and Ga. but also from the  older part of the county which furnished many of its best and most influential citizens.  There were but little distinction between the richer and poorer as general social equality prevailed and a man was estiamated by his ___ and not accident of birth or wordly advantages.  The man who worked hard made money while as __ worked but little managed to live comfortably.  Consequently in five of six years this county was comparitively thickly settled by a moral contented and prosp___ community.  In  the year 1819 it was made part of Jackson County.  In 1821 it was made part of Decatur County but when Jackson county was organized in 1810 Flint River was made the county line from the intersection of the Cherokee line with the river to its mouth, in the year 1823-4 Decatur county was abolished and Madison county extended eastward to its present limits.  Thus it happened that some of our citizens were born in the Cherokee nation, lived in Jackson and Decatur Counties and died in Madison without ever changing their place of abode.  This country being separated from the county city __ the __ onto _n_ mountain ridge with Flint River to cross was for many yars cut off to some extent from the old county and were a people different in character and habits and manners and customs from the people of west Madison.  The speculat___ __nia that characterized the land sales in 1818 did not prevail in 1830 and the ____ds were __tered at from $1.25 to 2.50 per acre and in small tracts to actual settlers.  The south __at part of New Madison is compared of that part of the tract known as The twelve mile sq. that is _. of Paint Rock River was reserved in the treaty of 1817 by the Cherokees for educational purposes, the lands in which are still held at $1.25 per acre and is not subject to home entry but all the tillable __ in this district have long since been taken up at government rates

[Map of New Madison and old Madison]

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leaving he mountains and swamps that have no value ex__ the timer on th__ is still the property of the Cherokees.  The timber was once valuable but has been depredat__ ___ until it is now of but little value.  The accompanying map shows the topography ___ __ Madison.  It is very irregular in outline.  Decatur County embraces the ___ south of the __otted line on South Boundary of section row of Townships this County extended
 

 

 

 

 

 

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attention, took care of the colored children with her own ___ was able to half do out door work getting one days service in the ___ for ___ and doing the ironing herself.  Her life was one of the arduous toil but two ___ of that day were patient healthy economical and industrious wives and did their whole duty in providing for their husbands.

-------- Huntsville --------

     I now propose to the take up the settlement of the different towns in the County bginning with the City of Huntsville.  The land on which Huntsville stands is in sections 35 and 36.  As the ___ ___xed to the article will show this land except the North West quarter of Section 36 entered by John Br__ was intered by Leroy? ___ in August 18__, The Tennessee Land Company in 1810? deeded one thousand acres with the Spring near the center to one Martin __ty it being one of the first deeds on the County records and I suppose his claim was settled under the act of Congressadjudinng the claims of parties deriving their titles from the "YazooCompany".  We find the said deed specifies that this tract was to include The Big Spring.  While explorers had come down the Tennessee and the crossing at Deposit and Ditles Landing were known to the Whites in the year 180) Yet the Great Tennessee Bend was a term excognita to them, up to 1804 few Indian traders had passports from Indian Chiefs through the Creek Nation and Cherokee Country.  And some of these men had prroblbly been at the big Spring.  It was a well known paint to the Indians who told ___terful stories of the great creek gushing f__ the Limestone cliffs and John Hunt came here for the express purpose of finding this spring and locating near it.  The line between the Chicks ___ and Cherokees was rather an indefinate one until established by United States a___rer under the supervision of Commissioners representing the United States and the Indian tribes.  This locality being r))) as c___ property by the Indians & few white settlers without lot or hindrances from either tribe ___ly equitted? here and by the year 1807 when the concession was ___ by the Indians several families ___ located around the ____

 

HUNTSVILLE as laid out in 1810.
Map

 

