History of Marengo County Alabama United States of America

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Local History Notes:

Population: White, 7,276: colored, 23,617. Area, 960 square miles. Woodland, all. Prairie oak and hickory uplands, with long-leaf pine and post-oak flat wood.

Acres in cotton 80,790; in corn, 43,876; in oats, 6,574; in sugar-cane, 43; in tobacco, 43; in rice, 26; in sweet potatoes. 1,138.

Approximate number of bales of cotton, 24,000.

County Seat-Linden; population, 300; 52 miles southwest of Selma.

Newspaper published at County Seat-Reporter (Democratic.)

Postoffices in the County-Clay Hill, Dayton, Demopolis, Dixon's Mills, Faunsdale, Gay's Landing, Hampden, Hoboken, Jefferson, Linden, Luther's Store, McKinley, Magnolia, Moss, Myrtlewood, Nanafalia, Nicholsville, Nixonville, Octago, Old Spring Hill, Putman, Rembert, Shiloh, Sweet Water, Tombigbee, Van Dorn, Williamsburgh.

This historic county was settled by French immigrants after the fall of Napoleon I., and was organized as a county in the year 1818. It is one of the largest counties of Alabama, containing 960 square miles, or about 615,000 acres. Its soil, for the most part, is fertile, and the uplands offer as great advantages to the agriculturist as can be found in the world, combining, as they do, healthfulness with great productiveness. It has a population of about 30,000, three-fourths of whom are blacks.

The white population is made up largely of immigrants from the older States, and their descendants, chiefly from the States of Virginia and South Carolina. Throughout its length and breadth the county possesses intelligent, substantial citizens, far above the average of agricultural communities. Prior to the war between the States the people of the upper portion of the county were noted for their wealth, culture and hospitality, and, although impoverished by the war, they yet retain the characteristics of ante-bellum days.

The northern portion of Marengo County is level, or slightly undulating. The soils vary, being partly still prairie and partly light, sandy loams. There is prevailing in some parts of this section a post-oak soil, which is heavy, sandy clay, of reddish and yellowish colors.

The county is diversified throughout with hills, plains and fertile valleys. The great stretches of prairie are broken here and there by a line of hills, which overlook vast regions of country or gaze down upon rich valleys. The several soils are black prairie, which belong to the plains; the mulatto soils, which belong to the higher tablelands, and the gray hummock. As is true throughout the counties of the Black Belt, the most valuable of these soils is the black prairie, but all are valuable under different circumstances. Over these limelands grows the mellilotus, or honey-weed, an excellent forage herb, of which stock of all kinds are exceedingly fond. Oftentimes it grows to the height of six feet, and overspreads the bare lime rock. Raisers of stock prize it quite highly for its nutritious qualities.

The cane-brake lands of Marengo are found in the northern end of the county, and extend southward about ten or fifteen miles. These lands have long been proverbial for their marvelous productive qualities.

From about the center southwards the lands become thinner with a sandy surface. About the county occur the "flat woods," which extend with varying width across the country from east to west. The average width is five or six miles. This region of flat woods is slightly undulating, and, because of the waxiness of the soil, is sought by the planter. Upon analysis, the soils of this peculiar section are found to be deficient in lime, though in some portions of it cotton grows remarkably well. Early in the spring the wild clover (lespedaza), begins to show itself in this flat woods country, and attains to the height of two or three feet. A finer grazing region was never seen than this flat woods section, which sweeps without interruption from the Tombigbee to the Alabama River. This wild clover is eagerly sought by all kinds of stock, and lasts from March or April until the coldest periods of winter. Where streams flow across the flat woods they are thickly bordered with luxuriant swamp cane.

Lower down still are the famous Rembert hills, the favorite resort of the planters of the past as a region in which to establish their homes. These high hills overlook the rich valleys which lie along Beaver Creek. Along the last named stream are outcroppings of marl beds, which lend additional richness to the soils. All these lauds-the black prairie and the brown loam on the uplands, as well as the light gray-are valuable and productive. The crops usually produced are corn, cotton, peas, sweet potatoes, millet, oats, and sugarcane. Corn and cotton thrive about equally well upon the different lands.

From: Northern Alabama: Historical and Biographical by Smith and De Land; Birmingham: 1888

Biographies:

Richard Henry Clarke, representative, was born in Marengo county, Ala., Feb. 9, 1843; son of William Edward and Rebecca R. (Raincock) Clarke. He was graduated at the University of Alabama in July, 1861, and served in the Confederate army as lieutenant in the first battalion of Alabama artillery. He was admitted to the bar in 1867, was state solicitor for Marengo county from 1872 to 1876, and prosecuting attorney of the 7th judicial circuit, 1876-77. He was a Democratic representative in the 51st, 52nd, 53rd and 54th congresses, 1889-97.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

History of Marengo County Alabama

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