Happy Birthday!
JEFFERSON MANLY FALKNER
BIOGRAPHY and GENEALOGY
(b. 1843-1907)
Randolph County, Alabama
Jefferson Manly Falkner was born in Randolph county, Ala., July 14, 1843 the son of Jefferson and Samantha (Breed) Falkner.
His paternal line is of Welsh extraction, the earliest representatives in America having emigrated from Wales to Maryland in the eighteenth century. William Falkner and his wife Angeline immigrated to Maryland from Wales about 1772. William may have been an indentured servant. Their children were:
- Nathan Falkner (b. ca. 1775 SC) He married first Pamela Bussy and 2nd Margaret Robertson
- Job Falkner born 1776/7 married Mary Gulldege in North Carolina.
- Matthew Falkner
- Andrew Falkner
Job Falkner listed about was born ca. 1776/77 in Anson County, North Carolina and died in 1843 in Randolph County, Alabama. He married Mary Gulledge in North Carolina. Mary was born in 1776 in South Carolina and died in 1870 in Randolph County, Alabama. Job and Mary were listed as living in Jasper County, Georgia in the 1820 census:
Their children were:
- William Gulldege Falkner (b. March 23, 1805 Anson Co., NC d. May 16, 1891. He 1st married Nancy Laura Parker on Feb. 1828 in Randolph County, Alabama and 2nd Fadora Cloud on November 1867 in Shelby County, Alabama. William, Nancy and Fadora are buried at Old Sterrett Cemetery, Sterrett, Shelby Co., Alabama.
- Elijah Falkner was born 1808 in Anson County, NC. He married Nancy
- Jefferson Falkner, father of Jefferson Manley Falkner, was born 22 April 1810 in Jasper County, Georgia and died 22 April 1895 in Montgomery, Alabama. He married first Sarah Ann Breed on 6 December 1828, and second Sarah’s sister Samantha Breed on 8 February 1838. He was a Baptist Preacher and a lawyer. He was a veteran of the Civil War and served with Company B,. 8th Calvary Regiment, CSA.
- Mary A. Falkner was born in 1813 in Jasper County. She married Joseph Breed in Fayette County, Georgia.
- Joel D. Falkner (July 31, 1815 GA – Dec. 20, 1864 AL) married Sarah T. Ussery (1818-1877)
- Nancy Falkner was born in 1817.
- Wilson Falkner (b. 1810 SC – Nov. 1, 1872 AL) Sheriff of Randolph County, Alabama. Married Frances Burdett (b. 1813 -1897)
Jefferson Manley Falkner’s mother, Samantha Breed, is of English origin, his ancestors on his mother’s side having emigrated to Massachusetts prior to the Revolution and having given the name to the famous “Breed’s Hill” near Bunker’s Hill.
His father, Jefferson Falkner was born in Jasper county, Georgia in 1810 and moved to Randolph County, Alabama in 1832. He shortly entered public life as clerk of the county court and was afterwards elected judge of said court. Then afterwards represented Randolph and Tallapoosa counties, and later Elmore and Coosa counties as State Senator. His father was a member of the Senate and a strong advocate of the removal of the capital from Tuscaloosa to Montgomery.
He was a lawyer of distinction and practiced his profession until the last ten or fifteen years of his life, which he devoted exclusively to preaching the gospel, his services as minister of the gospel being almost entirely without remuneration.
At the outbreak of the Civil war Jefferson Falkner resided in LaFayette, Chambers county, and there raised a cavalry company known as the “Chambers Cavalry,” and went to the front as its captain in July, 1861. His command was subsequently merged into the Eighth Confederate cavalry, of which he became lieutenant-colonel, leading the advance from Columbus, Ky., and serving in all the engagements from that point to Murfreesboro, Tenn. He resigned from the service on account of failing health and his resignation was accepted just before the battle of Murfreesboro, but he remained with his command until this battle was over, taking a conspicuous part therein.
His son and subject of this sketch, Jefferson Manly Falkner, entered Mercer University at Pennfield, Ga., at the age of sixteen, but left there two years later when the war broke out to enlist in his father cavalry company. He served thirteen months as a private. He was made second lieutenant of Company B, Eighth Confederate cavalry, and subsequently first lieutenant, and before the close of the war was appointed its captain. He was in all the movements of the cavalry in Wheeler’s corps from the beginning to the end.
Jefferson Manly Falkner was struck a number of times by stray bullets, and had several horses shot from under him, but was never himself seriously injured. He served during the entire four years of the war, and was repeatedly commended for gallantry. After the surrender of General Joseph E. Johnston, he was for two years engaged in farming and milling. He began the study of law was admitted to the bar in Montgomery, Ala., in 1868 and immediately formed a partnership with his father.
