"Smotherman to Trustees ME Church."

Title

Description

This is the deed to what became the Bailey Springs AME Church, in S22, T1S, R10W. This congregation was founded ca. 1886 near the Bailey Springs resort. A historical marker for the church, which is still in existence and meets regularly for worship, was unveiled on Saturday, June 22, 2018 by Robert Steen, chairman of the City of Florence Historical Board in conjunction with a Brown and Brannon family reunion.

The text of the deed reads as follows:

Smotherman to Trustees ME Church

The State of Alabama, Lauderdale County

We Cornelius W Smotherman and my wife Setha Smotherman in consideration of Twenty One Dollars to us in hand paid by Charles Hough, Green Bailey, Abraham Hewitt[,] Smith Welch[,] Anthony Brandon [sic] and Mary McVay, we do sell to said C Hough[,] Green Baily [sic], Abraham Hewitt, Smith Welch, Anthony Brandon [sic] and Mary McVay[,] their heirs and assigns the following lot or parcel of Land to wit, Beginning at the SE Corner of N ½ E ½ of NE ¼ of Sec 22, T 2 R 10 West: thence South ½ ° Six Chains thence West 2 ½ ° Three Chains and fifty links to the beginning corner and containing two acres and to an acre said Land is situated in said County of which we are seized in fee? [illegible] of we warrant against all persons. Given under our Hand and Seal This January 22nd , 1886

Attest Robert Rice CW Smotherman
Johnson Washington Williams L.M. Smotherman
Lauderdale County

I, WE Harraway, Judge of the Probate Court of said County, hereby certify that Robt Rice a Subscribing Witness to the foregoing Conveyance known to me acknowledged [illegible] before me this day and being sworn States that the grantors in the Conveyance Voluntarily executed the same in his presence and in the presence of the other Subscribing Witness on the day the Same bears date that he attested the Same in the presence of the grantors and of the other Witness and that such other witness Subscribed his name as a witness in his presence[.] Given under my hand this 10th day of April, 1886 WE Harraway, Probate Judge

I hereby certify that the foregoing is a true Copy of a Deed filed in office 10th day April[,] 1886

W.E. Harraway, Probate Judge

Transcribed by Lee Freeman, January 22, 2018.

Source

Lauderdale County, Alabama Deed Record, Volume 27, p. 324.

Contributor

Lee Freeman

Rights

Images are available for educational and research purposes. This image may not be reproduced for commercial purposes without the express written consent of the copyright holder. It is the responsibility of the interested party to identify the copyright holder and receive permission.

Files

Collection

Religion

Citation

“"Smotherman to Trustees ME Church.",” Shoals Black History, accessed January 16, 2025, https://shoalsblackhistory.omeka.net/items/show/816.