Chilton County Historical Society

It affords us great pleasure to present these articles on "Who's Who In Clanton," and it is very interesting and gratifying to know that they're being so enthusiastically received by our readers.

Clanton has a number of man who are most successful in business, and by their progressive spirit are reaching out and grasping the best things for Clanton. Needless to say they give unselfishly of their time and thought to their town.

It is a wonderful thing to be public spirited, and one has only to glance around them to realize that we have a host of public spirited citizens who cooperate well in every movement for the betterment of Clanton, and the friction that exists in so many towns is conspicuously absent here. This fact is evidenced by the modern appearance our city has acquired in recent years. Attractive buildings of all types have been and are being constructed, and we are beginning to realize that in a few years Clanton will be a city.

We believe absolutely in these, our citizens, and we venture to say that a finer group of men cannot be found anywhere. They are high type men of integrity and foresight, and we are happy to be able to bestow the flowers they so deserve while they are still with us.

One of our most substantial and dependable citizens is Mr. W. D. Spigener, who has been a citizen of Clanton for 26 years. Mr. Spigener, the son of Mr. W. H. Spigener and Caroline Spigener, was born in Elmore County, (then Coosa), 13 miles above Wetumpka on the side of the Coosa river in 1875. Mr. Spigener's parents were natives of South Carolina. His father and three brothers came to Alabama before the Indians left the state, the former settling here in 1836. He had the opportunity to learn much of the interesting life of the Redmen [sic] in his native haunts, and he hunted with them and learned forest life as only Indians could teach it.

Mr. Spigener received his early education in the country schools of the county. Until the age of 21, Mr. Spigener farmed. His first position was [that of] clerk in the store of his brother-in-law, T. S. Macdonald, at Rockford.

In 1883 he went into business with his brother, W. S. Spigener. In 1890 Mr. Spigener moved to Goodwater and established a firm of White and Spigener.

In 1900 Mr. Spigener married Miss Brook Thomas, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. E. W. Thomas, who lived near Kellyton, Alabama. Mrs. Spigener is one of Clanton's finest women. Both Mr. and Mrs. Spigener take an active interest in church work, and in every way they stand for the best.

Mr. and Mrs, Spigener had one child, a charming daughter, who is a Mrs. Laurie Farrior of Birmingham.

Mr. Spigener moved to Clanton in 1902, and entered the hardware business with Mr. C. Fenn Jones in the firm then known as Jones Hardware Co. A few years later Mr. Spigener sold out his interest in that business and entered the dry goods business, in a firm known as Spigener Cash Store. Then followed five years of successful farming. In November, 1919, Mr. Spigener was appointed as register of Circuit Court in equity and for many years he has served his county well.

The highest compliment that can be paid any man is to say that he is a Christian gentleman, and this can be truly said of Mr. Spigener. He is a man of high ideals and principles. He is conscientious and sincere, and can be trusted as a friend. Needless to say, a man of this type is the backbone of any town, and Clanton is indeed fortunate in having Mr. Spigener as a citizen. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church in which he serves on the Board of Trustees.

Mr. Spigener supports his town in every way, and believes that it has great possibilities of becoming a city in the near future.