Jonesboro: Difference between revisions
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'''Jonesboro''' (also known as '''Fort Jonesboro''', '''Jonesborough''', and '''Old Jonesboro''') | '''Jonesboro''' (also known as '''Fort Jonesboro''', '''Jonesborough''', and '''Old Jonesboro''') was the first permanent pioneer settlement in [[Jones Valley]]. It was established in [[1813]] by settler [[John Jones]] with the help of his brother-in-law [[Caleb Friley]]. Together they blazed a wagon trail southeastward from [[Bear Meat Cabin]] ([[Blountsville]]) on the [[Huntsville Road]], and erected a timber stockade against the possibility of Indian attacks and a smithy. | ||
The settlement grew quickly as settlers, mainly from East Tennessee, pushed into the frontier. Jonesboro grew up on the banks of a small creek south of [[Hall's Creek]], near its outfall into [[Valley Creek]], southwest of present day [[Bessemer]]. The wagon road diverged at Jonesboro, with one branch continuing west as [[Tuscaloosa Road]] and the other to [[Bucksville]] through [[Roupe's Valley]]. | |||
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]]. | 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]]. | ||
[[Samuel Tarrant]], the son of settler [[James Tarrant]], established the town's leading mercantile and also operated a boarding house, where his wife, [[Ellen Tarrant|Ellen]] kept table, serving biscuits described in the ''[[Jones Valley Times]]'' as "anti-dyspeptic". He was president of the [[Salem Male and Female Academy]]. In March [[1862]] he raised the [[Jonesboro Guards]] that mustered at [[Shelby Springs]] as Company H of the [[28th Alabama Infantry Regiment]]. Another notable resident of the area was [[James McAdory]], who raised cotton on a large plantation in the valley, sending it by wagon to Tuscaloosa. His brother, [[Thomas McAdory]], lived two miles beyond town on [[Eastern Valley Road]]. Thomas' son [[Isaac McAdory]] founded the [[Pleasant Hill Academy]] in Jonesboro. Bachelor [[John Thomas]] operated a mill and cotton gin and also raised silkworms and manufactured silk handkerchiefs on Jonesboro's first loom. | |||
When the [[Alabama & Chattanooga Railroad|Alabama Great Southern Rail Road]] was constructed through Jones Valley after the [[Civil War]], its route took it about a mile southeast of the existing town, along what is now [[Alabama Avenue]]. New homes and businesses were established closer to the depot while the original settlement came to be called '''Old Jonesboro'''. The [[Blue Creek Extension]] of the [[Louisville & Nashville Railroad]]'s [[Birmingham Mineral Railroad]] later ran through the older settlement toward [[Adger]] and [[Johns]] on the [[Blue Creek Seam]] of coal. | |||
==Pioneer settlers== | ==Pioneer settlers== | ||
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* Moss, Florence Hawkins Wood (1947) ''Building Birmingham and Jefferson County.'' Birmingham: Birmingham Printing Company. | * Moss, Florence Hawkins Wood (1947) ''Building Birmingham and Jefferson County.'' Birmingham: Birmingham Printing Company. | ||
* {{Duffee-1970}} | * {{Duffee-1970}} | ||
==External links== | |||
{{Locate | lat= 33.39404 | lon=-86.98636 | zoom=15 | type=p }} | |||
[[Category:Settlements]] | [[Category:Settlements]] | ||
[[Category:Jefferson County communities]] | [[Category:Jefferson County communities]] | ||
[[Category:1813 establishments]] | [[Category:1813 establishments]] | ||
Revision as of 13:10, 3 April 2011
Jonesboro (also known as Fort Jonesboro, Jonesborough, and Old Jonesboro) was the first permanent pioneer settlement in Jones Valley. It was established in 1813 by settler John Jones with the help of his brother-in-law Caleb Friley. Together they blazed a wagon trail southeastward from Bear Meat Cabin (Blountsville) on the Huntsville Road, and erected a timber stockade against the possibility of Indian attacks and a smithy.
The settlement grew quickly as settlers, mainly from East Tennessee, pushed into the frontier. Jonesboro grew up on the banks of a small creek south of Hall's Creek, near its outfall into Valley Creek, southwest of present day Bessemer. The wagon road diverged at Jonesboro, with one branch continuing west as Tuscaloosa Road and the other to Bucksville through Roupe's Valley.
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.
Samuel Tarrant, the son of settler James Tarrant, established the town's leading mercantile and also operated a boarding house, where his wife, Ellen kept table, serving biscuits described in the Jones Valley Times as "anti-dyspeptic". He was president of the Salem Male and Female Academy. In March 1862 he raised the Jonesboro Guards that mustered at Shelby Springs as Company H of the 28th Alabama Infantry Regiment. Another notable resident of the area was James McAdory, who raised cotton on a large plantation in the valley, sending it by wagon to Tuscaloosa. His brother, Thomas McAdory, lived two miles beyond town on Eastern Valley Road. Thomas' son Isaac McAdory founded the Pleasant Hill Academy in Jonesboro. Bachelor John Thomas operated a mill and cotton gin and also raised silkworms and manufactured silk handkerchiefs on Jonesboro's first loom.
When the Alabama Great Southern Rail Road was constructed through Jones Valley after the Civil War, its route took it about a mile southeast of the existing town, along what is now Alabama Avenue. New homes and businesses were established closer to the depot while the original settlement came to be called Old Jonesboro. The Blue Creek Extension of the Louisville & Nashville Railroad's Birmingham Mineral Railroad later ran through the older settlement toward Adger and Johns on the Blue Creek Seam of coal.
Pioneer settlers
- 1814: John Jones, Caleb Friley, 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.
- Brown, Virginia Pounds and Jane Porter Nabers, eds. (1970) Mary Gordon Duffee's Sketches of Alabama. Tuscaloosa: University of Alabama Press ISBN 081735011X