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Allious Rutledge

Birth
Death
12 Mar 1847
Jefferson County, Alabama, USA
Burial
Hueytown, Jefferson County, Alabama, USA Add to Map
Memorial ID
View Source
Possible census matches under James Rutledge:
1840 Jefferson County, Alabama (age 15-19) - Roll 6 Page 193.
1830 Jefferson County, Alabama (age 5-9) - Roll 1 Page 168.

Article (verbatim) on page 1, Thursday, April 25, 1907 Jones Valley Times (Birmingham, Jefferson County, Alabama)

OLD JONESBORO AGAIN

We have vivid recollections of many stirring incidents and events that took place at Old Jonesboro. We recall a very sad occurrence that took place on the 12th of March, 1847, and no sadder thing ever took place in the history of this town. As we have stated in a previous article in this paper, the town was situated on the east bank or near the bank of Valley creek. This creek derives its primary source from the springs about Birmingham, and especially what was known as the big spring at Elyton. All the springs of the valley flow into Valley creek, and when it reaches Jonesboro it is of considerable size, and especially so when swollen from rain. When the creek was up from the heavy rains it would get out of its banks and spread sometimes three feet deep in the principal street of the town. We have seen it up in the storehouses and goods damaged. Two to three feet of water in the streets would generally bring out a lot of young men full of adventure and frolic.
On March 12, 1847, Valley creek was unusually high, and adventure was the order of the day. At that time Dr. James Haughey, an Irishman, and a man of very superior native ability and attainments, was living at Jonesboro. He was a man of almost forty at the time of the incident we are going to relate. There was living over in 'Possum Vally, a young man, Mr. Alius Rutledge, son of one of the earliest settlers of the country. Young Rutledge was in Jonesboro on the date above mentioned. Dr. Haughey and Mr. Rutledge decided to improvise a boat and take a ride down the creek. The canoe was constructed, and the two adventurous, happy men pushed the boat into the water in the street and steered for the main current of the stream. After getting into the main current the boat moved swiftly with the tide. The plan was to float down as far as Col. James McAdory's mill dam, a distance of two miles, and then land. They had covered about half the distance when they came in contact with a limb from a tree that ran out into midstream. In the attempt to duck so as to prevent being dragged out by the limb the boat capsized and both men went to the water. Dr. Haughey, after a fearful struggle, caught the limb of a tree that stood out into the creek. Climbing up the tree above the water, he sought to see young Rutledge, but he was not in sight, nor was he ever seen alive again. It being the 12th of March, the weather was quite cold but Haughey was hemmed in by the fliod[sic] and could not escape. He was surrounded by vast fields and forests. He could not swim, and there was no one near enough to hear his voice above the roar of the angry waters. Night was approaching, and the chances were that he would have to spend the night in the tree, and that he would probably freeze to death. Early next morning Dr. Haughey was discovered, and the drowning of young Rutledge became known. Dr. Haughey was almost dead from cold and exhaustion, but soon recovered. Great excitement prevailed, and the news spread over the valley, and the entire section engaged in hunting for the body of Rutledge. Day after day passed without success. Men came from ten and fifteen miles to assist. The whole country was wrought up to fever heat over the fact that the body could not be found. There were two men living some twelve miles to the west of Jonesboro, who had come several days before to assist in the search. These men were Dick Dees and Johnson Tucker, living neighbors. These men met early one morning, and one said to the other:
"I dreamed last night that the body had been found."
"So did I," said the other. "In my dream I saw the body under a log."
"I dreamed the very same thing," said the other.
One said, "I can go straight to the body."
The other said, "So can I."
They started immediately for Jonesboro to join the crowd of hunters. They told of their dreams. The crowd listened. Some shook their heads, but others wanted to go and look. They went straight to the place, pointed to the log, and said, "There is where we saw him in our dreams."
Some one entered, and diving under at the spot indicated by the dreamers, the body was found as described by the men in their dreams.
The body was carried to the family graveyard at Bethlehem Church in 'Possum Valley and buried. Young Rutledge's father had settled here among the first, coming from South Carolina, and was a relative of the noted Governor Rutledge, one of the early governors of that state. The unfortunate young man was a brother to our fellow-citizen, Joseph N. Rutledge, who was born seventy years ago, and still lives in his ancestral home, where he was born, and is one of the best citizens we have.
Mrs. J. Van Huey and Mrs. John Williams down the valley are sisters to Mr. Rutledge.
In 1859 there was a high tide in Valley creek, and this writer, with other young men, were floating on rafts and talking about going out on the main current. Dr. Haughey was present and advised us against it. He then told us the sad story of the drowning of young Rutledge and his own perilous escape.
Possible census matches under James Rutledge:
1840 Jefferson County, Alabama (age 15-19) - Roll 6 Page 193.
1830 Jefferson County, Alabama (age 5-9) - Roll 1 Page 168.

