Born Maury County, Tennessee
Died Morgan County, Alabama
Physician 49 years
Health Officer of Morgan County over 15 years
Confederate Soldier, serving 4 years as surgeon
Member of M. E. Church South

The Alabma Enquirer, September 19, 1895
DR S. L. ROUNTREE is the founder of Hartselle and erected the first house in its limits. On the 29th day of August, 1870, he entered from the United States Government 100 acres of land lying on the east side of the Louisville & Nashville Railroad and in the fall following, he erected the first building, which is still standing. It is located nearly opposite the L. & N. depot, and is the fourth house from the postoffice and is now occupied by Mr. W.V. Echols.

After he entered the land from the Government and proceeded to carry out the homestead law, the L. & N. Railroad claimed the property and gave orders for him to vacate it, and rather than have a lawsuit over the right of title, he paid this corporation $250 for 80 acres and relinquished his claims to 80 acres.

Becoming greatly interested in the up building of the town, he sold lots at almost a song. He sold the first lot to Mr. S. A. Vest, who erected the second business house in town on the lot now occupied by the Hartselle Hotel and opened the first store here.

Dr. Rountree was born in Maury County, Tenn., July 9, 1837. He was educated at the academy at Spring Hill, Tenn., left school in 1856 and read medicine at Santa Fe, Tenn. He took one course at the University of Kentucky and graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 1860. He came to Alabama that same year and in the spring of 1861, enlisted as a private soldier in the first company organized in Morgan County and served until the close of the War. After the War he located in Morgan County, and has ever since been engaged in the practice of medicine.

He is a Royal Arch Mason and a member of the Knights of Honor. He was married first in 1864 to Josie Thompson, daughter of Robert A. Thompson of Morgan County. By this marriage he had one son, Joe L. Rountree, the present postmaster at Hartselle. He was married the second time to Georgia Thompson, sister of his first wife, and by her he has eleven children, viz: J. A. Rountree, editor of the Alabama Enquirer; Mary, wife of Joshua Collier, assistant postmaster at Hartselle; Carrie, wife of Lee Rountree of Maury County, Tenn; Walter, John, Roxie, Myrtle, James H., Bessie and Charlie. Dr. Rountree's father was John Rountree, a native of North Carolina and his mother was Ann Scott, a native of Virginia......


He served in the War Between the States in the 9th TN Cavalry for two years and the 8th AL Cavalry until the close of the war.