Married to Lavicie C. Philips
Dec. 8, 1859
The following children
were born to them

Wyatt Heflin. J. Thos. Heflin.
H. P. Heflin. R. L. Heflin.
W. W. Heflin. Lavicie Heflin Reid.
John T. Heflin. M. R. Heflin
H. T. Heflin. Sophia Heflin.
Cenus Heflin.

Son of Wyatt and Sarah Stell Heflin.

The Roanoke Leader
NEWSPAPER issue of Wednesday, September 21, 1910
TRIBUTE TO MEMORY OF DR. W.L. HEFLIN, written by a life-long friend who was born in the same county, Capt. B.F. Weathers.

The Heflin family and the family of the writer of this sketch have been closely associated as neighbors and friends for over three generations. The two families were neighbors in Fayette County, Georgia in the early settling of that part of the state. Later both families left Georgia about the same time, both locating on High Pine Creek in Randolph County, Alabama, several miles apart. At that time the aborigines were in this country, the Creek Indians. Our fathers, by their associations with them, learned much of the Indian dialect and could speak the Creek idiom quite fluently.

Dr. W.L. Heflin was the youngest son of Wyatt and Sarah Stell Heflin. He was born in Fayette County, Georgia March 21, 1828. His father moved into Randolph County, Alabama Dec. 11, 1836. Dr. Heflin was a boy, eight years old; from that date he has been a citizen of this county until the day of his death.

After his father's death, the old homestead where he grew up to manhood, became his property. He was educated in the common schools of the country, partly at Wedowee, the country side; studied medicine while in his teens; entered upon the practice of his chosen profession in the year 1847, when but nineteen years of age. In 1851 he graduated at the medical college in Augusta, Georgia and located in Louina in 1855; lived there 37 years. He came home with a large field of practice before him. For fifty years he spent more hours in his saddle, visiting the sick, than out of it.

He was a practicing physician in this same territory of the state continuously for sixty-three years. Through that long period of his practice he ever held the unsparing confidence of all the people in the large circle of his practice, even after doctors became more plentiful in the country. When the other doctors had a case that baffled their skill, Dr. Heflin was called in whether far or near. He was very successful in his practice.

He attended all calls regardless of financial considerations, exposing himself to any and all conditions of weather. It was never too cold or hot, in rain or shine, by day or night, he went when called for. His indomitable will power, his iron constitution, his untiring energy, fitted and qualified him to endure most anything that came upon him. There are the fewest of men that could hold up under what he could.

Dr. Heflin was a wonderful character in many respects; he excited the admiration wherever he appeared in any crowd of men or women. He possessed that most happy faculty of having a jovial, jolly disposition, entertaining and interesting in his conversation.

While in his thirty-second year Dr. Heflin was married December 8, 1859 to Miss Lavicie C. Phillips, daughter of Harrington Phillips, at that time the wealthiest man and largest planter in the county. His daughter was the most beautiful and attractive young lady in all the country, and as modest as she was beautiful. She retained all of her attractiveness up to her death. To crown it all she was a most noble christian woman. She was a great benefactor to all the poor and suffering of her community and it is the opinion of this writer that the high standing and prominence of the Heflin children is largely due to the early training of their sainted mother.

To Dr. Heflin and his wife, eleven children were born as follows:

Wyatt Heflin of Birmingham, one of the most noted physicians of the state;

Harrington P. Heflin, who is now the Democratic nominee of Jefferson County for solicitor to succeed himself, a position he has held for several years;

Walter W. Heflin, a Methodist minister and a member of the North Alabama Conference;

John T. Heflin of Roanoke, the Democratic nominee for the probate judgeship of Randolph county;

Howell T. Heflin, a prominent physician of Birmingham;

J. Thomas Heflin, of LaFayette, the Democratic nominee for congress to succeed himself from the 5th congressional district;

Sophia E. Heflin, died at Louina at the age of one and a half years;

Robert L., Heflin, who remained with his father and was his close companion up to the last moment of his father's life;

Mrs. Lavicie Reid who lives in the state of Kentucky, the only member of the family absent at their father's funeral;

Marvin R. Heflin, also a Methodist minister and a member of the North Alabama Conference.

