Sulligent, Alabama
Encyclopedia
Sulligent is a city in Lamar County
, Alabama
, United States
. As of the 2000 census, the population of the city is 2,151. The name is derived from railroad personae.
The town was incorporated October 1887.
S. F. Pennington owned the first general store and Dr. R. J. Redden owned the first drugstore.
The production and processing of cotton
was an important industry. The primary business in Sulligent in the mid 1890’s was cotton with over 2500 bales ginned each year and shipped by way of the railroad. At one time Sulligent Cotton Oil Company was known as the largest cotton gin under one roof.
Sulligent is home to Lamar County's only structure listed on the National Register of Historic Places
, the Greer Bankhead House
. It predates the city by almost four decades.
and NFL
running back
Joe Cribbs
and home to former University of Alabama All SEC and All American Safety, Arizona Cardinals Safety Rashad Johnson
. Sulligent is also the home of current University of North Alabama Safety, Caleb Massey.
Three local artists claim Sulligent, Alabama as their home. Annette Otts is a local artist who paints fine art on canvas and rocks. She has an exhibit at the local library. Virginia Wadsworth paints realistic abstract with brilliant colors on canvas. She painted "Blackout- Bama style" in honor of Alabama's victory over Georgia in the 2008 football game. Chris Griffin realized his artistic talent while still in high school. Some of his artwork is currently on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.
John Hollis Bankhead
1842-1920
Confederate War Hero, Congressman, Statesman
John Hollis Bankhead, lifelong resident of Alabama, was born in 1842 on his father's farm near Moscow in that part of Marion County which is now Lamar County. The modern town of Sulligent was built upon part of the Bankhead farm. He became a farmer, a legislator, a hero in the Confederacy and a member of both the House and Senate of the United States.
Reared upon his father's plantation in pioneer country, he supplemented his meager formal education by avid reading and contact with the issues and the world. He enlisted in the Confederate Army at age 19. He served from the beginning to the end of the conflict, participating heroically in many battles. As Captain he led the 16th Alabama Regiment in a successful charge at Chickamauga, where he was wounded. In spite of one useless arm, he saved the life of John Custer. After the close of the war he married Tallulah Brockman of Wetumpka.
Captain Bankhead served in the Alabama legislature in both houses. In 1880 Governor Rufus Cobb offered him the wardenship of the State penitentiary. Under his regime as head of the prison system, he initiated many reforms, among which was the establishment of the Boys Industrial School. This was later developed at Roebuck Springs, under the leadership of club women.
From 1887 to 1907, Bankhead served in the US Congress and was active in the establishment of the Library of Congress. He was instrumental in the development of waterways including the deepening of Mobile Bay. Lake Bankhead was named for him.
In 1907 he was elected to fill the vacancy in the US Senate left by the death of Sen. John T. Morgan. He concentrated his efforts on establishing a national system of highways and despite opposition, was successful. In appreciation, the grateful public named the transcontinental highway from the "Zero Stone" in Washington, DC the "Bankhead Highway". Senator Bankhead continued to work on the highway system at the request of President Roosevelt.
A dramatic moment in the life of Senator Bankhead took place at the 1912 Democratic Convention in Baltimore. Bankhead's son, William B. Bankhead, the a member of Congress, stepped to the platform and presented his father's name as Alabama's nominee for presidency of the United States.
Senator Bankhead died in Washington, DC on March 1, 1920, and is buried in the family plot in Oak Hill Cemetery, Jasper, Alabama.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 7.8 square miles (20.2 km²), all land.
U.S. Route 278
passes through Sulligent, intersecting State Highway 17.
BNSF Railway
provides railroad service with a line running east-west.
of 2000, there were 2,151 people, 901 households, and 637 families residing in the city. The population density
was 273.9 people per square mile (105.8/km²). There were 1,029 housing units at an average density of 131.0 per square mile (50.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 77.08% White
, 21.80% Black
or African American
, 0.60% from other races
, and 0.51% from two or more races. 1.58% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino
of any race.
There were 901 households out of which 29.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.9% were married couples
living together, 13.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.3% were non-families. 28.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.90.
In the city the population was spread out with 23.6% under the age of 18, 9.1% from 18 to 24, 26.8% from 25 to 44, 24.4% from 45 to 64, and 16.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 87.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $26,541, and the median income for a family was $30,645. Males had a median income of $29,966 versus $19,537 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $15,794. About 18.0% of families and 21.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.7% of those under age 18 and 27.1% of those age 65 or over.
Lamar County, Alabama
Lamar County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama. Its name is in honor of Lucius Quintus Cincinnatus Lamar, member of the United States Senate from Mississippi. As of 2010 the population was 14,564...
, Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. As of the 2000 census, the population of the city is 2,151. The name is derived from railroad personae.
History
Sulligent was first called "Elliott" named in honor of the chief engineer of the Kansas City-Memphis-Birmingham Railroad, renamed one month later, “Sulligent”, in honor of Sullivan, the superintendent of the railroad, and in honor of Sargeant, the passenger agent of the railroad.The town was incorporated October 1887.
S. F. Pennington owned the first general store and Dr. R. J. Redden owned the first drugstore.
The production and processing of cotton
Cotton
Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective capsule, around the seeds of cotton plants of the genus Gossypium. The fiber is almost pure cellulose. The botanical purpose of cotton fiber is to aid in seed dispersal....
was an important industry. The primary business in Sulligent in the mid 1890’s was cotton with over 2500 bales ginned each year and shipped by way of the railroad. At one time Sulligent Cotton Oil Company was known as the largest cotton gin under one roof.
