Historic Huntsville Quarterly
of
L o c a l A r c h it e c t u r e a n d P r e s e r v a t io n
Cotton Hill
C otton Hill, F ebruary 2004.
Photograph by Lakin Boyd.
V
olu m e
31, N
u m bers
1-2 , S p r
in g
/Su
m m er
2005
S ix D o l l a r s
Historic Huntsville Quarterly
o f L o c a l A r c h it e c t u r e a n d P r e s e r v a tio n
V
olum e
3 1, N
u m bers
1-2 , S p r
in g
/S u
m m er
2005
Contents
4
From the Executive D irector
A
6
nnette
P h i l p o ’t
Preservation Effort Revives a H ouse
and Inspires a Fam ily Gathering
L y n n Jo n e s
9
C otton Hill: A Rediscovered Treasure
L a k in Boyd
22
Go Slow, D o It Right:
R estoration Progress at C otton H ill
Pa t r i c i a H . R y a n
25
Luke M atthews o f C otton H ill
W
35
illiam
J. S t u b n o , Jr .
Luke M atthews in M adison C ounty
Lin d a Bayek A
llen
ISSN 10 7 4 -5 6 7 X
2 | C o n trib u to rs
Contributors
L inda Bayer A llen has been researching a n d w ritin g ab o u t H u n tsv ille’s a rc h ite c tu r­
al p ast in te rm itte n tly for th irty years. She served as ed ito r o f th e H isto ric H u n tsv ille
Q uarterly for five years a n d is re tire d fro m th e C ity o f H u n tsv ille P lan n in g
D e p a rtm e n t.
L akin Boyd is a retire d a rt a n d a rt h isto ry professor, presen tly teac h in g as a n a d ­
ju n c t professor at C a lh o u n C o m m u n ity College.
Lynn Jones, lo ng-tim e F o u n d atio n m em b er a n d fo rm er officer a n d b o a rd m em ber,
is o ne o f th e ed ito rs o f th e Quarterly.
A n n ette P h ilp o ’t is executive d ire c to r o f th e H isto ric H u n tsv ille F o u n d atio n . She
received h er m a ste r’s degree from th e U niversity o f A labam a in H u n tsv ille a n d has
b een active in h isto ric p reserv atio n o n a local, state, an d n atio n al level for m o re
th a n tw en ty years.
Patricia H . Ryan is th e a u th o r o f N orthern Dollars fo r H untsville Spindles a n d th e
ed ito r o f Cease N o t to T h in k o f M e, The Steele Fam ily Letters. She was th e p icto rial
research er for H untsville, A C ity o f N ew Beginnings.
W illia m J. Stubno, Jr., is th e C o m m a n d H isto ria n at th e U.S. A rm y O rd n an c e
M u n itio n s a n d E lectronics M a in ten an ce School, located at R edstone A rsenal,
A labam a. In a d d itio n to th e duties o f th a t p o sitio n , he specializes in th e research
a n d d atin g o f old houses, especially ones b u ilt p rio r to th e C ivil W ar. H e also serves
as an advisor to th e A labam a H isto rical C o m m ission.
E ditors for th is issue o f th e Q uarterly w ere L inda A llen, D iane Ellis, Lynn Jones,
an d Patricia Ryan.
C o n trib u to rs | 3
A ckn ow ledgm en ts
T he editors o f th e Q uarterly w ish to th a n k th e follow ing people:
C ecil A rm strong, ow n er o f C o tto n H ill, for his h o sp ita lity in allow ing d escen d an ts
o f Luke M atthew s to to u r th e ir an c estra l hom e.
W ayne K uykendall, th e p re se rv a tio n ist a n d b u ild e r in charge o f th e resto ra tio n o f
C o tto n H ill, w ho p o in te d o u t m a n y u n iq u e a rc h ite c tu ra l featu res o f th e ho u se an d
clues uncovered d u rin g th e re sto ra tio n process, a n d ex p lain ed in d etail th e c h a l­
lenges involved in th e p ro ject an d th e re sto ratio n m e th o d s b ein g em ployed.
Fam ily m em bers h a d also expressed an in te re st in to u rin g som e o f th e hom es in
H untsville th a t w ere once o w n ed a n d occu p ied by Luke M atth ew s a n d o th e r fam ily
m em bers after th ey left C o tto n H ill. T h a n k s to th e follow ing people w ho graciously
o pened th e ir hom es to us th a t afte rn o o n :
Mr. and M rs. G ene Sapp, 528 A dam s Street
Frank N ola, 601 F ra n k lin Street
Mr. and Mrs. W alter Johnson, 2409 D a iry Lane
Jean Berry, led th e to u r o f C e d a rh u rst, 10 N o rth a m p to n D rive, now o w ned by th e
C e d a rh u rst H om e O w n ers A ssociation
4 | From th e Execu tive D irector
From the Executive Director
A
nnette
P h i l p o ’t
As lo ng-tim e H H F m em bers well know , since 1974 th e F o u n d atio n h as w orked
to preserve arch ite c tu ra lly an d histo rically significant sites a n d stru c tu re s in
H u n tsv ille an d M ad iso n C ounty. W h a t’s p robably n o t w ell-know n is th a t the
F o u n d atio n began its w ork fo u r years p rio r to th e lan d m ark P enn C e n tra l decision,
w hich upheld preserv atio n law o n th e local level, an d sixteen years before th e State
o f A labam a en acted statew ide enab lin g legislation th a t allows m u n ic ip a lities to
establish laws to p ro te c t th e ir histo ric resources. W e can pat ourselves on th e back
for b eing ahead o f th e curve early on reg ard in g h isto ric preserv atio n . O ver tim e,
th e F o u n d a tio n ’s focus has ex p an d ed fro m th e resto ratio n o f p ro m in e n t la n d m a rk s
an d d istric ts to projects diverse in scope an d p a rtn e rsh ip , p arallelin g th e n atio n al
p reserv atio n m ovem ent.
P reservation o f an early p la n ta tio n house such as C o tto n H ill, th e subject o f th is
Quarterly, like re sto ratio n o f resid en tial an d co m m ercial histo ric d istric ts, cel­
ebrates o u r heritage a n d conserves o u r resources. M oreover, it’s now well u n d e r­
sto o d by m ost cities a n d co u n ties th a t p reserv atio n serves as a catalyst for econom ic
gro w th . C o m m u n ities th a t safeguard th e ir histo ric assets experience im p ro v em en t
in m any areas o f c o m m u n ity life.
Since H istoric H untsv ille F o u n d atio n was form ed, an array o f laws a n d p re se r­
vation p ro g ram s have been established th a t p rovide b e tte r d ire ctio n an d s u p ­
p o rt for local p ro g ra m s such as ours. In June 2005, Gale N o rto n , th e S ecretary
o f th e Interior, d esignated tw en ty -fo u r new places in A m erica for inclusion in
the “Preserve A m erica” p ro g ram . S u p p o rted by th e c u rre n t a d m in istra tio n , th is
p ro g ram was designed to foster local involvem ent in th e preserv atio n o f A m erica’s
“cu ltu ra l, n a tu ra l an d h eritag e” resources. T hese visual legacies o f o u r past provide
a clearer u n d e rsta n d in g for citizens a n d visitors o f th e in d iv id u als, influences, an d
forces th a t shape th e p resen t a n d influence th e fu tu re.
From th e E xecutive D irector | 5
M any resources help th e F o u n d a tio n resp o n d to a n d w o rk w ith its m em b ersh ip
an d p artn e rs. P ro g ram s available to aid in p reserv atio n include th e N atio n al
R egister o f H isto ric Places, w hich designates p ro p e rtie s deem ed w o rth y o f n atio n al
significance; T he H isto ric A rtists’ H om es a n d S tudios p ro g ra m , designed to help
A m erican h isto ric sites th a t have c o n n e c tio n s to a rt; C e n tu ry F arm s, w hich desig­
nates farm s in A lab am a th a t have been cu ltiv ated by th e sam e fam ily for 100 years
o r m ore; an d T he A labam a C em etery A lliance, w hich pro v id es ed u catio n for th e
preserv atio n o f A lab am a’s cem eteries.
H istoric preserv atio n is always ch an g in g a n d never finished. G roups such as the
H istoric H u n tsv ille F o u n d atio n , a n d in d iv id u als such as C ecil A rm stro n g , C o tto n
H ill’s ow ner, a n d W ayne K uykendall, its restorer, are key to saving th e p ast for th e
fu tu re.
6 | P reservatio n Effort R evives a H ouse
Preservation Effort Revives a House
and Inspires a Family Gathering
L y n n Jo n e s
Last year, w hen th e Q uarterly’s ed ito rs learn ed th a t C o tto n H ill, an an teb e llu m
p la n ta tio n house, was b eing restored, we im m ed iately w an ted to investigate. T he
a rc h ite c tu ra l significance o f C o tto n H ill, a long neglected a n d a lm o st forg o tten
ru ra l L im estone C o u n ty jewel, h a d b een reco g n ized by th e H isto ric A m erican
B uildings Survey (HABS) te a m in th e 1930s a n d w as p h o to g ra p h e d by th e survey
in 1935 as p a rt o f th e A labam a collection. A lready m o re th a n 100 years o ld by th a t
tim e, th e house, th o u g h still occupied, ap p eared in th e p h o to g rap h s to be in a very
d ilap id ated co n d itio n .
C o tto n H ill’s c u rre n t re sto ratio n is a cause for celebration. A ccording to Bob
G am ble, senior a rc h ite c tu ra l h isto ria n w ith th e A labam a H isto ric a l C o m m issio n ,
th e A labam a HABS co llection is one o f th e largest o f all th e states’ collections.
Sadly, due to ab an d o n m e n t, neglect, v an d alism , a n d o th e r causes, by 1985, 40
p ercen t o f th e d o c u m en ted stru c tu re s h ad d isap p eared . T oday th a t percentage
w ould be h ig h er still. R esearchers L ak in Boyd, Bill S tubno, Jr., a n d L inda Bayer
A llen follow ed th e tra il o f Luke M atthew s, th e p resu m ed b u ild e r o f C o tto n H ill,
fro m V irginia to L im estone C o u n ty a n d u ltim ately to M ad iso n C ounty, w here,
a fter th e C ivil W ar, he a n d his large fam ily w o u ld weave them selves in to th e fabric
o f H u n tsv ille. T h e tra il proved in terestin g , a n d to o u r su rp rise, it also led to a
M atthew s fam ily re u n io n at C o tto n H ill in June, as well as a to u r o f som e o f th e
p ro m in e n t hom es in H u n tsv ille th a t w ere once o w ned o r occu p ied by m em b ers of
th e fam ily.
Luke M atthew s o f C am p b ell C ounty, V irginia, was in his m id -tw en ties w hen he
m ig rated to L im estone C o u n ty ab o u t 1822 w ith his m o th e r an d several siblings. His
father, Luke M atth ew s, Sr., h ad died th e previous year, leaving a sizeable estate to
his w ife a n d ch ild ren . A p p aren tly Luke was one o f m an y m ig ra n ts w ho at th e tim e
w as lu red from m ore settled regions by th e possibilities o f accu m u latin g g reater
P reserv atio n Effort R evives a H ouse | 7
w ealth in th e fro n tie r states o f A lab am a a n d M ississippi, w ith th e ir cheap fertile
lan d an d new o p p o rtu n itie s for ad ven tu re. W ritin g in A H istory o f M adison C ounty
a nd Incidentally o f N o rth A la b a m a 1732-1840, Judge T h o m a s Jones Taylor said, “It
a p p eared as if all V irg in ia w as m o v in g S o u th w ard .” (p.45)
A rch itectu ral h isto ry w rite r a n d p u b lish er M ills Lane, in h is b o o k A rchitecture o f
the O ld South: M ississippi & A la b a m a , describes th e m ig ra tio n th is way:
M any V irginians made their way to northern and central Alabam a by
way o f Tennessee and Kentucky. T hough th ey were not the m ost nu­
m erous settlers, the V irgin ian s, because o f their w ealth, education and
prom inence, m ade contributions to Alabam a’s early architecture far
greater than their num bers. In 1834 H enry W atson, a N ew England law­
yer, w rote from Greensboro, Alabama: ‘The cou n try about is now settled
by em igrants from V irginia and the C arolin as... [and] is thus filled w ith
m uch more intelligence than you w ould have expected.’ (pp. 37 & 41)
T he story o f C o tto n H ill illu strates th e b len d o f m y stery a n d discovery th a t o ften
accom panies h isto ric p rese rv a tio n pro jects, stim u la tin g th e in te rest o f w orkers an d
researchers an d , we hope, readers as well.
