Thank you so much, Will be looking forward to hearing that some one really did leave a trail! Virginia

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