Shin Plasters

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

R. W. Bigger opened a livery stable--the first that had ever been opened in the town--on the 2nd of March 1838l

R. L. Downman, Geo. H. Geib, James Gantt and James D. Monk, were candidates for Justice of the Peace, for Selma Beat, at the March elections of 1838.

During the fall of 1837 and 1838, cotton sold at from five to seven cents.

There was quite an excitement during the winter of 1838, in consequence of Gen. C. W. Lea, of Perry, introducing a bill in the Legislature requiring commission Merchants to give bond to pay over assets within thirty days after receiving them, and a failure to do so should be a felony.

Among the business houses and professional men in Selma, in 1838, we can mention E. A. & D. Sanford, Hugh Ferguson, Ferguson & Boyd, Edward Weyman, Gowan & Chapman, Boyd & Adams, D. Bulkey & Co., P. J. Miller, blacksmith, Boyd & Street. Norwood & Goodwin, Walker & Brewer; and the medical profession, Dr. E. McNair, Dr. Giles M. Ormond, Dr. D. Fair, Dr. James A. Jackson, who was a Botanic practitioner, and somewhat more successful the Dr. Russum of the same line of business, and who had been in Selma some years previous.

We clip the following notice from the Selma Free Press, of May 5th 1838, to let this generation know the way forefathers, did things.

At the ringing of the Railroad Hotel bell, after tea this evening, the citizens of Selma are requested to assemble there, for the purpose of making suitable arrangements for celebrating the approaching Anniversary of our Independence. General attendance is requested.

In old times, or rather in the better times, when our beautiful city was nothing but a town, the good people never forgot the 4th of July. In 1838, the 4th was celebrated in a manner becoming every American citizen, and in the evening a splendid ball was given in the Railroad Hotel Assembly Rooms, at which Maj. Gen. G. Shearer, Lieut. W. Lawrence, Brig. Gen. J. Brantley, Lieut. J. B. Harrison, Col. Com., V. H. Gardner, Ensign E. W. Marks, Col. Com., W. T. Minter, Maj. W. Tredwell, Maj. T. J. Frow, Capt. J. F. Conoly, R. L. Downman, T. K. Kornegy, P. H. Earle and John W. Lapsley, were managers; this exhibiting to this generation how the “old folks’ did things in those days.

The winding up of the United States Bank and the suspension of the State Banks, caused, for a time, a terrible stagnation in business and trade generally; but the businessmen of Selma soon proved themselves equal to the emergency. About every business house issued “shin plasters,” which, by general consent, was good and answered all the purposes of the trade. The town Council also issued its notes of credit, and soon flush times were upon the town. Improvements again commenced. E. Parkman erected a splendid residence in a beautiful grove, on Church street, and is now known as the Tarver or Hayden Place; numerous residences were erected, as well as quite a number of business houses.

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