History of Russellville
Franklin County, Alabama
From the pamphlet: "Northwest Alabama, Days of Yore" Vol. I, published by the Area
Agency on Ageing, Bicentennial Memorabilia, Northwest Alabama Council of Local
Governments cir. 1976-1978. History of Russellville - Submitted by the City of Russellville.
Russellville, Alabama was the first town in Franklin County. In 1815 Major William Russell and some of his officers and men in the United States Army that fought with him at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend under General Andrew Jackson came to this area and settled. This area is still spoken of as Russell Valley, in honor of Major Russell. Where these men settled is three miles southeast of the present Russellville. Major Russell and the other settlers had squatters rights on the land. He was the first white man to plant corn in the valley. He built the first log cabin and the first Baptist Church. This settlement was three miles southeast of the present Russellville. Sickness caused the town to be moved to where it is now. The old town cemetery near Sloss Lake marks the site of the pioneer cabins. Some of the tombstones of the early settlers are still standing.
The President of the United States issued a proclamation for the people of Russell’s town to go to the land office in Huntsville and bid on their land, however the Yazoo Stock Company out-bid these settlers. The settlers lost their title and Major Russell left to settle in New Burgh which is ten miles east of Russellville. The Major is buried two and a half miles south of New Burgh in Denton Hollow.
The old deed to Russellville reported five men were given the land grant from the United States Land Office in Huntsville for the land to lay out Russellville in five blocks east and west, and nine blocks north and south. The five men were: David Moore, Anthony Winston, Brice M. Garner, George W. Martin and Richard Ellis. The north and south streets were named for the following Army Generals: Carroll, Coffee, Jackson, Washington, Green and Gainer (or Gaines). The east and west streets were named for the following counties in the Alabama Territory: St. Clair, Tuscaloosa, Marion, Montgomery, Lawrence, Franklin, Lauderdale, Madison, Limestone, and Cotaco.
An article in the newspaper on November 16, 1818, said lots in Russellville would be offered at a public sale on the premises on the third Friday and Saturday of December 1818. The total price paid for this land from the government in 1818 was $9,640.33.
Russellville was first governed by trustees instead of a mayor. These first trustees were: William Lewis, Walter Otey, Humphrey Warren, Mat Clay and Arthur F. Hopkins. The county seat remained to be Russellville until it was moved to Frankfort in 1849. In 1819, Russellville was granted a charter and was incorporated by the legislature in St. Stephens.
The Board of Trustees in 1822 consisted of William S. Gray, President, and James Woffard, Secretary. In 1824, the President was Reubin Waggoner and Joseph L. Gray was Constable.
A story was published in the newspaper in the 1930’s, written by J. H. Walston. The article was entitled "Russellville of Nearly Fifty Years Ago, Contrasted with Russellville of the Present." The "Present" was referring to the 1930’s. The article referred to the time when Walston came to Russellville in 1884, there were only three stores - Wilson and Company, J. Nance, and A. W. McIntosh. There were not any cotton gins in town and only a few vehicles in the county except wagons and many of these were drawn by oxen. There were very few cooking stoves and the farming tools were not very advanced. Lights were provided by oil lamps and homemade candles. A small amount of hosiery and underwear was sold, because most of these items were made at home. Calico, cotton jeans, jersey and linsey made up the major stock of all the stores.
There was not a school house in Russellville. The school was taught in the lower floor of the Old Masonic Hall. All classes recited in the same room. (The first school was built in 1892.) The Methodist worshipped in an old frame building where the present church is now. The Baptist had a frame church where Holden’s Mill is located. The Church of Christ occupied the old Methodist Church where the Presbyterian Church now stands. There was not a Presbyterian Church then.
All of the streets in old Russellville were in very bad, muddy condition and many were cultivated. The only fuel the citizens used in the early days was wood. Freight was hauled from Tuscumbia in wagons at fifty cents per pound. Flour and salt were hauled at one dollar a barrel and cotton at one dollar and fifty cents a bale. The railroads began to bring freight in early 1880. The telegraph office was opened in 1886 also. Cotton gins around Russellville were horse drawn and ginned two to three bales a day.
Russellville now (1930) has three up to date gins with daily capacity of 50 to 60 bales each. A splendid ice plant, a large cotton mill, and up to date stone mill, a good machine shop, two hotels and a number of cafes are now located in Russellville. We now have a high school and three brick and one frame church. A new modern grammar school is being built on the site of the building that recently burned.
