Notes for DAR Talk

Antithesis: Two Men Who Shaped Alabama’s History

Chris Sheats / William Lowndes Yancey
Research Process / Asked to choose person from list—no question!
Margaret Woolfolk Wiggins, The Scalawag in Alabama Politics – The historical record does not just ignore people like Sheats—there was a deliberate effort to erase references to them.
“. . . primary sources relative to a majority of Alabama scalawags do not exist.”
This was borne out by the Alabama Department of Archives.
Sources – Rhona Summerford, Southern Claims Commission, Wesley Thompson’s The Free State of Winston, Tories of the Hills / Chose Yancey – living in Civil War times for the last year—decided to remain
Easy – multiple articles and biographies written about him
Hard to write a book for children about someone who was such a strong advocate of slavery – decided to deal with him against the backdrop of the times he lived in, not modern times.
Early Lives / Born 1839 Alabama
Relatively poor, family interested in politics; well-read (papers delivered weeks late), respected
Sickly as a child, parents thought he would not be able to work at farming, so sent him to school in Somerville – became a school teacherback in Winston County
Well known in his community / Born 1814 South Carolina
Father well-known politician & plantation owner, died when Will was 3
Mother trained Will to speak well
Got good education – mother married grouchy, demanding teacher, who sold her holdings and moved the family to Troy, NY
Will unhappy, got in trouble in school, finally sent south to an uncle.
Struggled for years, settled down and married—but got into a fight with his wife’s uncle. The uncle died, Will was tried and acquitted.
Moved to Alabama, bought farm and newspaper, gave speeches and became well known and influential - Became increasingly pro-states’ rights. Had been a Unionist, but gradually shifted positions to advocate secession if government continued to meddle
Elected to AL House, Senate, US Congress, then delegate to Democratic National Convention
Election of 1860 / No direct involvement, except for great interest / Led walkout of Democratic National Convention that probably led to Lincoln’s election
Southern states had decided if Lincoln was elected, they would hold conventions to consider seceding from the Union.
It was not at all certain there would be a war; many took the position that the South should be allowed to leave the Union
Convention
January 1861 / Elected from Winston County, traveled under difficult circumstances
Allied with those who were opposed to leaving the Union – Jonathan Ford, Morgan, Jeremiah Clemons, Madison
No record of having taken part in speeches – who knows if he did
Badly shaken when Jeremiah Clemens changed vote / Ascended to leadership position quickly
Wrote Ordinance of Secession, presented it, and spoke passionately on its behalf
Vote 61-39
Post Convention / Thrown in jail-released after convention over
Hero’s welcome in Winston County—people not happy with result or treatment
Called for meeting at Bill Looney’s Tavern on July 4, 1861– 2,500 from 12 counties and 4 states
Resolution presented by Tom Pink Curtis:
“We agree with Jackson that no state can legally get out of the Union; but if we are mistaken in this, and a state can legally secede withdraw . . . then a county, any county, by the same process of reasoning, could cease to be part of the state.” Someone in the crowd shouted, “The Free State of Winston!” / Celebrated as a hero, played large part in formation of Confederacy
War / Many in Winston refused to join Confederate Army – harbored deserters and refusers – as many as 8 to 10,000 hiding in hills and hollers Some helped people get to Union Army
Home Guard, murders – Curtis men
Sheats’ whereabouts unclear for most of war, but spent some time in jail in Montgomery and North Carolina – probably the safest place for him / Sent as emissary to Europe
War started while there – stayed 4 months, came home broke and defeated
Elected to Confederate Congress while in Europe
Died in 1863, buried in Oakwood Cemetery in Montgomery
Post War / Appointed to several positions during Reconstruction – State Docks, consul to Denmark, Mayor of Decatur – house still there
Died in 1904, buried in McKendree Cemetery / Sons went to Brazil with other Confederates, but returned after 13 years