Article (verbatim) on page 1, Thursday, April 25, 1907 Jones Valley Times (Birmingham, Jefferson County, Alabama)

OLD JONESBORO AGAIN

We have vivid recollections of many stirring incidents and events that took place at Old Jonesboro. We recall a very sad occurrence that took place on the 12th of March, 1847, and no sadder thing ever took place in the history of this town. As we have stated in a previous article in this paper, the town was situated on the east bank or near the bank of Valley creek. This creek derives its primary source from the springs about Birmingham, and especially what was known as the big spring at Elyton. All the springs of the valley flow into Valley creek, and when it reaches Jonesboro it is of considerable size, and especially so when swollen from rain. When the creek was up from the heavy rains it would get out of its banks and spread sometimes three feet deep in the principal street of the town. We have seen it up in the storehouses and goods damaged. Two to three feet of water in the streets would generally bring out a lot of young men full of adventure and frolic.
On March 12, 1847, Valley creek was unusually high, and adventure was the order of the day. At that time Dr. James Haughey, an Irishman, and a man of very superior native ability and attainments, was living at Jonesboro. He was a man of almost forty at the time of the incident we are going to relate. There was living over in 'Possum Vally, a young man, Mr. Alius Rutledge, son of one of the earliest settlers of the country. Young Rutledge was in Jonesboro on the date above mentioned. Dr. Haughey and Mr. Rutledge decided to improvise a boat and take a ride down the creek. The canoe was constructed, and the two adventurous, happy men pushed the boat into the water in the street and steered for the main current of the stream. After getting into the main current the boat moved swiftly with the tide. The plan was to float down as far as Col. James McAdory's mill dam, a distance of two miles, and then land. They had covered about half the distance when they came in contact with a limb from a tree that ran out into midstream. In the attempt to duck so as to prevent being dragged out by the limb the boat capsized and both men went to the water. Dr. Haughey, after a fearful struggle, caught the limb of a tree that stood out into the creek. Climbing up the tree above the water, he sought to see young Rutledge, but he was not in sight, nor was he ever seen alive again. It being the 12th of March, the weather was quite cold but Haughey was hemmed in by the fliod[sic] and could not escape. He was surrounded by vast fields and forests. He could not swim, and there was no one near enough to hear his voice above the roar of the angry waters. Night was approaching, and the chances were that he would have to spend the night in the tree, and that he would probably freeze to death. Early next morning Dr. Haughey was discovered, and the drowning of young Rutledge became known. Dr. Haughey was almost dead from cold and exhaustion, but soon recovered. Great excitement prevailed, and the news spread over the valley, and the entire section engaged in hunting for the body of Rutledge. Day after day passed without success. Men came from ten and fifteen miles to assist. The whole country was wrought up to fever heat over the fact that the body could not be found. There were two men living some twelve miles to the west of Jonesboro, who had come several days before to assist in the search. These men were Dick Dees and Johnson Tucker, living neighbors. These men met early one morning, and one said to the other:
"I dreamed last night that the body had been found."
"So did I," said the other. "In my dream I saw the body under a log."
"I dreamed the very same thing," said the other.
One said, "I can go straight to the body."
The other said, "So can I."
They started immediately for Jonesboro to join the crowd of hunters. They told of their dreams. The crowd listened. Some shook their heads, but others wanted to go and look. They went straight to the place, pointed to the log, and said, "There is where we saw him in our dreams."
Some one entered, and diving under at the spot indicated by the dreamers, the body was found as described by the men in their dreams.
The body was carried to the family graveyard at Bethlehem Church in 'Possum Valley and buried. Young Rutledge's father had settled here among the first, coming from South Carolina, and was a relative of the noted Governor Rutledge, one of the early governors of that state. The unfortunate young man was a brother to our fellow-citizen, Joseph N. Rutledge, who was born seventy years ago, and still lives in his ancestral home, where he was born, and is one of the best citizens we have.
Mrs. J. Van Huey and Mrs. John Williams down the valley are sisters to Mr. Rutledge.
In 1859 there was a high tide in Valley creek, and this writer, with other young men, were floating on rafts and talking about going out on the main current. Dr. Haughey was present and advised us against it. He then told us the sad story of the drowning of young Rutledge and his own perilous escape.


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