CLEBURNE
COUNTY
This county was created in 1866, and named
in honor of Genera. Patrick R. Cleburne, of Arkansas. Though abounding
in natural resources, the county is not as fully developed as some
others in the same region. Since the construction of a Railroad
throughout the county, giving its productions a ready outlet, it is
winning to itself a thrifty population, and in many ways
the merits of Cleburne are coming more and more to be recognized and
appreciated. Great inducements exist in the county for capitalists and
immigrants, as its mines are stored with rich ores, and its lands abound
in fertility. The county has an area of 540 square miles.
Population in 1870, 8,017; population in 1880, 10,976. White,
10,308; colored, 668.
Tilled Land—51.428 acres. Area planted in cotton, 9,156
acres; in corn, 21,552 acres; in oats, 5,672 acres; in wheat, 7,504
acres; in tobacco, 85 acres; in sweet potatoes, 221 acres.
Cotton Production—3,600 bales.
Cleburne has a varied surface. In the northern end of the
county there are rugged hills and mountains, with intervening valleys of
fertility. These valley lands are of a reddish hue, as is true of most
of the lands of this character, in this and the northern portion of
Alabama. The lands which lie along the ridges are of a light, grayish
color. But few of the mountain lands have ever been cultivated, as the
residents of the county have never felt the necessity of leaving the
level for the higer districts.
Along the slopes, however, there are good farming lands with
yellow subsoil. The remainder of the county is covered with either red
or grey lands, except in the creek and river bottoms, where the soil
partakes largely of sand. In the western portion of the county there is
a sparser population than in any other section, because the lands are
regarded as the least fertile. Cleburne has many fertile valleys, which
are mostly devoted to the production of corn, though some cotton is
planted. Along these valley stretches arc some of the best
farms in the county. The lower portion of Cleburne abounds in red
fertile lands.
The productions are corn, cotton, wheat and oats, with minor
crops of great importance. The soils are admirably suited to the
production of apples and peaches. The clovers and grasses are found to
thrive with great readiness, and hence, stock-raising is gradually
receiving more attention. The county has many forests of excellent
timber, the chief growth of which are white, red and Spanish oaks, short
and long-leaf pine, walnut, hickory and gum. For many years a gold mine
has been successfully worked at Arbachoochee. The same ore is also found
near Hightower. In different parts of the county, copper, mica, slate,
graphites, pyrites, zinc and kaolin, are found prevailing. Iron deposits
also exist. Silver has also been discovered. These await
capital in order to be properly developed.
The supplies of water in every portion of Cleburne are
unfailing, as it is penetrated by such streams as the Tallapoosa River,
and Terrapin, Muscadine, Cane, Shoal, Cahulga, Chulafinnee, Dying and
Lost Creeks. All these are sustained by numerous tributaries, which
contribute further to the supply of water.
The places of greatest importance are Edwardsville, the
county-seat, Heflin, Arbachoochee and Chulafinnee.
At Edwardsville there is a High School of local note, and at
Heflin there is an Institute, both of which are well conducted and
handsomely sustained. Other good schools are found in different parts of
the county.
The channels of transportation are, the Georgia Pacific
Railroad, and the East and West Railroad—the former a magnificent
thoroughfare, giving an outlet to each of the cities of Anniston and
Atlanta.
The Alabama Land and Mineral Company own about 40,000 acres
of land in Cleburne, which can be purchased at remarkably low figures.
Besides these, there is a great deal of government land in the county
still untaken, there being 50,000 acres. Lands can be purchased from
resident owners for from $2 to S10 per acre.
Source: Alabama As It Is by Benjamin Franklin
Riley, D. D., 1887 , Transcribed by C.
Anthony.
CLEBURNE COUNTY.
Population: White, 10,308; colored, 668; Area, 540 square miles;
Woodland, all. Metamorphic, 400 square miles. Coosa Valley, 140 square
miles. Acres - In cotton (approximately), 9,156; in corn 21,552; in oats
567; in wheat 7,504; in tobacco 85; in sweet potatoes 22l.
Approximate number of bales of cotton, 4,000.