Sulligent is home to Lamar County's only structure listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
, the Greer Bankhead House
James Greer Bankhead House
The James Greer Bankhead House, also known simply as the Greer Bankhead House and Forest Home, is a historic house in Sulligent, Alabama. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on February 13, 1975. It is the only site listed on the National Register in Lamar County.The Greer...
. It predates the city by almost four decades.
Notable residents
Sulligent is the birthplace of former Auburn UniversityAuburn University
Auburn University is a public university located in Auburn, Alabama, United States. With more than 25,000 students and 1,200 faculty members, it is one of the largest universities in the state. Auburn was chartered on February 7, 1856, as the East Alabama Male College, a private liberal arts...
and NFL
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
Joe Cribbs
Joe Cribbs
Joe Stanier Cribbs is a retired National Football League and United States Football League football running back. He played collegiately at Auburn University along with future NFL backs William Andrews and James Brooks...
and home to former University of Alabama All SEC and All American Safety, Arizona Cardinals Safety Rashad Johnson
Rashad Johnson
Julian Rashad Johnson is an American American football player. He is currently a safety for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League. He was selected by the Cardinals in the 3rd round of the 2009 NFL Draft...
. Sulligent is also the home of current University of North Alabama Safety, Caleb Massey.
Three local artists claim Sulligent, Alabama as their home. Annette Otts is a local artist who paints fine art on canvas and rocks. She has an exhibit at the local library. Virginia Wadsworth paints realistic abstract with brilliant colors on canvas. She painted "Blackout- Bama style" in honor of Alabama's victory over Georgia in the 2008 football game. Chris Griffin realized his artistic talent while still in high school. Some of his artwork is currently on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.
John Hollis Bankhead
1842-1920
Confederate War Hero, Congressman, Statesman
John Hollis Bankhead, lifelong resident of Alabama, was born in 1842 on his father's farm near Moscow in that part of Marion County which is now Lamar County. The modern town of Sulligent was built upon part of the Bankhead farm. He became a farmer, a legislator, a hero in the Confederacy and a member of both the House and Senate of the United States.
Reared upon his father's plantation in pioneer country, he supplemented his meager formal education by avid reading and contact with the issues and the world. He enlisted in the Confederate Army at age 19. He served from the beginning to the end of the conflict, participating heroically in many battles. As Captain he led the 16th Alabama Regiment in a successful charge at Chickamauga, where he was wounded. In spite of one useless arm, he saved the life of John Custer. After the close of the war he married Tallulah Brockman of Wetumpka.
Captain Bankhead served in the Alabama legislature in both houses. In 1880 Governor Rufus Cobb offered him the wardenship of the State penitentiary. Under his regime as head of the prison system, he initiated many reforms, among which was the establishment of the Boys Industrial School. This was later developed at Roebuck Springs, under the leadership of club women.
From 1887 to 1907, Bankhead served in the US Congress and was active in the establishment of the Library of Congress. He was instrumental in the development of waterways including the deepening of Mobile Bay. Lake Bankhead was named for him.
In 1907 he was elected to fill the vacancy in the US Senate left by the death of Sen. John T. Morgan. He concentrated his efforts on establishing a national system of highways and despite opposition, was successful. In appreciation, the grateful public named the transcontinental highway from the "Zero Stone" in Washington, DC the "Bankhead Highway". Senator Bankhead continued to work on the highway system at the request of President Roosevelt.
A dramatic moment in the life of Senator Bankhead took place at the 1912 Democratic Convention in Baltimore. Bankhead's son, William B. Bankhead, the a member of Congress, stepped to the platform and presented his father's name as Alabama's nominee for presidency of the United States.
Senator Bankhead died in Washington, DC on March 1, 1920, and is buried in the family plot in Oak Hill Cemetery, Jasper, Alabama.
Geography
Sulligent is located at 33°53′41"N 88°7′55"W (33.894807, -88.131920).According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 7.8 square miles (20.2 km²), all land.
U.S. Route 278
U.S. Route 278
U.S. Route 278 is a parallel route of U.S. Route 78. It currently runs for 1,074 miles from Hilton Head Island, South Carolina to Wickes, Arkansas at U.S. Highway 71/U.S. Highway 59. It might be notable that it is longer than its parent highway, US Hwy-78. US Hwy-278 passes through the states of...
passes through Sulligent, intersecting State Highway 17.
BNSF Railway
BNSF Railway
The BNSF Railway is a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. It is one of seven North American Class I railroads and the second largest freight railroad network in North America, second only to the Union Pacific Railroad, its primary...
provides railroad service with a line running east-west.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 2,151 people, 901 households, and 637 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 273.9 people per square mile (105.8/km²). There were 1,029 housing units at an average density of 131.0 per square mile (50.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 77.08% White
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 21.80% Black
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or African American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.60% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.51% from two or more races. 1.58% of the population were Hispanic
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or Latino
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
of any race.
There were 901 households out of which 29.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.9% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 13.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.3% were non-families. 28.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.90.
In the city the population was spread out with 23.6% under the age of 18, 9.1% from 18 to 24, 26.8% from 25 to 44, 24.4% from 45 to 64, and 16.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 87.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $26,541, and the median income for a family was $30,645. Males had a median income of $29,966 versus $19,537 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $15,794. About 18.0% of families and 21.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.7% of those under age 18 and 27.1% of those age 65 or over.