History of Tuscaloosa, (Tuscaloosa County) Alabama United States of America

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Local History Notes:

TUSCALOOSA, a thriving town, capital of Tuscaloosa co., Alabama, on the left bank of the Black Warrior river, at the head of steamboat navigation, 125 miles N. W. from Montgomery, and 818 from Washington. Lat. 33? 12' N., lon. 87? 42' W. It was formerly the capital of Alabama, and is still one of the principal towns of the state, remarkable for its literary institutions, as well as its active trade. It is the seat of the University of Alabama, founded in 1831, having 9 instructors, 135 under-graduates, and a library of 8000 volumes. The buildings of the University, which are beautifully situated half a mile from the river, cost not less than $150,000. The president's residence cost $35,000. The State Lunatic Asylum is established at this place. Tuscaloosa contains a handsome court house, a number of churches, a United States land-office, 3 or 4 newspaper offices, and several academies or seminaries. The manufacture of cotton and iron is carried on in the vicinity. Large quantities of cotton are shipped here by steamboats to Mobile. A plank-road connects this town with Montgomery, and a branch railroad is projected to the Mobile and Ohio railroad. Population in 1853, estimated at 3500.

Biographies:

Henry De Lamar Clayton, educator, was born in Pulaski county, Ga., March 7, 1827; son of Nelson and Sarah (Carruthers) Clayton. He was graduated from Emory and Henry college, Va., in 1848, and was admitted to the bar in 1849, practising in Clayton, Ala. He was a representative in the state legislature 1857-61, and then joined the Confederate army as a private. He was at once ordered to Pensacola, Fla., to take command of the Alabama troops, and on March 28, 1861, was made colonel of the 1st Alabama infantry, remaining at Pensacola for one year. He then organized the 39th Alabama regiment, which he commanded in the Kentucky campaign. He was severely wounded at the battle of Murfreesboro, and was promoted brigadier-general, being given command of five Alabama regiments. He rendered especially distinguished services at Chickamauga, Dug Gap and New Hope Church, and was promoted major-general, taking charge of what had been General Stewart's division, with which he participated in all the subsequent battles and campaigns of the army of Tennessee up to the surrender in North Carolina. After the war he returned to his plantation near Clayton, Ala. He was elected circuit judge in 1866, but was deprived of that office in 1868 by the reconstruction act of congress. He was again elected circuit judge in 1874, was re-elected in 1880 and held that office until 1886 when he resigned and was elected president of the University of Alabama at Tuscaloosa. He died while filling that office, leaving surviving him a widow, daughter of General John L. Hunter of Alabama, and seven sons and four daughters. One of his sons, Henry De Lamar Clayton, was elected as a Democrat a representative in congress, 1897-1905. Another son, B. T. Clayton of Brooklyn, N.Y., commanded the New York volunteer cavalry of the United States army in the Porto Rican campaign, 1898. Judge Clayton died at Tuscaloosa, Ala., Oct. 13, 1889.

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

Marmaduke Williams, jurist, was born in Caswell county, N.C., April 6, 1774; son of Nathaniel and Mary Ann (Williamson) Williams of Rockingham county, N.C. He received a good education, became a lawyer, and made his first appearance in public life in 1802, when he represented for one term the county of Caswell in the North Carolina state senate. He succeeded his brother, Robert Williams as representative in congress, and was twice reelected, serving throughout the 8th, 9th and 10th congresses, from Oct. 17, 1803, to March 3, 1809. In 1810 he left North Carolina and located in Huntsville, Madison county, then in the Mississippi Territory. In 1818, two years after the first settlement of "The Falls of the Black Warrior" (Tuscaloosa), Ala., he removed there and in the spring of 1819 was elected a member of the constitutional convention of Alabama from Tuscaloosa county. He was an active and useful member of the convention, and was the first member to move the expediency of the formation of a constitution and state government for Alabama. At the first state election under the constitution he was defeated for governor of the state by William W. Bibb, then the territorial governor. He rendered conspicuous service in the Alabama legislature, of which he was a member in the sessions of 1821, 1822, 1825, 1826, 1829, 1830, 1832, 1833, 1837, 1838, 1839. He was secretary of the board of trustees of the University of Alabama, from its incorporation in 1821 to 1840; and was judge of the Tuscaloosa county court, 1833-42. In 1826 he served as commissioner to adjust the unsettled territorial accounts with Mississippi. On Dec. 25, 1798, he married Mrs. Agnes Payne Harris (first cousin to Dolly Payne Madison) daughter of Robert and Anne (Burton) Payne, of Pittsylvania county, Va. She died Aug. 28, 1850, and husband and wife are buried in Tuscaloosa Thomas M. Owen of Montgomery Ala., is a grandson. Judge Marmaduke Williams died in Tuscaloosa, Ala., Oct. 29, 1850.

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

Samuel Minturn Peck, poet, was born in Tuscaloosa, Ala., Nov. 4, 1854; son of Elijah Wolsey and Lucy (Randall) Peck, and grandson of David and Christiana (Minturn) Peck, and of Samuel and Lucy (Lamb) Randall. He attended the public schools; was graduated from the University of Alabama 1876; studied medicine, and was graduated from Bellevue Hospital Medical college, N.Y., M.D., in 1879. He never practised his profession, but devoted himself to literary work, contributing his first work, a lyric entitled The Orange Tree, to the New York Evening Post in 1878. He published long and short stories in the leading periodicals and also cornposed numerous lyrics, including: A Knot of Blue; The Dimple in her Cheek; Cupid at Court; My Little Girl, and The Grape Vine Swing, all of which have been set to music. Among his published volumes are: Cap and Bells (1886); Rings and Love Knots (1893), and Rhymes and Roses (1895), all poems.

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