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Madison County, Alabama
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Biographies
PETER R. BEASLEYOF HUNTSVILLE, ALABAMA; FIRST LIEUTENANT, 35TH
ALABAMA INFANTRY.
PeterBeasley, son of Dr. Jas. A.
Beasley, was born near Huntsville, Alabama, on the 16th of July,
1844. In his boyhood he was noted for his firmness, self-reliance,
and energy; which traits characterized him in a marked degree as he
approached manhood.
He entered the Virginia Military
Institute in the fall of 1860, and remained there until the
suspension of the school in the spring of 1861, when he went with
the battalion of cadets to Richmond, and served there as a
drill-master until the first battle of
Manassas.
Returning then to Huntsville, he
joined the 35th Alabama Infantry, in which regiment he served as a
private for some time, and was then promoted first lieutenant. In
this capacity he served until, at the battle of Corinth, in 1862, he
received a severe wound in the leg, which obliged him to return to
his home for some time. Returning from his furlough, he served with
his regiment in all its duties, an efficient and trusty officer,
until the 4th of July, 1864. On that day he was engaged in throwing
up breastworks near Marietta, Georgia. During the progress of the work Lieutenant Beasley mounted the parapet to see that it was more efficiently done. Repeatedly warned of his imminent danger, he continued cool in the discharge of what he considered his duty, until he was shot down by a ball breaking his leg.
Persistently refusing to have the limb
amputated, he would not consent to have chloroform administered by
the surgeons who examined his wound unless they gave their word of
honor that they would not amputate the limb while he was
unconscious. He was removed to Forsyth, Georgia, where after
lingering for three weeks in intense suffering, borne with soldierly
fortitude, he died on the 25th of July, 1864, aged twenty years and
nine days.
Lieutenant Beasley's decided character,
clear and vigorous intellect, and purity of morals gave promise that
he would have become a man of mark had he escaped the perils of war,
"sed dis aliter visum est."
Deeply beloved by family and friends,
the following tribute to his memory, from the pen of a lady friend,
must show, as best it can, that
estimation:
"Another brave young hero softly sleeps,
An offering to his country's honor and renown;
Another fair Corinthian
column lies,
All
crushed and broken, on the blood-stained
ground.
"Scarcely
a man, and yet so brave and good,
That
men of sober years valued his worth and truth;
And He who takes the best
the earliest hence
Looked
with immortal love upon His noble youth.
"What
a bright destiny to be so early called
From
the first conflicts of this rude, cold world!
To tread, in place of
its hot, dusty streets,
The
cool broad pavements of the onyx-stone and
pearl!"
***************
"The memory
of out noble patriot boy
Shall build the temple
of our country's fame,
Each one a classic
stone, a sacred name.
And here,in
after-years to come,
We'll bring our little
ones to learn
The
names that make us great."
Source:
Biographical sketches of the Graduates and Eleves of the Virginia
Military Institute who fell during the war between the States, by
Chas. D. Walker. Published 1875. Transcribed and submitted to
Genealogy Trails by Linda Rodriguez
MAJOR-GENERAL DANIEL BELL
BIRNEY was
born in Huntsville, Alabama, 1825. He began the practice of law in
Philadelphia in 1848, and on the outbreak of the rebellion became
lieutenant-colonel of a regiment of that city, which had volunteered
for the three months' service. The men re-enlisted for three years
and he led them as colonel. He was made brigadier-general in
February, 1862, and served with distinction in the battles of the
Peninsula, and those before Washington. He was conspicuous for
gallantry at Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville; at the latter
place his brigade, in Berry's division, warded off serious
disasters, a panic having seized the Eleventh
corps.
After the decease of General Berry, Birney took command of
the division, and became a major-general, May 23d, 1863. At
Gettysburg, when Sickles was wounded, Birney commanded the corps,
and was afterward assigned to the command of a division of the
second corps, his ability and skill being much commended in the
campaign of 1864. He participated in the movements for driving back
Lee from the Wilderness in the crossing of the North Anna, and the
Pamunkey, and in the battles of Hanover Court House, Cold Harbor,
and various others, in all of them gaining
renown.
General Grant, on the 23d of July, promoted him to the
command of the tenth corps in the Army of the James. He was ill in
October from malarious fever, and his constitution became much
impaired. He died in Philadelphia, on the 18th of October,
1864.
