Category: Pinson’s Legacy

In this month’s article, I will continue the rant started in July (hey, I’ve got to get it out of my system somehow…).

Last month, I focused on the lack of interest that far too many people have in their town’s or area’s history. This month, I want to drill down further into two additional categories; first, people who don’t seem care about the history or genealogy of their own family, and second, those people who like to think they know something, but haven’t bothered to do the work needed to ascertain the facts.

A case in point… Recently, I happened to overhear a person discussing, in great detail, a recent conversation during which some facts regarding their family’s role in the history of a local town had come into question. It apparently involved a disagreement between this person and a local historian who had written something in opposition to the first person’s beliefs about their family history.

Now, who was right? (Maybe, the better question is who was correct?) I don’t know and I don’t really need (or want) to know… Taking sides is not the point. But, for the sake of clarity, let’s look at what we think we “know” in this case…

First, let’s talk about the person whose family history is at issue. In this case, the person had heard various anecdotes and stories over the years from older family members that led to the beliefs that they have. It’s likely that most people take such conversations pretty much at face value and simply file them away as memories.

In the first case, someone is not interested in learning more about their family history… they are not interested in pursuing or questioning the stories. They do not take steps to dig into their family history and learn more about it. Maybe they find boxes of old photos or bundles of letters belonging to their grandmother… “OK, nothing valuable here, so just throw them out”. (These are often the same people who are prone to tear old buildings down for no other reason than they are old buildings – they do not see value in things that happened in the past). If others in the family want to play around in the branches of the family tree, they aren’t interested in taking part; and usually they are bored to the point of being comatose.

In the second case, the person takes significant pride in their family’s history. However, as in the first case, they do not delve further into the accounts they have heard from their forebears. In other words, “Granddad said it, I believe it, that settles it” or “I believe what I believe, don’t confuse me with the facts”.  Aside from what I view as a lack of curiosity, such a perspective results in an inability to look at the past, our community’s past, our family’s past square in the eye. When we fail in this, we discard any chance of seeing our history, and what we can learn from it, in all of its dimensions.

Now, on to the local historian… If they’ve done the appropriate due diligence, they should have some degree of objective documentation (newspaper articles, journal entries, etc.) that substantiates the historical position they are taking. Any good local historian will typically try to corroborate this information with other sources, in order to learn as much as possible about the event or person. Again, any good historian worth their salt will document the anecdotes, stories, tall tales, or urban legends that may accompany the particular occurrence. This allows the history to be a genuinely multi-faceted experience rather than simply a dry, single-sided litany of facts.

So, on a scale of 1 to 10 measuring interest in their about family history, the first case would seem to indicate a rating of 1-2, while the second would maybe rate a 9-10.

In both cases, however, what is missing, at the very least, is a willingness to think critically or objectively about their family’s history. Granted, such a willingness brings with it somewhat of an obligation to accept whatever they may learn (“if you’re not willing to accept the answer, don’t ask the question”). However, what is even more dangerous is there is an unwillingness to look at the past, warts and all, in an effort to learn from the experiences we collectively had, both the good and the bad. As anyone whose has read these blogs previously knows, I am a proponent of never editing our history – it is what it is… such a practice may be discomforting, but it allows us to learn so much more about our past and “forces” us to view our history as it really was, not what we wish it would be.

Over the past several months, I have had the privilege of working closely with a local Italian-American Heritage Society on an exhibit at Vulcan highlighting the contributions of Italian-Americans in early Birmingham. This group of immigrants came to America with little more than dreams and hopes of making a better life. Most Italian immigrants did not know the language or culture of their new country and were often treated with disdain and racial prejudices akin to those imposed on African-Americans by the white-dominated society of the time. There were numerous questions (and perceived concerns) as to whether Italians could be considered “white”. They were subjected to racial slurs and often forced to live in what amounted to “buffer zones” between whites and blacks. They were typically relegated to menial jobs and were often not given their due in terms of civil rights. Coupled with a prevalent anti-Catholic wave sweeping the country at the end of the 19^th century and into the early years of the 20^th century, Italians were often denigrated and were the target of jokes and conspiracy theories alike. As a result, they often “circled the wagons” and became somewhat of an insular community with a strong sense of church and family.

