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(This article appeared in the Chilton County News first in February of 1931 and again in a reproduction of that issue in November of 1983.)
(Feb. 1931) - Verbena is a village situated on the L&N Railroad, thirty-two miles north of Montgomery and sixty-four miles south of Birmingham. Its population is about five hundred, composed of both white and colored people.
It has long been noted for the culture, hospitality, and refinement of its white citizens.
Its principal agricultural products are cotton, corn, and melons, but a great variety of fruits, garden products and other crops are raised for home consumption. Its soil is principally Ruston sandy, and Ruston gravelly, and Orangeburg loam.
Its elevation varies from four hundred to five hundred feet above sea level, and it is noted for its mild and delightful climate in all seasons of the year.
Graphite is the only mineral that has been discovered in sufficient quantities to justify mining operations, yet small quantities of gold, iron, and mica have been found within four miles of its center, and are mined and marked in small quantities from time to time. The deposits of graphite on Chestnut Creek about two and one half miles east of Verbena are of the finest quality to be found in the United States, and is being mined and refined by the Flaketown Graphite Company, and is shipped to all parts of the country.
Its forests were once well covered with an abundance of pine, oak, poplar, hickory, gun, and chestnut timber, but the activities of the axemen and the saw mill men have about denuded the forests of these valuable woods. It is sad to know that these stately old pines, oaks, and other kings of the forests are gone forever, but we hope to see in their places harvests which will mean as much as did these valuable woods.
It is believed that DeSoto was the first white man to ever visit this part f Alabama. The remains of an old fort may yet be seen within four miles of Verbena, and it is believed that it was built by DeSoto. Among the early white settlers, after the Indians had been driven from this par of Alabama in 1938, were the following: The Coopers, Dennis, Nelsons, Price, and Poseys. Peter Cooper owned most all the land on which Verbena is now situated. On this land he farmed extensively with slave labor. His home was located on the hill where the residence of the late Dr. H.W. Caffey now stands. At this home he accommodated travelers going from north to south and on their returning journeys. Traders with great droves of mules from Tennessee and Kentucky, making their toilsome journeys to the great cotton plantations, of Central and Southern Alabama, and Louisiana; great hog drovers, with immense herds of hogs from Tennessee, making their way to the ports of New Orleans and Mobile, apple farmers, hauling their crops of apples to the southern markets; were all eager to make this their stopping place, because they knew bounteous repasts of venison, steak and wild turkey awaited them and here they would find an abundance of provender for their weary animals.
Mr. Cooper was known as the wealthiest man of his county. He owned more than a thousand acres of land, and had a sufficient number of slaves to operate all the machinery on his farm, including his saw mill, grist mill, and ginnery, located on Chestnut Creek, near the junction of Sandy and Chestnut Creeks. He lived to a ripe old age and died at his home in 1884, after rearing a large family.
The village of Verbena was founded in the year 1869. The first real residence and store of Verbena were built by Captain Norton, of “Steam Boat Fame.” The first house he built was north of Chestnut Creek, near the junction of the Knights Ferry and Higgins Ferry roads. It was on the preliminary survey of the then prospective rail-road. This building burned, and he rebuilt on a later survey of the rail-road. This house is still standing and is know as the “Norton House.”
On completion of the L & N Railroad in 1881, the depot was established and operated in part of the store of Captain Norton. This house was later moved northeast of its first location. It was occupied by Mr. Brown who later established the Brown Printing Co. of Montgomery. This house is still standing and for many years was known as the “Brown House.” It is now a part of the Verbena Service Station property.
On removal of this house the railroad erected a depot which was used until about 1910, when a new one was erected and the old one converted into a cotton shed.
A number of wealthy planters of Montgomery and Bullock Counties, and also some residents of Montgomery, desiring to escape the dreaded malaria and yellow fever diseases so prevalent during the summer months, selected Verbena as a desirable place to build their summer homes. Therefore the name “Summerville” was first given to the village. But there being another place in Alabama by this name, it was necessary to change it. There are conflicting opinions as to how the name “Verbena” came to be adopted, the most plausible being that Colonel Sayre once carried a bouquet of beautiful wild Verbena, which grew here in abundance, to the railroad station. Thos being so much admired and commented upon by others at the station, inspired the thought of naming the town “Verbena.”
