This county was created in 1812. It is historically associated with many of the bloody scenes enacted during the prevailing war of that time.

The renowned massacre of Fort Mims occurred within the limits of Clarke. It is favorably situated, and has many natural advantages. It has an area of 1,160 square miles.

Population in 1870, 14,663; population in 1880, 17,808. White, 7,718; colored, 10,088.

Tilled Land.- 77,186 acres.—Area planted in cotton, 33,477 acres; in corn, 28,220 acres; in oats, 5,065 acres; in tobacco, 19 acres; in sugar-cane, 200 acres; in rice, 22 acres; in sweet potatoes, 1,256 acres.

Cotton Production : 11,097 hales.

The face of the country is diversified with hills and valleys. There is a southward slope to the junction of the Alabama and Tom-bigbee rivers, which unite and form a sharp angle at the southern extremity of the county. A peculiarity belonging to the general surface, is that the dividing ridge between the Alabama and Tom- bigbee rivers, runs within ten miles of the former stream the entire length of the county. This turns all the main streams either to the west or southwest, and thus causes them to traverse almost the entire width of Clarke.

The soil varieties of this county are rather numerous, embracing the thin pine lands, sandy basins, alluvial bottoms, upland loams, gray, limy, and the shell prairie. Those along the river bottoms, upon the uplands, and belonging to the shell prairie sections, are the most valuable. The basins which lie along the creeks, have too great a preponderance of sand to be arable. The lands mostly planted in cotton are the second bottoms or hummocks of the two rivers, which are oftentimes several miles wide. These hummocksare aided very greatly by the washings from the lime hills. In several parts of Clarke, are found many attractive farms. The productions of the county are, cotton, corn, oats, potatoes, sugar-cane, peas, and peanuts. All these flourish quite readily. Such fruits as apples, peaches, pears, pomegranates, figs, and grapes, are remunerative in response to proper attention. There are many wild fruits, such as grapes, muscadines, blackberries, and hickory nuts.

The swamps abound in the largest oaks, which yield annually immense quantities of acorns, which serve to fatten hundreds of hogs.

Where lands are thrown out, grasses grow spontaneously almost every month in the year, furnishing rich pasturage to stock-raising, free. Along the streams are dense thickets of cane, which remains green the year through, and supplies cattle and horses with food during the winter.

Clarke abounds in forests of excellent timber, comprising oak, poplar, hickory, beech, bay, cypress, maple, elm, cedar, and pine. Vast pine forests prevail in several portions of Clarke, and the trees are sometimes rafted to Mobile, where they find a ready market. Some attention is now being bestowed upon the improvement of stock. In the western part of the county are quite a number of salt springs and wells, to which the people of that and adjoining counties were forced to resort and manufacture salt during the late war, while the ports of the South were blockaded.

There is a noted mineral well at Jackson, upon the Tombigbee river. The waters have excellent curative properties. The principal streams which supply the different portions of Clarke with water, are the Alabama and Tombigbee rivers ; on the eastern and western borders respectively, Bashi, Tallahatta, Satilpa, Jackson's and Bassett's creeks.

At Wood's Bluff, on the Tombigbee river, there is to be seen the presence of green sand marl, though its extent is not known. Large quantities of gypsum are found in different portions of the county. Mineral springs, possessing rare curative powers are said to have been lately discovered.

The points of importance are Grove Hill, the county-seat, with a population of 200, Suggsville, Coffeeville, Gosport, Jackson, Bashi, and Gainestown. Schools and churches are to be met with in every portion of the county, and at some points, educational facilities are of a superior character. Transportation is afforded by the steamers on the Alabama and Tombigbee rivers. A railroad once pentrated the region lying between Mobile and Jackson, but it has been discontinued. The projected Mobile and Birmingham railroad, which willlink together Mobile and Birmingham, will pass directly through Clarke, and greatly enhance the advantages of the residents. The Pensacola and Memphis railroad will also vastly benefit the county.

Lands may be purchased in the county for figures running from $1 to $5 per acre.

There are 97,600 acres of government land in Clarke, which are subject to entry.

The people of Clarke are eager to have their lands peopled by a thrifty, energetic population.

Source: Alabama As It Is by Benjamin Franklin Riley, D. D., 1887 , Transcribed by C. Anthony