ALABAMA'S
SECRETARY OF STATE

Frank Newsum Julian (1907-1910)

Of Tuscumbia, was born June 18, 1872, in that town, and was the son of William Reese and Elizabeth Melissa (Croxton) Julian, and the grandson of George Irvin and Martha Lavinia (Reese) Julian, and of Elijah and Eleanor Johnson (Scott) Croxton, the latter couple living in S. C. The Croxtons were descended from John Croxton, an Irish peer; while Mrs. E. J. Croxton was a first cousin of Gen. Winfield Scott. The father, Wm. R. Julian, was born near Moulton, in Lawrence County; served with gallantry in the Mexican War under Col. Jefferson Davis, was the first soldier over the walls of Monterey and was promoted to a sergeantcy; commissioned as lieutenant of artillery by A. B. Moore, Governor of the "Independent State of Alabama," Jan. 31, 1861; entered the cavalry branch of the service and was under Generals Forrest and Roddy; and was the first sheriff of Colbert County, to which office he was twice re-elected. Frank Julian was educated in the common schools.

Frank Newsum Julian

In May, 1885, when only thirteen years of age, he entered the printing office of the North Alabamian, at that time owned by Capt. A. H. Keller, father of Helen Keller, where he remained until 1889. After three years of clerical work he spent a year, 1892, on the St. Louis Post Dispatch; returned to weekly newspaper work in 1893, in which business he has since engaged. Mr. Julian early took an interest in political affairs, serving six years as secretary of the Democratic Executive Committee of Colbert County; was clerk of the committee on corporations, Alabama Legislature, 1896-97; elected assistant clerk of the House of Representatives, 1898, re-elected for extra session of 1899, and for the regular session of 1900-01; elected secretary of the Constitutional Convention of Alabama, 1901; and elected clerk of the House of Representatives, 1903. In 1902 he was defeated for nomination as Secretary of State, but in 1906 he was successful. He was a Presbyterian. He was a member of the United Sons of Confederate Veterans, the Woodmen of the World, and the Knights of Maccabees. At Tuscumbia, Dec. 18, 1895, he was married to Eva Josephine, daughter of Hugh J. and Mary E. (Smith) Stephenson, of Leighton, Ala.

Died on November 30, 1944.


Authorities:
Alabama Department of Archives and History, Official and Statistical Register, 1907, 13.
ADAH Surname Clippings File.

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Updated: August 16, 2007
http://www.archives.alabama.gov/conoff/julian.html
Alabama Department of Archives & History
624 Washington Avenue
Montgomery, Alabama 36130-0100
Phone: (334) 242-4435
E-Mail:Mark.Palmer@archives.alabama.gov
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