The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1921-11-24
BY FRANK WILLIS BARNETT

Dadeville. the county scat of Tall
lapoosa county, ten miles east of the
Tallapoosa river, from which 1t takes
its name. on the north fork OF the
Sandy river. Is the home of a cultured
people.
From the paper read before the
Dadeyille High school by Miss Olive
Stone, who won the gold medal Of
fered by the late Col. Bozeman
Rylance, some interesting data about
its early history has been gathered.
r 1t was in the early '30s, about the
time the Creeks last treaty with the
United States government, that the
few stores, including the bar,
grouped themselves together as a
trading post at the junction of the
old Georgia and Tennessee roads.
Traders bringing cattle, hogs and
fruit and other produce from Ten
nessee into southern Alabama tar
ried at the trading post on their way
to Georgia; just as today tourists In
automobiles on their way to Florida
stop overnight on the grounds In
front of the Methodist church.
But in those early days trading
was not the only attraction, for even
then there were public amusements
and while at present some grumble
at tho license of the movies, the vul-
garity of vaudeville shows and the
improper modern dances, 1t must be
admitted that there has been some
improvement over the cock pits, Che
race track and the low dives which
stretched along the Tennessee road.
First Election in 1888
Tallapoosa county was surveyed In
1892, after the treaty with the Creek
indians. County officers were elect
ed at the first election which was
held in August. 1893. w. Atkins was
the presiding Judge and Daniel G,
watson the clerk of the first county
court which was held in November
The second court convened, but
transacted no business on account of
the absence of the Judge.
Before the year 1888 had passed
several residences had been erected.
and the trading post was slowly but
surely being evolved into a commu-
nifty. In the same year five commits
sioners, Townsend, Berry, Tarver.
Bussey and Young, were appointed by
the state legislature to select site
FOR the seat of justice of Tallapoosa
county. But, while they were DELHI
Grating, court was held at Okfuske
in '33 and "a. In 1885 Dadeville was
finally selected but not without con-
siderable contention between the two
towns. showing that even at that
early stage county seat rivalry was
alive. Dadeville has. however. been
able to hold 1t from the time it was
moved from Okfuskee, near Young $
ferry.
Courthouse Dispute
Another dispute arose as to wheth-
er the courthouse should be located
at the confluence of the Georgia and
Tennessee roads or at Graefenberg, a
mile from the site. lobe Taylor was
instrumental in having it located at
the former, and the occasion was cele-
brated by a barbecue. going to show
that the appetite for cues is no new
thing.
The same year of the barbecue and
the rally, 1886. the land was surveyed
into town lots by John Broadnax, and
a small reservation was made on
Broadnax street, called Yankee
Land" which was owned by the
United States government The pro-
ceeds from the sale of the lots was
donated for the purpose of building
the courthouse.
During it's erection court was held
in a rude log structure. southwest
from the courthouse square. and near
the corner of Broadnax and Column
bus streets. The house was 20 by 90.
built of round logs, with large
cracks for ventilation, and dirt floor.
The furnishings consisted of slab
benches. The clerk and judge sat
on one side of the room, the attor-
neys and clients on the other. The
spectators stood outside and peeped
through the cracks.
Bryan First Judge
At last the two-story building
with a courtroom above and offices
below was completed. Joseph Bryan
was the first judge after the court
was moved to Dadeville. 1t was
known then as the orphans court,
but was later changed to the county
court. is now known as the probate
court. P. T. Harris was judge of the
circuit Durt, Harrison Young was
sheriff. Capt. Joseph Johnston was
county clerk and William d. Pickett,
solicitor. A brick courthouse was
built in 1860, costing $4,000, and in
1902 improvements amounting to
around $4,000 were made.
For the first IS years OF its exist