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There was considerable dissatisfaction in the county during the mid 1820s with the location of the county seat at Washington. The people living in the eastern and northern sections, particularly, were not happy with having to travel so far to conduct their business at the seat of government in the extreme southern section.
To remedy the problem, the State Legislature ordered that a more central location be found, one that would afford a more general convenience to the citizens. Considerable "foot dragging" preceded the eventual selection of and move to Kingston. The move was finally completed in 1833, and even though it was nearly able to fill the requirement of "centrality, population, health and general convenience," it seems to have been even more unpopular as a county seat than Washington. A Wetumpka newspaper referred to it as the "Sahara".
The town never boasted a large population. Even while it was the county seat, no one lived there except the county officers, one grocer, one tavern keeper, one physician, and their respective families. On December 12, 1868, the Legislature moved the courthouse to Prattville. The original Kingston site became deserted. However, a small community of black citizens eventually sprung up which today goes by the name, Kingston.
Kingston is probably best known as the old home of Gen. Edmund Shackelford, who was long associated with the State militia and was once in command at Tuskegee, when cooperating with Generals Winfield Scott and James Jessup during the Indian troubles of 1836.
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