Russell County Alabama Miscellaneous Data RUSSELL COUNTY, ALABAMA Created by the legislature, December 18, 1832. It was taken from the last Creek cession. December 15, 1866, a part of its territory, including Opelika, was added to Lee County, and several years later the village and beat of Glenville, in Barbour County. It has an area of 655 square miles, or 419,200 acres. It bears the name of Col. Gilbert C. Russell, of Mobile, an officer in the Federal army, 1818. Girard was the first seat of justice. The courthouse stood at Crawford until 1868, and later the seat of justice was moved to Seale. The commissioners appointed in 1833 to select a courthouse were Hardeman Owen, Anderson Abercrombie, and Thomas M. Martin. Location and Physical Description. It is in the extreme eastern part of the state, and is bounded on the east by the Chattahoochee River, forming the State line, on the west by Bullock and Macon on the south by Barbour, and on the north by Lee. The highest altitude is 610 feet above sea level. The topography of the county is quite variable. In the eastern section, along the Chattahoochee River, there are large areas of flat terrace country, and westward from this river five or six successive and distinct terraces are developed. There are also extensive terraces, commonly called "hammock lands," along some of the creeks just above overflow. The southern part of the county for the most part has a rolling to undulating appearance and the northwestern section is largely rolling. It lies wholly within the Coastal Plain, and its soils are embraced in those divisions of the United States known as the Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plains and the River Flood Plains provinces. The soils of the uplands are formed from materials laid down on the flow of the Gulf, which 'at one time covered this region, and are known as Orangeburg, Norfolk, Ruston and Susquehanna. The bottom lands or alluvial soils are shown as Kalmia, Cahaba, Leaf, Ocklochnee, and Congaree. Every variety of soil from that of sand to that of the most fertile black prairie and blue marl is to be found. The county is well drained by the Alabama River and its tributary, Slosh Eye Creek, and the Chattahoochee River, and its tributaries. The timbers consist of the long and short leaf pine, cedar, cypress, white, red, water and blackjack oak, walnut, hickory, maple, gum, beech, and dogwood. The average annual temperature is 65° F. and the mean annual precipitation 52 inches. Aboriginal History The county was largely inhabited by the Yuchi Indians, who formed an important element in the composition of the Creek Confederacy. Their dialect was exceedingly peculiar and distinct from the other tribes of the Muscogee Confederacy. It was entirely guttural and spoken entirely with the mouth open. No word or sound ever required it to be closed for pronunciation. Evidences even to the present day indicate that the section was thickly populated. On the headwaters of Big Uchee Creek in the >northwestern section, on the Hachichubee Creek in the western and on the upper waters of Cowikee Creek are found numbers of indications. On what is now the Moffit Flournoy plantation on the Chattahoochee River, 8 miles by rail below Columbus, Ga., and one mile east of the Central of Georgia railroad, is the site of Coweta, the headquarters of the Lower Creeks. Scattered over a large area are yet found evidences of its occupancy. At the Upper Coweta site, one mile up the river, is a mound about 10 feet in height surrounded by a large cemetery. Here numbers of objects