Flush Times and Good Health

From "Selma; Her Institutions, and Her Men" by John Hardy, pub. 1879:

Dr Kimberly, Nathan Nolley, John C. Watrous, the present United States Distract Judge of Texas, James Cante, John B. Jones, were among the business men of the place.

In Consequence of the good health of the place and the increasing population, the increase of business commencing in 1830, and soon after, we find such business houses and men in the village as Harvey & Craig, Phillips, Franklin & Co., Sturtevant & Hill, Troup & Louis, Simpson & Berry, P. McMullen, Wykoff & Ferguson, W. H. Jordan, Fellows & Goodwin, Parsons & Ferguson, John Sturtevant, the gin maker, Douglass & Woods, Tredwell & Mills, L. (W ?). Andrews, Jere Duckworth, Dunlap & Walker, R. H. Crosswell & Co., P. I, & D. Weaver, Wm. Johnson & Co., Parkman & Philpot, W. J. & J. A. Norris, Dejarnette & swift, Woods & Goodwin, Thomas H. Cowan; and among the professional men, Col. John W. Lapsley, Thomas W. Cash, George T. Brooks, R. E. B. Baylor, Burrell Boykin, Ezekiel Pickens, W. E. Bird, Columbus W. Lea, and quite a sprinkle of younger lawyers, whose names we do not now recollect, Such physicians as Dr. E. Gantte, Dr, George Phillips, Dr. E. Embree, Dr. S. Deas, Dr. W. Randall, Dr. R. J. Lawrence, Dr. Ben. R. Hogan, Dr. Josephus D. Echols, Dr. J. Echols, Dr. J. R. Dickenson, and a half dozen or more young men in preparation for the profession.

The commerce of the place was thriving; a good class of steamers had succeeded the flat boats on the river. Shipment of cotton and produce to Mobile was almost daily, and in return all kinds of freights, at a time, bought mostly in Boston. The country had well settled up; all the good bottom lands yielded well all around the country, people both in town and country, hsd really “flush times: upon them; and the consequence was that schools churches and prayers, were forgotten for the time, and their places taken by race tracks fine house stock, and gambling. A splendid race track was opened in a field; now East Selma; the present East Selma graveyard occupies part of the track. A jockey Club, formed of such men as Gen. Gilbert Shearer, Wm. Blevins, John Blevins, Col. T. G. Goldsby, Gen. John Brantley, B. L. Sounders, and several others, of which Gen. Shearer was President. Great efforts were made every season to secure the finest stock over the course, to be found in America. Stock from Kentucky, Virginia and South Carolina, the fleetest, them days, in the world, was found entering every season on this track; the racing season was looked to with much interest as the 4th of July or the 8th of January.

The following is an advertisement we find in the Selma Courier, of Nov. 21st, 1828, which we give as a fair specimen of the sports of the time.

Jockey Club Races The Annual Races, over the Selma Course, will commence on the last Wednesday (31st day of December next)--free for any horse, mare or gelding in the United States. The Subscription List has been considerably increased since the last races, and good stabling will be provided.

        1st Day -- 3 Miles and Repeat
        2nd Day -- 2 Miles and Repeat
        3rd Day -- 1 Miles and Repeat
        4th Day --  Handy Cap, 1 Mile -- best in five.
Selma, Aug. 21, 1828.           G. Shearer, Secretary.

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