44 comments

  1. Looks like a WWI-vintage jacket.

  2. An interesting and good read.

  3. An interesting and good read.

  4. The mill Northeast of town he writes about, up toward Hubbertville, was still in use when I was a kid. Other than the stream that fed it, I doubt if much remains today.

  5. Very interesting. I enjoy the language used by the writer.

  6. Good read of our shared past. I know onw of my 2nd ggdad’s had a grist mill and blacksmith shop where Sugarland Lake is now in Blount County.

  7. The old mills are wonderful. It is unfortunate that more of them have not survived. My grandfather owned the mill in Kymulga for awhile. It is still there but not in good shape.

  8. My great grandfather Jason Whitson in front of McCalebs Mill. I have these photos and the accompanying newspaper story from years ago. Too COOL!

  9. i spent many days playing and swimming at the old water mill that grandaddy whitson used to run. He could make most anything in the blak smith shop he is standing in front of. In the fall he would make sorghum syrup on the creek bank just below the mill. Great memories

  10. So does anybody here know which McCalebs or Hollingworths owned that Mill? I have several of them in my family tree..

  11. Well, I do live between two communities that nobody has heard of and I am 30 miles from a grocery store! Lol …and I LOVE it! Maybe that’s one reason I am fascinated with pioneer days.

  12. Mr Fetner just down the road used to grind. All gone now.

  13. Daddy used to speak of going to the Grist mill. He later bought a sorghum mill. I don’t know what he did with it but it was great to hear the stories he told about using all these extinct items when he and the brothers were young. I miss that.

  14. This will almost tell my age. I remember going with my granddad, in a BUGGY, to take corn to the mill, it had to be shelled before being milled. I WAS VERY YOUNG.

  15. […] There was no such thing as sending to the store to get a sack of flour in the early days of Alabama […]

  16. The trees on the trail of tears is a great read.

  17. I’m the 3rd generation, (my son is the fourth), to live in southwest Alabama, and I just LOVE the stories of this area that come from the people who actually lived here. Thanks to all who lived, write, and post these treasures on the internet for everyone to cherish forever.

  18. Pat Jordan Hanson, Barry Jordan this is an old article about Fayette

    1. Holly I am in Millport Al by Fayette right now.

    2. Brenda Vanderbeck my grandmother was from Fayette.

    3. Holly Jordan Croomes my brother in law lived there. What is your grandmothers name?

    4. Brenda she passed in 1998 and lived in mobile area since the 40s but her maiden name was Lois Estes

  19. Love the story! Our elders knew how to get by. The wording in the story is a close resemblance of Freemasonry. Interesting. Great job to the writer!

  20. If you like history this is a pretty good read.

  21. My grandmother grew up in Fayette county, born in 1909 to sharecroppers.

  22. The share bar on this post makes the page hard to read.

  23. I’ll certainly read this afternoon. Thanks. 🙂

  24. My relatives lived in Alabama when it was known as the Mississippi Territory, 1801. Some others lived here when it was only Mvskoke Creeks and a few others. I might should mention that my family is Creek.

    1. My whole family lived in Alabama. I’m not sure when they moved to Ga but my Grandmother told me interstate 20 was a dirt road lol. I still have family their.

    2. That’s interesting! 431 has also been around a long time. It was originally known as “The Warpath” and was also a dirt road.

  25. June Smith didn’t your mom & dad live in Fayette? I thought is was interesting. Have you ever been to any of these places?

    1. Lisa, My whole family family is from Fayette. I was born there. Mothers Mom and Dad worked in the Cotton Mill. I have been to Luxpilia.

    2. June Smith I remember your mom & dad were there but wasn’t sure if you were originally from there or if they had moved back because of family! I bet those places are really interesting to see!

  26. My Daddy was born in Fayette County.

  27. Interesting, I would like to read articles like this on Cleburne and the surrounding counties. If I ever took time to read….lol

  28. Miss my grandmothers and aunts cornbread, they cooked it many times in a week!

  29. My family are from Geneva County. I love reading history.

  30. I remember a mill on clear creek I saw it when I was 4 years old it was where the spillway is at bays lake. Their were several more built on that creek. I wish I had a picture of the mill. It was built by George Cotton

  31. Henry Sanders, this might be useful in the classroom.

  32. He was also my great grandfather. It was McCalebs mill

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