Lauderdale County, Alabama

Contributed by Lee Freeman

 

SOURCE: Florence Times, Sat., May 25, 1895, p. 3.

 

OLD VETERANS

Lauderdale Delegation at Houston.

 

Florence and Lauderdale County are well represented at the great ex-Confederate reunion at Houston, Texas. The following delegation left here Sunday night, bound for that point:

 

Judge R. O. Pickett               Capt. Andrew Brown

Judge W. B. McClure             Capt. W. T. Mitchell

W. T. Callahan                      Henry A. Killen

L. P. Kennedy                      C. W. Lemay

J. H. Martin                         Maj. J. M. Gast

J. M. Wilcoxson                    W. W. Richardson.

Capt. A. D. Ray left on Monday night.

 

 

SOURCE: Florence Times, Sat., May 9, 1896, p. 4.

 

CAMP O'NEAL.

The Old Confeds Hold a Meeting.

 

Camp O'Neal of Confederate Veterans held their annual meeting last Saturday with Maj. A. M. O'Neal in the chair.

On motion the officers were all re-elected to serve another term.

 

The following delegates were elected to the grand reunion at Richmond.  Messrs.

 

R. O. Pickett                        Cutler Smith

Jas. Wm. Morgan                  H. C. Wood

W. T. Mitchell                       Henry Killen

A. M. O'Neal                         A. C. Chisholm

J. C. Ott                               J. M. Crow.

 

Alternates- H. McVay Moore, A. T. Clemmons, L. C. Fowler.

 

A called meeting of the camp will be held on the 16th of June.

 

 

SOURCE: Florence Times, Friday, Sept. 18, 1908, p. 3.

 

U. C. Veterans' Barbecue

 

Mars Hill was the scene of a gathering of the clans last Thursday, the occasion a barbecue, given annually. Judge R. T. Simpson delivered the address of welcome, following the opening prayer by Rev. T. B. Larrimore [ sic ] . Herschel Larrimore [sic] and James Angel had charge of the refreshments and made excellent chefs. The veterans enjoyed a smoke of Jeff Davis cigars after dinner.

 

The veterans answering the roll call were:

 

R. T. Simpson               W. H. Gresham             M. R. Haley

M.R. Carroll                  R. D. Martin                 M. Malone

D. W. Howell                A. J. Walker                 S. L. Littleton

L. C. Moore                  G. A. Hale                    W. T. Callahan

J. C. Connor                  J. W. Fulton                A. P. Odom

J. J. Stutts                    W. B. Richardson         F. C. Carroll

L. B. Kennedy              B. F. Stanford              J. H. Ritter

Capt. E. L. Bickley         J. M. Angel                  W. A. Mitchell

M. B Shelton               C. W. Lemay                T. E. Jones

T. H. James                 H. C. Blalock                 E. R. Till

T. B. Larrimore             J. C. Ott                      R. B. Meadows.

 

Aleck Jones and Jim Buckingham, two colored veterans, were also on hand.

 

[Note from compiler: Black Confederate veterans were common; there were anywhere from 90,000 to 300,000 Blacks who served in Confederate armies all or part of the time. Lauderdale itself had eight Black Confederate veterans. See articles below.]

 

 

SOURCE: Florence Herald, Fri., May 22, 1903, p. 1.

 

"News Around Our Busy City:

Events of the Week in Florence and Vicinity: Things Seen, Heard and Done".

 

Uncle Reuben Patterson came down from the Canal Monday, en route to New Orleans to attend the Confederate Veterans' reunion. Uncle Reuben was the body servant of Col. Josiah Patterson during the war, and no truer or more loyal servant ever followed the fortunes of his master during those troublous times. Last year he attended the Dallas reunion and made many friends by his devotion to the old soldiers, many of whom he had not seen since the close of the war. He is as quaint as he is original, and his fund of anecdotes and war reminiscences is irresistible.

 

 

SOURCE: Florence Times, Fri., May 19, 1911, p. 1.

 

"Local News : Brief Items of Happenings in this section".

 

Among the Confederate Veterans who left Monday for the reunion at Little Rock were Reuben Patterson and Aleck Jones, who seldom miss the reunions and who are loyal to the core. It would have been a great shock to these worthy colored citizens if they had been cut off from the re-union.

 

 

SOURCE: Florence Times, Fri., Oct. 10, 1919, p. 1.

 

"The Gist of Things in City and County"

 

"Uncle" Reuben Patterson, colored, one of the landmarks of the community, and a faithful adherent to the Confederacy, attended the reunion in Atlanta.

 

 

SOURCE: Rogersville News, Thurs., Sept. 18, 1919, p. 1.

 

"Confederate Veterans Meet"

 

Every one of the seventeen Confederate Veterans who attended the picnic at Mars Hill Saturday came away from the scene of pleasure filled with delight and good things to eat. Theyy [sic] were loud in their praises and pronounced the eventa [sic] a great success in every respect. It was an occasion just devoted to pleasure. No long speeches in which they called the greatest heroes that ever shot a gun. They did the talking themselves, not in an oratorical style but in conversation and story and reminiscence. A number of the sons and daughters were present. The following Veterans were in attendance ages averaging about 70 years: Messrs. 

