John

Name

John

Sex

Male

Freedom Status

Enslaved

Enslaver

Landon C. Garland (Professor of English Literature 1848-1854 and Third President of the University of Alabama 1855-1865)

Basil Manly Diary V (1847-1857) image 44, April 19, 1848 (fighting fire at Garland's home)

"Wed at 11 o’clock, Apr 19. The chimney of the dwelling occupied by Prof. Garland took fire from burning chips in the fire place of the 2nd story front chamber. An alarm was made instantly, as the classes were going into recitation; & by means of a ladder kept in my room for such contingencies, 2 men, Arthur in the employment of the college and Prof Garland’s man John went on the roof & examined for sparks &c. I stood in the Portico of the Laboratory, while Prof. Garland stood at the ladder on the third floor leading to the roof both of us engaging the men to faith fulness in examination. One being assured that [45] there was no spark, & the danger from that cause was past, we retired. At the end of the recitation hour (12 o’clock) when one of the classes was discharged, the cry of fire was made. On running out, I discovered that all hope of saving that block was gone – the fire being visible through the plastering of the ceiling of the third story chamber of Prof. Garland’s house. Attention was given to saving the furniture &c from the dwellings of Professors Garland & Dockery & to the preservation of the other buildings. As the Good Providence of God was with us, the wind blew strongly from the north, & continued steadily at that point. The only possible direction which enabled us to save the other buildings. The houses of Professors Stafford & Brumby were saved by destroying the connection of their dwellings with the burning block. A low building, formerly used as a preparatory school room, now used as a store-room by Stafford and Dockery, stood there; having a wooden roof adjoining both tenements. The roof &c was cut away next to the burning block on the east, & the residue kept constantly wet. In all this, the citizens & students helped manfully; without injury to person, & with the loss of only those two tenements, & from private property of officers, either consumed or broken in the hasty removal. The building burned for several hours. Professors Stafford, Tuomey, and myself kept a watch all night around the smouldering ruin; there being much wind."

Additional Records

Receipt from The University of Alabama to L. S. Skinner, March 24, 1865

"Tuskaloosa, March 24th 1865
The University of Alabam
To L. S. Skinner Dr
For keeping servant in guardhouse
six days @ $3.00 per day $18.00
punishing servt three times @5.00 $15.00
apprehending John a runaway servt
as per reward offered by President Garland $100.00
Recd payt $133.00
L. Skinner"

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