I have come to both admire and appreciate the members of the Italian-American community. Not only are they enthusiastic about their history and culture, they fully embrace the realities of their past, both good and bad. And while the injustices of the past are not good memories, they recognize that those experiences helped make them the people they are, with a great love for family, church, community, and a passion for life.

For those interested, the Italian-American exhibit at Vulcan, entitled “La Storia” will open beginning Friday, September 19 at Vulcan Park and Museum and will be in place until September 2015..

This article is intended to provide accurate historical information to a general audience. Material contained herein is gathered from reputable online and traditional sources, but unless otherwise noted, is not the result of original scholarship or research by the author.

–E. E. (Skip) Campbell, Ph.D.

Skip Campbell retired from UPS in early 2012 after 38 years as a senior manager, working in numerous locations in the United States and abroad, with primary responsibilities in operations and industrial engineering. He received his BS degree in Applied Science and Operations Analysis from the University of Alabama and holds Master’s degrees in Engineering Management, Quality and Management,. Skip holds a Ph.D. in Organizational Behavior and Development, with concentrations in Organizational Theory and Macroergonomics. Skip is a Senior Member of the Institute of Industrial Engineers and sits on the Board of Visitors for the College of Continuing Studies at the University of Alabama. Since retiring, Skip serves as an Adjunct Professor with the College of Continuing Studies (Osher Lifelong Learning Institute) at the University of Alabama and focuses his academic research efforts on the area of pre-20th century Alabama history. Skip belongs to a number of historical and cemetery preservation associations. He and his wife Denise have 3 grown children and 2 grandchildren.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed here are the views of the individual author(s) and do not reflect the views or policies of the Turkey Creek Nature Preserve or it’s partners. We do not guarantee the source, originality, accuracy, completeness or reliability of any statement, information, data, finding, interpretation, advice, opinion, or view presented on the website, nor does it make any representation concerning the same.

July’s article, coming half-way through the year (as most things in July tend to do), is a rant of sorts… Hopefully not a rant of tantrum-throwing, foot-stomping proportions, but certainly one expressing a prevailing sense of frustration, hopelessness bordering on despair, and a [metaphorical] desire to grab some people by the nape of the neck and shake the living @#$& out of them…

Why, you may ask, are you so up in arms? This is a valid question, the answer to which is the subject of this month’s discussion.

For the eighteen months or so that I have written this monthly history blog, a common thread has (hopefully) run throughout… that those of us living in the Pinson Valley and its environs are truly fortunate to have the rich and varied history that we do. Our history has not always been pretty, and frequently, not for the faint of heart. But, you don’t get to choose your history any more than you get to choose your parents… So, it is what it is.

Moreover, each of is historically-situated, basically meaning that we are products of the times in which we live. As such, while we can (and should) debate, interpret, and learn from our particular histories. It is my opinion, however, that we should never try to rewrite it. Such whitewashing of documentable facts does a dis-service to the history itself. It is unfair to our forebears who lived (and often suffered) through the times that are being discussed. As such, we should never try to whitewash, obscure, or otherwise, attempt to obliterate particular times or occurrences in that history.

As each article took shape and, even afterwards, the words would stick inside – both in my head and in my heart…

Historians, however, are supposed to be able to take a scholarly step back; being dispassionate in their research and objective in the analysis and discussion of past events and the repercussions of said events. In other words, one should never take the events of history personally.

And therein lays the rub… Now, I get the objectivity part [I really do]. When I do research, I can step back and view the facts with the necessary degree of professional detachment.

What haunts me so is that there are so many people in our communities that, very simply, couldn’t care less about their history. They say such things as: “What’s past is past…”, “You have to keep moving forward to grow”, “Why should I care? I didn’t know those people”. Now, to be fair, some people don’t have the “gene”. They simply don’t get it. There are still others who don’t care. They don’t see the important lessons that history gives us about how to live our lives. They don’t understand why it is important to recognize the contributions of our ancestors and to appreciate their struggles. They don’t understand the continual connection that the past has with the present and the present with the future.

