The Selma and Tennessee Railroad Company
From "Selma; Her Institutions, and Her Men" by John Hardy, pub. 1879:
At the following session of the Legislature, in December, 1836, a charter was obtained, books opened for subscription of stock, $300,000 subscribed, and a Board of Directors elected at a meting of the stockholders, and Gen Gilbert Shearer, President of the road. In March, 1837, Col. A. A. Dexter, of Montgomery, was employed to make a survey to Montevallo, which he did and reported to the stockholders and the first section of the road--10 miles--was put under contract on the 1st of November, 1837 David Cooper & Bros. Becoming the contractors, who at once advertised for one hundred negroes to work, for the necessary timbers & c., to carry out their contract. On the 1st day of March 1838, the following Board of Directors was elected for the Selma and Tennessee Railroad Company:
Gilbert Shearer, President; Thornton B. Goldsby, Middleton T. Woods, James C. Sharp, Daniel H. Norwood, John Brantley, Uriah Grigsby, John Tipton, and James M. Calhoun; and at which meeting the stockholders selected the present location of the S. R. & D. as the place for the depot of the road.
The Messrs. Cooper were energetic men. And shoved the work rapidly forward, until they had very nearly completed the earth work of their contract, when the treat financial troubles came upon the country, and for the want of promptness on the part of the Company they were, compelled to o=abandon the work. The Messrs. Cooper purchased the Bell Tavern from James Adams and changed its name to that of the Railroad Hotel.
Brantley’s Hotel, the present
St. James, was completed by a Stock Company, and opened to the public about this time.
J. Hinds was appointed postmaster in place of pat. McMullen, who retained the office but a short time, when he had to give way to S. W. Morley, on the 1st of March, 1838.
A public meeting was held on the 2nd day of April, 1838, and many subscribed to purchase a Fire Engine, which was afterwards purchased, brought to the town and finally, in 1873 sold to the town of Talladega, and is a good hand-engine today.
A Library was opened in 1838, Thomas Walker, librarian, but din not do well, and it soon ceased to exist only in name.
A volunteer military company was organized in April 1838 called the
Selma Rangers, of which John F. Conoly was Captain, and J. B. Harrison Orderly Sergeant. On the 3rd day of April, 1838 a meeting was held at Brantley’s Hotel to devise some plan upon which a Bank, based upon Real Estate, could be organized, at which Dr. U. Grigsby was Chairman, and T. J. froe Secretary. A committee of Gen. John Brantley, A. A. Dexter, D. H. Norwood, W. H. Fellows and M. G. Woods, was appointed to represent at a future meeting.
<- PREVIOUS PAGE | INDEX | NEXT PAGE ->
site by Com'See