Sources
M ills Lane, Architecture o f the O ld South: M ississippi & A la b a m a (N ew York:
A bbeville Press, 1989).
Judge T h o m as Jones Taylor, A H istory o f M adison C ou n ty a n d Incidentally o f
N orth A labam a 1732-1840, eds., W. Stanley H oole a n d A ddie S. H oole (U niversity:
C o nfederate P u b lish in g C om pany, 1976).
Cotton Hill in 1981; the two dorm ers were added after 1935 and
have since been removed. Photograph by H arvie Jones, F.A.I.A.,
1981. Courtesy A rchitectural Collection o f H arvie P. Jones, F.A.I.A.,
D epartm ent o f A rchives/Special Collections, M . Louis Salm on Library,
University o f A labam a in H untsville, H untsville, A labam a
C otton Hill: A R ed iscovered T reasure | 9
Cotton Hill: A Rediscovered Treasure
La k in B o y d
In 2001, C ecil A rm stro n g b o u g h t C o tto n H ill, a tw o -sto ry Federal b rick h o u se th a t
w ould look m o re at h o m e in S ou th sid e V irg in ia th a n ato p a k n o ll in so u th e a st­
ern L im estone C ounty. T he h o u se is located ju s t east o f A thens, facing so u th a n d
overlooking a long drivew ay th a t p ro ceed s th ro u g h a stately p e ca n grove to B row n’s
F erry R oad. It is s u rro u n d e d by som e o f th e best co tto n la n d in L im estone C ounty.
O ne o f the m o st arc h ite c tu ra lly sign ifican t an te b e llu m h o u ses re m a in in g in the
county, C o tto n H ill w as p h o to g ra p h e d in 1935 as p a rt o f th e H isto ric A m erican
B uildings Survey (H ABS). By th e tim e C ecil A rm stro n g b o u g h t th e pro p erty ,
C o tto n H ill need ed a com p lete resto ra tio n . To su p erv ise w hat w ould be an o n g o ­
ing project to revive th e p ro p erty , th e o w n er h ire d tw o m a ster craftsm en , W ayne
K uykendall, a local p reserv atio n ist, a n d Paul T ennison.
B ackground
C o tto n H ill w as c o n stru c te d n e a r th e en d o f th e F ederal p e rio d o f arch ite c tu re , an d
it displays the ch aracteristics o f th a t p e rio d as th e y w ere tra n sp la n te d fro m V irg in ia
by settlers m ov in g in to th e T ennessee River Valley. W ith a few n o tab le exceptions,
upscale F ederal houses c o n stru c te d in N o rth A lab am a d u rin g th e first few decades
o f the 19th c e n tu ry re ta in e d th e G eo rg ian C o lo n ial ho u se fo rm th a t h ad b eco m e
tra d itio n a l in th e U n ited States d u rin g th e 18th cen tu ry , th a t is, a re c ta n g u la r box,
tw o stories h ig h an d one o r tw o ro o m s deep, w ith th re e or five sy m m etrically
placed o p enings across th e facade o n each level. In th e so u th e rn version, ch im n ey s
w ere u sually located o n th e side w alls, a n d th e w hole w as co m p leted w ith a side
gable ro o f lacking d o rm ers. T he layout o f such h ouses o fte n featu red a c e n tra l h a ll­
w ay w ith tw o o r fo u r ro o m s p e r floor, w ith th e second floor echoing th e first floor
a rran g em en t.
T h e F ederal label is so m etim es u sed sy n o n y m o u sly w ith th e te rm s A dam style o r
io | C otton Hill: A R ed iscovered Treasure
A dam esque, a late-1 8 th -c en tu ry style th a t o rig in ated in E ngland w ith th e b ro th ers
R o b ert a n d Jam es A dam , w hose designs w ere d istin g u ish e d by a taste for lig h ter
a n d m o re delicate details th a n w ere c o m m o n in G eorgian C olonial c o n stru c tio n .
T he A d am style relied on atte n u a te d co lu m n s, a n d curved, arched a n d elliptical
designs for b o th ro o m shapes a n d th e ir decor. In A m erica, exam ples o f fu ll-b lo w n
A dam esq u e houses w ere erected in th e m ajo r cities an d seap o rts; b u t in ru ra l areas,
houses te n d e d to retain th e boxy, rig h t-an g led spaces o f th e p revious century,
w hich co u ld be dressed u p w ith a few A dam esque d etails such as fan lig h ts a n d side­
lights at th e fro n t door, classical swags, reed in g a n d su n b u rst p a tte rn s on m a n te l­
pieces, d o o r a n d w in d o w m oldings, an d m olded ch air rails. W h ile th e A d am esque
style w as w idely accepted in th e U n ited States, it ap p eared p rim a rily as in te rio r d e ­
tails a n d as enlarged b u t refined in te rp re ta tio n s o f G eorgian features. T he m ajo rity
o f stylish early -1 9 th -cen tu ry houses, especially in ru ra l areas, d id n o t em brace th e
fu ll A dam style a n d are m o re accurately identified as Federal to d istin g u ish th e m
fro m th o se stru c tu re s th a t d id m o re closely follow th e English m odels.
C o tto n H ill nicely illustrates how th e Federal style in teg rated th e boxy G eo rg ian
shapes a n d stric t sy m m etry o f arra n g e m en t w ith A dam esque fanlights, m an telp iec­
es o f delicate p ro p o rtio n s deco rated w ith classical p a tte rn s, a n d a p ro jectin g an d
p e d im e n te d P allad ian p o rtic o (now m issing) to achieve a d istin ctiv e new a rc h ite c­
tu r a l style.
T h e c o n stru c tio n o f C o tto n H ill is a ttrib u te d to W illiam P arh am (b o rn 1792),
a m aster cra ftsm a n an d b uilder, w ho im m ig rated to L im estone C o u n ty from
so u th e rn V irg in ia an d settled in th e C am b rid g e c o m m u n ity . Little is know n
ab o u t P a rh am o th e r th a n th a t he w orked as a b uilder, was m a rrie d fo u r tim es, an d
fath ered m an y ch ild ren . A ccording to C h ris E dw ards a n d Faye A xford in The Lure
a n d Lore o f Lim estone C ounty, he b u ilt C o tto n H ill in th e early 1830s, a lth o u g h
w h eth er he was responsible for th e brick w o rk as well as th e c a rp e n try rem ain s u n ­
clear. A brick dated 1824, recently fo u n d d u rin g rep air o f th e u p stairs west fireplace,
m ig h t indicate an earlier date, b u t no o th e r evidence has yet been fo u n d to su p p o rt
C otton Hill: A R ed iscovered Treasure | u
th a t possibility. P a rh a m ’s ow n h o u se, located nearby, w as o f fram e c o n stru c tio n
a n d o f m u ch less im p o sin g design th a n C o tto n H ill a n d th e o th e r stately brick
houses th a t have been a ttrib u te d to h im , o n ly one o f w hich, th e n earb y John G irau lt
G am ble house, is ex tan t.
T he o rig in al ow n er o f C o tto n H ill w as Luke M atth ew s (1796-1875), w ho also e m i­
grated fro m so u th e rn V irg in ia in th e early years o f th e 19th c e n tu ry a n d p u rch ased
acreage in th e C am b rid g e area close to o th e r tra n sp la n te d V irg in ian s. Sam uel
M atthew s, one o f L uke’s b ro th e rs, also cam e so u th a n d b u ilt a su b stan tia l house
closer to the river before relo catin g to H u n tsv ille. Luke o p era ted a th o u sa n d -ac re
c o tto n p la n tatio n o f w hich C o tto n H ill w as th e center. Luke m a rrie d tw ice, b o th
tim es to w om en descen d ed fro m p ro m in e n t V irg in ia fam ilies, a n d h ad twelve
su rv iv in g ch ild ren , m an y o f w h o m m a rrie d into H u n tsv ille fam ilies. N o t long after
his second m arriag e, he left C o tto n H ill a n d m oved to O ak en d ale, his p lan tatio n
in M adison C ounty, before even tu ally se ttlin g in H u n tsv ille o n A dam s Street in
a house ow ned by his b ro th e r-in -la w S am uel Peete. In 1868 Luke p u rch ased th e
ho u se on M cC lung A venue w here he resid ed u n til his d e a th seven years later.
E xterior
C o tto n H ill as o rig in a lly c o n stru c te d w as a tw o -sto ry b rick h o u se w ith a full b a se ­
m ent, a side-gabled roof, in te rio r en d ch im n ey s, a n d a c e n tra l h all p lan. It is called
a five-bay house because th e re are five o p en in g s across th e facade o n each level. T he
p resen t ro o f cornice a n d fascia b o a rd s o n th e facade a n d back are n o t o rig in al. T h ey
w ere p ro bably replaced w hen th e h o u se lost its o rig in al tw o -sto ry P a lla d ia n p o rch
o r w hen th e ro o f w as replaced. A m id -2 0 th -c e n tu ry o w n er ad d ed tw o ro o f d o rm e rs
b u t th ey have since b een rem oved.
T h e HABS p h o to g ra p h o f th e back o f th e h o u se in d icates th e “g h o st” o f a o n e -sto ry
p o rch th a t covered th e d o uble d o o rs at th e back o f th e e n tran c e h a ll a n d co n n e c ted
th e d o o r o f th e d in in g c h am b e r to a service ell. U n doubtedly, th is ell h o u se d th e
o rig in al k itchen, as th e one b a sem en t fireplace in th e w est b a sem en t c h a m b e r isn ’t
12 | C o tto n Hill: A R ed iscovered Treasure
Floor plan o f C otton H ill as built. Drawings by H arvie Jones, F.A.I.A., 1981. Courtesy
A rchitectural Collection o f H arvie P. Jones, University o f A labam a in H untsville
C otton Hill: A R ed iscovered Treasure | 13
Cotton H ill in 1935 show ing the north-facing rear and east side elevations. H istoric A m erican
Buildings Survey, A lex Busli, photographer, M ay 21, 1935
a cooking fireplace, a n d th e re is o n ly one b a se m e n t w in d o w o n th e w est e n d o f th e
back w all, suggesting th e p ra c tic a lity o f th e bu ild er. W hy place a b ase m en t w in d o w
u n d e r a porch? A o n e -sto ry fra m e ro o m w as c o n stru c te d a fte r th e d ate o f th e HABS
p h o to , b u t it has been replaced by a later o w n er w ith a tw o -sto ry b rick ell th a t is
visible in th e 2004 p h o to g rap h th a t ap p ears o n th e cover.
A rc h ite c tu ra l evidence show s th a t C o tto n H ill w as c o n stru c te d all-of-a-piece,
w hereas m an y o f th e area’s su rv iv in g F ed eral-p erio d h ouses sta rte d w ith ju s t tw o
room s. T hese sta rte r houses h a d one ro o m o n each floor, a n d v ario u s later ad d itio n s
increased th e m to th e ir p resen t size. T h u s, C o tto n H ill m u st have been u n u su a lly
am b itio u s for fro n tie r L im estone C o u n ty in its in itia l c o n cep tio n a n d w as c e rta in ly
14 | C otton Hill:A R ed iscovered Treasure
am b itio u s in th e refin e­
m e n t a n d ex ten t o f its
w oodw ork.
T he h o u se w as o riginally
en tered th ro u g h a p a ir
o f six-panel d o o rs set
in a deep paneled reveal
cro w n ed w ith a fanlight.
Physical an d h isto rical
d o c u m e n ta tio n strongly
su p p o rt th e o rig in al p res­
ence o f a double-tier, p e d i
m en ted p o rtic o sheltering
b o th th e m a in en tran ce
Probable design o f C otton H ill’s original fr o n t porch. D raw ing by
H arvie Jones, F.A.I.A., 1981. Courtesy A rchitectural Collection o f
H arvie P. Jones, University o f A labam a in H untsville
a n d th e single d o o r on
th e floor above it, w hich also is cro w n ed by an arch ed tra n so m . Such p orches w ere
in sp ire d by th e w ork o f th e Italian R enaissance a rch itect A n d rea Palladio (15081580), w hose designs were p o p u la riz e d in E n g lan d by Inigo Jones in th e 1720s a n d
in clu d ed th e p ro jectin g tw o -sto ry p o rch a n d th e th re e -p a rt P allad ian w indow ,
w hich w ere w idely adopted in th e U n ited States w here they b ecam e associated
w ith th e Federal style. At C o tto n H ill, existing b rick pilasters flan k in g th e fro n t
en tran ces, as well as traces o f w hite p a in t o n th e w all betw een th e p ilasters, p rovide
evidence o f th e d im en sio n s o f th e p o rtico , since it was tra d itio n a l to p a in t w hite
b o th the p o rtico an d th a t p o rtio n o f th e w all sheltered by it. T he c u rre n t ow ner in ­
ten d s to replace th e p o rch as closely as possible to w hat is believed to be th e orig in al
co n fig u ratio n .