I think this indifference results in the almost universal fact that historical and genealogical societies, museums, cemetery preservation groups, and historical restoration and conservation projects are chronically saddled with little or no financial support. Active physical support is in almost as sad a shape and is typically limited to more [ahem] senior citizens of the community. Politicians often give lip service, but little substantive support (dead folks usually don’t vote or pay taxes). It is important to get as many of us as possible (especially the young) actively involved. We learn much from our history, we learn important lessons when we have deep conversations and experiences about our shared histories, and we almost always emerge as better people as a result.

This article is intended to provide accurate historical information to a general audience. Material contained herein is gathered from reputable online and traditional sources, but unless otherwise noted, is not the result of original scholarship or research by the author.

–E. E. (Skip) Campbell, Ph.D.

Skip Campbell retired from UPS in early 2012 after 38 years as a senior manager, working in numerous locations in the United States and abroad, with primary responsibilities in operations and industrial engineering. He received his BS degree in Applied Science and Operations Analysis from the University of Alabama and holds Master’s degrees in Engineering Management, Quality and Management,. Skip holds a Ph.D. in Organizational Behavior and Development, with concentrations in Organizational Theory and Macroergonomics. Skip is a Senior Member of the Institute of Industrial Engineers and sits on the Board of Visitors for the College of Continuing Studies at the University of Alabama. Since retiring, Skip serves as an Adjunct Professor with the College of Continuing Studies (Osher Lifelong Learning Institute) at the University of Alabama and focuses his academic research efforts on the area of pre-20th century Alabama history. Skip belongs to a number of historical and cemetery preservation associations. He and his wife Denise have 3 grown children and 2 grandchildren.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed here are the views of the individual author(s) and do not reflect the views or policies of the Turkey Creek Nature Preserve or it’s partners. We do not guarantee the source, originality, accuracy, completeness or reliability of any statement, information, data, finding, interpretation, advice, opinion, or view presented on the website, nor does it make any representation concerning the same.

In this month’s article, we will dig deeper (no pun intended) into a local cemetery with a list of residents that reads like a Who’s Who of the early pioneers of Jefferson County. The Green[e]’s Station cemetery (also called ” Green[e] family cemetery, Green[e]-Massey cemetery, or the Smith’s Chapel cemetery) is located on Kent Road near to the main campus of Jefferson State Community College on AL highway 79 between Tarrant and Pinson. The cemetery is adjacent to the site of, but was not affiliated with the Smith’s Chapel Methodist Church on the old Huntsville Road. The cemetery is of singular historical import to those of us living today in Pinson Valley. The area began to be settled between 1817-1818 and many of the area’s early pioneers (and a minimum of seven slaves) are buried in the cemetery.

Settlers began coming into the area by wagon train, ox-cart, Indian-drags, on foot or horseback and staked out homesteads for themselves and their families. The plantations and farms of early pioneers stretched from one end of Pinson Valley to the other, bordered by Tarrant on one end and Pinson on the other. The area also stretched from Trussville and Roebuck to New Castle and Springdale.

The city of Tarrant as we know it today was not incorporated until 1918. Named for Rev. Benjamin Tarrant, the town grew up around the National Cast Iron Pipe Company and related companies. However, the settlement was much older. Travelers on the Huntsville Road in about 1817 often stopped at an area known as the Big Spring to rest and recharge on their way further into Alabama. While many moved on, others stayed and built a community, originally called Green[e]’s, or Green[e]’s Station. Brothers George Livingston Green[e]and Robert Hardy Green[e] both built large plantations in the area. The Tarrant area was also sometimes known as Nabor’s Spring.

The cemetery is the final resting place of Zachariah Hagood, one of the earliest physicians in Jefferson County, who practiced from 1840 to 1856. Dr. Zachariah, as he was known, almost single-handedly populated the settlement in northeastern part of Jefferson County that would eventually bear his name. He came here with his wife and baby… However, the valley was soon teeming with life from the many sons and daughters, Zachariah had 21 children from three wives. Robert, son of Dr. Zachariah, built a store on a crossroads next to the Huntsville Road which, beginning in 1836, also functioned as the community’s first post office. The area quickly became known as Hagood’s Crossroads. However, horse traders settling in the area from Pinson, Tennessee came in around 1852, eventually outvoted the Hagood’s and renamed the town Mount Pinson which, in turn, was later shortened to Pinson..A more poignant burial is that of Thomas Haughey, a physician who owned land in the area. Serving as a Republican US Congressman in the years following the Civil War, Haughey was assassinated in Courtland, AL while making a speech in 1869.

