History of the Brewington/Woodall Home
On May 29th, 2009 I interviewed Mrs. Martha Woodall the current owner of the second oldest home in Lee County and Old
Salem Jail. The Brewington / Woodall House was built in 1836 by the Brewington Family and later bought by Mrs. Martha
Woodall. Originally the property was part of Russell County and the old building was an extension of the Russell County
courthouse before Russell County was on the county seat. According to information given to us the Brewington's daughter
married a Plott and there descendants lived at the home until the purchase was made by Mrs. Woodall. The book
"Alabama and her forbearer's" mentions the courthouse when it was still in use in and about the mid 1830's. Mrs C.K. Dunn
writes, in reference to a man named Mr. Richard F. Floyd (a confederate solider) who was eating dry peanuts in the court
room during a trial. When a judge asked " Mr. Sheriff, someone is popping peanuts. You find him and bring him to me. I'll
have him put in jail for contempt of court " Mr. Floyd answers by saying " I did not say a word and can be sure I did not pop
another peanut! "
The Brewington/Woodall Home sits just across the street from where Doctor McLain's office once stood. Doctor McLain's
office was destroyed by a tornado in February 2009 and is now the site of a future church.
The Ghost of the Brewington/Woodall Home
It's been reported even before the current residence that the Brewington/Woodall House that some residence may have
never left the home. Upon purchase of the house Mrs. Woodall reported that the prior owner to her Mrs. Plott who was then
in her 80's had mentioned that she was "Selling the house and leaving her husband" at that time Mrs. Plott's husband had
been dead for about 25 years. Mrs. Woodall also notes that before she lived in the home she never was a believer in
"ghost" and said that she has had only a hand full of experiences in the home, but nothing that scared her too bad.
At some point Mrs. Woodall's family owned a great dane that was very uneasy in the home and on some occasions the
dog who would lay in the kitchen and go from a semi calm state to a instant state of panic as if something had struck him.
He ran from the kitchen toward the front door and in doing so a door apparently opened up for him. The door flung open
with enough force it hit against the wall behind it. At that point Mrs. Woodall's husband tried to recreate the episode with the
door and was not successful.
Mrs. Woodall also informed us of one particular night when she was reading in a room that was at one time her bedroom
she lay quietly reading and a white mist formed at the foot of her bed and took the shape of a man. Just as quick as it
appeared it seemed to have vanished. The last and final episode to date is that of an old bed that was found in the old
courthouse and jail. Mrs. Woodall is a collector of antiques and does a lot of restorations. She knew that this bed would
need a lot of work before she could use or sale it. After having it repaired and refurbished she decided not to part with it
and set it up in her room to sleep in. One well lite, full, moon night as she lay sleeping in her new treasure. The parcilla
curtains she had hanging in the large window showed an eerie visitor. The profile of a woman with her haired pulled up
appeared and in detail Mrs. Woodall described seeing all her facial features from her lips and chin to her eye's and even
the skirt she was wearing. This Ghostly visitor wasn't alone. The same profile of a man appeared just next to the woman with
a top hat and again all his facial features could be seen. In the slight state of fear Mrs. Woodall did get up that very night
and took the curtains down. She disassembled the bed and moved into her old bedroom.
Investigation of the Brewington/Woodall home
The Brewington/Woodall home is still under investigation by the Alabama Paranormal Research Team. We have been
fortunate to have interviewed Mrs. Woodall and captured some interesting photos in the home and in the jail. However at
this time an offical investigation has been postponed do to repairs. Mrs. Woodalls home was badly damaged in a tornado
in February of 2009 her progress on her home has improved dramatically.