C o tto n H ill’s brickw ork is exceptional. T h e fro n t is laid in Flem ish b o n d w ith co m ­
m o n b o n d used on the sides a n d rear, w hich was th e Federal p ractice. A holdover
fro m G eorgian tra d itio n is evidenced by a convex m olded b rick w ater table th a t
C otton Hill: A R ed iscovered Treasure | 15
p rovides an elegant tra n sitio n from
th e m a in w all to th e th ick e r fo u n d a ­
tio n w all. T apered lintel bricks, as
well as th e arch e d bricks over th e
fro n t e n try a n d th e d o o r above it, are
gauged an d ru b b ed .
T he d o u b le-h u n g sash w indow s w ith
twelve p an es (o r lights) in each sash
(12/12) th a t w ere used o n th e first
floor an d th e 12/8 sash c o n fig u ratio n
used o n th e second (rem oved by a
p rev io u s ow ner) have been replaced
F ront entry fa n lig h t and brickwork o f C otton H ill; doo
w ith exact re p ro d u c tio n s by L arry
way infill is not original. Photograph by H arvie Jones,
Jaynes, w ho d id m u ch o f th e re sto ra ­
F.A.I.A., 1981. Courtesy A rchitectural Collection o f
H arvie P. Jones, University o f A labam a in H untsville
tio n w ork o n Belle M o n t in C o lb ert
C ounty. Belle M o n t (ca. 1828) dates
from the sam e p erio d as C o tto n H ill, p ro b ab ly shares a V irg in ia p rovenance, an d
displays a fine (restored) exam ple o f a P allad ian d o u b le p o rtico .
T he w ooden elem ents o f C o tto n H ill ex h ib it pegged m o rtise a n d ten o n jo in ts
except in th e attic w here th e re is an u n u su a l ridge b o a rd ra th e r th a n th e u su al
lap p ed an d pegged ridge jo in t. A ccording to p reserv atio n arch ite c t H arv ie Jones,
o n ly th is house a n d th e now d em o lish ed Kelly h o u se (pre-1830) in M ad iso n C o u n ty
have been fo u n d to have a ridge b o a rd . T h e p resen t ro o f deck is 2 0 th -c e n tu ry p in e
on 1 9 th -cen tu ry p it-saw n (h an d -saw n ) fra m in g m em b ers. T h e o rig in al ro o f deck
w ould have been c o n stru c te d o f 12-inch to 24 -in ch w ide slab p lan k s spaced 2 to 6
inches ap a rt; h a n d sp lit a n d d ra w k n ife-sm o o th e d w o o d en shingles w o u ld have been
n ailed to these. T h e nails used in C o tto n H ill are sq u a re -c u t o f v ario u s sizes m ade
by m ach in e; by th e late 1700s, m o st c u t n ails were m ade by e ith e r w ater- o r steam pow ered m achines.
16 | C otton Hill: A R ed iscovered Treasure
C o tto n H ill o rig in ally h a d ex terio r
b lin d s, n o t sh u tters as we call th e m
today. B linds have blades w ith o p e n ­
ings betw een th em , w hereas sh u tters
are so lid -p an eled to exclude light
a n d a ir w hen closed an d w ere used
p rim a rily o n com m ercial b u ild in g s
for secu rity p u rp o ses. In co ntracts
o f th e early 19th-century , b lin d s
are referred to as “V enetian b lin d s”
a n d fu n c tio n e d to block th e su n an d
Cotton H ill’s convex m olded brick w ater table.
d isco u rag e th e e n try o f insects w ith ­
Photograph b y Lakin Boyd, 2004
o u t b lo ck in g cooling breezes. Blinds also pro v id ed secu rity to a h o u se w ith open
w indow s. In th e 1935 HABS p h o to g rap h s o f th e ho u se th e h ard w are for th e b lin d s
can be seen o n som e o f th e w indow s.
Interior
T h e glo ry o f C o tto n H ill is its in te rio r w oodw ork, w hich is alm o st com pletely
in tact. T he e n try h all reta in s its o rig in al stairs, ch air-rails, baseb o ard s, flooring a n d
in te rio r d o o rs; only th e fro n t e n try d o o rs are m issing. O ne o f these o rig in al e n try
d o o rs, fo u n d in th e b asem en t, w ill serve as a m o d el for th e m issing ex terio r doors,
in clu d in g th e one th a t led to th e second floor p o rtico . T he new el po sts o f th e stairs
are b ea u tifu lly tu rn e d , an d th e sta ir rail is ro u g h ly circ u lar in cross sectio n to fit
th e h a n d . T he sta ir balu sters are sm all a n d re c ta n g u la r in cross-section, a feature
th a t is co m m o n to m an y su rv iv in g houses o f th e p e rio d in th is area. O ne u n u su a l
feature is th e lan d in g balu sters th a t pass th ro u g h notches cu t in th e flo o rb o ard o f
th e second floor hall.
T he edges o f th e stair risers are deco rated w ith scroll brackets. D oors o n th e n o rth
w all th a t o pened to th e back p o rch are orig in al, as is th e d o o r u n d e r th e stairs th a t
opens to th e b asem ent. All w alls, except th o se in th e b asem en t, a n d all ceilings,
C otton Hill: A R ed iscovered tre a su re | 17
in clu d in g th o se in th e b asem en t, were
p lastered . L aths (strip s o f w ood) were
n ailed to ceiling joists to provide
g ro u n d w o rk for th e plaster. T he stairs
are b oxed a n d plastered in th is m a n ­
ner.
T h e d o o r in to th e p a rlo r is cen tered
o n th e east w all o f th e e n try hall. T he
p a rlo r is s u rro u n d e d by a th ree-p iece
c h a ir-ra il like th e ones in all th e
ro o m s except th o se in th e basem ent.
F luting a n d rep eated reverse slan ted
reed in g deco rate th e m an tel, as th e
p h o to illu strates.
T he splayed w in d o w jam b s an d heads
are also reed ed in th is room . N o
cro w n m o ld in g at th e to p o f th e w alls
is fo u n d in C o tto n H ill, n o r in any
k n o w n F ed eral-p erio d house in th is
Stairs on west side o f en try hall. H istoric A m erican
B uildings Survey, A lex Bush, photographer, M ay 21, 1935
area. T he b aseb o ard s in th e h o u se
have no sm all shoe m olds at th e floor
since shoe m olds were a later device.
D u rin g th e Federal p erio d , th e b ase b o a rd b o tto m s w ere scrib ed to fit any irre g u ­
larities at th e floor, creatin g a m u ch n e ate r d etail th a n tack e d -o n shoe m o ld in g .
A d o o r at th e b o tto m o f th e stairs o p en s to th e d in in g cham ber. T h is ro o m has
b u ilt-in c u p b o ard s on eith er side o f th e chim ney. T hese c u p b o a rd s are o rig in al a n d
fitted w ith shelves an d have never been p a in te d o n th e inside. T h e d o o rs are m ade
like F ed eral-p erio d fu rn itu re , w ith th e beveled faces o f th e p an el facing inside. The
to p s o f th e c u p b o ard s are d eco rated w ith reed in g m ade o f sep arate g lu ed -in panels
18 | C otton Hill: A R ed iscovered Treasure
sim ilar to d eco ratio n in th e 1819 W eeden H o u se in
H u n tsv ille. T he b o tto m th ird o f th e c u p b o ard on the
n o rth side o f th e ch im n e y is boxed to create h ead ­
ro o m for th e ex terio r basem en t door. T he m antel
in th is ro o m is th e m o st elaborate in th e house. It is
d eco rated w ith a reeded su n b u rst a n d “i ” d entils, o r­
n am e n ts com posed o f a row o f d en tils w ith a pierced
hole above, th u s sim u latin g in ap p earan ce th e letter
“ i,” p rim a rily a F ed eral-p erio d m otif. W in d o w jam bs
are splayed a n d paneled in th is ro o m . O n th e n o rth
w all a d o o r led to th e o rig in al dependency.
T he floors th ro u g h o u t th e ho u se are six-inch h e a rt
p in e laid d irectly on th e floor joists w ith o u t a su b ­
floor. T he flo o rb o ard s have to n g u e-an d -g ro o v e jo in ts
a n d a p p ear to have never b een v arn ish e d o r scru b b ed
w ith lye w ater to a gray finish like m o st floors o f early
1 9 th -cen tu ry houses. P rio r to th e C ivil W ar, w ooden
Landing balusters th a t pass through
notches cut in the floorboard o f the
second-floor hall are an unusual
floors w ere perio d ically scru b b ed to keep th e m a
feature. Photograph by H arvie Jones,
lig h t bleached color. V arn ish in g w as a post-C iv il W ar
F.A.I.A., 1981. C ourtesy A rchitectural
fashion.
Collection o f H arvie P. Jones,
University o f A labam a in H untsville
T he flo o rin g w as m echan ically saw n by w ater-pow ered sash saws, as was all o f th e w ood except for th e large fra m in g m em b ers, such as
floor joists, w hich w ere ax-hew n a n d pit-saw n. Pat Jones w rites in a 1935 H untsville
Tim es article on th e Rowe hom e, as C o tto n H ill was th e n k n o w n , th a t th e lu m ­
b er for th e b u ild in g was p ro v id ed by Rev. Jam es Rowe, w ho o p erated a saw m ill in
M ad iso n C ounty. Rev. Rowe was an early c ircu it rid e r a n d was for a tim e p asto r
o f th e First M e th o d ist C h u rch in H untsv ille. O n M arch 1, 1879, his son A ndrew
Jackson Rowe b o u g h t C o tto n H ill an d appro x im ately 200 acres fro m John B.
M cC lellan, w ho h ad p u rch ased th e p lan tatio n from Luke M atthew s in 1873.
C otton Hill: A R ed iscovered Treasure | 19
T h e seco n d -flo o r h all is lit by a w in d o w in th e n o rth
w all a n d a fan lig h t over th e d o o r th a t o rig in ally
o p en ed to th e seco n d -flo o r p o rtico . A d o o r in th e
b oxed sta ir o n th e so u th wall leads to th e floored attic,
w hich is lit by a p a ir o f fo u r-p a n e w indow s flan k in g
each chim ney. T he east b e d ro o m has an o rig in al c u p ­
b o a rd w ith shelves o n e ith e r side o f th e m an tel. T his
m an tel, w h ich is sim ila r to th e one in th e parlor, still
re tain e d its o rig in al black p a in t w hen p h o to g rap h e d
for HABS in 1935.
A ll o f th e u p sta irs w indow s have p lain splayed jam bs.
In th e w est b e d ro o m th e m an tel is rem in isc e n t o f
th e 1 8 th -cen tu ry G eo rg ian style ra th e r th a n
A dam esque. F lan k in g th e m an tel on th e left is a n ­
o th e r b u ilt-in cu p b o a rd , a n d o n th e rig h t, a w indow .
D etail o f parlor m antel showing
flittin g and reeding. Photograph by
H arvie Jones, F.A.I.A., 1981. Courtesy
T h ere are n o w indow s in th e n o rth w all, w hich
indicates an in te n t o n th e p a rt o f th e ow ner to ad d a
A rchitectural Collection o f H arvie
tw o -sto ry ell at a later date. It was a c o m m o n p ractice
P. Jones, University o f A labam a in
to c o n stru c t h ouses in sections over tim e as fu n d s
H untsville
a n d /o r space needs increased, a practice th a t w as
greatly facilitated by th e prevalence o f a m o re o r less
sta n d a rd ho u se co n fig u ratio n .
Future
T he resto ratio n o f an old h o u se is a d a u n tin g a n d expensive task if it is d o n e c o r­
rectly. Fortunately, C o tto n H ill is b ein g resto red by an o w n er w ho u n d e rs ta n d s th e
m e a n in g o f h isto ric p reserv atio n . T he h o u se w as graciously o p en ed to us to e n c o u r­
age o th e r p reserv atio n ists to c a rry o n in spite o f th e m an y p ro b lem s e n co u n te red
d u rin g resto ratio n . Cecil A rm stro n g is aw are o f th e delicate b alan c e b etw een m a in ­
ta in in g th e h isto ric in te g rity o f th e s tru c tu re a n d p ro v id in g th e n ecessary m o d e rn
20 | C o tto n Hill: A R ed iscovered Tr easu re
M antel a nd fla n k in g cupboards in second-floor east room. Historic A m erican Buildings
Survey, A le x Bush, photographer, M ay 21, 1935
conveniences th a t allow m a x im u m use by presen t a n d fu tu re ow ners. A spiring
resto rers w ho share his ap p reciatio n for th e w ork o f earlier arch itects a n d b u ild ­
ers sh o u ld be encouraged by C ecil A rm stro n g ’s c o n tin u in g efforts at L im estone
C o u n ty ’s C o tto n H ill.
