Stockton: Its History is as Deep as Its Woodlands by Buddy Smith, Mobile Register, July 14, 1984
STOCKTON, Ala. — The history of Stockton is as deep as its woodlands which have been the mainstay of the area's economy since the first settlers arrived here almost 200 years ago. The settlers built along the banks of Tensaw River. They set up sawmills and other forest- related ventures. Davida Hastie, resident historian who has lived here all her life, is a student of area history. She relates that the Hastie and Silver Saw Mill was once located on Hastie Lake. There was a shingle mill on Tensaw River, all on the south side of town. She said the late Paul McMillan told of a leather tanning factory at Sampson's Branch north of town.
And the word "town" is not used loosely for this rural community. Mrs. Hastie notes that Stockton was incorporated about 1839 on the site where the Bacon McMillan Veneer Mill was built years later. William Kitchens owned the land and developed part of it, laying out streets named for settlers of the area. Kitchens traded the undeveloped half of the property to Ward Taylor for half interest in a stagecoach line that ran from Stockton to Montgomery. The stage route was roughly parallel to Interstate Highway 65. Kitchens built a house where a way station for the stage was located, a couple miles up the hill from the river. There was a horse racing track on the property near the house. Horse lovers came from miles around to race their steeds on the track.
When Stockton was located onthe river, there were several hotels and saloons in town. Old timers say there were gunfights in the streets occasionally, according to stories passed down through generations.
During that period and later, ships from many parts of the world came here to take on cargoes of lumber, resin and other forest products. During the early period of Stockton history, this area was called "Tensaw" and Maj. Robert Farmar, British commandant of Mobile, had a plantation home here.
After an epidemic of yellow fever, Stockton was moved "up on the hill" away from the river in the mid 1800s. When a recent study was made on incorporating Stockton it was reported that the legislature had never officially "un-incorporated' Stockton. However, Stockton remains unincorporated today.
Most Stockton families have been here for generations. However, in recent years, people have moved here from other places to buy, build or rent homes. There have been few changes in Stockton through the years. Electric power lines came here and Highway 59 from here to Bay Minette was paved in the late 1930's.
Completion of 1-65 south of Stockton extension of Highway 59 north to Monroe County and opening of County Road 225 from here to Spanish Fort were major changes. The highways made it possible for people to live in Stockton and easily commute to jobs in Mobile, Florida, Bay Minette and other places.
Richard Lee, who operates a store and service station with his wife, Mildred, says "I think Stockton is a great place to live and raise your kids. It's close enough to jobs and recreation now with better highways. It used to be that when kids grew up here, they had to leave Stockton to find a job. Now with 1-65 and the bridge across the river swamp, more and better highways all around, we have access to many places." The Lees have operated their business since 1958. His parents, Mr. and Mrs. Edward "Bud" Lee, also live here.
One person who played an important role in the life of many people in this area was the late Isaac Pierce Mason, a dedicated educator and church worker. He was principal and teacher at Stockton Junior High School, first through ninth grades, for more than 40 years. Three of his four daughters live in|Stockton and another lives a few miles to the north in Blacksher. Lillie Mason Cox has lived in Stockton all her life. She returned from college to marry and raise a family of three sons. Mary Mason Martin received her B.S. degree from Emory University and was a nurse until she retired. She worked,in Atlanta, Ga. Conyers, Ga., and Durham, N.C. She, too, married and raised two daughters and a son before retiring to return to Stockton.
Mrs. Martin and sister, Margaret Mason, live in the old family home near the site of the school where their dad was principal. The school burned several years ago. Margaret was a medical technician and a sanitation engineer in Birmingham before retiring and returning home. Mrs. Martha Mason Earle married and moved to Blacksher where she raised a family, one son and three daughters. Another sister, Serena Mason Quinn, lives in Mobile as does a brother,Pierce Mason, retired history professor at the University of South Alabama. He also served as principal of the Stockton School for several years.
Another brother. Dr. Brown Mason, is a pediatrician in New Orleans. All of the family return to Stockton at every opportunity. During conversation with the four sisters who live here and at Blacksher, they emphasize that their father was dedicated to educating every person possible and working, in the Methodist Church.
Lillie, Margaret, Mary and Martha, while disagreeing on minor points, agreed that their father was a unique person. That opinion is shared by all those who knew him. The four daughters, in discussing their dad, emphasized that "he was a dedicated teacher and church worker. He taught many people to appreciate art, culture and the finer things in life. He taught people to appreciate history and the fine arts. His whole career was dedicated to providing a good, broad education for all."He was determined to see that public school students had the opportunity to learn about such things as social graces and appreciation for art and culture in addition to the basics of education."
The daughters remembered that one of their dad's favorite expressions was "you can't tell how far a frog will jump by looking at him." They feel that his dedication to educating students beyond the required curriculum led to many of them "jumping a lot farther than anyone ever thought they would" to successful careers in many fields. They said many former residents of Stockton had a part in developing the community's appreciation for the arts, literature, music and the finer things of life by working with young and old, black and white, through the school, churches and other groups.
