The Battle of Fort Fisher, N.C.

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

"Civil War Voices"-- Part 4: The Reserve At Oak Bowery

Earlier, I wrote about Joseph Henry Harris, an Alabama plantation owner, and came across his plantation's name as being Oak Bowery.  Looked that up and there is a website for The Reserve at Oak Bowery in Chambers County.

Looking at its history, it was known as the McCurdy Plantation which at one time had 4,000 acres worked by 150 slaves and owned by Joseph McCurdy.  During the Civil War, in 1864, Federal cavalry stopped to water their horses while heading toward Selma under the command of Col. Oscar LaGrange.  The plantation was noted for its fresh water.  The federals would soon get into a battle at West Point, two events that Harris mentioned.

The house was built in 1845 by Edmund S. Harris as a wedding present  for her daughter and husband Joseph McCurdy.  It took three years to build, all by hand.  Most of the wood was heart of pine (from the middle of the tree) in the Greek Revival Style.

Two other interesting people from Chamber County, Alabama:

JOE " BROWN BOMBER" LOUIS--  Heavy weight boxing champion in 1934.  Won 27 fights, mostly by knockout.
PAT GARRETT--  sheriff in ew Mexico who shot Billy the Kid

So, I am not sure about the McCurdy-Harris connection.

And So It Goes.  --Old Secesh

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