The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-09-12

reversed and the proud Carolinians marched off with coors flying. This sig nal triumph gave them the ascendancy in Jones' valley. and from generation to generation their customs and manners are Carolinan. In Blount the Tennessee character continued the same, and does to this day.
 The first pioneers, usually led by the daring and reckless John Jones. had to pack their corn on horses from Tennes- see; but when the keel boats and flat boats came down the river laden with supplies. and the roads were made passa- ble for wagons the conditions improved. Considerable corn was produced in 1877. but not near enough to feed the large number who came to join them. or passed on to Jones and Roupe's valleys. this stream of humanity continuing to flow steadily for five or sin years.
 Corn was the most profitable crop dur ing those years of privation and hard ships they could raise and the only one from which they could hope to realize money. In 1876 and the early part of 1877. it sold as high as s4 per bushel; very fine crop that year enabled them to re- duce the price to g; at harvest time in 1918 1t was s1, and in 1919 1t could scarcely be sold at any price except along the main roads where the caravans were nov ing to the southern and western part of the state.
 Much of this money was saved to pay the first installment on their lands, which came into market in July, 1919. at Hunts ville It must be remembered that 160 acres was the allotted size. no smaller amount being then permitted by the gov ernment Many years after the 40-acre tract law was enacted, and it proved to be a great relief to the hard-pressed farmers.
 Tn the days of my youth it was my priv ilege to personally know many of these pioneers. They were in physical appear ance a fine looking. stalwart body of men, and in good hard sense, calm. dispas- sonate judgment industry charity for the poor and helpless, sympathy for the suffering. I have never seen their equals. Genial in manners. dignified, there was so little to remind one of their early hardships. a stranger could scarce believe it. What most impressed me was the singularly low. soft. sweet tone of their voices when in the company of ladies One would imagine them somewhat rude in their social relations, but no polished man of the world could be more modest than they. There was nothing loud or boisterous about them. Many of the bet ter class were well educated, and came of good old Revolutionary stock. and had we'll selected libraries In their homes. The laboring element were moral. relig- ious and energetic. and any dispute in a neiehborhood was of rare occurrence; of course there were some undesirable citi- zens and these were usually driven out of their community. The militia was their pride and protection. and general muster and parade day, the Fourth of July and Christmas their only great fes- tivals.
 Many who located around Mount Pin son, Elyton and Jonesboro were people of considerable wealth and polished edu- cation, and their dwellings were the finest and plantations the largest of all the re- zion lying between the Tennessee river and Tuscaloosa. The beautiful estate of Col Robert Greene, near Mount Pinson. and the homes and plantations of the Hagoods and Bufords. Hawkins and Hud son, on the Tennessee road reminded one of middle Tennessee. The home of MT. Mudd, father of the distinguished Judge William S. Mudd. was noted landmark, situated upon a hill that commanded view of the village of Elyton and the valley for many miles. The house was a large and commodious one. surrounded by a luxuriant grove of oaks, and its hospitality was famous. The late vice president of the United States. William Rufus King of Alabama. who was life- long and warm personal friend of Judge Mudd, often said that the table spread in this memorable home was the best in quality of food. cooking and the neat ar rangement of any he had ever seen out side of a large city. The residence of