One of Stockton's most popular residents for many years was"Miss Sally" Hall Johnson who operated tockton's small telephone exchange. Residents today recall the many incidents where her knowledge of what was going on in the community helped everyone.
During World War II, a Stockton G.I. in Niagara Falls, N.Y., called home collect. "Miss Sally" reacted quickly to let the other operator and the G.I. know that "there's nobody home, they all went to Mobile today."
Bill and Lil Smith who operate Live Oak Landing came here three years ago. They had moved from Zanesville, Ohio to Bay Minette 15 years ago. He retired from Kaiser Aluminum Co. in Bay Minette. They, like Stockton because "It's a quiet, clean community. It's a beautiful place with good, friendly people. We know more of the people than we did in Zanesville." The Smiths cater to hunters, fishers and campers at the landing on Tensaw River, The biggest problem is high water. The river rises out of its banks, during the winter and sometimes shuts down the hunting and fishing. It happened that way when the water came up in December, 1982, and the high water remained through May, 1983. That was disastrous for the boat landings and fishing camps. Bryant's Lower Landing, Live Oak and Bryant's Upper Landing in Stockton and Hubbert Landing at Latham north of Stockton were practically out of business for months.
Bass tournaments provide the most actions at the landings. Sometimes there are as many as five small club tourneys during a weekend. Larger, open or invitational tourneys attract many folks with boats and trailers. This keeps all hands busy launching and hauling boats at the ramps. AM. "Bill" McMillan is another lifelong resident of Stockton who followed his father into the logging and timber business. His wife, Leola, grew up in nearby Perdido. Their daughter, Linda Steele, and younger son. Bob, live in Stockton close to their parents. An older son, Tom, lives a few miles south.
Both sons are in the forest products business and all have had a go at the pole and piling end of it. Bill and Bob are currently involved in a logging operation in the river swamp. Logging and timber are a family tradition. Bill says forest products have been the mainstay of Stockton's economy since the beginning. 'There has been some pea-patch farming through the years but it has been mostly forest products," he says.
Turpentine was once a big business in the area. The Bacon McMillan Veneer Mill was the biggest industry in the area when it was operating, Bill says, and pulpwood is still a major part of the area's economy.
McMillan notes that schooners once made their way up the Tensaw River to load cypress lumber aboard. Cypress logs were rafted down the river to Mobile during the heyday of swamp logging. Rafts of gum and cypress logs were floated regularly down to Mobile until about 15 years ago, he recalls.
Lee Catrett, who has been postmaster since he succeeded Mrs. Pearl Stanton in 1967, says, there has been an increase in personal mail moving through the Stockton post office in recent years. He attributes this to the boat landings in the area. Many people move to the boat landings when they retire so they will be close to the fishing. Most live in mobile homes, he said. Catrett said the 1980 census showed 3,704 persons served by the Stockton P.O. from 1-65 to Little River. He predicts that with the opening of the Tensaw River Cypress Mill, scheduled this year, some 4,000 persons will be served by the Stockton Post Office in 1994.
Dorris Smith has lived in Stockton all his life, except 25 years he spent in the U.S. Air Force. He and his wife, Delores, who is from South Dakota, moved back to Stockton after he retired as a colonel. Their son, Dorris Edward "Tiger" Smith, born at Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., was only a few months old at the time. He left July 6 for Colorado Springs to enroll in the Air Force Academy there.
Smith flew bombers over Europe and North Africa during World War II. He flew B-17s, B-26s and B-24s in Europe. He was also Gen. George Patton's pilot and flew the general in a C-47, always with heavy fighter Escort. He also flew B-29s and F-80s in Korea. Smith said he never thought of retiring anywhere else but to Stockton. The couple raise and train bird dogs at his old family home place.
He is president of the Stockton Water System and was operator until Charles Lackey took over the job several months ago. The system was established in 1972.
Mose Washington has got to be the oldest resident of Stockton. He was born here and has watched the scene for 95 years. In his younger days, he worked at the Bacon McMillan Mill about a year. He worked for Capt. Murphy McMillan, logging in the swamp. for years. He also worked for Tom Gause, logging for the veneer mill.
Washington says people have changed more than anything else through the years. "Young folks don't respect their parents or older people any more," he said. "They don't want to work either," he added, complaining that you can't get anybody to mow your grass unless you pay them minimum wage. Inflation has been another change, he noted.
"When we built our house, we built a couple of rooms and paid for them as we went. When we saved up enough money, we would add another room. When we got through the house was paid for," Washington observed. Today, he said, people take on big debts in order to build houses and often cannot make the payments and lose the house.
In addition to the Lees' store, there are two other general stores and an auto parts business in Stockton. Ray Powell and his mother Wylene Linam operate a store and service station. Fred Linam runs a garage and used car lot next door to the store. Jeff and Dorothy Thompson operate a general store and delicatessen-. The I. T. Cassady family operates an auto parts business.
There is also a restaurant in Stockton. Charles and Bonnie Lackey operate it. It's closed on Mondays. Bill Dubuisson, wife, Elizabeth, children, Bill and Elizabeth; moved to Stockton from Mobile several years ago. They live in his grandparents old home place. She said "people in Stockton are really friendly. They'll help you. They are so trusting."