The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-02-16

employed Mir. M. N. Hey to survey and map the lands into a town. which the company named BienviAe, but the citi- Eens would not adopt the name, contin- suIag to call 1t Union Springs. The Mo bile and Girard Railroad was completed to this place in about 1858. the Mont gomery- and Eufaula in 1868, and the Union Springs and Northern in 1901, which with three railroads give renewed life and enterprise to her citizens.
 The first church built in Union Springs was the Baptist, which stood just cast of the hardware store of Mir. J. E. Grif fifth, Tha Presbyterians built a church spns the lot nov owned by Mrs. Don ses- sions in about the year lSjS which was blown down. They rebuilt frame struc- turs on the site, where their present handsome brick church now stands. The 4 Methodist Church was built by MT. Warrington in about 1859 or 1S6a The first school building was located C the ! rear of the lot now occupied by the TOW at Troy, was the first teacher I re member. Then D. B. McSweei. This building was moved to about where the M. and E. Railroad bridge stands on Prairie Street, and James T. Norman taught there for several years. Frank Butterfield bought and built two-story sche ol building on the residence lets owned by Mrs. Maggie Ramsey and F. aa,sS a Cope hs and nsod Mrs R. p sitR hsr and field was assisted by Mrs. S. A. Dozier, Rev.. A. F. Dix. William Ferguson and Miss Julia McCann, all of whom are first class teachers and who are still living. except possibly MT. Ferguson. The first bank was organized by Thos. Pulium and R. H. Po we'll in the year 1Is or 1859. Their bank office was the b1ilding now owned by the Carlisle Pres. and the ol vault is still intact. w. M. Stakely & Co. organized a private bank in 1888 and dissolved in 1S95a l.. Sessions i1d J. F. Le1ry, organized private bank in 1880 and dissolved in 1884. when the Bullock County Bank was ganized. The city now has two banks with ample capital U supply all the de- mands cc trade and to meet all the re- ouirements of the rapid growth and pro-, gress
 came to Union Springs in 1868. about the first of the year. and was printer on The Union Springs Herald. which Col. R. H. Powell and MT. T. T. Crew started at that time, the former as the editor. There are not at this time but two citiTens who were then engaged in business here. that I can recall, Messrs. c, H. Franklin and A. Miles. one in the drug business at his present site and the latter at the corner store under the Masonic Lodge-but now under The Herald office. Many of the business houses of that day are continued. but the sons have taken up the active work long laid down by their fathers. There are not many of the boys here now who were my companions in those days. most of them having gone to their rewai d, some moved away and the others still here as useful. enterprising business men Among this latter I recall MT. J. D. Norman. who is one of the leading lawyers. who was several times Mayor: and now member of the Council, ana recently member of the Constitutional Convention; Mr. P. L. Cowan, the City Clerk and a business man possessing the confidence of all the people; Dr. R. H. Hays. enjoying large practicei waiter Rainer. who is also prominent business man; Dick Grady. who is in Dr. Frank lin's drug store, all of whom were mem bers of the old CIoptonian Society. of which the present Governor was a mem Der and where he received his first les
 sons that fitted him for the duties of statesmanship he is so ably and accept ably discharging. Among those who have passed over the river, whom l re- call with the greatest pleasure, as they were my bosom friends and closest as- sociates, and whose absence l note with sorrow. were Nat and Jim Powell and |, Alex Thomas, all of whom had made names for themselves and who had the most promising future before them. There are others, but space prevents any fur ther indulgence of thoughts of those pleasant days and reference to the 7m- nanions so dear to me then. and " 1Se
 memory ] so fondly cherish.
 Those were happy days spent here-free '. from care and responsibility. I did not $ know 1t then. but I look back now and count them am ong the happteSs hours of my life. My lines here were cast in the pleasantest and most fortunate places, In the family of that best of men, Col. K. H Powell consecra'ed Christian that he was, ! was treated as one of his own boys. and the influences there thrown around me were most valuable. and I have found them % in after life. A kind and gentle word for all. he was like a ray of sunshine in his home and I can look back and see him now in my imag- tMatiOn ha irr Laughter upon his knee. nicknaming her "Sunbea.G." ,'The picture of happiness. h. made others happy and inspired them with only the desre to live upr;ghtly and correctly in their every, day walk and conversation. Colonel Powell was one of the greatest and gTandest men I ever knew--he was my friend at all times and under all circumstances and all though old enough to be my father. he was like a companion. as he was to hls own boys and such friends l have long