Alabama

Slave Narrative of Thomas McMillan

Interviewer: Bishop & Isleman Person Interviewed: Thomas McMillan Location: Steubenville, Ohio Place of Birth: Monroe County, Alabama Place of Residence: 909 Morris Ave., Steubenville, Ohio WPA in Ohio Federal Writers’ Project Bishop & Isleman Reporter: Bishop July 7, 1937 Topic: Ex-Slaves. Jefferson County, District #5 [HW: Steubenville] THOMAS McMILLAN, Ex-Slave (Does not know age) I was borned in Monroe County, Alabam. I do not know de date. My father’s name was Dave McMillan and my mothers name was Minda. Dey cum from Old Virginny and he was sold from der. We lived in a log house. De beds hed ropes … Read more

Slave Narrative of Perry Sid Jemison

Interviewer: Bishop & Taleman Person Interviewed: Perry Sid Jemison Location: Steubenville, Ohio Place of Birth: Perry County, Alabama Age: 79 Place of Residence: 422 South Sixth Street, Steubenville, Ohio WPA in Ohio Federal Writers’ Project Written by Bishop & Isleman Edited by Albert I. Dugen [TR: also reported as Dugan] Ex-Slaves Jefferson County, District #2 PERRY SID JEMISON [TR: also reported as Jamison] Ex-Slave, 79 years (Perry Sid Jemison lives with his married daughter and some of his grand-children at 422 South Sixth Street, Steubenville, O.) “I wuz borned in Perry County, Alabama! De way I remember my age is, … Read more

Muster Roll of a Detachment of Georgia Cavalry Mounted Riflemen

Muster Roll of a Detachment of Georgia Cavalry Mounted Riflemen under my command stationed at Fort Mitchell, Hartford and on an Indian Scout from the 9th of November to the 22d of December 1814. Both dates included. Allen Tooke, Co. Lt., commencement of service Nov. 9, 1814; expiration of service Nov. 22, 1817; stationed Ft. Mitchell. Captain, R. H. Thomas 1st Lt. Jas. L. Perry 2nd Lt. Furney F. Gatlin Private Thos. Sutton 1st Sergts. Thos. J. Johnson Jos. B. Colson Hardy Gatlin Jacob Watson Corporals James W. Shines John Jones B. J. Thomas Chas. Carden Privates Isham Adams Dennis … Read more

Slave Narrative of Martha King

Person Interviewed: Martha King Location: McAlester, Oklahoma Age: 85 They hung Jeff Davis to a sour apple tree! They hung Jeff Davis to a sour apple tree! They hung Jeff Davis to a sour apple tree! While we go marching on!” Dat was de song de Yankees sang when they marched by our house. They didn’t harm us in any way. I guess de war was over then ’cause a few days after dat old Master say, “Matt”. and I say. “Suh?” He say, “Come here. You go tall Henry I say come out here and to bring the rest … Read more

Slave Narrative of Eliza Evans

Person Interviewed: Eliza Evans Location: McAlester, Oklahoma Age: 87 I sho’ remember de days when I was a slave and belonged to de best old Master what ever was, Mr. John Mixon. We lived in Selma, Dallas County, Alabama. My grandma was a refugee from Africa. You know dey was white men who went slipping ’round and would capture or entice black folks onto their boats and fetch then over here and sell ’em for slaves. Well, grandma was a little girl ’bout eight or nine years old and her parents had sent her out to get wood. Dey was … Read more

Slave Narrative of Isaac Adams

Person Interviewed: Issac Adams Location: Tulsa, Oklahoma Place of Birth: Louisiana Age: 87 I was born in Louisiana, way before the War. I think it was about ten years before, because I can remember everything so well about the start of the War, and I believe I was about ten years old. My Mammy belonged to Mr. Sack P. Gee . I don’t know what his real given name was, but it maybe was Saxon. Anyways we all called him Master Sack. He was a kind of youngish man, and was mighty rich. I think he was born in England. … Read more

Biography of E.Y. Salmon, M.D.

