By William Hoyt "Bill" Cribbs

     Daniel Cribbs was born May 18, 1803 in Greensburg,
Pennsylvania, a son of Peter Cribbs, Sr. and Christina
Williams.  Peter, Sr., a potter, was a 5th generation
descendent of Michael KREBS, who immigrated to Pennsylvania
from Germany about 1730.  Peter, Sr. moved from Pennsylvania
with his family, including Daniel, in 1806 to help pioneer
a small town called New Philadelphia, Tuscarawas Co., Ohio.
This is where Daniel and his brothers and sisters, John,
Jacob J., Peter, Jr., George, Alexander, Catherine, Mary Ann,
and Susan spent most of their childhood.  During this time,
however, Daniel spent two years in Pittsburg.

     When Daniel was thirteen years old, he ran a dangerous
mission for the governor of Ohio, Gov. Meigs.  His object was
to deliver a message to Detroit, while the governor was
visiting his father in Ohio.  This was at the time of Hull's
surrender, according to Daniel.  The mission was accomplished
to the satisfaction of Gov. Meigs by the young lad.

     In 1823, Daniel and brothers, Peter, Jr., and Jacob left
Ohio, for Alabama.  (Later, brother Alexander apparently came
down to Tuscaloosa, for he is mentioned in the Tuscaloosa
Times in 1844.)  The three eventually made it to Greene
County, Alabama.  The town of Erie was pioneered by these men
and others, and a newspaper called the Greene County Gazette
was published by Jacob for about three years there.  Daniel
moved about 1828 to Tuscaloosa Co., two miles from
Tuscaloosa, bringing with him his new wife, Amy LaVergy, of
Greene County.  Jacob died in 1834, and is buried in
Tuscaloosa.  Peter, Jr. moved at about 1835 to what was then
Monroe County, Mississippi, later becoming Lamar County,
Alabama, where many of his descendants still reside.

     Daniel and Amy had their first child, Adalina, in 1830.
Adalina married Benjamin Massengale, a farmer and livery
stable owner in those days.  Then came Harvey Hoyt in 1832.
Harvey married Carrie L. Roper, of Tuscaloosa.  Next was Mary
Ann in 1834, who married David M. Miller, and after his death
married W. N. Williams.  Then was Philander Alexander, 1836,
who married Nannie McShann, later moving to Motley County,
Texas.  Carolyn "Carrie" born about 1841 married J. H.
Farmer.  It was about this time that Daniel was elected
sheriff of Tuscaloosa County - 1842.  He held this position
until 1845.  His son, Daniel Edward was born in 1845.  Daniel
Edward married Emma G. Ray, and later, Clemetine Foster.
Lastly, a son, Hoyt Otis "Otie" was born circa 1847.  Otie
married Miss Hellen Mitchell and moved to Colbert County,
Alabama.  There were two other children who died very young
and have a memorial marker at the Cribbs cemetery plot in
Greenwood Cemetery, Tuscaloosa, Alabama.  These are George
Henry and Lucy Virginia Cribbs.

     In 1850, Daniel went to California, during the gold
rush. His son, Philander, also went at a slightly later time.
While there the two struck it rich, but Philander lost his
gold to thieves while returning to Alabama.  Daniel, on the
other hand, came back wealthy enough to buy slaves to help
operate his jug factory and grist mill.  His jug factory
supplied salt-glaze pottery, a trade Daniel learned from his
father, who carried the tradition from his German ancestors.
Click on the link at the bottom of this page for pictures
concerning Daniel's pottery business.

     Daniel's brother Peter, Jr., by the way, made salt-glaze
pottery in Lamar County, Alabama.) Though Daniel's education
was limited due to the lack of schools in his childhood
locations, he proved to be a prominent business man and was
even the census enumerator for the 1860 census along with his
son Philander.  To peek into his personality, we can see his
pre-war devotion to Ohio from his "doodling" on the census
record where he finished and Philander took over.  The words
"Faithful" and "Ohio" are written in the center of the form.

     Daniel fulfilled many administrative services in his
early days in Tuscaloosa.  On March 20, 1844 he and his
brother Alexander, who eventually moved to Alabama, from Ohio
at an unknown date, were appointed by the court to appraise
the property of Stephen Stanton, a Tuscaloosa County citizen.
Several marriages were performed at his home.  He was the
administrator or witness over several wills of Tuscaloosa
citizens.

     During the 1837-1838 taxation, Daniel was shown to have
owned 440 acres, over 10 slaves, $450 dollars, a pleasure
carriage, one silver watch, and one metal clock.  On this
property he paid $8.32 tax.

     While sheriff, he also was in the steamboat business,
probably with Philander LaVergy, the father of his wife and
his son Philander's namesake.  Mr. LaVergy worked on the
steamboat "Hercules".  When the steamboat "Tuscaloosa"
exploded in 1845, that business suffered heavily and Daniel
took a blow to his financial state.  It was the California
gold that brought him back in business in 1850.

     Amy died August 25, 1883 and Daniel on October 27, 1891.
They are buried side by side in the Greenwood Cemetery in
Tuscaloosa.

            See photos of Daniel and Amy below.

Bibliography

1) Alabama Notes and Newspaper Articles compiled in the
   Gandrud books.  Compiled by Pauline Jones Gandrud

2) 1820 Ohio Census; 1830, 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880
   Alabama Census.

3) Pioneers of Tuscaloosa County, Alabama, Prior to 1830
   by the Tuscaloosa Genealogical Society, p. 312.

4) Marriage, Death, and Legal Notices from Early Alabama
   Newspapers 1819-1893, page 176.

5) Annals of Northwest Alabama, Vol II, compiled by Carl
   Elliot, 1959, pages 261-262