The cemetery started as a family burial place for the Green[e] family, who had significant land holdings in the area. The oldest known burial is reflected on a stone carved in 1829. Two of the oldest known burials are that of Goldsmith Whitehouse Hewitt (a veteran of the American Revolution), who died in 1846 and George Nash who died in 1852, the father of Zachariah Hagood’s first wife, Nancy Nash. Also buried there are John and Margaret Erwin, parents of Zachariah’s second and third wives, Nancy and Mary Ann Erwin. Families represented in cemetery include Greene, Hagood, Erwin, Massey, Reed, Reid, Marshall, Nash, and Hewitt.

Registered as an Alabama Historic Cemetery on January 20, 2004, the cemetery is likely older than Alabama statehood. However, the years have not been kind to this venerable old resting place… In its current state, it is horribly overgrown, with numerous sunken graves and vandalized gravestones.

This hallowed place of rest for our ancestors deserves better than it has received. It falls to the generations living today to give the cemetery its due, if for no other reason than a show of respect for this burial ground, and especially in gratitude for the stalwart pioneers who risked everything to settle what is now known as Pinson Valley.

This article is intended to provide accurate historical information to a general audience. Material contained herein is gathered from reputable online and traditional sources, but unless otherwise noted, is not the result of original scholarship or research by the author.

–E. E. (Skip) Campbell, Ph.D.

Skip Campbell retired from UPS in early 2012 after 38 years as a senior manager, working in numerous locations in the United States and abroad, with primary responsibilities in operations and industrial engineering. He received his BS degree in Applied Science and Operations Analysis from the University of Alabama and holds Master’s degrees in Engineering Management, Quality and Management,. Skip holds a Ph.D. in Organizational Behavior and Development, with concentrations in Organizational Theory and Macroergonomics. Skip is a Senior Member of the Institute of Industrial Engineers and sits on the Board of Visitors for the College of Continuing Studies at the University of Alabama. Since retiring, Skip serves as an Adjunct Professor with the College of Continuing Studies (Osher Lifelong Learning Institute) at the University of Alabama and focuses his academic research efforts on the area of pre-20th century Alabama history. Skip belongs to a number of historical and cemetery preservation associations. He and his wife Denise have 3 grown children and 2 grandchildren.

This month’s article is a bit of a change in that I will be voicing an editorial opinion. I am taking the opportunity to respond to a recent inquiry regarding why some of my monthly articles review broader events in Alabama history that do not seem to be related to either the TCNP or to the Pinson area.

Specifically, in this particular case, what do the events surrounding the Creek War and War of 1812 have to do with the Pinson area? Such inquiries are good ones, and extend beyond the parameters of any given question. Answers to such questions strike at the core of why we study history in the first place. It provides a venue by which we can examine the machinery of life and events, both ordinary and extraordinary, that prompted the actions (or inactions) of our forebears. It also prompts us to reflect on what was going in our immediate vicinity, as well as on a broader stage. It provides a lens through which we can examine the circumstances of historical events and the roles they play; not only in their time, but ours.

First, I will set the stage by acknowledging certain personal biases regarding the history of Alabama, in general, and the history of Pinson and Jefferson County, in particular. Accordingly, the views stated here are totally my own and do not necessarily reflect the views of TCNP (or anyone else for that matter).

First, I admit to being an unapologetic history geek, so I tend to add more detail than many would find useful. I believe that far too many Alabamians (and Pinsonians) do not know, do not appreciate, or do not care about our rich and varied history, both good and bad. There are many who do not have an adequate understanding of our history; why it was important then, why it is important now, and how events in other parts of the state, the country, or the world, affect us.

