ALABAMA Alabama (an Indian word, meaning and occupies the territory, but relinquish "Here we rest "), a Southern State of the es her claims north of 31° after tedious Union, the twenty-second in order of ad- negotiations... ..March, 1798 mission. It lies between lat. 30° 15′ and This region from 31° to 32° 28′ N. lat., 35° N., and between long. 84° 56′ and 88° between the Mississippi and the Chatta48′ W. from Greenwich. Its length north hoochee, is formed by Congress into the to south is 336 miles; its greatest breadth, Mississippi Territory..... ....1798 200 miles; area, 52,230 square miles. Population, 1890, 1,513,017; 1900, 1,828,697. Number of counties, sixty-six. Capital, Montgomery. Winthrop Sargent, of Massachusetts, appointed by President Adams first governor 1798 [Seat of government, Natchez on the Spanish garrison at Fort St. Stephen De Soto leads about 1,000 men from Mississippi.] Florida to the Mississippi..........1540 France claims all the Mississippi Val- relieved by Federal troops....May, 1799 ley 1697 De Bienville builds Fort St. Louis on the west side of Mobile Bay..........1702 Colony removed to present site of Mobile ..1711 Fort Toulouse built by French at the confluence of the Coosa and Tallapoosa rivers Washington county, comprising all east of the Pearl River to the Chattahoochee, formed by Governor Sargent...June, 1800 First census of Washington county, showing 733 whites, 494 negro slaves, and twenty-three free negroes.... ...1800 [Mobile not included, being under Span .1714 ish rule.] All the territory now Alabama north of 31° and west to the Mississippi ceded to England by France. ...1763 [West Florida from 1764 to 1781 included much of the present territory of Alabama and Mississippi. The British province of west Florida was bounded by 32° 28′ N., while all Alabama north of 32° 28′ was in the British province of Illinois.] Spain declares war against Great Britain..... ...May 8, 1779 Don Bernardo de Galvez, Spanish gov ernor of Louisiana, captures Mobile March 14, 1780 Great Britain cedes to the United States all territory east of the Mississippi except Florida, the boundary of west Florida being again fixed at 31° N.; and cedes Florida back to Spain by treaties of.. 1783 United States forces occupy Spanish west Florida, and the district east of Pearl River and south of 31° N. is added to the Mississippi Territory...... 1812-13 A treaty between the federal government and the Chocktaw Indians confirming the cession of the territory obtained by the British from that tribe......Jan. 3, 1786 Georgia claims to include by royal char- Spanish garrison at Fort Charlotte (Moter what is now Alabama and Mississippi, bile) surrenders to the United States forces and creates Houstoun county out of part under General Wilkinson.. April 13, 1813 of Alabama north of the Tennessee River First engagement in the war with the 1785 Creek or Muscogee Indians on Burnt Corn Spain claims west Florida, 32° 28′ N., Creek... .....July 27, 1813 [The whites, under Colonel Caller, repulsed.] Fort Mimms, a stockade near the east bank of the Alabama River (now Baldwin county), is surprised at mid-day by 1,000 Creek warriors led by Weatherford and the prophet Francis. There were in the fort 245 men with arms, and 308 women and children. After a stubborn resistance till 5 P.M. they are overpowered - about fifty escape...... .Aug. 30, 1813 Battle of Tallasahatchie (now in Calhoun county). The Indians defeated by General Coffee..... 66 Congress authorizes Alabama to form a State constitution......March 2, 1819 Convention at Huntsville to frame a constitution conclude their labors Aug. 2, 1819 First General Assembly at Huntsville, forty-five representatives and twenty-two senators.... ....Oct. 25, 1819 William W. Bibb chosen governor Nov. 9, 1819 Joint resolution of Congress admitting Alabama into the Union approved by President Monroe..........Dec. 14, 1819 The seat of government removed to Ca ..Nov. 3, 1813 Battle of Talladega. General Jackson haba 1820 defeats the Indians... .Nov. 9, 1813 Act to establish a State university at Capt. Sam Dale's canoe fight" with Tuscaloosa passed.... .Dec. 18, 1820 Indians... ....Nov. 12, 1813 [It was not opened until April 18, Hillabee Town. Massacre of Indians by General White. This attack was made without the knowledge of Jackson Nov. 18, 1813 Dec. 23, 1813 Battles of Emuckfau and Enotochopco (now in Tallapoosa county). The Indians attack and are repulsed Jan. 22-24, 1814 Calebee River. Indian attack repulsed by General Floyd..........Jan. 27, 1814 General Jackson, reinforced, attacks Indians fortified at Great Horse-shoe Bend (Tohopeka) of Tallapoosa River March 27, 1814 [By this, the bloodiest battle of the war, the power of the Indians was destroyed.] 