Old Claiborne Masonic Lodge was one of Monroe County's early courthouses

Old Claiborne Masonic Lodge building at Perdue Hill.

(The following story was originally published in The Monroe Journal’s Centennial Edition on Dec. 22, 1966. It appeared on Page 5B of that issue under the headline, “County’s Courthouses Good Sources of History.")

History for a century and a half is recorded in Monroe County’s mode of maintaining courthouses.

The newest half-million dollar hall of justice provides opportunity for officials and average citizens to point comparative fingers. There are the before and after in buildings. What’s more – there’s even the “before that” and the after to consider.

Monroeville’s courthouse square, long the county’s administrative focal point, embraces two structures.

On the southeast corner of the block is a familiar massive hull of tawny bricks, crowned by a white dome and a clock which has tolled the hours since around 1905. To the north is the rectangular, pastel brick contribution of the sixties. It is replete with galleries, boasting Kennedy Americana rockers, shutters and in the architect’s description, “Design elements reminiscent of early southern buildings.”

Analagous aspects with the antebellum end if you choose to journey several miles westward along Highway 84 to Perdue Hill. The aging walls of a white frame building there resounded with the first rap of a judicial gavel. It’s plain, unimpressive externals provide no clue to history made inside its walls for 146 years.

First occupancy followed chartering of Alabama Lodge No. 51, June 25, 1819, at its original location on the Alabama River bank, further west in Claiborne. The site was named Dec. 7, 1815 by the Mississippi Territorial Legislature as the place for holding courts in newly created Monroe County.

John Murphy, Alabama governor, was the first Worshipful Master. The Claiborne lodge united with eight others in the formation of the Grand Lodge of Alabama, June 21, 1821, and was given serial number three, a designation retained until today.

The hall was festooned for illustrious French Marquis de Lafayette in April 1825 on his way through Alabama en route to New Orleans. The French general’s entertainment is recorded in the papers of James Dellet, early Judge of Circuit Court of Claiborne, state legislator, member of Congress and chairman of the committee to plan the reception for Lafayette.

The county’s joint ownership of the lodge is indicated in a document showing authorities had determined to dispose of the county’s interest in the building at a public sale on June 18, 1842. Excerpts from an early minute book (Nov. 16, 1841-Sept. 21, 1850) reveal permission was issued to the Claiborne Baptist Church to hold services for as long as the group wanted. A document in possession of Doy L. McCall, Monroeville historian, proves swelling congregational ranks soon “nol prossed” the privilege. A resolution dates Aug. 21, 1847, declined further use of the public facility since “the said house being by the community considered a public building is unavoidably sometimes occupied for political and others purposes which may bring reproach upon this church and the cause of religion.”

Claiborne had reached an industrial height before the War Between the States – largest inland cotton market, with a population estimated at more than 5,000 people. A decline followed after the war as use of railroads replaced river shipping.

Public sentiment called for removal of the county seat to a higher and healthier location from the river – and malaria. The move to Monroeville resulted in 1832. The lodge building-public house was transported to Perdue Hill in 1884.

Three years occupancy of Monroe County’s newest courthouse marks use of the sixth of such structures. Destruction of the first courthouse in Monroeville by fire, ransacking and obliteration of many records by Union Forces depleted information on the early administrative headquarters in Monroeville.

A place for the courthouse and jail were selected by the Commissioners Court and Probate Judge. Early newspapers declare the United States gave a patent for 160 acres for county purposes in the present location in Monroeville.

The Alabama Commission Register in the Department of Archives and History shows Benjamin F. Porter held the office of Judge of County Court on Jan. 20, 1832. It is thought, however, the land was presented to Henry W. Taylor, Judge, beginning Nov. 28, 1826. Other early judges of the county court were William B. Patton, Dec. 18, 1824; Nathaniel Dodson, Jan. 11, 1823 and Jan. 14, 1821; Reuben Hill, March 16, 1818.

The first courthouse and jail have been described as being constructed of logs. The courthouse burned in 1833. No records are available on what building was used for courts until some years later a brick courthouse and jail were built. This courthouse was also consumed by fire in 1928, but was being used as an office building at the time.

The present, older courthouse on the square, constructed in 1905, is now used by county agencies. Officials have not indicated whether it will be allowed to stand.

The 1963 justice hall version was the pet project and architectural swan song of the late Eugene Temple Millsap, probate judge for 23 years. Air conditioned and with an elevator, it has columns and corridors with details in marble. Courtroom furnishings include walnut paneling and benches, drapes, carpeted jury box and judges stand.

Judge Millsap liked to remind homefolks the new courthouse was paid for as it went up. During his tenure of office, the county accumulated a bank account of nearly one and one-half million dollars. Assets remained over $1,000,000 – after expenditures for the new courthouse.