Union County Mississippi

Alberson⁷⁵ The village of Alberson received its name from the first citizen and trader who settled at this place. It was situated a short distance north of New Albany and a little west of the Gulf and Chicago railroad. Before the Indians were removed from this part of the State, Alberson developed into an important trading post.

Booker Foster owned the southern part and Moses Collins the northern part of the village. The former of these merchants continued in business at this place until 1844. So fond were the Indians of strong drink that during the early history of Alberson whisky was its leading staple. John N. Wiley conducted a general mercantile business here until 1843. Powers and Morgan manufactured wheat fans at this place from 1839 to 1844. In 1843 the Masonic fraternity organized a lodge at Alberson.

In 1840 Moses Collins built an excellent grist mill and sawmill at the site of the present town of New Albany. Several business houses soon sprang up at this place, many firms removing to it from Alberson. In a few years Alberson was numbered among the villages of the past. We are told that there is not now any trace or sign of this place to be seen. All of its former citizens are dead.

Myrtle⁷⁶ The history of old Myrtle begins with the year 1857. Moses Parker conducted school here at an early date, and at the close of the session gave his pupils and friends a "candy stew." In preparing the candy, so the story goes, the participants got their hands "stuck up" with the molasses, water being scarce. In order to get rid of the molasses they rubbed their hands on the leaves and shrubs, blades of grass, etc., so that the hill was "smeared with candy." From this incident the place came to be known as "Candy Hill." After the War Between the States, Hill and Murray engaged in the mercantile business here. W. C. and B. F. Whittington afterwards erected another store. A post office was also established at this place, which then dropped the name of "Candy Hill" and took the name of Myrtle. It had an excellent school conducted by Mr. Chosen Myers. When the Kansas City, Memphis and Birmingham railroad was built the post office and business houses were removed to a station which was also called Myrtle, two miles north of old Myrtle. The school building at the old place was burned. Old Myrtle is now called "Avenell" and still has a post office and a little store.

Extinct Towns| AHGP Mississippi

Footnotes:
75. The information upon which this sketch is based was kindly furnished the writer by Mr. Joel A. Hearne, of Ripley, Miss., and by Dr. Samuel A. Agnew, of Bethany, Lee County, Mississippi.
76. The facts upon which this sketch is based were derived from Mr. Joel A. Hearne, of Ripley, Mississippi.

Source: The Mississippi Historical Commission Publications, Volume V, Edited by Franklin L. Riley,
Secretary, 1902.