Conecuh County AlArchives History .....History of Conecuh County 1881
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com May 23, 2004, 10:39 pm

CHAPTER XI.
Continued Development-Rapid Advancement-Tides of Population-Gathered Fruits of 
Toil-Improved Homes-Social Changes-Reverses, &c.

   Never was any section more rapidly populated, perhaps, than was Alabama, 
during the decade following 1819. The flood-gates of immigration seemed 
hoisted, and great swollen currents of human masses poured in from Virginia, 
the Carolinas, Tennessee and Georgia. During the most favorable seasons for 
journeying, the ferries along the Chattahoochee were crowded with immigrant 
trains. Not unfrequently a family would be checked in its progress, for 
several days, because of the jam and pressure upon the ferries. Their 
destinations reached, these heroes and heroines would begin at, once to lay 
the rude basis of a house in the way already described. All the while, the 
older settlements were making rapid strides in advancement. The sound of 
progress was heard on every hand. Such was the yield of every returning 
harvest, that the zeal of the immigrant was constantly stimulated. For as soon 
as the axe levelled "the giant progeny of the crowded trees," and the warmth 
of the sun reached the soil, upon which had been accumulating, for ages, 
stratum on stratum of vegetable mould, the productiveness was immense. Homes, 
too, were improved. The rude hut of the pioneer settler was displaced by cozy 
and attractive residences. Skilled educators were sought, and schools, of as 
high grade as possible, were established. The toils of the spiritual laborer 
were at length rewarded by the erection of neat houses of worship, filled with 
devout audiences. The increase of population, the advancement in prosperity, 
and the growing ambition everywhere evinced by the inhabitants of the county 
to surround themselves with the comforts and conveniences of life, gave new 
spirit to merchants of enterprise, and hence centres of business were being 
rapidly formed. Indeed, all branches of industry were being constantly 
improved. Each revolving year set the stamp of advancement upon the face of 
the country. This had the double effect of stimulating the energies of the 
inhabitants and of holding forth a tempting inducement to the residents of the 
older States to cast their fortunes, too, amid the primitive settlements of 
Alabama. But the luxuriant prosperity of Conecuh county was destined to 
sustain a severe check. Either heedless or ignorant of the fact, that behind 
the screen of the dense everglades that lined the streams and swamps, there 
lurked a poisonous malaria, the energetic farmer swept down all alike. The 
fearful consequence was that this invisible foe to health and happiness, crept 
forth from its impure retreat, and smote with sickness all that came within 
the reach of its infectious power. Nature surrounds our stagnant swamps with a 
luxuriant growth of vines and hanging moss, to protect the inhabitants from 
the pestiferous exhalations; and when this barrier is swept away, there comes 
forth disease, shaking us with chills and filling our bodies with the venomous 
seeds of sickness. This calamitous mistake the early inhabitants of Conecuh 
made. Finding the lands to increase in fertility as they gradually approached 
the swamps, they at length invaded the marshes themselves, and even increased 
the intensity of the malarial power by ditching, thus exposing to the sun the 
unearthed vegetable matter. As a consequence, there was a wide-spread 
prevalence of bilious and malarial fevers, and many fell victims to their 
fatal ravages. A perfect panic was produced, especially in lower Conecuh. 
Several young physicians died. And such was the consternation among the 
settlements that many left and returned to their homes in the older States, or 
else removed to counties more northward. The oldest inhabitants of the county 
to-day refer to 1824 as a year of fatal sickness.


Additional Comments:
History of Conecuh County
Rev. B. F. Riley
Pastor of the Opelika Baptist Church

Columbus, Ga.;
Thos. Gilbert, Steam Printer and Book-Binder
1881

Chapter XI

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