1831.] .... ...... State bank established and located at Cahaba .1820 The principal towns in Alabama were Huntsville, Claiborne, Mobile, Cahaba, St. Stephens, Florence, and Montgomery in .1820 General Lafayette received at the capital ...1824 Seat of government removed to Tuscaloosa .....1826 William Weatherford, the Indian warrior and chief at the Fort Mimms massacre, dies in Monroe county........1826 University of Alabama (non-sectarian) at Tuscaloosa opened...... .....1831 First cotton factory erected in Madison 183" Creeks cede to the United States all their lands east of the Mississippi fu. $210,000 by treaty.... ...1832 First railroad completed from Tuscum bia to Decatur, 44 miles...... ....1834 Cherokees cede their lands to the State by treaty... ...Dec. 29, 1835 [They receive $5,000,000 and 7,000,000 acres beyond the Mississippi-to remove within two years.] Indians by treaty cede to the United States nearly half the present State of Alabama.. .Aug. 9, 1814 General Jackson captures Pensacola, Fla. Nov. 7, 1814 Chickasaw Indians, by treaty, relinquish Great financial convulsion in......1837 all claim to the country south of the Seat of government removed to MontTennessee for $65,000......Sept. 14, 1816 gomery .1847 Territory east of what is now Missis- Population of the State about the time sippi organized as the Territory of Ala- of its secession (whites, 526,431; negro bama... ....March 3, 1817 slaves, 435,080; free negroes, 2,690)—964,William Wyatt Bibb appointed govern- 201 . 1860 or by Monroe... .1817 The General Assembly by resolution reTerritorial legislature first meets at quires the governor, if a Black RepubSt. Stephens..... .Jan. 19, 1818 lican be elected President of the United States in November, to order elections of counted, E. H. Moren is declared elected delegates to a constitutional convention and is inaugurated; as ex-officio presiFeb. 24, 1860 dent of the Senate he then counts the Alabama passes an ordinance of seces- votes for governor-R. B. Lindsay, 77,sion by 61 to 39; the fourth State to se- 721; W. H. Smith, 76,292.. Nov. 26, 1870 cede.... ....Jan. 11, 1861 An amicable settlement of dispute after Alabama seizes United States arsenal suit to recover books, papers, etc., of the and arms at Mobile, and occupies Forts governor's office begun by Governor LindMorgan and Gaines at entrance of Mo- say. .Dec. 7, 1870 bile Bay..... ...January, 1861 Birmingham founded (chief iron centre Provisional Congress of delegates from of Alabama)................ ...1871 six seceded States meet at Montgomery University of Alabama reorganized and Feb. 4, 1861 opened..... .Oct. 4, 1871 Adopt a provisional constitution George Goldthwaite, Democrat, elected Feb. 8, 1861 United States Senator, Dec. 7, 1870; Jefferson Davis inaugurated President qualifies..... .Jan. 15, 1872 of the Confederacy at Montgomery Legislature passes a new election law, provides for an agricultural college, and adjourns..... ... Feb. 26, 1872 State agricultural and mechanical college at Auburn chartered and opened Feb. 18, 1861 Seat of Confederate government removed from Montgomery to Richmond, Va..... ...July, 1861 There were liberated by the emancipation proclamation 435,132 slaves in Alabama.. ..Jan. 1, 1863 Confederate fleet defeated in Mobile Bay by Admiral Farragut......Aug. 5, 1864 [State furnishes to the Confederate service sixty five regiments of infantry, twelve regiments of cavalry, and twen- the latter... ty-two batteries of artillery. Brewer's History of Alabama.] Mobile evacuated by Confederate forces April 12, 1865 State convention meets and annuls ordinance of secession. . . . . . Sept. 25, 1865 New constitution adopted.. Nov. 5, 1865 [This constitution was not ratified until November, 1875.] State admitted to a representation in Congress by act passed over President's veto... .June 25, 1868 Under proclamation of Gov.-elect W. H. Smith, June 26, the legislature as sembles and ratifies the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States.. ..July 13, 1868 State turned over to civil authorities by General Meade..........July 14, 1868 Immigration convention meets at Montgomery... ..June 2, 1869 Governor Smith, claiming majority in State election of Nov. 8, files injunction restraining president of Senate from counting votes for governor 1872 Election returns of Nov. 5 disputed. Republican members of legislature organize at United States court-house in Montgomery; Democratic members at State capitol, each claiming a constitutional quorum. Governor Lindsay recognizes Nov. 18, 1872 David P. Lewis, Republican, declared elected governor, Nov. 23, and assumes the office, recognizing the court-house legislature... Nov. 25, 1872 Legislative dispute referred to Attorney-General of the United States, who proposes a compromise to take effect Dec. 18, when the Senate organizes at the capitol, the court-house Assembly continuing its sessions... .Dec. 18, 1872 Pursuant to adjournment, Dec. 21, both Houses meet Jan. 13, 1873, to examine contested seats and transact business independently until a joint resolution passed by the lower House is agreed to, informing the governor of the organization of the General Assembly...... Feb. 1, 1873 Colored labor State convention meets at Montgomery.. ..Nov. 18, 1873 Constitutional convention meets at Montgomery.. .. Sept. 6, 1875 New State constitution ratified by 95,672 to 30.004... ..... Nov. 16, 1875 Act to fund State debt in new bonds at reduced interest and surrender certain Nov. 25, 1870 securities held by the State, approved Votes for lieutenant governor being Feb. 23, 1876 |