Hello, I was reading your posting about the map you have of the Cahawba area, and I was wondering if you could tell me if there is mention of any Chance's purchasing or owning land there. I am a Chance decendant and I have heard that at one time some of them owned property in that area. Any help most appreciated. Norma Williamson williamson@alaweb.com Researching- CHANCE, BOUTWELL, BLALOCK, WOOD, Godwin, Parrish, Phelps, Quarles ----- Original Message ----- From: Fredreica and Paul Speyer <speyer@bellsouth.net> To: <ALDALLAS-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Friday, March 24, 2000 8:16 PM Subject: Re: [ALDALLAS-L] Rees, Pentecost, Gayle > The Map of the town of Cahawba, Ala, Dallas County, Platted 1818 - > Alabama's First State Capitol - compiled from materials on file at the > Alabama State Department of Archives and History - Compiled by A. H. > Fleming - Drawn by Harry Creagh (my relative) was drawn in 1948 as an > artists rendition of the town. I t includes drawings of an Artesian > Well, St. Luke's Episcopal Church (now somewhat standing in Martin > Station, AL), The State House (Capitol Bldg.) at Cahaba, E.M. Perine > Mansion, Methodist Church, the Clifton Kirkpatrick Home and William > Wyatt Bibb (First Governor of Alabama). The map hangs on my kitchen wall > and I see it in restaurants and outdoor sporting shops and many friends > and families' homes. It's probably still available, although I know > Harry Creagh is now dead. I have no information on the families listed > on the map, unless my family happened to know them and my father can > remeber something about them, but I've heard that the Selma Library is > GREAT for researching stuff! Good luck! > > Roseanna - I think I made a typo - it was the Crocheron Home - built > about 1821 or 1821. The name Rufus Cochran is familiar to me though. > I'll ask my Dad. > > Virginia - Here's the rest on Thomas G. Gayle: > > Rees Darrington Gayle, son of Billups ANd Pamela (Cunningham) Gayle was > born in 1820 on Basset's Creek in Clarke County and died Nov. 19, 1905 > in Selma. He was a lawyer and a planter. Only a few months old when he > lost his parents, he was reared by an uncle, Governor John Gayle, and > his cousin, Colonel John Darrington of Clarke Co and was educated by > private tutors. Later, he attended the jesuit college at Spring Hill, > near Mobile, then studied at William and Mary College, in Williamsburg, > VA. He settled in Mobile, where he entered upon a practice of law in > partnership with his uncle, Governor Gayle. In 1848, he removed to > Cahaba, where he practiced with his cousin, George W. Gayle, and where > he built a beautiful home. Cahaba was, incidentally, the first Alabama > state capital, although a house is not left standing in it today. > Colonel Rees D. Gayle's residence there was a beautiful home, shaded by > huge water oaks, china trees, mulberries and large, ripe jasmine bushes. > Its hospitable doors were ever open and it was celebrated for its > refinement and culture, it's cordial southern welcome and its > large-hearted and elegant hospitality. The artesian well on the property > was second in size to only to one on the Perine place, which was said to > be next in size to the world's largest well in Paris, France. At the > outbreak of the War Between the States, Colonel Gayle enlisted as a > private in Company F of the Cahaba Rifles, in which he served through > the four years of fighting. He refused afterwards to serve under > Republican administrations, although they offered him high places. He > was twice wounded in the battle of Seven Pines. He was a Mason and a > Presbyterian. He married in 1851, May Louse Gill, daughter of Dr. Thomas > W. and Nancy (Craig) Gill, who lived near Cahaba on the Marion-Cahaba > Road. > > Their son, Thomas G. Gayle, was a planter until his death. At the close > of his career, he also carried mail. He was a Confederate Veteran. He > married Fannie Lou Northrop, daughter of Albert and Fannie Lou (Jackson) > Northrop. Albert Northrup was also a Confederate Veteran. > > Thomas G. Gayle, son of Thomas G. and Fannie Lou (Northrup) Gayle, > attended public schools in Selma, spent two years at Dinkin's High > School, and received his Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of > Alabama in 1926. He then established his law practice in Selma, where he > continues the work down to the time of writing. > > Among his other undertakings, he is county attorney of this county at > the time of writing. He is a member of the County Bar Association and > the Alabama State Bar Association, and also belongs to the Protestant > Episcopal Church. > > In Selma, in 1933, Thomas G. Gayle married Cora Lee Adler, who died Dec > 20, 1936, daughter of Lee C. and Cora (Loeb) Adler. They became the > parents of a daughter, Lee Gayle, who was born June 21, 1934 > > This is all from that book mentioned in the earlier post; THE STORY OF > ALABAMA, copyrighted in 1949. > > The other names I have from this book (copies of pages 100 and 101) are > John H. Burton and John Alexander Jackson, MD. > > > > vgrafton wrote: > > > Thank you so much, Will be looking forward to > > hearing that some one really did leave a trail! > > Virginia > >