Chatom Brent Petty, son of Wiley Benjamin "Little Wiley" and Mattie (Hudgins) Petty, was born on a rural route on Highway 11 approximately three miles south of the town of Collinsville, DeKalb County, Alabama.

Chatom (Chat) attended what was called "The Old Salem School", a small private school within a mile of the Petty farm. He attended this school until construction of the new Collinsville High School was completed. He became a member of the new high school's first football team in 1920-21 and graduated 24 May 1921. "Chat" completed a two-year Pharmaceutical course at Alabama Polytechnic Institute (later known as Auburn University) on 18 May 1926. During this period of time he was a member of Phi Delta Chi Fraternity, Chi Chapter, having been initiated on 06 Dec 1924. He was also a member of the Mounted Cavalry Unit at API, earning numerous horsemanship awards. He also excelled in wrestling and won wrestling tournaments.

After graduation from API, Chat moved to Birmingham, AL and resided with his brother and sister-in-law, W. C. and Birdie (Scarlett) Petty, at their home in Minor Heights, during which time he enrolled in Howard College, a small Baptist affiliated school (later known as Samford University). The Howard College campus, at the time, was located in the East Lake sector of Birmingham, many miles from Minor Heights. It was necessary that Chat ride a bicycle approximately 3 miles from Minor Heights to catch the Tidewater Streetcar to traverse an additional 15 miles to reach Howard's campus, and reverse the commute each evening. He also worked at a pharmacy in the Ensley sector of Birmingham during this period as often as possible. Many nights he had to make this ride in the dark and in inclement weather with no city lighting. His cousin, Ben Petty, son of W. C. and Birdie Petty, related that his parents told of some of these late night rides home in bad weather causing Chat many skins (abrasions) and bruises.

Howard College sponsored dances weekly. At one of these dances, Chat met Peggy Nell Chappell, the sister of his future wife, Sue (Elizabeth Sue Chappell). Peggy and Sue Chappell were the daughters of John Mathis Chappell and Zora Bell (Turner) Chappell who resided at 8430 Third Avenue South, East Lake, Birmingham, Alabama. Sue and her sister, Peggy, were in attendance at the dances on several occasions. Chat and Peggy danced many hours away during their first encounters. The Chappell family lived only blocks from Howard's campus, but the sisters were not Howard College students. Sue graduated from Gaston High School in Gadsden, Alabama in 1927 and was scheduled to enter Jacksonville State College. Also in attendance on many of those evenings was Grover Creel who was also a pharmacy student at Howard. The couples began sporadic double dating at this time. Grover Creel would later marry Peggy Nell Chappell.

After completing his pharmacy certification, but not receiving his full degree from Howard College, Chat began his pharmacy career. He received his Alabama Lifetime Pharmacy Certificate to practice pharmacy on 13 Dec 1929 (See attached photo). During the depression years, he moved briefly to Washington, D.C., staying with his brother, Joseph Nicholas Petty, looking for work but with no lasting success. Moving back to Birmingham, he married Sue Chappell on 21 Jun 1938, the wedding being performed by Sue's brother-in-law, the Rev. Zack Appleton, at his home in Alabama City, Etowah County, Alabama. The couple lived with Sue's parents at their East Lake duplex home until 25 May 1939, when they purchased three building lots next door to the Chappell's home for $525.00 and back taxes of $129.22. During this period of time Sue Petty was employed as a dental hygienist. They built their home on the lot immediately adjacent to the Chappell home, which was addressed as 8434 Third Avenue South, Birmingham, Alabama Much later, in 1961, they built a brick home on the next lot, 8436 Third Avenue South, selling their first home and the corner lot to unrelated parties. It might be noted that within the relatively same period, Sue's sister, Peggy, and her husband, Ester Grover Creel acquired a building lot across the street and also built their own brick house.

During this same period of time, Chat worked for others, including Dr. Alley, who owned several drug stores and apothecaries around Birmingham. Later, he and Sue opened their own drug store in the Avondale area of Birmingham. Later still, after selling that drug store, they went into partnership in a drug store on 10th Avenue, near Stockham Valve & Foundry, with his brother-in-law, Grover Creel, and his wife, Peggy, Sue's sister.

Chat and Sue both died days apart in 1976, (Chat, December 11th, and Sue December 28th) of unrelated causes. Both were buried at Elmwood Cemetery in Birmingham.

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The 1910 US Census of Collinsville, DeKalb Co., AL enumerated the household of 47 Y/O Wiley Benjamin Petty, a farmer born in AL, and his 47 Y/O wife, Martha Elizabeth "Mattie Lou" (Hudgins) Petty. Living in the household were their children: 22 Y/O William Clarence Petty, a public school student; 20 Y/O Myrtle E. Petty, a public school student; 16 Y/O Nora M. Petty; 13 Y/O Hobart Petty; 11 Y/O Joseph Nicholas Petty; 8 Y/O Chatom Brent Petty; 5 Y/O Rubie (sic) M. Petty and 3 Y/O Tera Lucille Petty.

