ABERNATHY, MILES WASHINGTON, planter and public official, was born July 21, 1801, at Mountain Creek. Lincoln County, N. C., and died July 22. 1877, at Jacksonville; son of John D. and Susan (Forney) Abernathy, a native of Virginia, but later resident of Mountain Creek, where he owned iron works and plantation lands; grandson of David and Nancy (Turner) Abernathy of Virginia, and of Jacob and Maria (Bergner) Forney of Mount Welcome, Beattle's Ford, N. C. He was well educated in the schools of his native county. His abilities were early recognized, and he was sent as a representative from Lincoln County, to the North Carolina legislature where he served two terms. He was then made county Judge, and held that office until his removal to Alabama In 1837. He bought a plantation in Benton, now Calhoun County, and settled his slaves upon it and also formed a partnership in the mercantile business with his brother-in-law. Col. John D. Hoke. In 1842 he was elected to the house of representatives of Alabama, and served for two terms. In 1866 he was elected to the senate, where he remained four years. It was because of his admiration for John C. Calhoun, to whose political opinions he subscribed, that he caused the name of the county to be changed from Benton to Calhoun. The monument to his legislative service however, is the State school for the deaf and dumb, located at Talladega, which under his leadership was established In 1857- 58. He was one of a committee of three appointed by the legislature In 1847 to receive the new capitol building at Montgomery. At the outbreak of the War of Secession he tendered his service to the Confederate cause; was appointed major, and his home was turned into a receiving hospital for sick soldiers. He was a Lutheran, and Democrat. Married: June 18, 1836, in Lincolnton. N. C, to Ann, daughter of Daniel and Barbara (Ramseur) Hoke of that place; granddaughter of Jacob A. and Sabina (Swope) Ramseur whose parents emigrated from Alsace on the Rhine, settling first in Pennsylvania and later in North Carolina. Children: 1. Fannie E„ m. T. W. Francis, Jacksonville; 2. Anna M„ m. D. P. Loretz, Jacksonville; 3. Mary A., m. H. L. Stevenson, Jacksonville; 4. Macon, student University of Alabama, 1859, private in Co. O, 10th Alabama Infantry regiment, C. S. Army, mortally wounded at Frazier's Farm, Va., June 30, 1862, d. at Richmond July 1, 1862; 5. Julia Swope. m. J. D. Smith. Last residence: Jacksonville.

CALHOUN, OTIS VAUGHN, Methodist minister, was born January 23. 1879. In Jackson County, Miss.: son of Charles Wesley and Laura Ann (Vaughn)Calhoun, the former a native of Clarke Sounty, who was a minister of the Methodist Episcopal church, south, Mississippi conference; grandson of John Calhoun, who lived In Clarke County, and whose ancestors came from Scotland to the United States soon after the Revolutionary War. He received his early education under the Instruction of D. M. Callaway at Selma, and J. T. Collins, at Thomasvllle; was graduated from Southern university, B. P., 1899; and was a student In the theology department of Vanderbilt university for one year. He joined the Alabama Conference. Methodist Episcopal church, South, at Greenville, In December. 1901, and Is now stationed at Calhoun. He is a Democrat; a Knight Templar; and a Shrlner. Married: February 26, 1907, at Mobile, to Mary Cameron Byrne, daughter of Robert D. and Elizabeth (McCasklll) Byrne, who lived at Mobile. Children: 1. Charles Robert; 2. Elizabeth Vaughn; 3. John Byrne; 4. Mary Catherine. Residence: Calhoun.

Source: History of Alabama and Dictioary of Alabama Biography, by Thomas McAdory Owen, LL.D., 1921, Transcribed by C. Anthony