Samuel Augustus Fowlkes
DOB 1850 - DOD 1900
Buried: Live Oak Cemetery Division 2 Lot 142
Sam was born in 1850 in Marion AL, the youngest of 8. In 1872 he married Pinkie Cobb, only child of Dr. Benjamin Cobb following her graduation from “The Judson”. They lived in (the now ghost town of) Rehoboth, near Catherine, in Wilcox county. In addition to managing plantations, he was a Deputy Internal Revenue Service Collector, earning $1,000 annually. He served on the Wilcox County Revenue Commission, which was mainly involved in building roads and bridges. He was elected to the Alabama legislature in 1884 and in the late 1800s moved to Selma and started a real estate, insurance and money brokerage business, S. A. Fowlkes & Co. He and Pinkie built a Victorian home at 700 Dallas Av., corner of Mabry, in the mid 1890s. Two sons built houses nearby-- James Y. across the street on Dallas Av. and Dr. Ben C. Fowlkes, dentist, directly behind him facing Mabry. The sons’ homes survive – the father’s was torn down in the 1960s. A photo similar to the one below hangs in the Old Depot Museum under the banner, “Lost to Progress.”
Sam served as Treasurer of City of Selma in 1893 and was active in civic affairs and the Church St. Methodist Church. He dropped dead of a heart attack at age 50 walking down Water Street.
His son Sam Jr. succeeded to the family business, focused on insurance and money brokerage and loans, and managed it until his own death in 1934. Sam Jr. was a co-founder, director and officer of the People’s Bank & Trust beginning in 1902 but managed the insurance business full time as well. Like his father, he was elected to the Alabama legislature, and served from 1911-1914. He married Irma Carter of Meridian in 1912, who predeceased him in 1927. They had four children.
In addition to Sam and Pinkie, three siblings are buried in Live Oak – Alpheus M., Edward T., and Mary F. Knight. Four of his children also are there – Sam, Jr., Dr. Benjamin C., Lucille F. Westmoreland and James Y., plus the families of each.
Submitted by Carter Fowlkes
Great grandson
Pinkie Fowlkes
S.A. Fowlkes, Jr Family
Left to Right – Carter Fowlkes, Irma Fowlkes Long, Samuel A. Jr., Samuel A. III and Hattie Fowlkes Thomas