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The People Who Lived on the Land that is Now Redstone Arsenal, page 286
Alabama and attending the University of Alabama where he earned his medical degree in 1912. Goldsmith and Fulton state that Dr. Russell practiced medicine in Farley before moving to Huntsville in 1915. Therefore, Hugh Russell would fit within the timeframe that Walter Joiner gave for “Dr. Russell” selling the Timmons place “around 1920 or earlier.” “The Timmons place” is shown as owned by D.L. Wilson on the Army Real Estate Map. Wilson's holdings did not include some of the old plantation land that was owned by the Joiners (Parcel F-251) (shown in the name of Walter's mother) and Parcel F-253, owned by his uncle (F-253). Walter said his father's land was on the east side of the dirt road. The road ended at a bluff. This was identified on the map as Lehman's Ferry Road. The location of a Ferry at the Bluff has been substantiated. The Houses of Claudie, Percy, and Alex Joiner Claudie Joiner Built a House. While he was cutting timber, Claudie built a three-room house for his family on the land that he owned [Parcel F-251]. He also built a barn. Walter said that back then most men didn't own their land and they would clear someone else's land to have use of it for five years. Then the land would go back to the owner. They had to leave the stumps and go around them. When they cleared it, they usually gave away the logs, which is how Claudie got the timber to build his house. Claudie Joiner's Sawmill. Back then people built houses from raw boards. Claudie milled his own timber to build his house. Walter said his father had a steam engine sawmill. He said most old plantation owners had their own sawmill. Walter gave an example, describing the sawmill of Sam Harris: (Walter's first-hand knowledge about Sam Harris and the Harris property is presented in the Harris section.) The sawmill was at the end of the pond. It needed steam to run. There was a group of houses around Madkin Mountain, and a road that would run up through it. The army may have put a recreation center around there, and a pool. Walter said: He [Claudie Joiner] had to cut the timber into 12 inch cross tie stock. Then he carried it to Hobbs Island, the NC and S&L Railroad on the river, where they put it on a barge and pushed up river to Guntersville. From there it went on the train to Gadsden. Claudie Joiner continued to cut wood and sell it until he got pneumonia. He did not recover from the pneumonia. His widow, Parthenia, married Connie Horton. 286 - (4319)