Issue 47, Winter 1998

The image appears to be a cover of a publication titled “ALABAMA HERITAGE.” Here are the key elements: Title: “ALABAMA HERITAGE” is prominently displayed at the top in white capital letters against a dark background. Illustration: Below the title, there’s an illustration or artwork showing a silhouette of an individual. The person is dressed in what appears to be 19th-century attire, including a top hat. The silhouette stands next to a tree with bare branches. Background: The background lightly sketches an open landscape, which adds to the historical feel of the image. Text at the Bottom: There’s text at the bottom of the cover indicating that this publication is produced by two universities: “PUBLISHED BY THE UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AND THE UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM.”

Issue 47, Winter 1998

On the cover: This silhouette of Alabama senator Dixon Hall Lewis was created by William Henry Brown. [Courtesy William Stanley Hoole Special Collections Library, University of Alabama]

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Features

The image is a sepia-toned photograph featuring two individuals. They are standing beside an old-fashioned car. Let’s break down the details: Composition: The overall composition has a vintage, historical feel due to the sepia tone and the style of clothing and car. Two people are present in the frame. The individual on the left is seated on the car’s front bumper, while the one on the right stands with a confident posture. An old-fashioned car occupies a significant portion of the image. Clothing and Appearance: The person on the left is wearing a long coat or dress, suggesting a more formal attire. The individual on the right is adorned in trousers, a shirt, tie, and hat. Their attire exudes an air of confidence and sophistication. Car Details: The car itself appears to be from an earlier era. It features prominent round headlights and a shiny bumper. The specific make and model of the car are not discernible from the image. Background: In the background, there’s an open field with bare trees. The lack of leaves suggests that it might be fall or winter. The overall scene evokes a sense of nostalgia and curiosity about the context in which this photograph was taken.
Delmus Willie Zorn with the love of his life, Flora O.Z. Dukes, c. 1931, in Henry County. D.W.’s chosen profession, moonshiner, was frowned upon by O.Z.’s family, but the couple wed nevertheless after a seven-year courtship. [Courtesy Steve Elliot]

The Life and Times of D.W. Zorn (A Story That Is Mostly True)

By Steve Elliott

The life of Delmus Willie Zorn, “one of the best moonshiners to ever come out of Henry County [Alabama]” and Zorn’s moonshine business are profiled by author Steve Elliott, grandson of D.W. Zorn. Elliott describes the man who developed a thriving business in fine (if illegal) whiskey-distilling as “a wanderer, a good-timer, a lover of the soil on which he was born and raised.” Although many moonshiners used the trade as a supplement to farming, D.W. Zorn and his cousin Whit maintained a full-time career in “hauling whiskey.” The Zorns’ reputation for high production standards earned them customers all over south Alabama and Georgia, from farmers to bankers. They aged their whiskey for up to a month in wooden kegs with charred interiors. Said D.W. Zorn of the finished product, “You could drink it like water and it wouldn’t burn you. Brother, that was some good stuff!”

Aunt Babe, Uncle Simp, and the Origins of U.S. Highway 31

By Alan Grady

Since its beginnings in the early part of this century, the route designated U.S. Highway 31 has drastically changed the course of transportation and the mode of travel in Alabama. While it was William Simpson Keller, Alabama’s first chief highway engineer, who decided on the final route, it was pioneering Alabama feminist Alma Rittenberry who began the quest for a better north-south highway, one that would bring the North and South “into closer bonds of friendship and brotherly love.” As the “Good Roads” movement grew in popularity, individual citizens and state officials realized the need for a unified north-south route from the Great Lakes to the Gulf. “Aunt Babe, Uncle Simp, and the Origins of U.S. Highway 31” tells the story of how two strong-minded figures contributed to the development of the highway in Alabama.

