Having always had a love for history, he said that the time
spent researching his family’s geneology has been worth
every second spent.
to by her dad, who was the youngest son of George
Washington Kilgo.
“However, I just didn’t want it to end there. I
wanted to research some of the other interesting
things we picked up from family members and get
them all down so she could have the chance to read
them also.”
Covering the incident at Looney’s Tavern and in-
corporating Kilgo’s friendship with “Black Fox” Bill
Looney, the book series is historical fiction based on
true events and real people.
“The story follows George Washington Kilgo from
before the start of the Civil War through his ordeal
as a Union soldier, a scout, and a recruiter, and his
being on the run from Confederate loyalist. It takes
us through the death of his wife, who was forced to
flee the Home Guard, and his journey to re-assem-
ble his scattered family after the ravages of war had
displaced them from their Free State of Winston
home.
“When you really start delving into the two books,
if you know anything about Cullman County histo-
ry, you will find there are several factual events tied
in,” Brock said. “For example there was a hanging in
Baileyton, of a father and son who were accused of a
crime spree in the area. They were arrested and put
in a storage room for safe keeping until the judge
arrived but a mob broke them out and strung them
up.”
In this particular incident, when my grandmother
was a little girl, she saw them hanging from the
tree,” he said. “They were coming through the area
and her dad made all the girls get down where they
wouldn’t see, but she peeked through the crack in
the wagon bed and saw them.”
Brock included that in book two of The Black
Hawk series. You will also see a lot of incidents with
the Klan and Home Guard from Winston County.
“Book Two is mostly fiction, even though it is a
reconstruction of what George Washington Kilgo
34 | SUMMER 2020
might have encountered with the Home Guard and
the Klan during those days.”
Brock explained, “When the war was over and the
Union soldiers returned home to Winston County,
the home Guards went from doing the hunting, to
being the hunted. There is a lot of factual events tied
in throughout my research and writing. It has been
fascinating to discover the truth about some of the
incidents.”
Having always had a love for history, he said that
the time spent researching his family’s genealogy
has been worth every second spent.
And that is why he is looking forward to finish-
ing up the editing process on the second book and
watching it hit the book shelves.
The Black Hawk and the Life and Times of Tom
Hayes are currently available at Amazon Books,
as well as locally at the Brandin’ Iron Steak House,
Campbell’s Grocery at Spring Hill, Berkeley Bobs,
WaterValley Grocery and Karma’s Coffee House.
The Black Hawk Book Two: Mad Dogs and Mad
Men is currently available in Kindle form from Am-
azon Books and should be available in paperback by
press time.
Photo of Brock’s relatives who are featured in the books.
CULLMAN COUNTY SENIOR MAGAZINE