Audio Evidence
none at this time
Video and Photo Evidence
On May 29th, 2009 I interviewed Mrs. Martha Woodall the current owner of the second oldest home in Lee County and Old
Salem Jail. The Brewington / Woodall House was built in 1836 by the Brewington Family and later bought by Mrs. Martha
Woodall. Originally the property was part of Russell County and the old building was an extension of the Russell County
courthouse before Russell County was on the county seat. According to information given to us the Brewington's daughter
married a Plott and there descendants lived at the home until the purchase was made by Mrs. Woodall. The book
"Alabama and her forbearer's" mentions the courthouse when it was still in use in and about the mid 1830's. Mrs C.K. Dunn
writes, in reference to a man named Mr. Richard F. Floyd (a confederate solider) who was eating dry peanuts in the court
room during a trial. When a judge asked " Mr. Sheriff, someone is popping peanuts. You find him and bring him to me. I'll
have him put in jail for contempt of court " Mr. Floyd answers by saying " I did not say a word and can be sure I did not pop
another peanut! "
The Brewington/Woodall Home sits just across the street from where Doctor McLain's office once stood. Doctor McLain's
office was destroyed by a tornado in February 2009 and is now the site of a future church.
The Ghost of the Brewington/Woodall Home
It's been reported even before the current residence that the Brewington/Woodall House that some residence may have
never left the home. Upon purchase of the house Mrs. Woodall reported that the prior owner to her Mrs. Plott who was then
in her 80's had mentioned that she was "Selling the house and leaving her husband" at that time Mrs. Plott's husband had
been dead for about 25 years. Mrs. Woodall also notes that before she lived in the home she never was a believer in
"ghost" and said that she has had only a hand full of experiences in the home, but nothing that scared her too bad.
At some point Mrs. Woodall's family owned a great dane that was very uneasy in the home and on some occasions the
dog who would lay in the kitchen and go from a semi calm state to a instant state of panic as if something had struck him.
He ran from the kitchen toward the front door and in doing so a door apparently opened up for him. The door flung open
with enough force it hit against the wall behind it. At that point Mrs. Woodall's husband tried to recreate the episode with the
door and was not successful.
Mrs. Woodall also informed us of one particular night when she was reading in a room that was at one time her bedroom
she lay quietly reading and a white mist formed at the foot of her bed and took the shape of a man. Just as quick as it
appeared it seemed to have vanished. The last and final episode to date is that of an old bed that was found in the old
courthouse and jail. Mrs. Woodall is a collector of antiques and does a lot of restorations. She knew that this bed would
need a lot of work before she could use or sale it. After having it repaired and refurbished she decided not to part with it
and set it up in her room to sleep in. One well lite, full, moon night as she lay sleeping in her new treasure. The parcilla
curtains she had hanging in the large window showed an eerie visitor. The profile of a woman with her haired pulled up
appeared and in detail Mrs. Woodall described seeing all her facial features from her lips and chin to her eye's and even
the skirt she was wearing. This Ghostly visitor wasn't alone. The same profile of a man appeared just next to the woman with
a top hat and again all his facial features could be seen. In the slight state of fear Mrs. Woodall did get up that very night
and took the curtains down. She disassembled the bed and moved into her old bedroom.
Investigation of the Brewington/Woodall home
The Brewington/Woodall home is still under investigation by the Alabama Paranormal Research Team. We have been
fortunate to have interviewed Mrs. Woodall and captured some interesting photos in the home and in the jail. However at
this time an offical investigation has been postponed do to repairs. Mrs. Woodalls home was badly damaged in a tornado
in February of 2009 her progress on her home has improved dramatically.
Audio Evidence
none at this time
Video and Photo Evidence
| The Old Salem Courthouse & Brewington/Woodall Home Salem, AL |
These shadows were caught on two
separate occasions at the
Brewington/Woodall Home. The first
shadow appears in day light inside the
old court house and jail. While a similar
shadow also captured just before dark in
captured inside the house itself.
separate occasions at the
Brewington/Woodall Home. The first
shadow appears in day light inside the
old court house and jail. While a similar
shadow also captured just before dark in
captured inside the house itself.