C otton Hill: A R ed iscovered Treasure | 21
Sources
A rch itectu ral C ollectio n o f H arv ie P. Jones, F.A.I.A., D e p a rtm e n t o f A rchives/
Special C ollections, M . L ouis S alm on L ibrary, U niv ersity o f A lab am a in H u n tsv ille,
H untsville, A labam a.
C h ris E dw ards a n d Faye A xford. The Lure a n d Lore o f Lim estone County. P o rtals
Press, T uscaloosa, A labam a, 1978. pp. xi-xxix, 182-184.
R obert G am ble. The A la b a m a Catalog. H istoric A m erican Buildings Survey. A G uide
to the Early Architecture o f the State. T he U niversity o f A lab am a Press, 1987. pp.
3-106.
H isto ric A m erican B uildings Survey. L ib rary o f C ongress W ash in g to n , D.C. Alex
Bush, P hotographer, M ay 21, 1935. HABS, ALA, 42-A TH . V ,l-4.
H arv ie Jones. Photograph Book 4, C otton H ill, Architectural Collection o f H arvie
P. Jones, F.A.I.A. A rchives an d Special C o llectio n s, U niversity o f A labam a in
H untsville.
Pat Jones. The H untsville Times, H istoric
A thens H omes. June 23, 1935. H isto ric
S crapbook, Vol. 2 H eritage R oom ,
H u n tsv ille-M ad iso n C o u n ty Public
Library.
D etail show ing reeded sunburst
and
dentils on the d ining room
m antel. Photograph by H arvie Jones,
F.A.I.A., 1981. Courtesy Architectural
Collection o f H arvie P. Jones,
University o f A labam a in H untsville
22 I Go Slow, Do It Right
Go Slow, Do It Right:
Restoration Progress at Cotton Hill
Pa t r i c i a
H.
Ryan
D u rin g o u r June visit to C o tto n H ill, W ayne K uykendall n o ted som e o f th e re sto ra ­
tio n steps th e team has tak e n to re tu rn th e h o u se to its fo rm er F ederal elegance.
D espite a recent ad d itio n c o n ta in in g a k itch e n /fam ily ro o m a n d b e d ro o m s, Cecil
A rm stro n g , th e ow ner, a n d W ayne K uykendall, a p reserv atio n ist a n d bu ild er, are
c o m m itte d to preserv in g th e h o u se’s a rc h ite ctu ral in teg rity in m eticu lo u s detail.
W ork has progressed over a b o u t a year a n d a half, w ith h o p es for p ro ject co m p le­
tio n in several years. W ayne, w ho has a “real jo b ,” can o n ly w ork o n C o tto n H ill in
his spare tim e.
T he re sto ratio n o f th e in te rio r is c o n tin u in g in v arious stages. W indow s, m illw ork,
an d hard w are w ill be replicated to m atch th e o rig in al w here needed. T he w irin g
w ill be r u n b e h in d th e b aseb o ard s to be inco n sp icu o u s. H e art p in e floors, trim , a n d
d o o rs w ill be strip p ed . Split-system h eatin g a n d cooling u n its w ill be in stalled . In
th e d in in g ro o m , th e w o o dw ork w ill be p ain te d its o rig in al d a rk g reen color. O ne
fascin atin g d etail p o in ted o u t by W ayne was th e brick-sized w ood blocks th a t h ad
been in stalled as p a rt o f th e o rig in al brick w o rk to p rovide places w here m illw ork,
such as m an tels a n d b aseb o ard s, c o u ld be attach ed w ith o u t d a m ag in g th e bricks.
U pstairs, atte n tio n to d etail is ex h ib ited m o st clearly in a b ed ro o m , th e on ly ro o m
to be com pleted an d occupied. T he floor h ad been p a in te d a n d th e jo in ts cau lk e d by
a p revious ow ner. To avoid san d in g a n d rem oving th e p a tin a a n d raised grain , the
w ood was strip p e d a n d cleaned a b o u t fo u r tim es w ith tools a k in to brass to o th ­
b rushes. It w as th e n bu ffed w ith o u t stain an d w axed.
T he n ext m ajo r p roject is th e replacem ent o f th e tw o -sto ry p o rtico . By th e tim e
HABS d o cu m e n te d th e stru c tu re w ith p h o to g rap h s in 1935, th e p o rtic o h ad been
rem oved. A rch ite c tu ra l evidence reveals th a t such a p o rtico existed, an d th e ow ner
w ould like to du plicate it as closely as possible. If anyone read in g th is know s of
th e existence o f a p h o to g ra p h o f th e o rig in al p o rtico , please n o tify th e H istoric
Go Slow, Do It Right | 23
H u n tsv ille F o u n d a tio n , 124 S outh
Side Square, H u n tsv ille, A labam a
35801.
If a p h o to g rap h o f th e p o rtic o is n o t
fo u n d , th e rep lacem en t w ill be based
o n research a n d physical e x a m in a tio n
d o n e by th e late p reserv atio n a rch itect
H arv ie Jones a n d R obert G am ble,
sen io r a rc h ite c tu ra l h isto ria n w ith
th e A lab am a H isto rical C o m m issio n .
It w ill be sim ilar to th a t o f Belle M o n t
n e a r T u scu m b ia in C o lb e rt C o u n ty
a n d o th e r e x ta n t p erio d houses. Cecil
Cecil A rm strong (right), ow ner o f C otton Hill, and
a n d W ayne envision ro u n d c o lu m n s
W ayne Kuykendall, restoration contractor. Photograph
co n n e c ted by a th in b alu stra d e on
by Ralph A llen
th e u p p e r a n d low er levels. The
o rig in al d o o r to th e u p sta irs p o rtic o w ill be replicated for use at th e low er level.
O nce com pleted, C o tto n H ill, w ith its elegant facade a n d delicate in te rio r d etailin g ,
w ill p ro u d ly reflect C ecil a n d W ayne’s c o m m itm e n t to a sensitive resto ra tio n for a
m o d e rn lifestyle.
Luke M atthew s (1796-1875), original ow ner o f C otton Hill.
Courtesy Johnny C rutcher and Dr. John Ennis.
Luke M atthew s o f C otton Hill | 25
Luke Matthews of Cotton Hill
W
il l ia m
J. S t u b n o , Jr .
T he great highw ay fro m V irg in ia to A lab am a d u rin g th e years 1818-1819
was m o re like th e ro u te o f an arm y o f o c cu p a tio n th a n an o rd in a ry public
highw ay, a n d travelers N o rth w a rd a sserted th a t they w o u ld so m etim es
jo u rn e y for m a n y days w ith o u t b eing o u t o f sight o f e m ig ran t w agons, ac­
co m p an ied by long files o f N egro slaves stead ily tra m p in g sou th w ard .
Judge T h o m as Jones Taylor, A H istory o f M adison C ou n ty a n d Incidentally
o f N orth A lab a m a 1732-1840 (pp. 49-50)
C o tto n H ill is located in L im estone C o u n ty , A labam a, along th e H u n tsv illeB row n’s F erry R oad, w est o f th e in terse c tio n o f th a t ro a d a n d C am b rid ge Lane th a t
ru n s n o rth to U.S. H ighw ay 72 W est. T h e ho m esite is fu r th e r d escribed, for th e
p u rp o se o f histo rica l analysis, as b ein g w ith in th e S o u th east Q u a rte r o f Section
36, T ow nship 3 S o u th , Range 4 W est o f th e H u n tsv ille M e rid ia n Line in L im estone
C ounty, A labam a. C o n sistin g o f a p p ro x im ately 160 acres, th is q u a rte r section is
located in an area k n o w n for a soil a n d clim ate favorable to th e grow ing o f co tto n .
T he section was o rig in ally a p a rt o f th e lan d s w est o f M ad iso n C o u n ty in the
A labam a T erritory, o n b o th sides o f th e T ennessee River, w h ich th e federal g o v ern ­
m e n t offered for sale in 1818. At th a t tim e, th e c o u n try w as ex p erien cin g a p e rio d o f
great in flatio n , b ro u g h t a b o u t by th e changes in th e n a tio n ’s eco n o m y as a resu lt o f
th e W ar o f 1812. D u rin g th e w ar, foreign tra d e decreased, necessitatin g ex p a n d e d
d o m estic m a n u fa c tu rin g to satisfy A m erica’s n eed for w ar goods. T he g o v ern m en t
b o rro w ed heavily to pay for th o se goods, w hich p u t m o re m o n ey in to c ircu latio n .
T he b o rro w in g p u t a stra in on b a n k reserves o f specie (m oney in coin) h eld ag ain st
p a p er cu rre n c y o r notes. E ventually th e p ressu re led to a su sp en sio n o f specie p ay ­
m ents, w hich resu lted in an increase in n o te issuance, cred it ex p an sio n , a n d risin g
prices. W h en th e w ar end ed , co tto n becam e m o re expensive, n o t o n ly due to th e
26 | Luke M atthew s o f C otton Hill
resu m in g o f foreign trad e, b u t also to th e ab u n d a n c e o f in flated c u rren cy .1
By 1818, th e price o f co tto n rose to an all-tim e high, p ro m p tin g lan d sp ecu lato rs to
ru s h to b uy th e T ennessee Valley lan d s offered for sale at hig h ly in flated prices w ith
cu rre n c y o f d u b io u s backing. Som e o f th o se speculators used Yazoo script, also
k n o w n as “M ississippi stock,” as p a rt o f th e ir dow n pay m en t. T h a t scrip t o r stock,
redeem able only in p aym en t for lan d , was issued as co m p en satio n to th o se in d i­
v iduals sw indled in th e Yazoo L and F rau d .2*
O n F eb ru ary 9, 1818, R o b ert Taylor o f O range C ounty, V irg in ia p aid o n e -fo u rth o f
th e p u rch ase m oney, co n sistin g m ostly o f “M ississippi stock,” for th e la n d w here
C o tto n H ill w ould eventually stan d . T h e price o f th e lan d was hig h ly in flated at
$17.56 a n acre, a n d th e re m a in in g p ay m en ts w ere due in th ree a n n u a l in stallm e n ts,
as in d icated in his C ertificate o f P u rch ase.3
O n M ay 10, 1819, R obert Taylor gave pow er o f atto rn ey in th e O range C o u n ty C o u rt
to Jo h n M. Taylor o f H un tsv ille, A labam a T erritory, w here th e local lan d office
w as located, to sell “o r assign” th e certificate th a t also relieved h im o f th e o bliga­
tio n to m ak e the rem ain in g paym ents. S hortly th ereafter, T h eop o liu s T h o m a s o f
L im estone C o u n ty p u rch ased th e certificate a n d th e p ay m en t obligations associ­
ated w ith it. U nfortunately , he b o u g h t th e p ro p e rty at a tim e w hen th e B ank o f th e
U n ited States w as lau n c h in g a p ro g ra m o f m o n e ta ry c o n tra c tio n to en su re th a t all
notes in c ircu latio n w ere backed by specie. T his re tu rn to solvency resu lted in a
rash o f b a n k ru p tc ie s, falling prices in co tto n a n d o th e r co m m o d ities, a n d business
failures th a t becam e k n o w n as th e P anic o f 1819. T he m o n e ta ry c o n tra ctio n also
increased the pu rch asin g pow er o f th e dollar, forcing T h o m as to pay th e rem a in in g
’ The Yazoo Land fraud developed in the late 18th century when Georgia still claimed most of the
land that now comprises Alabama and Mississippi. Corrupt Georgia legislators were bribed to sell
much of this land to four land speculating companies at a ridiculously low price. The fraud was dis­
covered, the legislators removed, and the enabling law rescinded, but the scandal and ensuing legal
uncertainties added further confusion to existing land and currency instabilities. In 1802 Georgia
ceded its western lands to the federal government, and Congress assumed financial responsibility
for settlements following an 1810 Supreme Court decision that validated the Yazoo claims.
Lucy A n n Spottsw ood M atthew s (1816-1874), L u k e ’s second wife.
Courtesy Johnny C rutcher a n d Dr. John Ennis.
