Biography: Henry Alexander Killen born Jan. 31, 1837 – photograph

Happy Birthday!

HENRY ALEXANDER KILLEN

BIOGRAPHY and GENEALOGY

(1837-aft. 1904)

Lauderdale County, Alabama

Henry Alexander Killen, merchant, farmer, and legislator, was a self made man who by his own labor earned the esteem of those who knew him, and acquired for himself a competence. He was born at Blue Water, near Green Hill, Lauderdale county, Alabama, Jan. 31, 1837. He was a descendant of Adam Killen, who came from Ireland and settled in Averysboro, N. C.

Adam Killen’s son, James Killen, married Nancy McDougal, and lived in Averysboro, and their son, John Killen, father of Henry A., was born at Averysboro, N. C., but spent most of his life as a farmer at Green Hill, Alabama. He was many years major of a militia company. His wife, Susan (Richardson) Killen, was a daughter of John and Katie (Stutts) Richardson, and a niece of Henry Stutts, who fought in the Revolutionary war.

Henry A. Killen was reared at Green Hill and obtained a limited education there in the country schools. He became a farmer, and prospered so that in 1884 he was able to go into the mercantile business, and in this, too, he has been successful. He was regarded as one of the substantial men of Lauderdale county. At the beginning of the Civil war he enlisted as first lieutenant of Company E, Twenty-seventh Alabama regiment, and served throughout the war. His war record was commendable. He served in the Tennessee, Kentucky, Port Hudson and Vicksburg, Georgia, Nashville and Franklin campaigns, and in North Carolina, taking part in the battle of Bentonville, and surrendering at Greensboro. During the war he was never absent from roll call without leave, and was never in the hospital.

In politics he was a stanch Democrat, as was his father before him; he served on the county executive committee and as delegate to numerous State and district conventions. He was a prominent Mason, and was master of the Green Hill lodge. He was married in 1860 to Mary Allen, of Lauderdale county, who died in 1865. On July 26, 1866, he married Sallie A. Robinson, daughter of John and Marcy (Mayfield) Robinson, natives of Tennessee, of Irish descent, who lived in Lexington, Lauderdale county, Alabama.

The list of his children follows:

1. James Sharp Killen, married Jennie M. Pcden and lived at Green Hill;
2. Nettie J. Killen, married R. F. Williams and lived at Wills Point, Texas;
3. Mary Cora Killen, married J. W. Springer, and resided in Lawrenceburg, Tenn.;
4. Birdie Lee Killen, married J. W. Lumpkins, and lived at Lawrenceburg, Tenn.;
5. Daniel Fisher Killen,
6. Robert Bruce Killen,
7. Sallie Cleveland Killen, who lived at Green Hill in 1904.

Mr. Killen filled a number of responsible public offices. He was elected county commissioner in 1873, and re-elected in 1877, and served three terms in the State legislature, having been elected in 1896, 1898 and again in 1902.

Henry Alexander Killen died March 3, 1913 and  is buried in Richardson Chapel Cemetery in Lauderdale County, Alabama along with his wife, Sallie who died in 1921.

SOURCES

1. Notable Men of Alabama: Personal and Genealogical, Volume 1 edited by Joel Campbell DuBose
2. Find A Grave Memorial# 14935059 and Find A Grave Memorial# 57658486

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