Franklin County, Alabama - Belgreen - A short history of the early years

A fair young maiden whose name was Belle and green meaning “beautiful green” was courted by her beau, Richard WATKINS. He was a young lawyer at the time and later became a Judge. One story relates that he named the settlement Belgreen in honor of his beautiful maiden.

Another story told about how Belgreen got its name is that a man named Abner JUDD who was the first postmaster of Belgreen named it this name because of the green woods.

Regardless of how Belgreen got its name it has had a played an important part in the history of Franklin County, Alabama. Belgreen was the County Seat of Franklin County, Alabama for a few years with the courthouse being built in 1879 and then burning in 1890. A jail was built near the courthouse. The school grounds now cover the spot where the courthouse and jail stood. After the fire, the County Seat was moved to Russellville.

The first store building in Belgreen was known as the HARDY Store which encompassed business of other people in this same building. Soon there were other buildings of the same kind. From its founding until 1931, some of the business owners located in Belgreen were Mr. HARDY, Dan HENDERSON, Arthur ORMAN, Fletcher and Elias REID, Bill PETREE, Arthur THOMPSON, Arthur SMITH, Jim HESTER, Bud SANDLIN, Clyde PETREE, J. E. NELSON, and R. H. TOMPKINS.

Some of the early black smiths who were located in the Belgreen area were: John Newton JAMES, Jim THOMPSON, John GRISSOM and Martin BARBER. Black smiths could usually repair a wagon wheel in a day along with shoeing mules and horses and the many other jobs that was required of them.

Gus SMITH operated a tanning yard in Belgreen at one time.

Taking the corn to the grist mill was a necessity for the early settler in Belgreen. Wiley HESTER, M. F. WOOD, Cleve HESTER, J. E. NELSON and Martin BARBER are some of the millers who operated their grist mills in the area.

As the town grew, a barber shop became a necessity. M. C. HESTER and Willie KING filled that necessity with their talent and abilities.

Wiley HESTER and A. L. SMITH operated Cotton Gins for the important crop that meant income for the early settler.

Belgreen was blessed with good doctors. Dr. CLEERE, Dr. CLARK, Dr. Nim UNDERWOOD, Dr. Jack UNDERWOOD, Dr. Oam UNDERWOOD, Dr. Peter WHALEY, and Dr. J. T. GLASGOW were physicians who could heal the sick, deliver babies, and were good neighbors of the community. Dr. Will JONES practiced Dentistry in Belgreen.

Source:
Extracted from the pamphlet compiled by the organizers of the Belgreen “Old Timer’s Reunion - 1982”