28 | Luke M atthew s o f C otton Hill
deb t o n h is la n d in dollars w o rth considerably m o re th a n before th e panic. T hom as,
like m an y o th e r in d iv id u als, w as n o t able to m ake th e p ay m en ts on la n d p u rch ased
from th e g o v ern m en t u n d e r th ese c ircu m stan ces.4
T he in a b ility o f so m an y in d iv id u als to m ake th e re m a in in g in sta llm e n t p ay m en ts
on th e ir lan d p ro m p te d C ongress to pass a relief act on M arch 2, 1821, th a t enabled
T h o m as to spread his pay m en ts over an eight-year p erio d , b eg in n in g on M arch 31,
1822, a n d en d in g w ith th e final p ay m en t on M arch 31, 1829. He m ade th e a rra n g e ­
m en ts for m a k in g these p ay m en ts o n A ugust 30, 1821, a n d received a C ertificate o f
F u rth e r C red it at th a t tim e fro m th e H u n tsv ille L and Office. If T h o m as failed to
m ake these pay m en ts, th e la n d w o u ld rev ert back to th e U n ited States th re e m o n th s
a fter th e final in sta llm e n t w as d u e .5
D u rin g a recen t renovatio n at C o tto n H ill, a b rick in scrib ed w ith th e date o f 1824
w as fo u n d in th e w est u p stairs fireplace, raising a questio n as to th e p o ssibility th a t
T h o m as b u ilt th e house o n th e q u a rte r sectio n so m etim e a fter receiving fu rth e r
c red it fro m th e lan d office. If T h o m as were th e bu ild er, he w ould have u n d o u b t­
edly been aw are th a t he w o u ld lose th e h o u se— a fixed im p ro v em en t— as well as th e
la n d o n w hich it stood, for failure to m eet his p ay m en t obligations. In any event, he
ev en tu ally forfeited th e la n d for n o n p ay m en t, effective July 4, 1829.6
O n M arch 31, 1830, C ongress passed a law th a t enabled in d iv id u als to buy lan d s
“sold o n a cred it, an d on w hich a fu rth e r c red it has been tak en , u n d e r any o f th e
laws p assed for th e relief o f p u rch asers o f public lands, a n d w hich have rev erted to
th e U n ited States, on acco u n t o f th e b alance due th e reo n n o t h aving been p a id or
discharg ed agreeably to said relief law s...”7
Luke M atthew s o f L im estone C o u n ty to o k advantage o f th e first section o f th e law
by o b ta in in g p re -e m p tio n (the rig h t o f a settler o n public la n d to p u rch ase it at a
fixed price to th e exclusion o f any o th e r ap plicant) over th e la n d previously held
by T h o m as u n til July 4, 1831, co n tin g en t u p o n fu ll p ay m en t in cash at th e m in i­
m u m price p er acre. O n N ovem ber 30, 1830, he m ade th e p ay m en t well w ith in the
Luke M atthew s o f C otton Hill | 29
d ead lin e at $3.50 an acre, w hereby he received a F inal C ertificate e n titlin g h im to
a p atent. T he U n ited States issued th e p aten t, o r official title to th e q u a rte r section,
o n A ugust 1,1831.8
V arious sources, in clu d in g th e records o f th e H isto ric A m erican B uildings Survey
(HABS), cred it W illia m P a rh a m w ith b u ild in g C o tto n H ill for Luke M atthew s
a ro u n d 1831. Sources state, m oreover, th a t P a rh am w as a m a ste r b u ild e r a n d
cra ftsm a n w ho b u ilt several o th e r h o m es in th e vicinity, in c lu d in g th e John G ira u lt
G am ble H ouse. P a rh am h a d o rig in ally im m ig rate d to L im estone C o u n ty from
V irg in ia a ro u n d 1818. M atth ew s, also fro m th a t state, arriv e d a few years later.9
B orn in C am pbell C o u n ty , V irg in ia o n S ep tem b er 10, 1796 (his to m b sto n e gives
S eptem ber 20 as h is b ir th d ate) L uke M atth ew s, o r “M ath ew s,” w as th e son o f Luke
M atthew s, Sr., a n d h is w ife, Judith. H e h a d seven siblings, nam ely, Jo h n (his tw in ),
Sam uel, E dw ard, W ash in g to n , N ath an ie l, N ancy, a n d Susan. D u rin g th e W ar of
1812, he served as a p riv ate w ith C a p ta in W illiam C o c k ’s T ro o p o f C avalry o f th e
F irst R egim ent o f th e V irg in ia M ilitia (C am p b ell C o u n ty ) b etw een A ugust 30 a n d
S eptem ber 20, 1814. P rio r to co m in g to A labam a, he w as em ployed as a clerk in
L ynchburg, V irg in ia.10
A ro u n d 1822, Luke M atth ew s, his w idow ed m o th e r a n d o th e r fam ily m em b ers
left V irginia a n d m oved to L im estone C ounty. O n M arch 8, 1826, he m a rrie d M iss
Ju d ith Peete, d a u g h te r o f B en jam in a n d A n n B lunt (“B lo u n t” ) Peete, a n d even tu ally
h ad eight ch ild ren , fo u r o f w h o m lived. T he c h ild ren , how ever, w ere left w ith o u t a
m o th e r u p o n h er d e ath in Ja n u ary 1842.11
O n Jan u ary 26, 1843, he m a rrie d a seco n d tim e , to M iss Lucy A n n S potsw ood o f
n earb y H untsville. She w as th e d a u g h te r o f E llio tt a n d S arah D an d rid g e Spotsw ood.
In a d d itio n to h er new role as step m o th er, she w o u ld in th e co u rse o f tim e b eco m e a
m o th e r to eight c h ild re n o f h e r o w n .12
In 1846, M atthew s m oved w ith his seco n d wife to M ad iso n C ounty, w here he h ad
p u rch ased a p la n ta tio n n e a r Elko Sw itch, a stop o n th e M em p h is & C h arlesto n rail
30 | Luke M atthew s o f C otton Hill
line so u th w est o f H u n tsv ille n ea r th e L im estone C o u n ty line. A lth o u g h he was
n ow a resident o f M ad iso n C o u n ty w ho w ould ev entually move in to H u n tsv ille,
M atth ew s c o n tin u e d to h o ld on to his C o tto n H ill p lan tatio n , c o n tain in g a p p ro x i­
m ately 1,092.40 acres, u n til he sold it to John B. M cC lellan in 1873.13
Records reveal th a t in th e years follow ing his move fro m L im estone C ounty,
M atth ew s b o u g h t an d sold v ario u s p ro p ertie s in th e c o u n ty as well as in H untsv ille.
O ne such p ro p erty , p u rch ased in 1868 for use as a residence, was th e ho u se a n d lot
in to w n at 416 M cC lung Avenue. P erhaps due to age a n d d eclin in g h ealth , he tr a n s ­
ferred title o f th is residence to fo u r o f his ch ild ren (Jam es, Betty, Lucy, a n d Susie)
in 1874, th e year his second wife died. M atth ew s co n tin u ed , however, to live at th e
residence u n til his d eath on A ugust 1, 1875.14
At th e tim e o f his death , M atth ew s was surv iv ed by n in e ch ild ren , in clu d in g
M rs. N an cy (M ary) Jane R o b ertso n o f P ittsb u rg h , Pennsylvania; M rs. M aria D.
E rskine o f H u n tsv ille; M r. B enjam in L. M atth ew s o f M arsh all C ounty, A labam a;
M iss E lizab eth R. M atthew s o f H u n tsv ille; M r. Jam es P. M atth ew s o f H u n tsv ille;
M r. W illiam E. M atthew s o f M arsh all C ounty, A labam a; M rs. B etty M. W atk in s
o f H u n tsv ille; M iss Lucy M atthew s o f H u n tsv ille; a n d M iss Susie M atthew s
o f H u n tsv ille. H e also left p ro p e rty consisting o f a storehouse at N u m b e r 2
C o m m ercial Row (the east side o f w hat is now H a rriso n B rothers H ard w are on
S o u th Side S quare), a vacan t lo t o n L ocust Street, an d th e Sivly Place, located th re e
m iles fro m H u n tsv ille.15
In regard to th e later ow ners o f C o tto n H ill, John B. M cC lellan d ivided th e p ro p e rty
an d sold the hou se w ith 212 acres in 1879 to A ndrew J. Rowe, th e son o f Rev. Jam es
Rowe, w ho h ad fo u n d ed th e M onte Sano Fem ale A cadem y in 1830. T h e hom esite,
fu r th e r reduced to 100 acres after Rowe p u rch ased it, ev entually passed in to th e
han d s o f his son, G eorge, w ho conveyed th e 100-acre tra c t to his bro th er-in -law ,
J.E. H a rd im a n , in 1930. In 1973, th e H a rd im a n fam ily sold th e old p la n ta tio n
house w ith only 25 acres to W illiam a n d B etty Sum m erfelt, a retire d couple from
M ichigan. W ith in ten tio n s o f resto rin g it, C ecil A rm stro n g p u rch ased C o tto n H ill
w ith its re m a in in g 25 acres fro m M r. S um m erfelt in 2001.16
Luke M atthew s o f C otton H ill | 31
N otes
1
_____ _______________
T h o m as P. A bernethy, The Frontier Period in A labam a, 1815-1828
(U niversity: U niv ersity o f A lab am a Press, 1965), pp. 64, 66-67; M u rry N.
R o th b ard , The Panic o f 1819 (N ew York: C o lu m b ia U niversity Press, 1962),
pp. 1-58.
2
A bernethy, Frontier Period, pp. 64-68.
3
C ertificate o f P u rch ase N u m b e r 1790, L and E n try Case File N u m b e r 108,
R ecord G ro u p 49, N atio n a l A rchives, W ash in g to n , D .C.; T ract B ook R ecords,
G eneral L an d O ffice, S pringfield, V irginia.
4
D aniel Feller, The Public L ands in Jacksonian Politics (M adison: U niversity
o f W isconsin Press, 1984), p. 22; Pow er o f A ttorney, L an d E n try Case File
N u m b e r 108; R o th b ard , Panic o f 1819, pp. 1-58; A bernethy, F ro n tier P eriod,
p. 69.
5
“A n A ct for th e relief o f th e p u rch asers o f p ub lic lan d s p rio r to th e first
day o f July, eighteen h u n d re d a n d tw enty,” Statutes a t Large 3, pp. 612-614
(1821); Feller, Public Lands, p. 35; T ract B ook R ecords, G en eral L and Office;
C ertificate o f F u rth e r C red it, L an d E n try C ase File N u m b e r 108.
6
Interview w ith L ak in Boyd, A rt a n d A rc h ite c tu ra l H isto ria n , H u n tsv ille,
A labam a, 10 M ay 2005; T ract B ook R ecords, G en eral L and Office.
7
“A n A ct for th e relief o f th e p u rch asers o f p u b lic lan d , a n d for th e su p p res­
sion o f fra u d u le n t p ractices at th e p u b lic sales o f th e lan d s o f th e U n ited
States,” Statutes a t Large 4, pp. 390-391(1830).
8
Final C ertificate, L an d E n try C ase File N u m b e r 108; T ract B ook R ecords,
G eneral L an d O ffice; “A n A ct for th e relief o f th e p u rch asers o f p u b lic lan d ,
an d for th e su p p ressio n o f fra u d u le n t practices at th e p ublic sales o f th e
lan d s o f th e U n ited States,” p. 391.
32 | Luke M atthew s o f Cotton Hill
9
R ecords o f the H isto ric A m erican B uildings Survey (H ABS), L ibrary o f
C ongress, W ashin g to n , D.C.; C h ris E dw ards a n d Faye A xford, The Lure and
Lore o f Lim estone C ounty (Tuscaloosa: P o rtals Press, 1978), pp. 182-184.
10
Virginia M ilitia in the W ar o f 1812, (B altim ore: G enealogical P u b lish in g
C om pany, 2000), p. 235; P auline J. G a n d ru d , A labam a Soldiers, Volum e 19,
1997, pp. 79-80. W illliam L. H o p k in s, C ampbell County, Virginia Wills and
Inventories, 1782-1847 (R ich m o n d , V irginia: By th e A uthor, 1989), pp. 65,
72, a n d 76; C am pbell C ounty
Virginia M arriage Bonds,
1781-1854 (Salt Lake City,
U tah : G enealogical Society o f
U tah , N ovem ber 1937; re p rin t
ed., Salem , M assachusetts:
H iggonson B ook C om pany, no
d ate), pp. 71 an d 154.
