Otho, Alabama

Otho, one of the lost towns in the county, was a thriving small village in the early history of that section, about 7 miles north of Franklin.

Stage coaches are said to have passed that way. It was on the Chattahoochee River road. There were two furnishing, that is grocery and dry goods stores. A boat landing on the river, provided means for the merchants to receive merchandise from Columbus, Georgia and other points along the river. Large plantation owners in this section traded with the merchants there who kept good wares and needful merchandise.

Otho drew trade largely from the north east section of Henry County and south east of Barbour County.

There is said to have been a large two story hotel there owned by a Frenchman. Unless it is obliterated, there is a small cemetery, graves marked with native stones and a deep ditch surrounding it to prohibit cattle crossing.

Beginning in the 1880’s many of the inhabitants and plantation owners moved to Columbia, Abbeville, Eufaula, Clayton and elsewhere.

The Bedell, Averett, McVey, Elias Thomas, Allen Bizzell, Moses Langston, Hinton Craddock, W. J. Craddock, Giles Carter, P. M. Thomas, Jesse W. Corbitt, Lipscomb, Whitmore Price, John and Rebecca Bowden, Nancy Thomas and her grandchildren, James R. Morris, Henry W. Culver, Albert A. Norton, William H. Calhoun, George W. Carter, A. S. Hill, Michael Holmes and Jos. F. Phillips lived at Otho.

People in this area were members of Judson Baptist Church. You will find graves of many Otho residents in Judson Church Cemetery. The Methodist were the attendants of Liberty Church, where there is also a cemetery.

Otho began to decline during the 1890’s when prices for farm products were not in keeping with their cost of production.

The steamboats on the river made trips from Columbus to Apalachicola twice weekly until 1920.

There was a U. S. Post Office at Otho from 19 July 1854 until 15 November 1905. After that time they called for their mail at Hilliardsville. Otho was in existent as late as the turn of the century.

Postmasters: James R. Morris 19 July 1854; Henry W. Culver 20 September 1860; W. J. Craddock 15 February 1861; Discontinued 9 October 1866; Joseph F. Phillips 15 May 1872; Allison C. Norton 2 September 1874; Michael Holmes 6 January 1881; Orin M. Hill 29 July ?; A. S. Hill 24 September 1886; George W. Carter 11 December 1886; William H. Calhoun 1 February 1888; Albert A. Norton 14 April 1888; Discontinued; mail to Hilliardsville 24 October 1905; effective 15 November 1905.

At least there was a small general merchandise store and river landing 3/4 mile east. The neglected condition of the road along the river from Franklin north to Otho and above to the Barbour County line and the advent of the automobile are responsible for Otho becoming one of the lost towns.