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| Historical marker in 'downtown' Midway, Alabama. |
(For decades, local historian and paranormal investigator
George “Buster” Singleton published a weekly newspaper column called “Somewhere
in Time.” The column below, which was titled “Historic places are fading fast”
was originally published in the March 28, 2002 edition of The Monroe Journal in
Monroeville, Ala.)
A few days back a friend and I ventured forth into the area
of the Midway community. Our aim was to visit some of the old cemeteries and
other places of interest in the area and look for some names of the early
settlers that are buried there. The old forgotten cemeteries are all in a rough
state of disrepair due to fallen timbers and grown up brush that cover the
grave sites of those who departed this life after many years of hard work there
on the rolling hills of the old settlement.
Three or four of the abandoned headstones recorded dates of
death that dated back to the early 1800s. One that I recall went as far back as
1816. In viewing the old cemeteries, I assumed that the area of Midway was at
one time a sizeable community. I was disappointed to see, however, that the old
burial grounds had been neglected over the years and the passing of time had
taken its toll in the old burials that rested atop the high hilltops of the
area.
Only a few of the headstones had markers that bore the names
of those buried there. Many had nothing more than a sizeable rock as a grave
marker. Some had nothing more than a large piece of fat lightwood driven in the
ground; these leaned crazily to one side or the other. Others were broken by
fallen limbs and blown over timber. Others had nothing more than a small
indenture in the ground where the soil had settled over the many years there on
the hillsides.
As if by some miracle, three small cast iron fences that
each surrounded a family plot or a single grave had survived the many years of
weather and time. Each needed some repair, but they continued to guard and
protect those that slept there in the small fenced area.
The largest of the old cemeteries had adjoining it what
seemed to be slave burials. It too was in great need of cleaning and cutting away
of the large brush and removing the fallen and rotten timbers. Many of the
rocks that had served as headstones had been moved or crushed by the rotted
timbers that crisscrossed the old burial grounds. Such a tragedy that these old
historic landmarks had fallen in such decay.
Atop what appeared to be the highest hill in the area was
located one of the cemeteries. As we stood there discussing the condition of
the burials, I thought of the hard times experienced by many of those that
slept there. Many had come this way looking for a better way of life, only to
find a life of hard work and sacrifice here on the high ridges. But I’m sure
that there were some good times also. Inspecting some of the tombstones, there
were evidence of several sizeable families that lived in the surrounding area.
As we journeyed through the old burial grounds, I remembered
from past investigations that this area had been occupied for many hundreds of
years by the early Indian. Not too far from where we were was the ancient cave
known as the Midway cave. Evidence inside the ancient cave showed that it had
been occupied long before the time of DeSoto’s visit into this area, and
perhaps many hundreds of years before.
There are many places and various ancient items within this
area and the nearby area of Pine Orchard that need to be investigated. The
mystery stones of Pine Orchard need to be studied and researched. I believe
that a thorough investigation into these stones and the location where they
were found would prove beyond any doubt that the famed Indian village of
Maubila was in what is now the Pine Orchard area. If one studies and researches
the route that DeSoto and his army took through what is now Monroe, Wilcox and
Conecuh counties, it will prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that the famed Indian
village was in what is now the corner of Conecuh and Monroe counties, near
where the counties join.
Realizing that the time was speeding on toward the evening
hours, we departed the Midway area and started back toward Pine Orchard. There
was one more stop that I wanted to make since I was up in this area. Down the
road aways and out in the woods was located the Wolf Pit. I had been to this
location several times, but for some unknown reason, I wanted to see again this
strange hole in the ground. When I first came to this area, I became friends
with two men that knew this part of the county like the backs of their hands.
In viewing the Wolf Pit, I was told the stories about these strange holes in
the ground and what they were used for. But, this is another story.
Making my way back to the Hub City, I realized again the
abundance of early history that waited around almost every turn of the road and
the importance of researching and investigating it. We need to know firsthand
the background and lives of those who came here before us. And I’m sure that
almost none would believe the many important events that took place around the
area many years before our time.
As the trend continues, unless we change our ways, many of
the old historical places within our area will soon fade into oblivion. Also,
the history of our past will have disappeared from view and the places thereof
will know if no more.
(Singleton, the author
of the 1991 book “Of Foxfire and Phantom Soldiers,” passed away at the age of
79 on July 19, 2007. A longtime resident of Monroeville, he was born on Dec.
14, 1927 in Marengo County, graduated from Sweet Water High School, served in
the Korean War, lived for a time among Apache Indians, moved to Monroe County
in June 1964 (some sources say 1961) and served as the administrator of the
Monroeville National Guard unit from 1964 to 1987. For years, Singleton’s
column “Somewhere in Time” appeared in The Monroe Journal, and he wrote a
lengthy series of articles about Monroe County that appeared in Alabama Life
magazine. Some of his earlier columns also appeared under the heading of
“Monroe County History: Did You Know?” He is buried in Pineville Cemetery in
Monroeville. The column above and all of Singleton’s other columns are
available to the public through the microfilm records at the Monroe County
Public Library in Monroeville. Singleton’s columns are presented here each week
for research and scholarship purposes and as part of an effort to keep his work
and memory alive.)
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