It is the true saga of Alabama's hill people and their struggle against the South's secession when all around them the battle cry was secession and war. I am very proud of tha fact and I live in Winston County today and yes I am a Republican, but please for the love of God, let me set the record straight, Winston County did not secede … Many of the pro-Union Winston county residents, as well as those from the similarly aligned Nickajack area on the Tennessee border, enlisted in the Union Army's new 1st Alabama Cavalry Regiment, commanded by an officer from New York, George E. Spencer. I'm reading 'To Kill A Mockingbird' and I came across this quote, "When Alabama seceded from the Union on January 11, 1861, Winston County seceded from Alabama, and every child in Maycomb County knew it." [6], Coordinates: 34°08′57″N 87°22′29″W / 34.14917°N 87.37472°W / 34.14917; -87.37472, Anti-seccessionist region of Alabama in the Civil War, Map of Alabama highlighting Winston County as of 1861, "Double Springs, Alabama: Dual Destiny Monument", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Republic_of_Winston&oldid=990950204, Former administrative territorial entities in North America, Former regions and territories of the United States, Southern Unionists in the American Civil War, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles with unsourced statements from June 2020, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 27 November 2020, at 12:58. In 1911 Judge Steele wrote a most interesting article on that convention which was published in the Montgomery Advertiser, The Franklin Times, and perhaps several other Alabama newspapers. Sheats and Winston County refused to sign the secession document. From Payne's remark was born the legend of the "Republic of Winston. Alabama seceded from the Union on January 11, 1861. The "Republic" of Winston (Winston County, Alabama) was one of several places in the Confederate States of America where disaffection during the American Civil War was strong. Secession seems to be in little favor in certain parts of Alabama, if we are to judge from the proceedings of a meeting of citizens of Winston County, held on the … The resolution went on to say if Alabama did have that right, then Winston County had the right to secede from Alabama. "[4] Other areas in the South at the time passed similar resolutions, including Searcy County, Arkansas, and Jones County, Mississippi. Later, as a vocal Southern Unionist, he spent much of the war in prison. One resolution declared that if a state could secede from the Union, then a county could secede from the state. Its county seat is Double Springs. The first railroad built in Alabama. Sheats became so vocal in his opposition that he was eventually arrested. Winston County gained notoriety during the Civil War at the Looney's Tavern meeting where it was declared the "Free State of Winston" with plans to secede from the state though it never did. The northwest county of Winston set itself apart from most of AL during the Civil War, declaring that if a state could secede from a country then a county could secede from a state. ADAH: The Incident at Looney's Tavern, Alabama Official Outdoor Musical Drama, Alabama Legacy Moments: Free State of Winston, Located in the rugged hill country of northwest Alabama, south of the Tennessee River, Winston County was originally formed from part of, Winston earned its reputation as a Unionist "free state" during a large informal gathering of Unionists from Winston and surrounding counties. The, After the war, considerable tensions remained between Winston County's Unionists and Confederates, leading to occasional violence. Apr 15, 2017 - After the state of Alabama seceded from the Union in January of 1861, a small county within the state, known as Winston County, disagreed with the decision and tried to secede from the South. That was the issue discussed during a meeting that took place in Bill Looney’s Tavern on July 4, 1861. [3] Winston's residents were mainly poor farmers. Sources: General vote (Encyclopedia Brittanica) Virginia. When Alabama seceded from the Union on January 11, 1861, Winston County seceded from Alabama, and every child in Maycomb County knew it. Built a cotton gin in Autauga County and served on the Alabama legislature. When Alabama held its secession convention in 1861, Winston County voted overwhelmingly for a 22-year-old schoolteacher named Christopher Sheats to be their delegate. Alabama was expected to secede. After the state of Alabama seceded from the Union in January of 1861, a small county within the state, known as Winston County, disagreed with the decision and tried to secede from the South. Upon his release, he became a leader of a pro-neutrality group. While the 1st Alabama Cavalry would play an important part in the war, it generally did so outside of Alabama. In Winston County, this opposition became violent and had long-lasting political consequences—deep enough to generate a legend after the war that the county had seceded from Alabama. Seceded fromAlabama and declared themselves as a "free state" 1861-1865. The worried state authorities moved to enforce obedience to the cause through conscription and loyalty oaths, which only made matters worse. The Confederate Home Guards that had formed in the county were poorly disciplined, and its enlistees often used their uniforms as an excuse to settle old grudges. Tuscumbia. Source(s) To Kill a Mockingbird )North Alabama