It has been 92 years since Mr. J. H. Walston wrote this article. The only thing left since Mr. Walston came to Russellville in 1884, is the brick home that Mr. James Wilson lived in and is today the home of Mr. Charley Underwood. It has been remodeled since it was built in 1825 by Peter Martin.
There are very few records of the Presbyterian Church in Russellville. One substantial Presbyterian family, the Nooe family, settled many years ago in Russellville and it is almost certain that this family had much to do with the establishment and progress of the Old Presbyterian Church. One member of the Nooe family was a lawyer, Judge John Nooe. He was the first graduate of the University of Alabama.
In 1889, a small group of Presbyterians in Russellville organized a Presbyterian Church. Some of these new members were: Dr. H. C. Buchanan, Miss Carrie Nooe, Miss Caroline Williams, Miss Lum Goodloe, and Mr. W. H. Key. They worshipped where the Presbyterian Church now stands at the corner of Green and Franklin streets.
The Church of Christ was organized in 1845 by Tolbert Fanning. The charter members were: Colonel Ladd, Dr. and Mrs. Ranson, Mrs. Luisa Nance, Dr. D. V. Sevier and wife, D. V. Sevier, Jr., Mr. and Mrs. W. A. Orman and Mrs. Jessie Keeton. The Old Church of Christ was located on the corner of Washington and Lawrence Streets. In 1920 a brick church was built on the corner of Washington and Madison where the Church of Christ moved.
The first Postmaster of Russellville was John Shaw in 1818. The first Mayor was Dr. J. K. Clarke, in 1887. Robert L. Morgan was the first town clerk and James E. Wilson, the first treasurer. A. D. McCord was Marshall and the Alderman were: W. H. Nance, W. S. Wilson, W. C. Hurst, J. T. Mansell and Alpha Walker.
The Mayors after Dr. Clarke in 1887 were:
In 1890 the new school was built in Russellville. The total enrollment of the new school was 106. In 1905 the first graduating class consisted of the following three pupils: Mellie Greenhill, Lillian Britnell, and Thomas Stratton Jones.
In 1911 the population of Russellville was 2006 causing the name to change from Town to City of Russellville.
In 1893 it was unlawful for the female citizens in Russellville to be on the streets after nine o’clock p.m. unescorted. The fine was set at five dollars.
The first gasoline powered automobile in Russellville was a red one seated roadster, two cylinders Maxwell. It belonged to Dr. W. A. Gresham. The second car belonged to Dr. William Clark. It was an E. M. F. made by the Studebaker Company. Mr. C. W. Wilson, Jr. opened the first car dealership with three model T. Fords.
The first store was owned by Philip O’Reilly an Irish who landed in New Orleans and walked to Franklin County.
Franklin County Bank was the First Bank, started in 1892. One of the first newspapers in Russellville was "The Weekly Hustler".
Some news items published in this were:
Honor Roll of Franklin County Academy for December 1895: Mat Clay, Bessie Corsbie, Arthur Freeman, Gordon Frederick, Mattie L. Milwee, Osia Marony, Minnie Plaxco, Mary Sibley, Etta Sandlin, Albert Willis, Annie Ezzell, Blanche Ezzell, Aurora Frederick, Ruth Gast, Loutie Mansell, Ethel Plaxco, Yancy Quinn, Selma Sandlin, Annie Sandlin, and Rebecca Waltrip.
The Municipal Election was held Monday, 1896, following the official return - Mayor D. A. Malone III. Reverend I. B. Bradley preached an interesting sermon Sunday.
We are glad to see Professor L. E. Wood on our streets again. Professor Wood is thinking of teaching in a school near here.
We are glad to see Mr. Peter Clay on our streets again. He has been confined to his room for some time with rheumatism. (Mr. Clay was a Confederate Veteran from Franklin County.)
Lawler’s Proposition: Known all men by these presents that we promise to pay to the trustees of the public schools of Franklin County five hundred dollars payable in four equal annual installments; the first one payable October 1, 1897, and the other three yearly thereafter provided William Lawler is elected Sheriff of Franklin County. The said amount is to be divided among all the public schools of said county by the county Superintendent of said county, in the same way school money arising from the general State appropriation is divided. Should we fail to pay this obligation the county Superintendent of Franklin County is authorized to sue for the sum, and we bind ourselves not to interpose any plan to such suit. Witness our hand and seal this third day of July, 1896: W. W. Lawler, J. A. Quinn, F. W. Slay, C. F. Grissom and E. A. Steel.
Russellville is now under the Mayor - Councilmen type government. Our City now has a population of about 9,000 and is 161 years old.
