1818 Ogly Massacre was one of the most bloody events in local history

Grave of Elizabeth Stroud near Old Texas.

The following story originally appeared on Page 3B of The Monroe Journal's Centennial Edition, which was published on Dec. 22, 1966. The headline of the original story was "County Is Drenched With Early History."

History drenched Monroe County, older than the state of which it is a part, has been called the melting pot of Alabama history. The avenues of modern life leading off the main highways only hint at the origin of some of the county settlements.

Highway signs point to markers here and there and if you take the time to investigate you learn that along with virtues and cultures, the past has been a rough and tough one.

Near Old Texas, in the upper part of Monroe County, near the Old Federal Road (known as the Stagecoach Road), which was cut by Andrew Jackson in one day, one finds a tombstone. Pull back the tangled vines, rub powder into the dirt and dust covered description and one reads:

“Elizabeth, daughter of Luke Durbin, wife of Eli Stroud. Slain by Indians in the Ogly Massacre in 1818.”

During the winter months of 1817, a large number of emigrants passed down the Federal Road. Some of them stopped in what are now known as Lowndes, Butler, Monroe and Conecuh counties. Difficulties were many, but the emigrants continued to push through the Creek Nation to settle in these parts of Alabama.

Captain William Butler, a native of Virginia, who had been a member of Georgia’s legislature, and the commander of a company of volunteers at the battle of Calabee, and others, had already pitched their camps upon the ridge near the residence of the late Chancellor Crenshaw.

In 1815, some emigrants settled on the Federal Road, near where Fort Dale was afterwards erected, one of who was William Ogly, his wife and five children, with J. Dickerson.

It was Sam McNack who informed the emigrants that hostile Indians were prowling in that region and meditated mischief. The unhappy Indians became enraged at seeing the land of their forefathers completely taken possession of by the whites and were making preparations to drive them back from a place where they were unasked and unwelcome. They organized themselves into two bands of warriors under the command of Uchee Tom and Savannah Jack.

In March of 1818, Uchee Tom and his warriors showed signs of hostility by stopping William Ogly, who was in his ox cart on his way to Claiborne for provisions for his family. He was permitted to pass without injury. After he purchased corn at Sepulga Creek, he returned home without going to Claiborne because of his feeling of great anxiety about his family.

The news of the conduct of the Indians scattered and the settlers began to make preparations for protection of the whites. The men of the settlement formed a company and on March 13, plans were discussed at a muster for the defense of the settlers against the attacks of the savages. The red men seeing the movements of their opponents at the company muster, took it as a bad omen.

While returning from the company muster, William Ogly met with Elias Stroud, who was on his way home to Claiborne. He had his wife and child with him. They spent the night with the Ogly family and after the children had been put to bed and the adults sat around the fire, their attention was suddenly attracted by the tramp of warriors.

Springing to their feet, Mr. Ogly seized his gun, ran to the door, calling to his dogs, but he was shot down before he could fire on the enemy. Mr. Stroud and his wife and Mrs. Ogly leaped out the front door between whistling bullets and approaching savages. Mrs. Ogly, protected some by a fierce dog that fought for her life, which enabled her to escape to a nearby ravine, hid herself in the switchcane. From here she heard the screams of Mrs. Stroud attempting to make her escape and who was tomahawked and left on the ground as dead. The house was entered and the shrieks and cries of the children were heard as they were torn from their beds.

When every person in reach was killed, the Indians marched triumphantly away.

Early the next morning the settlement was aroused with the news of the massacre and upon visiting the area found six persons dead. Mrs. Stroud, who had been tomahawked the night before, was not dead, but had managed to crawl into the house and pick out her little infant from the other mangled bodies in the room. She had lost her mind and was found stuffing her dead child’s skull with leaves.

From the Ogly family of eight, Mr. Ogly and four of his children were killed. His wife and two small daughters, Elizabeth and Mary Ann, were still alive although the two children had been scalped and tomahawked and left for dead.

The dead were all buried together in an old wagon body under the oak tree near the cabin. The living were cared for when Col. Dale sent an escort from Fort Claiborne and started with them to Monroe County.

Mrs. Stroud died on the way and was buried by the side of the road. Mary Ann died after reaching Claiborne.

Through the kind treatment of Dr. John Watkins, the first Senator of Monroe County, Elizabeth recovered from injuries received at the massacre, gained her right mind and lived over two score years. She died during the war between the states.