Pike County AlArchives History .....Pike County 1888
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Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 September 17, 2011, 1:20 pm

XIV.
PIKE COUNTY.

    Population: White, 14.368; colored, 6,272. Area, 740 square miles. Woodland,
all. Oak and hickory uplands, 590 square miles; pine hills, 150 square miles.

    Acres—In cotton (approximately), 58,600; in corn, 50,648; in oats, 6,508; in
wheat, 86; in rye, 127; in sugar-cane, 550; in sweet potatoes, 1,359.

    Approximate number of bales of cotton, in round numbers, 19.000.

    County Seat—Troy: population. 3,000; located at terminus of Mobile & Girard
Railroad.

    Newspapers published at the County Seat—Enquirer and Messenger (Democratic).

    Postoffices in the County—Barr's Mill, Brundidge, Buck Horn, Catalpa,
Chesser, China Grove, County Line, Curry, Fleetwood, Flemington, Goshen Hill,
Harmony, Henderson, Indian Branch, Josie, Linwood, Little Oak, Milo, Monticello,
Olustee Creek, Orion, Pottersville. Troy, Wingard.

    Pike County was established December 17, 1821, from portions of Henry and
Montgomery, and was named in honor of General Zebulon M. Pike, who fell at York
(now Toronto), April 27, 1813.

    The Alabama Midland Railroad will pass through Troy, and diagonally across
the county from the northwest to the southeast corner the Mobile & Girard, from
Troy to Pollard, the Brunswick & Memphis Railroad, via Greenville, through Troy
to Clayton. All the present indications favor and justify the expectation that
these roads will be completed within reasonable time.

    The lands are generally level with sufficient undulation for proper
drainage. Except in a few localities in the northern and central portions of the
county, there is no land unsuited for cultivation on account of the abruptness
of those undulations. The character of the soil varies, embodying red clay,
black hummock and sandy soils. In the northwestern and southeastern portions of
the county are large bodies of fine red lands, which are very productive and
lasting. In the northeastern and southwestern portions it is generally sandy,
with a sufficient admixture of lime to render them very productive when first
brought into cultivation; but within five years their productive capacity
exhausts, unless aided by fertilizers. In the central portion of the county
every character of soil above enumerated can be found. The close proximity of a
clay foundation renders all of these lands susceptible of the highest
improvement by fertilization.

    A chain of hills in the northeastern portion of the county contains iron ore
of good quality in abundance. There are also beds of marl sufficiently rich in
phosphoric acid to justify utilization in several localities in the county.
There are also deposits of ochre, acid iron earth and other valuable minerals in
the county, none of which have been utilized.

    There are vast areas of pine timber in the county, which, with better
facilities for shipment or being more accessible to a railroad line, would be
very valuable.

    There are also large quantities of hickory, white oak, red oak. and cypress
in the swamps near watercourses, which could be utilized to advantage by a
furniture or bucket and barrel factory. Several large contracts for staves are
now being filled by residents of Linwood, and the staves furnished are classed A
No. 1.

    Immigrants of limited means will find all their hearts could crave or wishes
prompt in regard to a cheap, pleasant, healthy home in Pike County. The price of
land ranges from $2 to $10 per acre. Some highly improved command $20 per acre,
but in such cases the improvements represent over half of the price. Immigrants
would be kindly received and considerately treated. Regardless of nativity, they
would be accorded that regard and esteem to which their merits and intrinsic
worth would entitle them.

    The people are law-abiding and orderly, very hospitable and kind, and
ambitious to elevate and improve their condition and place their posterity on a
higher plane of intelligence and usefulness. They study their business closely,
and are prompt in adopting improvements that are practical and advantageous.
Their homes are generally well kept, neat and tidy, and possess every comfort
and convenience their ability will permit them to enjoy. By judicious management
they have largely increased the productiveness of their lands within the past
ten years.


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.
TIMBER BELT.


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