Benton County in 1852

Alabama has had several county names that are no longer in use, and Benton is one of them. Let's investigate.

On December 18, 1832, the state legislature created Benton County. The Encyclopedia of Alabama entry notes, "The county was initially named Benton County in honor of Missouri senator Thomas Hart Benton, an arch defender of westward expansion and slavery. After Benton declared himself an opponent of slavery in the 1850s, Alabama supporters of slavery voted to change the county's name to Calhoun in honor of radical secessionist John C. Calhoun."

Benton was an important figure in antebellum American history. He served in the U.S. Senate from 1821 until 1851. During that time he supported what became known as "Manifest Destiny", the idea that the United States should expand all the way to the Pacific Ocean. He supported slavery and owned slaves himself, but after the Mexican-American War he began to oppose it and the domination of slave interests in the nation's political life. After he rejected the Compromise of 1850 as favoring slavery interests, the Missouri legislature refused to re-elect him to the Senate. He did serve a term in the U.S. House before his death in 1858.

Benton had practiced law in Tennessee beginning in 1805, and served a term in the state senate. Andrew Jackson noticed him and appointed him lieutenant colonel and aide to represent him in Washington during the War of 1812 Benton wanted to see action, and the two ended up brawling in 1813; Jackson was wounded. In 1815 Benton moved to the new Missouri Territory. 

Benton, a town on the Alabama River in Lowndes County is also named after Thomas Hart Benton to honor his efforts in the Creek War. His later apostasy on slavery did not trigger a name change. A post office was established there in 1833, and the town incorporated in 1964. Bill Traylor, the famed African-American self taught artist was born in the town around 1853; he died in 1949. 

The map below of Benton County in 1852 was created by Jerry A. Daniel in 1975. The name was changed on January 29, 1858, a few months before Benton died on April 10. 

Created in 1975 by Jerry A. Daniel

Source: Jacksonville State University Digital Commons

Thomas Hart Benton [1782-1858] 

Photograph taken by Mathew Brady sometime between 1844 and 1858. Brady later became famous for his Civil War photos. 

Source: Wikipedia