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Marengo County was created by the Alabama Territorial legislature on 1818 Feb. 6, from land acquired from the Choctaw Indians by the treaty of 1816 Oct. 24. The name of the county was suggested by Judge Abner Lipscombe, and was given as a compliment to the first white settlers, expatriated French citizens and commemorative of Napoleon's great victory at Marengo over the Austrian armies on 1800 June 14. Marengo County is situated in the west-central part of the state. It is bordered by Hale, Greene, Perry, Dallas, Wilcox, Clarke, Choctaw and Sumter counties. It encompasses 982 square miles. The county seat was originally known as "Town of Marengo." In 1823 the name was changed to Linden, a shortened version of "Hohenlinden," scene of a French victory in Bavaria in 1800. Other towns and communities include Demopolis, where French expatriates settled and formed the Vine and Olive Colony, Myrtlewood and Sweet Water. Courthouse fires occurred in 1848 and 1965.
Authorities:
Owen, Thomas McAdory. History of Alabama and Dictionary of Alabama Biography. Chicago: S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1921.
Toulmin's Digest, 1823.
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