11
D eed B ook I, pp. 93-94,
M ad iso n C ounty, A labam a;
G a n d ru d , A labam a Soldiers,
pp. 80-81; E dw ards an d
A xford, Lure and Lore, p. 183.
12
“In the summer of 1820, the United States
Public Land Office reported that of the
$21,173,489.87 which would be due the fed­
eral government at the end of the year from
purchasers o f public lands, $11,220,685.55,
or nearly 53 percent, was due from the single
state of Alabama.”
Hugh C. Bailey, John Williams Walker, A
Study in the Political, Social and Cultural Life
o f the Old Southwest (University: University of
Alabama Press, 1964), p.151.
G a n d ru d , A labam a Soldiers,
pp. 80-81.
13
D eed B ook 15, p. 235, L im estone C ounty, A labam a; D eed B ook V, pp. 255256, M ad iso n C ounty, A labam a; E dw ards a n d A xford, Lure a n d Lore, p. 183.
14
E dw ards a n d A xford, Lure a n d Lore, p .183; D eed B ook JJ, p. 145, M ad iso n
C ounty, A labam a; D eed Book Z Z, p. 466, M ad iso n C ounty, A labam a; M aple
H ill C em etery R ecords, H untsv ille, A labam a.
Luke M atthew s o f C otton Hill | 33
15
P ro b ate R ecord B ook 34, pp. 155-156, M ad iso n C ounty, A labam a; P ro b ate
R ecord B ook 35, p. 308, M ad iso n C o u n ty , A lab am a; D eed Book RR, pp. 382384, M ad iso n C ounty, A labam a; E dw ards a n d A xford, Lure a n d Lore, p. 183.
16
D eed B ook 19, p. 21, L im estone C o u n ty , A lab am a; R ecords o f th e Tax
A ssessor’s O ffice, L im estone C o u n ty , A lab am a; E dw ards a n d A xford, Lure
a nd Lore, pp. 183-184; Pat Jones, “Rowe H o m e,” H untsville Tim es, 23 June
1935, p. 3.
Above: Front facade o f Oakendale, L uke’s M adison C ounty p lantation
house, prior to being moved. The house had previously been stuccoed
and the fro n t entry m odified.
Below: Rear elevation revealing the clapboard siding and location o f the
kitchen wing, as it was being relocated on Redstone A rsenal in 1955. U.S.
A rm y A viation and M issile C om m and’s Historical Function, Secretary
o f the General Staff, Redstone Arsenal Historical Inform ation Web site.
Luke M atthew s o f M ad ison C ou n ty | 35
Luke Matthews in Madison County
L in d a Ba y e r A
llen
Luke M atth ew s’s im p a c t o n N o rth A lab am a was n o t co n fin ed to his m ag n ificen t
L im estone C o u n ty p la n ta tio n house, C o tto n H ill. H e sp en t th e en d o f his life in
M adison C ounty, w here he m a in ta in e d a second, even larger, c o tto n p la n ta tio n u n ­
til th e cap tu re o f H u n tsv ille d u rin g th e C ivil W ar w hen he m oved in to to w n . A n d
his n u m e ro u s d escen d an ts, m a n y o f w h o m m a rrie d a n d stayed in th e city, c o n tin ­
ued to play vital roles in H u n tsv ille ’s history.
As early as 1845 w hile still resid in g at C o tto n H ill, Luke b eg an a c q u irin g an existing
co tto n p la n ta tio n a n d h o u se in M ad iso n C ounty. H is in itia l p u rch ase consisted o f
1,233 acres, for w h ich he p aid $12,900. Five years later he m ad e a second p u rch ase
o f 1,062 acres ad jo in in g th e first, for w h ich he p aid $21,519. A th ird trac t, b o u g h t
in 1856, co m pleted th e assem blage o f his M ad iso n C o u n ty p lan tatio n , called
O akendale, w hich c o n ta in e d ap p ro x im ately 2,400 acres. P a rt o f th is la n d h ad p rev i­
ously been o w ned by Jam es M a n n in g , Sr., w ho b u ilt th e large, m ag n ificen t house,
now dem olished, k n o w n as T h e G rove, once lo cated o n th e w est side o f G allatin
Street atop th e k n o ll w est o f M a n n in g D rive in d o w n to w n H u n tsv ille. In d icatio n s
are th a t M a n n in g also c o n stru c te d a large h o u se on his p la n ta tio n p rio r to L uke’s
p u rch ase o f it in 1845. L uke’s second w ife, Lucy A n n S p o ttsw o o d (“S p o tsw o o d ” ),
w as fro m H u n tsv ille, a n d p erh ap s th is explains his w illingness to leave his
C o tto n H ill p la n ta tio n a n d m ake O ak en d ale h is hom e. At an y rate, th ey resided at
O ak en d ale for a lm o st tw e n ty years a n d raised eight c h ild re n in a d d itio n to th e fo u r
su rv iv in g fro m L uke’s first m arria g e to Ju d ith P eete.1
O ak en d ale p la n ta tio n w as located o n b o th sides o f th e M em p h is & C h arlesto n
R ailro ad (M & C ) track s a n d along th e w est side o f w hat is n o w R id eo u t R oad, w hich
leads to G ate 9 o f R ed sto n e A rsenal. In th e 19th cen tu ry , th is area w as k n o w n
as Elko Switch, a stop on th e M & C lin e w here people co u ld catch th e tr a in in to
H u n tsv ille o r load th e ir c o tto n for ship p in g , alth o u g h it h a d n o physical facility.
36 | Luke M atthew s o f M adison Coun ty
T oday L uke’s p la n ta tio n is o ccupied p rim a rily by R edstone A rsenal a n d T h o rn to n
R esearch Park. T he house itself was sited southw est o f th e in tersec tio n o f th e ra il­
ro ad track s a n d R ideout R oad. Fam ily legend relates th a t G en eral O rm sb y M itchell,
on his w ay to occu py H u n tsv ille, sto p p ed at O akendale, p resu m ab ly to confiscate
L uke’s co tto n . Luke m u st have suspected M itch ell’s in te n t a n d h ad 120 bales d e ­
stroyed. In re tu rn , an irate M itchell forced Luke an d Lucy to a b an d o n O akendale
a n d m ove in to H u n tsv ille, w here th ey resided at 528 A dam s S treet (w hich was
o w n ed by L uke’s b ro th er-in -law fro m his first m arriag e) d u rin g th e years o f the
C ivil W ar. Luke stayed on in H u n tsv ille after th e w ar, a n d in 1868 he p u rc h ase d th e
ho u se a n d fo u r acres at 416 M cC lung Avenue, w here he a n d Lucy A n n resided u n til
th e ir death s, hers in 1874 a n d his in 1875.2
A fter th e C ivil W ar, Luke co n tin u e d to acquire M ad iso n C o u n ty acreage u p to th e
y ear he d ied at age 79. H is second ru ra l tra c t consisted o f ap p ro x im ately 1,200 acres
lo cated at th e n o rth e a st co rn e r o f P ulask i Pike a n d Bob W ade Lane, w hich has re ­
cently b een developed by Toyota as a m ajo r m a n u fa c tu rin g facility for th e p ro d u c ­
tio n o f tru c k engines. In 1871 he assem bled a th ird ru ra l tra c t o f 750 acres located
ro u g h ly betw een S o u th M em orial Parkw ay a n d H u n tsv ille Spring B ranch o n w hat
is now Jo h n H u n t P ark a n d th e H u n tsv ille M u n icip al G o lf C o u rse.3
B ut n o t all his tra n sa c tio n s involved ru ra l lan d . In H u n tsv ille he p u rc h a se d at
au ctio n a o n e -th ird in terest in a b u ild in g o n East Side S quare (now k n o w n as th e
S ch iffm an b u ild in g ). A n o th e r co m m ercial p ro p e rty ow ned by Luke was th e east
side o f w h at is now H a rriso n B rothers H ardw are, w hich he p u rch ased in 1868
for $6,000. T he executors o f his estate sold th is p ro p e rty in 1881 for $2,025. The
H a rriso n b ro th ers p aid $1,500 w hen th e y acq u ired it in 1902, follow ing a fire th a t
began in a n earb y feed store a n d spread to ad jo in in g b u ild in g s. T h e H a rriso n s had
previously located th e ir store in one o f th e d am ag e d bu ild in g s. A fter th e e x p a n ­
sion, they h ire d a c o n tra c to r to re p a ir th e tw o stru c tu re s, c o n n ect th em , c o n stru c t
a u n ify in g facade, a n d b u ild an ad d itio n o n th e rear o f th e ir o rig in al store. T he
result o f th is project w as th e H a rriso n B rothers H ard w are business th a t rem ain s in
416 M cC lung A venue was ow ned and occupied by Luke
M atthew s fro m 1868 u n til his death in 1875; the yard contained
fo u r acres a n d extended dow n to A d a m s Street. Courtesy
H untsville-M adison C ounty Public Library
38 | Luke M atthew s o f M ad ison Coun ty
o p e ra tio n to d ay on S o u th Side Square
u n d e r th e o w n ersh ip o f th e H isto ric
H u n tsv ille F o u n d atio n .4
L uke m ay have b o u g h t M adison
C o u n ty la n d as an in vestm en t, b u t
w hat seem s m o re likely is th a t he rec­
o g n ized th e p recario u s econom ic co n ­
d itio n s th a t p revailed at th e en d o f the
w ar an d w as desirous o f leaving his
large b ro o d o f offspring lan d rich. The
value o f h is ow n holdings m u st have
b een considerable before th e w ar to be
527 Franklin Street was the hom e o f L uke’s daughter
able to su sta in th e loss o f m o re th a n
M aria Dance M atthew s and her husband Dr. A lbert
100 slaves in M ad iso n C o u n ty alone
Russel Erskine; M aria sold the house in 1912. Courtesy
a n d still be able to purchase p ro p e rty
H untsville-M adison C ounty Public Library
in th e dow n years o f th e late 1860s
a n d early 1870s. F rom 1845 to 1856 Luke b o u g h t only tw o p ro p ertie s, th e S chiffm an
b u ild in g a n d O akendale; b u t betw een 1865 a n d 1875 he b o u g h t n in e a d d itio n al
tra c ts, for w hich he p aid a to ta l o f $63,530. In ad d itio n , he reta in ed o w n ersh ip o f
b o th th e C o tto n H ill an d O ak en d ale p lan tatio n s u n til 1873.5
In M arch o f 1873 he divid ed th e m ajo rity o f his O ak en d ale p la n ta tio n am o n g th re e
of h is sons by his second m arriag e: Jam es P leasant M atthew s received 700 acres ly­
ing on the so u th side o f th e M8cC tracks w hich included th e “dw elling a n d h o u ses”;
E llio tt R obertson M atthew s was d eeded 600 acres w hich w ere already in his p o s­
session; a n d John N ath an ie l M atthew s b ecam e th e o w n er o f 596 acres lying on th e
n o rth side o f th e railro a d on w hich he was residing. C o n fu sio n exists a b o u t Jo h n ’s
date o f death , w hich his to m b sto n e in M aple H ill C em etery shows as 1871; however,
his fath er deeded h im lan d in 1873 a n d his last tw o c h ild ren were b o rn in 1872 an d
1874. It ap pears th a t John actu ally d ied in 1874, especially in light o f L uke’s final
Luke M atthew s o f M ad ison Count}' | 39
fam ily deed, w hich w as m ade in M ay o f 1875, conveying th e re m a in in g 462 acres o f
O aken dale to th e five ch ild re n o f Jo h n .6
L uke’s fo u rth su rv iv in g son b y Lucy A n n received 833 acres w here th e Toyota p la n t
now sits; a n d ju s t m o n th s before his d ea th Luke d eeded his o n e -th ird in terest in th e
S chiffm an b u ild in g to his d a u g h te r M a ria D an ce M atth ew s, w ho h ad m a rrie d Dr.
A lb ert E rskine. T h e E rskines lived in th e h o u se at 527 F ra n k lin Street, w hich Luke
had deeded to his d a u g h ter in 1874, n in e years a fte r b u y in g it fro m h e r h u sb an d .
M aria re tain ed possession o f th is h o u se u n til 1912 w hen she sold it to L aura M ae
Powell.7
H aving doled o u t th e larg est tra c ts o f h is la n d to his yo u n g est sons, Luke left a
p e c u liar w ill d ire c tin g his executors to “ d is trib u te all m y estate, real a n d p erso n al
o f every d escrip tio n b etw een m y ch ild re n acco rd in g to th e laws o f said state w hich
govern th e d is trib u tio n o f real a n d p erso n a l estates o f p erso n s dying in te sta te ....”
