22 comments

  1. […] the meaning of the word, the county was named for the Indian town, Atagi, which was located on the western bank of the Alabama River where Atagi (now Autauga) Creek joined […]

  2. I was disappointed not to read of the Blount family amongst early settlers. Perhaps in another article …

  3. I’d like to see the same for Clark county

  4. Annette Windham I thought you would like to read this.

  5. Epps Tatum was on the 1816 Tax List Records of Residents for Monroe County, Mississippi Territory. (At the time of this census, Monroe County, which was formed in 1815, included all or part of every present-day county in Alabama except Washington and Madison and those counties that were created later from the Indian Territories.) Would have liked to see him listed one of the early settlers on your list!

  6. My great great grandmother Popwell,s second husband was Steven Baker that the county was named for. My father, Walter and his brother, Fate, and his father, Madison, had a grist mill and lumber mill at Kincheon on either Mullberry or Swift creek. They later moved to Clanton and had a cotton gin.

    1. There was a grist mill on Mulberry Creek. I have found several old grinding stones in the creek bed over the years. Have never seen evidence of the mill, but my grandfather told me there had been one there (would have been south/east of the Statesville Gin that is still there near Mulberry Creek on Hwy 14)

  7. The article was kind of all over the place and lost the Atagi in the dust, moving to Coosada and Elmore. The town of Washington was still in existence, though abandoned, 20 some-odd years ago. Is on what was at the time, property owned by Union Camp. We used to walk through the woods to the town and there were several homes, a school, barns, church still there. Still had implements and tools, along with some basic furnishings still in the buildings. Don’t know if it’s still there. Could see the “drag” marks from the riverbank up to town, where oxen would drag barges up from the river. Would be interesting to find out if it’s still out there. The towns of Independence & Statesville are still there, also, though not much of them. Vernon is still there; just can’t get to it any more! Is so overgrown!

  8. If not for Reuben Jordan, half of those early settlers probably would have never came. Reuben first settled near Ft. Toulouse but later moved to Coosa Co. because of yellow fever danger. Reuben Jordan fought in the War of 1812 in the area and liked it so much he talked several families into moving to the area. He brought the Elmores, Bibbs, Fitzpatricks, Ross and other families to the area. Reuben died 1840 Coosa County where the Five Star Plantation is now, just off Historic Hwy. 9.

  9. My 4th great grandfather was Isaac Funderburg born 1751, mentioned above, he was here in 1811. I have an article from the The Alabama Historical Quarterly, Spring Issue, 1941 (these can be found on-line and are free to look through) about him being one of the first jurymen to ever serve in this county. He was back and forth from Edgefield, S. C in 1800 and Georgia but ended up spending time in Autauga and died here on Oct 21, 1835. His widow, Sarah (McCarty) Funderburg lived here until her death 23 Sept 1839. I too wish there were more info for this county.

  10. My 4th great grandfather was Isaac Funderburg born 1751, mentioned above, he was here in 1811. I have an article from the The Alabama Historical Quarterly, Spring Issue, 1941 (these can be found on-line and are free to look through) about him being one of the first jurymen to ever serve in this county. He was back and forth from Edgefield, S. C in 1800 and Georgia but ended up spending time in Autauga and died here on Oct 21, 1835. His widow, Sarah (McCarty) Funderburg lived here until her death 23 Sept 1839.

  11. Thanks so much for this history! My grgrgrandparents were married in Autuaga Dec. 29, 1847. John William Blalock, and Elizabeth Jane Coker. It’s wonderful to read about the creation of Autauga and its early citizens/settlers.

    1. I’m glad you enjoyed it.

  12. Bushon Bethena Collins DeRamus

  13. The Autauga early history was very interesting. A tombstone in an early family cemetery says that Andrew Allen came from SC about 1824 to Autauga, this was a family of some means. Does anybody have information on this family. Another question….I noticed the name of John. McNeel on the list of Representatives. I have a gr-gr grand father named John McNeel Killen. Am wondering if he is possibly a grandson of John McNeel. Any help would be so appreciated

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