Robert Greene Hewitt
Robert Greene Hewitt was born on May 25, 1846, in Elyton, Jefferson County, and died February 15, 1937, in Birmingham. He is buried in Elmwood Cemetery. Hewitt founded Trussville’s first school, the Trussville Academy, in 1869. The one-room log cabin accommodated 100 students and was located between present-day Main Street and the railroad tracks at South Chalkville Road. Hewitt later donated his property to the community and another larger school was built on the site of what is now Trussville First United Methodist Church. In 1922 a new school was constructed across the street from the grammar school, and in 1925, the new building became known as R.G. Hewitt High School. In 1938, the building became Hewitt Elementary School, as a result of a new Hewitt High School (now called Hewitt-Trussville High School) being constructed.
Hewitt's biography is documented on page 806, History of Alabama and Dictionary of Alabama Biography, Volume 3. After serving in the Confederate States Army during the Civil War, he attended the University of Alabama for a year but did not graduate; however, the degree of master of arts was conferred upon him by the university in 1881. He taught at Rockwell Texas 1873-1875, then returned to Alabama and taught at Trussville Academy. In 1884 he became a teacher at Guntersville for three years. He served eight years as the elected tax collector for Jefferson County starting in 1888. Although he was elected as a delegate to the State constitutional convention during the administration of Joseph F. Johnston, the act calling the convention was repealed, and he did not serve. Hewitt later served as president of the board of education of Jefferson County.
References
Lloyd, Gary (April 5, 2022) "Trussville school lintel upheld for century" Cahaba Sun
Owen, Thomas McAdory Owen; S. J. Clarke publishing Company (1921) History of Alabama and Dictionary of Alabama Biography, Volume 3, page 806 retrieved from Google Books
External links
- Robert Greene Hewitt at Findagrave.com