have been ploughed up in the last few years. The mound is domiciliary. On the Uchee Creek near to and below its mouth are indications and at Perry's Ford on Big Uchee branch of the creek, could be seen as late as twenty-five years ago, charred remains of what was locally claimed to be one of the last meeting houses of the Creeks before their removal west in 1836. Little Prince lies buried within sight of the station at Flournoy's on the Mobile and Girard division of the Central of Georgia railroad, a large cedar stump marking the site of his grave. The following Lower Creek towns are noted as being located in the territory now included in the county: Apalatchukla, one and a half miles below Chiaha; Chiaha just below Osatchi; Chiahu 'dishi or Little Chiaha, a village planted by Chiaha Indians in a pine forest one and a half miles west of Hitchiti town; Haihgi; Hatchi Tchapa, a small village peopled from Sawokli and thought to have been located on the present Hatchechubbee Creek; Kawita and Kawita Talahassi, above referred to as Upper Coweta and Coweta; Le-kat-chka or Broken Arrow, located in what is now Hatcher's Bend; Okomi, a small town six miles below Apalachukla; Osotchi, located in the extreme southern part of the county below the present Oswithee community; Sawakli, at mouth of Hatchechubbee Creek; Talua 'Lako, the popular name of Apala-tchukla,. being the new or later day designation of the place; Watula Hoka Hatchi, a stream on which was located the Watoola village, just above big Uchee Creek, a short distance west of the present Uhland; and three Yuchi villages, in the southern sections of the county. Several towns in Chattahoochee and Stewart Counties in Georgia had villages across the river in Alabama and it is possible that some at least of the above named villages were branches of these Georgia towns. Near Uchee post office, on the plantation of Mrs. Albison Hixon, are three large mounds. A cemetery and town site is located in the immediate vicinity. Some of the finest pipes, gorgets and stone relics in the state have been found within the county. Settlement and Later History. This section was settled mainly by immigrants from Georgia and North and South Carolina. In 1739, General Oglethorpe, then governor of Georgia visited the town of Old Coweta, six miles below where Girard now stands, and made a treaty with ' the Indians. General LaFayette crossed the Chattahoochee at Fort Mitchell, in 1825, when he visited Alabama. Here he was met by Gen. Tom Woodward with an armed escort, of which Maj. Gen. William Taylor, took command on his arrival, Capt. James Abercrombie commanded the Montgomery troop, while General Moore of Monroe commanded another. Many prominent citizens including Hon. Boiling Hall, of Autauga, Hon. John Murphy, of Monroe, and a number of Indians were also there. Chilly Mclntosh and fifty painted warriors met LaFayette and the Georgians on the Georgia side. LaFayette was placed in a sulky, which was drawn on the ferry boat and when it reached the west bank the Indians drew the sulky to the top of the bank, about eighty yards. After an eloquent address by Hon. John D. Bibb, of Montgomery, the line of march was taken up for the interior. The Muscogees made their home in Russell County. In 1836 many of them refused to give up their lands which they had ceded a number of years before. The Indians began to make depredations on the whites, and Roanoke, on the east side of the river was burned and several whites were killed. About 1,500 Alabamians gathered at Tuskegee, in Macon County, and marched to Fort