Hanging Tree and Cemetery, Randolph, Alabama http://files.usgwarchives.net/al/randolph/cemetery/hangtree.txt ==================================================================== USGENWEB PROJECT NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Project Archives to store this file permanently for free access. This file was contributed and copyrighted by: Marilyn M. Girardi ==================================================================== August 2000 Many thanks to Dianne Herren, Randolph County Historian and surveyor of the following cemeteries. On August 27, 2000 she gave her permission for their submission to the archives. HANGING TREE and CEMETERY Township 20, Range 11, Section 9 Stories handed down through the years of Randolph County's history state that the first man ever hung in Randolph County was hung from the large tree which once stood here. The story goes on to say that after the hanging, when he was taken down from this tree they buried him under the spot where they had hung him. It is said that later some other graves were also placed underneath the large spreading shade of this huge tree. The elderly people who live near this spot remember when the tree was still standing, those who came to visit the "famous" tree, and the story of the "Hanging Tree" which was told by those who came to see it. With the passage of years the tree has also died and fallen into decay. There is no longer any sign of the tree or of any graves. Thus, there is no way that I can determine the number of graves that were here or who was buried here. The only known fact is that the first man hung in Randolph County was buried beneath this tree which was also his gallows. Site was visited and data compiled on March 7, 1993.