Source: A Complete History of
the Great Rebellion of the Civil War in the U.S. 1861-1865 with
Biographical sketches of the Principal actors in the Great Drama. By
Dr. James Moore, Published 1875 - Submitted by Linda
Rodriguez
LEDBETTER, EMMETT WALTON, banker, was born October 31, 1868, at New Hope,
Madison County; son of J. M. and Mary (McDonald) Ledbetter, who
lived at New Hope and at Anniston. He was prepared in the common
country schools, and was graduated from Southern University, B. S.,
1890. He entered the banking business at Anniston in 1890; became
cashier of the Bank of Piedmont; served as councilman of Piedmont,
1894, and 1897-1898; as mayor of Piedmont, 1896; councilman of
Sylacauga, 1901; cashier of the Bank of Sylacauga; and was a
delegate from Talladega County to the constitutional convention of
1901. He was a private in the Anniston Rifies, 1890; is a Democrat;
and a Methodist. Residence: Sylacauga.
Source: History of Alabama and
Dictionary of Alabama Biography, By Thomas McAdory Owen, Marie
Bankhead Owen, Published by The S. J. Clarke publishing company,
1921; Submitted by Barb Ziegenmeyer
LEDBETTER, W.
G., business man, was born
in 1851, in Madison County; son of John W. and Elizabeth (Glover)
'Ledbetter, natives, respectively, of Virginia and South Carolina,
the former of whom was born in 1811, and came to Alaba'ma in 1821;
grandson of Archie Ledbetter. He was reared in his native county,
and, due to the outbreak of the War of Secession, received but a
limited education. After the war, he went to New York, and for nine
years was connected with a wholesale hat business. For five years
after that time, he engaged in the manufacture of tobacco in
Lynchburg, Va., then moved to Winston, N. C., and continued the
manufacture of tobacco in that place for four years. He came to
Alabama in 1887, and located in Anniston, where, during the same
year, he assisted in the organization of the bank of that city. He
was elected vice-president of the bank of Anniston for two years,
then was elected president, and has continued to hold the latter
position. On the organization of the Piedmont Land Improvement
Company in 1890, he was chosen vice- president, and in 1892, was
elected president of the company. He was made a director of the
Anniston Land Company when it was organized; was the organizer of
the Ledbetter Land Company and is president of the Woodstock Iron
Company. He is a Baptist and a Mason. Married: in 1877, to Sarah
Draper, a native of Oxford, daughter of Daniel D. and Caroline
(Woods) Draper, natives of South Carolina. Children: 1. Ruth; 2.
Ralph; 3. Grace; 4. Willie G. Three other children are deceased.
Residence: Anniston.
Source: History of Alabama and Dictionary of Alabama
Biography, By Thomas McAdory Owen, Marie Bankhead Owen, Published by
The S. J. Clarke publishing company, 1921; Submitted by Barb
Ziegenmeyer
LEFTWICH,
JABEZ, representative in
congress,born 1762, was a native of Bedford County, Va.; educated in
the common schools; colonel of a regiment in the War of 1812; and a
representative in congress from that State, 1821-25. He removed to
Madison County, about 1827, and represented that county in the
general assembly, 1835 and 1836. He died in 1855 and left numerous
descendants in the State. Last residence: Madison County.
Source: History of Alabama and
Dictionary of Alabama Biography, By Thomas McAdory Owen, Marie
Bankhead Owen, Published by The S. J. Clarke publishing company,
1921; Submitted by Barb Ziegenmeyer
LEWIS,
DAVID PETER, lawyer, governor
of Alabama, was born in 1820, in Charlotte County, Va., and died
July 3, 1884, at Huntsville; son of Peter C. and Mary Smith (Buster)
Lewis, of Virginia. His father was of Welsh and his mother of
English ancestry. He moved to Madison County with his parents in
childhood, and grew up there, receiving a college education. He
studied law in Huntsville; was admitted to the bar; and settled in
Lawrence County where he built up a successful practice. He
represented Lawrence County in the State constitutional convention
of 1861, and voted against secession, but signed the secession
ordinance after it had been passed by the convention. He was elected
to the Confederate provisional congress at Montgomery by the
convention, but resigned his seat. In 1863 he was appointed judge of
the circuit court of Alabama by Gov. Shorter, and after holding the
position for several months, passed through the army lines to
Nashville, Tenn., where he remained until the close of the war. He
returned to Alabama in 1865, and settled in Huntsville in the
practice of his profession. He was elected governor of Alabama to
succeed Gov. Lindseys by the Republican party, in 1872, and served
until 1874. The turmoil of the reconstruction period had not yet
subsided when he entered the office, and he was unfortunate in the
period of his incumbency. He doubled the taxes on the people, and
recognized a body of Republicans claiming to be legally elected, and
since known in the history of the state as the "courthouse
legislature," and appealed to the military authorities, still
dominant in Alabama, to uphold his action. The matter was finally
referred to the attorney-general of the United States for
settlement, and under his decision the Democrats had the majority.