was full of Liquor Interests, Big Mules, steel companies, Republicans, professors, and other persons of no background"(pg. A passenger boat named the Free State Lady plies the waters of the county's Smith Lake. Steve Suitts: Born in Winston County (which seceded from Alabama when the state seceded from the Union), Steve Suitts is an adjunct at the Institute for Liberal Arts of Emory University, a position he has held for the last twenty years, and has been chief strategist for Better Schools Better Jobs, a Mississippi-based education advocacy project of the New Venture Fund. Less than 5 percent were slave owners. The residents of Winston County were proud of Sheats. Legend has it that on July 4, 1861, the good people of Winston County decided to secede from Alabama and remain in the Union. Alabama seceded from the Union, but seceding from Alabama is a different situation. Winston He refused to sign Alabama’s ordinance of secession, even after it had been passed by a vote of 61 to 39. Winston County was populated at the time by what Alabama residents called “Hill people.” I was just wondering if anyone had any information about Alabama's secession and probably about Winston county. 19th amendment This amendments gave women the right to vote Apr 28, 1926. The drama is the unique story of Christopher Sheats, a young Winston County Alabama school teacher, thrown into American history's most turbulent era, the Civil War. [1][2], Winston County is located in the hilly terrain of North Alabama. The informal "Republic" of Winston, or Free State of Winston, an area encompassing the present-day Winston, Cullman and Blount counties of Alabama, was one of several places in the Confederate States of America where disaffection during the American Civil War was strong. In Winston County, this opposition became violent and had long-lasting political consequences—deep enough to generate a legend after the war that the county had seceded from Alabama. I think that Miss Caroline feels intimidated by Scout becasue she could read well. They petitioned, Although Winston County's Unionists wanted to be left alone, the governments of the Confederacy and of Alabama did not oblige. Birth of Harper Lee Harper Lee is born in Monroeville, Alabama. Texas (University of Texas) South Carolina voted unanimously for secession, 169-0.. Arkansas - All delegates from Madison, Searcy, and Pike counties voted against secession, though the latter three counties and one of the two representatives from Madison changed their votes after being pressured by the leader … It is also evident that Miss Fisher is not familiar with the type of poverty that is prevalent in Maycomb. The county's Unionism led to. ... Winston County. Georgia. He refused to sign Alabama's Ordinance of Secession, even after it had been passed by a vote of 61 to 39. [citation needed], Winston County itself suffered from its own internal war. Winston County’s representative at the January 1861 Alabama Secession Convention was Charles Christopher Sheets, a 21-year-old school teacher. It was originally named for John Hancock, Governor of Massachusetts and famous signer of the American Declaration of Independence, with its county seat at Houston. 16). "Hoorah for the 'Free State of Winston'!" What is your reaction to Scout's ability to read and Miss Caroline calling her out on it? "Winston County secedes!" Winston County was populated at the time by what Alabama residents called “Hill people.” After the state of Alabama seceded from the Union in January of 1861, a small county within the state, known as Winston County, disagreed with the decision and tried to secede from the South. If Alabama could secede from the United States of America, could Winston County secede from the state of Alabama? The "Dual Destiny" statue located in Winston county depicts a young soldier dressed half as a Union troop and half as Confederate soldier. It … he shouted. Winston County was established under the name Hancock County on February 12, 1850, from territory that was formerly part of Walker County (a county directly to the south of Winston County). At the time of the Civil War Winston County also included the areas that later became Cullman and Blount counties. On January 22, 1858, the county was renamed Winston County to honor Alabama Gov. The so called "State of Scott" actually passed an official act of session. Men loyal to the Union responded by forming irregular militia bands of their own; by the end of the war, Winston County had been largely devastated by its own people. [5], Many Winston County residents refused induction into the Confederate Army, and some spoke openly of organizing troops to support the Union. Many people of Winston County, Alabama were against secession and they were not alone in the attitude they took, for on page 524 of Volume 1, of Moore’s History of Alabama… [3], Winston County's representative at the January 1861 Alabama Secession Convention was Charles Christopher Sheats, a 21-year-old schoolteacher. ( Encyclopedia Brittanica ) Virginia did so outside of Alabama Scout becasue she could well... Just wondering if anyone had any information about Alabama 's secession and probably about Winston County to. Is not familiar with the type of poverty that is prevalent in Maycomb Tavern, where a of. Slave owners in Winston County after the war, considerable tensions remained between Winston County were proud of.... 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