Dale County AlArchives News.....Early History of Ozark and as it was in 1903 October 15 1970 ************************************************ 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: Christine Thacker http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00033.html#0008100 May 6, 2004, 3:07 pm Southern Star (Editor's Note: Take a trip through time to the Ozark that was early Ozark as recorded by W. L Andrews in the first part of the following article, then take a look at the Ozark business community of 1903 "Ozark As It Is", as the article was headlined in that edition of The Southern Star. The following pictures are of various town scenes during the period of approximately 1900 - 1915). Ozark was founded by John Merrick, Sr. about the year 1822, his residence and little store standing near the site of the present Andrews House. About 1838 John Merrick, Jr. built a small log house for business purposes where the present residence of Henry Martin is, and the muster ground was moved from near his father's old place to the new. The muster ground was immediately east of the little store, and it was the scene of many stirring events during the fifteen years following. About the same time Major James Carroll put up a gin and store on the site of what is now known as the Edward Matthews place. He continued in business there for four or five years and then moved to the old Carroll homestead five miles out on the Skipperville road. In 1848 John D. Worrell opened a little business on the hill where Dr. J.C. Holman lives and continued a year, or two. 1850 witnessed the founding of what has since been known as Ozark. Up to that time the post office had been kept by John Andrews at his home near Claybank church, and S. J. Andrews was the deputy post master. At this time (1850) Tom Bullard built a small frame store house west of Merrick's on the Louisville road a short distance. In 1851, Elijah Matthews bought an interest with Bullard, and the post office was brought from John Andrews and rechristened Ozark. Dr. Cook, E. T. Matthews and John W. Dowling named the town after the Ozark tribe of Indians in Southwest Missouri. James Carroll, John W. Dowling, Dr. J.C. Holman, W. H. Barrow, John Huff, wm. Faust, and James C. Johnson were merchants there up to 1870, when the new town was laid out on the old John Merrick Sr. site, as the county seat of Dale county. THE NEW TOWN Wood & Carmichael, lawyers, moved their office from Newton, a two story building, and set it on the site of C. C. Beasley's present store house. W. D. Martin put a small stock of confections in the lower room, which was the first business done in the new town. Dan Munn, assisted by John Merrick, Jr. laid out the new site. Jake Ezell, was the next, and he put up a grocery store on the north side of the square. John W. Jones was the first to build a residence in new Ozark. It stood on Newton street directly east of J. W. Pippin's residence at this time. Dr. W. L. Milligan secured a contract to build the new court house and it was erected in 1870. Here we shall make a skip covering the period of the first development of the new town, and its subsequent history to date. We take Ozark now as we find it to-day, one of the healthiest, busiest, most prosperous and most beautiful towns in the southern tier of counties. The oldest town in the county, with a long list of her most distinguished citizens in her business and professional record, she points to the past with pride, and hails with delight the gilded horizon of a future pregnant with every success. The breakers are past and the town has an open sea with a sound ship. The fruit of her agricultural advantages is apparent in her progress on every hand—magnificent court house, oil mill, artesian well, electric lights, telephone system, and last, but by no means least, her public school, which stands out head and shoulders above anything in South Alabama, and the peer of anything in its class in the State. Her merchants and professional men have always stood at the head of the list, and those who have passed away have left a noble heritage to worthy successors, who are carrying on the work from where they laid it down. To-day the Star points with pride to the thriving city of Ozark with whose destiny it cast its lot from the beginning, and whose interests it has zealously guarded at every turn whether imperiled by adverse billows or riding high out on the waves of a brilliant prosperity. We believe the city has never had a better class of business men, nor more successful. The large and elegant establishments, here, and the well kept stocks, presided over by courteous proprietors and clerks, is something of which any city might be proud to boast. Among the firms dealing in general merchandise are: L. P. Carroll, Mizell & Bro., N. P. Dowling & Co., Andrews Bros. & Casey, J. L. Lisenby, C. A. Loftin, F.. L. Thomas, J. B. Byrd, J. W. Pippin, Martin & Windham, M. M. Holman, Smith & Co., and J. G. Whaley. The grocery firms: M. 0. Carroll, James & Bro., C. C. Beasley, D. F. Byrd, W. L. Andrews, M. P. Skipper, Dowling & Faulk, J. F. Moseley, and R. W. MOSeley. The Hardware firms; G. P. Dowling Hardware Co., and Byrd & Dowling. Dry Goods: Anglin & Bryata, Wohl Bros.,and McEntyre & Steagall. Drugs: S. J. Goff, Eason Drug Co., and Dr. F. B. Cullens. Furniture: L. W. Kolb and D.Y. Dowling. Fruits: B. N. Saliba. Banks: Planters & Merchants Bank, Dr. Lewe Sessions, president; H. M. Sessions, vice-president, L. B. Martin, cashier, L. F. Sessions, assistant cashier, Ozark City Bank, Wm. Gamer, president, Dr. Lewe Sessions, (Continued on Next Page) (Cont. from preceding page) vice-president, W. D.Martin, cashier, Carroll Garner, assistant cashier. Markets: Jones & Pinnin, and to G. W. Woodham. Barber Shops: John W. Goff,Forrest Knight and Joe Matthews. Jewelry: R. E. Holman, and James B. Matthews, 1Oc Store: B. S. Brown, Gents Furnishings: H. C. DOWlings. Stock Dealers: J. D. Holman, Dowling, Sessions & Co., C. A. Stokes, and A. C. Goff. Livery Stable: John G. Goff. Hotels: Merchants^ City Hotel, Dowling House, Andrews House. Physicians: Drs. E. B. Ard, B. F. Coleman, H. L. Holman, F. B. Cullens, R. D. Reynolds, H. E. Scott. Cotton Buyers: T. W. Chaffin, W. L. Casey & Co. Dentists: Dr. H. B. Dowling, Drs. J. R. & C. M. McNair. Attorneys: Sollis & Kirkland, J. E. Z. Riley, J. E. Acker, B. Steagall, H. L. Martin, J. D. Bailey. Newspapers: The Southern Star (1867), Joseph H. Adams, Editor; The Ozark Tribune (1902), H. L. Martin, Editor; The Dale County News (1901), W. H. Simnions, Editor. Mr. I. M. Valentine has a large machine shop — T. 0. Hutto blacksmith shop, D. Gillis, planing mill. Bottling Works: G. P. Dowling Works. The magnificent Oil Mill erected last year is the chief industy of the city, and next to it is the Fertilizer Factory. These two carry a large pay roll and well the commercial cash balance of the city to a marked degree. Hon. G. P. Dowling is the clever Probate Judge of Dale County, and S. C. D. Brown is the clerk in his office. A. D. Wall is Dale's efficient Sheriff, with J.E. Wall as Deputy, Rev. J. K.Powell, is Treasurer; J. R. Levy the clever and efficient Circuit Clerk, and J. W. Corbitt the clever Register in Chancery. These are the firms, and business and professional men of the city of Ozark. They are known to the people of Dale, and it is useless for us to attempt an introduction. With such a premise, and with such a force, it requires no second sight of sage or seer to tell what the future will be. W. L. A. From the Southern Star Centennial Section. ( There are 6 pictures of older scenes on this page and 1 picture on the continued on next page , will post all, CGT) This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/alfiles/ File size: 8.2 Kb