Many of those who made their summer homes here found it so delightful that they made their permanent homes here, among them were Major J.C. Gibson, Colonel B.,J. Baldwin, Colonel Sayre, A.J. Brooks, Dr. J.S. Pitts, the Mitchells, Merriweathers, Williamsons, Barretts, Clisby’s, Jno. W. Hughes, Josiah Morris and others.
The accommodations being insufficient for those seeking the advantages of the summer resort, a stock company was formed and a large hotel was built in the year 1882. It was very successfully operated for many years under the name of the “Clifton House.”
A.J. Brooks established a store about 1876 in the building that is still standing and occupied by T. B. Deramus Grocery and Feed Store. He later built a large store house which is still standing now occupied by the estate of D. I. Deramus, as their main store building.
In the year 1876 F. A. Gulledge established a store in a building that he afterward tore down, and in its place built the large store building that is now occupied by his sons, J.H. and W.A. Gulledge. A number of small stores have been established and operated for a few years, but those established by Brooks and Gulledge are the oldest ones.
The stores in operation now are Gulledge Bros., Estate of D.I.Deramus, H.T. Williams, W.H. Strock, T.B. Deramus, S.D. Williams, Verbena Service Station, Hardy’s Service Station, and the Verbena Drug Company.
Some of the physicians who have practiced in Verbena for any length of time are as follows: Drs. J.J. Dawson, J.S. Pitts, Tom Davis, H.W. Caffey, S.T. Williamson, A.J. L. Dennis, T. M. Barnett, C.S. Strock, and J.D. Eiland, all of whom were successful in their profession, and prospered financially. The last two are our physicians today.
Strange as it may seem, Verbena had no bank until the year 1919, when the Bank of Verbena was organized, and opened for business in January, 1920.
In the year 1874, through the efforts of Mr. And Mrs. G.W. Paine, Mr. and Mrs. W.O. Baldwin, and Mr. and Mrs. B.J. Baldwin, Major Gibson, captain and Mrs. Norton, Colonel Sayre and others, a Methodist Church was completed. It bears the distinction of being the first church in this part of the country to have a bell. The same bell now calls its members to worship and became famous during the World War by ringing at four o’clock each afternoon, to call all the people who believed in prayer to pray for the victory of the cause for which our country was fighting.
Five years after the establishment of the Methodist Church, the Baptist Church was established through the noble efforts of Mr. Kineon Wells, A.J. Brooks, Mr. W. B. Strock, J.T. Bland, and others. The building is still standing.
The first church service held in Verbena was conducted by Reverend Walter McDaniel, and the first school was taught by Miss Bettie Bonham, in the small house across the street in front of J.W. Lett’s home.
The two-story part of the present Grammar School Building was built in 1882 by Major J.C. Gibson, Col B.J. Baldwin, Dr. J.C. Courtney, F.A. Gulledge, A.J. Brooks, W.B. Strock, J.T. Bland, Kineon Wells, and many others. In this building, Professor W. U. Acree, the first principal, taught a successful school for a number of years. In 1918 our school took on new life, and each year thereafter a new room was added and an additional teacher employed, until 1923, under the able leadership of Prof. W.E. G. Sutton, who became principal in 1921, the Verbena High School was made accredited and now ranks high among Alabama’s high schools. Verbena schools have an enrollment of nearly 400 pupils.
In 1921 and ’25 through the untiring efforts of Prof. W.E.G. Sutton, principal and J.C. Pattillo, J.H. Gulledge, and S.L. Gibson, trustees and building committee, a beautiful stone High School Building with large auditorium was erected on the hill formerly occupied by the home of Colonel B. J. Baldwin. This lot commands a splendid view of the railroad, paved highway, and the surrounding country.
Verbena receives its electricity from “Mitchell Dam,” one of Alabama Power Company’s master Hydro-Electric Power Plants on the Coosa River only seven and one half miles distant. |
