Alabama

In the early 1800's there were few white settlers in the area. Their homes built of logs. They were Indian traders, white traders and there were farmers. Alabama was rich soil, much of it river bottom land, beautiful rolling planes with long leaf pine virgin forests, chestnut, oak and hickory trees. Alabama was considered a very healthy area with pure water springs flowing from many springs into many clear creeks.
Robinson Springs,Millbrook,as many as six springs filled the pond behind the Episcopal church and fed a creek which filled other ponds.
Some of the early settlers names found in the area in 1818 were Bolling Hall,William Wyatt Bibb, J.S.Walker, Col. Howell, Gen. A. Elmore, Phillip Fitzpatrick, Col. W.R.Pickett, James Jackson and Seaborn Mims.
The territorial legislature created Autauga County in 1817 which included all of this area until 1866 when Elmore County was formed.
A young Senator from Georgia, William Wyatt Bibb was appointed as Governor of the territory and in in 1818 he was elected the first Governor of the new State of Alabama.
In 1818 a great migration of settlers arrived from Virginia,Carolina and Georgia. They traveled along the road opened by Gen. Jackson during the war with the Indians, Creek Indians. Most settlers bought their land sight unseen from the Government and came to claim it. They came by wagon, train. They traveled together and brought all their possession from kitchen utensils to live stock and household belongings.
Among these pioneers were Willian Wyatt Bibb and friend Bolling Hall.
Bolling Hall brought with him door, hinges and mantles from Virginia and England. He also brought locks and sawmill which enabled him to build permanent homes.
He built a home from his family on what is now Edgewood Road. It was a very simple, one and one half story home with large verandas and porches.. This house had the first glass windows in this area. It is still standing and still in the Hall family.
He found a good spot and built the Ellersly. His slaves built four rooms downstairs and two rooms upstairs. All floors in the house are of hardwood pine and are put together by pins and hand made nails with morticed joints.
Approximately 50 feet away the slaves built a two room kitchen. Kitchens were built away from the homes for fear of fires.
Bibb, which became the first Governor of Alabama stopped in Coosada which, like Millbrook established it's own township.
The manor seen on tinahasit.com was built in 1885 about the same time the Methodist Church was built.