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among whom was Stephen Neal the first sheriff and Joseph _cklon who were sons-in-law and the Morgans who were also related to John Hunt.  It is important that the citizens of the town have not been able to retain the identity of Hunts first cabin, we only know that it was built on a bluff near the spring some maintaining that it was on the hill near the old "okay school house and others that it was on the bluff somewhere about Bank Row which last supposition in improbable from the locality of that point when in a state of nature.  Pioneers in building on localities like this never selected a point where they would have to go two or three hundred years around a bluff to reach the water but usually built nearer the level of the spring.  And along Henry Street seems to be the most likely places for settlement.  By the year 18__ a settlement of several hundred was located in reach of the big spring, running back to Ppoes Ridge and down the Whitesburgh Pike to the Township line.  There were no building on west in now the public_ square which was a rough rocky knowl sloping on every side and with a large pond from the Powers corner towards the jail.  After the County was organized in 1809, and act of the territorial legislature dated Dec. 23rd. 1809 appointed Wm. Dickson, Edward Ward, Alex Gilbreath, Louis Winston, and Peter Perkins commissioners to select a suitable site for the County seat of Madison and were authorized to purchase not less than thirrrry acres of ground and law it off in half acre lots from which were to be reserved three acres for public buildings.  The remainder of these lots were to be sold on twelve months credit and the proceeds when collected were to be applied to erecting public buildings.  Loroy Pope had already purchased these lands from the general Gov. and it appears that he laid off the town as shown in the plat of ___ some time in the year 1810.  The plan of the town is given on the opposite page.  It contained seventy two lots exclusive of the public square, the whole town containing an area of about sixty acres.  Pope sold the south half to the commissioners the line running directly through the Court house to Bank Row from which was excepted Lots No. 71 and 72, _7 and )), but it appears that he donated the other half of the squre and the jail lot as there is no record of the __d to them..  In deeding this land Pope stiuplated htat convenient ways should be kept open and to the spring and no one allowed to damage it by obstructing its waters.

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HAZEL GREEN

     The map of old Madison shows that in 1809 there was a considerable body of land taken up on the Meridian line between Briar Fork and Barron Fork and here on both sides of the road in sec. 19 and 24 a town  with several stores two hotels and several groceries was started soon after the land sales in 1809 at an early day the Winchester and Athena Road was opened which was a main highway of Travelers going from Tenn. westward and down the Meridian Pike come the wagons to and from from Huntsville to Nashville and back.  And as the greater part of the merchandise brought to Huntsville came that route it soon became a lively flourishing place.  Charles Cabiness, William Estil Talioferro, Dr. Davis, Samuel Allen, Richard Cottsel and many others who were men of culture and wealth settled in the beautiful an fertile region in and around Hazel Green.  Mr. McGehee bult a mill two miles north on Fowlers creek.  Hazel Green became a well known resting place for travelers and when incorporated in 1821 it had

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__ thres or four hundred people in its corporate limits.  The corporation extended from the south bound and of the sections named near where Robert Irwin then had a store and run north, half a mile and two hundred (1/2 mile) yards east and west on each side of the road.  For a period of nearly thirty years Hazel Green was a considerable town, but the splendid lands in its neighborhood became the property of capitalitts who gradually crowded out the white population and brought negroes instead.  These large property holders were generally eneies of little towns because they demoralized the negroes and thus it happened that when the Townsends bought up the Country round old Hazel Green that McDavid mills (Old McGee) became a stopping point and round Mound Inn kept by Mrs. High Brown Soutt the much married woman for the travelers over the western road and the cotton patch encroached on town lot after town lot until the whole place was at length absolved.  The Townsends died just about the time of the war and the lands were divided into small tracts and sold to white settlers, the white population is gradually working its way back and there is a probability of a revival of the town __ or near McDavids old mill where there is a store.  The Townsends cleared up all the fine level lands along the road leaving their timber on the broken lands on creek East of the road so that the purchaser of a small tract on the road would have to go two or three miles for timber but this is a desirable country in other respects and would be a desirable location for a large colony that by turning their attention to stock and grain for which this County is specially adopted would prosper and make this one of the most desirable and valuable portions of the western part of the county.

-------- Merridianville --------

     Between the Briar Fork and Beaver Dam Creek extend from their junction westward is a large extent of valuable and fertile lands.  Here in 18809 was a large settlement attach

 

 

 

 

 

 

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-------- New Market --------

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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attention to stock and grain and are in a prosperous condition.  This is the trading point for the accupants of the fertile lands on Mountain Fork and Upper Hurricane and it is quite probable that the local trade to Now Markert will keep the town in its present flourishing condition.  The town was again incorporated in 1868 with local prohibition which has contributed on a remarkable degree to the peace and property of the town.

 

-------- Extinct Villages --------

     I have noticed briefly the towns in the original County of Madison and would be gratified  to give fuller details of their grouth and progress.  As there are many interesting reminiscences connected with them from which could be obtained the material for an entertaining volume but would exceed the scope intended in my sketches of our old County towns.  But before I take up again the history of the County there are a few towns that once existed either in the imagination of the projector or had their brief existence and then disappeared.  While Brownsboro and Hazel Green preserve their names thou_ with some change in locality the villages I propose to preserve from aflivion?  In the settlement of the County many settlers from the State of Tennessee came down the settled  along the present deposit road as far down as Brownsboro.  The Settlement also tended Eastwardly from the Merridian rad in the direction of Flint River bridge about which a large emigration gathered about half a mile up Barron Fork from its mouth or junction with Briar Fork at the bridge.  Mr. Hardan built a mill where in 1812 a voting place was established.  Near there on the highlands south of the river was laid off a town to be called Manchester which in the course of time was known as Glascocks and if ours had been a manufacturing community there would doubtless have been a flourishing town established at that point.  But the Bell Factory company took down the old mill an and the settlement was broken up.  Yet the day may come when the splendid water power in __ vicinity will be utilized and a New Manchester may spring from the ashes of the old ___.  It is singular that while there is not half a dozen settlots in the Country that can  __collect that such a town was over oven contemplated yet any one who is curious to locate