Cenus Heflin, the youngest child, died in her infancy at six months.

In all, eight boys and three girls. All the boys are living and have one sister living.

Dr. Heflin and wife joined the M.E. Church, South, and were baptized by immersion in the Tallapoosa River at Louina by Rev. Daniel Howell, a noted Methodist minister of the country, on September 16, 1869 and became the main pillar of the church to which they belonged, always faithful to the church's interests. Their home was the home of all the preachers far and near. They did not wait for an invitation. All knew that the door latch hung on the outside and that they were welcomed at any and all times.

Dr. Heflin was the prime mover in establishing Louina camp ground and its strong supporter so long as it was kept up. He is no longer seen among the walks of men. On the 15th of August his mortal remains were carried to old Concord church cemetery, and there laid by the side of his departed wife, to rest unto the morning resurrection, when the dead shall rise; the righteous shall rise first, put on immortality and dwell forever with the saints in glory.

The Concord church, its cemetery and Louina Camp ground are close together. On that forty acres is a fine spring. In the early days of the county while the land belonged to the government, a man set up a grogshop near where the church now stands. It became very unpleasant to Dr. Heflin's father, Wyatt Heflin, so he himself, Harrington Phillips, Frank McMurray, Peter Mitchell and John Chewning decided they would move it. None of them wanted the land, so they put in ten dollars each, the government price, entered the forty acres, donated and deeded it for church purposes, and it is so used only to this day.

This happy and prosperous family received its saddest blow when the grim reaper invaded the home and took from the doctor that which was dearest to him of all earthly treasures, his wife and companion, the joy of his life, the queen of his household. November the 3rd, 1883, her immortal soul was severed from this earthly tabernacle of clay and borne away on angels' wings to glory, the felicity of heaven prepared for the children of God.

When this sad catastrophe came upon him, the Doctor gathered his little ones around him and said in his heart "I will assume all the cares and responsibilities both of father and mother." So he did and brought them up to maturity, an honor to his name, educating them as best he could. How well he performed that duty, the prominence of his children is the living and gratifying testimony. We find among them doctors, lawyers, preachers, statesman and farmer.

The Doctor was a good disciplinarian. He believed in training children to work. When his boys were not in school he had them at work on the farm, though he was financially easy in circumstances. He did not allow any one around him that was able to work to eat bread in idleness. He was a hard worker himself. Yet no man was more loyal and devoted to his children than he was, and they equally to their father.

He was a great benefactor to all classes of people in the country. He gave the poor and hungry bread; he alleviated the pains of the suffering and sick.

He joined the Confederate Army at Notasulga, but was sent back home to minister to those left at home. In the early days after the civil war, when the whole country was devastated, no schools in the country, a few of Roanoke's enterprising men determined they must establish a good school in Roanoke. Dr. Heflin was one of the men to subscribe his hundred dollars, at a time when it was harder to raise a hundred dollars than five hundred now. The building of that school is the bed-rock of what Roanoke is today. Dr. Heflin left Louina and moved to Roanoke on Feb. 5, 1892 where he remained up to the time of his death.

He died with that full triumphant faith in the doctrines of Christ. He evidenced it but a short while before his immortal soul took its flight. In that last home he saw the long vistas open and angels descending to bear his soul away. He was heard in a low tone humming that sweet song, "shall we gather at the river." The Doctor was a fine, original character. He believed in men telling the truth, that his word should be as good as his bond, that they should work and be honest. His heart was like unto a bold spring of pure water, a gushing fountain of noble sentiments. I have often thought that if it was God's will in his providence to let such men live on and on, what a blessing it would be to the world of mankind, especially the subsequent generations. The life and character of such men are a great beacon light of inspiration to the young men of the country in helping them to mold and form a good character for themselves. A life friend,

B.F. Weathers.
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