MOBILE GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY - History Department

Mobile Genealogical Society History Department Local History Information and Links Click on the MGS logo at left to go back to the CyberLobby.

1702	Mobile, then called Fort Louis de la Louisiana, was founded and designated the first capital of the Louisiana territory which extended from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico. The fort was first located on the Mobile River north of the present site, but a flood caused its removal to the present locations in 1711. The fort was rebuilt in 1717 and named Fort Conde. The name Mobile is derived from Mobile or Maubila Indians who inhabited the region.
1763	The Treaty of Paris ceded Mobile to the control of Great Britain during which time the colony flourished. The name of the Fort was changed to Fort Charlotte in honor of the young English queen.
1780	Spain declared war on England. A siege was laid against Fort Charlotte and early that year Mobile fell into Spanish hands.
1813	Mobile was captured by United States forces under General James Wilkinson from both British and Spanish defenders. The next year, general Andrew Jackson established his headquarters here and successfully defended Mobile against British invaders. Mobile began a period of great prosperity and become the commercial center of Alabama and Mississippi.
1861	For a brief period after Alabama seceded from the Union, the Republic of Alabama flag flew over Mobile. Later, the flag of the Confederate States of America was flown.
1861-1865	The State of Alabama became an important port for the southern cause. Despite a federal blockade, trade was maintained with Europe and the West Indies.
1864-1865	A period which saw a series of land and sea battles in the area. Federal forces entered the city on April 12, 1865. Mobile was returned to the control of the United States and has enjoyed a prosperous existence under the Stars and Stripes to this day.

Mobile History and Culture
from the Mobile Convention and Visitors Bureau Web Site
A Chronological Synopsis of Landmarks in the Maritime History of Mobile Bay and Harbor to 1936
from the Mobile Convention and Visitors Bureau Web Site
Mobile Bay
from the Mobile Convention and Visitors Bureau Web Site
Early Explorers
from the Mobile Convention and Visitors Bureau Web Site
Fort Louis de la Louisiana
from the Mobile Convention and Visitors Bureau Web Site
British Colonial Mobile
from the Mobile Convention and Visitors Bureau Web Site
The Spanish Besiege Mobile
from the Mobile Convention and Visitors Bureau Web Site
The Era of the American Revolution
from the Mobile Convention and Visitors Bureau Web Site
The Pre-Civil War Years
from the Mobile Convention and Visitors Bureau Web Site
The Civil War Years
from the Mobile Convention and Visitors Bureau Web Site
The Battle of Mobile Bay
an article by Jack Friend hosted on the Mobile Area FreeNet with links to related info
Fort Blakeley - Scene of the Last Major Battle of the Civil War
from SiteOne on the Internet
Alabama Department of Archives and History
the archives' official homepage hosted by the Alabama SuperComputer Center
Short History of Mobile County
from the Alabama Department of Archives and History web site
Ray's Alabama History
compiled by Raymond Jones of Montgomery, Alabama, this site has a wealth of information and links regarding Alabama history
The ORIGINAL Mardi Gras in America
from the Mobile Convention and Visitors Bureau Web Site
History of the Catholic Diocese of Mobile (1705-1980)
An article reprinted from The Catholic Week, 23 Nov 1979 p5ff. From the Archdiocese of Mobile web site which is maintained by Rev. John J. Stryjewski.

Heritage Of The South Created and maintained by Carol Middleton Go to the MAIN PAGE of her site HERE.

HERSTORIES & HISTORIES^tm

Go here for Southern legends. Here are Carol's very own illustrations and favorite stories of, among others, Prince Madoc, the 12th-century Prince of Wales who explored the American continent; Chief Tuskaloosa,leader of the Maubilians, who ambushed the cruel Hernando DeSoto; a lovely Russian Princess who lived among Alibamos in the French Territory; the Cassette Girls from France who came to the French Colony of Mobile to become wives of local French settlers; the Vine and Olive Colonists who spent time in Mobile on their way to settle their new colony; plus more.

AMONG THE CREEKS

Go here for a study of the Creeks of the Southeast. Find stories and first-hand accounts and genealogies where possible. Read of the terrible Creek War and the sad aftermath of the Removal of the Natives to the west. It is divided into:

Some Creek Families and Friends -- Being a study of the complex genealogies and relationships of people and events leading to the Creek War and the Removal.
The Creek War -- Following the Revolutionary War, more and more settlers began to migrate into what was the territory of the Indians. By the early 19th century, there was open hostilty between whites and Indians. Farmers wanted more land and the Indians resented the farmers' presence. An uncertain peace evaporated. The call for war began to build. This site will be a study of the battles, the people who were there and related materials. Current information includes the Battle of Burnt Corn and the Massacre of Fort Mims.
Paths To Other Sites -- A comprehensive list of links to related web sites.

PIONEERS TO THE EARLY SOUTHWEST

Go here for stories of Scots and others pioneering to the southwest of the early 19th century -- Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, and later, Texas.

Carol is also working on a MARRIAGES OF ALABAMA INDEX to which you can contribute information on deceased persons who married in Alabama.

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