The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-10-04
P|CKENS COUNTS
 LIST IF THE GREAT
Has Given Well Known Men to
 Birmingham
HoGG OF HoGG CREEK
Robert Jemison, Bishop Hargrove, Ex- Chief Weir and Paul Cook Him self Hail From old Pickens. How It All Happened
BY WALTER HARPER


 Paul Cook, our own laurel-crowned Paul, was born at Vienna. Vienna is in the extreme southern cor ner of Pickens county. There is another Vienna in Austria Hungary and there is a Vienna sausage. but neither of these refers to the subject under treatment at this time. Paul left Vienna in early infancy, not from choice but to follow his parents. who realized that the infant had been born for greater things than Pickens county could ever afford. Vienna with it's flat marshes, its sluggish river near by and it's mosquito incubators were not the best food for poetic imagery, and the cheerful pleasantries that were des- tined to bring him fame and a weekly pay envelope of chunky proportions. Immediately after the departure of Paul the town of Vienna, which had promise of becoming one of the thrift fest towns in the 'Bigbee valley, went into peaceful decline. It was unable to survive the bereavement All that re- mains to this day is the name, planta ton store and a dull, nebulous memory of the infant who walled in iambic meas ures to the accompaniment of Afro plantation melodies and the squawk of | the migrating goose. Vienna and Pickens county are still proud of Paul. and Paul is proud of Vienna and Pickens county. Pickens county produced other men ftt1 md roof in Alabama and elsewhere. It has done it's part in producing brains and brawn. It is a rugged country, with alternating hill and dale, valley and mountain. The air is fresh and invig orating. The water is pure and impreg- mated with blood building iron and sul- phur.
 To make a living in this section the pioneers had to work, and work is al- power
 The late Governor Hogg of Texas was born and reared on hogg creek. two miles from Gordo. Imagine the incre- dulity of the Lone Star politician if he had been told in the early days that man should come out of Pickens county, Alabama, even from the lowlands along Hogg creek, to rule the political des- tinies of Texas
 But it was even so. And it is said that he made a good governor. Why not?
 Back some few years ago (perhaps I had better not say how many) very young and lusty infant was born few miles west of what is now Aliceville. ten miles north of Vienna.
 At the time this infant was born there was no hint of Aliceville or even a rail- road in that part of the United States. But, strange, to say, this prodigy of hu- manity had a most miraculous and in- explainable inclination to make things 20 on wheels.
 As he grew older and more cunning in the use of his hands and brains, he carved wheels from pine bark and made strange vehicles. Electric cars had not been invented or even dreamed of but the neighbors now remember that the things he made had the appearance of trolley cars.
 Perhaps it was intuition, sixth sense, if you please, that somehow prompted him to forecast with his jack-knife one of the great industrial innovations of the future and with which he should become closely fdentlned during ms busy ana eventful life.
 I will not keep you guessing.
 The Pckens county prodigy to which I refer did not make a poet, lawyer, a governor. or even a politician, but he developed into-Robert Jemison, Sr.
 Pickens county has produced other mo- table men-men who have been and are still powers in the development and for nation of Alabama and Its policies.
 The list is long and interesting.
 Bishop Hargrove was native of Pick ems county He was born near Gordo and was a neighbor of Governor Hogg.
 Ex-Chief of Police w. E. Weir came from Pickens, and another Pickens county man aspired to that important position at the last city election In Bir- mingham-Sergt Tom Shirley, now in charge of the North Birmingham police station.
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