Early Alabama governor's grave is well off the beaten path in Gosport

Grave of former Alabama governor John Murphy.

Clarke County’s old Gosport community sits about six miles west of the Alabama River, not far from the Monroe County line. Many travelers along U.S. Highway 84 have no doubt passed through Gosport on their way to and from Grove Hill, and some of those travelers have likely noticed the historical marker that sits in front of the Tri-Community Volunteer Fire Department in “downtown” Gosport.

Those who stop to read the marker see the following words – “JOHN MURPHY: Fourth Governor of Alabama, Born 1785 in Robinson County, N.C. Came in 1818 to Monroe County, Alabama. Represented Monroe County in Alabama Constitutional Convention in 1819 and in State Legislature 1819-1822. Served as Governor of Alabama, 1825-1829. Elected 1833 to Congress for one term. Died 1841 and is buried in Gosport two miles from here on his Clarke County plantation. Erected by Clarke County Historical Society 1979.”

Last Thursday morning, I met lifelong Gosport residents John Moore and John Day in front of the fire station. A week or so before, they invited me to Gosport for a quick field trip to see Murphy’s secluded grave. Never one to pass up the chance to see an off-the-beaten path historic site, I jumped at the chance.

Moore arrived in a large SUV with four-wheel drive, and Mr. Day and I piled inside for a trip deep into the Clarke County woods. Moore, who is now 81 years old, deftly piloted us down a series of narrow roads through the thick woods, and after many twists and turns, we stopped at what looked like a random spot in the middle of nowhere. From there, we trekked out into the woods, and eventually, seemingly out of the blue, we came up a large headstone that marked the final resting place of former Alabama governor, John Murphy.

Moore, who is well-versed in Clarke County history, noted that this headstone was placed on this spot sometime in the 1920s. Old editions of The Clarke County Democrat back this up and note that the former governor’s grave was unmarked prior to the headstone’s placement. The wording on the headstone is nearly identical to the wording on the historic marker at the fire station.

While at Murphy’s grave, Day showed us the faint remnants of a shallow trench that was dug around the woodland cemetery. This 70-yard-square trench is plainly visible if you know where to look, but it’s easy to miss if you’re not paying attention. Day said that the story is also told that only one other person buried in this place is a female tutor who died while working for the Murphy family nearly 200 years ago.

Moore and Day also showed me the location of what’s believed to be the old Murphy home site and the location of Murphy’s Mill, which can be seen on maps dating back to 1837. The old home site sits atop a high point that hunters still call Murphy Hill. The mill, which was fed by the waters of Choctaw Creek, features a lengthy earthen dam that has impressively held up long after its initial construction in antebellum times.

Moore was also kind enough to give me a tour of the old Forwood Cemetery, which is located just off Highway 84 at Gosport. Graves in this cemetery date back to the 1830s and also include the strange grave of nine-year-old Julia Ann Forwood. The inscription on her unusual grave tells that she “departed this life by a cotton bale falling on her Feb 7, 1845.”

In the end, I really appreciate Moore and Day taking the time to show me all of these historic sites in Gosport. Both men have a deep knowledge of this area, and they are both rightfully proud of the place that they call home. With that said, if anyone else in the reading audience knows of any other off-the-beaten-path historic sites, let me know because I’m always up for a field trip.