WHY A BURNT CORN
WEB SITE?

BECAUSE, Burnt Corn history is older and richer than most American history. That is reason enough to read it hisory or it's legacy first. Before there was an ALABAMA there was a BURNT CORN, before there was a MONROE OR CONECUH county there was a BURNT CORN. The Burnt Corn story needs to be told. This web site will give you a feel of what's Burnt Corn, Alabama is like and what's it about.

It is designed for the sole purpose of educating the world about Burnt Corn and to give you a window to communicate with us and to keep in touch with this truly historic community. Many people are unfamilar with Burnt Corn, Alabama and have an instant dis-belief that it exists.

Yes World, there really is a Burnt Corn and it played an important part in America's history.

Information on and about this site was gathered from various sources, if you disagree or do not want certain information on this site please let as soon as possible and it will be removed.

It is our goal to write a book on the complete history of Burnt Corn both past and present. Hollywood also should be made aware of Burnt Corn and base a full length film or mini series movie on it contents.

ABOUT BURNT CORN WEB SITE

Here's how it work, click on any hightlighted texts and it will give you details or photo on that subject. Then click back on your browser to return to continue.

There is a Main Menu included, but I recommend reading on and you will cover every point in the menu. There is a MAP to find directions to Burnt Corn if you desired to visit us n person.

Let's get into important reasons we want you to know about Burnt Corn. First, the Burnt Corn web site gives you some of information and history about Burnt Corn, Alabama. We installed a Bulletin Board to keep you informed about the latest happens in Burnt Corn and to use as a forum to post any upcoming events or local news. If anyone has any information or news to include on this web site can submit it the Webmaster for posting.

We included an Obituary Page to post recent deaths in Burnt Corn.

We invite "all" visitors to Sign Our Guest Book in order that we can keep track of the guests who been to Burnt Corn, Alabama community web site. If you like, you may also View Our Guest Book to see who has been to the Burnt Corn web site and see what they had to say about us. If you wish to contact us via email just send it to burntcorn@burntcorn.com

A HISTORY LESSON ABOUT BURNT CORN

First, we will give you some information and history about Burnt Corn, Alabama.

We have posted a Brief History of the "Battle of Burnt Corn" (This could be the White Settlers account of what happened) and included is a more Detailed History of the "Battle of Burnt Corn" (This maybe the Creek Indians account of what happened). There also another account of the Battle of Burnt Corn.

That famous battle is believed to have started the Creek Indians War of 1813 and 1814. Also there is yet another account of the War of 1812 that is also posted here for your education.

We also included some history on the Creek Indians People and their Creek History. Here is another account of the Muscogee (Creek) Indian History.

There is some information on the Early Settlers to Burnt Corn.Settlers and Residents such Dr. John Watkins, Robert Joel Mosely, Edward Lett, Thomas Rumbley, William B. Crook, Jim Cornells, Alabama Crook, A Slave Woman Named Fannie, Enoch Salter, Andrew J. Ellis, Enoch Salter, Jr., Dr. Willam Cunningham, Jacob F. Betts, Issac Betts, Jr., Jake Lowery, Jeremiah Austill, and many more.

There is some background on the Old Federal Road settlers used that ran from Georgia through Burnt Corn to Fort Mims and on to Mobile, Alabama. There is an Old Map of the Federal Road in 1818. posted as well. I found information that the Old Federal Road was also called the "Old Stage Road" that runs directly through Burnt Corn. The Issac Betts house in Burnt Corn was used as a stage stop. The "Old Federal Road" found its beginings as "Three Chopped Way" an old indian horse path or trail. The Old Federal Road is also the boundary line for Monroe and Conecuh counties. There is a belief that the railroad had plans to route through Burnt Corn on it way to Mobile and/or Pensacola but plans were "derailed" because of the Creek Indian War. The railroad was then routed through Monroeville and Evergreen, Alabama. We even included 1850 Census of Monroe County and Conecueh County Go here to read a long history of Monroe County and Conecuh County.,a short history of Monroe County and Conecuh County You also look at these references for Monroe and Escambia History.

 

HOW BURNT CORN GOT ITS NAME?

The naming of Burnt Corn is an interesting tale. The truth is, I really don't know how Burnt Corn got it's name, but there are different accounts on how it is belived to have gotten its name.

Belief #1
Some believe when white settlers moved into to the area of Burnt Corn Creek now known as Burnt Corn, they burned the Creek Indians (then known as red sticks) corn fields to clear land to homestead.

Belief #2
Others believe that the Creek Indians burned the white settlers corn fields in an effort to drive them away from their land.

