"Once Upon A Time - A History of the Emory Chapel Community", by David M. Hall, 1977. Page 356:

Toliver Towles owned a large plantation in the Emory Chapel Community and was an early supporter of the Emory Chapel M.E. Church, having deeded two acres to the church in 1851. He came to Alabama about 1835 from the Edgefield District, South Carolina, where he was born on January 7, 1800. He lived first in Cusseta later moving to the Emory Chapel area. He was apparently an outstanding Christian gentleman. A "citizen" writing in Woods Memoirs about early families had this to say about Toliver -

"Of Toliver Towles I could not say enough to do him justice. In his intermost heart Toliver Towles was an honest man. When the war commenced he was a wealthy man but in the meantime, he stood security for many of his fellow citizens and when the war was over, he found himself much embarrassed by these security debts. Did he follow the general example and go into bankruptcy? No, he did not! But selling all of his estate, except a mere homestead, he paid all those debts and left his family poor but the glorious memory of an honest father. Toliver Towles was a great man although unknown out of his own state. He was great in his innate goodness - and had the peculiar faculty of commanding and controlling his fellow men. Although he belonged to the party in the minority yet he was always elected to office when he became a candidate. Colonel Towles was always a union man and his great heart bled when Alabama seceded from the union."

Another story told by Dr. Ben Frazer concerning Toliver Towles -

"Toliver sent one of his young sons to Columbus, Georgia with a list of merchandise to buy for the next year. He sent a rather large sum of money and after filling the order, the merchant took advantage of the boys inexperience. There was suppose to be a goodly amount of monies remaining. The merchant told the boy there was going to be a War soon and salt will be scarce. He persuaded the boy to invest all he had left in salt. When Mr. Towles learned of the shocking news, he kept his peace and stored the salt away. Of course the war did come and salt became quite scarce. Mr. Towles had plenty to sell to neighbors which he did at exactly what he paid for it, refusing to profit by the inflated prices."

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1850 Chambers County, AL Census:

#HH6

Tolliver Towles 50M Farmer R$4,000 (46-Slaves) born SC

Sarah Towles 37F Born SC

John Towles 18M (Idiotic) Born SC

Isham Towles 16M Student Born SC

William Towles 14M Born AL

Mary Towles 12F Born AL

Albert Towles 10M Born AL

Sarah Towles 8F Born AL

Eleanor Towles 6F Born AL

Bethlehem Towles 4M(?) Born AL

Stokely Towles 1M Born AL

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1860 Chambers County, (Northern Div.) AL Census:

#H115

Toliver Towles 60M Farmer R$5,000 P$53,500 (44-Slaves) Born SC

Sarah Towles 47F Born SC

Albert Towles 20M Medical Student Born AL

Elanor Towles 16F Born AL

Behethelin Towles 14F Born AL

Stokeley Towles 11M Born AL

Caroline Towles 8F Born AL

Aldora Towles 6F Born AL

Samuel Dean 32M Farm Laborer Born SC

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1870 Chambers County, (Beat 5) AL Census:

#H53

Toliver Towles 69M Farming R$2,200 P$5,500 Born SC

S. A. Towles 57F Keeping House Born SC

Stokely Towles 21M Farm Hand Born AL

Caroline R. Towles 19F At Home Born AL

Aldrew Towles 17F At Home Born AL

Elender Combs 26F Born AL

Caroline Combs 5F Born AL

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Chambers County, Alabama

Will Book 3, Pages 402 - 404

The State of Alabama

Chambers County

I, Toliver Towles of the county and state aforesaid, calling to mind the uncertainty of life and the certainty of death, and being of sound mind and disposing memory, and being possessed of some worldly property, do make, publish and declare the following to be my last Will & Testament.

Item 1. I commit my soul to God who gave it.

Item 2. I will that all my just debts be paid.

Item 3. The remainder of my property, after the payment of my just debts, I give to my beloved wife Sarah Ann Towles, both real and personal during her natural lifetime, to be used, controlled and disposed of by her in any manner she may think proper. I hereby invest her with full power to sell the same or any part thereof, and to make good and sufficient deeds of conveyance thereto. And also to invest the money arising from any sale she may make, in any way she may think fit and proper so to do. Should there be any property remaining at the time of her death, it is my will that it be equally divided among my four children, to wit:

Elander Combs, wife of John S. Combs

Stokeley Towles

Caroline Towles

Aldora Towles

Having given to my other children such portion of my estate as I allow them, I give them nothing more.

Item 4. In regard to my household furniture, it is my will that my said wife may dispose of it either in her lifetime or at her death, as she pleases.

Item 5. I hereby appoint my said wife to be the executrix of this my last Will & Testament, and exempt her from giving bond in order to the obtaining of letters testamentary on this my Will. It is also my will that she shall not be required to make any settlements with any persons, or with any Court, or to account to any person or to any Court, for the execution of the trust herein inferred upon her as my executrix. It is my will that she shall only be required to have this my Will probated, but she shall not be required to have my estate inventoried or appraised unless required by law to do so. My object

being to put her to as little trouble after my death as possible.

In witness whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name, and affixed my seal this first day of May, in the year of our Lord one thousand-eight hundred and seventy one (May 1st, 1871).

Toliver Towles L.S.

Signed and sealed on the day above written in presence of:

Samuel Spence

James K. Appleby

S. C. Hearn

This instrument filed in office of Judge of Probate, Chambers County, AL, June 19, 1873, and proven by the proper testimony July 21, 1873.

John Appleby, Judge of Probate

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