Now that that is off my chest, I will attempt to answer the original query… If we question what role or impact the War of 1812 or Creek War directly played on the Pinson area, then the answer is probably not much… Based on what we know today, there were no permanent Native-American settlements either on Turkey Creek or near what is now Pinson. In general, battles or skirmishes during the Creek War occurred to the south and to the east of us. Moreover, as noted in earlier articles, the closest events of the War of 1812 to Pinson took place along the Gulf Coast. So, from these facts alone, there would seem to be no definitive impact of the wars on our area. However, if we look at how Pinson was affected indirectly, then the answer is a little more interesting…

Native Americans had lived in the area for millennia. The Pinson area was known to have been a common hunting and meeting area for Native American tribes and related artifacts have been routinely found. Pinson Cave was formally excavated in 1970 as a burial site and ossuary for Native Americans dating from the Late Woodlands period of approximately 1,000 years ago. There was an Upper Creek Village north of what is now Trussville. Other key Native American sites can be found within reasonable travel distance (for their time) in any direction.

By 1815, more and more settlers were moving into what is now Alabama, drawn by the vast amounts of cheap ($2 per acre), available land and rich natural resources, much of which was being forcibly ceded to the United States by Native American tribes. Land speculation and profiteering (Andrew Jackson was a sizeable investor in these endeavors) was at an all-time high. On our end of the state, settlers arrived from Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, the Carolinas, and Georgia. While some settlers were already in the area prior to formal hostilities, many travelled down to join Jackson and others in the war effort. As they viewed the lush hills and valleys of what is now Blount and Jefferson counties, they liked what they saw and determined to return and live when the fighting was done. A historical figure, no less than the legendary Davy Crockett, viewed a tract of land near Oneonta and stated that it was “the one spot in the world” he wanted to settle (Bennett, 2008, 27). Crockett and Sam Houston both fought for Jackson during the Creek War in Alabama and went on to make history in the Texas Republic.

Most hostilities ceased by 1815 and soldiers began the long trek home. They returned to this area that they had fallen in love with and established a settlement there. The Huntsville Road, which ran from Fayetteville, Tennessee through Huntsville to Blountsville to Elyton to Tuscaloosa, passed Pinson on its way south. The current name of Pinson comes from the area in Tennessee where a number of these early settlers originated. Prior to that, we were known by a number of names: Murphree’s Valley, Village Springs, and Hagood’s Crossroads. Eventually known as Mount Pinson, the name was later shortened to Pinson.

History does not occur in a vacuum… As such, we need to have a clear understanding of not only what is happening in our own back yard, but also what is happening around us. Pinson does not have a direct connection to either the Creek War or the War of 1812. However, it can be argued that the indirect effects are significant. While it is relatively certain that the area would have been settled eventually, we owe our origins to those returning from the wars and chose to settle here. Moreover, we can be equally proud of the link to our Native American ancestors. Learning and exploration should be continued in these and other aspects of our history, and our younger residents need to share in the adventure.

This article is intended to provide accurate historical information to a general audience. Material contained herein is gathered from reputable online and traditional sources, but unless otherwise noted, is not the result of original scholarship or research by the author.

–E. E. (Skip) Campbell, Ph.D.

Skip Campbell retired from UPS in early 2012 after 38 years as a senior manager, working in numerous locations in the United States and abroad, with primary responsibilities in operations and industrial engineering. He received his BS degree in Applied Science and Operations Analysis from the University of Alabama and holds Master’s degrees in Engineering Management, Quality and Management,. Skip holds a Ph.D. in Organizational Behavior and Development, with concentrations in Organizational Theory and Macroergonomics. Skip is a Senior Member of the Institute of Industrial Engineers and sits on the Board of Visitors for the College of Continuing Studies at the University of Alabama. Since retiring, Skip serves as an Adjunct Professor with the College of Continuing Studies (Osher Lifelong Learning Institute) at the University of Alabama and focuses his academic research efforts on the area of pre-20th century Alabama history. Skip belongs to a number of historical and cemetery preservation associations. He and his wife Denise have 3 grown children and 2 grandchildren.