E. Y. Salmon, M. D., was born in the “Palmetto State,” on the 26th of June, 1830. His father, William H. Salmon, was a physician and immigrated to Alabama in 1833, and afterward removed to Texas in 1863, where he died. He was identified with public interest in Alabama, and held the office of clerk, for twenty four years. The mother died in Texas at an advanced age. Our subject was reared in Alabama, and resided with his parents until nineteen years of age. He volunteered to serve in the Mexican war in 1846, but peace was declared before he … Read more

Slave Narrative of Mary Grayson

Person Interviewed: Mary Grayson Location: Tulsa, Oklahoma Age: 83 I am what we colored people call a “native.” That means that I didn’t come into the Indian country from somewhere in the Old South, after the war, like so many Negroes did, but I was born here in the old Creek Nation, and my master was a Creek Indian. That was eighty three years ago, so I am told. My mammy belonged to white people back in Alabama when she was born, down in the southern part I think, for she told me that after she was a sizeable girl … Read more

Slave Narrative of Stephen McCray

Person Interviewed: Stephen McCray Location: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Place of Birth: Huntsville County, Alabama Date of Birth: 1850 Age: 88 Occupation: Fisherman I was born in Huntsville County, Alabama, right where the Scottsboro boys was in jail, in 1850. My parents was Wash and Winnie McCray. They was the mother and father of 22 chillun. Jest five lived to be grown and the rest died at baby age. My father’s mother and father was named Mandy and Peter McCray, and my mother’s mother and father was Ruthie and Charlie McCray. They all had the same Master, Mister McCray, all the … Read more

Slave Narrative of Nancy Gardner

Person Interviewed: Nancy Gardner Location: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Place of Birth: Franklin, Tennessee Date of Birth: 1858 Age: 79 Well, to tell you de truth I don’t know my age, but I was born in 1858, in Franklin, Tennessee. How, you can figger for yourself and tell how old I is. I is de daughter of Prophet and Callie Isaiah, and dey was natives of Tennessee. Dere was three of us children, two boys and myself. I’m de only girl. My brothers names was Prophet and Billie Isaiah. I don’t ‘member much about dem as we was separated when I … Read more

Slave Narrative of John Brown

Person Interviewed: John Brown Location: West Tulsa, Oklahoma Place of Birth: Taloga County, Alabama Age: 87 (about) Most of the folks have themselves a regular birthday but this old colored can just pick out any of the days during the year one day just about as good as another. I been around a long time but I don’t know when I got here. That’s the truth. Nearest I figures it the year was 1850 the month don’t make no difference nohow. But I know the borning was down in Taloga County, Alabama, near the county seat town. Miss Abby was … Read more

Slave Narrative of Tom W. Woods

Person Interviewed: Tom W. Woods Location: Alderson, Oklahoma Place of Birth: Florence, Alabama Age: 83 Lady, if de nigger hadn’t been set free dis country wouldn’t ever been what it is now! Poor white folks wouldn’t never had a chance. De slave holders had most of de money and de land and dey wouldn’t let de poor white folks have a chance to own any land or anything else to speak of. Dese white folks wasn’t much better off dan we was. Dey had to work hard and dey had to worry ’bout food, clothes and shelter and we didn’t. … Read more

Slave Narrative of Aunt Betty Cofer

Interviewer: Esther S. Pinnix Person Interviewed: Betty Cofer Location: North Carolina Date of Birth: 1856 Age: 81 Negro Folk Lore Of The Piedmont. Sources of Information: Aunt Betty Cofer–ex-slave of Dr. Beverly Jones The ranks of negro ex-slaves are rapidly thinning out, but, scattered here and there among the ante-bellum families of the South, may be found a few of these picturesque old characters. Three miles north of Bethania, the second oldest settlement of the “Unitas Fratrum” in Wachovia, lies the 1500 acre Jones plantation. It has been owned for several generations by the one family, descendants of Abraham Conrad. … Read more

Biography of Quitman U. Newell, M. D.

Dr. Quitman U. Newell, gynecologist and obstetrician, has followed the tendency of the age. toward specialization and in this branch of the profession has developed wide capability and power, bringing him to a prominent position in the ranks of the medical fraternity in St. Louis. He was born in Whistler, Mobile county, Alabama, June 14, 1886, and is a son of William H. and Minerva A. (Thompson) Newell. The father, a native of Louisiana, belonged to one of the old families of New York of Scotch-Irish descent. He became a pattern-maker by trade and had long followed that pursuit. His … Read more

Biography of Charles Pope O’Fallon

Charles Pope O’Fallon, a representative in the third generation of the O’Fallon family in St. Louis, giving his attention to the management of estates, and invested interests, was born in Madison county, Alabama, August 3, 1868, and is a son of John Julius O’Fallon, mentioned elsewhere in this work. His ancestral line is one of which he has every reason to be proud and is given in detail in the sketch of his father. Dr. James O’Fallon served as a surgeon in the American army in the Revolutionary war and the great-granduncles of Charles P. O’Fallon included General William Clark, … Read more

