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Publisher's Comments
When we think of the American Revolutionary War, we usually think of the New England states, of Virginia and perhaps the Carolinas. They were the original colonies and the places where a lot of the Revolution took place. This part of what is now Alabama was the rugged western frontier. It was so far removed from the colonies, in fact, that some British loyalists migrated to the Tombigbee River settlements to escape persecution by the American patriots during the Revolution. British Gen. Cornwallis' surrender at Yorktown on Oct. 19, 1781 marked the end of the Revolution. It would be 19 years later before Washington County was created in 1800, the first county in the Mississippi Territory. It would be 31 years before Clarke County was created in 1812 out of Washington County. Three decades is a long timeespecially in the early 19th century when people didn't live long lives. That makes it unusual that so many Revolutionary veterans - "Patriots of 1776" - migrated to the Tombigbee River settlements in the early 1800s. Clarke County had an extraordinarily high number of veterans living within its boundaries-at least 23 have been authenticated. I found at least four in neighboring Washington County but I imagine there were a lot more there as well. Here is a sampling of some of these men-our first American veterans. Isaac Pugh came to what is now Clarke County about 1808 from Georgia and lived just west of what is today Grove Hill with the Choctaw Indians. He went back to Georgia and got his family and returned here in 1811. His father, Elijah Pugh, was a veteran of the Revolution. My great-great-grandfather, John Cox, migrated to the county from Georgia in 1811. He was only 16 when he joined the fight against the British and a handwritten obituary noted that he was "present at the surrender of Cornwallis at Yorktown." I used to think it was unusual that he was so young but I've learned that it was not unusual to find teenagers taking an active part in the war against the British. Other Clarke County residents who were veterans included Elias Scarborough, who at the age of 94 in 1840, was probably the oldest veteran in the county. William Armistead was a captain and a native of Virginia. He was called a man of "strong peculiarities," a gentleman of the old school, who wore knee buckles and retained English tastes and mannerisms. William Goode was described as a large slave and landholder and "influential for his time." He was a first cousin of Thomas Jefferson. Joel Rivers was an early Methodist minister and lived at Claiborne for a while. Tandy Walker saw service not only in the Revolution but also in the Creek Indian War of 1813-14 here in our area too. He was in this area in 1801. In 1812 he went to an Indian village on the Black Warrior River and rescued a woman who had been taken prisoner by the Indians in Tennessee. He was later wounded in the Battle of Burnt Corn over in Monroe County. He moved to Texas and was still living in 1840. Washington Countians who were veterans included Samuel Earle, John Fitzgerald, James LaFoy and Robert Rankin. Amonument was erected to the Clarke County veterans in 1988 on the grounds of the Clarke County Museum in Grove Hill. As we reflect on our nation's birthday and the many freedoms we enjoy, perhaps it is a good time to pay tribute to those veterans whose remains are buried in local soil. They not only bravely fought the British to achieve a new country's independence but struck out for new lands soon afterwards, helping to settle this area. They were tough, these early pioneers. *** Of course, we also need to remember all of our veterans as well as those on active duty in Iraq and other parts of the world today. We may not all agree on whether or not we should be fighting in Iraq but that should not keep us from supporting our military men and women. They deserve our support on the Fourth of July as well as the other 364 days of the year. ***
Have a safe and happy Fourth holiday. Take in some of the fireworks shows and other activities slated. Jackson, Coffeeville, Chatom, McIntosh and Thomasville are all having events to celebrate.
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