Belief #3
Reported by Samual A. Rumore, Jr and appeared in the January 1997 issue of the The Alabama Lawyer that the main path from Pensacola to the Upper Creek Nation passed by a spring (Burnt Corn Creek). A group of Indians traveling on the path were forced to leave an ailing companion there. They provided him with a supply of corn. When he recovered, he had no way to carry the leftover corn so it stayed on the ground and eventually burned in his camp fire. Other travelers came along the trail and noted that they camped at a spring where the "corn had burnt." The name Burnt Corn has remained there ever since.

Belief #4
A party of Indians on their way to Pensacola, stopped at James Cornells' trading house, burned his corncribs, took his new wife, and brought her to Pensacola where she was traded for an Indian blanket, The creek where Cornells settled took the name "Burnt Corn" because of the destruction of Cornells' barn and his supply of corn.

What we do know about the history of Burnt Corn is that for over a hundred years Whites and Indians, and Blacks and Indians lived in peace and harmony and intermarried in Burnt Corn until July 1813 when the battle of Burnt Corn occurred that led to the Creek War of 1813 and 1814.

 

HOW DID ALABAMA GET ITS NAME? AND WHAT DOES THE WORD "ALABAMA" MEANS? The etymology of the word or name, Alabama, has evoked much discussion among philological researchers. It was the name of a noted southern Indian tribe whose habitat when first known to Europeans was in what is now central Alabama. One of the major waterways in the state was named for this group and from this river, in turn, the name of the state was derived. The tribal name of Alabama was spelled in various ways by the early Spanish, French, and British chroniclers: Alabama, Albama, Alebamon, Alibama, Alibamou, Alibamon, Alabamu, and Allibamou. The appellation first occurs in three of the accounts of the Hernando de Soto expedition of 1540: written Alibamo by Garcillasso de la Vega, Alibamu by the Knight of Elvas, and Limamu by Rodrigo Ranjel (in the last form, the initial vowel is dropped and the first m is used for b, the interchange of these two consonants being common in Indian languages). The name as recorded by these chroniclers was the name of a subdivision of the Chickasaws, not the historic Alabamas of later times.

The popular belief that Alabama signifies "Here We Rest" stems from an etymology given wide currency in the 1850s through the writings of Alexander Beauford Meek. However, the first known use of this derivation appeared earlier in an unsigned article in a July 27, 1842, issue of the Jacksonville Republican. Experts in the Muskogee dialect have been unable to find any word or phrase similar to Alabama with the meaning "Here We Rest."

According to some investigations, the tribal name Alabama must be sought in the Choctaw tongue, as it is not uncommon for tribes to accept a name given them by a neighboring tribe. Inquiry among the early Indians themselves appears to have yielded no information about the meaning of the word. The Rev. Allen Wright, a Choctaw scholar, translated the name as thicket clearers, compounded of Alba meaning "a thick or mass vegetation," and amo meaning "to clear, to collect, to gather up."

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Go here for the Alabama History or |Alabama History On-Line|

If you are interested in knowing how "Alabama" got it's name, then go to this link and learn your Alabama history.

 

TRACE YOUR ROOTS BACK TO BURNT CORN

If you are tracing your roots to Burnt Corn, there are some information included here on the The Monroe County, Alabama Federal Census of 1850. Plus, some Alabama 1860 Federal Census Index for Burnt Corn. Then check out the Deaths in Burnt Corn between 1885 and 1898. The Minutes of the Bethany Baptist Church from 1821-1827 is also here. A good source is Tracking Your Roots to Alabama.

BURNT CORN ANCESTORY

One of the fore fathers of Burnt Corn was Jake Lowery who left the JFB Lowery Trust Estate. This estate owns the largest amount of property in Burnt Corn.
Dr. John Watkinswas the first doctor in Burnt Corn. Enoch Salter was one of early settler to Burnt Corn.Issac Betts, Jeremiah Austill, Jim Cornell, Robert Joel Mosley, William Bulter Crook, Edward Lett, Thomas Aaron Rumbley, a slave woman named Fannie, and George & Nellie Marshall

