Pickens County AlArchives History .....Pickens County 1888
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Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 September 15, 2011, 6:05 pm

XIV.
PICKENS COUNTY.

    Population: White, 11,000; colored, 11,250. Area, 1,000 square miles.
Woodland, all. Gravelly pine hills, 950 square miles: prairie, 50 square miles.

    Acres—In cotton (approximately), 52,651; in corn, 43,104; in oats, 8,053; in
wheat, 2,220: in rye, 36; in tobacco, 51; in sugar-cane, 19; in sweet potatoes,
757.

    Approximate number of bales of cotton, 17,283.

    County Seat — Carrollton; population, 349; about 30 miles west of
Tuscaloosa, and same distance southeast of Columbus. Miss.

    Newspaper published at County Seat — West Alabamian (Democratic).

    Postoffices in the County—Beard, Benevola, Bethany, Bridgeville, Byars,
Carrollton, Coal Fire, Dillburgh, Darrow, Franconia, Garden, Gordo, Henry, Koon,
Lineburgh, Lubbub, MeBee, Memphis, Palmetto, Pickensville, Pleasant Grove,
Providence, Raleigh, Reform, Sharp, Stafford, Stone, Temple, Vienna.

    Pickens County was carved out of Tuscaloosa December 19, 1820, and has
preserved nearly its original dimensions, with the addition of two beats on the
west side, added in 1832, the township and fractional townships in range 2
having originally belonged to Greene, to which county they were again attached
several years ago. It was named in honor of Gen. Andrew Pickens, of South
Carolina. Assessed valuation of taxable property in 1887, $l,181,008. Rate of
taxation in county and State, 50 cents on the $100.

    The surface in the northeast is hilly and sandy, with alluvial loam in creek
bottoms. The soil increases in fertility in the westerly direction, and the
valleys of the Tombigbee and its tributaries, and the prairies in the
southwestern part of the county are very rich and productive. Some of the lands
have been in continuous cultivation since first the forests were removed, fully
fifty ago, and yet they are still very prolific. During all this time, too, no
fertilizers have been employed to stay the decline of fertility of the soil.
This only proves what immense harvests would accrue from the cultivation of
these lauds if they were put to their utmost capacity.

    The fruits grown in    the county are such as might be expected of a section
with so mild a climate. They are apples, peaches, pears, pomegranates, cherries,
nectarines, apricots, figs, quinces, grapes, scuppernongs, strawberries and
raspberries. The bland climate enables them to ripen rapidly, and to find their
way, at an early season, to the market, thereby commanding good prices.

    In addition to the above, common     fruits —prunes, Japan plums, jujube,
Spanish chestnuts, English walnuts, almonds and filberts have been planted to a
limited    extent, and so far as tried have been successful.

    The water supplies of the county are extensive. The Tombigbee and Sipsey
Rivers, together with Bogue Chitta, Coal Fire, Lubbub, Blubber, and McBee
Creeks, are the principal streams. Besides these, there are numerous sources of
water in the abounding springs and wells. Artesian wells exist in some parts of
the county, and the water supply is perpetual throughout the year.

    In most of the streams there are superb fish, which are easily caught,
affording much delight to the sportsman.

    The transportation facilities of the county are confined at present to the
Tombigbee River, which unites with the Alabama and forms the Mobile River, just
above the Gulf City. An important railway line is being constructed between
Brunswick, Georgia and Kansas City, Mo., which will pass directly through
Pickens County.

    Points of interest are: Carrolton, the county seat, Pickensville and Vienna,
all of which are towns of much local commercial importance. Valuable schools for
males and females are found in all these places; indeed, throughout the county
are found valuable educational facilities. Excellent places of worship, which
represent the different religious denominations, are also found.

    The timbers which are found in the forests of Pickens, embrace the ash,
birch, black walnut, cedar, cherry, chestnut, cottonwood, cypress, elm, gum,
hickory, maple, mulberry, oak, persimmon, pine, poplar, sycamore and willow.

    Many timbers of the highest character are rafted along the Tombigbee to
Mobile, where they command a good price. The excellent oaks are admirably
adapted to the manufacture of barrel staves, which are made in great quantities
and find their way to Mobile.

    More than any other county of the cotton belt, perhaps Pickens has tested
the virtue of immigration. Earnest, vigorous and thrifty immigrants have
purchased land in the county at low figures, and are contributing in no small
degree to the development or the divers resources of the county. Under the
auspices of these immigrants, a broom factory has been established near
Carrolton. These immigrants have added greater diversity of the crops of the
country.

    Within the last year or two, the castor bean has been planted with
successful results.

    Lands may be purchased at prices ranging from $5 to $30.

    Men of sobriety and thriftiness would be welcome to Pickens, where they
would find an orderly and law-abiding community. Pickens County has 6,120 acres
of land belonging to the Government.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

Northern Alabama: Historical and Biographical
Birmingham, Ala.: Smith and De Land
1888

PART III.
HISTORICAL RESUME OF THE VARIOUS COUNTIES IN THE STATE.
COTTON BELT.


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