Vintage

AUTAUGA COUNTY, ALABAMA

ORIGIN and NAME

Autauga County was created by the legislature on 1818 Nov. 21. The county was named for an Indian town Atagi now Autauga, which was located on the western bank of the Alabama River where Atagi creek (now Autauga Creek) ran through the county and joined the river.

It was first settled after the Creek Indian War terminated in 1814 by farmers looking for fertile soil in the area. Autauga was originally part of Montgomery County, but the territorial legislatiure of St. Stephens created the new county of Autauga on November 21, 1818 before Alabama became a State.

By Act of 1820 Dec. 13, the boundaries in the north and northwest were enlarged and on 1827 Jan. 12 the line between Autauga and Shelby counties was more definitely fixed. The Act of 1820 stated that Court should be held at Jackson's Mill on Autuaga Creek. On November 22, 1819, the territorial legislature appointed ROBERT GASTON, ZACHARIAH POPE, ALEXANDER R. HUTCHINSON, ALSY POLLARD and ZACCHAUS POWELL to select the site for a permanent county seat and to contract and supervise the construction of a courthouse, jail and public pillory.

The Indian Village of Atagi was abandoned by 1817 and the town of Washington was established on the site, named after GEORGE WASHINGTON.

CAPTAIN J. P. HOUSE, GENERAL THOMAS WOODWARD , and DR. ALEXANDER HUTCHINSON invested in the land at Atagi and offered to give the county land for the public buildings if they were located at Washington and the offer was accepted by the commissions. The brick courthouse was built by MOULTON and MURPHY and the woodwork was completed by MOUNT.

The first hotel was built by CAPTAIN HOUSE and the jail was built by THOMAS KEITH.

In 1866 part of its territory was taken to establish the new county of Elmore. In 1868 another portion of the county was taken to establish Baker, later known as Chilton County. The word "Autauga" comes from the Indian village Atagi, located on the Alabama River at the mouth of Autauga Creek.

Some of the earliest settlers were JOHN MATHEWS with his sons; WADE COX; KITCHENS; HOLBROOKS, DAVID GOSS, MOULTON, MURPHY; CHARLES RUSH and ABE GRAHAM. One of the first attorney was EDWIN FAY and the first merchants were LYNCH, TOD ROBINSON , HOLBROOKS and DOSTER; PICKETT ans LOT PORTER.

WADE COX owned the tavern and operated the ferry. REV. MARK HOWARD was the Methodist minister and Capt J. P. HOUSE was the sheriff and the first county judge was ASHBY and the next county judge was ED TERRY. First physicians were HUTCHINSON and EDWARDS.

ALVIN A. MCWHORTER was the third judge until the county seat was moved in 1830 to Kingston. HENLY BROWN, formerly the county clerk was appointed judge after McWHORTER resigned. HENLY BROWN continued in public office until he retired from public life due to his health.

JOHN A. ELMORE, SR ., the chief justice of the Court of Justices of the Peace presided over the first trial on April 12, 1820.

There were five post offices in Autuaga County, Coosada, Washington, Vernon, Independence, and Statesville. All have all but disappeared. Coosada still exists in a small way in Elmore County.

Coosada (Koasati) was an Indian town site and WILLIAM WYATT BIBB , the first governor of Alabama settled there in 1818. "The first property owners were: D. H. MAYHEW, ROSS A. POPE, JOHN D. BIBB , JOHN MCRHEA, BOLLING HALL, J. B. CLOPTON, ANN T. ROBINSON, MARY W. BIBB, MR. REESE, MR. ROBERTS, MR. DUDLEY, MR. BRADFORD and a square conveyed to GOVERNOR BIBB in trust for the 'Trustees of the Academy." Today at least half of this square is in the river as the map show the spring at the ferry landing in the center of the square, whereas now the river bank has caved and the spring is at the water's edge."

In 1868 the legislature removed the county seat to Prattville, which was named after cotton gin manufacturer Daniel Pratt. Other towns and communities include Marbury, Billingsley, Autaugaville, and Mulberry.

SOURCES

1. Owen, Thomas McAdory. History of Alabama and Dictionary of Alabama Biography. Chicago: S.J. Clarke   Publishing Co., 1921

2. Autauga Genealogical Society 

{amazon id='0788450069'}{amazon id='B000A3WWM6'}{amazon id='0028611934'}