It is obvious from the 1910 US Census that Chatom Brent Petty grew up in a large farming family. He was ambitious and as a youngster aspired for a professional education. As noted above, he received his undergraduate education at Alabama Polytechnic Institute [API] (now Auburn University) and received his pharmacy training at Howard College (now Sanford University) in Birmingham, AL.

The 1924 Yearbook, Entre Nous, of Howard College, a Baptist affiliated college, located at the time in the East Lake Section of Birmingham, AL pictured Chatom Petty as a sophomore from Collinsville, Alabama.

The 1929 Birmingham, Alabama City Directory recorded Chatom Brent Petty employed as a pharmacist by the B. H. Turner Drug Company and residing at 124 16th Way North, SW.

The 1931 Birmingham, Alabama City Directory recorded Chatom Brent Petty employed as a pharmacist by W. D. Patterson, Inc. (owner of several drug stores in Birmingham). He was still residing at 124 16th Way North, SW.

Chatom married Elizabeth Sue Chappell, a stenographer, on 21 Jun 1938 at Alabama City, Etowah Co., AL in a ceremony performed by Rev. Zack Appleton, Sue Chappell's brother-in-law.

The 1940 US Census of Precinct 10, Birmingham, Jefferson Co., AL enumerated the household of 35 Y/O Chatom "Chat" Brent Petty, a druggist employed in a retail drug store, and his 28 Y/O wife, Elizabeth Sue (Chappell) Petty, a dental hygienist employed in a private dental office. Her annual income was recorded as $600.00. "Chat" was recorded as having completed 4 years of college with an annual income of $1380.00. He owned his home which was valued at $4000.00. NOTE: Living in the household next door was the household of 55 Y/O John Mathis Chappell, a Jefferson Co., AL, a convict guard, and his 55 Y/O wife, Zora Belle (Turner) Chappell, born in AL. They were the parents of Elizabeth Sue (Chappell) Petty. Also living in the Chappell household were 26 Y/O Jonnie Belle (Chappell) Farrar, a divorced daughter of the Chappells, employed in the office of the Alabama Power Company, and her 5 Y/O son, Gresham Talmadge Farrar, Jr., a grandson of the Chappells.

The 14 Feb 1942 WWII Registration Card of 40 Y/O Chatom Brent Petty confirmed his birth date as 01 Nov 1901 at Collinsville, AL. He was employed as a pharmacist by Alley Drug Company at one of their drug stores located at 7639 1st Ave North, Birmingham, AL. He and his wife, Elizabeth Sue (Chappell) Petty were still living at 8434 3rd Ave. South, East Lake, Birmingham, AL. "Chat" was describes as 5'9'' tall, 170 lbs, with brown eyes, black hair and dark complexion.

The 1946 Birmingham City Directory recorded Chatom Brent Petty employed as a pharmacist employed by Alley's Drug Store located at 7639 1st Ave North, Birmingham, AL. He and his wife, Elizabeth Sue Petty, were residing at 8434 3rd Ave South, Birmingham, AL.

The 1949 Birmingham City Directory recorded Chatom Brent Petty and his wife, Elizabeth Sue Petty, residing at 8434 3rd Ave South, Birmingham, AL. They owned Petty's Drug Store located at 4031 5th Ave North.

The 1959 Birmingham City Directory recorded Chatom Brent Petty and his wife, Elizabeth Sue Petty, residing at 8434 3rd Ave South, Birmingham, AL. Chatom was employed as a pharmacist at Shady Side Pharmacy.

"Chat" worked as a pharmacist in the Birmingham, AL area for 55 years. During part of this time (1947-1952), he owned his own drug store, Petty's Drug Store, in the Avondale section of Birmingham, AL.

He was an avid football fan of API (Alabama Polytechnic Institute later known as Auburn University) and during the 1930s and 1940s was essentially the lone voice of the Republican Party in Alabama. He was admired and loved by all who knew him.

He was also an avid fisherman when time permitted and so loved the Chrysler DeSoto brand of automobile that he bought one every two years following WWII until they stopped making them in 1961. He was also a noted "practical joker"

NOTE: Chatom "Brent" Petty's middle name is inscribed as "Brint" on his tombstone. Though some official records spell Chat's middle name "Brint", I believe that was in error. Later documents spelled it "Brent" as did the naming of his son, Larry Brent Petty and his grandson, Michael Brent Petty.. Nevertheless, he was called "Chat" and signed everything just "C. B. Petty".

Obit:
"Dr. Chatom Brent Petty, 75, of 8436 3rd Ave. South, who died Saturday was a Birmingham pharmacist for 55 years. He was graduate of Howard College and Auburn University. Dr. Petty was a member of Ruhama Baptist Church. Graveside Service was today at Elmwood Cemetery, Roebuck Chapel directing. Survivors include his wife, Mrs. Elizabeth C. Petty; a son, Larry B. Petty, Birmingham; a brother, Joe Petty, Fairhope, and three sisters, Mrs. Ruby Adams, Miss Idell Petty, and Mrs. Lucille Hood, all of Collinsville."

Source:
"The John and Richard Hood Clan of Halifax County, Virginia; Burke County, North Carolina; and Pendleton and Greenville Districts, South Carolina" by Clyde B. Hood III, 2013, p203.

Bio by Gresham Farrar.