Gypsy Heart
Gold Member
Ran across the following info while doing some local research on another project....thought that this area might be good for detecting with its locng interesting history and the fact that Mr Darden paid for everthing in gold!......
Richard Darden was born July 15, 1833 in North Carolina His wife Lear
Elizabeth Adams was born December 8, 1837 in Georgia.. There were four known children born to Richard and Lear Darden…...there may
have been three others. All of the Darden Children were born and died in
Elmore County
The home site of Richard and Lear Adams Darden is located next to the present
day Lake Martin Amphitheater in Elmore County. A photograph of the Darden
family has a large house in the back ground. Richard Darden owned a grist
mill, syrup mill, and cotton gin. There was a family cemetery called Darden
Cemetery and a school located on the property.
In 1916 three years after Richard Darden died, Alabama Power obtained the
rights to build a dam at Cherokee Bluffs on the Tallapoosa River located near
the Darden property. Construction began on the dam in 1923 and local
cemeteries affected by the project one being the Darden Cemetery... …were
relocated to other local cemeteries in the area. Part of the Darden home site
including the cemetery now lay under the waters of Lake Martin. The Darden
Cemetery graves were relocated to three different cemeteries. The graves of
Richard and Lear Adams Darden… along with their children and several
grandchildren were relocated to Mt. Gilead Church Cemetery in Elmore county.
The graves of Richard and Lear Adams Darden are marked with tomb stones …the
other relocated graves were unmarked.
One Grandson said his Grandfather Darden paid for everything in
gold coins. Apparently Richard was a well off and respected man his community.
He was written about in several news papers. The Wetumpka Democrat March 24,
1897 called Richard an " entertaining gentlemen"... and ..."one of Elmores
most solid citizens " He was often referred to in the news articles as Uncle
Dick.
There were several news paper stories written about Richards political
involvement. The Wetumpka Democrat… December 26 1895 " Mr. R. Darden was in
the city last week from Jordan. He said he cant do without the county
Democratic paper." The Elmore Express on July 10 1886 had a story about the
Inspectors and returning officers of the general election of August 2nd
1886..In the article Richard was mentioned as being a Deputy Sheriff and a
returning officer in the Democratic party.
Richard had a close relationship with his son in law William Jefferson
Thornton. William was also a Democrat and served as a Deputy Sheriff. Richard
and William appeared together in several news articles where they attended
Democratic events together. Richard Darden and the father of William Jefferson
Thornton…... John Walter Thornton might have been friends....They were in the
civil war together serving in the same regiment… Company A of the 47th Alabama
Infantry. John Walter Thornton was killed in the Battle of Spotsylvania.
Richard served a year and was discharged after an illness. The Dardens and the
Thorntons also lived in the same community of Jordan.
Richard Darden and William Jefferson Thornton were also Masons. It was Around
1870 when Richard became a Mason. He belonged to Masonic Lodge number 199
which was constituted in 1853 as Kowaliga Lodge. The Masonic register shows
Richard was very active in the lodge. He was a master Mason with a Fellow
Craft degree and served as Treasurer from 1896 to 1898.
Richard Darden died July 20, 1913.
This is the home of William J. Thornton...located on Prospect road in Elmore County Alabama. Taken around 1907.
Addie P. Thornton, Elvert Thornton, Mattie Dee Thornton, Rosa Thornton, Margariet Thornton, Eva Thornton, Avon Thornton, Johnny Thornton, William J. Thornton.
Richard Darden was born July 15, 1833 in North Carolina His wife Lear
Elizabeth Adams was born December 8, 1837 in Georgia.. There were four known children born to Richard and Lear Darden…...there may
have been three others. All of the Darden Children were born and died in
Elmore County
The home site of Richard and Lear Adams Darden is located next to the present
day Lake Martin Amphitheater in Elmore County. A photograph of the Darden
family has a large house in the back ground. Richard Darden owned a grist
mill, syrup mill, and cotton gin. There was a family cemetery called Darden
Cemetery and a school located on the property.
In 1916 three years after Richard Darden died, Alabama Power obtained the
rights to build a dam at Cherokee Bluffs on the Tallapoosa River located near
the Darden property. Construction began on the dam in 1923 and local
cemeteries affected by the project one being the Darden Cemetery... …were
relocated to other local cemeteries in the area. Part of the Darden home site
including the cemetery now lay under the waters of Lake Martin. The Darden
Cemetery graves were relocated to three different cemeteries. The graves of
Richard and Lear Adams Darden… along with their children and several
grandchildren were relocated to Mt. Gilead Church Cemetery in Elmore county.
The graves of Richard and Lear Adams Darden are marked with tomb stones …the
other relocated graves were unmarked.
One Grandson said his Grandfather Darden paid for everything in
gold coins. Apparently Richard was a well off and respected man his community.
He was written about in several news papers. The Wetumpka Democrat March 24,
1897 called Richard an " entertaining gentlemen"... and ..."one of Elmores
most solid citizens " He was often referred to in the news articles as Uncle
Dick.
There were several news paper stories written about Richards political
involvement. The Wetumpka Democrat… December 26 1895 " Mr. R. Darden was in
the city last week from Jordan. He said he cant do without the county
Democratic paper." The Elmore Express on July 10 1886 had a story about the
Inspectors and returning officers of the general election of August 2nd
1886..In the article Richard was mentioned as being a Deputy Sheriff and a
returning officer in the Democratic party.
Richard had a close relationship with his son in law William Jefferson
Thornton. William was also a Democrat and served as a Deputy Sheriff. Richard
and William appeared together in several news articles where they attended
Democratic events together. Richard Darden and the father of William Jefferson
Thornton…... John Walter Thornton might have been friends....They were in the
civil war together serving in the same regiment… Company A of the 47th Alabama
Infantry. John Walter Thornton was killed in the Battle of Spotsylvania.
Richard served a year and was discharged after an illness. The Dardens and the
Thorntons also lived in the same community of Jordan.
Richard Darden and William Jefferson Thornton were also Masons. It was Around
1870 when Richard became a Mason. He belonged to Masonic Lodge number 199
which was constituted in 1853 as Kowaliga Lodge. The Masonic register shows
Richard was very active in the lodge. He was a master Mason with a Fellow
Craft degree and served as Treasurer from 1896 to 1898.
Richard Darden died July 20, 1913.
This is the home of William J. Thornton...located on Prospect road in Elmore County Alabama. Taken around 1907.
Addie P. Thornton, Elvert Thornton, Mattie Dee Thornton, Rosa Thornton, Margariet Thornton, Eva Thornton, Avon Thornton, Johnny Thornton, William J. Thornton.
