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 35° N., and between long. 84° 56′ and 88° 48′ W. from Greenwich. Its length north to south is 336 miles; its greatest breadth, 200 miles; area, 52,230 square miles. Population, 1890, 1,513,017; 1900, 1,828,697. Number of counties, sixty-six. Capital, Montgomery. De Soto leads about 1,000 men from Florida to the Mississippi.......... 1540 France claims all the Mississippi Valley ... ...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 .. .... This region from 31° to 32° 28′ N. lat., between the Mississippi and the Chattahoochee, is formed by Congress into the Mississippi Territory..... ...1798 Winthrop Sargent, of Massachusetts, appointed by President Adams first governor 1798 [Seat of government, Natchez on the Mississippi.] Spanish garrison at Fort St. Stephen relieved by Federal troops... May, 1799 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 governor 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 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 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 Spanish garrison at Fort Charlotte (Mobile) surrenders to the United States forces under General Wilkinson.. April 13, 1813 Georgia claims to include by royal charter what is now Alabama and Mississippi, and creates Houstoun county out of part 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.. .Nov. 3, 1813 General Jackson .....Nov. 9, 1813 Battle of Talladega. defeats the Indians.. 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 haba .1820 Act to establish a State university at Capt. Sam Dale's canoe fight" with Tuscaloosa passed..... .Dec. 18, 1820 [It was not opened until April 18, 1831.] Indians.... .Nov. 12, 1813 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.] 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 .... 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 all claim to the country south of the Tennessee for $65,000...... Sept. 14, 1816 Territory east of what is now Mississippi organized as the Territory of Alabama.... ....March 3, 1817 William Wyatt Bibb appointed govern- 201 or by Monroe.. Great financial convulsion in......1837 Seat of government removed to Montgomery ..1847 Population of the State about the time of its secession (whites, 526,431; negro slaves, 435,080; free negroes, 2,690)—964,..1860 1817 The General Assembly by resolution re Territorial legislature first meets at quires the governor, if a Black Repub...Jan. 19, 1818 lican be elected President of the United St. Stephens.... States in November, to order elections of counted, E. H. Moren is declared elected and is inaugurated; as ex-officio president of the Senate he then counts the votes for governor-R. B. Lindsay, 77,721; W. H. Smith, 76,292.. Nov. 26, 1870 An amicable settlement of dispute after suit to recover books, papers, etc., of the governor's office begun by Governor Lindsay. .Dec. 7, 1870 Birmingham founded (chief iron centre of Alabama)...... ....1871 University of Alabama reorganized and opened.... ...Oct. 4, 1871 George Goldthwaite, Democrat, elected United States Senator, Dec. 7, 1870; qualifies.... ....Jan. 15, 1872 Legislature passes a new election law, provides for an agricultural college, and adjourns.... ...Feb. 26, 1872 State agricultural and mechanical col..July, 1861 lege at Auburn chartered and opened Feb. 18, 1861 Seat of Confederate government removed from Montgomery to Richmond, Va...... 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 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 David P. Lewis, Republican, declared History of Alabama.] elected governor, Nov. 23, and assumes the office, recognizing the court-house legislature... .Nov. 25, 1872 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.] Nov. 18, 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 State admitted to a representation in Congress by act passed over President's Pursuant to adjournment, Dec. 21, both veto... June 25, 1868 Houses meet Jan. 13, 1873, to examine Under proclamation of Gov.-elect W. contested seats and transact business inH. Smith, June 26, the legislature as dependently until a joint resolution passsembles and ratifies the Fourteenth ed by the lower House is agreed to, inAmendment to the Constitution of the forming the governor of the organization United States... .July 13, 1868 of the General Assembly...... Feb. 1, 1873 State turned over to civil authorities Colored labor State convention meets by General Meade. . . . . . . . . . July 14, 1868 at Montgomery..... Nov. 18, 1873 Immigration convention meets at Mont- Constitutional convention meets at gomery... .June 2, 1869 Montgomery... ... Sept. 6, 1875 Governor Smith, claiming majority in New State constitution ratified by 95,State election of Nov. 8, files injunc- 672 to 30.004..... .....Nov. 16, 1875 tion restraining president of Senate from Act to fund State debt in new bonds counting votes for governor at reduced interest and surrender certain Nov. 25, 1870 securities held by the State, approved Feb. 23, 1876 Votes for lieutenant governor being |