Dale County AlArchives Biographies.....Killebrew, T. J. ? - living in 1893 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/al/alfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Ann Anderson alabammygrammy@aol.com May 18, 2004, 6:35 pm Author: Brant & Fuller (1893) T. J. KILLEBREW, manufacturer, is a Georgian by birth. His parents, Marmaduke N. Killebrew and Maria L. Wiggins, were married A. D. 1839, in Warren county, Ga. Nine children blessed this union, the eldest of whom is Thomas J. His father was a planter, and in the interest of his business removed to the sparsely settled lands of Sumter county. In 1852 he again moved, this time to Clay county, where he lived until 1865, when he came to Alabama, settling in Dale county, two miles southwest of the little town of Newton, on the Choctawhatchee river. Here he engaged in farming, and soon bought a small mill, used as a grist mill, a rice mill and a cotton gin. In 1872 he associated his son, Thomas J. Killebrew, with himself in business, added a woolen mill, and began the manufacture of full stock jeans. In 1885 the firm, Killebrew & Son, was dissolved, the father retiring from business, having sold out his interest to the son, Thomas J. Killebrew. He then retired to his farm, and still survives in his seventy-ninth year. The mother of our subject was born in Warren county, Ga., in 1823, and there grew to womanhood. She was married in her nineteenth year, and is the mother of nine children, eight of whom are living. Early in life she united with the Methodist Episcopal church, south, and still lives, in her seventy-second year. The subject of this sketch grew to manhood on the farm, having the best of educational advantages to be derived from private tutors. Under these he studied Latin, the higher mathematics, and the natural sciences, beside taking a course in English literature. Upon his arrival at man-hood the war broke out, and he entered the state militia for six months, in "Old Joe Brown's Pets," so called. He then enlisted in the Confederate service and was assigned to the eastern army, serving most of the time during the war in garrison duty along the Atlantic coast, though he participated in the three days' battle of Bentonville. He was regularly discharged April 30, 1865, and given $150.50 in silver. This was all the money he had to get home and begin business with. Upon returning home he began farming, and made his first crop with nothing but a weeding-hoe. He continued farming six years, at the end of which time he became engaged in the woolen manufacture with his father. In 1885 he purchased his father's entire interest, and then began to enlarge and strengthen his manufacturing facilities, and has continued to improve them until the present time. In 1890 he erected a fine brick structure, 50x100 feet in size, which he now occupies as his factory, which has a capacity of 5,000 yards per month, of nine-ounce all wool jeans, and about 25,000 pounds of spun yarn. The machinery in this factory is of the most improved pattern, and about fifteen hands are employed. The power is supplied by an eighteen-foot overshot wheel. He commenced business with but $4,500, and has by his own efforts built up his business to its present magnitude. He has ready sale for all the goods he can manufacture, and has contracts for from three to eight months ahead. Now contemplates an enlargement of his plant, and so changing it as to enable to manufacture his wool into garments. Mr. Killebrew was married in September, 1865, to Miss Martha S. Blocker, daughter of Stephen S. and Rebecca (Rice) Blocker. Mrs. Killebrew was born and raised in southwest Georgia. She had the best of educational advantages, taking a thorough literary course in the Southern Masonic Female college of Covington, Ga., graduating with first honors. She was married at twenty-three years of age, and now is the mother of eight children, seven of whom still live: Oscar D., a graduate in 1889 from Auburn college, and a civil engineer by profession; Miss Ida, educated principally in the Newton high school and graduated with extraordinary honors from Wesleyan Female college at Macon, Ga., taking the course in five months, the rules of the college having to be suspended in order to allow her to graduate in this short time, which was unprecedented in the history of the college; Adus E.; Thomas J., Jr.; Emmett S.; Albert R., and Lila. Mrs. Killebrew has most of her life been a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, south. Our subject erected a very handsome and commodious residence in 1891, and now has one of the most elegant homes in Dale county. He took an active part in securing the railroad through Newton, taking stock in the company and loaning them money besides. He has usually been a stanch democrat in politics, and yet at certain times has occupied a somewhat neutral position. He has never sought political honors, devoting his entire time to his business, in connection with which he has a co-operative store, in which is carried about $1,500 worth of goods, which he gradually got together. Mr. Killebrew is one of the substantial men of Dale county, not only in a business way, but also socially and in church matters, he being a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, south. Additional Comments: from "Memorial Record of Alabama", Vol. I, p. 824-826 Published by Brant & Fuller (1893) Madison, WI This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/alfiles/ File size: 5.6 Kb