The Journal-Record - Bicentennial Edition Thursday, July 1, 1976 Section C, Page 6 THE TOWN OF HACKLEBURG WAS SETTLED BACK IN EARLY 1800 Hackleburg is an agricultural village settled in the early 1800's. the town was named by the sheep-drovers of Tennessee because of the think growth of thorny plants called hack burrs which were destructive to the fleece and fatal to the sheep as the sheep were driven through Hackleburg to the market at Tuscumbia. Hackleburg is situated at a point that was once the intersection of the Russellville Pipe and the Allen's Factory and Iuka stage coach road. Northwest of Hackleburg are traces of the old Jackson Military Road which branched from the Natchez Trace at columbia Tennessee, and crossed the Tennessee River at Muscle Shoals. Along the Jackson Military Road was strung one of the first telegraph lines in the South in 1848. U.S. 43 Highway then crossed rugged, rocky country scarcely covered with vegetation and mass. Southward were forested hills and broad lowland fields. Some of the first settlers were the FREDERICKS, COCHRANS, BOYDS, ROWES, and OSBORNS. The first post office near Hackleburg was called Chalk Bluff. It was about four miles south of town and was moved to what is known as old Hackleburg in 1885. W. W. FREDERICK was the first postmaster. W. W. OSBORN started the first store in 1884 at old Hackleburg. He also had a cotton gin, saw mill, and grist mill. the first church was the Congregational Methodist housed in a little log building about one mile south of town. some of the early members were John COLEMAN, B. P. CANTRELL, and W. W. FREDERICK. Later, from this church was organized the Methodist Church South. the building for the church was erected at town in 1889 and because of some large cedar trees the church was called Cedar Tree Methodist Church. The Baptist Church was organized July 5, 1908. Some of the charter members were: J. M. CONDEN and family, J. L. VANDIVER and family, and W. J. BRYAN and family. The Church of Christ was organized about 1912 and the Church of god about 1920. The first school was held in the little log house of the Congregational Methodist Church. When the Methodist Church was built at Cedar Tree, the school was moved there. School was held there until the school was erected on the Boyd place near the present site of the high school and elementary school in 1913. This building burned in 1921 and classes were taught in the churches until the building was erected across from J. S. WALKER residence in 1923, starting the first Hackleburg High School and Elementary School moved to the present site. The Illinois Central Railroad was under construction through Hackleburg in 1906 and the first trains 4an in 1908. During the construction of the railroad, an epidemic of small pox swept through the construction camps killing many of the men who were [then] buried in the fields aside the track. The Hackleburg depot was built in 1910 and the first depot agents were: Jess DOTY, Frank OSBORN and W. E. DOTY. The Doodle Bug, a one-coach train, became a popular transportation vehicle for the young and old. People rode the Doodle Bug to attend Fa So La singings on Sundays, to go to the doctor and dentist, shopping and to school. W. B. MIXON built the first store at the present site of Hackleburg in 1906. The post office was also moved to its present location and W. W. FREDERICK was still the postmaster. In the 1940's the Hackleburg Clinic was constructed. the earliest doctors were: Dr. BROOKS, Dr. J. B. GOGGANS, Dr. W. B. MIXON, and Dr. J. L. WILSON. Others were Dr. WISER, Dr. SHERMAN, Dr. MATTHEWS, Dr. Earnest WEST, Dr. PYLE, and Dr. Robert HOLCOMB. Hackleburg's water was supplied from the Big Cedar Tree Spring and Young had the first water wheel works on the former MIXON farm. In the late 1930's and early 40's, a convict camp was located a mile west of Hackleburg. These men helped to build the U. S. 43 Highway. On April 12, 1943, a tornado severely damaged the town of Hackleburg killing four persons, Mr. and Mrs. Bud POWELL and Mr. and Mrs. Walter MANN. Sonny JAMES of Hackleburg has become a famous and very popular country singer and musician. Among other settlers for Hackleburg were the GOWDERS, GREENS, HUDSONS, SPRAGINS, YEILDINGS, FINCHERS, HOLCOMBS, WIGINTONS, CANTRELLS, FORDS, ISOMS, MIXONS, WILSONS, PARAINS, LUNSFORDS, MILLERS, EVANS RAYS, ROBINSONS, BAKERS, GUNNINS, HOLLANDS, TAYLORS, BARNWELLS, BURELSONS, SPRATLINS, STELLS, KENNEDYS, JACKSONS, GOGGINS, INGLES, COLES, FOWLERS, MANNS, BREWERS, QUINNS, WALKERS, QUILLINS, CLARKS, CLAYS, WOODS, and CLEMENTS. The Kaolin plant was established about 1940 by the THOMAS brothers and today the plant is still known as the THOMAS Kaolin plant. there are 13 employees. The shirt factory was established in 1957 with bout 40 employees. Mid-South changed its name to Blue Bell in 1967 and there is some 450 employees today.