Mitchell under the leadership of General Jessup. Opothleyoholo, Tuskena, and other chiefs, brought in a force of friendly warriors. The combined forces marched down to Hatcheechubbee Creek, which they crossed and there formed in line of battle. An order came from Gen. Winfleld S. Scott, who had reached Fort Mitchell, and taken command, for the return of Gen. Jessup and the troops to the Fort. The friendly Indians had captured Neahmathla, and his people had flocked to Fort Mitchell from which place they were escorted to Montgomery, and then taken west. The last collision during the War of Secession occurred at Girard when Gen. Howell Cobb, with 5,000 Georgia militia and 2,000 Confederate troops, prepared to contest the advance of Wilson's mounted column. April 16. 1865, the Federals began the attack. After two unsuccessful attempts they succeeded in taking the town, but the Confederate Generals Cobb, Buford. and Toombs escaped capture at the hands of the enemy. John Crowell, of North Carolina, was among the first white settlers, coming in 1815 as a government agent to the Muscogees. Agricultural Statistics. From U. S. Census, 1910: Farms and Farmers: Number of all farms, 2,986. Color and nativity of farmers: Native white, 526. Foreign-born white, 4. Negro and other nonwhite, 2,456. Number of farms, classified by size: Under 3 acres   ____ 3 to 9 acres - 75 10 to 19 acres - 100 20 to 49 acres - 1,477 50 to 99 acres - 696 100 to 174 acres - 337 175 to 259 - 136 260 to 499 - 95 500 to 999 - 53 1,000 acres and over - 17 Land and Farm Area. Approximate land area, 419,200 acres. Land in farms, 266,784 acres. Improved land in farms, 163,440 acres. Woodland in farms, 69,511 acres. Other unimproved land in farms, 33,833 acres. Value of Farm Property. All farm property, $4,171,659. Land, $2,375,983. Buildings, $785,449. Implements and machinery, $208,754. Domestic animals, poultry, and bees, $801,473. Average values: All property per farm, $1,397. Land and buildings per farm, $1,059. Land per acre, $8.91. Domestic Animals (Farms and Ranges). Farms reporting domestic animals, 2,821. Domestic animals, value, $777,886. Cattle: total, 10,257; value, $161,712. Dairy cows only, 4,191. Horses: total, 1,295; value, $157,430. Mules: total, 2,854; value, $401,992. Asses and burros: total, 6; value, $950. Swine: total, 13,830; value, $54,150. Sheep: total, 243; value, $1,017. Goats: total, 475; value, $635. Poultry and Bees. All poultry, 59,763; value, $23,068.  Bee colonies. 387; value, $519. Farms Operated by Owners. Number of farms, 612. Per cent of all farms, 20.5. Land in farms, 117,965 acres. Improved land in farms, 49,631 acres. Land and buildings, $1,338,219. Farms of owned land only, 550. Farms of owned and hired land, 62. Native white owners, 334. Foreign -born white, 4. Negro and other nonwhite, 274. Farms Operated by Tenants. Number of farms, 2,367. Per cent of all farms, 79.3. Land in farms, 146,923 acres. Improved land in farms, 112,364 acres. Land and buildings, $1,766,718. Share tenants, 403. Share-cash tenants, 61. Cash tenants, 1,727. Tenure not specified, 176. Native white tenants, 186. Foreign-born white, . Negro and other nonwhite, 2,181. Farms Operated by Managers. Number of farms, 7. Land in farms, 1,896 acres. Improved land in farms, 1,445 acres. Value of land and buildings, $56,495. Live Stock Products. Dairy Products. Milk: Produced, 734,309; sold, 7,598 gallons. Cream sold, ___ Butter fat sold, ___ Butter: Produced, 225,236; sold, 33,094 pounds. Cheese: Produced, ____ Dairy products, excluding home use of milk and