Dale County AlArchives News.....The Family-Muzzle Loader September 5 1984
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Christine Thacker http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00033.html#0008100 April 24, 2004, 4:20 pm

Southern Star

The History Corner  (Southern Star Wednesday Sept. 5, 1984 )
 
        The Family-Muzzle Loader
        By Creel Richardson

  The accompanying picture illustrates the transfer of the Family Muzzle
Loader (Shotgun) from one generation of the Andrews family to another. Left to 
right: Jimmy Dean receiving the ; family heirloom from his uncle, Jacob Elijah 
Andrews. A gunsmith has concluded that the gun is about 175 years old. Family 
tradition notes that it has been in possession of the Andrews family for 
approximately 140 years; and possibly all of its years. It was brought to Dale 
County by Elijah Andrews who came to the area about 1840 from South Carolina. 
If it was owned by his father who lived and died in South Carolina, Jimmy Dean 
is the fifth generation of the family to own the gun. Jimmy Dean traces his 
Dean ancestry from his late father, Walter Dean of Ariton, to Elijah Dean who 
came to Dale County from Georgia and settled in the Rocky Head community in 
northwest Dale County during the middle 1850s.From his mother, Martha Andrews 
Dean, he traces his Andrews ancestry to Elijah Andrews who came to Dale County 
and settled in the area of present day Ozark about 1840. His uncle, Jacob 
Elijah Andrews, has the same Andrews ancestry. When Elijah Andrews died in 
1889, the gun passed to his son, Elijah Teague Andrews, father of Jacob Elijah 
Andrews. When Elijah Teague died in 1938 the "muzzle loader" became the 
property of Jacob Elijah. He and his wife live on Newton Street in Ozark. Jimmy 
Dean is a resident of Largo, Florida.
  A correspondent of the Mobile Tribune who passed through the area in
November 1849 left this description of the Dale County territory where the 
Andrews, Deans and other settlers came and established their homesteads during 
the 20 year period prior to the Civil War. It was "settled chiefly by small 
farmers, whose improvements have an air of comfort and present indications of 
providence and permanancy not usually found in new countries- Near every farm 
house of any pretention, you discern a little patch of sugar cane, and near by 
a grinding mill of domestic manufacture, for extracting the juice of the cane, 
and making sugar and a sugar boiler, to prepare it for use in the form of sugar 
or syrup. Nearly every provident farmer now makes his own sugar and syrup, and 
some of them prepare a considerable surplus of the latter for sale. The face of 
the country, without being beautiful, is pleasantly diversified with plain, 
hill and valley; and the roads, which are indebted for their improvement to 
nothing but the wheels that run over them, are for the most part equal to the 
best turnpikes.
  Emigration is steadily setting towards this part of the state, from the 
middle and upper counties of South Carolina and Georgia, consisting chiefly of 
small farmers in search rather of health and moderate profits, than larger gain 
and a richer soil, to the neglect of every other source of happiness. This, in 
time, will make a good population and a thriving and improving country".
  Elijah was one of those "small farmers" to come to Dale and earn his
livelihood by tilling the soil. In 1860 he owned 45 acres of improved land, and 
75 acres of unimproved land. He valued it at $600. During that year he owned 1 
horse, 3 milk cows, 4 oxen, 18 sheep, and 13 hogs. He produced 100 bu. of corn, 
5 bu. of oats, 7 bales of cotton, 6 Ibs. of wool, 10 bu. peas and beans, and 
100 bu. sweet potatoes. In 1870 he listed 60 acres of improved land, and 24 
acres of unimproved land. He owned 3 mules, 3 milk cows, 2 oxen, 4 other cows, 
18 sheep and 19 hogs. His production included 275 bu. of corn, and 15 bu. 
oats.                  
  In 1885 he carried one stalk of bearded wheat 5 feet 6 inches tall to the 
Editor of the Star. It was one of a number of volunteers grown among his oats. 
He had observed this fact, the Editor observed that "as rust is the great 
detriment to wheat culture in this sandy soil, farmers would do well to give 
this variety a trial." This notation was consistent with many to be found on 
the Editorial pages of the Star during this period.
  Repeatedly the Editor urged farmers to accept and adopt new practices in 
order to increase their production. After reading the Christmas number of the 
Southern Cultivator and Dixie Farmer of January 1885, he pronounced it the, 
best of its kind, and that it should be on the center 'table' of every farmer. 
He then made this offer. "To that farmer who will subscribe for it, read it and 
practice its teachings, for twelve months and then say he is not a better man 
and a better farmer, we would make a present of its subscription price."
  That 'Family Muzzle Loader', now in possession of Jimmy Dean, will be passed 
on to one of his nephews, and hopefully remain in the family for generations to 
come.

       From the Newspaper files of Harold Stephens
       Scanned and Submitted by Christine G. Thacker.
       Permission to post any Southern Star article or pictures 
given            by Mr Joseph Adams, Owner, April.23, 2004.

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