Walter H. Crenshaw was born in South Carolina, July 7, 1817, and died
in Butler county, Ala., December 7, 1878. He was a member of the house
of representatives from his county, 1838, 1840, 1841, 1847,
1861-2-3-4; was speaker in 1861-2-3-4; state senator 1851-3-1865, and
1866; president of the senate 18656, and a member of the state
convention of 1865, which framed the state constitution of that year.
As a presiding officer he gave entire satisfaction, and as a public
man, few in the south gained a more enviable reputation.

He was long in public life in Alabama, and always maintained a high
character for abilities and integrity. His judgment could at all times
be safely trusted, and his example is worthy of all the praise due to
exalted virtue and patriotism. The following is from an obituary
notice by a friend. 

"Judge Walter H. Crenshaw was solid rather than
briliant and possessed a mind of remarkable balance and clearness.
On the establishment of the criminal court for this county in 1871 he
was elected judge and discharged the duties with characteristic energy
and ability. He resigned that position to accept his election as one
of the codifiers of the law of Alabama, and for nearly a whole year
bent his energies of mind and body to the work-eighteen hours out of
the twenty-four, and which his family believe was the producing cause
of the paralysis with which he was stricken down. He seemed to retain
all he ever knew; he was, as near as can be, a walking library of
legal and political information of Alabama and the union. Thus has
passed away one of the old land marks of Butter county, and a large
contributor to the character and grandeur of Alabama, as he was a man
whose character for truth, honor, integrity, was without spot or
blemish and a model in social and family relations."