cream, $53,925. Sale of dairy products, $9,093. Poultry Products. Poultry: Number raised, 118,486; sold, 23,649. Eggs: Produced, 120,142; sold, 28,378 dozens. Poultry and eggs produced, $58,129. Sale of poultry and eggs, $13,530. Honey and Wax. Honey produced, 3,239 pounds. Wax produced, 158 pounds. Value of honey and wax produced, $423. Wool, Mohair and Goat Hair. Wool, fleeces shorn, 160. Mohair and goat hair, fleeces shorn, . Wool and mohair produced, $102. Domestic Animals Sold or Slaughtered. Calves — -Sold or slaughtered, 157. Other cattle — Sold or slaughtered, 1,423. Horses, mules, and asses and burros — Sold, 49. Swine — Sold or slaughtered, 5,163. Sheep and goats — Sold or slaughtered, 185. Sale of animals, $30,357. Value of animals slaughtered, $43,476. Value of All Crops. Total, $2,136,383. Cereals, $356,402. Other grains and seeds, $36,965. Hay and forage, $25,861. Vegetables, $101,804. Fruits and nuts, $10,304. All other crops, $1,605,047. Selected Crops (Acres and Quantity). Cereals: total, 44,542 acres; 373,640 bushels. Corn, 41,138 acres; 309,112 bushels. Oats. 3,402 acres; 64,514 bushels. Wheat, 2 acres; 14 bushels. Rye, . Kafir corn and milo maize, . Rice, . Other grains: Dry peas, 5,085 acres; 19,136 bushels. Dry edible beans, 75 acres; 317 bushels. Peanuts, 223 acres; 2,785 bushels. Hay and forage: total, 1,123 acres; 1,442 tons. All tame or cultivated grasses, 862 acres; 1,146 tons. Wild, salt, and prairie grasses, 57 acres; 41 tons. Grains cut green, 140 acres; 204 tons. Coarse forage, 64 acres; 51 tons. Special crops: Potatoes, 49 acres; 2,362 bushels. Sweet potatoes and yams, 975 acres; 58,- 962 bushels. Tobacco, 40 pounds. Cotton, 83,750 acres; 20,672 bales. Cane — sugar, 588 acres; 4,296 tons. Sirup made, 51,838 gallons. Cane — sorghum, 43 acres; 170 tons. Sirup made, 1,328 gallons. Fruits and Nuts. Orchard fruits: total, 12,376 trees; 7,425 bushels. Apples, 1,897 trees; 656 bushels. Peaches and nectarines, 9,844 trees; 6,180 bushels. Pears, 420 trees; 536 bushels. Plums and prunes, 208 trees; 51 bushels. Cherries, 1 tree; 2 bushels. Quinces, 5 trees. Grapes, 236 vines; 804 pounds. Tropical fruits: total, 552 trees. Figs, 551 trees; 14,576 pounds. Oranges, ____ Small fruits: total, 2 acres; 910 quarts. Strawberries, 2 acres; 910 quarts. Nuts: total, 1,163 trees; 9,462 pounds. Pecans, 1,153 trees; 9,150 pounds. Labor, Fertilizer and Feed. Labor Farms reporting, 1,499. Cash expended, $170,849. Rent and board furnished, $34,004. Fertilizer — Farms reporting, 2,227. Amount expended, $151,587. Feed — Farms reporting, 1,169. Amount expended, $62,008. Receipts from sale of feedable crops, $24,039. Domestic Animals Not on Farms. Inclosures reporting domestic animals, 405. Value of domestic animals, $34,933. Cattle: total, 325; value, $7,728. Number of dairy cows, 196. Horses: total, 138; value, $16,485. Mules, and asses and burros: total, 59; value, $8,055. Swine: total, 487; value, $2,631. Sheep and goats: total, 15; value, $34. Post Offices and Towns. Revised to July 1, 1919, from U. S. Official Postal Guide. Figures indicate the number of rural routes from that office. Brickyard. Hurtsboro. Cottonton - 2. Pittsview - 3. Fort Mitchell - 1. Rutherford - 1. Girard - 1. Seale (ch.) -3. Hatchechubbee. Uchee.  Statistics from decennial publications of the U. S. Bureau of the Census. White Negro. Total. 1840 6,244 7,269 13,513 1850 8,405 11,143 19,548 1860 10,938 15,656 26,592 1870 5,946 15,690 21,636 1880 6,182 18,655 24,837 1890 5,814 18,279 24,093 1900 5,930 21,152 27,083 1910 5,733 20,198 25,937 1920 27,448 Delegates to Constitutional Conventions. 