However, he h ad k ep t a reco rd o f w h at he h ad previously given each child, a n d th o se
gifts w ere to be con sid ered as p a rt o f h is estate in th e d is trib u tio n o f his re m ain in g
assets. B oth Luke a n d Lucy A n n M atth ew s w ere b u rie d in M aple H ill C em etery;
Judith Peete, L uke’s first w ife, w as pro b ab ly in te rre d o n th e C o tto n H ill pro p erty ,
b u t her stone has n o t b een fo u n d .8
W h en Luke m oved to M ad iso n C o u n ty fro m C o tto n H ill he w as obviously a c cu s­
to m ed to living in a large, stylish house. All available evidence in d icates th a t th e
O ak en d ale house still stan d s, alth o u g h in a d ifferen t lo catio n a n d in a d isastro u sly
altered co n d itio n . W h e n th e U.S. A rm y co n d e m n e d la n d for th e esta b lish m e n t o f
w hat becam e R edstone A rsenal, th ere w ere tw o large p la n ta tio n houses still e x ta n t.
O ne, called th e C h an ey h o u se a fte r its th e n ow ner, w as located o n th e O ak en d ale
la n d an d was believed to have b een c o n stru c te d circa 1835, w hich w o u ld have c o in ­
cided w ith Jam es M a n n in g ’s ow nership.
A lth o u g h no 1 9 th -c en tu ry p h o to g ra p h s o f th e ho u se are k n o w n , p ictu res tak e n
in 1955 w hen th e h o u se was relo cated d e m o n strate th a t it was one o f th e c o u n ty ’s
40 | L u k e M atthew s o f M ad ison C oun ty
o u ts ta n d in g an teb e llu m stru c tu re s. O f a slightly u n u su a l design for M ad iso n
C o u n ty it w as a large, re c ta n g u la r b o x u n d e r an overh an g in g h ip p ed roof, h aving a
sy m m etrical, th ree-b ay facade a n d fo u r huge ro o m s flan k in g a w ide cen tral hallw ay
on each o f tw o floors. U nlike m o st local an teb e llu m h ouses o f its size, it h a d one
set o f p a ire d 9/9 w indow s on e ith er side o f th e cen tered fro n t e n try an d th ree sets
across th e second floor fro n t, a fen estratio n th a t w as rep eated on th e rear w here th e
d o u b le-leaf do o rw ay w ith tra n so m was still visible. Also u n c o m m o n , a lth o u g h n o t
u n iq u e in th e county, are th e d ouble ex terio r b rick chim neys o n e ith er side wall
sep arated by tw o 9/9 w indow s p e r floor a n d flanked by a single 9/9 w in d o w at each
o u te r edge. T h e w ood-sid ed h o u se h a d been stuccoed an d th e fro n t e n try altered,
o b sc u rin g th e design o f th e o rig in al e n try a n d porch. T he ho u se w as tw ice th e size
o f C o tto n H ill, an d th e O ak en d ale p la n ta tio n h a d tw ice th e acreage o f th e C o tto n
H ill p la n ta tio n .9
N ellie M cA nally, w ho lived in th e house for several years d u rin g th e 1920s, recalled
in a 1989 in terv iew th a t th e la n d was
ren ted o u t to te n a n ts w ho grew co tto n a n d c o rn a n d b o u g h t th e ir supplies
fro m a co m m issary located in th e old k itch en at th e rear o f th e house. A
d rive lin ed w ith cedar trees led to th e fro n t door. T he house was clap b o ard
th e n , a n d h ad a sm all p o rch in fro n t a n d a larger, screened p o rch in back.
E ach ro o m h ad its ow n fireplace. T here was no electricity a n d th e only
r u n n in g w ater cam e fro m a tap in th e kitchen. ‘T h ere w ere big folding
doors betw een [the fro n t room ] a n d th e d in in g ro o m at th e back, so th ey
cou ld o p en th e m a n d m ake a b allro o m . T here was a fireplace over there,
w ith co lu m n s all th e w ay to th e ceiling, an d m irro rs. It w as b eau tifu l. It
m akes you w onder w hy th e y w ould w an t to change it a ll .. .This was o u r
k itc h e n .. .we h ad cabinets along here, an d on th is wall a d o o r led o u t to
o u r screened p o rch w here we ate d u rin g th e w arm w eather. T h ere was a
w ater faucet in here, b u t n o sink. T h a t was th e only ru n n in g w ater in th e
w hole house, an d th ere w ere no b a th ro o m s.’10
Luke M atthew s o f M ad ison C oun ty | 41
A fter th e h o u se was m oved eleven
m iles across th e arsen al in 1955 it
was again “m o d e rn iz e d .” T he only
fireplace re m a in in g was faced in p in k
m arble, a n d a second staircase in th e
b ack was rem oved, as w ere th re e o f
th e m assive ch im n ey s an d th e stairs
to th e attic. B oth floors w ere p a rti­
tio n e d in to b e d ro o m s, b aths, kitchen s
a n d closets. T h e ex terio r was faced
w ith yellow ish b rick an d a tw o-story,
co lu m n ed p o rch added. A 1982 h is­
421 M cC lung A venue was the hom e o f L u ke’s daughter
Lucy and her husband D. Irvine W h ite who bu ilt it in
1888; the house was occupied by fa m ily descendants until
1983. Photograph by Linda B. Allen
to ric a l b u ild in g s survey re p o rte d th a t
“a lth o u g h th is a n te-b e llu m house
rep resen ts p re -m ilita ry la n d use, it
re tain s little o f its o rig in al integrity.
T he house has been extensively ren o v ated a n d m oved fro m its o rig in al site, an d
therefore possesses little a rc h ite c tu ra l o r h isto ric al significance.” Follow ing th e
m ove, the arm y re n a m e d it th e G o d d a rd h o u se."
T he M atthew ses re ta in e d possession o f th e 700-acre tra c t c o n ta in in g th e ho u se
from 1845 u n til 1892 w hen it w as conveyed o u t o f th e fam ily. By th e tim e th e a rm y
began acq u irin g la n d in 1941, th e o n ly O ak en d ale p ro p e rty still o w ned by th e
M atthew s fam ily ap p ears to have been 308 acres o w n ed by L uke’s g ra n d d a u g h te r
C arrie T ardy M atth ew s. It w as ta k e n by em in e n t d o m a in .12
T he d eath s o f Luke a n d Lucy A n n , how ever, d id n o t en d th e M atth ew s fam ily c o n ­
n ectio n s w ith H u n tsv ille houses a n d d evelopm ent. Luke h ad deed ed his to w n ho u se
at 416 M cC lung A venue to fo u r o f his ch ild ren , a n d tw o years after his d eath , th e
h o u se w as sold to Lucy B. M atth ew s, Luke’s d au g h te r-in -la w a n d th e wife o f Jam es
P. M atthew s. It re m a in e d in h er o w n ersh ip u n til 1902 w hen h e r w idow ed hus-
42 | Luke M atthew s o f M ad ison C oun ty
b a n d a n d d a u g h te r sold it to A lb erta
Taylor.13
Lucy, one o f L uke’s d augh ters, m a r­
ried D avid Irv in e W h ite w ho b u ilt th e
tow ered b rick V icto rian house at 421
M cC lung A venue in 1888. Lucy lived
th ere u n til h er d eath in 1939, at w hich
tim e it w as w illed to h er son A ddison
W h ite o n th e co n d itio n th a t he pay
each o f h is fo u r b ro th ers $2,000. T his
h o u se is a slightly m odified copy o f a
601 Franklin Street was bought in 1875 by H enrietta
M atthew s, w idow o f L uke’s son John N athaniel. Two o f
h o u se in R ich m o n d , K entucky, b u ilt
her daughters inherited the house, which stayed in the
by Irv in e W h ite ’s uncle Shelby Irv in e,
fa m ily u n til 1944. Photograph by Linda B. A llen
w ho, acco rd in g to fam ily tra d itio n ,
sent h im a copy o f th e p la n s.14
lo h n N ath an ie l M atthew s, Luke’s son w ho d ied early, was survived by his w idow
H e n rie tta a n d five ch ild ren . In 1875 H e n rie tta p u rch ased 601 F ra n k lin Street,
a lth o u g h fam ily lore relates th a t Luke (an d possibly h e r father) p u t u p th e m oney
so she a n d th e g ran d ch ild ren w o u ld have a h o m e follow ing th e d eath o f John.
H e n rie tta w illed th e hou se to h er tw o u n m a rrie d d au g h ters; it stayed in th e fam ily
u n til 1944 a n d p rovided a refuge for o th e r fam ily m em b ers th ro u g h th e y ears.15
O ne o f L uke’s b ro th ers, Sam uel M atthew s, p u rch ased th e h o u se at 413 M cC lung
A venue in 1857 an d his fam ily resided th ere d u rin g th e w ar years, selling it in 1870.
Sam uel h ad also b u ilt a large fram e m an sio n in so u th e rn L im estone C o u n ty n ear
th e T ennessee River a b o u t 1840; it was relocated by TVA an d th e n severely dam ag ed
in 1974 by a to rn a d o .16
W illiam E dw in M atthew s, Luke’s son w ho in h erite d th e fa rm now o ccupied by
Toyota, w as unable to ho ld on to it, ev entually losing it an d m oving to G ladstone
Luke M atthew s o f M adison C ou n ty | 43
Place (the an teb e llu m h om e o f G o v ern o r R euben C h ap m an ) in 1889, w here he o p ­
erated M onte Sano D a iry a n d raised Lily Flagg, th e 1892 c h am p io n Jersey b u tte rfa t
p ro d u cer.17
In th e n ext g eneratio n , one o f L uke’s g ra n d so n s B en jam in a n d his wife Olive, along
w ith th e ir tw o sons O liver K ennedy a n d Luke, Jr., c o n stitu te d th e en tire b o a rd o f
directo rs o f th e S pring C ity M illin g C o m p an y in 1921. T h e m ill w as located as early
as th e 1890s on th e so u th side o f W est C lin to n Avenue, w here th e d o w n to w n p o st
office now stan d s. In 1926, Luke Jr., ch an g ed th e bu sin ess o f th e c o m p an y fro m a
g rin d in g an d feed m ill to a large c o tto n w areh o u se com plex, w hich he c o n stru cte d
on th e sam e site a n d n am e d it th e D ixie W arehouse a n d Storage C om pany. At th e
sam e tim e th e w areh o u se for th e S pring C ity M illin g C o m p an y o n th e n o rth side
o f W est C lin to n becam e M atth ew s B ro th ers Feed C om pany. Luke, Jr., a n d his wife,
M arjorie, o p erated th e D ixie W areh o u se, w hile Luke Jr.’s b ro th e r O liver K ennedy
M atthew s a n d his son ap p are n tly to o k over th e feed bu sin ess, even tu ally co n v ertin g
it to a b u ild in g supply co m p an y .18
T he M atthew s fam ily also c o n trib u te d to th e dev elo p m en t o f H u n tsv ille th ro u g h
D ixie W arehouse and Storage C om pany on W est C linton A venue was established in 1926
by L u ke’s great-grandson Luke, Jr. and his w ife M arjorie; it ceased operation about 1977.
C ourtesy H untsville-M adison C ounty Public Library
4 4 I Luke M atthew s o f M ad ison C oun ty
In 1909 The D em ocrat reported that “Mr. and Mrs. E. R. M atthew s have moved out to their
home, Bide-A-W ee, a t the fo o t o f M onte Sano. It was the old home, Oak Place, built and owned
by the late Mr. George Steele. The house and surrounding grove is one o f the handsom est old
residences in this vicinity.” Historic A m erican Buildings Survey, ALA, 45-HU VI. V, 1-2
su bdivisions o f lan d th a t th ey h a d acqu ired . T he College H ill A d d itio n o f 1928 p la t­
ted lots so u th o f Big Cove R oad, east o f C alifo rn ia Street an d along b o th sides o f Lee
H ighw ay (G overnors D rive). T h is developm ent o p en ed W estm o relan d , Lytle, Gill,
an d M atthew s streets, th ereb y creatin g a p e rm a n e n t m a rk er o f th e M atth ew s fam ily
passage th ro u g h H u n tsv ille .19
In 1947, b ro th ers Luke, Jr., a n d O.K. M atthew s split a large tra c t o f la n d lying on
th e n o rth side o f Big Cove R oad ju st east o f C alifo rn ia Street. Luke Jr.’s lot c o n ­
sisted o f 43 acres th a t he sub d iv id ed in to 106 resid en tial lots in 1950, w hich w as th e
b e g in n in g o f a new n eig h b o rh o o d th a t assu m ed th e n am e o f Luke Jr.’s subdivision:
B lossom w ood. Luke, Jr., a n d M arjo rie lived on th e n o rth side o f Big Cove R oad for
E lliott R. M atthew s III (1920-2004)
great-grandson o f Luke M atthew s, in 2001.