 

Geo. R. Koonce                J. R. Carter

R. H. ? Smith                   L. P. Kennedy

W. E. Mann                     A. E. Bresler

A. T. Clemmons               G. W. Kelley

F. M. Kelley                     T. J. Duncan

S. Y. Fowler                    D. W. Howell ( 90 years of age )

M. Malone                      T. C. Bevis

J. B. McKelvy                   G. W. Scott, and Peter Stewart,  colored.

 

-Florence Daily News.

 

 

SOURCE: Florence Times, Fri., Oct. 22, 1920, p. 3

THE VETERANS ENTERTAINED
Soldiers of the Confederacy Given Delightful Barbecue Last Friday at Mars Hill Grove.

 

On Friday of last week the Confederate Veterans were entertained at Mars Hill "camp ground" by the Sons and Daughters of the Confederacy. Twenty or more veterans were in attendance. The leading feature of the occasion was a barbecue, and it was up to the highest standard of excellence, with Mr. Herschel Larrimore [sic] as master of ceremonies, and Mr. W. B. Brown in charge of the culinary department. The entire proceedings were informal, and the social side of the proceedings was most enjoyable. Several brief addresses were made, and Mr. Wallace Porter paid a very high tribute to the heroes of the lost cause.

 

To Mr. Larrimore [sic] especially and to the charming ladies who assisted in this enjoyable occasion their guests return most cordial thanks and expressions of profound appreciation.

 

The following veterans were present :

 

Mr. G. W. Scott and wife                Mr. J. C. Carr

Mr. C. W. Lemay                           Mr. J. O. A. Pace

Mr. D. W. Howell                           Mr. A. D. Lewis

Mr. Lafayette Perkenson               Mr. J. K. R. Rains

Mr. J. W. Boyd                              Mr. A. T. Clemmons

Mr. E. C. Downs                            Mr. John Foust

Mr. T. J. Duncan                            Mr. E. D. Christian

Mr. M. W. Camper and wife            Mr. C. L. Blakely and wife

Mr. W. A. Phillips                          Mr. S. Y. Fowler

Mr. Mike Malone and wife             Mr. John Price

 

Colored-

Uncle Wash C. Wright [should be Seawright ], Uncle Reuben Patterson, Uncle Pete Stewart.

 

 

SOURCE: Florence Times, Fri., Sept. 2, 1921, p. 5.

DELIGHTFUL REUNION
Confederate Veterans Entertained at a Splendid Barbecue by Sons and Daughters.

 

On Wednesday the Sons of Confederate Veterans and the Daughters of the Confederacy entertained at a barbecue at Mars Hill the soldiers of the Confederacy. The entertainment was a very delightful one, and largely attended. The attendance, in fact, was the largest body of old soldiers held in the county for years past, numbering about fifty, all sections of the county being represented.

 

The proceedings were opened by a series of brief speeches, the orators being Messrs. R. T. Simpson, Major Downs, Senator Rogers and Col. C. W. Ashcraft. A most bountiful dinner was provided for the veterans, when Brunswick stew, barbecued lamb and pork, coffee and cake were served. During the day a photograph was taken by Mr. Landrum. The event was a most interesting one, gratifying to the guests of the occasion and duly appreciated. Among those especially contributing to the success of the occasion were Messrs. Herschel Larimore, Judge Hughston, Cal. W. Young, Senator Rogers, Charner Till, Judge Koonce, and last but not least, Billy Brown, who had charge of the culinary arrangements.

 

The following is a list of veterans who were present:

 

B. T. Allen                       H. D. Allen                       T. O. Bevis

A. E. Bresler                    J. W. Boyd                       C. L. Blakely

J. S. Brewer                    James Burtwell                 M. W. Camper

E. D. Christian                 F. W. Carroll                     John A. Copeland

D. C. Crow                      A. R. Carroll                       J. A. Duncan

T. J. Duncan                    H. A. Flynt                        John Foust

T. J. Hoodenpyle              H. R. Hill                          John W. Howell

J. L. Howell                     D. W. Howell                    C. D. Hooks

David Jones                   G. R. Koonce                    R. T. Killen

F. M. Kelly                      C. W. Lemay                    M. Malone

J. B. McKelvey                 R. F. McKee                      J. W. Nugent

J. W. O'Bryant                 John R. Price                    J. O. A. Pace

W. A. Phillips                  Lafayette Perkinson         H. C. Pruitt

W. G. Scott                     R. H. Smith                     N. J. Smith

Geo. W. Sego                 Preston Simpson              M. C. Taylor

L. B. Waits                     B. F. Williams                   Robert Cloud

Maj. E. C. Downs             George King                    J. H. Spangler

Reuben Patterson  col.

Geo. W. Seawright col.

Peter Stewart  col.

 

[Compiler's note : The picture taken by Mr. Gerry Landrum at this reunion is on display at Pope's Tavern Museum in Florence, AL.]