Britain’s ongoing wars with France had drained and divided English resources. After Napoleon abdicated in 1814, the British were able to focus their military attention on the Americans.  From a foreign policy viewpoint, the British never recognized Napoleon as a legitimate ruler. As such, his sale of the vast Louisiana territory to the US was considered to be invalid. If the sale was not valid, then Louisiana must be returned to the its rightful owner before Napoleon took possession, Spain (who just happened to be an ally of Britain). If it turned out that Spain did not have the resources or will to administer this territory, the British would take it over. The British planned to take New Orleans and then head up river to meet up with other British troops coming down from Canada. This would effectively surround and close off the entire US supply chain. This pincer move would likely force the young country back into the hands of the British Empire and would effectively quash the outlandish idea of a democratically elected government, the only one of its kind in the world.

The British were fatally overconfident over what they considered to be the foregone conclusion of the war (but seemingly with good reason). Britain was so certain that they would triumph that they took the liberty of sending a group of administrators with the fleet in order to put the new government into action once the war was over. Following the money, British speculators sent commercial ships to carry away the booty of New Orleans, estimated to be worth 14 million dollars.

It is a common misconception that the final battle of the War of 1812 was the one at New Orleans. Popular legends abound (historical accuracy aside, I especially enjoy the 1959 hit song “The Battle of New Orleans” by  Johnny Horton). It was there on January 8, 1815 that, against all odds, General Andrew Jackson and his ragtag army of Tennessee militia, slaves, Native-Americans, and Jean Lafitte’s pirates (along with two warships and five gunboats), outnumbered and outgunned, defeated crack British naval and ground forces under the command of Major General Edward Pakenham, an experienced and capable officer. What should have been a British rout of US forces turned out to be, conversely, a lopsided victory for the Americans. When the smoke cleared, Pakenham was dead, the British had lost over 2,000 killed and wounded while the Americans incurred around 350 casualties.

An interesting fact about the battle was that it occurred after the Treaty of Ghent had been signed in December of 1814. However, it took two months for news of the agreement to reach the troops. During the time, fighting continued unabated.

Signing the Treaty of Ghent

             The last battle of the War of 1812 actually took place at Fort Bowyer on Mobile Bay. Fort Bowyer stood on the site where the later Fort Morgan would stand.

In 1803, the US claimed Mobile and the bay as part of Louisiana Purchase. In 1813, on orders from President James Madison, the fort was seized by Regular US soldiers under the command of Major General James Wilkinson and militia under Colonel John Bowyer, extending the Mississippi Territory to include Mobile Bay.

In September 1814, the British had attacked Fort Bowyer, but were rebuffed. They changed their strategy and attacked New Orleans. After their embarrassing defeat in January, 1815, the British fled New Orleans and tried to take Fort Bowyer once again as a conciliation prize. With thirty-eight warships and 1,400 troops, British forces under General John Lambert attacked the fort and built siege works. To prevent needless bloodshed, Major William Lawrence surrendered with 360 men after withstanding the siege for five days. The British victory was short-lived. By the time word of the peace accord reached Mobile, the British had held the fort only for a short while. The fort was turned back over to the Americans, resulting in Mobile being the only additional land acquired in War of 1812.

This article is intended to provide accurate historical information to a general audience. Material contained herein is gathered from reputable online and traditional sources, but unless otherwise noted, is not the result of original scholarship or research by the author.

–E. E. (Skip) Campbell, Ph.D.

Skip Campbell retired from UPS in early 2012 after 38 years as a senior manager, working in numerous locations in the United States and abroad, with primary responsibilities in operations and industrial engineering. He received his BS degree in Applied Science and Operations Analysis from the University of Alabama and holds Master’s degrees in Engineering Management, Quality and Management,. Skip holds a Ph.D. in Organizational Behavior and Development, with concentrations in Organizational Theory and Macroergonomics. Skip is a Senior Member of the Institute of Industrial Engineers and sits on the Board of Visitors for the College of Continuing Studies at the University of Alabama. Since retiring, Skip serves as an Adjunct Professor with the College of Continuing Studies (Osher Lifelong Learning Institute) at the University of Alabama and focuses his academic research efforts on the area of pre-20th century Alabama history. Skip belongs to a number of historical and cemetery preservation associations. He and his wife Denise have 3 grown children and 2 grandchildren.

Long before the arrival of European settlers, Native-American tribes, most notably Creek (or Muskogee),  roamed through the Pinson area and depended on the abundant supply of water and the bounty that came from it – plentiful game, wild fruits and vegetables, fertile land to grow crops, and trees for shelter. Rocks and minerals could be used for tools and weapons.