Fort Morgan, Mobile Bay, Alabama

Mobile Bay, that pear shaped body of water, with its far reaching system of water tributaries, has been a scene of settlement and fortification since the early days of French attempts at settlement in the New World. There was, to begin with. Fort Louis de la Mobile, which protected the infant first settlement of Mobile, precursor of the city of today. In various guises Fort Louis passed from one to another of the different races of men with which the history of Mobile Bay is associated. Then there are the forts placed on the islands at the mouth of Mobile … Read more

Alabama WW2 NMCG Casualty List – A Surnames

ABBOTT, Nathan R., Cpl., USMCR. Wife, Mrs. Nathan R. Abbott, 5220 First Avenue, Birmingham. ABRAMS, Chester Lee, Shipfitter 3c, usn. Father. Mr. Claude Astor Abrams, Rt. 1, Crichton. ADAMS, Earl Newman, Jr., Machinist’s Mate 2c, USNR. Parents, Mr. and Mrs. Earl Newman Adams, Sr., 919 South 81st, Birmingham. ADAMS, George O., Cpl., USMCR. Parents, Mr. and Mrs. John Adams, 1805 Bessemer Boulevard, Central Park, Birmingham. ADAMS, James Robert, Aviation Radioman 2c, USNR. Father, Mr. James Monroe Adams, 2224 15th Street, Tuscaloosa. ADAMS, Robert Franklin, Seaman 1c, USN. Mother, Mrs. Connie Mary Adams, General Delivery, Waterloo. AGEE, Willie Gray, Cook 3c, … Read more

Alabama WW2 NMCG Casualty List – B Surnames

BAGWELL, Samuel Melvin, Aviation Radioman 3c, USNR. Parents, Mr. and Mrs. William Roxie Bagwell, Rt. 2, Brewton. BAGWELL, Wilford Thomas Seaman 2c. Parents, Mr. and Mrs. Joe H. Bagwell, Oakman. BAKER, Freeman Wilton, Gunner’s Mate 3c, USNR. Parents, Mr. and Mrs. Cater M. Baker, Rt. 1, Box 49-A, Atmore. BALAKO, Jimmy, Lieutenant (jg), USNR. Parents, Mr. and Mrs. Victor Balako, 209 Brundidge Street, Troy. BALDWIN, Josiah Morris Lieutenant (jg), USNR. Mother, Mrs. Kate Steiner Baldwin, 460 Felder Avenue, Montgomery. BALTHROP, Samuel Christian, 1st Lt., USMCR. Parents, Mr. and Mrs. John E. Balthrop, Sr., 1058 South Washington Avenue, Mobile. BARBER, Billy … Read more

Alabama WW2 NMCG Casualty List – C Surnames

CALHOUN, Bill Brandon, Seaman 1c, USNR. Father, Mr. S. J. Calhoun, Rt. W, Abbeville. CALHOUN, Frank, Officer’s Cook 3c, USN. Father, Mr. Simon Calhoun, 2126 Short K. Ensley, Birmingham. CALVERT, Charles Franklin, Motor Machinist’s Mate 2c, USN. Parents, Mr. and Mrs. Sterling Russel Calvert, Rt. 1, Cullman. CAMPBELL, Cornelius R., Pfc., USMCR. Mother, Mrs. Margaret Campbell, 1009 46th Street, Wylam, Birmingham. CAMPBELL, Crawford Keller, Motor Machinist’s Mate 2c, USN. Mother, Mrs. Mary K. Campbell, c/o Sylacauga Brick Company, Sylacauga. CAMPBELL, Jesse Robert, Electrician’s Mate 1c, USNR. Mother, Mrs. Ethel Campbell, Rt. 2, Jacksonville. CAMPBELL, Marvin Ingram, Fireman 3c, USNR. Brother, … Read more

Alabama WW2 NMCG Casualty List – D Surnames

DANFORD, Dewey Junior, Seaman 1c, USNR. Parents, Mr. and Mrs. Dewey Calvin Danford, 613 Comer Street, Eufaula. DANIEL, Calvin Coolidge, Steward 3c, USNR. Parents, Mr. and Mrs. Milton Daniel, 3142 30th Court, North, Birmingham. DANIELS, Francis Everett, Electrician’s Mate 3c, USN. Father, Mr. James Francis Daniels, Rt. 2, Parrish. DANIELS, James L., Pfc., USMCR. Father, Mr. Walter Daniels, Rt. 3, Athens. DANIELS, Nelson D., Pvt., USMCR. Mother, Mrs. Mary Wickware, Rt. 4, Box 716, Bessemer. DANIELS, Raymond T., Pvt., USMC. Mother, Mrs. Grace E. Hawes, Mountain Creek. DANZEY, Arthur Eugene, Seaman 1c, USNR. Mother, Mrs. Mollie Danzey, Abbeville. DARNALL, Marcy … Read more