A TOUR OF HISTROIC BURNT CORN

We provided you with a quick tour of historic Burnt Corn by starting with some Historical Sites In The Heart of Burnt Corn. Let's go on a photo tour of the familiar places in Burnt Corn beginning with the center of commerce. A photo of the famous Burnt Corn General Store which is A Historical Landmark. In Burnt Corn's hey day, the main commerce was cotton in the day when cotton was "king." There is a photograph of the "Old" Burnt Corn Cotton Gin. This cotton gin stands today in Burnt Corn but is "off limits" to the public due to decay that creates a safety hazzard. Down the street from the General Store is the "Old" Grist Mill where residents took their shelled corn to have it grinded into corn mill. In the heart of Burnt Corn also sits the "Old" Burnt Corn Barber Shop in a time when hair cuts costed a dime and a shave was a nickel. There are other histroic building in the heart of Burnt Corn such the The Red Store , An "old" Doctor Office, a 1930 era Gas Station, the historic "Old" McMillian Boarding House, an Old Casket Warehouse, and a Brantley Store, and the "Old" Issac Bett House that now serves as the Burnt Corn Hunting Club House. (Note: since this writing the old Issac Betts House has burned to the ground). Here is a news article written about the burning of the Issac Betts house. Plus, there is an original "coca cola" painting, advertising coke for five cents on the "Old" Brantley Store . We have included a photo of the famous Burnt Corn Post Office which has been recently closed which was a part of the Historical Burnt Corn General Store. There is also a photo of a distant view of the "Heart of Town" of Burnt Corn or sometimes referred to as main street Burnt Corn. We will now go to see a picture of Burnt Corn's old best known resident, the Betts-Lowery House. Sam Lowery was the most recent recent resident of this house. Sam Lowery considered by some the "unofficial mayor" of Burnt Corn. Across the street from the Kyser-Lowery Store is the Kyser-Lowery House complete with a Kyser-Lowery Servant Quarters. In the New Hope area of Burnt Corn stands the "Old" African American Masonic Lodge Hall while the white citizens used the Burnt Corn Masonic Lodge Hall located in downtown Burnt Corn.

A TOUR OF THE MORE RECENT BURNT CORN

BURNT CORN COMMERCE DISTRICT
Let's continue on to more recent sites like the Burnt Corn Grocery Store, also known as Watson Grocery is now owned and operated by Joseph (Sonny) Watson, Jr, and then on to the David Rankins Store. The Lowery Store mentioned above is vital the Burnt Corn commerce.

BURNT CORN RELIGION CENTERS
From here we will go to visit Burnt Corn's best known African American church, The Bethany Baptist Church. pastored by Rev. J.O. Malone for more than 30 years. There is also another historic Bepthany Baptist Church in Burnt Corn by the same name.

BURNT CORN EDUCATION SYSTEM
There is even a photo of the now closed Burnt Corn Junior High School as it sits today. Burnt Corn education system dates back to 1841 when the Burnt Corn Male Academy was established. Then the first Public School opened. Then there was a school in the Burnt Corn vicinity known as the "Student Retreat" taught by John Green, Sr. Later came a school called "Oak Villa School" and then Miss Lizzy School. Burnt Corn Jr. High was the last school in Burnt Corn and only school in Burnt Corn and it was for "colored children only" and it was closed in the late 1960's. White children were "bussed" 15 to 20 miles away to nearby schools in Monroeville, Evergreen, or Beatrice, Alabama. Earl Lett was principal the entire duration of the school. The original Burnt Corn School was located across the road next to Pilgrim Rest AME church and Rev. Kyser was the Principal until the the "new" Burnt Corn Junior High School was build in the 50's.

BURNT CORN PUBLIC SAFETY
There is even a photograph of the "new" model Burnt Corn Fire Station. The Burnt Corn Fire Chief is Bill Rankins

HOMES IN BURNT CORN

If that not enough, you can go on a tour of the beautiful homes in Burnt Corn. These homes range from beautiful Histroic Homes to beautiful Mid-Century Homes to beautiful Modern Homes.

BEAUTIFUL CHURCHES IN BURNT CORN

Like many other communities in the deep South, Burnt Corn has it share of Beautiful Churches. There are two Historic Churches within the confines of the Burnt Corn community: The Burnt Corn Baptist Church which is the "original" Bapthany Baptist Church was organize in 1821. The Burnt Corn Methodist Church was organized in 1908 and built in 1912.

BLACK CHURCHES
There are also four major African American Churches in the Burnt Corn area:Bethany Baptist Church, Pilgrim Rest AME Zion Church, New Hope Methodist AME Zion Church, and Green Street AME Church. There is also a Listing of some the Churches in Burnt Corn and surrounding area.

GETTING TO BURNT CORN

There are photos of several Entrances to Burnt Corn from different points such as fromEvergreen, Monroeville, or Peterman Drewry, Repton, and Beatrice. If you get lost there is a Map To Burnt Corn gi