The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-03-20

edly these II counties. assisted by Madi-
son, also a large plantation county, dom
mated the political character of the state
the first 40 years of its life. individuals
of most decisive influence in state af-
fairs may be designated as Bib, the first
governor; Martin, the eighth governor
Lyon, the fnancier, and Yancey. OF
these, Martin alone was from without the
plantation area Yet the county of Tus-
caoosa, whence Governor Martin came
possessed many large plantations.
The French founded Mobile, and pass
ing up the Alabama, built Fort Toulouse
at the junction of the Alabama and Coo
sa- A century and more later the Bona
partists founded Demopolis.
White men first acquired knowledge OF
the great plain west of the white cliffs
Of Dover -Demopolis-under the follow
ing circumstances: Governor Bienville
Little Tombigbee, now known as Jones
Bluff In the spring of 17s6 he set Out
from Mobile with an army, brought from
New Orleans, but REINFORCED there II
was a motley crowd, ''genteei merchants
gentlemen of leisure and fortune loafers
and convicts. rough but bold miners. vet
eran soldiers. sturdy and invincible Ca
nadians, monks and priests, Choctaws
and Mobilians.' (Pickett.) There was In
addition to these a company of negroes
commanded by Captain Simon, one OF
their race. The army passed UP the
-Igalee-Tom Bigbee-in barges
pfroeues batteaux, canoes, etc, bearing
many colcrs, 90 craft in all The object
was to conquer the brave Chickasaws,
between the fort and Memphis. The ex-
petition utterly failed.
Nearly 40 years later we have report
of a white mans observations. Capt.
Bernard Roman of the British post of
Pensacola traversed on foot from Mo-
bile the forests west of the Tombigbee,
striking the river above the Warrior
junction. Hamilton quotes him:
January 10, 1772. At half past 8 a. m.
proceeded. We went between high bluffs
and in two hours came the mouth of the
Tuscaloosa river on the east; little
below it is the steep. white chalky bluff
on whose top Is vast plain and some
remains of huts on 1t; the bluff Is called
Chickasaw Gallery, because from here
the savages used to annoy the French
boats going up to the fort or down
from it. The river is here full of rapids
and bad passes"
After Waterloo many of the ardent fol-
lowers of Napoleon were ordered to leave
France in three days time Hundreds
sailed for Philadelphia; soldiers in their
uniforms and their wives and daughters
in the gowns worn at the most elegant
court of Europe.
On March 8, 1877 Congress passed a
short act entitled: IAN act to set apart
and dispose of certain public lands for
the encouragement of the cultivation of
the vine and olive" The government and
the people of the United States were
then in profound sympathy with the
French, their ancient allies, and the OBJ
.vious purpose of the act was to provide
a refuge for the exiles at Philadelphia.
The lands set apart by the act were four
contiguous townships extending from
the vicinity of the present capital of
Marengo county, Linden, to the vicinity
of the capital of Hale county, Green's
boro, perhaps 10000 and more acres.
The grant and its terms, were prompt
ly accepted by the beneficiary. The first
stem was to organize the "Tombeckbee
association" composed Of the exiles. One
of their number, Charles Villars, COM
petent person, was chosen to act as agent
for the completion of the transaction
with the government. villars signed a
contract with the Secretary of the Treas
ury. William H. Crawford. The terms
were % bona fide occupancy generally
throughout the limits of the grant by
the immigrants within three years of the
date Of the contract; ca within u years
there should be at least 10 acres culti-