Image Overview: The image consists of four separate maps, each depicting different routes connecting various cities within the state of Alabama. The maps are colored with a light teal background representing the state and a beige color for the surrounding area. Each map is numbered, and they show distinct routes marked by red lines connecting cities from north to south. Map Descriptions: Map 1: This map shows a route connecting Nashville to New Orleans. The cities along this route include Decatur, Birmingham, Selma, Montgomery, and Mobile. Map 2: Depicts another route from Nashville to New Orleans. The cities on this path include Florence, Hamilton, Birmingham, Selma, and Montgomery. Map 3: Illustrates a route connecting Nashville to New Orleans. The cities along this route are Decatur, Birmingham, Greenville, Troy, Bessemer, Brewton, Durham, and Mobile. Map 4: Displays yet another path from Nashville to New Orleans. The cities on this route include Decatur, Ardmore, Birmingham, Greenville, Evergreen, Brewton, and Mobile. Textual Representation: Here’s the textual representation of the cities for each map: Map 1: Nashville, Decatur, Birmingham, Selma, Montgomery, Mobile, New Orleans Map 2: Nashville, Florence, Hamilton, Birmingham, Selma, Montgomery Map 3: Nashville, Decatur, Birmingham, Greenville, Troy, Bessemer, Brewton, Durham, Mobile, New Orleans Map 4: Nashville, Decatur, Ardmore, Birmingham, Greenville, Evergreen, Brewton, Mobile, New Orleans
As Alabama’s early highway system developed, various factions fought to have their preferred north-south route adopted. Shown here are: (1) Alma Rittenberry’s proposed Jackson Highway, (2) the Huntsville-gadsden contingent’s “Alabama Branch,” (3) Rittenberry’s response-the Bee Line Highway (with eastern and western branches), and the final version: U.S. Highway 31/State Highway 3. [Courtesy Alan Grady and the University of Alabama Cartographic Laboratory]
Briefcase Description: The image features an old, worn leather briefcase. The color of the briefcase is a rich, dark brown. The leather appears aged and well-used, with visible signs of wear and tear. It has likely accompanied someone on numerous journeys. The briefcase has a classic design, complete with metal locks and a sturdy handle. Its overall appearance suggests durability and functionality. Positioned in the foreground, the briefcase commands attention due to its prominence in the frame. Metal Plaque: Affixed to the front of the briefcase is a metal plaque. Unfortunately, the text on the plaque is not entirely clear in the image. The plaque likely bears some significance, perhaps indicating the manufacturer, owner, or purpose of the briefcase. The angle and lighting make it challenging to decipher the exact wording, but it adds an intriguing element to the overall composition. Small Box with Seal Stamp: Beside the briefcase, there’s a small, open box. The box features a lid adorned with a royal emblem or coat of arms. Inside the box rests a seal stamp. The stamp is circular and intricately designed. The base of the seal stamp contains text, which is also difficult to read in the image. It may include initials, symbols, or other meaningful inscriptions. Seal stamps like this were historically used for official documents, correspondence, or personal identification. Background: The background is plain white, intentionally minimizing distractions and allowing the viewer to focus on the foreground objects. The overall composition exudes a sense of nostalgia, hinting at stories and memories associated with the briefcase and seal stamp. Text from Optical Character Recognition (OCR): The OCR text reveals the following information: “Gladstone Bag” “Manufactured by Jenkinson & Co Ltd” “Leather Merchants & Grinders” “Sheffield” This text likely pertains to the briefcase, providing additional context about its origin and craftsmanship. In summary, the image captures a moment in time—a glimpse into the past through the worn leather briefcase and the elegant seal stamp. It invites curiosity and prompts us to imagine the journeys this briefcase has undertaken and the significance of the seal stamp within the small box.
The Great Seal of the Confederate States, made in England, was carried across the Atlantic in this box and leather satchel. The courier, Lt. Robert T. Chapman, was instructed to throw the seal into the sea in case of imminent capture by Union forces. [Courtesy The Museum of the Confederacy, Richmond, Virginia]

Adventures With the Great Seal of the Confederacy

By Charles Grayson Summersell

Further Adventures With the Great Seal

By Guy R. Swanson

In July 1864, less than a year before the Civil War ended, a young lieutenant in the Confederate navy set sail from England with precious cargo: the Great Seal of the Confederacy, symbol of the Confederate States and of the president’s authority. He was under strict instructions not to let the seal fall into enemy hands, even to throw it overboard if necessary. The Great Seal reached Richmond safely, but when that city fell to federal troops in April 1865, the seal disappeared. For almost fifty years only a few people knew where it was—and they were sworn to silence.

“Adventures with the Great Seal of the Confederacy” describes the creation, subsequent disappearance, and rediscovery of the Great Seal–a topic involving intrigue, suspense, and several prominent Southern politicians, among them Alabamian Clement Claiborne Clay. “Further Adventures with the Great Seal,” by Guy Swanson, an expert on the seal, relates information recently uncovered about the seal’s use during the Civil War. 

Departments

Art in the South

Dixon Hall Lewis: An Alabama Silhouette

By Robert O. Mellown

The silhouette of Dixon Hall Lewis (1802-1848), a U.S. senator from Lowndes County, Alabama, was created by William Henry Brown, a native of Charleston. Brown is considered one of America’s leading nineteenth-century profilists, and the portrait of Lewis is regarded as one of his best.

The image portrays a silhouette of a person standing next to a tree. Here are the specifics: The figure stands in the foreground, their features obscured by the dark silhouette. They wear traditional or formal attire, including a top hat and what appears to be a coat. In their right hand, they hold a cane or walking stick. To the left of the figure, part of an old tree is visible, with rough textures on its trunk. The overall scene is monochromatic, giving it an old or vintage feel. The background reveals an open landscape, devoid of distinct features due to the lack of color. The sky appears clear, with light clouds or mist adding depth to the composition.
The silhouette of Dixon Hall Lewis. [William Stanley Hoole Special Collections Library]
The image depicts a dark-colored salamander-like creature, possibly an axolotl or a similar type of amphibian, swimming in greenish water. Here are the key features: The main subject is an amphibious creature with a long, slender body and tail. Its dark skin appears to be covered with tiny scales or a rough texture. The creature’s head features external gills that are reddish-brown in color. Small limbs are visible; they appear delicate and have tiny digits. The background consists of greenish water, indicating that the creature is submerged. There’s a soft glow illuminating the creature, enhancing its details against the murky water.
A Red Hill Salamander. [L.J. Davenport]

The Nature Journal

The Siren’s Song

By L. J. Davenport

Eel-like in shape, with slimy skin, bushy gills, tiny lidless eyes, and no hind limbs, sirens smack of hideous monsters sallying forth from antediluviann ooze. One of two Alabama species, Siren intermedia inhabits quiet, shallow, often turbid waters where vegetation abounds. L.J. Davenport examines the life of the Siren intermedia.

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