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Absalom Autrey owned 152 acres of land by the Coosa River at Greensport, Alabama. on 26 May I 824 he deeded this land to three of his sons: James, Enoch and George. Also, he gave these same three Sons his furniture, rifles and livestock,
Absalom Autrey and his wife are listed on the 1830 St. Clair County U.S. Census as being between the ages of 80 and 90 years. Their sons, George and James, were living in the next households.
From the story passed down in the family, Absalom Autrey died at the age of 98, the night the stars fell in Alabama. On 13 November 1833 there was a large meteor shower that could be seen from all parts of eastern North America. If this was the date of Absalom Autreys death, he was 93 years old at the time. Absalom Autrey was buried near Greensport, Alabama. Greensport is within two or three miles of the land that Absalom had willed to his sons,
Absalom Autrey patented 159.19 acres of land on 5 January 1849 through Military Warrant #17 163. It was on this property that Absalom and his sons built a log house.
Absalom Autrey was a large land owner in Union Parish. In addition to the land where the house was built, he bought 320 acres on 4 August 1851, 159.5 acres in March 1852,40 acres on 14 January 1854. lie also purchased 79.91 acres in Jackson Parish in March 1861.
There was no church near the Autrey home. Church was held in the homes. The Autrey house was often used as a place of worship. Some of the families lived too far to return home at night, so they slept in their wagons, or on pallets on the floor of the Autrey home.
In 1852 Joseph N. Wiley, Harriet Autreys husband, died. He was the first person to be buried in the Autrey Family Cemetery located behind the Autrey home, His grave is unmarked.
Absalom Autreys father-in-law, Thomas Norris, died in November 1826. At the estate sale, Absalom bought a yoke of steers, six cows and calves, ten head of cattle, five sheep and one bay horse for a total of $239.50.
The Autreys were Primitive Baptists. T hey were members of the Fellowship Baptist Church, which was located about two miles from their home, in the village of Morrowvillc. In 1990 the only evidence of the little town is the church and the cemetery. The church is located in the Talladega National Forest on Alabama State Highway 37. Other families living in the neighborhood and attending the Fellowship Baptist Church in the 1830s and 1840s were the Mitchell, Reedy, Martin, Morrow, McGee, Norris, Stokes and Pierson. It is thought that Reverend Robert Martin was the pastor of this church, Absalom and Elizabeth Autrey named a son for the preacher in 1840.
The U.S. Congress passed a law taxing landholders for the support of the Civil War. Absaloms tax was $3.77.
The Autrey Schoolhouse was built west of the house across the road. In 1860 James Jackson Autrey was the teacher at this school. The schoolhouse was also used as a place of worship. |