Do You Know Alabama Has Revolutionary War Connections?

Alabama and the American Revolution, Part 1: In 179 days the United States will celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Throughout the weeks leading up to July 4th, Tuscaloosa Thread will publish frequent features on Alabama's connections to the founding of our nation.

Although Alabama is more closely associated with the American Civil War, do you know there are people, places and events in our state that are directly linked to our nation's founding?

As we enter the year-long celebration of the 250th anniversary of our nation's creation we will take weekly looks at our state's connections to the events that led to the United States of America.

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Numerous soldiers who fought to overthrow "British tyranny" migrated to Alabama, which became a state in 1819.

According to the Encyclopedia of Alabama, "...the nation's first veterans, arrived in Alabama via two basic migration paths. One involved veterans primarily from Virginia, the Carolinas, and northern Georgia who emigrated largely to northeast Alabama. A second migration entailed veterans who journeyed from Virginia and the Carolinas to Georgia and then to various pockets of central and West Alabama, such as Tuscaloosa.

In West Alabama 11 soldiers of the Continental Arm went to Bibb County, 38 called Greene County home, two lived in Hale County, there were 12 in Marengo County, 20 in Perry County, 23 in Pickens County, 10 in Sumter County, 47 in Tuscaloosa County and ten in Walker County. (Records of Alabama Society of Soldiers of the American Revolution.)

In West Alabama alone there are several locations with gravesites where American Revolution heroes are buried. Most are in one place, Greenwood Cemetery in downtown Tuscaloosa where six lay at rest. They are:

• Robert Cunningham, a native of Pennsylvania was born in 1760 and died in 1839. He was a Lieutenant of the Virginia Continental Line,
• Richard Inge, a native of Virginia was born in 1754 and died in 1833. He was a basic soldier of the Virginia Continental Line,
• Reuben Jones, a native of South Carolina was born in 1766 and died in 1836, He was a waggoner under General Nathanael Greene (Greene County, AL is named after the general),
• Francis Moody, a native of Virginia whose birth and death dates are known, He is listed as a basic soldier in the Continental Army,
• Samuel Morrow, a native of Ireland was born in 1743 and died in 1837. He is listed as a Private of the South Carolina Continental Line
• Richard Owens, a native of Virginia was born in 1744 and died in 1822. Served as a Colonel of the North Carolina Malita.

Greenwood is the oldest cemetery in Tuscaloosa and actually outdates the city. It is also the resting place for four heroes of the American Revolution.

There is at least one widow of a Revolutionary War soldier who lived and died in Perry County. Isabella Kelso Wylie is buried next to her husband William Wylie at Mount Pleasant Presbyterian Church Cemetery in Selma. Her husband was taken prisoner at the Battle of Camden but later released in a prisoner exchange and returned to the battlefield. Isabella provided food and supplies to the Continental Army.

The Revolutionary War heroes may not have been born here but they moved here, contributed to Alabama becoming a state and left a legacy of historic proportions.

NEXT FEATURE: The Sons of the American Revolution.