The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-12-15

, l7s5 several white traders had establish ed themselves at Ekunchate bluff. The same year a Jewish merchant, named Abram Mordecai, settled on Line Creek in this county.
 First House Built.
 The first man to build house in Montgomery was Arthur Moore 1t was cabin on the river bank not far from the upper ferry. When he came is not recorded, but he was here as early as 1Sl;. One of the most interesting writ CTS of events occurrin9 in those early days was Thos. s. Woodward. He was Georgian and fond of excitement. He was here in 1SI4 and saw Moore then and in his "reminiscences, Colonel Wood ward relates that at that time he killed two deer near where St. Johns Church now stands.
 Few white people, however, came to Alabama until after 1917. when a terri tOrial government was formed. Then came farmers who had many negroes. They were tempted by the fresh, fertile land to leave their old homes and ven- ture into a new country. Montgomery attracted many of the best class or men who ever aided in building up State and communities. The country known as the fork, because it was between the Coosa and Tallapoosa Rivers, seemed first to attract those who desired to Jill the SOIL In a few years many handsome houses adorned that part Of the county. They have all long since disappeared and the territory itself forms part or ElIlore
 Niles's Register, a paper published in Washington City, in it's issue of April D. 1877. said "rhe sudden and very numer- ous immigrationg into the Alabama country threaten many with absolute starvation unless they are relieved by sunnlies from other parts" In June or tha same year, it said: Tn consequence of the great immigration provisions have been very high-corn, $5 per bushel, and NoI,r s2O ner barrel" In a year or two afterwards. the same paper said; There ia nrohably no portion of the world or similar extent which can exhibit such an asfonishingly rapid increase or popu- Iation produced by the voluntary immi- eration of enterprising individuals. NT0ntromery was attracting great at- tentiOn The land fever was running hIph and the booms of modern days Tn Bi1mingham and other places in the mn erai regions are only counterparts or the wild excitement which took possession of early Alabama settlers Cahapa, we tumnka and sOm0 other places became centerS of attraction. Huntsville ana ESlnrence in North Alabama were already gdod sized villages. In Wetumpka at one time $l,O00 per front root was asKeo and received for town lots.
 Among tho earliest men to enter the scramble for land in Alabama was An drew Dexter. He was born In Rhode Island and his family held hlgh social nosition He was lawyer by profes- sion His uncle was Secretary Of the rpt' Treasury in the cabinet of John Adams. anv many of his relatives were soldiers
 in ' tho Reyolufion of l7S; c,oIIsse He was S.s 11JsMDsbjre in the class with Daniel Webstei. It was a matter of great rride with him to have taken the first prize while the great statesman te;11Hn came me ;T,aolIIr,. Dcpartment at Washington and a little episoae in his life shows that the noiiticaI motto attributed to William l.. Marcy in Jacksons days. years after wards, that ito the victors belong the