Jonesboro

Fort Jonesboro (also known as Old Jonesboro), established in 1813, was the first permanent pioneer settlement in Jones Valley. It was located about 3 miles southwest of Bessemer and 1 mile east of West Lake.

At the time of its founding, Jones Valley was part of the Mississippi Territory. Two men from Madison County, John Jones and his brother-in-law Caleb Fryley built a log fort, smithy and cabins. They blazed a trail connecting the site to Bear Meat Cabin (Blountsville) and attracted other settlers to the community.

Early merchants in Old Jonesboro included Hawkins and Earle, John Ayres, Mark Harris, John W. Bramlett and Ben McWhorter. William Rose Sadler erected a grist mill, and Thomas Sadler opened a tailor's shop. Hosea Holcombe settled nearby, becoming pastor of Canaan Baptist Church there in 1822. The church was founded in the home of Isaac Brown.

Pioneer settlers

• 1814: John Jones, Caleb Fryley, Andrew McLaughlin, Samuel Fields, Isaac Fields
• 1815: Williamson Hawkins, Thomas Barton, William Cowden, James Cunningham, Jonathan York, John Brown, Isaac Brown, John Wood, James H. Wood, William C. Tarrant, Henry Tarrant, James Tarrant
• 1816: John Owens, Joseph Riley, Drayton Nabers

References

• Moss, Florence Hawkins Wood (1947) Building Birmingham and Jefferson County. Birmingham: Birmingham Printing Company.