36 comments

  1. I look forward to seeing the Pioneers in my emails each day! Absolutely love the stories; prompts me to delve further into each story, place and person!

  2. Was born in Walker County. Jasper Alabama was raised mostly in Eldridge at my Grandparents own Byllor Road now live in Abilene Texas not by my choice ant it strange how the cards of life are delt out. God bless to my mom the only one of my Familey that has my back

  3. My great grandparents were from Carbon Hill.. The Powells.
    My grand mother Katie Bell Powell Barron.
    Born 6/15/09

  4. my mother’s family were from nearby – Winfield, AL – George and Belle Lewis – my mother’s name was Mary Joan Lewis Parker. My mom died in 2013 at age 76, but her sister and brother, Georgia Lewis Tucker and Lebrun William Lewis are still living in Cullman, AL

  5. Loved your videos if Carbon Hill. My Daddy’s family us from there, the Foster’s, Williams’, Knowles, and Burketts.

  6. My grandfather owned Texaco station on old 78 hwy.in in Kansas,al.in late 50s until in died in 1964,I was just 4 at the time but I remember going in the station and getting drinks out of the cooler, wish I had photos of the station . [email protected]

  7. Really enjoyed the videos, although I married a Manasco his his grandfather Dolphus Roscoe Manasco and grandmother Lou Ella (Willis) Manasco Dolphus was born in Nauvoo, Alabama, not sure where Lou Ella Willis was born, probably there close, there were a lot of Manasco that lived there and still is…

  8. Donna, you are doing an excellent job in bringing Alabama history to life. Thank you so much, I have learned much more about Alabama then I ever learned living there. I was born and raised in Talladega County, rural Alabama and spent most of my 78 years in Alabama. I retired and in 2006, I moved to California to be nearer to my children, both of which live nearby. If I were living in Alabama now; there are so many places I would visit as a result of your showcasing them on Alabama Pioneers! I have five sisters who live in Alabama and when I visit them, we will be visiting some of the places. Thank you for all you do for your readers!

  9. Thank you for the videos. I enjoyed watching them. My great grandparents were from there and I have happy memories of visiting there. My great grandparents were Jimmy and Bertha Gunter. They lived off a busy road, across the street from the Church of God of Prophecy. I am not sure when they moved there, but my grandpa died in the late 1960’s… my great grandmother lived there until we moved her out in the early 1980’s. She passed in the late 80’s. I have just started looking up the history of our family recently. I am glad I found your site!

  10. On the left, the man leaning on a concrete support is my husband’s grandfather, Gertis Sides of Carbon Hill. He died in 1996 at the age of 88. He and his wife Mellie had four sons and two daughters. The oldest son will be 90 this year, and he’s my hubby’s dad.
    This pic was taken at the community’s public well. The Sides family was one of Walker County’s first settlers generations ago. We have interesting documentation passed from father to son (and probably safely kept by mother and daughter) from migrating to America to fighting in the Revolutionary War and down through the generations. Thx for presenting this historic photo and allowing us to share some memories.

    1. Thank you for the additional information!

    2. My name is Jimmie Sides. I figure that I am kin to you in some way. I have searched my “Sides line” back to the 1500’s. Never could find any kind of documentation on Henry Sides fighting in the revolution. Please contact me. Maybe we could fill in some blanks. I am
      Sincerely yours, Jimmie

  11. Home of Hershell “Cotton” Clark, outstanding Bama running back, late ’60s.

    1. Cotton’s name is Terry Clark.

  12. Nancy, thank you so much. I’m with Mother tonight . She really enjoyed seeing this. We recognized many people including Bobby’s parents who owned a service station on Main Street. Tomorrow is Mother’s 95 th birthday. We’ll be going to church CH First Baptist on Sunday (all5 of her children) we will then go to a nieces home in Jasper for a Jim& Nicks catered dinner for fifty family members. Excited!!!

  13. Jim Langcuster Dianne Wages Pace

  14. My grandparents and dad grew up there. Buchanan and Cook family

  15. Donna R. Causey, what a treasure these films are. As most research folks understand, there is a commitment to the subject matter that requires time and attention. I am thankful for your devotion to portions of Alabama’s history.
    The paternal side of the my family (Dunn, Barnes, Plunkett, Darty) lived and survived as sharecroppers and coal miners in and around Carbon Hill/Walker county, so as a descendent who is not familiar with the area, the visual glimpse into these parts are especially valuable. Thank you again!

    1. Thank you for your comment but the real credit goes to Richard J. Barnes of Carbon Hill, who took the films and shared them on Youtube. So many old films have been lost over time.
      Donna

  16. My Paternal side of the family Sparks/Treadaway were from this area. My Uncle, Raymond “Red”Sparks owned a Service Station in Carbon Hill. I am searching for information on my Grandmother Minnie Hester Treadaway Sparks, she passed away shortly after my Father Ralph was born.

    1. Hello Carol, My name is John Hudson. I am from Treadaway family. My great grandmother was Bessie Treadaway who married Dock Johnson and they lived in Carbon Hill. Her sister was Minnie Hester Treadaway and I have a photo of ‘Aunt’ Minnie…somewhere. Red Sparks lived in Bessie & Dock’s old house in Carbon Hill until his death. I met him one time when our Treadaway and Johnson families had a reunion about 10 years ago. We talked to him at his service station and then later I learned he had died. I went by his old house where I used to spend time as a boy, but it had been changed from when I remember it….and it was just junk. I wrote a long history of the Treadaways for the Web Roots site entitled ‘The Treadaways of Fayette County’ ….if you can do a search you’ll find it. I’m sure you will find it interesting.

  17. My father was from walker county Atkins family

  18. Sure wish the Patron site had worked for me. sigh

  19. I don’t think so. I looked just like him when we were kids and my grandpa was very handsome. I’ll share it with my cousin and see what he thinks.

    1. I was just kidding around cuz it was from Carbon Hill. 🙂

  20. In the 1950s as a young boy I visited a family there they were Share croppers very sad they were very poor more like slaves

  21. I grew up in the hills around carbon hill. Down yellow jacket Rd and up frozen holler hill.

  22. A meeting of the local chapter of Mensa.

  23. This where my father’s side of the family is from.

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