County Seat - Edwardsville; population, 600; on Georgia Pacific
Railroad. Newspapers published at County Seat - Cleburne County News
(Democratic), Standard (Democratic).
Post-offices in the County - Abernathy, Ai, Arbacoochee, Beecham,
Bell's Mills, Belltown, Borden Springs, Chulafinnee, Cicero, Cold Water,
Edwardsville, Grantly, Heflin, Hightower, Hooper's Mills, Kemp's Creek,
Lecta, Micaville, Muscadine, Oakfuskee, Oak Level, Oak Lone, Palestine,
Rosewood, Shoal Creek, Solomon, Stone Hill.
This county was formed in 1867 from portions of Calhoun, Talladega
and Randolph Counties, and named for the lamented General Cleburne, who
fell in the forefront of the famous battle at Franklin, Tenn., in 1864.
Though abounding in natural resources, the county is not as fully
developed as some others in the same region. Since the construction of
two railroads through the county, giving its productions a ready outlet,
it is winning to itself a thrifty population, and in many ways the
merits of Cleburne are coming more and more to be recognized and
appreciated.
Great inducements exist in the county for capitalists and immigrants,
as its mines are stored with rich ores, and its lands abound in
fertility. Cleburne has a varied surface. In the northern end of the
county there are rugged intervening valleys, of fertility. These valley
lands are of a reddish hue, as is true of the most of the lands of this
character in this and the northern portion of Alabama. The lands which
lie along the ridges are of a light or grayish color. But few of the
mountain lands have ever been cultivated, as the residents of the county
have never felt the necessity of leaving the level for the higher
districts. Along the slopes, however, there are good farming lands with
yellow sub-soil. The remainder of the county is covered with either red
or gray lands, except in the creek and river bottoms, where the soil
partakes largely of sand.
In the western portion of the county there is a sparser population
than in any other section, because the lands are regarded as less
fertile. Cleburne has many fertile valleys, which are mostly devoted to
the production of corn, though some cotton is planted. Along these
valley stretches are some of the best farms in the county. The lower
portion of the county abounds in red fertile lands.
The productions are corn, cotton, wheat, and oats, with minor crops
of great importance.
Near the line of the East & West Alabama Railroad in this county,
a very extensive bed of manganese has been opened, the property of State
Senator Hon. W. J. Alexander and a Jacksonville land company, and has
been pronounced by scientific assayists to be of most excellent quality.
The soils are admirably suited to the production of apples and
peaches. The clover and grasses are found to thrive with great
readiness, and home stock raising is gradually receiving more attention.
The county has many forests of excellent timber, the chief growth of
which is white, red, Spanish and post oak, short and long-leafed pine,
walnut, hickory and gum.
For many years a gold mine has been successfully worked at
Arbacoochee. The same ores are also found in other places in the
southern portions of the county. In different parts of the county
copper, mica, slate, graphite, pyrites, zinc and kaolin are found
prevailing. Iron exists in great abundance, and silver has also been
discovered . These await capital to be developed.
The supplies of water in every portion of Cleburne are unfailing, as
it is penetrated by such streams as the Tallapoosa river, which runs
diagonally through the county from northeast to southwest, and such
streams as Terrapin, Muscoaline, Cane, Shoal, Chulafinnee, Cohulga,
Dying and Snake and Lost Creeks. All these are sustained by numerous
tributaries which contribute further to the supply of water.
The places of the greatest importance are Edwardsville, the county
seat, Heflin. Oak Level, Chulafinne and Arbacoochee.
At Edwardsville and Heflin there are high schools of local note.
Other good schools are found in different parts of the county. The
channels of transportation are the Georgia Pacific Railroad, and
Edwardsville is about midway between Atlanta and J5irmingham. The East
& West railroad, running from Centerville, Ga., to Birmingham, runs
through the north end of the county, and runs near an inexhaustible
deposit of excellent roofing slate. Another important railway line is
being constructed through the county from Carrollton, Ga., to Decatur,
Ala., by way of Oak Level, in this county. A large area of Government
lands is yet on the market, which can be had under the homestead law.
Source: Northern Alabama - Historical and
Biographical by Smith & De Land, Birmingham, Ala 1888 - Transcribed
by Veneta McKinney
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