In 1890 Jefferson Manly Falkner was appointed district attorney for Alabama of the Louisville & Nashville Railroad Company, a position which he has ever since filled with conspicuous ability. He was always prominent in politics, although never an office seeker, and had at all times, diligently worked for principles. He was an alderman of the City of Montgomery for four years and served two terms city attorney of Montgomery. He was national committeeman and member of the national executive committee of the National Democratic party during the campaign of 1896 and the Alabama member of the executive committee of the “Indianapolis Monetary Conference.”
On July 19, 1887, he married Lizzie, daughter of Andrew and Eliza Cameron, of Montgomery, by whom he has two sons—Jefferson Cameron Falkner and Robert Moulton Falkner. Captain Jefferson Manley Falkner was one of the best agriculturists in Alabama, and on his splendid plantation near Montgomery raised the best breeds of blooded stock, as well as grains and grasses.
He was characterized as the “Father of Good Roads” in Alabama, having inaugurated the movement which resulted in the building of magnificent macadamized roads through a great portion of the State.
Jefferson Manly Falkner was chairman of the executive committee of the Alabama Good Roads association.
In 1900, there were over 2,000 survivors of the CSA army living in Alabama. The state gave a tiny pension to these vets because the federal government (obviously) only paid pensions to Union troops. A lot of the CSA vets were injured and living in county poorhouses. Homes to care for such vets sprung up around the southern states (and one in California too).
Jefferson Manley Falkner decided to fund and build the Confederate Soldiers Home in Mountain Creek as a tribute to the valor displayed by his father, Col. Falkner, during the “War between the States,” as well as in recognition of his many magnanimous actions toward his comrades of the Confederate cause since the war, He gave 80 acres of his own (still beautiful) land for the new facility.
At first, a camp of Confederate veterans was organized at Montgomery, Ala., in 1901, by unanimous vote of the camp it was named “Camp Jeff Falkner.” This camp energetically worked to provide a Confederate veteran’s home for indigent, worthy Confederate veterans, at Mountain Creek, Ala. The vets lived in cottages, along with (sometimes) their wives and families. The state took over a few years after the home opened, after private donations faltered. The home became a 22-building complex with a 25-bed hospital. It had its own electrical and sewage system. The old men had a pond that was stocked with fish. They had meals, clothing and a place to be buried in a military grave. There are two cemeteries on the site,
There were 313 vets housed there total: 187 from Alabama, 15 women, 5 deserters. Two lived to be 112 (estimated since they didn’t have, you know, birth certificates back then). The last veteran died in 1934 and the last widow, Lula Camp, died in 1936. Once the state Legislature closed the home in 1939, the homes and outbuildings were (tragically) torn down immediately. One destroyed building was called the “Blue and Gray House,” a home that was paid for by Northern Soldiers. Sad to rip down a home that was built as a symbol of reconciliation between warring fellow Americans but the Cemetery and museum are still in existence at Mountain Creek, Chilton County, Alabama.
Captain Jefferson Manly Falkner was himself chairman of the committee on ways and means, and of the building committee. He was appointed by the governor chairman of its board of trustees. Liberal donation were made to the home from all portions of Alabama, and the legislature at its session of 1903, made an appropriation of $25,000 to complete the building of the home, and an additional appropriation of not exceeding $12,500 per annum for its support and maintenance. A large number of needy and worthy veterans are spending their declining days in this delightful haven of rest.
Jefferson Manly Faulkner was the founder of the Mountain Creek Soldiers Home.
He was born Jul 14, 1843, he died May 18, 1907.
He enlisted Aug-1861 West Point GA at the age of 18 years as a private in Captain Jefferson Faulkner’s Independent Cavalry. He later enlisted as 2nd Lt in Company B, 8th Confederate Cavalry. He was later promoted to 1st Lt. He is buried in the Confederate Memorial Park Cemetery Chilton County.
Jefferson Manley Faulkner died May 18, 1907. He is buried in the Confederate Memorial Park Cemetery Chilton County.
SOURCES
- mychampionfamilytree.com
- Notable Men of Alabama edited by Joel Campbell DuBose 1901
- Find A Grave Memorial # 14099860 # 12552444 # 12552622 # 12552646 # 31172086 # 73381020 # 73381054
This biography is included in the Book Biographies of Notable and Not-so-Notable Alabama Pioneers Vol. III
About Donna R Causey
Donna R. Causey, resident of Alabama, was a teacher in the public school system for twenty years. When she retired, Donna found time to focus on her lifetime passion for historical writing. She developed the websites www.alabamapioneers and www.daysgoneby.me All her books can be purchased at Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble. She has authored numerous genealogy books. RIBBON OF LOVE: A Novel Of Colonial America (TAPESTRY OF LOVE) is her first novel in the Tapestry of Love about her family where she uses actual characters, facts, dates and places to create a story about life as it might have happened in colonial Virginia. Faith and Courage: Tapestry of Love (Volume 2) is the second book and the third FreeHearts: A Novel of Colonial America (Book 3 in the Tapestry of Love Series) Discordance: The Cottinghams (Volume 1) is the continuation of the story. . For a complete list of books, visit Donna R Causey
