The age-herald., 1897-08-18

There are a few people in Alabama probably who have forgotten a scient- ist. once a resident of Alabama. fur nished to the world one of the great, if not the greatest, universal household rem=dies. What house is without Dar- by's Fluid? In what house is not Dar- by's Fluid used more or less every year, every month, yes. every day. The orgi- nal campounder of this famous prepara- ton was resident of Macon county dn 1863. as is evidenced by the acts Of the Alabama general assembly for that year. Prof. John Darby, of Macon, and James T. shelton, of Mobile, were au- thorlzed by special act to manufactur4 alcohol from corn in the laboratory ot Prof. Darby, for the purpose of mak- ing lubricating oils for the locomotives and steamboats of the south, from the oil of "rosin," produced from the pine forests of the state. They were re- quired by the act to give the state a guarantee that the alcohol produced would be used for no other purpose and it is presumed that they compiled with this requirement. The many published books of biography of eminent citizens of Alabama have been devoted largely to those citizens who distinguished th=mselves in the field, in the forum or in-pontleal life and consequently the name of this scientist, author and edu- caItor is not found in the books about Alabama and Alabamians, and the fact that he was at one time a resident of this state is only a memory among thoss. who delight to think of the days long gone by.
 Professor Darby was a native of Mas sachusetts and came south on account of his health in 1S45. He resided in Geor- gia and Florida, before coming to Ala bama Just before and just after the war he was a professor in the college at Auburn He was the author of Man ual of Botany" published in 1S41, Bot any of the Southern States" published in 4e55s and a work on -Chemistry" pub lished in 1S6O He died in New York City in 1S77
 
 see is~a close one. A step across an inn aginary line, puts you from one state in to the other, but the tie is closer even than this. In the long ago, before the dignity of statehood rested, as laurel wreath upon the brow of Alabama, mo- ble sons and fair daughters of volunteer state braved the dangers of the forest, and the red foe, and poured into this state settling up largely its northern portion. But ther4 is still another req son why Alabama and Tennessee should feel close kin. For more than seventy years this state held the mortal remains of the first governor of Tennessee When the dignity of statehood was conferred on Tennessee, John Sevier, hero and pio- neer, was rightly elected as tha first gov ernor of the new commonwealth. For twelve years he served his people faith fully and well, and he laid down his trust, and retired from office, honored and respected by all After he had re- stunned the role of private citizen he was in 1915 appointed by th4 president as one of the commissioners to treat with the NIuscogee Indians, occupying large DOT fion of what was then the territory of Mississippi, but is now largely embraced in the state of Alabama He s-t out on his mission on horseback, accompanied by an escort and a wagon train and penetrated the country of the red man, meeting big chiefs and little chiefs con sultlng and conf@rring with them all, until late in September he reached the vicinity of Fort Decatur on the Talla poosa river, where he found an immense concourse of the natives gathered. Gov ernor Sevier was kindly received and as the red men were holding their orn feast he joined with them. The great harvest festival the corn dinner, was spread and Governor Sevier eat heartily. Within a short time he experienced severe attack of collie, and next day, Sep tember "A, 1915, at Fort Decatur his brave spirit took it's flight. His body was buried short distance off, and for nearly three-quarters of a century his dust lay in its Macon county bed. But Tennessee was proud of it's first chief .executive, and 1t envied Alabama the distinction of being his resting placs and resolved that it should not be for all time. Governor Bob Taylor, one hot summer day about ten years ago, swooped' down upon Montgomery with as many Tennessee generals as thereSare Georgia. colonels, and after a night in the Capital City they went up to old Fort. Decatur on the Western road, marched across a field of cotton and corn, to a spot whera small oblong iron fence bespoke a grave, and there, where tradition told that Governor se- vier had 'been laid to rest, the laborers,