In East Columbus there is a creek that crosses Gardner Boulevard and West Lehmberg Road that is mistakenly called Magby Creek.
The original name of the creek is given on the U.S. land survey of May-June 1823 and is “McBees Creek.” It is named after Silas McBee who settled there in 1817 or early 1818. McBee’s life spans from service in the American Revolution to the early days of the state of Mississippi.
It was McBee who gave the name Columbus to a small frontier settlement on the banks of the Tombigbee River in the late summer or early fall of 1819.
Silas McBee was born in Virginia in November 1765 and moved to South Carolina as a child. In 1781, during the American Revolution, at the age of 15, he enlisted in a South Carolina regiment of American Revolutionary troops. He fought in the Battle of King’s Mountain and then aided in driving British troops out of South Carolina. After the Revolution he moved west to Tennessee where he served as a scout for Col James Winchester’s militia.
By 1794 McBee and his family were living in Kentucky. In 1799 while in Kentucky McBee had an encounter with Big Harp and Little Harp. They were notorious and greatly feared “land pirates” believed to have murdered more than 40 men women and children. In the middle of the night they approached McBee’s house but were run off by his dogs.
The Harps then went to another house in the neighborhood where they murdered a woman, her child and a guest in the house. A posse including McBee was formed, which caught up with Big Harp. Harp was shot, wounded and captured. While he was still alive Big Harp’s head was cut off and placed in the fork of a roadside tree. It served as a warning for any other outlaws who might pass through the area.
McBee and his family moved again, probably in 1817, and settled on a creek he believed to be located near the western edge of the Alabama Territory. The creek, which empties into the Luxapalila, not far above present day Propst Park in Columbus, soon took the name of McBee’s Creek. The house site was first believed to be in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama. Then in February 1818 Marion County was created from the western part of Tuscaloosa County. McBee was elected as Marion County’s first representative to the Alabama Legislature.
In June 1819 the scattered settlement where McBee was living began to rapidly grow. It organized into a town for which McBee suggested the name of Columbus. On Dec. 6, 1819, the Alabama Legislature recognized the Town of Columbus, Alabama. On March 6, 1820, the Columbus Post Office was established.
On Jan. 3, 1821, the governor of Mississippi announced the survey of the state line was completed and that part of Marion County, Alabama, including what are now Amory and Columbus, were in Mississippi. On Feb. 10, 1821, the Mississippi Legislature chartered the Town of Columbus, Mississippi, and appointed McBee as one of the commissioners to lay out and survey the town.
In the early 1820s McBee constructed a brick house on Third Street North just east of Franklin Academy. It was said to have been the first brick house built in Columbus. The house was torn down in the 1970s for the construction of a parking lot.
Around 1840 he moved to Pontotoc County where he died in 1845. His obituary appeared in Aberdeen’s Mississippi Advertiser on Feb. 8, 1845, under the heading “ANOTHER REVOLUTIONARY SOLDIER GONE!”
“DIED – at his residence in Pontotoc Co., Mi., on the 8th of January 1845, SILAS McBEE, Esq., in his 80th year. Having arrived at a good old age, he died, as he had lived, respected by all who knew him — at peace with himself and without fears for the future. He had lived in eventful times and his life was not uneventful.
The writer will briefly mention that he was born in Halifax Co., Virginia on the 24th of November 1765, and that his parents having emigrated, he grew to manhood in the state of South Carolina, amid the thrilling events of the Revolution. In feeling he espoused the cause of Independence with enthusiasm but was too young to take part in the War until the British had overrun the state; when in the fall of 1780 — then in his fifteenth year, he joined the Patriots under Col. Williams, who so nobly cooperated with Campbell Shelby and Cleveland at the Battle of King’s Mountain. He mingled in the fight, and was “in at the death” when Ferguson fell, mortally wounded – subsequently he aided in driving The British from the soil of South Carolina. Soon after the War he emigrated to the new settlements upon the Cumberland near Nashville, where every man was a soldier from necessity, and had to fight his way among the Indians, for several years. He took part in those troubles, and when the Indians began to haul off he settled upon a small farm in the Southern part of Kentucky. There for several years he was distinguished as one of the most enterprising and worthy citizens, and acquired a handsome property.
In 1818 he removed to the neighborhood of Columbus Mississippi – at that time believed to be within the limits of Alabama – shortly afterwards he was elected and served as a member of the convention which formed the Constitution of that state. Subsequently for many years, he resided near Columbus living on his farm seeking no public employment being blessed with an interesting family, and an easy competence, with a vigorous intellect and a generous temper, he was always happy at home. Amiable in social intercourse and benevolent in feeling, his distinguishing trait was generous hospitality. It may be truly said that no man ever entered his dwelling without meeting a warm reception, or left it unrefreshed. His servants -horses – dogs – everything must be well fed – must be comfortable. Above all he was an affectionate husband – kind parent – good neighbor – devoted friend, sincere in all his attachments – true to every trust…”
Thanks to Carolyn Kaye for help with this column.
Rufus Ward is a local historian.
Rufus Ward is a Columbus native a local historian. E-mail your questions about local history to Rufus at [email protected].
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