Talladega County AlArchives History .....Talladega County 1888
************************************************
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:
Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 September 13, 2011, 1:03 am

XX.
TALLADEGA COUNTY.

    Population: White, 12,319; colored, 11,221.

    Area—700 square miles. Woodland, all. All Coosa Valley and woodland.

    Acres—In cotton, approximately, 32,850; in corn, 40,370; in oats, 9,280; in
wheat, 13,230; in rye, 140; in tobacco, 30; in sweet potatoes, 335.

    Approximate number bales of cotton—12,000.

    County Seat—Talladega; population, 3,000, on East Tennessee, Virginia &
Georgia. Anniston & Atlantic. Talladega & Coosa Valley Railroads.

    Newspapers published at County Seat—Our Mountain Home, Reporter and Watch
Tower, both Democratic.

    Postoffices in the County—Alpine, Bledsoe, Chandler Springs, Childersburgh,
Cyprian, Esta Boga, Eureka, Fayetteville, Ironaton, Jenifer, Kentuck, Kymulga,
Lincoln, McElderry, McFall, Munford, Peckerwood, Rendalia, Renfroe, Silver Run,
Smelley, Sycamore, Talladega, Turner, Waldo, White Cloud.

    Talladega County was established December 18. 1832, the territory being a
part of the last Muscogee cession. The original limits were retained until Clay
County was formed in 1866. Its name is said to be derived from the Muscogee
words, Teka, meaning border, and Talla, meaning town.

    This county has long numbered among its residents some of the most
distinguished men of Alabama, prominent among whom may be mentioned as follows:

    Judge Shortridge, Judge John White, Mr. Joab Lawler, Mr. Lewis W. Lawler,
Mr. Alexander Bowie, Mr. Felix G. McConnell, the gifted Mr. Frank W. Bowdon, Mr.
Jacob T. Branford, Mr. John J. Woodward, Mr. Jabez L. M. Curry, Ex-Gov. Lewis E.
Parsons, Mr. Marcus H. Cruikshank, Gen. James B. Martin, Mr. John T. Heflin, Mr.
John Henderson, Mr. N. D. Johns, Mr. A. R. Barclay, Mr. M. C. Slaughter, Mr.
Joseph D. McCann, Mr. Andrew Cunningham, Mr. Alexander White.

    Mollie E. Moore, a native of this county, but now of Texas, has acquired a
just celebrity as a poet. Some of her verses are among the rarest gems of
Southern literature.

    Talladega County, situated along the southern tier of the northeastern
counties of the State, and having within its borders the southern terminus of
the Blue Ridge Mountains, is favored in climate, location, soil, accessibility
and varied resources.

    The mean temperature is 80 degrees. The average annual rainfall is 50
inches. The soil and climate are peculiarly adapted to all kinds of fruits and
vegetables, besides growing, fairly well, corn, wheat, oats, rye, cotton, clover
and the grasses. While many varieties of soil exist, the prevailing color is red
clay; and as there is an abundance of lime in the soil, they respond readily to
manuring. The county offers prominent inducements to stockmen, fruit growers,
truckers, saw-mill men, and iron workers.

    Lands are to be had from five to thirty-five dollars per acre, owing to
location and fertility: but there are within the county thousands of acres of
timbered lands which can be had for the value of the timber, and which will
inevitably bring wealth when used for vineyards, orchards and truck.

    The location of the county favors such a system of farming, as it is
environed by growing cities which must needs be fed: and it has, within its
borders, great quantities of timber, of limestone and marble, of gold and of
iron, besides being contiguous to limitless beds of coal. These various
resources are beginning to be developed, and on every hand are being evidenced
thrift, vitality and wealth. Iron furnaces are located at Jenifer and Ironaton,
and others are contemplated at Talladega, Sylacauga and Childersburg. Large
saw-mills are in operation at Berneys, Cymnlgee, Childersburg, Nottingham,
Lincoln and Renfroe.

    The county is accessible, having on the west the Coosa River, and being
traversed by the East Tennessee, Virginia & Georgia, the Georgia Pacific, the
Anniston & Atlantic, the Coosa Valley and the Columbus Western Railroads. The
county has three summer resorts, viz.: Talladega, Chandler and Shocco Springs,
which, from their healthful waters and favorable locality, add much to the
inducements of the county.

    The people are intelligent, hospitable and largely church-going. The county
is well supplied with churches and schools, and the roads are fast being put in
good condition. There is no debt on the county.

    The taxable values are $4,500,000, and rate of taxation one per cent.

    The valuation of taxable property in Talladega County for the year 1887 is
$4,722,368, as shown by the abstract assessment filed in the office of the State
Auditor. [See Talladega, this volume.]


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.
MINERAL BELT.


File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/al/talladega/history/other/talladeg380gms.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/alfiles/

File size: 5.3 Kb