Courtesy Johnny Crutcher
46 | Luke M atthew s o f M ad ison Coun ty
years in a lovely stone bungalow . Luke, Jr., d ied in 1956 a n d his son Ben c o n tin u e d
o p eratio n o f D ixie W arehouse a n d Storage u n til its close, a b o u t 1977.20
O.K. a n d M arie M atthew s su b d iv id ed th e ir 40-acre parcel on th e east side o f
B lossom w ood subdiv isio n in 1955 as W in d y H ill, w hich consisted o f eleven lots
along th e n o rth side o f Big Cove Road, and, in 1956 added W in d y H ill, Second
A d d itio n , co n ta in in g 46 lots lying so u th o f B lossom w ood School along th e new
streets o f W o o d m o n t, Olive a n d East O live.21
A n o th e r o f L uke’s g ran d so n s, E lliott M atth ew s, Jr., m a rrie d M arg aret B urns, w ho
in 1908 h ad b o u g h t O ak Place, th e hom e b u ilt by a rch itect G eorge Steele (circa
1840) on M aysville R oad. T he follow ing year she d eeded th e house an d s u rro u n d ­
ing 169 acres to h e r new h u sb an d , b u t in 1919 th e y lost th e p ro p e rty w hen th e y were
unab le to m ake th e m ortgage paym ents. From th e n on th e fam ily lived in ren tal
q u a rte rs, in clu d in g m an y o f th e houses along F ra n k lin Street a n d M cC lung Avenue
w here th ey h ad n u m e ro u s relatives. E lliott M atth ew s III related th a t w hen his
m o th e r p u rch ased O ak Place it h ad been vacan t for years an d hay was b ein g sto red
in th e d o w n stairs. T he M atthew ses called th e h o u se Bide-A-W ee, a n am e th a t
recu rs on th e subdivision street so u th o f it th a t w as n o t p latted u n til 1956.22
M arg aret an d E lliott M atth ew s, Jr., h ad six ch ild ren , b u t E lliott III w as th e one
w ho m ad e th e m o st recen t a n d p erh ap s m o st significant c o n trib u tio n to th e city by
d o n a tin g to T he L and T ru st o f H u n tsv ille an d N o rth A labam a a life estate in his
130-acre farm o f p astu re a n d w o o d lan d in L im estone C ounty. A lth o u g h E llio tt was
b o rn in H u n tsv ille a n d lived here for m u ch o f his life— even w orking in th e C ity o f
H u n tsv ille finance d e p a rtm e n t for 14 years— his love was th e lan d , a n d he b ecam e
depressed w hen he saw it b ein g destroyed by ra m p a n t developm ent. E lliott believed
th a t A labam a had been good to h im a n d he w an ted to repay it by preserv in g his
piece o f lan d for th e enjo y m en t o f fu tu re generations. E lliott R o b ertso n M atthew s
III died in Jan u ary 2004 at age 83, h av in g left a living legacy o f th e M atth ew s fam ily
for all the fam ilies in N o rth A labam a.
Luke M atthew s o f M ad ison C o u n ty | 47
Postscript
T his abbreviated n a rrativ e o f th e M atth ew s fam ily a n d its im p act o n M ad iso n an d
L im estone cou n ties w o u ld n o t have been possible w ith o u t th e v ario u s w ritin g s a n d
interview s left by E llio tt R. M atth ew s III, w ho tre a su re d his fam ily ’s h isto ry a n d
trie d to keep alive its legacy by retellin g th e stories h e a rd in his y o u th in H u n tsv ille
a n d th ro u g h ded ica ted research in to th e lives an d tim es o f his ancestors. E specially
helpful w as th e in terv iew w ith E llio tt ta p ed by T h e L and T ru st o f H u n tsv ille a n d
N o rth A labam a in June 2002. Special th a n k s also go to o th e r M atth ew s d escen ­
d an ts w ho assisted o u r research by generously sh a rin g fam ily stories, genealogies,
a n d p hotographs.
N otes
1
D eed B ook V, p.255, D eed B ook Y, p.197; D eed Book AA, p .420, M ad iso n
C ounty, A labam a.
2
D eed B ook JJ, p .145, M ad iso n C ounty, A labam a.
3
D eed B ook O O , p .200; D eed B ook RR, p.382, M ad iso n C ounty, A labam a.
4
D eed B ook X, p.513; D eed B ook JJ, p.253; D eed B ook FFF, p.228; D eed Book
90, p.169; D eed B ook 637, p.860, M ad iso n C ounty, A labam a.
5
1856 M ad iso n C o u n ty Tax A ssessm ents.
6
D eed Book VV, p.504; D eed Book VV, p.506; D eed B ook VV, p.507; D eed
Book Z Z, p.495, M ad iso n C o u n ty , A labam a.
7
D eed Book Z Z, p .504; D eed Book Z Z, p.565; D eed B ook EE, p .36; D eed
Book XX, p .173, D eed B ook 105, p.277, M ad iso n C o u n ty , A labam a.
8
W ill Book 1, p.544, M ad iso n C o u n ty , A labam a.
9
w w w .re d sto n e .a rm y .m il/h isto ry /g o d d a rd /w e lco m e .h tm l.
10
P am Rogers, G o d d a rd H o u se serves as re m in d e r o f p re-A rm y d a y s ...
Redstone Rocket, 25 O cto b e r 1989, p p .10-11.
48 | Luke M atthew s o f M adison C oun ty
11
w w w .red sto n e.arm y .m il/h isto ry /g o d d a rd /w elc o m e .h tm l.
12
Plat B ook 1, p.176, M ad iso n C ounty, A labam a.
13
D eed Book Z Z, p.466; D eed Book BBB, p.273; D eed B ook 90, p.192, M adison
C ounty, A labam a.
14
D eed Book XXX, p.213; W ill Book 5, p.516, M ad iso n C ounty, A labam a.
15
D eed Book YY, p.483; W ill Book 4, p.576; D eed B ook 166, p.375, M ad iso n
C ounty, A labam a.
16
D eed B ook BB, p.98; D eed Book PP, p.612, M adison C ounty, A labam a;
C h ris E dw ards an d Faye A xford, T he Lure and Lore o f Lim estone C ounty
(T uscaloosa: P ortals Press, 1978), pp. 168-169.
17
E lizab eth H u m es C h ap m an , Changing H untsville, 1890-1899 (H u n tsv ille:
H isto ric H untsville F o u n d atio n , 1989), pp.63-65.
18
C o rp o ra tio n Book 2, p.473, M ad iso n C ounty, A labam a; S an b o rn Fire
In su ra n c e M aps 1913, 1921 a n d 1928; H untsv ille, A labam a, C ity D irectories
1931-1932 an d 1940.
19
Plat B ook 1, p.91, M adison C ounty, A labam a.
20
Plat B ook 1, p.209 a n d p.225, M ad iso n C ounty, A labam a.
21
Plat Book 1, p.264 a n d p.323, M adison C ounty, A labam a.
22
Plat B ook 1, p.318, M ad iso n C ounty, A labam a.
Luke M atthew s o f M adison C ou n ty | 49
Luke M atthew s descen­
dants a t Cotton Hill,
June 2005. B ottom : Jim
Shackleford, Dr. H arry
Porter, Jr., Eleanor Streit,
Ben M atthew s IV; M iddle:
Dr. John M atthew s Ennis,
Cissie Chrisco; Top:
Michelle, Troy and Ross
Shackleford.
Dr. H arry Porter, Jr.,
Eleanor Streit, and Cissie
Chrisco pose w ith a fa u x
Lily Flagg a t Gladstone
Place, the dairy where Lily
Flagg was raised in 1892.
Photographs by Ralph
Allen.
Officers for 2005
Jim R ountree
C hairm an
Vice C hairm an
D onna Castellano
Secretary
Jeanne Steadm an
Treasurer
John Cline
M ike Holbrook
Ex Officio (past chairm an)
Staff
A n n ette Philpo’t
E xecutive Director
Joan Brunson
A dm inistrative Asssistant
Store Director, Harrison Brothers
Lynne Berry
Board of Directors
W ayne L um pkin
Delia Black
Lauren M artinson
Aggie Carter
N ancy M unson
A m y Creech
Louis D urnya
Judy Perszyk
Sarah Hereford
R andy Roper
M ary Rutledge
D elphia H ill
Jean Templeton
N ancy Horgen
W alter Kelley
Ex Officio
Lynne B erry
Kyle D avis
M a ry Gray
D avid N u tta ll
Richard Van Valkenburgh
51
Historic Huntsville Foundation
Since 1974, th e F o u n d a tio n h as w orked to preserve a rc h ite c tu ra lly a n d h isto rically
significant sites a n d stru c tu re s in H u n tsv ille a n d M ad iso n C ounty.
T he F o u n d atio n ow n s and operates H a rriso n B ro th ers H ard w are; ow n s and
leases th e H arv ie Jones B uilding; operates a w areh o u se o f a rc h ite c tu ra l artifa c ts
a n d m aterials for reuse in h isto ric p reserv atio n ; p u b lish es The H istoric H untsville
Q uarterly o f Local Architecture a n d Preservation, th e 2001 w in n n e r o f th e A labam a
H isto rical C o m m issio n ’s E x cep tio n al A chievem ent A w ard, a n d The Foundation
Forum , a q u arterly new sletter; h o sts an a n n u a l m em b ersh ip tea in a rc h itec tu rally
significant hom es; reco g n iz es people w ho have m ade n o tab le c o n trib u tio n s to h is­
to ric preserv atio n ; p rovid es c o m p lim e n ta ry in fo rm a tio n a n d c o n su lta tio n o n th e
tax credits available for th e re sto ra tio n o f h isto ric in c o m e-p ro d u c in g p roperty.
H H F fu n ctio n s have in clu d ed A R ooftop A ffair; The M oveable Feast; H appy Days
at the Russel Erskine; “Through the Garden G ate” b o o k p u b lish in g p a rty ; O ldFashioned Trade D ay on the Square; an d m em b e rs-o n ly events at p rivate h o m es an d
buildings.
O n -goin g projects include re h a b ilita tio n o f h ouses in th e L incoln M ill Village,
fu n d ed by an a p p ro p ria tio n fro m C o n g ressm an B ud C ram er; stab ilizatio n a n d p lan
developm ent for th e M em p h is & C h arlesto n freig h t d ep o t, w ith fu n d in g p rov id ed
by C o n g ressm an B ud C ram er; an d m ark e tin g th e F o u n d a tio n ’s b o o k “Through the
Garden Gate: The Gardens o f H istoric H untsville,” p ro ceed s fro m w hich w ill e sta b ­
lish an en d an g ered p ro p ertie s fu n d .
H istoric H untsville Foundation — 2005 Membership Form
□
In
Fa m
d iv id u a l o r
il y
$ 3 5 -$ 4 9
□ S p o n s o r $ 1o o - $ 1 4 9
□ N
on
-P
r o f it
□ S e n i o r (6 5
O
□ Pa t r o n $ 5 0 - $ 9 9
□ B e n e f a c t o r $ 150
r g a n iz a t io n
an d over
), I n
$25
an d
up
□ B u s i n e s s $ 10 0
d iv id u a l o r
Fa m
il y
$30
M ake check payable to H isto ric H u n tsv ille F o u n d atio n . M em b ersh ip dues
in excess o f $16 (value o f su b scrip tio n to pub licatio n s) are ded u ctib le as a
ch aritab le c o n trib u tio n .
N
a m e
................................................................................................................................................................
(as it should appear on membership records)
A
d d ress
C
it y
E -m
.........................................................................................................................................................
...........................................S t a
a il
A
d d ress
te
............................................. Z
....................................................... T
M ail to:
H isto ric H untsville F o u n d atio n
124 S outh Side Square
H u n tsv ille, A labam a 35801
A n n e tte P h ilp o ’t, Executive D irecto r
H isto ric H untsville F o u n d atio n
124 S o u th Side Square
H u n tsv ille, A labam a 35801
T elephone: 256/539-0097
E -m ail: preserve@ hiw aay.net
ip
...................................................
eleph one
...................................................
Historic Huntsville Foundation
124 South Side Square
Huntsville, Alabama 35801
Help save Huntsville’s treasures. Call 256/539-0097.