SHOOTING
IN HUNTSVILLE 1854
(Excerpt Transcribed from The Jones Valley Times (Elyton, Alabama) April 1, 1854)
James Burton was shot on Monday last by Matthew Grubbs at a public sale on the plantation of Edmund Townsend, dec’d, in the northern part of this county. The facts, so far as we have learned them are these:
Grubbs was standing near a tree when Burton rode up. Directly afterwards Burton passed near the spot where Grubbs was standing, when the latter fired on him at the distance of eight or ten paces, with a shot-gun heavily charged with large buck-shot.
The load entered his back, and came out just above his right breast. Burton sank down instantly, crying out that he was killed, and expired in about six hours. Grubbs was not arrested and soon left in direction of his residence.
There had been a previous difficulty between the parties, in which Burton treated (threatened?) Grubbs, (who is a relative of Mrs. Burton,) with great indignation, drew pistol and knife on him and forced him to make certain acknowledgements. The shooting occurred between 10 or 11 o’clock, in the midst of a crowd, who had collected to attend the sale. Two of the shot struck a fence within a few inches of one gentleman, and several others were in almost a direct range with the parties. The Sheriff reached the spot soon afterwards and went in pursuit of Grubbs, but has not yet succeeded in finding him. (Huntsville Democrat)
Old Huntsville
Additional information about location and result of the shooting: from A Dream Come True, The story of Madison County and Incidentally of Alabama and the United States Vol. 1
Hazel Green was the plantation of Edmund Townsend. It covered 2,000 acres near the crossroads acres near the crossroads and another 1,551 acres near Hazel Green. The Townsend estate was put up for sale by Samuel and John E. Townsend, executors of the plantation, in 1854. Much of the plantation was planted in cotton and literally, hundreds of slaves were used to till the soil and pick the cotton.
With the executor’s sale of the plantation went 300 slaves as well. During the sale, James Burton was shot and killed by Matthew Grubbs, who was later released, after the sheriff’s investigation determined justifiable homicide.
ALABAMA FOOTPRINTS – Volume I – IV: Four Volumes in One
The first four Alabama Footprints books have been combined into one book,
ALABAMA FOOTPRINTS Exploration
ALABAMA FOOTPRINTS Confrontation
From the time of the discovery of America restless, resolute, brave, and adventurous men and women crossed oceans and the wilderness in pursuit of their destiny. Many traveled to what would become the State of Alabama. They followed the Native American trails and their entrance into this area eventually pushed out the Native Americans. Over the years, many of their stories have been lost and/or forgotten. This book (four-books-in-one) reveals the stories published in volumes I-IV of the Alabama Footprints series.
