JUST UP THE ROAD - HISTORY OF ELKMONT

PART I - submitted by Gary Compton

Whenever we think about pioneer days, we often think how much simpler it was and wish we could have lived back then. Contrary to those thoughts, life was hard then. Each day was a challenge, not knowing where that next meal would come from. There was very little communication with others. Hostilities were everywhere; almost unbearable work. Your daily decisions would regulate whether you would live or die.

It was in the early summer of 1817 when Levi Simms and his family arrived at a small stream west of what is now known as Elkmont. This area of Alabama had been prime hunting ground of the Cherokee and Chickasaw Indians. The area was heavily wooded and was considered wilderness. The United States was in the process of purchasing the northwestern part of Alabama from these two Indian Nations. Elk River was the western boundary that now separated the young America from Indian territory.  Ft. Hampton was located down the Elk about 25 miles southwest. The Fort's Mission was to prevent settlers from crossing the river into Indian territory and to prevent Indians from crossing back to Western America, It had been decided that their culture differences were much too great for Indians and Settlers to Live together peacefully.

As Levi and his sons led their horses and other livestock to water, they were all observant of their surroundings. There were deep rutted trails where elk and deer traveled back and forth between their feeding and bedding areas. There was a large spring coming from beneath an outcropping of rocks and the water was very cold and refreshing. Levi noticed how pleasant it was being beneath the tall canopy of Popular, Chestnut and Oak trees. The long Valley that ran from Northeast to Southwest creating a natural shield from the hot summer sun and potentially the cold North winds in the winter months.

The boys were already ripping up and down the stream splashing each other, venturing further and further out while being curious of every thing that they saw, felt and smelled. Andrew, the youngest son, soon found that the stream was abundant with fish and crawfish. He begin to remove stones and gathering crawfish, placing them in his ruck sack for a great evening meal. Herman, the older, begin gathering watercress, Chestnuts and wild berries of all sorts. These were typical daily activities as they all had to pitch in to survive.

Mrs. Simms, " Ma Gretchen" , they called her, was busy setting the Irons and building a fire for the evening meal. The Iron Dutch oven was her favorite and only cooking vessel and she always had it wrapped with a leather blanket when not in use. No one was allowed to use it for any reason other than cooking and it was constantly hanging over a fire when they were not traveling. The variety of things that had been in that pot would make some people cringe but nourishment was anything that had meat and none would ever complain. Wild grains were plentiful along their travels and were gathered almost daily. Ma Gretchen would sometimes find a convenient flat stone and a small round river rock. She used this to grind the grains into flour. Bread was a favorite among the family and it was part of their daily staple.

Mr. Simms was busy making a temporary corral for their livestock . His only tool was a Pole Ax that he brought with him from South Carolina. He chopped down several small saplings and tied them up with vines fashioning a fence that would do for a few days while he decided if this place would be their homestead or if they needed to move on. Levi was always looking ahead planning his next move. He was much more happy being away from all the hustle bustle of the east and took great joy watching his boys grow up away from the influences of civilization. Gretchen was his rock and he was always trying to comfort her as she missed her family back East so much.

In days to come, Levi would bridle up his mule early each morning, scouting the surrounding areas while Gretchen and the boys stayed behind doing their daily chores. Levi soon discovered that the Elk River was only a mile are so from camp and soldiers were frequently patrolling the river banks looking for evidence of anyone crossing the river. After getting acquainted with the soldiers, he found out there was several settlements and there was a couple of trading posts about a day's ride from where they were camping.

Levi would occasionally kill a deer to supplement their food supply and was delighted to see so much wild game. There was Turkey, Deer, Elk, Black bear and a few Buffalo. Fur bearing animals were various and plentiful, including Mink, Fox, Beaver, Coon and Weasel. All would be major factors in making his decision to stay or Move on.

Levi had a long day setting and running his snares and was on his way back to camp. Andrew ran up the trail to meet him all excited. "Papa, Papa, Papa look what I found in the branch". Levi had seen it back east and at first he thought it to be fools gold but after biting into it, it was soft and malleable. He realized it was a Gold nugget. "Son" he said, "Show me where you found this". they both ran to the branch. Levi scratched around in the rock crevices at the bottom of the pool using his bare hands and low and behold he found another Nugget. This was all that Levi Simms need to make his decision.” This is where we will stake our claim and make our home".

In days to come Levi had to resist the temptation of scratching around in the branch as he had to build a cabin for the family and shelter for his livestock before winter.  Over the next couple of months the Cabin and barn was erected. Now they had a permanent house and livestock shelter for the winter ahead. In this period of time several families, drifters, some freed men and even Indians came thru Levi’s homestead but they were all encouraged to move on as he had claimed the rights to 640 acres and they would need to settle somewhere else. Levi and his family kept the secret about the gold. not daring to tell anyone.

After finishing his log home, Levi traveled to the river bottom one day and caught up with the soldiers on patrol, he asked them to mail a letter back East to his two younger brothers. The letter asked them to come west . "It’s a good place to live and you will do well. There is plenty of game and the soil is rich". (Mailing something in those days was not very reliable and very slow. sometimes taking two to three months to be delivered). But Levi had plenty of patience, being seasoned by the many months of wilderness travels and personal hardships.  Andrew and Herman begin to take on more and more responsibilities and played a big role in the success of their new found home. They had cleared almost four acres of land at the lower end of the hollow, using a axe, mule and their hands.

They were getting ready for next spring and their first garden. Ma Gretchen had a variety of seed she had brought from back east. She had small glass bottles with wooden stoppers with a variety of garden seed in them She had them all wrapped in leather to protect them. The boys knew that this first year in their new found place was going to be the roughest. They knew they would be eating lots of wild game and wild plants.

Levi knew that laying up food for the winter months was going to be tough. One thing he needed badly was lots of Salt. He took inventory of his Animal Furs that he had acquired so far for trade . Mooresville was his destination and it was his first time to go there. The entire trip would take two full days so he left his musket, Powder horn and bullets with Andrew. Levi knew they would need protection while he was away. The next morning he headed out early using the Upper Fort Hampton Trail to go East.