1861 — R. O. Howard; Benjamin H. Baker. 1865 — A. B. Griffin, George D. Hooper. 1867 — George Ely, Washington Johnson (colored). 1875 — F. A. Nisbett, Button S. Scott. 1901 — William H. Banks, Boswell deG. Waddell. Senators. 1834-5 — Lawson J. Keener. 1837-8 — William Wellborn. 1840-1 — Jefferson Buford. 1843-4 — Robert S. Hardaway. 1847-8 — James Abercrombie. 1851-2 — Benjamin H. Baker. 1853-4 — Benjamin H. Baker. 1857-8 — A. B. Griffin. 1861-2 — John A. Lewis. 1865-6 — J. W. Castens. 1861-2 — John A. Lewis. 1865-6 — J. W. Castens. 1868 — W. B. Martin. 1871-2 — W. B. Martin. 1872-3 — B. W. Harris. 1873 — B. W. Harris. 1874-5 — W. B. Harris. 1875-6 — W. B. Harris.  1876-7 — William H. Chambers. 1878-9 — William H. Chambers. 1880-1 — J. B. Mitchell. 1882-3 — J. B. Mitchell. 1884-5 — J. B. Mitchell. 1886-7 — J. B. Mitchell. 1888-9 — J. F. Waddell. 1890-1 — John T. Harris. 1892-3 — W. J. Samford. 1894-5 — W. J. Samford. 1896-7 — W. J. Boykin. 1898-9— W. J. Boykin. 1899 (Spec.) — W. J. Boykin. 1900-01 — G. P. Harrison. 1903 — George Paul Harrison. 1907 — E. H. Glenn. 1907 (Spec.) — E. H. Glenn. 1909 (Spec.) — E.H.Glenn. 1911 — N. P. Renfroe. 1915 — W. J. Price. 1919 — B. T. Phillips. Representatives. 1837-8 — Nimrod W. Long. 1838-9 — James Abercrombie. 1839-40 — James Abercrombie. 1840-1 — B. S. Mangum. 1841 (called) — B. S. Mangum. 1841-2 — Britain D. Harris. 1842-3 — Britain D. Harris. 1843-4 — John Segar. 1844-5 — William Barnett. 1845-6 — William Barnett; Nimrod W. 1847-8 — Benjamin H. Baker; J. Wilson. 1849-50 — B. H. Baker; James B. Reese. 1851-2 — O. B. Walton; S. Bass, Jr. 1853-4 — Hiram Nelms; A. T. Calhoun. 1855-6 — W. C. Dawson, jr.; E. Garlick. 1857-8 — S. S. Colbert; Clarke Aldridge. 1859-60 — F. G. Jones; E. Calhoun. 1861 (1st called) — F. G. Jones; E. Calhoun. 1861 (2d called) — W. G. Williams; J. Wilkerson. 1861-2 — W. G. Williams; J. Wilkerson. 1862 (called) — W. G. Williams; J. Wilkerson. 1862-3 — W. G. Williams; J. Wilkerson. 1863 (called) — D. B. Mitchell; F. A. Nisbett. 1863-4 — D. B. Mitchell; F. A. Nishett. 1864 (called) — D. B. Mitchell; F. A. Nisbett. 1864-5 — D. B. Mitchell; F. A. Nisbett. 1 865-6 — L. F. McCoy; B. G. Owens. 1866-7 — L. F. McCoy; B. G. Owens. 1868 — J. Tyner. 1869-70 — J. Tyner; Horace King. 1870-71 — B. M. Henry; Horace King. 1871-2 — B. M. Henry; Horace King. 1872-3 — G. R. Millen; J. R. Treadwell. 1873 — G. R. Millen; J. R. Treadwell. 1874-5 — W. H. Chambers; A. G. Jones. 1875-6 — W. H. Chambers; A. G. Jones. 1876-7 — A. S. Glen; M. J. Jones. 1878-9 — L. W. Martin; W. A. McDougald. 1880-1 — E. L. Brown; J. M. Wright. 1882-3 — G. A. Ferrell; W. H. Broyles. 1884-5 — S. S. Scott; N. W. E. Long. 1886-7 — N. W. E. Long; J. C. Cheney. 1888-9 — John V. Smith; F. L. Nisbet. 1890-1 — J. G. Smith; S. S. Scott. 1892-3 — J. M. DeLacey; F. L. Nisbett. 1894-5 — W. J. Boykin; E. N. Brown. 1896-7 — W. C. McGuire; J. W. Knowles. 1898-9 — J. F. Tate; W. C. McGuire. 1899 (Spec.) — J. F. Tate; W. C. McGuire. 1900-01 — J. E. Henry; J. M. Holt. 1903 — Thomas Abner Johnson; Boswell DeGraffenreid Waddell. 1907 — Homer R. Dudley; William J. Price. 1907 (Spec.) — Homer R. Dudley, William J. Price. 1909 (Spec.) — Homer R. Dudley; William J. Price. 1911 — T. H. Dennis; B. DeG. Waddell. 1915 — T. H. Dennis; G. L. McGough. 1919 — C. C. Jordan; D. DeG. Waddell. Source :History of Alabama and Dictionary of Alabama Biography By Thomas McAdory Owen, Marie Bankhead Owen Published by The S. J. Clarke publishing company, 1921; Submitted by Barb Ziegenmeyer    ©2009 Genealogy Trails