Meriwethers in Springfield, Greene Co., Alabama
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Meriwethers in Springfield, Greene Co., Alabama
Springfield, Greene County, Alabama was located west of the Warrior River, 11 miles northeast of Eutaw.
Joseph Meriwether and Zachary Meriwether were some of the earliest settlers, coming to the area in 1818.
Dr. Zachary Meriwether and Thomas Chiles built a saw and grist mill 1/2 mile below the bridge over Minter's Creek which furnished lumber for buildings in Sprinfield.
Meriwether's Landing was located on the Warrior River and was important to the life of Springfield. A large warehouse sat at the site for merchandise that came upriver from Mobile. In 1821 the first steamboat arrived.
Springfield thrived from 1825-1838. Two large hotels and big brick stores were located there. Expeditions into Indian Territory left from the Springfield.
Horse races were held for 6 weeks in the spring and fall. The race track was still there as late as 1860, for Mr. Brodnax, who married Rachel Meriwether and lived in the old home at Meriwether's Landing, owned and raced fine horses there. One of his horses, Daniel Boone, won the grand prize of the Cresent City Races at Metaire in 1860. The sterling silver loving cup, which is about 3 feet high, and Daniel Boone's portrait, painted by J. C. Scott the following year, are in the possession of Lewis Brodnax, a grandson of the owner who lives at the old place.
Notes on the Meriwether family taken from:
"A Goodly Heritage; Memories of Greene County [Alabama]" by the Greene County Historical Society, Eutaw, Alabama, 1977.
Page 20-21, Chapter 2, Springfield.
Joseph Meriwether and Zachary Meriwether were some of the earliest settlers, coming to the area in 1818.
Dr. Zachary Meriwether and Thomas Chiles built a saw and grist mill 1/2 mile below the bridge over Minter's Creek which furnished lumber for buildings in Sprinfield.
Meriwether's Landing was located on the Warrior River and was important to the life of Springfield. A large warehouse sat at the site for merchandise that came upriver from Mobile. In 1821 the first steamboat arrived.
Springfield thrived from 1825-1838. Two large hotels and big brick stores were located there. Expeditions into Indian Territory left from the Springfield.
Horse races were held for 6 weeks in the spring and fall. The race track was still there as late as 1860, for Mr. Brodnax, who married Rachel Meriwether and lived in the old home at Meriwether's Landing, owned and raced fine horses there. One of his horses, Daniel Boone, won the grand prize of the Cresent City Races at Metaire in 1860. The sterling silver loving cup, which is about 3 feet high, and Daniel Boone's portrait, painted by J. C. Scott the following year, are in the possession of Lewis Brodnax, a grandson of the owner who lives at the old place.
Notes on the Meriwether family taken from:
"A Goodly Heritage; Memories of Greene County [Alabama]" by the Greene County Historical Society, Eutaw, Alabama, 1977.
Page 20-21, Chapter 2, Springfield.