The Republicans, however, gained the ascendancy and secured a
majority for the election of their chosen candidate, George E.
Spencer, to the U. S. senate. The radical state officers under Gov.
Lewis spent a total of about one hundred fifty- five thousand
dollars more of the state money than the officers under the
succeeding administration. After serving his term of office, Gov.
Lewis resumed the practice of law in Huntsville. He was never
married. Last residence: Huntsville.
Source: History of Alabama and
Dictionary of Alabama Biography, By Thomas McAdory Owen, Marie
Bankhead Owen, Published by The S. J. Clarke publishing company,
1921; Submitted by Barb Ziegenmeyer
LOWE, RARTLEY M.,
merchant, brigadier general state militia, was born in Edgefield, S.
C., and died in New Orleans, La. His parents were from Maryland, of
an old family which came over from England with Lord Baltimore. His
father, who had been a captain in the Revolutionary Army, moved from
South Carolina soon after Gen. Lowe's birth, to Florida and accepted
service with the Spanish government for which he received a very
large grant of land. Gen. Lowe subsequently moved to Huntsville, and
became a successful merchant at that place, until the financial
revulsion of 1837 swept away his fortune. He was elected a brigadier
general of Alabama militia, under the major-generalship of Benjamin
Patteson. After his reverses at Huntsville, he moved to New Orleans,
and engaged in the factorage and commission merchant business, and
continued in that business until his death. Married: to Sarah Sophia
Manning. Children: 1. Sophia, b. in Huntaville, m. Col. Nicholas
Davis of Huntsville; 2. Dr. John Thomas, b. November 6, 1824, d.
about 1893, was graduated from the University of Alabama, A. B., A.
M., 1851, and from the University of Pennsylvania, M. D., 1846,
served as chief surgeon of Gen. Loring's division of infantry, C. S.
Army, War of Secession, and prfcc- ticed medicine at Aberdeen,
Miss.; 3. Robert Joseph, b. July 11. 1836, attended the University
of Alabama, studied law and was admitted to the bar, lawyer at
Huntsville, represented Madison County in the State legislature,
1859, enlisted in the first company raised in north Alabama, for the
C. S. Army, was assigned to the Fourth Alabama regiment, commanded
by Col. E. J. Jones, became a victim of camp or typhoid fever after
the forced march to Ma- nassas, and died in 1864, m. Matilda
Holding, left two sons, one of whom is Robert Joseph (q. v.); 4.
William Manning (q. v.). Last residence: New
Orleans.
Source: History of
Alabama and Dictionary of Alabama Biography, By Thomas McAdory Owen,
Marie Bankhead Owen, Published by The S. J. Clarke publishing
company, 1921; Submitted by Barb Ziegenmeyer
LOWE, ROBERT
JOSEPH, lawyer, was born January 31, 1861, at
Huntsville; son of Robert Joseph and Matilda (Holding) Lowe, of
Huntsville, the former a lawyer, who served in the State
legislature, 1859-1861, enlisted in the Fourth Alabama regiment, C.
