Reminiscences about Rock Mills, Randolph, Alabama http://files.usgwarchives.net/al/randolph/newspapers/rockmills.txt ----------------------------------------------------------------------- USGENWEB PROJECT NOTICE: In keeping with the USGenWeb Project policy of providing free information on the Internet, this data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material These electronic pages cannot be reproduced in any format for profit or other gain. Copying of the files within by non-commercial individuals and libraries is encouraged. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. ALGenWeb Archives File Manager Carolyn Golowka, -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Submitted by William Fischer, Jr., February 2001 Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by William Fischer, Jr. REMINISCENCES ABOUT ROCK MILLS, ALABAMA ---------------------------- Your scribe went out to Rock Mills Sunday afternoon to spend the week with brother Fred [Fred Wilson HILL, 9 Nov 1851-9 Mar 1930, married to Sarah Rebecca HILL, 2 Jul 1856--23 Aug 1938]. It was a week of pleasure and good cheer with wife and I, after an interval of several years on a similar visit to the only brother I have living. I married in December 1875 and came to Rock Mills the next day. This enterprising cotton mill village then was the cheif [sic] mart an [sic] trading center of Randolph county. In addition to the cotton mills there were other sources of active industry in operation, embracing two or three stores, a merchant grist mill, two ginneries, blacksmith, wood, harness and shoe shops. A tannery of no mean consequence was also in full blast and paying well. But no little of the splendor and progress of Rock Mills at that time eminated [sic], no doubt, from the manufacture and sale of its famous jugware, the product of more than one factory. I was not the only idiot rapt with wonder on my first visit to know how a jug could be made with so much space within and such little mouth at the top. The sight explained the wonder beyond anyone's prior explanation. Two doctors, Trent and Taylor supplied the demand of the village and contiguous territory for miles with pills, surgery and dentistry. The nearest railroad stations were West Point and LaFayette, and mail delivery was thankfully received once a week. The product of all these industries beyond home demands was transported to the above mentioned stations in wagons. I have seen barrels of eggs thus freighted that long, rough distance without the loss of one. We often this day hear sung the inspiring melody of "Old Time Religion," which in that day was actually demonstrated in all of its pristine glory and apostolic simplicity under the auspices of such men as Fount RANDLE [Fountain P. RANDLE, d. 19 Dec 1904, aged 65 yrs, 0 mos, 0 days, making b. probably 19 Dec 1839], William HILL [8 Mar 1818--4 Aug 1887], Dickey LUMPKIN, John HIBERT, Sam STRIPLIN, Lum WHITLOCK, TRENT, TURNER, TOLER and BOGGS. With the exception of only a few of their offspring these old timers and their progeny have passed on to another clime. G. O. HILL Roanoke, March 27. (Continued Next Week) [From The Roanoke Leader (Randolph County, Alabama), 28 Apr 1920, p.6] ------------------- THE ROCK MILLS OF TODAY (Article No. 2.) ------------------- While these old timers, perhaps, more or less, have left their footprints upon the sands of time, nevertheless their mantles have fallen upon a scanty few, aside from the pastors, and the extension of word and work among the membership of the two congregations is alarmingly lacking. The greatest activity there now is toward the extension of the cotton mill to double its present capacity, and the erection of electric works which will be the main, if not the exclusive, motor power for driving the machinery. This improvement is requiring a large corps of laborers at high wages. The regular mill employees received an advance of fourteen percent on their wages last week, I was told. There has been a clean demolition of all the old ramshackle employee residences which are substituted with neat, up-to-date cottages. The splendid new school building, which is soon to be increased to still larger capacity, exclusively by the mill company, and the large school of pupils, are under the supervision and tute- [balance of sentence inadvertently not set in print]. I never before anywhere found a school more thoroughly subservient in its patronage than is accorded to the teachers of the Rock Mills school. Qualified teachers and supporting patrons in close formation scale the top always. Dr. BONNER [probably Dr. William Wallace BONNER, 1866-1947] supplies all medical demands and three stores dispense the needs for dry goods and groceries. Rink OWENS is still the favored blacksmith and without opposition. Jim BOGGS [possibly J. B. BOGGS, 20 Aug 1878--15 Apr 1951] owns and operates the only two jug factories, and still maintains the old time quality and reputation of his wares. The mill company has adopted the system in vogue of insuring all its employees without any expense to those insured, although the employees, or heirs, become the beneficiary in case of accident or death. I was told the company will build a model union church building of large accomodation [sic] in the near future. E. A. ZOBEL is the contractor for the erection of the large addition to the mill, which is now going on with a rush. Mr. BAILEY is the new superintendent of the mill and F. W. HILL [Fred Wilson, mentioned earlier], machinist. If the extension of the C. V. [Chattahoochee Valley] railway reaches Rock Mills, as there is much talk of its doing, only six or seven miles gap to [unintelligible] would be required and then that town would again claim its one time prominence, if not Roanoke's real rival. G. O. HILL [From The Roanoke Leader (Randolph County, Alabama), 12 May 1920, p.6] [All persons annotated with birth/death dates are interred at the Rock Mills cemetery] [The Chattahoochee Valley Railway was organized in 1900 and ceased operations in 1992. It ran through neighboring Chambers County between West Point, GA, and Bleecker, AL, with a stop at Lanett. See Tom Gallo's 1999 book entitled "Chattahoochee Valley Railway" for more information.]