Lauderdale County, AL
History
Lauderdale County was established in 1818, a year before Alabama became a state and was named in honor of Col. James Lauderdale. Col Lauderdale was born in Virginia and moved to West Tennessee in the early 1800's. He served under Andrew Jackson in the War of 1812 and died from wounds received at the Battle of Talledega.After the cession of Indian lands in North Alabama in 1816 to white settlement, the United States began selling the lands at the public auction. There were few routes to travel in those days and the pioneers used the river as their main mode of transportation even though the way was fraught with perils. Some came overland by the Natchez Trace, then little more than an Indian trail, later on by the Military Road that was cleared by the troops of Andrew Jackson in 1816.
Source: Lauderdale County Online