S. Army, as a private, and died as a result of camp fever brought on
by the forced march to Manassas; grandson of Gen. Bartley M. and
Sarah Sophia (Manning) Lowe (q. v.), and of Richard Holding, of
Huntsville, who came from North Carolina to Alabama and became an
early settler of Madison County. He was educated in private schools
of Huntsville, was graduated from the law department of the
University of Alabama, LL. B., 1881, and was admitted to the bar at
Huntsville, that same year. In the fall of 1881, he moved to
Birmingham, and began the practice of law. In 1884, he became
associated with William H. Smith, former governor of Alabama, and
David D. Smith, his son, in the law firm of Smith and Lowe. He
continued in that firm for about ten years, then practiced alone. He
was a member of the State legislature, from Jefferson County, 1888-
1889; and a member of the constitutional convention of 1901 from the
state at large. He served as first sergeant of the Madison County
rifies, 1879, 1880; as first lieutenant of the Birmingham artillery,
1882; and as captain of the latter, 1883-1886. He was elected
chairman of the Democratic county executive committee, 1898-1900;
chairman of the state executive committee, 1898, 1900 and 1902;
chairman of the Democratic caucus of the constitutional convention;
was a delegate from the state at large to the national convention in
1900; and was temporary chairman of that delegation. Married: (1) in
May, 1892, at Athens, to Harriett Emily Pryor, who was killed in a
storm at Birmingham, March 25, 1901, daughter of Senator Luke Pryor
(q. v.) ; (2) in April, 1902, at Eufaula, to Carrie (Cochrane)
Jackson, daughter of Judge John Coch- rane, of Eufaula. Child, by
second marriage: Robert J., b. March 24, 1903. Residence:
Birmingham.
Source: History of Alabama and Dictionary of
Alabama Biography, By Thomas McAdory Owen, Marie Bankhead Owen,
Published by The S. J. Clarke publishing company, 1921; Submitted by
Barb Ziegenmeyer
LOWE, WILLIAM
MANNING,
lawyer, representative in
congress, was born January 16, 1842, in Huntsville. and died October
12, 1882, at Huntsville; son of Gen. Bartley M. and Sarah Sophia
(Manning) Lowe (q. v.). He attended the public schools at Florence;
the law department of the University of Tennessee, from which he was
graduated in 1860; and was a student at the University of Virginia
in 1861, when he volunteered as a private in the Fourth Alabama
infantry, C. S. Army. He was dangerously wounded at the first battle
of Manassas, and on his recovery served as lieutenant colonel on the
staff of Gen. Clanton, in Georgia, Alabama and Tennessee, until
captured at the battle of Franklin. He was held prisoner at Camp
Chase and Fort Delaware until three months after the surrender. He
was elected solicitor of the Huntsville circuit in 1865, and held
the position until ousted from office by the reconstruction measures
in 1868. In 1870, he represented Madison County in the State
legislature; was elected a delegate to the state constitutional
convention of 1875; was elected as a Greenback Democrat to the
Forty-sixth congress, 1879-1881, and successfully contested the
election of Joseph Wheeler to the Forty-seventh congress, 1882. in
which he served until his death. Last residence: "The Grove,"
Huntsville.
Source: History of Alabama and Dictionary of Alabama
Biography, By Thomas McAdory Owen, Marie Bankhead Owen, Published by
The S. J. Clarke publishing company, 1921; Submitted by Barb
Ziegenmeyer
LOWRY, SAMUEL, H.,
physician, was born October 16, 1850, in Huntsville; son of John T.
and Virginia H. (Miller) Lowry, the former of Scotch-Irish descent,
a merchant and planter at Huntsville, a member of the firm of Lowry,
Hamilton and company, merchants, and of the lumber firm of Mayhew
and Lowry, who served in the commissary department of the C. S.
Army, War of Secession, and died in 1886; grandson of Rev. Samuel
and Elizabeth (Tate) Lowry, the former a minister in the Cumberland
Presbyterian- church. He attended the schools of Huntsville and the
University of Virginia, where he began the study of medicine and was
graduated from the Bellevue hospital medical college, New York, M.
D., 1873. He began the practice of his profession later in that year
in partnership, with Dr. Dement of Huntsville, and has continued in
that place. He has served as health officer of the city of
Huntsville and the county of Madison; has acted as secretary of the
county board of censors; is a member of the Madison County medical
society; a member of the college of counsellors of the State medical
association; and a Knight of Pythias. Married: November 26, 1890, in
Huntsville, to Jimmie L., daughter of Robert L. Pulley of that
place. Children: 1. John Tate. Residence:
Huntsville.
Source: History of Alabama and Dictionary of Alabama
Biography, By Thomas McAdory Owen, Marie Bankhead Owen, Published by
The S. J. Clarke publishing company, 1921; Submitted by Barb
Ziegenmeyer
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