CUMMINS
CEMETERY, (Copeland Rd), LIMESTONE COUNTY, ALABAMA
Photo by the Mother of Cliff Cumins, Old Polaroid Camera, 1980s photo from the
north end?
Photo by the Mother of Cliff Cumins, Old Polariod Camera, 1980s
Photo by C. Wayne Austin 2001. Photo from the south end showing the front.
This old log house was built by Levi Cummings, probably before 1810 making it the
oldest home in Limestone County before it was burned by arsonist/vandals in
about 2003. It was located on a small ridge a couple hundred yards west from the
Cummings Cemetery. From the look, it appears this was a shotgun house and the
center part was later enclosed. These are old hand hewn logs. The ones on the
base spanned the entire width of the house. They could very well be American
Chestnut logs an extinct tree.
Cliff Cumins has two pictures of the old log house that his mother took
with a Polaroid camera in the early 80�s.
In 2005, Cliff Cumins, his wife, and Mother went back to see the place. A local
man who has lived in the area all his life, took them to the house place. The
man said that a couple years prior to this, the present owners, who were
planning on restoring it, had refused to let some deer hunters camp there. That
night they, or someone else, burned the place. When Cliff was there he walked
all around the place and there was no doubt that there had been a fire with
several partially burned logs remaining in place.
Cliff's last name is spelled CUMINS, because his granddad misspelled the
surname. The granddad's brothers and sisters spelled their name CUMMINS. Many of
the other relatives spelled the name like it is here in the cemetery,
CUMMINGS. The story related to him by my Dad was that Levi Cummings/Cummins had
moved into this area, homesteaded and built this house. At the time, the area
was considered to be Indian territory and the Governor of Tennessee sent troops
there and forced everyone to move. It is believed that Levi was one of those
encroaching on Indian Lands who had to move. Also about 20 miles southeast from
this site stood Fort Hampton, the only Fort built by the US Government devoted
to keeping the American Settlers from encroaching on native Indian lands. We are
not privy to the details of how this affected Levi Cummings but know sometime
after 1810 he was back living here with his growing family.
Thank you, Cliff Cumins.
[Wanda & Cliff ccumins007@centurytel.net]
Updated 14 Feb 2012