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Manchester can do so on any large map of the State where it is invaraibly seen in 1 __ letters on Manchester Road just a short distance eastwardly from the Forks of the river.  In my sketch of New Market I have already mentioned Hillsboro as the original voting place for that part of the County and any one who will look at the County Map will find that the Hillsboro Road leaves Winchester Road at Mr. Ropers goes by the Blankenship place and Moores Will just beyond which it turns east from the Sulphur Spring Road by Dr. Macons and Wm. M. Stones crosses the river at Bledsures ford thence by old Betheney skirting the Sledge place ancrossing Hesters crook near the line between Tal____ ___ker,  Some where about the old mill on the side of the ridge was Hillsboro hard to locate correctly and remembered by few.  Madison __ cross Roads was also the site of a considerable village then at the crossing of the Elktons and Limestone roads when the father of Jas. B. Ellis the present owner kept public house and where there was generally one or two stores.  Half a mile this side of whites__ just above high water mark was laid off a considerable town by old man Jacobs Captain of a Militia Company and whose was the first voting place established in that part of the County.  LIBERTY had a short existence and took the liberty to move to the river and changed its name to WHITESBURG that still lives and flourishes. But west of Blue Spring Creek near Henderson Brandons mill Henry Bibb, James Barclay and others laid off __ suburg to Huntsville to which I have already alluded under the name of Mechanicsville, a summer resort on Monte Sano was a favorite project of many of the old settlers ___inating in laying off the town of _ipduta? in 1832 lots were sold near the famous ___ ___ spring and several excellent house erected.  The Monte Sano Turnpike was run to the Cold Spring and but for the war this wold soon have been a flourishing summer resort.  The Town as laid off contained eighty acres and near it was the Rowe Academy built of Mountain sandstone where James Rowe kept up a female seminary for many years.  It is quite likely that the turnpike will be repaired and a hotel built at no distant day for it is made accessible and convenitnt it will be one of the most charming and healthy summer re___ in the South.

-------- Trianna --------

     Crabbs afterwards Fletcher Forn on the County line was and old crossing place on Tennessee River before the Whites occupied the Couaty and one of the first roads opened by legislature encatment was up the county line to Burruss Stor ___on miles north from Tennessee River from Crabbs Forry it was intended to open a road to Tuscaloosa but there was no favorable site for a settlement in the neighborhood and there was a road from Trianna down the river to this Ferry.  The Chickasaws at the beginning of the century had a settlement at the Big Prairie near Mrs. Rice's place which was the only trace of the large settlement in the county.  There the white people, when they explored the county found in the midst of an __ forest growth a tract of land in a circular form as clear of timber and undergrowth as a town meadow where Indian traditions ___ was once a large Indian T__ ___ as Chickasaws old fields to the first explorers of this region.  The v__ farming region shown in Map No. 2, as I have already stated was taken up ___dy and generally by man with large capital.  One of the first acts of the legislature dated November 13, 1819.  About one year after the land sales, was th_ __portation of the town of Triana.  The corporate limits was as follows:  Beginning at mouth of Indian Creek and running up its east side to mouth of Barron (Fork), thence west to West Boundary of tr. __c. 22, thence south to a ___ Tennessee river fifty yards from low water mark, thence with the river to __ beginning.  Henry Chambers, William Adair, John T. Lindsay and Thomas Bibb _ trustees for the town entered the west part of Sec. 22, and Fr. Sec. 27, c___ __ing three hundred and nineteen acres and a town was laid off in 18_0 by H. S_____ a well known engineer who drew an excellent map of the New Town.  On 21st of Dec.  The Indian Creek Navigation Company was incorporated with LeRoy Pope, Thomas Farn?, Stephen A. Ewing, Henry Cook and Samuel Haggard as commissioners.  A stock company to receive subscriptions of stock in shares of fifty dollars.  This company when the sum of ten thousand dollars was subscribed were to elect a president and proceed to open Indian Creek from Huntsville to Trianna.  Whenever the creek was made navigable for boats drawing ton inches of water They were empowered to re

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