Even before Muskogee tribes came into the area, Pinson was home to native peoples categorized as living during the Late-Woodland period. The Woodland period dates between 1000 BCE to 1000 CE. In Alabama, the Woodland period was characterized by increasing cultural complexity and population growth,  the adoption of agriculture, emergence of pottery-making, use of the bow and arrow, and complex ceremonies surrounding death and burial, including construction of burial mounds and burials in caves. Population growth prompted development  of wide-spread settlements, often settling on small streams. Use of the bow and arrow spread from cultures in the west, making hunting less of a group activity than it had previously been. Families became more self-sufficient and raising crops began to replace hunting as the most important food-producing activity. Pottery developed for a variety of uses, for example, storage of crops, such as maize and squash. Over time, mortuary practices simplified, possibly a decline in ceremonialism signaling a religious evolution focusing on reverence for ancestors of certain lineages. (Later Muskogee lineages were matriarchical in nature.) Evidence indicates that many small groups occasionally gathered together to build mounds and maintain long-range ties. Pottery from different villages was likely bartered and, and over time, developed similarities in form and decoration. Major villages where mounds were located expanded their functions from burial places to centralized places for civic and ceremonial functions. The combined developments of surplus food, special lineages, and, mound centers marked changes in society much different from how people had lived up to that point; changes that set the stage for developments that would take place in subsequent Mississippian periods (highlighted in Alabama by sites such as Moundville and Bottle Creek.)  Cultures in the Tennessee River Valley may have also begun to develop Mississippian characteristics about this time. (It is an interesting coincidence that the Pinson Mounds archaeological site in western Tennessee is also a Late-Woodland site that was used for ceremonies and burials.)

Pinson has one of the few known Woodland-period caves in Alabama. Located off of Dewey Heights Road, the cave was first excavated extensively by Dr. Paul H. Nesbitt and Carey B. Oakley from the University of Alabama in 1969 and 1970. The Pinson Cave was used as an ossuary (a place or receptacle for the bones of the dead) dating to circa 900 CE.

References to the cave dating to the Hamilton period likely refer to the type of projective points found, called Hamilton points, named from the first examples found in Hamilton County, Tennessee, near Chattanooga. Hamilton points are small early triangular arrow points that have straight, slightly concave sides, often serrated,  and a straight to slightly concave basal edge. Hamilton points are often very thin and exhibit high quality craftsmanship and flaking skills and technique.

There were two paths into the cave: a vertical shaft as well as a more accessible walkway, which was flanked by stones to make a primitive entry. Oakley’s excavation of about half of the cave yielding the remains of more than fifty individuals. Most interments appear to have been made in the flesh, although one cremated burial bundle was documented. Most burials were dropped into the cave via the vertical shaft. Other artifacts include marine-shell ornaments, bone pins, sandstone saws, various projectile points and a small number of pottery sherds.

Please NOTE that the Pinson cave site is located on private property and is OFF- LIMITS to the public.

This article is intended to provide accurate historical information to a general audience. Material contained herein is gathered from reputable online and traditional sources, but unless otherwise noted, is not the result of original scholarship or research by the author.

–E. E. (Skip) Campbell, Ph.D.

Skip Campbell retired from UPS in early 2012 after 38 years as a senior manager, working in numerous locations in the United States and abroad, with primary responsibilities in operations and industrial engineering. He received his BS degree in Applied Science and Operations Analysis from the University of Alabama and holds Master’s degrees in Engineering Management, Quality and Management,. Skip holds a Ph.D. in Organizational Behavior and Development, with concentrations in Organizational Theory and Macroergonomics. Skip is a Senior Member of the Institute of Industrial Engineers and sits on the Board of Visitors for the College of Continuing Studies at the University of Alabama. Since retiring, Skip serves as an Adjunct Professor with the College of Continuing Studies (Osher Lifelong Learning Institute) at the University of Alabama and focuses his academic research efforts on the area of pre-20th century Alabama history. Skip belongs to a number of historical and cemetery preservation associations. He and his wife Denise have 3 grown children and 2 grandchildren.