| Woodall Home & Old Salem Court House |
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.
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 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 at one point the dog
who would lay in the kitchen had went 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. It's opened
and 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. While 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 just as fast. The last and final episode to date is that of an old
bed that was found in the old 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. She was scared enough not to sleep in the bed anymore.
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 at one point the dog
who would lay in the kitchen had went 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. It's opened
and 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. While 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 just as fast. The last and final episode to date is that of an old
bed that was found in the old 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. She was scared enough not to sleep in the bed anymore.
| Currently the investigation of the Woodall home in 2010 look for updates on our official investigation here and the Old Salem Jail |
