General Notes

[coosa1.ged]
Prominent lawyer of Montgomery and a member of the Alabama Legislature,
and the Constitutional Convention in 1865.
"Memorial Record of Alabama" V.I. Published by Brant and Fuller, Madison,
Wisc US/CAN 976.1 H2m, v.I. p.935.
"John A. Elmore was a native of South Carolina, and son of Gen. John
Elmore, who removed to Alabama, and in whose hornor a county has been
named. J. A. Elmore commanded a company of volunteers in the Creek war of
1836, and has since been generally known as Captain Elmore. He was
elected to the Senate from Lowndes county, in 1837, and took an active
part in giving strength and direction to the State Rights party, of which
he was a member. He afterwards removed to Montgomery, where he still
resides. For several years he was the law partner of the Hon. William L.
Yancey. In 1865, he was member of the State Convention which formed the
Constitution of that year.
As a lawyer, Captain Elmore has always maintained a prominent rank.
In all the relations of life he is high-toned and agreeable, with a
character for integrity surpassed by that of no citizen. He is now
considerably advanced in years, and has the satisfaction of looking back
upon a useful and hororable career.
In 1860, he was appointed, by Gov. Moore, Commissioner to South
Carolina, to consult with the authorities of that State upon the
political situation. In early life, Captain Elmore married Miss Martin,
of his native State, an accomplished lady, who was connected with the
large and influential family of that name."(1)
(1) William Garrett, Reminiscences of Public Men in Alabama for Thirty
Years (Atlanta, GA: Plantion Publishing Company's Press, 1832), pp.
61-62. Located in the Alabama Archives and History, Montgomery, AL.
"Now, therefore, in consideration of the premises, I, ANDREW B. MOORE,
Governor of the State of Alabama, by virtue of the general powers in me
vested, do hereby constitute and appoint Col. John A. Elmore, a citizen
of said State, a Commissioner to the sovereign State of South Carolina,
to consult and advise with his Excellency, Gov. Wm. H. Gist, and the
members of the Convention to be assembled in said State on the 17th day
of December, inst., as to what is best to be done to protect the rights,
interests and honor of the slaveholding States, and to report the result
of such consultation in time to enable me to communicate the same to the
Convention of the State of Alabama, to be held on the 7th day of January
next.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name, and caused
[L. S.] the Great Seal of the State to be affixed, in the city of
Montgomery, this--day of December, A. D. 1860. A. B. MOORE."
"THE NOTED BAR OF HAYNEVILLE ....
John A. Elmore was fond of leisure and fine horses; to use a common
expression, 'he broke flat', which caused him to apply himself to his
books and profession, and made of him a man Alabama may delight to honor
for his legal and eloquent oratory."  (1)
(1) Russell, Mildred Brewer, Lowndes Court House: A Chronicle of
Hayneville, an Alabama Black Belt Village; 1820 - 1900, (Montgomery, AL:
The Paragon Press, 1951), p. 35.
"Col. John A. Elmore, the Nestor of the Montgomery Bar, died recently at
his home in Montgomery." The Southern Signal, 9 Aug 1878. Researched by
Ron Bridges on 31 Oct 2002.